with the effusion of farre more holy bloud then eyther was sprinckled in Moyses tabernacle or shed in Salomons temple for the eight day after the natiuitie according to the law of the Iews hee who was aboue all lawes was circumcised in this rocke and thereby made subiect vnto the law the parents not being commaunded by the lawe nor accustomed to carrie their infants to the temple for the receiuing of that sacrament at which time also hee had this name Iesus giuen vnto him as the Angell called him before and after that he was conceiued in his mothers wombe notwithstanding that long before many other names were assigned him by the diuine Oracle as Admirable the Counsellor God the Mightie the Father of the world to come the Prince of Peace with manie other correspondent either to his person or some propertie which is in him yet none was significant as this and whatsoeuer is obscurely contained in them is manifestly declared in this For the sinne which slew mankind being infinit in respect that the partie offended was infinitelie more excellent then the offender it required a satisfaction infinitely good which man was not able to make whose nature is within certaine limits of perfection wherefore it was necessarye either that God who is onely infinite should of his mercie satisfie himselfe or else in iustice the sinner was to haue an infinite punishment which because the offender could not in any limited time sustaine it was to be changed for a limited punishment which should endure without limit and because God his owne nature was so superexcellent that it was capable of nothing but happinesse hee was to take such a nature as wherein he might best accomplish his gratious designement and because man knewe of himselfe howe to sinne hee thought it best in the same nature to teach him also how to satisfie He chose therefore to become a man but in such sort as he would bee but one yet God and man for if there had beene two God and a man which also had not beene God condigne satisfaction could not haue beene made vnto God for the sinne for neither was a pure man able to satisfie nor God in his owne nature subiect to suffer Hauing therefore decreed to make himselfe admirable in this vnion of two so different natures without the confusion of them hee thought it an vnworthie thing for him to begin to be a man by a carnall generation as other men doe and therfore chose a virgin in whom hee was not without miracle conceiued nor of whom without as strang a miracle he was borne after that her time came to bee deliuered for shee remained as well for his honour as her owne as perfect a virgin after his birth as shee was before He was a true and faythfull counseller vnto vs enforming vs nothing but what himselfe before performed euen to the effusion of his owne most precious blood in following our cause for vs instructing vs by exhortation and his owne example that the meane for vs to win heauen was wholy to weane our selues from the world He was true God being the onely sonne of God equal vnto his father in power goodnes and authoritie from whence proceeded his mightines both in word and worke to the redeeming of mankind ransacking of hell and in the end the ouerthrowing of death which done he would make al things new and therefore rightly might hee be called the father of the world to come restoring by himselfe onely that which the whole Trinitie had before created and thereby creating a new by grace what was thorough sinne come to nought He was also a Prince of peace for the obtaining of which hee came into the world to performe a single and bloudy combat that not without cause hee was proclaimed by that name so soone as hee was borne and the eight day after to conclude all in one he was called Iesus that is a Sauiour A name neuer heard before although like sound hath beene heard as Iosue the sonne of Naue was called Iesus who brought the Israelites into the land of promise after fortie yeeres wandring in the Desart and the high Priest who returned with them from Babylon after seuentie yeeres captiuitie was also called Iesus but neither these nor any other whose name sounded after the same maner although either as chiefe priests or Princes they brought their people into the holy land were other thē figures of this prince and therefore neither were their names the right name which this prince had it being giuen him by one who knew verte well the propertie of euery thing and either gaue or ratified their names giuen vnto them accordingly But the name it selfe discloseth some secret mysterie For who is not deaf and hath not his eares filled with a most sweete sound when hee heareth this holy name Iesus Who is not dumbe and hath not his mouth flowing with a most sacred sweetnes when he soundeth this holy name Iesus who is not dead and hath not all his senses furnished with a straunge delight when hee apprehendeth the name of Iesus who is not damned and hath not his soule deified◠by an infinite goodnes when hee engraueth this holy name Iesus A holy name was before but it was holy and terrible because hee whose name it was was a consuming fire A holie name is nowe but it is holie and mercifull because hee whose name it is is a most gracious redeemer insomuch as there is no other name giuen to men by which they may bee saued then the holie name of Iesus so gloryous in heauen so gratious in earth so regarded in hell that at the sounde thereof euerie knee boweth in heauen earth and hell Glorious in heauen because heauens storer gracious in earth because earthes restorer regarded in hel because hels restrainer glorious in heauen because a maintainer of maiesty gracious in earth because a mone◠of miserie regarded in hell because a maisterer of tyrannie Heauens honor earthes myrror helles terror A most sweete and soueraigne oyle flowing from the heauens aboue vnto the lower partes of the earth and refreshing all who were either oppressed with darknesse or oppugned with ouermuch daunger most nourishing a wasted light and most necessarie for a wounded limme And verie fitly did this sacred oyle flow vpon such a day as wherein no one glimse appeared of the light of nature nor any sprake was seene of the least good nurture Many feastes did the Gentiles keepe to one or other false gods honour and many sportes did they make according to each one his frailest humor For although that some seemed to tende to the exercise onely of their strength and wits yet were such most attended as made them both weake and wantons The games of Olympus were moste famous in Greece so called because they were at the foot of the mountain Olympus which was so hie that it gaue name vnto the heauens for it reached so far aboue the middle region of
