A century of sermons upon several remarkable subjects preached by the Right Reverend Father in God, John Hacket, late Lord Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry ; published by Thomas Plume ...

THE SIXTH SERMON UPON THE INCARNATION. (Book 6)

LUKE ii. 11.

For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Sa∣viour, which is Christ the Lord.

THE Angel hath made a brief Sermon upon a great occasion. The occasion is the Incarnation of our Lord: and who can be so co∣pious upon that subject as the Mystery requires? yet the Ser∣mon which the Angel preacheth, is neither a whole Chapter, nor a whole Gospel, but three verses of a Gospel. In the multi∣tude of words a great deal is lost unto the hearer: the good application of a little, whatsoever we think, will yield the best fruits of increase. But for such divine joy as is here pro∣claimed, it was fit to roul it up in a small pill, and to minister it to the audience in a little quantity. How is it possible for frail flesh to subsist, and not to be dissolv'd for gladness, if the Angel had continued his tidings with such matter as he be∣gun? a Saviour is born; unto you a Saviour is born; no petty redeemer, but the Lord strong and mighty, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. O it was provident care, af∣ter the Shepherds had heard a little, to tell them no more at once, but rather to send them away into the City, that they might see the rest. After Israel had sha∣ken off the Chaldean slavery, and the Lord had turned the captivity of Sion, Da∣vid knew not how to express their astonisht joy, but thus, they were like unto them that dream: as Livie says of the Grecians, when the Romans that conquer'd them sent them unexpected liberty, Mirabundi velut somni speciem arbitrabantur, they re∣ceived the tidings, as if it had been a pleasing dream, and themselves scarce awake. So our sins have so much discomforted our hearts, that our spirits are con∣fus'd, and faint, if we receive all the comfort that God sends at once, like a strong perfume the sweetness overcomes our sence. Here's one line for a copy, and enough to be taken out at one time, Ʋnto you is born this day, &c.

The Text cannot be divided into equal parts, for here is one word among them, which not only in this place, but wheresoever you find it, it is like Saul, higher by head and shoulders then all the rest. As Painters and Guilders write the names of God in glass, or upon the walls with many rays, and flaming beams to beautifie it round about, so the name of Saviour is the great word in my Text; and all that is added beside in other circumstances is a trail of golden beams to beautifie it. First then with reverend lips, and circumcised ears let us begin with the joyful tidings of a Saviour. 2. Here's our participation of him in his Nature, natus, he is born, and made like unto us. 3. It is honourable to be made like us, but it is beneficial to be made for us; and natus vobis, unto you is born a Saviour. 4. Is not the use of his Birth superannuated, the virtue of it long since expir'd? no, 'tis fresh and new; as a man is most active when he begins first to run, hodie natus, he is born this day.

5. Is he not like the King in the Gospel who journeyed into a far Country, extra or∣bem solisque vias, quite out of the way in another world? no, the circumstance of place points his dwelling to be near, in civitate David, he is born in the City of David. 6. Perhaps to make him man is to quite unmake him; shall we find him able to subdue our enemies, and save us, since he hath taken upon him the condition of humane fragility? yes, the last words speak his excellency and power, for he is Christus Dominus, such a Saviour as is Christ the Lord, for unto you is born this day in the City of David, &c.

The beginning of our days work is from that word, which magnifies him that is the word of God above all things; for he is a Saviour. Time was when the chil∣dren of Israel had rather Moses should speak unto them than God: Speak thou with us, and we will hear, but let not God speak with us lest we dye, Exod. xx. 19. Now let Israel say, let not Moses speak with us, nor the Law, for then we shall surely die. Above all tongues let the Angel speak with us, that proclaims a Saviour, and we shall surely live. If all comfort in the world were forgotten, nothing but darkness, and weeping, and captivity over all the earth, yet here's a word which is enough to turn all that sorrow into gladness, yea, to turn Hell it self into Heaven; This day is born unto you a Saviour: it comprehends all other names of Grace, and blessing; as Manna is said to have all kind of sapors in it to please the taste. When you have call'd him the glass in which we see all truth, the fountain in which we taste all sweetness, the ark in which all precious things are laid up, the pearl which is worth all other riches, the flower of Jesse which hath the savour of life unto life, the bread that satisfieth all hunger, the medicine that healeth all sickness, the light that dispelleth all darkness; when you have run over all these, and as many more glorious titles as you can lay on, this one word is above them, and you may pick them all out of these syllables, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Abraham could endure to live in a strange Land, nay, he could endure to want his only Son Isaac if God pleas'd: Elias could want his bodily sustenance for forty days: John Baptist could want the comfort of all society in the Wilderness: Peter could leave all he had and want his substance: Paul could live in bonds and want his liberty: Paphnutius could want his eyes, yea, the Martyrs for Christs sake could want their lives; but they could not be without the redemption of their soul, they could not want a Saviour.

