Herod inquires where

Christ should be born.

Christ should be born.

5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6 And thou Bethlchein, in the land of Juda, art not the least

2 Chr. 34. 13. 1 Mac 5.42.7.12-b Mal. 2.7.-e Mic. 5.2. Jonn 7.42. Luke 2. 4.

having entered into a conspiracy against him. Aristovulus left three children, whom I shall notice hereafter.

His third wife was Mariamne, the daughter of Simon, a person of some note in Jerusalein, whom Herod inade high-priest in order to obtain his daughter. She was the mother of Herod Philippus, or Herod Philip, and Salome. Herod, or Philip, inarried Herodias, mother to Salome, the famous dancer, who demanded the head of John the Baptist, Mark vi. 22. Salome had been placed in the will of Herod the Great, as second heir after Antipater; but her name was erased, when it was discovered that Mariamne her mother, was an accomplice in the crimes of Antipater, son of Herod the Great. Joseph. de Bello, lib. i. c. 18, 19, 20.

His fourth wife was Malthaké, a Samaritan, whose sons were Archelaus and Philip. The first enjoyed half his father's kingdom under the naine of tetrarch, viz. Idunea, Judea, and Samaria: Joseph. Antiq. 1. xvii. c. 11. He reigned nine years; but being accused and arraigned before the emperor Augustus, he was banished to Vienna, where he died: Jos. Antiq. 1. xvii. c. xv. This is the Archelaus mentioned in verse 22.

His brother Philipmarried Salome, the famous dancer, the daughter of Herodias; he died without children, and she was afterward married to Aristobulus.

The fifth wife of Herod the Great was Cleopatra of Jerusalem. She was the mother of Herod, surnamed Antipas, who married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, while he was still living. Being reproved for this act by John the Baptist, Matt. xiv. 3. Mark vi. 17. Luke iii. 19. and having imprisoned this holy man, he caused him to be beheaded, agreeably to the promise he had rashly made to the daughter of his wife Herodias, who had pleased him with her dancing. He attempted to seize the person of Jesus Christ, and to put him to death. It was to this prince that Pilate sent our Lord, Luk. xiii. 31, 32. He was banished to Lyons, and then to Spain, where both he and his wife Herodias died. Joseph. Antiq. 1. xv. c. 14.-de Bello, l. ii. c. 8.

The sixth wife of Herod the Great was Pallas, by whom he had Phasaelus; his history is no ways connected with the

New Testament.

The seventh was named Phædra, the mother of Rozana, who married the son of Pheroras.

The eighth was Elpida, mother of Salome, who married another son of Pheroras.

With the names of two other wives of Herod we are not acquainted; but they are not connected with our history, any more than are Pallas, Phædra, and Elpida, whose names 1 merely notice, to avoid the accusation of inaccuracy.

ARISTOBULUS, the son of Herod the Great, by Mariamne, a descendant of the Asmoneans, left two sons and a daughter, viz. Agrippa, Herod, and Herodias, so famous for her incestuous marriage with Antipas, in the lifetime of his brother Philip. AGRIPPA, otherwise named Herod, who was imprisoned by Tiberius for something he had inconsiderately said against him, was released from prison by Caligula, who made him king of Julea; Jos. Antiq. l. xviii. c. 8. It was this prince who put St. James to death, and imprisoned Peter, as mentioned in xii. of Acts. He died at Cesarea, in the way mentioned in the Acts, as well as by Joseph. Antiq. 1. xix. c. 7. He left a son named Agrippa, who is mentioned below.

HEROD,

the second

son of Aristobulus, was king of Chalcis,

and after the death of his brother, obtained permission of the emperor to keep the ornaments belonging to the high-priest, and to nominate whom he pleased to that office: Jos. Antiq. 1. xx. c. 1. He had a son named Aristobulus, to whom Nero gave Arinenia the lesser, and who married Salome, the famous dancer, daughter to Herodias.

AGRIPPA, son of Herod Agrippa, king of Judea, and grandson to Aristobulus and Mariamne; he was at first king of Chalcis, and afterward tetrarch of Galilee, in the room of his uncle Philip. Jos. Antiq. 1. xx. c. 5. It was before him, his sister Be renice, and Feliz, who had married Drusilla, Agrippa's second daughter, that St. Paul pleaded his cause, as mentioned Acts xxvi.

HERODIAS, the daughter of Mariamne and Aristobulus, is the person of whom we have already spoken, who married succes sively the two brothers Philip and Antipas, her uncles, and who occasioned the death of John the Baptist. By her first husband, she had Salome, the dancer, who was married to Philip,

vernor that shall rule my people Israel.

