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النشر الإلكتروني

Dec. 25.

( 360 )

Christmas Day. AND the brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapped him in fwaddling Clothes, and laid him in a Manger, because there was no Room for them in the Inn. Luke ii. 7.

Jefus Chrift is the First-born of the bleffed Virgin. -- His ftooping to the Weakness of Infaney is fo much the more worthy to be adored, as it appears unworthy of his Greatnefs and Wisdom. Rejected of Men, he borrows the Habitation of Beasts. Let human Pride blush as long as it will, to have a God become an Infant of a Day, of a Moment, reduced to the Confinement of fwaddling Clothes, to the Meannefs of a Manger, to the Manfion of Beafts, to have recourse to the Affiftance of his Creatures, and to be refused by them, it is the Chriftian's Glory that his God would do, and fuffer, all this for his Salvation; it is his Honour to adore him, to own him for his King, and to pay him Homage, in all his States and Conditions.

Rejoice in JESUS' Birth!

To us a Son is given,

To us a Child is born on Earth,

Who made both Earth and Heaven!

His Shoulder props the Sky,

This Univerfe fuftains,

The God fupreme, the Lord most high,
The King MESSIAH reigns!

Dec. 26.

(361) St. Stephen's Mart. AND he kneeled down, and cried with a loud Voice, Lord, lay not this Sin to their Charge. And when he had faid this, he fell asleep, Acts vii. 60.

Neither a Shower of Stones, nor prefent Death, can hinder true Love from being mindful of the real Wants of Men. --- St. Stephen's Prayer for his Enemies is humble, fervent, powerful, and conformable to that of Chrift upon the Crofs. And could fuch a Prayer be ineffectual?--- How much would God have us love our Perfecutors, fince he gives us fo great Inftances of this Kind of Love in the Death of Chrift, and in that of his first Imitator! The Death of the Saints is, to themselves, Reft or SLEEP, a Sacrifice in Refpect to God, and Seed for the Church. Saul is the firft Fruit of this Seed fown by the firft Martyr. Prepare the Soul, Thou firft fhalt call, To own in Death the pard'ning God, To die for Him, who dy'd for ALL, And feal the Record with his Blood. Give him, before he bows his Head, The Sight to fervent Stephen giv'n,

The everlafting Doors difplay'd,
The Glories of a wide-fpread Heaven.
Infpire him with thy tender Care,
For those who nail'dThee to theWood,
And give to his expiring Prayer,
The Men that drive his Soul to God.

Dec. 27.

(362)

St. John the Evan. JOHN, who also am your Brother, and Companion in Tribulation, and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jefus Chrift, was in the Ifle that is called Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the Testimony of Jefus Chrift, Rev. i.

I

9.

See here what a true Christian is: A Man who has for others a true brotherly Charity, who counts it an Honour to partake in their Tribulations, who lives by the Belief of the Coming and of the Kingdom of Jefus Chrift, and who reigns himself beforehand, even in the midft, and by the Love, of Afflictions. Amiable Banishment this, wherein St. John finds Heaven opened, instead of the Earth from which he is feparated; wherein Jefus Chrift pours forth fo many sweet Confolations; and where he himself becomes prefent to his Mind, to fill it with the most lively Communications of his Light. The more we leave for His Sake, the more He imparts himself to us.

"Twas thus the Saints of GOD,

His Meffengers, and Seers,
The narrow Path of Sufferings trod,
And pafs'd the Vale of Tears,

Thro' fore Afflictions paft

To better Worlds above,
And more than conquer'd all at last,
In our Redeemer's Love.

HEN Herod when he faw that he was mocked of the wife Men, was exceeding wroth, and fent forth, and flew all the Children that were in Bethlehem, and all the Coafts thereof, from two Years old and under, according to the Time which he had diligently enquired of the wife Men, Matt. ii. 16.

The ambitious Man is cruel, and always ready to facrifice every Thing, even Chrift himself, to his Paffion. The World is more to be feared when it flatters, than when it perfecutes. It beftows Life at that very Time when it thinks it takes it away. The Difgraces of the World, contain in them great Graces for Those who know how to distinguish and improve them. Salvation, given so freely to these Infants, teaches us that our own must neceffarily be the Gift of God. Grace prevents all Merit in Those whose Will it difpofes, as well as in these Infants, who could not possibly will any Thing freely.

For thy Children's Sake arise,

The Fears of all difpel,
Place the Crown before our Eyes,
And lead our Way through Hell:

Only fhew the Kingdom ours,

And on us loofe thy Winds and Storms, Death we challenge, with its Powers, In all their dreadful Forms.

GRACE be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christin fincerity. Amen. Eph. vi. 24.

Grace, which is the Effect of Chriff's Love towards us, becomes likewife the Reward of our Love towards him. We have Reafon to expect all Things from Him, when we love him; and to fear all Things when we love him not. Whoever defires to know whether he really loves JESUS CHRIST, with a pure Love, let him examine. 1. Whether he esteems that which Chrift efteems, immortal and incorruptible good Things; and whether in ferving him he do not feek after those which perifh. 2. Whether he hates that which Chrift hates, the Corruption that is in his own Heart, and the Filthiness of Sin-Amen, so be it, Lord Jesus; but do Thou vouchfafe to love me, to the End that I may love thee, and that thy Grace may produce in me that Love, which it will one Day crown,

Amen.

JESUS, thou dear redeeming Lord,
The Kingdom of thy Peace reftor'd,
Let all thy Followers perceive,
And happy in thy Spirit live,
Retain the Grace with Thee beftow'd,
The Favour and the Power of God.

Give all thy Saints to find in Thee,
The Fulnels of the Deity,
His Nature, Life, and Mind to prove,
In perfect Holiness and Love,
Fountain of Grace thyfelf make known,
With God, and Man for ever one.

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