96 SECT. XV. The design of his coming foretold by Isaiah. for the kingdom of And while he was thus urging his exhort- MAT. III. 2. And ation, and saying, Repent ye, he pleaded with saying, Repent ye; them a very new and important argument: For heaven is at hand. III. 2. (said he, the long-expected kingdom of heaven is Mat. Luke III. 4. now approachingh, and God is about to appear, LUKE III. 4. it is written in As the was paths straight. [MAT. And upon this occasion he failed not to repeat and to insist upon that passage of scripture, book of the words of (which has in part been just now mentioned,) Esaias the prophet [for making it evident that this was all exactly as it this is he that is written in the book of discourses and prophe- The voice of one cryspoken of] saying, cies of the prophet Isaiah; for this indeed is he ing in the wilderness, who was spoken of so expressly by that sacred wri- Prepare ye the way of ter (chap. xl. 3, 4, 5.) when he is saying, with the Lord, make his a manifest reference to the Messiah's kingdom, III. 5.1 "There shall be heard the voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord with the most thankful readiness, and chearfully set yourselves to make his paths straight and plain, by removing every thing which might prove an obstruction when he 5 comes on so gracions a design. Every val ley shall therefore be filled up, and every moun- be brought low terpretation of Dan. ix. 26, an aversion to It h The kingdom of heaven is approaching.] Dr. Sykes, in his Essay on the Truth of the Christian Religion, chap. iii. has largely proved that this phrase refers to those texts in Daniel quoted in the paraphrase. properly signifies the gospel dispensation, in which subjects were to be gathered to God by his Son, and a society to be formed, which was to subsist first in more imperfect circumstances on earth, but afterwards was to appear complete in the world of glory. In some places of scripture the phrase more particularly signifies the former, and denotes the state of it on earth (sce Mat. xiii. throughout, especially ver. 41, 47, and Mat. xx. 1.) and sometimes it significs only the state of glory (1 Cor. vi. 9. and xv. 50.) but it generally tain 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall ; and the includes both. It is plain that the Jews understood it of a temporal monarchy which God would erect; the seat of which they supposed would be Jerusalem, which would become, instead of Rome, the capital of the world; and the expected Sovereign of this kingdom they learned from Daniel to call the Son of man; by which title they understood a very excellent person, who was the promised Messiah, the Christ, or the Anointed One of God. Both John the Baptist then and Christ took up this phrase, and used it as they found it, and gradually taught the Jews to affix right ideas to it, though it was a lesson they were remarkably unwilling to learn. This very demand of repentance shewed it was a spiritual kingdom; and that no wicked man, how polite or brave, how learned or renowned soever, could possibly be a genuine member of it. See my Sermons on Regeneration, Numb. IV. p. 106-117. The remarkable manner of his appearance. made straight, and the made smooth; XV. 97 Luke the crooked shall be tain and hill shall be brought down before him; SECT. rough ways shall be even the crooked roads shall be made into a straight way, and the rough places shall be laid' smooth and level: for by the mighty power II. 6. of his grace, which shall be now remarkably displayed, such a victorious way shall be made for his gospel, and it shall be propagated with such speed and success, that it shall seem as if the whole face of nature were miraculously changed; and mountains and valleys and forests and rocks were to spread themselves into a spacious plain before the messenger of it. And thus, not the land of Israel alone, but 6 all flesh, or the whole human race, not excepting the remotest Gentile nations, shall see and admire the great salvation of God." 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. MAT. III. 4. And his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdie about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. [MARK. I. 6.] Now, that this extraordinary message might the same John had meet with the greater regard, God was pleased to send it by a person on many accounts remarkable, and especially for the temperance and even the severity of his manner of living. For this John wore (as the ancient prophets used to do) a rough garment which was made of camel's hair, and so indeed was but a kind of sackcloth; and he had a leathern girdle about his waist (compare 2 Kings i. 8. Zech. xiii. 4. Rev. vi. 12. and xi. 3.) And as for his food, it was such as the wilderness afforded, which was frequently nothing but a large kind of locusts, which the law allowed