opportunities had been afforded them, in the history of mankind, of learning the fatal effects of transgression, and the power of the divine wrath. The deluge; the tremendous doom of Sodom and Gomorrah; the desolations of Egypt; the severities inflicted on the devoted Canaanites; the judgments executed even on offending Israel, in the wilderness and in Canaan, and by the Babylonish captivity; were so many illustrations of the justice of God, and of his holy abhorrence of iniquity. But at the same time his patience and bounty towards sinful men, his gracious interpositions in behalf of his people, the intimations and predictions of a Saviour, the promises given to believers, and the actual salvation of numbers, shewed his "good"will" to mankind; and his readiness to pity, help, and relieve them, as far as could consist with the honour of his name, and the interests of his universal and everlasting kingdom.

Yet in the infant lying in the manger at Bethlehem the angels had such a discovery of the Lord's "good-will to men," connected with his detestation of their sins, as had never hitherto attracted their notice or raised their expectations. They no doubt, before this, had some general conception of the plan formed by infinite wisdom and everlasting love: perhaps the whole had been fully notified to them. Yet, when the stupendous design was thus far accomplished, their previous admiration of the ineffable condescension, compassion, and love of the holy and glorious Lord God towards lost sinners, whose multiplied and heinous crimes had so long called loudly for vengeance, was far excceded, and as it were swallowed up in inexpressible asto

nishment. Good-will to man! to guilty, polluted, ungrateful man! to idolatrous, impious, and blaspheming man! This overwhelmed the blessed angels with amazement, and tuned their hearts to adoring praise. And these reflections must have the same effect on all, who have just views of the majesty and glorious holiness of God, the nature and desert of sin, and the wonderful plan of redemption. "God commendeth his love to us, in "that while we were yet sinners Christ died for 66 us." "Herein is love, not that we loved God, "but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

ners.

This good-will of God to men is mere compassion and benevolence, not approbation or complacency. The crimes, dispositions, and characters of the creatures, thus beloved, were unspeakably hateful in his holy eyes: and none of his protestations against sin are so decided and energetic, as that which principally declares his love to sinThe compassion and tenderness, which induce virtuous and pious persons, at great expense, to relieve those pitiable objects whose crimes have rendered them miserable; in order that an attempt may be made to rescue them from temporal and eternal ruin; form a very distant imitation of the love shewn by our God to sinners, in giving his Son to be their Saviour, even while he declares them to be deserving of his everlasting wrath and abhorrence. The heinousness of our crimes, the contrariety of our dispositions, to the divine purity, the great things he hath done to make way for

Rom. v. 6—10. 1 John iv. 10.

our salvation, and the inestimable blessings prepared for us, combine to illustrate the riches of God's mercy and the immensity of his goodness. The love of the Father in giving his only-begotten and well-beloved Son; the love of the Son in most willingly assuming our nature, that he might give himself a sacrifice for our sins; and the love of the Spirit in preparing our hearts to receive this salvation, and in making us meet for the heavenly inheritance; demand our warmest gratitude and most fervent praises; while we give glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,' into whose name we were baptized.

Before the coming of Christ, the special tokens of the Lord's good-will to men were principally confined to the people of Israel; and he had "suf"fered all other nations to walk in their own "ways." But in the child born at Bethlehem the angels saw him who was appointed for "salvation "to the ends of the earth." The partition-wall was about to be removed; the good tidings of a Saviour, even "Christ the Lord," were speedily to be proclaimed to all people without distinction; and thus a proposal of mercy and every blessing, "without money and without price," would be made to persons of all characters and descriptions, not excepting the vilest. Nay, "all men every "where would be commanded to repent:" and the ambassadors of Christ would, in his stead, and as if God besought them by their mouth," beseech "them to be reconciled to God." The fullest assurances were thus about to be given that the loving Saviour would reject none, on any account whatever, who came to him for "life and godli

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ness;"

" and "exceedingly great and precious promises," together with the institution of sacred ordinances as means of grace,' would concur in encouraging sinners of every nation to seek the blessings of eternal life, without fearing a denial or disappointment.-All this doubtless and far more was perceived by the heavenly host, when they proclaimed "Good-will to men," in celebrating the nativity of our Emmanuel!

They sang also "Peace on earth." They had witnessed the fatal effects of the creature's venturing to oppose the Creator's will, and become his enemies. They had seen angels, as it were, declare war against the Almighty; and, even when cast out of heaven, employing all their liberty in carrying on the same desperate and ruinous hostilities. They beheld men seduced to join the apostate rebels, and become " enemies to God by "wicked works ;" and then instigated by enmity to increasing iniquity. The earth filled with tears, groans, and miseries; the universal victory and triumph of death and the grave; and the subsequent doom of impenitent and unreconciled sinners; were the consequences which angels had witnessed of man's infatuated contest against his omnipotent Creator.-They had been spectators likewise of all the cruel wars, which men in every age had waged against each other; and of all the dire effects of ambition, envy, revenge, and insatiable rapacity or cruelty, from the day when Cain, the first murderer, embrued his hands in his brother's blood. What then must have been the sentiments and feelings of these benevolent spirits, while wit

nessing the murders, massacres, battles, sieges, and persecutions, which have wasted the human species, and increased the miseries of the world to a degree that exceeds all calculation? What did they think of the lavish encomiums bestowed, almost unanimously, on the most skilful, prosperous, and unfeeling of these butchers of mankind? What estimate did they form of man's heart, and of the vaunted dignity of human nature, of the milk of human kindness,' and of the sufficiency of reason to guide us to virtue and happiness? Beholding incessantly these horrid spectacles, what could holy angels think of man, but that he was, as it were, a younger brother of the original murderer, delighting in the same work, and deeming no other employment so honourable? What could they think of the earth, but that it was in many respects a counterpart of hell; and that it would have been so more entirely, had it not been for the goodwill of God to men?

I mean not, my brethren, to declaim against the profession of arms, or to condemn all rulers and nations that engage in war. Some soldiers have been, and some are, Christians; but their profession is their cross, and its duties their selfdenial: they would not willingly engage in any war of ambition, rapacity, or revenge; but they readily face danger, and endure hardship, in defence of their country. The more we hate war and long for peace, the greater are our obligations to such men, as thus expose themselves to guard us against injurious assailants; and the more fervently we ought to pray for their protection and