first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night; and lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people: for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will Towards men (a)." After the Angel had departed, the shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem, and "found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen (b)." On the eighth day Jesus was circumcised, and being the firstborn of his mother, he was afterwards presented (a) Lukę, c. 2. v. 6—14. in VOL. I. LL in the temple, and a sacrifice offered for him, as the law of Moses commanded (c). Upon that occasion Simeon and Anna, two devout and aged inhabitants of Jerusalem, were supernaturally directed to go into the temple, and seeing the child Jesus, they declared, in the spirit of prophecy, that he' was the promised Messiah (d). The birth of Jesus was more publicly announced at Jerusalem by the arrival of wise men from the East, who had "seen his star" in their own country, and had come under a di vine impulse to worship him." The star conducted them to the place where Jesus was, and they worshipped him, and according to eastern custom presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (e). And thus was the birth of the Messiah, the universal Saviour of mankind, communicated, by especial Revelation, both to Jews and Gentiles; and select persons of each description acknowledged him as such upon his first appearance in the world. All these wonderful occurrences were quickly made known, and they could not but produce general astonishment; and in the mind of the jealous and profligate Herod they occasioned great (c) Excd. c. 13. v. 2. Numb. c. 18. v. 15. Lev. c. 12. v. 6 and 8. (d) Luke, c. 2. v. 25, &c. (e) Matt. c. 2. v. 1, &c. great alarm. Thinking that Jesus, whose birth was attended with these extraordinary circumstances, might be the great temporal prince, who was now universally expected to arise in Judæa, or in some part of the East, and fearing. that he might deprive him or his family of his kingdom, he endeavoured to destroy him, by ordering all the children of Bethlehem, under two years of age, to be put to death. . But God was pleased to frustrate his design, by commanding Joseph and Mary to carry Jesus into Egypt; and the death of Herod happening soon after, they returned to Nazareth after a short absence (f). It is said in general terms, that “Jesus in creased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man (g);" but the only circum stance recorded of the early part of his life is, that at the age of twelve years he went to Jerusalem, at the feast of the Passover, and was found in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions; and all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers (h).” He returned to Nazareth, and was subject to his parents (i), A few (f) Matt. c. 2. v. 13, &c. (g) Luke, c. 2. v. 52, (h) Luke, c. 2. v. 46 & 47, (i) Luke, c. 2. v. 51. A few months before the birth of Jesus, was born John, called the Baptist, the son of Zacharias a Jewish priest, and of Elizabeth his wife, who was nearly related to Mary the mother of Jesus. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, emperor of Rome, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa and Samaria, and Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilee, John appeared in the desert country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. "And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey (k)." He taught that the kingdom of heaven was at hand; admonished his countrymen of the danger of continuing in their sins; bade them bring forth fruits meet for repentance, and not depend upon national privileges for acceptance with God. The extraordinary appearance of John, and the interesting instructions which he delivered, excited, at this moment of general expectation, great notice and attention: "There went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins (1)."— "While all men mused in their hearts of John, whether (k) Matt. c. 3. v. 4. (1) Matt. c. 3. v. 5 & 6. whether he were the Christ or not (m)," the Jewish council sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to enquire who he was: he acknowledged that he was not the Christ, but that he was his forerunner, predicted by the prophets; and he openly declared that there was then among them a great Person, whom as yet they knew not, far superior to himself, who would "baptize them with the Holy Ghost and with fire." After great numbers of people had been baptized, Jesus came "from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him." John, urging his own inferiority, at first refused, but upon Jesus representing the necessity of his being baptized by him, he complied. And immediately after the baptism of Jesus, "the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: and Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age (n)." Jesus, being thus baptized, and having received this testimony to his divine character, was "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (o)." He there fasted forty (m) Luke, c. 3. v. 15. (n) Matt. c. 3. v. 16 & 17. Luke, c. 3. v. 21, &c. ́ (a) Matt. c. 4. v. I. |