Latine Haebraice Ratione Judaeorum Graece Ratione Pilati Latine ratione Herodis in ipsissimis Linguis quibus usi fuerunt in accusatione ejus hostes ejus Evangelium praedicarunt Evangelistae Lucas processit secundum rerum ordinem omnia proprio ordine disposuit prout gesta erant a Domino nostro scripsit Johannes etiam similiter fecit salvo eo quod nonnulla in medio reliquit quia dicta fuerant per Socios suos Mathaeus vero non eodem processit modo sed usus est Doctrinae Methodo cohaerentiae insimul collocando Leges enim quas Instituit Dominus noster in uno capite ordinavit alteri vero Evangelistae sparsim eas tradiderunt Marcus sequitur dispositionem Mathaei multi vero non Intelligentes modum quo quisque eorum respective scripsit existimarunt se suisse sibi invicem contrarios Quia principium Evangelii fuit Baptismus Christi prout supra diximus propterea inde exorsus est Marcus Mathaeus enim altius ingressum fecit apud Geneologiam familiaram ut monstraret Haebreis quod sicuti praedixissent Prophetae Christus ortus est Lucas vero altius orditur pertingit usque ad Nativitatem Johannis ut subaccusaret eos qui praefatione omissa aggressi fuerunt scriptionem Historiae Christi Johannes ascendit usque ad sermonem divinum ut monstraret quod etiamsi socii sui scripsissent Christum hominem suisse quatenus incarnatum erat tamen Deus cum Patre fuerat postea incarnatus homo factus suit Doctrina eorum medio Plataearum alta voce fuit praedicata ipsis dicentibus Deus revelatus est in Corpore tolleravit passiones in carne mortuus fuit Resurrexit confirmata fuit eorum praedicatio per Miracula quae fecerunt Johannes loquutus est de sublimibus socii sui de inferioribus Mathaeus quidem quia ad Judeos scripsit ei curae fuit ut natraâ—et Generationem ejus consuetudinem in carne Marcus vero solicitus fuit ut scriberet contra Simonem qui praedicaverat Filium dispensationem suam egisse per Phantasium qua propter confirmavit ea quae ad corporationem spectabant dicitur quod in mandatis dedit ei Petrus ut scriberet vice sua hac ratione ut nonnulli existimant ne propter Petri Eminentiam socâ—orum suorum scripturae parvi haberentur ipse mandavit ei ut scriberet de ejus abnegatione accurate similiter Lucae mandavit Paulus ut scriberet in cujus Imitatione extense admodum Oratoris Loquitur in confirmatione Theophili Corrigenda in Epistola ad Lectorem p. 2. line 3. pro Cycles lege Cyclis A Clear and Learned Explication OF THE HISTORY OF OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST c. MAthew begins saying The Book of the Nativity of Jesus Christ Mathew said not as the Prophets that the Lord said unto me or I saw a Vision for by reason that the Jews were carried about after false Prophets it behoved them to say so but Mathew forasmuch as he wrote to the faithful he needed not to have imitated the Prophets nor did he put his Name to the Book because he wrote to those who were near at hand after the manner of a Narrative Yet Paul because he wrote to those who were afar off he wrote in the manner of an Epistle and therefore it was necessary to put his Name thereunto he calls the Book the Book of Nativity because the Nativity of our Saviour is the source of all Blessings or even as Moses names his Book from the Creation whil'st he Treats of such other things as were transacted and performed in the World for the space of two thousand two hundred and sixteen years and calls another Book by the name of going out yet wrote therein of other things so it is called the book of Generation by reason that this is the principal matter that God should be born in the Flesh tho' he treats of the rest of his Conversation on Earth for it is the principal part as being the best part that gives Denomination say the Philosophers and although Baptism be the begining of the Gospel yet he commenceth from the Nativity that he might instruct the Hebrews that this was the Messiah whom God had promised to Abraham and David that he should spring out of their Seed and that he was the Giver of the Gospel Nativity is spoken in many sences First as from a Woman Secondly as from Baptism according to that he who is not born of Water and the Spirit Thirdly from the Grave who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such things that the Earth should bring forth in one day or that a Nation should be born in one hour Fourthly Nativity is said also of things remote from the Birth Esa 66.8 according to this * 1 Cor. 4.15 for in Jesus Christ I have begotten you and he was pleased to beget us in the Spirit and I know not what to morrow is to bring forth and who hath begotten the drops of Rain and he Travelleth with Iniquity Joh. 38.28 Psal 7.14 and hath conceived falsehood and brought forth Destruction Fifthly as the beam and splendor which is begotten of the Sun or fire and as the Eternity of the Son is begotten of the Father according to the Divine Nature but here he doth not speak of the Eternal Generation from the Father but of the Temporal from the Virgin and tho' it be called in Scripture the birth of Abel and Jacob yet it is not there said of any of the Fathers the book of the Nativity except of Christ to the end that we may take notice that Christ is not meer Man but God made Man And that he was not born according to the ordinary Course of Humane Nature of Father and Mother but Supernaturally of the Holy Ghost and the blessed Virgin Moreover he begins at the Genealogies to signifie that although Christ was reputed by the Jews to be the Son of Joseph yet they were not perswaded of his Eternal Sonship yet of Joseph there was some doubt whether he were the Son of David or not and this is accurately made known by the Genealogies and the doubt Resolved The Greek hath it the Book of making or being and making or being is said to be nine fold First when of nothing something is made as the Heaven and Earth were made of nothing Secondly when of something something was made as the Firmament and Trees were made of something Thirdly by way of Contempt as God said Adam is made as one of us Fourthly by way of Transmutation as Lots Wife was made a Pillar of Salt Fifthly Impersonally the Evening and the Morning were the first day Sixthly by way of help or assistance as the Lord was with Moses Seventhly Temporally and I was as one who heareth not Eightly Of Grace according to that Moses was a God with Pharaoh Ninthly Without Transmutation
