LORD and SAVIOUR; JESUS CHRIST. alt all the terrors of war, and whofe pay was fo fcanty, that they were very apt to plunder for fubftfience; they were exceedingly terrified at the awful ven- geance denounced by the prophet; and, with the utmoft ferioufnefs and concern, inquired of him what they fhould do; to which he replied, Do violence to no man, neither accufe anyfalfely, and be con- tent withyour wages. The Baptift commenced his preaching fix months before CHRIST was baptized, and vaft multitudes reforted to him from Jerufalem, from the other parts of Judea, and even from Galilee, deeply affeaed with his difcourfes, dreading divine ven- geance, and confeffing their various vile- nefs, they were baptized by the holy man in the river Jordan. He was now gene- rally known and acknowledged for a pro- phet, and fo univerfal was his reputation, that we read in the Alts of the Apoftles, of fome brethren at Ephefus, and Apollos of Alexandria, who had received the bap tifmof John ; which proves, that he was reforted to from foreign countries ; and the dawn of the Sun of righteoufnefs was feen beyond the limits ofthe land of Ifrael. Though John received his baptifm from heaven, we are left in the dark con- cerning the name or names in which he baptized : the adminifiration of that ordi- nance, in the facred names of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, Teems peculiar to the inflitution of it by JESUS CHRIST himfelf. This confiant and unremitting courfe of preaching, delivered with holy vehe- mence, and the utmoft force of expref- lion, accompanied with a manifeft inno- cence of life, and a noble zeal in the caufe of God, which reproved vice and error, however flattered or however high- ly exalted, fo far prevailed on the people, that they would willingly have perfuaded themfelves that John was really the Mef- No. 3. fiah ; for it is very probable, that the vifion which Zacharias had feen in the temple, the coming of the Eaftern fages to Jerufalem, the prophecy of Simeon, the difcourfes of Anna, the perplexity of Jerufalem, and the cruelty of Herod, were frefh in the minds of the people, and by them applied to the Baptift: They were ready to acknowledge him the Re- deemer of Ifrael ; and put the queflion plainly to him, Whetherhe were theChrifi? A deputation of prier's and Levites was fent from Jerufalem, to afk him the quef- tion in form ; to which he abruptly replied, Iam not the Chrift. They then proceeded to inquire whether he were the prophet Elijah ; to which he anfwered, I àm not. They then inquired whether he were one of the ancient prophets ; to which he re- plied in the negative. Who then art thou, they inquired, and what anfwer maywe give to them that fent us? What fay f thou ofthyfelf? Towhich he replied, I am the voice of one crying in the wit - dernefs, makefiraight the way of the Lord, as Paid the prophet Efaias. The prief's and Levites then inquired, Why baptizeft thou then, if thou be neither Chrift, nor Elias, nor one of the ancient prophets ; to this the Baptift anfwered, I baptize with water, but there flandeth one among you, whom ye know not : he it is, who coming after me, is preferred before me, whole fhoes latchet I am not worthy to unloofe : he ?hall baptize you with the Holy 61 4, and with fire; whofe fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. While John remained at Bethabara, be- yond Jordan, our great Redeemer thought proper to leave his retirement at Nazareth, and repairing to his forerunner, who was baptizing in the river, he propofed himfelf a candidate for his baptifm. He, who was per£e&ly pure and holy, could not land in need of the baptifm of repent- H ence,
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