The Fourth Sunday in Advent The Gospel Luke 3. V. 1. Thursday Meditation: A Plaine Path-way To Heaven Thomas Hill 1634


Luke 3. V. 1.GOSPEL 
IN the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being Procurator of Jewrie , Herode Tetrarch of Galilee, and Philippe his brother Terrarch of Ituria, and the country of Tracbonia, and Lisania Tetrarch of Abilina: under the high Priests Annas, and Caiphas; the word of our Lord was made unto John the son of Zachary: and he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the Baptism of penance to forgiveness of sines: as it is Doritter in the book of the Speeches of Esau the Prophet: A voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye Way of our Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled up, and every hill, and mountain shall be laid low, and those things that be crooked shall be made straight, and rough waves, shall be made plain; and all flesh shall behold the saving one of God. 

Consideration for Thursday

The gospel say: Crooked ways shall be made straight: and those which be rugged, and uneven shall be made even, and plain. Saint John (whose theme or argument of preaching is contained in these words;) say not, this should be, or ought so to be: but this shall, or will be so. 

That is to say: it is impossible, that so great a love of God toward us, as to come from heaven and take our shape upon him, to dwell among us, and to be called by a name that signify so much to wit, Emanuel, which signify, God among us; to converse familiarly, and meekly amidst us; to teach, and instruct us with his own mouth the way to heaven from whence he came; to die for us such a cruel, and ignominious death, to arise again from death for our justification, and proof of our belief that he was indeed God, though he died as man; to send us the holy ghost to draw us up to him, as in a fiery chariot  of his grace, and burning love, to reign with him for ever; to make himself man; that we might be made gods, in a sort; considering, I say, all these things, and divers other of this nature (which I omit, because they cannot be numbered;) it is impossible almost, but we will be induced to be diligent, & careful to prepare our souls this advent for such a guest, and make all his ways level, and straight, to come with contentment into our souls. 

The prophet Esau presume as much, saying, that at the coming of Christ, the wolf shall converse quietly with the lamb, and the leopard lodge with the goat the calf, and lion, and sheep feed together in places, and a little boy shall guide them. 

O what ought we not to do for this sweet little boy? making him the guide, and governor of all our rebellions passions, and delights; and to have peace, and concord with all men, though never so contrary unto us, under the conduct of this new-borne babe, OUR blessed Savior? To love our enemies for the love of him that loved vs when we were his enemies; and redeemed us with his most precious blood; & prayed upon the cross for his adversaries that crucified him there upon; for the love of him that commanded us to love our enemies; for the love of him that will reward us so highly, for so doing.


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