A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
NOw after Chriſt's Circumciſion, the various paſſages of his private Life do follow. As
Firſt, His Parents preſenting him to the Lord in the Temple at Jeruſalem, Luke 2.22, 23. This was done when Chriſt was about forty Days old, according to the Law of Purification, Lev. 12.3, 4. The Mother of a Male-child was unclean ſeven days, ver. 2. till the eighth Day (for Circumciſion) came, ſhe might not converſe with Men, nor till the fortieth Day, might ſhe appear before God in the Sanctuary, nor then without a Burnt-offering for Thankſgiving, and a Sin-offering for Expiation of a double Sin, to wit, that of the Mother conceiving, and that of the Male conceived, &c. This Law of Purification proclaims our uncleanneſs, whoſe very Birth infects the Mother that bare us: The Virgin Mary obſerved this Law, not in Conſcience of any particular Sin by conceiving Chriſt, &c. (for ſhe was rather purified than polluted by his Conception and Birth) nor in ſhew, to ſatisfie the Law, much leſs in Hypocriſie: But in Conſcience of her own natural Corruption, which by her Oblation (according to the Law, not wrangling with it, nor claiming an Immunity from it) ſhe did humbly and holily acknowldge before God and his People: The Law of the Lord, ſaith [The firſt born that openeth the Womb ſhall be given to God without delay] Exod. 22.29. ſo that no demurr being allowed in this Caſe, we may well ſuppoſe Chriſt was about ſix Weeks old, when He went from Bethlehem to Jeruſalem to be preſented as Holy to the Lord, Luke 2 23, 24. a young Traveller Chriſt became to redeem us the brood of Travellers (as▪ 'tis Phraſed in the old ſinging Pſalms) Pſalm 24.6. thither was he brought, that it might be done to him according to the Law, Luke 2.27. that is, to redeem the Redeemer of the World, Exod. 34.20. with matters of ſmall value, the Lamb of God was redeemed with leſs than a Lamb, Exod. 13.13. even with a pair of Turtle-Doves, Luke 2.24. becauſe his Mother was Poor, Lev. 5.7, 11. and 14.30, 31. and 27.8. while this was in doing, 1. Old Simeon (one that was both a good firſt-Table and a good ſecond-Table Man, as both Righteous and Religious, Luke 2.25.) came by the Holy Spirit's Direction (as Pſalm 37.23.) and found this Babe of Bethlehem in the Temple (would to God we could find him in God's Worſhip) takes him up in his Arms, ver. 27, 28. as the moſt bleſſed Armful that ever the good old Man had in all his Life, laying in his Heart what he lap'd in his Arms, and then ſang his Soul's willingneſs to go out of his Body, as fearing no Sin▪ and dreading no Death, yea ſaying (as it were) oh ſweet Babe, let this Song of Mine be a Lullaby to Thee, and a Funeral for Me. Oh ſleep in my Arms, and let me Sleep in thy Peace, ver. 29, 30, &c. Note well, Here we may obſerve the wiſe Diſpenſation of God in ſtirring up a Citizen of Jeruſalem, and one famous among the Jews to make Chriſt known to the Holy City. Had the Shepherds been appointed to manifeſt Chriſt's Birth, they might have been Deſpiſed, as Poor Men; or had the Wiſemen done it, they being ſtrangers would not have been believed, but here an Home-witneſs doth witneſs home indeed, as Tit. 1.12. one of your own Poets, &c. no more of Simeon, becauſe ſpoke of before.
2. Anna the Propheteſs by the like ſecret motion of the Spirit, (who is appointed as a Tutor to direct us into the right way, John 14.16, 17, 26. & 16.13. & Iſa. 30.21.) came alſo at that very Inſtant, and [Succinuit Simeoni] ſeconded Simeon in his Song, and theſe two old Saints ſang the ſame Song, ſhe gave Thanks likewiſe for this great Gift of God Jeſus Chriſt, John 3.16. & 4.10. Luke 2.36, 37, 38. Thus this coming of the World's Redeemer into the World at that very time was Confirmed by the Mouths of two extraordinary Witneſſes, that the truth thereof might be the more eſtabliſhed. 'Tis a quaint notion of Gregory Niſſen, who makes Simeon (which ſignifies obedience) to repreſent the Tenure of the Law, that goes before, but Anna (ſignifies Grace) to figure the Goſpel, for he was willing to let go, and to dye with the Law, yet lives with her to cheriſh her living longer with Grace and Goſpel.
