Meditation On The Epiphany: Of The Departure Of The Sages From Jerusalem, And Their Entrance Into The Inn At Bethlehem, And What Happened There

BRAMER, Leonaert 

Journey of the Three Magi to Bethlehem 

1638-40

XXIII. MEDITATION.

Of the departure of the Sages from Jerusalem, and their entrance into the Inn at Bethlehem, and what happened there.

THE I POINT.

The Sages having heard Herod's answer, departed from Jerusalem the way of Bethlehem, in quest of the new born king: and at that very instant, the Star again discovered itself unto them, at whose sight they rejoiced with exceeding great joy: Gauisi sunt gaud mango value.

1. Here I am to ponder first the care of these kings, in prosecuting their intention: for as soon as they had knowledge of what they desired, they departed from Jerusalem, and from the court of king Herod, flying from the noises, and unquietness thereof: whereby they teach us how punctually we ought apply ourselves to the business our salvation, departing from the noise of the world, and flying to the place where we are to find almighty God, saying with David: Who will give me wings like a dove to fly and take my rest? and having them given him, he sayeth: Behold I presently fled, and retired myself, and inhabited in solitariness, and in the place of quietness, and peace, where God useth to inhabit And if king David desired to fly the noise of his own court; and these Sages the noise of Herod's court: how much more reason is it, that I ( if either I be a religious man, or if I desire to be a spiritual man) should fly from the courts of kings, & princes, expect it be, when some precise necessity, and the will of almighty God obligated me to remain therein?

2. Secondly, I will ponder the loving providence of our God and his fidelity in rewarding the travel of those that seek him for albeit these kings (now they knew the place where the child was born) might have gone to Bethlehem without the Star: yet our Lord would that it should again appear unto them, and cause joy in them, and that no ordinary joy, but an exceeding great joy, herewith to reward the afflictions they suffered in Jerusalem, the perils where unto they exposed themselves their diligence to know where they should find the kings they inquired after, & to convert the sorrows they had passed, into exceeding great joy, fulfilling that of the Prophet David, who said, that according to the multitude of his sorrows, was the greatness of the consolations that recreated his soul.

Colloquy

O great God, and loving father, who will not carefully seek thee? who will not suffer thy absence with patience? who will not do his diligence to find thee, when thou treated with such love those, that seek thee with perseverance?