THE Soul's Communion With her SAVIOR OR The History of our Lord Jesus Christ Written by FOUR EVANGELISTS Digested into Devotional Meditations The First Part. LONDON Printed for W. Crooke at the Green Dragon nigh Devereux-Court without Temple-Bar 1685. THE PREFACE TO THE Devout Reader SIr Edwyn Sandys in his Europae Speculum observs That as one principal Means used by the Papacy to countermine the Progress of the Reformation they took such Care to fill all Countries with Books of Prayer and Piety in their own Language that they forbore not to reproach the Protestants who had upbraided them for confining the Peepl to the dark Devotion of an unknown Tong with their Poverty Weakness and Coldness in that kind as being forced to take the Catholick Books for their Supply therein And since the time wherin he made that Observation the Reformed Churches hav been too long exposed to the same Reproach and Inconvenience for as it was the highest Mark of deplorabl Servitude that the Israelits went down to the Philistins to sharpen evry man his Share and his Coulter and his Ax and his Mattock so it must needs prov a very dangerous Snare to the most religious Protestants that they were constrained to hav Recours to the Church of Rome for their best Helps to Devotion whose Care of Souls in making that necessary Provision for Piety carried with it so fair a shew of tru Sanctity and Godliness as invited too many of the unwarily Devout first to a favorabl Opinion and then to the absolute Espousal of her Errors and Superstition craftily mingled and recommended in those Prayers and Meditations that were hammer'd out at her Forge And what was so 〈◊〉 a Temtation to win her Adversaries may wel be thought a more forcibl Argument to establish and confirm her own Friends and Abettors to her 〈◊〉 So that without a proportionabl Care to countermine her Policy there could be littl hope either of with-drawing any of her Members or withholding many of our own from her Communion But now the Church of England hath both exprest her self sufficiently sensib of that Defect and made abundant Provision for its Supply in compiling and publishing such and such store of Books of Devotion in her Mother-Tong as neither the Roman nor any of the Reformed can boast of more or better It may therefore be questioned to what purpos this littl Tract should be super-added to those many excellent pieces of Devout Meditation already in Print which makes me judg it requisit to giv the Reader som short Account both of its Occasion and Design A most Excellent Person eminent not to mention her quallity which is very considerabl as wel for her Devotion as Intelligence being by a just and rational Conviction of those gross Errors and Forgeries on and by which the Church or rather Court of Rome hath founded and upheld her Greatness reclaimed from her Communion to that of the Church of England to evidence how far she was from being induced therunto by any other Motiv besides that of disinterested Religion resolved to confine her self to the same strict Rules of Devotion and Abstinence in the Exercise of her Protestant Principls whereby she had exprest her exemplary Zeal in the Popish Superstition And that her Soul in those many hours which she daily allotted for Retirement might not grow languid and dull in the same Act either of Prayer or Reading as the Body is apt to becom stiff and unweildy if long held to the self-same Posture or Motion these brief Aspirations on the Gospel-History were composed to diversify her Entertainment and fill up those Intervals which a pious Difcretion thought requisit for the better Improvment and more orderly Disposal of the time set apart for such Religious Exercises And what hath been thus used and approved in the Devout Solitude of a Privat Closet now appears in Publik with Design to supply the vacant Hours of other pious Votaries especially at such times as either the wise Authority of our Superiors or their own particular Resolution shal dedicat a whol day to the Duties of Prayer and Humiliation But lest that different Order wherinto the several Evangelists hav cast their Relation of our Savior's Acts and Speeches which the Holy Ghost hath thought fit to transfer unto succeeding Ages upon Record might occasion a fruitless Repetition of any one Part or an unseemly Confusion in the Whole I have reduced it to such a Method which Gerard and Chemnitius hav digested their Harmony of the Four Gospels into that the Religious Peruser may more regularly pass throu the entire History or the more readily hav Recours to any particular Transaction in it which may best suit with the present Scope of his Devotion Wherunto if this small Essay prov any way serviceabl it will at