St. Luke ii:10-11
And the angel saith 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.
Et dixit illis angelus: Nolite timere: ecce enim evangelizo vobis gaudium
magnum, quod erit omni populo.
There is a word in this text, and it is hodie, by virtue whereof this
day may seem to challenge a special property in this text, and this text
in this day. Christ was born, is true any day; but this day Christ was
born, never but to-day only. For of no day in the year can it be said hodie
natus but of this. By which word the Holy Ghost may seem to have marked
it out, and made it the peculiar text of the day.
Then it will not be amiss, donce cognominatur hodie, as the Apostle
speaketh, ‘while it is called to-day,’ to hear it. To-morrow, the word
hodie will be lost; this day and not any day else it is in season. Let
us then hear it this day which we can hear no day besides.
It is then the first report, the very first news that came, as this
day, of that which maketh this day so high a feast; the birth of Christ.
[64/65]
It came by an Angel then; no man was meet to be the messenger of it.
And look, how it came then so it should come still, and none but an Angel
bring it, as more fit for the tongues of Angels than of men. Yet since
God hath allowed sinful men to be the reporters of it as the second hand,
and the news never the worse; for that good news is good news and welcome
by any, though the person be but even a foul leper that brings it: yet,
that the meanness of the messenger offend us not, ever we are to remember
this; be the party who he will that brings it, the news of Christ's birth
is a message for an Angel.
This had been news for the best prince in the earth. That these illis
here, these parties were shepherds, that this message came to them, needs
not seem strange. It found none else at the time to come to; the Angel
was glad to find any to tell it to, even to tell it the first he could
meet withal; none were then awake, none in case to receive it but a sort
of poor shepherds, and to them he told it.
Yet it fell not out amiss that shepherds they were; the news fitted
them well. It well agreed to tell shepherds of the yeaning of a strange
Lamb, such a Lamb as should ‘take away the sins of the world;’ such a Lamb
as they might ‘send to the Ruler of the world for a present,’ mitte Agnum
Dominatori terræ—Esay's Lamb. Or, if ye will, to tell shepherds of
the birth of a Shepherd, Ezekiel's Shepherd; Ecce suscitabo vobis Pastorem,
‘Behold, I will raise you a Shepherd;’ ‘the Chief Shepherd,’ ‘the great
Shepherd;’ and ‘the Good Shepherd that gave His life for His flock.’ And
so it was not unfit news for the persons to whom it came.
For the manner; the Angel delivereth it evangelizando, ‘church-wise,’
and that was a sign this place should ever be the exchange for this news.
Church-wise, I say, for he doth it by a sermon, here at this verse; and
then by hymn or anthem after, at the 14th verse. A sermon: the Angel himself
calls it so, evangelizo vobis, ‘I come to evangelize, to preach you a gospel;’
that first. And presently after he had done his sermon, there is the hymn,
Gloria in excelsis, taken up by the choir of Heaven. An Angel makes the
one; a multitude of Angels sing the other. The whole service of this day,
the sermon, the anthem, by Angels, all. [65/66]
Now the end of both sermon and anthem, and of the Angels in publishing
it, and of the shepherds and us in hearing it is gaudium, ‘joy,’ for the
benefit and honour; gaudium magnum, ‘great joy,’ for the great benefit
and great honour vouchsafed our nature and us this day. ‘Joy’ is in the
text, and if joy be in the time, it is no harm. We keep the text, if we
hold the time with joy, for so the angel doth warrant us to hold it.
Of this angelical or evangelical message, or, as not I but the Angel
calleth it sermon, these two verses I have read are: I. are part. Whereof
the former is but an ecce, exciting them to hear it by magnifying the message
as well worth their hearing. ‘Be not afraid, for behold I bring you good
tidings of II. great joy, which shall be to all people.’ The latter is
very message itself, ‘that there is born unto you this day a Saviour, Which
is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.’
I. In the former are these points; 1. ‘Fear not,’ it is no ill news
I bring you. 2. Nay, it is ‘good news.’ 3. Good, for it is ‘news of joy.’
4. Joy, and that no ordinary but ‘great joy.’ 5. Not to some few, but ‘to
the whole people.’ 6. And not toti populo, ‘to all one people,’ but omni
populo, ‘to all people whatsoever.’ 7. And then, not for the present, but
quod erit omni populo, ‘that is and so shall be to all, as long as there
shall be any people upon earth.’ And by virtue of this quod erit, to us
here this day. Ecce, ‘behold,’ such is the news I bring.
II. In the latter, the message itself, The sum whereof is the birth
of a Child, a Child is born. Three things are proposed of Him. 1. This
Child is ‘a Saviour,’ 2. ‘A Saviour, Which is Christ.’ 3. ‘Christ the Lord,’
Christus Dominus. For every saviour is not Christ, nor every Christ Christus
Dominus, ‘Christ the Lord, or the Lord Christ.’ He is all three.
Then have we besides three circumstances, of the 1. Persons, 2. Time,
and 3. Place. 1. The persons for whom all this is, twice repeated; 1 evangelizo
vobis in the first verse, 2. natus vobis in the second. But this I make
some doubt of whether it be a circumstance or no; I rather hold it a principal
part of the substance, as the word of conveyance whereby it passeth to
us. And sure there is no joy either in evangelizo [66/67] ‘the message,’
or natus, ‘the birth’ without it, without vobis. But if the message and
the birth itself both be ours, then it is gaudium magnum indeed. Specially,
if we add 2. the time when, not many days hence, but even this very day.
And 3. the place where, that it is in no remote region far hence, but ‘in
the city of David,’ even here hard by.
And then lastly in a word; what our parts are to perform, to these parts,
1. this day's message, and 2. this day's birth of our ‘Saviour, Christ
the Lord.’
‘Be not afraid.’ Here is a stop, that the message cannot proceed; for
the sight of the messenger hath almost marred the hearing of the message.
The parties to whom it comes be in such fear as they be not in case to
receive it. ‘They were afraid,’ and that ‘sore afraid,’ as is said in the
verse before, at the sight of the Angel that came with the news.
And this was not the case of these poor men only; others and other manner
of people were so, as well as they. This Gospel of St. Luke is scarce begun,
we are yet but a little way in the second chapter, and we have already
three noli timeres in it; and all, as here, at the coming of an Angel.
1. ‘Fear not, Zachary.’ (chap. 1. 13.) So he was afraid. 2. ‘Fear not,
Mary.’ (chap.1.30) So she was afraid. 3. And now, ‘Fear not’ these here,
that it seems to be general to fear at an Angel's appearing.
What was it? It was not the fear of an evil conscience; they were about
no harm. Zachary was at Church at his office; the blessed Virgin, I doubt
not, blessedly employed; these here doing their duty, ‘watching over their
flock by night;’ yet feared all. What should the matter be? It is a plain
sign our nature is fallen from her original; Heaven and we are not in the
terms we should be, not the best of us all.
Angels are the messengers of Heaven. Messengers ever come with tidings,
but whether good or bad we cannot tell. Her come an Angel with news from
Heaven; what news he brings we know not, and therefore we fear because
we know not. Which shews all is not well between Heaven and us, that upon
every coming of an Angel we promise ourselves no better news from thence,
but still are afraid of the messages and messengers that come from that
place. [67/68] That the message then may proceed, this fear must be removed.
In a troubled water no face will well be seen, nor by a troubled mind no
message received, till it be settled. To settle them then for it; no other
way, no other word to begin with but noli timere, ‘fear not;’ and so he
doth seven times in this Gospel.
But fear will not be cast out with a couple of words, till they see
some reason to quiet them. And no better reason, than to shew they have
no reason to fear. For fear is the expectation of evil, and there is no
evil toward them; and so they have no reason to fear, quod trepidaverunt
timore ubi non erat timor. As if he should say, Angels have come with weeping,
as Judges 2. I. If I were such an one, if I came with sad tidings, ye had
reason, ye might fear. But now your terror groweth out of error. You are
mistaken in me, I am no such Angel; I am Angelus evangelizans, ‘an Angel
with a Gospel,’ one that comes with no bad news. ‘Fear not’ then. There
is no evil towards.
No evil; and that were enough for ‘fear not.’ But there is a farther
matter; not only privative, ‘I bring no ill,' but positive, ‘I bring you
good news.’ And good news is nolite timere and somewhat besides, that is,
‘fear not’ but be of good cheer. They be two degrees plainly, though one
be inferred of the other. Fear no ill, there is none to fear; there is
no ill, nay there is good towards. For good news is good, in that it represents
the good itself to us before it come. It is but words. True—but such words
made Jacob ‘revive again,’ when he was more than half dead, even the good
news of Joseph's welfare. ‘If I might but hear good tidings,’ saith David,
when his bones were broken, ‘it would make me well again;’ that Solomon
said well, ‘A good messenger is a good medicine.’
Specially, this here which is so good as it carrieth away the name from
the rest, to be called the Gospel or the glad tidings, as if none so glad,
nay none glad at all without it. It is, saith the Apostle, odor suavitatis,
‘a comfortable sweet saviour.’ It is, saith the Wise Man, dulcedo animæ,
et sanitas ossium, ‘the sweetness of the soul, the very health of the bones.’
[68/69] It is such, saith the Prophet, ‘as the lips are precious, and the
feet beautiful, of them that bring it,’ that a Saviour is born, as by Whom
‘things in Heaven and things in earth,’ men and Angels—which were in fear
one of another – ‘are set at peace, and love;’ and ‘love casteth out fear,’
giveth the true noli timere.
Good news of joy; for of good news there are more sorts than one. Good
news it had been, if it had been but evangelizo vobis spem, ‘news of good
hope;’ that had been enough for nolite timere. This is more, it is of joy.
I wot well there is a joy in hope, Spe gaudentes, saith the Apostle; but
that joy is not full, ‘till the fulness of time come.’ Nor it is not perfect,
for it is allayed somewhat with an unpleasing mixture, which is spes differtur,
and that, as the Wise Man saith, affligit animam, ‘hope deferred afflicteth
the soul.’ Gaudium spei is nothing to gaudium rei; the hope de futuro,
of a thing to come hereafter, nothing to the actual fruition of a thing
present.
And indeed, this day's news it was ever evangelium spei, ever in the
future tense before. Even the very last before this to the blessed Virgin,
Ecce concipies, ‘Thou shalt conceive’ – ‘Shalt.’ So it was yet to come.
