SERMON V.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF SALVATION THROUGH THE REMISSION OF SINS.

ST. LUKE 1, 77--79.

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.*

THESE words were spoken by Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, on a remarkably interesting occasion. The Almighty had been pleased, by the ministration of an angel, to foretel to him the birth of a son, who was to be "great in the sight of the Lord," and "filled "with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's

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Written for the Sunday before Christmas-Day.

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"womb." But, Zacharias had, under the influence of unbelief, hesitated to give credit to the divine testimony; and as a reproof of this his sin, it was declared, that he should be deprived of the use of his speech, and continue dumb till the arrival of that period, when the divine prediction should receive its accomplishment. This accordingly took place: nor was the chastisement removed till the day of the circumcision of the child; when the affliction was terminated as suddenly as it had begun. And, as it appears, the first use which Zacharias made of the renewed gift of speech was, to praise God for the fulfilment of his ancient promises of mercy and love to his people. He next proceeded to address his infant son, in the following remarkable language" And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the

Highest; for thou shalt go before the face "of the Lord to prepare his ways." He then, in the words of our text, went on to describe the benefits, which, through the coming of the Son of God in human nature, were to be conferred upon mankind.

At the present season, my brethren, we are called to turn our attention peculiarly to the completion of that great mystery of godliness-the manifestation of the Son of God in human nature. This event has, in every age of

the church been regarded as of the utmost importance, and as in fact lying at the very foundation of all our hopes. It has, therefore, always been looked upon as an event to be commemorated with thankful joy: and the season of Christmas has been considered as one of the most important of our religious festivals, And were it kept by all who bear the christian name, in a manner at all suitable to the importance of the subject to which it relates, we might well rejoice in the assured hope, that they would derive from the observance great spiritual benefit. But, alas! man is ever found disposed to corrupt and pervert even the best and most sacred institutions. surely, we may say, that none is more perverted than this. My brethren, from such a perversion of this solemnity, I would call upon you to

And

come out and be separate, and not touch the "unclean thing;" but to remember, that Christmas is a time, not for carnal indulgence, but for spiritual joy; not for vain amusements, but for holy employments. Let me then intreat you, to walk in a more excellent way; and to endeavour to improve the approaching solemnity in such a manner, as may tend to the glory of God to the increase of your thankfulness and devotedness to his service,

and to the advancement of your souls in the paths of holiness.

To assist you in this, I shall, from the words of Zacharias in our text, contemplate, first, the nature of the blessing which Jesus Christ came into the world to communicate; secondly, the manner in which this blessing is communicated, and the source from which it proceeds; and thirdly, the character of those who actually partake of it.

I. First, then, we ask, what is the nature of the blessing which Jesus came to communicate? He came, our text tells us, to give knowledge. He described himself, in his discourse to the Jews, as "the light of the world"- the sole teacher-the one only source of all really important and valuable knowledge: so that whosoever is not taught by him, “knoweth

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nothing as he ought to know." For whatever may be man's boasted wisdom, he is utterly unable to teach himself anything correctly, with regard to those subjects, with which it most of all concerns him to be well acquainted.

But, then we shall find, that the knowledge which the Son of God came to afford, is not

such a knowledge as men in general are at all disposed to value. He did not come to teach us how to obtain wealth, or honour, or gratification in the world. This is the sort of knowledge which is usually considered the most valuable; and did he offer to bestow this, we should not see his instructions so generally slighted and neglected as they are. But he came to give us a knowledge, which, how little soever men may be disposed to value it, God sees to be above all other, essential to their happiness. He came, as our text teaches us, to give the knowledge of salvation. Now, such language as this, implies that we were in a state of danger; yea, of extreme and urgent danger: for, had it been only some slight and trifling evil which threatened us, it is not to be supposed that the Son of God would have taken our nature upon him, in order that he might give us the knowledge of salvation from it. The extent, too, of our danger, is forcibly presented to our minds, in the subsequent part of our text; where we are said to "sit in darkness and the "shadow of death," and to have need of some one to guide our feet into the way of peace."

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Now, my brethren, when temporal evils impend over men, they are generally very well aware of them; and are ready promptly to