Works of Joseph Hall, Part 29
The Sages and the Starre.
THe ſhepherds and rhe crat…h accorded well; yet euen they ſaw nothing which they might not contemne; neither was there any of thoſe ſhepherds that ſeemed not more like a king, than that King, whom they came to ſee. But oh the Diuine Maieſty, that ſhined in this baſenes! There lies the Babe in the ſtable, crying in the manger, whom the Angels came downe from heauen to proclaime, whom the Sages come from the Eaſt to adore, whom an heauenly Star notifies to the world, that now men might ſee, that heauen and earth ſerues him-that neglected himſelfe. Thoſe lights that hang low, are not far ſeene, but thoſe which are high placed, are equally ſeene in the remoteſt diſtances. Thy light, ô Sauiour, was no leſſe than heauenly: The Eaſt ſaw that, which Bethleem might hauehave ſeene: oft times thoſe which are neereſt in place, are fartheſt off in affection: Large obiects, when they are too cloſe to the eie, doe ſo ouer-fill the ſenſe, that they are not diſcerned. What a ſhame is this to Bethleem? the Sages came out of the Eaſt to worſhip him, whom that village refuſed: The Bethleemites were Iewes; The wiſe-men Gentiles: This firſt entertainment of Chriſt was a pr…ſage of the ſequell; The Gentiles ſhall come from far to adore Chriſt, whiles the Iewes reiect him. Thoſe Eaſterlings were great ſearchers of the depths of nature, profeſſed Philoſophers, them hath God ſingled out to the honor of the manifeſtation of Chriſt: Humane learning well improued makes vsus capable of diuine: There is no knowledge, wherof God is not the Author; he would neuer hauehave beſtowed any gift, that ſhould leade vsus away from himſelfe; It is an ignorant conceit, that inquiry into nature ſhould make men Atheous: No man is ſo apt to ſee the Star of Chriſt, as a diligent diſciple of Philoſophy: doubtleſſe this light was viſible vntounto more, onelyonly they followed it, which knew it had more than nature: He is truly wiſe, that is wiſe for his owne ſoule: If theſe wiſe men had bin acquainted with all the other ſtars of heauen, & had not ſeene the Star of Chriſt, they had had but light enough to lead them into vtter darknes: Philoſophy without the ſtar, is but the wiſpe of error. Theſe Sages were in a meane betweene the Angels and the ſhepherds: God would in all the ranks of intelligent creatures hauehave ſome to be witneſſes of his Son: The Angels direct the ſhepherds, the Star guides the Sages; the duller capacity hath the more cleare & powerfull helps: the wiſdome of our good God proportions the meanes vntounto the diſpoſition of the perſons: their Aſtronomy had taught them, this ſtar was not ordinary, whether in ſight, or in brightnes, or in motion. The eies of nature might well ſee, that ſome ſtrange newes was portended to the world by it: but that this ſtar deſigned the birth of the Meſsias, there needed yet another light: If the ſtar had not beſides had the commentary of a reuelation from God, it could hauehave led the wiſe men only into a fruitleſſe wonder: giuegive them to be the of-ſpring of Balaam, yet the true prediction of that falſe prophet was not enough warrant: If he told them, the Meſsias ſhould ariſe, as a ſtar out of Iacob, he did not tell them, that a ſtar ſhould ariſe far from the poſterity of Iacob, at the birth of the Meſsias: He that did put that Propheſie into the mouth of Bala…m, did alſo put this illumination into the heart of the Sages: the Spirit of God is free to breathe where he liſteth: Many ſhall come from the Eaſt and the Weſt to ſeeke Chriſt, when the Children of the Kingdome ſhall be ſhut out: euen thē God did not ſo confine his election to the pale of the Church, as that he did not ſometimes looke out for ſpeciall inſtruments of his glory. Whither doe theſe Sages come, but to Ieruſalem? where ſhould they hope to heare of the new King, but in the mother City of the Kingdome? The conduct of the ſtar was firſt only generall to Iudea: the reſt is for a time left to enquiry: They were not brought thither for their owne ſakes, but for Iewries, for the worlds; that they might helpe to make the Iewes inexcuſable, and the world faithfull: That their tongues therefore might blazon the birth of Chriſt, they are brought to the head Citie of Iudea, to report, and inquire: their wiſdome could not teach them to imagine, that a King could be borne to Iudea, of that note and magnificence, that a Star from heauen ſhould publiſh him to the earth, and that his ſubiects ſhould not know it: and therefore as preſuppoſing a common notice, they ſay, Where is he, that is burne King of the Iewes? There is much deceit in probabilities, eſpecially when we meddle with ſpirituall matters. For God vſes ſtill to goe a way by himſelfe.
