Ye

the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself,
which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me.
have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen
his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in
you for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
Search the scriptures;

For in them ye think ye have eternal life:
And they are they which testify of me.

And ye
that ye might have life.

will not come to me,

I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

And it came to pass on the second sabbath after, that he went through the corn fields: and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn as they went, and to eat, rubbing them in their hands. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath day. Why do they on the sabbath that which is not lawful? And Jesus, answering, said unto them, Have ye never read so much as this, what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in

HE HEALS THE WITHERED HAND.

51

the days of Abiathar the high-priest, and did take, and eat the shew-bread, and gave also to them that were with him, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that, on the sabbath-days, the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless ?

But I say unto you,

That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth,

I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,

Ye would not have condemned the guiltless. And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath*: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

And when he was departed thence, it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And, behold, there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day: that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose, and stood forth. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good or to do evil? to save life or to destroy it? But they held their

* Let us beware, however, of using this liberty for a cloke of licentiousness, or of violating the spirit of the precept, to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts on his holy day.

peace. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

And when he had looked round about upon them all, with anger; being grieved for the hardness of their hearts; he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Then the Pharisees were filled with madness, and they went forth with the Herodians, and straightway held a council against him; and communed one with another, what they might do to Jesus, and how they might destroy him.

But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence, with his disciples to the sea: and great multitudes followed him from Galilee, and from Judæa, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan: And they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard what great things he did, came unto him. And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him, because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him to touch him, as many as had plagues and he healed them all. And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straightway charged them that they should not make him known. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

Behold, my servant, whom I have chosen ;

HE SELECTS THE TWELVE APOSTLES.

My beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased:
I will put my spirit upon him,

And he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
He shall not strive, nor cry;

53

Neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed shall he not break,

And smoking flax shall he not quench,
Till he send forth judgment unto victory.

And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day he called unto him his disciples, whom he would, and they came unto him and of them he chose twelve, and he ordained the twelve (whom also he named apostles), that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: Simon (whom he also named Peter), and Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James: and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder*: and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James, the son of Alphæus, and Judas Thaddeus, the brother of James, and Simon the Canaanite, called Zelotes; and Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him.

And he came down with them, and stood in the plain; and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people, out of all Judæa and Jerusalem, and from the sea-coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

* Apparently to indicate the vehemence of their righteous zeal.

and they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch him for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

THANKSGIVING.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases: Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies.

O Almighty God, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone; grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holy temple, acceptable unto thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Questions on Section V.

Why did the Pharisees accuse Christ of blasphemy for what he said to the paralytic whom he healed?

Relate the call of St. Matthew.

Why did the Jews persecute Jesus?

Why do we believe that Christ shall come to be our Judge at the Last Day?

Prove that there will be a resurrection both of the just and of the unjust.

To what greater witness than that of John does Christ appeal?

Where does he command us to search for testimony respecting Him?

What works are lawful on the sabbath day?

How did Christ spend the whole night before he ordained the twelve Apostles?