CHRIST'S CHRONICLE. Luke i. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the John i. Word." When all things were made by the Word, as concerning their creation, the Word itself became flesh, that by it all things might be repaired. Therefore, when the virgin Mary was espoused to a certain man called Joseph, Gabriel the angel was sent Matt. i. to the espoused virgin, saying, "Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bring forth a son," Isa. vii. &c. And she answering said: "Behold the Lord's handmaid," &c. And immediately Luke i. she conceived by the Holy Ghost. When Joseph her husband perceived that she Matt. i. was with child, and knew not that it was by the Holy Ghost, he was determined secretly to go from her. "But while he was thus thinking, the angel appeared unto him, saying, Fear not to take thy wife unto thee.” "About that time there came Luke ii. forth an edict from the emperor Augustus, that the whole world should be valued;" so that every man went into his own country where he was born. By this means came it to pass that Joseph also, with Mary his espoused wife, went up unto Bethlehem, where the maid brought forth her child, and laid it in a manger. The child being born in the night, a star appeared to the wise men in the east; Matt. ii. and the very same night an angel appeared to the shepherds, shewing unto them great Luke ii. joy, namely, that the Saviour of the world was born; which shepherds, coming unto Bethlehem, found all things as it was declared unto them. After eight days the child was circumcised, and his name was called Jesus. Thirteen days after, the wise men Matt. ii. came unto Jerusalem, asking for the King of Jews, that was newly born. And being there instructed of the learned men that Christ should be born in Bethlehem, they went forth straightways unto Bethlehem, having the star to their guide, which they had tofore seen in the east. They, entering into the house, found the child, worshipped him, and offered gifts unto him. When the days of Mary's purifying were fully ended, Simeon, a righteous man, which had received an answer of the Holy Ghost, Luke ii. that he should not see death before he had seen the Anointed of the Lord, when his parents had brought the child into the temple, took him into his arms, saying, "Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy saving health." Anna also, the daughter of Phanuel, inspired with the Holy Ghost, and endued with the spirit of prophecy, gave in like manner witness of Christ. When all things were perfectly done according to the law, Joseph with the child returned unto Nazareth: at what time an angel appeared to Joseph, saying, "Arise, and take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt; for it will come to Matt. ii. pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy it. He rose up, and departed into Egypt. At that time king Herod slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts round about, as many as were two years old and under; not doubting with so great a multitude to slay Christ. Joseph with the child and his mother dwelt in Egypt seven years. Herod at the last being dead, Joseph, at the commandment of the angel, returned with Mary and the child unto Nazareth. The child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom. When Jesus was twelve years of age, he went up to Jerusalem with his parents Luke ii. unto the feast, and remained at Jerusalem; and his father and mother knew not of it. After three days he was found in the temple, sitting among the doctors, to whom his mother said, "Son, why hast thou done so to us?" "And he went down with them, dwelt with them in Nazareth, and was obedient unto them." "And he increased in age and wisdom before God and men.” Mark i. Three sects In those days John preached repentance and remission of sins. At that time there Matt. iii. were three sects among the Jews, which greatly differed from the common life and Luke ini. opinion of men, and they were called Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essces. The Pharisees among the did wear great broad papers on their arms and on their forehead, wherein the tables [BECON, III.] 35 Jews. Matt. iii. John i. of the ten commandments were written, and they had thorns in the hems of their garments, and they affirmed that the souls of the dead did go into other bodies until the day of the general resurrection. The Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead, affirming that the souls die with the body. The Essees, being not altogether unlike to monks in life, held this opinion, that all the souls were made from the beginning, and are committed unto bodies when time require. All these sects John reproved, saying, "O ye generation of vipers, &c." At that time the Pharisees asked him if he were Christ, or Helias, or that prophet; which answered, no, and that he was the voice of a crier in the wilderness. Luke iii. Matt. iii. Matt. iv. Mark i. Luke iv. John i. John ii. John iii. Luke v. Luke iv. John iii. Matt. xiv. Mark i. Matt. v. Mark i. Matt. x. Luke vii. THE FIRST YEAR OF CHRIST'S PREACHING, AND OF HIS MIRACLES Ar that time Jesus, being about thirty years of age, came from Galilee, and was baptized of John; and the heavens were opened upon him, and the voice of the heavenly Father was heard, and the Holy Ghost came down upon Christ in the similitude and likeness of a dove. After these things he was led of the Spirit into wilderness, where he fasted, and was tempted of the devil forty days and forty nights. Afterward John saw Jesus walking, and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world;" which thing when two of his disciples heard, (one of them was Andrew,) they followed Christ. Andrew brought his brother Simon, whom Jesus afterward called Cephas. The next day after the Lord found Philip, and said unto him, "Follow me;" and he followed him, and brought Nathanael unto him also. man. The third day after there was a marriage in Cana, a city of Galilee, where Jesus turned the water into wine, which was the beginning of his miracles that he did openly. Shortly after, at the feast of Easter, he went up unto Jerusalem, and did cast out of the temple the buyers and sellers in it. And to the Jews, which then required signs and miracles at his hand, he said, "Destroy this temple; and I will build it up again in three days." Nicodemus, which was one of the rulers, came unto Jesus in the night, whom the Lord taught concerning the spiritual nativity of When he, departing from thence, walked by the sea of Galilee, and the people pressed greatly upon him, he went up into Simon's boat, and taught the people out of the ship; and he bade Peter cast out his net into the sea; and he caught a wonderful great number of fish, and falling down on his knees, he said to Jesus: “Go from me, O Lord, for I am a sinner." After these things, Jesus came unto Nazareth, where on the sabbath-day he read out of the prophet Esay these words: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me," &c. Afterward he went into Jewry; and his disciples did baptize. John also baptized in the wilderness, by Salim; and he sent many unto Jesus, which was the occasion that John's disciples were angry, and envied Christ. But John reproved them, saying, "He must increase, but I must decrease." Shortly after, John reproved Herod for keeping his brother's wife; and Herod therefore threw him into prison. Which thing when Jesus heard, he left Jewry, and went again into Galilee, and dwelt in Capernaum, in the coasts of Zabulon and Neptalim, preaching openly, and saying, "Repent, and believe the gospel; for the kingdom of God is at hand." And this was the first year of his preaching. Going from thence, when much people followed him, he went up into a mount, and calling unto him his disciples, he taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit," &c. Afterward, when he came down from the mount, he healed a leper; and, when he came again unto Capernaum, he healed the servant of a certain captain; and going there into the synagogue, he cast out of a man an unclean spirit. And entering into the city Naim, he raised up unto life the only son of his mother. From that time Jesus began to be famous in all places; insomuch that all kind of diseased persons were brought unto him; and he healed them. After these things, he sent forth his disciples to preach, giving them power to cast out unclean spirits, and to heal all manner of diseases and sicknesses. A certain Pharisee desired him to eat with him; and he, coming into the Pharisee's 66 Luke ix. house, sat down at the table, where a certain woman, being a famous sinner, came unto him with an alabaster box full of sweet ointment, and kneeling down before his feet, she began to wash his feet with her tears, and to wipe them with the hair of her head; and Christ forgave her her sins, being many in multitude. And a certain Matt. viii. scribe came unto him, and said, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." But Christ said unto him, "The foxes have dens, and the fowls of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to rest his head." And to another he said, "Follow thou me;" which said, "Suffer me first to bury my father." But Christ said unto him, "Suffer thou the dead to bury the dead: go thou and preach the kingdom of God." The third said unto him, "I will follow thee; but suffer Luke ix. me to bid my friends first farewell." Jesus said unto him, "No man that putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is meet for the kingdom of God." Mark iv. Then went he up into a ship, and slept; and there rose a great tempest, insomuch Matt. viii. that his disciples did wake him; and he straightways commanded the wind and the sea Luke viii. to be quiet, and there followed a great calm. When he was come over the sea into the country of the Gerasens, two that were possessed of devils came running unto him, of the which one fell down before him, saying, "What have we to do with thee, O Jesu, thou Son of God? Thou art come to vex us before the time." And he cast the devils into the swine. The Gerasens, being moved at the matter, desired him to depart from their coasts. One that was delivered from a legion of devils Mark v. desired Christ that he might follow him; to whom Jesus said, "Go home, and tell what great things God hath done unto thee;" which thing he did. Jesus, going into Matt. ix. a ship, returned into his city, that is to say, Capernaum, where he healed a man Luke v. diseased of the palsy, let down of four men from the top of the house. Luke viii. Mark ii. Mark ii. Mark ii. Jesus, departing from thence, went up into Jewry; and he, seeing Levi the son of Matt. ix. Alpheus, called Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom, called him; and he followed Luke v. him. When he returned into Galilee, making his journey through Samaria, he came John iv. unto a pit, where he talked with a woman of Samaria. Coming from thence into Cana Galilee, he was desired of a certain ruler that he would heal his son; for he was at the point of death. To whom the Lord said, "Thy son liveth." And the child was healed at the very same hour. After these things Levi, otherwise called Matt. ix. Matthew, the