having committed them; and when they had so repented, he baptized them with water, as a sign that, as their bodies were washed clean by water, so, their hearts and minds were washed clean of sin and wickedness, by a full repentance: repentance not being in itself an atonement for sin, but a sign of the only state of feeling consistent with sincere faith in Christ. A follower of Christ and firm believer in the atoning power of his blood alone, must renounce and abhor sin as a necessary consequence. Faith in Jesus Christ and a continuance in sin being incompatible.

John said to the multitude who asked him what they must do," He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that has none: and he that hath meat, let him do likewise."

To the publicans, who came to be baptized and who asked what they must do, he said "Exact no more than that which is appointed you."

To the soldiers, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.'

The people began to think, from the wonderful things which he said to them, that he must be the Christ, but John said to them, "I baptize you with

water, but one mightier than I, cometh, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."

When John saw Jesus coming to him, he cried out, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world:* This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me." After Jesus was baptized by John, and had come out of the water, "The heavens were opened and the Spirit of God descended like a dove and settled upon him, and a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.'"

It was not until after his baptism, that Jesus began to preach openly amongst the people. He then went into Galilee and taught amongst the Gentiles; (the name Gentile was given at that time to all those who were not Jews.) Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and going

* According to Josephus, a lamb was the sacrifice offered to atone for sin committed through ignorance. Jesus frequently explained to his followers, that those who sinned before his coming, were far less guilty than those who sinned after he had fully explained to them what they must do to inherit eternal life.

into the synagogue on the sabbath day, he stood up to read, and when the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him, he opened it and read aloud, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." He then shut the book and told them that this scripture was now fulfilled. But they only said-Is not this Joseph's son? and the more he spoke to them, the more angry they became, until they rose up and thrust him out of the city: they then led him to the brow of the hill on which the city was built, intending to throw him down headlong, but he passed through the midst of them and went to another city.

The most ardent and faithful of the disciples of Jesus, were chosen from amongst the poor. It was at the lake of Galilee that he found Simon Peter and Andrew his brother following their business as fishermen, likewise the sons of Zebedee mending their nets: all these he called to follow him, and went about all Galilee teaching in the synagogues

and healing all kinds of diseases and infirmities. It was to the multitude which had gradually collected around him, during this time, that he delivered his beautiful sermon from the mount. From this we may learn what truly christian behaviour is: what Christ approves, what he disapproves; and the oftener it is studied the better and happier shall we become.

His doctrine was in so many respects the very reverse of the generally received notions of the thoughtless and idle, that it required a courage and perseverance without example to dare to teach openly such unacceptable truths. Jesus had consented to take not only the form of man, but his very nature, so that notwithstanding his divine nature as the Son of God, he was capable of feeling pain like any other man; and yet, supported by the truly divine feeling of the merit of exposing himself to suffering in order to save others, he persevered in his difficult task, although quite aware of the persecutions and tortures which awaited him. A mere man might have hoped to escape, but Jesus could see into futurity, and knew that he could not escape a death of cruelty and disgrace. It was Jesus alone who under

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such circumstances could have the courage to teach that the mourner-the merciful-the pure in heart -the peacemaker-should be blessed;-to say, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake."-"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."

It was Jesus who said to his disciples, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment."-" Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother has aught against thee, Leave there thy gift, and go thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

Jesus exhorted them to suffer wrong patiently and to love even their enemies. It was one of the laws of the Jews that if one man injured another, the same injury should be inflicted upon him for a