MY text points out to us one of the moſt intereſting and important events in Divine Providence that ever took place in this lower world, deſigned for the glory of God and the eternal advantage of ſinful men; for here we are informed of the birth of the bleſſed Saviour, who was made man for our ſakes. Aſſuming the human nature, that he might redeem and ſave millions of ſining mortals from ruin and miſery, reſtore them to the favour of God and make them happy with himſelf in glory in the heavenly world; and here you may obſerve how this aſtoniſhing event was diſcovered to men, this was by the agency of an angel of heaven—for behold the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord ſhone round about them, to the aſtoniſhment of thoſe to whom they appeared. And well might they be afraid, when ſurrounded with ſuch a blaze of heavenly glory as was now exhibited to their view; for being conſcious of guilt, they had reaſon to fear a meſſenger of wrath inſtead of mercy and grace. But happy for them it was quite the reverſe—for the angel ſaid unto them, fear not, for behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which ſhall be to all people; for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Chriſt the Lord—Even this divine Saviour the Lord Jeſus Chriſt—The long expected Meſſiah who had been ſpoken of by the holy prophets of the Lord for hundred of years before—now, now that happy time is come when that child ſhould be born—when that Son was to be given whoſe name is called Wonderful, Counſellor, the mighty God, the everlaſting Father, the Prince of Peace; for he was to procure peace between God and man, ſo between man and man, uniting Jews and Gentiles into one church, of whom Jeſus is the head, even the Lord our righteouſneſs, and who is the ſaviour of all that believe in his name, be they of any nation or kingdom whatever who dwell on the face of the earth. But where ſhould they find this lovely babe, this darling of heaven, why wrapped in ſwadling clothes, and laid in a manger: for ſo it pleaſed God, that the ſon of his infinite love ſhould be diſtinguiſhed to the admiration of angels and men, by his amazing condeſcention and humiliation. But further obſerve—How ſuddenly there was joined a choir of bleſſed angels to celebrate the praiſes of God on this moſt joyful occaſion; and what did they proclaim to the world, why, glory to God in the higheſt, on earth peace, and good will to men. How happy if we were able now with the moſt elevated affections to join with the heavenly hoſt as well as with the ſaints on the earth, aſcribing glory to our God, for this his ſurpriſing myſterious love in the gift of the Saviour to a guilty world—that hereby divine wiſdom has contrived and divine grace executed the moſt important glorious plan for man's redemption: God manifeſt in the fleſh, who was ſeen and adored by the angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world and received up into glory, even this Saviour who was born in the city of David, the Saviour who is Chriſt the Lord.

MY text may well ſerve to lead your thoughts to a ſerious contemplation of the infinite goodneſs and grace of God in the gift of Chriſt Jeſus our bleſſed Saviour, whom he has ſent into the world for man's redemption and ſalvation. And here I may obſerve,—

1. THAT in the gift of Chriſt the bleſſed Son of God to be our Saviour, the Lord has given the greateſt and the moſt valuable which he had to beſtow on us, though ſure it is that he had the whole world to command at his pleaſure: for as for this Saviour, Chriſt the Lord, he was the bleſſed Son of God—the darling of heaven, in whom God was ever well pleaſed; and how perfectly fitted for his moſt important work as our Redeemer and Saviour was the bleſſed Jeſus, in that he was the great Immanuel—God with us—God manifeſt in the fleſh, by which myſterious union to the human nature, he was infinitely well fitted for every part of his ſacred office, to become the Saviour of ſinful men. Should the higheſt angel in the heavenly world have attempted our redemption and ſalvation, all would have been wholly ineffectual to this important deſign; but the gift of Chriſt was far greater in value than would have been the whole world of angels above. Amazing goodneſs this was indeed—this was that unſpeakable gift, which was admired by all the bleſſed angels in the heavenly world, and thus was the gift of the Saviour, the very greateſt, and the deareſt gift God had to beſtow on a guilty miſerable world, for which let the Lord have all the glory and praiſe.

