Copartnership with the Holy Trinity wherunto the inordinat Devotion of some Superstitious Christians hath erroneously exalted and inshrined thy Virgin-Mother in these later and more corrupt Ages of thy Church Lord I beseech thee inlighten my Soul with such a discreet and tru Distinction between the Honor or Respect I may justly bear to thy Earthly Mother or any other of thy Saints enrolled in Heven among the Spirits of Just Men made perfect and that Homage and Adoration which I am bound to pay unto Thy Self in the Unity of thy Hevenly Father and the Eternal Spirit that while I commemorat the Grace Thou hast conferred on Her whom thy H. Angel hath authorized us to call Blessed among Women I presume not to rob God of his peculiar Honor who declares expresly I wil not giv my Glory unto another And herein I shal best comply with that Advice which She her Self gave to the Servants that attended on this Nuptial Solemnity Whatsoever he saith unto you do it for thence we may rationaly infer That our resolved and activ Obedience to Thy Divine Commands is much more likely to gratify her holy Soul in Heven than any irregular Expression of Religious Worship unwarrantably tender'd to her Self on Earth Cap. IV. Of His Acts at the first Passover §. 1. AFter this he went down to Capernaum with his Mother his Brethren and Discipls but they continued there not many days for the Jews Passover was at hand and therefore Jesus went up to Jerusalem where finding those that sold Oxen and 〈◊〉 and Dovs and the Changers of mony sitting in the Templ he made a Scourge of small Cords and drove them all out thence 〈◊〉 out the Changers Mony and overthrew their 〈◊〉 saying unto them Take these things hence I prais and magnify thy Name O Lord of Hosts thou Mighty God of Sabaoth who for the more publick and notabl Declaration of thy Power didst signalize the very Commencement of thy Ministerial Function by purging thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 Authority from 〈◊〉 gross Prophanation of those 〈◊〉 made it an Hous of 〈◊〉 which was an Act so extraordinary as gave thy 〈◊〉 occasion to 〈◊〉 that it was written The zeal of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hous hath eaten me up May all Places religiously set apart for thy Worship be ever 〈◊〉 in a venerabl manner I beseech thee and in thy Sanctuary let evry man speak of his Honor that dwels there that when we 〈◊〉 upon Thee O God in the midst of thy Templ our Hearts being 〈◊〉 from all Sacrilegious Thoughts of Secular Negotiations which like a Cage of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are apt as wel to 〈◊〉 as keep a place in thy holy Habitation the Templ of thy more especial Presence may be as it ought a Hous of Prayer not a Den of Thievs §. 2. Most H. Jesus When the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 these things questioned 〈◊〉 Authority saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou unto us Thou 〈◊〉 briefly make Answer unto them 〈◊〉 this Templ and in three days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rais it up I celebrat thy Sacred Name For the hidden Mystery and yet most undoubted Truth couched in this thy prudent Reply which became easily intelligibl when thou wast risen from the Dead after that both Jew and Gentil had employ'd their utmost Power and Malice to destroy thee for then thy Discipls not only remembred that Thou hadst said this unto them but they 〈◊〉 understood that to be spoken of the Templ of thy Body which the 〈◊〉 misapplied to their material Templ in the building wherof forty and six years were elapsed I humbly beseech thee O Lord That the actual Accomplishment of all thy mysterious yet most infallibl Predictions may so enlighten the Understanding of thy Discipls in this later Age of thy Church as to engage Our Faith with no less efficacy than it did that of thy primitiv Followers who hereupon believed the Scripture and the Word which Jesus had said §. 