The coming of Christ is a subject that the ancients have contemplated with great emotion; Isaiah having a view of this event, realized a portion of its benefit for says he, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace: Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.—” Jeremiah gazing upon the unparalleled blessings that should accrue to the human family through the incarnation of the son of God, breaks forth in rapturous accents and exclaims, “This is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.” David looking down the stream of time, got his eye upon this noble event; and feeling its benefit applied to his heart, tunes the lyre and in seraphic notes he chants his praise. Moses beheld the coming of Christ, and saw a striking similarity, and said unto his people, “A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me.” Abraham by faith beheld the son of God vailed in human form, and rejoiced to see it. In the fulness of time Christ came, and then every symbol was abolished by its representative; every shadow is lost in its respective substance—every prediction meets with its fulfilment.—And hecatombs no longer struggle upon the Jewish altars, while yielding their blood, as a type of better things.

Now the long, long looked for period at last arrives; and the auspicious morn, is hailed by a countless throng of angels, one of which announces to the watching shepherd, “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 Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.—” A star appeared in the east, and its meaning was understood by the Magi, who prosecuted their journey over dreary mountains, sandy deserts, and barren plains, in pursuit of the new born king; till at length coming to Bethlehem, “entering the house they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” In this kind act they acknowledged this infant Prophet, Priest and King.—Simeon was a man who waited for the consolation of Israel: “and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord, Christ:” And beholding that promise fulfilled—“took the child in his arms,” and in a poetical strain uttered words of prayer and praise.—“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou has prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” There was one Philip who desired to see the days of the son of man, who after he had seen Jesus came to Nathanael and said unto him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophet did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Now we see him passing through the world as a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.—” His journey was that of benevolence, and his labour that of love: until he offered himself a vicarious sacrifice—was numbered with [p. 714]