Thirdly, The Baptist was to be "filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." He was, doubtless, shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin, like others; but a saving change was to be wrought on him by the Holy Spirit, from his birth: and the seed of grace, being early sown in his heart, was soon to appear in the fruits of wisdom and piety. An argument hence arises in favour of infant baptism. If infants were either free from sin altogether, or incapable of being delivered from it, there might be an absurdity in administering to them that ordinance which is a sign of the washing away of sin: but as they are born in sin, and capable of regeneration, why not admit them to the sign? "Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized," who may have "received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" Happy they who are indeed filled with the Holy Ghost and sanctified from their birth, or from the age of infancy! They never know what it is to have a mind altogether dark, or a heart altogether depraved. They cannot remember the time when there was not in them a prevalent tendency to what is good. They are saved from much sin and sorrow. But it becomes

them, as they grow in stature, to grow in wisdom, and in favour with God and man; and if long spared, it will justly be expected that their progress should be great. As for those who have not yet received the Holy Ghost, who are sensual, not having the Spirit," let them be anxious that the Lord would have mercy upon them, and let them pray that he would pour out upon them his enlightening and sanctifying influences.

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Fourthly, The last illustration here given of John's character, as a cause of rejoicing on account of his birth, is the great success of his ministry, which bore a striking resemblance to that of Elias, or Elijah: Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." "Behold," says Jehovah, in Mal. iv. 5, "I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:"-not literally Elijah himself, as some of the Jews seem erroneously to have supposed, but John the Baptist, of whom our Lord said expressly (Matt. xi. 14), "This is Elias which was for to come." The Baptist was

*

so called, because in many things he resembled Elijah, which is a common enough form of speech. Thus we call a man a Samson, or a Solomon, or an Alexander, or a Mæcenas, to signify that he is very strong, or very wise, or a great warrior, or a great patron of learning. John resembled Elijah in the austere mode of his life, and the searching and awakening strain of his ministry. He came in the spirit of Elias-under the influence of the same Divine Spirit, or in a similar frame of mind: and in the power of Elias-not with the power of working miracles, but with similar energy and success in his ministry. Or, the spirit and power joined together may mean, as in some other places, a powerful and more than ordinary degree of spiritual influence. He was to turn, or convert many of the children of Israel to God; and accordingly he successfully preached to, and baptized multitudes. He was to "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,”-in Malachi, it is added, “and the heart of the children to their fathers." Taking that passage exactly as it is here, its most obvious meaning is, that his preaching was to allay family feuds, and to unite different sects in a profession of repentance. Or if, as both the Hebrew and the Greek admit, it be rendered, "He shall turn the hearts of the fathers with the children," then it will signify that both parents and children-many of all ages and all descriptions-were to be converted. He was also to "turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the just"-to religion, which is the true wisdom of just men. And thus he was to "make ready a people prepared for the Lord." By means, chiefly, of the preaching and the baptism of repentance, and the views he gave of a coming Messiah, whom he taught his disciples to expect, many were made ready for Christ's appearance, and when he actually came forward, received him as their Saviour and their Lord. Thus it is that a conviction of sin, and some knowledge of the work of the Redeemer, are still the preludes to the reception of the Gospel, and the law becomes our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

"And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years." Zacharias' words are much the same with Abraham's when he said, "Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit" + this land? and with Mary's,

* Acts x. 38; 1 Cor. ii. 4; 1 Thess. i. 3-5. + Gen. xv. 8.

How shall this be?" "* Gideon, too, asked a sign. In these three cases, no fault was found with the desire expressed, and the answer was altogether gracious; whereas, in the case of Zacharias, it was otherwise, though the request was apparently the same; therefore the spirit must have been essentially different. In the three first cases referred to, the request proceeded, not from unbelief but from a desire to have their faith further confirmed; whereas in this case, it must have proceeded from unbelief, and distrust, and was, therefore, sinful. Thus the Searcher of hearts can, in every instance, exactly distinguish the various sentiments of the human mind. No thoughts can elude his scrutiny, no words can impose on him; all things are naked and open to him with whom we have to do.

