A Century of Sermons, Sermon 5
THE FIFTH SERMON UPON THE INCARNATION.
LUKE ii. 10.
Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which ſhall be to all people.
Serm. 6. de Nativ. Dom.IN the ſame Text where we ended the old year, let us begin the new, Jeſus Chriſt laſt year, and this year, and the ſame for ever. To ſpeak of our Saviours Nativity, ſays Bernard, is as new at theſe days as it was in the firſt Twelfth-tide after he was born. Semper novum eſt quod ſemper innovat mentes, nec unquam vetus eſt quod fructificare non ceſſat. That's juſtly eſteemed a new meditation which prepares us to newneſs of life; neither can we ſay a tree grows old by ſtanding long in the ſoil, which fructifies continually as much as ever it did before. In the imagination of our Faith Chriſt ſeems to be offered up again ſo often as we remember his Death and Paſſion in the Sacrament: ſo he ſeems as verily to be born again ſo often as we do faithfully annuntiate his Incarnation. Once we have done that work already in the day it ſelf; the time is not yet expired which belongs to that Solemnity: now we are come once more to the ſame buſineſs to diſpatch it, that you may ſee the difference between the antiquation of the Old Law plucking out the ſting of fear, and the publication of the new Covenant the Goſpel which breaths unſpeakable gladneſs. Firſt, I have preacht upon theſe words how we ſhould purge out the old leaven of diſtruſtful fear, now I come to ſhew what it is to have a new heart created full of ſpiritual joy.
I obſerved unto you upon the whole verſe, that as much might be ſaid from hence to extol the benefit which we receive by Chriſts Nativity, as is uſually delivered to expreſs that everlaſting felicity which we ſhall enjoy with God in the higheſt Heavens, to that beatitude of the Saints, ſay the Schoolmen very rightly, two things muſt concur, Omnis miſeria excluditur, omne deſiderium expletur: All miſery ſhall be excluded from our happy eſtate, and all our deſires fulfill'd. And both theſe two are moſt remarkable in this Angelical Congratulation: Firſt, the depulſion or ſending of all manner of evil and miſery from our bleſſed eſtate in theſe words, The Angel ſaid unto them, fear not. Secondly, The incluſion of all thoſe joys and ſolaces that can be askt, that's laid open in Evangelizo, Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which ſhall be to all people. Privatively the meſſenger caſhier'd all diſcomfort, nay, poſitively he brought great comfort, which twain put together make up the complement of our final beatitude, and are both deduced from the bleſſing of the Incarnation of our Lord and Saviour Chriſt. The firſt general branch wherein the Angel promis'd a deliverance, or award from all manner of evil that might make the Shepherds ſorrowful, I have done with that, and there I leave it. I come now to the ſecond general branch which abounds much above the former, where not only evil is diſpell'd, but a chearful benediction ſucceeds in the place, Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which ſhall be to all people. Wherein that no title may be loſt of ſuch heavenly comfort, firſt, note the Angels Trumpet, with which he proclaims his errand, Ecce, behold. Secondly, the errand conſiſting in no leſs than ſeven branches of benediction. 1. Ecce ego, ſays the Angel, Behold I bring unto you; the tearms were much amended between Heaven and us, that the Angel came unto us upon a peaceable meſſage. 2. Ecce Evangelizo, he was no Lawgiver that was terrible, but an Evangeliſt. 3. The ſweet air of the Goſpel hath ſome harſh tidings, to take up the croſs and endure unto blood, and death; but theſe were tidings of joy. 4. Joys are of ſeveral ſizes, this is a great one, nay, none ſo great. 5. Joys, and great ones are quickly done; this is gaudium quod erit, joy that ſhall be, and continue. 6. A man may be a conduit-pipe to tranſmit joy to others, and have no benefit himſelf; this is gaudium vobis, joy to you, to every ear that hears it. 7. A good nature would not engroſs a bleſſing, but deſires to have it diffuſed; and ſo was this, Gaudium omni populo, joy to all people. And of theſe ſeverally as I have put them in a rank.
Before the Law was delivered at Mount Sinai, the voice of a Trumpet was heard in the Camp of Iſrael, which ſounded long, and waxed lowder and lowder, Exod. xix. 19. A Trumpet was a ſign of hoſtility, and of warlike preparation. The Law indeed came like an enemy to condemn us, for we were not able to ſtand before it; but Chriſt, who was the end of the Law, made way to his own manifeſtation by the articulate voice of an Angel, as if it had been the voice of a man, to intimate that the Prince of Peace was approacht near unto us, ecce, behold. Out of which word ſtanding in this place I note three things, admiration, demonſtration, and attention. 1. Ecce, ſee and admire this is the greateſt wonder that ever was. Name any thing unto me that ever was made, and I am confident to ſay this is ſtranger to mans apprehenſion than any thing that ever was made, the Incarnation of the Son of God. If you love to caſt your eyes upon that which is miraculous, look this way, and ſee the greateſt miracle that ever was brought to light. In the beginning was the word, and no word can utter how it was made fleſh in time. The eternal Creator was made man of the ſubſtance of a woman, and yet his hands did make and faſhion the ſubſtance of his Mother. The word by which the world was made became an Infant in the cradle, and could not ſpeak. He that bears up the pillars of the earth was born in the arms of Joſeph, and carried into Egypt. The Infinite Majeſty that hath made the bounds of heaven and earth, being himſelf without limits or circumſcription was bound with ſwadling clouts, and laid in a manger. It is not ſafe to proceed into many of theſe inquiſitions, leſt aſtoniſhment overwhelm us: St. Paul was wary, and came off thus from the wonderment thereof; Without controverſie great is the myſtery of godlineſs, 1 Tim. iii. 16.God was manifeſt in the fleſh: as who ſhould ſay, the Temple of Solomon had things of much ſecreſie within the Veil, the Ark, the Cherubims, the Propitiatory, the moſt Holy of Holies; the Church of the New Teſtament hath things as wonderful and myſterious as thoſe, arcana fidei, recluſe and admirable ſecrets of Faith, the manifeſtation of Chriſt in the form of man, Ipſi quoque Angelorum primati incognita, ſays Dionyſius, 2 cap. de Divin. Nom.the Primate of Angels in the triumphant Church is not able to ſound the depth of it. So then you ſee this word is a preface to an extraordinary miracle, ecce, behold.
