And, because the Lord is at hand, be anxious about nothing.  The word here is the same as in the Sermon on the Mount.  It means do not fret; do not terrify yourselves; for the Lord is at hand; he knows what you want:  and will he not give it?  Is not Christmas-day a sign that he will give it—­a pledge of his love?  What did he do on the first Christmas-day?  What did he shew himself to be on the first Christmas-day?  Now, here is the root of the whole matter, and a deep root it is; as deep as the beginning of all things which are, or ever were, or ever will be.  And yet if we will believe our Bibles, it is a root which we all may find.  What did the angels say the first Christmas night?  Peace on earth, and goodwill to men.  That is what God proclaimed.  That is what he said that he had, and would give.

Now, says the apostle, if you will believe the latter half of this same Christmas message, then the first half of it will come true to you.  If you will believe that God’s will is a good will to you, then you will have peace on earth.  For believe in Christmas-day; believe that the Lord is at hand; that he has been made man for ever and ever; and that to the Man Christ Jesus all power is given in heaven and earth:  and then, if you want aught, instead of grudging or grinding your neighbours, ask him.  In everything let your requests be made known unto God:  and then the peace of God will keep your hearts through Christ Jesus.

You will feel at peace with God through Christ Jesus, because you have found out that God is at peace with you; that God is not against you, but for you; that God does not hate you, but love you; and if God is at peace with you, what cause have you to be at war with him?  And so the message of Christmas-day will bring you peace.

You will be at peace with your neighbours, through Christ Jesus.  When you see God stooping to make peace with sinful men, you will be ashamed to be quarrelling with them.  When you see God full of love, you will be ashamed to keep up peevishness, grudging, and spite.  When you see God’s heaven full of light, you will be ashamed to be dark yourselves; your hearts will go out freely to your fellow-creatures; you will long to be friends with every one you meet; and you will find in that the highest pleasure which you ever felt in life.  But mind one thing—­what sort of a peace this peace of God is.  It passes all understanding; the very loftiest understanding.  The cleverest and most learned men that ever lived could not have found it—­we know they did not find it—­by their own cleverness and learning.  No more will you find God’s peace, if you seek for it with your understanding.  Thinking will not bring you peace, think as shrewdly as you may.  Reading will not bring it, read as deeply as you may.  Some people think otherwise; that they can get the peace of God by understanding.  If they could but understand more, their minds would be at rest.  So they weary themselves with reading,