his judgment, he recapitulates his miracles, which John might compare with what was faid, or fuppofed to be faid, concerning the Meffiah, by the antient prophets, and he quotes feveral expreffions which are to be found in Ifaiah, particularly Ch. xxxv, 5. 6. But as no mention is there made of the cleaning of lepers, or of raising the dead, it is not probable that he meant to make an exprefs quotation, of which indeed he gives no in

timation.

Tho' the prophecies to which Jefus here refers are, in many respects, obfcure, they clearly point out a glorious time to come, a kingdom of righteousness, under fome diftinguifhed perfon, appointed by God for that purpofe. They ufe a language very unlike a ny of the heathen writers, and this is the cafe not of Ifaiah only, but of many other prophets in a long fucceffion. This remarkable difference is eafily accounted for, on the fuppofition of these prophets having had divine communications, but not on any other hypothefis.

6. i. e. Happy are they who can firmly believe that I am the Meffiah, from comparing my works with the antient prophecies, without being ftaggered by thofe circumstances in my appearance, which are generally fuppofed to be incompatible with that character, particularly my not affuming the title of a king.

9. As John was a perfon who had drawn upon himfelf the favourable attention of almoft the whole Jewish nation, Jefus took this opportunity, which he had not done before, of fpeaking concerning him and his character. He firft fuggefts that they did not crowd after

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him into the wildernefs to fee a common fight, fuch as reeds which are in every defert place; nor yet fuch a perfon as they could not well expect to find there, as a courtier, fuch as are to be found in king's houses. It was certainly therefore, fome perfon of a very great, but of a very different character, that they expected to find, viz. a prophet. This he now affures them that John was, and to raise their idea of him he adds more than a prophet, i. e. a perfon whofe commiffion was of more confequence than that of most, if not any, of the preceding prophets. For we are not obliged by this declaration of Jefus to fuppofe that John was, in all respects, fuperior to Mofes, Elijah, or the other of the more diftinguished prophets of ancient time. For as he wrought no miracles, he was in this refpect at least inferior to them:

10. To give the people a greater and jufter idea of the character of John, Jefus informs them that he was the perfon intimated in the prophery of Malachi, Ch. iii, 1, &c. Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare my way before me. And the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple. Even the mes senger of the covenant, whom ye delight in. Behold he shall come saith the Lord of hosts, but who shall abide the day of his coming, &c. Here the perfon who is fimply filed the Lord's messenger, feems to be John the baptift, but the Lord whom ye seek, called alfo the messenger of the covenant, who was to come fuddenly, or unexpectedly, is probably the Meffiah himself. And it is farther probable that from this paffage the Jews learned to characterize the Mafiah by the title," he who should come."