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sufficient to prevent a sound mind from drawing this conclusion from the natural suggestions of conscience, and from the general appearance of the divine administration; yet doubts upon this subject may very naturally intervene; and it is worthy of the Father of men to give his children more positive assurances that such is the rule of his government. I need not occupy your time with proving that this is most am ply done in the religion of Christ.

In the last place, our Saviour "showed the Father" in his mercy. The mercy of God, we may suppose from nature, will be vouchsafed to all men who turn from the evil of their ways; but this, too, is doubtful; and the trembling conscience of the repentant sinner requires to be assured. Need I point out how admirably this is effected in the religion of the Master whom we serve; how eager he expresses himself, on all occasions, to call in the wandering into his fold; how ready the Father is, he assures us, to forgive and to receive on the first symptoms of penitence! The whole system of Christianity, indeed, is founded upon this single idea. Repentance, and its happy effects, was the first doctrine which our Saviour taught, and the last doctrine, the efficacy of which he sealed with his blood upon the cross.

Much more, my brethren, might be added to these important discussions; but I must now leave the whole subject to your own meditations. The imperfect observations which I have made are, however, I trust, sufficient to point out some circumstances in Christianity which ought to render it a subject of much more attention than it is usual with many to bestow upon it. In

the course of these observations, I have confined myself entirely to general views, nor have I been anxious to hold out any one system of Christian belief as preferable to every other. It would be conducive, I believe, to the interests of their common faith, if, throwing aside all points of doubtful disputation, Christians of every denomination would fix their eyes with undivided attention on the great leading fact which runs through all their creeds, that Fie in whose name they are baptized, is the pillar of fire given them to direct their course through the night and the wilderness of mortality; "the sun of righteousness, who has risen with healing in his wings," upon the darkness of their nature,-in one word, "the Christ, the Son of the living God, whose," and whose only, "are the words of eternal life."

In a former discourse, I took occasion to express my regret that the voice of nature should ever utter language which is not heard, or that any men, especially those whose reputation for science has bestowed upon them a character of authority, should fall under the possible suspicion that, in examining the works of the Divine hand, they can be blind to the discovery of Him by whom these works are formed. I now express a similar regret, that any of those whose names are distinguished for letters or genius, should ever have written or spoken disparagingly of revelation; and it is with a feeling of horror that I look to the fatal effects their wild and unthinking infidelity has produced in the world. How often, alas! have they offended, not one, but many of these little ones; and how often in our day, as in the hour of crucifixion, must he whom they denied, have addressed his Father in the memorable words, "Father

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forgive them, for they know not what they do." All I can add, my brethren, is to warn the young, that. while they read the writings of these eminent men, they should be on their guard against the poison contained in them calling to their recollection, that "wide is the gate, and broad is the way which leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; but strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which returneth unto life, and few there be that find it."

SERMON VII.

THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST.

ST. MATTHEW, ii. 11.

"And when they were entered into the house, they saw the young child, with Mary his mother."

AT this season*, my brethren, our attention is naturally turned to the consideration of those circumstances which the evangelists have related respecting our Lord's nativity. They are few in number; but it is impossible to imagine any more beautiful and interesting. How much solemnity in the salutation of the holy virgin by the " angel, who came unto her and said, Hail! thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. When she saw him (continues the evangelist), she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And behold thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and

* Christmas.

he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

The vision of angels which appeared to the shepherds at the time of our Lord's birth, is another circumstance of inimitable beauty. "There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

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My text is taken from the account of another incident, not less striking than any of those already mentioned, and which marks, perhaps, in still stronger colours, the universal importance of that event which was then transacting in the world: the account I mean of the journey undertaken by the wise men from the east, in search of that prince whose approaching birth they had been taught to expect, and guided by the star, which led them on rejoicing, till it brought them to the place where he was found.

The beauty and solemnity of these miraculous occurrences are greatly enhanced by the plain and homely character of the natural appearances with which they are contrasted, and with which, at the same time, they so harmoniously combine. The mighty event which called down an angel of God to visit the virgin solitude of

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