have no influence upon our soul's salvation; and, lastly, that he proceeded from the Virgin Mary; "Therefore, also, that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Luke i. 35. Let this knowledge suffice for us, as it respects from whence Christ derived his body. When the full time was come that the Messiah should make his appearance in the world, Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, in compliance with a decree which had been ordered by Cæsar Augustus. Bethlehem, being crowded with people, it was with difficulty that lodging could be procured. Joseph and Mary being poor, had to take up their abode in a stable, and that was the place where our King Emanuel first made his appearance. O, how different from the proceedings of the human family! Men of honor and opulence take great pains in rendering their natural situation as comfortable as possible. But not so with the Son of God— he was pleased to be born of a poor, unnoticed virgin; in a manger his infant body is seen; he denies himself of many of the comforts of life. It cannot be expected from men in low circumstances of life, to have all the necessaries of life, or those temporal blessings which nature may crave; they have not the means to obtain them; therefore, their situation is not wondered at. But when we see a wealthy man denying himself of the blessings which make nature comfortable, we say the man must be beside himself, or he is a very singular character. Now it was so with Jesus Christ. He could have had all that human nature could crave or enjoy;—yes, he could have come with all that pomp and splendor which is so much admired by the great and honorable of this world. But this would have been contrary to his holy nature, and would not have answered the purpose for which he came into the world. The apostle tells us that "He was rich, but for our sakes he became poor; that

we through his poverty might become rich." 2 Cor. viii. 9. Here we learn why it was that Jesus Christ assumed the character of a poor man-that we, through his poverty, might be made rich. Yes, the human family had fallen to so great a depth, that, in order to their recovery, it required all that humiliation, life, and death of the immaculate Lamb of God. It was a high and proud mind that plunged Adam, and his posterity, into the horrible pit of human woe;-it is a meek and low mind that saves man from the pit of destruction. Marvel not at this, ye rich and lofty sons of the earth. Behold the King of Kings and Lord of Glory lying in a manger, wrapt in swaddling bands! Behold his mother at that critical time! We do not read that she was favored with that attendance so common upon such occasions. Again, behold Joseph, the husband of Mary, a poor but honest man, a carpenter by profession, and be wise and learn a lesson-for here it is that you have a complete pattern of self-denial and humiliation--here it is that a cloud covers human glory.

"Go worship at Emanuel's feet,
See in his face what wonders meet;
Earth is too narrow to express

His worth, his glory, or his grace."

Christ was circumcised according to the law, Luke ii. 21. It became him to fulfil the law in every point. At the age of twelve, he was in the temple, in the inidst of the Doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions. He was subject to his parents, and no doubt but that he wrought with Joseph at his occupation-an! when the time had arrived, that Christ should enter upon his ministry, he left his place of nativity, and came unto Jordan where John was baptizing, to be baptized of John, his forerunner. John at first refused to comply with his

But when Christ

request; he considered himself too unworthy to stoop down and unloose his shoe latchets. told John that it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness, he consented, and after his baptism, he was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil; and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he became an hungered-and then it was a combat took place between Jesus Christ and the devil that great enemy of both God and man. The devil presents three temptations to the mind of Jesus, which are the chief of all temptations. You can read them at your leisure, in the fourth chapter of Mathew. Had the devil succeeded in overcoming Jesus, then the human family could never have been saved. But glory, praise, and honor, be ascribed to his most holy name, for the victory he obtained over this arch enemy! He put him to flight-he could not stand before him. Yea, it was made manifest, that the power which was in him, was far superior-that he was a more powerful being than the devil-the enemy could but tempt him, and that was all he could do. This was the greatest engagement that ever took place in the world; and when the devil left Jesus, then it was that he came down from the mountain, and selected twelve men to be his witnesses. He called them apostles; they accompanied him while he prosecuted his mission; they saw the miracles he performed; they heard the doctrine he taught thus they were in every respect qualified to bear testimony to his Messiahship. And when he had given a revelation of his Father's will, then he gave himself into the hands of sinners, that they might put him to death. They did so; and when he had suffered that punishment which was due to sin, he proclaimed, It is finished-my suffering time is ended-man's redemption is accomplished. He bowed his head and gave up the ghost. His body was taken down from the

cross, embalmed, and laid in a new sepulchre-the third day he rises from the dead-forty days after his resur rection, he ascended into heaven-he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high-and now, he ever lives, to make intercession for the children of men.

Dear reader the life of Jesus Christ, our dear Redeemer, was spent in obedience to the will of his Father. Hear his own words upon this matter: "For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me." John, vi. 38. "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work." John iv. 34. And the apostle tells us, that he was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obdient unto death, even the death of the cross." Phil. ii. 9. It was through the disobedience of Adam that the fall was occasioned; and it is through the obedience of the second Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ, the children of men can be saved, and restored to the favor and friendship of God. See him travelling from place to place, from city to city, doing good to the souls and bodies of the children of men! and, notwithstanding he was the Messiah, he never boasted, or endeavored thereby to bring himself into notice; that is, he did not proclaim aloud in every place he went, that he was the Messiah, the Son of the Highest, though he never denied the fact, but when interrogated tcld the people plainly that he was the Messiah-but would rather have his works to testify of him. The prophet Isaiah prophesied of the spirit which dwelt in the Lord Jesus Christ, which prophecy was quoted by Christ himself: "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen! I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed