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Chapter Verfe

xix

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28 ceived this generous anfwer- Verily I fay unto
you, that ye
which have followed me in the re-
generation; when the Son of Man fhall fit on
the throne of his glory, ye alfo fhall fit upon
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Ifrael.' This promife was repeated to the twelve,
after it is faid Judas had covenanted to betray
him, vide Luke ch. 22, v. 28, 29 and 30. Are
we to fuppofe that fo noble an inheritance fell to
the share of that uncharitable thief, as he is called
by St. John, ch. 12, v. 6, and of whom Jefus
faid-' Woe to that man by whom the Son of

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Man is betrayed: good were it for that man • if he had never been born.' Mark, ch. 14, V. 21. Neither Mark, Luke or John, mention the first promife, and the laft is recorded by Luke only. Jefus follows up the first with a more general af29 furance, viz. And every one that hath forfaken houses, or brethren, or fifters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name fake; fhall receive an hundred fold, and fhall inherit everlafting life.' Mark's record fays- There is no man that hath left houfe, or brethren, or fifters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my fake and the gofpel's, but he fhall receive an hundred fold now in this time; houses, and brethren, and fifters, and mothers, and children and lands, with perfecutions: and in the world to come eternal life.' Luke's record

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fays

fays There is no man that hath left houfe, or Chapter Verse

parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for *the kingdom of God's fake, who fhall not receive manifold more in this prefent time, and in the world to come life everlafting.' How, or

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when, or where this promife was fulfilled to them
in this world; we are yet to learn. Houfes and
lands probably they had none; and of parents,
brothers, fifters, wives (especially as they were
not allowed to divorce them) and children: it
cannot be fuppofed they wished fo great an in-
crease. Jefus concludes this promise with a kind
of exception or falvo- But many that are firft, xix.
'fhall be laft; and the last fhall be firft.'. To il-
luftrate which, he ftates a fimile, the tendency
of which I do not understand, nor do I think it
properly ftated- For the kingdom of Heaven xx
is like unto a man that is an house-holder,
'which went out early in the morning to hire
labourers into his vineyard, fome he hired the
firft, fome the third, others the fixth and ninth
. hours. And about the eleventh hour, he went
out (to the market-place) and found others
ftanding idle, and faith unto them, why ftand
ye here all day idle? they fay unto him-because

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no man bath hired us. He faith unto them, go ye alfo into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, that fhall ye receive.' The fame reward is given to thofe laft, who had laboured but one hour, as to the firft, who had laboured twelve;

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Chapter Verie and when the latter complained of this partiality, XX. 15 they were anfwered-Is it not lawful for me to

do what I will with my own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? This fimile or parable (recorded by Matthew only) is concluded with16 So the last shall be firft, and the first laft: for many be called, but few chofen. This parable feems to imply, that a man cannot come till he is called; and when he is called, he may not be chofen*. After this, Jefus going up to Jerufalem, informs the twelve, that he fhould be there betrayed, mocked, fcourged, and crucified: and that upon the third day he would rife again. St. Luke upon this paffage (ch. xviii, v. 34) has this remarkable addition- And they understood none ' of these things; and this saying was hid from 'them, neither knew they the things which were 'spoken.' They were fo prepoffeffed with an opinion, defire, and expectation of his obtaining the throne of his father David, and, as it is called, reftoring again the kingdom to Ifrael, that notwithstanding this was the third, or fourth time he had foretold his deplorable end; they would not believe, or as it is foftened, understand him. It must be confeffed, their expectations were fufficiently warranted by the fcriptures. All the prophets from Mofes, fpoke of the promised Meffiah, as of a king, and as fuch, he was ex

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Vide page 110, for a further proof.

pected

pected by the Jews in general. The angel Ga- Chapter Verfe briel (according to St. Luke) faid of him to his intended mother-The Lord God fhall give him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever. The wife men (according to Matthew) at his birth alarmed Herod, the then king, by their enquiry-Where is he that is born king of the Jews? We will now pursue St. Matthew's hiftory- Then came xx. to him the mother of Zebedee's children, (why

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not the wife of Zebedee) with her fons (James

and John) worshiping him, and defiring a certain thing of him and he faid unto her, what wilt thou? She faith unto him, grant that thefe, my two fons, may fit, one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.' Mark records this paffage (ch. x, v. 35, 36 and 37) thus And James and John the fons of Zebedee, came unto him faying, mafter, we would that thou fhouldft do for us whatsoever 'we should defire. And he faid unto them, what 'would ye that I fhould do for you? They faid

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unto him grant that we may fit, one on thy 'right hand, and the other on thy left hand in thy glory.' These two records differ materially. Luke, at this time, fays nothing about it. And why was John filent upon this tranfaction, in which he was fo principally concerned? It was a capital request, artfully made, but unfuccefsful. St. Matthew proceeds to inform us that Jefus

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Chapter Verfe Jefus told them, they knew not what they asked,

XX.

xxi

23 adding To fit on my right hand, and on my

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left, is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.' It appears fomething extraordinary that Jefus, who before this had fo readily promised James and John, that in his kingdom, or when he fet on the throne of his glory, each of them should fit on a throne, judging one of the tribes of Ifrael; fhould now fay-that to fit on his right hand or on his left, was not his to give. We are told, that when the ten heard this they were 24 moved with indignation against the brethren. To

remove this indignation, or rather jealoufy; Jefus tells them there fhould be no fuperiority among them; that they should be humble to each 28 other; that he hinıfelf came not to be ferved, but to ferve, and to give his life a ransom for many. When Jefus and his difciples departed from Jerico, two blind men, who were laid by the way 30 fide, called him Lord, the fon of David, and

requested him to restore their fight: he did fo; and they followed him. Mark mentions but one, and calls him Bartimeas, ch. x, v. 4. Luke, ch. xviii, v. 35, fays-A certain blind man, fat by the way-fide begging. John does not mention I this cure or cures. And when they drew nigh unto Jerufalem, and were come to Bethphage

* Page 96.

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