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35 And in the morning, rifing up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a folitary place, and there prayed.

36 And Simon,and they that were with him, followed after him.

37 And when they had found him, they faid unto him, All men feek for thee.

38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns,

that I may preach

there alfo for there-
fore came I forth.
39 And he preach-
ed in their fyna
gogues throughout all
Galilee, and caft out
devils.

32. And at Sun-fet, as foon as the Sabbath was paft, that the People thought it lawful to begin any Work, they brought to Jefus many difeafed and poffefs'd Perfons.

33. And fuch a vast Multitude of People gathered together about the House, to see what was done; that almost the whole City seemed to be there.

34. And Jefus healed all that were brought to him, fo that at that one Time he cured many Kinds of Difeafes, and caft out many Devils, and suffered not the evil Spirits to declare that they knew him; for he needed not their Teftimony, but prov'd his Divine Commiffion by the more fatisfactory Evidence of the Goodness of his Doctrine, and the Greatnefs of his Works.

35. The next Morning very early, before Day, Jefus arose and retired into a defart Place to pray privately.

36. But Peter and the reft of his Difciples miffing him, went out after him to feek him.

37. And when they had found him, they told him, that all the People in the Town waited for him, and fought after him.

38. But Jefus faid, Nay, I muft not return to Capernaum: I am not sent to preach to one City only, but must go about to others also.

39. And he travelled through all the Towns of Galilee, preaching in their Synagogues, and wonderfully confirming his Doctrine by Miracles of healing Difeafes, and cafting out Devils. VOL.

40. S

40. About this time there came to Jefus a Man that had the Leprofie, and kneeled down before him, and faid; Lord, I have heard of your wondrous Works, and do believe that, if you please, you are able to cure me immediately of this offenfive Disease.

41. Jefus, moved with Pity at the Man's Complaint and humble Entreaty, and pleased at his Faith, touched him with his Hand, and faid: I am willing to do what you defire; Be cleansed from your Difeafe.

42. Which Words were no fooner fpoken, but the Leprofie in an inftant utterly disappeared, and the Man was perfectly clean.

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4344. Then Jefus, that the People might not at the Report of this Miracle come about him too tumultuoufly, like raifing a Sedition; and alfo to prevent any Occafion of Calumny from the Priefts: fent away the Man with a ftrict Charge, faying; Do not report this Thing abroad publickly; but go and fhew your felf to the Prieft, that he may try you and pronounce you clean; and then offer according to Cuftom what the Law appoints upon this Occafion; that the Jews may be convinced, and have no Handle to reproach

us.

45. But the Man overjoyed at the Greatnefs and Suddennefs of his Cure, could not forbear reporting every where what Jefus had done for him; infomuch, that the Admiration of the People was fo raised, and they flocked in fuch Multitudes after Jefus, that he could not for a while appear openly in a Town, but retired into folitary

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came to him from

every quarter.

tary Places, and People followed him from all Parts.

CHA P. II.

Jefus cures a Palfie, and proves his Power of forgiving Sins, ver. 1. Calls Matthew, and vindicates himself from the Charge of keeping ill Company, ver. 13. Excufes his Difciples for not Fafting, ver. 18. And for plucking Ears of Corn on the Sabbath-day, ver. 23.

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5. Jefus, pleafed with the Greatness of the fick Man's and his Friends Faith, faid to him; Son, your Sins forgiven you.

are

6 & 7. Now there were present certain Pharifees and Jewish Doctors in the Room, who hearing Jefus fay thefe Words, thought presently within themselves; what a great Blafphemy is this, that this Man fhould pretend to affume to himself the Power of God! For, furely, none but God can forgive Sins, and he has never communicated this Power abfolutely to any Man.

8. But Jefus knowing their fecret Thoughts and Mutterings, prevented them, faying; Why are ye thus offended without Caufe, and without Caufe, and reason so maliciously within your felves?

9. For is it not as eafie a Thing to forgive a Man's Sins, which are the Caufe of Diseases; as to heal his Disease by a Word in an inftant? And cannot the fame Power, which does the one, do the other alfo ?

10 & 11. That ye may fee therefore and be convinced by this vifible Effect, that I have really Power to forgive Sins even here upon Earth, ye fhall fee the Man thus inftantly healed: Then turning himself to the fick Man, he faid; Rife, take up your Bed, and carry it Home with

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5 When Jefus faw their faith, he faid unto the fick of the palfie, Son, thy fins be forgiven thee.

6 But there were certain of the fcribes fitting there,and reafoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus fpeak blafphemies? who can forgive fins but God only?

8 And immediate ly, when Jefus perceived in fpirit, that they fo reasoned within themselves, he faid unto them, Why reafon ye thefe things in hearts? your

9 Whether is it eafier to fay unto the fick of the palfie, Thy fins be forgiven thee: or to fay, Arife, and take up thy

bed and walk?

10But that ye may know that the fon of man hath power on earth to forgive fins, (he faith to the fick of the palfie)

11 I fay unto thee, Arife, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

12 And immediately he arose, took up his bed, and went forth before them all, infomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, faying, We ne

ver

fashion.

ver faw it on this ple were aftonished, faying, that they never faw any thing like this before; and they praised God, for fending among them fo great a Prophet.

13 And he went forth again by the fea-fide, and all the multitude reforted

unto him, and he taught them.

14 And he paffed by, and faw Levi the fon of Alpheus fitting at the receit of custom, and faid unto him, Follow me. And he arofe and

followed him.

15 And it came to pafs that as Jefus fat at meat in his house, many publicans and finners fat alfo together with Jefus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

16 And when the Scribes and Pharifees

faw him eat with publicans and finners, they faid unto his difciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and finners?

17 When Jefus heard it, he faith un

to them, They that

are whole, have no need of the phyfician, but they that are fick: I came not to call the righteous, but finners to repen

tance.

13. After this, Jefus retired again out of the City to the Lake's fide: And a great many People followed him, and he preached to them

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many of Matthew's former Acquaintance, Collectors of the Taxes, and Men of ill Fame: And they all fat down together.

16. Which when fome of the Jewifh Doctors and Pharifees obferved;

they upbraided the Difciples, faying: If your Mafter pretends to be a holy and pious Perfon, why doth he not obferve, what all ftrict and religious Jews carefully do, to abstain from the impure Company of Publicans, loofe Perfons, and Men of bad Repu tation ?

Luke v.31.

17. But Jefus replied: + The prin- † See Pacipal Defign of my Coming into raphr. on the World, was to convert fuch Perfons as thefe, from a Life of Sin, to Righteousness and Holiness. therefore ye blame not a Phyfician for converfing with fick Men, but on the contrary look upon it as

Q3

As

his

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