of that decree, commanded all under his government to muster in the city of his people, or place of his descent, that an estimate might be taken of their persons and effects. Pursuant to this order, Joseph and Mary, as descendants from the line of David, departed from Nazareth where they then resided, and came to Bethlehem, a city of Judea, the place of the nativity of David and his ancestors.

So numerous were the people that repaired to this place, on account of the general decree, that every dwelling was occupied; and Joseph and Mary, though they could not depart thence till after the taxation, were forced to take up their residence in an humble stable, the spot in which it pleased the Divine Wisdom, should be born the Lord of Life and Glory, who, as a perfect example of humility to all his followers, was to make his entrance into, and his exit out of, the lower world, in a very mean and humble manner.

In this lowly tenement, the blessed virgin brought forth her first-born godlike Son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him (having no better place) in a manger.

It is remarkable, that all the generations of the intervening spaces, between three of the most remarkable periods, relative to the house of David, and the birth of our blessed Saviour, are exactly the same; for the Evangelist Matthew informs us, that all the generations, from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations; and from David unto the Babylonish captivity are fourteen generations; and from the Babylonish captivity unto the birth of Christ, are also fourteen generations. The same Evangelist also traces his genealogy from Abraham, and proves his direct lineal descent from that father of the faithful, through the line of David, from race to race, to that of the humble virgin and the aged Joseph. But to return to the immediate subject of our history.

The manner and place of our Lord's birth certainly demand our highest admiration and wonder, as a striking display of wisdom, both in the direction and accomplishment of the will of his heavenly Father. Considered in his Divine nature, heaven is the habitation of his seat, and the earth is his footstool; considered in his human nature, he is humbled beneath all, being confined within the narrow limits of a manger! Though, as the Son of God, he is "the brightness of his Father's glory, the express image of his person," and his "throne is for ever and ever!" as the son of man, O wondrous condescension! he is wrapped in the meanest swaddling clothes; and as man, he takes up his habitation with the beasts of the field. In fine, let us adore his grace and love, in divesting himself of those glories, for a time, which he enjoyed at the right hand of his Father, assuming our nature, and that in its humblest state,

in order to raise us to that degree of glory and happiness, which, by our apostacy from God, we had justly forfeited; exulting with the prophet, "Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains, for the Lord hath comforted his people."

But the humble manner in which the blessed Jesus made his appearance in the world, did not long eclipse the glory of his descent; a heavenly messenger being despatched from above to apprize mankind of their Saviour's incarnation. It pleased the wise Disposer of all things, by this holy angel first to make known to some honest shepherds, who were watching their flocks by night in the neighboring fields, the birth of the long-promised, long-expected Messiah. The radiance which shone around them terrified the astonished peasants; but to dissipate their fears, and confirm their joys, the divine messenger interposed, and thus addressed them: Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born, this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." Luke, ii. 10, &c.

The glorious news was no sooner proclaimed, than a number of the celestial choir were heard to resound the praises of the Almighty, for this transcendant display of his goodness to sinful men: "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men." Transported with the happy tidings of the birth of the Redeemer of Israel, the angel no sooner departed, than the shepherds hastened to Bethlehem, in quest of the babe, whom, according to the information of the sacred missionary, they found wrapt in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. This event, so exactly conformable to the angel's prediction, equally delighted and amazed them; nor could they conceal the purport of his mission, but published abroad all they had seen and heard.

Having viewed with praise and wonder their long-expected Saviour, and offered their grateful praises to God, for the manifestation of his goodness to mankind, they departed with hearts filled with love and gratitude, still glorifying the Almighty Parent of universal nature.

After the expiration of eight days from the birth of the holy infant, he was circumcised according to the Mosaic institution; and thus, by a few drops, gave earnest of the abundance of blood which he was to shed for the purification of mankind. The blessed Redeemer passed through this ceremony, not that he stood in any necessity of conforming to laws of any kind, being the supreme lawgiver, with respect to his exalted nature;

but as, considered in his humble state, "he was born of a woman, made under the law," and came, according to his own declaration, "to fulfil all righteousness," it was requisite he should conform to that custom which characterized the Jewish nation, and was one of the principal injunctions of the Mosaic law, under which he was born; in order to fulfil all that is spoken of him in the scriptures.

Besides, as all the promises made to Abraham were to be fulfilled in the Messiah, it was necessary he should receive the seal of circumcision, in order to prove his descent from the patriarch, concerning whom it was foretold, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." As a further reason for our Lord's compliance with this Jewish institution, we may urge the propriety of his finishing the former dispensation, by an exact adherence to its rules, as he was about to establish another, and much better, which could not be effected more fully, than by conforming to that sacrament, which was of divine injunction, and indispensably requisite to admission into the former.