toll-gatherer, prepared a banquet for Christ in his house, where many Luke v. publicans and sinners sat at the table with Jesu; which thing greatly displeased the Pharisees. The Pharisees also at that time reproved Christ's disciples, because they fasted not, as they and the disciples of John did but Christ defended them. After- Matt. xii. ward, the Pharisees requiring a sign, Christ said that none should be given unto them Luke xi. but the sign of Jonas the prophet. And he brought in the example of the queen of the south, and of the Ninivites, to confound their incredulity. He told them also a parable of an unclean spirit. As he spake these things, a certain woman of the company cried out and said, "Blessed be the womb that bare thee, and the paps that gave thee suck." But he answered, "Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it :" and, when a certain man said unto him that his Matt. xii. mother and his brethren would speak with him: "He that doth the will of my Luke viii. Father is my mother, brother, sister," &c. Mark viii. Mark iii. Mark v. As he was yet speaking, a certain prince of the synagogue, called Jairus, came Matt. ix. unto him, and made intercession for his daughter; whose request Christ most graciously Luke viii. heard, and went with him. By the way a certain woman, being many years diseased of a bloody issue, touched the hem of Christ's garment, and was straightways healed. Christ, entering into Jairus' house, raised up his daughter from death unto life. After this he restored two blind men to their sight. He delivered also a man that was Mark vii. both dumb and deaf from the devil. And when the common people did greatly commend and praise Christ for his miracles, the Pharisees imputed all those his Matt. ix. noble works to the help of Belzebub, prince of the devils. But Christ mightily Luke xi. confounded them, and proved that his miracles were done by the mighty power of God. He spake unto them of a kingdom divided in itself; of a strong armed man; of the sin against the Holy Ghost; of a tree; of the good and bad treasure, &c. After these things he entered into a certain castle, where a certain woman called Luke x. Mark iii. Matt. xii. Matt. xi. Luke x. Matt. xi. Luke x. Matt. xii. Matt. xii. Luke vi. Matt. xiii. Matt. xiii. John Iv. Luke iv. 1 Kings xvii. Matt. xiv. Mark vi. Luke ix. John vi. Matt xiv. Martha made him a dinner; which Martha had a sister called Maria. She gave diligent ear to the words of Christ. Immediately after, when John being in prison heard the works of Christ, he sent unto him two of his disciples, to demand whether he were that Messias that was promised to come, or that they should look for another. Christ bade them consider his works. When John's disciples were gone, Jesus greatly commended John both for his gravity and constancy, calling him greater than a prophet, and an angel sent before his face; again, that among the children of women there was none greater than John Baptist. After these things the Lord appointed seventy and two disciples, and sent them forth to preach, two and two together; which, returning with great joy, told Christ that even the very devils were subject unto them. But Christ willed them to rejoice not in this, but that their names were written in the book of life. Then Christ, greatly rejoicing in the spirit, gave thanks to his heavenly Father that it pleased him to open such and so high mysteries to the simple ones, and to conceal and hide them from the wise and prudent of this world. After this, the Lord passing through the corn-fields on the sabbath-day, his disciples being hungry plucked the ears of the corn, and did eat; whom the Pharisees reproved for so doing: but Christ defended them by the word of God. On the sabbath-day following he healed a man that had a dry and withered hand. For the which his act the Pharisees conspired and took counsel together how they might despatch him out of the way. Jesus, knowing this, went out into a mountain to pray, where he continued all the whole night in prayer. The morning following he called unto him his twelve disciples, whom he called apostles, whom he had chosen to be preachers of God's word. And sitting by the sea-side, much people resorted unto him; and he, going up into the ship, taught them many things by parables. And, after his sermon was done, his disciples asked him why he spake so in parables: he answered, "That they which see may not see, and they that hear may not hear." And he expounded unto them the parable of the sower, &c. When the people were departed and gone away, he came into an house, where he opened unto his disciples the parable of the tares; rehearsing divers other parables. These things did Jesus in the first year of his preaching. THE SECOND YEAR OF CHRIST'S PREACHING, AND OF HIS IN the second year Christ returned into his country; to whom his countryfolk said, "How cometh this fellow by such wisdom? Is not this the son of Joseph the carpenter?" To whom he answered, "No prophet is accepted and well taken in his own country." And when he had told them the history of the widow of Sarepta, unto whom alone in the time of hunger Helias the prophet was sent, they, casting him out of their city, led him up into an high mountain, that they might throw him down headlong. But Jesus scaped free from among them. At that time king Herod beheaded John Baptist, because he reproved him of his incestuous life. Herod afterward, hearing of the noble acts which Christ did, thought that it had been John Baptist, whom he killed, and that he was risen again from death; and therefore desired