the happiness of man by taking our nature upon him, and making a human body the medium and pattern of that glory to which he designs to raise us. It is, in short, faith, nothing doubting, that will welcome the return of this holy season, and teach the believer to consider the nativity of his Redeemer as the notice of a christian's being born again, of his death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness.

If in humility we believe all this; if we have embraced the Gospel, which when tendered to the Jews, they rejected; if we are ready and prepared to worship Him who was born of a virgin, and whose birth they ridiculed and despised; and if the vail still remain upon their hearts which faith has removed from ours; then shall we hail this natal morning, as the morning in which a christian sets forth on his journey to the kingdom of his Heavenly Father. If Christ came unto his own, and his own received not, it is also stated, that as many as did receive him, to them he gave power to become the sons of GOD, even to them that believe on his name.

Here we have at once the terms of reconciliation, and the seal of pardon. We have the

fore-ordained and effectual Mediator, the true and only intercessor between GoD and man, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, proclaiming and producing in person his own promised blessings. In visions and in dreams, by types and sacrifices, through various ministers and officers deputed by him, in many ways and divers manners, hath GOD declared his will to the fathers, but in these latter days hath he spoken to us by his Son. Other prophets had their times assigned them to rise, shine, and set again in death; but they all derived their light from the Sun of Righteousness, which, absorbing every lesser ray in his glorious splendour, is now arisen to set no more-death hath no more dominion over him.

Upon the incarnation, therefore, of our blessed Lord, as upon the foundation-stone of all her doctrines, the Christian church will delight to rest. As often as she hears the tidings of great joy repeated to a sinful world, she will find cause of special exultation in being thought worthy to inherit the blessing, to partake of the mercies, and to behold the salvation of GOD. Brought out of darkness into a marvellous light,

restored from death unto a new life, and raised from dust to share an angel's glory, she will be filled with all joy and peace in believing; she will hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of hope; and adore that grace which cast her lot in a place where the joyful tidings are for ever sounding in her ears, Behold the desire of all nations, the expectation of Israel, He for whom the whole creation groaned-Behold thy God, thy righteous Saviour cometh.

Wherever she turns her eyes, there will her heart be turned to the God of her salvation; and whether she looks back to the prevalence of that intercession, which in the first instance of disobedience changed judgment into mercy, and found a ransom for the guilty; or follows the operations of redeeming love through succeeding ages to the blessedness of the present day, when the visions of expected bliss have faded before the actual presence of the King of Glory-in all she will find incitement to wonder, gratitude, and love. Through every part of the divine œconomy, in the person of Christ she finds her Advocate, her Priest, and King; from his sanctifying sufferings she de

rives her own sanctification; and while reaping the fruits of the covenant, whose seed was sowed from eternity, she gives him the name by which he is exalted in heaven, and glorifies the only begotten Son, who, as at this holy season, came forth from the Father for the universal redemption of mankind.

With the scheme of prophecy thus made perfect, on a day wherein the union of so many blessings is commemorated, wherein the spirit of life which is in Christ, hath made us free from the law of sin and death, we must necessarily have joy in believing; and while we attach our hopes of heaven to the person of Christ, we shall boldly come unto the throne of grace, to which our access is opened by such transcendant love. That we may not, therefore, reject the proffered mercy, that we may not slight the richest gift that was ever yet offered to the world, we must this day unite it to the giver; we must think on Him who came to reconcile, and on the mode of reconciliation; we must dwell on the qualifications of our Intercessor, on the nature of his plea, and on the cause he has to plead; we must, in short,

receive him into his kingdom of grace, if we would follow him into his kingdom of glory. From that now infant tongue we shall soon hear words such as man never before uttered; we shall hear claims of inherent divinity asserted, that no inspiration could communicate, nor even omnipotence confer; soon shall we see that infant form assuming the powers and invested with the attributes of the Godhead, bestowing pardon on the sinner, and raising the dead from their graves.

Either, then, we must deny the authenticity of the narrative, or no explanation can deprive our Saviour of that high prerogative to which he appeals; and when He vouchsafed to be partaker of flesh and blood, it was, that being made like unto his brethren, He might be a faithful and merciful high priest; it was, that the debt of human sin might be discharged by the Son of Man; it was, that by exhibiting in his own person a proof of faith and patience under the severest trials and afflictions, He might lend

to his divine precepts the excitement of human example; it was, that in lifting up our minds towards his holy habitation, He might shield