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MARK.

LUKE.

MATTHEW.

CHAP. XII.

Јони.

whence I came our ; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, fwept, and garnished.

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himfelf seven other fpirits more wicked than himfelf, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last ftare of that man is worse than the first. Even

fo fhall it be alfo unto this wicked generation.

46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren

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CHA P. III.

31 There came then his brethren and his mother,

and stand

ing without, fent un
to him, calling him.

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whofe behalf Providence hath fo graciously concern'd it felf, do not prove the better for fo great a Benefit, the Damon at his return will find a free admiffion, and the place like to a House cleanfed, and fet in order to receive a long expected Friend. The evil Spirit finds room, and enough for many others worse than himself, which comes to pass by the juft Judgment of God upon the impenitency of that man who flighted fo great a Mercy; and this latter Condition of the Man will be much worse than when he was before poffeffed with the evil Spirit. The like Afflictions fhall happen to the Jews of this Age, if after all the Wonders I have wrought among them, and the means I have us'd to fet them free from their Crimes and Vices, they take no notice of my Preaching and Miracles, and continue in a courfe of Wickednefs; God will give them up to themselves, and in this deplorable Condition they fhall grow worfe and worse, and draw down God's feverest Judgment upon them.

While Jefus was thus difcourfing to the Multitude round about him, his Mother and fome of his Relations came thither, and were defirous to speak with him;

MATTHEW.

CHA P. XII.

47 Then one faid unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren ftand with out, defiring to speak

with thee.

48 Eut he anfwered and faid unto him that told him,

Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

49 And he ftretched forth his hand towards his difciples,and faid, Behold my mother, and my brethren.

so For whofoever fhall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the fame is my brother, and fifter, and mother.

4

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33 And he answer-
ed them, saying,

Who is my mother, or
my brethren?

34 And he looked
round about on them
which fat about him,
and faid, Behold my
mother, and my bre-
thren.

35 For whofoever fhall do the will of God, the fame is my brother, and my fifter, and mother.

LUKE.

CHAP. VIII.

and could not come at him for the prefs.

20 And it was told him by certain, which faid, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, defiring to fee thee.

21 And he answered and faid unto them,

My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

JOHN.

of which he was inform'd by fome of the Auditory, they not having been able to prefs thro the Crowd.

Jefus then ftretching his Hand out, and looking round upon his Difciples and Hearers, All these, faid he, are of my Family who have diligently heard my Doctrine, who embrace the Gospel with Sincerity, and are refolv'd to live in obedience to the Laws of it: Thefe are to me inftead of a Mother, and the nearest Relations, whom I am commanded to take care of, and not only thofe that are al lied unto me by Confanguinity.

CHAP.

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THE fame day Jefus went out to the Lake of Genefareth, and began to inftruct the People upon the Shoar; but the Multitude increafing, to avoid the Prefs, and that many might hear him, he went into a little Boat, and putting off a little from the Shoar, he from thence preach'd unto them, defcribing in Similitudes the various Tempers of his Hearers, and the different Effects his publishing. of the Gospel had among them. Hearken, faid he, attentively to what I am about to speak unto you; for it concerns you very much to be acquainted with it.. A Sower went forth to fow, and being thus bufied, part of his Seed fell upon the

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Highway, which was not feparated from his Field by any Hedg or Ditch, by which it came to pafs that this Seed was loft, partly by being trodden under foot, and partly by the Birds who pick'd it up, as not having been cover'd with any Earth.

-Other of his Seed fell upon ftony places, and thortly after sprung up, not having been buried deep enough in the Ground: This was quickly burnt up by the vehement heat of the Sun, as not having taken root deep enough, and being deftitute of Moisture.

Some of it fell upon a place overgrown with Briars and Thorns, which growing up, choak'd the Seed, and hindered it from bringing forth any Fruit in thofe parts. Laftly, fome of it fell on a good and fertil Soil, and brought forth great plenty of Corn, infomuch as for one Grain fowed, they reap'd thirty, fixty, and even a hun

dred

MATTHEW.

CHAP. XIII.

9 Who hath ears

to hear, let him hear. 宇

10 And the difciples came, and faid to him, Why fpeakeft thou to them in parables?

II He answered and faid unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the myfteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whofoever hath, to him fhall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whofoever hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak

MARK.
CHA P. IV.

9 And he faid unto

them, He that hath
ears to hear, let him
hear.

10 And when he

was alone,

they that

were about him with
the twelve, asked of
him the parable.

11 And he faid un-
to them, Unto you it
is given to know the
mystery of the king-
dom of God: but un-
to them that are with-
out, all these things
are done in parables :

12 That feeing they

I to them in parables: may fee, and not per

LUKE.

CHAP. VIII.

And when he had faid these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9. And his difciples asked him, faying, What might this parable be?

10 And he faid, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kindom of God: but to others in para bles;

that

feeing they might not

because they feeing, ceive, and hearing fee, and hearing they fee not; and hearing, they may hear, and might not understand.

JOHN.

dred Grains. When Jefus had delivered this Parable, he cried out with a loud Voice: Let every one take notice of this who thinks it his Duty to ufe his utmost. endeavour to acquaint himself throughly with my Doctrine.

When the Multitude were difpers'd, and the Difciples left alone with Jefus, they. ask'd him why he made ufe fo frequently of obfcure Similitudes before the People, and what was the meaning of this laft about the Sower. Jefus anfwer'd them: God has bin pleas'd: to discover to you thofe things which concern the heavenly.. Kingdom of the Meah, tho he hath not made fo clear a Revelation of his purpofes to others for whoever like you shall have made a right ufe of the Gifts God hath formerly beftowed upon them, fhall receive other and greater Benefits from him; but those that have abus'd his former Bounty, have forfeited all Title to future Favours. This now is the cafe of many among the Jews, and this is the rea fon why I express my felf fo often in obfcure Similitudes; for whereas God had. endowed..

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