scribes of the people together, and demanded of them where Christ should be born; and found by their joint determination, that Bethlehem of Judæa was the place designed by ancient prophecy and God's decree. Next he enquired of the wise men concerning the star, but privily what time it appeared. For the star had not motion circular and regular, by the laws of nature; but it so guided the wise men in their journey, that it stood when they stood, moved not when they rested, and went forward when they were able, making no more haste than they did, who carried much of the business and employment of the star along with them. But when Herod was satisfied in his questions, he sent them to Bethlehem, with instructions to search diligently for the young child, and bring him word, pretending that he would come and worship him also.

11. The wise men prosecuted the business of their journey, and having heard the king, they departed, and the star (which as it seems attended their motion) went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was; where, when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Such a joy as is usual to wearied travellers when they are entering into their inn; such a joy as when our hopes and greatest longings are laying hold upon the proper objects of their desires; a joy of certainty immediately before the possession: for that is the greatest joy, which possesses before it is satisfied, and rejoices with a joy not abated by the surfeits of possession, but heightened with all the apprehensions and fancies of hope, and the

1 Leo. Serm. iv. de Epiphan

neighbourhood of fruition; a joy of nature, of wonder, and of religion. And now their hearts laboured with a throng of spirits and passions, and ran into the house to the embracement of Jesus even before their feet. But when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother.' And possibly their expectation was something lessened, and their wonder heightened, when they saw their hope empty of pomp and gaiety, the great King's throne to be a manger, a stable to his chamber of presence, a thin court, and no ministers, and the King himself a pretty babe; and, but that he had a star over his head, nothing to distinguish him from the common condition of children, or to excuse him from the miseries of a poor and empty fortune.

12. This did not scandalize those wise persons, but being convinced by that testimony from heaven, and the union of all circumstances, they fell down and worshipped him, after the manner of the Easterlings when they do veneration to their kings; not with an empty Ave and gay blessing of fine words, but they bring presents, and come into his courts: for when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And if these gifts were mysterious beyond the acknowledgment of him to be the King of the Jews, and Christ that should come into the world; frankincense might signify him to be acknowledged a God, myrrh to be a man, and gold to be a king. Unless we choose by gold to signify the acts of mercy; by myrrh, the chastity of our minds and purity of our bodies, to the incorruption

1 S. Ambros. in 2 Luc. 6. Leo. Ser. de Epiph. Theophyl. in Matt. 2. S. Bernard. in Serm. 2, de Epiph.

of which myrrh is especially instrumental; and by incense we intend our prayers,' as the most apt presents and oblations to the honour and service of this young King. But however the fancies of religion may represent variety of ideas, the act of adoration was direct and religious; and the myrrh was medicinal to his tender body; the incense possibly no more than was necessary in a stable, the first throne of his humility; and the gold was a good antidote against the present indigencies of his poverty presents such as were used in all the Levant, (especially in Arabia and Saba, to which the growth of myrrh and frankincense was proper,) in their addresses to their God and to their king, and were instruments with which, under the veil of flesh, they worshipped the Eternal Word; the wisdom of God under infant innocency, the almighty power in so great weakness, and under the lowness of human nature, the altitude of majesty and the infinity of divine glory. And so was verified the prediction of the prophet Isaiah, under the type of the son of the prophetess: Before a child shall have knowledge to cry, My father and my mother, he shall take the spoil of Damascus and Samaria from before the king of Assyria.'

13. When they had paid the tribute of their offerings and adoration, being warned in their sleep by an angel not to return to Herod, they returned into their own country another way:' where (having been satisfied with the pleasures of religion, and taught by that rare demonstration which was made by Christ, how man's happiness

Phil. iv. 18; Psal. cxli. 2; Revel. v. 8.

Isa. viii. 4; Justin. M. Dial. cum Tryphon.; Tertul lib. iii. contra Marcion. c. 13.

did nothing at all consist in the affluence of worldly possessions, or the tumours of honour; having seen the eternal Son of God poor and weak, and unclothed of all exterior ornaments) they renounced the world, and retired empty into the recesses of religion and the delights of philosophy.

AD. SECTION IV.

Considerations upon the apparition of the Angels to the Shepherds.

1. WHEN the angels saw that come to pass which Gabriel, the great embassador of God, had declared, that which had been prayed for and expected four thousand years, and that by the merits of this new-born Prince their younger brethren and inferiors in the order of intelligent creatures were now to be redeemed, that men should partake the glories of their secret habitations, and should fill up those void places which the fall of Lucifer and the third part of the stars had made; their joy was great as their understanding, and these mountains did leap with joy, because the valleys were filled with benediction and a fruitful shower from heaven. And if at the conversion of one sinner there is jubilation' and a festival kept 'among the angels;' how great shall we imagine this rejoicing to be, when salvation and redemption was sent into the world! But we also, to whom the joy did more personally relate, (for they rejoiced for our sakes,) should learn to estimate the grace done us, and believe there is something very extraordinary in the piety and salvation of a man,

when the angels, who in respect of us are unconcerned in the communications, rejoice with the joy of conquerors, or persons suddenly ransomed from tortures and death.

2. But the angels also had other motions: for besides the pleasures of that joy which they had in beholding human nature so highly exalted, and that God was man, and man was God; they were transported with admiration at the ineffable counsel of God's predestination, prostrating themselves with adoration and modesty, seeing God so humbled, and man so changed, and so full of charity, that God stooped to the condition of man, and man was inflamed beyond the love of seraphims, and was made more knowing than cherubims, more established than thrones, more happy than all the orders of angels. The issue of this consideration teaches us to learn their charity, and to exterminate all the intimations and beginnings of envy, that we may as much rejoice at the good of others as of ourselves: for then we love good for God's sake, when we love good wherever God hath placed it; and that joy is charitable which overflows our neighbour's fields, when ourselves are unconcerned in the personal accruments. For so we are made partakers of all that fear God,' when charity unites their joy to ours, as it makes us partakers of their common sufferings.

6

3. And now the angels, who had adored the holy Jesus in heaven, come also to pay their homage to him upon earth; and laying aside their flaming swords, they take into their hands instruments of music, and sing, 'Glory be to God on high.' First signifying to us, that the incarnation of the holy Jesus was a very great instrument of