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And it came to pass, that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus's knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken : And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine; for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

And in the synagogue there was a man which had

VARIOUS MIRACLES AND CURES.

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a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had thrown him in the midst, and had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this? What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority, and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him, and they come out. And immediately the fame of him went out, and spread abroad throughout all the region, into every place of the country round about.

And forth

And he arose out of the synagogue. with, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever, and lay sick; and when Jesus was come into Peter's house, anon they tell him of her, and they besought him for her. And he came and stood over her, and rebuked the fever, and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her; and she arose and ministered unto them.

And at even, when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick, with divers diseases, brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed of devils: (and all the city was gathered together at the door :) and he laid his hands on

every one of them that were sick of divers diseases, and healed them: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick : That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

Himself took our infirmities

and bare our sicknesses.

And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying,

Thou art Christ, the Son of God.

And he, rebuking them, suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him, that he was Christ. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon, and they that were with him, followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. And he said unto them, Let us go into the

next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. And the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy ; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee,

A LEPER CLEANSED.

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and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judæa, and from beyond Jordan.

And as

And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold, there came a leper to him, a man full of leprosy, who seeing Jesus, and kneeling down to him, beseeching him, fell upon his face and worshipped him, saying unto him, Lord, if Thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.* And Jesus saith unto him, See thou say nothing unto any man, but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer, for thy cleansing, those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. And he straightway charged him, and forthwith sent him away. But he went out and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, and so much the more went there a fame abroad of him, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed; and they came to him from every quarter.†

* The loathsome disease of leprosy was typical of sin; this narrative is therefore not only a record of one of our Lord's miracles of mercy, but also a lesson to us of the humility, the earnest supplication and implicit faith, with which we are to seek to Christ, if we would have him in like manner will us to be clean.

+ We see that Christ thus interchanged public services with acts of retired devotion. The business of his life was to do good to men and to commune with his Heavenly Father. These things were written for our example; we also are to glorify God, and to do good in our generation.

THANKSGIVING.

O come, let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

O Almighty Lord and Everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts and bodies in the ways of thy laws and in the works of thy commandments; that through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions on Section IV.

How did Christ assert his Divinity in his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar?

How must true believers worship God?

What was the testimony of the Samaritans concerning Jesus?

What was Christ's second miracle at Cana in Galilee ? Prove that Christ went habitually to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.

How did he apply a prophecy of Isaiah respecting the Messiah to himself at Nazareth?

Why were his countrymen angry with him there?

Relate the call of Simon Peter and Andrew his brother, and of James and John the sons of Zebedee, to be disciples of Christ.

What was the testimony of the unclean devil at Capernaum to Jesus?

Why were the people amazed?

What miracle was wrought on Peter's mother-in law? When Christ healed the demoniacs, why would he not suffer the devils that came out of them to speak?

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