THE SAVIOR IN HIS INCARNATION

'Messiah comes! you rugged paths be plain;
The Shiloh comes, you towering cedars bend;
Swell forth, you valleys; and, you rocks, descend;
The withered branch let balmy fruits adorn,
And clustering roses twine the leafless thorn;
Burst forth, you vocal groves, your joy to tell-
The God of Peace redeems His Israel.'

'And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.'
'Here we may behold Deity incarnate: God manifested in human nature! Turn aside, and see this great sight: contemplate this object with fixed attention, until your heart is suitably affected by the contemplation: gaze with the eye of faith on this brighter "Morning Star," gaze on this nobler "Sun of Righteousness," until every sublunary object is eclipsed by its superior splendor.' -Robert Hall

Hark, the glad sound! the Savior comes!
The Savior promised long!
Let every heart prepare a throne,
And every voice a song.
He comes the prisoners to release,
In Satan's bondage held;
The gates of brass before him burst,
The iron fetters yield.
He comes the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of His grace
To enrich the humble poor.
Our glad Hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Your welcome shall proclaim;
And heaven's eternal arches ring
With Your beloved name. -Doddridge

The best tidings ever brought from the throne of heaven to this guilty, lost world, was the announcement of the advent of One, whose glorious mission was to redeem sinners from everlasting woe, and to crown them with immortal glory beyond the shores of time. If there is a theme, in the contemplation of which our hearts should feel most grateful to our Heavenly Father, it is this mystery of Godliness; the incarnation of the only begotten Son of God; God manifested in the flesh- a mystery of wisdom and love, of which the world cannot furnish a parallel. As we are the recipients of all those rich favors which accompany the manifestation of the Savior in our nature, is it not reasonable that we should feel most interested in a subject so extremely important? It is a subject which will afford us the most refined pleasure on earth, and the most rapturous joy in heaven. If the holy angels ascribe praise and glory to God for the incarnation of our blessed Savior, should not man raise a louder song of praise? -man, to whom such goodness is so wondrously manifested in the gift of Jesus. Oh, let us draw near, and view this marvelous work, which will eternally excite the wonder and admiration of glorified saints, and be the source of their pure and lasting joys. Let us with gratitude and reverence contemplate the incarnation of the blessed Jesus. Let us gaze with the eye of the Christian on the Bright and Morning Star arising in our world of sin and wretchedness, bringing peace and salvation to our souls, and telling us of a glorious immortality beyond the grave.

Blessed Jesus, while the world follows after its delusive pleasures with the eye closed to the beauties of Your Person, and the ear stopped to the sound of the glorious gospel, and the lips sealed to the sweet song of the redeemed, may it be our delight to dwell on the incomparable excellencies of Your nature, the mysteries of Your incarnation, and the riches of Your grace.

THE CONDITION OF OUR FIRST PARENTS AFTER THEIR FALL. Man was created a holy and happy being, and placed in a terrestrial paradise of surpassing beauty, where he had everything his heart could wish or enjoy. In his pristine innocence the sweetest communion existed between him and his beneficent Creator. The heavens were beneficent, while peace and harmony reigned on earth. There was no commotion of the elements of nature- no wasting and destruction- no moral impurity- no disease- no death. Sin had not yet entered the blissful bowers of Eden to expel man from paradise, and to cover earth with signs of woe. How long our first parents continued in their state of original blessedness, we are not informed; but we know that the fearful hour of temptation came- that they disobeyed the Divine command, and sinned against God by eating the forbidden fruit. The fall of Adam involved the whole world in ruin, and woe, and death. 'By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.' From this fearful state of sin and misery man was unable to extricate himself. He could not pay unto God a sufficient ransom; hence all seemed to be hopeless and lost. It was utterly impossible for him to answer that most important inquiry: 'What can we bring to the Lord to make up for what we've done? Should we bow before God with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and tens of thousands of rivers of olive oil? Would that please the Lord? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for the sins of our souls? Would that make him glad?' Unless Divine justice is satisfied, the violated law fulfilled, and the sinner restored to the favor of God, the whole human race must be consigned to a place of irretrievable misery, prepared for the fallen angels, where no cheering ray of hope shall ever enter; a place, whose blackness of darkness no Sun of Righteousness shall ever dispel.

Oh, how fearful then was the state of our first parents after the fall, before a Savior was promised, while the door of life was yet closed! How poignant must have been their grief for the past! How fearful their forebodings of the future! Ah! where could they turn for help when they had incurred the divine displeasure, and lost communion with their Maker? They saw no way of escape. While they were continually exposed to innumerable misfortunes through life, the thought of approaching death would appall them- the thought of the fearful retribution of eternity would drink up their earthly joy. 'Thus all the prospects were dark and desolate. A desert of ruin spread immeasurably around them, without a habitation to which they might betake themselves for shelter, or even a friendly hermit to point out a hopeful end to their melancholy pilgrimage. Over their heads extended, without limits, a dreary and perpetual night, in which no lamp lighted their bewildered path, and not a star, not a ray of hope or comfort twinkled through the vast gloom of sorrow and despair.'

PROMISES AND PREDICTIONS OF A SAVIOR. While our first parents were in this forlorn condition, which has been briefly depicted, the glorious gospel revelation was made known to them. Even before their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the tidings of a Savior were conveyed to them in the cheering promise, that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent. How truly amazing was this revelation; and how great must have been the gratitude it inspired in the bosom of the parents of the human race! Here we see the wondrous plan of redeeming love unfolded, and the gates of the upper and more glorious Paradise opened to an apostate race. Here, we behold the stream of divine mercy commencing its course on earth- that stream which now rolls a mighty river, making glad the city of God, and bringing immortal life and felicity to myriads of the human family. 'The spring of these waters of salvation, hidden in the counsels of God before time began, was opened immediately after the fall, and began to flow in a small but reviving brook. Increasing by degrees, and from the very beginning, making every place it passed through fertile and pleasant, it soon became a large stream. At length the main current of the gospel flowed in, and now it rolls on full of water, greatly enriching the earth, a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal; the streams whereof make glad the city of God, and shall do so, until this river empties itself into the ocean of eternity.'