This is the first in the present tense; not, ‘is to be born,’ ‘is to be
sent,’ ‘is to come,’ but natus est, missus est, venit, ‘is born,’ ‘is sent,’
‘is to come.’ Hodie, even ‘to-day’ takes no time; ‘in the city David,’
not far hence, but even hard by. This evangelizo gaudium, ‘this is joy
indeed.’
But even in joy there be divers degrees. All are not of one size. Some
there are lesser; some, as this here, gaudium magnum. The fire is as the
fuel is, and the joy is as the matter is. There is not like joy to a shepherd
when his ewe brings him a lamb, as when his wife brings him a son; yet
that of a lamb is a joy, such as it is. But then, if that son should prove
to be princeps pastorum, ‘the chief shepherd in all the land,’ that were
somewhat more. But then, if he should prove to be a Cyrus, or a David,
a prince, then certainly it were another manner of joy, gaudium magnum
indeed. As the matter is, so is the joy. And here the benefit is great,
none greater; as much as the saving of us all, as [69/70] much as all our
lives and souls are worth; therefore great. And the person great, none
so great—it is the Lord Himself—therefore primæ magnitudinis, ‘great
even as He is.’ Indeed so great it is, that the Prophet bids us plainly
‘remember no more former things, nor regard matters of old.’ This passeth
them all, the joy of it puts them all down; so that none of them shall
once be mentioned with it. Therefore well said the Angel, Evangelizo gaudium
magnum.
And great it may be intensive, in the parties themselves; yet not great
extensive, nor extend itself to many, not be gaudium magnum populo. Yes,
even that way also it is great; it is public joy, it is ‘joy to the people.’
And well fare that joy where it is merry with all. It is added purposely
this, that they might not mistake when he said, Evangelizo vobis, ‘he brought
them good news;’ that though he brought it them, yet not them only; it
was not appropriate to them, it was common to others. They had their parts
in it, but so should others have no less than they. And every good shepherd
will like it the better for that, will be pro grege, and still prefer the
joy of the whole flock.
In other joy it falls out as Esay tells, ‘multiply the nation, and ye
shall not increase their joy;’ for that which one wins another loses: but
this joy, the joy of Puer natus est nobis, in it ‘they shall all rejoice
before Thee, as men make merry in harvest, and be joyful as men that divide
the spoil.’ ‘In harvest;’ and a good harvest all the country is the better
for. ‘At a spoil;’ wherein every one hath his share. That is gaudium populi,
and such is this. Well figured in the place of His birth, an inn, which
is domus populi, ‘open to all passengers’ that will take it up; juris publici,
‘wherein every one hath right.’ Yea, and the most common part of the inn.
For though they sort themselves and have every one their several chambers,
in the stable all have interest; that is common. And as the place public
of His birth: Christmas joy right; all fare the better for this day. Salus
populi is the best, and so is gaudium populi too; and every good mind will
like it so much the better than all the people have their part in it.
And this were much, toti populo, ‘to the whole people,’ if it were but
one; but it is omni populo, say Theophylact and [70/71] Beda, that is,
‘to all people,’ which is a larger extent by far. And if ye speak of great
joy, this is great indeed, for it is universal, it is as great as the world
is great; when not the Jew only but the Gentile, nor the Gentile but the
Jew, not one people but all, keep a feast. And at this word olmni populo,
nec vox hominem sonat, ‘it is not man that speaketh now,’ whose goodness
commonly when it is at the greatest extendeth no farther but to one nation;
but with God it is never great, till it come to omni populo. ‘It is but
a small things (saith He by Esay) to raise the tribes of Jacob, or to restore
the decays of Israel; I will give thee a light to the Gentiles, and a salvation
to the end of the world.’
As we said of the inn even now the place of His birth, so say we here
of the time of it. It is well set down by St. Luke to have been at the
description of the whole world; for that was a meet time for the Saviour
of the whole world to be born, ‘the dew of Whose birth is of the womb of
the morning’—the Psalmist in passion of joy misplacing his words, the meaning
is, ‘His birth from the womb is as the morning dew’ which watereth and
refreseheth the face of the whole earth; not Gideon's fleece alone, but
the whole earth; not one part, not Gideon's fleece alone, but the whole
earth; not one part, not the Jews only, no partition now but utraque unum,
‘one or two;’ nay, one of all; all recapitulate in himself, and from Him
as a centre lines of joy drawn to all, and every part of the circle.
And we may not pass by quod erit, ‘which shall be,’ which not only is
but shall be. For by this word we hold; it is our best tenure. Not only
to all that then were—then had we our best tenure. Not only to all that
then were—then had we been out—but that were or ever should be to the world's
end. Omni populo, ‘all people,’ is the latitude or extent; quod erit, ‘that
shall be,’ is the longitude or continuance of the joy. Quod erit, that
it shall be a feast of joy, so long as any people shall be to hold a feast
of on the face of the earth. In a word that same evangelium æternum
that St. John saw in the Angel's hand we now hear from the Angel's mouth,
‘to be preached to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people’ that be,
or shall be while the world endureth.
So, if we read quod erit with omni populo. But some read gaudium with
quod erit (gaudium quod erit,) and make a note of that; the joy quod erit,
‘that is and shall be.’ For [71/72] commonly all our earthly joy is gaudium
quod est, et non erit, ‘that is for the present, but continueth not;’ is,
but shall not be, like the blaze of a brush faggot, all of flame and out
again suddenly in a moment. Gaudium quod erit, ‘the joy that so is as it
shall be still,’ is grounded upon the joy of this day—Christ and His Birth.
