Luke 2

Had not Christ been made flesh, we had been made a curse; had not he been incarnate, we had been incarcerate, and had been for ever in prison. Well might an angel be the herald to proclaim this joyful news of Christ's incarnation (Luke 2:10). Behold, I bring you good tidings of…

God promised to deliver Israel from the iron furnace, but this promise was above four hundred years in travail before it brought forth. Simeon had a promise, that he should not depart from here till he had seen the Lord's Christ, (Luke 2:26) but it was a long time first, but a l…

Our Lord Christ herein set a pattern to children. Luke 2:51: He was subject to his parents. He to whom angels were subject, yet was subject to his parents.

The Virgin Mary was not perfect; though her womb were pure (being overshadowed with the Holy Ghost) yet her soul was not perfect. Christ does tacitly imply a failing in her (Luke 2:49). And are they more perfect than the Blessed Virgin was?

Luther spent three hours a day in prayer. Anna the prophetess departed not from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayers night and day (Luke 2:37). How zealous and industrious were the martyrs to get into this heavenly kingdom! they wore their fetters as ornaments, sn…

What pains did Saint Paul take for the heavenly kingdom (Philippians 3:13): Reaching forth to those things which are before; [illegible] the Greek word to reach forth, signifies to stretch out the neck, a metaphor from racers who strain every limb, and reach forward to lay hold…

The Devil is called the Tempter (Matthew 4:3). Christ is called the Comforter (Luke 2:25). The Devil is called the Prince of Darkness.

So also in Psalm 7:13: 'If he turns not, God has whetted his sword and prepared his instruments of death' — to inflict torments, and eternal torments also, as Deuteronomy 32 implies. Indeed, whatever causes torment or anguish is in Scripture called a sword, and piercing with a s…

Now, where the Text saith, God provided a better thing for us, we must not understand it of all these prerogatives, but only of the first and last, touching the actual exhibiting of Christ in the flesh: as Christ also imports, Luke 10.23, 24, Blessed are the eyes which see that…

And therefore all young persons must have care of these sins of youth, and watch the more against them, because they are so incident to their years. Now, the way to avoid them, is to follow Christ's example, Luke 2:52, to labour to grow, as in years, so in wisdom and grace: and…

4. That the great complaint, weight, and grief of an honest minister of the gospel, is this, that his message is not taken off his hand, that Christ is not received, believed in, and rested on; this is the great challenge ministers have against the generality of people, and the…

But we read not that he did laugh, or that ever any worldly mirth was found in him, which clearly makes out this truth: that he was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. For Use, It would take the tongues of Men and Angels to speak of it, it being the most remarkable and…

Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? The Gospel is a sweet message, and ought to be glad news when it comes to a people; and therefore, when this report of our Lord Jesus Christ is made to sinners, O! but it's a sad complaint that…

4. It imports this, that the work which he performs in the redeeming of souls is so acceptable to God, and does so mightily concur, and cooperate to the promoting of his design, that the Lord owns every thing that he performs, as performed by his great ambassador; and by him, wh…

This is His meat and His drink, His work and business; as He Himself says, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:34). And, in Luke 2: "Know you not that I must be about my Father's business?" Which is to rescue poor sinners from the devi…

Here is a Lord-Speaker from heaven, testifying that the Lord's name shall be, and was glorified: As 1. In Christ's person and incarnation (John 1:14): The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory. So the angels did sing at his birth (Luke 2:14): Glory to…

Christ expounds it (Luke 4:8) exclusively: "You shall serve only the Lord," because it is the prerogative of God to be worshipped, as it is a prerogative of grace to be the ransomed and redeemed of God (Deuteronomy 21:8; Deuteronomy 7:8; Exodus 15:15; Luke 1:68; Galatians 3:13;…

There was a veil of flesh, yet the glory of his divine nature was seen, and might be seen, by all that had an eye and heart to see it. He lay in the manger at Bethlehem, but a star appeared to conduct the wise men to him; and angels proclaimed his birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:…

They as subjects and servants are bound to obey him. Therefore on all occasions they attend on Christ; at his birth (Luke 2:13-14): "A multitude of the heavenly host praised God, saying, Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, good will towards men." Now in his temptations, the…

There is a common rule among the Schoolmen of the communication of the properties, when the properties belonging to the divinity of Christ, are attributed to the humanity: which we may see everywhere in the Scriptures. As in Luke 2, the Angel calls the infant born of the virgin…

The like imagination the Monks and Schoolmen had of their Saints, as though they had been very senseless blocks and without all affections. The virgin Mary felt great grief and sorrow of spirit when she missed her son (Luke 2:48). David in the Psalms complains that he is almost…

Christ was subiect to Ioseph who was but a reputed father. Luk. 2. last. The sonnes of the Prophets obay their masters as their own fathers, 2. king. 2. 12. and so doe the seruants to their master. 2. king. 5. 13.

How can you believe (says our Savior Christ) which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes of God alone? (John 5:44). Secondly, we must seek for the approbation of God in the first place; and in the second place, to be approved of men, as Christ did: for…

Yet the entrance of Christ into the world was not destitute of glory; for the splendor of his Godhead was manifested from the commencement by his heavenly Father. Angels announced that “a Savior was born,” (Luke 2:11;) but their voice was only heard by the shepherds, and travele…

And with this view the Heavenly Father chose that the life of his Son should be buried, as it were, in silence, until the time of the full revelation arrived. For it did not happen without the undoubted Providence of God, that the Evangelists leave out the whole period which Chr…

Thus, Abraham saw the day of Christ afar off, and rejoiced, (John 8:56,) and yet longed to enjoy a nearer view, but did not obtain his wish. Simeon spoke the sentiments of all, “SIMEON disoit selon l’affection de tours les Peres;” — “simon spoke according to the feeling of all t…

Now as it was mean and uneducated men by whom the kingdom of Christ was called the kingdom of David, let us hence learn that this doctrine was at that time well known, which in the present day appears to many to be forced and harsh, because they are not well acquainted with Scri…

But to say Christ is the Lord, includes two things; First, Faith in him as Lord and Saviour. So was he declared and preached by the Angels; Luke 2. 11. A Saviour which is Christ the Lord.