said that he was after the Captivity but that other who was before the Captivity of whom mention is made in the Book of the Kings is he who was after the Captivity and in the Book of Jeremiah is mentioned whom he cursed and called Joiakim Others say That the Joconia of whom Jeremy speaks was not the same with that of Mathew and he of whom Jeremy speaks was Tsedekiah the Son of Josiah whose Children were slain before his face in the Captivity and he dy'd in Babylon grinding in a Mill but he of whom Mathew speaks was Jokoniah the Son of Jojakim and his Mother was called Shushan and she was the Sister of Jeremy the Prophet and this Jokoniah begat Shelathiel It is now necessary to enquire whether Shelathiel and Zorobabel mentioned by Mathew be the same with those of Saint Luke or others and if they be the same wherefore doth Mathew call Shelathiel the Son of Jokonia whom Luke calls the Son of Neri We answer That St. Severus wrote that often-times Mathew and Luke produced the very same Persons for Families are used after the similitude of Rivers which run in divided Channels to run together again and being divided from one another to be intermixed by intermediate Persons after they have been long separated for behold both the Evangelists make mention of Shelathiel for Mathew names him the Son of Jokonia according to the course of Natural Generation and Luke calls him the Son of Neri in respect of Legal Deduction Malchim  Neri according to the Law  Nahashtha the Wife of Shelathiel  Joiakim  Jokoniah according to Natural Propagation Malchim the Father of Neri who was derived from Nathan took to wife one who was called Nahashtha the Daughter of Eliathan from Jerusalem and of her begat Neri and when Malchim died Jojakim the King took Nahashtha for her Beauty and begat Jokonia and this Neri and Jokonia were Brethren by the Mother and Neri took a wife and died without Children and Joconia his Brother took her and of her begat Shelathiel according as was commanded by the Law that if a Man should die without Children his Brother should take his wife and raise Seed to his deceased Brother and Shelathiel was the Son of Jokonia by Natural Propagation and the Son of Neri by Legal Institution And Mathew said that Jokonia was the natural Son of Jojakim and Luke saith that Shelathiel was the legal Son of Neri wherefore both of them are in the right Georgius saith that they were not the same but that Neri who was derived from Nathan being willing to resemble his Son by the Son of Jokonia the King called him Shalathiel after his name even as Shalathiel in emulation willing to represent his Son by the Son of Shelathiel called him Zorobabel And this is certain from hence that there are many Names imposed by Mathew from David and under which are synonimous with those of Luke such as are Joram Eliezer and Eliakim for there was often-times a Synonimity in the Genealogy either by Chance or Design as say the Philosophers Moreover it is doubtful how Malkim being from Nathan took at first Nahashta and after that he begat Neri from her and died Jojakim the King should take the Widow he being Eighteen years of Age and of her begat Jokonia or after that he was slain that she became wife to Malkim and brought forth Neri Both these Opinions are doubtful this that we should believe that Jojakim in his youth should take to wife a widdow woman or that she who had been a Queen should marry one of a mean condition being of another Tribe Besides it is written in the book of the Kings that Nebuchadnezer led Joiakim and his mother and his wife into captivity and if Nahashta the mother of Joiakim descended with her Son into captivity it is unlikely that she was marryed after the death of Jojakim her husband neither would Josiah have taken the widdow of Malkim for a wife to his Son Jojakim therefore Neri the Son of Shelathiel the Son of Jokonia of whom Mathew wrote is not Shelathiel the Son of Neri whom Luke sets down neither is it written either in the book of the Kings or in the book of Bar Jamin that Jokonia had a Son called Neri who dying childless Jokonia took his wife and of her begat Shelathiel In the book of Bar jamin it is written thus concerning the Sons of Josia Jehoaaz John Jojakim Tsedikia Shalom and that Jokonia was the Son of Jojakim therefore they are not the same who are mentioned by Mathew and Luke neither do they agree in Name Zurubabel begat Abiud Zurubabel is expounded the Seed of Babel because he was there begotten and born Mathew said That Zurubabel begat Abiud and Luke saith That Zurubabel begat Resa my Lord Severus saith That Zurubabel had two Sons Abiud and Resa and that Mathew reckons the one and Luke the other and as from David the Genealigies are divided between Nathan and Solomon and they descend to Joseph Mathew taking up the Genealogie of Solomon and Luke that of Nathan so also from Shelathiel the Genealogies are divided between Abiud and Resa and they likewise come down to Joseph Georgius de gentibus saith That the Zurubabel who begat Abiud and the other who begat Resa of whom Luke speaks were different persons others say That Abiud the Son of Zurubabel was called by two Names Abiud saying I and Resa and therefore every of the Evangelists call him by a particular Name even as the Sons of Josiah were every of them called by two Names Mathan begat Jacob Jacob begat Joseph the Husband of Mary from whom Jesus was born who is called Christ By the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whom had it not been pointed it might have been thought that Christ had been born of Joseph but the Supernal Point over the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that he was begotten of the Virgin and not by Joseph and according to the Greek Translation it is not so written but Joseph the Husband of Mary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Feminine Gender 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore if Mathew had omitted the Gender it would have been thought that he had been the Son of Joseph but forasmuch as he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex qua and not ex quo he makes it manifest that he was born of Mary and not of Joseph Moreover by reason he added the Husband of Mary he sheweth that he recited the Genealogie with regard to Mary and that she was of the House of David and of Abraham and therefore he brings in her Name Mathew calleth Joseph the Son of Jacob and Luke calleth him the Son of Heli for that there was a certain Man whose Name was Mathan of the Lineage of Solomon and he took a Wife whose Name was Esther and of her he begat Jacob and Mathan dyed and
