ΘΕΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ: OR, God made Man. A TRACT PROVING THE NATIVITY OF OUR SAVIOUR to be on the 25. of December.  
By JOHN SELDEN, that eminently-learned Antiquary, late of the Inner-Temple.  
LONDON, Printed by J.G. for Nathaniel Brooks at the Angel in Cornhill. 1661.   

TO THE LEARNED GENTRY OF THE INNER TEMPLE.  
WEre is not to comply with the mode of the Times, an Epistle had been altogether useless; for to expatiate upon his desert, were but actum agere, since the British world has been sufficiently sensible thereof. Opus authoris nomine insignitur; The Author's name in the Frontispiece commends the work above my ability, and will save me a labour. Now that this was the legitimate issue of famous Seldens brain is indisputable, since he that is never so meanly acquainted with the style, will soon acknowledge it. 'Twere pity that so elaborate a Treatise should sleep in the grave of oblivion; especially, when there are so many persons in this age, (whose misguided zeal christens all that thwarts the grain of their phanatique opinions with the nickname of superstition) that do so much oppugn the subject and verity of this discourse; but, beyond all controversy, they that peruse it must be convinced or manifest themselves obstinately stubborn. 'Tis a mystery to me that I could never fathom, to imagine that any Levite should rely so much upon Christ for salvation; and yet deny, nay, be offended at the celebrations of his Nativity: But, if either Divine or Humane authority the practice of the Primitive times, or the Institution of our Holy Mother the Church of England, carry strength or prevalency along with them, I am confident of their recantation. This abolishing of decency and solemnisations, hath quite consumed the substance of Religion; and the sad effects thereof, have been of late years too too apparent among us; Instead of endeavouring to order, they did ordure the House of God; Temples were turned into Stercoraries, into a confusion. But now, since it hath pleased the Supreme Architect of Heaven and Earth, that transoplves Crowns, and tumbles down Diadems at his pleasure, to make us meet together like so many lines in the centre (that have been so long eccomrique both in the Ecclesiastic and Politic capacity,) there is a certainty of a resettlement of Ecclesiastic affairs according to the old and true form of the Church of England. To which this Tractate if it conduce not, I presume 'twill not way impede it; since it is not only solid but full fraught with variety of learning; insomuch that it will require three lives in the Law at least to purchase, and peruse those printed pieces, and manuscripts, out of which he hath collected his quotations: But I must not be so uncivil as to detain you too long in the Porch by a prolix Epistle; nor so injurious to withhold you from prying into the more sublime and refined sense of the Author: Now if your porusall be with as much candour, gravity and moderation, as the learned Selden penned it, (though now deceased) ' will certainly force you to acquiesce with him, and affirm, That the day of the Nativity of our Saviour is not only to be celebrated, but also absolutely, and undeniably on the 25. of December.   

The Contents of this Tract.  
Of the Birthday of our SAVIOUR.  

BRiefly, of the Anniversary Celebration of Birth-days: The state of the Question, and this Discourse digested into parts. pag. 1  
SECT. I. The Authority of keeping it on this day both in the Eastern and Western Churches about 400. years after our Saviour's; and that than it was ancient in the Western Church, and known also under the name of the Winter-Solstice-day; which is especially here observable. pag. 7  
SECT. II. For preparation of more particular proof of the Tradition of this Feast-day, the supposition which the most Primitive Ages had touching the time of the Solstices and Aequinoxes. pag. 13  
SECT. III. That the keeping it on this day was so received from tradition, even of the eldest times since our Saviour; and this justified from the Fathers, supposing it to have been on the very day of the ancient Winter-Solstice. pag. 21  
SECT. iv Express testimonies to the same purpose out of ancient History, and a Confirmation from the general use in the several Churches of Christendom. pag. 32  
SECT. V The common Reasons used out of the holy Text to justify this day, and how they are mistaken, and therefore not used here; together with what some would prove from the Scheme of his Nativity. pag. 45  
SECT. VI The chief Objections that are made against this day being the true time of the birth, with plain answers to them. pag. 56  
SECT. VII. Some other opinions among the ancients touching it, and how some of them may agree with what we have received, and the rest are of no weight against it; and there more especially of the ancient confusion of this Feast with that of the Epiphany. pag. 77    

JOANNIS SELDENI EPITAPHIUM.  

Joannes Seldenus  
Heic juxta situs;  
Natus est XVI Decembris MDLXXXIV  
Salvintoniae;  
Qui viculus est Terring Occidentalis  
in Sussexiae Maritimis;  
Parentibus honestis,  
Joanne Seldeno Thomae filio,  
è Quinis secundo.  
Anno MDXLI nate,  
Et  
Margareta filiâ & Haerede unicâ Thomae  
Bakeri de Rushington ex Equestri Bakerorum in Cantio familiâ, filius è cunis superstitum unicus, Aetatis ferè  
LXX annorum.  
Denatus est ultime die Novembris,  
Anno salutis reparatae  
MDCLIV.  
Per quam expectat heic Resurrectionem felicem.    

Of the Birthday of our SAVIOUR. Briefly, of the Anniversary Celebration of Birthday's: The state of the Question, and this Discourse digested into parts.  
IN the review of the 4 Chap. having occasion to speak of the authority of the Clementines, the eighth book of Constitutions, attributed to the Apostles, in which an express constitution is, that the Birthday of our Saviour should be celebrated on the 25 of December (or of the ninth month, as it is there called, being accounted from April as the first) I noted that Constitution for one character of that volum's being supposititious; in regard that in the Eastern Church (where those Constitutions being in Greek must by all probability have been in most use) the Celebration of that day was not received on the 25 of December, till the ancient tradition of it was learned from the Western, about 400 years after Christ; and some touch also I have there of the opinion of them that think that day not to be the true time of his birth. This passage hath been so conceived as if I had purposely called in question the celebration of that sacred day (which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as 
(a) Tom. 7. edit. Saviliana, page 375. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  St. chrysostom styles it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, as the main fort of all happiness, and the fountain and root of all good that we enjoy; and to call it in question, as if I supposed it were observed at that time without sufficient ground, and as if I were too inclining to the part of the hot-brained and disturbing Puritans, which impiously deny the keeping of a day as an anniversary feast consecrated to the birth of our blessed Saviour; from which my conscience was ever, and is most clearly free. For I knew, first, both from sacred & profane Story, that the anniversary days, 
(b) 200 Theodos. & Justin. de feriis. Sed de hac re plenè Martinus de Roa lib. de die Natali.  not only of Princes, but of some private men also, were with frequency ever observed, and the beginning of Cities under that name yearly celebrated: and even among the Heathen, those that professed such Philosophy as was nearest to true Divinity, that is, the Platonists, were most religious in keeping their Plato's birthday, which they received by tradition to be the 
(c) Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. cap. 1. Laertius in vita Plat. etc.  same with Apollo's, that is, the 7. day of the Attic month Thargelion (which answers to our April:) and this was still observed until the time of Plotinus and 
(d) Marsil. Ficinus comment. ad Plat. Sympos. cap. 1.  Porphyry, who lived about 270 years after our Saviour's birth; and after the discontinuance of it for many ages, it was revived in the days of our Grandfathers with much solemnity in the Duchy of Florence by Lorenzo Medici's. But he misplaced it in the year, while he and his guests being better Platonists than Chronologers, took the 7 of Thargelion to be the 7 of November: As also the old trifling Astrologers committed a like fault, while in the scheme 
(a) Firmicus Mathes. lib. 6. cap. 30.  of his Nativity they place the Sun in Pisces, which must denote our February, or the Attic Anthesterion. But however, an anniversary day was observed for his Birth: so was there anciently for the birth of some false Gods; for they had their certain days for the births of 
(b) Calend. vet. Rom. à G. Herwarto, naper editum, etc.  Mars, Apollo, Diana, Minerva, the Muses, Hercules, and others, and carefully observed them; and for Princes, and private persons, even to this day a celebration is in use at the yearly returning of their Birth-days. To deny therefore, with that wayward Sect, such an anniversary honour to the Saviour of the World, were but to think him less worthy of it than false Gods were esteemed by the Gentiles, than Princes by their Subjects, than private friends by their greater friends, whose birthdays they yearly celebrated. But of this I trust no man that truly deserves a name among Christians will make scruple. Some indeed (and those not a few among the learned) have doubted of the just time of the birth of our Saviour; which while they doubt, they offer the more occasion to others to question and impugn the celebration of it, as it is now settled in the Church; For if that were not the true day (as they argue) it follows that there were no more reason (save only what comes from the latter, and arbitrary constitutions of the Church) to keep that day than any other throughout the whole year, unless also some other day were found to be the exact time of it. But for myself here, as I was far from questioning the duty of it, so was I also from doubting of the right of Celebration of it on the very day of December whereon it is now kept. And to make clear my mind here, I shall now more largely, according to what His Majesty's most learned instructions have taught me, declare the certainty of that feast, as it is at this day observed, even from the eldest of the Christian times, and Apostolical tradition, received even from the practice of his Disciples; for it is one thing to deny (as I have done) that it was so ordained by the Apostles in those Clementines, (which I think all learned and ingenuous men will deny) and another and fardifferent thing to affirm, that the tradition of that day, as it is now kept, is both Apostolical, and as ancient as the birth itself; as I shall presently deliver in the deduction of the continuance of it, according as it is now observed through all Christendom. For although in the feast, and in all others unmoveable, there be the known difference of ten days (which were taken out of Octob. in the year MDLXXXII 
* Constit. sum. Pontif. p. 775. & Clavius in Kal. Greg. sive tom. 5.  by Pope Gregory the Thirteenth, when he reform the Julian Calendar) 'twixt us, with some few other States, and those which have received the Gregorian Calendar; yet both they and we agree in this, that upon the 25. of that Month (that is with us of our Julian December) this feast is ever to be observed. So that we meddle not here at all with any part of the differences 'twixt the Julian and Gregorian year, but only endeavour to make it certain, that on this day of that Month December that Feast hath ever been settled in the Western Church; from whence the Eastern also anciently received it. For it is clear, that upon what day soever of any Month an unmoveable feast is to be kept in our julian year, on the same day of the Month it is to be kept in the Gregorian; so that the proof here is equal for the use of both Accounts. Thus appears the state of the Question; and to this purpose, for order's sake, shall be showed,  
1. The Authorities of keeping it on this day both in the Eastern and Western Churches, about 400. years after our Saviour, and that then it was ancient in the Western Church, and known also under the name of the Winter-Solstice-day; which is especially here observable.  
2. For preparation of more particular proof of the tradition of this Feast-day, the supposition which the most primitive Ages had touching the time of the Solstices and Aequinoxes.  
3. That the keeping of it on this day was so received from tradition, even of the eldest times since our Saviour; and this justified from the Fathers, supposing it to have been upon the very day of the ancient Winter-Solstice.  
4. Express Testimonies to the same purpose out of ancient History, and a confirmation from the general use in the several Churches in Christendom.  
6. The chief Objections that are made against this days being the true time of the birth, with plain Answers to them.  
7. Some other Opinions among the Ancients touching it, and how some of them may agree with what we have received, and the rest are of no weight against it: And then more especially of the ancient confusion of this Feast with that of the Epiphany.  

SECT. I. The Authorities of keeping it on this day both in the Eastern and Western Churches about 400. years after our Saviour; and that then it was ancient in the Western Church, and known also under the name of the Winter-Solstice-day; which is especially here observable.  
FOr the first, that is, the Authorities of the received use of keeping this Feast on the 25 of December 400 years after Christ's Birth, they are frequent in S. Ambrose, S. chrysostom, S. Augustin, and others of the Fathers that lived about the end of those 400 years: Those three especially have many Sermons appropriated to the celebration of this day, and they frequently tell the people confidently, that the Birth of our Saviour was on the 25 of December, or the 8 Kalends of January; as also that the birth of Saint John Baptist was on the 8 Kalends of July, or the 24 day of June, according as to this day they are observed. Ecce, saith 
(a) Serm. de Temp. 8. & 10.  Saint Ambrose, in nativitate Christi dies crescit, & Johannis nativitate decrescit; illo oriente lux proficit, hoc nascente minuitur: That is, On our Saviour's Birthday the days begin to lengthen, and on St. John's to shorten; for the Fathers herein supposed the 25 of December to be the Winterat what time ever the days begin to lengthen; and the 24 of June to be the Summer-solstice, in which they contrariwise begin to shorten: and this was according to the ancienter Astronomy, out of which supposition in this Feast-day, the antiquity of the tradition shall be also presently confirmed. And to this purpose of the Summer-solstice at St John's Birth, and of the Winter at our Saviour's, they apply (I dispute not how well) that in St. John, 
* D. Joan. c. 3. comm●n. 30.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. He must increase, but I must be diminished. So St. Augustine also, Natus 
† D. Aug. serm. ded versis 40. & 59 l. 4. advers. Crescon. c. 37. & in Psalm. 132.  est Johannes hodiè, ab hodierno minuuntur dies; natus est Christus 8 Kalend. Januarias, ab illo die crescunt dies. And enough to this purpose occurs in others of that 
* D. Hiero. in epist. de celebr. Pasch. tom. 4.  age, wherein these two Births were observed, and only these two, and that in all, or the greatest part of Christendom; Solius Domini (saith 
† Serm. de fanctis 2.  St. Augustine) & Beati Iohannis dies Nativitatis in universo mundo celebratur & colitur. But it being clearly plain that about this time of 400 years passed after our Saviour, this 25 day was so observed, and taken generally for his Birthday, it falls next to inquire the original whence it was so taken: Had those Clementines been of sufficient credit, there had been no need to have made any further inquiry; for than we might have thence resolved that the Apostles had ordained it; and it had been fit for them that stand so much for the Authority of those Constitutions, to have proved that the Apostles had done so, that so they might have cleared that supposititious Volume of such a Character of falsehood. For doubtless had such a Constitution been published in that Volume, and by the Apostles, the Eastern Church had not so long been ignorant of it, as it appears by St. Chrysostom they were: For until some 10 years before his Sermon 
† D. Chrys. edit. Savilianâ, tom. 5: fo. p. 511.  made upon this day, especially for the truth of the time of the Feast, that Church had not been generally instructed with this certainty of it; for than it was newly learned from the Western Church, in which even from Thrace to Cadiz (as he tells us from such as instructed him) it was so observed. But although that Ordinance touching it in the Clementines, attributed to the Apostles, be supposititious, yet there is great reason for us to think that the tradition of this Feast to be so kept on that day was Apostolical, that is, taught and deduced into the Church (though not in writing) both from the Apostles, and first Disciples and Observers of our Saviour. Quid autem (saith 
* Advers. Hares. l. 3. c. 4.  Irenaeus) si neque Apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis, nun oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderunt iis quibus committebant Ecclesias? And we shall here use aptly enough the very words also of Tertul. 
† De corona militis c. 4.  speaking of divers observations in both Sacraments, and other parts of Christian Religion in his time, which was near the Apostles; Harum & aliarum ejusmodi Disciplinarum si legem expostules scripturarum, nullam invenies: But, traditio praetendetur auctrix, consuetudo confirmatrix, & fides observatrix. But for the order of proof here (it being first cleared that this tradition was about the time of those Fathers that testify it commonly received in Christendom) before we come to the particular deductions of it out of the elder ages that preceded them, we shall here not untimely first note, that as it was commonly received as a thing then settled, so was it generally thought of as what was then very ancient. So says St. Chrysostom expressly, 
* Serm. dict. item in hom. 34. tom. 2. edit. Basil. & in serm. 27. the nat. Jo. Baptist. codem tom.  being instructed from learned men of the Western Church, it was then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, of ancient time, and delivered in the Church many years before, as his words are; and yet, saith he, it is new too, new in the Eastern Church, because (as he writes) we have so lately learned it, that is, within ten years since; but he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. i. old and very ancient, in that it is even of equal age with the ancienter feast-days which they had received: and again, though it came but lately into the Eastern Church, yet it was, saith he, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. well known from ancient time to those that were of the Western Church. And St. Augustine also 
* Enarrat. in Psalm. 132.  expressly says that the birth was upon this day, sic tradit Ecclesia; which denotes great antiquity even in his time: and in 
* Serm. de sanct. 4.  another place speaking of the celebration of St. john Baptists birthday, which was received with this, it seems, by a like tradition, Hoc majorum traditione suscepimus, (saith he) hoc ad posteros imitanda devotione transmittimus. These passages alone are enough testimony that this Feast-day thus placed was reputed in those times, that is, about 400. years after Christ, very ancient: But to know how ancient it was more particularly, it behoves us to look backward from those times by such degrees, as that by careful observing one of them after another, up towards the times of our Saviour, we may be herein instructed according to the occurrence of such testimony as may make to the end of the inquiry; and I doubt not but we shall so well enough at length find it received in the Church, in the Western Church, even from Apostolical tradition, derived from observation, while yet our Saviour was on the earth. But to begin this course of inquiry by looking back by degrees from the time of St. Chrysostom, and the rest of the Fathers of about his age, we shall first look on the time of near 100 years before them, that is, of Constantine the Great, and the first general Council of Nice, held in the year 325. at which time we shall with sufficient arguments first show, that this Feast was kept on the 25. of December, as now it is, and that then also from ancienter time; against those which suppose the beginning of it no elder than after or about Constantine: And from thence we shall go upward to the Apostles. But because that hath first reference to the time of this Council, and makes much otherwise also for confirmation of the antiquity of this, and the celebration of the day (as shall be presently showed) consists especially in observation of the name of the time under which those Fathers received, denoted and celebrated it, that is, of the very day of the Winter-Solstice, with reference to the Spring-Aequinox, as to the time of the conception of our Saviour, and to the Summer-Solstice, and Autumn-Aequinox, as to St. john's birth and conception; it is first here requisite that we shortly open the ancient supposition which the most primitive times had touching those four beginnings of the Quarters of the year, which (being much different from what was received, both at the time of the Council of Nice, and before it, and somewhat is also yet retained in Church-cycles) will make way for confirmation of the received opinion of that sacred Birthday.   

