not to recollect tliat they and all Jerusalem had gone out to John's baptism, and confessed that John was a pro- phet P Yet John had always told them plainly that Christ was the Messiah ! Surely, if they were honest they would not come now to demand His authority. If they really believed John to be a prophet sent from God, they were bound to believe that Jesus was the Christ."
It may reasonably be doubted whether the importance of John the Baptist's ministry is generally understood by Christians. The brightness of our Lord's history overshadows the history of his forerunner, and the result is that John's baptism and preaching do not receive the attention which they deserve. Yet it should never be forgotten, that the ministry of the Baptist was the only Xew Testament ministry foretold in the Old Testament, excepting that of Christ It was a ministry which pro- duced an immense effect on the Jewish mind, and aroused the expectation of Israel from one end of Palestine to the other. Above all, it was a ministry which made the Jews without excuse in their rejection of Christ, when Christ appeared. They could not say that they were taken by surprise when our Lord began to preach. Their minds had been thoroughly prepared for ffis appearing. To see the full sinfulness of the Jews, and the entire justice of the judgements which came on them after cru- cifying our Lord, we must remember the ministry of John the Baptist.
However little man may esteem the work of faithful ministers, there is One in heaven who sees it, and keeps account of all their labour. However little their pro- ceedings may be understood, and however much they