Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

Thus did this "son of a carpenter"—this poor houseless Galilean-this despised Jesus-" manifest forth his glory;" and, while his disciples believed on him," his enemies were stricken with awe, as before the visible Lord of the temple. Again, this prophecy discloses

COMING.

IV. THE SPECIAL BUSINESS OF HIS This is intimated in the other name here given to him-" the Messenger of the covenant."

[ocr errors]

It may be thought strange, that he who is first described as the Lord of hosts, and Lord of the temple, should now be spoken of as a "Messenger: " for, unquestionably, greater is he that sendeth, than he that is sent-but who then is greater than God? To Christian minds, however, this will be no insurmountable difficulty. Equal with the Father as touching his Godhead,' Christ is at the same time. inferior to the Father as touching his manhood.'1 He voluntarily" took upon himself this form of a servant,' ,"2 in order that he might become the Messenger of heaven to a lost world. And what was his message? He came to reveal, and to fulfil his own part in, a gracious covenant, formed "before the world began," ,"3 between the Father and himself-a covenant of redemption for guilty sinners. The Son's part in that covenant, was, to be "made flesh to "bring glad tidings of joy" to the penitent believer-and then, as High Priest between God and man, to offer up the atoning sacrifice.

"4

[ocr errors]

This was

And who

his commission, as the Messenger of the "everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure.' will hesitate to say, that it was amply

[blocks in formation]

fulfilled by

2 Phil. ii. 7.

[blocks in formation]

Jesus of Nazareth? Yes; he "came and preached peace "-he died to secure it-and even to this hour, in his name, and by his express command, "to you is the word of this salvation sent."-The prophecy declares, lastly,

V. THE CERTAINTY OF HIS COMING. The unbelieving Jews doubted it: even the faithful were despondent: the prediction is therefore attested by a most solemn assurance-" Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts."

And he did come, my Christian brethren! We are about to repeat our commemoration of that blessed event. We need no further argument, to prove that this is" he that should come," and that we must not "look for another." To us then, you may say, the prophecy is a dead letter. No, brethren; it is we alone who enjoy the full benefit of it. It tells of the faithfulness of a covenant God. It may remind us, moreover, of another " Coming of the Lord," which is no less certain-yea, it is near, 66 even at the door." How are you looking forward to Christ's glorious advent? Are you really doing, what these Jews hypocritically pretended to do" delighting" in him?" seeking him?" If not, tremble! for " behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." But are you of the number of those, "who love his appearing?" Then fear not! When he comes,

"your redemption draweth nigh."

When he comes,

it will be that he may make you a pillar in his heavenly temple-and you shall go no more out."*

66

* See Bp. Horsley's four Sermons on this prophecy.

SERMON LI.

1 JOHN iii. 8.-For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

"BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people!" He had indeed once visited them, amid the thunders of Mount Sinai : he had redeemed them from Egypt, and afterwards from Babylon: but he had taught them to expect greater things than these. At length, "He came who was to come, and no longer tarried." Six months before his own birth, he sent into the world his promised harbinger; who had no sooner been admitted into the church by circumcision, than his father set the tune, as it were, for the songs of praise to be thenceforth sung by the faithful, in the words with which I opened this discourse-" Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people."

This hymn of thanksgiving we are once more called upon to sing, by the return of Christmas: that you may be enabled to sing it "with the Spirit, and with the understanding also," I have chosen a text which will direct your attention to

I. THE FACT THAT THE SON OF GOD WAS

MANIFESTED.

"The Son of God!" Can you form any adequate idea of what is meant by that glorious title? Not a 2 Hebrews x. 37. 31 Cor. xiv. 15.

1 Luke i. 68.

son of God; all true Christians" are children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus."1 But here is One who so bears the name, as to exclude all others from participating in it. He is "the only begotten Son"-equal to, and one with, the Father. The full meaning of these expressions is, no doubt, far beyond our comprehension. Thus much, however, is evident. He, who as at this time became manifested, was previously invisible. Like his Divine Father, he was dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto-whom no man had seen or could see:" to sum up all in a single word, he was GOD-" the Word was with God, and the Word was God."3-At length,

[ocr errors]

66

He was manifested." He came forth from his secret place, that men might "behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."4 And how did he effect this? In various ways to each of which my text may be supposed to refer.

1. By his mysterious Incarnation. This is the first article in what St. Paul calls the great mystery of godliness-" God was manifest in the flesh."5 St. John had used a similar expression-" the Word was made flesh." In the womb of the spotless Virgin, a union took place between the two natures; so that they who afterwards saw the man Christ Jesus," beheld at the same time the Lord God of Heaven and earth-' perfect God and perfect man.' This was

made manifest,

66

2. By his personal Ministry. Hitherto, his Godhead was not sensibly displayed. The infant in the manger wept, and hungered, and was weary, like any other human infant. Even the singular wisdom of

1 Gal. iii. 26.

4 John i. 14.

2

1 Tim. vi. 16.
5 1 Tim. iii. 16.

3 John i 1.

his boyhood might have been merely an unusual specimen of youthful talent, and (what is still more rare) of youthful piety. But, when his public ministry began then, through the thin veil of his flesh, the Godhead shone forth, in every word and action of his life. Miracles-prophecies - authority and influence over all around him-condescension, kindness, and love, more than human; all these things declared, that it was the living God walking and acting in sight of his creatures. "The life," saith St. John, 66 was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us."1-Do we regret the loss of this? He gives us an equivalent,

"Go ye

3. By the promulgation of his Gospel. into all the world," said he to his disciples, "and preach it to every creature; and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." And therefore, whithersoever the true preaching of the gospel comes, thither comes the Son of God himself, and there he is again and again manifested. Hence, St. Paul says to the Galatians (who certainly had never seen Christ in the flesh)-" Before your eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you." 2 The same may be said of you. Not the person of the Son of God, but his majesty, grace, and power are revealed to you, in the preaching of the gospel, when we pray you in Christ's stead, Be ye reconciled unto God."

4. By the presence of his Spirit. All the other manifestations are but to the eye, or to the ear; this is to the heart. Oh pray, my brethren, "that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith "—that his Spirit may "take of the things of Christ, and shew them unto

1 1 John i. 2. 2 Gal. iii. 1. 3 Ephesians iii. 17.

« ForrigeFortsæt »