THE HARBINGER. III. The manner and effects of his manifestation-" And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it." I. The word "wilderness," I suppose, generally excites the idea of an intricate, solitary, uncultivated, dangerous place. Such is the description Jeremiah gives of that wilderness through which the Lord led Israel, when he had delivered them from Egypt: "A land of deserts and of pits, a land of drought and of the shadow of death, a land that no man passeth through, and where no man dwelt," Jer. ii. 6. The world, in which we sojourn for a season, does not appear to us in this unpleasing view at first. The spirit, and the things of it, are congenial to our depraved inclinations; and especially in early life, our unexperienced hearts form high expectations from it; and we rather hope to find it a paradise than a wilderness. But when the convincing power of the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of the understanding, we awake as from a dream; the enchantment by which we were deluded is broken, and we then begin to judge rightly of the world: that it is a wearisome wilderness indeed, and that our only important concern with it is to get happily out of it. In a spiritual view, a wilderness is a significant emblem of the state of mankind, both Jews and Heathens, at that period which the apostle calls the fulness of time, when God sent forth his Son, Gal. iv. 4. 219 tion of pride and hypocrisy. Therefore he who knew their hearts, and saw through all sepulchres, fair to outward appearance, but their disguises, compared them to painted within full of filth and impurity, Matt. xxiii. 27. From the spirit of these blind guides, we may judge of the spirit of the blind people who held them in admiration, and were willingly directed and led by them. Thus was the faithful city become a harlot : it was once full of judgment, righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers, Isa. i. 21. Such a wilderness was Judea when Messiah condescended to visit it. sensuality, and cruelty universally prevailed. Among the Heathens, ignorance, idolatry, Their pretended wise men had indeed talked of wisdom and morality from age to age, but their speculations were no more than swelling words of vanity, cold, trifling, uncertain, and without any valuable influence either upon themselves or upon others. They had philosophers, poets, orators, musicians, and artists, eminent in their way; but the nations reputed the most civilized were overwhelmed with abominable wickedness equally with the rest. The shocking effect of their idolatry upon their moral principles and conduct, notwithstanding their attainments in arts and science, is described by the apostle in the close of the first chapter of his epistle to the Israel, once the beloved people of God, was the state of the world, both Jew and Gentile, Romans. With great propriety, therefore, at that time so extremely degenerated, that, considered in a moral view, is compared by a few individuals excepted, the vineyard of the prophet to a wilderness-a barren and the Lord, so highly cultivated, so signally dreary waste. The pursuits and practices protected, yielded only wild grapes, Isa. v. 4. of the world were diametrically opposite to Though they were not addicted to imitate the spirit and design of that kingdom which the idolatry of the Heathens, as their fore-Messiah was about to set up, and therefore, fathers had been, they were no less alienated as the event proved, directly disposed to withfrom the true God; and their wickedness stand his progress. But, was the more aggravated, for being practised under a professed attachment to the forms of his law. They drew nigh to God with their lips, but their hearts were far from him, of dispensations, disposed the political state The providence of God, by a gradual train Mark vii. 6. Their very worship profaned the of mankind in a subserviency to this great temple in which they gloried, and the holy event. All the commotions and revolutions house of prayer, through their abominations, which take place in the kingdoms of the earth was become a den of thieves. They owned are so many detached parts of a complicated the divine authority of the scriptures, and but wisely-determined plan, of which the read them with seeming attention, but ren-establishment of Messiah's kingdom is the dered them of none effect, through the greater final cause. attention they paid to the corrupt traditions world are not aware of this. God is not in The kings and politicians of the of their elders. They boasted in their rela- their thoughts. But while they pursue their tion to Abraham as their father, but proved own ends, and make havoc of the peace of themselves to be indeed the children of those mankind, to gratify their own interests and who had persecuted and murdered the pro- ambition, and look no higher, they are igno-phets, Matt. xxiii. 