1.

thren of worms (in Job's ftyle); we exiles of paradife, s ER M. we heirs of death and mifery; we, that by our nature are the loweft of all intelligent creatures, that by our merits were debased beneath the beafs that pe- Pial. xlix. rijh, that we are affumed to fuch relations, that we 12. are ennobled to fuch a pitch, that our nature hath mounted fo high above all creatures, with what enlargement of heart fhould we entertain a difpenfation fo wonderful! how welcome thould that day be, which doth introduce it P!

6. Finally, if we furvey all principal caufes of joy, and fpecial exultation, we fhall find them all concurring in this event.

Luke x. 18.

Nah. i. 15.

Is a meffenger of good news embraced with joy? Behold the great Evangelift is come, with his mouth full of news, most admirable, most acceptable: he, who doth acquaint us, that God is well pleated, that man is reftored, that the Adverfary is caft down, that Apoc. xii. paradife is fet open, and immortality retrieved; that John xiv. truth and righteoufnefs, peace and joy, falvation and 30. happinets are defcended, and come to dwell on earth; he of whom the prophet told, How beautiful upon the Ifa. Iii. 7. mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; Rom. x. 15. that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that "publisheth falvation, that faith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth; he who doth himfeif thus declare the drift and purport of his meilage; The Spirit of the Lord Ifa. Ixi. 1, God is upon me, to preach good tidings unto the meek ; Luke iv. 18, be bath jent me to bind up the broken hearted; to pro-19. claim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prifon to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, to comfort all that mourn.

2..

Is the birth of a prince by honeft fubjects to be commemorated with joyous feftivity? Behold a fa. xi. 2. Prince born to all the world! a Prince undertaking Pal. xlv. & to rule mankind with fweeteft clemency and exact

P Hic infirmitatis noftræ fufcipiens conditionem, propter quos ad inferna defcendit eofdem in cœleftibus collocavit. Leo de Nat. 5.

c 3

juftice;

lxxii.

I.

SER M.juftice; a Prince bringing with him all peace and profperity; in whofe days Judah fhall be faved, and Ifrael fhall dwell fafely; who fhall protect us in afJer. xxiii. 6. fured reft and fafety; fhall fecure us from all danger and mifchief; fhall atchieve moft gallant and glorious exploits in our behalf; shall vanquish all the enemies of our welfare; fhall refcue us from the worst flaveries and mitchiefs; fhall fettle us in a Luke i. 71, moft free and happy flate: he who bringeth falvation 7475 from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us, that, being delivered from the hands of our enemies, we might ferve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. Now therefore it Apoc. xix. is feasonable to cry out, Allelujah, for the Lord God 6, 7. xi. 15. omnipotent reigneth; let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him.

Ifa. ix. 3.

May victory worthily beget exultation? See the invincible Warrior doth iffue forth into the field, Apoc. vi. 2. conquering and to conquer: he that fhall baffle and rifle Luke xi. the frong one, our formidable adverfary; that shall Col. ii. 15. rout all the forces of hell, and triumph over the

22.

(John vi.

33-)

powers of darknefs; that utterly fhall defeat fin, and flay death itself; that fhall fubdue the world, and lay all things proftrate at his feet; behold the Captain of our falvation, arrayed with glorious humility, and armed with a mighty patience; fee, the great blow is ftruck, at which the infernal powers do stag1 John iii. ger; the Devil's pride and envy are abafed, all the enemies are amazed, are daunted, are confounded at his prefence; they cannot ftand, they break, they fcatter, they flee before him.

8.

Rom. xvi.

20.

Is a proclamation of peace, after rueful wars, to Eph. ii. 17. be foleninized with alacrity? Behold then everlasting peace between heaven and earth, a general peace among men, a found peace between each good man and himself are fettled and publifhed; the illuftrious herald, the noble hoftage of them is arrived; the Ifa. vii. 2) Prince of peace himself doth bring all peace unto us. Acts x. 36. Is fatisfaction of defire, and hope very pleafant ?

Ifa. ix. 6.

Behold

Behold the defire of all nations, the expectation of Ifrael,s E R M. he for whom the whole creation groaned, is come.

I.

Is recovery of liberty delectable to poor flaves and captives? Behold, the Redeemer is come out of Sion; the precious ransom, fufficient to purchase the freedom of many worlds, is laid down; unblemished innocence, purity, and perfection appearing in human nature, have procured a releatement for us; have unlocked the prifon of fin detaining us, have (Gal. iii. knocked off the fhackles of guilt forely pinching and 22.) galling our confciences; have wrefted us from the hands of thofe proud mafters, who claimed a right, who exercited a moft tyrannous power over us ; he is come, that proclaimeth liberty to the captives, and Luke iv. 18. opening of the prifon to them that are bound; the time is come, of which the prophet foretold; The ranfomedia. xxxv. of the Lord fhall return, and come to Sion with fongs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness; and forrow and fighing shall flee away.

10.

12.

