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not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

With what holy wonder and pleasure should we trace this notice of an incarnate Redeemer! and how thankfully should we adore his condescending goodness, that for us men, and for our salvation, he did not despise the womb of so obscure a virgin?

We too are ready in our thoughts, with Gabriel, to congratulate her on so distinguished an honour, and to say,as one did to Christ in the days of his flesh, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, O Lord, and the breasts which thou hast sucked! (Luke xi. 27.) But let us remember there is yet a nobler blessedness than this attending those, in whose hearts he is so formed by divine grace, that they hear his word and do it.

Let us hear with joy, that he is Jesus the Saviour; but let us also consider that he is Christ the anointed Sovereign, who is to rule over God's people for ever. Remember, O my soul that of his kingdom there shall be no end; and esteem it thine unspeakable honour and happiness to be enrolled amongst his faithful subjects.

The glories promised to such in the future state are so far beyond experience, or even imagination, that they might, to sense, appear as incredible as the message which Mary received but let us remember the eternal truth of what Gabriel suggested to her, that nothing is impossible to God.

He can

therefore ripen our imperfect souls to all the improvement and pleasures of the heavenly state, as easily as he produces the meanest vegetable on the earth.

Let the temper of the blessed virgin, on this great occasion, be therefore the beautiful model of ours: so, when the purposes of the Divine Love are declared to us, we may resign ourselves unto the Lord; and with such calm tranquillity, firm faith and joyful acquiescence, may wait the accomplishment of his gracious promise, and say, Behold the servants of the Lord! be it unto us according to his word! So do thou, O Lord, animate and support us! and the weakest of thy children shall not stumble at the greatest of thy promises through unbelief; but, being strong in faith, shall give glory to God.

SECTION IV.

LUKE I. 39-56.

AND Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Juda, and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden : for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm, he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and

exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. And Mary

abode with her three months, and returned to her own house.

How natural is it for those, who have themselves received mercy of the Lord, to communicate their joy to others, and to seek the society of their fellow saints, whom he hath honoured with the signal manifestations of his favour?Happy are they, whose friendship is confirmed and heightened by such endearing ties ! And thrice happy the humble and generous souls, who can thus, like Elisabeth, lose the thoughts of private honour and interest in a cordial concern for the glory of God and the good of men; rejoicing to see others, perhaps in some respects their inferiors, raised to stations of service more distinguished than their own!

If this pious matron thought herself so highly honoured in receiving a visit from the mother of our infant Saviour, how much more doth it become us to admire the condescension of our glorious Lord, that he will represent himself as graciously knocking at the door of our hearts, and ready not only to make us a transient visit, but to take up his stated abode with us?

May our faith, like that of the blessed virgin, delightfully rest on all the promises he makes, as firmly believing that there shall be an accomplishment of these things which are spoken! And, while that accomplishment is delayed, may the pleasing expectation of it tune our voice to a song of praise like her's. Let our souls also magnify the Lord, and our spirits rejoice in that God whom we hope, through grace, to be our Saviour; whose condescension hath regarded us in such low circumstances; and whose almighty power and everlasting love have done such great things for us.-He hath provided heavenly food, to satisfy our hungry souls; and hath raised us to enjoy the mercies which, in more obscure intimations only, he promised to the pious patriarchs.—His mercy is on all that fear him, through succeeding generations.-May such distinguished favours animate our hearts with those sentiments of devotion and zeal which they are so well qualified to excite ! otherwise the joy of the Old Testament Saints, in the distant and imperfect prospect of these blessings, will testify against our insensibility in the superíor advantages with which we are favoured.

SECTION V.

MATTHEW I. 18-25.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.) Then Joseph being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not, till she had brought forth her first-born son.

We see here, in Joseph, an excellent pattern of gentleness and prudence. In an affair which appeared dubious, he chose, as we should always do, rather to err on the favourable, than on the severe extreme. He was careful to avoid any precipitate steps; and in the moments of deliberation, God interposes to guide and determine his resolves.

With what wonder and pleasure did Joseph receive these glad tidings! With what pleasure should we also receive them! For we too are informed of Jesus who came to save his people from their sins. An important and glorious salvation indeed! Hosanna to him that cometh in the name of the Lord! Blessed Jesus! answer thy character in delivering us, not only from sin's condemning, but from its reigning power!

Let our souls bow to Emmanuel, our incarnate God; and, while with holy wonder we survey the various scenes of his humiliation, let us remember too his native dignity and his

divine glory. By him God hath fulfilled his ancient promises in the most ample and glorious manner, in the fulness of time sending forth his Son, made of a woman, and sprung like a tender shoot from the decayed stock of David his servant.

While we study the oracles of the Old Testament, let us with pleasure trace the notices of the great Messiah there, even of Jesus, to whom all the prophets give witness. May his name be ever inscribed upon our hearts. In that name may we lift up our banners, and judge those reproaches a glory which we may meet with in his sacred cause !

SECTION VI.

LUKE i. 57-66.

And her

Now Elisabeth's full time came, that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son. neigbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.-And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writingtable, and wrote, saying, His name is John, and they marvelled all.-And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill-country of Judea. And all they that heard them, laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.

So sure are the promises of God, and so certainly will the full accomplishment of them another day shame our suspicious unbelieving hearts, and awaken the tongues of servants to songs of praise! Happy the souls who, by a lively faith in them, are anticipating that blessed day, and whose minds, kept in tune by these pleasing views, are opening themselves to the most tender sympathy with others, and like the

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