The harmony of the foure evangelists among themselves, and with the Old Testament : the first part, from the beginning of the gospels to the baptisme of our saviour, with an explanation of the chiefest difficulties both in language and sense / by John Lightfoote ...

SS. Were praying without.

When the burnt Offering began in the Temple, the Trumpeters and Singers began to sound and sing, and the whole Congregati∣on to pray and worship: and all this continued untill the burnt Offering was finished, 2 Chron. 29. 27, 28. Then the Priest tooke a Censer full of coales from off the Altar, Lev. 16. 12. [for by the custome of that day, may bee guessed the custome of the rest in this ordinary circumstance] and went into the holy place, and burnt it upon the Altar, Exod. 30. 7. In the meane time the people in the outer Court were imployed in prayer, 2 Chron. 29. 29. And on the day of expiation they were in feare while the High Priest was within, till hee came out in peace, and then there was great joy among them, because they were accepted. R. Tanchum on Ex. 33.

Ver. 11. [And there appeared an Angel, &c.] As there were two great mysteries to be shewed in the birth of Christ; First, that God should become a man; And secondly, that a Virgin should become a Mo∣ther: So the Lord to make way for the beleefe of these two, when

they should be exhibited, did use two Harbingers or preparatives, as if it were of old and of long time before. First, apparition of Angels in humane shape. Secondly, Womens bearing children, that were old and barren. For it would be the easier beleeved, that the invisi∣ble God might converse visibly among men, in humane flesh, when it was so ordinarily seen, that the invisible Angels did so in humane shapes. And it would not be so very incredible, that a Virgin might beare a child, though she were not come to it by the course of nature, and though shee had not known a man; when it had been so often knowne that old women had done the same, though they were past child-bearing by nature, and even past the knowledge of man. And this was the maine reason why want of children, is alwayes in Scrip∣ture imputed to the defect of the women, that the miracle appearing the more visible in them, it might prepare beliefe the better for this.

As these two types and fore-runners of those two great mysteries, were exhibited so often in the Old Testament, that they might pre∣pare credit, and entertainment for the other when they should bee exhibited in the birth of Christ: so was it most fit, that they should bee declared in the birth of him that was to be Christs forerunner indeed, and when the mysteries they aimed at were so neere to bee revealed.

[On the right side of the Altar of Incense.] On the north side of it. On Zacharies right hand, and on the right side of the house: as Ezek. 10. 3. compare Zach. 3. 1. Psal. 109. 6. 31. and 142. 4. The appearing of an Angel in the Sanctuary, with a message from God, was a thing ever hardly seen or heard of before: and it sheweth how Vrim and Thummim, the ordinary way of Gods revealing his mind in that place, was now ceased. For God used to reveale his will to the Priest by a soft voice from off the Arke, but now both Arke and Oracle were quite gone, and the losse the lesser, when the true Arke of the Covenant and the Oracle of the will of God, our Saviour Christ, was so neere at hand. The second Temple wanted five things which were in the first, as the Jewes observe upon the want of the Letter 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Hag. 1. 8. namely, First, The Arke. Secondly, Vrim and Thummim. Thirdly, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from Heaven. Fourth∣ly, the divine presence, or cloud of glory. And fifthly, the holy Ghost, or the spirit of Prophecy and power of miracles, Masse••. I••m. Yet

was the glory of that house to be greater then the glory of the first, because of the presence of Christ in it.

Vers. 13. [Thy prayer is heard, &c.] Not that hee was now praying for a child; [for his age made him incredulous of having a child, when the Angel told him of one, and then it is not like hee would pray for one] and in this place, and at this time hee was a person representative of the whole people, and therefore was not to make a private prayer for himselfe: but either the prayers which he had before made to that purpose, were now come into remembrance, or rather he was now praying for the delivery of Israel, the remissi∣on of their sinnes, and the comming of Christ, in which they with∣out were joyning with him; and this his prayer, the Angell tells him, is so ready to bee answered, that his wife should presently con∣ceive a Sonne that should preach remission, convert the people, and goe before the face of Christ. And now O yee Priests, beseech God that hee will bee gracious unto you, Mal. 1. 9. And so was Zacharias the Priest at this time doing. And the Angel said unto him, Thy pray∣er is heard, and thy wife shall beare a Sonne, and thou shalt call his name John: this Name being interpreted, importeth gracious, as Esa. 30. 18, 19.