Secondly, To cry out unto the Shepherds, behold, is an Adverb of Demonſtration; things hard by make us look towards them more than thoſe that are further off; we ſit ſtill and muſe upon that which we hope will come to paſs, but when we hear the bridegroom coming then we buſle and look out. The Prophet would not ſay barely, Thy King cometh, O Sion, but Ecce Rex tuus, behold thy King cometh. O what an alteration this was, when the inviſible God came to an ocular demonſtration; and though he be now aſcended up to Heaven, yet he hath left his Spirit in our hearts, that we may ſay with the Apoſtle, Dominus prope eſt, the Lord is at hand.Phil. iv. 5. And though the ſenſes of our body do not fix themſelves upon him, yet Faith will perceive him ſtrongly and certainly that he is truly preſent: Faith will aſſure it ſelf how he ſtands at the door and knocks, and how it hears his voice. Furthermore let this demonſtrative direction put you in mind to live ſo juſtly, and inoffenſively as if you did always behold God in the fleſh. Elias made the right uſe of this doctrine when he took an oath, Vivit Dominus in cujus conſpectu…ſto, as the Lord liveth in whoſe preſence I ſtand. Well ſays Rubanus upon it,2 Kings xvii. 1. the juſt Prophet demeans himſelf as one that ſtands in Gods preſence in this life, and he ſhall ſurely keep his rank in the ſame place in the life to come. Ecce natus, ſays the Angel, Behold the tidings of a Saviour, as if nothing elſe had been worth our conſideration: and how many be there that demean themſelves, as if they car'd not whether they heed it or no.
But thirdly, Ecce, behold, it doth not beg, but command attention: when the Lord ſends a meſſenger, is it not fit to note him diligently, and to ponder his ſayings in your mind? Philo ſays that thoſe two words of Moſes, Deut. xxvii. 9. Take heed and hearken O Iſrael are the ſum of all the precepts in the Law. Hearken O daughter and conſider, Pſal 45.incline thine ear, ſays David. What's this inclination of the ear? we cannot bow,Lorianus in 1. cap. Jac. or ſtir that part as we may the hand, and the knee, Aures hominum ſunt immotae, ut ſit velox ad audiendum, ſays one, the ears of man are not to be wagg'd and mov'd like the ears of a beaſt, to the end there may be no impediment in attention, but that he may be ſwift to hear. But he is ſaid to incline his ear, who hath a ſubmiſſive heart, and liſtens diligently to that which is ſpoken. If a frivolous tale, ſuppoſe the feigned pilgrimage of ſome Errant Knight be told us, every ſyllable ſhall be markt ſo heedily, that you will be able to repeat it, Conticuere omnes, intentique ora tenebant: But if God do ſend his ſervants to narrate his will and pleaſure, how many diſturbances ſhall they find in their relation of heavenly things? Sarah laught at the Angel, Pharoah chafed and interrupted Moſes, the Jews miſ-interpreted Chriſt himſelf, Gallio marks not a word that's ſaid, Eutyches ſleeps, the Athenians flout at Paul, and ſay what means this babler; who will take the pains to tell a meſſage any more to him that will abuſe it ſo neglectfully? and if God ſhould take away the preaching of his word from this people, let them thank themſelves who were ſo defective in all due and reverent attention. But, ſays John the Baptiſt, The Friend of the Bridegroom ſtandeth and heareth him, and rejoyceth greatly becauſe of the Bridegrooms voice, John iii. 29. And ſo much for this word behold, as it is a note of admiration, of demonſtration, and laſtly of attention. Behold I bring, &c.
Now the firſt of ſeven things which are remarkable in the meſſage, is that which hath met us often before in all the Texts upon this Goſpel, the conſideration of the perſon, that the Angel is ſent unto us upon a peaceable entreaty: Ecce ego, Behold I bring you good tidings. The children of men have ſo often provoked God to ſend Angels with a ſword of vengeance to the earth, that no doubt Gabriel was pleaſed to bring a welcome meſſage with him. A meſſenger cannot help it, if he come with ſorrowful news; and yet for the moſt part men will be diſpleaſed at ſuch a one, whoſe tongue doth bode diſcomfort and infelicity. Joab did tender the welfare of Ahimaaz the ſon of Zadok, 2 Sam. 18.20.when he would not let him be the firſt that ſhould certifie David how Abſalom was dead; ſays he, Thou ſhalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou ſhalt bear no tidings, becauſe the Kings Son is dead. Therefore if you mark it, Angels that came to inflict puniſhment, or to threaten ſome enſuing miſchief, came ſingle for the moſt part, or never above two at once; but to do a good office to men upon earth, to protect Eliſha from the Aramites, to annuntiate that the Meſſias was come into the world they came by troops, and multitudes; no leſs in this chapter then a multitude of the heavenly hoſt. There were three with Abraham in his tent to tell him that Iſaac the ſon of promiſe ſhould be born unto him of Sarah in their old age; and we cannot but take notice how one of the three vaniſht, and was gone when they went into Lot's houſe, to warn him that Sodom ſhould be deſtroyed with fire and brimſtone. How far are they from this Angelical benevolence, that gird other men with the remembrance of their miſfortunes, and inſult over their miſeries, as Shimei us'd David in his affliction? a curſe will fall upon them that love to be inſtruments to undo men, rather than to raiſe them up; that delight in the croſſes of their brother rather than in their conſolation. Miſerable comforters, as Job ſaid of his Friends, that powred vinegar into his wounds to vex them, not to heal them.
