SERMON XVIII.

ACTS xvi. 30, 31.

What must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.

IN speaking of our Lord's conception by the Holy Ghost, the important point of his incarnation was opened, in regard both of its necessity and reality. Yet something still remains to be added for the further confirmation of our faith in Jesus, as the Word made flesh, and which is contained in the words that follow, born of the Virgin Mary. Concerning which the Believer proceeds making his profession, and declaring further the grounds of his faith, by saying,

First. I believe that the woman, who was thus miraculously enabled to conceive, was a virgin at the time of her conception, and that at least she continued so till she brought forth her firstFor I find that she, unto whom the Angel Gabriel was sent from God, was a virgin, that she continued so after her conception, for before they (Joseph and she) came together, she was found with-child of the Holy Ghost; and that she was really no other at the time of bringing forth, because I am not only told a virgin shall be with-child, but also bring forth a son, which prophecy is applied to this very case (unto which only, according to the intention of the Holy Ghost, it did or could fully and exactly belong) by St. Matthew. And as I see the necessity of her being a virgin, because of Jesus's being conceived without the spot of original pollution, so, in her being such, I see the completion of those prophecies concerning the Messiah, in which this very thing had been foretold of him: "The Lord hath created a new thing on the earth, a woman shall compass a man. And, behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Immanuel." And further,

Secondly. As I believe her to have been a virgin, so also that her name was Mary. Whereby I do not mean to ascribe any peculiar eminency to the name, but to signify that I mean thereby that Mary who was espoused to Joseph, of the tribe of Judah, to which the promise of the Messiah was made, and of the lineage of David, to whose family that promise was yet more especially confined. And furthermore,

Thirdly. I do steadfastly believe that the Child, which through the operation of the Holy Ghost she did conceive in her womb of her own substance, was there nourished by the same substance of the virgin as other children are, till her full time was come, and then born into the world in like manner as are other infants.

And by all this my meaning is, that I believe that manhood which, immediately on its conception in the womb, the eternal Son of God assumed into himself in personal union, was proper man, and that it was no other than that very person, perfect God and perfect man, who thus lay hid in the womb of the virgin, and at length was born into the world. So that, on the whole, I declare what I am fully convinced of, as a point of the utmost moment to my confidence in Jesus as my Saviour, that the only Son, by taking that manhood into himself which the Virgin Mary, of the tribe of Judah, and of the lineage of David, had by the operation of the Holy Ghost conceived in her womb, afterwards nourished there, and at length brought forth, was made flesh; from that moment subsisting God and man together in one person, not only while he was on earth, but now also that he is in heaven; and that it is that very person, Godman, who now reigneth as head over all things to his church, who shall come in power and great glory to judge the quick and the dead, and who shall be the final, full, and blessed portion and security of his purchased possession in everlasting glory.

You may see now, from the whole, that these and the former words put together amount in substance to this one point, the incarnation of the only-begotten of the Father. Upon which endearing subject I am glad to have a little space here for some necessary improvements. And,

First.

Was the Word made flesh for our salvation? Then what was our condition that could need such a Saviour? Con

