out horror, to be daunted with the face of his fellow-servant. In vain do we look for such ministers of God as are without infirmities, when just Zachary was troubled in his devotions with that wherewith he should have been comforted.

It was partly the suddenness and partly the glory of the apparition that affrighted him.

The good angel was both apprehensive and compassionate of Zachary's weakness; and presently encourages him with a cheerful excitation, Fear not, Zacharias. The blessed spirits, though they do not often vocally express it, do pity our human frailties, and secretly suggest comfort unto us when we perceive it not.

Good and evil angels, as they are contrary in estate, so also in disposition The good desire to take away fear, the evil to bring it. It is a fruit of that deadly enmity which is betwixt Satan and us, that he would, if he might, kill us with terror; whereas the good spirits, affecting our relief and happiness, take no pleasure in terrifying us, but labour altogether for our tranquillity and cheerfulness.

There was not more fear in the face than comfort in the speech; Thy prayer is heard. No angel could have told him Our desires are uttered in our prayers. What can we wish but to have what we would?

better news.

a son.

Many good suits had Zachary made, and, amongst the rest, for Doubtless, it was now some space of years since he made that request; for he was now stricken in age, and had ceased to hope; yet had God laid it up all the while; and, when he thinks not of it, brings it forth to effect. Thus doth the mercy of our God deal with his patient and faithful suppliants. In the fervour of their expectation he many times holds them off; and when they least think of it, and have forgotten their own suits, he graciously condescends. Delay of effect may not discourage our faith. It may be God hath long granted ere we shall know of his grant.

Many a father repents him of his fruitfulness, and hath such sons as he wishes unborn; but to have so gracious and happy a son as the angel foretold could not be less comfort than honour to the age of Zachary. The proof of children makes them either the blessings or crosses of their parents. To hear what his son should be before he was, to hear that he should have such a son, a son whose birth should concern the joy of many, a son that should be great in the sight of the Lord, a son that should

be sacred to God, filled with God, beneficial to man, an harbinger to him that was God and man, was news enough to prevent the angel, and to take away that tongue with amazement, which was after lost with incredulity.

The speech was so good that it found not a sudden belief. This good news surprised Zachary. If the intelligence had taken leisure, that his thoughts might have had time to debate the matter, he had easily apprehended the infinite power of him that had promised; the pattern of Abraham and Sarah; and would soon have concluded the appearance of the angel more miraculous than his prediction; whereas now, like a man masked with the strangeness of that he saw and heard, he misdoubts the message, and asks, How shall I know? Nature was on his side; and alleged the impossibility of the event, both from age and barrenSupernatural tidings, at the first hearing, astonish the heart; and are entertained with doubts by those which upon further acquaintance give them the best welcome.

ness.

The weak apprehensions of our imperfect faith are not so much to be censured as pitied.

It is a sure way for the heart, to be prevented with the assurance of the omnipotent power of God, to whom nothing is impossible; so shall the hardest point of faith go down easily with us. If the eye of our mind look upward, it shall meet with nothing to avert or interrupt it; but if right forward, or downward, or round about, every thing is a block in our way.

There is a difference betwixt desire of assurance and unbelief. We cannot be too careful to raise up ourselves arguments to settle our faith; although it should be no faith, if it had no feet to stand upon, but discursive. In matters of faith, if reasons may be brought for the conviction of the gainsayers, it is well; if they be helps, they cannot be grounds of our belief.

In the most faithful heart there are some sparks of infidelity. So to believe that we should have no doubt at all is scarce incident unto flesh and blood. It is a great perfection if we have attained to overcome our doubts.

What did mislead Zachary but that which uses to guide others? reason. I am old, and my wife is of great age: as if years and dry loins could be any let to him which is able of very stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Faith and reason have their limits: where reason ends, faith begins; and if reason will be encroaching upon the bounds of

faith, she is straight taken captive by infidelity. We are not fit to follow Christ if we have not denied ourselves, and the chief piece of ourselves is our reason. We must yield God able to do that which we cannot comprehend, and we must comprehend that by our faith which is disclaimed by reason. driven out of doors that Sarah may rule alone.

Hagar must be

The authority of the reporter makes way for belief in things which are otherwise hard to pass; although in the matters of God we should not so much care who speaks, as what is spoken, and from whom. The angel tells his name, place, office, unasked; that Zachary might not think any news impossible that was brought him by an heavenly messenger.

Even where there is no use of language, the spirits are distinguished by names, and each knows his own appellation and others'. He that gave leave unto man, his image, to give names unto all his visible and inferior creatures, did himself put names unto the spiritual; and as their name is, so are they mighty and glorious.

