Thanksgiving to God; And fhe faid: All Honour, Glory, Thanksgiving and Praife, be unto God who is the Author of all Bleffings, and who has now filled my Heart with exceeding great Joy,

48. For though I was one of a low and mean Condition, and had no reafon to expect that ever any extraordinary Perfon fhould arife in my Family; yet has God, out of his own good Pleafure and infinite Bounty, vouchfafed to exalt me to the highest Dignity, and to make me the Inftrument of bringing the Meffiah into the World ; upon whofe account not only the Men of this prefent Generation, but Pofterity alfo in all Ages to the end of the World, fhall call me Bleffed.

49. This is a wonderful Act of God's Almighty Power, and a fingular Mark of his great Mercy and Favour to me his unworthy Servant : For which, his holy Name be for ever praised.

50. And this indeed is the conftant Method of Divine Providence in all Times; not to regard Mens temporal Riches or Greatnefs; but to show the most extraordinary Inftances of his Mercy, upon those who ferve him with Humility and Reverence, of how mean Condition foever they be.

51. Thus in old time God has frequently given remarkable Inftances of his Power and Wisdom, in confounding and bringing to nought the Devices of Proud and Defigning Men, and turning things beyond all expectation to the Advantage of the Modeft and Humble.

52. Those who were Lofty and Powerful, trufting in the Mightinefs of

their own Strength, and the greatnefs of their temporal Interest, he bath of ten by strange Providences overthrown and destroyed. And thofe who were mean and low, having no hopes of temporal Power or Advancement in the World, but relying only upon the Divine Protection; he hath by fingular Mercies, exalted to the highest and greatest Honours.

53. Those who have had the greateft Plenty of all Worldly Injoyments, and have thought themselves moft Secure and Happy in the Interest of their Friends, in the Number of their Children, and in the Abundance of their Wealth; he has by fudden Judgments, deprived of all thofe things at once. And on the contrary, those who have feemed to be wholly deftitute, and almost without hope of any of these Bleffings, he has in great Mercy caused to be unexpectedly filled with them

all.

54 55. Particularly his peculiar & People the Jews, he has all along preferved and bleffed in an especial manner; in old time, by leading them through the greatest Dangers, and delivering them from their powerfulleft Enemies; and now, by fending to them the Meffiah their Saviour; according to the gracious Promife which he made to our Fore-father Abraham and the reft of the Patriarchs, that he would show extraordinary Mercy to Them and their Pofterity through all Generations.

56. Thus Mary with great Joy and Devotion returned Thanks to God for his wonderful Mercy to her. And when he had continued at Elifabeth's House three Months, rejoicing after VOL. II.

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this

this manner, and praifing God with her; fhe went back to her own House.

57. Now when Elifabeth's full time came, fhe was, according to the Promife of God made by the Angel to her Hufband Zacharias, delivered of a Son.

58. Which when her Neighbours and Relations heard, they came to congratulate her and rejoiced with her, turning their Sorrow for her former Barrennefs into Songs of Thanksgiving to God for his prefent Mercy.

59. And on the eighth Day, when they were circumcifing the Child according to Cuftom, all the Company that were prefent at the Solemnity, refolved to call the Child by his Father's Name, Zacharias.

60. But his Mother Elifabeth faid, No his Name shall be John.

61. At which all her Friends in great furprize, faid; Wherefore would you have him thus called, when there is no one of this Name among all your Kindred or Acquaintance?

62. And they defired his Father Zacharias, to determine pofitively what Name they fhould give him.

63. Then Zacharias, making Signs to have a Writing-Book brought him, wrote therein peremptorily, that the Child's Name was John. At which all that were prefent, not knowing the Difpenfation of Providence, wondered greatly.

*Though it is poffible that Zacharias might be deaf as well as dumb, as moft Interpreters fuppofe; yet it is not at all certain from the word wives. For chew may with as much propriety fignify to ask, as art in the next Verfe fignifies to make Signs.

64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loofed, and he fpake, and praised God.

65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these fayings throughout all the hill-country of Judea.

were noised abroad

66 And all they that had heard them, laid them up in their hearts, faying, What manner of child shall this be? And the

hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the holy Ghoft, and prophefied, faying,

68 Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, for he hath visited

and redeemed his people,

69 And hath raifed up an horn of falvation for us, in the houfe of his fervant David;

64. And immediately hereupon Zacharias had the ufe of his Speech reftored to him: And he speak plainly, as before the time of the Angel's Appearance; and rejoiced, and gave thanks to God.

65. Now the Report of all these things prefently spread in the neighbouring Places, and filled all the Hill-country of Judæa. And it raifed in the People great Fear and Admiration of the Power of God, and great Expectation what the Event of thefe extraordinary Manifeftations of Providence would be.

66. For all Men obferved, and thought that fome very great Event was near to be brought about; And every one faid, Surely this Child muft be defigned of God for fome very remarkable Purposes, whofe Conception and Birth was accompanied with fo maMiracles! And the Child grew, and appeared to be bleffed and profpered in a peculiar manner by the continual Care of Divine Providence.

ny

67. In the mean time Zacharias (as I faid) continued rejoicing and praifing God; And by the Motion and Affiftance of the Holy Ghost, he compofed and fung the following Hymn.

68 & 69. Bleffed and for ever praised be the God of Ifrael, for his infinite Goodnefs and never-failing Mercy, in that he has now again vouchfafed in an extraordinary manner to vifit his People, and actually begun to work for them a great Deliverance, by fending them a Prince and Saviour, of the Family of David, even the Meffiah the Lord: