The first Gospel of the INFANCY of JESUS CHRIST. part 4 8 When she took him out, she brought him to the Lady St. Mary, and told her the story, to whom she replied, Be quiet, I am concerned lest thou shouldest make this matter known. 9 After this her rival, the other wife, as she was drawing water at the well, and saw Caleb playing by the well, and that no one was near, took him, and threw him into the well. 10 And when some men came to fetch water from the well, they saw the boy sitting on the superficies of the water, and drew him out with ropes, and were exceedingly surprised at the child, and praised God. 11 Then came the mother and took him and carried him to the Lady St. Mary, lamenting and saying, O my Lady, see what my rival hath done to my son, and how she hath cast him into the well, and I do not question but one time or other she will be the occasion of his death. 12 St. Mary replied to her, God will vindicate your injured cause. 13 Accordingly a few days after, when the other wife came to the well to draw water, her foot was entangled in the rope, so that she fell headlong into the well, and they who ran to her assistance, found her skull broken, and bones bruised. 14 So she came to a bad end, and in her was fulfilled that saying of the author, They digged a well, and made it deep, but fell themselves into the pit which they prepared. CHAP. XI. 1 Bartholomew, when a child and sick, miraculously restored by being laid on Christs bed. ANOTHER woman in that city had likewise two sons sick. 2 And when one was dead, the other, who lay at the point of death, she took in her arms to the Lady St. Mary, and in a flood of tears addressed herself to her, saying, 3 O my Lady, help and relieve me; for I had two sons, the one I have just now buried, the other I see is just at the point of death, behold how I (earnestly) seek favour from God, and pray to him. 4 Then she said, O Lord, thou art gracious, and merciful, and kind; thou hast given me two sons; one of them thou hast taken to thyself, O spare me this other. 5 St. Mary then perceiving the greatness of her sorrow, pitied her and said, Do thou place thy son in my sons bed, and cover him with his clothes. 6 And when she had placed him in the bed wherein Christ lay, at the moment when his eyes were just closed by death; as soon as ever the smell of the garments of the Lord Jesus Christ reached the boy, his eyes were opened, and calling with a loud voice to his mother, he asked for bread, and when he had received it, he sucked it. 7 Then his mother said, O Lady Mary, now I am assured that the powers of God do dwell in you, so that thy son can cure children who are of the same sort as himself, as soon as they touch his garments. 8 This boy who was thus p. 50 cured, is the same who in the Gospel is called Bartholomew. CHAP. XII. 1 A leprous woman healed by Christs washing water. 7 A princess healed by it and restored to her husband. AGAIN there was a leprous woman who went to the Lady St. Mary, the mother of Jesus, and said, O my Lady, help me. 2 St. Mary replied, what help dost thou desire? Is it gold or silver, or that thy body be cured of its leprosy? 3 Who, says the woman, can grant me this? 4 St. Mary replied to her, Wait a little till I have washed my son Jesus, and put him to bed. 5 The woman waited, as she was commanded; and Mary when she had put Jesus in bed, giving her the water with which she had washed his body, said, Take some of the water, and pour it upon thy body; 6 Which when she had done, she instantly became clean, and praised God, and gave thanks to him. 7 ¶ Then she went away, after she had abode with her three days: 8 And going into the city, she saw a certain prince, who had married another princes daughter; 9 But when he came to see her, he perceived between her eyes the signs of leprosy like a star, and thereupon declared the marriage dissolved and void. 10 When the woman saw these persons in this condition, exceedingly sorrowful, and shedding abundance of tears, she inquired of them the reason of their crying. 11 They replied, Inquire not into our circumstances; for we are net able to declare our misfortunes to any person whatsoever. 12 But still she pressed and desired them to communicate their case to her, intimating, that perhaps she might be able to direct them to a remedy. 13 So when they shewed the young woman to her, and the signs of the leprosy, which appeared between her eyes, 14 She said, I also, whom ye see in this place, was afflicted with the same distemper, and going on some business to Bethlehem, I went into a certain cave, and saw a woman named Mary, who had a son called Jesus. 15 She seeing me to be leprous, was concerned for me, and gave me some water with which she had washed her sons body; with that I sprinkled my body, and became clean. 16 Then said these women, Will you, Mistress, go along with us, and shew the Lady St. Mary to us? 17 To which she consenting, they arose and went to the Lady St. Mary, taking with them very noble presents. 18 And when they came in and offered their presents to her, they showed the leprous young woman what they brought with them to her. 19 Then said St. Mary, The mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ rest upon you; 20 And giving them a little of that water with which she had washed the body of Jesus Christ, she bade them wash the diseased person with it; which when they had done, she was presently cured; 21 So they, and all who were p. 51 present, praised God; and being filled with joy, they went back to their own city, and gave praise to God on that account. 22 Then the prince hearing that his wife was cured, took her home and made a second marriage, giving thanks unto God for the recovery of his wifes health. CHAP. XIII. 1 A girl, whose blood Satan sucked, receives one of Christs swaddling clothes from the Virgin. 14 Satan comes like a dragon, and she shews it to him; flames and burning coals proceed from it and fall upon him; 19 he is miraculously discomfited, and leaves the girl. THERE was also a girl, who was afflicted by Satan; 2 For that cursed spirit did frequently appear to her in the shape of a dragon, and was inclined to swallow her up, and had so sucked out all her blood, that she looked like a dead carcase. 3 As often as she came to herself, with her hands wringed about her head she would cry out, and say, Wo, Wo is me, that there is no one to be found who can deliver me from that impious dragon! 4 Her father and mother, and all who were about her and saw her, mourned and wept over her; 5 And all who were present would especially be under sorrow and in tears, when they heard her bewailing, and saying, My brethren and friends, is there no one who can deliver me from this murderer? 6 Then the princes daughter, who had been cured of her leprosy, hearing the complaint of that girl, went upon the top of her castle, and saw her with her hands twisted about her head, pouring out a flood of tears, and all the people that were about her in sorrow. 7 Then she asked the husband of the possessed person, Whether his wifes mother was alive? He told her, That her father and mother were both alive. 8 Then she ordered her mother to be sent to her: to whom, when she saw her coming, she said, Is this possessed girl thy daughter? She moaning and bewailing said, Yes, madam, I bore her. 9 The princes daughter answered, Disclose the secret of her case to me, for I confess to you that I was leprous, but the Lady Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, healed me. 10 And if you desire your daughter to be restored to her former state, take her to Bethlehem, and inquire for Mary the mother of Jesus, and doubt not but your daughter will be cured; for I do not question but you will come home with great joy at your daughters recovery. 11 As soon as ever she had done speaking, she arose and went with her daughter to the place appointed, and to Mary, and told her the case of her daughter. 12 When St. Mary had heard her story, she gave her a little of the water with which she had washed the body of her son Jesus, and bade her pour it upon the body of her daughter. 13 Likewise she gave her one of the swaddling cloths of the Lord Jesus, and said, Take this swaddling cloth and shew it to thine enemy as often as thou seest him; and she sent them away in peace. 14 ¶ After they had left that city and returned home, and the time was come in which Satan was wont to seize her, in the same moment this cursed spirit appeared p. 52 to her in the shape of a huge dragon, and the girl seeing him was afraid. 15 The mother said to her, Be not afraid daughter; let him alone till he come nearer to thee! then shew him the swaddling cloth, which the Lady Mary gave us, and we shall see the event. 16 Satan then coming like a dreadful dragon, the body of the girl trembled for fear. 17 But as soon as she had put the swaddling cloth upon her head, and about her eyes, and shewed it to him, presently there issued forth from the swaddling cloth flames and burning coals, and fell upon the dragon. 