more than is at this day in ſoine places even in Europe.) Here the Virgin falls into her Labour, brings forth a Son, and lodgerh him
S And chere were in the ſame country ſhepherds
Bethlehem was a place about which were Paſturcs for Sheep, as appears trom 1 Sar. 75. 16. There were Shepherds abroad in the mgit (tor fo the Word tignifieth ) watching over their Flocks, Phether the Phraſe Genifieth (as ſome think ) ſucceſſive Watches.
ſuch a+are kept by Souidicrs and the by Prieſts, I cannot ſay. This
maketh fome think, that it 1s hardly probable, that our Saviour was mori 13 December, 10 the midſt of tizz Winter, that being no time xnen Snepi:erds uſe 1n the night to be keeping their Flocks in the
Þ 7.4 + Cs
9 Ang lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
3d the glory of the Lord ſhone round about them, and thcy were fore afraid:
Chriſt was promiſed to Men, who by their Occupation were Shep- eras, Ven, 47. 3- He himſelf was the Chief Shepnerd, and the truc The firſt Publication of his Birth is made to
16 And they came with haſt, and found Mary and Joſeph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had ſeen ze, they made known abroad the Saying which was told them concerning tis child,
18 Ard all they that heard zr, wondred at thok things which were told them by the ſhepherds.
It was Night, yet they delayed not to go, and make a Search,2c- cording to the Revel.itjon of the Angel ; and not in vain ; they found Mary and Foſeph, and tize Babe. Livine Revelations never dccelve the Soul that gives credit to them.Heaven and Earth may pals away, but nothing which God hath ſpoken ſhall paſs away without 1ts AC- compliſhment. {When they had ſeen it, they made knw" the ſay: ing, &c. ] They had no charge of Secrecy upon them, fo did well in publiſhing what was of ſuch Univerſal Concern for Mcn tf know ? Spiritual Morſels ought not to be ate alone. The Effect of their Re- lation, in the generality of the People that heard it, was the ſame which we have often met with, upon the Peoples ſecing of Chriſt's Miracles, viz. Amazement and Aſtoniſhment, We read nothing ol their Faith, The firſt was a natural Effet of a ſtrange Retatim 3 the other muſt have been the ſpecial Operation ot God-
19 But Mary kept all theſe things, and pondered them in her heart.
gloriſying and
20 And the ſhepherds returned , praiſing
Cha
away from them into heaven, the i| ſhepherds ſaid one\ 0: to another;Ler us row 'go even unto Bethlehem, ard”
one / by
ſee this thing which is come to paſs, which the Lord”
p. 08C"s
2 12.8 faid 0r t
In The « the « Lord thro a Mal tinue forth ward that t male, forty. of a \ Doe, to off and nc ſhe for a takes | Voung 1 by the comet] not {ſo pended remem Born of me all dren 0 Nur, | Lord, thoſe Numb, of anv Ifter fj
[2 , om
}
1004p:
me zl
| Ing" made of a Woman, made under the Law, Gal' 4- 4. and the
praiſing
fad in the law of the Lord, * A pair of turtle-doves,
IL
God for all the things that they had heard and
a<it was told unto them.
m_ different effett of theſe things upon the Generality of the Peo-
The
1 BY per wondered,thinking the Story of tne Shepherds a ſtrange
Story ; Mary ſuffereth them not to paſs out of her thoughts,nor en- rertaineth the-1) with a meer paffion which ſuddenly is extinguiſhed, hut ſhe pandereth them in her heart, both thoſe things ſhe had learn- «d from her Husband, ard what her {elf had heard from the Angel,
; this ſo, which was related to her of or !5y the Shepherds. The elec return, that is, to the care of their Flocks. Religion gives : : + i ducharge from their ſecular Duties. The Diſciples had a ſpe- __ Cail, 1nd © ommand, that left their Nets, and their Parents, and {lowed Chr:{t. The Srepherds were only made occafional Preach- ors, p71 bac vice, they return, but [Glorifying and Praiſing God for ol the things 'e» had heard, and ſeen, as it was told _— which aroued, £ +47 they gave afirm and full Affent to them, and that they were the ficit Fruits of Believers under the Goſpel-Diſpenfation.
True Faith produceth great Joy, and Thanſgiving to God, and
S. LUKE:
25 Andbehold,there was a man in Jeruſalem, whoſ- name was Simeon, and the fame was jnſt and devout,
hoſt was upon him.
26 Andit was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghoſt, that he ſhonld not ſee death before he had ſeen the Lord's Chriſt.
27 And he came by the ſpirit into the when the parents brought in the child him after the cuſtom of the law :
28. Then took he him vp in hisarms, ard bleſſeag God and faid,
Interpreteters have ſpent much pains in fortifying their Conjet- ures (for they can be no more) that this Sime;n was 1.56.2 Simeng the Son of Hillcl, the Father of Gamalicl,but to what purpoſe I can- not tcl] 3 1t can hardly bz thought that a Man of thar Note,thould do ſuch a thing as this ſo openly, and no more notice be taken of him.
temple: And J:{us, to do for
needs muſt produce Joy, becauſe of the Union it maketh betwixt a Squl. and 1ts defired objed. 21 And when eight days were accompliſhed for the circumciling of the child, his name was * called ESUS, which was ſo named of the angel, before he
was conceived in the womb. | |
Ti;e time Preſcribed by the Divine Law for Circumcifion, was the Eightn Day,Gen. 17. 12. Levit. 12. 3. he was indeed the Law- ver, and as ſuch not tyed to the obſervance of the Law. But he