The Natiuitie of Christ, 8. and manifestation thereof to the Shepheards by an Angel & by them
to others. 21. His Circumcision. 22. His Presentation, togeather with Simeons (as also Annes)
Attestation and prophecying of his Passion, of the Iewes reprobation, and of the Gentils
illumination. 41. His annual ascending to Hierusalem with his parents, to whom he was subiect, and
his fulnes of wisedom shewed among the Doctours at twelue of his age.
1.
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The Ghospel at the first Masse vpon Christmas day.
In the yeare, from the creation of the world 5199. from Noes flud, 2957. from the Natiuitie of
Abraham, 2015 from Moyses & the comming forth of the people of Israel out of Ægypt,
1510. from Dauid anointed king, 1032. from the first Olympias, 800. from the
building of Rome, 752. hebdomada 63 according to the prophecie of Daniel (c. 9)
that is, in the yeare 440. or there about: in the sixt Age of the world, when there
was vniuersal peace in al the world: the Eternal God the Sonne of the Eternal
Father, meaning to consecrate & sanctifie the world with his most blessed comming,
being conceaued of the Holy Ghost nine moneths after his conception, IESUS CHRIST
the sonne of God is borne in Bethlehem of Iuda, in the yeare of Cesar Augustus 42.
Vsuard. in martyrol. Decēb. 25. according to the common ancient supputation.
AND it came to passe, in those daies there came forth an Edict from Cæsar Augustus,
that the whole world should be enroled.
2. This first enroling was made by the President of Syria Cyrinus.
3. And al went to be enroled, euery one into his owne citie.
4. And Ioseph also went vp from Galilee out of the citie of Nazareth into Iewie, to
the citie of Dauid that is called Beth-lehem: for because he was of the house and familie of Dauid,
5. to be enroled with Mᴀʀɪᴇ his despoused wife that was with child.
6. And it came to passe, when they were there, her daies were fully come that she should
be deliuered.
7. And she brought forth her first begotten Sonne, and swadled him in clothes, and
laid him in a manger; because there was not place for them in the inne.
8. And there were in the same countrie shepheards watching, and keeping the night
watches ouer their flock.
9. Abd behold, an Angel of our Lord stood beside them, and the brightnes of God did
shine round about them, and they feared with a great feare.
10. And the Angel said to them: Feare not; for behold I euangelize to you great ioy,
that shal be to al the people:
11. because this day is borne to you a Sᴀᴠɪᴏᴠʀ which is Christ our Lord, in
this citie of Dauid.
12. And this shal be a signe to you; You shal find the infant swadled in clothes, and
laid in a manger.
13. And sodenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heauenly armie, praising
God, and saying,
14.
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GLORIA IN EXCELSIS at Masse.
Glorie in the highest to God: and in earth peace to
Men of good wil.
Free wil.
The birth of Christ giueth not peace of minde or saluation but to such as be of
good wil, because he worketh not our good against our willes, but our willes
concurring. Aug. quæst. ad Simplic. li. 1. q. 2. to. 4.
men of good wil.
15.
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The Ghospel at the second masse vpon Christmas day. And within the Octaue.
And for a Votiue of our Lady from Christmas to Candlemas.
And it came to passe, after the Angels departed from them into Heauen, the
shepheards spake one to an other: Let vs goe ouer to Bethlehem, and let vs see this Word that is
done, which our Lord hath shewed to vs.
16. And they came with speed; and they found Mᴀʀɪᴇ and Ioseph, and the
infant laid in the manger.
17. And seeing it, they vnderstood of the Word that had been spoken to them concerning
this child.
18. And al that heard, did maruel; and concerning those things that were reported to
them by the shepheards.
19. But Mᴀʀɪᴇ
Kept al.
Our B. Lady ful of deepe contemplations.
Our Lady though litle be spoken of her concerning such matters in the Scriptures,
because she was a woman, and not admitted to teach or dispute in publick of high
mysteries; yet she knew al these mysteries, and wisely noted and contemplated of
those things that were done and said about Christ, from the first houre of his
Conception til the end of his life and his Ascension.
kept al these words, conferring them in her hart.
20. And the shepheards returned, glorifying and praysing God in al things that they had
heard, and seen, as it was said to them.
21.
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The Ghospel vpon the Circumcision of our Lord Ian. 1.
And
*
Gen. 17,12.
after eight daies were expired, that the child should be circumcised; his name
was called Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, which was
*
Luke 1,31.
called by the Angel, before that he was conceaued in the womb.
22.
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The Ghospel vpon the Purification of our Lady or Candlemas day.
And after the daies were fully ended of her purification
*
Leu. 12,6.
according to the law of
Moyses, they caried him into Hierusalem, to present him to our Lord
23. (as it is written in the law of our Lord, That euery male opening the matrice,
shal be called holy to the lord.)
24. and to giue a sacrifice
*
Num. 8,16.
Leu. 12,8.
according as it is written in the law of our Lord, a paire
of turtles, or two yong pigeons.
25. And behold there was a man in Hierusalem named Simeon, and this man was iust and
religious, expecting the conselation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was in him.
26. And he had receaued an answer of the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death vnles
he saw first the
✟
See Iohn 1,20 and 41.
Cʜʀɪꜱᴛ of our Lord.
27. And he came in Spirit into the Temple. And when his parents brought in the child
Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, to doe according to the custome of the Law for him,
28. he also tooke him into his armes, and blessed God, and said:
29.
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NVNC DIMITTIS at Complin.
Nᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴏᴠ doest dimisse thy seruant O Lord, according to thy word in peace.
30. Because mine eyes haue seen thy Sᴀʟᴠᴀᴛɪᴏn,
31. Which thou hast prepared before the face of al peoples:
32. A light to the reuelation of the Gentils, & the glorie of thy people Israel.
33. And his father and mother were marueling vpon those things which were spoken concerning
him.
34. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mᴀʀɪᴇ his mother: Behold this
is set vnto
To the ruine.
Mens ruine and damnation is of them selues.
Therfore to the ruine of some, because they would not beleeue in him, and so were
the cause of their owne ruine, as he is elswhere called, *A stumbling stone,
because many would stumble at him and so fal by their owne fault. Othersome he
raised by grace from sinne to iustice, and so he was the resurrection of many.
The Apostle vseth the like speach, saying: We are to some the odour of life,
vnto life: to others, the odour of death vnto death. Not that their preaching
was to cause death, but because they that would not beleeue their preaching,
wilfully incurred deadly sinne and damnation.
*1 Pet. 2,8.
**2 Corinth. 2,16.
the ruine, and vnto the resurrection of many in Israel, & for a signe which shal be
contradicted,
35. and
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Simeon prophecied not only of Christ but of our B. Lady: specially of her
sorowes, wherein she was alwayes partaker with our sauiour, from his flight
into Ægypt euen to his death.
thine owne soule shal a sword pearce, that out of many harts cogitations may be
reuealed.
36. And there was Anne a prohetisse, the daughter of Phannel, of the Tribe of Aser:
she was farre striken in daies, and had liued with her husband seauen yeares from her virginitie.
37. And she was
A widow.
Holy widowhood.
Marke that widowhood is here mentioned to the commendation thereof euen in the old
Testament also, and the fruit, and as it were the profession thereof, is here
commended, to wit, fasting, praying, being continually in the Temple euen as S.
Paul more at large for the state of the new Testament speaketh of *widowhood
& virginitie, as being professions more apt and commodious for the seruice of
God.
*1 Cor. 7. 1. Tim. 5.
a widow vntil eightie and foure yeares; who departed not from the Temple,
By fastings and prayers seruing.
Fasting an act of Religion.
Seruing, in the Greeke is λατρεύουσα, that is, doing diuine worship vnto God, as
by praier, so also by fasting: so that fasting is λατρεία, that is, an act of
Religion whereby we doe worship God, as we doe by prayer, and not vsed only to
subdue our flesh, much lesse (as Heretikes would haue it) as a matter of pollicie.
by fastings and praiers
✟
λατρεύουσα.
seruing night and day.
38. And she at the same houre sodenly comming in, confessed to our Lord; and spake of
him to al that expected the redemption of Israel.
39. And after they had wholy done al things according to the law of our Lord, they
returned into Galilee, into their citie Nazareth.
40. And the child grew, and waxed
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strong in spirit.
strong: ful of wisedom, and the grace of God was in
him.
41. And his parents went euery yeare vnto Hierusalem
*
Exo. 23,15. 34,17.
Deu. 16,1.
at the solemne day of Pasche.
42.
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The Ghospel vpon the first Sunday after the Epiphany.
And when he was twelue yeares old, they going vp into Hierusalem according to the
custome of the festiual day;
43. and hauing ended the daies, when they returned, the child Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ remained
in Hierusalem: and his parents knew it not.
44. And thinking that he was in the companie, they came a daies iourney, and sought
him among their kinsfolke and acquaintance.
45. And not finding him, they returned into Hierusalem, seeking him.
46. And it came to passe, after three daies they found him in the Temple sitting in
the middes of the Doctours, hearing them and asking them.
47. And al were astonished that heard him, vpon his wisedom & answers.
48. And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Sonne, why hast thou
so done to vs? behold thy father and I sorowing did seeke thee.
49. And he said to them: What is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must
be about those things which are my Fathers?
50. And they vnderstood not the word that he spake vnto them.
51. And he went downe with them, and came to Nazareth; and was
Subiect to them.
Dutiful obedience to parents.
Al children may learne hereby, that great ought to be their subiection and obedience
to their parents, when Christ himself, being God, would be subiect to his parents
being but his creatures.
subiect to them. And his
mother kept al these words in her hart.
52. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ proceeded in wisedom and age, and grace with God and men.