Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/72

 cunning flattery. Alas and  alas! how different  from Christ, who,  God  as  He  was,  took  upon  Himself  the form of  a  servant;  whose  one  aim  was  to  shun  praise and court  persecution;  who  hid  the  glories  of  His birth in  the  stable  of  Bethlehem,  but  exhibited  His ignominious death  to  the  whole  world  on  the  summit of Calvary. Oh let  me,  ere  the  Christmas  season ends, kneel  a  while  before  the  crib  and  listen  to  the wordless wisdom  that  falls  from  that  little  preacher in that  little  pulpit. I may  have  tears  in  my  eyes but I  will  have  unspeakable  consolation  in  my  heart. I will  lay  before  Him  my  proud  heart  and  stubborn will, and  ask  Him  in  mercy  to  pity  and  forgive. I will, like  holy  Simeon,  hold  Him  in  my  arms  an4 as confidently  ask  the  Father:  "  Now  dismiss  Thy servant  in  peace,  O  Lord,  for  my  eyes  have  seen Thy  salvation."

Brethren, Christ's  third  birth  is  His  spiritual  coming by  grace  into  the  souls  of  men. Often, alas! is He persecuted  and  recrucified  by  the  modern Herod, — sin. But happily,  too,  He  is  born  again  and again in  every  soul  that  is  regenerated  or  converted to God. " And  we  saw  His  glory,"  says  St.  John; and St.  Paul  says  of  Christ's  spiritual  births — "  The grace  of  God  our  Saviour  hath  appeared  to  all  men, instructing  us  that,  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly desires,  we  should  live  soberly  and  justly  and  godly in  this  world." Just prior  to  the  Christian  era,  God had apparently  abandoned  the  world  and  men  ceased to turn  to  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth. They doubted His knowledge  of  human  ills  and  despaired  of  His