30, 31. The Scribes and rantly, and without intention,, acting as inPharisees, who sat in the chair of Moses, and struments of the will of God. The wrath of were the public teachers of the people, under man is over-ruled to his praise and his puran exterior garb of sanctity, of prayer, and pose, (Psalm 1xxvi. 10,) and succeeds so far fasting, were guilty of oppression, fraud, and as it is instrumental to the accomplishment uncleanness; and while they trusted in them- of his designs, and no farther. While they selves that they were righteous, and despised move in this line, their schemes, however inothers, their real character was a combina-judiciously laid, and whatever disproportion. pared for him in the wilderness. that the Saviour and his kingdom were at hand. He who sent him accompanied his mission with a divine power. A multitude of persons, of various descriptions, were impressed by his message, insomuch that John himself seems to have been astonished at the numbers and characters of those who came to his baptism. there may seem between the means they are | lachi,) preaching the baptism of repentance possessed of and the vast objects they aim at, for the remission of sins, and proclaiming prosper beyond their own expectations; but the remainder of their wrath he will restrain. Their best projected and best supported enterprises issue in shame and disappointment, if they are not necessary parts of that chain of causes and events which the Lord of all has appointed. Thus Sennacherib, when sent by the God whom he knew not to execute his displeasure against the kingdom of Judah, had, for a time, a rapid and uninter-viously disposed the minds of many for the rupted series of conquests; (Isa. xxxvii. 2629;) but his attempt upon Jerusalem was beyond the limits of his commission, and therefore failed. When the ministry of John had thus pre reception of Messiah, and engaged the attention of the people at large, Messiah himself entered upon his public office, on the same scene and among the same people. As he increased, John willingly decreased. So the morning star ceases to be seen as the sun advances above the horizon. This distinguished servant of God having finished his work, was removed to a better world. Not in the triumphant manner in which Elijah was translated, but as he came to announce a new dis expect opposition and ill-treatment, to walk by faith, and frequently to be called to seal their testimony with their blood, he was permitted to fall a sacrifice to the revenge of a wanton woman; and though we are assured that none of the race of Adam was greater in the estimation of God than he, his death was asked and procured as the reward of an idle dance, Matth. xi. 11; xiv. 8—11. III. The latter part of my text describes the manner and immediate effects of Messiah's appearance during his personal ministry, with an intimation of its future and more extensive consequences. Among the principal instruments who were appointed to prepare a way in the wilderness for Messiah, and to facilitate the future spread of his kingdom, we may take notice of Alexander; and this designation secured his success, though the extravagancies, excesses, and rashness which marked his character, were sufficient to have rendered his under-pensation, under which believers were to takings abortive, had he not been in the hand of the Lord of hosts, as an axe or a saw in the hand of the workman. By his conquests the knowledge of the Greek language was diffused among many nations; and the Hebrew scriptures being soon afterwards translated into that language, an expectation of some great deliverer was raised far and wide, before Messiah appeared. When this service was fulfilled, the haughty presumptuous worm who had been employed in it, was no longer necessary, and therefore was soon laid aside: and all his proud designs, for the establishment of his own family and dominion, perished with him. His empire was divided towards the four winds of heaven, and this division likewise contributed to bring forward the purpose of God, Dan. viii. 8. For each of the four kingdoms established by his successors, being thus separated, became a more easy prey to the Roman power. This power, which had been gradually increasing and extending in the course of several hun-despicable characters in human estimation. dred years, was at its height about the time of our Lord's birth. The greatest part of the habitable earth which was at that time distinctly known was united under one empire, composed of various kingdoms and governments, which, though once independent and considerable, were then no more than Ro-ly exalted her, when he vouchsafed to plead man provinces; and as all the provinces had an immediate connexion with Rome, a way was thus prepared, and an intercourse opened on every side, for the promulgation of the gospel. Among the Jews, the professing people of God, a way was prepared for Messiah by the ministry of his harbinger, John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah (as had been foretold of him by the prophets, particularly by the last of the prophets, Ma The valleys shall be exalted.-A valley is an emblem of a low condition. Such was the condition of most of our Lord's followers; but his notice and favour exalted them highly. He came to preach the gospel to the poor, to fill the hungry with good things, to save the chief of sinners, to open a door of hope and salvation to persons of the vilest and most Such, for instance, was the woman mentioned by the evangelist Luke, chap. vii. 37, 38. The Pharisee thought our Lord dishonoured himself, by permitting such a one to touch him, nor had she a word to say in her own behalf. But the compassionate Saviour high her cause, to express his gracious acceptance of her tears and love, and to assure her that her sins, though many, were all forgiven. Very low likewise was the state of the malefactor on the cross: he had committed great crimes, was suffering grievous torments, and in the very jaws of death, Luke xxiii. 