But theſe holy ones that are ſent from above delight to be the Embaſſadors of joy; the firſt of them all that I read of in holy Scripture came to adminiſter help, and ſuccor to the diſtreſſed; and that was the Angel that came to Hagar to chear up her drooping ſpirits, and to put her into the way of ſafety, when ſhe and Iſhmael the child were almoſt ready to periſh. And now one of them comes in my Text with good news to ſhew that a perfect friendſhip was made up between all parties, in this verſe between Angels and Men; for Ego Evangelizo, I come to rejoyce with you as a friend, I bring you good news. 2. A friendſhip between God and man; for a Saviour is born unto you which is Chriſt the Lord. 3. Friendſhip and amity between man and man, between Kingdom and Kingdom, between one Nation and another people, at the 14. verſe. On earth peace, and good will towards men. Yet when our ſins cry out for vengeance this truce is broke of all ſides. The ſword of our enemies ſhall be unſheath'd, and all peace ſhall be diſſolv'd between man and man: our Saviour ſhall become our angry Judge, neither ſhall the bleſſing deſcend from God to Man. Laſtly, the Angel ſhall draw his ſword, and cauſe the peſtilence to cut down thouſands upon thouſands; as the Mower ſhears down the graſs of the field. I am ſure the fury of ſuch an angry Angel ſticks ſtill in our remembrance. Therefore let every man for his part keep faſt the bond of his tripartite friendſhip, by ſanctification and obedience; then the Angels will come unto us not in fury, but in mercy, ſaying, Ecce ego, &c.
I proceed to the next circumſtance, Ecce Evangelizo, we render it to bring good tidings, but it is as if he had ſaid, I come to be an Evangeliſt, I am no Law-giver whoſe voice was terrible, I am a meſſenger of a better Covenant, of the Goſpel of Grace. At this Text, beloved, the Spirit of God doth enter the word Goſpel, or Evangel, quite to alter the ſtate of the Church from what it had been before. For the better underſtanding hereof, I pray you mark it attentively, in what manner God did diſpence his will and pleaſure to his Church from the beginning of the world to the end of all times. And for order ſake I will reduce it all to three heads, to a Law which was given by God to Adam, to a Law which was given by Moſes to Iſrael, and to theſe glad tidings, to wit the Goſpel of the New Teſtament which was given by Chriſt to all Nations from one end of the earth to the other. 1. Now I buckle to the firſt of theſe, a Law was given by God to Adam. That Law was ſhort and commandatory, fac, & vive, do this and live; therefore that is rightly called the Law of Works; but the Goſpel ſays if thou believeſt thou ſhalt be ſaved: therefore that's called the Law of Faith. The ſame God was the author of both theſe; both were revealed to men, and to no other creature; both of them according as we perform them promiſe the ſame reward; both of them have the ſame end to make us magnifie God for his Wiſdom, Goodneſs, and Juſtice. Nay, I add, compare the Law of Works impoſed upon Adam, and the Law of Faith impoſed upon Chriſtians; and both of them are poſſible to be done: For the firſt man according to the integrity wherein he was created, and by the virtue of ſupernatural Grace beſtowed upon him, might have obeyed the Commandement given, if he had not turned to diſobedience: and by the Divine help of the ſame grace, we, to whom God hath preached the glad tidings of his Son, are endewed with power to believe that we may be ſaved. Now in a word let us lay the difference of theſe two one againſt another: God gave the Law in Paradiſe as a King in his Juſtice, but he gave the Goſpel in Sion as a Father of Grace and Mercy; according to that Law the reward had been given ex debito, by debt, and due, ſay the Schoolmen; but to him that believes, the reward is given by mere Grace which excludes boaſting. He that diſobey'd that Law was to look for the moſt ſtrict ſeverity of Juſtice; ſo condemnation belongs likewiſe to the unbeliever according to Juſtice; but perhaps it ſhall be temper'd with ſome moderation for Chriſts ſake. Finally, this is the main diſagreement, the firſt Covenant made with Adam did exclude all hope of remiſſion of ſins; but the ſecond Covenant made in Chriſt runs in this tenour to them that live by Faith: your ſins ſhall be blotted out, and your iniquities forgotten.
After you have underſtood the firſt point, how there was a Law impoſed upon Adam when he was created and endewed with original Juſtice, you muſt now give ear to the next thing in order, what heavy and aſtoniſhing matter is contained in that Law which was given by Moſes to the Children of Iſrael: and remember that I conſider the Law deliver'd in the two Tables at Mount Sinai, Seorſim, and by it ſelf, ſeparated from all the promiſes contained in the Prophets, and in the Pſalms of David. Theſe then are the remarkable differences between the Covenant written in Tables of ſtone, and this Covenant of the New Teſtament in the Blood of Chriſt. Firſt, God gave the Law at Sinai being wrath with our ſins; for whereas we had loſt both the wiſdom of our underſtanding, and the loyal obedience of our will by the tranſgreſſion of our firſt parent, yet God impos'd his Commandement upon us, and exacts ſuch meaſure of holineſs which we are not able to perform: Therefore that Law was given in the barren Wilderneſs, becauſe it is not able to bring one ſoul unto God; likewiſe it was delivered with ſigns full of wrath, thunder, and lightning, and a dreadful noiſe, to ſhew that God was full of indignation when he laid it upon us. On the contrary, he made the new Covenant of peace being reconciled to them that were loſt, or at leaſt proffering reconciliation in his beloved Son. Read this Doctrine, Heb. xii. from the 18. to the 24. verſe. Ye are not come to the Mount, that might not be touched, and that burnt with fire, nor unto blackneſs, and darkneſs, and tempeſt, and the ſound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which they that heard entreated they might hear it no more: They could not endure that which was commanded: And ſo terrible was the ſight that Moſes ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake; but ye are come to Mount Sion, and to the City of the living God, &c. Wherefore the Goſpel was preſented with manifeſt tokens of love, and benevolence, Ecce Evangelizo, behold, I bring you good tidings. 2. There's a difference ariſing between the firſt Teſtament, and the laſt, from the ſeveral Mediators that came between God and the people. Moſes was a ſervant, faithful in the Family, and he was the Mediator of the Old Teſtament; Chriſt is the Son and Heir of all, he was the Mediator of the New: The Law was given by Moſes, Grace and Truth came by Jeſus Chriſt. 3. The old Covenant was ratified with the blood of Beaſts; but loe the New Covenant doth much ſurpaſs it, which was ratified with the precious Blood of that immaculate Lamb which took away the ſins of the world, which is therefore called the Blood of the New Teſtament. 4. The old Law in St. Paul's phraſe contained poor and beggerly rudiments, not able to bring to life: It was a killing letter, the miniſtry of death and condemnation, it worketh wrath, it entred that ſin might abound; it is like Hagar which gendreth children unto bondage, Gal. iv. 24. The Goſpel is the power of ſalvation to every one that believeth, a quickening Spirit; it purgeth us from our ſins, it ſpeaketh better things than the blood of Abel. 5. That which Moſes brought was an heavy burden, which neither the Fathers nor the Children could bear: but of the Goſpel Chriſt ſaith, his yoke is eaſie, and his burden is light, and in it you ſhall find reſt for your ſouls. Laſtly, the Old Teſtament endured unto Chriſt, and no longer; wherefore becauſe it paſſed away it is called the Old: the New Teſtament remaineth for ever;Heb. vii. 16. ſo ſays St. Paul of our Bleſſed Saviour taking fleſh, who is not made after the Law of a carnal Commandment, but after the power of an endleſs life. No paſſage or compariſon can be made between them, but the Law given at Mount Sinai will appear to be an harſh, and moſt unwelcome injunction; and that which doth clear us from the curſe thereof is Evangelium the beſt tidings that ever arriv'd at the ear of man.
Hitherto I have conſider'd the Old Teſtament in no reſpect, but as it contains the killing letter of the Law; but you muſt not miſtake that the Holy Spirit hath interlaced many faſt-holdings of Faith, and promiſes Evangelical almoſt every where in the Prophets, and in the Pſalms of David. Nay, the Old Teſtament is rather Promiſe than Law; yet it was fit the rigour of the Law ſhould be repeated that it might more appear how neceſſary the promiſe of Grace was, that we could not live without it, and that every man being convicted in his conſcience by the ſentence of the Law, we might more ardently fly to Grace; for the end of the Moral Law is double, to ſet us a rule what we ſhould endeavour to do, and to diſcover our own impotency unto us, what we are not able to do, that we may ſeek a remedy in the ſatisfaction of Chriſt. But this I ſay that the darkneſs and obſcurity of the Old Teſtament was enlightned with many excellent promiſes, that the believing Iſraelites might be partakers of Faith, and of everlaſting life; they had the ſame Goſpel which we have, the ſame Chriſt, the ſame Faith, the ſame Spirit, ſealing the truth of promiſe unto them. Where is then the priviledge? you will ſay that the tidings are better to us, then unto them, or far ſurpaſſing on our ſide every way. Iſrael that believed in the promiſed ſeed was an heir, but under age, nothing different from a ſervant. The faithful ſince the coming of Chriſt are adulti heirs come to age, ſuch, I may ſay, as have ſued out their livery, paſt pupillage, paſt the pedagogie of Ceremonies; for the yoke of Ceremonies was moſt troubleſome, that the coming of Chriſt which cancelled ſuch things might the more be deſired. Then they beheld a Meſſias in types, and ſhadows, now he is manifeſt in his own perſon; then Faith was obſcurer, now it is more clear; then the Spirit was given ſcantily, now it is poured out in full abundance, Abundantia ſpiritus eſt elogium regni Chriſti: then the preaching of Faith was included in the Kingdom of Iſrael, now it is diffuſed throughout all the world. Mark it now I beſeech you, how theſe three do differ. The Law did terrifie and aſtoniſh, there were no good tidings in that. The promiſe of Grace and Mercy was an annuntiation of good news worth the hearing, and it was fit that a promiſe ſhould go before, that the day of Chriſt might be long'd for, and much deſired before he came: yet this did cool the comfort that hope deferred doth afflict the ſoul. Wherefore when the deſire of our eyes did come into the world, to ſatisfie the Law for us, and to ſatisfie he expectation of all promiſes, then it became Evangelium, good tidings, happy news; nothing ſhall be heard any more to vex us, or to trouble us, unleſs for want of Faith we would vex our ſelves.
