are his thoughts and ways higher than ours. And when the obstinate wickedness of sinful creatures doth, as it were, force and extort punishment from his hands, what reluctancy, what unwillingness doth he express to this work; this strange and unnatural work, as himself seems to term it? How shall I give thee up, O Ephraim? How shall I give thee up? O that my people had hearkened unto me, that Israel had known my ways! O Jerusalem! O Jerusalem! &c.

Again, as God waiteth patiently for our reformation, so he doth make use of many methods and means to bring us unto it. He hath published the gospel through the world, and brought down the knowledge of it to our days, in spite of all the opposition of devils and men. He hath established a church, and appointed a whole order of men, whose peculiar calling and business in the world is, to take care of peoples' souls, to instruct them in the way to heaven, and as ambassadors in Christ's stead, to beseech them to be reconciled unto God. These are some of his common mercies: but who can express that favour and love which he showeth to his own, to those blessed persons whom he chooseth, and causeth to approach unto himself, when he rescueth them from the vanity of their conversation, and that pollution which is in the world through lust; when he mouldeth their souls unto a conformity with himself, and stampeth his blessed image upon them; when he visiteth them with his Holy Spirit, and filleth their heart with those hidden pleasures which none can understand but those that feel them! A stranger intermeddleth not with their joy. And yet even these are but the earnest of that great felicity for which he hath designed us; those joys that are at his right hand, those pleasures that endure for evermore. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for those that love him. And it doth not yet appear what we shall be. Meanwhile, those small and imperfect discoveries which are made to us in the holy Scriptures of that inconceivable happiness, are enough to overwhelm us with admiration and wonder. To think

that the blessed day is coming, when we shall be loosed from these dull and lumpish bodies; those sinks of corruption, diseases, and pains; those prisons and dungeons of our heaven-born souls; and, being clothed with robes of light and glory, shall get above the clouds, and all those storms and tempests which are here below; and be carried into those blessed regions of calmness and serenity, of peace and joy, of happiness and security; when we shall come unto the innumerable company of angels, and the general assembly of the church of the first-born, and the spirits of just men made perfect; and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant; there to behold the glory of God, and all the splendour of the court of heaven; to view and contemplate that infinite power which created the world, that unsearchable wisdom which ordereth all things, that unspeakable goodness which exerteth both; nay, so to see God as to become like unto him; and beholding with open face the glory of the Lord, to be changed into the same image, from glory to glory: to receive the continual illapses of the divine goodness, and the constant expressions of his favour and love; and to have our own souls melted and dissolved into the flames of reciprocal affection, and that fire fed and nourished by uninterrupted enjoyments: in a word, to be continually transported into ecstasies and raptures, and swallowed up in the embraces of eternal sweetness, and to be lost, as it were, in the source and fountain of happiness and bliss! Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? or the son of man, that thou makest such account of him? and that thou shouldst set thine heart so much upon him? Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Amen.

ON THE NATIVITY OF OUR SAVIOUR.

PSALM II. 11. the latter part.

Rejoice with trembling.

THE observation of festivals being one of those balls of contention which have been tossed so hotly in the religious debates of this unhappy age, it may perhaps be expected, that we should begin with a vindication of this day's solemnity from the exceptions that are wont to be taken against it; and that the one half of our sermon should be spent in apology for the other. But I hope we may well enough spare the pains, and employ the time to better purpose. For you who are assembled in this house are persuaded, I trust, of the lawfulness of your own practice; and we cannot direct our speech to those that are absent from it. And really it were to be wished, that there were less noise and debate about matters of this nature; and that, being agreed in the more substantial parts of religion, we did all charitably acquiesce in that excellent advice of the Apostle, which he giveth in a parallel instance, Let not hiin that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth. And then, as we shall not abate any thing of that love and reverence which we owe to the piety and truth of those who differ from us in so small matters, so we might hope they would not be hasty to condemn us, if in compliance with the practice of the ancient church, and the present constitution of our own, we take the occasion of this season, with thankfulness, to remember the greatest benefit that ever was conferred on the children of men, and at this time perform that service which can never be unseasonable. However, I am confident it is both more hard and necessary to rectify and amend the

abuses of this solemnity, than to justify the right observation of it; to vindicate it from the dishonour of some of its pretended friends, than to defend it from all the assaults of aggressors: and accordingly we shall make it our work to persuade you to such a deportment on this festival, as may best suit with the holy life and religion of that person whose nativity we commemorate.

The text which we have chosen may seem somewhat general, but yet it is easily applicable to the present occasion; especially if we remember, that it is an inference drawn from a prophecy, which, though it had its literal completion in the establishment of David's throne, yet it was, in a mystical and a more sublime sense, fulfilled in the incarnation and kingdom of the Messiah; as the Apostle in several places informeth us: For to which of the angels hath he said at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? Whence he infers, that the angels themselves are inferior to Christ, of whom this was spoken. The only difficulty of the words lieth in the strange conjunction of these passions, joy, and extreme fear, which trembling seems to import; bat this will be more fully cleared in the sequel of our discourse. Meanwhile ye may observe, that both these words, fear and trembling, are used in the text, and, in the scripture-phrase, usually import humility, and diligence, solicitude and caution, and the fear of displeasing, as being the most proper qualifications of our obedience, either to God or man. Thus are we commanded to work out our salvation with fear and trembling; and servants are commanded to obey their masters with fear and trembling: so the Corinthians are said to have received Titus, being sent to them, with fear and trembling; and Chrysostom saith of the angels, that they assist with fear and trembling. All which places do import such care and diligence, as are very necessary and reconcilable to cheerful service. Reverence, and fear to offend, will be happily joined with holy joy in the performance of our duty; there being nothing more pleasant, than to serve him diligently whom we reverence, and fear to displease. Thus

much for explication. The text is too short to be divided into many parts, but doth naturally fall asunder into two; the former exciting and encouraging our joy; the latter qualifying and moderating the same. First, we are allowed, yea, and commanded to rejoice; and then we are cautioned to do it with trembling. And accordingly our discourse shall run in these two heads; first, to exhort you to cheerfulness and joy; then to set the right bounds and limits to the same: and, having done this in general, we shall endeavour to draw both these home to the present occasion.

To begin with the first: Joy and cheerfulness are so far from being inconsistent with religion, when rightly ordered, that we find them many times allowed and recommended in Scripture. Thus in the last verse of the 32d Psalm, Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. And in verse 1. of the next Psalm, Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright. So Psal. Ixviii. 3. Let the righteous be glad: let them rejoice before the Lord, yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Psal. cxlix. 5. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. And, that you may not think this a liberty proper only for the former dispensations, but that Christians are obliged to greater severity, the Apostle doth no less than three times give this admonition to the Philippians, Rejoice in the Lord; Rejoice always in the Lord; yea, I say, Rejoice. In relation to this perhaps it was, that the old hermit Palladius, having five hundred scholars, used never to dismiss them without this admonition, My friends, be cheerful; forget not, I beseech you, to be cheerful. This was the constant lecture he repeated, as often as St. John was wont to do these words, My little children, love one another.

None of our natural inclinations were made in vain; and joy is neither a useless nor a small passion; but, if rightly ordered, may become an eminent exercise of religion, as proper a concomitant of thankfulness, as sorrow of repentance. Our devotion never soareth higher,