and body, as would tend to the comfort and fupport of each; fuch prudent, moderate enjoyment of the good things of this world, as might convert them both to the prefent, and the future benefit of all who partook of them: of undergoing all the toils and difficulties, labours and diftreffes, to which we are fubject; of bearing all the evils and afflictions, the croffes and calamities of life, with fo much patience, conftancy, and perfeverance, as would prevent our finking under them; and at length make us more than conquerors over them. A pattern, of particular affection and efteem for friends; of general kindnefs, and good-will toward enemies, of gratitude and love for all good offices; of meeknefs and a most forgiving temper under any ill ufage; of strict obedience to fuperiors, either in church or ftate, fo far as is confiftent with our duty to the fupreme Being (r); mildness and condefcenfion

to

(r) In proof of this, befide the inftance given in note () of his moft fcrupulous exactness to avoid the least appearance of intruding on another's office; we may obferve, that when he is obliged to expofe the great hypocrify and villainy of the Jewish doctors, who were the most injurious adverfaries of his caufe, he carefully distinguishes between their authority or commiffion, and the exercise thereof; between their publick teaching, and their practice.

The Scribes and the Pharifees fit in Mofes's feat; all therefore whatsoever they bid you obferue, that obferve and do; but do not ye after their works; for they fay, and do not. Matt. xxiii. 2, 3. The Jewish doctors and Pharifees, though they be hypocrites, and covetous, and vain-glorious men, yet fince they fucceed Mofes and the prophets, in being teachers and expounders of the law of God; ye ought to hearken and attend to their teaching. What therefore they teach you, out of the law of God, and agreeable to it, that hear ye and obey; but imitate not their examples; becaufe their lives are difagreeable and contrary to their doctrine." Clarke's Paraphr. Hoc dicit Chriftus, ne putaretur aut adverfarius effe Mofis, aut eorum odio, aut cupiditate principatus, ipfos in fequentibus reprehendere. Et quoniam

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to inferiors, in whatsoever respect, or whatsoever degree; of justice, fidelity, benevolence, and charity to all. In fhort, his whole life was a lecture of true practical philosophy, and each part of it pointed out fome virtue proper for our imitation*.

Which brings me in the next place, to his manner of teaching : and this was likewife the moft eafy and natural that could be imagined. He generally draws his doctrine from the present occafion; the converfation that is paffing; or the objects that surround him; from the most common occurrences, and occupations: from the time of the day; the feafon of the year; the fer

vice

defectus in perfonis, non profeffione, erat; providet, ut, perfonarum ratione pofthabitâ, muneri, minifterio, et profeffioni ipfi, fua dignitas integra maneat. L. Brugenf. in loc. Comp. Walzogen, p. 370.

So far is our Saviour's hiftory from confifting of that angry oppofition to his fuperiors, as fuch; or from difcovering that envious, afpiring, factious difpofition, which fome perfons have had either the weakness, or the wickedness to fuggeft. To thefe I would recom mend the following teftimony of one, who feems to have been at that time a more equitable unbeliever.

In Chrift we have an example of a quiet and peaceable fpirit, of a becoming modefty and fobriety: just and honest, upright and fin cere; and above all, of a moft gracious and benevolent temper and behaviour. One who did no wrong, no injury to any man; in whofe mouth was no guile; who went about doing good, not only by his preaching and miniftry; but alfo in curing all manner of difeafes among the people. His life was a beautiful picture of human nature, when in its native purity and fimplicity; and fhewed at once what excellent creatures men would be, when under the influence and power of that Gofpel he preached unto them.' Chubb, True Gofp. of J. Chrift, fect. 8. p. 55, 56.

See fome of the principal of thefe virtues fpecified in Bp. Fowler's Defign of Chriftianity, c. 5. or Duchal, on Christ's general Character, Serm. i.

