THE CRIB OF JOY: Containing Spiritual Exercise, for Christmas. S. Steven. S. john. Innocents'. Circumcision. epiphany. john 7.37. In the last and great day of the Feast, jesus stood up, and cried, saying: If any thirst, let him come to me, and drink. LONDON, Printed for Christopher Purset, dwelling near Staple Inn in Holborn, at the sign of Marie magdalen's Head. 1611. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN God, john, by his Divine providence Bishop of London. RIght Reverend, it is the custom of all sorts of writers, to seek a patron for their books dedication: wherefore I the publisher hereof, being a poor member of your last flock (and the Author to me unknown) have emboldened myself to choose your Lordship (knowing none more fit) to be the Guardian of this Orphan, under whose protection I render both it and myself: the rather because the earnest desire of all those who ever read this little Treatise, entitled, The Crib of joy, hath moved me to the publishing hereof. Therefore, right Reverend, if either the Work itself may receive passage through your Lordship's good favour, or my duty towards you herein may be accepted, craving pardon for my presumption, I end, continuing my prayers for your long life, with eternal happiness: Your Lordship's most humbly to be commanded, Christopher Purset. CHRISTMAS DAY. The three circumstances of person, time, and place, may draw the lineaments of this days joy. 1 WE may rejoice, that our Saviour and Reconciler to God, was manifested this day, to be a person, and no inferior creature: That the jewish sacrifice of beasts, and birds, or other oblations, were not in themselves propitiatory: but in eye to a worthier Mediator. It had been a disgrace to our reasonable soul, the image of God, to have been valued at so base a price: An indignity to God himself, to have had his anger against sinners allayed and his justice satisfied with the kill of a calf: a thing undecent in our conceit, preposterous in nature, Heb. 10.4. unpossible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away the sins of the soul. 2 We may much more rejoice, that it was not the person of any man, or Angel, or new made creature; but of God himself manifested in the flesh. If Noah, Ezck. 14.14. Daniel, and job should stand up before God, and make intercession for us; God telleth us, they should only save their own souls: and yet not that neither, without further mediation. Noah's wine must needs be done away with blood: jobs sin with sacrifice, and daniel's imperfection with mercy. If a holy Angel should set his purity between God and us; he might justify himself: but his white robes of innocency were too short to cover our nakedness. If any creature should offer himself to death for us, we might thank him for his good will; but he had neither authority to lay down his life for another, nor power to take it up again for himself. Our Mediator is God and Man, one Christ. God: that he might pacify and satisfy, by his worth, the person offended; for he is as good as he. Man: that he might suffer for the offendor; for he is flesh and blood of the same nature with us. One Christ: that he might unite God and Man inseparably, who were disjoined before by sin: for the same person, who, as Man loveth man, being also God is infinitely beloved of God: the same Christ an intercessor for man in his manhood, cannot be denied of his Father for his Godhead sake. Therefore so long as his humanity sticketh fast to his divinity, tied with that inseparable knot of the unity of person (which the point of the spear could not dissolve) herein is our rejoicing, Rom. 8.38.39 That neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord. 3 We may most of all rejoice, that of the divine persons, the second was this day incarnate, for in him the love of God is doubled upon us; God the Father loved us before he gave his Son: had he not loved us, he had never bestowed so precious a gift upon us; but having now given his Son, thereby to make us sons, he must needs love us one degree more, in that we are his sons. God the Son loved us before he became man: but being incarnate, we may challenge a degree of love more, in that we are his brethren. He loved us before he gave himself: much more now we are his own, for he hath dearly bought us. That precious ointment streaming from Aaron's head; that blessed Spirit, which the Son our Saviour, of his fullness distilleth upon us, loved us, in that he overshadowed the Virgin for us; loved us, in that he infused faith into us, renewed our hearts, reform our wills, sanctified our persons: but shall he not now love his handy work much more, whereupon he hath bestowed such cost? If God loved us when we were strangers, runagates, rebels; and so loved us as he then intended to adopt us: what will a fatherly affection move him unto? If the Son loved us when we were yet his enemies, and so loved us, as he forsook himself for us: is it not intended he will love his friends, and brethren, heirs and fellow-heirs of the same kingdom? If the holy Ghost loved us, and so loved us as he took in hand such untoward prices, such hard hearts, such wayward and crooked affections; shall we doubt, that dwelling in us, as in holy temples, he will not keep us in reparations? Thus the triple love of the blessed Trinity is multiplied upon us; they all love us, because they loved us; they loved us, that they might love us more; they love us more, in that the second person, being the natural Son, hath made us adopted sons: in whom God is our Father, and from whom the holy Spirit is derived. Rejoice then, that he was a person, and no inferior creature; a divine person, and no creature: and again I say rejoice, in that the second person in Trinity, the eternal Son of God, as upon this day was borne of a pure virgin. 2. Circumstance. THat which is good, rare, and bringeth joy with it, must needs be acceptable unto us: but yet more welcome if it come in an acceptable time. 1 In good time was Christ borne, when the Sceptre was departed from juda, Gen. 49.10. and a lawgiver from his feet. When Israel was subject to the Romans; and the true Israelites made servants unto them that were slaves unto sin: then was that little Stone, cut out without hands, Dan. 2.45. which dashed the kingdoms in pieces, and became a mighty mountain. Then was the little Child of Bethlem incarnate of the virgin without a father, borne without a midwife, swaddled without a nurse, preferred without the help of man to an everlasting kingdom, to rule over us for our spiritual freedom and eternal bliss. 2 In good time under Augustus, when the world was quiet from the sword, and at leisure to listen after the great field fought for our souls, was our grand Captain borne. Then might the Gospel have a free passage, and the sound thereof be heard from Bethlem to Arabia; from jerusalem and Samaria unto the ends of the world. 3 In good time, Mat. 4.9. when Satan laid claim to all the kingdoms of the world for his own, and was invested with that large title of the prince, joh. 12.31. yea the god of this world. When a universal deluge of sin covered the face of the earth, so as the holy seed of Abraham was become a viperous brood: when the regions were white already unto harvest, joh. 4.35. and that good corn that was left, ready to shed out of the husk and perish: in this fullness of time did the King of glory arm himself with the frailty of human flesh and blood to cast Satan out of his kingdom, to purge the world from him, and prepare the good corn for the everlasting barns. 3. Circumstance. THe birth of this great King, is a matter of estate, for he is not crowned, but borne a King: Math. 2.2. the fullness of time wherein he came maketh expectation; not so much but the tankerd-woman of Samaria looks for him: job. 4.25. expectation makes provision. Where is then the place of his receipt? What city shall entertain him, whose seat is in heaven, Esai 66.1. and the earth his footstool? It must be jerusalem at the least: Mat. 5.35. For that is the city of the great King. But would you think this King should remove his court from Heaven to Bethlehem, the least among the thousands of juda? Mich. 5.2. can you imagine he would take up a stable there for his nursery, or a cratch for his chair of estate, or a poor carpenter and his wife for his courtiers? Yet so it was, and not without cause. For vain man at his first entrance to the world, thought himself so goodly a creature, that Paradise was too little for him; he must be as God. Therefore the mighty God, to make amends, looketh as low as man did high: contents himself with a little Bethlehem, the least of a thousand. Miserable men, the sons of Adam, affect pomp and state too much. God, to reform that, boweth the heavens and comes down: nay, boweth himself and comes down, like a shower of rain into a fleece of wool, Psal. 72.6. and makes no noise. Paul was sometimes glad for to grace himself with the place of his birth: Tarsus a famous city of Cilicia; Act. 21.39. but he that bringeth all honour with him from heaven, will grace others, but himself be graced of none. Little Bethlem shall be honoured by his noble birth, when famous jerusalem by his death shall dishonour herself. Thus the great God, who by birth made himself little, delighteth much to make little things great; so went his Mother's song of him: Luk. 1.48. He regardeth the lowliness of his handmaid, and he that is mighty hath magnified me. If the Scripture names be not empty, but carry in them matters of providence, then doth this Child of Bethlem perform what the name of Bethlem did promise; It signifieth a house of bread: joh. 6.33. and this is the bread of life which came down from heaven (upon this day) into Bethlem, like Manna in the wilderness. Moses tells us, Exod 16.14. that bread was a small round thing upon the grass. The Angel tells us, this is a little Babe, laid in a manger: Luk. 2.12. and yet this manger containeth more food than the wilderness and all the barns in Egypt; for it feedeth jerusalem and Samaria, and the ends of the world. Writ this then in the catalogue of this days joy, that Christ was borne in Bethlehem. 1. If it grieve thee that ever thou wast proud or high minded, rejoice that Christ in Bethlehem became as lowly as ever thou wast lofty; amends is made. 2. If thou be little and base in thine own eyes, rejoice; he that chose the least of the thousands of juda, will magnify thee. 3. If thy soul long for food, and desire to be satisfied; come down from Bethaven unto Bethlehem, Hose. 4.15. from that house of iniquity (which never brings contentment, but vanity and vexation) unto this house of Angel's food, that blesseth the soul with everlasting felicity. 2 Bethlem was but a little town, yet a town though; therefore some variety of houses, though but small. Amongst these he makes resort to an Inn. It seems there was but one in the town, and yet he makes choice of that. Me thinks he comes into the world, as though he meant not long to stay. If he that built heaven and earth, will neither build, nor so much as hire an house for himself on earth, but take up an Inn; his purpose is in short time to return home to his Father's house. And this also is glad tidings for us. For he hath given his word; if he go before, we shall not tarry long after; he is but gone to prepare a place for us. joh. 14.2. In his Father's house, there be many mansions, not made with hands, but eternal in heaven. Here we are strangers and pilgrims, and wayfaring men; even our father's house where we are borne, is but an Inn; here to night, and gone to morrow: but our surest home, our kindest Father, our truest joy and felicity is in heaven, else are we of all others most miserable. 3 What entertainment Christ found in this Inn, is worth the inquiry. S. Luke telleth us, there was no room for him; Luk. ●. 7. yet room enough for bibbers and blasphemers. I make no question then: the Son of God finding no room in the Inn amongst men, betakes himself into the stable amongst the beasts; and yet whether worse beasts were in the Inn or stable might bear a question. This Inn was not the holiest house in the town, nor this stable the cleanest place in the Inn; yet this holy one of Israel comes to an Inn: for he came not to call the holy, but sinners to repentance. This Sun of righteousness may shine through a dunghill, and yet the beams thereof gather no pollution: albeit I must needs blame the Innkeeper, who assigned our Saviour his birth-chamber in a stable (like some mighty men, who build themselves stately palaces, and if they have any room bad enough, it is good enough for a chapel) yet, herein doth consist some part of our Christmas joy, that Christ took a stable and made it a temple, Mat. 2.11. where the Wise men worshipped and offered oblations. Shall we then doubt of his abode in our hearts by his Spirit, whose personal presence disdained not a stable? Be it, that we are more unclean than stables, polluted with sin and corruption, inhabited with many beastly affections, like horse and mule without any understanding; like untamed haifers or wild ass colts without yoke or bit; yet the presence of his divine Spirit will humble our affections, cleanse our souls, and sanctify our members, to make them temples of the holy Ghost. 4 The worst room in the Inn was too good for him, but (thanks be to God) he hath gotten the best room in the stable, swaddled and laid in a manger; Luk. 2.7. and why? in this place there was none but his friends, and those that loved him well. His mother sought out the most sweet and soft place in all the stable, to repose the immaculate and tender Lamb of God in. If any beast was there present to feed in the manger (as likely at this general taxing, when the Inn was so full, the stable was not empty) the very instinct of nature did teach them to know their owner, and their masters crib; and after their fashion to worship the God of nature. If sinful man be that stable wherein the Son of God doth vouchsafe to repose himself, assign him the best room, lay him in the manger, give him thy heart, where all thy affections use to feed and solace themselves, and that heart shall feel a heavenly joy within it, a peace of conscience which passeth all understanding; it shall send joy into heaven amongst the Angels, who rejoice over one sinner that reputes: Luk. 15.10. it shall fetch down Angels from heaven, with a company of heavenly soldiers, to sing glory to God on high, in earth peace, and to pitch their tents about thee. A man knows not (saith Solomon) what a day may brîng forth. Prou. 27.1. Verily, if one day brought forth thus many joys when it brought forth the Son of God well may we crown it with the Psalmist his Epiphonema: Psal, 118.24. This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. S. STEVEN. WHen the Son of God had put on man, and covered his Deity with a veil of flesh, for dazzling our eyes, great things by him were both done and suffered for us. After that man therefore by virtue of those sufferings, shall have put on Christ, Rom. 13 14. it is very meet, that in token of thanks, some thing be done and suffered by man for the name of Christ. Bernard Non decet sub spinoso capite membrum esse delicatum: since the Head was crowned with thorns to save the body, let not the foot disdain to catch a thorn in defence of the head: since Christ fought for us in our own flesh till he sweat again, and sweat till he bled, and bled till he died: let this blessed. Martyr teach, that the purest blood in our sinful bodies is not too precious to be powered out for his Gospel. All confess this to be true, but some say it is too tragical: a far unfit meditation for this Feast: these bloody days of Steven and Innocents', might better have been referred unto Lent, to accompany Good Friday. For there be many wise men, both from the East and West, will with joy henour Christ in the cratch, that would be loath to follow him to the cross. S. Paul did fit the King's humour well, Act. 26.29. wishing that Agrippa were a whole Christian altogether like himself, except those bonds. For if Christianity inflict bonds, or draw blood, it is unsavoury. Unsavoury indeed unto flesh and blood: but he that hath well tasted of yesterdays joy in the birth of a Saviour, shall find it not allayed, but well seconded by this days martyrdom. The Apostles rejoiced that they were accounted worthy to suffer for his name: Act. 5.41. then sure there is some matter of dignity in suffering: and if they rejoiced therein, why should we be sad upon this day? Christ told us before: joh. 12.32. If I were lift up from the earth, I will draw men unto me. It seemeth there is some hidden virtue in the cross of Christ, known to none but those that feel the power of it; by which he enticeth men to follow him with delight, even unto death. Therefore saith Paul, 2 Cor. 12.10. I take pleasure 〈…〉, in necessities, in persecutions, in 〈◊〉. It is honourable (thinks Haman) to be set upon the Kings own horse, and have it proclaimed before him: Ester 6.9. This shall be done to the man whom the King will honour. Our King of Heaven was never better mounted on earth then upon an Ass and a Cross. The Kings on Palfreys: that, to teach humility; this, to arm us with patience: this shall be done to the man whom this King will honour. Which makes S. Paul to glory in nothing but in the Cross of Christ; who still, as he is preferred to greater dignity in the Court of Christ, assumeth to himself more honourable titles: To the Romans, Corinthians, and the rest. Sometimes he calls himself an Apostle, sometimes a Servant of Christ; but the last of all is the most glorious, in his Epistle to Philemon: Paul a prisoner of jesus Christ. It is a Christian paradox: yet that Apostle putteth us out of doubt, preferring it before the best in his 2. Epistle to the Corinth 〈◊〉 23. They are ministers of Christ, I speak 〈◊〉 fool, I am more why? In stripes above 〈◊〉 sure, in prison more plenteously, in death often, etc. 3 There is a glorious company of the Apostles, a goodly fellowship of the Prophets, but a noble army of Martyrs, as our Church hath well sung. A noble and a royal army indeed: for there is no army or host of God in heaven or earth, which fighteth so like the King himself, as the Martyrs do, which overcome by suffering; for which victory Steven doth now enjoy that which his name did signify, a crown, an eternal crown of glory. If martyrdom then be delightful, that Saints take pleasure in it: if it be to be affected as honourable, that the Apostles glory in it: if as noble and royal, it will crown us with glory; let it not grieve us to reckon it amongst our Christian triumphs. The standard-bearer of this royal army was S. Steven, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. the first Martyr in strict propriety of speech that ever was, the first 〈◊〉 of the Gospel of Christ, that conformed the same with his blood. The Innocents' lost their lives for Christ, but it was in them no voluntary oblation. john Baptist bare record of Christ, but he died for a Legal truth: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother Philip's wife. Peter resolved to have laid down his life for Christ; but he was too weak. Verily it was decreed, that no man in zeal should lose a drop of blood for the witness of Christ or his Gospel, before Christ in the abundance of love had shed his precious blood for the love of man. After Christ had finished his course, and was set at the right hand of his Father, the first that entered the lists, was this valiant Martyr Steven, who fought three notable combats: one in the schools, another before the council, and a third at the stake. 1 Out of the College came Libertines, Cyrenians, they of Alexandria, Cilicia, of Asia, Act. 6.9. and disputed with him, and were not able (saith Luke) to resist that wisdom and spirit by which he spoke. verse. 10 Wisdom without spirit, had been over dull and ●●●ttie; so many to one might easily have overcrowed him. Spirit without wisdom, had been fury, exception might have been taken to his intemperancy: but wisdom going before as a guide, and spirit following to set an edge upon it, this victory was easily got. 2 Since arguments could not prevail, of disputers they became sergeants, they ran upon him, vers. 12 caught him, and brought him to the Council, suborned false witnesses, and produced them against him. Whereat Steven was so little daunted, as all that sat in the Council saw his face as the face of an Angel; not only for confidence and majesty, which was Angelical, verse. 15 but especially that heavenly joy possessing his heart (in that he was counted worthy to suffer reproach for Christ) made him a cheerful countenance. This heaven he felt within him, Act. 7.56. and lifting up his eyes he saw another about him, ready to receive him, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. Did Steven espy him standing, whom Paul affirms to sit at the right hand of the Majesty? It is true, Heb. 1.3. the King of glory sits upon the throne in the highest places. But while his blessed Martyr Steven shall stand before the Council as a witness for Christ; Christ will appear standing before his Father, as an intercessor for Steven. 3 justice will not convict him; they make a tumult, Act. 7.57. stop their ears (lest his words might pierce their hearts, run upon him all at once. The reasons and accusations are blunt, stones be sharp enough) they cast him out of the city, verse. 58 and stone him: and yet herein is his greatest triumph; for he commends his soul by faith unto God; his prayer in charity for his persecutors; and both were accepted of: his soul received and crowned with glory; and the young man Saul at his conversion enjoyeth the fruit of Steuens prayer. If Martyrs then be so happy, so wise, so valiant, so cheerful, so Angelical, that neither school nor court, nor death nor devil can prevail further then to hasten their eternal bliss: let S. Steven be in the catalogue of joyful days, and let his example arm us to fight under the same banner. SAINT JOHN. Steven, of a faithful Christian full of the Spirit, was made a Deacon, a Martyr, a leader of that band. john, of a Disciple whom jesus loved, became an Evangelist, an Apostle, as an Eagle flying higher in divine mysteries, and looking more steadily upon the Sun of righteousness than others. Steven glorified God by his death; john by his long life. Steven by sowing his blood; john by planting the Church in divers nations, did glorify God. Steven by his example taught us how to suffer: Revel. 1.9. john foretold in his Revelation what things we must suffer: both arm us with patience in persecution. Steven offered himself at once: john by piecemeals; whose life was a continual martyrdom. This Disciple excelled the rest in three prerogatives. 1 He was beloved of jesus above other: he writ more of his own knowledge which he had seen with his eyes, and heard with his ears, than others; and left greater monuments behind him than others; not of his own fame, but of the greatness of that little Babe which lieth in a manger, and yet fills heaven and earth. john was known by the name of the Disciple whom jesus loved; but than what moved jesus to affect john more than the rest, may be curious to inquire, and more difficult to find out, unless it was because he was younger than the rest of his followers, and yet more constant and resolute. For a young man to follow Christ, it is rare, and therefore amiable. If we urge youth unto that, they tell us (as the devil told Christ) we torment them before their time. Mat 8.29. For commonly the prodigal son is the younger. Luk. 15.12. Therefore since john was like that purple wool, Heb. 9.19. wherewith Moses is said to have sprinkled all the people, both died in the will himself with piety, and an instrument also to besprinkle others with the blood of Christ: it may be for this cause he was more loved then ordinary. So was young Samuel favoured of God: so was David, a man after Gods own heart, for he was a man of God from a lad: and so was little Daniel, Dan. 10.11. a man greatly beloved (as Gabriel telleth us) unto whom no less revelations were declared for the old Testament, than were unto john for the new. This loving affection unto religious youth, our Saviour might learn of his Father; as S. Paul learned of him to love his young scholar Timothy, to whom he writ as often as unto any Church which he had planted. A goodly motive to show especial tokens of familiarity unto john, in suffering him to ask questions in secret, to lean upon his breast, and to suck wisdom from him. Me thinks john was unto Christ among his Disciples, as Benjamin was unto joseph among his brethren, twice beloved, and brother on both sides by father and mother. For john was the adopted son of his heavenly Father by grace, as also of his earthly mother by favour. For he spoke from the Cross to the Virgin of john, joh. 19.26. Behold thy son, and to john he said, Behold thy mother. This was the fruit of his constancy and perseverance, who stayed by it when the rest fled; who spoke little, and held out, when Peter said much, Luk 22.33. and ran away. A sword pierced through his soul also, as well as his mothers, when his eyes beheld the spear pierce the side of his Lord and Saviour. joh. 19.35. Thus was Christ Alpha and Omega unto john, who was Aleph and Thou unto Christ: who began betimes, and held out to the end; Ezek. 9.4. marked in the forehead with the letter Thou, the last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. 2 This is that Disciple which testifieth these things, joh. 21.24. and we know that his testimony is true. Again, 1. joh. 1.1. That which we have heard, which we have seen, which we have looked upon, which our hands have handled of the Word of life, declare we unto you. So he ended his Gospel, and so he began his Epistles, who saw, and heard, and felt more than the rest. Mat. 17.2. He saw the Son of God in his glory, he saw him in his full eclipse; he saw him when his face shone like the Sun, and his garments glisteren white as snow: and again, when the same face was spit upon, Mat. 27.30. vers. 35. and his garments divided. He saw him glorified on mount Tabor with Moses and Elias: and after crucified on mount Caluarie, verse. 38 between two thieves. He heard the voice of his Father from heaven: Mat. 3.17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. He heard the lamentable cry of the Son of God upon the cross: My God, my God, Mat. 27.46. why hast thou forsaken me? After this, he both saw and heard those heavenly mysteries in that I'll of Patmos, Revel. 14 9 which this of England doth now enjoy: those divine Revelations, written by john to the seven Churches of Asia, which are at this day extant in all the Churches of Europe. 3 He hath left behind him three monuments of especial note: I mean not his three titles, of john the Evangelist, the Apostle, the Divine: but his three works, his Gospel, Epistles, and Apocalypse. The first beginneth from afore all worlds, far above Moses his beginning of the creation, joh. 1.2. In the beginning was the Word, etc. The last describeth that heavenly jerusalem, Reul. 21.10. which endureth past all ages. The first is a narration of the Gospel of Christ; the second, an exhortation unto the piety of Saints; the third, a revelation of the state of the Church. The first teacheth faith; the second charity; the third, hope and patience: sufficient to make a man perfect in Christ. This Apostle our Church hath placed in this Feast of the Nativity, to the end to teach us, who that Babe was which was borne at Bethlehem. INNOCENTS'. Marvel not that children make up this train, Esa. 9.6. for unto us a Child is borne, and such a one as evermore delighteth in little ones, like his Father; to whom was never sacrifice more acceptable of beasts than lambs, of birds then young pigeons. This Lamb of God carrieth the same mind: Suffer little children to come unto me, Mat 19.14. and forbidden them not, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. And if the kingdom belong unto them, good reason they should belong unto the King: yet neither they nor the King shall enter into this kingdom without blood. Gen. 4.8. So I thought, when God placed a sword at the gate of Paradise; his meaning was, Gen. 3.24. none should come there again without loss of blood. Thus passed Habel (the first in the old Testament) by his brother's sword: Mat. 2.16. and these Innocents' the first in the new Testament, under Herod's sword and the rest. Some going before, some following, and the King himself in the midst, by whose sole virtue and authority it was, that both to them before, and us following, the gate of heaven was open, else had there been no passage at all. Yet for all this, the King telleth us, Mat. 7.14. The gate is strait, and there be few that go in thereat, therefore we must strive if we mean to enter. The impediments which make the passage so difficult to us, be three in number; all which the example of those Innocents' teach us to avoid or overcome. 1 First the sword of tribulation, Act. 14.22. for by many tribulations must we enter into the kingdom of God. Mat. 16.24. Therefore if any will be my disciple (saith our Saviour) let him take up his cross, as I have done. This let, they overcame by suffering, and got more by Herod his sword, then if they had been maintained at his own exhibition. Let not this stop us then: for why should any child of God be less patiented in suffering one death for an everlasting kingdom, than Herod was cruel, inflicting many deaths for an earthly kingdom. 2 If sin lie at the door, Gen. 4.7. it will stop our passage as it did cain's: whether it be some great notorious sin, as his was, like a rock in the sea, or like a sand, many little ones heaped together; either of them will damn up the gate, & make the conscience to suffer shipwreck. Therefore to prevent that, these passengers were Innocents', entering in this door before they had clogged it with many sins: whose example in this kind, S. Paul commends unto us: 1. Cor. 14.20. As concerning maliciousness be ye children. For children have their faults, yet commonly they proceed in them either of ignorance or infirmity, or both; and so long God is merciful unto us. But if maliciousness and presumptuous sins get a hand over us, they will stop the gate of heaven, and much ado shall we have to pass: for this cause strait is the gate, and few there be that go in thereat. 3 As we have made the gate strait through our default; so if we grow over-big, so much the worse. A thread may enter where a camel cannot. These Innocents' were little in body and mind, Mat. 2.16. two years old and under: but the devils disease is a swelling disease, and so infectious at the first, as our parents got it of him in Paradise; since which time it is grown hereditary to the sons of Adam. This cast Nabuchadnezzar out of his earthly kingdom: Dan. 4.28. and it must be assuaged in us, or we shall never enter the heavenly. The Pharisy swelled in conceit of his own righteousness, Luke 16.14. and stuck fast: the Publican stooped, and went in. Zacheus was great in riches; Luke 19.8. he diminished himself by restitution, by charity to the poor, and passed. For this gate (it seems) is made for children only to creep through. Verily I say unto you, Mat. 18.3. except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God. CIRCUMCISION. THe month of Nisan (when Israel should be sprinkled with the blood of the Paschall Lamb) was to be reckoned the first month of the year, Exod. 12.2. that by so good a beginning, the rest of the year might the better be hallowed. It is not then amiss to begin a new revolution with the remembrance of those drops of blood wherewith all the world was besprinkled, and no doubt sanctified, at the circumcision of the Lamb of God. They were but a few drops, I confess, not the whole price of our redemption; yet sufficient though for an earnest penny: the entire Son was after tendered upon the Cross at his passion. Yet because only the blood of Christ, and no other, was a sufficient ransom for the world, it was therefore very behoveful, that before he paid the ransom, he should approve himself to be the very true Messiah and Redeemer; and this was performed at his Circumcision. For (saith the text) when eight days were accomplished that they should circumcise the child, his name was called jesus. He was circumcised, to approve himself truly man, flesh of our flesh: and his name was called jesus, which signifieth God our Saviour. Circumcised, that the jews might acknowledge him to be the Son of Abraham: called jesus, that he might be received for the Son of God. Circumcised, to become subject to the law: Gal. 5.3 for he that is circumcised (saith S. Paul) is bound to keep the law. Called jesus, to save us from the curse of the law. Circumcised, to take upon him the similitude of sinful flesh, (for that was a sacrament of original corruption.) Called jesus, that he might save his people from their sins, as the Angel expounded his name unto joseph. This Circumcision he first suffered for us in the flesh, and after performed the true effect thereof within us by his Spirit, to wit, a Circumcision made without hands (as the Apostle speaks) by putting off the sinful body of the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ, who by his spiritual knife, first cutteth off the foreskin of our hearts, and makes them bleed, in sorrow for our sins past: for Circumcision is a bloody thing (as Zipporah said to Moses) and he that will be a true Israelite, his heart must bleed. 2. The foreskin being removed, which hardened our hearts before, there followeth a tenderness of conscience, which giveth a quicker sense of future transgression. Next, he purgeth the vine branches that they may bring forth more fruit: circumcising all superfluous and vain cogitations in us: lopping all luxurious affections, lest overgrowing they might overthrow us (like Absalon's hair) for want of cutting. So are we also of circumcised lips and ears, when our mouth shall speak no vanity, and our ears relish the word of wisdom, Thus renewed in heart and affection, in soul and body (when old things are passed, 2. Cor. 5.17. and all things are become new) we may offer and present unto God, the poor widows offering of two mites, our soul and body to be a living sacrifice, and an acceptable newyears gift unto him (since it is all that we have) thereby assuring ourselves that our names are known, and called, and written in heaven; for the Spirit hath circumcised us. epiphany. WE may well conclude with the manifestation of Christ unto the Gentiles. For without this, all that hath been said is nothing unto us, who be (as the Apostle telleth us) sinners of the Gentiles. But now God persuades japheth to dwell in the tents of Shem, that is, Gen. 9.27. the Gentiles which came of japheth, to join themselves unto the Church, which is the posterity of Shem; for which thing father Noah prayed long since. job 38.13. Now the morning takes hold of the corners of the earth (as God said to job) that the wicked might be shaken out of it: for the Sun of righteousness shineth to the men of the East. Zachar. 2.4. Now jerusalem gins to be inhabited without walls (as Zachary prophesied) when the Church shall not be hemmed within the precinct of that nation. Now the great mystery of godliness is revealed, when God manifested in the flesh, is preached to the Gentiles. For these Wisemen were the first fruits of the Gentiles: whereupon followed a mighty harvest. The harvest indeed is great, Go and teach all nations. This word of life in David's time was but a light and a lantern: Ps. 119. v. 105. Nun. now it is a morning Star appearing in the East; and after, a Sun of righteousness, which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world: joh. 1.9. whose beams directly behold these corners and ends of the world; upon which the firmamental Sun looketh but asquint. Now is the Gospel preached (as Christ gave in commandment) unto every creature; not unto men only, but even to those barbarous nations which scarce carried the face of men, these silly creatures in times past unacquainted with the laws of civil humanity. This is the mean crop: the first fruits were the wise men of the East: with whom Christ dealeth in their own art: (that he might have the faster hold of them) for he leadeth them by a star, because they were Astronomers, and therefore able to discern a miracle in that kind. So he dealt with his own Disciples by sea, stilling the tempest, and causing Peter to walk upon the waters, because they were watermen: by those miraculous draughts of fish, because they were fishermen: hereby showing himself to be that wise maister-fisher of souls, which fitteth his bait to every kind. We see the goodness of God unto the Gentiles, in that Christ was manifested to those men: shall we learn the duty of the Gentiles towards God, by the devotion of these men unto Christ? They came to worship him in heart, in body, and in goods: they opened their treasuries; and where the treasure is, there is the heart. The heart commands the body (as the Centurion his servant) saying to the foot, Go, and it goeth, etc. Neither did they come to worship Christ empty handed, Deut. 16.16.17 but brought with them such gifts as their country did afford, gold, incense and myrrh; Aurumregi, Thus Deo, Myrrhamorituro. Gold, not so much to relieve the wants of his poor parents, (who were able to compass no better a birth-chamber then a stable) as to show themselves tributaries to his Majesty, unto whom was given the heathen for his inheritance, Psal. 2.8. and the ends of the world for his possessions. Frankincense was brought, not so much to sweeten the place, as by incense to acknowledge the Deity of the Son of God. Myrrh was also offered with no less mystery, then Marry her ointment at the day of his burial: for it is to preserve his dead body from corruption, who being dead and buried, yet saw no corruption. 1 If then we receive Christ for our heavenly King, and Sovereign of our souls, in obedience unto his evangelical law, it is as much as if we brought gold, and much fine gold. 2 If we offer up prayers and thanksgiving, that is, saith David, as incense, Psal. 141.2. and the uplifting of our hands as an evening sacrifice. 3 If in devotion we relieve the Church, and preserve the members of his mystical body militant, from corruption, distress and misery; this is as Myrrh unto his natural body. These be our Christian oblations: 1 Obedience to his law, the fruit of faith. 2 Prayers and supplications, grounded upon hope. 3 Devotion and alms, proceeding from charity towards our brethren. Noster enim taleis reddit agellus opes. These be all which our earthly mould by the influence of heaven can yield: which, that it may yield, look we steadfastly (with Elias) upon this little cloud, 1. King. 18.44 rising at the first no bigger than a man's hand, or the breadth of a Crib; from which we desire and expect those manifold drops of the graces of his Spirit to fall upon our hearts, that we may return unto him, together with his Father and Spirit, all praise, honour and thanks this time and for ever. Amen. FINIS.