fets about the work of repentance; how very unholily he prays for the forgiveness of his. fins, and how very weary he appears of that Divine employment; how half unwilling, and exceedingly afraid he is, to receive the Bleffed Sacrament; how, when he is tortured with pain, or disappointed of rest; from his habit of curfing, he vents his imprecations against his diforder, although he is ftanding on the precipice of eternity-there is not a single perfon that now hears me, who would not, from this moment, cease to live wickedly, who would not, from this moment, ftrive to die happy. But though language cannot defcribe, imagination cannot paint the horrors of fuch a fituation, remember that, unless you repent, fuch fituation will one day be your own; and be affured, that the apprehenfion of death, that the dread of eternity is nothing, when compared with the actual punishment which awaits you, of" dwelling for ever with the devil and his angels."-The denunciation is tremendous, but it is the denunciation of Him who is TRUTH itself.

SERMON XXV.

LUKE ii. 11.

* Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord.

+A

T the inftitution of the Paffover, to commemorate God's mercy, in faving the lives of the children of Ifrael," by a great deliverance," Mofes inftructs them to perpetuate the memory of that fignal event to future" ge"nerations; it fhall come to pass," fays he, "when your children shall say unto you, what " mean you by this fervice? that ye fhall lay "unto them, it is the facrifice of the Lord's "Paffover, who paffed over the houses of the "children of Ifrael in Egypt, when He fmote "the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.” Is the question propofed to us, why we celebrate. this feftival? We answer, it was instituted by

* Preached on Christmas day.

+ See Jofeph Mede.

the

the Church of God, as a religious, and thankful commemoration, of the great benefit of our Saviour's incarnation-his taking our nature' upon Him for our redemption. "It came

"into the heart of Mofes to vifit his brethren,

the children of Ifrael." "Bleffed be the God "and Father of Lord Jefus Chrift," that He came, as on this day, " to vifit us in great humility," in order to "redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us unto himfelf!" "the king of Ifrael descended from his chariot,

"As

put off his royal apparel," and in a lefs diftinguished habit, entered the battle; fo did the Redeemer of men diveft himself of his heavenly glory, come down from the throne of his majesty, clothe himself with the flesh of mortality, to conquer our enemies, and to rescue us from their power. This is the meaning of our "keeping this feast unto the Lord, and "of our having an holy convocation, or affembly," on this bright, aufpicious day. "unto us was born this day a Saviour, who is "Chrift the Lord."

"For

"laid the

When God, in the beginning, "foundations of the earth, when he laid the "measures thereof, and ftretched the lines

upon

upon it, the morning ftars fang together, and all the fons of God fhouted for joy;" they admired, praised, and adored the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, which were fo confpicuoufly difplayed in the works of the creation. And, if ever there was a day on which God's Almighty power, his incomparable wisdom, and his infinite goodness appeared again, as it did at the creation of the world, furely it was on this day, when" the Son of "God took upon Him our flesh," to repair the breach between God and man, and to "make "all things new." For, can we doubt that God, who contrived the fcheme of our redemption, to give at once fatisfaction to his justice, and triumph to his mercy, was pleased with this day, on which our Saviour came into the world with that body which his Father had provided him? "Go, I pray thee," faid Jacob to Jofeph," and "well with thy brethren.' But God, knowing the wretched condition mankind was in without a Saviour, fent his Son, not to enquire after our welfare, but to procure "eternal reIdemption for us." And, as at the creation of the world, "the fons of God fhouted for

fee, whether it be

"joy,"