"It is a custom on this Christmas Day to give love-presents. What love-gift giveth our Lord Jesus on this day? Brethren, it is a great one and aprecious; as St. Paul exclaimed to the Philippians: 'For unto you it is givenfor Christ, not only that ye should believe on Him, but also that yeshould suffer for His sake;' and St. Peter also saith, 'Behold, we countthem blessed which endure.' And the holy Apostles rejoiced that they werecounted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Jesus.

"0ur Lord Christ giveth us of His cup and His baptism; He giveth of themanger and the straw; He giveth of persecutions and afflictions; Hegiveth of the crown of thorns, and right dear unto us be these gifts.

"And now will I tell these kidren a tale, which a cunning playwright,whom I once knew in our Queen's court, hath made concerning gifts: