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deret, præcepit ut ad feftivitatem quæ imminebat, omnes ex Hierofolymis et vicinis locis primores adeffent, quorum confilio fcire poffet, quid de tam dubia re faciendum effet. Quod cum fieret, omnibus in commune placuit, Dominum fuper hac re effe confulendum. Et cunctis quidem in orationem incumbentibus, Pontifex ad confulendum Deum ex more acceffit.

Nec mora, cunc

tis audientibus de oraculo et de propitiatorii loco vox facta eft, fecundum Efaiæ vaticinium requirendum effe, cui Virgo illa commendari et defponfari deberet. Liquet enim Efaiam dicere, Egredietur virga de radice Jeffe, et flos de radice ejus afcendet, et requiefcet fuper eum Spiritus Domini, Spiritus Sapientiæ et Intellectus, Spiritus Confilii et Fortitudinis, Spiritus Scientiæ et Pietatis, et replebit eum Spiritus timoris Domini. Secundum hanc ergo prophetiam, cunctos de domo et familia David, nuptui habiles,

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ftrangers, commanded, that at the approaching feaft all the principal persons both of Jerufalem and the neighbouring places fhould meet together, that he might have their advice, how he had beft proceed in fo difficult a cafe. When they were accordingly met, they unanimously agreed to feek the Lord, and ask counfel from him on this matter a. And when they were all engaged in prayer, the Highprieft, according to the usual way, went to confult God, and immediately there was a voice from the ark, and the mercy-feat, which all present heard, that it must be enquired or fought out by a prophecy of Ifaiah, to whom that Virgin fhould be given and be betrothed; for Ifaiah faith, There

hall come forth a rod out of the ftem of Jeffe, and a flower shall spring out of its root, and the Spirit of the Lord fhall reft upon him, the Spirit 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 fhall fill him. Then, according to this prophecy, he appointed, that all the men of the house and family of David, who were marriageable, and

a Num. xxvii. 21. compared with Exod. xxviii. 30. Lev. viii. 8.

Deut. xxxiii. 8. Ezra ii. 3. Nehem. vii, 65.

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non conjugatos, virgas fuas allaturos ad altare prædixit; et cujufcunque poft allationem virgula florem germinâffet, et in ejus cacumine Spiritus Domini in fpecie Columbæ confediffet, ipfum effe cui Virgo commendari et defponfari deberet.

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VIII. Erat autem inter cæteros Jofeph, homo de domo et familia David, grandævus; cunctis vero virgas juxta ordinem deferentibus, folus ipfe fuam fubtraxit. Unde cum nihil divinæ voci confonum apparuiffet, Pontifex iterato Deum confulendum putavit; qui refpondit, folum illum ex his, qui defignati erant, virgam fuam non attuliffe, qui Virginem defponfare deberet. Proditus itaque eft Jofeph. Cum enim virgam suam attuliffet, et in cacumine ejus columba de cœlo veniens confediffet, liquido omnibus patuit ei Virginem defponfandam fore. Igitur nuptiarum jure de more celebrato, ipfe quidem in Bethlehem recedit civitatem, domum fuam difpofiturus, et nuptiis neceffaria procuraturus. Virgo autem

not married, should bring their feveral rods to the altar, and out of whatsoever perfon's rod after it was brought, a flower fhould bud forth, and on the top of it the Spirit of the Lord fhould fit in the appearance of a dove, he should be the man to whom the Virgin should be given and be betrothed.

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VIII. Among the rest there was a man named Jofeph, of the house and family of David, and a person very far advanced in years, who drew back his rod, when every one befides prefented his. So that when nothing appeared agreeable to the heavenly voice, the High-prieft judged it proper to confult God again, who anfwered, 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 faw, that the Virgin was to be betrothed to him: accordingly the ufual ceremonies of betrothing being over, he returns to his own city of Bethlehem, to fet his house in order, and make the needful provifions for the marriage. But the Virgin of the Lord, Mary,

Domini Maria cum aliis feptem virginibus coævis et collactaneis, quas a facerdote acceperat, ad domum parentum fuorum in Galilæa reverfa eft.

IX. Iftis vero diebus, primo scilicet adventus fui in Galilæam tempore, miffus eft ad eam Angelus Gabriel a Deo, qui ei conceptum Dominicum narraret, et conceptionis vel modum vel ordinem exponeret. Denique ingreffus ad eam cubiculum quidem, ubi manebat, ingenti lumine perfudit; ipfam vero gratantiffime falutans, dixit, Ave Maria, Virgo Domini gratiffima, Virgo gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu præ omnibus mulieribus, benedicta præ omnibus hactenus natis hominibus. Virgo autem, quæ jam Angelicos bene noverat vultus, et lumen cœlefte infuetum non habebat, neque Angelica vifione territa, neque luminis magnitudine ftupefacta, fed in folo ejus fermone turbata eft; et cogitare cœpit, qualis ifta falutatio tam infolita effe poffet,

with seven other virgins of the fame age, and who had been weaned at the same time, which she had received of the Prieft, returned to her parents' house in Galilee.