Without which our joy is as the joy of men in prison, merry for a while,
but within a while sentence of death to pass upon them. Without which extrema
gaudii luctus occupat, ‘the end of all our mirth will be but mourning.’
All joy else is, but shall not be within a while; at leastwise, erit quando
non erit, a time shall be when it shall not be. Sed gaudium Meum nemo tollet
a vobis; ‘but My joy’—Mine, grounded on Me – ‘none shall ever take from
you;’ not sickness, not death itself. Other it shall, this it shall not;
but now ye shall this day, and evermore ye shall rejoice in the holy comfort
of it.
And this is the magnifying of the message. 1. No evil news, ‘fear not.’
2. Nay ‘good,’ be of good cheer. 3. ‘Good news of joy.’4. ‘Of great joy.’
5. ‘Public joy,’ toti populo. 6. ‘Universal joy,’ omni populo. 7. ‘Joy
to all’ that are or shall be; and again, ‘joy which now is, and shall be
so for ever.’
Now upon all these He setteth an ecce, and well He may; and that is
never set by the Holy Ghost but super res magnæ entitatis, ‘upon
matters of great moment.’ But upon this hill, upon the top of it that hath
so many ascents, a beacon would do well. For look, how many ecces in the
Scriptures, so many beacons; and between them, as between these, ye shall
observe a good correspondence still. This ecce here. To the last, Ecce
concipies of the blessed Virgin; that to Esay's Ecce concipet Virgo; that
to David's Ecce de fructu ventris tui; that, to Abraham's Ecce in semine
tuo; and so up, till ye come to semen mulieris. There they first begin,
and take light one from another, till they come to the Ecce natus est hodie,
the ecce of all ecces, the last and highest of them all. And as a beacon
serveth to call up and stir up men to have regard, so is this here to excite
them, and in them us all, with god tidings. And indeed, who is not excited
with it? whose eye is not turned to behold this ecce? whose ear standeth
not attent to hear this [72/73] evangelizo? whose heart doth not
muse, ‘what manner of message this should be?’
This it is then, quod natus est. The birth of a Child, ‘that there is
One born this day’ the cause of all this joy.
There is joy at every birth. ‘Sorrow in the travail,’ saith our Saviour,
‘but after the delivery the anguish is no more remembered, for joy that
a man is born into the world.’
But the greater he is who is born, and the more beneficial his birth,
the greater ado is made. And among men, because there are none greater
than princes, and great things are looked for at their hands, their births
are ever used to be kept with great triumph. Pharaoh's in the Old, Herod's
in the New; both their natus ests day of feasting.
Now of Him who is born here it may truly be said, Ecce major hic, ‘Behold
a greater is born here.’ One, whose birth is good news even from the poorest
shepherd to the richest prince upon the earth.
Who is it? Three things are said of this Child by the Angel. 1. He is
a ‘Saviour.’ 2. ‘Which is Christ.’ 3. ‘Christ the Lord.’ Three of His titles,
well and orderly inferred one of another by good consequence. We cannot
miss one of them; they be necessary all. Our method on earth is to begin
with great; in Heaven they begin with good first.
But we are not so much to regard the ecce how great it is, as gaudium
what joy is in it; that is the point we are to speak to. And for that,
men may talk what they will, but sure there is no joy in the world to the
joy of a man saved; no joy so great, no news so welcome, as to one ready
to perish, in case of a lost man, to hear of one who will save him. In
danger of perishing by sickness, to hear of one will make him well again;
by sentence of the law, of one with a pardon to save his life; by enemies,
of one that will rescue and set him in safety. Tell any of these, assure
them but of a Saviour, it best news he ever heard in his life. There is
joy in [73/74] the name of a Saviour. And even this way, this Child is
a Saviour too. Potest hoc facere, sed hoc non est opus Ejus, ‘This He can
do, but this is not His work;’ a farther matter there is, a greater salvation
He came for. And it may be we need not any of these; we are not presently
sick, in no fear of the law, in no danger of enemies. And it may be, if
we were, we fancy to ourselves to be relieved some other way. But that
which He came for, that saving we need all; and none but He can help us
to it. We have therefore all cause to be glad for the birth of this Saviour.
I know not how, but when we hear of saving or mention of a Saviour,
presently our mind is carried to the saving of our skin, of our temporal
state, of our bodily life, and farther saving we think not of. But there
is another life not to be forgotten, and greater the dangers, and the destruction
there more to be feared than of this here, and it would be well sometimes
we were remembered of it. Besides our skin and flesh, a soul we have, and
it is our better part by far, that also has need of a Saviour; that hath
her destruction out of which, that hath her destroyer from which she would
be saved, and those would be thought on. Indeed our chief thought and care
would be for that; how to escape the wrath, how to be saved from the destruction
to come, whither our sins will certainly bring us.
Sin it is will destroy us all. And to speak of a Saviour, there is no
person on earth hath so much need of a Saviour as hath a sinner. Nothing
so dangerous, so deadly unto us, as is the sin in our bosom; nothing from
which we have so much need to be saved, whatsoever account we make of it.
From it cometh upon us all the evil of this life, and from it all the evil
of the life to come; in comparison whereof these here are not worth the
speaking of. Above all then we need a Saviour for our souls, and from our
sins; and from the everlasting destruction which sin will bring upon us
in the other life, not far from us, not from him of us that thinketh it
farthest off.
