Jefus, therefore, came to be baptized, St. John had no knowlege of his perfon. But, probably, on making the enquiries, ufual at baptifin, into his profeffion, name, and place of abode, and finding likewife, that he had no fins to confefs *, as all others had, he faw reafon fufficient to conclude, that this was the Chrift; which might occafion his apology, "I have need

to be baptized of thee," &c. And then, when Jefus came up out of the water, the Spirit defcended, and put the matter beyond all doubt. "I

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faw, and bare record, that this is

"the Son of God." So little ac

* See Annotations on St. John's Gospel, hy the Rev. Mr. Merrick, Part. II. p. 50. and the Works of Dr. Jackfon, by him referred to, Vol. II. p. 518.

count

count did these two wonderful perfonages make of their relation according to the flesh. From their infancy they had not converfed together; and when they met, it was in public, that John might bear his teftimony; foon after which, he was caft into prifon, and faw Jefus no more. An higher, more important, and durable connection, than any formed by confanguinity, engaged his attention, as it fhould do that of all Chrift's difciples, according to thofe deep and divine ftrains of St. Paul; "The love of Chrift con"ftraineth us, because we thus judge, "that if one died for all, then were "all dead; and that he died for all, "that they which live fhould not "henceforth live unto themselves, P 3

"but

"but unto him which died for them, "and rofe again. Wherefore hence"forth know we no man after the "flesh, yea, though we have known "Chrift after the flesh, yet now. "henceforth know we him no more. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, "he is a new creature: old things "are past away; behold, all things "are become new *."

THE Baptift, having now lived to fee the Lord's Chrift, and fhew him to the world, was ready, like old Simeon, to depart in peace, and, to make over his difciples to a better Mafter, who would never leave them, nor forfake them. Again, the 'next day after, John ftood, and "two of his difciples; and looking

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#2 Cor. v. 14.

upon

་་

upon Jefus as he walked, he faith, "Behold the Lamb of God." Happy the Chriftian minifter, who, like St. John, lives only to point out the Saviour to his people. And happy the people, who like the two difciples, thereupon follow Jefus, enquire where he dwelleth, enter in, and abide with him.

To one of St. John's difpofition it could not but be matter of concern to find envy and jealoufy ftirring in the breafts of his difciples, on account of the increafing fame of Jefus, as being likely to eclipfe that of their .mafter. For on occafion of a dispute which had happened about purification by baptifin (difputes being feldom, managed fo as not to. produce ill-will) "they came unto John, and

"faid unto him, Rabbi, he that was "with thee beyond Jordan, to whom "thou bearest witness, behold, the "fame baptizeth, and all men come "unto him*;" intimating, that John was in danger of lofing both his credit and his difciples, by means of one, whom they took for a disciple, like themselves, as he had been baptized by the fame mafter. So ready are men, at every turn, to form parties in religion, and to fet up their refpective teachers in oppofition to each other; the confequences of which are, that the hearers waste that time in wrangling about a duty, which fhould be spent in practising it; and the teachers, if they have not good hearts and fteady heads, preach John iii. 26, &c.