18 Oh! how great a miracle was this, which was done: as soon as the dragon saw the swaddling cloth of the Lord Jesus, fire went forth and was scattered upon his head and eyes; so that he cried out with a loud voice, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of Mary, Whither shall I flee from thee? 19 So he drew back much affrighted, and left the girl. 20 And she was delivered from this trouble, and sang praises and thanks to God, and with her all who were present at the working of the miracle. CHAP. XIV. 1 Judas when a boy possessed by Satan, and brought by his parents to Jesus to be cured, whom he tries to bite, 7 but failing, strikes Jesus and makes him cry out. Whereupon Satan goes from Jesus in the shape of a dog. ANOTHER woman likewise lived there, whose son was possessed by Satan. 2 This boy, named Judas, as often as Satan seized him, was inclined to bite all that were present; and if he found no one else near him, he would bite his own hands and other parts. 3 But the mother of this miserable boy, hearing of St. Mary and her son Jesus, arose presently, and taking her son in her arms, brought him to the Lady Mary. 4 In the meantime, James and Joses had taken away the infant, the Lord Jesus, to play at a proper season with other children; and when they went forth, they sat down and the Lord Jesus with them. 5 Then Judas, who was possessed, came and sat down at the right hand of Jesus. 6 When Satan was acting upon him as usual, he went about to bite the Lord Jesus. 7 And because he could not do it, he struck Jesus on the right side, so that he cried out. 8 And in the same moment Satan went out of the boy, and ran away like a mad dog. 9 This same boy who struck Jesus, and out of whom Satan went in the form of a dog, was Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him to the Jews. 10 And that same side, on which Judas struck him, the Jews pierced with a spear. CHAP. XV. 1 Jesus and other boys play together, and make day figures of animals. 4 Jesus causes them to walk, 6 also makes day birds, which he causes to fly, and eat and drink. 7 The childrens parents alarmed, and take Jesus for a sorcerer. 8 He goes to a dyers shop, and throws all the cloths into the furnace, and works a miracle therewith. 15 Whereupon the Jews praise God. AND when the Lord Jesus was seven years of age, he was on a certain day with other boys his companions about the same age. 2 Who when they were at play, p. 53 made clay into several shapes, namely, asses, oxen, birds, and other figures, 3 Each boasting of his work, and endeavouring to exceed the rest. 4 Then the Lord Jesus said to the boys, I will command these figures which I have made to walk. 5 And immediately they moved, and when he commanded them to return, they returned. 6 He had also made the figures of birds and sparrows, which, when he commanded to fly, did fly, and when he commanded to stand still, did stand still; and if he gave them meat and drink, they did eat and drink. 7 When at length the boys went away, and related these things to their parents, their fathers said to them, Take heed, children, for the future, of his company, for he is a sorcerer; shun and avoid him, and from henceforth never play with him. 8 ¶ On a certain day also, when the Lord Jesus was playing with the boys, and running about, he passed by a dyers shop, whose name was Salem. 9 And there were in his shop many pieces of cloth belonging to the people of that city, which they designed to dye of several colours. 10 Then the Lord Jesus going into the dyers shop, took all the cloths, and threw them into the furnace. 11 When Salem came home, and saw the cloths spoiled, he began to make a great noise, and to chide the Lord Jesus, saying, 12 What hast thou done to me, O thou Son of Mary? Thou hast injured both me and my neighbours; they all desired their cloths of a proper colour; but .thou hast come, and spoiled them all. 13 The Lord Jesus replied, I will change the colour of every cloth to what colour thou desirest; 14 And then he presently began to take the cloths out of the furnace, and they were all dyed of those same colours which the dyer desired. 15 And when the Jews saw this surprising miracle, they praised God CHAP. XVI. 1 Christ miraculously widens or contracts the gates, milk-pails, sieves, or bones, not properly made by Joseph, 4 he not being skilful at his carpenters trade. 5 The King of Jerusalem gives Joseph an order for a throne. 6 Joseph works on it for two years in the kings palace, and makes it two spans too short. The king being angry with. him, 10 Jesus comforts him, 13 commands him to pull one side of the throne, while he pulls the other, and brings it to its proper dimensions. 