command from Augustus Caesar Augustus was the proper name of this King but the name Caesar was a common name for every King who was set over the Romans was called Caesar even unto this as the King of the Egyptians was called Pharaoh and of the Persians Kosro and this Caesar governed the Romans the Egyptians the Hebrews and the Assyrians The Command went out That the inhabited World should be Taxed because he was desirous to know the number of men within his Jurisdiction according as David sent Joab and numbred the people Others say because he was willing to send every one into his own City and Countrey but these opinions are not the likeliest to be true but that which is most probable is That he was willing to raise Pole-money which is manifest from that which Gamaliel said in the Acts of the Apostles That Judah of Galilee arose in the dayes when men were taxed for Pole-money and there was not another tax neither before nor after that And St. Ephraim in his Exposition testifieth as much and Christ was born in the time of this Tax and he excited this King thereunto though he were unworthy as he did unto Balaam and the Wise men that Joseph and Mary coming up from Nazareth to Bethlehem might there be Taxed and our Lord be born there to fulfill the word of Micah Thou Bethlehem c. And that the Jewes might not contend and say That he was not Christ neither of the Lineage of David therefore he ascended thither and he was born in the Forty third year of Augustus and the Thirty third of Herod Augustus is expounded an arising brightness and splendor and Christ is the splendor of the Father and did arise from on high Augustus had not yet governed Sixteen years and Christ unto whom he was Type hath no end of his Kingdom And if Caesar Taxed them for Pole-money Christ also said Give unto Caesar that which is Caesars And if it were to know how many men were within the compass of his Jurisdiction Christ also in regard of the Providence he hath over us said The hairs of your heads are numbred and if it were for the return of every one into his own Countrey or Region Christ also brought forth Souls out of Hell and caused them to return unto their former place And it came to pass in those dayes Not in those wherein John was Nursed up until the day of his Proclamation in those dayes Christ was Thirty years old Neither in the dayes that Elizabeth brought forth for then Mary had conceived Three Months but dayes he calls in this place the dayes after Elizabeth brought forth FINIS The ARMENIAN CREED Translated out of that Language by D.L. J.U.D. WE profess and believe with a sincere heart God the Father not made nor begotten and without beginning the Begetter of the Son and Fountain of the Holy Ghost We believe God the Word not made but begotten and having a beginning from the Father before the world being not after nor younger than the Father the Father being Father onely and the Son Son onely We believe the Holy Ghost not made eternal not begotten but proceeding coessential with the Father and equal in glory with the Son We believe the Holy Trinity One Nature One Godhead not Three Gods but One God One Will One Kingdom One Authority Creator of all things visible and invisible We believe the Holy Church the remission of sins the communion of Saints We believe that One of the Three Persons the Word God begotten of the Father before the world descending in time took of the blood of the Virgin Mary the Mother of God and united it unto his Godhead was Nine moneths contain'd in the Womb of an uncorrupted Virgin and that he was perfect God and perfect man with soul mind and body One Soul and One Person compos'd in One Subsistence God was made Man without mutation without confusion without seed of Conception of incorrupt Nativity There is no beginning of his Divinity nor end of his Humanity for Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and for ever We believe our Lord Jesus Christ convers'd on earth and that after Thirty Years conversation here He was Baptized the Father testifying This is my well-beloved Son and the Holy Ghost descending as a Dove That He was tempted of Satan and that he assiduously preached Salvation unto men That He laboured in Body and suffered in weariness That he was hungry and thirsty That He afterward voluntarily came among his enemies That he was Crucified and Dyed in his Body but lived in the Divinity He preached unto souls and took Hell captive and free'd the Spirits After Three dayes he arose from the Dead and appeared to the Disciples I believe our Lord Jesus Christ is with the self same Body ascended into Heaven and that he sits on the Right Hand of the Father Moreover That He is with the same Body and with the glory of the Father to judge the living and the dead at the Resurrection of all men I believe also a retribution of Works eternal life for the Just and eternal torment for Sinners FINIS INTRODUCTIO DIONYSIISYRI IN EXPOSITIONEM SUAM QUATUOR EVANGELISTARUM Per DUDLEIUM LOFYUSIUM J. U. D. in Linguam Latinam versa DVBLINII Et prostant venales apud Josophum Wilde M. D C. LXXII Virtute quidem auxilio sanctae Trinitatis in essentia aequalis Patris Filii ac Spiritus sancti unius veri Dei exorsi sumus scribere explicationem Evangelii colendi sancti è quatuor sanctis Evangelistis Matthaeo Marco Luca Johanne collecti quam edidit sanctus Dominus Dionysius viz. Jacobus filius Crucis qui secernens eam quasi in Sectiones ab omnibus libris Expositorum ad instar flabelliferi divenit Caput primum ipsius Sancti praenominati ABsolutâ explicatione Legis antiquae Prophetarum Frater noster prout expedire visum est breviter stiloque quem potui adhibere simpliciore novam aggressisumus i.e. Evangelium Actus Apostolorum necnon Pauli Epistolas ea mente ut eandem simili modo tractemus de propriis tamen nostris nihil dicturi sed Expositorum innitentes fundamento aedificium spirituale animae proficiens struximus Cum autem intuiti fuerimus exploraverimus explicationem Evangelii quam ediderunt ipsi quorum nomina sum recitaturus viz. Dominus Ephraim Dominus Johannes Cyrillus insuper etiam Moses Bar Cepha Johannes de Dara cum non modica aliorum Doctorum Caterva nobis videatur omnino impossibile omnes eorum Expositiones in uno libro coacervare nè ita ultra justam produceretur mensuram hujusmodi Tractatus ut ei non sufficeret librorum Schedarum multitudo Nobis visum est omnium istorum Expositorum sensum in Compendium deducere nec non longitudinem latitudinem verborum quibus usi sunt in quantum poterimus contrahere haec est instituti nostri ratio
beginning of the Evangelium which is good Tydings is the Baptism of Christ as blessed Mark saith and inasmuch as he saith The Beginning of the Gospel he sheweth that he was the first that gave the name of Evangelium to a Book Moreover forasmuch as Evangelium or Gospel is by interpretation good Tydings and Christ before his Baptism did neither Preach nor Evangelize but after he was Baptized and Tempted he immediately Preached Repent the Kingdom is at hand as Matthew and Mark have written Moreover from his Birth to his Baptism he was governed by the Law and from his Baptism by such a new Administration as comported with the New Testament Again before his Baptism he performed no Miracle nor delivered any Doctrine otherwise than by Question and Answer in the Temple when he was Twelve years old as Luke sayes Moreover those things which were from his Birth to his Baptism are not to be reputed as of the Gospel though they have relation thereunto and are compiled therewith that we might be taught after what manner were his Conception and Birth Nor were it possible that we should be capable of receiving the Doctrine of the Gospel if we had not first learned where and how he was born whereas in those Years from his Birth to his being Thirty Years of Age he satisfied the Obligation of the Law of Nature and the written Law then he applied himself to frame a Module of a new World in his Baptism and to Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God And forasmuch as Mark knew that Baptism was the Beginning of the Gospel and that our Lord thence took his Commencement in the new Administration he wrote in the beginning of his Book thus The Beginning of the Gospel And if it shall be Objected Wherefore did the other Evangelists begin higher than his Baptism It is plain that Matthew wrote so that he might make it appear unto the Hebrews to whom he wrote That as the Prophets had before written that Christ should spring from the Lineage of David so he did then spring thence and Luke that he might bring them into Contempt who unskilfully undertook to write the Histories of deeds and John that he might write concerning the Divinity of Christ for that the other three omitted it lest it should be concealed and Christ be reputed but a meer man for these three causes they took their rise so high and not for that his Conception his Birth his Circumcision c. were of the Gospel The Son of God He