by a writer of the very first antiquity, and high in credit, that his gospel was composed from St. Paul's sermons. "Luke, the attendant of St. Paul," says Irenæus, " "put into his book the gospel preached by that apostle." This being premised, attend, I beseech you, to the account which St. Luke gives of his own undertaking. "It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee, in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed." The last verse might be more literally rendered — " That thou mighest know the exact truth of those doctrines wherein thou hast been CATECHISED." St. Luke's Gospel, therefore, if the writer's own word may be taken about his own work, is an historical exposition of the catechism which Theophilus had learnt when he was first made a Christian. The two first articles in this historical exposition are the history of the Baptist's birth, and that of Mary's miraculous impregnation. We have much more, therefore, than the testimony of St. Luke, in addition to that

of St. Matthew, to the truth of the fact of the miraculous conception: We have the testimony of St. Luke that this fact was a part of the earliest catechetical instruction, - a part of the catechism, no doubt, which St. Paul's converts learnt of the apostle. Let this then be your answer, if any man shall ask you a reason of this part of your faith,— tell him that you have been learning St. Paul's catechism.

From what hath been said, you will easily perceive that the evidence of the fact of our Lord's miraculous conception is answerable to the great importance of the doctrine; and you will esteem it an objection of little weight, that the modern advocates of the Unitarian tenets cannot otherwise give a colour to their wretched cause than by denying the inspiration of the sacred historians, that they may seem to themselves at liberty to reject their testimony. You will remember, that the doctrines of the Christian revelation were not originally delivered in a system, but interwoven in the history of our Saviour's life. To say, therefore, that the first

preachers were not inspired in the composition of the narratives in which their doctrine is conveyed, is nearly the same thing as to deny their inspiration in general. You will perhaps think it incredible, that they who were assisted by the Divine Spirit. when they preached, should be deserted by that Spirit when they committed what they had preached to writing. You will think it improbable, that they who were endowed with the gift of discerning spirits, should be endowed with no gift of discerning the truth of facts. You will recollect one instance upon record, in which St. Peter detected a falsehood by the light of inspiration; and you will perhaps be inclined to think, that it could be of no less importance to the church, that the apostles and evangelists should be enabled to detect falsehoods in the history of our Saviour's life, than that St. Peter should be enabled to detect Ananias's lie about the sale of his estate. You will think it unlikely, that they who were led by the Spirit into all truth, should be permitted to lead the whole church for many ages into error, that they should be permitted to leave be

hind them, as authentic memoirs of their Master's life, narratives compiled with little judgment or selection, from the stories of the day, from facts and fictions in promiscuous circulation. The credulity which swallows these contradictions, while it strains at mysteries, is not the faith which will remove mountains. The Ebionites of antiquity, little as they were famed for penetration and discernment, managed however the affairs of the sect with more discretion. than our modern Unitarians: They questioned not the inspiration of the books which they received; but they received only one book-a spurious copy of St. Matthew's Gospel, curtailed of the two first chapters. You will think it no inconsiderable confirmation of the doctrine in question, that the sect which first denied it, to palliate their infidelity, found it necessary to reject three of the gospels, and to mutilate the fourth.

Not in words therefore and in form, but with hearts full of faith and gratitude, you will join in the solemn service of the day, and return thanks to God, "who

gave his

1

only begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and, as at this time, to be born of a pure virgin." You will always remember, that it is the great use of a sound faith, that it furnishes the most effectual motives to a good life. You will therefore not rest in the merit of a speculative faith: You will make it your constant endeavour that your lives may adorn your profession,- that

66

your light may so. shine before men, that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven."