About this time he was informed || Pharisee on the Sabbath, a man apof Pilates's murdering some Galileans plied to him for the cure of an invewhile they were offering their sacri- terate dropsy. He asked these prefices at the temple. He told his au- sent, whether he might heal him on dience, that they were not to think the Sabbath? None offering to reply, these men, or the eighteen Jews, on he, by a touch, restored the nan to whom the tower of Siloam had lately || perfect health; and, to vindicate his fallen, were sinners above others; conduct, observed, that an ox or ass but that God, by their fate, warned was drawn out of a pit on the Sabthe nation to repent, otherwise they bath-day. Observing how the guests should also perish in a wrathful man- picked out the best seats for themner. By the parable of a long bar- selves, he advised them to be humble, ren fig-tree, he represented, that un- if they had a mind to be truly holess the present dispensation of the noured: and to bestow their liberality gospel to the Jewish nation speedily rather on the poor, than in feasting brought them to repentance and holi- their rich friends. By the paraness, they should soon be terribly ble of a great supper, he represented, punished, and their church and state that the Jews, and afterward the Genaltogether ruined. Upon a Sabbath- tiles, should, by the gospel dispensaday, he cured a crooked woman, tion, be solemnly invited and urged who, for 18 years, had laboured un- to come and enjoy the fulness of God. der her disease; and vindicated his-In his after-travels, he advised the conduct, by remarking, that even ox-attending crowd to ponder seriously en and asses were led forth to be wa- what trouble and expense it might tered on the Sabbath; and much cost them to follow him faithfully. more might a Jewess and a good From his familiar eating with publi woman be healed on it. In his way cans and some noted transgressors, southward, as he taught, one asked the Pharisees inferred, that he was cerhim, if few were saved? He earnest-tainly a bad man himself. To vindily admonished these present, to sc- cate himself, he, by the parable of the cure their own entrance into a new-lost sheep, the lost piece of money, and covenant state; as many, who had a form of religion, should be eternally ruined: and the Gentiles, though last invited, would come from every airth [or quarter of the world] and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, while the Jews, who had the first invitation, and were a kind of heirs of the kingdom of heaven, should be cast out. Some Pharisees informing him, that it was necessary for him to leave Galilee, as Herod intended to kill him, he bid his inform-ing themselves in sensual pleasures, er go tell that for, that cruel and crafty tetrach, that it was beyond his power to touch him, till his work should be perfected, and that he would go up and die at Jerusalem. On mention whereof, he brake forth into a mournful lamentation over the wickedness and ruin of that city, Luke xiii.

While he dined in the house of a

the prodigal son, represented, with what infinite pains, mercy, and pleasure, God recovers and saves self-destroyed, polluted, lost and prodigal sinners, chiefly of the Gentiles. To excite his audience to the wise improvement of their spiritual advantages, he pronounced the parable of the unjust steward. He reproved the Pharisees' pride, and their illgrounded divorces. To warn them against trusting in riches, and indulg

he, by the parable of Lazarus and the rich glutton, shewed them, that these often corrupt mens hearts, and ripen them for eternal misery. He warned them to avoid offences, readily forgive injuries, and to entertain a just awe of the divine authority, and sense of the unworthiness of their most perfect obedience.-About this time, he

but he retired to a village called Ephraim, near the wilderness, between Bethel and Jericho. To the last of these places he soon after went, and healed three blind beggars; one, as he entered the city, and two, as he

