< therefore conclude with adding fome few more, to to those, which have already been offered upon the like Occafion. How gloriously the Power, the Wisdom, the Juftice, the Goodness, of Almighty God manifefted themselves, in the Incarnation of the Bleffed Son; What lively Faith, what fervent Love, what extenfive Charity, what profound Humility, the Contemplation of this Mystery ought to produce in us, hath been my Endeavour to make my Reader fenfible of Formerly. Think me not inconfiftent with my felf, if from the very fame Mystery I make it now my Epifle and Gospel for Chriftmas Day. 1. First Endeavour, earnestly to recommend fuch a true Greatness of Soul, as may incline every Christian, to value himself upon this Occafion, much above the rate, that the generality of Men are wont to do. The Sin of Pride St. Paul hath well defcribed, Rom. xii. 3. by thinking of our felves more highly than we ought to think. But yet I make no Difficulty to affirm, That the not thinking of our felves fo highly as we ought to think, is one of the worst and most deftructive Evils, we can poffibly be guilty of. And, as high Thoughts may be qualified, and employed, and improved, it is not eafy to exceed in them. For there is in all Sin a Meannefs of Spirit, and a Difparagement to our Nature: Which did we but rightly attend to, it were scarce poffible we should fubmit to, much less delight in, thofe Difpofitions and Habits, which are the fouleft Blemish, the vileft Debafement and Reproach, that can any manner of way come upon us. Hence is that wife and ufeful Advice of fome Old Philofophers, that Men would respect themselves, pay all due Honour to the God within them, and not prostitute and enflave a noble Principle of Reafon, fo nearly allied to the Divine Spirit above, by the Filthy Affections of Brutes. But, if Our being made in the Likeness of God were a good Vol. I. good Argument to this Purpose; how much more perfuafive ought that to be, of God's being made in the Likenefs of Man? That is the Ground of a much nearer and more endearing Relation, than ever our Nature could boast of before. And, Shall we dishonour fuch a Body and Soul, as the Son of God made one with his own Divine Perfon, by abandoning them to thofe very Works of the Devil, which He was mani ↑ John iii. 8. fefted in the Flefb, on purpose to destroy? To fink That down to the Level of Brutes, which was made but a little lower than the Angels, is an Affront to His diftinguishing Bounty, which gave us fo honourable a Station, in the Order of his Creatures. But how unpardonable, how monftrous an Indignity is it to Him, who hath in fome fort made us higher than the Angels, by condescending to affume Our Nature rather than Theirs; when we wallow in that Mire and Filthiness, which even the Obscenest of Brutes are detefted, and defpifed, for indulging? When therefore we reflect upon the Honour God hath done us, let us, at the fame time, not forget the Honour, upon this very Account due to our felves. Let us join our Endeavours to exalt the Nature he bore; Let us cherish a noble and generous Difdain of all manner of Vice, as that which both is, and makes us, defpicable. Let us think it our Duty, from our Lord's Humility, to raise our Minds up to that commendable Ambition, of partaking in the Divine Excellencies of Innocence, and Goodnefs, and Charity; because he partook of our Frailties and Sufferings, and dwelt in the Similitude of finful Flesh. Efpecially let us remember, what Care the Scripture takes, to obferve, that, in the midst of all that Likeness, there was one Difference conftantly preserved. For He, that in all Points was like unto us, never was, never could, be like us in One Point. Mortal indeed, and tempted too as we are, but still without Sin. And therefore He, whofe Weakneffes and Tryals are our Se curity for Compaffion and Succour, when we are tempted; hath never set us any Pattern for yielding to, much less for making, and courting, Temptations. I Theff. iv. 5. 2. Secondly, As our Lord's Incarnation should excite our Zeal, to afpire after all Virtue in general; fo may it more particularly raise our Efteem of Chastity, and Purity. Indulging the Lufts of Concupiscence is, by St. Paul, made a Mark of Men that know not God. But fure they must be errand Strangers to Chrift, and the glorious Mystery we have now been treating of, who think his Difciples capable of any Blemish, more contrary, more difgraceful, to their Profeffion than the abandoning themselves to any fort of Uncleannefs. When he took upon him to deliver Man, he did not abbor the Virgin's Womb; But still it was the Virgin's. And that Birth is so far acted over again, in the Perfon of every Chriftian; that, as There only the Holy Ghost then vouchfafed to exert his prolifick Power; So neither now will he endure to dwell with, or shed his fanctifying Graces upon, any Soul proftituted to filthy Defires. If therefore we would invite this Bleffed Guest to vifit, to take up his Refidence, to fet up his Throne, in our Hearts; we must first purge thofe Hearts, and fit up an Apartment, agreeable to the Cleannefs of the Inhabitant we hope for. So abfolutely inconfiftent is Impurity of Conversation, with a State of Grace, or the Character of a Christian. So deceitful and empty, so dangerous and deluding, are the most pompous Appearances of Piety and Devotion, or the moft boasted Pretenfions, to the Spirit; while Men allow themselves the Liberties, and obey the Affections, and practise and delight in the Works, of the Flesh. 3. Once more. We can hardly, I should think, meditate on the manner of our Lord's Incarnation, with any degree of Serioufnefs; and not feel our felves very ftrongly inclined, to bewail our Unhappiness of Original Sin. That Stain and Guilt are a neceffary part of the wretched wretched Inheritance, entailed upon all Adam's Pofterity. And, however fome juftly valued Privileges may difpofe us to entertain lofty Conceits of our felves, yet this fingle Reflection, methinks, fhould more than fuffice to mortify our Vanity, that we are born the Children of Corruption and Wrath. Highly expedient therefore it is, to apply this Antidote frequently, againft that Pride, which, above all others, seems to be the reigning Vice of every Mind. A Vice, diffembled pretty well in many, but really fubdued in very few. The Firft; that puts forth in Infancy, the Laft, that forfakes us, through the whole Courfeofour Lives. And, among manyOthers, is not This Matter for much Humiliation, that, as valuable Creatures as we fancy our felves, yet it could not confist with the Dignity of the Son of God, to be created, as We are? That He, who submitted to our Infirmities and Sufferings, would not endure the leaft Tin&ture of our Defilement; And, though he chofe to die like the vileft of Men, yet he abfolutely refused to be conceived and born, like the very best of them? How wide a difference is there, betwixt his Thoughts and Ours on this Occafion? The Afflictions, the Sorrows, the Pain's, and the Neceffity of Dying, which we are apt to look upon as our greatest Miferies, are not, it feems, comparable to That, of which we think fo feldom, and fo flightly, that we were shapen in Wickednefs, and in Sin our Mothers conceived us; That we bring into the World that Root of Bitterness, from which our after-Faults, and all our Misfortunes, fpring. This, I fay, is Matter of Humiliation and Sorrow ; But, bleffed be God, it is not however Matter of Defpair. For he hath opened a Fountain for Sin and for Uncleanness. The Waters of Baptifm wash our fullied Souls, and prefent us clean and white before God. These turn our Scarlet into Snow, and make our Crimson Wool. And though the unhappy Tendencies to Evil remain, and daily Inconveniencies arife from them; Yet we are, or or may be, daily renewed by the Graces of his Holy Spirit, who was born without Sin to cleanfe us from all Sin. The fame fanctifying Power, which came upon the Virgin, will not difdain to defcend upon us too; if we imitate Her Meeknefs and Modefty, her lively Faith and blameless Purity. The fame Principle of Fruitfulness, which enabled Her to become a Mother, will Help Us to bring forth abundantly, to conceive and bear Christ in our Hearts, by becoming fruitful in every good Word and Work. 'Tis from this Spirit alone, that we are qualified to do fo. But, as that Bleffing upon Her was a Confequence of her believing and confenting: fo Our vigorous Faith, and diligent Concurrence with this Spirit, Our fubmitting to be acted upon, and influenced by, his Graces, are required, as neceffary Conditions to our Sanctification. Let us then put our felves entirely under his Holy Guidance. Let us us confider this Miracle, wrought for our Redemption, as a powerful Motive to Innocency and Virtue. And to our constant Endeavours, let us daily (let us at this happy Season especially) add our most fervent Prayers, that, By the Mystery of his Holy Incarnation, and by his Holy Nativity, our Good Lord would deliver us. And to these Prayers may he please to say, Amen. 'A The CIRCUMCISION of CHRIST. The COLLECT. * Luke ii. 21. Galat. iv. 4. Lmighty God, who madeft thy bleffed Son to be Circumcifed and Obedient to the Law for Man; Grant us the true Circumcifion of the † Spirit, that our Hearts and all our Members being mortified from allt worldly and carnal Lufts, we may in all things obey thy bleffed Will, through the fame thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen Rom. ii. 29. Coloff. ii. 11, iii. 5. The |