However, the cities through which the soldiers carried the destructive sword, exhibited such scenes of horror and distress, as could not fail to thrill every soul not entirely lost to humanity: no sound was heard but the piercing cries of parents, the groans of expiring babes, and a general imprecation of vengeance on the merciless tyrant. But he did not long survive his cruel decree, being swept from his throne by a nauseous disease, to answer for his conduct at the bar of a tremendous Judge.

No description can paint the horror of such a scene of relentless cruelty in a more glaring light, than the verse quoted by the evangelist Matthew, from the prophet Jeremiah: "Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, In Rama there was a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they were not."This prophecy must not be understood literally, but descriptively, or as a figure used to display the horror of the scene, as there applied by the Evangelist, in which acceptation it has a peculiar beauty; representing Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, buried many years ago, in the fields of Bethlehem, awakened by the cries of slaughtered infants, bursting even the chains of death, and lamenting the hapless fate of the murdered innocents which surrounded her.

The tyrant Herod being thus cut off from the face of the earth, Joseph was warned by a heavenly messenger to return to the land of Israel. The good old man obeyed the Almighty's command, and appears to have had a great desire of residing in Judea, and very probably in Bethlehem; but hearing that Herod was succeeded in his throne by his son Archelaus, and fearing that he might pursue the barbarous design of his father, he directed his course another way; but being warned again by a heavenly mission, he retired into Galilee, then under the government of a mild and benevolent prince, called Antipas, and took up his habitation at Nazareth, where the particular circumstances which attended the birth of the blessed Jesus, were not generally known. The evangelist affirms, that Joseph, with the infant and his mother, resided in Nazareth, where the Holy Jesus spent his youth, "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, "He shall be called a Nazarene.”

The advocates for infidelity, whose notice the smallest inaccuracy in the sacred scriptures have not escaped, have not failed to observe, that the Evangelist refers to what he cannot justify from any of the prophetical writings, in which there are no such words to be found, as "He shall be called a Nazarene." But be it known, that the Evangelist may, with

justice, be vindicated from impropriety, by reminding these scep tics, that though the very words are not to be found, the allusion is just, and consequently the application. This expression refers to the general contempt and ridicule in which the Israelites held the Galileans, and especially the Nazarenes, who were even despised by the Galileans themselves, insomuch that the word Nazarene became a term of reproach.

Now, as the prophets in general, foretold the disgrace and infamy through which the blessed Jesus should pass, they consequently foretold he should be called a Nazarene, or exposed to every token of contempt and ridicule, of which this appellation, at that time, was a remarkable instance.

It is evident, that our Lord's residing at Nazareth, tended, in a remarkable manner, to the fulfilment of those prophecies; because, in the course of his public ministry, he was frequently reproached with the same, and his countrymen often urged it as a reason for their disregard of his doctrine. But as the stubbornness of unbelief will never admit of conviction, we have therefore added these remarks, to confirm the faith of the Christian, rather than convince the obstinate infidel.

CHAPTER III.

State of our Lord's childhood, and private life.-His_argument with the Jewish Doctors.-Mission, Character, and Doctrine of the Baptist.-Baptism of Christ, and visible descent of the Spirit on that solemnity.

THE precise circumstances of our Lord's childhood and life, previous to his public ministry, cannot be ascertained from the writings of any of the Evangelists, which can alone be relied on as authentic. All we can gather from those inspired men is, that the faculties of his mind were enlarged in proportion to the growth of his body, insomuch that he arrived at the very perfection of heavenly wisdom.

As his parents were mean and poor, he had not the advantage of a finished education; and he seems received no other instruction than what his parents gave him, to have in conformity to the Jewish laws. But supernatural abilities amply compensated for the deficiency of natural acquirements,

and he gave instances, in his earliest years, of amazing penetration and consummate wisdom.

According to the Mosaic institution, his parents annually went up to Jerusalem; and when he arrived at the age of twelve years, carried him with them to that city, in order that he might early imbibe the precepts of religion and virtue. In this place the holy Jesus tarried, without the knowledge and consequently the consent of his parents, who departed with the rest that were going towards Galilee; and thinking that he was gone forward with some of their relations or acquaintance, they continued their journey, not doubting but they should overtake him on the road, or meet with him at the place they had appointed to lodge. But, on their arrival, not finding the child in the village, nor amongst their relations, they returned to Jerusalem, much troubled; and after a most anxious search of three days, found him in the temple, sitting among the learned doctors, who were amazed at the wisdom of his questions, and the pertinence of his replies, which were greatly superior to the utmost they could expect from one of his tender years, and his education.

These doctors, or expounders of the law, among the Jews, always taught the people publicly on the three great festivals, and it was on one of these public occasions that the blessed Jesus gave such manifest proofs of his wisdom and penetration as astonished all beholders, many of whom thought he must be something more than human. As, according to his own declaration, he was employed in his Father's business, it is natural to think, in the course of his disputes, he modestly corrected some of the errors which the Jewish doctors then taught, and which were repugnant to the principles of that religion he came to promote and establish.