The Prophet Isaiah hath foretold that the heaven and earth should joyn their strength together to make a Saviour, Isa. xlv. 8. Drop down the heavens from above, and let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, that's the effect: and the 15. verse speaks of the person, O God of Israel the Saviour. The heavens must drop down from above, and the earth must open and concur beneath, the whole universe must be put together, the Divine Nature and the Humane, tantae molis erat, to make a Saviour. To confuse the Jews with this place. I have read of a learned Scribe of theirs, one Rabbi Accados, who wrote thus before the coming of Christ, that the Messias should come into the world to save men, and the Gentiles should call him Jesus, or the Saviour of the world. Indeed the Gentiles did not only do so after our Saviours ascension into Heaven, being taught unto it by the Aposto∣lical preaching, but in the time of Idolatry, which is very strange. Tully says in the 4. Oration against Verres, that he saw an Image at Syracuse in Sicily with this Inscription upon it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Saviour, and he admires at the strong significancy of the word, Hoc quantum est magnum est, ut latine exprimi uno verbo non possit, to give sal∣vation or to be a Saviour is such an appellative, that all the Latine tongue was not furnished with a word to set it forth. But what if their language could have fit it? that's nothing unless the soul do unite it to it self, and write it upon the tables of the heart. But that the name may not be an empty sound to us as it was to them, consider these three things. 1. With what honour it was impos'd. 2. What excellency it includes. 3. What reverence it deserves.

For the first of these, an honour in the imposition of a name will ever stick by the person, and the origen hereof came from the chiefest, that is above all, Phil. ii. 9. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. It was ever of old in the right of the Father to give a name unto his child: Zachary when he could not speak call'd for writing tables to appoint the name of John the Baptist; therefore Christ having no Father on earth, his Father gave him a name from Heaven. His Father gave it, but he did commit it to the trust of an Angel to bring it; for the Angel was the first that ever mention'd it to Joseph the hus∣band

of Mary in a dream. Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins, Matth. i. 21. God gave it, the Angel brought it, and men did assign it the eighth day when he was circumcised, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb. Hereupon Bernard casts in two observations. 1. It appears in St. Matthew that the Angel called him Jesus before he was born, yea, before he was conceived, Luke i. 31. it was Gabriels message to Mary, Thou shalt conceive in thy Womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus. Men called him so after he was born, and circumcised, Idem quippe & Angeli salvator & hominis, hominis ab incarnatione, Angeli ab initio creaturae: for the same Lord is the Saviour both of Angels and Men; of Angels before he was born, from the beginning of the world; of Men in the fulness of time after he was born: That is, the second person in Trinity being the eternal Son of the Fa∣ther, did confirm the good Angels in grace, that they should never fall; and the same person incarnate, being the Mediator of God and Man, did redeem the Elect, that they should rise again from their sins, and reign with him in glory. 2. The complete imposition of the name was at his circumcision, when he first shed his Blood, as if his Death had been foretold, as soon as he was born; it would cost him blood, not a few drops of the foreskin, but the very blood of the heart to be called Jesus. In Circumcision he was called a Saviour, at his Passion the word Jesus was wrote upon the Cross: then his enemies confest he was a Saviour, In circumcisione non fuit actu perfecto, sed destinatione salvator; in Circumcision it was told by destination what he should be, and incompleatly, and by inchoation what he was. It was a sign of servitude, and of taking the guilt of sin to be Circumcised; it was a sign of ignominy, and reproach to be Crucified: but this name exalted him, and defended him against the bad opinion of the world, when he was called at the one time in the Temple, and entitled on the Cross at the other, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. To drive this point no longer about the honour of the imposition of the name, this is the sum; Angels and Men had their several shares in the dignity to give this attribute to our Lord, but the name was grounded in his own nature of ex∣ceeding mercy, and in his office of reconciliation; therefore God alone could give him this name: Innatum est ei nomen hoc, non inditum ab humana, aut Angelica natura, says Bernard, the name was bred with him, and not imposed by men or Angels.

A name so royally impos'd must include a great deal of excellency, that's the next point.* 1.1 Gallio the Deputy of Achaia was a great scorner of Religion, and be∣cause Paul magnified Christ, and the Jews blasphemed him, Gallio said it was a con∣troversie of words, and names, and he would not meddle with it; it was not worth the while. The name of Christ was beyond Gallio's reach to judge upon it. David makes a great account of that which he did villifie, Thou hast magnified thy name, and thy word above all things, Psal. cxxxvii. The names of God, Jehovah are his names as a Creator, and yet to be magnified above all things; but the name of Jesus adds above his power of creation, his goodness of saving and redempti∣on, Nihil nasci profuit, nisi redimi profuisset, it had been unbeneficial to be created, unless we had been happily redeemed: His Words, his Actions, his Miracles, his Prayers, his Sacraments, his Sufferings all did smell of the Saviour. Take him from his Infancy to his Death, among his Disciples and among the Publicans, among the Jews, or among the Gentiles, he was all Saviour.

The Jews were under the condition of thraldom at this time when Christ was born, under the thraldom of their enemies; and the tidings of a Saviour was sweet news at such a season: yet the Shepherds could not so mistake that an In∣fant born but that day could go out with their hosts to subdue their enemies. No person upon earth hath such need of a Saviour as a sinner, whether it be peace or war, Pandora's box of mischiefs; all the miseries that can be named are the just reward of a sinner: therefore the Angel doth not specifie to the Shepherds, from what calamities he should redeem them; and be called a Saviour indefinitely and absolutely from all. A few particulars would but derogate from the honour of his salvation, he sweeps away all evil at once, like a Spiders web, ab omni malo, he saves us from the whole mass of evil, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord, Jer. xxiii. 7. It shall no more be said the Lord Liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt, but the Lord liveth which brought the house of Israel from the North Country, the land of Chaldaea. Alas, both these are easie redemptions, to that which calls him Jesus in the New Testament; the Lord liveth who saveth his people from their sins: there begins his mercy at that point, to break the heavy yoke of sin

from our necks, to repress the dominion of the flesh rebelling against the spirit, to take away earthly desires from our will, and affections; in a word, to clear us in Gods Court, that our iniquities may no more be imputed to us, Who loved us, and wa∣shed us from our sins in his own blood, Revel. i. 5. 2. He is a Saviour that delivers us from the sting and punishment of sin, which is death: He destroyed our death by dying on the Cross, and repaired our life again by his own Resurrection. 3. He is a Saviour that delivereth us from the power of Satan, that although the enemy tempt and oppose vehemently, yet he should not overcome his Saints. Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the Prince of this world be cast forth, John xii. 32. and so cast forth that he shall never renew his tyranny again, For through death Chrst did destroy him that had the power of death, the Devil, Heb. ii. 14. 4. He is a Saviour that frees us from the wrath of God: and when we were enemies we were reconciled un∣to God by the death of his Son, Rom. v. From sin, from death, from Satan, from the wrath of God. These are the four heads of our Redemption, and these are the excellencies included in the name of Saviour.

After these things thus declared, methinks the third point should fall in directly without any contradiction: Methinks of our selves without bidding men should strive to do abundant reverence at the hearing of this word, a Jesus, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. We have not that feeling of our sins which we ought to have, nor of the wrath of God; for if we had, we would hear this name with greater joy∣fulness: but the destruction is not near enough to affect us, Hell and damnation are not represented before our face: if those things were so nigh, that we did feel their horror, we would not captiously gainsay that Ceremony of the Church, to vail the head, and bend the knee, and to prostrate our selves to the earth, in giving honour to Christ for our salvation. Both the Saints in heaven, and the Faithful on earth, and the Dead departed under the earth, all these hath God ordained to bow the knee at the name of his Son Jesus, Phil. ii. 10. Indeed to do it toties quoties, at every repetition of the name is not necessarily inferr'd from thence perhaps; say it be no more than a pious Institution of the Church, to keep us in a faithful remem∣brance that we do not forget it; yet a dutiful Child will hearken to the voice of the Church, and not wave her Authority and neglect it; as if the Spirit of God had not directed her to prescribe outward things in a decent manner to the setting forth of Gods glory. Isaiah could not speak of a Saviour in the Old Testament, but this comes in, Ʋnto me shall every knee bow, and every tongue shall swear, Isa. xlv. 23. and lest the world might suppose, they may be bold and sawcy with a merciful Saviour, St. Paul admonisheth how that Saviour shall be a Judge, Rom. xiv. 11. We shall all stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ; for it is written, As I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Beloved now ye are in Gods Temple, judgment you neither see nor fear; but imagin with me, the Lord were coming in the clouds, every mans innumerable sins laid open before him to con∣demn him, in this distraction of amazement is there any thing to put life into your terrified souls, but the name of a Saviour? then let an Angel preach before you, There is no name under heaven by which you can be saved, but only the name of Jesus. Tell me from your own heart what you think if in that case your head would not unco∣ver, your knee bend, yea, your face grovel upon the earth; confess this and amend your stubbornness: it is nothing but the forgetfulness of destruction which makes ye so unregardful to do reverence at the name of salvation. One thing more, and I shall have said enough to this, Zanchy and others allow that soon after the first 300 years it was a custom ungain-said in that ancient Orthodox Church, to put S. Paul's item in practice; and more than that, to bend and uncover at the name of Jesus, and this done, to let the Arrians see, that all worship and honour was due to the eternal Son of God. Though I trust there be now no Arrians among us, is it not fit to hold the Ceremony, that we may keep simple, and perverse men from being Arrians? Princes do not use to lose any part of the honour which was once given them upon any occasion, and will not God look to have that honour maintain'd which was once laudibly ascrib'd vnto him by all mens confession? he cannot grow less to have his honour impair'd, howsoever there may be a mutability in occasi∣ons. I will end with St. Austins words, Hoc nomen salvatoris mei in ipso adhuc lacte ma∣tris cor meum pie biberat, my heart did drink in this name of Saviour with piety and reverence, even from my Mothers breasts. So much for the honour of imposition, the benefit of application, and that worship of reverence which is due to be done at the name of Saviour.

