for I say unto you, that God is able of these very stones to raise 10 up children to Abraham And the axe is even now applied to the root of the trees; therefore every tree that doth not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Luke. And the multitude asked him saying, What then shall we 10 do? And he answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two 11 coats, let him impart one of them to him that hath none; and he 12 that hath plenty of food, let him do the like. Then came also

Publicans to be baptized (whose office was to collect the taxes*) and 13 said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, 14 Exact nothing more than is enjoined you. And the Soldiers also asked him saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Terrify no man by a violent, overbearing conduct; nor wrong any by false accusation; and be content with your pay.

15

And as the people were in suspense, and all were reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether he were the Messiah or 16 not, John answered all that put the question to him, saying, I indeed baptize you with water to repentance; but there is one coming after me who is more powerful than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry, or to stoop down and untie the latchett of them. He shall baptize you with the holy Spirit and with fireț. 17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly winnow and cleanse his threshing-floor, and will gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff, empty vain professors, he will burn with 18 unquenchable fire. And offering many other exhortations, he published to the people these glad-tidings, of the Messiah's approach, and endeavoured to prepare them properly to receive him.

REFLECTIONS.

What an excellent pattern of ministerial service does John exhibit in the passage before us! Blessed is that gospel preacher who, like him, seeks not his own ease and pleasure, and indulges not to luxurious and sensual inclinations, but cheerfully accomodates himself to the state and circumstances which Providence hath assigned him, as infinitely more intent on the success of his ministry than on any little interest of his own that can interfere with it!-Happy the man who, imitating the impartiality of this faithful servant of God, giveth to every one his portion of meat in due season, and abhors the thoughts of flattering men in their vices, or buoying them up with delusive hopes in their birth and profession, while they are destitute of real and vital religion !

May this plain and awakening address be felt by every soul that hears it! And, in particular, let the children of religious parents, let those that enjoy the most eminent privileges, and that make even the strictest profession, weigh themselves in this balance of the sanctuary, lest they be found wanting in the awful, decisive day. And if the

* Viz. those which the Romans had imposed on the Jews. They were ge nerally infamous for their injustice and oppression.

The string of the sandals then worn. q. d. I should esteem it an honour to perform the humblest menial office for him.

Comp. Acts i. 5. ii. 8.

warnings of the gospel have alarmed our hearts, and put us upon fleeing from the wrath to come, oh, let the terrors of the Lord engage us not only to confess but to forsake our sins, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance !

Let all to whom the gospel message comes, most attentively and seriously consider in what alarming circumstances of danger and extremity impenitent sinners are here represented. The gospel is the last dispensation we must ever expect; the axe is at the root of the unfruitful tree, and it must ere long be cut down and burnt, be its branches ever so diffusive and its leaves ever so green.

Christ hath a fan in his hand to winnow us as well as the Jews. Oh that we may stand the trial! And oh that, as his wheat, we may be laid up in the store-house of heaven, when that day cometh which shall burn as an oven, and when all that do wickedly shall be consumed as stubble and be burnt up as chaff !--That we may be prepared for that final trial, let us be earnest in our applications to our gracious Redeemer, that as we are baptized with water in his name, he would also baptize us with the Holy Ghost and with fire ; that, by the operations of his holy Spirit on our cold and stupid hearts, he would enkindle and quicken that divine life, that sacred love, that flaming, yet well governed zeal for his glory, which distinguishes the true Christian from the hypocritical professor, and is indeed the seal of God set upon the heart to mark it for eternal happiness.

SECTION XVII.

The testimony of John the Baptist noticed by John the Evangelist, and his own added to confirm it. JOHN i. 15-18.

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A

S the Messiah was shortly to appear, and the time just at hand when he was to enter on his public ministry, John bore testimony of him, applying it in particular to Jesus of Nazareth, and cried, saying, "This is he of whom I said before, He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he existed before me." 16 And of his fulness have we all received, even grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by 18 Jesus Christ. No man hath ever seen God; but the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath made him known.

REFLECTIONS.

Happy are they that (like this beloved apostle) when they hear the praises of Christ uttered by others, can echo back the testimony from their own experience, as having themselves received of his fulness! May an abundance of grace be communicated from him to us! We are not straitened in him; oh, may we not be straitened in ourselves ; but, daily renewing our application to him as our living Head, may vital influences be continually imparted to our souls from him!

With pleasure let us compare the dispensation of Jesus with that of Moses, and observe the excellency of its superior grace and of its brighter truth but let us remember, as a necessary consequence of

this, that if the despisers of Moses's law died without mercy, they shall be thought worthy of a much sorer punishment, and a more aggravated condemnation, who tread under foot the Son of God. May we ever regard him as the only-begotten of the Father; and, since he hath condescended so far as to come down from his very bosom to instruct us in his nature and will, let us with all humility receive his dictates, and earnestly pray that, under his revelations and teachings, we may so know God as faithfully to serve him now, and at length eternally to enjoy him!

SECTION XVIII.

Christ is baptized by John, and the Spirit descends upon him. MARK i. 9—11. MAT. iii. 13, &c. LUKE iii. 21—23.

A

ND it came to pass in those days when all ranks of the people were baptized, that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee to John, that he might be baptized by him; and was accordingly baptized by John in Jordan, near Bethabara.

But John*, through modesty, would have hindered him, and said, I have need to be baptized by Thee, and dost thou come to me? And Jesus replying said unto him, Permit it now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he permitted him. And after Jesus was baptized, as soon as he ascended out of the water, behold the heavens were opened unto him as he was looking up and praying; and he saw the Spirit of God, in a corporeal form, descending like a dove, and coming upon himt.-And behold a voice came out of heaven, which said, "Thou art‡ my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased." And Jesus when beginning [his ministry] was about thirty years old. The age at which the priests used to begin their ministrations in the temple. Numb. iv. 7-47.

