his treasures there where "neither moth can corrupt nor thieves break through and steal;" "to set his affections on things above;" and to trust his case with firmness and true confidence in the hands of the Captain of his salvation, he then gives glory to God, and receives comfort to his own soul. The blessings of heaven descend to a believer, from the goodness of God, as to a child from the affection of a parent; and it becomes him, whilst he gratefully acknowledges them in his praises, to pray also for their continuance. He is entitled to place a confidence in the mercy of his heavenly Father, which may be firm and lasting; for those that honour me," saith the Lord, "I will honour." As long, therefore, as his "eye remains single," and his conduct is consistent with the Christian character, so long is he authorised to trust implicitly in the mercy of God for all necessary temporal blessings, for complete redemption, and eternal happiness. But, alas! ere long sin may intervene, and the whole fabric of his confidence at a stroke be demolished. Unbelief is the greatest enemy of confidence, but unbelief is almost always symptomatic of a worse disorder. "If I regard," says the Royal Poet, "if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." It is in vain that a Christian attempts to gratify a favourite unlawful inclination, of whatever magnitude, without injuring the comfort of his heart, and weakening or destroying his confidence in the love of God. My son," saith the Lord, give me thy heart." The demand implies a complete surrender of the soul; there must, there can be no, secret reservation of a part of it, without refusing to comply with the desire of our Maker; and it is on this compliance that depends the state of the Christian's trust. If that be unequivocal and faithful, this may be firm as a rock; if that, on the contrary, be only partial or unwil ling, his faith will be proportionably unstable and fluctuating. But though the Christian's confideuce may waver according to the state of his heart and conduct, it will not follow from this that he is to look to himself for salvation. Redemption is obtained only by the death of the Redeemer; justification, by his life and righteousness; and glory is a gift of the love of God to those who are his children in Christ Jesus. But Christians, indeed, do not doubt the final salvation of the children of God; it is generally the validity of their own plea to this title which is suspected; and there is but one method of overcoming these doubts, and that is, by renouncing the secret sins of the heart and conduct, and giving them both unreservedly to the service of the Lord. We come, then, to this conclusion. True Christian confidence is founded on the love of God, and the atonement and obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ; it is supported by the promises of God, and is enjoyed only by those who possess the internal and external evidences of the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. The most prominent of these evidences are, repentance, including the forsaking of sin; prayer, by which man turns to God, entreats his mercy, and seeks the Spirit's aid and direction; faith in the sacred Redeemer, accompanied by holiness of heart and life; a resistance of evil; a renunciation of the sins, vanities, and follies of the world, and a desire after those possessions which are immortal and fadeless; a complete and voluntary devotion of the heart to God; and last, not least, an earnest desire for the glory of the Lord, and the good of man, especially those of "the household of faith." With these evidences the Chris tian "need not fear to meet his enemies in the gate;" and, armed with the sword of the Spirit, to overcome the suggestions of the enemy of souls. Such, then, is the foundation of a dependence upon the mercy of for the discovery of our grace, for For the Christian Observer. ON SELF-DENIAL. But what THE lesson of self-denial is of the last importance, and one which we find most difficult to attain. It is made the condition of discipleship by Jesus Christ; so that, except in some degree we practise it, our claim to the character and privileges of Christians is invalid. is its nature? Surely it does not consist in monkish austerity or ascetic rigour. It is neither a long pilgrimage, with its hardships; a useless seclusion, with its deceptions; a sour look, with its disgusts; or a bare head and empty stomach, with their inconveniencies. These are not the self-denial required by the Gospel, sanctioned by Christ, and practised by saints. What is it then? It is a holy, persevering, prayerful opposition to the desires, appetites, wishes, and tempers of corrupt nature. It is submission to Providence. It is resignation to affliction. It is preference of others. It is the abdication of a pertinacious adherence to our own right, for the sake of peace.--But why should we thus deny ourselves? Is it reasonable; is it manly; is it necessary? It is all three. Is it not reasonable to deny and oppose what is corrupt in its origin, baneful in its growth, and destructive in its end? And such are nature and sin. It is manly; for then we prove that the mind, the soul, the reason, holds the seat and the sceptre of direction and government, while all the inferior passions obey. It is necessary, If we would manifest our " love of life, and desire to see good days,” we must learn this important lesson; for it is an aphorism worthy of a deep and permanent impression on the tablet of our mind, that self-denial is the source of self-gratification. SIX. FAMILY SERMONS. No. XXIII. Luke ii. 7-12.