Son of God, too, in perfect consistence with his being the Son of man, as he is also often called; for though he was the eternal Son of God, he became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul; and he continues to be both God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, and will continue so for ever.

As a farther illustration of his greatness, it is added: "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."

It has been already remarked that both Mary and Joseph were of the house of David; hence Christ was the son, or descendant, of David. Repeated and express promises were made to David, not only that his son should succeed him in the government, but that his dynasty was to be perpetual. Thus, in 2 Sam. vii. 11: "Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever"- "And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.' "* Now, Christ, the Son of David, is represented as his successor on his throne, not indeed literally, or in the worldly sense, for Christ said: "My kingdom is not of this world;" but in the spiritual or religious sense. David himself was a type of Christ, who is even called David: and David's temporal kingdom was a type of Christ's spiritual kingdom. Jesus is head over all things to his Church. He establishes his gentle sway over the hearts of his people, subduing them to himself, ruling and defending them, and restraining and conquering all his own and all their enemies. This declaration of the angel's bears a very favourable aspect towards the Jews, and indeed towards all the people of Israel; for however obstinate the majority of them may be, it is said that Jesus shall reign over the house of Israel at last. Not that his empire will be thus limited, for spiritual Israel includes all who shall believe in Messiah's name. "It is a light thing," saith Jehovah to his Son, "that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also give thee for a light to * See also Ps. lxxxix. 20, 21, 28-37.

the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth." It is not, however, the universal extent, but the perpetuity of this spiritual kingdom, which is here foretold. And this perpetual sway was to be held by the Son who was to be conceived and born of Mary: "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, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth, even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."

The Virgin Mary being thus expressly told that she was to have a son, felt, as might have been supposed, surprised, and at a loss to comprehend how it was to come to pass. Hence her question, "How can this be?" This question did not proceed from unbelief, nor was it a request for any sign; but it plainly proceeded from a desire to obtain further information, with the commendable view of knowing how she ought to conduct herself. Without finding any fault, therefore, the angel replied: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing" (or offspring) "which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." In the parallel passage in Matthew, this event is said to have been in fulfilment of the prophecy in Isa. vii. 14: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel;" that is, "God with us," for he has many names, and they are all very descriptive of his character. This most remarkable prophecy, which was exactly fulfilled, is justly considered as one of the most conclusive arguments that Jesus was the Messiah which can be employed against the unbelieving Jews, who accordingly exercise all their ingenuity to evade its force. It would lead us too far to attempt to obviate all the objections which they have raised. It seems proper, however, to notice the two principal. The Jews, then, and also most Socinians,' deny that there was anything miraculous intended in this prophecy; holding that the Hebrew word signifies merely a young woman; but it has been satisfactorily shown, by a collection of passages which we cannot attempt here, that

the rendering in our version is the only one of which the word admits. The other objection, and the one which appears at first to bear most weight, is this, that, as will appear from reading the whole chapter, the sign was given to encourage Ahaz and his subjects, when their land, the land of Judah, was invaded by Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel; the sign would have been quite unsuitable for that purpose, if it had related to something which was not to take place till upwards of seven hundred years after; and therefore that it must have referred to some child who was soon to be born. In reply to this, Christians remark, that it is quite common in the Old Testament for prophecies of the Messiah to be introduced into the middle of other matter, in order to comfort the Jews under their national calamities, and that this was obviously calculated to have the intended effect. Take, for instance, the prophecy of the Messiah under review. It was a proper remedy for the suspicion that God could not, or would not, deliver the land of Judah; because it implied God's power, and goodness, and faithfulness; because the promise of a Saviour was the foundation and pledge of all other mercies; and especially because this promise presupposed, and absolutely required, the preservation of the Jewish city and nation until the time of Messiah's coming, which showed that there was no occasion to dread utter ruin from Rezin and Pekah. It is probable, though not certain, that these words in Isaiah also refer to Immanuel: "Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may (or until he) know to refuse the evil, and choose the good;" that is, he shall be nourished on the usual food of the country, and grow up like other children. But as to the 16th verse, which runs thus: "For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings:" though some are for referring this verse also to the Messiah, it must be confessed that a consistent explanation of it on this principle is attended with very considerable difficulties. Many, therefore, prefer the interpretation which would apply the 16th verse to a different child altogether, namely, to Shear-jashub. Isaiah says, in the 8th chapter and 18th verse: "Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel." Both his sons were for signs. Of these the one was Maher-shalal-hash-baz, of whom we read at length in the 8th chapter, but to whom there could

