Harmony of the Gospels, Section 3
SECT. III.
S. LUKE. CHAP. I.
The Conception and Birth of John the Baptist, and of Christ, foretold by the Angell Gabriel, &c.
Ver. 5.
THere was in the dayes of†Herod written with Cheth in the beginning, signifieth feare or trembling, as the trembling cowardise of Gedeons souldiers, named the well Harod, Judg. 7. 1. &c. But the Syr and Arab. write this with He. Herod the King of Judea, a certaine Priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia, and his wife was ofaJohn Baptist of the Priestly line, both by Father and Mother. the Daughters of Aaron, and her name wasbThe Seventy call the wife of Aaron, the first Priest by the same Name, Exod. 6. 23. Elisabeth.
6 And they werecSuch couples were Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebeccah, Elk…nah and Hannah; both righteous, and a long time childlesse. both righteous before God, walking in all the Commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse.
7 And they had no child, because thatdThroughout the Scripture, want of Children is ascribed to the woman. Elisabeth was barren, and they were both noweAn Hebraisme, as Gen. 18. 11. 1 Kings 1. 1. &c. well stricken in yeeres.
8 And it came to passe that while He executed the Priests officefThe Worship of God in the Temple was said to Hee before him, Exod 23. 17. Lev. 1. 3. 11. And the ARke being the representation of Christ, is called his face, Psal 105. 4. yea, even God himselfe, Psalme 132. 5. before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custome of the Priests office, his lot was to burne Incense, when he went into the Temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of Incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an¶Compare the appearing of the Angel Gabriel to Daniel, about the time of Incense, Dan. 9. 21. Angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the Altar of Incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw himgforeign, used by the Lxx. to expresse Pharaohs trouble upon his dreame, Gen. 41. …. and his Servants upon theirs, Gen. 40. 6. Compare Judg. 6. 22. & 13. 22. Dan. 8. 17. Job. 4. 14. hee was troubledhAs Gen. 15. 12. and feare fell upon him.
13 But the Angel said unto him, feare not Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall heare thee a Sonne, and thou shalt call his nams†John, the same with Jochanan, so frequent in the Old Testament, … Chron. 3. 19. & 6 9. & 12. 12. & 26. 3. and 2 Chron, 17. 15. & 23. 1. and 28. 12. Jer. 40. 8. John.
14 And thou shalt haveiAs foreign Job 3. 12. The Arab. addeth thou shalt have great joy. joy, and gladnesse; andkAs Gen. 21. 6. foreign: of the Hebr. foreign: used by the Lxx. for it, Lev. 10. 9. Numb 6. 3. Esa. 5. 11. and 28 7. &c. which sometimes signifieth Wine; as Num 28. 7. but most commonly any thing that will cause drunkennesse. Wine of fourty dayes old, is called Shikar; saith, R. Menehem. on Lev. 10. and so the Chaldee paraphraseth it, Numb. 6. 3. and: 8. 7. Judg. 13. 4. But, any thing that will make one drunke, is called Shekar, whether it bee made of Corne Honey, or Fruits. Ab. Ezr. on Lev 10. P. K…nch, in Miclol. Brucioli his Italian, and the French, expresse it by Cerevisia; Ale, or Beere. many shall rejoyce at his birth.
15 For he shall bee great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drinke neither wine, nor (l) strong drinke; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost,¶foreign; as Moses, Act. 7. 20. Jer. 1. 5. even from his Mothers wombe.
16 And many of the Children of Israel, shall bee turne to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall goe before in the spirit and power ofmHeb. Elijahu: 1 King. 17. &c. and there turned by the Lxx Eli…n: but in Mal 4. 5. the Hebr. hath it Eliah, and the Lxx. Elias. Elias, to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the Children, and the disobedient¶foreign: In, or by the wisdome. to the wisdome of the just, to make ready a people, prepared for the Lord.
18 And Zacharias said unto the Angel, whereby shall I know this fornAs Gen. 18. 1. I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in yeers.
19. And the Angel answering, said unto him, I amoDan. 8. 2. & 9. 21. Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God: andpThis …elateth to his assuming a visible shape am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tydings.
20 AndqSo a signe is given to … with a Behold! Isa. 7. 14. compare Ezek. 3. 26. behold thou shalt be dumbe, and not able to speake, untill the day that these things shall hee performed; because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilledrforeign: Mat. 2. 23. foreign, Acts 8▪ 23. in their season.
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that hee tarryed so long in the Temple.
22 And when he came out*At the fist burning of Incense, the Priests miscarried, Lev. 10. and thus that rite which the Jews value for the highest of all legall offerings, beginneth with ignorance, and concludeth with unbeliefe. Prophecy was struck dumbe a great while agoe, and now is the Priesthood so, as well as it. hee could not speake unto them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the Temple: for he beckened unto them, and remained speechlesse.
23 And it came to passe, that assoon as the dayes of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his owne house.
24 And after those dayes, his Wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid her selfe ¶Observe the same space Gen. 7. 24. if cast into moneths, and Rev. 9. 5.five moneths; saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the dayes wherein he looked*So read also the Syrian and Arab. though the words on me, be not expressed in the originall unles included in the preposition, in foreign. on me, to take away my reproach among men.
26 And IN THE SIXTH MONETHMONTH, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God, unto a City ofsSee 1 King. 9. 11. Isa. 9. 1. and in the Lxx: in Joel 3. 4. Ezek 47. 8. Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a Virgine spoused to a Man, whose Name was†This dalleth to remembrance the old renowned Patriarch Joseph. Gen. 37. both of them were sent into Egypt and both by dreames; and there the one nourished his Father, and the other his redeemer: There were also of this name Joseph of Arimath…, & Joseph surnamed Justus. Joseph, of the house of David: and the Virgins Name was*Gr Marriam; by which word the Lxx render the name of Moses sister, Exod. 15. &c. The name plainly and properly signifieth both their rebellion, and their bitter affliction; for the wickednesse of Israel in Egypt had brought them into great misery, when Miriam was so named. Mary.
28 And the Angel came in unto her, and said, Haile, thou that art highly favoured; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind, what manner of Salutation this should bee.
30 And the Angel said unto her, Feare not Mary, for thou hastvGen. 6. 9. found favour with God.
31 And behold1He useth the common manner of speech among the Hebrews, as Gen. 4. 1. &c. to shew the true conception, and reall birth of our Saviour; Confuting that Heresie, That hee came through the Virgins wombe, as through a Conduit Pipe, without partaking of her nature: And that, That he was not really borne, but fanastically onelyonly, and in appearance. These words referre to Isa. 7. 14. thou shalt conceive in thy wombe, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
32 Hee shall be great, and2Shall be called the Son of the Highest; that is, shall bee his Son, as Isa. 1. 2. and 4. 3. and shall be so confessed. shall be called the Son of3Gen. 14. 19. the most Highest; and the4Jehovah Elohim Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.
