and her name was Elifabeth. 6. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless. 7. And they had no child, berause that Elifabeth was barren, and they both were Now well stricken in years. 8. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priests Office before God (1) in the order of his course, 9. According to the custom of the priests office, his lot was to burn incenfe when he went into the temple of the Lord. 12. 10. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incenfe. 11. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right fide of the Altar of incenfe. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13. But the angel faid unto him, Fear not, Za - charias: for thy Prayer is heard; and thy wife Elifabeth shall bear thee a fon, and thou shalt call his name John. 14. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoyce Dat his birth. 15. For he shall be great in the fight of the Lord, and shall drink neither Wine nor ftrong Drink; and Q2 he (1) The Priests were divided by David into Twenty four Courses, 1 Chron. 24. 3, 4. One of these Courses attended on the Service of the Temple every Week. And there being many in every Course, it was de. termined by Lot who should burn Incense before the Lord. Each Course - in their turn, according to the Order appointed, came in on the Sabbath Day, and went out the Sabbath following. he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mothers womb. 16. And many of the children of Ifrael shall the turn to the Lord their God. 17. And he shall go before him (1) in the d spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient * to [Or, by] the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18. And Zacharias faid unto the Angel, f Whereby shall I know this? for I am an * old man, and my Wife well stricken in years. 19. And the Angel answering faid unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the prefence of God: and am fent to speak unto thee, and to thew thee these glad Tidings. 20. And behold, thou shalt bei dumb, and not able to speak, until the •† Ecclefiafticus 48 10 Who waft ordained for Reproofs, to turn the Heart of the Father to the Son, and to restore the Tribes of + Jer. 1. 5. Before I formed thee in the Belly, I knew thee; before thou cameft forth of the Womb, I fanctified thee, and I ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations. 5 Jacob. † Gal. 1. 15. -Who separated me from my Mothers Womb. f Gen. 15. 8. [Abram] faid, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it ? 8 † Gen. 17. 17. -Shall a Child be born unto him that is an bundred Years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety Years old, bear? b* Mal 4.5, 6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the Coming of the great and dread-10 ful Day of the Lord And he shall turn the Heart of the Fathers to the Children, and the Heart of the Children to their Fathers, lest I come and smite the Earth with a Curse. 15† Dan. 9 21. -The man Gabriel, Mal. 4.4. Remember ye the Law of Mofes my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Ifrael, with the Statutes and Judgments. ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. h + Dan. 8. 16. -Gabriel, make this man to understand the Vision. whom I had seen in the Vifion at the beginning. i † Ez. 3. 26. I will make thy Tongue cleave to the Roof of thy Mat. 11.14. If 20 Mouth, and thou shalt be Dumb d Mar. 9. 12. -Elias verily com eth first, and restoreth all things. † Ex. 24. 27 -Thou shalt speak, and be no more Dumb, and thou shalt be a Sign unto them, and they shall know that I am the Lord. (1) St. John Baptist did in many things resemble Elias, and therefore is not improperly called by his Name. Did the latter express a mighty Zeal for the Glory of God, so did the former? Did Elias reprove Wickedness, even in the greatest Perfons, as Ahab and Jezabel, the Baptift did the fame in Herod and Herodias? Did the one live in a very corrupt Age, and apply himself to reform the Vices of the Times, so did the other? Was Elias a Man of a strict Life, so was the Baprift? Was the former perfecuted by Ahab and Jezabel, the latter was perfecuted by Herod and Herodias? It is not therefore without Reason that he is called by our Lord, Elias. See the Note on Mat. 11. 14. Tthe day that these things shall be performed, because thou *believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their feafon. 21. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried to long in the Temple. 22. And when - he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they = perceived that he had seen a vision in the Temple: for he beckned unto them, and remained speechless. 23. And it came to pass, that as foon as the days of his miniftration were accomplied, he departed to his own house. 24. And after those days, his Wife Elifabeth conceived, and hid her feli five months, saying, 25. Thus hath the Lord dealt with me, in the days wherein he looked on me, tom take away my reproach among men. 26. And in the fixth month, the Angel Gabriel was feat from God, unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27. To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgins name was Mary. 28. And the Angel came in unto her, and faid, Hail, thou that art * highly favoured [Or, graciously accepted, or, much graced], the Lord is with thee: ble.ied art thou among women. 29. And when she faw him, she was troubled at his faying, and caft in her mind Q3 what * Gen.18. 13. The Lord faid unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, faying, shall I of a furety bear a Child, which am old? Numb. 20. 12. And the Lord spake 5 Jofeph.Unto Mofes and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to fanctifie me in the Eyes of the Children of Ifrael; therefore ye shall not bring Gen. 28. 15. Behold, I am this Congregation into the Land to with thee, and will keep thee [Jacob] take away our Reproach. Dan. 9. 23. Thou art great ly beloved Dan. 10. 