in God my Saviour." She justly acknowledged, that, " He who was mighty had done to her great things," in the contem- plation of which " all generations would call her blessed." She viewed with ineffable delight the accomplishment of that pro- mise which had been made to Abraham ; and doubtless, to the latest moment of her life, adored that God, who had made use of her as his honoured instrument to fulfil it.]
In the review of this mysterious subject, we may
1. How God fulfils his promises —
[The difficulty here seemed insurmountable : the Son of God, in order " to redeem them that were under the law, must be made under the law," yet not really obnoxious to its curse; and be " made of a woman," subject to all the infirmities of our nature, and yet be free from sinq. But God is never at a loss : " with him nothing is impossible :" he devised and executed a plan, whereby we might have " such an high-priest as became us, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners r;" a plan, that filled all heaven with wonder. Thus, in other dispensations of his providence and grace, he often permits difficulties to arise, which preclude all hope of our attaining the object of our desire. But, in the best and fittest season, he interposes, and " makes light to arise in obscurity, and our darkness to be as the noon-day." At this hour, as much as in the days of Abraham, is that saying true, " In the mount the Lord shall be seen."]
2. How we ought to receive them —
[Amongst the many promises which God has given us, there is one " exceeding great and precious," not unlike to that which has been the subject of our present consideration ; namely, that " Christ shall be formed in our hearts s ; that being so formed, he " shall dwell in us1;" and that so dwelling in us, he shall be to us " the hope of glory u." This promise is even greater than that which was fulfilled to the blessed Virgin, inasmuch as a spiritual union with the Lord exceeds that which is merely carnal x. And how should we receive this promise ? I answer, precisely as the blessed Virgin did. We should not stagger at it through unbelief: we should not account it too good for his love to grant, or too great for his power to execute. We should be alike unmoved by either the difficulties that may obstruct its accomplishment, or the dangers that may follow it. Our reputation, our interests, our life,
n Gal. iv. 4, 5. Heb. ii. 17. and iv. 15. r Heb. vii. 26.
s Gal. iv. 19, t Eph. iii. 17. u Col. i. 27.
x Luke xi. 27, 28.