IX. Now at this time, viz. of her first coming into Ga lilee, the Angel Gabriel was fent 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 fhe was with a prodigious light, and in a moft courteous manner faluting her, he said, Hail, Mary, Virgin of the Lord most acceptable! Oh Virgin full of grace! The Lord is with you, you are blessed above all women, blefed above all men, that have been hitherto born 2. But the Virgin, who had before been well acquainted with the countenances of Angels, and to whom fuch light from heaven was no uncommon thing, was neither terrified with the vifion of the Angel, nor aftonifhed at the greatness of the light, but only troubled about to confider what that so ex

the Angel's words, and began traordinary a falutation should mean, what it did portend,

• Luk. i. 28.

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mis. Et dabit illi Dominus

quidve portenderet, vel quem or what fort of end it would finem effet habitura. have. To this thought the cogitationi Angelus divinitus Angel divinely inspired reinfpiratus occurrens; Ne ti- plies; Fear not, Mary, as meas, inquit, Maria, quafi though I intended any thing inaliquid contrarium tuæ cafti- confiftent with your chastity in tati hac falutatione prætexam: this falutation: for you have invenifti enim gratiam apud found favour with the Lord, Dominum, quia caftitatem because you made virginity your elegifti. Ideoque Virgo fine choice. Therefore while you peccato concipies, et paries are a Virgin, you shall conceive filium. Hic erit magnus, without fin, and bring forth a quia dominabitur a mari uf- fon. He fhall be great, beque ad mare, et a flumine uf- caufe he fhall reign from fea to que ad terminos orbis terræ. fea, and from the river even to Et Filius Altiffimi vocabitur, the ends of the earth. And quia qui in terris nascitur hu- he fhall be called the Son of the milis, in cœlo regnat fubli- Higheft; for he who is born. in a mean flate on earth, reigns in an exalted one in heaven. And the Lord shall give him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the houfe of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. For he is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and his throne is for ever and ever. To this discourse of the Angel the Virgin replied, not as though she were unbelieving, but willing to know the manner of it: She said, How can that be? For feeing, according to my vow, I never have known any man, how can I bear a child without the addition of a man's feed? To this the Angel replied and faid, Think not,

Deus fedem David patris ejus, et regnabit in domo Jacob ad æternum, et regni ejus non erit finis. Ipfe quippe Rex Regum, et Dominus Dominantium eft, et thronus ejus

in feculum feculi. His Angeli verbis Virgo non incredula, fed modum fcire volens refpondit: Quomodo iftud fieri poteft? Nam cum ipfa virum juxta votum meum nunquam cognofco, quomodo fine virilis feminis incremento parere poffum? Ad hoc Ange

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a Luk. i. 29.

Luk. i. 31, &c.

Mary,

lus, Ne existimes, inquit, Maria, quod humano more concipias. Nam fine virili commixtione Virgo concipies, Virgo paries, Virgo nutries. Spiritus enim Sanctus fuperveniet in te, et virtus Altiffimi obumbrabit tibi, contra omnes ardores libidinis. Ideoque quod nascetur ex te, folum erit fanctum, quia folum fine peccato conceptum, et natum vocabitur Filius Dei. Tunc Maria expanfis manibus, et oculis ad cœlum levatis, dixit, Ecce ancilla Domini (neque enim Dominæ nomine digna fum) fiat mihi fecundum verbum tuum.

X. Joseph igitur a Judæa in Galilæam veniens, defponfatam fibi Virginem ducere

intendebat; jam namque tres fluxerant menfes, et quartus inftabat, ex eo tempore quo fibi defponfata fuerat. Interea paulatim utero puerperæ intumefcente, puerperam fe manifeftare cœpit, neque hoc latere potuit Jofeph. Nam fponfi more liberius ad Virginem introiens, et familiarius cum ea loquens, gravidam effe deprehendit. Æftuare itaque animo

Mary, that you shall conceive in the ordinary way. For without lying with a man, while a Virgin, you shall conceive, while a Virgin, you shall bring forth, and while a Virgin, fhall give fuck. For the Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the most High fhall overshadow you, without any of the heats of luft. So that which shall be born of you shall be only holy, because it only is conceived without fin, and being born, shall be called The Son of God. Then Mary ftretching forth her hands, and lifting her eyes to heaven, faid, Behold the handmaid of the Lord! Let it be unto me according to thy word.

X. Jofeph therefore went from Judæa to Galilee, with intention to marry the Virgin who was betrothed to him; for it was now near three months, fince fhe was betrothed to him. At length it plainly appeared fhe was with child, and it could not be hid from Jofeph: for going to the Virgin in a free manner, as one efpoufed, and talking familiarly with her, he perceived her to be with child, and thereupon began to be

a Luk. i. 38.

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