differently, and have had, not a poor, defpifed, fuf fering Redeemer, but, what the Jews wifhed for, a temporal Meffiah, who fhould poffefs fupreme dominion, dazzle the eyes of every obferver, by his pomp and magnificence, and conftrain all the nations of the earth to bow with unfeigned fubjection to him. It was otherwife appointed by the unerring wifdom of God; and, fo far from being offended at the mean appearance of Jefus, we fhould contemplate with profound adoration the gracious purposes of it. Yet it is faid, "we beheld his glory *." There refided a glory in him, which his fpiritual people difcovered, and which fometimes broke forth to the confufion of his enemies; a glory far fuperior to all the grandeur of conquerors and kings. Indeed, there was a wonderful contrast in the various circumstances which attended the Saviour's abode on earth: for the most exalted dignity and the deepest abasement were united in him. Such a Meffiah the ancient prophecies describe, and therefore fuch an one the Jews ought to have expected. They might have learned, that "the holy One of Ifrael," and the afflicted, fuffering Meffiah was the fame Redeemer. May all our prejudices against him be removed; and, while we hear of his coming in the flesh, may we be difpofed to receive him into our hearts, and with loud hofannas welcome his approach, crying, "Bleffed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hofanna in the higheft!"-We confider, for the prefent, I. His miraculous conception. This, as well as some other incidents preceding his nativity, demands our regard. We have already feen, that the providence of God had made great preparations for him, and that the various predictions of the infpired writers had raised among the Jews a general expectation of a glorious Deliverer. Thofe, who studied the fa # John i. 14. cred cred oracles, and carefly oblerved the ftate of their nation, could not but perceive, that the exact period marked out both by Jacob and Dan ei for the appearance of SHILOH, MESSIAH, THE PRINCE, muft be near at hand *. They were therefore, “looking for redemption in Ifrael," and at last they obtained the object of their hope. At the appointed feason," in the fulness of time," the Saviour was announced. But who was the favoured intrument of bringing him into the world? It had been declared, that he was to be "the Son of David according to the flesh," and therefore that he should be born of some descendant of that king of Iírael. But he was likewife to be the Son of God: for he must be “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from finners +:" and, that the corruption of our fallen nature might not be communicated to him, he must be conceived, and his body produced, in a very different way from any other man. It was accordingly provided in the divine counfels, and foretold by the prophet Ifaiah, that "a VIRGIN fhould conceive, and bear a son, and should call his name IMMANUEL ‡.” Let Infidels cavil as they please, and ftrain their ingenuity to invent objections to this fcheme, and represent the whole as abfurd and impoffible, we will still admire the power and wisdom of God in it, and maintain, that He, who originally "formed man of the duft of the ground," could by this, or any other expedient which he fhould choofe, prepare a fpotless body for the refidence of his own Son. A pious female of the house and lineage of David, d, but not then joined in marriage, to Jofeph idant of the fame family, Mary the bleffed was appointed to be the mother of the Saour, which many holy women in If rael had afpired to, for ages before *. Both fhe and her expected husband were placed in a mean fituation; but they poffeffed a peculiar excellency of character, and obtained the notice of heaven. The Lord paffed by the mighty, the noble, and the learned of the earth, and poured contempt upon all worldly pageantry, when he fubmitted to appear in the lowest rank, and to be born of so poor and obscure a perfon. Yet even upon that occafion, his dignity and glory were displayed. One of the highest order of the celeftial fpirits, Gabriel, was commiffioned to inform the pious Virgin of the counfels of God concerning her, and to declare the name and the office of that illustrious offspring, which fhe was to produce by a miraculous conception through the energy of the Holy Ghoft. "Behold," said he, " thou fhalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and fhalt call his name JESUS. He fhall be great, and fhall be called the Son of the Higheft; and the Lord God fhall give unto him the throne of his father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there fhall be no end." Intelligence of this fupernatural effect, which immediately took place, was not long afterwards given by a heavenly meffenger to Jofeph the betrothed hufband of Mary +. He had perceived her pregnancy, and, not knowing the caufe, could not but fufpect her integrity, and therefore wifhed to break off his engagements with her. To relieve him from his anxiety, the angel explained to him her real fituation, encouraged him to receive her as his wife, and directed him to call the child, whom the fhould bear, by the fignificant name of JESUS, denoting his office as the SAVIOUR, and the deliverance from fin, which he accomplishes for his people. Thus Jofeph became his reputed father; for, agreeably to the divine man+ Mat. i. 18-25. #Luke i. 26-56. date, date," he took unto him Mary his wife." But the conception was immaculate; as he knew her not, till fhe had brought forth her firft-born Son." Here, then, we contemplate the Son of God, "made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law." This is "the Seed of the woman,” ," who was appointed to "bruise the serpent's head +." This is the Seed of Abraham," in whom, it is promifed, that "all the families of the earth fhall be bleffed t." This is that illuftrious progeny of David, of whom it was declared, that "the throne of his kingdom fhall be established for ever." Peculiar care is taken by the Evangelifts, to prove, that in this, as well as every other respect, he fulfilled the ancient predictions. Accordingly, St. Matthew records his genealogy from David and from Abraham, by the fide of Jofeph his reputed father; and St. Luke traces his origin not only from David, but from Adam, in the line of Mary his real mother S. Are we suitably affected by the mysterious truth, which we maintain, that Jefus, who was the Lord of David, became his Son +? The conception of the Saviour was the most astonishing event which had ever been known upon the earth before. The first formation of the world may justly excite our wonder: but that is nothing in comparison of the incarnation, when the Creator ftooped to be a creature. What power, what condefcenfion, what grace are difplayed in it! It should not be forgotten, that it was "for us men and for our falvation, He, by whom all things were made, came down from heaven, and was incar *Gal. iv. 4, 5. Gen. xxii. 18. + Gen. iii. 15. 2 Sam. vii. 13. The accounts of the two Evangelifts are thus eafily reconciled, by allowing, that Jofeph, whom St. Luke calls the fon of Heli," was his adopted fon, or fon-in-law, by marrying his daughter Mary. + Mat. xxii. 45. nate nate by the Holy Ghoft, of the Virgin Mary, and was made man *." Let us study the subject, not with the cold indifference of curiofity or fpeculation, but with humble and devout affections, till we feel the fire of divine love burn within us, conftraining us to fing aloud with Mary, "My foul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in GOD MY SAVIOUR †.' We proceed to confider II. His nativity. All things, it fhould feem, were in a state of readiness and preparation for his introduction into the world, excepting one circumftance. An ancient prophecy had determined, that the Mesfiah fhould be born in Bethlehem; and Mary dwelt at Nazareth, which was at no fmall distance from it t." How, then, fhall that scripture be fulfilled? The providence of God can easily remove the greatest apparent difficulties, and, in a myfterious way, make all creatures fubfervient to his own purposes. We do not obferve, that Mary contrived or wished to change her refidence with a view to the prediction; for, probably, that was not attended to at the time. But the mind of a heathen prince, though he acted only from political motives, was influenced to accomplish this event. The Roman emperor Auguftus, became the inftrument of performing the divine counfels. For, in confequence of a general enrolment of all the inhabitants of Judea, which he had commanded, they were obliged to repair to the place, where the original inheritance of their families lay Jofeph and Mary, then, in obedience to the edict, went to Bethlehem the city of David, as being his defcendants, where their names were to be register ed: and, during their continuance in that town, for fo it had been ordered by the appointment of Heaven, the proper season of her delivery came. Nicene Creed. Mic. v. 2. Mat. ii. 5. John vii. 42. + Luke i: 46, 47. Luke ii. 1, &c. |