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CH. 3.

SECT. IT.

mea 15, and from the banks of the Jordan. They also of the territories of Tyre and Sidon, having heard what wonders he had performed, flocked to 9 him in crowds. Then he ordered his disciples to get a boat to attend him, because of the multitude, 10 lest they should throng him: for he had healed many, which made all who had maladies press upon him to 11 touch him. And the unclean spirits, when they beheld him, prostrated themselves before him, crying, 12 Thou art the Son of God. But he strictly charged them not to make him known.

SECTION II.

Lu. 6; 12. ch. 6; 7.

THE NOMINATION OF APOSTLES.

Mat. 10; 1 13 AFTERWARDS Jesus went up a mountain, and called to him whom he would, and they went to him. 14 And he selected twelve, that they might attend

him, and that he might commission them to proclaim 15 [the reign], empowering them to cure diseases, and 16 to expel demons. These were Simon, whom he sur17 named Peter, and James, son of Zebedee, and John

the brother of James. These he surnamed Boaner18 ges, that is, sons of thunder; and Andrew, and

Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Tho19 mas, and James son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus,

15 In the Old Testament commonly Edom.

SECT. II.

20

сн. 3.

and Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot who
betrayed him.

Then they went into a house, whither the people again crowded so fast, that Jesus and his disciples 21 could not so much as eat. His kinsmen hearing

this, went out to lay hold on him, for they said, 22 He is beside himself. But the Scribes who came from Jerusalem said, He is confederate with Beelzebub, and expelleth demons by the prince of the 23 demons. Jesus having called them, said to them 24 by similitude, How can Satan expel Satan? If a

kingdom be torn by factions, that kingdom cannot 25 subsist. And if a family be torn by factions, that 26 family cannot subsist. Thus, if Satan fight against

himself, and be divided, he cannot subsist, but is 27 near his end. No one who entereth the strong one's house, can plunder his goods, unless he first overpower the strong one; then, indeed, he may 28 plunder his house. Verily I say unto you, that though all other sins n the sons of men are pardon- 1 29 able, and whatever detractions they shall utter ;

whosoever shall detract from the Holy Spirit, shall never be pardoned, but is liable to eternal punish30 ment. [He said this,] because they affirmed that he was leagued with an unclean spirit.

31

Mat. 9; 34. & 12; 24

Lu. 11; 15.

Mat. 12; 31

Lu. 12; 10.

Jo. 15; 46.

Meanwhile came his mother and brothers, who Mat. 12; 4632 standing without, sent for him. And the crowd

who sat round him, said to him, Lo, thy mother 33 and thy brothers are without, and seek thee. He answered them saying, Who is my mother or my brothers? And looking about on those who sat

Lu. 8; 19

CH. 4.

SECT. II.

35 around him, he said, Behold my mother and my brothers; for whosoever doth the will of God, is my brother, my sister, and mother.

Mat. 13; 1. IV.

Mat. 13; 4
Lu. 8; 4.

Mat. 13; 10.
Lu, 8; 9.

Is. 6; 9.

Again, he was teaching by the sea-side, when so great a multitude gathered about him, that he was obliged to go aboard a bark and sit there, while all 2 the people remained on shore. Then he taught

them many things by parables. 3 In teaching, he said to them, Attend, behold 4 the sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, part of the seed fell by the way-side, and the birds 5 came and picked it up; part fell upon rocky ground, where it had little mould. This sprang the sooner, because there was no depth of soil. 6 But after the sun had beaten upon it, it was scorch7 ed, and having no root, it withered away. Part fell amidst thorns; and the thorns grew up and 8 stifled it, so that it yielded nothing. Part fell into good ground, and sprang up, and became so fruitful, that some grains produced thirty, some sixty, 9 and some a hundred. He added, Whoever hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10

When he was in private, those who were about him with the twelve asked him the meaning of the 11 parable. He said to them, It is your privilege to know the secrets of the reign of God, but to those 12 without every thing is veiled in parables; that they may not perceive what they look at, or understand what they hear; lest they should be reclaimed, and obtain the forgiveness of their sins. 13 He said also to them, Do ye not understand this

SECT. M.

14.

сн. 4.

parable? How then will ye understand all [my] parables?

Lu. 8; 11.

The sower is he who disperseth the word. The Mat. 13; 18 wayside on which some of the grain fell, denoteth those who have no sooner heard the word, than Sa. tan cometh and taketh away that which was sown 16 in their hearts. The rocky ground denoteth those who hearing the word, receive it at first with plea17 sure; yet not having it rooted in their minds, re

tain it but a while; for when trouble or persecution cometh because of the word, they instantly relapse. 18 The ground over-run with thorns, denoteth those 19 hearers in whom worldly cares, and delusive riches,

and the inordinate desires of other things, stifle the 20 word and render it unfruitful. The good soil on which some grains yielded thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred, denoteth those who hear the word and retain it, and produce the fruits thereof.

21

Lu. 8; 16.

He said further, Is a lamp brought to be put Mat. 5; 15. under a corn-measure, or under a bed; and not & 11; 33. 22 to be set on a stand? For there is no secret that Mat. 10; 26° is not to be discovered; nor hath aught been con

23 cealed which was not to be divulged. If any man have ears to hear let him hear.

Mat. 7; 2.

Mat. 13; 12,

24 He said moreover, Consider what ye hear; with Lu 8; 18. the measure wherewith ye give, ye shall receive; Lu. 6; 38. and to you who are attentive, more shall be ad25 ded. For to him who hath, more shall be given; but from him who hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken.

26

He said also, The kingdom of God is like seed

Lu. 19; 26.

CH. 4.

27 which a man sowed in his field.

by night and waked by day, the 28 and grew without his minding it.

SECT. II.

While he slept

seed shot up,

For the earth

produceth of itself first the blade, then the ear; 29 afterwards the full corn. But as soon as the grain was ripe, he applied the sickle, because it was time to reap it.

Mat. 13; 31 30 He said also, Whereunto shall we compare the kingdom of God, or by what similitude shall we 31 represent it? It is like a grain of mustard-seed,

Mat. 1; 23

Lu. 8; 22.

which, when it is sown in the earth, is the small32 est of all the seeds that are there. But after it is sown, it springeth up, and becometh greater than any herb, and shooteth out branches so large, that under their shades the birds of the air may find shelter.

33

And in many such similitudes he conveyed instruction to the people, as he found them disposed 34 to hear: and without a similitude he told them nothing; but he solved all to his disciples in private. 35 That day, in the evening, he said to them, Let 36 us pass to the other side. And they leaving the people, but having him in the bark, [set sail] in 37 company with other small barks. Then there arose

a great storm of wind, which drove the billows into 38 the bark, which was now full. Jesus being in the

stern, asleep on a pillow, they awaken him, saying, 39 Rabbi, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose and commanded the wind, saying to the sea, Peace! be still! Immediately the wind ceased, and 40 a great calm ensued. And he said to them, Why

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