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The Law and the Prophets continu'd in force till the time that John entred upon his Office, nor were there any Rules known but what were contain'd in the Precepts of the one, and the Prophecies of the other: But after that John began to preach unto you, the Laws of the Kingdom of Heaven have been more fully open'd, and the Rewards that attend the Obedience to 'em have been manifefted to you.. This Perfonage, if you will believe me, is that Elias, who according to the Pro phecy of Malachi, ch. 4. 5. was to appear before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord. Whoever has a ferious concern for his own Salvation, and is convinc'd 'tis his Duty to examine into the means propos'd for the obtaining of it, let him ponder my Words, and infer from them what it is not neceffary for me at prefent to exprefs more plainly to him. A great Multitude of the common People, and the very Publicans, out of a due fenfe of the greatness of their Crimes, which had ftir'd up God's Justice against them, have embrac'd the Baptifm of John, and are become truly penitent; but the Pharifees, and almoft all the Doctors of the Law, thofe eminently learned and holy Perfons, as they would fain be thought have rejected the Counfil of God exhorting them to Repentance, thro Pride and Contumacy, and refus'd to be baptiz'd by John, that they might not be oblig'd to make an open Confeffion of their Vices.

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Which Behaviour of theirs I can liken to nothing more properly than to the proverbial Saying among Children at their Play: We have piped, and you have not danced; we have lamented among you, and no body has been concern'd at it. Thus thefe men have not been perfuaded to comply with God's Meffages to them, inviting them to a Reformation, and the Advantages that attend it in the Kingdom of Heaven. John the Baptift, who was firft fent to them, led a moft auftere Life in the Deferts, fuftaining himself without either Bread or Wine by which Severity of Life they might have concluded him to be one, who laying afide all care after the Conveniences of this Life, made it his great bufinefs to put in execution the Commands he received from God: Him they calumniated as one poffeffed with an evil Spirit, which hurried him into the Defert, and made him neglect the Sacerdotal Duties, and the Benefits annexed to them. Whereas I, on the contrary, who have conform'd, in all outward refpects, to the general Cuftoms of Men, who have made no difference in the ufe of Meats and Drinks, who have not avoided the Conversation of the Vulgar, that I might make the more Profelytes to Virtue, am traduc'd by them as a Glutton, a Lover of Wine, and a Friend to Publicans and.

Sinners..

MATTHEW.

CHAP. XI.

wifdom is juftified of

her children.

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20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, becaufe `they repented not.

21 Wo unto thee Chorazin, wo unto thee Bethfaida: for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in fackcloth and ashes.

22 But I fay unto you, It fhall be more toler able for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

23 And thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, fhalt be brought down to hell:

fied of

Sinners. But whoever has a true relifh of heavenly things, will eafily perceive the divine Wisdom in thefe fo different ways of living, and with how much reafon they both tend to one and the fame end.

Then began Jefus to upbraid the Inhabitants of thofe Cities in which and in whole Country he had wrought his Miracles, for their not being prevail'd on to amend their Lives. O how great Punishments, faid he, remain for you, ye Inhabitants of Chorazin and Bethfaida! If the Tyrians and Sidonians, a People the most abandon'd to Idola try, had feen thofe Miracles that have been shown to you, they would long ago have Whereas you repented, and implor'd the divine Mercy in Sackcloth and Athes. who are fems, who have the true God for the Object of your Worship, have not been fo affected with them as to amend your Lives. They therefore, tho Idolaters, fhall not be fo feverely punish'd as you in the Day of Judgment.

And you,O Inhabitants of Capernaum,who have been hitherto judg'd happy by my Refidence, and the Miracles I have perform'd among you, your Obftinacy hereafter fhall be punifht with the greatest Severity of all: for if the Citizens of Sodom had

feen

A

MATTHEW.

CHA P. XI,

for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24 But I fay unto you,. that it fhall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

25 At that time Jefus an fwered and faid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven.. and earth, because thou haft hid these things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them to babes.

26 Even fo Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight.

27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father fave the Son, and he to whomfoever : the Son will reveal hims

28 Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft.

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feen the Miracles of which you have been Eye-witneffes, their City would not have been deftroyed: Thofe men, tho fo wicked and impure, by a timely Refor mation would have appeas'd the Wrath of God, and thall therefore fuffer lefs Punishment than you. After thefe Exclamations, Jefus addreffing himself to God, I thank thee, faid he, and acknowledg the Wisdom of thy Providence, in that thy Gofpel has been receiv'd by the unlearned and undefigning part of Mankind,while the men of repute for Learning and Policy reject it. Thus it has pleas'd thee to order for thy own wife purpofes, which it is impoffible for men to penetrate. Then turn ing himself to the Auditory, Whatfoever I teach you, faid he, I have receiv'd from my heavenly Father, and there is no one knows what I am to do and fuffer, inaf much as no Mortal is acquainted with his fecret Determination but the Son only, and they to whom the Son fhall reveal it. O all ye that defire Eafe, ye who have been wearied out by the many Journies the Law obliges you to make to Jerufalem, and who groan under the Burden of many and grievous Rites, imbrace my Difcipline, and you shall find relief. Obferve my Precepts, and you will fee how

much?

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much I differ from the Pride and Haughtiness of your Rabbies; thofe of the meaneft Condition fhall be receiv'd by me as well as others, and all that I expect from you is a found Morality. 'Tis in thefe Commands of mine that your Souls may rest fatisfied, and not in your Jewish Ceremonies, the obfervance of which is requir'd with fo much rigour. When you have been a while inur'd to my Difcipline, you will acknowledg I have impos'd nothing on you, but for your own Profit, and that the Tasks I have enjoyn'd you contain nothing in them grievous or hard to be perform❜d.

CHAP. XXV.

Jefus is entertain'd in the House of a certain Pharifee, and during the Feaft his Feet are anointed by a Woman who had liv'd an unchaft Life. The Difcourfes upon this occafion.

A

Ltho moft of the Pharifees were Enemies to Jefus, yet fome of them had a greater fenfe of Humanity, and were more obliging to him: Among thefe was one Simon, who at a certain time invited him to Dinner, which fefus accepted of. While he was at this Entertainment, there fell out a very remarkable Accident: for having plac'd himself at the Table with the other Guests, a certain Woman of that Town, who had led a loofe Life, but had been lately converted by the

preach

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