verse appears to be a prediction of the deftruction of Jerufalem for their rejecting and crucifying the faviour of the world.

The Almighty fuits his miracles to the different fituations of those for whose use they are intended. To the wife men, the appearance of an extraordinary star would be more impreffive than any other un

common event.

Our bleffed Saviour was alfo particularly attentive to this circumftance, while on earth to fishermen he manifefted his power, by giving them a wonderful draught of fishes; to those spent with hunger and fatigue, by feeding them in a miraculous manner; to failors, by commanding a calm in the midst of a storm; to the sick, lame, and blind, by the gifts of health, strength, and fight. His parables, in like manner, were drawn from the common occurrences of life; fuch as the fower, the good feed and the tares, the vineyard, the pruning of trees, and the fhepherd and his fheep.

For these hints I am chiefly indebted to Stanhope, who treats the subject at large in his comment on the Epiphany.

Let us now return to St. Matthew.-

3. When Herod the king heard thefe things, he was troubled, and all Jerufa"lem with him.

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"4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where "Chrift fhould be born.

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5.

And they faid unto him, in Beth"lehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet:

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"6. And thou, Bethlehem, in the land "of Judea, art not the least amongst the princes of Juda: for out of thee fhall come a governor that fhall rule my people Ifrael.

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7. Then Herod, when he had priIvily called the wife men, enquired of them diligently what time the flar ap"peared.

" 8. And

8. And he fent them to Bethlehem, * and said, go and fearch diligently for the young child and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him alfo."

Before we proceed with this relation, let us pause a little, to confider the conduct of Herod, as recorded in the foregoing verfes. It appears evidently that he had fome knowledge of the prophecies, and in confequence expected, with the generality of the Jewish people, the appearance of fome extraordinary character about that time.

The account given him by the wife men, that a star had pointed out to them his birth, (as he fuppofed the prophecies to relate to a temporal prince who fhould deprive him of his kingdom,) greatly alarmed him, and all thofe who were connected with him, or held offices under him; for fo I understand the expreffion that all Jerufalem was troubled with him

at

at the news. He therefore determined by artifice to avail himself of the opportunity offered him, by the fearch of the wife men, to discover his dreaded rival; and having learnt from the chief priests and fcribes, who had the care of the facred books, and whose business it was to propound the prophecies, that Chrift was to be born in Bethlehem, he directed the wife men thither; and, concealing the blackest designs under the pretence of religious zeal, defired them to bring him word when they had found the child. But before he difmiffed them, he took care to learn from them the precise time that the ftar appeared, and of confequence the exact age of the child, with a view, no doubt, to the subsequent murder, in case he could fucceed by no other means.

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9. When they had heard the king, they departed and lo, the ftar which they faw in the Eaft went before them "till it came and flood over where the young child was.

" 10. When

.

10. When they faw the ftar, they re"joiced with exceeding great joy.

"11. And when they were come into "the house, they faw the young child, "with Mary his mother, and fell down "and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures they pre“sented unto him gifts: gold and frank"incense and myrrh."

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Compare the foregoing paffage with the prophecy contained in the 10th and 11th verfes of the feventy-second Pfalm:

"The kings of Tarshish, and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba "and Seba fhall offer gifts: all kings fhall fall down before him: all nations fhall do him fervice."

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"12. And being warned of God in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own

country another way."

Let