Now I may say I have built up the Tower in my Text, the strong Tower of Da∣vid our chief defence; that which remains is but the raising of the Walls, to compass it about: And you remember what we must deal with next, he comes so near unto us that he participates of our nature, Salvator natus, he is a Saviour that is born: born might the Shepherds say? what an Infant whose mouth was not yet opened, so that an Angel spake for him? can this be that wonderful one ye talk of, that shall deliver us? Ecce venit equitans, that had been more probable to be be∣liev'd; behold he cometh riding, though it were in despicable humility, Beheld he cometh riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass: But to be born an Infant, though it were his diminution, it was our glory and exaltation. He was born and made like unto us in all things, sin only excepted; not to give us a natural life, such as he took after our image, but to make us partakers of his Divine Excellen∣cy, that as we have carried the image of the earthly, we might carry the image of the hea∣venly. We rejoyce at the birth of our own children; the Psalmist calls them ar∣rows in our quiver, as if they were the might of our strength: Yet alas for their birth it would be unto nothing but eternal sorrow, unless it were for the Incarnati∣on of this Infant in my Text, we might curse the day wherein we were born, with Job, and wish the day quite blotted out with Jeremy, but that we cast off our for∣mer birth as it were, and begin our life again at Baptism in the name of our Sa∣viour.

How wisely the Almighty doth fold one work in another, and one counsel in an∣other to perfect the body of the Saints, is past our finding out. Yet it is sweet to enquire into the method of our salvation, and to ask after this mystery among others, why the Son of God would destroy sin in the nature of man? and why he would be born in the similitude of corruptible flesh, to gain for us an immortal in∣heritance? I must prefer St. Paul's reason in the first place, because it is direct Scri∣pture, Heb. iv. 15. We have not an High Priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. So that Christ as he was God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds, he knew our misery and infirmity; but as he was man of the substance of his Mo∣ther, born in the world, so did he feel our afflictions, and compassionate our in∣firmities: He knoweth whereof we be made, and remembreth that we are but dust. When the bones of the poor cleave to the skin in time of famine and scarcity, when the blood waxeth wan and pale with sickness, when the body is under the torments of a tyrant, in these extremities we may fly to Christ with boldness, and plead unto his mercies. O our Saviour that wert incarnate, thou thy self didst take a corruptible body into the unity of thy person, the chastisement of our peace was upon thy flesh; thou knowest what we are able to suffer, thou knowest our weakness and our frailty.

As for other causes why he would be conceiv'd in the womb of a mortal woman, and be born to be a Saviour, I will briefly go along with Damascen, who reduceth them to these four heads, that God might demonstrate the goodness of his Love, his Ju∣stice, his Wisdom, and his power.

1. To the first of these the heathen spake somewhat, but knew not well what they said, Amor Deum gubernat, amoris omne regnum est. Love did rule God him∣self, love swayed all things in the world: We know and admire the meaning, that the love of the Son turn'd the enmity of the Father into peace; it turn'd threatnings into forgiveness, and death into life. Poise every thing in a right scale, and mark the heavy weight of our undeservings, and the nature of man might stink in Gods nostrils, which had so much offended him to believe a Serpent; nay, to believe the Devil in a Serpent rather then the lively Oracle of his own mouth: Yet love took away that distastefulness, which the whole Trinity had con∣ceiv'd against sinful flesh; and the second Person became flesh for our sakes, and was made sin for our sakes; by imputation that we might be made sons, and righteous before God, nay, that we might be made the righteousness of God, Rom. v. The Athenians were proud of Pompey's love, that he would write his name a Citi∣zen of their City: for a princely person to accept a freedom in a mean Corpora∣tion is no little kindness; how much more doth it aggravate the love of Christ to come from heaven, and be made a Citizen of this vile earth, to be born after a more vile condition than the most abject of the people.

