ment of our Debt, the one brings the Oar, the other stamps it, and makes it valuable: And by this Means likewife, Satisfaction is made unto Juftice in the fame Nature that finned; for as Man of fended, fo Man alfo is punifhed; the fame which made the Forfeiture, makes the Redemption: For as by Man came Death, by Man came alfo the Refurrection of the Dead, I Cor. 15. 21. The fame which was fhamefully foil'd,doth now most gloriously overcome; Heb. 2. 14. Forafmuch as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood, he also himself took part of the fame, that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death, that is, the Devil.

Fifthly, The Birth of Chrift glorifies the infinite Purity and Holiness of God. When God formed the first Adam, he drew upon him the Lineaments of his own Image. And because Holiness is the most illuftrious part of this Image, his Almighty Creator imprefs'd upon him that beft Refemblance, that he might be a vifible Type of his infinite Purity to all the World. But Sin having despoiled Mankind of that Glory, the best having but fome few Strictures, and weak Glimmerings of it reftored unto

them in their Renovation; God was pleased to raise up a fecond Adam, who fhould be not only finless, but impeccable, and to exhibit him unto the World as the most perfect Representation of his own Holiness. And therefore his Birth must be miraculous, that it might be pure. His extraordinary Conception preferved him. from Original Sin; and the Hypoftatical Union, together with the unmeasurable Unction of the Holy Ghoft, from all Actual. And though Jefus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World (as Luther with no bad Intent made bold to call him) by Imputation; yet had he no Sin either of Nature or of Practice inherent in him. He made him Sin for us, who knew no Sin, 2 Cor. 5. 21. And he did no Sin, neither was Guile found in his Mouth, 1 Pet. 2. 22. And this that he might be to us, not only an Example of unspotted Sanctity, but also a perfect Idea of the infinite Purity of God.

Sixthly, and Laftly, The Birth of Jefus Christ most eminently glorifies the infinite Love and Mercy of God towards Sinners. So very dear were our Souls to God, that when he faw us lie forlorn in our Sin and Misery, forfeited to his Ju

ftice expofed to his Curfes, and liable to his eternal Wrath, he was pleased to commiferate our wretched Condition, and to fend his only begotten Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem us who were under the Curfe and Malediction of the Law. O Miracle of Love and Mercy! that God fhould fend his Son out of his Bofom, to lay Sinners in it; that he should abafe him, to exalt us make him the Son of Man, that we should be made the Sons of God! Well might our Saviour himself speak admiringly of this infinite Love, John 3. 16. So God loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him fhould not perish, but have Everlasting Life.

This is that unspeakable Love which we this Day celebrate. And certainly if the holy Angels, who are not fo immediately concerned in the Birth of a Saviour, of a Redeemer, yet exult in the glorious Day of his Nativity fhall not our Hearts be diftended with a rapturous Joy, fince all our Hopes and Happiness is wholly founded in the Incarnation of our bleffed Lord? Shall Heaven rejoice when it stoops, and Earth not rejoice when it is exalted? Shall the bieffed Spi

rits above be more concerned out of Charity, than we our felves are out of Intereft? This is a Stupidity unworthy of a Christian. This either proceeds from a wretched Contempt of the inestimable Benefits Chrift hath procured us by his coming into the World; or a guilty Consciousness that we shall have no Share in them. For Shame therefore, let us with raised Hearts and Voices this Day eccho back unto the Celestial Quire, Glory to God in the Highest.

Only let us beware, that we do not difhonour God while we pretend to glorifie him. It is very fad to confider, that as Chrift's Birth hath been the Cause of the Salvation of many a Soul, fo Christmás hath been the Occafion of the Damnation of many. The Rude and Ignorant look upon it only as a Time of Mirth and Loofenefs; and when they have gotten Liberty from the honest Labour and Works of their Callings, employ it only in the Works of the Devil. Suf fer me to fpeak plainly, what through Rioting and Drunkenness, and Revelling, and Gaming, and fuch like Exceffes, the Name of Chrift hath been greatly dif honoured, under a Pretence of honouring

his

his Birth. What, Sirs, do you believe that Chrift came into the World to give you a fair Occafion to eat to Gluttony, to drink to Drunkenness, to fwear up all Hell? Are not these fome of the Sins that he came into the World to deftroy? And will you make him the Patron of your Wickedness, who came on Purpofe to redeem you from it? This is to entertain Hell, and keep a Feaft to the Devil; and as those infernal Spirits howl'd at the Birth of our Saviour, fo to make them rejoice and triumph at the Annual Return of it. I have fomewhere met with a Story of Busbequ. a Turkish Ambaffador, who was fent to one of the greatest Courts in Chriftendom, when he returned Home to his Mafter, and was by him examined what Customs the Chriftians obferved, made this Anfwer, That for twelve Days in the Year all the Chriftians ran mad. His Obfervation was but too true, and too much to the utter Disparagement of Christian Religion; and that general Profaneness which ufually rages and abounds at this Seafon, may make it questionable, whether there be not more Wickedness committed in thofe Twelve Days, than in all the Twelve Months

after.

Ep. 3.

P. 168.