2. GOD not only ſent his Son into this world for our ſakes, but he deſigned him to be a ſacrifice for our ſins—to ſuffer, to bleed and die, that he might ſatisfy the divine juſtice for our ſins againſt God: for that end, how wonderfully was he fitted for that important work, for which he was appointed by his aſſuming the human nature for our ſakes—a nature ſuited to the bleſſed deſign of man's redemption and ſalvation. And by that very remarkable providence was that ancient prophecy fulfiled, where it is ſaid, that the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman ſhall compaſs a man, as in the prophecy of Jeremiah; and ſo being made man for our ſakes, he was by his own conſent made under the law, and freely ſubjected himſelf to the ſevere penalty of it, to ſatisfy for our ſins and bring in an everlaſting righteouſneſs. And thus by his bearing our ſins in his own body on the croſs, and by his ſuffering the moſt exquiſitely tormenting, diſtreſſing, and ignominious death that ever was endured, a full attonement was made for the ſins of guilty men, and hereby the way was laid open for our recovery to the favour, the image and the happy enjoyment of God in the heavenly world, and all this grand plan of our redemption was accompliſhed in a method perfectly conſonant with the moral perfections of the Lord God, and ſuited to his righteous government. And never, never was there ſo lively a diſplay of God's infinite hatred of ſin, no not in the moſt tremendous calamities that ever have been brought on this ſinful, guilty world, as there was in the painful, diſtreſſing ſufferings of the adored Saviour for our ſalvation; but ſo it muſt be when the Lord of glory became a ſurety for the rebellious ſons of men, then when that awful time came, even the time of his dreadful ſufferings, then God ſpared not his own ſon, but delivered him up to become a ſacrifice for ſins—witneſs his amazing ſufferings in the garden under the heart-felt ſenſe of his father's wrath, and that awful ſcene of ſufferings which the Lord of glory underwent in his paſſage to mount Calvary, where he groaned forth his moſt bitter and very affecting cries, my God, my God why haſt thou forſaken me. O what a dreadful evil ſin is, which really coſt the Saviour ſo many diſtreſſing pains and agonies to ſatisfy for it.

3. So was the infinite and amaſing goodneſs of God manifeſted in and by the bleſſed Mediator, in that this ſacrifice of Chriſt Jeſus, was for the redemption and ſalvation of innumerable guilty ſinners, who were enemies to God.

So we are told that Chriſt died for the ungodly: Now for God to pity and ſpare, to redeem and to ſave his guilty creatures, guilty of aggravated wickedneſs, of the moſt inexcuſable enmity to their Maker, of the moſt horrid rebellion againſt Deity itſelf, to appoint any way, or ordain any method for man's recovery and happy reſtoration to the favour and love of God, and to effect this ſo glorious a favour, in ſo very wonderful and expenſive a manner as this was, by the moſt painful ſufferings, and the ignominious death of the bleſſed Son of God, in whom he was always well pleaſed; even by him who was perfectly holy in his nature, and in all his life, and only guilty by the imputation of the guilt of ſinful men to himſelf; that this bleſſed Son of God ſhould ſuffer and die for the rebellious, who had forfeited all claim to his favour and love. Sure this was a miracle of mercy indeed, when on the contrary, what might have been expected from a God of infinite holineſs and juſtice; that in conſequence of man's rebellion againſt the Deity, he would have armed himſelf with the moſt dreadful vengeance againſt theſe his enemies, and have cruſhed them to pieces with his rod of iron, or have eternally baniſhed them from all hopes of the divine mercy forever, well then at the view of this divine grace might the angels of heaven join in their doxology to God, and congratulations of men upon that moſt ſolemn occaſion, even a multitude of the heavenly hoſts:—Glory to God in the higheſt, on earth peace and good will towards men; for ſure the Lord ought to have all the glory of our redemption and ſalvation, for his own infinite wiſdom firſt laid the plan in ſo glorious a manner, as that all the different perfections of God perfectly harmoniſe, and are effectually ſeen and glorified, and will be ſo to the endleſs ages of eternity in the heavenly word.

