The Harmony of the Gospels, Chapter 6
CAP. VI
The Hiſtory of the holy life of Jeſus Chriſt in the time of his Child-hood.
SO much for the Hiſtory of Jeſus Chriſt in his Infancy, and what ſore Perſecution he ſuffered while he was an Infant; which was propheſied of, Pſal. 22.9, 10. Thou art he that took care of me in the womb, thou didſt make me hope when I was upon my mothers breaſts, I was caſt upon thee from the womb; thou art my God from my mothers belly.
The life of Jeſus Chriſt may be ſet forth in four Periods,
1. His Infancy, of which we have already ſpoken.
2. His Childhood, the hiſtory whereof is recorded, Luk. 2.40. ad 51.
3. His Youth, the hiſtory whereof is recorded, Luk. 2.51, 52.
4. His Ripe Age, in his publick Miniſtry.
His Childhood is
1. Deſcribed. ver. 40.
2. Illuſtrated, by one particular hiſtory at the finiſhing of his childhood, & beginning of his Youth, viz. when he was about twelve years old, Luk. 2.41. ad 51.
Although this Inſtance only is recorded, yet no doubt there were many more eminent and obſervable paſſages in his life. And why the Lord hath ſaid ſo little of his eminent life, and ſo much of his ſufferings and Death, is a point worth ſearching into. This I may ſay, that in this life we have moſt need to feed, meditate upon, and improve the Sufferings and death of Jeſus Chriſt. At the day of Judgment, and in heaven, we ſhall be more capable to behold and improve the hiſtory of the holy life of Jeſus Chriſt, and his heavenly Sayings and Doings.
The Childhood of Jeſus Chriſt is deſcribed by four things,
1. He grew.
2. He waxed ſtrong in Spirit.
3. He was filled with Wiſdome.
4. The Grace of God was upon him.
Here behold the moſt excellent Child that ever was born of a woman, a moſt high and glorious pattern for all good Children to ſet before them, as an high mark to make towards. John Baptiſt was a famous Child, he was conceived by Faith, as Iſaac was a child of Prayer, his birth foretold by the Angel, who ſpake many and great things of him, Luk. 1.13. The Angel ſaid, fear not Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, & thy wife Elizabeth ſhall bear thee a Son, & thou ſhalt call his name John, and thou ſhalt have joy and gladneſs, and many ſhall rejoyce at his birth, for he ſhall be great in the ſight of the Lord, and ſhall drink neither wine nor ſtrong drink, and he ſ…all be filled with the Holy Ghoſt even from his mothers womb, and many of the children of Iſrael ſhall he turn to the Lord their God. And he ſhall goe before him in the ſpirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the children, and the diſobedient to the wiſdome of the juſt to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Lo what marvelous things are ſpoken by the Angel touching John. And when Zacharias objected, and made difficult to believe what the Angel had ſaid touching his ha…ing a child, he gave Zacharias ſuch a ſign, as made this matter obſervable to all Iſtael: for he was ſtruck dumb till John was born. And what the Angel had ſaid touching his being filled with the Holy Ghoſt from his mothers womb, ver. 15. was performed, ver. 41, 44. As ſoon as Elizabeth heard the voice of Maryes ſalutation, the babe Jo…n leaped in her womb for joy. His birth was very obſervable. At his Circumciſion his fathers dumb tongue was looſed, and his mouth opened to praiſe the Lord. And he was filled with the Holy Gho…t, and propheſied both touching Jeſus Chriſt, and touching John Baptiſt, that he ſhould goe before the face of the Lord, to prepare his way, according as the Angel had foretold. Many more things are ſpoken of him in this Propheſy: ſo famous were theſe things about John, that Luk. 1.66. All that heard theſe things, laid them up in their hearts ſaying, what manner of child ſ… this be? and the hand of the Lord was with him. and ver. 80. the child grew, and waxed ſtrong in ſpirit. Two of the very ſame words that are ſpoken of Jeſus Chriſt Luk. 2.40. are ſpoken of John. Behold here this child John, was the moſt famous child (of a meer man) that ever was brought forth into the world. But notwithſtanding all this, he was not comparable to the child Jeſus, as may be made to appear in many and great reſpects; yea in thoſe two things that are ſaid of John in the ſame words wherein they are ſaid of Jeſus, viz. that he grew and waxed ſtrong in ſpirit, there is a wonderfull difference betwixt John and Jeſus,