14 Whereupon the bystanders praise God. AND Joseph, wheresoever he went in the city, took the Lord Jesus with him, where he was sent for to work to make gates, or milk-pails, or sieves, or boxes; the Lord Jesus was with him wheresoever he went. 2 And as often as Joseph had anything in his work, to make longer or shorter, or wider, or narrower, the Lord Jesus would stretch his hand towards it. 3 And presently it became as Joseph would have it. 4 So that he had no need to finish anything with his own hands, for he was not very skilful at his carpenters trade. 5 ¶ On a certain time the King of Jerusalem sent for him, and said, I would have thee make me a throne of the same dimensions p. 54 with that place in which I commonly sit. 6 Joseph obeyed, and forthwith began the work, and continued two years in the kings palace before he finished it. 7 And when he came to fix it in its place, he found it wanted two spans on each side of the appointed measure. 8 Which, when the king saw, he was very angry with Joseph; 9 And Joseph afraid of the kings anger, went to bed without his supper, taking not any thing to eat. 10 Then the Lord Jesus asked him, What he was afraid of? 11 Joseph replied, Because I have lost my labour in the work which I have been about these two years. 12 Jesus said to him, Fear not, neither be cast down; 13 Do thou lay hold on one side of the throne, and I will the other, and we will bring it to its just dimensions. 14 And when Joseph had done as the Lord Jesus said, and each of them had with strength drawn his side, the throne obeyed, and was brought to the proper dimensions of the place: 15 Which miracle when they who stood by saw, they were astonished, and praised God. 16 The throne was made of the same wood, which was in being in Solomons time, namely, wood adorned with various shapes and figures. CHAP. XVII. 1 Jesus plays with boys at hide and seek. 3 Some women put his playfellows in a furnace, 7 where they are transformed by Jesus into kids. 10 Jesus calls them to go and play, and they me restored to their former shape. ON another day the Lord Jesus going out into the street, and seeing some boys who were met to play, joined himself to their company: 2 But when they saw him, they hid themselves, and left him to seek for them: 3 The Lord Jesus came to the gate of a certain house, and asked some women who were standing there, Where the boys were gone? 4 And when they answered, That there was no one there; the Lord Jesus said, Who are those whom ye see in the furnace? 5 They answered, They were kids of three years old. 6 Then Jesus cried out aloud, and said, Come out hither, O ye kids, to your shepherd; 7 And presently the boys came forth like kids, and leaped about him; which when the women saw, they were exceedingly amazed, and trembled. 8 Then they immediately worshipped the Lord Jesus, and beseeched him, saying, O our Lord Jesus, son of Mary, thou art truly that good shepherd of Israel! have mercy on thy handmaids, who stand before thee, who do not doubt, but that thou, O Lord, art come to save, and not to destroy. 9 After that, when the Lord Jesus said, the children of Israel are like Ethiopians among the people; the women said, Thou, Lord, knowest all things, nor is any thing concealed from thee; but now we entreat thee, and beseech of thy mercy that thou wouldst restore those boys to their former state. 10 Then Jesus said, Come hither O boys, that we may go and play; and immediately, in the presence of these women, the kids were changed and returned into the shape of boys. p. 55 CHAP. XVIII. 1 Jesus becomes the king of his playfellows, and they crown him with flowers, 4 miraculously causes a serpent who had bitten Simon the Cananite, then a boy, to suck our all the poison again; 16 the serpent bursts, and Christ restores the boy to health. IN the month Adar Jesus gathered together the boys, and ranked them as though he had been a king. 2 For they spread their garments on the ground for him to sit on; and having made a crown of flowers, put it upon his head, and stood on his right and left as the guards of a king. 3 And if any one happened to pass by, they took him by force, and said, Come hither, and worship the king, that you may have a prosperous journey. 4 ¶ In the mean time, while these things were doing, there came certain men, carrying a boy upon a couch; 5 For this boy having gone with his companions to the mountain to gather wood, and having found there a partridges nest, and put his hand in to take out the eggs, was stung by a poisonous serpent, which leaped out of the nest; so that he was forced to cry out for the help of his companions: who, when they came, found him lying upon the earth like a dead person. 