Matthew 1:21, "And she shall bring forth a Son, and then
shalt call his Name Jesus: For he shall save his People from their Sins."
The celebration of the birth of Christ hath been esteemed a duty by
most who profess Christianity. When we consider the condescension and love
of the Lord Jesus Christ, in submitting to be born of a virgin, a poor
sinful creature; and especially as he knew how he was to be treated in
this world; that he was to be despised, scoffed at, and at last to die
a painful, shameful, and ignominious death; that he should be treated as
though he was the off-scouring of all mankind; used, not like the son of
man, and, therefore, not at all like the Son of God; the consideration
of these things should make us to admire the love of the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was so willing to offer himself as a ransom for the sins of the people,
that when the fullness of time was come, Christ came, made of a woman,
made under the law: he came according to the eternal counsel of the Father;
he came, not in glory or in splendor, not like him who brought all salvation
with him: no, he was born in a stable, and laid in a manger; oxen were
his companions. O amazing condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ, to stoop
to such low and poor things for our sake. What love is this, what great
and wonderful love was here, that the Son of God should come into our world
in so mean a condition, to deliver us from the sin and misery in which
we were involved by our fall in our first parents! And as all that proceeded
from the springs must be muddy, because the fountain was so, the Lord Jesus
Christ came to take our natures upon him, to die a shameful, a painful,
and an accursed death for our sakes; he died for our sins, and to bring
us to God: he cleansed us by his blood from the guilt of sin, he satisfied
for our imperfections; and now, my brethren, we have access unto him with
boldness; he is a mediator between us and his offended Father.
Therefore, if we do but consider into what state, and at how great a
distance from God we are fallen; how vile our natures were; what a depravity,
and how incapable to restore that image of God to our souls, which we lost
in our first parents: when I consider these things, my brethren, and that
the Lord Jesus Christ came to restore us to that favor with God which we
had lost, and that Christ not only came down with an intent to do it, but
actually accomplished all that was in his heart towards us; that he raised
and brought us into favor with God, that we might find kindness and mercy
in his sight; surely this calls for some return of thanks on our part to
our dear Redeemer, for this love and kindness to our souls. How just would
it have been of him, to have left us in that deplorable state wherein we,
by our guilt, had involved ourselves? For God could not, nor can receive
any additional good by our salvation; but it was love, mere love; it was
free love that brought the Lord Jesus Christ into our world about 1700
years ago. What, shall we not remember the birth of our Jesus? Shall we
yearly celebrate the birth of our temporal king, and shall that of the
King of kings be quite forgotten? Shall that only, which ought to be had
chiefly in remembrance, be quite forgotten? God forbid! No, my dear brethren,
let us celebrate and keep this festival of our church, with joy in our
hearts: let the birth of a Redeemer, which redeemed us from sin, from wrath,
from death, from hell, be always remembered; may this Savior's love never
be forgotten! But may we sing forth all his love and glory as long as life
shall last here, and through an endless eternity in the world above! May
we chant forth the wonders of redeeming love, and the riches of free grace,
amidst angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, without intermission,
for ever and ever! And as, my brethren, the time for keeping this festival
is approaching, let us consider our duty in the true observation thereof,
of the right way for the glory of God, and the good of immortal souls,
to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ; an event which ought to
be had in eternal remembrance.
It is my design to lay down rules for the true keeping of that time
of Christmas, which is now approaching.
I. I shall show you when you may be said, not to observe this festival
aright.
II. I shall show you, when your observation
and celebrating of this
festival is done according to the glory of God, and to the true manner
of keeping of it.
III. Shall conclude with an exhortation to all of you, high and low,
rich and poor, one with another, to have a regard to your behavior at all
times, but more especially, my dear brethren, on this solemn occasion.
I. My brethren, I am to show when your celebration of this festival
is not of the right kind.
And FIRST, you do not celebrate this aright, when you spend most of
your time in cards, dice, or gaming of any sort.
