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. Glory to God in the highest heavens, or among the highest orders of beings. Let the praises of God (so the word glory signifies, Psalm 1. 23, whoso offereth praise giorifieth me,) be eternally celebrated by the highest orders of beings, notwithstanding they are not the immediate objects of this instance of his infinite goodness.-and on earth peace among men. On earth let all manner of happiness (so peace signifies in the Hebrew language,) from henceforth prevail among men for ever, because the designs of the devil against them are utterly overthrown. And as they departed they shouted in the sweetest, most sonorous, and most seraphic strains, BENEVOLENCE; expressing the highest admiration of the goodness of God, which now began to shine with brighter lustre than ever, on the arrival of his Son to save the world. As soon as the celestial choir had ended their hymn, the shepherds went in quest of the Saviour of mankind. Though it is not mentioned, it looks as if the angel had described to them the particular inn in Bethlehem where Messiah was born: and found the child lying where the angel had said, they were, by that sign, fully confirmed in their belief, and with boldness declared both the vision which they had seen, and the things which they had heard pronounced by the angel and the heavenly host with him. And when they had seen the child, they made known abroad, they declared, without reserve, to all present, and to all their acquaintance afterward, the saying which was told them concerning this child, namely, that he was Christ the Lord, and the Saviour of the Jews; that a vision of angels had given this information; and that they had heard the heavenly host praising God on account of his birth. And all they that heard it, wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Joseph and Mary, with the people of the inn who attended them, and such of their relations as were come up to Bethlehem to be taxed, and happened to be with them on this occasion, were exceedingly astonished at the things which the shepherds openly declared; and the rather, because they could not understand how one born of such mean parents could be Messiah. In the mean time, Mary was greatly affected with, and thought upon, the shepherds' words, the sense of which she was enabled to fathom, by what had been revealed to herself. She said nothing, however, being more disposed to think than to speak, which was an excellent instance of modesty and humility in so great a conjecture.

The shepherds now returned home, and, by the way, praised God, expressing their gratitude for him, for having condescended, by a particular revelation, to inform them of so great an event as the birth of Messiah, and because they had seen the signs by which the angel in the vision pointed him out to them.

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As it became our Lord to fulfil all righteousness, so he was circumcised on the eighth day, and received the name of Jesus by divine appointment. And when the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opcneth the womb shall be called Holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. This was the offering appointed for the poorer sort. It is evident, therefore, that although Joseph and Mary were both of the seed royal, they were in very mean circumstances. The evangelist mentions the presentation of the child to the Lord, before the offering of the sacrifice for the mother's purification; but, in fact, this preceded the presentation, because, till it was performed, the mother could not enter the temple; accordingly Luke himself introduces both the parents presenting Jesus, v. 27.

The service of Mary's purification, therefore, being ended she went, with her som

in her arms, into the temple, and assisted her husband in presenting him to the Lord, On this occasion two extraordinary incidents happened, which not a little confirmed their faith, and raised their hopes concerning the future greatness of their son. There was now, it seems, in Jerusalem, one Simeon, venerable on account of his age, his prophetic spirit, his virtue, and his consummate piety. This good man had lived long in expectation of seeing Messiah; for God had favoured him so highly, as to assure him, by a particular revelation, that he should not die till he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law; then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: let me depart out of the world, filled with the satisfaction of having seen the Messiah, according to the gracious promise thou wast pleased to make me. This good man, having obtained the utmost pitch of felicity in the gratification of that which had always been his highest wish, and having no farther use for life, desired immediate death: yet he could not depart of himself, knowing that no inan can lawfully desert his station, till God, who placed him therein, calls him off. 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. Simeon being well acquainted with the prophetic writings, knew, from them, that Messiah was to be the author of a great salvation, which, because it was planned by God, this pious man very properly refers to God ;-thy salvation. He knew, likewise, that this salvation was not designed for the Jews only, but for all mankind; therefore he says, it was prepared by God, before the face of all people. Withal, because, in the prophecies, Messiah is introduced teaching and ruling the Gentiles, he calls him after Isaiah, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel, whom he greatly honoured, by condescending to arise among them.

Simeon's words surprised both Joseph and Mary, not because they imported things greater than could be applied to their son, they knew him to be the Messiah, and so must have been sensible that they were what properly belonged to him, but they marvelled how Simeon, a stranger, came to the knowledge of the child. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Thus Simeon informed them of the different effects which Christ's preaching should produce, and the severe persecutions he and his friends, upon his account, should be called to endure.

And there was one Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser, she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about four-score and four years, which departed not from the templc, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. The meaning is, not that Anna abode continually in the temple, for none lived there, save the priests and Levites; but she attended constantly at the morning and evening sacrifices, and was often in the exercise of private prayer and fasting, spending the greatest part of her time in the temple, as we find the apostles doing, Acts ii. 46. This good woman having the Messiah discovered to her, either by what Simeon had said, or by a particular revelation of the Spirit, the favour which God now conferred on her, in alhowing her to behold his Christ, filled her with an ecstacy of joy. She, therefore, praised the Lord aloud, with great fervency, and spake afterwards of the child under the character of Messiah, to all her acquaintance in Jerusalem, that had any sense of religion, or faith in its promises. And she, coming in at that instant, gave thanks.