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Auguftus's Taxing the Empire, the Occafion of Jefus's being born at Bethlehem, according to the Prophecy, ver. 1. The Birth of Jefus, ver. 7. Made known to the Shepherds, ver. 8. Jefus circumcifed, ver. 21. and prefented in the Temple, ver. 22. Old Simeon prophefies of Christ, ver. 25. and Anna, ver. 36. Jefus difputes with the Doctors, ver. 43.

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(* at which time Quirinius was Prefect
of Syria;) the Emperour Auguftus, to
know the Number, Families, and
Wealth of all his Subjects through the
Roman Empire, caused an Edict to be
published, commanding a Note to be
taken of every Perfon; and an Enroll-
ment to be made of them according to
their Families.

3. Upon account of which Edict,
every Man that happened to be fo-
journing in a ftrange place, return
ed home immediately to the City of
his Fathers; that his Name might be
enrolled in his own Family, and his Pe-
digree continued with that of his An-
ceftors.

45. Many therefore were obliged to take fudden Journies: And among the reft, Jofeph the Hufband of Mary; Who being by Birth of the Family of David, but dweiling at that time in Nazareth, a City of Galilee, went up into Judea with Mary his efpoufed Wife, who was then great with Child, to be enrolled at Bethlehem the City of David, amongst thofe of the fame Family.

6. Now by this means, the Wifdom of God wonderfully brought about the Accomplishment of that +Micah. Prophecy, that Chrift fhould be born at Bethlehem. For while fo

v. 5.

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*The Words of this Second Verfe being very ambiguous, and Prophane History not affording fufficient Light in the matter, there is great difficulty in interpreting this Paffage. For the Words may fignify, either that Quirinus was then appointed to make the Inrollment in Syria; or that the Inrollment was first begun under Quirinius, and then renewed and continued afterward; or that the Inrollment was made before Quirinius was Governour of Syria, the Phrafe πρώτη ηγεμονευον ( Κυρηνίου, being the fame as parós peu John i. 15 & 30. Cenfum populi ter egit Auguftus. Sueton. cap. 27.

7 And

7 And fhe brought forth her first-born fon,and wrapped him in fwadling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the fame country fhepherds abiding in the field, keeping

watch over their flock by night.

9

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord fhone round about them; and they were

fore afraid.

10 And the angel faid unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which fhall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord.

12 And this ball be a fign unto you; Ye fhall find the

feph and Mary continued there upon this accidental occafion of the Enrollment, the time came for Mary to be delivered.

7. And fhe brought forth her Only Son, and wrapped him in fuch Clothes as fhe could there procure. And becaufe the Town was at that time full of People, fo that there was no room to be had in the Inn, fhe with great Humility, and contented Refignation. to the Will of Providence, laid him in a Manger.

8. At the fame time, there were Shepherds in the neighbouring Fields, watching their Sheep all Night in their turns, according to the Cuftom of the Country.

9. And fuddenly in the Night, there appeared to thefe Men a great and unusual Light; and therewith an Angel of God in a visible Form, bright and glorious; at which wonderful Sight, the Shepherds were greatly affrighted.

10. But the Angel with a chearful Countenance fpake comfortably to them, and faid, Be not afraid; I come not to terrify you; but to bring you great and happy News, matter of great Joy to you; and not to you only, but alfo to all the Nation of the Jews, and to the whole World.

11. For He of whom all the ancient Prophets prophefied, and whom all the People of Ifrael, according to the Promife of God, have long and impatiently expected; even the Mefliah your Saviour, is this Night born in Bethlehem, the City of David.

12. And by these Signs ye fhall know him When ; you go into the B 4

Town,

Town, ye fhall find him in fuch a Houfe, wrapped in Swaddling-clothes, lying in a Manger.

13. Scarcely had the Angel done fpeaking, when immediately there appeared a vaft number together of those glorious Spirits, rejoicing and finging praises to God.

14. And they faid; Great Glory and Honour be unto God in Heaven, and great Peace and Happiness to Men upon Earth; feeing it is the good pleafure of God, that a Saviour is now sent unto them, by whom they may be inftructed both to preferve Peace among themselves, and to obtain Reconciliation with God.

15. Thus it pleafed God by an apparition of Angels, to give the firft notice of the Birth of his Son, to Shepherds, plain, unprejudiced and undefigning Men, who accordingly were afterwards unexceptionable Witneffes of all these things. For as foon as the Angels difappeared, the Shepherds refolved to go to Bethlehem, that they might fee and be Eye-witneffes of what God had declared to them by his Angel,

16. And they went immediately according to the Angel's direction, and found Jofeph and Mary, and the Babe, as the Angel had defcribed it, lying in a Manger.

17. And when they had feen him, and were fully fatisfied, they related the whole Story publickly, both how the Angels had appeared to them, and how they had gone, and were themselves Eye-witnefles of what the Angel had

before declared to them.

18. And all that heard thefe things, were greatly furprized at the

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ftrangeness and wonderfulness of the
account the Shepherds gave. For they
understood not yet fully what thefe
things meant; only they fuppofed, that
fome great Event, or Revolution was
approaching.

19. But Mary herfelf obferved every
thing diligently, and kept it carefully
in mind, and meditated upon it; com-
paring things together, and ftudying to
understand the Will and Delign of
Providence in this whole miraculous
Tranfaction.

20. And the Shepherds returned to their Employment, rejoicing and praifing God for the gracious Revelation He had vouchfafed to grant them, and for the fatisfaction of Mind which they had in finding all things agree exactly to what the Angel. had told them concerning the Birth of Chrift.

21. Now on the Eighth Day after the Birth of the Child, his Parents caufed him to be circumcised according to the Law, and they called his Name Jefus, that is, the Saviour; as the Angel had exprefsly directed, both at his appearance to Mary before the Conception, and in a

*

Chap. i.

Vi- 31. fion to Jofeph before the Birth of the † Mat. i..

Child.

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21.

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