[a] most surely believed] This word πληροφορεῖσθαι hath several notions in the New Testament: 1. It is no more than πληροῦσθαι, to be fulfilled, performed, done. So 2 Tim. iv. 5, τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον, fulfil, or perform thy ministry. So saith Phavorinus, πληροφόρησον, πλήρωσον, fulfil, adding, ὡς ὁ ἀπόστολος, Τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον, "as the apostle saith, Fulfil, or perform thy ministry." So in 5 Nilus, πληροφορεῖν ἐπιθυμίαν, to fulfil desire is to do what is desired. So 2 Tim. iv. 17, ἵνα τὸ κήρυγμα πληροφορηθῇ, that the preaching may be fulfilled, i. e. gone through with, and that the Gentiles may hear, i. e. that it may be preached to the Gentiles also. So in Hesychius Presbyter, cent. 2. 10. παλαιὰ οὔτε ἐτελείου, οὔτε ἐπληροφόρει τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον εἰς εὐσεβείαν, "the Old Testament did not perfect or complete the inward man to piety," or in that respect; τελειοῦν and πληροφορεῖν in the same sense. And so it is in this place, πράγματα πεπληροφορημένα ἐν ἡμῖν, "things which have been done, performed, acted among us," of which the διήγησις or narration ensuing doth consist. And this is perfectly agreeable to the notion of the Hebrew מלא, (that in the Old Testament is once rendered by it,) which signifies to fulfil and perform, as well as to fill. So the Hebrews have a proverb. אִישׁ וּמַלֵּא אֶת לִבּוֹ, "Let a man fulfil his heart," i. e. do what he lists; and in the psalmist, to fill, or fulfil all thy mind, is, to grant all thy petitions. Secondly, then, it signifies to fill; and so πληροφορία is fulness, or plenty, Col. ii. 2; πλοῦτος πληροφορίας τῆς συνίσεως, the riches of the fulness of understanding; and because the Hebrew מלא signifies metaphorical, as well as real filling, infusing, imbuing, &c. πληροφορεῖν and πληροῦν do so too. And according to the matter of subject, to which it is applied, the signification is yet further varied. For so being applied to the heart, the principle of action, it signifies to incite to any action, to embolden to do any thing; and when there is any thing of difficulty in it, or of danger, then it is particularly to give courage, or confidence, to embolden. So Acts v. 3, Διὰ τί ἐπλήρωσεν ὁ Σατανὰς τὴν καρδίαν σου ψεύσασθαί σε; Why hath Satan filled thy heart, that thou shouldst lie, or deceive the Holy Ghost? i. e. why, or how did Satan incline or embolden thee to do this villainy? And so Eccles. viii. 11, ἐπληροφορηθῇ ἡ καρδία υἱῶν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, the heart of the sons of men is filled to do evil, i. e. men are by impunity incited and emboldened to do so. So Esther vii. 5, Who hath filled his heart to do this? or, Whose heart hath filled him to do this? where the Greek reads distinctly, Τίς οὗτος δὲ ἐτόλμησε; Who is it that hath dared? to denote the danger that he incurred that had done it, and so the boldness of the adventurer. And thus πληροφορεῖσθαι comes ordinarily to signify boldness, confidence; πληροφορία ἐλπίδος, Heb. vi. 11, confidence of hope; the same with ὑπόστασις elsewhere: πληροφορία πίστεως, confidence of faith, Heb. x. 22, the effect of being washed from an evil conscience in the end of the verse, and the instrument of the προσερχώμεθα, coming cheerfully to God, in the beginning. So πληροφορηθεῖς, Rom. iv. 21, being confident that God was able, and so boldly Ἀνέκδοτ. pp. 27. 31. [b] ministers] Two possible acceptions there are of the phrase ὑπηρεῖται τοῦ λόγου here: first, ὁ λόγος, the word, may signify, as it doth in some other places, the matter, the thing spoken of; for so it doth ver. 4, περὶ ὡν κατηχήθης λόγων, the words, i. e. the things wherein thou hast been instructed. So ῥῆμα γεγονός, the word, i. e. thing done, ch. ii. 15, (see note [h] Matt. ii.); and in this notion ὑπηρεῖται λόγου will be, the apostles, as those that were Christ's instruments and officers, not only saw, but acted themselves the things, the passages that are here related; and this is the plainest and clearest meaning of the phrase. 2dly, It is the opinion of other learned men, and, among them, of d Budæus, that ὁ λόγος signifies here, as generally it doth throughout St. John's Gospel, the Word, i. e. Christ incarnate. That the use of this phrase or title of Christ should not be appropriated to St. John only, may appear probable, because this style seems to have been known among the Jews before Christ's time, and is oft used by the Chaldee paraphrast, מימר די, the word of the Lord. As when, Gen. iii. 22, we read, The Lord said, Behold, the man &c., the Targum hath it, And the word of the Lord God said, Behold, Adam whom I have created alone in my age, as I am alone in the highest heavens: see the learned Paul Fagius on the Chaldee paraphrase of that place. So Gen. i. 27, the word of the Lord created Adam. So Isaiah i. 14, instead of my soul, the Targum hath מימר, my word hateth; and ch. xlv. 17, Israel is delivered, or saved, by the Lord, they read בְּמִימְרָא, by the word of the Lord. So Jer. i. 8, because I am with thee, they read, because my word is with thee; and so psalm cx. 1, The Lord said unto my Lord, they again, The Lord said לְמִימְרָיָה, to his word; and to Abraham, Gen. xv. 1, I am thy shield, My word is thy shield. So is Christ called the word in the Alcoran; and therefore the paraphrast of it, Ben Achmet, expounds his word by the son of Mary. And it seems this word in this sense was gotten among the heathens very anciently, which caused Amelius, when he read the beginning of St. John's Gospel, to cry out, Per Jovem barbarus iste cum nostro Platone sentit, verbum Dei in ordine principii esse, "This barbarian is of our Plato's opinion, that the word of God is in the order of principles." Thus Julian the Apostate hath Ἰησοῦν, Θεὸν, Λόγον, Jesus, God, Word, d In Pandect. p. 31. I thought fit also, having gotten exact knowledge of the several passages, to set them down by way of history, most excellent— [c] excellent Theophilus] It is not certain that Theophilus here was the proper name of a particular man, but, perhaps, a feigned title