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branch.] The oak was very early made an object of idolatrous worship, Isaiah i. 29. and in Greece we meet with the famous oracle of Jupiter at the oaks of Dodona. In Gaul and Britain we find the highest religious regard paid to this tree and its mistelto, under the direction of the druids. The mistelto is indeed a very extraordinary plant, not to be cultivated in the earth, but always growing upon some other tree, as upon the oak or apple. The druids, says Pliny, (Nat. Hist. lib. xvii. c. 44.) hold nothing more sacred than the mistelto, and the tree on which it is produced, provided it be the oak. They make choice of groves of oaks on their own account, nor do they perform any of their sacred rites without the leaves of those trees, so that one may suppose that they are for this reason called by a Greek etymology druids. And whatever mistelto grows on the oak, they think is sent from heaven, and is a sign of God himself's having chosen that tree. This, however, is very rarely found; but when discovered is treated with great ceremony. They call it by a name which in their language signifies "the curer of all ills:" and having duly prepared their feasts and sacrifices under the tree, they bring to it two white bulls, whose horns are then for the first time tied. The priest, dressed in a white robe, ascends the tree, and with a golden pruning-hook cuts off the mistelto, which is received in a white sagum or sheet. Then they sacrifice the victims, praying that God would bless his own gift to those on whom he has bestowed it. Is it possible, says Mr. Parkhurst, (Heb. Lex. p. 50.) for a Christian to read this account without thinking of him. who was the desire of all nations, of the man whose name was the branch, who had indeed no father on earth, but came down from heaven, was given to heal all our ills, and, after being cut off through the divine counsel, was wrapped in fine linen, and laid in the sepulchre for our sakes? The mistelto was a sacred

emblem to other nations, especially to the ancient inhabitants of Italy. The golden branch of Virgil, (En. vi. l. 126.) without which no one could return from the infernal regions, seems an allusion to the mistelto.

No. 1159.-iii. 10. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig-tree.] The people of the East not only enjoy themselves in forming parties of pleasure, which repose themselves under trees in warm weather, indulging themselves in eating and drinking there; but they frequently invite passengers to partake of their repasts. Dr. Chandler says, (Travels in Asia Minor,p.250.) "that a Greek at Philadelphia sent them a small earthen vessel full of choice wine; and that some families, who were sitting beneath some trees by a rill of water, invited them to alight, and partake of their refreshments." To something of this kind the prophet refers in this pas sage. HARMER, vol. iii. p. 204.

No. 1160.-xiv. 20. The bells of the horses.] Among the heathens of the East the Sun was called Baal or Bel, from his supposed dominion over all things; whence the word came at last to denote a lord or master in general. He was considered as the author of vibratory motion, the source of musical sound; and such instruments as emit a sound by percussion were called bells, from bell, or bel, the name by which the sun was denoted among the druids.

For the above reason a bell seems in very early times to have been made a sign or symbol of victory or dominion. Thus, as horses were employed in war, and are celebrated in the earliest antiquity for their strength, stately port, and undaunted courage, bells became a part of their martial furniture. This custom obtained in Greece, as is evident from Aristophanes, who calls

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the artificers that joined the bells to the furniture of the war-horses, xwdwropa agorwhos. Hence also, to bear the bell still signifies victory or dominion over others.

PIRIE's Works, vol. iii. p. 202.

"The

No. 1161.-xiv. 20. Bells of the horses.] finest breed of Arabian horses is in this country, and has furnished us with those we make use of for the turf. They are here chiefly articles of luxury, used only in war, or for parade. The governor has a large stud opposite the house where I live, which affords me much pleasure, as I pay them frequent visits. They are small, but finely shaped and extremely active. Of this I had an opportunity of judging yesterday, when the cavalry had a field day in the great square, which, from the mode of exercise, called to my mind the idea of our ancient tilts and tournaments. The horses were sumptuously caparisoned, being adorned with gold and silver trappings, bells hung round their necks, and rich housings. The riders were in handsome Turkish dresses, with white turbans, and the whole formed to me a new and pleasing spectacle." ROOKE's Travels to the Coast of Arabia Felix, p. 82.

No. 1162.-xiv. 20. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses "holiness unto the Lord."] Chardin informs us, that something like this is seen in several places of the East. In Persia, in Turkey, the reins are of silk, of the thickness of a finger, on which is wrought the name of God, or other inscriptions.

HARMER, vol. i. p. 470.

END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

No. 1163.-ST. MATTHEW ii. 2.

We have seen his star.

THAT the heathens thought the rise of a new star, or the appearance of a comet, portended the birth of a great person, has been proved by Origen (contra Celsum, lib. i.) Farther, it appears from Virgil, that it was commonly imagined the gods sent stars to point out the way to their favourites in difficult and perplexed cases; and that the ancients called globes of fire appearing in the air, stars.

-Subitoque fragore

Intonuit lævum, et de cœlo lapsa per umbras

Stella facem ducens multâ cum luce cucurrit. Æn. ii. 692.

No. 1164.-ii. 2. We have seen his star in the east.] The ancients had an opinion, says Shuckford, (Connection, vol. ii. b. 8. p. 282.) that their great men and heroes at their death migrated into some star: and in consequence of that, they deified them. Thus Julius Cæsar was canonized because of a star that appeared at his death, into which they supposed he was gone. Vide Sueton. Jul. cap. 88. Virg. Eccl. ix. 47. Horace, 1. i. Od. 12.

No. 1165.-iii. 4. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair.] His raiment was not made of the fine hair of that animal, whereof an elegant kind of cloth is made, which is thence called camlet, (in imitation of which, though made of wool, is the English camlet) but of the long and shaggy hair of camels, which is in the East manufactured into a coarse stuff, anciently worn by monks and anchorites. It is only

when understood in this way, that the words suit the description here given of John's manner of life.

CAMPBELL'S Translation of the Gospels, note.

No. 1166.-iii. 11. Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.] The custom of loosing the sandals from off the feet of an eastern worshipper was ancient and indispensable. It is also commonly observed in visits to great men. The sandals or slippers are pulled off at the door, and either left there, or given to a servant to bear. The person to bear them means an inferior domestic, or attendant upon a man of high rank, to take care of, and return them to him again. See Asiatic Researches, vol. i. p. 289.

This was the work of servants among the Jews: and it was reckoned so servile, that it was thought too mean for a scholar or a disciple to do. The Jews say, "all services which a servant does for his master, a disciple does for his master, except unloosing his shoes." John thought it was too great an honour for him to do that for Christ, which was thought too mean for a disciple to do for a wise man. GILL, in loc.

No. 1167.-iii. 15. Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.] Previous both to anointing and clothing at the consecration of the Jewish high-priest, there was another ceremony, that of washing with water. This was common both to the high-priest and the other priests. Exod. xxix. 4. From hence some have explained these words of our Lord when he desired to be baptized by John; that being about to enter upon his priestly office, it became him to be baptized, or washed, according to the law, which he was subject to.

JENNINGS's Jewish Ant. vol. i. p. 204.

No. 1168. iv. 23. And Jesus went about all Galilee,

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