1. John was a Son of fallen man, under the ſtain of Original Sin, though he was very early ſanctified, even in the womb, three months before he was born: yet by nature he was defiled and ſtained with Original Sin, by reaſon of the juſt imputation of the guilt of Adams ſin unto him: for thus ſin is propagated from Father to child, all the poſterity of Adam being in his loins. The Embrio in the womb is not a Man, till it be quickned with an immortal Soul: though it hath principles of natural growth, yet till it be united and quickned with an immortal Soul, it is not Man kind, and the Law taketh no hold on it. And that the body is thus prepared in the womb, before the immortal Soul is creatingly infuſed into it, and united; doth appear, (as I conceive) in that law of God, Exod. 21.22, 23. If a man ſtrive, and hurt a woman with child, ſo that her fruit depart from her, and yet no miſchi…f follow, he ſhall be ſurely puniſhed according as the womans husband will lay upon him; and he ſhall pay as the Iudges determine: but if miſchief follow, then thou ſhalt give life for life. See here, that a woman may be ſo hurt, as to loſe her Conception but it is not murder, if her Conception was not quickned with an immortal Soul. But if it were quickned, it is murder, and life muſt goe for life. So ſoon therefore as the conception is quickned with an immortal Soul, it is a man, a Son of Adam, and now the Law taketh hold on him, vindictive juſtice doth judge him guilty of Adams ſin, becauſe he was in Adams loins. Thus is ſin propagated, and puniſhment inflicted, he is puniſhed with Original ſin by the juſtice of the law.
This was John Baptiſts caſe, he was under the vindictive ſentence of the Law, though the Holy Ghoſt ſoon took poſſe…ſion of him, b… the coming of Jeſus unto him, and ſanctified him, by uniting him unto Jeſus Chriſt, and brought him into a ſtate of grace and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, thus it was with John, but it was far otherwiſe with Jeſus Chriſt, for he was without ſin, Heb. 4.15. though in other things he was a man like unto us, yet in this point there was a great di…ference, he was without ſin.
2. John Baptiſt was begotten after the ordinary way of Generation of all mankind that were in the loins of Adam, by Zacharias and Elizabeth. But Jeſus was conceived by the Holy Ghoſt in the womb of a Virgin, and therefore that holy thing that was born of her is called the Son of God. He was made und…r the Law, Gal. 4.4. as a rule of the life of man, but the vindictive juſtice of the Law had nothing to ſay unto him, becauſe he had no ſin, vindictive juſtice had no more to ſay to Jeſus then it had to ſay to Adam at his firſt Creation. Adam was created under the Law as a rule of life, but vindictive juſtice had nothing to ſay unto him, untill he had ſinned; but ſo ſoon as he had ſinned, then the Law condemned him, and puniſhed him. Jeſus was in the ſtate of innocent Adam, and ſo under the Law as a rul… of life. but not in the ſtate of fallen Adam, to be under ſin and vindictive juſtice.
When Jeſus Chriſt performed the Office of a Mediator, and ſ…ood as a publick perſon, by voluntary diſpenſation, he ſuffered the guilt of Adams ſin, and all our ſins to be imputed to him, as to our Suret…, he voluntarily ſubmitted to vindictive juſtice, to puniſh him in our ſtead, but in his perſonal ſtate he was as pure from any ſtain of ſin, as Adam was at his firſt Creation, ſo that herein was a great difference betwixt Jeſus and John.
3. John was but a man, a meer man, as other of mankind be, but Jeſus Chriſt was God and man in one perſon. The ſecond perſon in Trinity did aſſume this holy thing, this humane nature, this pure ſpotleſs thing, and made it one perſon with himſelf, a Myſtery eternally to be admired, and herein Jeſus did infinitely excell John.
4. The humane nature of Jeſus had the Image of God in him in all perfection, whereby he was able to keep the Law of God, under which he was made purely, perfectly and meritoriouſly. And that, not only as Adam was able to do at his firſt Creation, but infinitely more excellently, becauſe he is God-man. But it was far otherwiſe with John, for he had Gods Image but in part, even ſo much as Jeſus Chriſt by his Spirit through free grace ſaw meet to diſpence unto him, which though it was in greater meaſure then other men, or Prophets, yet infinitely ſhort of Jeſus Chriſt, and he kept the Law according to the meaſure of grace and aſſiſtance which he received from Ieſus Chriſt, and he needed a pardon from Ieſus Chriſt, of his infirmityes and failings in his obedience; and therefore Iohn doth juſtly diminiſh himſelf in reſpect of Ieſus Chriſt, Math. 3.11. whoſe ſhoes I am not worthy to bear, Mark. 1.7. whoſe ſhooe-ſtrings I am not worthy to unty.