to signify every Christian, every one that loved God, to whom he addresses his discourse. Thus saith Epiphanius, Hær. 51. p. 429. εἴτ' οὖν τινὶ Θευφίλῳ τότε γράφων ἔλεγεν, ἢ παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ Θεὸν ἀγαπῶντι, "whether he wrote to one Theophilus, when he said this, or whether to every man that loved God;" leaving it uncertain which it was. Thus Salvian, in his Epistle to Salonius, prefixed before his books ad Eccles. Cathol., giving him an account why he inscribed those books not by his own name, but by that other of Timothy, saith he followed this evangelist's example, qui in utroque divini operis exordio Theophili nomen inscribens, cum ad hominem scripsisse videatur, ad amorem Dei scripsit, "who in the beginning both of his Gospel and of the Acts inscribing the name Theophilus, seeming to have written to a man, he wrote to or for the love of God." Thus in Athanasius, l. de Incarn. μακάριος and φιλόχριστος are used promiscuously for Christians. And then κράτιστος will be no title of honour, nor any more than optimus in Latin, a form of civility only. That thereby thou mayest be confirmed in the belief of those things which are supposed to have been taught thee and received by thee to prepare thee for baptism, viz., the principles of Christianity. [d] of the course of Abiah] Though the word ἐφημερία do literally denote the service of no more than a day, yet it is not so to be taken here, but in a greater latitude, for the space of a week. So saith Titus Bostrensis, Ἐφημερίαν δὲ χρῆ νυεῖν οὐ τὸ πρὸς ἡμέρας παραμένειν καὶ λειτουργεῖν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρὸς ἑβδομάδας, "You must not understand the word of daily continuance and serving in the temple, but of weekly." And they were childless in the same manner as Abraham was; for beside the barrenness of the wife they were both of an age conceived to be past child-bearing. e it was his course to go into the sanctuary and offer incense there. And while the priest offered incense within, the people, according to the custom, were praying without. f thy prayer for the people (joined with the incense, Lev. xvi. 17.) and for the whole world (as Josephus and Philo say) is now most effectually heard, God meaning now suddenly to send the Messias, and before him his forerunner, who shall be born of thy wife Elizabeth, and called John. [e] time of incense] At the time when the priest offered incense within the sanctuary or tabernacle, the people were left alone without, in the atrium Judaeorum, "the court of the Jews," praying for the pardon of sins every man apart for himself, till the priest came back again and pronounced the benediction. This is it that seems to be referred to by the half hour's silence in heaven, Rev. viii. 1, which seems there to be set in relation to that time of the priest's being gone in to offer incense. This is set down punctually, Ecclus. I, where, ver. 15, there is mention of the high priest Simon, the son of Onias, offering, τὴν ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας, the odour of sweet smell, or of incense, unto God. Then, saith he, the sons of Aaron cried out and sounded with trumpets, ver. 18, (as in that, Rev. viii. 2, it follows immediately, the seven trumpets were given to the angels, &c.); and then follows, πᾶς ὁ λαὸς κοινῇ κατέσπευσε, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ver. 19, then all the people together made haste, and fell on their face to the ground; and ver. 21, ἐδεήθη ὁ λαὸς Κυρίου ὑψίστου ἐν προσευχῇ κατείναντι ἐλεήμονος, ἕως συντελεσθῇ κόσμος Κυρίου καὶ τὴν λειτουργίαν αὐτοῦ ἐτελείωσαν, the people besought the Lord most high in prayer before the merciful, until the ministry of the Lord (the incense, noted by κόσμος there) were done, and they had accomplished his service; all which is a distinct description of this manner of the people's praying without, whilst the priest offers within; as the two other parts, 1, of giving praises to God, and 2, the priest's pronouncing the εὐλογία, or benediction, are set down there also; one, ver. 20, καὶ ἦνεσαν οἱ ψαλμωδοὶ ἐν φωναῖς αὐτῶν, the singers sang praises with their voices, &c.; the other, ver. 22, τότε καταβὰς ἐπῆρε χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ἐκκλησίαν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, δοῦναι εὐλογίαν Κυρίῳ, or Κυρίου, ἐκ χειλέων αὐτοῦ, &c., then de- And this birth of a son to thee in thy old age by a barren wife shall not only be matter of joy and exultation to thee, but to many others also; all that expect the Messias shall rejoice at this coming of Elias, his forerunner. For he shall be a very eminent person, abstaining after the manner of the Nazarites, and the power of the Holy Ghost shall be discerned to be upon him very early, ver. 80. And being a preacher of repentance to the Jews he shall work upon many of them, and bring them to repentance and new life. And he shall go before the Messias, as his harbinger, with the same affections of zeal and courage against sin, (see note [d] on ch. ix.) of earnest calling for repentance, (and reproving even Herod himself,) and with the same authority and prophetic power, which toward Ahab was observable in Elias, (to whom he hath a greater resemblance than to any of the Old Testament,) to work an universal reformation among the Jews, to bring them to the minding of those things which tend to true justice, and not only of external legal observances, to sincere reformation and change of all their evil ways; and so fit men to receive Christ on his conditions, and to render themselves capable of his mercies. g my wife, beside that she hath all her time been barren, grown in years also, past bearing of children. h My name is Gabriel, and I am an officer or attendant that wait on God, by whom I was dispatched on this good message to thee. [f] to the wisdom] The difficulties of understanding this verse will be best avoided, and the obvious sense of it most clearly arise, if it be first observed, that there be in the Hebrew language but few prepositions in comparison with the Greek. By which means it comes to pass, that