calls Jesus Christ the Son of God and not the Son of Grace as say the Nestorians for we are the sons of grace and that Mark doth not here call Jesus Christ the Son of Grace but the Natural Son of God is evident from that which the Apostle said to the Philippians in an Epistle Let this mind be in your selves which was also in Christ Jesus who being the likeness thought it not robbery to be equal with God but evacuated himself of reputation and assumed the likeness of a servant and was made in the likeness of the sons of men and in fashion was found as man and humbled himself and became obedient even to death even the death of the Cross wherefore God hath exceedingly exalted him and given him a Name more excellent than all names That at the Name of Jesus every knee should how c. Let the Nestorians and Calcedonians be demanded Who is he who so evacuated himself and assumed the likeness of a servant Man or the word God Divine Nature or Nature Humane for Man and Humane Nature were already evacuated and servants wherefore this is the sense of the words that the word God evacuated himself and observe that the word God who evacuated himself and assumed the likeness of a servant doth he call Jesus Christ and to him is attributed Subjection Obedience and Death and the Cross and to him is attributed Exaltation and the giving of the Name of God which is more excellent than all Names And forasmuch as the Apostle said concerning the word God that he evacuated himself these are evident Demonstrations First That he being God by Nature was incarnate and made Man of his own will without being changed from being God Secondly That being equal in Nature with the Holy Ghost and Giver thereof and having a natural Holiness he took upon him to be anointed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost as he was Man for being made Man he suffered natural and animal Passions but not culpable Hunger and Thirst Sleep and Death did he taste for us And Thirdly That being called by eminent and exalted Names to wit Lord and God and Omnipotent and other the like so that whatsoever he had did as naturally belong unto him as to the Father and the Holy Ghost as having life of his own nature having power over all things and having glory due unto him from all things yet it is said That it was given him of the Father and that he received it from the Father And this moreover for that he was evacuated and made man And these were Demonstrations of his Exinanition that he vouchsafed to be called by humble and inferiour names as of Man Son of Man and a Stone Moreover it is certain That the word God who was the natural Son of God the Father is called Christ and not the Son of man who was of Mary for David saith That thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a right Scepter is the Scepter of thy Kingdom thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity wherefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladness above thy fellows It is therefore clearly understood that he whom he calls God and of whom he saith Thy Throne O God for ever is the same whom God the Father anointed and not the Son of Man who was of Mary Furthermore forasmuch as he saith That he anointed him above his fellows that is to say more than all they who were anointed by the Holy Ghost because they stood in need of anointing and were anointed by the Holy Ghost but the word God was anointed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost not being in want thereof because he was equal with the Holy Ghost and had a natural Holiness and was full as St. John saith of his fulness have we all received but because he was made man he received the Spirit and his anointing and his holiness that by his Mediation he might give us the Spirit to anoint and sanctifie us for that this word was anointed and sanctified by the Spirit because he was sent into the World and was made man is manifest from that which he saith of himself Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world thou blasphemest because I said unto you that I am the Son of God for it is certain that he who was sent from God the Father into the world was God the word and he who was sent was
sanctified by the Spirit that the word God is called Christ because he was made man St. Paul saith But to us there is one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and one Holy Ghost in whom are all things Moreover he saith of Christ that all things were made by his hands by whose hands therefore saith Paul that all things were created whether by the hands of the Son of man who was begotten of Mary or by the hands of the word God as John saith All things were made by him and the same word by whom all things have been created doth Paul call Jesus Christ It is evident therefore from these premises that Mark calls the Natural Son of God the Father who was incarnated and made man by the Name of Christ and not the Son of man who was born of Mary who was the Son of Grace as say the Hereticks As it is written in Isaiah the Prophet behold I send my Angel That is to say he produceth this Testimony to prove That the Beginning of the Gospel is the Baptism of Christ for this Allegation Behold I send my Angel is written in Malachi and not in Isaiah but others say that it was also written in Isaiah and that it is lost Others say That this Gospel was Translated out of the Roman Language into the Greek and out of the Greek into the Syriack and that the Interpreters mistake put Isaiah in the place of Malachi Others That in the Book of Diateseron which is preserved in Alexandria and was written by Tatianus the Bishop as also in the Greek Gospel and the Harkalian it is written in the Prophet without expressing what Prophet Others say that this Quotation hath reference to the voyce of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths strait for Isaiah speaks after that manner but not to this Behold I send my Angel for the Evangelist was not curious as to the exactness of his Narrative according to the custom of a Book wherein a Subject is Treated of at large but wrote after an ordinary manner according as other Divine Writers have done after this sort all the people saw the Voyces and the Lightnings whereas it is known that Voyces cannot fall under the sense of sight Again a Bullock or a Lamb whose Ear is cleft or wants a Tayle whereas a Bullock hath no Tayle In like manner it is said My hand kissed my mouth whereas the mouth did kiss and not the hand So Mark sets down that of Isaiah then this I send my Angel and after this The voyce of one crying not distinguishing to which of the two sayings he referred the Quotation out of Isaiah The voyce of one crying Wherefore is John called a voyce because Christ is called the word and a word without a voyce or writing is not known therefore very aptly is John called a voyce because with his voyce was Preached the onely Word Prepare the way of the Lord. The way and path he calls the coming of Christ Prepare your minds and thoughts against the coming of Christ John was in the wilderness He calls the Wilderness the desolate passage from Earth to Heaven By Baptising and Preaching he signified that the destruction of Mortality was to be destroyed By his cloathing of Hair he signified Repentance By the Girdle about his Loyns and the Band upon his Bowels he denotes the sensitive and intellectual Faculties and Continency from an exorbitant Appetite which in Prosperity is exuberant By the winged Locusts the seed of the Just to meet the Lord. By the sweetness of Honey the sweetness of the Blessings which come from our Lord of higher value than Jewels Moreover Honey signifieth the purging of the World from the rust of sin for Honey is of a cleansing Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Region of Judaea That is to say a place of Towns or Villages The Garment of Camels Hair signifies the meanness of his Apparrel and his Poverty for he was not cloathed with Wooll but with course Hair The time is accomplished and the Kingdom is at hand That is to say the time of the shadows of the Law and the fulfilling of Mysteries and Types is at hand the Kingdom of God he ealls here the Gospel and Grace A certain man with an unclean spirit He calls the Devil unclean by reason of the unclean deeds he frequently acted by him in whom he dwelt Art thou come to destroy us He hints two things First Their fear of our Lord which possessed them from the victory had against them in the Wilderness Secondly Their wickedness in respect that the delivery of that man out of their power who was their Captive was reputed their loss I know thee who thou art the Holy One of God He speaks unto him as unto a holy man and not as persuaded that he was God And when they had found him they said unto him all men seek thee This saying all in this place is like to this Jesus looked upon her with all the Earth and all the Nations round about me and all they who came were Thieves and Robbers See