once recompens my present Labor and encorage me to proceed being ardently desirous to express my Self in Communion with my Savior A sincere Lover of Souls P. Traheron A General Prayer Preparatory to the ensuing Meditations O Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation who art the Fountain of Life and Salvation my So◠and all that is within me bless thy Holy Name for sending thine Only-begotten Son into the World to redeem Me and all Mankind to thine Eternal Glory I beseech Thee withdraw mine Affections from this World that I may serv Thee in Spirit and in Truth Enlighten my Understanding and reform my Will that my Heart may be entirely united to Thee and all other Business set apart as well secretly among the Faithful as openly in the Congregation adore and prais the God of my Salvation And since the Mercies of GOD do at once oblige and encorage me to present my Soul and Body a Living Sacrifice at thine Altar let this my Reasonabl Service be so acceptabl unto Thee that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to com nor Hight nor Depth nor any other Creature be abl to separat me from the Lov of God which is in Christ JESUS our LORD Giv me a clear Sight into all the Mysteries of His Life and a du Sense of all the Miracls of His Lov unto Death til I be so ravished with the Contemplation of their gracious Design upon my Soul as to count all things but Loss for the Excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord and be ready to suffer the Loss of all things and count them but Dung that I may win Christ and be found in Him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is throu the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith that I may know Him and the Power of His Resurrection and the Fellowship of His Sufferings being made conformabl unto His Death And let the constant secret Meditation of His Life and Lov His Sufferings and Glory His Virtues and Graces His Precepts and Promises His Presence and Power be
Plenty To thy better Choice therefore do I wholy refer the Disposal of my self and all mine Affairs for Thou art God only Wise and Blessed for ever §. 3. O thou Mirror of Meekness who 〈◊〉 rather submit to the common Remedy of with-drawing from the impendent Storm than use a Miracl either to 〈◊〉 the Purpos or withstand the Power of Herod by any irresistibl Influence of thine own I prais and magnify thy Name For thine exemplary Subjection to Civil Magistrats being quietly submissiv not only to the Good and Gentl but even to the froward Let the Respect thou barest them in thy Peaceableness and Patience under the grossest Abuse of their Authority and Jurisdiction quicken and confirm in me the Principls of an inviolabl Loyalty that I resist not evil tho unjustly inflicted by the higher Powers but rather shun the Inconvenience by a timely Retreat than presume to disturb their Government or oppose their Authority by any unwarrantabl and contumacious Practices for whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shal receiv to themselvs Damnation Cap. VII Of His Return out of Egypt after the Slaughter of the Innocents §. 1. WHen Herod saw that he was mocked of the Wise men whom he had sent to Bethlehem with this Charge Go and search 〈◊〉 for the yong Child and when ye hav found him bring me word agen that I may com and worship him also but they being warned of God in a Dream that they should not return to Herod were departed into their own Country another way he was exceeding wroth I glorify thy Name O Christ For the ready Obedience of those thy Followers in conforming to evry notice of thy Will who truly judging it cannot be right in thy Sight to hearken unto Men more than unto God would rather incur the Danger of an earthly King's Displeasure than the Guilt of Disobedience to the hevenly Vision That Tyrants and Usurpers are a Scourge unto themselvs we hav a notabl Instance in Herod whose Passions were ever on the Rack to chastise his Ambition As soon as the Eastern Pilgrims came with their Inquiry Where is He that is born King of the Jews he was troubled with Fears and Apprehensions of som Innovation in the State No sooner were they gon without giving him such an Account of their Journy as he required but he is tormented with Rage at the Affront they put upon him in sleighting his Commands and eluding his Expectation Evry inconsiderabl Accident doth discompose an unquiet mind Establish me therefore O Lord with thy free Spirit against the violent efforts of my Passions and that I may enjoy such a Peace and Serenity as naturally flows from the regular Dictats of Reason and Religion let me never do or desire any thing contradictory therunto §. 