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nothing in this great event to excite your attention and admiration? You can never be meet for the joys of heaven, unless you learn on earth to see and admire the glories of redeeming love. The songs of angels would grate in your ears, and discompose your hearts; were it possible for you to enter the mansions of the blessed, without having felt your need of a Saviour, and acquired a disposition to love and adore him, And how will the conduct of angels, who, though they never sinned, and need no pardoning mercy or renewing grace, yet glorify God with all their powers for his love to fallen men, rise up in judgment against the ingratitude and perverseness of perishing sinners; who make the very condescension of Emmanuel the pretence for refusing him the glory due unto his

name.

Let us also enquire, how far we resemble these heavenly worshippers in the temper of our minds. Exalted and holy as they are, they despise not sinful worms, dwelling in houses of clay; while they adored the Son of God, as tabernacling in human flesh, and thus "made a little lower than the angels "for the suffering of death." They complain not of the special honour shewn to worthless man, by this union of the Deity with our nature, not with their's: they are not reluctant to our felicity, and object not to our being made equal with them. Yea, they willingly and joy fully minister to the heirs. of salvation, in the meanest cottage, work-house,

or dungeon; nor do they deem the poorest believer an unmeet object of their condescending and compassionate services.-This is genuine excellency but have we been taught to resemble and imitate them? Are we thus attentive to the needy, ready to sympathize with the afflicted, and freed from selfishness, envy, and contempt of inferiors?-Above all, let us remember and imitate "the grace of the Lord Jesus, who though he was

rich, for our sakes became poor; that we, through "his poverty might be made rich." He hath said, "The poor ye have always with you; and "when ye will ye may do good to them." He hath appointed his needy disciples to be his representatives and receivers; that in supplying their wants we may express our love and gratitude to him, and copy his most endearing example.

This season is generally attended with an interruption of secular business, and some additional expence: yet the time and money are generally worse than thrown away, while professed Christians, like Israel worshipping the golden calf, "sit "down to eat and drink, and rise up to play." But if we have a spiritual taste, and judge as angels do; we shall rather abridge ourselves of customary indulgences, than "make provision for the flesh," when commemorating the humble birth of the self-denying Saviour. We shall express our joy,

and employ our leisure, in acts of solemn worship and grateful praises: and instead of expensive feasts for the wealthy; we shall abound in hospitality and kindness to the poor, and be glad to contribute to promote the cause, for which the Son of God became incarnate.

The sensual and ungodly mirth of vast multitudes, at this festival, is madness. They abound in the works of the devil, because the Son of God was manifested to destroy them! when the very event thus commemorated will increase the weight of their condemnation, unless they can be persuaded to follow the apostle's counsel; "Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, "ye double-minded; be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourn"ing, and your joy into heaviness. Humble "yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall "lift you up.""

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But "let the heart of those rejoice that seek the "Lord." Let the poor in spirit, the weeping penitent take encouragement, from the astonishing instance of the Lord's good-will to sinful men, this day commemorated. And let all, that have tasted this grace, and can rejoice in the love of God our Saviour, remember that they are subjects to the Prince of peace; that they may be animated, to

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pray for universal peace, and by all suitable means, to follow after peace, to seek the peace of the church, and the peace of the world; and "by "well doing to put to silence the ignorance of "foolish men."

SERMON II.1

1 SAMUEL, vii. 12.

Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

FROM the calling of Abraham to the time of

Samuel, the Lord had shewn peculiar favours of inestimable value to his chosen people. Especially "He shewed his word unto Jacob, his statutes "and his judgments unto Israel: he dealt not so "with any nation, and as for his judgments they "had not known them." But they had always manifested a perverse and ungrateful disposition, and were continually provoking him with their idolatries and rebellions." Therefore was the "wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, "insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance: " and he gave them into the hand of the heathen;

'Preached January 1, 1796.

a Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20.

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