thou say nothing to any man He prohibited them who were cured to publish the same lest he might be suppressed by the Jews as a vain-glorious person for he knew that the Miracles which he did were not to be concealed When he performed Miracles before the multitude he gave no command that they should not publish them as in Kotna and when he multiplied the bread but as touching the matter of Lazarus he forbade his own followers to publish it as he did also concerning this Leprous man the Paralytick and the blind men And we say that among the Multitudes he openly wrought Miracles to the intent that he might draw them to faith in him and did not praerequire from them faith in him as he did amongst his own followers for when he changed Water into Wine he did not first of all take the Suffrages of the company to acknowledge whether he were able to do it or no as he did in the case of the Leprous person the Paralitick and the blind men whom he did not cure until they had confessed that he was God As Moses commanded for a testimony unto them He commanded the Leprous person to offer an Oblation that he might manifest the agreement of both Testaments Secondly That he might shew that there was one giver of them both although the first was the Doctrine of Babes and ours of Perfection Thirdly That he might declare that this of God was not contrary to that of the Law so that they needed not to suppress this for the other CHAP. II. THey lifted up the Roof By Art they found out a way to lift up the Roof of the House and easily to let down the Bed in such manner that neither the Timber nor Dust might fall upon them as many in these dayes
to his Father what he had done and that he might convince those who said he was an enemy to God And he sighed First by reason of the hardness of their hearts who saw the Miracles which he wrought and did not believe Secondly because there were some amongst them who did not onely not believe when they saw the Miracles which he did but also crucified him Thirdly as a Shepherd who sighs for his lost sheep and as a Mariner for his ship that is lost Fourthly by reason of Humane Nature which until then was humbled afflicted and brought into subjection Fifthly by reason of the captivity of our nature by the Devils And looking up to heaven he said unto him Ephphatha He did not open him by prayer or supplication but as in the beginning he commanded the light and it was made And if any one say That in the Beginning the Father commanded the Creatures that they should be made We answer That there was the same Commandment of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost as it is written That by the word of the Lord the heavens were made And straightway his ears were opened This was the operation of God who so soon as he commands any thing it is perfectly done according to that he commanded and they were and he commanded and he arose wherefore from hence That he commanded and it was done we understand That Christ who is God was made man And he charged them that they should tell no man thereof For he abstained from vain glory nay rather he Taught how to shun it and this which he said And he charged them being of the plural number whereas there was but one deaf man which he Cured must be taken in this sense That he joined this deaf man with others whom he had Cured or he charged this deaf man together with the multitude there assembled That they should tell no man CHAP. VIII ANd he came to Bethsaida and they brought unto him a blind man That is to say That they might Tempt him as his Friends And he took him by the hand and led him out of the town Wherefore he led him out hath been spoken unto by us concerning the deaf man And he did spit on his eyes This in like manner have we explained before And he asked him Dost thou see any thing That the blind man might be confirmed concerning his Cure I see men like trees walking The word walking is to be referred to men and not to trees according to that All the people saw the voyces and the lightnings and the Priests accompanied them in the way and they flew It had been an easie thing for him in the twinkling of an eye to have Cured him but he prolonged his Cure that the blind man might be more sensible thereof And that this Miracle might be confirmed and that the Humanation of Christ might not be taken for a fancy some say That because this blind man and that deaf man were doubtful in the Faith therefore did Christ prolong their Cure and effected it by little and little that they might be sensible thereof And sent him to his house Thereby abstaining from vain glory and Teaching us to flie from it And Peter took him and began to rebuke him Not angerly but lovingly and rather by way of Deprecation But he turned about and looked That is to say Jesus looked on his Disciples as if a man should say observe what Simeon saith even that which a Religious man should not think fit to admit into his Thoughts Get thee behind me Satan He calls him Satan by way of Admonition unto them that no man should presume to find fault with such Things as are acceptable to God as if they were complying with the mind of the Devil CHAP. IX I Have brought unto thee my son That is to say Not the Spirit which did not speak but the man who â—â—ught the infirm person spoke for his speech was suppressed whil'st he was Tormented He bruiseth him and he foameth That is to say Froth did come out of his mouth and he was like a dry stick And he spake to his Disciples that they should cast him out and they could not Because it was not decent that they should work Miracles when they were so near our Lord for when they were sent into Judaea they themselves did not only do mighty deeds but also said unto our Lord Behold the Devils are subject unto us through thy Name Nay others acted in his Name insomuch that they said We saw a man casting out Devils in thy Name and we forbade him We have expounded the rest of this matter upon Matthew And he wallowed and foamed That is to say he did beat with his legs and he cast up foam And Jesus asked his Father He did not ask as being ignorant for he who knew the Father perfectly knew also the time when this unclean spirit entred but he asked the question for four Reasons First That he might shew the contempt of the Jews Secondly That the power of Christ might be the more taken notice of and published Thirdly That the Miracle might be the more magnified in the eyes of the Beholders Fourthly That those who stood in need of Cure might be sensible of his Cure and these things we have explained in Matthew John said unto him Master we have seen a man who casteth out Devils in thy Name and we prohibited him It is probable That this man was one of those who often came to our Lord although he did not follow him as did his Disciples and because he was worthy our Lord bestowed on him this power But the Disciples when they observed it they forbade him the exercise thereof That is to say They admonished him under pain of Excommunication since thou art not of those who adhere to our Lord it is not lawful for thee to cast out Devils in his Name but our Lord saith unto them Forbid them not for there is no man who worketh a miracle in my Name and can suddenly speak evil of me If thy hand offend thee cut it off it is better for thee maimed c. By the Hand and by the Foot he signifieth the Congregation That is to say The lesser sort of People and Commonalty That is to say Whosoever is Arrogant a Glutton or a Covetous person or a Fornicator whether he be a Governor of the Congregation or of the meaner sort if he offend the Church to wit the Faithful cut him off and cast him out of the Church lest that he infect the whole Church by his offence and so all fall into Hell For every one shall be salted with fire and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt That is to say even as that Coyn which is tryed and purged by fire is of use to a Kingdom And as Salt preserves tender Bodies from Corruption so also the grace of the Spirit preserveth loose minds from the corrupt odour of sin
