THE obſervation of feſtivals being one of thoſe balls of contention, which have been toſs'd ſo hotly in the religious debates of this unhappy age, it may perhaps be expected, that we ſhould begin with a vindication of this day's ſolemnity, from the exceptions that are wont to be taken againſt it, and that the one half of our ſermon ſhould be ſpent in apology for the other. But I hope we may well enough ſpare the pains, and employ the time to better purpoſe; for you who are aſſembled in this houſe, are perſuaded, I truſt, of the lawfulneſs of your own practice; and we cannot direct our ſpeech to thoſe that are abſent from it. And really it were to be wiſhed, that there were leſs noiſe & debate about matters of this nature; and that being agreed in the more ſubſtantial parts of religion, we did all charitably acquieſce in that excellent advice of the apoſtle, which he giveth in a parallel inſtance, Let not him that eateth, deſpiſe him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth: and then, as we ſhall not abate any thing of that love and reverence, which we owe to the piety and truth of thoſe who differ from us in ſo ſmall matters, ſo we might hope they would not be haſty to condemn us, if in compliance with the practice of the ancient church, and the preſent conſtitution of our own, we take the occaſion of this ſeaſon, with thankfulneſs, to remember the greateſt benefit that ever was conferred on the children of men, and at this time perform that ſervice which can never be unſeaſonable. However, I am confident it is both more hard and neceſſary to rectify and amend the abuſes of this ſolemnity, than to juſtify the right obſervation of it; to vindicate it from the diſhonour of ſome of its pretended friends, than to defend it from all the aſſaults of aggreſſors; and accordingly we ſhall make it our work to perſuade you to ſuch a deportment on this feſtival, as may beſt ſuit with the holy life and religion of that perſon whoſe nativity we commemorate.

The text which we have choſen may ſeem ſomewhat general, but yet it is eaſily applicable to the preſent occaſion; eſpecially if we remember that it is an inference drawn from a prophecy, which tho' it had its literal completion in the eſtabliſhment of David's throne, yet it was in a myſtical, and a more ſublime ſenſe fulfilled in the incarnation and kingdom of the Meſſiah, as the apoſtle in ſeveral places informeth us; for to which of the angels hath he ſaid at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee Heb. i. 5.; whence he infers, that the angels themſelves are inferior to Chriſt, of whom this was ſpoken. The only difficulty of the words lieth in the ſtrange conjunction of theſe paſſions, joy and extream fear, which trembling ſeems to import, but this will be more fully clear'd in the ſequel of our diſcourſe. Mean while ye may obſerve, that both theſe words, fear and trembling, are uſed in the text, and in the ſcripture phraſe, uſually import humility, and diligence, ſolicitude and caution, and the fear of diſpleaſing, as being the moſt proper qualifications of our obedience, either to God or man. Thus we are commanded to work out our ſalvation with fear and trembling Eph. ii. 10.; and ſervants are commanded to obey their maſters with fear and trembling Eph. vi. 5.; ſo the Corinthians are ſaid to have received Titus being ſent to them, with fear and trembling 2 Cor. vii. 15.; and Chryſoſtom ſaith of the angels, that they aſſiſt with fear and trembling. All which places do import ſuch care and diligence, as are very neceſſary and reconcileable to chearful ſervice. Reverence and fear to offend will be happily join'd with holy joy in the performance of our duty, there being nothing more pleaſant than to ſerve him diligently whom we reverence, and fear to diſpleaſe. Thus much for the explication. The text is too ſhort to be divided into many parts, but doth naturally fall aſunder into two, the former exciting and encouraging our joy, the latter qualifying and moderating the ſame. Firſt we are allowed, yea and commanded to rejoice, and then we are caution'd to do it with trembling, and accordingly our diſcourſe ſhall run in theſe two heads; firſt to exhort you to chearfulneſs and joy, then to ſet the right bounds and limits to the ſame; and having done this in general, we ſhall endeavour to draw both theſe home to the preſent occaſion.

