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Reader. That is, they opened the caskets or vessels in which they had brought their gifts. Can you refer to any passages of Scripture, which indicate the ancient practice of offering presents to royal personages in token of respect?

Theophilus. A departure from this custom is mentioned as a mark of disrespect towards Saul, on the part of some of his subjects. "The children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents." 1 Sam. x. 27. On the other hand, the queen of Sheba manifested her high respect for Solomon by the abundance of gifts which she took with her, when she made her celebrated visit. "She came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones." 1 Kings X. 2.

Reader. You might have reminded us also of the presents which Jacob sent to Egypt to "the man, the governor of the land" (Gen. xliii. 11 -25); and especially of a passage in that remarkably prophetic psalm in which "David, praying for Solomon, sheweth the goodness and glory of his, in type, and, in truth, of Christ's kingdom." Read Psalm lxxii. 10, 11.

Theophilus. "The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him."

Reader. How glorious is the prospect which that prophecy opens to our view! May it be speedily ful

filled!-What were the gifts which the Magi presented unto the infant Jesus?

Theophilus. Gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Reader. It has been remarked that these gifts, and especially the gold, were a providential and seasonable supply to Joseph and Mary, which probably enabled them to bear the expenses of their journey into Egypt. -Frankincense is a fragrant balsamic product of the East, especially of Arabia, used in worship. Myrrh is a substance of the same kind and climate, valued on account of its property of preserving bodies from putrefaction, and used principally in embalming the dead.

Early Christian writers employed their imagination in assigning a figurative meaning to these offerings. Gold, say they, was offered to our Saviour as to a king; frankincense, as to God; and myrrh, as to a man that was to die. The conceit is pretty, and is more harmless than many of the speculations of "the fathers;" but, of course, I do not mention it as mention it as having anything to do with the principles of sound interpretation.-One lesson, however, of practical importance, may be fairly deduced from the circumstance now before us. We see that the wise men offered to Christ some of the best and most choice productions of the earth; and this may admonish us to present to him the best gifts and offerings at our disposal,-to devote to him our hearts, to offer him our worship, and to consecrate to his service, in one way or other, our pro

perty, and our faculties of body and

of mind.

Observe, also, that the wise men presented themselves first, offering personal homage, and afterwards offered their gifts. And let us remember that we have no reason to expect that any of our gifts will be accepted by Christ, unless we first present ourselves to him as living sacrifices. Read the commendation bestowed by St. Paul upon the churches of Macedonia, in 2 Cor. viii. 3—5.

Theophilus. "To their power, I bear record, yea and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God."

Reader. And read Romans xii. 1; -for, while we see what offerings others have made to Christ, it is right that we should consider well what gifts we are ourselves required to present.

Theophilus. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

Reader. Why was it that the Magi did not return to Jerusalem, but "departed into their own country another way?"

Theophilus. Because they were "warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod."

Reader. How would it have grieved them to have been successfully employed as instruments in working the destruction of the infant whom. they had sought and visited with so much reverence! But they were preserved from this pain by the direct interposition of Heaven. And "thus they who in all their ways acknowledge God will find that God will, by one method or another, graciously direct their paths." We here discover a second instance of divine interposition in order to prevent serious and well-disposed persons from falling into dangerous or distressing errors. But it is worthy of remark, both in the case of Joseph and in this of the Magi, that supernatural means of guidance were vouchsafed only in cases wherein the use of natural powers and opportunities was insufficient to enable the parties to ascertain their true position. We must not expect extraordinary aids, when the use of more common means would be sufficient.

Theophilus. The preservation of the infant appears to be a striking proof of divine omniscience, and of an ever-watchful Providence.

Reader. It is one among many such proofs. And we are encouraged to remember for our comfort, that, in other cases, as well as in that before us, God has at his disposal abundant and ready means of delivering his faithful people from the craft or power of their enemies. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations." 2 Pet. ii. 9. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

Read first the passage

which you find marked in the smaller volume.

The Lord is the strength of my life; | Prayer."
of whom shall I be afraid? When
the wicked, even mine enemies and
my foes, came upon me to eat up my
flesh, they stumbled and fell." Ps.
xxvii. 1, 2.
"In God I will praise
his word, in God I have put my
trust; I will not fear what flesh can
do unto me." Ps. lvi. 4.

The total and easy defeat of Herod's crafty device may teach us also to "rejoice in the thought that there is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against the Lord,'-no scheme so artfully devised that he cannot penetrate it, or so politicly formed that he cannot with infinite ease confound it."

There is a question, Theophilus, which I wish to ask you in connection with this whole history of the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem under the guidance of a star. Can you tell me on what day our Church commemorates this event?

Theophilus. The festival of "The Epiphany, or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles," is set apart chiefly for this purpose. The former part of this chapter of St. Matthew is the Gospel for that day.