souzes She cast in more than all the men cast in And how did she cast in more than all whereas they cast in twice as much as she He presently explains the difficulty and saith For all they cast in of their abundance Christ here teacheth us two things First That this gift which was made out of her penury was more abundant and greater in God's esteem than that which proceeded from Redundancy Secondly That God doth not regard the greatness or smallness of a gift but the will and mind wherewith it is given and it is certain That if it be given with a chearful will it is accounted much and great with God although it be small but if otherwise it is meanly esteemed by God though much in quantity CHAP. XIII BVt of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels neither the Son but the Father The Hereticks to wit the Arrians when they are desirous to vilifie the Son they produce this Argument To whom we answer For inasmuch as he is God he knew all things that are before they were made but inasmuch as he was man he saith he knows not and the very same that is God is man and no other as he is life by nature and became death for us forasmuch as he was man so though he doth know all things as being God he said that he did not know as man And as he was before Abraham in respect of his Godhead according as he said Before Abraham was I am yet he was after him as being man for if he had said I know he had been like to the Father onely and not at all like unto us but he said I know not that he might be likened unto us and that there might be no place left for mistakes or to say that he was not made man for this property of man not to know things in futurity was common to him for he communicated in our want of knowledge even as in other humane infirmities and this is manifest from hence that he did not say Neither the Son of God knoweth but neither the Son simply as he was the Son of God so was he a so the Son of man and in that respect wanted knowledge though he knew all things as God Moreover it is certain That as he was man he said he did not know forasmuch as he did not say concerning the Holy Ghost that he did not know Again we say That God the Father is greater than the day of the coming of the Son and is more hidden and concealed than that day and yet the Son saith Even as the Father knoweth the Son the Son knoweth the Father If therefore he knoweth the Father who is high and exalted above all things and is more hidden and concealed than this day how much more then doth he know this day And if any one shall object That the Father knows the Son perfectly but that the Son knoweth the Father but in part let him know That for the same reason he might conclude that the Father knoweth not the Son but in part for the same knowledge is attributed to the Father and the Son as the Father knoweth the Son c. We say further That if the Father knows this day and hour the Son must necessarily know it because there is one knowledge of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit for they are of one and the same nature the same will the same power and operation and therefore necessarily have they one and the same knowledge Moreover for that the Son created the Worlds and Times and Years and Months and Hours and Dayes it is manifest That he knows the day and hour of his appearance but if any one shall object That he hath not yet created the day of his coming he may be convinced by the force of two reasons First From this which is written That he finished the heaven and the earth and all that was in them and God finished his works on the seventh day Secondly Let it be granted That it were so though it be not a Truth yet he knew as God before hand those Things which are not and he knows every thing before hand Again How doth he know the Prognostications and the Signs which are to be at the day of his coming and yet not know the day for he declareth how that there shall be lightning and that the Sun shall be darkned and other such like things and the Stars shall fall from Heaven and the powers of Heaven shall be shaken and the sign of the Son of man shall appear and other the like things which are to happen in that day and hour and how is it possible That one should know what things are in the House and not know the House or how doth a man know the thing that is within a City or a Ship without knowing the City or the Ship And how can he who knoweth what things are without and within a Wall say that he doth not know the Wall in the middle Moreover as he knew the hour of his Birth and the day of his first coming in Bethlehem so doth he know his second coming Furthermore Paul saith That Christ is the power and wisdom of the Father and in this that he saith the power he sheweth That there is nothing out of his Jurisdiction and Providence and by that of wisdom he declares That there is nothing out of the reach of his knowledge but that all things which are and are to come are comprehended within the compass of his knowledge for if he can err in any thing he is not perfect wisdom especially since that he is the Divine wisdom of the Father and in him is hidden all wisdom and he it is that gives wisdom to the wise as saith the Son of Syrach All wisdom is of the Lord and Christ is the Lord whence it was that the Angels said to the Shepherds there is born unto you a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. Neither the Angels In this which the Angels said unto the Shepherds viz. To you is born c. which neither the Angels knew did he forbid them to declare that day and by this That neither the Son that is to say my self he stopt their mouths from asking him for in like manner they asked him after the Resurrection Art thou at this time about to restore the Kingdom And he stopt their mouths saying It doth not belong unto you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath appointed c. But the Father Inasmuch as he spoke of the knowledg of the Father he prevented them that they might not ask him and it is like to that of the mother of the sons of Zebedee for being unwilling to answer whether he would grant the request or no he answered It is not mine to give when assuredly it was he who was to place the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left and to call Come ye
death was not yet come At the Third hour he was Crucified and at the Ninth hour he dyed and from the Third to the Ninth are but six hours for it was thought that one who had been Crucified but six hours would not have dyed and when he heard that he was dead he wondred And this Testifieth for Christ That he dyed of his own Will and not by constraint for that he dyed truly as to his Body we say but that he admitted death of his own Will and not by constraint as we the Thieves were not dead but he because of his own accord he permitted death to approach unto him therefore he dyed at the Ninth hour Again He marvailed as at something that was not customary for every one that is Crucified remains a day or two but he failed in the Ninth hour of the day and whatsoever was done there was a miracle CHAP. XVI AND when the Sabbath was past Mary Magdalene and the other Mary bought sweet spices that they might anoint him That is to say according to the custom of Women who on the Sabbath or the Third day of the Week or on Friday and on Festivals went in honour of the dead to the Sepulchre with perfumes and sweet oyntments And they saw a young man sitting on the right hand They called the Angel Gabriel a young man because he appeared in the likeness of a young man That he might signifie that he who was risen did restore our nature to its Youth And that he appeared on the right hand sheweth That he was to Preach glorious and prosperous Things unto the Women But go tell his Disciples and Cephas He distinguished and singled out Cephas as him who had carried himself defectively in respect of Faith for Behold he came twice to the Sepulchre And that he might fill him with consolation inasmuch as he was terrified and confounded with shame by reason of his denial and that he might know that his repentance was complete And he calls him Peter to shew the strength of his love though he was somewhat lyable to humane failing and that he was restored by Repentance to his former Honour so as to be the foundation of the Church And in the morning the first day of the week he arose and appeared In the Greek Copy and the Harkalian it is thus written When he arose in the morning of the first of the week he appeared first of all to Mary Magdalene This sense is apt and it is apparent That first he said when he arose and then made a distinction by interposing a point and afterwards added the other words viz. in the morning of the first of the week he appeared to Mary Magdalene Whence we understand That our Saviour first arose at a time unknown to any but the Father and the Holy Ghost for no Creature knew it for if we do not know our own Resurrection at what hour or time it shall be so no man knoweth at what time Christ arose That he arose truly we know but at what time or hour of the night we know not but whil'st it was the time of the morning of the first of the week he appeared to Mary Magdalene as John hath said and written Again The words morning and appeared are annexed to Mary and not to the time when he arose yet here the word arose is interposed though in congruity of sense it goes before the word morning because he spoke briefly of the Resurrection and in what manner he appeared to Mary he rendred the sense confused St. Severus saith That there are many Copies of the Gospel of Mark which want from the morning of the first day of the week he arose unto the end of the Book so that the Gospel ends with these words Neither said they any thing to any man for they were afraid Afterwards he appeared to the eleven That is to say He laid before them their