The Fountain of Life Opened

Secondly, Christ was humbled by persecution, and that in the very morning of his life. He was banished almost as soon as born. Matth. 2.13. Flee into Egypt (saith the Angel to Joseph) and be thou there until I bring thee word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. Ungrateful Herod, was this entertainment for a Saviour? what, raise the Country against him, as if a destroyer, rather than a Saviour had landed upon the coast? what, deny him the protection of those Laws under which he was born, and that before he had broken the least punctilio of them? ⟨p. 239⟩the child of a beggar may claim the benefit and protection of Law, as his birthright; and must the Son of God be denied it! But herein he fulfilled the Scriptures, whilst venting his own lusts. For so it was foretold, Jer. 31.15. And this early persecution, was not obscurely hinted, in the title of the 22 Psalm, that psalm which looks rather like an History of the new, than a prophecy of the old Testament. For as it contains a most exact description of Christs sufferings, so it's fitted with a most suitable Title. To the chief Musician Ai•eleth Shabar; which signifies the Hind of the morning or that Deer which the Hunter rouses betime in the morning, and singles out to hunt down that day. And so they did by him, as the 16. verse will tell you, for (saith he) Dogs have compassed me, the Assemble of the wicked have enclosed me. ¹Upon which Musculus sweetly and ingeniously descants. O what sweet Venison (saith he) is the flesh of Christ! abundantly sweeter to the believing soul, than that which the Nobles of this world esteem most delicate. And lest it should want the highest and richest favour to a delicate palate; Christ our Hart was not only killed, but hunted to the purpose before he was killed; even as great men use by hunting and chasing before they cut the throat of the deer, to render its flesh more sweet, tender, and delicate. Thus was Christ hunted betimes, out of the Country he was born in. And no doubt but where such dogs scent and wind the Spirit of Christ in any; they would pursue them also to destruction, did not a gracious providence rate them off. But to return, how great an Humiliation is this to the Son of God, not only to become an Infant, but in his Infancy to be hurried up and down, and driven out of his own land as a vagabond!