LORD and. SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. 57 ,1,0't'45tc`6fti'kgt4W.tgitiz-riJOttc.g.','Zir)13-VaWc C H A P T E R XL CHRIST hailingfined his Serstaota ois the Mount, repairs to Capernaum, and 072 his Way there is met by a leprous Perfon, whom he cleanfes : On his entering the City, he is accofied by a Roman Centurion, whofe Servant was ill of the Palfy, whom he heals : He after- wards repairs to the Synagogue on the Sabbath -Day, where he difpofeth a Devil: He cures Peter's Wife's Mother of a Fever, andmany other difeafed Perfons : He Travels through Galilee ,- and direéls the Difcifles to take a great Draught of Ffes. THE exalted Saviour of fanners, ha- ving finned his fermon, came down from the mountain, attended by a great concourfe of people, who had liflened to his difcourfe, with the mixt emotions of wonder and joy. They furrounded the divine perfon of our Redeemer, with the moll refpefful regard, and loon an inci- dent arofe which gave them frefh caufe of wonder and praife. As he was on his way to Capernaum, he was met by a leprous perfon, who, doubtlefs, having heard of his wonderful works, and the condefcend- ing goodnefs with which he relieved the affliceed and difeafed, threw himfelf with the utmoft humility at his feet, and cried, -Lord, if thou wilt, thou canfi snake me clean. The fpecies of leprofy common amongft 'the Eaftern nations, and the Jews, was very naufeous and infe@ious, as well as extremely liard to be cured. Our Lord was not deterred by this, from approach- ing an objef;t fo loathfome; but, full of pity, he condefcendedfo far as to touch him, with this reply, /aid/ : be thou clean. The dire infehfion immediately fled before the touch ofthe Son of God; who charged the perfon, thus inftantaneoufly healed, not to publifh the matter abroad, but go direffly and fhew himfelf to the prieu, offering, at the fame time, the oblations which the law in fuch cafes required. No. 5. The bleffed Jesus then proceeded to Capernaum, but as he entered the city, he was accofted by a Roman centurion, who with the care and tendernefs of an indul- gent mailer, informed him of the dreadful condition of Isis fervant, who was afflicted with a paralytic diforder, and grievoufly tormented with pain. The compaflìonate Redeemer of mankind, liflened to his complaint with pitying attention, and re- plied to his addrefs, that he would come and heal him. The centurion thought this goodnefs too much to be expeided by one who was not of the Ifraelitiflt nation, and, therefore, told our Lord, that he was not worthy fo illuflrious a perfon fhould come under his roof; and he, very probably, having heard of the nobleman's fob, who, while he lay Fick at Capernaum, was healed by Jesus, when he was fo far off as Cana, dented our Lord only to fpeak the word, and he doubted not but his fervant would be healed; for he be- lieved, that difeafes and devils were as much under the command of out Re- deemer, as his foldiers were fubjee to the will, and obeyed the word of their com- mander. Our Lord was well pleafed with the centurion's faith, and commended it in the higheft terms ; I have not found, Paid he, fo greatfaith, no not in Ifrael. This believing Oranger, having applied the moO exalted ideas of the divine power l' and
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