5
others, that, at his birth, a fountain of pure oil broke in at a public inn at Rome, and run freely a whole day, and that at noon in a fair day, a circle was seen about the sun as resplendent as the sun itself, and Comester in his scholastic history affirms, that on the day of Christ's birth, a temple at Rome, dedicated to the goddess Pax, fell to the ground, which was told by the oracle of Apollo, that it should continue till a virgin should bring forth a child, which they judged impossible, and that it should stand for ever. And likewise Lucas searching in ancient Chronicles of the history of Spain, found there recorded, that the same night wherein our Saviour was born, there appeared in Spain at midnight, a cloud with so great a light that it seemed like mid-day.
Q. Was not these remarkable prodigies, which then happened, applied by some learned persons to Augustus Caesar, who then reigned prosperously?
A. There was so, as Josephus testifies, but the more divinely inspired, interpreted it to signify him, who Isaiah prophesied should have the government upon his shoulders, even the Saviour of the world.
Q. Did not the Senate of Rome offer to bestow the title of our Lord upon Augustus Caesar?
A. Octavius Caesar, sirnamed Augustus, after his civil wars, wherein he was engaged with many other troubles and much bloodshed, was advanced to the imperial throne, and that liberty, peace, and security were then established, the Senate offered to crown him with the title of Prince of Peace, which some write he denied that honour, and unknowingly said, that a greater Lord than he was to come into the world, to whom that title more justly belonged.