2. Herod's Wrath not enduring the narrow Confinement of his own Breast like a raging Torrent that involvs all the Neighboring Plains with Ruin and Destruction breaks forth into a bloody Edict which 〈◊〉 all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the 〈◊〉 therof from two Years old and under proportioning the Extent of his 〈◊〉 according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the Wise men when he privily called them to inform him what time the Star appeared I adore thy Sacred Name O my God For permitting that which was spoken by 〈◊〉 the Prophet to be thus fulfilled In Rama was there 〈◊〉 voice heard 〈◊〉 weeping for her Children and would not be comforted becaus they are not The enraged King of Jewry meant to destroy those Infants but contrary to his merciless Intention wrought their Deliverance By the Death he inflicted he freed them from Sin as by the Effusion of their Blood he accomplished their Baptism and while that crafty Fox designed to involv the Son of God in the common Butchery his wicked Devices recoiled upon himself in the Murther of his own For the Lord withdrew his beloved Isaac and left a Thousand innocent Lambs to be sacrifised in his stead and accepted for his sake These were redeemed from among Men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb and in their mouth was found no Guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God Weep not therefore for thy Children Rachel for 〈◊〉 are Blessed they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth therefore be comforted O God the Judg of all who by the Death of these new-born Babes hast taught thy Church that neither the tenderest Age nor the most immaculat Innocence is exempt from Suffering for Thy Sake or incapabl of the glorious Rewards allotted to the Nobl Army of thy Martyrs Giv all the Members of thy Church Militant here upon Earth Grace so to adore Thee in this and all other Transactions of thy Providence how severe or unaccountabl soever they seem to human Reason as may confirm their Hearts in a hopeful Resignation to thy Will and an assured Trust that their cheerful Submission therunto shal be crowned with thine Eternal Favor when thy Church shal becom Triumphant in Heven Assist me also I humbly beseech thee to check the first Rise of my Passions lest being cherished in my bosom they grow too head-strong to be reclaimed and break out into such Acts of Violence and Villany as are not to be named without Horror and Detestation §. 3. Holy Joseph having abode in Egypt til Herod was dead upon the Information and Encoragement which he received from an Angel of the Lord that they 〈◊〉 dead which sought the yong Child's Life arose and took the 〈◊〉 and his Mother and came into the Land of Israel but in regard he was afraid to go into Iuden where Archelaus did reign in the room of his Father Herod being further warned of God in a Dream he turned aside into Galilee and dwelt in a City called Nazareth I prais and magnify thy Name O Christ For ordering the seemingly accidental Circumstances of thy Life to fulfil that which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophets thy Return from Banishment upon a Divine Summons expresly answering That Saying Out of Egypt hav I called my Son and thine Abode in Nazareth according to God's Direction implicitly corresponding with This he shal be called a 〈◊〉 In all my Spiritual Desertions whensoever I am restrained from thy Sanctuary or cast out of thy Sight Lord grant I may patiently attend and at last happily find the seasonabl Returns of thy Grace and Presence and altho my whol Life be an unsettled Pilgrimage yet be thou pleased to refresh me in the various Stages of it with the Society and Priviledges of thy Chosen Peepl and bring me in the end to the place where 〈◊〉 Honor dwelleth that as Thou O Child of God didst grow and war strong in Spirit being filled with Wisdom so the Grace of God may be upon Me in like manner Cap. VIII Of His going up to the Templ and Disputing with the
the perfection of thine impartial Lov to the Souls of men Thou art not deluded with the beautiful Vizard of a Great Estate nor enamor'd on empty Titls of Honor but seeing throu the Veil of such human Additaments and beggarly Inventions dost infinitly prize the naked Souls and Bodies of thy Servants Quicken me I beseech thee to an industrious Attendance on my Calling and a stricter Watchfulness over my Thoughts Words and Deeds those numerous Flocks which are very apt to wander and go astray that my Soul may be precious in thy Sight And tho I walk in Darkness in the Vale and Shadow of Death yet let thy gracious Visitations not only enlighten and refresh me but also draw and direct my Heart to follow these honest Shepherds who in obedience to the direction they receiv'd from Heven left all to go unto Bethlehem and seé that thing which the Lord had made known unto them where they found the Babe lying in a Manger that I also being filled with the like Joy in Believing what they found verified by this Sign which the Angel had given them may boldly publish thy Goodness and Truth together with my own grateful Apprehensions of it as these Shepherds did who when they had seen it made known abroad the Saying which was told them concerning that 〈◊〉 and returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and 〈◊〉 §. 