Matthew Poole and continuators on John 1:7

7 The same came for a witness , to bear witness of the light , that all men through him might believe r.

Iohn was called a Messenger, to denote his Authority; a Witness, to denote his Work which is the work of every true Minister of the Gospel. Iohn was the first Witness, and Witnessed a thing wholly unknown (before him) to the generality of the World; for though the Shepherds, and Simeon and Anna had given some Testimony to Christ, when he was born and brought into the Temple to be offered to the Lord; yet that was Thirty years since, and generally forgot; neither could they bear a Testimony to him as an actual Minister of the Gospel. The Apostles were to be Witnesses to Christ, Acts 1.8. Witnesses of his Resurrection, Acts [illegible: 1 letter].22. and 4.33. and 5.32. and 10.41. and 13.31. All the Prophe[illegible: 1 letter]s, Acts 10.43. bare Witness to him, that whosoever believeth in his Name should be saved. So did Iohn also; a[illegible: 1 letter]d Iohn further pointed to him, passing by, and Witnessed that he was he of whom the Prophets spake. So that the Apostles, and so following Ministers, were, and are greater Witnesses than Iohn the Baptist. The Prophets witnessed that he should come, Iohn Baptist witnessed that he was come; the Apostles witnessed that he was not only come, but had Died, and was again risen from the Dead.

For Iohns Office was to give a Testimony to Christ the true Light, mentioned before; so called, because he maketh manifest, Eph. 5.13. He revealeth his Father, Matth. 11.27. He is the brightness of his fathers glory, Heb. 1.3. who is Light, 1 Iohn 1.5. and the World is by him inlightned. It was Prophesied, Isa. 11.9. of his times, That the Earth should be full of the knowledg of the Lord.

The end of Iohns Testimony was, That multitudes of all sorts might believe by him, or by it, as an instrumental cause of their Faith. If we read it by him, it is most proper to understand the Pronoun of Iohn the Baptist; for we are not said to believe by Christ, but in him, in his name, &c.