33. And he shall reigne over5Isa. 2. 5. the house of Jacob for ever; and of his Kingdome6Isa. 9 7. Dan. 7. 14. Mic. 4. 7. Psal. 145. 14. Heb. 7. 17. there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the Angel,7How, in Scripture is sometime a strong asseveration, or negation, Lam. 1. 1. Gen. 39. 9. and 44. 34. sometime a question of doubting, as Job. 6. 52. and 3. 5. And sometime a question of ignorance onelyonly, without diffidence; or a question desiring information, or resolution, as Joh. 7. 15. Luke 20. 44. And so is it here; for the Virgin beleeveth the thing, Verse 45. but desired to bee satisfied of the manner, for she …ith not, How can, … How shall this be? How shall this bee, seeing 18A modest phrase for carnall copulation. First used of Adam, presently after the relation of his eating of the …ee of knowledge, Gen. 4. 1. as if it would shew, that all the knowledge he gained by that, was but carnall, he knew his wife, and experimental of misery, they knew they were naked. know not a man.
35. And the Angel answered and said 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 borne9Borne of thee; so read the Syr. Arab. Justin Martyr, in Dial. Nazianz. Orat. 59 Aponius in Cantic. Titus in Loc. &c. but some copies dangerously want it; as the Text of Theophylact, H. Steven, 1604. of Amsterdam, 1632, Erasmus, &c. of thee, shall bee called the Son of God.
36 And behold, thy10The certaine bond of their kindred cannot be determined: but Elisabeth or her mother might be sister to Maries father or mother, or Maries mothers might be so to hers, or to Zacharie or his. However it sheweth, that Christ and John the Baptist were neerely allyed according to the flesh; yet John knew him not, till hee was revealed to him by the Spirit. Cousen Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a Son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
3711Gen. 18. 11. For with God nothing is impossible.
38 And Mary said, 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 dayes, and went into the hill Countrey with haste, into a City of Juda.
40 And entred into the house of Zacharias, 12The division of Judea, is famous and frequent, into the mountaines, the plaine, and the South; Numb. 13. 30. Jer. 32. 44. &c. The South lay towards Seir, and Amalek, from the inlets into the Land, at the utmost part or the dead Sea; having the Philistines upon the west. This part reacht to the rising of the mountaines, not farre below Hebron: and there the mountaines began, and ran along Northward to, and beyond Jerusalem, having the flat or the plaine of Jordan skirting up all along upon their Eastside, till Samaria and Galilee brought in another denomination.and saluted Elisabeth.
41 And it came to passe that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe13Greeke foreign: The same to some with foreign; which with Physitians importeth the childs stirring in the wombe, as every live child doth, more or lesse: but this is a word of an higher activity and motion. Plato in Pol. 9. useth it to expresse the …ascivious fancies of men or women in their dreams; when that part of the soule, saith hee, which is rationall, gentle, and master of reason, is laid asleep; then the other, which is bestiall and brutish, being puffed up with meats and drinks foreign, leapeth, or frisketh, and putting away sleepe from it, doth seeke to satisfie its owne desires. leaped in her wombe, and Elisabeth was filled with the holy Ghost.
42 And shee spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and14The Messias shall be blessed with six blessings, viz. with the spirit of wisdome, understanding, counsell, strength, knowledge, and feare of the Lord; R. Solom on Ruth 3. 15. and the Chaldee Paraph. there. blessed is the fruit of thy wombe.
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of15foreign; this here translates, not foreign, but foreign, as Psal. 110. 1. my Lord should come to me?
44 For lo, so soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine eares, the Babe leaped in my wombe for joy.
45 And blessed is16Vulg. lat. Blessed art thou that didst beleeve mistaking as lansenius conceiveth, the Grammaticall spirit in foreign, and reading it, foreign. shee that beleeved17Or, That there shall be a performance; for so doth the Hebrew foreign also signifie, as Job 3. 12. foreign That I might sucke; so Psal. 11. 3. The wicked bend their bow, &c. That the foundations may bee destroyed, which the righteous hath made. for there shall be18foreign sometimes is used for setting apart to holy use, as in the Lxx, Exod. 29. and christian Writers use it sometimes for Baptisme and Martyrdome; because they consecrate men to God. It is used of Christ, Heb. 2. 10. a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 And19Ludolphius upon this place, observeth to little purpose, that the Virgin is found in Scripture speaking but seven times. Mary said, My soule doth magnifie the Lord;
47 And my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour:
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maiden: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is20foreign, The mighty one. A full and proper sense of the word Elohim; which the Lxx indeed, and the New Testament after them have constantly expressed by foreign, because of the mystery of the Trinity included in it. Gibbor applyed to God, is foreign in the Lxx; Psal. 24. 8. mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that feare him, from generation to generation*Psal. 103. 17..
51 Hee hath shewed strength with21Psal. 8. 10. 13. and 98. 1. and 136. 12. Esa. 53. 1. his arme, hee hath scattered the proud22foreign: Job. 5. 13. 1 Cor 3. 10. Gen. 11. 8. in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich hee hath sent empty away.
54 He23foreign, used by the Lxx, Isa 41. 9. from which verse this seemeth to be taken. foreign, is an Arme, Psal. 83. 9. and a Shield, Psal. 89. 18. hath holpen his servant Israel24Greek; To remember. Syr. and Arab. And remembred his mercy. in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed25This hath so good dependance upon severall words, that it is hard to fix it. First, as he spake for ever, or in all ages to our Fathers. Secondly, to the seed of Abraham, which shall last for ever. Thirdly, He hath for ever remembred his mercy. Fourthly, that mercy which is for ever. Fifthly, which is to bee shewed to Abraham, and to his Seed for ever, and this last, or the two last together, are most proper. for ever.
56 And Mary abode with her about three moneths, and returned to her owne house.
Reason of the Order.
THe Order of this Section requireth not much confirmation, for it will plead for it selfe.
After the Divine Nature of Christ is handled, as in the Section preceding, his humane is to bee considered next: and so is it here: And first the manner of his conception, but the conception of his, forerunner John the Baptist, orderly described and declared before.
Harmony and Explanation.
Ver. 5. In the daies of Herod.
THe Scepter shall not depart from Judah, or the Lawgiver from between his sect, untill Shiloh come, Gen. 49. 10.
The words are to bee read discretively, Or rather then And, shewing that when the Scepter ceased, the Law-giver succeded, and when both were gone, then Messias should appeare.
The Scepter continued in the hand of Judah, till the captivity into Babylon, and then it departed, and being once fallen, it was never recovered, till hee came to whom it belonged. This Jeremy told expressely even at the very time, when it was in failing, Jer. 22. 30. Write Coniah childlesse, for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the Throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah. And so did Ezekiel even just then, when Nebuchadnezzar was setting himselfe to fetch it away, Ezek. 22. 21. &c. Remove the Diadem, and take off the Crown, &c. I will overturne, overturne, overturne it, and it shall bee no more, untill hee come whose right it is, and I will give it him.
After their returne out of that captivity; the Law-giver, or the high Court of the Seventy Elders, sate at the Helme and ruled the State, till the usurpation of the Asmenean or Maccabean family distempered all. Their Ambition brought in a Crowne, and that, civill warres, and those the Romans, who subdued the nation, and set Herod King over them. Hee was the Sonne of Antipater, of the race of Edom, or of the seed of Esau, a generation that had been an enemy to the Jewes continually, but never ruled over them till now, so that now were fulfilled the words of Isaac to his Sonne Esau. Thou shalt serve thy brother. Jacob, but it shall come to passe when thou shalt have the dominion, thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. Gen. 27. 40.
Herod was bloody, like the root of which hee came, which persecuted his Brother, even in the wombe, and among other his cruelties, which were very horrible and very many, hee slew the Sanhedrin, or the bench of the Lxx Judges. And then was the Law-giver departed from between Judahs feet, as the Scepter was out of his hand long before: And then might the Jewes cry out, as it is recorded they did, though upon another occasion. Woe unto us, for the Scepter is departed from Judah, and the Law-giver from between his feet, and yet is not the Sonne of David come.
§ There was a certaine Priest named Zacharias.
Of this name, there had been a famous Priest and a famous Prophet in old time before. Zacharias the Sonne of Jehojada, before the captivity, 2 Chron. 24. And Zacharias the Sonne of Barachias after, Zac. 1. 1. And consonant it was, that hee in whom Priesthood, and Prophecy should bee strucke dumb, and even have their period, because the great Priest and Prophet was so neere at hand, should beare the same name with them, in whom Priesthood and Prophecy had in some manner ceased before.
SS. Of†foreign used by the Lxx, 1 Chro. 9. 33. to translate. foreign the chambers of the Temple, if it be not mis-written. the course of Abia.
The Priests were divided by David into foure and twenty courses, 1 Chron. 24. Not, but that there had beene courses before of them, but because there had not been so many. For reason it selfe will tell us, that since they were all bound to the service of the Sanctuary, and withall were so very many in number, they could not serve there mixedly and confusedly, but must need have some distinction and order: some of the Jews say they were divided into eight courses by Moses, foure of Eleazar, and foure of Ithamar: But for this they have no ground to shew at all. Others that they were divided into sixteen by him, namely, eight and eight of either family. And of the division it selfe, there seemeth to bee some probability in the Text, but not of the divider. For speaking of Davids distinguishing them, because they were growne more numerous, it saith, 1 Chro. 24. 6.
foreign, which importeth thus much, that there was one principall houshold added to every course of Eleazar more than was before, and so they became sixteene, but of Ithamar were onelyonly taken those which were used before, which were onelyonly eight, and thus did they rise to 24. See R. Solomon. & Dav. Kimehi in loc.
These courses thus newly increased by David for number, and thus newly ranked by lot for order, and both for the service of the Temple, when it should bee built; it is but little to bee doubted, but that they began their round, when the service of the Temple did first begin; which round began on the Sabbath, next after the Feast of Tabernacles, about the two and twentieth day of the monethmonth Tisri, 2 Chron. 7. For on the 23 day, Solomon dismissed all the people to their owne houses, ver. 10. after hee had kept the Feast of Tabernacles seven dayes before according to the Law, beginning on the fifteenth day of the monethmonth, and concluding on the one and twentieth day, Lev. 23. and the next day after, or the two and twentieth day, was a solemne assembly, and that yeere [as it may bee conceived] the Sabbath day. Now in the weeke of the Feast, so great was the company of the Congregation, and so many the multitude of the Sacrifices, that no single course was able to undergoe the service, but then [as also at the other two great Feastivals] all the courses served indifferently, [and so had they done at the Temples dedication, 2 Chron. 5. 11.] and on the next Sabbath, the course of Jehojarib or the first began.
They changed every weeke, comming in on the Sabbath, and on the next going out, 2 King. 11. 7. 2 Chron. 23. 4. So that by the time of the passeover, they were just gone about; and from thence they began their second round againe: In the eight course of which second round; [for so was the course of Abia, 1 Chron. 24. 10.] Zacharias heareth the glad tydings of the birth of Christs forerunner; just about the same time of the yeere, that Sarab did of the fixed time of the birth of Isaac, toward the middle of Summer, Gen. 18.
But that the Reader may have a full and perfect view of the revolution of these courses: and because he will have frequent occasion in his reading of the Evangelists, to have his eye upon the passing of the yeere of the Jews; let it not bee tedious to interpose a Kalendar, or Almanack of it, here at the very entrance; with an account of the courses of the Priests used every weeke at the Temple, the Lessons out of the Law and the Prophets, used every Sabbath in the Synagogues; and their Festivals great and lesser, as they lighted in their seasons; that whensoever hereafter in his Progresse in this sacred History of the Gospell, he shall have occasion to looke after any of these, they may be here ready before his eyes.
The Jewes reckoned their yeare by Lunary moneths, as is more then apparent; by the words that signified a monethmonth amongst them, as foreign and foreign, and by severall Stories in the Scripture; and in this their reckoning, saith,*On Gen. 7. Rabbi Solomon, one monethmonth was full, and another wanting; that is, one consisting of thirty dayes, and another onelyonly of nine and twenty: This computation made their yeeres to fall eleven dayes short of the yeer of the Sun. And this the holy Ghost seemeth to hint and to hit upon, when in reckoning the time of Noahs being in his Arke, he bringeth him in on the seventeenth day of the second monethmonth, Gen. 7. 11. and bringeth him out on the seven and twentieth day of the same monethmonth on the next yeere, Gen. 8. 14. and yet intendeth him there but an exact and compleat yeere of the Sun, but reckoned onelyonly by Lunary moneths.