as some say that in the eating what delicious meate soeuer the eater desired hee found the tast thereof in his mouth certaine it is that it was a most pleasant food and although it would not remaine aboue one day vncorrupted except onelie when they gathered to keepe for their Sabboath dayes victuall yet not without a speciall miracle it continued in this pot many hundred yeares Aaron his rod was here likewise kept which was set in the tabernacle with twelue other by the florishing of which his election to the Priesthood was manifested vnto the people and he preferred before the other twelue princes which stoode in contentiou with him In this Temple stoode also two other Cherubins of Oliue couered with gold 10. cubites high their winges spread in bredth euery one fiue cubits they looked both towarde the east on each side of the arke stoode one so that they filled the whole bredth of the Temple with their winges couered with them the toppe of the Arke The dores stoode alwaies open and before the entrance hong such a vaile as hung before the dores of the outmost Temple Foure hundred yeares and more continued this Temple in this glorie vntill Sedechias who was left king of the Iewes by Nabuchadonosor king of the Chaldees rebelled against him encouraged perchance by mistaking the Oracle that hee should neither be slain in fight nor see Babilon for which cause Nabuchadonoser pressing the Cittie with famine forced him his children with others to flie by night and vnderstanding so much afterward by his espials followed them and tooke them in the chase and when they were brought before him hee slew Sedechias his children in their Fathers sight then put out his eyes and led him captiue to Babilon whether before hee had carried Ioachim otherwise called Ieconias who was nephew to this Sedechias and king of the Iewes and had yeelded himselfe vnto Nabugodonosor The victorie obtained against Sedechias the Chaldees returned to Ierusalem and tooke the spoile of the Temple and afterward burned it down to the ground for which cause and other abuses offred by Nabuchodonosor and his childreÌ„ vnto those holy thinges which belonged vnto the Temple himselfe liued abroad seauen years amongst beasts eating nothing but what they eate nor hauing any other defence against hard weather then what they had and his grandchild in short time lost his life and left his kingdome to the Medes and Persians who setting the Iewes at libertie gaue them leaue to build their Temple againe but not in that ample maner as before it was being enformed by those who were bad neighbours to the Iewes that the maiesty and strength thereof would encourage them to reuolte from their obedience but neither had they been able to perform it if they might haue had licence hauing beene in captiuity seauenty yeares and spoiled of all their substance yet had they to helpe them vntil it was built thirty talentes yearely allowed them by king Darius whereof 20. were for the setting it vp and tenne for their sacrifice and all the vessels which were remaining of the spoile which Nabuchodonosor carried out of the first temple were restored vnto them Being this second time builte it continued aboue fiue hundred yeares but it was many times in danger of vtter ruine as by Alexander the greate king of Macedon who in his voiages in which he conquered all those east partes of the world came with a full resolution to spoile Ierusalem and the temple although at the sight of Iaddus the high Priest attired in his priestly ornaments he altered his purpose and allighted from his horse and worshipped him on his knees saying that in the same attire God appeared vnto him and encouraged him in his valourous enterprise It was also in daunger when Antiochus called Epiphanes did tyranize ouer them for they were oppressed sometime by one somtime by an other and in the end became subiect to the Romaines who were contented they shold obserue the rights of their law but appoynted Herod a stranger to bee their king yet was he much worse welcome then acquainted in the countrey for hee had borne office before in some part thereof vnder Antipâ—ter his father but hee was willing in what hee could to win them vnto him and for that cause hee circumcised himselfe and became a Iew in profession who was an Idumean by birth framed a new temple of square white stone some 25. cubits long some 4â— with breadth thicknes correspondent which appeared a farre off like vnto a mountain of snow where it was not couered with gold when it was al framed he pulled down the other set vp this for the Iewes would not suffer him to destroy the old temple vntill they see a new readie to bee erected in the place thereof which was so goodly a thing that it was reuerenced by the heauens for neuer fell any raine in the day time while men were at worke about it but onely in the night some small showres lest their worke should be hindered It was much bigger then was that which Salomon built for the people in time had enlarged the mountaine with earth which they raised 400. cubits high but Herod altogether obserued the same order in the temple the courts sauing that he enclosed one court round about the temple which was curiously paued with all manner of rich stone and compassed it with double walkes diuided with white marble pillars one stone in a pillar 25. cubits hie out of which were some gates opening toward euerie quarter In the east part hung such spoyles as the Iews had taken from barbarous nations dedicated vnto the temple where also Herod placed such as himselfe had taken from the Arabians but in the south side were the principall walkes for they were diuided with such pillars as the other were but where the other were double in this side they were triple and the middle much higher then the other two yet all made so stately as it was a wonder to behold them and into this court might any whosoeuer enter He made also the entrance out of one court into another with stayres for out of this court the Iewes did ascend fourteene steps round about the temple vnto a plaine which contained ten cubits in breadth from which they ascended againe fiue steps to come to the porch wherein were the gates by which they entred into their court which they called holy and into which no Gentiles might come vppon paine of death and because no man should pleade ignorance being deprehended past his limits this law was written both in Greeke and Latin and hung in a table at the foote of the lower stayres that all the Gentiles might reade it Euerie Alien which shall presume to enter into the holy place lette him die which lawe was so straightly obserued that the Romanes who were their rulers dared not to goe any farther then the first Court but neither could the Iewes enter into
