10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. God would not leave his work unfinished, but lighted up the star again over the place where Jesus was. They knew and felt in their hearts what the angels said to the shepherds, that the birth of this child should be "glad tidings of great joy to all people." When we know what Christ is to us, that he delivers from death, sets our feet in the way of peace, reconciles us to God, and makes us fit for God, we shall know where to look for our joy, and keep a steady eye upon the light which guides us to him. 11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Happy, happy time, when we can fall down in humble adoration of him for his love to us, and with earnest desire to experience his power in us! The gold, frankincense, and myrrh, I suppose to have been the usual presents to princes, or certainly what were esteemed the choicest gifts and greatest tokens of respect. What farther mystery* there might be in them I know not. They seem to point to Isaiah lx. 6, &c. One thing is plain, those who are of ability should open their treasures to him; and all should honour him with what he most values, the offering of their affections. 12. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. God foresaw that the consequence of their not returning * They offered to him, says one, Gold as a king, Frankincense as a God, and EDIT. to Herod would be the massacre of a great number of infants. Let us bow down before him in a most profound sense of our ignorance, and of his sovereign power, as Lord of life and death. He is wise and good in all his providences, and the child Jesus must be preserved at any rate to do the work for which he came into the world. If he had died then we should all have been lost. 13. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15. And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Hosea xi. 1. "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." It seems as if this was spoken upon another occasion, and of a thing past, viz. of God's calling, or bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt. And so we should have thought, if St. Matthew had not told us it was a prophecy, and what son was intended in it. 16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Herod knew Christ to be under that age, and resolved that he should not escape. His craft, however, forsook him ; he should have gone or sent at first with the wise men to Bethlehem; now he was too late for his purpose. If we are God's children, we may be sure that he is always watching over us for good. 17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18. In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. It is generally supposed that this prophecy had not the murder of the children of Bethlehem in view; and, therefore, all that St. Matthew means by quoting it is, that it was remarkably applicable to the event, though originally intended for some other. I do not know this. St. Matthew seems to speak otherwise. Many of the prophecies are of large extent; and certainly the Spirit speaking by him is a better interpreter than we can pretend to be. 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. 22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee : Observe how Joseph was directed from time to time what to do for the preservation of his precious charge. Cleave to God in all your straits, and he will direct you, though not in a dream: you may trust him in the dark. It is making an excellent use of scripture to remark the workings of Providence in it, to know it is the same God that ruleth in the earth, and that all events are always in his hands, though we are not now told in what manner he conducts them to his own ends. 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. "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth ?” said Nathanael, John i. 46. Christ, by being educated and living there, was subject to this reproach; and thus the prophecies, which speak of him as a despised man, were fulfilled. O Jesus, thou wast persecuted from thy birth, and exposed to every kind of disgrace for our sakes; let us be contented and willing to be despised for thine; that, following thee to glory through meekness, patient suffering, and contempt of the world, we may be exalted with thee, and for thy sake. SECTION III. Chap. iii. ver. 1—12. THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 1. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, In those days, while Jesus dwelt at Nazareth, and before he entered upon his office. The scripture is silent concerning his youth, except one passage related by St. Luke to show it was a gracious one, chap. ii. We are chiefly concerned in the conclusion of his life, when he became our prophet, teacher, and sacrifice. That time was full of weighty business, and calls for our utmost attention. "Came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa."-Every soul is that wilderness till God comes to it. Did you ever consider for what John was sent into the world, and what need you have of him? Do not mistake, he comes preaching to you. Hear what he says; 2. And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Pray that the word repent may sound deep in our hearts; for if God is not working at the bottom of our repentance, it will be short of our case. We are naturally turned from God, dead in trespasses and sins, full of evil lustings, and stand bent against our true happiness. It is the great design of the scripture to teach us that this is our state, a state of corruption and condemnation, and that it must of all necessity be altered, to offer us a remedy, and prevail with us to accept it. "For the kingdom of heaven is at hand;"—God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; in which he receives us to a state of grace and sonship by Christ, and governs us by his Spirit. It is called "the kingdom of heaven,” because it takes us out of our worldly state, life, and nature; is heaven begun in us; prepares us for heaven, and will be completed in heaven. This kingdom has been fully manifested to the world above seventeen hundred years, and yet the generality are as far from it as ever. God of his mercy grant that the hearing of it may take effect in us, by our present entrance into it, and continuance therein; for in it we live, out of it we are in death. John's sermon is short; but it will find us work for all our lives to enter into the depth of it. 3. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. This is the Lord Christ. How did John prepare the way to him, but by calling men to repentance, thereby declaring the nature of his kingdom, and who were to be the subjects of it? We have but two things to think of, either to repent, or to be sure that we need not. 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 wild honey. He appeared in the very garb of Elias, 2 Kings i. 8. "He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather |