as that, in fuch a cafe, more than any thing else, might induce every one to fufpect fome concerted imposture. How then can the fact before us be reconciled with the fuppofition of the plot in queftion? What can be more improbable, if they were all engaged in the supposed contrivance, than that Mary thould go to the houfe of Zacharias, and He permit her to stay in his houfe, for no less than three months together, at this critical time? It is incredible, that the contrivers of fo artificial and refined a plot could be guilty of fuch an overfight as this.

WHEREAS, if we fuppofe their accounts of the angel's appearances to be true, and the several parties concerned innocent of all finifter defigns, the whole difficulty is cleared up at once; and nothing - could be more natural than this behaviour in confequence of these events. An honeft and undefigning heart could not but burn with a defire of communicating to its friend, fuch an aftonishing revelation as Mary had received concerning herfelf; as well as of determining the credit it deserved, by enquiring into the truth of what the angel likewife informed her, had already happened to her friend. Nor could any conduct be more natural, when Elizabeth and She certainly found themfelves made the happy inftruments of fulfilling thofe glorious promifes, which had been revealed to their

forefathers, than their paffing fome time together, in admiring those astonishing events which were already come to pafs; and thofe more aftonifhing ftill, which were now upon the point of being fulfilled. And furely, when their conduct approves itself, in every particular, the natural refult of innocence, and is incompatible with the fuppofition of their guilt, it would argue no fall degree of perverfeness, still to suppose them engaged in the profecution of an impofture.

SEC

SECTION III.

Several very remarkable Facts, fubfequent to the Births of John and Jefus, confidered.

IF the few facts juft confidered, preceding the births of John and Jefus, bear witnefs in fo ftrong a manner, to the innocence and veracity of all thofe, who were moft immediately concerned in thefe events; much more will feveral astonishing particulars, that foon followed them, convince us, that they could not poffibly be the effects of human artifice and cunning; or arife from the fecret machinations of Zacharias and his Affociates; the only perfons who could poffibly have contrived them.

LUKE having particularly informed us of the time and place of Jesus's birth, and the means by which it happened, that he was born at Bethlehem, immediately goes on with the following narration.

"AND there were in the fame country," near Bethlehem, "fhepherds abiding in the field, "keeping watch over their flock by night, And` "lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,

"and

"and the glory of the Lord fhone round about them, and they were fore afraid. And the angel faid unto them, Fear not: for behold, "I bring you good tidings of great joy, which "fhall be to all people. For unto you is born "this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which "is Chrift the Lord. And this fhall be a fign "unto you; ye fhall find the babe wrapped in fwadling cloaths, lying in a manger. And fuddenly there was with the angel a multitude of "the heavenly hoft; praifing God, and faying, glory to God in the higheft, and on earth peace, good will towards men. And it came to pass, "as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the fhepherds faid one to another, Let. us now go even unto Bethlehem, and fee this thing which is come to pafs, which the Lord "hath made known unto us. And they came “with haste, and found Mary "the babe lying in a manger.

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and Joseph, and And when they "had feen it, they made known abroad the fay

ing which was told them concerning this child. "And all they that heard it wondered at those

things, which were told them by the shepherds. "But Mary kept all thefe things and pondered "them in her heart. And the fhepherds returned "glorifying and praifing God, for all the things

"they

"they had heard and feen, as it was told unto "them *."

HERE a new fcene opens upon us, crouded with unexpected vifions, and divine revelations, bearing witness in the moft extraordinary manner to the facred character and divine miffion of Jefus. But if the angel's former appearances, and predictions of the births of John and Jefus, which have already been confidered, were in reality but fictions of Thofe to whom they were pretended to have. been made; then muft this aftonishing account of what happened to the Shepherds of Bethlehem, be an impofture likewife. And if this be fo, it must have been brought about in one or other of the following ways.

EITHER the Shepherds must have been deluded by the strength of their own fuperftitious imaginations into a belief, that they faw angels which never appeared; and heard the most furprizing things revealed to them, which in fact were never spoken: Or elfe, they must have been corrupted by Zacharias, and his Confederates, purposely to give out this revelation, and to pretend to feek for Jofeph and Mary and the young child, by night, as if in confequence of it; and they knew, at the fame time, that every particular of this relation was entirely

Luke ii. 8-20.

falfe.