XII.

of a king, without thinking of a rival; and DISC. therefore he immediately projected a plan for the deftruction of the new born prince.

For this end, he fummoned a council of the chief priests and elders, and demanded of them, where Chrift fhould be born? Their lips were intended to preserve knowlege; and they did fo. They answered, In Bethlehem of Judea; and cited their authority from the prophet Micah. They gave true information, and directed others aright, though they went not themselves. Herod enquired concerning Christ, as many do concerning his religion, in order not to revere and obey, but to oppose and destroy.

The Magi, having now obtained the defired information, proceeded to Bethlehem ; and, left their ardour should be damped by any doubt, lo, the star which they saw in the cast, and which, therefore, had disappeared for a time, again "went before "them, till it came and ftood over where "the young child was." The fight of

VOL. I.

A a

their

XII.

DISC. their original and faithful monitor cheered their fpirits, difpelling every anxious and uneafy thought. "When they faw the star,

66

they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."

When their guide had conducted them to their journey's end, we read not that they were at all offended, or difconcerted, at the humble and lowly state in which they found the heaven-proclaimed king. The queen of Sheba came from far to hear the wisdom, and fee the glory of Solomon, She accordingly heard his wisdom, and faw his glory; both beyond even her highraised expectation. These men came from far, to behold the King of the Jews. But in his appearance there was neither beauty, nor glory, that they should defire, or admire him. They faw, they heard nothing, but figns of poverty and weakness. Great, furely, was their faith; and greater, one is tempted to think, muft have been their knowlege of the divine dispensations, than we are aware of. Where the ftar refted, there was the person whom they had been directed

directed to feek. They therefore entered, DISC. and adored; and the Gentiles acknowleged

him, whom the Jews difowned and rejected. They offered to him the richest productions of the country from whence they came; fuch things as were moft precious, and of highest use and fignification in ornamenting and exalting the fervices of the temple and altar. All they (fays Isaiah) " from Sheba fhall come; they fhall bring

gold and incenfe, and," by fo doing,

they shall shew forth the praises of the "Lord "," while they thus devote themfelves and their fubftance to his fervice. And fince the eastern Magi, as hath been before observed, are upon this occafion to be confidered by us as the delegates and deputies of the heathen world, the history of their journey and their oblations speaks the fame language with that employed by St. John in the Revelation, concerning the Chriftian church. "And the nations of "them that are faved fhall walk in the light of it; and the gates of it fhall not

XII.

XII.

DISC." be fhut at all; and the kings of the "earth do bring their glory and honour " into it 1."

Some reflections on the fubject naturally. offer themselves, in the way of application.

And firft, Let us evermore, on this re

tery of

turning feftival, give thanks unto our Lord God, for the revelation of that great mysmercy, the restoration of the Gentiles to the church, from which they had been, for fo many ages, excluded; rather should we say, they had excluded themfelves. The unhappy prodigal voluntarily left his father's houfe, the door of which was ftill open, whenever he fhould be difpofed to return, and re-enter. But the time was long, ere he came to himself, and thought of being again received into the family of the faithful. No fooner was that the cafe, than the Father, as if he had all along been looking out, in hope and expectation of his child, faw him while he

Rev. xxi. 24.

was

XII.

was yet a great way off, ran to meet him, DISC. embraced him with a parent's tenderness, brought him into his house, made a feast for him, and commanded that no voice fhould be heard but that of joy and gladnefs, because he that had been loft was now found; he that had been dead was alive again!" O fing unto the Lord a "new fong; fing unto the Lord, all the "earth. Sing unto the Lord, blefs his "name: fhew forth his falvation from day "to day. Declare his glory among the

heathen, his wonders among all people. "For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praifed; he is to be feared above all

gods. For all the gods of the nations "are idols: but the Lord made the hea"vens. Honour and majefty are before "him: ftrength and beauty are in his fanctuary' !"

Secondly, it may be remarked, that the perfons who came as at this time to Bethlehem, were the learned of their country,

* Pf. xcvi. 1, &c.

men