The angel had no sooner departed, than Mary set out for the mountainous country of Judea, though at a very remote distance from Nazareth, in order to rejoice with her cousin Elizabeth in the joyful news she had recived from the angel concerning her. The rapture and delight which filled the minds of Mary and Elizabeth, on the occasion of this salutation, can alone be expressed from the affecting description recorded by the evangelist Luke, who is peculiar for the beauty of his style, and elegance of his expressions.

That evangelist writes, that the salutation of Mary had such an effect upon Elizabeth, that on hearing the miraculous event which had befallen the virgin, the babe leaped within her, and that she, being inspired with holy delight on the approaching prospect of the nativity of her Saviour, exclaimed with rhapsody, "And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" Luke i. 43. Nor did her ecstacy cease with this token of humility and joy on the important event, in the ardor of which she evinced that prophetic influence, which, while it amazed the blessed virgin, could not fail of establishing her belief in what the angel had foretold; for she repeated the very words expressed by the angel, in his salutation of the holy virgin, "Blessed art thou among women;" together with a quotation from the Psalms, "and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." For as Mary conceived the seed long promised and earnestly desired, the seed in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed, he could not but be blessed himself, according to the words of the psalmist: "His name shall continue as long as the sun, and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed." The happy virgin, catching the holy flame from the aged Elizabeth, broke out into an humble acknowledgment of her unworthiness, and the wonderful grace of the Almighty, in appointing her to the exalted honor of bearing in her womb the Redeemer of Israel, in those known words, "My soul doth magnify the Lord," &c.

Thus having, by this visit, confirmed herself in the belief of the prediction of the angel Gabriel, when the period of Elizabeth's pregnancy approached, she returned to Nazareth, having resided in Judea about three months.

Soon after the departure of Mary, Elizabeth brought forth her son, the appointed harbinger of the King of Glory and on the eighth day after his birth, according to the Judaical custom, he was circumcised, and called, according to the appointment of the angel, John, alluding, in the Hebrew tongue, to the gracious display of the wisdom and goodness God was about to manifest to the world, by the spreading of the Gospel of his Son of whom this John was the appointed forerunner.

"And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the porce of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing, which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God."-Luke i. 35.

The promise being thus fulfilled, the aged priest was restored to his speech, and immediately broke out into praise and rapture at the marvellous works of God, in strains which astonished all around him. This surprising event greatly alarmed the people of the adjacent country, who were divided in their opinions concerning a child, whose birth was attended with so many extraordinary circumstances. Indeed, these incidents were worthy of general admiration; that he who was to be the forerunner of the mighty Saviour of Israel, should not make his entrance on life in an obscure and common manner, but with particular tokens of the favor of heaven, in order to attract the observation of his countrymen, and excite their attention to that ministry which he was called to by God, even the preparation of the people for the reception of the Messiah, who was shortly to appear in the flesh.

It is observable, that the Baptist, from his infancy, displayed great qualities, both of mind and body; for such was his strength of constitution, through the blessing of the God of nature, that he lived till near the thirtieth year of his age, when his public ministry began, in the mountains and desert country of Judea, bereft of almost all the comforts of life. But at length the prophecy of the good old Zacharias, relating to his future elevation, was literally fulfilled: "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people, by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercies of our God, whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us; to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death; to guide our feet in the way of peace."

As Joseph had abstained from all matrimonial intercourse with his wife, he was not a little alarmed, when, shortly after her return to Nazareth, she discovered evident signs of pregnancy; nay, so far was he wrought on by this circumstance, that he absolutely resolved on a dissolution of the marriage; but previous to such a rigorous procedure, questioning her concerning the same, she, to wipe off so foul an aspersion, minutely related to him the particulars of the vision from the angel, and the extraordinary event that had befallen Zacharias and Elizabeth.

Notwithstanding this ingenuous declaration, Joseph's suspicions continued, and suggested to him, that this might be a device, concerted by the friends of Mary, to exempt her from that disgrace, which must attend a divorce on such pretence; however, he resolved to execute his purpose as privately as pos⚫sible, and without assigning the cause of the same, which, under their constitution, would have subjected her to the penalty

of death. But, on cooler reflection, he called to mind the sovereign power of Omnipotence; for which reason, however opposite her case might be to the nature of things in general, her vindication of herself might be well-grounded. He now thought himself bound by every tie of justice and duty, to preserve her chara ter inviolable; though as he was a just man, and a most religious observer of the law, the assertions she made, did not appear to him sufficient to justify him in retaining her in bis house. While he was thus ruminating on this interesting event, he was overtaken with a pleasing slumber, and received a communication from above, which fully revealed the cause and manner of Mary's pregnancy, dispelled his doubts, and encouraged him to take home his falsely-suspected spouse; "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife : for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost."

The pious Joseph complied with the voice of heaven most cheerfully; for no sooner did the morning dawn appear, than he arose from his couch, and obeyed the commands of the Most High, by relating to his wife his being assured of her innocence, and immediately restored her to former favor.

While he related to her the manner of this extraordinary revelation, by a messenger from the heavenly Canaan, he discovered in her a remarkable chastity of heart, entirely conformable to so mysterious an operation, and knew her not till she had brought forth the great Redeemer of Israel.

Thus was fulfilled that which was foretold by the prophets; and particularly the prediction of Isaiah, which imported that a virgin should bring forth a son-" Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel,” (Isaiah vii. 14,) which being interpreted, is, God with us.

CHAPTER II.

General decree for taxation published.—The Birth of Christ.— Declaration of the same to the Shepherds.-Circumcision, and presentation of Christ in the Temple.-The Wise Men of the East worship the Holy Child.-Flight of Joseph into Egypt.-Massacre of Infants at Bethlehem.-Death of Herod.-Return of Joseph out of Egypt.

AUGUSTUT CESAR, the Roman Emperor, having at this time, issued an edict for a general taxation on all the nations, cities, and towns subject to the empire, King Herod, in consequence,