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A Sermon

DELIVERED BY THE REV. W. JAY,
AT ARGYLE CHAPEL, BATH, SEPTEMBER 26, 1830.

Luke, iv. 16-22.—“ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias; and when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book and gave it again to the minister, and sat down and the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ear. And all bare him witnesss, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son ?"

WHY do we not feel, and express more attachment to the history of the Son of God? It has infinite claims upon us-claims the most dignified and the most venerable. It was given by inspiration from God; and while perusing it we tread on holy ground. It is written with proper and touching simplicity. It is filled with surprising transactions; wherever we fix our eyes we are struck with astonishment. But, my dear hearers, astonishment is not sufficient here. The life of Jesus is not to be read as the life of Cyrus, or the life of Johnson: it is not the subject of idle amusement, or curious speculation; we are deeply and eternally concerned in all he said, all he did, and all that he suffered. And, if we read his history as we ought, we shall exclaim, "Thou art fairer than the children of men ;” we shall love him supremelywe shall confide only in him-we shall resemble him-we shall feel the sanctifying tendency of every view we take of his character, changing us into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The narrative which is to engage your attention this evening is peculiarly interesting and expressive. It contains four articles-his arrival at Nazareth-his engagement there-his preaching-and the effect of it. Let us review these.

tion and feeling piety will always be affected when he comes to the place where he was brought up. Many scenes will rush over his mind-it is well if he be not affected with instances of early depravity, and by painful recollections be made to confess the iniquities of his youth. Here, he will say, I was preserved-here I was handed up through childhood: I find the scene remaining the same-the rivers-the hills-the woods-the lawns; but how changed are many of my views of men and things; and how many that once knew me, know me no more for ever.

We may ask four questions here concerning our Saviour's coming to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. First, What was Nazareth? It was a small town of the Zebulonites, in Galilee, seventy-two miles north of Jerusalem, and west of Mount Tamar. It was a place of no reputation or consequence; so that, you will remember, when Philip said to Nathaniel, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph," Nathaniel said with wonder, any good thing come out of Nazareth?"

"Can

Secondly, How came he to be brought up here? Here, indeed, he was conceived by the Holy Ghost-here Mary resided when the angel came unto her First, HIS ARRIval at NazarETH. and said, "Hail, thou that art highly "He came to Nazareth, where he had favoured, the Lord is with thee; blessed been brought up." A man of reflec-art thou among women." But he was

How knoweth this man letters having
never learned? As Mary and Joseph
were poor, he surely would not live in
indolence. Nothing is so inconsistent
with the Christian life, unless actual
vice, as doing nothing, and having no-
thing to do. Surely you cannot ima-
gine that Christ would live as some of
you are living. The Saviour is him-
self expressly called “the Carpenter :"
and it is well known that Joseph was
a carpenter.
We are sometimes
amazed, when we consider that his
life was so short, for he died at thrity-
two, that he should not have entered
into his public work till he was thirty
years of age: but neither did John,
whose life was shorter still, enter into
his till he was thirty: neither did the
Levites engage in their work until
they were thirty. We cannot fathom
all the designs God has in view in any
of his dispensations: but, surely, we
may learn from hence, that usefulness
is not confined to publicity—that we
must be willing to be concealed as
well as to be displayed-that a great
work requires great preparation-and
that those must largely learn who are
to teach unto the nations; lest being
lifted up with pride, they fall into the
condemnation of the devil.

not born here; he was born in Beth- | people were aware of this and said, lehem in Judea; and you are aware of the circumstances which were so overruled as to produce his birth there, according to the prophecy of Micah: "Thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel." But, you will observe, after he was born there, the angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and | be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." "But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead that sought the young child's life. And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee : and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene."

Thirdly, How was he brought up there? In reading the Scriptures, how often must we be impressed with the conviction that it was not the design of the Holy Ghost to amuse the curious minds of men. A veil is thrown over the private life of our Saviour, which no hand can draw aside. Nothing can be more foolish than the popish legends concerning his infant miracles-his being sent by his mother for a pitcher of water, and breaking it, and then repairing the vessel by a miracle and many other things equally foolish. "He grew in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man." At twelve years of age he was found in the temple, in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. He went down to Nazareth, and was subject to his own parents. This is all we know of the first thirty years of the Lord Jesus. He had no public, or what is called University education; and the