want of Faith and hardness of Heart saying That they did not give credit unto them who had seen that he was risen He that believeth and shall be baptized shall be saved That is to say He who believes in the Father and in the Son and in the Holy Ghost Three persons and one God and shall be baptized in the Name of these three persons shall be saved from sin which is the death of the foul Moreover He shall live a life Immortal whereunto shall be joined inseparably joyes which shall never fail He that believeth He sheweth That first a man gets Faith and then worketh Miracles according to this If ye have Faith ye shall remove Mountains As these signs have been wrought amongst them so if Faith shall be found in them they shall work Miracles according to what is said He who hath Faith can do every thing He that doth not believe That is to say Unbelievers shall have a life mixed with torments without end In my name shall they cast out Devils That is to say the Apostles and Disciples cast out many Devils and spoke the Languages of the Nations They shall take up Serpents There are two kinds of Serpents the one proceeds from the earth the other from Devils and neither kind saith he shall be able to hurt the faithful who keeps his Commandments And if they shall drink any deadly poyson They say That the Gentiles made one of the Seventy two Disciples to drink deadly poyson and he did not dye therewith and that they cast poyson into the Cup of the Mysteries wherein was the blood of Redemption and made a Saint drink thereof and he did not thereof dye and many others there were who drank poyson and it hurt them not And they shall lay hands on the sick This we have seen done even to this day by many Priests But the Heathens object If these words of Christ are true wherefore do not they cast out Devils and take hold of Serpents c We answer according to the judgment of Philoxenus That Christ doth not use the word by way of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say for a determinal and universal term but an indefinite for he doth not say That these Things shall belong to every one that believeth in him but to those who believe in him for he did not use the word all or every of them in his Proposition Therefore it is not said of every one of them but that there are many who shall be attended with these signs as Apostles and Saints He ascended into Heaven and sate on the right hand For the right hand denotes Honour According to this He shall place the sheep on his right hand That is to say He shall associate them with himself in glory for the Father is not corporeal that he should have a right and left hand neither have the Angels a right and left hand for this belongs to Bodies but the right hand of God the Father signifieth equality of Session of Majesty with him for there is but
one Kingdom and Glory and Honour of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And our Lord helped them and confirmed their words by the signs which they wrought That is to say He shewed that their words were true by the Miracles and Cures and Signs which he wrought by their hands for those who saw the Apostles and Disciples that they cured Lepers and raised the Dead and other Miracles they confirmed their words and entertained their Preaching and believed whatsoever they Preached Through the prayers of the Holy Apostles pardon unto us O God for the love of thy Humanity our Trespasses whether willingly or unwillingly of knowledge or ignorance And also O Lord have mercy on the sinner and weak person who wrote through thy abundant mercies Amen Here ends the Exposition of the Gospel of Blessed MARK his Prayer be with us Amen MATTHEW the Son of JOHN wrote This He who Reads it Let him pray for him in our Lord. Finished Anno 1058. according to the Computation of the Grecians DIONYSIVS SYRVS HIS EXPOSITION OF THE Ten Beatitudes Pronounced in the Fifth Chapter of St. Matthew c. Translated out of the SYRIACK LANGUAGE BY DVDLEY LOFTVS J. U. D. BEfore our Saviour pronounced the Beatitudes he ascended a Mountain that he might thereby shew that it was he who descended on Mount Sinai and gave the Ten Commandments Furthermore That he might raise the Disciples and the Multitude to the Contemplation of heavenly Things and that he might shew that his Doctrine was high and superior to Things that are earthly and that it is not overcast with a Lye but shineth forth unto all men for he appeared as a man and ascended the Mount because the children of Israel desired that they might not see that fire lest they should dye Moreover He said thus The Lord shall raise unto them a Prophet of their Brethren because he was a Mediator between God and men as Moses between God and Israel And he foretold Things to come and Taught Ten Commandments as Moses did and as the Ten Commandments comprehend the Law so the Ten Beatitudes contain the whole Gospel And how are the Beatitudes said to be Ten since there are but Nine of them We say That Luke added another And blessed are they who weep now for they shall rejoyce Signifying by him that weeps him who lamenteth for his sins and our fall from Paradise and that he freed them from dissolute Laughter and vain Mirth and that he who freed them from dissolute laughter and vain mirth will cause them to rejoyce in the world to come who flie therfrom but if they say that Luke deliver'd that which Matthew said Blessed are they who mourn Let them know that it is another Beatitude i.e. The Assumption of the Body and Blood when he gave these blessings as yet he had not communicated the Mysteries and therefore there is one of the Beatitudes wanting that it might be fulfill'd in the receiving of his Body and Blood Moreover Also there are Nine Commandments yet are they called Ten. I. The First I am the Lord thy God II. The Second Thou shalt not swear by the Name of the Lord. III. The Third Keep the Sabbath day IV. The Fourth Honour thy Father and thy Mother V. The Fifth Thou shalt not commit Murther VI. The Sixth Thou shalt not commit Adultery VII The Seventh Thou shalt not Steal VIII The Eigth Thou shalt not bear false Witness IX The Ninth Thou shalt not covet the House nor Wife of thy Neighbour And wherefore then are they called Ten being but Nine Because the number of Ten is a perfect number and Perfection is not to be found in the Law but in the Gospel and therefore there was a defect in the Commandments that Perfection might be found in the Gospel according to the letter Jud which is the first letter of Jesus which signifieth Ten. Moreover The Doctrine of the Beatitudes is applicable unto all men in general and not to the Disciples onely and that is manifest from hence That he saith Not Blessed are ye but Blessed are they speaking as to many The name therefore of the Beatitudes comprehendeth all joy and exultation even as the name unhappy comprehendeth whatsoever is sad or grievous I. Blessed are the poor in spirit Poor he ' calls those who enjoy wealth and of their own accord become poor scattering it among the poor according to that Sell thy possession and give to the poor Again Poor he calls those who are able to acquire wealth and do not acquire it by reason of the Kingdom of Heaven as Monks and Votaries Again Those who possess Riches and yet are not affected with them or which have them but yet are poor in spirit notwithstanding and dispense them honourably as did Job and Abraham Moreover He doth not call them poor in opposition to wealth because they if they offend are condemn'd but the poor in spirit i. e. Those who are void of sin and empty of sin and iniquity and as the poor want the wealth of this World so these are void of sin and iniquity Again The poor he calls those who are not puft up in their minds either in respect of Justice or Wealth or Wisdom but are meek and humble according to this With whom shall I walk but with the meek and humble For the inchantment of pride was the first-born of Satan in the beginning and therewith he lifted up his Heel against his Creator and thereby caused man to fall justly therefore doth our Saviour purge this passion giving a blessing unto the Righteous who are free from pride The Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom he calls the Bliss which the Saints enjoy after the Resurrection II. Blessed are they who mourn Mourning may be said in two senses Worldly Mourning whereby a man mourneth for that he is not rich or that he is unable to revenge himself on his Enemy or for the separation of Lovers This Mourning begetteth Death according to that worldly sorrow worketh Death but Mourning for God's sake is the cause of life and gaineth comfort and doubleth blessings Not to those who mourn for Poverty or the Death of others but to those who mourn for their sins being afraid of Judgment according to that I have watered my Bed all the night Again He calls him a Mourner who being free from sin mourns for the evil of other men as Samuel for that of Saul and David who said Sadness hath seized on me for the sins of those who have left thy Law Or when we compute the Happiness from which Adam fell or the Infelicity wherein we are left according as it was said of one of the Saints That whensoever he was willing to eat did weep and when he was asked the Reason answered I remember what we were in the beginning and how low we are cast to eat the grass as the Beasts These therefore are Mourners who mourn for their sins Again Mourners are those who
