MATTHEW. MARK, LUKE. CHA P. XIV. 13 But when thou makest a 14 And thou shalt be blessed; 15 And when one of them”. 17 And fent his fervant at 18 And they all with one confent began to make excufe. The first faid unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I muft needs go and fee it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another faid, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I Јони. taliate thy Kindnefs. Twill be a greater inftance of Generofity to feaft thofe that want more, and can make thee no return, fuch as the Poor and Miférable, the Lame, and Blind, and Maim'd, who are indigent, and stand-in need of thy Charity. Then bleffed fhall you be for your Liberality; for tho these poor Wretches have not wherewith to recompenfe you, God himself will fee you rewarded in that day, when the Juft shall after the Refurrection be admitted into the Seats of endless Blifs. One that was at Table with him, hearing what Jefus faid, cried out: Happy certainly must he be who fhall be feafted in the Kingdom of God. Jefus therefore took this occafion to upbraid the Jews with their Obitinacy in this Parable. A certain man prepar'd a magnificent Entertainment, to which many were invited. The Banquet being ready, and none of the Guests come, he fent his Servant to every one of 'em to acquaint them with it. It happen'd that they all refus'd to come, upon various pretences; one had bought a Farm, another five yoke of Oxen, and a third was go to prove them: I pray thee 20 And another faid, I have 21 So that fervant came and fhewed his lord these things. Then the mafter of the house being angry, faid to his fervant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the fervant faid, Lord, it is done as thou haft commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord faid unto the fervant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may filled. 24 For I fay unto you, that none of those men which were bidden, shall tafte of my fupper. 25 And there went great multitudes with him': and he turned, and faid unto them, JOHN. was married, and in like manner they defired all to be excus'd. The Master of the Feaft, vex'd to be thus difappointed, and deluded by thofe for whom he had prepar'd it, commanded his Servant to go immediatly into the Streets and public places, and invite the Lame, the Blind, and the Beggars he fhould meet with. The Servant punctually obey'd his Orders, but ftill there was room for more than he had pick'd up, of which having inform'd his Lord, he commanded him to go out once more to the most frequented places, and if need were, to prefs them by all manner of intreaties to come and fill his Table. For, faid he, none of thofe that were invited were worthy, and I defign to have all my Provifions spent, that if any of 'em should come afterwards they may be difappointed. In which Parable he plainly denoted the condition of the Jews, to whom the Gofpel had bin first preach'd, and by whofe obftinacy the Heathens fhould enjoy thofe Benefits of which they had the first tender. Jefus was followed all the way he went to Jerufalem by a vaft Multitude, who throng'd about him to hear him; for he always taught in every Town and Village thro which he paffed. Obferving them, and turning to his Difciples, he told Y y 2 CHA P. XIV. 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and fifters, yea, and his own life alfo, he cannot be my difciple.. 27 And whofoever doth not bear his crofs, and come after me, cannot be my difciple. 28 For which of you intending to build a tower, fitteth nor down firft, and counteth the coft, whether he have fufficient. to finish it? 29 Left haply after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it, begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king going to make war against another king, fitteth not down firft, and confulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that JOHN. told them, that every one that defign to imbrace his Doctrin fhould do it with a refo lution to prefer it to all worldly confiderations; and that rather than neglect the leaft branch of their Duty, they ought to forfake Parents, Children, Brethren, and Sifters, and have no more regard for them upon the comparifon, than if he actually hated them. No one can be truly my Difciple, faid he, or deferve that name, who does not bring this Difpofition along with him.. Whoever imbraces not my Doctrin with a refolution of induring the greatest hardfhips rather than difown it, does in vain profefs himself to be my Difciple, and unjustly claims that honorable Title. If you defign therefore feriously to be my Difciples, let it be with fuch a fixt determination; for otherwife in time of Perfecution you will bafely defert that courfe of Life which you have taken up at a venture. Twill be with you as in the cafe of Building, in which if you do not well confider what the whole charge comes to, but lay the foundation of it at random, you may perhaps be forc'd to leave off, as not having a fufficient ftock to defray the whole expence, and fo be obnoxious to the fcorn and laughter of all that shall take notice of it, as a man whofe defigns were fo difproportion'd to his Abilities to put them in execution. A Prince that is attack'd by a neighboring Potentate, who is able to bring twice the number of Forces into the Field, is wont to deliberat timely with himself whether he may fafely depend upon the number of his own Troops, to oppofe the Army of his Enemy; that, if upon duly weighing all circum CHA P. XIV. cometh against him with twenty 32 Or elfe, while the other is 33 So likewife, whofoever he be of you, that forfaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my difciple. 34 Salt is good: but if the falt have loft his favour, wherewith fhall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghil; but men caft it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. JOHN. circumftances, he finds reafon to think he fhall be overpower'd, he may endeavor by a feasonable Embaffy to compofe the difference on the beft conditions. So you who propofe to your felves to become my Difciples, muft fully determin to part with whatever is dearest to you, to renounce your Friends and Relations, and to give up your whole Eftate, rather than do any thing unbecoming the Character of my Dif ciples. Salt Afhes which are made ufe of for the manuring of Land, if they once lofe that faltnefs which made them valuable, are not ufeful to any manner of purpofe, and for that reafon thrown away and trod under foot in the high Road, This is well worthy of your ferious confideration, if you defign to make a right ufe of the Faculties you have received from God; for as I have told you elfewhere, it concerns you in a fpecial manner. Parables reprefenting the care God takes of the greatest Sinners, and the kindness with which be receives the truly penitent. THE Pharifees and Doctors of the Law taking notice of the Crowd of Publicans and Sinners that reforted to hear his Doctrin, and who were kindly receiv'd by Jefus, were inrag'd against him and defam'd him, for keeping them com man receiveth finners, and eat- 3. And he spake this parable to 4 What man of you having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is loft, --until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his fhoulders, rejoycing: 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, faying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my fheep which was loft. 7.I fay unto you, that likewise joy fhall be in heaven over one finner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of filver, if the lofe one piece, doth not light a candle, and fweep the house, and feek diligently till the find it? 9 And when the hath found it, fhe calleth her friends and her neighbours together, Laying, Re JOHN. pany, and not fcrupling to eat with them. Jefus therefore, to fhow how unjust their Cenfure was, ufed this Similitude. If one of you who has a hundred Sheep, lofe one out of his Flock, he will presently leave the ninety nine in the Wildernefs, and go in queft of that gone aftray, and not leave off till he has found it: but then he lays it upon his Thoulders, that he may the fooner reftore it to the Flock, and full of joy acquaints his Friends and Neighbors with his good luck, and expects to be congratulated by them. Thus do the Angels in Heaven rejoice at the repentance of one Sinner, more than at the fteddy Virtue of ninety and nine good perfons, who for that reafon ftand in no need of any fuch Repentance. If a Woman out of her little hoard of 10 pieces of Mony, fhall lofe one in the night, fhe will presently light her Candle, and fweep her Houfe, and pry into every corner till fhe recovers it, with a greater concern for the lofs of that one piece, than pleasure in the fecure poffeilion of the remaining nine. When he has found it, he will acquaint her Friends and Neighbors with the happy news, and |