First, The Time.

THE Time of Christs Incarnation (he saies) was in the sixth Moneth: That was, sixe Moneths after his Fore-runner, his Cosen (Iohn the Baptist) was Conceived, that He might goe before him: and that was, in the dayes of Herod King of Iudaea; at the fourth verse. But, there were more Herod (Kings of Iudaea) then one: and therefore this makes no great certaintie. Yet, if you will reckon (as he said to Abraham) according to the time of life, but nine Moneths Gen. 18. 10. after, from the Birth, backe hither, you may quickly know more cer­taintie; that it was (at the Chap. 2. verse 1.) When Augustus Caesar Chap. 2. taxed all the world: and, all the world knowes when he raigned, and had power to taxe. In his time, Iosephus tels us, that Herod, the sonne of Antipater (the Idumaean) was King of Iudaea. Therefore now (as Iacob prophesied,) was the fulnesse of Time for Shiloh to come: for the Scepter was departed from Iuda, and was in the hands of an Idu­maean: Gen. 49. 10. and, at this time, was Christ Incarnate: So (heere) is the Pro­phecy fulfilled.

I will not take upon me (with the Postillers) for more particulari­tie, to tell you; That, as it was in the sixth Moneth (that is, March,) wherein God made the world; so was it also, in the sixth Age of the World: and in the sixth day of the Weeke, wherein God made Man: and in the sixth houre of the Day, wherein Man fell; and the same Day of the Weeke that (thirtie three yeeres after) he dyed, to repaire Man. These Curiosities, as they are nice; so, (be they true, or false) they are needlesse. It is enough for us to know, That He came at the Time, he was promised: and that was, when the Scepter was departed. So, God, is as good, as his word.

But yet, the Church gives us to know, by the time of the Institu­tion of the Feast, that (of all times of the yeere) it was in the Spring time: the Time when God makes all the world fresh, and new againe: Ecce Omnia de novo facio. He was doing a new thing upon the Earth. Ier [...]. 31. 22. And new, not onely the World, but all the Low vertues (withered in the world) began againe, of new, to rise gently with him. Now, that [Page 5] Germen (that Branch) begins humbly to bud foorth of the Roote of Iesse, (clothed in our base flesh,) when all the tender Buds and Flowers peepe lowly from the Earth, wrapt in the poore swadling bands of their owne huskes.

When the Aire was calmed, and Peace (the daughter of Humilitie) began to fill the Earth, that the Low growings of the Meeke, might not be hindred: At this Time, When all things, by their tendernesse are easily bended: at this humble Time, did he humble himselfe: And therefore the Church keeps the Feast in a time of Humiliation: For the Annuntiation seldome, (or, never) fals out of Lent. So have we first found Humilitie, in the Time.

Secondly, The Place.

THe Place of his Conception, was Nazareth: It was in the Tribe of Zabulon, three dayes journey from Ierusalem. Heere was He con­ceived; and here was his Mother borne; and, in this Place, was hee very conversant. In the Synagogue of Nazareth, he made an excellent Sermon on the Sabbath, concerning his owne divine office: out of the 61. of Isaiah. Heere, his Mother dwelt: and (heere) hee dwelt also, Matth. 2. 23. (as Adrichomius reckons) twentyfoure yeeres. From this Towne, He got Fol. 141. a Name, Iesus Nazarenus: and Saint Matthew sayes, there was a Pro­phecy Matth. 2. 23. for it: He shall be called a or, Naza­rene. Nazarite.

Now, Nazareth, was no Village, but a City; so Saint Matthew, and Saint Luke (both) call it: and, it stood in Galilee (a Region, to this day, famous for his dwelling there: And, there was a Prophecy for this also, (as Saint Matthew tels us, and cites it out of Isaiah:) The Land of Zabulon, &c. Galilee of the Gentiles, the people that sate in Matth. 4. 15. darknesse saw a great Light, &c. And, from this Region, he also got a Name, (Galilaeus) a Galilean.

Nazareth, the Place of his Conception, signifies a Flower. His Mother, is Flos Virginum: a Flower of the Roote of Iesse: and Hee, Flos de Radice ejus: and, Flos Campi, the Flower of the field: (Can­ticles 2. 1.) Cant. 2. 1. So wee have heere, a Flower, (Christ;) springing from a Flower, (Mary;) in a Flower (Nazareth;) among Flowers (that is, in the time of Flowers,) the Spring.

Galilee signifies, Transmigration: and, this Flower, (there sprung) did (after) transplant himselfe from the one part of that Region, to the other: from Nazareth, to Capern [...]um. And, not onely so, but all about that Region, from place to place, till he had twice (at least) compassed it round, and preached quite through it: that he might every where leave the sweet savour of Life unto Life; the pleasant ayre of his heavenly Doctrine behind him. And, it produced excellent effects: for most of his Disciples were of this Region. So the Iewes affirme; when all the Apostles were together (in the Acts) they say, Acts 2. 7. Are not all these which speake of Galilee. These bee some Honours (in­deed) to the Place, but where is the Humilitie.

[Page 6] Nasareth, was a City indeed; but, such a poore one, as wee find no mention of it in all the Bible, till we come to the Conception of Christ in it. So, it was not famous: nay rather, infamous: (if Nathaniel speake, as he thought.) Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? It gave him a Name too, (indeed:) but, when the Iewes called him by Iohn 1. 46. it, (Iesus Nazarenus,) they did but mocke him: And, that, which hee had from Galilee, did him as little honour. For, both Hee, and His, were mockt by it, even to Iulian the Apostata's time, who dyed, with that scornefull word in his mouth, Vicisti Galilee. It was called Galile of the Gentiles, where he was conversant: And the Gentiles, were the scorne of the Iewes. Salomon had given twenty Cities of this Region, to Hiram the Gentile, whose people dwelt there: and therefore, it was 1. Reg. 9. 11. so called. And, even in those flourishing times, (Salomons time) it was so meanely thought of, (even, by Hiram himselfe) that they pleased him not, but he called it Cabul: (Dirtie, or Barren;) and said, What Cities are these, that thou hast given me, my Brother? A barren, de­spised Place it was: Out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet. He was borne in Iohn 7. 52. Bethleem, Migravit in Galilaeam: hee was but Transplanted (heere.) This Flower of the field, grew not here by Nature: the Soile yeilded none such. Hee was (here) right Rosa inter spinas: For, neither the City, nor the Region could adde any honour to him. A Prophet hath no honour in his owne Countrey; nor Hee in these: they were (both) of meane respect: These Places were long agoe despised: and (much more) since: there was Povertie, and Dis-respect enough, to make them humble Places (both.)

And thus (we see) as he chose Ierusalem (a famous City) to suffer in; To teach us, to feare no shame, in the greatest assemblies, for his sake, (as He did not therfor ours:) So He chose (unlike the great Kings of the Earth) Nazareth, (an obscure City) in Galilee (a despised Place) to be marryed to our flesh: to teach, us Humilitie. So, there is Humili­tie in the Place too.

3. The Persons.

THe Persons in the Story are three: ¹ God, ² Gabriel, and ³ Mary: And if we will consider the Persons together: (ere wee doe a­part;) we shall find many threes heere. Not onely three Persons, but also three Natures: First, God (the Divine.) Secondly, Gabriel (the Angelike.) And thirdly, Mary (the humane Nature.) Secondly, in every Person three Acts: God first sends: secondly, descends: and third­ly makes himselfe Man: The Angel first enter unto Mary: Secondly, declares his Message: Thirdly, ascends: departs from her. Mary first Beleeves: Secondly, Consents: Thirdly, Conceives.

There are also three things; First, a Message: Secondly, a Dia­logue: and thirdly a Conception: and they have each a threefold re­lation.

[Page 7] The Message hath relation; First, to God, the Person, that sent it: 1. Secondly, to Gabriel, the Messenger, that brought it: and thirdly, to Mary, the Party, to whom it was brought. The Dialogue hath Re­lation; 2. First, to Mary, that demands: Secondly, to Gabriel, that an­swers: and thirdly, to God, concerning whom. The Conception re­lates; 3. First, to God, that was: Secondly, to Mary, of whom he was: and thirdly to Vs, for whom hee was Incarnate. There are also three Things in the Message; First, a Salutation: Secondly, a Benediction: Thirdly, a Narration. In the Dialogue; First, a discussion of her feare: Secondly, a Conformation of her faith: Thirdly, an Expression of her consent. In the Incarnation, an Vniting; First, of the Godhead: Se­condly, the humane Soule: and thirdly, the mortall Body, into One Person.

Lastly, here are three Conjunctions, (this Day.) God and Man, in Christ: a Virgin and a Mother, in Mary: and, Faith, and Mans heart, in every good Christian. If the Astronomers hold there was a great Trigon of Constellations at his Birth: I am sure here is a great Trigon of Trigons, at his Conception: Saint Bernard sayes, they were great. For God and Man were never knowne in Vnity of Person before: and it was never heard, that the same person, (being a Virgin) should beare a Sonne; and (being a Mother) remaine a Virgin, till now: And third­ly, as unlike it was, that the Faith of such a Mystery, could ever joyne, or adhere to the heart of naturall Man; no more then Steele and Potsheards: Neither could it, indeed; but onely, in glutino Spiritus Sancti: and that hath done it. All these, from the Parties: and, all, but to this effect, ‘that Christ might be made the Sonne of Man,that wee might be made the Sonnes of God.’ And (thus) we see, it pleased God to restore man, by the same order and manner, as he fell. He fell, the Devill, ordaining: the Serpent, executing: a Dialogue, interce­ding: and a Woman consenting. So (heere) he is Restored; God ordai­ning: an Angel executing: a Dialogue interceding: and a Woman consenting. But to enlarge these particulars, were to make a Volume for a Library; not, a Meditation, for an houre: Therefore, I will onely consider, the Persons (in severall:) and lastly, conclude with the Message.

The first Person (in this dayes Story) is God: à Iove principium: We will begin there. God, is a Trinity of Persons in himselfe: three 1. God. persons, and, all three, God: and, all three, send; Missus à Deo, came from them all: It is an old rule, in Divinity, that all Gods Workes, ad extra, are done by the whole Trinity. And the sending forth of an An­gel, is a worke ad extra; Therefore, from the whole Trinity, he came. Heere, God sends, first his Messenger: then his Sonne. First, he sends: and (after) descends; or rather, condescends. For, this was no locall Motion: hee mooves all things, and is not mooved: And, as (after­wards) he ascended into heaven, yet left not the earth; So (heere) hee descends into the World, yet leaves not heaven; but, at one, and the [Page 8] same time, fils all in all. He came to us, non locum mutando, sed prae­s [...]am per Carnem exhibendo. But of his descending, anon: Now we may aske why Hee should send, Cum Inimici essemus, (as Saint Paul sayes) When we were not onely Aliens, but Enemies? Saint Iohn will tell us the reason, Sic dilexit: He (so) loved us, (how much, it is not [...]. 5. 10. Iohn 3. 16. possible to say) but Sic dilexit, that he humbled himselfe; and sent not onely his Servant, but his Sonne; even, to his Enemies. Here is a faire, and great example! ‘While you were Enemies, hee loved you, love you then your Enemies.’ In Enemies, there can bee no merit of love: what is then the reason, for Gods dilexit? we never could (yet) find any other, but sic voluit; such, was his good pleasure in Christ. And, if we be not satisfied with this, but (in curiosity) enquire further, Hee will enquire after us with Quis es tu homo, Who art thou, oh man thy selfe, that thus enquirest? He requires thy beliefe; and, thou en­quirest a cause: he offers thee an object, (fit onely for thy faith:) and thou wouldst have it come under thy reason.

And yet, there is a reason of Gods will: but, it is fit for God onely, and not for Man, to know: But, if thou wilt needs be reasoning; say, if it seeme not most fit and reasonable, that God should will, what he pleaseth: and doe what hee wils; since thou knowest, that Hee who wills; what he cannot doe, is not God. This is reasonable, be content then, with thy reason, and admiring his Humility, doe thou love him for his sic dilexit, quia sic voluit; for, so, he wills thee to doe, and med­dle not with Quare voluit? Leave that to him alone, for ever. Wee were utterly [...]anged from him; we had not onely deviated, and (like Sheepe) gone a [...]tray, but were become Enemies; we had lost both Power, and will to send to him: that he then (our better) would seeke a Rec [...]ciliation, and first send to us, was great goodnesse, and great humilitie: Let us then love him for his goodnesse, and not onely ad­mire, but imitate him in his humilitie; that sent not onely his Messen­ger, but his Sonne: and that, not to come alone, but even to dye for us; that we might bee reconciled. And so much for the Person, that did send: and his Humilitie in sending.

Now, the Messenger sent, was an Angel; Gabriel by name: wee 2. Gabriel. find him so named in foure places of Scripture: yet it hath not, from any of them, beene concluded of what Order he was: some thinke that he was of the highest Order. For Saint Gregory sayes, Su [...]m Angelum venire dignum fuerat, qui summum omnium ann [...]ciabat. Thomas Aq [...]nas is direct, hee was an Archangel, and satis credibile, the highest of that order: howsoever, an Angel he was, even by this Office. For, Saint Gregory sayes, that the Spirits of God are not al­wayes called Angels, but then onely, Cum per eos aliqua annunciantur. And if when aliqua annunciantur they bee Angels, when maxima an­ [...]tur they are surely Archangels, by his rule: And hee will have his Name to agree with the nature of this present Office: For Gabriel (interpreted) is Dei fortitudo: therefore, (saith be) per Dei fortitudi­nem [Page 9] annunciandus erat, qui potens in praelio ad debellandas potestates aereas veniebat. The Lion of the Tribe of Iuda was now to be Conceived, therefore Dei fortitudo was to declare it: it was fit an Angel of a great power, should be the Messenger.

But it may be asked (concerning this Message) First, what needed an Annunciation? or Secondly, If any; why, by an Angel; not a Pro­phet? or Thirdly, if by an Angel, why not in a Dreame onely, but by a corporall vision? These are but Curiosities; yet, they have their answers.

1. First, an Annunciation was fit, Vt priùs mente quàm carne conci­peret: 1. For, beatior Maria percipiendo fidem Christi, quàm concipiendo carnem Christi, (sayes Saint Augustine). Secondly, that Shee might be a more certaine witnesse of this great divine Mystery, being thus plaine­ly, 2. and sensibly instructed. Thirdly, that Shee herselfe might have oc­casion to offer her owne obedience to the will of God; ecce Ancilla Do­mini. 3. Fourthly, that there being a Marriage to bee made betweene the Sonne of God, and our Nature, the consent of the Virgin might 4. be had, Locototius humanae naturae: for though Predestination be com­pleate, sine nostro arbitrio causante; yet it is not, sine nostro arbitrio con­sentiente? so some speake.

2. Now, why an Angel; rather then a Prophet?

First, that Gods ordinance might bee kept: who commonly de­clares divine Mysteries to men, by the Ministery of Angels: and so, 1. even to the Prophets themselves. That, as the Law was declared by the Ministery of Angels, so the Fulfiller of the Law might be declared Acts 7. 38. Gal. 3. 19. Heb. 2. 2. by an Angel. Secondly, that as the Devill sent a Serpent (not a man,) to deceive the woman, in our Overthrow; so God, might send an An­gel (not a Prophet) to instruct the Virgin in our Restitution: So here is 2. a good Angel conversing with a woman, about our Salvation; as, at first, there was an evill one, conversing with a woman about our O­verthrow. Thirdly, for the agreement betweene the Persons: for, Sem­per est Angelis cognata Virginitas, Angels, and Virgins are of a Consan­guinity. 3.

3. Lastly, why by corporall vision? First, because God was to be made manifest in the flesh; therefore the Messenger was to bee visible 1. to the eye: since all the Apparitions in the old Testament, were but to prefigure God in the flesh. Secondly, for the dignity of the Virgin her­selfe: for since Shee bore God, not onely in her minde, but also in her 2. Body, it was fit, she had a corporall, as well as a mentall apprehension of the Messenger. Thirdly, it agreed with the certainety of the Mes­sage. For, we apprehend that more certainely which we see with our 3. eyes, then what we conceive onely in our minds.

Now, as God did seldome any great thing on earth, but he gave a Modell or Type of it first: as, for the Tabernacle, he gave Moses a patterne in the Mount: as (also) to Ezechiel for the Temple: so heere, for the Incarnation. For, the comming of this Messenger was prefi­gured [Page 10] in the 24. of Gen. As Abraham sent his Servant (there,) to Gen. 24. provide a Virgin to be wife to his Sonne Isaac (who was also a Type of Christ;) so God sent his Servant (an Angell here) to provide a Virgin to be Mother of his Sonne. Rebecca gave her consent (there:) so, Mary gives her consent, (heere:) fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum; And, as Rebecca not onely made the Messenger, but the Camels drinke; So Shee, not onely to Angels, but to us (vile men) hath opened the Fountaine of Ioy, and everlasting gladnesse.

This great Ambassador, from the King of Heaven comes to poore Nazareth, in despised Galilee, and (there) humbly salutes the lowly Virgin, bowing downe, with an Ave, a Salutation that throwes an Humilitie even on the Garbe and very posture of the Saluter. Thus hee descends! And, though hee bee held an Angel, an Archangel, so great in power, so glorious in degree; yet, is there nothing of it exprest in this humble Text; but all shut up, and con­cealed in his bare name onely. And why? because his Master (from whom he comes, the Sonne of God himselfe) is, this Day humbled, and hath all his Greatnesse and Glory shut up, and concealed in his low Conception.

