Bethlehem was a poor place, and probably had but one; but every village in the East has at least one of these Caravansarais as they are called; square rough buildings for receiving the caravans of travellers, with a large upper room where they can lodge, and with space below for their camels and beasts of burthen. Bethlehem was at this time thronged with those summoned for the census, most of whom appeared more important personages. The royal, holy family could find no place in the room above. They were crowded out, and so were content to shelter themselves from the wintry night in the stable or shed beneath. There was the Lord of all born, and drest by His Virgin Mother as best she could. Humble indeed the circumstances of His birth; a small village, a mean lodging, scanty furniture! "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus; who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." But The Son of David found no room in the city of David. "And is it not so still? We find room for all other things; yet no room is found for Christ."4 Little thought that mighty Roman emperor that his decree was helping forward the fulfilment of a Jewish prophecy. What was a small village in one of his distant provinces, or this infant heir of forgotten David, to one who held at its height the empire of the world! But what more consolatory proof can we have that He became one of us when the Lord of all deigned to be numbered amongst us! So He is not ashamed to call us brethren. Being a man, nothing that concerns man is a matter of indifference to Him."

2

"It was the winter wild."— Milton's Ode on the Nativity.

seem

The swaddling clothes mentioned, not only for the reason assigned in the eloquent Homily attributed to Cyprian (" mother she is and midwife"), but with reference to v. 12 below. Possibly the Galilæan mode of swaddling differed, as its dialect, from

that of Judæa, and so might be a sign to the shepherds.

3 Cyprian de Nativ.

A Plain Commentary. 5 Heb. ii. 11.

6 So the famous passage in Terence (Heauton, i. 1–25) applauded by Cicero (de Off. i. 9) and by St. Augustine.

XX.

THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST MADE KNOWN TO THE SHEPHERDS.

St. Luke ii. 8-14.

And 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 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 this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 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.

1

These shepherds seem to have been honest folk, "not slothful in business." Having probably placed all the sheep together in one fold, or large stone enclosure, as was the custom in the East, they were "keeping watch over their flock by night," to guard them from the wolves and other beasts of prey which infest those parts, and which prowl chiefly in the night. But their night is turned into day.3 There was a blaze of Divine light; an Angel, the same probably who was employed before, comes upon them; and they are sore afraid. But the first word of the Heavenly Messenger is meant to re-assure them. "Fear not," he says as before. Three times we have this "Fear not"; for at a message from heaven the first impulse of conscious sinners. is to fear. But his message is one of great joy, not only to them and their nation, but to all people. To them, representatives of the human race, in the very place which their

1 Prov. xxii. 29.

"The pastoral spirits first, &c."— The Christian Year, Christmas Day. 2 Ps. civ. 20.

4

3 Ps. cxxxix. 10. Pr. Bk. Version.

St. Luke i. 19, 26.

St. Luke i. 13, 30; ii. 10.

5

prophets had foretold, was born that day a Saviour; the long looked for Messiah; the anointed prophet, priest, and king; the second Adam; the Lord from heaven. And he gives them a sign whereby they might discover Him among other babes in Bethlehem; for not in His glorious majesty, but in great humility,3 He now is found. And now, forthwith appear a vast number of the heavenly army,* ranging round their leader, like troops attending some high ambassador; and they burst into that "sudden blaze of song,' that first Christmas carol, which the Church has adopted into her highest act of worship, when at the end of every Eucharist is said or sung, "Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, good will towards men!" This "on earth peace remits us to the recent prophecy of the father of the Baptist. For however, through the self-will of man, the effect was too often "not peace on earth, but a sword";" still this was the gracious design of God, realised to all "holy and humble men of heart," "to guide our feet into the way of peace."

XXI.

THE SAME SUBJECT-continued.

St. Luke. ii, 15-20.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things,

11 Cor. xv. 47.

2 See p. 27 note.

Collect for the First Sunday in Advent.

Day.

In the original is a military term.
The Christian Year, Christmas

St. Matt. x. 34; St. Luke xii. 51.

and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

The band of Angels returned as soon as their errand was accomplished, the shepherds resolve with one consent to go forthwith to Bethlehem. They hasten thither; and they find Mary, mentioned here before her husband as was fitting, and Joseph honoured with this guardianship, and the Divine Babe in no better cradle than what some corner of that stable could afford. And they make known to the neighbours both what they had heard, and what they had seen, that memorable night. These shepherds are the first preachers of the Gospel. They cannot but speak the things which they have seen and heard.' But let us note the contrast between the conduct of the people in those parts, and the conduct of the Mother of our Lord. They "wondered," we are told; but she "pondered." What a great contrast is here! With them it was a nine-days' wonder; with her, the meditation of a lifetime. They doubtless gossiped about it, and gradually forgot it; but what did Mary? She "kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." What a perfect picture we have here! But what we, and womankind in particular, may learn from this feature, more than once recorded,3 of the Holy Virgin's character, is to follow, in all patient, quiet, thoughtful ways, her to whom "we owe this first pattern of Christian meditation."5 The shepherds return to their proper work in a proper spirit, imitating the Angels, and full of gratitude to God that what they had seen with their eyes agreed with what they had heard with their ears. They praise Him for "the sermon they had heard, the sign they had seen." "

Acts iv. 20.

2 It has been embodied in perhaps the noblest effort of the greatest artist the world has ever seen, the Madonna di San Sisto at Dresden.

3 St. Luke ii. 51.

4 It is dwelt upon by Latimer in his characteristic way (Sermon made at Beverly on Christmas Day):"She took not in hand to preach.

4

XXII.

THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST AND HIS
PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.

St. Luke ii. 21–24.

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

The rite of Circumcision was to the Jewish Church of old what the rite of Baptism now is to the Christian. That was the prescribed mode of entrance into the Old Covenant, as this is into the New. We are not indeed tied, as they were, to an exact day; but no child of Adam can now claim to be within the Covenant till he has been baptized, as before he could not so claim till he had been circumcised.1 Christ our Lord, though free from that original or birth sin which affects all the offspring of Adam,2 though He alone was without sin, yet (as He came to fulfil all righteousness) submitted to circumcision. Then He became "obedient to the Law for man.' The Blessed Virgin, in like manner, on the fortieth day after the birth of her Divine Child, goes to Jerusalem; to present Him, as the Law commanded, to the

4

13

"Certainly His being circumcised at eight days' old, doth make much more for the dedicating of the seed of the faithful by Baptism in their infancy, than His being baptized at thirty years' old doth for the deferring of it till they are grown up. The change of the ceremony alters not the substance."-Henry.

2 Art. ii. Of original or birth sin,

and xv. Of Christ alone without sin.

3 Collect for the Circumcision of Christ. Gal. iv. 4, 5. "By this first effusion of His blood, He exercises the office of a Saviour at the same time that He takes the name. How adorable are these first-fruits of His pains!" -Quesnel.

Lev. xii. 2-4.