on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE SCRIPTURE.

Here followeth the portion of Scripture as it is written in Saint Luke's Gospel, the 2nd chapter, from the 8th to the 20th verse.

"And there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angels, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and

the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying that was told them concerning the child. But all they that heard it, wondered at these things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."

SERMON I.

THE ADVENT OF CHRIST.

In Saint Luke's Gospel, 2nd chapter, 13th and 14th verses it is thus written:

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

The fall of man by sin, and his restoration to God's favour by grace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, are the supreme doctrines of Christianity. Connected with these, however, are events so sublime, and so mysterious, that the believer, as he acknowledges their stupendous interest in time, is persuaded they will be the themes of his admiration and gratitude for ever in eternity.

The wondrous event of this world's creation, when, at the voice of God, it emerged from surrounding darkness, was yet surpassed, by the mi

raculous birth of our blessed Saviour, who, holy, harmless, and undefiled, descended from heaven, to dispel that moral darkness by which the heart of man had long been surrounded and debased. Nor are the creation of the world, and the salvation of the world, to be separated. The work of creation was typical of the work of grace. Did we limit our view to the former subject alone, we might indeed consider God as a mighty sovereign, enthroned amidst angels and blessed spirits, ever ready to obey his will, but whose government conducted by general laws, did not superintend or minutely interfere with the peculiar circumstances of the human race, whilst the latter, comprehending the Advent, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, witnesseth, that although Jehovah be indeed surrounded by cherubim and seraphim, who continually do praise him, he has evinced the most affectionate sympathy for our fallen and rebellious race; and, with the feelings of a gracious parent, hath called upon us to return and live, and hath declared that in our death he hath no pleasure.

At first creation, when the voice of angels joined in the hymn of the world's existence, as the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy, that exalted song was lost amid the praises of eternity, and the glories of the dwelling-place of the blessed. But when heavenly music is again heard, announcing the mission of Messiah, its words are preserved for

the comfort of God's church and people, to be had by them in everlasting remembrance.

Before the angelic quire sang their anthem over the plains of Bethlehem, the Advent of Jesus had been anxiously expected amongst the Jews. The hope of one who should deliver Israel was almost universal. It is not improbable, therefore, that the shepherds of Judea, having placed their flocks in safety, were in the calm of night holding converse regarding "Him who was to come." Darkness overshadowed the plain; all nature was hushed in solemn repose,-when, lo! in a moment the clouds are rolled aside, the heavens are opened, celestial music is heard, and angels proclaim "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men."

The song of the angel announced, that the mission of Jesus to this world had for its object the "glory of God."

This glory was realised, in Christ's life of perfect obedience. Adam, originally created after the image of God, had been tempted and overcome. Of his descendants, all had sinned, and come short of God's glory. That law which God himself had proclaimed, amid the thunders of Sinai, was disobeyed by the people for whom it was first promulgated; Israel had forsaken God, and Jehovah had forsaken his Israel, whose once favoured children were, at Christ's Advent, suffering under the Roman yoke; whilst the Gentile

nations around were sunk in idolatry, and by nature knew not God.

When the blessed Jesus came, he fulfilled God's law, and made it honourable; his was a life of purity, even in the eye of Jehovah-that eye before whose glance the heavens are not clean. God looked down from the celestial glory, and recognised him as an only and beloved Son, in whom the Father was "well pleased." "I have glorified thee on earth," saith Jesus, "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do; and now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."

The song of the angels also proclaimed, "Peace on earth." Christ, by fulfilling the law of God, did indeed satisfy his Divine justice; but God was yet to be more highly glorified, by the exhibition of his sovereign grace to a fallen and sinful world. Of that world, justice demanded what Divine love could alone fulfil. Behold the riches of redeeming grace! See the brightness of God's glory thus manifested! Those who truly partake of that grace, become "new creatures.' From the heart possessed of the peace of God, every unruly passion is banished, and it beats and pants after more communion with Him by whom it is animated. It is purified by the precious blood of the Lamb; it knows God as a God of love; it has accepted his gracious invitations; it