The wonder of his parents, at finding him in such sublime employment, was beyond expression; though his pious mother, notwithstanding the pleasure which the discovery afforded her, could not help showing the concern which his absence, without their knowledge, had occasioned them, by addressing him thus: "Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us! Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." To this question he replied, that their surprise at his absenting himself without their knowledge was groundless and absurd, as they might have been assured, from his extraordinary birth, and the wonderful circumstances attending it, that his Father was no less than the Almighty One of Israel; that he assumed human nature to promote his glorious designs; and, therefore, as his errand was of such moment, they must not imagine he could always reside with them. "How is it that ye sought me ! Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business ?"

Though his parents did not clearly discern the force of this excellent remonstrance, his pious mother committed his words to memory, and together with Joseph her husband, joyfully returned with him to their poor dwelling at Nazareth, where he lived with them in dutiful subjection, and thereby afforded a noble example for the imitation of all children, who certainly are bound to yield obedience to their parents, since the Son of God himself, when on earth has set them the pattern, by practising every branch of filial duty to his earthly parents.

The blessed Jesus continued in this lowly state for some time, during which he greatly advanced both in knowledge and stature; and by his extraordinary qualities, attracted the regard and admiration of all who either saw or heard him.

Being happily free from those inordinate disquieting desires, which disturb and distract mortals, he was always in temper calm and sedate, which added to a pleasant countenance, combined to prove the strength of his faculties, and the goodness of his disposition. He was also an excellent orator, being endowed with a most nervous and persuasive elocution, insomuch that his hearers, frequently astonished at the substance and manner of his address, would suddenly cry out, "Never man spake like this man." Though considered in his divine nature, he was so far superior to human nature, during the time in which he lived thus humbly with his parents, yet he condescended to work with his father at his trade of a carpenter, and thereby left us a shining example of industry.

Thus obscurely did the blessed Jesus live till the time of his public ministry; nor did he show any miracles, or perform any actions to distinguish him from the rest of mankind; his divine nature, and the annexed properties, during the time of his private life, being concealed under the veil of his human

nature.

As this is the whole account collected from sacred history, concerning the childhood and private life of the blessed Jesus, the Saviour of mankind, we must content ourselves therewith, not seeking to indulge a curiosity, which such silence seems to forbid, as sinful and impertinent.

Many people, of more speculation than piety, may be induced to inquire the cause which prevented the Evangelists giving us an exact detail of the transactions of our blessed Saviour's life, from the twelfth year of his age till the time of his public ministry. To such we answer, that the design of the inspired writers being to instruct rather than amuse, they consulted our spiritual interest more than our humor and caprice; and that, therefore, the wisdom of God, by whose inspiration they wrote, demands our admiration, in that they passed over less important parts of our Saviour's life, which would have swelled their

gospels to an enormous bulk, fit only for the perusal of the studious, and those persons who had much vacant time; whereas the four Gospels, as they are written, make only a small volume, which is convenient for carriage, for reading, for the memory to retain ; as well as adapted by the plainness of its style, to the meanest capacities; notwithstanding which, they contain all the important transactions of our Saviour's life, such as those which relate to his mediatorial office, the design of his incarnation, which was to teach us those things that belong to our eternal peace and happiness: to instruct us in his heavenly doctrines, as our prophet; to offer himself a sacrifice upon the cross, as our priest; and to burst the chains of death, and triumphantly ascend into heaven, as king, or head, of his church.

The omissions, therefore, can be of no real consequence, since, "These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have life through his name."

During the obscure state of our blessed Redeemer at Nazareth, the Emperor Augustus died, in Campania, after a long reign of near forty years, to the general regret of the whole Roman empire. He was succeeded by Tiberius, his step-son, a prince of very different temper of mind from his predecessor. This emperor, in the second year of his reign, recalled Rufus from the government of Judea, and sent Valerius Gracchus to succeed him. After reigning eleven years, Gracchus was recalled and succeeded by Pontius Pilate, a person resembling in disposition his master Tiberius, who was malicious, cruel, and

covetous.

Soon after Pontius Pilate was appointed to the government of Judea, John the Baptist began to open his commission for preparing our Saviour's way before him, according as was appointed, "The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." Sacred history has not informed us of the manner in which the Baptist spent the former part of his life; but, according to ancient tradition, Elizabeth hearing of Herod's barbarous massacre of the infants of Bethlehem, fled into the wilderness to secure the infant John from the relentless cruelty of that iuhuman monster, and there nurtured him with all the tenderness of an affectionate mother. John the Baptist was about eighteen months old when his mother fled with him into the wilderness, within forty days after which she died.

His aged father Zacharias, when he afterwards officiated in the temple, was slain by the command of Herod, for refusing to discover the place of his son's abode. The intended harbinger of the blessed Jesus being thus deprived of his earthly parents, the Father of the fatherless took compassion on him, and sent