4. And how could they do less having so lately seen a Multitude of the Hevenly Host praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest and on Earth Peace Good Will towards Men. Shal Angels descend to celebrat our Peace on Earth and Shal not We lift up our Eys on High to giv God the Glory Can they rejoice in the manifestation of His Good Will towards Men and Men themselvs be unaffected with such an inestimabl Benefit May I be silent or insensibl while the hevenly Host sing Praises I will prais and bless and giv Thee thanks for ever O my Dear Redeemer for the transcendent Efforts of thy Lov to Me and all Mankind exprest in this Angelick Carol. O be thou graciously pleased to warm my breast with som Sparks of this Celestial Charity that being like unto the Angels in doing thy Will and shewing forth thy Praises upon Earth I may at last be made equal to them in the fruition of thy 〈◊〉 Presence in Heven and in order thereunto let that Lov of God which was thus manifested towards us by sending his only begotten Son into the World that we might liv throu Him even when we were Enemies to God and all Goodness powerfuly engage us to the Practice and Improvement of that Peace thou hast restored upon Earth by transcribing the most excellent Copy of thy Good Will towards Men for if God so loved Us we ought also to lov one another Upon the unfeigned Discharge of which grateful and advantageous Duty the whol Success of His means of Grace and Our Hopes of Glory doth so much depend that without following those things which make for Peace as wel as Holiness no man shall see the Lord. §. 5. Now all they that 〈◊〉 those things which were told them by the 〈◊〉 wonder'd at it but the blessed Virgin Mary kept all these things and ponder'd them in her Heart I prais and magnify thy Name O thou uncreated Angel of the Covenant for the astonishing Power and peculiar Influence of thy Divine Revelations which are usualy attended with a various Effect upon the minds of different Persons Grant Lord I beseech thee that I may not entertain any Discovery of thy Saving Truth or more especial Presence with the short-lived Flash of a bare transient Wonder or fruitless Amazement after the loos Exampl of the un-thinking part of Mankind but rather so imitat the pious Prudence of thy matchless Mother who discreetly observed evry Intimation of thy God-head and carefuly kept in mind whatever might enlighten her Understanding therin as to treasure up all the sacred Notices of thine Eternal Power and Godhead in the safe Recesses of my Heart and allow som Time and Thought to make a du Reflection on such considerabl things as may thereupon be worthily committed to a Religious Memory in my Soul for whoso is wise will ponder these things and he shal understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. §. 6. O Thou Light of the World who wast born in the Night an Emblem of that dark and disconsolat Estate wherinto We by Transgression fell Thou art the Sun of Righteousness by whose Rising upon the Earth the Peepl that walked in Darkness hav seen a great Light and upon them that dwell in the Land of the Shadow of Death hath the Light shined Thy glorious Appearing hath dispersed the Cloud of thy Father's Wrath under which the whol Creation groaned together with those unwholsom Mists of Sin Error and Ignorance wherin Mankind was lost and benighted Thou hast dissolved the Everlasting Chains of Darkness which were justly prepared to bind us in Hell and Despair and once more restored us a Day of Hope to rejoice in the Light of thy Countenance for ever All that is within me doth bless thy H. Name Who hast said unto my Soul Arise shine for thy Light is com and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Lord grant that in thy Light I may see Light let the Light of thy Grace prepare mine Eys to behold the illustrious Splendor of thy Glory And since it is the Night wherin all the Beasts of the Forrest do mov let me hav no longer fellowship with the unprofitable Works of Darkness but rather reprov them by walking as a Child of the Light and of the Day remembring that the Day-spring from on high hath visited us to giv Light to them that sit in Darkness and in the shadow of Death to guide our Feet into the way of Peace which is the Work of Righte usness as its Effect is Quietness and Assurance 〈◊〉 ever §. 