+ Concerning our Saviour's character, as a teacher of morality; or the fubftance of his doctrine, under the general heads of fincerity, integrity, and the love of God and man; Tee Duchal, Serm, ii, iii.

vice of the Jewish fynagogue (v), or their folemnities;

(v) Thus, he alludes fometimes to the manner of teaching there; Matt. x. 27. Quod in aure auditis, praedicate. Doctor, qui auditoribus aliquid traditionale prælegebat et exponebat, non quidem clara voce rem efferebat; fed feni fufurro, Hebraica, in aurem interpretis muflitabat; qui deinde id fonore fermone vernaculo enuntiabat populo. Lamy, Harm. p. 187. Comp. Lightf. in loc. et in Matt. iv. 23. [Where another allufion occurs in the latter part of the verfe, about proclaiming on the boufe top. Lightf. Vol. II. p. 180.] Sometime to the leffon read therein: Luke iv. 17. Vulgo fentiunt interpretes cafu traditum Domino librum Ifaiae; five potius divina providentia procurante ut ille traderetur, ubi clariffime de Chrifto prophetatum erat. Verum magis eluxit divina providentia fi hoc Sabbato legeretur pars illa Ifaiae, in qua invenit locum ubi fcriptum erat, Spiritus Domini fuper me: Sic incipit cap. Ixi. Ifaiae, quod legebatur Sabbato mo aut 2do Menfis Tifri, ut videre eft in lectionariis Judæorum. [Comp. Lightf. in loc. or Wait's Gofp. Hift. B. ii. f. 5.1 Hoc autem anno vitæ ejus circa quem hæremus, æræ Chriftianæ 31mo, duo illa Sabbata, in quibus Ifaias prælegebatur, incidebant imum in 8vam diem Septembris, alterum in 15mam. Congruit illud tempus parabolis feinentis, quas modo propofuerat Dominus ab ipfis rebus præfentibus, ut fapientiam ejus decebat. Etenim in menfe Tifri femen terræ mandabatur; ut videre eft in illis verbis

paraphrafeos Chaldaicæ in Ecclefiaftem xi. 2. Da portionem bonam feminis agro tuo in Tifri, et ne cohibearis a feminando etiam in Chiflex. Id. Harm. p. 358. To which may be added John x. 1, &c. as below, note . p. 314. and John vii. 37, 38. note . p. 316. Lamp purfues this circumitance of Chrift's alluding to the leffon for the day fo far, as by it to adjust the time and order of feveral paffages in the Gofpels, v. g. Luke x. 25-37. Idcirco autem hanc parabolam Samaritani refero ad tempus quod pentecoftem fubfecutum eft; quia hanc parabolam videtur Dominus propofuiffe in fynagoga, occafione fcripturæ quæ tunc ibi legeretur. Illud enim, Ecce quidam legis-peritus furrexit tenians eum, indicat fediffe hunc legis-peritum, et de more propofuiffe quæftionem Domino; quam ille folverit, convertens animum et oculos legis-periti ad ipfam Scripturam modo lectam ; quod indicat illud, Qgomodo legis, &c. Locus autem Scripturæ, ut puto, erat verfus 5tus cap. 6ti Deut. quod caput legebatur ultimo Sabbato menfis Ab, uno aut altero menfe poft pentecoftem. Id. p. 219.

The fame author obferves, that the order of time being generally neglected, both by S. Mark and S. Luke; their narratives are to be regulated as well by the foregoing obfervation, as by comparing them with S. Matt, who was an eye-witnefs of most things, and therefore went by a local memory. Comp. Newt. on Dan. p. 152. or Hartley, Obferv. Vol. II. p. 103.

Lamy has another remark, which feems to deferve confideration, as of fome confequence to the fettling a true harmony of the Gofpels, viz. that John the Baptift fuffered two imprisonments, one from

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ties; from fome extraordinary accidents, remarkable places, or tranfactions; and the like.

