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Spirit, he fecluded himself from fociety, to be the better fitted for his future fervice. "He was in the deferts," in those parts of Judea, which were little inhabited, where he was feparated from public temptations, and had opportunities of private devotion. There he continued till "the day of his fhewing unto Ifrael," when he entered on his prophetic office, as it were by inauguration, at the age of thirty years. It is granted, there was a peculiar aufterity and mortification in John's conduct, fuited to the purposes of his miniftry, which is not enjoined upon all. But if you plead an exemption from fuch feverities, are you at liberty to indulge every vain and foolish defire of your hearts, to spend your time and strength in fenfual indulgence, and, by abufing the world, to provoke the God who made it? Poffibly, you may fspeak well of John's eminent fanctity, because he is removed from the earth, and his example cannot now disturb you: but do you not hate thofe in the prefent day, who in any measure resemble him, and live in holy temperance and felf-denial, " renouncing the pomps and vanities of this wicked world?"

But for what poft or employment was this remarkable child defigned? He came to fulfil the ane cient prophecies, which foretold the appearance of a glorious perfon, as a harbinger or forerunner of the Meffiah *. This character the Baptift claimed; and particular care is taken by the Evangelifts to prove, that those scriptures had their completion in him. He was the ELIJAH, whom Malachi defcribed. For though he affumed not the name of that zealous reformer, he poffeffed his spirit and power, and refembled him in his external garb and abstemious fare, as well as in the ardour and fidelity, with which he exercised his ministry †.

* Ifa. xl. 3.

+ Mat. xi. 14.

Mal. iii. 1. iv. 5, 6.
xvii. 13. Luke i. 17.

B 4

When

When Kings and great men of the earth are about to travel, they fend their mefiengers before them, that, all due preparations being made, they may meet with a ready reception. Every obftacle, which might prevent their progrefs, muft be removed; the rugged mountains levelled; the deep valleys railed ups the winding path m ft be rendered ftraight, and all the rough places fmooth. To do this in the moral world, to proclaim the approach of the King of kings, to take out of the way whatever might oppose his adriffion, ignorance, pride, prejudice, and the love of prefent things; and to difpofe the people to receive him by a reprefentation of his glory, and of the benefits which he beftows; were among the great objects of the Baptift's office.

It were exly to fhew, that he came at the very feafon, which had been foretold. For the fceptre was departing from Judah, the feventy weeks of Daniel were expiring, and many were waiting for the confolation of Ifrael," when John appeared to declare, that the promifed Deliverer of the Church was at hand, and that "the Lord, whom they fought, would fuddenly come to his temple *." The fcriptures cannot be broken: every part fhall have its full accomplishment, in the proper time and way. It becomes us to leave to God the completion of his own plan,, and to believe and rejoice, that He, who remembers his holy Covenant, will perform whatever thail be needful for the falvation of his people.

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According to

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It is luppold, that John did not enter upon his miniftry, nor come forward to public view, till he was thirty years old †. We do not therefore cenfure him as averfe to engage in his work; but we grieve to obferve fome, very unlike him, rafh and

Chriftianæa, called Anno Domini, 26.

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precipitate, full of their own importance, eager to be employed, who run and are not fent. He waited in modeft retirement till he received his commiffion.. But when "the word of God came to him" (and the revelation, doubtless, carried its own evidence with it), he delayed no longer, but went forth, with the utmost earneftnefs, to reprove and awaken the careless and impenitent. Every thing in his appearance, his manners, and his doctrine, tended to exeite a folemnity and a seriousness in the minds of his audience. He was clothed, as the ancient prophets, with a rough garment, which was compofed only of camels hair, and bound about him with a leathern girdle; and he fubfifted on fuch food as the wildernefs afforded, "locufts and wild honey." His addrefs alfo was calculated to ftrike an awe into the people: for he fpake with authority as a meffenger from God, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Here we obferve the nature and the grand fubject of his preaching. He declared, that the Lord God was about to establish in the earth that holy and fpiritual kingdom which had been foretold, especially by Daniel *; and that no one could be admitted into it, who did not abhor and forfake his fin, and with a contrite heart return unto the Lord. Without making any exceptions, he confidered allperfons as in a state of depravity, guilt, and condemnation, who muft experience an entire renovation and fubmit to the grace and government of Jefus, in order to their final falvation. Those alfo, who profeffed any deep compunction, he required to conform to the fignificant rite of baptifm, which he adminiftered; thereby publicly acknowledging their pollu tion, their need of a fpiritual washing, and their de termination to abandon every evil way.

* Dan. ii. 44. [vii. 14, 27.
B 5

A teacher

A teacher fo remarkable could not but excite general notice; and accordingly we find that immenfe multitudes of people reforted to him, and were brought under the moft ferious impreffions. Yet he fought not popular applaufe; for his admonitions were fo pointed, his reproofs fo fevere, that they seemed likely to be offenfive in the extreme. Men of all ranks and characters, the most oppofite in principle, attended on his miniftry; but he flattered none. While many of the Pharifees and Sadducees flocked after him (the former of whom were strict in all external obfervances of religion, the latter licentious and profane), he addreffed them in terms of the fharpeft reprehenfion, and described them all as under the fame condemnation. Surprifed by their appearance, and fufpecting their fincerity, he called on them to give decided proofs of their penitence by fruits of righteoufnefs. He warned them, that their relation to Abraham, and their place in the vifible Church, would avail them nothing; that the laft trial was then afforded them; and that, if this were neglected, their cafe was defperate, their everlasting deftruction

unavoidable.

God *.

Many of his polite and learned hearers were offended with his plainness of speech, and unwilling to comply with his injunctions; but, among the common people and notorious finners, many were awa kened by his doctrine, and probably converted to Thefe difcovered a serious attention to his words, and profeffed a readiness to be directed by him in their future conduct. Accordingly, he preffed upon them the duties of charity, juftice, and forbearance, and cautioned them against thofe particular fins, to which their refpective fituations expofed them t.

Luke vii. 29, 30.

iii. 10-18.

A doubt

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A doubt feemed to be entertained, whether he were not the promised Meffiah; but this was foon refolved by the unreferved declarations of John. He teftified, that the Saviour, who was about to appear, poffeffed a dignity immensely fuperior, and that he confidered himself unworthy to perform the meaneft offices for fo exalted a character. He reprefented Him as pouring upon his Church the abundant influences of the Holy Ghoft, which, refembling fire in its operations and effects, enlivens and purifies the foul. But he warned his audience, that the fame illuftrious Perfonage is not to be impofed upon by any vain pretences to piety; for that He will make an awful feparation between the righteous and the wicked, and, while he detects the hypocrites, that he will destroy them for ever.

At length when Jefus came forth to public view, and prefented himself to be baptized, John pointed him out as the very Chrift, of whom he had spoken*. It had been wifely ordered in the providence of God, that these two, though fo nearly related, were till that time ftrangers to each other: for thus all fufpicion of a collufion between them was prevented. But then, it fhould feem, the Baptift received a fecret revelation, that the person approaching him was the Meffiah; and therefore, under a fenfe of his own inferiority and defilement, he cried out, "I have need to be baptized of thee; and comeft thou to me?" His objection, indeed, was overruled; and, when he had administered the divine ordinance, his teftimony concerning Jefus was immediately confirmed by the visible defcent of the Holy Ghoft, and a voice from heaven declaring his high character.

Do we not perceive and admire the meeknefs and humility of John, who was fo careful to affume nothing to himself, and to give all glory to Chrift? The

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