THis is the Foundation Festival , whereupon the fabrick of the rest is raised ; and therefore , it is Fundation-like laid very deep , and may well admit of Saint Pauls exclamation , Rom. 11.33 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; O the unfathomable Abyss thereof ! It consisteth of an History , and a Mystery : That which appears above ground , is the story , Luke 2.15 . Luk. 2. and the substance thereof is known by the Circumstances . Quis ? Quare ? Vbi ? Quando ? The Time , the Place , the Person , the End . I shall reserve the two first of them , to the last observable , and begin the History with the time of his Nativity ; and that was a time of peculiar designation ( though computations vary , nor is it much material ) Christ not being subjected to the necessity or chance of time ( like others ) but as Lord and Maker of it . Gal. 4.5 . Elegit suum Nascendi tempus . He chose his opportunity , took his own time , wherein he would be born ; which the Apostle calls the Fulness of it , Gal. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which was , as most agree ( from that old * * Of Rabbi , Elias observing the Hebrew Letter א ( which is the numerical of 1000 ) six times repeated in the first of Genesis , and that of the Psalmist , Psal. 90.4 , &c. Tradition of the worlds lasting just 6000 years ) well toward the 4000th year . Scaliger , Reusner , and Calvin say , Christ was born , Anno Mundi , 3947. Others say , in the year following . as Func . & Helv. in their Chronologies . Dionysius the less , with others , think two years after that , being 3950 , while others again Anno 3970. Nor need this variety cause any scruple or distraction ( no more then in the Dominical day ) so it be solemnized as neer as may be ( though the punctual hours in some cases cannot be retained ) and if our very Clocks accord not twenty fours hours ( some striking most , when others fewest ; ) or scarce three Neighbors meet in the relation of a story , done among them ; how easily may the most faithful Chronologers , discent a little , about the motion of the wheels of time , that have been so long , so long a running ; besides , that speech of our blessed Lord , Acts 1.7 . to his Apostles , Acts 1. It is not for you to know the times and the seasons , &c. Omnes calculatorum digitos , St. Augustine . ( saith Saint Augustine ) puts all Arithmeticians out of their numbers , shuffling their Counters into a Bag of Ignorance ; The time when Christ born . and indeed , Pia est ignorantia Dei Arcana non scrutari : Where the Scripture hath not a tongue , it is Piety for us , to have neither Eie , nor Ear : and therefore , not to follow the wanton Postillers to the very year , nay , moneth , and day , and hour of Christs Nativity , we may with more modesty , and certainty , collect it to have been about the two and fortieth year of the reign of Peaceful Octavianus ( commonly called Augustus ) Josephus telling us , Josep . Antiq. that that was the year of the general taxing , and the Scripture telling us , that that was the time of the Birth of Christ , Luke 2. And therefore then , was the time for Shiloh's coming . Herod the son of Antipater an Idumaean , being King of Judea , and so the Scepter departing from Juda , Gen. 49. then , Gen. 49.10 . when all the prophesies were accomplished , all types and shadows substanced , then was the fulness of time for Christs Nativity ; and then more particularly , shortly after the Winter Solstice , when night grows shorter , and days longer , to shew , that now shadows were shortning , dark ignorance diminishing , and the glorious light of divine knowledge increasing , John 3.30 . John 3.30 . And here let us borrow time , to glance on the place where the Lord was laid , and that was Bethlem , as the Pharisees could tell Herod out of the Prophet Micah . And thou Bethlem , Micah 6.2 . &c. out of thee shall he come , &c. But why there ? Is it not a little one ? Yes , therefore he chose it , that chose all the circumstances of his Life and Death , Vt nos doceret humilia eligere : To teach us to choose the lowest rooms at Feasts , or Synagogues , and to be contented with our meanest accommodations , as all exceeding his ; whose whole life was a continual Passion ; ( as one saith ) others Die Martyrs , but he was born a Martyr , Christ found a kinde of Golgotha , even in Bethlem ; his birth and death as it were , but one protracted act ; his Christmas day , and his Good Friday , Dr. Donne , in Festo Nativit . but the Evening and the Morning of his Passion ! Born among Beasts , lived among worse , died among theeves ! Born in the meanest Town , the meanest House , the meanest Room , the prophets may wel call it his coming down ; the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his emptying of himself , &c. Bethlem , an Inn , a Stable ; and yet these not without their intimations . In Bethlem , where Boaz the Jew , and Ruth the Gentile , were married , Ruth 4.13 . There was he born ( i. ) God and Flesh married , who married Jew and Gentile into one Flock together . The Inn , domus populi . Entertains him , that was to entertain all comers , salvator populi . The House of the people , receives the Saviour of the people ; and the Stable still more extends his Grace unto the foulest sinner , so repentant : Again , Bethlem was the City of David , and Nursery of Kings , of whose linage he was ; and though born in Bethlem , by occasion of the taxing , yet conceived a Nazarite ( thence came this good , in spight of all ill Proverbs ) Luke 1. Luke 1.55 . That Town of Ephrata , which as it signifies fruitfulness , is a Region not onely of Wood , but of Wine , saith Adricomius ; Adricom . Delphius , f. 41. and Bethlem signifying an House of Bread , Affords us this comfortable extract , That the Word made Flesh in the House of Bread , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Region of Wine , leads us to the Arms of Christ , in the blessed Sacrament , worthily received . And now to avoid tediousness , let me knit the Person , and the End together ( which indeed , as the Apostle saith ) is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 1 Tim. 3.16 . 1 Pet. 9.12 . a Great Mystery ; God manifested in the flesh , & c ! The Riddle which the very Angels , as well as men desired , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( i. ) To pry into ( as through the Hangings ) of which we may say , Deut. 4.32 . as Moses , Deut. 4. Was there ever such a thing as this ? For this Mystery ( as well as the Virgin Mary ) the Holy Ghost hath overshadowed ; yet may we also say of it ( as the Lepers in another case , 2 King . 7.9 . 2 Kings 7. ) This is a day of good tydings : Maximum miraculorum & beneficiorum ; as it is the greatest of Miracles , so it is the highest of Benefits , bestowed upon mankinde This , wherein the Deity and Humane Nature were mutually espoused , without either present confusion , or future separation ; by an incomprehensible Hypostasis , and ineffable union * * Quis enarrabit generationem ejus ? Isai. 13.8 . ; for which then , let curiosity be turned into gratitude , and That be expressed in Hospitality and Devotion joyned ; least like Israel , we proclaim an Holy day to Jehovah , and worship a Calf , Exod. 32.8 . that so this eminent Festival , may make up those three wonders * * Bernard in Festo Nativi . of the World , viz. God and Man , Mother and Virgin , Faith and our Heart united .