SECT. II. For preparation of more particular proof of the Tradition of this Feast-day, the supposition which the most Primitive Ages had touching the time of the Solstices and Aequinoxes.  
THe ancient and civil supposition of the Solstices and Aequinoxes, (in which an express character is found of the Antiquity of this Tradition, as shall be presently showed) was both before and about our Saviour's Birthday, (especially in the Roman Empire) of another kind from that which either at this day is, or at the time of the Birth was agreeable to the more accurate and natural Astronomy; I mean, the supposition which was generally received in their Characters and Parapegmata, which denoted both their Sacrifices, Feast-days, and Country-observations for matter of Husbandry: For they supposed in those Calendars, that the Sun's entrance into the 1 degree of Aries was on the 15 Kalends of April in the Julian year, that is, on the 18 day of March; but that the spring-aequinox was not until the 8 Kalends of April, that is, the 17 of June, they placed the Sun's first entrance into Cancer; but the Solstice on 8 Kalends, that is, on the 24 of June. So the 15 Kalends of October, or the 17 of September, was their supposed time of the Sun's first entrance into Libra; but the Autumn-aequinox on the 8 Kalends, or the 24 of September; and according to these the first entrance of the Sun into Capricorn they placed on the 15 Kalends of january, or the 18 of December: So that the Aequinoxes and Solstices were not supposed in the first entrance, or in the 1 degree of those 4 signs (as at this day they are, and many ages since have been) but at such time as the Sun held the 8 degrees of them. For the Sun's proper Diurnal motion being about a degree, it so fell out in their Calculation, that 8 days being reckoned from the first entrance into every of those signs (as is seen in the examples) on the 8 day the Sun was in the 8 degrees of those signs, and then made the supposed time of Solstices and Aequinoxes. The testimonies of this kind of placing in those times are frequent. Ovid 
* Fastorum l. 6.  expressly teacheth us so for the Summer-solstice. But in the Calendar that is commonly joined with him, and received by others, it is therein mistaken. The like for all four do Pliny, 
† Hist. nat. l. 2. c. 19 l. 18. c. 25. & 29.  Columel, 
* De re Rusticâ c. 14. & l. 11. c. 2.  Vitruvius, 
† Architect. l. 9 c. 5.  Martianus Capella 
* Nupt. Philol. & Mercur. , the Scholiast on Germanicus his Aratus, and the Author of the fragment joined with Censorinus: And of the natural forces of the two Tropiques or Solstices, to this purpose Manilius; 
† Astron. l. 3. ad extreme.  
Has quidam vires octauâ in parte reponunt;  
Sunt quibus esse placet decimas; nec defuit Author  
Qui primae momenta daret, fraenosque dierum.   
Meaning that the common opinion was, they were (with the Aequinoxes) in the eight part of their signs, but that some thought them otherwise; some in the tenth, some (as they ought) in the first. But this opinion of the eight parts, and so by consequence of those times of the Aequinoxes and Solstices was a most ancient tradition, and retained still in their Calendars, or Fasti, made for civil, sacred and rustic use; notwithstanding that the more accurate Astronomers had found it to be an error; not otherwise then at this day those which keep the julian and Dionysian account in the Church, (as we in Great Britain) suppose the spring-aequinox on the 21 of March, though the known Astronomy teach us that it anticipates about 11 days. And as it happens in like cases, they still retained what had been from ancient time settled in the State, neglecting the corrected Astronomy; and that especially because those old Calendars were already fitted to their Feasts and Sacrifices, and were more known to the people, who could not but have been much troubled with an innovation of the time of all their public solemnities. Neither Sosigenes in his divers amendments of the year made upon julius Caesar's commands, or the rest after him so employed, altar any thing in this supposition: All which is fully expressed in that of Columella, in his Precepts of Husbandry; where having first spoken of the Solstices and Aequinoxes, falling upon the 8 degrees of those signs, he presently thus admonishes: 
Agricult. 1. p. c. 14.  Nec me fallit (saith he) Hipparchi ratio, quae docet Solstitia & Aequinoctia non octavis, sed primis partibus signorum confici: Verum in hac ruris disciplina sequor Eudoxi & Metonis, antiquorumque fastos Astrologorum, qui sunt aptati publicis sacrificiis; quia & notior est ista velus Agricolis concepta opinio. He gives here the true reason why that supposition was retained; but, by the way, is deceived in this, that he takes Eudoxus and Meton to be of those ancienter Astronomers from whom it was received. It is true indeed that in the old 
† Parap. quod gemino subnectitur.  Parapegmata, which show us that according to. Calippus and Euctemon, the Solstices and Aequinoxes were at the first entrance of the Sun into the signs proper for them: Eudoxus yet had otherwise placed them; as for the purpose, the spring-aequinox on the 6 day after the Sun's entrance into Aries, and the Winter-solstice on the 4 day after the 1 entrance into Capricorn: But we find not that he had taught this learning of the 8 days or parts; no more do we that Meton was any teacher of it; although also for this particular, beside the published Parapegmata, I made special search also for it in Ptolemy's 
* Cod. Ms. est V C. Henrici Savill Eq. Aurati; mihi verè communicavit pro suâ humanitate V C. T. Bambridge Medicinae D & Mathematicus egregius.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Book never yet printed, but fraught with divers pieces of the Parapegmata both of Meton and Eudoxus; and wholly another thing from that which goes under a like name for Ptolemy's, published at the end of some Editions of Ovid's Fasti. Beside, it is certain that the Summer-Solstice observed by Meton with Euctemon in the 316. year of Nabonassar, that is about CCCCXL. before Christ, was upon the 21. of the Egyptian Month Phamenoth, as 
* Mathemat. Syntax. l. 3.  Ptolemy expressly testifies, which for that time agrees with the 27. of the julian june. Neither Eudoxus therefore, nor Meton, thus placed the Solstices on the 8. Kalends of their Months. Others of late time have much troubled themselves to find the ground or original whence this supposition came among the Ancients; as especially Cardinal Contaren, Genesius de Sepulveda, and most of all Joseph Scaliger; but their conjectures are most uncertain, and too weak to rely on. Neither, I guess, will the original be found among any of the Ancients that are classic in Authority, but in a Transcript of some parts of a Latin Translation by Abraham de Balmis, of a Book titled 
† Copiam mihi perhumaniter fecit v. c. Jac. Usherus, sacrae Theol. D. undiquaque doctissimus.  Isagogicon Astrologiae Ptolomaei, (which indeed appears to be Geminus Phaenomena) compared with the Greek; I find these words, as if they were but translated from the first Author, Vterque Tropicus, & ambo Aequinoxia, secundum Astrologorum Graecorum opinionem, fiunt in primis gradibus horum Signorum; sed secundum Chaldaeorum opinionem, in octavis gradibus: but the Greek copy had no such thing; though it be like enough that the copy whence he translated it had, that is an Arabic copy of Geminus, who, as Euclid also, Ptolemy, Aristotle, much of Galen, and other Greek Authors, was turned out of Greek into Arabic, and thence into Latin, long before the Greek itself was translated immediately into Latin, as we have it at this day: and it appears that his translation was from an Arabic copy, in that alone, that the parapegma which is at the end of this Latin Geminus, hath the names of Eudoxus, Calippus, Euctemon, Dolitheus and Meton, so varied as frequently other names are, which are expressed out of Arabic letters into Latin in like translations; as for Eudoxus, it hath Orchalis; for Calippus, Philidis; for Euctemon, Octiman; for the other two, Dussionius and Matheon; all which plainly mistaken by the translator, when he found either the names written without essential points in the Arabic character, or else mis-transcribed, as it might easily be, by such a writer that was not worthy to be trusted to; for the mishaping of a letter, or the doubling of a point, and the like, soon makes such variance of names expressed out of that Language. But for the matter of the 8 degrees, and the Solstices and Aequinoxes referred to them, here is authority that it had original from 
* 9 Kal. Jan. Brumale solstitium observant Chaldaei, ait Columella, ●. l. 11. c. 2.  the Chaldees, which I yet think is as far from truth as that of Columel's; neither is this a fit place to make larger inquiry after it. It here sufficeth to show it manifest, that this placing of those parts of the year was observed from anicnet time, and that especially in the State of Rome; as we see also in those their old Country-Feasts, the Robegalia, the Floralia, the Vinalia; which were the three main Feasts wherein from ancient time they made intercession to their gods against all hurt that might happen to their green Corn, and the ripening of the fruits, and their Vintage; and were kept and so noted by * Varro, according to another account of the Sun's place or motion than is before delivered. And according to this account are the Aequinoxes and Solstices in Venerable Bede's Ephemeris, noted with the addition of juxta quosdam to be understood, although in the Print they somewhat vary it: but it is clear, that in his December the Solstitium juxta quosdam, and in his March the Aequinoctium juxta quosdam, are both placed a day before they should be, that is, they ought to be on the 8. Calends, (not the 9) the one of january, the other of April; with which the Solemnising in Capricorn, and the Solemnising in Aries, there before noted, to the 15. Calends, exactly suppose the Solstice in the 8. degree of Capricorn, and the Aequinox in the 8. of Aries, that is, in the 25. days of their Months; reference being still had to this ancient account, which he, being most curious in the cycles of time, 
† Apud Plin. l. 8. c. 19 & Scholiaest. ad Aratea prognostica.  would not omit; although his Ephemeris were purposely made for the Dionysian year, which also he hath together expressed in the same columns: But, I suppose, the chief reason why these two stand so displaced, is, because the noting of the birth of St. Anastasia was thought more necessary to the 8. Cal. of jan. than this old supposed Solstice to be added, it was cast upon a void place of a line next preceding. The same may be said of the Spring-aequinox, which had no room on the 8 Kalend of April in the Column, by reason of the conception and passion of our Saviour together noted to that day; and that he is so to be understood, he himself elsewhere is 
† De Temb. ratione, c. 28.  testimony enough, expressly relating this ancient course of accounting the Solstices and Aequinoxes: So that his Ephemeris is a special example of it, if rightly understood; as also is that Calendarium Romanum, lately cut in Brass, and so published from the print, as supposed to be as ancient as Constantine the Great; where the Summer-solstice is indeed by the cutters or transcribers fault set to the 7 Kalend of july, which plainly should have been on the eighth, and the Sun's entrance into Cancer is on the 17 Kalend which should be on the 15, as also the Sun's entrance into Aries should have been placed on the 15 Kalend of April, which agrees just with the Feast of Hilaria being on the 8 Kalend. And according to this supposition of the ancients, did that learned Gentleman, George Herwart van Hochenburg, (out of whose Library this Calendar was lately published) judiciously declare the reason of those differences that appear in it from the later Astronomy; and in his Letter written to Signior Haleander, a Gentleman of curious learning in Rome, the Copy whereof was thence sent me through the hand of that learned and worthy Gentleman Monsieur Pierese, an Advocate in the Parliament of Aix; and this some two years since, when 'twixt him and myself, and from him to Haleander divers Letters passed touching the particulars and authority of that Calendar.   

SECT. III. That the keeping of it this day was so received from tradition, even of the eldest times since our Saviour; and this justified from the Fathers, supposing it to have been on the very day of the ancient Winter-solstice.  
THat ancient supposition of the Solstices and Aequinoxes being thus hitherto first opened, let us in looking back by degrees, first (as is before proposed) begin with the time of the Council of Nice, held in the year of our Saviour 325. It will so appear, that before that Council, this Feast was established in the Western Church, and that by the general testimony of those Fathers, which with one voice suppose it as formerly placed on the very day of the Winter-solstice; for had it been begun after or about the time of that Council, and withal supposed to have aught to have been kept on the Winter-solstice day, then doubtless would they have placed it on that day which was received in the Church to be the Winter-solstice-day, after or about the same Council, as at this day in the Gregorian year, who doubts but that a Feast to be newly instituted on an Aequinox or Solstice, or with reference to either of those times, would be placed by them which have received that Reformation on the Aequinoxes or Solstices, or with reference to them according as they are in the corrected Calendar, and not as they fall in the Ju●ian or Dionysian year? For example also, what greater testimony were there (if all other were lost) to prove the antiquity of that very kind of keeping the Feast of Easter as we do in our Church, to be of the Primitive time, than this, that the Paschales termini are retained still according to the Spring-aequinox received in the Primitive times? Now to make clear our purpose, here it is also certain that about and after that Council of Nice, the Spring-oequinox according whereunto the Paschal-cycles were made, was supposed in the Church upon the 21 of March, as it is seen also in the Paschal-account used to this day in the Church of England; so that it was become four days sooner than in those elder times, when it fell in common opinion on the 25 day: but when the Spring-aequinox was so changed, and according to the change also received, it could not but follow that the beginning of the other three parts of the year must also be altered, that is plainly seen in the known course of the Sun's motion. And therefore the Solstices and the other Aequinoxes must also vary in their months, and by a like or very 
* Vide sis Marcel. Francolin. de temp. hor. canonic. c. 75 & 76.  near like difference of days anticipate, as they are accordingly cited in Bede's Ephemeris, who 
† De temp. Nat. c. 28.  elsewhere also admonishes us as much. Therefore it must follow too, that about and after that general Council the time of the Winter-solstice was placed (and so supposed in Ecclesiastical account) upon the 21 or 22 of December. But if it had been so received when this Feast-day was first ordained, and specially placed on the Solstice-day (as the Fathers generally by tradition from former times place it) there had been necessary cause enough to have had it fallen yearly three or four days sooner than it did, both in the Primitive times and at this day, that is, on the 21 or 22 of the same month. By consequence it was then ordained or received in the Church, at such time as the Winter-solstice was not supposed on the 21 or 22 day of the same month, but on the 25, that is, at least before that Council of Nice, or Constantine the Great, howsoever too rashly some have delivered 
* Jos. Scal. de emendat. Temp. l. 6. p. 510. & Calvisius Isagog. chron. c. 46.  of it, that post seculum Constantim Romae haec observatio instituta est. Neither can Objection have power here, which perhaps may obviously be brought to impugn this kind of argument; that is, that it might notwithstanding be ordained first in the later part of the primitive times, or after Constantine, or that Council, in such sort that it might be placed on the day of the Solstice that was received at the time of the birth, that is, the 25. day, and not that which the received account had so innovated: for this Objection is partly answered before in the passage of Feasts at this day to be ordained, with reference to the Solstices in the Gregorian Calendar: and besides, if the Church about this time after Constantine had regarded in a new Institution the Solstice of the time of the birth, according as it was then to be found in the Month, it must be that they either regarded the true and natural, or the received and civil Solstice. For the first, if they had been so curious as to have sought what the true place of the Winter solstice to this purpose had been in the age of that birth, as they had indeed sought for the true Aequinox of their own time for their direction of Easter, they had found that the true Solstice anticipated the 25. day about two days; for, by the most accurate calcularion to the noon of the Meridian of Bethlehem, on the 25. of December, in the year commonly attributed to the birth of our Saviour, the Sun was in the second degree of Capricorn, and some minutes over, as 
* Comment. ad Ptolem. quadripartit. l. 2. come. 54. & Vide sis Clavium ad cap. 1. Joh. de Sacro bosco. Alter quidem Colurus, p. 297. edit. 4. 1602.  Cardan also places it in the scheme of that nativity; whence it must clearly follow, that about the 23. day was the very point of the Winter-solstice, the diurnal true motion of that time of the year in the Perigaeum being somewhat more than a degree. No place was then for this true Solstice in such their consideration of the birth-time, if they had thus inquired after it, unless they would have instituted the Feast (under that name of time) on the 23. day, and not on the 25. For the second, what colour have we to think that they should in those times have retained the old supposition of the civil Solstice for their Institution of this Feast-day, and yet so carefully alter the formerly-received aequinox for Easter? This of the birth being as the head and rule of the chiefest  Feasts, as that of the Passion and Resurrection is of the movable. Would they have retained the same error upon Institution of a new Feast, which with so much curiosity they corrected in establishing the certainty of an old one? It rests firm therefore, that whensoever it was first instituted for anniversary celebration, it was in such an Age as had the supposition of the Winter-solstice being on the 25. day of December yet retained in the Church; otherwise what dependence were there 'twixt the name of the Feast and the Solstice? But that dependence is by the consent of the Fathers fully testified, as a tradition of former times; and the latest Age which in the Church retained that supposition, must at least be before the Council of Nice, as is already showed; therefore at least the Institution of it must precede that Council.  
This being hitherto deduced, it will in the next degree of searching backward follow also, if we can prove the received supposition of the Church touching the time of the Winter-solstice to have been long before this Council, agreeable to that which here is showed to the time of it, that the first observation or Institution of this Feast, under the name of the Solstice upon the 25. day, was also long before that Council. Now as the Spring-aequinox changed from the 25. to the 21. so did the Winter-solstice of necessity change also, as is before showed: But the Spring-aequinox was also at least some 50. years before that Council, upon the 21. or 22. of March, by the received supposition of them from whose direction the Church-cycles were principally guided, that is, of the Egyptians, and especially those of Alexandria; so is the express 
* Apud Euseb. hist. eccles. l. 7. c. 26.  testimony of Anatolius, born and bred in Alexandria, but Bishop of Laodicea in the time of Aurelian, about 270 years after our Saviour. He shows that then the 11 Kalends of April, that is, the 22 of March was the supposed Aequinox; which agrees well enough with that of the 21, if regard be had to that variation which the hours out of which the Leap-year is made must of necessity be a cause of, as Bede 
† In epist. ad Wichred de Paschatis celebration●, tom. 2.  withal in explanation of Anatolius hath taught us: The same Bede well admonishing, that it was Regula Niceno probato Concilio, not statuta, 
* Wilfrid apud Bedam, hist. Angl. l. 3. c. 25.  to have that time received for the Spring-aequinox. And indeed the very words of the Epistles sent out of that Council touching it, and the Church-stories plainly prove it to have been generally known and received in the Church, both of the West, North, South, and part of the East long before. In Constantine's Epistle 
† Euseb. de vita Constant. l. 3. c. 18. Socrat. hist. l. 5. c. 21. Nicephor. l. 12. c. 33.  to the Churches of Christendom sent presently upon the Council, it is expressed that it was so generally received before; and Ruffinus speaking of the Council, tells us, that, 
* Hist. eccles. l. 10. c. 6.  De observatione Paschae, antiquum Canonem, per quem nulla de reliquo varietas oriretur, tradiderunt. Nothing therefore can be clearer than that the aequinox of the 21 or 22 of March, according to the difference before noted, was ancient in the traditions of the Church, long before the Nicene Council: Otherwise they had as well in express terms innovated the aequinox, as established uniformity in observing their Easter by it. Therefore also was the Winter-solstice about the 21 or 22 of December in the traditions of the Church long before that Council then: what follows hence touching the institution of the Feast which we inquire after, is according to the former inferences most apparent, for so much time as those testimonies reach back unto.  
To go farther up in a third degree, it will be also justified, that the Aequinox, and by consequence another Winter-solstice then that of the 25 day of December, was not only ancienter than the Nicene Council in the Church-cycles, but also equal to the Apostles times. For although we find in the Church-story great differences of the Primitive times touching the keeping of Easter, and divers cycles and Canons made for it, yet those differences are chief about the day of the week whereon it should be kept, as between the Tessareskaidecatoi and the Churches of the West, but never (in any testimony of credit) about the diversity of supposition of the Aequinox that directs it, otherwise than according to that in Anatolius, which stands with the received time of the 21 of March, as is already noted; I say in any testimony of credit, for under favour of the learned, I conceive not that attributed to Theophilus' Bishop of Caesaria, and published at the end of Bedes Epistle to 
* Tom 2. p. 232 edit. Colon.  Wichred, where the 25 day is supposed for the Aequinox to be other then supposititious, the whole shape of it hath the Character of counterfeiting: But the Aequinox is still (for aught appears) supposed the same in that Controversy about Easter had under 
* Euseb. eccles. hist. l. 5. c. 22. etc.  Pope Victor about the year CXC. as it was in the Council of Nice, and the same also before Victor, even up to the time of the Apostles. What else is denoted in that of Proterius, Patriarch of Alexandria to P. Leo the First, where he tells 
† Apud Bed. de temp. rat. c. 42. & Vide sis Ceolfrid apud eund. hist. eccls. l. 5. c. 22.  him that St. Mark had taught the Egyptians (according as he had learned from St. Peter) that Easter was to be observed after the XIV. moon of the first month, the first month here was known by the spring-aequinox, of which if they had not been agreed, as much trouble (or more) would have been in establishing of that, as there was in clearing what day of the week the sacred Feast of Easter was to be kept on. The like is affirmed of the Apostolical tradition of that uniform celebration of Easter, by Ceolfrid in his Epistle to Naitan King of the Picts: And to confirm more fully that the observation of it established by the Nicene Council was such as had been even from the beginning of Christianity, or the Apostles time, the very words of the Epistle sent by that Council to the Churches of Egypt and afric are, that now the controversy was ended touching Easter, and that those of the Eastern Church that had before followed the jews in observing it on the XIV. Moon, did hold it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
* Socrat. bist. eccles. l. 1. c. 6.  i Agreeable to the Romans, to us, and to all you who from the beginning observe Easter as we do; or, Consone cum Romanis, & vobiscum, & cum omnibus ab initio Pascha custodientibus, as Cassiodore anciently translated it; 
† Hist. Tripart. l. ●. c. 12.  which shows also that in Socrates he read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, from the beginning, as some Copies are; and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i.e. from ancient time, as in others the reading is. It follows therefore, that even from the beginning, that is, from the Apostles time, the same Spring-aequinox was received in the Church, that is, the 21 or 22 of March as was afterward; and that it was thence established on the 21 by the Council of Nice, and that by consequence, in those times of the Apostles, the formerly-received aequinox was altered from the 25 to the 22 or 21; and so also (as of necessity it follows) the Winter-solstice from the 25 of December to near about the 21 or 22 of the same month. Whence also it is to be concluded, that this Feast day was received as to be kept on the 25 day even before the Apostles time, and that among the Disciples of our Saviour, while he was yet on earth, that is, while in common reputation the 25. day of December was taken for the Winter-solstice: Otherwise what colour were there why the consent of the Fathers should denote it by that civil Winter-solstice which was out of use in the Church, both in their time, and been so likewise from the times of the Apostles, that is, from some time after the Passion of our Saviour, before which there was no need at all (for the establishing of our Easter, which was to be ruled by the Spring-aequinox) to vary the placing of those points of the Quarters of the year? But it being commonly received, out of the account and Calendar of the Gentiles, that the 25. of December was the Solstice, and that on the same day our Saviour was born, it grew familiar, it seems, and so was delivered down to those Fathers, that the birthday was on the very Winter-solstice, which they so often inculcate: But the Apostles and Evangelists not being able perhaps in the infancy of the Church to settle the anniversary celebration of Easter, until about their later times, that is, about 100 years after this birth, carefully observed, and especially St. Peter and St. Mark, where the natural aequinox was, according to which the Solstices ever vary, and so found it in that time about the 22. or 21. of March, as by exact calculation it will happen, according to that before noted touching Anatolius; and hence they delivered the knowledge of the change of those Quarters of the year to posterity. But also, because even from the very birth itself the 25. day of December had been kept, or known for it, notwithstanding that it was in vulgar opinion conceived to have been on the day attributed to the civil Solstice, 
* In common reputation among the Gentiles; yet would they not vary it from that day, because indeed it had no reference to the Solstice.  which anticipated it three days, as is before showed, but was proper to the 25. day of December only, as it was the 25. of that Month: Although those Fathers, being none of the best Astronomers, thought still however the Solstice was altered in their times, that at the time of the birth the natural Solstice had fallen on the 25. day, and then only they so often note it, mistaking vulgar supposition delivered in the Kalendars of the Gentiles for exact calculation.   

SECT. iv Express testimonies to the same purpose out of ancient History, and a Confirmation from the general use in the several Churches of Christendom.  
NEither is this antiquity of certainty only thus proved from the common joining the Feast with the Winter-solstice in the Father's expressions of it, but also from express testimonies denoting as much in relations of the ancients. In which to observe first a like course, as before, in going upward from the time of those Fathers toward the Apostles, we find, that many years before the Council of Nice, that is, under Dioclesian, this Feast was thus celebrated, and that in some part of the Eastern Church also; however that Church was not generally instructed in it, till in St. Chrysostoms' age; For in the Church-story 
* Nicephor. Calistus, l. 7. c. 6.  it appears, that under that Emperor, Anthimus Bishop of Nicomedia, together with many thousand Christians, were assembled to keep that Feast-day; when as the Emperor, or his fellow-Persecutor Maximinus, commanded fire to be put to the Church wherein they were assembled, and that none of them should escape that would not sacrifice presently to jupiter Victor; whereupon they all willingly received the Crown of Martyrdom: and in the ancient Martyrology of Rome, the passion of those Martyrs is placed on the 25 of December in these words, Nicomediae passio multorum millium Martyrum, qui cum in Christi natali ad dominicum convenissent, etc. which also for the time is justified by the Greek 
† ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Menologie, where the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. that is, Anthimus assembling in his Church a multitude of Christians on the Feast-day of Christ's Birth, kept the Feast with them, etc. But indeed the Greek Church casts this Feast of the Martyrs on the 28 of December, as they do also upon other days the 
* Menol. ad dictos dies.  memories of St. Eugenia and St. Anastasia (both which the Western Churches retain with this Birthday on the 25) the one on the 22, the other on the 24 day. But this was done by them only, because the more single honour might be given both to our Saviour's Birth, and to those other names, being so divided:  horum solennitatem (speaking of those Martyrs saith 
† Old Martyrol. 8 Kalend Jan.  Baronius) celebriùs agerent, cam transtulerunt. As also among the jews a Translation was often used of their feasts from one day to another, that two Sabbaths or great Feasts might not concur, as their 
* Talmud. massec. Rosh. Hassana.  Doctors deliver. Hence than it is enough also manifest, first, that by ancient testimony of the Monuments of the Church, this Feast was thus observed before Constantine, or that Council of Nice which was held many years after the death of Dioclesian.  
But also to look farther upon the times preceding this Martyrdom, we shall find good testimony that it was taught to posterity to be kept so, even by the Apostles, who knew it as a clear certainty while our Saviour was yet on earth: For though they ordained it not in those Constitutions falsely attributed to them, or in any other Writer, yet might they teach it as a tradition to be received ever to the Church, as they did the changing of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first of the week; the solemn Renunciation of the Devil at Baptism; the keeping of Easter on the Sunday, or the like, quas sine ullius Scripturae instrumento, as 
* De corona militis, c. 3.  Tertullian says, solius traditionis titulo, exinde consuetudinis patrocinio, vindicamus. To this purpose, among St. Chrysostoms' Works in Latin, one Homily is 
† Edit. Bass●. tom. 2. hom. 39  De Nativitate Domim, as the Latin title is, for the Greek of that Homily I have not yet seen; wherein he confidently, as elsewhere, teaches, that this day of December is the just day of that birth, and for his authority brings no less than St. Peter's testimony; Petrus, are the words, qui hic fuit cum Joh. qui hìc fuit cum Jac. nos in occidente docuit; which hath plain reference to that before noted out of his long Oration for the same matter, where he tells 
* Edit. Savil: tom. 5. p. 512.  us also, that in the controversies of those times touching this Feast, such as defended it as what ought to be kept on this day, justified that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. Very ancient and from old time known, and famous from Thract to Cadis, that is in the whole Western Church. To these may be added that of Euodius, whom Nicephoras calls the Successor of the Apostles, and it is delivered 
† Suid in verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  that it was ordained by St. Peter himself in Antioch; that we may so distinguish him from that other Euodius' Bishop of Vzalis 
* Cujus nomini ascribuntur opera aliquot ad sin tom. 10. D. Aug. subjunc●● edit. Lova●●ensi.  in St. Augustine's time; he in an Epistle touching the times of the Passion of our Saviour, of St. Stephen's Martyrdom, of the death of the blessed Virgin, and the like, says expressly of her, (as the Latin is in 
* Eccles. bist. l. 2. c. 3.  Nicephorus, translated by Langius, for neither have I the Greek of him) Peperit autem mundi ipsius lucem, annum agens quindecimum 25. die mensis Decembris. And likewise in an old Greek Author (the Book being written about the time of Pope Honorius the First) in the Library of St. Mark's in Florence, express testimony is, Apostolos memoriae prodidisse Christum ex Virgine natum Bethlemae 25. Decembris, as Albertus Widemonstadius of his own sight witnesseth in his Notes on that impious Book called Mahomet's Divinity, and brings also Hesychius his authority to the same purpose. And to these may be added Cedrens, Orosius, and some ancient Manuscripts Fasti cited by Cuspinian upon Cassiodore; and there is authority also, 
† Catholicus Armeniorum in legatione ad Arvienios malè legitur 20 Dec. tam. in Biblioth. Patrum edit. Paris. tom. 3. p. 864. quam in edit. Colon. tom. 12. part. 1. p. 891. Nam Graece erat ●e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. quod videre est apud Jos. Scalig. in Isagog. chron. l. 3. p. 30.  that however Epiphamus in his Works have another designation of the day of this birth, (as anon is showed) yet out of the Monuments of the Jews he learned, and then taught, that this was the very day; which they say was justified also by some Writers brought to Rome from Jerusalem by Titus; which also is strengthened by that of St. chrysostom, when he says 
* Tom. 5. eait. Savil. sol. 12.  expressly, that in public Records kept at Rome in his age, the exact time of the description under Quirinus, spoken of by St. Luke, (which could not but be a special character of the time of our Saviour's birth) was expressed; and then he goes on, But what is this to us, saith he, that neither are at Rome, nor have been there, that so we might be sure of it? yet hearken, saith 
* Ibid. p. 513.  he, and doubt not; for we have received the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. from those which accurately know these things, and dwell at Rome; And that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. having from ancient time and old tradition celebrated it, have now also sent us the knowledge of it. This is likewise confirmed by an old barbarous Translation of what was taken out of Africanus and Eusebius, and published in the noble Scaliger's Thesaurus Temporum, where the words are, Aug. & Sylvano Coss Dominus noster Jesus Christus natus est sub Augusto 8. calendas januarias: and then, In ipsa die in qua natus est pastores viderunt stellam, Chuac 28. which should rather be 29. for so agrees the 25. of December to that of the Egyptian Choiac, which the Author means. And Prudentius upon the day, supposing the 
† In hymn. ad calend. 8 Jan.  old tradition of the concurrence of the Solstice with it, 
Quid est quod arctum circulum  
Sol jam recurrens deserit?  
Christusne terris nascitur,  
Qui lucis auget tramitem?  
Hic ille natalis dies,  
Quo te Creator ard●us  
Spiravit, & limo indidit,  
Sermone carnem glutinant.  And of later times the Authorities are infinite.  
These testimonies being compared with the consent of the Fathers, that about 400. years after Christ have written that it was ancient, as is already showed; and being confirmed by the arguments made against the supposed later institution of it, out of the place of the received Winter-solstice, enough manifest the antiquity and certainty of this ancient Feast-day, according as we now observe it; and that even from the age wherein it first brought forth the redemption of Mankind. And to these we may add the consent of Christian Churches ever since about those 400. years; for after that the Eastern or Greek Church of Asia had learned the truth of it from the Western, (as is delivered) this celebration of it yearly increased, and grew still more famous through Christendom: so expressly St. Chrysostom, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith 
* Pan●g. in di 〈…〉 dit. Sau. l. to n. 5. p. 512.  he, i.e. Every year it increased and grew more famous. But indeed, because in some places it was not as yet so received, but that old erroreous opinion touching it (as it happens in like cases, and shall anon be more particularly showed) still held there place among some that were too wayward to be brought to prefer truth newly discovered to them before their own errors, therefore about 100 years after St. chrysostom, it was expressly ordained by the Emperor justin (if my Author deceive not) that in every place of the Christian world it should be thus observed: My Author here is Nicephorus 
* Hist. eccles. l. 17. c. 28.  Calistus, who (as the Translation of him is) tells us first of justinian, that he Primùm Servatoris exceptionem (that is, the Hypatants, which in our Western Church is the Purification of the blessed Virgin) tot● orbe terrarum festo die honorare instituit: and then he adds, sicut Iustinus de sancta Christi nativitate fecit. And according hereto are the Kalendars and Book of Divine service, not only of the Western, which are every where common, but of the Eastern Churches also: In the Menology of the Greek Church in December, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. i. On the 25. of the same month, the Feast of the Incarnation of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, jesus Christ: and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That is, The Virgin Mary brought forth our Saviour on the 25. day. Other Volumes of their Divine service, as their Apostoloevangela, and the like, enough show this also. And for other Churches which are not under the name of the Greek, as those of Antioch, or Syriae, of Aethiopia, and of Elcopti or Egypt, although we have not their Calendars published with such exactness of the placing of their feasts, as we have those of the Greek Church, yet have we testimonies enough of them also, whence we may collect that they agree with us in this anniversary celebration: As, first, for that of Antioch, they keep 
* Widgine monstad. in epist. subnexâ Test. Syriac. & vide sis computum Antioch. a pud Jos. Scalig. l. 7 de emendat. tomo p. 670.  this birth upon the same day with us in their Month Canun the former; and in Alfragan (as he is translated) we read in his enumeration of the Syriack Months, Canun prior 31. dierum, cujus 25. nox vocatur nox Nativitatis: So in the Aethiopian Church on the 29. of their Month 
† Jos. Scalig. dicto l. p. 650.  Thachsasch they kept it, which agrees always with the 25. of our December, though their Intercalation falling before ours (and in their Mascharum, or our August) changes the day of the Week every Leap-year into the next after what we keep: And for that of Elkopti we see in a short description of their account, received from an Aethiopian 
* Apud Scalig. diste l. p. 661.  Priest, that their Almolad, or the feast of the Nativity, is placed against their Month Chiach, which answers to our December, and the succession of their Feasts is just as in the Syriack account; and therefore reason enough is, that thence we collect the very days in both to be the selfsame. And to conclude here, what greater testimony can there be that it was received into the Church, even from the Disciples and Apostles of our Saviour, than this, that it was so anciently observed, and hath been ever since so generally received through Christendom? for so of the like things that great Father St. Augustine pronounces, 
* Epist. ad Januarium 118.  Illa quae non scripta, saith he, sed tradita, custodimus; quae quidem toto terrarum orbe observantur, dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis, vel à plenariis Conciliis, quorum est in Ecclesiâ saluberrima authoritas, commendata atque statuta retineri: Sicuti quod Domini Passio, & Resurrectio, & Ascensio in coelum, & adventus de coelo Spiritus Sancti, anniversaria solennitate celebrantur; & si quid aliud tale occurrerit quod servatur ab universâ quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia: All such things he supposes either delivered by the Apostles, or ordained by general Councils; for Councils, here we have no testimony that they ordained it; therefore it rests by this argument, that we derive it from the eldest tradition that may be in Christianity. But we end here this inquiry, and resolve with that old Hymn of St. Ambrose, used in the service of this day in the Church of Rome: 
Sic praesens testatur dies,  
Currens per anni circulum,  
Quod solus à sede Patris  
Mundi salus adveneris:  
Hunc coelum, terra, hunc mare,  
Hunc omne quod in eyes est,  
Auctorem adventûs tui  
Laudans exultat cantico.   
Neither find I any Christian Church that in the later ages hath otherwise celebrated it, save only that of the Armenians, who 
* Cathalicus Armeniorum in legate. ad Arm.  retained an ancient custom of confounding it with the Epiphany, and that to the time of Manuel Comnenus, which is about 440. years since, and perhaps yet do; of which confusion of those feasts more in the last Paragraph. But, because in these proofs hitherto declared, the common and most received grounds and reasons brought for it out of the holy Text, and some other, are omitted; as also on the other side, some objections are made in later times against it, and that by such as bear even the greatest names in the state of Learning; and some ancient testimonies also impugn what we have hitherto concluded: It follows next, (lest the inquiry should seem done with too much negligence) that we both consider of those common grounds and reasons, and then show why they were not here used; and furthermore, that we give such answer to those objections, and ancient testimonies, as that they may not at all hinder the credit of those arguments which before have so demonstratively justified it.   

