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F. of the Circumcision.

NOT without GOD's special Providence is it ordered, that our year should begin with a Great Day, the Day of the Circumcision of the LORD Jesus; the Day on which He received His Saving Name. We seem to see the Holy Family, Joseph and Mary and the Blessed Young Child, gathered again after seven days to keep their Christmas a second time; according to the law of Moses, and the custom of GOD'S people from the beginning. The eighth day is the first one over again; like the eighth note in music! and they are both called Octaves. We are to-day again to strike the same note of joy, which was sounded in all the Churches on Christmas Day. For now our Incarnate LORD is eight days old; and as, on Christmas Day, He declared Himself Partaker of our imperfect nature, so to-day He declares Himself Partaker especially of Abraham's seed, and subject to the law of GOD, to do its work and submit to its sentence, in our behalf. His Incarnation He declared by His Birth, His submission to the Law by His Circumcision.

SERMON Xviii.

January 2.

The shepherds, had they not gone to Bethlehem on the bidding of the Angel, would have missed seeing what came to pass. Had they gone irreverently, it had done them more harm than good. So if you would see your new-born Saviour, you must come to His Altar, for that is the true Bethlehem ; but you must come worthily, else your true light will be turned into darkness.

SERMON Vii.

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January 3.

His Birthday was Peace on earth :" do you then strive from year to year to be freer from dislikes and jealousies, more brotherly in heart and behaviour, that you may keep it more worthily. Whether men will be at peace or no, yet do your best, and that without grudging, in order, if possible, to be at peace with them.

SERMON ix.

January 4.

When you have thus visited Christ's Manger with the shepherds, and have learned these three great lessons-Self-denial, from the Manger, Purity

from the Blessed Mother; Humility from His being a Child—then may you come to Bethlehem indeed : then will our LORD presently welcome you as a worthy communicant, and the good Christmas-time will have done for you the work which He intended. When you are got to Bethlehem, what shall you find? You will find Him a Little Child: Him, the Maker and Upholder of Heaven and Earth, Whom all the Angels worship: Him you will find as a little helpless Child: and He calls upon you to be converted, and to become like Him in His Infancy; else, He says, there is no chance of your entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. Surely, there is not any one of us, who can pretend that he has himself come up to this our Master's well-known and earnest recommendation: there is not one of us that can flatter himself that he is yet in spirit thoroughly converted; changed, and become such as a little child, such as the Holy Child Jesus Himself. This then you must study, to become in earnest lowly and humble: this is spiritually coming to our LORD's own Bethlehem.

SERMON XI.

January 5.

Eve of the Epiphany.

You are invited to join yourself in spirit to those wise Men from the East; you can in a manner see the Star, the bright and guiding light from Heaven, going before them to be your gracious Guide; you can trace it to the very cottage, and see how it stands over where the Young Child is; you can take part in their humble and simple service adoring the Infant King, and LORD of all. You may enter with the Wise Men into the house, and see the Young Child and Mary His Mother, and may fall down and worship Him. You may do this, and by your coming to Church on this Day, you profess that you are doing this. But perhaps in this, as in other things, we are, most of us, but little aware of the deep meaning and consequence of what we are ourselves doing.

SERMON Xxviii.

F. of the Epiphany.

Now to the outward eye it might seem simple enough, but you see how carefully it is set down in the Book of GOD, and how much the Church would have us think of this Day: keeping the memory of it, as one of the greatest days in the year; appointing the Creed of S. Athanasius to be said, as on a second Christmas Day, and in many places lighting up the Church with as much splendour as the congregation can afford. We understand that all this is done in memory of the Wise Men coming to Bethlehem, because that visit of theirs was the beginning of our LORD'S glorious Epiphany, or Manifestation to the Gentiles. For as Christmas Day is our LORD'S Birthday in the Flesh, so is this Day of Epiphany a kind of spiritual birthday to the whole body of the Gentile Christians, and among the rest to each one of us.

SERMON XXviii.

First Monday after Epiphany.

The Wise Men were ready to follow wherever GOD'S providence might lead them, however slight and even doubtful the notices of His Will might be.

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