SERMON I.

Christian Salvation the Matter of Joy and Praise to Angels.

On CHRISTMAS DAY.

LUKE ii. 14.

Glory to GOD in the highest, and on Earth Peace, Good-will towards Men.

T

HE Words before us contain that Hymn, with which the Angels celebrated the Incarnation of our bleffed Saviour; who, tho' born of mean Parents, and under Circumstances of human Distress, was yet introduced with fingular Solemnity,-those excellent Judges of real Dignity proclaiming his Appearance with Songs of holy Praise and Joy.

VOL. I.

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To

To us therefore, who are now met on this anniversary Festival to commemorate that great Occurrence, what more proper Subject of Meditation than the Hymn, with which it was first celebrated? For certainly the Devotion of Angels must fupply fit Matter for the Study and Contemplation of Chriftians.

The Words are, Glory to God in the higheft, and on Earth Peace, Good-will towards Men. These being once explained, I shall, in the Progrefs of my Difcourfe, enlarge on fuch Particulars as are plainly contained in them, or by juft Inference may be deduced from

them.

In order to attain the full Meaning of the Words, Regard must be had to the Paffages which go before, and the Occasion upon which they were delivered; for these frequently impress a Senfe, which the Words, tho' themselves capable of it, yet, confidered apart, may not neceffarily require to be given.

To this Purpose we should obferve, that when the Angel appeared to the Shepherds, he accofted them in this Manner, ver. 10, 11. Behold, I bring you good Tidings of great foy, which shall be to all People: -For unto

you

you is born this Day, in the City of David, a SAVIOUR which is Chrift the Lord. And then it follows in the 13th Verfe; And fuddenly there was with the Angel a Multitude of the heavenly Hoft praifing God, and faying, Glory to God in the higheft, &c. The Birth of Christ, or, which amounts to the fame, the Proclamation of his Birth, was the Occafion of this devotional Hymn; for immediately upon this Proclamation, a Multitude of the heavenly Hoft praised God in the folemn Form which we are now confidering.

But, what should move them to fuch extraordinary Joy? Was it merely the Birth of Chrift? Was it, that the second Perfon in the divine Nature condefcended fo far as to affume the human? This of itself might raise their Wonder, as being an Event which, without a farther View, they must be unable to account for; but fuch a Wonder seems to have given them juster Occafion for Self-abasement, than Praise and Exultation.

Yet, if we look back and confider what the Angel declared to the Shepherds, Unto you is born this Day, in the City of David, a SAVIOUR; if we confider, that this was the first Thing visibly executed upon Earth towards reconciling Mankind to God, and

the doing that, upon which the Salvation of the World muft originally depend,-we shall fee new Light breaking in upon us, and fuch as will difcover the Propriety of the Angels Joy, and the true Force and Meaning of the Words before us.

For, upon this Foot, that benevolent Difpofition with which we must conceive these unfallen Angels endued, could not but make them rejoice in the Profpect of Man's Salvation, proportionably as the evil Being was intent on his Destruction: They could not but take a fingular Pleasure in viewing, tho' at a Distance, an increafing Number of Fellow-Servants of the true God drawn out of thofe who had been feduced from his Service by the malicious Artifice of Satan. And as all this was to be gradually accomplished by a Variety of Means hereafter to be used by Christ in the Discharge of his high Offices;as these Means were as fully expreffive of infinite Wisdom, as the End itself was of infinite Goodnefs;-as the whole Scheme carried with it an İlluftration of the nobleft Divine Attributes ;- -here was moft ample Ground of Praife. And therefore, very fitly did the heavenly Hoft call upon the whole Angelick Order, faying, Glory to God in the bigbeft,

bigheft, and on Earth Peace, Good-will towards Men.

These Words, in the highest, are not here to be referred to God, as fignifying God who dwelleth in the Heavens; but should rather be understood of thofe Minifters of his Will, who conftantly attend him there; and so this firft Claufe calls upon the whole heavenly Hoft to adore and praise God. It follows, Peace on Earth. This expreffes the Matter, as well as Ground and Reason of their Praise, By the Incarnation of Chrift, and what was doing in Confequence of his Incarnation, Earth, i. e. Mankind, are reconciled; Peace is made between God and Man; and that Displeasure which Man's Sin occafioned, was now to be done away.--Good-will towards Men, This feems to be a farther Explication of what went before: For, the first Step towards Divine Favour is the Removal of Divine Displeasure: This being removed, and Peace procured, the Way is opened for every other following Grace; for fpiritual Support and Affistance in this Life, and everlasting Happiness and Glory in the next.

Having thus far opened the Words, I shall pursue the Intent of them under the following Heads;