3. O B. Jesus tho many 〈◊〉 in thy Name when they saw the Miracls which thou didst in Jerusalem at the 〈◊〉 in the Feast-day yet didst not thou commit thy Self unto them becaus thou knewest all Men I glorify thy great Name For this eminent Expression of the Divinity of the Son of Man who was so far abov the necessity of depending or relying on the faithless or feebl Generation of Adam that He 〈◊〉 not that any should testify of them for He knew what was in Man even while he vouchsafed to be conversant with them upon Earth in the likeness of Men. I humbly beseech Thee O Christ let the same Spirit which rested upon Thee be my Comfort and Support that from 〈◊〉 I lean not on any Child of Man for there is no Hope no Help in them but fully settl my whol Trust in God and commit the Keeping of my Soul to Him in Wel-doing as unto a faithful Creator And further teach me by this thine instructiv Exampl so much discreet Caution both in my Dealings with Men as may prevent the betraying of my Self to their deceitful Practices and in my Deportment towards God as may ever express me duly sensibl of 〈◊〉 Omniscience Cap. V. Of His Conference with Nicodemus §. I. WHen a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus came to Thee O Jesus by night with a privat Acknowledgment of thy Sacred Mission and unparallel'd Miracls which he wanted the Corage to avow in publick Thou wast gracioufly pleased without upbraiding either his Infirmity or Ignorance to discours the Mysteries of Regeneration to him in such a new and unheard-of manner as far exceeded the Knowledg of any Master of Israel I prais thy H. Name For all the profound and singular Excellencies of thy hevenly Doctrin wherby we know Thou art a Teacher com from God and for that convincing Method Thou hast made Use of to confirm it which was of force enough to make a Ruler of the Jews confess No man can do these Miracls that thou dost except God be with him Tho the Laws of Nature do not allow a Man to be born when he is old or enter the second time into his Mother's Womb yet by the Power of thy Grace let me I beseech thee 〈◊〉 born agen not of Water only but of the Spirit too that as I am naturally Flesh born of the Flesh so I may becom really Spirit born of the Spirit and be therby qualified both to 〈◊〉 and to enter into the Kingdom of God §. 2. O most holy and hevenly Doctor who didst represent to Nicodemus the unaccountabl yet apparent Motions of the H. Ghost in the mysterious Regeneration of evry one that is born of the Spirit by this apt Similitude The wind 〈◊〉 where it listeth and thou hearest the Sound therof canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth which drew him that was learned in the Matters of the Law to own his Ignorance in the Method of the Gospel by putting this Question 〈◊〉 can these things
the Preaching and Baptism of S. John §. 1. O My Gracious Redeemer thou didst send thy Servant John who grew and waxed strong in Spirit being in the Wilderness til the day of his Shewing unto Israel as a Messenger before thy face to prepare thy way before Thee by 〈◊〉 the Baptism of 〈◊〉 for the Remission of Sins wherin he exprest The Uoice of one crying in the Wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his Paths strait as it is written in the Prophets I prais and magnify thy Name For this suitabl Beginning of the Gospel of 〈◊〉 Christ the Son of God Let me learn I beseech thee from the Austerity of thy Fore-runner both in Apparel and Diet for the same John had his Raiment of Camel's hair and a leathern Girdl at 〈◊〉 his Loins and his Meat was Locusts and wild Dony so to comply with the Doctrin of Mortification and Repentance which he preached and practised that I may 〈◊〉 the Salvation of God And as the Peepl who went out to him from Jerusalem and Judea and all the Region round about were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their Sins so do thou baptize me with the H. Ghost and with Fire to the forsaking of mine that being effectualy warned to flee from the Wrath to com I may bring forth fruits meet for Repentance rather glorying to hav Abraham my Father in Faith than after the Flesh since God is abl of the very Stones to rais up Children unto him And now that the Axis laid 〈◊〉 the Root of the 〈◊〉 be graciously pleased to direct the hand that guides it to cut off the dead or luxuriant Branches of Sin and Folly that evry 〈◊〉 may bring forth good Fruit in stead of hewing down the whol Body to be cast into the fire §. 