men to sacrifice the dictates of conscience and the approbation of heaven, to the empty applause of the world; that avidity of gain which stimulates them to acts of injustice, and renders them insensible to the cries of the distressed;-that sensuality which hurries them into all the excesses of brutal intemperance, and lustful gratification. Such, my friends, are the principal obstacles which it behoves you to surmount in your journey to eternity. Courage! my friends. The Saints-the Saints have surmounted them before you. Courage! Let the view of their transcendent happiness spur you on to similar exertions of heroic fortitude. God is for you. Of what consequence is it who is against you?

Nor should the dread of extraordinary difficulties attending the imitation of the example of the Saints be a discouragement to you. They are by no means so great as you may apprehend them to be. Not half so great as those which worldlings have to encounter in pursuit of the objects of their earthly interest. You have nothing to fear from human malignity, nothing from the rivalship of competitors, nothing from the vicissitudes of fortune. And in the midst of all their difficulties the Saints would not have exchanged those secret comforts which they derived from the practice of virtue for all the boasted satisfactions which the world affords. You are not to suppose, my friends, that in order to walk in the footsteps of the Saints you are required to perform uncommon austerities, to bury yourselves in solitude, or even to deny yourselves a temperate

enjoyment of innocent pleasures. "Sanctity," observes an illustrious prelate* of our own nation, "does not consist in much fasting, or in wearing hair shirts, or in taking disciplines, or in reciting long prayers, or in any other extraordinary practices or observances: all which, however good in themselves, have been found in hypocrites, or in such as have been all the while, slaves to pride, self-love, and passion." No, my friends; the spheres of your virtues lie principally within the compass of your respective conditions. To those belong duties which it were sinful in you to neglect. And it is by discharging them faithfully from the pure motive of the love of God that you will most effectually promote your present sanctification and your future happiness.

Cultivate then, my friends, cultivate and cherish to the utmost of your abilities this sublime motive of the love of God, in the general tenor of your conduct. Let it preside habitually, by its predominant influence, over all your thoughts, words, and actions, as it did over those of the servants of God, and you may rest assured, that your petitions for their intercession will be effectual, that your pious tributes of respectful homage will be acceptable to them, and that you will be hereafter admitted to a participation of their everlasting glory and happiness, in the kingdom of heaven.

* Bishop Challoner's Meditations.

SERMON VIII.

FESTIVAL OF THE NATIVITY OF
JESUS CHRIST.

THE LOVE DISPLAYED TO MANKIND IN THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD; AND THE CORRESPONDING RETURN WHICH IT DEMANDS ON THEIR PART.

GOSPEL. Luke, c. ii. v. 1—14. And it came to pass that in those days there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus; that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus the governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife who was with child. And it came to pass that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the nightwatches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them, and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them: Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For this day is born to you a SAVIOUR, Who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you: You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of good will.

THE Gospel read in the first mass of this day's festival opens with an account of the journey of St. Joseph in company with the Virgin Mary his es

poused wife, then in a state of pregnancy, to Bethlehem, the city of David; to which, as descendants from that royal personage, they both repaired, for the purpose of being there enrolled in compliance with a decree of Augustus Cæsar the Roman Emperor. "And it came to pass that in those days there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled." It then proceeds to disclose to us the affecting scene-which occurred on their arrival at the place of their destination-of the holy Virgin, now become a mother, clothing with her own hands, the tender limbs of her new-born child, and reduced, for want of better accomodations, to the hard necessity of depositing him in a manger. "And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." But this touching exhibition was shortly followed, as we learn from the sequel, by another of a very different description. It was the dead of night. All nature was hushed in profound, and, as it might seem, attentive silence. The listless inhabitants of Bethlehem and its vicinity had consigned their cares to a temporary oblivion in the arms of repose, save a few shepherds, "who," as the gospel goes on to state, "were watching and keeping the nightwatches over their flock. And behold an Angel of the Lord stood by them, and the bright

ness of God shone round about them, and they feared with a great fear. And the Angel said to them: fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people; for this day is born to you a Saviour who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you: you shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger." No sooner had the heavenly messenger delivered the glad tidings than he was joined by an army of angelic spirits; and they chanted together, in solemn chorus, the praises of God, who, by the incarnation of his beloved Son, having, in the words of the psalmist, caused "justice and peace to kiss," (PSALM 1XXXV. v. 10.) had graciously rendered his own glory compatible with his reconciliation to the human race. "And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying: glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of good will."

Never was the silence of the midnight hour more cheerfully interrupted,-never to the throne of God ascended a more acceptable tribute of religious homage,-never was the heart of man gladdened with tidings more exhilarating and important than on the present occasion. Now were all the types and predictions of the old law relative to the arrival of Israel's great deliverer declared to be accomplished. Now was announced to the world the long-lookedfor object of the most earnest sighs and ardent expectations of the just of ancient times. Now was com

K