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:

they had no children, because Elizabeth was steril, and they were both advanced in years.

now Zachary was to officiate in divine service, in the order of his family,

Zacharias startled at the sight and was seized with fear.

Some time after, Elizabeth his wife was pregnant, and went into retirement for five months.

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.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

to a virgin contracted to a man; whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. and the virgin's name was Mary.

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

even your cousin Elizabeth, as old as she is, is become pregnant with a son: she, who was stiled barren, is now in her sixth month;

When Elizabeth had gone her full time, she was delivered of a son.

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.

(this register was made before Quirinus was prefect of Syria.)

so Joseph departed from Nazareth in Galilee, and went into Judea to the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and linage of David,

in order to be registred with Mary, his espoused wife, who was then big with child.

and being brought to bed of her first born, she swathed him, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The eighth day, when the child was to be circumcised, being come, he was named Jesus, the name, which the angel had given before his conception.

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

At that time there dwelt at Jerusalem one Simeon, an honest, religious man, one who expected the appearance of the Messiah, and was endued with the spirit of prophecy.

to him it was revealed by the holy spirit, that he should not die till he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.

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 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 Jesus therefore was twelve years old they went thither, as was customary at the time of that festival.

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,

when Joseph and his mother saw him, great was their surprize: and his mother said to him, son, why did you leave us thus? your father and I have been looking for you with great concern.

However Jesus went down with them to Nazareth, and was subject to them: and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

In the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; Herod tetrarch of Gallilee: Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis: and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene:

When all the people were baptizing, Jesus was likewise baptized, and whilst he was praying, the clouds opened,

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.

and when the whole temptation was ended, the devil left him for a time.

he undertook to show them, how the passage they had heard, was actually then accomplished.

They all applauded him, and were surprized, that what he said, was delivered with so much grace. but they objected, is not this the son of Joseph?

but in truth, added he, no prophet was ever well received in his own country.

yet to none of them was Elias sent, except to one widow in Sarepta, a city of Sidon.

and breaking up the assembly, they drove him out of the city, to the precipice of the hill, upon which it was built, in order to throw him headlong down.

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;

When Jesus came out of the synagogue, he went to Simon's house, whose mother-in-law was seized with a violent fever, and they desired him to relieve her.

As soon as the sun was set, all sorts of diseased persons were brought before him by their friends, and he healed them all, by laying his hands upon them.

When it was day, he retired into a desart place, where the people searching for him, found him out, and as they earnestly press'd him not to leave them,

he went therefore aboard one of the vessels, which was Simon's, and desired him to bear away a little from land. then he sat down, and preached to the people from the ship.

so was James too, and John, the sons of Zebedee, both partners with Simon. but Jesus said to Simon, be not afraid; for the future you shall fish for men.

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.

At another time, as he was teaching, it happened that some Pharisees, and doctors of the law were sitting by, who came from the several towns of Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem: when the power of the Lord appear'd in their relief.

but when they found it impracticable to bring him in through the crowd, they went up the gallery to the leads, and let him down through the ceiling in his bed among the company, where Jesus was,

On the second-prime sabbath, as Jesus was passing through the corn-fields, his disciples happen'd to pluck the ears, and rubbing out the corn with their hands began to eat.

On another sabbath-day it happen'd, that he went into the synagogue to preach, where a man was present, who had the palsy in his right hand.

but as he knew their thoughts, he said to the man, whose hand was paralytic, rise up, and stand there in the middle. and he arose, and stood before him.

then casting his eyes round the company, he said to the man, stretch out your hand. and he did so: and that hand was as sound as the other.

when it was day, he called his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom he stiled missionarys: Simon,

then you may triumph with joy; secure of being greatly rewarded in heaven: for such was the treatment the prophets received from their forefathers.

he is like a man who in building a house, digg'd deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: an inundation came, the current beat impetuously upon that house, but could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

then Jesus went with him, and when he was advanced near the house, the centurion sent some of his friends to him, saying, "Lord, don't give yourself the trouble of coming, I don't deserve you should honour my house with your presence.

as he drew near the gate of the city, there was a dead man just then carrying out to be buried, who was his mother's only son, and she a widow: and many people of the town came with her.

when the Lord saw her, he was moved with compassion for her, and said to her, don't weep.

John was soon inform'd of these transactions by his disciples,

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?

when a woman of that city, one that had led a loose life, knowing that Jesus was at table in the Pharisee's house, came in with a vial of odoriferous liquor,

a husbandman went out to sow his corn: and as he was sowing, some fell upon the beaten road, which was crush'd under foot, or devoured by the birds.

when he was landed, there met him a man, who belong'd to the city Gadara, and had been for a long time possessed by demons. he did not wear any cloaths, nor dwell in any house, but among the tombs.

for he had commanded the impure spirit to quit the man, he had so long possessed: who, tho' bound in chains, and fastned with fetters, broke thro' all restraints, and was hurry'd by the demon into the desarts.

Jesus upon his return was received by a great number of people, who expected him.

for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, who lay a dying. as he was on the way, the crowd press'd after him,

touched the border of his garment: and immediately her indisposition was removed.

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 he was speaking, somebody came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, who said to him, your daughter is dead; 'tis in vain to importune the master any farther.

upon which, they knowing she was really dead, treated him with derision.

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:

and others, that one of the old prophets was come to life again.

but Herod said, John was beheaded by my order, who then can this be, who, they say, performs such strange things? and he desired to have a sight of Jesus.

and tho' they all eat sufficiently, there was a surplusage of twelve baskets full of fragments carried away.

as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was quite chang'd, and his raiment was of a splendid white:

who discours'd about the exit, he was to make at Jerusalem;

while he was speaking, there came a cloud and over-shadowed them, who were seized with fear, at their vanishing in the cloud,

and before the sound was gone, Jesus was left alone: this they kept secret, and for some time did not acquaint any one in the least with what they had seen.

as the child was advancing, the demon threw him down, into convulsions: but Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, cured the child, and delivered him to his father.

but they did not comprehend that expression: it was as a riddle, which they could not understand, and they were afraid to desire him to explain the meaning of that expression.

Now the time of his assumption drawing nigh, he was fix'd in his resolution to go to Jerusalem:

but they would not entertain him, because he appear'd to them, as if he was going to Jerusalem.

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.

but a certain Samaritan being on the road, came where he was, and when he saw him, he took compassion on him,

which now of the three do you think was neighbour to the man that was robb'd.

At another time Jesus was casting out a demon, that was dumb: and as soon as the demon was gone out, the dumb man spoke: and the people wondred.

As he was discoursing thus, a certain woman in the middle of the crowd lift up her voice, and said to him, happy the mother, who bare thee: happy the nurse, who gave thee milk.

for as the case of Jonas was a miraculous instance to the Ninevites, so shall the son of man be to this generation.

While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine his house, where he went, and sat down at table.

but the Pharisee was surprized to see that he did not wash before dinner.

As he was pursuing his discourse, the Scribes and Pharisees passionately urg'd him with many captious questions, in order to ensnare him,

to which purpose he propos'd to them this parable: a rich man had some land that was very fruitful.

consider the lillys how they grow: they neither toil nor spin: and yet, I tell you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

As he was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath-day, a woman was present,

who had been kept infirm by a spirit eighteen years: and stooped in such a manner, she was not able to hold up her head strait.

it is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leaven'd.

One sabbath-day, Jesus went to dine with a Pharisee of the first distinction, where he was strictly observ'd.

at supper-time he sent his servant to tell the guests to come, because every thing was ready.

and when he comes home, call his friends and neighbours together, and say to them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep, that was lost?