deliverer of Israel's captivated tribes, forty years he must be an obscure stranger in the land of Midian.-Thus Joseph, prior to his becoming the viceroy of Egypt, and preserver of many lives in that and the several adjacent countries, must be sold for a slave by his brethren, and be three years concealed in the dungeon among the king's prisoners. Thus Gideon also, before he is honoured with a commission to avenge the Lord's quarrel against the idolatrous altars of Baal, and combined forces of Midian and Amalek, must be the least in the poor family of Joash, and secretly employed as a thrasher of wheat under an oak at Ophrah. But more amazing still! Who is that unspeakably glorious personage, whom the Lord hath decreed the powerful leader of spiritual Israel, the viceroy of the universe, and all-sufficient Saviour of sinners? Where shall we go to find him whom God hath consecrated the purifier of Levi, and appointed Captain of the hosts of the Lord? Can that be our gracious Deliverer, who from twelve to thirty years of age hides himself in the very obscure city of Nazareth? Is it possible that the King of Zion would lie so long concealed under a voluntary subjection of himself to the government of his reputed parents there? Will men believe it, that he, yonder, is that mighty man of valour, at whose birth the kingdom of darkness trembled to its very centre, and Herodian jealousy was roused even to madness! Yet now, with what sedulous care does he elude the public notice, under the despicable skirt of Joseph's poor family! Be humbled, be thankful and rejoice, ye favoured sons of Zion. Blush, be ashamed and confounded, ye daring blasphemers and atheists. Vidit, et erubuit lympha pudica deum. Are not all these comprehended by, do not each of these high characters most illustriously shine forth in him, of whom it is, and was tauntingly said, “Is not this the carpenter?"-Does that almighty hat Εξελθε εκ τε ανθωπο,† which dispossessed the dæmoniac legion, also draw forth into visibility our spiritual Moses and Mediator of the new covenant? Does not that life-giving mandate, Talithacumiş which brought back the departed spirit of the sleeping damsel, add another infallible testimony to our merciful and highly exalted Joseph ? And does not that invincible Eyw ei deλço, John xviii. 5. at which the armed band of sacerdotal hirelings fell backward to the ground, break off every doubt concerning the power of that valiant Abiezrite who came to do his Father's will, and for our help, by spoiling principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this

The modest water, aw'd by pow'r divine, Beheld the God, and blush'd-into red wine." † Come out of the man.

Says Mr. Henry, Da quod jubes, & jube quod vis. Christ works while he commands, and works by the command, and therefore may command what he pleaseth, even the dead to arise. Such is the gospel-call to those that are by nature dead in trespasses and sins That word, arise from the dead, is neither vain, nor in vain, when it follows immediately, Christ shall give thee life. Eph. v. 4.

world? Do we not behold the meekness of Moses, the munificence of Joseph, and the humility of Gideon, equalled, united, nay, infinitely excelled in him, who was laughed to scorn, and contemptuously styled "the carpenter, the son of Mary ?"

Fiery zeal, and pride of imaginary or real superior abilities, will always be impatient of the least restraint, and never more mortified than when shut up in a corner. But here I see one, whose unexampled zeal for God brought from the highest heaven, swallowed up every other concern in life, and at last his immaculate soul in death. One possessed of such unparalleled abilities, that at the exercise of them devils trembled, angels adored, men were astonished even unto amazement, and the very lip of malice itself obliged to confess, that he spake as never man spake; yet he patiently bears the deriding sneers of an ungodly multitude, and unprovoked sustains the scoffing raillery of ungrateful and ignorant countrymen. Although he gave being to time itself, and uncontrolled, commands all the powers of heaven and earth, yet for the display of his parts, and exercise of his unlimited gifts, he quietly waited the Lord's leisure-although he was capable of speaking the agitated wave into the profoundest peace; the roaring tempest into the most perfect serenity; or even scoffing blasphemers into eternal mutes; yet, according to the will of his heavenly Father for our salvation and imitation, he remains contentedly silent, while contumeliously stigmatized with this reproachful epithet," Is not this the carpenter ?"

