A Lift of the Names of the Subferibers. The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Rochefter for 6. The Reverend Dr. Stanhope Dean of Canterbury. The Rev. Dr. Blackall. Mr. Loader 6. Mr. Joyner.. -Dr. Walker. Charter Mr. Lepipre. -Mr. Stringfellow for 6. Dr. Ovington. -Mr. Thomas Davies for 6. William Williams, Efq; The Rev. Dr. Hancock. -Dr. Linford. -Dr. Richard Roderick. -Mr. Henry Fackfon 6. -Mr. Crockatt. -Mr. Butler. -Mr. Hellyar. -Mr. Barnes. Madam Dickenson. Mr. Needham 5. Mr. Watts. Mrs. Sanders. Mr. James Peerman 2. Mr. Blondell 4. SER SERMON I. LUKE 2. II. Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord. T I HESE Words contain a Meffage every way worthy the Glorious Being, that brought it: Every way worthy the Tongue of an Angel; yea, of the Highest and most exalted Son of the Morning. It acquaints us with the Completion of the Promises made to the Fathers, That the Day is come, that long-expected day, when the a Glory, the Delight, the Expectation of Ifb Mal. 332. rael, and the defire of all nations should c Hag. 2. 7, come. That we are no longer Prisoners of Hope, waiting for the Rifing of the Sun of Righteousness; but that he now actually afcends our Horizon, and visibly displays his reviving Brightness to the Children of Men. That unto us ad Ila. 9.6. Child B aLuc.2.32. Child is born, unto us a Son is given, whofe name is Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father; Pater futuri Seculi, fays the generality of Commentators, The Father of the Future, or Everlasting Age; the Prince of Peace. Unto you is born this day, in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord. In the Words you have these two things: 1. A Perfon born. Unto you is born. II. The Defcription of this Perfon, which is three fold. 1. He is a Saviour. I begin with the Description of the Perfon. And, 1. He is a Saviour: Yea, the Greateft, the most Glorious, and the most Triumphant of all Saviours. Many indeed were the Deliverers or Saviours, which God raised up to the Jews: Mofes and Joshua, Othniel and Ehud, Gideon, and Jeptka, Baruch and Sampfon. But what what are all these,if compar'd withChrist our Saviour? They were only Types, Fore-runners, and Figures; but He the Accomplishment of them all. They acted purely by vertue of His Commiffion, deriv❜d their whole Power and Authority from him, and were his Officers, his Substitutes, his Vice-gerents to the People: But 'twas He, who fav'd both them and their Armies in the Day of Battel, and caus'd them to ride triumphantly upon the high Places of the Earth. They deliver'd but one People, a small Handful of Men, the Sons of Jacob and Jofeph; but He (in the Words of the Prpphet Ifa.) lifts up his hand to the Gentiles, c.49. v.22. and fets up his standard to the people, that all may come and partake of his Salvation. Unto you, fays the Angel to the Shepherds, is born a Saviour. Unto you, but not unto you only; for in the Verfe immediately preceding, Behold, fays he, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which fhall be to all people. All People (you fee) are to partake of this Joy: All (the Gen tiles as well as the Jews) to glorifie God for his Salvation, according to that of the fame Prophet: It is a light thing, that thon fhouldft be my fervant to raise up the v.6. tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preferved ་ Ifa. c. 49% of Ifrael: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation unto the end of the Earth. They ref cued only the Bodies, but could not re deem the Souls of their Brethren, but were forc'd to let that alone for ever: But fo mighty is his Salvation, that it extends it self to our Spirits, as well as to our Bodies, and restores the whole Man to a state of Liberty and Glory. They were not fuffer'd to continue, by reafon of Death; and accordingly were the Inftruments only of Temporary Deliverances But He, on the contrary, liveth for ever and ever, and is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him. In a word; He has chalk'd out to us the way that leads to Life; has redeem'd us by his Blood out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation; and will at the last Day compleat our Redemption, and make us Kings and Priefts unto our God for ever and ever. So that (I fay) this Title of Saviour belongs to our Lord in the most eminent manner,in a manner entirely proper and peculiar to himself; and which cannot be imparted to any other Saviour. He, even He, is the Lord, Ifa. 43. 11, and besides him there is no Saviour. |