The Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Mr. Barnard 's SERMON, upon December 25. 1729. with an APPENDIX.

THE Certainty, Time and End, OF THE Birth of CHRIST.

_AS the Time drew near for the Appearance of the great God, and our Savior , to dwell with Men on the Earth, there was a wonderful Expectation, among almost all Nations, of some great Personage, to be born into the World, who should be remarkable, beyond any that had gone before him: To which the Prophet Haggai , one of the last of the Prophets, under the Old Testament, refers, when he says, Hag. II.7. The Desire of all Nations shall come, and I will fill this House (meaning the Second Temple, then a building, and near finished,) with Glory ; that is, by the Presence of Him whom all Nations, and the Jews especially, desired and looked for. This Expectation, doubtless, had it's Rise among the Nations, from the Jews , who were dispersed over Syria, Chaldea, Persia , and Greece , at, and after their Captivity by Nebuchadnezzar . Their Discourses about the promised Messiah , and the great Deliverance they looked for from Him, and the Prophecys relating to His Coming, contained in their canonical Books, very naturally led the learned among the Nations, who, we may reasonably suppose, had some little Acquaintance with the Jewish Writings, to expect some such mighty Person, as they spoke of. The Prophecy of Daniel , while he resided in the Persian Court, had so plainly pointed out the Messiah , the Prince , and the Time of His Appearance, that they could not be wholly Ignorant of Him; and therefore, towards the Period of the Prefixed Time, were looking and waiting for the Consolation of Israel.

The Angel Gabriel first makes known the Prophecy to Daniel , and about, 532 Years after, when the Time determined for the Messiah 's Coming, was near at Hand, God sends the same Gabriel , first to Zacharias , to acquaint him, that he should have a Son, by his Wife Elisabeth , though' they had gone Childless, till they were both well stricken in Years, and that this their Son should be the Fore-runner of the Messiah ; and within a few Months after to the Virgin Mary , to notify to her, that she should conceive and bear a Son, and call His Name JESUS , who should be the Immanuel , or God with us.

At the Time of the Birth of this wondrous and holy Child Jesus , (perhaps,) the same Gabriel is made the Joyful Messenger, of this glad Tydings, to the Shepherds, who were watching over their Flock, by Night, near Bethlehem : Of which we have an Account in my Context.

The Birth of Christ was attended with a strange Appearance in the Heavens, for an unusual Light, or Star, shone over Bethlehem , the Place of His Nativity, at the Time of it : Which, (no doubt) was the same Star, that the Wise Men of the East, or certain Magi in Persia , saw in their own Land, and were directed by to find out the Place of our Lord's Nativity .

This Light; or Star, the Shepherds, that were watching over their Flocks, near the City of David , beheld, and were surprised at so uncommon an Appearance in the Heavens. But the Angel appeared to them, and said, Fear not; for behold, I bring you good Tydings of great Joy, which shall be unto all People; for unto you is born, this Day, in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord . The Shepherds encouraged, and directed, by the Angel, went immediately to Bethlehem , and there found it as the Angel had told them .

There are several things observable in the Words of my Text; but there are but Two or Three, which I shall more particularly take Notice of, to discourse unto you on, at this Time, and upon this Occasion. As,

I. The Birth, or Incarnation of JESUS CHRIST, the Son of GOD.

II. The Time of His Birth, or when it was.

III. The great End and Design of His Incarnation and Birth. I shall begin with the first of these; and accordingly,

I. I am to consider the Birth , or Incarnation of JESUS CHRIST, the Son of GOD. Unto you there is born, Christ the Lord. And here, there are several Things worthy our Consideration, with respect to the Birth of Christ; as,

I. The Certainty of the Birth, and Incarnation of Christ the Son of GOD.

II. Of whom he was born, and

III. The Place of His Nativity, where he was born. I shall offer something to each of these. And

I. I shall consider the Certainty of the Birth and Incarnation of JESUS CHRIST, the Son of God.

And what can be more evident and certain than this is? What that we do not see with our Eyes, is confirmed to us by so many, and various kinds of Witnesses? The Angel published it to the Shepherds, assuring them, that unto you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord : That is, the promised Messiah , the Son of God, and Savior of the World. And this the Shepherds had full Proof and Evidence of, when they went to Bethlehem , and according to what the Angel had told them, found Mary the Mother, and Joseph , the reputed Father, and the Babe lying in a Manger .

This was further confirmed by the Wise Men of the East. For they (concluding the Strange Star they had seen in the Heavens, was an Indication of the Birth of the great Prince, spoken of in the Jewish Writings, and which the World was now earnestly looking for) after they had travelled some Hundreds of Miles from Persia , to satisfy their Curiosity about this wonderful Phaenomenon, at length came to Jerusalem , the Metropolis of Judea , near to which the Star, or Light, had been seen pendant , and inquire, where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His Star in the East: And when they were informed, by the learned Men among the Jews , that Bethlehem was to be the Place of the Nativity of the Messiah , they travelled thither; and the Star, which they had seen in the East, appeared again to them, and went before them, until it stood over the Place where the young Child lay, and so directed them to the particular House, in this miraculous manner, that they might not be imposed upon by any suppositions Birth; and they came into the House, and saw the young Child with Mary His Mother, and fell down and worshipped Him, — and presented unto Him, Gold and Frankincense, and Myrrh . Thus they confessed Him to be GOD, by the Adoration they paid to Him, at the same Time that their Senses convinced them, that He was really MAN, partaking of the same Flesh and Blood with themselves.

Besides there were many Witnesses at the Birth of Christ . For when Joseph and Mary had travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem , to be taxed, or enrolled , that Decree of Augustus , which necessitated the Jews to retire to their own City, to which they and their Families originally belonged, had brought a great Concourse of People to Bethlehem , so that the Inn , where the Mother of our Lord took up her Lodgings, was so full, that she could have no Conveniency, answerable to her Circumstances of falling into Travail, and therefore they laid the Young Child in 〈◊〉 Manger, because there was no room for the • in the Inn ; which the Evangelist Luke take •• particular notice of, Ch. II. v. 7. From whence it is plain, that, from the great Multitude of Travelers then present, there could be no Fraud in this Birth, but Mary really brought forth her first born Son.

And further, Herod the King, fearing the Loss of his Kingdom, from this Child, who was styled the King of the Jews , by the Wise Men of the East, and slaying all the Young Children in Bethlehem , from two Years old, and under, that he might prevent the Evil which he feared, adds Confirmation to the Truth and Certainty of the Incarnation of our Lord.

This Child, thus born into the World, was no other than the Accomplishment of the ancient Promise of the Messiah , the Son of God, appearing in the human Nature: For it was the Divine Logos , the Eternal Son of God, that became Man , and was born of a Woman. Hence our Lord said, John III.16. God so loved the World that he gave His only begotten Son. And thus at the Baptism of our Savior, it was declared by an audible Voice from Heaven, Matt. III.17. This is my beloved Son: And the Devils themselves confessed Him to be the Son of God, saying, Matt. VIII.29. What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, thou Son of God. So true is it, what the Apostle John tells us, Ch. I.14. The Word was made Flesh, and dwell • among us, and we be • eld His Glory, the Glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth. Thus God was manifest in Flesh .

2. I am in the next place to consider of whom Christ was born; namely, of a Virgin the Virgin Mary . And therefore we are told of Mary, Luke II.7. That she brought forth her first born Son , which is spoken of Christ . And that this Mary was a pure Virgin , who had never known a Man, when she brought forth this her first born Son, is evident from the Conference of the Angel with her. For we are told, Luke I.17. That the Angel Gabriel was sent to a Virgin, espoused to a Man whose Name was Joseph ; and at v. 31. he tells her, that she should conceive in her Womb, and bring forth a Son, and should call His Name Jesus . And when the holy Virgin was surprised at his saying, as well she might be, and replied, v. 34. How shall this be, seeing I know not a Man? The Angel explains the Mystery to her, and lets her know, that the holy Child, which should be born of her, should not originate in the Common Way of Generation, but by a Divine Incubation, or the Almighty Power of God forming a Child in her Womb, without the natural and ordinary Means therefor: v. 35. The Angel answered, and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also that holy Thing, which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. Such was the miraculous and immaculate Conception of the Blessed Jesus !

This also the Gospel of St. Matthew takes notice of, and informs us, Matt. I.18. That Mary was but espoused to Joseph ; and that, before they came together, she was found with Child by the Holy Ghost . This is further confirmed by Joseph 's Carriage to her, upon this Affair; for he finding her to be with Child, while she was contracted to him, and before their coming together, concluded she had been guilty of Fornication (or rather Adultery, as being his espoused Wife) and therefore intended to have put her away, and have nothing further to do with her; till an Angel from God satisfied him of her Innocency, that she was a pure Virgin , who had not been guilty of any criminal Conversation with any Man, but was with Child by the Holy Ghost .

In all of this was but fulfilled what was anciently praedicted concerning the Messiah . For the very first promise of the Messiah , seems to imply no less, than that He should be born of a pure Virgin , without any carnal Concubinage; and therefore He is called the Seed of the Woman, Gen. III.15. Where the Woman only, and not Adam , the Man , is taken notice of, as from whom the Messiah should proceed, who should bruise the Serpents Head .

But this was more plainly spoken of, by the Prophet Isaiah, Ch. VII.14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his Name Immanuel. I know the latter Jews , and with them the Atheists and Deists of the present Age, would fain persuade us, that by Virgin , here is meant, a Young Woman , in general, whether married or unmarryed; and they suppose it no such mighty matter for a Young Woman, especially if married, to bring forth a Son; and they suppose further that the Woman intended is, the Prophets Wife, who should have another Son, and before that Son, now to be born of her, should know to refuse the Evil, and choose the Good, Ahaz should be delivered from the Enemies that now encamped against him.

But to make this matter plain, I need only to observe, that as it was no such great thing for a Woman to bear a Son; so a Woman, in the general, or a married one in particular, bringing forth a Son, would not amount to the Nature of a Sign, which is what the Prophet is evidently here speaking of. And besides the learned in the Hebrew Language agree, that the Word translated Virgin , properly signifies an undefiled Virgin , one that has not been married, nor ever known a Man; and so the Jews , who best knew their own Language, understood it.

But then let us consider the Design of the Prophecy, and that will greatly enlighten this matter. The evident Design of this Prophecy was to Comfort and encourage Ahaz , who, with Jerusalem , was in great Fear, that the Combination of Resin , King of Syria , and Pekah , King of Israel , now investing Jerusalem with their united Forces, would carry all before them, and utterly destroy the Royal Stock, the House of David▪ Ahaz , obstinately (or perhaps modes •• y) refused to ask a Sign, as the Prophet proposed to him, and therefore the Prophet tells him, the Lord himself shall give you a Sign . Now a Sign ever means something out of the ordinary Course, or beyond the Power of merely natural Causes, and yet evident to our Senses; and what this Sign should be, the Prophet tells him in the next Words, Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His Name Immanuel . Tho' it be but agreeable to the Course of Nature for a Woman to conceive, and bear a Son, yet for a pure Virgin to do so, is beyond the Power of Second Causes; and it's being something unheard of, and exceeding the ordinary Power of Nature, is that which rendered it a Sign. Now this being but a Repetition, in other Words, and in a strong • r Light, of the ancient Prophecy concerning the Messiah , who was to be the Seed of the Woman , and of the Lineage of David , was therefore an Assurance to Ahaz , and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem , that they should not be utterly destroyed, because the Messiah was yet to come; so that they had no need to be so terribly afraid of the threatened Destruction▪ for God will certainly remember His Word, and make good His Promise to Abraham , to Isaac , and Jacob , and to the House of His Servant David . And because this locked a great Way off, and did not seem to carry in it that Encouragement which was necessary to scatter their present Fears, the Prophet from God, further tells Ahaz , that before this Child , (meaning, and perhaps,) pointing to his young Son, Shear-jashub , (whom God orders the Prophet to take with him , and who is no otherways concerned in this whole Affair, unless in this particular Transaction,) before this Child shall know to refuse the Evil, and choose the Good, the Land, which thou abhorrest, shall be forsaken of both her Kings . That is, Resin , and Pekah , the two Tails of these Smoaking Fire-brands , (as they are called should both of them be withdrawn from distressing Jerusalem , and be speedily cut off; as it came to pass within a little while after: for Pekah was cut off by Hoshea , , and Resin by the King of Assyria ; by which means Ahaz and Judah , were wholly delivered from the Desolation threatened by these two combined Adversarys.

So that the Sign, which the Lord gave Ahaz by His Prophet, concerning a Virgin 's conceiving, and bearing a Son , was but a further Ratification of what God had promised to His People of old, and therefore an Assurance to Ahaz , that the House of David , and Judah should not be destroyed, because His Promise yet remained to be made Good to them; which make the Words to be a clear Praediction, of the Messiah 's being born of a Virgin ; and it was punctually fulfilled in His Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary .

3. The third thing I am to consider, relating to the Birth of Christ, is the Place of it. And it is said, in my Text, to be in the City of David , that is, Bethlehem , as the Evangelist tells us, at v. 4. Bethlehem was called, the City of David , because he was born there, and there his Family had their chief Seat . And we read, Mich V.2. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though' thou be little , (or shall be Chief among the Thousands of Judah; out of Thee, shall He come forth unto me, that is to be Ruler in Israel . This the Jews ever understood to be a Prophecy, that the Messiah should be born in Bethlehem ; and therefore when Herod inquired of the chief Priests and Scribes, where Christ should be born, they tell him, in Bethlehem in Judea , and refer to this very Text, in Micah , for the Proof of it . ,

To bring about the Fulfilment of this Prophecy, the Roman Emperor, Augustus , about the Twenty fourth Year of his Reign, orders a general Survey to be made of the whole Roman Empire, which Survey extended to the Provinces dependant upon the Empire, as well as the Citizens of Rome ; by which Enrollment, everyone was obliged to repair, to their own City , as the Evangelist Luke informs us, ; that is, the City where their Ancestors had their Original, there to have their Names, Qualities and Possessions, entered upon Record ; this necessitated Joseph and Mary his espoused Wife, some Years after, when the Survey was come into the Province of Judea , to travel from Nazareth, where they dwelt, to Bethlehem , as to their own City, from whence they derived, there to have their Names and Circumstances enrolled; and while they were, upon this Occasion, in Bethlehem , the Virgin Mary , was delivered of her first born Son. And thus Christ was born in the City of David ,

Now besides a literal Accomplishment of the Prophecy of Micah , concerning the Place of the Messiah's Nativity, here was also a plain Proof, of His being of the Royal Stock, of David , and so King of the Jews . For the Promise of the Messiah , that was to come into the World, was firstly confined to the Lo • ns of Abraham , afterwards to the Tribe of Judah , and lastly to the Family of David , and accordingly the Survey that led Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem , the City of David , proves them both to be of the Line of David , and descended from his Stock. Therefore the Evangelists, in drawing down the Line of Descent, design •• lie show us, how Christ was the Son of David. Matthew gives us the Line from David to Joseph , His supposed Father; and Luke the Line of His real Mother, which shows they were both descended from that renowned King of Israel . For Heli , in Luke's Catalogue, was the Father of Mary , who was espoused to Joseph ; and because the Jews made no reckoning, in their Genealogies, by the Mother's side, therefore Joseph her espoused Husband, and Son in Law to Heli , is mentioned in her Room .

Thus much may suffice to have spoken to the Birth of Christ , the Certainty of it, the Person of whom, and the Place where. I shall now proceed to the Second thing I proposed, namely,

II. To consider the Time of our Blessed Lord's Nativity, or when Christ was born. And this I shall do, first more generally, and then more particularly.

I. I shall consider the Time of Christ 's Birth more Generally . And there are especially Two Prophecies, which I shall take Notice of, as pointing to the Time of the Messiah 's appearing in the World, both of which have had their full Accomplishment in the Coming of Christ.

The First I shall mention is the famous Prophecy in Jacob 's Blessing his Son Judah , which is contained in Gen. XLIX.10. The Sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his Feet, until Shiloh come. By Shiloh is meant the Messiah , as the Jews themselves before our Savior's Time ever acknowledged. The Design of the Prophecy is a general Assurance that the Sovereign Power shall remain in the Tribe of Judah , unto the Time of Shiloh , or Christ , His appearing in the World, after which all Sovereign Power should be lost from among the Jewish Nation. And this has been very punctually fulfilled.

