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his proper Bufinefs and Duty: So
neither ought ye to find Fault with
me for keeping Company with wicked
Men, whom I am fent into the World
on purpose to reclaim by my Doctrine
and Converfation.

18. About this Time, fome of the
Difciples of John the Baptift and of the
Pharifees, who had been brought up
in constant Fasting and great Aufterity
of Life; wondring to fee Jefus and his
Difciples live in a freer Manner with-
out that Strictnefs and Severity, came
to Jefus and asked him, faying; How
comes it to pafs, that fince
feem to
you
undertake to preach a more excellent and
refined Doctrine to the World than
hath hitherto been taught by any one,
yet you fuffer your Difciples to be lefs
ftrict in keeping Fafts, and lefs fevere
in their way of living than we?

19 & 20. Jefus replied: As it would be very abfurd for Guefts invited to a Wedding, to faft, fo long as the Bridegroom is with them, and the Solemnities of the Marriage-Feaft continue; fo it would be very unfit for my Difciples to enter into a Courfe of Life of great Abftinence and Severity, while I am perfonally prefent with them. But afterwards, when I am departed from them, they fhall have Occafion enough of Fafting and Mourning.

21 & 22. Every thing is to be ufed in its proper Place and Seafon. As it is not convenient to piece old Cloth with new, or to put new and Sce Note ftrong Wine into old and decay'd Bottles: So it would be very improper for me, when I am inftruc

on Mat. XIX. 17,

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19 And Jefus faid unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber faft, while

the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom

with them they cannot falt.

20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom fhall be taken away from them, and then fhall they faft in those days.

feweth a piece of 21 No man alfo

new cloth on an old garment: elfe the new piece that filled it up, taketh away from the old,and the rent is made worse.

22 And no man put

teth new wine into old bottles, elfe the

new wine doth burst the

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ting my Difciples, and fending them
into the World to preach the Gof-
pel, to lay upon them heavy Injunc-
tions of Fafting and external Severi-
ties.

23. At another Time, as Jefus
was walking through the Corn-Fields,
his Difciples, being hungry, began to
pluck the Ears, and to rub out the
Corn and eat it: And it happen'd to be
the Sabbath-Day.

24. Which the Pharifees obferving,
prefently upbraided Jefus, faying;
See, how your Difciples break the
Sabbath; You who pretend to be a
Teacher of great and extraordinary
Holinefs, why do you not reprove
them?

25. Jefus reply'd: God never de-
fign'd by any pofitive and ritual Infti-
tutions, fuch as the ftrict Jewish Ob-
fervation of the Sabbath, and the like,
to drive Men into extreme Hardships
For do you not re-
and Neceffities.
member how David in a like Cafe be-
haved himself, when he was hungry and
in a great Strait ?

26. How about the time of Abia-* Under thar's being High-Prieft, he went into Abimelech, the Tabernacle, and himself and all who was his Company eat of the Shew-Bread; Abiathar's

which it was as unlawful for any, ex-
cept the Priests, to eat, as it is to neg-
lect the strict Observation of the Sab-
bath: And yet David is no where
blam'd for thus fatisfying a Neceffity
of Nature, by the Breach of a pofi-
tive Inftitution.

Father.

27. From

27. From this Inftance therefore 'tis evident, that ritual and pofitive Inftitutions, fuch as referving the Shew-Bread for the Priests only to eat, and the ftrict Jewifh Obfervation of the Sabbath, and others of the fame kind, are not like Duties of moral and eternal Obligation, indifpenfably to be obferv'd in whatfoever Extremity or Neceffity a Man may be; but were appointed of God only for the prefent Ufe of Man, to be fubfervient in affifting to the more convenient Practice of the great Duties of Religion.

28. So that in extraordinary Cafes your rigid and ftrict Obfervation of the Sabbath may lawfully be relaxed by any Man, and therefore furely may *See Note be dispensed with by * Me.

01: Matt.

xii. 8.

27 And he faid unto them, The fabbath was made for for the fabbath: man, and not man

28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

CHA P. III.

Jefus heals a wither'd Hand, and fhows that pofitive Inftitutions must give Place to moral Duties, ver. 1. Suffers not evil Spirits to declare who he was, ver. 12. Chufes his twelve Apostles, ver. 13. His Actions are misinterpreted by his Friends, ver. 21. And blafphemed and attributed to the Devil, by the Pharifees, ver. 22. Jefus proves his Divine Commiffion by the Greatness of his ÏVorks, and by the Tendency of his Doctrine, ver. 23 and 27. Blafphemy against the Holy Ghoft, ver. 28. Jefus prefers his Difciples before his Relations, ver. 31.

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2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the fabbath day, that they might accufe him.

3 And he faith unto the man that had the withered hand,

Stand forth.

4 And he faith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the fabbath-days, or to do evil? to fave life, or to kill? but they

held their peace.

5And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the

hardness of their hearts, he faith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

6 And the Pharifees went forth, and ftraightway took counfel with the Herodians against him, how they might de ftroy him.

2. Upon which Occafion the Pharifees again watched Jefus, to fee what he would do; thinking they fhould have another fair opportunity of accufing him, if he fitould heal the Man on the Sabbath-Day.

3. But Jefus knowing their Malice and Superftition, and defigning to expofe the Unreafonablenefs of both in the Prefence of the whole Congregation, bad the lame Man come out of his Seat, and ftand forth before them all.

4. Then turning himself to the Pharifees, he faid: I appeal to your felves, judge ye; Which is the best Keeping of the Sabbath, and most acceptable to God? to do a good Work, of great Neceffity and Charity? Or, to neglect doing it, on Pretence of refting on the Sabbath? To fay, It ought to be forborn, they were afhamed and afraid, in the Prefence of the People; and to say, It ought to be done, was to vindicate Jefus. Not knowing therefore what to anfwer, they held their Tongues.

5. Then Jefus looking about with Anger and Grief in his Face, (angry at their obftinate Malice, and grieved at their incurable Blindness, that they would not receive his gracious Affiftance,) bad the lame Man hold out his Hand; and when he held it out, it was presently healed.

6. Upon this the Pharifees went out; and finding they were not any other way able to withstand the Power of Jefus's Miracles, and the Authority of his Doctrine, fo as to prevent its being embraced by the People; they refolved to form a Con

fpiracy

fpiracy against his Life; and began to plot with the Followers of Herod, which way they might effect this Defign.

7. But Jefus, aware of their malicious Defign, retired with his Difciples from Capernaum to the Lake's fide; and many Jews and Galilæans followed him.

8. Many of the Inhabitants of Ferufalem alfo, and Idumæans, and Peræans; and People from the SeaCoafts toward Tyre and Sidon, having heard the Fame of his mighty Works,

came out after him.

9. And fo great at laft was the Multitude which gathered about him, that he was forced to order a Boat to attend him near the Shore, that he might go into it to avoid the Croud, and preach from thence to the People.

1o. For, during his ftay in that Place, he had worked many Miracles, and particularly healed many Difeafes; fo that the People crouded and preffed upon him, to bring near all forts of difeafed Perfons to touch him. II. He caft out Devils alfo out of Men Poffefed: Who as foon as they faw him, would run and kneel down before him, and confefs him to be the Meffiah the Son of God.

12. But Jefus fuffered not the evil Spirits to bear Teftimony concerning him. And becaufe only his own Works and Doctrine could give the trueft Character of his Perfon and Office; therefore he forbad the Men alfo, whom he had difpoffeffed and cured, to report publickly that he was the Meffiah, among the

7 But Jefus withdrew himself with his difciples to the fea; and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judea,

8 And from Jerufalem, and from I

dumea, and from beyond Jordan, and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

9 And he spake to his difciples, that a fmall ship should wait on him, because of the multitude, left they should throng him.

10 For he had healed many, infomuch that they preffed him for to upon touch him, as many as had plagues.

II And unclean

fpirits, when they faw him, fell down before him, and cryed, faying, Thou art the Son of God.

12 And he ftraitly charged them,that they should not make him know.

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