This is a season, for which there is no more allowance for wasting of
your precious time in those unlawful entertainments, than any other. Persons
are apt to flatter themselves that they are free and at liberty to spend
whole evenings now at cards, at dice, or any diversion whatsoever, to pass
away, as they call it, a tedious evening. They can do any thing now to
pass away that, which is hastening as fast as thought: time is always upon
the wing; it is no sooner present but it is past, and no sooner come but
it is gone. And have we so much to do, and so little time to do it in,
and yet complain of time lying heavy upon our hands? Have we not the devil
and the beast to get our of our souls? Are not our natures to be changed,
our corruptions to be subdued, our wills to be brought over to God, or
hard hearts to be softened, all old things to be done away, and all things
to become new in our souls? Is there not all this to be done? And yet we
have too much time upon our hands! It is well, that instead of having too
much time, it be not found that we have got too little, when we come to
die: then we shall wish, my brethren, that we had made more account of
our time, that we had improved it for the glory of God, and the welfare
of our immortal souls.
Good God! How amazing is the consideration, that many can go to church
in the morning, and take the Sacrament, and come home and spend the afternoon
and evening in cards. Is this, my brethren, discerning the Lord's body?
Is this taking the sacrament according to its institution? Is not this
a pollution thereof, and making the blood of the covenant an unholy thing.
Therefore, those of you who have made this your practice in times past,
let me beseech you, in the bowels of mercy, not to do so any more; for,
indeed, it is earthly, it is sensual, it is devilish. Consider what is
said of those who eat and drink at the Lord's table unworthily, that they
eat and drink their own damnation: And can they, my brethren, be said to
eat and drink any otherwise, who no sooner go from the table of the Lord,
but run to the diversions of the devil? Indeed this is exceeding sinful,
and displeasing unto the Lord; then forbear those diversions which are
so evil in themselves: O be not found in those exercises, and in that pleasure,
which you would not be found in when you come to die. Thus, my brethren,
you se it is not a right celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus, to
spend it in cards, dice, or any other diversions, which proceed so directly
from the devil, and are destructive to all true goodness.
SECONDLY, They cannot be said truly to celebrate this time, who spend
their time in eating and drinking to excess.
This is a season when persons are apt to indulge themselves in all manner
of luxury: iniquity now abounds apace; nothing is scarcely to be seen but
things of the greatest extravagance imaginable; not only for the necessities
of the body, but to pamper it in lust, to feed its vices, to make it go
on in sin, to be a means for gratifying our carnal appetite; and this is
a means to make us forget the Lord of glory. This makes us only fit to
do such drudgery, as the devil shall set us about; this is only preparing
to run wheresoever the devil sends: this, instead of denying ourselves,
is indulging ourselves, this is not, nor cannot be called, a celebration
of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we are making ourselves worst
than the beasts that perish.
I am not speaking against eating and drinking of the good things of
life, but against the eating and drinking of them to excess, because, thus
they unqualify us for the service of God; and to our fellow-creatures they
make us unsociable, and may occasion us to be guilty of saying and acting
those things, which we should be ashamed to think of, if we had only ate
or drank with moderation.
Therefore, my dear brethren, let me beseech
you to set a watch over
yourselves; be careful that you do not run into that company which may
tempt you to evil, for would a man run himself into danger on purpose?
Would a man enter himself into that company, where, before he goes, he
knows he shall be exposed to great temptations; and therefore, if you have
any reason to think that the company you are going into will be a temptation,
I beseech you, by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, that you would not
run into it.
How can you say, "Lead us not into temptation," when you are resolved
to lead yourselves into it, by running into the occasions of sins. You
are commanded to keep from the appearance of evil; and do you do that,
by running into the place and company where it is like to be committed?
No, this is so far from avoiding, and shunning it, that it is a plain proof
to the contrary; therefore, if you are for observing this time, this festival
of our church, let it not be done by running to excess; for you plainly
see, that those who are guilty thereof, cannot be said properly to celebrate
it.
THIRDLY, Nor can they, my brethren, be said to keep, or rightly observe
the commemoration of the birth of our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ,
who neglect their worldly callings to follow pleasures and diversions.
