bring them no tidings of their holy child. How did she blame her eyes for once looking off this object of her love, and spend both days and nights in a passionate bemoaning of her loss! O blessed Saviour, who can miss thee, and not mourn for thee! Never any soul conceived thee by faith, but was apprehensive of thy worth, and sensible of thy want: what comforts are we capable of, while we want thee? and what relish can we taste in an earthly delight without thee?

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business >

Observe here, That Christ blames not his parents for their solicitous care of him, but

shows them how able he was to live without any dependency upon them and their care; and also to let them understand, that higher respects had called him away; that as he had meat to eat, so he had work to do, which they knew not of. For, says he, Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? As if he had said, "Although I owe respect to you as my natural parents, yet my duty to my heavenly Father must be preferred. I am about his work, promoting his glory, and propagating

his truth." We have also a Father in heaven. O how good it is to steal away from our earthly distractions that we may employ ourselves immediately in his service! that when the world makes enquiry after us, we may say, as our Saviour did before us, Wist ye not that I must be about my Fa

ther's business?

50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them, 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and

man.

The most material passage of our Saviour's life for the first twelve years is here recorded; namely, his disputing with the doctors in the temple: how he spent the next eighteen years, namely, till he was thirty, the scripture doth not mention. It is here said, that he lived with, and was

subject to, his parents, obeying their commands, and, as it is believed, following their employment, working upon the trade of a carpenter, as was observed, Mark vi. 3. Doubtless he did not live an idle life; and why should he that did not abhor the Virgin's womb, a stable, and a manger, be supposed to abhor the works of an honest vocation? Observe farther, What a singular pattern is here for children to imitate and follow, in their subjection to their parents. If the greatest and highest of mortals think themselves above their parents' commands, our Saviour did not so; he paid homage to the womb that bare him, and to his supposed father that provided for him. Let a person be never so high above others, he is still beJesus low and inferior to his parents. dwelt with his parents, and was subject unto them. Observe, lastly, A further evidence of our Saviour's humanity, with respect to his human nature, which consisted of body and soul: he did grow and improve, his body in stature, his soul in wisdom; and he became every day a more eminent and illustrious person in the eyes of all, being highly in favour both with God and man. Vain then is the conclusion of the Socinians from this text, that Christ could not be God; beincrease in wisdom, as Christ is here said cause God cannot wax strong in spirit, or and will admit of no increase. to do; for God's perfections are infinite, Whereas

it is plain, that this increase here attributed to Christ in age and stature, respects his humanity: the wisdom and endowments of his human mind were capable of increase, though his divine perfections were absolutely perfect. So glad are these men of the least shadow of a text, that may cloud the divinity of the Son of God.

CHAP. III.

NOW in the fifteenth year of the

reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

The two foregoing chapters give us an account of the birth of our Saviour Christ, and of John the Baptist. The evangelist now leaving the history of our blessed Saviour for eighteen years, namely, till he was thirty years old, (the Holy Ghost having thought fit to conceal that part of our Saviour's private life from our knowledge,) he begins this chapter with a relation of the Baptist's ministry, acquainting us with the time when, and the place where, and the doctrine which, the Baptist taught. Ob. serve, 1. The time described when St. John began his public ministry, namely, when Tiberius was emperor, and Annas and Caiaphas high priests. Observe, 2. In the fifteenth year of Tiberius, when the Jews were entirely under the power of the Romans, who set four governors over them, called Tetrarchs, so named from their ruling over a fourth part of the kingdom. From hence the Jews might have observed, had not prejudice blinded their eyes, that the sceptre being thus departed from Judah, according to Jacob's prophecy, Gen. xlix. Shiloh, or the Messias, was now come. Again, the time when St. John began his ministry was when Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. Under the law there were three sorts of ministers that attended the service of the temple, namely, priests, Levites, and Nethinims; over these the high priest was chief, who by God's command, was to be the first-born of Aaron's family. But how came two high priests here, seeing God never appointed but one at a time? In answer to this, say some, The power and covetousness of the Romans put in high priests at pleasure to officiate for gain. Say others, the high priest was allowed his assistant or deputy, who in case of his pollution and sickness, did of ficiate in his place. But that which we may profitably observe from hence, is this, The exactness and faithfulness of this historian, St. Luke, in relating the circumstances of our Saviour's nativity, and the Baptist's ministry. That the truth might evidently appear, he is exact in recording

the time.

