accents of the human voice. But can this be a degradation of their superior nature? No: it is its glory and perfection. To descend to those who are below us, to spire after greater resemblance to those who are above us, in this consists the real excellency of a created being. We cannot imitate angels in their intelligence and elevation, but in their condescension and humility we may, and we ought. nary personage should be introduced upon What a contrast have we here, between the rank of the messenger and of the person to whom the message is addressed! But the presence and purpose of God level all distinctions. Mary, the mother of our Lord, rises, and Gabriel sinks, for the Son of God himself, the Lord of angels, is about to "take upon him the form of a servant." The evangelists are minutely particular in detailing the circumstances which concurred to impress the characters of truth and importance on this event. This spirit of prophecy had lately and unexpectedly been revived in the persons of Simeon and of Anna, and of others who were waiting for the consolation of Israel. The extraordinary case of Zacharias and Elisabeth, which was well known to all who attended the worship of the temple, must have excited the public attention and expectation. This is followed, six months after, by a case still more extraordinary, more out of the course of nature, and of still higher moment, and of equal notoriety. Opportunity was thereby afforded to the suspicious and incredulous to inquire and examine: that inquiry must lead to the discovery of a cloud of witnesses, lying dormant in books universally held sacred, but neglected, misunderstood, and misapplied: life and sub-favour to them. This interview produced stance, meaning and lustre, are in a moment given to them by well known and undeniable facts. No appearance of art or industry is discernible, but a simple, easy, natural transition from one thing to another. The appearances, indeed, are out of the ordinary course of nature; but they are narrated as mere ordinary things; and the descent of an archangel, and his speech and demeanour are described with no more parade of words. no more labour of thought, than the springing of an ear of corn, or the fall of a sparrow to the ground. This majestic, dignified ease marks the presence of a God, with whom nothing can be extraordinary or miraculous; who exhibits persons and events as they really are, whether men will hear or whether they will forbear. The angel represents none but objects of the highest interest and importance. He announces the approach of a great prince, who should ascend the throne of David, who was to exercise unbounded authority, and enjoy everlasting dominion; who should be distinguished by the state and title of the Son of the highest; and that this extraordi Mary having been referred to her cousin Elisabeth, whose advanced state of pregnancy was to be an additional confirmation of her own faith in the promises of God, as soon as the angel departed from her, retired from Nazareth into the hill country of Juda to salute her kinswoman, and to confer with her on the several manifestations of divine another declaration of the interest that pro- But here we must once more pause and inquire, Is this a cunningly devised fable, or a real history? Is it a fanciful representation, or the simple truth? If it be a fine tissue woven by a luxuriant imagination, say so at once, unbeliever, and renounce the fiction in whole, as a rule of faith, or as a ground of hope. Say unreservedly that the mission and message of the angel is merely a bold eastern metaphor: and the whole mere ordinary face, related with somewhat more than the usual pomp of diction, but to set forth only a man of like passions with ourselves, whom the credulous, prejudiced, and illiterate are disposed to receive as a superior being—in a word, give up the evangelists as plain men conveying, to plain men like themselves, simple matters of fact, and recur at once to unmixed, undisguised deism. But are these things indeed so? Were angels sent from God to declare the approach of what prophets had of old predicted? Did the Son of the Highest vouchsafe to be born of a woman, and thereby become partaker of flesh and blood? David's son, yet David's Lord, then let earth prepare to receive its king. Lo, the angels of God worship him. He is the Son of God, he is our Lord, and let us worship him. Saviour. For he hath regarded the low es- | heard crying in the wilderness, the foreruntate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from ner of the Lord has begun his course, the henceforth all generations shall call me Saviour comes. But other messengers, of blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to whom we have not yet heard, preceue him. ine great things; and holy is his name. Behold yonder comet glare in the eastern And his mercy is on them that fear him, sky, it performs a track untrodden before, from generation to generation. He hath the wise men of distant lands are summoned showed strength with his arm: he hath scat- to meet him at his coming, to lay their gifts at tered the proud in the imagination of their his feet; Augustus Cæsar, the sole regent of hearts. He hath put down the mighty from half the globe, is pressed into the ministertheir seats, and exalted