O my soul (like him) attentively watch the concurring motions of divine providence, lest precipitately thou shouldest rush into an ignorant ferocity, falsely terming it a zeal for God. O beware, beware of that luscious poison, which the infected ear of self-applause is ever ready to collect from the imprudent whispers of an ill-timed commendation. And whilst scandal is busy, and the tongue of malevolence aspersing thy character, or despising thy offered services, learn of him to be patient towards all men, regardless of the fluctuating breath of public fame, and quietly submissive to the will of thy God, like that meek lamb of God, unmoved when under reproach, poverty, toil, and contempt, or ungratefully rejected by neighbours and relatives, who, in order to excuse their unbelief, and undervalue their condescending benefactor, disdainfully said, " Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary ?"

any

When of the worthies of this world make their appearance upon the stage of public action, or come forth in (what they call) the cause of liberty, and good of their country; then the nations must expect to hear the noise and alarm of war, or to see garments rolled in blood; heralds are employed to sound the trumpet of fame in behalf of those who have cruelly turned butchers of brethren, and the world into an aceldema; every company is ready to ring a peal of acclamation, upon being informed that such and such an hero planted his colours upon the enemy's walls, or put to flight the

opposing battalions; seldom or never disputing the justness of his cause, and totally unmindful that, perhaps, the celebrated chieftain obtained his glory, and transmits his ill-deserved praise through the channel of innocent blood, an insatiable thirst of fame, or a base sinister view of personal emolument. Such were the mad exploits of a restless and ambitious Swede; such the sanguinary and rapacious achievements of Philip's enterprising son. But here I see one under the character of a poor, mean, obscure, country mechanic, known but to a few, and esteemed still by fewer, in every the most minute circumstance fulfilling that prophecy respecting him, of whom it was said, "He shall not cry, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street; a bruised reed shall he not break, and smoaking flax shall he not quench, until he bring forth judgment unto victory.' of whom the prophet in anticipation sung, "He bowed the heavens also and came down, and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies." Ps. xviii. 9, 10, 11. Known in heaven, the pen of inspiration hath informed us, as "The King, the Lord of Hosts," Isa. vi. 5. known in hell, an apostle hath declared as the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the ALMIGHTY, Rev. i. 8. comp. v. 18. but in the once holy but now benighted land of Judea, by no better an appellation than that of" The carpenter, the son of Mary."

This is he

God, who has the best right to direct, and who is of infinite wisdom and grace to regulate our conduct, when pointing us to the truest exercise of brotherly love, and sure testimony of filial obedience, thus urges his divine command: "be of the same mind one towards another; mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate; recompense no man evil for evil." Rom. xii. 16, 17. Where an high birth, human wisdom, power, and opportunity, happen to unite, we generally find this sacred precept shamefully neglected, trodden under foot, or unnaturally reversed. But here I behold one, who, although the indubitable heir of all things, filled with immeasurable treasures of wisdom and knowledge, of infinite power, having all things under his feet; yet, be astonished, O heavens! and wonder, O earth! this same Jehovah took upon the form of a servant, (a slave) who, while he clapped a wooden buttress under the corner of an earthly tabernacle, poised the universal frame of nature, and upheld the very pillars of heaven. At the same instant in which he marked out the particular size of a rafter of fir, stretched the line upon the foundations of the earth, and gave to the sea its decreed place: who, when employed in settling a beam upon the wall-plate, or knitting the corresponding joints with a pin; he established also the whole order of creation, and connected every intervening providence from the beginning of time to the final consummation of all things. This same benevolent hand, whilst

him

adapting itself to the laying a threshold, or hinging the door of an Israelitish habitation, set up the gates of Zion, and opened a way into the kingdom of heaven. This most affectionate relative, whilst he fitted up a commodious apartment, or framed a bench for the shelter and ease of his kinsmen and brethren, raised up also the tabernacle of David, and prepared a seat in the glory of his kingdom, even for some of those who were his bitterest enemies. This despised Nazarenian artist, while with his plane, axe, or adze, he smoothed the timbers, or fashioned each piece to its respective situation and intended use, pursuant to the plan and direction of an earthly parent; in the same act built up the house of the Lord, and fitted the vessels of mercy for their pre-ordained state of bliss, agreeable to the counsel and purpose of his heavenly Father. Eph. i. 11. comp. ii. 21. Now should any one ask me, who or what is he to whom so much honour is due, by whom so many blessings are bestowed? I would answer, not by way of contempt and ridicule, but Oh! may I do it with the profoundest humility, reverence, and love! "This is indeed the carpenter, this is the son of Mary."