of one by nature and of another by the law Hereof Ioseph is said in one petigree to bee the son of Iacob and in another petigree the son of Hely as being the naturall son of Iacob and called the son of Hely because Iacob had hâ—m by Helies wife whom Hely left a widow and without any children for Hely and Iacob were brethren of one wombe although of diuerse fathers that is to say of Mathaâ— who was father vnto Iacob and Mathat who was father vnto Hely But although it be most true that the yong prince did descend of the princes of the Iewes and that he was of the familie of Dauid yet these petigrees of Ioseph proue nothing but that the prince his mother was of the tribe of Iuda because Ioseph who in these petigrees is proued to be of that name did espouse her it being a thing vnlawful among the Iewes that any shuld match but in their own tribe but neither doth this proue that this prince was of the tribe of Iuda because notwithstanding diuerse tribes should not ioyne togither in mariage the tribe of Iuda and Leui might and therefore the the proofe that Ioseph was of the tribe of Iuda and of the family of Dauid sheweth notâ—â—ng for the yong prince but that hee did by his mother discend either of the tribe of Iuda or of the tribe of Leuy For this cause many take the seconde petigree for the petigree not of Ioseph but of the yong prince by his mothers auncesters Thus beginneth that petigree Iesus was entring into his 30. yeare who was thought to be the son of Iâ—seph who was the sonne of Hely that is to say Iesus was accounted the sonne of Ioseph but he was the sonne of Hely by Mary daughter to Hely otherwise called Heliachim or Ioacâ—im for all is one name among the Iewes and although by this account the Prince should haue but one King among his auncesters yet hee had manie absolute Princes and gouernours of the people descending from Zorobabel vnto Iamnes otherwise called Ioannes Hircanus who not brooking the miserie in which hee and his people lyued through the oppression of the Syrians at the beginning of Antiochus Epiphanes his raigne who forced them to doe manie thinges agaynst their lawes slewe himselfe for which fact all his wealth was confiâ—cate which was a cause that the familie of Dauid liued afterwarde somewhat obscurely But in these petigrees appeareth a verie intricate difficultie For if Salathiell and Zorobabel mencioned in the seconde petigree are the same which are mencioned in the first why doth not the seconde petigree name the princes auncestours from king Dauid by king Salomon as the first doth but by Nathan an other of Dauids sonnes by Bersabe king Salomon his mother Againe if Salathiel and Zorobabel mentioned in the second petigree are not the same which are mencioned in the first petigree how came they which are reckoned in the second petigree to be princes of the people and their posterity vntill Iamnes slue himselfe A sacred history affirmeth that Zorobabel who is saide to descend from Iechonias the last king of the Iewes by Salathiel did carrie the people home out of Babylon where they had beene captiues And other hystories of authoritie continue this gouernment by Mosullam or Misciola Zorobabels sonne and such as are reckoned in the seconde petigree to bee the prince his ancesters The difficultie will bee easilie solued if we may say that Salathiel and Zorobabel mencioned in the one petigree were the same which are mentioned in the other and that Salathiel was not sonne vnto Iechonias but vnto Neri And this is agreeable vnto the Oracle which said that Iechonias should be barren and one who should neither prosper nor haue anie ofspring which shoulde sit in the throne of Dauid or haue any authoritie euer after in Iudah Which shoulde not haue beene true if hee shoulde haue children to succede him and to say that a man is barren or that the sonne dooth not succeed his father when the sonne hath not that pompe and maiestie which his father had is to say that most men are barren and few sons succeed their fathers so we may say that neither Salomons sonne did succeed him from whom ten tribes fell and followed Ieroboam nor Ioachas succeed his father Iosias because that Pharaoh king of Egypt within three moneths after tooke him sent him into Egypt where he died prisoner nor Ioachim brother to Ioachas who after that he had for a space paide to Pharaoh a yeerly tâ—ibute of a 100. talents of siluer and one of gold paide tribute for the space of three yeeres to Nabuchodonosâ—r king of Chaldea and rebelling against him was taken and slaine and throwne out of Hierusalem and lay vnburied according to the Oracle which sayd that hee should haue no other then the buriall of an Asse Nor his sonne Iechonias who was within three moneths after caried prisoner into Chaldea least perchance he should by some meanes haue reuenged his fathers death yet notwithstanding is this Iechonias sayde to haue sitten in the throne of Dauid and Zorobabel and his children hauing authoritie in Iudah as Kinges although for some cause they woulde not bee called Kings it is euident the Oracle being of infallible truth that Salathiel father to Zorobabel was not naturall sonne to Ieconias but to Neri and accounted the sonne of Ieconias as descending of Ieconias his wife who was left to Neri the next of kinne to Ieconias and to raise seed to Ieconias who according to the Oracle was barren Some woulde seeme to solue this difficultie by saying that Salathiel was the naturall sonne of Ieconias and adopted by Neri after Ieconias his death but why then were the princes his auncestors reckoned from King Dauid by Nathan the other beeing both a more true and more honourable petigree By this pedigree also is shewed how the prince was high priest for Onias the high priest hauing one onely daughter and one sonne hee gaue his daughter in marriage vnto Tobias otherwise called Mathathias Siloa who was grandfather vnto Iamnes the last prince which the Iewes had immediately before the Machabees and one of the yong prince his anncestors but his sonne Onias some call him Ananias and say that hee was not his sonne but his brother fledde from Hierusalem into Egypt where by Philomater the King of Egypt his lycense hee built in Hieropolis a Temple like vnto the temple in Hierusalem and there ended his life in scisme Onias the Father hadde also twoo brethren who after they hadde brought him out of the high-priesthood were themselues as they bribed Antiochus Epiphanes the King of Siria nowe one of them high priest nowe another and in the ende both shutte out and slaine Some doe say that those three brethren were sonnes to Simon who was high Priest and sonne vnto that Onias which fled into Egypt but whosoeuer they were all perished and oue succeeded them in that dignitie whose name