As the same institution also required that every first-born son, without any regard to circumstance or family, should be presented to the Lord, in the temple, by delivering him into the hands of the priest, and paying five shekels, together with an offering, which, from the poorer sort, consisted of a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons; a ceremony in commemoration of the divine mercy in sparing the first-born in Israel, when those of Egypt, both men and beasts were destroyed; his parents having tarried at Bethlehem till the days of Mary's purification were fully accomplished, brought the child Jesus to Jerusalem, and there presented him in the temple to the Lord, in the manner just described, with the offering allowed to the poorer sort of people; a repeated instance of the exact obedience of the immaculate Jesus to the ceremonial law, as well as the poverty of his parents, though descended from a royal house.

During the presentation of the holy infant, there entered the temple a pious and venerable old man, named Simeon, who, with all the devout, had "waited day and night for the consolation of Israel," and to whom it had been revealed by the spirit of truth, that he should not depart this mortal life, till he had seen the Lord of life and salvation.

Accordingly it was signified to him by the Holy Ghost, at whose instance he came at the precise time into the temple, that the child there presented was the long expected Messiah, even the Redeemer of Israel. In an ecstacy of joy he embraced the heavenly infant in his arms, and broke out into this rhapsody: "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." Luke ii. 29, &c.

The exultation of Simeon astonished the parents of our Lord; not as unworthy the divine subject of it, to whom are due strains superior to men or angels, but as evincing the old man's certain knowledge that the child was the promised Messiah, though he was an absolute stranger. But their surprise was soon removed by Simeon's saying unto Mary his Mother: "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel ;" or, in other words, this is the stumbling-block and rock of offence, which it was long foretold by God should be laid in Zion, and which should occasion the fall of many in Israel; for through the humble manner of his birth, and his abject state upon earth, he became despised and rejected of men; yet he is set for the rising again of many, who shall rely on his merits, and submit to his government.

Commentators are divided in their opinions concerning this old Simeon. Some think he was of the order of priests, and that he uttered the words cited above, while he was presenting the child to the Lord, in the office of his function. But as the Evangelist, who recites in a particular manner, the presentation of our blessed Lord, is silent on that head, it appears little more than conjecture.

Others affirm, he was Simon the Just, a disciple of the famous Hillel, the master of Gamaliel, under whom the apostle Paul was educated; and that while he was attempting to explain to the people that passage in the prophecy of Isaiah,

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son," it was rewealed to him, that he should see, with mortal eyes, the promised Messiah and that on his beholding the child and his mother in the temple, he broke out into that well-known rhapsody.—But this could not be, for Simon the Just lived till forty-one years after the death of Christ; and it has been affirmed by Eusebius, that he was not above seventy when he died. Besides, it is remarkable, that the Almighty, at that time was pleased to reveal his will with respect to the Messiah, not to the great, the wise, and the learned, but to the poor and illiterate, such as Joseph a carpenter, Zacharias an ordinary priest, and a company of shepherds; therefore, as the point is not settled, we presume to offer it as our opinion, that this old man, to whom God was pleased to make so extraordinary a revelation concerning the Saviour of the world, was a plain man, rather eminent for the goodness of his heart, than the knowledge of his head; and who possessed more piety and devotion, than learning or earthly pomp.

A certain good prophetess, called Anna, who had a long time waited for the redemption of Israel, entering the temple at the instant in which Simeon exulted in the birth of the heav enly infant, and finding that he was the promised Messiah, likewise joined with him in praising God, and went forth and declared the glad tidings of salvation to all the faithful in those parts.

Having, in every respect, complied with the ceremonies and rites contained in the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary, with the child Jesus, entered into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth, but did not long abide there; for having adjusted their affairs, they returned again to Bethlehem, the place of our Lord's nativity.

This step seems to have been pursued in consequence of their opinion, that it was necessary in order to his being acknowledg ed the Messiah sent by God, that he should reside, some time, in the place of his birth. Whatever was their motive for removal, it is evident from Scripture, that while they were in Bethlehem, with their son, certain eastern philosophers, called Magi, or Wise Men, came in consequence of the appearance they had seen, to Jerusalem, and inquired for the King of the Jews; declaring they had seen his star in their own quarter, and were come to pay him the adorations due to his dignity.

Various conjectures have been formed by the learned concerning this star, which is said to have appeared in the east some think that it was the spirit of God, others an angel, some a comet, others a luminary appearance, &c. A modern writer thinks it was the glory that surrounded the angels who had appeared to the shepherds at Bethlehem, on the night of the blessed Lord's nativity.

But notwithstanding these uncertain conjectures, the star answered the end designed, and directed the Magi to the spot where resided the Lord of life and glory. Some men, too wise to admit of the evidences from Revelation, have sceptically inquired, how these eastern Magi could arrive at any knowledge that the Jews expected the Messiah; and that, therefore, on the appearance of this new star in the firmament, how they should apprehend it pointed out the birth of the great Redeemer of Israel? The learned asserters of the Christian cause, in answer to these queries, observe, that an opinion of the approach of the Messiah's kingdom had long prevailed all over the east; nay, this is declared in profane history, by Suetonius, Tacitus, and others.

The reason of this prevailing opinion is very obvious. The Jews conceived mighty expectations of the Messiah, from the many prophecies concerning him recorded in their own language; and the Arabians, from the prophecies to the same im