written before any divisions had arisen among Christians. The acknowledged prevalence of the Gnostic and other heresies at the time St. John's Gospel was written, is of itself a strong proof that it was published very late in the Apostle's life 2.

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SECT. II.-Birth of the Baptist.-Luke i. 5-25; 57-80. BEFORE we proceed with the story of the humanity of Christ, which is the purport and object of the whole Gospel, we must take up the story of the miraculous birth, altogether out of due course, of his forerunner, John the Baptist. He is recorded as being "sent from God;" as "a burning and a shining light;" as a witness of the true light;" as "more than a prophet;" as among men that are born of women the greatest;" as "great in the sight of the Lord;" as "Elias that was for to come;" that is, as the messenger" foretold by the Prophet Malachi, which was to " prepare the way" for the Messiah. Whenever Eastern monarchs were about to travel, or to enter upon an expedition, especially through desert or unpractical countries, they 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. There is a plain allusion to this custom in the coming of the Baptist. In the same manner was he, in a spiritual sense, "to go 3 Bishop Lowth.

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2 Bishop Tomline.

с

before the Lord, the Saviour of the world," "to prepare his way," "to make his paths straight," to remove from the minds of men every thing that opposed the admission of truth, and, above all, to regulate and subdue those depraved affections and habits which are the grand obstacles to conversion and the reception of the Word of God +. He was to do in the moral world what was done by the forerunners of these mighty monarchs upon the face of the land-to proclaim the approach of the King of kings; to take out of his way whatever might oppose his admission :-ignorance, pride, prejudice, and the love of present things, and to dispose the people to receive Him by a representation of his glory, and of the benefits which He was to bestow. The birth of John the Baptist was miraculous, and he was a child of promise, although in a vastly inferior sense to that of Jesus Christ: no Divine influence overshadowed his conception; he was born in the course of nature, but as much out of nature as Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah; he was given to the prayers of an aged priest and his wife“an old man," and she "well stricken in and called "barren." barren." Both father and mother were of the tribe of Levi: for Elisabeth is stated to be "of the daughters of Aaron," and he "a certain priest of the course of Abia;” and it is

years,'

Dr. Robinson.

recorded of them that they were both righteous before God, and "walked in all the commandments and ordinances of God blameless." An angel from heaven announced the birth of John the Baptist, and acquainted his father Zacharias with the character and office which his intended son was to sustain, he standing before the altar of incense, as "his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord;" and "the whole multitude of the people were praying without." The appearing of an angel in the sanctuary with a message of God was a thing hardly ever seen or heard of before; even in the days of the first Temple. Nevertheless, now to" a certain priest,' "blameless before God, was the angel Gabriel sent to announce the birth of a son. The meaning of

this angel's name is, "a man of God;" and he gives his name, which others recorded in Scripture had refused to do". It is remarkable that this annunciation is made by the same archangel as is afterwards sent to Mary, and who had formerly appeared to Daniel, to make known to him the famous prophecy of the seventy weeks, which was now about to be fulfilled'.

There are some remarkable distinctions to be observed between the circumstances which attended the birth of the Baptist, and that of the Dr. Lightfoot.

" Dr. Hales.

Saviour. First, he was born in the course of nature, and not, like Jesus, altogether out of nature, of a Virgin Mother; secondly, the angel was sent to make the announcement to the father; but, in the case of Mary, the "highly favoured among women" received the heavenly salutation in her own person. Both hesitated to receive so unexpected a truth; but Zacharias was struck dumb for his punishment, whilst Mary meekly replied, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word." In these words Mary expresses her consent, her humility, her faith, and her rejoicing, in the gracious purpose of God. In both cases the angel designates the name of the child. That of John signifies in Hebrew "the grace, or mercy of God," and is used to express joy and rejoicing; accordingly, Gabriel adds to this annunciation, "Thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth," a manifest reference to the peculiar import of this name '. The name "Jesus" signifies "the Saviour," and eminently belonged to Him Who is the "Saviour of the world," by delivering us both from the power and punishment of sin, and putting us in the way of everlasting salvation. The angel appears to Zacharias at Jerusalem, and to Mary at Nazareth; yet the providence of God so ordered matters 'Mant and D'Oyly. Archbishop Wake.

8

Dean Stanhope.

2

that neither birth took place at these towns. Whilst the manger of Bethlehem witnessed the more important one, we read that Mary arose in the sixth month of her cousin's pregnancy, and "went to a city of Judah in the hill country," and there "saluted Elisabeth," and "abode with her about three months." The city here spoken of is supposed to have been Hebron, this being one of the cities given of the priests in the tribe of Judah, and is said expressly to lie in the mountains or hills 3.

This place had been excellently renowned in ancient time. Here was the promise given of Isaac; here was the institution of circumcision; here Abraham had his first land, and David his first crown; and here lay interred the three first pairs of the progenitors of the Israelitish race-Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah. Antiquity has also held that Adam and Eve lay buried there. There are many reasons given by expositors why Mary should repair to this country, as it is significantly said, "with haste," after the annunciation of the Angel. Some will have it, it was there, at the salutation of the cousins, that the babe of Elisabeth " 'leaped in her womb," and when Elisabeth was " filled with the Holy Ghost;" that the Messias was there, and at that moment conceived, where so many types, figures, and things

3 Dr. Wells.