Every mountain and hill shall be brought dza before him.] Grotius has most elegantly illustrated the reference that appears so plainly in this passage to the custom of seuding pioneers to level the way before princes when they are coming with numerous attendants: but, by the import of the language that the prophet uses, it is plainly to be seen that the main work is God's, though men are cailed to concur with him in it; which is every where the scheme of scripture, as it certainly is of sound reason. Compare Phil. ii. 12, 13. A large kind of locusts.] Though it may be allowed, on the authority of the accurate Sandys (see his valuable Travels, p. 183) and many others, that there is in these parts a shrub called the Locust-Tree, the buds of which something resemble asparagus; yet, notwithstanding all the pains Sir Norton Knatchbull has taken to prove it, I cannot imagine the word ang is here to be understood as referring to the product of it. It is certain the word in Lie Septuagint and elsewhere generally signifies the animal which we call a locust, too. What need have we to keep a guard upon our spirits when so great and SO o good natured a man could be angry in a debate of so small importance !—I shall add only on this point, with respect to the use of locusts for food, what Dr, Shaw tells us, that, when sprinkled with salt and fried, they taste much like the river cray fish; who justly contends for this signification of the word axgie; in his excellent Travels, p. 258; where he also observes that, as the months of April and May are the time when these insects abound, it may probably Mat. III. 4. 98 XV. Reflections on the preaching of John. SECT. allowed him to eat (Lev. xi. 21, 22,) and wild honey, often to be found in hollow trees or in the clefts of the rocks. (Compare 1 Sam. xiv. 26. III. 4. Judg. xiv. 8. and Psal. lxxxi. 16.) Mat. out 5 These uncommon circumstances of his pub- 5 Then went 6 And were [all] [the river of] Jordan, Mark IMPROVEMENT. With what pleasure should we hear the gospel of Jesus Christ i. 1. the Son of God! and with what reverence remember the dignity of his Divine nature amidst all the condescensions of his incarnate state! Mat. It is surely matter of unspeakable thankfulness that the kingii. 2 dom of heaven should be erected among men! that the great God should condescend so far as to take to himself a people from our mean and sinful world, and appoint his own Son to be the governor of that kingdom! How happy are we that it is preached · among us and we are called into it! Let it be our great care that we be not only nominal but real members of it. For this purpose let us remember and consider that, to become the subjects of this kingdom, we are to enter into it by the probably be conjectured that John began Went out to him.] The novelty of a way prophet's appearance in Israel, the family of John, the circumstances of his birth, and the extraordinary character he had, no doubt, maintained for strict and undissembled piety, all concurred with the causes mentioned in the paraphrase to draw such vast multitudes after him. The Pharisees and Sadducees come to hear John. XV. way of repentance; humbly confessing our sins, and resolutely for- SECT. saking them, if we do indeed desire to find mercy. 99 III. 3. Let us bless God, both for the promises of pardon and for the Luke appointment of the seals of it, particularly of baptismal washing ; always remembering the obligation it brings upon us to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Cor. vii. 1.) And, being ourselves become members of Christ's kingdom, let Ver. us pray that it may be every where extended. May Divine 4, 6 Grace remove every obstruction, and make a free course for his gospel, that it may every where run and be glorified, so that all Resh may see the salvation of God! John, with this awful severity of manners and of doctrine, was sent before Christ to prepare his way. Let us learn to reflect how necessary it is that the law should thus introduce the gospel; and let all the terrors of Moses and Elias render the mild and blessed Redeemer so much the more welcome to our souls! SECT XVI. John the Baptist addresses suitable admonitions to those that attended his ministry, and proclaims the approach of the Messiah. Mat. III. 7-12. Mark I. 7, 8. Luke III. 7—18. W MAT. III. 7. HEN John opened his ministry there were two different sects among the Jews; that of the Pharisees, who were exceeding strict in ceremonial institutions and in the observation of human traditions; and that of the Sadducees, who, among other very obnoxious notions, denied the existence of spirits and a future state of rewards and punishments: yet some of both these sects, out of curiosity or popular custom, or for some other unknown reason, attended on the preaching of this holy man : And when he saw among the multitudes that came to be baptized by him, that many both of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming to receive his baptism, as he well knew the open profaneness of the one and the secret wickedness of the other, Pharisees and Sadducees.] The most authentic account of these sects may be seen in Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. xviii. cap. 1. (al. 2) & Bell. Jud. lib. ii. cap. 8. (al. 7) Havere. All writers of Jewish Antiquities describe them largely; but, I think on the whole, none better than Dr. Prideaux, Connect. Vol. II. p. 335-343. b Coming to receive his baptism.] I ex he press it in this manner, for though some c O ye SECT. xvi. Mat. III. 7. 