42. But grace visited his heart; he was plucked as a brand out of the fire, and exalted to paradise and glory. The world accounts the proud happy, and honours the covetous if they be the nations rage, and the rulers take counsel together, he who sitteth in the heavens will support and maintain his own work, and all their power and policy shall fall before it. The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.-He came to rectify the perverse disposition of the hearts of men, to soften and subdue their obstinate spirits, and to form to himself a willing people in the day of his power. The Jewish teachers, by their traditions and will-worship had given an apparent obliquity to the straight and perfect rule of the law of God, and deformed the beauties of holiness, binding heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, upon the conscience; but he vindicated the law from their corrupt glosses, and made the path of obedience plain, practicable, and pleasant. Thus, the glory of the Lord was revealed. prosperous. But true honour cometh from God. They who are partakers of the faith and hope of the gospel, and have interest in the precious promises, are indeed the rich, the happy, the excellent of the earth, however they may be unnoticed or despised by their fellow-creatures. The honour of places likewise is to be considered in this light. Bethlehem, though but of little note among the thousands of Judah, was rendered more illustrious by the birth of Messiah than Babylon or Rome. The Galileans were held in contempt by the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as a mean and provincial people; but the places in Galilee which our Lord frequently visited, or where he sometimes resided, are spoken of as exalted unto heaven, by the honour and privilege of his presence, though some of them were no more than fishing-towns. And so at this day, if we have spiritual discern--Not to every eye: many, prejudiced by his ment, we shall judge that a little village, where the gospel is known, prized, and adorned by a suitable conversation, has a dignity and importance far preferable to all the parade of a wealthy metropolis, if destitute of the like privileges. outward appearance, and by the low mistaken views the Jews indulged of the office and kingdom of Messiah, whom they expected, could see no form or excellence in him that they should desire him; but his disciples could say, "We beheld his glory," John i. On the contrary, every mountain and hill 14. He spake with authority. His word was shall be brought low.-Messiah came to pour power. He controlled the elements, he raised contempt on all human glory. He detected the dead. He knew, and revealed, and judged the wickedness and confounded the pride of the thoughts of men's hearts. He forgave the Scribes, and Pharisees, and rulers, and sin, and thus exercised the rights and dismade it appear that what is highly esteemed played the perfections of divine sovereignty among men, the TO, or summit of their in his own person. But the prophecy looks boasted excellency, is worthless, yea, abomi- forward to future times. After his ascension nation in the sight of God, Luke xvi. 15. he filled his apostles and disciples with light And by living himself in a state of poverty, and power, and sent them forth in all direcand associating chiefly with poor people, he tions to proclaim his love and grace to a sinplaced the vanity of the distinctions and af- ful world. Then the glory of the Lord was fluence which mankind generally admire and revealed, and spread from one kingdom to envy, in the most striking and humiliating another people. We still wait for the full light. Such likewise was and will be the accomplishment of this promise, and expect a effect of his gospel. When faithfully preach- time when the whole earth shall be filled ed, it is found mighty, through God, to the with his glory: For the mouth of the Lord pulling down of strong-holds, high thoughts, hath spoken it. It is to the power of his word and every species of self-exaltation. When that we owe the continuance of day and the convincing word touches the heart, it has night, and the regular return of the seasons an effect like the hand-writing which Bel- of the year. But these appointments are shazzar saw upon the wall, Dan. v. 6. In only for a limited term; the hour is coming, that day the lofty looks of man are humbled, when the frame of nature shall be dissolved. and his haughtiness bowed down; (Isa. ii. 11;) Heaven and earth shall pass away; but not a he dares no longer plead the goodness of his jot or tittle of what he hath declared conheart, or trust to the work of his hands. A cerning his kingdom of grace shall fail, till sense of forgiveness and acceptance through the whole be fulfilled. the Beloved, received by faith in his atonement, lays him still lower: he now renounces as loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord, all that he once esteemed as gain, and is glad that he has nothing to trust or glory in but the cross, Phil. iii. 7, 8. Farther, every mountain that opposes the kingdom of Messiah, in due time must sink into a plain, Zech. iv. 7. Though Those of you who have heard the Messiah will do well to recollect, whether you were affected by such thoughts as these while this passage was