Mark, but contains a great proportion of information altogether new, and nowhere else recorded. Here, and here only, we have many circumstances relating to the birth of John the Baptist-the history of Zacharias-the angel's coming to the Virgin Mary-Elisabeth's exclamation-the annunciation of Christ's birth to the shepherds; together with the circumstances of his birth-his full genealogy up to Adam-his disputing with the doctors in the templeand, not to enumerate more particulars, many excellent parables, such as the lost sheep, the lost piece of silver, the prodigal son, the rich man and Lazarus, and the Pharisee and the publican.

We shall now read over the greater part of this passage again, in order to notice a few things which do not fall so naturally under any of the particulars already adverted to.

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"Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration," or, as it might have been exactly rendered, to compose a history," "of those things which are most surely believed among us"—that is, of the circumstances of the life of Jesus Christ—which, having been confirmed by full evidence, are firmly credited by us Christians. You observe the boldness and confidence with which Luke speaks, as to the full and rational conviction with which the truths of the Gospel were received by the first believers. The many histories here mentioned must refer to some which are now lost, and not to those of Matthew and Mark; for, if these were written before Luke's, they could not with any propriety be called many. Nor can Luke be here referring to any of the spurious and heretical Gospels, for none of these were of such antiquity. Indeed, there is no hint here given that these writers had any evil intention. The probability therefore is, that he refers to some persons, who, being uninspired, wrote either with a positively good intention, or from a desire to gratify the curiosity of others, being directed on the whole by true accounts which they had received from eye-witnesses, but being in many points defective, and in some even perhaps mistaken. The second verse runs thus: "Even as they delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word." Those on whose authority the truth of the history of Christ chiefly rests, had the best opportunities of judging; they did not follow themselves, or impose on others, cunningly devised fables, but were eye-witnesses of what they testified; and in proof of their sincerity, renounced all for his sake, and became public preachers of his word.

These uninspired accounts, however, being so imperfect and erroneous, Luke considered himself called on, or rather, we should say, felt himself moved by the Holy Spirit, to write a full and accurate history. "It seemed good to me also," says he, "having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order." The word rendered, "having had perfect understanding," signifies having carefully followed out, and, of course, ascertained; but it does not limit our thoughts to any particular way of Luke's having acquired his knowledge. It would seem to contradict the second verse, to suppose that Luke was himself an eye-witness of the whole; and yet there is nothing said, either in the second or third verse, inconsistent with the idea of his having seen many things which he relates. If he was one of the seventy, he might not have been able to testify, from personal observation, the occurrences from the very beginning of the Gospel history; but he must have been present at many of the subsequent occurrences. In one way or other, he came to the certain knowledge of all that he related. There are some who think the word (v) rendered "from the very first," would have been better rendered, "from above." But whether Luke intended to express that idea or not, there can be no doubt, that in addition to every other advantage, he did enjoy heavenly aid, to suggest where suggestion was necessary, and to secure against error in the narration of the facts which he had ascertained by natural and common means. His writing, "in order," is not to be so strictly interpreted as to signify that every miracle, and discourse, and journey, and every minute circumstance, was to be recorded in the exact order of time; but only, that while the great leading facts were to be in the order of time, the whole was to form a properly digested, connected, and methodical history.

We are commencing, then, my friends, a course of study and of instruction, with which, if God spare us, we shall proceed as regularly as convenience may permit. The sermon and the lecture, as they are usually called, have both of them their advantages. It is important, according to the former method, to select a short passage, or even a single point, and to expatiate on it, and represent it in a variety of lights, and to urge its practical improvement at much length: that method is indeed peculiarly fitted to awaken and to impress. Lecturing-that is, preaching on a larger portion, in which a number of different subjects will often

