3. The particular burden of the ministry of John the Baptist rlirl Rimply demand a faithfully correspandiog, practical illustration, in the presence of hi~ audience, so to say. Otherwise nothing would have been, in this ca.se, e:i.sier than for the whole con"re- gation of the people to observe, to think, and to utter it forth, that their prophet of denunciation was one who" said, but did not." Harmonies there are in the vast ranl7es of nature-in its highest and in its deepest things; in its sights most open to visi~n, and its subtleties most veiled with secrecy. And let us learn that it is ours to make harmonies true and genuine in what shall seem all the littlenesses of our daily life, our outer life, our life of sense as well as of soul. 4. We are not to imagine that John the Baptist exhibits this temperateness and plainness simply a.s the prophet non-imitable (as the priest of old wore garments of splendour not to be assumed by others), bnt as the example, who is set forth for this purpose, to be imitated, and imitated of all. There is therefore no more uncertain witness beneath the sun than that of him whose sarcastic motto has been written, "Do as I say, but not as I do." III. Hrs ONE EXHORTATION TO THE PEOPLE. (Ver. 1.) As there are epochs and turning-points in the history of the individual, so also in the history of a nation, and even of the world. Such a one had notably come in the time of the Flood. But now one very different had arrived. The nation of" Jerusalem and all Judrea" was hoary in sin. Yet it led the world in Divine appointments. The short, sharp summons to it, that meant from the lips of this prophet all mercy, was one of: 1. Alteration; the alteration of the kind that the word "repentance" carries. This is an alteration (l)deep from conviction of mind; (2) deep bathed in sorrow of heart; and (3) developed into a reformed life. 2. The altering was challenged upon one ground, viz. the finding of a new principle of rule on earth-that which could be described as the kingdom or rule of heaven. The principle by which all heaven was rnled was to learn to acclima- tize here on earth. Oh, wonderful grace and hope I If the "pattern of the tabernacle" once on a time came down from heaven, mnch more the pattern of this new-born rule, the not-passing, not-decaying, not-vanishing regime of human society. "For the king- dom of heaven is at hand." So this great practical repentance, rooted in all the deepest of spiritual thought, conviction, and feeling, is pleaded for because of the (1) novel opportunity; (2) nnparalleled splendour and hope; and (3) tremendous responsibility that lay couched in the fact that "the kingdom of heaven was at hand." And this meo.nt the regeneration of the world after long process of ages, through the regeneration of the individual. IV. Hrs FIRST RECEPTION ON THE PART OF THE PEOPLE, AND HIS VARIOUS TREATMENT OF THAT RECEPTION. 1. He was received with attention and obedience on the part of the great bulk or the sinful and sin-burdene<l people (vers. 5, 6); and he baptized these, with the manner and, no doubt, with some words of approbation and encouragement. 2. He was repaired to by "many of the Pharisees and Sadducees." This meant either a very great and real change already in them, or it meant less than none at all in any good direction, but, on the contrary, an adherence too faithful to their ingrained foolishness, their long blindness, and their rooted hypocrisy. The treatment accorded to these men by John the Baptist proves that the latter was the real state of the case with them. Notice in this treatment: (1) Its utter plain-spokenness. Fearless of the fearless must John the Baptist have been when he apostrophized such men in the terms, "0 generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" Events proved that it was from no entrenched position that could reckon on safety, let o. man say what his tongue might, that John spoke thus. (2) Its consenting still to believe that there was o. chance, and, therefore, still holding to the words of exhorta- tion: "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance." (3) Its measurecl, faithful warning, with urgency added (vers. 9-12). (4) Its self-disclaiming (ver. 11). (5) Its vigorous, fervent e:s:alting of "the Mightier" (vers. 11, 12). The language John held in reference to his greater Successor Jesus, in vers. 11, 12, is not only an exalting of the Person of Obrist, but a description unsurpassed of his Divinest energy, as "baptizing with the Holy Ghost;" of his purifying and discriminating energy with fire, and fau in hand, and cleansing of the threshing-floor; and of his consuming energy," unquench 4
able fire" for the "chaff." V. liIS MODEST RECEPTION OF JESUS, WITH ABSOLUTE SELF-REN0UNCWG, IN HIS l'RESEN0E. The attitude of John the Baptist at this unexpected crisis was indeed to_ SS THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [arr. m. 1-17.
be expected. The thing to be observed is that it did not belie expectation I The mark of this great character was made indeed in those days. And the picture is engraved on the page before us, like a lively portraiture indeed. Would that more, many more, of the true serrnnts of God and disciples of Jesus Christ were as transparent and as straight and as charged with sacred energy and reverent modesty 1-B.
Ver. 15.-The overruling reply. This overruling reply of Jesus to John the Baptist, who very naturally hesitated to administer baptism to him, teaches us a lesson of- I. THE MODESTY OF THOSE WHO ARE TRUE MASTERS-MASTERS BY UTTEREBT RIClHT; MASTERS BORN. II. THE NOBLENESS OF THAT OBEDIBNCE TO DUTY wmaH LEADS A MAN, WIIOEVER HE MAY BE, WHATEVER HIS PLACE MAY BE, TO SERVE, WITH SOVEREIClN SURllNNDER OP SELF, THE TRUTH AND THE RIGHT, III. THE FAITHFUL BEGA.RD THAT JESUS HAD TO THE LAW, UNDER WHICH HE BAD VOL1Th"I'ARILY Als""D SO 001''DESCENDINGLY PLACED HIMSELF. HE REVERENCED IT AND MADE IT HONOURABLE BEYOND ALL IT MIGHT HAVE SEEMED BEFORE, IV, THE UNAFFECTED MODESTY OF THE SERVANT ALSO, WHO KNOWS THE BIGHT MOMENT TO COKQUER EMBARRASSMENT AND TO PROCEED TO ACTlON,-B,