Antipas who claimed the kingdom by his fathers will which was made when hee was in health and would haue disprooued his Fathers last will because it was made when hee was in great extremitie of sicknes and knew not what hee did but Nicholas of Damascus Archelaus his orator knowing before whom he pleaded answered that it was a sufficient argument that Herod knew what he did because he left his will in all things to Caesars wisedome and after he had laid the blame of al the murders and misdemeaners of Archelaus vppon them which aunswered him as being rebellious and sactious people against their prince Archelaus came to Caesar and vpon his knees offered himselfe vnto him whome Caesar took vp and promised that he would doe nothing against Herods last will onely he would haue him refraine the name of a king for a while which he doubted not but that hee would quicklie deserue The cause of this strife betwixt these two brethren for the kingdome was Herods their fathers rashnes who in his life time appointed now one then an other almost all his sonnes for kinges first hee ment that the kingdome should descend from him vnto his sonnes Alexander Aristobulus whome he had by Mariamnes grandchild to Hircanus ' the last king of the Iewes but his eldest son Antipater whom he had by Doris a base woman being prouoked oftentimes by the contemptuous speeches of the princes for whose mothers loue his mother was reiected deuised how he might both take reuenge vpon thē and aduance himselfe whereof first hee wrought meanes by the discredite of the princes to come a little into his Fathers fauour which when hee had gotten so farre as his Father put him before the two princes in the right of the kingdome hee vsed matters in that sort that Herod hauing by his sleight and his friends put Mariamnes to death now also by his false suggestions murdered his two sonnes which he had by her then was Antipater honoured as a king by all for Herod gaue ouer vnto him the gouernement of the countrie in such manner as he kept vnto himselfe little more then the bare title of a king which Antipater also thought was too much yet first he stirred vp his father what he coulde against Archelaus and Philip two other of his brethren thē sought meanes to poison his Father which being perceiued by Herod hee presently chaunged his former will by which hee had giuen the kingdome to Antipater and being offended with Archelaus and Philip by Antipaters meanes hee made Antipas his successor in this kingdom but before hee dyed hauing manifest proofe of Antipaters treasons against him he repented too late his cruelty which now he mistrusted was without cause against Mariamnes her children and accounting all which proceeded from Antipater to haue beene false accusations to further himselfe in the kingdome he chaunged his will and deuided the countrie into foure partes made foure Tetrarches ouer it but the chiefest part he left to Archclaus whome he set downe in his last wil for his successor if Caesar shold think him meet and not aboue fiue dayes before his death caused Antipater to be executed and buried obscurely for as he had many causes for which hee thought hee might worthily haue put him to death before so would he not vpon any of them execute him without Caesars consent to whome hee had signified by letters what Antipater had attempted and wrought against him and how that in his treasons he had vsed the helpe of Acme who attended vpon Iulia the Empresse to which letters Caesar aunswered that Acme being found guiltie at Rome was executed as she had deserued and that Antipater was now at his Fathers discretion to order him as hee would which was no small comfort vnto him in the extremitie of his sicknes wherefore hee determined that Antipater should die which intention vpon this occasion was put in execution When Herod beeing in an extreame fitte of his sicknesse would haue slaine himselfe and was hindered by Achiabus who was his nephew Achiabus notwithstanding hee had preuented the stroake gaue so great a skritch that all in the pallace thought Herod had beene dead And Antipater who was not farre off although a prisoner hearing those newes dealt with his keeper to lette him goe at libertie as not doubting to gette the kingbome within a shorte time and to the end he might perswade the more easily hee promised great gifts both then and for afterward But this keeper either for feare of Herod or for little loue to Antipater went presently to Herod and declared his sonnes attempt for which Herod in his rage commaunded him presently to bee slaine so that now remained the other twoo willes which Herod made to bee tryed which of them were of force but Caesar decided the controuersie and the two brerhren vppon this conclusion returned from Rome to Palestina where Archelaus as well before as after his voyage did so little degenerate from his father that gladde were they who were out of his dominion which was the cause why Ioseph auoyded his owne countrey and went directly to Nazareth with his charge from whence euerie yeare for deuotion sake they went to Hierusalem to the Temple especially at the feast of Easter for many feasts did the Iewes obserue and no one passed them without great solemnitie Some of them might not bee celebrated but in Hierusalem some againe might bee obserued els where wheresoeuer the Iewes dwelt Their Sabaoth they did celebrate euerie seuenth day a daye solemne from the beginning of the world sanctified by God himselfe and called the sabaoth because then hee ceased from creating the world and the complements thereof wherefore the Iewes alwayes except when they were in Egypt and all theyr auncestors kept the seuenth day holy in remembrance that after sixe dayes in which all things were created God rested the seuenth day which although perchance when they were in Egypt they minded not and in time forgot it being so long in bondage where they could not vse that honour vnto God vpon that day as theyr fathers had taught them yet were they assured that was the day when they were in the wildernesse by the myracle which chaunced so oft vnto them that in the end they did by theyr murmur seeme to contemne it for when they wanted victuall in the desart God sent down vnto them like raine a food which because they knewe not else what to call it they called it Manna which woord was in euerie mans mouth when they first saw it and signifieth what is this it fell sixe dayes and the seuenth nothing fell but vppon the sixt day it fell in greater aboundance then any other day that the people might gather sufficientlye to serue them the same day and the next Vpon this which they called sabaoth it was not lawfull for them to doe anye worke no not to prouide or dresse any meate for their sustenaunce for confirmation of which they did see