He now entred on his public Ministry and wholly gave himself up to his Work. For before he did only occasionally manifest the Presence of God with him, somewhat to prepare the Minds of Men to attend to his Ministry; as when he filled them with astonishment at his Discourses with…

And it appears yet more remarkably, in the low circumstances of his incarnation. He was conceived in the womb of a poor young woman; whose poverty appeared in that when she came to offer sacrifices for her purification, she brought what was allowed of in the law only in case of…

For it is said, They sat down with him, seven days, etc. I answer, We need not interpret it for seven continued days and nights, without any intermission; it is frequent in Scripture, to put a part, especially a greater part, for the whole; that which is often done, is said to b…

5. That when the Angels came to bring the news of the Birth of our Lord Jesus, they say, we bring tydings of great joy to the whole people, Luke 2:10. What are these joyful tydings?

They are enemies to Idolatrie; for, Apoc. 19. 10. when John would have worshipped the Angel, he forbad him, saying, See you doe it not, worship God: herein also we must be followers of Angels, by furthering the Gospel and true worship of God to the vttermost of our power; by hin…

We have thus considered the institution, morality, and change of the Sabbath. All which are the more abstruse and intricate, partly from the silence of the Scriptures, which leave us to collect the truth, by inferences and deductions; and partly from the different opinions of le…

The Greek word signifies to stretch out the neck: a metaphor taken from racers that strain every limb, and reach forward to lay hold upon the prize. We read of Anna a Prophetess, (Luke 2:37). She departed not from the Temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and da…

When Christ was born, the greatest person was born that ever was, or ever will be born. IV. What I would next observe concerning the incarnation of Christ, are the remarkable circumstances of it; such as his being born of a poor virgin, that was a pious holy person, but poor, as…

This was the fourth overturning of the world that was in this period. And though it was brought to pass more gradually than the setting up of the Grecian empire, yet it far exceeded that, and was much the greatest and largest temporal monarchy that ever was in the world; so that…

He infinitely differed from other children, who, as soon as they begin to act, begin to sin and rebel. He was subject to his earthly parents, though he was Lord of all, Luke 2:51. He was found about his Father's business at twelve years of age in the temple, Luke 2:42.

Is that a sect which proclaims God in Christ reconciling the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5:19), and recovering it from that degenerate and deplorable state into which it was sunk? Is that a sect which publishes good-will towards men (Luke 2:14), and Christ the Lamb of God ta…

The deformities and distempers of mens hearts, are much discovered in the winters of their affliction: although there was much glory and beauty on their profession before, yet now they appear most vile and base. We read Luke 2:35 That Christ was appointed for the fall of many, a…

Bu[•] alas, all tenders and treaties are now at an end with me. On Earth peace, Luke 2. 13. but none in Hell O my Soul! consider these things: come, let us debate this matter seriously, before we launch o[•] into this Ocean. THE POEM.

Of which afterwards. Secondly, the fullness of grace in Christ's human nature, sets forth the amiableness and desirableness thereof: should I make it my business to consider his perfections, as to this part of his excellency, what he had from the womb (Luke 1:35), what received…

Jacob blessing his sons, lifted up his spirit when he comes to Judah, in whom he considered the Shiloh to come (Genesis 49:8-9) and a little after, wearied with the foresight and consideration of the distresses of his posterity, this he diverts to for his relief, as that great d…

This he had necessarily from the grace of union, from which it is that what was born of the virgin was a holy thing, Luke 1:35. Luke 2:52: he had an all-fullness of grace on all accounts. The apostle describes this in Hebrews 7:26: Such a high priest became us — holy, harmless,…

It is collected both by ancient and later divines, that our Lord Jesus Christ [reconstructed: in] his younger years, before he began to exercise his public ministry, occupied himself in his father's trade: and that this was the thing wherein he manifested his subjection to his p…

For me, it is sufficient, to lay down the duty in general: which is commended to us in that worthy pattern of the Virgin Mary, who though she were very poor, and forced to travel far, and brought to bed in a strange place, where she was so little respected, as she was not afford…

But now the glory of God, that is the end of all things: (Proverbs 16:4) The Lord has made all things for himself; that is, for his own glory, for the manifesting of his excellency. And so our redemption, (Luke 2:14) Glory be to God on high. When God came to show his goodwill in…

Instance in any thing that is the will of God. Here we must believe, or there we shall never enjoy (Luke 2:14) peace upon earth. Now God offers grace, and now it is his will we should come out of our sins, and accept of Christ to the ends for which he has appointed him.

To this end meditate often of it, and receive it in the love of it. 1. Meditate often of it (Luke 2:19). Mary kept all these sayings; how did she keep them?

Men of small substance grow rich by continual saving, and holding together what they have gotten; but if they spend it as fast as they get it, they cannot be rich. Luke 2:19. Mary kept all these sayings, and pondered them in her heart. 2. Delectation will grow cold, unless the m…