(39) And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; (40) And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. (41) And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: (42) And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. (43) And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (44) For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. (45) And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. (46) And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, (47) And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. (48) For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. (49) For he that is mighty hath done to me great things: and holy is his name. (50) And his mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to generation. (51) He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. (52) He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. (53) He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. (54) He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; (55) As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed, forever. (56) And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Many very beautiful, and highly interesting things, arise before our view, in those scriptures; but I must study shortness. The babe leaping in the womb of Elizabeth, was certainly more than the ordinary effects of natural causes. In the after circumstances of the Baptist's life, everything testified to the sanctification of the man, as the forerunner of his Lord. Hence therefore, as if moved by a divine impulse, at the approach of Christ, though not manifested openly, the babe leaped in the womb for joy. Let the Reader recollect, what the angel said of John, Luke 1:15. And I cannot but request the Reader to observe with me, that the salutation Elizabeth gave to Mary, was in the same words as the angel saluted the Virgin with; Blessed art thou among women. But the thing is explained, for we are told, that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And let not the Reader forget Elizabeth's testimony concerning Him, of whom she spake, when she said, and blessed be the fruit of thy womb! neither the source from whence she said it, being filled with the Holy Ghost. So then, here is God the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of Elizabeth, confirming the whole word of Scripture, to the testimony of the Godhead, and Manhood of Christ; that He is the blessing of Jehovah, to the Church: Men shall be blessed in him; and all nations shall call him blessed. Psalms 72:17-19
The song of Mary is full of the breathings of a soul under the influence of the Holy Ghost. How blessedly she speaks of God her Savior; evidently shewing, that she had a perfect apprehension of what the Prophets had taught, concerning the miraculous conception; and therefore knew, that the child then in her womb was, in one and the same moment, her Son and her Savior! And how blessedly she speaks of the low estate, both in the temporal poverty of her father's house, and the spiritual reduced estate, by reason of sin, to the whole race of Adam. And the personal dignity to which she, a poor, young, and humble Virgin, was exalted. He that is mighty (said she) hath done to me great things. Great indeed, and, until that period, never heard of before; and never to be again wrought in the earth. And how beautifully she ends her hymn of praise, in singing the sure deliverance of the Church, by this stupendous event. H e hath holpen (said she) his servant Israel: meaning, He hath redeemed the Church of God, in the Israel of God, his chosen; thus confirming the Covenant made with Abraham, that in his seed should all the families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:3. with Galatians 3:16.