SECT. V The common Reasons used out of the holy Text to justify this day, and how they are mistaken, and therefore not used here; together with what some would prove from the Scheme of his Nativity.  
OF those which have generally received it, the Ancients about 400. years after it have strived to fetch reasons for it out of the holy Writ, (being unhappily not contented to rely wholly upon the tradition) and some of later time justify it by Astrological observations; both being deceived, the first by misunderstanding the Text, the other by too much mingling their errors in the consideration of Nature with the thoughts of this most sacred birthday. For those Ancients, they knew out of 
* Leu. 16. & 23.  Moses, that the High Priest did only once every year enter into the Holiest place, or the Sanctum Sanctorum; and this is ordained to be on the 10. day of the 7. Month, that is, the Feast of Kippurim, or Expiations in Tisri: Then out of St. Luke, they supposed that the Angel appeared to Zachary, being High Priest, and sacrificing there on the same day which they would make agreed with the 24. of September, (although for the very day they have somewhat differed in the Eastern Church, and some have also 
* Stephanus Gobarus Trith. apud Photium, cod. 232.  supposed the conception in October, some in November) and that on the night following Zachary's Wife Elizabeth conceived St. John Baptist, as the Apostle foretold him: From hence, according to the Evangelist, they accounted 6. Months; at the end of which time the blessed Virgin Mary conceived, that time falls into the 25. of March, from whence 9 Months being accounted, (the common time of a birth) the 25. of December found the very birthday of our Saviour: This is the sum of the calculation used out of the holy Text by the 
† D. Chrysostom. in sape laudato Panegyrico. Anastasius Antiochenus, Cedrenus chronici Alexandrini author, etc.  Ancients, although not without some confusion of Months; while by reason of application of old Lunar Months to the Roman, which are Solar, they confound herein sometimes April with March, and September with October.  
That other sort which would prove it by Astrology, shows us the Scheme of this Nativity, erected for the altitude and Meridian of Bethlehem, to the midnight following the 25. of December, and then telling how wonderfully it is (by the Rules of that Art) agreeable to so wonderful a birth; and anticipating some part of the accusation they might justly look for, they declare themselves, that they mean not that any thing touching his Divinity, his Miracles, his Holiness of life, or sending forth the Gospel, depended at all on the Stars; but they say, that as naturally he was of the best temperature, and exactest beauty, and had continual health, and so singular gravity of aspect. Sic etiam Deus optimus & gloriosus (as Cardan's 
* Ad Ptolem. Tetrabib. l. 2. text. 54.  words are) optimâ constitutione astrorum atque admirabili Genesin illius adornavit; which constitution of the Heavens if the Almighty, says he, had not to this purpose ordained to have concurred and have been observed, one of these two things had happened; either that the very day, and hour, and minute of the hour of that birth, had not been so constantly and diligently ever kept in the Church; or else that all the significations in the Scheme had not been adeo singularia, as he writes, magnifica, gloriosa, & tanto concursu digna, tum vero omnibus quae successerunt de vitae sanctitate, de morum gravitate, etc. adeo congruentia, ut nil exactius possit excogitari; and after the particulars largely declared, he too boldly concludes against such as justly enough impugn the art of Astrology as groundless, with this, that they can now have nothing else left to speak against it, as Ptolemy teaches it, than this only, that they should perhaps object, that Ptolemy, to gain credit to the profession, wrote his whole Quadripartite, according to the agreement 'twixt this Scheme, which it is most likely he never saw, and the parts of our Saviour's life denoted by it; than which, saith he, as he well might, nothing can be more absurd. But out of this we may easily see, that such as stand upon those learned errors cannot but think with him, that the very day and hour of this birth is fully confirmed by that Scheme: Neither is there cause (so their grounds were certain) but that they might hence conclude also that this were the very time, although no other testimony were extant of it: For what want they in this pretence of that knowledge of the ancient Tarutius, who was able (as he made some learned men believe) not only to foretell out of the Scheme of a Nativity, but also to find out of the circumstances of any life and fortune, the very point of the birth, and so frame the Scheme itself? as Plutarch says he did both in the search after Romulus his birthday, and the first foundation of Rome; and the finding the exact Scheme is the same with finding the exact time of the birth; which those Astrologers, it seems, think they have done, as well out of the congruity (as they suppose) of the Scheme to what they apply it, as out of any testimony or tradition of the Church.  
But the truth is, that both this of some Astrologers; and that other of calculation out of the holy Text, deserve nor place nor name of reason to this purpose: For that of the Calculation of the months out of the holy Text, the chief ground on which it insists, and which being taken away it all become; merely vain, is that of Zacharias being a Highpriest, and in his sacrificing in the holiest place, or Sanctum Sanctorum, or in the Oracle, as the names of it are varied. For a sacrifice in that place was only in that feast of Expiation, that is, the 10 of Tisri, or 7 month, and this only by the Highpriest; But it is most clear that Zacharis was no Highpriest, but only one of those 24 courses or stations of Priests which weekly served at the Temple. For David distinguished the 
* 1 Paral. 24.  posterity of Eleazar and Ithamar by Lots for the continual and daily service and sacrifice into 24 courses, and of those courses every one had a week for attendance, so that after every 24 weeks the first came to attend again; as also it was in the 24 courses of the Levites, their weeks in attendance always ending on the morning of the Sabbath. Hereof is plentiful testimony, both in holy 
† 1 Paral. 9 comm. 25. Jos. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. l. 7. c. 11 & in vita sua, & 2 adv. Apionem.  writ and in the Jews Liturgies, besides Joseph, and the old Fathers, and it is fully and shortly expressed by Eucherius, Erant sorts 24 (saith he) & sacerdotum, & Levitarum & Janutorum, qui per totidem septimanas sibi ex ordine succederent, sabbato nouâ turmâ intrante ad officimn, & post sabbatum, eâ quae proximâ septimatiuâ ministraverat domum redeunte. In these 24 courses the 8 is the family of Abia; of his 8 course was Zacharie a Priest, and was as 
* Ad l. 4. Reg. c. 23.  this time in the week of his course building incense in the Temple, but not in the Ho●● lieft place; so is the Text of St. Luke; A● certain Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. of the coursed of Abia; speaking of Zachary; and afterward, as soon as the ministrations were accomplished, etc. what course or special days of ministration to be accomplished could here belong to the Priests of the Jews? But as Mathias, and Flavius Josephus were 
* 1 Macab. c. 2 comm. 1 Jos. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. l. 12. c. 8 & in vita sua.  Priests of the Sons, or course of Jeho●arid. (that is, of the 1 course) so was Zacharie of Abia, or of the 8. Neither was any Highpriest of that age bearing any such name: But he that was Highpriest at the birth was Joazar, and his predecessors were Joseph 
† Niceph. Patriarch. in chronol. etc.  Mathias, Simon, etc. So that nothing is more certain than this, that Zacharie was not Highpriest; although anciently very great names were deceived, while they took him to be so, as St. Ambrose, St. chrysostom, Anastasius Patriarch 
* MS. apud Jos. Scalig. l. 6. p. 509.  of Antioch, and others expressly: Zachary then being no High Priest, it plainly follows that their whose calculation of Months here from the 10. of Tisri. (in which only the High Priest entered into the Oracle) proves nothing at all, but supposes merely false grounds; and so no proof of the certainty of this day can be extracted out of that holy Story; and Zacharies Sacrifice, for aught appears there, might indifferently be on any other day of the year. We omit here their supposition of an exact number of days for the natural time of a Birth, which plainly can never be known; and in so clear a point thus much is too much then enough.  
For that other reason or confirmation (as they would have it) out of Astrology, doubtless it is most vain (that we may speak no worse of it) both in regard of the Art itself, and also of this application of it. For the Art itself though very many Authors are of it, yet there is none extant of any great antiquity; and of those which are, very few agree to any purpose among themselves. Ptolemy, who is the ancientest of them, whose Volumes of it are publicly extant, and lived about CXL. years after our Saviour, varied 
* Tetrabib. l. 1. comm. 57, 58, etc.  from what the Chaldeans before him had observed. The Arabians, as Haly, Albumazar, Messalath, the Author of Alcabitius, Zabel, and such more have another Doctrine from his. The Latins, as Manilius and Julius Firmicus, neither agree among themselves nor with others; to omit the numerous differences that are in the many Volumes of it written in the middle and latter ages. What certainty thereof can there be in that Art whose Professors do make no other pretence then long continuance of constant observation of signs, and things signified to justify themselves; and yet in truth they have no testimony of such continuance of observation? And I trust that no man will think that by rational collection only (as in some other faculties) without a preceding and constant observation of many ages at least, it is possible to discover the nature of this or that Star, or of the various policious of the Heavens which every minute produces. Besides, without supposition of a certainty, not only of the degrees, but in some particulars of the minutes also in which this or that Planet is, the ginger proceeds not; yet it is most known that the Astronomers, from whose noble search these suppositions are patiently taken by the Astrologers, are herein even almost as differing among themselves as the Astrologers in denoting of effects; witness the difference of hours in Calculation by the Alphonsine. Tables from the Prutenique, made according to Copernicus, and of both of the restored motions of Tycho Brahe. And two of the Planets, Mars and Mercury, which bear no small rule in the precepts of Astrology, have hitherto scarce less concealed their motions and places in the Heavens, than Proteus would have done his true shape. Yet still what the Astronomer knows is uncertain, and ingeniously confesses to be so; the ginger for the most part slothfully believing, and so fixing himself on that belief, takes for his infallible ground, and so deceives, and is deceived in his aspects (which he resolves partile, when they may perhaps be platique, and platique when they may be partile) in his directions in the print of his Horoscope, and the other three of his Figure in his Fines, in his Ferdariae, in his Conjunctions, and in what else stands upon such exactness of calculation. But this is no place to speak more in particular of that Art: Enough hath been said of the vanity of it by Mirandula, Alexander ab Angelis, and others that have purposely written Volumes against it. But for the application of it to this of our Saviour's Birthday, it is both too groundless also in respect of the hour to which the Figure is erected, and withal impious in the rest of the suppositions. For the hour, it is erected to midnight following the 29. of December, for so we must understand that which Cardan designs the time by; Diebus 6. (saith he) horis 12. ante radicem Astrologorum, qui auni initium sumunt in Calendis Januariis: This falls upon 12. of the clock of the night following the 25. of December. But whence, I wonder, was Cardan so sure that this was the minute of the hour of the Birth? Some indeed that among the Ancients erroneously placed it on the 6. of January, took the point of midnight to be the very minute, as we see out of those collections out of Stephanus, Gobarus, Tritheites in Photius. And in some part of the Asiatic Churches (especially of Syria) the night of this day hath the name of the night of the Nativity, which Alfragan remembers. But that testimony of the Nativity cited out of an old Greek Manuscript in St. Marks Library at Florence 
* Ad Theolog. Muchamed. not. 12.  by Widmonstadius, says, it was hora diet sexta: Hesychius there also mentioned put in on hora diei septima; with which agrees that Chronicle of Alexandria, or the Fasti 
† Editione Radertana p. 532.  Siculi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. the 7. hour of the day. And though none of those are of credit enough to justify the very hour; yet, it seems, they all meant it a Birth of the day, and not of the night, the hours of which they also note by the name of the hours of the night; neither can it be cleared in the holy Text, whether it were in the night or in the day. The Angel in the night says to the Shepherds, For unto you is born this day, (that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) a Saviour, out of which words it were too much rashness to resolve whether the point of the Birth were in the night or in the day. If then Cardan, or his followers had been led by authority, they should have rather erected the figure (if at all they erected it) to the 6. or 7. hour of the day, that is about 12. hours before their supposed time; and so the whole Scheme had been changed, and Aries had been the Horoscope instead of Libra, and Capricorn in mid-heaven for Cancer. Besides also, had the midnight following the 25. day been the just time, those which in Jewry propagated the tradition to Posterity, should (by all probability) have delivered it to have been on the 26. day of the Julian December, not on the 25. For by the use of the Jews, their natural days 
* Severus A●tiochenus apud Anastas. Sinast. quaest. 152. praeter litt. sacras.  were accounted from Evening to Evening: So that the night following the 25. was part in their account of the 26. day, as also the Ecclesiastical account of days by the Cannon-Law, 
† Quod die didst 75. & extra de feriis c. 1 Francolin de horis canonic. c. 43. & synod. in Trullo canigo. 91.  and that from ancient time. Neither can it for this reason alone be salved, unless advantage of a different account of days be taken from the old use in the State of Rome, whereunto Jewry was then subject: For in that State the natural day was from midnight 
* F. tit. de feriis l. 8. & Plutarch in probls. Rom. 84.  to midnight; yet according to that too it stands but indifferent to which of the two days the Birth should be referred, being thus placed in the very point of midnight which parts them. Besides also, the Church of Rome have taken it to have been in the nighttime preceding the 25. day, for they in the Vigil of the Feast celebrate the Shepherds watching, and in the morning they have a special Mass with reference 
† Ordo Roman. sed & vide sis Hugo de S. Victore, erudit. Theol. l. 3. c. 5.  to the Shepherd's visitation of our Saviour, at that time in the Manger: So that according to their supposition, that Scheme is not for the birth, but for a day after: In sum, the hour is every way uncertain, their proof therefore being thus shown groundless in regard of the exact hour of the natural day (which is unknown) I hope there needs not much be said to justify that the suppositions of dependence twixt any working or significations of the Stars, and that great and most sacred mystery of the Incarnation are most impious; although it were so that otherwise the traditions of that art had their place: As if either the common objects of sense, or uncertain collections of man's weak understanding, had so much to do with what but at the best we are able to apprehend by Faith only. But Cardan had herein example to follow in those who long before him had impiously referred the beginning of Christian 
* Albumazar de conjunct. differ. 8. tract. 2 & apud Rog. Bacon in opere majori M.S. ad Clem. P.P. 4.  Religion to a certain number of revolutions of Saturn. And therefore also he makes that Comet which in 1133. appeared in Aries under the Northern part of the Milky way, and was (as he supposed) of Martial, Jovial and Mercurial quality, to denote the Schisms and Changes of Religion which soon after fell in this Kingdom under Henry 8. For to Aries (says Ptolemy) is this Island subject as to a tutelar sign. And in this Nativity also, that Star which St. Matthew speaks of, Cardan takes for a signifying Comet, and places it in the Ascendent, because it seems he read in the Evangelist that the wise men saw it in the East. But there is good authority among the Ancients, & that by collection out of the holy Text, that their seeing of it in the East was a continual seeing of it 
† D. August. in serm. 1. edit. Paris. edit. Lovaniens. tom. 10. p. 431. Nicephor. Calist. l. 1. c. 13.  for two years' time before the birth in the Countries, that lay East from Jewry: and doubtless also it could not be of any such heights as Comets are at the lowest supposed to be, neither could it have designed a particular House in Bethlem, if it had been so high as to have been carried either as Stars or Comets are in the Diurnal motion of the Heavens. But enough hereof is already said against him by that great Tycho Brahe, with whose 
* Progymnasm. de nova stella p. 316.  words also we conclude here, that Cardan and his followers, plus impiè quam justâ ratione, quomodocunque tandem excusent, hoc asseverant ut reliqua; pudet n. referra quae Astrologicis suis commentis hac de re inseruit, non adducam.  
There was reason enough therefore why neither of these first kind of arguments (whereof the one is taken from a groundless calculation of Months in the holy Text, the other from the vanities of Astrology) were used among the proofs brought for the certainty of this Birthday: For he that endeavours to establish a truth by arguments, should no less religiously abstain from false premises, than he ought carefully to meet with the sharpest objections; lest while the conclusion is of itself true, and would clearly appear so if no other but true grounds were used to induce it; the credit of it be therefore still questioned, because in the foundations whereon it is so made to insist there is such use of apparent falsehoods: At least, he rather seems too willing than truly able to prove, who so mixes truth, doubts and falsehood in deducing his conclusion, that either some of his premises first patiently received and credited by himself, and then offered in his arguments, have indeed either much more need of proof, but are less proved by him than his conclusion; or else are every way false, and so utterly betray both the conclusion and his judgement. But we leave these, and go next (as is before purposed) to the Objections of late time made against what is hitherto concluded touching the just day of this sacred birth.   