The promise of a Savior was definitely made to the patriarchs. The heart of Abraham, the father of the faithful, was gladdened by the promise of Messiah, expressed in these words: 'In your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.' This illustrious patriarch saw by the eye of faith the Savior in His divine pilgrimage on earth, and the rising glories of His mediatorial kingdom. 'Your father Abraham,' says Christ to the Jews, 'rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.'

The advent of our Savior is also the grand theme of prophecy throughout the Old Testament. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And oh, that He, to whom so many of those predictions refer, would open our understanding, as He did that of the disciples of old, that we may understand those things which are written in 'the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms,' concerning Him! The last words of Jacob contain a prophecy of the coming of Christ. 'The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will obey.' Moses prophesies of Christ Jesus, the true Prophet, whom God was to raise up for the salvation of Israel. 'The Lord Your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you, from your brethren, like unto me; unto Him you shall hearken.' Isaiah, in his sublime visions, speaks most distinctly of the coming of a Savior, and the grand characteristics of His personal ministry on earth- the peaceful, flourishing, and glorious condition of His kingdom among men. 'For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.' 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.' 'And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto those who turn from transgression in Jacob, says the Lord.' 'Behold, the Lord has proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your salvation comes; behold, His reward is with Him and His work before Him.' 'Say to those who are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not; behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; He will come and save you.' Zechariah also prophesies of the Messiah, and calls upon the Church to rejoice greatly for His coming. 'Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes unto you: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an donkey, and upon a colt, the foal of an donkey.'

Daniel foretells not only the appearance of Messiah, but fixes the very date of His advent. 'Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and three-score and two weeks.' The Psalmist, in lofty strains, sings of the coming of Christ in His kingdom. 'Blessed be He that comes in the name of the Lord.' Haggai, in most express terms, speaks of the coming of our Great Deliverer, the Desire of all nations, before the destruction of the second temple; and shows that His presence would give to that temple a greater glory than was ever given to the former one, the magnificent temple of Solomon. 'The desire of all nations shall come and will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, says the Lord of Hosts; and in this place will I give peace, says the Lord of Hosts.' How well does this correspond with the character of Him who is called the Prince of Peace; of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end; of Him, who came to guide our feet into the way of peace, and who has said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you! The concluding words of the Old Testament contain a most remarkable prediction of the coming of the Lord Jesus, the Messenger of the everlasting covenant. 'Behold, I will send my Messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in; behold, He shall come, says the Lord of hosts.' But let us now turn to the accomplishment of these predictions in the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth.

THE BIRTH OF THE SAVIOR. When the time for the accomplishment of the prophecies respecting His advent arrived, our Savior actually appeared in the humble garb of humanity, and commenced His reign of peace upon the earth. How delightful to contemplate an event of such joy to the human race! And here, let us view with fixed attention some of the circumstances connected with the manifestation of so glorious a Person, and so great a Deliverer. Looking back over the land of Palestine more than eighteen centuries ago, let us think of that peaceful night in which the Prince of Peace, the Lord of Glory, made His appearance in human nature- that night in which new songs were heard over the plains of Bethlehem- that ever memorable night.

The fullness of time had come, when the Son of God is to be sent forth to redeem a world lying in sin. 'But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.' The long expected day has at length dawned to gladden and bless the world. Among the Jews of that time, many were 'waiting for the consolation of Israel'- the promised Messiah. To the pious and venerable Simeon it was revealed, 'that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.' About the time of the Savior's birth a general expectation prevailed among the Jews, that the coming of the Messiah was at hand. Nor was this opinion confined to the Jewish nation: it extended over a portion of the gentile world. Roman poets of that age sing of the coming of an extraordinary person, who should gain universal dominion, and restore the golden age of terrestrial bliss. Roman historians also allude to the same general expectation.

The Savior was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, during the reign of the Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar. The place of His birth had been long before predicted by the prophet Micah, in these remarkable words- 'But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall He come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.' How strikingly was this fulfilled! Augustus, having resolved to levy a tax on the Jewish nation, issues a decree requiring all the inhabitants of Judea to enroll their names for this purpose. In compliance with this command, Joseph and Mary, the parents of Christ, go up from Nazareth, where they lived, to Bethlehem, the town in which their family register was kept. And while they were there, amid the crowds of strangers who had assembled to be enrolled, the Savior of the world was born. Under circumstances of great voluntary abasement does He enter the world. He, who is truly the Father of the everlasting ages, and who now becomes an Infant of days, is found wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger; because there was no room in the inn. Ah! blessed Jesus, the world has no room for You; the depraved heart of man has no place for You; You are despised and rejected by those who have their portion in this life. To them You are as a root out of a dry ground- without form or loveliness- having no beauty in their eyes. What ingratitude do You daily receive at their hands for such infinite condescension and love! Oh, may we give You a ready and joyful welcome, while others reject You and treat You with contempt. May we open wide the doors of our hearts, and earnestly cry- 'Come in, blessed of the Lord; why do you stand outside?' And Oh, may there be always room in our hearts to entertain You, our blessed Lord and Redeemer.

The glad tidings of the Savior's birth were announced by the angel of the Lord to the shepherds, watching over their flocks by night, on the plains of Bethlehem. These humble, pious men are at first thrown into the greatest consternation at the sudden appearance of the heavenly messenger, and the glory of the Lord shining round them; but their fear is banished, and their hearts cheered, when the celestial messenger communicates to them the joyful tidings of life and immortality through a new-born Savior. Never before was such an announcement made. Never before were such cheering tidings borne to the ears of a perishing world. Oh! let them be speedily published through every land, and resounded from shore to shore.

