I CHA P. XII. N the mean time when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of People, infomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to fay unto his difciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharifees, which is hypocrifie. 2. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that fhall not be known. 3. Therefore whatfoever ye have fpoken in darkness, fhall be heard in the light: and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, fhall be proclaimed upon the house-tops. 4 And I fay unto you my friends, * Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. 5. But I will forewarn you whom you fhall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to caft into hell 1; yea, I fay unto you, Fear him. 6. Are not five fparrows fold for 'two farthings, and not one of them is m forgotten before God? 7. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbred. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value h i ** Mat. 16. 6. Then Jefus faid unto them, Take heed and beware of the Leaven of the Pharifees, and of the Sadducces. † Mar. 8. 16. They reafoned among themselves, faying, it is because we have no Bread. f... Mat. 16. 12. Then underftood they how that he bade them which kill the Body, but are not a ble to kill the Soul: but rather fear him, which is able to deftroy both Soul and Body in Hell. it Joh. 15. 14, 15. Ye are my Friends, if ye do whatfoever I com mand you. Henceforth I call you not Servants; for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth : not beware of the leaven of Bread, ro but I have called you Friends; for but of the Dorine of the Pharifees and of the Sadducees. g Mat. 10. 26. + Mar. 4. 22. There is nothing hid which fhall 15 not be manifefted: neither was any thing kept fecret, but that it fhould come abroad. Luk 8. 17. Nothing is fecret, that fhall not be made manifeft: neither any thing bid, that fhall not be known and 20 come abroad. Job 12. 22. He difcovereth deep things out of Darknefs.- Eccl. 12. 14. God fhall bring every Work into Judgment, with every fecret thing. h Mat. 19. 28. Fear not them 25 all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. k See on Mat. 10. 28. 1 * See Mat. 10. 29. Are not two Sparrows fold for a Farthing? and one of them fhall not fall to the Ground without your Father. in Pfal. 36.6. O Lord, thou preferveft Man and Beaft. Pfal.145. 15. The Eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givet them their Meat in due Seafon. n See on Mat. 10: 30. ง b 283 value than many fparrows. 8. Alfo I fay unto you, Whofoever fhall confefs me before men,him fhall theSon of manalfo confefs before the angels of God. 9. But he that denieth me before men, fhall be denied before the angels of God. 10. And whofoever fhall speak a word against the Son of man, it fhall be forgiven him: but unto him that blafphemeth against the holy Ghoft, it fhall not be forgiven. 11. And when they bring you unto the fynagogues, and unto Magiftrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye fhall anfwer, or what ye fhall fay: 12. For the holy Ghoft fhall teach you in the fame hour, what ye ought to fay. 13. And one of the company faid unto him, Mafter, fpeak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14. And he faid unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15. And he faid unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetoufnefs: for a man's life confifteth * e ત **Mat. 10. 32. Whofoever then I coveted them.- Pfal. 119. therefore fhall confefs me before 36. Incline my Heart unto thy TeMen, him will I confefs before my ftimonies, and not to Covetousness. Father which is in Heaven. † Mar. Prov. 21. 6. The getting of Trea 8.38. Whofoever fhall be ashameds fures by a lying Tongue, is a Va of me, and of my Words, in this a- nity toffed to and fro of them that dulterous and finful Generation, feek Death. Prov. 28. 6. The of him alfo fhall the Son of Man Prince that wanteth Understandbe ahammed when he cometh in the ing is alfo a great Oppreffor; but Glory of the Father, with the holy to he that hateth Covetousness fhall proAngels. 2 Tim. 2.12.If we fuffer, we long his Days. Ifa. 57. 17. For halalforeign with him; ifwedeny him, the Iniquity of his Covetousness was healfo will deny us See on Mat.10.32. I wroth. and fmote him.