how the angel had confirmed these tidings by assuring her that far off in the city of Hebron, to her "cousin Elisabeth" God had "shown great mercy," and that to her a son should be born in her old age. All this Joseph heard, but he believed it not. He could not take Mary to his heart, nor allow her to share his home. "He was minded to put her away." He treated her tenderly. He did all he could to avoid public disgrace, for he resolved to put her away "privately." All this Mary foresaw when she accepted, with holy resignation, the mission of shame and woe to which she was called. She cast all her care upon God, uttering her faith in these impressive words: "He that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name." She left the future with God, knowing that "He is his own interpreter, and he can make it plain."

Doomed to bitter disappointment, with his hopes blighted, and his affianced bride in deep disgrace, with gloomy thoughts in his heart, while he felt the heavy pressing hand of God on him, Joseph laid down on his couch to sleep. The same celestial messenger that "stood on the right side of the altar of incense," while Zacharias stood in the temple of the Lord; the same angel who announced to Mary the great honor conferred upon her, in that hereafter she should be “blessed among women;" in a dream communicated to Joseph all that was needful to confirm the story of Mary. His fears were dissipated. He threw the shield of his confidence and position over the virgin mother. He guarded, cherished, and protected her. And when the fullness of time had come

he started with her from their lowly cottage in Nazareth toward Bethlehem, to fulfill, all unconsciously to themselves, the word of God spoken to their fathers many years before, that in Bethlehem Ephratah the King of Zion should be born.

Few scenes are more worthy of the pencil of the artist than the interview between Mary and Elisabeth. The one, a peasant maiden from the hills of Nazareth, scarcely known beyond the circle of her own relations; in the morning of her life, artless, spotless, and of unblenching piety; excited and alarmed at the strange visitation of the Prime Minister of Heaven; conscious of the taunts and jeers that must beset her pathway; resolving to visit her cousin, and ascertain for herself what God was doing in that Hebron home; alone, foot-sore and weary, traveling the whole distance between the two cities, yet fainting not, faltering not, till the blue smoke of Elisabeth's cottage was seen ascending toward the skythe other, an aged woman, well stricken in years, to whom God had showed distinguished mercy. She, watching and waiting for Mary, who came in haste to her house, and, before the maiden had opened her lips, or had gained breath to utter the great secret that troubled her soul, saluted her as the "Mother of her Lord,” and, with a loud voice, saying: "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." Mary's burden was gone and her fears dissipated; with exultant spirit she could shout back, "My soul doth magnify the Lord. My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, for he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden, for be

hold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed."

And when the time came that Jesus should become incarnate, Joseph, the just man, went with Mary into the City of David, and stood by her in her great agony, as she laid down upon the straw, that the Prince of Life might be born.

"Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining:

Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore him in slumber reclining-

Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all."

VI.-CALVARY AND THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST.

"While Jews on their own law rely,

And Greeks of wisdom boast,

I love the incarnate mystery,

And there I fix my trust."

THE divinity of Christ is the great fact of revelation. It is the central truth, around which the system of grace and mercy revolves. Into it angels desired to look. God manifest in the flesh is the mystery of godliness. No other than a divine being could atone for sins. Like all the great truths of revelation, there is no attempt to prove it in the Gospels. It is asserted, and the grand doctrines that grow out of it are assumed. There is no argument to prove the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, or a future judgment. To "come to God, we must believe that he is." "The spirit that goes to God" at death, and the germ that survives the decay of the body of the seed-corn, and the tenant that walks out of the house that is to be taken down or dissolved, are the scriptural illustrations of the undying nature of the soul. The judgment is simply asserted. Men are warned to flee from the wrath to come, for "after death is the judgment."

"We look at the name of Jesus, and find it to be the Mighty God and the Everlasting Father." It was He who stood in the presence of God when the deep foundations of the earth were laid, as the morning

stars sang, and the sons of God shouted for joy. John looked on him, as he walked among men, and knew him as the "Word made flesh," by "whom all things were made," who in the "beginning was with God, and was God, without whom was not any thing made that was made." In the furnace he shielded his faithful ones, appearing to them, as to the king in "the form of the Son of God." Being neither a man nor an angel, but superior to both, he is represented as debating in which form he would come to earth, either being a humiliation, and either within his grasp. He chose the garb of the seed of Abraham, as the more debasing. When he made the choice he was in the form of God, and it was then no robbery to be equal with God. Yet to die on the cross it was needful that he should surrender his divine form, be born of a woman, and "be made in the likeness of sinful man."

We have no controversy with those who speak of Jesus as a man; who talk of his sonship and subordination; who tell us that he was cold, weary, hungry, houseless, and poor. We accept him as human. He dwelt among men, and was touched with all the infirmities of our nature when he took it on him. But, after this is admitted, what is to be done with that large class of texts that as really assert that he is divine? That ascribe to him the sacred name and attributes of God, call him "the creation of God," "the Builder of the universe," "God manifest in the flesh"? Which teach that the Jesus whom men loved and followed was the "true God and Eternal Life"? We find no difficulty here. We accept all