Vers. 16. [And many of the Children of Israel shall bee turne.] Ma∣ny of Israel shall returne when they shall see signes of redemption. Where∣upon it is said, He saw that there was no man, &c. Esa. 59. 16. D. Kimch∣in loc.

Vers. 17. [In the power and spirit of Elias.] John the Baptist did so neerely represent Elias, that hee beareth his very name, Mal. 4. Mat. 11. 14.

First, they both came when Religion was even perished and decaying. Secondly, they both restored it, in an excellent measure. Thirdly, they were both persecuted for it. Elias by Ahab and Jeza∣bel: John by Herod and Herodias. Fourthly, they both conversed much in the Wildernesse. Fifthly, they agreed in austerity of life. Sixthly, in the wearing of a hairy garment, and a Leatherne girdle, 2 King. 1. 8. Mat. 3. 4. Seventhly, both of them had Heaven ope∣ned to them neere Jordan. To which two parallels more might bee added, if these two opinions of the Jewes concerning Elias might bee beleeved.

First, that hee was of the Tribe of Levi [for they take him to

bee Phin••has; as see R. Lev. Gersh. on 1 King. 17.] Secondly, That hee restored circumcision when it was decayed; from those words in 1 King. 19. 14. They have forsaken thy Covenant.

[To turne the hearts of the fathers to the children.] That is, The hearts of the Jewes to the Gentiles.

For, first, the hatred of a Jew against a Gentile was deadly; and it was a speciall worke of the Gospel, and consequently of John, that began to Preach it, to bring both these to imbrace Christ, and for, and in him to imbrace one another.

Secondly, Experience it selfe confirmeth this exposition; for, as the Gospel belonged to the Gentiles as well as the Jewes, and as John came for a witnesse that all through him might beleeve, so did hee convert and baptize Roman Souldiers as well as Jewish Phari∣sees.

Thirdly, Baptisme, at its first institution, was the Sacrament for admission of Heathens onely, to the Church and true Religion: when therefore, the Jewes also begin to desire it, and to consent to the Heathens in the undertaking of it, then was the heart of the fathers turned to the children.

Fourthly, It is the common and constant use of the Prophets, to stile the Church of the Gentiles by the name of children to the Church of the Jewes, as Isa. 54. 5, 6. 13. and 60. 4. 9. and 62. 5. and 66. 12, 13.

Fifthly, the Talmud expounding these words in Malachi, seemeth to understand them of such a communion or reconciliation, as is spoken of, Vid. R. Sol. in lo••. Malach. Herod, saith Josephus Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 7. slew John the Baptist being a good man, and injoyning the Jewes that exercising vertue, and using right dealing one towards another, and piety towards God, they should 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, convene or knit together in Baptisme.

[And the disobedient, &c.] In Malachi it is, And the hearts of the chil∣dren to the fathers. But, first, the Holy Ghost is not so punctuall to cite the very letter of the Prophet, as to give the sense. Second∣ly, it was not very long after the Baptizing and Preaching of John, that the Jewes ceased to bee a Church and Nation; nay, even in the time of John himselfe, they shewed themselves enemies to the Go∣spel and the professors of it, [as concerning the generall or the grea∣test part of them] therefore hee saith not, that the heart of the chil∣dren

the Gentiles, should bee turned to their Fathers the Jewes, which should cease to bee fathers, and should cease to bee a people, but to the wisdome of the righteous ones.

[The disobedient] As in this clause hee refuseth to use the tearme of Fathers for the reason mentioned, so doth hee also of the cor∣relative children, because of his refusing that. And yet hee couch∣eth the sense of that title under the word disobedient, which word in its most proper and naturall signification reflecteth upon unto∣wardly children, disobedient to their parents. As therefore by his omitting to call the Jewes fathers, hee insinuateth their opposition against the Gospel, so by terming the Gentiles disobedient in stead of children, hee sheweth what they were before they imbraced it.

[In the wisdome of the righteous.] For so is it in the Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in, and not to. Wisedome in Scripture, is often taken for Religion: As Psal. 111. 10. Deut. 4. 6. &c. and so is it to bee understood here. And this Wisdome is not to be held the terminus ad quem, or the ultimate end to which these disobedient Gentiles were to bee converted; but in this wisdome, or religion, unto God. For, first, let the two clau∣ses of this speech bee laid in Antithesis, or opposition one to ano∣ther [as naturally indeed they lie, the one aiming at the Jewes as the proper subject, and the other at the Gentiles] and it appeareth plainly that two severall acts were to bee performed by the Baptist, as concerning the Jews and their conversion; First, that he should turn their hearts or affections to God, as in the verse preceding, He shall turne many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God: And se∣condly, that hee should turne their hearts and affections also to the Gentiles, whom they hated before, as here, Hee shall turne the hearts of the Fathers to the children.