'And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.' Oh, what blessed tidings are these! Tidings of great joy not only to the Jewish nation, but also to the Gentile world- to all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. The Star of Bethlehem now shines- the Sun of Righteousness has risen- Jesus is born! A Savior has come to redeem man from the bondage of sin, and the punishment of the divine law; and to restore him to Paradise; to advance him to far higher seats than those of earthly original bliss- to bring him to a celestial home of seraphic joys, far, far beyond those brilliant lamps which lighten the nocturnal sky. Yes, He has come, whose royal titles are: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. What cause for holy joy is here! Can heaven and earth keep silent at the advent of so glorious and illustrious a Person, who comes on a mission of infinite goodness at which angels themselves are lost in astonishment? Let the universe sing for joy. 'Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done this wondrous thing! Shout, O earth! Break forth into song, O mountains and forests and every tree! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob and is glorified in Israel.'

Hark! what sounds are those which are borne from on high to the ears of the trembling shepherds? There is music in the skies. All heaven is made vocal by the song. Do you not hear it? How sweetly do those sounds fall upon the ear! It is the song of the heavenly host, resounding among the hills of Judea, celebrating the rising glories of Jacob's Star, in 'a hymn more noble, more divine, than had ever before proceeded from their lips.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'
Hark! what those holy voices mean-
Sweetly sounding through the skies?
Lo! the angelic host rejoices;
Heavenly hallelujahs rise.
Listen to the wondrous story,
Which they chant in hymns of joy:
'Glory in the highest; glory!
Glory be to God most high!
Christ is born, the Great Anointed,
Heaven and earth His praises sing;
Oh, receive whom God appointed,
For your Prophet; Priest, and King!'

Well might those holy angels rejoice, when the wisdom, justice, holiness, power, and mercy of God, were to be so illustriously displayed in the wondrous plan of redemption, by the incarnation, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and intercession of Jesus. And here, let us pause for a moment, and reflect on the copious matter of the angelic song. It is a song which the angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, are now singing in yonder world of light and love- the Paradise of God. It is a new song, and will always be new to the inhabitants of heaven.

Its first note is, Glory to God in the highest. In the salvation of every soul, glory is brought to God, on earth and in heaven- in time, and through eternity. Of those reclaimed by grace, it is said: 'This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.''I am glorified in them.' 'When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all those who believe.' If the angels rejoice over the conversion of a single sinner, because the glory of God is advanced by the wonderful method of grace, what rejoicing will there be among them when the whole company of the redeemed are brought home to the celestial Mount Zion, to stand as eternal monuments of divine grace before the throne of God! Then will the sweet, sublime angelic song of 'Glory to God in the highest' forever resound among the hills of Paradise. Oh, how the angels love to see the glory of their divine Lord advanced by the wondrous and mysterious plan of redemption! And shall not man, whose nature Jesus assumed, and whose salvation He came to accomplish, raise a more exalted song? The promotion of God's glory should be the grand aim of our lives. We should glorify Him by receiving His blessed Son as our Savior; and our songs of praise for so unspeakable a gift should be ever ascending to the Most High. 'Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.'

In their sublime and harmonious song the angels ascribe glory to God in the highest. This we may understand as a call upon all the inhabitants of the celestial regions to render, in the highest degree, glory to God who dwells in the highest heavens, for this greatest manifestation of divine mercy- the love of God to sinners. 'At the birth of nature, the sons of God, the angels sang together, and shouted for joy; but when the Author and Lord of nature is born, let them raise a loftier and more ecstatic anthem of praise.' Here, let them tune their harps anew, and sing of the divine glory.

But observe the last notes of this angelic song: 'on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.' How expressive of the grand object of the Savior's mission to the world! He came to make peace between God and man. This object He accomplished by His holy life of obedience to the divine law, and His atoning sacrifice on Calvary. It is the atoning blood of Christ, which speaks peace to the guilty, troubled conscience of those who, by faith, apply to it for relief. Of all who are guided to the blessed Savior, it may truly be said, 'Their peace shall be as a river; their righteousness as the waves of the sea.' Most emphatically is our Redeemer the Prince of Peace; and most gloriously has He proclaimed peace to the enemies of God. 'He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth.' 'In His days shall the righteous flourish: and abundance of peace so long as the moon endures.' 'And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.'

While dwelling in this world, where tumult, hostility, and deadly conflict prevail, our blessed Savior continually breathed words of peace and good-will to men; and when He was about to leave these sin-stained shores, and return to His Father's house above, one of the farewell blessings He bequeathed to his friends was peace. 'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.' Yes,
"Peace" was the word our Savior breathed
When from our world His steps withdrew;
The gift He to His friends bequeathed,
With Calvary and the Cross in view;
Redeemer! with adoring lore
Our spirits take Your rich bequest,
The watchword of the host above,
The passport to their realm of rest.

After the choir of angels had sung their nocturnal song at the birth of Jesus, they returned to their home above, where they see the face of God, and sing His praise evermore. As soon as the sound of the heavenly harps dies away, and all is again still around them, the shepherds resolve to go to Bethlehem, and see the thing which the Lord had made known unto them. There they find the new-born Savior, as the angel lead told them, lying in a manger. There they find the true Shepherd of Israel- the great Shepherd of the sheep. With what wonder and admiration do they gaze upon this Babe of Bethlehem! With what joy do they fall down and worship Him as their Savior! Notwithstanding the lowly circumstances of His birth, they look upon Him as the Savior of the world. They received the announcement of the heavenly messenger as true; and now the oil of gladness is poured into their hearts. In their overflowing joy, they are ready to join the angels in their new hymn of praise for the incarnation of the Son of God. After witnessing the mysterious scene of Bethlehem, they, at first, publish the glad tidings abroad, and then return to their flocks, glorifying and praising God. 'And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.'

