Ch. 2. The Infancy - St. Lu 27, 28, 39, 30, 31, 32. Broiled God, fay- sag, Now thou haft performed thy word, by letting me live to fee Chrift, let me die in Peace as (bon as it pleafeth thee : For I have leen the Saviour, whom thou haft appointed t to be a light to the gentile World , to lead j them into the way of Faith and Righteoufnefs to thee, and to be the honour of the yews, of whom he is born after the Beth ; but the fpe- cial glory of all that by Faith receive him. 33 ,And Jofeph and his mother marvelled at thole things which were fpoken of him. 34. And Si- meon bleffed them, and. Paid unto Mary his mother, Behold this child is let for the fall and riling again of many in Ifs ael ; and for a llgn which tlrall be fpoken againfl 33, 34. He¡hallprove eventually, a Stunt- hg Block, on which many Iffaelacs lhall fall to their deftru&ion, and the chief Corner Stone, on whichBelievers thall he built up ro Salvation; and the talk andobloquyofMen. 35. (yea, a fword (hall pierce through thyown foul all()) that the thoughts of many hearts may be re- vealed. ;5. Yea thou alto (halt bear a deep part in fufferiags bygrief of heart; and Men, in thefe Tryals, fiall lbew what they are, even the different Stateof their ferret Thoughts. 36. And there was one Anna a prophetefs, the daughter of Phanu- el, of the tribe of Afer ; the was of a great age, and had lived with an husband leven years from her virginity : 37. And fhe was a wi- dow of about fourfcore and four years t which departed not from the temple, but ferved God with fa- ilings and prayers night and day. 36, 37. She kept dote to the TempleWor- thip, and was confiant in the duties of Fatting Mortification and.Prayer. Note, It is not proved that the deferred all outward calling or labour in the World, on pretence of Religion, while the was able for it : And if it be done but when age or lick - nefs difableth one it is lawful and well. Nate, Some think falling unfit for age and weaknefs: But digeftion being then weaken, and moil dying by that futiòcation of crudi- ties, and not by mere defe&of nutrimental mat- ter, moderate Failing maybe fit for the aged; as well as for the young. Nate, She was not of the tick mind ofthe prophane nominalChrif inns, that cannot abide i eng Prayers, and Religious ftri&nela. ke. of Yefus Ch. 2 .. 38. And the coming in that in- flant, gave thanks likewife unto the Lord, and fpake of him to all hem that looked for redemption n Jerufalem. 38. She was infpired then to come in, dad to prophetic ofChrift, and declare him to the People, that looked for the Meflìah. 39. And when they had perfor- med all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 4o. And the child grew and waxed firong in fpirit, filled with wifflom; and the grace of God was upon him. 39, 40. 62 What increafe of Spiritual ftrength was Chrift capable of, and what greater fulnefsof Wfdom and Grace? .An/W. His Divine nature was capable of no increafe: But the humane was capable, r. Of increafe of bodily ftature and ilrength, a. Of Peeing more objects, than heTaw at trft. a. Of a&u- al knowing them bythat fight. 4. Of improving them to holy ufes as known, which he did not in Infancy, 5. Of doing many good works which he could not do in Infancy. 6. And of the increafe of inch habits, by all thele seas as are acquired by them. As .Adam when new created had perfe& faculties ; but not perfeel: knowledge ofall the Creatures before he law them, northe fullelt improvement of them, nor the perfe& habit offuch ufe, as it is di- ftin& from the facultiesperfe &ion. 4r. Now, his parents went to Je- rufalemeveryyear at the feafl of the paffover. 42. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerufalem, after the cuflom of the feaft. 43. And when they had ful- filled the days, as they returned, the childJefus tarried behind inJe- rufalem ; andJofeph and his mother knew not ofit. 44. But they fup- poling him to have been in thecom- pany, went a days journey ; and they fought him among their kinf- folk and acquaintance. 41, 42..43, 44. Able a It.may Teem an un- nunral negle& ofa Child : But they had found him fo manlike in all other matters, that they nulled himwith himfelf. 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to jeru- falem, feeking him. 46. And it came to pafs, that after three days
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