Secondly, According therefore to this double worke of John up∣on the Jewes in that part of the Angels speech, must the like dupli∣city bee looked for in this that concerneth the Gentiles, and to bee understood, though it bee not expressed. For the Angel in this part purposely changeth his stile, and neither calleth the Gentiles children, but disobedient, because they were generally so before the comming of Christ, nor the Jewes Fathers, because they ceased to be so shortly after: nor mentioneth hee the Gentiles turning to God, but includeth it, partly because hee had set that as the chiefest work and bent of the Baptist of all, to go before the Lord, and turne men to him;

and partly hee includeth it in this phrase, In the wisedome of the righteous.

Thirdly, It is not without divine reason that the hearts of the Gentiles are not said to bee turned to the Jewes, as on the contrary it was said of the Jewes to the Gentiles, but that they should bee tur∣ned in the wisdome of the righteous; For the enmity, fe••d, and dete∣station that was betwixt Jew and Gentile, and Gentile and Jew, proceeded not from the same cause and Originall. The Jew abhor∣red the Gentile, not of ignorance, but of scorne and jealousy, part∣ly because they stood upon their own dignity of being the people of God, which the other were not, and partly because they were provoked with suspition, that the other should bee the people of God when they should not. And therefore, when the reconcilia∣tion is to bee wrought between them, it is said that their hearts or affections should bee turned to them, for they were pointblanke or diametrically against them before. But a Gentile abhorred a Jew out of ignorance, because of his Religion: hating him as a man separate from and contrary to all men: and accounting that to bee singular and senselesse superstition, which was indeed the di∣vine command and wisedome of God; and not so much detesting his person for it selfe, as for his religion and profession. Therefore when the Gentiles must bee brought to affect and to unite to the Jewes, it must bee in the wisdome of the righteous, or in the under∣standing, knowledge, and imbracing of that religion, which the righteous ones professed, which the Gentiles till they knew and understood what it meant, accounted but vanity, singularity, and foolishnesse.

Ver. 18. [Whereby shall I know this?] The Jew requireth a signe, 1 Cor. 1. 22. And his so doing in these times when miracles had been ceased so long a time, sheweth his doubting to bee the more: and the appearing of an Angel, when such apparitions were as rare as Miracles, should have made it to have been the lesse. For after the death of Zachary and Malachi, and those latter Prophets, the Holy Ghost departed from Israel and went up: and ceased to exhibite his familia∣rity among them, in Vision, Prophecy, and the worke of Miracles; So that this apparition of the Angel, and this signe given to Zacha∣ry, and wonders done in the birth of the Baptist, were as the ve∣ry entrance and beginning of the restoring of those gifts, and the

very dawning to that glorious day of such things as was now to follow.

[For I am old] The very same was the doubt of Sarah, Ge•• 18. 12. And here, first, the distrust of Zachary doth shew the more, in that hee that was a Priest and should have instructed others, was himselfe to seeke in one of the first elements, and Catechisticall principles of Religion, concerning the Almighty power, and All-sufficiency of God. Secondly, the very place where the message came to him, being the place of Gods immediate Oracles, and the time, being the time of his praying, and who could have wished for a better returne of his prayers? doe aggravate his unbeliefe.

Ver. 19. [I am Gabriel] It signifyeth, A man of God: being ta∣ken in the same forme of construction with Malchizedek. Hee break∣eth out to utter his name, which Angels at other times [and it may bee himselfe] and refused to doe, because hee would recall Zacharies thoughts to the book of Daniel, and convince his hesita∣tion by that very Scripture, Dan. 9.

[That stand before God:] That is, that minister to him, as Dan. 7. 10. 1 Sam. 16. 22. 2 King. 5. 25. &c. Therefore those that from this phrase would collect that Gabriel is an Arch-angel, or one of the prime order of Angels, doe build but upon a very sandy foun∣dation.

Ver. 20. [Behold thou shalt bee dumb] The signe given, is in Za∣chary himselfe, and not in any thing without him: partly, because his doubting arose from the consideration of himselfe, and partly, that hee might carry about him a punishment for his diffidence, as well as a signe for his confirmation.

