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. VII. Of His Return out of Egypt,* 1.1 after the Slaughter of the Innocents.

§. 1.

WHen Herod saw that he [ 16] was mocked of the Wise men, (whom he had sent to Bethlehem with this Charge, Go and search 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [ 8] for the yong Child, and when ye hav found him bring me word agen, that I may com and worship him also; but they, being warned of God in a [ 17] Dream that they should not return to Herod, were depar∣ted

into their own Country another way;) he was exceed∣ing wroth:

I glorify thy Name,

O Christ, For the ready Obe∣dience of those thy Followers in conforming to evry notice of thy Will; who, truly judging it cannot be right in thy Sight to hearken unto Men more than unto God, would rather incur the Danger of an earthly King's Displeasure than the Guilt of Disobedience to the hevenly Vi∣sion. That Tyrants and Usur∣pers are a Scourge unto them∣selvs, we hav a notabl Instance in Herod, whose Passions were ever on the Rack to chastise his Ambition: As soon as the Ea∣stern Pilgrims came with their Inquiry, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? he was troubled with Fears and 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

Apprehensions of som Innova∣tion in the State: No sooner were they gon without giving him such an Account of their Journy as he required, but he is tormented with Rage at the Affront they put upon him, in sleighting his Commands and eluding his Expectation. Evry inconsiderabl Accident doth dis∣compose an unquiet mind: Esta∣blish me therefore O Lord, with thy free Spirit against the vio∣lent efforts of my Passions; and that I may enjoy such a Peace and Serenity as naturally flows from the regular Dictats of Rea∣son and Religion, let me never do or desire any thing contra∣dictory therunto.

§. 2.

Herod's Wrath, not enduring the narrow Confinement of his own Breast, like a raging Torrent

that involvs all the Neighboring Plains with Ruin and Destru∣ction, breaks forth into a bloody* 1.2 Edict which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all the Chil∣dren [ 16] that were in Bethlehem, and in all the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 therof, from two Years old and under, proportioning the Extent of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 according to the time [ 7] which he had diligently enqui∣red of the Wise men, when he privily called them to inform him what time the Star ap∣peared.

I adore thy Sacred Name,

O my God, For permitting [ 17] that which was spoken by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Prophet to be thus ful∣filled, In Rama was there 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [ 18] voice heard, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 weeping for her Children, and would not be comforted, becaus they are not. The enraged King of Jewry meant to destroy those Infants,

but contrary to his merciless In∣tention wrought their Delive∣rance: By the Death he inflicted, he freed them from Sin, as by the Effusion of their Blood he accomplished their Baptism; and while that crafty Fox designed to involv the Son of God in the common Butchery, his wicked Devices recoiled upon himself in the Murther of his own. For, the Lord withdrew his beloved Isaac, and left a Thousand in∣nocent Lambs to be sacrifised in his stead and accepted for his sake. These were redeemed from among Men, being the first. fruits unto God and to the Lamb; and in their mouth was found no Guile, for they are without fault before the Throne of God. Weep not therefore for thy Children, Rachel, for, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are Blessed; they follow the Lamb whitherso∣ever he goeth, therefore be com∣forted.

O God the Judg of all, who, by the Death of these new∣born Babes, hast taught thy Church, that neither the ten∣derest Age, nor the most im∣maculat Innocence, is exempt from Suffering for Thy Sake, or incapabl of the glorious Re∣wards allotted to the Nobl Ar∣my of thy Martyrs: Giv all the Members of thy Church Militant here upon Earth Grace so to adore Thee in this and all other Transactions of thy Providence (how severe or un∣accountabl soever they seem to human Reason) as may con∣firm their Hearts in a hopeful Resignation to thy Will and an assured Trust that their cheer∣ful Submission therunto shal be crowned with thine Eternal Favor, when thy Church shal becom Triumphant in Heven. Assist me also, I humbly be∣seech

thee, to check the first Rise of my Passions, lest, being cherished in my bosom, they grow too head-strong to be re∣claimed, and break out into such Acts of Violence and Vil∣lany as are not to be named without Horror and Dete∣station.

§. 3.

Holy Joseph (having abode in Egypt til Herod was dead)* 1.3 upon the Information and Enco∣ragement [ 19] which he received from an Angel of the Lord, that they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dead which sought the yong Child's Life, arose and took the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and his Mo∣ther, [ 20] and came into the Land of Israel; but, in regard he [ 21] was afraid to go into Iuden, where Archelaus did reign in [ 22] the room of his Father Herod, being further warned of God in

a Dream, he turned aside into Galilee, and dwelt in a City [ 23] called Nazareth.

I prais and magnify thy Name,

O Christ, For ordering the seemingly accidental Circum∣stances of thy Life to fulfil that [ 15] which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophets; thy Return from Banishment, upon a Divine Summons, expresly answering That Saying, Out of Egypt hav I called my Son; and thine Abode in Nazareth, accor∣ding to God's Direction, impli∣citly corresponding with This, he shal be called a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. [ 23] In all my Spiritual Desertions, whensoever I am restrained from thy Sanctuary or cast out of thy Sight, Lord grant I may pa∣tiently attend, and at last hap∣pily find, the seasonabl Returns of thy Grace and Presence, and

altho my whol Life be an un∣settled Pilgrimage, yet be thou pleased to refresh me in the various Stages of it with the Society and Priviledges of thy Chosen Peepl, and bring me in the end to the place where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Honor dwelleth: that as Thou,* 1.4 O Child of God, didst grow and war strong in Spirit, being [ 40] filled with Wisdom; so the Grace of God may be upon Me in like manner.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Mat. 2. 15. — 23.
• * 1.2

  S. Mat. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  S. Mat. 2.
• * 1.4

  S. Luke 2.