Serm. CLXXXIX.: the Chriflian Revelation. 591 It is a holy and reafonably;Xoefrine, fuitable to the highefl and beft improv'd Réafon of Mankind, and plainly tending toour Perfe&ion and Happinefs; both for the fublimitÿ of its Myfteries, and the fimplicity and excellencyof its Precepts, everyway worthy to have God for its Author, and molt likelyto proceed from him, and from none elfe. In a word it is a Doftrine in all refpefts foexcellent andper- fed, that it is beyond the compafs ofhumane Understanding to imagine any thing better ; and impoffible, that any Religion, materiallydiffering from this, fhould be fogood. NoReligion that ever was, or which the wit ofMan can devife, cangive ús jufter Notions of God, a truerAccount of our felves, better Rules ofa good Life, andArguments more powerful to perfuade us to Goodnefs, than the Chriftian Re- ligion hath done. And the intrinfick Goodnefs and Excellency of any Religion, goes half way in the proofof its Divinity : to which, if God be pleas'd to add the external Confirmation of plain and unqueftionable Miracles, it amounts to a full Demonftration , and hath all the Evidence that it is poflible for any Religion to have, that it is from God. But this is a very large Argument, which :I have handled in fome other Difcour- fes *. All therefore that I !hall at prefent add is an Inference or two from what* See vol. I have been Difcourfing upon this Argument, fuited to the Solemnityof this;rs`X769 Seafon f. i77,nndthd I. We fhould welcome this Light which is come into theWorld, with all pof- sémo son fible expreflions ofjoy and thankfulnefs. The Doftrine ofthe Gofpet is the moll th;a vol. glorious Light that ever !hone upon the World ; the beft News that ever arrived t Preached toMankind. Light is a chearful thing ; The Light of the Eyes (fays Solomon) mas.0ay. rejoyceth the heart, andgoodnews maketb the bones fat. When the Angel brought the News of our Saviour's Birth to the Shepherds, with what joy does he relate it to them ? Luke I2. IO, II. Behold, I bringyou good tidings ofgreat joy, which flail be to all people. For untoyou is born this day, in the City ofDavid a Saviour, which is Chrifi the Lord. And Mattb. 2. Io. When the wife men faw the Star which pointed at the place of his Birth, and concluded them to it, 'tis Paid, They rejoyced with great joy. And whenever we commemorate the breaking inof this glorious Light upon the World , I mean the Birth of our Bleffed Saviour, how fhould our hearts be fill'd with joy, and our mouths with praifes l We fhould everyone of us break out into that Hymnofthe bleffedMother ofour Lord ; My Soulcloth magn fe the Lord, and my Spirit hath rejoyced in Godmy Saviour, for he bath regardedme and all Mankind in our low Eflate. He was pleafed to come down from Heaven, to fave us from Hell; and to become Man, that he might britg us to God; and was contented to be inferable, that he might make us happy; and he did declare this mightyAffe- &ion to us, when we were not only unworthyof his Love, but even beneath the confederation and regard of his pity; for What is man, that God /bould be thusmind- ful ofhim ? or the Son ofman that the Son of GodJhould vifit him; that he fhould condefcend to inhabit our. Nature, and to dwell among us. All Mankind maywith equal or greater Reafon fay, as the Centuriononce did to him, Lord we are not worthy that thoufhouldesl come under our roof. Whatmeans this amazing Condef: cenfion, that thou íhouldeft leave thy Glory to be thus obfcured ; and come from God, to be defpifedand rejetledof men; and quit the Regions of Blifs and Happi- nefs, to become a man offurrows, and acquainted withgrief! Was it for us that thou didft all this ? Yea for our fakes, who never had done any thing for thine, who may be afhamed to remember, thatwe were grievous finners and bitter Enemies to thee, when all this was done for us. Thus we should, celebrate the memory ofthis bleffed Seafon, andas often as the' Yearreturns, with great joy and thankfulnefscommemorate the great Bleflìngswhich thisday brought to the World, and faywith David, This is the day which the Lord bath made ; we will be glad and rejoyce Abraham andDavidPaw thisday, butfar off; andjet they rejoyced: how fhould uîe then be tranfported with joy, to whom this day is come, and upon whom the Sun ofRighteoufieefs%long liince rifer;. with healing and Salvation under his wings ! II. Let us walk in this Light. This expreflìon the Scripture ufeth to fignifie what
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