CHAPTER 1.

Life of Christ.

GENERAL DECREE FOR TAXATION; BIRTH OF CHRIST; CIRCUMCISION AND PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE; FLIGHT INTO EGYPT; MASSACRE OF INFANTS AT BETHLEHEM; DEATH OF HEROD, AND JOSEPH'S

RETURN.

HEN Augustus Cæsar, the Roman Emperor, 6 issued an edict for a general taxation on all the nations, cities and towns subject to the empire, king Herod, in consequence of that decree, commanded all under his government to muster in the city of his people, or place of his descent, that an estimate might be taken of their persons and effects. Pursuant to this order, Joseph and Mary, as descendants from the line of David, departed from Nazareth, where they then resided, and came to Bethlehem, a city of Judea, the place of the nativity of David and his ancestors.

So numerous were the people that repaired to this place, on account of the general decree, that every dwelling was occupied; and Joseph and Mary, though they could not depart thence till after the taxation, were forced to take up their residence in a humble stable, the spot in which it pleased the Divine wisdom should be born the Lord of Life and Glory, who, as a perfect example of humility to all his followers, was to make his entrance into, and his exit out of, the lower world in the same mean and humble manner. In this lowly tenement the blessed Virgin brought forth her first-born, God-like son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him, (having no better place,) in a manger.

The manner and place of our Lord's birth certainly demand our highest admiration and wonder, as a striking display of wisdom, both in the direction and accomplishment of the will of his heavenly Father. Considered in his Divine nature, heaven is the habitation of his seat, and the

earth is his footstool; considered in his human nature, he is humbled beneath all, being confined within the narrow limits of a manger! though as the Son of God, "he is the brightness of his Father's glory, the express image of his person," and "his throne is forever and ever!" As the son of man, O wondrous condescension! he is wrapped in the meanest swaddling clothes; and as man, he takes up his habitation with the beasts of the field. In fine, let us adore his grace and love in divesting himself of those glories, for a time, which he enjoyed at the right hand of his Father, assuming our nature, and that in its humblest state, in order to raise us to that degree of glory and happiness, which, by our apostacy from God, we had justly forfeited; exulting with the prophet, "Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains, for the Lord hath comforted his people."

But the humble manner in which the blessed Jesus made his appearance in the world, did not long eclipse the glory of his descent; a heavenly messenger being despatched from above to apprise mankind of their Saviour's incarnation. It pleased the wise Disposer of all things, by this holy angel, first to make known to some honest shepherds who were watching their flocks by night, in the neighboring fields, the birth of the long-promised, long-expected Messiah.

The radiance which shone around them terrified the astonished peasants; but, to dissipate their fears and confirm their joys, the Divine messenger interposed, and thus addressed them: "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born, this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." The glorious news was no sooner proclaimed, than a number of the celestial choir were heard to resound the praises of the Almighty for this transcendent display of his goodness to sinful men: "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth

peace, good will toward men." Transported with the happy tidings of the birth of the Redeemer of Israel, the angel no sooner departed, than the shepherds hastened to Bethlehem in quest of the babe, whom, according to the information. of the sacred missionary, they found wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. This event, so exactly conformable to the angel's prediction, equally delighted and amazed them; nor could they conceal the purport of his mission, but published abroad all they had seen and heard.

After the expiration of eight days from the birth of the holy infant, he was circumcised, according to the Mosaic institution; and thus, by a few drops, gave earnest of the abundance of blood which he was to shed for the purification of mankind. The blessed Redeemer passed through this ceremony, not that he stood in any necessity for conforming to laws of any kind, being the supreme law-giver with respect to his exalted nature; but, as considered in his humble state, "he was born of a woman, made under the law," and came according to his own declaration, "to fulfill all righteousness," it was requisite he should conform to that custom, which characterized the Jewish nation, and was one of the principal injunctions of the Mosaic law, under which he was born; in order to fulfill all that was spoken of him in the Scriptures. Besides, as all the promises made to Abraham were to be fulfilled in the Messiah, it was necessary that he should receive the seal of circumcision, in order to prove his descent from the patriarch, concerning whom it was foretold, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

As a further reason of our Lord's compliance with this Jewish institution, we may urge the propriety of his finishing the former dispensation by a strict adherence to its rules, as he was about to establish another, and much better, which could not be effected more fully than by conforming to that sacrament, which was of Divine injunction, and indispensably requisite to admission into the former.

As the same institution also required that every first-born son, without any regard to circumstance or family, should

be presented to the Lord, in the temple, by delivering him into the hands of the priest, and paying five shekels, together with an offering, which, from the poorer sort, consisted of a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons; a ceremony in commemoration of the Divine mercy in sparing the first-born in Israel, when those of Egypt, both men and beasts were destroyed; his parents having tarried at Bethlehem till the days of Mary's purification were accomplished, brought the child Jesus to Jerusalem, and there presented him in the temple to the Lord, in the manner just described, with the offering allowed to the poorer sort of people; a repeated instance of the exact obedience of the immaculate Jesus to the ceremonial law, as well as the poverty of his parents, though descended from a royal house.

During the presentation of the holy infant, there entered the temple a pious and venerable old man, named Simeon, who, with all the devout, had "waited day and night for the consolation of Israel," and to whom it had been revealed by the spirit of Truth, that he should not depart this mortal life till he had seen the Lord of life and salvation.

Accordingly it was signified to him by the Holy Ghost, at whose instance he came at the precise time into the temple, that the child there presented was the long-expected Messiah, even the Redeemer of Israel. In an ecstacy of joy he em braced the heavenly infant in his arms, and broke out into this rhapsody: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

The exultation of Simeon astonished the parents of our Lord; not as unworthy the Divine subject of it, to which are due strains superior either to men or angels, but as evincing the old man's certain knowledge that the child was the promised Messiah, though he was an absolute stranger. But their surprise was soon removed by Sirneon's saying unto Mary, his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel;" or in other words, this is the