Now his punishment was twofold, deafenesse and dumbnesse both; for because hee had not hearkned to the Angels speech, he was struck deafe; and because hee had gaine-said it, hee was made dumb. For, first, the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ver. 22. and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by which the Syrian rendreth it, doe signifie both deafe and dumb. And second∣ly, in ver. 62. it is said, They made signes to him, which had not need∣ed, if hee could have heard.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: This latter clause of the verse might not unfitly bee rendred thus. Thou shalt bee dumb, &c. untill the day that these things for which thou hast not beleeved my words, shall bee performed: And thus is his dumbnesse limited or extended,

the cleerer, till the accomplishing of the things of which hee doub∣ted.

Ver. 22. [Hee could not speake to them] The Priest at the dismission of the people, when the service of the Temple was finished, was to pronounce the blessing in Num. 6. 24, 25, 26. Which when Zachary is now to doe, hee is speechlesse, and cannot performe it: for the Leviticall Priesthood is now growing dumb, and hee that was to blesse indeed, namely Christ, is neer at hand.

Ver. 23. [Assoon as the dayes of his Ministration were accomplished.] The dumb and deafe Priest officiateth in that service which the lot had cast upon him, a certaine time, either more or lesse, after hee was falne under this double imperfection.

For, first, neither of these a••e named among those defects and ble∣mishes that secluded from the service in the Sanctuary.

Secondly, the Priesthood of the Law consisted mainely and chief∣ly of manuall actions or offices for the hands; as offering, sprink∣ling, waving, and such others [to which sense the Targums ex∣pound The workes of Levies hands, Deut. 33. 11.] and so it might the better be speech lesse: But the Ministery of the Gospel cannot ad∣mit of dumbnesse, because it consisteth of Preaching, and for that purpose was furnished and indowed at the beginning and entrance of it, with the gift of tongues.

Ver. 24. [Elisabeth hid her selfe, saying, &c.] This her retirednesse and hiding of her selfe, proceeded partly from devotion, and part∣ly from respect of the childe that shee had conceived: For, the words, or thoughts that proceed from her at this her retiring, must needs shew the reason why shee did it: Now, shee said, Because the Lord hath done thus to mee, when hee looked upon mee to take away my re∣proach: where two distinct things are plainly remarkable:

First, Gods taking away her reproach, by giving her a childe af∣ter so long barrennesse: this is not the thing that shee hideth for, but,

Secondly, His dealing thus with her when hee would take that reproach away, as to give her such a childe, that was to bee of so eminent a calling, and so great a Prophet: And for this it was that

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the betooke her selfe to this retiring and reclusivenesse, partly that she might ply her devotion so much the closer upon so great a benefit, and chiefly that shee might sequester from all occasions of unclean∣nesse, or defiling, since she carryed one in her wombe, that was to bee so strict a Nazarite. As see the like, Judg. 13. 14.

Vers. 26. [And in the sixth moneth] This sixth moneth from the conception of the Baptist, was the tenth moneth of the moneths of the yeer, or the moneth Tebeth, which answereth to part of our De∣cember; the time at which a long error hath laid the nativity: At the very same time of the yeere, Esther another Virgin had been pro∣moted to honour and royalty by Abashuerus, Esth. 16. 17.

[Vnto a City of Galilee] Out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet, the Jewes said once in the scorne of our Saviour, slanderously and very falsly, Joh. 7. 52. For out of Galilee arose the renowned Prophet Jona••: of Gath Hepher, 2 King. 14. 25. in the Tribe of Zebulon, Josh. 19. 13. And in Galilee was much of the converse of Elias, but especially of Elisha at Shunem, 2 King. 4. 8. in the tribe of Issachar, Josh. 19. 18. and all these three famous Prophets of the Gentiles. And no place could be fitter for the bringing forth of Christ and his Apostles, that were to bee the Converters of the Gentiles, then Galilee of the Gentiles.

[Nazaret] See 2 King. 17. 9. the tower of Nozarim: which if Chorography would suffer, might bee understood of this City, which was built like a watch-tower on the top of a steepe hill, Luke 4. 29. Nazaret, in the Arabick tongue, signifieth Help; in the Hebr. a Branch, by which name our Saviour is called, Esa. 11. 1.

Vers. 27. [To a Virgin] Rabbi Oshua the Sonne of Levi said, Israel was comforted in a Virgin; as saith Jeremy, The Lord createth a new thing in the earth; A Virgin shall compasse a Man, Jer. 31. 21. Beresh. Rabb. See also Lyra and Gloss. interlin. in loc.

