THE

SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY

ΤΟ

THE MESSIAH.

BOOK IV.

ON THE DOCTRINE TAUGHT BY THE APOSTLES IN THEIR INSPIRED MINISTRY CONCERNING THE PERSON OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

INTRODUCTION.

It was avowedly not the intention of our Saviour, by his personal instructions in any part of his ministry upon earth, to communicate an entire statement of those truths which were to form the characteristic features of the final and perfect dispensation of religion. He delivered intimations, assumptions, allusions ; and, as it were, germinant principles, which, when illustrated by subsequent revelation, would be shown to involve a variety of ulterior truths. Such subsequent and complete revelation he expressly reserved to be given by the agency of his inspired servants, as he explicitly assured them: "The Instructor,'. the

1 Παράκλητος" so I conceive that the connexion requires this appellative to be translated. See this interpretation supported in

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Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my "name: he will teach you all things. When the "Instructor is come, whom I will send unto you from "the Father, the Spirit of truth, who cometh forth "from the Father, he will testify concerning me. "He will guide you into all the truth. He will glorify me for he will receive of mine and will declare "it to you. All things, whatsoever the Father hath, "are mine therefore I have said, He receiveth of “mine, and will declare it to you.'

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992

It is impossible to doubt that these declarations of our Lord import that the completion of his design, in the revelation of religious truth, was reserved to the official ministry of his selected followers; that, for insuring the correct accomplishment of this purpose, he would provide them with a perfect and infallible assistance; and that THE TRUTH which they would be thus enabled to promulgate, was to have an ESPECIAL and PRINCIPAL relation to HIMSELF, to his person, his prerogatives, and his glory.

It therefore remains, in order to bring this impor

Cameron. Myrothec. Evang. p. 134. J. A. Ernesti, Prolus. de Difficult. N. T. recte Interpr. ap. Opusc. Philol. p. 214, &c. Tittmanni Meletem. Sacra, p. 520. But the candid reader will not suppose that I would translate wаράкλŋтоs in all places by this, or perhaps by any other single term. Its true signification is one who appears for another, to perform any kind office of help, assistance, or patronage; and therefore it will signify, an advocate, protector, supporter, pleader, intercessor, teacher, guide, comforter, &c. as the nature of the case and the phraseology of the connexion may require. See the late Dr. Knapp's valuable Dissertation, de Spiritu S. et Christo Paracletis, item de Varia Potestate Vocabulorum rapaкaλεiv, παράκλησις, παράκλητος Halle, 1805.

2 John xiv. 26; xv. 26; xvi. 13-15. In these passages Michaelis translates the word by (Lehrer) Teacher.

tant inquiry to a termination, that we ascertain what is the amount of the testimony which the thus qualified apostles bore, concerning HIM whose name they proclaimed, for whose glory they laboured and suffered, and concerning whom it was their warmest desire, that he might be magnified in them, in life and in death.

CHAP. I.

ON THE EXAMPLES OF THE APOSTOLIC INSTRUCTION CONTAINED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS.

The general character of the book entitled the Acts of the Apostles.-Its leading design. What information it presupposes in the reader. Its important use.— The chief scope of the discourses which it embodies. The principal heads of its testimony concerning the Messiah.-I. His real humanity.-II. He is the Author and Cause of divine blessings.-III. The efficient Cause of the apostolic miracles.-IV. The Giver of the miraculous influence of the Holy Spirit. -V. The universal Judge.—VI. The relation of religious institutions to him.— i. Baptism.—Investigation of the command of Christ to baptize.—Whether there is any formula of baptism, of divine institution.—Religious dedication.— Being "baptized unto Moses."-Association of the Names in the institution of baptism.-Genuineness of Matt. xxviii. 19.-ii. The chief subject of the gospel ministry-VII. Use of the appellative, LORD.-VIII. Idiom of the term, the Name.-IX. Worship paid to Christ.-i. Invocation.-Instances.— Examination of the term.-ii. The case of Stephen.-Nature of the blessings implored by him,—and what they imply in the person addressed.-Remarks on the Unitarian interpretation.-iii. Converts and churches were commended to Christ by special acts of devotion.-Recapitulation.-General observations.

IT

may be questioned whether the title which, from an unknown but very early antiquity, has been prefixed to the Second Part of the sacred narrative by the evangelist Luke, was appropriate to the design and composition of the work. For the book contains no information upon the proceedings of the far larger number of the apostles, after they received their promised qualification on the day of Pentecost; when they would undoubtedly be ready to embrace all proper opportunities of executing the infinitely solemn and important command which their Lord had