December 25 AM

Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isa. 7:14.

Upon this prophecy hangs the hopes of fallen sinners. Had this word failed, we were all damned forever. Horror eternal awaited us. Hell eternal must have been our doom. God must be born a babe in time, or sinful man is forever lost. But, O my fellow sinners, all hail! I congratulate you. This day is this scripture fulfilled. This virgin hath conceived. This son, this Immanuel is born, God in our nature: God with us: God for us, we behold in JESUS. He says, "I was set up from everlasting," (as the covenant head of my people)—"My delights were with the sons of men," Prov. 8:23, 31. O, he hath shewn how he delighted over us, how he rested for ever in his love to us. For he came to visit us in our flesh. "Verily he took not on him the nature of angels," but he became a BABE in human flesh, a MAN in stature; born to save, lived to justify, died to redeem—who? fallen angels? No. They are left reserved in chains of darkness. But unto us sinners against God, us miserable apostates from God, in the very same desperate state as devils are: behold "unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given." That we who are filthy by birth, and polluted by nature, might have a holy birth, and a sanctified nature IN HIM. "The government is upon his shoulders." He is our KING. He reigns over us, for us, and in us. Our souls and all our concerns are safe in his hands. "His name is WONDERFUL." In his conception, his birth, his person, God and man in one Christ; in his life, his death, his resurrection, ascension, and intercession, wonderful. In his love to us, and salvation of us, wonderful. "COUNSELLOR." He powerfully pleads our cause above: he sweetly counsels our hearts below to come to him; so we find blessed rest in him. "THE MIGHTY GOD." No less could save us. Jesus is the God of our salvation. "THE EVERLASTING FATHER." He begets us to himself by the word of his grace. The most tender parent on earth never loved his children as Jesus loves us. “THE PRINCE OF PEACE," Isa. 9:6. He is ever at peace with us, has made peace for us, bestows his peace on us.

O, ye sinners of the human race, if as verily as the virgin conceived and brought forth this son, your hearts conceive Jesus by faith, this will bring forth holy love to Jesus. The birth of Jesus is our delicious Christmas fare. BEHOLD it, says the prophet: dwell on it in your minds, feed on it in your hearts. To conceive of our Lord becoming a babe, living in flesh for us, dying on the accursed tree to take away our sins and save our souls; while we count all other hopes vain, O this makes us keep a joyful CHRISTMAS all the year round. For this brings "glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will towards men." Luke 2:14.