The Observation of the Birth of CHRIST,
the Duty of all Christians;
or the true Way of keeping Christmas.
MATTHEW i. 21.
_And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou 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 a 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 fulness 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
favour 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 favour 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 Saviour’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 chaunt 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,
or 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 shew you when you may be said, not to observe this
festival aright.
II. I shall shew 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
behaviour at all times, but more especially, my dear brethren,
on this solemn occasion.
I. My brethren, I am to shew 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 out of our
souls? Are not our natures to be changed, our corruptions to be subdued,
our wills to be brought over to GOD, our 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 see 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 us 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 worse 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 eat 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 so 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 lose your
lusts, your pleasures, and your delights, or you cannot expect to find
favour 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 shewn you who they are who do not
rightly observe this holy festival.
II. I come now, in the second place, to shew you, who they are who do
rightly observe, and truly celebrate the birth of our Redeemer.
And I shall shew 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 Saviour, 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 intreat 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 CHRIST is the subject: then let JESUS be the subject, my brethren,
of all your conversation.
♦ “thnigs” replaced with “things”
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 conversation. 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 behaviour, 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 Saviour, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, than in obeying one of his
commands?
Do not, my dear brethren, be forgetful of the poor of this 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 labour for the things of this life
inordinately, but we are to labour for them with 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 to the hurt of
your families, whatever pretence 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 think it sinful; but there is too much
reason to fear, that the time is 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 dishonouring him in the greatest degree possibly
we can.
Therefore, enquire 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
intirely 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 doctrines 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 commands? 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,
honour and obey him, more than ever you have done yet; let not the
devil engross your time, and that dear Saviour 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.