Now the manner of Christ's birth was this: his mother Mary being promised in marriage to Joseph, before they came together, she became pregnant by the holy Spirit.

now by these events, that divine prediction of the Prophet had its full accomplishment, when he said, "Behold,

Where is this king of the Jews who is now born? for we have seen his rising star, and are come to pay him homage.

and he sent them to Bethlehem, go, said he, make an exact enquiry about the young child, and when ye have found him, let me know it, that I too may come and pay my adorations to him.

and saying, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of the Messiah draws nigh."

now John wore a coat made of camels hair, with a leathern girdle about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild hony.

from that time Jesus began to preach, "Repent, said he, for the kingdom of the Messiah draws nigh."

Now as Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting their net into the sea: for they were fishermen.

Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt become insipid, how shall it recover its savour? it is no longer fit for any thing, but to be cast out and trod under foot.

but let your communication be, yes, yes; no, no: for whatever goes beyond this, is evil.

Take care not to perform any religious act in order to be observed by men: otherwise you will have no reward from your father who is in heaven.

but when you give alms, "let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth:"

the eye is the light of the body: now if your eye be clear, your whole body will be enlightned.

no man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will be attach'd to the one, and neglectful of the other. ye cannot serve God and Mamon.

now if God thus adorns the flower of the field, which thriving to day, is to morrow thrown into the oven, how much more shall he provide for you, if you have any degree of faith?

therefore make no such sollicitous enquiries, as what shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or how shall we be clothed?

if ye then, as wicked as ye are, know how to bestow proper gifts upon your children; how much more shall your heavenly father give good things to them that ask him?

you will know them by their fruits: do men gather grapes of thorns,

by their fruits then shall ye know them.

and then will I make this declaration to them: I never knew you: depart from me ye that have practised iniquity.

when Jesus heard it, he was surpriz'd, and said to his followers, I profess I have not met with such an instance of faith, no not in Israel.

Now Jesus perceiving the crowd about him, gave orders to pass over to the other side of the lake.

only it was fit you should know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins: arise, then, said he, to the paralytic, take up thy bed, and march home.

new cloth is never patch'd upon an old garment: for the patch will draw the garment, and rend it still worse.

neither do men put new wine into old skins: if they should, the bottles will burst, so that the wine will be lost and the skins be spoil'd: but they put new wine into new skins, whereby both are preserved.

and they had their sight: but Jesus gave them a strict charge, saying, take care not to let any man know it:

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; the first is Simon, who is called Peter, then Andrew his brother,

and wherever ye go, make this proclamation: the kingdom of heaven is nigh.

my father has instructed me in every thing: and no one knoweth the son, except the father: nor does any one know the father, except the son, and he to whom the son is pleased to reveal him."

now I tell you, that the work now in hand, is of greater consequence than that of the temple.

but he answered them, this wicked degenerate race demand a miracle; but no other miracle shall they have, except that of the prophet Jonas.

the men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment against this generation, and shall condemn it, because they were converted at the preaching of Jonas, and now there is one superiour to Jonas here.

the queen of the south shall rise up at the day of judgement against this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the remote parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now a greater than Solomon is here.

Now while he was talking to the people, his mother and his brothers stood without, desiring to speak with him.

to whom he answered, because you are allowed to know the mysteries of the gospel-dispensation, but to them it is not allowed.

but having no root in him he has only an occasional faith: for as soon as any oppression or persecution arises upon account of the gospel, he presently relapses.

no, said he, lest in pulling up the tares, you should root

they reply'd, yes, Lord. then said he to them, thus every teacher who is instructed in the doctrine of the gospel, is like the master of a family, who taketh out of his treasure things new and old.

At evening his disciples came to him, saying, this is a desert place, and dinner-time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go to buy themselves provisions in the villages.

now they that had eaten, were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

"this people, says he, draw nigh to me, they honour me with their lips: while their hearts are far from me.

Thereupon his disciples drawing nigh, said, did you observe, how the Pharisees were scandalized at your discourse?

let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. now if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Jesus having left that place, drew nigh to the sea of Galilee, and went up a mountain, where he sat down.

Then Jesus called his disciples, and said to them, I am concern'd for this people; they have attended me now three days, without eating: I will not send them away fasting, lest they saint by the way. but his disciples said to him,

a wicked degenerate race demand a miracle; but no miracle shall they have beside that of the prophet Jonas. and so leaving them, he went away.

