phets, and ardently defired by holy men of old, when the Son of God fhould be manifefted, to redeem his people from death, and to lead them in the path of life. As this redemption was not to be effected by flethly might and power, the fpiritual king of Ifrael chofe to make his appearance, when the houfe of David was like a root buried in the earth; and therefore his forerunner was born "in

the days of Herod the king*;" days, when his countrymen were under a foreign jurifdiction, and the profpect on all fides was gloomy. True indeed it is, that the facred amp went not out in the temple, where the good old Simeon and the devout Anna ferved God inftantly. * Luke i. 5.

with faftings and prayers, and waited, as many others did, with earnest expectation, for the confolation of Ifrael. They were not difcouraged: by the grofs darknefs which then covered the earth, but rather concluded from thence, that the dawn of day could not be far off; as the mer-cies of heaven generally come when nian moft wants, and, humanly fpeaking, has leaft ground to hope for them; to the end that he may with thankfulness receive the benefit, and with humility give God the glory. And this may be an useful leffon to those who fhall live in the latter days of the Gentile church, which are to precede the fecond advent of Chrift; when they will behold the religion of Chriftians degenerated

the eighth in order of the twenty-four courses of priests appointed to relieve each other in the fervice of the temple, where, during their miniftration, they refided in the chambers allotted them for that purpose; that fo, being fequeftered from the cares and pollutions of the world, they might "wait "on the Lord without diftraction,' performing the outward ceremonies of the law, and exercifing their faith in the contemplation of thofe heavenly things fhadowed out by them. This holy office Zacharias, in the worst of times, adorned and beautified with a correspondent holiness of life. The spirit of the fanctuary refted upon him, and manifefted itself in the fruit of righteoufnefs; a righteousness, which exceeded that of the Scribes

Scribes and Pharifees, approving itfelf in the fight of God, to whom are known the fecrets of the heart, as well as in that of men, who are wit neffes only of the external deportment. Through the ftrength of this fpirit, he walked in the path of an uniform obedience, an invariable obferver of thofe ordinances which were at that time the facramental means and pledges of pardon and accept ance, through faith in Him, of whose advent he was a devout expectant, From fuch a father, and a mother worthy of him, who graced the line of Aaron by a like inviolable fanctity of manners, was the Baptift to def cend; that the Jews might have no poffible objection against him; that he might be a proper forerunner of

one,

one, who was to make all the world in love with the beauty of holiness; that it might appear wherein true nobility of birth confifteth, namely, in a defcent from perfons confecrated to the fervice of God, and of an exemplary piety; and laftly, to affure us, that on the heads of thofe, who to a holy profeffion add a holy life, will, fooner or later, defcend the choiceft bleffings which heaven hath to beftow on the fons of men.

But let not fuch be impatient, because those bleffings are for a while deferred. He, who fends them, beft knows the proper time of fending them; and often fees it neceffary, for many reafons, to exercife the faith and patience of his fervants; who may always reft fatisfied, that in due

feafon