So, by the example of the Sender, here is Humility, bowing downe in the Angel, that is sent: nay, hee seemes to bee the very Angel of Humilitie. For, he, (the same Angell) even Gabriel, that tels Mary (here,) of the first Act of Christs Humilitie, (his Incarnation;) tels Daniel, in his ninth Chapter, of the last Act of his Humilitie (his Death): here, he comes with Sanctam nascetur, and (there) with Messiah oc­cidetur: Dan. 9. This, is the same Messenger of both. Humiliation is His First, and Last. To shew, they were both ordained, and executed; both from the same person, and to the same end: that he might be hum­bled for us, and we exalted by him. And so much for the Angel of Humilitie, the Partie sent.

The Partie, he was sent to, Saint Luke describes very plainely. He 3. Mary. calls her, by her Name. And that, was Mary. For which, we are part­ly beholding to him. For, if Saint Mathew and he had not set it down, we should scarce have knowne truly where to have had it: for none of the rest, in any mention of her, doe name her. I will not stand to de­scribe her by the mysteries of her Names Interpretation: as, that it signifies Bitternesse, and Exaltation: and, that as Christ tooke to him­selfe the Bitternesse of his Passion, in taking our Flesh of her; so hee hath Exalted her, and us, when he carried it to the right hand of his Father, &c. and, many such like. But, I will observe her onely, as Saint Luke hath here described her: and, that is, by her owne, and by her Husbands Condition. First, Shee, was Mary, a Virgin, espoused: and secondly, He, Ioseph a Man of the House of David: Concerning 1. both which, Questions have beene raised. 2.

First, why should Christ be borne of a Woman, the weaker Sexe, rather then of a Man, the more noble, and so, more miraculous. 1. [Page 11] Secondly, if, of a Woman; why, of a Virgin? Thirdly, if of a Virgin; 2. why was Shee Espoused? Fourthly, if Espoused; why, to one of the 3. House of David? that all this was so, is plaine in the Text: why it 4. should be so, shall be answered.

1. First: Why he was borne of a Woman, not, of a Man? Be­cause 1. the Lord would doe a new thing upon the Earth; A woman shall Iere. 31. 22. compasse a man: Now, for one of mankinde to be made of an other, without a Woman, was no new thing: for so was Eve made of Adam, long since. And, for a man to be made without woman or man, is older: for, so was Adam. And, for one to be made of man, and Woman, is almost as old, and much more common; we see it daily. There is no Newes in these. Yet there was one way left, and that was New indeed; for one to be made of a Woman, without a Man, was never done before. And this was as miraculous as any of the other. This was Novum in terris, Mulier circundabit Virum. Secondly, Because he was to exe­cute his Office in the Sexe of Man, as most fit, and free from scandall: therefore he would take his flesh from Woman; that that Sexe might not be despised: and therefore, as S. Augustine sayes (to Men;) despise not your selves ô Men, for the Sonne of God was made a Man: so, he saies to Women; despise not your selves ô women, for the Sonne of God was made of a Woman. Formam viri assumendo, & de Faeminâ nascendo, Vtrúmque sexum hoc modo honorandum judicavit. Lastly, he was tru­ly borne of a Woman, to shew that he had a naturall, and no fan­tasticall or fictitious Body.

Secondly, But if, of a Woman: why, of a Virgin? Certainly 2. for Decencie: if, for no other cause. For, wee cannot but confesse (with S. Bernard) that if a God were to be borne, it were fit a Vir­gin, of all others, should be his Mother: and, if a virgin should bring forth a Childe, it were fit that Childe should be a divine one. But there are reasons more. First, He that should take away Sinne, should be without Sinne: which none can be, that is borne ex copulâ: there­fore he must be borne of a Virgin. Secondly, To fulfill old Prophecies, Ecce virgo concipiet: and, that oldest; Semen Mulieris conteret caput Serpentis: therefore (sine semine viri) Shee must be a Virgin, that must beare him. Thirdly, that as he had in Heaven, a Father without a Mo­ther; so he might have in Earth, a Mother without a Father. As the first Adam, out of the Earth without a Father: so, the second Adam out of (Mary) Terrâ sanctâ the Earth, the Land of Promise, without a Father. Lastly, that it might be a figure of our spirituall Regenerati­on; which (like his) as S. Iohn sayes: is not of the will of the flesh, nor of Iohn 1. 14. the will of man, but of God: therefore S^t. Augustine well concludes: O­portebat caput nostrum, insigni miraculo, secundum corpus, nasci de virgine; ut significaret sua membrade virgine Ecclesiâ secundum Sp. nascitura.

Thirdly, But why was this Virgin betrothed? For three Causes: First, for Christs: Secondly, for her owne: Thirdly, for our sakes. 3.

1. For Christs: First, that in seeming the Sonne of Ioseph, and to [Page 12] be borne in Marriage, he might thereby hide his Glory from the divell, and the world: Secondly, lest he should have beene justly cast out by 2. those Infidels, as one Illegitimatly borne; for had shee beene unmarri­ed, who could have blamed Herod, and the Iewes (saies S^t. Ambrose) 4 if they should seeme to persecute a Childe borne unlawfully? Thirdly, 3. that Ioseph might be a Nursing Father, to the Infirmities, and wants of His Child-hood.

2. For her owne-sake: First, Lest the Iewes should have Stoned 1. her, as an Harlot, by their Law, Deut. 22. if shee had had a Childe, and Deut. 22. never a Husband. Secondly, that shee might be kept from scandall, as 2. well as from punishment. Thirdly, that Ioseph might be to her, and her 3. Infant a provident Provider, and loving Companion, in all their neces­sities, and dangers.

3. Lastly, for our sakes. First, to Commend not onely the pure­nesse of Virginitie, of which Christ was borne; but also, the dignitie 1. of Matrimonie; without which, Christ would not be borne. Second­ly, that the Iewes might not say, we had an Illegitimate Messiah. Third­ly, 2. that our Virgins might have no colour to offend, by her example. 3.

4. Now, Why shee was espoused to a man of Davids house? was first, and principally, to show that Shee (Christs Mother also) was 1. of the same Family. For, they were not to marry out of their owne Tribe. And, since all the Pedegrees of that Nation ran still (according to their ancient Custome) in the Male line, and not the Female; there­fore secondly, that his Genealogie might be described to the Iewes (ac­cording 2. to their owne Custome) by the Mans side, his putative Father, (who was of the same Line, with his Mother): for (as Saint Ambrose hath well observed) Qui in Saeculum venit, Saeculi debet more describi: thirdly, to declare, that the Prophecies, and Expectations of the Iewes were fulfilled. For, it was most commonly knowne both to the Scribes 3. and Pharises; yea, and to the people, that the Messiah should be of the house of David. For, God had sworne to him, that hee would set one of his Seed upon his Throne: this they knew, and sang every day in the 133. Psalme. Therefore was even his Mothers Husband also, of that Psal. 133. House: fourthly, and lastly, to show the Virgins Humilitie. For, 4. though shee was the Daughter of Kings: nay, though shee was the Mother of God: yet, her Husband (of the same House) was no better then a Carpenter. Which when we consider; as, in her, it showes low­linesse: so, in us, it pricks the bladder of all humane Glory; and, makes us even ashamed to brag any more of our carnall Nobilitie: since the Mother of God, was the wife, and he himselfe accounted the Sonne of a poore Carpenter. This for the Questions: now something of her Person.

Many (and indeed too many) Encomions have beene made of Her [...] and too farre, have some gone: yet (to avoide Superstition) we must not lay by all the Reverence, we owe to the memory of blessed Saints: especially to Her, (no doubt, the most blessed of them all.) Therefore [Page 13] something would be said. And all, that I will say, shall be but by way of Similitude: and I will compare Her but to two things: Gedeons Fleece, and Salomons Throne: (peradventure two Types, or Figures, of her).

First, like Gedeons Fleece, she onely received this heavenly dew, when all the world was barren, besides her. Secondly, the filling that 1. Fleece, was a signe of the Iewes delivery; and the Conception of this 2. Virgin, a signe, and a beginning of ours. Thirdly, this Fleece recei­ved the Dew, without hurt to the Wooll: and this Virgin conceived 3. this immortall Dew, without the corruption of her flesh. Fourthly, Gedeon wrung out this Dew, and filled a Vessell with it: and Mary 4. brought forth her Sonne (that fils this great Vessell the world, and all that is in it.) But lastly; in this Shee exceeds the Fleece of Gedeon. For of the Fleece of her Body, Christ made himselfe a Garment, (even 5. his owne Flesh) which hee weares to this day; and will doe, for ever.

Now she may bee compared to Salomons Throne, in these. First, that Throne was the Royall Seate of a King: and she, the royall Mother, 1. the Receptacle, of the King of Kings. Secondly, in that Throne, none but the King onely sate: and, in her Wombe, Christ onely lay. Thirdly, 2. in that Seate, Salomon sate to Iudge all the people: and, in that flesh 3. which Christ tooke of her, shall He sit to Iudge all the people: even, the quicke and dead. Fourthly, that Throne was made of Ivory, (a part of a most chaste Beast:) and She, of purest Ivory; even Chastity it 4. selfe, being an immaculate, and perpetuall Virgin. And, as long kept Ivory, turnes red: so long kept Virginity (as in her,) turnes into Mar­tyrdome. Fifthly, that Ivory was covered over with the best Gold; and her chast Body was gloriously enriched with the beames of the 5. God-head, when the Holy Ghost came upon her. Sixthly, the Top of the Throne was not [...]ornerd, but round; (the most perfit figure:) and She, 6. tota rotunda; without any base corners of iniquity: a most perfect, and good Woman. Seventhly, this Throne had sixe Steps, that made it high; and Mary had sixe Graces, that made her eminent. Gratia super 7. Gratiam. Mulier pudica, saith the Ben-Sirach, Ecclus. 26. 15. A mo­dest Eccle. 26. 15. woman is a Ladder of Graces.

The first Step whereof in her, was her Wisedome. The Text sayes here; Cogitabat. Sapientis est cogitare, Shee thought what manner of 1. Salutation that might bee: Here, shee thought: and, in the second of Luke 2. 19. 52. Luke the 19. she pondered, and considered: and in the 52. verse after; Conservabat in Corde, She kept these sayings in her heart. She thought; She pondered; and laid to heart the contents of the Gospel. A great signe of Wisedome: nay indeed, the truest Wisedome of all. The second de­gree, is her Modesty: She feared; Turbata est; She was abashed: like 2. a good Maid, at the presence of a man. And, She answered the An­gel in very few words: this sweet silence is a great Vertue in Woman­kind. And she was troubled at the manner of the Salutation, to heare [Page 14] her [...] commendations from the Angel. The more that goodnesse is commended, the more it feares. ‘Theeves steale away our goods; and commendations our vertues:’ therefore Shee was troubled. A great signe of Modesty. The third degree, is her Chastity, Shee was a Virgin: we have proofe enough of it, for the Text cals her so: Shee 3. herselfe sayes so, Virum non cognosco: and the Angel finds her where a Virgin should be: ingressus est ad eam. She was not gadding abroad: he found her at home, and within. The fourth degree, is her Faith: She doubts not of this great Mystery; nor requires a signe, (as Za­chary 4. did in the conception of Iohn Baptist:) her, quo modo fiet istud, is not like his, unde hoc sciam? Shee onely requires de modo, of the Meanes; since shee knowes not man: Shee had read in the Law, and beleeved, that a Virgin should conceive; but shee never read of the Meanes; that was never before revealed to Man, but reserved for the mouth of an Angel. Zachary doubted of the Angel Gabriels words, even in the ordinary course of Nature; and required a signe, with unde hoc sciam? Therefore he was dumbe, and sang not his Benedictus, till his Sonne Iohn was borne: Shee asked no signe; but admiring a worke above Nature, beleeves the same Angel, and is made a Signe her selfe. (Ecce Virgo concipiet, was said as a signe, to Achaz,) and shee sings her Magnificat, before her Sonne was borne. The fifth de­gree, Isai. 7. 14. is her Obedience: Shee consents, and becomes readily obedient 5. to the will of God, in saying: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Saint Bernard seemes most eloquently to wooe her to this answer, that the expectation of Mankind might, through her Obedience come into the world: O pulchra inter Mulieres (sayes he) fac me audire vocem tuam? Si ergo tu facies eum audire vocem tuam, ipse te faciat videre salutem no­stram. So Shee obeyed, and said, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum, be it to Me, according to thy Word. The last degree, is her Humili­ty: which is the adjunct to her Obedience: and the very axis of all 6. this Text. Her last words before the Act of the Incarnation (the fiat mihi) are, Ecce Ancilla Domini. That is her profession, to bee a Ser­vant, in Humility. Quae est haec sublimis Humilitas? (sayes Saint Ber­nard) facta est Mater Dei, & dicet se Ancillam? What sublime Hu­mility is this? Shee is made the Mother of God, and cals her selfe an Hand-maid? This made one say, that the Humility of the Vir­gin Mary, was the heavenly Ladder, by which our God descended to the Earth. The very ground of her Magnificat is respexit humi­litatem: the Respexit (heere,) and the Exaltavit both, are Humilita­tem, not Virginitatem: had shee not beene humbled to Ancil­lam Domini, shee had never sung, Fecit mihi magna. Virginity would not serve the turne: Despised Humility, is above magnified Virginity: Saint Bernard was of that mind, To Virginity (sayes he) you are invi­ted, Matth. 10. Matth. 18. to Humility you are compelled: of Virginity it is said, let him that is able, Qui potest capere, capiat. But of Humility, Nisi quis efficiatur sicut Parvulus non intrabit in Regnum Caelorum. Without Virginity you [Page 15] may be saved; without Humility, you cannot: and in this very point, he concludes with an audeo dicere, hee is bold to say it, that without Humility, the Virginity of the very Virgin Mary herselfe had never beene acceptable. You (saith he, to the proud Virgins of his time) you forget Humility, and glory in your Virginity: But Mary, forgetting her Virginitie, glories in her Humilitie. Be not proud of Virginitie: for in the Parable of the ten, there were as many Foolish ones, as wise.

These sixe Vertues were in her, as sixe Steps in Salomons Throne; Matth. 25. which once gone over, Salomon, or rather Plus quàm Salomon fuit in Throno, A greater then Salomon reposed in it. Where, after he was set, he had the duae Manus, the Supporters of each side the Throne (the Father, and the holy Ghost) that never left, nor utterly failed him. And, at his Descent, the Twelve Lions (the twelve Apostles) that shall here­after sit on twelve Thrones themselves, and Iudge the twelve Tribes of Israel. And as the Queene of Saba came to see, and offer Gifts to Sa­lomon, sitting on his Throne: So, came the Easterne Sages to adore, and offer to Christ, sitting on his Throne; even, in the Lap of his Bles­sed Matth. 2. Mother; where Salomon in all his Royaltie, was not like him. Such was this Paradise, which God prepared to make our second Adam in! Yet how gloriously soever shee be compared, the Burthen of her Song is Respexit humilitatem: and, all that shee professeth is, Ancillam Domini. So there is Humilitie in the Partie, sent unto. And so much for the Persons that, ¹ did send; that, ² was sent; and, ³ that was sent unto.

Fourthly, The Message.

NOw for the Message, it consisteth of three parts. First, He makes her attentive, by his Salutation, and discusses her Feare. Second­ly, He declares the Mysterie it selfe. And, thirdly, and lastly; Induces her to Beliefe, and Consent; by the example of her Cosen Elizabeth, that hath now Conceived in her old age.

For the first. He begins with an Ave, the first Ave we reade of in the Bible. Therefore, Turbata est in sermone ejus, shee was some­what 1. troubled at it; Cogitabat, Shee began to be attentive; and thought what manner of Salutation that might be: It is called (in the text) a Salutation: and justly; therefore it is no Prayer: it can be no Prayer: for Prayer is either Petitio, or gratiarum Actio: this, is neither. There­fore, except the Romanists can make better, they are like to obtaine no­thing by this; nor have so much as Gramercy, for their labour. For, in this, they neither aske any thing, nor give thanks for any thing. Ave gratia plena (without naming her) hath a great Emphasis: as though he should say: O Thou, full of grace (without any name), All haile! Gratia plena] If Shee were full of Grace, before the Conception, who can tell how shee abounded afterwards? well, saith He, full of grace; For, to others Grace is given by parts; but into her, the very fulnesse of Grace did p [...]re Himselfe at once: and (full of Grace:) because hu­milibus dat gratiam, and, Shee, was humble.

[Page 16] The Lord is with thee:] Adimpleat Ventrem, qui adimplet Mentem; sit tecum in utero, qui tecum in Animo est. With Thee, he is: tecum, in Corde; tecum, in ventre; tecum, in auxilio: Not onely in his Power; as, with all: nor onely, in the vertue of his Grace; as, with some: but, with thee, in the flesh, (made of thine owne pure blood) as never yet, with any.

Blessed art thou among Women] Because Eves offence brought paine to all Womens Bowels, as a punishment; but by the fruit of thy Bowels it shall be accounted to them as a merit, they shall now be saved (saith Saint Paul) by bearing of Children. All women were subject to the Curse of God; or, the Curse of the Law: the Wife, to the Curse of God; [in dolore paries:] the Virgin, to the Curse of the Law, [Maledicta Gen. 3. 16. Sterilis]: Shee, avoided both these. Gods Curse; because shee re­mained a Virgin: and, the Lawes Curse; because shee bare a Sonne. Some are blessed, because they keepe their virginitie: some, because they have fruit of their body; but most blessed is Shee, that hath fruit of her body, and yet keeps her Virginitie. Well may shee be called Bles­sed among Women. For this woman tooke away the Curse, which the first woman had brought on all Mankind, by bringing forth a Blessing in steed of it: Life, in steed of Death; wherein shee may more truly be called, Mater Viventium, then ever Eva was.

Feare not Mary, thou hast found grace with God]. Why should she then feare? Qui apud Deum invenit gratiam, non habet quod timet. Thou hast found grace, in Conceiving the Author of all grace: the grace, that Eve lost, thou hast found with God. From him, it comes, and freely, it comes: Invenisti, non meruisti; this, was opus sanctum. This, was the free Spirit of grace; the Spirit of Gods Love; that wrought this: and therefore no merit of hers (or, ours) was here. Thus ought we to Conceive Christ in our hearts by faith: and after, (being full of grace) bring him forth in good works. Thus farre, the Salutation, and discussion of her feare.

Now secondly; in the second part of the Message, he comes to re­late the Mysterie of the Incarnation. And (first) He tels her what 2. manner of Child shee shall Conceive: and (after) by what meanes shee shall Conceive.

First then, he begins with Ecce concipies: the very words of the 1. Prophet, so long before: Ecce Virgo concipiet & pariet Filium. Onely, God be thanked, the Time altered: that, was long since prophesied; and Esay 7. 14. this is now, in hand.

Thou shalt conceive, and beare in thy wombe, a Sonne:] Angels may wonder to see him in the wombe of a Virgin, whom heaven, and earth cannot containe. O Virgo (saies Chrysologus) concipitur ex te Author tuus: ex te oritur Origo; in tuo germine est Genitor tuus: in tua Carne, est Deus tuus; & Ipse, Lucem Mundi per te capit, qui Lucem Mundo dedit.

And thou shalt call his name IESVS]. ô dulce melos! In aure, me­los; In corde, Iubilus: at this Name, Let all knees bow, both of things in [Page 17] Heaven, and things in Earth, and things under the Earth: and let all Tongues confesse that IESVS is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father They, that de­ny to how their knees at this Name, have need of the Prayer for the stubborn [...]ewes, Heb. 13. 20. The God of peace, &c. make you Perfect, ( [...]) that is, set you in joynt, for though they stand stiffely, yet (sure) they walk not uprightly, that deny this dutie.

For he shall be great, and called the Sonne of the most High]. Surely, the Sonne of the most high God. For, Qui ingreditur, & egreditur, & introitus sui & exitus, nulla vestigia relinquit, divinus habitator, non humanus est. And how great he shall be followes, for he adds: And the Lord God shall give him the Seate of his Father David]: He had sworne it, in the 133. Psalme; and, is (now) as good as his word: that hee might rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron, and bind their Princes in Chaines: that is, even fetter their Consciences in the Lawes of his divine Gospel. And, though they be strong, (even bonds of Iron) and Lawes, ever durable: yet is his Burthen, sweet, and his yoake easie; they shall willingly submit unto it. David (though a King) was a Shepheard; so, was Iacob; and so, was Christ. He shall rule (saith the Angel) in the house of Iacob,] id est, Aswell like a Shepheard as a King. For, his Sheepe shall know his voyce; and, of his Kingdome there shall be no end. For His, is the Kingdome, Power, and Glory, for ever, and ever. Amen.

Such was the Sonne, shee should conceive: Now, hee declares the 2. Meanes, upon her Question of Quo modo fiet? [The Holy Ghost shall come upon Thee: the Vertue of the most High shall over shaddow thee: and that Holy Thing that shall be borne of Thee, shall bee called the Sonne God.] Wherein three things. First; he shewes Quis, who did it. Se­condly; Quo modo, how it was done. And thirdly, and lastly; Quid, he describes againe the Worke that was made (the Child that she should beare).

First: Who did it? It was the Act of the whole Trinity: they 1. Quis. all descend, and condescend to the worke: He names them plainely in the Text. For, heere, is ¹ Spiritus Sanctus; and ² Virtus Altissimi, (id est, Patris;) and, quod vocabitur, ³ Filius Dei: the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost. So, they are All present: and the Worke, was of them All; they did it: three Persons, doe one Act; for all three, are but one God.

But if (with Mary) wee will aske the Angel, quo modo; and en­quire 2 Quo modo. after the manner; wee can but have the answer which he gave Her. And, howsoever Shee understood it, by what shee felt in her Chaste body, or apprehended in her pure minde; yet it is a darke Myste­ry, and too hard for us. His words bee; [The holy Ghost shall come upon. The Vertue of the most High shall over shaddow thee: and the holy Thing shall be borne.] This last we onely understand: we know what it is to be borne. For, we were all borne our selves. But, for the rest, wee may admire, but never understand them. Superveniet in Te, is more, then Veniet super te: to come upon in Thee, is a strange phrase to us. And, as little can wee make of Virtus obumbrabit: wee cannot conceive how the Vertue of his brightnesse, that is the Father of [Page 18] Lights, should obumbrare become a Shaddow. A Domino factum! It is Gods doing, and it is wonderfull! But, some, paraphrase it thus. ‘The holy Ghost shall come upon, and in thee, to purge, and clense thee, that thou maist conceive without sinne: the Vertue of the most high Father shall over-shaddow, and sustaine thy weake Nature: sub um­bra alarum, under the shaddow of his Wings: for so great, and mysterious a Worke: and the Sonne of God shall bee borne of Thee.’

Saint Augustine would expresse the worke of the Incarnation to the Iewes, in this manner: ‘Behold (saith hee) the Harpe, what sweet Melody it makes: three things seeme to be present: ¹ the Art, ² the Hand, and ³ the String; and yet, but one sound is heard. The Art dictates: the Hand touches: the String sounds. Three worke to­gether; the String onely sounds; neither the Art, nor the Hand; yet, they both worke with the String: So, neither the Father, nor the holy Ghost was Incarnate; yet, they both wrought with the Sonne. The String onely, sounds; and Christ onely tooke Flesh: yet, it was the worke of all Three: But, as the sound belongs onely to the String; so, the Humanity belongs onely to Christ. And thus, as three persons clothing one of themselves with a Garment, doe (all of them) the same worke;’ and yet, but one of them is clothed. So heere, All wrought; but the Sonne onely was Incarnate. Thus, some have adven­tured to expresse it by comparisons: but (to say the truth) for the true quo modo of it indeed, we must bee all driven to confesse (with Saint Chrysostome) I know the Word is made flesh; but quo modo factum sit, nescio: and wonder not (sayes he) that I know not; for, there is not a Creature knowes. And even Saint Augustine himselfe comes in (at last) and for his part, confesses asmuch: Let the faithlesse Iew (saith he) tell me how Aarons dry Rod budded, flowred, and brought forth ripe Almonds, and I will tell him, how the Virgin conceived, and brought forth a Sonne. But, neither can the Iew, expresse the concep­tion of that Rod; nor I, the conception of the Virgin. And should the whole Conclave of Fathers bee asked their verdict, they would all come in, with Ignoramus. Wee will leave (then) the Factum Mirabi­le, the wonderfull concealed Mystery of the Manner; and heare, what the Angel sayes of the Factum mirabile in oculis nostris; the wonder, that wee may see with our Eyes, the Thing done: the Person in the Flesh.

And that is [Sanctum quod ex te nascetur, vocabitur Filius Dei] it is plaine, by this, which person of the Trinity was Incarnate: namely Quid. Filius, the Sonne. Ne filii nomen ad alium transiret, qui non esset filius aeternâ nativitate: Lest any of the Persons should have the name of Sonne, that was not so, from all beginnings. Hee cals him sanctum, that Holy Thing: Sanctum though it be substantively put here, is (of it selfe) an Adjective of the Nominative Case, Neuter gender, and Singular Number; and, hath heere no Substantive. Wee may well [Page 19] supply it from Saint Iohn; and, call it Sanctum Verbum. For, that is the same Case, Gender, and Number (there). And, as (here) Sanctum nascetur; so (there) Verbum Caro factum est; Which, is all one in ef­fect, and beares the same sense. But (Sanctum) will well stand alone, for a Substantive too. For, it is not one of his Attributes onely; as be­ing Conceived by the Holy Ghost (and so, Holy); but, it is his very Name. For, so his Mother sang of Him, before he was borne. Hee that is mightie hath magnified mee, and, Sanctum nomen ejus: Holy, is his Name. And that Shee learned (here) of the Angel: who adds, that this Holy shall be called the Sonne of God.

Before; he called him Filius Altissimi; just, in the same verse, where he names Spiritus Sanctus: to shew, that Altissimus and Spiritus San­ctus, are two distinct Persons: and (here) he cals him, Filius Dei; to shew, that Deus and Altissimus, are both one person. For, one cannot be Sonne, of two. He cannot be the Sonne of Altissimi, and of Dei too; unlesse they be both one. He is (then) the onely begotten Sonne, of the Father: and, Ipse, Altissimus: and, He, is the most high God, ever to be praised.

And though it be said, Conceptus ex Spiritu Sancto, and that the Holy Ghost wrought here: yet, he is not the Sonne of the Holy Ghost. For, every thing that is borne, by, or of, a thing, is not (presently) the Sonne of it: no more, then a Christian that is borne of Water, is the Sonne of Water. But, the Worke of his Conception is more principally attributed to the Holy Ghost; because it was Opus eximiae Charitatis, a Worke of singular Love towards us. And Love, is the proper Influ­ence of the Holy Ghost; who is Spiritus Charitatis. Therefore, Con­ceptus ex Spiritu Sancto, is properly said. And, He was Conceived, non ex substantiâ, sed ex operatione Spiritus Sancti. For, being begotten of the Father, before all worlds; and borne of a Virgin, in the fulnesse of time: having a Father, for his God-head; and, a Mother, for his Man-hood, (which are both his Natures;) the holy Ghost cannot be his Father: For so, there would be two Fathers in the Trinitie, of but one Sonne; which were an absurditie. Neither, is the holy Ghost (though he proceed from the Father and the Sonne) the Sonne of either of them. For then, there would be two Sonnes in the Trinitie, and one of them, a Father. Hee (then) is the Sonne onely; and the onely Sonne; and that, onely of the Father: they (all the three) that wrought; but Hee onely, factus, the Holy Thing that was made. He is, and vocabitur shall ever be called, Filius Altissimi, the Sonne of the most High: that is, the Father.

Which holy Thing, the Son of God [ex Te nascetur] shall be Borne of Thee, (saith he, to the Virgin) that is, be made Man. He was so. For, (as Baudinus sayes) In ipso Conceptionis momento Carnem & Animum, ut statim perfectus esset homo, suscepit. He tooke on him, whole Man, that he might heale whole Man; (quod enim inassumptibile est, incurabile est). He took all, that God hath planted in our Nature, (Sin excepted:) for, God [Page 20] never planted that there: that was our owne Worke. Hee was but in the similitude of sinfull Flesh; not, in sinfull Flesh; but, very like it. For, like sinfull Flesh, it hungered, it thirsted, it wept, it smarted; and so, like sinfull Flesh it was, that it was sinfull Flesh, in the body of his Mother, before he tooke it: but, when the holy Ghost came upon her, it was wholy cleansed, and made fit for Innocence it selfe to weare, before he put it on.

But, can the Deitie; can the Divinitie be in the Flesh? how may that be? It is Saint Basils question; and He shall answer it too, for mee. Even so (saies he) as Fire is in Iron: not, by Transition, but, by Com­munication. For, the Fire goes not forth, to the Iron; but, remaining in his owne place, imparts his vertue to it: neither is it diminished by imparting; although it fill that wholy, which receives it. Thus doth the Word (this Sanctum, saies he) not remooved from it-selfe, dwell with us; without any immutation.

Thus came this heavenly Fire, into the dull Iron of our Flesh: and, when the holy Ghost came upon the Virgin (as the Sunne upon a Rose, or Lilly) to quicken and make it grow, then did this glorious Light [obumbrare,] take of her his Body, quasi umbraculum; that, by the shadow thereof, he might exhibite himselfe to us. And that (since he is a Spirit; and we, but Flesh) we might, by the object of his Body, see God, in the Flesh, with our eyes; as we see Fire, thorow a Skreene: the Sunne, thorow a Cloud: or a Light, thorow a Chrystall Lanthorne.

And well might hee be called the Sonne of God. For, Qui Concep­tu suo Virginem servat, & ortu suo Virginem relinquit, non Terrenus, sed Coelestis homo est. And this, had his Type too. Hee was prefigured in the Bush of Moses: Hee was the same Fire (here), that he was (there). For, as the Fire burnt in the Bush; and yet; the Bush lost not her Green­nesse; so Christ was Conceived, and borne of her; and yet Shee lost not her Virginitie. Hee descended (there), to deliver them from Ae­gypt; and He descended (here) to deliver us from hell, and the darke­nesse thereof. And this, for the second part of the Message; the decla­ration of the Mysterie.

Now in the third (wherein wee will be briefe;) Hee induces her consent; shewing the possibilitie, by the example of her Cosen Eliza­beth: 3. and so, to proove that nothing is impossible to God. For, Shee (now, sixe Moneths agoe) even beyond the course of Nature, in her old age, Conceived his forerunner, Iohn; Who was also, Vir humilis: Living, in the Wildernesse; feeding, on nothing, but what grew of it selfe, (Locusts, and wild Honey); Clothed, in Camels haire; with a Gir­dle, but of Skins, about his loynes. So, hee concludes his Message, with the mention of an other patterne of Humilitie (but, that belongs to Saint Iohn's day); and Mary concludes the whole Story, with the obedience of her Humilitie: Ecce Ancilla Domini! fiat mihi secundum verb [...]m tuum.

But, to say truth; of all Humility, none is like that of [Sanctum [Page 21] quod nascetur] His, that (this Day) was made flesh: for him, to bee brought so low! For him, that thought it no robbery to bee equall with God, to be humbled, usque naturam hominis, usque ventrem Virginis: usque filium Ancillae; usque formam Servi: usque Lectulum Praesepii; And lastly, usque mortem maledicti, seemes to be too much for him, that is Deus Deorum, & Dominus Dominantium: yet this (of the Incarnation) goes lower, then them all. For, in his Humanity, hee wrought miracles in his being the Sonne of a Hand-maid, hee shewed himselfe, and was called a Master: in his Servitude, he commanded devils; in his Cratch, he was adored: in his death, he shooke Heaven, and Earth; but, in his Incarnation, hee seemed so weake, that Verbum non potuit fari Verbum, the word could not speake a word; much lesse, did he doe any thing to shew his power. If ever Humility bee to bee learned by example; it is, from him.

Let us learne it then. For (heere) wee have the Humility of God, the Sender: of Gabriel, the Messenger: of Mary, the Mother; and of Christ, the Sonne, our Saviour, for our example; and all, in the Text. [So the Angel departed from her.] And, so much, for the Text, and Gospel for this Day.

BVt shall wee end heere, and leave Humility in the dust? There should ever with a Humiliatus, goe an Exaltavit: Friend, sit up Luke 14. 10. higher; was said to him in the lowest place. If any be exalted, it shall be the humble and meeke: for, none can be lifted up, but from a low place; and, out of the dust, will he raise the humble.

Christ was (this day) humbled: we celebrate it this day, in the me­mory of his Incarnation. Hee was brought downe into the dust of our Earth, (our flesh.) But, when hee rode magnificently into Ierusa­lem with On Palme-Sunday. the Acclamations of Rex Israel, and Gloria in Excelsis, a­bout him; hee was (in some sort) Exalted: Hee rid in triumph then. And (as this yeare fals out) we celebrate that Exaltation, this very Day, also: for this, is Dominica in ramis Palmarum. Palme-Sunday, as well as our Lady-Day.

And though Durandus, in his Romish Rationale, would not have them kept both at once, but one of them (the Annunciation) put off, till the next day; yet, doth our Church very well (this yeare) to keepe them (as they fall) both upon one day. For though the one, be of his Humiliation; and the other, a kind of Exaltation; yet, they have many things so like, (by the way) that they may seeme Types one, of an other: and they both end in Humiliation.

For first; this day, when he drew nigh to Ierusalem, hee sent two of his Disciples to a Towne, to prepare him an Asse to sit on: And (this 1. Day) when the fulnesse of Time drew nigh, he sent one of his Angels to Nazareth to prepare him our flesh, to put on. Secondly, They had 2. [Page 22] charge, if any contradicted (with, quare solvitis, &c?) to answer, that the Lord would use him; and then, they should consent to let him goe. So, the Angel, when Mary seemed to question (with quo modo fiet?) He answered, Sanctum nascetur: the Lord would put it on; and Shee consented; fiat mihi. Thirdly, they found the Asse tyed, where two wayes met: and Hee found our flesh tyed by Satan, and originall 3. sinne, betweene the two wayes; of good, and evill. He sent, Hee came to loose us; And (now) we are all Freemen in Christ. Fourthly, upon 4. this Asse had never man ridden: and, the flesh of the Virgin, had no Man corrupted: yet, was it an Asse used to the Yoake; and yet, was Shee, sub Iugo; Betrothed to a Husband. Fifthly, As the Prophet cryes to Ierusalem, to foretell his comming, with an Ecce. Netimeas Filia 5. Sion: Ecce! Behold thy King commeth to thee meekely, riding on an Asse: So the Angel hath his Ecce, almost in the same very termes, Ne timeas Maria: Ecce! Behold, thou shalt conceive, and beare in thy Wombe, (that is, thy King commeth to thee, meekely clothed in thy Flesh.) And sixthly, Mary may be well compared to the Daughter of Sion. For, 6. Filia Sion was the City of David; his Castle, and dwelling house: and Mary was of his Seede: his Daughter; and one of his house, and family.

To Her, our Saviour comes, as to the Daughter of Sion, this Day. For, seventhly: As this Day, he descended from fruitfull Mount Oli­vet, riding humbly on a poore Asse; So now, Hee descended from 7. the glorious Mount of Heaven, clothed humbly in our poore Flesh. Eightly, Hee comes (this Day) into the Wombe, to the same purpose that he rode, this day into Ierusalem: that is, to become a Sacrifice for 8. us. Therefore the Prophet, so long agoe, called him, Rex tuus (non a­lienus) thy King; ex te natus: in te nutritus: pro te moriturus. Hee Zach. 9. 9. comes, not with glory, to Iudge; but, with meekenesse, to suffer: not, like Nebuchadnezer a Forraine King, to Captive; but, like himselfe, (Rex tuus) thy King, to Redeeme, and leade Captivity Captive. To thee, Hee comes; (Venit Tibi, non Sibi.) And ninthly, as Hee came to Ieru­salem with a Quoties volui? shewing how oft, before, Hee would have 9. called them: so, he came not (this day) in the flesh, till he had shew­ed us quoties voluit, how oft (before) hee desired to bee in the flesh for us; both by the mouthes of his Prophets; and, by his owne many Ap­paritions, in the likenesse of man, before his comming. Tenthly, Hee wept, when he drew neere the City: and no doubt but He cryed, when 10. Hee was borne for us; yet then, (as now) not so much for his Passion, as for Compassion. This had his Type too: for it was prefigured in Ie­remy, weeping over Ierusalem, for the Babylonish Captivity: as Hee wept over it (heere) for the Romish, which it was, shortly after, to suffer. E­leventhly, Hee had (there) his Disciples Clamantes: and (heere) also 11. his Angel Annuncians: they proclamied his Title in the Streets, Bea­tus qui venit Rex Israel, Filius, & Regnum David: and, the Angel sayes, this Day asmuch; Hic erit magnus; dabit Illi Dominus Sedem [Page 23] David Patris, & regnabit in Domo Iacob: that is, Rex Israel. They cryed Hosanna to the King, in Excelsis: where is Eternity. And the Angel sayes, Regni ejus non erit finis: there is Eternity, too.

As then, they met him, in his Triumph, with flourishing Palme-Branches; So, let us, (now) meete him, in his Humanitie with our flou­rishing vertues, which (in his Righteousnesse) makes us like greene Palme-Trees: for florebit Iustus sicut Palma; (saies David). And th [...]s much for the Analogy, which the Acts of The A [...] ­nunciation, and Palme-Sund [...]y. these Dayes have one Psal. 92. 12. with another.

But, the Fathers have made a more mysterious Explanation of some of these Things; which, (with what we have added) we will briefe­ly take view of. First, they compare this taking of our Flesh, to his 1. Riding on the Asse. For, as the Asse, is an ignorant Beast, fit for bur­then: So, is our Flesh he tooke, an ignorant Masse, fit to be burthened with the Humilities imposed on it in the Gospel. They say, that (ever since Christ rode on an Asse) their whole kinde have carried the print 2. of the Crosse, on their backs: I am sure, that since He tooke our hu­mane Nature, he hath enjoyned us to beare Him, his yoake, and his Crosse, on our backs: Wee are bought by him, and must submit our selves to this purpose: Empti estis pretio magno; glorificate, & portate 3. Dominum in corpore vestro. We must beare his Burthen; wee are led 1 Cor. 10. to it, by his example; for, he submitted his owne Flesh (after he had taken it) to the Carrying that burthen of wood on his backe, (the Crosse) for us; which, he hath enjoyned us, to doe also: Omnibus Oneribus patienter dorsum supponentes, to take up our Loads, our Crosses too, and follow him: therefore Vt Iumentum factus sum apud te saies David. Psal. 72. 23.

He came riding on an Asse Colt, whereon never man had ridden; and, on an Asse used to the yoake, (it is collected, that he rode (by 4. Math. 21. 5. turnes) on them). The Asse, used to the yoake, signifies the Iewes, mancipated to the Law. And the Colt (whereon never man rode) was the Gentiles, used to the Libertie of Nature: Hee came to both: that so, he might save both. They cast their Garments on the Asse, and in his way: and we must cast our Goods, and what we possesse (which 5. are the coverings of our Flesh) at his feet. For, Christ rode not on the bare Asse; neither will he have the bare obedience of our Soules, but of our Bodies, and all we possesse, at his dispose and Service. They, 6. that cast their Garments in the way, were the Martyrs, that cast downe their Bodies (the Garments of their Soules) for Christs Triumph, to goe over: and so doe they, that lay downe their possessions, and bring downe their bodies, by Abstinence and Fasting. For, thereby, they suffer a kinde of unbloody Martyrdome.

They (then) clothed the Asse with the Garments of their Bodies; and, the Apostles have (since) clothed the Doctrine of Christs Humani­tie 7. with the words of their mouthes. Simple Wisedome, is more glo­rious Attire, then all the Eloquence of the Heathen Orators. For, as [Page 24] Sampson destroyed the mightie Philistins with the Iaw-bone of an Asse; so hath Christ confounded the great Doctours of the Law, in Buccâ I­diotarum Apostolorum, out of the mouthes of the simple. And, though they speake simply, and seeme simple in our carnall eyes; yet, 8. we must heare, and obey them, comming in His Name. For, if God should speake to us, through the mouth of a very Asse indeed, it were no more to bee neglected, then it was to Balaam, who was a Prophet himselfe: Heere, if ever the proverbe were true, it was true now: Asinus portans Mysteria.

They not onely cast their Garments, but Boughes in his way, and they that prepare the way of the Gospell to our hearts, by sen­tences 9. out of the Scriptures and Fathers, breake Boughes, from those flourishing Palme-trees, and cast those Branches in his way. Clergy men breake Boughes, from Abrahams Obedience, Iosephs Chastity, and Moses humility, and cast them in the way: and Lay-men cast their Garments, their Goods at his feete, as they did (at first) to the Apostles in the Acts: learning from them, and their Succeeders, how to em­ploy, Acts 4. and dispose of all that they possesse, and both together, portant Dominum in corpore suo. By cutting boughes, by casting Garments, and bearing Christs Burthen, we shall be saved; for so was Noah, (by 10. cutting downe boughes, to make an Arke:) So was Iob, by casting Garments, to cloath the poore: and, so was Daniel, by daily labour, and bearing sorrow for his people, ut Iumentum.

Some, clothed the Asse; some, leade; some, cut boughes: some, cast branches: and some, strewed the way: Therefore, every man 11. ought to doe something, to entertaine Christ in the flesh, since every man cannot doe every thing.

They cryed Hosanna to him: which word (of it selfe) properly signifies nothing, but shewes an effect of a well-wishing minde; so, when 12. wee cannot find words to expresse our good affections to Christ, we must (at least) like them, Bene ominari suspiriis inenarrabilibus. Yet, Saint Hierome sayes, it signifies as much as, Salva, obsecro: for Domine sal­vum me fac (in Hebrew) is Anna Adonai Osianna. Therefore they cry­ed Osanna Rex Israel, filio David: Benedictus qui venit in nomine Pa­tris; Benedictum, quod venit regnum patris David: Pax in Coelo, Gloria in Excelsis: Hosanna in Altissimis: Almost the very Song of the An­gels, at his Birth. All which is (in effect) thus much: ‘Hosanna; save, wee pray thee, thou that art King of Israel, and wee thy Subjects, which art come by the Assumption of the flesh, in the name of the Fa­ther. Blessed is now the Kingdome of our Father David, to whom hee was promised: he that comes is blessed: and he comes blessing. Hosan­na Iohn 5. the second time, in Altissimis.’ The first Hosanna, was to Rex Israel, filio David: (his humanity:) this last, is in Altissimis, to his God-head, 13. in the highest heavens. Because Christ came, in his humanity, meri­toriously; and in his Divinity, effectually to save us, therefore Hosanna salva obsecro; to them both: that there may bee Pax in Coelis, and [Page 25] Gloria in Excelsis: that wee may (first) have Peace with heaven; and (after) Glory, in it.

Yet they understood not, what they said; no more then Caiphas: 14. but, they prophesied, and saved the Stones that Labour: and, when they would not still cry thus, the Stones themselves opened their mouthes, and rent at the Passion.

This was the cry, both of them, that went before, and them that came after. And, who were they? They, that went before, were the Patriarches, and Prophets of the Iewes; they that follow Christ are the Apostles, Martyrs, and Doctors of the Christians: the Prophets went before his face, to prepare his way, and make his pathes straight: and the Christians that come after, follow the path, that he hath trode out for them: yet both have but one cry, Osanna, Salva obsecro: For, as two (that doe will the same thing) are said to be of one minde; and two, that have Faces alike, are said to have one countenance: so, our Faith, and the Faith of the Ancients is the same Faith, though the manner of beleeving, be divers.

They carried Palmes also in their hands, a token of his victory (for their sakes) over Sinne, and all temptations; ‘Which gave the 15. Church (anciently) occasion to goe in Procession with Palmes in their hands,’ (on this day:) from whence, it was called Palme-Sunday. But (howsoever this custome is left) thus joyfully went they then before him; and thus honorably went He in Triumph to his Death; to shew, that he went, to triumph over Death: And, that they that saw him 16. goe so gloriously to his Passion, might know, that hee went, not (as a base Malefactor) to suffer for himselfe. And (withall) behold the vanity of worldly honor! When they, that thus joyfully now, brought him into the City, within five dayes after, thrust him out, and killed him. Yet hee, admitted their Acclamations; and why? when they 17. would have made him a Temporall King, he avoided them; but, now, they acknowledge that Hee comes to Restore the Kingdome of David, he not onely suffers them, but suffers none to rebuke them. Wee need not feare then, but hee will admit, and accept of Osanna Rex, in the Humility of his Incarnation, that refused it not, when he rode to his Passion: so it bee joyned with the consideration of his God-head, in Excelsis.

This noble and triumphant entrance into Ierusalem, had a Type 18. also: It was prefigured in Davids glorious Procession long before. For, (thus Triumphantly) brought he the Arke of the Covenant, into the Holy Tabernacle: and thus, in Triumph, did Christ bring his Body (the Arke of our Covenant) into the Holy City, and there placed it on the Altar of the Crosse, to be a Propitiatorium or Mercy-Seate, twixt God and us for ever.

Thus, our blessed Saviour, that (this Day) in his Incarnation, and Entrance into the World was humbled, was (this Day) also, in his glo­rious Iourney and entrance into Ierusalem, exalted.

[Page 26] But Humility is of that nature, that, set it never so high in this world, it will downe againe of it selfe; the higher it is, the lower it will stoope: And this lowly Sonne of his meeke Mother (here) did as well ride in Triumph, and kept his humility; as he was borne of her, and preserved her Virginity.

For, even among all this Pompe, and applause of people, (when all the City of Ierusalem was mooved at his Magnificent entrance) Hee himselfe gave a great example of Humility, in riding so simply on a poore Asse; with no better a Saddle, then a Cloake, or some such slight thing, cast on him. However they triumphed round about him, Hee was humble enough, himselfe: Hee tooke small pride in it. For, while they applauded, Hee wept: there was Humility running downe his Cheekes. Indeed, it honoured the City, that hee would thus ride into it, but it humbled him: Hee was never in any great honour, in all His life, but twice: At this time: and, in the Transfiguration: There, hee talked with Moses and Elias concerning his Death; and charged his Disciples to tell no man of his Glory: and (heere) he is going to his Death, indeed; and weepes, in the middest of his Glory. And this honour continued but a small time with him neither. For, they that thus admired him in the Morning, would none of them give him a lodging, at night; Hee was faine to goe backe againe to Bethany to bed: and within lesse then a weeke after, they were much worse alte­red towards him. Which Hee full well knew, that knew the thoughts of all men, and therefore looking on, and fore-seeing them (a sort of false Traitors to his life) Hee had little cause to bee proud, or joyfull at their Acclamations; though Hee suffered them. For, will you see what followed? Now they cry Hosanna, to the Sonne of David: then they cry, Take him away, take him away: Crucifie him, Crucifie him. Now they cry King of Israel: then, they cry, wee have no King, but Caesar. Now, they cut downe Boughes, to strew the way for him, to ride on: then, they cut downe a Tree to make a Crosse, to hang him on: Now, they cast their Garments before him: then, they cast Lots for his Garments: Now, they cry, Blessed is Hee, that comes in the Name of the Lord; but then; Cursed is he, that hangs on the Crosse. Wee see what became of this Exaltation: and how it ended. If hee were ever truely exalted indeed, it was his Humility that exalted him: nay, hee onely tooke Humility for his Exaltation. For, when hee meant one of his greatest humiliations (even that, on the Crosse) he sayes of it, when the Sonne of man shall be exalted, &c. No Exaltation would he admit Iohn 12. in this life, unmingled with Humility. For which cause the Apostle sayes: that (after death) God hath exalted: nay, superexaltavit, hath highly exalted him. It may well bee His Song, as it was his Mothers, (Hee hath exalted the humble and meeke.) But, this is not the Day of that Catastrophe, and finall exaltation: that was an unmingled one, and is an argument fit for an Easter day: Wee are now Meditating of the beginning, not onely of his life in lowlinesse; but of his Passion, in [Page 18] Teares, even this Day of his seeming Glory; and therefore our object is principally his Humility: his emptying himselfe, even to the bot­tome, and becomming of no Account. His Humility, in comming in the flesh, for us: His Humility, in going to his Death for us: of both which, we keepe the remembrance this Day.

From both which, if wee can but learne one short rule (of S^t. Ber­nard) it will be Vse enough. That since the lower hee made himselfe in Humility, the greater hee shewed himselfe in Charity, wee may all say from the bottome of our Soules, Quanto pro Me vilior, Tanto Mihi Charior! Marke (ô Man) that art but Earth: See thy God humbled, and be not proud: And, since hee is joyned to thee, bee not ungratefull to him: So shalt thou (in the end) bee exalted to him, that for his Humility was exalted to the right Hand of God. So shalt thou, by thy Humility find Wisedome, (even the Wisedome of the Father;) Him, whom the whole Humility of this Go­spel directs to: Thou shalt remaine with Him; and He, with Thee: For, Vbi Humilitas ibi & Sapientia: Amen. So bee it, Lord Iesu.

1. Qui?

VVHo were they that sought? Pastors, Shepheards, sayes the Text; Poore simple men; that (at the eighth verse) were sitting up this cold night, in the open Field, to looke to their Flocke: and (when they least looked for such a matter,) they had a vision of Angels, and the Birth of our Saviour was (first of all) made knowne unto them. These sought. And, good reason had they, so to doe. For who would not to see such a sight, set on going? When an An­gel visibly from Heaven, shall tell them that but Even now (Hodiè) this Day, is borne their Saviour: and, that Hee is heere, hard-by; in the City of David, within lesse then a Adrichom. fol. 49.Mile: who would not goe, (nay, runne) thither? It is no mervaile if they sought. But, the mer­vaile will be, why such Messengers (as Angels) would tell, and (first of all) tell so high a Mystery to such simple fellowes? One would thinke, when the King of Heaven is borne, that, as the Messengers are Angels, so the Message should be brought, (first) to the Kings of the Earth, ex congruo. For, they are Gods too; and, the Sonnes of the most high. And, Angels, with Kings, have some likenesse: My Lord Psal. 82. 6. [Page 33] is as an Angell of God; said Mephibosheth to King David. But, An­gelus ad Pastores? quàm malè conveniunt? This raised the question in 2 Sam. 19. 27. Aquinas, Vtrum sint convenienter electi, &c. Whether there was a fit choice of the Persons, to whom Christs Birth was manifested? Which needs no answer, when we see (by the Text) that God thought it fit. Yet, the conveniency will sinke the better into us (since Man, is Ani­mal rationale) if wee conceive some Reasons for it. First then, though they were but simple Shepheards; yet, they were Iewes: and, to them, Christ doth properly belong. Hee, is their Promise: due to them, by Oath: their Flesh and Blood: their Kinsman, according to Gen. 22. 18. Rom 9. 5. the Flesh. To them (then) first, it is fit he be revealed. And, to the poorest of them of his owne Family, rather then to the greatest stran­ger of the Gentiles: Secondly, because they were poore: to the poorest of his owne family, rather then to the Richest; For, to such he (prin­cipally) came: For the sake of the Poore, and needy, arise will I, saith Psal. 12. 5. the Lord. Thirdly, because they were simple men, uncompounded with the world; living after the ancient fashion of the Patriarches: using the old profession of their Father Iacob, and dwelling in the same place; (for, this, was Magdall Eder, where he kept Sheepe, and held Gen. 35. 21. by some to bee the same Tower of the Flocke, that is prophesied by Micha to be the first Receiver of the Newes of this Birth. And thou Mich. 4. 8. Tower of the Flocke, the strong hold of the Daughter of Sion, unto thee shall it come, even the first Dominion, &c). These men (we see) had not travelled farre in the World, nor medled much with it. For, they dwelt in the same place, and used the same profession their Fathers did, many hundreds of yeeres before. They troubled themselves little with the new Inventions of the times, but lived, more Majorum, in their honest and prime simplicity; therefore to them, rather then to the proudest new-fangled Pharise: for, Cum simplicibus sermo ejus. Fourthly, because they were Vigilantes: Not stretched on their Beds of Ivory: but watching abroad with their Flocke. They were dili­gent Prov. 3. 32. in their poore vocation, and watching. And though (perchance) they looked for no such matter, at this instant; Yet, no doubt (in ge­nerall) they did (like Simeon) alwayes waite for the Consolation of Is­rael: Luk. 2. 25. Therefore as they watched, it was revealed unto them. For, Qui mane Vigilaverit, inveniet Me. Fifthly; Quia Pastores. To Prov. 8. 17. these Shepheards, because they were Shepheards. ‘For, to whom could the Angels tell the new Eaning of a Lambe, so properly as to Shepheards? St. Iohns Lambe; that takes away the Sinnes of the Episc. Wint. Iohn 1. 29. World? Esay's Lambe; that they might offer, to the Ruler of all the World, for a Present? Or, to whom could the Birth of a Shepheard, Isaiah 16. 1. come more fitly then to Shepheards? For, Hee was the chiefe Shep­heard;’ 1 Peter 5. 4. Iohn 10. 11. the good Shepheard, that gave his Life for his Sheepe. Sixthly, for Mystery: For, as Hee (after) made the first Preachers of his Death, and Resurrection to bee Shepheards: so (heere) Hee makes Shepheards the first Preachers of his Birth. Heere Hee makes Shep­heards, [Page 34] his Preachers: there, Hee makes his Preachers, Shepheards: Lastly, It is well these were but Shepheards. For, non vilis praesentia Pastorum (saith Beda), their Testimony is not to be despised: For quo vilior, ad prudentiam, eò pretiosior, ad fidem. They, were not Sapientes; great Clerkes, that could make a large Tale (and too large perhaps) of what they had seene: but Simplices; qui fucare audita nescirent, that could not make a Tale of themselves; not glosse the matter, other then in truth it was: and therefore fit to be the first Beholders, and first Divulgers of this great matter: and, for their Simplicity, to bee the rather beleeved: These are the men, that sought: and these are the Reasons, why they should be the first that find him.

2. Quando.

FOr the Time. They began to doe it, when the Angels were de­parted from them: when they had given the hint, and were gone into heaven againe. It is like, that as long as the Angels would have preached such heavenly newes, and sung such sweet Anthemes, that they could have beene content, to have stood still gazing there: but, that was not their Errand, to delight their Eyes, or Eares: but to send them to Christ. Therefore, as the Angel knew when, discreetely to end his Sermon, in fit time; so the rest sung but a short Psalme after it, that the Shepheards might be gone, to seeke their Saviour: which is, plus agendo, quàm audiendo: what ere we thinke (now a dayes). ‘It is not sitting all day at a long Sermon, that is the onely way (though indeed it bee in the Way): nor, being at an Exercise: but, by Exercising; that wee come to Christ.’ When the Shepheards heard the Angel; Christ, sought them: but, when they went from thence, they sought Him. That, was their part. Wee learne heere, when it is time to seeke him. When the Angell is departed. When the Preacher is gone out of the Pulpit, immediately after the Sermon is done: then, to goe a­bout it, presently. For, to that end they preach: and as soone, as wee have heard, wee must practise: wee must not deferre, but (as these Shepheards did) festinantes, making all the haste wee can; while it is hot in us: And, it is necessary so to doe: For, since we cannot doe it of our selves, it is good to catch the first occasion, or touch, lest it come no more. For, if it doe not, we can come no more by it, of our selves: it growes not in our Garden. Take heed: the Shepheards were but once called: they had but this one Apparition, and they went. Therefore now is the time; as soone as we heare of a Saviour: wee must seeke him: Not, stand (all day) hearing; but, goe about it. So, did they: The Text affirmes it: Factum est ut discesserunt, &c. As soone as the Angels went, (factum est,) It came to passe; They went too. This, learne wee of the Shepheards, to keepe time: But if wee marke; here is, not onely drinke, for us; but water, for our Cammels: Our Servants may learne heere. For, the Angels went backe into Hea­ven, Gen. 24. 19. [Page 35] as soone as they had done their errand: and, so should they. ‘A Messenger that is sent, should know the way home againe, and not stand loytring by the way.’ Those Angels, that came from heaven, and never returned backe, became Devils: and, the Bird that Noah sent forth, and came no more into the Arke, was no better then a Gen. 8. 7. Raven. But, if wee would have our Servants learne of the Angels, let us learne of the Shepheards. For, if wee (like them) doe the will of our Master, readily, when wee have our Hint from our Pastors, they shall be as Angels to us; and wee shall be, as Angels to our Fami­ly: teaching them, by our example to obey us, as readily. So, as the Shepheards were Schollers, to the Angels; and Angels, to us; wee, may be Schollers, to them; and Angels, to our Servants.

3. Quo modo.

THE manner of their Seeking was two-fold. First, Loquebantur ad invicem, (Which is more, then Dixêrunt): They Considered, and conferred about it; and (after) Venerunt, they went about it. These doe well together: but, never well, asunder. For, hee, that considers, and doth not; and hee that doth, and considers not, shall thrive much a­like. These, did both, but in their order: First, considered; then, went: Now, the manner of their Consideration, was not in cordibus, the thoughts of their hearts onely; but, it was by Conference; Loquebantur, they spake too. Their hearts were too full, to hold; they begin to talke of it: and that; not intra Se, within themselves, but inter Se, among themselves; ad invicem; that is, one to another: they Communicate their thoughts; as (no doubt) they would, their Writings, had they had any to this purpose. But Conferre they did: and, the substance of their confe­rence was an Exhortation; [Transeamus:] Let us goe: We may (heere) make them againe our Example. Let us Conferre, for there is no time lost, by such Conference. Such a Conference (in it selfe) is a part of the Iourney. The Soule (by it) hath so long out-stripped the Body, as the Bodie hath stood still, to conferre. For, when the Soule is once kindled by mutuall Incitements, it flies with Wings of fire, and drawes the Bo­die after it. Their Proceeding (and so, their Example) is every-way Christian. For, being Brethren of one Company, (and their Calling, generall,) they divide not: they say not, to one another, Transite; but ad invicem: the Exhorter, exhorts himselfe too: [Transeamus] Let us goe. Had it bin in some Societie, perhaps some one of them might (out of a private spirit) have sought a way to heaven by himselfe: and ha­ving (without warning) stolen out of the Company to finde it, thought it Charitie enough, to send a message or a Letter to the rest, to follow a far-off. But these, being joyned by Profession, and Calling, keepe together; speake together: and (friendly) exhort one another, [ad in­vicem] mouth to mouth; (as they are, so) to goe together, and will not breake companie, lest they also breake the bond of Charitie. They [Page 36] did so; We ought to doe so: and so, we doe. As Sir Edward Spencer sup. Heb. 10. 24. 1 Thes. 5. 11. You have heereto­fore exhorted Me (with a Consideremus:) so my turne fals now, to exhort you with a Transeamus: All men have a Calling to this; to ex­hort one another: and I, a particular one at this time, to Consangui­neorum. this Com­pany. For my part, (since I am now to speake) I thinke the best way to Christ, is, (with the Shepheards,) to keepe together; and goe together. Transeamus, by a Transition; from, what wee are, to what we should be, and wee shall avoide scandall. Let us translate, or transplant our selves, from keeping Sheepe in Magdall Eder, to finde the Lambe in Bethlehem. To inlarge this to understanding Soules (when I have given you a touch,) it is but to prescribe a way to the Spirit; who leades not every man in the same identicall path. Yet, wee know (in generall) that men may keepe together in a company, till they come to their journeys end: though each of them picke their way, as they travaile. I will therefore conclude this point, with that of S^t. Paul, (both for Order, and Vnity) Since wee are, by order, of one calling: and, by love, and affection; one Consangui­neorum. Phil. 3. 16. Society: In that whereunto wee are come, let us proceede by one Rule, that we may minde one thing. This, for the first. [They sought]: by exhortation; by enflaming each other mutually. ‘And surely many stickes together, burne more vehemently, then a single Billet.’ Wee may see it, in their prosecution. For secondly, when they had stird up one an other, they went a maine [Venerunt:] and that, festinantes: they came with speede. Some may thinke, be­cause that Country was full of Ravenous Beastes, (as we find, Iudg. 14. 5. 1 Sam. 17. 34. 2 Kings 2. 24.) that therefore they made such haste, and went apace, in care to their Flocke; that they might returne spee­dily to looke to their charge. If they did, they were the honester men. ‘For, a man may goe to Christ, and yet follow his calling, and have a care of his charge, that is left behind:’ Which he that hath not, is worse then an Infidell, in S^t. Pauls opinion. And, it was well they returned to their former calling. For had they beene like many 1 Tim. 5. 8. of the Monks and Friers of our time, when they had once beene cal­led to Christ, they would never after have beene good for any thing. But this was not it: for, they knew, Hee that called them from their Flockes, was able to looke to them, in their absence. For (without him) Frustra vigilat, qui custodit; the Watchman, Watches in vaine. Neither was it the frosty, or cold weather, (this Christmas morning) Psal. 127. 1. that made them mende their pace to catch a heate; it was indeed a Holy fire within them, that made them flye, like fire. And, if we can (like them) by laying our Incitements closetogether, kindle a sparke of this amongst us, the flame will soone breake out: wee shall goe, and (that) festinantes, with speede: wee shall keepe both their Time, and manner of seeking. But, why did they make such haste?

4. Quare?

VVHy did they seeke? they tell us plainely, Vt videamus: that they might see him, with their eyes, whom they had heard of, with their eares. Our sight, is a very delectable sence; and (of the rest) the most undeceiveable. Therefore, though love (sometimes) en­ter at our Eares, yet wee are not satisfied, till wee let it in at our Eyes too: They were inflamed when they heard of our Saviour new borne; they must (now) needs see him with their Eyes. And this de­sire was no wonder, nor new thing in them. For, it is naturall. The desire of the primitive nature of all mankind, is to see God (visibly:) from which desire (ill guided) Idolatry sprung first. For, the Gentiles made to themselves Images; that they might have somewhat of God, in their sight; (so desirous were they to looke on him!) It hath been also the hearts-desire of all his Servants. Moses did most earnestly, (though in a more rectified manner) desire it: If I have found favour, Exo. 33. 18. (sayes he,) shew me thy glories. David, often in the eighty Psalme, Lift up thy Countenance. And Abraham rejoyced to see, (though, but Iohn 8. 56. through a perspective, in contemplation onely). But, doe men natu­rally desire to perish? Wee know, no man can see God, and live. It is Eccle. 33. 20. true: not, as hee is God; but, if hee will become Man, wee may respicere in faciem Christiejus; Looke upon the face of his anointed, and Psal. 48. 9▪ Gen. 1. 26. live; yea, live, for ever. Therefore he said, at first: Faciamus ho­minem, ad Imaginem nostram: in such a forme, as God himselfe shall come in. This, is all the Image, that God allowes of himselfe: and, in this Image, hee came visibly to bee seene; that mans rectified desire might be satisfied. For, as he made the Blind man, see, (by applying Iohn 9. 6. Clay to his Eyes): So, Hee hath made us, see what wee could not: [Corpus aptando] by applying his Body, made of our Clay, and set­ting it before our eyes. Deus, ad homines, per hominem venit, & assum­sit Heb. 10. 5. de nobis ut videretur à nobis, (sayes Chrysologus): This, wee may looke upon, and live. But, to say truth, what Man would desire to see God, and live? It is such a sight, that after it, there is nothing worth the looking on. Simeon thought so: for, when hee saw him (though but as these Shepheards did) a poore weake Child in accompt, Hee had enough heere: Lord (sayes he) let me now depart in peace, for mine Luke 2. eyes have seene: now shut them up, for ever: I will goe willingly, and never looke more. ‘This confirmes, that as to bee put from Gods pre­sence, is the worst of Torments:’ so visio beatisica, to see God, face to face, is the Summum Bonum, that mans nature can bee onely satisfied with. For, if this were by Moses, Abraham, David, and these Shepheards so desired; and if Simeon (therewith) were so satisfied, when hee could but view his humane Body, where hee could not see the God-head, neither. (For, as S^t. Paul sayes, Wee see heere darkely, in 1 Cor. 13. 12. part, as through a Glasse:) what shall their joy be, when their desires [Page 38] shall be fulfilled? when they shall see him glorified? and shall know, as they are knowne; that is, perfectly? This vision, (since by it, wee shall enjoy God, and (in him) all that good is) is certainely the fi­nall desire of man; and, that, which can onely satisfie him: which they that faithfully behold Christ in the flesh, did heere, in some measure, taste; and doe now most perfectly for ever enjoy. This was their desire [ut videamus]: Let it bee Ours, and then, wee shall know.

5. Quo Duce?

BY what Guide, they did, (and we shall) obtaine it. Quod Domi­nus ostendit nobis; say they, in the Text: they acknowledge Him to be the Lord. It is not Andrew, to Peter; or Philip, to Nathaneel: It is not the Starre, to the Magi; nor, this Angel, to these Shepheards, Iohn 1. 41. that are any other then Instruments. ‘If a Master knocke with a Hammer for his Servant, it is not the Hammer, but the Master that cals.’ And, though wee cannot choose but allow due respect to the Meanes of our Calling; wee must take heede, wee over-doe it not. Keepe our selves from this; and those, that call us, will; if they bee right Angels. ‘For, the Angel that taught S^t. Iohn, would not en­dure the honour, which he offered him;’ but forbad it, though hee offered it twice, and set it right both times; saying; Worship God. Hee Apoc. 19. 10. Apoc. 22. 9. Iohn 6. 44. is (indeed) the true Guide, and the onely one, if you would goe on the errand the Shepheards went. For, Christ sayes himselfe: No man can come to Mee, unlesse the Father draw him. ‘Let us not then deceive our selves, to thinke it is the excellency of this mans eloquence; or, that mans, zeale; or, the other Angels, holy shew; or heavenly voyce;’ neither the Tongues of men or Angels, doe it: For it is, Pater, qui trahit. And this, these simple men (Shepheards, as they were) knew well enough: they speake not a Word, of the Angels: but, [Quod Dominus ostendit nobis] they lay all the thankes on the prime Cause: Quaerunt Christum Dominum, Domino Duce: They seeke Christ, the Lord; the Lord, being their Guide. ‘For, though they now sought him;’ yet, Hee first, sought them, and found them too, and set them on going: or else, they had never sought, nor found him. They might well say, Quod Dominus ostendit: For that is the truth: None comes to God but by God himselfe. And thus much for Venerunt: the first generall part, their seeking.

II. Invenerunt.

AFter the seeking, comes the finding: and that immediately (with­out interruption) Venerunt festinantes, & Invenerunt. There is nothing betweene, but an, Et, to couple them: neither (indeed) should there be: For, we must doe nothing else, till wee finde. Be not weary [Page 39] For, God will bee found of them that seeke him: Thou Lord never failest them, that seeke thee: sayes David. And they are (heere) come Psal. 9. 10. to it, [Invenerunt].

6. Quem?

BVt whom, did they finde? God? Alas, (S^t. Luke sayes heere) it was a Child; [Infantem; quasi non fantem]: a Babe, that could not speake a word to them, or helpe it selfe; whose poore Parents had not a Cradle, to lay him in; nor, a Mantle, to wrap him in. Was it for this the Angels sang so lowd, in the night? and they, came running so fast, before day, this cold morning? Certainely a sight, not worth the seeing, if there were no more in it. But, if you would know (in­deed) whom they found; marke, whom they sought. They came to see, What? (wee translate) the Thing, that is come to passe: But, it is (originally) ut videamus Hoc verbum, quod factum est. This Word, which is made. Now, there is something worth the sight indeed; which they well knew, we may perceive by their phrase (heere). And had they not knowne, as much (in effect) from the Angel, it had been but a poore, and unlikely signe, to find a God by, when he told them, they should find him in a Manger; wrapt, and swadled (like a Child) Verse 12. in a few clouts. Their Faith is to be commended, that they did be­leeve it: and, it is to be imitated too; For, if the Angel (or Minister) should tell us Christ is wrapt in Rags: that there is, Verbum, in Sacra­mento; that, wee may receive him, in such simple things, as Bread and Wine; we must beleeve it: and, we doe; though it be as unlike to hu­maine reason, as it was, for them, to find God, in a Manger. But, of the Place, (heereafter); now, of the Person. Hee is (heere) called Verbum. The Word, heere; when Hee comes into the world, to be­come a common Pledge, for all Mankind: and that, most properly. God hath (now) given his Word for our Salvation. And, more, then a bare word. For it is a Word, that is a Dead; [Verbum, quod factum est]. Gods Word, and Deede, are all one: All his facta, are per ver­bum. And now, the Word is factum, (a Deede). If you have once Verbum, (the Word of Promise) you may bee sure of factum; the Deede of Performance: and there it is, this Day. The invisible Word Iohn 1. 3. is made visible [Quod Dominus ostendit nobis] which Hee hath now set before our eyes. And certainely (that I may make bold with the Word, since I find it in the Text, though the Shepheards spake it not, in this sence directly) this name [Verbum] is most excellently given to our Saviour. For, it expresses his Nature in one, more then in many o­thers. Therefore Saint Iohn (when hee names the Persons in the Trinity) chooses rather to call him Verbum, then Filius: (the Fa­ther, 1 Iohn 5. 7. the Word, and the Holy Ghost, sayes hee). For [Verbum] is a phrase more communicable, then Filius. Filius hath onely reference to Patrem that begot him; but Verbum may referre to him, that [Page 40] conceives it: to him that speakes it, to that which is spoken by it; to the voyce, that it is clad in: and to the effects, it raises in him, that heares it. So Christ as hee is [Verbum], not onely referres to his Fa­ther, that begat him, and from whom hee comes forth; but to all the Creatures, that were made by him; to the flesh, that hee tooke, to clothe him: and to the Doctrine, he brought, and taught; and which lives (yet) in the hearts of all them that obediently doe heare it. Hee it is, that is Hoc Verbum: and any other (Prophet or Preacher); (were it Iohn Baptist himselfe; the greatest of the Sonnes of Women), Hee is, but Vox. Verbum is interior mentis conceptus: and Vox, is but Signum Intentionis. Iohn, was but a Signe, a Voyce; not worthy to untye the Shooe-latchet of this Word. Christ, is interior conceptus; the inner con­ception, in the bosome of his Father; and that is (properly) Verbum; the Word. And yet, the Word is the Intention, uttered forth, as well as conceived within: For, Christ, was no lesse the Word, in the wombe of the Virgin, or (heere) in the Cradle of the Manger, or (after) on the Altar of the Crosse, then Hee was in principio, in the bosome of his Father. For, as the Intention departs not from the mind, when the Word is uttered; so Christ, proceeding from the Father (by eternall Generation,) and (after, heere) by Birth and Incarnation, remaines still in him, and with him in essence: as, the Intention (which is conceived and borne in the minde) remaines still, with it, and in it, though the Word be spoken. He is therefore (rightly) called Verbum, both by his comming from, and yet remaining still in the Father. Hee is Verbum; and (this Day) this befals him; hee is Factum, Made; that is (as Saint Iohn expounds) Caro factum; made Flesh; such, as they might now looke on, and live; nay, not onely see with their eyes, but touch, Iohn 1. 14. with their hands: He is sensible, to the touch; and sensible of the touch too. Hee may (now) bee so touched, that hee may dye of it; even for them, that doe it. (But, this is not a Day for that). We consider him now, as hee is new made. Two makings hee had: and they are both in Galath. 4. 5. Factus ex Muliere, and factus sub Lege: (For his Making under the Law, wee will referre it to the To the Day of his Cir­ [...]umcision. Episc. Wint. Day). This, is his first Ma­king. Galath. 4. 5. This day, hee was made of a Woman; and (thereby) made a kin to us; for wee were all made of a Woman too: heere, is Vnity of Na­ture with us, and the beginning of all our comfort: for, now, Hee will not be ashamed to call us Brethren. Heb. 2. 11. This day, the Word it selfe is made; by whom, all things were made. That, which was in the be­ginning, Heb. 2. 11. Iohn 1. 3. with God, hath now a beginning, with Man; and begins to be Man. The Word (and that Word, was God) was made flesh, and dwelt among us. Iohn 1. 14. There had never beene Redemption of humane kind, if the Word had not vouchsafed to become humane; sayes Saint Iohn 1. 14. Augustine. And, if he be humane, that takes a Man into his House, how humane is Hee, that takes Man into himselfe? sayes Hee. Hee is now united to our Flesh: to this end, that we might participate of Him, as Hee is Verbum; as Hee, doth participate of us, as wee are [Page 41] Caro: And (now) Hee is both Verbum, and Caro; he communicates both unto us: For, no other way, have wee (here) to participate of him, but by his Word, and Sacraments: and, in both these, hee is the same to us. ‘For, as Verbum praedicatum, in the Pulpit, being but one Sermon, uttered by the voyce of one man at one time, in one place, if there bee ten thousand hearers, is to every one of them an entire Ser­mon, and every man hath it wholy to himselfe; yet is it not divided, but (still) one and the same: So, Verbum Caro factum (in the Sacra­ment) being but one Person, and (corporally) in one place, at one time, when he is Communicated (at the Table) if there be ten thousand com­municants, every one hath him wholy to himselfe;’ yet, is Hee not divided, but (still) one, and the same. And, so inseparably are Verbum and Caro united (since He was, made of a Woman): that, if you have the One, you have the other. For, if it chance, that you cannot come to receive Carnem in Sacramento; receive but Verbum in Corde, and you have them both. For, Crede, & Manducasti. This is He, they sought for. Quem vidistis Pastores? What went you out to see? a man, in soft clothing? This, was no Princes Pallace. They saw Verbum (God,) Caro factum, (borne of a poore woman, and laid in the Straw.) They saw him, as he was Factum (the Sonne of Man): but they a­dored him, as Hee was Verbum the Sonne of God. And, so much for Quem Viderunt. Now.

7. Quo Tempore.

AT what Time. When was this, that they found him? Of all dayes in the yeare, this day, Christmas-day: the day of his Birth. And we collect it, thus: The Angel, in the night, sayes: Hodie natus est: and, they came (here) festinantés: (having notamile to goe); therefore making such haste, they must needs come on his Birth-day. (By the way, (it is good to seeke Christ on his Birth-day: for, hee is (some time) borne in us, and we feele it not: Let us (therefore) pray, that we may find him. Now, concerning the Chronologicall designement of this Time, there are many Computations: but, if the old Tradition bee true, (that the World should last but sixe thousand yeeres, viz. too thou­sand before the Law, two thousand, in the Law, and too thousand, under Christ, as it is received by many); then, is Pantalcon (and D^r. In Chro. Trans. Euse­bii anex. Hammer from him) neerest; who doe accompt it, in the three thou­sand nine hundred and seventith yeere of the World. Christ said, the Law and Prophets ended in Iohn. And, Iohn, ended, when Christ be­gan: Matth. 11. 13. which was, about the thiritith yeere of both their ages. That [...]hirty, added to three thousand nine hundred and seventy, makes the world (at that time) foure thousand yeeres old: and then, his Birth (in­deed) must bee in the yeere three thousand nine hundred and seventy. More certainely, and more materially (to leave incertaine Traditions) it is collected, Hee was borne in quadragesimo secundo of Augustus. [Page 42] In which, wee observe the conveniency and fitnesse of the time. For God, that is a God of Order, doth what he doth orderly. Other men, (as Aquinas sayes) are borne Subjecti necessitati Temporis; but Christ, (as Lord, and Maker of Time) elegit sibi Tempus, in quo nasceretur: was not borne by chance, but chose his owne Time, in which hee would be borne. Therefore, there is somewhat observable in it. First, then, bringing Peace to our soules; and being Prince of Peace, he came now, 1. Isai. 9. 6. when the World was at peace, under a peaceable Prince: that it might bee true which Isaiah said, Non levabit gladium Gens contra Gentem. Isai. 2. 4. All Nations were at quiet: So that, the Temple of Ianus was shut in Rome: which never hapned (there) but once before. Secondly, Hee came now, when all the world was under one Prince: that it might 2. be also under one Pastor. Thirdly, when this Prince taxed all the world, (temporally:) hee came, that hee might set it free (spiritually). 3. 4. Fourthly, since Hee was to become subject for us, Hee came (now) when the Taxe was in levying, and all the Subjects names were in taking: that, as soone as hee was borne, Censui Caesaris ascriberctur: Hee might bee enrolled, atque ob nostri liberationem, [...]pse servitio subderetur: hee might bee registred in the Booke of Bondage for us: that wee might bee written in the Booke of Life by him. For the time of the yeere, it was; First, in winter, (the coldest Quarter of the 1. yeere): that, as soone as ever he was borne, Hee might become (as E­say sayes) Vir dolorum, A man of Sorrowes, and feele (first) even the Isai. 53. 3. affliction of the very Ayre, for us: so that here, ere any draw blood of him, hee begins to cry for cold. At a cold time, to show the Times were cold; and Charity, as dull, and hard frozen, as the Earth. There­fore (now) came this heavenly fire; to thaw it in mens bosomes. Se­condly, 2. he was borne in the Night, to shew that the dignity and glory of his God-head was shaddowed, and darkened with the Night, and vaile of our flesh. Thirdly, in the middest, and darkest of the night: 3. Luc. 2. 79. 4. to shew, hee came to them that sat in darkenesse, and in the shaddow of death. Fourthly, this night was shortly after the Winter Solstice; when Night growes shorter, and Day longer; to shew, that (now) Shadowes were shortning; darke Ignorance diminishing; and the glorious Light of Gods knowledge increasing. The Day-spring from on High, the Sunne of Righteousnesse was now risen, which should every day climbe higher, and shine brighter. For, Oportet illum crescere, (said S^t. Iohn Iohn 3. 30. Baptist of him) he must increase, but I must decrease. Wee see, what may be said, for the Time of his Birth. Wee proceed

8. Quo Loco.

FRom the Time, to the Place. And that, was Bethlehem. Transea­mus usque Bethlehem (say the Shepheards) for there hee was to bee found. And, the Pharisees could tell Herod, that. For, they knew, that hee must bee borne there, by prophecy. Mich. 6. 2. And, thou Matth. 2. 5. Bethlehem, &c. Out of thee shall he come, &c. But, why would hee bee [Page 43] borne there? Why: if for nothing else, yet to fulfill the prophecy. For, hee came, that all things might bee fulfilled. Yet, very unlikely it was (a few dayes before his Birth) that Hee should bee borne there. Luke 24. 47. For, Ioseph, and Mary (his Mother) did dwell at Nazareth; which was the breadth of foure Tribes (at least) from Bethlehem. But, (to Adrichomi­us. see, how every thing will worke to Gods purpose, though it be not so intended by the Doers!) Augustus made a Taxe: His purpose was onely to get money: but Gods purpose was (thereby) to bring Mary to Bethlehem. Hee, to fill full his Coffers: God, to fulfill the Prophecies; else, it is very like, Shee had not beene here, now. For, it was Winter, a long way, from her dwelling; and ill travelling, for a Woman; so neere, Her time. ‘We see, Shee keepes her old obedience still; and we may learne it of her.’ At Christs conception, shee offred her obedience to God, fiat mihi, &c. At his Birth, She offers her obedience to his Luke 1. 38. Magistrate. For, Shee obeys the Precept, and goes to Bethlem, to the Taxe; though her owne case, and the unseasonablenesse of the time, might well have excused her. And (by the way) this prooves well, that Mary was of the House and Seede of David. For else, shee needed not to come to the City of David, to bee taxed; but might have kept her still (at home) in Nazareth; and sent her Husband. And this, is a second reason, that Christ would bee borne heere: because it was the City of David; the Seate of his Ancestors, For, from before Booz (downe to Ishai, and long after) they were all in that Line of the House of Bethlehem. Heere, was Booz (the Iew;) and Ruth, (the Ruth 4. 13. Gentile) [both, his Progenitors] married together, and (heere) was God and our Flesh marryed. Heere, was Hee borne that married Iew, and Gentile, and made them one Flocke. Heere, David (the Father) was anointed to bee King; and (heere) Christ (the Sonne) was 1 Sam. 16. 13. borne to be our King. Yet David transplanted the Seate of the King­ly and Priestly Office, from hence, to Ierusalem: and Christ also (chiefely) exercised his Kingly, and Priestly Office at Ierusalem. Therefore he chose Bethlehem (the Nurcery of Kings) to be borne in, and Ierusalem (the Seate of Priests and Kings) to suffer in. This City, (Bethlehem) was his owne, by Inheritance, from David. Hee Iohn 1. 11. came unto his owne, and his Owne received him not. It is true, that though Hee were borne (heere) Hee was conceived at Nazareth: there was his abiding; thither, he went backe to dwell; and there he had his Name, (Nazarenus): Hee had nothing from hence, but his Luke 1. 55. Matth. 2. 23. Birth. Therefore, as he came a Stranger, hither; so, they used him. For, hee could get no Roome amongst them; no, not in the common Inne; where every man may have roome: Hee was thrust into the Stable. Let us learne, that though wee bee Mundani (borne in this World) and it bee the Country of our Ancestors, ‘yet to bee content to bee Strangers heere; Pilgrimes, and Sojourners: and to take the the Contempt of our Country-men patiently (as Hee did, in his owne City) till we returne. For though wee are borne heere; wee were [Page 44] conceived in Heaven (by Election in Christ). Thence, wee are na­med;’ there, is our Conversation; and thither, we must goe backe againe, with him to dwell. Now, this City was in the Region of Phil. 3. 20. Ephrata; therefore called (by Micha) Bethlem Ephrata, the least of the Cities of Iuda. Whereby we see, his Glory, and Kingdome was Mich. 6. 2. not of this World: Hee was not borne in Ierusalem (the greatest); but, in Bethlem Ephrata (the least of Iuda): yet, did hee make it great by his Birth; who, being great himselfe, became little there, Episc. Wint. for our sakes. If you will (now with David) seeke a place for the Temple of God, you may heare of it (heere) at Ephrata, and find it in the Wood, (this wooddy Region). For, so it was: And (heere) Da­vid found the Arke, Psal. 132. 6. and (heere) may you finde Christ Psal. 132. 6. Col. 2. 9. (the Arke of our Peace; the Temple of our God, in which it plea­sed the God-head to dwell bodily). For, Ephrata signifies frugifera. It was plenteous of Wine (saith Adricho. Delphius:) that is, the Fol. 41. Region. And Bethlem (the City) signifies the House of Bread. There, Hee is to bee found: ‘To find the Word made flesh, in the House of Bread, in the Region of Wine, is to finde Christ in the Sacrament:’ which wee can doe now, as well with the eyes of our Faith, as the Shepheards could doe then, with their bodily eyes. Nazareth, where Hee was conceived, signifies a Flower: Bethlem Ephrata (where hee was borne) Bread, and Wine: at Ierusalem (where he was slaine) the offring place: the Temple stood, on Mount Moria, and that was the Threshing Flore of Araunah: ‘So, he flowred, in Nazareth; became Adrich. fol. 155. fruit, in Bethlem Ephrata; and was threshed, at Ierusalem; where hee was (also) grownd, by his Passion; and made the Bread of Life, for our Soules.’ And hee is yet, to this day (mystically) borne, in Bethlehem, and offred, at Ierusalem; as often as, by planting in us the Flower of the Word, wee become the House of eternall Bread, and offer his obedience to the Father in his holy Church, for the propitiation of our Sinnes. This, was the Place.

9. Quibuscum.

THe Company, were not great, they found him in. None, but Mary, and Ioseph, that wee can finde in the Text. Some, will bring in, an Oxe, and an Asse (heere) kneeling; but I know not on what ground: and therefore stand not on it.

Mary, and Ioseph, were good Company, though but a few; though but poore. For, Hee was his Foster-father; and Shee, his naturall Mo­ther; two, of his best friends on earth. They, loved him best; were carefull of him; and (to their poore hability) had wrapt him warme, and laid him soft. They, were all the Company hee had. ‘Let not the Poore be disheartned:’ for heere (wee see) the Parents of our Lord Iesus had not a Servant, (Man, nor Maide) to attend on them; They waited one upon another: and both upon him. Shee [Page 45] was a poore Lady (heere), shee had never a waiting Woman: Shee was (now) as shee would bee, in the height of that, she most gloried in, her Humility [Ecce Ancilla Domini]. Behold (heere) the Hand-maid of the Lord, indeed; Shee was both wet-Nurse, and dry-Nurse, herselfe. And yet, this (his hand-maid) was his Mother: The po­verty of these (it seemes) in Saint Chrysostomes time, gave scandall to the Gentiles, for the Birth of Christ. But (sayes hee) was not David, filius Agricolae, the Sonne of a Husbandman? and yet, the Roote to a Royall Progeny of Kings? Cur ergo Christum, propter Pa­rentum Super Mat. 2. Ignobilitatem, contemnunt? Why doe they (then) despise Christ, for the meanenesse of his Parents? sayes hee, on the second of Matthew. Let not the lownesse of his conception, or the meanenesse of his Birth trouble thee. For, the Virginity of his Mother takes a­way all shame of the poorenesse of his Birth. Hee had Nobilitatem Pa­rentis, ex Divinitate; & Nobilitatem Nascentis, ex Virgine; He was ennobled by his Father; (for Hee was God). And, by his Mother too; for Shee was a Virgin (sayes Saint Augustine, super Iohannem). Wee see his Company: his Father, and Mother; Ioseph and Mary: a Virgin, and a Iust man. With the Pure, and Iust he loves to be: with such, hee will be found. ‘Hee, that hath a pure heart, to God, and a just hand, to Man;’ shall have his company: such, as are so, doe the will of God: and they, that doe so, are his Parent, and Kindred, and Luke 8. 21. fit company for him to be in, as soone as hee is borne. For, they onely are fit, to keepe Innocency company. Mystically, Ioseph, (a Man) signifies, Action; and Mary, (a Woman) signifies, Contemplati­on: with both these, He will keepe company. If our Action be (like Ioseph) Iust; and, our Contemplation (like Mary), Virgin and pure. And those whose Contemplation, and Action are so, be (most com­monly) like Ioseph and Mary, none of the Richest; nor, of the greatest accompt, in this world. But, Christ hath ennobled their pover­ty; in that hee will beare them company. If therefore yee come to Bethlehem, to seeke Christ, goe not to the Palace, nor the houses of most magnificence, there is no roome in the Innes, for him, neither. ‘But, if there be any Poore in the Towne, you shall find him there. Let your Charity find out them:’ there, you shall find him in them, Pannis involutum, wrapt in their Rags, relieve them: for, what you Mat. 25. 46. doe to one of these poore little Ones, you doe to Mee: saith hee himselfe. Hee loves such company. And if (sometimes) hee bee not in the poore, whom thou relievest; yet he will bee in thee, when thou re­lievest them: and so; still, in the company. And, so much for the company, hee was found in. Now for the Case, hee was in.

10. Quo Statu.

VVEE have heard of Verbum (the potent Word) that made all things: And now, he is come into the world, which he had made, how doe the Shepheards finde him? the Text concludes, [Page 46] [Infantem positum in Praesepio], a Babe laid in a Manger. O fortuna­tanimiùm! O happy Bethleem, if thou knewest whom thou shuttest out, what Metropolis, would not envy thy Suburbes? what Pallace, will not envy thy Stable? and what Couch of Gold and Ivory, would not change, to bethy Manger? But, this was hidden from their eyes: For, he comes not (now) as God, to Iudge; but, as Man, to suffer: therefore they find him [Infantem] a poore Babe: so weake, that hee is positum, put, and disposed of (like a child). where they list, [in Praesepi [...]] in a Manger. All these aggravate the greatnesse of his Humility: and that, aggravates the greatnesse of his Love; That, for love of us, he would so humble himselfe. A poore Conclusion, of so glorious premisses. For (To day) is borne to you (sayes an Angel from heaven) a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. But, he that should see him Crying in a Cratch, would scarce beleeve it. A simple Saviour, that cannot helpe himselfe: a Lord of small power, that is disposed, where others please. Is God become a Child? so Borne? so wrapt? so laid? this cannot hang together. Not, to humane reason indeed. For, Esay sayes: Generationem ejus quis enarrabit? who can declare the Mysterie of this? Haec humanum sensum, & Mundi intelligentiam Esa. 53. 8. excedit; (saies S^t. Ambrose;) the world is not capable of it: It goes beyond all admiration, saies S^t. Athanasius. For, (at one time,) as Verbum; he gives Being and Mooving to all that are: As, Infans; he lyes weake, (as a Child) in a Cratch; and yet, (as filius;) he abides in the bosome of the Father. Qui regit Sidera, sugit ubera: What can Maxim. d [...] nativ. be said to this? We must conclude, si lingua deficit, Fides proficit: Where our Tongue failes, Faith prevailes. And, it is a noble honour to the Faith of a Christian, that, tantum de Deo suo potest concipere, quantum sermo non potest part [...]rire: He beleeves more of his God, then tongue can tell. Let us beleeve then; and (considering his Case) ad­mire his Humilitie; and (therein) his Love. First, that he would be borne at all: then, borne of so meane a Parent; then, borne so poorely, as to be swadled (Pannis) in simple Clouts: and, therein, lye so weak­ly, as to be positus, laid where they list: then laid so meanely, (in a Sta­ble); and therein, so homely; in the Manger. Can God descend to this? Will he, though he can? we see, he Will, and doth. O sublimis humilitas! Here, he lyes (as S^t. Bernard saies) Lux, non Lucens; Ver­bum, Infans; Aqua, sitiens: Panis, esuriens. Who, would not faint in admiration, to see God in a Manger? Dominus in Templo sancto Psal. 11. 4. Esa. 66. 1. suo, sayes David. Heaven is his Seate: and Earth, but his Footstoole. Would he come downe so low? He did Marke (ô my Soule!) he was sitting on his Throne in Heaven, hearing the Harmony of the Quires of Angels, that (without ceasing) sang his praise; working wonders, in Heaven, and Earth, and in the Deepe; but thou layest rowling in the Mire, and clay; full of Calamitie, and wretchednesse: He, in Glo­ry; th [...], in Trouble: He, admirable; thou, miserable: He, did not send, but [...]owed the heavens, and came downe: He changed his name [Page 47] of Majestie, into the name of Pietie; his glory, into humilitie; and, hiding his royall purple in thy miserable Sackcloth, leapt into the Clay, wherein thou stuckest, and (without being defiled himselfe) hath set thee free. This Humilitie of his made the Philosophers thinke our Faith and Religion, Madnesse: they counted the Gospel, Foolishnesse: But (as Athanasius sayes) their great wisedome was never knowne so truly to be folly, as when the Gospel was taught. For, all the Volumes of their Learning could not teach the way to save one Soule; which, this little Booke hath done. They would not beleeve that God could come so low. This Humilitie was it, that amazed them. For, it was not in all the Catalogue of their Vertues. He descended in pure Love to Mankinde, to that poorenesse (a Worme, and not a Man) that they, Psal. 22. 6. for whom he did it, account it madnesse. Amare, & sapere, vix Deo conceditur. For Love to us, he seemed to goe out of himselfe: Exina­nivit seipsum, saies Saint Paul. O! what shall wee then doe for him? Phil. 2. 7. Let us consider his Case againe, and make use to our selves. For, our profit, is all he requires. Parvulus datus est nobis, saies Esay. First, he Esa. 9. 6. comes a Little-One: to shew, that hee is food for Little-Ones; A kisse (such as it may be) will turne his Anger, Kissethe Sonne, lest he Psal. 2. 12. bee angry. Our Love, our thanks (so they be heartie,) will please him. He will accept the Calves of our Lips for Sacrifice and take them, as Kisses. A little One he comes, from the least of the Cities: Little, of Accompt: Little, in appearance; that we might not be afraid to come neere him. The servile Feare of the terrible Word (Lord) is taken off, by this, when we see he is a Child (like one of us) and is be­come our Brother: He came therefore in our Likenesse, that we should be like him. For Likenesse breeds Affection. And lastly, he comes a Little-One to us, to shew, we must come, as Little-Ones, to him. Ex­cept Matth. 18. 3. yee become as little Children, yee cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven. Secondly, This Little-One was Pannis involutus (so the An­gel saies before, verse 12.) We see his Entertainement was like his Appearance; a poore little Child, and poore little Clothes to wrap him in. It is thought, they were a part of his Mothers owne Garment (for she could not be better provided here, so farre from home). We learne here, to clothe Christ, with what is at hand, of our owne, when need is; and not, to let him lye starving naked, till we can provide better. And, though they be meane; yet, if they come heartily, he will ac­cept them. Bis dat, qui citò. Next, that we despise not any, for their meane appearance. For, saepe sub Pallio sordido latet Virtus. Wee shall yet, to this day, (sometimes) finde Christ wrapt in rags. Thirdly, when he was thus clothed, he was as meanely bestowed; there was no roome in the Inne (sayes S^t. Luke in the seventh verse before): there­fore, in the Stable: this showes his Communicablenesse. Wee may come the better at him: for, though an Inne, bee Domus populi, and belong to every body; yet, there are some Chambers, that are particu­lar, Episc. Wint. and Men have keyes, to keepe us out: But, the Stable is common to [Page 48] all: every man hath as good right there, as another: therefore (here) hee was laid that all men might come to him. The joy of his birth, and the Gospel of it too, concernes us all: It belongs not to the Shepheards alone, but toti gregi, omni populo; to all people, and Nati­ons whatsoever. It would not grieve a good Shepheard, if a Wolfe or Fox could turne Sheepe, and come into the fold: neither a good Chri­stian, if a Turke, Iew, or Hereticke would come into the Stable: for hee belongs to all that can come unto him; and lyes open in the com­mon Manger, that any weary stranger, (that comes travailing from farre) may come, and behold him freely, without controulement. They are too blame (then), that would locke the doore, and take away the Key, and scarce suffer the Shepheards (but certes, none of the Flocke) to looke in. Now fourthly; Of all places of the Stable; in the Cratch (or Manger), (for I count them, as one). Though this City, were his owne, he had never a house in it, to bee borne in; but a common Inne: and (there) no place, but a Stable: and (therein) no Cradle, but the Manger. His Couches (or Reclinatories) were but meane ones; and, not very easie. First, in the Wombe: now, in the Manger: then, on the Crosse: last, in the Tombe, (which was none of his owne neither). Hee might better say, then his Father David; Pauper sum ego, & in laboribus à juventute meâ, Psal. 87. But, is the Bread that came downe from Heaven, become food for the Beastes of Psal. 87. the field, that they lay him in the Manger? He bringeth forth Grasse for the Cattell, (sayes David): therefore, not fit, hee should bee meate Psa. 104. 14. for them, himselfe. Yet so it is (though) in mystery: for, Man, that was in honour, had lost his understanding, and was (as Nabuchadne­zar) become like the Beasts of the field, which perish: Vt jumentum factus sum apud te, sayes David; so foolish was I, and Ignorant, even Psal. 49. 2. as it were, a Beast before thee, Psal. 73. 21. Since Man (then) whom he came to feed, was become as it were a Beast before him; so low Psal. 73. 21. would he descend, as to bee foode for him: that, Hee might have his understanding restored, and bee made like the Sonne of God againe. And therefore hee chose the Elements of the Sacrament, wee receive him in, to bee such as grow out of the earth, (like the Grasse, that is fodder for the Cattell): and to let us know, that he would come to this, he was content himselfe to bee laid in a Manger. If Hee (then) that is God would condescend to become such foode; it is very fit, that none, but cleane Beasts, should feed on him. No more, there doe not. For, none, but such as Chew the C [...]d; none, but such as rami­nate, and consider what they doe, can taste him truely. For, none, but Levit. 1. 3. for such, doth hee lye in the Manger. But (sure) this was Humility too much for the Sonne of God, to descend to this Case, if hee himselfe had not thought otherwayes. Wee must needs admire it. But, in so doing, let us take heede wee pitch not too much upon it: lest it di [...]e his glory with us. For, doe but looke more narrowly, and you shall see [...] glory shine through all his Humiliations. ‘To be conceived; is [Page 49] Humility:’ but, to be conceived by the Holy Ghost, is Glory: To be Borne of a Woman; is Humility: but, to bee Borne of a Virgin; is Glory: To be borne in a Stable; Humility: but, to be declared by a Starre; Glory: To cry in a Cratch; is Humility: but, to bee the Song of Angels; is Glory: To lye in a Manger (like a Childe), is Hu­mility; but, to bee by the Shepheards, adored as a God, is Glory: To bee Baptized among Publicans; Humility: but to have the voyce of God from Heaven, is Glory: To be crucified among Theeves, Hu­mility; but, to shake Heaven and Earth with his voyce; is Glory: Lastly, to bee received in so poore Elements, (as Bread, and Wine) is Humility; but, to convey (by them) such ineffable Graces, is his Glory: Let us then so consider the Case of his humility (this Day) in love to us, that (with all humble affection) in It, and for It, wee may ever give him Glory, till wee come to bee exalted to his Glory. And so much, for the Tenne parts of this Text: The Doctrine, and Vse followes; to make up the whole Twelve.

11. Doctrine.

THE Doctrine arises out of the nature of the Text: For, all Do­ctrine is, by Precept or Example: This Text, is a Story, (an ex­ample): and, the Doctrine of an Example (if it bee a good one, as this), is, Fac similiter. Now, wee know, Omne simile non est idem: and, an Example requires us not to doe Idem; but Simile. Wee are not (then) this Day, to turne Shepheards; and then, runne to Bethle­hem (as some doe yet) and there thinke to find Semper idem; All, as it was: (Ioseph and Mary, and the Child in the Cribe): But, simili­ter: Wee must doe some such thing: That is; Wee must (first) bee like the Shepheards: of simple, honest Conversation, and vigilant men: then, when wee are called, with a Quaerite (as, by this Ex­ample, wee are) wee must be diligent. First, to Conferre, and Ex­hort (ad invicem): then, to proceede (festinantes) zealously and charitably: that is roundly; and yet, together. Wee must (sometimes) leave our Flockes (the worldly cares that flocke upon us) to his charge that cals us; till wee step to Bethlehem, to the Study of the Scrip­tures: where (being provided of heavenly Bread) wee may returne (glorificantes & laudantes Deum) praising God; and, (manifestantes) Communicating our Contemplations, of what we have seene, to others, for his Glory (as the Shepheards, heere, did), Verse 20. But first, (Quaerite): Let our desire, and errand, bee to see Christ: and, wee shall not faile of his Father, for a Guide to shew us.

12. Vse.

NOw, what Vse? what good will come of Quaerere? Invenietis, (sayes Christ himselfe) you shall find him: and He, is good use; Matth. 7. 7. [Page 50] (good consideration) for what, you lay out. Wee shall finde him: and that (most properly) on this his Birth-day. Now, is the Time: For, till now, hee was concealed; so that it was very hard, to find him. Hee came forth (this day) from three secret places. First, from the Bosome of his Father; where hee was hidden: Secondly, from the 1. 2. 3. Shadow of the Law; where hee was figured: and thirdly, from the Wombe of his Mother; where hee was formed. And, three Nativities he hath. One, from his Father; before all worlds: a second, from his Mother, in the fulnesse of Time (this day). And the third, in the 1. 2. 3. Luke 8. 21. heart of every true Christian (this day) and every day. For, they that conceive him, and doe Gods will, are his Parent and Mother. Doe (then) as Hee bids thee: [fac similiter]: Goe to Bethlehem; to his House of Bread, (his Church); and (there) thou shalt find him: there, thou shalt conceive, and receive him; and, become his Parent, when thou shalt bring him forth in good workes. Keepe company (still) with thy Brethren. For, the receiving of Christ into us, is called a Communion: It is never done alone in our Church. Wee may find him heere, and never breake company, for the matter: nay, we must 1 Cor. 10. 16. not; when we seeke him, here. For heere, hee will alwayes bee found in company. It is fit, we keepe together: For, as they (in the Wilder­nesse) did eate, the same spirituall Meate; and drinke, the same spiri­tuall drinke (whereby, as S^t. Paul sayes, We that eate one Bread, are one 1 Cor. 10. 4. Body, 1 Cor. 10. 17.) So wee, by eating and drinking the spirituall Medte, and Drinke, in Bethleem Ephrata (the Region of Bread and Wine) may together be made magis Consanguinei, in the Blood of this new borne Babe. That, the Ioy of his Birth, may equally runne tho­row all our veines, and spred through all our Body. So, that being united in him, we may be assured that we have found him. And, when hee is found, let us make use of him: that is, injoy him: and joy in him. First, rejoyce, that He is borne into the World (this Day): and, if not leape in the Wombe (with Iohn), before his Birth; while wee are but meditating of it: yet, let us dance (with David) at his Birth, now hee is become the Arke of our Peace. For, if Zachary sung at the birth of Iohn; much more, we, at the Birth of Christ, when the Luke 1. Angels in heaven sung. It is a thing to rejoyce in. For, it is like (the Summum bonum) the supreame Ioy. It is honestum, utile, & Iucundum. What can bee more honest, then the Childing of a Virgin? What more profitable, then the Redemption of Man? What more pleasant, then God, and Man in one person? Ecce quàm bonum, & quàm jucun­dum! Behold, how good, and pleasant it is! For it makes them, that Psal. 131. were before it; them, that were with it: and them, that come after it, to rejoyce (like Brethren) in one unanime consent. Abraham re­joyced a farre off, to see it: Iohn leaped; and the Angels carrolled by it: and wee sing (ever since, after it, to this Day, and on this day) for it. Let us (then) this day rejoyce. Rejoyce alwayes in the Lord, (sayes S^t. Paul): but the Birth-day, deserves an Iterum dic [...]: [Ite­rum P [...]l. 4. 4. [Page 51] dico, gaudete] againe I say rejoyce, Phil. 4. 4. Let us (then) againe rejoyce; that (secondly) hee is Borne in us. And, let this Ioy bee such, that (like the Angels) we may sing it: Like the Shepheards, we may shew it to others. Let us set the Ditty of our whole life, to the Song Luke 2. 14. of the Angels: That it may bee Glory, to God on high; Peaceable (heere) on Earth, and Charitable (with good will) to Men. And, (then) if the Shepheards, or any other (poore Brethren, or Sisters) come hither, they may see, by our Workes; and taste by our Charity, that Christ is borne this day. That, Hee that was borne for us, is borne in us: and we new-borne againe: and (then) shall they goe from us with joy, (as the Shepheards did, here) glorifying and praising God: [super omnibus quae viderant] for all they see, and heare: that Christ is borne, and so borne (this day) in us, that they also are the better for it. And, if any be the better for what I doe, (especially, if my poore Conceptions of this great joy, have brought forth any thing, that addes to Consangui­neis. yours), I have mine endes: for it shall adde to mine, and (I hope) redound to the Glory of Him, in whom, wee Ioy (this day). Who, in his good Time, grant, that as wee desire to keepe together, we may all, (at last) come together, [ut Videa­mus] to see his blessed Face, whom wee have (heere) heard of; and (ever after) be together with Him, in his Eternall Ioy.

Amen.

1. Quid.

BY the very glimpse of the first Beame, wee may perceive, it was a Light. The name, shewes it. Aster (so called, à Tes astrates) from Shining; as Light doth. So (wee see) God revealed Christ (first) to the Gentiles, by a Light. Why? because Simeon said, Hee should bee Luke 2. 32. a light to the Gentiles? yes; therfore: if for no other cause. But herein, marke the orderly proceeding of our Wise-God, (Qui disponit omnia sua­viter,) how sweetly he brings things to passe. When he was to make Wisd. 8. 1. the World for Man, the first object, hee made for him, was Light; by which, all other objects are visible. And, this he did (per Verbum,) by his Word: which, is a Light invisible. Proportionably, hee made the Body of Man, who (with his Corporeall eyes) was capable of the Light, and all that was to bee seene, by it. And this, was (the Lux creata) Visible Light: But, he, that made it, is (Lux Increata) Invisible Light; [Page 59] which no man can see. Hee, is no object for bodily eyes. That Man 2. Tim. 6. 16. might (therefore) receive Perfection, hee breathed into him (also) an immortall Soule; whereby, he was capable of (Lux, Verbum) that Invisible light, (the word) that made the World; and, with unspeake­able joy to converse (in a friendly manner) with his God, that made him. But, (miserere! miserere!) this lasted not long. For seeking to see more, then hee should; hee lost the Light, he had: and, forsaking the Light of Truth, he inherited a Lie; and so, brought in the Power Ierem. 16. 19. of darkenesse (an other Chaos) into his Soule: which, when God saw; Gen. 1. 4. he did (as at first,) separate the Light from the darkenesse: Hee with­drew from conversing with him; and left him, to himselfe. So now he had no Light, to his eyes; but the naturall Light: nor, no Light to his Soule; but the Light of Nature. And, that burnes so dim, that natu­rall men (still) walke in darkenesse, and, Love darkenesse (for it is of Iohn 3. 19. their owne making;) and therefore (without Mercie) utter darkenesse Mat. 8. 12. shall bee their eternall habitation. But, doe I talke of Light, and bring you into darkenesse? it is but (with a Shadow) to set-off the Light: (as David) when he would describe Gods glory setts, Darkenesse un­der Psal. 18. 9. his feete. For, to none (indeede) doth Light shewe so comfortably, as to them, that sit in darkenesse. Which was the case of the Gentiles (heere;) and (indeede) the case of us all, as wee are by Nature. But, how shall we helpe it? knocke (never so hard) on our flinty hearts, not a Sparke can rise; It must be (de super;) an Epiphanie, from above, must doe it. He, that said, Fiat Lux (first) must speake it againe from hea­ven, or it will never be. And (God bee thanked!) hee hath done it. The Soul's Light is restored againe: and that, in a Clearer, and better manner, then ever. The first glimpse whereof, appeared to Adams darke Soule: (and that was, Per Verbum (too) by his Word; viz. Semen Mulieris conteret caput Serpentis: that is as much, as Fiat Lux; Gen. 3. 15. Let the Light be made:) made what? why, Semen Mulieris. Hee was factus ex Muliere (saies S^t. Paul) made of a Woman. Now, Lux Gal. 4. 4. increata, must be Creata: that invisible Light, (which made All things) shall now, it selfe bee made. The matter, is much amended. For, whereas the Eternall-word, (that Light of Truth, which we lost) was (before) Visible, onely to the Soule; he shall (now) be Visible to the Eie also, and shall bee made a Bodie and a Soule; that Mans Body and Soule (both) may make him, their object. Such an Object, as shall bee papable (now) as well, as Visible; flesh, of our flesh. Made man; and Iohn 1. such a Man, as shall, not onely Lighten every man that comes into Iohn 1. 9. this World; and so, restore us; but also, (to Revenge us) Conteret ca­put Serpentis, hee shall tread in peeces that Subtile head, that devised to bring this darknesse on Vs. This, was a most comfortable Light; and, did Adam more good (in the case hee was) then the clearest day, he ever beheld. This Beame came to Adam, from the father of Lights; (as the first Light, came from him) per Verbum; hee spake it, and it was his Word. Now, when a man takes Light, by a Word, if it be not [Page 60] seconded, (such is our dulnesse!) wee loose it like Lightening; which is (almost) as soone gone, as perceived. Therefore, when this Light shone in darkenesse, and our darkenesse (though it apprehended,) yet, it comprehended it not; (For, few, of Adams posteritie, knew what Semen Iohn 1. 5. mulieris meant:) God was pleased, in the Second World (after the Flood) to open heaven, once againe; and, by a new Beame, to powre fresh oyle, into the Lampe of Abrahams Faith; and settle this Light in Semine ejus, in his seede. Before, it was (like the first created Light) Gen. 22 18. universall; (any Woman, of any Nation, might bee his Mother:) but (heere) it is setled, in its Orbe. Shee must bee an Hebrew of the Seede of Abraham. And this Light, God gave againe (per Verbum,) by his Promise, and faithfull Word: yet, it was not so put under the Bushell of Abrahams family, that the Hebrewes (onely) should receive the comfort; but, it was added there; [in Semine tuo benedicentur Om­nes Gentes] the Gentiles, as well, as the Iewes, were to bee inlightened. So, the whole World is taken-in, againe: (For, there are, but Iewes and Gentiles:) Sed ordine quisque suo; all, in good order. First; Gloria Esay 6. 1, 2, 3. ejus in Te videbitur, saies Esay. When the Iewes were served; tunc ambulabunt Gentes in Lumine tuo: then, shall the Gentiles walke in this Light. And that, was fulfilled, this day. Thus, went the Word, in the Promises; while hee was (yet) onely visible in the Soule: And thus, went the Performance; when hee came to bee visible, to the Eie. For, on Christmas-day, he was made visible (first) to the Iewes; by a great visible Light: the glorie of God shone about the Shepheards. And se­condly, this day, to the Gentiles; by a Visible Light also: which con­ducted the Wise-men. So, we see, what orderly proportion God kept. As he made the Visible Light, for the eye, by his word. So, hee resto­red the invisible Light to the Soule, by his Promise, (which is his Word) And, when this invisible and un-created Light, came to bee Created, and made visible (according to his Word) hee declared the comming thereof into this World, by the visible Light, which he had created by the word. Yet, in a proportionable manner. In a greater Light, to the Iewes; and, in a lesse, to the Gentiles. To shew; that, as [gloria ejus in Te videbitur] hee was, the Glorie of his People Israel: so [ambulabunt Gentes in Lumine] Hee was, also, a Light to lighten the Gentiles.

2. Quale.

BY the Second Beame, wee may see what kind of Light, this was: [Vidimus Stellam] We have seene a Starre; say they. And, as it seemed to them; and, as they called it: so, will wee. But why, a Star? The Epiphanie had bin more glorious and terrible, to have bin in the Sunne, or the Moone; and so, the whole World might have knowne it in 24. houres, at farthest. But Christ came (now) more to shew his humilitie; then, his glorie. Therefore, hee would appeare, but to a [Page 61] few, at once. And that, by a Starre; (one, of the least Lights.) Hee that made all the Starres, hath but one, to waite on his Nativitie. Hee, that was God (the Sunne of Righteousnesse) pleased so to empty himselfe, as to appeare a Child, in a Cratch. Therefore, not by the Sunne, but by a meaner Starre, he would be declared from heaven. But (that he might not loose too-much, by his Humilitie)

Secondly, a Starre to vindicate his Glory. For though it was but one Star; yet, it was a Star. It was, no Meteor: no fire-drake; no Ignis volans: no Will, with the Wispe: (Things, which wise-men (such as these were) know to be Exuberancies of Nature:) but, it seemed, to thē, a Starre. The Stars, are the Inhabitants of heaven. And, for one of them, to Wait on a Child, on Earth, was admirable. So; as he had a Cratch, for his Cradle, (to shew his humility;) he had a Star, for his Attendant, (to shew, his Glory.)

(Thirdly,) a Starre; for their sakes, that Saw it. They were Gen­tiles: and the Starres, were their best Bookes. The Word was not (yet) permitted to them. They sought for God, in his Workes. And, of all his Workes (saies David) The heavens declare the glory of God. There, among the Starres, they read destines; cast Nativites; fore-told E­vents, and Prognosticated Seasons: therefore he (here) in the Booke of their owne learning, was pleased to manifest himselfe to them; among the Starres. And yet, but by one Starre, no Asterisme; that they might know, his Birth, and the Manifestation of it (both) were Supernaturall. For, Tostat. Sup. Math cap. 2. q. 18. Astrologers never calculate by one Starre; but, by many Aspects, Constellations, Conjunctions, and Oppositions in the Ascendent, &c. Which (here) they found not. Yet, this was sufficient. For, though the Iewes, (who ever sate in the Light, and had some knowledge of Christ, by their Oracles) had him revealed by a great Light, and (what was usuall to them) a Speaking-Angel: Yet, these Gentiles, (who sate in darkenesse, and were Strangers to such vocall visions) would have bin confounded with such a dazeling Apparition. Therefore Hee shewes them, what they were best acquainted with; a Signe, from hea­ven: which, was but a Starre; yet, a Light, bigge enough, to beginne with. For, they needed not so great a Guide, as a Pillar; which (being to leade the whole Nation of the Iewes,) was a Cloud, by day; and a Fire by night; to bee seene, over all the Campe: since they, were a Exod. 13. 21. smaller number: neither had they, so devious a Iourney, nor so long a time, to travell in. So, the Heavens declared the glory of our God, to the Iewes; by an Angell (wherewith, they are inhabited:) to the Gentiles; Psal. 19. 1. by a Starre (wherewith, they are adorned.)

Fourthly, a Starre; to keepe proportion, with the Prophesies. For, when Christ was (first of all) Promised to Adam; hee was called (Se­men) Gen. 3. 15. the Seede of the Woman. And, when the Promise was iterated to Abraham; he was againe called, by the name of Seede; and God said, he would make his Seede, as the Starres; which are (as it were) the Shi­ning Gen. 22. 18 Seede-Pearle of heaven. After which, when Balaam (who was the first, that ever divulged it to the Gentiles) came to speake of this [Page 62] Seede, which should come of Iacob, (Abrahams Grand-child) he called [...] [Orietur Stella in Iacob, saith he,] There shall rise a Starre Num. 27. 14. [...] Iacob.

Lastly, a Starre it was; That Hee might have a Messenger, to goe before his face in heaven; as he had one, to goe before his face, in Earth. This was a kinde heavenly Iohn Baptist (for the time.) Iohn was L [...]cer­na; and This, was L [...]men: Hee, was a Light; and This, was a Starre: Iohn, pointed him out with his finger; and This, with his Beames: Iohn, went before him, to Prepare the way; and This, led the way to him: Iohn, was (Vex Claniantis,) the Voyce of a Crier, to Proclaime him to the Iewes; and This, (as Saint Austin calles it) [Magnifica Lin­gua S [...]. 3. in Epiph. C [...]li] the Magnificent T [...]ngue of heaven to declare him to the Gentiles.

3. Cujus

Bvt did they understand it? By the third Beame, we shall see, they did: [Vidimus Stellam Ejus (say they)] They knew it, to be His. But how? there is much a-doe, to answer that Question (as wee shall see in our Appendix.) But, if you will admit, what (all most) all the ancient Fathers generally doe, (saies Maldonat;) That, these had the Prophecie of B [...]m (who was a Gentile, himselfe; and their Countryman;) we may soone collect, how they knew it to be his Star, S [...]p. Math. c. 1. a A [...]s l. 2. in [...] & Chris­ [...]. 26, [...]. Epi [...]. T [...]. [...]. & Te [...]. [...]. Math. 4. 7. without b [...]ting much about the B [...]sh. Ba [...] had told the Gentiles, ( [...] ▪ ver. 17.) Orietur Stella ex Iacob; there should rise a Star, out of Iacob: & C [...]get Virga [...] Israel; And together with It, should rise a R [...]d, or (as others translate (Sceptrum) a Scepter from Isr [...].) On this, they might (thus) Paraphrase. When such a New St [...]re shall rise, that shall have relation to Iacob, they, who will rise to follow it, shall see it settle there; and then also shall rise with it, out of Israel, that Scepter (which is (yet) but a Rod) a Branch; a tend [...] Child; who is borne a King, to Rule Gods People. That the Iewes had looked, many Ages, for a Messiah (a great and powerfull King) to be bome among them; was not unknowne to their Neigh­bo [...] (the Gentiles:) but, they were (Both) ignorant of the Time. Now, when these wise-men saw this Starre, and considered it; they seene p [...]ved, it was Supernaturall. No Astronomers had ever seene the like. For Ie had no Respect, to the other Starres; nor Aspect, with them. It shone, as well by day, as Night: It was not in the Orbe; but in the Aire; It mooued not, like the other Starres. For, in their diurnall Motion, they goe too-fast for any man to follow; and in their proper, too flow: (for so, they scarce move a degree in 100. yeeres:) And, [...]. [...] lib. 12. [...]. 257. in their [...] Trepidationis; lesse:) but This, went (like a Travailer) by the way. Having wondred, a-while, what it should portend; at last, they see it take the high-way to Indea: then, get they to their Bookes; [...] [...]ine (by Bal [...].) if This bee not the Starre, that should rise our [...], when He (that should raise the Scepter in Israel) should [Page 63] be borne. And, they finde, the Time is come. For, when should a Scepter rise, but when It is falne? The Scepter of Israel was [...]alne to the Ground, at this Time: There was none, of the Kingly Race, to hold It, in his hand. Herod (the Edomite) had set his feete on the Iewish Royaltie; and, stretched a forraine Roman Scepter over Gods peculi­ar: Now (if ever) was a time for the Scepter to Rise in Israel, and a Rod as (Balaam addes) to destroy these Children of Sheth. Numb. 24. 17.

But, admit a Starre, and a Scepter be Risen in Israel; and, that a King be borne to the Iewes; what is that, to the Gentiles? Yes. The wise Gentile (by the Light of Nature) knewe, as well, as the Iew, that there was a God; and, a Heaven also: but, how to Serve this God; and, how to get into this Heaven, was all the question. The Place, is very high above us; and, the longest ladder of the best mans Merit in the World, cannot reach it. Mary; if we could get Heaven and Earth, to meete; there might be hope, to step in. Let them touch (once) in any Place (in what Region, wheresoever) that we may see a Starre be­low (though in Iacob;) and, let there grow-up but a Rod (or, Branch) with such a Bad on the Toppe (though in Israel;) and, it may (in time) shoote so high, that we may Climbe into Heaven, by It. For, all the Earth is the Lords, as well as Iudea; and having one Lord, the Rom. 10. 1. Tenants (Gentiles, aswell as the Iewes) may enter Common. Now heere they see a Starre; and, a Rod rises, with It. A Starre, in heaven, that hath his Roote, in Iacob: a Rod (or Branch) in Israel, that beares a Star, in heaven. So, heaven and Earth are met, to make a Sceptred-King, of Both. For, such a like Thing, as a Rod (with a Starre, or Flower, on the Toppe) is a Kings Scepter. And, for That, on the Toppe of it; you may call it either, a Starre or a Flower. For, Christ, is both: (the Starre of Iacob, and the Flower of the Roote of Iesse) to whom, Esay Esay 11. 1. Esay 11. 10. saies expresly, The Gentiles shall seeke; therefore, These did well, to looke after him. The Prophet Zachary calles him Oriens: and, it is as proper, for a Flower, (Oriri) to Rise; as, a Starre. Besides, He was Zach. 6. 12. Flos Campi; not, Horti: Noe Garden-flower; but, a Flower of the Cant. 2. 1. Field. And, Field-Flowers (like Starres) come of themselves: ‘they are neither sewne, nor planted by Man.’ They, are the Starres of the Earth: as, the Starres, are the Flowers of heaven. And, He, was such a Starre, that he was a Flower on Earth; and such a Flower, that hee was a Starre in heaven. Semen Mulieris; the Seede of the Woman (this Roote, in Earth:) Filius Dei, the Sonne of God (this Flower in heaven.) Caro Matris; flesh of his Mother: that's, his Branch, or Rod. Ver­bum Patris; the Word of his Father; that's, his Starre on the Toppe. A Scepter in Israel, that touches Heaven and Earth; and so Rules Both.

Now, such a Scepter might signifie unto them, as well, a God, as a King. For, the ancient Egyptians (whose Learning, no doubt, these Wise-men knew) signified God, by a Rod, with a Starre, (or Eie) on the Tappe: (Eies, are oft compared to Starres; as Starres to Eies) [Page 64] expressing, in the Eie, his Providence, to fore-see; and, in the Rod, his [...]ower, to Correct. Providence, and Execution, make the best Govern­ment. Such a Scepter, is fitt for a King: since God, who putts it in their hands, is such a King, as Rules with such a Scepter. ‘And, such a Scep­ter was (now) risen in Israel, as was a Rod, with an Eie on the Top.’ A Man, rising up from Earth (like a Branch:) a God, looking­downe from heaven (like a Starre.) It was time now, and best for them, to looke after Such a King (where ever, he was borne.) For if ever, the way into heaven, from Earth, bee to be found, it is by him, that is King of both; and onely can Transport from one Kingdome, to the other. Wherefore, at their Arrivall, they not onely acknowledge him, a King; Vbi est Rex? but, a God also. For, they say plainely ( [...] Adorare) we are come to Adore. And this, they knew, by the Starre. For, all the reason, they give for their knowledge, and their Comming (both) is, For we have seene his Starre.

But, to this their Knowledge, there went more then meere Astrologie. Chrysost. [...]. 6. in Math. It is not the worke of Astrologers, by the Starres, to know them, that are Borne: But, (knowing, who is borne) by them, to ghesse their Fortune. A man can receive nothing (saies Iohn 3. 27. Saint Iohn) unlesse it bee given him, (de super) from above. All [...]. knowledge, is from above, and commeth-downe (not from the mooving of the Starres, which are the Lights; but) from the Father of Lights (saies Iam. 1. 17. Saint Iames) that makes them moove. By whose especiall Grace it was, that these Men so layd things together, as to understand it. For, had they considered the Starre as meere Heathens; they would thinke, It had signified ra­ther a Man taken into Heaven, then Borne on Earth; and so have sought no farther. (For, such were Perseus, Archas, Hercules, &c. Who were conceived to bee made Starres.) But, when they perceived, that the Starre, was Stella Ejus, his Star; not He, the Starre; (that it Governed not him; but hee governed it:) that It wayted on Them; that they might come to Him here on Earth, they acknowledged, Chri [...]. Ser. 156. Vt quibus vi [...]di par conditio est, par sit necessitas Serviendi: It was fit they should Serve him too; as well, as their fellow Traveller: and so, they went af­ter It. But, Deo duce: For, Sine Deo (saies Ser. 156. Chrysologus) nunquam Chal­deus, &c. Without God, the Gentiles would never have worshipped one God on Earth by the Leading of one Star, that worshipped (before) as many Gods in heaven, as there were Starres there. The vnderstanding of the Star, as well as the Starre it selfe, was an Epiphanie: a Revelation from Above. And therefore S^t. Bernard may well conclude this Pa­ragraph of their knowledge; L [...]ph. per. 1. cap. 11. Qui eos adduxit, ipse instruxit; Even hee himselfe, that brought them, was hee himselfe, that taught them.