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John the Baptist was " a prophet, and more than a prophet." An abundant portion of the Spirit rested upon Elijah: John the Baptist was "filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb." Elijah exerted himself to withdraw the Jews from the worship of idols to that of the true God: John the Baptist was no less earnest in persuading the descendants of the same Jews to forsake their sins, and prepare themselves by repentance and reformation for the coming of the Lord. Elijah was authorized to denounce speedy vengeance from heaven upon his perverse countrymen unless they repented with the same authority John the Baptist denounced the like vengeance upon the impenitent. The persecutions of Ahab could not quench the ardour, or stifle the rebukes, of Elijah: so did not any alarm at the power and cruelty of Herod prevent John the Baptist from frankly rebuking him for his crimes. Elijah resisted the lawless proceedings of the idolatrous Jezebel, and was forced to flee for his life from her vindictive fury: John the Baptist endeavoured to interrupt the unprincipled and incestuous career of Herodias, and paid the forfeit of his life to the malice of the infuriated queen. Circumstances, such as these, unquestionably fix upon John the Baptist the prophet Malachi's description of "the messenger and

forerunner of the Lord," by shewing that he came, not indeed in the person, but, as the angel interpreted the prophet's language to Zacharias, "in the spirit and power," of Elijah.

When indeed the Jews inquired of him, whether he was Elias or Elijah, he answered, “I am nots:" but this answer is not at all inconsistent with what has been now advanced concerning him, agreeably to our Lord's subsequent declaration, that he was Elias; in other words, that he was the person foretold by the prophet under that name and character. The Jews, misunderstanding the prediction of Malachi which foretold the coming of the Lord, and supposing that he was to come in power and majesty, to confer on the sons of Jacob dominion over the Gentiles, and make Jerusalem the metropolis of the world, expected that Elijah the Tishbite would in his own person return from heaven, as the Lord's messenger and forerunner. In answer therefore to their question, John denied that he was that very Elijah, whose actions are recorded in the books of Kings; and whom, according to their erroneous interpretation of Scripture, the Jews supposed him to be. At the same time by his reply to their ensuing question, "Who art thou? What sayest thou of thy

* John i. 21.

self?" he pointed out the way to a correct interpretation of the words, and in fact asserted to himself the character subsequently attributed to him by our Lord. "I am," said he, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias." The messenger of the Lord had been foretold by Isaiah and Malachi under different appellations, but with an identity of office and performances. By Isaiah he had been described as the Voice of him that crieth in the wilderness;" by Malachi, as " Elijah the prophet;" by both, as engaged in the same employment of "preparing the way of the Lord." To assume one of these appellations was by consequence to assume the other: so that when John expressly affirmed of himself, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias;" it was in substance and effect, as if he had also affirmed, I am "the messenger of the Lord, sent to prepare the way before him,' as said the prophet Malachi; the predicted Elijah, not in sameness of person indeed, as you erroneously expect him, but in similarity" of spirit and of power."

In this spirit and with this power and authority did the Baptist preach to the multitudes, who assembled from the surrounding country

to listen to his doctrine". To the different orders of men, who desired to be instructed by him, he gave such instructions as were best adapted to their several ways of life. He cautioned them against the temptations, to which their circumstances peculiarly exposed them; and he rebuked them for the sins, by which they were peculiarly beset. The Pharisees and Sadducees he admonished of their subtlety and craftiness, of the malignity and mischief of their principles; of the vanity of their self-sufficient reliance on their descent from holy Abraham, and of the danger of their own sinful and impenitent lives. He encouraged the people to be careful in their attention to the great duties of a benevolent and charitable life; duties, which he represented to be incumbent upon them, as well as upon the rich and great. Upon the publicans he charged the necessity of abstaining from exaction in the execution of the trust committed to them; and upon the soldiers that they should be content with their legal dues, and not increase them by the terrors of overbearing violence or of false accusations. In the mean time, to all in general he cried, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand :" Repent, and bring forth fruits worthy of re

Luke iii. 7—14.

pentance :" "Repent, and believe the Gospel." In this manner did he turn many of the children of Israel unto the Lord their God; for "there went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins." And in this manner did he "make ready a people, and prepare them for the Lord," of whom he constantly declared that he was only the messenger and forerunner; whom he described as far mightier and more noble than himself; and for whom he endeavoured to prepare the way by "exalting the valleys and making the mountains low, by making the crooked straight and the rough places plain

or by clearing away and removing the various obstructions which were likely to impede the progress of the Gospel, arising from the prejudices and the passions, the corrupt affections, and the sinful habits of mankind.

REFLEXIONS.

WHILST these particulars may serve to convince us of the identity of John the Baptist with the messenger of the Lord foretold by the ancient prophets, they may also enable us to form a just estimate of his character, and withal of the testimony which he bore to Jesus Christ. i Matt. iii. 2, 8. Mark i. 15.

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