A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of…

III. The next thing that I would observe concerning the incarnation of Christ, i• the greatness of this event. Christ's incarnation was a greater and more wonderful thing than ever had come to pass; and there has been but one that has ever come to pass which was greater, and that was the death of Christ, which was afterwards. But Christ's incarnation was a greater thing than had ever come to pass before. The creation of the world was a very great thing, but not so great a thing as the incarnation of Christ. It was a great thing for God to make the creature, but not so great as for God, a• for the creator himself, to become a creature. We have spoken of many great things that were accomplished from one age to another, in the ages between the fall of man and •he incarnation of Christ: but God's becoming man was a greater th••g than they all. 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 appeared by her offering at her purification: Luke ii.24. "And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves▪ or two young pigeons." Which refers to Lev. v.7. "And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons." And this poor ⟨p. 142⟩virgin was espoused to an husband who was a poor man. Though they were […] •oyal family o• David, the most honourable family, and Joseph was the rightful hir to the crown; yet the family was reduced to a very low state which is represented by the tabernacle of Dvid's being fallen or broken down, Amos ix 11. "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up is ruin, and I will build it as in the days of old."