7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently, what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent thein to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search

d Rev. 2.2.-e Or, feed-f Psa. 2.1, &c. Acts 4.25, &c.

the posterity of Abraham by Keturah: and that they taught in the name of God, what they had received in tradition from the mouth of Abraham."-WHITBY. That many Jews were mixed with this people there is little doubt; and that these castern Magi, or philosophers, astrologers, or whatever else they were, might have been originally of that class, there is room to believe. These, knowing the promise of the Messiah were now, probably, like other believing Jews, waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Persic translator renders the Greek Mayor by مجوسیان mejooseean, which properly signifies a worshipper of fire; and from which we have our word magician. It is very probable that the ancient Persians, who were considered as worshippers of fire, only honoured it as the syinbolical representation of the Deity: and seeing this unusual appearance, might consider it as a sign, that the God they worshipped was about to manifest himself among men. Therefore they say, We have seen his star-and are come to worship him; but it is more likely, that the Greeks made their Mayor, Magi, which we translate wise men, from the Persian

Mogh, and Moghan, which the Kushuf ul Loghat, a very eininent Persian lexicon, explains by اتش پوست atush perest, a worshipper of fire; which the Persians suppose all the inhabitants of Ur in Chaldea were, ainong whom the prophet Abraham was brought up. The Mohammedans apply this title by way of derision to Christian monks in their associate capacity: and by a yet stronger catachresis, they apply it to a tavern, and the people that frequent it. Also, to ridicule in the most forcible manner the Christian priesthood, they call the tavern-keeper پیرمان peer Mughan, the priest, or chief of the idolaters. It is very probable, that the persons mentioned by the evangelist were a sort of astrologers, probably of Jewish extraction, that they lived in Arabia Felix, and for the reasons above given, came to worship their new-born Sovereign. It is worthy of remark, that the AngloSaxon translates the word Mayor by tungal pitegan, which signifies astrologers, from tunczol, a star, or planet, and piten, to know or understand.

2. We have seen his star] Having discovered an unusual Inminous appearance or meteor in the heavens, supposing these persons to have been Jews, and knowing the prophecies relative to the redemption of Israel, they probably considered this to be the star mentioned by Balaam, Num. xxiv. 17. See the note there.

In the east] Εν τη ανατολή, At its rise. Ανατολη and δυσμη are used in the New Testament for east and west.

To worship him.] Or, To do him homage: προσκύνησαι αυτω. The word προσκυνες, which is compounded of προς, to, and κυων, a dog, signifies to crouch and fawn, like a dog at his master's feet. It means, to prostrate one's self to another, according to the eastern custoin, which is still in use. In this act, the person kneels, and puts his head between his knees, his forehead at the same time touching the ground. It was used to express both civil and religious reverence. In Hindostan, religious homage is paid by prostrating the body at full length, so that the two knees, the two hands, forehead, nose, and cheeks, all touch the earth at the same time. This kind of homage is paid also to great men. AYEEN AKBERY, vol. iii. p. 227.

As to what is here called a star, some make it a meteor, others a luminous appearance like an Aurora Borealis; others a comet! There is no doubt the appearance made was very striking: but it seems to have been a simple meteor provi ded for the occasion. See on ver. 9.

3. When Herod-heard these things, he was troubled) Herod's consternation was probably occasioned by the agreeinent of the account of the Magi, with an opinion predominant throughout the east, and particularly in Judea, that some great personage would soon inake his appearance, for the de liverance of Israel from their enemies; and would take upon himself universal empire.

SUETONIUS and TACITUS, two Roman historians, mention this. Their words are very remarkable: Percrebuerat oriente toto, vetus et constans opinio, esse in fatis, ut eo tempore Judæi profecti rerum potirentur. Id de imperatore Romuno, quantum eventu postea predictum patuit, Judæi ad se trahentes, rebellarunt. SUETON. VESP. "An ancient and settled persuasion prevailed throughout the east, that the Pates lead decreed some to proceed from Judea, who should attain uni

respect the Roman emperor, the Jews applied to theinselves, and therefore rebelled." The words of Tacitus are nearly si milar: Pluribus persuasio inerat, antiquis sacerdotum lite. ris contineri, eo ipso tempore fore, ut valesceret oriens, pro fectique Judai rerum potirentur. Quæ ombuges Vespas.. anum ac Titum prædixerant. "Many were persuaded, thet it was contained in the ancient books of their priests, that at that very time the east should prevail; and that some shola proceed from Judea, and possess the dommnion. It was Vespasian and Titus that these ambiguous prophecies predicted." Histor. v