Then if it be good tidings to hear of a Saviour, where it is but a matter
of the loss of earth, or of this life here; how then, when it cometh to
the loss of Heaven, to the danger of hell, when our soul is at the stake,
and the well-doing or undoing of it for ever? He that could save our souls
from that destroyer – [74/75] were not the birth of such an one good new
trow? Is not such a Saviour worth the hearkening after? Is He not? It is
then because we have not that sense of our souls and the dangers of them,
that we have of our bodies; nor that fear of our ghostly enemies, nor that
lively apprehension of the eternal torments of that place, and how near
we are to it, nothing being betwixt us and It but this poor puff of breath
which is in our nostrils. Our carnal part is quick and sensible, our spiritual
is dead and dull. We have not the feeling of our sins that we have of our
sickness; if we had, we would hear this news with greater cheerfulness,
and hold this day of the birth of such a Saviour with joy indeed. We cannot
conceive it yet, this destruction is not near enough to affect us. But
in novissimo intelligetis plane, ‘in the end,’ when the destroyer shall
come and we shall find the want of a Saviour, ‘we shall plainly understand
this,’ and value this benefit and the joy of it as we ought, and find there
is no joy in the earth to the joy of a Saviour.
‘There is born a Saviour,’ is the first. The Angel addeth farther, ‘A
Saviour Which is Christ.’ For, many saviours had been born, many had God
sent them that at divers times had set them free from divers dangers of
their enemies; Moses, from the Egyptians; Joshua, from the Canaanites;
Gideon, from the Midianites; Jephtha, from the Ammonites; Sampson, from
the Philistines. And indeed, the whole story of the Bible is nothing else
but a calendar of saviours that God from time to time still stirred them
up.
But these all were but petty saviours, there was One yet behind that
was worth them all. One, that ‘should save His people from their sins;’
save not their bodies for a time, but their souls for ever, which none
of those saviours could do. One therefore must spoken of, wished for, and
waited for, a Saviour Which was Christ. When He came they looked for great
matters, as said the woman at the well’s side, for He was the most famous
and greatest Saviour of all. And this is He, ‘a Saviour Which is Christ.’
He, of Whom all the promises made mention, and He the performance of them
all; of Whom all the types under the Law were shadows, and He the substance
of them all; of Whom all the prophecies ran, and He the fulfilling of them
all; He, of Whom all those inferior [75/76] saviours were the figures and
forerunners, and He the acomplishment of all in them was wanting. This
is He; Jacob's ‘Shiloh,’ Esay's ‘Immanuel,’ Jeremy's ‘Branch,’ Daniel's
‘Messias,’ Zachary's oriens ab alto, Aggei's desideratus cunctis gentibus,
‘the desire of all the nations’ then, and now the joy of all nations, a
Saviour Which is Christ.
And what is meant by this term Christ? A Saviour anointed; or, as in
another place it is said more agreeable to our phrase of speaking, a Saviour
‘sealed’—a Saviour under God's Great Seal. That is, not as those other
were, saviours raised up of a sudden upon some occasion, to serve the turn
for the present, and never heard of till they came; but a Saviour in God's
fore-counsel resolved on, and given forth from the beginning; promised
and foretold, and now signed and sent with absolute commission and fullness
of power to be the perfect and complete Saviour of all.
And to be it, ex officio; His office, His very profession, to be one,
that all may have right to repair unto Him, and find it at His hands. Not
as Saviour incidentally, as it fell out; but one, ex professo, anointed
to that end, and by virtue of His anointing appointed, set forth, and sent
into the world to exercise this function of a Saviour; not for a time,
but for ever; not to the Jews, as did the rest, but even to all the ends
of the earth. So runs His bill, Venite ad Me omnes, ‘come all;’ and, qui
ad Me venerit non ejiciam foras, ‘of them that come to Me, I will cast
none out.’ Servator omnium hominum, ‘the Saviour of all men,’ and as the
Samaritans said of Him, Servator mundi, ‘the Saviour of the world,’ of
Samaritans, Jews, Gentiles; of kings, of shepherds, and all.
And there is yet more particularity in this word Christ: three offices
did God from the beginning erect to save His people by, and that, by three
acts—the very heathen took notice of them—1. Purgare, 2. Illuminare, 3.
Perficere. 1. Priests, to purge or expiate; 2. Prophets, to illuminate
or direct them; 3. Kings, to set all right, and to keep all right in that
perfection which this world admitteth. And all these three had their several
anointings. Aaron the Priest, Elisha the Prophet, Saul the King. In the
Saviour Which is Christ, His will was all should meet, that nothing in
Him might want to the perfecting of this work. That He might be a [76/77]
perfect Saviour of all, He was all. ‘A Priest after the order of Melchizedek;’
a Prophet to be heard when Moses should show his peace; a King to save
His people, ‘Whose name should be Jehova Justitia nostra.’ David's Priest,
Moses' Prophet, Jeremy's King.
