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 footsteps to the Lord, and to his kingdom of everlasting happiness. But although this star is always shining in the east, still we cannot expect to receive any benefit from its light, while our eyes are continually looking toward the west. The east and west are opposite points, and while we are looking toward the west, we cannot expect to see anything in the east. In fact, if we have any wish to behold the star in the east, we must become wise men! for the star can never appear to any others. By the EAST is here meant, the Lord himself: hence arose the custom of turning the face to the east, or representatively to the Lord, in prayer. By stars are signified the knowledges of Divine and heavenly things; hence, by the star in the east, is signified that divine knowledge respecting the Lord, which leads mankind to the true worship of the Lord.

Now, in order to see this star, we must become wise men! and we cannot become wise men unless we turn our faces to the east; that is, we must turn our affections and life to the Lord of heaven; we must turn from every evil and perverted way, and with a single eye look to the Lord alone for spiritual illumination. In this state of mind, when we desire truth for the sake of truth, that it may lead to goodness—the STAR will certainly appear to us in the EAST—the true knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as the God of heaven and earth, will in mercy be given to us, and it will lead us to do as the wise men of old did, namely, to fall down and worship Him. It is the act of wise men to worship, and to give adoration to ; but fools say in their heart, there is no God; their faces are always turned from