He fmote all the Firft-born of the Egyptians. 24. And Mary offered for her Purification a couple of young Pigeons, as was ufual for fuch as were poor, and not able to bring a Lamb. 25. At that time there dwelt at Jerufalem, one Simeon, a righteous and good Man, of ftrict Piety, and great Devotion; one who heartily believed the Promifes of God, and earnestly expected the appearance of the Meffiah; and, which in thofe Days was very rare, he was indued with the fpecial Gift of Prophecy. 26. To this holy Man, it was particularly revealed by the Spirit of God, That the Meffiah fhould appear in his Days, and that he himself fhould fee him before he died. 27. And accordingly, when Jefus was brought to be prefented in the Temple, after the ufual Cuftom; Siancon at that very inftant, by the direction of the Holy Ghoft, came alfo into the Temple. 28. And when he faw Jefus ; it be ing revealed to him by the Spirit, that this was the Meffiah; he took him up in his Arms, and with great Joy returned Thanks to God, in the following Hymn. 29. O Lord, thou haft graciously fulfilled thy Promife to thy Servant; and there is nothing now that I have to defire in this World, but that thou wilt please to grant me, whenever thy All-wife Providence fhall think fit, a quiet and a happy Death. 30. Forafinuch as I have lived to fee with thefe mortal Eyes, the greateft Bleffing that was ever beftowed the womb fhall be called holy to the Lord) 24 And to offer a that which is faid in facrifice according to the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 And behold, there was a man in Jerufalem, whofe and the fame man was juft and devout, waiting for the confolation of Ifrael: and the holy Ghoft was upon him. name was Simeon ; 26 And it was revealed unto him by he fhould not fee the holy Ghoft, that death, before he had feen the Lords Chrift. 27 And he came by the fpirit into and the temple : brought in the child when the parents Jefus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and bleffed God, and faid, teft thou thy fervant 29 Lord, now letdepart in peace, according to thy word. 30 For mine eyes have feen thy falvation: 31 Which 34 And Simeon bleffed them, and faid unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is fet for the fail and rising again of many in Ifrael; and for a fign which fhall be spoken against : 35 (Yea, a fword fhall pierce through thy own foul alfo) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. upon the Sons of Men, and which our holy Fore-Fathers rejoyced to difcern and hope for at a distance, the appearance of the Meffiah in the Flefh. 31 مع 32. Whom thou haft fent into the World, to be the great Deliverer and Saviour of Mankind, both of Jews and Gentiles; of the Jews, whom He will more immediately honour with his Prefence and Converfation; and of the Gentiles, whom He will convert by the efficacious spreading of his Doctrine, from the Darknefs of Ignorance, Errour and Superftition, to the Knowledge and Worship of the True God. 33. Thus Simeon expreffed his Joy at the Sight of Jefus. And Jofeph and Mary, comparing what they heard Simeon prophefy, with what they had before heard from the Angel, and otherwife; were much furprized at the Greatnefs and Glorioufnefs of the Things, which they understood were to be accomplished in Jefus. 34 35. Moreover, Simcm bleffed Jofeph and Mary, and he faid to Mary; This Child, which you here prefent, is appointed of God to be the great Author and Standard of True Religion, and the great Trier of the Sincerity of Men's Hearts. For, fuch fhall be the Excellency of his Works and Doctrine, that all true and fincere Ifraelites fhall believe in him, and obey him, and be faved by him: But fuch alfo fhall be the Meanness of his Circumstances, and the Greatness of his Sufferings; that all Hypocrites and falfe Pretenders to Religion, all covetous, ambitious, and worldly Men; fhall be offended at him, and fpeak a against him, fhall hate and perfecute him, fhall discover the Falseness and Malice of their Hearts, and perifh for their Unbelief: Nay, and even fincere and well-difpofed Minds, fuch as his own Difciples, and even you your felf, fhall fometimes be filled with great Fears and Doubts, as well as great Sorrows and Afflictions upon his account; for the trial of your Sincerity, the improvement of your Patience, and at laft the perfection of your Faith. 36. At the fame time, there was likewife one Anna, the Daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Afer, a Widow of a great Age, of extraordinary Holiness and Piety, and endued with the Gift of Prophecy. 