1. In the deſcription of this holy child Ieſus, the firſt thing that is ſaid, is [he grew] he was an Infant young and tender, Math. 2.9, 11. the young child, from Infancy he grew up to child hood, Iſai. 53.2. he ſhall grow up before him, in this Ieſus was like to all other of mankind; the whole humane nature of Ieſus grew, both body and Soul; he grew as we do. The Soul when firſt created is a ſpiritual creature immediately created out of nothing, created with its principles in it ſelf, as the heavens and Angels were, and hence it is immortal, yet it is created a young tender little Soul, fitted for a young tender little body, and when it is infuſed into the tender Embrio in the womb, they grow together (I take boldneſs thus to expreſs my thoughts with ſubmiſſion) as the body, which is the receptacle of the Soul, groweth in bigneſs and capacity. So the Soul groweth with it, the matter for ſupply of growth for the So…l, is an e…fect of a creating work of God, the infinite power of God doth manage it. Whether it be by the ſupply of new ſpiritual matter, or rather by the extenſion and acting of the firſt created matter of the So…l, man dot… not k…ow, at leaſt I do not know, nor am I able to reſolve it, but I rather incline to think, that the young Soul groweth by extenſion of the ſpiritual matter of the Soul, creat…d at the firſt infuſion of it, and not by addition of new matter. Much ſpiritual matter may be admirably contracted and admirably ext…nded, Air tho…gh a groſs matter in compariſon of ſpiritual matter, may be much contracted, and extended, yea, fleſhy matter may be ext…nded and contracted exceedingly, as the womb is; much more is the Soul of man capable of extention; therefore the growth of young Souls may be by an orderly extenſion of the firſt created matter of them, but it is performed by the powerful operation of the Spirit of God. The Soul of Ieſus grew, as the Souls of all mankind grow. The Soul of Ieſus Chriſt is a wonderful, great, and glorious Soul, the greateſt that ever was, and mo…t capable of grace and glory. The body of Ieſus grew, the growth of the body is better known to us, perceptible to ſenſe, and we know that the growth of the Body is by addition of new matter, which is food, the body of the Infant in the womb is fed by the navel ſtring, when it is born, it is fed by the mouth, but this matter of food is altered, digeſted, carrye d through variety of curious ſhops of wiſe and wonderful operation, and is ſ…nt into every part of the body for its nouriſhment and ſuſtentation, this is a ſecret and powerful operation of God, above the reach of man, to turn our food into blood, Fleſh, Bones, Sinews, Veins, Arteryes, &c. it is a wonderful work of God above the skill, knowledge, or ability of man. Again, to add a proportionable increaſe to every Limb and part this is another wonder in the ordinary ſubſiſtence and ſuſtenance of the life of man. Again, to increaſe every Limb to ſuch a bigneſs, and there ſtay, add no more increaſe, all this is performed by the divine power of God, Again, to ſuſtain the bulk of the body by addition of food, without augmentation of any Limb, or part of the body, this is another of the wonderful works of God in the ſuſtenance of the body of man. Theſe particular meditations concerning the growth of the body of man, and in the ſam… manner of the growth of the body of Ieſus Chriſt ſhould raiſe our hearts to admiration at the wiſdom, power, mercy, goodneſs of God, that we have dayly experience of, yea hourly, continually. And hence we ſee a cogent Argument to oblige us to pray and give thanks alwayes, when we eat and drink. And ſo when we eat at the Lords Supper; where our ſouls are eminently fed with ſpiritual food, in a ſpiritual and wonderful manner, by outward ſigns of eating and drinking, ſuch matter of ſuſtenance as the Lord hath pleaſed by his wiſdom and Inſtitution to diſpence. In all theſe meditations about our bodily eſtate, ſuſtenance and preſervation, it is good to ſing with David, Pſal 139.