For it is very evident, that this foreign Power continued in the Tribe of Judah , in a Line of Kings that descended from David , from his Time, down to the Babylonish Captivity; and in the Time of that Captivity, though' their State was exceedingly broken, yet were they governed, in part , by Rulers of their own set over them, in the Land of Judea , and chiefly , by their own Laws, and their own Sanhedrim , or Council, which still preserved something of the Sovereign Power, even in their Dispersions among the Babylonians ; till at length the Persian Emperor fully restored the Sovereign Power to them. And thro' all the Disturbances which they afterwards met with, from the Syrian , and Egyptian Princes, yet still they had some of the Sovereignty among them, even to the Birth of Christ . For at that Time, Herod who, we are told , descended from a Family of the Jews , was King over them; however they were governed chiefly by their own Laws, and had the Power of Life and Death , which is the highest Act of Sovereignty, to be found among them. But▪ 〈◊〉 the Time of Christ 's appearing, that Sovereign Power was wholly lost; and never more recovered by them. For Herod , we are told , reigned one Year after Christ 's Birth, and Archelaus , who succeeded him, reigned Ten Years, and the very next Year, which was the Twelfth of our Lord's Nativity, and the Year He first appeared in the Temple, manifesting something of His Glory, in Disputing with the Doctors there, the Romans , having seized Judea , by the Hands of Pub. Sul. Quirinius , whom Luke calls Cyrenius , annexed it to their Empire, and placed a Roman Governor over it, and subjected it to the Roman Laws. From this Time, the Sceptre departed from Judah and Lawgiver from between His Feet ; and this was more plainly evident, when, not many Years after, the Roman Army, under Titus , destroyed their City, and Nation, since which Time they have had no Pretensions to Sovereign Power.

This therefore proves, that the Messiah , the promised Shiloh , was then come, and that He came about the Time when Jesus Christ first appeared in the World, and whatever the latter Jews pretend, yet the former readily confessed they had lost their Sovereignty, when they said, John. XVIII.31. It is not lawful for us to put any Man to Death ; and when they replied to Pilate , the Roman Governor, (who brought forth Jesus to them, a little before His Crucifixion, and said, Behold your King,) we have no King but Caesar, John. XIX.15.

Secondly. The other Prophecy, I would take notice of, relating to the Time of the Birth of the Messiah , is that remarkable one of the Prophet Daniel, , Seventy Weeks are determined upon thy People, and upon thy holy City, — know therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the Commandment, to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah, the Prince shall be seven Weeks, and threescore and two Weeks; (the Street shall be built again, and the Wall, even in troublous Times:) and after threescore and two Weeks shall Messiah be cut off.— He shall confirm the Covenant with many for one Week; and in the latter half of the Week He shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease. — The Seventy Weeks are allowed by all to mean Weeks of Years , according to the Prophetick Style, that is, 490 Years. These Seventy Weeks are divided into Three Periods , namely Seven Weeks , or 49 Years, to restore and to build Jerusalem, Sixty two Weeks , or 434 Years, from thence to the appearing of the Messiah the Prince . And one Week , or seven Years from thence, for the confirming of the Covenant; which last Week seems to have a Sub-division belonging to it, by the Expression, in the Dividing , or in the latter Part of the Week, the Messiah the Prince shall be cut off, and finish Transgression, and make an End of Sin ; or put an End to all other Sacrifices for Sin by the Sacrifice of Himself.

The main Difficulty here is, to understand, what Decree, or Commandment is intended by the Prophecy, that we may know, from whence to Date the 70 Weeks , or 490 Years: For there were several Decrees issued out, in Favor of the Jews , by the Persian Emperors.

The first was in the First Year of Cyrus , of which we read, Ezra , I. begin : But this could not be the Commandment spoken of by Daniel , which was to restore and to build Jerusalem ; because this Decree had its special Reference to the Building of the Temple , and had no particular Regard to Jerusalem , nor was any further concerned about it, than as the rebuilding the Temple necessarily required their Inhabiting in some Place near to it, and no doubt but Cyrus was influenced to make this Decree, for the Jews to return and rebuild their Temple, in Honor to that God, who had, according to his ancient Prophecies concerning him, raised him to his Grandeure, and so long before hand praedicted his Birth, Name, and Reign ; and therefore he praefaces his Decree, with this, as the Reason of it, The Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth, and he hath charged me to build Him an House in Jerusalem, which is in Judah .

There was a Second Decree issued out from the Persian Court, about 18 Years after the former, by Darius , the Son of Histaspis , which came to the Jews , at Jerusalem , about the beginning of his fourth Year ; of which we have an Account, Ezra , VI.6. — But neither does this seem to be the Commandment spoken of by Daniel : for this was chiefly a Recital and Confirmation of the former Decree made by Cyrus , and, as we may see in the Body of the Decree, was confined to the Building the Temple, and the Service thereof, only with this Addition, that the Samaritans , who endeavored all they could to obstruct the Building of the Temple, were now obliged to pay the King's Tribute to the Jews , to help bear the Charge of the Work.

But then, there was a Third Decree in Favor of the Jews , made in the Seventh Year of Artaxerxes Longimanus , who is the Ahasuerus spoken of in the Book of Esther ; and doubtless it was by the Perswasion of his beloved Esther , whom the King had taken to Wife in the Seventh Year of his Reign after the putting away of Vashti from being Queen, that the King was moved to make such an ample Decree in Favor of the Jews . For this Decree granted first to Ezra and afterwards renewed, in the Twentieth Year of his Reign, to Nehemiah , was a full and ample restoring the Jews to all their Privileges and Powers; for it not only established, and provided for the Service of the Temple, but devolved the full Power of the Civil Government, and the inflicting any Punishment, pecuniary▪ or Corporal, even to Banishment & 〈◊〉 , upon their own Ruler and so was a • esto • ing and building Jerusalem , in the fullest Sense of the Words, namely, a Compleat Establishment of their Church and State.

This Decree then, it is most likely, from the Tenure of it, was that intended by the Prophet Daniel , when he says, from the going forth of the Commandment, to restore and build Jerusalem , &c. And from hence we are to begin the Computation of the 70 Weeks, or 490 Years and that we may be able▪ to discern the exact Accomplishment of the Prophecy, we must observe;

That the Decree was made in the Seventh Year of Artaxerxes Longimanus .

That the Decree began to take Effect on the first Day of the Jewish Month Nisan , which was their fi • st Ecclesiastical Month, and answers to the Middle of our March ; for upon that Day, Ezra sets out from Babylon , to go up to Jerusalem , with his la •• e Commission from the Ki •• ; and it is very probable that the 〈◊〉 had b • en given him, but a few Days 〈◊〉 , and that Ezra , who was gre • tly in 〈…〉 , and was well 〈…〉 to receive, 〈…〉 himself, in ordering Matters for this Journey, while the Commission was making out for him.

The Seventh Year of Artaxerxes answered to the 4256, Year of the Julian Period .

Now the first Seven Weeks of Years, or 49 Years of Daniel 's Prophecy, commencing in the Seventh Year of Artaxerxes , were all of them spent in restoring and building Jerusalem ; that is, in the resettling the Church and State of the Jews , first under the Government of Ezra , and then under Nehemiah , who succeeded him, and completed that Settlement, in that last Act of his Reformation, recorded, Neh. XIII.23. — which seems to have been the last Article recorded in the Old Testament; and falls in with A. I. P. 4305.

The Second Branch of the Prophecy, viz. 62 Weeks , or 434 Years, from thence to Messiah the Prince , appearing to confirm the Covenant , had also its exact Accomplishment; for just so many Years intervened, between that last Act of Nehemiah's Reformation, and the first Appearance of John the Baptist , the Forerunner of our Lord, preaching Repentance, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand . For John began his Ministry in the Fifteenth of Tiberius , which answered to the Julian Per. 4739. exactly 434 Years.

The last Branch of the Prophecy, One Week , or 7 Years, was for the Confirming of the Covenant , to the Cutting off of the Messiah . And accordingly we find our Lord's Fore-runner entering upon his Office in the 15th Year of Tiberius , as we have said, and spending some Time, (as is generally thought,) Three Years and an Half in Confirming the Covenant, and then our Lord Himself publicly entered upon His Office, and spent three Years and an Half more, in the same Work, which completed the Week of Years, or Seven Years, at the End of which He was cut off , and by his Death, which was, not for Himself , but, a Sacrifice for our Sin, He finished Transgression, and made an End of Sin, and caused the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease .

Now the Death of Christ fell in the 19 of Tiberius 's Reign, or his 22. from his being admitted into Partnership with Augustus , and this was in the 4746 Year of the Julian Period , exactly 490 Years, or Seventy Prophetick Weeks, from the going forth of the Commandment, in the 7th Year of Artaxexes Longimanus . Our Blessed Lord upon the Cross at the Time of the Feast of the Jewish Passover, which was about the Middle of their Month Nisan , and Ezra set out from Babylon , with his Commission, the first Day of the Month Nisan , so that from thence to the Death of Christ was 490 Years to a Month.

