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8. Then Peter, feeing this great Miracle, and judging thereby that Jefus was some extraordinary Prophet, fell down on his Knees before him, and faid, I befeech you, depart from me;

for I am a finful Man, and my Unworthinefs makes me uncapable of bearing your Prefence.

9. Thefe Words Peter uttered with great Fear and Aftonifhment: For both he and all that were in the Boat with him, were exceedingly amazed at the vaft number of Fifhes which they had fo miraculously caught.

10. James alfo and John, the two Sons of Zebedee, who were Partners with Peter in the other Boat, were furprized in like manner with great Admiration and Fear. But Jefus faid to Peter, Be not afraid; Follow me, and I will teach you a much nobler Employment; From henceforward you fhall catch Men; that is, you fhall draw them out of the ways of Ignorance, Wickednefs and Mifery; and inftruct them in the way of Righteoufnefs, Happiness and Life.

;

11. Hereupon, both Peter and his Brother Andrew, that was with him. in the Boat; and alfo James and John, who were in the other Boat forfaking their Employment and all that they had, followed Jefus, and became from that time forward his conftant Difciples and Attendants.

12. With these Men Jefus travelled all over Galilee, preaching in their Synagogues, and healing the Sick. And one Day, as he was going to Capernaum, there met him near the City a leprous Man, who as foon as he faw him, came and kneeled down before him, and intreated him, faying, VOL. II. D z Lord,

Lord, if you think fit, I know you have Power to deliver me from this noisom Disease.

13. Jefus faid unto him, I will deliver you from it; Go, and be clean from this very inftant. And laying his Hand upon him, the Leprofy immediately difappeared.

14. And Jefus commanded him, not to go presently and report this thing publickly among the People: But go, faith he, and present your felf regularly to the Priest, and let him judge of your being clean, and then offer what the Law requires for your Purification; That the moft obftinate among the Jews may be convinced of the certainty of the Cure; and yet not be able to find any Pretence for calumniating

us.

15. But the Man was fo overjoyed at the greatness and fuddenness of his Cure, that notwithstanding Jefus's Command to the contrary, he went immediately and publifhed it every where. And the Fame of this Thing, brought together a vaft Multitude of People after Jefus, to hear him, and to be healed by him of all manner of Diseases:

16. Infomuch, that he was obliged to retire frequently out of the Town into the Wilderness and Places of Solitude, to refresh himfelf, and to find time for Prayer and his private Medi

tations.

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every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerufalem and the power of the Lord

was prefent to heal

them.

18 And behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palfe: and they fought means to bring him , and to lay him before him. 19 And when they

could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up on the house top; and let him down through the tiling with bis couch, into the midft before Jefus. 20 And when he faw their faith, he faid unto him, Man, thy fins are forgiven

thee.

21 And the fcribes and the Pharifees be

far as from Jerufalem; Jefus confirmed his Doctrine, and proved his Divine Power before all thefe Witneffes, by many fignal Miracles of Healing.

18. Particularly, among others that came to be healed by him, there was brought one ill of a Palfie, and fo very weak, that he was forced to be carried upon Mens Shoulders in his Bed.

19. And because when they came at the Houfe where Jefus was, they found it fo crowded and full of People, that it was impoffible to carry the fick Man upon his Bed in at the Door; they went up to the Top of the House, and uncovered the Roof, and let him down through the Ceiling, and fet him before Jefus.

20. Jefus therefore, being pleased with the great Faith both of the fick Man and of his Friends that brought him; faid unto him; Son, your Sins, which are the Cause of all Difeafes and Calamities, are forgiven you,

21. Upon this, the Scribes and Pharifees began to be highly offended, and reafoned within themfelves, faying, Whom does this Man pretend to make himfelf? And what a horrid Blafphemy is this that he hath fpoken! For, to fpeaketh blafphemies? forgive Sins, is evidently the incommuforgive nicable Property of God Almighty; and no mortal Man was ever thus abfolutely impowered to do it.

gan to reafon, faying, Who is this which

Who can

fins but God alone?

22 But when Je

fus perceived their
thoughts, he anfwer-
ing faid unto them,
What reafon ye
your hearts?

in

22. But Jefus feeing their Whif pering, and perceiving their Thoughts, faid; Why are ye fo offended at me without Caufe? And why do gue thus vainly and perverfely in your Minds?

you ar

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23. For, what reafon is there that you should call it more Blafphemy for me to affume to my felf a Power of forgiving the Man's Sins; than to undertake to heal this difficult Disease in an inftant, without any Means? Seeing it must be evidently the Effect of the fame Power, to do the one, as the other.

24. But I chofe rather to exprefs myfelf in this manner, because I would declare that the Meffiah has Power here upon Earth to forgive Sins; And I will demonftrate to you the Validity of this my Sentence of Abfolution, by the immediate and vifible Effect of healing the Man's Difeafe. Whereupon turning himself to the fick Man, he Jaid, Rife, take up your Bed, and go

home.

25. At which Words, the Man's Strength and the Ufe of his Limbs returned to him in an inftant. And he took up his Bed before all the People, and went home rejoycing and praifing God.

26. And all the People that were prefent, were feized with great Wonder, and gave Thanks to God for fending Jefus amongst them. And particularly, they were filled with great Fear and Reverence, at the undeniable Proof which Jefus had given of his Power of Forgiving Sins.

27. After this, as Jefus departed out of Capernaum, and was walking toward the Lake, he faw a Publican or Collector of the Tax, whofe Name was Matthew, fitting at the Tax-gatherers Stall, collecting the ufual Tribute: And Jefus called him, faying, Follow me, and I will fet you about a nobler Work.

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28. And without delay, the Man rofe up; and forfaking both the Gains and the Temptations of that profitable Employment, he became from that time a Follower and Difciple of Jefus,

29. And he invited fefus to his Houfe, where he made a great Entertainment for him; and many Publicans and others of ill Repute among the Jews, Matthew's former Companions and Acquaintance, were likewise

invited to it.

30. Which when fome of the Pharifees and Jewish Doctors, Pretenders to great Piety and Strictnefs, obferved; they reproached Jefus's Difciples, faying; If your Mafter be indeed, as he would be thought to be, a Perfon of extraordinary Holinefs, why does he not feparate himself from the Company of profane and profligate Men? And why does he fuffer you, not only to converse, but alfo to eat and drink familiarly with the most infamous fort of Perfons, with Publicans and notorious Sinners ?

31 32. But Jefus replyed, We converfe with this fort of Men, not to encourage them in their Sins, but in order to convert them from them. And for doing this you have no more reason to blame me, than you have to blame a Phyfician for converfing with fick People, in order to restore them to their Health. The principal Defign of my coming into the World, was to invite, not fo much righteous and good Men, as Sinners, to Repentance, And if ye were truly and fincerely righteous, ye would not envy but rejoice at the Converfion of fuch Perfons: Whereas indeed on the contrary

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