tura esset, hujus miraculi indicio præmonstrabat. Igitur sacrificio secundum consuetudinem legis celebrato, et voto suo perfecto, virginem intra septa templi cum aliis virginibus ibidem educandis dimiserunt; ipsi verò domum regressi sunt.

pro

VII. Virgo autem Domini cum ætatis processu et virtutibus ficiebat; et juxta Psalmistam, Pater et mater dereliquerunt eam, Dominus vero assumpsit eam. Quotidie namque ab angelis frequentabatur, quotidie divina visione fruebatur, quæ eam a malis omnibus custodiebat, et bonis omnibus redundare faciebat. Itaque ad quartum decimum annum usque pervenit, ut non solum nihil de ea mali reprehensione dignum confingere possent; sed et boni omnes qui eam noverant, vitam et conversationem ejus admiratione dignam judicarent. Tunc pontifex publice denunciabat, ut virgines quæ in templo publice constituebantur, et hoc ætatis tempus explêssent, domum reverterentur, et nuptiis, secundum morem gentis et ætatis maturitatem, operam darent. Cui mandato cum cæteræ pronæ paruissent, sola virgo Domini Maria hoc se facere non posse respondit, dicens; se quidem et

of perfect age. Thus the Lord did in the infancy of his virgin work this extraordinary work, and evidence by this miracle how great she was like to be hereafter. But the parents having offered up their sacrifice, according to the custom of the law, and perfected their vow, left the virgin with other virgins in the apartments of the temple, who were to be brought up there, and they returned home.

VII. But the virgin of the Lord, as she advanced in years, increased also in perfections, and according to that of the Psalmist, Her father and mother forsook her, but the Lord took care of her. For she every day had the conversation of angels, and every day received visions from God, which preserved her from all sorts of evil, and caused her to abound with all good things; so that when at length she arrived to her fourteenth year, as the wicked could not lay any thing to her charge worthy of reproof, so all good persons, who were acquainted with her, admired her life and conversation. At that time the high priest made a public order, That all the virgins who had public settlements in the temple, and were come to this age, should return home, and, as they were now of a proper maturity, should, according to the custom of their country, endeavour to be married. To which command,

parentes suos Domini servitio mancipâsse, et insuper se ipsam Domino virginitatem vovisse, quam nunquam viro aliquo commixtionis more cognito violare vellet. Pontifex vero in angustia constitutus animi, cum neque contra scripturam, quæ dicit, Vovete et reddite, votum infringendum putaret, neque morem genti insuetum introducere auderet, præcepit ut ad festivitatem quæ imminebat, omnes ex Hierosolymis et vicinis locis primores adessent, quorum consilio scire posset, quid de tam dubia re faciendum esset. Quod cum fieret, omnibus in commune placuit, Dominum super hac re esse consulendum. Et cunctis quidem in orationem incumbentibus, pontifex ad consulendum Deum ex more accessit. Nec mora, cunctis audientibus de oraculo et de propitiatorii loco vox facta est, secundum Esaiæ vaticinium requirendum esse, cui virgo illa commendari et desponsari deberet. Liquet enim Esaiam dicere, Egredietur virga de radice Jesse, et flos de radice ejus ascendet, et requiescet super eum Spiritus Domini, Spiritus Sapientiæ et

though all the other virgins readily yielded obedience, Mary the virgin of the Lord alone answered, that she could not comply with it, assigning these reasons, that both she and her parents had devoted her to the service of the Lord; and besides, that she had vowed virginity to the Lord, which vow she was resolved never to break through by lying with a man. The high priest being hereby brought into a difficulty, seeing he durst neither on the one hand dissolve the vow, and disobey the scripture, which says, Vow and pay", nor on the other hand introduce a custom, to which the people were strangers, commanded, that at the approaching feast all the principal persons both of Jerusalem and the neighbouring places should meet together, that he might have their advice, how he had best proceed in so difficult a case. When they were accordingly met, they unanimously agreed to seek the Lord, and ask counsel from him on this matter o. And when they were all engaged in prayer, the high priest, according to the usual way, went to consult God, and immediately there was a voice

n Eccles. v. 4, 5, 6. et Psal. lxxvi. 1 1. • Num. xxvii. 21. compared with

Exod. xxviii. 30. Lev. viii. 8. Deut. xxxiii. 8. Ezra ii. 63. Nehem. vii. 65.

