As he was going to one of the cities in that country, a man cover'd all over with leprosy happen'd to meet Jesus, and prostrating himself before him, thus address'd him, Lord, if you will, you can cure me.

Now Herod the tetrarch was inform'd of all his transactions: and was perplex'd at the relation of some, that John was risen from the dead: whilst others said, Elias appear'd:

At that very time Jesus fell into a divine transport, and said, "I magnify thee, O father, the Lord of heaven and earth, for having conceal'd these things from the artful and the crafty, whilst thou hast reveal'd them to the unskilful. justly, O father, hast thou thus dispens'd thy favour."

a certain priest happen'd to be travelling that way, who look'd upon him, and then pass'd on.

whatever you have utter'd in the dark, shall be brought to light: and what you have whisper'd in a closet, shall be proclaim'd upon the house top.

a little while after the younger son turn'd all he had into money, and travell'd into a foreign country, where he squander'd away his fortune in luxurious living.

how many years have I serv'd you, without having ever disobey'd your orders? and yet you never bestow'd a kid upon me, to make merry with my friends:

then Jesus stopp'd, and order'd them to bring the man to him, who being come nigh, he ask'd him,

and they worship'd him, and with great joy return'd to Jerusalem,

Mary was surpriz'd at the voice of such an appearance, and wonder'd what the meaning of this salutation should be.

the almighty hath distinguish'd me by the greatest marks of favour: his name be for ever reverenc'd.

Now Mary stay'd about three months with Elizabeth, and then return'd to her own house.

they therefore ask'd his father to signify how he would have him call'd.

but Mary considered these things very attentively, and weigh'd every circumstance in her mind, while the shepherds return'd,

now there was in the synagogue a man possess'd with the spirit of an impure demon, who roar'd out, in these words, let us alone;

then Jesus stretch'd out his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou cured. and immediately the leprosy disappear'd:

for John the Baptist, when he came, abstain'd from bread and wine; yet you say, he is possess'd with a demon.

and turning to the woman, he said to Simon, do you observe this woman? though I am a guest in your house, you never offer'd me any water for my feet: but she has bath'd my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.

while they were rowing, Jesus fell asleep: when there blew such a storm of wind upon the lake, as fill'd the boat with water, and endanger'd their lives.

upon Jesus's saying to him, what is your name? he answer'd, legion, (for many demons were enter'd into him.)

and country, whence numbers went to see the fact: being come to Jesus, they found the man, who had been dispossess'd of the demons, sitting at Jesus's feet, cloathed, and in his right senses: at which they were much surpriz'd,

then the Gadarenes of the adjacent parts unanimously desired him to leave their country: for they were greatly allarm'd. so he embark'd to cross over the lake.

now the man, who had been dispossess'd, begg'd to take him with him. but Jesus dismissed him,

upon which Jesus said, who was it that touch'd me? they being all at a loss, what to answer, at length Peter, and the others with him, said, master, the crowd are squeezing and pressing about you, and yet you cry, "who touch'd me?"

then the woman finding she could not conceal herself, came trembling, and kneeling down before him, confess'd before all the people, why she had touch'd him, and how she was instantly cured.

while Peter, and the others with him, were overwhelm'd with sleep: but when they wak'd, they observed his glory, and the two persons present with him,

to which Jesus answered, a certain man, as he was going from Jerusalem to Jericho, fell among thieves, who stripp'd him, and beat him, then march'd off leaving him half dead.

Another time, as they were on a journey, Jesus enter'd into a village, where a woman, named Martha, entertain'd him at her house.

In the mean time thousands of people being gather'd about him, so as to trample upon one another, he first address'd himself thus to his disciples, beware of the corrupt doctrine of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

for there is nothing conceal'd, which shall not be disclos'd; nothing secret, which shall not be made publick.

upon which Jesus thus address'd himself to them. do you imagine that those Galileans were greater sinners than the rest of the nation, because they suffer'd in such a manner?

After this a great multitude being gather'd about him, he address'd himself to them,

who reply'd, your brother is return'd, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him in good health.

will he think himself oblig'd to that servant for doing what he was order'd? I believe not.

Upon the Pharisees asking him, when the kingdom of God should come, he answer'd them, the kingdom of God is not usher'd in with pomp and exclamations,

then they ask'd him, where, Lord, will this happen? he reply'd, wherever the carcase is, there will the eagles hover together.

Then he propos'd this parable, concerning those who had a great opinion of their own justice, and look'd with contempt upon others.

but Zaccheus address'd himself to Jesus, and said, Lord, half my estate I give to the poor; and if I have wrong'd any man, I will give him four times the value.

Their attention being raised by this, Jesus pursued his discourse with a parable, occasion'd by their thinking, that, because he was advanc'd so nigh to Jerusalem, the kingdom of God would immediately commence.

upon his return, being confirm'd king, he order'd the servants, he had trusted with the money, to appear, and inform him, what improvement each of them had made.

when he was advanc'd near Bethphage, and Bethany, to the mountain call'd the Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

saying to them, go to the village opposite to you: at your entrance there, you will find a colt ty'd, that was never yet back'd: untie it and bring it here.

in these words, "O that thou hadst consider'd, at least in this very day, the opportunity you had of being happy! but now alas! it is vanish'd from your eyes."

they watch'd then, and suborn'd spies, who under pretence of their tender consciences, might ensnare him in his discourse, and so betray him to the civil power and jurisdiction of the governor.

they address'd him therefore in this manner; master, we know that what you say and teach is all right. you are not influenc'd by the quality of men, but explain the divine law with sincerity:

Now the feast of unleaven'd bread, which is call'd the passover,

The day of unleaven'd bread being come, when the paschal-lamb was to be sacrific'd,

but Jesus oppos'd, and said, forbear, stop there. and having touch'd his ear, he healed him.

then Pilate ask'd him, art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answer'd him, 'tis as you say.

