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THe Conception of John Baptist was in the month of June as the Hebrews reckon their months; Therefore Christs con∣ception 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 then Christ, as appears Luke l. 36. And be∣hold thy cousen 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 Johns age in his mothers 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 shew, 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 Galile na∣med Nazareth to the Virgin Mary, &c. And v. 31. his message is declared to be this; For lo thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and beare a sonne, and shalt call his name Jesus. The Virgin then con∣ceived Iesus in the same sixth month of Iohns age, Iohn was then six months old at Christs conception; Therefore Christ was con∣sequently conceived in December after, and not borne then as the calculation is [groundlessely] made.
2. Secondly, Now that Johns conception was in Iune (& 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 Iohn Baptist was of this eighth course or lot of Abbia, Luke 1.5. In the time of Herod King of Judea there was a certaine Priest named Zacharias of the course of Abbia and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Eliza∣beth, and they had no child, v. 6. and vers. 13. The Angell Gabriel vers. 19, told him; Thy wife Elizabeth shall beare thee a sonne, and thou shalt call his name Iohn. And v. 23. And when the dayes of his Office was fulfilled, he departed to his own house. And v. 24. And after those dayes his wife Elizabeth conceived, after the end of his Eighth course in the beginning of Iuly, after our accompt; for their Iune containes part of our Iuly. And she hid her selfe five moneths, saying. And v. 25. in the sixth moneth after Elizabeths conception the Angel was sent to Mary to tell her of her con∣ception of Christ. Now for as much as the Jewes 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 sa∣cred year since their going out of Aegypt, as appears, Exod. 12.2. This month shall be unto you the beginning of months, it shall be un∣to you the first month of the year. Now chapt. 13.4. Moses tels you what month he means (by this month) This day came ye out
in the month of Abib, the month corne began to eare, containing part of our March and part of our April. Now begin thou thy reckoning from Abib or March, giving and allowing to e∣very lot or course of the 24 courses of the Priests one Fortnight, (for there were 24 courses of Priests and but 12 months, there∣fore every Priest must needs serve a fortnight for his course for 24 fortnights makes 12 months;) And so the eighth fortnight or course shall fall to Abbia, of which Zachary was, which was in Iune, after the Hebrews accompt.
For two courses in March, and two courses more in April fol∣lowing make foure 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 Johns Conception to be in June, where we make his Birth, which in truth was in March follow∣ing. And so consequently Christs Conception was in Decem∣ber, six moneths after Johns Conception, in which December we make Christs 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. dayes Christ pitched in the Tabernacle of his flesh amongst us, as appears, John 1.14. And the word was made flesh, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] and pitched his Taber∣nacle 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 fulfill 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 Brocher of Novelties, in that I endeavour to wade further in the Originals, and paralleling of Scriptures then the vulgar do, having written this to satisfie your Honours re∣quest only, I rest now and ever.
Your Honours obliged in all Duty and Service. R. S.