A most remarkable phenomenon attending the Savior's entrance into the world was the appearance of an extraordinary star, or luminary, in the heavens, which seems to leave had no other work nor motion, but to tell of Him and lead to Him. This miraculous star, appearing in the East, attracted the Magi to Jerusalem, with this inquiry, 'Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.' On leaving Jerusalem, in their search for the new-born king of Israel, the wise men were again gladdened with a sight of the star, which seems to have disappeared from their view for some time. 'And lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.'
Here the questions very naturally arise, What led the wise men to believe that this star indicated the birth of a mighty king in Judea? What induced them to undertake their journey for the purpose of finding Him, and paying Him homage? It is the opinion of some critics, that their persuasion arose from Balaam's prophecy of the star that should come out of Jacob. Collyer, in his Lectures on Scripture Prophecy, says: 'It is difficult to account for the coming of the wise men from the East to Jerusalem, in search of Jesus, at the birth of our Lord, had not this prophecy been well known, at least traditionally, in their country, and understood to refer to the advent of the Messiah, then universally an object of greater or of less expectation. . . It can scarcely be doubted that Balaam's prophecies then still prevailed among "the Mountains of the East," and that these Sages understood this luminous appearance in the heavens to refer to Him, whom Balaam called "the STAR of Jacob."' The pious Leighton, however, believes that they were divinely instructed regarding the grand object for which this star appeared; and in his opinion most will coincide. 'I conceive,' he says, 'all their skill in astronomy, and Balaam's prophecy of the star in Jacob, and the tradition of the Messiah and His star, and seers prophesying of them, could not make the language of this star thus clear and intelligible to them. There was no doubt, an extraordinary darting in of a higher light into their minds, clearer than that of the star, to make its meaning clear to them, and to draw them forth to this journey.'

We have seen, that when the star re-appeared to the wise men, they 'rejoiced with exceeding great joy.' What was the real cause of this joy? Did it not arise from the belief that they were about to see the salvation of God? By the re-appearance of the star, did they not have a visible token of the divine presence, and feel assured that their journey would terminate successfully? -that they would soon behold the new-born King of Israel, now that this new and bright star was guiding them onward?

What a fine illustration we have here of the feelings which exist ill the newly regenerated man, where spiritual light shines into his soul, guiding him to Jesus, and to an eternal day of glory! Such a one rejoices with exceeding great joy- a joy unspeakable and full of glory. It is this divine illumination from heaven, shining within the soul, that has caused believers in all ages to rejoice, like the wise men, with exceeding great joy. It has emboldened them in the hour of danger, made them take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, and enabled them to sing aloud for joy amid the flames of persecution.

Are you following the guidance of the star of Bethlehem through the dark wilderness of life? If you are, you will be led to the Sun of Righteousness; you will find Jesus; and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man can take from you. And in a little while, your eyes shall behold the King of Zion, your exalted Savior, in the heavenly mansions, where his glory will be no more veiled as it was on earth. This blessed vision may be very near. The sight of your Father's house above, may be ready to open upon your enraptured view. Angels may be waiting to conduct your happy soul to the glorious presence of King Jesus, who now reigns on heaven's highest, brightest throne. You may be about to sit down among that ransomed throng, who are now beholding the glory of Him, who was born in Bethlehem, and crucified on Calvary. You may be about to gaze upon that countenance which now shines as the sun- to see those hands which were for you nailed to the cross- to hear that voice, which alone can speak pardon and peace to the guilty, troubled soul. Oh, let us be thankful for that spiritual light which points us to such untold blessedness: and let our joy increase more and more, as by faith we see the Star of Morning, guiding us to glory and immortality. 'Exult in his holy name; O worshipers of the Lord, rejoice!'

When the wise men find the Savior they fall down, and worship Him. Notwithstanding the low and unhonored condition in which they see Him, they at once prostrate themselves in His presence with grateful hearts, paying homage to His name, and presenting unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. What a noble example is here presented to us! When we find the blessed Jesus, we should acknowledge His majesty, worship Him as our divine Savior, while, at the same time, we should give Him the strongest affections of our hearts, and the best services of our lives. We should present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Him, which is our reasonable service. We should honor Him with our substance, and with the first-fruits of all our increase. Counting nothing too valuable to be withheld from Him, we should be ready, if necessary, to part with life itself for the sake of Him who, in His incomparable mercy, laid down His own precious life for us, that we might never experience the second death- that we might be crowned with a blissful immortality. Let us now muse upon some of those great truths which are founded on the subject of this essay; and may we contemplate these sacred things with reverential esteem; and with our affections elevated above the transitory objects around us.

THE DIVINE CONSTITUTION OF THE PERSON OF THE SAVIOR AS GOD-MAN. That 'the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,' is a wonderful thought- a great mystery which can never be fully unraveled. But this is one of the most precious doctrines of the Bible; and the source of the Christian's purest and most rapturous joy. That the eternal Son of God really assumed human nature into personal subsistence with Himself, is a doctrine most explicitly taught in the Scriptures; and happy are we, if we can rest our belief on the plain teachings of the Word of God, rejecting all human opinions which are contrary to the pure Gospel revelation. The following passages prove the truth of our declaration, that Christ actually assumed human nature 'God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.' 'But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman.' 'Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.' 'Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same. For truly He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.' 'Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He, humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.' Thus did Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, the second Person of the Godhead, most truly assume a human soul and a human body, humbling Himself in a most astonishing manner, and yielding himself to sorrows, to sufferings, and to the death of the cross for us.

With respect to the glorious union of the divine and human nature in the Person of our adorable Redeemer, His name is called by the prophet 'wonderful.' He is wonderful not only in the constitution of His Person as God and man in two natures, but also in His offices and relations to us- in the manifestation of His unsearchable riches to the children of men. His whole life on earth was a life of wonders. He is Wonderful in His love, in His sympathy, in His meekness, in His humility, in His patience, in His wisdom, in His doctrines, in His miracles, in His sufferings, in His death, in His resurrection, in His ascension to heaven, and in His intercession at the right hand of God. He will be wonderful in His second coming; and through the ages of eternity His name will still be called 'wonderful.'

In the union of the divine and human nature in the Person of Christ, there is no confusion; each nature retains its own essential qualities distinct; and both constitute one most wonderful and glorious Person, who is truly Emmanuel, God with us, God in our nature. By His being manifest in the flesh, Christ lost nothing of His essential glory, greatness, majesty, and dominion. His assuming our nature caused no change in His divine Person. While He walked through this valley of tears in the likeness of men, in the form of a servant, He was as truly the brightness of His Father's glory, and the Supreme Ruler of the universe, as He now is, while enthroned in the bosom of celestial bliss amid the heavenly throng, adored by seraphim and cherubim, and the spirits of the just made perfect.

