CHRIST'S BIRTH Misse-timed.  
OR, A Resolution to a Question about the Time of Christ's Nativity; Evidencing by Scripture, That JESUS CHRIST was not Born in December.  
By R. S.  
LONDON, Printed for John Bartlet, at the Sign of the Gilt Cup at Augustine's Gate, near the Stump. 1649.   

A Resolution to the Right Honourable, the Lord Carewe's question, touching the true time of the Conception and Birth both of John Baptist, and also of our SAVIOUR.  

Sect. I. The Preface  
RIght Honourable, Seeing we all agree in the substance, and differ only three months in the circumstance of time, (premising that of Tully's, Loquendum ut vulgus, sentiendum tamen ut sapientes,) for that I am careful that the least schism should be made in Christ's Tunica, which is seamlesse and unica: I have sent your Honour this resolution, not out of Beroaldus, Bucholcerus, and Broughton, but out of the sacred Scriptures, which we are commanded to search, especially in difficult points.   

Sect. II. The true Time of Christ's Nativity Evidenced.  
THe Conception of John Baptist was in the month of June as the Hebrews reckon their months; Therefore Christ's conception must needs be in the sixth month following June, which is December, where we ignorantly make his Birth.  
1. The Consequent of the major is proved, for that John Baptist was six months elder than Christ, as appears Luke l. 36. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth she hath also conceived a son in her old age, and this is her sixth month which was called barren. Now compare the 26. v. with the precedent 36. v. and it will appear that this sixth month of John's age in his mother's womb, was the same sixth month in which the Angel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary, and in which she conceived Christ, as the words show, v. 26. And in the sixth month, (viz. in which John was six months old) the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a City of Galilee named Nazareth to the Virgin Mary, etc. And v. 31. his message is declared to be this; For lo thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. The Virgin then conceived jesus in the same sixth month of john's age, john was then six months old at Christ's conception; Therefore Christ was consequently conceived in December after, and not borne then as the calculation is [groundlessely] made.  
2. Secondly, Now that John's conception was in june (& not his birth as we make it) is proved by the course of Abbia, being the eighth course of the 24 courses of the Priests as is proved 1 Chro. 24.10. The seventh lot fell to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abbia. Now Zacharias the father of john Baptist was of this eighth course or lot of Abbia, Luke 1.5. In the time of Herod King of Judea there was a certain Priest named Zacharias of the course of Abbia and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth, and they had no child, v. 6. and vers. 13. The Angel Gabriel vers. 19, told him; Thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name john. And v. 23. And when the days of his Office was fulfilled, he departed to his own house. And v. 24. And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, after the end of his Eighth course in the beginning of july, after our account; for their june contains part of our july. And she hide herself five months, saying. And v. 25. in the sixth month after Elizabeth's conception the Angel was sent to Mary to tell her of her conception of Christ. Now for as much as the Jews did begin to reckon their years from the month of Nisan or Abib, part of our March and April, which was the first of the months of the sacred year since their going out of Egypt, as appears, Exod. 12.2. This month shall be unto you the beginning of months, it shall be unto you the first month of the year. Now chapped. 13.4. Moses tells you what month he means (by this month) This day came ye out in the month of Abib, the month corn began to ear, containing part of our March and part of our April. Now begin thou thy reckoning from Abib or March, giving and allowing to every lot or course of the 24 courses of the Priests one Fortnight, (for there were 24 courses of Priests and but 12 months, therefore every Priest must needs serve a fortnight for his course for 24 fortnight's makes 12 months;) And so the eighth fortnight or course shall fall to Abbia, of which Zachary was, which was in june, after the Hebrews account.  
For two courses in March, and two courses more in April following make four courses, two more in May make six, and two more in June make eight. The eighth Abbia's course, of which Zacharias was. I conclude then John's Conception to be in June, where we make his Birth, which in truth was in March following. And so consequently Christ's Conception was in December, six months after John's Conception, in which December we make Christ's Birth, which Birth of Christ was in truth in September following in the Feast of Tabernacles, beginning at the 15. of Septem. and lasting 8. days, till the end of the 22. day, in which feast time of 8. days Christ pitched in the Tabernacle of his flesh amongst us, as appears, John 1.14. And the word was made flesh, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] and pitched his Tabernacle amongst us. He became a Scaenite. Thus behold the sweet Harmony between the Type and the thing typified, for Christ came not to break the Law, but to fulfil it.  
And thus desiring your Honour to vindicate my credit from the unjust imputation that some, peradventure seeing this, may lay upon me as a Broacher of Novelties, in that I endeavour to wade further in the Originals, and paralleling of Scriptures than the vulgar do, having written this to satisfy your Honour's request only, I rest now and ever.  
Your Honours obliged in all Duty and Service. R. S.   

Sect. III. Of the Occasion of this error, the invalidity whereof is manifested.  
SAint chrysostom, 
Postscript.  mistaking the story of Zachary, John's father; was the occasion of this error in circumstance of time. For he supposed that Zachary ministered in the Priest's office in the seventh month, which is September, and fourteenth course of the Priests, and not in the fourth month June, and eighth course, which is the truth; thus we following his calculation, Christ's Conception was in March, and his birth in December, as we commonly reckon. Now that which deceived the golden mouthed father, (though all is not gold that glisters) was this. chrysostom supposed, (as Arias Montanus the Popish Spaniard doth,) that Zachary was the High Priest, and therefore the course of his ministry must needs be on the 10. of Septem. the seventh month, because on that day, only called (jom Haccippurim) the day of expiation of sins, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and reconciliation, the Highpriest must go into the Debyr, the Oracle, or Sanctum Sanctorum once a year only. Now I will show you Chrysostom's ground for these two things that moved him to think. 1. That Zachary was High Priest. And 2. That therefore consequently he must on the 10. of Septem. go into the Sanctum Sanctorum.  
Drusius on Luke 1.5. saith thus, In Historia Hebraica Johannes Baptistes vocatur, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  (Cohen Gadol,) hoc est magnus, sacerdos: quae vox aequè significat Pontificem maximum & Principem sacerdotum. Therefore its probable that Zachary was Princeps Sacerdotum, which he might be, and yet not Sacerdos maximus. For though these two words Sacerdos maximus, and Princeps Sacerdotum be often promiscuously used one for the other, yet the distinction is plain in Scripture that Princeps sacerdotum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (Sar Haccohanim,) was the chief Priest only of every one of the 24. Classes or Courses of Priests, and so its likely that Zachary was the Prince of the Priests, of his eighth course of Abbia. But Sacerdos maximus or Pontifex, is he that is Head of all the 24. Classes and Orders of Priests, which Zachary was not. For these reasons.  
First, because he is called, Luke 1.5. [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] a certain Priest, therefore not Pontifex maximus; for had it been certain that Zachary had been High Priest, Book would have so styled him, and not have spoken uncertainly of a certain and known dignity in the pronoun indefinite, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidam] which indefinite Pronoune, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] he presently defines, saying Of the course of Abbia, so v. 8. It's said of Zachary, that while he executed the Priest's office before God. And St. Luke doth not style him with the High-Priests office; which title of dignity to omit, had been an indignity offered by St. Luke to Zachary.  
Secondly, for that it is said, v. 8. that his Lot was to burn incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord. And v. 11. that there appeared an Angel to Zachary, standing on the right side of the Altar of Incense. For these two reasons Chrysostom & Arias think Zachary to be an Highpriest, whereas all Jews know, that the Candlestick, Table and Altar of Incense were without the Sanctum Sanctorum, (not within as they suppose,) and therefore being placed without, they were daily gone unto by Zachary, and other sacrificers in their courses. And thus much of Chrysostome's and Arias Montanus grounds, no solider than an Irish Quagmire to trust to.  
Thirdly, Mr. Broughton saith that there was an Old Record in Greek found at Rome, (as the Romanists say but it is not now extant to be showed,) that mentioneth Zachary to have ministered in the seventh month. And thus all error cometh from Rome, that bitter Star, Wormwood, cast into the fountains of the Scriptures and Universities, to corrupt and bitter them, not to better them, as Moses tree did the waters of bitter Marah. Now I will add after Confutation of the error, a probable Confirmation of the truth.  
The Rabbins in Midrash Rabath conclude, that the Messiah must be born in the month Aethanim or Tisri, that is in Septem. the month of strengths, full of feasts, to teach of the Messiah. And so agreeably we find in Moses that the three chief Anniversary Feasts do foretell and typify out Christ's times.  

1. Their Passeover, and our Easter prefiguring his death, falls out fitly in the first month for redemption from Egypt, and of our redemption by Christ,  
2. Their Feast of weeks, or harvest, fifty days after the Passeover, or joy of the ●aw, when the fire of the Law was given Israel; jumps with our Pentecost or Whitsuntide, when the fiery law of the spirit was given by Jesus in cloven tongues, Acts 2.  
3, The feast of dwelling in Tabernacles on the 15. of September, for eight days; Is suitable to our Lords pitching in the Tabernacle of his flesh amongst us, or his Nativity in Septem. the first month after the Creation. The feast of joyful meditation of Gods dwelling in the cloud amongst Israel, is a memorial of Christ dwelling in the flesh with us, john 1.14. And the Word was made flesh, and he pitched his Tabernacle amongst us. So in 1 Kings 8.2. this is plainly typified. Solomon brings the Ark and Tabernacle into the Temple, in the seventh month called Aethanim or September, month of strength and fruits, and the Cherubims spread their wings over the Ark. This Ark and Tabernacle was the type of the Ark and Tabernacle of Christ's body: The bringing in of this Tabernacle into the Temple, the coming of Christ into the world, in the Temple of Zarobabel, under which he was borne, preached, and wrought miracles. And the Cherubims are the Angels, spreading their wings of Protection over him, proclaiming him singing at his birth. And this was in the month Aethanim or September, (the month of strengths, or fruits and feasts,) wherein Christ was borne, bringing strength, and fruits of righteousness into the world.   
And thus having showed your Honour the sweet Harmony between the type and the thing typified: the feast of Taberacles in September, and Christ in the same time pitching in this Tabernacle of his flesh, amongst us; The Consent between the history and the mystery, I conclude with that of the Apostle, Great is the mystery of Godliness, God-manifest in the flesh. For the true Calculation of the months Consult with Munster's Calendarium Hebraicum.   
FINIS.