mitigated their cruelty and malice Ecce Homo as if he had said to them see this rueful spectacle of suffering Innocency and at length have ye some compassion Is not here punishment too much already inflicted where none deserved But they the cheif Priests and officers especially assoon as they saw him in this pickle saith the Evangelist Jo. 19.6 renewed their former clamour Crucifige Crucifige The Governour replyed Take ye him and crucifie him if you can be so unjust for I cannot do it finding no fault in him The Jews seeing Pilat so resolutely still clearing our Lord as to that accusation of theirs which they thought would most take with the Romans Sedition c. retreat again to his blasphemy and his crimes against their Law whereof the Roman President wholly ignorant could not so well discern his or their Guilt saying that they had a Law according to which their Justice had proceeded against him and that by this Law he ought to dye on a higher account than Rebellion against Princes seeing he made himself the Son of God and became thereby guilty of the highest blasphemy against God himself which in their Law was punished with death But were it so this will not bear out or warrant their Crucifige or demanding the death of the Cross § 73 Pilat hearing that he made himself the Son of God and perhaps comparing it with what was reported of his Miracles and with the words also he had heard a little before from him standing at the Bar that he was a King but his kingdom not of this world and that he came into it to teach men Truth began to be seized with a religious fear to the great confusion and shame of our Lord 's own people that there might be some such thing indeed and so to reflect also on his scourging of him and the danger if he should proceed further to Crucifie him For his own Religion also had such opinions in it That the Gods sometimes do descend from heaven and take on them the shapes of men see Acts 14.11 And they also imagine some inferiour Semideos begotten by the Gods of women And perhaps these fables had their first original from some mistaken passages of the Sacred story of God's sometimes assuming a human shape and discoursing with the Patriarchs and from the Prophecies concerning the Son of God to be born of a woman To which may be added the extraordinary Gravity Modesty Fortitude Constancy Prudence and holy reservation so great unconcernedness and neglect as it were of what they said or did to him which he had observed in our Lord as one strangely elevated above all human passions and infirmities Startled I say with this fear and reflecting on his former ill treatment of such a person he returns again from the Jews into the Praetorium and there questions our Lord a-new whence he was i. e. whether of an human or divine race by this question giving our Lord occasion as Herod before to set forth and justly magnify himself the former as to his divine power in shewing some Miracle and this latter as to his divine Nature in declaring his descent But our Lord before him as before the other stood mute and silent not willing to admit the least detrectation or declining of his sufferings or the least endeavours contrary to his Fathers good pleasure well knowing also of Pilat as of the Jews that si responderet non dimitteret and lastly having before answered him sufficiently to this question when he told him that he was a King but not of this lower world that he descended to teach men the Truth of God Nor were those many divine works of his concealed from the Governour 's knowledg which evidenced an extraordinary Mission of him from God § 74 The Governour displeased at this silence after so much kindness as he thought shewed him and so contrary also to his own interest in neglecting all lawful observance of a Person that had him absolutly in his power and studied to release him asked him why he did not answer him in whose free power he knew it was whether this justly or unjustly either to crucify or acquit him but indeed Pilats professing it here in his power to release him whom he alwaies confessed an innocent person aggravates his guilt that followed in condemning him Our Lord here not deserting the vindication of the dignity of his person and Mission formerly declared both to the Jews and to the Roman Governour and referring these his sufferings and death wholly to the will of his Father not the power of man as also he did at his apprehension when he told the Jews this was their hour made a charitable breach of his former silence to check the Governours vaunting of his Power where he shewed so much injustice telling him with a very great gravity and majesty in his words and carrying himself as the very person Pilat feared he was that he could have no power at all against him except it had bin given him from above therefore those who delivered him an innocent person thro malice to him invested from above with such a power had the greater sin In these few words representing to Pilats passion and heat that all this was done by the permission and good pleasure of his Father to which not man's he yeilded this meek obedience as he told the Jews before at his yeilding himself to them in the Garden That he had no power over any person whatever but what a Superiour power who would call him to account permitted and again no just power over any person innocent as to the condemning or crucifying of such an one but yet much more no power over him who was the Son of God and King over all the world a thing he mentioned also to Peter when they called on him for Tribute Mat. 17.24 But yet that though he offended in what he did to him he was through his ignorance though not of his innocency yet of his person much more excusable herein than those others who delivered him to him who both against so many infallible evidences he had given them denyed him to be such a person and with so many false criminations brought him to him as a capital offender and abused the power of the lawful Magistrate to serve their malice thus representing to him both the Jews guilt and his own though withal he modestly excused his fault as much the less § 75 Our Lord 's thus humbling the Governours high language with minding him of a Superiour Authority to which he was accountable and of his sin in such proceedings and compliances against an innocent person yet these qualified with an acknowledgment of the Jews guilt much greater than his the prudence also and gravity of his Answer remitting nothing of his appearance to be such a person as Pilat dreaded him to be whose words were not like other men's but as they entred the ear pierced also the Soul continued still
to the Crown of Juda or whether he had it from the relation of others viz. the High-Priests the envious oppressors of his innocency and merits as the Presidents own conscience witnessed unto him The Governour replyed that he a Roman understood none of those matters about his Messias-and Kingship but that it was his own Nation that accused him of it and had delivered him as a person very criminous and deserving death Then our Lord to inform him further of the truth answered that the Kingdom he only ownned was not a Kingdom of this World nor such as did disturb any Prince's temporal Rights as did sufficiently appear that he had no Subjects to fight for him or rescue his person from his Enemies and persecutors You are King then said Pilat Our Lord answered he was and that he was sent into the world to bear witness of the truth which himself was and that this was a Spiritual Kingship over hearts there to rule over and destroy all Error and that all those who were the sons of Truth would hear and obey his Doctrine and become his Subjects The Governour asked him what was that Truth he spake of and wherein he laboured to render all men his Schollars and Subjects and having no mind to engage any further discourse about matters as he supposed of the Jewish Religion debated between our Lord and their High Priests he rose suddenly from the bench and went forth the second time to the Jews taking our Lord with him and told them that he found no fault at all in the man § 63 This much enraged them and made them redouble their accusations to all which our Lord as calme as they were furious answered not a word Whereupon Pilat wondring asked Jesus whether he heard not how many things they witnessed against him But neither to Pilat answered he a word which saith the Evangelist Mat. 27.14 made the Governour wonder exceedingly as both knowing his innocency and himself countenancing it § 64 Amongst other things they informed the Governour that he had gone every where raising Sedition amongst the people beginning in Galilee first the out skirts of the countrey and so coming up with Multitudes and Tumults even to Jerusalem perhaps relating to his last triumphal entrance into the City five daies before on Palm-Sunday Pauper humilis riding upon a poor young colt of an Asse without a Saddle and weeping as he went along and a great part of his applause the Hosannas of the children Now Galilee was a place noted formerly for several rebellions See Acts 5.37 38. how one Theudas appeared there that made himself a Prophet and pretended he could do miracles and drew much people after him mentioned but mis-timed by Josephus Antiq. Judaic lib. 20. cap. 5. and after him Judas of Galilee about the birth of our Saviour in the time of the enrolment under Cyrenius Luk. 2.2 which Judas also opposed the paying of taxes or tribute to the Romans Both which Rebels and all their Followers were dissipated and destroyed After these also it seems some Galileans within a few years before had so highly offended Pilat in his government that when they came up to Jerusalem at the solemn Feast to offer Sacrifice he caused them to be put to death and that in some cruel suddain and unexpected manner it should seem by the expression in the Text Luk. 13.1 and by their relating it to our Lord some think they might be some relicks of Judas his Sect that denyed tribute to Cesar for which reason also some made mention of them to our Lord to hear his judgment of their opinion and that made at Jerusalem some opposition in the Feast to the Sacrificing for the safety and prosperity of the Emperour And Pilat is noted both by Philo Judeus De legatione ad Caium and Josephus to have bin pervicaci duro ingenio and very uncompliant with the Jews and who at last complained-of by the Nation to Vitellius then a Superior Prefect of Syria for a slaughter made upon the Galileans was sent by him to Cesar to give an account thereof and so deprived of his government and confined The Jews mention therefore hereof Galilee seems to have conduced much to their purpose But when this was suggested to Pilat he made another use of it and though Herod and he were now at enmity between themselves perhaps for Pilat's cruelty shewed to the Galileans forementioned yet resolved to send to him the Prisoner who was born as was commonly imagined his Subject Galilee being under Herods jurisdiction and lived most of his time in his territories as being desirous to rid his hands of this business with as little displeasure to the Jews as might be and to devolve the odium of it upon Herod now come up to the Feast and because Herod being well acquainted with the Jews law and Religion which also he profest might better discover the Justice of the quarrel the Jews had against him about his Messiasship and the Truth he said he came to promulgate and would perhaps protect him as his Subject against the High Priests malice Thus Satan to whom God gave leave to persecute his only Son not excepting his life as he did Job's hurried our Lord as it were in Triumph to prolong his sufferings before inflicting the last of death from one great person to another to make him the more publick object of scorn and contempt and that all might have an hand in his afflictions and torments the Court of Galilee as well as that of Judea foretold by David Psal 2. Principes convenerunt in unum adversus Christum tuum and observed by S. Peter Acts 4.27 § 65 Herod having never seen our Lord but heard much of his fame and of his miracles rejoiced much on this occasion hoping to have seen him now for his greater reputation or at least the saving of his life do some notable miracle before him which John the Baptist never did Here upon our Lords appearance he fell on questioning him about many things of which he had the curiosity to be informed we may imagine about his Doctrine his Descent his pretension to his Messiasship what evidence he could give of such a pretended extraordinary Mission from God c. And perhaps any one Miracle done by our Lord would have defeated the persecutions of the Jews confirmed the reputation of his being an extraordinary Prophet and procured his liberty For Herod also had the Baptist in great esteem and was drawn both to his imprisonment by the importunity of a woman that bewitched him with her love and to his death by a rash promise which after much afflicted him § 66 But our Lord resigned to his Fathers known will concerning him and thirsting for the salvation of the world by his sufferings and death and the accomplishment of all the Prophecies made of him formerly by the Holy Ghost and justly refusing also projicere sanctum canibus or to satisfy the curiosity of
and words comp Mat. 3.2 with 4.17 declaring unto them a Kingdom in Heaven which the Lord that followed him would confer on the worthy and the everlasting torments of Hell-fire which he would inflict on the rebellious telling them of a kingdom of God to be erected not abroad but within them and of the Holy Spirit which this King would baptize them with upon their repentance preached by Him freeing them from the thraldom not of the Romans but of sin nor from their servitude under Herod or Tiberius but under the great Prince of all this lower world Satan their spiritual and only dangerous enemy whose captives and children and not Abrahams they unknowingly were till by this Prince delivered This was the great deliverance to come by Jesus which both Holy Zachary spake of in his Benedictus Luk. ◠77 To give knowledg of Salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins and the Angel in his message to Joseph telling him why he should be called Jesus or Savior Matt. 1.21 because he should save his people from their sins Such punishments and rewards liberty and royalty as the Baptist preached being the only that were here worth the speaking of or looking after Thus was the Baptist appointed to be the beginner of the Gospel and the first open promulgator of this new Spiritual Kingdom The Prophets saith our Savior Mat. 11.12 13. prophecied until John 1. of such a thing to come but from the daies of John the kingdom of heaven began to suffer violence people by troopes now pressing into it and every one striving to gain for himself a share thereof whilst they crowded in such multitudes to Johns Mat. 3.5 and our Saviors baptisms Joh. 3 26. Only John began the publishing of this Gospel afar off as it were not coming into the Temple or the cheif Cities to preach it but staying a loof off in the Wilderness and near Jordan leaving these honors to the Lord who followed Him by whom the Gospel was brought still nearer till it visited at last every small Town and Village § 6 And as John preceded our Savior in his new and Spiritual doctrine so he resembled him much what in his Heroical vertues Both in his magnanimity and courage and in his mansuetude and clemency and in his humility and self-denial which was never in any man so great as in our Savior 1 Using the same boldness toward Herod Luk. 3.19 20 as our Savior afterwards did Luk. 13.32 reproving him for all the evil he had done saith the Evangelist Luke 3.19 and particularly concerning his Wife not fearing the implacable wrath of a woman and a Queen tho this cost him his life Again treating the Scribes the Pharisees and Sadduces whose manners he knew by the Spirit and Revelation not having learnt them by experience at the first sight roughly and severely as their incorrigible Hypocrisy and malice deserv'd reproving them in the very same terms as our Savior comp Mat. 3.7 with 23.33 and calling them Generation of Vipers or Serpents they being the brood of the old Serpent the Devil in the resemblance of their manners see Jo. 8.44 in opposition to their boasting of their being Abrahams seed to whom they were nothing like in their lives 2 Meanwhile toward the soldiers the publicans and others notorious but relenting sinners using the same mansuetude as Christ teaching them their duty for the future without upbraiding their former faults This great Saint not bred in the Court or in ceremonial Society but in retiredness and solitude neither reverencing the secular porte and state of the Pharisee nor despising the meanness and low esteem of the Publican Only in general the Baptist seems to personate a greater austerity then our Lord both in his conversation and his preaching pressing mainly the discipline of repentance and threatning much the wrath to come hell-fire and damnation to the disobedient having something more herein of the Spirit of his type Elias whereas our Saviors language was more benign and indulgent publishing remission of sin and promising a Kingdom to the obedient and also telling his Disciples that the Spirit of Elias did not so well befit them Yet were both our Saviors and Johns dispensations suitable to their seasons the one answering to the beginning of an holy life the other to the end and consummation thereof the one laying the foundation with threats and terrors the other building it up with consolations and mercies the Lord doing the rough part by his servant the gentle and mild by himself 3 Again much resembling our Savior also in his great humility accompanied with such eminency of Sanctity He that was so far above the Prophets yet when the Jews sent to him and asked him whether he was Elias or whether he was a Prophet which is to be understood here as in Mat. 16.14 the Jews then holding a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He answered No without telling them that he was that typified Elias which was for to come or that he was more then a Prophet and expressed himself meanwhile by the most diminutive term that could be thought on that he was only Vox clamantis c. before a greater Person that was then coming after him He stood exceedingly upon his guard of lowliness and disparaged himself upon all occasions as the Jews and his Disciples magnifyed him Being conjectured by them for the Messias he nourished not the mistake for his own honor but saith the Evangelist Jo. 1.20 he confessed and denied not i. e. to speak this truth against his own reputation but confessed that he was not He. And Jo. 3.28 he takes solemn witness of such his confession In comparing himself with him he useth an expression to debase himself beneath the lowest of his servants that he was not worthy stooping to untie the latchet of his shoe Mar. 1.7 and Jo. 3.31 he saith that he being earthly did but loqui de terra speak of the Earth i. e. low and mean rudiments for which S. John useth this phrase see Jo. 3. v. 12. in comparison of Jesus who coming from Heaven above spoke of the greater misteries which he had there heard and seen He every where gave place to our Savior left Bethabara in Judea the more publick place of concourse for our Saviors disciples some of whom had formerly bin his to baptize in and retired himself North-ward toward Galilee to Enon near to Salim Jo. 3.23 He transmitted his Disciples to him Jo. 1.35 and resign'd his former Auditors and the multitudes to his conduct and when the people so soon as they saw his great Miracles and heard his divine words now admired and flockt after Jesus much more then they did after John He rejoiced to hear it with an humble acknowledgment Oportet illum crescere me minui and when his ambitious disciples made a complaint to him of it he answered them that he was but a waiter on this Bridegroome of the Church and his joy was
poor to make us rich And how well now do his own words Mat. 11.29 in this posture and in this age the emblem of humility especially become Him Learn of me for I am meek and lowly and Matt. 20.28 The Son of man came not to be ministred unto § 30 And thus it seemed meet to him who justly proportioneth all things the exaltation suitable to the humiliation and the measure of glory to that of ignominy Phil. 2.9 Heb. 2.9 12.2 in his intending to build the exaltation of this man Jesus higher then all to lay his humiliation lower then all and this King being to have not one but two comings into this lower world the latter whereof was to be with exceeding pomp and glory and attendance with shouting and sound of Trumpet 1 Thes 4.16 with the whole Court of Heaven in all their glory Luk. 2.26 and all the Chariots of God Mat. 24.30 Psal 104.3 waiting on Him with his bright beams streaming from the East unto the West Mat. 24.27 Thus it seemed meet to his Father to dispose the first coming in exceeding lowness and contempt desertion and poverty that he might appear in one as novissimus Hominum Esai 53.3 who in the other was to appear as primo-genitus Dei. And we find Moses that great type of our Lord in being also a glorious deliverer of Gods people out of their house of bondage and their Lawgiver treated in his infancy much what after the same manner when he lay amongst Crocodiles a weeping and sorlorne Infant in a bulrush cradle floating in the flags of Nile and his poor life sought-for by Pharaoh as this Infant 's by Herod Lastly thus it seemed fit unto Him who bestows not heaven on man for nothing to disguise his only Son through the belief in whom we can only attain eternal life in so many Veiles and unlikelyhoods now laying him in a Cratch then hanging him on a Cross to advance in us so much the more the worth and dignity of our Faith to which what praise and thanks would it have bin to have believed on him appearing in Majesty and glory like a Son of God and such as we shall see him in his next Advent where no offence of the Manger nor of the Cross Gal. 5.11 Therefore it pleased God by eclypsing his own Sons honour to dignify mans faith and so increase his reward as likewise to discover to this faith his infinite power in raising such greatness out of such littleness in making all Kings submit their Scepters to such a poor born-child and all nations to do him service Psal 72.11 nay above all things to glory in his shame and in his Cross and to build a Temple even over this Manger § 31 The Infant being thus swath'd and cradled we may suppose the Holy Joseph and Mary who thro this veil of his poverty yet well discerned who he was and presently fell down and worshipped this new-born Emanuel turning this privacy and solitude and freedom from the tumult of the Town desertion of attendance and silence of the night to an elevation of their devotion and Christmas Vigils well pleased to see themselves surrounded tho with poor yet none but innocent Creatures and such as had never offended their Maker whilst sinful man was deem'd unworthy of such a celestial society Overjoyed in their first sight of this divine person the desire of all ages dedicating the whole service of their lives to his constant attendance and again receiving from him those sweet smiles and those indearing looks which the love and gratitude of one who tho an Infant in age yet was then mature in all wisdom and who had nothing of a child in him save the weakness and humility did think fit to return to so great pains and so devout adoration Thus they remained solicitous for nothing in so great extremity but saying to themselves some such thing as S. Paul in contemplation of the riches of the same Lord Rom. 8.32 God that hath given us his only Son how shall he not with him also freely give us all things § 32 Leaving now these holy persons in the deep and silent contemplation of the mysteries of the Almighty in that God-infant which lay before them and exercising the greatness of their faith in the lowness of outward appearances Let us go forth and see what meanwhile occurred in the feilds near adjoining § 33 The same night that our Saviour was born there happened to be some Shepheards whilst all the rest of the world were at their ease and asleep watching over their flocks in the same plaines where heretofore David himself the Father of our Lord had many a night watched over his these Bethleemites being his successours in the same trade and occupation Which innocent and simple manner of life spent in guarding the most harmless and the most profitable and the most shiftless of all creatures not engaged in much business solitary and leaving the mind free for much contemplation was also that of the first Saint Abel and of the Patriarchs before David to whom the promises of the Messias were made Poor and mean persons they were as we may gather from their imployment who else would have had a servant to have watched for them on so long nights in so sharp a season God's great love to man and to the honour of his Son was pleased instantly to communicate and reveal both to the Jew and to the Gentile yet not to all but to some chosen witnesses of both the birth of his Son the same Saviour to all people Luk. 2.10 that this Prince at his first entrance into the world might receive due adoration and homage from the representatives of them both He therefore for the body of the Jews in his infinite wisdom made election of these poor Shepheards as he did at the same time of the Magi for the body of the Gentiles § 34 Hereupon to these Shepheards descendeth an Angel vested with very great glory and light saith the Teâ—t Luk. 2.9 for doing this new-born Prince the honour in such his low condition to tell them the joyful news of the birth of a Saviour which was Christ the Lord. Luk. 2.11 a Saviour not of our bodies or estates from our temporal enemies for a while unconsiderable salvations fear not them that can kill the body c. Mat. 10.28 but of our Souls from our sins from our Ghostly enemies from spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places from Abaddon the Prince of the bottomless pit from prisons and chains and darkness and tortures and deaths eternal And the Angel gave them this sign to know him by that they should find him lying in the Manger of a Stable a strange sign of so great a Prince but yet not so improper for such a Saviour who was to restore the world by humility and sufferings as it fell by pride and a very distinctive sign such as was common to no other Infant and a sign which could not but
Gentiles to this Common Lord of Jew and Gentile was effected on this manner A new Star for some time before our Saviours birth had appeared in the heavens probably of an extraordinary splendor and brightness suitable to the person whom it prognosticated Which by the Orientals much given to Astrology was soon discerned and raised in them a great devotion and earnest addresses to the Divine Majesty Creator of the Universe to know for the presignification of what strange effect he had sent it Whereupon probably by some such Revelation made to them in the East as they received afterward in Judea concerning their return Mat. 2.12 they were assured of the Birth of this Messias or great King to whom all the world should become tributary and subject Of which Prince also it is likely in so general an expectation of the Jews as then was that they had heard or also read something formerly Therefore these first believers of the Gentiles crediting all things of this Prince worthy so supereminent a dignity and being persons of high condition as the Magi in those Countries ordinarily were if not Princes made hast to be amongst the first that should profess their subjection and fealty to Him And as the Orientals usually do not approach great Personages without some present prepared some small quantity portable in a journy of the richest Gifts their Country was famed for wherewith to present Him And so setting forth upon this divine Indication either from some nearer parts of Chaldea or of Arabia Felix which lies some six daies journy Eastward from Jerusalem whence also the Queen of Sheba Arabia also being called Ethiopia Numb 12.1 A type of them came with the like gifts to visit King Salomon 1 King 10.2 Within not many daies after our Lords Nativity they arrived in Judea probably the Star that incouraged their journey now disappearing that so they might repair to the Royal City in Quest after the place thereof and so by our Lords special providence be the first Promulgators of the Birth of the Messias and awaken the sloth of Gods own people to make a stricter inquiry after it And well might the Jews at least when our Lord afterward at thirty years of age publickly appeared to them have reflected on this Star and the search of these Oriental Sages and Herods slaughter punctually agreeing with his Nativity Come hither and supposing that what was manifested to them strangers about the time was not concealed to Gods own people they made inquiry in the Metropolis of the Nation concerning the place where they might have access to and adore Him For they imagined that either this Prince the Messias might be of the present Royal Stock or if otherwise was of such a transcendent Soveraignty and descent so favoured from heaven such a King Paramount and extending his scepter over the whole world according to the frequent prophecies made of Him as other inferior Kings should have no envy to but joy therein which conceit was also nourished in them by Herods professing his ready concurrence in the same Adoration so soon as the place of his Residence should be discovered § 63 They coming therefore to Jerusalem and making openly such an inquiry and also declaring their late beholding of the Star that was newly displayed in the Heavens as a publick Herald thereof Herod Himself was not a little startled for in those daies much discourse passed in the world either by the Jewish prophecies divulged and the time prefixed in Daniels weeks now expired or by the Sybils or otherwise of the coming of this Prince of Princes and the return of a golden Age and some called the Herodians named Herod for the person The people also were troubled wondring at this Relation from strangers confirm'd by such a Celestial Messenger at their High Quality their concernment in a King of Israel and their boldness in confessing Him before Herod And expecting also some great change of affairs shortly if their words and prognostications proved true § 64 Herod who was a stranger King to this Nation and that the very first an Idumean by birth sufficiently suspitious of a supplantation and therefore intending mischief became as it were to satisfy these Sages very inquisitive after the place of this new Prince the Christ his Birth whom he seemed to reverence as a Person sent from Heaven rather for advancing and dilating Sanctity and Religion than for pursuing secular Honours The place therefore of his birth he strictly enquired after that so by the Divine providence both time and place might be manifested and proclaimed as it were to the world the one by the Gentiles the other by the Jews The chief Priests and Scribes are assembled about it and readily return answer out of the Prophet Micha Mic. 5.2 that Bethleem Davids City was to be the Place thereof And thou Bethleem Ephrata saith he that art a little one in the thousands of Juda. Out of thee shall come forth unto me he that shall be the Dominator in Israel And his coming forth is from the beginning from the daies of Eternity Having an eternal procession from the Father and an Eternal decree of his Messias-ship This for the place But further whatever certainty they might have also from Daniels weeks or Gen. 49.10 or other places concerning the Time it was not safe for them to pronounce any thing Herod therefore for his better information in this returns to the Sages and very secretly requires of them a punctual account of the first appearance of the Star conjecturing from hence the Age of the Child Which having learnt he desires that after they had found this great Prince they would in their return give him Intelligence of it that He also might pay his Duty to this expected Messias and Heir of all Nations And so dismissed them as the Divine wisdom ordered it without joyning to them any further attendance of his own Court perhaps out of a Countenance to slight the matter and pass things with less noise as also least any such discovery made by persons more interessed than these Strangers might some way or other disappoint his Bloody purpose or have given some jealousy to the parents to have conveyed him away Tho indeed this his secrecy defeated his Design Who was also glad to see the Jews so supinely careless in this affair who began even at his Birth tho thus alarm'd and provoked by the believing Gentiles to neglect and deny this their Lord Except only this stranger Idumean that was vigilant how to dispatch Him § 65 But the Zealous Sages unwearied still pursue their Quest and being not far gone from Jerusalem have this their untired diligence rewarded with a new appearance of their celestial Guide the Star filling them with exceeding great joy Mat. 2.10 after its former so long disappearance because unbelieving Jerusalem was unworthy of such a light and with as much admiration that the day-light obscured not its splendor For Bethleem being not above
six or seven miles distant from Jerusalem 't is no way imaginable that these Strangers in the Country travelled thither by night And now the Star became their Guide and went before them till they coming near our Lords secret Hermitage the Stable where He lay which poorer lodging now had its conveniencies the Enrolment perhaps being not yet finished in the better securing of his life it descended lower and stood just over it Which thing as it was necessary for the transaction of this visit with the more privacy and happily prevented their asking again the same question at Bethleem as they did at Jerusalem which might have discovered this Infant to some who might have told Herod so the Glory and splendor it cast upon this Grot served well to remove any scandal they might receive from the poverty of the persons they found within it And probably all this passed without the unworthy Bethleemite's either seeing the Star like the cloudy pillar in die wilderness that was darkness to the Egyptians whilst light to the Israelites or taking any notice of the new and strange habited Guests Which Bethleemites also before this had bin as stupid to the Relations of the good Shepheards as the Hierosolymites were but now to these Sages § 66 The Magi having entred the Grot what now might seem mean and vile to them of or in the house was abundantly recompensed in the sanctity and innocency of the persons they saw in it not like to other Mortals And so strong in faith and filled by their near approach to this Infant God with his Holy Spirit and struck with a due fear and reverence and spiritual discovery and Revelation of his Majesty they presently fell prostrat on the Ground Mat. 2.11 before the Babe held in his Mother's Armes and after worshipping for some time opened their Treasures and made their Presents to Him full of silence and respect and testifying their duty more in their actions and humble postures than in their words Behaving themselves rather as in a Temple than in a lodging § 67 The Gifts they presented were Gold Frankincense and Mirrhe the most precious things of their Country and usually offered to great persons see Gen. 37.25 and 43.11 But as is observed more especially proper offerings to this Person Aurum regi Thus Deo Myrrha morituro It being as of a fragrant smell so very exficcative and preservative from Putrefaction and hence much used in the embalming of the Dead Of which mingled with Aloes another Gumm very odoriferous an hundred pound weight was bestowed by Nicodemus on our Lord at his burial with which the linnen cloths wherein his Body was wrapped were besmeared And one of the principal Ingredients this was of the Holy ointment appointed for anointing the Priests and Sanctuary Exod. 30.23 Thy Garments smell of Mirrhe Aloes and Cassia saith the Psalmist of our Lord. And A bundle of Mirrhe is my well-beloved unto me saith the Spouse in the Canticles chap. 1. v. 13. of the same person Such Presents these great Persons for such both their Gifts and their Title of Magi intimate them to be This being a science studied only by the Nobility in those Countries and the skill thereof rewarded with the highest Honours brought to this Infant-Prince as the first Tribute of the Gentiles And so begun to be fulfilled those Prophecies which have not as yet received their compleat accomplishment in Psal 71. Coram Illo procedent Aethiopes inimici ejus terram lingent Reges Tharsis Insulae munera offerent Reges Arabum Saba dona adducent Et adorabunt eum omnes Reges omnes Gentes servient ei And in Esai 60. Surge Illuminare Jerusalem quia venit lumen tuum Et ambulabunt Gentes in lumine tuo Reges in splendore ortus tui Inundatio Camelorum operiet Te Dromedarri Madian Epha Omnes de Saba venient Aurum Thus deferentes laudem Deo annunciantes Madian and Sheba being in Arabia Felix East from Jerusalem from which Sheba came the Queen with such presents to King Salomon and the Sabeans that took away Jobs Cattel Job 1.15 And so was the title of Ethiopia common also to Arabia Numb 12.1 as well as to the Ethiopia lying West of it and further off § 68 Their gifts accepted with smiles after some further devotions and Contemplation made on their knees whilst their hearts were filled and ravished with a supernatural joy or perhaps Extasie they received a smile and Benediction from this Omnipotent Babe and so retired Infinitly satisfied for the long journey they had taken and their illuminated Reason nothing a mated but much edifyed with the mean accomodations they had seen and the humble entrance of this Lord of the Universe into the World to cure its Pride and lastly ready now to invite Herod and all the Jewish Nobility to the enjoyment of that spiritual and sublime Happiness of which they had the honour to be the first tasters not to be found in the Pallaces of Kings § 69 And now whilst they take their rest that night in the Town and are thinking of communicating to the World and especially to the pious King Herod as they had promised the happy success of their journey and the celestial Treasure they had found fit to be removed presently by Him from so mean a lodging into the sumptuous Temple he had newly built for Him Behold in their sleep the 〈◊〉 Lord that had thus far discovered his Son unto them further commands that they should by no means return to Herod as was purposed whose Counsels were treacherous but secretly and speedily depart to their own Country another way which also they successfully performed § 70 Meanwhile what great Consolation may we imagine did the neglected Virgin Mother and her devout Husband receive next to the enjoyment of our Lord in such their desolate lodging from the unexpected appearance of these Royal Guests from a forraign land conducted to that obscure place by a light from Heaven from their suddain prostration and Adoration in their first approach as subjects also of this new-born Prince and from those rich presents an opportune supply of their poverty What admiration and praise of the infinite bowels of the Divine mercy when enlightned with the Holy Spirit of Jesus they understood by this homage paid by these Gentile-Princes that this Babe was to be King of and rule over not only Israel but the whole earth Which thing also they heard afterward from Simeon at his Presentation in the Temple Lumen ad Revelationem gentium as if he had known of this meeting and the Star So God is wont still to mix hardships with Favours and recompence any sufferings of his Saints with double Consolations But in this present satisfaction and repose little did they know that their poor Babe so meanly lodged was the talk of all Jerusalem and envy of Herod or foresee the terrible storm that would shortly arise from thence §
