Did the Abraham? All they that believe.* Baptist mean to tell the Jews, that it was no honour to have Abraham for their father? No; he meant that they should not trust in their outward relation to Abraham. What may we learn from this caution to the Jews not to trust in their outward relation to Abraham? That the piety of our parents or friends, will not stand us in stead of personal religion. How did John express the ease with which the Almighty could multiply children unto Abraham? "I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” What stones did John refer to ? Some stones lying by the riverside, and to which he may have pointed as he spoke. Is there any thing capable of resisting the power of the Most High? No; he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Would it not the flesh. be a mighty transformation to change stones into believing men and women? Yes. What would be the first step in the process of such transformation? To turn the stone into flesh, fashioned like the human frame. What next? To breathe life into And what more? To communicate divine grace to the soul. And is there any thing in this process too hard for the Lord? No. § not the regeneration of a sinner's heart bear a strong resemblance to a change like this? Yes; the Lord says, I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. || What is Does Phil. iii. 21. a stony heart? A hard, impenitent heart. is a heart of flesh? What A feeling, contrite heart. 10. What did John further say to his unbelieving hearers? "Now, also, the axe is laid to the root of the trees." What is an axe? A carpenter's tool. For what purpose is an axe laid to the root of a tree? What trees did the preacher say To cut it down. "Every tree that bringeth What is here signified by Pro not forth good fruit." the emblem of trees that yield no good fruit? fessors of religion, who do not live a holy life. What is to be done with the unfruitful tree, when hewn down? It is to be "cast into the fire." And does that picture the final condition of ungodly professors of religion? Yes. When are they cut down? At death. And whither are their spirits consigned ? To the fire of God's righteous indignation.* 11. On what subject did John the Baptist next address his audience? He showed the difference between his own person and baptism, and the person and baptism of the Saviour. What view did he give of the dignity of the Saviour's person? "He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear." What temper of mind do these words display? Deep humility, and a desire to exalt the Redeemer. Is that such a temper of mind as we ought to cultivate? Yes; it becomes us to be low in our own eyes, and to think highly of the Lord Jesus Christ. What did John Isaiah xxxiii. 14. "I indeed baptize you And what did he say of his own baptism? with water unto repentance." say of our Lord's baptism? "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Who is the Holy Ghost? See i. 18. When did our Saviour baptize with the Holy Ghost? On the day of Pentecost.* What powers did that baptism confer on his disciples? The gift of inspiration and of tongues, and power to work miracles. What do you understand by the gift of tongues? The power of speaking languages which they had never learned. Does our ascended Lord continue to baptize his church with the Holy Ghost? With his ordinary, but not miraculous gifts. What are his ordinary gifts? The graces and comforts of the Spirit of God. Are these graces and comforts of the Spirit attainable by us? Yes; they are promised to them that ask them.† 12. In further speaking of Christ, to what does the Baptist here compare him? To a husbandman, winnowing his corn. What is the description given of him? "Whose fan is in his hand." What is the fan? An instrument used in separating the chaff from the wheat. ‡ What will the husbandman do with the fan? "He will throughly purge his floor. " What is the meaning of purging his floor? Removing from it every thing but the precious grain. What will then be done with the wheat? It will be gathered "into the gar * Acts ii. 4. + Luke xi. 13. The word rendered fan means a winnowing shovel. ner." And what will become of the chaff? "He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." What are we to understand by the fan in Christ's hand? His ability to discriminate character. What is meant by the purging of his floor? The separation of the wicked from the righteous. What are we taught by the gathering of the wheat into the garner? The admittance of the saints into heaven. What is implied in the burning of the chaff? The final punishment of the ungodly. Why is the fire called " unquenchable"? To denote that the misery of lost souls will never come to an end. Is this the close of John's discourse at that time? Yes. 13. Of whom does Matthew make mention in this verse? Of" Jesus." Was Jesus arrived at manhood at the time here referred to? Yes; he was nearly thirty years of age.* Has Matthew given us any account of him from his infancy up to the present period? No; but, in the Gospel by Luke, we have some particulars of him when he was twelve years old.+ What does Matthew here narrate concerning him? "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan, unto John, to be baptized of him." What was Galilee? See ii. 1. What was the Jordan? See ver. v. is baptism? Who was John? See ver. 6. Sce ver. 1. What 14. What did John say when our Lord came to him to be baptized? "John forbad him, saying, I have Luke iii. 23. + Luke ii. 40-52. need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" Why did John refuse at first to baptize the Lord Jesus? Because he knew the perfect innocence of our Lord's nature and character, and that therefore he had no need of a baptism unto repentance. What did John mean by saying, “I have need to be baptized of thee"? That he needed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But was not John already under the influences of the Holy Spirit ? Yes. Why, then, did he say, "I have need to be baptized of thee"? Because the more any one has of the Holy Spirit's influence, the more does he desire it. Have we not here an example how to seek Divine influence for ourselves? Yes; we should come to Christ, and say, I have need to be baptized of thee: Lord, baptize me with the Holy Spirit. 15. What did our Lord reply, when John at first refused to baptize him? Jesus, answering, said unto him, suffer it to be so now." What is observable in this reply? Much gracefulness of expression and mildness of argument. What reason did our Lord assign, why John should baptize him? "For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." What is included in fulfilling all righteousness? Keeping all the commandments, and observing all the ordinances of divine appointment. Was it becoming in the Saviour to render such universal and perfect obedience? Did the argument of its fitness convince John? Yes. What was the consequence? "Then he suffered him." Suffered him to do what? Yes. |