SERMON V. · LUKE II. II. Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord. M ANY previous notifications, great and folemn preparations manifeftly indicate, that uncommon and extraordinary circumstances are to be expected as attendant upon an event, thus formally and frequently predicted. Notices of this kind forcibly bespeak the attention of those to whom they are addreffed, and for whose use and benefit they are more immediately defigned; and powerfully excite them them to contemplate the greatnefs and importance of the object in whom fuch wonders are to terminate." From those several paffages of Scripture which have been occafionally mentioned in the preceding Difcourfes, we find what various intimations and promises God made unto the Fathers, of their future acceptance and falvation; and that a long fucceffion of Prophets was miraculously raised up, from time to time, to illuftrate the office and king-. dom, the grace and glory, of that exalted Person who should hereafter appear in the confpicuous character of the Meffiah, the Redeemer of the world. With this view, every minute circumftance, relative to fo fublime an object of faith and hope, was particularly pointed out; that when the fulness of the time was come, the completion of the prophecies might be a miraculous confirmation of their Divine Original and authority. Whereas, if the predictions, and their propofed accomplishment did not coincide, all that had been spoken a Acts xiii. 32. • Gal. iv. 4. before beforehand was spoken in vain, and tended only to deceive and to lead into error. When man loft his innocency in Paradife, the benignity of his Creator did not long fuffer him to feel the weight of his displeasure; he foon gave him joyful hopes of mercy and forgiveness. These hopes, in later times, were increased to the full affurance of truth and certainty, that God would bring in everlasting righteousness, and reconcile all things to himself. From the view we have already taken of the merciful defigns of Providence, and the methods made use of to accomplish this scheme of our redemption, we learn the neceffity and vaft importance of the knowledge of God in Chrift. Hence do we also discover the pre-eminence of his Gospel over the efforts of unenlightened reason, and the improved, but ftill defective law of Mofes. Hence are we likewife convinced on the surest grounds, that all the promises of God in Chrift are yea, and in him amen, incontes tably, invariably fure and faithful. To { manifeft the tranfcendent nature of him, who was the declared mediator between God and men1, those blessed Spirits that are round about the throne of God in the highest heavens, were required to pay their attendance upon him their Lord, in the feveral periods of his ministry upon earth. His conception was announced by the meffage of an angel; the divinity of his perfon was proclaimed by another at his incarnation; a voice from heaven declaring alfo his divinity, was heard at his baptifm, and at his transfiguration; the angels of Bliss were the comforters of his humanity in his hours of distress, after his temptation in the wildernefs, and in his agony in the garden; they also first imparted the welcome news of his refurrection and Afcenfion. In the history of the chapter from whence the words of the text are taken, we find thefe angels, the delegated harbingers of his nativity, exulting as being the bleffed inftruments of publishing fuch good tidings of great and univerfal joy, which |