when one is become that which he was not before so was Abel a Herdsman and David a King and a Prophet and Aaron a Priest without changing humane Nature from what it was and thus we say The Word of God was made Man God being not changed in his Nature The Son of David the Son of Abraham he calls him not the Son of Joseph because he had not to do in his Generation neither doth he call him the Son of Mary although he was made Flesh by her it being not agreeable to the custom of Scripture to compute Genealogies from Women but he mentions David and Abraham because the beginning of his Generation of Chist is referred to them For he said unto Abraham In thy seed shall all the Natious of the Earth be blessed And unto David Thy Children shall sit upon the Throne for ever And to shew unto the Hebrews that he descended from David as the Prophets had foretold Moreover he calls him the Son of David thereby to raise the greater esteem of him he was a Nazarite because nursed in Nazareth according to what Philip said unto Nathaniel We have found Jesus of Nazareth The Promise was made unto Abraham because he was the first who was converted from Idolatry It was also made unto David forasmuch as he was the first King who kept the Commandments and for that he pleased God and brought up the Ark and was desirous to build a house unto the Lord. He sets David before Abraham by reason of his Kingdom his Majesty and the Renown of his Time for the Fame of his Deeds were celebrated in the mouth of all men and from him they expected that Christ should arise according to that Was it not from the seed of David and from Bethlehem that Christ was to spring And they called all good Kings which ruled over them by the Name of David as David my Servant shall rule them and I will set over them David my servant And it was with an oath said unto David The Lord swore unto David in truth and will not repent Of the fruit of thy Belly And I have sworn unto David my servant and A Rod shall sprout out of the Root of Jesse Again he placeth David before Abraham because the Promise made unto Abraham was That he should be Father of Nations but it was promised unto David That Christ the Redeemer should spring out of his Seed and it was meet that he from whose Seed Christ the Redeemer was to come should be preferred to him who was Chief of the Nations For the Redeemer is more to be esteemed than they who are Redeemed For this cause it is that he mentions Abraham after David because unto him was the Promise of calling the Gentiles The Son of Abraham that is to say He calls Christ the Son of Abraham according to the flesh but he neither calls him the Son of David nor of Abraham as of Marital Conjunction but according to Genealogy and Descent and he whom Mathew calls the Son of David Mark calls the Son of God and Luke the Power of the most High and John the Word of God but he was called God and the Word and the Power of the most High because he was so and he was named the Son of David and of Abraham for that he was made so and he was one and the very same and not different Persons Abraham begat Isaac he sets down this Genealogy to shew that Christ came as God formerly had promised to Abraham and to David and that he was the Messiah expected by the Jews and that they were inexcusable if they would not believe in him Isaac begat Jacob Jacob begat Jadah and his brethren He did not mention the Brethren of Isaac and Jacob because they had no Commerce with the Stock of Israel for they were Heathens and the Sons of Ishmael Arabians and Edomites and not by reason of their being wicked as others say for the Scripture mentioneth those who were more wicked than they He mentioneth the Brethren of Judah because that from his Lineage is derived the Genealogy of Christ who was of the Seed of David Judah begat Pharez and Zarah of Thamar He mentions Thamar who was of the Gentiles and was guilty of Fornication hereby we are instructed of the Mercy and Goodness of God who was not only made Man but was born from such-like Ancestors as these and by reason all men were brought under the yoke of Sin there was a necessity of his coming upon earth and if Judah sinned and David committed Adultery how much more was the transgression of others He by his coming absolved those who were under the reproach of guilt and his Gospel accepted of every Believer Adulterers Fornicators and as many of all sorts as were Penitents And it was for our Consolation that he made mention of Thamar that we should not be ashamed of our wicked Ancestors but be comforted by the Vertue Pulchritude and Ornaments of our own minds for a man is not scandaliz'd by evil Parents for if a Fornicatrix be converted into vertuous habits her former evil manners will be no reproach unto her How much less reproach is it to a man to have been the Son of a Fornicatrix or the Adultery or Sins of his Fore-fathers if his own Manners do not reproach him Moreover he mentioneth Thamar to reprove the Jews who boasted of Abraham and yet were destitute of a good Conversation as if he had said unto them Behold she who committed Fornication was the Mother of David Furthermore we say That Thamar did not sit there with a purpose of Fornication and it is manifest from what