long after it was blowne abroad that such a prince was borne and princes hastened to do their homage An old prophesie was in Arabia that a starre should rise in Iacob and a rod spring in Israel which should both strike the princes of Moab and destroy the sonnes of Seth with many other so great prerogatiues that the prophet sighed to thinke hee should not liue to see it and the king of Moab was frighted fearing that hee had liued to feele it for the Israelites comming out of the desart of Pharan towarde Palestina encamped themselues neere vnto the riuer Iordan so strongly in middle of the Moabites that Balaac the king of Moab had better courage to fight against them with shrewde wordes then with sharpe weapons and therefore vnderstanding that in Mesopotamia was one who did so forspeake people as they neuer after prospered sent speedily vnto him to come and curse the Israelites but Balaam so was the southâ—ayer called being taught before by diuine inspirations when he came to the top of the mountaine from whence Balaac shewed him the Israelites performed what God and the angell had enformed him and to the great preiudise of Balaac king of the Moabites hee pronounced many blessinges ouer the Israelites and prophesied of this yong prince as is before shewed Hereupon Makida the Queene of Sâ—ba Ethiopia Egâ—pt vnderstanding of Salomon his wisdome wealth worthines large dominions came with exceeding great pompe vnto Ierusalem to see him and presented him with 120. talents of gold many iewels and infinite store of frankencense being perswaded that he was the man who was meant by the prophesie in Arabia for Saba was a prouince in the south side of Arabia and tooke the name of Saba grand-child vnto Abraham by Iecsan whom Abraham had by Caethura as also Madian father vnto Epha and others whom he sent away out of Chanaan afterward called Palestina into the East countries as also he sent Ismael whom hee had by Agar southward not suffering any of them to haue part with Isaac in the lande promised vnto him yet did he not send them away emptie handed but bestowed vpon them great riches apparell and iewels which he had taken from the foure kings whom hee conquered in the rescue of his nephew Lot among which giftes some write that Abraham gaue vnto them mirrhe and frankencense not without some misterie then knowne vnto him and now openly shewed by three princes which came out of the East parts at this time vnto Bethleem of Iuda which iourney they did the more willingly take because probablie their ancestors were also Iewes for the Queene of Saba among other great fauours which she receiued of king Salomon was accepted for his wife and returned into her countrey with childe and carried with her twelue thousand Iewes of euerie tribe one thousand and did them that honor that after a while the chiefest in the countrey vaunted that their fathers were Iewes and â—he sonne which she had by Salomon she crowned king surrendering all her dominions vnto him and of that stocke vnto this day as some say remayneth the great monarch of those coastes commonly called Priest Iohn But the principall motiue of these three kinges their voyage was the sight of a starre which did penetrate so farre into their vnderstanding that by that extraordinarie light and what they had by the prophesie they resolued that the prince was now at the last borne of which had beene so great expectation for although they were men of great learning yet could not their skill attaine to the perfect meaning of the star which appeared vnto them without farther helpe then they could haue by Astronomie wonder they might to see so neere vnto them so bright a shining starre because it was much lower then where exhalations fiered doe appeare blasing like starres and comparable with the Sunne for brightnesse as it receyued no light from the Sunne as other starres doe so neyther did the brightnesse of the sunne drowne the clearnesse thereof as it doeth of other starres where it selfe doth shine and the greater might their wonder bee because that all such tokens as were commonly in all other extraordinarie starres or commets to signifie eyther diseases or death were so farre from this starre that it betokened nothing but health and life and that the authour of life had taken vpon him a new kind of life although perchance in some secondarie sort it might also pretend the death of the prince whose life it shewed as may appeare by some of the presentes which the kinges brought who were both warned by this starre to seeke him and warranted to finde him out yet was it no Angell as many haue thought but a starre as much superior to other starres in brightnesse as inferior in bignesse made of some former matter or created of nothing by him to whome all thinges are possible and afterward eyther resolued into that of which it was made or if created for this purpose the cause thereof ceasing the effect came againe to nothing but it kept such a course as the kinges following it were no more subiect to bee deceiued of their purpose then were the Israelites when trauelling from Egipt vnto the lande of promisse they were guided by a cloude which alway went before them in the daye time and a fierie pillar in the night for the starre neuer ceased to shine but to their greater light nor to conduct them but to their greater comfort wherefore not without the prouidence of the stars guide they entred Ierusalem where they were both confirmed in the truth of their former prophesie and comforted with the shortnes of their following iorney but not without the amasing both of Herod and all the cittie because the last thing which the Iewes had done was an oath sworne to accept Herod for their king which althougb hee had laboured both with curtesie and with crueltie for the space of thirty years little more or lesse hee neuer obtained it of the whole countrie vntill this time The three princes as soon as they came into the cittie demaunded boldely what they doubted not euery man knew a kinges seate fitting best a princes birth and such a birth being commonly celebrated with a publike triumph they demaunded for him by his title not knowing as yet his name where is hee who is borne king of the Iewes wee see his starre in the East and are come with presentes to adore him was it then any wonder that Herod was troubled who wrongfully entered into the soueraigntie and the Iewes touched deepelie who had rashly sworne themselues his subiectes the one hauing iust cause to feare that he should be put down as a tyrant and the others no hope but to bee punished as traytors and although Herod coulde haue beene very well contented neuer to haue heard any thing more concerning this matter yet feare in the ende first encreased a desire to know the rest then to deuise some mischiefe fot a