And, as He is truly God, so He is truly man! 'Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren; that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.' 'Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God.' One of the titles which the Savior loved to apply to Himself, in the days of His personal ministry, was that of the 'Son of man'- 'the Son of man who came down from heaven'; 'the Son of man who came to seek and to save that which was lost.' Christ assumed our nature, with all its sinless infirmities. He has a human heart, to feel for the woes of mankind. 'For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.' Like us He was subject to hunger and thirst, cold and heat, weariness and sorrow. But oh, whose sorrows were ever like unto His sorrows? Who ever agonized like the Sufferer of Gethsemane? Who ever endured such a death as that of the Man of Calvary?

'Like us a man, He trod on earthly soil,
He bore each pang, and strove in weary toil;
He spoke with human words, with pity sighed;
Like us He mourned, and feared, and wept, and died.'

The Grand Design of the Savior's INCARNATION. It was for the purpose of saving sinners, that Christ came from heaven to earth. Hear His own emphatic declaration: 'I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.' 'For the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.' 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.' How glorious was the object of His mission to earth! He came that we might find in Him a hiding-place from the storm and tempest of divine wrath, which is ready to break over an ungodly world. He came to proclaim the acceptable Year of the Lord- to break the chains of sin, and to bruise Satan under our feet; to open the prison doors, and to confer on us the glorious liberty of the children of God. He came to enrich our impoverished souls with all spiritual and heavenly blessings; to lead us beside the still waters of divine grace; to implant holy desires in our hearts; to elevate our affections above a vain and perishing world; to clothe us with the garments of salvation; to give unto us who mourn in Zion, beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; to feed us with living bread; to open for us a fountain of immortal life; to pour out His Spirit upon us; to guide us to the shores of Emmanuel's land; to receive us to mansions of everlasting joy and glory in heaven. What a great work is this, which Christ came to accomplish!

The salvation of sinners- the conferring of endless happiness upon myriads of our guilty race, who might justly have been left to reap the fruit of their transgression with the fallen angels, in the regions of eternal darkness and despair. Who can tell what it is to be delivered from the thralldom of sin, and the fearful realities of the second death; to be reinstated in the favor and love of God; and to be crowned with the imperishable diadem of beauty and glory through those infinite ages of bliss, which roll beyond the grave!

All that our blessed Savior did on earth was to accomplish this great work of redemption- to glorify His Heavenly Father in the salvation of precious, immortal souls. He never failed to make this the grand design of His high mission. For this very object He became a man of sorrows. For this He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. For this He groaned in the spirit; for this He agonized in the garden, and expired upon the cross. For this He rose again, and ascended on High. And in the courts of heaven He still pleads our cause before God. Oh, what believer is not made to rejoice, when he considers the end for which the Savior became incarnate- for the purpose of redeeming his soul to God, and to the ineffable joys of heaven, Jesus visited earth, and trod the thorny path of life, until He endured the excruciating death of the Cross!

'For this He came and dwelt on earth,
For this His life was given;
For this He fought and vanquished death,
For this He pleads in heaven!
Join, all you saints beneath the sky,
Your grateful praise to give
Sing loud hosannas to the Lord,
Who died that you might live.'

IN THE INCARNATION OF OUR BLESSED SAVIOR THE MOST AMAZING CONDESCENSION IS MANIFESTED. Where, in the wide universe of God, can be found an instance of condescension so marvelous as that which Christ displayed, when He left the throne of heavenly glory, and the songs of seraphim and cherubim, to be cradled in the manger of Bethlehem, to become a man of sorrows, to dwell on earth in the disguise of a servant? How wonderful, that the Son of God, who lay from all eternity past in the bosom of the Father, should, for a season, lay aside the robes of His glory, forsake those high and heavenly mansions, with all their ineffable joys, and take upon Him the form of our degraded species, that we might be invested with the robes of righteousness, and shine as the sun in the kingdom of heaven! Here we behold the eternal Son of God, by whom were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, uniting Himself to frail, mortal man; to man who is but a worm; to man, who is like a wind that passes away, and comes not again. Oh, what condescension! How truly amazing!

The infinite condescension of our blessed Redeemer in assuming humanity, is a subject in which our minds should often be engaged in the most serious contemplation. And while dwelling on this marvelous and glorious theme, may our souls be filled with adoration, gratitude, and praise. When, in the exercise of a strong and lively faith, we look at the voluntary descent of Jesus into this lower world, and consider the unparalleled humiliation of His life and death, we will feel like giving expression to the emotions of our hearts in language similar to this: 'That the Almighty should become the Savior of His rebellious creatures, by taking upon Him their nature that He, who rules over all worlds, should stoop, not to be a mighty monarch, but a humble carpenter; that He, who created and provided the foxes and the birds with holes and nests, should voluntarily leave Himself destitute of a place where to lay His head; that He, who is the great Proprietor of all things, should condescend to be supported by pious females, who ministered to him of their substance; that the Fountain of felicity should become a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; that the Lord of glory should be despised and rejected of men; that the Judge of the living and dead should stand, like a criminal, at an earthly tribunal, charged with crimes which He never committed, and condemned for transgressions of which He was declared innocent; that the Majesty of heaven should be spit upon, scourged, and crucified; that the Lord of life should pour out His soul unto death; this, this is the wonder of wonders- the unsearchable riches of Christ
"Not to be thought of, but with tides of joy;
Not to be mentioned, but with shouts of praise."

