CH. 5. Lev. 14; 3. SECT. IV. 13 Master, if thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me. Jesus stretching out his hand, and touching him, said, 14 I will; be thou cleansed. That instant his leprosy departed from him. And he commanded him to tell nobody. But go [said he], show thyself to the priest, and present the offering appointed by Moses, for notifying to the people that thou art cleans15 ed. Yet so much the more was Jesus every where talked of, that vast multitudes flocked to hear him, 16 and to be cured by him of their maladies. And he withdrew into solitary places, and prayed. 17 ONE day, as he was teaching, and pharisees, and doctors of law, who had come from Jerusalem, and from every town of Galilee and Judea, were sitting by; the power of the Lord was exerted in the Mat. 9; 2 18 cure of the sick. And behold some men carrying on a bed a man afflicted with a palsy, endeavoured to 19 bring him in, and place him before Jesus; but find Mar. 2; 3. ch. 7; 48. ing it impracticable, by reason of the crowd, they gat upon the roof, and let him down through the til 20 ing, with the little bed in the midst before him. Jesus perceiving their faith, said to him, Man, thy 21 sins are forgiven thee. On which the scribes and the pharisees reasoned thus, 'Who is this that speak'eth blasphemies? Can any one forgive sins beside 22 God? Jesus knowing their thoughts, addressed himself to them, and said, What are ye reasoning 23 in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, 'Thy 'sins are forgiven thee;' or to say [with effect] 24 Arise and walk?" But, that ye may know that SECT. IV. CH. 5. the Son of Man hath power upon the earth to forgive sins, Afise (said he to the palsied man), take 25 up thy bed, and return to thy house. That instant he rose in their presence, took up his bed, and re26 turned home, glorifying God. Seeing this, they 27 were all struck with amazement and reverence, Mar. 2; 14 After this he went out, and observing a publican Mat. 9; 9. named Levi sitting at the toll-office, said to him, 28 Follow me. And he arose, left all, and followed 29 him. And Levi made him a great entertainment in his own house, where there was a great company of 30 publicans and others at table with them. But the scribes and the pharisees of the place murmured, saying to his disciples, Why do ye eat and drink 31 with publicans and sinners? Jesus answering, said unto them, It is not the healthy, but the sick, who 32 need a physician. I am come to call, not the righteous, but sinners, to reformation. Mar. 2; 18 33 Then they asked him, How is it that the disciples Mat. 9; 14 of John, and likewise those of the pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but thine eat and drink? 34 He answered, Would ye have the bridemen fast, 35 while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come wherein the bridegroom shall be taken 36 from them in those days they will fast. He added this similitude, Nobody mendeth an old mantle with new cloth; otherwise the new will rend the old; besides, the old and the new will never suit 37 each other. Nobody putteth new wine into old CH. 6. Mat. 12; 1. 1 Sam. 21; 1. Lev. 24; 5. Mat. 12; 9. SECT. IV. leathern bottles; otherwise the new wine will burst the bottles, and thus the wine will be spilled, and 38 the bottles rendered useless. But if new wine be put into new bottles, both will be preserved. Be39 sides, a man, after drinking old wine, calleth not immediately for new; for he saith, The old is ' milder.' VI. ON the Sabbath called secondprime, as Jesus was passing through the cornfields, his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and rubbed them in their 2 hands, and ate them. And some pharisees said to them, Why do ye that which it is not lawful, on 3 the Sabbath, to do? Jesus replying, said to them, Did ye never read what David and his attendants 4 did, when they were hungry; how he entered the mansion of God, and took and ate the loaves of the presence, and gave also of this bread to his attendants; though it cannot be eaten lawfully by 5 any but the priests? He added, The Son of Man is master even of the Sabbath. 6 It happened also, on another Sabbath, that he went into the synagogue, and taught; and a man 7 was there, whose right hand was blasted. Now the scribes and the pharisees watched to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find 8 matter for accusing him. But he knowing their thoughts, said to the man whose hand was blasted, 9 Arise, and stand in the middle. And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, I would ask you, What is it lawful to do on the Sabbath? Good or SECT. V. CH. 6. 10 ill? To save or to destroy? And looking around 11 on them all, he said to the man, Stretch out thy hand; and in doing this, his hand was rendered sound like the other. But they were filled with madness, and consulted together what they should do to Jesus. SECTION V. THE NOMINATION OF APOSTLES. 12 IN those days Jesus retired to a mountain to pray, Mat. 10; 2. 13 and spent the whole night in an oratory. When it was day, he called to him his disciples; and of 14 them he chose twelve, whom he named Apostles. Mar. 3; 13. Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartho15 lomew, Matthew and Thomas, James son of Al16 pheus, and Simon called the Zealous, Judas brother Jude, 1. of James, and Judas Iscariot, who proved a traitor. 17 Afterward, Jesus coming down with them, stopped in a plain, whither a company of his disciples, with a vast multitude from all parts of Judea, Jerusalem, and the maritime country of Tyre and Sidon, were come to hear him, and to be healed of 18 their diseases. Those also who were infested with 19 unclean spirits, came and were cured. And every CH. 6. Mat. 5; 3. 20 Is. 61; 3. 1 Pet,3; 14. and 4, 14. Is. 65, 13. Mat. 5; 44 SECT. V. one strove to touch him, because a virtue came from him, which healed them all. THEN lifting his eyes on his disciples, he said, Happy ye poor, for the kingdom of God is yours! 21 Happy ye that hunger now, for ye shall be satisfied! Happy ye that weep now, for ye shall 22 laugh! Happy shall ye be when men shall hate you, and separate you from their society; yea, reproach and defame you, on account of the Son of 23 Man! Rejoice on that day, and triumph, knowing that your reward in heaven is great! for thus did 24 their fathers treat the Prophets. But woe unto you 25 rich; for ye have received your comforts! Woe unto you that are full; for ye shall hunger! Woe unto you who laugh now; for ye shall mourn and 26 weep! Woe unto you, when men shall speak well of you; for so did their fathers of the false prophets. But I charge you, my hearers, love your enemies, do good to them who hate you, bless them 28 who curse you, and pray for them who traduce 29 you. To him who smiteth thee on one cheek, 27 present the other; and from him who taketh thy Tob. 4; 16. 30 mantle, withhold not thy coat. Give to every one who asketh thee; and from him who taketh away Mat. 7; 12. 31 thy goods, do not demand them back. And as ye would that men should do unto you, do ye like32 wise unto them. For if ye love those [only] who love you, what thanks are ye entitled to? since 33 even sinners love those who love them. And if ye |