66 out this salvation; and the work itself he saw with the eye of faith. He had seen the fulfilment of some of God's promises, and he was sure that God, who had begun the work, would not leave it unfinished. Simeon then went on to tell Mary more about the Child, -that He should be set for the falling and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign that should be spoken against, that the thoughts of many hearts should be revealed." It is not very difficult to see how the last part of this was fulfilled. How plainly the Jews showed the thoughts of their hearts about the Messiah, by the way in which they treated Jesus. They wanted a great earthly king; and when Christ came as a Saviour from sin, they reviled and scoffed at Him, and treated Him as an impostor and blasphemer. His followers, too, have often shared the same fate. Thus we find it written (Acts, xxviii. 22), "As concerning this sect, we know that it is everywhere spoken against." But I am not quite so sure what Simeon meant by saying, that Christ should "be set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel:" perhaps he meant that many Jews would reject Him, as we know they did, and thus fall into deeper condemnation than if Christ had never come; and that then, after a long period, many should turn to Him and believe. We read in many parts of the Bible that this will be the case, but it has not yet come to pass. Or, perhaps, Simeon may have meant that many should reject Him at first, and afterwards receive Him as their Saviour. You see, he says, "the fall and rising again of many in Israel," as if the same persons who fell would be the ones who should rise again; and we know that many of those who at first scoffed at, and persecuted Jesus, afterwards became His true followers. Thus St. Paul, you know, at one time thought that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Also, it seems probable, from Acts iii., that many of those who crucified Jesus afterwards believed on Him. I think you will understand what Simeon meant by telling Mary "that a sword should pierce through her own soul." Look at John, xix. 25: "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother." Do you not think that she must have felt pain as sharp as that of any sword, to see her blessed Son thus suffering? But Simeon was not the only one in the temple who knew Jesus: Anna, too, "spoke of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." This Anna was a very old woman, eighty-four years old, and, like Simeon, one who feared the Lord, and watched for the fulfilment of His promise. Like Simeon, too, she had the gift of prophecy. The Bible does not tell us what she said about the Child, but it does tell us that she gave thanks to the Lord. Oh! was there not cause? What would |