V.

in the world, yet contracted none of it's Disc. pollution, but, like his glorious emblem the light, paffed through all things undefiled. His bittereft enemies, Jews and Gentiles, joined to atteft his uprightness. "Have thou nothing to do with that just man," faid the wife of Pilate. himself, upon the ftricteft examination, "I find no fault in this man f. declared, Judas, who had every poffible opportunity of knowing the character of his master, cried out, in an agony of defpair," I have

66

66

66

Pilate

f">

betrayed the innocent blood ;" and the Roman centurion, who watched at the crofs, gave in his evidence, Certainly, "this was a righteous man "." The kingdom which he came to eftablifh was a kingdom of Righteoufnefs. He called men from the ways of fin by his fermons, he allured them from it's pleafures by his example, he cleanfed them from it's guilt by his blood, and refcued them from it's power by his Spirit.

* Matth. xxvii. 19.
• Matth. xxvii. 4.

K 2

Where the Gofpel

f Luke xxiii. 4.
h Luke xxiii. 47.

came,

DISC. came, idolatry gave place to true piety; V. every holy and amiable temper was planted

and flourished in the hearts of the regenerate; and to be a Chriftian, was to be every thing that was honeft, and just, and good. Thus did Jefus of Nazareth anfwer his title of "the Juft One," and evince himself to be the true "Melchife"dech," or "King of Righteousness." The Jews chose not to be the subjects of such a King, and declared, they "would not have "this man to reign over them." Therefore the kingdom of God was taken from them, and given to a people bringing forth the fruits thereof. Be it our care, while we celebrate the advent of our King, not to forget this part of his character; and let us reft affured, that if we would be his subjects, as well as pafs for fuch, and share the bleffings of his reign, as well as talk of them, we must be like him. His fubjects are his children; and none will be finally owned by him as fuch, who bear not impressed upon them the fimilitude of their Father.

Salvation

Salvation is the next fign and token DIS C. which Zechariah hath given us, whereby "He is juft,

ages

to know the King of Zion.
" and having Salvation." He was to exe-
cute that part of the regal office, which
confifteth in rescuing a people from their
oppreffors. Whoever reads the history of
Ifrael, finds it to contain an account of
many Saviours, raised up, at fundry times,
for this purpose. Such were Moses, Barak,
Gideon, Sampfon, and many more in the
after them. But no one of these was
"He that should come." They, like the
legal priefts," were not fuffered to con-
"tinue, by reason of death;" the church
was ftill taught to "look for another" and
a more glorious Saviour, in the latter days;
the prophecies were full of the great Sal-
vation which he should effect; so great,
that, in comparison of it, former deli-
verances were not to be mentioned, unless
as fhadows and faint refemblances of that
grand and complete one. At the time ap-
pointed, Jefus of Nazareth appeared in this
character, and brought his credentials with

DISC. him, the authenticity of which was fairly V. allowed by a mafter in Ifrael: "No man

"can do these miracles that thou doeft, ex66 cept God were with him." At the birth of Chrift, an herald from heaven proclaimed him to the fhepherds by this ftyle and title. "Behold, I bring you good tidings

"of great joy, which fhall be to all peo

ple. For unto you is born this day, in "the city of David, a SAVIOUR." And if tidings of Salvation are not tidings of joy, what tidings can be fuch? The greater the Salvation, the greater ought to be the joy. And what is the deliverance of a fingle people from a temporal adverfary, when compared with the Salvation of the whole world from the oppreffion of the fpiritual enemy; from fin, and fickness, and forrow, and pain, and death, and hell? This was the falvation which Jefus undertook to effect; and his miracles declared him equal to the mighty task. He forgave fin, he healed fickness, he difpelled forrow, he removed pain, he raised the dead, he caft out devils. Had not the prophet reafon

V.

reafon to cry out, " Rejoice greatly, O DISC. "daughter of Zion; fhout, O daughter " of Jerufalem; behold, thy King, behold,

She

thy righteous Saviour cometh unto thee?" But the daughter of Zion would have shut her gates against this righteous Saviour; the daughter of Jerufalem renounced her part and portion in fuch Salvation. had set her heart upon being great in this world, whereas Chrift came to make her fo in another. And whenever Chriftians fhall resemble Jews in the turn of their affections, whenever they fhall regard religion only as a means of aggrandizing themfelves upon earth, in their hearts they will entertain the fame notion of the Salvation of Jefus, and the fame contempt for it, that the Jews did. But let the fufferings of Jerufalem warn us, that we share not in her guilt, left we share also in her punishment, and come into the fame condemnation. We acknowlege for our Saviour the person whom Ifrael rejected. Let us not mistake the nature of his Salvation. "He "shall be called JESUS," faith the angel