that we might serve him : " Christ has redeemed us, that he might purify us unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." In the name of God then I say, " Ye are not your own ; ye are bought with a price ; therefore ye should glorify God with your bodies and your spirits, which are his." And here let me observe to you, that there is no commutation of service admitted or allowed. If all the tribes of the earth should offer to stand in your place, and to serve God in your stead, he would not regard their offer, nor dispense with your service. All of you must surrender up yourselves to him. You have already been devoted to him in baptism : remember then the vows that are upon you: Remember " whose you are, and whom you are bound to serve :" and know assuredly, that those words which are so often, but so ignorantly, uttered by us in our prayers, contain the very truth of God ; " his service is perfect freedom."]
Luke ii. 25. The same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel.
IN every age of the Church, there have been some distinguished from the common herd of professors, by their unfeigned zeal and piety. At the time when our blessed Lord came into the world, the Jewish nation were in a most degenerate state : yet were there some, who, with humble and assured expecta- tion, "looked for redemption in Jerusalem." Amongst those was that aged saint, " to whom it was revealed, that he should not see death, till he should have seen the Lord's Christ:" "the same man was just and devout," waiting for the sight of him whom he re- garded as " the Consolation of Israel," and expecting it as the consummation of all his wishes.
The description here given of our Lord is worthy of peculiar attention ; while the conduct of the holy patriarch is also replete with useful instruction. We propose therefore to consider,
I. In what respects Christ is " the Consolation of Israel"—
The Scriptures inform us, that there is consolation