and be comforted in the Vision of the Divine image Again Vision is taken in seven several significations but generally it may be reduced into three viz. to Sense Reason and Faith and God is onely seen by Faith and Faith is the persuasion of those things which are in Hope Again He is seen in his Works according to that They shall seek after God and find him out in his creatures The Organ of this sight is a pure Heart which doth not adhere to earthly Things Furthermore They call sight the light and revelation which the Soul receiveth from within by the knowledge of him and of these spiritual Things according to that Clear mine eyes that I may see the wonderful things which are in thy Law VII Blessed are the Peace-makers For Peace is the equality of Will which is perfected in Love and the Proprieties of Peace and its Faculties are Love Quietness Unanimity and Charity These are the contraries to Peace Scandal Commotion and the Properties of him who is in Commotion are distorted Eyes tuberous Lips gnashing Teeth a distended Neck a moving and shaking Head Hands beating the Air stamping Feet therefore he calls them Peace-makers who cause War and Seditions to cease Moreover Him who worketh quietness between the Soul and the Body for the Spirit loves whatsoever keeps down the Body Moreover Whomsoever worketh quietness between himself and others For they shall be called the Sons of God But how can man that is made of dust be the Son of God We say That by Grace this was bestowed on him as it was in the beginning Free-will our own Liberty and Immortality are by Grace and what is this Filiation That is to say That man was made of mortal corruptible and temporal immortal incorruptible and eternal and that which is more he was made a divine man for he who was worthy to be the Son of God possesseth the glory of his Father as bodily Sons do inherit the riches of their Fathers VIII Blessed are they who are persecuted for Righteousness i. e. The Martyrs and Confessors who are persecuted by the Devil or Tyrants and our Lord calleth Righteousness himself as hath been said before Moreover He calleth Righteousness all the victories of vertues those who are persecuted for vertue either for the care of our Brethren or for Truth 's sake Moreover This eighth Beatitude hath affinity with the number Eight and as the Head of all Beatitudes is placed in the summity of divine vertues This David sheweth in the eight Psalm and also Moses by the Circumcision the eighth day cutting off and circumcising the dead skin wherewith we were cloathed for Transgression of the Commandment and here the eighth Beatitude gaineth us a return to Heaven and a regress to our former Righteousness Again This number of eight is celebrated in Nature and in Books and among the Heathen Philosophers Moreover There are eight passions of the right hand and eight of the left those of the right are Simplicity of the Mind Mourning Humility Righteousness Mercy Pureness of Thought Peace and perfect Suffering Those of the left hand are Pride Fornication Vain glory Intemperance Covetousness Anger Envy Disdain There is a Cure set down for every one of the left-handed passions viz. one of those of the right hand and the Soul is rectified and the Body perfected of him who takes care thereof Pride which is the first Devil a man overcometh by Simplicity which is of mean nature And Fornication the second being of a Swinish nature by the passion of the heart and Mourning Vain glory a Thorn which pricketh on every side and is without Fruit by Humility which is the good ground and cultivated with all vertues Gulosity a burning fire and never satisfied by an appetite regulated by Justice and Vprightness The rich man an Oppressor of and hated by all men by clemency and mercy towards all men A turbulent passion of the mind and commotion of a confus'd person by sincerity of thoughts and cordial love Envy the Fountain of all Contention and Strife by Peace the reconciler of differences Disdain the Father of pusillanimity and neglect by patient suffering the mother and root of all good Things IX Blessed are ye when men deride you i. e. When men call you Sorcerers Criminal Erroneous and by other reviling Terms for scorns and reproaches sometimes are a greater punishment than blows and many times men strangle themselves for that they have been reproached or reviled for what reason is this Beatitude of Reproach set in the last place By reason of the asperity thereof for if a man have not attain'd the perfection of the former he cannot endure this for he needeth to be a fortified man who can bear a reproach according as Job who bore the reproaches of his friends and David those of Shimei And persecute you i. e. Because they were to convert the Gentiles from worshipping of Idols to Faith in the Father in the Son and in the Holy Ghost therefore persecutions arise against you And speak against you every evil word Not for your offences but by reason of me it being untrue what they shall say against you as Paul said Let none of you suffer as an evil doer but as a Christian Then rejoyce and be glad for your reward i. e. in Truth when the Apostles were reproached and reviled for Christ they greatly rejoyced and now a reward is given unto them and then the glory which is to be revealed in us and these words are taken to concern all those who suffer Tentation for Christ For so persecuted they the Prophets This passage doth not only regard the Apostles but also the Doctors That as the Prophets suffered for the Father so ye shall suffer for me And by this he sheweth his Majesty and the Equality of his Glory with the Father And inasmuch as he said The Prophets which were before them He shewed That even they also had Prophets Again Though in every of the Beatitudes the Kingdom is not promised be not dismayed for though the rewards in the Beatitudes be divers and different one from the other yet all and every of them will bring him who observeth any of them to the Kingdom of Heaven And after he taught them their Duty he applieth himself to the praysing of them that they might not be troubled and say How can we attain the fulfilling of the Commandments which is requisite for our entrance into Heaven DIONYSIUS HIS EXPOSITION ON THE PROPHESIE of ZACHARIAS Translated by D. L. BLessed be the Lord God of Israel That is to say He is worthy of all Acknowledgments of thankful Benediction because he hath shewed his care and providence for us Who hath visited his people That is to say By the eye of the Spirit he saw that the Blind were to be restored to sight and the rest of the Miracles which our Saviour wrought And wrought them Redemption That is to say from Satan Death and Sin And hath raised
Ten senses He applies himself after Prayer to root out of the mind anger and wrath which if it be not done Prayer is not accepted The Form of PRAYER which our Saviour made after his Baptism when the Heavens were opened as it is delivered by Dionysius Syrus according to the Testimony of St. Philoxenus and Translated by D. L. O Father according to the good pleasure of thy Will I am made Man and from the time in which I was born of a Virgin unto this day I have finished those things which are agreeing to the nature of Man and with due observance have perform'd all thy Commandments the Mysteries and Types of the Law And now I am baptized and so I have ordain'd Baptism that from thence as from the place of spiritual Eirth the Regeneration of Men may be accomplish'd and as John was the last of the Legal Priests so am I the first of the Evangelical Thou therefore O Father by the mediation of my Prayer open the Heavens and from thence send thy Holy Spirit upon this womb of Baptism that as he did untye the womb of the Virgin and thence form me so also he would loose this Baptismal womb and so sanctifie it unto men that from thence now men may be begotten who may become thy Sons and my Brethren and Heirs of thy Kingdom And what the Priests under the Law until John could not do grant unto the Priests of the New Testament whose chief I am in the oblation of this Prayer that whensoever they shall celebrate Baptism or pour forth Prayers unto thee as the Holy Spirit is seen with me in open Vision so also it may be made manifest that the same Spirit will adjoyn himself in their society a more secret way and will by them perform the ministeries of the New Testament for which I am made Man and as the High Priest I do offer these Prayers in thy sight Dionysius Syrus