e 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. a Prov. viii. 22, 23, &c. Col. i. 17. 1 John i. 1. Rev. i. 2; & 19, 13. Prov. viii. 30. ch. xvii. 5. 1 John i. 2. Phil. ii. 6. 1 John v. 7. d Gen. i. I. e Psalm xxxiii. 6. Col. i. 16. ver. 10. Eph. iii. 9. Heb. 1. 2. Rev. iv. 11. 46. 11 "He came unto his own, or privilege, pch ii. 5. and his own received him not. 0 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he 'power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13" Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 'And the Word was made 'flesh, and dwelt among us, (and 'we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) "full of grace and truth. 15 "John bare witness of ། him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, "He fch. v. 26. 1 John v. 11. gch. viii. 12; & ix. 5; & xii. h ch. iii. 19. i Mal. iii. I. Mat. iii. 1. Luke 2. ver. 33. Acts xix. 4. /ver. 4. Isaiah xlix. 6. 1 John ii. 8. m ver. 3. Heb. i. 2; & xi. 3. n Luke xix. 14. Acts iii. 26; & xiii, 46. 01s. Ivi. 5. Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iii 26. 2 Pet. i. 4. 1John iii. 1. Or, the right, James i. 18. 1 Peter i. 23. 9 Mat. i. 16, 20. Luke i. 31, 35; & ii. 7. 1 Tim. iii. 16. Rom. i. 3. Gal. iv. 4. s Heb. ii. 11, 14, 16, 17. t Is. xl. 5. Mat. xvii. 2. ch. ii 11; & xi. 40. 2 Peter i. 17. u Col. i 19; & ii. 3, 9. w ver. 32. ch. iii. 32; & v. 33. Mat. iii. 11. Mark 1.7. Luke iii. 16. ver. 27, 30. ch. iii. 31. ch. viii. 58. Col. 1. 17. z ch. iii. 34. _ Eph. i. 6, 7, 8. Col. i. 19; & ii. 9, 10. a Ex. xx. 1, &c. Deut.iv. 44; & v. 1; iv. 12. & xxxiii. 4. 6 Rom. iii. 24; & v. 21 ; & Mat. xi. 27. vi. 14, ech. viii. 32; & xiv. 6. d Ex. xxxiii. 20. Deut. Luke x. 22. ch. vi. 46. I Tim. i. 17: & vi. 16. 1 John iv. 12, 20. e ver. 14. ch. 3, 16, 18. 1 John iv. 9. READER.—In the beginning was the Word, &c. This gospel opens with a sublime and most important declaration of the nature and office of the adorable Redeemer. When we consider the history of his life and actions, we plainly discover that he was more than man,—more than a righteous man,-more than a prophet. Some points of resemblance may be traced between the Lord Jesus Christ and certain human messengers of God; but there are many respects in which he is altogether superior to them all. We see him working miracles by his own authority and power; and we trace in his character that perfect purity and majesty which never appeared in any but himself. He is man, indeed; but he is, he must be, more than man. Who is he? He is God! He is the eternal Being, co-existent with the Father, and one with him, the author of creation, the fountain of spiritual life and light! Such is the description of his nature and character which we find in the verses before us. Here the great question concerning the nature and office of the Redeemer receives a sufficient answer. If we push our inquiries too far, with vain or presumptuous curiosity, we shall soon be baffled and confused. Must we insist upon knowing exactly how the Word or Son of God is with, or as it is else where expressed, in the Father, and the Father in him, so that the unity of the Godhead remains undivided? Let us remember that this is to require no less than to find out to perfection, to comprehend fully, the nature of the eternal Jehovah. And before we venture upon such a speculation, let us charge ourselves to do (for example) this one thing; namely, to determine how a brute animal could understand our method of communicating an impression of our thoughts to a friend at the distance of the globe's circumference, without an interview or a word spoken! When an irrational creature can so far comprehend the mind of man as to understand the mystery of a letter or a printed book, we may begin to think it possible for ourselves to obtain some insight into the mysteries of the Divine essence. But let us be content to learn what God has been pleased to reveal. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, existed from eternity in his Divine nature, before he assumed that human soul and body with which he appeared on earth. He was "in the beginning." This eternal Being is one with Jehovah, the true and living God. During his sojourn upon earth he declared, "Before Abraham was, I am;" and again, "I and the Father are one." The Jews charged him with blasphemy, because that he, being a man, made himself God. But our Lord persisted in his claim, and said, "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him." (John x. 30, 37, 38.) He, whose "name is called The Word of God," "hath also on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of kings and Lord of lords." (Rev. xix. 13, 16.)—Further, this eternal Being, and fellow of Jehovah, is the author of creation: "All things were made by him." "God," says St. Paul, "created all things by Jesus Christ." Eph. iii. 9. And again, "He is before all things, and by him all things consist." Col. i. 17. In this latter passage we are taught to attribute to the Son of God, not only the original creation of all things, but, their continual preservation, or the work of an upholding and superintending provi nearly concern the welfare of our immortal souls. And all men around us are, in themselves, as erring and as ignorant as we are. Neither by our own wisdom, nor by the united wisdom of the world, can we know and apprehend the things which belong unto our peace. A ray from above must penetrate our souls, or else all will be darkness there for ever. But the Word of God, in mercy, condescends to be the light of fallen man. Let us take him for our teacher-let us follow his guidance, and yield to the influence of his blessed Spirit dwelling within us, and we shall be wise unto salvation! dence; as likewise in Heb. i. 2, 3; "His Son-by whom also he made the worlds;-the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power."-Yet once more, the Word of God, by whom all things were made and are sustained, is the fountain of life, and of intellectual and spiritual light. "In him was life." This is in accordance with his own saying: "As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." (John v. 26.) And he gave a proof of this fact when he rose in triumph from the grave, having overcome death, by which it was not possible that he should be It is, alas, too possible that this holden. It was God,-God in in- light may shine on us in vain. "The timate union with his human nature, light shineth in darkness; and the -that raised up Jesus. It was darkness comprehended it not." Jesus who raised up himself by his "He was in the world, and the own power. "I have power to lay world was made by him, and the down my life, and I have power to world knew him not. He came unto take it again." John x. 18. "I his own, and his own received him am the resurrection and the life; he not." The darkness may fail to that believeth in me, though he were comprehend this celestial light,dead, yet shall he live: and whoso- by obstinacy, by carelessness, by ever liveth and believeth in me shall worldly-mindedness, by sensual innever die." (xi. 25, 26.) "Believest dulgence. We may continue to be thou this?" Oh for a constant faith, blind to the light which shines so which may keep the Saviour ever brightly in the glorious gospel of the before us as the Lord and giver of Son of God; we may shut out from life!" And the life was the light of our hearts the beams of the Sun of men." It is he who can illumine righteousness himself! And let this our dark souls. He said of himself, thought serve for our admonition."I am the light of the world; he But let us, at the same time, derive that followeth me shall not walk in encouragement from a survey of darkness, but shall have the light of the happy consequence of receiving life." John viii. 12. We are, by the truth, and walking in its light. nature, in a state of spiritual and "As many as received him, to them moral darkness; we are blind with gave he power to become the sons of respect to those truths which most God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." "Of his fulness have we all received, and grace for grace." How inestimable is our privilege in having been called to a knowledge of Him who is the light of the world, and to a participation of his saving and sanctifying grace! How carefully should we seek and cherish that living faith whereby our souls may be continually kept beneath the rays of that Divine illumination! While we pursue our meditations on this holy gospel of the beloved apostle, we shall hear many a lesson of wisdom from the mouth of our heavenly instructor; and we shall witness that spotless righteousness and meritorious sacrifice whereby the Word, made flesh and dwelling among us, became the Saviour of a lost world, the author of eternal life to those who were dead in trespasses and sins. May we have holy and sweet communion with him who is herein revealed to his believing people as the way, the truth, and the life!-ED. Lift up your hearts! O thou great and unchangeable Jehovah, whose name is One, and whose glory is not imparted to another, we adore thee, and offer unto thee the praises of most thankful hearts for that thou hast vouchsafed to reveal thyself to us, by the Eternal Word, and through the agency of the Holy Spirit, as a God of compassion and love! May our May our souls be deeply impressed with a sense of thy majesty and thy mercy; and may we at all times thankfully and reverently draw nigh unto thee, in the way which thou hast chosen ! O Lord Jesu Christ, who didst take upon thee the form of a servant, and wast made in the likeness of men, but in that form and likeness didst speak as never man spake, and didst work those works which none but the Almighty could perform, we devoutly acknowledge Thee to be one with the Father, who wast in the beginning, the eternal, God over all, blessed for ever! In the beginning, Lord, thou didst lay the foundation of the earth; all things were made by thee, and without thee was not anything made that was made. Oh that the works of thy hands may be continually, through thy grace, a means of leading our souls to Thee! Fountain of life and light! look in mercy upon us, thy fallen creatures, who are by nature dead in trespasses and sins, having our understandings darkened, and our wills rebellious and perverse, and who are sinking down into everlasting ruin! May we truly know thee to be the way, the truth, and the life! Quicken us, O Lord, by thy Holy Spirit, and engage all the powers of our souls and bodies in thy service! Raise us to the apprehension and pursuit of what is holy, just, and good; and grant that, instead of yielding to the corrupt tendencies of our own hearts, or the deadening influences of an evil world, we may live by faith in thee! Lead us forth and guide us in thy truth; enable us ever to perceive the things which belong unto our peace; and grant that, by the teaching and influence of thy good Spirit, we may continually grow in grace, and in the knowledge of thee, our Saviour and our God! Send forth thy light and thy truth to those who now sit in darkness and in the shadow of death! Oh that all who have heard thy name may be made to rejoice in thee; and may the knowledge of thy gospel and thy grace be imparted to those who have not hitherto received it! Have mercy on those who have unthankfully rejected thee and thy great salvation; grant them space for repentance, and plead with them yet again by thy holy and patient Spirit! In thine own good time call others to the privileges of thy church on earth; may many who are now afar off be brought nigh; may they become partakers of the inheritance of thy saints in light; and hereafter, by thy mercy, be admitted to dwell in thy presence for ever! Amen.-ED. HYMN. To our Redeemer's glorious name He took the dying traitor's place, Oh may the sweet, the blissful theme, § CCXXXIV. CHAP. I. 19-34. The testimony of John. 19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? What then? Art thou "Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that What sayest thou of sent us. thyself? 23 * He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as 'said the prophet Esaias. 24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water: |