19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

A M.4014, B. C. cir. 2. An. Olymp. CXCIV.3. - Ch. 3. 13. Luke 2.39. Among the princes of Judah.] In Mic. v. 2, it is, the thousands of Judah. There is much reason to believe, that each tribe was divided into sinall portions called thousands, as in England certain small divisions of counties are called hundreds. For the proof of the first, the reader is referred to Judg. vi. 15, where, instead of my FAMILY is poor in Manasseh: the Hebrew is, my THOUSAND )אפי( is the meanest in Manasseh: and tol sam. x. 19, Present yourselves before the Lord by your TRIBES and by your THOUSANDS: and to 1 Chr. xii. 20, Captains of the THOUSANDS of Manassch. Now these THOUSANDS being petty governments, Matthew renders them by the word ηγεμόσιν, because the word princes or governors was more intelligible in the Greek tongue, than thousands, though in this case, they both signify the same. See Wakefield.

That shall rule my people Israel.] Όστις ποιμανεί, Who shall FEED my people? That is, as a shepherd feeds his flock. Among the Greeks, kings are called, by Homer, λαων ποιμένες, shepherds of the people. This appellation probably originated from the pastoral employment which kings and patriarchs did not blusir to exercise in the times of primitive simplicity: and it might particularly refer to the case of David, the great type of Christ, who was a keeper of his father's sheep, before he was raised to the throne of Israel. As the governinent of a good king was similar to the care a good shepherd has of his flock, hence ποιμην, signified both shepherd and king; and ποιμαίνω, το feed and to rule, among the ancient Greeks.

8. That I may come and worship him also.] See v. 2, and on Gen. xvii. 3, and Ex. iv. 31. What exquisite hypocrisy was here! he only wished to find out the child that he might murder him -but see, how that God who searches the heart, prevents the designs of wicked men from being accomplished!

9. In the east.) Or, at its rise. See ver. 2.

Stood over where the young child was.) Super caput pueri, Over the head of the child, as the OPUS IMPERFECTUM, on this place, has it. See Griesbach's Var. Lect. So it appears to have been a simple luminous meteor, in a star-like form, and at a very short distance from the ground, otherwise it could not have ascertained the place where the child lay. But the last quoted reading, from the Opus Imperfectum, justifies the opinion, that the luminous appearance which had hitherto directed them, now encompassed the head of the child and probably this gave the first idea to the ancient painters, of representing Christ in the manger, with a glory surrounding his head.

11. They presented unto him gifts.] The people of the east never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a present in their hands. This custoin is often noticed in the Old Testament, and still prevails in the east, and in some of the newly discovered South-Sea Islands.

Gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.] Some will have these gifts to be emblematic of the Divinity, regal office, and man hood of Christ. "They offered him incense as their God; gold, as their king; and myrrh, as united to a human body, subject to suffering and death." Aurum, thus, myrrham, regique, DEO, HOMINIQUE, dona ferunt. JUVENCUs. Rather, they offered him the things which were in most esteem among themselves; and which were productions of their own country. The gold was probably a very providential supply, as on it, it is likely, they subsisted while in Egypt.

13. F'lee into Egypt.) Many Jews had settled in Egypt, not only those who had fled thither in the time of Jeremiah, see ch. xlviii. but many others who had settled there also, on account of the temple which Onias IV. had built at Heliopolis. Those who could speak the Greek tongue enjoyed many advantages in that country: besides, they had the Greek version of the Septuagint, which had been translated nearly 300 years before this time. Egypt was now a Roman province, and the rage of Herod could not pursue the holy family to this place. There is an apocryphal work in Arabic, called the Gospel of the infancy, which pretends to relate all the acts of Jesus and Mary while in Egypt. I have taken the pains to read this through, and have found it to be a piece of gross superstition, having nothing to entitle it to a shadow of credibility.