Alas! many, instead of keeping this time as it ought to be, run into
sin with greediness; instead of devoting their time to the Lord, it is
only devoted to the devil and their own lusts. How many who thus mispend
their time, at this season, lay by the work of their callings for a considerable
time, with no other view, but to follow earthly, sensual, and devilish
pleasures. If they should go to hear a sermon, or to a society, my brethren,
the mouths of all the Pharisees at once are open against them, that they
are not only a going to be ruined themselves, but are going to ruin their
families too; they think it needless to make so much ado; this is being
righteous over-much; but you may be as wicked as you please, and they will
not cry out; however, when you are wicked over-much, by serving the devil
and your own pleasures for a week or a month together, then, my brethren,
with them you are only taking a little recreation, spending your time in
innocent diversions; no one cries out against you, there is no outcry that
you are going to be ruined. Again, if you give never so small a matter
among the poor people of God for their relief, then you are robbing your
families, then you are going to turn madmen! And in a few days will be
to methodistically mad, that you are not fit for a polite gentleman's conversation;
but if you spend one hundred times the money in playhouses, &c. on
your lusts and pleasures, then you are liked and esteemed as a good friend
and companion; but, my dear brethren, these good companions in the world's
account, are never so in the Lord Jesus Christ's. You cannot serve God
and mammon; you must either lost your lusts, your pleasures, and your delights,
or you cannot expect to find favor with God; for indeed, and indeed, the
ways that too many follow at this time, are sinful, yea, they are exceeding
sinful. You see they cannot be said to celebrate this holy time, who thus
mispend their precious time to the neglect of their families; such are
destroying themselves with a witness.
Thus, my dear brethren, I have shown you who they are who do not observe
this holy festival.
II. I come now, in the second place, to show you, who they are who do
rightly observe, and truly celebrate the birth of our Redeemer.
And I shall show you who they are in two particulars, directly opposite
to the others; and then, my brethren, take your choice: you must choose
the one or the other, there is no medium, you must either serve the Lord
or Baal; and, therefore, my dear brethren, let me beg of you to consider,
FIRST, That those spend their time aright, and truly observe this festival,
who spend their hours in reading, praying, and religious conversation.
What can we do to employ our time to a more noble purpose, than reading
of what our dear Redeemer has done and suffered; to read, that the King
of kings, and the Lord of lords, came from his throne and took upon him
the form of the meanest of his servants; and what great things he underwent.
This, this is an history worth reading, this is worth employing
our time about: and surely, when we read of the sufferings of our Savior,
it should excite us to prayer, that we might have an interest in the
Lord Jesus Christ; that the blood which he spilt upon mount Calvary, and
his death and crucifixion, might make an atonement for our sins, that we
might be made holy; that we might be enabled to put off the old man with
his deeds, and put on the new man, even the Lord Jesus Christ; that we
may throw away the heavy yoke of sin, and put on the yoke of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Indeed, my brethren, these things call for prayer, and for earnest
prayer too; and O do be earnest with God, that you may have an interest
in this Redeemer, and that you may put on his righteousness, so that you
may not come before him in your filthy rags, nor be found not having on
the wedding garment. O do not, I beseech you, trust unto yourselves for
justification; you cannot, indeed, you cannot be justified by the works
of the law. I entreat that your time may be thus spent; and if you are
in company, let your time be spent in that conversation which profiteth:
let it not be about your dressing, your plays, your profits, or your worldly
concerns, but let it be the wonders of redeeming love: O tell, tell to
each other, what great things the Lord has done for your souls; declare
unto one another, how you were delivered from the hands of your common
enemy, Satan, and how the Lord has brought your feet from the clay, and
has set them upon the rock of ages, the Lord Jesus Christ; there, my brethren,
is no slipping; other conversation, by often repeating, you become fully
acquainted with, but of Christ there is always something new to raise your
thoughts; you can never want matter when the love of the Lord Jesus Chris
is the subject: then let Jesus be the subject, my brethren, of all your
conversation.
Let your time be spent on him: O this, this is an employ, which if you
belong to Jesus, will last you to all eternity. Let others enjoy their
cards, their dice, and gaming hours; do you, my brethren, let your time
be spent in reading, praying, and religious conversations. Which will stand
the trial best at the last day? Which do you think will bring most comfort,
most peace, in a dying hour? O live and spend your time now, as you will
wish to have done, when you come to die.
SECONDLY, Let the good things of life, you enjoy, be used with moderation.
I am not, as the scoffers of this day tell you, against eating and drinking
the good things of life; no, my brethren, I am only against their being
used to an excess; therefore, let me beseech you to avoid those great indiscretions,
those sinful actions, which will give the enemies of God room to blaspheme.
