universe, except the Father, who has "put all things under him." So that he has an undoubted right to govern, and it is certain does and will exercise that right; for it cannot be that he should betray his trust, or fail in the execution of the office assigned him. 5. But according to the sacred Scriptures, whether of the Old or the New Testament, he is especially the King of saints, and “the head of his body the church." "I have set my King," says the Lord by David, "upon my holy hill of Zion." He hath set Christ," says St. Paul, "at his own right hand, in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, and hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." And again, he is the head of his body, the church, the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence." Thus is the Lord's promise, by his servant Zechariah fulfilled, "behold, the man whose name is the Branch, he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: even he shall build the temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and shall be a priest upon his throne." And again, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy King cometh unto thee? He is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass :—and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the earth;"§ a glorious prediction this, of the universal reign of righteousness. This is evidently foretold, also in Nebuchadnezzar's vision of the image, where it is observed, that the "stone cut out of the mountain without hands," which smites the image upon its feet of iron and clay, and breaks them to pieces, together with its head of gold, its breast and arms of silver, and its belly and thighs of brass, and makes them "like the chaff of the summer threshing floor, so that the wind carries them away, and no place is found for them:"-that this stone, I say, becomes itself "a great mountain, and fills the whole earth."|| It is foretold likewise by Micah and Isaiah. "They shall smite the judge of Israel," says the former, T "with a rod upon the cheek. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me, one that is to be ruler in Israel ; #1 Cor. xv. 27, 28. + Psalm ii. 6. || Dan. ii. 35, 44. Zech. vi. 12. ¶ Micah v. 4. § Zech. ix. 9. : whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she that travaileth hath brought forth then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel;" a clear prediction of the conversion of the Gentiles, and of their union with the Jews in the Christian church. It follows, " And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God: and they shall abide for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. And the remnant of Jacob," the true people of God, and members of his church, "shall be in the midst of many people, as dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarry not for man, nor wait for the sons of men." 6. That this kingdom of the Messiah shall be as peaceful as it is righteous and extensive, is evident from the prediction of the same prophet. "In the last days," (says he in the preceding chapter,) viz. the days of the Messiah, and towards the close of his reign on earth, when, as Zechariah testifies, "at even-time it shall be light," and "the Lord shall be king over all the earth, and there shall be one Lord, and his name one;" "the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains," that is, the true religion shall swallow up all others, " and it shall be exalted above the hills, and people shall flow unto it; and many nations shall come and say, come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, and he shall judge amongst the people: and rebuke strong nations afar off, and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit, every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree, and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."* A prophecy this, agreeing so exactly with that contained in the beginning of the 2d chapter of Isaiah, that one cannot but suppose, that the two prophets, as they flourished at the same time, and among the same people, must have communicated their divinely-imparted discoveries to each other. Micah adds, ver. 7. "And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion, from henceforth, even for ever," which is perfectly agreeable to Isaiah's prediction, in the verse following * Micah iv. 1, 4. my text, "of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth even for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this;" a declaration confirmed by the words of the angel to Mary, "The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." But it would be an endless task, to collect all the testimonies of the prophets concerning the extent, and peace, and duration, of the Messiah's kingdom. Their books abound with predictions on this subject, and the reader can hardly open amiss to find them. 7. I should now proceed to speak of the qualifications of the Messiah, for sustaining this important office of universal governor, signified by the titles here given him; but having already enlarged so much, and the subjects that remain to be treated being of that nature that they cannot possibly be discussed in a few words, it will be more proper to defer the consideration of them to another opportunity; and now to conclude with two or three inferences from what has been advanced. And, 1st. May we not learn from what we have heard, the amazing condescension and love of God towards us, in causing this wonderful Child to be born, and this exalted Son to be given for us? Surely, my brethren, love, unparalleled and unbounded love, was the spring and motive of this astonishing transaction! God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,-for our redemption and salvation. "In this," says St. John, " was manifested the love of God towards us, in that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we should live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and made his Son a propitiation for our sins." Not but that he has manifested his love to us in many other ways, as in forming us rational and immortal creatures, endowed with faculties that qualify us to know, love, and enjoy him for ever; in giving us bodies "fearfully and wonderfully made," as David observes, furnished with members most suitable and proper for us in our present state, and with senses which are all inlets to instruction and pleasure; in placing us in a world stored with all the conveniencies and delights, and inhabited by creatures formed for our use, and subservient to our happiness. But never did he, and, may I not say, never could he, give such another display of his love, as he gave in the incarnation, life, and death, of his only-begotten Son, for sinners, enemies, and rebels of mankind. Well may we exclaim with the author of the Night Thoughts, "Father of angels! But the friend of man! Thou hast saved him! snatch'd the smoking brand And leave praise panting in the distant vale!" 2. Now, if we "know and believe this love which God hath towards us," shall we not "love him who hath thus loved us?" And loving him, shall we not obey him and live to his glory? And shall we not love his people? Shall they not be in our eyes the excellent of the earth, and shall not our delight be in them? Let us hear St. John upon this subject, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God: He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." Again,*"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death." But what are the effects which this love should produce? And what are the proofs we must give that we possess it? The same apostle informs us,† "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Now, if we ought to do even this, should we be called to it, in the course of divine providence, shall we not feel the force of the apostle's question: "Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”? I hope, my brethren, this inquiry of the apostle will be remembered by you, and will have its proper influence upon your minds when your charity is solicited, as it will be at the conclusion of the service, according to custom on Christmas-day, in behalf of the hungry and naked members of Christ's mystical body. 3. Let it be observed, however, as a second inference from what has been advanced, that this is professed, and even attempted in vain, unless we truly receive this Child born, and Son given, and be subject to his government. For, as our love to the people of God, if genuine, must proceed from a principle of love to God himself, and as this can only arise, according to St. John,* from a knowledge and consideration of his love to us, manifested in our redemption and justification; so it is certain we cannot love him for these astonishing acts of his grace and goodness to us, till they have taken place. We cannot, I mean, behold," as St. John speaks, "what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God," till we are called his children; which it is certain we are not, till we receive the Lord Jesus. For it is only "to those that receive him," or that believe on his name," that God grants this great and inestimable privilege. As to those that receive him not, so far are they from being justified, or from being made God's children, that they are" condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on them."‡ And let us not imagine that we receive him, or believe in his name aright, merely because we acknowledge him, however sincerely, to be the Messiah, and having his name named upon us, profess his religion. Let us remember that it is with the heart unto righteousness, that we must believe on him; that our faith in him must work by_love,|| must overcome the world,¶ and purify the heart ;** that, "to those who believe in him he is precious," and, that what-ever faith in him any man may profess, if he love him not, he is anathema; and that only those that "have his commandments, and keep them, truly love him." Let us consider also, that "he was manifested to take away our sins," to "save us from our sins," and "to destroy the works of the devil ;" and that "whosoever sinneth," or committeth known sin, and persisteth to do the devil's works, "hath not seen, neither known him," is not born of God, nor accounted his child, but is "of his father the devil, whose works he does."tt We must recollect that to believe in, or to receive him aright, is to embrace him in every office and character he sustains, as a Teacher, a Mediator, a Saviour, a Governor, and, as made of God unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption. As he is a teacher come from God, we must attentively hear him, submit our reason to his guidance, and not only * 1 John iii. 1. and iv. 16, 19. ↑ John i. 12. John iii. 18, 36. ** Acts xv. 9. |