3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make

his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth: 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Observe here, 1. The place where the Baptist exercised his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, where were some cities and villages, though thinly inhabited. Note here, The great humility of the Baptist in preaching in an obscure place, and to a small handful of people. Jerusalem, some might think, was a fitter place for so celebrated a preacher; but God had called him to preach in the wilderness, and there he opens his commission. Learn, That the most eminent of God's ministers must be content to execute their office, and exercise their ministry, where God calls them, be the place never so mean and obscure, and the people never so rude and barbarous. In the place where God by his providence fixes us, we must abide, till he that called us thither, removes us thence. And this was the Baptist's case here. He leaves the wilderness at God's command, and comes to more inhabited places: He came into the country about Jordan, preaching. It is not only lawful, but a necessary duty, for the ministers of God to remove from one place and people to another, provided their call be clear, their way plain, the good of souls their motive, and the glory of God their end. Ob. serve, 2. The doctrine which the Baptist preached: namely, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins: that is, the doctrine of baptism, which sealeth remission of sins to the party baptized. Learn hence, That the preaching of the doctrine of repentance is the indispensable duty of every gospel minister. John the Baptist preached it, our Saviour preached it, his aposles preached it: They went out every where preaching that men should repent. Till we are in a state of sinless perfection, the doctrine of repentance must be preached unto us, and practised by us. Observe, 3. The motive and inducement which prompted the Baptist to this duty; which was, him: As it is written in the book of the to fulfil the prophecies that went before of prophecies, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight: ccery

valley shall be filled, &c. Where note, 1. The title given to John the Baptist: a Voice, a crying voice. This implies both his vehemency and earnestness, and also his freedom and boldness, in delivering his message; when a minister's own heart is

warmly affected with what he preaches, he may hope to affect the hearts of others. Note, 2. The sum and substance of what he cried: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, &c. that is, make yourselves ready to receive the Messiah, to embrace and entertain

his doctrine. As loyal subjects, when their prince is coming near their city, remove every thing out of the way that may hinder his progress; all annoyances and all impediments; in like manner the preparatory work of the gospel upon the hearts of sinners, lies in pulling down mountains, and filling up vallies; that is, in humbling the proud hearts of sinners, puffed up, as the Pharisees were, with a conceit of their own righteousness, who would be their own saviours, and not beholden to Christ, and to his free grace, for salvation. Learn hence, 1. That man's heart is naturally very unfit to receive and entertain the Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy doctrine? we have naturally no fitness, no inclination, nor disposition, to believe in him, or submit unto him. 2. That if ever we design to entertain Christ in our hearts, we must first prepare and make ready our hearts for the receiving and embracing of him. For though the preparation of the heart be from the Lord, yet he requires the exereise of our faculties, and the use of our endeavours; he prepares our hearts, by enabling us to prepare our own hearts, by getting a sight of the evil of sin, and a sense of our misery without Christ; an hungering desire after him, and a lively faith in him. God does not work upon man, as masons work upon a stone; what he doth in us and for us, he doth it by us; he works by setting us to work; therefore says the holy Baptist, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make, &c. The act of endeavour is ours, the aid and assistance is God's. Observe lastly, The encouragement which the Baptist gives to persons to prepare the way of the Lord: For, says he, all flesh shall see the salvation of God; that is, now is the time that all persons, Jews and Gentiles, may see the Author of salvation, whom God has promised to the world; and may by faith be made partakers of that salvation which the Messiah shall purchase for them, and in his

gospel tender to them. The great end of Christ's coming into the world, was to purchase salvation for all flesh willing to be saved by him.