To view this subject in a proper light, we must take into consideration the essential and original dignity, majesty, and glory of Christ. He, who condescends to be born in the likeness of men, is the only begotten Son of God, equal and co-eternal with the Father. He is the second Person in the glorious Trinity; the same divine Being, some of whose excellencies, as revealed in the Scriptures, have already been exhibited in this work. This glorious Person, in His infinite compassion for perishing sinners, makes Himself of no reputation, and takes upon Him the form of a servant, and is made in the likeness of men. He, whose hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and whose right hand has spanned the heavens, even condescends to have those hands nailed to the cross. Being found in fashion as a man, He humbles Himself, and becomes obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Be astonished, O you heavens, at this! What unexpected, unthought of condescension in the Lord of glory! What astonishment must this transition have excited in the minds of the heavenly host! 'Easily may we imagine,' says Dwight, 'that all heaven was lost in wonder, and buried in silence, to behold this transition from infinite glory to supreme humiliation, from the throne of the universe to a tenement of clay.'

It would be considered great condescension for an earthly prince to leave his throne and visit the wretched cottages of his most degraded and impoverished subjects, for the benevolent purpose of administering relief, and elevating to rank, and fortune, and office; but infinitely greater is the condescension of Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who, though dwelling in ineffable light, and possessing every divine attribute, yet disrobes Himself of the glories of His vast domains, and comes to visit guilty and degraded man on earth, with tidings of peace and reconciliation, eternal life and felicity. The Prince of Peace stoops from His high and royal palace in the heavens to agonize- to bleed- to die for sinners on the earth. Oh! surprising thought. Oh! miracle of mercy. What language can express the voluntary descent of the Son of the Eternal God from the riches of heaven to the deepest and the most intense and overwhelming suffering on earth, that fallen man might be raised to the unmingled and everlasting joys of a serene and heavenly Paradise? What songs of gratitude can we raise for a condescension so unparalleled- for goodness so immense?

'And did the Holy and the Just,
The Sovereign of the skies,
Stoop down to wretchedness and dust,
That guilty worms might rise?
Yes, the Redeemer left His throne,
His radiant throne on high;
Surprising mercy! love unknown!
To suffer, bleed, and die.
He took the dying traitor's place,
And suffering in his stead;
For man, (O miracle of grace!)
For man the Savior bled!
Jesus, my soul adoring bends
To love so full, so free;
And may I hope that love extends
Its sacred power to me.
What glad returns can I impart
For favors so divine?
Oh, take my all; this worthless heart,
And make it wholly Thine.'

In this most wonderful condescension of Christ Jesus, we have a perfect pattern for our imitation; and the apostle calls up this example, when he enjoins on Christians the duty of exercising the grace of humility. 'Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.' 'Now I Paul myself beseech you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.' A proud and imperious spirit is most displeasing in the sight of Heaven. 'God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.' Our blessed Savior is meek and lowly in heart; and if we would be conformed to His image, we must strive to imitate this choice example of humility which He has furnished us. This is one of the fruits of the Spirit: and if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. The high and lofty One, who dwells in the high and holy place, inhabiting eternity and the praises of Israel, dwells with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Oh, let us study to increase more and more in the grace of humility. And if we would manifest this lovely disposition in our dally walk and conversation, we must look to a condescending Savior, and always bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus. If we are fouled cultivating this gracious affection in the true spirit of piety, we shall receive the approbation of heaven, and a rich reward in the life to come.

It is while exercising the grace of humility, that we are favored with our brightest views of divine things. 'Cherish,' says John Howe, 'the great grace of humility; and be ever lowly in your own eyes. That temper carries it in even a natural disposition to delight in God. How sweet complacency will such a soul take in Him! His light and glory shine with great luster in the eyes of such a one while there is not a nearer, imagined luster to vie with. Stars are seen at noon, by those who descend low into a deep pit. . . . . Down then into the dust- there you are in the fittest place and posture for delightful converse with God.' Leighton has beautifully remarked: 'Surely, the soul that has most of Christ, has most humility. It is the lesson He peculiarly recommends to us from His own example, which is the shortest and most effectual way of teaching, 'Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. Jesus Christ is indeed the Lily of the valleys; He grows nowhere but in the humble heart. Said Rowland Hill, with much earnestness and simplicity, 'I love the poor, the lowly believer. See yon evening star, how bright it shines; how pure, how gentle are its rays- but look, it is lower than the heavens, than those that sparkle with a restless twinkling, in the higher regions of the sky. God keeps you low that you may shine bright. Where do the rivers run that fertilize our soil- is it on the barren top of yonder hill? No, in the valleys beneath. If you would have the river, whose streams make glad the city of our God, to run through your hearts and enrich them to His glory, You must abide in the valley of humility.'

'The saint that wears heaven's brightest crown,
In deepest adoration bends;
The weight of glory bows him down,
Then most, when most the soul ascends:
Nearest the throne itself must be
The footstool of humility.'

THE BENEVOLENCE OF GOD IS MOST ILLUSTRIOUSLY DISPLAYED IN THE GIFT OF HIS SON. The love of God is the original fountain of all our mercies. The Scriptures make known to us this great truth, that the glorious plan of redemption originated in the infinite love of God the Father. 'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.' Who can unfold the full import of this glorious declaration? Can the tongue of men or angels? No. It passes knowledge. The ages of vast eternity will be spent in contemplating this wonder of wonders, this mystery of mysteries- the love of God in giving His Son to sorrows, and to sufferings, and to death for us, that we might not perish, but have eternal life. In the gift of His Son to a lost world, God the Father has manifested the greatest love that has ever been made known to us. It is a love beyond human or angelic comprehension. Its contemplation fills the pious mind with wonder, admiration, and gratitude. It will forever employ the harps of angels and the redeemed in glory. It is a theme which will never be exhausted. It will be always new. It is the source of that wondrous new song in heaven; the source of all those rapturous joys in the presence of God on high. There is nothing like this love. All comparison bears but a faint resemblance to it. It is a great deep, a boundless ocean, incomprehensible as the other attributes of the divine nature. O Lord, Your mercy is great above the heavens; and Your truth reaches unto the clouds.

