John the Baptift, might well, upon the appearance of one so eminent, think he was that prophet whom they hourly expected: but fome of them did not know that Chrift was born in Beth-lehem, according to the prophecy of Micah, (chap. v. ver. 2.): "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thou"fands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he "come forth unto me that is to be the ruler " in Ifrael; whose goings forth have been "from of old, from everlafting." They thought him a Galilean, and rejected him upon that account.

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42. Hath not the Scripture faid, That "Chrift cometh of the feed of David, and "out of the town of Beth-lehem, where "David was?

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43. So there was a divifion among the people because of him.

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44. And fome of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on 66 him."

In a mixed multitude, let the merits of any person be ever so great, there will always be found those who, either through intereft, envy, or fome other caufe, will take part against him. Modesty and filence are, in most cases, the best means by which their unjust perfecutions may be opposed. In the present cafe these people might eafily have informed themselves, would they have taken the trouble to inquire, that the objection they took up, was without foundation; and that the prophecy before recited had been literally accomplished in Christ Jefus but, fatisfied with any plea, however frivolous, they would have seized upon the person of our bleffed Lord, had they not been withheld by a fuperior power.

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45.

Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharifees, and they faid unto them, Why have ye not brought "him?

'46. The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

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47. Then

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47. Then answered them the Phari" fees, Are ye alfo deceived?

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48. Have any of the rulers, or of the "Pharifees, believed on him?

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49. But this people, who knoweth "not the law, are curfed."

It is plain that the officers were charmed with our Lord's difcourfe, fince they did not plead fear of the people in excufe for returning without him, but merely the ef fect which his words had produced on them. This flung the Pharifees, who were both their teachers and rulers, to the quick. So fudden an attachment, and that amongst their own dependants, was very alarming, and made them determine, at all events, to crufh it before it gained further ground. They therefore spake with contempt of the people, for their ig norance and credulity; intimating, that had there been any truth in the doctrines preached by Jesus Christ, they, who were fo intimately verfed in the law and the prophets, would have been his first

converts:

converts: and fo they must have been, had not interest, envy, and pride, blinded their eyes to the truth. In their zeal, they seem to have forgotten, that if their charge of ignorance against the people were true, the fault was their own, whose duty it was to have inftructed them in the law.

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50. Nicodemus faith unto them, (he "that came to Jefus by night, being one of them,)

51. Doth our law judge any man be "fore it hear him, and know what he "doeth?

"52. They answered and faid unto him, Art thou alfo of Galilee? Search, " and look: for out of Galilee arifeth no "prophet.

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53. And every man went unto his own house."

We are pleased, for the honor of human nature, to find one amongst this detestable band, poffeffed of fentiments of

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justice

justice and humanity; yet we cannot but lament, that fear of his fellow judges, and the apprehenfion of drawing on himself their general cenfure, prevented his entering as fully into the defence of our bleffed Lord as the conversations he had had with him feem to have enabled him to have done. Nicodemus appears to have had a good heart, and a judgment open to conviction; but to have wanted ftrength of mind to pursue the truth at the expence of his perfonal interest and reputation. His obfervation was fo just, that it left his brethren no room for reply as it is a principle, not only of the Jewish law but of the law of every civilized country in the world, not to condemn a perfon accufed, till he has been heard in his defence.

Poole obferves, that they were mistaken in afferting that no prophet came out of Galilee; as both Nahum and Jonah were of the tribe of Zabulon, to whofe lot Galilee fell. It feems fcarcely poffible that the chief priests and Pharifees should have been