But, fourthly, How came he to Nazareth, since he was there brought up ? Because he had been absent from the place: he had been to the baptism of John. Then he had been led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he was forty days and forty nights tempted of the devil. Ater this he "returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee : and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about: And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all." The case was this-though he was full of courage yet he was to be proved. He had himself expressed, that, "a prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and among his own kindred." Domestic greatness is unattainable; and if it does not produce contempt, reduces veneration. Those who knew the man in his childhood, and had been familiar with him in common life, were not likely to reverence him as a teacher of religion. We should, indeed, have imagined that he would have been an exception, by his wis

dom, by his sanctity, by his heavenly- | ness. But what is wisdom-what is sanctity-what is divinity itself, if it be poor according to the estimation of men? He knew what was in men-he knew the prejudices of the Nazarenes towards him; and therefore he would not begin his ministry at home. For a considerable time he visited other places, where he performed his first miracles; and having thus gained a well-deserved renown, this would serve to favour his introduction to his townsmen and his relations: and thus he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up.

Let us observe, secondly, HIS PRI

VATE ENGAGEMENTS THERE BEFORE

HE PREACHED. "And, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day and stood up for to read." The season, the place, and the action are all worthy of a brief notice.

fathers and mothers teach their children, by example, to sanctify God's holy day. There never was yet known in any age, or in any people, a revival of real religion, that was not attended by a peculiar concern for the sanctification of the Sabbath.

Then, the place was the Synagogue. Synagogues were scattered all over Judea, and were in ever country where the Jews lived. They were places sacred to devotion and instruction. They were not expressly of divine appointment, like the temple, but they arose from the moral exigencies of the people; and were peculiarly serviceable in maintaining and perpetuating the knowledge of Moses and the Prophets. They are supposed to have originated in the days of Ezra. The expediency of places of social devotion arises from the very nature of the service; therefore, there always have been such places in all ages and countries. The very light of nature taught the heathens the propriety of publicly adoring their gods. As to Christians, the command is, " Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is." And to en courage your assembling together, you have the assurance, "In all places where I have recorded my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." Thus the distinctions of life are hindered from becoming excesses; and

gether; the Lord is the maker of them all." It is thus religion is preserved visibly in a country. It is thus that provision is made for the attraction of the careless, who may be drawn into such places, not at first from religious motives, but there God ministers, and they may be known of all, and judged of all, and exclaim,

The time was the Sabbath. The consecration of the seventh portion of our time for a day of rest, is the most wise and the most merciful institution that was ever established. But it principally regards man: the sabbath was made for man. It looks towards him as a citizen of time, and as an heir of immortality. Who can bear endless toil and everlasting thought? The body requires repose, and the mind requires relief. After such intervals of relaxation, with renewed strength," the rich and the poor here meet toand with fresh vigour, you return again to the cares and toils of this life. How does the Sabbath conduce to cleanliness, to health, to cheerfulness, to social intercourse. Without such seasons as these, what time would many ever have for religious reflection, or for religious instruction and improvement. Ah, Christians, we need not recommend the Sabbath to you: you find in it the emblem, the earnest, and the foretaste of the rest that remains to the people of God. How lamentable is it that this day is so much profaned by business, by amusement, by slothful indulgence, and especially in the higher ranks of life. The profanation of the Sabbath was one of the national sins which drew the vengence of God on the Jews. Oh, may England beware of it may the rich beware of it; and masters and mistresses teach their servants, and

"God is in the midst of them of a truth." There he awaits the distressed and afflicted. In all the troubles of life there stands his place for a refuge. There enters the widow, leading her little fatherless boy, and wipes her eyes; and she hears that the father of the fatherless, and the husband of the widow, is God in his holy habitation. There Christians feel themselves united with their brethren in holy affection: they resemble the world above where they are still praising him—

"Lord how delightful 'tis to see A whole assembly worship thee: At once they sing, at once they pray, They hear of heaven and learn the way." Oh that each of us may be able to say with David-"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my Lord, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple."

You should note here, that our Saviour always attended the temple service, and the annual three festivals in the synagogue of the Jews; and you here see it was his custom always, whenever he had an opportunity of going into the synagogue. Surely, his example has, with his followers, the force of a law. But do all they who bear his name tread in his steps? Do they continually and invariably attend public worship, unless sickness indeed hinder? Are they not often detained by trifling excuses, which they know, and their domestics know, detain them from nothing but the house of God? Surely, we need such exercises as much as he did; and surely, we need the constancy of them as much as he did.

