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Harmony and Explanation.
MARK I. Vers. 1.
The beginning of the Gospel.
THE beginning of that age of the world, which the Prophets so unanimously pointed out for the time of good things to come; and which they expressed some∣times by the term of The last days, Esa. 2. 2. Mich. 4. 1. Joel 2. 28. Sometimes, of the ac∣ceptable year of the Lord, Esa. 61. 1. Sometimes, of the Kingdom of God, Dan. 2. 44. & 7. 14. and sometimes, of a New Heaven, and a New Earth, Esa. 65. 17. And which the Gospel it self doth begin from the beginning of the Ministry and Preaching of John the Baptist, as in this verse, and Matth. 11. 13. Act. 1. 22. & 10. 37. So that though in our Chronicle account, and computation, we begin to reckon from the birth of our Saviour the second Adam, as the age of the world before, was reckoned from the Crea∣tion of the first; yet in strict and exact computing, the new world, as one may call it, or the age of the Gospel began not before the setting forth of John, to preach and bap∣tize; and this his Ministry is most fitly called the beginning of the Gospel both in regard of his preaching and of his baptizing.
For, first, the Doctrine and Preaching of John, was of a differing strain, and diverse tenour from the litteral Doctrine of the Law: For that called all for works and for exact performance, Do this and live; and, He that doth not all the words of this Law, is cursed; But John called for repentance, and for renewing of the mind, and for belief in him that was coming after, disclaiming all righteousness by the works and performance of the Law, but proclaiming repentance for non-performance, and righteousness only to be had by Christ. So that here were new Heavens, and a new Earth begun to be created; a new Commandment given, a new Church founded, justification by the works of the Law cry∣ed down, and the glorious Doctrine of Repentance and Faith set up.
Secondly, Whereas Baptism was used before among the Jews, only for admission of Proselytes or Heathens to their Church and Religion, [as Vid. Aben Ezra, Gen. 35. Ram∣bam in Issurei Biah per. 13.] now it is published and proposed to the Jews themselves to be received, and undergone, shewing unto them; 1. That they were now to be entred and transplanted into a new profession. And 2. That the Gentiles and they were now to be knit into one Church and Body.
The Ministery of John being of so high concernment, as being thus the beginning of the Gospel, and of a new World, it is no wonder, that St. Luke doth so exactly point out the year by the Reign of the Emperor, the rule of Pilate, Herod, Philip, and Lysa∣nias, the High Priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, that so remarkable a year might be fixed and known to all the World, and that the condition and the state of the times might be observed when the Gospel began. And here it might have been proper to have begun the second part of this our task, and not to have driven over this Period of time, and to stop half a year after it at the baptism of our Saviour; but since his preaching and appearing to the World, is the great and main thing that the Evangelists look after, and since the preaching of the Baptist was but a Preface and forerunner unto that of his; it is not un∣proper, and may be very excusable to make that our entrance to another part, and take this with us in our motion to our lodging and resting there.
§. Of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
This title of The Son of God, is proclaimed of Christ from Heaven, at his baptism, when he is to begin to preach the Gospel, as it is said here to be the Gospel of the Son of God. And it was necessary that so much should be intimated and learned concerning him, as the author of the Gospel, Because 1. The Gospel was the full revealing and opening of the will of the Father. 2. The overthrow and ruine of the Rites and Ceremonies of Moses. 3. The admission of heathen and strangers to be the Church and people of the Lord, whereas Israel had been his peculiar before. 4. It was a Doctrine of trusting in another, and not ones self for salvation, and who was fit for doing the three former, or for being the object of the latter, but Jesus Christ the Son of God, who came from the bosom of the Father, was the substance and body of those shadows and Ceremonies, might raze that partition wall, which in the giving of the Law himself had rear∣ed, and did not only preach the Doctrine of the Gospel, but also fully perform the Law.