Angels and Archangels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, and Powers, that let fall their Crowns, for the Objects of his Mercy? No. He past by all these (once) unparallel'd Beauties of the Upper-World, to bestow upon lost Mankind his Everlasting Favours. But, What is Man, that God is thus mindful of him? Or the Son of Man, that he so regardeth him? What is Man, that he should be prefer'd before Cherubim and Seraphim, and of all the Sons of God, that sinn'd, be singled out for the Object of Divine Mercy and Pity? He is made, as the Pfalmist tells us, lower than the Angels. Their Nature is Spiritual, Exalted, and Glorious: But Man dwells in a House of Clay, and his Foundation is in the Duft. They were created Inhabitants of the Courts above; the pure undefiled Mansions of Light and Glory: But Mans Lot and Inheritance is in these Lower and Darker Regions, this Sink and Sediment of the Creation, among the Beasts that perish. They are raised above the Laws of Mortality: But Man is forc'd to acknowledge, that Corruption is his Father, and the Worm his Mother and

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and Sister. Here then, lastly, is a Manifestation of such Tenderness and Compaffion, as is abundant Encouragement to all Men every where to Repent: For what can now seperate us from the Love of God? He, who spar'd not his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? He, who spar'd not himself, but, when he was in the Form or Nature of God, and thought it no Robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no Reputation, but took upon him the Form or Nature of a Servant, and was made in the Likeness of Men. He who drew a Veil over his Essential Glories, and cloath'd himself with Flesh for the Salvation of Mankind. He, who became Bone of our Bones, and Flesh of our Flesh, that by the shedding of his most precious Blood, he might purchase our Redemption, and reconcile us to his Father. He, (I fay) who did all these things for us, and that too, when we were yet in our Blood, wallowing in the loathfome filthiness of Sin, Enemies to God, and Co-heirs with Satan of Eternal Damnation, can certainly now deny us nothing. Now then (I say) we

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are fure, that God hath reconciled all things to himself ; that all our Sins, how many and heinous soever, will, upon our Repentance, be done away: That the Holy Child Jesus, hath made Peace between Heaven and Earth, between his Father and Sinners, between Men and Angels, and open'd the Gates of the Heavenly Jerufalem, that all People, Nations, and Languages, may enter in. And surely this (as the Angel tells us) is good Tidings indeed ; Tidings of great, unspeakable Joy to all the Nations of the World.

The Year of Release indeed, the Year of Jubilee, was a time of publick Joy; and greater yet was the Exaltation and Triumph, when the Captives had Liberty by Royal Proclamation to return from Babylon. When the Lord, Ezra1.2,3. says the Pfalmist, turned again the cap-Pfal. 126. tivity of Sion, then were we like unto them that dream. Then was our mouth fill'd with laughter, and our Tongue with Joy. But yet there is no Proclamation, no Voice, no Tidings like this of the Heavenly Messenger. Unto you is born a Saviour. For if a Redemption from Secular Pains and Drudgeries, from the

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the Miserys and Afflictions of a Temporal Captivity, from the Oppreffions and Tyrannical Impositions of a Man whose Breath was in his Noftrils, and who therefore was nothing to be ac counted of, justly demanded the Solemn, most Grateful, and joyous Commemorations of the Sons of Ifrael: Then certainly to be deliver'd from that great ̓Απολλύων, or Destroyer, the Prince of Darkness, from the Ufurpations of our Lufts, from the imperious and domineering Dictates of our Paffions, from not only the Power and Dominion, but also from the Guilt and Punishment of Sin, and consequently from the Wrath of God, and from the Everlasting Burnings: To be deliver'd (Ifay) from all these (and from all these our Lord is come to deliver us) most deservedly calls for the never ceaf ing Returns of the most exalted Gra titude, for an universal Jubilation and Festival throughout all the Nations of the Earth. And indeed after this man ner have the Saints been always affected with the Confideration of this Mercy. Abraham faw it only at a Distance, (u)Joh.Ev. and yet ἠγαλλιάστατο, (u) says our Lord, he rejoyced, he exalted, he triumph'd

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to behold it. And the Patriarchs were supported by it in all their Troubles: They gladly waited for the Light, tho' they themselves were furrounded with Darkness. But when the Blessed Virgin was inform'd by an Angel of its nearer approach: That the Day began to dawn, when the Son of God would come ; and He, who is Mighty, by affuming to himself of her Substance an Human Body, fo magnifie Her, that all Generations should call her Bleffed, how was her Heart fill'd with Transports? and her Tongue with Joy? She could not contain it within her Breast, but it flam'd out in these Glorious and Seraphick Strains of Devotion: My Soul doth Magni- Luk. i. fy the Lord, and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour. Old Zacharias, whose House was first bless'd

th this Divine Magnificat, was afterwards himself so ravish'd with the same Contemplation, that his inspir'd Soul stay'd not gratefully to reflect upon his personal Mercy; (his Tongue being loos'd after nine Months Silence) but instantly ascended up to Heaven in Hymns and Praises for this Universal