greatly to see him. Jesus hearing this departed, and went aside into a solitary place; and there followed him much people; and after he had preached unto them, he caused them to sit down upon the grass, where with five loaves and two fishes he fed five thousand people. But Jesus, knowing that the people would make him a king, fled, and went alone into a mountain to pray. The disciples were on the sea, and the ship was grievously tossed with the waves; unto whom Jesus came in the fourth watch of the night, walking upon the sea; and the disciples thought that it had been a spirit. Then Peter, perceiving that it was Jesus, went unto him upon the waters; but he, seeing the wind to be great, was afraid, and began to sink. But when Jesus came up into the ship, the wind ceased. And he with his disciples came into the land of Genezareth, through Bethsaida; where they brought unto him so many as were diseased; and he healed them. The day following the people came unto him, marvelling how he came thither; John vi. and, desiring to be fed of him again, they made mention of manna, which Moses gave to their forefathers in the wilderness. But Christ told them that he was the bread of life which came down from heaven; again, that except they did eat his flesh and drink his blood, they could not be saved. The Jews, being offended with this doctrine of Christ (they understood the words of Christ not spiritually, but carnally), went their way, and utterly forsook him. When Christ saw that, he asked his disciples if they also would depart and go their way. The disciples answered and said, "Lord, to whom should we go? Thou hast the words of everlasting life; and we have believed that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God." And he said unto them, "Have I not chosen you twelve? and one of you is a devil." He spake of Judas Iscariote, that should betray him. At that time a certain Pharisee bade him to dinner. And both he and his dis- Luke xi. ciples sat them down at the table, and fell to their meat, not washing their hands before. The Pharisees found great fault with the matter; but Christ told them that that which entereth into the mouth defileth not man, but that which cometh out of the mouth. He laid also to their charge, that they were very curious in observ- Matt. xv. ing the traditions of their forefathers, but the commandments of God they utterly neglected, and nothing at all regarded. Mark vii. From thence he went into the coasts of Tyrus and Sidon, where he healed the Matt. xv. daughter of the woman of Cananee, which was possessed with a devil. After that, many came unto him, bringing with them the dumb, the halt, the lame, the blind, the feeble, &c., and cast them at his feet; and he healed them all. And, departing Mark vii. from thence, he came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, in the midst of the coasts of the ten cities, where he healed a man that was both deaf and dumb, by putting his fingers into the man's ears, and by touching his tongue with his spittle, and saying unto him, Effetha, that is to say, "Be opened." This done, he went up unto Jerusalem at the feastful day of Pentecost. There was at Jerusalem a pool having five porches, where he healed on the John v. sabbath-day a man that had been diseased by the space of twenty-eight years. The Jews were mad at the matter, and persecuted him because he did this on the sabbath-day. But Jesus defended his act, speaking unto them many things both of his Father and of himself. The Jews sought all means possible to kill him, not only because he brake the sabbath-day, but also because he said that God is his Father. Jesus went from thence again straightways unto the sea of Galilee into a wilderness, Matt. xv. where he fed four thousand men with seven loaves and a few fishes. And entering Matt. xvi. into a ship with his disciples, he came into the parts of Mageddon, where he taught Luke xii. them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. Christ com- Mark viii. Mark viii. Mark viii. After this, Jesus came into the parts of Cesarea Philippi, and he demanded his Matt. xvi. disciples, saying, "Whom do men say that the Son of man is?" After other answers, Peter said, "Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." mended Peter greatly for this confession: notwithstanding, he charged that they should tell no man that he was Christ. And he declared unto them that Luke ix. he must suffer death, and that he should rise again the third day. Which thing when Peter heard, he went about to dissuade Christ from such sufferings. But Christ reproved him, and called him Satan; exhorting so many as will follow him to forsake themselves, to take up their cross, and to follow him. And after six days, or, Matt. xvii. as Luke hath, after eight days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them Luke ix. into an high mountain, called Thabor, where he was transfigured before them. Coming down from the mountain, he came to the people. The day following he healed a lunatic man, whom his disciples could not heal. Mark ix. Mark ix. Afterward he came unto Capernaum, where he sent Peter unto the sea to take Matt. xvii. fish, and to open the fish's mouth, where he should find a piece of twelve-pence, and to pay that for tribute. At that time the disciples came unto Jesus, asking Matt. xviii. him, Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" For they had contended among Luke ix. themselves before of superiority or primacy. Christ repressed this their ambition, by bringing forth a little child among them. And John, coming unto Christ, said unto him, 66 |