If" he that despised Moses' law died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace ?" Truly it must then be expected, that mercy will be turned unto wrath: "for we know him that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord." (Heb. x. 28-30.) But let us be won by the remembrance of God's love, and the overtures of His grace to a perishing world; for "God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. v. 8.) O let us pray for the Spirit of God, to open our hearts and fill them with gratitude. The pardon of sin! reconciliation with God! the way to heaven thrown open! hope in eternity! these are good tidings indeed, this the gospel of peace. O my soul, accept it and be thankful: unto whomsoever much is forgiven, the same loveth much (Luke vii. 41-47.) Love and obey and rejoice evermore in the blessed Son of God! be there no evil thing, no pleasure, no interest, no gain of this world, which may make us love "darkness rather than light;" be there nothing to make us hate or fear the light, nothing in our character of which we need to be ashamed. Let us, as believers in the Lord, as His redeemed and peculiar people, always desire to show that we are His: let our whole heart be in the cause; and "if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." (1 John iii. 21.)

LECTURE X.

Here we have another remarkable and honourable testimony borne by John the Baptist to his Lord. CHAP. III. 22.

22. After these things, after the discourse with Nicodemus, came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa; into the country round about Jerusalem, and there he tarried with them, and baptized, i. e. His disciples bap- Chap. 4. 2, tised. 23. And John also was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized: 24. For John was not yet cast into Matt. 14. 3. prison. 25. Then there arose a question, a dispute, between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying, perhaps about the cleansing of baptism; perhaps about the different baptisms of John and Jesus. 26. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, that He is the Son of God, the Lamb of God, the Messiah, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. This they said with a view of making John envious and jealous of Jesus. 27. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing except it be1 Cor. 4. 7. given him from heaven. I am only what heaven Jam. 1. 17. has ordained, and cannot go beyond my office :

If" he that despised Moses' law died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" Truly it must then be expected, that mercy will be turned unto wrath: "for we know him that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord." (Heb. x. 28-30.) But let us be won by the remembrance of God's love, and the overtures of His grace to a perishing world; for "God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. v. 8.) O let us pray for the Spirit of God, to open our hearts and fill them with gratitude. The pardon of sin! reconciliation with God! the way to heaven thrown open! hope in eternity! these are good tidings indeed, this the gospel of peace. O my soul, accept it and be thankful: unto whomsoever much is forgiven, the same loveth much (Luke vii. 41-47.) Love and obey and rejoice evermore in the blessed Son of God! be there no evil thing, no pleasure, no interest, no gain of this world, which may make us love "darkness rather than light;" be there nothing to make us hate or fear the light, nothing in our character of which we need to be ashamed. Let us, as believers in the Lord, as His redeemed and peculiar people, always desire to show that we are His: let our whole heart be in the cause; and "if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." (1 John iii. 21.)

LECTURE X.

Here we have another remarkable and honourable testimony borne by John the Baptist to his Lord. CHAP. III. 22.

22. After these things, after the discourse with Nicodemus, came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa; into the country round about Jerusalem, and there he tarried with them, and baptized, i. e. His disciples bap- Chap. 4. 2. tised. 23. And John also was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized: 24. For John was not yet cast into Matt. 14. 3. prison. 25. Then there arose a question, a dispute, between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying, perhaps about the cleansing of baptism; perhaps about the different baptisms of John and Jesus. 26. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, that He is the Son of God, the Lamb of God, the Messiah, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. This they said with a view of making John envious and jealous of Jesus. 27. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing except it be1 Cor. 4. 7. given him from heaven. I am only what heaven Jam. 1. 17. has ordained, and cannot go beyond my office:

F

Ch. 1. 20.

Rev. 21. 2.

and Jesus is what heaven has ordained, and is fulfilling His office. 28. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

By "the bride" is bere meant the Church of Christ and of God, which is frequently described by this figure, signifying the dear and entire Isaiah 62. 5. union between the Church and her Lord. John was not the head of the Church; he had not this bride, but Christ had; and therefore Christ was the bridegroom, and tobe honoured as such. He (John) was but the friend of the bridegroom, and His assistant to make preparation for Him; and therefore he stood waiting for the bridegroom, listening to Him, rejoicing in His coming and His success. So far was he from envying, so far from being dissatisfied, that his joy was now fulfilled, was full and complete: he came only as the forerunner of Jesus, as the friend of the bridegroom, to do Him honour and prepare His way; and now that his Lord was come, his end was accomplished; he had all that he expected or wished, and was ready to retire. Accordingly this holy, humble-minded man proceeds to speak thus of his Lord :