But lest Zachary should no less doubt of the style of the messenger than of the errand itself, he is at once both confirmed and punished with dumbness. That tongue which moved the doubt must be tied up. He shall ask no more questions for forty weeks, because he asked this one distrustfully.

Neither did Zachary lose his tongue for the time, but his ears also. He was not only mute, but deaf; for otherwise, when they came to ask his allowance for the name of his son, they needed not to have demanded it by signs but by words. God will not pass over slight offences, and those which may plead the most colourable pretences, in his best children, without a sensible check. It is not our holy entireness with God that can bear us out in the least sin; yea rather, the more acquaintance we have with his majesty, the more sure we are of correction when we offend. This may procure us more favour in our well-doing, not less justice in evil.

Zachary stayed, and the people waited. Whether some longer discourse betwixt the angel and him than needed to be recorded, or whether astonishment at the apparition and news withheld him, I inquire not. The multitude thought him long; yet, though they could but see afar off, they would not depart till he returned to bless them. Their patient attendance without shames us that are hardly persuaded to attend within, while both our senses are

employed in our divine services, and we are admitted to be coagents with our ministers.

At last Zachary comes out speechless, and more amazes them with his presence than with his delay. The eyes of the multitude that were not worthy to see his vision, yet see the signs of his vision, that the world might be put into the expectation of some extraordinary sequel. God makes way for his voice by silence. His speech could not have said so much as his dumbness.

Zachary would fain have spoken, and could not; with us too many are dumb, and need not. Negligence, fear, partiality, stop the mouths of many which shall once say, "Woe to me, because I held my peace!"

His hand speaks that which he cannot with his tongue; and he makes them by signs to understand that which they might read in his face. Those powers we have, we must use.

But though he have ceased to speak, yet he ceased not to minister. He takes not this dumbness for a dismission, but stays out the eight days of his course; as one that knew the eyes and hands and heart would be accepted of that God which had bereaved him of his tongue. We may not straight take occasions of withdrawing ourselves from the public services of our God, much less under the Gospel. The Law, which stood much upon bodily perfection, dispensed with age for attendance. The Gospel, which is all for the soul, regards those inward powers which, while they are vigorous, exclude all excuses of our ministration.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF CHRIST. — Luke i.

The Spirit of God was never so accurate in any description as that which concerns the Incarnation of God. It was fit no circumstance should be omitted in that story whereon the faith and salvation of all the world dependeth. We cannot so much as doubt of this truth and be saved. No, not the number of the month, not the name of the angel, is concealed. Every particle imports not more certainty than excellence.

The time is the sixth month after John's conception, the prime of the spring. Christ was conceived in the spring, born in the solstice. He in whom the world received a new life receives life in the same season wherein the world received his first life from him; and he which stretches out the days of his Church,

and lengthens them to eternity, appears after all the short and dim light of the Law, and enlightens the world with his glory.

The messenger is an angel: a man was too mean to carry the news of the conception of God. Never any business was conceived in heaven that did so much concern the earth as the Conception of the God of heaven in womb of Earth. No less than an archangel was worthy to bear this tidings, and never any angel received a greater honour than of this embassage.

It was fit our reparation should answer our fall. An evil angel was the first motioner of the one to Eve, a virgin then espoused to Adam, in the garden of Eden; a good angel is the first reporter of the other to Mary, a virgin espoused to Joseph, in that place which, as the garden of Galilee, had a name from flourishing a.

No good angel could be the author of our restoration, as that evil angel was of our ruin. But that which those glorious spirits could not do themselves, they are glad to report as done by the God of spirits. Good news rejoices the bearer. With what joy did this holy angel bring the news of that Saviour in whom we are redeemed to life, himself established in life and glory!

The first preacher of the Gospel was an angel. That office must needs be glorious that derives itself from such a predecessor. God appointed his angel to be the first preacher, and hath since called his preachers angels.

The message is well suited. An angel comes to a virgin; Gabriel to Mary; he that was by signification the Strength of God, to her that was by signification exalted by God to the conceiving of him that was the God of Strength to a maid, but espoused; a maid, for the honour of virginity; espoused, for the honour of marriage. The marriage was in a sort made, not consummate; through the instinct of Him that meant to make her not an example, but a miracle of women.

In this whole work God would have nothing ordinary. It was fit that she should be a married virgin which should be a virginmother. He that meant to take man's nature without man's corruption would be the Son of man without man's seed; would be the Seed of the woman without man; and amongst all women of a pure virgin; but amongst virgins of one espoused, that there might be at once a witness and a guardian of her fruitful virginity. If the same God had not been the author of virginity and marriage, he had never countenanced virginity by marriage.

a [Nazareth, from 1, a branch.]