matter is not as the Jews Accuse me that I am a Rebel an Usurper of an Earthly Kingdom If it were of this World That is to say this Temporal Kingdom is Slippery and Deceitful and it needs Ministers or Souldiers to content for it but my Kingdom needs none such because it is Powerful and sufficient of it self and by this he shewed That he was by Nature the Son of the Father the Heavenly King and Creator of all things and that he was not as the Jews said One that would Raise a Rebellion against Caesar Usurp an Earthly Kingdom or Power It was a Custom to loose a Prisoner to the People Mat. v. 15. That is to say the Releas'd one at a Festival in shew of commiseration and not at every Feast but that of the Passover and this was That they might Grace and Honour the time of whereon they were Releas'd from the Egyptian Bondage Called Barabba V. 16. Jesus was his Name who is here called Barabba for so it is Written in the Gospel of the separated and it is more evident from what Pilate said in the 22d Vers What shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ Wherefore he was called Jesus and the Evangelist was unwiling to Write his Name that none might in his Book bear the same Name with the Lord Jesus Have thou nothing to do with this Just Man V. 19. She did not speak to him in the House because she was not acquainted with the matter for what was done in the Night by the High-Priests unto Jesus she knew not he being not brought to Pilate till the Morning and then hearing that her Husband sat on the Tribunal to Condemn Jesus she sent unto him that he should have nothing to do with that Just Man Or when she Dreamt she understood not the Interpretation thereof otherwise she would have told him of it but when she saw the City in Commotion she understood the Dream and speedily sent unto her Husband Nothing appeared to Pilate in a Dream either because he was unworthy or for that if he had seen any thing in a Dream the Jews would not have believed him but would have said These things he feighneth as having a mind to save him Or perhaps he would not have Revealed the Dream lest he might have been Accus'd knowing that he should not thereby have saved him Pilate's Wives Name was Lognia 19. An Errour of the Calcedonians and Armenians retorted For I have suffer'd much in my Dream this Day concerning him The Calcedonians and with them the Armenians may be asham'd for computing the Day from the Morning for behold Pilate's Wife in the Night was affected with the Dream and computed the Morning together with the Night which was passed as Mathew Writes The day therefore is composed of 24 Hours and begins from the Evening as we compute Inasmuch as she said I have suffer'd This is signified that when she was disturb'd with a Terrible and Violent Dream and design'd to keep her self awake and to decline it the very day Light inclin'd her to Sleep and vexed her and that often Why Pilates Wife revealed not her Dream at home to him But why did she not declare the Dream to her Husband at Home Some say That he lay elsewhere that Night and therefore she sent unto him My Lord Ephraim saith That it was so wrought by God that she forgot the Dream and did not reveal it to her Husband in the House in that sending to him in the Court after it came into her mind the Hearers might fall into Admiration and when the whole City was in Commotion against her Husband concerning Jesus she sent word unto him That he should not fulfil the desire of the People but preserve Jesus Several conjectures of her Dream But what was it she saw in a Dream Some say That she saw Dragons encompassing her and endeavouring to hurt her but Christ did not permit them so to do Others are of Opinion that she saw our Lord as Judge of all Men extending his Power to the utmost reach of Jurisdiction and before him the Billows of a fiery Sea and he sitting on an exalted Throne and a dreadful Tribunal the Angels Ministring in his Sight and all Creatures trembling before him and Voices proclaiming bodily This is Jesus King of the Jews who is to be judged before Pilate Others say That she saw terrible and Hideous Sights full of Horror in her Dreams but they set not down what they were The causes of Dreams Now Dreams are thought to proceed from Diurnal Meditations and from the four Humours The 4. humours to wit Effluctions therefrom as the Physitians say When Black Choller prevails one perceiveth Dark Places and Obscure being Imprison'd in Darkness but when Yellow Choller is predominant one perceives Fiery Flames and Torches Wine Merriment and Singing When Blood abounds one fancies Slaughter and Effusion of Blood and when Flegm is redundant Rain Swimming Rivers and Floods are fancied But Dreams which come from Satan are according to the Phantasie Satan such as are pleasant Embraces and Kisses God But such as proceed from God are as this of Pilate's Wife of Joseph Pharoah Nebuchadnezar and Abimelech of Daniel Visions and of Joseph the Husband of Mary But the High-Priest perswaded the multitude to ask Barabbas Ver. 20. And all this was out of a desire they had to Murther him and they saw that the Rules complyed with the multitude in what they asked of Pilate Who will ye that I let loose unto ye Ver. 21. He made them Arbitrators or referred the matter to their Election for he hoped they wou'd have been ashamed to say openly Let Christ he Crucified but neither cou'd the Words of the Judg shame them nor wou'd they be Prohibited by the Feast nor by the Admonition Beware how ye Crucifie the Just one wherefore the Judg adds unto Jesus the Name of Christ to distinguish him from Barrabbas who was also called Jesus Moreover he termed them Lords hoping they would be ashamed and dismiss him But they said Barabbas Altho of Evil Will they asked Barabbas yet Divine Dispensation concurr'd with them V. 21. whether they wou'd or no. For Barabbas resembled Adam for as Barabbas Sinned and was bound so Adam by reason he had Sinned was bound in Hell and as Christ was Crucified and Barabbas loosed so was Adam loosed from the Chains of Hell Christ being Crucified for him They all said Let him be Crucified V. 22. Instead of Accusing him of any Fault as he did so or so they were made Judges which was very absurd What shall I do unto him They snatch'd him from his place because they were made Judges and this was either because he was Blind and did not understand or because he was afraid Crucifie him 22. That is to say hang him on a Tree for they did not say Murther him or put him to
