the story itself is an incumbrance on the christian scheme, and that it would at least have appeared to more advantage without it.

That it was neceffary that the miraculous conception of Jefus fhould be concealed from the devil, is a thought that is always afcribed to Ignatius, and it appears in the epiftles that go by his name, as was quoted, vol. 3. p. 8o. but it continued to be the ferious belief of all the Fathers who have mentioned the fubject. Basil says, Mary was married to Jofeph, that the "devil might not fufpect that she was a

virgin For he knew that Christ was to "be born of one, and that he was to put "an end to his power ." Ambrose says, that " Mary conceived by a miracle, left

Eigna δε των παλαιών τινι και έλερος λογος οτι υπερ τὰ λαθειν τον αρχονία το αιώνος τελε την παρθενιαν της Μαρίας ή τε Ιωσηφ επενοήθη μνησεια οιονει γαρ μετεωρισμος τω πονηρω το σχήμα της μνήσειας περι την παρθενον επενοήθη παλαι επιτηρείς τας παρθενες, αφε ήκεσε τες προφήτε λεγοντος . Ιδε η παρθενος εν γαςρι ληψεία και τεξελαι υιον . απεβεκολήθη εν δια της μνηςείας ο επίβελος της παρθενιας . ηδει καλαλυσιν της ιδιας αρχής την την δια σαρκος επιφάνειαν τε κυριε γενησομένην.

yag

Hom. 25. Opera, vol. 1.

P. 507.

E 2

"the

Who inverted the

Christian

the princes of this world should not have "crucified Chrift for our falvation *." His idea, probably was, that the devil would not then have inftigated Judas to betray him, or his enemies to crucify him. Chryfoftom fays, that "Chrift was both "born of a virgin, and fuffered on the "crofs, that the devil might be taken with "his own arts; for that Eve was a virgin, "when he was feduced, and eat of the "tree of good and evil."

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Leo the Great fays, that "Chrift's

chufing to be born of a virgin, was an "inftance of profound wisdom; that the "devil might be ignorant that the falva"tion of men was born into the world; "and that the fpiritual conception being

* Sciebat enim jam tunc gratia plena, fpiritu divinitatis afflata, quia fi hunc hujus fæculi principes agnoviffent, numquam pro falute noftra crucifixiffent. De Purifica

tione S. Mariæ, Opera, vol. 5. p. 638.

† Είδες πως παρθενος καὶ ξύλον καὶ θανατος γεγονεν ημιν της ητης τα σύμβολα ; ορα τοινυν πως και της νίκης αυτα παλιν γέγονε παραλια. ανι της Ενας η Μαρία, αντί τε ξυλα τε ειδεναι γνωσον καλ8 και πονηρε το ξύλον τε σαυρέ, αλι τε θανατε τε Αδαμ ο δεσπόλικο θανατος, In Pafch. Opera, vol. 6. p. 643.

"concealed

"concealed, he might believe that he who "did not appear different from other men, "was born like other men *."

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"The virginity of Mary," fays Damafcenus, "her delivery, and the death of "Chrift, were all concealed from the de"vil," quoted from Ignatius +. Mary," fays Theophylact, "was married, that by "this means he might deceive the devil. "For the devil having heard that a virgin "would be with child, obferved the virShe, therefore, married Jofeph "to deceive the deceiver."

gins.

* Hoc ipfum et autem quod Chriftus nafci elegit ex virgine, nonne apparet altiffimæ fuiffe rationis; ut fcilicet natam humani generis falutem diabolus ignoraret; ut, fpiritali latente conceptu, quem nonalium videret quam alios, non aliter crederet natum effe quam ceteros. De Nativitate, Ser. 4. Opera, p. 14.

+ Και έλαθε τον αρχονία τε αιώνΘ της η παρθένεια Μαρίας, και ο τοκΘ αύτης, ομοίως και ο θανατος χρισε, τρια μυτηρια κραυγής, α τινα εν ησυχία θες επραχθη. De Mariæ Nativitate, Or. 3. Opera, p. 576.

† Αμα δε, και ινα λαθη τον διάβολον, δια τελο εμνηστεύθη ο γαρ διαβολος ακέσας ότι η παρθενος εν γαςρι εξει, επετηρει τας παρθενες ινα τοινυν απαληθη ο απαλεων, μνετευεται την αειπαρθενον ο Ιωσηφ. In Matt. cap. 1. Opera, vol. 1. p. 8.

Maximus Taurinenfis makes a curious foliloquy for the devil, on the birth of Chrift, which implies that he had heard of the pretenfion to a miraculous conception, but did not give entire credit to it. "Who is this," fays he, "that is come into the " world unknown to me. I know that he

"is born of a woman, but "how he was conceived.

I do not know

I fee the mo

ther, but I cannot trace the father. And what adds to my aftonishment,, the "mother pretends that he brought him "forth in fome unufual manner, and that "she is a virgin." Then defcribing the perfect purity of Chrift's nature, he ex claims, "What fhall I do? Whither fhafl "I turn myself? I find that I have to do "with one who is ftronger than I am. "I believe he intends to reign in my king"dom. I fear left he fhould be a god, "who is abfolutely without ftain. But if "he was a god, how could he bear the indignity of being born of a woman? How "could he be content with the cradle and

66

fwaddling clothes? Who could believe

"the

"the wailing of an infant in a God; and "to whom does it not appear ridiculous "that God should be fed with a woman's "milk. Befides he is hungry, and it is repugnant to reafon that God should be hungry *."

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66

* Quis ifte eft qui nefciente me hunc ingreffus eft mundum? Novi quidem de femina natus eft, fed nescio unde conceptus. Aftat ecce mater, fed patrem inveftigare non poffum. Partum video, fed non agnofco nafcentem, et quod ftupori meo accrefcit, inconfueta lege pariendi etiam edito filio mater exultat, ut virgo.—Quid agam ? Quo me convertam? Fortiorem fentio: puto illum in regno meo velle regnare, ne forte deus fit ifte quem nullum poteft maculare delictum. Sed fi deus effet, quomodo indignitates partus feminei fuftineret ? Quomodo effet cunis pannifque contentus? Quis credere poffit infantiæ vagitus in deo, cui non audienti ridiculum eft deum femineo lacte nutriri? Poft omnia ecce efurit, cum utique efurire deum ratio nulla perfuadeat. Opera, p. 206.