and prayer. We are specially told by St. Luke, that when our Lord was baptized He was also "praying."
We need not doubt that there is a great lesson in this fact, and one that the Church of Christ has too much orerlooked. We are meant to learn that the baptism which God blesses must be a baptism accom- panied by prayer. The sprinkling of water is not suf- ficient. The use of the name of the blessed Trinity is not enough. The form of the sacrament alone conveys no grace. There must be something else beside all this. There must be " the prayer of faith.'* A baptism without prayer, it may be confidently asserted, is a baptism on which we have no right to expect Ood's blessing.
Why is it that the sacrament of baptism appears to bear so little finit P How is it that thousands are eyery year baptized, and never give the slightest proof of having received benefit fi*om it P The answer to these questions is short and simple. In the vast majority of baptisms there is no prayer except the prayer of the officiating minister. Parents bring their children to the font, without the slightest sense of what they are doiug. Sponsors stand up and answer for the child, in evident ignorance of the nature of the ordinance they are attending, and as a mere matter of form. What possible reason have we for expecting such baptisms to be blessed by God P None ! none at all ! Such baptisms may well be barren of results. They are not baptisms according to the mind of Christ. Let us pray that the eyes of Christians on this important subject may be opened. It is one on which there is great need of change. . We see, thirdly, in these verses, a remarkable proof of
LUKE, CHAP. ni. VEB. 21 — 38. 103
the doctrine of the Trinity. We have all the Three Per- sons of the Godhead spoken of, as co-operating and acting at one time. God the Son begins the mighty work of His earthly ministry, by being baptized. God the Father solemnly accredits Him as the appointed Mediator, by a voice from heaven. God the Holy Ghost descends ''in a bodily shape like a dove'' upon our Lord, and by so doing declares that this is He to whom "the Father gives the Spirit without measure." (John iii. 34.)
There is something deeply instructive, and deeply comforting in this revelation of the blessed Trinity, at this particular season of our Lord's earthly ministry. It shows us how mighty and powerful is the agency that is employed in the great business of our redemption. It is the common work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. AH Three Persons in the God- head are equally concerned in the deliverance of our souls from hell. The thought should cheer us, when disquieted and cast down. The thought should hearten and encourage us, when weary of the conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil. The enemies of our souls are mighty, but the Friends of our souls are mightier still. The whole power of the triune Jehovah is engaged upon our side. ''A three-fold cord is not easily broken." (Eccles. iv. 12.)
We see, fourthly, in these verses, a marvellous proclam- ation of our Lord's ojffice as Mediator between God and man. A voice was heard from heaven at His baptism, '' which said, Thou art my beloved Son ; in thee I am well pleased." There is but One who could say this. It was the voice of God the Father.