Is an overture of health acceptable to fick and languishing perfons? Behold the great Phyfician, Luke x. 33. endued with admirable skill, and furnished with in- Matt. ix. fallible remedies, is come, to cure us of our maladies, and cafe us of our pains; to bind up our wounds, and to pour in balm (the moft fovereign balm of his 1 Pet. ii. 24. own blood) into them; to free us, not only from all mortiferous difeafes, but from mortality itfelf: he, who was fent to bind up and heal the broken hearted; Ifa. Ixi. 1. he, who himself took our infirmities, and bare our fick- Ita. liii. 4. neffes; he, of whom the prophet (in relation to cor- Matt, viii. poral, and much more to fpiritual infirmities) did fa. xxxv. foretel;-God will come and fave you; then the eyes of 4, 5. the blind fhall be opened, and the ears of the deaf Shall Luke v. 17. be unstopped; then fhall the lame man leap as a bart,

Nam fuperbia hoftis antiqui non immerito fibi in omnes homines jus tyrannicum vindicabat, nec indebito dominatu premebat, quos a mandato Dei fpontaneos in obfequium fuæ voluntatis alloxerat. Leo de Nat. Serm. 2.

Luke iv. 18.

17.

Matt. xi. 5.

40.

I.

SER M.and the tongue of the dumb shall fing; he, whofe art no difeafe can refift, who is able to cure our most defperate, our moft inveterate diftempers; to heal the (John xii. corruption and impotency of our nature, to avoid Acts x. 38.the ignorances and errors of our understanding, to Luke x. 34) correct the ftupidity of our hearts, the perverleness (Ezek. of our wills, the diforder of our affections, to mitiEph. ii. 1o.gate our anguish of confcience, and cleanle our fores of guilt; by various efficacious medicines, by the wholefome inftructions of his doctrine, by the powerful infpirations of his grace, by the refreshing comforts of his fpirit, by the falutary virtue of his merits and fufferings.

xxxvi. 26.

Is mirth feasonable on the day of marriage? Behold the greatest wedding that ever was is this day folemnized heaven and earth are contracted; divinity is efpoufed to humanity; a facred, an indiffoluble knot is tied between God and man; The Joel ii. 16., Bridegroom is come forth out of his chamber, (verbum Dei de utero virginali) clad in his nuptial garment of flesh, and ready to wed the Church his beloved Apoc. xix. Spoule ; Let us therefore be glad and rejoice; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made berfelf ready.

7.

Is the accefs of a good friend to be received with cheerful gratulation? Behold the dearest and best friend of all mankind (moft able, moft willing, most ready to perform all good offices, to impart wholefome advice, needful aid, fweet converfe, and seasonable confolation) is arrived to vifit us, to fojourn with us, to dwell with us for ever.

Is opportune relief grateful to perfons in a forlorn condition, pinched with extreme want, or plunged

In natali Domini quafi in nuptiis fpiritualibus fponfæ fuæ Ecclefiæ Chriftus adjunctus eft-tunc proceffit fponfus de thalamo fuo, hoc eft, verbum Dei de utero virginali. Aug. de temp.

Serm. 2.

Η παρὼς ἐν ᾗ ὁ λόγῳ ἐνυμφεύσατο την σάρκα. Procl. in Epb. p. 1.

in

any hard diftrefs? Behold, a merciful, a bounti- s ER M. ful, a mighty Saviour and fuccourer, undertaking to I. comfort all that mourn, inviting all fuch to receive from him a plentiful fupply for their needs, a comfortable eafe in their preffures, a happy riddance from their calamities; who crieth aloud, If any one Engate. thirfeth, let him come to me and drink; Come to me all John vii. ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you la. Iv. 1. reft.

37.

xliv. 3.

Matt. xi.

Is the fun-rifing comfortable, after a tedious, 28. darkfome, and cold night? See, the Sun of righteouf- Mal. iv. 2. nefs is rifen with healing in his wings, difpenfing all about his pleafant rays and kindly influences: The Luke i. 78. day Spring from on high bath vifited us; diffufing an univerfal light upon the fouls of men, whereby the night of ignorance is difpelled, the spectres of error are vanished, the mifts of doubt are fcattered; whereby we clearly and affuredly difcern all truths of importance to us, and worthy of our knowledge; concerning the nature and attributes, the works and providence, the will and pleasure of God; concerning ourselves, our nature and original, our duty and intereft, our future ftate, and final doom: Our light Ifa. ix. 1. is come, and the glory of the Lord is rifen upon us; the 12. ix. 5. light of the world, the true light, enlightening every man, 9. by whofe luftre all flesh may fee the falvation of God, i. 79. and which guideth our feet in the way of peace, doth visibly shine forth upon us.

Never indeed did heaven with fo fair and ferene a countenance fmile upon earth, as then it did,

John viii.

i.

Luke iii. 6.

when this (asng aμπgòs xal öęDewòs,) bright and morn-Apoc. xxii. ing-far did fpring up above our horizon, bringing this 16. goodly day; and with it fhedding life and chcer among us.

From this aufpicious day did commence the revocation of that fatal curfe, by which we were expelled from paradife, adjudged to death, and committed to hell; from thence we became reinstated

in