5, — [Every vaUey ikaU he filled, dc."] These and similar expres- sions in this verse must certainly receive a figurative interpretar tion. It is no literal pulling down of mountains, or filling up of valleys, that is here meant. The sense of the prophecj evidently is, that difficulties and ohstacles as great as mountains and valleys in the way of a king's march, shall go down before the progress of the Gospel of Christ.
6. — [All flesh shaU see, dc.'] This is a prophecy which is not yet fully accomplished. It is to receive its completion when the kingdom of Christ is fully set up at His second advent, and all know Him from the least to the greatest. It is one among many examples, that the prophets of the Old Testament often spoke of both advents at once, and foretold the complete victories of the second appearing of Jesus, in the same breath with the partial victories of His first appearing. Some began to " see the great salvation '* as soon as the Gospel was first preached. A little flock was taken out at once. All shall finally see the salvation of God from the least to the greatest.
LUKE m. 7.— 14.
7 Then said he to the multitade that came forth to be baptized of him, generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to oome?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits wor- thy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves. We have Abra- ham to our father : for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees : every tree there- fore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10 And the people asked him, say-
ing, What shall we do then ?
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.
12 Then came also Publicans to be baptized, and said imto him, Master, what shall we do }
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that whioh is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise de- manded of him, sajring. 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.
We have, in these verses, a specimen of Jolin the Bap- tist's ministry. It is a portion of Scripture which should dways be spedaUy interesting to a Clhristian mind. The immense effect which John produced on the Jews, how- ever temporary, is evident, from many expressions in the Gospels. The remarkable testimony which our Lord bore to Johui as '' a prophet greater than any bom of
LUKE, CHAP. ni. VBE. 7—14. 89
woman/' is well-known to all Bible readers. What then was the character of' John's ministry P This is the ques* tion to which the chapter before us supplies a practical answer.
We should first mark the holy boldnesB with which John addresses the multitudes who came to his baptism. He speaks to them as ''a generation of vipers.'^ He saw the rottenness and hypocrisy of the profession that the crowd around him were making, and uses language descriptiye of their case. His head was not turned by popularity. He cared not who was offended by his words. The spiritual disease of those before him was desperate, and of long standing, and he knew that desperate diseases need strong remedies.
Well would it be for the Church of Christ, if it pos- sessed more plain-speaking ministers, like John the Baptist, in these latter days. A morbid dislike to strong language, — an excessiye fear of giving o&nce, — a con* stant flinching from directness and plain speaking, are, unhappily, too much the characteristics of the modem Christian pulpit. Personality and uncharitable language are no doubt always to be deprecated. But there is no charity in flattering unconverted people, by abstaining from any mention of their vices, or in applying smooth epithets to damnable sins. There are two texts whidb are too much forgotten by Christian preachers. In one it is written, ''Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you.'* In the other it is written, "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." (Luke vi. 26 ; Gal. i. 10.)
We should mark, secondly, how plainly John speaks to