7. O thou Prince of Peace who by disposing the States of the Earth to Peace and Quietness at the time of thy Nativity hast shew'd that the gracious Design of thy Coming into the World was to remov the Enmity between God and Man by reconciling them to each other in thy Self I glorify thy Name For so suitabl an 〈◊〉 that what was written by the Prophet Isaiah is fulfilled for unto Us a Child is born unto Us a Son is given and the Government shal be upon his Shoulder and Of the increas of his Government and Peace there shal be no End Lord How coms it to pass that such as call themselves after thy Name be no less Contentious and Bloody than 〈◊〉 who are Strangers to the Doctrin of thy Gospel How long shal Christendom be the Scene of those Tragick Wars and injurious Villanies which Barbarians detest and blush at O Be thou pleased to extend thy Golden Scepter over the Earth that the
〈◊〉 or not By thee the very Priests and Levits are redeemed who themselvs were taken from among the Children of Israel instead of all the first-born which had been 〈◊〉 to the Lord. I beseech thee by 〈◊〉 of the Price thou hast paid for my Soul enrol me among the general Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heven who having received the Spirit of Adoption are not only the Children but Heirs of God and joint-Heirs with Christ. And that thine infinit Merit which sufficeth to make evry one of thy Brethren a compleat Possessor of thine Eternal Inheritance may qualify us all to receiv a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us hav Grace wherby we may serv God acceptably with Reverence and godly Fear as becoms persons redeemed from their Iniquities §. 4. When the Parents brought in the Child JESUS to do for him after the Custom of the Law Simeon a man just and devout to whom it was revealed by the Holy Ghost that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lord's Christ came by the Spirit into the Templ where he took him up in his Arms and blessed God for the Consolation of Israel which he had long waited for and now happily found I prais and magnify thy Name O my Dear Jesus as wel for the singular Graces conferr'd on this reverend person as for the publick Testimony he gave of Thee to them that were present Pardon I beseech thee my Neglect of Waiting for Thee wherby I have justly forfeited the peculiar Manifestations of thy 〈◊〉 and Favor and now that I am not only ready but earnestly desirous to receiv Thee in mine Arms yea to lodg Thee in my Heart vouchsafe to purify and enlighten me with the H. Ghost that I taking Delight in thy Sanctuary and carefully attending Thee there with a Soul ful of Joy and a Mouth ful of Praises may also bless Thee my God and speak of thine Honor in thy holy Templ §. 5. Thus did pious Simeon whose Eys were no sooner blest with that desirabl Interview but his Tong exprest the Contentment of his Heart in this Swan-like Song Lord now 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 Servant depart in peace according to thy Word For mine Eys hav seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all 〈◊〉 I prais Thee O Christ For being both A Light to lighten the Gentils and the Glory of thy peepl Israel No wonder that Ioseph and thy Mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of Thee especialy hearing him that blessed them say 〈◊〉 Mary Behold this Child is set for the Fall and Rising up of many in Israel and for a Sign that shal be spoken against in so much that a Sword should pierce throu her own Soul also Lord endu my Soul with a like sens of this inestimabl Benefit that I may rehears this Song with equal Pleasure and Concernment since mine Eys also see the Longings and Expectations of former Ages turned in to Joys and Praises for all 〈◊〉 Generations it being highly reasonabl for our Satisfaction to be as strong in Delight as their Expectation was great in Desire For the principal Design of thy Coming into the World was to remedy not occasion the Fall of any either in or out of Israel that such as fall throu their own Default might rise agen by Faith in Thee and those who hav spoken most bitterly against Thee may upon Repentance be forgiven when the Thoughts of all Hearts shal be revealed §. 