Plain and useful selections, from the books of the New Testament, by T. Browne

CHAP.

VII.

26 ment?

VII.

splinter in thy brother's eye, and CHAP. considerest not the beam in thine own eye? Or how canst thou 4 say to thy brother, Let ine take the splinter out of thine eye,' and lo! there is a beam in thine own eye. Thou hypocrite! first take 5 the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou wilt see clearly to take the splinter out of thy brother's eye.

in teaching.

"Give not that food which is 6 holy to dogs, nor cast your pearls Discretion before swine, lest the swine tramthem under their feet, and the dogs turn about and tear you.

"No man can serve two masters;
for either he will hate the one, and
love the other, or at least will hold
25 to one, and neglect the other. Ye
cannot serve God and Wealth.
Therefore I say unto you, be not
anxious for your life what ye must
eat, nor for your body what you
must put on. Is not life better
than food, and the body than rai-
Consider the fowls of the
air, they neither sow, nor reap,
nor gather into barns; and yet
your heavenly Father feedeth them.
Are ye not much better than they?ple
27 And which of you, with all his
anxiety, can add a single 'cubit to
28 his life? And why are ye anxious
about raiment? Consider how the
lilies of the field grow; they toil
29 not, neither do they spin; yet I say
unto you that even Solomon in all
his glory was not arrayed like one
30 of these. But if God so clothe the
grass of the field, which flourisheth
to day, and to-morrow is cast into
the furnace; will he not much
more clothe you, O ye of little
31 faith! Wherefore be not anxious,
saying, 'What shall we eat, or
what shall we drink, or what shall
32 we put on?' (for after all these
things do the Gentiles seek) be-
cause your heavenly Father know-
eth that you have need of all these
33 things; but seek first the kingdom
of God, and the righteousness re-
quired by him, and all these things
34 shall be added unto you. Be not
therefore anxious about the mor-
row, for the morrow will have
trouble of its own. Sufficient for
cach day is the trouble thereof.

prayer.

Ask and it will be given you; 7 seek and ye will find; knock and Reasonit will be opened to you: for every ableness of one that asketh receiveth, and he who seeketh, findeth; and to him 8 who knocketh it will be opened. Who among you, if his son ask 9 for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish will give him 10 a serpent ? If then ye who are 11 evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him. All things therefore 12 whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them; for to establish this, was one principal object of the law and the prophets.

narrow.

"Enter in by the strait gate; 13 for wide is the gate and broad is Road to life the way, which leadeth to destruction, and there are many that enter by it: but how strait is the gate, 14 and how narrow is the way, which leadeth to life; and how few there are that find it!

Judge not, that ye be not
judged; for as ye judge, ye will be
judged, and the measure that you
give will be given to you again.ing,
3 But why dost thou behold the

A small measure or portion of time. Be not willing to pass an unfavou able sentence upon others.

By splinter and beam, are meant slight

"Beware of those false teachers 15 that come to you in sheep's cloth- Caution but inwardly are against false wolves. Ye may know them by teachers.

and great faults.

ravenous

+ Provided he ask for proper things in a proper manner.

CHAP. their fruits. Are grapes gathered VIII. from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 So every good tree beareth good fruit, but a bad tree beareth bad 18 fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, nor a bad tree bear 20 good fruit: Wherefore by their fruits ye may know them.'

"No man for saying, Master, True quali- master,' shall enter into the kingfication for dom of heaven, but for doing the the kingdom of will of my Father who is in heaven. heaven. Many will say to me in that day, 22. Have we not taught in thy name, and in thy name cast out demons, and in thy name done many won23 derful works?' But I will then declare unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye workers of iniquity.'

Who are truly wise and who foolish.

"Whosoever therefore heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a 25 rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat against that house, but it fell not, for it was founded 26 on a rock. And whosoever heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, may be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon 27 the sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat against that house, and it fell, and the fall of it was great.

And when Jesus had ended these Excellency words the people were astonished Jesus's at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the Scribes.

teaching.

saying, "Master! if thou wilt, CHAP. thou canst make me clean ;" and Jesus stretched out his hand, and 3 touched him, saying, "I will, be thou clean ;" and immediately his leprosy was cleansed; and Jesus saith unto him, "See thou tell no man, but go, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses appointed for a testimony unto them."