4. So was the infinite wiſdom and goodneſs of God manifeſted in this way, of our redemption through Jeſus Chriſt, in that by this ſo grand an overture in the Divine Providence; the nature of man is greatly advanced in dignity and honour by its being united to the Saviour. So we read that Chriſt took not on him the nature of Angels, but the ſeed of Abraham. We are told by St. Luke the evangeliſt, that Adam our firſt parent was by creation the Son of God; but then by Chriſt's aſſuming the human nature, and becoming the Mediator betwixt God and man; the ſons of Adam become nearly allied to the Son of God, and by the moſt aſtoniſhing goodneſs of the Deity, our natures are united to Chriſt himſelf, who is God as well as man; therefore, every true believer in Chriſt Jeſus is the child of God, not only by creation as are all the reſt of mankind, but they are the Children of God in a more exalted ſenſe, as they are nearly united to the Saviour, who is not aſhamed to call them brethren; and thus our natures which are infinitely diſtant from, and infinitely below the Deity, are bro't near to God himſelf by the divine Mediator; and ſo by that means, though in creation our natures are exalted above all others here on the earth; yet by the aſſumption of the human nature, in the perſon of the bleſſed Mediator, this exalted far above that of the bleſſed angels themſelves: And indeed this ſame Jeſus our adored Saviour, who condeſcended to become man for our ſakes, and in that nature ſuffered and was crucified and ſlain, he is raiſed out of the grave, he is aſcended into heaven, and is ſet on the right hand of God, far above all principalities and powers, might and dominion, and every name that is named: O that we had ſo feeling a ſenſe of the dignity of our natures as might be a continued reſtraint againſt all kinds of iniquity, by which the hu ••• nature is awfully degraded, and man become like to the beaſts which periſh.

5. AND laſtly, ſo was the infinite and amazing goodneſs of God diſcovered in this way of our redemption by Chriſt Jeſus, in that hereby there is a ſure foundation laid for the eternal ſalvation of Innumerable precious ſouls in the various ages of the world: How wonderful, how ſurpriſing have been the conqueſts made by the bleſſed goſpel of Chriſt Jeſus, attended by the influences of the holy ſpirit of God, in the happy converſion of millions of fining mortals, who have been juſtified and ſaved through the merits of Chriſt's death; by which that remarkable prophecy has been happily verified; that a little one has become a thouſand, and a ſmall one a ſtrong nation, as in the prophecy of Iſaiah; this doubtleſs refers to the days of the goſpel, and ſhews the vaſt increaſe of the church of Chriſt, and if as when very great multitudes ſhould be made chriſtians indeed, and the kingdom of the Saviour be greatly advanced on the ruins of idol worſhip, when thouſands ſhould be new born in a day, and churches planted by a few apoſtles in a direct oppoſition to all the implacable enemies to the chriſtian religion: How remarkably is this grand overture in the divine providence ſet forth in the book of Pſalms; thy people ſhall be made willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holineſs, from the womb of the morning thou haſt the dew of thy youth, which prophecy points out in a very lively manner the large increaſe of the flock of Chriſt Jeſus, and eſpecially in the firſt days of the goſpel, when by the preaching of the word of God an innumerable multitude ſhould become real chriſtians, and fill the earth; when millions and millions of true believers ſhall be brought into the family of the adored Saviour, and repleniſh the chriſtian church ſo as to become like the ſtars of heaven for multitude, or as the ſands on the ſea ſhore innumerable.

THUS have I conſidered in a few inſtances how the infinite goodneſs and grace of God has been manifeſted in the gift of Chriſt Jeſus, to be our Saviour and Redeemer.—A few inferences will conclude this diſcourſe,—and

