sanctifying, regenerating influences of the Holy Ghost; he should be employed in the service of Jehovah, and proclaim, to assembled multitudes, the wonderful love of God to lost and ruined man. Promises such as these were beyond belief, and Zacharias hesitated to receive them. 'Whereby,' said he, 'shall I know this, for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. He heard as though he were in a dream, and the vision he beheld was created by his own earnest wishes; he 'staggered at the promise of God through unbelief,' (Romans iv. 20,) and forgot the power of the Being whom he served.

"The sign therefore that was given him for the performance of these events, acted also as a punishment, while it was a means of strengthening his faith, for immediately he became both deaf and dumb, unable to reveal the astonishing vision to the wondering people. For 'they waited for him, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned unto them and remained speechless.' (Verse 22.) "And wherefore do you infer, sir, that he was deaf also?" inquired Mr. Basil." Because," replied Mr. C"if you will look on to the 62d verse you will perceive that the friends who were assembled for the naming of the child addressed him by signs, which would not have been the case could he have heard their question as to the objections they raised when his mother desired to call him John." "You are right," observed Mr. Basil; "excuse my interruption." "Much," resumed Mr. C-66 may we learn from the circumstances here related. But a few verses back, and Zacharias was held up before us as a pattern worthy of imitation; of him and his wife it is said, “They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless." "How? how? sir," said Hyford; "I don't understand this. How were they righteous and blameless, and yet now so unbelieving? it is beyond me, sir." The party assembled, unused to the peculiarities of the excellent old man, were much amused, though his earnestness demanded their respect. And the pertinence of his queries were useful to themselves. Mr. C- understood him, and hastened to reply, "It is in an enlarged sense, my good friend, that Zacharias and his wife were called righteous and blameless; sinners they were by nature and practice, even as every descendant of Adam, but they were justified by faith

in that Redeemer who was the hope of all believing Israelites, and they gave evidence of their sincerity, for their works and actions were consistent, as it is expressly said, 'they walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless;' but still unbelief, in a moment of weakness, triumphed, and has taught a true but painful lesson, viz. that faith is not always equally strong in the hearts of the most eminent believers; alas! it is often as the flickering of the expiring lamp, and causes the distressed soul to exclaim, 'Oh! that I knew where I might find him; that I might come even to his seat! Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him; he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.' (Job xxiii. 3, 8, 9.)

And neither could Zacharias perceive him; the brightness of the angel was eclipsed by the dark shades of unbelief, and it was not until he was punished that his faith returned. Though speechless, he was able to continue the performance of his temple services. 'And when the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house;' from whence it does not appear he went until the prediction of the divine messenger was accomplished. Great rejoicings are recorded to have been made upon this extraordinary occasion, and the family appear to have been unanimous in ascribing the praise to Jehovah, who, having taken away from Elizabeth the 'reproach,' so much dreaded by the Jewish matrons, had at length 'vouchsafed to show her his great mercy.' (Vers. 25, 58). Before the occasion of the child's circumcision, again the power of the Lord was manifested; the friends and relations were determined to perpetuate his father's name, but it was not to be. Previously to his birth this point was settled; and the parents, in compliance with the angel's command, declared that he should be called John, (ver. 13,) which signified, God is gracious. And oh! how truly! for here was the babe before them, who from his birth was ordained to be the voice that should be heard crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.' (Isaiah xl. 3.) Who should come forth endued with the 'spirit and power of Elias,' or Elijah of old, (ver. 17,) boldly proclaiming Jehovah Jesus, and loudly calling upon his fellow-creatures to Behold their God!' giving them the assurance of complete salvation by the full remission of their sins,' upon their casting

themselves in sincere repentance upon those promises which were laid up for them in that Messiah, of whom he was the immediate forerunner.

"No sooner was the infant named, and Zacharias thus publicly testified his belief in the previous events, than his punishment ceased, for his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue was loosed, and he spake, and praised God.' (Ver. 64.) Then, in a remarkable manner, the Holy Spirit manifested his influences, for he bestowed upon him the spirit of prophecy, which had been withheld from the days of Malachi, a period of about four hundred years, and its power broke forth into an inspired song, wherein he expressed his gratitude to the Most High, for now bringing to pass the accomplishment of the promise made even in Paradise, and foretold from time to time to the patriarchs and their descendants, fulfilling the covenant which he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac, and confirming the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant.' (See Psalm cix. 9, 10; compare with Hebrews vi. 13 to 20.) Proclaiming salvation to lost mankind, deliverance from the power of Satan, sin, and death, as well as redemption from the curse of the law, which being too 'holy, and just, and good' (Rom. vii. 12) for man to keep in his fallen state, deals out punishment upon the guilty, and eternal destruction to all the sons of Adam; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.' (Gal. iii. 10.)

"My dear friends," continued Mr. C with great energy, "I repeat, that when I thus look upon the holiness of the divine law, and contrast it with our ignorance of God and his ways; our rebellion against his will; our enmity of heart, our lives willingly spent in the service of the world, the flesh, and the devil; I feel more and more convinced of the need of a Saviour, not only to rescue us from this degraded state, but to save us from ourselves; for I verily believe man's worst foe is his own heart, that citadel of inbred sin, that temple of the father of lies. But now with Zacharias, I would call upon you to rejoice, for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.' (Isaiah lii. 9, 10.) "With the birth of John the Baptist, the darkness of Pagan ignorance was to begin to flee away, and the glim

mering twilight of the Old Testament dispensation, which consisted in types or shadows, ceremonial observances, and obscure intimations of the great reality, to give place to the dawn of Gospel day. He was not the Light himself, but was sent to bear witness to that light," (John i. 8;) and when, after dwelling for thirty years in obscurity, remaining in the deserts, devoted to prayer, meditation, and retirement, he issued forth to proclaim his mighty message, the notice of all was riveted upon him, and their minds were prepared from above to hearken to the wondrous tidings he had to deliver.

"But here we must not anticipate; as the doctrine the Baptist preached is of too vast an import to be slightly noticed, we must afford it the attention and time it merits; for he declared that the period was arrived when the Lord God was about to establish in the earth a holy, spiritual kingdom, hitherto unknown, into which no one could be admitted without sincere repentance, and turning away from the willing practice of sin; he preached the absolute necessity of a renewed heart, and the submission of the soul to the government of Jesus, as King supreme, calling upon those of his hearers, whose hearts were softened by the influences of the Holy Spirit, and led thereby to feel and confess their past sinfulness, to give public testimony of the sincerity of their repentance, by partaking of the right of baptism, now first introduced as the ordinance whereby they should be admitted as members of the visible Church about to be incorporated; and furthermore regard it as a symbol of that inward cleansing and purification, which can alone be effected by the Spirit of God.

"But now, my dear friends," said the amiable teacher, looking at his watch, "our time is expired; I would not detain you too long, or attention will diminish; these are vast and mighty subjects, interwoven with our dearest and best interests, and therefore it is not well to press too much upon our weak and feeble faculties, for however willing 'may be the spirit, the flesh is weak.' This day fortnight I trust we may be permitted to meet and meditate upon the wondrous theme angels desire to dwell upon, and for which eternity will be too short to enable us to give utterance to our obligations to Him, who for our sakes became a babe in Bethlehem." With these words the pastor rose, and the party taking their leave, dispersed to their various homes.

R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL