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.

IN

N the following difcourfe I propose first to give 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 ministry—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 virgin. The joyful news of his birth was fpread 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 appear. ance 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 Jesus 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 gospel by repentance, About the time of his death, Jefus began his miniltry. Here we enter on the fecond great period of his life.

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

and

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

The first object of his discourses, was, to rectify the abuses of the law of Mofes. As this law was a divine institution, our Saviour thought it proper to clear it of thofe corruptions, with which the Pharifees and Jewish rabbies had polluted it; and likewise to fuperadd the purer doctrines of christianity.

Another object of our bleffed Saviour's dif courses, was to fet 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 those hard fayings, which the Jews could not easily 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 Gentiles-and many other events, Jefus foretold; which tended after their completion to confirm the faith of his disciples,

His difcourfes alfo were often meant to encourage 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 fuch animating hopes, that their sufferings 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 gofpeland 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 deftroy, as well as to create; as when he blasted the unfruitful fig-tree with a word,―Others again fhewed his power over the elements; ąs when he walked upon the fea, and stilled the winds and the waves.-Now tho' fome of these 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 also works of kindness, and charity to mankind. Such were all those numerous cures, of which almost 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 laft period of our Saviour's life contains his death and refurrection. This is the grand part of 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 step to deliver them from the Romans, which was the great deliverance they expected, they were highly incenfed 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 rescue, till one of his own difciples betrayed him to them, at a

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