The soul's communion with her savior. Or, The history of our Lord Jesus Christ, written by the four evangelists digested into devotional meditations. The first part.

Cap. X. Of His Inauguration to his Of∣fice by the Preaching and Baptism of S. John.

§. 1.

O My Gracious Redeemer, thou didst send thy Ser∣vant John (who grew and wax∣ed strong in Spirit, being in the [ 80] Wilderness til the day of his Shewing unto Israel) as a Mes∣senger before thy face to prepare thy way before Thee, by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [ 2] the Baptism of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [ 4] for the Remission of Sins, wherin he exprest The Uoice of one crying in the Wil∣derness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his Paths [ 3] strait, as it is written in the Prophets:

I prais and magnify thy Name, [ 1]

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 Ap∣parel [ 6] and Diet (for, the same John had his Raiment of Ca∣mel'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 Jerusa∣lem and Judea, and all the Re∣gion [ 6] 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; [ 11] that being effectualy warned to

flee from the Wrath to com, I [ 7] may bring forth fruits meet for [ 8] Repentance, rather glorying to hav Abraham my Father in [ 9] 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 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [ 10] 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 Pub∣licans, and the Soldiers, which [ 10, 12, 14] came forth to be baptized of [ 7] John, asked him, What shal we do: Instead of requiring them to forsake their several Callings,

as unlawful or irreligious, He recommends Charity, upright [ 11, 13, 14] Dealing, and honest Content∣ment to their Practice in the du Use of them.

I giv thee Thanks and Prais,

O Jesus, For making the Du∣ties of Religion consistent with those of our Worldly Vocations. Lord, bless my conscionabl Indu∣stry 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 bet∣ter, but among all my most justi∣fiabl Cares, allow som Time and

Thought so to attend on the Mi∣nistry of thy Word and the Ad∣ministration of thy Sacraments, as may best make a practical Ex∣pression 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 〈◊〉〈◊〉, [ 15] 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 Be∣thabara beyond Jordan 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he was baptizing, to ask him, Who art thou? He denied not, but confessed, I am not the CHRIST, nor Elias, nei∣ther [ 20, 21, 25] that Propher. I indeed baptize you with Water, but [ 26] there standeth one among you

whom ye know not; He com∣eth after me and is preferred before me; for, He was before [ 15] me, tho born after me; the latchet of whose shoos I am [ 16] not worthy to unloos; whose [ 17] 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 unquench∣abl.

I prais and magnify thy Name,

O Christ, For this Record of John, who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 witness of Thee without seeking the En∣hancement of his own Reputa∣tion by the envious Conceal∣ment of thy Person or Office. Lord, purge the floor of my Heart from all that Chaff of Va∣nity 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 recei∣ved, [ 11] even Grace for Grace, [ 16] 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 [ 17] Grace and Truth came by Je∣sus Christ, who, being the only Begotten Son which is in the [ 18] bosom of the Father, hath de∣clared that God whom no man hath seen at any time: And since the same John, being a [ 6] man sent from God, came for [ 7, 8] a Witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men throu him might believ; let this his publick Testimony hav its de∣signed Effect upon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 man [ 9] that cometh into 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉,

not only confirming the tru Faith where it hath been alrea∣dy planted, but creating it also where 'tis yet wanting, with so great a Power and Demonstration of the Spirit, that, altho the [ 10] World, which was made by him, without whom was not any thing made, knew him not while He was in the World, [ 3] yet it may never more be said, He came unto his own, and [ 11] his own received him not, but being now no longer born of [ 13] Blood, or of the Wil of Man, but of God, All Flesh may see thy Salvation, and behold the [ 14] Glory of the Word made Flesh, as that of the only begotten of the Father, who as verily was [ 1, 2] 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 [ 5] Darkness that hath benighted the Children of this World, til the Power (or rather Privi∣ledg) to becom the Sons of God, which He gave to them [ 12] that believ on his Name, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 graciously imparted to all the Families of the Earth, by em∣bracing the true Faith which hath saved as many as recei∣ved him.

§. 4.

Then cometh Iesus from Galilee to Iordan unto Iohn, [ 13] 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 peace∣abl Retirement, to enter upon a State not only encumber'd with Sweat and Travel, but also 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to Censure and Persecu∣tion for thy Church's sake. I humbly beseech Thee, let no Self-ends, or more pleasurabl En∣joyments, detain any one from undertaking such publick Duties as he is lawfuly called unto: but, when a more open Expo∣sure 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 particular Eas and Satisfaction; preferring thy Church before all our privat Con∣cernments or domestick Inte∣rests whatsoever.

§. 5.