6. This notabl Testimony of old Simeon was seconded by Anna a Prophetess of the Tribe of Aser who was of a great Age being a Widow of about fourscore and four Years which departed not from the Templ but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day for she coming in at that Instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for Redemtion in Ierusalem I prais and magnify thy Name O Redeemer of Israel for rewarding that godly Matron's Devotion with so happy a Change of her Fastings into Jubilees and her Prayers into Praises Lord since those to whom thou revealest thy Self must be qualified for that blessed Priviledg by so much Diligence and unwearied Devotion enable me by thy Grace to apply my utmost Endevors therunto Night and Day as well in Fastings and Prayers to deprecat my own and my Nations Sins as by Feastings and Praises to congratulat thy Manifestation to the World and the saving Consequences thereof uniting in my Devotions all the pious Longings and earnest Wishes of the Old World with the transporting Joys and inexpressible Satisfactions of the New Cap. VI. Of His Flight into Egypt §. 1. WHen they had thus performed all things according to the Law of the Lord they returned into Galilee to their own City Nazareth but were not allowed any long Continuance there for soon after the 〈◊〉 of the Lord appeared to Ioseph in a Dream saying Arise and take the yong Child and his Mother and 〈◊〉 into Egypt for 〈◊〉 wil seek the yong Child to destroy him he took them by night and departed 〈◊〉 I celebrat thy Name O Son of the Highest for exposing thy Self to so many Hazards and Inconveniences for my sake and for the constant Vigilance of thy Father's Ey to serv and secure Thee by the Ministry of Angels Thy Lov alone moved thee to descend from the Region of Bliss and Glory to this Vale of Misery and Troubl and nothing but thy gracious Design to free us thence inclined thee rather to retire into the Hous of Bondage than yield thy 〈◊〉 to the Tyrants Cruelty lest Our hope should hav been unseasonably cut off Watch over me I humbly beseech thee in all the Dangers wherwith I am beset in this World of Iniquity and either instruct me to escape them or strengthen me to sustain them Let no Devices of the Wicked prosper against my Soul but reflecting on this thine own Peril be thou ever ready to deliver me from the malicious Designs of unreasonabl and cruel Men. §. 2. O my blest Redeemer who in thy tender Years for the avoiding of Herod's Rage didst endure a tedious Banishment to let us know there is no less ground of Contentment in a voluntary Exile when thy Providence makes it necessary for us than in the Enjoyment of our nativ Soil I bless thy H. Name For being equaly near us in all places of thy Dominion for the whol Earth is thine Lord whatsoever thy Wisdom and Authority thinks fit to enjoin me let thy Grace incline me cheerfuly to obey how much soever it seem to thwart my worldly Interest or Eas and in all my Endevors to execute thy Will conduct and defend me with thy good Providence Obeying Thee I may be safe in Egypt the Hous of Bondage while encompassed with Perils and throu Disobedience to thy Commands may perish in Bethlehem the Hous of Bread tho surrounded with
the using §. 8. O Lord of the Univers All the Nations of the Earth are thy Fields wheron thou requirest thine Apostls and Ministers to lift up their Eys and lock and they are white already to Hatvest I giv Thee Thanks and Prais Becaus he that reapeth 〈◊〉 Wages and gathereth Fruit unto Life Eternal As my fleshly Eys behold the fields of Corn before my face Lord enabl me to view other fields far more excellent and glorious with the Ey of Faith even all the Cities and Kingdoms of the World ready to be gathered into thy Barn And let the hopes of such desirable Wages engage my utmost Industry to further the Welfare of Souls for which we upon whom the Ends of the World are com hav abundant Encoragement for other men labored and we are enter'd upon their labors whatsoever Christ our Lord and his H. Apostls hav don or suffer'd for the Promulgation of the Gospel redounding to our Advantage and Instruction be it improvabl either to our own Soul's health or to make us Instrumental for the Salvation of others So that in us that Saying provs tru One 〈◊〉 and another reapeth and the Benefit is so equally conveyed throu out all the Members of Christ's Body the Church in all Ages That both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoyce together §. 