sider what his business was in the world. Was it not this, to bear our iniquities, to be made a curse for us, to give his soul an offering for sin, to be bruised and put to grief, to be crucified and slain? Who? What! the Lord of glory, the Prince of life, the Only-Begotten of the Father, the Heir of all things, the Maker of the heavens? Was it no other than he, that "for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven; and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man?" Judge then how deep our ruin, and how insufficient all human help! Kings stoop not in person to petty concerns. Had we needed only to be taught the will of God, a mere inspired prophet had done as well. But Sin was entered into the world, the wrath of God was gone forth, Death was waiting for the divine command to seize the criminals, and Hell, with remorseless mouth, yawned behind to devour. The case was urgent. Mercy must exert itself to the highest stretch, or the human race is undone for ever. Sin was committed; the irreversible curse against it had been before denounced. What could be done? Justice must be satisfied. The Majesty of heaven must lose nothing of his glory. Unless satisfaction was made there was no place for repentance; there could have been no repentance; to men any more than devils God would not have given grace to repent; and, could there have been any, it had served no saving purpose. But who could heal so wide a breach? Who was sufficient for so vast an undertaking? The law must have more than a perfect obedience paid it, it must be an obedience which would restore it to all that honour and dignity which the most perfect and sinless submission of Adam and all his race to all its demands would have given it upon earth. The curse declared and gone forth must be satisfied to the uttermost; and by an equivalent which would fully answer to all of us enduring eternal punishments. Death was to be overcome, yea, to be made a passage to life. The grave must be made to render back its dead, to render them back with happy advantage, incorruptible, glorious, powerful, spiritual. New heavens and earth must be prepared, and sinners of this world prepared also to inhabit them. All things must be replaced on the original footing, when God made man in paradise ; and an eternal peace and fellowship restored between him and us.

See, sirs, what a work! And who but the incarnate God is sufficient for it? Behold, he comes, he comes down from heaven, he leaves his Father's bosom, he takes up his residence in the virgin's womb, he is born, he is found in fashion as a man ; he comes to live; to die; by death to conquer Satan, Death, and Hell; to rise again to reign; to set open the gate of life. Look upon this sight, my friends. Come near and behold it. Now that God is vailed in flesh, you may look upon him without danger; the sight will consume nothing but your pride. That indeed it will lay very low. Would God it might! Surely it ought. What have we to be proud of? Shall we be proud of our being sinners, guilty sinners, condemned sinners, helpless sinners, sinners of such magnitude that the very Son of God must needs be made man to save us from the pit of hell, the place and the portion of devils? Here is the glass in which we may see our true features. And into this glass we have never looked to any good purpose, unless we this day know, that in ourselves we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; and our souls be attending upon the Word made flesh in the cry of the multitudes, "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest."

Secondly. Let us consider the amazing condescension displayed in the incarnation of the eternal Son of the Father. High as the heavens above the earth are the thoughts of God above ours. He would make known his justice, wisdom, and love, among the fallen inhabitants of the earth. And what a way past finding out doth he choose for the purpose! The express image of the Father's person shall assume the character and office of Redeemer; and therein set out to view his proper glory as the Only-Begotten. This was a glory which he had with the Father before the world was: but now he will illustrate it upon earth, and let men see that in him dwell all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, of grace and love. Accordingly, in the full foresight of all that he must submit to in this mediatorial capacity, he says, " Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me; in burntofferings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure: then said I, lo! I come to do thy will, O God!" He undertook it

Yet to what

"Ye

with infinite satisfaction. "I delight to do it, yea, thy law is within my heart," in the midst of my bowels. did he condescend in doing this will of God? The apostle will tell us in a few words, "Being in the form of God, he 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." It must never be forgotten that the actions of Jesus are the actions of his whole person, in which the two natures subsisting together, what is properly the act of one cannot be done without the other in which view it is that St. Paul here speaks of his taking upon him the form of a servant, humbling himself, and becoming obedient unto the death of the cross, who was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God. See here the riches of Christ! What treasures of wisdom and grace are not shown forth in him and by him in this condescension! How honourable our incarnate God herein! know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," says the chosen vessel," that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." Honourable to his name this voluntary poverty of his, that he might enrich us poor. This indeed was love. Let all the angels of God worship this condescending Creator. Let the redeemed, that come to Zion with everlasting joy, receive him with the loudest hosannas. At the name of Jesus let every knee bow, of things in heaven and things on earth, and things under the earth; yea, let every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Let the happy saints above that behold his glory cry out eternally, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honour, and glory and power, be unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And upon earth, O thou that tellest good things to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain! O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid! Say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God! behold, the Lord God will come with a strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him! Behold,