The Most High, nevertheless, resolved to gratify the wish of Zacharias; accordingly, it is added, " And the angel answering, said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings." We are assured that the angels are very numerous, and it appears they have their proper names. Only two, however, are mentioned by name in Scripture-Michael and Gabriel. Gabriel signifies "the strength of God." This angel is mentioned in the 8th and 9th chapters of Daniel; and in the 26th verse of this chapter, he is mentioned as sent to the Virgin Mary. Now, the appearance of Gabriel ought to have been enough to satisfy Zacharias, who, knowing him to be an angel, was very unreasonable in asking any other sign. Nevertheless, a sign was granted, but such a sign as, while it answered Zacharias' purpose, was a chastisement for his unbelief.

Verse 20: 66 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.” There was something very appropriate and just in this punishment: Zacharias had spoken distrustfully, and his lips are sealed in silence. Should we not admire the forbearance and long-suffering of God, which did not strike us dumb when we at any time spoke reproachfully, or unadvisedly, with our lips? Yet there was something gracious in this dispensation, for the punishment was gentle and temporary, and fully answered the design intended. So, when the Lord corrects his own, it is in measure, and that they may be partakers of his holiness.

* Ver. 34. + Judg. vi. 17.

While these things were going on in the sanctuary, the people were engaged in the courts in prayer. But as the vision and consequent conversation, in addition to the priest's usual service and devotion, and perhaps in this case extraordinary supplications and earnestness, had required a longer time than common, the people began to wonder greatly why Zacharias was not coming out. They expected him, doubtless, to come out, as was usual at the dismissing of the congregation, to pronounce the blessing. The form of this blessing is given in Numb. vi. 22-27: "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them." The people, then, were waiting, being unwilling to depart without the benediction.

However, when Zacharias did at last make his appearance, he was unable to pronounce the blessing, or even to say a single word. From this circumstance, as well as from the perturbation which was marked in his countenance, "they perceived he had seen a vision" (verse 22); and indeed he himself "beckoned to them," and contrived to make them understand by signs that such had been the fact. It is added that "he remained speechless," or as the original word (Kapos) signifies, "deaf and dumb." That he was deaf as well as dumb, appears from the 62d verse, where we find that it was necessary to make signs to him. In this state he remained not only during his stay at Jerusalem, but till the circumcision of his son. No doubt, this striking event must have caused a very strong sensation among the Jews, and have awakened a great and general expectation as to the final result.

Having accomplished his week of residence, and as far as his dumbness permitted, of service at the temple, Zacharias returned to his own home. Elisabeth having conceived, lived retired for five months, that she might avoid ceremonial pollution, as her son was to be a Nazarite, and that she might have the more leisure for religious meditation, thanksgiving, and prayer, as became a woman in her situation, who lived among a people by whom the being childless was reckoned a peculiar infelicity, because God had

promised to multiply Abraham's descendants as the stars of heaven, and to raise up from among them the Saviour of the world.

In looking back on these verses, the following particulars present themselves as peculiarly practical in their bearings.

1. There is here a fine example for the imitation of those who are united as husband and wife. Zacharias and Elisabeth" were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." A married couple are either both careless, or both pious, or the one of them is careless, and the other is pious. How sad, in the eye of a Christian mind, the spectacle of a pair, who care neither for their own souls, nor for the souls of each other! The world may smile on them in its most joyous mood, plenty may crown their board, health may sparkle in their faces, the voice of gaiety and mirth may resound in their dwelling, and they may be attached to each other with all the fondness of a creature's love. But, alas! they are alienated from the Author of their comforts, they have no joys which can stand the test of heaven's light, and, in the midst of all their attachment, to the best and most endearing love-to Christian love they are total strangers. Ye unsanctified and worldly pairs, how can you look at those to whom you are bound by the closest earthly ties, and indebted for the most persevering and the kindest earthly attentions-how can you look at them without selfreproach and remorse, when you reflect that of their only solid interests, their souls' interests, their eternal interests, you are regardless, and that, if not by open and avowed attempts, at least by the tenor of your conduct, you are contributing to confirm them and sink them deeper and deeper in forgetfulness of God, in worldliness, in false peace, in spiritual lethargy? Ah! you cannot suppose that the blessing of Providence rests on your tabernacles; you cannot say that the comforts of divine grace refresh your hearts. Where is there now with you that indescribable peace which is felt, where is that voice of rejoicing and of salvation which is heard, in the dwellings of the righteous? Where have you principles which will bear up, and solace your minds, when the dark hour of trouble shall come upon you? Where will you be able to find any views, or consolations, or prospects, to comfort you when death shall come in between you, and bid you part? May the God of mercy turn your