2. When the Peepl the Publicans and the Soldiers which came forth to be baptized of John asked him What shal we do Instead of requiring them to forsake their several Callings as unlawful or irreligious He recommends Charity upright Dealing and honest Contentment to their Practice in the du Use of them I giv thee Thanks and Prais O Jesus For making the Duties of Religion consistent with those of our Worldly Vocations Lord bless my conscionabl Industry in that lawful Emploiment wherunto thy Providence hath called me that by my honest Diligence therin I may do Thee Service in my Generation and working with my hands the thing which is Good may hav and hav the Heart to giv to him that needeth And yet let not my earnest Concernment for the things of this Life be pleaded in Excuse for my Neglect of a better but among all my most justifiabl Cares allow som Time and Thought so to attend on the Ministry of thy Word and the Administration of thy Sacraments as may best make a practical Expression of and giv a proper Answer to this Inquiry on the behalf of my Soul What must I do to be saved §. 3. As the Peepl were in 〈◊〉 and all men mused 〈◊〉 their hearts of John 〈◊〉 he were the Christ or not so that the Jews sent Priests and Levits who were of the 〈◊〉 from Jerusalem to Bethabara beyond Jordan 〈◊〉 he was baptizing to ask him Who art thou He denied not but confessed I am not the CHRIST nor Elias neither that Propher I indeed baptize you with Water but there standeth one among you whom ye know not He cometh after me and is preferred before me for He was before me tho born after me the latchet of whose shoos I am not worthy to unloos whose Fan is in his hand and he wil 〈◊〉 purge his 〈◊〉 and wil gather the Wheat into his Garner but the Chaff he wil burn with fire unquenchabl I prais and magnify thy Name O Christ For this Record of John who 〈◊〉 witness of Thee without seeking the Enhancement of his own Reputation by the envious Concealment of thy Person or Office Lord purge the floor of my Heart from all that Chaff of Vanity and Pride which renders me at any time inclinabl to deck my self with the spoils of that Honor which is only du to Thee that being littl in mine own Eys I may cheerfuly magnify Him who is mightier than I of whose fulness we hav all received even Grace for Grace which alone can fit us to be laid up in store for the Master's Use in his Hous not made with hands eternal in the Hevens for the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ who being the only Begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father hath declared that God whom no man hath seen at any time And since the same John being a man sent from God came for a Witness to bear witness of the Light that all men throu him might believ let this his publick Testimony hav its designed Effect upon 〈◊〉 man that cometh into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only confirming the tru Faith where it hath been already planted but creating it also where 't is yet wanting with so great a Power and Demonstration of the Spirit that altho the World which was made by him without whom was not any thing made knew him not while He was in the World yet it may never more be said He came unto his own and his own received him not but being now no longer born of Blood or of the Wil of Man but of God All Flesh may see thy Salvation and behold the Glory of the Word made Flesh as that of the only begotten of the Father who as verily was in the beginning and was with God and was God as he dwelt among Us ful of Grace and Truth And the good God of the Spirits of all Flesh grant that the Son of thy Lov in whom was that Life which was the Light of Men may shine in the Darkness that hath benighted the Children of this World til the Power or rather Priviledg to becom the Sons of God which He gave to them that believ on his Name 〈◊〉 graciously imparted to all the Families of the Earth by embracing the true Faith which hath saved as many as received him §. 4. Then cometh Iesus from Galilee to Iordan unto Iohn to be baptized of him having quitted his dear Relations and privat Occupation the more freely to begin and attend his Father's business I celebrat thy Name O my Dear Redeemer For leaving the Sweetness of a peaceabl Retirement to enter upon a State not only encumber'd with Sweat and Travel but also 〈◊〉 to Censure and Persecution for thy Church's sake I humbly beseech Thee let no Self-ends or more pleasurabl Enjoyments detain any one from undertaking such publick Duties as he is lawfuly called unto but when a more open Exposure may any way conduce to the general Good and Benefit of thy Peepl be a safe Retirement never so desirabl encorage us all to abandon our
〈◊〉 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