of partition between us having abolished the Enmity not only by thy Death but in thy Life thine Exampl as wel as Precept engaging us to lay aside those distinctions wherby Schism and Faction curtail our Kindness and hinder our mutual Edification And tho unnecessary Conversation with leight or scandaIous persons is to be industriously avoided and very warily admitted yet when a just Occasion or accidental Providence brings a vicious person into my Company let me rather improv the Opportunity to reclaim an Offendor than be deterr'd from using my best endevor to save a Soul from death throu the Shame or Fear of being censured a Friend of Publicans and Sinners as thou my Lord and Master hast often been who like a merciful Physitian wouldst rather inspect our very Corruptions than neglect the Cure even of a lascivious Harlot such as this Samaritan seems to be for when thou didst bid her Go call thy husband and she replyed I hav no husband thou couldst tell her In that thou saidst truly for thou hast had five husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband implying that in case he were husband to some other she lived in Adultery if not yet she lived in Fornication with one not espoused to her self §. 4. This particular Discovery of the privat Transactions of her own life made by one that was wholy a Stranger both to her Country and Person induced the Woman to confess unto him Sir I perceiv that thou art a Prophet and on that consideration she enters upon the Debate of a publick Controversy which had been so violently maintained between their two Nations that the Iews would hav no Dealings with the Samaritans supposing a person so extraordinarily qualified very fit to decide the matter in Dispute which she states thus Our 〈◊〉 worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship I prais thy Holy Name O thou Reconciler of the World not only For asserting the Truth of the Jewish Church and the Error of the Samaritan in this thy positiv Reply Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for Salvation is of the Iews but likewise for opening a way unto their Reconciliation and removing the Occasion of the Difference by saying unto the Woman Believ me the hour cometh and now is when ye shal neither in this Mountain nor yet at Ierusalem worship the Father but the tru Worshippers shal worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth Lord since thou hast no longer confined thine Adorers to attend thy Service in one determinat place but dost will that men pray evry where lifting up holy hands I humbly beseech thee let this our Christian 〈◊〉 engage us to the more hearty and sincere Attendance as wel on thy publick Ordinances as our privat Offices of Religion remembring that God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth for the Father seéketh such to worship him §. 5. The Woman being hereby convinced of her Error the better to express her readiness to embrace the further Revelation of the Gospel saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when He is com he will tell us all things I celebrat thy Gracious Name O Iesus For saying unto her I that speak unto thee am He. With what plainness dost thou own the truth and power of that thine Office to this Alien nay Enemy to the Commonwealth of Israel which thou didst with so much care reserv from the Notice of thine own Peepl the Mystery which thou didst couch under obscure Parabls and 〈◊〉 Sayings in thy many publick Sermons to them thou hast clearly unvailed in one short and plain Expression to this Samaritan O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! how unsearchabl are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out My Gracious God since thou hast thus reduced into Practice what thou hadst long before professed to thy Servant Moses I will have Mercy on whom I will hav Mercy I humbly beseech thee hav Compassion on my Soul and vouchsafe to make thy self effectually known unto me who am wors than a Samaritan by Nature a Sinner of the Gentils in Conversation §. 6. As soon as thou O Christ hadst given her this open Evidence and Acknowledgment of thine Office and Authority the Woman as having forgot her corporal Necessities and tasted the Grant of the Request she had made unto thee Sir giv me this Water that I thirst not neither com 〈◊〉 to draw left 〈◊〉 Water-pot and went her way into the City and 〈◊〉 to the Men that-lived in her Neighborhood Com and see a man which told me all things that ever I did Is not this the Christ I magnify thy Name For the communicativ Virtu of the Christian-Faith and the gradual Propagation of thy Gospel therby Many of the Samaritans of that City having believed on Thee for the Saying of the Woman which testified He told me all that ever I did Let those apparent Notices of thy Will O my God which hav enlightned mine Understanding and engaged mine Affections in the Profession of the tru Faith render me zealous and succesful in publishing those sacred Truths wherof I my self am convinced that I may becom an happy and industrious Instrument to promote thy Glory and the Good of others whether they be my Brethren and Neighbors in the flesh or not since throu him who came and preached peace to us which were afar off as wel as to them that were nigh we are no more Strangers and Foreiners but are made capabl of becoming fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the hous-hold of God by being built upon the foundation of the Apostls and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone §. 