i 74 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED who went about doing good, gracioufiy attended to the petition, and readily ac- companied the melfengers ; but before he arrived at the houfe, he was met by a party of the centurion's friends, who ex- preffed the high conception which that officer had of the divine power of our Redeemer, and defired he would not give himfelf the trouble of a perfonal attend- ance, as his word would be abundantly fufficient to accomplifh the cure. Our Lord was pleafed with the meffage, and turning to the fpeftators, Paid, I have not found fo great faith, no, not in Ifrael, Luke vii. 9. The perlons having delivered their meffage, returned to the centurion's houle, and found the fick perfon perfedily recovered. There are leverai circumfiances attend- ing this miracle, which proves that this centurion was not the fame perfon, as was recorded by St. Matthew. The cen- turion mentioned by him, attended on CHRIST in perfon; he whole cafe is fall related, prefented his petition by the elders of Capernaum. It does not appear, that the former centurion was a profelyte to the Jewifh religion ; but we find a very high charaéter given of the latter: thefe, and feveral other particulars which might have been mentioned, prove that this mi- racle ought to be confidered feparate from the former. This miracle being performed, our Lord repaired to the houle of Peter, to eat bread ; the place of his refidence could not be concealed ; great multitudes of people furrounded the houle ; fome, no doubt, defiring to behold the wonders which he wrought, and others, to be par- takers of the benefit refulting from them ; they continued there fome time, advancing their refpeaive claims, in a tumultuous manner, and it was with difficulty they were per(uaded to difperfe. C H A P T E R XIV. CHRIST retires to Nain, a City of Galilee, where he raifes a Widow's only Son from the Dead : He receives Mangers from John the Bapt, and gives his Tellimony concerning hint: He ùpbraideth the cities of Chorazin, Bethfaida, and Capernaum, with their long Unfruitfulnefs and Impenitency ; and inviteth the Weary to partake of his Reft : After which he dines with Simon the Leper, where he is anointed by Mary, whofe AfeElion he acknowledges and rewards. WHI L E the apofiles were proceed- ing through the feveral cities of Judea, executing the commiffion of their Divine Matter, our great Redeemer was carrying on the work of his million in Galilee ; and when they had returned to our Lord, they accompanied him and his difciples to Nain, a city near mount Tabor, where he was followed by a great mul- titude ofpeople. On their approachingthe 3 gate of the city, a fcene of the moll affeéting affliflion- and difirefs prefented itfelf to their view: Behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only firn of his mother, and fhe was a widow. What an affebt.ing fcene was this, and how was the afflifion and difirefs of the mournful parent heightened by every circumftance which could make it the more bitter? A young man cut down, probably in his prime,
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