DISC. (namely, at the beginning of the last Jewish

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war) it was decreed by the fates, that some coming out of Judea fhould obtain the fovereignty. And no wonder, as a learned writer well obferves, that such an opinion fhould be propagated throughout the east, when we confider the vaft number of Jews, which were spread over all the eastern countries. In the reign of Ahasuerus, or Artaxerxes Longimanus, the Jews were difperfed throughout all the provinces of the Perfian monarchy, and that, in numbers fufficient to defend themselves against their enemies in thofe provinces; and many of the people of the land also, as we read in the book of Efther, became Jews. After the Babylonish captivity, the Jews increafed fo mightily, that we find them not only throughout Afia, but in Africa, and in many cities and islands of Europe, mentioned in the second chapter of the Acts. Wherever they dwelt, they made many profelytes to their religion; and, in their attempts to this purpose, they must very much spread the expectation of the Mef

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fiah's coming; an article fo important in DISC. itself, and fo flattering to their national vanity. These opportunities of being informed of the approaching Advent of the great King, the Magians of the east enjoyed in common with many other people. To which it may be added, that Zoroafter, the famous reformer of the Magian fect, is generally faid to have been by extraction a Jew, and to have lived as a fervant with one of the prophets, probably Daniel: he was well acquainted with the writings of Mofes, and has inferted in his book many particulars from them.

Now, if we fuppofe the minds of men, of learned men more especially, to have been in this manner prepared, and rendered attentive to what happened, the fudden appearance of a new ftar in the heavens, fuper-eminent in fplendor, and pointing towards Judea, might, perhaps, even without any farther information, be conftrued by them as a fign, that the long looked for Prince and Saviour was actually born.

If

DISC.

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If we farther fuppofe, that the famous prediction, delivered in the mountains of the east, by Balaam, a prophet of their own, who, having his eyes opened, faw and mentioned, fo many ages before it's appearance, "the STAR that should arife "out of Jacob, the fceptre that should "come out of Ifrael°;" if we fuppofe, I fay, that this famous prediction was carefully preferved, and handed down from one generation to another, as would moft probably be the cafe, it doubtless might have lent it's affiftance at this time, and upon this occafion.

But after all, when we confider, that every circumstance relative to the birth of Chrift was, and must needs be, extraordinary and fupernatural, full of wonder, and full of mystery; when we reflect on the journey and oblations of these fages, thus representing, as it were, the whole heathen world, now at length returning to the acknowlegement and adoration of it's

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Redeemer, who should have been all along DISC. an object of faith to the nations, as well as to the Jews; why should we not conclude, that as an angel accompanied the glory that fhone round the Jewifh fhepherds, and proclaimed to them the nativity of Jefus; fo fome beneficent fpirit was enjoined to communicate to these Gentile philofophers the fame gracious and comfortable intelligence. This, however, we may most affuredly conclude, that he who hung out the star in the firmament, vifible to their outward eyes, took care that it fhould not be hung out in vain; but that some attendant light should at the fame time fhine inward, and irradiate their minds with the knowlege of it's fignification and import.

The fact is clear. They faw, they understood, they fet out. No diftance, no difficulties, no dangers, were fufficient to deter them. They paffed the rocks and fands, of the deferts, "the tents of Kedar," and "the hills of the robbers." Children of the faith of Abraham, they left their

own

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DISC. own country, obeying the heavenly call. Led by the star, as the Ifraelites of old by the pillar of fire, they pursued their way through the wilderness to the land of Promife, there to feek him, "in whom all "the promises of God," made to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews, "were yea " and amen."

Arrived at Jerufalem, they imparted the glad tidings to those from whom they

should have received them. Neither afraid of Herod, nor afhamed of Meffiah, they profeffed openly the occafion of their journey. They believed, and therefore they fpake. "Where is he that is born king "of the Jews?" To you, O ye rulers and teachers in Ifrael, we apply ourselves. You must know the birth-place of the Redeemer. Saw ye him whom we feek? Tell us where we may find, and adore him.

Far other fentiments were excited, by this question, in the breaft of Herod. Human policy would not fuffer him to hear

of