To begin with the firſt. Joy and chearfulneſs are ſo far from being inconſiſtent with religion, when rightly ordered, that we find them many times allowed and recommended in ſcripture. Thus in the laſt verſe of the 32d Pſalm, Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and ſhout for joy all ye that are upright in heart: And in verſe 1. of the next Pſalm, Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praiſe is comely for the upright. So Pſ. xxxviii. 3. Let the righteous be glad, let them rejoice before the Lord, yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Pſalm cxlix. 5. Let the ſaints be joyful in glory! let them ſing aloud on their beds. And that you may not think this a liberty proper only for the former diſpenſations, but the chriſtians obliged to greater ſeverity, the apoſtle doth no leſs than three times give this admonition to the Philippians, Rejoice in the Lord, rejoice always in the Lord, yea, I ſay rejoice; in relation to this perhaps it was, that the old hermit Palladius, having 500 ſcholars, uſed never to diſmiſs them without this admonition, My friends be chearful; forget not, I beſeech you, to be chearful: this was the conſtant lecture he repeated, as often as St. John was wont to do theſe words, My little children, love one another.

None of our natural inclinations were made in vain, and joy is neither an uſeleſs, nor a ſmall paſſion, but if rightly ordered, may become an eminent exerciſe of religion, as proper a concomitant of thankfulneſs, as ſorrow of repentance. Our devotion never ſoareth higher, than when it is carried on the wings of joy and love, when our ſouls are filled with the ſenſe of his goodneſs, and we heartily applaud the Hallelujahs of the bleſſed ſpirits, and all the praiſes of the creatures; and as joy is an excellent inſtrument of devotion, ſo a conſtant ſerenity & cheerfulneſs of ſpirit is a fit diſpoſition for our other duties: I ſhould be loath to countenance any levity or diſſolution of ſpirit, and I hope, before we have done, we ſhall leave no ground to ſuſpect ſuch a deſign: and yet I would not have you imagine, that innocence and ſeverity are inſeparable companions, or that a free and chearful countenance is a certain ſign of an ill mind, or that men ought always to be ſad under the notion of being ſerious I would not have you in love with a ſtudied face, nor think it a crime to laugh, or ſcrupulouſly to refuſe ſuch innocent and ingenuous divertiſements, as you find uſeful to refreſh your ſpirits, and preſerve their alacrity; for chearfulneſs enlightens the mind, and encourages the heart, and raiſeth the ſoul (as it were) to breathe in a purer air: it misbecomes none but the wicked, in whom it is commonly a light mirth, and fooliſh jollity; as a curious dreſs may ſet off an handſome face, which yet will render thoſe who are ugly, more ill-favoured: ſo doth chearfulneſs exceedingly become good ſouls; in bad men it is moſt ridiculous. On the other hand, a ſad and ſullen humour, a dumpiſh, moroſe, and melancholy diſpoſition is ſo far from being commendable, that at beſt it muſt be look'd upon as an infirmity and weakneſs in the beſt of thoſe in whom it reſideth, and if purpoſely affected or cheriſhed, may deſerve a ſeverer cenſure, being diſhonourable to God, injurious to our neighbours, prejudicial to our ſelves, and a thing highly unreaſonable. Firſt, it is diſhonourable to God, on whom we profeſs to depend, and who thro' our moroſeneſs may be miſtaken for a hard and ſevere maſter: If you ſhould obſerve any man's ſervant to be always ſad and dejected, and could not gueſs at the reaſon of it, you would be ready to conclude, that they were ill treated at home, and ſerved an unkind tyrannical perſon: and therefore if we have any regard to the honour of our maſter, we ought carefully to avoid any thing from which thoſe that are ſtrangers to him, are apt to take occaſion to entertain harſh and diſadvantageous tho'ts of him and his ſervice. Again, it is injurious to our neighbours, whom it doth deprive of the comforts of ſociety, and the innocent delights of more chearful converſe, it being better to be confined to ſolitude, than obliged to live with thoſe who are always ſullen. They are not like to be good company to others who are ſo bad company to themſelves; nor will they eaſily endure to ſee others chearful and pleaſant, when they cannot allow themſelves ſo much as to ſmile. Peeviſhneſs and anger are the ordinary companions of melancholy, and it is hard for ſervants and friends to pleaſe them in any thing who are accuſtom'd to ſadneſs and diſcontent. But this is not all, there is a greater miſchief in the matter, for they who are ſtrangers to religion, and obſerve them who pretend to it to be always ſad and melancholy are thereby deterr'd from the ſtudy of piety, as that which would imbitter their lives, & deprive them of all their comforts; and they are apt to imagine, that if once they ſhould undertake a courſe of godlineſs, they ſhould never after enjoy a pleaſant hour, but by a melancholy humour, and auſtere behaviour, become a burden to themſelves, and a burden to all about them. Then they will think devotion a comfortleſs employment, when they ſee men come from retirements with ſad and heavy looks, moroſe and untowardly deportment; whereas really the ſpirit of religion is in it ſelf moſt amiable, and moſt lively, moſt chearful, free and ingenious, and it is only mens weakneſs, and not their piety, that ought to be blam'd for any ſuch diſorder in their minds.