sumptuously rebuilt by Herod as it were for the more solemn reception and honour of this Lord thereof though intended by Herod for his own Begun to be rebuilt by him in the 21 year of his Reign and in some Eight years finished and Dedicated as to the chief Body of the house but all the outworks and buildings not finished till 46 years afterwards and about the time when our Lord receiving Baptism from John began his predication See John 2.20 § 77 Here whilst our Lord as it were took possession of his Fathers house and whilst these Ceremonies were performed by the Priest And the blessed Virgin and S. Joseph who further considered whose Son it was and to whom offered were continuing their devotions and infinit thanks to God for this new-born Saviour of man-kind and the honour he had done the humility of his hand-maid chosen for his Mother and were reflecting also on the strange things spoken to them of this Divine off-spring by the Angel Gabriel and others by S. Elizabeth by the Shepheards and on the Homage of the Sages there came at the same instant into the Temple tho holy old man Simeon uncertain whether a Priest but conjectured rather none from the Evangelist's silence herein who enlightned by the prophecies and the common expectation that was in those daies see Luk. 2.38 of this new King for this Nation by the Divine Providence had bin detained ever after the Babylonian Captivity less or more under the servitude of forraign Nations and of the great Empires of the world to cause in them a more ardent desire and dependance upon the promised Messias for freeing Israel as they imagined from the Roman heavy-yoke but Simeon with more spiritual eyes expelling it for freeing the world from the servitude of sin and Satan who I say had for many years longed-after and prayed-for the comming of this Messias and the Redemption of all Mankind For to this devout person we may imagine his seeing the world so over-run with sin and held captive by Satan caused much grief for the offending of God and loss of so many souls and that he often brake out into the like passion with the. Prophet Esaiah chap. 62. 1. For Sion's sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth And vers 6 11. I will not hold my peace day nor night I will give him no rest till he establish till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth till the salvation of Sion cometh and his reward is with him and his recompence before him And upon such fervent supplications of his the Holy Ghost for his consolation revealed unto him that notwithstanding his old age and small distance from the Grave yet he should not dy before he had seen the Lords Christ And at this time the same Holy Spirit again gave him notice of our Load 's being then in the Temple a small infant in the arms of a poor Virgin § 78 Upon which coming in thither at this Instant with great Devotion and Humility he took this Divine Child out of his Mother's Armes being herein a representative of the Church accepting from God's hands this her Redeemer and in the embracing of him filled with the Holy Ghost as Elizabeth was before Luk. 1.41 and lifting up his eies to Heaven joyfully sung before the company there assembled his Nunc dimittis servum tuum in pace secundum verbum tuum blessing God for the salvation he had prepared not only for the Jewish Nation but all the world and for this childs being as the glory of Israel so the light of the Gentiles This suddain action and prophecy of this reverend old Man putting our Blessed Lady and S. Joseph into a new joyful wonder after all those other testimonies concerning the child heard before and adding still more matter to the Holy Virgins treasure out of which all these things came to the knowledg of Posterity § 79 After this he delivered the Holy Infant again to his Mother And in giving as an old Man if not also a Priest his Benediction to the thrice happy-parents and by the revelation of the same Holy Ghost foreseeing also the great sufferings of our Lord that were to follow and the oppositions that would be made to his new Kingdom of which sufferings one heavy one was then immediatly to break forth he made his more particular addresses to the Mother of our Lord for S. Joseph before those saddest times was to be at rest and told her That as the child was born for the advancement as he had already said of many in Gods people Israel such as should yeild to his Scepter so also for the fall and utter ruine of many others such as should not believe and acknowledg him and those secularly Great and that this age should throughly discover the goodness or wickedness of mens hearts And that he should be set up as a sign to all the world that should be much contradicted and spoken against by the great ones thereof as more especially he was at his death being lifted up on high on the pole of the Cross and all the people about him blaspheming See Psal 105.18 After and for which followed also the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion and Captivity of that Nation until this day When also as it were a sharp sword should pierce her Soul out of Maternal compassion towards him whilst she should stand by and behold such things done to the innocency of the Holy One of God After which words spoken by him much what in the expressions of the ancient Prophets See Esay 8.14,15 42.6 49.6 52.10 11.10 65.2 as we usually find those later in the new Testament to deliver their predictions in the language of the Old both coming from the same Dictator and he receiving again from the Infant the Benediction he bestowed on the parents he now joyfully retired waiting and preparing himself for his near approaching death and dissolution from the many infirmities of his old age § 80 No sooner had he finished his discourse causing much admiration in the hearers but that this first Divine testimony concerning our Lord now openly given in the Temple might be celebrated and ratified by two witnesses and those of both Sexes as both were equally concerned in this happy news a woman also of a great age Anna a Prophetess too detained in this life as Simeon was for her beholding the Lord Christ came in at the same time and seconded Simeon in the like Relation concerning this child his being the new-born Messias and Saviour of the world To which the Holiness of her person and severity and sequestration of her life from common converse somewhat like that of the Baptist added very much Whom the Evangelist thus sets forth That she had lived in perpetual widowhood from her youth after only having seven years enjoyed