Reflections on Lancelot Andrewes’ Nativity Sermon (1622)
Quick Summary
In his Christmas Day sermon before King James I in 1622, Lancelot Andrewes meditated on Matthew 2:1–2—“Behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him.” Preaching on the Magi’s journey, Andrewes explored faith that seeks, perseverance that endures, and worship that costs something. His famous phrase, “A cold coming they had of it,” captures both the difficulty of discipleship and the beauty of devotion. Four centuries later, his sermon still challenges believers to seek Christ with the same steadfastness and awe.
Setting the Scene
Whitehall Palace glittered with royal splendor that morning, but Andrewes’ words turned the court’s gaze toward a humbler throne—a manger in Bethlehem. Before King James I and the most powerful men in England, he spoke of Gentile pilgrims who traveled far through winter and hardship, seeking not to be entertained or honored, but to worship.
Andrewes begins with the Magi’s faith: “They never ask whether He be, but where He is born.” Their certainty of Christ’s birth, despite distance and difficulty, becomes a model of belief. Then comes confession: they speak freely of their purpose, undaunted by Herod or public scorn. Their journey becomes a sermon in motion—faith that sees, confesses, and moves.
He divides their example into steps: seeing the star, following it, seeking the child, and worshipping when they find Him. Each step reveals faith that acts, not merely observes. The Magi’s faith, he says, is no “bosom-faith” hidden in silence, but a faith that speaks and travels.
The Faith That Sees
Andrewes lingers on the mystery of sight. The Magi saw a star, but not with reason alone. Astronomy could not reveal what faith discerned. “No trigon, triplicity, or exaltation could bring it forth,” he says. It was not nature that led them but revelation—the light of prophecy joined with the light of the Spirit. He imagines Balaam’s ancient words in Numbers 24 as their guide: “There shall come a star out of Jacob.” The external star shone in the sky; the internal light shone in their hearts. Only when both aligned could they truly see.
Faith for Andrewes is just this—light joined with light. Reason alone is “the owl-light” of evening; it cannot find God. But when the “morning-light” of divine grace enters, the star becomes visible. His insight is as sharp now as it was then: knowledge alone cannot save; revelation must illumine the mind and move the will.
The Journey That Endures
After seeing comes coming. The Magi do not sit and wonder; they travel. “Come” is a short word, Andrewes says, but a long walk. Their road stretched hundreds of miles through desert and danger, “the ways deep, the weather sharp, the days short.” Then the line that has outlived him: “A cold coming they had of it.”
It is a line both literal and spiritual. The Magi faced winter’s cold; believers face the coldness of the world, the indifference of others, and the weariness of waiting. But faith moves anyway. Andrewes contrasts their haste with our hesitation—how we postpone our obedience until the road is easy. “Ever ‘we shall come,’ never ‘we are coming,’” he says. Their example rebukes delay. Faith that waits for fair weather is no faith at all.
The Worship That Costs
When the Magi finally reach Bethlehem, they find no grandeur—only poverty and straw. Yet they worship. “They will take Him as they find Him,” Andrewes says, “and worship Him for all that. The star shall make amends for the manger.” Their worship unites body, soul, and substance: kneeling, adoring, and offering gifts. True worship involves every part of life.
Andrewes then widens the invitation: “The Magi were Gentiles. So are we. We are to go and do likewise.” Though the star is gone, faith’s inner light still leads. His closing call is both devotional and doxological—may the same day-star rise in our hearts and bring us where it brought them: to Christ.
Meaning for Today
Andrewes’ sermon endures because it speaks to every generation of seekers. The Magi’s faith reminds us that seeing truth requires illumination beyond intellect. Their perseverance challenges our comfort. Their worship calls us to offer our lives—not merely our words—to God.
In a distracted age, Andrewes offers an antidote: a faith that sees beyond the visible, a journey that endures difficulty, and worship that costs something real. To come to Christ is still, in many ways, “a cold coming.” Yet the warmth of that journey is found in the One who waits at the end.
FAQ
Why is Lancelot Andrewes’ 1622 sermon so famous?
It features his most memorable phrase—“A cold coming they had of it”—and inspired T. S. Eliot’s poem Journey of the Magi. It represents the height of English preaching.
What Scripture is the sermon based on?
Matthew 2:1–2: the visit of the Magi and their journey to worship Christ.
Where was it preached?
At Whitehall Palace in London before King James I and the royal court on Christmas Day, 1622.
How can modern Christians apply this sermon?
By following the Magi’s example—seeking Christ with perseverance, worshipping with sincerity, and allowing faith to move from vision to action.
Closing Note
This reflection accompanies the authentic historical sermon text, available on Historic Sermons. For related reading, see Lancelot Andrewes: Nativity Sermon (1622) Full Text and Who Was Lancelot Andrewes?.