And what ear will not liſten to good tidings? when old Jacob heard that Joſeph was living, his ſpirit reviv'd, and Iſrael ſaid it is enough, Joſeph my ſon is yet alive. Joſeph was advanc'd in Egypt by the wonderful providence of God, that he might receive his brethren in the great diſtreſs of famine: theſe were good tidings to Iſrael: but is it not much better to hear of this ſound out of Ephrata, that Chriſt is come into the world to feed his brethren in the time of dearth with the bread of life? O quoties & quae nobis Galataea locuta eſt? as a paſſionate woer longs to hear of a ſweet meſſage from the party whom he loves, ſo the Spouſe which is the Church rejoyceth to hear glad tidings from the Bridegroom, that ſo it might enjoy his preſence here, that ſhe might dwell with him hereafter for ever. Caliſthenes approacht towards Alexander the Great portending much alacrity in his countenance; what ſays Alexander, An Homerus revixit iterum, are there any tidings to be brought which make you ſo merry unleſs Homer were alive again? all that he could pitch upon for good news was, if that divine Poet were alive again to record his ſtory in a long laſting Poem. O how infinitely do theſe good tidings ſurpaſs that ambitious fancy! Chriſtus natus eſt, a Saviour is born to write our names for ever in the book of life. St. Paul took out this leſſon from hence, Quam ſpecioſi pedes! Rom. x. 15. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Goſpel of peace, and bring glad tidings of things! Iſa. lii.The Prophet Iſaiah ſpoke of them that foretold of the delivery of Iſrael out of the Babyloniſh captivity: and if thoſe meſſengers were welcome that uttered things concerning bodily felicity, much more ſhall their coming be acceptable, that ſolace the inward man, the heart and ſoul. Beauty is that which attracts affections to it, ſo the Apoſtles are ſaid to be beautiful, becauſe they drew the world unto them: and it was proper concerning them to ſay how beautiful are their feet, rather than their lips; for they did not reſt in one place, but took the whole world for their circuit, from City to City; and becauſe of their dangerous and painful travel by Sea and Land, the Prophet ſaid, How beautiful are their feet? Deſpiſe not therefore ſuch as ſucceed them, though much unworthy in the ſame errand, but have them in honour for their welcome meſſage. Though Chriſt hath not waſht our feet to make them beautiful, as he did his Diſciples, yet the very word that we have to ſay doth honour our lips, for they are good tidings, no things in the world compar'd to the comfort of the Goſpel, they are good tidings, &c.
The main drift of the Text did hang upon this word, how the Angel did Evangelize, that is to ſay, bring good tidings; now we are clear'd, and come off from that: and although there are many things in the Goſpel very harſh to fleſh and blood, as to leave all and follow Chriſt, to ſuffer perſecution, &c. Yet theſe things as I noted in the third place produce joy, joy of a grand ſize in the intention, great joy, joy of an infinite meaſure in the extenſion, everlaſting joy, joy that ſhall be, ſays the Text: and theſe are now to be conſider'd together; and firſt that the Birth of Chriſt bids us rejoyce, and be glad. Can the Children of the Bridechamber mourn when ſuch a Bridegroom is come unto them? he came unto the world like ripe fruit in the fulneſs of time; whereupon ſays St. Ambroſe, Ambroſ. Ep. 11. ad Ireneum.Chriſtus tanquum maturitas advenit, ut nihil acerbum, nihil immaturum, nihil immite ſit. He came when all the fruits of comfort were mellow, and delicious, that nothing might be ſower, or harſh, or diſtaſtful to his beloved. I alledged the Text of Iſaiah before, How beautiful are the feet of them that brought tidings of him: The Septuagint according to ſome Editions read it foreign what a ſpring there was in the Mountains when he was preacht: whereupon ſays S. Cyril, as the Spring chears up the hearts of men, beautifies the earth, and the fields after the deſolating froſts of a waſtful Winter; ſo the preaching of this Nativity made every thing to flouriſh after the bitter blaſting froſts of the Law. If there were ſuch joy at the birth of Iſaac, that they call'd him Iſaac from laughter, then let all the earth clap their hands and rejoyce, when he was manifeſted in the fleſh that made the laughter of Iſaac.
