How far they might be acquainted with these sciences I will not pretend to fay, but I am perfuaded their wisdom extended much farther, and was of a fuperior nature; for true wifdom confifts in the knowledge of divine things, fuch as refpect the Almighty, fpiritual truth, and what appertains to the foul and eternal life. And had they not been acquainted with this wisdom, they would not have taken fo long a journey to worship the new-born, but defpifed Meffiah. They had feen his star in the Eaft, and which might direct their external fight; but they had also an internal view of his glory, and were illuminated by heavenly wisdom to know that Jefus was not only then to be born, but also that he was the Saviour, Redeemer, and God of mankind.

Could we fuppofe that mere aftronomy or aftrology would have influenced these men to take a journey of this length; to bring gold, frankincense, and myrrh; and to worship the Lord Jefus Chrift? No, they were men of spiritual wisdom, influenced by divine truth, and impelled by love to offer the best facrifice, to the God and Saviour of their fouls, that they were capable of offering. And let us remember, that nothing less than a true knowledge of, and love to the Lord, can influence us to offer service and worship to him. It is faid that they came from the Eaft-By the Eaft, when mentioned in the facred scriptures, is meant most frequently the Lord himself, or the divine love and goodness of the Lord; because he is the fun of heaven, from whom

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whom all spiritual heat and light proceed: and as our natural fun appears in the Eaft, and is the fountain of all natural heat and light, hence the Lord is thus fpiritually reprefented. Therefore the meaning is, that thefe men came from the Eaft, of were principled in and directed by the divine love and wisdom of the Lord their God. And by this we are taught to understand, that heat and light, or love and wisdom from the Lord, can alone make us truly wife and really good, and qualify us to offer an acceptable facrifice unto him.

An ignorant and blind worship cannot be acceptable to the Lord, nor any fervice which has not pure love for its origin and fource. Therefore it becomes us to study the doctrines and truths of his holy word, to make ourselves acquainted with the Lord, his character, perfections, his falvation, and the laws of his kingdom, that in confequence of this knowledge we may love and worship him. For the one great cause why the Lord Jefus Christ is not acknowledged as God alone, nor loved, or ferved, is that men remain ignorant of him, his true character, nature, and government. And let us be affured that when, like these wife men, we are under the influence of love and wisdom, we shall willingly offer up every facrifice and service to the Lord, we are capable of offering.

But behold the confummate hypocrify and deceit of Herod the King." He called the wife "men privately, and inquired of them what time "the ftar appeared? and faid, Go and fearch diligently

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gently for the young child, and when ye have "found him, bring me word again, that I may "come and worship him also. But they were "warned of God in a dream that they fhould not "return to Herod. And the angel of the Lord "appeared to Jofeph in a dream, faying, Arife, "take the young child and his mother, and flee "into Egypt; for Herod will feek the young "child, to destroy him."

So far was this ungodly King from defiring to worship the Lord, that his real defign was to take away his life. But we will proceed to notice the words of our text:-" And when they had opened "their treasures, they prefented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."

Ifball, in the first place, explain the fpiritual meaning of these words.

Secondly, Prove that they comprehend every thing that we can render unto the Lord.

Thirdly, Inforce the neceffity of presenting this offering, with the advantages we shall derive therefrom.

And, firft, I am to explain the fpiritual sense of the words.

One part of the treasure the wife men offered, is faid to be gold. This valuable mineral, or metal, is frequently mentioned in the word of the Lord, and that it fignifies fomething more than the metal itself, must be evident to the most fuperficial obferver.

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ferver. Thus the altar, the pillars, the veffels, &c. of the temple, were pure gold. And Pfa. xxi. 3, "For thou preventeft him with the bleffings of "goodness; thou settest a crown of pure gold on "his head." Pfa. xlv. 9, Upon thy right-hand "did stand the queen, in gold of Ophir." Ifa. Ix. 6, "They fhall bring gold, and incense; and they " shall fhew forth the praises of the Lord.” And, ver. 17, "For brafs I will bring gold, and for "iron I will bring filver, and for wood brass, and "for ftones iron," &c. Lam. iv, 1, "How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold "changed!". And, Rev. iii, 18, the Lord fays, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold, tried in the "fire, that thou mayeft be rich." xxi. 18, "The "city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

By all these paffages we plainly fee material gold is not meant, but something spiritual, corresponding thereunto. In the highest sense of the word, gold means the celestial principle of divine love and goodness, which is in the Lord; and, when applied to men, as in our text, it fignifies the highest principle of love and goodness, in the mind of man, So the wife men of the Eaft, who had received the influx of divine love from the Lord into their will, offered unto the Lord their highest affection and love; confiftent with that firft and great commandment," Thou fhalt love the Lord thy God " with all thy heart, foul, mind, and strength.' This love may fitly be compared to gold, and reprefented by it. Inafmuch as gold is the most pure,

useful,

useful, and valuable metal on earth; fo love, pure genuine love to God, is the most pure, useful, and valuable grace, or virtue, that can dwell in the mind of man. What is all religion, without love? why a mere empty found. What is all religious worship, or service, without love? why mere hypocrify and diffimulation. Love is the very foul of religion, worship, fervice, and obedience. So the wife men, that is, all who are taught of God, and are truly wife, offer gold unto the Lord. All their affections are given up to him, and to him alone. They worship him in love-ferve him in love-keep his commandments in love-do all that they do in love-and this is a part of that treasure which they cheerfully difpenfe. It is faid of the wife men, when they opened their treasures, they prefented gold, &c.; by which we are taught two things:

First, That pure love to God is the greatest treasure which the human mind is capable of enjoying. Indeed it is this alone which makes us men and chriftians-without love to God we have only the form of men, but are in our nature infernal. The will of man is fo formed, as to receive the divine influx of heavenly love; but if our will be given up to the love of felf, of the world, and evil, we thereby pervert the order of our life, and become forms of evil. On the contrary, by admitting the influx of divine

love into the will, and living

under the influence thereof, we become forms of goodness, and angelic in our natures.

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