shee had offered almes at whose death a sword of griefe should pierce her owne soule For among others which expected the redemptioÌ„ of Israel one whose name was Simeon dwelling in Hierusalem father vnto Gamaliel as some write and sonne vnto Hillel who was one of the twoo chiefe maisters of the Scribes and Pharyses men of great learning and right vnderstanding vntill opposing themselues against the Sadduces who were accounted heretickes among the Iewes they fell by two much precisenesse into most absurd superstitions This Hillel liued 120. yeeres and flourished not long after the Machabees he was of the tribe of Iuda and no doubt instructed his sonne Simeon how neere hee was who was to come to redeeme Israel for which cause Simeon made alwayes his prayer vnto God that hee might see his Sauiour before hee dyed which was promised vnto him and this day of the virgins purification performed for comming according vnto his custome into the Temple and seeing the mayden mother and her sonne hee tooke the childe with exceeding great ioy in his armes and as one who after a long time had obtained his hearts desire hee beganne with a voyce which was no lesse then an 100 yeere old to sing this little Hâ—mme Now lettest thou thy seruant Lord depart According to thy word in peace Because mine eyes haue seene which ioyes my hart Thy sacred health my soules release Which thou prepared hast before all peoples face A light to light the rest renowne to Iacobs race Had this beene else where the mayden mother vsed vnto such matters would either haue beene very little or nothing mooued but her sonne being at that time and in that place descryed it made her greatly amazed much more did it astonish others who could not but knowe that the three Kings came to Hierusalem to seeke such a childe and poore Ioseph among the rest maruailed not a little who was accounted by the people father of the childe and for that cause is so called in the same sacred hystorie which before had shewed how that the Maiden mother conceyued this childe by the holie Ghost without the companie of man But old Simeon draue her out of that maze by drawing her into a farre deeper muse for afterwarde taking aduauntage of his owne gray haires and her greene yeeres hee blessed her and gaue her as much cause of griefe in prose as hee had giuen of ioy before in verse and tolde her that her sonne should bee the ruine although also the raysing of manie in Israel and that he shoulde be a signe which shoulde bee contradicted alluding perchaunce vnto that which the Oracle sayde vnto Achas king of Iudah The Lorde shall giue you a signe behold a virgin shall conceiue and bring forth a sonne But in that Simeon sayde that this signe shoulde bee contradicted hee woulde insinuate eyther a troublesome life or else a scandalous death as that eyther his doctrine woulde bee little esteemed of where hee preached or that his manner of death shoulde bee such as beeing suffered by him shoulde in malicious mynded men derogate from the worthinesse which others attribute vnto him For aptlie dooth the conclusion of Simeons speech vnto the virgin folâ—ow And a sworde of griefe shall pierce thy soule and manie secrete thoughts be reuealed And no sooner had Simeon done his deuotion but a religious widow of 84. yeares and aboue a hundred yeeres old daughter vnto Phanuel of the tribe of Aser came not vnto the Temple for she was neuer from thence spending there all her life in fasting and prayer but vnto the maiden mother and hauing done her dutie vnto the yong prince shee spake of him for she had before the spirit of prophecie vnto all such as looked for the redemption of Israel And after these things were finished they returned into Galile vnto their citie Nazareth from whence they parted when they came to Bethleem These ceremonys being finished which satisfied the Iewes law a new solemnitie was also begun which should abolish the Gentiles loosenesse for as by the princes his birth the sports made in December in honour of Saturne were afterwarde turned to celebrate his natiuitie who was to bring again vnto the worlde such tymes or rather better then in which Saturne raigned and as by the effusion of his moste precious bloud the first day of the yeare had a newe consecration which was before performed with vain pastimes in honour of Ianus so now in Februarie wherein they vsed their lupercals either to purge the vnclean spirits or to please themselues with vnseemly sports both the virgin was purified because she would not haue it knowne howe litle she needed it and the yong prince was offered who doubted not afterward to make himself a most gratefull sacrifice thereby to chaunge these senselesse superstitions into a moste sacred solemnitie likely to teach them also some newe kinde of tryumph in March in which Moneth theyr priestes which song and daunce marched vp and downe in the streetes in armour But before the virgin and her spouse had disgested these sodaine ioyes which hapned vnto them in the Temple new dangers were set before them insomuch as that their owne experience might sufficiently haue taught them if they could not haue told before that mourning is alwayes at one end of myrth Ioseph his iealousie swallowed vppe his first ioy hee had in his spouse their grieuous winter iourney made him bewayle her wombes groth their gladnesse at this childes birth was checked with an inconuenient abode the shepheards congratulation was soone choked with the childs circumcision the kings oblation of golde and frankensence was not perfected without mirrhe and now that they haue beene at the Temple and heard what ioy these made which did but see him who was theirs a message commeth which to shew the more hast commeth by night and vrgeth Ioseph to arise and take the childe and the childs mother and flye into Egypt for that Herod would make search after the childe to kill him The message being deliuered vnto Ioseph he lost little time but rose and tooke the childe and his mother by night and went into Egypt where they remained not onely vntill the massacre was ended but also vntill that Herod was dead Then were many Oracles vnderstood and one principall prophesie was fulfilled that the Lorde should ascend vppon a light cloude and should enter into Egypt and the Idols of Egypt should bee ouerthrowne and the heart of Egypt should languish in the middle thereof for when the sonne of God became a man he was in some sort hidden that his glorie was not seene and the flesh which hee tooke was likened vnto a light cloude either because flesh is of it selfe no more lasting then is a thin cloude which with euery little winde is dissolued or else because he was of no lesse power when he was in that cloude then he was before At his comming into Egypt some affirme that all the Idols in Egypt fell downe