Vers. 28. [Highly favoured] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: This word is used by the Greeke Scholiast, in Psal. 18. 26. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and the word from which it is derived, in Ephes. 1. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. which let the indifferent Reader view, and judge of the propriety of our English translation here, in comparison of the vulgar Latine. The Virgin had obtained the highest earthly favour that ever mortall did or must doe, to bee the mother of the Redeemer; and the Holy Ghost useth a singular word to expresse so much.

Superstition is ever too officious; but it hath shewed it selfe, more so to the Virgin Mary, then to any other. For as it hath de••••ed her now shee is in heaven; so hath it magnified her in all her actions, while shee was upon the earth. So that no relation, or story that concerneth her, but it hath strained it to the utmost extremity, to wring out of it her praises, though very often to a senselesse, and too often to a blasphemous issue: As in this story of the annuntia∣tion, there is not a word nor tittle that it thinketh will with all its shaping serve for such a purpose, but it taketh advantage to patch up her Encomions, where there is no use nor need, nor indeed any truth of, and in such a thing. This word that is under hand 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 beares the bell that ringeth lowdest with them to such a tune. For having translated it in their vulgar Latine, Gratia plena, or full of grace; they hence inferre, that shee had all the seven gifts of the Spirit, and all the Theologicall and morall vertues, and such a ful∣nesse of the graces of the Holy Ghost, as none ever had the like.

Whereas, first, the use of Scripture is, when it speaketh of fulnesse of grace, to express it by another phrase, as, Job. 1. 14. Act. 6. 5. &c.

Secondly, the Angel himselfe explaineth this word, in the sense of our translation, for favour received, and not for grace inherent, Vers. 30. Thou hast found favour with God.

Thirdly, and so doth the Virgin her self also desca••t upon the same thing, throughout her Song.

Fourthly, Joseph her husband suspected her for an adulteresse, Mat. 1. 18. which hee could never have done, if hee had ever seene so infinite fulnesse of grace in her, as the R••manists have spied, and hee was the likelier to have espied it of the two.

Fifthly, compare her with other renowed women, and what difference, but onely this great favour of being the mother of the Messias? They had the spirit of Prophecy as well as she; they had the spirit of sanctification as well as she: and she no more immunity from sin and death then they.

Sixthly, she was one of the number of those, that would have ta∣ken off Christ from preaching; Mark. 3. and this argued not such a fulnesse of grace.

Seventhly, See Jansenius, one of their owne side, expounding this word according to our reading of it: in loc.

[The Lord is with thee] Many understand this of the Incarna∣tion it selfe, or of the Lords being in her wombe. Whereas, first, this is to take a common manner of speech, out of the common manner of interpreting it. Secondly, the Lord was not at this ve∣ry instant, come in that manner into her womb. But the words one∣ly meane, the Lords being with her in regard of that favour and re∣spect, which hee was about to shew her, as Judg. 6. 12. And this a∣mong other things sheweth how senselesse Popery is in its Ave M••a∣ries, using these words for a Prayer, and if occasion serve for it, for a charme: As first, turning a Salutation into a Prayer: Secondly, in fitting these words of an Angel, that was sent, and that spake them upon a speciall message, to the mouth of every person, and for every occasion. Thirdly, in applying these words to her now shee is in Heaven, which suited with her onely while shee was upon earth. As first, to say, full of grace, to her that is full of glory: And second∣ly, to say, The Lord is with thee, to her that is with the Lord.

[Blessed art thou among wom••n.] Not above, but among them. See Gen. 30. 13. Judg. 5. 24.

Vers. 29. [And when shee saw him] So readeth the Syrian, Arabick; and generally all other translations, but onely the vulgar Latine; that swarving, as it is to be suspected, willfully, from the truth of the Originall, that hereby there might be the greater plea and colour for the Virgins familiarity with Angels: Whereas indeed apparition of Angels, till this very occasion to Zachary and the Virgin, was ei∣ther exceeding rare, or just none at all.

What manner of salutation, &c. Judge how Superstition straineth the text to the Virgin Maries praises, when it inferres from hence, that she had never been saluted by a man in all her life before: An opinion and glosse not worth the examining.

Verse 31. [Behold thou shalt conceive, &c.] From Esa. 7. 14. the Angell giveth her to understand, that shee is the Virgin spoken of in that place: and of her apprehension of this, ariseth her questi∣on, Vers. 4.

[And shalt call his Name] This followeth the same Prophe∣cy still, and is one of the significations of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; for it hath more then one.

For, first, it denoteth the third person feminine, as Deut. 31. 29. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and so it is to bee taken in that Prophecy. And she shall call his Name Immanuel.

Secondly, it betokeneth also the second person, as the Chaldee, the Lxx, and the other two Greeke translations render it, and the Angel here; And thou shalt call.

Thirdly, it is also applied to the third person plurall, as in the Greeke Mat. 1. 23. and in the Chaldee, Esa. 60. 18.

[Jesus] The same with Jehoshua in Hebrew, as Act. 7. 45. Heb. 4. 8. and Jeshua in Chaldee, Ezra. 2. 2. These were two renowned ones before; the one whereof brought the people into Canaan, after the death of Moses; and the other, that brought them thither out of Babel, and so were both lively figures of our Jesus, that bringeth his people to the heavenly Canaan.

Vers. 32. [The Sonne of the Highest] From 2 Sam. 7. 14. as it is explained, Heb. 1. 5. the Angel now draweth the Virgin to remem∣ber that glorious promise made to David, as the words following, concerning an eternall Throne and Kingdome, do evince; and upon the rumination upon that to reflect upon her selfe, and to consider that shee was of the seed of David▪ and so hee leadeth her on by degrees to beleeve and entertaine what he was relating to her.

[Shall give unto him the Throne] Psal. 2. 7, 8, 9. Ezek. 21. 27. Dan. 7. 14. &c.

Vers. 33. [Hee shall reigne over the house of Jacob] This terme, the house of Jacob includeth; First, all the twelve tribes, which the word Israel could not have done. Secondly, the Heathens and Gen∣tiles also, for of such the house and family of Jacob was full.

Vers. 34. [Seeing I know not a man] These words, say the Rhe∣mists, declare that shee had now vowed Virginity to God: For if shee might have known a man, and so have had a childe, shee would ne∣ver have asked how shall this bee done: And Jansemus goeth yet further: From these words, saith hee, it doth not onely follow that she had vowed, but this seemeth also to follow from them, that her vow was approved of God: See also Aquin. part. 3. quaest. 28. art. 4. Baron. in apparatu ad Annal. &c.

Answ. First, among the Jewes, marriage was not held a thing in∣different, or at their owne liberty to choose or refuse, but a binding command; and the first of the 613. as it is found ranked in the Ben∣teteuch, with the threefold Targum, at Gen. 1. 28. and Paul seemeth to allude to that opinion of theirs, when speaking of this subiect, hee saith, Praeceptum non habeo, 1 Cor. 7. 6.

Secondly, among the vowes that they made to God, Virginity never came in the number. Jephtha's was heedlesse, and might have been revoked, as the Chaldee Paraphrast, and Rabbi Solomen well con∣ceive; and David Kimchi is of a mind, that hee was punished for not redeeming it according to Lev. 27.

Thirdly, to die childlesse, was a reproach among men, Luke 1. 25. and to live unmarried, was a shame to women, Psal. 78. 63. Their Virgins were not praised; that is, were not married. Now what a gulfe is there betweene vowing perpetuall Virginity, and accounting it a shame, dishonour, and reproach?

Fourthly, if Mary had vowed Virginity, why should she marry? Or when shee was married, why should shee vow Virginity? For some hold that her vow was made before her espousalls, and some after.

Fifthly, it was utterly unnecessary that she should be any such a vo∣tall, it was enough that she was a Virgin.

Sixthly, it is a most improper phrase, to say, I know not a man, and to meane, I never must know him: and in every place where it is used concerning Virgins, why may it not bee so understood, as well as here?

Seventhly, while the Romanist goeth about, with this glosse to ex∣tol her Virginity, he abaseth her judgment and beleefe: For if she meant thus, shee inferreth, that either this child must be begotten by the mixture of man, which sheweth her ignorance; or that hee could not be begotten without, which sheweth her unbeliefe.

Eighthly, shee uttereth not these words in diffidence, as Zachary had done, when he said, how shall I know this; but in desire to bee satisfied in the mystery, or the manner, as shee was in the matter. Shee understood that the Angel spake of the birth of the Messias; she knew that hee should bee borne of a Virgin; shee perceived that shee was pointed out for that Virgin; and beleeving all this shee desi∣reth to be resolved how so great a thing should come to passe.

Vers. 35. [The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, &c.] The An∣gel satisfieth the Virgins question, with a threefold answer. First; instructing her in the manner of the performance. Secondly, fur∣nishing her with an example of much like nature in her Cosin Elisa∣beth. Thirdly, confirming her from the power of God, to which no∣thing is impossible. Now, whereas, this unrestrained power of God

was the onely cause of such examples, as the childing of Elisabeth, and other barren women; in this birth of the Virgin, something more, and of more extraordinarinesse is to bee looked after. In it therefore two actions are expressed to concurre, First, The Holy Ghost his comming upon the Virgin; Secondly, The power of the most High overshadowing her: and two fruits or consequents of these two acti∣ons, answerable to them: First, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, therefore that that is borne of thee shall bee holy. Secondly, The power of the most High shall overshadow thee, therefore that that is borne of thee shall bee called the Son of God.

The comming of the Holy Ghost upon her, was, First, In the gift of Prophecy, whereby shee was both informed of the very in∣stant, when the conception was wrought, and also more fully of the mystery of the Incarnation then before.

Secondly, Hee did prepare and sanctifie so much of her flesh and blood or seed, as to constitu•••• the body of our Saviour: The worke was the worke of the whole Trinity, but ascribed more singularly to the Holy Ghost: first, because of the sanctifying of that seed, and cleering it of originall taint; for sanctification is the worke of the Holy Ghost: Secondly, for the avoiding of that dangerous con∣sequence, which might have followed among men of corrupt minds, who might have opinionated, if the conception of the Mess••as in the wombe had been ascribed to the Father, that the Sonne had had no other manner of generation of him.

[The power of the most High] His operating power supplying the want of the vigour and imbraces of the masculine Parent. For to that the word overshadow seemeth to have aliusion: being a modest phrase whereby the Hebrews expressed the imbraces of the man in the act of generation, as Ruth 3. 9. Spread the skirt of thy garment over thine handmaid.

[Therefore that holy thing] This title and Epithet, first, not onely sheweth the purity and immaculatenesse of the humane nature of Christ; but also, secondly, it being applyed to the preceding part by way of consequence, as was touched before, it sheweth that none ever was borne thus immaculate, but Christ alone, because none had ever such a way meanes of conception, but onely hee.

Ver. 36. [Thy Cosin Elisabeth hath conceived a Son.] As hee had informed the Virgin of the birth of the M••ssi•••• of her selfe, so doth

he also of the birth of his fore-runner, of her Cousin Elisabeth. For that hee intended not barely to informe her onely that her Cousin had conceived a Childe, but that hee heightens her thoughts, to think of him as Christs fore-runner, may bee supposed upon these observations: First, that hee saith A Son, and not a Childe. Se∣cond, that such strangely borne Sonnes were ever of some remark∣able and renowned eminency. Thirdly, that if hee had purposed onely to shew her the possibility of her conceiving by the example of the power of God in other women, hee might have mentioned Sarah, Hannah, and others of those ancient ones, and it had been enough.

Ver. 39. [And Mary arose, &c. And went with haste into the hill Coun∣try, into a City of Juda.] This City was Hebron. For unto the sons of Aaron, Joshua gave the City of A••ba, which is Hebron, in the hill countrey of Judah. Josh. 21. 11. And Zacharias being a sonne of Aaron, and dwelling in the hill Countrey of Jud•••••• it were senselesse to seek for his house in any other place then Hebron. This place had been ex∣cellently renowned in ancient time: Here was the promise given of Isaac: here was the institution of Circumcision: here Abraham had his first land, and David his first Crowne: and here lay interred the three couples, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah: and as antiquity hath held, Adam and Eve. Now there are many reasons given by Expositors, of Maries hasting hither after the Message of the Angel: As, either to know the truth of what was told her about Elisabeth, or to congratulate and rejoyce with her, or to minister to her in her great bellyednesse, or that the Bap∣tist in Elisabeths wombe might bee sanctified by the presence of Christ in hers, &c.

But I cannot but conceive this to bee the very reason indeed, That shee might there conceive the Messias, where so many types, figures, and things relating to him, had g••••e before, namely in Hebron. For, First, this suited singularly with the Harmony and Consent, which God useth in his workes, that the promise should begin to take place by the conception of Messias, even among those Patriarchs to whom the promise was first given. Secondly, A kind of necessity seemeth to lie upon it, that this Shiloh of the Tribe of Juda, and the seed of David, should bee conceived in a City of Juda, and of David, as hee was to bee borne in another City that belonged to them both.

