SERMON XLVII.

MATTHEW i, 21.

SHE SHALL BRING FORTH A SON, AND THOU SHALT CALL HIS NAME JESUS; FOR HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.

N the following discourse I propose first to give

IN

you a fhort view of the principal events of our bleffed Saviour's life; and then to fhew you, on what grounds we believe them.

Our Saviour's life may be divided into three parts that which contained his early years—that which contained his public miniftry-and that which contained the circumftances of his death and refurrection. An eafy divifion of this kind brings the whole more readily before us.

Of

Of the early part of his life we have these particulars. He was born at Bethlehem of a pure vir gin. The joyful news of his birth was spread around the country of Judea by a company of pious fhepherds, informed by a vifion of angels; while it was carried into diftant parts by the appearance of a ftar to fome learned, and religious men in the east.

The holy child, foon after his birth was conveyed into Egypt to avoid the cruelty of Herod; and after that fear was over, was brought back to Nazareth, where he lived obfcurely with his mother, and reputed father, till he was thirty years of age.

About that time John the Baptift appeared. This holy man was born fomewhat before Jefus in a miraculous manner, of pious parents, far advanced in age; and had been foretold by the prophets, as the forerunner of the Meffiah, to prepare mankind for the gofpel by repentance. About the time of his death, Jefus began his minifry. Here we enter on the fecond great period of his life.

It was his firft care to chufe difciples, who might be witnesses of his difcourfes and actions; and

ons.

and record them for the benefit of future generatiHis difcourfes were directed chiefly to the Jews. His apoftles were ordered to preach the gofpel afterwards to the Gentiles.

As this law was a

The first object of his difcourfes, was, to rectify the abuses of the law of Moses. divine inftitution, our Saviour thought it proper to clear it of thofe corruptions, with which the Pharifees and Jewish rabbies had polluted it; and likewise to superadd the purer doctrines of chriftianity

Another object of our bleffed Saviour's difcourses, was to set before the Jews, God's intention of calling the Gentiles, and giving them, together with the Jews, the privileges of the gospel. This was one of thofe hard fayings, which the Jews could not eafily bear. Jefus therefore opened it gradually to them-often by parables, which foftened the unwelcome truth, by making them, in a manner inftruct themselves.

Prophecy was another object of our bleffed Lord's difcourfes. His own death-the deftruction of Jerufalem-the call of the Gentilesand many other events, Jefus foretold; which tended after their completion to confirm the faith of his difciples.

H

His difcourfes alfo were often meant to encou rage his followers to continue their ministry boldly after his death. He told them, it is true, the worst, that should happen; but he confirmed their faith with such animating hopes, that their fufferings in this world appeared as nothing, when compared with the glories of the next.

But the great end of his divine discourses, was, to bring immortality to light through the gospeland to fhew mankind, that this world is only a ftate of preparation to raise them to the glory, that should be revealed.-Such were our bleffed Saviour's difcourfes.

His great actions confifted chiefly in the miracles, which he wrought. These miracles were of various kinds. Some fhewed his power over evil fpirits as when he caft out devils. Others fhewed his power over death, and the grave; as when he raised the dead. Some again fhewed his power of creation; as when he fatisfied a multitude with a pittance.-Other miracles fhewed his power to destroy, as well as to create; as when he blasted the unfruitful fig-tree with a word.-Others again fhewed his power over the elements; as when he walked upon the fea, and ftilled the winds and the waves. Now tho many of thefe miracles,

we

we fee, were fo contrived as to fhew our Saviour's power, (and to evince him to be, as he is called in fcripture, the Creator of all things) yet the greater part of them were alfo works of kindnefs, and charity to mankind. Such were all those numerous cures, of which almoft all his miracles confifted. At the fame time, his miracles, not only fhewed his power, and goodness in a high degree; but proved alfo, which feems to have been their primary end, the divine authority, and truth of the religion he taught.

The last period of our Saviour's life contains his death and refurrection. This is the grand partof all the conclufion-the fumming up of the whole work of redemption.

As Jefus did not appear in that grandeur, with which the jewish rulers imagined the Meffiah ought to have appeared-nor take any ftep to deliver them from the Romans, which was the great deliverance they expected, they were highly incensed at him for pretending to be what they would not acknowledge; and entered into a wicked confpiracy to put him to death. But as the people univerfally favoured him, they feared a refcue, till one of his own difciples betrayed him

to