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5.
1
BUT the Virgin of the Lord, as she advanced in fears, increased also in perfections, and according to the saying of the Psalmist, her father and mother forsook her, but the Lord took care of her.
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5.
2
For she every day had the conversation of angels, and every day received visitors from God, which preserved her from all sorts of evil, and caused her to abound with all good things;
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5.
3
So that when at length she arrived to her fourteenth year, as the wicked could not lay anything to her charge worthy of reproof, so all good persons, who were acquainted with her, admired her life and conversation.
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5.
4
At that time the high-priest made a public order. That all the virgins who had public settlements in the temple, and were come to this age, should return home, and, as they were now of a proper maturity, should, according to the custom of their country, endeavour to be married.
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5.
5
To which command, though all the other virgins readily yielded obedience, Mary the Virgin of the Lord alone answered, that she could not comply with it.
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5.
6
Assigning these reasons, that both she and her parents had devoted her to the service of the Lord; and besides, that she had vowed virginity to the Lord, which vow she was resolved never to break through by lying with a man.
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5.
7
The high priest being hereby brought into a difficulty,
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5.
8
Seeing he durst neither on the one hand dissolve the vow, and disobey the Scripture, which says, Vow and pay, [*21:1]
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5.
9
Nor on the other hand introduce a custom, to which the people were strangers, commanded,
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5.
10
That at the approaching feast all the principal persons both of Jerusalem and the neighbouring places should meet together, that he might have their advice, how he had best proceed in so difficult a case.
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5.
11
When they were accordingly met, they unanimously agreed to seek the Lord, and ask counsel from him on this matter. [*21:2]
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5.
12
And when they were all engaged in prayer, the high-priest, according to the usual way, went to consult God.
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5.
13
And immediately there was a voice from the ark, and the mercy seat, which all present heard, that it must be inquired or sought out by a prophecy of Isaiah to whom the Virgin should be given and be betrothed;
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5.
14
For Isaiah saith, there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a flower shall spring out of its root,
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5.
15
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest 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 shall fill him.
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5.
16
Then, according to this prophecy, he appointed, that all the men of the house and family of David, who were marriageable, and not married, should bring their several rods to the altar,
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5.
17
And out of whatsoever person's rod after it was brought, a flower should bud forth, and on the top of it the Spirit of the Lord should sit 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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5.
Footnotes ^21:1 Eccles. v. 4, 5, 6; and Psalm lxxvi. 11.
^21:2 Num. xxvii. 21, compared with Exod. xxviii. 30; Lev. viii. 8; Deut. 8; Ezra ii. 63; Nehem. vii. 65.
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