Now these eleven dayes, which the yeere of the Sunne outstretched the yeere of the Moone, on every third yeere made up a monethmonth of three and thirty dayes; which the Jewes laid after the monethmonth Adar, or the last monethmonth; and called it Veadar, or Adar, over againe.
But not to insist upon any curious inquiry into their embolimism, or intercalation, nor how the twelve Stewards of Solomon, and the foure and twenty course of the Priests, made out their Service, those in the Court, and these in the Temple, on that additionall monethmonth of the leape yeere; which is not a discourse for the present purpose: we will take up the yeere in its common and ordinary course and circle; and suppose [A] the Dominicall, or Sabbath day Letter, and trace the courses of the Priests, and the lessons of the Law and Prophets, according thereunto.
Now these lessons of the law and Prophets began their round, one Sabbath before the courses of the Priests; the first Parashah, or Section of Genesis, being read at the Feast of Tabernacles: and by the next Feast of Tabernacles, or the next yeere, all the Law was read over, be the yeere Leape yeere, or no: For if it were the ordinary yeere, the Sections in the latter end of Deuteronomy, were made fewer and longer; but if the Intercalary, or Bissextile, then were they broke into more, according to the number of the Sabbaths of that yeere; that by the Feast of Tabernacles, Deuteronomy might bee finished, and Genesis might be begun on againe.
Whether these Lessons or Sections of the Law were appointed and set out by Moses, or by Ezra, or by some other; and how the like in the Prophets came to bee paralleled with them; or to be read instead of them; when the persecution of Antiorhus forbad the reading of the Law; is not a time and place to dispute here; onelyonly if the Reader shall observe the Harmony betweene the two portions that were read at one time, he will see that the choice of them was of more then ordinary and common discretion: And sometimes the taking notice of the portions themselves, will help to cleare and satisfie some obscurities, which otherwise it were not possible to cleare and satisfie, as some examples will bee given in their places.
| TISRI or ETHANIM,The first MonethMonth. 1 King. 8. 2. 2 Chron. 5. 3. | MARHESHUAN.The second MonethMonth. | ||||
| 1 | A | Delaiah: From the middle of our September, to the middle of October. the three and twentieth course. Feast of Trumpets. Lessons | 1 | C | |
| 2 | B | 2 | D | ||
| 3 | C | Deut. chap. 26. from ver. 1. to chap. 29. ver. 10. | 3 | E | |
| 4 | D | 4 | F | ||
| 5 | E | Isa. chap. 60. from ver. 1. to the end of the chapter. | 5 | G | |
| 6 | F | 6 | A | Harim: Part of October & part of November. The third course beginneth. | |
| 7 | G | 7 | B | Lessons | |
| 8 | A | Maaziah: the foure and twentieth course. Lessons | 8 | C | Gen. chap. 18. 1. to chap. 23. 1. 2 King 4. from the beginning of the chapter to ver. 38. |
| 9 | B | Deut. chap. 29. ver. 10. to cha. 31 | 9 | D | |
| 10 | C | 1. when there were more weeks in the yeers, otherwise to the end of the book. Isa. chap 61. 10. to chap. 63. 10. The tenth day of this monethmonth was the solemn and mysterious Feast of expiation, Lev. 16. 29. | 10 | E | |
| 11 | D | 11 | F | ||
| 12 | E | 12 | G | ||
| 13 | F | 13 | A | Seorim: The fourth course beginneth. | |
| 14 | G | 14 | B | Lessons | |
| 15 | A | The Feast of Tabernacles, All the Priests are present & serve. The Law is begun to be read. | 15 | C | Gen. chap. 23. 1. to chap. 25. 19. |
| 16 | B | 16 | D | 1 King. chap. 1. from ver. 1. to ver. 32. | |
| 17 | C | Lessons | 17 | E | |
| 18 | D | Gen. chap. 1. 1. to chap. 6. ver. 9. Isa. chap. 42. ver. 5. to ver. 11. of chap. 43. | 18 | F | |
| 19 | E | 19 | G | ||
| 20 | F | 20 | A | Malchijah: The fifth course beginneth. | |
| 21 | G | 21 | B | Lessons | |
| 22 | A | Jehoiarib: The first course beginneth. | 22 | C | Gen. chap. 25. 19. to chap. 28. 10 Malachi chap. 1. from the beginning to ver. 8. of chap. 2. |
| 23 | B | Lessons | 23 | D | |
| 24 | C | Gen chap 6. from ver 9. to chap. 12. ver. 1. | 24 | E | |
| 25 | D | Isa. 54. 1. to ver. 5. of chap. 55. | 25 | F | |
| 26 | E | 26 | G | ||
| 27 | F | 27 | A | Mijamim: The sixth course beginneth. | |
| 28 | G | Jedaiah: The second course beginneth. Lessons | 28 | B | Lessons |
| 29 | A | 29 | C | Gen. chap. 28. 10. to chap. 32. 3. Hosea chap. 11. from ver. 7. to ver. 2. of chap. 14. | |
| 30 | B | Gen. chap. 12. ver. 1. to chap. 18. 1. Isa. 40. from ver. 27. to ver. 17 of chap. 41. |
| CISLEU.The third MonethMonth | TEBETH Esth. 2. 16.The … MonethMonth | ||||
| 1 | D | 1 | F | ||
| 2 | E | 2 | G | ||
| 3 | F | 3 | A | Eliashih: Part of December & part of January. The eleventh course beginneth. | |
| 4 | G | 4 | B | Lessons | |
| 5 | A | Hakkez: Part of November & part of December. The seventh course begins. | 5 | C | Gen. chap. 47. from ver. 27. to the end of the book. 1 King chap. 2 from the beginning to ver. 13. |
