rod on that Occafion by the Emperor Auguftus. Q. How did our bleffed Saviour efcape this bloody Defign of Herod ?

A. God made known to Jofeph the wicked Purpose of Herod, by the Ministration of an Angel, who ordered him to arife and fecure the Holy Child Jefus and his Mother, by a Flight, Ver. 13, into Egypt; which he immediately put in Exe- 15. cution, and departed in the Night, that they might lose no Time, and might the better preferve themselves from Discovery.

Q. What Account have we of our Saviour's Journey and Abode in Egypt?

lor's Life

A. The Scriptures are filent in this Matter, though Hiftorians affirm his firft Abode was at Hermopolis, in the Country of Thebais; where, when they arrived, the Holy Child Jefus being Bp. Tayby Defign of Providence carried into the Tem- of Chrift, ple, the Statues and Idols fell down like Dagon p. 67. at the Prefence of the Ark, according to the Prophecy of Ifaiah: Behold the Lord fhall come Ifa. 19. 1. into Egypt, and the Idols of Egypt shall be moved at bis Prefence.

Q. What Account have we of our Saviour's Return from Egypt?

Mat. 2.

A. Herod's Death being made known to Jofeph by an Angel in Egypt, they returned into 19. the Land of Ifrael, in Obedience to the heavenly Admonition; but being apprehensive that Archelaus might inherit the Ambition and Cruelty of his Father Herod, they went into the Parts of Galilee, where Antipas, another of Herod's Sons, had feated himself, contending with his Brother Archelaus for the whole Kingdom. They dwelt in a City called Nazareth, which fulfilled the Ver. 23. Prophecy, that our Saviour fhould be called a H 4 Nazarene;

Nazarene; which fome, Interpreters refer to Chrift's being called that Netfer in the Prophets, fignifying the Branch relating to the House of Ifa. 11. 1. Felle; of which Ifaiah, Jeremiah, and ZechaJer. 23.5. riak, had fo often spoken. Though it does not Zech. 6. appear how this was fulfilled by Chrift's being at

12.

Joh.1.47.

Nazareth; because he was as much the Netfer, the Branch before, when he was born at Bethlebem. And therefore others, with greater Probability, think our Saviour was fent by the Angel to this contemptible City of Nazareth, out of which no good Thing was expected, that he might thence have a Name of Infamy: In which Senfe it was applied to him by the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles. And thus the Prophets fpeak of Ifa. 53.3. him, as of a Perfon that was to be reputed vile and abject, defpifed and rejected of Men..

Pfal. 69. 9, 10.

Q. How was Herod punished for his great Wickedness?

A. He was fmitten by God with many Plagues Jofephus, and Tortures. According to Jefephus, he was lib.17.c.8. inflamed with a flow Fire, which outwardly feemed

not fo vehement, but inwardly afflicted all his Entrails: He had a ravenous and unnatural Appetite, which could no Ways be fatisfied: befides, be bad an Ulcer in bis Bowels, with a strange and furious Colick; his Feet were fwelled, and of a venomous. Colour; his Members rotted, and were full of crawling Worms; to this add, he had strong Convulfions, and Shortness of Breath; and after having tried the Phyficians for Relief without Success, he died; but not without farther Teftimonies of his Cruelty.

Q. Is there any Account of the Number of Children that were put to Death?

A. The Greek Church in their Calender, and

the

the Abyffins of Ethiopia, in their Offices commemorate fourteen thousand Infants; for Herod being crafty, and taking the best Measures he could that the boly Child Jefus might not escape, had caufed all the Children to be gathered together; which the credulous Mothers (fuppofing it had been to take an Account of their Age and Number, in order to some taxing) hindred not, and thereby they were betrayed to that cruel Butchery.

Q. How doth the Evangelift reprefent the Lamentations of the Bethlemite Parents for their Children?

A. By a prophetick and figurative Speech, cited from Jeremiah, concerning the Captivity Jer. 31.15. of Babylon, and the Slaughter of Jerufalem, long after Rachel's Death, who therefore did not really weep; but is faid to exprefs the lamentable Slaughter. And fo alfo it had here a fecond Completion in this killing of the Infants in Bethlehem.

Q. For what Reafon may we suppose that God permitted the Destruction of fo many Children in Bethlehem.

A. It doth not become us too nicely to enquire into the Proceedings of infinite Wisdom, all whofe Actions are governed by the highest Reafon; but among feveral Thoughts that offer themselves, we may confider whether the Infidelity of the Bethlemites, after fuch fufficient Means afforded for their Conviction, might not draw upon them fo fevere a Punishment. They not only gave no Reception to the Virgin Mary, big with Child, and of the Houfe of David; but they neither owned nor worshipped our Saviour at his Birth. The Meffage of the Shepherds and

their great Joy; the Arrival of the wife Men from the Eaft and their Offerings had no effectual Influence upon them. And it is not unufual with God to vifit the Sins of the Fathers upon their Children; especially fince the Children were made Inftruments of God's Glory, and not only delivered from the Miseries of Life and the Corruption of their Ancestors, but were crowned with the Reward of Martyrdom.

Q. What may we learn from the Obfervation of this Feftival ?

A. That Religion is but too often used as an Inftrument to ferve ambitious and worldly Defigns; which fhould make good Men cautious how they combine with Men of that Temper, in the Measures they take to promote it. That Afflictions are not always Arguments of Guilt, fince innocent Children were made a Sacrifice to the Ambition of a cruel Tyrant. That they are fometimes Tokens of God's Favour, and that many a Man has owed his Happiness to his Sufferings. That we ought to be ready to part with what is fo dear to us as our own Children, whenever they may become Inftruments of God's Glory. That we ought not to fear the Cruelty nor Policy of the greatest Tyrant, who can never hurt us without God's Permiffion. That what Oppreffion foever Innocence meets with from the Hands of wicked Men, is for the Good of those that fuffer it. That the Conduct of those Parents, who neglect the Education and Inftruction of their Children in Christian and virtuous Principles, exceeds the Cruelty of Herod; he only deprived them of Life, but fuch expose them to eternal Death. That to be true Difciples of Christ, we must become

5

become as little Children in the Frame and Temper of our Minds, without which we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mat. 18.

Q. Wherein confifts that Temper of Mind, 3. which our Saviour reprefents to us by the Emblem of little Children?

A. It confifts in Humility and Lowlinefs of Mind; in a total Submiffion to the Will of God; and in an entire Dependance upon him in all Dangers that relate either to our Bodies or Souls And particularly in a Contempt of the World, and a Freedom from covetous and ambitious Defires; which never enter into the Minds of Children, and which very much obftruct and hinder our being true Members of Cbrift's fpiritual Kingdom.

Q. Wherein confifts this Humility and Lowlinefs of Mind?

A. In the true Knowledge of ourselves, and the understanding our weak and finful Condition, taking to ourfelves the Shame, and Confufion due to our Follies; and giving God the Glory of all the Good we receive, or are enabled to do. In bearing with Patience the Contumelies of others. In not being too much tranfported with thofe Praises we meet with, because, however our Actions may appear to Men, it is only the Approbation of God which can give us folid Comfort. In avoiding all Occafions of drawing upon ourselves Commendations, never speaking nor acting only with a Defign to procure Applause.

Q. Wherein confifts the Submiffion of a Chriftian?

A. In a firm Perfuafion of Mind, that nothing happens to us but by the Will and Per

miffion