6 After which his neighbours came and carried him back into the city. 7 But when they came to the place where the Lord Jesus was sitting like a king, and the other boys stood around him like his ministers, the boys made haste to meet him, who was bitten by the serpent, and said to his neighbours, Come and pay your respects to the king; 8 But when, by reason of their sorrow, they refused to come, the boys drew them, and forced them against their wills to come. 9 And when they came to the Lord Jesus, he inquired, On what account they carried that boy? 10 And when they answered, that a serpent had bitten him, the Lord Jesus said to the boys, Let us go and kill that serpent. 11 But when the parents of the boy desired to be excused, because their son lay at the point of death; the boys made answer, and said, Did not ye hear what the king said? Let us go and kill the serpent; and will not ye obey him? 12 So they brought the couch back again, whether they would or not. 13 And when they were come to the nest, the Lord Jesus said to the boys, Is this the serpents lurking place? They said, It was. 14 Then the Lord Jesus calling the serpent, it presently came forth and submitted to him; to whom he said, Go and suck out all the poison which thou hast infused into that boy; 15 So the serpent crept to the boy, and took away all its poison again. 16 Then the Lord Jesus cursed the serpent so that it immediately burst asunder, and died. 17 And he touched the boy with his hand to restore him to his former health; 18 And when he began to cry, the Lord Jesus said, Cease crying, for hereafter thou shalt be my disciple; 19 And this is that Simon the Canaanite, who is mentioned in the Gospel. p. 56 CHAP. XIX. 1 James being bitten by a viper, Jesus blows on the wound and cures him. 4. Jesus charged with throwing a boy from the roof of a house, 10 miraculously causes the dead boy to acquit Mm, 12 fetches water for his mother, breaks the pitcher and miraculously gathers the water in his mantle and brings it home, 16 makes fish-pools on the Sabbath, 20 causes a boy to die who broke them down, 22 another boy run against him, whom he also causes to die. ON another day Joseph sent his son James to gather wood and the Lord Jesus went with him; 2 And when they came to the place where the wood was, and James began to gather it, behold, a venomous viper bit him, so that he began to cry, and make a noise. 3 The Lord Jesus seeing him in this condition, came to him, and blowed upon the place where the viper had bit him, and it was instantly well. 4 ¶ On a certain day the Lord Jesus was with some boys, who were playing on the housetop, and one of the boys fell down, and presently died. 5 Upon which the other boys all running away, the Lord Jesus was left alone on the house-top. 6 And the boys relations came to him and said to the Lord Jesus, Thou didst throw our son down from the housetop. 7 But he denying it, they cried out, Our son is dead, and this is he who killed him. 8 The Lord Jesus replied to them, Do not charge me with a crime, of which you are not able to convict me, but let us go ask the boy himself, who will bring the truth to light. 9 Then the Lord Jesus going down stood over the head of the dead boy, and said with a loud voice, Zeinunus, Zeinunus, who threw thee down from the housetop? 10 Then the dead boy answered, thou didst not throw me down, but such a one did. 11 And when the Lord Jesus bade those who stood by to take notice of his words, all who were present praised God on account of that miracle. 12 ¶ On a certain time the Lady St. Mary had commanded the Lord Jesus to fetch her some water out of the well; 13 And when he had gone to fetch the water, the pitcher, when it was brought up full, brake. 14 But Jesus spreading his mantle gathered up the water again, and brought it in that to his mother. 15 Who, being astonished at this wonderful thing, laid up this, and all the other things which she had seen, in her memory. 16 ¶ Again on another day the Lord Jesus was with some boys by a river and they drew water out of the river by little channels, and made little fish-pools. 17 But the Lord Jesus had made twelve sparrows, and placed them about his pool on each side, three on a side. 18 But it was the Sabbath day, and the son of Hanani a Jew came by, and saw them making these things, and said, Do ye thus make figures of clay on the Sabbath? And he ran to them, and broke down their fish-pools. 19 But when the Lord Jesus clapped his hands over the sparrows which he had made, they fled away chirping. 20 At length the son of Hanani coming to the fish-pool of Jesus to destroy it, the water vanished away, and the Lord Jesus said to him,
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 23:54:55 +0000
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