called, "The Son of God." The morning DISC.
of his birth was indeed "a morning with-
" out clouds." No spot then fullied the
face of heaven. Why, therefore, must
such a mother, and such a fon, pay obe-
dience to the law? The son paid obe-
dience, as when he submitted to be circum-
cised, and to be baptised, not that he had
any fin to be put off, or washed away, but
because, being " made of a woman, and
" made under the law," it became him to
obey the law, or, as he expressed it to
John, who proposed the question at his
baptifm, " to fulfil all righteousness." In
himself he was not a finner; but in our
stead, he was content to appear as fuch.
The holy virgin placed herself, upon this
occafion, on a level with other women,
when she was so much above them, to ex-
hibit a pattern of humility and obedience,
of gratitude and devotion, of regard and
reverence for the ordinances of God, which
no one is privileged to neglect or flight,
but which all should attend, however they
may fancy themselves not to need, or not

DISC. to be benefited by them. Indeed, who can XVII. have the confidence and presumption to absent themselves from the temple, when they behold Mary there, whom all generations have agreed to call Blessed! Let mothers, when, in the day of thanksgiving, they approach the altar, set before them her bright example; and let us remember, that by her becoming a mother, we are become the heirs of everlasting salvation; joint heirs with him who was, as at this time, presented in the temple.

"When the days of her purification " were accomplished, they brought him to "Jerufalem, to present him to the Lord; " as it is written in the law of the Lord; "Every male that openeth the womb, " shall be called holy to the Lord."

Great were the privileges from the beginning annexed to the first-born. Theirs was the pre-eminence in power and wealth; and before the designation of the fons of Levi to the service of the altar, among the people

XVII.

people of God, theirs was the priesthood DISC. alfo. After that event, they still continued, as before, heirs of a double honour and inheritance; they were still offered in form to God, though redeemed, at a certain price, from actual attendance in the sanctuary. Agreeably to this injunction, Jesus was brought by his mother at the proper time, and presented in the temple, as her first-born. He filled up the character, and highly exalted it. Besides being her firstborn fon, he was likewife πρωτοτοκος πασης κτισεως, the first begotten, or first born of the whole creation, not only because he 854, is, προ παντων, before all things, and all things, both in heaven and earth, were created by him, but also because he was begotten to inherit all things, and in all things to have the pre-eminence, since all things were created εις αυτον, for him, as well as δι αυτου, by him; in which view he is styled abfolutely, τον πρωτοτοκον, THE First-born, uniting in himself all that was from the beginning prefigured by the rights and honours

► Coloff. i. 15, &c.

Heb. i. 6.

of

XVII.

DISC. of primogeniture. He is styled, moreover, πρωτοτοκος εκ των νεκρων, the First-born, or First begotten from the dead, in regard of his being the first that rose from the dead, no more to die. And with allusion to the peculiar appropriation of all the first born to God, the assembly of redeemed spirits is called, " the church of the first " born, written," or "enrolled, in heaven."

" The blessed virgin" (says Bishop Taylor) " had received a greater favour than " ever was received by the daughters of "Adam; and knowing from whence, and " for whose glory she had received it, she " returns the holy Jesus as a gift to God " again; for she had nothing - the world " had nothing - so precious as himself, of "which to make an oblation. Never was "there before an act of adoration propor" tionable to the honour and majesty of "the great God. But now there was; " and it was made, at the presentation of " the child Jefus in the temple."

Let us not fail, by using them aright, to

XVII.

return to God all things we have received DISC. from him; and by a virtuous education dedicate our children to him who gave them, bringing them early to the temple, and presenting them to the Lord.

Bear we likewise in mind, that he who was thus offered in the temple, afterwards offered, and still continues to present himself, to appear in the prefence of God, for us. He it is, whose precious blood, whose infinite merits, whose prevailing fatisfaction, the church in her prayers presenteth daily to God; and through whom alone ourselves and all our oblations are accepted in the heavenly places. Nay, at that hallowed hour when the eucharift is confecrated, Christ is, again, figuratively and facramentally, presented in the temple on earth. For his fake, the Father is then well pleased with us: he hears our prayers, forgives our fins, heals our infirmities, and gracioufly accepts our facrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Think not, O man, who flightest and disparagest that holy ordinance,