In God's decree, fo closely was directed
Through many ages, that 'twas fcarce fufpected
By the concerned world: and when it came
To its accomplishment, even then the fame
Concealed; the cratch and infancy,
And human nature hid the Deity.

But though this lower world but little thought
What guest they had, the news was quickly brought
Unto the Court of Heaven; the Angels take

The first alarm, and straight their flight they make
Unto the drowsy earth. The first they meet
Were watching shepherds; these by night they greet
With those bleft tidings, and to folemnize

The birth-day of their King, they fill the skies
With fongs of praife. The Heavens, to bear a share
In this folemnity, dispatch a Star

Into the Eaft, to let the Wife-men know
The Prince of Peace is born, and to show

The way unto that ftation, where they might
Behold that great and long-expected fight.
And now the World thus roused by Heaven, begin
To take the alarm, and it quickly rings
With the Meffiah's birth: the Shepherds drew
To Bethlehem, find the Angels tidings true;
And published it: the Wife-men come and fee
Their guide's report and conduct true to be,
And they proclaim it: then come kings, and bring,
And pay tribute to their Infant-King.
Thus the Almighty's Wisdom fends a train
Of wonders and remarks to entertain

And wait upon this greater wonder; crowns
The birth-day of his Son with what renown
The world could contribute, and feems to fit
All circumftances, that they render it
As folemn, fignal, memorable as

The great importance of the business was :
! A hay rack.

Which

Which chides our proud and narrow hearts, if we
Shall ftarve the memory of that which he

Strove to make fignal, while we think a day
Too much to that folemnity to pay.

XIII.

CHRISTMAS-DAY, 1658.

WHAT! the Meffias born and fhall a day
Be thought too much expenfiveness to pay
To that Memorial? Shall an Anniverfe
Be kept with oftentation, to rehearse
A mortal Prince's birth-day, or repeat
An Eighty eight, or Powder-Plot's defeat;
A Purim, or fome petty victory,
Though with the victor's lofs or infamy?
And fhall we venture to exterminate,
And ftarve at once the memory and date
Of Chrift Incarnate, wherein fuch a store
Of joy to mortals lay, as ne'er before
The fun beheld, a treasury of blifs;
The Birth-day of the World as well as his?
Ungrateful Man! It was for only thee,
And for thy reftitution, that he

Did ftoop to wear thy rags; chose a descent
Below himself and angels; was content
Thus to affume thy nature, and thereby
His paffing love to thee to magnify;
And canft thou thus requite it, to deface
This day's infcription of it, or to rase
The name it bears, that future ages may
Forget as well the blessing as the day ?

Dear Lord, when to thy Honour I defign
To give a day, 'twas what before was thine;

But were it mine, I only pay a debt
To the remembrance of this benefit.

: XIV.

CHRISTMAS-DAY, 1668.

This day by ufe commendable defign'd
To bear this great memorial, and remind
Forgetful mortals of that benefit

That was of greateft confequence, doth yet
Find various entertainment: Some decline
Its folemn ufe, as if we might confign
A Purim or a feaft to celebrate

Some victory, or to commemorate

Some Prince's birth-day; yet the wondrous birth
Of Him that was the Prince of Heaven and Earth,
Mankind's Deliverer, must neglected be,
Without a day to bear its memory.
Others there are that feem for to contend
For its obfervance; highly to pretend
To honour it; but 'tis with luxury,
Riot, intemperance, and vanity;

The dregs of all the year's excefs are brought
To this folemnity, as if they thought

Thofe fins that flew our Lord, the only train

For his reception, or to entertain

His birth-day. Thus, they mock him, and yet cry Hofannah, kifs at once, and crucify.

Others again, with greater innocence,

Obferve this feast, and yet without the fenfe

Of its true ufe, but only on the fcore

Of what their ancestors did do before.

They take the custom up, they make good cheer,

And feast and drefs the house with greens, and wear

1 1 Esth. ix. 20.

Their best apparel, rest from work, and they
Then think t'have kept it holiday.

And truly folemn figns are not amifs,

To welcome fuch a feftival as this.

The great and wife Creator, when his hand

I

Had wrought fome great deliverance, did command

That folemn days, and figns, and monuments,
Obvious to sense, should be the inftruments
To propagate their memory 3, that night
Be legible to children, and invite

Their search into the things they meant; whereby,
Together with the figns, the memory

And evidence of things of note might reach

To after-times, and prove as well as teach.
Thefe great examples feem to justify
Such unforbidden figns, to testify.

Our faith and joy. But yet this is not all
This feaft designs; but it doth chiefly call
For more: even lawful signs alone are dry bow of
And empty shells of this folemnity. !o nulla
The mercies that this day imports, requires foizol,
Thy ferious attention, to admires 35 w 19
The greatness of the wonder, and the love mb
Thy God at this day fhewed thee, above
Thy expectation or defert; the spring

Of all thy hopes and joys, that with it brings
Mankind's deliverance; it bids thee praisemm
And magnify his goodness, and to raise
Thy highest gratitude. And though thy beft
Returns can never recompenfe the leafty aid
Mercies, and much lefs this, nor yêt arise aid onl
Unto an anfwerable facrifice, wg i 7 did al mil
Thou haft a little cabinet may make

11

A welcome New-year's-gift; thy Lord will take 4.Josh. iv. 6. Deut. xii. 16. 3 Exod. xii, 14. 26.

This little prefent well, and in good part,
Because thy beft. Give to thy God thy heart's
I mean thy Will, thy Love, thy Truth, thy Eear,
Thy best Affections that inhabit there?

In that fmall cell. 'Tis true, thou giv'ft no more
Than what of right was juftly his before;
Befides, thy heart is foul; yet he'll accept

And take it well; 'tis all he doth expect.
Nor is this guilt thy lofs, he'll make it clean 2,
Fill it with grace, and give it thee again.

BLESSED Redeemer ! we do meet this day,
Of thy Nativity, as well we may,

With figns of joy and wonder; we do write )
Thy name upon it, and seem with delights
To welcome its return; we trim and dress
Our houses all with greens, and feem no lefs
Joyful to entertain the happy news

Of thy defcent from Heaven, than once the Jews
Did thy defcent from Olivet; we fing

Hofannas at this Birth-day of our King;
And furely 'tis well done, but 'tis not all;
Chriftian, from thee this folemn day doth call
For fomewhat more, without which all the reft
Will prove but empty compliments at beft:
Thy Lord must be thy life; thou must be brought
Under his yoke and rule; thou must be wrought
Into his likeness; Chrift muft formed bele
First in his Virgin Mother, then in thee. 12 (3

1 Prov. xxxii. 26.

3 Mat. xxi. 8/10 y

Psalm li 10. Exek. xi. 19 4 Gal. iv. 19.

. .Mix bead

T

XVI.