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. V. Of His Presentation in* 1.1 the Templ.

§. 1.

When the days of her Pu∣rification [ 22] were accom∣plished, the Virgin∣Mother brought her H. Child Iesus to Jerusalem; to present him to the Lord, according to the Law of Moses.

I therefore prais and magnify thy Name,

O my God, for making the ancient Precepts of thy Law so aptly minister to the Accom∣plishment of those succeeding Prophecies which tell us, The Lord whom ye seek shal suddenly

〈◊〉〈◊〉 to his Templ; and, I wil fil this Hous with Glory, saith the Lord of Hosts: wherin the Law and the Prophets conspire to giv the more publick Notice of the Messiah at his Manifestation to Israel. How glorious was that Templ wherin the Lord and Owner therof (who dwelleth not in Templs made with hands) made his personal and visible Ap∣pearance: This made the Glory of that latter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 greater than of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, tho far short of it in outward Riches and Gran∣deur. There Thou, O Christ, wast often Typicaly represented; but here Thou art Personaly pre∣sent, to the firm Establishment of the Christian Faith and the utter Confusion of Jewish Infi∣delity, whose incorrigibl Obsti∣nacy in Unbelief doth blasphe∣mously turn the Truth of God into a Ly, it being altogether

impossibl that these Prophecies can ever be fulfilled after the Subversion of the Second Templ O let my Soul be the Templ of thine Eternal Residence, and evry Christian Heart be as wel hal∣lowed as dignified by thy gra∣cious Presence.

§. 2.

O H. Jesus, The 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.2 which thy Blessed Mother came [ 24] to offer for her Purification, be∣ing A pair of Turtl-Doves or two yong Pigeons, is no less an Argument of her Poverty than Obedience, according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord, And if she be not abl to bring a Lamb, then she shal bring two Turtls, or two yong Pigeons.

I magnify thy Sacred Name,

For giving us hereby to un∣derstand

that God hath chosen the Poor of this World, Rich in Faith, to be Heirs of the King∣dom which he hath promised to them that lov him. Let this her Readiness to fulfil the Law make us more sollicitous to do our Duty, according to the Ability God hath given us, than to conceal our Poverty for Shame, or alledg it for an Ex∣cuse to serv God of that which cost us nothing. Lord, purify my heart, that it may yield a du Respect to all the Parts and Precepts of thy Law; studying the mystical Sence of the Cere∣monial, observing the rational In∣junctions of the Moral, admiring the politick Rules of the Civil, and reverencing the Holy Rites of the Ecclesiastical: for, they all bear the Stamp of thy Autho∣rity, and are therfore worthy of all Acceptation and Esteem.

§. 3.

O thou Redeemer of the World, who in conformity 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Law, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [ 23] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 Holy to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, wast 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the High-Priest, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of him for 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 mony, according to the Estima∣tion of the first-born of Man:

I prais thy H. Name,

For becoming a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for many, yea, for All, whether 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or not. By thee the very Priests and Levits are redeemed, who themselvs were taken from among the Children of Israel in∣stead 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 As∣sembly and Church of the First∣born

which are written in He∣ven, who, having received the Spirit of Adoption, are not on∣ly 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 Inhe∣ritance, may qualify us all to receiv a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us hav Grace wher∣by we may serv God acceptably, with Reverence and godly Fear, as becoms persons redeemed from their Iniquities.

§. 4.

When the Parents brought* 1.3 in the Child JESUS to do [ 27] for him after the Custom of the [ 25] Law; Simeon, a man just and devout, to whom it was revea∣led [ 26] 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 [ 28] 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 Neg∣lect of Waiting for Thee, wher∣by I have justly forfeited the peculiar Manifestations of thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Favor; and now that I am not only ready, but ear∣nestly desirous, to receiv Thee in mine Arms, yea to lodg Thee in my Heart, vouchsafe to pu∣rify 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 Ho∣nor 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* 1.4 [ 29] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Servant depart in peace, according to thy Word: For, [ 30] mine Eys hav seen thy Sal∣vation, which thou hast prepa∣red [ 31] before the face of all 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

I prais Thee, O Christ,

For being both A Light to [ 32] lighten the Gentils, and the Glory of thy peepl Israel. No wonder that Ioseph and thy [ 33]

Mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of Thee, especialy hearing him that blessed them say 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mary Behold, this Child is set for [ 34] 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; [ 35] Lord, endu my Soul with a like sens of this inestimabl Benefit, that I may rehears this Song with equal Pleasure and Con∣cernment, since mine Eys also see the Longings and Expecta∣tions of former Ages turned in to Joys and Praises for all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Generations; it being highly reasonabl for our Satisfa∣ction to be as strong in Delight as their Expectation was great in Desire: For, the principal De∣sign of thy Coming into the World was to remedy, not occa∣sion,

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 bit∣terly against Thee may upon Re∣pentance be forgiven, when the Thoughts of all Hearts shal be revealed.

§. 6.

This notabl Testimony of old Simeon was seconded by Anna* 1.5 a Prophetess, of the Tribe of [ 36] Aser, who was of a great Age, being a Widow of about four∣score [ 37] and four Years, which de∣parted not from the Templ, but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day: for she coming in at that Instant gave [ 38] 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 re∣warding that godly Matron's Devotion with so happy a Change of her Fastings into Ju∣bilees and her Prayers into Prai∣ses. Lord, since those to whom thou revealest thy Self must be qualified for that blessed Privi∣ledg by so much Diligence and unwearied Devotion, enable me by thy Grace to apply my ut∣most Endevors therunto Night and Day, as well in Fastings and Prayers to deprecat my own and my Nations Sins, as by Fea∣stings and Praises to congratu∣lat thy Manifestation to the World and the saving Conse∣quences thereof; uniting in my Devotions all the pious Longings and earnest Wishes of the Old World, with the transporting Joys and inexpressible Satisfa∣ctions of the New.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Luke 2. 22, — 38.
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Luke 2.
• * 1.3

  S. Luke 2.
• * 1.4

  S. Luke 2.
• * 1.5

  S. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 2.