*

they (1) may receive you into everlafting habitations, to He that is faithful in that which is leaft, is faithful alfe much and he that is unjuft in the leaft, is unjuft alfo much. 11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the righteous mammon [Or, riches], who will commit to yo truft the true riches? 12. And if ye have not been faithful that which is another mans, who fhall give you that which your own? 13. No fervant can ferve two mafters: either he will hate the one, and love the other; or el will hold to the one, and defpife the other. Ye cannot f God and mammon. 14. And the Pharifees alfo who w covetous, heard all thefe things: and they derided hi 15. And he faid unto them, Ye are they which juftife yo felves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: that which is highly efteemed amongst men, is abomi on in the fight of God. 16. The law and the prope (2) were until John fince that time the kingdom of G

2. Mat. 25. 34. -Come ye blef fed of my Father, inherit the King dom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World, A&.10. 4. Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial be fore God.

5

bt Luk. 19. 17. Well, thou good Servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou 10 Authority over ten Cities. Mat 25. 21. Well done, thou good and faithful Servant, thou haft been faithful over a few Things, I will make thee Ruler over many things: 15 enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord.

C. * See on Mat. 6. 24.

dt Mat. 23. 14. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharifees, hypocrites; 20 for ye devour Widows Houfes.Ezek. 33. 31. With their Mouth they fhew much Love, but their Heart goeth after their Covetoufness. Mat. 13. 22. He alfo that received 25

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Seed among the Thorns, ish heareth the Word: and the this World, and the Deceitf Riches choke the Word, and cometh unfruitful.

e

'f

Pfal. 7. 9. The right God trieth the Hearts and Rem t1 Sam. 16, 7. The Lord unto Samuel, Look not on Countenance, or the Height of Stature; becaufe I have refe him: for the Lord feeth not s feeth; for Man looketh on the ward Appearance, but the looketh on the Heart, Efd

54. Behold, the Lord komer Works of Men, their Imagin their Thoughts, and their H

8*Mat. 11. 12, 13, From Days of John Baptift, until the Kingdom of Heaven fu Violence, and the Violent take by force. For all the Pr and the Law prophefied until J

(1) That is, you may be received and admitted into the Kingdom Heaven.

(2) The Coming of Chrift was prefigured by the Ceremonial Law; foretold by the Prophets; but John pointed him out, and fhewed him

し

is preached, and every man preffeth into it. 17. And it is eafler for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. 18. i Whofoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whofoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery. 19. There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple, and fine linen, and fared fumptuoufly e

very day. 20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of fores, 21. And defifing to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans table: moreover the dogs came and licked his fores. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried

5

X 2

22.

and

by Pfal. roz. 25, 26, 27. Of old Mat. 24. 35. Mar. 13. 31. Heaven haft thou laid the Foundations of and Earth thall pass away; but my the Earth: and the Heavens are Words fhall not pafs away. Heb. I. the Work of thy Hands. They 10, 11. The Heavens are the fhall perish, but thou shalt endure: Works of thine Hands. They shall yea, all of them fhall wax old like a perish, but thou remaineft: Garment; as a Vesture fhalt thou they all fhall wax old, as doth a change them, and they fhall be Garment. 2 Pet. 3. 7, 10, 11. But changed. But thou art the fame, the Heavens and the Earth which and thy Years fhall not fail. Jofh. 10 are now, by the fame Word are 23. 14. Ye know in all your kept in ftore, referved unto Fire Hearts, and all your Souls, that not against the Day of Judgment, and one thing hath failed of all the good perdition of ungodly Men. But Things which the Lord your God the Day of the Lord will come as fpake concerning you. Ifa. 15 a Thief in the Night, in the which 40. 8. The Grass withereth, the the Heavens hall pass away with a Flower fadeth; but the Word of our great Noife, and the Elements fhall God fhall fand for ever. Ifa. melt with fervent Heat, the Earth 34 4. All the Hoft of Heaven fhall alfo, and the Works that are therebe diffolved, and the Heavens fhall be 20 in, fhall be burnt up. Seeing then rolled together as a Scrole.- + Ifa, that all these things fhall be dif1.6. Lift up your Eyes to the folved, what manner of Perfons Heavens, and look upon the Earth ought ye to be in all holy Conver beneath for the Heavens fhall va- fation and Godlinefs? Rev. 20.11. nish away like fmoke, and the 25-From whofe Face the Earth and Earth fhall wax old like a Garment, and theythat dwell therein fhall die in like manner ; but my Salvation hall be for ever, and my Righteouf nefs fhall not be abolished. Mat. 30 5. 18. Verily I fay unto you, till Heaven and Earth pafs, one jot, or one tittle fhall in no wife pafs from the Law till all be fulfilled.

be

come;

:

*

the Heaven fled away.- Rev. 21. 1. I faw a new Heaven, and new Earth. I Pet. 1. 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gofpel is preached unto you.

i † Mat. 19. 9. † Mar. 10. 11. + 1 Cor. 7. 10, 11. See on Mat.

5. 32.

fince which, the Gofpel is preached, and Multitudes of People prefs to enter into the Kingdom of the Meffias, in order to obtain Salvation by him, expreffingTMmach Zeal, and using great Diligence and Earnestness.

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by the angels into Abrahams bofom: the rich man also died, and was buried. 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and feeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bofom. 24. And he cried and faid, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and fend Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my Tongue; for I am ⚫ tormented in this flame. 25. But Abraham faid, Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedft thy good things, and likewife Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26. And befides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulph fixed: fo that they which would pass from hence to you, cannot, neither can they pafs to us, that would come from thence. 27. Then he faid, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldft fend him to my fathers houfe: 28. For I have five brethren; that he may teftifie unto them, left they alfo come into this place of torment. 29. Abraham faith unto him, 'They have Mofes and the Prophets; let them hear them. 30. And he faid, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31. And he faid unto him, If they hear not Mofes and the Prophets, neither will they be perfwaded, though one rose from the dead.

d Pfal. 37. 37. Mark the perfect Man, and behold the Upright, for the End of that Man is Peace. Ifa. 57.2. He [the Righteous] fhall enter into Peace.- Rev. 14. 13. Blef; 15 fed are the Dead which die in the Lord.