Judah said She hath been more righteous than I but that she might minister to the Generation of our Saviour Christ Gen. 32.26 who was concealed in Judah and this is known from hence that she did thus with him and no other man and thus she did after the death of his Wife that she might not seem to offend for the Law was not then written which prohibited the same Again she had the greater proclivity in her affections to Judah in regard of his want of Children for destitution of Children was reputed a disgrace to every man Moreover Thamar prefigured the Church and the Gentiles who committed Fornication with Idols and by the off-spring of Thamar were redeemed Thamar was of the off-spring of the Gentiles so also was the Church Thamar committed Fornication so likewise did the Church commit Fornication with Idols and as Thamar was mixed in the Genealogy of Christ so was the Church made a parcipitant of the Body and Blood of Christ Thamar is expounded the Church as calling Christ unto her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come my Lord unto me inhabit with me Wherefore doth he mention Pharez and Zarah Zarah signifieth the East they appeared in the light of Gods Worship as Enoch Shem Japheth and Melchizedech and he sprouting out for a while and stretching forth the hand
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
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
and the like Reasons he durst not approach unto her it is also certain from hence that our Lord in the time of his Passion commended her to his Disciples as a single Woman Others say that the Word hath a twofold signification For First It signifies the knowledge of Carnal Copulation as Adam knew his Wife Eve 2dly It is taken for Knowledge properly so called according to this second sense it 's said in words of the same derivation And there was none who knew me according unto that of Simon to our Lord Thou knowest and we say That this which the Evangelist said He knew her not is as much as if he had said He knew not that she was the Mother of God until she had brought forth her Son and he had seen the Miracle of the Angels and of the Shepherds and of the Star and of the Wise Men. That she remained a Virgin after she brought forth is evident from the common opinion of Men for as God being born of her was not changed so the Virginity of her who bare him was not lost for she was not corrupted for the Scripture calleth her The Vndefiled in Marriage and Zachary in the Temple ranketh her with the Virgins The Heretick saith If he did not dissolve Virginity neither did he assume a Body and if he did assume a Body therefore did he dissolve Virginity in his Exit And we answer That if God confirmed the Mother of God a Virgin so that she remained in Virginity after bringing forth it was also a Miracle that she being a Virgin did bring forth And if thou requirest proof or illustration hear how he came forth of the Sepulcher unopened and entered into the Parlour being shut up So he came forth of the Womb not prejudicing Virginity Furthermore that a Body penetrated a Body without any open passage we have shewed many ways as Eves coming out of the side of Adam the Waters which flowed from the Rock the Waters which sprung from the Jaw-bone of an Ass how much rather then did he who is incorporeal come forth in his Birth from the Virgin without corrupting of her Virginity Her first-born Son Not that she brought forth any one after him but he is called the first-born because he was first in Generation for the Scripture is used to call him the first-born who openeth the Womb according to that Every one who openeth the Womb shall be called Holy The Scripture calleth one the first-born before he have Brethren so our Saviour Altho' Joses and James and others were called his Brethren yet they were not called so as being born of the Virgin but because they were the Sons of Joseph by another Wife and they were in the way of his dispensation called his brethren as Joseph was called his Father and Christ is say'd to be first born four several ways first as saith saint Mathew by opening the womb and he doth not call him her first born onely for he was not onely the first born of Mary but of all creatures Secondly first born of the whole creation for he is first born by nature because all creatures were made by him Thirdly the first born of many brethren because he hath many brethren from baptism that is to say Regeneration Fourthly the first born from the dead because he was the first who arose to Immortality And she called his Name Jesus that is to say Redeemer as said the Angel in the Greek it is in the Masculine Gender as if Joseph called him so We have already shewed that it was the part of the Father and of the Moâ—â—er to impose names on their Children He was born of a Virgin and not of a marryed wife by marriage consummated that it might be known that God was made Man and not mere man deified for to be born of a Virgin was of God onely and that the Heathens might not conceive he was a meer man who was born of a woman who had known a Man Moreover because we were made guilty by Eve it behoved that we should be made righteous by a Virgin and as the World was born of a Virgin above nature