Again, melancholy and ſadneſs is prejudicial to our ſelves, being an enemy to nature, and hurtful to bodily conſtitutions, eſpecially when it grows prevalent and extreme, and therefore men are oblig'd to be chearful for the ſame reaſons they take phyſick, and to guard againſt melancholy as we would do againſt a diſeaſe. Beſides, it is very troubleſome to our ſpirits, and will make us ſmart even when we know not why: altho' melancholy muſings may be a very delightful entertainment to the mind, yet in a little time they grow to be very troubleſome, contrary to the nature of other births, they pleaſe us much while we bring them forth, but prove a miſerable torment when they are born. But which is much worſe, it doth exceedingly indiſpoſe for the duties of religion. The eyes are not more darkned with fumes and vapours, than the underſtanding is, when thoſe ſudden exhalations gather about us. Clogs are not a greater impediment to the feet, than this humour to the motions of the ſoul; it inclines not only to think worſe of our ſelves, and our condition, than we need, but to do worſe than otherwiſe we ſhould. It repreſents thoſe things as exceedingly difficult which may be done with eaſe, and thoſe impoſſible which have any conſiderable difficulty. It quite diſpirits us, and will not ſuffer us to attempt any thing, becauſe we imagine we can do nothing; although perhaps in a heat it may puſh us forward, yet it ſuddenly ſtays us, and makes us think we cannot go; if it catcheth fire it makes us wild, and when it hath ſpent that flame, it leaves us dead and lumpiſh.

Laſtly, ſadneſs and dejection of ſpirit in chriſtians, is a thing very unreaſonable; for why ſhould they be ſad and heavy who ſerve ſo good a maſter, and who are aſſur'd of an infinite reward for their faithful ſervice? If the favour of a prince, or hopes of ſome earthly advantage, can ſupport and chear the minds of men, why ſhould not religious people, who have the friendſhip of God, and ſo many divine bleſſings in preſent poſſeſſion, and the certain expectation of more and greater, cheriſh a perpetual joy, and ever be of good comfort? What ſhould afflict them, or caſt them down? Is it worldly croſſes or fears? They have not their portions in things of this world, they are ſtrangers and pilgrims on earth, and cannot in reaſon be much ſolicitous about their accommodation in an inn, which they are ſo ſhortly to leave. Beſides, where is he that doth not enjoy more and greater comforts than thoſe he is deprived and ſtands in need of? Why then ſhouldſt thou not be more glad of what thou haſt, than ſorry for what thou wanteſt? Perhaps thou haſt loſt part of thy fortune, but yet enjoyeſt more than many who live happily enough notwithſtanding: thou wanteſt money, but thou haſt thy health; if that be impaired, thou enjoyeſt the uſe of thy reaſon, which is infinitely more valuable; thou haſt loſt a friend, but perhaps thou haſt many behind, and ſhall that loſs do more to make thee ſad, than all the reſt to make thee chearful; or wilt thou, like a peeviſh child, throw all away, becauſe ſomething is taken from thee? I ſay not that moderate ſadneſs is blameable on ſuch occaſions, but that our grief ought not to be indulged till it grow habitual; and ſure whatever our croſſes and our fears be, we ought chearfully to acquieſce in a conſtant dependance on the divine providence; having that infinite wiſdom & goodneſs, and power, which made, and doth govern the world, to care for us, and the promiſe of God for all thoſe things which he ſees neceſſary or convenient for us. What is it then that ſhould deject us, and deprive us of that joy which the text alloweth and commendeth? Is it the ſenſe of our weakneſs, and the fear of miſſing that eternal happineſs for which we were created? If thou be altogether graceleſs, ſuch thoughts would ſeldom trouble thee; but if thou be really concerned in religion, and have a mind to heaven in earneſt, if thou haſt begun thy race, and art preſſing forward to obtain thy prize, thou haſt no reaſon to be diſcouraged or caſt down; God loves thee better than thou doſt either him or thy ſelf, and holineſs is the genuine iſſue of the divine nature, and therefore he cannot hide his face from it, he cannot deſert it as an outcaſt thing in the world, nay he is ready to cheriſh and aſſiſt it, and perfect that gracious work which himſelf hath begun. Away then with groundleſs fears and diſpondent thoughts which diſhonour God, & weaken your own hands; encourage your ſelves with the aſſurance of the divine aſſiſtance, and chearfully perform that which is incumbent upon your ſelves, check the ſadneſs of your ſpirits, and chide your ſelf into better temper, as David did, in Pſalms xlii & xliii, he took up his drooping mind with this encouragement, Why art thou caſt down, O my Soul, &c.

