it, the Holy Virgin humbly acquiesced in whatever God was pleased to do with her; and as soon as the angel was departed, she made the necessary preparations for going to Hebron in order to pay a visit to her cousin Elizabeth, and to congratulate her on the joyful news she had received from the angel relative to her being six months gone with child.

As soon as Mary arrived at Zacharias's house, she informed her cousin of what had been told her by the angel; upon which Elizabeth felt the child move within her; and, being inspired with the Holy Ghost, she exclaimed, Blessed art thou above thy sex! Blessed is the fruit of thy body! And how great is my felicity to be visited by the mother of my Lord! Nor did her extacy cease with this token of humility and joy on the important event, in the ardor of which she evinced that prophetic influence, which, while it amazed the Blessed Virgin, could not fail of establishing her belief in what the angel had foretold; for she repeated the very words expressed by the Divine Messenger in his salutation of the Holy Virgin, Blessed art thou among women. The happy Virgin, catching the holy flame from the aged Elizabeth, broke out into a rapture of thanksgiving to God, wherein she recounted his mercies, and the promises which he had made to the people of Israel, and which, by making her the blessed instrument of them, he was now about to fulfil.

The Blessed Virgin continued with her cousin Elizabeth about three months, at the expiration of which time she departed, and returned to Nazareth. A short time after this Elizabeth was delivered of a son; and on the eighth day, when the child was to be circumcised and named, his relations and friends, were not a little surprized to hear that he was to be called John, as there was not any of the family who bore that name. But how much greater was their surprize when they found that, upon this occasion, his father's speech was immediately restored to him, which he employed in the praises of Almighty God, for the wonderful prodigies he had wrought among them.

And now the time was at hand, when the great joy that the birth of the Baptist had occasioned was to be aug.

mented by the more miraculous birth of the Saviour of Mankind, which was to be the perfect completion of what the angel Gabriel had promised to both their mothers.

After the Holy Virgin had returned to Nazareth she concealed, as long as she could, the great mystery (which God had wrought in her) from her espoused husband, till at length her pregnant symptoms plainly discovered it; and though her deportment had been exceeding chaste and modest, yet Joseph might be well assured she was with child. This raised no little concern in his breast; but being a merciful good man, and unwilling either to expose the honor of her family, which he thought she had stained, or to inflict public punishment on her according to the sentence of the law, he resolved upon a separation with the utmost privacy. But before he could put his design into execution, an angel from heaven appeared to him in a vision, informing him that his wife's conception was the immediate work of the Holy Ghost. Joseph (said the Divine messenger) thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sin. Matt. i. 20, 21.

The pious Joseph was strictly obedient to the heavenly vision. The next day he took home the Holy Virgin, with whom, to all outward appearance, he lived in conjugal love, though he never knew her till after she was delivered of her first born, the great Saviour and Redeemer of Israel.

A short time before the birth of our Blessed Saviour, Augustus Cæsar issued out a general edict, that the names of all persons subject to the Roman empire, with their estates and conditions, should be registered at certain appointed places, according to their different provinces, cities and families, and that a tax should be paid by all in proportion to their respective circumstances. In consequence of this decree, Joseph and his wife Mary, being both of the tribe of Judah, and family of David, were obliged to go as far as Bethlehem, which was the north-city of their tribe, in order to have their names and estates enrolled. From the great conflux of people as

sembled on this occasion, all the inns, and public places of reception were filled, so that no better places could be found for their lodging than a stable. In this lowly tenement the Blessed Virgin brought forth her first-born Son, whom she wrapped in swadding clothes, and, having no better convenience, laid him in a manger.

But, notwithstanding the great Redeemer of mankind was born in this obscure manner, yet there were several very extraordinary circumstances and occurrences that attended it, which plainly bespoke him the Son of God. On the very night of his birth the wise Disposer of all things was pleased, by his holy angel, to make it known to some shepherds, who were attending their flocks on the plain of Bethlehem. The radiance which shone around the angel, terrified the astonished peasants; but to dissipate their fears, and confirm their joy, the Divine messenger addressed them in these words: Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born, this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, Luke ii. 10, &c. Immediately after the holy angel had delivered the joyful tidings, an innumerable company of the same celestial choir broke out into this triumphant doxology: Glory be to God on high, Peace on earth, and good will towards men.

