History of the Old Testament Volume 5, Part 15
CHRIST among the Doctors.
EVEN the ſpring ſhowes vsus what we may hope for of the tree in Summer; In his nonage therfore, would our Sauiour giuegive vsus a taſte of his future proofe, leaſt if his perfection ſhould hauehave ſhewed it ſelfe without warning to the world, it ſhould hauehave beene intertained with more wonder, then beleefe; now this act of his Childe-hood ſhall prepare the faith of men by fore-expectation; notwithſtanding all this early demonſtration of his diuine graces, the incredulous Iewes could afterwards ſay, whence hath this man this wiſdome and great workes? What would they hauehave ſaid, if he had ſuddenly leapt forth into the cleare light of the world? The Sunne would dazle all eyes, if hee ſhould breake forth at his firſt riſing into his full ſtrength; now he hath both the day-ſtar to goe before him, and to bid men looke for that glorious body, and the liuely colours of the day, to publiſh his approch, the eye is comforted, not hurt by his appearance.
The Parents of Chriſt went vp yearely to Ieruſalem at the feaſt of the Paſſouer; the law was onelyonly for the males, I doe not finde the bleſſed virgin bound to this voyage, the weaker ſexe receiued indulgence from God: yet ſhee knowing the ſpirituall profit of that iourney, takes paines voluntarily to meaſure that long way eueryevery yeare; Piety regards not any diſtinction of ſexes or degrees, nether yet doth Gods acceptation; rather doth it pleaſe the mercy of the higheſt, more to reward that ſeruice, which, though he like in all, yet out of fauour he will not impoſe vponupon all! It could not be but that ſhe whom the holy ghoſt ouerſhadowed, ſhould bee zealous of Gods ſeruice: thoſe that will go no further then they are dragged in their religious exerciſes, are no whit of kinne to her whom all generations ſhall call bleſſed.
The childe Ieſus in the minority of his age, went vp with his Parents to the holy ſolemnity, not this yeare onelyonly, but in all likelyhood others alſo; hee in the power of whoſe God-head, and by the motion of whoſe Spirit, all others aſcended thither, would not himſelfe ſtay at home. In al his examples he meant our Inſtruction: this pious act of his nonage intended to lead our firſt yeares into timely deuotion. The firſt liquor ſeaſons the veſſell for a long time after: It is eueryevery way good for a man, to beare Gods yoke euen from his Infancy: it is the policie of the deuill to diſcourage early holynes: hee that goes out betimes in the morning, is more like to diſpatch his iourney, then he that lingers till the day bee ſpent. This bleſſed Family, came not to looke at the feaſt & be gone; but they duely ſtayd out all the appointed dayes of vnleauened bread: they and the reſt of Iſrael could not want houſhold buſineſſes at home; thoſe ſecular affaires could not either keepe them from repayring to Ieruſalem, or ſend them away immaturely; Worldly cares muſt giuegive place to the ſacred: Except wee will depart vnbleſſed, we muſt attend Gods ſeruices till wee may receiue his diſmiſſion:
It was the faſhion of thoſe times and places, that they went vp, and ſo returned by troupes, to thoſe ſet meetings of their holy feſtiuals. The whole pariſh of Nazareth went and came together, Good-fellowſhip doth no way ſo well, as in the paſſage to Heauen: much comfort is added by ſociety to that iourney, which is of it ſelfe pleaſant; It is an happy word, Come let vsus go vp to the houſe of the Lord: Mutual incouragement is none of the leaſt benefits of our holy aſſemblies: Many ſticks layd together, make a good fire, which if they lye ſingle, loſe both their light and heat.
The feaſt ended, what ſhould they do, but return to Nazareth? Gods ſeruices may not bee ſo attended, as that wee ſhould neglect our particular callings: Himſelfe cals vsus from his owne houſe to ours: and takes pleaſure to ſee a painfull Client: They are fouly miſtaken, that thinke God cares for no other trade, but deuotion: Piety & diligence muſt keep meet changes with each other; neither doth God leſſe acept of our returne to Nazareth, then our going vp to Ieruſalem.