Amotsia begat Hosia they wrote the Names thus that Joram begat Achosia and Achosia Joash and Joash Amosia and Amosia Osia Others who followed them coming to Write the Gospel in Greek began from hence that Joram begat Achosia and that Joram begat Osia by reason of similitude of Names and the variation of them in the one Letter Coph and this perhaps they did unwillingly or willingly to Adapt their Genealogie to fourteen Generations for those of the Jews who believed were mightily taken with the Number seven and fourteen and so the Syriack Copies were derived unto all Nations But we Answer him thus This is not true and if it had been an Errour or mistake of the Writer and Mathew himself had not left out those Names then Mathew must have said that from David to the transmigration had been seventeen Generations but for as much as Mathew wrote afterwards fourteen Generations we understand that Mathew omitted them Others say that the Hebrew Christians put these three out of the Text to Adapt the Generations from David to the Captivity to the Number of fourteen which was delightful unto them for there is extant a Syriack Copy as Ancient as that Translation from the Hebrew which sets down these three Kings in the Genealogy and at the end of them computes fourteen and not seventeen Generations and this computation of fourteen Generations the Hebrews introduced in the place of seventeen for allyance to fourteen which was a Number grateful unto them for that on the fourteenth day they departed from the Bondage of Aegypt Others say that Mathew omitted those Names because they were abominable in the Eyes of the Jews for Achasia associated himself to the House of Achab having sent Ships to fetch Gold and ascended unto the High Places of Ramath Gilead with Ahab and reproved the Prophet and was afterwards slain by Jehu and Joash by reason of the Sons of Jehojedah the Priest Amotsia also was slain in Rebellion having excited the King of Israel to War with him and by occasion of him and by his hands was the Wall broken and the Sanctuary violated wherefore Mathew omitted them for the stock will take up that which is pleasing unto him Josiah begat Jocaniah and his Brethren in the Babylonish Transmigration in the Book of the Kings and in the book of Bar Jamin it is not Written that Josiah begat Jocaniah but that Josiah had five Sons Jehu Achaz and Eliakim who was Joiakim and Shalon and John and Tsedekiah who was Mathania Others say That Josiah begat Jehoas who was John and Jojakim who was Eliakim and Tsedekia who was Mathania and Shalon who was Jokania others call Shalom Jokania the book of Bar Jamin that is to say computing the Sons of Josiah and Joiakim who is Eliakim begat Jokaniah who is Joiakim who was led Captive to Babylon and how is it that Mathew doth not write That Josiah begat Joiakim and Joiakim Jokaniah and Georgius saith That he wrote so but saith that the Transcriber mistook and wrote Jocaniah instead of Joiakim Others say That Mathew omitted Joiakim because he was despised and slew Euria the Prophet the Son of Shamaiah and had Defeated as he thought the Prophets Jokania his Son departed least the Sanctuary should be reproached and was perfect and therefore he sets down his Name Others say That Manasseh was worse than he how then doth Mathew set down his Name But we Answer that every one of them was called by two Names as Joiakim and Eliakim and Joiakim and Jokania the Son of Joiakim wherefore Jokania was the Grandson of Josiah and he calls him his Son according to the Usage of Scripture which calls Lot Abrahams Brothers Son his own Brother for Abraham said We are Brethren and Laban the Sons of his Daughters Moreover Nathania and Jehoaaz who were the Uncles of Jokania he calls them his Brothers Again Josiah begat Jehoaaz who was called Shalom and Eliakim who was Jojakim and Mathania who is called Tsedekia and from the time that Pharaoh the Lame slew Josiah he made Johoaaz his Son to Reign whom when Pharaoh had bound and loosed he placed as King in his stead Eliakim his Brother the Son of Josiah and Pharaoh called him Joiakim and after the death of Jojakim he made Jojakim the Son of Jocania to Reign and afterwards he was called by the Name of his Father Jojakim and him Nebuchadnezzar led away captive and placed in his stead Mathaniah his Uncle who was called Tsedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar all these the Evangelist records in saying Jeconia and his Brethren for the Kingdom was derived by all of them In the Captivity of Babylon He mentioneth the Captivity of Babylon to shew that the Jews were not amended from their iniquity no not after they were led into Captivity And again for that the Captivity remained for Generations he said From the Captivity until Christ Fourteen Generations Moreover because there was a necessity of the coming of Christ that he might redeem us from the Captivity of the Devil and of Death he doth not mention the going down into Egypt as he doth the Captivity of Babylon for that descent was a long time before and this was but newly past and that was not for their Sins but it was for their Sins that they were led Captive into Babylon Furthermore they did not fear the Aegyptians but they were in a continual dread of the Babylonians but forasmuch as Josiah did not see the Captivity of Babylon wherefore did Mathew say That Josiah did beget Jokaniah and his Brethren in the Captivity of Babylon We answer That therefore the Captivity is computed from the time of Josiah because then Jeremia prophesied concerning it Even as God said unto Abraham Thy seed shall serve in a Bondage Nine Years where the years are reckoned from the day wherein those Words were spoken until the going out of Egypt So in the time of Josiah Jeremiah prophesied concerning the Captivity and from that time made his Computation and for that reason accommodates the Captivity to Josiah on the thirteenth year of Josiah Jeremiah prophesied concerning the Captivity and from that time to the thirtieth and one year of Josiah his Reign Jocaniah begat Shelathiel and Shelathiel begat Zorobabel Jeremy said concerning Jocania That his Seat was despised as being without Sons and that none of his Seed should sit on the Throne of David yet Mathew here said That Christ did descend from him by Genealogy according to that The Lord will give unto him the Throne of David his Father and Ld. Severus saith That this of Joconiah the Prophet speaketh so for that the Earthly Kingdom was held in Judah but the Kingdom of Christ and his Throne was not the Earthly one but that which is heavenly in respect whereof he said My Kingdom is not of this World yet is he King over the ends of the Earth Others say That Joconia who was before and in the Captivity was not the same of whom Mathew