as our English translators do oft mistake and disturb the sense of scriptures by not observing this, (as for instance, Job ii. 4, where we render skin for skin, it should be, skin after skin, i. e. one thing, that is nearest to us, after another, yea, all that a man hath, will he give for his life,) so in the writings of those that being Jews by birth write in Greek, i. e. in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, and writings of the New, the Greek prepositions are used in the latitude that belongs to the Hebrew, and not according to the strict propriety of the Greek idiom in Attick writers, but far more loosely and promiscuously. This hath been already observed on occasion of іні with a genitive case, Matt. i. 11, which cannot there signify under, but before, and so in other places: see note [b] Mark ii. And the same is often observed of іv, that it signifies (beside the vulgar notation of it) sometimes іvros, within, sometimes іis, into and for, and this upon that known ground, because the Hebrew 2 is used in that latitude. This being thus premised, it is next observable, that this expression of the office of John Baptist, and the answerableness of it to that of Elias, is here taken from Malachi iv. 6. There his preaching of repentance is expressed by his turning the heart of the fathers with the children, (for so 2 is there to be rendered with, not to,) and the heart of the children with the fathers, that is, converting fathers and children together, working upon them (or, according to his office, endeavouring, by preaching in the wilderness, to work upon them,) and persuading them to repent, and amend their lives, Matt. iii. 2. This place of Malachi is both by Matthew, ch. xvii. 11, and by Mark, ch. ix. 12, repeated out of the Septuagint, (which hath ἀποκαταστήσει καρδίαν, &c.,) ἀποκαταστήσει, and ἀποκαθιστᾷ πάντα, he shall, as he doth restore, or return all, i. e. all men, (the neutral πάντα, all, being oft taken for the masculine, see Matt. xviii. 11 and 18: where there is nothing set instead of the heart of the fathers with the children, &c. but only πάντα, all, noting that, and no more, to be the meaning of the phrase in Malachi, he shall convert the heart of the fathers with the children, and of the children with the fathers, (of old and young, young and old,) i. e. he shall preach repentance to the whole Jewish nation, noted by the land in the end of that verse of Malachi, which God there threatens to come and destroy with a curse, i. e. finally and universally, if this preaching of the Baptist and of Christ and of the apostles do not bring them to repentance. Now what is by those two Evangelists so briefly expressed by he shall restore, or return all, is here more largely repeated out of the words of Malachi, ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα, to convert the hearts of the fathers, &c. Whence it is apparent that the preposition іні must here be taken in that notion of 2 which belongs to that place of Malachi, and so is to be rendered not to, but with the children; to this clear sense, John Baptist shall go • See note on Matt. xvii. 6. And as a punishment of thy unbelief, and withal as a sign to assure thee of the truth of what I say, thou shalt be deaf and dumb, and so continue till after the birth of the child, ver. 64, which shall be according to the ordinary course of women's conceiving and bringing forth, reckoning from this time. the prudence of the just, or, the minding of just things. [g] dumb) The Hebrew חרש, as the Greek κωφός, signifies both a dumb man and a deaf, and is wont to be rendered either by ἀποσιωπῶν, or by ἀποκωφοῦν, Micah vii. 16, that is, growing or becoming deaf, for there the context refers it to the ears. In this place one of the significations of the Hebrew seems to be put for the other, σιωπῶν, silent, or dumb, (if we believe Theophylact and the ancients,) for surdus, "deaf;" and so that which is added, καὶ οὐ δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι, and not able to speak, will be no pleonasm, but signify him dumb also. For that he was not only dumb, but deaf, appears by his friends, who do not speak, but nod and make signs to him, ver. 62; and it is not probable that of the two things that befell him, one should be twice and the other not once foretold by the angel. [h] vision] By ὀπτασία, vision, is here meant the ἐπιφάνεια, or appearance of God by an angel to the priest, revealing his will unto [i] ministration] The word λειτουργεῖν, which is here first met with, may deserve to be looked into; the origination of it among grammarians, from λεία and λήια, spoils, seems remote and alien. Another way may be better collected from Hesychius, by changing the punctuation of a few words in him, thus: ληϊτουργεῖν (ληϊτὸν γὰρ δημόσιον,) λειτουργεῖν: λειτουργεῖν signifies public service, officiating; and ληϊτουργεῖν is all one with that, for ληϊτὸν (from λαὸς, populus) signifies public, or belonging to the people. Thus is the king called λειτουργὸς Θεοῦ, the officer of God for public administrations, Rom. xiii. 6. Hence then is the prime importance of the word for any public service. Of which sort, because among both Jews and heathens, the priestly office, the sacrifices &c. of the temple, were the chief, the word comes to signify any sacred office. Of this we have these footsteps in the grammarians, λείτορες, λέρειαι, and λείτειραι λέρειαι in Hesychius and Phavorinus; and again, λειτουργικὰς, ἱερατικὰς. Thus the word is used in this place by St. Luke for the executing the priest's office; and so Phil. ii. 17, θυσία and λειτουργία are joined, sacrifice and sacred office, or service; and Heb. viii. 6. διαφορωτέρας τετύχηκε λειτουργίας, he hath obtained a more excellent ministry, that is, priestly service, in opposition to the priest's office on earth, ver. 4. So Heb. ix. 21, σκεῦη τῆς λειτουργίας, the utensils of the priest; and Heb. x. 11, ἕστηκε καθ' ἡμέραν λειτουργῶν, he was daily attending, or waiting on the priest's office. From hence it is brought down to the service of the Christian church, any Christian office; as Acts xiii. 