Voice from the ark. MARY. The Virgin betrothed. phecy of Isaiah, to whom the ed in years, who drew back his Virgin should be given and be rod, when every one besides betrothed; presented his. 14 For Isaiah saith, there 2 So that when nothing apshall come forth a rod out of peared agreeable to the heavthe stem of Jesse, and a flower enly voice, the high-priest judgshall spring out of its root, ed proper to consult God again, 15 And the Spirit of the 3 Who answered, that he to Lord shall rest upon him, the whom the Virgin was to be beSpirit of Wisdom and Under-trothed was the only person of standing, the Spirit of Counsel those who were brought toand Might, the Spirit of Knowl-gether, who had not brought edge and Piety, and the Spirit his rod. of the fear of the Lord shall 4 Joseph therefore was befill him. trayed. 16 Then, according to this 5 For, when he did bring prophecy, he appointed, that his rod, and a dove coming all the men of the house and from Heaven pitched upon the family of David, who were top of it, every one plainly saw, marriageable, and not married, that the Virgin was to be beshould bring their several rods trothed to him: to the altar, 6 Accordingly, the usual 17 And out of whatsoever ceremonies of betrothing being person's rod after it was over, he returned to his own brought, a flower should bud city of Bethlehem, to set his forth, and on the top of it the house in order, and make the Spirit of the Lord should sit needful provisions for the marin the appearance of a dove,heriage. should be the man to whom the 7 But the virgin of the Lord, Virgin should be given and be Mary, with seven other virgins betrothed. of the same age, who had beenweaned at the same time, and who had been appointed to attend her by the priest, returned to her parents' house in Galilee. CHAP. VI. 1 Joseph draws back his rod 5 The dove pitches on it 6 He betroths Mary and returns to Bethlehem. 7 Mary returns to her parents' house at Galilee. Angel Gabriel MARY. Salutes Mary, 8 Fear not, Mary, as though the Holy Ghost coming up-| on her without the heats of I intended any thing inconsistent with your chastity in this lust. 21. She submits. TOW at this time of her salutation: first coming into Galilee, the angel Gabriel was sent to her from God, to declare to her the conception of our Saviour, and the manner and way of her conceiving him. 9 Fer you have found favour with the Lord, because you made virginity your choice. 10 Therefore while you are a Virgin, you shall conceive without sin, and bring forth a son. 2 Accordingly going in to her, he filled the chamber 11 He shall be great, bewhere she was with a prodig-cause he shall reign from sea jous light, and in a most court- to sea, and from the rivers eous manner saluting her, he even to the ends of the earth.* said, 3 Hail, Mary! Virgin of the Lord most acceptable! Oh Virgin full of grace! The Lord is with you, you are blessed above all women, you are blessed above all men, that have been hitherto born.* 12 And he shall be called the Son of the Highest; for he who is born in a mean state on earth, reigns in an exalted one in heaven. 13 And the Lord shall give him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall 4 But the Virgin, who had before been well acquainted with the countenances of an-be no end. gels, and to whom such light from heaven was no uncommon thing, 14 For he is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and his throne is for ever and ever. 5 Was neither terrified with 15 To this discourse of the the vision of the angel, nor as-angel the Virgin replied, not, tonished at the greatness of the as though she were unbelievlight, but only troubled about ing, but willing to know the the angel's words; manner of it: 6 And began to consider 16 She said, How can that what so extraordinary a salu-be? For seeing, according to tation should mean, what it did my vow, I never have known portend, or what sort of end it any man, how can I bear a would have.t child without the addition of a man's seed? 7 To this thought the angel, divinely inspired, replies ; * Luke, i. 28. i Luke, i. 29, 17 To this the angel replied *Luke, i. 31, &c. MARY. she shall conceive. and tells her and said, Think not, Mary, that with intention to marry the Viryou shall conceive in the ordi-gin who was betrothed to him; 2 For it was now nary way. near 18 For, without lying with three months, since she was a man, while a Virgin, you betrothed to him. shall conceive; while a Virgin, 3 At length it plainly apyou shall bring forth; and peared she was with child, while a Virgin, shall give suck: and it could not be hid 19 For the Holy Ghost from Joseph : shall come upon you, and the 4 For going to the Virgin in power of the Most High shall a free manner, as one espoused, overshadow you, without any and talking familiarly with her, of the heats of lust. he perceived her to be with child, 10 So that which shall be born of you shall be only holy, 5 And thereupon began to because it only is conceived be uneasy and doubtful, not without sin, and being born, knowing what course it would shall be called the Son of God. be best to take; 21 Then Mary stretching] 6 For being a just man, he forth her hands, and lifting her was not willing to expose her, eyes to heaven, said, Behold nor defame her by the suspithe handmaid of the Lord! Let it be unto me according to thy word.* CHAP. VIII. cion of being a whore, since he was a pious man. 7 He proposed therefore privately to put an end to their agreement, and as privately to send her away. 8 But while he was thus meditating these things,* behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, and said, Joseph, son of David, 1 Joseph returns to Galilee to marry the Virgin he had betrothed, 4 perceives she is with child, 5 is uneasy, 7 purposes to put her away privily, 8 is told by the angel of the Lord it is not the fear not; work of man but the Holy 9 Be not willing to enterGhost. 12 Marries her, but tain any suspicion of the Virkeeps chaste, 13 removes gin's being guilty of fornicawith her to Bethlehem, 15 tion, or to think any thing awhere she brings forth miss of her, neither be afraid Christ. to take her to wife; OSEPH therefore went 10 For that which is begotfrom Judæa to Galilee, ten in her, and now distresses J * Luke, i. 38. *Matt. i. 19. Joachim's THE PROTEVANGELION. offering your mind, is not the work of when Joseph took his wife and man, but the Holy Ghost. what other things were necessary to Bethlehem, the city from whence he came. 14. And it came to pass, 11 For she of all women is that only Virgin who shall bring forth the Son of God, and you shall call his name Jesus, while they were there, the that is, Saviour; for he will days were fulfilled for her save his people from their sins. bringing forth, 12 Joseph thereupon, ac- 15 And she brought forth cording to the command of the her first born-son, as the holy angel, married the Virgin, and Evangelists have taught, even did not know her, but kept her our Lord Jesus Christ, who in chastity. with the Father, Son, and Ho13 And now the ninth month ly Ghost, lives and reigns to from her conception drew near, everlasting ages. The PROTEVANGELION; or, An Historical Account of the BIRTH of CHRIST, and the perpetual VIRGIN MARY his Mother, by JAMES THE LESSER, Cousin and Brother of the Lord Jesus, chief Apostle and first Bishop of the Christians in Jerusalem. [Lois Gospel is ascribed to James The allusions to it in the ancient Fathers are frequent, and their expressions indicate that it had obtained a very general credit in the Christian world. The controversies founded upon it chiefly relate to the age of Joseph at the Birth of Christ, and to his being a widower, with children, before his marriage with the Virgin. It seems material to remark, that the legends of the latter ages affirm the virginity of Joseph, notwithstanding Epiphanius. Hilary, Chrysostom, Cyril, Euthymius. Theophy lart, Oerumenius, and indeed all the Latin Fathers till Ambrose, and the Greek Fathers afterwards, maintain the opinions of Joseph's age and family, founded upon their belief in the authenticity of this book. It is supposed to have been originally composed in Hebrew. Postellus brought the MS of this Gospel from the Levant, translated it into Latin, and sent it to Oporinus, a printer at Basil, where Bibliander, a Protestant divine, and the Professor of Divity at Zurich, caused it to be printed in 1552 Postellus asserts, that it was publicly read as Cau nical in the Eastern Churches, they making no doubt that James was the author of it. It is, nevertheless. considered apochryphal by some of the most learned divines in the Protestant and Catholic churches] CHAP. I. retires into the wilderness and fasts forty days and forty nights. N the history of the twelve tribes of Israel we read ↑ Joachim, a rich man, 2 offers to the Lord, 3 is opposed by Reuben the highpriest, because he has not there was a certain person calbegotten issue in Israel, 6 led Joachim, who being very 6|led -in the temple, THE PROTEVANGELION. rejected for CHAP. II. rich, made double* offerings to my God shall look down upon the Lord God, having made me, but prayer shall be my this resolution; my substance meat and drink.* shall be for the benefit of the whole people, and that I may 1 find mercy from the Lord God for the forgiveness of my sins. Anna, the wife of Joachim, mourns her barrenness, 6 is reproached with it by Judith her maid, 9 sits under a laurel tree and prays to the Lord. N the mean time his wife Anna was distressed and perplexed on a double account, 2 But at a certain great feast of the Lord, when the children of Israel offered their gifts, and Joachim also offered his, Reuben the high-priest opposed him, saying, It is not and said, I will mourn both for lawful for thee to offer thy my widow-hood and my bargifts, seeing thou hast not be- renness. got an issue in Israel. 2 Then drew near a great 3 At this time Joachim be-feast of the Lord, and Judith ing concerned very much, went her maid said, How long will away to consult the registries you thus afflict your soul? The of the twelve tribes, to see feast of the Lord is now come, whether he was the only per- when it is unlawful for any one son who had begot no issue. 4 But upon inquiry he found that all the righteous had raised up seed in Israel: to mourn. 3 Take therefore this hood which was given me by one who makes such things, for it 6 Then he called to mind is not fit that I, who am a serthe patriarch Abraham, how vant, should wear it, but it that God in the end of his life well suits a person of your greater character. had given him his son Isaac ; upon which he was exceedingly distressed, and would not be seen by his wife; 4 But Anna replied, Depart from me, I am not used to such things; besides, the Lord hath 6 But retired into the wil-greatly humbled me. derness, and fixed his tent 5 I fear some ill-designing there, and fasted forty days person hath given thee this, and forty nights, saying to him self, and thou art come to pollute me with thy sin. 7 I will not go down either to eat or drink, till the Lordigots fast of Moses. recorded Exod. *In imitation of the forty days and xxv. 18, xxxiv. 28. Deut. ix. 9, of Eli *That is, gave as much more as he jah, 1 Kings, XIX. 8, and Christ's, was obliged to give. Mait. iv. 2. |