Let me beseech you, to have a regard, a particular regard to your behavior,
at this time; for indeed the eyes of all are upon you, and they would rejoice
much to find any reason to complain of you. They can say things against
us without a cause; and how would they rejoice if there was wherewith they
might blame us? Then they would triumph and rejoice indeed; and all your
little slips, my dear brethren, are, and would be charged upon me. O at
this time, when the eyes of so many are upon you, be upon your guard; and
if you use the good things of this life with moderation, you do then celebrate
this festival in the manner which the institution calls for.
And instead of running into excess, let that money, which you might
expend to pamper your own bodies, be given to feed the poor; now, my brethren,
is the season, in which they commonly require relief; and sure you cannot
act more agreeable, either to the season, to the time, or for the glory
of God, than in relieving his poor distressed servants. Therefore, if any
of you have poor friends, or acquaintance, who are in distress, I beseech
you to assist them; and not only those of your acquaintance, but the poor
in general. O my dear brethren, that will turn to a better account another
day, than all you have expended to please the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eye, or the pride of life. Consider, Christ was always willing to
relieve the distressed; it is his command also; and can you better commemorate
the birth of your king, your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, than in obeying
one of his commands?
Do not, my dear brethren, be forgetful of the poor of the world; consider,
if providence has smiled upon you, and blessed you with abundance of the
things of this life, God calls for some returns of gratitude from you;
be ye mindful of the poor, and when you are so, then you may be said
to have a true regard for that time which is now approaching; if you
would
truly observe this festival, let it be done with moderation, and a regard
to the poor of this world.
THIRDLY, Let me beg of you not to alienate too much of your time from
the worldly business of this life, but have a proper regard thereunto,
and then you may be said rightly to observe this festival.
God allows none to be idle: in all ages business was commended; and
therefore do not think that any season will excuse us in our callings;
we are not, my brethren, to labor for the things of this life inordinately,
but we are to labor for them will all moderation: we are not to neglect
our callings; no, we are to regard those places and stations of life, which
God in his providence has thought convenient for us; and therefore, when
you neglect your business of the hurt of your families, whatever pretense
you thereby make for so doing, you are guilty of sin;; you are not acting
according to the doctrine of the gospel, but are breaking the commands
of the Lord Jesus Christ, both according to his word, and to his own practice.
At this festival, persons are apt to take a little more liberty than
usual; and if that time from our vocations is not prejudicial to ourselves
or families, and is spent in the service of God, and the good of immortal
souls, then I do not thing it sinful; but there is too much reason to fear,
that the time spent upon our own lusts, and then it is exceeding sinful,
it is against our own souls, and it is against the good of our families,
and instead of commemorating the birth of our dear Redeemer, we are dishonoring
him in the greatest degree possibly we can.
Therefore, inquire strictly into your end and design in spending your
time; see, my brethren, whether it proceeds from a true love to your Redeemer,
or whether there is not some worldly pleasure or advantage at the bottom:
if there is, our end is not right; but if it proceed entirely from love
to him that died, and gave himself for us, our actions will be a proof
thereof; then our time will be spent, not in the polite pleasures of life,
but according to the doctrine and commands of the blessed Jesus; then our
conversation will be in heaven; and O that this might be found to be the
end of each of you, who now hear me; then we should truly observe this
festival, and have a true regard to the occasion thereof, that of Christ's
coming to redeem the souls of those which were lost.
Let me now conclude, my dear brethren, with a few words of exhortation,
beseeching you to think of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Did Jesus
come into the world to save us from death, and shall we spend no part of
our time in conversing about our dear Jesus; shall we pay no regard to
the birth of him, who came to redeem us from the worst of slavery, from
that of sin, and the devil; and shall this Jesus not only be born on our
account, but likewise die in our stead, and yet shall we be unmindful of
him? Shall we spend our time in those things which are offensive to him?
Shall we not rather do all we can to promote his glory, and act according
to his command? O my dear brethren, be found in the ways of God; let us
not disturb our dear Redeemer by any irregular proceedings; and let me
beseech you to strive to love, fear, honor and obey him, more than ever
you have done yet; let not the devil engross your time, and that dear Savior
who came into the world on your accounts, have so little. O be not so ungrateful
to him who has been so kind to you! What could the Lord Jesus Christ have
done for you more than he has? Then do not abuse his mercy, but let your
time be spent in thinking and talking of the love of Jesus, who was incarnate
for us, who was born of a woman, and made under the law, to redeem us from
the wrath to come.
Now to God the Father, God the Son, &c,
