The Blessed Virgin's Root Traced in the Tribe of Ephraim

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1871. Excerpt: ... from Heaven forbidding: as also Jacob, the next Birthright son, was saved from Esau's design to slay him, by following the advice of his mother, Rebecca, who overheard Esau in the declaration of his purpose: --as, afterwards, in the law, after the slaughter of the Egyptian firstborn, the firstborn among the Israelites, though by first intention, amongst the things devoted to the Lord, were made privileged exceptions in the words of the law: --"All the firstborn of man among thy children, thou shalt redeem. And again, in the substitution of the Levites, for all the firstborn of the Israelites, those over and above the number of the Levites, so as to have no substitute, were ordered to be redeemed; not indeed from death, but from the dedication, which had been accepted instead of death. And again, in the assignation to the Levites of every thing devoted in Israel to the Lord it is commanded: --" And every thing opening the matrix in all flesh shall be the Levites4;" (which is the same thing as consecration to God, ) "which they should bring to the Lord, men, or beasts; nevertheless the firstborn of man, says the law, thou shalt redeem." So, too, the object of Herod's jealousy was redeemed from the shaft of death by slipping away, under St. Joseph's protection by an Angel's direction, to Egypt. Thus then Joseph, being, in a manner typical of these laws, redeemed from appointed death, bears in his lot, a third characteristic belonging to the firstborn. (iv)-atopriM, -4. A fourth one appears from the mode of redemption itself, in its being at a price. For, his rescue from the hand of his enemies, is by the sale to the Ishmaelites; who give over money to his brethren as a price for him. This compensation by money is instituted in the law, for the firstborn, who were...