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I.

A

CHAP.

Bout this time it hapned that Jefus walked through the Cornfields on the Sabbath day with his Disciples: And as they were going, the Difciples being hungry, and knowing what they were * permitted by the Law in fuch case to do, plucked the Ears of Corn, and rubbing out the Corn with their Hands, began to eat it.

2. But the Pharifees, who watched all Occafions of reproaching them, obferving that it was the Sabbath day when they did this, faid to Jefus; See you not how your Difciples break the Sabbath? Why do you not then reprove them?

XII.

AT that time Je

fus went on the Sabbath-day through

the corn, and his difciples were an hungred, and began to pick the ears of

of corn, and to eat.

2 But when the Pharifees faw it, they faid unto him, Be

hold, thy difciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the fabbath-day.

* When thou comeft into the standing Corn of thy neighbours, then thou maist pluck the ears with thine hand, Deut. 23. 25.

3 But he said un

them, Have ye not

read what David did

when he was an hun gred, and they that

were with him,

4 How he entred into the house of God, and did eat the fhew-bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were

with him, but only for the priests?

3. Jefus answered, faying; God never defigned by any pofitive Conftitutions, fuch as the ftrict Judaical obfervation of the Sabbath, and the like,to put fuch Difficulties upon Men, as to hinder them from doing things absolutely neceffary. For have ye not read how David behaved himself in a like Cafe?

4. Do ye not remember, how when he was hungry in a Journey, the Priest (1 Sam. 21. 6.) gave him confecrated Shew-bread out of the Tabernacle, which in ftrictness

none but the Priests were allowed to eat, and both David and they that were with him eat of it? Now if David be no where blamed for doing this, why do ye reproach my Difciples for doing fo fmall a thing, as plucking and eating a few Ears of Corn on the Sabbath. day?

5. Again

5. Again, Do you not remember how the Priefts are by the Law appointed to do several forts of works in the Temple upon the Sabbath-day, and yet they are no where accused for breaking the Sabbath in fo doing?

6. You will fay perhaps this was a Cafe excepted, because in this Cafe the Priefts were employed in the Temple and about the Service of God, by God's own exprefs Command. Very true; And if so, then the Business of Mens Salvation, which my Disciples are going upon, and my Prefence, and my Permiffion, will much more excuse them in this fmaller Inftance.

7. But befides; fince God every where declares, that he prefers Works of Righteoufness and Charity, before Sacrifices and the exacteft performance of all pofitive Laws and outward Ceremonies; ye have no reason to accufe my Difciples, for being fo intent upon Works

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8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the fabbath-day.

9 And when he

was departed thence, he went into their fynagogue.

of greater importance, as
not to have made provision
for a ftrict Obfervation of
the Sabbath in its Phari-
faical and utmoft Rigour.

8. Efpecially it being evi-
dent of the Sabbath in par-
ticular, that being inftitu-
ted for the use and relief
of Man, and not to be a
hindrance to him in the
performance of Moral Du-
ties; it may in Cafes of ne-
ceffity be dispensed with by
tany Man, and much more
have its Rigour relaxed by
+ me.

*

6.6.

9. On another Sab- See Luke bath-day Jefus entered into the Synagogue; and then there offered it felf an occafion of confirming the fame Doctrine by a Miracle in the Synagogue, which

Since on the one hand the Phrafe Son of Man cannot without harshness be understood of any other than Chrift; & fince on the other hand fome Expofitors not without great Arguments (and especially from the parallel place, Mark 27.) conceive it in this paffage to mean only Man in neral; I have therefore endeavoured in the Paraphrafe to exprefs both Senfes.

2.

ge

he

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he had before preached in the Fields.

10

And behold, there was a man which had his hand withered: and they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the fabbath days? that they might ac

10. For there happened to be in the Synagogue a Man having a withered Hand, and the Jews ftill watching for fomewhat whereof they might accufe Jefus, obferved him and cufe him. tasked whether he would think it lawful to heal the Man on the Sabbathday.

11. But Jefus faid to them, Who is there among you fo ftrict and scrupulous an Obferver of the Sabbath, as that if but a Beast of his fhould by any Accident come in danger of its Life, or of any great Mifchief, he would not imme diately relieve it, though it were the Sabbath-day?

12. If then the fear of the lofs of a Beast, be accounted by you a fufficient Excufe for breaking the Sabbath; how much more

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11 And he faid

unto them, What among you, that shall have one fheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath-day, on it, and lift it out?

man fhall there be

will he not lay hold

12 How much then is a man better

then a fheep? where do well on the fabbath-days.

fore it is lawful to

By their anμdı, their mutterings one to another,

Luke 6.8.

13 Then

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