But perhaps you will tell me, that chearful temper which we recommend, is very improper for theſe bad times wherein we live; and tho' we had no trouble on account of our intereſts, the miſeries of others might oblige us to ſadneſs, and blunt and damp all our joys: I anſwer, compaſſion indeed is a chriſtian virtue, and a good man will be concerned in the miſeries under which he ſees his neighbour groan, & be ready to aſſiſt him with his council, his labour, or his purſe, if that will relieve him; but he is not obliged to ſuffer the calamities of others to ſink ſo deeply into his ſpirit, as to diſturb the peace and harmony of his ſoul; elſe ſince the world is a great hoſpital of miſery, and we ſee well nigh as many miſerable perſons as men, we muſt needs draw as much miſery on our ſelves, as all theirs doth amount to, and ſo deſerve more compaſſion than any of them. Again, if we partake of the miſeries of others, ſo may we in their happineſs; if we ought to mourn with thoſe that mourn, ſo we ought to rejoice with them that rejoice; & tho' miſery is far more frequent in the world than happineſs, this can be no meaſure for the whole creation; and for any thing we know, for one ſinful wretch there may be ten thouſand holy and happy ſpirits. However, all the miſery in the world carries no proportion to the infinite happineſs of Almighty God, which ought to be the higheſt object of our joy, and may drown and ſwallow up all the excuſes or pretences of exceſſive ſadneſs. We ought to rejoice in God, not only that he is our God, but that he is God infinitely holy, and infinitely happy, that he is ſelf-bleſſed, glorious in all things, & that his enemies cannot reach nor unſettle his throne, this is the moſt certain, and conſtant, the moſt pure and heavenly joy.

There remaineth yet one occaſion of grief, which ſome may think enough to baniſh all joy from a chriſtian ſoul, & that is the multitude of ſins whereof we & others are guilty; and certainly contrition & zeal for the honour of God, are very neceſſary duties; yet we were not born only to mourn, nor is the lamenting of ſin all we have to do in the world: we love to ſee a ſervant ſenſible of his fault, but would be ill content if on that account he did nothing but weep. Sadneſs in contrition is neceſſary to make our repentance ſerious, & ſadneſs of zeal to teſtify our concernment in God's intereſt, but on neither of theſe accounts ought we to grieve without term or meaſure. As we ought to grieve that we have offended ſo gracious a God, ſo ought we to rejoice that the God whom we have offended is ſo gracious; and ſince the greatneſs of God's mercy is as far above our ſins, as the heavens are above the earth, our faith and joy in God's mercy ought to be far above our ſadneſs for our ſins. Whereas the blaſphemies and oppoſitions of God's enemies, by his wiſdom and power, ſhall turn to his glory our ſadneſs for theſe oppoſitions muſt end in joy, for the almighty power and ſovereign glory, which the enmity of Satan, and the world, and the fleſh, doth but make more conſpicuous by pulling againſt it.