'The power of God does brightly shine in the creation, the wisdom of God may clearly be discerned in the government of things; but the incarnation of God is that work, is that dispensation of grace, wherein the divine goodness does most conspicuously display itself. How possibly could God have demonstrated a greater excess of kindness towards us, than by thus, for our sake and good, sending His dearest Son out of His bosom into this sordid and servile state, subjecting Him to all the, infirmities of our frail nature, exposing Him to the worst inconveniences of our low condition? What expressions can signify, what comparisons can set out the stupendous vastness of this kindness.' (Barrow)

In giving this love its just preeminence, the sacred writers point to it as an example of unprecedented benevolence in God. 'In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.' This love will appear more and more marvelous, if we consider the greatness of the Giver, and the insignificance and vileness of the objects upon whom it is bestowed. It is manifested by the great and glorious Jehovah to a world of miserable sinners. 'God commends His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' Oh! it is this which should excite our highest admiration, and our deepest gratitude. God first loved us: He loved us when we were rebels and enemies- wanderers from the path of duty and happiness- sinners of the most depraved character. When we were in this deplorable condition with no eye to pity, and with no arm to save us, the vast benevolence of God prompted Him to give His Son to die for us- to give HIMSELF. 'Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us.' 'And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is LOVE.' Here, let us pause, and wonder, and admire, and adore. Oh, what manner of love is this! How illustriously it shines! This moral attribute of God is so gloriously manifested in the gift of Jesus to a lost world, that all holy intelligences are filled with wonder and amazement when they think of such goodness. Angels are now dwelling on this theme with intense thought. The redeemed, who are now singing the song of Moses and the Lamb, are celebrating this love with unceasing delight. Saints, who are now traveling through this valley of tears, are looking heavenward, and longing to join the celestial choir, that they may learn to celebrate this unexampled benevolence in more worthy and exalted strains. Oh, who shall separate us from this love of God? Let it ever glow in our hearts; let it ever be extolled with our tongues. May it excites in us most sublime gratitude, while we journey as pilgrims through life; and be celebrated by us through the eternal day of glory.

This love is freely given to sinners. God gave His Son- unto us a Son is given. In His unfathomable love, God did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. While we come to Christ, and receive Him with thankfulness as the free gift of God, and rest in Him for eternal salvation, let us be consoled by the thought that the divine benevolence will also be manifested towards us in all the events of life, making even our afflictions to work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. If our Heavenly Father has conferred upon us such an unspeakable gift as that of His beloved Son, how shall He not with Him, as the apostle says, also freely give us all things? Since He has given us the living bread from heaven, will He not provide for our temporal needs out of His unlimited fullness? Will He not lead us in the path of righteousness; protect us from every evil, give us the victory over our spiritual foes, and finally crown us with the glories of eternity? Yes, He will. 'My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.' 'All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours.' 'For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.'

THE LOVE OF THE SAVIOR IS WONDERFULLY DISPLAYED IN HIS INCARNATION. While the benevolence of God was the grand motive that prompted Him to give His only begotten Son as the Savior of a perishing world, love was also the cause which constrained the blessed Jesus to leave His heavenly throne and visit earth, that He might accomplish the eternal purposes of divine mercy in the salvation of sinners. And, oh, how boundless is that love which brings the Son of God, the Creator of the world, from such heights of glory to such depths of humiliation and suffering! Here is a manifestation of grace which exceeds all description, passes all knowledge, and is without a parallel in the annals of time or eternity. Well does the apostle speak of this wondrous theme, as, the love of Christ, which passes knowledge.' When, for the purpose of redeeming lost sinners, the Son of God divests Himself of His heavenly glory, takes upon Him the form of a servant, and is made in the likeness of men, He manifests a love, the vehemence and vastness of which eternity itself can never fully declare. How was the mind of Paul elevated by noble conceptions, when he thought of the amazing grace of Jesus in becoming our Redeemer! With what deep emotions- with what sacred eloquence does he expatiate on this delightful theme! 'You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich.' This caused him often to pour out his soul in earnest prayer to God, that the Gentiles might know the great love of Christ towards them. 'For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in Your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, many be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge.'

Oh, who can measure the height and depth, the length and breadth of this admirable, rich grace! Most boundless compassion, reaching from yon bright throne of Jehovah in the heavens to this dark valley of mortality, raising myriads of the lost race of Adam, from the death of sin to the life of holiness and happiness; to the supreme, immortal felicities of a heavenly Paradise! How vain are words to express the stupendous grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in clothing Himself with our nature, that He might become a suffering man, and by His death upon the Cross, reconcile us to God!
Oh, the grace and love of the blessed Jesus! He, the most high God, blessed for evermore, consented to become man. He who was life, and gives life to all, became a mortal man. He was born to die. Because we were "partakers of flesh and blood; He also Himself likewise took part of the same." Oh, love beyond example or degree!
'Oh, may this love, in strains sublime,
Be sung to the last hour of time;
And let eternity confess,
Through all its rounds, the matchless grace.'

IN THE INCARNATION OF THE SAVIOR, HUMANITY IS MOST HIGHLY HONORED AND EXALTED. When the Son of God came from heaven and took upon Him the seed of Abraham, and was manifest in the flesh, human nature was raised from tine lowest degree of wretchedness to a most exalted state of happiness- even above the seats of the highest seraph that adores, and burns with love, in the presence of God. In the Person of Emmanuel our nature is crowned with the highest honors, and the highest glories of Paradise. In heaven, the Man Christ Jesus now reigns over all things; on His head are many crowns, and He is invested with supreme power and authority, for the good of the Church. As our Forerunner, He has for us entered within the veil, and will in due time bring us to that state of honor, exaltation, and glory to which He is now advanced. What an honor is it to reign with Christ in heaven; to be made heirs of God, and kings and priests unto Him; to have our vile bodies fashioned like unto the glorious bode of the blessed Redeemer; to shine as the sun in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father; to be made equal to the angels, to be clothed with immortal youth, vigor, and beauty; and to inhale forever the peaceful atmosphere of the upper Paradise! We shall never be able, in this life, to comprehend the greatness of the honor and blessedness to which human nature is advanced, in consequence of the incarnation and the atonement of the Son of God. We must wait until mortality is swallowed up of life; until we reach that better world, where the storms and darkness of earth never come; until in the splendor of immortal day, we shall see how great are our honors, how pure our joys, how bright our glories, how rich our inheritance with the saints in light. In the meantime let us rejoice, that Jesus is now invested with humanity on the throne of heaven; and that it is His will that we may also be partakers with Him in His heavenly glories.