If we iudge according to reaſon and appearance, who is ſo likely to vnderſtand heauenly truths, as the profound Doctors of the world? theſe God paſſeth ouer, and reueales his will to babes? Had theſe Sages met with the ſhepherds of the villages neere Bethleem, they had receiued that intelligence of Chriſt, which they did vainely ſeeke from the learned Scribes of Hieruſalem: The greateſt clarks are not alwaies the wiſeſt in the affaires of God; theſe things goe not by diſcourſe, but by reuelation.
No ſooner hath the Starre brought them within me noiſe of Ieruſalem, then it is vaniſhed out of ſight: God would hauehave their eies leade them ſo farre, as till their tongues might be ſet on worke to winne the vocall atteſtation of the chiefe Prieſts and Scribes, to the fore-appointed place of our Sauiours natiuity: If the Star had carried them directly to Bethleem, the learned Iewes had neuer ſearched the truth of thoſe prophecies, wherewith they are ſince iuſtly conuinced: God neuer withdrawes our helps, but for a further aduantage: Howſoeuer our hopes ſeeme croſſed, where his Name may gaine, we cannot complaine of loſſe.
Little did the Sages thinke, this queſtion would hauehave troubled Herod; they had (I feare) concealed their meſſage, if they had ſuſpected this euent: Sure, they thought it might be ſome Sonne, or grandchild of him, which then held the Throne, ſo as this might winne fauour from Herod, rather than an vnwelcome feare of riuality. Doubtleſſe they went firſt to the Court; where elſe ſhould they aske for a King? The more pleaſing this newes had bin, if it had falne vponupon Herods owne loynes, the more grieuous it was to light vponupon a ſtranger: If Herod had nor ouer-much affected greatneſſe, he had not vponupon thoſe indirect termes aſpired to the Crowne of Iewry; ſo much the more therefore did it trouble him to heare the rumour of a ſucceſſor, and that not of his owne. Setled greatneſſe cannot abide either change, or partnerſhip: If any of his ſubiects had moued this queſtion, I feare, his head had anſwered it. It is well, that the name of forrainers could excuſe theſe Sages: Herod could not be brought vp among the Iewes, and not hauehave heard many and confident reports of a Meſsias, that ſhould ere long ariſe out of Iſrael; and now when he heares the fame of a King borne, whom a Starre from heauen ſignifies and attends; he is netled with the newes: EueryEvery thing affrights the guilty: Vſurpation is full of ielouſies, and feare, no leſſe full of proiects and imaginations; it makes vsus thinke eueryevery buſh a man, and eueryevery man a thiefe.
Why art thou troubled (O Herod?) A King is borne, but ſuch a King, as whoſe Scepter may euer concurre with lawfull ſoueraignty; yea ſuch a King, as by whom Kings doe hold their Scepters, not loſe them: If the wiſe-men tell thee of a King, the Starre tells thee, he is heauenly: Here is good cauſe of ſecurity, none of feare: The moſt generall enmities and oppoſitions to good, ariſe from miſtakings; If men could but know, how much ſafety and ſweetneſſe there is in all diuine truth, it could receiue nothing from them but welcomes and gratulations: Miſconceits hauehave beene ſtill guilty of all wrongs, and perſecutions. But if Herod were troubled (as Tyranny is ſtill ſuſpicious) why was all Ieruſalem troubled with him? Ieruſalem which now might hope for a relaxation of her bonds, for a recouery of her liberty, and right? Ieruſalem, which now onelyonly had cauſe to lift vp her drooping head in the ioy and happineſſe of a redeemer? yet not Herods Court, but euen Ieruſalem was troubled; ſo had this miſerable City beene ouer-toyled with change, that now they were ſetled in a condition quietly euill, they are troubled with the newes of better: They had now got an habit of ſeruility, and now they are ſo acquainted with the yoke, that the very noiſe of liberty, (which they ſuppoſed would not come with eaſe) began to be vnwelcome.
To turne the cauſes of ioy into ſorrow, argues extreme deiectedneſſe, and a diſtemper of iudgement no leſſe than deſperate: Feare puts on a viſor of deuotion; Herod calls his learned councell, and as not doubting, whether the Meſsiah ſhould be borne, he askes, where he ſhall be borne? In the diſparition of that other light, there is a perpetually fixed Starre, ſhining in the writings of the Prophets, that guides the chiefe Prieſts and Scribes directly vntounto Bethleem: As yet enuy, and preiudice had not blinded the eies, and peruerted the hearts of the Iewiſh teachers; ſo as now, they clearely iuſtifie that Chriſt, whom they afterwards condemne, and by thus iuſtifying him, condemne themſelues in reiecting him: The water, that is vntroubled, yeeldes the viſage perfectly▪ If God had no more witneſſe, but from his enemies, we hauehave ground enough of our faith.