Thus, upon curing a blind man, he ftiles himself the light of the world; and admonishes the Pharifees of their spiritual blindness, and inexcufable obftinacy, in refufing to be cured and enlightened by him §. On little children being brought to him, he recommends the innocence and humility of that state, as very proper qualities for all those who would be true members of his church; and under the fame figure, intimates the privileges that belong to all fucht. On being told, that his mother and brethren came to seek him; he declares to all thofe among his difciples, who were defirous of learning, and difpofed to follow his inftructions; that they were equally dear to him, and fhould be equally regarded by him, as his very nearest friends and relations *. Beholding the flowers of the field, and the fowls of the air, he teaches his difciples to frame right and worthy notions of that providence which fupports them, and therefore will fupport Beings of a rank fo much fuperior to them. Obferving the fruits of the earth, he inftructs them to judge of men, by their fruits; and not to be themselves unfruitful under all the

means

the Sanhedrim [Matt. iv. 12.-xvii. 12.] before that other from Herod: vid. Harm. p. 105, and 367. and a particular treatise of his, De duobus Vinculis Johannis.

John ix. 5, 39, 41.

† Mark x. 14, 15. Matt. xviii. 4, 5, 6, 10.

Matt.xii. 47. Mark iii. 32. vid. Benson, c. 10. fect. ii. Other inftances of this kind may be seen below, p. 313.

↑ Matt. vi. 26, 28. Luke xii.

24, &c.

means of grace. Taking notice of their behaviour at a feaft, he first gives general advice therein to both the mafter () and his guests; and

Matt. vii. 16. Luke vi. 43, &c.

(4) The not attending to our Saviour's manner of inftructing or cafionally, and by a special inftance then occurring; [though he was far from infifting on that very particular inftance, farther ftill from Confining his doctrine to it;] inftead of laying down immediately the general rule, as we should probably do; or enjoining the principle, which either would extend to that and the like inftance, or produce an equivalent as the cafe required; —this has given room for a great deal of very indecent drollery on Luke xiv. 12, 13. from Chubb [Foft. Works. p. 24, &c.] as if, inftead of directing our beneficence in general to fuch in the first place as wanted it moft; which is all that car fairly be implied, and which is furely unexceptionable; Chrift had confined his direction to that one particular mode of hofpitality; and required all his difciples, who were of ability, to invite the poor, lame, blind, &c. to their tables: to entertain fuch there, and fuch only which would, as Chubb says in the same strain, p. 27, be fomething extraordinary. Dominus venit non tantum ut ederet; fed etiam ut aliquid boni doceret, occafione fumpta ex rebus quæ occurrebant. Non prohibet fimpliciter vocare divites ad cœnam, vel convivium; hoc enim et humanitas fæpe poftulat, et res ipfa.Sed agit hic de conviviis voluntariis, quæ non alia de caufa inftituuntur quam animo benefaciendi. Deinde, non prohibet id tanquam peccatum; fed tanquam rem inutilem, et nullius momenti coram Deo; incitans ad rem quæ utilis valde et apud Deum eximia eft. Nec præcipit Chriftus omnino ut convivia faciant; fed fi velint facere, oftendit qualia debent facere, et quos invitare. Tantundem valet; etfi non inftruas ex profeffo convivium, fi mittas pauperi cia bos in domum ejus; fi des ei pecuniam, qua fibi emere poffit necef faria. Crell. Op. Tom. II. p. 55. Comp. Cleric. Whitby, Grot. in loc. I fhall add two or three parallel paffages, which may perhaps help to procure this a more favourable interpretation; at leaft, will fhew the precept to be not fo very peculiarly Chriftian, as this fame gentleman is pleafed to reprefent, in order to burlefque and expofe it: [ib p. 26, &c.] And in truth, with just as much probability, as he thinks washing the fect, is one of the pofitive inftitutions that belong to Chrift-ianity, annexing it to B prijm and the Lord's Supper. ib. p. 277.

Cic. Off. i. 15.- Hoc maxime officii eft, ut quifque maxime opis indigeat, ita ei potiffimum opitulari; quod contra fit a plerifque : a quo enim plurimum fperant, etiamfi ifle his non eget, tamen ei po tiffimum inferviunt. Plin. Epift. ix. 30. Volo eum qui fit vere li beralis, tribuere patriæ, propinquis, affinibus, amicis; fed amicis dico pauperibus: non ut ifti, qui iis potiffimum donant, qui donare maxime poffunt. Hos égo vifcatis hamatifque muneribus, non fua promere puto, fed aliena corripere. - Απελευθέρως πρατεῖν τὰ περὶ

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