13 But the Angel said to and they understood that he him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy had seen a vision in the temple. prayer is heard; and thy wife And he made signs to them, Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and remained dumb. and thou shalt call his name 23 And it came to pass, after John;

the days of his office were ac14 And thou shalt have joy complished, he departed to his and gladness, and many shall own house. rejoice in his nativity.

24 And after those days, Eli15 For he shall be great be- zabeth his wife conceived; and fore the Lord : and shall drink hid herself five months, saying: no wine nor strong drink; and 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt he shall be filled with the Holy with me in the days wherein he Ghost even from his mother's hath had regard to take away womb.

my reproach among men. 16 And he shall convert many 26 And in the sixth month, of the children of Israel to the the Angel Gabriel was sent from Lord their God.

God into a city of Galilee, called 17 And he shall go before Nazareth, him in the spirit and power of 27 To a virgin espoused to a Elias; a that he may turn the man whose name was Joseph, hearts of the fathers unto the of the house of David; and the children, and the incredulous virgin's name was Mary. to the wisdom of the just, to 28 And the Angel being come prepare unto the Lord a per- in, said unto her: Hail, full of fect people.

grace, the Lord is with thee: 18 And Zachary said to the Blessed art thou among women. Angel: Whereby shall, I know 29 Who having heard, was this ? for I am an old man; and troubled at his saying, and my wife is advanced in years. thought with herself what man

19 And the Angel answering, ner of salutation this should be. said to him: I am Gabriel who 30 And the Angel said to stand before God; and am sent her: Fear not, Mary, for thou to speak to thee, and to bring hast found grace with God. thee these good tidings.

31 6 Behold thou shalt con20 And behold thou shalt be ceive in thy womb, and shalt dumb, and shalt not be able to bring forth a son; and thou speak until the day wherein shalt call his name JESUS. these things shall come to pass; 32 He shall be great, and because thou hast not believed shall be called the Son of the iny words, which shall be ful- most High, and the Lord God filled in their time.

shall give unto him the throne 21 And the people was wait- of David his father: d and he ing for Zachary; and they won- shall reign in the house of dered that he tarried so long in Jacob for ever, the temple.

33 And of his kingdom thero 22 And when he came out shall be no end. he could not speak to them,

b Isaias 7. 11.-c Infra, 2. 21.- Dan, & Malac, 4. 6. Matt. 11, 14. 7, 14. and 27. Mich 4. 7.

34 And Mary said to the things shall be accomplished Angel: How shall this be done, that were spoken to thee by because I know not man

the Lord. 35 And the Angel answering, 46 And Mary said: My soul said to her: The Holy Ghost doth magnify the Lord : shall come upon thee, and the 47 And my spirit hath repower of the most High shall joiced in God my Saviour. overshadow thee. And there- 48 Because he hath regarded fore also the Holy which shall the humility of his handmaid; be born of thee shall be called for behold from henceforth all the Son of God.

generations shall call me bles. 36 and behold thy cousin sed. Elizabeth, she also hath con- 49 Because he that is mighty ceived a son in her old age; and hath done great things to me: this is the sixth month with her and holy is his name. that is called barren;

50 And his mercy is from 37 Because no word shall be generation unto generations, to . impossible with God.

them that fear him. 38 And Mary said : Behold 51 He hath shewed might the handmaid of the Lord, be a in his arm : he hath scattered it done to me according to thy the proud in the conceit of their word. And the Angel departed heart. from her.

52 He hath put down the 39 And Mary rising up in mighty from their seat, and those days, went into the hill hath exalted the humble. country with haste into a city 53 6 He hath filled the hungry of Juda.

with good things : and the rich 40 And she entered into the he hath sent empty away. house of Zachary, and saluted 54 He hath received Israel Elizabeth,

his servant, being mindful of 41 And it came to pass that his mercy. when Elizabeth heard the sa- 55 As he spoke to our fathers, . lutation of Mary, the infant o to Abraham and to his seed for leaped in her womb. And Eli- ever. zabeth was filled with the Holy 56 And Mary abode with her Ghost:

about three months; and she 42 And she cried out with a returned to her own house. loud voice, and said: Blessed 57 Now Elizabeth's full time art thou among women, and of being delivered was come, blessed is the fruit of thy and she brought forth a son. womb.

58 And her neighbours and 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord a Isaias 51.9. Ps. 32. 10.–61 Kings should come to me?

2.5. Ps. 33. 11.-c Gen. 17. 9. and 22.

16. Ps. 131. 11. Isaias 41. 8. 44 Forbehold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded

Ver. 48. Shall call me blessed. These in my ears, the infant in my

words are a prediction of that honour womb leaped for joy.

which the church in all ages should 45 And blessed art thou that pay to the blessed Virgin. Let Pro

testants examine whether they are · Last believed, because those any way ooncerned in this prophecy.

98

kinsfolks heard that the Lord horn of salvation to us, in the had shewed his great mercy house of David his servant. towards her, and they congra- 70 d As he spoke by the mouth tulated with her.

of his holy prophets, who are 59 And it came to pass, that from the beginning. on the eighth day they came to 71 Salvation from our enecircumcise the child, and they mies, and from the hand of all called him by his father's name that hate us. Zachary.

72 To perform mercy to our 60 And his mother answer- fathers; and to remember his ing, said : Not so, but he shall holy testament. be called John.

73. The oath which he swore 61 And they said to her : to Abraham our father, that he There is none of thy kindred would grant to us, that is called by this name. 74 That being delivered from

62 And they made signs to the hand of our enemies, we his father, how he would have may serve him without fear. him called.

75 In holiness and justice be63 And demanding a writing-fore him, all our days. table, he wrote, a saying: John 76 And thou child, shalt be is his name. And they all won- called the prophet of the high. dered.

est: for thou shalt go before the 64 And immediately his face of the Lord to prepare his mouth was opened, and his ways. tongue loosed, and he spoke 77 To give knowledge of blessing God.

salvation to his people, unto 65 And fear came upon all the remission of their sins. their neighbours; and all these 78 Through the bowels of the things were noised abroad over mercy of our God, in which all the hill country of Judea : & the Orient, from on high, hath

66 And all they that had visited us. heard them laid them up in 79 To enlighten them that sit their heart, saying: What an in darkness, and in the shadow one, think ye, shall this child of death: to direct our feet into be! For the hand of the Lord the way of peace. was with him.

80 And the child grew, and 67 And Zachary his father was strengthened in spirit: and was Elled with the Holy Ghost: was in the deserts until the day and he prophesied saying:

of his manifestation to Israel. 68 6 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: because he hath

d Jer. 23. 6. and 30. 10.-e Gen, 22. visited and wrought the re

16. Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 6. 13. and 17. demption of his people :

- Mal. 4. 5. Supra, 17.-g Zach.

3. 9, and 6. 12. Mal, 4. 2. 69 © And hath raised up an

translates it. For in the Scripture, a Supra, 13.-Ps. 73. 12.-c. Ps. 131. by horn is generally understood strength 17.

and power.

Ver. 78. The Orient. It is one of

the titles of the Messias, the true Ver. 69. Horn of salvation, i. e. light of the world, and the sun of A powerful salvation, as Dr. Wetham justice.

ANDhit came to pass that in that shall be to all the people :

CHAP. II.

about them, and they feared The birth of Christ: his presentatim in

with a great fear. the temple : Simeon's prophecy. Christ 10 And the angel said to them: at twelve years of age is found amongst Fear not; for behold I bring the doctors.

you good tidings of great joy, those days

this day to a decree from Cæsar Augustus; you a SAVIOUR, who is Christ that the whole world should be the Lord, in the city of David. enrolled.

12 And this shall be a sign 2 This enrolling was first unto you. You shall find the made by Cyrinus the governor infant wrapped in swaddling of Syria.

clothes, and laid in a manger. 3 And all went to be enrolled, 13 And suddenly there was every one into his own city. with the angel a multitude of

4 And Joseph also went up the heavenly army, praising from Galilee out of the city of God, and saying: Nazareth into Judea, to the 14 Glory to God in the highcity of a David, which is called est: and on earth peace to men

Bethlehem : because he was of of good will. the house and family of David. 15 And it came to pass, after

5. To be enrolled with Mary the angels departed from them his espoused wife who was with into heaven, the shepherds said child.

one to another, Let us go over 6 And it came to pass, that to Bethlehem,and let us see this when they were there, her days word that is come to pass, which were accomplished, that she

the Lord had shewed to us. should be delivered.

16 And

they came with 7 And she brought forth her haste; and they found Mary first-born son, and wrapped and Joseph, and the infant him up in swaddling clothes, lying in the manger. and laid him in a manger: be- 17 And seeing, they undercause there was no room for stood of the word that had been them in the inn.

spoken to them concerning this 8 And there were in the same child. country shepherds watching,

18 And all that heard wonand keeping the night-watches dered : and at those things that over their flock.

were told them by the shep9 And behold an angel of the herds. Lord stood by them, and the 19 But Mary kept all these brightness of God shone round words, pondering them in her

heart. al Kings 20. 6.- Mich. 5. 2. Matt. 20 And the shepherds re2.6.

turned, glorifying and praising

God, for all the things they had CHAP. II. Ver. 7. Her first-born.

heard, and seen, as it was told The meaning is not that she had afterward any other child; but it is a

unto them. way of speech among the Hebrews, to 21 . And after eight days call them also the first-born, who are

the only children. See Annot. Matt > i, 25.

c Gen, 17. 12. Lev. 12, 3.

were accomplished that the of the gentiles, and the glory of child should be circumcised; thy people Israel. his name was called a JESUS, 33 And his father and mother which was called by the angel, were wondering at those things, before he was conceived in the which were spoken concerning womb.

him. 22 And after the days of her 34 And Simeon blessed them, purification baccording to the and said to Mary his mother: saw of Moses were accomplish.

• Behold this child is set for the ed, they carried him to Jerusa- fall, and for the resurrection of em, to present him to the Lord. many in Israel, and for a sign

23 As it is written in the law which shall be contradicted. of the Lord, Erery male open- 35 And thy own soul a sword ing the womb shall be called holy shall pierce, that out of many to the Lord.

hearts thoughts may be re24 And to offer a sacrifice ac- vealed. cording as it is written d in the 36 And there was one Anna, law of the Lord, a pair of turtle a prophetess, the daughter of doves, or two young pigeons. Phanuel; of the tribe of Aser;

25 And behold there was a she was far advanced in years, man

in Jerusalem named and had lived with her husband Simeon, and this man was just seven years from her virginity. and devout, waiting for the

37 And she was a widow unti. consolation of Israel: and the fourscore and four years; who

: Holy Ghost was in him.

departed not from the temple, 26 And he had received an by fastings and prayers serving answer from the Holy Ghost, night and day. that he should not see death 38 Now she at the same before he had seen the CHRIST hour coming in, confessed to of the Lord.

the Lord; and spoke of him to 27 And he came by the Spirit

all that looke for the redempinto the temple. And when his tion of Israel. parents brought in the child 39 And after they had perJESUS, to do for him according formed all things according to to the custom of the law, the law of the Lord, they re

28 He also took him into his turned into Galilee, to their arms, and blessed God, and city Nazareth. said:

40 And the child grow, and 29 Now thou dost dismiss waxed strong, full of wisdom: thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace.

Isaias &. 14. Rom. 9. 33. 1 Pet. 7. 7. 30 Because my eyes have seen thy salvation,

Ver. 34. For the fall, &c. Christ 31 Which thou hast prepared came for the salvation of all men : but before the face of all peoples : here Simeon prophesies what would 32 A light to the revelation come to pass, that many through their

own wilful blindness and obstinacy

would not believe in Christ, nor rea Matt. 1. 21. Supra, 1.31.- Lev

ceive nis doctrine, which therefore 12. 6.-C Exod. 13. 2. Num. 8. 16.

vould be ruin to them: but to other d. Lev. 12. 8.

a resurrection, by their believing in hing

and obeying his commandments.