Nazareth and both declare the Truth but this of Luke was first for he abode forty days in Bethlehem from the time he was born and afterwards went to Jerusalem and offer'd Gifts and Simeon bore him and from Jerusalem he went to Nazareth and at the end of that Anniversary he came to Jerusalem and so returned to Nazareth and at the end of the second year he came from Nazareth to Jerusalem and from thence to Bethlehem and there the Wise-Men Worshipped him and from Bethlehem he went to Egypt as saith Mathew and Luke declares where he was born and what things were done at his Nativity and that he went up to Jerusalem when the days of her Purification were accomplish'd and when they had performed what the Law required they went unto Nazareth Mathew afterwards sets forth that the Wise-men came and found him in Bethlehem after he was Circumciz'd and had offered his Gifts and was two years old and then it was told Joseph that he should carry him by flight into Egypt and he remained three years in Egypt and suddenly returned to Nazareth and hence it is known that the Wife-men worshipped him when he was two years old for there was no Congruity with reason or conveniency that they should bring him up to the Temple whilest Herod breath'd forth destruction against the Children Which is called Nazareth The Jews question in what book these two passages are written viz. He shall be called a Nazarite and Out of Egypt have I called my Son To whom we say that these are not allegations of praise and exaltation but of humiliation for this word Nazareth they spoke of it as an house of Indecency out of Nazareth c. And the other is applyed to flight and had they not been True Mathew had not produced them because they were not of advantage Moreover many books perished as the book of Barjamin teacheth us for the Jews continually were drawn into the Errour of Idolatry and some of the Books they lost and some of them they tore as Jeremia declares and he who wrote the Book of the Kings faith that Deuteronomie was scarce found after a long time which was hidden and plundered For if when they were free from Warr they had so little care or regard for Books much less had they in the time of war And if they shall say if it was not written in the time of Christ whence doth Matthew produce it We answer that it was the daughter of a Voice And in the time of Mathew it was delivered and propagated from mouth to mouth and therefore Mathew wrote it or it was in the Books which were Lost or the Spirit which dwelt upon him in the Parlour Revealed it unto him or in his time it was preserv'd in Books and after Mathew wrote it perish'd in the destruction of the City by the Romans And if a Jew will indeavour to Falcify the Gospel because this allegation is not Extant he may be Reprehended from his own Books wherein are many Speeches written say'd to be in writing and are not written wherefore we may hold theirs in the like repute Moses speaks to Aaron concerning the death of his Sons I will be Sanctified by my near ones and I will be praised before all the People yet this is not found any where and it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord. A Flame in the Whirlwind in the Torrent of Aron Moreover To teach the Children of Israel the use of the Bow behold it is written in the Book of Jasher But neither did he reveal what is the Doctrine of the Bow It is said of Jeroboam the Son of Jehu I will turn the Border from the going in of Hamath to the Book of the Sallows as said the Lord by his Servant Jonas the Son of Mathi the Prophet in Gad-Hether and this is not written any where no not in Jonas And Thou hast said the World shall be Built in Grace and also in Esaia This Word the Lord spake concerning Moab and it is unknown where these two passages are written therefore let the Jew take our Excuse from his own Moreover The Gospel according to Custom and with regard to the accomplishment of things produceth an Allegation for Isaiah saith There shall come forth a Rod from the Root of Jess and a Bough shall sprout forth And in the Hebrew a Branch or Bough is expounded a Branch and Nazaren one who sprouts out and when Mathew saw that Christ came and dwelt in Nazareth he expounded this of Esaiah A Branch shall sprout out He shall be called a Nazaren and he was called a Nazaren from Nazareth that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one sprouting out from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sprout so they are expounded in the Hebrew Tongue Others say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded New and that Nazareth signifieth New and signifies Typically that the Son would newly be made Man for Men Others say That Nazareth signifies Justice and Nazaren signifies Just and if they shall say that because he was born in Bethlehem and not in Nazareth Esaiah calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them know that the Apostles called him as did the Prophets and that this of Bethlehem was not hid as to the Prophecy but chiefly intended according to that of Nathaniel who from this was moved to make Enquiry and said From Nazareth c. For Nazareth was a contemptible place as was Galilee and our Lord was not ashamed to be called from thence After he had discoursed concerning Christ's Nativity c. at last he came to the beginning of the Gospel which is the Baptism of Christ And so he Continueth his Discourse on towards his Passion MATH III. ANd in those days came John the Baptish He doth not understand by those days the time when Jesus returned from Egypt to Nazareth for in those days Jesus was five years old but the time of his abode in Nazareth being Twenty five Years he was Thirty Years of Age when he came to Baptism as saith Luke Others are of opinion that he calls those days the time when he came to be baptized for it is the custom of Scripture to term by the Name of those days the days wherein any matter what-e'er it be is acted or done Others think that he calls those days the time wherein the Jews had neither King nor Prophet forasmuch as the Prophecy of Jacob was fulfilled The Scepter shall not depart c. but Tiberius then Reigned as Luke saith Others say thus In those days that is our Lord did not immediately after his teturn from Egypt come to John but when he was Thirty Years of Age being Two years old when he went down into Egypt where he remained Three years and afterwards dwelt in Nazareth Twenty five Years and in these years he paid the debt of our Nature and fulfilled the Law and abrogated it and it is the Custom of
