subjected ourselves to God's displeasure ; for then the devils, and those who have died in their sins, would be as great penitents as any : but repentance implies a hatred of sin, and a deter- mination to forsake it: and consequently, the Baptist's injunc- tions afforded the people a proper test, whereby to ascertain the truth of their professions. If we at this day heard any one expressing a desire after salvation, and were informed that, notwithstanding the plainest warnings, he still held fast his iniquities, and would not part with them ; should we give him credit for sincerity ? No : we should tell him at once, that all his professions were mere hypocrisy, and that whatever he might pretend respecting a dependence on Christ, he would only deceive his own soul.]
3. The following of the light we have, is a good preparative for more light —
[A man brought out of a dungeon cannot bear at once the full blaze of the meridian sun ; he must be brought to it by degrees : so neither can we bear at once the bright effulgence of Divine truth. Our blessed Lord told his Disciples, that " he had many things to say unto them, which they were not at that time able to bear :" and " he spoke the word in para- bles, as the people were able to hear it" St. Paul adopted the same method of apportioning to his people his instructions according to their respective capacities; " giving milk to babes, and strong meat to those who were of full age." Had he not attended to this rule, he would have produced the same effects as would follow from a wrong administration of corporeal food; he would have destroyed those whom he designed to nourish : whereas by a more judicious conduct, he trained up the chil- dren for stronger food and higher attainments. Thus the Baptist directed his hearers to cultivate the acknowledged duties of humanity, honesty, and contentment: that in the exercise of these duties, they might gain a deeper insight into the evil of their past ways, and a fuller preparation of heart for a due reception of the Gospel.]
Let us learn then from hence,
1. The importance of ministerial fidelity —
[People in general love to have a minister who will " pro- phesy unto them smooth things and prophesy deceits." But what will be the end of such things? " If the blind lead the blind, shall they not both fall into the ditch?" It may be painful to us to hear the truth, when we are called to " pluck out a right eye, and to cut off a right hand :" but it is better far that we should be informed of our danger, than that we should be left to involve ourselves in irremediable ruin. We are told that many of the publicans and harlots actually