his forerunner, John the Baptist, was commissioned to cry, Prepare ye the way of THE LORD, (Jehovah) make straight in the desart an high-way for OUR GOD-But we need not multiply words on this subject, since the voice of inspiration universally proclaims him to have been, "God manifest in the flesh," "God over all, blessed for ever"e-]. 2. That the knowledge of Christ is of universal importance [It was through all "the cities of Judah," and with her "voice lifted up with strength," that the daughter of Zion was to celebrate the Messiah's advent-And whence the need of such zeal and labour, but on account of the universal importance of those glad tidings?-Indeed there is no other thing which men so much need to be acquainted with as the work and offices of Christ-No attainments can save them, if they be ignorant of Christ; nor can any past sins condemn them, if they be truly acquainted with this divine Saviour" This, as our Lord himself tells us, is life eternal, to know God as the only true God, and Jesus Christ" as our mediator and advocate with the Father-So excellent is this knowledge, that St. Paul "counted all things but loss and dung in comparison of it"-It is the one mean of obtaining reconciliation with God, peace of conscience, and deliverance from the power of sinh-O that all were aware how deeply they are interested in receiving these glad tidings!-We should proclaim them with infinitely greater pleasure, if we had not so much reason to complain, that "they are counted as a strange thing"] Taking for granted these fundamental and indisputable truths, we shall II. Endeavour to execute the commission The text does not limit us to any particular point of view in which we are to behold our God; we shall therefore direct your attention to him 1. As descending from heaven [Lo! he comes from his bright abode: but in what form does he appear? Does he descend in solemn pomp, attended with myriads of the heavenly host? Does he visit the palaces of the great, and assume our nature in its most dignified appearance? No: He is born of an obscure virgin, and has no better place for his reception than a stable-Go, look into his mean abode; see him wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and lying in a d Ver. 3. e 1 Tim. iii. 16. Rom. ix. 5. g Phil. iii. 8. i Hos. viii. 12. manger; look, I say, and behold your GOD!-What marvellous condescension! how does it almost exceed belief! yet, incredible as it appears, we must again say, Behold your God-] 2. As sojourning on earth [Surely, no sooner could his incarnation be known, than all the world, like the eastern magi, must flock to worship him:k so one might reasonably hope: but what is that "weeping and lamentation" that we hear? The young child's life is sought: the children from two years old and under are massacred through the whole district, that no possibility may be left for his escape: and he is saved only by the special interposition of his heavenly Father. See his parents fleeing with him by night to a distant, an heathen, land, nor daring to return to their native country till the death of their blood-thirsty persecutor! But this was only the beginning of sorrows-View him afterwards when he assumed his proper office as the Prophet of his church: no sooner did he open his commission, than the short-lived applause afforded him, was turned into the most cruel indignation; and, if he had not by an exertion of his own almighty power effected his escape, his very first sermon had proved his last-But to pass over to the period of his death -Whom is it that we see prostrate on the ground, and bathed in a bloody sweat? Who is it that those cruel soldiers are mocking, buffeting, scourging? Who is it that is nailed to yonder cross; and that we see expiring under such an accumulated weight of shame and misery?-To all this we answer, Behold your GOD-] 3. As exalted to glory [Hitherto we have witnessed nothing but his humiliation -But the shame of his cross was quickly rolled away-In vain were the stone, the seal, the watch; he burst the bands of death, and rose triumphant-Henceforth we are to view him ascending amidst myriads of exulting angels, sitting on the throne of his glory, dispensing blessings to the church below, and receiving the adorations of his church above-Sinners, lift up thine eyes to heaven, and behold thy once crucified, but now exalted, Redeemer-Now he shines forth in all his glory, and says to thee, even to thee, "Behold me, behold me"" that every eye might see him, and that all, who have pierced him by their sins, might mourn and be in bitterness, as one that mourneth for his first-born son!"-Soon indeed all shall see him: the time is shortly coming, when he will descend from heaven again, not however to stand, as before, like a criminal m Luke iv. 28-30. at man's tribunal, but to execute judgment on the assembled universe; and then, happy shall they be who have beheld him here with suitable affection; they shall behold his face with inexpressible delight; and be the spectators of his glory and the partners of his throne to all eternity-] ADDRESS 1. The careless [Know you what the sins, which you commit so lightly, have occasioned? Go to Calvary and behold your God; and then judge whether sin be so light and venial a matter as you are ready to imagine! The Jews and Romans were the immediate actors in that bloody tragedy; but your sins, and the sins of an ungodly world, were the real occasion of all that your God endured; and, while you continue in your sins, you "crucify him afresh, and put