By this time I hope it doth appear, that joy and chearfulneſs are more allowable in chriſtians, than ſome men perhaps are ready to imagine. I ſhall add no more to this purpoſe, but that it is the privilege of a holy and religious ſoul, that every thing he meets with may afford him occaſion of joy; if he looks up to heaven, it puts him in mind of the manſions that are preparing for him; if on the earth, it rejoiceth him to think of his intereſt in him who made and governs the ſame: if he conſiders the changes and revolutions of human affairs, it ſatisfies him to remember that an unerring providence doth over-rule all their ſeeming diſorders, and makes them all ſerve to great and glorious deſigns; if he live long, he is glad of the large time he is allowed to do his work in; and if he die ſoon, he is glad that he is ſo ſoon come to the end & reward of his work; if he be richer than his neighbours, he rejoiceth in the opportunity of obliging them; and if they be richer than he, he rejoiceth that they have the plenty & ſplendor which riches afford; and that he wants the care and temptations that attend them. As many miſeries as he ſeeth, ſo many arguments he hath to glorify God, and rejoice in his goodneſs, ſaying, Bleſſed be God that I am not maim'd like that begging ſoldier, nor frantick like the Bedlamite; nor in priſon like that bankrupt; nor like the thief in the ſhackles; nor in perpetual trouble like that counſellor of ſtate.

But joy is a paſſion ſo pleaſing unto nature, that moſt men are eaſily perſuaded unto it, thoſe eſpecially who have leaſt ground for it; and what we have ſaid hitherto, may have the ill luck to be miſtaken or wreſted by profane perſons, for the defence of their jollity and frolickſome mirth: But it ſhould be conſidered, that our exhortation to chearfulneſs and joy, preſuppoſeth men to be good and religious, and is addreſſed to them on that preſumption; for we ſhould never encourage men to rejoice and be chearful, while they are at enmity with their maker, at feud with the infinite Majeſty of heaven, whoſe leaſt frown is enough to confound them. We would not leave men to dance on the brinks of hell, nor wantonly exult in the way that leads to deſtruction; another temper would better become their unhappy condition, and they ought to be thinking how a timely ſorrow may lay a ſure foundation for a laſting joy. Again, the joy which we commend, is a quite different thing from the levity and diſſolution of ſpirit, which ſome perſons would cover under that name. We allow not that light airy temper that is inconſiſtent with gravity and ſeriouſneſs; we would not have a man's life become a ſport, nor mirth to become his whole employment; of ſuch laughter we may ſay with the wiſe man, that it is mad, and of mirth, what doth it? The chearfulneſs we have been ſpeaking of, muſt ſpring from the ſenſe of the divine goodneſs, & the conſcience of our ſincerity in his ſervice; tho' we are not to refuſe the aſſiſtance of innocent acts to raiſe and recruit our natural ſpirits when they faint and fail within us. Finally, that our chearfulneſs and joy may be allowable, it muſt be rightly temper'd; which leads me to the ſecond part of the text, which if it do not check, it doth at leaſt mix and qualify our joy; rejoice we may, but it muſt be with trembling. Trembling is a natural effect and ſign of fear, and is here put for the thing ſignified. Now fear may ſeem to be the moſt uſeleſs and unprofitable paſſion in the mind, it is that which preſages miſchief, and anticipates our miſeries, giving them a being before they had any, and troubling us with the apprehenſion of thoſe evils which may never befal us, and hindring us to guard againſt many which we might have prevented; betraying thoſe ſuccors which reaſon offereth, as the wiſe ſon of David tells us. The hiſtorian ſpeaking of the Perſians, who in their flight flung away their weapons of defence, addeth this obſervation, Adco timor ipſa auxilia reformidat; ſuch is the nature of fear, that it not only makes us flee from danger, but from thoſe helps and ſuccours which ſhould keep it off. But as Alexander ſaid of his fierce and ſtately horſe, qualem iſti equum perdunt, dum eo per imperitiam uti neſciunt, what a brave horſe is loſt for want of skill to manage him; ſo we may ſay of fear, that they who would diſcharge it, do loſe an uſeful paſſion, not knowing how to order it. Fear doubtleſs is an excellent inſtrument, both of reaſon, and of religion, and as all our paſſions, ſo eſpecially fear, are as winds, which altho' they ſometimes drive us upon rocks, yet rightly improved may ſwell our ſails, and carry us on to the haven where we would be. Hence we find it ſo frequently commanded in ſcripture, and ſo profitably practiſed by wiſe and holy perſons. The queſtion then is, what kind of fear and trembling is enjoin'd here in the text. And firſt, as for the object, certainly the wrath & diſpleaſure of God is the moſt proper and ſuitable object of our fear; it is this that we ought to look on as the greateſt evil, and to ſhun with the greateſt care: and this fear, if rightly ſeated in our ſouls, will make us watchful againſt the ſmaller ſins, and make us heartily ſorry for the offences of others. But tho' the fear of God's diſpleaſure be more excellent and uſeful, yet the fear of our own miſery is not to be condemned. It is uſeful not only to wicked perſons, whom tho' it do not make good, yet it keeps them from being worſe; but alſo to holy perſons, whom the fear of hell hath many times helped forward to heaven. Our Saviour himſelf adviſeth us, to fear him who can caſt both body and ſoul into hell-fire; and that we may not forget it, he drives it home with an ingemination, yea, I ſay unto you fear him; where we are to obſerve, that qui imports as much as quia; the deſcription of the perſon carrieth the reaſon for which we ought to fear him. It were indeed to be wiſhed, that our ſouls were knit unto God by the more noble and generous paſſion of love, and that we needed neither rewards to draw us to our duty, nor puniſhments to chaſe us to our happineſs; and that we loved goodneſs as Cato was ſaid to do virtue, becauſe he could not do otherwiſe; but this is with the hiſtorian, votum accommodare non hiſtoriam, to preſent a wiſh rather than a character of an ordinary chriſtian; or as Xenophon did with Cyrus, to deſcribe rather what he ſhould be, than what he is; perfect love, as St. John tells us, caſteth out all fear; but while our love is imperfect, it leaves room for ſome fear. Hell is certainly in our creed as well as heaven, and as the fear of it is ordinarily the firſt ſtep of converſion, ſo it may be of uſe to quicken us, and puſh us forward all along thro' our journey toward heaven. But if chriſtians fear may have hell for its object, what kind of fear may this be? In a word, it ought not to be ſuch an anxious and troubleſome fear, as may diſturb our tranquility, or extinguiſh our joy, or diſcourage our endeavours, but ſo rational and modeſt, as may make us reverend in our love, and modeſt in our confidence, and cautious in our joy, that it neither betray us to, nor vent it ſelf in any unſeemly expreſſions.

