that you may have a distinct view of those things about which you have been inform'd.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

the angel answered her, "the holy spirit shall descend upon thee, and the power of the most high shall over-shadow thee: wherefore thy holy offspring shall be called the son of God.

Whereas several have undertaken to draw up a narrative of those transactions, which pass'd among us;

they had no children, because Elizabeth was steril, and they were both advanced in years.

and all the congregation of the people stood praying without, at the time of offering incense,

now Zachary was to officiate in divine service, in the order of his family,

Zacharias startled at the sight and was seized with fear.

and according to the custom of distributing the parts, it fell to his lot to burn incense in the sanctuary.

Then Mary said, "my soul doth magnify the Lord,

he shall be your joy and transport, and numbers shall rejoice at his birth.

In the time of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest, named Zacharias, of the family of Abia, whose wife; nam'd Elizabeth, was of the race of Aaron:

he shall be great, he shall be the son of the most high. the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David.

for nothing is impossible to God."

But Zacharias said to the angel, by what sign shall I know this? for I am old, and my wife is of a great age.

you shall be now pregnant, and be delivered of a son, whom you shall name JESUS.

Soon after this, Mary departed, and made an expeditious journey to a city of Juda, in the mountains:

you shall now become dumb and not recover your speech, till the very day when these things shall happen; because you distrusted my words, which in due time shall have their effect.

In the mean time the people were waiting for Zacharias, and wonder'd at his tarrying so long in the temple.

"blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he hath regarded and wrought a deliverance for his people:

he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

the angel, upon his arrival, said to her; "Hail, favorite of heaven, the Lord is with thee: thou happiest of thy sex."

but the angel said to her, "Mary, be not afraid: for you are the object of divine favour.

according as they were delivered to us by persons, who were all along eye-witnesses, and had a share in the transactions themselves:

Then said Mary to the angel, what shall this be without any intercourse with man?

he shall appear as a divine messenger. he shall drink neither wine, nor any other strong liquor: he shall be filled with the holy spirit, even from his infancy:

and he shall march before him, in the spirit and power of Elias, to reconcile parents and children together, and the unruly to the practice of justice, that the people may be duly dispos'd to receive the Lord.

but when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; for he intimated it to them by signs, and continued dumb.

then said Mary, "behold the servant of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word." upon which the angel disappeared.

and the time of his officiating being ended, he departed to his own house.

it is the Lord, said she, who has thus favour'd me, at the time when he took care to remove the reproach I was under among men.

no sooner had Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, but the babe leap'd within her:

Some time after, Elizabeth his wife was pregnant, and went into retirement for five months.

When Elizabeth had gone her full time, she was delivered of a son.

Mary was surpriz'd at the voice of such an appearance, and wonder'd what the meaning of this salutation should be.

his mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to generation.

he hath displayed the strength of his arm, and has confounded the proud by the devices of their hearts.

he has cast down princes from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree,

"Blessed mother of the most blessed offspring! what an honour is this, that I should be visited by the mother of our Lord!

where entring into the house of Zacharias, she saluted Elizabeth.

the almighty hath distinguish'd me by the greatest marks of favour: his name be for ever reverenc'd.

I have likewise thought proper; most excellent Theophilus, to write to you a particular account; having made a very diligent inquiry into the whole matter,

Now the child continued to grow, and greatly improv'd in sense; and was in the desarts till the time, when he was to be manifested to Israel.

but the angel said to Zacharias, don't be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard: and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, whom you shall name John:

to a virgin contracted to a man; whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. and the virgin's name was Mary.

and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my saviour,

the angel replied, I am Gabriel, who attend in the presence of God, and am sent to communicate to you this agreeable message.

through the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun has visited us from on high,

they were both of them sincerely pious; observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord; with unspotted reputation.

the needy he has furnished with plentiful enjoyments, and the rich he has reduced to poverty.

he has taken Israel his servant into his protection, in pursuance of the mercy,

and on the eighth day were present at the circumcision of the child. but upon their proposing to call him by his father's name, Zacharias: his mother objected to it,

when there appear'd to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the incense-altar.

even your cousin Elizabeth, as old as she is, is become pregnant with a son: she, who was stiled barren, is now in her sixth month;

Now Mary stay'd about three months with Elizabeth, and then return'd to her own house.

he shall reign over the house of Jacob, and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

to show regard to our forefathers, in performing his holy covenant,

Then Zacharias his father, inspired by the holy spirit, vented his divine enthusiasm in these words.

her neighbours and her relations having heard how the Lord had heap'd his favours upon her, they congratulated with her:

to enlighten those, who are in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to direct our steps into the ways of peace."

and you, dear babe, you shall be the prophet of the most high: for you shall go before the Lord, in order to prepare his way,

that we should be delivered from the power of our enemies, and serve him with security,

and Elizabeth divinely inspired, broke out into this acclamation.

for he hath regarded the low estate of his servant: and future ages shall proclaim me blessed.

to deliver us from our enemies, and from the power of all that hate us:

blessed is she that has believed; for what she has heard from the Lord, shall be accomplished."

and made an impression upon all that heard of them. what a child will this be? said they, for the divine influence does attend him.

by acquainting his people how they may be saved by the remission of their sins,

then he made signs for a writing-book, and writ these words, "his name is John:" at which they were all surprized.

and said, no, he shall be called John.

no sooner did the sound of your salutation strike mine ear, than the babe leap'd within me for joy.

he hath rais'd up a powerful saviour for us, in the family of his servant David,

according to the antient promise he made by the mouth of the holy prophets,

in the sincere practice of holiness and justice, all our days.

which he promised to our forefathers, to Abraham, and to his posterity for ever."

the oath which he made to our father Abraham, to grant us this favour,

immediately he had the use of his speech: and he uttered himself in praises to God.

they therefore ask'd his father to signify how he would have him call'd.

All the neighbourhood were struck with reverence, and the rumour of these events ran thro' all the mountains of Judea,

they answered her, there is not any of your family of that name.