1. SER M. in a condition of hope, and in a fair capacity of happinefs; from thence is to be dated a return of joy into this region of difconfolatenefs. In this nativity mankind was born, or did revive from manifold deaths; from a legal, a moral, a natural, an eternal death; from lying dead in irreparable guilt, and under an infuperable power of fin; from having our bodies irrecoverably diffolved by corruption, and our fouls immerfed into that fecond more ghaftly death of perpetual incurable anguish. It is in effect therefore the birth-day of the world; the beginning of a new, better, eternal life to men, (offered to all, and effectually bestowed on thofe who will embrace it,) which we now do celebrate '. All reafon therefore we have to rejoice moft heartily,' and moft abundantly as the goods thence accruing to us are in multitude innumerable, in quality ineftimable, in duration immenfe; fo in fome correfpondence fhould our joy be very intenfe, very effufe, very ftable; the contemplation of them fhould infufe fomewhat of that unfpeakable joy, whereof St. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Peter fpeaketh; we fhould be filled (according to Rom. v. St. Paul's expreffion) with all joy and peace in bePhil. 1. 25. lieving them; we should hold faft (as the Apostle to Heb. m. 6. the Hebrews advifeth) the confidence and rejoicing of hope, grounded on them, firm to the end. κλαλήτω. 13. Rom. xii. 12. Having fo many, fo great caufes of joy, are we not very stupid, are we not flrangely crofs and perverse, if we neglect fo pleasant a duty? To conclude Of all the days that rife upon us, this undoubtedly is the queen, crowned by God's It is the birth-day of the Church. Generatio enim Chrifti origo eft populi Chriftiani, et natalis capitis natalis eft corporis. . P. Leo de Nat. Serm. 6. Sicut cum Chrifto in paffione crucifixi, in refurrectione refufcitati, in afcenfione ad dextram Patris collocati, ita cum ipfo fumus in hac nativitate congeniti. Id. Own own hand with fovereign bleffings; God hath avowed s E R M. it to be the day of his peculiar making, and there- I. fore of our fpecial rejoicing; for thus of old the infpired Pfalmift did teach and exhort us to keep Pfal. cxviii. Christmas: This is the day, which the Lord hath made; Matt. xxi. let us rejoice and be glad therein. 24. 9.42. 1 Pet. ii. 7. SERMON SERMON II. The Sufferings of Chrift foretold in the Old ACTS iii. 18. But thofe things, which God before had fhewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Chrift fhould fuffer, he bath fo fulfilled. MAN II. ANY good arguments there are, different ins ER M. kind, which confpire to perfuade the truth of our Religion; fuch as are the intrinfic reafonableness, excellency, and perfection of its doctrine; the miraculous works performed in atteftation thereto; the fpecial favour of Providence declared in the fupport and propagation thereof: but upon no other ground do the Scriptures fo much build its truth, and our obligation to embrace it, as upon the exact correspondence and conformity thereof to all the ancient Scriptures, which did forefhew or foretell its revelation and introduction into the world; to thofe especially which defcribed the perfonal characters, circumstances, and performances of our Lord: to this our Lord, in his difcourfes and difputes with incredulous people, referred them; Search the Scriptures, John v. 39. faid he, becaufe in them ye expect to have eternal life; (that II. 27. xxii. xxiv. 44 24. xiii. 27. XV. 14. Acts xviii. SER M.(that is, to find the true way of faving truth leading thereto,) and thofe are they which testify of me: by this he inftructed and convinced his Difciples; beginning Luke xxiv. from Mofes and from all the Prophets, he expounded unto 37. i. 70. them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself: and, Thefe (faid he to them prefently before his departure) are the words, which I fpake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Mofes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pfalms concerning me: this the Apoftles, in all their preaching, (whereby they taught, proved, and perfuaded the Chriftian doctrine,) did chiefly infift A&ts iii. 22, upon; Mofes, faith St. Peter, truly faid unto the Fathers, yea, and all the Prophets from Samuel, and thofe that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewife Acts x. 43. foretold of these days; and, To him, faith he again, 15. xxiv. give all the Prophets witness, that through his name whoJoever believeth in him fhall receive remiffion of fins. John i. 45. And of St. Paul it is faid, that he mightily convinced 28. xxviii. the Jews-fhewing by the Scriptures, that Jefus was the Chrift; and-be expounded, and teftified the kingdom of God, perfuading them concerning Fefus, both out of the Law of Mofes, and out of the Prophets: thus the chief Apoftles and founders of our religion in their public difcourfes; and in their Epiftles they observe the fame method; as particularly afferting Chriftian doctrines and duties by the teftimonies of prophetical Scriptures, fo generally affirming our Religion 1 Pet. i. 10. to be chiefly grounded on them; of which falvation (faith St. Peter, concerning the falvation exhibited by the Gofpel) the Prophets did inquire, and fearch diligently, who prophefied of the grace to come unto you; and (in regard to the conviction of others) he feems to prefer the atteftation of this kind before the fpecial revelation immediately made to the Apoftles; for having spoken of it, he fubjoins, xal Exoμe Bebaь2 Pet.i. 19.ότερον τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον· We have allo a more fure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well, that ye do take beed, as unto a light that fineth in a dark place, until 23. the |