9. When the Samaritans went out of the City and were com unto him upon their Request that he would tarry with them he abode there two days I adore thy saving Name O Jesus For this thy gracious Condescension and the powerful Effect of thy Presence among them many mo having believed becaus of thy Word who said unto the Woman Now we believ not because of thy Saying for we 〈◊〉 heard him our selvs and know that this is indeed the Christ the Savior of the World Tho thy Spous O Christ which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of Truth by the Catholick Profession of thy Gospel givs so rational an Invitation to the Apostat World as is persuasiv enough to win many Proselyts to enter into the Communion of Saints upon a general Conviction yet when throu the personal Experiment and Participation of thy Saving Ordinances they are once enl ghtned and hav tasted of the hevenly Gift the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to com they no longer rely upon the bare Credit of thy Church but are established in the Faith by the full persuasion of their own Conscience Let me not therefore at any time content my self with hearing the Operations of thy Grace or the Demonstration of thy Power reported at second hand but make my personal Address to the Ministry of thy Word and Sacraments that having heard Thee my self my Soul also may know experimentally that Thou art indeed The CHRIST the Savior of the World Cap. IX Of His Departure into Galilee and his Reception there §. 1. NOw after two days he departed thence and went into Galilee not directly unto his own City Nazareth for Iesus himself testified that a Prophet hath no honor in his own Country but He came again into Cana of Galilee where he had made the Water Wine I prais and magnify thy Name O my Gracious Redeemer for this prudential Dispensation of thy Ministry not brooking to mis-spend thy Doctrin and Miracls upon such as would render them useless by their Neglect or Dis-esteem but directing the Labors of thy Lov to those who by having du Regard therunto were most likely to reverence thy Person and reap the intended Benefit of thy marvellous Works for when thou wast com into Galilee the Galileans of those parts received thee having seen all the things that thou hadst don at Ierusalem for they also were there at the Feast Lord let not any prejudice of Familiarity which commonly breeds Contemt or Envy which unreasonably surmiseth the Advancement of our Equals or Acquaintance insupportabl or foolish Custom which is apt to set an higher valu upon any forein unknown Commodity than on the more useful Product of our own Growth and Neighborhood hinder my paying the du Respect or making a religious Improvement of those Gifts and Graces wherwith thou shalt think fit to qualify any of my Country-men or fellow-Citizens to do good in his Generation And render I beseech thee the manifest Evidences of thy Grace no less effectual at this day to creat in me that Esteem and Reverence which is du to Thee in thy Members than the supernatural Operations of thy Power exhibited before their Eys in former times were available to prepare a way for thine honorabl Reception among the Galileans that receiving those who bear thine Image as wel with a glad Heart as a cheerful Aspect thou mayst think or make me worthy of thy beätifick Presence for ever Cap. X. Of His Healing the Son of a certain Nobl-man §. 1. WHen a certain Noblman whose Son was sick at Capernaum heard that Iesus was com out of Iudea into Galilee he went unto him and besought him that He would com down and heal his Son for he was at the point of Death Then said Iesus unto him Except ye see Signs and Wonders ye 〈◊〉 not believ wherin He did only delay not deny the desired Answer to his Request reflecting on the gross Infidelity of his Countrymen together with the great End for which his Miracls were wrought for as soon as the Nobl man repeated his Petition in these Tearms Sir com down ere my Child dy the Holy Iesus made him this gracious Reply Go thy way thy Son 〈◊〉 I prais thy Sacred Name Becaus the man believed the word that thou O Iesus hadst spoken unto him wherof he gav an evident Demonstration in that he went his way as fully satisfied and contented in the Assurance of thy Goodness and Power Let not I beseech thee the transitory Affairs of this decaying Body take up all my Thoughts but make me deeply affected with the future State and Eternal Concernments of my diseased Soul I confess my Hope is weak my Charity faint and heartless and my Faith welnigh dead without those Works by which it should be made perfect Lord com down and heal my spiritual Infirmities say unto me Thy Soul liveth with that Word of Power which is abl to revive all its faculties to their du Use and Vigor And tho thou defer to grant the Request of my Lips yet wil I 〈◊〉 make my Prayer unto Thee and wil look up until thou hav Mercy upon me §. 2. His Servants that met him as he was going down having told him Thy 〈◊〉 liveth hr enquired of them the 〈◊〉 when he began to amend and they said unto him Yesterday at 〈◊〉 seventh hour the Fever 〈◊〉 him So the Father knew it was at the same hour in which 〈◊〉 had said unto him Thy Son liveth I prais and magnify thy Name O Christ For this exact Notice of the punctual Execution of