DISC. to be benefited by them. Indeed, who can XVII. have the confidence and prefumption to ab

sent themselves from the temple, when they behold Mary there, whom all generations have agreed to call Bleffed! Let mothers, when, in the day of thanksgiving, they approach the altar, set before them her bright example; and let us remember, that by her becoming a mother, we are become the heirs of everlasting falvation; joint heirs with him who was, as at this time, prefented in the temple,

"When the days of her purification "were accomplished, they brought him to "Jerufalem, to prefent 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."

Great were the privileges from the beginning annexed to the first-born. Theirs was the pre-eminence in power and wealth; and before the defignation of the fons of Levi to the fervice of the altar, among the people

people of God, theirs was the priesthood DISC. alfo. After that event, they ftill continued, XVII. as before, heirs of a double honour and inheritance; they were still offered in form to God, though redeemed, at a certain price, from actual attendance in the fanctuary. Agreeably to this injunction, Jefus was brought by his mother at the proper time, and presented in the temple, as her first-born. He filled up the character, and highly exalted it. Befides being her firstborn fon, he was likewife πρωτοτοκος πάσης XTIσEWS, the first begotten, or first born of the whole creation, not only because he £5 is, wgo wavτwv, before all things, and all προ πάντων, things, both in heaven and earth, were created by him, but also because he was begotten to inherit all things, and in all things to have the pre-eminence, fince all things were created 815 autov, for him, as well as d' autou, by him; in which view he is styled abfolutely, Tov wwтотоXOV, THE First-born, uniting in himself all that was from the beginning prefigured by the rights and honours

κτίσεως,

b Coloff. i. 15, &c.

e Heb. i. 6.

of

XVII.

DISC. of primogeniture. He is ftyled, moreover, πρωτοτοκος εκ των νεκρων, the Fireborn, or First begotten from the dead, in regard of his being the first that rose from the dead, no more to die. And with allufion to the peculiar appropriation of all the first born to God, the affembly of redeemed fpirits is called, "the church of the first born, written," or "enrolled, in heaven."

"The bleffed virgin" (fays Bishop Taylor) "had received a greater favour than "ever was received by the daughters of "Adam; and knowing from whence, and "for whofe glory fhe had received it, she "returns the holy Jesus as a gift to God

again; for fhe had nothing - the world "had nothing-so precious as himself, of "which to make an oblation. Never was "there before an act of adoration propor"tionable to the honour and majesty of

the great God. But now there was; "and it was made, at the presentation of "the child Jesus in the temple.”

Let us not fail, by using them aright, to

return

return to God all things we have received DISC. from him; and by a virtuous education de- XVII. dicate our children to him who gave them, bringing them early to the temple, and prefenting them to the Lord.

Bear we likewife in mind, that he who was thus offered in the temple, afterwards offered, and still continues to prefent himself, to appear in the presence of God, for us. He it is, whofe precious blood, whose infinite merits, whose prevailing fatisfaction, the church in her prayers prefenteth daily to God; and through whom alone ourselves and all our oblations are accepted in the heavenly places. Nay, at that hallowed hour when the eucharift is confecrated, Christ is, again, figuratively and facramentally, prefented in the temple on earth. For his fake, the Father is then well pleased with us: he hears our prayers, forgives our fins, heals our infirmities, and graciously accepts our facrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Think not, Oman, who slightest and disparagest that holy ordi

nance,

DISC. nance, that thou shouldeft have received XVII. any pleasure, hadft thou ftood by the blessed virgin, when the presented her fon at Jerufalem.

Jefus, not sprung from the tribe of Levi, but from that of Judah, was redeemed, at the fame price with others, from attendance on the Mofaic ritual. He came to put a period to that difpenfation; to establifh the religion of the Gofpel; to be invested with an everlasting priesthood, after the order of Melchifedek; to be, himself, the priest and the facrifice, the temple and the altar.

The Chriftian, once prefented to God in baptifm, cannot obtain redemption from that fervice. He ought not ever to desire it. Such service is the only perfect freedom; a freedom from the tyranny of turbulent paffions, and imperious defires, from the bondage of fin, of death, and of hell. Happy the fervants of the best of masters, did they but know their own happiness; did

they