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.

but Jesus rebuk'd him, saying, be dumb, and come out of him. upon which the demon threw him down in the midst of the assembly, and came out, without doing him any harm.

so approaching near her, he order'd the fever to leave her, and it left her. upon which she immediately arose, and waited upon them at table.

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.

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,

One day, as the people press'd after him to hear his divine preaching, he came near the lake of Gennesereth,

master, said Simon, we have toil'd all the night, without any prize: however, since you give the word, I will throw the net.

and he charg'd him not to tell any man: but go, said he, present your self to the priest, and offer what the law requires for your purification, that it may be an evidence to them.

in the mean time his fame spread so much the more, and a vast multitude flock'd to hear him, and to be cured of their diseases,

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.

for instance, they brought a man in his bed lying sick of the palsy: and try'd to. bring him directly into his presence.

but the Scribes and Pharisees of that place reproach'd his disciples, and said, why do ye eat and drink with publicans and scandalous people?

I came not to call saints, but sinners to repentance. Then they ask'd him, how comes it that John's disciples,

but new wine must be put into new skins, and both will be preserv'd.

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.

but Jesus replied, have you never read what David did, when he and his company were press'd with hunger?

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.

Jude the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who prov'd the traitor.

give and you shall receive: they shall pour into your lap good measure, well pressed, heap'd up, and running over. for in the measure you deal with others, you shall be dealt with yourselves.

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.

and they that were sent, being return'd to the house, they found the servant, who had been sick, in good health.

then advancing, he touch'd the bier, and the bearers standing still, he said, young man, arise, I command you.

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

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.

When the messengers of John were departed, he address'd himself to the people, and said with relation to John, what did you go to see in the desart? a reed shaken with the wind?

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.

and stood behind at his feet weeping, bath'd them with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed his feet, and poured the perfume upon them.

and several women, who had been delivered from evil spirits and cured of their diseases: particularly Mary Magdalene, who had been dispossess'd of seven demons:

A vast number of people being assembled, and crowding to him from all quarters, he thus address'd himself to them by way of parable.

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.

some fell upon very stony ground, which no sooner sprung up, but it wither'd away, for want of moisture:

some fell among thorns; but the thorns over-grew it, and starv'd it.

But his disciples having ask'd him the meaning of this parable;

by the beaten road is meant, they who only hear: the word, by the lurking wiles of the devil, being hinder'd from taking root in their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

whatever is now obscure, shall hereafter be made clear; whatever is now conceal'd, shall then be publickly known.

but to his disciples he said, where is your faith? while they, seiz'd with fear and admiration, said to one another, who can this man be, that he commands even the winds, and the waves, and they obey?

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.

upon seeing Jesus, he set up a great cry, fell down before him, and roar'd out, what business have you with me, Jesus son of the most high God? I beseech you torment me not.

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.

accordingly the demons quitted the man, and enter'd into the swine: immediately the herd ran headlong down a precipice into the lake, and were drowned.

being inform'd by those that were present, by what means the demoniac had been cured.

Some time after, a person nam'd Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came to Jesus, and upon his knees desired him to come to his house:

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,

and among the rest a woman, who had been troubled with an hemorrhage twelve years, having consum'd her whole fortune upon physicians, who could none of them cure her; she getting behind him,

but he said to her, daughter, don't be under any concern: your faith has sav'd you, go in peace.

being come to the house, he suffer'd nobody to go into the room with him, except Peter, John and James, and the young woman's father and mother.

but Jesus oblig'd them to withdraw; then grasping her hand, he said, my child, arise.

immediately she came to life, and rose up: and he order'd, that something should be given her to eat.

and her parents were seized with astonishment: but he charg'd them not to let the fact be known to any one.

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

if any refuse to entertain you, when you leave that city, shake off the dust from your feet, as a sign of their being abandon'd.

accordingly they departed, and travell'd thro' the towns, preaching the gospel, and performing cures every where.

where the people, who were inform'd of it, followed him: which he did not discountenance, but explained to them the reign of the Messiah, and relieved those, who wanted to be cured.

then he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he ask'd blessing: then divided them, and gave them to his disciples to be distributed among the people:

One day having retired alone to prayer, he came to his disciples, and ask'd them, saying, whom do the people judge me to be?

what advantage is it for a man to have gain'd the whole world, if he himself runs into utter loss and ruin?

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;

The next day, when they were come down from the mountain, a multitude of people happen'd to meet him:

when one of the company cry'd out, master, I beseech you, cast your eyes upon my son, for he is my only child:

At length they enter'd into a debate, which of them should be the greatest.

Then said John to Jesus, master, we saw one casting out demons in your name, and we oppos'd it, because he does not follow you with us.

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.

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