| 6 | B | Lessons | 6 | D | |
| 7 | C | Gen. chap. 32. from ver. 3. to cha. 37. 1. Obadiah all the chapter, or Hos. chap. 12. from ver. 12. to t…e end of the book. | 7 | E | |
| 8 | D | 8 | F | ||
| 9 | E | 9 | G | ||
| 10 | F | 10 | A | Jakim: The twelfth course beginneth. | |
| 11 | G | 11 | B | Lessons | |
| 12 | A | Abijah or Abia: the eighth course beginneth. | 12 | C | Exod. chap. 1. from beginning to chap. 6. ver 2 Isa. chap. 27. from ver 6. to chap. 28. ver. 14. Or Jer. chap 1. ver. 1. to chap. 2. ver. 4. |
| 13 | B | Lessons | 13 | D | |
| 14 | C | Gen chap. 37. 1. to chap. 41. 1. Amos chap. 2. from ver. 6. to ver. 9. of chap. 3. | 14 | E | |
| 15 | D | 15 | F | ||
| 16 | E | 16 | G | ||
| 17 | F | 17 | A | Huppah: The thirteenth course beginneth. | |
| 18 | G | 18 | B | Lessons | |
| 19 | A | Jeshuah: The ninth course beginneth. | 19 | C | Exod. chap. 6 2. to chap. 10. 1. |
| 20 | B | Lessons | 20 | D | Ezek. chap. 28 from ver. 25. to the end of chap. 29. |
| 21 | C | Gen chap. 41. 1. to chap. 44. 18. | 21 | E | |
| 22 | D | 1 King. chap. 3. from ver. 15. to the end of the chapter. | 22 | F | |
| 23 | E | 23 | G | ||
| 24 | F | Feast of Dedication eight dayes, | 24 | A | Jeshe…ea…: The fourteenth course beginneth |
| 25 | G | 1 Mac. 4. 59. Joh. 10. 22. | 25 | B | Lessons |
| 26 | A | Shechaniah: The tenth course beginneth. | 26 | C | Exod chap. 10. 1. to chap. 13. v. 17. Jerem. chap 46. from v. 13. to the end of the chapter. |
| 2… | B | Lessons | 27 | D | |
| 28 | C | Gen. chap. 44. from ver. 18. to ver. 27. of chap. 47. Ezek. chap. 37. from ver. 15. to the end of the chapter. | 28 | E | |
| 29 | D | 29 | F | ||
| 30 | E |
| SHEBET. Zechar. 1. 7.The fifth MonethMonth. | ADAR. Ezra 6. 15.The … MonethMonth | ||||
| 1 | G | 1 | B | Ezekiel: Part of February & part of March. chap. 43 from ver. 10. to the end of the chapter. | |
| 2 | A | Bilgah: Part of January, and part of February. The fifteenth course beginneth. | 2 | C | |
| 3 | B | Lessons | 3 | D | |
| 4 | C | Exod. chap. 13 from. ver. 17. to chap. 18. 1. Judg. chap. 4. from ver. 4. to chap. 6. 1. | 4 | E | |
| 5 | D | 5 | F | ||
| 6 | E | 6 | G | ||
| 7 | F | 7 | A | Jehez…kel: The twentieth course Lessons | |
| 8 | G | 8 | B | Exod. chap 30. from ver. 11. to chap. 35. 1. 1 King. 18. 1. to v. 39. | |
| 9 | A | Immer: The sixteenth course beginneth | 9 | C | |
| 10 | B | Lessons | 10 | D | |
| 11 | C | Exod. chap. 18. 1. to chap. 21. 1. | 11 | E | |
| 12 | D | Isa. 6. all the chapter. | 12 | F | |
| 13 | E | 13 | G | ||
| 14 | F | 14 | A | Jachin: The one and twentyeth course beginneth. | |
| 15 | G | 15 | B | Lessons | |
| 16 | A | Hezir: The seventeenth course beginneth. | 16 | C | Exod. chap. 35. 1. to chap. 38. 21 |
| 17 | B | Lessons | 17 | D | 1 King chap. 7. from ver. 13. to v. 26. The 14 & 15 daies of this monethmonth, were the Feast of Purim |
| 18 | C | Exod chap. 21. 1. to chap. 25. 1. Jerem. chap 34. from v. 8. to the end of the chapter. | 18 | E | |
| 19 | D | 19 | F | ||
| 20 | E | 20 | G | ||
| 21 | F | 21 | A | Gamul: The two and twentyeth course beginneth. | |
| 22 | G | 22 | B | Lessons | |
| 23 | A | Aphses: The eighteenth course beginneth. | 23 | C | Exod. chap. 38. from v. 21. to the end of the book. 1 King, chap. 7. from ver. 50. to ver. 21. of the 8. chapter. |
| 24 | B | Lessons | 24 | D | |
| 25 | C | Exod. chap. 25. 1 to chap. 27. 20. | 25 | E | |
| 26 | D | 1 King. chap. 5. from ver. 12. to ver. 14 of chap. 6. | 26 | F | |
| 27 | E | 27 | G | ||
| 28 | F | 28 | A | Delajah: the three and twentieth course beginneth. | |
| 29 | G | Pethahiah: The nineteenth course beginneth. | 29 | B | L…sons |
| 30 | A | Lessons Exod. chap. 27. from ver. 20. to chap. 30. ver. 11. | Levit. chap. 1. 1. to chap. 6. 1. Isa. chap. 43. 21. to v. 24. of cha. 44. |
| ABIB.T… first MonethMonth stilo novo. Exod. 12. or NISAN. Neh. 2. 1. | IJAR.The … MonethMonth stilo … | ||||
| 1 | C | 1 | E | ||
| 2 | D | 2 | F | ||
| 3 | E | 3 | G | ||
| 4 | F | 4 | A | Harim: Part of Aprill & … of May. The third course. Lessons | |
| 5 | G | 5 | B | Levit. chap. 16. 1. to chap 19. 1. | |
| 6 | A | Maaziah: Part of March, and part of Aprill. The foure and twentieth course beginneth. | 6 | C | Ezek. chap. 22. 1. to ver. 17. |
| 7 | B | Lessons | 7 | D | |
| 8 | C | Levit. chap. 6. 1. to chap. 9. 1. | 8 | E | |
| 9 | D | Jerem. chap. 7. from ver. 21. to the 4. ver. of chap. 8. | 9 | F | |
| 10 | E | 10 | G | ||
| 11 | F | 11 | A | Seorim: The fourth course. Lessons. | |
| 12 | G | 12 | B | Levit. chap. 19. 1. to chap. 21. 1. | |
| 13 | A | The Preparation. | 13 | C | Amos chap. 9. ver. 7. to the end of the book: or Ezek. chap. 20. from ver. 2. to ver. 21. |
| 14 | B | The Passeover day, Exod. 12. | 14 | D | |
| 15 | C | This week there was no distinct course that served, but all the courses indifferently & together. | 15 | E | |
| 16 | D | Lessons | 16 | F | |
| 17 | E | Lev. chap. 9. 1. to cha. 12. 1. 2 Sam. | 17 | G | |
