n the
world. He appeared as if to show them that God had chosen the poor in
this world to be heirs of His kingdom, and so to do honour to their lot.
"Fear not," he said, "for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city
of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

2. And now comes a second lesson, which I have said may be gained from
the Festival. The Angel honoured a humble lot by his very appearing to
the shepherds; next he taught it to be joyful by his message. He
disclosed good tidings so much above this world as to equalize high and
low, rich and poor, one with another. He said, "Fear not." This is a
mode of address frequent in Scripture, as you may have observed, as if
man needed some such assurance to support him, especially in God's
presence. The Angel said, "Fear not," when he saw the alarm which his
presence caused among the shepherds. Even a lesser wonder would have
reasonably startled them. Therefore the Angel said, "Fear not." We are
naturally afraid of any messenger from the other world, for we have an
uneasy conscience when left to ourselves, and think that his coming
forebodes evil. Besides, we so little realize the unseen world, that
were Angel or spirit to present himself before us we should be startled
by reason of our unbelief, a truth being brought home to our minds which
we never apprehended before. So for one or other reason the shepherds
were sore afraid when the glory of the Lord shone around about them. And
the Angel said, "Fear not." A little religion makes us afraid; when a
little light is poured in upon the conscience, there is a darkness
visible; nothing but sights of woe and terror; the glory of God alarms
while it shines around. His holiness, the range and difficulties of His
commandments, the greatness of His power, the faithfulness of His word,
frighten the sinner, and men seeing him afraid, think religion has made
him so, whereas he is not yet religious at all. They call him religious,
when he is merely conscience-stricken. But religion itself, far from
inculcating alarm and terror, says, in the words of the Angel, "Fear
not;" for such is His mercy, while Almighty God has poured about us His
glory, yet it is a consolatory glory, for it is the light of His glory in
the Face of Jesus Christ[2]. Thus the heavenly herald tempered the too
dazzling brightness of the Gospel on that first Christmas. T