And these formerly had met double, two of them in some other; Melchizedek,
King and Priest; Samuel, Priest and Prophet; David, Prophet and King. Never
all three but in Him alone; and so, no perfect Christ but He; but He all,
and so perfect. By His Priesthood to purge, expiate, and ‘save us from
our sins, being a propitiation to God for them;’ by His prophecy to illuminate
and save us from the by- paths of error, ‘guiding our feet in the way of
peace;’ by His kingdom protecting and conducting us through the miseries
of this life, till He perfect us eternally by Himself in the joys of His
Heavenly Kingdom. Rightly then, ‘a Saviour Which is Christ.’
Now, as in the name Saviour there was, so is there likewise joy in this
name Christ; and that, many ways: 1. First, that we shall hang no more
in expectation, we shall be no longer, Vincti spei, ‘Hope's prisoners.’
He that should come is come. The promised Saviour, the Saviour Which is
Christ is now born, and when spes becomes res then our joy is full. 2.
That now there is a saving office erected, One anointed to that end, a
professed Saviour to Whom all may resort. We shall not be to seek, ‘there
is a name given under Heaven’ whereby we may be sure of salvation, the
name of Christ. 3. That to this our saving we have the joint consent and
good-will of all parties, in this name Christ. Christ, that is, the Anointed,
what Person is He? The Son, the second Person. Anointed by whom? By the
Father (Quem unxisti) the first Person. Anointed with what? With the Holy
Ghost, the third Person. So a concurrence of all Persons in this Name,
all willing and well-pleased with the work of our salvation. 4. If we would
be saved, we would be saved unctione, ‘by oil,’ not by vinegar. Et unguentum
effusum Momen ejus; ‘and His name is Christ, one that saveth by anointing.’
5. And if by oil—there be hot oils—with a gentle lenitive oil. And the
oil which He useth, wherewith He is anointed, is the oil of gladness. Gladness
therefore must needs go with this [77/78] Name. Which oil of gladness is
not for Himself but for us, not for His use but for ours. So He saith Himself
in His first sermon at Nazareth, upon His text out of Esay. The anointing,
this oil of gladness, was upon Him to bestow it upon us, and of us; upon
them especially that through a wounded conscience were troubled with the
spirit of heaviness, to turn their heaviness into joy. Glad then that He
is come that by His office is to save, and come with the good liking of
all; to save us by oil, and that the oil of gladness.
And yet to make our joy more full the Angel addeth the third. ‘A Saviour
Who is Christ, Christ the Lord,’ For neither is this all. He is not Christ
only. We must not stay there. For the name Christ will agree, hath been,
and may be imparted to others besides. Many a king in Scripture hath had
the honour to carry the name of Christ, but with a difference. The king,
christus Domini, ‘the Lord's christ;’ He Christus Dominus, ‘the Lord Christ,’
or ‘Christ the Lord.’ Consider then, how great this Child is, Whose anointed
kings themselves are. For if they be christi Domini, ‘the Lord's anointed;’
His they are, for He is the Lord. The Lord absolute, without any addition;
ye may put it to what ye will—Lord of men and angels, Lord of heaven and
earth, and all the hosts of them, Dominus Christorum, and Dominus Dominorum,
‘Lord paramount over all.’
But why the Lord? Because this name of Christ will sort with men. Nay,
as He is Christ, that is, anointed, He is man only. It is His name as Man,
for God cannot be anointed. But He who should save us would be more than
Man; and so, more than Christ. Indeed, Christ cannot save us. He who must
save us must be the Lord. For ‘such a Saviour it behoveth us to have,’
as might not begin the work of our salvation and leave it in the midst,
but go through with it and make and end too, which the former saviours
could not do. Formerly, ever their complaint was, that their saviours,
their christs died still, and left them to seek; their kings, and priests,
and prophets, dropped away still, for ‘they were not suffered to endure
by reason of death.’ But this Saviour, this Christ, because He is the Lord,
‘endureth for ever, has an everlasting Priesthood,’ Kingdom and Prophecy
and so ‘is able perfectly to save them who come to God by Him.’ [78/79]
This is one reason, why hither we must come at the last to Christ the Lord,
and till we be at it we be not where we should. Else, our saviours will
die and leave us destitute.
But the main reason is set down by Esay, Ego sum, Ego sum, saith God
Himself, et præter Me non est Servator; ‘It is I, I that am the Saviour,
I am, and besides Me there is no Saviour,’ none indeed, no true Saviour
but the Lord. All other are short, Vana salus hominis, saith the Psalm,
‘Man's salvation is vain,’ any salvation is vain if it be not the Lord's.
1. Those christs that were not the Lord, could save but the body, and
not one of them quicken his own soul; Christ that is the Lord can save
souls and bodies, His own and others both. Those christs that were not
the Lord, could save but from carnal enemies, with arms of flesh; He, from
our ghostly enemies, even ‘spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places,’
from Abaddon the great destroyer of the bottomless pit. 3. They that were
not the Lord could save but from worldly calamities, could but prune and
take off the twigs, as it were; He, from sin itself, and so plucketh it
up by the roots.
4. They that were no the Lord put if off but for a time, and after it
came again—temporal only. He for ever, once for all; and is become ‘Author
of eternal salvation’ to all who depend on Him. And mark that word ‘eternal,’
for none but the Lord can work eternal salvation. 5. They all had need
of a Saviour themselves, and of this Saviour; He needs none, receives of
none, imparts to all, as being not a Saviour only but Salus ipsa in abstracta,
‘Salvation itelf,’ as Simeon calleth Him ‘of Whose fulness we all receive.’