pardon of thier deedes doone sinfully Through the bowels of our Lords mercie In which he came to vs rising from high To comfort those with light the which doe sit In darkenesse and in the shadow of death And that the waies of peace each one may hit Our feete from straying he also guideth His song being ended and his enduring without ende next vnto her sonne whome in this songe hee acknowledged the author of his ioy he thought the B. virgin was to haue her due wherefore comming vnto her he gaue her that honour which at that time hee thought meete although hee dared not to giue her in open shew so much as he meant her in his minde And by this time the companye finding theyr sences which they seemed to haue lost vpon this sodaine accident beganne to whisper among themselues what such straunge wonders should poâ—tend An old and barren couple to haue a childe was a thing full of ioye to theyr friendes and maruaile to straungers but Zacharias his speech restored vnto him after nine moneths dimnesse was to them both both ioy and wonder They remembred when hee was first dumbe which by their account was immediately before the conception of the child they did assure themselues that he had seene some vision in the Temple but when they heard him at the circumcision of his sonne not onely speake but fore-show also matters of such importance to be now at hand they could doe no lesse then coniecture that this child should beare some part in them and therefore demanded they ech of other â—ow think you will this childe proue which doubt one which was present would soon haue solued if he would haue bin seen but it was somwhat too soone therfore he deferred it vntil a fitter opportunitie should be offred for that purpose where we shall in part also vnderstand what thiâ— child proued for this time accoÌ„pany the blessed virgin who verie well vnderstanding the matter when she saw her time left her coosens with a friendly farewell although they were greatly sorie for her departure to comfort themselues in their little one and the rest to diuulge those strange wonders in the mountaines Her guard was quickly in a readinesse to safeconduct her to Nazareth where her parents reioyced not a little to see their daughter and Ioseph was exceeding glad to inioy his spouse who thought the time very long of her stay and therefore requyted her long absence with his often presence after her returne through which he perceyued the sooner that she was with childe which did not onely checke in some part his loue but also choaked all his ioy He loued her so intirely well that hee knew not howe to hate her and yet in his conceyte she had deserued such hatred that hee knewe not howe hereafter hee coulde loue her He meant truly and faythfully to haue kept his promise made vnto her when they were betrothed and hee could not but thinke it great disloyaltie in her towarde him by this supposed spousebreach For the loue he bare vnto her he would not openly defame her for then according to the lawe shee shoulde haue beene stoned to death yet could he not frame himselfe to detaine her because he conceiued an offence impardonable and if at any time her vertues ranne in his thoughts to bee such that it coulde not bee possible shee shoulde in so foule a matter fâ—ll from her faith giuen to God and him yet againe hee thought it impossible but that she should be faultie hauing such manifest proofe of a matter of which he could conceiue no reason but guiltines against reason Not brooking therefore what he mistrusted nor yet willing that she should be a by-word for the world hee bethought himselfe that it would bee best for them both if hee should dismisse her without defaming her for although he saw euident perill of his owne life as well by forsaking her whom he loued as his life as by liuing with her who had alreadie grieued him almost vnto the death yet hee thought it would be an easier death if he were altotogether from her then to die in the dayly sight of her whom he tooke to be his murderer But while hee was thus troubled in chusing by which torture he could best like to end his life and in a manner resolued to dismisse her crying out against heauen earth the one because he thought it had wrought him this wrong the other to reuenge it his eyes grew as heauie as his heart and by a mourneful fall bereaued him of all his sences And being now at some little rest not because he had no griefe but because he felt it not hee thought hee saw a man whose attire comelinesse and maiestie bewraied him to be no lesse then a prince although some kinde of his behauiour shewed him to bee no more then a messenger as bold to speake as he seemed able to perswade him he thought he heard vse these words vnto him Ioseph sonne of Dauid feare not to take Marie thy wife for that which is bred in her is of the holy ghost she shal be deliuered of a son whom thou shalt call Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sins Which message being done he departed Ioyfull tydinges to poore Ioseph but straight he feared that they wer too good to be true He knew her vertue was such as she might very wel be thought the least vnfit to mother such a child but againe he thought himselfe not worthy to husband such a wife with which conceit being somewhat troubled he awaked and calling to mind the vision which he had seene sleeping hee remembred also what he had often heard waking that a serpent was threatned by a diuine oracle a perpetuall enmity pronounced betwixt him on the one part a woman and her seed on the other part which he heard expounded of a maiden who should bring forth a son without the company of man expressed sufficiently in that it was called her seed and confirmed at another time by the same oracle to Achas K. of the Iewes when it was told him that a virgin shold conceiue in her womb bring forth a son afterward an other answer was giuen that a sprig shold spring from the root of Iesse who was K. Dauids father a flower from thence shold bud to shew that as a flower grew only froÌ„ one so likewise shold he of whoÌ„ was so great expectation And what strange or new thing this should be which the oracle did insinuate God wold make that a virgin shold conceiue a man he could not imagin vnles it shold be vnderstood to be done without the company of a man that the infant shold haue what perfection could be in man which agreed very wel with his visioÌ„ These such like as he recounted in his mind he recanted that which before he ment now hauing as great difficulty to beare the ioyes he felt as he had