1ſt. From hence we infer, how vile a contempt is offered to the bleſſed Son of God, when he is ſlighted and rejected by ſinful men. To ſlight or undervalue the common gifts of the divine providence is odious and offenſive to the God of all mercy, but to do this amidſt ſo rich a diſcovery of divine grace, as was this of the gift of Chriſt Jeſus, to ſuffer, to bleed and die for rebellious ſinners, how vile an inſtance of the blackeſt ingratitude muſt this be indeed.—What aggravated guilt,—guilt of the deepeſt dye is this, when men do as it were trample underfoot the precious blood of the bleſſed Son of God, and put him to an open ſhame by their ſins: Sure it is that the guilt of thoſe nations who have not been favoured with the light of the goſpel, is but ſmall if compared to that of theſe who have been favoured with the word and ordinances of God all their days, and favoured with the charming voice of the bleſſed Son of God, inviting them to mercy,—to grace and ſalvation, and yet ſlight, contemn and wilfully refuſe it as if beneath their regards; but ſure it is that theſe who now undervalue and contemn theſe ineſtimable bleſſings will ſadly lament this their own folly, when death and judgment will awaken them to effect; then will they moſt heartily lament their own ſin and folly, when all will be to no purpoſe to obtain the favour of God; but know this ſinners, that though thouſands under the goſpel will wilfully reject the Saviour, and refuſe to have him to rule over them. Yet this is the will of God, that there will be numberleſs immortal ſouls ſaved by virtue of his perfect merits and righteouſneſs:—Behold then ye unbelieving ſouls, who may live and die in your ſins, though you may reject the Saviour; yet thouſands of others will joyfully receive him as their Redeemer and their God, and the Saviour will aſſuredly have a glorious retinue to become his dear friends and followers: For millions will be purchaſed by his precious blood, and he ſhall ſee the travel of his ſoul, and be ſatisfied. Sure this is the plain determination of heavenly wiſdom, that the many manſions of heavenly glory ſhall be filled with true believers, for the ſaints ſhall come from the eaſt and from the weſt, from the north and from the ſouth, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God, and from an immenſe body of glorified ſaints above, where they ſhall ſurround the throne of God, and praiſe and ſerve him evermore.

2. INFER what a peculiar value we ought to have for the goſpel of the Saviour which has been the happy means of the converſion and ſalvation of many ſouls.—When we conſider how great the oppoſition has been to the pure and holy goſpel of Chriſt Jeſus, and eſpecially on its firſt entrance into this wicked world, in that the divine precepts taught hereby were directly calculated to controul and reſtrain all kinds of vice and immorality, both in the hearts and lives on ſinful men. When this heavenly religion of the Saviour was in direct oppoſition to the prevailing idolatries of the Gentile nation, and when the grand and the moſt important doctrines taught by the goſpel were to bring men to believe in and to obey—a God incarnal—a once crucified Saviour, whom the apoſtles affirmed was riſen from the dead, and gone into the heavenly world. And once more, when all the followers of Jeſus might expect to be contemned, vilified and perſecuted by a ſinful world, and many expoſed to the loſs of their lives for their becoming chriſtians—To what can the ſudden progreſs of this holy religion be aſcribed? Why to no other but to the powerful, the all-powerful agency of the Lord God, and proves at once in the moſt convincing manner, that the chriſtian religion is of God—that God was really the divine author of it.—Let us all then highly value it, love it, and live daily in conformity to theſe ſacred rules herein contained; whilſt we are pitying and praying for all theſe who are living under the light of the goſpel, and yet are making a ſcoff and mock at ſome of its doctrines and divine precepts; who inſtead of embracing the Saviour and believing in him:—Alas, they repreſent him as a mere impoſtor—a grand deceiver, and by their abandoned wicked lives they declare, that Chriſt ſhall not rule over them. O may a compaſſionate Saviour open their eyes effectually, and give to them all a true and ſincere repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth, that they may be recovered out of the ſnare of the devil who are now led captive by him at his will.

