in dows in Jerufalem and in all Judea, yet to none of them was Elijah fent, but to a poor Widow of Sarepta, the Country of Sidon. So likewise in the time of Elisha, though there were abundance of leprous Perfons in the Kingdom of Ifrael, yet you do not read that any of them were healed by the Interceffion of that Prophet, but only Naaman a Stranger out of Syria. And in the fame manner Now; though ye expect, that God fhould make all his Revelations and Discoveries of Himfelf to you; yet, because of your Unworthiness, He will remove these Bleffings from you, and bestow them upon others who will use them better. 28. These things, Jefus fpeak plainly and openly in the Synagogue; Whereupon the People were incenfed against him, and fell into a great rage; 29. Infomuch, that they broke up the Congregation tumultuoufly; and thruft him not only out of the Synagogue, but out of the City alfo ; and carried him to the Brow of the Hill on which the City ftood, defigning to throw him down the Precipice and destroy him And all this, without any Crime being fo much as laid to his Charge: Whereby, they fufficiently discovered their own Unworthiness. 30 But he paffing through the mids of them, went his way : 31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and fabbath-days. taught them on the 32 And 32 And they were aftonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. 33 And in the fynagogue there was a man which had a fpirit of an unclean devil, and cryed out with a loud voice, 33 34. For he worked many Miracles amongst them. And particularly, one Sabbath Day as he was Teaching in the Synagogue, there was present a Man poffeffed and grievoufly afflicted with an evil Spirit; in whom the evil Spirit cried out aloud to Jefus, faying; Let us alone, thou Jefus of Nazareth; I know that thou art the Son of God; Wherefore art thou come to torment us, before the I time appointed of God for our final Judgment? 35. But Jefus rebuked the evil Spirit, commanding it to hold its peace, and to come out of the Man. Whereupon convulfing him, and throwing him in the midst of the Company as dead, it came out without doing any real mifchief to his Body; fo that the Man prefently revived, and was perfectly well. 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jefus of Nazareth? art thou come to deftroy us? know thee who thou art, the holy one of God. 32. And the People were turprized with great Admiration of him, both because of the Excellency of his Doctrine, and of the Authority and Gravity with which he delivered it, and of the mighty Works wherewith he confirmed it. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, faying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the mids, he came out of him, and hurt him not. 36. At which fudden and eafy Cure, 36 And they were all amazed, and spake the People were ftrangely astonished, among themselves, and faid one to another; This is a won faying, What a word derful thing, beyond all that ever was is this? for with feen or heard of before, that One authority and power fhould command the evil Spirits pehe commandeth the remptorily, with only a fingle Word, unclean fpirits, and and they immediately fubmit to his Authey come out. thority. 37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. 37. And the Fame of Jefus's Power fpread over all the Country of Galilee, and into all Judæa. 38 Now 38 And he arose out of the fynagogue, and entred into Simons houfe: and Si mons wives mother was taken with a great fever; and they befought him for her. 39 And he ftood over her, and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately fhe arose and miniftred unto them. 40 Now when the fun was fetting, fick with divers difall they that had any cafes, brought them unto him and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. 41 And devils alfo came out of many, crying out, and faying, Thou art Christ the fon of God. And he rebuking them, fuffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. *St. Matthew, ch. viii. v. 14, relates this hiftory, as if it happened immediately after the healing the Centurion's Servant, which yet St. Luke does not relate till ch. vii. But the true order feems to be this: Chrift at his going into Capernaum heals the Centurion's Servant, then preaches in the Synagogue, and afterwards heals Peter's Mother. Only St. Luke, to put together Chrift's preaching in the feveral Towns of Galilee, defers the History of the Centurion to ch. vii: And St. Matthew, omitting his preaching in the Synagogue, goes directly from the healing the Centurion's Servant, to a like Hiftory of healing St. Peter's Mother-in-law. 42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a defert place; and the people fought him, and came unto him, and flayed him, that he fhould not depart from them. 42. And the next morning early, he retired into a defart place, to be private for a while from the Multitude. But they fought after him, and found him out, and preffed him earnestly that he would dwell with them, and not depart out of their City. 43 And he faid unto them, I must 43. But he faid; Ye are intent upon the Cures which ye fee me work, and defire to detain me for the fake of these of God to other cities alfo for therefore am I fent. preach the kingdom temporal Advantages; But the Bufiness for which I am fent into the World, is, To preach the Gofpel, and declare the Will of God to Men: And this I muft do in other Cities, as well as yours. 44 And he preached in the fynagogues of Galilee. 44. And he travelled through all the Towns of Galilee, preaching in their Synagogues, and confirming his Doctrine by Miracles. CITY CHAP. V. Jefus calleth Peter, James and John; and by a miraculous Draught of Fishes, prefigures the Success of their future Miniftry, ver. 1. Heals a Leprofy, ver. 12. and a Palfy, ver: 17. whereby he proves his Power of forgiving Sins, ver. 21. He calleth Matthew, ver. 27. And gives the Reason of his converfing with Sinners, ver. 30. He vindicates his Difciples in not fafting at this time, ver. 33: AND it came to pass that as the people preffed upon him to hear * the word of God, as travelled Galilee, and the People preffed after him to hear him preach, he came to the Shore of the Lake of 1. *This coming to the Lake of Tiberias to chufe Disciples, muft be fuppofed to have happened at Jesus's first entering into Galilee, according to St. Matthew, and St. Mark's account, and the reason of the thing; before the Hiftories related in the foregoing Chapter from ver 16, to the end. VOL. II. D Gennefareth, Gennefareth, which is the Lake of He ftood by the lake Tiberias. of Gennefareth. 4. And when he had finished his Sermon, he bad Peter row off further into the Lake, and caft his Net into a deep Place for fome Fish. 5. But Peter faid unto him; Sir, we have been fishing already all this Night paft, without any fuccefs, and have taken great Pains for nothing: However fince defire it, I will make 2 And faw two the lake: but the fhips ftanding by fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 And he entred into one of the ships, which was Simons, he would thruft out and prayed him that a little from the land, and he fat down and taught the people out of the fhip. you one Trial more. 6. Then he and his Men caft out the Net; and immediately, contrary to their Expectation or Hope, they enclofed in the Net fuch a vaft multitude of Fishes, that the Net began to rend: Jefus defigning by this visible Similitude, to reprefent to Peter the great fuccefs of his future Miniftry. 7. Calling therefore to their Partners which were in the other Boat, they defired them to come and help to draw up the Net: Which when they had done, they loaded Both the Boats with Fish, infomuch that they began to be in danger of finking by reafon of the too great weight. 4 Now when he had left fpeaking, he faid unto Simon, Launch out into the nets for a 5 And Simon anfwering, faid unto him, Mafter, we have toiled all the ne night, and have taken nothing : vertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their net brake. 7 And they beckned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the fhips, fo 10152 r |