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be found has also its peculiar recommendations. While the variety and occasional difficulties serve to arrest the attention, the whole is particularly calculated to convey information. Where a stated ministry is enjoyed, it is of great consequence to aim at a constant course of rational instruction; it being of much more importance that the affections should be reached through the medium of a well-furnished understanding, than excited by the studied and direct attempts of oratory and of art. It is an advantage, too, of lecturing straight on through a book, that it is the most likely way to secure a full representation of the whole counsel of God; for thus we do not cull out what, in our estimation, may be the easy or the favourite topics, but we take them just as we find them in the sacred pages. On this plan, also, many points which, on any other, could hardly be adverted to, without danger of our being suspected of personalities, fall naturally and unavoidably to be discussed. Besides, though such a book as this is professedly historical, the religion of doctrine and of practice is interwoven in a very instructive and engaging manner throughout. In this way, too, the great leading doctrines of the Gospel, though brought forward perhaps with less that is professedly argumentative, or exclusively prominent, are kept habitually before the mind, in due proportion, and in reference to real life, and presented, as it were, with an agreeable mellowness and raciness, or richness and freshness, to the spiritual taste.

Let us, then, be truly desirous to be impressed and edified by these exercises. Let us bring to them a disposition of humility, of teachableness, and of seriousness. Let us bring a disposition of implicit submission of understanding, of heart, and of conduct, to the dictates of this inspired work. And in order to our reaping any advantage from these records, let us habitually keep in mind the necessity of a believing dependence on the assistance of that Spirit who indited them; and let us be much in actual prayer, that he would be pleased to open our understandings to understand the Scriptures, and to take of the things of Christ and show them to us. Thus may we expect that the word which we expound, or hear expounded, will become profitable to us for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, and prove the means of making us wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

LECTURE II.

LUKE I. 5-25.'

"There was, in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren; and they both were now well stricken in years. 8. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9. According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19. And the angel answering, said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. 20. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23. And it came to pass that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25. Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.'

THE first four verses of this chapter contain the evangelist's preface, from which we took occasion to consider the author of this Gospel-its inspiration-the time at which it was written its language the person to whom it is dedicated

-some of its peculiar advantages, and some other particuars not included under any of these heads. Having in this preface skilfully and gracefully prepared the way, the evangelist enters immediately on the history of the Redeemer's harbinger. And whereas Matthew and Mark introduced John the Baptist to the notice of their readers at the advanced period of his preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and his baptizing his followers in Jordan, Luke commences with the Baptist's genealogy and birth, and states many particulars relating to his early history, which, though they had been far less remarkable in themselves, would have been interesting in reference to one who afterwards became so conspicuous, but which are peculiarly important as additional evidences of the divine mission, and additional illustrations of the office both of the Baptist himself, and of that illustrious Deliverer and King before whom he was to proceed as a pioneer to clear the way.

The evangelist begins with stating, in a general way, the time of the Baptist's conception-it was "in the days of Herod, the king of Judea." This is not Herod the tetrarch of Galilee, who was also called Antipas, of whom we read in the 3d chapter, full thirty years after, who beheaded John the Baptist, and who, with his men of war, set Jesus at nought. But this is Herod the son of Antipater, who was usually called Herod the Great. The history of this Herod is very eventful; but it is sufficient here to notice, that in the employment of the Roman government he conquered the Jews, and made his way to the throne by force, and by the slaughter of the Jewish sanhedrim, or council, in whom the supreme power resided. That council did, indeed, nominally exist afterwards; but its power of life and death, its sovereignty, was gone. The sceptre had now departed from Judah, and there was no longer a lawgiver of his posterity; the reality of power was no more, and the very shadow of it was soon to vanish; it was the time, then, for Shiloh to come, to whom the gathering of the people was to be. The exact year is not here mentioned; but according to the most generally received chronology, the conception of John took place in the sixth year before the commencement of the Christian era. It is true, that what we call the year of our Lord, leads us to think so many years have passed since his birth; but it is pretty well ascertained that the first year of our era would not go farther back than to four years after his birth.