And as he went into Capernaum, 5 a Centurion came to him, beseech- a Centari. ing him, and saying, "Sir, my on's servant of a palsy, servant lieth at home ill with the palsy, grievously afflicted." Jesus 7 saith unto him," I will come and cure him ;" and the Centurion an- 8 swered, "Sir, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak a word only, and my servant will be well. For even 9 I who am a man under* authority, have soldiers under myself; and I say to one, go, and he goeth: and to another, come, and he cometh, and to my own servant, do this and he doeth it." When Jesus heard 10 this, he wondered, and said to those about him, "Verily I have not found so great faith, even in Israel. And I say unto you, many 11 will come from the east and west, and shall be guests with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the heirs of 12 the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then 13 said Jesus to the Centurion, "Go, and as thou hast believed, be it done unto thee." And his servant was well from that very moment.

. Peter's

wife's mother of a

And when Jesus was come unto Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying on a bed ill of a fever, fever,

IX.

CHAP. and he took hold of her hand, and | Gergesenes, there met him two CHAP. Vill. the fever left her and she arose 15 and ministered unto him.

who wished

Now when Jesus saw great mulJesus cau- titudes about him, he gave orders tions some to go to the other side of the lake; to be his and a certain scribe came up, and disciples. said unto him, "Teacher, I will accompany thee whithersoever thou 20 goest." And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have roosts, but the son of man hath not 'where to rest 21 his head." And another, intending to be one of his disciples, said 22 unto him, "Master, suffer me first to go and bury my father;" but Jesus said unto him, "Come with me, and let the spiritually dead bury their naturally dead."

Stills a tempest.

madness

men into

demoniacs, coming out from amongst the tombs, exceedingly Tranfers fierce, so that no man could pass from two that way, and behold! they cried out, saying, "What hast thou to a herd of do with us, Jesus thou Son of God? swine. Art thou come hither to torment us before the time!" Now there was 30 at some distance from them a herd of many swine feeding. And the 31 men supposing themselves to be possessed with demons besought him, saying in their name, "If thou cast us out, send us into that herd of swine." And he said unto 32 them, "Go," and when they were come out, they went into the swine. And lo! the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and * perished in the waters. But they that fed 33 them fled away into the city Gadara, and told every thing, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And lo! the whole city came 34 out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they besought him to leave their country.

IX.

Cures an

other man of a palsy.

And when he was gone into the
vessel, his disciples followed him,
and behold a great tempest arose
in the lake, so that the vessel was
beginning to be covered with the
25 waves; but he was asleep. And
his disciples came to him and
awoke him, saying, "Master, save
26 us! we are lost." And he said
unto them, "Why are ye fearful,
O ye of little faith?" then he arose
and rebuked the wind and the sea," This man speaketh profanely."
27 and there was a great calm. And
the men wondered, saying, "What
kind of man is this, that even the
winds, and the sea obey him!"

Then he went into the vessel, CHAP.
and passed over to his own city,
Capernaum. And behold! there
was brought unto him a man with
a palsy, lying on a couch; and Je-
sus seeing their faith, said to him
that had the palsy: "Take cou-
rage, son, thy sins are forgiven
thee." And behold! some of the 3
scribes said within themselves :

And when he was come to the other side, into the country of the

I No fixed place of residence.
• Or madmen.

3 The madness of the men was miracu-
lously transferred to the swine.

Probably this was done in punishment of

But Jesus perceived their thoughts, 4
and said, "Why think ye evil in
your hearts? For which is easier? to 5
say, 'Thy sins are forgiven thee,' or
to say, Arise and walk?' But 6
that ye may know, that the son of

IX.

but they put new wine into new CHAP. skins, and both are preserved." IX.

CHAP. man hath power ginted to him
here on earth to forgive sins,"
(then he saith to the man with
the palsy)" Arise, take up thy
7 couch, and go home." So he
8 arose, and went home. But when
the multitude saw it, they wonder-
ed, and glorified God who had
given such
power to man.

Calls
Matthew.

your

ler to cure

While he was speaking these 18 things to them, behold! there came Is applied a certain ruler and did him obei- to by a ru sance, saying, "My daughter is his daughjust at the point of death; but ter, come, put thy hand upon her, and she will live." And Jesus arose and 19 followed him with his disciples.

does,

And when Jesus came into the 23
ruler's house, and perceived the which he
minstrels and the people making a
noise, he saith unto them, "With-
draw; for the damsel is not dead,
but asleep."

And they derided 25
But when the company was
sent out, he went in, and took her
by the hand, and the damsel arose.
And the fame of this went abroad 26
into all that country.