so also he begat us from baptism above nature And how could a Virgin bring forth We Answer that what things are impossible with us are possible with God and in Luke we have written fully concerning this Matter Wherefore was he born of a Virgin betrothed That Virgins might not be Exalted above marryed women and that it might be known that marriage was commanded by God and not by Satan as the Heritick Maries taught Christ is known to be God from hence that his nativity is not written as others are and for that he was begotten without Carnal Copulation And because he was Incorporated by the Holy-Ghost and for that he was born of a Virgin who kept her Virginity for that he Accomplish'd Promises and Prophecies Moreover for that he reviv'd Men from their Sins for that he got a Name before he was born and for that he was called Emanuel which is Interpreted God with us for after Mathew had finished his Discourse on the kind of his Nativity he begins to shew how he was Born and what things were done at his Birth which do not a little manifest his Majesty and Deity CAP. 2. Mathaei AND when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judah in the days of Herod the King He therefore sets down the Region that is to say the Place and the Time and the Person and Authority that by all these he might teach us that the Prophecies are fulfilled and he mentions the place to put us in mind of that of Micah And thou Bethlehem Ephratah and that he might make it known that he was the Son of David who was Taxed in the City of David He set down the time and person of Herod to shew that the Weeks of Daniel were ended and that Christ was come and the Authority of Herod to signifie that that Prophecy of Jacob was accomplished The Scepter shall not depart from Judah We are to take notice as to the Name of Bethlehem Ephratah that Caleb the Son of Jophena when his Wife died he took to Wife a Widow who was called Ephratah and he took for an Inheritance from Joshua the City Cobedth that is to say Honourable and Illustrious and he added unto the City Cobedth a second City which he Builded and called it Ephratah that is to say Fruit-bearing after the Name of his Wise Ephratah and he begat Sons of Ephratah and the first he called Lehem afterwards he begat Amor and other Sons and for the Love which he bore unto his Son Lehem he Builded a Third City which he United and joyned to the two former and called it Bethlehem that is The House of Lehem or the House of Bread Moreover it is fitting to take notice That Kings Reigned from David to the Captivity and after the Captivity the High Priests Assumed the Government who were of the Tribe
of Levi but their Genealogy was deduced from Judah by reason of the commixture of the Tribe of Levi especially of the High-Priests with the Royal Tribe of Judah Afterwards when Aristobulus and Aurkay being brethren contended with one another for the Chief Government after much conflict who should take up the Government at last the Kingdom remained in Herod the Askalonoite and he confounded the Book of Jewish Genealogies for he was no Jew and he put the Stole of the Priesthood under his Signature that is under his Seal In the time of this Herod Christ arose when the Kings and Rulers of the people were ceased according to that The Scepter shall not depart c. In the time of these brethren Aristobulas and Aurcanus the Kingdom ceased from the House of David and Herod Ruled and Christ came whose the Kingdom was in the thirty fifth year of this Herod our Lord was born on the fourth day others on the sixth day others on the first day of the Week at Night before Cock Crow about the time that he Arose from the Sepulcher and is to effect the Resurrection on the twenty fifth of December and the three hundred and ninth year of the Greeks In other Copies it is Written the Seventh which is the forty third of Augustus Caesar he was born of the Virgin being then thirteen years of Age and she died in Ephesus being Aged fifty one years and John the Evangelist and his Disciples buried her and at the time of the Birth of our Lord Cyrenus the Governour was sent and the Wise-Men came in the Month of Nisan Mathew omits her putting him into swadling Cloaths and her laying him in a Manger the Angelical Hymas the Circumcision and other things and writes only of the coming of the Wise-Men from whence is made known the fraud of Herod the Murthering of the Children c. The Wise-Men came from the East to Hierusalem and said It is to be enquired therefore of what Nation were these Wise-Men Eusebius and Gregory Nyssen say that they were of the Sons of Balaam Jacobus Auriensis than they were of the Progeny of Elam the Son of Shem others that they were descended from the Kings of Sheba and Seba as David said They shall bring Gifts unto him and they were Men of Note and came from Persia but how many were they Some say they were three in respect of the three Offerings which they made and that there were with them a thousand Men and therefore Hierusalem was troubled Jacobus Aurihensis saith that they were not three as Painters draw them but twelve Princes and that they had more with them than a thousand Men. Others say they were eight as said Micha We shall raise against him seven