What consolation is here for the weary Christian pilgrim journeying through a land of trial and conflict- of temptation and danger- of darkness and the shadow of death! Child of God, lift up your head with joy. Look heavenward. Who sits on yonder glorious throne? Who wields the scepter of the universe? Who controls the raging elements? Who says to the storms and tempests, Peace, be still? Who raises the poor from the dust, and exalts him to a throne among princes? Who beautifies the meek with salvation? It is Emmanuel- Jehovah Jesus in our nature- our Elder Brother- our Advocate with the Father. Most animating thought! Oh, let us look with the eye of faith to our exalted Redeemer; and we shall abide in more than earthly honor while pilgrims here, until we are carried by angels to the blissful seats of sanctified souls above, to live and flourish in the Paradise of God forever and ever. This honor have all His saints. Let the thought, that Christ will soon exalt us to those high and heavenly honors, brighten the sorrows of our earthly pilgrimage, and inspire us with hope in the darkest hour, until that day opens which shall never be darkened by a setting sun. Let us keep our eyes upon the adorable Jesus in His glorified humanity, at the right hand of the Majesty on high; and look forward with happy anticipation of the joys of heaven- of being admitted into His presence to receive all those divine honors and felicities which were purchased for us, when He condescended to become bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh.

Let us now bring all these things home to our hearts. Let us pause, and ask, How are we affected by this great and marvelous event, the incarnation of the eternal Son of God? Are we ready to join the angels in singing, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men? Or, is our heart unmoved at this highest manifestation of divine benevolence to a lost world- the gift of a Savior? Has the cheering light of the star of Bethlehem yet shone on our pathway to guide us to Him, Who is the Bright and Morning Star, and who brings an eternal day of glory to the soul? Are we ascribing glory to God in the highest strains for the incarnation of His begotten Son, who is the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person? Do we experience the peace, which this Day-spring from on high brings to the soul? Are we admiring that vast, incomparable benevolence of God, which led Him to send His own Son to the world, in the likeness of men, to make atonement for sin? If we would see the wisdom, justice, power, and goodness of God most illustriously displayed, we must go to Bethlehem. There we will see the manifold wisdom of God. There we will see Deity manifested in the flesh, and learn the new song of redeeming love. There we will see man redeemed, the powers of darkness overthrown, the sting of death extracted, and the gloom of the grave dispelled. Then will the glory of the Lord shine around us, and we will listen with delight to the song of angels, and our own voices will be attuned to the harps of the heavenly world. Then will we return, like the shepherds, glorifying and praising God for all the things that we have heard and seen. Then will the angels' song be ours- ours through time- ours through eternity. Yes, in yon temple of light, the blissful abode of all holy intelligences, we will sing with rapture of the incarnation of Jesus, and the glory it brings to God and our own souls. Oh, with what transports of joy will we there behold Him, who was born in Bethlehem, still clothed with our nature before the throne of God, and reigning in all the grandeur of the divine attributes! It is impossible for us now to conceive with what feelings of wonder, and delight, and admiration, and gratitude, we will remember the mysterious scene of Bethlehem, in those serene mansions of the blessed, where the incarnate Son of God is the delight of every heart, and the theme of every song.

Let us endeavor now to have our hearts duly impressed with this great mystery of godliness, in which the human race is so deeply interested. Let us feel that no event of all earthly nature is so important to us as that of the incarnation of the Son of God. Let us remember that this will be the source of eternal joy to us, or greatly aggravate our punishment in the abodes of misery! What a solemn consideration! Let us lay it to heart now; and come, without delay, to Bethlehem, the house of bread, that we may eat of that spiritual food which came down from heaven, and drink of that smitten Rock from whose side issue those streams which reanimate the spirit of him, who is ready to perish from thirst. Like David, let us long to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem. Oh, that we could say with him: 'As the Deer pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.' Let us thirst for that spiritual, living water which Jesus alone can give. Let, us come to Him, and study and admire the mystery of God manifest in the flesh, and the amazing height, depth, and length, and breadth of divine love. He is the only way to the Father; walk in Him and He will lead you to a reconciled God. He is the Truth: believe in Him, and you will know all things. He is the Life: look to Him, and you will live forever. He will be Your guiding Star through the dark and stormy slight of earth, until the bright and happy morning of eternal day dawns- until you stand upon the peaceful shore- until you gaze upon the blissful skies.

O God, You who by a star guided the wise men to Your eternal Son, when He was manifested in the flesh, grant, in the immensity of Your love, that we, by the reception of spiritual light from You, may also be led to the only Savior for the blessings of grace and the joys of heaven. O merciful Father, give us an interest in Your Son Jesus Christ- in His atoning blood and righteousness; in His intercessory work in heaven; in the peacefulness of His kingdom; in the abundance of His riches; and in the beauty and excellency of that celestial inheritance which He has purchased with His precious blood.

Blessed Jesus, what shall we render unto You for Your unspeakable benefits to us! From Your glorious throne in heaven You condescended to regard man, 'that is a worm'- man, who is in Your sight less than nothing, and vanity. You did come from the realms of supreme felicity to a world of sorrow, to be invested with humanity- to feel for our infirmities- to make peace between God and man; to endure the death of the cross for us. How highly have You distinguished us, in Your immeasurable kindness! We bless You that You have appeared as the Day-spring from on high, transforming our darkness into light, into glory. May we walk in Your light until we reach the bright and happy home of the blessed ones in heaven. And when we look at the glorious results of Your incarnation, sufferings, death, and intercession, may we be constrained from our inmost soul, to join in the angelic hymn, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors." Luke 2:14

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