Barabbas had been imprison'd for murder in a riot he had rais'd in the city.

however he urg'd it a third time, why, what crime has he done? I don't find he has done any thing that deserves death: I will therefore order him to be whipp'd, and so dismiss him.

accordingly he discharg'd the prisoner they desired, him that was committed for riot and murder; but he abandon'd Jesus to their discretion.

As they were conducting him to execution, they seiz'd upon one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming to town, and oblig'd him to carry the cross after Jesus,

now while they were conferring and debating together, Jesus himself join'd them and walk'd along with them.

one of them, Cleopas by name, reply'd, are you such a stranger in Jerusalem as not to know what has so lately happen'd there?

and of his being deliver'd up by our chief priests and magistrates to be condemn'd to die, whom they actually crucified:

when looking upon him more intently, they perceiv'd that it was Jesus. but he vanish'd out of sight.

Whereas several have undertaken to draw up a narrative of those transactions, which pass'd among us;

that you may have a distinct view of those things about which you have been inform'd.

In the time of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest, named Zacharias, of the family of Abia, whose wife; nam'd Elizabeth, was of the race of Aaron:

when there appear'd to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the incense-altar.

and he shall march before him, in the spirit and power of Elias, to reconcile parents and children together, and the unruly to the practice of justice, that the people may be duly dispos'd to receive the Lord.

In the mean time the people were waiting for Zacharias, and wonder'd at his tarrying so long in the temple.

it is the Lord, said she, who has thus favour'd me, at the time when he took care to remove the reproach I was under among men.

no sooner had Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, but the babe leap'd within her:

no sooner did the sound of your salutation strike mine ear, than the babe leap'd within me for joy.

her neighbours and her relations having heard how the Lord had heap'd his favours upon her, they congratulated with her:

he hath rais'd up a powerful saviour for us, in the family of his servant David,

Now the child continued to grow, and greatly improv'd in sense; and was in the desarts till the time, when he was to be manifested to Israel.

when all of a sudden an angel of the Lord appear'd to them, and a heavenly light shone about them, at which they were greatly affrighted.

All of a sudden an army of celestial beings join'd the angel, singing praises to God, and saying,

As soon as the angels retired back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, let us go to Bethlehem, to see the fact, of which the Lord inform'd us.

glorifying and praising God, for having heard and seen every thing exactly as the angel inform'd them.

At length the time appointed by the law of Moses for the purification of women being accomplish'd, they carried the infant to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, according as his law directs,

and to offer the sacrifice prescrib'd by the law, which was a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pidgeons.

Joseph and the mother of Jesus were surprized to hear such things pronounc'd concerning him.

There was likewise one Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was of a great age, and had liv'd in a married state but seven years ever since she was a virgin:

being then a widow of about fourscore and four years old: she was assiduously in the temple, night and day religiously employ'd in fastings and prayers:

and happening to come in just at the same time, she likewise express'd her thanks to the lord, and spoke of Jesus to all those, who expected deliverance in Jerusalem.

and the child grew in stature and in all the improvements of the mind; he was stor'd with wisdom, and was the object of divine favour.

when that was expired, they returned, but the young Jesus staid behind in Jerusalem, without being miss'd either by Joseph or his Mother.

so that they went a whole day's journey, imagining he was somewhere among the company, and then they look'd for him among their relations and acquaintance; but not finding him,

they turn'd back to Jerusalem to enquire for him there.

and all that heard him were astonish'd at his understanding and answers.

in the mean time Jesus increas'd in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be level'd: the crooked shall be made strait, and the rough ways shall be made smooth,

he answer'd them, let him that hath two coats give one to him that hath none; and let him that has plenty of provisions act in like manner.

the soldiers too made the same demand, how are we to act? he answer'd them, injure no man either by violence or by fraud, and be content with your pay.

he address'd himself to them all, saying, I indeed baptize you with water; but there is one coming, who is superiour to me, whose shoes I am unworthy to untie: he shall baptize you with the holy spirit, under the appearance of fire.

to compleat all the rest, Herod confin'd John in prison.

Jesus was then about thirty years of age, being, as was suppos'd, the son of Joseph,

Now Jesus being full of the holy spirit, return'd from Jordan, and was led by the spirit into the desart,

being forty days tempted by the devil, without eating any thing all that while: but that time expired, he at last was seiz'd with hunger.

Jesus return'd by the influence of the spirit into Galilee, where his same quickly spread over all the country;

for he preach'd in their synagogues with universal applause.

they delivered to him the book of the prophet Esaias, and upon opening the book, that passage occurr'd, where it is written,

then he closed the book, and returning it to the minister, he sat down: and as the eyes of the whole synagogue were fix'd with attention upon him,

upon which he said, no doubt you will urge me with this proverb, "physician heal thy self. what we have heard you perform'd in Capernaum, do likewise here in your own country."

and there were many lepers in the time of Elisha the prophet: yet none of them obtain'd a cure, except Naaman the Syrian.

but he pass'd thro' the midst of them and went away.