Men. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed, was the Voice of God himself from Heaven. The Works that I do (fays our Saviour) they bear Witness of me. If ye believe not me, believe the Works. To produce every particular Text in Holy Writ, which confirmeth this Doctrine, would be an endless, as well as a needlefs Tafk. What I have already brought, is fufficient to prove, that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God, and that this Son of God was manifefted in the Flesh. We have the Voice of God by the Mouth of his holy Prophets, the Concurrence of the Angels, the Meffengers of God, and the Testimony of God himself from Heaven, to confirm it. The mighty Works which our Saviour Chrift wrought, his giving Eyes unto the Blind, and Feet unto the Lame, his raifing the Dead to Life again, and cafting out Devils by the Word of his Power, his breaking in funder the Bands of Death, and rifing up glorious and immortal from his Tomb, are fufficient Evidences that he came from God, and was God. So that how great, how incomprehenfible foever this Mystery

Mystery may appear to us, we must nevertheless confefs, that it is undoubtedly, and without all Controverfy, true.

Having thus treated on the two Heads propofed, let us fee what Ufes we ought to make of what hath been faid. And,

First, The Confideration that the Son of God was manifeft in the Flesh, and did, and fuffered fo many Things for our Sakes, fhould make us readily and chearfully comply with the great End and Defign of his coming. God fent his Son Jefus to bless us, by turning every one of us from his Iniquities. He came to purify to himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works; and to teach us, that denying Ungodliness and wordly Lufts, we should live foberly, righteously, and godly in this prefent World. The great Design of the Appearance of the Son of God in the Flesh, was to reform Mankind; to recover us from that miferable State into which we were fallen; to bring Salvation to us, and to make us Heirs of everlafting Glory. But unless we be transformed by the renewing of our Minds, all that Chrift hath done

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for us, will be of no Ufe to us. The Suffering and Obedience of our bleffed Redeemer will be, indeed, imputed unto us for Righte oufnefs; and we may most undoubtedly affure ourselves, that they will redound to our unfpeakable Advantage, if we are careful to perform the Conditions on our Part required. Now the Condition required by the Gospel is this; Let every one that nameth the Name of Chrift, depart from Iniquity; that is, every one that is baptized into the Faith of Chrift, muft avoid all Manner of Sin and Wickedness; and make it his constant Endeavour to keep the Commandments of God with his whole Heart. But if we receive the Grace of God in vain; and neglect to perform this Condition, we can blame none but ourfelves. God hath fet Happiness before us, and placed it in our Reach. Nay, he perfuadeth and exhorteth us by the most engaging and endearing Motives to embrace it. He will not indeed force it upon us, nor give it as a Reward to the Wicked, or the Slothful. We cannot expect to die the Death of the Righteous,

Righteous, unless our Lives have been like his; neither can we hope for the Reward of the Righteous, unless we have done the Deeds of the Righteous. Let us not then deceive ourselves, but whilft we have Opportunity, let us work the Works of God. And fince God hath been fo merciful as to fend his Son into the World to redeem us from the Bondage of Sin, and to purchase for us eternal Glory; let us not be wanting on our Parts, but cheerfully embrace, and carefully fulfil the Obligation this layeth us under to Purity and Holiness of Living.

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Secondly, The Truth of this great Myffhould make us firm in our Belief of it; fhould fuffer no Doubts to arise in our Minds concerning it; but caufe us to hold faft the Profeffion of this our Faith, without wavering. Let us not enter into any foolish Cavils or Difputations concerning it, but learn to refign up our Reason to our Faith. Being once convinced, by undeniable Arguments, that these wonderful Things are true, we must give up our Reafon, when it hath carried us as far as it can:

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and rely upon Faith and Revelation. When, therefore, we contemplate our Saviour clothed in the Flesh, we must confefs the Divinity under it. When we view him in the Stable, we must acknowledge him to be the Prince of Peace, and King of Glory. And when we represent him to our Eyes, wrapped in fwaddling clothes, and lying in a Manger, we must own him to be our Lord and our God. Let him be to the Jews a Rumbling Block, and to the Wife-men of this World Foolishness; to us who believe, and act according to this Belief, Chrift is the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God.

Lastly, If at the Birth of our Saviour, the Angels fung Glory to God in the Higheft; and thofe happy and exalted Spirits, the everlasting Sons of Heaven, who never knew the Miferies of our wretched State, ' magnified God's holy Name; how much more ought we who enjoy the Benefit of his coming, to break out into Songs of Joy, and Praise to our merciful God, for his unfpeakable Goodness towards us? This ought to be a never-failing Source of Thanksgiving.

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