And thus much of the duty recommended in the text. 'Tis high time now to apply theſe general to the preſent occaſion. We are aſſembled this day to commemorate the greateſt bleſſing that ever was beſtowed on the children of men; a bleſſing wherein all the nations of the world are concern'd, and yet whoſe fruits do as entirely redound to every good man, as if it had been deſign'd for him alone: a mercy that doth at once aſtoniſh and rejoice the angels, who in compariſon of us are unconcern'd in it. Theſe mountains do leap for joy, becauſe the valleys were filled with a fruitful ſhower, for when thoſe glorious ſpirits did behold God ſtooping to the condition of a man, & man raiſed above the lowlineſs of his ſtate, and the happineſs of all the angels, they were tranſported with the admiration of the myſtery and joy, for the felicity of their fellow-creatures; and did with the greateſt chearfulneſs perform the embaſles they were ſent upon in this great affair. For having before advertiſed the bleſſed virgin of her miraculous conception, leſt her modeſty ſhould have been offended at ſo ſtrange an accident, and having removed the ſuſpicion of her betrothed husband, they rejoiced to bring the firſt news of that infinite mercy which we remember this day: for as certain ſhepherds were feeding their flocks by night, an angel of the Lord appeared unto them, and the glory of the Lord ſhone round about them; and when this glorious appearance had confounded their ſenſes, & almoſt ſcattered their underſtanding, the angel ſaid unto them, Fear not for behold I bring unto you tidings of great joy, which ſhall be unto all people; for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Chriſt the Lord; and ſuddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hoſt, the whole choir of glorious ſpirits, who all join'd in this heavenly anthem, Glory to God on high, on earth peace, and good-will towards men. And may not that help to heighten & advance our joy & our thankfulneſs? Can we be inſenſible of our happineſs, when angels do ſo heartily congratulate it? 'Tis a nativity which we celebrate, & any birth doth much rejoice perſons intereſted; a woman forgets her pangs when a manchild is born into the world.

But that our joy and thankfulneſs may be more excited, we ſhall firſt conſider the excellency of the perſon who was born; ſecondly, the deſign of his birth; and thirdly, glance a little at the circumſtances of it.