his Question and Answer concerning the Prayer which JOHN the Baptist taught his DISCIPLES Translated by D.L. Quest VVHat was the Prayer which John taught his Disciples Answ Some recite it thus O Lord fit us for thy Kingdom and that we may enjoy the happiness thereof with thy Son Others thus O Father shew me the day of the Baptism of thy Son But what if one should say What need was there of this Prayer after he had baptized the Son had seen the Spirit and had heard the Father Others say That he prayed thus Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Others thus O Father let me hear thy Voyce O Son shew me thy Person O Spirit shew me thy Descent and raise up thy Power But neither is this approved the first Exposition carries with it the greater verisimilitude Gregorius the SYRIACK SCHOLIAST called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Four Gospels Translated by DUDLEY LOFTUS J.U.D. MATTHEW the First The Son of David the Son of Abraham HE mentioneth David for that they hoped Christ would arise from him according to that Was not Christ to rise from the seed of David and from Bethlehem He mentions Abraham also for that it hath been said In his seed shall all Nations be blessed And Luke because that he wrote unto the Gentiles mounted up unto Adam the common Father and from him to God the Creator of all things Jacob begate Judah and his Brethren He did not mention the Brethren of Isaac and Jacob for that the Nation of the Hebrews were not to derive their Genealogy from them as from the Brethren of Judah for these were Hebrews the other were Edomites the sons of Ishmael and Esau Judah begate Pharez and Zarah of Thamar Pharez was a Type of the New Testament whose resemblance he was made in regard he first put out his hand which was afterwards withdrawn And after Zarah who was a Type of the Old Testament came out and therefore he expresses both their names and the Evangelist abstains from making mention of Zarah Rebecca and other vertuous Women but mentioneth Rahab Ruth and Beersheba to reprove the Jews who upbraided the Lineage of the Gentiles with the peculiarity of the people of God and thought that the meritorious cause of becoming the servants of God was Lineage or Wisdom whereas he shews That David the Great descended from Thamar the Ammonite who committed Fornication with her Father-in-law and from Rahab the Harlot who received the Spies in Jericho and from Ruth the Moabite though against the Moabites and Ammonites it was decreed That they should not enter into the House of the Lord for ever and King Solomon the wise was begotten of Beersheba the Hittite who at first had unlawful Communication with David Joram begate Hosiah Joram did not beget Hosiah but Ahaziah and Ahaziah begate Joash and Joash begate Amoziah and Amoziah begate Hosiah In the Catena he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Africanus of Emaus and St. Severus say That the Evangelists omitted these three for that they descended from Attaliah the Sister of Ahab she who for her wickedness was also called the sister of Jezabel but if it were so How cometh he to make mention of Ahaziah and Manaasse who were more wicked Georgius de Gentilibus saith Concerning this the Authour of the Catena after the citation of many Opinions rests upon none but saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est quam voluerit sententian sequatur lector That the first Scribe failed by reason of the similitude of letters and instead of Ahaziah wrote Hosiah but neither doth this Opinion prevail with me because that if these three be brought into computation with the others they make up Seventeen Generations and if they were not omitted by the Evangelist How did he set down Seventeen and reckon but Fourteen It is therefore known that the computation of Origen ought rather to take place and to be credited who saith That the Evangelist omitted those persons to accommodate the computation to the pleasure of the believing Hebrews who much respected the number Fourteen Josia begate Jocania and his Brethren in the Captivity of Babylon Jocania who was the Grandson of Josia he calls his son for Josia begate Jehoiachim who was Aliakim and Jehoiachim begate Jocania and the Uncles of Jocania on the Fathers side Jehu Achaz and Zedekia are called his brothers children according to the custom of Scripture as Abraham said unto Lot the son of his brother We are Brethren And because the Prophet Daniel reckoneth the seventy years of Captivity in the Transmigration from the Prophesie of Jeremiah which began the 13th of Josia Matthew saith That he begate Josiah although it was Achaziah Jocania begate Shelathiel Jeremiah the Prophet said concerning Jocaniah That his Throne shall perish without children and that no man of his seed shall sit upon the Throne of David How therefore can Christ of whom it is said The Lord will give him the Throne of his Father David derive his Genealogy from him for one of the
two must necessarily be false either the Prophesie or the Genealogy Saint Severus answereth That the Throne from whence the seed of Jocaniah was to fail was not the heavenly one which appertained to our Lord but an earthly one My Kingdom is not of the world And Shelathiel the son of Jocaniah here mentioned was the son of Neri named in St. Luke the son of Neri and Jocaniah were Brethren as from the Mother and when Neri dyed without sons Jocaniah married his Wife and of her begate Shelathiel it being clear that Matthew did set down the Natural Genealogy and Luke the Legal Zurubabel begate Abiud Luke maketh Resa to be son of Zurubabel and Saint Severus saith That both of them were his sons and that Matthew reckoned upon the one and Luke upon the other Jacob begate Joseph Luke sets down Joseph to be the son of Heli and it is said that Jacob and Heli were Brethren on the Mothers side and when Heli dyed without children Jacob took his Wife and of her begate Joseph who according to the Law was the son of Heli and naturally the son of Jacob. Moreover Luke sheweth That although Joseph be reduced to Heli yet so the Genealogy of Christ may be brought to David by Nathan and he doth not fix the Genealogy upon Mary for that the Families were not to be deduced from Women yet by the mention of the Genealogy of Joseph that of the Virgin is made known because their Ancestors were Brethren one to another the Father of the Virgin was called by many names Joiakim Jonchir Tsadock Josedack and her Mother was called Hana and Dina. Of whom was born Jesus who is called the Greek who is said to be Christ that is to say Jesus which is interpreted a Redeemer it is a name of his Humanity but Son the Word and Splendor are names of his Divinity but Christ and Emanuel are both of them names of Association and from the unction of the Humanity with the Godhead cometh the name Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nondum when as they had not come together The Greek hath it before they came together she was found with child Some say that she was a Votress and that Joseph espoused her for Tuition and not for marital Conversation but St. Severus saith That he espoused her as it were for marital converse or else it had not been said When as yet they did not come together but forasmuch as a miracle preceded their coming together he was prohibited from carnal commerce For he that is born in her That is to say the word born is to be taken for conceived and for this reason it is said in her and not of her And thou shalt call his Name Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say Thou Joseph but Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say Thou Mary shalt call And knew her not until she brought forth her first-born son That is to say Neither did he know her after she brought him forth according to that The Raven went forth and returned not until the waters were dryed up and it is clear that he did not return after the waters were dryed up The like is said of Malchil the daughter of Saul she brought not forth until she dyed And he is called her first-born son not that she brought forth another after him but for that before him she brought forth no other and Jose and James were called his Brethren as in respect of Joseph but not in regard of Mary CHAP. II. THere came wise men from the East Some say That there came three Princes with a Thousand men And holy James saith That there were Twelve Princes who left Seven thousand at Euphrates and came to Jerusalem with a Thousand St. Junnais and Cyrillus say That they came when he was an Infant and wrap't in swadling cloaths for the Star conducted them before he was born And Eusebius and Epiphanius and Prince Ephraim and Prince James say That those wise men came two years afterwards when they had carried him to Jerusalem and were in Bethlehem and therefore the Evangelist saith That they entred into a House and not into a Cave and in the same night the Angel appeared unto Joseph and he fled from thence into Egypt