37. Who, though he was above fourfcore Years old, yet fhe continually attended the Service of the Temple with great Devotion, fafting conftantly at the accustomed Seafons, and never failing to be prefent at the time of Prayer, early or late. 38. This Woman alfo, as Simeon had done, coming in just at the time when they were prefenting. Jefus, knew and declared him to be the Meffias, giving Thanks to God for his Birth, and fpeaking of him to many then in Jerufalem, who were pious and devout Perfons, prepared for the ackowledgment of the Truth, and Expecters of the Kingdom of the Meffiah. 39. After these things, Mary the Mother of Jefus, having done all that the Law required after Childbirth, returned with Jofeph his reputed Father, to Nazareth, the place 36 And there was one Anna a prophetefs, the daughter of of Afer; fhe was of Phanuel, of the tribe a great age, and had lived with an hufband feven years from her virginity: 37 And he was a widow of about fourfcore and four years which departed not from the temple, but served God with faftings and prayers night and day. 38 And the coming in at that inftant, gave thanks likewife fpake of him to all unto the Lord, and them that looked for redemption in Jeru falem.' where they dwelt before the Conception of Jesus. 40. And Jefus grew in Stature of Body, and increased in all excellent Improvements of Mind; appearing every Day more and more to be indued with an extraordinary and divine Wisdom, far beyond either the natural Capacity of his Age, or the Advantages of his Education. 41. Now every Year, at the Feast of the Paffover, Jofeph and Mary went up to Jerufalem according to the Cuftom, to be prefent at the Solemnity of that great Festival. 42. And when Jefus was twelve Years old, his Parents going up as usual to Jerufalem at the Paflover, Jefus alfo went with them. 43. And when the Feaft was over, and they were returning home, Jefus anticipating (as it were) the Time of his Miniftry, and defiring to begin the Business for which he came into the World, tarried behind at Jerufalem to debate about the great Queftions of Religion, amongst the Wife Men and Expounders of the Law; And this he did, without the Knowledge of Jofeph or his Mother. 44. They therefore, fuppofing him to have been fomewhere in the Company amongst their Kindred or Acquaintance, and not in the leaft fufpecting that he would be left behind at Ferufalem, went away without him. But when they had gone a Day's Journey, and he was ftill miffing, they began to be afraid, and made ftrict fearch for him among all the Com had hitherto erroneoufly fuppofed; they returned with hafte, and in a great Fright, to Jerufalem, to enquire for him among all their Acquaintance there. 46 47. And There alfo they could hear nothing of him; till at laft, after Three Days, they accidentally found him in the Court of the Temple, fitting among the Scribes and learned Expounders of the Law, debating with them, and asking and answering Queftions. All which he did with fo much Wifdom and Modefty, with for great Difcretion and Understanding, that all that heard him, were amazed and astonished at it. 48. When therefore Jofeph and his Mother faw him, great was their Surprize to find him in that Place, in fuch Company, and in fuch an Employment. And his Mother faid to him, Son, wherefore didft thou leave us thus, without our Leave or Knowledge? It is now three Days that we have been fearching for you, in great Fear and Diftrefs of Mind. 49. Jefus replied, Ye had no Reason to be fo difturbed and follicitous about me; Where fhould I rather be, than in Father's Temple, and about the Business for which I was fent by him into the World ? my 50. This was a clear Declaration and Discovery of himfelf. But fuch was their Weaknefs, and fo far did the Mixture and Prevalency of Humane Paffions divert their Attention, that they underflood not at all what he meant: though otherwise they had both feen and heard, and knew abundantly fuch things of him before, that they could not poffibly be ig 46 And it came to pafs, that after three days, they found him in the temple, fitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and afking them quef tions. 47 And all that heard him were atonifhed at his understanding and anfwers. 48 And when they faw him, they were amazed: and his mother faid unto him, Son, why haft thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy fa ther and I have fought thee forrowing. 49 And he faid unto them, How is it, that ye fought me? wift ye not that I must be about my fathers business ? 50 And they underítood not the faying which he spake unto them. |