SECT. VII. The chief Objections that are made against this days being the true time of the birth, with plain Answers to them.  
THe Objections against this received opinion or tradition of the day made in later time are chief two; the one taken out of the enumeration of those circular courses, of the Priests divided into their 24. families, as is before expressed; and the other from the circumstances of the time of the year of this birth mentioned in holy Writ. For the first, divers Chronologers, after they have according to their own fancies altered the years of account from our Saviour's birth, (some making it one, some two, some three, some more years ancienter than the Dionysian Epocha received in the Church) then, that they may settle also the very day of the birth, or at least the time of the year wherein the day fell, they calculate by those weekly ministrations of the 24. courses of the Priests, to find out the week wherein the course of Abia (of which Zachary was) ministered in the Temple; for than would it follow, that the time of John's conception, from which the conception, and birth of our Saviour was accounted would nearly, if not exactly be found also. For the Text is, That after those days (of his ministration) his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, etc. For example, some here supposing in their chronology that the birth was two years before the vulgarly-received time, and in the MMMMDCCXI. year of the Julian period, thus work in calculation to find out the time of the year when our Saviour was born; they observe first that Antiochus polluted the Temple, and discontinued the daily Sacrifices, and so by consequence the continuance of these courses; then they say that Judas Macchabeus, upon the new Dedication of the Temple recontinued the daily Sacrifices, and by a like consequence restored the courses, and in restoring of them began with the first, that is, the course of Jehoiarid, and this in the 25. day of the Hebrew Month Caslea, in the MMMMDXLIX. year of the Julian period, which agrees with the 24. of November of that year; this day fell on Monday, so that the continuance of the course of jeheiarid was (according to the first constitution) till the morning of the Sabbath following, the next Sabbath before this new Dedication of the Temples falling so on the 22. of November: From this renewing of the courses they thus reckon; from the course of Ichoiarid, being the first, to that of Abia, being the eighth, must intercede 49. days; so that the course of Abia began on the 10. of january MMMMDL. year of the julian Period; having then before supposed that the year of the birth was the MMMMDCCXI. year of the julian Period, and that the conception of St. john was in the year preceding, that is, in the year MMMMDCCX. they account over the whole cycles of those 24. courses that intercede from the course of Abia in january of the year MMMMDL. and thence observe at what time the course of Abia falls again in that MMMMDCCX. year of the julian Period; thus they find that in those 160. years 349. of those courses being past, the course of Abia being the last (in this computation, which gins at the next from it) of the 349. falls exactly to begin upon the 21. of july (being the Sabbath) of the year MMMMDCCX. and so ends upon the 28. of the same July, that is, the morning of the Sabbath following: By which they conclude, that upon or immediately after the 28. of the same July St. John was conceived; according to the Text, that tells us, After the days of Zacharies ministration, etc. This being granted, it would follow that the birth of our Saviour (according to the vulgar calculation from the time of St. John's conception) would be in October or November of the following year, that is, of the MMMMDCCXI. of the julian Period. Others by another liberty in this kind of numbering, placing it in September, others otherwise, while they fetch their arguments out of the revolutions of their courses.  
The other Objection, that is, from the circumstances of the time of the year of this birth, is out of the holy Text; where it is 
* D. Luc. c. 2. comm. 8.  written, that there were Shepherds in the same country abiding in the fields, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i and keeping watch over their flock by night, and this at the time of the birth: This, say some, of all times fits not the midst of Winter, or December; but rather the Spring, Summer or Autumn, when the temper or heat of the night permit both sheep and shepherd to be in the fields.  
But neither of these reasons have any weight against that received tradition of the 25. of December, First, for the 24. courses, it were something indeed if we exactly knew with which of the courses judas Macchabeus began his Instauration of the Sacrifices; for supposing then that from this beginning and new dedication until Zacharies ministration no disturbance of the continuance of those courses had happened, & also that had the just number of years fully agreed upon from the same dedication to our Saviour's Birth, it were such an argument as could not in any way be exceeded, so that we also otherwise allow the common calculation of time that was used by the Fathers out of St. Luke, in regard only of the distance between the conception of St. john, and the conception and Birth of our Saviour. For St. John was, as they commonly agree conceived presently upon the end of Zacharies Ministration, and this conception once fixed were a constant Epocha (according to the vulgarly-received interpretation of St. Luke) from whence the time of the year at least of our Saviour's Birth-night may be clearly collected. But on the other side, if we fail in the certainty of the beginning of the courses, who sees not that nothing can be concluded out of them to satisfy such a judgement as dares not rely upon such conjectural inferences without an open clearness in their antecedents? Now for that matter, no old Stories have mention of the name of that particular course with which judas Macchabaeus began; but they 
* Lib. Hasmonaeorum c. 1.20 & 4.52. Epit. Jasonis c. 10.15. item Joseph Ben Gorion l. 3: c. 13.  only show the new dedication, in which it may be granted that there was an instauration of the courses; but whether by beginning again (as they suppose) with that of jeheiarid, which is first in David's distribution, or with that of Jedaiah, being the second or with any other of the 24. nothing is left to instruct us; and we know that through Amiochus his profanation of the Temple, the courses were discontinued in the 143. year from Selucu● Nicanor, and that upon the 25. of Casleu, and that upon the same day five years after the sacrifices, and by consequence the courses were restored. But it is neither known what course was then in Ministration, when Antiochus profaned the Temple (for we have no certain Epocha from which that can be deduced) or with what course the first week after the dedication was served: How then is it possible to reckon by the cycles of those courses, and so find the just time of this of Abia, or the eight? No more than it might be possible for one who knew only we had 12 months in the year, but withal were wholly ignorant when the first began, could yet tell at what season the 8. fell? And for that their conjecture of the beginning with the course of Jehoiarib, because that was the first in David's distribution, it is both in itself a very weak one and perhaps expressly against the strictness used among the jews in observation of those courses. For besides that, no testimony at all assures us but that any other of the courses as well as that of Ichoiarib (according to the opportunity of time, and fitness of persons) might be the first at that new dedication. We have it confessed by the greatest of them which this way impugn the received tradition, that the certainty of the cycles of those 24. courses was so carefully kept so long as the sacrifices continued, that no one course might supply the room of another, against the order of succession in their cycles: For example, if that of jehoiarib were for this week, then of necessity that of jedaiah, being the second in the cycle, must be for the week following, and that of Harim for the third week, that of Seorim for the fourth, and so the rest according to their succession in the cycle; and this insomuch, that if (for the purpose) that of Harim should have miss at the Temple at the third week, after the end of the course of jedaiah, yet might not the service be supplied either by the following course of Scorim, or by the continuance of that of jedaiah; neither might any other minister in the Temple that week, nor might that of Scorim (being the next in the cycle) begin till the Sabbath following. And to this purpose also, 
* Vide sis inprimis Jos. Scalig. Isag. canon. l. 3. p. 298.  they bring that old Canon of the jews, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Every Priest and every Levite that puts himself into the ministration of any of his fellows is punishable with death. And by this also they understand that in josephus, 
† 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  where he says that the daily sacrifice failed upon the 17. day of the Macedonian month Panemus (which was the 17. day of their Tammuz, whereon the jews keep a solemn Fast to this day and that this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. for want of those that should Minister, as if only (as they understand it) the reason were, because the course of that week failed, and might not be by their Canons supplied either by the preceding course, or that which was the next week to succeed, nor by any other. This being thus confessed by them, they should otherwise have searched in their way of proof out of those courses accounted from the new Dedication under judas Macchabaeus: For upon this supposition, they should first have been sure what had been the last course at the time of Antiochus his profanation; then should they have reckoned over the cycles from that course, and so have observed from which of the 24. the Ministration beginning on the Sabbuth, being the 23. of Casleu in the 148. year (of Seleucus, or Dilkarnon) would happen; and thence might they have reckoned forward to search out that of Abia, in this question of Zacharies Ministration. For if there were such a careful avoiding of supplying the course of one by another, then follows it plainly, that it was certainly known at he time of Antiochus his profanation, to which of the courses the Ministration five years from that week would necessarily belong as it was then known what course was in the present ministration: For example, admit five years were complete from the end of the week of the profanation and discontinuance of the courses under Antiochus to the end of the week of the Dedication; and suppose also that the first course, that is of jehoiarid, had served in the Temple in the week of profanation, then must it necessarily first follow, that the course of jedaiah on the second, must have served in the week following, that is, the first week of those five years: Now in those five years (taking in about a day to make the numbers round in the example) we have CCLXI. weeks, and 261. weeks are ten complete cycles of those 24. courses, and 21. weeks of advantage to go on with to make an eleventh cycle: If then the strict observation of keeping every course to his own week (which was as well foreseen always by the revolution of those cycles as any  Feast, or the Dominical letter in our Ecclesiastic accounts is fore-known) were in such use, then clearly what course soever should have served in the sixth week of this eleventh cycle, which in our example falls to that of jedaiah: Reckon with him in this eleventh cycle till the 21. course (as the weeks require) and then the course of Gamul is proper to the very week of the new Dedication; and this way, if the course which served at the profanation were known, it were easy to find which of them should by that tradition of the jews have served at the Dedication: But when we neither know which of them served at the profanation, nor which at the Dedication, what rashness is it to rely upon a bare conjecture; and that also such an one as is adverse to that received tradition of the exact keeping of the cycles; and is in substance confessed to be so by such as have used it? These things thus considered, it follows, that they which insist upon this argument, taken from the beginning of the 24. courses in that of jehoiarib under Indas Macchabeus, fail in their ground, and prove nothing at all against our received tradition: The weakness of their Objection also is therein increased, that their chronology in it is so uncertain, that they know not clearly in what year to fix the birth; some of them making it one, some two, some three or more years before the common Epocha, and this also upon conjecture. But while they vary so much in the year, they have little reason to be confident (out of their own grounds only, wherein they refuse this so ancient tradition) that they can in their supposed years be sure of the very day of which no other old testimony instructs them, then either what we have before remembered, or that which shall presently be both delivered, and so cleared also that it may not have weight against what is already justified. And it might easily fall out, that the certain year of the birth might be forgotten, or at least not so remembered, or the memory of it not so preserved, as that later posterity could clearly have notice of it; and yet that the day of the month on which the Birth sell, might by the continuance of tradition (as it hath been) be clearly known. The anniversary celebration gave the day certain to posterity, which could not thence find any thing to rectify them in the exactness of the year, as we see also in an example of the Roman States. They clearly knew that the birth of Servius Tullius, who was the first that was King there against the will of the common people, first fell upon the Nores of some month, but they 
* Macrobius, l. 1. Saturnal. c. 13.  knew not at all of what month, nor in what year, for aught appears: And therefore they avoided public meetings in the City upon the Nones of every month through the year, that so they might be sure to avoid them (as supposed most unlucky to the State) anniversarily upon his birthday. This anniversary avoiding public meetings, or Fairs, on the Nones, continued the certainty of his being born on the Nones of some month, though the month were unknown; and so did the anniversary celebration continue from the Disciples to the day of the month, though perbaps the year be not clearly enough certain. And there was other reason also why the certainty of the year might be unknown: For there is nothing that preserves such a certainty, but either such express testimony of Authors as cannot be questioned, or else a continuance of vulgar supputation of time from, or very near from the time of the Birth itself. But we have herein had neither of these. For the first, that is, the testimony of old Authors, they vary in the years of Augustus and of the Consuls, which are the Characters by which they design it; and besides, they are not of such antiquity as that we can clearly rely upon them; and for that of the vulgar supputation of time, the common account either in Instruments, Letters, Receipts, or the like; was not all made by the years of our Lord, till between D. and DC. after the Birth; that is, after the time that Dionysius made his cycle of DXXXII. by multiplication of the cycle of the Sun into the Golden number, and from that time brought 
* Beda de Temp. rat. c. 45.  in (according to his own suppositions) the supputation of time by the years of our Lord. For before that age the Christians use was, either to note times by the Consuls of the year, as the ancient course of Rome was; and as we see in old General Councils, and in Receipts of the Emperors, in the Codes of Theodosius and Justinian; whence also Constantine ordained it for a 
† C. Theodos. tit. de constit. prim. l. 1. si qud.  Law; that if any Edicts or Constitutions of the Emperors should be found fine die & Consul, they should be held of no authority; or else by that Aera (commonly called Aera Hispanica) which began under Augustus 38. years before the Dionysian Epocha of our Saviour, and was chief used in Spain; as we see both in the Titles of the old Councils of Sivil, Bracara and Toledo, and in the Inscriptions of that Country; but also it was in use in afric and France, as we may collect by most of the Titles of the Councils of Carthage, of Arles, and Valence; unless we suppose that Isidore (from whose Volumes of Councils we have these) being a Spariard, used the supputation by that Aera in the Titles, without warrant of the original Copies. But we have in the very Acts of the fourth Council of Arles use of this Aera; which was also in the accounts of time at Rome, as is seen in the Epistles of Pope Leo subscribed with the years of it. Others denoted the years by an account from some regaining of their freedom; as those of Antiochia did from Epocha 48. years before our Saviour, which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so frequently spoken of in Evagrius his Church-story; or from that of Seleucus or Dhilkarnun, beginning after Alexander's death. Others from the year of the Creation as the Greek Church: others from a time that fell 283. years after our Saviour (as those of Egypt, and the adjoining Churches) that is, from Dioclesian's persecution; which in Egypt and Aethiopia is to this day 
* Jos. Scalig. de emendat. Temp. p. 465, & 629.  retained; and by the Christians that use Arabic called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tarick Alshehuda, The Epocha of the Martyrs; and among the Aethiopians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: amath Michrath, i. The year of Grace. So was also that of Spain in common use there, till somewhat above 300. years since it was by special constitution abrogated, and the year of our Lord made the beginning of the account of time; and this alteration is by the Spanish Lawyers referred to john the first King of Castille. Duravit (Aera) usque ad tempora Iohannis primi (saith 
† ad l. 52. partit. 3. tit. 18. de las escrituras.  Lopez) qui jussit apponi annos Nativitatis Domini. So also writes Azevedo, 
* ad l. 3. Recopil. l. 2. tit. 1. de las leges.  so others of them; whence it appears, that anciently, till long after our Saviour, no account was vulgarly made by the years of his birth in which the true year might be by a continual tradition retained: and also, that although about the time of justinian (that is, when Dionysius began his cycle) the course of reckoning from the Birth was brought into use, yet it was received but in few parts of Christendom, & that principally within Italy, in the instruments, it seems, of the Court of Rome. And it is observable here also, that with us in England however our ancientest Stories of the time since Christianity, both in Saxon and Latin, are deduced by distinction made out of the years of our Saviour, and that according to the Court of Rome; our Church-proceeding and instruments belonging to that jurisdiction they have anciently had, and still retain an account by those years; yet the characters of time, both in the plead and instruments of the secular jurisdiction, hath been ever and is chief by the years only of our Sovereigns, Kings or Queens; so are our Records distinguished, of Pleas, Patents, Parliaments, and the like; so are the instruments of conveyance, and what else is of that nature: In which, doubtless, the ancient course of computation is so retained, that it shows us that none other hath been ever proper to the practice of our secular jurisidiction. And although indeed at this day clearly it be not of exception or erroneous, if the times in a pleading or instrument be distinguished only by the year of our Lord, yet anciently it was much stood upon under 
* 23 Ed 3. fol. 21 b. 24 Ed. 3. fol. 51 a. & 53 b.  Edward the Third, when in a Writ of Annuity brought by the Prior of St. Trinity of London against an Abbot, the Prior declared upon a composition bearing date in such a year of the Lord, and the Defendants Counsel took exceptions to it, supposing that none should declare at the Common Law of the year of our Lord, but of the King; but upon deliberation it was resolved good, for this reason only, because the composition had only the date of the Lord; as if properly and necessarily otherwise it should have been of the year of the King: And so, doubtless, did they think who in the times of King Henry the Third, and King john, not only carefully used the years of the King only, as at this day; but also in Recognizances entered 
* Archia. de temp. reg. Joh. & Hen. 3.  for payment of money a year or two after the entry, they denoted the time of payment by the year of the King, that should happen only if he reigned so long; as in the 41. of Henry the Third the Recognisance should bind the Recognisor to pay money in 42. or 43. of his Reign. All which further confirms, that the computation of time by the years of our Lord, even after such time as it came at all to be in use, hath not been near so vulgarly received as the anniversary celebration of the day of the birth, under the name of the old civil Solstice or the 25. of December; and therefore it may easily be, that the very year may be uncertain for want of such a continuance of tradition, which might have come to us from the time of the birth, if from thence a computation received at first in the Church had continued it. But the yearly celebration or memory continued even from the eldest of Christian time, hath taught us the exact day of the Month; therefore we have reason enough still to resolve on it.  
But also for farther search into what may at all afford us any certainty of the ●o●●se that Ministered at the time of St. Jol●● Conception; if we first believe the perpetual continuance of them according to the succession in their cycles, and then also the testimony of an old Jew touching the course that served at the second destruction of the Temple under Vespasian, shall so have another time than hath been yet mentioned for the course of Abia in the conception of St. John, and by consequence another Birthday of our Saviour, if we keep still the vulgar supputation of time collected out of St. Luke. That Jew is Rabbi Jose, whose words in the Seder Olam 
* Edit. Basil. p. 125.  Rabath are these; when the Temple was first destroyed, it was Evening of the Sabbath, and the end also of the Sabbatical year, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, and the weekly course was that of Jehoiarib, and it was day of Ab; and so it was also in the time of the second destruction. If we find the course of Jehoiarib fixed at the second destruction under Vespasian, that is, in the 70. year of the vulgar account from the birth, and that about the beginning of August, to which the 9 day of Ab answers: From hence therefore reckon by the cycles backwards into the year that precedes the Julian year, in which our Saviour's birth is commonly fixed, and so between the beginning of this August in the year of the destruction, and the beginning of August preceding the vulgarly supposed time of the conception of St. John, will intercede ●1. complete years, that is, 154. cycles of those courses of 24. and 9 courses over; therefore plainly in that year the course of Ichoiarth is about the 9 week from the beginning of August, that is, in the end of September; and so it follows, that the end of the course of Abia, being the 8. fell in the end of November, or 8. weeks later than in the old calculation, which placed it in the end of September: And the birth of St. john (as it is now celebrated) would thus have been in the 7. Month from the conception, which in nature were reasonable enough; but the holy 
* D. L●c: c. 1. come. 36. & 56.  Text well endures the common and most ancient interpretation, which denotes it to be in the 9 at least. And were this authority of Rabbi Iose to be insisted on, and the perpetual succession in the cycles of those courses in this age preceding the destruction to be resolved on, there were cause enough here to seek for another exposition of the time of the birth out of the words of the holy Text▪ For the common account from Zacharies Ministration will so fall wholly, unless we change the vulgarly-received year of our Saviour's birth, and (as some do) place three or four years back more than the Dionysian account doth; for so will the course of Abia be brought into September: and if we make it fall four years' sooner (as Susligd doth) that course with and also in the end of Septemb. according to the common calculation herein used by the Fathers: But I will avoid here the making of such uncertainties of thronology of years to be arguments to justiste what is otherwise certain enough in the day. Neither can we rely here, either upon the perpetual succession of the course, or on the testimony of that Rabbi; for the constant continuance of the courses in their succession, there is great reason in this time after Augustus to doubt of it, in regard both of the Jews doing frequently otherwise than their Canons bind them, as also in regard of some mere necessity which might occasion some change in the succession, when they were in those later days subject to the State of Rome. And for that of the course of jehoiarib then ministering, there is not credit enough in the Author to make us believe him: For, besides that while he tells us so, he is mistaken in the true day of the second destruction of the Temple, which fell on the 10. of Lous or August, in that 
* Joseph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  year, not on the 4. which answers to his 9 of Ab; the Sacrifices, and so the courses of the Priests ceased about three weeks before, that is, on the 17 day of the Month Tamuz, and this for the want of Priests, as josephus, who knew it of himself, expressly hath written: But he tells us not a word of what course then ministered, no more doth Abraham Ben David in his Cabala, or he that extracted the Seder Olam Zuta out of the Seder Olam Rabath, where this is reported from Rabbi Iose; although both these Authors speak most particularly of the second destruction of the Temple, but they abstain from this of the course then in service, as from what had been delivered without warrant by Rabbi Iose, who indeed had learned from an old groundless tradition, that at the first destruction under Nabuchadnezzar, the course of johoiarib served in the Temple, and that this second destruction was upon the same day of the same Month which the first was on; and because he would have all in both destructions alike, he added also, that the course of jehoiarib served now at the second destruction, when indeed no service at all was in the Temple, and that the Sacrifices and Ministration were ended: So before the destruction other testimony is in the jews Liturgy, which confirms that of josephus to be infallible; on the Fast of their seventeenth of Tamuz they sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Because in this day the continual Sacrifice ceased, this day the continual Sacrifice was taken away: If the Sacrifices then, and the courses with them (for the one of them is not without the other) ceased on the 17. day of Tamuz, what credit is to be given to him that tells us what course ministered in the Sacrifices three weeks after? which being so cleared, there is nothing remaining in the cycles of those courses that can impugn the received tradition of this birthday.  
And for that other argument of the Shepherds watching in the night, what makes that against this of December? as if the shepherds might not properly be in the fields watching their sheep in the night at the midst of Winter, especially in so warm and continually temperate a Climate: For, although in Italy the precepts of Husbandry were, that in the Winter their sheep should be kept in Coats 
* Virgil. Georg. 3. & vide Columel. l. 7. c. 4. Varre. l. 2. c. 2. & Pallad. in Novemb.  rather than in Fields, yet they had their Winter-feedings abroad also; and the Climate of Bethlehem is of less latitude by ten degrees than that of Rome, and is also by so much the more temperate always; and even in our Climate, which is much colder than either of them, we have watching of sheep, feeding, or remaining in the fields, at this time of the year. The rest objected out of the circumstances of time, as that the birth of the Redeemer of all men should be on that day on which the creation of the first man was, that is, as they without ground suppose, on the 25. of March, and such like, are far more vain, and not worthy of mention. These things being at length cleared, we need not, I trust, be at all moved by the opposition of those learned men, Beroald, Paulus de Midleburgo, Suslyga, joseph Scaliger, Kepler, (although he stands for the same time of the year, but relies on the tradition of the day) Wolfius, Hospinian, Lidiat, Calvisius, Casaubon, and the rest that have both made it a question, and shown also their opinions against it.   

