the same Spirit which dwelt in him. May the Lord grant that we may be always growing in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

SECTION X.

Chap. iii. ver. 1-14.

THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

1. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituræa and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

2. Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

We now take a view of John the Baptist. His ministry is rough, but there is a necessity for us to pass under it. He must prepare the way for Christ, in all flesh, by the preaching of repentance. This is God's order, and cannot be reversed.

3. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

Without repentance there is no remission. Repentance is the necessary preparation for it, but does not procure it. That must be done by Christ; and if John the Baptist does not bring us to Him, we are just where we were in point of forgiveness. We must repent, and we think that enough. But sin is not easily pardoned. John can say, repent: but he cannot say, thy sins are forgiven.

But what is repentance? A sense of the evil that is in us,-concern for it, and a will to be delivered from it. What will man be for ever, if he does not seek after it? Do

not mistake. Every one of us. You yourselves. Do not blindly put all off to others.

4. As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

This is the grand, solemn opening of the New Testament. He comes! He comes! The desire of all nations comes! Be ready. He has his time of coming to our hearts, and of taking up his abode there. But never, till these words first sound into "our ears, and put us upon making the way smooth for him.

5. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

Every hindrance to Christ's coming in us must be removed; especially, that greater one of an opposing will. Not that we can do even this without help: and much less, cleanse ourselves wholly before his coming. That is his work; and whenever he comes, he will find enough to do

in us.

6. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

What, shall all So is the will of

God's salvation comes to us by Christ. flesh see the salvation of God? Yes, all. God. And yet how many refuse to see? Think whether seeing the salvation of God is not hungering and thirsting after the salvation of God, receiving it gladly, looking for your great comfort from it, and living worthily of so great a mercy.

7. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

He meant, they were not warned: He had reason to believe that they came to his baptism in hypocrisy, and would not take the only method to escape the wrath to come, by repenting.

8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Nothing else but the fruits of repentance can prove it to be true and genuine. Repentance for sin, and continuance in it, is impossible. But men are very ingenious at deceiving themselves. They know that they have cause enough to repent, but this is hard. It is neither more nor less than saying, I have been blind, and foolish, and a rebel to God, all my life. What then, in these circumstances, do they do to keep their consciences quiet? They pretend to repent.

"Begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father." This was very galling to the Jews, who made themselves sure of God's favour, because they were in covenant with him. But John the Baptist was not sent to flatter them. Let us consider ourselves. Does not his plain speaking hit us? Will our baptism, and Christian name, avail us anything without their proper fruits, namely, praying hearts, tender consciences, and strict, christian. lives?

"God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." These stones were the Gentiles. Can we all say, that God has raised us up out of our hardened, natural state, to be true spiritual children of Abraham, and heirs of his faith? What would John if he was here?

say,

9. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Think betimes, before God lets the axe fall. What a dreadful stroke it will be, if it cuts us down for the fire! Let us examine ourselves, whether we are in a fruit-bearing state, from a root of faith, and as branches of the true vine.

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10. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

Saying this sincerely, is saying something.

Have any

of us ever said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? We may know by this, whether we are yet come to conversion

or not.

11. He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

Christ does not mean that it is unlawful for any man to have two coats; but that when we have enough and to spare, we must not see others want.

12. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

13. And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

14. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your

wages.

Let every one who hears this, consider carefully, what sins and temptations he is more particularly exposed to, by his calling, and way of life.

SECTION XI.

Chap. iii. ver. 15-22.

JOHN'S TESTIMONY OF CHRIST.

15. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;

16. John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

With the Holy Ghost, as with fire; to purify and cleanse us, to burn and consume all our impurities, whether they be open or secret. John the Baptist cannot do this for us. He has done his office, when he has put us in Christ's hands for this baptism. And for this we must pray, if ever we would be saved by him.

17. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

Christ will by the Holy Spirit purge the floor of the heart now. O that we might say, Amen, to this! For it must be done, and he alone can do it. Christ will purge the floor of the whole world, at the day of judgment; when he will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. God grant that we may consider, without delay, what we are; whether we are the wheat, or the chaff; fit to be gathered into Christ's garner, or fuel for hell.

18. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

19. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

20. Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. 21. Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

Christ was not baptized for himself, he did not need it. But he was baptized to recommend it to us, and to confirm this ordinance by his example. "And praying, the heaven was opened:" hence we may learn what opens the heavens. 22. And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

art

May we not hence presume that the Holy Ghost descended upon Christ for the whole human nature, and that he is also present in our baptism?