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.

and she shall be deliver'd of a son, to whom you shall give the name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

but did not cohabit with her as a wife, before she had-brought forth her first-born son; whom he named JESUS.

and Jesus said to him, take care not to tell any man, but go thy way, shew thy self to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, that it may be a testimony against them.

he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose and gave him entertainment.

Whilst he thus entertain'd them, the ruler of the synagogue came and made his address to him, saying, my daughter is upon the point of death: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

for she said within her self, if I do but touch his garment, I shall be cured:

"behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew justice to the nations.

Then certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees said, master, we should be glad you would shew us some miracle.

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.

that he promised her upon oath, to give whatever she should ask;

who being before instructed by her mother, pray, said she, order John Baptist's head to be brought here in a charger.

but Jesus not making her any answer, his disciples came and entreated him to grant her request; for, said they, she is very importunate with us.

however she advanc'd, and throwing her self at his feet, cried, O Lord, assist me.

'tis true, Lord, said she: yet even puppies eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table.

and he said to her, what would you have? grant, said she, when you are upon the throne, that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left.

shew me the tribute money. and they brought him a penny.

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

so that you maybe charg'd with all the innocent blood shed upon earth, from the blood of Abel the just, unto the blood of Zacharias, the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

for there shall arise false Messiahs, and false prophets, and shall shew such astonishing miracles and prodigies, as to deceive, if that can do it, the very converts themselves.

Jesus perceiving this, said to them, why do you trouble the woman? for what she has done is out of regard to me.

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

and he came, and taking her by the hand, lift her up; upon which the fever immediately left her, and she served them at table.

how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar, who was afterwards high-priest, and did eat the shew-bread, giving some of it likewise to the company, though the law allow'd no body to eat of it but the priests.

and earnestly intreated him, saying, "my little daughter is at the last extremity, pray come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed, and live."

having suffered much from several physicians, she had spent all her fortune, and instead of being any thing the better, she rather grew worse.

but having heard of Jesus; she came behind him in the crowd, and touched his garment.

for said she, if I do but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.

and immediately the source of her disorder was dried up: and she sensibly perceived she was healed of that indisposition.

immediately the damsel arose, and walked, for she was twelve years of age: and they were struck with astonishment.

then she withdrew, and said to her mother, what shall I ask? the head of John the Baptist, said she.

upon which she instantly fled to the king, and said, I desire to have John the Baptist's head brought hither immediately in a charger.

she answer'd, true, Lord, yet puppys eat of the crumbs, which children drop under the table.

accordingly she went home, where she found that the demon was indeed gone out of her daughter, and she was lying on the bed.

and if a woman quits her husband and is married to another, she committeth adultery.

so that all the seven married her, but left no children. last of all she died.

at the time therefore of the resurrection, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of the seven?

who yet devour widows estates under the shew of making long prayers, such shall receive greater condemnation.

for all the rest contributed out of their superfluous substance; but she has contributed what she wanted for her bare subsistence.

for false Christs, and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and prodigies, so as to seduce, if it were possible, even the very elect.

now being at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, while he was at table, there came a woman with a viol full of the perfume of spikenard, which was very costly; and she opened the viol, and poured it upon his head.

but Jesus said, let her alone, why do you disquiet her? it is commendable, what she has done out of respect to me.

she has done what she could: she has perfum'd my body previously to my burial.

and he will shew you a large upper room ready furnished: there make preparation for us.

and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked earnestly upon him, and said, you too was with Jesus the Nazarene.

immediately she went to those who frequented Jesus, and were then bemoaning themselves in tears, and acquainted them with it.

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.

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;

where entring into the house of Zacharias, she saluted Elizabeth.

blessed is she that has believed; for what she has heard from the Lord, shall be accomplished."

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

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.

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.

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.

how he went into the court of the tabernacle, took and eat the shew-bread, and distributed it likewise to the company, which the law allowed the priests only to eat?

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.

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.

you did not salute me, but this woman, since she came in, has been continually kissing my feet.

you did not bestow any oil upon my head; but she has poured her rich perfume upon my feet.

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,

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.

but when Jesus heard that, he said to Jairus, be not afraid: only believe, and she shall recover.

the company there were all in tears lamenting for her: but he said don't weep; she is not dead, but asleep.

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

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

now she had a sister, named Mary, who placed herself at the feet of Jesus, to attend to his discourse.

but the best and the most necessary concern is, what Mary has pitch'd upon, of which she shall never be deprived.

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

" so that the blood of all the prophets, which has been shed since the creation of the world, may be required of this generation,

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.

then he laid his hands upon her: and instantly she stood upright, and glorified God.

or if a woman, that has ten pieces of money, should lose one of them, will she not light a lamp, sweep the house, and carefully search, till she find it?

and when 'tis found, will she not call her friends aud neighbours together, and say, rejoice with me, for I have found the piece, I had lost?

as soon as he perceiv'd them, he said to them, go shew yourselves to the priests. and on the way they found themselves cured.

yet, because this widow importunes me, I will do her justice, that she may'nt be continually coming to teaze me.

then the third took her, and so she was married to all seven, who all died without leaving any children.

at the resurrection therefore, to which of them will she be wife? for she had been married to all the seven.

for they have offer'd only part of their superfluous wealth; but she has given all that was then left for her subsistence.

and after supper he likewise gave the cup, saying, this cup is the new testament sealed by my blood, which is shed for you.

for the father loveth the son, and sheweth him all that he himself doth: and he will shew him greater works than these, so that you will be surprized.

for no body acts in private, that designs to distinguish himself: since you do such things, shew yourself to the world.

Lord, said she, no man. and Jesus said to her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet him: but Mary stay'd at home.

When she had said this, she went privately to call Mary her sister, saying, the master is come, and calls for you.

no sooner she heard that, but she arose with all speed, and came to him.

the Jews then who were with Mary in the house to comfort her, when they saw that she rose in such haste, and went out, followed her, saying, she is going to the grave to weep there.

Mary being come to the place where Jesus was, as soon as she saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying, Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not been dead.

then said Jesus, let her alone: against the day of my burial hath she kept this.

Philip said to him, Lord shew us the father, and we are satisfied.

Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long, and don't you know me yet? Philip, he that hath seen me, hath seen the father; why then do you say, shew us the father?

he that hath received my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me, shall be beloved by my father, and I will love him, and shew my self unto him.

a woman when she is in travail, is afflicted at the approach of her pains: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, the remembrance of her anguish, is lost in her joy, that a man is born into the world.

upon this she went in great haste to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, they have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

but Mary stood at the entrance of the cave weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down to look into the sepulchre,

and they said to her, woman, why do you weep? "because, said she, they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him."

having thus said, she turned about, and saw Jesus standing, but knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to her, woman, why do you weep? who do you look for? she supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, sir, if it be you that have convey'd him away; tell me where you have laid him, and I will take care to have him remov'd.

Jesus said to her, Mary! she bowing her self, cry'd rabboni!