15. Out of Egypt have I called my son.] This is quoted from Hos. xi. 1, where the deliverance of Israel, and that only, is referred to. But as that deliverance was extraordinary, it is very likely that it had passed into a proverb, so that "Out of Egypt have I called my son," might have been used to express any signal deliverance. I confess, I can see no other reference it can have to the case in hand, unless we suppose, which is possible, that God might have referred to this future bringing up of his Son Jesus from Egypt, under the type of the past deliverance of Israel from the same land. Midrash Tehillin, on Ps. ii. 7, has these remarkable words: I will publish a decree: this decree has been published in the Law, in the Prophets, and in the Hagiographia. In the Law, Israel is my first-born son: Ex. iv. 22. In the Prophets, Behold my servant shall deal prudently: Isu. lii. 13. In the Hagiographia, The Lord said

settle at Naz preth,

22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea, in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dreain, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

b John 1. 45.-e Judg. 13.5. 1 Sam. 1. 11.

unto my lord: Psa. cx. 1. All these passages the Jews refer to the Messiah. See Schoettgen.

16. Slew all the children.] This cruelty of Herod seems alluded to in very decisive terms by Macrobius, who flourished towards the conclusion of the fourth century. In his chapter De jocis Augusti in alios, et aliorum rursus in ipsum, he says, Cum Audisset inter pueros, quos in Syria Herodes, rex Judeorum, intra bimatum jussit interfici, filium quoque ejus occisum, ait, Melius est Herodis PORCUM esse, quam FILIUM. "When he heard that among those male infants about two years old, which Herod, the king of the Jews, ordered to be slain in Syria, one of his sons was also murdered, he said: 'It is better to be Herod's HOG than his son." Saturn, lib. ii. c. 4. The point of this saying consists in this: that Herod, professing Judaism, his religion forbade his killing swine, or having any thing to do with their flesh; therefore, his hog would have been safe, where his son lost his life.

18. In Rama was there a voice heard.] These words, quoted from Jer. xxxi. 15, were originally spoken concerning the captivity of the ten tribes; but are here elegantly applied to the murder of the innocents at Bethlehem. As if he had said, Bethlehem at this time resembled Rama; for as Rachel might be said to weep over her children, which were slaughtered, or gone into captivity; so in Bethlehem the mothers lamented bitterly their children, because they were slain. The word θρηνος, lamentation, is omitted by the Codd. Vatic. Cypr. one of Selden's MSS. the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, Ethiopic, all the Itala, (except that in the Cod. Bezæ,) Vulgate, and Saron, several of the fathers, and, above all, Jeremiah, chap. xxxi. 15, from which it is quoted. Griesbach leaves it in the text with a note of doubtfulness.

20. They are dead.] Both Herod and Antipater his son: though some think that the plural is here used for the singular, and that the death of Herod alone is here intended. But as Herod's son Antipater was at this time heir apparent to the throne, and he had cleared his way to it by procuring the death of both his elder brothers; he is probably alluded to here, as doubtless he entered into his father's designs. THEY are dead-Antipater was put to death by his father's command, five days before this execrable tyrant went to his own place. See Jos Antiq. xvi. 11. xvii. 9.

22. When he heard that Archelaus did reign.] Herod, having put Antipater his eldest sor to death, altered his will, and thus disposed of nis dominions: he gave the tetrarchy of Galilee and Petrea to his son Antipas: the tetrarchy of Gaulonitis, Trachonitis, Batanea, and Paneadis, to his son Philip: and left the kingdom of Judea, to his eldest remaining son, Arche. laus. This son partook of the cruel and blood-thirsty disposi. tion of his father; at one of the passovers, he caused three thousand of the people to be put to death in the temple and city. For his tyranny and cruelty, Augustus deprived him of the governinent, and banished him. His character considered, Joseph, with great propriety, forbore to settle under his jurisdiction.

He turned aside into the parts of Galilee.] Here Antipas governed, who is allowed to have been of a comparatively mild disposition: and being intent on building two cities, Julias and Tiberias, he endeavoured, by a mild carriage, and promises of considerable immunities, to entice people from other provinces to come and settle in them. He was, besides, in a state of enmity with his brother Archelaus: this was a most favourable circumstance to the holy family: and though God did not permit them to go to any of the new cities, yet they dwelt in peace, safety, and comfort, at Nazareth.

23. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets.] It is difficult to ascertain by what prophets this was spoken. The margin usually refers to Judg. xiii. 5, where the angel, foretelling the birth of Samson, says, No razor shali come upon his head; for the child shall be a NAZARITE )ניר nezir) unto God from the womb. The second passage usually referred to, is Is. xi. 1. There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a BRANCH )נער neser) shall grow out of his roots. That this refers to Christ, there is no doubt: Jer.chap. xxiii. 5, is supposed to speak in the same language-I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH; but here, the word is nos tsemach, not נצר netser; and it is the same in the parallel place, Zec. iii. 8. vi. 12. therefore, these two prophets cannot be referred to: but the passages in Judges and Isciah may have been in the eye of the evangelists, as well as the whole institution relative to the Nazaritener) deli vered at large, Num. vi, where see the notes. As the Nazarite was the most pure and perfect institution under the law, it is possible, that God intended to point out by it, not only the perfection of our Lord, but also the purity of his followers. And it is likely, that before St. Matthew wrote this Gospel, those afterward called Christians, bore the appellation of Nazarites, or Nazoreans, for so the Greek word, Ναζωραίος, should be written. Leaving the spiritual reference out of the

The prophecy concerning John

4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and a wild honey.

Mark 1.6-62 Kings 1.8. Zech. 12.4-c Lev. 11. 22

mite or hermit's life, so strongly recommended and applauded by the Roman church.

2. Repent) Μετανοείτε. This was the matter of the preach ing. The verb μετανοεω, is either compounded of μετά, after, and voειν, to understand, which signifies, that after hearing such preaching, the sinner is led to understand, that the way he has walked in was the way of misery, death, and hell. Or the word may be derived from μετα, after, and avota, madness, which intimates, that the whole life of a sinner is no other than a continued course of madness and folly and if to live in a constant opposition to all the dictates of true wisdom; to wage war with his own best interests in time and eternity; to provoke and insult the Living God; and, by habitual sin, to prepare himself only for a state of misery, be evidences of insanity, every sinner exhibits thein plentifully. It was from this notion of the word, that the Latins termed repentance resipiscentia, a growing wise again, from re and sapere; or, according to Tertullian, Resipiscentia quasi receptio mentis ad se, restoring the mind to itself: Contra Marcion, lib. ii. Repentance then implies, that a measure of divine wisdom is communicated to the sinner, and that he thereby becomes wise to salvation. That his mind, purposes, opinions, and inclinations, are changed; and that, in consequence, there is a total change in his conduct. It need scarcely be remarked, that, in this state, a man feels deep anguish of soul, because he has sinned against God, unfitted himself for heaven, and exposed his soul to heil. Hence, a true penitent has that sorrow, whereby he forsakes sin, not only because it has been ruinous to his own soul, but because it has been offensive to God.

The kingdom of heaven is at hand.] Referring to the prophecy of Daniel, ch. vii. 13, 14, where the reign of Christ among men is expressly foretold. This phrase, and the kingdom of God, mean the same thing, viz. the dispensation of infinite mercy, and manifestation of eternal truth, by Christ Jesus: producing the true knowledge of God, accompanied with that worship which is pure and holy, worthy of that God who is its institutor and its object. But why is this called a kingdom? Because it has its laws, all the moral precepts of the Gospel: its subjects, all who believe in Christ Jesus: and its king, the Sovereign of heaven and earth. N. B. Jesus Christ never saved a soul which he did not govern; nor is this Christ precious or estimable to any man who does not feel a spirit of subjection to the Divine will.

the Baptist-his manner of life.

51 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,

6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins

d 1 Sam. 14. 25,95.-e Mark 1.5. Luke 3.7.- Acts 19. 1, 18.

ramis. Afterward she went into Persia, and all the other countries of Asia, subject to her dominion; and wherever she went, she ordered the mountains and precipices to be levelled, raised causeways in the plain country, and, at a great expense, made the ways passable." Diod. Sic. lib. ii. and Bp. Lowth.

The Jewish church was that desert country, to which John was sent, to announce the coming of the Messiah. It was destitute at that time of all religious cultivation, and of the spirit and practice of piety; and John was sent to prepare the way of the Lord, by preaching the doctrine of repentance. The desert is therefore to be considered as affording a proper em. blem of the rude state of the Jewish church, which was the true wilderness meant by the prophet, and in which John was to prepare the way of the promised Messiah. The auful im. portance of the matter, and the vehemence of the manner of the Baptist's preaching, probably acquired him the character of the crier, Bowv.

For the meaning of the word JOHN, see the note on Mark i. 4. 4. His raiment of camel's hair.] A sort of coarse or rough covering, which, it appears, was common to the prophets. Zech. xiii. 4. In such a garment we find Elijah clothed, 2 Kgs. i8. And as John had been designed under the name of this prophet, Mal. iv. 5. whose spirit and qualifications he was to possess, Luke i. 17. he took the same habit, and lived in the same state of self-denial.

His meat was locusts.] Ακρίδες Ακρις may either signify the insect called the locust, which makes still a part of the food in the land of Judea; or the top of a plant. Many eminent commentators are of the latter opinion; but the first is the most likely. The Saxon translator has gæftapan, grasshoppers.

