gave mankind no insight into the manner in which the Redemption was to be effected. All from it was, that could be collected some great event would be brought to pass at a future period by one born of a woman, and that this event would be destructive of the power of Satan, and conducive to the good of man. This promise, however, was opened in its meaning, and rendered more clear as to its object, by subsequent promises made to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 66 As we draw nearer in our inquiry to the fulness of time, prophecy, which had succeeded the intimations of God by his own mouth, begins to grow more plain and circumstantial. Behold," said the Prophet Isaiah," a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name, Immanuel,”* that is, "God with us."+ And again, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting * Isaiah, vii. 14. + Matt. i. 23. Father, the Prince of Peace." And in the prophecies of Jeremiah we have these words, "The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man ;" that is, the Lord shall cause a man to be born of a woman, after a new and extraordinary generation. Hence it appeared, that the Conception of that great Person and Prophet, who was to come to be the conqueror of Satan, the plague of death, and the destruction of the grave, was not to be after the ordinary course of things. It was to be something wonderful, something new, something different from what had ever happened before, or was likely to happen again. The Seed of the Woman was to be the Son of a Virgin, and likewise the Mighty God. In the account which the Evangelist gives us of the Conception of Jesus Christ, how astonishingly were the prophecies concerning it fulfilled! As the event was to be such as had never taken place before, an Angel was sent from Heaven" to * Isaiah, ix. 6. + Jer. xxxi. 22, a Virgin espoused," that is, contracted in marriage," to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the Virgin's name was Mary. And he came in unto her and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the Angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus." And when she inquired, how this could be; the Angel acquainted her, that "the Holy Ghost" should "come upon" her, "and the power of the Highest overshadow" her, and that the "Holy thing which" should" be born of" her should" be called the Son of God."* Hence we understand, that our Saviour was conceived in a new and miraculous manner by the immediate operation of * Luke, i. 27-35. 66 the Holy Ghost; and that, as the second Article of our Church expresses it, “ he took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance, so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and the Manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very Man." When "the days were accomplished, that Mary should be delivered, she brought forth her first born son,"* and the Angel was again despatched to announce the event, not to Kings, and Potentates, and the Great Ones of the earth, but to some humble Shepherds, who were "abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."+ "Fear not," said he to them, 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." Thus was Jesus born, according to prophecy, in the city 66 + Luke, ii. 8. * Luke, ii. 6, 7. of David, of a pure Virgin of the house of David ; and such glorious and extraordinary circumstances took place at his birth, as had never been witnessed before, and as proclaimed that he came from Heaven, and for a purpose of blessing and happiness to the world. Having laid before you the account of the Evangelist relative to the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus Christ, I shall proceed to consider further the Mystery of the Incarnation, and the benefits consequent upon it; taking care, as I go along, not to trespass upon holy ground, nor endeavour to be wise "above that which is written."* The Fall of our first Parents brought sin into the world, and caused it to be the natural inheritance of all their posterity. By the taint of our birth we were rendered creatures of wrath; by our alliance with Satan we became enemies of God; and as God is "of purer eyes than to behold evil," it seemed impossible that mankind should ever recover his favour. They *1 Cor. iv. 6. +Habakkuk, i. 13. |