SERMON XVI.

FOR CHRISTMAS.

We are come, O Father in heaven, to adore, and to pour out our thankful hearts before thy holy presence. For that thy only begotten Son came into this world, that he took upon him our flesh and blood, and "was found in fashion as a man,” in order to diffuse light and truth amongst his brethren on earth-this is the dispensation of thy compassionate grace for our benefit. Make us rightly to discern his heavenly greatness and glory, and bring before our eyes in the purest splendour the sublime and radiant form, in which he walked on this dark earth, that our souls may be filled with true Christian joy on his holy festival, and that our mouths may glorify him. "The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad." In this joy we name thee with increased fervour our heavenly Father, and pray, "Hallowed be thy name," &c. &c.

LUKE ii. 8th and six following verses.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, 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 unto them, Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto 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 babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

But

THIS Gospel for the festival, devout hearers, relates to us a most singular and wonderful event: it leads us into a wretched hut in the town of Bethlehem, and there makes us witnesses of the birth of a child, for whom at first no human being, save his parents, felt any concern, and for whom even they, being poor pilgrims in a strange inn, could only prepare his first earthly couch in a manger. while this takes place, a light from heaven shines through the darkness of night which envelopes the city and country, and the glory of the Lord shines round about the shepherds in the neighbouring plains, who abide there with their flocks, and voices of angels bid the terrified to be of good cheer, for even now the Saviour of the world is born, and the moment is come for crying, Glory to God in the

highest, on earth peace, good-will towards men !' As wonderful and extraordinary as this may be, yet its inward import is as simple and significant. The light from above, which encircles the mean birthplace of our Lord, how aptly does it express his high destination to be the light of the world! The heavenly brightness that illumines the night in which he enters into mortal existence, how pleasantly it indicates the spiritual illumination, that he should bring to mankind lying in darkness! The sea of radiance, which was poured forth over the vicinity of the city of David, amidst the cry of joy of divine messengers, how obviously does it point out the bright kingdom of truth, which this great scion of the house and lineage of David was sent to establish amongst his brethren, benighted in conceit and error !

And has not this fair presage been abundantly fulfilled? Does not the whole Christian world revere Him, who entered into life amongst them as the Son of the Highest, who, mightier than all who preceded or followed him, lifted up the torch of truth and light, to disperse the darkness which rested on the minds of men, to enlighten their understandings respecting matters of the most sacred interest, to bring their knowledge of divine things to the highest point it can attain, and to enrich them with all that intelligence, on which the dignity and likeness of man to God depends? Are you not

a

yourselves assembled to-day in the presence of God, to thank him for having made you through Jesus" meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light," and for having " delivered you from the power of darkness, and translated you into the kingdom of his dear Son "?" Did you not all come here, summoned by the bells of the holy Christian festival, in order to rejoice with one another that you walk in the light, which was kindled by Christ, and that you participate in the grace and truth, which poured forth from him over the earth?

Now if you will do this with becoming cordiality, keep in view the image of our Lord and Saviour, principally as the image of a celestial bringer of light to the world, and collect yourselves round that holy form of it, as, awe-inspiring, it stands at the entrance of the history which begins with him, and devoutly join in the meditations to which it gives occasion, Meditations on the light, which arose to mankind through Jesus. Light, devout hearers, light is the excellent and significant expression, with which the holy Scripture denotes the state of that clear knowledge and discernment of man respecting his relation to God and his destiny, in which alone he can esteem himself and feel happy as a rational being. In this sense then perfect light once arose to mankind through Jesus our Lord; for

Colossians i. 13.

pur

he came down from heaven to earth for this pose, to communicate the fullest measure of that clear judgment to his earthly brethren.

In indulging in these reflections on the subjects to which this holy festival invites us, we cannot in the first place deny, that this light was highly necessary to mankind, for they sat in darkness and the shadow of death. This was asserted even by the holy prophets of that people, on whom the rays of an earlier divine revelation had shone; and much as they laboured to diffuse amongst this people a purer knowledge of God, generous zeal for virtue, and the sense of a higher destiny; yet they continually remained in thick spiritual darkness and estranged from all effectual enlightenment until the last of their prophets rose up amongst them. Thus their learned in the law sat in Moses' seat, and taught unfruitful subtleties, instead of the plain truth, on which rests the belief and conduct and hope of man. Their priests then performed an idolatrous templeservice, instead of inculeating a reverence for God, to be manifested by a pious mind and good deeds. High and low had then the wise oracles of their inspired men in their hands, and knew not how to make use of them properly for the benefit of either their minds or hearts; and as the guides of the multitude were struck with blindness, so the latter followed perverse ways, being abandoned to pernicious delusion and deplorable ignorance. And the