The ſecond paſſage of his Private Life, was his flying into Aegypt. If Herod was troubled and all Jeruſalem with him, Mat. 2.3. At the manifeſtation of Chriſt's Birth at Bethlehem by the Wiſemen, (this being a great diſtance from the Metropolitan City) how much more when Chriſt was come to Jeruſalem it ſelf, and thus proclaimed to be the Light of the World and the Glory of Iſrael, Luke 2.32. Yea the World's Redeemer, ver. 38. and Governour or Ruler, Mat. 2.6. All this (ſo near the Court) muſt needs bring prodigious perplexity. They were troubled at that, whereat the Shepherds, the Sages, and Simeon with Anna rejoiced: 'Tis ſaid expreſly that Herod was exceeding wroth, Mat. 2.16. Hereupon the Deſtruction of this moſt Innocent Babe was Deſigned; but God (who had this Blood-Hound in a Chain) pull'd this harmleſs Lamb out of the Lions Mouth by a ſweet Providence, for He ſent his Angel to warn them, that the Devil in Herod would worry the Man-Child newly born, Rev. 12.4. Herod intended to worry Chriſt while he pretended to worſhip Him, Mat. 2.8. This the Angel told Joſeph in a Dream, therefore bids him take the young Child and Flee into Aegypt, ver. 13. which they did, ver. 14. This was alſo (together with his Bleeding Circumciſion) a part of his Paſſion, for from his Cratch to His Croſs, Chriſt ſuffered many a little Death all his Life long, Baniſhment is call'd (in Law) a Civil Death. And here Chriſt was Baniſhed betimes, to bring back his Baniſhed (as 2 Sam. 14.13.) not to the Paradiſe which was below (out of which Adam caſt us by his fall, and which was deſtroy'd by the Deluge) but to that Paradiſe which is Above, which is our proper Country, Heb. 11.14, 16. and toward which we groan and aſpire, even with outſtretched Necks (as the word foreign ſignifies) Rom. 8.19. let us here make a pauſe and ponder a while (as Moſes did at the Burning Buſh, Exod. 3.3.) At this great Wonder of Chriſt's ſo early Baniſhment, for which and for all his ſeries of Sufferings, the Prophet Iſaiah calls Him [a Man of Sorrows.] Iſa. 53.3. &c. The long Journey and Irkſome way, This young Child (with his Parents) was to take from Judea to Aegypt lay through that vaſt and howling, terrible and roaring Wilderneſs of Arabia Petraea, Deut. 1.19. &c 8.15. & 32.10. A Land very Barten, full of Rocks, Sands and Mountains, Deſtitute of Waters, and ſubject to many Dangers. 1. From the perilous Sands, which the violent Winds there blow up in the Face of Paſſengers with that violence, that many Men and Beaſts are ſuffocated thereby. 2. From the Savage Creatures, as wild Beaſts, Mark 1.13. Fiery Serpents, Numb. 21.6. which made the Soul of Iſrael to melt into Diſcouragement becauſe of the way, ver. 4. 3. From the Saracens of Iſhmael (their Patronymick) whoſe hand was againſt every man, Gen. 16.12.) who were the Inhabitants of that Wilderneſs, and lived wholly of Robbing and Spoiling all that paſs'd by that way. 4. Beſide all theſe, It was a wayleſs Wilderneſs, Therefore God made a way for Iſrael there, Iſa. 43.19. by the Fiery Pillar, which (as the Rabbins ſay) burnt up every buſh, levell'd all the Rubbiſh that hindred Iſrael's paſſage, yea 'tis now ſo pathleſs, that Paſſengers are conſtrained to guide their Journey by a Compaſs, as Mariners do at Sea. 5. And a Waterleſs-way, &c. Note well, Through this waſt and woful Wilderneſs Joſeph and Mary (with the Child Jeſus) paſſed from Judea into Aegypt; All expoſed to Danger of being Suffocated with Sands, of being devoured by Wild Bears. Bores, by Lions, Leopards, &c. which greatly abounded in that place, and of being Robbed (if not Murdered) of their Gold, Frankincenſe and Myrrhe (which the Eaſtern Sages had lately offered as an Homage and Viaticum to Chriſt) by thoſe Thieves that Infeſted the Wilderneſs: There were they exerciſed with the want of Water, of Meat and Drink, and no doubt but their Reſt and Sleep was troubleſome enough, in the midſt of ſo many perplexing fears. All theſe miſeries did thoſe two good Souls Joſeph and Mary ſuſtain (from the beginning) for the ſake of their Son Jeſus; And N. B. Note well, Why ſhould we murmur at our ſufferings for the ſake of Chriſt, ſeeing He hath told us, that Through many Tribulations we muſt enter into the Kingdom of God, Acts 14.22. Yea all that will live Godly in Chriſt Jeſus, muſt ſuffer Perſecution, 2 Tim. 3.12. and ſuch are Bleſſed, who are Reviled and Perſecuted for his ſake, Mat. 5.11. 1 Cor. 4.10. Acts 5.41. &c. N. B. Note well, 'Tis matter of amazement alſo, how thoſe two poor Parents durſt attempt ſuch an hazardous undertaking with a Young Child, being no better accommodated nor attended with either Guard or Guide. Yet having the Lord's warrant for their way; Hereupon they made haſte, and delayed not, as David did, Pſal. 119.60. and the ſame God that bid them go, provided for them by his preſence with them in the Wilderneſs, brought them ſafely down to Aegypt and up again into Judea. N. B. Note well, 'Tis a work of wonder likewiſe, that Aegypt muſt be a Sanctuary of Safety to the Son of God, which had been an houſe of Bondage to the Children of Iſrael. Eſpecially, conſidering, That when Chriſt came thither (as ſome ſay) All the Idols of Aegypt fell flat to the ground, Iſa. 19.1. which muſt be an high Provocation to that Idolatrous Country. But God can ſay effectually, [Let my Out-caſts dwell with thee, Moab,] Iſa. 16.4. and ſure I am, when Chriſt comes into the Heart, the Idols there (Ezek. 14.3.) fall down, Hoſ. 14.8.