Matthew 1:23

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

It is always blessed when we are enabled by the Spirit's teaching, to find out the beautiful correspondence between one scripture and another, upon the same subject; for then we behold how one explains the other. Thus, as in this instance. The Prophet Isaiah, more than seven hundred years before the coming of Christ, declared the miraculous impregnation of a virgin: and at the same time told what the name of the son she should conceive and bring forth, should be called, in proof of the mysterious union of his nature, of GOD and man, in one person. See Isaiah 7:14. Now here the event is accomplished, and the Evangelist refers back to that scripture in proof. Think, Reader, of the wonderful correspondence! Who but GOD could have foretold? What power less than God, could have brought it to pass? And I beg the Reader to remark yet further; everything in the prediction was mysterious. That a virgin should conceive; and that a virgin should bring forth a Son. For the mysterious part was that she continued in both still a virgin. For there would have been nothing mysterious or uncommon, that a virgin should conceive, if the ordinary means for conception had been used. But the very prophecy implied what the fact proved, that it was without human means the virgin conceived; and when she brought forth her son, still she remained a virgin. And hence the grand infinite importance of the whole design; to accomplish redemption. And here I beg the Reader to ponder well the subject, and then let him with me humbly enquire, (for I do not presume to speak decidedly upon the subject) was not all this preached by the Holy GHOST to the Church, in that law of Moses: Whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast, it is mine. Exodus 13:2. I humbly ask this question; was not this preaching CHRIST, at every birth of the first-born? And was not this law enjoined wholly on CHRIST's account? See then, Reader, if so, how JEHOVAH had an eye all along to this one great and glorious event. And then think, how precious the event of CHRIST'S incarnation ought to be in our eye! But I beg to make one observation more on this interesting passage. Though the LORD commanded the first-born, both of man and beast, to be sanctified to him, as a type of Jesus; yet, strictly and properly speaking, the opening of the womb at the birth cannot be called the first opening, either in man or beast. This must have taken place before. But, in the instance of Christ, and him only, it was strictly and properly so. He, and he alone, opened the womb. So that here, as in all other points, Jesus must have the pre-eminence. The types of Him could come no nearer in resemblance, than what is said of them. But CHRIST, miraculously conceived and miraculously born, truly and properly, in both acts, conception and birth, opened the womb of the virgin; as in the great work of redemption afterwards by his resurrection, he opened the womb of the earth. So that it was CHRIST, and CHRIST only, of whom JEHOVAH spake in all those scriptures, which declared, that whatsoever opened the womb, should be sanctified to the Lord. Hence He, and He only, became the true Nazarite to GOD. Oh! what beauties are there in the scriptures of our GOD! And what sweet, soul satisfying evidences do they bring with them, at the same time of the truth of our most holy faith. Reader! I pray you to be very cheery of them, in the present day of rebuke and blasphemy; and beg of GOD the HOLY GHOST, to enable you to bind them as frontlets between your eyes. They are always precious to a believer. And they will be eminently so, if I greatly mistake not, to the rising generation, in proportion as those glorious truths, in this land, will be less and less regarded. See John 17:19; Luke 1:35; Leviticus 27:26; Numbers 3:13; Luke 2:23, etc. Luke 18:8.