short time he was to take it up again according as he said I lay down my Life that I may take it up again I have power to lay it down and to take it up For the Spirit is called Soul For the Soul is called by three Names Soul Vnderstanding and Spirit as we have writlen in our Book of Distinctions concerning Natures Intellectual and Sensitive It behoves us therefore to enquire how on the Friday and at the same time was our Lord in these three places in the heart of the Earth as he said The Son of Man shall be in the heart of the Earth and in Paradise as he said to the Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and in the hands of the Father according to that Into thy hands I commit my Spirit Immediately the Preface to the Gate of the Temple was rent The Preface to the Gate he calls the Curtain which hung before the Gate of the Temple which is called a Veil Why was the Veil of the Gate rent Because the holy Spirit departed thence who dwelt there in the Mysteries of the Law But in what manner was it rent They say That this Texture of the Veil was on the one side and the Woof on the other which was wonderful It was rent That is to say The Veil was divided for that it could not suffer the Passion of him who was principally typified thereby and to signifie that the Grace of the holy Ghost was departed thence and that the Sacrifices of the Law ceased and that it was designed for Destruction And after the Ninth hour the Darkness was dispersed in token that the Ancient Sorrows which came by Sin were to cease The Earth was moved as a Dish in the Water In the first place forbidding the Disputation of the Arrogant it is to be considered that it was established on a Foundation of Immobility and that an Earthquake was never over all the Earth and at once yet this motion was in all the Earth and the whole Body thereof was moved as a Dish in the midst of the Water So also this Darkness was over all the Earth and not one part thereof only as it is wont to be And the Stones were Cleft that it might be known that it was the Creator who was Crucified and it was known from hence that the Creatures Suffer'd in Compassion with him Moreover the Rocks were cleft in reproach to obdurate hearts for all this odious Deed. Moreover because Rational Creatures were silent out of crafty Policy the Stones Cryed out and this is meant by those words If these should by silent the Stones would cry out Again because God many times instructs men for their Conversion by Irrational and Insensitive Creatures as he instructed Baalam by an Ass and Jeroboam by an Altar and Ashes and Pharoe and the Egyptians by the Elements So he removed the Earth out of it's place and cleft the Rock in Reprehension of the Jews who he desired might have been converted from their wickedness and they would not And the Sepulchers were open'd and many Bodies That is to say Arose on the Ninth hour of Friday and they were not of those who were dead long before but such as fell asleep about three years more or less before the Passion of our Lord and they were Saints because they believed in our Lord before their Death And they were of Jerusalem and arose out of the Sepulchers round about the City and enter'd into Jerusalem and were known some to their Fathers some to their Brethren and some to their Mothers and reprehended them saying What wicked â—eed is this which ye have done that ye have Crucified the Life and the Giver of Life and they remained there three days Eating nothing but were preserv'd by Divine Efficacy as was Moses and Elias in their Fasting and their Bodies were really United to their Souls and concerning this Mathew said That many Bodies of the Saints Arose and abode three days in Jerusalem and there Preached and afterwards returned unto their Sepulchers and fell asleep but did not go into Paradice neither were they dispersed to the utmost Limits nor were they seen of all Men. And it is certain from what Mathew said That they appeared unto many for many are not all and so our Lord after his Resurrection was not always seen but sometimes and that not unto every one as at first but to his Disciples and to those who were Worthy Others say That they were Prophets who knew the Holy Scriptures and believed in him before their Decease as saith Ignatius and had Preached the Resurrection of Christ and their own the Dead arose in manifestation of this Raiser from the Dead Johannes de Dara The Dead who Arose did not enter the City to Preach until he Arose Others That they remained at their Sepulchers Standing and giving Praises Others That they were Assembled at the Mount of Olives Others That they went into Paradice And they went into the Holy City Jorusalem Some say That he doth not call this Earthly City which was polluted Jerusalem but that which is in Heaven and when Christ cryed on the Cross they were reviv'd and remained in their Graves as Jonas did in the Fish and after his Resurrection they also Arose Spiritually and when he Ascended in abscondito to his Father in the Heavens they also Ascended privately with him to the Holy City which is in Heaven Others say That Jerusalem as to the Upper part thereof was Holy and that many believing Persons dwelt there but that the Lower Part was Prophane by Reason of the Deceit practis'd there and he calls the Upper Region thereof the Holy City whereunto the Dead who Arose Entred and Preached to the Believers who Lamented his Death Others That he calls by the Name of Jerusalem the whole Terrestrial City into which they Entred and Preached and more then 500 Souls returned to their Bodies and Entred and appeared to many and they appeared to the Grief of those who knew not that they had Crucified their Lord and therefore he spake to them who were bitterly griev'd in Spirit Others say That they at first appear'd in Gallilee and in many other places and that after the Resurrection they came to Jerusalem and appear'd to many that they might declare that the Resurrection was no Phantasm There were five Miracles when Christ was Crucified whereof some were in the Heavens some in the Air some on the Earth and some under the Earth In the Heavens the Sun and Moon were Darkned in the Air the Veil was Rent on the Earth the Rocks were Cleft and from under the Earth the Dead Arose and some of the Miracles were Universal as that of the Eclipse of the Sun and the Emotion of the Earth some also were particular as that the Rocks and Veil were Rent and the Dead Arose Who therefore was he who hung upon the Cross God or Man If he were God it were impossible that
