its own appropriate key, so the riches
of divine truth, redeeming love, and saving mercy are open only to
such as come to Jesus with a belief in His divinity on the one hand,
and a belief in His humanity on the other;--who behold in the child,
whose birth was sung by angels, the son of Mary, and worship the only
begotten, well beloved, and eternal Son of God.

Now this mingling of divine and human characters distinguished
Christ's birth as much as His death. The halo of glory that surrounded
His dying, crowned His infant head. His sun rose, as it afterwards
set, behind a heavy bank of clouds; but the divinity they screened,
touched their edges alike with burning gold; so that He at whose death
the rocks were rent, and the sun eclipsed, and graves deserted of
their dead, no more entered than He left our world as a common son of
Adam. Not that a world which was to reject Him went out to meet its
King with homage and royal honours. Omen of coming events, it received
Him in sullen silence. But the heavens declared His glory, the skies
sent out a sound; and the tokens of His first advent--unlike the
thunders which shall rend the skies when He comes the second time to
judgment--were all in beautiful harmony with its object. It was love
and saving mercy; there were light, music, and angel forms. With this
object all things indeed were in perfect keeping,--the serene
night--the shining stars--the pearly dews glistening on the
grass--snowy flocks safely pasturing--and the shepherds themselves, to
whom the annunciation was made; men who, whether going before their
charge, or carrying the lambs in their arms, or gently leading those
that were with young, or standing bravely between their flocks and the
roaring lion, were the choicest emblems and types of Him who, dying to
save us, gave His life for the sheep. To them there suddenly appeared
a multitude of the heavenly host, turning night into day, and shedding
on the soft hills around a bright but gentle radiance. As guard of
honour, they had swept in their downward flight by many a sun and
star, escorting the Son of God to our nether world. And now--ere they
left Him to tread the wine-press alone, and returned on upward wings
to their native heavens, and their service before the throne of
God--these celestials bent their loving eyes on the stable; and in
anticipation of Jesus' triumphs, of men saved, death conquered, graves
spoiled, and Satan crushed, they sang "Glory to God in