performed; or whether you were only captivated by the music, and paid no more regard to the words than if they had no meaning. They are, however, the great truths of God. May they engage your serious attention, now they are thus set before you! SERMON III. THE SHAKING OF THE HEAVENS AND THE Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Yet once, it only while they heard it, and that it did not actually change their natures, and render lions and tigers gentle as lambs, from that time forward. Thus I can allow, that they who heard the Messiah might be greatly im pressed during the performance; but when it was ended, I suppose they would retain the very same dispositions they had before it began. And many, I fear, were no more affected by this sublime declaration of the Lord's design to shake the heavens and the earth, than they would have been, if the same music had been set to the words of a common ballad. GOD shook the earth when he proclaimed his law to Israel from Sinai. The descrip- The Jews, when they returned from caption, though very simple, presents to our tivity, and undertook to rebuild the temple of thoughts a scene unspeakably majestic, grand, the Lord, met with many discouragements. and awful. The mountain was in flames at They were disturbed by the opposition and the top, and trembled to its basis, Exod. xix. arts of their enemies, who at one time so far 16-19. Dark clouds, thunderings and light-prevailed, as to compel them, for a season, to nings filled the air. The hearts of the people, of the whole people, trembled likewise; and even Moses himself said, "I exceedingly fear and quake." Then, as the apostle, referring to this passage, observes, the voice of the Lord shook the earth, Heb. xii. 26. But the prophet here speaks of another, a greater, a more important, and extensive concussion. Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake not the earth only, but also the heavens. intermit the work. And when the foundation of the temple was laid, the joy of those who hoped soon to see the solemn worship of God restored, was damped by the grief of others, who remembered the magnificence of the first temple, and wept to think how far the second temple would come short of it, Hag. ii. 3. In these circumstances, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were sent to animate the people by a promise, that, inferior as the second temple might appear, If we really believe that the scriptures are compared with that which Solomon built, the true, that the prophecies were delivered by glory of the latter house should be greater holy men, who spake as they were moved by than the glory of the former, Ezra iii. 12, 13. the Holy Spirit, and that they shall all be Had this depended upon a profusion of silver certainly fulfilled,-how studious should we and gold, the Lord could have provided it: be to attain a right understanding of passages for "the silver is mine, and the gold is mine, and events, in which we are so nearly in- saith the Lord of hosts." But the glory terested, that our hearts may be duly affected spoken of was of a different kind. The preby them! But, alas! experience and observa-sence of Messiah in the second temple would tion strongly confirm the remark of the poet, Men are but children of a larger growth. If you put a telescope into the hands of a child, he will probably admire the outside, especially if it be finely ornamented. But the use of it, in giving a more distinct view of distant objects, is what the child has no conception of. The music of the Messiah is but an ornament of the words, which have a very weighty sense. This sense no music can explain, and when rightly understood, will have such an effect as no music can produce. That the music of the Messiah has a great effect in its own kind, I can easily believe. The ancients, to describe the power of the music of Orpheus, pretend, that when he played upon his harp, the wild beasts thronged around him to listen, and seemed to forget their natural fierceness. Such expressions are figurative, and designed to intimate, that, by his address and instructions, he civilized men of fierce and savage dispositions. But if we were to allow the account to be true in the literal sense, I should still suppose that the wild beasts were affected by his music render it far more honourable and glorious, though less pompous, than the temple of Solomon; and would be attended with greater consequences than even the manifestation of the God of Israel on Mount Sinai. Then he only shook the earth; but under the second temple he would shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land, to introduce the kingdom of Messiah. We may consider from the words, I. A character of Messiah,-" The Desire of all nations." II. The effects of his appearance,-" Shaking the heavens and the earth." III. His "filling the house with glory." This clause of ver. 7, is not in the passage set to music; but as it is an eminent part of the prophecy, I shall not exclude it. I. Messiah is here styled, "The Desire of all nations." The propriety of this title may be illustrated by two considerations. 