Now deducting the Time of our Lord's Life, (which Dr. Pridaeaux supposed to be 36 Years and an Half) from the Time of his Death, and it gives us His Birth in the Year 4709. in the 33d, of Herod , about 4 Years after he had prepared the Temple, by re-edifying and adorning it, for the Reception of the great Savior, whose Presence there made it greatly to excel the Glory of the First House; and in the 26th Year of the Reign of Augustus .

All of which are made plain by the Labors of that great Man Dr. Pridaeaux .

Having thus considered the Time of our Savior's Birth, in the General, I pass

2. To a more Particular Consideration of it. And here it may be inquired.

1. What Month , and Day it was, on which Christ was born? And

2. Whether that Day ought to be kept, in Memorial of His Birth? I would offer something to each of these briefly.

I. What Month , & Day , was it, in which our Blessed Savior, Jesus Christ , was born? The Angel says, in my Text, This Day is born unto you, a Savior; and doubtless, it was the very individual Day on which Christ was born, that he said so. But what particular Day of the Month was that?

And in Answer to this Enquiry, it must be affirmed, that, so far as we are yet acquainted with the History of those distant Times, no Man can certainly tell, on what Day His Birth was. This I think is confessed by all that have labored most in the Search after it. But then though' the individual Day cannot be particularly and positively determined, yet we may come pretty near the Time, and be able to discover the Month of our Savior's Nativity, by observing some things, which lie plain before us. As

First , We may observe what St. Luke tells us, Luke II.8. There were in the same Country , (viz. Bethlehem) Shepherds, abiding in the Field, and keeping watch over their Flocks by Night. Now it is well known, that Judea is a cold Country, in the Winter Season , and the Frost and Snow not a great deal short of what they are sometimes, among us: And therefore the dead of Winter can by no means be thought a proper Season, for the Shepherds to be abroad, in the Field, watching their Flocks by Night. So that it looks very unlikely, from this Circumstance that the Nativity of Christ should be in the Depth of the Winter.

But then, Secondly , we know that our Lord entered upon His Public Ministry, at, or about, the completing of his Thirtieth Year, which the Evangelist Luke takes particular Notice of, Luke II.23. Jesus himself began to be about 30 Years of Age , that is, it was about the completing of His 30th Year. This refers to the Time of His Baptism, and entrance, upon His Public Ministry; for in His return from Jordan , He was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness, and having there mastered the Temptations of the Devil, from that Time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at Hand ; as we read Matt. IV.17.

Now it is generally supposed that Christ continued His Public Ministry, for the space of Three Years and an Half , , and then suffered and Dyed. For John the Baptist , preached three Years and an half, as the Forerunner of our Lord, and then Christ himself Three and an half more, which makes the last Week , or Seven Years , spoken of by Daniel , for the confirming the Covenant . So that there was evidently an odd Half Year in the life of Christ . And it is very plain, that He was crucified at the Time of the Jews Passover, as appears from, John. XVIII.39. and XIX.14. which was upon the 15th Day of the Month Nisan , that is about the last of our March , or beginning of our April . Deduct half a Year from this, and it carrys back the Birth of Christ to the Jews Month Tisri , about the Feast of Tabernacles, which answers to the latter end of our September , or beginning of October ; at which Time, it may well eno' be supposed, the Shepherds might lie out in the Field, watching their Flocks by Night.

So that though' we cannot find the very individual Day of Christ 's Nativity, yet it can be proved, almost to a Demonstration, that He was born in or near to Tisri , sometime in September or October , about the Time of the Creation of the World, and about the Four Thousandth Year from the Creation. But I am to inquire,

2. Whether the Day of Christ 's Nativity ought to be kept, in Memorial of His Birth?

You all know, that a great Part of the Christian Church observe This very Day, the Twenty Fifth of December , in Remembrance of the Day of the Nativity of our Lord. But whether there be any Obligation lying upon us, as Christians, to keep such a Day, will be seen by observing a few things.

First , It is to be observed, that no Church can keep the true Day , on which Christ was born: Because it is not known to the World, as I have already remarked. And it looks something odd, to select a Day, and keep it, in Memorial of Christ 's being born on that Day, when, at the same Time, they know it was not the Day of His Nativity. And, by the Way, because the Day is not known in the World, this is a very cogent Proof, that there was no such Custom in the primitive Church as the keeping the Birth Day of Christ . For if there had been any such Practice in Use in the first Ages of the Church, doubtless they would have known the Particular Month better, if not the individual Day ; because they lived so near, to the Time of it, that it would have been no great Difficulty, to have informed themselves thoroughly, if they had had any particular Regard to that Day , above all the Days in the Year.

This Usage was firstly introduced by the Roman Church. For when Rome became Christian , perhaps a Willingness to oblige the Pagans , as much as might be, moved them to take their Festival Days , which they were so mightily fond of, and convert them to a Christian Use ; hoping, by this Means, the easier to gain the remaining Pagans , to embrace the Christian Institution ; and the Saturnalia of Pagan Rome , being celebrated in the Month of December , , which was one of the most remarkable Times of Revelling among them, therefore the Church of Rome , being ignorant of the true Time of the Nativity of Christ , converted that Feast and Revelling to the Celebration of the Birth of the Savior . And I wish it were not generally observed, too much after the old Pagan manner, in Revelling and Debauchery: The Observation of which alone, one would think, should make a considerate Person very cautious, how he embraced a Custom that is so vilely abused, when there is no plain Institution for it. For,

Secondly , It is to be observed, that there is no Divine Command for the keeping such a Day. If the Particular Day were known, which it is not, yet it is plain, there is no Injunction from Christ , or His Apostles , to observe it; and much less to observe any other Day in Commemoration of it. The Weekly Sabbath has a Divine Sanction for it, as a Day sacred to the Duties of Religious Worship, , and as a Memorial of the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead by which the great Work of Redemption, and End of Christ 's Incarnation, was accomplished. But no one that I know of, pretends to any Divine Command for the keeping of Christmas , or a Day in Commemoration of the Birth of Christ . And then,

Thirdly , It very much looks, as if God never intended there should be any such Day observed; not only in that, He has not commanded it, but in that, He has kept the Day Hid and Secret from the World. For had it seemed meet to the Divine Wisdom, that such a Day should have been kept, in after Generations, in Commemoration of the Birth of Christ , as a means to promote our Faith, and Holiness, doubtless there would, at least, have been left some very plain Footsteps, of that remarkable Day, if not some general Intimation of the Observation of it. For otherwise, the hiding it from the World, would be a designed keeping hid from us, one very proper means to promote our Faith and Holiness, which is far from being consistent with the Divine Goodness, under the full and clear Light of the Gospel. But though' the Birth of the great Savior was so remarkable a Time, from the miraculous Appearance of a Light, or Star, over Bethlehem ; the mighty Stir, which the Tidings of the Birth of the King of the Jews , which soon reached Jerusalem , occasioned among the Jews ; and from Herod 's having his Fears so much awakened, by the Report, as to slay all the Male-Children in Bethlehem under two Years old; and from the wise Men of the East, who had seen His Star, in the East, travelling a long Journey to Jerusalem , and from thence to Bethlehem , to Worship the Child; yet, notwithstanding all these remarkable Occurrents, the Day of Christ Nativity was not so much taken Notice of, as to be left upon any certain Record. Nay it was 5 • 7. Years after the Birth of Christ , before the Christian Aera was brought into Use, by Dionisius Exiquus , a Roman Abbot : (which is a strong Praesumption, if not full Evidence, there was no keeping of Christ-mass before that Time) all of which seems fairly to point to us, that God, in His Wise Providence, has, in a most wonderful manner, hidden so Remarkable a Day, which one would have thought could not have been lost, for this very Purpose, that the Christian World might have no just Foundation to go upon, in any Superstitious Regards to that Day; as He was pleased to hide the Body of Moses , the great Lawgiver of the Jews , that they could never tell where it was buried, to prevent their running into Superstition about it. *

Upon all which, I cannot see the least Room to suppose, that there is any Obligation lying upon Christians, to observe any Day, in Commemoration of the Birth of Christ , much less the Day that is kept as such.

But I pass to the Third, and last, thing I proposed to speak to, from these Words, in which I shall use all convenient Brevity: viz.

III. To consider of the great End and Design of the Birth and Incarnation of Jesus Christ . This is plainly pointed at in my Text; unto you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord .

So that the main End of His Birth was, to be a SAVIOUR unto the World. Therefore it is that, That Word , which, the Apostle tells us, was in the Beginning, and was with God, and was God, was made Flesh, and dwelt among us ; that is, became Incarnate, and was born of a Woman, without which He could not have been a Savior to us. For though' he might have Taught, and Governed us, without taking our Flesh upon Him; yet he could not have had a Body, to offer as a Sacrifice for us, if He had not taken our Nature upon Him; and without This there could have been no Salvation.

To this the ancient Types and Praedictions concerning Him looked; and this He Himself assures us of, when He says, John. III.17. God sent not His Son into the World to condemn the World, but that the World, thro' Him, might be saved.

The Jews ever expected the promised Messiah would be a Savior . But then Jesus Christ was not born into the World, to be such a Savior as they imagined and looked for, only a Temporal Savior , to deliver that Nation from all their Enemies, and erect a Temporal Kingdom, in greater Pomp, and Grandeure than had ever yet been seen among them. No; He was born to be a Spiritual Savior , which is by far the Greater; He became Incarnate to save his People from Sin, and Death, from Guilt, and the Wrath and Curse of God, which that Guilt had exposed them to. And accordingly the Evangelist Matthew informs us, Matt. I.21. He came to save his People from their Sins, and therefore is His Name called Jesus. And the Apostle, in his Epistle to the Galations , acquaints us, what was the End of Christ 's Incarnation, when he says, Gal. IV.4, 5. When the fullness of Time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons. Jesus Christ became Incarnate, to recover us from the Power and Dominion of Sin, and the Devil over us, and the Sentence of Condemnation that was out against us, and to restore us to the Favor and Friendship of God, and a Life of Obedience to Him; to entitle us to the Dignity and Privileges of the Children of God, and to regain that Heaven and Happiness for us which we had lost.

Thus he was born a Savior ; and that not to the Jewish Nation only, but to the Gentile World, even to all Nations of Men, who have the Grace of God appearing to them in the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord; for He is given to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the Glory of His People Israel : And therefore we Gentiles walk in the Light of the glorious Gospel, and have the Offers of Christ a Savior made to us. Thus unto us there is born a Savior .

And the two Names by which He is here described declare him to be so. He is CHRIST, this is His Name, and peculiarly His. He went by the Name of Messiah , under the Old Testament Dispensation, which converted into Greek , is CHRISTOS, being of the same meaning with the Hebrew Word MESHIAC, the anointed . For Him hath God the Father anointed and consecrated to the high Office of a Savior , having constituted and separated Him , to this very Work; that by His Life and Doctrine He might teach and instruct the World of Mankind, and so rescue it from the Power and Tyranny of the Flesh, the World, and the Devil; and that as our high Priest He might make Atonement for us and reconcile us to God by His Blood, which He hath offered, as a Sacrifice well pleasing and acceptable, to His eternal Father. This shows Him to be an authentic Savior , and gives Validity to His Actions, in that He was anointed and consecrated to this very End and Purpose, and did not take this Honor to Himself, but was called of God, as was Aaron , Heb. V.4.

And He is LORD, as well as CHRIST; this is His particular Style throughout the New-Testament; whi • h shows him to be an able Savior every Way equal to the Work He had undertaken, and that He has fully accomplished it. He is Christ the Lord , as denoting His Supremacy and Dominion over all things; the Style LORD, being appropriated to Him in the New-Testament, as JEHOVAH is the True GOD, in the Old, and as bearing some Analogy with it, in the Design of it, which is to show us, that He is GOD, as well as MAN, and therefore has all Power in Heaven and Earth: And in an especial Manner, He is Lord over His Church , having the sole Power and Authority, to Rule it, to enact Laws, and change it's Laws and Customs, as He pleases; to abolish the old Mosaic Poedagogy, and institute the Christian Economy in the Room of it; that He only has Right to give Law unto his Church, and His Laws only are to be observed, and not the Tradition & Inventions of Men, in the Worship of GOD. As Lord , He subdues all our Spiritual Enemies gives to us Repentance and Remission of Sins , makes us victorious over the Flesh, the World and the Devil , and conducts His Followers safe to the Glory and Happiness of the Heavenly World . As Lord ▪ He has the Keys of the Invisible World in His Keeping , and will open the Gates of the Grave, and fetch up the Prisoners from the Bars of the Pitt , enliven and animate them anew with their Glorified Souls, and present them Immortal Bodies , before His Father, to inhabit the Heavenly Regions , and dwell with Him forever in Glory .

This was the great End of His Incarnation and Birth, thus to be a SAVIOUR, and therefore is He LORD and CHRIST.

There are some other things considerable in my Text; but I may not proceed any further at this Time. Let the Use of what has been said, be,

USE I. To 〈◊〉 us, to adore the Faithfulness of God, and be encouraged to Believe, and Trust in His Word.

Let us adore the Faithfulness of God, in Fulfilling the Word He has spoken, in the exact Accomplishment of so many of His ancient Prophecies, as we have seen, and particularly that great one; on which the whole Welfare of Mankind depended, His sending the Messiah , a SAVIOUR, into the World. And since we see, that God has so punctually made Good His Word, in so many Instances, let us learn, never to Disbelieve, or Distrust the Word of God, but live in the full Expectation of the exact Accomplishment of such of the Prophecies, as yet remain to be fulfilled.

Let us learn hence, to Live in a quiet Dependance upon the Word of Promise, which God has made unto His People; for though' their Circumstances should be • ver so difficult, and the greatest Darkness should surround them, so that they can see no possible Way left for their Escape, yet God is True, and in His own Time, and Way, can, and will, appear for their Help, and grant Deliverance to them out of all their Troubles.

And especially should we learn hence, to Trust God with the Fulfillment of His Promises to us, relating to our future State, even the Hope of Eternal Life, which God, that cannot lie, has promised, before the World began, upon our Faith and Obedience to His Son; and be encouraged thereby to a constant unwearied Abounding in all the Duties of the Christian Life, as knowing, we shall certainly reap, if we faint not; for Faithful is He that has promised , and will perform it .

II. Hence, since the Son of God is become Incarnate, let this serve to teach us our Duty, and our Comfort.

Our Duty ; that we be exceeding careful, not to debase that Nature, which the eternal Son of God has taken into an Union to Himself. That therefore, we do not allow ourselves in any Sin whatever, but cleanse ourselves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, and perfect Holiness in the Fear of God; because all Sin is a debasing of the Human Nature, and brings a Stain and Blemish upon it, and is therefore to cast Indignity upon the Son of God Himself, who has highly exalted our Nature, in being united to our Flesh.

It speaks the Comfort of all true Believers also. For now we have a SAVIOUR, who partakes of the same Flesh and Blood with ourselves, and therefore who sincerely desires our Happiness, who has a Fellow-Feeling with us in all our Sufferings, who knows our Temptations and Sorrows, and has a most tender Compassion to us under all our Wants and Weakness, who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able, but will, with the Temptation find out a Way for our escape, that we may be able to bear it .

Now the MAN JESUS, in Union to the SON of GOD, is exalted at the right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty on High, who, having, the Dominion put into His Hands, will certainly over-rule, all things for the Welfare of His Church; will gather in the whole Number of his Elect, and not suffer one of them to be lost; will cause all things to work together for Good to them that Love God; and will ransom their Bodies from Destruction, and bring them to dwell in His Presence throughout Eternal Ages.

III. Lastly , Let us all then, make it our great Care, that this Savior be Ours, that we are interested in Him, and share in His blessed Benefits.

This is the great Design of the whole Gospel of Christ , His Incarnation and Life, His Doctrines and Example, and His Sufferings and Death, to prevail with a guilty World, to secure an Interest in Him, that they may be saved by Him. And if the wondrous Grace of God, in providing such a Savior for us, should after all be slighted by us, and we refuse to accept of His offered Mercy, and submit ourselves to Him as our Lord, it will but greatly enhanse our Account, and increase our Punishment, that God has sent His Son, to appear in our Flesh, as a Savior for us, but we would not come unto Him, that we might have Life.

Let us all then, be persuaded to take this Jesus for our Savior , rejoicing in the good Tydings, and praising the Grace of God that has provided Him for us, saying, in the Doxology of the holy Angels, in my Context, Glory to God in the highest, on Earth Peace, Good-will towards Men !

Let us receive Him as the anointed of God, and firmly believe all that He has done, and suffered for us, and spoken to us; and give up ourselves to Him to be saved by Him; and submit ourselves entirely to His Government, as our LORD; for He will not be our Savior , unless we know assuredly that He is LORD, as well as CHRIST .

Think not that this is eno' to entitle you to His Benefits, to call yourselves after His Name, or be very fond of keeping a Day in Commemoration of His Birth, while, at the same time, you practically deny Him, by a • low • ng yourselves in such Courses of Intemperance, Injustice and Profanity, as are a scandal to the Christian Profession, and would be a Reproach to a sober Heathen.

'It is indeed but a common Appendage to vain Superstition, to be mightily concerned for the Outside, and regard the show only, while the Inward and vital Part of Religion, pretended to be promoted thereby, is greatly neglected. This we have a sad Instance of, in those that are so strongly set to keep a Day in Commemoration of the Birth of Christ , (any Day rather than none;) that instead of observing it in an Holy and Religious Manner, and improving it as a Means to mortify Sin, and promote Holyness of Heart and Life, (as one would be ready to suppose, in Remembrance of the Birth of the Holy Child Jesus ;) it is more generally, a Day separate to Vanity and Folly, to Sin and Debauchery, to Revelling and Drunkenness, like the ancient Saturnalia of the Heathen. Would to God that those, who think themselves obliged to keep such a Day, would, at least, think themselves obliged also to act the Part of Christians, and not fly in the Face of the Holy Savior , while they pretend to do him Honor. But I hope you have not so learned Christ , as to imagine that you honor Him, while you really sacrifice to Devils, in the Indulgence of your Lusts.

Let us then learn to Commemorate the Birth of Christ , every Day of our Lives, by Living in the constant Remembrance, that to us the • e is born a Savior, Christ the Lord ; that Christ , a Savior from Sin, has appeared in our Nature, has given us a most Holy Law, and set us a most bright Example, has died for our Offences, and risen again for our Justification; and as This Grace of God teaches us, let us sincerely deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and Godly, in this present World; presenting our Bodies , and our Spirits, to Him, a living Sacrifice, holy and Acceptable, which is but a reasonable Service .

Thus endeavor, by a truly virtuous and religious Walk, to live the Life of Christ , and show forth the Praise of Him who hath called you out of Darkness into marvelous Light ; then will the Incarnate Son of God be your Savior , and his Birth will be unto you good Tydings of great Joy , and you may with Comfort look for the Blessed Hope, and glorious appearing of the great God, and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from Iniquity, and purify us to Himself a peculiar People, zealous of Good Works: For then will all the • ure Mercies of this Son of David , and Son of God be your Portion forever; then all things will be yours, whether the World, or Life or Death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours; for you are Christ 's, and Christ is God 's. Amen!

APPENDIX. An Attempt to State the true Year of the Birth of CHRIST.

I Readily, and thankfully, acknowledge the Assistance I have received, from Dr. Prideaux 's noble Connection of the Old Testament with the New , which I have chiefly followed in the Chronology , and very much so in the Explanation of the Prophecies in the foregoing Discourse; since the Composing of which, Mr. Whiston 's Chronology of the Old Testament, and Harmony of the New , has fallen into my Hands, which I had not seen before; and the Difference I observed between them, and my own Difficulty in reconciling either of their Accounts, to what I thought the Evangelist Luke pointed to us, namely the Age of JESUS CHRIST , when He was Baptized, (which would help to Direct us to the Time of His Birth,) has led me to spend more Time, than the First Composing the Sermon would allow me, in a diligent Enquiry into the True Year of the Birth of CHRIST. And though' it is very apparent that I now fix the Birth of CHRIST upon a Different Year from that mentioned in the Foregoing Sermon, and go off from it also in some other smaller Matters; yet, I suppose, it may well eno' be allowed me, in a more general and common Discourse, to fall in with the Current of the best of Writers, in a piece of Chronology , while in a more particular and labored one, afterwards, I see reason to fix upon other Periods of Time. For having, I think, diligently surveyed, and compared, Dr. Prideaux , and Mr. Whiston ; and taking their Quotations upon Trust, as well I may, and not having the Authors by me; I conclude I may, with good Reason, advance the following Proposition, wherein I crave Leave to dissent from those two Great Men; viz.

That our Blessed Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST, was born, some Time in October, Anno Iul. Per. 4711.

To make good this Proposition, which is so New, and different from what all others, that I know of, have said upon this Subject; I shall first, state the exact Time of our Lord's Death, and then produce the Arguments, which sway with me, to fix his Birth upon the Year mentioned.

I. Our Blessed Lord was crucified upon Friday , the 15th of Ni • an , in the Year of the Iul. Per. 4746. It is evident, fro • all the Evangelists, that our Lord was crucified upon the Jews Passover , which always was 14 Days after the New-Moon , which began their Month Nisan , their first Ecclesiastical Month; and it is further evident, from the same Evangelists, that this 15th of Nisan , happened, that Year, upon a Friday , the Day before the Paschal Sabbath , which was an high Day.

Now Mr. Whiston makes it plain, to a Demonstration, by calculating the several New-Moons , that the 15th Day of Nisan , could fall upon a Friday , only in the Year mentioned. For we are, by many other things, confined, in our Enquiry, to three or four Years; and for several Years, both before and after the 4746th Year of the Iul. Per. the Changes of the Moon would admit of no such Conjunction, as Friday and the 15th of Nisan , but only upon that Year. So that the Year of our Lord's Death, is fixed, and certain, and both Dr. Prideaux , and Mr. Whiston , agree in it, that it was An. P. I. 4746. in the 19th Year of the Reign of Tiberius alone, or his 22d, from his being taken into Partnership in the Empire with Augustus .

II. The Time of our Savior's Death being thus fixed; the Arguments, that prove His Birth to have been in the Year 4711. I. P. are, the Age of our Savior at His Baptism, and Entrance upon His public Ministry; the Time of Herod 's Death; and Archelaus 's Banishment; and the Baptist's Conception.

I. JESUS CHRIST, was Baptized, and entered upon His public Ministry, at 30 Years of Age, An. I. P. 4741. This appears from these Considerations.

I. It seems Evident▪ (as Mr. W. plainly proves, ) that there were Five Passovers in the Time of our Lord's Ministry, upon the last of which He died; which five Passovers include Four complete Years, and brings us back, from 4746, to the Passover in 4742, as the first Passover in our Lord's Ministry, mentioned, John. II.13.

II. At this First Passover, in the Beginning of the Year 4742, our Lord is apparently in the Public Exercise of His Ministerial Office. His Whipping the Buyers, and Sellers, out of the Temple: His having His Disciples about Him; His Discourse of His Death, (taken Notice of, in John, Ch. II.) as well as His public Baptizing, ( John. III.26.) is an evident Proof of this, that JESUS CHRIST was then in the Discharge of His public Ministry.

III. JESUS CHRIST was Baptized, and entered upon His public Ministry, some Time before this first Passover. This appears from what the Disciples of John say to him, John. III.26. He that was with thee, beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest Witness , &c. Plainly alluding to what St. Matthew tells us, Ch. III 13. Jesus cometh from Galilee, to Jordan, unto John to be baptized of him : And from the evident token of His being the promised Messiah , by the Spirits descending and resting upon Him John , from that Time, bears Witness to Him, John. I.32, 33. And it is further Evident, both from St. Matthew , and St. Luke that after His Baptism, our Lord underwent the Forty Days Fast, and Temptation, in the Wilderness, returned from Jordan , to Gallilee , preached the Gospel, called (at least some of) His Disciples, and wrought several Miracles which were Acts of His public Ministry, and then came up to Jerusalem , to the First Passover. Now less than Half a Year could not well suffice for all these Transaction, and about Half a Year might well eno' give Time for these several Occurrents; so that this brings us back from Nisan , the Jews first Month in An. I. P. 4742, to about the Feast of Tabernacles, in the Month Tisri , their first political Month, An. I. P. 4741; which Season of the Year has been supposed, by most Expositors, to have been the Time of our Lord's Baptism, and allows Four Years and an half for His Ministry, which Mr. W. himself fixes upon .

IV. JESUS CHRIST was Thirty Years old at His Baptism. This the Evangelist Luke takes particular Notice of, Ch. III.23. Jesus Himself began to be about Thirty Years of Age. Mr. W. supposes, and Endeavors to prove, that the Greek word, here rendered, began , does not relate to the Age of CHRIST, but of His Ministry, and renders it, Jesus was about 30 Years of Age when he began His Ministry . So that the Evangelist does not mean the Beginning of CHRIST's Thirtieth Year, but rather the Compleating of it; that He was about 30 Years old, suppose a few Weeks, or Days more or less. Now the Age of CHRIST, thus specified by the Evangelist, is not connected with the 15th or 12th Year of Tiberius , when the Gospel of the Kingdom first began to be preached, as Mr. W. seems to imagine, but it is plainly connected with His Baptism, just before spoken of, Luke III.12. The particular Remark, in the Beginning of the Chapter , of John the Baptist , entering upon his Office, in the 15th or 12th of Tiberius , was designed to measure out the Prophet Daniel 's last Week of Years; for it was exactly Seven Years from that Time, to the Death of CHRIST: The Baptist , who began His Ministry at the Paschal Feast, An. I. P. 4739. having confirmed the Covenant; • y preaching Repentance, and the near Approach of the Kingdom of Heaven, for the space of two Years and an half, and our Blessed Lord Himself Four Years and an half more. And the Design of the Evangelist, in mentioning the 30 Years of CHRIST's Age, in this Place, is to inform us of the Time, (not when the Gospel was first preached by John , but) when our Savior Himself entered upon His public Ministry, namely, when he was Thirty Years old.

So that since our Lord's public Ministry▪ at the Time of His Baptism, commenced Four Years and an half before His Death, (which certainly was in Nisan, An. I. P. 474 • ) which leads us back to about the middle of the Jewish Ecclesiastical Year or the Feast of Tabernacles in the Month Tisri, An. I. P. 4741. and since our Lord ha • completed His Thirtieth Year , at the Time of His Baptism, and entrance upon His Ministry, which carries us back Thirty Years more; this strongly concludes that He was born An. I. P. 4711. some+time in the Month Tisri , a Month famous for the sounding of the Trumpet of the Gospel of Peace, and of God's Tabernacling with Men; which Tisri answers to Part of our September , and Part of our October ; and so we are brought to the Year, and near the Month fixed upon in the Proposition: which will be further confirmed by what follows.

II. Herod died the Latter End of the Year I. P. 4711. That JESUS CHRIST was born before Herod 's Death, is evident from the Gospel of Matthew , where we have an Account of Herod 's seeking the Life of CHRIST in His Infancy ; and yet the Birth of CHRIST was not long before the Death of Herod .

For the Wise Men go from Herod to Bethlehem , and find the Virgin and her Child there, where, being very much of a Stranger, as appears by her Lodging, we cannot suppose her to stay longer, than the Business of the Enrollment, or her Child-birth necessitated; nor can it be supposed, that Herod , who was then at Jerusalem , would wait 〈◊〉 Days, for the return of the Wise Men from Bethlehem (but about 6 or 7 Miles Distant, ever he would perceive himself deceived by them, and fall into that Rage, which occasioned the horrid Slaughter of the Young Children, at Bethlehem .

Besides Mary appears with the Child JE+SUS, at the Temple, at the End of Forty Days , for her Purification; Luke II.22. Afte • which they went down to Nazareth , and dwelt there. So that the Flight to Egypt , and return from thence, was all over before the Purification; and yet Herod was then dead all of which as Mr. W. argues, shows that the Birth of CHRIST could not be much above a Month before the Death of Herod .

Mr. W. indeed fixes upon Nov. An. I. P. 4710, for the Time of Herod 's Death; but though' it might happen some Time in that Month, yet I think it was in the following Year.

For Herod is allowed by all, to have reigned 34 Years, (somewhat more or less,) from the Death of Antigonus , the last of the Asmonoean Family, and not from his usurping the Government 3 Years before. Mr. W. tells us that Jerusalem was taken by Sosius , and Herod , after about half a Years Siege, upon the Latter-End of June, An. I. P. 4677▪ and though' he seems to suppose, the taking of the City, and the Death of Antigonus , to have been at one and the same Time, or within the Distance of Three or Four Days, yet there really was a very considerable Space of Time between them. For, Dr. Prideaux informs us that after the Caption of Jerusalem , and having kept Antigonus sometime in Chains, Sosius , upon Antonies return out of Italy , and coming to Antioch ,

Now if we consider, that some Time was clapsed before Antony came to Antioch , that then Antigonus is sent a Captive in Chains to Antioch , above 200 Miles distance from Jerusalem , if I mistake not; and the Pains Herod is put to, (which doubtless occasioned the Dispatch of Messengers backwards and forward this 200 Miles,) before he could, overcome the Ambition of Antony , and compass the Death of Antigonus : I say whoever considers this, will see it needful to allow, Two , if not Three Months, from the taking of Jerusalem , to the Death of Antigonus ; and so his Death, and the Date of Herod 's Reign, will fall in with the latter End of August , or rather of September ; to which if we add the 34 Years of Herod 's Reign, it brings us down to the latter End of August , or September, An. I. P. 4711▪

Mr. W. himself says , we must look for Herod 's Death, as near as possible to July, A. I. P. 4711; (I would rather say to September , in that Year) and yet he chooses to place it in Nov. A. I. P. 4710, which certainly is further distant from the fixed July , (much further from the real September ) than Nov. A. I. P. 4711.

The Difficulty that attends this Matter, seems to arise, from the Uncertainty, whether there were redundant, or defective Months, belonging to Herod 's 34 Years; one or other of which appears certain, and yet no ancient Historian has told us which. But though' this is not handed down to us with Certainty, yet, from what has been observed, we may reasonably conclude, that there were some few Months, over and above 34 Years belonging to Herod 's Reign.

For, it Herod 's Reign commence from the Time of the taking of Jerusalem , in the latter End of June , there must be full Seven Months deducted out of his 34 Years; but if his Reign Commence from the Death of Antigonus , as all Historians agree it does, there must be at least Nine or rather Ten Months deducted, to bring his Death to the Latter-End of Nov. An. I. P. 4710. And doubtless few Historians would call that 34 Years, which really was but 33 Years and some few Months.

But, on the other Hand; if Herod 's Reign take its Date from the Caption of Jerusalem , then there is scarce Five Months, but if, as is the Truth, from the Death of Antigonus , then there remains not Three , or rather not Two Months more than the 34 Years for his Reign, to bring his Death to Nov. An. I. P. 4711. which also is the nearest Nov. to July , (rather to Sept.) An. I. P. 4711.

Now it seems much more likely, that Josephus , the Jewish Historian, should omit taking Notice of Two or Three redundant Months, in assigning 34 Years to Herod 's Reign, than that he should include Nine or Ten defective ones, much the bigger half of the Year, in the whole Sum of 34 Years, which he tells us Herod reigned: and therefore I conclude that Herod died sometime in Nov. An. I. P. 4711. which will be further evident from the Reign and Banishment of Archelaus . And if we suppose, the Transactions, from the taking of Jerusalem , to the Death of Antigonus , took up 4 or 5 Months, which is not unreasona ••• it is not to be wondered at, that Josephus took no Notice of a few Weeks in the Reign of Herod . Since therefore Herod 's Death was in the latter part of the Year, I. P. 4711. our Lord's Birth, which praeceeded it but a few Weeks, doubtless was in the same Year, and Month I have advanced in the Proposition.

III. Archelaus, Herod 's Son, after little more than Nine Years Reign, was Banished in the Year of the Julian Period 4720.

1. There is nothing more clear, (from the History of the Gospel, Matt. II.19, 20, 21, 22.) than that Archelaus immediately succeeded his Father Herod , in the Government of Judea , without any considerable Space of Time intervening. For Joseph was first informed, of the Death of Herod , by an Angel, while as yet the common Report of it had not reached so far as Egypt , but about 70 or 80 Miles off; upon which Information, he arises and travels to the Land of Israel , and when he comes there, he learns that Archelaus reigned in Judea, in the Room of his Father Herod : So that there could be no Interregnum, at most not of a Weeks Length, if of a Days.

2. Archelaus 's Reign consisted but of little more than Nine Years. Dr. Prideaux assigned the whole Sum of Ten Years to the Reign of Archelaus ; but this seems to have been done to make the Length of his Reign comport with the Death of his Father Herod , which he places in An. I. P. 4710. Whereas, in Reality, Archelaus 's Reign contained but little more than Nine Years in it; for Mr. W. assures us, from Josephus , that Archelaus , the Successor of Herod , in Judea , reigned somewhat above Nine Years, before his Banishment; which plainly speaks but little more than Nine Years.

3. Archelaus 's Banishment was in the 37th Year of the Egyptian Aera . This Egyptian Aera had it's Rise from the Conquest of Egypt , by Octavianus , afterwards Augustus , and its Name from the Actiac Victory, which Octavianus obtained over Antony , near Actium ; and was therefore called the Aera of the Actiac Victory . Now Mr. W. informs us, from Josephus , that Archelaus was banished about the Beginning of the 37th Year of the Actiac Victory . Dr. Prideaux acquaints us that this Victory was obtained upon Sept. 2d, An. I. P. 4683. but then he also assures us, from Dion Cassius , that by a Decree of the Roman 's, the Aera of the Actiac Victory did not commence, until the 29th of August, An. I. P. 4684. Almost a full Year after, when Octavianus had entirely reduced Egypt under his Obedience. So that the Aera of the Actiac Victory being certainly fixed upon Aug. 29. An. I. P. 4684, we must necessarily understand Josephus who wrote about 148 Years after to date his 37 Years from thence; or else we must suppose him to give us an Aera not known or used in the World, by any but himself; which is altogether unreasonable.

Mr. W. from Dion Cassius , places the Banishment of Archelaus An. I. P. 4719. but it is very evident, that though' 37 Years from the Time of the Victory brings us to 4719, yet not so from the Date of the Aera . For 37 complete Years added to Aug. 29. An. I. P. 4684. the true Aera of the Actiac Victory , brings us down to Aug. 29. An I. P. 4721. But because Josephus says Archelaus was banished in the Beginning of the 37th Year, let us deduct 8 or 9 Months, from Aug. 29. 4721, and it leaves us in the Latter-End of Nov. or Dec. An. I. P. 4720, in the Beginning of the 37th Year of the Actiac Victory . And accordingly, Dr. Prideaux Ends the Reign of Archelaus in the Year, I. P. 4720. So that the Latter End of the Year I. P. 4720. is undoubtedly fixed for the true Time of Archelaus 's Banishment. And from Dec. An. I. P. 4720. let us deduct the somewhat above Nine Years of Archelaus 's Reign, and it carries us back to Nov. An. I. P. 4711. for the Commencing of his Reign, upon the Death of his Father Herod .

Thus the Reign and Banishment of Archelaus ; confirms the Death of Herod , and the Birth of CHRIST, to have been, An. I. P. 4711. as is asserted in the Proposition.

4. The Conception of John the Baptist , was sometime in August, An. I. P. 4710▪ • vil •

1. It is well known, that the Jewish Priests were divided into, Twenty four Courses, and that each Course served it's Week at the Temple: And we are assured, that Zachariah , the Father of John , was of the Course of Abiah, (Luke I.5.) which was the Eighth Course in Order. (I. Chron. XXIV.10.)

The Order of these Courses was restored after the Captivity, and whatever Interruption was given to them, during the broken State of the Jews , before the Time of the Maccabees , yet there was none after Judas Maccabeus restored them, till the final Determination of them at the Siege of Jerusalem , by Titus , as Scalliger observes.

Now Mr. W. informs us from the famous Jewish Chronicle , that when the Temple was burnt, by the Romans , upon Aug. 4th An. I. P. 4783, it was the Course of Ioiarib , or the first Course, and the Sabbath concluding that Weekly Course; which also he shows, from the first Sabbath after the Restitution of the daily Sacrifice by the Maccabees .

2. It is plain, that Zachariah 's Course, and the Baptist 's Conception, must be more than a Year before the Birth of CHRIST. Without this Allowance, there would not be Room for Elisabeth's Hiding herself Five Months, before the Virgin's Conception, and for the Time of the holy Virgin 's Praegnancy, to her Deliverance.

3. Zachariah 's Course went out upon Aug. 5th An. I. P. 4710. Having taken the Pains to calculate the Courses of the Priests , from Ioiarib , the first, finishing his Course upon Aug. 4th An. I. P. 4783. I find Zachariah 's, or the Eighth Course to go out, Aug. 5th An. I. P. 4710. which fixes the Time of the Baptist 's Conception to the Beginning of that August ; and allows between Two and Three Months more than a Year to the Birth of CHRIST, in October An. I. P. 4711.

Mr. Whiston , by a like Calculation, observes the Time of Zachariah 's Ministration to fall on the Beginning of Sept. as it truly does, An. I. P. 4709. and he Assigns October 25th the Year after, for the Time of the Birth of CHRIST. But if he had more thoroughly reremarked the Times, I imagine, he would have seen, that his fixing Zachariah 's Course to the Beginning of Sept. An. I. P. 4709. as he necessarily must, for that Year, would have destroyed his main Design, of ascertaining the Birth of CHRIST upon Octo. 25. A. I. P. 4710, instead of proving it.

For the Eighth Course, to which Zachariah belonged, finishing their Ministration upon Sept. 3d, the Sabbath in the first Week of that Month, An. I. P. 4709, we need only to allow Two Days, from thence, for Zachariah 's return to his House at Hebron , about 30 miles Distant from Jerusalem , and for his Wife Elisabeth 's Conception, which brings us to Sept. 5th. From thence we must allow five Jewish Months, or 21 Weeks, and 3 Days, for the Time, in which Elisabeth is said to hide herself , which brings to Feb. 2d, in the Beginning of the Year I. P. 4710. We must, doubtless, allow another Week, at least, for the Propriety of the Angel's Speech to Mary (Luke , I.36. This is the Sixth Month with her that was called barren ; which leads us to Feb. 9th; and the Nine Months, of the Virgin 's going with Child, will unavoidably bring us to Nov. 9th. So that by this Reconing the Virgin must necessarily have brought forth her first born Son, something more than a Fortnight before her full Time, which may, by no means, be admitted. And therefore upon Mr. Whiston 's own Principles, of Zachariah 's Ministration going out, in the Beginning of September, An. I. P. 4709. JESUS CHRIST cannot be supposed to be born, upon October 25. An. I.P. 4710. And if the Allowances should be made greater than I have proposed, (smaller they cannot be) it will render it still but so much the more unlikely, if not impossible.

But, on the other hand, Zachariah 's Course going out upon the Fifth of August, An. I. P. 4710, as I have observed, the Two Days Allowance for his Return to his House, and for Elisabeth 's Conception, makes Aug. 7th for the Time of John the Baptist 's Conception; from whence, the Five Months , or 21 Weeks and 3 Days, of Elisabeth 's Concealment; brings us to Ian. 4th the Beginning of the Julian Year 4711; and a Weeks Entrance into the Sixth Month, as before, leads us to the Eleventh of January , for the Time of the Virgin 's Conception; and Nine Months, from Ian. 11th to the Time of the Birth, carries us down to October 11th in the Year of the Julian Period 4711, the Year and Month proposed in the Proposition. And no other Year but this will receive any Evidence, for the Birth of CHRIST in October , from the Principle of Zachariah 's Ministration, calculated from Ioiarib 's being the first Course, and finishing his Ministration upon Aug. 4th An. I. P. 4783. but if the Principles are good, (and they seem to me to be so) then we receive from them a very strong, and conclusive Evidence, of the Birth of CHRIST, upon, or about the Eleventh of October, An. I. P. 4711. And if the Fifteenth of Tisri , should have happened upon the Third of our October , that Year, as the Fifteenth of Nisan did upon the Third of our April, Thirty-four Years and an half after, when our Lord was crucified, then the Birth of CHRIST, falling upon the 11th of our October ▪ was exactly upon the Eighth , that great and last Day , of the Feast of Tabernacles, wherein they were to keep an holy Convocation to the Lord, and offer an Offering made by Fire unto the Lord ; for then the Son of God came to Tabernacle with Men, (and He did but literally Tabernacle with them, at His Birth, in the Inn) in order to offer Himself, to His Eternal Father, a Sacrifice made by Fire, by the Fire of the Divine Anger falling upon Him, in the Day when he took our Infirmities, and bore the Iniquities of us all.

Since therefore, there is such a wonderful Concurrence of all these Circumstances, the Baptism of our Savior , at the Age of 30 Years ; the Death of Herod ; and the Reign , and Banishment of Archelaus ; and the Time of the Baptist 's Conception; all of them so evidently fixing us to the Year of the Julian Period , 4711, and to the Month of October : I cannot but look upon it, as more than a vain Conjecture, even, an established Proposition, That JESUS CHRIST, our Blessed Savior , was born some Time in October, An. I. P. 4711: Two Years, and two Months, and some Days, before the common Aera .

ERRATA.

PAge 7. l. 6 r. Supposititious. p. 15. l. 4. for † put). p. 18. l. 20. for Foreign r. Sovereign. p. 19. l. 8. r. something. p. 20. l. 4. r. a Lawgiver . p. 26. l. 25. add, died.