3. MY next uſe may be by way of Addreſs to thoſe of the epiſcopal church and ſociety of chriſtians, who are here convened for the public worſhip of God.—My friends, brethren and fellow chriſtians: You are convened here this day in commemoration of the very greateſt favour and bleſſing that ever this ſinful world has been favoured with—abuſing the good effects of which not only extends to all the various ages in time, but they will reach to an eternal duration in the future ſtate,—for unto you is born in the city of David, the Saviour who is Chriſt the Lord.—O may you all ſeriouſly conſider, not only on this happy day, but frequently in your lives: Let theſe things ſink deep in your hearts—how precious in the view of the Lord God is the eternal ſalvation of immortal ſouls, and how very important for the advancement of God's glory, both in time and to eternal ages in the future ſtate; for theſe ends was laid this glorious plan for our redemption and ſalvation before the world began, and when the time came, that happy and ever memorable time, when infinite wiſdom ſaw ſit to ſend the ſon of his infinite love into this world for our ſalvation, then appeared the Lord of life and glory, and how did he appear, why not in pomp and grandeur as was expected by the Jews; no far from this, for he was born in a ſtable, then wrapped in ſwadling clothes and laid in a manger. Adore then the wiſdom, the goodneſs and the grace of God in this ſo aſtoniſhing a method for our redemption and ſalvation,—that rather than the race of men ſhould periſh, the Saviour ſhould be made man and made a curſe for their deliverance from ruin and miſery, and that through him they might have life eternal: Well if God has had ſo great a value for your ſouls, O be very careful of their beſt welfare yourſelves, and never—never expoſe them to ruin and miſery by any ſenſual and worldly enjoyments, and be this fixt deeply on your minds, that all the attempts you may make to keep this moſt remarkable event in divine providence in your memories, all theſe will nothing avail for your eternal ſalvation, unleſs you are the careful followers of Chriſt Jeſus as his dear children, unleſs the temper of your hearts and the conduct of your lives are habitually conformed to the holy laws; the doctrines and the divine precepts of your aſcended Saviour.—The doctrines of your Church which you profeſs to believe are agreeable to the holy word of God, as to theſe which are eſſential to true chriſtianity:—So you profeſs to believe that the ſacred ſcriptures contain all theſe holy laws and precepts which are neceſſary to be obſerved by all chriſtians, and that whatſoever is not r •• d in the ſcriptures, or may be proved hereby, is not to be required of any man to be believed or practiced as neceſſary to ſalvation; well then having ſuch ſacred doctrines to regulate your beliefs, and ſuch plain full and expreſs laws for the good regulation of your hearts and lives: Always be careful by the divine grace that your minds be deeply affected, and your lives regulated by theſe glorious goſpel truths which you often hear of and may read at your leiſure; and this you may firmly believe, this you may depend on as a real important and moſt intereſting truth,—that the revelation of chriſtianity was deſigned by infinite wiſdom to be reduced to practice, and that it is heard, profeſſed and believed will all be in vain to any immortal ſouls, unleſs this be dutifully obeyed; this then demands your immediate and your continued care and concern, obey the truth—obey the goſpel as ever you expect an intereſt in that ſalvation which is pointed out and promiſed to all the true diſciples of Chriſt Jeſus:—and remember, ponder this often in your minds, that a ſupreme love to God, and a ſincere and hearty love to your fellow men, conſtitute the true real and eſential character of all true chriſtians.—Let theſe divine graces then be in a continued exerciſe in your ſouls, day after day, and remember and realize this as a very important truth, that unleſs you love God ſupremely, you dont love him as you ought to do, and this you may believe and depend on, that the ſureſt and the moſt ſubſtantial evidence of a true love to God, it is this, a dutiful hearty and a perſevering obedience to all his commands, and the ſtronger your love is to the Lord God, the more uniform, ſteady and pleaſant will this your obedience be, and where this ſupreme love to God prevails in your hearts, there will ſurely follow an hearty love to your fellow men; and may I remind you of this, that this will not merely appear in a tender love and regard to thoſe who may be of your community, or perſuaſion on religious accounts, but you will love chriſtians of all denominations with all ſincerity, and be ready to expreſs your love to them by all proper acts of kindneſs, compaſſion and benevolence; this ſo excellent a grace, is an imitation of God who is your divine pattern herein, and how very ſenſible and illuſtrious are the diſplays of it towards you every day—every hour, and every moment of your lives. So may I call your attention to conſider that divine pattern ſet before you in the holy life of your dear Redeemer, whoſe goodneſs, love and grace you are ſeriouſly to commemorate this day—this divine love of the Savour brought him down from heaven for a time to take our natures upon him—to be born of a woman to be made under the law, and to become obedient unto death, even the ſhameful, painful, and the accurſed death on the croſs. Walk therefore in love as Chriſt has loved and has given himſelf for us: To your honour and credit be it ſpoken that whilſt many ſocieties of our denomination are thrown into great diſorders and diviſions by following Itinerants, who pretend to an immediate call and remarkable aſſiſtance from heaven, who are mere babes in knowledge, and novices in ſpiritual things; and yet are vain enough to believe themſelves fit to be the teachers of others, and able to ſpeak in a public manner to thoſe who are willing to hear them. Your ſocieties appear to diſcountenance ſuch as theſe while you are willing to encourage a learned, regular and a pious miniſtry:—Would to God that you might perſevere in this ſo laudable a practice to the glory of God and your own comfort and edification.

