The world, as hath already been shown, was sunk in sin, and not in sin only, but in condemnation also.  Ever since the fall of our first parent Adam, man had been a sinful creature.  But as in Adam all died, even so in Christ were all who would receive him, “to be made alive.”  Christ, then, was the second Adam:  as Adam was the destroyer, so Christ was the restorer of our race.  The devil, who is called the Prince of darkness, had, as we are told in Scripture, become the god and the prince of this world.  Christ, therefore, came into the world, as a conquerer comes, to recover an empire that was lost, and to bring back the rebels to their obedience and to happiness.  He came to overthrow that kingdom of darkness which, through the power of the devil and the corruption of man, had been set up.  “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”  He came “to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

But how does Christ fulfil his purpose of delivering us?  First, I would observe, that he lived a most holy life, hereby setting us an example that we should tread in his steps.  He went about doing good:  never was any one so kind and gracious to all who came to him as Jesus Christ.  I would here observe also, that he preached the gospel to mankind; he told us what we must believe and do, in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Through him also the Holy Spirit of God is granted to us.  And, to crown all, he died for us.  He was nailed to the cross, and suffered a cruel death for our sakes, bearing the wrath of God in our stead.  “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”  Christ is that Lamb of God “which has been offered up as a sacrifice,” and “which taketh away the sins of the world.”  Now, then, let us rejoice, and say triumphantly, with the prophet of old, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”  “Behold,” said the angels, “I bring you good tidings of great joy; for unto you is born this day, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”  “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men.”

Oh, how many thousands have had reason to bless the season which we are now commemorating—­the season of the birth of Jesus Christ.  The world, it is true, is still wicked, for there are many who do not believe in this Saviour; and there are not a few who think they believe in him, and who do not.  Nevertheless, even the world in general has been the better for his coming, for the thick darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.  Through Christ’s coming, iniquity has been lessened even among unbelievers; for real Christians, though few, have held up to view the nature of true goodness, and even bad men have, in some measure, been constrained to imitate them; they have also grown more ashamed than they otherwise would have been of their vices.