saved their ancestors out of Egypt. It must have been, therefore, a trial to their faith, to find HIM in the lowest poverty, thrust out even from the meanest houses, laid in the manger in the inn stable. But yet, like St. Paul, they were not disobedient to the Heavenly vision, but went, as they were directed, into Bethlehem, to search there for their New-Born SAVIOUR, CHRIST THE LORD, to search for HIM, not as they had expected HE would come, but as God had told them, as a babe wrapped in swaddlingclothes, and lying in a manger. They were not unrewarded: they found HIM, HIM Whom truly to know is eternal life, they found HIM in the manger, with the Blessed Virgin and righteous Joseph at His side; and through them was He also revealed unto others for it is said, that when they had seen It, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all they that heard, wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds .

6 "

But it is not said that, like the shepherds, they came in haste to see the New-Born CHRIST; they were struck with what the shepherds said; they wondered at it, but they did not act upon it. Is it not so too often with us? A sermon or a lesson out of the Bible, or a Psalm, strikes our feelings with awe, and it may be with something like remorse for our past sins,, which are brought awfully before us; we wonder at our own sinfulness, and God's holiness and goodness, but instead of going with haste unto CHRIST, to abide with HIM and in HIм henceforth continually by holy obedience, we go back to the world again, to the busy pursuits or anxious cares of this life; and CHRIST, Who has in a manner manifested HIMSELF, hides HIMSELF again. And in this way we displease GOD, and harden our own hearts; for God does not show HIMSELF unto us, that we should merely gaze upon Him with idle wonder, and pass away. Surely this grievous dishonour to HIM is a fearful sin. But yet, if we were to search into ourselves, how many of us are guilty of it!

Perhaps the most painful fact is this, that they are many, now, who would like to go on in this way all their lives: I mean, they like to have the holiness and goodness of GOD from time to time set before them in affecting language, so that their feelings

6 Luke ii. 17, 18.

may be much moved by it, while yet all the time they are living on in much the same kind of life, from first to last, without any growth in practical holiness. They trust in these feelings as proofs that they are accepted with GOD, and that God's grace is in their hearts, forgetting that God has distinctly said, we are to be judged according to our works, and that if we would know whether we really love HIM, we must look and see whether we keep His Commandments: and that the fact of having had these truths set before them, will, if they do not act according to them, only increase their condemnation. The shepherds, on the contrary, went in haste unto the place where the Angel had told them they should find CHRIST.

May God put it into our hearts to follow their example; like them to search out CHRIST where GOD has told us we shall really find HIM, and that without delay! Nor are we to look for HIM in any very different place or condition from that in which the shepherds found HIM. They found HIM in a shed, amongst the very poorest, amongst those who, like HIMSELF, had scarcely a place where to lay their heads.

One of the surest ways of having CHRIST present with us, is to seek for HIM, and strive to be doing HIM service continually in the persons of the poor and needy. For whatever we do unto them we do unto HIM. Let us search out the hungry, the naked, the sick, and the afflicted, and to the utmost of our power, help and comfort them; and in this way we are sure of being brought most near to CHRIST, Who, as I have before now told you, present in a person who is in need or affliction, almost as HE is in a Sacrament. So that the blessed influence of His Presence is continually imparted to those who are continually employed in succouring and comforting the needy and the afflicted, as it would have been, (in measure at least,) had they ministered to our LORD HIMSELF in the days when He was on earth.

is

And again, He has said, that "where two or three are gathered together, there HE is in the midst of them";" so that He has given us, in this way again, a sign where we may hope to meet HIM, as truly as the Angel gave the sign to the shepherds. We

7 Matt. xviii. 20.

are as sure to find HIM in the Church, as they were to find HIM If they had the assurance of an angel, we have

in the manger.

more, for we have His own Word.

And in the Holy Communion we have again His own Word assuring us, concerning the bread, "THIS IS MY BODY," concerning the cup, "THIS IS MY BLOOD;" so that we are quite sure that in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper we have HIм present with us, and do verily receive HIM to be the Food and Life of our bodies and souls. The manger was not a surer sign to the shepherds that CHRIST was there, than the consecrated Bread and Cup are now to the faithful. But, like as it was then, so is it now also, many of those who came very near to GoD manifest in the Flesh, knew not, thought not He was there. For, as we may believe, rude and thoughtless men behaved before HIM when HE was on earth, just as if He was no more than any other man, as even His brethren, that is, His near relations, we are plainly told, did not believe HIM; and even so, I say, it is now.

HE is here in our Churches. We are quite sure, that when two or three of us are met together, HE is here. But do we not see people behave as if they had no kind of belief, no thought that CHRIST is here? They do not kneel or worship HIM when they enter in here and first come before HIM; nay, when the Priest and others are kneeling, they are content to sit; would they sit if they saw CHRIST here? but are they not as sure HE is really here, when they have His own plain Word for it? Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of you." Do we not believe HIM?

Or, again, if we were asked why all the Jews did not come like the shepherds to worship GoD manifest in the flesh at Bethlehem, we should answer, they did not know of it, they had no thought HE was there. No one had told them. And when CHRIST is here day after day, in the midst of two or three assembled together to worship HIM, why are not all Christians anxious, why are not all willing to take journeys, to suffer inconvenience, to give up every thing except the duties He lays upon them, that they come like the shepherds day by day to search out their

8 John vii. 5.

SAVIOUR, and to abide with HIM as much as possible? Is it that they have no thought that He is really here in the midst of those who meet to worship HIM? And yet they have not the excuse of ignorance; HE has told them HE is here.

And I need not say how all this applies most strongly to the service of the Holy Communion. If we do not believe Him to be verily and indeed present there, where can we believe HIM to be present? or how can we be said to believe His Word?

But if we do believe HIм to be present in the Holy Communion, how can you turn away from HIM? To whom do you mean to go ? Is not this HE Who alone can give you pardon and life? Or how is it you can draw near without awe?

This is Bethlehem-for Bethlehem, means "the House of Bread." And this is the house where ye may have the Bread that came down from Heaven. Neither, although we see HIM not, although we do not know how He is present, is HE less truly present than He was, when the shepherds found HIM at Bethlehem, by the sign the Angels had given them.

END OF VOL. VII.

GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.

PLAIN SERMONS,

BY

CONTRIBUTORS

TO THE

"TRACTS FOR THE TIMES."

"We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

"For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish,
even your perfection."-2 COR. xiii. 8, 9.

VOL. VIII.

LONDON:

FRANCIS & JOHN RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE.

1846.