supposition, that Joseph ever had any other wife. The only reasonable supposition is, that after the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary lived together in the honourable estate of matrimony, as other married persons, "in conjugal affection, unreproved;" and that they were blessed with a numerous family, which, in all eastern countries, and particularly in Judea, was always considered as the greatest of all blessings. To imagine the contrary, would be to admit the impossible supposition, that God intended by their example to throw discredit on that ordinance, established by himself for the peopling of the world, and to recommend a violence to nature, separating those whom he himself had declared to be indissolubly joined. It would be doing what was afterwards attempted by some of the primitive Christians, and latterly by the Church of Rome,-introducing that which was the cause of many corruptions in these Churches, under cover of a false and fantastic purity, and an unattained and unattainable perfection.

We have now gone over all that is recorded respecting the literal fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy, -of the immaculate conception of the virgin, and the divinity of the Saviour, so far as these two facts are proved, by the same evidence. Of the latter, the divine nature of Christ, there are proofs innumerable and irrefragable contained in other parts of

C

Scripture; but the evidence of the former fact, lies principally, if not exclusively, in the passages we have now cited from St. Matthew and St. Luke; and these, it is submitted, form a chain of proof of the most cogent and irresistible kind.

In the first place, we have the evidence of Joseph and Mary, the only human beings who were personally cognizant of the facts, supporting and confirming each other in the minutest particular.

To render this proof the stronger, the evidence of these two witnesses comes to us through different channels-St. Matthew detailing the circumstances which fell more immediately under the personal cognizance of Joseph, and St. Luke relating those parts of the story, of which Mary was the only competent witness.

Holding the evidence of these two witnesses, so corroborated and so recorded, as above all suspicion, we have secondly, through them, the evidence of two angelic witnesses-the angel Gabriel, who appeared to Mary at the Annunciation, and the angel who appeared to Joseph in a dream, certifying to him the truth of the statement given by Mary.

Besides this direct evidence, we have that afforded by a train of minute circumstances related along with the principal facts-circumstances which it never would have occurred to any one to imagine, unless they had actually occurred, but which, related as

they are with the utmost simplicity and plainness, strike us irresistibly as bearing the genuine impress of truth.

To the above evidence, human and angelic, direct and circumstantial, we have to add the authority of two historians of unimpeached veracity,-both confessedly inspired-both relating what they knew with the most perfect sincerity and good faith-and both preserved from error by the immediate influence of the Spirit of all truth.

Having, therefore, every kind of evidence, human, angelic, and divine, for the truth of the facts which lie at the foundation of our faith, what remains for us, but like Mary, to keep all these sayings in our heart, and to hold them fast as the anchor of our salvation?

THE NATIVITY.

Though it be certain, that "all Holy Scriptures are written for our learning," there are nevertheless some parts of them which are calculated more than others to strike the imagination, warm the hearts, and kindle the admiration of believers. Of this nature are the numerous pieces of a poetical character, scattered up and down the whole of Scripture, like gems inclosed in a setting of the precious metals, (or as Solomon expresses it, "like apples of gold set in pictures of silver,") many of which occur in books the general texture of which is not poetical. Many beautiful morsels of this kind are to be found in the writings of St. Luke, a specimen of which may be seen in that delightful idyl, where he describes the announcement of the nativity to the shepherds of Bethlehem.

It may assist in enabling us, not merely to point out the beauties, but absolutely to understand the

meaning of this interesting passage, if we exhibit to the eye the parallel arrangement of the composition which distinguishes every variety of sacred poetry, and which may be done without altering a single word of our authorized translation.

"And there were shepherds, abiding in the field,
Keeping watch over their flocks by night.

And suddenly

The angel of the Lord came upon them,

And the glory of the Lord shone round about them;
And they were sore afraid.

And the angel said—“ Fear not :
Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy,

Which shall be to all people;

For to you is born, this day,

In the city of David,

A Saviour, which is Christ,

The Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you:

Ye shall find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes,

There is throughout the whole of this passagenot merely as a piece of composition, but consi