-" And she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapped him 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 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. In this plain, artless manner does St. Luke relate to us the most extraordinary event which ever took place in the world. Thus does be bring to our ears a truth which, though a rock of offence and a stone of stumbling to the infidel, is the foundation of all the hope and comfort of every real Christian. It will be, therefore, with the Divine blessing, a useful employment of our thoughts to meditate on this portion of the word of God; and in doing so, in doing so, I purpose, I. To consider the reasons why the Son of God was born in such low and destitute circumstances; II. To make a few remarks on the news of his birth being first, published to poor shepherds; and, III. To state the accounts on which his birth is tidings of great joy to all people. I. 1. We may observe, then, on the first head, that the Son of God was born in such low and destitute circumstances to fulfil the promises concerning him. Isaiah, speaking of his appear ance in the flesh, says, He shall grow up as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. He hath no form or comeliness; neither when we shall see him is there any beauty in him that we should desire him. This Scripture was fulfilled when he lay wrapped up in swaddling clothes, and had his lodging, not with the rich and great, but with the outcast and poor, in a stable, even amongst the herd of the stall. How mean, how contemptible an appearance did he then make in the eye of the world! and though he was God manifest in the flesh, yet in this disguised state he was an object of no glory and no desire to the "carnal mind." 2. But it may not be improper for us to inquire why it was ordained by the all-wise God, that his only be-, gotten Son should be born in this low condition. And here we are at once forcibly struck with a truth which of all others we are most backward to learn, I mean, that outward splendour and worldly wealth are of little value in the sight of God. This had indeed often been declared by the prophets, and it had been confirmed by many examples, both of the enemies of God being rich and prosperous, and of his faithful servants suffering poverty and affliction. Still, however, the judgment of the world was in this point sadly perverted the rich gloried in their riches, and were counted happy and envied by the poor; and men were inclined to dread poverty, as a state of the greatest disgrace. I need not observe, that such an opinion is quite contrary to the very nature of true religion, which requires us to be heavenly minded; and that it tends to weaken every religious effort, and to cherish a spirit of pride and discontent, of envy and selfishness. To shew the error of this. opinion, and to lead men to form a better judgment, behold " God manifest, in the flesh" born in a stable, at the utmost distance from all worldly. glory and greatness; destitute even of the common conveniences and comforts of life; making his entrance into the world under all the wants and hardships of poverty. The world, indeed, may pay but little regard to his example, and to the instruction conveyed by it; but those who are really his disciples ↑ will receive with unfeigned respect his holy lessons. With this striking example before his eyes, who that is the servant of Christ can be high minded because he is rich, or murmur at his condition, though he be poor and afflicted; since the rich must feel that there can be no real worth in the possession of what his Lord rejected; and the poor must own, even in his greatest need, "I have as much as my Seviour possessed." 3. He was born in this low condition, the more eminently to discover the exceeding greatness of his love to man. It ought to be acknowledged as the effect of a kind and benevolent disposition, when the rich are ready to give a part of their abundance to relieve the poor; but it must be confessed that benevolence is shewn in a much higher degree, when a person is willing himself to endure poverty that others may be rich, and to submit to hardships and sufferings that others may be free from them; and this degree of it we behold displayed in the birth of the Son of God. He was rich; rich, as the heir of all things, and the Son of God; yet for our sakes he became poor, emptied himself of all his glory, took on him the form of a servant, and submitted to the hardships of a state the most painful and distressing to flesh and blood, that we, through his poverty, might become rich. II. Let us next consider the particular place and manner of publishing this event. Where was the voice of these glad tidings first heard? Not in the streets of Rome, Athens, or Jerusalem, the seats of wealth, fame, and learning, from which the report of a great and marvellous event might soon be carried through the earth. No; it was published in the fields near Bethlehem, a mean and obscure village. To whom, also was the joyful event proclaimed? Not to the high priest, nor to the chief council of Judea; but to the poor; to shepherds forced to earn their bread by keeping watch over their flocks by night. Such were the persons to whom first God chose to make it known that the Saviour was now born in the flesh: such were they to whom the Gospel was first preached; and that, by a multitude of the heavenly host. By this appointment how loudly dees God declare his regard and tender love for the poor of this world! What stronger proof could they themselves desire of his concern for them, than that they should be the first to be addressed when the Son of his love came down from heaven to visit and save a ruined world! Further, we may learn from this circumstance, both that the poor are capable of understanding the doctrines of the Gospel, and that they are bound to observe its precepts. It is a remark frequent in the mouths of the poor, that religion is not their concern. It cannot be expected," they say, "that we should understand the Gospel, or be bound to a strict observance of its commands. Let the rich and the learned, who have