And it is very manifest That when he was born he went from Bethlehem to Nazareth as Luke saith and after Two years when the wise men came he fled from Bethlehem to Egypt as Matthew saith We have seen his star in the East Some say That an Angel appeared unto them in the likeness of a star and according to the relation of others They saw in the star a young maid bearing a man child in her arms having a crown on his head Others say That they saw in the star letters declarative of his birth Others say That Balaam their Father or Zardushti their Prophet foretold the same And would not be comforted because they were not That is to say They could not revive He shall be called a Nazaren Matthew knew this either from an unknown Prophet or from Tradition or from the Holy Ghost And Prince Ephraim saith That a Branch or a Bough is in the Hebrew called Nozor it being apparent that this is the Prophesie That a branch shall proceed from the root of Jesse And hence it is That the words he shall be called a Nazaren import That he shall be called a Branch CHAP. III. IN those dayes came John the Baptist That is to say He doth not speak of those dayes when Jesus returned from Egypt for he was then Five years of age being Two years old when he went thither and remaining there Three years but he calls the whole space of Twenty and five years that he dwelt in Nazareth after his coming from Egypt those dayes for when he was Thirty years of age he was baptized by John Repent the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand That is to say the Gospel of Christ which leadeth to Heaven And John was the first who used this expression of the Kingdom of Heaven And his meat was Locusts and wilde Honey Some say That he calls sweet Roots and Sprouts by the name of Locusts and in the Diateseron it is written Milk and Honey Sadduces They were Samaritans To flie from the wrath to come That is to say From the destruction of Jerusalem which was to come to pass by Vespasian From these stones That is to say From the steril Gentiles And he saw the Spirit of God Matthew and Mark and John say only of John the Baptist that he saw the Spirit And Luke saith That the Heavens were opened and the Spirit descended after he was baptized whil'st he prayed But whether he saw or they saw he doth not mention And St. Junnis saith That the whole multitude saw the Spirit because that when they could not by the voyce which they heard know who it was the Testimony concern'd The Spirit rested upon him and shewed him unto them
took and would not put him to death for that he was a wise man and did foretell many things as afterwards they came to pass and as it seems unto me he was for this reason called Caiphas viz. because the Arabians calls him who subtilâ—y declares a thing Kaiph A Town called Ephraim This was a City on the East of Bethel and they say that he there wrought a miracle that there comes not there any evil creeping thing CHAP. XII YE also all of ye are clean These words All of ye are not congruous nor are they in the Greek but were added by the Writer it being clear that it ought to be read Ye also are clean but not all of ye CHAP. XIII VVHO leaned on his bosome This was John for he sate behind between him and Simon not in order being a youth CHAP. XIV My Father is greater than me That is to say in Majesty Moreover he is greater than this bodily appearance and by reason of the imbecillity of their minds he said this to comfort them CHAP. XVII THat they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Theodorus expounds Thee thee onely c. of the Three persons And whom thou hast sent concerning the Son of man assumed but he erred for Christ is not the name of the Son of man but of God-man And for their sakes I sanctifie my self That is to say I offer to thee my self a sacrifice to wit a separation and sanctification for them CHAP. XVIII AND they themselves entred into the Judgment Hall lest they should be defiled when they were to eat the Passeover This sheweth That the Jewes had not yet eaten the Passeover on the morning of the Friday and therefore they did not eat it on Friday Eve as our Lord did eat CHAP. XIX FOR that Sabbath was an high day For therein was the celebration of the Passeover and therein was accomplished the Week of Fifty years for the setting free of servants and the reversion of Inheritances CHAP. XX. ENtred not in Either he was afraid or gave a difference of honour to Simeon My Father and your Father my God and your God That is to say my Father by nature and your Father by grace and my God by grace and your God by nature He breathed on them and said Receive the Holy Ghost That is to say he ordained them Priests and only gave them authority of remission of sins until they should be compleated in the upper room and it is likely that he disposed them to receive the Spirit afterwards in the upper room plenarily And they saw burning coals laid and fish laid thereon and bread These he created of nothing and not as before when he fed the multitudes Neither the world it self as I suppose would be sufficient for the Books which should be written That is to say Man who is a little World would not have been sufficient to comprehend his Wonders and to know the power of his Divinity And men say That these words are not the words of the Evangelist but are as this The Angel at certrin seasons moved the water FINIS The Syriack Scholiast his Reconciliation of Saint Paul and James touching JUSTIFICATION Translated by D. L. J. U. D. JAMES II. Ver. 26. Faith without Works is dead THis is not contrary to that of St. Paul who saith That a man is justified by the Law of Faith and not by the Law of Works For St. James speaks of Faith subsequent unto Baptisin and Paul of Faith precedent to Baptism as St. Severus makes it appear for he who believeth and is to be baptized although he hath not good Works is justified but after he is baptized of necessity good Works are required of him and both of them refer the matter unto Abraham St. James after he was Circumcised and offered up Isaac upon the Altar And Paul before he was Circumcised when he believed in God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness in Circumcision which is a Type of Baptism The Genealogy OF MELCHIZEDECK Translated by D. L. J.U.D. THis Melchizedeck was King of Salem whose Father and Mother were not written in the Genealogies because they were not first born and he was of the seed of Shem Shem begate Arphaxad and Arphaxad begate Melchizedeck And when Noah dyed he gave Commandment unto Shem concerning the bones of our Father Adam for they had them with them in a Chest when they departed from the Land of Eden to this spiritual Land and Shem went to the Chest and took out the bones of our Father Adam and sealed the Chest with the signature of his Father and said unto his Brethren My Father commrnded me to go and observe the original of Seas and Rivers and he said unto the Father of Melchizedeck and to his Mother Jozvet Give me your blessing to accompany me in this Journey The Position of the Syriack Scholiast dogmatically declaring That the Sin of a High Priest is greater than a sin of the same kind committed either by Prince or people by him expressed in the Fourth Chapter of Levit. ver 3. Translated out of the Syriack Language by D.L. J.U.D. IF the Priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people In the Greek If the High Priest he who is anointed shall sin so as to make the people to sin i. e. they imitating him and offending in the same kind the whole Congregation shall offer an Oblation a young Bullock for his sin i. e. All the people when they offend offer the same Oblation onely which the Priest did when he offended and therefore it is said That the transgression of him who standeth in an high place ought to be reputed as if it were the sin of all those who stand under him And if a Ruler shall sin i. e. a Prince he shall bring his offering a Kid of the Goats i. e. his Oblation is less than that of the Priest or that of the Congregation altogether nor was he sprinkled with blood seven times by reason of his Prerogative of Honour And although in some respects the Prince himself be less than the Priest and the people do far exceed him in number yet he is greater than any one of the Congregation and therefore every one of them offending offereth a Female but he a Male kid The Opinion of Gregorius Syrus concerning the Suns going retrogade ten degrees Translated out of the Syriack Language by D.L. J.U.D. BY reason of the Suns return from the West to the East retrogade the shadow return'd from the East to the West And if these degrees be computed according to the number of the degrees in the Zodiack viz. 360. every fifteen degrees make up one hour of the 24. of the natural day so that it is clear that the addition was an hour and â…“ of an hour viz. 20 degrees for whereas the Sun went ten degrees toward the East it must of necessity return ten degrees