O my soul, think and believe on him who sustained such opposite characters, and condescended to such mean and laborious employments for thee. A single blow of this carpenter's hammer, or one drop of his salubrious sweat, when viewed as the mysterious work of the God-man, and trusted on as the meritorious obedience of thy substituted days-man, will be found more available in breaking down the strong holds of satan, or in extinguishing the fire of inordinate desires, than all the boasted power of reason or free will, than oceans of penitential tears, or rivers of sacramental wine. Let Mary's reverential son be ever thy pattern of filial obedience and natural affection; and also, like him, whilst diligent in the necessary but lawful employments of this life, forget not to prosecute (chiefly) the more important concerns of a better. And if it should be (as certainly it will) that when following him who was faithful in all things, thou art persecuted for righteousness' sake, rejoice, be glad, esteem it thy crown, thy glory, if thus accounted of God worthy, and by men reproachfully stiled, "The carpenter's son."

ye votaries of vanity, and busy tribes of ambition, whose eager minds run greedily out after the delusive pleasures of this corrupted and giddy world, avariciously grasp its empty honours, senseless titles, or the stupid applause of an ignorant multitude; behold all your sensual delights rejected with disdain; behold all your glory laid in the dust, and the high-sounding titulary distinctions of his royal highness, his grace, my lord, or the right honourable, inoffensively ridiculed even into absolute nothings; whilst he, by whom kings reign, and princes decree justice, has no other honour, employment, or appellation, from the mistaken inhabitants of Nazareth, than that of "The carpenter, the son of Mary."

O ye lofty sons of erudition, whose scientific minds ignorantly as

vainly attempt to incorporate the dogmas of the school with, or still more daringly deny, the eternal truths of inspiration; who sacrilegiously expect magisterial grandeur to accompany the religion of the lowly Jesus, or unreasonably are scandalized at the fewness and meanness of his followers! look at him, by whose infinite wisdom the planets are directed in their various and intricate courses; he by whom every atom of creation is adjusted and enveloped in mysteries which mock your keenest inspection, or elude your most minute researches; look at him, who, while he sojourned an obscure mechanic in Nazareth, at the same time marshalled the angelic hosts, and counted the stars of heaven, yet, professedly unacquainted with letters, and not so much as attended by a single servant; had you stood by (present conduct is a witness) would you not have joined issue with those who atheistically exclaimed, “Is not this the carpenter?"

O ye indigent posterity of the apostatized first Adam, but humble followers of the obedient second, who by the wise administrations of an holy providence, are appointed to labour and earn your bread with the sweat of your brow; when a spirit of discontent would threaten an interruption of your peace, or satan tempt your minds with hard thoughts of your heavenly Father; remember, Ŏ remember that precious son of Mary, who although his Father's delight, the object of unchangeable and eternal love, yet laboured a poor despised artist in Nazareth, and was even tempted to despair of bread in the desert. And you whom God hath blessed both with grace and affluence, surely ye cannot forget, surely ye will esteem it an honour, a privilege (when opportunity serves) to testify your remembrance of him, by supplying the craving necessities of his needy members, or alleviating the industrious toils of those who are destined to tread in the steps of this dear Nazarene, who for you, for them, was pleased to sustain the humble character and poor occupation of "the carpenter."

O let all the Lord's people of every age and sex, high or low, rich or poor, noble or ignoble, royal and plebeian, cordially embrace and fiducially depend, for pardon, peace, present and eternal life, upon him, and him alone, who thus made himself of no reputation for us men and for our salvation! O may the number of those humble yet happy souls be daily increased, who now rejoice in, zealously confess, and hope eternally, as their highest happiness, to cast their crowns before the hallowed feet of him, of whom men scornfully said, "Is not this the carpenter?"

Finally. Should it please the merciful Jesus at last to admit such an unprofitable servant as I am among the number of his triumphant favoured friends above, then I trust, "This carpenter, the carpenter," will ever be the song of worthless, saved, admiring, and adoring,

A. C.