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. for thou haſt poſſeſſed my Reins, thou haſt covered me in my mothers womb, I will praiſe thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvellous are thy works, and that my Soul knoweth right well, my ſubſtance was not hid from thee when I was made in ſecret, and thine eyes did ſe… my ſubſtance, yet being unperfect, and in thy book all my members were written, which i… continuance were faſhioned, when as yet there was none of them, how pretious are thy thoughts unto me O God, how great is the ſum of them? It is an addition of wonders, that as the body groweth in bigneſs, ability and capacity for the Soul to act in, and by; duplicate page duplicate page ſo the Soul grows to its appointed bigneſs and capacity for action, and no bigger then God hath appointed; the chief time of the Souls moral growth is after the body hath done growing. There is great difference of Souls, though we ſee and know the increaſe of the Body, but know not the wiſdom and power of God how he doth perform it, ſo we are much more ignorant how the Lord performeth the growth of Souls, and how the Soul is adapted & fitted to the body, & that in every part, and unto every purpoſe; It is alſo wonderful to obſerve the different bigneſs of Souls with the adapting of the body for the Soul, it is better to ſay, the body is fitted for the Soul, then to ſay the Soul is fitted for the body, though both be true. Gluttons and drunkards, and unclean perſons, and lazy, &c. do ſpoyle their bodies and unfit them for their Souls uſe, it is a point of great wiſdom to govern and order the body for the uſe and ſervice of the Soul. Again, we may obſerve great likeneſs and unlikeneſs of bodyes and Souls, which cometh to paſs by a wonderful and powerful operation of Gods wiſdom, the foundation whereof is laid in the firſt matter of the body, and ſo in the created matter of the Soul, bodily port, complection, features, geſtures, diſpoſitions, inclinations, &c. are patronimick gifts and effects. Eſther was a gallant woman, and was of the ſtock of Saul, who was a gallant man, none like him among all the people, and …et there were gallant men at that time in Iſrael. Both body and Soul of Jeſus Chriſt were extraordinary, therefore he grew in a more eminent and excellent manner then any of mankind. …s humane nature, both body and ſoul, were making fit and preparing to be a ſacrifice to God for the ſin of man. Heb. 10.5. a body haſt thou prepared me. And Iſa. 53.10. thou ſhalt make his ſoul a ſacrifice for ſin. This was the greateſt & beſt Sacrifice that ever was offered up to God. Therefore there was perfect work in the growth, governance and ordering of this child. I might here digreſs into the conſideration of the admirable wiſdome of God in the preparation of this bleſſed perſon to be a ſpotleſs Lamb, a fit Sacrifice for ſin, offered to God for the ſin of man. The life of this perſon was more precious then any other of mankind; yea more precious then all the lives of all mankind. The Iewiſh Sacrifices were but Bruits & vegetables: But Jeſus Chriſt offered this precious Body & Soul, a reaſonable Sacrifice. We are commanded to offer our ſelves to God a reaſonable ſacrifice, Rom. 12.1. for the mortification of our ſin, and dedecation of our ſelves to the ſervice of God: But Jeſus Chriſt offered himſelf to God, to ſatisfie vindictive juſtice for the offence of ſin. Heb, 9.26. he hath put away ſin by the ſacrifice of himſelf and hath made an end of ſin, Dan. 9.24.
The ſecond branch of the deſcription of the glorious perſon of this holy Child Jeſus, who was preparing to be made a Sacrifice to God for the ſin of man, is expreſſed in theſe words, [He waxed ſtrong in ſpirit] his humane nature was made under the guidance and governance of the Law, as Adam was in his firſt creation; that he might fulfill the law to the full ſatisfaction of rewarding juſtice, and receive the bleſſed inheritance of life according to the covenant of works as a reward of his meritorious obedience, and all this as a publick perſon, a ſecond Adam; in which the firſt Adam failed and fell ſhort. Which glorious work, when he had finiſhed he was to offer up himſelf to God, and dye for the ſin of Adam and all the effects of it. So that this holy child Jeſus was educated and trained up, in, and for a double ſ…rvice by active obed…ence, meritoriouſly to keep the law, and obtain the life promiſed in the covenant of works, from the hand of rewarding juſtice: and by paſſive obedi…nce, meritoriouſly to ſatiſfie vindictive juſtice for the offence of man. That he might doe and perform all this, as his humane nature, both body and ſoul gr…w, and paſſed from infancy to childhood, from childhood to youth, and from youth to ripe age; and all this und…r the Rule of Obedience to the law of God. So in the ſecond place, it is ſaid, [he waxed ſtrong in ſpirit] I yet ſee not but that I may adventure to call the firſt of theſe his natural growth▪ and the ſecond his moral growth; it is not a ſoul growth only, but his body grew alſo in fitneſs to be ſerviceable to his holy ſoul and ſpirit; therefore it is a growth of the whole man. The ſame word is ſaid of John, Luk. 1.80. but it muſt be under…tood with great difference, according as their perſons differed in eminency. Jo…n grew as a ſon of fallen Adam when regenerated doth grow. Jeſus grew as the ſon of God, that touched not, taſted not of the fall of Adam. But as Adam in innocency ſhould ha…e grown, and much more eminently, John grew according to the meaſure of his capacity. Jeſus grew in a wonderful higher meaſure of capacity. Iohn had the ſpirit according to his meaſure, which was great in compariſon of them that went before him: but Ieſus had the ſpirit without meaſure.
Queſt. 1. What is meant by Spirit? Job. 32.8. there is a Spirit in man, and it is called the Spirit of a man, Prov. 18:4. he will hear his infirmity by a ſtout and gallant reſolution, he will bear any thing from the hand of man, as we ſee our Indians will, unto which they are trained up from their Child-hood, and it is infuſ…d into them as an honourable Character of a man of courage, but a Spirit wounded by God who can bear? The Spirit of a man is that part of Gods Image or likeneſs in a man, that fitteth him for action, his Spirit doth exert and draw him forth to action, and judgeth of his action, when he hath done it, Job. 32.18. I am full of matter, the Spirit within me con…traineth me, Pſal. 39, 2, 3. my ſorrow was ſtirred; my heart was hot, while I was muſing the fire burned, then ſpake I with my tongue, and when he hath acted his Spirit judgeth of his action by the rule, Prov. 20.27. the Spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord, ſearching to the bottom of the belly. The Spirit of a man naturally is carnal and unſanctified, 1 Theſ. 5.23. ſan…tifie you throughout in body, Soul, and Spirit, that which is called the Spirit of a man is chiefly (as I conceive) Conſcience, becauſe conſcience conſtraineth us to action, and judgeth of our action when it is done, by carrying it to the Rule, and glaſs, which is Gods Candle, a wounded Spirit mentioned. Prov. 18.14. is a wounded Conſcience. Zeal is acted partly in Conſcience, which exerteth action, Joh. 2.17. the zeal of thy houſe hath eaten me up. This zealous Spirit maketh a man devout to God in all dutyes of the firſt Table, juſt, loving, and benificent to man in all duties of the ſecond Table.
Conſcience is called the ſpirit of a man, becauſe it is one chief ſeat in a man, where the ruling ſpirit of a man, ſitteth, abideth and acteth. The ſpirit dwelleth in the whole man, in every faculty, eſpecially in the Will, Conſcience, and Vnderſtanding. All mankind are ſecretly acted by a ſpirit, either good or bad: the carnal ſort are acted by the Devils ſpirit, Eph. 2.2. the ſpirit that acteth in the Children of Diſobedience. Thus it is ordinarily, though Gods Spirit may ſometimes break in. yea effectually in ſuch as ſhall be ſaved. But the Godly are acted by the good Spirit of God, Rom. 8.11, 13, 14. if the Spirit dwel in you, he ſhall quicken you. And if through the Spirit, ye mortifie the deeds of the fleſh. and as many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the ſons of God. One chief ſeat or reſidence of the Spirit of God, is the Conſcience, where he ſitteth and overlooketh the underſtanding the will, the affections, the paſſions, and all the figments and imaginations. And hence Conſcience chiefly raiſeth the ſpiritual War, and ſets all grace into action againſt all ſin. The evil Spirit that ruleth in the carnal, hath his chief ſeat in imaginations, figments, affections and Luſts; and the ſmoak of them blindeth the underſtanding, yea and conſcience too; perverteth the will, and all the powers o the ſoul, and inclineth them to evil continually: and by thoſe doors he creepeth in, yea, ſometimes breaketh into the hearts of the godly. Thus we ſee why Conſcience may be called the Spirit of a man, and ſo the Spirit of Ieſus, and of Iohn, may be their Conſcience in a good part.
