thrown away Good Friday have thrown away the Good Friday good news,
that Christ died for all mankind; and too many who have thrown away
Christmas are throwing away--often without meaning to do so--the
Christmas good news, that Christ really took on himself the whole of
our human nature, and took the manhood into God.

So it is, my friends, and so it will be. For these forms and
festivals are the old landmarks and beacons of the Gospel; and if a
man will not look at the landmarks, then he will lose his way.

Therefore, to Church people like us, it ought to be a shocking thing
even to suspect that God may be saying to us, 'Your appointed feasts
my soul hateth;' and it ought to set them seriously thinking how such
a thing may happen, that they may guard against it. For if God be
not pleased with our coming to his house, what right have we in his
house at all?

But recollect this, my dear friends, that we are not to use this text
to search and judge others' faults, but to search and judge our own.

For if a man, hearing this sermon, looks at his neighbour across the
church, and says in his heart, 'Ay, such a bad one as he is--what
right has he in church?'--then God answers that man, 'Who art thou
who judgest another? To his own master he standeth or falleth.'
Yes, my friends, recollect what the old tomb-stone outside says--(and
right good doctrine it is)--and fit it to this sermon.


When this you see, pray judge not me
For sin enough I own.