Shepherds and eight Shepherds that is Governours and that they had with them a great Army Others that they were three Sons of Kings and nine Noble Men of their Countries and that the King who sent them was called Pirshabor and their Names Hidondad the Son of Artabon Shethoph the Son of Godephor Areshock the Son of Mahedes Zodonad the Son of Varud Arihu the Son of Cosare Artehoth the Son of Havilith Ashtonbozan the Son of Shishoron Mahodok the Son of Hevaham Ahirosh the Son of Tsonikeban Tsardonnah the Son of Beldon Merudok the Son of Bil. And there were with them about three thousand who bare Arms and five Ships of Burthen and when they passed Euphrates they heard of a Famine in Jerusalem and they lest their Forces to abide about Euphrates from Kalinikos that is to say Raka unto Ktesiphon and those twelve Princes went on with an Army consisting of a thousand Men and carried Gifts with them Saint Cyril and Johannes say That Christ was an Infant and wrapped in Swadling Cloaths when the Wise-Men found him for they say that before the time of his Birth a Star appeared to the Wise-Men about eight days before his Nativity as Saint Cyril saith to Guide them unto him Moreover They say that it was fitting that he should be Worshipped in Swadling Cloaths and laid in a Manger that the Miracle might appear to be the greater Others say That in the very same Night and Day he was born the Wise-Men came and it is manifest from that which is written That when Jesus was born the Wise-Men came Epiphanius of Cyprus doth not Assent hereunto for he saith That our Saviour was born in Bethlehem and that he was Circumcised in a Cave that he went up to the Temple and that he was carried by Simeon and that he went to Nazareth and that the next year they brought him to appear before the Lord and then he went to Bethlehem and thence returned to Nazareth and at the end of two years they carried him up again to Jerusalem and went to Bethlehem for they loved often to frequent this place wherein he was born and whilst they were in Bethlehem the Wise-Men came And this is clear from that which Mathew said And they came into the House and saw the Lad with Mary his Mother and they fell down and Worshiped him for here he saith an House and not a Cave and Moreover the Lad with his Mother and not such an one as was wrapt in Swadling Cloaths and in the night he appeared to Joseph to take away the Lad and his Mother and to depart into Egypt And hereby also he sheweth that he was two years Old for Gnoba the Scripture calls one that is wrapped in Swadling Cloaths and Taloio Lad one that Rowls himself and creeps and goeth and herewith agreeth Eusebius and the Lord Ephraim in his Exposition saith it was the Second year And Jacobus Auriensis or Sarugensis in his Sermon on the Star and the Wise-Men saith that they saw him when he was two years old and from hence are verify'd the Words of Mathew and of Luke Luke saith that he went from Bethlehem to Nazareth and Mathew saith from Bethlehem to Egypt and both are in the Truth for they went to Hierusalem after forty days as saith Luke and afterwards to Nazareth and at the end of two years from Nazareth to Bethlehem and from Bethlehem to Egypt as Mathew saith and he was in Egypt two years until the Death of Herod and that Archelaus his Son Reigned Behold it is known that Christ was then two years old from this that those whom Herod slew were two years old and under according to the time he enquired of the Wise-Men and if it were said that he should fly that Night into Egypt or that he was of eight days old how went he to the Temple or was born of Simeon Herod being filled with Rage Magick is an Heresie composed of Gentilisme and of Caldaisme for it Worshiped the Elements according to the Gentiles and Worshiped the Stars and went by the help and knowledg of Luminaries and the Signs of the Zodiack and by the directions of the Stars as the Chaldeans and every of them lived by themselves and were
called Rational Gentil and Chaldean his Divinity was revealed to Strangers and not to the Jews because the Testimony of Strangers is more credited then that of Domesticks and that the Gentiles might overcome the Fraud and Calumnie of the Jews least they should have said We know not when nor where he was born and that those of the Jews who did not believe in him might be without Excuse who not Receiving the Words of the Prophets the Wise-Men came and Preached before them and although the Sign of his Nativity was manifested to the Wise-Men yet by them it was published to all Creatures and as a Sign was given not only to Ezekia but so as all the Creation perceived the turning back of the Sun so by means of the Wise-Men all Nations perceived and as he fled into Egypt and by his going thither and return thence the Fame of his Nativity was Published to the Inhabitants so the matter was disclosed to the Wise-Men and because Persia and Egypt were most immersed in Heathenism of all others therefore in the beginning he healed them first for his Nativity was not revealed to the Edomites and Philistins who were Neighbours to the Jews but to those afar off that his Gospel might be enlarged and that to his Honour they might come from the remotest bounds He was