O B. Jesus, tho Iohn 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thee, saying, I hav need to be [ 14] baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? yet didst thou persist in thy Resolution of sub∣mitting to his Disciplin and Bap∣tism, who owned himself 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to carry thy Shoos, requiring him to suffer it to be so now:

I magnify thy Gracious Name,

For thus expressing how well it becometh us to fulfil all [ 15] Righteousness. O giv me, and all that call themselves after Thy Name, the Christian Humility of conforming to all the Rules of Godly Disciplin which shall be found requisit for thy Church's Peace, and of submitting to any Service (how much soever aba∣sed) that may tend to the Be∣nefit

of the smallest in thy Flock, or end in the Advancement of thy Glory.

§. 6.

Most H. Jesus, who, when all the Peepl were baptized, didst [ 21] descend into the River to be baptized among them, that thy Father's Declaration, being made from Heven in the Audience of a Multitude, might be the more publickly known and undenia∣bly confirmed:

I glorify thy Name,

Because thy Delights are a∣mong the Children of Men. Be present, I beseech thee, in all the devout Assemblies of thy Saints and Servants; and so bless thine Ordinances unto them, that the Wil of God revealed from Heven 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be effectualy divulged and obey'd among all

Nations. And now thou hast thus sanctified the Element of Water to becom Sacramental for the Remission of Sins, having in a Symbol purified human Na∣ture of that Guilt and Pollution which thou hadst undertaken to expiat and remov, so making good the Baptist's further Testi∣mony of Thee, when he saw thee, O Iesus, coming unto him, and said, Behold the [ 29] Lamb of God which taketh a∣way the Sins of the World: Lord, Pardon those many hei∣nous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which hav miserably defiled my Life and Conscience since I received Bap∣tismal Grace, and so renew thy Covenant of Mercy unto my Soul that I may never so un∣gratefuly violat the Conditions or forfeit the Advantages of it any more.

§. 7.

O thou Anointed of the Lord, who receivedst not the Spirit by measure; for, being baptized and praying, the Heven was 〈◊〉〈◊〉; And the H. Ghost de∣scended in a bodily Shape like a Dov upon Thee: And 〈◊〉〈◊〉, a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from Heven, saying, This is my Beloved Son in whom I am wel pleased. What could be a more glorious Attendant on thy Publication than so express a Discovery of the B. Trinity? Thy Relation to God the Father, the Being and Office of the H. Ghost, and the Good Wil of the whol God-head to Man∣kind, being jointly display'd therin:

I prais and magnify thy Name,

For exhibiting so many Sacred Mysteries (as in a littl but accu∣rat

Picture) which in other Ages were not made known unto the Sons of men. Lord, let me be ravished and instructed with this marvellous Vision, as Thy Fore∣runner was, who openly pro∣fessed, I knew him not; but that He should be made mani∣fest [ 31] to Israel, therfore am I com baptizing with Water: for, he [ 32] that sent me said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remain∣ing on him, the same is He which baptizeth with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ghost: And I saw and bare Re∣cord [ 34] that This is the Son of God. Enlighten the Ey of my Soul to behold this inconceivabl yet evident Manifestation of the Ever-blessed Trinity; and exalt mine Understanding to such a right Apprehension of that Sa∣cred Mystery, that all my Acts of Adoration may be duly dire∣cted

and graciously accepted. May the Hevens, which were open at thy Baptism, never be shut against my Prayers or Prai∣ses; and since thou hast opened the Kingdom of Heven to all Believers, grant the same Spi∣rit that descended upon Thee may abide with Me and thy whol Church for ever, that we who are in Baptism adopted Sons of God, according to the good pleasure of his Wil, may be charm'd and honor'd with the Eccho of that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from Heven which proclaimed Thee Beloved. And since thou, my merciful Sa∣vior, hast made choice of such proper Emblems to shadow forth thy Glory, make them suitably impressiv on my Memory and Affections: for, wheras the Pro∣mulgation of the Law was at∣tended with terribl Thunders and thick Darkness, to express

the Dreadfulness of God's Pre∣sence unto the sinful Transgres∣sors of it, Thy Preaching of the Gospel of Peace is usher'd in by the H. Ghost in the likeness of a Dov, to bring the Oliv-branch of Reconciliation to Mankind, and shew what Meekness of Spi∣rit is the proper Badg or Cogni∣sance of thy tru Discipls.

Notes

• S Mat. 3, 1, — 17.
• S. Mark 1. 1, — 11.
• S. Luke 3, 1, — 18, 21, — 23.
• S. Joh. 1. 1, — 34.
• S. Luke 1.
• S. Mark 1.
• S. Mat. 3. 4,
• S. Luke 3. 6,
• S. Mat. 3. 5,
• S. Luke 3.
• S Joh. 1. 19, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 24, 28,
• S. Mark 1. 7, 8,
• S. Joh. 1.
• S. Luke 3.
• S. Mat. 3.
• S. Joh. 1.
• S. Joh. 1. 4,
• S. Mat. 3.
• S. Luke 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• S. Joh. 1.
• S. Luke 3. 21, 22,
• S. Mat. 3. 16, 17,
• S. Mark 1. 10, 11.
• S. Joh. 1.