the Fan. Thofe who are fincere and good, he will preferve and reward; but those who are hypocritical, wicked and incorrigible, he will condemn to utter Deftruction, as useless Chaff is caft into the Fire. 18. By thefe, and many other like Difcourfes, did John continue for a long time to exhort the People to repent and reform their lives, and prepare themselves to receive the Doctrine of the Gospel. 19 20. But at length, telling & King Herod freely of his Faults, and particularly reproving him for unlawfully marrying his Brother's Wife, he fell under the Difpleafure of that wicked Prince. And though Herod had a great Efteem and Reverence for him in other refpects; yet not bearing to be reprehended for his beloved Vice, he put John in Prison, and at laft (as one Wickedness usually draws on another) he added this to compleat all his other Cruelties, that he caufed John to be beheaded. 21 & 22. But to return to the Hiftory of Jefus. Jefus being now about to enter upon his publick Miniftry, and refolving to do all things in the fame Order and Manner as other Men; and knowing alfo, that this would be a proper Seafon for God to give fome publick Teftimony concerning him; he came down to Jordan, and was baptized by John, among the reft of the People. And as foon as he came up out of the Water, and prayed; immediately the Clouds opened, and the Holy Ghoft defcended upon him vifibly like a Dove: And at the fame time there was heard a Voice out of Heaven, faying, This is my gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. Jofeph, Jofeph, was 25 Which the fon of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the fon of Naum, which was the fon of Esli, which was the Jon of Nagge, 26 Which was the Son of Maath, which was the fon of Mattathias, which was the fon of Semei, which was the fon of Jofeph, which was the fon of Juda, 27 Which was the fon of Joanna, which was the fon of Rhefa, which was the Son of Zorababel, pro + So fhe is exprefsly called in the Talmud; whence 'tis bable, this is Her Genealogy. Though otherwise it may also be fuppofed that Jofeph was legally the Son of Heli, as he was naturally the Son of Jacob, Mat. i. 16. C 3 Selathiel, the fon of Melchi, which was the fon of Addi, which was the fon of Cofam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the fan of Er, 29 Which was the fon of Jofe, which was the fon of Eliezer, which was the fan of Jorim, which was the fon of Matthat, which was the fon of Levi, 30 Which was the fon of Simeon, which was the fon of Juda, which was the Jon of Jofeph, which was the fan of Jonan, which was the fan of Eliakim, 31 Which was the fon of Melea, which was the fon of Menan, which was the fon of Mattatha, which was the fon of Nathan, which was the fan of David, 32 Which was the son of Jeffe which was the fan of Obed, which was the Son of Booz, which was the fon of Salmon, which was the fan of Naaffon, 33 Which was the fon of Aminidab, which was the fon of Aram, which was the which was the fon Ragau, Phalec, Heber, Sala, of Ragau, which was the fan of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the fon of Sala, 36 Which was the fon of Cainan which was the fon of Arphaxad,which was the fon of Sem,which was the fon of Noe, which was the fon of Lamech, 37 Which was the fon of Mathufala, which was the fon of Enoch, which was the Son of Jared which was the son of Maleleel, which was the fon of Cainan, 38 Which was the Jon of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the fon of Adam, which was the fan of God. He is omitted by Mofes, but inferted by the LXX. OF which fee the Criticks. C 4 CHAP. CHA P. IV. Jefus's Fafting and Temptations, ver. 1. He begins to preach, ver. 14. Preaches at Nazareth, and is admired, ver. 16, & 22. But the greater Part defpife him for the Meannefs of his Parentage, ver. 22. and have therefore the Means of Grace withdrawn from them, ver. 25. Jefus cafteth out a Devil, ver. 34. Heals Peter's Mother-in-law, ver. 38, and many other fick, ver. 40. But fuffers not the evil Spirits to tell who He preaches in feveral Places, ver. 43. 1. he was, ver. 41. N OW as foon as Jesus was baptized by John in Jordan, he retired into the Wilderness, by the direction of the Spirit of God which dwelt in him fully and without meafure; to prepare himfelf for his Miniftry by Prayer and Fafting; to refift and vanquish the Temptations of the Devil; and thereby to teach his Followers by his own Example, both that they must expect great Temptations upon their entring into the Profeffion of his Religion, and how they may conquer thofe Temptations by the Affiftance and Direction of the Word of God. 2. Continuing therefore in the Wilderness Forty Days together, which he spent wholly in Prayer and Fafting; he all that time refifted the Temptations of the Devil. But more particularly at the end of these Days, he overcame those three greatest and strongeft Temptations, which the Holy Ghoft has thought fit fhould be left upon Re cord. 3. For at the end of the Forty Days, when after his long Faft he began to be hungry and faint, the Devil hoping upon this Occafion to prevail upon him through the in I AND Jefus being full of the holy Ghoft, returned from Jordan, and into the wilderness. was led by the spirit 2 Being forty days tempted of the de vil; and in those days he did eat nothing; and when they were ended, he afterward hungred. 3 And the devil faid unto him, If thou be the Son of ftone that it be made God, command this bread. |