Herod feared, but diſſembled his feare, as thinking it a ſhame, that ſtrangers ſhould ſee, there could any power ariſe vnderunder him, worthy of his reſpect or awe: Out of an vnwillingneſſe therefore to diſcouer the impotency of his paſſion, hee makes little adoe of the matter, but onelyonly, after a priuy inquiſition into the time, imploies the informers in the ſearch of the perſon; Goe, and ſearch diligently for the Babe, &c. It was no great iourney from Ieruſalem to Bethleem: how eaſily might Herods cruelty hauehave ſecretly ſuborned ſome of his bloudy Courtiers to this enquiry, and execution? If God had not meant to mocke him, before he found himſelfe mocked of the wiſe men, he had rather ſent before their iourney, than after their diſappointment: But that God, in whoſe hands all hearts are, did purpoſely beſot him, that he might not finde the way to ſo horrible a miſchiefe.
There is no villany ſo great, but it will maske it ſelfe vnderunder a ſhew of piety: Herod will alſo worſhip the Babe; The courteſie of a falſe Tyrant is death; A crafty hypocrite neuer meanes ſo ill, as when he ſpeakes faireſt: the wiſe men are vponupon their way, full of expectation, full of deſire; I ſee no man either of the City, or Court to accompany them; Whether diſtruſt, or feare hindred them, I inquire not: but of ſo many thouſand Iewes, no one ſtirs his foot to ſee that King of theirs, which ſtrangers came ſo farre to viſit: yet were not theſe reſolute Sages diſcouraged with this ſolitarineſſe, and ſmall reſpect, nor drawne to repent of their iourney, as thinking, What doe we come ſo farre to honour a King, whom no man will acknowledge? What meane wee to trauell ſo many hundred miles to ſee that, which the inhabitants will not looke out to behold? but cheerfully renew their iourney to that place, which the ancient light of propheſie had deſigned; And now behold, God incourages their holy forwardneſſe from heauen, by ſending them their firſt guide, as if he had ſaid, What neede ye care for the neglect of men, when ye ſee heauen honours the King whom ye ſeeke? What ioy theſe Sages conceiued, when their eies firſt beheld the re-appearance of that happy Starre, they onelyonly can tell, that after a long and ſad night of tentation, hauehave ſeene the louing countenance of God ſhining forth vponupon their ſoules: If with obedience and courage we can follow the calling of God, in difficult enterpriſes, we ſhall not want ſupplies of comfort. Let not vsus be wanting to God, we ſhall be ſure, he cannot be wanting to vsus.
Hee that led Iſrael by a Pillar of fire into the Land of Promiſe, leads the wiſe-men by a Starre, to the Promiſed ſeede: All his directions partake of that light, which is in him; For God is light: this Starre moues both ſlowly and low, as might bee fitteſt for the pace, for the purpoſe of theſe Pilgrimes. It is the goodneſſe of God, that in thoſe meanes wherein we cannot reach him, he deſcends vntounto vsus. Surely when the Wiſe-men ſaw the Star ſtand ſtill, they looked about to ſee, what Palace there might be neare vntounto that ſtation, fit for the birth of a King, neither could they thinke that ſorry ſhed was it, which the Starre meant to point out, but finding their guide ſetled ouer that baſe roofe, they goe in to ſee, what gheſt it held. They enter, and, O God, what a King doe they finde! how poore? how contemptible? wrapt in clouts, laid in ſtraw, cradled in the manger, attended with beaſts! what a ſight was this, after all the glorious promiſes of that Star, after the predictions of Prophets, after the magnificence of their expectation?
All their way afforded nothing ſo deſpicable, as that Babe, whom they came to worſhip: But as thoſe, which could not hauehave bin wiſe-men, vnleſſe they had knowne, that the greateſt glories hauehave ariſen from meane beginnings, they fall downe, and worſhip that hidden maieſty: This baſeneſſe hath bred wonder in them, not contempt; they well knew, the Starre could not lie: they which ſaw his Star a far off in the Eaſt, when hee lay ſwadled in Bethleem, doe alſo ſee his royalty further off, in the deſpiſed eſtate of his infancy: A royalty more than humane: They well knew, that ſtars did not vſe to attend earthly Kings; and if their ayme had not beene higher, what was a Iewiſh King to Perſian ſtrangers? anſwerable therefore hereunto was their adoration. Neither did they lift vp emptie hands to him, whom they worſhipt, but preſented him with the moſt precious commodities of their country, Gold, Incenſe, Myrrh; not as thinking to enrich him with theſe, but by way of homage acknowledging him the Lord of theſe: If theſe Sages had beene Kings, and had offered a Princely weight of gold, the bleſſed Virgin had not needed in her purification to hauehave offered two young pigeons, as the ſigne of her penury: As God loues not empty hands, ſo he meaſures fulneſſe by the affection: Let it be Gold, or Incenſe, or Myrth, that we offer him, it cannot but pleaſe him, who doth not vſe to aske, how much, but how good.