To save may agree to man; to be salvation can agree to none but to Christ
the Lord. To begin and to end; to save soul and body from bodily and ghostly
enemies; from sin the root, and misery the branches; for a time and for
ever; to be a Saviour and to be salvation itself; Christ the Lord is all
this, and can do all this. Now then we are right, and never till now. ‘A
Saviour Which is Christ the Lord.’
But the name ‘Lord’ goeth yet further, not only to save us and set us
free from danger, to deliver us from evil; but to state us in as good and
better condition than we forfeited by our fall, or else though we were
saved we should not save by the match. To make us then savers, and not
savers only, [79/80] but gainers and that great gainers by our salvation,
He doth further impart also the estate annexed of this last title, even
whatsoever He is Lord of Himself. And He is ‘Lord of life,’ saith St. Peter,
life then He imparts. And He is ‘Lord of glory,’ saith St. Paul, glory
then He imparts. And He is Lord of joy, intra in gaudium Domini, ‘enter
into the joy of the Lord;’ joy then He imparts. Life and glory and joy;
and makes us lords of them, and of whatsoever is within the name and title
of Lord. For having thereto a double right, 1. by inheritance as the Son,
2. and by purchase as a Redeemer, (for ‘therefore He died and rose again,
that He might be Lord of all;’) contenting Himself with the former. He
is well pleased to set over the latter to us, and admit us with Himself
into His estate of joint-purchase of Heaven, or whatsoever He is the owner
of; that in right of it we may enter into the life, glory, and joy of our
Lord, and so be saved and be savers, and more than savers every way. This
also is in the word ‘Lord,’ this benefit farther we have by it.
And now, if we will put together natus and Servator, Servator and Christus,
Christus and Dominus, Dominus and natus; ‘born and Saviour, Saviour and
Christ, Christ and the Lord, the Lord and born;’ take them which way you
will in combination, any of the four, then have we His two natures in one
Person. In Servator, His Godhead; none but God is a Saviour. In Christus,
His Manhood; God cannot be anointed, man may. In Dominus, His Divine again,
‘the Lord from Heaven.’ In natus, His human nature directly, born of a
woman; both ever carefully joined, and to be joined together. When St.
Matthew had begun his Gospel thus, ‘The Book of the generation of Jesus
Christ the Son of David,’ one nature, His humanity; St. Mark was careful
to begin his thus, ‘The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son
of God,’—the other nature, His divinity. But St. John he joins them, Verbum
caro factum est, ‘the Word became flesh.’ Verbum, ‘the Word,’ there is
Dominus; and caro, ‘the flesh,’ that is natus.
And even this very conjunction is a new joy. For that such an one, that
the Lord would condescend to be born, besides the benefit there is also
matter of honour. Even that He, so [80/81] great a Person, would become
such as we are, would so esteem our nature as to take it upon Him—this
certainly is a great dignity and exaltation of our nature, and it is matter
of new joy that He would so highly value it as to assume, associate, and
unite it into one Person with the Son of God. By this we see why ‘a Saviour,’
why ‘Christ,’ why ‘the Lord.’ ‘A Saviour,’ His name of benefit whereby
He is to deliver us; ‘Christ,’ His name of office whereby He is bound to
undertake it; ‘the Lord,’ His name of power whereby He is able to effect
it. We see also why Man, and why God. First, so it should be, for of right
none was to make satisfaction for man but man; and in very deed none was
able to give satisfaction to God but God. So that being to satisfy God
for man, He was to be God and man. Secondly, so we would wish it ourselves:
if we would be saved, we would be saved by one of our nature, not by any
stranger. He is born, and so one of our own nature. Again, if we would
be saved, we would be saved by no inferior, but by the best; He is the
Lord, and so the very best of all. And so, our desire is satisfied every
way.
This blessed birth of this ‘Saviour Which is Christ the Lord’ thus furnished
in every point to save us throughly, body and soul, from sin the destruction,
and Satan the destroyer of both, and that both here, and for ever—this
blessed and thrice blessed birth is the substance of this day's solemnity
of the Angel's message, and of our joy.
And now to the circumstances; and first of the persons, vobis; ‘I bring
you good tidings, that to you is born,’ &c.
We find not any word through all but there is joy in it, and yet all
is suspended till we come to this one word, nobis; this make up all. This
word therefore we shall do well ever to look for, and when we find it to
make much of it. Nothing passeth without it; it is the word of application.
But for it, all the rest are loose; this girds it on, this fastens it to
us, and makes it ours. But for it, we but in their case, Quid nobis et
Tibi, ‘What have we to do with Thee?’ This ‘Saviour Christ the Lord,’ in
this good time and fit place, quid ad nos? ‘what are we better?’ Omni populo,
is something what too general, and the hundredeth part of them shall not
be benefited by Him. We would hear it in more particularity. [81/82] Why
vobis, ‘for you it is,’ born for you. Yea, now ye say somewhat.
And twice it is repeated for failing, in either verse once. Evangelizo
vobis and natus vobis, that ye may know the message is yours, and the birth
is yours; therefore the message is sent to you, because the birth concerneth
you. But yours they be, both.
