Peace to this rebellious people :-"to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile." "Herein was love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If subjects are in a state of rebellion against their sovereign, and he sends an embassy, offering to receive them again to favour on their laying down their arms, those who refuse his offer, and reject his messenger, are condemned already. They are condemned by their act of rebellion; and "his wrath abides upon them :" their state of condemnation continues, because they have not accepted the terms of reconciliation. Such is the case of those who, like the Jews, reject the counsel of God against themselves.

These, then, were the terms in which the message of God was to be carried through the world. It offered salvation to as many as believed in Christ as the Saviour. It was to be addressed to mankind as in a lost or ruined state; it was to offer them deliverance from that state, for the sake of what Christ had done, on the condition of their becoming his disciples. The promise was, that as many as received the offer, and were baptized in the name of Jesus, should be placed in a new state towards God. Being justified by the atonement made for sin upon the cross, which they had embraced in faith, in reliance upon its all-sufficiency, they should have peace with God; and walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit, should be saved.1

1 Rom. v. 1; viii. 1.

At first sight it may appear, as it has appeared to some, an unwarrantable condition, that this blessedness is made to depend upon the man's faith in the offer proposed to him: on his believing that Christ is willing and able to save him from the consequences of sin. Could it, however, be otherwise?

The Gospel is proposed to us as a remedy, which can only be received by being trusted. Jesus Christ is set before us as the physician, who has in himself, and who alone has, the remedy against sin, and against death, "the wages of sin." So that whosoever believes in him, resigns and devotes himself to him, has life, because he has the remedy against death; whilst one who "has not the Son of God, has not life," remains under condemnation, because he has not believed in the name of him who offers to reverse his sentence of condemnation, and to set him free.

It may illustrate this, if we suppose a land to be ravaged by a pestilence, threatening to overwhelm both young and old with general destruction. This is no far-fetched example; for sin is such a pestilence, and affects by its virulence the whole race of mankind.

Suppose, further, a physician to traverse this infected country, and promise an antidote which should preserve from danger as many as applied to him. Such is the offer of Christ. "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." 3

Soon, probably, in that country there would be found three classes of persons. There would be some who neg

lected all precaution, distrusted the physician altogether, and were satisfied to take their chance with others. There would be some who did not doubt the physician's skill, or the efficacy of his remedy: but finding that it required much care and self-denial, a change in their manner of living, and habits different from those around them, they would silently reject it, and prefer the unseen evil to the immediate trouble of the cure. Whilst a third class would be found so convinced of the impending danger, and so confident of the physician's skill, as to apply for his advice and obey his counsels, relying on his word and promise, at whatever pains, whatever sacrifice of present inclination.

And this third class, believing the physician, and acting on their belief, would be saved: whilst they who disbelieved, and they who acted as if they disbelieved, would be left to perish: would remain liable to the pestilence which sooner or later would lead to their destruction, because they refused the only remedy which could avert it and preserve them. No doubt their condition would be the more lamentable, because the remedy had come nigh them, and they rejected it. But neither the offer of the remedy, nor their refusal, would place them in their desperate state: it was their state before, as inhabitants of the country which the pestilence had entered, and where it raged. Like the sons-in-law of Lot, whom he warned to flee with him from Sodom: and "he seemed to them as one that mocked: "4 they refused to listen to him. When the Lord rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom out of heaven, they were swallowed up in the 4 Gen. xix. 14.

destruction. Yet they did not perish, as the penalty of rejecting his counsel; but rejecting his counsel, they perished together with their countrymen. And therefore our Lord, when he declares, that whoever believed on him should "not be condemned;" adds also, "He that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God," who alone could avert his condemnation. "He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him: "5 he has not escaped it through the appointed way of reconciliation.

Without cavilling at the terms, we may well rejoice in the assurance, "He that hath the Son, hath life." There is a physician, who is come to seek and to save those that, without him, were abandoned to a devouring pestilence. There is an ark of safety, which we are invited to enter, and be secure; there is an all-powerful Guardian, who allays our natural fears, and meets our spiritual necessities, and sends far and wide his merciful invitation, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

5 John iii. 18, 36.

VII.

BAPTISM OF JESUS.

MATT. iii. 13-17.

13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

It was part of the mysterious plan now about to be developed for man's redemption, that Christ should remain unnoticed in the province of Galilee till this time. when he was "about thirty years of age." 1 So it had been written, "He shall grow up as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground.” 2

The Baptist was aware who he was who now approached him; and he forbad him with these striking words, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? As much as to say, I am performing an office which assumes superiority in character and authority;-God has made me "great in his sight; "— has given me such authority over my sinful brethren. But comest thou to me, who art not one of these, and hast no sins to confess and repent of? Again: Comest thou to me, who have need to be baptized of thee? I have need to be baptized of thee, for thou art the "Lamb of

1 Luke iii. 23.

2 Is. liii. 2.