And that when I have finished this Bufinefs, and the Time appointed by Divine Wisdom be come, I fhall indeed at laît be perfected by fuffering Death: But that in the mean time, till this Seafon (determined by God himself only) fhall come, I muft continue preaching and working Miracles in the fame manner as I do now; and that 'tis not in Herod's Power to hinder me; neither fhall I fuffer at any other Time, nor in any other Place, than that which the Wisdom of Providence has from the Beginning appointed. For it is not poffible that a Prophet fhould be murdered, and not at Jerufalem. 34. O Jerufalem, Jerufalem; thou that waft once the Holy City, the City of God; but art now become as notorious on the contrary, for Wickedness and Impenitence, for flaying the Prophets of God, and perfecuting his Servants: How often has God graciously offered thee the Means of Pardon and Mercy, and invited thee to Repen tance with all the Patience and Compaffion, that a tender Father can show to his most beloved Child! But thou refufedft to hear. 35. Behold, Now therefore the Time of Mercy is paft; and the final Defolation of the City and Temple, with the fearful Destruction of the whole Jewish Nation, is peremptorily decreed of God. And affuredly, I tell you, the Time will speedily come; nay, it is even at hand; when ye fhall fee me no more, till ye fhall be forced to own me to be indeed the Meffiah the Son of God with Power. CHAP. XIV. Jefus cures a Dropfy, and shows that Works of Mercy are to be preferred before Ceremonies, ver. 1. Exhorteth to Humility, ver. 7. and Charity, ver. 12. The Parable of the Guests that refused to come, ver. 16. A Religious Life must not be undertaken rafbly and carelessly, but with Confideration and deliberate Refolution, ver. 26. The Duty of Minifters, and the Punishment of bad Ones, ver. 34. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before him I. T another time Jefus being invited to Dinner on the Sabbath Day to a Perfon of Quality's Houfe, who was a Pharifee; feveral of that Sect, who were prefent, watched him according to their usual Custom, to see if he would do any thing contrary to the Rites and Traditions which their Rabbies or principal Teachers had introduced and injoyned them to obferve; that they might thence take occafion to reproach and accuse him 2. And there wanted not a fit Opportunity: For at that fame time there which had the drop- was prefent a poor Man troubled with fie. 3 And Jefus anfwering, fpake unto the lawyers and Pharifees, faying, Is it lawful to heal on the fabbath day? an incurable Dropfie, who seemed to wait on purpofe in hopes that Jefus would miraculoufly heal him, as he had formerly done feveral others in like dangerous Conditions. 3. Jefus therefore feeing the Man, and knowing how the Pharifees watched him, and what Judgment they would pass upon his healing the Man on the Sabbath, and what Ufe they would make of that Action to raise an Accufation against him; he prevented them by afking them this Queftion beforehand, faying; Ye that pretend to be exactly exactly skilful in all Questions and Cafes of the Law; Tell me, Is it contrary to the Law of God, and inconfiftent with God's Defign in the Inftitution of the Sabbath, to do one of the greatest Acts of Mercy and Charity on that Day, by delivering a Man from a dangerous and incurable Disease?.. 4 And they held their peace. And he took him and healed 4. To this Queftion, though they defired the thing fhould be thought unlawful, yet they were afhamed to make him, and let him go: him that Answer openly. Jefus therefore, finding them put to filence, laid his Hand on the Man, and restored him to perfect Health. 5. Then turning himself again to the Pharifees, he faid; Who is there among you, the ftricteft and most rigid Obferver of outward Rites and Ceremonies, that would fcruple, though even with great Labour, to pull his Beaft out of a Pit on the Sabbath-Day, to fave its Life? What extreme Malice then is it in you, to judge ill of me for preferving a Man on this Day, and That too with barely laying my Hand upon him! 6. And all at the Table were ashamed, and held their peace; not being able to fay any thing against the Evidence of fo clear a Truth. 7. The fame Day, Jefus having obferved how the Pharifees that were invited with him, ftrove to have the upper-hand, and to fit in the highest Places at the Table; he took this Opportunity, by the Comparison of Guefts placing themselves at a Feaft, to warn his Hearers of the great Evil of Pride, and to recommend to them the excellent Virtue of Humility, faying; 5 And answered them, faying, Which of you shall have an afs or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not ftraightway pull him out on the fabbath day. 6 And they could not anfwer him again to these things. 79 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chofe out the chief rooms, faying unto them, 8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, fit not down in the highest room, left a more nourable man then thou be bidden of him; ho 9 And he that bade thee and him, come and fay to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with fhame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and fit down in the lowest room, that when he that bade thee cometh, he may fay unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then fhalt thou have worship in the presence of them that fit at meat with thee. 11 For whofoever exalteth himself,shall be abafed; and he that humbleth himfelf, fhall be exalted. 12 Then faid any 8 & 9. When you are invited whither to a Feaft, do not thrust your felf forward, and ftrive to place your felf in the uppermoft Seat; leaft after you are fet down, fome other Person comes, to whom Precedency is due ; and the Mafter of the Feast bids you remove and give Place to that more honourable Gueft: And then, instead of that Honour which you foolishly asfumed to your felf, you be forced with Difgrace and Shame to go down to a lower Seat. 10. But rather on the contrary, when you go to a Feast, chufe to fit down modeftly in the lowest Place; that when the Mafter of the Feaft comes in, he may bid you go up to a higher Seat; and then your Modefty will gain you real Honour and Refpect, from all them that are invited with you. II. And in the fame Proportion, as in this fmaller Inftance, so also in all other the greater Actions of Life, behave your felves always with Humility and decent Modefty, as the properest Method to raise you to true Honour and real Efteem. For whofoever carries himself proudly and haughtily; with an unreasonable affuming to himself, and an arrogant Contempt of others; forgetting either his Dependence on God, or his Duty to Men; fhall certainly by the Juftice of Providence be brought down and humbled. But he that behaves himself modeftly and humbly, with a juft Senfe of his Dependence on God, and of his Duty in all Relations to Men; fhall for his wife Behaviour be honoured and exalted, by the Favour both of God and Men. 12. Furthermore, Jefus faid to he alfo to him that the Pharifee, that invited him: When you 1 you defign to make a Feaft, if you 13. But, if you will improve your 14. And then, because these Men are not able to make you any Recompenfe for themfelves in the prefent World, God himself in their stead will blefs you and recompenfe you in the World to come; and you fhall receive the Reward of your Charity at the great and general Refurrection, with all other *Note; Holy, and Juft, and* Charitable Men, Nixa & in the Eternal Kingdom of God in Heaven. in the new Tef in צדק 15. Upon this, one of them that tament, as fat at the Table, faid to Jefus: Bleffed is he, that shall see the Kingdom of the Old, God established in this World, by Mens fignifies good and living univerfally according to fuch charitable. Principles as thefe; and Bleffed is he, See Mat. i, who by fuch a Life, fhall attain a Share in the Eternal Rewards of his Heavenly Kingdom in the World to come. 19. 16. Jefus replied; Yea, verily, Bleffed are they who fhall partake of the Virtue and Happiness of the Kingdom of God, in the present and future State, ny: |