And as Jesus passed on thence, he saw a man named Matthew, sitting at the place where custom was paid; and he saith unto him, "Come with me;" and he arose 10 and went with him. And as he was at table in Matthew's house, behold! many publicans, and hea-him. thens came and sat down with 11 Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, Why eateth master with publicans and sin- And as Jesus passed on thence, 27 12 ners?" When Jesus heard it, he two blind men followed him, cry- and two said unto them, "They who are ing out and saying, "Thou son of blind men, well need not a physician, but they David, have pity on us." And 28 13 who are sick. But go and learn when he was come into an house, Hos. vi. 6. what this meaneth. I love mercy the blind men came unto him, better than sacrifice;' for I came and Jesus saith unto them, " Do not to call righteous men, but sin-ye believe that I am able to do ners to repentance.' this?" They say unto him, " Yes, Then the disciples of John came Master." Then he touched their Assigns a to him, saying, "Why do we eyes, saying, " According to your 29 reason why and the Pharisees fast much, but faith be it done unto you." And ples did not thy disciples fast not?" And Je-their eyes were opened.

his

fast.

Then 30

sus said unto them, "Can the Jesus strictly charged them, saycompanions of the bridegrooming, "See that no man know it." mourn, while the bridegroom is But they went away, and spread 31 with them? But the days will abroad his fame in all that councom4 when the bridegroom shall try. depart from them; and then they 16 will fast. No one putteth a piece of new cloth upon an old garment, for the piece which filleth it up taketh from the garment, and a 17 worse rent is made. Nor do men put new wine into old skins; if they do, the skins burst and the wine is spilled, and the skins spoilt;

1 He means himself.

Or leathern bottles.
3 Ruler of a synagogue.

Called Beelzebub and Satan, Matt. xii.

man.

And as they were going out, 32 behold! a dumb man, a demoniac, and a dumb was brought unto him, and when the demon was cast out, the dumb spake; and the multitudes were astonished, saying, "It was never seen thus in Israel." But the Pha- 34 risees said, "He casteth out demons by the prince of the demons.”

24, 26.
Beelzebub signifies the god of
flies, a name given in contempt to an ima
ginary god of the Philistines.

CHAP.

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the glad tidings of his kingdom, and curing every disease, and every in36 firmity. But when he saw the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were scattered abroad and neglected, like sheep 37 without a shepherd. Then he saith to his disciples, "The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the 38 labourers are few: Pray ye therefore the owner of the harvest to furnish labourers for this harvest." And when he had called to him his twelve disciples, he gave them Names of power over unclean spirits to cast the twelve them out, and to heal every disease, Apostles. 2 and every infirmity. Now the names of the twelve Apostles are these :

CHAP.

Their commission.

1. Simon, called Peter;
2. Andrew, his brother;

3. James, the son of Zebedee;
4. John, his brother;

5. Philip;

6. Bartholomew;

7. Thomas;

8. Matthew, the publican;
9. James, the son of Alpheus;
10. 'Lebbeus, surnamed Thad-
deus;

4 11. Simon, the Canaanite.
12. Judas Iscariot, who also
livered Jesus up.

duct.

"And into whatsoever city or 11 town ye enter, enquire what wor- Rules for thy person there is in it, and remain their conwith him till ye leave that place. And when ye enter into an house, salute 12 the family by wishing it peace. And if the house be worthy, the 13 peace which you wish will come upon it; but if it be not worthy, your peace will return unto you. And whosoever shall not receive 14 you, nor hear your words, when you leave that house, or city, or village, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, it 15 will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

them how

to act.

"Behold! I send you forth as 16 sheep amidst wolves, be ye there- Directs fore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Beware of your country- 17 men, for they will deliver you up to councils, and scourge you in their synagogues, and ye will be 18 brought before governors and de-kings, that you may bear your testimony to the truth of the gospel before them, and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, be 19 not anxious how or what shall speak. For ye are not in effect the 20 speakers, but the spirit of your Father speaketh in you.

These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, nor enter into any of the ci6 ties of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of 7 Israel. And as ye go, preach, sayNow the brother will deliver up 21 ing, The kingdom of heaven is at the brother to death, and the father How his 8 hand.' Cure the sick, cleanse the the child, and children will rise up would be lepers, raise the dead, cast out de- against their parents and cause abused. mons: freely ye have received, free-them to be put to death. And ye 22

Called also Judas, or Jude, the brother of James.

Called also Zelotes, from his zealous disposition.

3 Your wish for the welfare of that family will return on yourselves.

To show that you disclaim all intercourse with them.

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