is that begins, continues, and ends the work of faith and love. Jesus is all in all: he will and shall be glorified. He won the crown, and alone deserves to wear it. May no one attempt to rob him of his glory; he saves, and saves to the uttermost Farewell, dear sister in the Lord. Thy flesh and thy heart may fail, but God is the strength of thy heart, and shall be thy portion for ever."

FOR THE CHRISTIAN'S MAGAZINE.

The annunciation of the Birth and Character of John the Baptist, to Zacharias.

THE punctual and faithful discharge of religious

duties cannot fail to meet with an ample reward. Troublesome as devotional exercises may appear to those who have no taste for them, not having their senses exercised by reason of use, to discern good*, those private Christians and public characters, who are most engaged in religious employments, find, by experience, that wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peacet. Independently of the consolation which a good man enjoys in the testimony of a sanctified conscience, and the corresponding assurance of hope arising from the presence of the Spirit of adoption, he that waits upon the Lordt, derives increase of joy from each particular discovery made to him, of the doctrine of redemption, and of the benefits purehased and administered by the Mediator ing the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and going on unto perfections, his path is the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day**

Leav

Heb. v. 14. § Heb. vi. 1.

† Prov. iii. 17.

# Lea. xl. 31.

** Prov. iv. 18.

This is the common privilege of all the saints. It belongs, however, in a distinguished sense, to those who receive, immediately from heaven, a new revelation, and are employed in opening the door of knowledge, that a greater light may shine upon the Church of God. Such was the case of Zacharias, as we find in Luke i. 11-17. He was an old believer; he received a new revelation; and, under the influence of the Spirit of prophecy, he with exultation instructed others. In the discharge of the duties of his sacred office, as a priest of the order of Ahia, whose lot it was now to offer incense in the temple, he received a more abundant evidence of the approbation of God, than had ever before been vouchsafed to him.

We shall separately consider the

Vision with which he was favoured, the
Emotion which it excited, the

Encouragement which he received, and the
Message which was delivered to him.

I. The vision. Verse 11. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

The incense burned in the services of the Jewish temple, consisted of a mixture of sweet spices*. No one but a priest was permitted to offer it; and whosoever made any like unto it, was punished with death. It was offered up morning and evening every day, on the golden altar, and two handfuls of it were burned before the ark, in the Holy of Holies, by the High Priest, on the feast of expiation, once a year. It signified the continual intercession which the Redeemer makes for us in heaven.

The "Altar of Incense" was made of shittimwood, and overlaid with gold, with a carved mould

Exod. xxxvii. 29

ing of gold around the top of it. The altar of burnt-offering stood in the court before the door of the sanctuary; but this altar was within the holy place, along with the table of shew-bread and the golden candlestick, and stood between these and the vail which enclosed the Holy of Holies. On the right side of this golden altar, while Zacharias stood ministering before it, with his face toward the Holy of Holies, there appeared to him an "Angel of the Lord."

Angel is a name, not of nature, but of office. It signifies a messenger, and is sometimes applied to the ministers of the Gospel, who deliver to sinners the message of their God; and often to the Mediator himself, who is the Messenger of the covenant sent by his Father to redeem and save us. But this name is more frequently bestowed on those intelligent creatures which exist without bodies in a more exalted sphere of action, and in possession of a higher order of intellectual pow ers than belong to man. Between these holy creatures and our fallen race, there can be no communion, except upon the footing of our redemption by Jesus Christ. By him they are sent to minister unto us; and therefore are they called angels. In their agency on earth, those ministering Spirits sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation*, usually remain invisible. Bodily senses, although delicately formed, cannot perceive spirit. When an angel shows himself to an eye constructed from atoms of earth, it is by a miracle. Zacharias was persuaded of this, and experienced at the sight a powerful:

II. Emotion. Verse 12. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

Heb. i. 4.

Great wonder is always produced by the sight of unknown objects, that have no analogy to any species with which we are familiar; and the emotion rises with the rank of the object which communicates the excitement. Great power every where excites admiration. Energy is itself sublime; and when enveloped in darkness, it is terrible. "He was troubled," pax, agitated as the water in a storm. The word is expressive of that mental commotion which is produced by great, various, and contending passions.

Zacharias stood before the altar of incense, with his face toward the vail which separated from view the Holy of Holies. The solitariness of the spectator, concurred with the singularity of the object and the solemnity of the place, to produce the effect. He was alone in the sanctuary. “The whole multitude without" were engaged in silent prayer. The sacred music had ceased with the sounds of the bell which intimated that the Priest had placed the silver censer on the altar, and its last murmurs only were heard within. A deep solemnity prevailed. The aged minister humbly lifted up his soul to God, while the incense ascended from the altar; and the light from the several lamps of the golden candlestick, mingled with the smoke of the incense, shone with a melancholy splendour. He opened his eyes, which had been closed by the fervour of devotion, and upon the right side of the altar, as if just entering from behind the vail, an immortal messenger from the invisible world stands before him. "Fear fell upon him." The light was unexpected, Zacharias was surprised; it was novel, he wondered; it was mysterious, he was amazed. It was the effect of miraculous power, excited amidst circumstances the most solemn, and the venerable Priest trembled with astonishment, But he received

· III. Encouragement. Verse 13. But the an gel said unto him, fear not, Zacharias, for thy pray er is heard.

When " angels," at the command of our Lord, become visible, it is generally in the form of man. This is the most familiar likeness which they can assume in their ministry to the saints. It is also the most honourable. Their Lord, our Redeemer, is the Son of Man. The human voice is also the most familiar. The angel Gabriel accordingly made use of it in addressing Zacharias. A friendly voice is heard with delight in the hour of terror. With a sweetness inimitable by mortals, its sounds now fell upon the listening ear of the trembling priest. It inspired the confidence for which it called, without diminishing that respect for the vision, which it merited. Fear not, Zacharias: thy prayer is

heard.

To a pious suppliant, the answer of his prayers is the greatest encouragement. Our fainting hearts åre revived by an assurance, that the desires of our souls are accepted of him, unto whom they are humbly offered, and that our petition shall be granted.

The object of Zacharias' prayer was definite. Let us endeavour to ascertain that object. It is added in the text, thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son. But this is rather a sign for the confirmation of his faith, than itself the answer of his petition. It is quite improbable, that the man of God, now in his advanced years, seeing his wife had passed the age of child-bearing, whatever may have been the anxiety of his earlier days, was in the habit of asking from God, a son to build up his house. The incredulity, also, with which he heard this declaration, confirms the belief that he was resigned to the prospect of dying childless.

As a pious man, Zacharias, no doubt, fervently