I cannot thinke that the bleſſed Virgin, or good Ioſeph, could be ſo negligent of their diuine charge, as not to call the childe Ieſus, to their ſetting forth from Ieruſalem: But their backe was no ſooner turned vponupon the Temple, then his face was towards it; hee had buſineſſe in that place, when theirs was ended: there hee was both worſhipped and repreſented: hee, in whom the God-head dwelt bodily, could do nothing without God: his true father led him away from his ſuppoſed: Sometimes the affaires of our ordinary vocation, may not grudge to yeeld vntounto ſpirituall occaſions: The Parents of Chriſt knew him well, to be of a diſpoſition, not ſtrange, nor ſullen and ſtoycall, but ſweet and ſociable: and therfore they ſuppoſed, he had ſpent the time and the way, in the company of their frends and neighbours: They doe not ſuſpect him wandred into the ſolitary fields, but when euening came, they go to ſeeke him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance: If hee had not wonted to conuerſe formerly with them, hee had not now beene ſought amongſt them: Neither as God, nor man doth he take pleaſure in a ſterne froward auſterity, and wilde retiredneſſe: but in a milde affableneſſe, and amiable conuerſaſation.
But, ô bleſſed Virgin, who can expreſſe the ſorrowes of thy perplexed ſoule; when all that euening-ſearch could affoord thee no newes of thy Son Ieſus▪ Was not this one of thoſe ſwords of Simeon, which ſhould pierce thorow thy tender breſt? How didſt thou chide thy credulous neglect, in not obſeruing ſo precious a charge, and blame thine eyes, for once looking beſide this obiect of thy louelove? How didſt thou, with thy carefull husband, ſpend that reſtleſſe night, in mutuall expoſtulations, and bemonings of your loſſe? How many ſuſpicious imaginations did that while racke thy greeued ſpirit? Perhaps thou mightſt doubt, leſt they which layd for him, by Herods command, at his birth, had now by the ſecret inſtigation of Archelaus, ſurprized him in his child-hood: or it may be, thou thoughtſt thy diuine Son had now withdrawne himſelfe from the earth, and returned to his heauenly glory, without warning: or peraduenture, thou ſtudyedſt with thy ſelfe, whether any careles on thy behalfe, had not giuen occaſion to this abſence.
Oh deare Sauiour, who can miſſe and not mourne for thee? Neuer any ſoule conceiued thee by faith, that was leſſe afflicted with the ſenſe of thy diſſertion, then comforted with the ioy of thy preſence: Iuſt is that ſorrow, and thoſe teares ſeaſonable, that are beſtowed vponupon thy loſſe; What comfort are we capable of, whiles we want thee? What reliſh is there in theſe earthly delights without thee? What is there to mitigate our paſſionate diſcomforts, if not from thee? Let thy ſelfe looſe, ô my ſoule, to the fulneſſe of ſorrow, when thou findeſt thy ſelfe bereeued of him, in whoſe preſence is the fulneſſe of ioy, and deny to receiue comfort from any thing, ſaue from his returne.
In vaine is Chriſt ſought among his kinred, according to the fleſh: So far are they ſtill from giuing vsus their ayd, to find the true Meſsias, that they lead vsus from him: Backe againe therefore are Ioſeph and Mary gone, to ſeeke him at Hieruſalem; Shee goes about in the City, by the ſtreets, and by the open places, and ſeekes him whom her ſoule loueth: She ſought him, for the time, and found him not. Doe we thinke ſhe ſpared her ſearch, the euening of her returne, ſhee haſtes to the Inne, where ſhe laſt left him; where miſſing him, ſhee inquires of eueryevery one ſhee met, HaueHave you not ſeene him, whom my ſoule loueth? At laſt, the third day, ſhee findes him in the Temple: One day was ſpent in the journey towards Galile; another in the returne to Ieruſalem: The third day recouers him: Hee, who would riſe againe the third day, and be found amongſt the liuing, now alſo would the third day bee found of his Parents, after the ſorrow of his abſence. But where wert thou, ô bleſſed Ieſu, for the ſpace of theſe three daies? Where didſt thou beſtow thy ſelfe, or who tended thee, whiles thou wert thus alone at Hieruſalem? I know, if Hieruſalem ſhould hauehave beene as vnkinde to thee, as Bethelem, thou couldſt hauehave commanded the Heauens to harbour thee, and if men did not miniſter to thee, thou couldſt hauehave commanded the ſeruice of Angels, but ſince the forme of a ſeruant, called thee to a voluntary homelineſſe, whether it pleaſed thee to exerciſe thy ſelfe thus early, with the difficulties of a ſtranger, or to prouide miraculouſly for thy ſelfe; I inquire not, ſince thou reuealeſt not, only this I know, that hereby thou intendeſt to teach thy parents, that thou couldeſt liue without them, and that not of any indigency, but out of a gracious diſpenſation, thou wouldſt ordinarily depend vponupon their care.
In the meane time, thy diuine wiſdome could not but fore-know all theſe corroding thoughts, wherewith the heart of thy deare mother muſt needs bleed, through this ſudden dereliction; yet wouldſt thou leaue her for the time to her ſorrow: Euen ſo, ô Sauior, thou thoughteſt fit to viſit her, that bore thee with this earely affliction; Neuer any loued thee, whom thou doeſt not ſometimes exerciſe with the greefe of miſſing thee, that both we may be more carefull to hold thee, and more ioyfull in recouering thee. Thou haſt ſayd, and canſt not lye, I am with you to the end of the world: but euen whiles thou art really preſent, thou thinkeſt good to be abſent vntounto our apprehenſions: yet if thou leaue vsus, thou wilt not forſake vsus; if thou leaue vsus for our humiliation, thou wilt not forſake vsus to our finall diſcomfort; thou mayſt for three dayes hide thy ſelfe; but then wee ſhall finde thee in the Temple; None euer ſought thee with a ſincere deſire, of whom thou wert not found: Thou wilt not bee either ſo little abſent, as not to whet our appetites, nor ſo long, as to fainten the heart. After three dayes wee ſhall finde thee; and where ſhould wee rather hope to finde thee then in the Temple? There is the habitation for the God of Iſrael, there is thy reſting place for euer; Oh all yee that are greeued with the want of your Sauiour, ſee where yee muſt ſeeke him: In vaine ſhall yee hope to finde him in the ſtrects, in the Tauernes, in the Theaters, ſeek him in his holy Temple: Seeke him with piety, ſeeke him with faith, there ſhall yee meet him, there ſhall yee recouer him. Whiles children of that age were playing in the ſtreets, Chriſt was found ſitting in the Temple, not to gaze on the outward glory of that houſe, or on the golden Candleſticks, or tables, but to heare and appoſe the Doctors; Hee, who as God, gaue them all the wiſdome they had, as the Son of man hearkens to the wiſdom he had giuen them: He, who ſate in their hearts, as the Author of all learning and knowledge, ſets in the midſt of their ſchoole, as an humble Diſciple: That by learning of them, he might teach all the younger ſort humility, and due attendance vponupon their Inſtructours, he could at the firſt hauehave taught the great Rabbins of Iſrael, the deepe myſteries of God; but becauſe hee was not yet called by his Father, to the publique function of a Teacher, hee contents to heare with diligence, and to aske with modeſty, & to teach onelyonly by inſinuation. Let thoſe conſider this, which will needes run as ſoone as they can go: and when they find ability, thinke they need not ſtay for a further vocation of God, or men; Open your eyes, yee rathe ripe Inuaders of Gods Chaire: and ſee your Sauior in his younger yeeres, not ſitting in the eminent pulpits of the Doctors, but in the lowly floores of the Auditors: See him that could hauehave taught the Angels, liſtning in his minority, to the voyce of men; Who can think much, to learne of his Ancients, when he looks vponupon the Son of God, ſitting at the feet of the Doctors of Iſrael. Firſt he hears, thē he asks: how much more doth it concern vsto be hearers, ere we offer to be teachers of others; hee gathers that hears, he ſpēds that teacheth; if we ſpend ere we gather, we ſhall ſoon proue bankrupts.
When he hath heard, he askes, and after that, hee anſwers: doubtleſſe thoſe very queſtions were inſtructions, and meant to teach more then to learne: Neuer had theſe great Rabbins heard the voyce of ſuch a tutor: in whom they might ſee the wiſdome of God ſo concealing it ſelfe, that yet it would bee knowne to be there: No maruell then if they all wondred at his vnderſtanding and anſwers▪ Their eyes ſaw nothing but humane weakeneſſe, their eares heard diuine ſublimity of matter; betwixt what they ſaw, and what they heard, they could not but bee diſtracted with a doubting admiration. And why did ye not (ô ye Iewiſh teachers) remember That to vsus a Childe is borne, and vntounto vsus a Son is giuen, and the gouernment is vponupon his ſhoulder, and his name ſhall bee called Wonderfull, Counſellor, the mighty God, the euerlaſting Father, the Prince of peace? Why did ye not now bethinke yourſelues, what the ſtarre, the Sages, the Angels, the Shepheards, Zachary, Simeon, Anna, had premoniſhed you. Fruitleſſe is the wonder that endeth not in faith; No light is ſufficient where the eyes are held through vnbeliefe or pre…udice.
The Doctors were not more amazed, to heare ſo profound a childe-hood, then the parents of Chriſt were to ſee him among the Doctors; the Ioy of finding him, did ſtriue with the aſtoniſhment of finding him thus, And now, not Ioſeph (he knew how little right he had to that diuine Son) but Mary breakes forth into a louing expoſtulation (Son why haſt thou dealt ſo with vsus;) that ſhe might not ſceme to take vponupon her as an imperious mother, it is like ſhe reſerued this queſtion till ſhee had him alone: Wherein ſhe meant rather to expreſſe griefe then co… reption: OnelyOnly heerein th… bleſſed virgin offended, that he inconſideration did not ſuppoſe (as it was) that ſome hy… reſpects, then could be due to fleſh and bloud, called away th… Son of God from her, that wa… the daughter of man: She tha… was but the mother of his humanity, ſhould not hau… thought that the buſines o… God muſt for her ſake bee neglected: Wee are all partiall to our ſelues naturally, & prone to the regard of our owne rights; queſtionleſſe this gracious ſaint would not for all the world, hauehave willingly preferd her own attendance, to that of her God: through heedleſneſſe ſhee doth ſo: her Son and Sauiour is her monitor: out of his diuine louelove reforming her naturall: How is …t that ye ſought me? Knew ye not …hat I muſt goe about my Fathers buſineſſe? Immediately before the bleſſed virgin had ſaid, thy father and I ſought thee with heauy hearts: Wherein both according to the ſuppoſition of the world, ſhe called Ioſeph the father of Chriſt, and according to the faſhion of a dutifull wife, ſhee names her Ioſeph, before her ſelfe. She well knew that Ioſeph had nothing but a name in this buſines, ſhe knew how God had dignified her beyond him; yet, ſhe ſaies: Thy father and I ſough… thee; The Sonne of God ſtand not vponupon contradiction to hi… mother, but leading he thoughts from his ſuppoſed father, to his true; from earth t… heauen, he anſwers (Knew ye no… that I muſt goe about my Father… buſineſſe?) It was honor enough to her that hee had vouchſafed to take fleſh of her; It was his eternall honor, that hee wa… God of God; the euerlaſting Son of the heauenly Father; good reaſon therefore was it that, the reſpects to fleſh: ſhould giuegive place to the God of Spirits▪ How well contented was holy Mary with ſo iuſt an anſwer, how doth ſhe now again in her hart, renew her anſwer to the Angell (Behold the ſeruant of the Lord, be it according to thy word.
We are all the ſonnes of God in another kinde. Nature and the world thinkes wee ſhould attend them; we are not worthy to ſay, we hauehave a Father in heauen, if we cannot ſteale away from theſe earthly diſtractions, and imploy our ſelues in the ſeruices of our God.