2, λειτουργούντων αὐτῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ, while they ministered to the Lord, that is, were about the daily offices, praying and fasting, &c.; and so Rom. xv. 16, εἰς τὸ εἶναί με λειτουργὸν Ἰησοῦ, that I might be a minister of Jesus, employed in sacred offices. This word, though it comes from ληϊτὸς, public, doth not yet so belong to public employments, but that it signifies domestic also, (and simply serving, λειτουργῶ, διακονῶ, saith Phavorinus; and λειτουργεῖν, μοχθεῖν, δουλεύειν in Hesychius,) especially that office of the steward, which is most public of any in the family, having the administration of the whole domestic affair belonging to it. Hence λειτουργεῖν τὸν οἶκον, in Pollux, to perform the steward's office over the house. Now because, as Christ saith, it is the steward's office to give every man his portion of food in his season; and because the diet in an house or family belongs to all, is every man's portion, only so, that the steward assigns it diversely to every one, as he thinks fit to dispense it, (and thence in the grammarians, ληϊτοάρχαι are οἱ καθηγούμενοι τῶν ἑστίασεων, they that are set over the diet); therefore, in the scripture style, λειτουργία is oft used for the business of the collecta, or offertory, for the dispensing of the oblations, and out of them relieving the poor Christians. Thus 2 Cor. ix. 12, ἡ διακονία τῆς λειτουργίας ταύτης, the administration of this liberality, which was to supply the wants of the saints, as it follows † Jul. Pollux and Phavorinus. 8 Λειτουργικὰς κυρίως μὲν ἱερατικὴ καταχρηστικῶς δὲ δουλικῆ. And in the sixth month after Elisabeth's conception, see ver. 36, the angel— saluted her in this form: Hail, thou gracious person, the Lord of heaven be with thee! let all men for ever account of thee as the most blessed woman in the world! [k] highly favoured! For the finding out the full importance of this word κεχαριτωμένη in this place, it will be needful first to examine the several notions of χάρις, the noun, from whence the verb χαριτόν comes. One eminent notion of it for the gospel of Christ is explained, (as it signifies the matter of the gospel,) note [d] Heb. xiii, and (as it signifies the preaching or promulgating of it) note [e] Acts xviii. Another notion, as it signifies charity, liberality, is explained note [f] Acts ii, and very near to that, for δωρεὰ, a gift, note [e] 1 Peter iii. Beside these it signifies also a reward, either that of good words, of thanks, as we call it, or else further, of some real return; ἀμοιβὴ κατὰ εὐεργεσίαν, saith Hesychius, "a retribution for a good turn," and so it is oft used. Luke xvii. 9, μὴ χάριν ἔχει, will he thank, or reward that servant? So Luke vi. 32-34, ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστί; what thanks, or reward is due to you? for which there is μισθός, reward, ver. 35. So 1 Peter ii. 19, τοῦτο γὰρ χάρις, this shall be, or shall yield a reward, all one with κλέος, honour, the reward of an heroic action, ver. 20. Fourthly, it signifies favour, or mercy, in this chapter, to Mary, εὗρες χάριν, thou hast found favour with God, ver. 30; and in some other places, and in effect in all those where it signifies the gospel in opposition to the law, that being so styled, because there is so much of God's favour and undeserved mercy discernible in it, contrary to boasting, or debt. Lastly, it is taken for virtue, goodness in the latitude, without restraint to any particular kind of it, and that both of the body (beauty) and of the mind; from whence is that gloss of Hesychius, Χαρίεν, καλόν, ἀγαθόν, ἀστέιον, ὡραῖον, the word gracious signifies either good or handsome; for that universal goodness of the mind it seems to be taken, 2 Peter iii. 18, Grow in grace, that is, all kind of goodness, and in the knowledge (that is, practical knowledge) of our Lord, &c.; and so in divers other places mentioned note [c] Ephes. v. Now from which of all these notions the word κεχαριτωμένη is to be taken, or (because there are but two that can be competitors for it) whether as it signifies favour or goodness, is [l] Lord &c.] This speech of the angel's is by him delivered in form of a salutation, (see ver. 29,) Χαῖρε. Hail, &c.; and so these words that immediately follow, being part of the ἀσπασμὸς, salutation, seem most fitly rendered by way of prayer or benediction, The Lord be with thee: blessed art thou, &c. Thus Κύριος μεθ' ὑμῶν is generally used, The Lord be with you; and Χάρις μεθ' ὑμῶν, Grace be with you, and the like forms of Christian salutation. And seeing and considering what had happened she knew not what to judge of it, but cast about what should be the importance of this salutation. Hail, gracious person, the Lord be with thee. it. HAMMOND, VOL. I. Q And while she was thus musing, the angel— And though thou art a virgin, yet thou shalt &c. (see Matt. i. 21.) 32, 33. He shall be an eminent person, being the Son of God, (see note [I] on Matt. i.) and the God of Israel shall settle upon him a spiritual kingdom, of which that temporal of David was but an imperfect representation, the absolute government of the church, that spiritual house of Jacob, and that kingdom of his shall continue for ever, shall never be destroyed, as the kingdom of the Jews shall. " can I, being a virgin, conceive? " This shall be done by the Holy Ghost and the power of the eternal God coming upon thee, for which cause the child which shall be born shall be the Son of God and not of any man. And for a token of this, know thou that thy cousin Elisabeth hath also conceived in her old age, and that barren woman is now six months gone with child. For nothing is impossible for God to perform, be it never so strange or difficult. And Mary expressed her faith and her obedience, ready to be disposed of by God as he thinks fit, with all submission and humility of mind. And the angel— And immediately (see ver. 24.) Mary arose, and went as speedily as she could into the hill country, to some city there (of which there were many, Josh. xv. 48.) within the portion of Judah, to visit Elisabeth her cousin. * was transported and