hardly be any reference in the 7th chapter. The other child was Shear-jashub, whom, as we read in the 3d verse of the 7th chapter, Isaiah was directed by God to take with him when he went out to meet Ahaz, and who must have been with him, probably held by his hand, or close by his side, when he uttered the prophecy concerning Immanuel. Now suppose that Isaiah, when he spoke the 16th verse, pointed to Shear-jashub, all would be plain. "Before the child," or, as the original would exactly bear, " before this child shall know," and so on; that is, before Shear-jashub, who was (it is supposed) a very young child, was much older, Judah was to be delivered, nay, the kings of Israel and Syria should be overthrown and taken captive by the Assyrians. It is further remarked, that if it was not for this purpose, it is difficult to conceive why Shear-jashub was taken out at all. In this way, too, a more immediate and nearer sign was given to satisfy Ahaz and the Jews in the meantime. And thus the 14th and 15th verses remain simply a prophecy of Christ, and of him alone.

Christ was miraculously conceived and born of a virgin, that he might be free from original sin; and yet his mother was a married woman, the wife of Joseph by the law, and in the sight of God, that in Christ honour might be put on the married state, and that he might escape the reproach of illegitimacy.

The angel having thus explained to Mary by what means the promised event was to be brought to pass, next states, for her information, and for the corroboration of her faith, the extraordinary, and indeed, in one sense miraculous, circumstance, that her cousin Elisabeth was in the sixth month of her pregnancy-a proof that what he had just foretold could easily be accomplished by God, with whom alone "nothing was impossible." That is, he can do whatever he wills; every thing is possible with God which does not imply a contradiction in itself, or to his will; for any thing of that kind would be inconsistent with the perfection of his

nature.

As soon as Mary understood the purpose of God with regard to her, she gave herself up to his disposal; and though her reputation and her life were thereby endangered, she thus testified her cheerful acquiescence: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." On this the angel parted from her, having faithfully accomplished the gracious purpose which brought him to a world

of distance and of rebellion; beyond what his embassy required, Gabriel would not prolong his stay, but hasted him back to the society of his kindred spirits, and to the beatific vision of his God.

In reviewing this passage, let us,

1. Admire, adore, and improve the wondrous love and condescension manifested in the incarnation of the Son of God. What a mystery in itself in some respects! yet how striking a display of the divine goodness, and what a call on our grateful adoration and praise! Marvellous grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich! Glory be to him, who "for us men, and for our salvation, did not abhor the virgin's womb." What an honour, too, was thus conferred on our nature, when he took on him, not the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, when the human nature was taken into union with the divine-a union which, wonderful to think, is now seen, and will for ever be seen, seated on the celestial throne with the eternal Father! Nor is this an event unconnected, or but slightly connected, with our hopes or our duties. It is peculiarly important in the plan of salvation. If he took part of flesh and blood, it was that he might be our Redeemer and our Comforter; it was that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death—that is, the devil; and deliver them who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. If he was made like unto his brethren, it was "that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people; for in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." This event is intimately connected with our holiness. The mystery of God manifest in the flesh, is well styled a "mystery of godliness." The Word made flesh, and dwelling among us, exhibited the glorious perfections of Deity for our instruction and imitation. The humility, too, which he displayed, is particularly and expressly pointed out as an example to us. "Let this

mind be in you," says Paul, "which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but 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, humbled himself."