Wild honey.] Such as he got in the rocks and hollows of trees, and which abounded in Judea; see 1 Sam. xiv. 26. It is most likely that the dried locusts, which are an article of food in Asiatic countries to the present day, were fried in the honey, or compounded in some manner with it. The Gospel according to the Hebrews, as quoted by Epiphanius, seems to have taken a similar view of the subject, as it adds here to the text, Ου η γευσις ην του μαννα, ως εγκρις εν ελαίω. And its taste was like manna, as a sweet cake haked in oil.

6. In Jordan.] Many of the best MSS. and versions, with Mark i. 5. add ποταμω, the river Jordan; but the definitive article, with which the word is generally accompanied, both in the Hebrew and the Greek, is sufficient; and our article the, which should ever be used in the translation, expresses the force of the other.

dom of heaven is not meat and drink, says St. Paul, Rom. xiv. 17. does not consist in the gratification of sensual passions, or worldly ambition: but is righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost. Now what can there be more than this in glory? Righteousness, without mixture of sin; peace, without strife, or contention; joy in the Holy Ghost, spiritual joy, without mixture of misery! And all this, it is possible, by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, to enjoy here below. How then does heaven itself differ from this state? Answer. It makes the righteousness eternal, the peace eternal, and the joy eternal. This is the heaven of heavens! The phrase, kingdom of hea wen,מלכות שמים mauth shamayim, is frequently used by the rabbinical writers, and always means, the purity of the Divine worship, and the blesseduess which a righteous man feels when employed in it.

It is further added, This kingdom is at hand. The dispensation of the glorious Gospel was now about to be fully opened, and the Jews were to have the first offers of salvation. This kingdom is also at hand to us, and wherever Christ crucified is preached, there is salvation to be found. JESUS is proclaimed to thee, O man! as infinitely able and willing to save. Believe in his name-cast thy sout upon his atonement, and

enter into rest!

3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness.] Or, A voice of a crier in the wilderness. This is quoted from Isa. xl. 3. which clearly proves, that John the Baptist was the person of whom the prophet spoke.

Te idea is taken from the practice of eastern monarchs, who, whenever they entered upon an expedition, or took a journey through a desert country, sent harbingers before them, to prepare all things for their passage; and pioneers to open the passes, to level the ways, and to remove all impediments. The officers appointed to superintend such preparations, were called by the Latins, stratores.

Diodorus's account of the march of Semiramis into Media and Persia will give us a clear notion of the preparation of the way for a royal expedition. "In her march to Ecbatane, she came to the Zarecan mountain, which extending many urlongs, and being full of craggy precipices and deep hollows,

6. Were baptized.] In what form baptism was originally ad

pute. Were the people dipped or sprinkled? for it is certain βάπτω and βαπτίζω mean both. They were all dipped, say some. Can any man suppose, that it was possible for John to dip all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea, and of all the country round about the Jordan? Were both men and women dipped, for certainly both came to his baptism? This could never have comported either with safety or with decency. Were they dipped in their clothes? This would have endan. gered their lives, if they had not with them change of raiment: and as such a baptism as John's (however administered) was, in several respects, a new thing in Judea, it is not at all likely that the people would come thus provided. But suppose these were dipped, which I think it would be impossible to prove, does it follow, that in all regions of the world, men and women must be dipped, in order to be evangelically baptized ? In the eastern countries, bathings were frequent, because of the heat of the climate, it being there so necessary to cleanliness and health; but could our climate, or a more northerly one, admit of this with safety, for at least three fourths of the year? We may rest assured that it could not. And may we not presume, that if John had opened his commission in the north of Great Britain, for many months of the year, he would have dipped neither man nor woman, unless he could have procured a tepid bath? Those who are dipped or immersed in water in the name of the Holy Trinity, I believe to be evangelically bap.. tized. Those who are washed or sprinkled with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, believe to be equally so: and the repetition of such a baptism I believe to be profane. Others have a right to believe the contrary, if they sea good. After all, it is the thing signified, and not the mode, which is the essential part of the sacrament. See the note on Mark x. 16.

Confessing their sins.] Εξομολογουμένοι, earnestly acknowledging that their sins were their own. And thus taking the whole blame upon themselves, and laying nothing to the charge of God or man. This is essential to true repentance; and till a man take the whole blame on himself, he cannot feot the absolute need he has of casting his soul on the mercy of God, that he may be saved.