God, which takest away the sins of the world; " and I am one of that world of sinners.

15. And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteous

16. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.

17. And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

That may be said here, which was said on another occasion, This voice from heaven came not for Christ's sake, but for our sakes. It was a testimony, first, of the blessing which may confidently be looked for and expected in the ordinance to which Jesus had submitted. The heavens were opened. As if to convey a promise and encouragement to as many as "receive him, and believe in his name." Their baptism is the entrance upon a new life on earth, which leads to eternal life above: opens to the redeemed and sanctified soul that inheritance in the heavens, which otherwise were closed against it for ever.

4

So likewise the visible descent of the Spirit upon Jesus at this time, is surely a significant intimation that a like blessing is bestowed on those who are baptized in his name; and who, renouncing "the corruption that is in the world," devote themselves to God, as faithful

3 The pronoun here is the plural, μas; in which form, it is observed, Jesus never speaks of himself.

4 See Chrysostom in loco.

soldiers and servants of him who hath called them to this state of salvation.

But, further, the voice from heaven was the solemn testimony of God to the person and character of Christ. It directed those who heard it to the Saviour whom he had sent, and to the salvation which he had prepared for them. It was an assurance, first, that God was well pleased with the work which his beloved Son had undertaken, when he accomplished the prophecy, "Lo, I come, to fulfil thy will, O God." Lo, I come to offer that atonement which has been planned " before the foundation of the world;" that perfect and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of all men, that they may be brought back to the Father whom they have abandoned. With this sacrifice God was well pleased. It was agreeable to his HOLINESS that sin should be thus shown to be "exceeding sinful; " that its dreadful consequences should be manifested to the world; as was most evidently shown, when the beloved Son, the only begotten of the Father, was lifted up upon the cross, that he might bear our transgressions and be bruised for our iniquities.

And, further, it was agreeable to the MERCY of God, that man, whom sin had ruined, should be delivered from destruction. He saw Jesus entering upon a course which all his disciples were to follow he saw him submit to baptism, in token of that deliverance from the power of Satan, and that dedication to the service of God, which should hereafter "bring many sons to glory." He saw this, and was well pleased: for in this commencement of the ministry of reconciliation he foresaw the multitude of all ages and countries, who, being turned 5 Rom. vii. 13.

from darkness to light on earth, should dwell "among the saints in light" eternally.

But there was another reason why God declared himself well pleased with his beloved Son. He was not only that "Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world: " but he was also, like the lamb by which he was prefigured, without blemish and without spot: "6 he was "holy, harmless, undefiled; " "without sin," "neither was guile found in him: " a pattern of all righteousness. He took our nature upon him, first and chiefly, that he might "bear our sins in his own body; in a body of that nature which had sinned. But he also set before us, in the same nature, an example of all that God approves, in manner of life, in love, in patience, in meekness, in long-suffering, in purity, in charity, in humility. And this character is pleasing to God: and the followers of this perfect pattern are pleasing to him also, when they faithfully imitate, and earnestly aspire after it. According to the frequent exhortation of the apostles, "Let the same mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus: " who left us an example that we should follow his steps, and strive after holiness, "even as he who hath called us is holy."

Therefore the testimony here borne to Jesus concerns ourselves, and warns us to inquire how far we consent to it: how far our thoughts accord with the voice from heaven how far our own minds are brought into conformity with the divine will. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him." 7 But we, we Christians, are not of nature, but of grace: we are not to retain

6 Ex. xii. 5; 1 Pet. i. 19.

7 1 Cor. ii. 14.

the sentiments of the natural man; and we should ask ourselves, how far our mind agrees with the mind of God, who is well pleased with his beloved Son. "What think we of Christ?" Do we feel that his gospel,— the atonement it reveals, the covenant it offers, the promises of grace which it conveys,-afford us exactly that comfort which our hearts are in need of, and our condition requires?

This it will do, in proportion as we understand the holiness of God, the weakness of our own hearts, and the solemnity of the judgment which is to come. We find ourselves stained with the guilt of sin; but "the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin." We are not sufficient of ourselves to do any thing as of ourselves; but he has engaged to "work in us both to will and to do." We are justly condemned as transgressors against the divine law; but "there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." We are "born in sin, and children of wrath; " but he is revealed to us under the title of SAVIOUR. And we receive him as such. We receive him as "the author and finisher of our faith;" we welcome him, as “made unto us of God, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption." And, further, we look at him as the model by which, through the Spirit working in us, we are to form ourselves; as the example by which we are to judge and examine ourselves: "understanding what the will of God is, even our sanctification;" "proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth;" and desiring to be "made perfect in every good work, to do that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ." He who declared

himself well pleased with his beloved Son, has also declared himself well pleased with those who thus receive him receive him as their Priest to atone, and their King to rule. For he says of them, "I will receive you, and be a Father unto you; and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 8

VIII.

MIRACLES.

JOHN xi. 11.

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

:

THESE words explain both the purpose and the effect of the miracles which Jesus performed. In this commencement of his "signs and wonders," he manifested forth his glory, when at his bidding the water became wine and his disciples, who witnessed the miracle, believed on him. It was wrought with that intention. Proofs were needful of the authority in which he came. The people asked, as they had a right to ask, "What sign showest thou, that thou doest these things?" What sign dost thou give us, that thou hast a claim to

8 2 Cor. vi. 18.