Baptist here seems to echo that of our Lord.' But though Christ's testimony was that of an eye-witness, yet so general was the spirit of unbelief that the Baptist is obliged to add mournfully, "And no man receiveth His testimony." Yet were there some cheering exceptions, and should be more. And those who in any age receive Christ's testimony of Himself in effect do this, they set to their seal that God is true. Those who acknowledge Christ, in effect acknowledge God. Faith in the Son, is faith in the Father that sent Him. So that to receive the testimony of Christ, is to receive the testimony of God; to set one's seal, as it were, to this fact that God is true; as men sign and seal a document which they believe and acknowledge. LXIX. THE SAME SUBJECT—continued. St. John iii. 34-36, For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him, The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. 3 He who is called The Word of God speaks nothing but but the Friend of the Bride- He must increase; I must decrease. He speaks what He has seen and heard in heaven; I speak of the earth. Compare Heb. xii. 25. With v. 31 compare vv. 12, 13. With v. 32 compare v. 11. Lampe, in noticing this latter correspondence, makes a remark which may be ex tended to the whole of the Baptist's testimony, which some will only admit to be his in part, that seeing that John and Jesus were moved by the same spirit, it is no marvel that they used the same words. The same may be said of the correspondence between the Baptist and the Evangelist. 2 St. John xii. 44; x. 30; xiv. 10; v. 23. 3 St. John i. 1; Rev. xix. 13. 1 the word of God; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him as unto the Prophets of old. His inspiration is not, like theirs, intermittent, but ceaseless and unlimited. He has not, with them, His intervals of inspiration, but speaketh ever the words of God. This passage throughout is one of the many incidental testimonies to the Divinity of our Lord which St. John the Divine 2 is ever bringing out. And so the Baptist closes by announcing Him to be the Son of God, the object of the Father's special love; not in the sense in which Christian men are called sons of God, but in that special sense which could attach to Christ alone, who is the only-begotten Son of God, to whom all things are delivered of His Father, to whom is given all power in heaven and in earth. The phrase here uttered by the Baptist is used afterwards on the very eve of His crucifixion, by our Lord Himself. 3 The Baptist concludes his discourse in words which our Lord also confirms afterwards. It is to be noted here that the present tense is used. It is not just "shall have," but "hath" everlasting life. For he is speaking here of an ever-present benefit to the believer. He has it now; not indeed the full possession and enjoyment, but the earnest of the inheritance; even as the heir of any property may be said to have it even before he comes to the title, in that he has the prospect of it and the qualification for it. So the real believer in Christ has in him now a principle of spiritual life which shall be expanded and perfected in another and more kindly soil. But there is another and a sadder side to the picture, which the faithful forerunner of the Lord and His herald of repentance dare not suppress; the present and the future of him that believes not. To see in this place of Scripture is to enjoy. He who will not believe in Christ has no part in Him. He chooses to remain in the former state of sin and death. The wrath of God abideth on him, because he despises or disregards the offers of His love. LXX. HEROD IMPRISONETH JOHN THE BAPTIST. St. Luke iii. 19, 20. St. Mark vi. 18-20. St. Luke. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. St. Mark.-For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. The faithful Baptist, who has testified to his disciples concerning Christ, is found testifying to his face against a guilty king for his ungodly deeds. Herod' the tetrarchthat being the title whereby this Governor of Galilee was called-son of that Herod who slaughtered the Holy Innocents, with a disregard and defiance of morality and decency remarkable even in those turbulent times, had filled up the measure of his iniquity by taking his brother's wife. It may seem strange that such a man should have any regard for one so different to himself as the holy Baptist.3 Herod 1 Antipas, son of Herod called the Great. 2 This shameless woman was not only his half-brother Philip's wife, but also niece to them both; so that this was an incestuous no less than an adulterous connexion. See Josephus Antt. xviii. 5. 3 Herod's regard for John is in some respects parallel with the eighth Henry's regard for Cranmer, though the latter's vacillation must not be taken into the account. But it was the simplicity of his character that seems to have conciliated the king in this case; as a ferocious mastiff may attach himself to a child. See Shakspeare, Hen. viii. Act v. Scenes 1 and 2. In either case each seems to have been attracted by qualities in the other whose absence he was conscious of in himself. had possibly some sense of religion till, by the indulgence of his passions, his conscience became seared as with a hot iron. Like Judas, he seems to have gone from bad to worse. One thing leads to another. Sin begets sin. But even bad men in their hearts cannot but respect those of whose real goodness they are convinced. True godliness commands respect even from the ungodly. But the Baptist was not a man to be flattered into a connivance with sin.1 He will not wink even at royal immorality. He speaks of God's testimonies even before kings and is not ashamed. As we are reminded in the Church's Collect, he constantly spake the truth, and boldly rebuked vice, even in kings' houses. So, doubtless with due respect for his office, but with holy boldness, he plainly pronounced, "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife." And this uncompromising conduct of his, though for a time it offended the king, and still more the guilty partner of his passion, yet, like all honest and straightforward dealing, must have increased the king's respect. And though the immediate effect of the Baptist's faithfulness was to procure his imprisonment, still what first perhaps proceeded from momentary pique on the part of Herod, was afterwards continued rather to preserve him from the vengeful designs of Herodias. She, who seems to have been the tempter, was the one to bear the grudge; which only thus was she, for the time, prevented from wreaking upon him, like another Jezebel who killed the prophets of the Lord. Herod, it is said, "feared" John, though John, as we have seen, feared not even the face of Herod. "How awful goodness is!" and how courageous! The Baptist's conduct in this case convinced Herod all the more of his justice and holiness; that his was a conscience 1 See 1 Ki. xxii. 13, 14. 2 Quesnel has these reflections:-"Some persons would not have wanted fuir pretences to persuade John to dissemble. He was not charged with Herod's conduct; he ought to have cultivated his good-will, that he might be supported in the exercise of his ministry; he ran the risk of frustrating 3 1 void of offence towards God and also towards men; that in him was no hypocrisy ; that he was incorruptible and sincere ; even as a patient's confidence is eventually increased in the physician who will not flatter him into a continuance of injurious courses. So he guarded him in the fortress of Macharus from the vindictive rage of that licentious woman. There is something sadly instructive in this sentence, "He did many things; " but not the one needful thing. As if a man should part with all the poisons in his possession but one, resolutely retaining the fatal draught. Herod heard John as the Jews of old heard Ezekiel.3 The voice of either prophet was no more than a song well sung, or an air skilfully played. "They hear thy words, but do them not."4 Herod's heart was stony ground. However he received the word, it was scorched and withered away. LXXI. CHRIST AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. St. John iv. 1-8. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) he left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Our Lord's success in baptizing so many seems to have 1 Compare what is said of his Parents, St. Luke i. 6; and the testimony to Simeon, ii. 25. 2 See the margin. It may remind us somewhat of Luther's seizure, and 4 St. Matt. xiii. 6, 20. |