Then came the shepherds quickly, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the child laid in the bin. Mary was, by God's direction, betrothed to the righteous Joseph, for the greater security; because it was thus customary among the Jewish people, according to the law of Moses, that if any woman {43} had a child, save in lawful wedlock, she should be slain with stones. But God sent his angel to Joseph, when Mary was pregnant, and commanded that he should have care of her, and be the child's foster-father. Then it seemed to the Jews that Joseph was father of the child, but he was not; because the Almighty Creator had no need to be born of woman; but he took human nature from the womb of Mary, and left her a virgin undefiled, but hallowed through his birth. She knew no society of man, and she brought forth without pain, and continued in maidenhood. The shepherds saw and recognized the child, as had to them been told. (There is no happiness without knowledge of God, as Christ himself said, when he committed us to his Father, "That is eternal life that they acknowledge Thee, the true God, and him whom thou hast sent, the Saviour Christ.") Now all who heard that wondered greatly thereat, and at what the shepherds said. But Mary held all these words, pondering them in her heart. She would not publish Christ's mystery, but waited until he himself, when it pleased him, should divulge it. She knew God's law, and in the book of the prophets had read, that a virgin should give birth to God. Then she greatly rejoiced that she might be it. It was prophesied that he should be born in the city of Bethlehem, and she greatly wondered that, according to that prophecy, she was there delivered. She remembered that a prophet had said, "The ox knows his master, and the ass his master's bin." Then saw she the child lying in the bin, where the ox and the ass usually seek food. God's archangel Gabriel had announced to Mary the Saviour's coming into her womb, and she then saw that his announcement was truly fulfilled. Such words Mary held, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all those things which they had heard and seen, as had been told unto them. The memory of these three shepherds is preserved one mile to the east of Bethlehem, and manifested in God's church {45} to those who visit the place. We should imitate these shepherds, and glorify and praise our Lord for all those things which he hath done for love of us, for our redemption and eternal bliss, to whom be glory and praise with the Almighty Father, in unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen. * * * * * VII. K[=L]. JAN. PASSIO BEATI STEPHANI, PROTOMARTYRIS.