Reader. I propose now to conclude our meditations upon this whole transaction by requesting you to read two extracts which I have marked in the books that lie upon the table. One of them is from a little work of which you have heard me speak highly, -"The Penny Sunday Reader;"-and the other is part of a passage from an old divine, quoted by Bishop Mant in his "Annotations on the Book of Common

Theophilus. "It is clear that, from whatever sources they obtained it, these Magi certainly had, and so had many others, an expectation of a Saviour that was to come. They possessed, indeed, very limited means of acquiring the most important of all knowledge, the knowledge of God. But they employed those means heartily, and to a good purpose. The consequence was that, as they employed properly their talent, God increased it: they trimmed as well as they could their feeble lamp, and the Lord, therefore, sent them a brighter light. He placed a glorious star in the heavens. At his command it went before them, and brought them to the place where the Messiah they sought was laid, and enabled them to kneel before him and offer him their best treasures. These Gentiles may be considered as the first-fruits of that great harvest Jesus was to gather into the Church; and the star was a lively emblem of that clear revelation of life and immortality which he has set before us in his holy word. The Gospel shines steadily and purely, and, when followed with diligence and faith, will always, like the star, conduct unto Jesus those who are wise, not in worldly wisdom, but unto salvation. Before our eyes it shines. It has brought us, who are descended from Gentiles, out of darkness into his marvellous light. Every Sabbath day God's ministers direct our attention to this light, and

exhort us to follow whithersoever it | which they or we may meet from

may guide us. Brethren, never lose sight of it. Like the sages of old, proceed steadfastly; yield not to weariness, though the way be rugged;-be not daunted, though perils and trials beset your path;-let no temptation allure you from the point at which the object of your pilgrimage is to be obtained. Let the Gospel always be your guiding star, till it shall lead you to Christ,-first through temporal suffering and humiliation, and finally in everlasting happiness and glory."

in

Reader. Read now the passage "Mant's Notes on the Book of Common Prayer."

Theophilus. "If we desire to imitate these wise men, it must be our care to keep our ears open, and our hearts teachable. We must not only see, but follow and embrace most gladly the light that shines upon us from above, and is let down from heaven, for a guide to us; comply cheerfully with every call and motion of his good Spirit; provoke, and, if possible, shame those into a holy and noble emulation, who shut their eyes against it. We must not suffer ourselves to be discouraged by any hardships or dangers, which our duty calls us to nor grow cold upon many ill examples we converse among; the general neglect of most, and the bold affronts of some who make it an act of gallantry to insult, and cast all the contempt they can upon, religion in a word, we must persevere in piety and virtue, though we were left to stand alone; and, in despite of all opprobrious treatment

the

persons who might and should know better, and in truth do not see, only because they will not. Of all this our Saviour hath showed us the necessity by declaring that men cannot believe while they prefer popular esteem before a good conscience: which is, in Scripture language, ‘receiving honour one of another, not seeking that honour which cometh from God only, and loving the praise of men more than the praise of God.' John v. 44; xii. 43.

"When they saw the star,' again, says the Evangelist, 'they rejoiced with exceeding great joy,'" a joy that sprang, no doubt, from strong assurances, that this was a token of their journey being well-pleasing to God; and that He would prosper it to their intended purpose of seeing and adoring that wonderful infant where this star was. And here again they are a pattern which we should be infinitely to blame not to copy after. For, as the Apostle upon all occasions urges, we are certainly of all creatures the most ungrateful and stupid, the most unworthy of our happiness, if we do not esteem the conversion of the Gentile world to be one of the most glorious mysteries of Providence that ever was exhibited to mankind. And our feeling of this mercy should be more sensible and tender, because we are the offspring of those Gentiles, and our ancestors once a part of them, as dark, perhaps, as any. It is possible, indeed, we might not have retained the ancient rudeness and savageness of our country. From that

our invaders would soon have delivered us. But, alas, how poor a consideration is it to Christians, that they have been refined into civility and good manners, taught arts and commerce, and improved in industry and learning! Allow these advantages the great value and commendation really due to them, yet still, I say, how little and insignificant are even all these polishings, in comparison of those benefits which come from the knowledge, the obedience, the hopes, and the precious promises of the Gospel! The exalting our minds with this most holy faith, enlarging our ideas of God, giving us a prospect of heaven, seasoning us with a true taste of good and evil, and forming our lives upon the most perfect model of justice and holiness, and order and peace, and all that can procure or preserve the tranquillity and happiness of ourselves and the whole world: this was, in a literal sense, to bring light out of darkness; and (praised be God) no part of his church is blessed with clearer and

purer day than ours. This is our glory, this ought to be our joy.

Since then we also are, with these Eastern forerunners, happily conducted to Christ, let us, as they did, fall down and worship Him. We see him not, indeed, like them, in arms and infancy, but, which is at once a tragical and yet most comfortable prospect, dying upon a cross for us; nay, risen again, gone up on high, shedding his gifts and graces down, and perpetually at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. Let us, then, approach with reve

rence, and open our treasures too; let us present him, not with gold or spices, but with somewhat more becoming him to receive and us to offer; even our bodies, and souls, and spirits. These, though of little value in themselves, will yet be accounted a rich and fragrant, if they be but an humble and a holy, sacrifice: the only effectual sacrifice of thanksgiving; and an oblation which cannot more please Him than it will profit us. For, by such a reasonable service, by such undissembled testimonies of praise and gladness, it is that we must hope God will be inclined to accept and answer our petition, that He "who, by the leading of a star, did manifest his only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, would mercifully grant that we, which know Him now by faith, may, after this life, have the fruition of his glorious Godhead, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

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