86 Joseph returns with Jesus from Egypt. mentation and weep SECT. prophet, saying, " In Ramah there was a 18 In Rama was most doleful voice heard, lamentation and there a voice heard, laMat. weeping and abundant mourning, as if Ra- ing, and great mourn11. 18. chel, that tender mother, who was buried ing; Rachel weeping near this place, had risen out of her grave, would not be comfor her children, and and was bewailing her lost children, and refus- forted, because they ing to be comforted, because they are not." 19 20 But after this, when Herod was dead, and are not. 19 But when He an angel of the Lord and his mother, and go the young Child's life. an end put to all his cruelties, behold, an angel rod was dead, behold, of the Lord again appeareth in a dream to Jo- appeareth in a dream seph, while he continued to sojourn in Egypt, to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, The way is now prepared for thy return 20 Saying, Arise and from hence, and I am sent, according to the take the young Child intimation that was given thee before, to bring into the land of Israel; thee notice of it: and therefore now arise and for they are dead which take the Infant and his mother, and go back to sought thine own abode in the land of Israel; for thou mayest safely do it, since they are dead who sought to destroy the young Child's life' And Joseph had no sooner heard the that was brought him by the angel, but he im- Child and his mother, mediately arose, and, cheerfully confiding in the and came into Divine protection, took the young Child and his land of Israel. mother, according to the command he had re- 22 But when he 22 ceived, and came into the land of Israel. But heard that Archelaus when, upon his coming to the borders of it, he did reign in Judea, in heard that Archelaus reigned over Judah in the the room of his father room of his father Herod, knowing him to be the Herod, he was afraid heir of his cruelty as well as of his kingdom, withstanding, 21 m i Rachel, who was buried near this place.] See Gen. xxxv. 19. and 1 Sam. X. 2. k When Herod was dead.] It is well worth while to read the particular and affecting account which Josephus has given of the terrible death of this inhuman tyrant, whom God so remarkably made a terror to himself, as well as to all about him. (See Joseph. Antiq. lib. xvii. cap. 6. (al. 8. § 5. & Bell. Jud. lib. i. cap. 33. (al. 21. § 5, 6, 7. Eusebius thought it so great an illustration of the gospel history, that he has inserted it at large (Eccl. Hist. lib. i. cap. 8.) with a degree of exactness, which joins with many other instances of the like nature, to shew us how cheerfully we may depend upon the many invaluable extracts from a multitude of ancient books now lost, which he has given us both in his Ecclesiastical History and in his other writings, especially in his Præparatio Evangelica. They are dead who sought to destroy the young Child's life.] It is a very ingenious conjecture of Mr. Manne, that Antipater, the son of Herod, who, at the time message he 21 And he arose, and took the young the to go thither; not being warned when Christ was born, was heir-apparent to his crown, and was a prince so cruel and ambitious, that he bad procured the death of his two elder brothers to clear his way to the succession, would very probably be an active counsellor and instrument in seeking the destruction of the new-born Jesus, and in advising to the slaughter of the infants. And, as this Antipater died but five days before Herod, both might be referred to in these words of the angel, They are dead, &c. See Manne's Dissert. p. 74, 75. and compare Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. xvi. cap. 8. (al. 11.) § 4. lib. xvii. cap. 1. & 8. (al. 10.) § 1. Edit. Havercamp. in The heir of his cruelty.] Archelaus, in the very beginning of his reign, massacred three thousand Jews at once is the temple, and was afterwards banished, in the tenth year of his government, to Vi- enne in Gaul, by Augustus, on a complaint brought against him by the chief of the Jews for his various cruelties. See Joseph. Antiq. lib. xvii. cap. 9. (al. 11.) § 3. p. 851, & cap. 13. (al. 15.) § 2. p. 866. n Galilee |