- Ez. 33.31. They come unto thee as the People cometh, and they fit before thee as my People, and they hear my Words, but they will not do them for with their Mouth they fhew much love, but their Joh. 18. 36. Jefus answered, 20 Heart goeth after their Covetousness. My Kingdom is not of this World: if Hab. 2. 2. They covet Fields, and my Kingdom were of this World, take them by Violence, and Houfes, then would my Servants fight, that and take them away: So they opIfhould not be delivered to the prefs a man and his Houfe, even a Jews: but now is my Kingdom 25 man and his Heritage. Mar. 7. 21, b t Mar. 3. 28. 1 Joh. 5. 16. See on Mat. 12.31. Of the Sin a-15 gainst the Holy Ghoft, fee the Note on Mar. 3. 29. C Mar. 13. 11. ↑ Luk. 21. 14. See on Mat. 10. 19. not from hence. Exod. 20. 17. The Tenth Commandment. Jofh. 7. 21. When I faw among the Spoils a goodly Babylonifh Garment, and two hun-30 dred Shekels of Silver, and a Wedge of Gold of fifty Shekels Weight, : 22. From within, out of the Heart of men, proceed evil Thoughts,Covetousness. Rom. 1. 29. Being filled with all Unrighteoufnefs, Fornication, Wickedness, Covetouf nefs.— ti Tim. 6. 7, 10. We brought fifteth not in the abundance of the things which he poffef feth. 16. And he spake a Parable unto then, faying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, faying, What shall I do, cause I have no room where to beftow my fruits? 18. A he faid, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, an build greater; and there will I beftow all my fruits and goods. 19. And I will fay to my foul, Soul, thou haft mu goods laid up for f many years; take thine eafe, eat, drink and be merry. 20. But God faid unto him, Thou fo this night thy foul fhall be required of thee [Or, do t require thy Scul]: then whofe fhall those things be whit * brought nothing into this World, on the Earth, and been Wa have nourished your Hearts, the Day of Slaughter. the h Dan.4.31. While the Wo in the King's Mouth, there Voice from Heaven, faying King Nebuchadnezzar, to th Spoken, The Kingdom is dep from thee. 1 Thef. 53. W 10 they fhall fay Peace and Saf then fudden Destruction cometh them. Jcb 14. 1. Man that is born of a Woman, is of few Days, and full of 15 Trouble. 1 Job 20. 22. In the Fulness Sufficiency he fhall be in Straits very Hand of the Wicked come upon him. +Job 27.8 + Ecclef. 11. 9. Rejoice O what is the Hope of the Hypo young man in thy Youth, and let though he hath gained, when thy Heart cheer thee in the Days taketh away his Soul. † Pfal. of thy Youth, and walk in the 20 Lo, this is the man that made Ways of thy Heart, and in the God his Strength: but truftedi Sight of thine Eyes: but know Abundance of his Riches, thou that for all thefe things God strengthened himself in his Wi will bring thee into Judgment. Ec- nefs. † Pfal. 39. 6. Surely clefiafticus 5. 1. Set not thy Heart 25 man walketh in a vain Shew: upon thy Goods, and fay not I have ly they are difquieted in enough for my Life. Ecclefiaftihe heapeth up Riches, and k cus 11. 19. Whereas he faith, I not who fhall gather them. tJer have found Reft, and now will eat 11. As the Patridge fitteth continually of my Goods, and yet he 30 Eggs and hatcheth them not knoweth not what Time fhall come he that getteth Riches, and upon him, and that he muft leave right, fhall leave them in the m thofe things to others, and die. of his Days, and at his End fhall t1 Cor. 15. 32. Let us Eat and a Fool. Drink,for to morrow we die. Jam. 35 5. 5. Ye have lived in Pleasure thou haft provided? 21. So is he that layeth up treasurė for himself, and is not rich towards God. 22. And he faid unto his Difciples, Therefore I fay unto you," Take no thought for your life, what ye fhall eat; neither for the body, what ye fhall put on. 23. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24. Confider the ravens: for they neither fow nor reap; which neither have ftorehoufe nor barn; and God m feedeth them: How much more are ye better than the fowls? 25. And which of you with taking thought can add to his ftature one cubit? 26. If ye then be not able to do that thing which is leaft, why take ye thought for the reft? 27. Confider the lilies how they grow: They toil not, they fpin not: and yet I fay unto you, that Solomon in all his glory, was not arayed like one of these. 