might be born there, and that good circumstance SERM. might appear certain by the unquestionable testi- XVII. mony of the censual tables, unto which (extant even in their times) Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and St. Chrysostom refer those, who would be certified in that particular. That place also of his parents' abode in Nazareth of Galilee, upon which was consequent his first appearance in way of action, was so ordered, as to answer ancient predictions; according to which it was said, that in the land of Zabulon and Nephthali, by Isa. ix. 1, 2. the way of the sea, beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations, the people that walked in darkness did see a great light, and they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them the light shined. Matt. iv.15. The manner also of the Messias's birth, was, as became such a Person, to be very extraordinary, and different from the common generation of men: for he was not only to be one like the Son of man, as Dan. vii.13. the prophet Daniel terms him, and indeed the Son of David, as all the prophecies declare of him, but the Son of God also; for, Thou art my Son, this day Ps. ii. 7,12. have I begotten thee, saith God of him in the second Psalm. And that which in the first less perfect sense was said of Solomon, (who prefigured him,) was, according to a more sublime meaning, and more exactly, to agree unto him: He shall be Chron. my son, and I will be his father; and I will esta- 2 Sam. vii. blish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever: Also I will make him my first-born, higher than Ps. lxxxix. the kings of the earth: and accordingly we see, L Κώμη δὲ τίς ἐστιν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ Ἰουδαίων σταδίους λε ́ Ἱεροσολύμων, ἐν ξ ἐγενήθη Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, ὡς καὶ μαθεῖν δύνασθε ἐκ τῶν ἀναγραφῶν &c. Just. Martyr. Apol. 2. Tertull. in Marc. iv. 19. xxii. 10. 13. 27. vi. 69. Matt. xvi. 16. SERM. that the Jews (both the wiser and the vulgar sort) XVII. did suppose that he should be the Son of God; so John i. 34. St. John the Baptist, so Nathanael, so Martha, so 49. xi. 27. St. Peter, and the other apostles, when they became persuaded that Jesus was the Christ, did presently, according to anticipation of judgment common to them with the people, confess him to be the Son of God; the high priest himself intimated the same, Mark xiv. when he asked Jesus, Art thou the Christ, the Son Matt. xxvi. of the Blessed? Yea, the devils themselves were 63. viii. 29. learned and orthodox in this point; who cried out, Luke iv.34. Thou art the Christ the Son of God. Now that, 61. Mark i. 24. according to those prophecies and those traditions, the Messias should be in a more than ordinary way, and (for the justifying of God's truth together with the satisfying men) should evidently appear to be the Son of God, it was requisite (at least convenient) that his birth should be procured by divine operation, without concurrence of a human father; (how otherwise, at least how better, could it be apparent that he was both the Son of God and of man?) 'It was consequently either necessary or fit that he should be born of a virgin: and that he should indeed be so born the prophet Isaiah did signify, Isa. vii. 14. when he said, The Lord himself shall give you a sign, (that is, shall perform somewhat very remarkMatt. i. 23. able and strange: what was that?) Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel; which prophecy that it belonged to the Messias appears from the report and description which follows in the continuation of this 1 Εἰ μὲν σημεῖόν ἐστι τὸ διδόμενον, παράδοξος ἔστω καὶ ἡ γέννησις· εἰ δὲ κοινὸς ὁ τρόπος τῆς γεννήσεως τοῦ παιδίου, μήτε σημεῖον λεγέσθω. Bas. in Isa. vii. particular prophecy concerning this child: For unto SERM. us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the XVII. government shall be upon his shoulders, and his Isa. ix. 6. name shall be called Wonderful, &c. which description questionless appertaineth to the Messias. The same prophet signifies the same concerning him, when he introduceth him speaking thus; And Isa. xlix. 5. now, saith the Lord, that formed me from the womb to be his servant, &c. Now that Jesus in correspondence to this admirable character was born of a virgin, his parents (persons of unblameable integrity and innocence; so that even the adversaries of Jesus appear not ever to have offered to impeach them of imposture, or to have troubled them about this report coming from them) did constantly aver, angels did attest to their report, and God himself at several times by audible voices from heaven declared Jesus to be his beloved Son. The state and condition also, in which the Messias was first to appear, was described to be a state of external meanness and obscurity, of poverty and wretchedness, in the eye of man: a state indeed most convenient and proper for a spiritual King, a most holy Priest, an absolute Prophet; who was to teach, exercise, and exemplify the most rough and harsh pieces of righteousness and piety, (contempt of worldly vanities and pleasures; all sorts of self-denial and abstinence; the virtues of meekness, humility, and patience;) who was to manage and execute his great undertakings, not by natural or human force, but by a virtue supernatural and divine; whose power consequently would be more conspicuous in a state of visible meanness and impotency, than in a condition of worldly splendour and SERM. strength; that also which he was to merit from XVII. God, and to undergo for the sake of men, doth argue the same: that such the Messias's state was to be, there are divers mystical intimations in the ancient scripture; but the prophet Isaiah speaks it out most Isa. liii. 2. plainly: He shall grow up (says he, describing that state) before the Lord like a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. And again; Isa. xlix. 7. Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One; To him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship. Phil. ii. 7. Now that Jesus appeared thus in a poor, servile, and despicable condition, we need not for to prove ; for as his followers avow it, so his adversaries are most ready to grant it; in the haughtiness of their conceit taking it for an advantage against him, it Matt. xiii. proves a scandal to them. Is not this the carpenter's Mark vi. 3. son? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary? 55. said they; and they were offended at him. Hence Isa. liii. 3. was it, that, as the prophet foretold, he was despised and rejected of men, and they esteemed him not. Thus all the circumstances of the Messias's coming were answered by those of Jesus. Now concerning the qualities and endowments of the Messias, which constitute his personal character, they are, as was expedient, such as should dispose and fit him for the discharge of his great employment and duty with utmost advantage, and especial decency in general, he was to be endued with supereminent piety and sanctity, with perfect innocence XVII. liii. 11. and integrity; so it is implied in all the descriptions SERM. of his person and performances: The sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre: thou lovest righteous-Ps. xlv. 6,7. ness, and hatest iniquity; wherefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows, said the Psalmist of him, and, Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, Isa. xi. 5. and faithfulness the girdle of his reins, said Isaiah of him, (denoting the ready disposition of his mind to do whatever was good :) and, He had done no Isa. liii. 8. violence, neither was there any deceit in his lips, saith the same prophet of him again. Some particular virtues and abilities are also ascribed to him in an eminent degree: excellent wisdom and knowledge in spiritual matters, thus represented by Isaiah: The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Isa. xi. 2. spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of. counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. Eloquence also, skill and aptitude to instruct men; which that most evangelical prophet thus sets forth: The Lord Isa. 1. 4. hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. That he should be meek, and gentle, and compassionate toward men, in regard to their infirmities and afflictions; mild and lowly in his conversation, the prophets also signify: He shall, Isa. xl. 11. saith Isaiah, feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young: A bruised reed shall he not Isa. xlii. 3. break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: 20. and, Behold, saith Zechariah, thy King cometh unto Matt. xii. Zech. ix. 9. |