Intellectus, Spiritus Consilii et Fortitudinis, Spiritus Scientiæ et Pietatis, et replebit eum Spiritus timoris Domini. Secundum hanc ergo prophetiam, cunctos de domo et familia David, nuptui habiles, non conjugatos, virgas suas allaturos ad altare prædixit; et cujuscunque post allationem virgula florem germinâsset, et in ejus cacumine Spiritus Domini in specie columbæ consedisset, ipsum esse cui virgo commendari et desponsari deberet.

VIII. Erat autem inter cæteros Joseph, homo de domo et familia David, grandævus; cunctis vero virgas juxta ordinem deferenti

bus, solus ipse suam subtraxit. Unde cum nihil divinæ voci consonum apparuisset, pontifex iterato Deum consulendum putavit; qui respondit, solum illum ex his, qui designati erant, virgam suam non attulisse, qui virginem desponsare deberet. Proditus itaque est Joseph. Cum enim virgam suam attulisset, et in cacumine ejus columba de cœlo veniens consedisset, liquido omnibus patuit ei virginem desponsandam fore. Igitur nuptiarum jure de more celebrato, ipse quidem in Bethlehem recedit civitatem, domum suam dispositurus, et nuptiis necessaria procuraturus.

of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him. Then, according to this prophecy, he appointed, that all the men of the house and family of David, who were marriageable, and not married, should bring their several rods to the altar, and out of whatsoever person's rod, after it was brought, a flower should bud forth, and on the top of it the Spirit of the Lord should sit in the appearance of a dove, he should be the man to whom the virgin should be given and be betrothed.

VIII. Among the rest there was a man named Joseph, of the house and family of David, and a person very far advanced in years, who drew back his rod, when every one besides presented his. So that when nothing appeared agreeable to the heavenly voice, the high priest judged it proper to consult God again, who answered, That he to whom the virgin was to be betrothed was the only person of those who were brought together, who had not brought his rod. Joseph therefore was betrayed. For when he did bring his rod, and a dove coming from heaven pitched upon the top of it, every one plainly saw, that the virgin was to be betrothed to him: accordingly the usual ceremonies of betroth

Virgo autem Domini Maria cum aliis septem virginibus coævis et collactaneis, quas a sacerdote acceperat, ad domum parentum suorum in Galilæa reversa est.

IX. Istis vero diebus, primo scilicet adventus sui in Galilæam tempore, missus est ad eam angelus Gabriel a Deo, qui ei conceptum Dominicum narraret, et conceptionis vel modum vel ordinem exponeret. Denique ingressus ad eam cubiculum quidem, ubi manebat, ingenti lumine perfudit; ipsam vero gratantissime salutans, dixit, Ave Maria, virgo Domini gratissima, virgo gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu præ omnibus mulieribus, benedicta præ omnibus hactenus nátis hominibus. Virgo autem, quæ jam angelicos bene noverat vultus, et lumen coleste insuetum non habebat, neque angelica visione territa, neque luminis magnitudine stupefacta, sed in solo jus sermone turbata est; et cogitare cœpit, qualis ista salutatio tam insolita esse posset, quidve portenderet, vel quem finem esset habitura. Huic cogi

ing being over, he returns to his own city of Bethlehem, to set his house in order, and make the needful provisions for the marriage. But the virgin of the Lord, Mary, with seven other virgins of the same age, and who had been weaned at the same time, which she had received of the priest, returned to her parents' house in Galilee.

IX. Now at this time, viz. of her first coming into Galilee, the angel Gabriel was sent to her from God, to declare to her the conception of our Saviour, and the manner and way of her conceiving him. Accordingly going into her, he filled the chamber where she was with a prodigious light, and in a most courteous manner saluting her, he said, Hail, Mary, virgin of the Lord most acceptable! O virgin full of grace! The Lord is with you, you are blessed above all women, blessed above all men, that have been hitherto born P. But the virgin, who had before been well acquainted with the countenances of angels, and to whom such light from heaven was no uncommon thing, was neither terrified with the vision of the angel, nor astonished at the greatness of the light, but only troubled about the angel's words, and began to consider what that so extraor

P Luke i. 28.

9 Luke i. 29.