| 18 | F | chap. 6. 1. to ver. 17. of chap. 7. | 18 | A | Malchijah: The fifth course. Lessons |
| 19 | G | 19 | B | Levit. chap. 21. 1. to chap. 25. 1. | |
| 20 | A | Jehoiarib: The first course beginneth the round again. | 20 | C | Ezek. chap. 44. from ver. 15. to the end. |
| 21 | B | Lessons | 21 | D | |
| 22 | C | Lev. 12. 1. to chap. 14, 1. 2 King. | 22 | E | |
| 23 | D | 4. from v. 42. to ver. 20. of cha. 5. | 23 | F | |
| 24 | E | 24 | G | ||
| 25 | F | 25 | A | Mijamim: The sixth course. Lessons | |
| 26 | G | 26 | B | Levit. chap. 25 1. to chap. 26. 3. | |
| 27 | A | Jedaiah: The second course. Lessons | 27 | C | Jerem. chap. 32. from ver. 6. to v. 28. |
| 28 | B | Levit. chap. 14. 1. to chap. 16. 1. | 28 | D | |
| 29 | C | 2 King. chap. 7. from ver 3. to the end of the Chapter. | 29 | E | |
| 30 | D |
| SIVAN.The third MonethMonth stilo nov…. Esth. 8. 9. | TAMMVZ.The fourth MonethMonth stilo nov…. | ||||
| 1 | F | 1 | A | Shechaniah: Part of June & part of July. The tenth course. Lessons | |
| 2 | G | 2 | B | Numb. chap. 13. 1. to chap. 16. 1. | |
| 3 | A | No single course because of Pentecost week:Part of May & part of June. but all served indifferently. | 3 | C | Joshua chap. 2. all the Chapter. |
| 4 | B | 4 | D | ||
| 5 | C | Lessons | 5 | E | |
| 6 | D | Lev it. chap. 26. 3. to the end of the book. Jerem. 16. 19. to ver. 15. of chap. 17. | 6 | F | |
| 7 | E | 7 | G | ||
| 8 | F | 8 | A | Eliashi…: The eleventh course. Lessons | |
| 9 | G | 9 | B | Numb. chap. 16. 1. to chap. 19. 1. | |
| 10 | A | Hakkoz: The seventh course. Lessons | 10 | C | 1 Sam. chap. 11. 14. to chap. 12. ver. 23. |
| 11 | B | Numb. chap. 1. 1. to chap. 4. v. 21. | 11 | D | |
| 12 | C | Hosea chap. 1. from ver. 10. to v. 21. of chap. 2. | 12 | E | |
| 13 | D | 13 | F | ||
| 14 | F | 14 | G | ||
| 15 | F | 15 | A | Jakim: The twelfth course. Lessons | |
| 16 | G | 16 | B | Numb. chap. 19. 1. to chap. …2. 2. | |
| 17 | A | Abijah or Abia: the eighth course Now it was, that Zacharias had the tidings of the birth of John the Baptist. | 17 | C | Judg. chap. 11. 1. to ver. 34. |
| 18 | B | 18 | D | ||
| 19 | C | Lessons | 19 | E | |
| 20 | D | Num▪ chap. 4. v. 21. to chap. 8. 1. | 20 | F | |
| 21 | E | Judg chap. 13. 2. to the end of the Chapter. | 21 | G | |
| 22 | F | 22 | A | Huppah: The thirteenth course. Lessons | |
| 23 | G | 23 | B | Numb. chap. 22. 2. to chap. 25. 10 | |
| 24 | A | Jeshuah: The ninth course. Lessons | 24 | C | Micah chap. 5. from ver. 7. to the 9. verse of chap. 6. |
| 25 | B | Numb. chap. 8. 1. to chap 13. 1. | 25 | D | |
| 26 | C | …. chap. 2. 10. to to chap. 4. 8. | 26 | E | |
| 27 | D | 27 | F | ||
| 28 | E | 28 | G | ||
| 29 | F | 29 | A | Jeshehe…: The fourteenth course Lessons | |
| 30 | G | Numb. chap. 25. 10. to chap. 30. 2 1 King. chap. 18. from ver. 46. to |
| A B.The fifth MonethMonth stilo novo. | ELUL.The sixth MonethMonth stilo novo. | ||||
| 1 | B | 1 | D | ||
| 2 | C | 2 | E | ||
| 3 | D | 3 | F | ||
| 4 | E | 4 | G | ||
| 5 | F | 5 | A | Pethahiah: Part of August & part of September. The nineteenth course Lessons | |
| 6 | G | 6 | B | Deut. chap 7 ver. 12 to chap. 11. ver. 26. Isa. chap. 49. from ver. 14 to chap. 51. ver. 4. | |
| 7 | A | Bilgah: Part of July, and part of August. The fifteenth course. Lessons | 7 | C | |
| 8 | B | Num. chap 30. 2. to chap. 33 1. foreign the …ast of the fift monethmonth, …. 7. 5. Jerem. chap. 1. from the beginning to chap. 2 ver. 4. | 8 | D | |
| 9 | C | 9 | E | ||
| 10 | D | 10 | F | ||
| 11 | E | 11 | E | ||
| 12 | F | 12 | A | Jehezekel: The twentieth course. Lessons | |
| 13 | G | 13 | B | Deut. chpa. 11. 26 to chap. 16. 18 | |
| 14 | A | Immer: The sixteenth course. Lessons | 14 | C | Isa. chap. …4. from ver. 11. to chap 55. ver. 4. |
| 15 | B | 15 | D | ||
| 16 | C | Num. chap. 33. 1. to the end of the book. Jer. chap. 2. from ver. 4. to ver. 29. | 16 | E | |
| 17 | D | 17 | F | ||
| 18 | E | 18 | G | ||
| 19 | F | 19 | A | Jachin: The one and twentieth course. Lessons. | |
| 20 | G | 20 | B | ||
| 21 | A | Hezir: The seventeenth course. Lessons | 21 | C | Deut. chap. 16. 18. to cha. 21. 10. |
| 22 | B | Deut. chap. 1. 1. to chap. 3. ver. 23 | 22 | D | Isa. Chap. 51. 12. to chap. 52. 13. |
| 23 | C | Isa. chap. l. 1. to ver 28. | 23 | E | |
| 24 | D | 24 | F | ||
| 25 | E | 25 | G | ||
| 26 | F | 26 | A | Gamul: The two and twentieth course. | |
| 27 | G | 27 | B | Lessons | |
| 28 | A | Aphses: The eighteenth course. Lessons | 28 | C | Deut. chap. 21. 10. to chap. …6. 1. |
| 29 | B | Deut. chap. 3. from v. 23. to chap. 7. ver. 12. Isa. chap. 40. from ver. 1. to ver. 27. | 29 | D | Isa. chap. 54. from the beginning to ver. 11. |
| 30 | C |
Thus, or not farre from this forme, went the Jewish yeere, and the courses of the Priests in it: And thus the Lections of the Law and Prophets, along with both: and hence may be collected in some reasonable measure, the time of the yeer when John Baptist was born, which hath been so long not a little mistaken.