7. In the mean while his Discipls who were newly returned with the Provisions which they went unto the City to buy and marvelled that He talked with the Woman prayed him saying Master eat But he said unto them I hav meat to eat that ye know not of I prais and magnify thy Name O Jesus Becaus wheras thy Discipls were apt to mistake thy words in a carnal sence as appears by their questioning one with another Hath any man brought him ought to eat thou hast fully explained the spiritual Meaning therof by this thy gracious Declaration My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish his Work O hevenly Father create in me I beseech thee the same Mind which was in thy Son Christ Jesus that I also may prefer doing good in my Generation before my necessary Food and esteem the Performance of those things which are agreeabl to the Will of thy Holiness my chief Repast and Satisfaction such Acts of Obedience and Charity being capabl to 〈◊〉 my Soul unto Everlasting Life while the daily Bread which my Body stands in need of doth perish in
knew her not til she had brought forth her first-born Son not only so shame all mine inordinat Affections and engage me to abstain from fleshly Lusts which war against my Soul as to keep under my Body and bring it into Subjection but withall heighten our Esteem and Emulation of the transcendent Chastity and conjugal Lov of that immaculat Pair whom the King of Heven thought fit to honor and entrust with the Birth and Breeding of his own Son who was not so styled her First-born as to imply there ever was any other succeeding Fruit of her Womb the Mother of God being worthily believed an Eternal Virgin as wel In and After as Before the Bringing forth of that Son whose Name they called JESUS according to the mystical Import of that abstruse Prophecy in the 44th Chapter of Ezekiel This Gate shal be shut it shal not be open'd and no man shal enter in by it becaus the Lord the God of Israel hath enter'd in by it therefore it shal be shut §. 14. O Dear Jesus who in the same Act of assuming our Humanity 〈◊〉 also evidence thy Divinity being as well conceived by the H. Ghost as born of a Virgin I adore thine Eternal God-head For thy great Wisdom and Care in the Discovery and Confirmation of this sublime Mystery of thy Hypostatical Union which thou didst not only transact in Secret by the Message of the Angel Gabriel the Overshadowing of the H. Ghost and the Conception of the Virgin Mary but hast openly ratified by the Report of those Shepherds that had seen a Vision of Angels by the Brightness of the Star which appeared in the Hevens and by the Deportment of the Wise men whom it conducted from the East to Jerusalem by the Testimony of Simeon and Anna in the Templ and that of thy Precursor John the Baptist in the Wilderness All publick and unquestionable Arguments as well to confirm as exhibit the Truth and Import of the Annunciation made in privat to the devout Virgin that this first Step towards the Great Act of our Redemtion being alike Glorious within and without might appear worthy to be received of All with full Assurance and contemplated by All with infinit Gratitude and Delight O my dear and gracious Redeemer whose Humanity and Divinity are inseperably united in Thee are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg being filled with the Fulness of God Grant throu the Dispensation of thy Grace that the same Godhead which dwelleth in Thee bodily may spiritualy abide in Me that as thy Body is united to thy Soul and both unto God so my Body may be incorporat with thine and my Soul enflamed with such a degree of thy Lov as shal be an Earnest of our ever-lasting Union Fill me with great and reverent Apprehensions of that inexpressibl Honor wherunto we are advanced in Our Union with the Deity in regard it is the End and Effect of Thine and let this Consideration disentangl me from all things here below that living the Life of God from which the whol World is alienated by Sin I may enter into an Hevenly Fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ for ever Amen Cap. II. Of His Nativity §. 