FINALLY be careful to bear this often upon your minds, that the ſame Jeſus who became man for our ſakes, but was diſpiſed and rejected of men; who was vilified—reproached—condemned and ſuffered on the croſs, even this ſame Jeſus, God, man, mediator, he ſhall deſend from heaven at the laſt day with a ſhout, with the trump of God, attended by myriads of his angels, to judge the world in righteouſneſs; then will you, and then ſhall we all appear before his dread tribunal, when every one of us ſhall give an account of himſelf to God: Then, then my friends, the grand enquiry will not be, of what denomination of chriſtians we have been here in life, but what has been the prevailing temper of our hearts, and the habitual conduct of our lives; whether we have been the true followers of Jeſus—whether we have believed in him and ſubmitted to his laws as our Lord and our God.

WELL then, ſeeing that all earthly enjoyments will ſoon fail and come to a ſpeedy end, and there remains a reſt for all the ſaints in the heavenly world. O let us all be in earneſt to prepare for that happy ſtate. Let the Lord, let the Saviour, let his holy religion be much upon your minds; be theſe the ſacred and powerful objects to influence our hearts—to attract our affections, and to regulate our various actions. Then may we hope to ſhare a part of theſe tranſcendent glories, and that exalted happineſs in the heavenly world, where is fullneſs of joys and pleaſures evermore, and where Chriſt will be all •• d in all; as therefore we firmly believe that the laſt tremendous day will come, when we all, with our eyes ſhall behold the Saviour who is Chriſt the Lord, when we ſhall behold him coming in the clouds with power and great glory, even in that terrible day of the Lord, when the heavens ſhall be rent aſunder and wrapped up as a ſcroll; when the Almighty arm of the great Jehovah ſhall darken the ſun, and deprive the moon of its light▪ when his divine power ſhall daſh to pieces the ſtructure of this lower world, and the elements ſhall melt with fervent heat and when all the dead ſmall and great ſhall ſtand before God, and the fates of all mankind ſhall finally be determined, either to happineſs or miſery by an irrevocable deciſion. O let us all be careful to prepare for this ſo important a ſcene, by a believing acceptance of the Saviour the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and being ſavingly intereſted in his perfect righteouſneſs, and 〈◊〉 ſufficient merits, we might be owned by him at the laſt, and being covered with the wings of his redeeming love, we might be all ſafely conveyed to heavenly glory. There the bleſſed ſaints of all denominations of chriſtians ſhall happily unite together, all in perfect love to God and to each other, and ſo will they accompany the bleſſed angels of heaven, even all theſe numerous inhabitants of the upper world, where ſurrounding the throne of God, will they celebrate the praiſes of redeeming love, and give glory to the lamb, who was ſlain, and who has redeemed us to God by his own blood out of every kindred and tongue, and people and nation, when the number of them will be ten thouſand times ten thouſand and thouſands, of thouſands, and when all will proclaim with a loud voice, ſaying, bleſſing, honour, glory and power be unto him that fitteth on the throne, and unto the lamb for ever and ever: O may our ſouls rejoice at the views of theſe heavenly joys, and be more and more prepared for this ſo glorious a ſtate, being fitted to enter into that heavenly world, and permitted to behold our aſcended Saviour, face to face, and be tranſported with the brighteſt diſcoveries of his divine perfections, and with the views of the divine attributes of the Godhead.