been enjoined, and not be diverted from his purpose by the well-meant, but mistaken, scruples of the Baptist. In truth, from the administration of this ordinance to him, and the consequent testimony borne to him by the Father and the Holy Spirit, we have an evidence of his Messiahship, which ought to carry conviction to every mind of man^.]
Having explained our Lord's assertion, as referring personally to him, I shall, II. Enforce it as a duty, in reference to ourselves —
When our Lord says, " It becometh ks to fulfil all righteousness," we must consider the obligation as extending, of course, to every child of man. And certainly this obligation does attach to us,
1. As creatures of God —
[The whole intelligent creation are under obligation to serve and obey the Lord. Whether the command given them be moral, and necessarily arising from their relation to him, or merely positive, arising from the arbitrary appointment of heaven, it makes no difference: they are equally bound to fulfil whatever they know to be his will. Adam was as much bound to abstain from eating the forbidden fruit, as he was to love his God. And so it is with us : we must fulfil all righteousness: however humiliating the command be, or whatever our obe- dience may expose us to, we have no alternative : we must yield a cheerful and determined obedience to it. It was beyond measure humiliating to the Lord Jesus Christ to submit to a rite which made him appear to be a sinner like unto us, and gave reason to all around him to suppose that he needed a Saviour like unto us. Yet he regarded not what men might say or think respecting him : he determined to submit to the ordinance, and would not be dissuaded from his purpose. Thus men may think and say of us, that we are weak, enthusiastic, absurd : but we must know no authority but God's, and have no standard for our actions but his revealed will: and our determination, through grace, must be to " stand perfect and complete in all the will of God^."]
2. As followers of Christ —
_ [Though the Lord Jesus Christ has purchased for us the remission of our sins, and we have been " baptized into his name for the remission of sins';" yet we are in no respect absolved from our obedience to God, nor is any one duty we owe to him in any measure relaxed. On the contrary, our
s 2 Pet. i. 16—18. ' h Col. iv. 12.
' Luke iii. 3. with Acts xxii. IG.