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Did the father delight in him? He delighted in those whom he was in a little to call his brethren. Was he the object of the infinite love of the Father as his effential image? He was equally fo, as the Surety of loft man. The Father loved him, because he was to lay down his life. Hence he declares; "I was daily his delights, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth; and my delights were with "the fons of men." All the infinite love of the Father to him as the Surety, he as it were transferred towards thofe for whom he had undertaken, in the actings of his love to them. What unfpeakable reafon have we, then, to "love him "who first loved us !"

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SECTION XII.

The Miraculous Conception illuftrated from the Hiftory of Melchizedek ;-from various inftances of Conception beyond the ordinary courfe of Nature-from the Laws given to Ifrael concerning Virginity.

GOD did not merely foretell, and in various ways anticipate, the Incarnation of the Word: the Church was alfo informed, that he should parVOL. II. take

d Prov. viii. 30, 31.

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take of our nature in a way different from all mere men. Befides the prophecies concerning his being the feed of the woman, and being born of a virgin, there were various preludes of this wonderful event.

1. From an infpired writer we learn, that the hiftory of Melchizedek had a particular reference to the character of the Meffiah. Being "without fa

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ther, and without mother," he was "made like "unto the Son of God." This language has no refpect to his natural birth; for in this refpect the king of Salem was undoubtedly like other men. But it refers to the filence of Scripture on this head. For it was the will of God there fhould be no account of his defcent, that he might hiftorically refemble Him, who is without father as man, and without mother as God. The Apostle, indeed, feems to have the official character of Chrift especially in his eye; as he had no predeceffor in his prieftly office and hence he proves its fuperiority to that in the family of Aaron. But even those who take the words in this view, admit that they also regard his perfonal character. This must neceffarily be admitted. For had he not been "with"out father," as man, he would have wanted that perfection which was requifite according to the nature of the type. Beginning of days," after the common courfe of nature, would have proved an infuperable bar to his being " a priest "after the power of an endless life."

e Heb. vii. 3.

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II. In

11. In various inftances, God manifefted his power, in caufing women to conceive beyond the ordinary courfe of nature. There were two great obftacles to the accomplishment of the promise made to Abraham, of his having iffue by Sarah. She was conftitutionally barren; and when the promife was reftricted to her pofterity, she was paft the time of life. Any of thefe was of itself a fufficient obftacle. Although fhe had not beefi barren, no woman had ever proved a mother in her circumftances. Hence her fon Ifaac was an eminent figure of Chrift; becaufe he was conceived, not properly by ftrength of nature, but by virtue of the promife. This wonderful conception, could not but greatly affift faith, with refpect to the promife of "the feed of the woman." It fhewed that there was no abfurdity in believing that a virgin fhould conceive. The deadnefs of Abraham's body, and of Sarah's womb, made the one event naturally as impoffible as the other. Sarah could, no more than Mary, become a mother, but by a miracle. Ifaac was "born after "the Spirit," in confequence of his miraculous operation; and thus in a ftriking manner prefigured Him who was conceived by the power of the fame divine agent. It is remarkable, that as Sarah and Mary both made fubftantially the fame objection, the fame anfwer is given in both cafes; as if the Spirit of infpiration would thus call our attention to the intimate connexion between the two hiftories. Sarah faid, "Shall I of a furety Y 2 "bear

£ Gal. iv. 29.

"bear a child, which am old ?" Mary made a fimilar objection; "How fhall this be, seeing I "know not a man?" Both are founded on the apparent impoffibility of the thing. The reply of the angel to Mary, " With God nothing fhall "be impoffible," is materially the fame with that given to Sarah, "Is any thing too hard for the "LORD?" This, as expreffed in the verfion of the Old Teftament, generally in ufe among the Jews when the New was written, is almost in the fame words with thofe recorded by Luke: "With "God fhall any thing be impoffible & ?"

In various respects was Samson a type of Chrift; and among others, in the circumstances of his conception. As an angel appeared to the Virgin, foretelling the conception of Him who fhould fave his people from their fins; that of Samfon, who was a typical Saviour, was foretold in the fame manner. "There was a certain man of Zorah, "of the family of the Danites, whofe name was "Manoah, and his wife was barren, and bare not. "And the Angel of the LORD appeared unto the

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woman, and faid unto her, Behold now, thou art "barren, and beareft not, but thou fhalt conceive "and bear a fon h."

As God had in ancient times given different difplays of his power in this refpect, to strengthen the faith, and excite the expectation of his people, as to the completion of the great promife; when the time was at hand, he would awaken their attention

8. Μη αδυνατήσει παρά τω Θεώ ρημα ; Gen. xviii. 14. Ουκ αδυνατήσει παρα τω Θεω παν ρημα. Luke i. 37,

h Judges xiii. 2, 3.

tention by a new difplay of the fame kind. The wife of Zacharias appears as another Sarah. Nay, both Abraham and Sarah feem to be again brought on the stage. For he was an old man, and his wife not only barren, but " well ftricken in years." There were two myfteries conjoined in the birth of Chrift; the incarnation of the Angel-JEHOVAH, and his conception in the womb of a virgin. As thefe things were fo extraordinary, two figns are afforded, which might tend to conciliate the faith of that people to whom he was promifed. For many ages, God had given no immediate revelation of his will. But on this oecafion, there was the vifion of an angel, and the conception of an aged and barren woman.

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Divine wisdom appeared in the choice of the parents, and in the character of the fon, as well as in the concomitant circumftances and the feafon of this difplay of divine power. The parents had both been long of the highest repute for true religion. They were both righteous before God, 'walking in all the commandments and ordi"nances of the Lord blamelefs." There could be no reasonable fufpicion, that two fuch perfons would combine in impofing a falfe ftory on the nation. Zacharias being a priest, what concerned him muft have been far better known than if he had been in a private ftation. Elifabeth, being a near relation of Mary, the latter had the beft opportunity of knowing all that concerned this remarkable manifeftation. He, whose birth was thus diftinguished, was no ordinary child,

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