Q. 2. What is it to be ſtrong in ſpirit? A. To be full of Grace, Zeal and Courage for God: ſo Jeſus Chriſt was, Joh. 2.17. when he was eaten up with Zeal, for the purity of Gods houſe and inſtituted Worſhip. Act. 6.10. Steven was ſo full of the Spirit of grace and zeal in conſcience for the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, that none was able to gainſay or reſiſt him, viz. with Scripture and reaſon, but with rage and ſtones about his ears, they did reſiſt him, till they had killed this bleſſed Martyr. Jeſus was ſtrong in grace and zeal, and as he grew in years, and as his humane nature grew in capacity, ſo this Spirit grew in him, ſtrong in Spirit, the word which the Holy Ghoſt uſeth, ſignifieth a growing in ſtrength, as the word is uſed, 1 Cor. 16.13. quit you like men and be ſtrong, &c. very fully is it expreſſed in that Text, Eph. 3.16. that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, and thus did this bleſſed child Jeſus wax ſtrong in Spirit, in his Child-hood he grew up to be a mighty, powerful, gracious, zealous child.
3. The third branch of the deſcription of this holy child Jeſus, is in theſe words, (filled with wiſdome) wiſdom is that part of Gods Image in man, whereby he is capable of and furniſhed with di…ine knowledge and underſ…anding, to be furniſhed with all the intellectual virtues, and that not onl… in knowing the rules of Art, but eſpecially the Rules of R…ligion in the knowledge of the Scriptures. 2 Tim. 3.15. from a Child thou haſt known…th holy Sc…i…tur…s, which are able to make thee wiſe unto Salvation through Faith which is in Jeſu… Chriſt, Ieſus Chriſt received his Fulneſs from God, and out of his Fulneſs we all recei e, he is full of grace, Joh, 1.14. when the word dwelleth richly in us Col. 3.16. it filleth us with wiſdom, ſo it dwelt in Ieſus, and inriched him in all wiſdom. as the veſſels of nature gr…w greater in capacity, ſo the indwelling Spirit of God did fill them unto all fulneſs. This is as the child whom Solomon deſcribeth, Eccleſ. 4.13. a poor wiſe child.
4. The fourth branch of the deſcription of this holy …h ld Ieſus, (the grace of God was upon him) that word (upon him) ſheweth the meaning partly to be that viſible port and outward carriage, the demeanour of his perſon in his converſing with men. This outward grace is that part of Gods Image, which ſhineth in the gravity and Authority of his port, geſtures and actions, which command acceptation, Deut 33.24. acceptable to his brethren, ſo was Ieſus Chriſt, Math. 7.29. he ſpake as one having Authority, Mark. 1.22. and Luk. 4.32. his word was with power, Ioh. 7.46. ne… man ſpake as he ſpeaketh, Ioh. 18.6. as ſoon as he ſaid I am he, they went backward and fell to the Earth, good geſture, good voice, good ſpeech, gentle, grave, loving behaviour, ſuch things make up this outward grace of God; in which, ſome perſons both men and women are eminent. So was Ieſus Chriſt, and yet more may be meant by that word.
Object. But here is a great Obiection, Iſai. 53.2, &c. he hath no form nor comelineſs, no beauty, that we ſ…ould deſire him.
Anſw. So Ieſus Chri…t was in the worlds eye, Iſai. 53.3. deſpiſed, rejected of men, but in the Church s…ye, that looked by faith and love, he was far otherwiſe, Joh: 1.14. we beheld his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. T…is …or…ous perſon thus furniſhed, accompliſhed, beautifyed, even from a child did lead an eminent humane life, in all humane excellencies & perfections: never any man like him, all his actions from a child were pure and perfect, in them all he acted as a publick perſon. He was born a Saviour, and was at no time deveſted of that office. He perfectly fulfilled the Law in all the duties of childhood: never had the world ſuch a child in it.
Yet here was paſſive obedience alſo in all this, in many reſpects: all his glory was vailed from the worlds eye, by a poor, obſcure low condition. Here might be great inſtruction both to children and parents, to all Believers, yea, and to all the enemies and diſpiſers of Jeſus Chriſt: But I will paſs on in attending to the Hiſtory of his holy life and bitter Sufferings.