according to the Word of Gabriel who called the House of Jacob The Gentiles who believe in him Fourteen Generations For he doth not say the forty two Generations altogether nor doth he divide them into six parts for the Number Seven was dear unto them but he divided the Total into three parts hinting thereby that as it was not grievous unto them that they were changed from the Government of Judges to the Government of Kings and from the Government of Kings to the Government of High-Priests so it should not seem strange in your Eyes that ye are changed from these to the Government of Christ tho Christ also was a Judge a King and an High-Priest for as his ancient Types Ministred unto him so he applyed them altogether unto himself The Jews Accused the Apostles as introducing new Laws to the Creature and Mathew willing to shew that they were far from blame he signified that the Government of God always varied in the Administration of Affairs accordingly as was expedient and agreeably to the Mutation of things divided the Number of Generations from Abraham unto Saul they were subject to Judges Mathew accounts Saul as a Judge for that he Governing filled up the time and was rejected They were under Kings ceased in the Captivity they were Governed by the Chief Priests wherefore according to the change of Constitutions he divided things and he hints that it is no wonder if he who at first set up Judges and afterwards Kings and then Rulers should set up the Government of his Son for neither did the change of State-Affairs amend the Jews but whilest they were Governed by Judges Kings and Rulers they still continued in the same Sins Philoxenus said That therefore he divided the Generations into three parts because the Father revealed the Promise concerning his Son in three Places to Abraham saying in thy Seed shall the Nations be Blessed To David I will Establish thy Seed for ever Moreover by another Prophet that David my Servant shall feed them Others say That this Promise was made to Adam at his Creation and that for this Reason he Ascended unto Adam he divided them into doubled Sevens that is to say fourteens that by Weeks he might Illustrate the Words of Daniel and to shew that he was the expected Messiah and that the Prophets preached concerning him This was Chrysostom In the last of the Generations whereas he sets down but twelve said they were fourteen And the Lord John saith that he put the Captivity in the place of a Generation and George saith de Gentilibns that Christ was reckoned a Generation for as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until did not exclude David from the Fourteen Generations in the first part so neither doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until exclude Christ from the last part but the middlemost was made Fourteen by the leaving out of Three Others say That the last part was made Thirteen by leaving out One between Shelathiel and Zorubabel that is to say Nadabia that the Number of Fourteen may be made up of Mary for that instead of her Fore-fathers she entred into the place of a Generation or he brought Christ into the place of a Generation as we have said Eusebius saith That he doth not reckon Fourteen Generations by the Number of Men but some certain quantity of years which was divided into Fourteen parts The first part consisted of eight hundred years and the Generations thereof were Fourteen but the middlemost consisted of four hundred years and its Generations were Twelve the first and the last were equal as to the Number of Persons but he computes the the middlemost with the Two by reason of the paucity of Years and Persons The GENEALOGY according to the sense of Georgius de Gentilibus The Genealogy of the first part The Genealogy of the second part The Genealogy of the third part Abraham Salomon The Captivity Isaac Rohboam Shelathiel Jacob Abia Zorubabel Judah Asa Abiud Pharez Joshapat Aliakim Hetzron Joram Azor Aram Ozia Zadok Aminadab Jothan Achin Nahashon Achaz Eliud Salmon Hezechia Eliezer Boaz Menase Mathan Obed Amon Jacob Jesse Josia Joseph David Jochania Christ Fourteen Generations Fourteen Generations Fourteen Generations The Genealogies of the Two Evangelists and the Difference between them according to the Judgment of St Severus The Holy Genealogy of St. Luke alone ADam Sheth Enosh Kain Mehalliel Jered Henoch Methushelah Lamech Noah Shem Arphaxad Kainan Shalech Eber Phaleg Arao Sarug Nahor Therah From Adam hitherunto Twenty Generations and Fathers From hence Mathew and Luke agree Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Pharez Hezron Aram Aminadab Nahashon Salmon Boaz Obed Jesse David Glory to Christ the Lord to whom all things are easie Moreover Those of Luke from Abraham to Joseph were fifty five Fathers and from David to Joseph were forty two and those of Mathew from Abraham to Joseph were forty and two taking into Computation the Captivity and Christ Whence did Mathew and Luke learn the Genealogie We say from the Holy Ghost as the Prophets taught hidden things and from the book of Bar Jamin and from the books of Esra Moreover it was the Custom of the Jews to repeat their Fathers Genealogies by word of Mouth or Tradition I such a one the Son of such a one from one to another unto Adam Wherefore Paul commanded Timothy to abstain from Fables and Genealogies Mathew because he wrote to the Hebrews began from Abraham and David because to them the Promise was made and that was sufficient to Answer his purpose but Luke Ascended to Adam because he wrote to the Gentiles to shew that Christ also sprung from Adam and to abate the Pride of the Jews who gloried in Abraham Again he Ascended to Adam in mystery of Baptism to shew that he who is Baptiz'd and Regenerated is to Ascend to God whose Sons we are made And moreover to take away that doubt How can a Virgin bring forth a Child he shew'd that as the Spirit was able in the beginning to form Man without Copulation so was he able at last and formed the body of the Word from the Virgin without Copulation for it was the one and the same operation of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and for that the Father framed Adam it is certain that the Son and the Spirit framed him Wherefore doth Mathew descend in the Genealogy and Luke Ascend We say that this is the Custom of the Scripture it is written in the book of Ruth Pharez begat Hezron and Hezron Aram and Aram Aminadab and Aminadab and so forth until he descended to David It Ascends where it saith Helkana the Son of Jochom the Son of Elihu the Son of Aho the Son of Resoph Again Mathew descends to shew that the Word of God descended and came for our Redemption according to the Promise first made But Luke Ascended to shew that they who are Baptised mount up to Heaven and this is
