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they not grow weary of being well, and DISC. change, only to repent of their folly in having done fo!

The offering made by Mary was the offering of the poor, of those who were not of ability to bring a more coftly facrifice; according to that which is faid in the "law of the Lord; If fhe be not able to bring a lamb, then the fhall bring two "turtles, or two young pigeons "."

Our Lord thought proper to appear, while on earth, in the character of a poor man, that he might advance the poor to the riches of his kingdom, and in the mean time render their condition here supportable, at least, if not pleasant, when they reflected that their Saviour was once as poor as they. At his birth he was poor, destitute of common conveniences. In his life poor; "foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nefts, but the fon of man "had not where to lay his head." At his

Lev. xii. 8.

death

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DISC. death poor; fold by the traitor for a paltry fum, ftripped, crucified, and then buried at the expence of others. Let not him, therefore, who is of low degree, be troubled and caft down; but let him rather rejoice, because in his poor eftate God hath had respect unto him. Let him take comfort in that he is made like to his Saviour, and endeavour daily to become more and more like him, by bearing his lot with patience, contentment, and refignation.

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The facrifices offered in old time for atonement and redemption tended to point out to the world this great and concerning truth, that offenders fhould be faved from death, and that God would one day accept a perfon in their ftead, who fhould suffer what they deserved, and bestow upon them what they did not deferve. As the perfon thus deftined to take away the fins of men was to be an innocent perfon, the most innocent creatures were generally chofen to represent him; among beafts the Lamb, among birds the Dove - a bird not armed

with beak or talons, and having no defign DISC. or defire to injure it's fellows; noted for XVII. purity and fidelity, for meekness and mourning; fociable, and friendly, and delighting to be about the dwellings of men. Such, after the example fet us by our Master, ought we in temper and difpofition to be, and then to offer up "ourselves, our "fouls and bodies, a living facrifice, holy, acceptable, through him, to God, which "is our reasonable fervice."

Among those in Jerufalem who expected the appearance of a Redeemer about the time when he did appear, was a man. named Simeon: ftricken in years, and feeble in body, he poffeffed a mind and a faith vigorous and active. Not like the Pharifees of that day, ftudious only to be thought "a juft and devout man," he really was fuch; full of religion and the love of God, of an exact justice and fincere charity towards his neighbour; looking forward, while he lived upon earth, to the life of heaven, and defiring nothing more than

that,

DISC. that, before he died, he might fee Him XVII. whom the Jews and all the world did look

for, the promised Meffiah, the confolation of afflicted Ifrael. A devout Jew, who understood the Scriptures of the Old Testament, waited for the first advent of Meffiah in the weakness of mortal flesh: the devout Christian now waits for his fecond advent in the majesty of immortal glory.

Such being the character of Simeon, it had pleafed God to reward his extraordinary faith and piety with a gracious promife, that the wish of his heart should be granted; "that he should not die, till he "had feen the Lord's Chrift." So good is it to live in the fear of God, in the expectation of his Son, and under the guidance of his Spirit.

The hour was now come, that Jefus fhould be brought to the temple, whither Simeon reforted, not out of curiofity, cuftom, intereft, or hypocrify, motives which too often lead men thither, but by the im

mediate

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mediate direction of fuperior influence; "he DISC. "came by the Spirit into the temple. And "when the parents brought in the child

Jefus, to do for him after the custom of "the law,” and the priest, as was usual, embraced the presented child, and blessed him; then the good old man, transported and overcome at the fo much defired fight, could no longer contain himself; but taking the holy infant in his arms, he poured forth with that voice, which was foon to be heard no more, the moft melodious ftrains of gratitude and praise, bidding farewel to the world in the words of that hymn, which we are taught by our church to recite, on the evening of each day, and which to the good man, at the clofe of life, will be fweet indeed-" Lord, now letteft thou

thy fervant depart in peace, according to "thy word. For mine eyes have feen thy "falvation, which thou haft prepared be"fore the face of all people: a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Ifrael." God had performed his promife, had fhewn him the Meffiah, had filled

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