For our more orderly proceeding, I muſt conſider joy three manner of ways, 1. What true joy doth properly reſult from the Birth of Chriſt. 2. What joy may be allowed and indulg'd to Chriſtians. 3. What joy is condemnable. For the firſt, that joy which doth properly reſult from the Birth of Chriſt, is, Riſus ex ſerenitate conſcientiae, the mirth and delight of a good conſcience; for he that hath given us his only Son, how ſhall he not with him freely give us all things? Rom. viii. 32. The Iſraelites were confident of victorious ſucceſs when the Ark of God was in their Camp. The Epheſians thought themſelves ſafe and ſecure when they had but an Image which fell down from Heaven. This was but a fiction like him that dreams of comfort, and loe he is in deſperate extremities: but our caſe is moſt clear, and happy, to whom the God of Gods made his approach as one friend that viſits another, who is the brightneſs of his Fathers glory, and the expreſs image of his perſon. Upon thoſe words of the Apoſtle, Col. iv. 18. the ſalutation of me Paul with my own hand, ſays S. Chryſoſtom, it was great comfort to the brethren to ſee ſalutations, and greetings, and wiſhes under Pauls own hand. Some comfort it might be, but far ſhort of this, to ſee not only the word of ſalutation, but the word of ſalvation dwell among us, the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. As Pliny ſaid to Trajan of his virtuous Wife, Nihil ſibi ex fortuna tua niſi gaudium vendicat, ſhe deſired no further intereſt in his good fortune, but to rejoyce, and to be glad at his felicity; ſo the righteous man leaves the wide world for the children of the world to ſhare it among them, Nihil ſibi niſi gaudium vendicat, all that he challengeth for his own is the Bleſſed Virgins ſolace, and My ſpirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour. O my beloved, it cannot be uttered what tranquility and joy is in that heart which ſeriouſly apprehends thoſe evident ſigns that God is reconciled unto us. Thoſe heavens which Pythagoras ſpoke of that they were never without concent and harmony, that Fable being moralized is agreeable to nothing but to that ſoul which is comforted in the mercies of Chriſt. Semper illic ſerenum eſt, it is like the ſtate of the world above the Moon, it is ever fair, and clear in that place without any ſtorm or tempeſt; it is like the tribe of Zabylon, ſituated in a ſafe harbour cloſe unto the tumultuous Seas, Aliorum videt naufragia, ſed ipſe ſalvus eſt, it looks forth upon the Seas, and ſees how ſome are toſt in perilous waters, how ſome are ſhipwrackt and caſt away, but it ſelf is ſafe under the ſhadow of Chriſt, and in no ſuch terror or calamity. The ordinary comforts of this world which concur to the being, and to the well-being of nature may be wanting perchance to a true ſervant of God; theſe may a little abate the courage perhaps: it makes us appear, ſays St. Paul, foreign, as ſorrowful, 'tis but as if it were ſo, Tanquam lugentes, as ſorrowful, but always rejoycing. The tongues of men and Angels are not able to deviſe a meſſage of joy more ſweet and allective than this, that our ſevere Judge hath ſent his Son to be our Mediator, and that Mediator to be our Judge, and that Judge to be our Brother; for ſo he calls us by that term of intimate affection. This is ſuch a demulcing comfort to a ſin-wounded conſcience, that it leaves our heart in St. Auſtins phraſe to be, Thalamus Dei, palatium Chriſti, habitaculum Spiritus ſancti, the marriage-chamber of God, the courtly Palace of Chriſt, and the habitation of the Holy Ghoſt. This is the proper joy of Chriſts Birth, with which the Angel did accoſt the Shepherds, the delight and ſerenity of a good Conſcience.
It is agreeing to the ſolemnity of this time to ſpeak alſo of the other branch of joy which is ſufferable, and may be warranted, which is called, Riſus ad naturae recreationem, paſtimes and delightful exerciſes to refreſh the ſadneſs of the heart. And if there be any man whoſe ſtrictneſs will allow of no ſports, or pleaſurable jocundities at this ſeaſon of our Saviours Nativity, let me tell him that ſuch auſterity is groundleſs, and hath no foundation in the Word of God; and to cenſure all innocent relaxation of mirth, becauſe with ſome men, and in ſome places it is done with exceſſive vanity and riot, he wants a grain of Charity. Shall we build no houſes to put our head in, becauſe fools built a Babel? ſhall we plant no Vineyards becauſe Noah was overſeen? ſhall we forſwear courteſie becauſe Abſalom's kindneſs was full of flattery? what is another mans ſin to my harmleſs mirth? Joy is in the Text, and if there be harmleſs joy in the time, no judicious man will diſallow it: But why do ſickly men imagine that all meats taſte rank and unſavory? it is the ill affection of their own palat: Why do Boat-men think that the ſhore goes from them? becauſe they go from the ſhore. So the heart of churliſh men is undelightſome, and that makes them to think all delight is vicious. There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh, ſays the Wiſe man, Eccleſ. iii. 4. And what time more convenient for rejoycing than this? when Solomon dedicated his Temple to the Lord, firſt he magnified God in a ſolemn prayer, then all Iſrael kept a Feaſt, and a joyful holy day. This Temple was but a figure of Chriſt the everlaſting Prieſt: theſe are the days wherein we celebrate the dedication of this Temple, and after we have magnified Gods name in ſolemn Prayer for his mighty work, we may chear and refreſh our ſelves with joy in a lawful meaſure of innocency and ſobriety. Why ſhould we lowre and look ſad like thoſe hypocrites the Phariſees? who had nothing in them but a form of outward auſterity. True joy cannot contein it ſelf in a contemplative meditation; it will exult, it will break forth like John Baptiſt in his Mothers womb, who rejoyced in the Spirit that Mary had conceived the Meſſias in her Womb. Nor was that all, foreign, the Babe ſprang, and leapt for gladneſs. Whatſoever mirth is honeſt and lawful, whether ſpiritual or civil joy, the Angel gives liberty to the Shepherds to uſe it, Behold I bring you tidings of great joy.
