and mercy,

of the Son of God, the pageantry of earthly dominion; or the glory of peace "full of grace and truth?" And although he had no worldly grandeur about him, yet was he surrounded with sufficient pomp of another description. Though no earthly servants attended on him, yet was he ministered to by the hosts of the King of Heaven. Angels foretold his birth; angels announced his arrival; angels adored him after his conquests; and, in his sufferings, when deserted by his earthly friends, an inhabitant of heaven was his comforter. And there were those who saw him, even while a dweller upon earth, adorned with all the external marks of divinity, when "he was transfigured before them, when his face did shine as the sun, and his garments were white as the light'." One of the witnesses of this remarkable occurrence was St. John, the author of this gospel; and he has been thought, and, in all probability it is so, to allude to it

1 Matt. xvii. 2.

in the words of our text, and to claim, when he utters them, personal knowledge of the glorious appearance of Jesus Christ: We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

But our present object is, merely, to take note of those circumstances which attended the birth of our blessed Lord, which, superior as, in reality, they were to earthly grandeur, pointed him out as the promised Messiah, the Saviour, the Immanuel.

A most remarkable proof of his purity was, that he was born of a pure virgin. This had been foretold by the prophet, who had declared, that he whose birth was such, should be "the God with us 1." And it was a mark highly indicative of the Lamb without spot or blemish, that he should "neither be shapen in wickedness nor conceived in sin.”

The next remarkable fact attending our Saviour's birth, was that he was born

1 Isaiah vii. 14.

at Bethlehem. His earthly parents dwelt at Nazareth in Galilee, a vast distance from the city of David, which the prophet had declared should be the birthplace of the Messiah. And little is it likely that they would, themselves, have been induced to take so long and difficult a journey. But the ambition of worldly men is often used as an instrument to bring about the decrees of God. It pleased the Roman emperor, as he thought, but, as we may perceive it, it pleased God to move the Roman emperor to number the inhabitants of Judæa, for which purpose each was ordered to assemble in his own tribe. And thus were the, apparently, insignificant, but really highly favoured Joseph and Mary, conducted to their own city of Bethlehem; where, accompanied by every appearance of poverty, but still ever under the guidance of the Almighty, was the good, and gracious, and mighty Saviour of the world produced.

We may, here, observe, although it is in itself of minor importance, as savoring

of earthly consequence, that this event proves our Lord to have been, in reality, of royal lineage. This would have been of little moment, and would have been scarcely deserving of being mentioned, was it not necessary to show that he was a descendant from David. And so he was, not only because David was a king, but because he was pious; not only because he ruled the people of Israel, but because he was "the man after God's own heart 1"

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It was no little proof of our Saviour's importance, that an angel from heaven was sent to announce his birth. First to his mother, whom he hailed "as highly favoured among women 2;" and next to his reputed father, to allay his fears and to dissipate his doubts. It shewed that he was the holy Being of whom the Psalmist had sung, "He will give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways." And, in fulfilment of this

1 1 Sam. xiii. 14.

2 Luke i. 28.

3

Psalm xci. 11.

their sacred office, did they announce to men, to whom the privilege of receiving such a message was vouchsafed, that Christ was born. There is simple grandeur about this story, well worthy our attention. A number of shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks by night, in the neighbourhood of the city of Bethlehem. In the eyes of men they were humble, but God looks to the heart, and in these shepherds he, doubtless, saw that which obtained from him the commendation, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth 2." To these men was made the favoured communication. denly there appeared to them a glorious angel, who alleviated their terror at his coming, by the gracious message, "fear not, for behold I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord." And, immediately, there was, with the angel, a multitude of the hea

1 Luke ii. 8.

Sud

2 Matt. V. 5.