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grims, going to, and from, the Holy Land, used to lodge.

It is blessed to observe, how the Lord in his providence overruled events, at the crucifixion of Jesus, that his holy body should not have been thrown into this, or any other Aceldama, as a common malefactor. The Mishna reports, that it was not allowed, for any among the Jews who died by the common bands of justice, to be buried in the sepulchre of their fathers, except their flesh was first consumed. Now as the Lord Jesus, being considered by the law as a criminal, (John xvii. 30.) was thus liable to have been cast out with the common dead; what an overruling power must it have been, to prompt the minds of the honourable counsellor, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews, to have begged the forfeited body from Pilate !

And there was another providence, directing all this to the accomplishment of the purpose intended; in that the request was so well timed before the chief priests could influence Pilate's mind to refuse; and Pilate's mind so guided by the Lord, to grant the request before that he had power to deliberate. Had the Sanhedrim foreseen such a thing, no doubt they would have been beforehand with Joseph and Nicodemus, and prevailed upon the governor to deny. But He that had predicted Jesus should make "his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death,” (Isa. liii. 9.) took care not only that a new sepulchre, suited to the infinite dignity of his person, should be prepared; but all the steps leading to the accomplishment of placing his holy body there, should make way, so as to answer all the important purposes of that prophecy.

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ruption, but to arise the third day from the dead; this new sepulchre, wherein never man had laid, not only corresponded to the dignity of his person, but served to identify that person, as an article of faith to the believer; that it was Jesus, the very Lord of life and glory, whom the disciples placed there, that arose the third day, as he had promised, from the dead. Thus confirming the faith by circumstances, which, considering the difficulties with which the thing itself was surrounded, and the little probability that one dying, as the Lord Jesus did, under the hands of the Roman government, as a common felon, should make "his grave with the wicked, and with the rich, in his death:" nothing but the over-ruling and determinate counsel and foreknowledge of JEHOVAH could have contrived; nor any less than the same sovereign power could have accomplished. Here, as in a thousand instances beside, we may well cry out, "O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom, and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Rom. xi. 33.) ACHOR. A valley in Jericho: rendered memorable from the stoning of Achan, the son of Carmi, there. Indeed the valley seems to have borrowed its name from this man. See the history (Joshua vii. 17-26.) The margin of the Bible at the last verse so explains. Achor means trouble. It is somewhat remarkable, that one so injurious to Israel should have been called Achan, as if from his birth ordained to this condemnation. (Jude iv.)

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I know not whether I should have noticed this valley, or the history of Achan, to whom it refers, had it not been from the gracious use the Lord makes of it, in a way of figure, by allusion, in mising happier times to Israel. (Hosea ii. 15.) this sweet chapter, the Lord is following up his

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rich promises of grace, in return for Israel's repeated ingratitude and rebellion. But grace shall triumph. For, saith the Lord, from trouble like that of Achan, I will raise up comfort to my people: when from the sorrows induced by sin, under the quickening convictions for sin, and the exercises wrought in the soul, by the power of the Holy Ghost, I will bring my people into the blessed consolations of deliverance by Christ. "And I will give her her wine-yards from thence; and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt." (Isaiah lxv. 10.)

ADAM. The first man. The name implies the earth,

from whence he was formed, which signifies red. It is worthy remark, that Christ is also called Adam. (1 Cor. xv. 45.) And if we compare what the apostle saith of Christ, (Col. i. 15.) with what is said of Adam, at the creation of the world, (Gen. i. 26.) it serves to explain, in what sense we are to limit the expression concerning him, who was formed from the earth as the first man. In that Scripture of the apostle, when speaking of Christ, he is called, "the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature." Hence we infer, that though the first Adam was indeed the first man, as manifested openly; yet the second Adam, so called, even the Lord from heaven, had a pre-existence in secret, and

stood up the Great Head of his body the church, in the counsels of the divine mind, the Wisdom man, from all eternity. Indeed from this Wisdom man, this pattern, the first earthly man was formed. For so the charter of grace, at the creation, expressed it: "Let us make man in our image, after our like(Gen. i. 26.) And if Christ was, and is, as the apostle was commissioned to tell the church,

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"the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature," nothing can be plainer than that the first Adam, so called, because indeed he was the first man openly, was created in the image or likeness of Him, who alone can be said to be the image of the invisible God, and in his human nature," the first born of every creature." (See Psalm lxxxix. 19. Prov. viii. 22-31. Micah v. 2.) ADAR. The twelfth month among the Hebrews. See MONTH.

ADDER. One of the names figuratively given to the Devil. Hence, when the Lord Jesus Christ is said to bruise Satan, it is described under the similitude of "treading on the lion and the adder." (Psalm xci. 13.) Hence also, as sin is of the devil, the infusion of it into our nature, at the fall, is called in Scripture, adder's poison. (Psalm cxl. 3. See also Gen. xlix. 17. Prov. xxiii. 32.) ADJURE. This word in Scripture language is much more striking and significant than is generally considered. It contains not only the nature of a command when used by a person in authority, that the adjured party shall answer to the question proposed, but it goes farther; to bind the person adjured under a fearful curse if aught be concealed, or kept back in his mind, whereby a discovery which is needed be hindered and prevented. Thus Joshua concerning Jericho, (Jos. vi. 26. Ahab to Micaiah, 1 Kings xxii. 16.) And still higher than both, when Christ was adjured by the high priest. (Matt. xxvi. 63.)

The law of adjuration appears to be founded in the divine authority. Thus we read, (Lev. v. 1.) "If a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it, if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity." It should seem from hence, that the concealment of

any iniquity, made the party concealing a joint partaker of it, in the sight of God. To the same purport, is that passage in the Proverbs, (chap. xxix. 24.) "Whoso is partner with a thief, hateth his own soul: he hearing cursing, and bewrayeth it not." Those views of concealment, according to the law of Moses, serve to explain to us the nature of adjuration, and throw a light upon the conduct of our Lord, in that unequalled moment of his meek and humble demeanour, when he stood before the high priest. "I adjure thee (said the high priest) by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the son of God." And while the reader thus observes the law of adjuration, so faithfully fulfilled by Christ, I hope he will never lose sight of the Lord Jesus Christ's answer: "Thou sayest that I am." Oh! precious testimony of Jesus, and from Jesus himself. Here was indeed a good confession. (1 Tim. vi. 13.) ADMIRE. ADMIRATION. In Scripture language, somewhat more is meant by those words than we annex to them, in our ordinary discourse. It is said, concerning the centurion's faith, (Matt. viii. 10.) that Jesus marvelled at it. But if this be supposed to imply any surprise wrought on the mind of Christ, this would be a mistake, and a perversion of language. We may apply the words of the Lord upon another occasion, and say, "Because it is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of the people, should it be also marvellous in mine eyes, saith the Lord of hosts?" (Zech. viii. 6.) The Hebrew word, in this instance, is the same as that given of Christ by the prophet, (Isaiah ix. 6.) when he calls. him Wonderful. Hence in like manner, the Lord is said to shew his marvellous loving kindness. (Psalm xvii. 7.) So that it is marvellous, and it is to the admiration of his people and of all that look on,

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