Firſt then, he was no common & ordinary perſon whoſe birth occaſions our joy: if we ſhall but fix our eyes on his humane nature, and conſider thoſe excellencies that were obvious to the eyes of the world, we ſhall yet acknowledge, that never ſuch a perſon appeared on the face of the earth. It is he whoſe nativity was promiſed immediately after the fall, and ſo exactly pointed at by the prophets many hundred years before it happen'd, that the Jews could tell the place, and the very heathens had ſome knowledge of the time; for the world was big with expectation, that the prophecies ſhould then be fulfilled which foretold the birth of a great perſon. Laſtly, it is he whoſe very infancy not only ſtartled a king, and made him fear his throne▪ but alſo affrighted the powers of darkneſs, and ſilenced the heathen oracles, ille puer Hebraeus, &c. whoſe childhood puzzled the knowledge of the aged, & confounded the doctors of the law; who ruled the the courſe of nature & made the ſtrong winds obey him, and could walk on the billows of the ſeas as on a pavement; who fed multitudes by his word, and healed all manner of diſeaſes without medicine; who could command them to leap that were cripple, and make them ſee the heavens and the day, who had been born blind; & who could caſt devils out of their poſſeſſions, & reſtore the franrick to their wits; who could break the gates of death, & open the doors of the grave and call back the ſpirits to the buried carcaſes.

It is he who by the miniſtry of twelve fiſhermen, made his religion, tho' contrary to the corrupt affections, and carnal intereſts of men, quickly ſubdue the known world, and made it ſubmit to a crucified king. The doctrine which he taught, maſter'd the underſtanding of the moſt learned philoſophers, conquer'd the ſpirits of the moſt valiant commanders, and out-witted the cunning of the ſubtleſt politicians, it cancell'd the ceremonies of the Jews, confounded the wiſdom of the Greek, and inſtructed the rudeneſs of the Barbarian; & remains ſtill in the world a conſtant evidence of the author's wiſdom and power. And what ſhall we ſpeak of the goodneſs and moral endowments of that humane nature, which were as miraculous as his power: Nay, all his miracles were inſtances of the one as well as of the other. Should we ſpeak of his ardent piety and devotion, his love to God, and his zeal for his honour, his amiable meekneſs and humility, his univerſal charity & compaſſion even toward his bitter enemies, his venerable purity and temperance, that noble contempt of the world, & all thoſe other virtues which ſhined ſo eminently in his whole converſation; a ſermon were too little for every particular. But this is not all, he was not only far above other men, but infinitely above the angels, being perſonally united to the divine nature; he was God as well as man, and by communication of properties, it may be ſaid, that he whom we now behold in a cradle, hath his throne in the heaven, and filleth all things by his immenſity; that he who is wrapt in ſwadling clothes, is now cloathed in infinite glory; and he whom we find in a ſtable among beaſts, is the ſame with him encircled with millions of angels; in a word, that great perſon whoſe nativity we celebrate, is divinely embodied, God made fleſh. This union of the divine and humane nature, is a myſtery great enough to confound our underſtanding, but not to trouble or ſhake our faith, who know how they are, and are not able to give any account of the union betwixt the ſoul & the body, or of the parts of nature among them ſelves, which yet we never call in queſtion.

And thus much of the dignity of Chriſt's perſon, which is the firſt ground of our joy; we proceed to the ſecond, the deſign of his birth. He was Lord of the world, but came not into it to exerciſe dominion, nor as the Jews expected, to procure their temporal redemption, and reſtore the kingdom to Iſrael: He came not for ſo mean a purpoſe as the Jews expected, to procure their temporal redemption, to make his followers rich and honourable, fortunate or conſpicuous in the world; nay, both by precept and example he taught them to contemn and deſpiſe all ſuch empty trifles: but he came to deliver his people from everlaſting deſtruction, & from the captivity of ſin, and to teach them how by a holy life they might obtain an endleſs happineſs. He came not indeed to purchaſe us liberty to ſin, without hazard, & then to cover all our iniquities with his righteouſneſs, to let us live as we liſt, and aſſure us of pardon. Nay, it had neither been conſiſtent with his love to God, to have procur'd pardon for obſtinate and incorrigible rebels; nor ſo great a benefit to us to have obtain'd remiſſion without ſanctification: Had we been deliver'd from all other puniſhment, ſin it ſelf would have made us miſerable. But Chriſt came into the world to ſave his people from their ſins, Mat. i. 21. as well as from the diſmal conſequences of them; and to procure for us, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might ſerve him without fear, in holineſs and righteouſneſs before him, Luke i. 12. In a word, Chriſt came into the world to advance the glory of God, & the happineſs of the earth, by reſtoring us to the favour of our maker, and a conformity to him. And certainly if we have any ſenſe of the evil of ſin, or the miſery of hell, of the beauty of holineſs, or the glory of heaven, it muſt needs be a matter of great joy to celebrate the birth of him, who doth deliver us from the one, and gives us aſſurance of the other.