Vers. 6. Walking in all the commandements and ordinances.
In all the commandements of the morall Law, and ordinances of the Ceremonial: and the word†foreign used by the Lxx for foreign Gen. 7. 1 and for foreign Job. 1. 1. blamelesse, expresseth their behaviour in the Judiciall: And thus the Text sheweth us a man, as accomplished for the righteousnesse according to the Law, as a man could bee; and yet that wee might see, that a man is not justified by that, but by Faith; the same man is presently after checked and struck dumbe, because he did not beleeve.
SS. Ordinances.
Greek, foreign: which the Romanists translate, Justifications: and of the word would make no small advantage.
Whereas, first, the Lxx most commonly translate the Hebrew word foreign and foreign by it, as above twenty times, in Psal. 119. and this Hebrew word wee know signifieth no such thing as Justifications. Rab. Solomon on Numb. 19. giveth a notation of it unto another sense. Because (saith hee) Satan and the people of the World would be questioning with Israel, what is this, or that Commandement, and what reason is there in it? Why? it is foreign, a statute or an ordinance decreed by God; and it is not for thee to question it: See also Rab. Menahem on the same place: And to what sense the Chaldee renders it in Psal. 119. and elsewhere.
Secondly, the common Greeke useth it most commonly in the sense of our Translation: as might bee shewed out of Aristotle Ethic. 5. Dion Cassius Rom. Hist. lib. 58. and 61▪ and other Authors.
Thirdly, as the Lxx render foreign or foreign, by this Greeke word; so the Arabick doth this Greek word by that againe: making them to sound to one and the same sense, and that foreign importeth Ordinances, none can deny.
Fourthly, it will be very hard to produce any Heathen Author, or any place in all the Lxx, that use the word foreign for Justification. In Deut. 24. 13. a place as likely to have found it in as any, if they would have taken it in that sense, they have so farre refused it, that they use a word, no kin at all unto it.
Vers. 9. According to the Custome.
This may be taken two wayes, either for the custome of burning Incense; or for that, that these courses used, in choosing out of their company to burne it, which was by lot; And this latter is more proper: for it needeth not to tell, that it was the custome of the Priests, to burne Incense; for this was known well enough from the Law, to bee an essentiall part of their function; but the text would tell us how Zachary came to doe this piece of service; namely, by the customary lot. So that by the custome of the Priesthood, is properly meant the custome of the Priests. The High Priest burnt Incense when hee would, the other Priests by lot; and one and the same Priest burnt not Incense twice in all his dayes, Abarbin in Penteteuch. fol. 241.
SS. His lot was to burne Incense.
Sense and reason doth more bind us to understand casting of Lots for this purpose, then the Grammaticall construction, or literall strictnesse of the word; for though it signifie, obtaining a thing by lot, yet not alwayes by lot onelyonly, but even by any other meanes, as Act. 1. 17. Judas foreign, obtained the lot of his ministration. And so Julian in Mesopogone. Anacreon, foreign, sortitus est ludere, vel deliciari, &c. But undeniable reason telleth, that it must of necessity be understood of obtaining by lot in this place.
For the Priests, in every one of the twenty foure courses, were exceeding many. For Josephus relateth, that they were thousands in every course. And this are wee sure of from evident Scripture, that at the crowning of Joash, when an insurrection by Athaliah was feared. The Priests of two courses onelyonly are reputed as a Guard sufficient for the King, and about the Temple, 2 King. 11. 5, 6, 7. And when Vzziah would have burned Incense, there were eighty Priests ready to with-hold him, 2 Chron. 26. 17. So that among so great a multitude, there in but one man being onelyonly permitted to burne incense, it was necessary that he should bee chosen from among them by lot, and the lot at this time fell to Za…harias.
SS. To burne Incense entring into the Temple of the Lord.
This his entring into the Temple, was not going into the most holy place; nor was this his burning of Incense, upon the day of expiation, but it was according to the daily Service of the Temple, which required that incense should bee burned, every morning and evening in the Holy place without the vaile, Exod. 30. 6, 7, 8. The High Priest indeed once every yeere offered Incense within the vaile, on the day of expiation, Lev. 16. 29, 30. but neither was Zacharias High Priest, nor was this any such service. For, first, Luke when hee speaketh of the High Priest, hee useth to call him by that title, as Chap. 3. 2. Acts 4. 6. &c. but in all this large Story of Zacharias, hee never termeth him other then an ordinary Priest. Secondly, Zachary was of one of the twenty foure courses: but the High Priest was of no course at all; and if hee had, doubtlesse hee had beene of the first: But Zachary was of the eight. Zacharias at this time came to burne Incense by lot: but the High Priest came to doe it in the most Holy place, by succession. Fourthly, there was no Altar of Incense in the most Holy place, but there was one where Zacharias ministred. Fifthly, if these courses began their round, either with the beginning of the Service of the Temple; or with the beginning of the yeere Ecclesiasticall, or with the beginning of the yeere Civill, or from any of the three Festivals; then was it not possible that the eighth course should light any whit neere the Feast of expiation: And where to begin them but from some of these, who can imagine? Sixthly, it was not so very consonant that John the Baptist should bee borne a High Priest, which bare the fullest resemblance of the Office of our Saviour; but a Priest of an inferiour ranke, because a servant to the High. The mis-construction of Zacharies offering of Incense, gave first occasion to the generall and long continued mistake of the time of our Saviours Birth.
Vers. 10. And the whole multitude of the people.
There were constantly in the Temple at the hour… of prayer, First, the Priests of that course that then served. Secondly, the Levites that served under the Priests. Thirdly, the men of the Station, as the Rabins call them; that is, certaine men that were to represent the whole Congregation, in putting their hands upon the heads of the Sacrifices. Fourthly, those whom devotion moved to leave their other imployments, for that time, and to bee present at the service of God. All these might amount to a great number indeed; but the Text in naming the whole multitude of people, seemeth to have some further meaning; as if it would intimate, that this was not upon an ordinary day of the week, but upon the Sabbath day, when the Congregation was full: Not onelyonly of the Priests of the seventh course, that went that day out of their service; but also of all the multitude of the City, which were tyed that day in a more speciall manner, to the publike worship.