28. If then God fo clothe the grafs, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is caft into the Oven: how much more will be clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29. And feek not ye what yé fhall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind [Or, live not in cares ful fufpence. 30. For all these things do the nations of the world feek after and your Father knoweth that ye have heed of these things. 31. But rather feek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things fhall be added unto you. 32.Fear not, P little flock; for it is your Fathers good pleas * k Ver. 33. Mat. 6. 20. Lay up for your felves Treasures in Heaven, where neither Moth nor Ruft doth corrupt, and where Thieves do not break through and Steal. Tim. 5. 10. Well reported of for good Works.+ 1 Tim. 6.18, 19. Charge them that are rich in this World, That they 5 U fure bulation, and Poverty, (but thou art Rich.) 1 See on Mat. 6. 25. nit Job 38. 41. † Pfal. 147. 9. See on Mat. 6. 26. n Heb. 13. 5. Let your Convera fation be without Covetoufnefs, and be content with fuch things as ye have: for he hath faid, I will ne do be lover leave thee, nor forfake thee. Works, ready to diftribute, willing • † See on Mat. 6. 33. P Mat. 7. 14. Strait is the Gates and narrow is the Way which leads eth unto Life, and few there be that find it. at Mat. it. 25, 26. At that Time Jefus anfwered and faid, I chofen the Poor of this World, thank thee, O Father, Lord of Hea ven and Earth, becaufe thou haft rick in Faith, and Heirs of the King dom, which he hath promised to 20 hid thefe things from the Wife them that love him. Rev. 2. 9. now thy Works, and Tris and Prudent, and haft revealed them ત a с e fure to give you the kingdom. 33. Sell (1) that you have and give alms : provide your felves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be alfo. 35. Let your loyns be girded about, and your lights burning; 36. And ye your felves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37 Bleffed are thofe fervants whom the Lord when he cometh fhall find watching: verily I fay unto you, that he fhall them unto Babes. Even fo, Father, for fo it feemed good in thy Sight. things that were fold. c* See on Mat. 6. 20. d gire Ifa. 11. 5. Righteoufnefs fhall be the Girdle of his Loyns, and Faithfulness the Girdle of his Reins. a Rom. 6. 23. The Wages of Sin is Death; but the Gift of God 5 is Eternal Life, through Jefus Chrift† Eph. 6. 14. Stand therefore, hav Our Lord. 2. Pet. I. II. So an ing your Loins girt about with Truth, and having on the Breaft plate of Righteoufnefs. 1 Pet. 1. 13. Gird up the Lovns of your mind, be fober, and hope to the End. е et Mat. 25. 1. Then fhall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened to Ten Virgins, which took their Lamps. b Mat. 19. 21. Jefus faid unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and fell that thou haft, and give to the Poor, and thou shalt have Trea-15 fure in Heaven; and come, and follow me. † Act. 2. 44. And fold their Poffeffions and Goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. † A&.4 34. Nei-20 Open to me.ther was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were Poffeffors of Lands or Houfes, fold them, and brought the Prices of the f Cant. 5. 2. I fleep, but my Heart waketh: it is the Voice of my Beloved that knocketh, faying, Rev. 3. 20. Be the Door and hold, I ftand at B See on Ver. 40. (1) This is both a Precept and an Exhortation to Charity; but it is not here commanded, that we presently fell al, and reduce our felves to the Condition of the Poor; but that we fhould be ready, when God calls, and the Neceffities of Chrift's needy Members requires it, to give largely of our Subftance. Our Lord bids us to take heed, and beware of Covetoufnefs; the Temper therefore of a Chriftian, fhould be widely diftant from that of the rich Man in the Parable, Ver. 16. who thought of providing only for himself. In the earliest Times of the Gofpel, fome fold all, and put it into a common Stock, as may be obferved in the References. But this Practice continued but for a fhort Time, and was not even then laid upon Chriftians as a neceffary Duty, as appears from St. Peter's Reafoning with Ananias, A&s 5. 4. See the Note on Mat. 19. 21. |