Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/96



Imagine yourself  present  in  the  stable  at  Bethlehem, and, fixing  your  eyes  on  the  blessed  Infant  lying  in  the manger, ask  yourself  these  important  questions;

" Who  is  this  Infant?" The only  begotten  Son  of  the eternal Father,  "  true  God  of  true  God.  The  Lord  the God  of  hosts  is  His  name." (Amos iv.  13.)  And  "  the pillars  of  heaven  tremble  and  dread  at  His  beck." (Job xxvi. 11.)  He  is  infinitely  powerful,  and  infinitely  wise. His perfections  are  incomprehensible,  and  His  being  is eternal.

" What  are  the  circumstances  that  attend  Him?" He suffers all  the  extremities  of  cold;  He  is  poorly  covered; He is  destitute  of  every  kind  of  convenience  and  accommodation. There are  no  servants  to  attend  Him;  there is no  one  near  Him,  except  the  Virgin  and  her  spouse, by whose  care  and  labor  He  is  maintained.

" Where  is  He?" He is  far  from  His  own  country,  and His home;  He  lies  exposed  in  a  manger,  between  two brute beasts. He might  well  say  of  Himself,  "  I  am  a worm,  and  no  man:  the  reproach  of  men,  and  the  outcast of  the  people." (Ps. xxi.  7.)

"Why all  this?" For your  sake,  for  the  love  of  you, and to  give  you  example:  "  to  restore  lost  man  to  the kingdom  of  heaven."

" How  does  this  happen?" He was  not  forced  to  do this,  but  He  did  it  by  His  own  free  choice. " He  was  offered because  it  was  His  own  will." (Is. liii.  7.)  He  offered  Himself  cheerfully  and  with  joy. Therefore, when He entered  into  the  world  "He  hath  rejoiced  as  a  giant