them of low degree. ing train, an unconscious, unintentional serHe hath filled the hungry with good things: vant to the Prince of the kings of the earth. and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever." The course of nature now takes place, and he who made man, the first man Adam, perfect at once, from dust of the ground, and who is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham, raises up first John and then Jesus in a way at once miraculous, and natural, according to the way of sovereign, irresistible power, and according to the time of life. Glorious in establishing and supporting the laws of nature, glorious in suspending and dispensing with them, we behold thee, O God, subduing all things to the counsel of thy will, that all should be to the praise of thy glory. At the end of three months more, Elisabeth, as it was predicted of the angel, is delivered of a son; the name of John, as the heavenly messenger directed, was imposed on him, the father's speech was suddenly restored, and the first use which he makes of it is to celebrate the high praises of that God, who had made him such an illustrious example of both mercy and judgment. He "was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people. And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began; that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God: whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." 99 And now the way is prepared, the voice is This history assists us in correcting the false scale of human greatness. Here we behold the princes and the potentates of this world sinking to their proper level; Herod, Augustus Cæsar, and persons of their charac ter and station are thrown into the back ground of the piece, while Zacharias, Elisabeth, and Mary are brought forward with honour, and to fill a higher destination than that of kings. Respect, by all means, the powers that are, as the ordinance of God, but respect with higher, with supreme veneration, Him who ordained them, to carry on the purposes of his wisdom and his love. Learn, Christian, to make a just estimate of thy own importance in the scale of being. Thou art a creature of God, formed after his image, a partaker of immortality, destined to glory and honour. An origin so dignified confers true nobility; faculties so superior, prospects so extended, denote a being of high estimation in the sight of God, and who ought to be of high estimation in his own eyes. Defile not that fair temple, discredit not that illustrious descent, dishonour not a father's name. But well does it become a creature so dependent, so frail, so fallen, so lost, to be clothed with humility. O man, thou standest in need of every thing; what possessest thou that thou didst not first receive? Thou hast been forgiven all; by the grace of God thou art what thou art. The religion of Jesus Christ alone effectually teaches a man to descend without degradation, and to rise without pride; reduces him to the level of his natural guilt and misery, and exalts him to the glorious liberty, and the heavenly in heritance of the sons of God. We have here a preternatural, a miraculous conception. It reminds us of our common origin, of our common feebleness, of our mutual connexion and dependence. God "hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth." Every man therefore is a brother, and bound to entertain the affections, and to perform the part of a near kinsman to every man. This consideration I press upon you in the words and the spirit of the Apostle of the Gentiles: "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For, as we are many members in one body, and all members have not the same The subject of the next Lecture will be the history of the nativity of our blessed Lord, and of the more remarkable circumstances which accompanied that all-important event. May what has been spoken become profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness." Amen. 66 HISTORY OF JESUS CHRIST. LECTURE CXIII And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that an the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David,) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.-LUKE ii. Ï-14. FROM the first instant of time until now, | of his power, and pronounces every thing every instant has been displaying some new good. The Lord gives the word, and ocean wonder, unfolding some new design of the again covers the earth, chaos and ancient Eternal mind. God gives the word. Light arises, the earth emerges out of ocean, the firmament is expanded, sun, moon, and stars appear, nature teems with life, man starts up out of the dust, rears his erect form to heaven, shines in his Maker's likeness; the Creator contemplates the progressive glories night resume their empire, the breath of every living thing expires. Again he sends forth his word, the windows of heaven are stopped, the seas retire to their appointed bed, the dry land appears, the bow is seen in the cloud, the sign of God's covenant of peace. The period of every event is settled to a moment, the instrument is provided, the | vided, to a home from which he had been hand is prepared. But of all the events long exiled, and to visit kinsmen to whom which have taken place since the beginning he had become a stranger. of the world, the most illustrious