2. It is not so proper to say God did love us by Christ, for God is love, and in him∣self, and for his own goodness sake he could not but love the work of his hands;

but this is the true and proper understanding of it, that notwithstanding his love to his own justice through the merit of our Saviours humility he forgave us our sins; therefore his love toward mankind, and his love toward his justice went hand in hand, and could not be parted. He satisfied the vehemency of his love toward sinful man, that he gave his Son to be born of a Virgin, and to become our Mediator: he satisfied the love he hath to his own Justice, and the hatred he hath against sin, when he did impose this office of a Mediator upon his beloved Son, not without shedding of blood. Justice cried out it was meet mercy should not rule all; Adam and his posterity ought to dye, or who will answer for them? not an Angel or Spirit, and therefore not the Son of God as he is God; for God is a Spirit. Meet it is every one should bear his own burden: the nature that sinned let it bear the curse of its own sin. Mans nature had sinned, mans nature ought to suffer; but that which our nature should bear, our nature by a fit adequation of recompence could not bear. Our sufferings were not enough to satisfie the wrath of God due to sin. The Son of God is a most valuable person, but not passible: man is passible but not valuable: the one nature ought to suffer but could not, the other could suffer but ought not. That he might be liable to all contempt he was born a Savi∣our and made a child, that he might be able to pay the price; he was perfect God as well as perfect man, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.

3. Love and Justice are mightily declared, that a Saviour was born, and the eternal Wisdom of the Father comes in for her part to be magnified. It is beyond our understanding to say nay, but that the Father might have made a creature fit to satisfie his Justice, to have clearly paid the price of our Redemption, and so to have spared his Son: yea, but wisdom interpos'd, it was not fit that man should owe his redemption to any other, than to whom he owed his creation; for the value of that benefit would compel us to love our Redeemer, better than our Crea∣tor. So Bernard, Plus nos ad charitatem excitat redemptio quam creatio; Therefore God would not so dispose the mystery of our souls health, that occasion should be given to love an Angel or Saint, better than himself the King of Glory. The Son that sits at his right hand by whom he made the worlds, let him restore all things, and the blessing of our Creation, Redemption, and all other good gifts shall meet in one center. This is pretii difficilimi decentissima solutio, say the Schoolmen, a most conveni∣ent payment of a most difficult ransom.

4. The boundless power, and infinite virtue of the Godhead, I confidently pro∣nounce it, did never appear so much in any other work, as when a Saviour was born. He that knew no beginning, but was from all eternity, to begin to be a man; he that speaks to the world in thunder to cry in a cradle, Verbum infans: he that decketh himself with light as with a garment to be wrapt in swadling clouts, he that opens his hand, and filleth all things with plenteousness to suck for a few drops of milk at a womans breasts, we are able to answer nothing to this, but with the Angel to cry out, Rev. v. 12. Dominion and power to the Lamb, and to him that sitteth on the throne for evermore. And so far of the second point.

The next word to be consider'd in the Text is like the flesh-hook which the Priest had to draw a portion of the Sacrifice unto himself, To you a Saviour is born, says the Angel, Vobis natus, the good turn shall be yours, the blessing yours, you ought to be affected with joy at this wonderous work, for he is your Saviour. Tell the Shepherds that a Saviour is born, and they cannot but understand he is de nobis, like unto us in nature; but tell them, unto you a Saviour is born, that's a great deal more than they understand that he is born for their redemption. It is honourable to be made like us, but advantageous in the highest degree that he was made for us. Let us work upon this mine, and here we shall find the precious mettal, fit to pay the price of our debts to God in our steed when we were bankrupts.

First, we learn from hence, he was born to you, and not unto himself; to your glory, to his own abasement, and exinanition: for his own part he was begotten of God before all times, so noble a Nativity, that when the Father bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the Angels of God worship him, Heb. i. 6. Therefore for himself he needed no other birth to be born at all, especi∣ally to be thus basely born in the manger of a stable. He took a body as it were sown in dishonour, that we might reap the harvest, and be magnified: Likewise he is called a Saviour, not in respect of his own person; indeed he was his own destroyer, and our Saviour, when the High Priests servants sought to lay hold of him in the Garden; neither doth he go about to escape, or to deny himself: but

whom seek ye? I am he. No man would put himself into the hands of barbarous enemies that meant to be his own Saviour: all the salvation that he brought with him lookt another way, Titus ii. 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity.

Some few persons are culled out here, for all that shall be shielded under the buckler of this Saviour; unto you a Saviour is born, says the Angel, speaking only to the Shepherds; that's because no more were in the way: But to as many as read these words, and mark them, the word speaks continually, and is never silent; the message is as properly brought to you as ever it was to the Shepherds, to you a Saviour is born. The Prophet Isaiah allows him to all the Sons of Adam, that will lay claim unto him, unto us a Child it born, and unto us a Son is given, Isa. ix. 6. 'Tis a kind expression to rejoyce at the good news of another mans prosperity, 'tis in∣cident to a sweet nature to do so: And indeed if Angels were so enlightned with the gladsomness of our benefit, that when they had said it over, they could not choose but sing it also in the verses after my Text, Cum de aliena gratia Angeli exul∣tent, quae nostra est stupiditas? If the blessed Cherubims exult for the grace that we find in Gods eyes, what stupidness is in us, if our hearts do not triumph for glad∣ness? for the benefit flows unto us, and not unto the Angels. The Devils fretted and roared out against Christ, because he came into the world for mans sake, and not for their deliverance. Quid nobis & tibi? What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God? we renounce thee, Mat. viii. 29. The evil spirits rage that he is not theirs, the good Spirits of God rejoyce that his Father hath made him all ours, be∣ing secure of their own glorious estate; they triumph that we shall be exalted to the fellowship of their happiness.

Well then, to you he is born, not only to the Shepherds, but inclusive to all men; so you have heard in the former verse, his birth was gaudium omni populo, joy to all people; only they are excluded that exclude themselves by infidelity. Facit multorum infidelitas ut non omnibus nasceretur, qui omnibus natus est, says St. Ambrose, the infidelity of many (now infidelity is properly imputed to those within the Church, who had the means to believe and did not) the infidelity of many is a bar, that the Incar∣nation of Christ pertains not to all men, although he was born for all men. Every man therefore must strive so to love Christ, and to keep his Commandements, that he may feel the joy of this day particularly enter into his heart, and the Spi∣rit testifying to his spirit, unto me a Saviour is born. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, say the Greeks, it comes of the possessive, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Tuus, a Saviour restoreth every man to himself; for a sinner is lost not only to God, and the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven, but he is lost to himself, and to the comfort of a good conscience, until Christ restore him again to joy and peace within his own heart, that he may say to him∣self as Philip did to Nathanael,* 1.2 I have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Pro∣phets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, &c. Oportet uti nostro in utilitatem nostram, & de servatore salutem operari, says Bernard. Let us make our profit from that which is our own, and let every man collect his own salvation from his own Saviour, To you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings, Mal. iv. 2. The Sun enlightens half the world at once, yet none discern colours by the light but they that open their eyes; and a Saviour is born unto us all, which is Christ the Lord: but enclasp him in thine heart as old Simeon did in his arms, and then thou mayst sing his Nunc Dimittis, or Mary's Magnificat, My spirit rejoyceth in God my Sa∣viour.

The fourth thing to be consider'd, is, what early tidings the Shepherds had of our Saviours birth, hodie natus, I do not tell it to you, says the Angel, after a month, or after a week, go to Bethlehem and search, and ye shall find this is the first day that his Mother bore him, This day is born unto you in the City of David, &c. Before the blessed seed was promised, for a long while ye have had a state in rever∣sion, that Christ should come in the flesh to save his people from their sins; now the act is accomplished, ye have a state in being, enter upon your happiness and possess it, reckon from henceforth that you have your joy in hand, this day the great deliverer hath taken up a poor Palace in the City of David. According to a natural computation of days we forget the nights, though an Infant be brought forth in the still hours of darkness; yet from thenceforth we call it the Birth-day, and not the birth-night of such an Infant, In such accompts (I know not how) we speak of nothing but day, for that's the Dialect of the Kingdom of Heaven, where there is day for ever, and no darkness. So the Shepherds kept watch over their

flocks by night, and after the first hour the morning began, as the general conje∣cture runs, our Saviour was born; yet since a natural day comprehends darkness as well as light, the Angel was pleas'd to say, This day he is born. This is literal and to the plain meaning; yet I refrain not their allusions altogether, that say, the darkness was remov'd away by that radiant glory which shone round about the An∣gels, and that the night was as clear in those parts, as if the Sun had risen upon the earth: therefore upon the comfort of that miraculous illumination the messenger says, This day is born unto you. And David by some men is made to speak to this al∣lusion, Psal. cxxxviii. The night is as clear as the day; which was true, say they, at our Saviours Incarnation. Others take their liberty to guess, that good tidings make the night be called day, and sad tidings make the day be called night. Heavy misfortunes indeed have fallen out in the night, for the most part. Sennacheribi great host slain in the night, Thou fool this night thy soul shall be taken from thee: a threatning to the rich Epicure, yet it holds not always: But if Christ be the day-star, and his Birth turns night into day, it will become us as the Apostle says to walk as children of the light.