It remaineth yet that we ſpeak of the circumſtances of the nativity which we celebrate; and many things preſent themſelves full of comfort and inſtruction. We ſhall only obſerve our Saviour's coming into the world after that manner, which did beſt ſuit with his deſign. Indeed when a man ſhould hear of the Son of God's coming down from heaven, & making a progreſs into the lower world, he would be apt to think that his appearance would be with the greateſt ſplendor and magnificence, and that the glory of heaven ſhould continually attend and ſignalize his perſon: at leaſt, that all the princes in the world ſhould be ſummon'd to attend his reception, and that the heaven ſhould bow at his preſence, and the earth tremble at the approach of his Majeſty, and that all the clouds ſhould clap together in an univerſal thunder, to welcome his appearance; inſtead of all this pomp and grandeur, he ſlips into the world (as they ſay) incognito, is born in a village, diſcover'd by ſome poor ſhepherds, and found by them in a ſtable, and ſuch an homely cradle as that afforded, only attended by his poor mother, who, tho' of royal blood, had nothing but goodneſs to make her eminent; and his education was anſwerable to his obſcure birth, & his whole life a courſe of humility and ſelf-denial▪ Now certainly this far beſt agrees with the deſign of his appearance, who came not on ſo mean an errand as to dazzle the eyes of mankind with the appearance of his glory, nor to amaze them with the terribleneſs of his Majeſty, much leſs to make a ſhew of the riches and gallantry of the world among them but to bring life and immortality to light, and lead men to eternal happineſs. In order to which it was neceſſary, that by his example, as well as doctrine, he ſhould diſparage the vanities of the world, and bring them out of that credit and eſteem they had gotten among fooliſh men.

I ſhall proceed no further on this ſubject; I hope it doth appear, that we have great reaſon to rejoice in the exaltation of the humane nature, and the great ſalvation purchaſed to us by the incarnation of the Son of God. I ſhall add, that even this joy admits of holy fear, even on this occaſion we muſt rejoice with trembling. Salvation is come into the world, but wo to them that neglect it! The goſpel is preached, but there is great danger in ſlighting it, let us therefore fear, leſt a promiſe being left us of entring into his reſt, any of us ſhould come ſhort of it, Heb. iv. 1. Little cauſe have obſtinate ſinners to rejoice on this feſtival, the time is coming that they ſhall wiſh, that either Chriſt had never come into the world, or they had never heard of him: Behold, this child is ſet for the riſe and fall of many, Luke ii 34. And they that are not the better, ſhall be the worſe for his coming. One way I muſt name, that many men ſet this child for their own fall, when they make this ſolemn anniverſary, an opportunity of ſinning & debauchery, as if it were indeed a drunken Bacchus, and not a holy Jeſus, whom they worſhipped. What, Sirs, becauſe God became man, muſt we therefore become beaſts? Or think we to honour the child with diſſoluteneſs, who came to the world on deſigns of holineſs. This it is, no doubt, that gives many men a prejudice againſt the feſtival it ſelf, and perhaps is their moſt ſpecious Argument. We know an anſwer, but you may and ought to afford another, by removing any ground for ſuch a pretence; indeed a forenoon's ſermon will never compenſate an afternoon's debauch; nor will your ſervice in the church juſtify your intemperance at home. But as hereby at leaſt ſome time is redeem'd from the too frequent courſes of the day, ſo I wiſh the time we ſpend here, may have ſome influence towards the right improvement of the reſt; that our behaviour on this ſolemnity may be ſuch, as ſuits with the infinite holineſs of the perſon whom we profeſs to honour, that we may ſerve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.