and important surely is that recorded in the words now read. The moment of every child's birth, is highly interesting, at least to the mother. The birth of an heir, to a title, to an estate, to a crown, is felt by thousands, by regions, by empires. vulsion of nations, the fate of worlds. We hasten from proud Rome to humble Nazareth, from a haughty despot to uncomplaining sufferers, from unfeeling power to patient submission. Behold that delicate woman, in the most delicate and interesting of all female situations, forced from home, constrained to undertake a painful and anxious journey in a condition which rendered ease, and attention, and tenderness, and the accommodations of sympathy, peculiarly desirable. See her advancing by slow and distressing stages towards the residence of her forefathers, once illustrious, but now fallen into decay; to the city of her ances tors, but not to receive the attendance of royal state, not to usher into the world the heir of David's throne, amidst the prayers, and expectations, and kind wishes of the myriads of Israel: no, not so much as to enjoy the consolation and support which even the poor enjoy in such a case, to deposit the solicitude of approaching child-birth in the bosom of a fond mother, or sympathizing friend; alas, not even to partake of the ordi But this removal was wholly ordered by the supreme will of Heaven. The Son of David, who was to re-establish his throne, could be born no where but in Bethlehem the city of David. Thus the great Ruler of the world had willed, and thus prophecy had declared. And thus Cæsar was merely the Here we have the birth of the "first unconscious, unintentional minister of the among many brethren," of "the heir of all Son of Mary; furnishing a link to the chain things," of "the Prince of the kings of the of evidence respecting the truth and divine earth." Toward this eventful hour, time, original of Christianity, and exhibiting an from the first dawn of light, began to flow in illustrious instance of the sovereign control one rising, swelling tide, here it came to its which the great Jehovah possesses and exerfulness, and hence it began to bend its aw-cises over the counsels of princes, the conful course to lose itself in eternity again. Toward this, as to their common central point, all the powers of nature are attracted; from this, as from the sun, the central light of the universe, glory is in all directions diffused. In the birth of this wonderful child, all the children of men who lived before, or who arose after it, have a serious, an everlasting concern. Is it any wonder, then, that by so many signs in heaven and signs on earth, that by the tongues of prophets, the decrees of princes, the revolution of empires, the descent of angels, the finger of God should have pointed it out to mankind? The evangelist, at the beginning of the chapter, conveys us to Rome, the proud and puissant mistress of the world; the enslaver of the nations, sinking, sunk herself into slavery. From what particular motive we are not informed, nor is it of much importance to determine, Augustus Cæsar thought proper to issue a decree for making an exact enrolment of all the subjects of his vast empire. A vainglorious monarch, who could exultingly call a subjugated hemisphere his own, might be prompted by pride to ascer-nary conveniences which a traveller has reatain the number of slaves destined to obey son to expect, the general hospitality, and him. As it was the boast of this magnifi- mercenary comforts of an inn:—but to know cent prince that he had found Rome a city of the heart of a stranger, to swallow down the bricks, and was leaving it a city of marble, bitterness of neglect, to feel the insult of the splendour of the capital was no doubt the proud, and the merciless pity of the extracted out of the ruins of the provinces, mean. "There was no room for them in the and enrolment probably was intended to pre-inn." Bethlehem was crowded with guests, cede taxation. However it was, and on whomsoever beside the decree of the emperor fell, it affected one little, poor family in circumstances of singular delicacy, and fell upon it with uncommon severity. Behold the messenger of Cæsar at the door of an obscure carpenter at Nazareth of Galilee, summoning him with all his family to repair to his native city, to be enrolled in their proper district: and as the commandments of The inevitable hour, to which nature at kings require haste, and do not always stoop once looks with hope and shrinks from with to consult the feelings of the humble and the horror, overtakes her; and unsupported, unmiserable, he must depart on a moment's assisted, as it should seem, she brings forth warning, with his tender companion, now in her first-born son; and is able at once to per the last week of pregnancy, poor and unpro- | form the earliest duties of a mother, "sho 3 R but lo, the lineal heirs of the royal house of Judah, in the city of David, are so unconnected, so forlorn, so friendless, that not a door will open to let them in, not a tongue say, "God relieve you" as they pass by; and so poor that an apartment in the stable is al the accommodation which, by intreaty, or promise, or by presenting the face of misery, they are able to purchase. 