Curiosity hath gone too far in one question touching this part of my Text, why this late day was esteemed most expedient in Gods wisdom to send his Son in the flesh; four thousand years had almost expir'd, since the seed of the Woman was promised to bruise the Serpents head: and yet no sooner then hodie, say they, that will search in to all causes: the Angel said to day; but why he came punctually on that day, or in that year, he did not learn the Shepherds; nay, I speak it with modesty, I do not think he could teach himself: Therefore I recoil back from that nicety, and lay down my doctrine in this large lesson, it was expedient that many revolutions of years should run out from the promise of Christs Birth, unto the actual accomplishment. 1. So great a matter was worthy much expectation, [ 1] and many predictions of the Prophets. So St. Austin, Quanto major Judex veniebat,* 1.3 tanto praeconum series longior praecedere debebat, the greater the Judge that was to come, the greater troop of Harbingers and Apparitors should go before him. 2. His [ 2] Incarnation is fitted to the fulness of time, because it falls out equally to try their Faith, that should believe in Christ to come; and to try their Faith who ought to believe that he is come, that he is dead, and risen again, and ascended into glory. 3. Between the time of Adams disobedience, and the Birth of the Lamb [ 3] of God, a long space of years doth interlope, that man might have time enough to see, and feel his misery, before the medicine was made to apply unto his sore. 4. God is pleas'd to confer great honour upon our humane nature, at three extreme [ 4] distances; in the beginning of the world, toward the midst of it, and in the end of all things. In the first creation God made man after his own Image, so began our excellencies; then he made his own Son in the similitude of man, a long distance went between these two. Hereafter at the period of all things we are sure to have a glorified body, and that our mortal shall put on immortality. Now Christs Incarnation comes in the midst, because he is the center of all Gods mercies towards us. 5. The Jews, whom Christ above all others calls his own, (He came unto his [ 5] own, &c.) they did sustain at this time, and for some years had sustain'd a bondage under the Roman Conquest (perhaps it is our Saviours pleasure that a great part of the Church shall be under a Romish thraldom against his second coming.) But this bon∣dage was bitter to the Jews, even at this day, when Christ was born, Caesars taxes were very grievous: (for Mary being ready to lie down, was compell'd to come to Bethlehem to be taxed) now in this day of oppression, when the Jews, I believe, thought the yoke of captivity to be more intolerable than their sins, and that they wisht for a victorious champion to fight for them, then did God send them a greater Saviour than they wisht, or lookt for; not to acquit them from the Ro∣man Dominion, but from the pit of Hell. And this is all that can be modestly con∣jectured about the opportunity of time, &c.

This day is born unto you, and as near as we can observe the course of the year by Astronomical skill this was the very day; yet it is not that hodie of which the Angel spake unto the Shepherds: then is not this part of the Text utterly unappliable to us? no beloved, but appliable to us also in the nearest degree: for as we say of the sin of Adam, Actu transiit, manet reatus, the act past away at the first, but the guilt remains upon his posterity: so our Saviour was born upon one particular day which is past, but the merit and virtue of it is never past, but abides for ever. Wherefore to them that make the right use of this blessing, St. Paul says, it is out

of date at no time, but now is the acceptable time (now, when you will your self) now is the day of salvation. The Prophet Isaiah says the joy of this birth it like the joy of men in harvest; that's for the universality of all those that belong unto the field; but for the extension of time it is not for the season of harvest alone; but for all the year,* 1.4 not gaudium in annum, but gaudium in sempiternum. Not an harvest joy for the plenty of one year: but this is the bread of life, whose plenty rejoyceth the eartn unto all ages. It is as good news upon any day, as it was upon one day, says Bernard, that Christ is born. That day comes always anew to them that are renewed in the spirit of their mind; and he is born every day to them, in whose hearts he lives by Faith.