REFLECTIONS.

Let our Lord's submitting himself to baptism teach us a holy exactness and care in the observance of those positive institutions, which owe their obligation merely to a Divine command; for thus it also becometh us to fulfil all righteousness; lest by breaking one of the least of Christ's commandments, and teaching others to do it, we become unworthy of a part in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. v. 19.) Jesus had no sin to confess or wash away, yet he was baptized; and God owned that ordinance so far as to make it the season of pouring forth the Spirit upon him. And where can we expect this sacred effusion, but in a conscientious and humble attendance on Divine appointments?

Let us remember in how distinguishing a sense Jesus is the Christ, the anointed of God, to whom the Father hath not given the Spirit by measure, but hath poured it out upon him in the most abundant degree. Let us trace the workings of this Spirit in Jesus, not only as a Spirit *Having received a secret intimation from above that this was the Messiah, being before personally a stranger to Christ.

†That John the Baptist also saw it is plain from John i. 32-34. ‡ Matt. “This is," but some copies agree with Mark and Luke.

of miraculous power, but of the richest grace and holiness; earnestly praying that this holy unction may, from Christ our Head, descend upon our souls! May his enlivening Spirit kindle its sacred flame there, with such vigour that many waters may not be able to quench it, nor floods of temptation and corruption to drown it.

Behold God's beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased! As such let us honour and love him; and as such let our souls acquiesce in him, as in every respect such a Saviour as our wishes might have asked, and our necessities required.

With what amazement should we reflect upon it that the blessed Jesus, though so early ripened for the most extensive services, should live in retirement even till his thirtieth year! That he deferred his ministry so long, should teach us not to thrust ourselves forward to public stations till we are qualified for them, and plainly discover a divine call: that he deferred it no longer, should be an engagement to us to avoid unnecessary delays, and to give God the prime and vigour of our life.

Our great Master attained not, as it seems, to the conclusion of his thirty-fifth year, if he so much as entered upon it; yet what glorious achievements did he accomplish within those narrow limits of time! Happy that servant who with any proportionable zeal dispatches the great business of life! so much the more happy if his sun go down at noon; for the space that is taken from the labours of time will be added to the rewards of eternity.

SECTION XIX.

Christ's victory over the temptations of Satan in the wilderness. Luke iv. 1-13. MATT. iv. 1-11. MARK i 12, 13.

T

THEN Jesus being full of the holy Spirit returned from Jordan, and immediately was led by the impulse of that Spirit into the wilderness,* that he might be tempted of the devil. And he was there (with the wild beasts) in the wilderness for forty days, and during that time he was tempted by Satan ; and in all those days he did eat nothing.-And when he had thus fasted forty days and forty nights, at length he was hungry. And the tempter then coming to him in a visible form, said, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves [of bread.] But Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written (Deut. viii. 3.) "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God.". Then the devil taketh him to Jerusalem the holy city, and setteth him on one of the battlements of the temple; and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence; for it is written (Ps. xci. 11, 12.) He shall give his angels a charge concerning thee to keep thee; and they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou shouldest dash thy foot against a stone." And Jesus answering said unto him, It is also written (Deut. vi. 16.) " Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."-Again the devil taketh him up into a mountain * He probably intended this as a devout retirement.

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exceeding high, and in a moment of time sheweth him, in a visionary* representation, all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. And the devil said unto him, All this power, [and] all these things, will I give thee, and the glory of them (for it is delivered to me, and I give it to whom I please;) if therefore thou wilt fall down and worship me, all shall be thine.

Then Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written (Deut. vi. 13.) "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."--And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.-And behold angels came and waited upon him; furnishing him with supplies, and congratulating so illustrious a victory.

REFLECTIONS.

Who can read this account without amazement, when he compares the insolence and malice of the prince of darkness with the condescension and grace of the Son of God! What was it that animated and emboldened Satan to undertake such a work? Was it the easy victory he had obtained over the first Adam in Paradise? or was it the remembrance of his own fall, from whence he arrogantly concluded that no heart could stand against the temptations of pride and ambition? Could 'he, who afterwards proclaimed Christ to be the Son of the Most High God, and had perhaps but lately heard him owned as such by a voice from heaven, make any doubt of his Divinity? Or, if he actually believed it, could he expect to vanquish him? We may rather conclude that he did not expect it; but, mad with rage and despair, he was determined at least to worry that Lamb of God which he knew he could not devour; and to vex with his hellish suggestions that innocent and holy soul which he knew he could never seduce. Wretched degeneracy! How art thou fallen, O Lucifer, son of the morning! to be thus eagerly driving on thine own repulse and disgrace.

But on the other hand, how highly are we obliged to our great deliverer, who hath brought forth meat out of the eater, and sweetness out of the strong? Who can sufficiently adore thy condescension, O blessed Jesus! who wouldest permit thyself to be thus assaulted, and led from place to place by an infernal spirit, whom thou couldest in a moment have remanded back to hell, to be bound in chains of darkLess and overwhelmed with flaming ruin -The apostle tells us why he permitted this: it was that, having himself suffered, being tempted, he might, by this experience that he had of Satan's subtilty, and of the strength of his temptations, contract an additional tenderness, and be the more inclined, as well as better able, to succour us when we are tempted. Let this embolden us to come unto the throne of grace, to obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need.

Let us remember and imitate the conduct of the great Captain of our salvation; and, like him, let us learn to resist Satan, that he may fice from us. Like Christ, let us maintain such an humble depend

* Mr. Hugh Farmer wrote a dissertation to prove that the whole was ri sionary. Ec.