Thirdly, the Evangelists so punctually describing this City, seemeth rather to referre to Christ then John, who being of the Priests might indifferently have been born in any of the Tribes whatsoever. Only the Holy Ghost giveth us to observe this which may not bee passed, That John that should bring in Baptisme in stead of Circumcision, was borne in that very place where Circumcision was first ordained, in the City Hebron. It is generally held indeed that the Virgin con∣ceived in Nazaret, and in the very instant of the Angels talking with her, but whether there bee not as much probability for this opini∣on, as for that, I referre to the equall and judicious Reader.

Ver. 40. [And saluted Elisabeth] This seemeth to have beene at some distance, and a wall or floore between: as consider seriously on ver. 42. 44.

Ver. 41. [The babe leaped.] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: This word is used by the Lxx. for Jacobs and Esaus stirring in the wombe, Gen. 25. 22. And the leaping of the mountains at the giving of the Law.

Elisabeth in ver. 44. addeth, The babe leaped 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Not that hee knew what hee did when hee leaped, any more then they, but that either this was the first time, or this time was extraordinary. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth outward gesticulation or exultation as well as inward joy, yea, though there bee no inward joy at all: as Psal. 65. 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the little hils shall bee gir∣ded with exultation: And so is it to bee understood here: The babe in my wombe leaped with extraordinary gesticulation or ex••ltation: and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to signifie the manner of the thing done, and not the cause of the doing.

Ver. 45. [And blessed is shee that beleeved.] Elisabeth in this clause seemeth to have an eye to her owne husbands unbeleefe, and the pu∣nishment that befell him for the same. Hee, a Man, a Priest, aged, learned, eminent, and the message to him of more appearing pos∣sibility: and Mary, a Woman, meane, unlearned, and of a private condition, and the tidings to her most incredible, both to nature, and reason, and yet shee beleeved, and hee did not.

Ver. 48. [Hee hath regarded the low estate] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: is used by the Lxx, 2 Sam. 9. 8. and Psal. 25. ••6. and importeth a looke of pi∣ty and compassion, and not of observation of desert, as the Papists would have it here: For some of them render this clause thus, Hee hath looked on mine humility with approbation; and others give this glosse

upon it: Because of her humility, shee deserved to bee exalted, and by it shee was primely disposed to conceive and beare the onely begotten Son of God▪ But first, the word E 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as it is said before, in the LXX, who must best helpe us to interpret, it signifieth a look of another nature. Se∣condly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth not the vertue of humility or the low∣linesse of mind, but the state of a low and poore condition, and so is it rendred here by the Syrian, Arabicke, Spanish, French, Deodates Italian, Dutch, and all Latines that are not wedded to the vulgar: And so is it used by the Lxx, Gen. 16. 1•• & 41. 52▪ 1 Sam. 1. 11. and so againe by the New Testament, Act. 8. 33. compared with the Originall in Isa. 53. 8. And so profane and heathen Authours di∣stinguish betwixt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by the former under∣standing as wee doe here, and by the latter the vertue of humility. Thirdly, The same word in a manner, or one of the same root, in ver. 52. is opposed to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and inevitably beareth the sense wee follow. Fourthly, if the Virgin spake in the sense the Romanists would have her, Hee hath looked upon my lowlinesse to give it its desert, shee would prove to bee intolerably proud in the valuing of her humility.

[All generations shall call mee blessed] As Gen. 30. 13. Not only thou oh Cosin Elisabeth, and the Jewish nation that expect the Messias, but even all the world, and all successions of ages among the heathen, shall come to the knowledge and confession of Christ, and account mee blessed in the favour that I have received.

Ver. 51. [Her hath scattered the proud, &c.] If the Virgin aime these words, and those of the same tenour that follow, at any particular persons, as some conceive shee doth, and meaneth the Devils, or the Pharisees, or the Jews, it might as well bee conceived, that shee hath respect to the foure tyrannous and persecuting Monarchies in the Book of Daniel, which were now destroyed, as much as to any thing else: But since the very same words in a manner, are to bee found in the song of Hannab, 1 Sam, 2. they warrant us to interpret them not so restrictively, as to any one particular example, but of the generall and ordinary dealing of God in the world, with the wicked.

Notes

• Thus, Emphati∣call, and giveth a cleere resolu∣tion of this place, which hath scrupled many into strange and harsh expositions, for not observing it: as that she should hide her selfe for feare that she should not prove with childe•• Other••▪ that she did it for shame, lest she should be reputed lascivious, for being with childe, &c. Judicet lector.