V.

First Sunday after Christmas.

Subject. The Blessed Virgin's contemplation of the Incarnation.

Text.

S. Luke ii. 19. Mary kept all these things, and pon dered them in her heart."

Principal Words. συνετήρει, συμβάλλουσα.

Ir was a very early usage of the Church to keep the festivals eight days; and this Sunday, falling within the octave, partakes of the festival. The feasts of the Passover and Tabernacles were so kept (Lev. xxiii. 8, 36) which are the shadows of Easter and Christmas. (1 Cor. v. 7; S. John i. 14, in the Greek.)

This usage is very profitable-one day's meditation of such a subject as the Incarnation is not sufficient for the year. In Advent we only prepare to meditate it. The tone of that period is solemn and penitential -that of Christmas joyful and praiseful. Now we need to meditate our hopes, encouragements, and blessings as much as our fears and dangers. And to descend from the raptures of the Incarnation at once to the reflections of the common year, is hard, were it desirable. It is the wisdom and tenderness of the Church to afford us a gradual descent; derived as it would seem, from above; for, independently of the

enactments of the Levitical law, our arisen LORD revisited His disciples after eight days, and His circumcision took place on the eighth day from His Nativity.

One great advantage of the practice is that it enables us to contemplate subjects of great moment, which yet, however, are lost in the splendour of the more immediate. Thus, in the Incarnation, we look on God Himself. (S. John xii. 45; xiv. 9; Col. i. 15; Heb. i. 3.) No wonder then that we should have no eye at that moment for any created spectacle, however worthy our regard, however connected with the subject itself. Moses on Pisgah, beholding mountains and plains, cities "walled to heaven," stately palmgroves, the kingly Jordan, the inland seas, the outspread ocean, had no eye for the lilies of the field, which were yet the work of the Hand that created the rest. In the magnificence of the Incarnation we overlook points of importance, and closely connected with it. This interval enables us to regard them. And we may profitably employ it in considering the meditations which the Incarnation excited in the breast of her who was most connected with it, and who, we may be certain, entertained it most worthily.

The silence and expression of Holy Scripture on the subject of the Blessed Virgin are equally significant, considering who she was. We know this silence must be right, or we should deeply regret it. We know too that she has been obtruded in later ages into, perhaps above, the place of her Son Himself, and therefore we may be thankful that "the expressive silence" of Holy Scripture strengthens us against this error. But we must be no less thankful for what the

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same Scripture has disclosed of her. All that is said points to a character of great quietness, retirement, reserve, and thoughtfulness. The scantiness of her Scripture history seems an answer to her prayers, to retire from the gaze of the world. She speaks once of the applause of others; but it is in character. She desires to be called Blessed, (S. Luke i. 48,) not Holy -desiring indeed to be holy, but to be known only as one blessed of GOD, as an instance of His love and goodness. Holiness she ascribes to GOD alone.

The text is an instance of this disposition of quiet devout contemplation. It was the tale (pýμara) of the shepherds that she "kept" and "pondered," guarding (avvτηpovσa) all the particulars as a special treasure, collating (ovu Báλλovoa) them with each other, and with what had been told her by Gabriel and Elisabeth, and perhaps with many other particulars with which we are unacquainted. She kept these truths together, to be again and again revisited. She did not understand their fulness, but they were not therefore less dear to her. She would know, if she waited and inquired. And if not, still she would wait and inquire. (See 1 S. Pet. i. 10-12.) If she received not know

ledge, she would receive comfort, joy, and love. Till their significance came forth, she would yet walk by them, as starlight till the day should dawn. (2 S. Pet. i. 19.)

The message delivered to her is that which the Church has just declared to us. Let us receive it in her spirit.

I. Let us store it in our hearts. The Church

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1 "Without speaking of them to any," adds Hammond, in loc.; paraphrasing ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς.

pounds the object of our meditation in the Epistle selected for Christmas day, and the Apostle, on that very subject, charges us-Heb. ii. 1. There are some thoughts which we store in our hearts—which we love— to which our feelings spring back like an unbended bow -to which we recur for repose in our weariness, for comfort in our sorrow, for pleasure amid our pleasures. But too often are these heart-treasures unworthy the casket. But no heart-memory is so worthy, can be so dear, as this of the Incarnation. Wise indeed was the sublime prayer of the Apostle-Eph. iii. 17. The Incarnation is the soul of every fast and festival: [this may be easily shown in detail-the Circumcision His seal in the flesh, the Epiphany His manifestation in the flesh, &c. &c.] It is the soul of the Sacrament of His Body and Blood-the soul of our union with Him. (Eph. v. 30.) In our trouble we behold Ilis humanity suffering, and learn to suffer and submit; from His human tears we learn compassion. In prosperity, what more humbling than to think of His human life? How blessed, to have a Priest with the FATHER, who is a brother. (Heb. ii. 17, 18; iv. 15, 16.) How engaging to see Him in every human being! (S. Matt. xxv. 35-45.) How inspiriting the hope to behold His face!

consider, the

II. Let us ponder, weigh, balance, truths connected with the Incarnation. The subject has infinite depths and infinite heights. If our search gain not in knowledge, it will gain in love, which is far better, (1 Cor. xiii. 2, 8,) and the highest attainment of man or angel. When we shall see face to face, and know even as we are known, we shall, if we may reverently say it, love as we have been loved,

VI.

Second Sunday after Christmas.

Subject. The character of the Shepherds of Bethlehem. Text. S. Luke ii. 20. "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising GOD for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."

THE history of the shepherds, like that of the meditations of the Blessed Virgin, is one of those contemplations connected with the Nativity, which require to be separated from the splendour of that event in order to be properly estimated.1

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1 As this sermon, equally with the last, might be used for the first Sunday after Christmas, the following exordium might, in that be employed: CHRIST, the Sun of righteousness, (Mal. iv. 2,) shines from the beginning to the end of Holy Scripture, (Ps. xix. 6,) He goes forth as the Bridegroom of His Church, (Ibid. 5,) as the Strong that bindeth the strong. (S. Luke xi. 22.) But night succeeds day, and equally declares her Maker's glory. (Ps. xix. 2.) Then the moon and the stars, which the sunlight did not suffer to appear, come forth. So when CHRIST is by, lesser lights disappear; but when He is withdrawn, as He sometimes is, in Holy Scripture, they come forth, and display the glory of God. In the light of the Incarnation all inferior lights are lost. But God gives us night to strengthen our vision to behold the day; and so in Holy Scripture He provides us resting places of reflection to which we may turn from the dazzling glory of mysteries, and by which we