1. O Thou King of Kings and Lord of Lords who dost dispose and turn the hearts of Earthly Monarchs as it seemeth best to thy Godly Wisdom making that 〈◊〉 which went out from Cesar Augustus that verse 1 all the World should be tared subservient to thy Celestial Decree long before Cyrenius was Governor of Syria revealed by thy H. Prophets touching the place where Christ should be born for in Obedience to the Imperial Edict All went to be tared 〈◊〉 one into his own City and Joseph went up from Galilee out of the City Nazareth into Judea unto the City of David which is called Betl 〈◊〉 to be tared with Mary his espoused wife then great with Child in such a juncture of time that 〈◊〉 they were there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered I prais and magnify thy H. Name For thy over-ruling Wisdom and Providence in making those Occurrences which seem contingent and arbitrary to human Reason instrumental to carry on the good purpos of thy Divine Will so that what the Prophet Micah had fore-told as the Chief Priests and Scribes themselves did readily explain and apply it may at this day serv for the Direction and Establishment of our Faith in the tru 〈◊〉 Lord let that admirabl Concent and Harmony between thy Old and New Testament which is evident in this and many other singular Instances of thy Truth and Power be effectual to convince the obstinat Jews convert the unbelieving Gentils and bring All Mankind to the Obedience of Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. §. 2. O thou most High Possessor of Heven and Earth who didst humbl thy self to be wrapped in Swadling 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in a Manger becaus there was no 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 having made choice of a poor Virgin for thy Mother and a mean Carpenter to pass for thy reputed Father both being destitute not only of a numerous Train of Attendants and such like Marks of Worldly Pomp and Grandeur but even of ordinary Conveniences I prais thy Glorious Name For thus taking upon Thee the form of a Servant that thou mightest heal the Error of our Ignorance and Ambition Let the continual memory of this thy blessed Exampl giv an effectual Check to the Vanity of my Mind for the utter extirpation of all the Pride or Avarice incident to my Nature And having dispossessed all sensual Thoughts and beastly Appetits of that Room which entirely belongs to Thee be thou pleased to accept of my poor Heart as thou didst of that homely Stabl to reside in supplying their place with such unfeigned Humility as may render me cheerfully contented in all Estates Lord impart needful Consolation to the Poor a sanctified Poverty of Spirit to the Rich and the abundant Riches of thy Grace to All. §. 3. There being in 〈◊〉 saine Country Shepherds abiding in the field keeping Watch over their Flock by night the Angel of the Lord came upon them and said unto them Fear not for behold I bring you glad Tidings of great Joy which shal be to all Peepl 〈◊〉 unto You is born this day in the City of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord I magnify thy Sacred Name For this admirabl mixture of Humility and Glory wherwith thou O Christ hast beautified and signalized thy Coming into the World for the Ministry of an Angel to proclaim thy Birth is no less Glorious and Sublime than to be an Inmate with the Beasts of the Stabl seems base and mean in our Eys Lord since thou hast vouchsafed to direct thy winged Herald to those vigilant Cottagers that the Poor and Simpl might hav as much Occasion to shew forth thy Prais as the great and Learned I cannot but admire and heartily desire to imitat
Doctors §. 1. NOw wheras his Parents went to Ierusalem evry year at the Feast of the Passover the Holy Child at twelv years old did accompany them thither after the Custom of the Feast I magnify thy Name O Jesus For observing and countenancing thine own Ordinances and humbly beseech thee to establish and adorn thy Publick Worship among us by restoring our Religious Solemnities to their du Veneration and Attendance that commemorating thine ancient Mercies with thankful hearts we may derive fresh Advantages from them not only evry Year but all the Days of our Life They want no Templ who hav God himself in their Hous they can need no Sacrifice who hav Jesus in their Company Yet did not the H. Virgin and S. Joseph neglect their annual Progress to Jerusalem but in an uninterrupted Cours of pious Conformity to the Law trained up the B. Child from his Youth in the strict Observation of it O my Soul consider their pious and regular Devotion and after the good Exampl which the prudent and orderly Behavior of such holy Persons hath set before thee be careful and conscientious as wel in celebrating the publick Christian 〈◊〉 as in improving all privat Occasions of Piety and Duty to express thy religious Communion with the Saints not only of thine own time but of former Ages too §. 