Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

1. When he was but eight days old, he was Circumcised, and named Jesus. As there was shame in his Birth, so there was pain in his Circumcision; a sharp Razor paseth through his skin presently after he is born; not that he needed this Ceremony, but that for us he was content to be legally impure. In this early humiliation he plainly discovers the Riches of his Grace; now he sheds his Blood in drops, and thereby gives an earnest of those Rivers which he afterwards poured out for the cleansing of our Nature, and extinguishing the wrath of God; and for a further discovery of his Grace, at this time his Name is given him, which was Jesus. This is the name which we should engrave in our hearts; rest our Faith on, and place our help in, and love with the overflowings of Charity, and Joy, and Adoration; above all things we had need of a Jesus, a Saviour for our Souls, and from our sins, and from the everlasting destruction which sin will otherwise bring upon our Souls; hence this Name Jesus and this Sign Circumcision are joined together; for by the effusion of his blood he was to be our Jesus, our Saviour: Without shedding of Blood is no remission of Sins, no Salvation of Souls.¹ Circumcision was the Seal, and now was it that our Jesus was under God's Great Seal to take his Office: We have heard how he carried on the great Work of our Salvation from Eternity; this very Name and Office of Jesus, a Saviour, was resolved on in Gods fore-counsel, and given forth from the beginning; and we have heard of late how it was promised and foretold by an Angel;² but now it is Signed and Sealed with an absolute Commission and fullness of Power; Him hath God the Father sealed, John. 6.27. It is his Office and his very profession to save, that all may repair unto him to that end:³ Come unto me all ye that are weary; and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out; in which respect he is called the Saviour of the world (i.e.) of Samaritans, Jews, Gentiles, Kings, Shepherds, and of all sorts of men.

1. When he was but eight dayes old, he was Circumcised, and named Jesus. As there was shame in his Birth, so there was pain in his Circumcision; a sharp Razor paseth through his skin presently after he is born; not that he needed this Ceremony, but that for us he was content to be legally impure. In this early humiliation he plainly discovers the Riches of his Grace; now he sheds his Blood in drops, and thereby gives an earnest of those Rivers which he afterwards poured out for the cleansing of our Nature, and extinguishing the wrath of God; and for a further discovery of his Grace, at this time his Name is given him, which was Jesus. This is the name which we should engrave in our hearts; rest our Faith on, and place our help in, and love with the overflowings of Charity, and Joy, and Adoration; above all things we had need of a Jesus, a Saviour for our Souls, and from our sins, and from the everlasting destruction which sin will otherwise bring upon our Souls; hence this Name Jesus and this Sign Circumcision are joined together; for by the effusion of his blood he was to be our Jesus, our Saviour: Without shedding of Blood is no remission of Sins, no Salvation of Souls.