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. IV. Of His Acts at the first Passover.

§. 1.

AFter this he went down to [ 12] Capernaum with his Mo∣ther, his Brethren and Discipls, but they continued [ 13] there not many days; for the Jews Passover was at hand, and therefore Jesus went up to [ 14] Jerusalem, where finding those that sold Oxen, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and Dovs, and the Changers of [ 15] mony, sitting in the Templ, he made a Scourge of small Cords and drove them all out thence, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out the Chan∣gers Mony, and overthrew their [ 16] 〈◊〉〈◊〉; saying unto them, Take these things hence:

I prais and magnify thy Name,

O Lord of Hosts, thou Migh∣ty God of Sabaoth, who, for the more publick and notabl Decla∣ration of thy Power, didst sig∣nalize the very Commencement of thy Ministerial Function by purging thy 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Authority, from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gross Prophanation of those 〈◊〉〈◊〉 made it an Hous of 〈◊〉〈◊〉; which was an Act so ex∣traordinary [ 17] as gave thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 occasion to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that it was written, The zeal of 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Hous hath eaten me up: May all Places religiously set apart for thy Worship be ever 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in a venerabl manner, I beseech thee, and in thy Sanctuary let evry man speak of his Honor that dwels there; that when we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 upon Thee, O God, in the midst of thy Templ, our Hearts being

〈◊〉〈◊〉 from all Sacrilegious Thoughts of Secular Negotia∣tions, which like a Cage of 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 are apt as wel to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as keep a place in thy holy Habitation, the Templ of thy more especial Presence may be (as it ought) a Hous of Prayer, not a Den of Thievs.

§. 2.

Most H. Jesus, When the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 these [ 18] things, questioned 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Autho∣rity, saying, 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 thou unto us? Thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 briefly make Answer unto them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this Templ, and in [ 19] three days 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 rais it up.

I celebrat thy Sacred Name,

For the hidden Mystery and yet most undoubted Truth cou∣ched in this thy prudent Reply; which became easily intelligibl

when thou wast risen from the Dead, after that both Jew and [ 22] Gentil had employ'd their ut∣most Power and Malice to de∣stroy thee; for, then thy Disci∣pls not only remembred that Thou hadst said this unto them, but they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 understood that to be spoken of the Templ of [ 21] thy Body, which the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 misapplied to their material Templ, in the building wherof [ 20] forty and six years were elapsed. I humbly beseech thee, O Lord, That the actual Accomplish∣ment of all thy mysterious yet most infallibl Predictions may so enlighten the Understanding of thy Discipls in this later Age of thy Church, as to engage Our Faith with no less efficacy than it did that of thy primitiv Follow∣ers, [ 22] who hereupon believed the Scripture and the Word which Jesus had said.

§. 3.

O B. Jesus, tho many 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [ 23] in thy Name, when they saw the Miracls which thou didst in Jerusalem at the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in the Feast-day; yet didst [ 24] not thou commit thy Self unto them, becaus thou knewest all Men:

I glorify thy great Name,

For this eminent Expression of the Divinity of the Son of Man, who was so far abov the necessity of depending or rely∣ing on the faithless or feebl Ge∣neration of Adam, that He 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not that any should testify of [ 25] them; for He knew what was in Man, even while he vouch∣safed to be conversant with them upon Earth in the likeness of Men. I humbly beseech Thee, O Christ, let the same Spirit

which rested upon Thee be my Comfort and Support, that from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I lean not on any Child of Man, for there is no Hope no Help in them, but fully settl my whol Trust in God, and commit the Keeping of my Soul to Him in Wel-doing, as unto a faithful Cre∣ator. And further teach me, by this thine instructiv Exampl, so much discreet Caution, both in my Dealings with Men, as may prevent the betraying of my Self to their deceitful Pra∣ctices, and in my Deportment towards God, as may ever ex∣press me duly sensibl of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Omniscience.

Notes

• S. Joh. 2. 12, — 25,
• S. Joh. 2.
• S. Joh. 2.