19. O Man, greatly beloved. F in all Places whither thou goeft.Ruth 2.4. Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the Reapers, The Lord be with you: and they which I have given them. 1+ See 2 King. 11.5. - A third Part of you that enter in on the Sabbath 1 Chron. 9 25. Their Brethren - were to come after fe- 15 answered him, The Lord bless thee. 9 Luk. II. 27, 28 A certain Woman ofthe Company lift up her Voice and faid unto him, Bleffi disthe Womb that bare thee, and the they ven Days from Time to Time with them. Gen. 30. 23. And the conceived and bare a Son, and faid, God hath taken away my Reproach. 20 Paps which thou haft fucked But ८ rather bluffed are Ifai. 4. 1 In that Day leven Wo- he faid, Yea, A what manner of falutation this should be. 30. And the Angel faid unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a fon, and shalt call his name Jefus. 32. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the * Throne of his father David. 33. And he shall reignover the a Gen. 6. 8. Noah found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord. Gen. 18. 3. [Abraham] faid, My Lord, if now I have found Favour in thy Sight b shall not be destroyed.- * Dan. 7. 14,27. There was given him Dominion, and Glory, and a Kingdom, that all People, Nations, and Lan5 guages, should frue him: his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion, which shall not pais away, and his Kingdom that which shall not be deftroyed. And the Kingdom, and Ifa. 7. 14. Behold, a Virgin frall conceive and bear a Son, and rall call his Name Immanuel. * Mat 1.21. She shall bring forth a Son, and thou sha't call his Name 10 Dominion, and the greatness of Jesus. Gal. 4. 4. When the Fulness of Time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a Woman. the Kingdom, under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most high, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingd Mat. 28. 18. All Power is 15 dom, and all Dominions shall ferve given to me in Heaven and Earth. + Luk. 2. 21. in • Mar. 5. 7. What have I to do with thee Jefus, thou Son of the most high God? and obey him. + Obad. Ver. 21. The Kingdom shall be the Lords. * Mich 47. -The Lord shall Reign over them in mount Zion, 20 from henceforth even for ever. Pfal. 45. 6, 7. Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the Sceptre of thy Kingdom is a right Sceptre. Thou lovest Righteoufnefs, and † Ila 9. 6. Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder: and his Name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The 25 hatest Wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy Fellows. Ifa. 9 7. Of the Increase of his Government and Peace, there mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. † Ifa. 16. 5. In Mercy shall the Throne be established, and he shall fit upon it in Truth, in the Tabernacle of David, 30 fhall be no End, upon the Throne of judging and feeking Judgment, and hafting Righteousness. David, and upon his Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with † Pial. 132. 11. The Lord hath Judgment and with Justice from fworn in Truth unto David, he henceforth even for ever. Jer. 23.5. will not turn from it. Of the Fruit 35 Behold, the Days come, faith the of thy Body will I fet upon thyLord, that I will raise unto David Throne. Rev. 3.7. Thefe things faith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the Key of Da a righteous Branch, and a King thall reign and profper, and shall execure Judgment and justice in the T Joh. 12. 34. The People answered, We have heard out of the Law, that Chrift abideth 4o Earth. for the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34. Then faid Mary unto the Angel, How shall this be, feeing I know not a man? 35. And the Angel anfwered and faid unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. 36. And behold, thy coufin Elifabeth, she hath also conceived a fon in her old age: and this is the fixth month with her, who was called barren. 37. Fork with God nothing shall be unpossible. 38. And Mary faid, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. And the Angel departed from her. 39. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Juda. 40. And entred into the house of Zacharias, and faluted Elifabeth. 41. And it came to pass, that when Elifabeth heard the falutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb: and Elifabeth was filled with the holy Ghost. 42. And she spake out with a loud voice, and faid, m Bleffed art thou among Women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44. For lo, as foon as the voice of thy falutation founded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45. And blesfed is the * that believed: for there [Or, which believed that there] fhall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 46. And Mary faid, My foul for ever. Heb. 1. 8. Unto the -Son he faith, Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever. Q4 doth Men this is impoffible, but with God all things are poffible. † Luk. 18. 27. The things which are impossible with Men, are poffible with God. Mat. 1. 20. That which is conceived in her is of the Holy 5 1. Jofh. 21. 10, 11. Ghoft. The Children of Levi, had - And they gave them the City of Arba, the Father of Anak, (which City is Hebron) in the Hill-Country of Ju m Ver. 28, n Joh. 20. 28. Thomas anfwered and said unto him, My Lord, and my God. *†Gen. 18. 14. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? Job 42. 2. I know that thou canst do every thing. Jer. 32. 17. -There 10 dah. is nothing too hard for thee. † Zech. 8. 6. Thus faith the Lord of Hosts, If it be marvellous (Marg. hard, or, difficult) in the Eyes of the remnant of this People in these Days, should it be marvellous in mine Eyes? faith the Lord of Hosts. Mat. 19. 26. But Jefus beheld them, and faid unto them, with 15 ง 1 Sam. 2. 1. Hannah prayed and faid, My Heart rejoiceth in the Lord. -Pfal. 34. 2, 3. My Soul shall make her boaft in the Lord: the |