I must here cut off the circumstance of time, and because the Sacrament must have a time to be celebrated, I will speak but a few words upon the place and conclude. The Angel directs the Shepherds to the City of David, and thither did all the Scribes and High Priests direct Herod with full consent: Bethlehem of Judea was the place where Christ must be born, for so it was spoken by the Prophet. Now Bethlehem is that City of David. I know in the Old Testament the Tower of Sion is sometimes called the City of David, a strong fortress in Jerusalem which David built to curb the Jebusites; but that famous Metropolis of Jerusalem had no∣thing to do with this birth: Little Bethlehem is here called the City of David, where David was born. Take notice I pray you that the Angel could have call'd it Beth∣lehem, to take away all mistaking; but it makes more to the matter to shew that Christ came of the house and lineage of David, which was foretold, Psal. cxxxi. Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy seat. And mark how it falls out agreeably, that Joseph and Mary came to no other Town but this to pay Tribute unto Caesar: Had they been only of the Tribe of Judah as David was, no nearer allied unto him, they might have gone up to many other Cities, much more famous than this to be taxed: but being of the stock of David, and indeed the nearest living in blood un∣to him, therefore they go up to no City but to Bethlehem, the City of David. And thus you see the Angel conferr'd with the Shepherds in such words as were very proper; they knew the place, it was the next at hand; they knew it belong'd to him that should be the Saviour of his people, who according to the Scriptures be∣long'd to David by blood, and to the City of David for his Country.

A poor caskenet to contain so great a Jewel. Thou Bethlehem, says the Pro∣phet Micaiah, the least among the Princes of Judah; yet big enough to contain the Prince of Heaven and Earth. Little Zoar, says Lot, and yet Zoar was big enough to receive him and his Children safe out of the fire of Sodom. Poor Bethlehem, which had but one Inn for strangers in it all it seems, and that of small capacity, which had no room, no by-corner for a woman to be delivered in, but only the manger of the stable. Mean Bethlehem, unless the Angel had spoke it, the Prophet foretold it, and the Star had shewed it to the Wise men, who would not have gain∣said that the Saviour of all men could be laid in such a Village? The Roman Hi∣storian made a marvail that so noble an Emperour as Alexander Severus was, could come out of Syria, Syrus Archisynagogus, as they call'd him in scorn. Behold that Emperour's Lord, comes not only out of Syria, but out of the homeliest corner in Syria, out of the despicable tributary City of David. And as it is in the next verse, not so well born as in the City; but natus in praesepi, born in a dunghil-stable, in Civitate, born in a City? what, a Citizen of this world? no, the words following correct it, he had no room given him among men, but among beasts, a pilgrim and a foreiner on earth; his Kingdom lay not here.

In a word for all. Joseph and Mary were a poor couple. Bethlehem, a little City, the stable a place of the meanest account in all that City, Shepherds of the lowest condition that were sent to visit him: all things were little, and humble about Christ at his Birth, that nothing might be proud and insolent, and vain-glorious about us, if we would be born the Sons of God: but alas how unconformable are we to this lowly fashion of our Saviour? the Feasts of many rich men are for pomp, to let as rich as themselves see their munificence, and not for charity to the poor, who stand in need of refreshment. Apparel superlatively costly, most vain, and most effeminate; how generally it is to be seen upon all peoples shoulders, to what excessive bravery is the pride of the whole Kingdom rais'd in less than the revolu∣tion of thirty years, not only in this luxurious City, but in little Bethlehem, in every village of the field. But I am sure the costly pride of the LandLords appa∣rel shall make the poor Tenant humble: Bethlehem the house of bread, the poor

Farmers grange shall be made small enough, with these new invented expences. And where men are become lovers of themselves altogether, not lovers of God, not lovers of the publick weal, not lovers of the poor members of Christ; in these there is no fruit to be seen of true humility. What a revenue it would be to help the needy, if the tenth of Christmas gaming and dicing were bestowed up∣on them; yet they that will not give a shilling to the hungry are free enough to dice a pound. Perdere norunt, donare nesciunt, Men know how to be loosely wasteful, but not wisely liberal. Among lawful and good pastimes of this Festival time, it is strange that dicing is crept in among them. The miscreant Souldiers that crucified Christ cast lots, which some interpret to be throwing the Dice for his garments (gene∣rally it is so painted) more likely therefore to be a sport for them that keep a Feast for joy that Christ was crucified, than for joy that Christ was born. Beloved, let the greatest part of your Christmas joy be according to the Angels pattern; first as∣cribing glory to God, then some friendly pastimes may resemble peace, and joy on earth; but put off all strife, debate, and envy; so you shall observe good will to∣wards men: but at every turn remember the little City of David, remember humi∣lity. Bethlehem honora parvam quae te inducit in paradisum, says Nazianzen. Make ho∣nourable esteem of little Bethlehem, of lowliness and humility, and that will bring you into Paradise, into the Kingdom of Heaven, where the Lamb of God, this day born in the flesh, sits upon the Throne for evermore. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Acts xviii. 15.
• * 1.2

  John i. 41.
• * 1.3

  Tractat. in Jo 31.
• * 1.4

  Bern. Serm. 6. in Nativ.