therefore the more astonishing that, knowing the exact time when he was expected to make his appearance, that when he did come they should reject him? It was not the elders of Israel only who were in daily expectation of his appearance, but all classes, the learned and the unlearned, were waiting his approach. We gather this from the remark made by one of the two whom Jesus saw following him, and who afterwards became his disciples. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, "We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." The same may also be gathered from the inquiry that was made by the disciples of John the Baptist, who, when he heard of the wonderful works of Christ, (being in prison,) he sent two of his disciples to him, saying, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" How is it to be accounted for that a whole nation, with very few exceptions, rejected the Saviour of the world as soon as he made his appearance? It is to be accounted for in this way. The elders, Scribes, and Pharisees had pictured to themselves in the person of the Messiah a glorious prince, who would assume the reins of government, and deliver them from the Roman yoke; they expected splendour and pomp, and the establishment of a worldly dominion, and they were not prepared to expect the fulfilment of prophecy in any other way. They rejected Christ because he was born of poor parents, who moved in a humble sphere, and dwelt in a mean city; they knew that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, and they were not privy to the circumstances of his having been born there; probably they were too busy respecting the enrolment of their names at the time in the books of the Roman commissioners to give heed to the relation of the

shepherds, which, if it reached their ears, they might deem the report but an idle invention of the ignorant ; and in the meantime, Joseph and Mary, having been taxed, returned to their own abode in Nazareth, and this was a reason for rejecting the promised and long expected Messiah.

The very mention of Christ coming out of Nazareth was an offence to them, was a prejudice to their blinded minds. "Philip findeth Nathaniel, and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write. And Nathaniel said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth ?”

Again, these were "good tidings of great joy," because of the need that fallen creatures had of a Mediator to reconcile them to an offended God. "For to you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. The term Saviour is properly applied to Christ, the Lord, for he saves his people from sin, from the curses of a broken law, and from eternal destruction. Such a Saviour was promised, such a Saviour was predicted, by the prophets: "The Lord shall send them a Saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them." And now such a Saviour is given, is not this "glad tidings?" Having broken the holy law of God, it was impossible that the sinner could reconcile himself to God, because he had nothing suitable, nothing commensurate, with that holy law to offer as a propitiatory sacrifice. Thousands of rams, and ten thousands of rivers of oil, would not have done it; had he even given the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul, it would not have done it; none of these things were commensurate. The fruit of his body was sinful, and therefore could not appease the demands of a holy law: good works he could not per

form; a corrupt fountain could only send forth impure streams; therefore the necessity of a Mediator was manifest, one who was pure and undefiled, and separate from sinners. And therefore the tidings of a Saviour, Christ, the Lord, were "good tidings of great joy" to all penitent believing sinners, and Christ saves none other. "Jesus shall be called a Saviour, for he shall save "his people from their sins." This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, "that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." Reader, do you feel your need of a Saviour? Are you conscious that of yourself you cannot do anything by way of accomplishing a reconciliation with a holy God? Until you feel this, until you know experimentally that your best performances, while out of Christ, are offensive to him-that they go no way towards recommending you to his high regards,—until you feel assured of this, you will never look to Jesus to save you from your sins, and from the wrath to come. The good works of those who are reconciled to God through Christ are acceptable to him, because they are the result of faith; and by faith God is honoured, Christ is received; but the very best doings of a sinner, who is estranged from the Saviour, and has not acted faith in him who neglects prayer, or only performs it slavishly, and who consequently remains uninfluenced and unsanctified by the holy Spirit the very best performances of such an one, though he abounds in outward observances and external attendance upon the means of grace, though he punctually attends church or chapel, though he partakes of the solemn ordinance of the Lord's supper on Christmas day and Good-Friday, and on other stated occasions, yet, notwithstanding all this, and much more that might be named, notwithstanding his

works of charity, notwithstanding the morality of his every-day walk, his honesty towards men, in the sight of a holy God he is altogether as "an unclean thing, and all his righteousnesses are as filthy rags," offensive and abominable.

Is there a reader of these pages so hardened by sin as not to feel the need of a Saviour? Is there one who can deliberately reject the Saviour-a Saviour so great, so precious, so necessary, so condescending? Is there a reader who takes offence, as the Jews did of old, because Christ was born of poor parents-because he was born in a stable-because he does not offer posts and places of high honour and renown in this world-because, when he came to make atonement for sins, and to fulfil the requirements of a holy law, "he humbled himself, and made himself of no reputation ?" Is there a reader unwilling to comply with the terms of reconciliation? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved!" Is there a reader who does not assent to the message being "good tidings of great joy”? I would entreat such an one, with all possible affection for his soul, "be ye reconciled to God" through the Saviour, Christ Jesus the Lord. Once he appeared a weak and helpless babe, "wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger;" but, ere long, he will be seen coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Once he was seen without form or comeliness, and there was no beauty in him that we should desire him; but soon he will appear "in grandeur, and our world on fire." Once, as the son of Joseph the carpenter, "he was despised and rejected of men; he was despised, and we esteemed him not;" but his next approach will be announced by the trump of God: "And he will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flam

ing fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Again; these were "good tidings of great joy," because of the universality of the benefit-" which shall be to all people”—that is, both to Jews and Gentiles. The tidings that were made known by the angel were delivered to Jewish shepherds; and, as the Jews were a people distinct and separate from all other people, the message might have been supposed as addressed exclusively to them, had the angel said no more than “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy;" but by adding the sentence, "which shall be to all people," it became evident that the tidings were intended to be good news to other nations than to the Jews. The song of the redeemed is, "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."

"To you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." This is the good tidings spoken of that is ground for universal joy. It was intended to be good news for the barbarous tribes of Africa, and the naked savages of the South Seas; it was intended for the most degraded caste in Hindostan, as well as for the fur-clad Laplander; it was intended for sinners of every clime, and every colour; and, let us bless God that the same glad tidings has reached British sinners!

This message was tidings of great joy because of the results that follow a Saviour's birth and death. Attention has been directed to the need of a Saviour; let us now glance at the consequences, or results: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." By the old man, we understand everything that is bad