་་ CHAPTER IV. "OH! Thou didst die for me, thou Son of God! Alone, on God's right hand, Before the ages were, the Eternal, eldest born." MILMAN. THE CHARACTER OF HIM WHO CAME TO RESTORE THE BEAUTIFUL GARMENT, AND WHAT HE DID TO WORK IT AND MAKE IT READY FOR USE. AND, one thing strikes us at the onset-He must be a wonderful person who could do such a thing as this. For the wisest and best of men could not, and the highest and holiest of Angels could not. Who is He then that can do this great thing-lift up fallen man, and array him in a "Robe of Righteousness" fit for the palace of the King of Heaven. As I have already stated, for many long ages the people of the world, and more particularly the family of Abraham, had been taught by God himself to expect some wonderful Person to appear as the deliverer and saviour of mankind. Some of these revelations from heaven I have already noticed. Let us glance at a few which had reference to the character of the great Expected "Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever." "He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him. His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed." "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." G : "For 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, Counseller, 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. zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." The With such predictions as these in their hands, and knowing that they were made by the living, and true, and faithful God, the people might well indulge the most extraordinary expectations respecting the long-promised Saviour of the world. At length the time for the appearance of the Promised One arrived, and his advent into our world was attended by such extraordinary and supernatural appearances as fully attested his divinity and glory. Angels sang his birth-day song, and a star lighted the enquiring wise men of the east to the place where he was born. providence of God watched over his infancy, and protected him from the cruel designs of a suspicious tyrant. He spent his youth and early manhood in comparative obscurity, among a pro The verbially rude and ignorant people, until the time came for his manifestation as the Son of God, in accordance with the ancient predictions respecting Him. In this character he was first recognized in the waters of Jordan at his baptism. "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." On one occasion he said :-" Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die." Another sacred historian thus describes a scene of surpassing glory :-" And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he |