42* the humility and resignation becoming her destitute condition, "laid him in the manger," leaving it to Providence to unveil its own secret counsels and accomplish its own gracious purposes. And thus the Saviour of the world entered upon that state of depression, poverty, and suffering, which terminated only with his life. wrapped him in swaddling clothes," and with | gest, to elucidate the case; to secure posses sion to himself, and to crush every rival.He summons the chief priests and scribes of the people, consults them respecting the determinations of prophecy, as to the birth-place of the expected King of the Jews, he compares their opinion with the report of the wise men, and acts upon the result of that comparison. A coincidence of persons and circumstances so striking, and all relating to one person and one point, must lead to the acknowledgment and adoration of that God, in whose hand are the hearts of princes, the deliberations of councils, the number and motions of all the host of heaven. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names; great is our Lord and of great power; his understanding is infinite." Augustus Caesar, Herod, the Magi, the Jewish Sanhedrim, the inhabitants of Bethlehem, of Jerusalem, all concur to give witness to yonder Babe laid in a manger, and they involuntarily assist in demonstrating the certainty of those things wherein ye have been instructed: that ye might have strong consolation in having fled for refuge to the hope set before you.. But the affectingly humiliating scene in the stable at Bethlehem of Judah is relieved by the glory of the Lord shining round about it. That Babe neglected, unknown, despised, outcast of men, is declared, by the concurring testimony of patriarchs and prophets, of angels and men, by the shaking of the heavens and the earth, of the sea and the dry land, to be "the Son of the Highest." His parentage, his name, the time and place of his birth, the condition of his infant hours have all the seal of heaven upon them. For what end did Isaiah prophesy, Alexander conquer, and Augustus give laws, but to point out to the world the instant, the spot, the descent, the estate in which the Son of God assumed our nature, in order to enter on the work of our redemption? Preparation is making in another quarter of the globe, to bring a tribute of praise to the Redeemer of mankind. The East is ready to contribute its gifts, is preparing its gold and frankincense and myrrh to lay them at his feet. The wise men of distant nations, occupied in the study of nature, and attentive to the signs of the times, are awaked to inquiry by a silent but shining monitor. The appearance of the starry heavens was well known to them, they can calculate the distances and revolutions of each little star that sparkles in the expanse of heaven; but in a moment all their science is confounded, all their experience is overthrown, by the appearance of a new created light, in motion and at rest by a law peculiar to itself, to fulfil a transitory indeed, but a most important purpose, and which having pointed to "the place where the young child lay," is blotted out of nature, and disappears for ever. Now none of" these things were done in a corner." Christianity did not steal in upon the world, without warning; all characters and descriptions of men were called in to give testimony to it, and without acquaintance, concurrence, or co-operation they establish the same truth. The eastern Magi on their arrival at Jerusalem, and on explaining the reason of their journey thither, are not treated as visionaries, who dreamed of things that never existed, but are listened to and respected as reasonable men inquiring after important truth. The attention of Herod, and of all Jerusalem with him, is roused; that jealous and sanguinary tyrant, takes every precaution, sets on foot every inquiry that his reigning passions could sug But higher testimony still than that of the potentates of the earth is given to the Lord of glory. Angels descend with songs to meet him at his coming: the gloom of night is dispelled by celestial radiance; silence, well-pleased, hears the sweet melody of angelic notes chanting the glad tidings of great joy," unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” The harmony of a thousand heavenly voices in chorus join to celebrate the advent of the Prince of Peace; to announce to a slumbering world Him in whose light they shine, by whose power they are supported, in whose praise they unite, to whose will they are devoted. What a wonderful contrast! A deserted, friendless mother, a helpless infant, a stable, a manger! What humiliation like this humiliation! A throne above the heavens, the homage of princes, the effulgence of a star to mark the way to his cradle, the adoration of the glorious host of heaven, the arm of the Lord revealed! What design but the salvation of a lost world, what event but the birth of a Saviour, what person but the Son of God, could warrant all this display of majesty and might? Christian, keep these astonishing extremes continually in sight. This is bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh; "as children are partakers of flesh and blood, he likewise himself also took part of the same; verily, he took not on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people; for in that he himself hath suf |