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8 And there were in the fame country fhepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock 9 by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and (d) the glory of the Lord fhone 10 round about them; and they were fore afraid. And

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the angel faid unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which fhall be II to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is (e) Chrift the 12 Lord. And this fhall be a fign unto you; Ye fhall

find the babe wrapped in fwaddling clothes, lying in 13 a manger. And fuddenly there was with the angel a

multitude of the heavenly hoft, praifing God, and fay14 ing, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth (ƒ) 15 peace; good will towards men. And it came to país, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the fhepherds faid one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and fee this thing which is come to pafs, which the Lord hath made known un16 to us. And they came with hafte, and found Mary and Jofeph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And

when they had feen it, they made known abroad the faying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it, wondered at thofe things 19 which were told them by the fhepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her

(d) This was the glorious fight which attended the divine prefence on particular folemn occafions; which conducted the Ifraelites through the wilderness; which fhone round the perfon of our Lord when he was transfigured on the mountain; and which ftruck St. Paul to the earth at his converfion. See Acts xxvi. 13. where it is defcribed as a light from heaven, above the brightness of the fun, at mid-day.

(e) Chrift fignifies Anointed; the Meffiah, whole coming was at that time generally expected, and who is defcribed by the prophets under the title of the LORD. See note on Ch. i. 17. Pf. cx. 1.

(f) Peace fignifies reconciliation and forgivenefs from God; the higheft inftance that could be given of his good will and loving kindness to men.

20 heart.

20 heart. And the fhepherds returned, glorifying and praifing God for all the things that they had heard and feen, as it was told unto them.

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And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcifion of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was fo named of the angel before 22 he was conceived in the womb (g). And when the days of her purification, according to the law of Mofes, were accomplished, they brought him to Jerufalem, 23 to prefent him to the Lord. (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb 24 fhall be called holy to the Lord.) And to offer a facrifice according to that which is faid in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle doves, or two young (h) 25 pigeons. And behold, there was a man in Jerufalem, whofe name was Simeon; and the fame man was just and devout, waiting for the confolation of 26 Ifrael (i) and the holy Ghoft was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the holy Ghoft, that he fhould not fee death, before he had feen the Lord's 27 Chrift. And he came by the fpirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jefus, to 28 do for him after the cuftom of the law (k), Then took he him up in his arms, and bleffed God, and 29 faid, Lord, now letteft thou thy fervant depart in 30 peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have 31 feen thy falvation: Which thou haft prepared be

(g) He was called Jefus, or the Saviour, which was the name given him by the angel. Mat. i. 21.

(h) This was the offering appointed for the poor; whereas a lamb was to be offered by fuch as could afford it. Lev. xii. 8.

(2) The confolation of Ifrael is called, Verfe 88, the redemption, which was to be accomplished by the Meffiah or Chrift, whom they were at that time earneftly expecting.

(k) In acknowledgment that God is the author and proprietor of life, and probably likewife in memory of the deftruction of the firftborn in Egypt, the law required an offering to be made for the firft-born. Exod. xiii. 12, In obedience to this law Chrift was prefented in the temple,

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32 fore

32 fore the face of all people: A light to lighten the 33 Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Ifrael. And Jofeph and his mother marvelled at those things 34 which were fpoken of him. And Simeon blefled them, and faid unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is fet for the fall and rifing again of many in Ifrael; and for a fign which-fhall be spoken againft (/): 35 (Yea, a fword fhall pierce through thy own foul alfo) that the thoughts of many hearts may be re36 vealed. And there was one Anna a prophetefs, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Afer; fhe was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven 37 years from her virginity: And he was a widow of about fourfcore and four years; which departed (m) not from the temple, but ferved God with faftings 38 and prayers night and day. And fhe coming in that inftant, gave thanks likewife unto the Lord, and fpake of him to all them that looked for redemption 39 in Jerufalem. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 40 And the child grew, and waxed ftrong in spirit, filled with wifdom, and the grace of God was upon him. 41 Now his parents went to Jerufalem every year 42 at the feaft of the paffover: And when he was

twelve years old, they went up to Jerufalem, after 43 the custom of the feaft. And when they had ful

() Many fhall fall, or be in a worfe ftate than they were, by their infidelity; and many, on the other hand, fhall be raifed to a flate of falvation, by accepting the gracious covenant which he shall offer, Mark xvi. 16. but he himself fhall fuffer all manner of hardships and oppofition, which will difcover the general difpofition of the nation to be unworthy of the blefling that is offered them.

(m) Departed not, that is, did not fail to attend on the temple fervice, keeping the falling days, and daily offering up her prayers both morning and evening."

filled the days (n), as they returned, the child Jefus tarried behind in Jerufalem; and Jofeph and his 44 mother knew not of it. But they fuppofing him to have been in the (0) company, went a day's journey; and they fought him among their kinsfolk and ac45 quaintance. And when they found him not, they 46 turned back again to Jerufalem, fceking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, fitting in the midft of the doctors (p), both hearing them, and afking them quef47 tions. And all that heard him were aftonifhed at 48 his understanding and anfwers. And when they faw him, they were amazed: and his mother faid unto him, Son, why haft thou thus dealt with us? behold thy father and I have fought thee forrowing. 49 And he faid unto them, How is it that ye fought

me? wift (q) ye not that I must be about ny Fa50 ther's bufinefs? And they understood not the faying 51 which he fpake unto them (r). And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was fubject unto them (s): but his mother kept all thefe fay(7) When they had remained there the feven days of the festival. (e) The company returning home mult needs have been very great, as all the males from every part of the country were obliged to appear before the Lord at Jerufalem on each of the three great feftivals, viz. the feast of unleavened bread, or the paffover; the feast of weeks, or pentecoft; and the feaft of tabernacles. Deut. xvi. 16.

() It was a cuftom among the Jews for young perfons, at an age when they were fuppofed capable of anfwering for themfelves, to enter into an engagement to obey the law of God, as is done with us at confirmation: and it may have been on fuch an occafion, that our Lord applied to the doctors, or teachers of the law, not only condefcending to hearken to their inftructions, but also putting fuch quellions to them, as might ferve to prepare them to receive the religion he came into the world to cftablifh.

(q) Wift ye not? that is, Did ye not know, or confider? Acts xxiii. 5. Mark xiv. 40.

(r) They did not understand whofe bufinefs he meant.

(s) Hereby fetting a molt powerful and engaging example to all children to be obedient to their parents,

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52 ings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and ftature, and in favour with God and man.

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CHA P. III.

NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cefar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and (a) Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lyfanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high-priests (b), the word of God came unto John the fon of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the bap4 tifm of repentance, for the remiffion of fins; As it is written in the book of the words of Efaias the prophet, faying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the (c) Lord, 5 make his paths ftraight: Every valley fhall be filled, and every mountain and hill thall be brought low; and the crooked fhall be made ftraight, and the 6 rough ways fhall be made fmooth; And all flesh fhall fee the falvation of God. Then faid he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to 8 flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance; and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father (d): for I fay unto you, that God is able of these

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(a) See Mat. xiv. 1.

(6) By the law of Mofes the office of high-prieft was for life; but by the corruption of the times, it was long fince become annual; and those who had formerly borne that office, ftill retained the title. Thus Annas, or Ananias, (Ats xxiii. 24.) was fo called, though Caiaphas was then the actual high-pricft.

(c) Ifaiah xl. 3.

(d) See Mat. iii. 9. Note.

9 ftones

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