He  proved  very  successful  in  his  ministry,  as
he  enforced  the  doctrine  of  repentance,  because
the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  at  hand.  Persons
of  all  degrees  and  professions  flocked  to  him,
confessed  their  sins,  were  bajitized  in  Jordan,
and  submitted  to  whatever  the  prophet  pre-
scribed as  necessary  to  obtain  an  inheritance
in  that  kingdom,  the  approach  of  which  he
came  to  declare.  Amongst  his  converts  were
many  of  the  Pharisaical  tribe,  some  of  whom
confessed  their  sins,  and  were  likewise  baptized
in  Jordan.
The  conversion  of  the  Phaiisees  surprised
the  Baptist,  knowing  that  diey  maintained  a
high  opinion  of  their  own  sanctity,  for  which
reason  it  was  very  astonishing  that  they  should
express  any  desire  of  obtaining  a  remission
of  dieir  sins.  In  short,  he  Avas  much  sur-
prised to  find  the  whole  nation  so  affected
by  his  threatenings,  especially  as  he  knew  that
they  expected  salvation  on  account  of  their
being  of  the  seed  of  Abraliam ;  a  conceit  which
they  greatly  cherished,  and  which  .  diey  seem
to  have  derived  from  a  misrepresentation  of
this  passage :  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  who  giveth
the  sun  for  a  light  by  day,  and  the  ordinances
of  the  moon,  and  the  stars  for  a  light  by  flight ;
who  divideth  the  sea,  when  the  ivaves  thereof
roar ;  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is  his  name.  If  those
ordinances  depart  from  before  me,  saith  the  Lord,
then  the  seed  of  Israel  also  shall  cease  from  being
a  nation  before  me,  for  ever.  Thus  saith  the
Lord,  if  the  heaven  above  can  be  measured,  and
the  foundations  of  the  earth  searched  out  beneath,


Chap.  III.
/  will  also  cast  off  the  seed  of  Israel,  for  all  that
they  have  done,  saith  the  Lord.
