X.

LECT. great thing is come to pass; a greater than any earthly potentate is come down to us, bringing light with all the blessings it symbolizes; and men are unwilling to come to it, prefer to remain in their original darkness. Why? Because their deeds are evil. Some perhaps will tell us that it is because the Gospel does not give them so much light as they wish, because it does not clear up all mysteries, because it still leaves something for faith; therefore they will not embrace it. A strange reason surely! Because men have not so much light as they wish, therefore they will reject that which they have. Because light is offered on some points, men prefer to remain in darkness upon all; to "walk on still in darkness." But however the "desires of the mind" may keep some back, the "desires of the flesh" doubtless keep back many more. And our Lord truly represents the case, when He assigns this reason why men love darkness rather than light, even "because their deeds are evil." This light exposes and reproves "the unfruitful works of darkness," therefore men prefer to continue in the darkness which covers and conceals their evil deeds. If they came to the light they could no longer practise the works of darkness, therefore they hate the light, and will not come to the light, lest their deeds should be discovered and reproved. If they surrendered themselves to the Gospel, they would have to surrender their sins; therefore they prefer to remain as they were before, to sin on undisturbed. Hence they say practically to God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways."

66

X.

But far otherwise is the case with the truly LECT. honest and sincere inquirer, "the Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile." He walks faithfully according to the measures of light vouchsafed to him, and instead of shrinking from that light, is eager after more. And agreeably to that divine rule, "he that hath to him shall be given," these find to their joy that the Lord maketh their darkness to be light, and their path is likened to the shining light itself, "which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." For our Lord Himself hath said, "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it is of God.” So we may trust it was in the case of Nicodemus. He really seems to have been a sincere inquirer. And though here he came to Jesus by night, (and possibly in our Lord's words concerning light and darkness, besides their obvious meaning, may have been intended a gentle allusion to his timidity in coming by night,) yet afterwards we find him owning the Lord by day, publicly; in the Sanhedrim', and at His burial".

ch. i. 47.

h Grotius cites from the Iphigenia, Κλεπτῶν γὰρ ἡ νύξ, τῆς δ ̓ ἀληθείας τὸ φῶς.

1 ch. vii. 17. éλy moleîv, is willing to do.

It is remarkable, that in vv. 20, 21. there are two distinct verbs, though each of them is rendered by the same word "doeth." The same distinction is observable in that similar passage to which reference has been made already: see ch. v. 29. τὰ φαῦλα πράσσειν, but τὴν ἀλήθειαν οι τὰ ἀγαθὰ ποιεῖν. On which Alford observes, "The distinction is perhaps this, that párσew is more the habit of action; so that we might say, 'he that practises evil;' but rolev, the true doing of good, good fruit, good that remains. He who pάooei, has nothing but his πрâyμa, which is an event, a thing of the past, a source to him only of condemnation, for he has nothing to shew for it, for it is also paûλov, worthless; whereas he that Tole, has his woínua,-he has abiding fruit; his works do follow him." mch. xix. 39.

Ich. vii. 50-52.

G

LECT.

X.

May we have no reason ever to dread the light! God give us grace to give up whatsoever shall make us love darkness! Let our honest prayer be," Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

LECTURE XI.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE BAPTIST CONCERNING CHRIST.

JOHN iii. 22-36.

XI.

THE Conversation between our Lord and Nico- LECT. demus, recorded in the preceding part of this chapter, had taken place at Jerusalem, the capital of Judæa. Our Lord and His disciples now quit the capital to go into the country: for "the land of Judæa" in this passage means the country districts in contradistinction from the chief city.

When it is said our Lord baptized, it does not mean that He did so Himself; for in the beginning of the next chapter we are distinctly informed He did not but He baptized through the medium of His disciples; and the act which was done with His sanction is, according to a common figure of speech", attributed to Himself. The mention however of this fact in this place is not without its significance. The Lord had been alluding to the rite in His conference with Nicodemus, He proceeds to perform it in the country of Judæa. His subsequent act throws light on His previous saying".

"Qui facit per alium, facit per se."

"The Evangelist, by a natural transition, then passes on to speak of the difference of the Baptism instituted by Christ, and that administered by John (v. 26.)" Wordsworth.

XI.

LECT. The Baptist appears to have left the spot mentioned in the first chapter, where he began baptizing, which was to the east of the river Jordan, and to have come to another place, Enon, situated on the west of that river; because of the greater supply of water, needful in consequence of the multitudes that came to him to be baptized his practice being to baptize by immersion; and shallow streams in that country being often dried up by the intense heat of an eastern sun as perhaps had been the case at the original scene of his baptisms, so as to cause his transfer to this latter place: to which however we must believe him led in the providence and by the Spirit of God.

Our Evangelist alludes to the Baptist's imprisonment incidentally, as to a well known fact; which gives an air of authenticity to his Gospel, stamps upon it a character of genuineness, and is one of the many marks of credibility in the sacred narrative. The remark itself seems to have been inserted as a note of time; that it might be known that our Lord's ministry did not begin, as some might suppose, after the imprisonment of the Baptist, but before.

The discussion about "purifying" which is here mentioned would seem to have arisen between John's disciples and those Jews who, having been

Dr. Wordsworth (ad v. 23.) has some valuable observations on the places where John exercised his ministry, and the nature of that ministry. d dата πоà, "Intellige non rivos multos, sed simpliciter aquæ copiam." Grotius.

e Kalapioμds" verbum Judæis usitatum.... Nomina baptisma, baptismus, baptista, nunquam adhibet Joannes, sed pro baptismo etiam Levitico dicit purificationem." Bengel ad loc.