7 Then said he to the multi

tude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers! who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth, therefore, fruits worthy of repentance; and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to

raise

up

children unto Abraham.

St. Matthew, chap. iii, 7, 8. says, that the Baptist spake these words to the Pharisees and Sadducees, whom he gives, first, a quick and cutting compellation, O generation of vipers; then a sharp and severe reprehension, Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? and, last of all, a seasonable exhortation, Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. As if he had said, "O ye Pharisees, and worst of men, I perceive by your coming hither, somebody has alarmed you with the notice of that dreadful vengeance that is coming upon this generation; to prevent which, you pretend repentance of your sins: but let me see by your actions that you are not only demure, but sincere penitents; let me see the fruits of your repentance in the daily course of your conversation." Learn here, 1. That the condition of proud Pharisees, pretending and false-hearted hypocrites, though very dangerous, yet is not hopeless and desperate; and their salvation, though the worst of men, must not be despaired of. St. John reproves them for their sins, but yet encourages their repentance. 2. That sincere repentance is not a barren thing, but does constantly bring forth fruits answerable to its nature: as faith without works, so repentance without fruits, is dead also. The genuine fruits of repentance, are humility of heart, and holiness of life. Observe, lastly, The cautionary direction which he gives to these hypocrites not to rest in their external privileges: Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father; glory not in this, that you are the only visible church that God has upon earth, for God can, out of the obdurate Gentile world, raise up a people to himself, take them into

covenant with himself, and cast you out. Learn hence, 1. That men are exceeding apt to boast of, and glory in, their external privileges, and to place religion most in those things wherein God places it least. How did the Jews glory in their fleshly descent from Abraham, as if God was tied to Abraham's line, and could have no people if he had not them for his people? 2. That it is a vain thing to expect exemption from the judgments of God, because of outward privileges enjoyed by us. If we be not born again of the Spirit, it will avail us nothing to be born of Abraham's flesh if Abraham's faith be not found in our hearts, it will be of no advantage to us that Abraham's blood is running in our veins: Think not to say, We have Abraham to our father.

9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree, therefore, which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

St. John having preached the doctrine of repentance in the foregoing verses, he backs it with a powerful argument in this verse, drawn from the certainty and severity of that judgment which should come upon them, if they continued their sins: Norw is the axe laid to the root of the tree. Learn, 1. That it is not unsuitable for gospel-preachers to press repentance and holiness of life upon their hearers, from arguments of terror: John does it here, and Christ elsewhere. 2. That those whose hearts are not pierced with the sword of God's word, shall certainly be cut down and destroyed by the axe of his judgments. Observe farther, That forasinuch as the sin here specified is a sin of omission, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, as well as that which bringeth forth evil fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire. We learn that sins of omission are certainly damning, as well as sins of commission. The neglects of duty are as dangerous and damnable as the acts of sin. Such trees as stand in God's orchard, the church, and bring forth no good fruit, are marked out as fuel for the devil's fire.

10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none;

and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

The Baptist having pressed his hearers to bring forth fruits meet for repentance, here they enquire of him what fruits they should bring forth ? he tells them, first the fruits of charity and mercy: He that hath two coats, let him give to him that hath none. This is not to be understood strictly, as if the command required us to give the clothes off our back to every one that wanted them : but it directs those that have the things of this life in abundance, to distribute and com

municate to those that are in want. Learn hence, That an extensive liberality, and a diffusive charity in distributing such things as we can well spare towards the relief of others' necessities, is an excellent fruit of repentance, and a good proof and evidence of the truth and sincerity of it: Let him that hath two coats impart to him that hath none. Note, That the Baptist here doth not make it unlawful for a man to have two coats, but means only, that he that has one coat, which his brother wants, and he at present doth not, should rather give it him,

than suffer him to be in want of it. Teach

ing us, That it is not lawful to abound in those things which our brother wants, when we have sufficient both to relieve his and our necessities.