Upon this day, [if we might conclude it to be a Sabbath] the portions of the Law and the Prophets, which were read in the Synagogues, were excellently agreeable to the thing was now in hand; namely, the Law of the Nazarites, Numb. 6. and the conception of Sampson, like this of the Baptist, Judg. 13.
SS. Were praying without.
When the burnt Offering began in the Temple, the Trumpeters and Singers began to sound and sing, and the whole Congregation 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 Mother: 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 invisible 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 Scripture 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 prepare 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 foreign in the word foreign; Hag. 1. 8. namely, First, The Arke. Secondly, Vrim and Thummim. Thirdly, the … from Heaven. Fourthly, 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 remission of their sinnes, and the comming of Christ, in which they without were joyning with him; and this his prayer, the Angell tells him, is so ready to bee answered, that his wife should presently conceive 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 prayer 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.] Many of Israel shall returne when they shall see signes of redemption. Whereupon it is said, He saw that there was no man, &c. Esa. 59. 16. D. Kimchin 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 Jezabel: 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 opened 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 Pharisees.
Thirdly, Baptisme, at its first institution, was the Sacrament for admission of Heathens onelyonly, 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 foreign, convene or knit together in Baptisme.
[And the disobedient, &c.] In Malachi it is, And the hearts of the children 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. Secondly, 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 Gospel and the professors of it, [as concerning the generall or the greatest part of them] therefore hee saith not, that the heart of the children 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 correlative children, because of his refusing that. And yet hee coucheth the sense of that title under the word disobedient, which word in its most proper and naturall signification reflecteth upon untowardly 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, foreign 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 clauses of this speech bee laid in Antithesis, or opposition one to another [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 secondly, 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 upon the Jewes in that part of the Angels speech, must the like duplicity 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 turned in the wisdome of the righteous; For the enmity, fe…d, and detestation that was betwixt Jew and Gentile, and Gentile and Jew, proceeded not from the same cause and Originall. The Jew abhorred the Gentile, not of ignorance, but of scorne and jealousy, partly 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 reconciliation 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 divine 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 understanding, 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 familiarity among them, in Vision, Prophecy, and the worke of Miracles; So that this apparition of the Angel, and this signe given to Zachary, and wonders done in the birth of the Baptist, were as the very 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 taken in the same forme of construction with Malchizedek. Hee breaketh 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 hesitation 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 foundation.
Ver. 20. [Behold thou shalt bee dumb] The signe given, is in Zachary 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 foreign, ver. 22. and the word foreign by which the Syrian rendreth it, doe signifie both deafe and dumb. And secondly, in ver. 62. it is said, They made signes to him, which had not needed, if hee could have heard.
foreign: 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 doubted.
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 blemishes that secluded from the service in the Sanctuary.
Secondly, the Priesthood of the Law consisted mainely and chiefly of manuall actions or offices for the hands; as offering, sprinkling, waving, and such others [to which sense the Targums expound The workes of Levies hands, Deut. 33. 11.] and so it might the better be speech lesse: But the Ministery of the Gospel cannot admit 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 partly 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 reproach: where two distinct things are plainly remarkable:
First, Gods taking away her reproach, by giving her a childe after so long barrennesse: this is not the thing that shee hideth for, but,
Secondly,Thus, Emphaticall, and giveth a cleere resolution 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. 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 duplicate page duplicate page 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 uncleannesse, 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 monethmonth] This sixth monethmonth from the conception of the Baptist, was the tenth monethmonth of the moneths of the yeer, or the monethmonth Tebeth, which answereth to part of our December; the time at which a long error hath laid the nativity: At the very same time of the yeere, Esther another Virgin had been promoted to honour and royalty by Abashuerus, Esth. 16. 17.
[VntoUnto 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] foreign: This word is used by the Greeke Scholiast, in Psal. 18. 26. foreign; and the word from which it is derived, in Ephes. 1. 6. foreign, &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 annuntiation, 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 foreign 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 fulnesse 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 onelyonly 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 taken 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 Incarnation 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 very instant, come in that manner into her womb. But the words onelyonly meane, the Lords being with her in regard of that favour and respect, which hee was about to shew her, as Judg. 6. 12. And this among other things sheweth how senselesse Popery is in its Ave M…aries, 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 onelyonly while shee was upon earth. As first, to say, full of grace, to her that is full of glory: And secondly, 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 onelyonly 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 either 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 question, Vers. 4.
[And shalt call his Name] This followeth the same Prophecy still, and is one of the significations of the word foreign; for it hath more then one.
For, first, it denoteth the third person feminine, as Deut. 31. 29. foreign, 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 remember 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 Gentiles also, for of such the house and family of Jacob was full.
Vers. 34. [Seeing I know not a man] These words, say the Rhemists, 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 never have asked how shall this bee done: And Jansemus goeth yet further: From these words, saith hee, it doth not onelyonly 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 indifferent, 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 Benteteuch, 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 conceive; 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 votall, 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 extol 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 desireth to be resolved how so great a thing should come to passe.
Vers. 35. [The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, &c.] The Angel satisfieth the Virgins question, with a threefold answer. First; instructing her in the manner of the performance. Secondly, furnishing her with an example of much like nature in her Cosin Elisabeth. Thirdly, confirming her from the power of God, to which nothing is impossible. Now, whereas, this unrestrained power of God was the onelyonly 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 actions, 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 instant, 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 consequence, 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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. Second, that such strangely borne Sonnes were ever of some remarkable and renowned eminency. Thirdly, that if hee had purposed onelyonly 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 Country, 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 excellently 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 Baptist 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 conceived in Nazaret, and in the very instant of the Angels talking with her, but whether there bee not as much probability for this opinion, 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.] foreign: 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 foreign: 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 foreign signifieth outward gesticulation or exultation as well as inward joy, yea, though there bee no inward joy at all: as Psal. 65. 13. foreign, the little hils shall bee girded 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 punishment that befell him for the same. Hee, a Man, a Priest, aged, learned, eminent, and the message to him of more appearing possibility: 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] foreign: is used by the Lxx, 2 Sam. 9. 8. and Psal. 25. …6. and importeth a looke of pity 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 onelyonly begotten Son of God▪ But first, the word E foreign, as it is said before, in the LXX, who must best helpe us to interpret, it signifieth a look of another nature. Secondly, foreign signifieth not the vertue of humility or the lowlinesse 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 distinguish betwixt foreign & foreign, by the former understanding 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 foreign, 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.