Then, the action-" As he stood up for to read." The reading of the Scriptures was always a part of the synagogue service; and it should always be performed when we assemble and meet together. This practice deservedly and commendably occupies a large proportion of the worship of the Established Church. When we assemble together, and thus read the Scriptures, we honor them as supreme in our assemblies, as our rule, our standard, and our judge. It affords an advantage to the ignorant and to the illiterate, who are unable to read the Scriptures for themselves. It tends to remove the prejudices of others, by showing them that what we advance in our sermons we first find in our bibles; and by showing the harmony between our language and the language of revelation. It tends to solemnize the mind, and prepare the heart for devotion and instruction.

Let me close this part of our exposition by two admonitions; the one is, Always be in time for that part of the service; and do not turn away from him that speaketh from heaven, only

to enter when he begins who speaks on earth. In the next place, Be more attached to the Scriptures, and read them privately more-more in your families. Bless God that you have the Scriptures in your own hand, and in your own language; and that you are allowed to read them, that you are commanded to read them. "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me." This is the charter of your privileges-this is the bulwark of your eternal defence— this is your guide through the wilderness-this is your synagogue in the house of your pilgrimage. Remember the address of God to Joshua. "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayst observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." And what also said Moses to the Israelites

"These words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes, and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.'

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This brings us, thirdly, to HIS PREACHING. "And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias; and when he had opened the book he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." This was the text. It is needless for us to enquire, because it is impossible for us to determine, whether this passage was one of the appointed lessons of the day; or, whether it was the first text that struck his eye when he opened the roll; or, whether he chose it pur

posely for the occasion. One thing we are sure of, that there was nothing casual in his conduct; and that whatever things seem to be accidental circumstances only fulfil his pleasure and design.

Lord: but Christ Jesus the Lord
preached himself. What other subject
could he take, consistently with his
wisdom and his concern to be useful?
He knew infinitely better than we do,
that none but Jesus Christ can save
helpless sinners. He knew that he
was the subject of prophecy; that
from the beginning God had purposed
to raise him as a Saviour. Therefore,
unto him gave all the Prophets wit-
ness, and especially Isaiah, who wrote
concerning him, who testified so
clearly and fully concerning the suf-
ferings of Christ, and the glory that
should follow, as to be called by some
the evangelical Prophet, and to be called
by others the fifth Evangelist.
"And
he began to say unto them, This day
is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.'
This is all we have of this interesting
sermon; and if we go on to fill up the
outline we feel our insufficiency; and
yet something may be done, because
we have the assurance from his own
lips-and he kept to his text,-we
have the assurance from his own
words, that this day the Scripture was
fulfilled in their ears.

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But observe the attention of the audience. "And he closed the book, and gave it again to the minister, and sat down and the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him." It is very desirable to see an audience attentive, as the mind follows the eye, and the eye affecteth the heart. It is well when the eye is turned as much as possible towards the preacher, instead of being sleepy and drowsy, and rolling all over the place, in order to observe every individual that enters, and their dress. Some preachers by their talents, and their character, and their usefulness, have awakened much attention. Others for this purpose have had recourse to tricks, far from being consistent with simplicity and godly sincerity. Our Lord and Saviour, the great Teacher sent from God, had recourse to no arts, yet what an eagerness was there in the people :-"The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened upon him." Some were curious; they were eager to hear a preacher who spoke as never man spoke-a preacher who had turned water into wine, and who had hushed the winds and the waves with words. Others were captious and malignant were eager to hear him in order to make him an offender for a word, or to entangle him in his talk. These soon assailed his reputation; and he was considered as an enemy, as a deceiver, as a blasphemer of Mo-doctrine of divine influence into ridises, as one who wished to overturn the constitution in Church and State. We hope, however, that there were some few humble and teachable, and that these were eager to hear him for their improvement that these were thirsting for his communication-that these Then he asserts the design of his office were waiting for him as the earth-that he came not to destroy men's waits after the drought for the rainthat they were waiting for the consolation of Israel.

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And therefore, first, he asserts his qualification for his mission. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me." What, was the Spirit necessary even to enable him to preach? No wonder, then, that it should be necessary for all his servants. Therefore the candidate for holy orders always acknowledges, that he is moved by the Holy Ghost to undertake this office. How many of these know not whether there be any Holy Ghost, and perhaps turn, in the first sermon they preach, the

cule and scorn. But if, as ministers, we have any hope in our work—if we have any sufficiency for the work, or success attending it, it is all to be ascribed to the agency of the Spirit of God.

lives, but to save them; that he came into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. "He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable

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