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DIATES SARON.

PART I.

THE EVANGELICAL HISTORY,

BEFORE

THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST,

CONTAINING THE

SPACE OF THIRTY YEARS AND SIX MONTHS.

1. Preface.

Time. FORASMUCH

ORASMUCH as many
have taken in hand to

Place.

set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eye witnesses, and ministers of the word; it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

a

a A title of honour

B

2. The Pre-existence and Divinity of the Word.

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

b

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own," and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

e

And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, he that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.' And of his fulness have all we

a From eternity.

Rejected him.

C

i. e. By a spiritual birth.

b Refused to be enlightened.

d His own people of Israel.

f In his divine nature.

a

received, and grace for grace." For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

3. The Conception of Elizabeth.

с

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, The Temple. that while he executed the priest's

d

Place.

office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Žacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell on him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and

a Grace in abundant measure.

b Zacharias attended in his turn on the service of the temple. See Chron. xxiv. 10.

Of the family of Aaron.

In the outer parts of the temple.

in

thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and måny shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for

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the Lord.

a

. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answered and said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that as soon

C

d

2 Before the Messiah and Saviour, the Lord their God,
In the character of Elias, or Elijah, as the forerunner.
In due time.

He made signs.

as the days of his administration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

a

ed in the

And after those days his wife Eli- Place. zabeth conceived, and hid herself five City situat months, saying, Thus hath the Lord mountaindealt with me in the days wherein he ous parts of looked on me, to take away my reJudea. proach among men,

b

4. The Salutation of the Angel to Mary.

Time.

AND in the sixth month

Nine months the angel Gabriel was sent Place. before Christ's from God unto a city of Nazareth. Nativity. Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the

a

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Kept at home.

d

To have no children was a reproach among the Jews,
Jesus signifies Saviour.

In a spiritual sense.

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