THE MURDER OF THE INNOCENTS. 195

the Lord by the prophet Hosea on another occasion might thus, as it were, be fulfilled anew, and that in this appointment of the place where Christ should take up His abode, there might appear to be manifest allusion to that saying. In the eleventh chapter of Hosea we read: 'When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt:' Christ being in a much higher and nobler sense the SON OF GOD than Israel, of whom the words were originally spoken.-MATT. ii.

HEN Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of

THE

the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent

forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which

was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.' This murder of the children of Bethlehem, which has been the subject of many a pen and pencil, and the theme of many a tongue, may well awaken our grief and astonishment at the enormities of which our fallen human nature is capable. What circumstances of worldly power and grandeur could weigh against the heavy guilt of this massacre, and the upbraidings of conscience, so as to induce the commission. of a cruelty at which the mind and heart of many a savage would revolt! Let us learn to be thankful that our lines have fallen in pleasant places-that we are not under the arbitrary power of such a tyrant.-MATT. ii.

N those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the

IN

wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the

kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? And Jesus answering, said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered Him. And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw

the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'-Matt. ÏÏÏ.

THE

HEN was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when

He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards an hungered. And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning

JESUS CALLS SIMON AND ANDREW. 199

:

thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.'-MATT. iv.

ND now our Lord began to open His public ministry amongst the people of the Jews. It is said in another place, And Jesus began to be about thirty

years of age. 'From that time Jesus began to preach,