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tions, and even the chief of sinners amongst them, are encouraged to trust in him as their Saviour. To him therefore let us look even from the ends of the earth, yea from the depths of guilt and distress, and the consequence will be happy beyond all expression or conception.

Adam, though originally the son of God, lost that inheritance of life and glory, which, in consequence of such a relation, he might reasonably have expected; but the second Adam repairs the loss which we had sustained by the transgression of the first. We are now predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, and raised by him to the hope of a fairer inheritance than the terrestrial Paradise. Let it be our daily labour to secure this invaluable blessing; that so, as we have borne the image of the earthly Adam, we may in due time bear the image of the heavenly, and at length attain to the perfect manifestation of the sons of God.

SECTION X.

LUKE II. 22-39.

AND when the days of the purification of Mary according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought Jesus to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice, according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and the same was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 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. And Joseph and

his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

And there was one Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

Who can behold the pious Simeon thus welcoming death, whilst he embraced his Saviour, without wishing to pass over the intermediate moments of life to meet so peaceful a dissolution? May we, like him, approve ourselves the faithful servants of God; and then we may hope that, when our dismission comes, we shall share in his serenity and joy!

We may comfortably expect it, if our eyes are now opened to behold with wonder and delight the great salvation he has prepared for his people; and if our hearts, with our lips, are frequently praising him for this light which he hath given to lighten the Gentiles as well as to be the glory of his people Israel.

As such may Christ be universally owned and adored, both by Jews and Gentiles! In the mean time, while he is set up as a mark of contradiction and contempt, let us not be ashamed of him or of his words; but rather let those indignities which are offered to him be as a sword to pierce through our own souls! Let us remember that the gospel, with all the difficulties which attended it, is the great touch-stone by which God will try the characters of all to whom it comes! May our ready acceptance of it, and our zealous adherence to that sacred cause, approve the humble sincerity with which we inquire into its evidence; that Christ may not be to us a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, but rather the means of

raising us to God and happiness, even to that redemption for which they that wait shall never be ashamed!

Our circumstances in life are various: there are comparatively few who have such leisure for extraordinary devotion as was the privilege of the pious Anna: where it is found, let it be valued and improved: but how great and how many soever our engagements and entanglements in life may be, let the care of our souls be still our chief concern. Let us be serving God in one sense or another, night and day; with prayers, pouring out our souls before him morning and evening; and at proper seasons adding fasting to prayer, and public solemnities to private retirement.

To conclude: let the example of these aged saints impress and animate those, whose hoary heads, like theirs, are a crown of glory, being found in the way of righteousness. (Prov. xvi. 31.) Let those venerable lips, so soon to be silent in the grave, be now employed in shewing forth the praises of their Redeemer. Surely days should speak, and the multitude of years should teach, such wisdom. (Job xxii. 7.) Such fruit may they produce in old age; and may they have the pleasure to see all these pious attempts most thankfully received by the rising generation, and most gratefully improved by them; that they may quit the world with the greater tranquility, in the view of leaving those behind them to whom Christ shall be as precious as he had been to them, and who will be waiting for God's salvation, while they are gone to enjoy it! Amen.

SECTION XI.

MATTHEW II. 1-12.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, 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. When Herod the king heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet; And thou Bethlehem in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda, for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed, and lo! the star which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Let us observe, with pleasure, this farther honour which God did to his only begotten Son in ordering a new star to appear as the signal of his birth, and in calling these illustrious persons from afar to pay their early adorations to him. No doubt they thought such a discovery, as brought them to the feet of their Infant Saviour, an ample recompence for all the fatigue and expence of such a journey. They were exceedingly transported when they saw the star. So let us rejoice in every thing which may be a means of leading our souls to Christ, and of disposing us to cast ourselves down before him with humility and self-resignation!

Let us look upon this circumstance of the sacred story as a beautiful emblem of that more glorious state of the Christian church when the Gentiles shall come to its light, and sages and kings to the brightness of its rising; when the abundance of the sea shall be converted to it, and the wealth of the Gentiles shall be consecrated to its honour. The multitude of camels shall cover it, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. Isa. lx. 3, 5, 6.

How wonderful was the honour conferred upon so obscure a town as Bethlehem when it was made thus illustrious among the thousands of Judah! Happy they who consecrate not only their gold and their other possessions, but also their souls and their bodies to their great Ruler, whose office it is to feed and

govern the Israel of God: under whose conduct and care they shall receive blessings infinitely more valuable than all the treasures of the east or the west!

But oh, the fatal power of carnal influence on the heart! This engaged Herod to receive the news of a Redeemer's birth with horror; and with execrable cruelty and vile hypocrisy, to contrive his murder under the specious form of doing him homage. Vain and self-confounding artifice! Let us rejoice in the thought, that there is no understanding, or wisdom, or counsel against the Lord: no scheme so artfully disguised that he cannot penetrate it, or so politically formed that he cannot with infinite ease confound it.

To what perplexity and grief might these sages have been brought had they been made even the innocent instruments of an assault on this Holy Child! But God delivered them from such an alarm, and happily guided their return; so that, through his care and favour, they carried home, in the tidings of the new-born Messiah, far richer treasures than they had left behind. Thus shall they, who in all their ways acknowledge God, by one method or another find that he will graciously direct their paths.

SECTION XII.

MATTHEW ii. 13-23.

AND when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child, and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation and

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