1. Before he came into the world to save sinners, an expectation prevailed in many nations, that a great deliverer and friend of mankind was at hand. This was, perhaps, partly the effect of some ancient traditions, | sacrifices to the objects of their idolatrous founded on the promises of God respecting superstition, even the blood and lives of their the seed of the woman, the traces of which, children, Micah vi. 6. When Messiah apthough much corrupted by the addition of peared, as he was the glory of Israel, so he fables, were not worn out-but might be was a light to the Gentiles, as we shall have chiefly owing to several dispersions of the opportunity of observing more at large herepeople of Israel, and imperfect notices, de- after. He, therefore, who came purposely to rived from the scriptures in their hands. The bless the nations, by turning them from darksense of many prophecies concerning Mes- ness to light, and from the worship of dumb siah, though misapplied, is remarkably ex- idols to serve the living and true God, may pressed in a short poem of Virgil,* written a justly be called their desire, though in the few years before our Saviour's birth. This time of their ignorance, they could form no eclogue, of which we have a beautiful imita- suitable conception of him. tion in our own language by Mr. Pope, affords a sufficient proof that the Heathens had an idea of some illustrious personage, who would shortly appear, and restore peace, prosperity, and all the blessings of their imaginary golden age to mankind. The miseries and evils, with which the world was filled, made the interposition of such a deliverer highly desirable. There were even a few among the Heathens, such as Socrates and his immediate disciples, who seem to have felt the necessity of a divine teacher; and to be sensible that man, in a state of nature, was too depraved, and too ignorant, to be either able or disposed to worship God acceptably without one. There is reason to believe, that the revelation which we enjoy, though despised by too many who affect to be called philosophers in modern times, would have been highly prized by the wisest and best of the philosophers of antiquity. Socrates thought men were not capable of knowing and expressing their own wants, nor of asking what was good for themselves, unless it should please God to send them an instructor from heaven, to teach them how to pray. And therefore, 2. The need that all nations had of such a Saviour, is sufficient to establish his right to this title, admitting they had no knowledge or expectation of him. If we could suppose a nation involved for ages in the darkness of night, though they had no previous notion of light, yet light might be said to be their desire, because the light, whenever they should enjoy it, would put an end to their calamity, would answer their wants, and, in that sense accomplish their wishes; for if they could not directly wish for light, they would naturally wish for relief. The Heathens were miserably bewildered. They had a thirst for happiness, which could not be satisfied by any, or all the expedients and pursuits within their reach. They had fears and forebodings of conscience, for which they knew no remedy. They were so sensible, both of their guilt and their weakness, that, being ignorant of the character of the true God, and of that forgiveness which is with him, in times of extremity they frequently offered the most expensive * Virg. Ecl. iv. II. "I will shake the heavens and the earth."-This part of the prophecy has been, in a measure, literally fulfilled. At his birth, a new star appeared. At his death, the sun withdrew his shining, the earth quaked, the rocks rent, and the dead arose. During his life, he often suspended and over-ruled the stated laws of nature, and exercised supreme power over the visible and invisible worlds. He shook the kingdom of darkness, spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over them by his cross. He shook the kingdoms of the earth; the idols trembled and disappeared before his gospel, till at length the Roman empire renounced Heathenism, and embraced the Christian name. The But the language of prophecy is highly figurative. Mountains and trees, land and water, sun and moon, heaven and earth, often signify nations, people, and governments; and particularly, heaven and earth are used to denote the religious and political establishment of Israel; or, as we say, their constitution in church and state. This, without doubt, is the primary sense here. The appearance of Messiah shall be connected with the total dissolution of the Jewish economy. whole of their Levitical institution was fulfilled, superseded, and abrogated by Messiah, which was solemnly signified by the rending of the vail of the temple from the top to the bottom at his death. And a few years afterwards the temple itself was destroyed, by which event, the worship of God according to the law, of which the temple-service was an essential part, was rendered utterly impracticable. Their civil state likewise was dissolved; they were extirpated from the promised land, and dispersed far and wide among the nations of the earth. Though, in one sense, they are preserved, by the wonderful providence of God, as a distinct people, unaffected by the changes and customs around them; in another sense, they are not a people, having neither settlement nor government, but living as strangers and foreigners in every country where their lot has been cast, Hos. iii. 4. Nothing like this can be found in the history of mankind. It is an obvious, striking, and perpetual proof of the truth of the scriptures. What was foretold concerning them by Moses and the |