inspired by God with a prophetic spirit: see note [n]. [m] in those days] The phrase ἐν ταύταις τὰς ἡμέραις, in these days, hath for the most part a peculiar signification, differing from ἐν ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, in those days. The latter signifies an indefinite time, sometimes a good way off, but the former generally denotes a certain time then present, instantly, then, at that time. So here that which is said of Mary's going to Elizabeth was sure immediately after the departing of the angel from her, and therefore it is said, she rose up, μετὰ σπουδῆς, very hastily. So ver. 24, μετὰ ταύτας τὰς ἡμέρας, that is, immediately, Elizabeth conceived. So ch. vi. 12, ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις, that is, then, b In Leg. ad Caium, p. 774. F. And she brake out into the same words that the angel had used to Mary, ver. 28, adding also an eulogy or benediction to the child in her womb. And what an honour is this to me— † at the very minute wherein thou first spakest to me, I was so affected with joy, that the child did suddenly spring in my womb by reason of that joy which transported me. Thy belief, ver. 38, of that message which the angel delivered unto thee from God, ver. 28 and 36, shall never be repented of by thee, for it shall certainly be performed in every particular exactly. 46, 47. Upon this Mary also brake out into a divine hymn of thanksgiving to God, saying, All the faculties of my soul, my affections, and my rational faculty have all reason to bless and praise the name of God my Saviour. For he hath done an honour (the greatest that was ever done to any) to me, the unworthiest of all his servants; in which respect all posterities shall look upon me as the happiest person, the most highly dignified by God of any. For the omnipotent God of heaven hath honoured me above imagination, his name be blessed for it. Q 2 And his mercy and gracious acceptance and abundant kindness is to those that serve and obey him humbly from time to time to all eternity. Whereas the proud and great designers of the world are so far from being favoured, that they are opposed and confounded by him. Nothing is more ordinary with him than to debase the lofty atheist, and to advance the humble person, though of never so low degree. The poor that calls to him is replenished by him, and the rich man that trusts in his wealth is often brought to beggary. 54, 55. He hath now performed his promise to Abraham and to his seed, hath exhibited to them (the Jews, and all the believing world) that great promised mercy, and so made a provision for them, which shall never fail, sent the Messias, the Saviour of the world so long expected, a mercy that shall never be taken away from us. God had shewn a miracle of mercy to her in giving her a child thus in her old age, and when she had been barren so long. on the eighth day, whereon it was the custom to circumcise children and to give them names, the kindred and neighbours met to that purpose, and they intended to call him by his father's name, Zachary. And Elisabeth being also inspired by God, ver. 41, and having by that means received knowledge of the name appointed by God, and not from her husband, who was now dumb, and so had been ever since the angel spake to him, ver. 22, (see Titus Bostrensis, p. 771. B.) answered and said— And great astonishment and reverence came on all— Certainly this child will prove some notable person! And God in a special manner was present to him, to assist and prosper him. And Zachary by especial motion of the Spirit of God coming on him sung this hymn, Blessed be— hath performed his promise often mentioned (see Gen. xxi. 1, and l. 24, Exod. iii. 16, and iv. 31.) of visiting and bringing Israel out of Egypt in this spiritual (as formerly he did by way of temporal) deliverance, and by the Christ the Messias now to be born hath redeemed his people— a king, a ruler and eminent deliverer for his people; and although the kingdom be not a secular one, yet is he to be born of David's family. [n] prophesied] To prophesy is a large word; and besides the foretelling of future events, which is the ordinary notion of it, it signifies, secondly, to work miracles; as when it is said of Elisha's body, that being dead it prophesied, Ecclus. xlviii. 14, referring to the miracle that it wrought in raising the dead body that was put into Elisha's grave, 2 Kings xiii. 21. Thirdly, to declare the will of God to any by revelation or mission from him. Thus Sibylla, l. 1, προφητεύσω τὰ ἕκαστα, ὄπποσα πρὶν γέγονεν, ποσὰτ' ἐστὶν, ὄποσσά τε μέλλει, "I will prophesy all things that are past, present, and to come." Adding, πρῶτον δὴ κέλεταί με λέγειν Θεός, and "first God commands me to say —" professing to do it from God. So the author of Synopsis Prophetiarum, Τῶν προγεγονότων τὴν γνῶσιν ἐκ Θεοῦ τις λαβὼν προφήτης λέγεται, "Any that receives knowledge from God of things past is called a prophet." So Chrysostom, Ὁ προφήτης ἑρμηνευτής ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, "A prophet is no more but an interpreter, but that of God." And grammarians have observed that the word naturally signifies no more than this of speaking from or in the stead of another, that is, of God; as a proconsul is he that supplies the consul's place, πρὸ in composition being all one with ὑπέρ. So the poets were said to be the prophets of the Muses, as in Pindar, Μαντεύεο μοῖσα προφατεύσω δ' ἐγώ, "Let the Muse inspire, and I will prophesy." And in Theocritus, Μουσάων δὲ μάλιστα τίειν ἱεροὺς ὑποφήτας, "the sacred prophets of the Muses," that speak under them, or as they are inspired and directed by them. In which sense as Christ's prophetic office consisted in revealing the will of God to the world, so all that have in any degree done the like are styled prophets, all that have taught men their duties towards God and men; thus among the heathens, the divines which told men what they ought to do, their priests, or religious persons, were called vates, "prophets." And even their poets, which ordinarily reprehended their vices, are by St. Paul called ἴδιοι προφήται, their