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temptible as I appear to you, have receiv'd Authority to remit the punishment for Sins in this World (then turning towards the Paralytic, he faid unto him) Go home, take up thy Bed, and carry it away with thee upon thy fhoulders. Which he perform'd immediately before 'em all, giving thanks publickly to God for fo great a Mercy, and not concealing by whom he had been cur'd. The whole Multitude in like manner were feiz'd with admiration at it, praifmg God, who had endued Man with fo great Power, as to be able to heal with a word all manner of Distempers, confefling that they had never feen the like before, being also ftruck with a certain religious awe at the fight of fo unexpected a Miracle.

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The Calling of Matthew. Why Chrift and his Difciples were conver fant with the Publicans, and did not faft like the Disciples of the Pharifees, and John.

Afterwards Jefus went out to the Lake, and a great Multitude follow'd him, whom he inftructed in the Precepts of Morality. At his going out of the Town he faw a Publican whofe name was Levi, or Matthew, fitting in the Customhoufe, and commanded him to follow him, and become his Difciple; which the Publican, quitting his Imployment, immediatly obey'd. Not long after he made a great Feaft, and invited Jefus and his Difciples to it, as alfo many Publicans, and others of that stamp, Men generally of loofe Lives: Which being taken notice of

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by the Pharifees and the Doctors of the Law, they ask'd Jefus's Difciples how it came to pass that they and their Mafter, who feem'd to make profeffion of a ftricter fort of Life, thus kept company with Tax-gatherers and others, whofe Morals they very well knew were none of the beft, and who made no account of the Cleanfings requir'd by the Law. Which Jefus overhearing, without ftaying for his Difciples Anfwer, he told 'em he was converfant with them for the fame reafon that the Phyfician vifits his Patient, namely to convert 'em to a found Mind, as the other reftores the Sick to the Health they wanted. I am fent, faid he, not to exhort the Pious to a change of Manners, but thofe whofe Vices have made fuch a Reformation neceffary to 'em: and this I do out of a principle of Good-will to Men; which Virtue God himfelf has fignified is more acceptable to him than all the external Offices of Religion which you fo greatly magnify, in these words of the Prophet Hofea, ch. 6. 6. I defired Mercy, and not Sacrifice: Which you woulddo well to confider feriously, inftead of carping at my Actions..

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Now the Difciples of the Pharifees and of John fafted often upon the account of their Prayers, which thofe of Jefus were not wont to do: they came therefore to Jefus, and told him, They had frequent Fafts, that they might be the more imployed in Prayer, whereas his Difciples obferv'd none; which they wonder'd at, fince he did not pretend to allow them a fofter or more voluptuous Life; and therefore defir'd him to acquaint 'em with the reafon of this Difference. Jefus anfwer'd'em in thefe Similitudes: As the Friends of the Bridegroom that have been invited to the Wedding, obferve no Fafts while they continue with him, but defer 'em till another feafon ; fo likewife am I unwilling to impofe any Fafts upon my Difciples while I continue here among them, but their time of fafting will come when I fhall be taken from them. He added alfo, that he had reafons not to require fuch an auftere way of living of them as yet: for, faid he, as no

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one patches up an old tatter'd Garment with a new piece of Cloth, and of a different Colour from it, left the Rent thereby become the worfe, and the Coat look the uglier for it; and as men do not put new Wine into old Bottles, left the Bottles burft, and the Wine be fpilt, but chufe rather to put new Wine into new Bottles, whereby both are preferv'd: So alfo I am unwilling to alienate the Minds of my Difciples by these Severities; and therefore will wait till my Difciples have been inur'd to my Doctrine, and their Minds confirm'd to the practice of it, before I expect an Obedience to thefe Injunctions, which are as yet too grievous to be complied with, left by an unfeasonable Aufterity they should reject my Doctrine, and thereby involve themselves in utter Destruction. Befides, thofe who have been a long while habituated to one way of living, are not presently induc'd to embrace the contrary: As he that has accuftom'd himself to old Wine cannot relish the new, but prefers that which he has a long time been us'd to. For thefe reafons cannot my Difciples, who have but lately follow'd me, as yet make fo thorow a Change in their former way of living,

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