notwithstanding he that is east in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he: and from the days of John the Baptist, until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force-for all the prophets and and the law prophesied until John, and if ye will receive it, this is Elias which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear let him hear." Mat. xi. 11-15. John lived in the wilderness of Judea; and it was in the wilderness that he commenced his ministry:-"The word of God came unto John, the son of Zachariah, in the wilderness, and he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins." Luke iii. 2, 3. John's office was to prepare the way of the Lord-that is, he was, by preaching, to prepare the minds of the people to receive the Lord and his doctrine, when he would make his appearance among them. How necessary it was that John should announce the near approach of Christ, and that the people should prepare for his appearance!--notwithstanding the Jews having the scriptures of the prophets, they were in a dark and bewildered state. That John was a preacher of the Gospel is very evident from what we can read in the 1st chapter of Mark: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it is written in the prophets--Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee -the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”

John in a very short time attracted the attention of all sorts of people. Though he performed no miracles, yet his very singular and austere appearance and living, as well as the new doctrine which he promulgated, cause thousands to flock to his ministry; and many mused in

He gave

them

their hearts if he was not the Messiah. to understand that he was not the Messiah: "And he confessed and denied not, but confessed I am not the Christ." John i. 20. And at another time, alluding to his ministry, he publicly declared, that "he would decrease, but that Christ would increase." John iii. 30. And when John's ministry was superseded by Christ's, then it was that John was cast into a dreary prison, where he was sorely tempted. John, like all the children of God, had to be proved. The devil now tries his best to overcome this holy man, and get him, if possible, to recant his principles. He no doubt accosted John and said; You certainly must be under strong delusion, for if Christ was the Messiah, he would be mindful of you, and not suffer you, his forerunner, to be confined in a solitary prison. John, in the midst of his temptations, for his own comfort and more especially for the benefit of his disciples, sends a message to Christ: "And John calling unto him two his disciples, sent them unto Jesus, saying, art thou he that should come, or look we for another." Luke vii. 19. In all this John did not deny Christ; but as he had strong confidence in Christ, he knew that he would receive such an answer as would at once silence the temptations of this infernal enemy. I do not believe that John was often in the company of Christ-it is evident that he was not personally acquainted with him, until he applied unto him for baptism; then it was by divine inspiration that he recognized the Messiah in the person of Jesus Christ, and immediately pointed him out to the people as the Lamb of God: "And I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." John i. 33. John had taught the people, that when Christ would come, that he would

"baptize them with fire and with the Holy Ghost." Mat. iii. 11.

God gave John a sign by which he might know this personage-namely, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him. Is not this something remarkable, that John did not know Christ -that he was not revealed unto him, until he had nearly finished his ministry? I verily believe that Christ had something very particular in view, in as much as he did not associate himself more with John than he did. We do not read of their being together but at the time of his baptism. The only construction that I can put upon this matter is, that Christ did not wish to give any room for suspicion. It may be, that if John and Christ had been very intimate, and been frequently together, that it might have been conjectured by some, that it was a mere scene, or plot, which they had laid to deceive the human family. At the time John's disciples delivered their message, yea, in the very same hour, Chirst performed a great many miracles. Christ charged the messengers to go and tell John what they had seen and heard, &c. Luke vii. 20-22. No doubt but much to hear of the wonderful works of Jesus Christ. The last account that we have of John, is that he was beheaded for reproving Herod for a breach of the law, Mat. xiv.; Lev. xvii. 16-xx. 21.

John rejoiced very

CHAPTER IV.

THE CONCEPTION, BIRTH, LIFE, DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST.

THE Evangelist St. Luke, is very particular in giving us a history of the conception and birth of Emanuel, God with us. He tells us, that the angel Gabriel was

commissioned by the Almighty, to inform the virgin Mary that she would be the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. The dazzling appearance of the angel, as well as the message he delivered, was so strange and came so unexpectedly, that the mind of t nis holy woman became troubled, upon which the angel charged her not to fear. Fear not, Mary, for behold tho u shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus; he shall be great, and shall be called the son of the highest, and the Lord God shall gi ve unto him the thorne of his fatther David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kinga om there shall be no end. Mary took courage and asked the angel for more information concerning this strange and wonderful news. Then said Mary unto the angel; "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man. And the angel answered and said unto her; The Holy Ghost sh all come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore, that holy thing which shall o e born of thee, shall be called the Son of God." Mary be lieved in the word delivered by the angel, or she would not have conceived, and said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord-be it unto me according unto thy word. (See Luke i. 26-39.)

As respects the body of Jesus Christ, it is genera lly acknowledged that he had a human body, a body li «e unto the children of men; but whether he derived his body, that is, took flesh and blood, from the Virgin Mary is a disputed point by some. However, it is plainly revealed, that the body of Christ was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, Luke i. 31; and that he took flesh and blood, Heb. ii. 14. The apostle does not say whether he did, or did not derive his body from Mary. It may be, that the apostle was not so inquisitive as we are, to pry into such matters, the knowledge of which would