before to brooke the fault which he found he held it not without cause the gretest happines he could haue in this worlde to enioy the loue of her whose vertue surmounted all who were vertuous were not vertue it selfe She was a yong maiden but of graue dedemeanor able to haue prouoked the best mortified to loue but she reproued euen in her face all maner of lust for whom her modestie drew to admire her her maiestie draue from thought of sinning by her although her pouertie sought to conceale it her properties shewed her princely desent Wherefore he thanked the heauens for his good hap began to thinke how he should make her amends of whom he had conceiued so hardly But when he came againe vnto her he stood stone still as though either his soule had forsaken him or his sences forgotten her if only sorrow for his suspition past ioy of his present resolution had fought the combat the quarrell might haue beene quickly ended poore Ioseph wold with teares either haue confessed vnto her his fault or haue congratulated his owne good fortune bâ—t a reuerence entring into the lists preuailed against both which made him as backward in his paces as loue could make him forwarde in his lookes wherefore shee perceyuing his eyes fixed so vpon her as if he meant they shoulde not straye and his heeles so fastened to the ground as if he had beene minded they should neuer stirre she beganne to be abashed at this so sodaine an alteration and blushed to thinke whether she had giuen him any iust cause of so strange a salutation but her conscience assuring her that shee had beene alwaies as forwarde in shewing him all manner of curtesie as she was free from suffering any maner of corruption she encountred him with such sweet piercing lookes as she encouraged him to prosecute his former professed loues but in such sort as ioy griefe and reuerence were moderators in his wordes countenance and behauiour He confessed his iealousie and suspition he had of her humblie craued pardon therefore vowing himselfe for his pennance vntill his dying day in sight of the world a true and faithfull spouse and in all his actions a most diligent and obedient seruant he vttered his intention to dismisse her and being so fully satisfied in the misterie wrought in her he was now become a suter vnto her that she wold vouchsafe to accept of him And she perceiuing that this worke could not possiblie proceed without his knowledge recounted vnto him what had chanced vnto her but with such humilitie lowlines of mind as was sufficient to haue perswaded a truth disswaded him from his determined purpose if he had before discouered his iealousie vnto her Wherfore after humble thanks to her Lord who in such sort had supplied her bashfull backwardnes she embraced her spouse who trembled for reuerence to touch her and she did not onely pardon his offence past but dispensed also with that pennance which hee had enioyned himselfe so farre foorth as it concerned her owne person but craued most careful attendance on him whome shee had conceiued Many wordes passed not betwixt them at this meeting because they both were willing that this his fault as it was quietly forgiuen so it should also be quickly forgotten but they could not parte without many ioyes because they both had their wish that this sacred conception as it cleared her from all suspected faultes so it should clense him from all superfluons fancies and they liued euer after with such contentment happinesse that they neither enuied at the statelie port of earthly princes nor desired the highest estate of the heauenly spirites yet coulde they not but wish euery day her time were expired that not onely they but the whole world also might enioye whome they expected for although a speciall choice was made of the Iewes yet were not the geÌ„tiles abandoned being each as nobly born as other and both as one They both had their Prophetes which did forshew his birth that both might take like profite by his death Among the Gentiles were Trimegistus Hidaspes and the Sibilles and the Iewes were not without those which foretolde both the time and the circumstances most iustlie The Gentiles vnderstood that about that time a king should be born by whome onely as the most eloquent Orator that euer spake in Rome saide all people should be saued but they vnderstanding no more then hee did what this saying ment some of them which thought well of themselues beganne to cast how they might bee kinges hoping that the Prophetes spake of them for this cause did Lentulus ioyne himselfe in Catalines conspiracie and Anthony boldly set a crown vpon Iulius Caesar his head when they sported themselues at their Lupercals at which Caesar seemed to grieue and the Senate to grudge and Caesar refusing the crowne Anthony to the dislike of all the Romaines set it vppon Caesar his Image others thougâ—t that Augustus Caesar was the man and the rather because hee was borne aboute such a time as vppon a strange accident coniecture was made a mighty prince should arise for the Image of Iupiter which stoode in the Capitoll and the image of the Wolfe which nursed Romulus and Rhemus as also many other Idols were either broken or melted yet was Aâ—gustus a fauourer of Idols and by sacrificing vnto them acknowledged himselfe rather a bearer of them out then a breaker of them down but whosoeuer was born that yeare by the Senates decree was murdered because the very name of a king was hated amongst them All thought the appeariâ—g of the sunne in a rainebow when the skie was rounde aboute then cleare at Caesar his returne to Rome from Apollonia was a confirmation of this Empire so likewise did they enterprite the flowing of oile by the space of one whole daye out of a well on the foreside of Tiber a famous riuer that runneth thorough Rome in a place hetherto permitted to the Iewes to inhabite and to liue according vnto their lawes but the well stoode in a Tauerne sometime vsed by aged soldiers to soiourne in when they had serued in the warres in defence of the common wealth for after that a souldier came to his threescore yeare hee had his certaine allowance vntill his death which commonly was spent in that place And when they sawe the sunne in the middle of three circles vpon one of which was a crowne burning made as it were of eares of corn they applied it to their Triumâ—â—â—â— that is to signifie that three men shoulde sitte vppon capitall matters on which onely two satte before and were called â—â—â—umuiri But Augustus Caesar who had searched their olde southsayers saw hee was to waite for a greater then eyther they or himselfe was or the Gods whome hee worshipped and Apollo whose sonne hee was accounted confirmed the same insomuch as hee refused the title of a Lorde and hauing great treasure brought vnto him