2. When they had fulfilled the days his Parents returned homeward but the Child Iesus tarried behind which they knew not of for supposing him to hav been in the Company they went a days journy before they fought him among their 〈◊〉 and acquaintance and then turned back again to Ierusalem where after three days they found him in the Temple fitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them Questions I prais thy H. Name O my Savior For making the Second Templ thus glorious by thy Presence and giving such early Notices of thy Divinity as made all that heard Thee astonished at thine Understanding and Answers Let all my Conferences I beseech thee be holy wise and prudent always aiming either to receiv or communicat Instruction by proposing such Questions concerning the Mysteries of thy Kingdom as may serv to the Use of Edifying and minister Grace to the Hearers For this purpos make me diligent in frequenting those Places and Persons which are consecrated to thy Service and set apart by thy Providence for our ordinary Learning that the Principls of tru Wisdom and Piety being instilled in my Youth may render me in my riper Age wise unto Salvation abl to refute Errors and maintain Truth practise Virtu and discountenance Vice and coragious in laying hold on all fit Opportunities for both without being unseasonabl or unprofitabl in either §. 3. O thou Son of God who in Answer to that Question wherin thy Parents expressed how much they were troubled at thine Absence and amazed at thy supernatural Abilities Son why hast thou thus dealt with us Behold thy Father and I hav sought 〈◊〉 sorrowing didst say unto them Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business which Saying they understood not I prais and magnify thy Name For thy forward undertaking to do the Work of Him that 〈◊〉 Thee preferring thy Care to pleas thy Hevenly Father before the Regard du to thine Earthly Parentage Lord let no Worldly Obligation be of force to withdraw me from Thee or lessen my Duty to Thee nor yet suffer me upon any Pretence of doing Thee Service to becom undutiful or disobliging to those whom Grace or Nature hath made my Relations but that taking good heed to dispatch the Business Thou dost entrust me with in the first place I may also deport my Self with du Respect to my several Relations tendring that Duty which I ow them respectivly with all Affability and Cheerfulness Cap. IX Of His Return to Nazareth and retired Life there §. 1. OB. Jesu who wentest down with thy Parents to Nazareth leaving the Society of the Great and Learned together with the soothing Charms of popular Admiration and Applaus I prais and magnify thy Name For recommending a mixture of Retirement and Privacy with our publick Actions and Emploiments wherin we may hav leisure and opportunity to contemplat thy Father's Glory as Thou didst enjoying his marvellous Works studying in his most excellent Laws tracing the foot-steps of his Wisdom in both and ravished with the Consideration of his infinit Lov in all By these approved Means let My Faculties and Thy Graces be so improved in me that I may view all things with Thine Eys expose my self rarely with Thy Prudence retire with Thy Contentedness be enflamed with Thy Lov to God and Man and partake of all the unknown Accomplishments that ly hid in Thy concealed Life som Sparks wherof darted forth in thy Super-natural Understanding and exemplary Conversation evry day Thus receiving of Thy Fulness Grace for Grace I shal derive far more Satisfaction from the Light of thy Countenance in a domestick Privacy than all the inviting Advantages and publick Honors of the World can pretend to §. 2. O thou sole Fountain of our Grace and Glory who didst not only accompany thy Parents to Nazareth but wast subject unto them there being content to liv and labor in the painful Vocation of thy reputed Father til the thirtieth Year of thine Age for on that account thine own Countrymen tearm thee The Carpenter as wel as The Carpenter's Son I prais thy H. Name For expressing thy Subjection and Humility so long in that mean and laborious Emploiment Quicken me I beseech thee to honest Industry in my Calling that whether it seem base or honorabl in the Eys of Men I may duly approv my self in the sight of God and be so wel contented with whatsoever part his wiser Providence allots me to act as never to be ashamed of my poorest Kindred or of doing any the meanest Offices for them §. 3. O my Dear Jesus in that silent Painfulness and retired Condition which so long veiled thy hevenly Extraction as seemed to pass it into Oblivion Thou didst encreas in Wisdom and Stature and in Favor with God and Men. I magnify thy Reverend Name For the Purity of thine inoffensiv Life and that signal Patience wherwith thou didst attend the prefixed time of executing thy Divine Office Lord rectify that Eagerness and Impatience wherwith we usualy snatch at expected Honors and rush into new Emploiments Pardon those Miscarriages in my present state of Life wherby I hav given Occasion of Offence to any and endu me with so much Prudence and Humility as may render my Lov and Service acceptabl to all that I may grow into favor with God and Men which thine Exampl and Success persuade me is a Grace not desirabl only but attainabl also by those that increas in Wisdom as well as Stature and express their so doing in an amiabl and blameless Conversation Cap. X. Of His Inauguration to his Office by