"Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea," etc. John commences here, our Lord with "Galilee of the Gentiles;" John, to show that God must have Israel in confession before Him; Jesus, to show that all being of Him that showeth mercy cannot be confined to Israel, and that they themselves must be debtors to the same grace that blesses Gentiles.

" Were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins"-separation from Israel's guilty and unbelieving condition, owning the just judgment of God upon themselves.

"When he saw many Pharisees," etc. John had not come to own Israel nationally, or these surely had claim above others, but " to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17); hence he claims conscience-work, not worldly patronage;- they were not to think divine blessing was theirs by birthright, but only in the confession of their forfeiture of all by their sins, and coming to God in self-judgment. Their only valid claim was a moral one-" fruits meet for repentance." God was able of the stones to raise up children unto Abraham, for the sovereign grace which took him up was equally free to bless others also.

"And now already the ax is laid unto the root of the trees." Grace is sovereign, and works above all question of human merit; but yet must it be realized that judgment is deserved. "The ax is laid at the root:" hitherto there had been but the fruit dealt with in God's government; now that which only brought forth "evil fruit" must be also. Another thing-it had been tilled and nurtured, "but brought not forth good fruit"-all had been spent upon it in vain. So with men universally-even the heathen "did not like to retain the knowledge of God" which they had, but became "alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them;" hence all the darkness and corruption that ensued. (See Rom. 1:, 2:)

"Hewn down and cast into the fire,"-not only ceasing to have a place in blessing as hereto, but judged of God-cut off as to the kingdom and its blessings here, and consigned to judgment. But John's testimony was not alone to judgment, but the "mercy that rejoiceth against it" also. "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance "- putting them in the place of confession before God, in their consciences having entered into His judgment of them; " but He that cometh after me shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire." John could but bring them into their true place before God; the Lord Jesus, mightier than he, into His-own place before Him. Those who bowed to the Word, instead of the deserved judgment of their sins, getting the fruit of Christ's work-indwelling of the Holy Ghost; those rejecting it, the baptism with fire-symbol of the consuming judgment of God. B.C.G.