us to the
reality? Of more importance than anything that is now happening in our
own life is this Incarnation of the Only-begotten of the Father.

FOOTNOTES:

[3] See Isaac Taylor's _Restoration of Belief_.

[4] See Pliny's _Letters to Trajan_, 23, 98.

[5] Cp. Faber's _Bethlehem_.

[6] The first introduction in the Gospel of the name of Jesus Christ.

[7] This expression means a succession of graces, higher grace ever
taking the place of lower.

III.

_THE BAPTIST'S TESTIMONY._

"There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came
for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might
believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might
bear witness of the light.... John beareth witness of Him, and
crieth, saying, This was He of whom I said, He that cometh after me
is preferred before me: for He was before me. For of His fulness we
all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses;
grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any
time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He
hath declared Him. And this is the witness of John, when the Jews
sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art
thou? And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not
the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he
saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No. They
said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to
them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the
voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the
Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. And they had been sent from the
Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest
thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the
prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: in the
midst of you standeth One whom ye know not, even He that cometh
after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose.
These things were done in Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was
baptizing. On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!
This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a Man which is preferred
before me: for He was before me. And I knew Hi