Ch. 2. Herod's Cruelty. St. Matthew. yohn preacheth. Ch. 3. which he had diligently enquired of the wife men. no. Noe, Intercft and malignity conjoin- ed, made this King flick at no inhumane bloody cruelty : Innocency was no defence againft him. r7. Then was fulfilled that which was fpoken by Jeremy the Prophet,faying, a 8. In Ramahwas there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, be- caufe they are not. 37, 18. Tho' it was another cafe- that the Prophet meant, God's Spirit might look to this : Or the words may fignifie, This cafe was much like to that mentioned,yer. g i. IS and fo fpeak by an allulion. 59. But when Herod was dead, behold, an Angel of the Lord ap- peareth in a dream to Jofeph in Egypt, 2o. faying, Arife, and take the young child, and his mother, and go into the land ofIfrael : for they are dead which fought the young child's life. 2r. And he a- rofe, and took the young child,and his mother, and came into the land of Ifrael. 22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea, in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: not- withftanding,beingwarnedof God in a dream, he turned afide into the parts of Galilee. 23. And he came and dwelt in a City called Nazareth, that it .might be fulfil.. led which was fpoken by the Pro- phets, He ilia]] be called a Naza- rene. t o. dire. Note, t. Still Chrißis preferved by avoiding mens rage. 2. The Jews cal- led Chrift a Nezarite, from that place of his dwelling s but he was truly Netfer the brooch, and a Nazarene devoted to abfolute purity, of whom Sampfcn's Order was a Type, defcribed alto Numb. 6. Lam. 4. 7. Antos 2. t r, r a. This fecmeth the fenfe by allufion. C H A P. III. r.TN thole days came John the .1 Baptift , preaching in the Wildernefs ofJudea, 2. And fay- ing, Repent ye for the Kingdomof Heaven is at hand. a, a. In thofe days 'John, as a Prophetin- fpired by God, baptized, upon preaching in the Wildernefs of yadea, that thé Kingdom of the Mcah long looked for, was now juft at hand, and therefore they fhould by true Repentance be prepared for its Ester- tainment. N. t. It's called the Kingdom ofHeaven, becaufe it a Theocracy, a Special Go- vernment of God by a Saviour fent from Heaven, to lead men to Heaven : as diftin& from the prophaneKingdoms of the World. who look but to humane Power and Laws, and bodily profperity. 2. That of Mal. 3. 7. 4. a, 3. was here fulfilled. The Jews longed for Chrift's coming, fùppoíng it would have exalted their Nation in tem- poral profperity s but could not endure him, when he was for humility, fpiritual.ty, and a heavenly Kingdom. g. Tho' repentance be always a duty, it's fpecially neceffary to our fpecial and great mercies, and our affurance of pardon by a Saviour. A purified mind and life are fui- table to theconfolation of Chrift, and the indwelling of the comforting Spirit. 3. For this is he that was fpo- ken ofby the Prophet Efaias, lay- ing, The voiceof one crying in the Wildernefs, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths ftraight. 3. It was 'John that Ifaiah prophecied of and foretold what his preaching Mould be. Tho it be grace that prepareth for further grace, man's Duty muß be ufed thereunto ; and the exalting work of grace prefuppofeth the humblingwork of repentance as a rae. ceffary preparation. 4. And the fame John had his raiment of camels hair, and a lea- thern girdle about his loins, and his meat was locufts and wild ho- ney. 4. He was cloathed with Hair'cloath , bound to hint witha leather girdle, and fed on what the Wildernefa afforded, which was Locußs, (which fame think were an Herb
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