Israel and because the Children were of Rama therefore they are computed the Children of Rachel But sithence the Children were slain in Bethlehem as well as in Rama Wherefore doth he apply the Weeping to Rama only Some say because the Prophet foresaw that more Children were slain in Rama than in Bethlehem therefore he useth the Names of Rachel and Rama Others say because Rama is nigh unto Bethlehem therefore he applied Weeping unto Rachel and her Children are called of Rama because it was as the Inheritance of Benjamin her Son and of Bethlehem by reason of the Vicinity of her Sepulcher thereunto Others say That as there were two Men who came before the Judg and the one was guilty of Death and the other not and as he who was guilty was silent and he who was Innocent cryed out and pleaded for himself so he was born for and in respect of Ramah and Bethlehem but Rachel was not born for them and therefore he applies Weeping to Rama because they were not guilty nor injurious Wherefore does he apply Weeping to Rachel and not to Jacob since they were his Children who were Slain And some say That both of them were the Children of one Husband and Wife and therefore he applies Weeping to Rachel and not to Jacob to whom one replies That if they were of both it had been fit to have applied Weeping to them both Others because they were slain in their Mothers Arms their Fathers not being present Weeping is Attributed to the Mother Again others because the Love of a Mother is much more abundant than that of Fathers Again Rachel died in Child-bed and these were slain soon after they were born Samuel said unto Saul behold Three Men are to meet thee in Tsaltsach near Rachels Sepulcher in the Border of Benjamin Moreover Rachel was buried a Persian days Journey from Ephrata which is Bethlehem and perhaps they who were slain were buried in her Sepulcher And she would not be Comforted First because of the multitude of them who were slain in all the Confines Secondly because they were slain Execrably Deceitfully and Unmercifully When Herod the King was Dead From this time he receiv'd his Judgment for Eusebius saith That Josephus wrote thus concerning him That he fell into a Devouring Disease being Worm-Eaten and oppressed with sadness of Spirit and that his Lower Parts to witt his Testicles and prolific Member became putrid and that in a furious Rapture of his mind and in his Tribulation he slew his Wife and his three Sons and when they made him sit in Oyl and in a hot Bath his Eyes were Transversed and he miserably forsook the World Arise take the Lad and his Mother He doth not say Fly but Go to shew that he was to obtain Rest after Afflictions For they are Dead who sought the Soul of the Child He saith Soul That he might not give Advantage to them who say That our Saviour did not Assume a Soul but that the Divinity supply'd the place of the Soul And he Arose and took the Lad and his Mother That is according to the command of the Angel without repugnancy But when he heard that Archelaus Administred as a King in Judea in the place of his Father he was afraid to go thither First Lest with the Authority of his Father he might Inherit an Enmity towards the Children Secondly He feared the Mothers of the Children lest they seeing the Lad and calling to mind thereby that their Children were slain for him might either Murther him or accuse him before Archelaus and he slay him Neither did Elizabeth return for fear of the Jews till the end of her Life But how doth he say That Archelaus Governed in Judea whereas Pontius Pilate had the Government thereof We Answer that so soon after the Death of Herod the Kingdom was not divided into Provinces wherefore at his Death his Son took hold of his Government He saith in the place of Herod his Father to distinguish him from another Herod who was the Brother of Archilaus Antipator the Askalonite begat that Herod who slew the Children and he begat Nine Sons of seven Women that is to say Antipater Alexander Aristobulus Herod and Archilaus and Herod the Tetrach and Herod and Philip and one that was cut out of his Mothers Womb. But how many Herods were there who occasioned Errour being of the same Name They say four Herod the first a Priest who belonged to an Idol Temple of Askalon a City of the Philistins he begat Antipater whom the Edomites took Captive and Educated him in their Rites and Antipater begat Herod the King who flew the Children and he begat Herod the Tetrarch and his Brethren and this Tetrarch that is one of four slew John and in his days our Lord suffer'd and the Tetrarch begat that Herod who is called Agrippa who was clad in Royal Robes of whom mention is made in the Acts of the Apostles Jacobus Aurihensis faith That there were five Herods Herod who slew the Infants begat of Dusis the first Antipater who was calle by the Name of his Priesthood and of Mary the Queen the Daughter of Arcanus the King and High-Priest Alexander and Aristobulus these their Father slew together with their Mother being accused of Rebellion against him and of the other Mary the Daughter of the High-Priest Arcanus and Herod and Antipater and of Cleophta the Hierosolymitan Herod and Philip. And of Phelis Phesil these were the Sons of Herod the First the Herod who was called Antipater and was Tetrarch slew John him Julius Caesar bannish'd into Spain with his Wife Herodias where they died miserably Herod who was Brother of Philip by Father and Mother was King in Kanshrin being betrothed unto Bernice his Fathers Sister Herod Agrippa mentioned in the Book of the Acts to have died at Caesara was not the Son of Herod the First nor of the great Tetrarch but the Son of Aristobulus who was slain and he was Grandson to Herod the First Archelaus was not afraid of the King who was born as was his Father either because he thought he was slain with the Children or because he saw his Father died a miserable Death he feared the like misfortune might befal him And it was shewed him in a Dream that he should go into the Region of Galilee But if he were afraid to go into Judea by reason of Archelaus he had reason to fear going into Gallilee because of Herod but the place being changed the matter was concealed for all the fear was about Bethlehem and the Borders thereof In the City which was called Nazareth That is he came hither first to avoid Danger and that he might inhabit in his own Region better and be confident and he receiv'd Direction from the Angel to make this place his Habitation that this Prophecy might be fulfilled He shall be called a Nazarite Mathew faith he came from Bethlehem to Egypt but Luke to Jerusalem and from thence to