24. When the Angel had thus faid, Jofeph awaked and being fully fatiffied of his Wife's Innocence and Virtue, he obeys the Command of God delivered by the Angel, and received her chearfully.

25. Yet, looking upon her to be hereby confecrated to God, he continues to abftain from her. And the brought forth her only Son, and called his Name Jefus.

CHA P. II.

The Hiftory of the Magi, or IVife Men, coming to worship Chrift; And of Herod's Cruelty and Death.

JEfus

Efus being thus born in Bethlehem of Judæa, in the Reign of King Herod; it was not long, before his coming into the World was made known, not only to those devouter Jews, who waited for the appearing of the Meffias and the Redemption of Ifrael, but even to the Gentiles alfo For at this time certain Aftronomers, or Philofophers, came from the Eastern Part of the World, as far as to Jerufalem.

2. And there they made enquiry, faying; Where is the great King that is born in Judæa? For when we were afar off in our own Country, we faw a new Star; from the appearance of which, we affuredly collected that That great Prince, whom the World both from Traditions and Propl.efies expects

3

24 Then Joseph being raifed from fleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him,and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her till fhe had

not

brought forth her firft-born fon : and he called his name Jefus.

I.

I NOW when Je

fus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wife

men from the east to Jerufalem.

2 Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his ftar in the east, and are come to worship

him.

3 When

about this time, is now born; and this Star directed us to Judea to feek for him, and we are come to pay him Homage.

3. Upon this Enquiry made by the wife Men; King Herod, who was a Foreigner, and had been cruel and arbiand feared that he fhould lofe his trary; Kingdom, if that great Prince, of whom he knew the Nation had a general Expectation, were now born; was extreamly troubled and disturbed. And all Jerufalem likewife, was greatly moved at the Strangeness of the Enquiry.

4. But Herod, to fatisfy himfelf more fully, calls for the Chief Priefts and of them, Where the Meffiah, whom Teachers of the People, and enquires they expected, was to be born.

5. They told him, in Bethlehem a Town of Judea; For fo the Prophet Micha had foretold, in thefe Words, (Mic. v. 2.)

6. And thou Bethlehem in the Land

of Judea, though thou beeft but a small
City, yet art thou by no means the least
honourable among the Principalities of
Juda; for out of thee fhall arife a Go-
vernour,
vernour, that shall rule my people
Ifrael.

7. Herod at this Anfwer being now more confirmed in his Sufpicion, that the Child Jefus was defigned to be Prince and King of the Jews, refolved (if poffible) to prevent it by deftroying him; And that this his wicked Defign might not mifcarry by being discovered too foon, he contrives Means to conceal the cruel purpose under the pretense of Piety. Calling therefore the wife Men fecretly to him, he enVOL. I. quires

B

8 And he fent

them to Bethlehem, and faid, Go, and fearch diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him alfo.

9 When they had heard the king, they ftar which they faw departed, and lo, the in the east, went before them, till it came and flood over where the young child was.

10 When they faw the ftar, they ceeding great Joy. rejoyced with ex

II And when they were come into the house, they faw the young child with Mary his mother; and fell down, and worshipped him; and when they had opened their treasures, they prefented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincenfe, and myrrhe.

when

13 And. they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Jofeph in a dream, faying, Arife, and take the young child, and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

13. The Wife Men being thus fent Home, and Herod difappointed of his expected Information; an Angel appeared to Jofeph in a Dream, to acpeared to quaint him with Herod's Defign of killing the Child, and to command him to flee with the Child and his Mother into Egypt, and to abide there till he fhould have notice given him when he might fafely return.

14. Jofeph, upon this Warning, flees into Egypt by Night, with Mary and the Child;

14 When he arose, he took the young

child and his mother
by night, and depar-
ted into Egypt:
15
And was there
until the death of
Herod that it might

15. And there he continued till the death of Herod. death of Herod. Whereby were remarkably accomplished thofe Words of be fulfilled which the Prophet Hofea, which, under the was fpoken of the Lord by the of the Children of Ifrael, had Type prophet, faying, Out their principal respect to Chrift: Out of Egypt have I of Egypt have I called my Son, (Hof.xi. called my fon. 1.) 165 Then Herod, when he faw that he was mocked of the wife men, was exceeding wroth, and fent forth, and flew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wife-men.

16. In the mean time Herod finding that the wife Men had deceived him, and were gone Home, fell into a great Rage; and to make fure that the Child fhould not efcape him, he commanded all the Children under two Years old, that were in Bethlehem and the neighbouring Villages, to be flain; having gathered from his Conference with the wife Men, that Jefus could not yet be arrived at that age.