"in

trine, than from his own affertions: he even frequently charged his difciples, that they should not tell any man that he was the Christ, till after a certain time; and that it would be much more agreeable to him, if men would freely form their private judgment of his merits from what they faw and heard of him.-When he told the woman of Samaria, that "God is a Spirit; and they that worship him, muft worship him in spirit and in truth; the woman faith unto him, I know "that Meffias cometh, which is called Chrift; "when he is come, he will tell us all things. We fee from hence, that the Meffias was expected alfo by the Samaritans, who had no communication with the Jews. And when Jefus faw that the woman seemed to place a confidence in him, that he would tell her all things, he faid unto her, I "that speak unto thee am he."-But he judged otherwife with respect to the chief priests, and the elders of the people of the Jews, who came formally in a body to him, when he was preaching in the temple, and faid, " By what authority doest "thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?"-But Jefus, who knew what their fecret intentions were, did not choose to give them a direct answer, but rather to turn their malice upon themselves; and therefore he faid unto them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if

''

.

ye tell

me, I in like wife will tell you by what autho

". was it from heaven, or of men ?"-This was a queftion which they did not in the least expect; and which, in a great measure, frustrated their designs; for, on reasoning with themselves, they faid, "If we fhall fay, From heaven, he will fay unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? but if we "fhall fay, Of men, we fear the people; for all hold

John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus "and faid, We cannot tell. And he faid unto

them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do "these things."-Never were people fo disconcerted in their wicked intentions as thofe Jews were in the cafe before us; they came, in great formality, to demand of Jefus Chrift, by what authority he did the great miracles which he was doing daily among them, with an intent, as it afterwards appeared, if he had avowed his authority, and confeffed himself to be the Chrift, to put him to death. But Jefus, whose wisdom was equal to his goodness, not only out of their own mouth. defeated all their wicked defigns, by fhewing them that they were more ignorant and malicious, than the publicans whom they despised, but also gave them fuch a juft reprimand before all the people, that from that day forward they took every opportunity to murder him. However, seeing the diforder and confufion they were in, he began to reason with them, and, under the form of parables, pointed out their wickedness and malicious. defigns.

A cer

A certain man, faid he, had two fons, and coming to the first, he said, Son, go and work today in my vineyard; but the fon anfwered, I will not go: however he afterwards repented and went. And, coming to the second, he said the same thing; to which the latter anfwered, I go, Sir, but went not. Now, faid Jefus to the chief priests and Pharifees, which of thefe two, think ye, did the will of his Father? They faid unto him, The firft. To which Jefus replied, "Verily, I fay unto you, "that the publicans and harlots go into the king"dom of God before you. For John came unto

હૃદ

you in the way of righteoufnefs, and ye be"lieved him not: But the publicans and harlots

66

believed him. And ye, when ye had feen it, σε repented not afterwards that ye might believe "him."-Moreover, faid he, I will tell you another parable. There was a certain lord who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, made a wine-press in it, built a tower, and let it out to hufbandmen; and then went into a far country. And, when the feafon approached, he fent his fervants to thofe hufbandmen to receive the fruits of it: But the husbandmen ill-treated his fervants, beating one, killing another, and stoning a third. The lord fent again other fervants more than the first, but they served them in the fame manner. Whereupon he at length sent his fon to them, saying, they will undoubtedly reverence my fon: But when the husbandmen faw him, they faid among themselves, This is the heir, we will kill him, and

"rifen again, I will go before you into Galilee*. But his difciples did not feem to understand him: And Peter, who on all occafions seems to have expreffed an uncommon zeal for his fervice, anfwering, faid unto him, " Though all men fhall be "offended because of thee, yet will I never be "offended."But Jefus, who knew the weakness of human nature when we are left to ourselves, replied, "Verily, I fay unto thee, that this night, "before the cock crows, thou fhalt deny me "thrice."

Afterwards Jefus went apart with the two fons. of Zebedee and Peter; and finding that the hour was coming on apace, wherein his mortal part was to fuffer, he said, My foul is exceeding forrowful even unto death; tarry here and watch with me.

And he withdrew from them about a ftone's caft, "and kneeled down and prayed, faying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done: And, being in an agony, he prayed with fuch. earneftness, that his fweat was as it were great

'

66

drops of blood falling down to the ground †." And when he arofe from prayer, and came to his difciples, he found them fleeping for forrow and he faid unto them, Why fleep ye? arife, and pray, left ye enter into temptation. And while he was fpeaking, Judas, with a band of men from the chief priests and fcribes, came and took him: whereupon Peter, and the reft of his difciples, + Luke xxii.

* Matth. xxvi.

1

would not come. Again, he fent forth other fervants, faying, Tell all those who are bidden that every thing is prepared and ready, and desire that they will come to the marriage. But those wicked people made light of it, one going to his farm, and another to his merchandize; and the reft illtreated his fervants and flew them. However, when the king was informed thereof, he sent forth his armies, and deftroyed thofe murderers, and burnt up their city: And then said unto his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who were bidden were not worthy. Jefus would from hence infer, that the fervants of God were first fent unto the Jewish nation, who refufed to obey their dictates, ill-treated fome, and destroyed others; because of their hardened wickedness; but that their own deftruction would be the confequence. -And therefore the king afterwards faid unto his fervants, "Go ye into the highways, and as many shall find, bid to the marriage. So those fervants went out into the highways, and gathered together all, as many as they found, both bad and good; and the wedding was furnished with

as ye

guests." Or in other words, Go ye among the Gentiles, and proclaim the joyful news, that the wedding is ready; and that all are invited to come to the marriage-feaft, and to enter into the joys of their Lord.-But now see the confequence: "And when the king came in to fee the guests, "he faw there a man who had not on a wed

66

ding garment: And he faith unto him, Friend,