but the angel said to her, "Mary, be not afraid: for you are the object of divine favour.

to enlighten those, who are in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to direct our steps into the ways of peace."

the Publicans likewise came to be baptized, and said to him, master, how are we to act?

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.

then the devil said to him; if you are the son of God, command this stone to become bread.

all this power, said he, will I give thee, and the glory of them: for they are at my disposal, and where I please, I bestow them.

"the spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

what business have you with us, Jesus of Nazareth? are you come to destroy us? I know who you are; the saint of God.

many were dispossess'd of the demons, who cried aloud, you are the Messiah, the son of God. but he rebuked them, and would not suffer them to declare, that they knew him to be the Messiah.

who perceiving their faith, said to him, O! man, your sins are forgiven you.

which is easier, to say, your sins are forgiven you, or to say, rise up, and walk?

but Jesus replied, they that are in health don't want a physician: but they that are sick.

and likewise those of the Pharisees, are frequently fasting and praying, while yours are employed in eating and drinking?

Then directing himself to his disciples, he said, blessed are ye, that are poor: for the divine kingdom is yours.

blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be satisfied. blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall find matter of mirth.

blessed are you, when men shall hate you, discard you, reproach you, and treat you as infamous, for your attachment to the son of man.

But wo unto you that are rich: for you have received your consolation.

wo unto you that are full: for you shall be in want. wo unto you that indulge in present pleasure: for mourning and sorrow shall attend you.

and sent two of them to Jesus, with this question, are you the Messiah, or must we yet wait for some other?

accordingly they came to Jesus, and said, John the Baptist sent us to enquire, if you are he that was to come, or must we look for another?

then he gave them this answer, go, and tell John what you have seen, and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the gospel is proclaim'd to the poor.

To what therefore shall I compare the men of this generation? who are they like?

they are like children playing together in the street, who cry, we have play'd to you on the flute, but you have not danced: we have sung mournful dittys, but you have not lamented.

I think, said Simon, he that had the greatest debt remitted to him. you are in the right, said Jesus.

wherefore, I tell you, her sins, which are numerous, are forgiven; and that is the reason of all this love: but his love is less, to whom less is forgiven.

then he said to her, your sins are forgiven.

the ground over-run with thorns denotes such as have embraced the doctrine, but are so immerst in the business, enjoyments, and pleasures of life, as not to improve it to any real advantage.

so some of the company said to him, your mother and brethren are waiting without, desiring to see you.

but he answered them, my mother and brethren are these, who attend to the word of God, and practise it.

then they came to wake him, crying, master, master, we are sinking. then he rose up, and rebuked the wind, and the waves: and both subside to a calm.

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?"

when you are lodg'd in any house, there stay, till you leave the place.

As the day began to decline, the twelve came to him, and said, dismiss the multitude, that they may go to the nearest towns and villages for lodging and provisions: for here we are in a desart place.

they answered, some say you are John the Baptist: others, Elias: and others, that you are one of the old prophets appearing again.

but who, said he, do you think I am? Peter answered, you are the Messiah of God.

I declare unto you, there are some here present, who shall not die, till they see the Messiah reign.

but Jesus turn'd, and rebuked them, saying, you don't know by what spirit you are moved.

and he said to them, the harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few: intreat therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest.

however, let not this be the matter of your rejoicing, that the spirits are subject to you: but rejoice, that you have a title to the joys of heaven.

then addressing himself to his disciples in particular, he said, happy are they, who see what you see:

upon his departure the next day, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the master of the house, take care of him, said he, and I will repay you all the charges you are at, upon my return.

and he within should give this answer, don't trouble me now: the door is made fast, and my family are all in bed: I can't get up to supply you.

if ye then, wicked as ye are, know how to give what is proper to your children: how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him?

when a man that is stout and well arm'd guards his palace, his possessions are safe.

but rather, said he, happy are they who hear the word of God, and put it in practice.

upon which the Lord said to him, you Pharisees won't leave any filth upon the outside of a cup or a platter: while your consciences are abandon'd to rapine, and sensuality.

are not five sparrows sold for two pence? however the divine providence extends to each of them.

when you are brought into the synagogues, and before magistrates and rulers, be not sollicitous what to say in your own defence;

consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap: nor have cellar or barn: are not you of much greater value than the fowls?

if then you can't effect so small a matter, why are you disquieted about a much longer time?

now if God thus cloaths the flowers, which exist to-day in the field, and to-morrow are thrown into the oven: how much more will he cloath you, O distrustful men?

for it is enough that the Gentiles are so concern'd about these things: as for you, your father is acquainted with all your wants.

happy are the servants he finds in such a state, whether it be at the second or at the third watch of the night, when he comes.

for the future, if there are five persons in one family, they will be divided; three against two, and two against three.

When you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, pay the interest, and get your discharge, while you are on the way; for fear he should bring you before the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into jail.

Jesus seeing her, called her to him, and said, woman you are freed from your disorder.

but the ruler of the synagogue being highly incensed at Jesus's healing on the sabbath-day, said to the people, there are six days for work, you should come therefore for cure on those days, and not on the sabbath.

when once the master of the family is enter'd in, and has fastned the door, you will stand without beating at the door, and cry, Lord, Lord, let us in: but he will answer, you are strangers to me.

but he will answer, I tell you, you are strangers to me: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest those, who are sent unto thee: how often would I have gather'd thy children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and ye would not?"

but when you are invited, go place your self last; that he, who invited you, when he comes, may say to you, friend, go up higher: and that will do you honour before all the company at table.

so when you have done all that you were commanded to do, say, we are unprofitable servants; we have only done what was our duty to do.

and Jesus said to him, were not all the ten healed? where then are the other nine?

Afterwards Jesus took the twelve aside, and said to them, now we are going to Jerusalem where all that the prophets have writ concerning the son of man shall be accomplished.

if we should assert, it was a human contrivance, the populace would stone us; for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.

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 that the dead are raised, may be inferr'd from Moses's relation concerning the bush, where he stiles the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

for he is not the God of the dead, but of the living. they are all then alive with respect to him.

beware of the Scribes, who are fond of appearing in their long robes, affect to be saluted in publick, to have the upper hand in the synagogues, and at all entertainments.

then let those, who are in Judea, fly to the mountains: let those, who are in the city, march out, and those, who are without not venture in.

wo to them that are with child, or to them that give suck in those days: for this will be a region of great distress, and wrath will pour down upon this people.

men dying with fear under the apprehension of those calamities, which are coming upon the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

I tell it you for certain, this generation shall not pass away, till all these things are accomplished.

he answered, when you are in the city, you will meet a man with a pitcher of water; follow him to the house, where he goes in:

Jesus therefore told them, the kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they, who are invested with their authority, take the title of benefactors.

then said Jesus to the chief priests, the officers of the temple, and the rulers, who were come to take him, are you come here with swords and staves as in pursuit of a robber?

a little while after another seeing him, said, you are even one of them. but Peter said to him, man, I am not.

and said to him, if you are the Christ, say so. but he answer'd, if I should tell you so, you will not believe it.

then said they all, art thou then the son of God? you are in the right, answer'd he, for I am so.

for now the time is coming, when it will be said, happy are the barren, and they who never bare, happy the breast, that never gave suck.

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?

then Jesus said to them, how stupidly incredulous are you not to believe things that have been all predicted by the prophets!

upon which he said to them, why are you in this confusion? what is it, that your minds are so perplex'd?

you are witnesses of these things.