From “Sermon Preached Upon Christmas Day” (1612)
The author’s meaning [in this text] was to describe Christ at all points, a perfect description of Christ’s natures, his person, his offices, his agency. To begin, his natures: he is man and God. Not man alone, but God also… As for his offices, we note his speaking, his prophecy, by which he unfolded the mysteries of God, his purging our sins is his priesthood; and his kingdom, in the throne of majesty wherein he sits. As for his agency to us, he purges us, and for us… All his speaking and doing is for our salvation…
This term, “son of God,” is sometimes communicated to saints, sometimes to magistrates. Lest we might understand it as we do in saints, or as we do in magistrates, the author adds two words, glory and substance. Of which, glory is imparted to others; substance, to none but him. His glory on earth he imparts to magistrates, and they are called “the sons of the most high.” His heavenly grace, which is glory inchoate, he imparts to his saints, and to them he gave power to be sons of God. But his substance is in neither… Heirs are either born or made; so by nature, or so made by purchase. Christ is God’s Son, and his only Son, and so born his heir…
Christ could not bring us to sit with him in his throne thus purchased, being so spotted and foul as we were, by means of the pollution of our sins. He was then to purge and make clean our nature first, that he might exalt it to partake his purchase, being so cleansed…
To purge our sins Christ began this day, the first day, the day of his birth wherein he purified and sanctified, by his holy nativity, the original uncleanness of ours… and on the day of his ascension, then took he possession in our names… The degrees of this exaltation are these. Firstly, a throne it is, and that is not every seat, but a special, and chief, and honourable seat. Secondly, of thrones there be some inferior, as the thrones of justice. This, though, is the highest, for it is a throne of majesty. And thirdly, it is in excelsis, and that makes up all. For the thrones here below, even of majesty, sooner or later they that sit in them must come down from them. But the throne on high, your seat, O God, is for ever and ever, not fading and transitory, as ours are here…
Our duty then is, for his excellency to honour him; for his power to fear him; for his love showed, reciprocally to love him again; for his hope promised, truly to serve him… As a prophet, Christ speaks; as a priest, Christ purges; as a king, Christ sits speaking. Our duty is to hear him, to lay up his sayings in our hearts.
Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626) was Bishop of Chichester and Winchester, one of the most influential scholars and church leaders of his day. He was one of the principal translators of the Authorized “King James” Version of the Bible, and a widely admired preacher. He preached the 1612 Christmas Day sermon at Whitehall Palace in London before King James I. He is commemorated on September 26 on the calendar of several Anglican churches.