time to spare, attend to them: we must rise early, and labour hard, to live in the world; and God will not expect of us what we have nei*her leisure nor capacity to perform." in answer, I say, to the poor is the Gospel preached in a more peculiar manner. The Saviour himself was poor in his birth; poor in his occupation, as a carpenter; he conversed with the poor; his disciples were poor; and his whole Gospel is delivered in the simplest, plainest terms, without any shew of learning, in order that the most ignorant and unlearned may understand it. It was first made known to shepherds; and had it been ill suited to their employment, or unfit for their rank in life, would it have been revealed to them? If poor, surely your lot in this world is such as should make you glad to hear that God had regarded your low estate, and provided an effectual relief for many of its hardships. Surely you ought with all thankfulness to seek after that faith which will lighten all your labours by making you partakers of spiritual comfort; and if you do not, it is not owing to any failure on the part of God, but to your own negligence, or sin, that you are not happy both in this world and that which is to come. III. I proceed, in the third place, to consider on what accounts the birth of Christ is tidings of great joy. Such it must be felt to be when we come to know in what condition we all are by nature, and how much we stand in need of a Saviour. Were we loaded with debts which we were not able to pay; were we in dread every day of having all that we possessed taken from us, and our persons dragged to prison; what tidings of great joy should we account it to receive the certain news that a friend every way sufficient had given security for us, and had said to every creditor, Whatever he oweth, place that to my account, I will repay it! Such is our state by nature: such are our feelings when we are truly sensible of it. We are ruined by sin; we are become debtors to the law of God, through manifold transgressions; we owe ten thousand talents, and have nothing to pay, and are therefore in danger of being cast into the prison of outer darkness. What glad tidings, to those who labour under the misery of such a state, to know that a Saviour is born, who comes on purpose to discharge for the repenting sinner the debt which he owes to Divine Justice! When the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt, beaten by cruel task-masters, and groaning under the heavy oppressions of the Egyptians, was it not joyful tidings when Moses, appointed by the Almighty, came to break the yoke from their necks, and to bring them into a state of liberty? This outward bondage of Israel in Egypt is but a faint picture of that spiritual bondage in which our souls are held by various sinful lusts and evil tempers, the galling yoke of which we are unable to throw off. In this state of slavery, to learn that a Saviour is born, whose office it is to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to know that to this Saviour it belongeth to bring the spirits of men, from such miserable bondage, into the glorious liberty of the children of God-what can be more interesting; what news can be more joyful? Further, with what transporting joy do condemned criminals, who have nothing before their eyes but the terrors of a violent and shameful death, receive the news of a pardon! And is not the law of the great King pointed as much at sinners, as the law of the land is against the murderer or the housebreaker? Do not our consciences bear witness that we have done what is forbidden, and neglected to do what is commanded? And is it not written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are Tritten in the book of the Law, to do them? To those, therefore, who seriously consider the danger of eternal destruction, and weigh well the awfulness of it; who see that the law of God has already passed a sentence upon them which may justly be executed; would it not be glad tidings of great joy to be assured that a Saviour was born who came to redeem us from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for us; to suffer for our sins, the just for the unjust, that we might obtain eternal redemption? Would it not also be esteemed matter of the greatest joy, if, when we were struggling with poverty, a large estate, which we had no right to expect, was left to us by will? How much more ought those to be called glad tidings of great joy, which inform us that the Son of God is come to bestow on us an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away; to make us sons of God, and heirs of the peace and happiness, the lightand glory, which belong to that honourable title! It may be observed, that in all I have said to shew the joy with which the news of the birth of a Saviour will be received, it is supposed that we are first affected with a sense of misery and danger in our present state. And indeed this is what forms the very foundation of joy. They who never felt the burden of sin, who have been careless about obtaining spiritual blessings; who have been always satisfied with themselves, and have therefore had no anxiety about another world, being well contented with this world and the pleasures it gives: these men are not in a state to receive the news of a Saviour's birth as glad tidings of great joy. It offers them deliverance from a misery which they do not feel, and it proposes pleasures for which they have no taste, and therefore no desire. It is necessary, not only that a person should be in a miserable state, in order that he may value deliverance from it, but that he should feel himself to be in that state. He whose mind is so stupid, or whose feelings are so blunted, that he is insensible to his distress; or who has so low a taste that he cannot relish enjoyments of a purer and higher nature; is not in a state in which he would |