As soon as this heavenly concert was ended, the overjoyed shepherds, remembering the sign which the angel, before he disappeared, had given them, immediately hastened to Bethlehem, where they found the VirginMother, and Joseph the supposed father, attending the God-like babe, whom, in humble reverence they adored, and then returned, praising and extolling the mercies of God, and, to the great amazement of all that heard them, publishing in all places what they had seen and heard concerning the child.

On the eighth day after our Blessed Saviour's birth, his parents, in obedience to the Mosaic law, had him circumcised; and, in conformity to the order which the angel had given to his mother before her conception, they

called his name JESUS. As soon as forty days were elapsed after his birth, two other ceremonies were performed, viz. the Purification of his mother, and the Presentation of her first-born in the temple. Though, from the immaculate conception of her son there certainly needed not the former ceremony, yet the Holy Virgin was determined to show her humility and obedience to the Mosaic institution. She therefore went up with Joseph to Jerusalem, there to offer the sacrifice prescribed by the law for her own purification, and there also to present her Son to the Lord, by delivering him into the priest's hand, and redeeming him again for five shekels.

While the Blessed Virgin was performing this last ceremony, there entered the temple a pious and venerable man, named Simeon, who, with all the devout, had waited day and night for the consolation of Israel, and to whom it had been revealed, by the spirit of truth, that he should not depart this life till he had seen the Lord of life and salvation. Accordingly, it was signified to him by the Holy Ghost (at whose instance he went at the precise time into the temple) that the child there presented was the long expected Messiah, even the Redeemer of Israel. He, therefore, no sooner saw the Blessed Infant, than he immediately took it into his arms, and in an heavenly extacy, praised God for the completion of his promises, in letting him live to see the Saviour of the world, before he quitted it. Lord, said he; now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Luke xi. 29, &e.

No sooner had Simeon finished his Divine rapture, than an ancient woman of the tribe of Asher, named Anna, who was remarkable for her piety and devotion, serenity of life, and constantly frequenting the public worship, entered the temple, and being herself likewise excited by a prophetic spirit, gave God thanks for his infinite mercies; testifying, at the same time, that the Blessed In

fant was the true Messiah, and, on her departure, declared the glad tidings to all the faithful in those parts.

Having thus, in every respect, complied with the ceremonies and rites contained in the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary, with the child Jesus, left Jerusalem, and went to their own city of Nazareth in Galilee. But here they abode only a very short time, for as soon as they could conveniently adjust their domestic affairs, they went to Bethlehem, thinking the place of our Lord's nativity the most proper spot for their fixed residence.

Soon after Joseph and Mary had left Jerusalem, there appeared in that city certain strangers, who came from afar off, and were of a rank and character somewhat extraordinary. The Omnipotent Being, in order to notify the birth of his son, as well to the Gentiles as to the Jews, had caused an uncommon star to rise in the east, which three wise men, or astronomers in those parts observing, and understanding withal that it was to signify the birth of the Messiah promised to the Jews, travelled to the metropolis of Judea, in order to find out this new-born prince, that they might testify their homage and adoration of him.

The public character and appearance of these three strangers, together with their openly calling the Divine Infant the king of the Jews, not only threw Herod* into the greatest consternation, but likewise occasioned a general commotion throughout the whole city of Jerusalem. Herod, however, being resolved to destroy this supposed rival in his kingdom, assembled the whole body of the Sanhedrim, and (not yet knowing of our Blessed Saviour's nativity) demanded of them the very place where the Messiah should be born. They told him that Bethlehem

* The ambitious and cruel Herod, who was naturally of a very jealous and suspicious temper, knew well that himself was hated by the Jews, and that the Jews were then in full expectation of the Messiah (a Prince that was to subdue all other nations) to come and reign over them. He had, therefore, great reason to fear that the rumor of a king being born among them, confirmed by such extraordinary_means as persons coming from a far country, and conducted to Jerusalem by the guidance of a wonderful star, might be a means of exciting sedition among the people, and might, perhaps, occasion a revolution in the government.