Exposition of John, Chapter 1 · Verse 21
Ver. 31. And I know him not: but that he ſhould be made manifeſt unto Iſrael, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
Leſt any ſhould queſtion how John knew this perſon to be the Meſſiah whom he had preached; He declareth how he came to know him, and got ground for this teſtimony. And firſt, he declareth that when he entred upon his calling, he knew not Chriſt by face; or at leaſt, that he had not any converſe with him to know him to be the Meſſiah: OnelyOnly he knew by revelation, his offices, and that he was in the world, ſhortly to be manifeſted: And therefore he was ſent by the immediate call of God to preach his approach and being at hand, and by his Doctrine and Baptiſme to hold out the benefits to be had by him, having aſſurance alſo, that in the time of his Miniſtry, he ſhould have occaſion to point out his perſon to Iſrael, as being his forerunner. Doctrine 1. It is an unjuſt calumnie and prejudice againſt the Miniſters of the Goſpel, that what they ſay of Chriſt, is done but for by-reſpects; And particularly, there was no cauſe to ſuſpect theſe extraordinary meſſengers ſent to point out Chriſt, now come into the world, of any colluſion with him, or double-dealing; Therefore, God ſo ordered it, that, to prevent this, John, though a kinſman of Chriſts according to the fleſh, ſhould not know him, either not ſeeing him by face, or having no converſe with him. 2. A bodily ſight of Chriſt, or acquaintance with him outwardly, is not ſimply needful for enabling a Miniſter to point him out ſavingly to the world: Albeit all the Apoſtles behoved to have been ſuch as had ſeen, and had converſed with him in the fleſh, Acts 1.21, 22. And therefore Paul was raviſhed to the third heaven to ſupply the want of ſeeing him in the fleſh, 2 Cor. 12.2. 1 Cor. 15.8. Yet even in the dayes of his fleſh, called men were able to preach him upon ſpiritual acquaintance by faith, though they had not ſeene nor known him in the fleſh; for, John was ſent to manifeſt him to Iſrael, when yet he knew him not. 3. Men called of God to the work of the Miniſtry, muſt not ſtand back becauſe of the conſcience of much inability, but ought to hazard on the call, expecting that their furniture ſhall grow upon their hands as they need it; for John is ſent not onelyonly to preach Chriſt, but to point him out, when yet he knew him not, but had a promiſe that he ſhould know him, as afterward he did. 4. The chief end of the Miniſtry of the Word and Sacraments, is, to point out, and to make an unknown Chriſt, known to the world and the Church; for, that he ſhould be made manifeſt to Iſrael, therefore, am I come baptizing with water. John had indeed a peculiar end in his Miniſtry, to preach that the Kingdome of God was at hand, that Chriſt was come in the fleſh, and to point him out in perſon: But the general end of the Miniſtry, in which he alſo joyned, is to point him out to faith, in his merit, vertue and efficacie. 5. Baptiſme with water is an Ordinance of God, wherein Chrſt is alſo held forth, as the pardoner and pu…ger of his people, the waſher and renewer of their perſon and nature; and this was the end of Johns Baptiſme alſo; for, ſaith he, I am come to baptize with water, that he ſhould be made manifeſt. 6. The Lord who is Sovereign Lord of the world, and may reveale Chriſt to whom he will, was pleaſed to make Iſrael his peculiar people, and to give unto them the firſt offer of Chriſt, and of all the priviledges of the Goſpel, that he might keep his promiſe made to their fathers, Rom. 15.8. and that he might leave a pledge of his fidelity, that no affection to the reſt of his ſheep, could make him break what he had ſaid; for, John was ſent, that he might be made manifeſt to Iſrael.