own prophets, Tit. i. 12. For although of that Epimenides it be true, that he is ordinarily by the heathens called θεῖος ἀνὴρ and προφήτης, a divine man and a prophet, and that his book is called χρησμοί, oracles or prophecies, yet is this rather a confirmation of this use of the word prophet, for those which teach men their duty; for of this Epimenides saith Diodorus Siculus, lib. 5, that he was θεολόγος, a divine, and Plutarch in Solon, that he was θεοφιλῆς καὶ σοφὸς περὶ τὰ θεῖα, to the same purpose; and Aristotle Rhet. l 3. c. 17, saith expressly οὐ περὶ τῶν ἐσομένων ἐμαντεύετο, "he prophesied not of things to come." And thus Glaucus, (among the ancient mythical writers,) that directed men the way in their navigation, ὡς δεῖ ποιεσθαι τὸν πλοῦν, "how they were to order their voyage," was by them called θαλάσσιος μάντις, the sea-prophet. Thus when, Exod. vii. 1, God said to Moses, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet, the meaning is, that what God had or should command Moses, Moses should (as god to a prophet, the oracle to the ὑποφήτης) deliver to Aaron, concerning Pharaoh, and Aaron should go as a prophet sent [o] horn of salvation] The word horn hath divers notions in the scripture: first, it signifies power, or strength, because the horns being the weapons of beasts, their strength or ability of hurting others is said properly to consist in them. So Lam. ii. 3. 17, he hath cut off all the horn of Israel, and set up the horn of thine adversaries. So Jer. xlviii. 25, the horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken; the horn being the beast's best instrument of defence, as the arm is the man's. So Micah iv. 13, I will make thy horn iron, and thou shalt beat in pieces many people; that is, I will give thee great power. So Ezek. xxix. 21, I will cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth; they shall have some considerable strength again. So the horns of the wicked and the righteous, psalm lxxv. 10, are their power. Secondly, it signifies honour, glory, triumph, as when the horn is said to be lifted up, or exalted, psalm lxxv. 4, lxxxix. 24, cxii. 9. Thirdly, from the union of both these, it signifies regal power, the honour and power of a king. So Zech. i. 18, Dan. vii. 7, 8, and Rev. xiii. 1, the four, and the seven, and the ten horns are confessedly so many kings. And this seems to be the importance of the word in this place, where the house of David being the regal family, and the word saviour denoting him that is the ruler or leader or prince of the people, (Thou gavest them saviours, Neh. ix. 27, i. e. rulers, judges; and, Saviours shall come up, Obad. 21, and the kingdom shall be the Lord's,) the horn of salvation in the house of David will denote the kingdom of Christ, that spiritual one which is not of this world, or rather Christ (in concreto) under the notion of a King. Thus, psalm xviii. 2, among the titles given to God (upon his delivering David from the hands of his enemies, as here for the redeeming us from the hands of all that hate us, ver. 71,) this is one, the horn of my salvation, that is, my King and Saviour; and this is agreeable also to that other part of the period, ἤγαρα ἡμῖν, he hath raised up to or for us, that of raising up belonging to persons advanced by God to any office of king or prophet, (see note [g] Acts xiii.) particularly of Christ to his kingdom, Acts ii. 30, God had sworn, that he would from the fruit of David's loins, according to the flesh, raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, which is distinctly parallel to this. [p] the world] עולב signifies an age, and in the New Testament most commonly is used in a general sense, not for the age of a man, nor again for an hundred years, but for an age of the world, or some eminent part in the division of that. Now the world is divided two ways; either into the age before the Messias, and the age of the Messias; or into the age of this world, and of the world to come after the day of doom. Accordingly the word עולם is used sometimes for the first part of the first division, for the first estate, beginning at the beginning of the world, and reaching to the end of the Jewish commonwealth. Thus is the phrase מין העולם à seculo, ordinarily used, and accordingly ἀν' αἰώνα here, to note that general age from the beginning of the world, of which the Jewish state was an eminent part, under which prophecies had been allowed by God to this people. And it being resolved by the Jews that there was to be another age [g] grant] The word δοῦναι with an infinitive mood after it (as here δοῦναι λατρεύειν) is, according to the sense of it, to be rendered, Q 2 [r] without fear] That the word ἀφόβως, without fear, refers to our enemies, in whose power before we were, appears by the distinct mention of them in the next words; and therefore it cannot with any sense be applied to the excluding that fear of our danger which is founded only in ourselves, our own negligences or miscarriages. And that it is to be joined with ῥυσθέντες, being delivered, and not with λατρεύειν, serving, is not only apparent by many ancient copies, which so join it without any comma betwixt ἀφόβως and ἐκ, and by Irenæus, l. 3. c. 11, reading it, Nobis sine timore erepis, servire in sanctitate, "us being delivered without fear, to serve him in holiness;" and b Titus Bostrensis, ἐπειδὴ τινες πολλάκις ῥύονται—μετὰ φόβου δὲ, διὰ τοῦτό φησι τὸ δοῦναι ἡμῖν ἀφόβως—ῥυσθῆναι, "because some oftimes are delivered from the hands of enemies, but with fear, therefore he saith, that he gives us to be delivered without fear, adding" καὶ γὰρ ἡ Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημία πεποίηκεν ἡμᾶς ἀφόβως—ῥυσθῆναι, "for Christ's coming caused us to be without fear delivered," οὐ γὰρ ᾔσθόμεθα τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἐχθρῶν, "for we felt not, had no apprehension of, the treachery of our enemies," ἀλλ' αἰφνίδιον ἥρπασεν ἡμᾶς, &c. "but he presently snatched us out, and transferred us from them into his own lot and portion, διό, &c. which lays the obligation on us" (as on those that are now become