tbis passage we see this emincDt saint lowly, self-abased, and full of humility. He puts away from himself ihi honour which the Jews from Jerusalem were ready to paj him. He declines all flattering titles. He speaks of him.J self as nothing more than the '.' voice of one crying in th( wilderness," and as one who " baptized with water." He proclaims loudly that there is One standing among the Jews far greater than himself. One whose shoe-latchet he is not worthy to unloose. He claims honour not for him- self but for Christ. To exalt Christ was his mission, and to that mission he steadfastly adheres.
The greatest saints of God in every age of the Church have always been men of John the Baptist's spirit. In gifts, and knowledge, and general character they have often differed widely. But in one respect they have always been alike; — they have been "clothed with hu- mility." (1 Pet. V. 5.) They have not sought their own honour. They have thought little of themselves. They have been ever willing to decrease if Christ might only increase, to be nothing if Christ might be all. And here has been the secret of the honour God has put upon them. " He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke xiv. 11.)
If we profess to have any real Christianity, let us strive to be of John the Baptist's spirit. Let us study humility. This is the grace with which all must begin, who would be saved. We have no true religion about us, until we ca^t away our high thoughts, and feel ourselves sinners. — This is the grace which all saints may follow after, and which none have any excuse for neglecting. All God's children have not gifts, or money, or time to work, or a wide sphere of usefulness ; but all may be humble. — This is the grace, above all, which will appear most beautiful in our latter end. Kever shall we feel the need of humility so deeply, as when we lie on our deathbeds, and stand before the jiidgment-seat of Christ. Our whole lives will then appeal
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a long catalogue of imperfections, ourselves nothing, and Christ all.
We have, for another thing, in these verses, a raoumful example of the blinchiess of unconverted men. That ex- ample is supplied by the state of the Jews who came to question John the Baptist.
These Jews professed to be waiting, for the appearance of Messiah. Like all the Pharisees they prided themselves on being children of Abraham, and possessors of the cove- nants. They rested in the law, and made their boast of God. They professed to know God's will, and to believe God's promises. They w^ere confident that they themselves were guides of the bhnd, and lights of them that sat in darkness. (Rom. ii. 17 — 19.) And yet at this very moment their souls were utterly in the dark. " There was standing among them," as John the Baptist told them, " One whom they knew not." Christ Himself, the promis- ed Messiah, was in the midst of them, and yet they neither knew Him, nor saw Him, nor received Him, nor acknow- ledged Him, nor believed Him. And w^orse than this, the vast majority of them never would know Him ! The words of John the Baptist are a prophetic description of a state of things which lasted during the whole of onr Lord's earthly ministry. Christ " stood among the Jews," and yet the Jews knew Him not, and the greater part of them died in their sins.
It is a solemn thought that John the Baptist's words in this place apply strictly to thousands in the present day. Christ is still standing among many who neither see, nor know, nor believe. Christ is passing by in many a parish and many a congregation, and the vast mnjority have neither an eye to see Him, nor an ear to hear Him. The spirit of slumber seems poured out upon them. Money, and pleasure, and the world they know ; but tht/ know not Chribt. The kinijjdom of God is close to them ; but