the suffering which his absence had occasioned her but when he reminds her that he had been about his Father's business, her slight murmur of disappointment is stilled.

And now that the object of his visit to the temple was obtained, the Lord of life dutifully returns with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth, where he continues subject unto them.

IV.

LUKE III. 3.

IN our last walk we left Jerusalem: and having proceeded northward a day's journey, turned off at length to the east.

been abiding in the river-the Jordan.

And since then we have

regions about this beautiful

Its banks are richly clothed

with shrubs, whose blossoms of gay and various colours are a continual delight to the eye. In some places they are of such vigorous growth, that they were wont to afford a safe shelter and abode to the lion and the leopard, beneath their entangled and interwoven branches; except at such times as the river, swollen with the rains, overflowed its banks, and inundating these retreats, sent their wild tenants to the upper valley. This event of frequent recurrence, may have given rise to that simile of the prophet Jeremiah,

C

"Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan." (Jer. xlix. 19; l. 44.)

Now let us go forth-we are approaching the wilderness; it is a wild and desolate place, amidst high and barren hills; it would seem as if nature had suffered some violent convulsion there.

A solitary man has been dwelling there unnoticed from his youth. But lately a fame of him has spread itself abroad, causing throughout Judea, a sensation, which we may liken to the swelling of the ocean before a coming storm.

Who is this man? John, the son of Zacharias, of whom the Prophet Isaiah spake. At this very time the word of God is come upon him, and his voice is heard, crying in the wilderness; and, lo! multitudes throng from every quarter to its sound not merely the thinly-scattered inhabitants of this wild shore, but Jerusalem and all Judea send forth their numbers. Thus, then, commences the fulfilment of that glorious prediction, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God."

We will mix with the crowd, and listen to the blessed proclamation.

Which party shall we choose to mingle with? Much of our comfort and profit will depend on the choice of our associates.

See, nearest to us, just at the foot of this rugged hill, a band of Pharisees from Jerusalem, and I gather from their words that they are priests and Levites sent by the Jews, to inquire of John, and ask him, Who art thou?' Their spirit is uncongenial; we will therefore look further. A few yards behind, stand a company of a more lowly mein; they are Publicans, and I hear them proposing the all-important question, 'How can we be saved?' This, then, shall be our party. But there are others, and I behold an interesting group on yonder sloping bank; a little band of soldiers: they are resting, for they have come from far to ask, "What shall we do?"

But see who approaches? It is he whom we look for he is clothed in garments of camels'-hair, and girded round the loins with a girdle of leather.

He first addresses the assembly nearest the mountains, which consists of a mixed multitude.

His words are. -" Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He tells them, that without a change of heart they cannot be subjects of that kingdom.

He now approaches the Pharisees; hearken to his words; they are not smooth words, but in the very spirit of Elias, he addresses them as a "generation of vipers." This sounds hard and harsh language, but he speaks not his own words; he utters the language of the Holy Ghost; the word of God visited him in the wilderness, and sent him forth thus to speak; let us therefore beware how we cavil. He warns them not to rest in the notion that they will be saved, because descended from Abraham; for he assures them that God is able of the very stones before them to raise up children to Abraham. tells them, that the axe is now laid to the root of every tree, let it grow in what soil it may, and that which bringeth not forth good fruit, will be cast into the fire.

He

They, whom he addresses, remain silent; but his words have reached with power the multitude, who, hearing their masters and teachers