Now at their departure to go to the other side, his disciples had forgot to take bread.

from that time began Jesus to let his disciples know that he should go to Jerusalem, there suffer many indignities from the senators, chief priests, and scribes, be put to death, and be raised again the third day.

but I tell you, that Elias is already come, tho' they knew him not, but treated him in an arbitrary manner; with such usage as the son of man shall likewise suffer at their hands.

Now in case such a brother do you an injury, go and expostulate with him in private: if he repents, thou hast saved thy brother.

if he does not relent, tell it to the church: but if he is not moved by the church, show him no more regard than you would to a pagan or a publican.

so that they are not now two, but one. what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

he reply'd, which? Jesus said, "thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness,

Jesus reply'd, I declare unto you, that in the new age, when the son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye that have followed me shall likewise sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

but he answered one of them, friend, I do thee no wrong: did not you agree for a penny a day?

we are now going to Jerusalem, where the son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests, and to the Scribes, who will condemn him to die,

but Jesus answered them, ye know not what ye ask. can ye bear to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? they said to him, we can.

but Jesus calling them to him, said, ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise arbitrary dominion over them, and they that are great exercise their authority.

When they drew nigh to Jerusalem, and were come to Bepthphage, to the mount of Olives, Jesus dispatched two disciples,

they answered, he will give those wretches no quarter, and will let out his vineyard to such as shall duly account for the profits thereof.

they dispatch'd therefore some of their disciples, together with the Herodians, who thus address'd themselves to him; master, we know that you are sincere, and faithfully teach the divine law without fear or flattery: for you have no regard to the outward quality of men.

tell us therefore, what is your opinion? is it lawful to pay tribute to Cesar, or no?

About that time the Sadducees, who say there is no future life, came and propos'd this question,

now there happen'd among us seven brothers, the first married but died without issue, leaving his wife to his brother:

now if there be another life after this, whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all married her.

for in the other life after this, there will be no such thing as marriage; but they will be as the angels of God in heaven.

now as to the state of life after death, have ye not read that expression of God himself,

but not a man was able to answer him a word, and from that time there was no body so hardy as to ask him any more questions.

wo unto you, ye blind guides, who say, if any man swear by the temple he is under no obligation: but if he swear by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.

again, if any one swear by the altar he is under no engagement but if he swear by the gift that is upon it, he is bound thereby.

know, that your habitation shall be soon turned into a desert.

for the desolation will be so dreadful, the like was never seen since the beginning of the world, no, nor ever shall be again.

Then if any shall cry, the Messiah is here, or he is there: give no credit to it.

wherefore, if they shall say to you, now he is in the desert, do not stir: or now, he is in the secret chambers, believe them not.

this may be illustrated by a comparison taken from a fig-tree: when the branches become tender, and push out their leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

in like manner, when ye shall see all these things happen, know that he is come to your very doors.

As to the day and hour, that no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but the father only.

as the days of Noe were, so shall also the advent of the son of man be.

for as at the time that usher'd in the deluge, they were eating and drinking, marrying themselves and their children, till the day that Noe entred into the ark,

having no thoughts of the flood till it came, and swept them all away; so shall also the advent of the son of man be.

watch therefore, for ye know not at what hour your Lord shall come.

but this you conceive, that if a man knew at what hour of the night the thief would come, he would set a watch, and not suffer his house to be broke open.

they that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Lord, Lord, pray let us in. but he answered, I assure you, I know you not.

watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour.

now he that had received five talents, immediately employed them in trade, and gain'd five talents more.

then came he who had received the one talent, and said, Lord, I knew that you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered:

his lord answered and said unto him, thou vile slothful wretch, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not scatter'd:

for he that makes use of what he has, shall have more; but if he makes no improvement thereof, it shall be taken from him.

for I was prest with hunger, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

Now when Jesus had finished these discourses, he said to his disciples,

ye know that in two days the feast of the passover will begin, and the son of man be delivered up to be crucified.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon who had been a leper,

I declare unto you, in whatever quarter of the world, this part of the gospel-history shall be related, what this woman has now done shall be there mentioned to her praise.

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, and said, where would you have us make the preparations for the paschal-supper?

and he said, go into the city to such a man, and say to him, the master sends you word that his time is at hand, and he designs to keep the passover now at your house with his disciples.

The even being now come, he sat down with the twelve.

for this represents my blood, the blood of the new covenant which is shed for mankind for the remission of sins.

and at his return, he said to his disciples, is this a time to sleep and take your rest? the hour draws nigh, and the son of man is betrayed into the hands of the gentiles.

now he that was to betray him, gave them this signal, the person I shall kiss, is the very man, be sure to secure him.