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CHAP.

fhall fail, none fhall want her mate: for my Mouth it hath commanded, and his Spirit hath gathered them. † Joh. 5. 39, 45. Search the Seriptures, for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life, and they are they which teftifie of me.There is one that accufeth you, even Mofes in whom ye truft. † Acts 15. 21. For Mofes of old time hath in every City them that preach him, being read in the Synagogues every fabbath-day. † Acts 17.11.Thefe were more noble than thofe of Theffalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of Mind, and fearched the Scriptures daily, whether thofe things were fo.

Joh. 12. 10,11. But the chief Priests confulted, that they might put Lazarus to Death; becaufe that by reafon of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jefus,

TH

CHA P. XVII,

i

HEN faid he unto the difciples, It is impoffible but that offences will come: but wo unto him through whom they come. 2. It were better for him that a milftone were hanged about his neck, and he caft into the fea, than that he fhould offend one of these little ones. 3. Take heed to your felves: if thy brother trefpafs against thee, * rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4. And if he trespass against thee feven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, faying, I repent; thou fhalt forgive him. 5. And the Apostles faid unto the Lord, Increase our Faith. 6. And the Lord faid, If ye had 'faith as a grain of muftard-feed, ye might fay unto this fycamine-tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the fea; and it fhould obey you. 7. But which of you having a fervant plowing, or feeding cattle, will fay unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go, and fit down to meat? 8. And will not rather fay unto him, Make ready wherewith I may fup, and gird thy felf, and ferve me till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink. 9. Doth he thank that fervant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. 10. So likewife ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are comX 3 manded

* Mat. 18. 15, 21. If thy Brother fhall trespass against thee, go and tell him his Fault between thee and him alone: if he fhall hear thee, thou haft gained thy Brother. Then came Peter to him, and faid, Lord, How oft fhall my Brother fin against me, and I forgive him? 10 Till feven times?

+ Ecclefiafticus 19. 13. Admenish a Friend, it may be he hath not done it: and if he have done it, that he do it no more. † Jam. 5. 19, 20. Brethren, if any of you do err from the Truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the Sinner from the Error of his Way, fhall fave a Soul from Death, and fhall hide a multitude

of Sins.

+ Mar. 9. 23. † Mar. 1. 23. See on Mat. 17. 20.

Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine Heart: thou fhalt in any wife rebuke thy m Luk. 12. 37. Bleffed are Neighbour, and not fuffer Sin up-15 thofe Servants whom his Lord when on him. Prov. 17. 10. A Reproef he cometh fhall find watching: ve entreth more into a wife Man, rily I fay unto you, that he fhall than an hundred Stripes into a gird himself, and make them fit Fool. Prov. 25. 9. Debate thy down to Meat, and will come forth Caufe with thy Neighbour himself. 20 and ferve them.

b

a

manded you, fay, We are (1) unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. 11. And it came to país, as he went to Jerufalem, that he paffed through the midft of Samaria and Galilee. 12. And as he entred into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which ftood afar off: 13. And they lifted up their voices, and faid, Jefus, Mafter, have mercy on us. 14. And when he faw them, he faid unto them, Go fhew your felves unto the priefts. And it came to pafs, that as they went, they were cleanfed. 15. And one of them, when he faw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16. And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17. And Jefus anfwering faid, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18. There are not found that returned to give glory to God, fave this ftranger.

"

19. And he faid

unto

is unclean: he fhall dwell alone, without the Camp fhall his Habitation be.

с

ct Lev. 13.2. When a Man 5 fhall have in the Skin of his Fleb, a rifing, a fcab, or bright Spot, and it be in the Skin of his Flesh, like the Plague of Leprofie; then he fhall be brought to Aaron the Prief, or to one of his Sons the Priests.

Job 35.7. If thou be Righteous, what giveft thou him? or what receiveth he of thine Hand? Pfal. 16. 2.-My Goodness extendeth not to thee. † Mat. 25. 30. Caft ye the unprofitable Servant into outer Darkness: there fhall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth. † Rom. 3. 12. They are all gone out of the Way, they are together become to unprofitable, there is none that doth Lev. 14. 2. This shall be the good, no not one. Rom. 11. 35. Law of the Leper, in the Day of his Who hath firft given to him, and it Cleanfing: He fhall be brought unfhall be recompenced unto him a- to the Prieft. t Mar. 8.4-Go gain? Philem. ver. 11. Which 15 thy way, shew thy felf to the Prieff, in Time paft was to thee unprofita and offer the Gift that Mofes ble, but now profitable to thee and commanded for a Teftimony unto them.

to me.

b Lev. 13. 46. He [the Leper]

*

(1) It is manifeft from thefe Words, and the Places referr'd to, that ftrictly and properly fpeaking, we cannot be profitable to God; but this notwithstanding, in a lower Senfe, we may be profitable, for our Lord fpeaks of good and faithful Servants, Mat. 25. 21, By a fincere Obedience to his Laws, we may advance his Glory, and promote thofe Defigns he would have carried on in the World. We ought to look upon our lelves as poor and weak Inftruments in his Hands. We not only fail in our Duty, but what we do is by Affiftances derived from him; and therefore we cannot Merit any Reward from him. The Servant that is wholly unprofitable, is by our Lord fentenced to be ceft into outer Dark Hefs, Mat. 25. 30.