Revealed to the Wise-Men rather than to others because he came to call Sinners the Wise-Men were more infected then all other Nations with Idolatry and they used Divinations and they were yoaked with the Gentiles and therefore he was first revealed unto them that he might first cure them and he was not revealed to all Wise-Men but to those whom he knew in his fore-knowledg that they would believe in him by their free-will and the Wise-Men who came were godly persons and this is a Testimony thereof that they were not afraid of Herod and the Jews and that they openly proclaimed him and for his sake sustained the hard Travel of all that way and were Preachers of him when they returned and were the first calling of the Gentiles for they saw in the Star a young Virgin sitting and bearing a Lad in her Arms and there was on his Head a Regal Crown wherefore they were drawn after him Others say That they saw these Letters written in the Star This is the Star of the King of the Jews who is born as the similitude of a Cross appeared unto Constantine in the Heaven and it was made known unto him that thereby he was to overcome Others say That they saw this Star shining with its Glorious Light from Heaven and there appeared together with the Star an Angel saying There is a King born in Judaea go unto him and from whence did the Wise-Men receive a Command to go unto Christ Some say from Balaam their Ancestor who Prophecied that a Star should arise from Jacob and said A King shall be born to the Jews and when he shall be born go and offer Gifts and they wrote down this matter and a long while after seeing the Star they took up Gifts and came Others that Daniel Prophecied to the Babylonians hence Seventy so and so A King shall be born to the Jews and when at his Birth a Star shall arise go and offer Gifts unto him and the King of the Babylonians Engraved this in Tables of Gold and when the Star arose and the Wise-Men saw it they came to his Worship Others That in the time of Daniel when Nebuchadnezar Reigned there came Men from Sheba to offer Gifts unto the King and to learn Astrology and Daniel faid unto them When Christ shall be born your Kings of Seba and Sheba shall offer Gifts unto him and they wrote it in a Bibliotheke that is in their Library and when ye see the Star go Others That Asdrushta the Southsayer foreshewed this and others say it was Baruch and because the Gift of Prophecy was not bestowed on him he was offended and departed to the Gentiles and taught twelve Tongues And it is written in a book of his that Zardushta sitting on a Fountain of Waters where was the King's Bath he said unto his Disciples That in later times an Hebrew Virgin shall bring forth in the Flesh and without Copulation a Son who is of the Nature of God and at his Nativity a Star shall appear go and offer unto him three Gifts Gold Myrrh and Frankincense and spake of his Passion and Resurrection They had therefore no Reward because they came not of their own Will but as ordained nor had Balaam any Reward for his Prophecy Secondly because he did not afterwards believe the Truth Others say That when Daniel's Family was carried Captive unto Babylon they did read this The Scepter shall not depart from Judah and the Prophecy of Balaam that a Star shall arise and this The Kings of Sheba c. which David said before the Sons of the Kings of Persia of Sheba and of Seba who were Neighbouring Princes and they ask'd the Hebrews concerning whom these things were said and Daniel and his fellows Answered Concerning Christ and that in the day of his Nativity a Star should arise which would shine as the Sun and they kept these things to themselves and when they returned to their places they committed this Mystery to writing and it was derived by Tradition until the birth of Christ The Lord John saith That God put it into their Hearts and made them take Gifts and to sollow the Star as he made Cyrus inciting to lead the Jews into Captivity And the Wise Men came from the East to Christ because Paradice was planted in the East and the Sun begins its Course from the East So also from the East begins the Sun of Righteousness and because they were to bring Gold and there was no Gold like that of this part of the World the Scripture saying that the Gold of this Land is good and the Prophets Prophecied that the Wise-Men should come from the Sun Rising to the Sun Setting and Malachy that from the East thereof and at his second coming he is to come from the East and at the time of our Lords coming the Persians Ruled from Nisibis to the East and from Nisibis to the West the Romans and God so ordered it that at that time there should be Peace between them that the Wise Men might not be hindered in coming Where is the King of the Jews born That is to say they do not enquire after a King Sitting upon a Throne as if his time were already but after him of whom Esaiah saith That there shall be a Root of Jesse which shall Rise as a Sign to the Gentiles and in him shall the Nations hope and he is the hope of all the ends of the Earth We seek him who is now born and not Herod and they said not where is the Son of God for Frankincense was a Figure of him because the Jews expected a King and a Redeemer therefore they