his) "to serve him in holiness and righteousness," &c. but also by the nature of the word ἀφόβως, without fear, in the translators of the Old Testament, in that only place where it is used, Prov. i. 33, ἡσυχάσει ἀφόβως ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ, he shall rest without fear from all evil, which is an explication of the dwelling safely that immediately preceded. And this according to the notion of φόβος, fear, among the sacred writers, not for the passion itself, but for the object of it, as 1 Pet. iii. 14, τὸν φόβον αὐτῶν μὴ φοβηθῆτε, fear not their fear, where the word a Pract. Cat. l. 1. sect. 1. b Pag. 722. [s] dayspring from on high] That ἀνατολὴ is here the title of Christ there is no question, whether it be literally to be rendered the east, or the rising of the sun, that sun of righteousness, Mal. iv. 2. And this title seems formerly to have been bestowed on him, Zech. iii. 8, and vi. 12, Ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ, Ἀνατολὴ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, Behold the man whose name is The East, or Rising of the Sun, as Justin Martyr cites it Dial. cum Tryph. p. 105. For which we ordinarily have, whose name is The Branch. The Hebrew רמה signifies oriri, to rise, or spring; and that may be applied to a c In Tyrannicid. p. 400. d Ap. Stobas. p. 433. [a] all the world] That οἰκουμένη doth not always signify the whole world, may be concluded by Acts xi. 28, where the prophecy of the famine through the whole world seems to belong to the same which was foretold by Christ, Matt. xxiv. 7, and so to refer only to Judæa, (see [b] taxed] The ἀπογραφή is here literally descriptio; and that is (not an exacting of tribute, or taxation, but) a setting down, or enrolling every person according to their families and estates. So in Hesychius, ἀπογραφή, ἀρίθμησις, ἢ ἡ γινομένη μήνυσις, it signifies the numbering of the people, or declaring how many and what kind of people they are; and Phavorinus, that ἀπογραφὴν ποιῆσθαι is, when "each man is sent for to make known," ὅσατε ἔχει, καὶ ὅθεν τὰ χρήματα καὶ πόσα ταῦτα εἴη, "what and how much he hath, and whence his estate came to him." This is it that the Greek and Latin Gloss in H. Stephanus hath expressed by ἀπογραφή, census, professus, professio, the word professio being the pro- per Latin word for this matter, and therefore the Vulgar very fitly hath it, ver. 3. of this chap., ibant profiteri, "they went to tell what they were worth," &c. Suidas indeed, in the word ἀπογραφή, mentioning this of Augustus, saith it was to the other end, of bringing into his "trea- sury" αὐτάρκη τινὰ μοῖραν, "a sufficient proportion;" and that it was therefore called ἀπογραφὴ πρώτη, the first of this kind, by way of equal and moderate distribution, because "they that were in power before him were wont to take away what they would." But, though Suidas be an excellent grammarian, yet in matter of history his authority is not great; and it is sure enough the Roman subjects paid their vectigalia, certain taxes, before this, and the publicans were the gatherers of them. And Cassiodore's words, which somewhat look toward that of taxing, yet refer And so, though Joseph dwelt in Galilee in the city Nazareth, he was forced to go into Judæa, unto the city of David— ᵈ by turns over their flock, some one watch of the night, some another. [c] manger] Φάτνη signifies βουστάσιον or ἱπποστάσιον, saith Is. Casaubon ad Baron. i. e. a stable where cattle stand, and not only the place where their meat is put, the manger. So in Latin, præsepe, Virgil. Æneid. vii. 17. ... in præsepibus ursi Sævire— and, Stabant ter centum nitidi in præsepibus altis; and to this the story best agrees which gives the reason of their laying him in the φάτνη, because there was no room (not in the stable, but) in the inn. [d] keeping watch] It is sufficiently known that the night was distinguished into several watches: the ὀψί, and μεσονύκτιον, and ἀλεκτροφωνία, and πρωί, Mark xiii. 35, the evening, and midnight, and cockcrowing, and morning; the first ending at nine in the evening, the second at twelve, the third at three, the fourth at six in the morning, as the day is divided into the third, and sixth, and ninth, and twelfth hours. Now these the shepherds in those countries, (which lay chiefly upon feeding cattle,) i. e. the inhabitants of the countries, did so distribute among them, that such a number of them might continue in the field and watch abroad so many hours in the night; and when that watch ended, so many other fresh men might come and succeed to that care; and this the form of speech in Greek doth import, φυλάσσοντες φυλακὰς τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ποίμην αὐτῶν, i. e. literally rendered, watching the watches of the night over their flock; and so the Vulgar readeth it, custodientes vigilias noctis super gregem. And an angel of God appeared to them in a shining cloud, signifying God's especial signal presence there, (see note [k] on Matt. iii.): and they— ¹ enrolled. ² this first enrolling was. ³ the stable. ⁴ watching the watches of the night over their flock. For the Messias or God incarnate is this day born in Bethlehem, David's city. And by this you shall distinguish this child from all others; Ye shall find— • angels, so far from envying this dignity of man's nature that they congratulated it, and thereupon sang this hymn, Glory to God— God be glorified by them which are in the highest heavens, the angels, &c., because of that peace which this birth of Christ hath brought on the earth, and because of that favour, mercy, reconciliation of God toward men, which is wrought thereby, or because of that reconciliation of God toward those that are found sincere before him. f whole story of all that was told them— g comparing them one with another in her private meditation, without speaking of them to any. [e] on earth peace, good will to—] The concurrence of so many And when the eighth day was come, wherein it was the law and custom for children to be circumcised and named, he was circumcised, and his name imposed on him, which was JESUS, according as he had been named of the angel— they brought him, as their firstborn, to present him to the priest, and then to redeem him, as Num. xviii. 