him to an open shame"-Ah! Did David cast away the water, for which the lives of three men had been endangered, and will not you cast away the sins which have actually shed the blood of God?P-Let this thought induce you to put away the polluted cups from your lips; and let "the love of Christ constrain you to live unto him who died for and rose again"—] 2. The heavy laden you [To you especially the Saviour cries, "Look unto me, and be ye saved," ""Come unto me and find rest unto your souls"Consider well, who it is that thus invites you; it is your Saviour, and your God: there can be no want of efficacy in his blood, or of power in his arm: he is a strong rock, a sure foundation, an all-sufficient help-Trust then in him; and, as a sight of the brazen serpent healed the dying Israelite, so shall a view of your divine Saviour prove an effectual remedy for all your wants-You shall soon, like Thomas, exclaim with holy rapture," My Lord and my God;" or, in the language long since dictated to you by the spirit of prophecy, "Lo, this is OUR GOD; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him: we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation"] P 2 Sam. xxiii. 16, 17. 1 Isai. xxv. 9. Vol. II. & g CLXII. CHRIST'S QUALIFICATIONS FOR HIS OFFICE. Isai. xi. 2, 3. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. THE richest promises which God has given to the church, are generally introduced after some awful threatening denounced against his enemies. The prophet has been predicting the utter ruin of the Assyrians, as of a tree cut down to the very stump. He then contrasts the state of the church, to which the Messiah should come, springing like a tender sucker from the root of Jesse, after that his family should have been reduced to the lowest state of degradation. He then, in reference perhaps to what he had before spoken respecting "the anointing," shews who this anointed person should be, and what was that unction with which he should be consecrated to his office. From the words of the text, which beyond all doubt refer to Christ, the son of David, we shall be led to consider I. His qualifications for his office The same Spirit that formed Christ's body in the virgin's womb, endowed also his soul with all the faculties requisite for the discharge of his high office [Jesus Christ, as a man, needed to have his mind enlightened, and his heart sanctified, even as other men: nor could he have been qualified for his mediatorial work, if he had not been anointed in a superabundant measure, by the Holy Ghost. God therefore anointed him,d and caused the Spirit to rest upon him,dd not merely for a time, and for a limited purpose, as he had done to others, but in an immeasurable fulness, and for every end for which he could possibly need it.s e The Spirit came upon him as a "Spirit of wisdom and a Ch. x. 27. d Acts x. 38. f John iii. 34. b Matt. i. 18, 20. e Ps. xlv. 7. e Numb. xi. 25, 26. understanding." He gave to Jesus a full and comprehensive view of all the mysteries which from eternity had been hid in the bosom of the Father: and enabled him also to discern the most secret recesses of men's hearts; so that nothing, either in heaven or in earth, was concealed from him.1 The Spirit, as "a spirit of counsel and might," instructed him how to conduct himself in all those situations of difficulty and danger into which he was continually brought; and endued him with such undaunted courage, unwearied activity, and invincible patience, that through the whole course of his ministry he never yielded to discouragement, or erred by inadvertence.m The Spirit further enriched his soul with "the knowledge (or rather, with the love") and fear of God." Through his incessant operations, he was enabled to maintain a continual sense of the divine presence, and to act in all things with a view to his Father's glory. Under the influence of this divine principle He was carried on in one steady course, like the sun in its orbit, causing his light to shine with unclouded splendor through the whole period of his sojourning on earth.] By these means Jesus attained the most consummate holiness [The terms whereby the prophet expresses the quickness of Christ's spiritual perceptions, are taken from that power of smelling; which some animals possess, and which admirably represents the exquisite sensibility which our Lord possessed with respect to every thing that was right and fitting to be said or done. His enemies of every description, Herodians, Pharisees, and Sadducees, endeavoured to ensnare him. Sometimes they tempted him with questions, which, in whatever way they should be answered, would give them occasion against him: but he invariably replied with such consummate wisdom as defeated their purposes, and filled them with admiration." Sometimes they sought opportunity to entrap him by means of his actions:, but still he was proof against their malice, and always turned their efforts to their own confusion. He knew on all occasions how to vary his conduct, so as ultimately to Vitringa thinks that the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit are here enumerated. See Rev. i. 4. and v. 6. but we rather suppose that bach couplet (not each expression) is to be taken separately, as declaring, in a comprehensive manner, the operations of the Holy Spirit. i John viii. 28. 1 John xxi. 17. k Matt. ix. 4. m Isai. xlii. 2, 4, 6. and 1. 4, 7. • John viii. 29. "See Vitringa in loc. ¶ John viii. 46. and xvii. 4. r Matt. xxii. 16-21, 23-33, 34–40. John viii. 3-9. Luke vi. 6—11. |