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fhall it be in the day when the Son of man is reveal31 ed. In that day, he which shall be upon the house

top, and his ftuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, 32. let him likewife not return back (n). Remember 33 Lot's wife (). Whofoever shall feek to fave his life, fhall lofe it and whofoever fhall lofe his life, shall 34 preferve it. I tell you, in that night there fshall be

:

two men in one bed; the one fhall be taken, and 35 the other shall be left. Two women fhall be grind

ing together; the one fhall be taken, and the other 36 left. Two men fhall be in the field; the one fhall 37 be taken, and the other left. And they answered and faid unto him, Where, Lord? And he faid unto them, Wherefoever the body is, thither will the eagles (p) be gathered together.

I

ΑΝ

CHA P. XVIII.

ND he spake a parable unto them, to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared 3 not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city, and fhe came unto him, faying, 4 Avenge me of mine adversary (a). And he would

(n) See Matt. xxiv. 17. Mark ii. 4.

(0) Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of falt, as a punishment for turning back, when the ought to have been intent on escaping from the deftruction which God was inflicting on that wicked country. Gen. xix. 26.

(p) Wherever the bulk of this wicked nation fhall happen to be gathered together at the time of my coming to punifh them, there may you as furely expect the blow to fall, as the ravenous birds are to be looked for where there is a carcafs for them to devour. And in fact, the Jews were affembled together in unusual numbers at Jerufalem, to celebrate the feaft of Pentecoft, at the exact point of time when the Roman army appeared, and fhut them all up within the walls of the city. Matt. xxiv. 28. Note.

(a) Do me juftice.

not

not for a while but afterward he said within himself, 5 Though I fear not God, nor regard man, Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, 6 left, by her continual coming, fhe weary me. And the Lord faid, Hear what the unjuft judge faith. 7 And fhall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, (b) though he bear long 8 with them? I tell you that he will avenge them fpeedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man com9 eth (c), fhall he find faith on the earth? And he fpake this parable unto certain which trufted in themselves, that they were righteous, and despised 10 others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharifee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharifee ftood and prayed thus with himself; God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjuft, adulterers, or even as this 12 publican: I faft (d) twice in the week, I give tithes 13 of all that I poffefs. And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up fo much as his eyes unto heaven, but fmote upon his breaft, faying, God be 14 merciful to me a finner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified (e), rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself, fhall be abased; and he that humbleth himself, fhall be exalted. 15 And they brought unto him alfo infants, that he

would touch them: but when his difciples faw it, 16 they rebuked them. But Jefus called them unto him, and faid, Suffer little children to come unto and forbid them not: for of fuch is the king

me,

(b) Though he fees fit to try their patience and faith, and long forbears to relieve them.

(c) When Chrift fhall come to execute judgment upon the Jews, how few will be found who have had faith enough in him to take warning by his admonitions, and prepare themfelves for that awful

event!

(d) The Jews fafted on Mondays and Thursdays. (e) Approved and accepted by God.

17 dom of God. Verily I fay unto you, Whofoever fhall not receive the kingdom of God as a little 18 child, fhall in no wife enter therein (f). And a

certain ruler afked him, saying, Good mafter, what 19 fhall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jefus faid

unto him, Why calleft thou me good? none is good 20 fave one, that is God (g). Thou knoweft the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear falfe witnefs, Honour thy 21 father and thy mother. And he said, All these 22 have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jefus heard these things, he faid unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: fell all that thou haft, and distribute unto the poor, and thou fhalt have treasure in hea23 ven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very forrowful: for he was very rich. 24 And when Jefus faw that he was very forrowful, he faid, How hardly fhall they that have riches enter 25 into the kingdom of God (h)! For it is easier for

a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich 26 man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they 27 that heard it, faid, Who then can be faved? And

he faid, The things which are impoffible with men, 28 are poffible with God (i). Then Peter faid, Lo, we 29 have left all, and followed thee. And he faid unto them, Verily I fay unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or chil30 dren, for the kingdom of God's fake, Who fhall not receive manifold more in this present time (k), and in the world to come life everlasting.

31

Then he took unto him the twelve, and faid unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerufalem, and all

(f) See Mark x. 14. Note.

See Matt. xix. 17. Note. (h) See Matt. xix. 23. Note. (i) See Matt. xix. 26.

(*) In fpiritual comfort and bleffings. See Matt. xix. 29.

things that are written by the prophets concerning 32 the Son of man, fhall be accomplished. For he fhall be delivered unto the Gentiles (/), and shall be mocked, and fpitefully entreated, and fpitted on; 33 And they fhall fcourge him, and put him to death: 34 and the third day he fhall rife again. And they underftood none of thefe things: and this faying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken (m).

35

And it came to pafs, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man fat by the way36 fide begging. And hearing the multitude pafs by, 37 he asked what it meant. And they told him, that 38 Jefus of Nazareth paffeth by. And he cried, faying, 39 Jefus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.. And

they which went before, rebuked him, that he fhould hold his peace: but he cried fo much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 40 And Jefus food and commanded him to be brought unto him and when he was come near, he asked 41 him, Saying, What wilt thou that I fhall do unto

thee? And he faid, Lord, that I may receive my 42 fight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy fight: 43 thy faith (n) hath faved thee. And immediately he received his fight, and followed him, glorifying God and all the people, when they faw it, gave praise unto God.

2

AN

CHA P. XIX.

ND Jefus entered and paffed through Jericho. And behold, there was a man named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he

(4) Into the power of the Romaas.

(m) Plain as our bleffed Lord's words were, fo ftrong were their prejudices in favour of his temporal kingdom, that they could not conceive his meaning.

() Thy belief that I had power to do this is the occafion of thy Matt. ix. 22. Mark v. 34. Chap. xvii. 29.

cure.

3 was rich. And he fought to fee Jefus, who he was, and could not for the prefs, because he was little of 4 ftature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a fycamore-tree to fee him: for he was to país that 5 way. And when Jefus came to the place, he looked up and faw him, and faid unto him, Zaccheus, make hafte, and come down; for to day I must 6 abide at thy houfe. And he made hafte, and came 7 down, and received him joyfully. And when they faw it, they all murmured, faying, That he was 8 gone to be gueft with a man that is a finner (a). And Zaccheus ftood, and faid unto the Lord, (b) Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor: and if I have taken any thing from any man by false ac9 cufation, I restore him four-fold (c). And Jesus said unto him (d), This day is falvation come to this house, for as much as he alfo is the fon of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to feek and to fave that which was loft.

II And as they heard these things, he added, and fpake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerufalem, and because they thought that the king12 dom of God fhould immediately appear. He faid therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and

(a) The Jews held the tax-gatherers in fuch abhorrence, that they ufually fpoke of them as the wickedeft of men.

(b) This declaration of Zaccheus was made, not from vain-glory, Jike that of the Pharifee in the foregoing chapter, but probably to fatisfy the people, that he was not fo unworthy to entertain Chrift as they imagined.

(c) If I find that I have at any time happened to overcharge any man in the duties payable to government, or if, by mistake, I have given wrong information against any man in that matter, I make him amends fourfold.

(d) He acts like a true fon of faithful Abraham, and ought to be regarded as one of God's chofen fervants.

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