May we then be bold to change the person, and utter it in the first
which he doth in the second, and say nobis! We may be sure—Puer natus est
nobis; Esay hath said it before us. And thereby lieth a mystery. The Angels
they say, vobis: the Prophets were men; men say, nobis. Bid the Angel say,
nobis, he cannot—neither sing nor say it; Angelis he cannot, ‘to Angels,’
(Nusquam Angelos;) but hominibus ‘unto men,’ he can and doth. And this
is a special high prerogative; that which the Angels can neither sing nor
say, we can do both.
If then He be born to us, it is to some end. Esay tells us what it is,
when he expoundeth natus by datus, ‘born to us’ ‘by given us.’ Born to
be bestowed upon us. And if given us, bestowed upon us, then He is ours.
Ours His benefit, His office, His power. His benefit to save us, His office
to undertake us, His power to assure us. Ours, His salvation as Jesus,
His anointing as Christ, His dominion as the Lord. And if He be ours, then
all His are ours; Omnia Ejus nostra sunt; His birth ours, and if His birth,
all that follow His birth, ours too.
Now then, seeing He and they be ours, will it not be well done to make
our entry, to take seisin of Him and them, and dispose them to our best
benefit? And how can we do that better than as God has offered Him to us
this day that He was born for us, so we reciprocally this day that He is
born offer Him again to God as the best pleasing oblation that we can offer
Him. To-day, as in the Temple alive for our morning oblation; and when
the time cometh of His death, offer Him as on the Cross slain for our evening
sacrifice. So shall we, as Bernard wisheth us, uti Nostro in utilatem nostrum,
et de Salvatore salutem operari, ‘employ, or make use of Him for our best
behoof; draw His proper extract from Him, and work salvation out of this
our Saviour.’
Now a word only, what is to be done on our parts and [82/83] that respectively
to these two points, what we are to return to them; what to this message,
and what to this birth.
To the message, Evangelizo vobis, this we are to return; this is due
to a message—to hear it. And that we do, and that is all; we come to the
Sermon, we hear it, and little we do besides. But we hear it but heavily,
with a faint affection. God knoweth; we hear it not as an ecce, as matter
of high admiration; we hear it not as gaudium magnum, with that alacrity
and cheerfulness we should. We hear it not as nobis, as if it nearly touched
us, but as a matter that little concerned us, it skilled not much whether
we heard it or no. Many meaner things affect us more, but this should be
the joyfullest hearing that we ever heard.
And shall we not likewise perform some duty to natus est? Yes, even
to that also. And not hear of Him, and let Him alone; hear His tidings,
and let Himself go.
He was ‘born for us and given us,’ natus nobis and donatus nobis—both
go together in the Prophet. To a gift the duty that belongeth properly,
is to receive it. If He be natus nobis and donatus nobis, I trust we will
take order He be acceptus a nobis. If ‘born for us, and given us,’ it is
our part then, we can do no less than receive Him. We evacuate the gift,
disgrace both the Giver and it, we vouchsafe not to accept of it.
How is that? how shall we receive Him? who shall give Him us? That shall
One That will say unto us within a while, Accipite, ‘Take this is my Body,’
‘by the offering whereof you are sanctified.’ ‘Take, this is my Blood,’
by the shedding whereof you are saved. Both in the holy mysteries ordained
by God as pledges to assure us, and as conduit pipes to convey into us
this and all other the benefits that come by this our Saviour.
Verily upon His memorable days, of which this is the first, we are bound
to do something in memory, or remembrance of Him. What is that? Will ye
know what is it? Hoc facite, ‘Do this in remembrance of Me.’
Something would be thought on ‘to return Him for all His benefits,’
and this day for this first, the fountain of all the rest—His birth. Some
thanks would be rendered Him for it. And how can we do that better than
as we are taught by him [83/84] that studied the point of Quid retribuam,
and resolved it thus; no way so well as by acciptum Calicem, ‘I will take
the Cup of salvation.’ And so do it: so, with it taken into our hands,
‘give thanks to the name of the Lord.’ And what better than to-day, hodie
as we are here directed? What better day than on this day, the very day
He was bestowed on us. To defer Him no longer than He did us. He deferred
not us at all, but as soon as He was born sent us word the same instant;
and shall we defer Him to hear of us another time, and not be as ready
on our part to receive Him instantly as He was on His to bestow Himself;
even presently, as soon as He was born? Sure, somewhat would be done more
than ordinary this day of His birth; the day itself is more than ordinary.
And let this move us. It ever there be day of salvation, ecce hic est
dies salutis, behold this is it when a Saviour is born unto us. If ever
an accepted time, ecce tempus acceptum, behold, now it is, this is that
time. The birth-day hath ever been a time accepted. Then, one king forgave
the trespass of his servant and received him to grace. Another, being pleased,
was ready in his bounty to have given away the one half of his kingdom.
Our Saviour Christ, our Lord, on His birth-day will be no worse than they.
His bounty then no less than theirs.
Let us then make this so accepted a time in itself twice acceptable
by our accepting, which He will acceptably take at our hands. Let us honour
this day with our receiving, which He has honoured by His first giving;
yielding Him evermore (but this day, the day of it, chiefly,) our unfeigned
hearty thanksgiving for this so good news, for this so great a gift, both
of them this day [given to] us; in Him and for Him, Who was Himself the
gift, our ‘Saviour, Christ the Lord.’ To Whom, with the Father, and the
Holy Ghost, three Persons, one immortal, ever-living, invisible, only wise
God; be all honour, glory, blessing, praise, and thanksgiving, this day
and for ever.