15. is appointed; (According to that law given to the Jews, that as the firstborn male of other creatures, so the firstborn son (in remembrance of God's slaying all the firstborn of the Egyptians to deliver them) should be consecrated to God, Exod. xiii. 3, and since the Levites were by God taken instead of the firstborn, it is to be redeemed, Num. iii. 12 and 46.) And then for her own purification after childbirth, Lev. xii. 6, to offer her pair of turtles, being not able to offer a lamb (which is an argument that the magi had not yet brought their presents, Matt. ii. 11.) according to the commandment of God, that he which is not able to bring a lamb shall bring a pair of turtles, &c., Lev. xii. 8. an upright and godly man, looking for and expecting the coming of the Messias, see ver. 38, whether in a spiritual only, or (as most expected) in a temporal kingdom, to restore their liberty to the Jews. And he had received revelation from the Holy Ghost, that before he died the Messias should come, and he should see him. And at this very time he came by the guidance and dictate of the Spirit into the temple, and when Joseph and Mary brought in Jesus to perform those things which were according to the law usual to be done, then took he— 'recited this hymn, Lord, now lettest— Lord, now thou hast fulfilled thy promise revealed to me, ver. 26, I am heartily content to die: For I have with these fleshly eyes of mine beheld the Messias, Whom thou hast so long promised, and at last exhibited in the sight of all the congregation; A light afforded to the Gentile world, Isaiah xlix. 6, to reveal to them God's righteousness, (or the way of living which will be acceptable to God,) Psalm cxvi. 18, and (after he hath reformed the religion of the Jews, taught them the substantial instead of the ceremonial observances) to bring the Gentiles to the receiving of that religion, and so to bring much glory and honour to that nation, to those at least that do receive him, or in case they will do so. "is appointed by God to be a means of bringing punishment and ruin upon all obdurate impenitents, and on the other side to redeem, restore, recover those that will be wrought on by him throughout all this people; and he shall be vehemently opposed; so holy and severe in his precepts and practice that he shall be a butt or sign, such as are mentioned Isaiah viii. 18, a mark for all obdurate sinners to set themselves against; (And that opposition shall bring upon thee either death itself or some sore affliction,) that the machinations and designs of men, (see note [ʃ] on Matt. xv.) which are now kept secret, may come forth, and be discovered by their dealings with him, by the judgments which they pass upon him, some receiving him as the Messias, others not. See note [ʃ] on Rom. viii. "very old, and had lived in the matrimonial estate but seven years, unto which she came a pure virgin; [f] a sword shall pierce] That Mary the mother of Christ was put to death is the affirmation of Epiphanius, l. 3. hær. 78. contra Dicomarianitas, and this place of scripture said to be fulfilled by it, Ἦτοι ἀνῤῥέθη, καθὼς γέγραπται, καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῆς διελεύσεται ῥομφαία, "She was put to death according as it is written, A sword shall pass through thy soul also;" and so he goes on, ἐν μάρτυσιν αὐτῆς τὸ κλίος, "her glory is among the martyrs." If she were not actually put to death, some great sensitive affliction, the sharpness of which is here compared to a sword, and said to pass through her ψυχή, her animal or sensitive soul, is here certainly meant by it. And being now a widow of about eighty-four years old, she constantly frequented the temple (see [g] served God with fastings] Of this Anna it is the testimony of Cyril of Jerusalem, cat. 10, that she was ἐγκρατὴς, εὐλαβεστάτη, καὶ ἀσκήτρια. The first title refers to her continence and widow-chastity for so many years (having lived with an husband but seven years after marriage, he, in all probability, dying at that time); the second, to her devotion and strict observance of piety; the third, not to a solitary monial life, (as the Latin interpreter there falsely renders it,) but to such a strict observance of all that σκληραγωγία, or austerity, in fasting so often every week, and attending of public (and private) prayers so often every day, (and all this for the whole space of her ensuing life,) as was anciently observable among the ἀσκηταί, or devout persons. Thus did she take herself up from the cares and affairs of the world, that she might have the full vacancy for the service of God, and daily frequented the temple at the hours of prayer, not that she did neither eat nor sleep, or that in any respect she could be said to dwell there always, but that serving God there at all the set times of prayer, and to prayer adding the weekly observances of fasting also, she returned from those performances to her own house, and there properly inhabited; and this is enough to own that expression here, that she departed not from the temple, i. e. forsook it not, kept close to it at the set times, (though she was at her own house also at other times,) as the apostles, ch. xxiv. 53, are said to have been διὰ παντὸς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, continually in the temple; and Acts i. 13, διαμένοντες, continuing there; which yet doth not note that they were never out of it, but, as it follows, ἦσαν προσκαρτεροῦντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ δεήσει, they continued unanimously constant in prayer and supplication; not And Jesus grew in stature of body and faculties of mind, (his divine Spirit assisting and strengthening his natural faculties,) and was induced with great wisdom through the grace and power of God's Spirit upon him. q had continued there all the feast days, and then came home, as they— r after they were come a day's journey they missed him, and made strict inquiry after him amongst their—