by God in the is of de furi mat etle kingka will treak n piers and mastne al fese in -doms, and ful and free Law" says Jin-heaven opened, ami beboud a willte horse: and he that sat upon him was

led Fulfil and Tre: and in costess be dith juice and make war. Els eves were as a fame of fire, and on his head were many cows: mile had a name written, that no man knew box be himself: And he was clothed with a resture ipped in Blood: and his name is called The Word of God And the armies which were in heaven Slowed him upon white borses, diched in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his month goeth a starp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he trea leth the wine-press of the ferceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written. KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." And what shall be the result of this celestial war against the powers of evil? - Voices in heaven” shall ere long proclaim it: "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."2

So much for the illustration of the view here given us of the design of our Lord's mission,-to kin. He a conflagration which shall pervade the earth, assimilating all things to itself—purifying or destroying them.

The feelings of our Lord in reference to this design, are expressed in the words, "what will I if it be already kindled?"a

Some consider these words as expressive of a feeling of exultation. They consider our Lord as exulting in the hold which his word had already got of some human hearts; he saw in the faith of the little flock, that the heavenly flame in his bosom had caught on kindred material, and though it was but a little spark, he knew that it was in

1 Dan. ii. 34, 35, 44, 45.

"Volo pro vellem."- BENGEL.

2 Rev. xix. 11-16; xi. 15.

extinguishable, and that that smoking flax would yet kindle a blaze which would wrap the whole earth in flames. He sees the unquenchable element, as it were, bursting forth, and exclaims, 'What will I more? the object of my ministry on earth is so far accomplished.'1 Just as when the Greeks were introduced to him, seeing in them the first fruits of the fulness of the gentile nations, he exclaimed, "The hour is come, that the Son of Man should be glorified."2

4

Others, with whom we are disposed to agree, consider the words as expressive of desire, rather than of exultation. "What will I?"-or what do I wish? but that it were already kindled'—or 'what do I wish? O, that it were already kindled.' The word rendered " if," is sometimes used to express desire; thus Balaam says, "I would there were a sword in mine hand,”3—literally, if there were a sword in my hand. In Isaiah, the word very properly rendered by our translators, "O, that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments," is literally, 'If thou hadst hearkened.' And our Lord's words, "If thou hadst known, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!"" are obviously equivalent to, 'O, that thou hadst known, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace.' The meaning then seems to be, 'I am come to set the earth on fire— O, that the conflagration were begun.' When we consider how clearly this was connected with the glory of God, and with the happiness of man, we cannot wonder that it should be an object of intense desire to him of whom it is said, "The zeal of thy house hath even consumed me;" and who so loved men, as not to love his own life to the death, in order to obtain their salvation.

The intensity of his desire for the accomplishment of the great design of his mission, is strikingly expressed in the manner in which he speaks in reference to the means by

I Neander.

2 John xii. 20-23.

3 Numb. xxii 9.

4 Isaiah xlviii. 18.

5 Luke xix. 42.

entering on my kingdom?' There are two things we must do here. We must show what truths with regard to our Lord's sufferings, are indicated by their being termed his baptism, and we must show how this baptism of sufferings was necessary in order to his kindling that conflagration ; which was the object of his intense desire.

In calling his sufferings a "baptism," our Lord may refer either to the ORIGIN, to the NATURE, or to the DEGREE of his sufferings.

He may refer to their ORIGIN. The baptisms under the law, to which no doubt there is a reference, were divine appointments. In this respect our Lord's sufferings were a "baptism." "Truly," said our Lord, "the Son of Man goeth as it was determined." He "was foreordained," says the Apostle Peter in his Epistle, a propitiatory sacrifice "from the foundation of the world."-" When," said the apostles in their solemn song of thanksgiving and triumph, “When Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together” against "God's holy child Jesus," it was "to do whatsoever His hand and His counsel had determined before to be done." 1

In using the word baptism as descriptive of his sufferings, our Lord may refer to their NATURE. Baptism marked the person and thing baptised as sacred, devoted to God. Our Lord's sufferings marked him out as the "elect, righteous servant of God," employed by him in the great work of man's redemption. When we contemplate him as the absolutely innocent, all-righteous one, treated as if he had been a sinner, the chief of sinners, we, as it were, hear Jehovah proclaiming," Behold my servant whom I uphold, my beloved in whom my soul delights." "Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world." 2

Finally, in using the word baptism in reference to his sufferings, our Lord may intend to indicate their SEVERITY.

1 1 Peter i. 20. Acts iv. 26-28.

2 Isaiah xlii. 1. John i. 29.

EXPOSITION VI.

FIGURATIVE VIEWS OF THE PURPOSE OF OUR LORD'S MISSION; OF THE MEANS OF GAINING IT; AND OF HIS FEELINGS IN REFERENCE TO BOTH.

LUKE xii. 49, 50.-" I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptised with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!"

A CAREFUL reader of the New Testament cannot fail to observe that many of our Lord's statements respecting future events, especially in reference to the design of his mission, and the means by which that design was to be accomplished, could, at the time they were made, from the figurative, and often enigmatical, language adopted by him, be but very imperfectly, if at all, understood, by those to whom they were addressed; while, at the same time, this very figurative and enigmatic style which occasioned the obscurity, was fitted to excite attention and secure recollection, so that, when the events predicted actually occurred, not only was the meaning of the predictions clearly unfolded, but the supernatural knowledge and the divine mission of him who uttered them were satisfactorily established. I refer to such declarations as the following;-" Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up." "When the Son of man is lifted up, then shall "And I, if I be lifted up from the

ye

know that I am he."