SECT. VIII. Some other opinions among the ancients touching it, and how some of them may agree with what we have received, and the rest are of no weight against it; and there more especially of the ancient confusion of this Feast with that of the Epiphany.  
BUt we have hitherto omitted the different opinions among the ancients, touching the day of this Birth; which shall be therefore next collected, and then also it shall be showed, that they bear no weight against what is before concluded. Those opinions (as they are delivered) are various, and chief five. The first is of them who taught it to be on the 25. day of the Egyptian Month Pachon, which is the 20. of May in the first Egyptian year. For after that the Egyptian Month Thoth was fixed in the end of August, and so the rest of the following Months (30. days being allowed to a Month, which with the five 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make up the whole common year) both the Fathers, and the most of profane writers commonly used the Egyptian Months as fixed; and not as they are wand'ring in the years of Nabonassar in the Almagest, this of the 25. of Pachon is delivered in Clemens Alexandrinus, that lived some eighty years after the 
* Stremat. 1.  Apostles. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith he) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. There are some also that more curiously denote, not only the year, but the very day also of the Birth of our Saviour; which they say was on the 25. of Pachon in the 28. year of Augustus, where the account is not by the common years of Augustus deduced from the death of Julius Caesar, but by the years that were passed from the 
† Vide sis Censorin. de die Natali c. 21.  taking of Alexandria, and the death of Anthony. The second (that seems to differ here) is in the Chronicle (of 
* Edit. Rader. p. 533.  Alexandria, where it is delivered that the birth was on the 25 day of the Egyptian Month Choiac, which is the 21. of the julian December. The third is of those which supposed the day to have been 
† Clem. Alex. Stremat. 1.  on the 24. or 25. of Pharmathi, (that is, the Month preceding Pachon) which agrees with the 19 or 20. of April: And with this may be reckoned the 4. which is found in Mahomet, that says it was upon the 23. of the Arabic Month Rumadhau, but in what year he designs not. But however in the Hagaren or Arabian year, this cannot come near our December, for according to that year of the Month Ramadhau falls in june and july, about the time of our Saviour's birth, Vigesimo tertio die Ramadhan (are the words in the Translation of a most impious Book of his long since done by Hermannus) natus est Christus filius Mariae, orationes Dei super eum, For the Mahumedans celebrate our Saviour as a great Prophet, and his Birth, of the Virgin Mary 
* Alcor. Azoar. 5. Cantacuzon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. & 4. & Postel. de Orbis concord. l. 1. c. 3 & l. 2. c. 2. ad cap. Eltur.  also is related in their Alcoran; although with much difference from the holy Story, as most other things are which occur there with reference to either of the Testaments. A fifth is of those who thought the day to be the 11 of the Egyptian Month Tybi, that is, the 6. of our january, on which we celebrate the Epiphany: So Epiphanius, 
† l. 2. tom. 1. haeres. 51. ita etiam ad extr. l. 3.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Birthday (of our Saviour) that is, the Epiphaby fell upon the 6. day of january, being the 11. of the Egyptian Month Tybi; which opinion is remembered by Stephanus Gobarus 
* Apud Phot. cod. 232.  Tritheithes,. where yet the fifth of january is in the stead of the 6. as also in some places of some Editions of Epiphanius: But Stephanus plainly meant the 6. day, for he interprets it by the 8. Ideses of january, which is the 6. day; and herewith agrees the common opinion of the ancient Church of Egypt, which kept the Feast of the Birth on the 6. of january, so confounding it with the Feast of his Baptism: Callian 
† Collat. 10. c. ● & vid● sis Orig. homil. de divers. 8.  relates so of him; Intrae Egypti regionem mos iste antiquâ traditione servatur, ut peracto Epiphaniorum die, quem provinciae illius sacerdotes, vel Dominici Baptismi, vel secundum carnem Nativitatis esse definiunt; & idcircò utriusque Sacramenti solennitatem, non bifariam, ut in occiduis provinciis, sed sub unâ diei hujus festivitate concelebrant, etc. And other 
* D. Hier●●. ad Ezethiel l. 1: D. Chrys. tom. 2: edit. Erasmianâ p. 119:  testimonies there are of this observation of the Feast on the 6. day with the Epiphany. But there is none of these opinions but that may be either so interpreted, that they may stand with what is before delivered of the 25. of December, or else so showed to insist upon false, or no grounds, that they are no authority at all against it. For the first, which casts it on the 25. of Pachan, and is very ancient; it may be well interpreted to agree with this of December, for in consideration of it we must, first, remember that according to the old jews, there was among the Fathers of the Primitive times a reckoning of their Months as well by the order of enumeration as by proper names; so that September and October were known as well by the names of the 7. and 8. Months (as also their names denote) as by their names themselves being accounted from March, which was the first. But the Greek Fathers frequently took April, instead of March, for the first Month of the year, as we see expressly in St. 
† In Panegyr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Chrysostom, in Anastasius 
* MS. apud Scal. deemend. p. 509.  Patriarch of Antioch, in those Constitutions 
† Lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 4 Cedrens. p. 143 etc.  attributed to the Apostles in 
* Homilia 5.  Macarius 
† Apud Photium cod. 232.  Stephanus, Gobarus, and in other testimonies of the ancients, where the julian April is made the first, as the Hebrew Month Nisan was; and therefore also they had the very day of this Birth known by the name of the 25. day of the 9 Month December, being the 9 from April; and this kind of noting it is like enough to have deceived those which said it was on the 25. of Pachon; for Pachon is the 9 Month reckoned from Thoth, being the first among the Egyptians, as December is, being accounted from April; so that when the tradition was delivered in those terms of the 9 Month, no desighation being of the account of the Months, nor of what Months were meant, it was perhaps rashly received by some, and instead of the 25. of the 9 Month in the Roman year (account to that account of the Fathers) it was apprehended to be, and so by miltaking placed on the 25. of the 9 of the Egyptian year; neither is this conjecture for intetpretation of the original of that mistaking so new, but the others, and those which are very learned and 
† Herword & Replerus. Vide Repler. de anno natali c. 15.  judicious, have also used it; and by a like or easier way may the second which is before related be understood: For though the 25. of Choiac fall upon the 21. of December, taken strictly according to the Egyptian account from the first of Thoth, being the 29. of August; yet in regard that all December, except the last five days, falls within Choiac, and so the very Birthday in the same Month, that is, on the 29. of Choiac (which truly answers to the 25. of December) it is reason enough that we suppose that Choiac was taken there for December itself, so that the 25 of the one and the other-went with the Author for the same day: And such examples are frequent, as applying of Hebrew, Arabic, Greek and Egyptian Months to the Roman; and therefore also the Translator of that Chronicle hath well expressed it (prefiguring upon this reason) by the 25. of December; For the third and fourth neither of them having any ground at all, are as easily and as reasonably denied as affirmed, nothing is brought to justify them, therefore as little will serve to confute them; especially that of Mahome● can have little weight here, when as he is so false in the whole relation of the Birth of our Saviour, in his Alcoran, that he makes the Virgin Mary to be the same with Marre, or M●riam 
* Az●●r. 5. & 29.  the Sister of Aharon; and talks of Zach●ries being three days only dumb; and of our Saviour's precepts given as soon as he was born, touching Prayers and Al●es (as Robert Reading, that anciently translated the Alcoran, turns it; but the word being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zachawath, frequently occurring in the Alcoran for Alms or good works, is in that place by Postellus 
* a De O bis concordiâ l. 2. c. 2.  translated Tithes; it being indeed in the Arabic Testament 
† Fpist; ad Ebud. c. 7. comm. 4.  expressly used for first fruits also) with other impudent falsehoods like the rest which are every where in that absurd Volume of his Law; and there also the season of the year is noted by a tale of the Blessed Virgins having dates presently upon the Birth (which as the Musulmans say) 
* Postellus de Orbis concerdiâ l. 2. c. 2.  is yet growing. But for the fifth opinion, which is from confounding of the Feasts of the Epiphany with this of the Birth, (a custom also retained in the latter ages 
† Catholicus Armen an legate. ad Armenios'.  in the Churches of Armenia) and made by Stephanus, Gobarus, Treitheites in his Contrarieties of ancient opinions of the Church, to be the main and as the only one that crosses that of the 25. of December; however it be so often taken clear in Epiphanius, and rashly also affirmed by the General or Patriarch of the Armenians, that all Churches had observed it so even from the Apostles: yet doubtless there is great reason that we should think that this confusion began both without any sufficient ground, and was also bred by some such mistake as may be observed to have been in their consideration, both of the name and time of the Feast of the Epiphany. For their grounds (besides what is in mistaking the name and circumstances of the time of this Feast) there appears none that hath any colour of power of truth among those which have so noted it: But for the name first of the Epiphany, the Feast being anciently observed for the 
* Vide sis A●●m. Marcel●●. l. 21. in ●●●stantio & ●●●tano. & 〈◊〉 homil. de 〈◊〉 8.  Baptism of our Saviour in January as at this day; and that in the Eastern Churches, before such time as they had learned of the Western the true day of the Birth, they first thought that the tradition of the Feast under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, might well denote the Birth itself, and so teach them that on this very day our Saviour was born; for the Birth being of itself the first apparition of the Son of God in the Flesh, and Epiphania denoting in the language of the then both past and present ages the apparition of a Deity (as is especially noted also by the most learned Casaubon) they took it at length here to denote also the first apparition of our Saviout to the World, and that in the Feast-day kept on the 6. of January; and so conconcluded that this was the Birthday. Now for the circumstance of the time of the Epiphany, this confusion of the Feasts doubtless was much confirmed to them by an interpretation of a passage of Saint Luke, where the Baptism of our Saviour (which is celebrated in the Epiphany, though Epiphanius place that also upon another day in November) is delivered to have been, when he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. beginning to be about 30. years of age; which words are interpreted by some as if he had been of 30. complete, and beginning to be 31. on that day, which must so of necessity be on his birthday: And so this way also one and the same day became sacred among them to the Baptism and the Birth. But all this and what other mistake the Greek Church herein had was embraced by the most of them, but till they were better informed from the Western Church: and the General of the Armenians 
* In leg●●●● ad Armen●●●n.  expressly tells Theorianus (who objects to him that Sermon of Saint Chysostom touching it) that they knew not yet, nor had not heard of any Sermon of St. Chrysostoms' to this purpose: So that want of instruction only continued this error among them, which hath been long since reform in the Syrian, Egyptian, and Ethiopian Churches, as well as in the Greek; as is before showed in their agreement with us in the celebration of this Birth: But for those collections out of the name of the Epiphany, and circumstances of time of the Baptism, it will soon appear that they justify nothing here against the received tradition. And first for that of the name of Epiphania, denoting the apparition of a Deity, it is otherwise enough satisfied; and there was no need at all to have it restrained to the noting of the Birthday: For though the work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be used in the holy 
* Epist. 2. ad Timoth. c. 1. comm. 10.  Text, both for the first appearing of our Saviour, or his Incarnation, as also for his coming at the 
† Panegyr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom. 5. edit. Savil. p. 525.  last day; yet in the first institution of this Feast of the Epiphany, it was used (I suppose) for neither, but for that public apparition or Manifestation (by which the Latin Fathers denote Epiphania) of him to the World at his Baptism, in regard whereof he was before but privately known. So expressly Saint Chrysostom, whose authority is here beyond exception; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith he, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Why then is it called Epiphanie? (in regard, as he before had said, it is not the celebration of the Birthday, but of the day of the Baptism;) because (saith he) when he was born, he was not then manifested to all men, but when he was baptised; for till then he was unknown to the multitude: and to this purpose also he brings that of Saint John, I baptise with water, but there standeth one among you whom ye know not, speaking of our Saviour and the same Evangelist expressly; I knew him not, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. That he might be manifested to Israel; therefore I came baptising with water. So Saint Jerom tells 
* In commen●. ad Ezechiel. l. 1.  us what the name of Epiphany denotes; Significat (saith he) baptisma in quo aperti sunt Christo Coeli, & Epiphaniorum dies hucusque venerabilis est, non, ut quidem putant, natalis in carne, tunc enim absconditus est & non apparuit. Others of the Fathers have as much.  
Hereto may be added the consent of posterity, after such time as the true day of the birth was discovered to them in the Eastern Church; and in a Poem (as they call it) used in the Service of the Epiphany in the Greek Church, made by 
* Euchologium p. 93 b.  Sophronius Patriarch of Jerusalem, an express passage is fully to this purpose; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. i. We glorify thee that art without Father of a Mother, and without Mother of a Father; and in a preceding Feast (of the Nativity) we knew thee an Infant, but in this present Feast (of the Epiphany) we see thee at full growth, appearing to be our most perfect God. According whereto also St. Augustine 
† Serm. in E●iphan. & 〈◊〉 diversis 64.  hath express words, and that often: For however they had anciently in the Greek Church confounded the Feasts of the Baptism, or Epiphany, and the Nativity; yet, being admonished from the Western Church, they confessed their error in this, that they severed the commemoration of the Baptism from this of the Birth, and placed the Birth on his proper day in December; and yet they retained still for the Baptism the name of Epiphania, which also is sometimes 
* Vide sis Theonhil. Alexand. in edicto tom. bibls. Patrum edit. Paris. p. 161.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as in the Menology, and in the Apostoloevangela of the Greek Church, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i.e. On the sixth of the same month the holy Theophania of our Lord Jesus Christ; for than was the first public apparition of his Godhead. In the Church of Egypt also this day is severally kept by the 
† Comput. Elcophi apud Scalig. de emendat. l. 7. p. 661.  name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alchamim, i. the Feast of Washing or Bathing; Quod Ecclesia vetus Aegyptiaca baptismum eo dic iteraret, says joseph Scaliger; though perhaps that name may have reference to that old custom used in the Church, of providing water in the night of that day for the holy uses of the whole year following; which St. Chrysostom 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. edit. Savil. p. 524. tom 5.  remembers, and is yet retained in the Greek Church (as it appears by their Euchologium or Common-Prayer-Book) as also in the Syriack Church, which hath this Feast severed (as ours here) from the Birth, and keeps it 
† iridimonstad. in subaexis Taste. Syriaco.  under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ilhada dinohora, i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (as Nazianzen calls it) or the Feast of Lights; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Didinacha, i. e. Of Light appearing in the East; according whereto also they, as others, use in this Feast great store of Lights; which hath reference to the very word Epiphania doubtless, which denotes Enlightening also, or Illumination in the Vulgar Translation of the New Testament; and both in that sense, as also in the other of Apparition or Manifestation, it may verbally besides signify the apparition of the Star to the Wise men: 
Stella, quae Solis rotam  
Vincit decore ac lumine.  As Prudentius of it: and Sedulius of the Wise men, 
Stellam sequentes praeviam,  
Lumen requirunt lumine.  Both in their Hymns made proper to this of the Epiphany.  
So that the name of the Epiphany is from the ancient and primitive times fully satisfied, either in that of the Baptism, or in the apparition of the Star: Whence also the Dutch, French, Italian and Spaniard note it by The day of the three Kings, for so those wise men are commonly reputed to have been; and also the Feast itself hath been long since, after the truth learned from the Western Church, observed apart by itself, as having in the first observation of it no community with this of the Birthday; and that among those which before had confounded them. It follows then, that even by their own confession that had been the Authors of this confusion, they had been deceived in application of the name of Epiphany to the birth of our Saviour: and for that collection of time out of the testimony of St. Luke, it is clear that no certainty of the day can be thence extracted; the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. as it were about, expressly excludes such certainty: So St. john, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. it was about the tenth hour, which clearly denotes not the beginning or end of the hour; neither needs there farther proof of the weakness of that collection.  
At length to conclude therefore, the Authorities of the Ancients, and the consent of Christian Churches for this Birthday, as it is now anniversarily kept, being as before declared, the mistaken reasons being rejected (lest their falsehoods might prejudice the clearness of the Truth) the Objections of later time being answered, and the different Opinions of the Ancients touching it being either groundless, or not in truth opposing it; it rests that we resolve on it, as upon as certain and clear a Truth of Tradition, as by rational inference, by express testimony of the Ancients, by common and continual practice of several Churches, and by accurate inquiry, may be discovered.  
FINIS.    

These Books following are printed for Nathanael Brook, and we to besold all his Shop at the Angel in Cornhill.  

Excellent Tracts in Divinity, Controversies, Sermons, Devotions.  
1. THe Catholic History collected and gathered out of Scripture, Councils and ancient Fathers, in answer to Dr. Vain's Lost sheep returned home: by Edward Chesensale Esq; in octavo.  
2. Bishop Morton on the Sacrament, in fol.  
3. The grand Sacrilege of the Church of Rome, in taking away the sacred Cup from the Laity at the Lords Table: by Dr. Dan. Featly, in quarto.  
4. Quakers cause at second hearing, being a full answer to their Tenets.  
5. Re-assertion of Grace, Vindiciae Evangelii, or the Vindication of the Gospel, a Reply to Mr. Anthony Burges's Vindiciae Legis, and to Mr. Rutherford: by Robert Towers.  
6. Anabaptist anatomised and silenced, or a Dispute with Mr. Tombs: by Mr. J. Cragg, where all may receive clear satisfaction.  
A Cabinet Jewel; Man's misery, God's mercy, in 8. Sermons, with an Appendix concerning Tithes, with the expediency of marriages in public assemblies: by the same Author Mr. john Cragg.  
7. A Glimpse of Divine Light, being an explication of some passages exhibited to the Commissioners at Whitehall for approbation of public Preachers, against I. Harrison of Land Chappel, Laneashire.  
8. The Zealous Magistrate, a Sermon by T. Threscos', quarto.  
9 New Jerusalem, in a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers, quarto, in the year 1651.  
10. Divinity no enemy to Astrology, a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers in the year 1643. by Dr. Thomas Swaddling.  
11. Britannia Rediviva, a Sermon before the Judges, August 1648. by I. Shaw Minister of Hull.  
12. The Princess Royal, in a Sermon before the Judges, March 24. by I. Shaw.  
13. Judgement set and Books opened, Religion tried whether it be of God or man, in several Sermons, by I. Webster, quarto.  
14. Israel's Redemption, or the prophetical History of our Saviour's Kingdom on Earth: by K. Matton.  
15. The cause and cure of Ignorance, Error and Profaneness; or a more hopeful way to grace and salvation: by K. Young, octavo.  
16. A Bridle for the Times, tending to still the murmuring, to settle the wavering, to stay the wand'ring, and to strengthen the fainting: by I. Brinsley of Yarmouth.  
17. Comforts against the fear of death; wherein are discovered several evidences of the work of grace: by I. Collins of Norwich.  
18. jacob's seed, or the excellency of seeking God by prayer: by Jer. Burroughs.  
19 The sum of Practical Divinity, or the grounds of Religion in a Catechistical way: by Mr. Christopher Love, late Minister of the Gospel; an useful piece.  
20. Heaven and Earth shaken, a Treatise showing how Kings and Princes, and all other Governments, are turned and changed: by J. Davis Minister in Dover; admirably useful, and seriously to be considered in these times.  
21. The Treasure of the soul, wherein we are taught by dying to sin to attain to the perfect love of God.  
22. A Treatise of Contentation, fit for these sad and troublesome times: by I. Hall Bishop of Norwich.  
23. Select Thoughts, or choice helps for a pious spirit beholding the excellency of her Lord Jesus: by I. Hall Bishop of Norwich.  
24. The holy Order or Fraternity of Mourners in Zion; to which is added, Songs in the Night, or cheerfulness under afflictions: by I. Hall Bishop of Norwich.  
25. The Celestial Lamp, enlightening every distressed soul from the depth of everlasting darkness; by T. Fotiplace.  
26. The Moderate Baptist in two parts, showing the Scripture-way for the Administering of the Sacrament of Baptism, discovering the old error of Original sin in Babes; by W. Brittin.  
27. Dr. Martin Luther Treatise of Liberty of Christians; an useful Treatise for the stating Controversies so much disputed in these times about this great point.  
28. The Key of Knowledge; a little Book by way of Questions and Answers, intended for the use of all degrees of Christians, especially for the Saints of Religious families, by old Mr. john jackson that famous Divine.  
29. The true Evangelical Temper, a Treatise modestly and soberly fitted to the present grand concernments of the State and Church, by old Mr. john jackson.  
30. The Book of Conscience opened and read by the same Author.  
31. The so much desired and Learned Commentary on the whole 15. Psalms, by that Reverend and Eminent Divine Mr. Christopher Cartwright Minister of the Gospel in York, to which is affixed a brief account of the Author's Life and Work by R. Bolton.  
32. The Judges Charge delivered in a Sermon before Mr. Justice Hall and Sergeant Crook Judges of Assize at St. Mary Overs in Southwark, by R. Parr M. A. Pastor of Camerwell in the County of Surry. A Sermon worthy perusal of all such persons as endeavour to be honest and just practioners in the Law.  
33. The Saint's Tombstone, being the Life of that Virtuous Gentlewoman Mrs. Dorothy Shaw, late Wife of Mr. john Shaw Minister of the Gospel at Kingston upon Hull.   

Admirable and Learned Treatises of Occult Sciences in Philosophy, Magic, Astrology, Geomancy, Chemistry, Physiognomy, and Chiromancy.  
34. Magic and Astrology vindicated by H. Warren.  
35. Lux veritatis, Judicial Astrology vindicated, and Demonology confuted: by W. Ramsey, Gent.  
36. An Introduction to the Teutonick Philosophy, being a determination of the Original of the soul: by C. Hotham Fellow of Peterhouse in Cambridge.  
37. Cornelius Agrippa his fourth Book of Occult Philosophy, or Geomancy; Magical Elements of Peter de Abona, the nature of spirits, made English by R. Turner.  
38. Paracelsus Occult Philosophy of the Mysteries of Nature, and his secret Alchemy.  
39 An Astrological Discourse with Mathematical Demonstrations; proving the influence of the Planets and fixed Stars upon Elementary Bodies: by Sir Christ. Heyden Knight.  
40. Merlinus Anglicus Junior: the English Merlin revived, or a Prediction upon the Affairs of Christendom, for the year 1644. by W. Lilly.  
41. England's Prophetical Merlin, foretelling to all Nations of Europe, till 1663. the actions depending upon the Influences of the Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, 1642. by W. Lilly.  
42. The Starry messenger, or an interpretation of that strange apparition of three Suns seen in London the 19 of November 1644. being the Birthday of K. Charles, by W. Lilly.  
43. The World's Catastrophe, or Europe's many mutations, until 1666. by W. Lilly.  
44. An Astrological prediction of the Occurrences in England, part in the years 1648. 1649. 1650. by W. Lilly.  
45. Monarchy or no Monarchy in England, the prophecy of the White King, Grebner his prophecies concerning Charles Son of Charles his Greatness, illustrated with several Hieroglyphics, by W. Lilly.  
46. Aunus Tenebrasus, or the dark year; or Astrological judgements upon two Lunary Eclipses, and one admirable Eclipse of the Sun in England, 1652. by W. Lilly.  
47. An easy and familiar way whereby to judge the effects depending on Eclipses, by W. Lilly.  
48. Supernatural sights and apparitions seen in London, june 30. 1644. by W. Lilly; as also all his Works in one Volume.  
49. Catastrophe Magnatum, an Ephemetides for the year 1652. by N. Culpeper.  
50. Teratologia, or a discovery of God's Wonders, manifested by bloody Rain and Waters: by J. S.  
51. Chyromancy, or the art of divining by the Lines engraven in the hand of man, by dame Nature, in 198. Genitures; with a learned Discourse of the soul of the World: by G. Wharton, Esq;  
52. The admired piece of Physiognomy, and Chyromancy, Metoposcopy, the symmetrical proportions and signal moles of the body, the Interpretation of Dreams, to which is added the art of memory illustrated with Figures: by R. Sanders, folio.  
53. The no less exquisite than admirable work, Theatrum Chemycum Britannicum; containing several Poetical pieces of our famous English Philosophers, who have written the Hermetick mysteries in their own ancient Language; faithfully collected into one Volume, with Annotations thereon: by the Indefatigable Industry of Elias Ashmole, Esq; illustrated with Figures.  
54. The way to Bliss, in three Books, a very Learned Treatise of the Philosopher's Stone, made public by Elias Ashmole, Esq;   

Excellent Treatises in the Mathematics, Geometry, of Arithmetic, Surveying, and other Arts, or Mechanics.  
55. The incomparable Treatise of Tactometria, seu Tetagmenometria; or the Geometry of Regulars, practically proposed after a new & most expeditious manner, together with the Natural or Vulgar, by way of mensural comparison, and in the Solids, not only in respect of Magnitude or Dimension, but also of Gravity or Ponderosity, according to any metal assigned: together with useful experiments of measures and weights, observations on gauging, useful for those that are practised in the art Metricald: by T. Wybard.  
56. Tectonicon, showing the exact measuring of all manner of Land, Squares, Timber, Stones, Steeples, Pillars, Globes; as also the making and use of the Carpenters, Rule, etc. fit to be known by all Surveyors, Land-meters, Joiner's, Carpenters, and Masons: by D. Diggs.  
57 The unparallelled work for ease and expedition, entitled, The exact Surveyor, or the whole art of surveying of Land, showing how to plot all manner of grounds, whether small enclosures, champain, plain, wood-lands or mountains, by the plain Table; as also how to find the Area, or content of any Land, to protect, reduce, or Divide the same; as also to take the plot or chart, to make a map of any manor, whether according to Rathburne, or any other eminent surveyors method; a Book excellently useful for those that sell, purchase, or are otherwise employed about Buildings: by J. Eyre.  
58. The Golden Treatise of Arithmetic, Natural and Artificial, or Decimals; the Theory and practise united in a simpathetical proportion betwixt Line and Numbers, in their Quantities and Qualities, as in respect of form, figure, magnitude and affection; demonstrated by Geometry, illustrated by Calculations, and confirmed with variety of examples in every Species; made compendious and easy for Merchants, Citizens, Seamen, Accomptants, etc. by Tho. Wilsford corrector of the last Edition of Record.  
59 Semigraphy, or the art of shortwriting, as is hath been proved by many hundreds in the City of London, and other places by them practised, and acknowledged to be the easiest, exactest and swiftest method; the meanest capacity by the help of this Book, with a few hours practice may attain to a perfection in this art: by J. Rich Author and teacher thereof, dwelling in Swithins-Lane in London.  
60. Milk for Children, a plain and easy method teaching to read and write, useful for Schools and Families: by J. Thomas D. D.  
61. The Painting of the ancients, the History of the beginning, progress, and consummating of the practice of that noble art of painting: by F. junius.   

Excellent and approved Treatises in Physic, Chirurgery, and other more familiar Experiments in Cookery, Preserving, etc.  
62. Culpeper's Semiatica Vranica, his Astrological Judgement of Diseases from the decumbiture of the sick much enlarged: the way and manner of finding out the cause, change and end of the Disease; also whether the sick be likely to live or die, and the time when Recovery or Death is to be expected, according to the judgement of Hypocrates and Hermes Trismegistus; to which is added Mr. Culpepers' censure of Urines.  
63. Culpepers' last Legacy left to his Wife for the public good, being the choicest and most profitable of those secrets in Physic and Chirurgery, which whilst he lived, were locked up in his breast, and resolved never to be published till after his death.  
64. The Yorkshire Spa, or the virtue and use of that water in curing of desperate Diseases, with directions and Rules necessary to be considered by all that repair thither.  
65. Most approved Medicines and Remedies for the diseases in the body of man: by A. Read Doctor in Physic.  
66. The art of simpling, an Introduction to the knowledge of gathering of Plants, wherein the definitions, divisions, places, descriptions, differences, names, virtues, times, of gathering, temperatures of them, are compendiously discoursed of: also a discovery of the lesser World: by W. Coles.  
67. Adam in Eden, or Nature's Paradise: the History of Plants, Herbs, and Flowers, with their several original names, the places where they grow, their descriptions and kinds, their times of slourishing and decreasing; as also their several signatures, anatomical appropriations, and particular physical virtues; with necessary observations on the seasons of planting and gathering of our English plants. A work admirable useful for Apothecaries, Surgeons, and other ingenious persons, who may in this Herbal find comprised all the English physical simples, that Gerard or Parkinson in their two voluminous Herbals have discoursed of; even so as to be on emergent occasions their own Physicians, the Ingredients being to be had in their own Fields and Gardens: published for the general good, by W. Coles M.D.  
68 The complete midwives practise in the high and weighty concernments of the body of mankind: the second Edition corrected and enlarged, with a full supply of such most useful and admirable secrets which Mr. Nicholas Culpeper in his brief Treatise, and other English Writers in the art of Midwifery have hitherto wilfully passed by, kept close to themselves, or wholly omitted: by T. Chamberlain, M. P. illustrated with Copper Figures.  
69. The Queen's Closet opened, incomparable secrets in physic, chirurgery, preserving, candying, and cookery; as they were presented to the Queen by the most experienced persons of our times; many whereof were honoured with her own practice.  
70. William Clows his Chirurgical Observations for those that are burned with the flames of Gunpowder, as also for the curing of wounds and lues venerea.  
71. The expert Doctors Dispensatory, the whole art of Physic restored to practice, with a survey of most Dispensatories extant; a work for the plainness and method not to be paralleled by any, with a Preface of Mr. Nich. Culpepers to the Reader in its commendation: by P. Morebius, Physician to the King: France.  
72. The perfect Cook, a right method in the art of Cookery, whether for Pastry or A la mode Kickshaws, with 55. ways of dressing Eggs: by M. M.   

Elegant Treatises in Humanity, History, Description of Countries, Romances and Poetry.  
73. Time's Treasury or Academy, for the accomplishment of the English Gentry in arguments of Discourse, Habit, Fashion, Behaviour, etc. all summed up in characters of Honour: by R. Brathwait Esq;  
74. Oedipus, or the Resolver of the secrets of Love and other natural problems, by way of Question and Answer.  
75. The admirable and most impartial History of New England, of the first plantation there in the year 1628. brought down to these times: all the material passages performed there, exactly related.  
76. America painted to the Life, the History of the Conquest, and first Original undertaking of the advancement of plantation in those parts, with an exact Map: by F. Gorges, Esq;  
77. The tears of the Indians, the History of the most bloody and most cruel proceed of the Spaniards in the Islands of Hispaniola, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, and other places of the West-Indies; in which to the life are discovered the tyrannies of the Spaniards, as also the justness of our War so successfully managed against them.  
78. The Illustrious Shepherdess. The Imperious Brother, written origionally in Spanish by that Incomparable Wit, Don john Perez de montalban's; translated at the requests of the Marchioness of Dorchester, and the Countess of Strafford: by E. P.  
79. The History of the golden Ass, as also the Loves of Cupid and his Mistress Psyche: by L. Apuleius, translated into English.  
80. The Unfortunate Mother, a Tragedy, by T. N.  
81. The Rebellion: a Comedy, by T. Rawlins.  
82. The Tragedy of Messalina the insatiate Roman Empress: by N. Richard's.  
83. The Floating Island: a Tragicomedy acted before the King, by the Students of Christ-Church in Oxon. by that Renowned Wit W. Strode; the songs were set by Mr. Henry Laws.  
84. Harvey's Divine Poems, the History of Balaam, of jonah, and of St. john the Evangelist.  
85. Fons Lachrymarum, or a Fountain of tears; the Lamentations of the Prophet jeremiah in Verse, with an Elegy on Sir Charles Lucas: by I. Quarles.  
86. Nocturnal Lucubrations, with other witty Epigrams and Epitaphs: by R. Chamberlain.  
87. The admirable ingenuous satire against Hypocrites.  
88 Wit Restored, in several select Poems, not formerly published by Sr. john Menis and Mr. Smith, with others.  
89. Sportive Wit, the Muse's merriment, a new Spring of Drollery, Jovill Fancies, etc.   

Poetical, with several other accurately ingenuous Treatises lately printed.  
90. Wit's Interpreter, the English Parnassus: or a sure Guide to those admirable accomplishments that complete the English Gentry, in the most acceptable Qualifications of discourse or writing. An art of Logic, accurate Compliments, Fancies, Devises, and Experiments, Poems, Poetical Fictions, and A la mode Letters: by I.C.  
91. Wit and Drollery, with other Jovial Poems with new additions: by Sir I.M.M.L.M.S.W.D.  
92. The conveyance of Light, or the complete Clerk and Scrivener's guide; being an exact draught of all precedents and assurances now in use; as they were penned and perfected by divers Learned Judges, Eminent Lawyers, and great Conveyancers, both ancient and modern: whereunto is added a Concordance from King Richard the Third to this present.  
93. Themis Aurea, the Laws of the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross; in which the occult secrets of their Philosophical Notions are brought to light: written by Count Mayerus, and now Englished by T. H.  
94. The Iron Rod put into the Lord Protectors hand; a Prophetical Treatise.  
95. Medicina Magica tamen Physica, magical but natural physic, containing the general cures of Infirmities & diseases belonging to the bodies of men, as also to other animals and domestic Creatures, by way of transplantation, with a description of the most excellent Cordial out of Gold by Sam. Boulton of Salop.  
96. I. Tradescant's Rarities published by himself.  
97. The proceed of the High Court of Justice against the late King Charles, with his speech upon the Scaffold and other proceed, jan. 30. 1648.   

Admirable Useful Treatises newly printed.  
98. Nature's Secrets, or the admirable and wonderful History of the generation of meteors, describing the temperatures of the elements, the heights, magnitudes and influences of Stars, the causes of Comets, Earthquakes, Deluges, Epidemical Diseases, and prodigies of precedent times: with presages of the weather, and descriptions of the weatherglass: by T. Wilsford.  
99 The mysteries of Love and Eloquence, or the arts of Wooing and Complementing, as they are managed in the Spring-Garden, Hid Park, the New Exchange, and other eminent places: A work in which is drawn to the life the Deportments of the most accomplished persons: the mode of their Courtly entertainments, treatment of their Ladies at Balls, their accustomed Sports, Drolls and Fancies, the Witchcrafts of their persuasive Language in their approaches, or other more secret dispatches, etc. by E.P.  
100 Helmont disguised, or the vulgar errors of impartial and unskilful practisers of physic confuted, more especially as they concern the Cures of Fevers, the Stone, the plague, and some other Diseases by way of Dialogue, in which the chief rarities of physic are admirably discoursed of: by I.T.   

Books in the Press and now printing.  
1. Geometry demonstrated by lines and numbers; from thence Astronomy, Cosmography and Navigation proved and delineated by the doctrine of plain and spherical Triangles: by T. Willsford.  
2. The English Annals, from the Invasion made by Julius Cesar to these times: by T. Willsford.  
3. The Fool transformed, a Comedy.  
4. The History of Lewis the eleventh King of France, a Tragicomedy.  
5. The chaste Woman against her will, a Comedy.  
6. The Tooth-drawer, a Comedy.  
7. Honour in the end, a Comedy.  
8. Tell-tale, a Comedy.  
9 The History of Donquixot, or the Knight of the ill-favoured face, a Comedy.  
10. The fair Spanish Captive, a Tragicomedy.  
11. Sir Kenelm Digby, and other Persons of Honour, their rare and incomparable secrets of Physic, Chirurgery, Cookery, Preserving, Conserving, Candying, distilling of Waters, extraction of Oils, compounding of the costliest Perfumes, with other admirable inventions and select experiments, as they offered themselves to their observations, whether here or in foreign Countries.   

Books lately printed.  
12. The so well entertained work, the New World of English words, or a general Dictionary, containing the Terms, Etymologies, Definitions, and perfect Interpretations of the proper significations of hard English words, throughout the Arts and Sciences Liberal or Mechanic; as also other subjects that are useful or appertain to the Language of our Nation: to which is added the signification of proper Names, Mythology and Poetical Fictions, Historical Relations, Geographical Descriptions of the Countries and Cities of the world, especially of these three Nations, wherein their chiefest Antiquities, Battles, and other most remarkable passages are mentioned: a work very necessary for strangers as well as our own countrymen, for all persons that would rightly understand what they discourse or read: collected and published by E.P. for the greater honour of those learned Gentlemen and Artists that have been assistant in the most practical Sciences, their names are presented before the Book.  
13. The modern Assurancer, the Clerk's Directory, containing the practic part of the Law, in the exact forms and draughts of all manner of Precedents for Bargains and Sales, Grants, Feoffments, Bonds, Bills, Conditions, Covenants, Jointures, Indentures, to lead the uses of Fines and Recoveries, with good Provisoes and Covenants to stand seized, Charter-parties for Ships, Leases, Releases, Surrenders, etc. and all other Instruments and Assurances now in use, intended for all young Students and Practisers of the Law: by John Hern.  
14. Moor's Arithmetic, the second Edition, much refined and diligently cleared from the former mistakes of the press; a work containing the whole art of Arithmetic as well in numbers as species, together with many additions by the Author, is come forth.  
15. Likewise Exercitatio Eleiptica Nova, or a new Mathematical Contemplation on the Oval Figure called an Eleipsis; together with the two first Books of Mydorgius his conics Analized and made so plain, that the Doctrine of Conical sections may be easily understood; a Work much desired and never before published in the English Tongue: by jonas Moor, Surveyor General of the great Level of the Fens.  
16. Naps upon Parnassus, a sleepy muse nipped and pinched though not awakened: such Voluntary and Jovial Copies of Verses as were lately received from some of the Wits of the Universities in a Frolic; Dedicated to Gondiberts' Mistress, by Captain jones and others. Whereunto is added for Demonstration of the Author's Prosaic Excellencies, his Epistle to one of the Universities, with the Answer; together with two Satirical Characters of his own, of a Temporizer, and an Antiquary, with marginal notes by a Friend to the Reader.  
17. Culpepers' School of Physic, or the Experimental practice of the whole Art, so reduced either into Aphorisms, or choice and tried Receipts, that the freeborn Students of the three Kingdoms may in this method find perfect ways for the operation of such medicines, so Astrologically and Physically prescribed, as that they may themselves be competent Judges of the Cures of their patients: by N. C.  
18. Blagrave's admirable Ephemerideses for the year 1659. and 1660.  
19 J. Cleaveland Revived, Poems, Orations, Epistles, and other of his Genuine incomparable pieces: a second impression with many additions.  
20. The Exquisite Letters of Master Robert Loveday, the late admired Translator of the Volumes of the famed Romance Cleopatra, for the perpetuating his memory; published by his dear Brother, Mr. A. L.  
21. England's Worthies, Select Lives of 47. most Eminent persons from Constantine the Great to the late times: by W. Winstanley, Gent.  
22. The Accomplished Cook, the Mystery of the whole Art of Cookery revealed in a more easy and perfect method then hath been published in any Language; expert and ready ways for the dressing of Flesh, Fowl, and Fish, the raising of Pastes, the best directions for all manner of Kickshaws, and the most poignant Sauces, with the terms of carving and sewing: the Bills of Fare, and exact account of all dishes for the season, with other A la mode Curiofities, together with the lively Illustrations of such necessary figures as are referred to practise: approved by the many years experience, and careful industry of Robert May, in the time of his attendance on several persons of Honour.  
23. The Scales of Commerce and Trade, the Mystery revealed as to traffic with a Debtor or Creditor, for Merchant's Accounts after the Italian way, and easiest method; as also a Treatise of Architecture, and a computation as to all the charges of building: by T. Wilsford, Gent.  
24. Art's Masterpiece, or the beautifying part of physic; whereby all defects of Nature of both sexes are amended, age renewed, youth continued, and all imperfections fairly remedied: by B. T. Doctor of physic.  
25. A Discourse concerning Liberty of Conscience, in which are contained proposals about what liberty in this kind is now politically expedient to be given, and several reasons to show how much the peace and welfare is concerned therein: by R.T.  
26. Christian Reformation, being an earnest suasion to the speedy practice of it: proposed to all, but especially designed for the serious consideration of my dear Kindred and countrymen of the County of Cork in Ireland, and the people of Riegat and Camerwell in the County of Surrey: by Richard Parr, Doctor in Divinity there.  
27. The Character of Spain, or an Epitome of their Virtues and Vices.  
28. The Character of Italy, or the Italian anatomised by an English Chirurgeon.  
29. The Character of France, to which is added Gallus castratus, or an Answer to a pamphlet called The character of England, as also a fresh Whip for the Monsieur in answer to his Letter: the second Edit.  
30. No necessity of Reformation of the public Doctrine of the Church of England: by john Pearson D.D.  
31. An Answer to Dr. Burges' Word by way of postscript, in vindication of No Necessity of Reformation of the public Doctrine of the Church of England: by john Pearson D.D.  
32. A Treatise of peace between the two visible divided parties; wherein is inquired, What peace is intended, who the parties that differ, wherein the difference consists, how they fell out, wherein they ought to agree, how they may be persuaded unto peace, by what means reconciliation may be made between them.  
33. Dr. Daniel Featly Revived, proving that the Protestant Church, and not the Catholic, is the only visible and true Church; in a Manual preserved from the hands of the plunderers, with a succinct History of his life and death: published by john Featly, Chaplain to the Kings most excellent Majesty.  
34. Scotch Covenant condemned, being a full answer to Mr. Douglas his Sermon, preached at the King's Coronation in Scotland, wherein His Sacred Majesty is vindicated: by a loyal and orthodox hand.  
35. England's Triumph, a more exact History of His Majesty's Escape after the Battle of Worcester, with a Chronological discourse of His Straits and Dangerous Adventures into France, and His Removes from place to place till His return into England, with the most Remarkable Memorials till September last.  
36. Euclides Elements in 15. Books in English, completed by Mr. Barrow of Cambridge.  
37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or God made Man. A Tract proving the Nativity of our Saviour to be on the 25. of December: by I. Selden.  
These are to give notice, that the true and right Lozenges and Pectorals so generally known and approved of for the cure of Consumptions, Coughs, Astamas, Colds in general, and all other Diseases incident to the Head, are rightly made only by john Piercy, Gent. the first Inventor of them; and whosoever maketh them besides, do but counterfeit them: they are to be sold by Nath. Brook at the Angel in Cornhill.  
FINIS.