The ſpiritual, and the innocent civil joy are both native and proper to theſe feſtival days of the Birth of Chriſt: but by our abuſe that which is moſt frequent and common is the third member of the diſtinction, which is ſinful, Riſus ex immoderata & turpi laetitia, a mirth beſtain'd with riot, and all kind of offenſiveneſs. It is time to cry down the noiſe of all immoderate and wicked pleaſures with an heavenly ſong. How different are our tunes of beaſtlineſs from that which the children of Jeruſalem did ſing upon the Advent of Chriſt? Hoſanna to the Son of David, Hoſanna in the higheſt. How different were their modeſt garments from that pomp and pride which divers of us do bear upon our backs? they ſpread their garments in the way to entertain the King of Glory: Chriſt would not have honour'd yours with his feet, he would not have trod upon your Peacock attire which is ſo vain and alterable. O beloved what an incongruity is this? Chriſt came down from Heaven to dwell among us, and you rake Hell for merriment to make him welcome. If a Jubilee come once a year wherein you have indulgence for a ſweet relaxation in Sports and Feſtivals, muſt you needs loſe your wits? exeat Cato, as if no ſober man all that while were fit for our company: If you will ſpend a few days of ſolace and recreation ſo wickedly, ſo untowardly, do you not deſerve that God ſhould turn your Feaſts into mourning, and never ſuffer you to ſee a joyful day more? Take heed you uſe not your liberty for a cloke of licenciouſneſs. Take heed of mid-night revels. The Shepherds were not dancing, but keeping watch over their flocks. The Poet Virgil hath billited the ſinful joys of the world mala mentis gaudia, with Famine, and Poverty, and the very Haggs of Hell: Aenead. l. 6.and indeed a vicious pleaſure is a devilliſh thing: for lawful and moderate pleaſure is the preſervative of nature, filthy and corrupt pleaſure deſtroys the glory of our nature: I mean the ſoul. And ſo much for this point, that the coming of Chriſt doth inhibit all extravagant voluptuouſneſs; but for ſpiritual and bodily pleaſure which is lawful, the Angel brought tidings of joy, of great joy which ſhall be to all people.
Now I muſt ſpeak of the two ſupporters of this joy, 1. That it is great for the ſize. 2. That it is of long continuance for the meaſure, gaudium quod erit, joy that ſhall be unto you. Great joy, ſays the Angel; he paſs'd it over without a word of compariſon, leſt he ſhould ſeem to the Shepherds to have boaſted; but yet he meant there was no joy like to this, to attain to ſuch felicity as to have a Saviour born. Other things may make us glad, this is only a vehement, and intenſive exultation. Let a carnal man pamper his skin with gluttony, ſatiate the deſires of the fleſh with filthy fornication, decline all induſtrious labour in pleaſurable idleneſs; let him have all things wherein fortune can favour a ſenſual Epicure. Suppoſe that neither War, nor Famine, nor Death, nor Diſhonour, nor Poverty eclipſe his content, yet for all this there is a Melancholy Fiend of Hell that upon ſundry frivolous occaſions will fret his heart, and break his ſleep, and make his paſſions jar within themſelves; and he hath no firm and ſtable argument to perſwade his ſoul to get out of this heavineſs. But if any diſcontent creep upon him, that hath ſet up a ſtedfaſt Faith as a pillar in his heart, and hath engraven theſe words upon it, Jeſus is my Redeemer; this ſupports the ſoul that it ſhall not be caſt down, but it recovers it ſelf from all penſiveneſs, even as David chid all anguiſh from his heart; Why art thou ſo ſad, O my ſoul, and why art thou ſo diſquiet within me? ſtill truſt in God, for he is the help of my countenance, and my God. Ʋna eſt ratio vincendi inimicum, laetitia ſpiritualis, This ſpiritual gladneſs and feſtivity is the principal aſſiſtance to vanquiſh Satan, and all deſperate doubts with which he would perplex our conſcience: it is a royal joy which comforts us that we ſhall be heirs of a glorious Kingdom; it is a ſanctified joy which gives us promiſe that we ſhall not only be Kings but Prieſts for ever, to offer up the ſweet odors of our prayers to God; it is a ſuperlative joy which cries down all other petty delights, and makes them appear as nothing; it is endleſs joy of durance and laſting for ever, and ever: for my Text ſays, it is Gaudium quod erit, joy that ſhall be unto you.
All the joy upon earth is gaudium quod eſt, now it is, and anon it is not; joy for a ſpirt and away, Eccleſ. vii. 8. as the crackling of thorns under a pot ſo is the laughter of a fool. Like a gol-ſheave all of a flame, and out again ſuddenly. The end of mirth, that is of worldly mirth is heavineſs, Prov. xiv. 13. Times of feaſting have a period, every man is glutted at laſt: he that hath his fill of ſport is weary by the late of night, and glad to take his reſt. But the joy that you have in Chriſt is with you all the year, in all your ſorrows, in all your adverſities; it ſleeps with you, it grows old with you, it will change this life with you, and follow you into a better: And my joy ſhall no man take from you, ſays our Saviour, John. xvi. 22. Chriſtmas joy was not only for the firſt twelve days when the Son of God was born, but for all the twelve months of twelve hundred years, and many hundreds after them unto the worlds end. So St. Peter doth ſolace us, 1 Pet. i. 8. Though now ye ſee him not, yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of glory, Eccleſ. xi. 9. Mark I pray you how much line this Syren world gives a voluptuous man to play with, Rejoyce O young man in thy youth, and let thine heart chear thee, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes: but when the hook is in his jaws, obſerve how it is twicht and ſnatcht up at laſt, Know thou that for all theſe things God will bring thee unto judgment. So that let the wicked ſpeed never ſo well in his frolicks, and jocundities, he returns home as Theſeus did, with black ſails of ſorrow; as if he had never made a ſaving voyage. All their laughter is like the joy of Herod's Birth-day, dancing, and revels, and offering of great gifts laſt for a while, but before evening you ſhall ſee an alteration; and when their ſurfeited Tables are removed away, the laſt ſervice in the platter is the Head of John the Baptiſt. But the mirth which we have in the Mediator of our ſalvation is a ſong which hath no reſt in it, nor ever ſhall have a cloſe. We begin the firſt part here, that we may ſing the other part in Pſalms and Hallelujahs with the Saints for ever. As Chriſtmas is celebrated part of the new year, and part of the old, ſo it is joy that is in this life, and ſhall be in the life to come.
