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he may listen to the universe, hymning its song of praise and gratitude, as, disrobing itself of its sombre mantle, and awaking in all beauty and loveliness, it reflects the image of its Governor and upholder ;-but as he turns away from these objects, still unsatisfied, he cries "these are all evidences that GOD IS. I yearn after a knowledge of the relation in which He stands to ME."

Man's yearnings and expectations presaged a Divine incarnation. The hint was given by tradition, and upon this vague conception endless theories were constructed, and the most fanciful speculations indulged in. During a long succession of the Hebrew seers, the eyes of the faithful were directed to the guiding-star of their pilgrimage, and the Sun of their hope. He who should arise upon the nations, and bid the universe rejoice in His beams. So minute did the prophecies ultimately become, that the place, the time, and the circumstances under which He should appear were distinctly narrated. A manger in Bethlehem is the scene of the Advent; angels, ever bent upon their mission of mercy, herald His nativity to the shepherds, and then a multitude of the heavenly host struck that key-note which has been-and ever shall be -the distinguishing glory of the gospel, till all men of all climes and colors shall be united in universal brotherhood, and shall consummate the burden of their song, แ "glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.' 11%

The life of Jesus, as sketched in the gospels, is one of the most deeply interesting subjects that can engage our attention. We see the accumulated beams of prophecy settle down in concentrated radiance upon Him, and marking Him out as He to whom "all the prophets gave

* Luke, ii., 14.

witness; we see Him assume the form of feeble and afflicted humanity, veiling the Deity enshrined within, and though sinless, meekly bearing the ills that flesh is heir to; we witness the mighty miracles which attend His fiat, and unequivocally bespeak in Him the great power of God; we behold in Him wisdom which subtlety could not perplex,-prudence which artifice could not ensnare,— patience which provocation could not ruffle,-fidelity and courage which danger could not daunt,-love and compassion which hatred and ingratitude could not restrain,truth, undisguised and unimpeachable, clad in its richest and most engaging drapery,—the incarnation of all moral virtues and spiritual perfections: and as He journeyed through the towns and villages of Judea and the surrounding country, marking every step with blessing and mercy, there were many, doubtless, to whom His words were as rain to the thirsty ground, and who eagerly hung upon His lips to catch the droppings of comfort and encouragement; many broken-hearted came to be bound up, many captives to be set at liberty, many poor to have proclaimed to them the acceptable year of the Lord: but we are also led to infer that a number considered Him as an aspirant to regal dignity, and would gladly have welcomed Him as the deliverer of their country from the galling yoke of Roman servitude. This latter course-that of complying with the preconceptions and prejudices of the common people-might have seemed to be the most efficient means for accomplishing the object for which He became incarnate; and it would also have harmonized with the expositions of their Doctors, who, interpreting the glowing language of Isaiah literally instead of figuratively and spiritually, pictured to themselves an august personage who would cast down the hated Roman eagle, seize the reins of government, and by his conquest exalt

them in the scale of nations. But as we turn over the sublime pages of the "evangelical prophet," and our spirits catch a measure of the life with which they are instinct, we see that although the Messiah, the Redeemer, is "the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace," He is also the "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:" "stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted:" and "with" whose "stripes we are healed."+

We must bear in mind that at the time when Jesus appeared, Judea was a Roman province, governed frequently by the caprice of cruel and avaricious tetrarchs; and that the people, in addition to having lost their nationality, groaned under the burden of the heavy taxes imposed upon them, besides being subject to the extortions of greedy taxgatherers; and when we take these circumstances into the account, remembering likewise the strong national and educational prejudices of the Jews, we will not be so astonished—as we sometimes are-that they should look coldly upon a deliverer who promised no earthly liberation, but rather inculcated the duty of obedience to civil authority; who enjoined a rigid code of morals, so different to the law casuistry then in vogue; the embracing of whose religion, in many instances, involved the severance of family ties and the sacrifice of social enjoyments :--we need not wonder that they regarded such a deliverer with contempt and his promised freedom as a fanatic's dream. If such was the case during our Lord's life, think you that it would improve after his death? Would THE CRUCIFIED, covered with opprobrium by the Jewish Sanhedrim, and greeted with the scoffs and curses of a fiendish rabble,—would He be likely to prove attractive to the haughty Jew or the polished Greek? The very manner of His death seemed to preclude + Ibid LIII., 3-5.

* Isaiah, IX., 6.

all hope of their ever espousing his cause, or adopting the cross as their ensign and watch-word. The death of the cross was a Roman punishment, regarded as the basest and most ignominious death, deserved by and inflicted. only upon traitors and slaves, and was considered by the judges as "the utmost torment, the extremest punishment." The view that the Romans entertained of such a death is thus forcibly represented by Cicero:—“To bind a Roman citizen is daring wickedness; to inflict stripes upon him is a most flagrant crime; to kill him is almost an act of parricide; but what epithet sufficiently opprobrious can be invented to describe the base and flagitious deed of that vile wretch who dares to affix to the cross a citizen of Rome."* Well then might the Apostle say, "Christ crucified is a stumbling-block to the Jew, and foolishness to the Greek." Let us in imagination visit the scene:-Hurried from the hall of judgment, where He had been scourged by the soldiers, and crowned in bitter mockery with a circlet of thorns,-His face wet with the spittings of the mob who clamor for His blood,-faint and weary He sinks beneath the burden of the cross,—He arrives at Golgotha, strong in spirit to consummate the sacrifice which shall atone for man,-calmly He surveys the tumultuous crowd around Him, as raised upon the cross, He is suspended between heaven and earth as if unworthy of either, a smile of satisfaction seems to light up the countenances of the infuriate spectators, whilst those nearest assail Him with coarse jest and profane ribaldry, and even the thieves who suffer beside Him join in their taunts,-how abject and helpless to all appearance ! But we behold there the SON OF GOD bruising the head of man's mortal enemy; He who had been foreshadowed

* Vide "The Morning Exercises," vol. v., p. 220, note, Ed., Nichols.

by the whole Mosaic economy, whom Abraham rejoiced to see, whom David so sweetly sung, whom Isaiah so vividly portrayed; He the expectation of the universe, for whom nature in her agonising throes groaned and wept; He for whom the Gentiles groped in the dark, for whose manifestation they earnestly longed; and just as His sun seemed to set in utter oblivion, it only emerged the more brightly from behind the clouds which obscured its rays, and poured its rich effulgence upon our world, dispersing at once the gloom of Jewish bigotry and Gentile superstition, and revealing the path of life, opened up through God's inflexible justice, by His infinite love and mercy. Well might angels gaze amazed at the spectacle, and hush their hallelujahs as in silent awe they caught a glimpse of the grand mystery of Deity; well might the hosts of darkness wonder what new phase in man's redemption was now displayed; well might creation respond that solemn "Amen " to His expiring cry; well might nature be convulsed to her centre, for the curse so long blighting her fairest productions, and marring her beautiful proportions was then arrested, and has since been wearing out, and will continue to wear out, till these elements, purified from every taint of sin shall re-blossom in fruits of righteousness, and she shall appear the fit habitation for the redeemed of the Lord.

The Jews and Greeks held each other in supreme contempt, and cherished unequivocal sentiments of antipathy and dislike. The Greeks considered the Jews as infinitely beneath their regard, as the most barbarous and uncultivated of the human race; while the Jews looked upon them as doomed to destruction, as excluded from the least hope of salvation; consequently their animosity was bitter and mutual. Nor were their moral pursuits any more congruous than their national prejudices. The

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