we should commit to the hands of a faithful Creator, equally ready to suffer for him, or to be more illustrious monuments of his paternal care. O happy should we be, if in this manner we could embrace every promise he has given us, and in full expectation of its accomplishment say, " Behold the servant of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word."]
Luke i. 46, 47. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
THE characteristic features of the unregenerate man are pride and selfishness. If the distinctions of others are superior to his own, he regards them with envy ; if inferior, with contempt. The reverse of this is universally produced by the grace of God. That teaches us to " seek not our own things only, but also the things of others;" and to " prefer others in honour before ourselves:" being ready at all times to acknowledge and commend what is good in them, and to give God the glory of whatever good there may be in us. No where will this be found more beautifully exemplified than in the interview which took place between Elizabeth and the Virgin Mary. Immediately after the blessed Virgin had been in- formed of God's gracious design respecting her, she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who had, by the immediate influence of Heaven, been enabled to con- ceive a son in her old age. On her very first appear- ance, Elizabeth, neither elated with her own honour, nor envious of Mary's, broke forth into the warmest congratulations ; losing all sight, as it were, of her own mercies, and rejoicing altogether in those which had been vouchsafed to her pious friend. The Virgin too, in her reply, shewed clearly on what her mind was fixed, and what was the main desire of her heart. Not a single word savouring of self-exaltation escaped her lips : but with devoutest gratitude she ascribed unto God the honour due unto his name.
1468.] THE virgin's song op praise. 221
In considering these first effusions of her soul, it will be proper to notice,
I. The grounds of her joy —
[Doubtless she had some respect to the peculiar mercy vouchsafed to hera: nor could she without base ingratitude have overlooked it. But it is evident that her views were directed to " God" himself, as the Benefactor, the " Saviour," of mankind.
If we consider God the Father as the object in whom she rejoiced, still it was in him as sending his Son into the ivorld, and by him reconciling the world unto himself. It was in him also as her Saviour. Here then we see her sentiments in rela- tion to the state of her soul before God. Holy as she was, she saw herself a sinner before God, and justly obnoxious to his everlasting displeasure. She was convinced also that she could not by any means make atonement for her sins, or reconcile herself to God. She felt that she needed a Saviour as much as the vilest of the human race : and she looked for salvation solely as the gift of God through the merits of her Redeemer.
Were such her views? what ought to be ours? what should be our estimate of our own state ? How vain must be that conceit, which the more chaste and sober amongst us are prone to indulge, that they do not deserve the wrath of God ; or that they shall find acceptance with God because of their comparative goodness !
If we consider the Lord Jesus Christ as the object of her joy, (which we may well do,) then do we see what her views were of that child, whom she was in due time to bring into the world. " David, in and by the Spirit, had called him Lord," at the time that he spoke of him as his son, who should in due time arise to sit upon his throne b. And Elizabeth had directly acknowledged that holy Being that was but just formed in the Virgin's womb, as " her Lord " and had declared that the infant in her own womb had leaped for joy at his approach0. The Virgin herself too knew his Divine origin, and that he was " the Son of the Highest." Well therefore might she " mag- nify" him for his astonishing condescension, and "rejoice in" him as her deliverer from the wrath to come. It is probable enough that her views of his work and offices were much less distinct than ours : but, whether more or less clear, they were manifestly the ground of her joy. She knew that he was sent to be the Saviour of the world ; and she had no doubt but that he would " finish the work which God had given him to do."