Our laſt peroration upon the Text is to meditate upon the perſons to whom theſe glad tidings and great joy are directed, Vobis & omni populo, to you, and to all people. And perſonally to thoſe Shepherds the joy was great, I do not queſtion it; for the Angel did not light upon them caſually, as if he took the firſt he met: chance and fortune are words made by our ignorance, things of no being in the providence of God, but certainly they were pickt out rather than any others, becauſe they were men of juſt and holy converſation, fit to receive glad tidings from Heaven: they were of an humble and a lowly ſpirit, not of a proud and ſtiff opinion that would diſpute againſt the Scriptures, which ſaid Jeſus was the Chriſt, like the Scribes and Phariſees; they were uſeful men to the Commonwealth in which they liv'd, painful in their vocation, and watching over their flocks by night: Out of all theſe premiſes we may collect that God had a reſpect to them in particular; unto ſuch belongs the Kingdom of Heaven, the good tidings fell upon their head. They did apply the benefit of Faith to themſelves, and that Saviour which was born was their Redeemer. And vobis Judaeis, to you Jews; the Text will bear that I am ſure; better tidings to you Iſraelites, than to any other Nation, if you will accept them. The Son of God came of their Fathers according to the fleſh: in their Country he came to preach daily, and no where in the world beſide; in their eyes he wrought his Miracles, and upon their bodies he practis'd his wonderful power to cure their Diſeaſes, to make their Blind to ſee, and their Lame to walk. He profeſſed himſelf to be more devoted to their welfare, than to all the earth beſide, before the Canaanitiſh woman, I am not ſent but to the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael. They were his, he did acknowledge it; he was theirs, but they denied it: he came to his own, but his own received him not. To abreviate my diſcourſe in this point, Evangelizo vobis, they are glad tidings to you, becauſe it is given to you to hear the myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven; for bleſſed is the ear that heareth the things which you hear. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. It is flat cheating in the Devil to put dubitation into mans fancy on this wiſe, I am partaker of the outward word, but I know not whether God have gone any further with me to give me his inward Spirit to quicken that ſeed unto immortal life. Beloved, as Chriſt did inſtitute both Bread and Wine to be the outward Elements of the Sacrament of his Body and Blood; Bread is the ſubſtance of food, Wine cauſeth the concoction, and makes it comfortable food. So the word preacht is the food of life, and God never lets it go alone without ſome drops of the Wine of his Grace to make it nouriſhing and beneficial, Jude xiii. 23. Manoah the Father of Sampſon cries out to his Wife, we ſhall ſurely die becauſe we have ſeen God. Nay, ſays ſhe, If the Lord were pleaſed to kill us he would not receive a burnt-offering at our hand. Neither would he have ſhewed us all theſe things, nor would at this time have told us ſuch things as theſe. So let me anſwer all dubitative Chriſtians, unleſs the Lord did deſire thy ſalvation he would not put his Word into thy ear, nor his Sacrament into thy mouth. The Goſpel is an happy annuntiation to every one that hears it, unleſs he quench the Grace which is offered unto him. Evangelium omni populo, the tidings are auſpicious to all people.
To all people? Trahit ſua quemque voluptas. There are ſo innumerous many fond pleaſures, deſires, vanities, affections in ſeveral appetites; can any thing ſatisfie them all? yes, it is reliſhable to every palat that will taſte it: though the true delight apprehended is included among the ſmall number of the Elect: yet it is given to all, and no man ſhall ſay he is loſt for want of a Redeemer, and a ſacrifice for his ſins. Cum omnibus ſcriptus ſignificavit omnes, ſays Origen. Homil. 11. in Lucam.He was taxed in his Mothers Womb by Auguſtus Caeſar, when all the world was taxed, to intimate that he did communicate himſelf to all the world; that after that conſcription of their names in Caeſars enrollment, whoſoever believed in him, his name might be written among the Saints in the book of Life. In the firſt leſſon read upon Chriſtmas-day, thus you have it, Iſa. ix. 3. They joy before thee according to the joy in harveſt, and as men rejoyce when they divide the ſpoil. A good Harveſt is not welcome to one Village, but it is gladſome to the whole Country round about; and when ſpoils are divided after the vanquiſhing of an Enemy, every Souldier is enricht, and hath his ſhare: Such a communicative bleſſing is our Saviours Incarnation, every man fills his boſom with the ſheaves of the harveſt: every Chriſtian Souldier that fights a good warfare plucks ſomewhat from the ſpoils of the Enemy. The dew of thy birth is as the womb of the morning: A learned Father of our own Church tranſpoſeth the Verſicle on this wiſe, Thy birth from the Womb is as the morning dew, which waters the whole earth. As the walls of Jericho fell down before the ſound of the rams horns, ſo the wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, methinks it fell down flat to the ground at this blaſt of the Angels trumpet in my Text, that theſe were glad tidings, not toti populo, but omni populo, not to the whole people of the Jews, but to all the people of the world. The wall of diſcord is taken away in the univerſe, which parted thoſe two great houſes, and ſhall not the ſweet welcome of the Birth of Chriſt take away a wall of partition between thee, and thy neighbour which is in thy heart. Can you out of enmity and hatred wiſh ſorrow unto any, when God wiſheth joy, great joy unto all? doſt thou envy at the proſperity of thy brother, when the Lord would have the ſame glad tidings common to you both? Lay down old grudgings and quarrels with the old year, and begin the new year with a new reconciliation in love unfeigned, and true meaning Charity, and the Lord renew a right ſpirit in us all. Amen.