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the priests under the ceremonial law. | words, "like a dove," denote that it

Exod. xxix. 4.

Theophilus. It is said, v. 16, that "he saw the Spirit of God descending." Does that refer to Jesus or to John?

Reader. The pronoun in this place, and in Mark i. 10, seems to refer to Jesus; but it is certain, from John i. 12, that the Baptist also beheld this remarkable appearance,-the visible symbol of the peculiar presence of the Holy Spirit.

Mary. It is said that Jesus "went up-out of the water." This implies that he had been immersed, does it not?

Reader. We shall have occasion to speak of the original mode of administering baptism hereafter. But it is remarkable, that the original expression in this place, and in Mark i. 10, is, that our Lord went up not out of the water, but from the water. If a person were plunged into the water, then it would be natural to say that he afterwards went up out of the water; but if he were taken, or went, down to the water, or the water's edge, then we should say that he afterwards went up from the water. And such is the Evangelist's expression in this place.

Theophilus. Do you suppose that the shape, or likeness, of a dove was assumed by the Holy Spirit on this occasion ?

Reader. It appears, from Luke iii. 23, that this must be the meaning of the sacred writer; although some commentators suppose that the form assumed was that of fire, or some luminous body, and that the

came down with a motion resembling the descent of that bird.

Theophilus. There is something very solemn and affecting in the announcement of our Saviour's person and character by "a voice from heaven."

Reader. And you remember, perhaps, on what other occasions this voice was repeated. It was heard, for the second time, on the mount of transfiguration (Matt. xvii. 5; Luke ix. 35, 36; 2 Pet. i. 17);-and, for the third and last time, shortly before our Saviour's crucifixion (John xii. 28-30).

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Theophilus. "Why did the Holy Spirit descend upon Christ, seeing that he was truly and really God?"

Reader. Remember that he was man as well as God; otherwise he could not have sustained that illustrious character, "one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." At his baptism, the Holy Ghost descended, "first, for the designation of his person, to show that he was the person set apart for the work and office of the Mediator; secondly, for the qualification of his person for the performance of his office. This was Christ's unction (Isa. vi. 1), when he was anointed above his fellows, to be the king, prophet, and priest of his church." Ps. xlv. 6, 7. He is the Head of his church; and through him the Spirit is derived to all believers.

Theophilus. I think I have heard this passage quoted, as one among many others, in support of the scrip

tural doctrine of the Holy Trinity | start objections against the will of Christ."

in Unity.

Reader. Yes. "At the baptism of our great High Priest, there was an exhibition to the senses of the Three Persons in the ever-blessed Trinity, each acting according to the economy of the scheme of redemption; the Father appointing the Son to be Mediator, the Son accepting the appointment, and the Holy Spirit anointing him with the oil of gladness above his fellows, and qualifying him for the work he had undertaken." "It is impossible to explain this transaction consistently in any other way than by admitting this truth, that there are three equal persons in the divine nature, or essence, and that each of these sustains an important part in the work of redeeming men."

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I have need to be baptized of thee. It is said of John that "he was filled with the Holy Ghost" from his very infancy. (Luke i. 15). But "they who have much of the Spirit of God, yet, while here, in this imperfect state, see that they have need of more, and need to apply themselves to Christ for more." "The more holy a person is, the more sensible he is of his unholiness; where there is most grace, there is the greatest sense of the want of grace,"—the deepest conviction of remaining impurity and imperfection, and the most earnest desire for final and complete deliverance.-John made this confession in public, and in the presence of those who had a high opinion of his character and dignity. Let not our honour, or our desire of esteem, make us ashamed to acknowledge our need of Christ.

Comest thou to me ?-How lovely is the conduct of the Baptist, as a picture of humility! Such also was the humility of his pious mother;"Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke i. 43).—But God delights to honour and exalt the lowly : and he "has farther honour in store for those whose spirits continue low when their reputation rises."

Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.-This conduct becomes us, as the disciples of our Lord and Master. "They who are of greatest attainments in gifts and graces, should yet, in their place, bear their testimony to instituted ordinances, by a

humble and diligent attendance on them; that they may give a good example to others," as well as that they may themselves receive the appointed and expected blessing.

Then he suffered him.-Here observe that "the same modesty which made John at first decline the honour Christ offered him, now made him do the service Christ enjoined him.” And hence we may learn, for the guidance of our own conduct, that no pretence of humility will excuse our declining, or retiring from, a duty which we may be summoned to fulfil.

Lo, the heavens were opened unto him.-And, in one sense, not unto him alone. “In and through Jesus Christ, the heavens are opened to the children of men. Sin shut up heaven, put a stop to all friendly intercourse between God and man; but now Christ has opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.' Divine light and love are darted down upon the children of men, and we have boldness to enter into the holiest. We have receipts of mercy from God, we make returns of duty to God; and all by Jesus Christ, who is the ladder that has its foot on earth and its top in heaven, by whom alone it is that we have any comfortable correspondence with God, or any hope of getting to heaven at last."

Lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.-Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, by eternal generation (Col. i. 15; Heb. i. 3); by supernatural conception (Luke i. 35); and by special appointment to

the office and work of the Redeemer (Ps. lxxxix. 27; Rom. i. 4).—He is the beloved of the Father;-his dear Son, or the Son of his love, as it is elsewhere expressed (Col. i. 13).— And the consideration of this truth may well be a source of great comfort and encouragement to us, as believers in his name. As such we are accepted in the Beloved; Eph. i. 6. Yes:-"Let all the world take notice, that this is the Peacemaker, the Daysman, who has laid his hand upon us both; and that there is no coming to God as a Father, but by Christ as a Mediator; John xiv. 6. In him our spiritual sacrifices are acceptable, for he is the altar that sanctifieth every gift; 1 Pet. ii. 5. Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire; but, in Christ, a reconciled Father. This is the sum of the whole Gospel; it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that God has declared, by a voice from heaven, that Jesus Christ is his beloved Son in whom he is well pleased; with which we must by faith cheerfully concur, and say, that he is our beloved Saviour, in whom we are well pleased,"-in whose hands we are willing to entrust our highest interests, and to whose governance and guidance we are willing to yield ourselves, in body, soul, and spirit.

HYMN.

Jesus, how precious is thy name!

Beloved of the Father Thou! Oh, let me catch th' immortal flame

With which angelic bosoms glow. As angels love thee, I would love, And imitate the bless'd above.

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6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, 'Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship

me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto

him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth

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him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

a Mark i. 12, &c. Luke iv. 1, &c. b See 1 Kings xviii. 12. Ezek. iii. 14, & viii. 3, & xi. 1, 24, & xl. 2, & xliii. 5. Acts viii. 39.-c Deut. viii. 3.-d Neh. xi. 1, 18. Is. xlviii. 2, & lii. 1; ch. xxvii. 53. Rev. xi. 2.-e Ps. xci. 11, 12.-f Deut. vi. 16.-g Deut. vi. 13, & x. 20. Josh. xxiv. 14. 1 Sam. vii. 3.-h Heb. i. 14.

Reader. Do any questions arise in your minds respecting this remarkable portion of the sacred narrative?

Theophilus. In what manner may we suppose this Temptation to have been conducted? And in what form did the Tempter appear?

Reader. It is sufficient for us to know, that we have here the history of a real event, not of a mere vision or dream; and that the temptation presented itself to our Lord from without, not being in any way the produce of his own pure and holy mind. We read of what our blessed Lord, in his conflict with evil, actually saw, and heard, and did, and

said.

We cannot suppose that the Tempter appeared in his own character. Many think that he assumed a human form; or that he appeared as an angel. For my own part, I think it clear, from Luke iv. 6, that, in the third part of the temptation, Satan professed to be the Guardian Angel of Judea. It seems probable also that, in the second part, he professed to be an angel of light; implying that he was at hand as one of those of whom it had been written "He shall give his angels charge over thee." Perhaps it was one part of Satan's policy to pretend to greater and greater degrees of excellence and authority in the successive stages of his temptation, with a view to gain influence over the object of his assault. He may have appeared first as a man, a weary traveller in the wilderness; then, having failed in his first attack, and having prevailed on our Lord to accompany him to the roof of the Temple, he may have declared himself an angel, charged with the protection of good men; and lastly, in order to hold out a still more powerful inducement to the mind of his intended victim, he may have professed himself to be an

angel of a high order, even the Prince or Guardian Angel of Judea, and may have offered to transfer to Jesus the exercise of his authority on condition of his receiving personal homage. But this is merely my own conjecture.

Theophilus. How did the Tempter convey our Lord from place to place?

Reader. Some interpreters, in times past, hastily concluded that he carried his sacred person through the air;—a supposition which suited the purpose of painters much more than it tended to the promulgation of truth. The word translated "taketh him" in vv. 5, 8, is that which is used by Greek writers to express the act of a person who induces another to accompany him to a certain place. St. Matthew himself employs this word again in ch. xvii. 1,—“ Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain." Did you ever imagine that our Lord carried these disciples through the air?The truth is, all that the Evangelist says in the chapter now before us is, that Satan induced our Lord to go to the Temple, and to the mountain, in his company.

Theophilus. What is meant by the "pinnacle of the Temple" in ver. 5?

Reader. Probably a part of the balustrade surrounding the roof;or, a high, tower-like part of the building, with a flat roof, forming a wing, or side, of the Temple. Some suppose it to have been a part called The King's Gallery, built by Herod, looking over a deep part of the valley beneath. But this is uncertain.

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