Luke ii. 15. Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
IT is a rich mercy to have a faithful instructor, who will declare unto us the whole counsel of God. But, to obtain any solid benefit, we must search into the truths we hear, and endeavour to get a deep impres- sion of them upon our minds. Without care and diligence on our parts, it would be to little purpose to enjoy the ministry of Paul himself, or even of angels from heaven. What would the shepherds have been profited by the tidings which the angels an- nounced to them respecting the Saviour's birth, if, like too many amongst us, they had contented themselves with admiring the eloquence of the chief speaker, or the sweetness and melody of the hymn they sang ? They set us a good example : they thought not of amusement, but of edification ; not of the manner in which the messengers performed their part, but of the truths delivered by them : and no sooner had their heavenly instructors left them to themselves, than they proposed to go immediately and examine into the things which had been made known unto them.
From this striking incident we shall take occasion to set before you,
I. The event referred to —
In the preceding context we are informed what the tidings were, which were brought by the angels —
[These tidings were, that a Saviour was that very day bom into the world. A general expectation prevailed among the Jews that about that time a person of most extraordinary cha- racter should be born in their land, and should become a Saviour to the Jewish people. Very erroneous notions indeed obtained respecting the nature of the benefits which he would impart to them: but the more enlightened persons among them extended their views beyond a mere temporal deliverance, and looked forward to spiritual and eternal blessings. The advent of this person was now proclaimed to the shepherds ; and it was declared, that the Child was born " in the city of David, as the prophets had foretold a ; and, that not the Jews only, but " all the nations" of the earth, were interested in the salvation which he was come to effect.
The tidings yet further intimated, that the new-born infant was none other than " the Lord of Glory." It was no common child whose birth was announced : though he partook of flesh and blood, yet was he possessed of a nature infinitely superior to that of men or angels. The shepherds were informed that " the Child which was born, and the Son that was given, was," as Isaiah had foretold, " the Mighty Godb," even " Emmanuel God with usc." As the salvation which he was to accomplish was to be extended to all people, so he was fitted for his work, being the omnipotent Jehovah, who could not fail of success in whatever he undertook.
Lastly, it was declared, that notwithstanding the dignity of his person, and the greatness of his office, he was to be found in a state of the deepest humiliation. It was not in the palaces of Herod or the high-priest, or in the mansions of the great and noble, that this Child was to be found: no; they must go and look for him in the stable of an inn ; and they would " find him wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and lying in a manger," like one that was ordained to be " a worm and no man, a re- proach of men, and despised of the people d."]
The same tidings are announced to us at this day —
[No angels are now sent, or need to be sent, on such messages, because the Scriptures give us all the information that we can desire. But ministers are ambassadors from God ; and are commissioned from God to declare the same joyful tidings as were conveyed to the shepherds by the heavenly hosts. We then make known to you, that that very Jesus, who once lay in the womb of the blessed Virgin, and who, at