12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do ? 13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

The publicans were persons employed by the Romans to gather the tax of tribute among the Jews, who were now tributaries to the Romans, and paid them a public revenue. These publicans were great op pressors, exacting more than was the emperor's due; therefore we find the publicans and sinners so often joined together in the gospel. These men enquiring what fruits of repentance they should bring forth, St. John directs them to acts of justice: Exact not. Where note, 1. That acts of justice and righteousness, as well as of charity and mercy, are real fruits of sincere repentance. Observe, 2. John doth not condemn the office, but cautions the officer. If magisless appoint officers to collect those taxes: trates may impose taxes, they may doubtchristian charity then must always teach us to distinguish betwixt the calling and the crime. We must not censure any office,

either in church or state, for the sake of their mal-administration who are employed in that office.

14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

Observe here, What a general resort there was of all sorts of persons to John's ministry; Pharisees, Sadducees, publicans, soldiers; these last here enquire of him, What they should do to gain acceptance with God? He answers, Do no violence, defraud no man of his own by false accusation, but be content with the allow. ance assigned you for your maintenance. Where it is, 1. Strongly supposed that soldiers are insolent oppressors, making no conscience or injustice, false accusation, and violent oppression. Yet, 2. The office and employment of a soldier is not condemned, but regulated; he does not bid them cast away their arms, abandon war, appear no more as military men in the field; but manage their employment inoffensively. Whence we learn, That in some cases, and under some circumstances, for christians to make war is both lawful and necessary. To make a war lawful, there is required a lawful authority, a righ teous cause, an honourable aim and intention, and a just and righteous manner of prosecution, without vanity and ostentation, without cruelty and oppression. Courage and compassion on the one hand, and cowardice and cruelty on the other hand, do frequently accompany one another.

15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ or not; 16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire 17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

Observe here, 1. How the extraordinariness of John the Baptist's person, the earnestness of his preaching, the acceptableness of his doctrine, and the exemplariness of his conversation, drew all persons to an admiration of him; insomuch that they began to think within themselves, whether he were not the Messias himself. He plainly tells them he was not, but only his servant, his harbinger and forerunner. Observe, 2. The high opinion which John had of Christ, He is mightier than I; that is, a person of greater authority, dignity, and excellency, than myself. From whence may be gathered, That though Christ was man, he was more than man, even very God, equal with the Father: for John himself was the greatest of them that were born of women, Matt. xi. 11. yet, says John, Christ is mightier than I. How so? In regard of the dignity of his person, being both God and man? He that cometh after me is mightier than I. Observe, 3. The humble and low estimation that the holy Baptist had of himself: His shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose: a proverbial speech, implying that he was unworthy to do the lowest offices, and meanest services for Christ. Lord, how well does humility of mind, an humble apprehension, and a low opinion of themselves, become the messengers and ministers of Christ ! John was a man of eminent abilities, yet of exemplary humility; he thought himself unworthy to unloose Christ's shoe. Observe, 4. John does not only declare the dignity of Christ's person, but the excellency of his office; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. As if he had said, "I only wash the body with water, but Christ cleanses the soul by the operation of his Holy Spirit, which is as fire in the effects of it, purifying the hearts of his people from sin, and consuming their lusts and corruptions; yet at the same time having fiery indignation, and flaming judgments, to destroy and burn up impenitent sinners ture, that Christ is represented by one and like dry stubble." Observable it is in scripthe same metaphor of fire, in a way of comfort to his children, and in a way of terror to his enemies; he is fire unto both. He sits in the hearts of his people as a refiner's fire; he is amongst his enemies as a consuming fire: a fire for his church to take comfort in, a fire for his enemies to perish by. Observe, lastly, How the holy Baptist compares our Saviour to an hus

bandman, and the Jewish church to a barn