healed ten lepers, one of which, being sisters, Jesus restored him to life.a Samaritan, returned to render him This noted and public miracle, conthanks, Luke xiv. xv. xvi. and xvii. vinced a number of Jews, who were 1-19. Probably, after crossing the there from Jerusalem, that he was Jordan, south of Tiberias, Jesus went the Messiah. Others, being hardensouthward along the east side of theed in their unbelief, went and inforriver, till he was over against Judea.med the sanhedrim, who resolved to He assured his Pharisaical audience, murder him; and issued orders, that that his kingdom should not come in whoever knew where he was should the carnal and observable manner discover him. To lessen the evidence which they expected; and that many of the miracle, they also agreed to fearful piagues should quickly fall on put Lazarus to death. Great inqui the Jewish nation. By the parablery and talk concerning him ensued; of the importunate widow, he represented the advantage of earnestness and perseverance in prayer. To reprove the Pharisees' pride, and mark the hurt of a self-righteous temper, he uttered the parable of the Pharisee and publican praying at the temple.-left it. Here he converted Zaccheus He pointed out the true causes of di- the publican. At a feast in his house, vorce. He blessed the babes that Jesus, by the parable of the pounds were brought to him for that end. || distributed by a great man to his ser He directed the young ruler how to vants, to trade with till he should reattain eternal happiness; and shewed turn from a far country, represented, the difficulty of rich men's being truly that himself would quickly ascend religious; and the happiness of such, into heaven, to receive his glorious who, at any age or period, forsake all, kingdom, and would return to judge to follow him and his truths. This the world at the last day; and that it last point he illustrated by the parable was only such as improved their gifts of labourers, hired, at different hours, and endowments that might expect to work in a vineyard; and yet, a happy reward; while the Jewish through the liberality of the master, nation, for rejecting him, should be receiving an equal reward. He again destroyed by the Roman troops, John foretold his sufferings; he checked xi. Matth. xx. 29-34. Mark x. 46 James and John, who, by their mo-50. Luke xviii. 35–43. Luke xix. ther's instigation, ambitiously desired 1-29. On the 6th day before the the highest civil offices in the tempo- passover, Jesus, amidst a great crowd ral kingdom which they expected him of attendants, returned to Bethany, soon to erect; and solemnly discharg- and was kindly entertained by Lazaed all lordly dominion or rule in his rus and his sisters. The day after, church, Luke xvii. 20. and xviii. he caused his disciples to fetch him Matth. xix. and xx. Mark x. an ass, and rode thereon to Jerusa Lazarus, the brother of Martha lem; while a prodigious multitude and Mary, falling dangerously sick, strewed branches, and even their they sent for Jesus to recover him. cloaths, by the way, and echoed loud After continuing where he was two acclamations of praise, importing, days longer, till he knew Lazarus that he was the ROYAL MESSIAH was dead, Jesus and his disciples set Enraged hereat, some Pharisees deoff for Bethany. Before he reached sired him to forbid the noise. He that place, Lazarus had been four replied, that God had determined to days dead, and was buried; never-honour him: and if these babes, and theless, after some converse with his others, were now silent, the very

stones would praise him. As he he suggested, that, notwithstanding passed the mount of Olives, and had the Jews professed readiness in the a full view of Jesusalem below, he service of God, the long rebellious with tears lamented and foretold its ap- Gentiles would sooner yield to the oproaching siege and ruin by the Ro-bedience of faith. By the parable of The inhabitants were migh-husbandmen farming a vineyard, and abusing the owner's servants and son, he hinted, that for the Jews' abuse of God's prophets, and murder of his Son, their church-state should be tak

mans.

ny. In his return to Jerusalem next morning, Peter remarked, that the cursed fig-tree was already withered. Jesus took occasion to point out the efficacy of faith and prayer, and the necessity of forgiving injuries. In the night, the Pharisees had resolved to effectuate his murder; and if possible, to interest the Roman governor therein. To render him obnoxious, they, under pretence of friendship,

tily moved at his entrance, and asked what this concourse, and these acclamations, meant? When he entered the court of the temple, he, for the second time, cleared it of the money-en from them, and they be miserably changers, and merchants of animais destroyed by the Romans. By the for sacrifice, and enjoined the people parable of a marriage-feast for a king's to make it a place of prayer, not of son, he represented God's earnestness fraud and deceit. The rest of that in calling sinners, both Jews and Genday he taught in the temple; while tiles; and the fearful vengeance that the youth and others, imagining he should overtake the despisers of the was just going to erect his temporal gospel, and the hypocritic embraces kingdom, made the whole court re- thereof, Matth. xxi 23. and xxii. 1— sound with loud acclamations of his 14. Mark xi. and xii. Luke xx. I—19. praise. At even he retired to Beth- He had lodged all night in Bethaany; and returning next morning, he observed afig-tree covered with leaves. Though the time of gathering figs was not come, he hoped this forward tree might have some ripe ones; but finding it had none, he cursed it into future barrenness and withering, as an emblem of what should befall the Jewish nation, who, notwithstanding their general run after John Baptist, or himself, continued in their barrenness, and want of good works. Hear-and scruple of conscience, asked him, ing that some Greeks desired to see if it was lawful to pay tribute to Cæ him, and whom, doubtless, he admit- sar? From their use of money bearted, he discoursed of his death and ing Cæsar's superscription and image, resurrection, and of the blessed fruits he inferred that they were Cæsar's thereof among the Gentiles, while the subjects, and owed him tax, but in Jews should continue hardened in such away as God should not be their unbelief; and exhorted his au- wronged.-Next, the Sadducees atdience to improve the gospel while tempted to puzzle him with a questithey had it, as it would quickly be on touching the resurrection of the taken from them, John xii. Matth. dead. He shewed them, that their xix. 1—23. Mark xi. 1-27. Luke error sprung from their ignorance of xix. 29-46. As he taught in the the scripture, and of the power of temple, some priests, elders, and God; and that the truth of the resurscribes, asked his warrant? By of-rection was plainly implied, in God's fering to inform them, if they would calling himself the God of Abraham, first tell him, whether the baptism Isaac, and Jacob, after they were of John was of human or divine au-dead. Next, the Pharisees attemptthority, he checked their impudence. ed to puzzle him, by asking, which By the parable of two sons appointed was the greatest commandment? He to labour in their father's vineyard, replied, that our whole duty lay in

prediction of his own awful procedure in the last judgment of the world, Matth. xxiv. and xxv. Mark xiii. Luke xxi.

first loving God with all our heart, || might happen; and as God, on that soul, mind, and strength, and in lov- occasion, would shew singular favour ing our neighbour as ourselves. As to the godly, and execute terrible they acquiesced in the justness of his vengeance on the wicked, particularanswer, he, in his turn, asked them, ly such as knew their duty and did it how the Messiah could at once be not. This point he illustrated, by David's Son and Lord? To which the parables of an householder comthey could make no reply. While ing unawares to his servants; of a the people stood astonished at his bridegroom coming at midnight to wisdom, he warned them to avoid virgins foolish and wise; and of a noimitating of the scribes and Pharisees, bleman calling his servants to account, in their professing much, and doing for the talents he had delivered to little; in hiding the vilest practices them at his setting off on a far jourunder a religious disguise; and in aney: and concluded, with a plain proud affectation of honorary titles. Turning himself to the scribes and Pharisees, he denounced a number of woes against them, for their wickedness and dissimulation; and assur- Next day, he continued at Bethany; ed them of the approaching ruin of and told his friends, that, after two their city and temple, for their con- days more, his sufferings and death tempt and murder of God's messen- should take place: and even then, gers and Son.-Observing the peo-the Jewish rulers consulted how to ple casting their offerings into the put him to death, though they fearsacred treasury, he remarked, thated to do it on the feast-day, for fear a poor widow's two mites were the of the mob's espousing his cause. At most noted donation, as they were even he supped in the house of one all she had, Matth. xxii. 15-46. Simon, whom he had healed of a leproand xxiii. Mark xii. 14-44. Luke sy. Lazarus and his sisters were preXX. 20-40. As he was retiring sent; and Martha superintended the from the temple, one of his disciples treat. Mary to the no small grief of remarked, what a fine structure it Judas Iscariot, and, it seems, of other was: he told him, that in a little not disciples, poured a box of precious one stone of it should be left upon ointment, worth about 43 dollars on another. When he had passed the Jesus's head, as he sat at meat. He valley of Jehoshaphat and had sat gently vindicated her conduct, alledgdown on the mount of Olives, Petering, that they would have opportuniand Andrew, James and John, asked him, when the destruction of the Jewish temple, and the end of the world, should happen; and what should be the presages thereof? In his reply, he connected both together, and told them, that false CHRISTS and prophets should arise; terrible wars, famines, pestilences, and persecutions, happen; Jerusalem be besieged; the Jewish church and nation overturned; their capital and other cities razed; and themselves, for many ages, be wretched exiles in almost every nation of the world. He warned them to make ready for it, as they knew not how suddenly it

ties afterward to shew benevolence to the poor, when they should not have his bodily presence to honour. Fired with indignation hereat, Judas posted to the sanhedrim, and agreed to betray his divine Master into their hands, for the price of a slave; the sorry rate of about 15 dollars. This treachery Jesus perceived, but seemed to take no notice of it. It was after this entertainment, or after the passover-supper next night, that Jesus washed his disciples' feet, to teach them humility and brotherly-affection, Matth. xxvi. 1-16. Mark xiv. 111. Luke xxii. 1-6. John xiii.

Next day, being the first of unlea

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vened bread, Jesus appointed Peter |ing themselves with weapons of war. and John to go into Jerusalem, where | After he had entertained them with a they would meet a man bearing a long consolatary discourse concerning pitcher of water, who, upon demand, the heavenly mansions which he went would give them a furnished upper-to prepare for them; concerning the room, to prepare in, for eating the Father's love to them, and the compassover. At even, he and they, on ing of the Holy Ghost to instruct and the very day observed by other Jews, comfort them; and concerning their kept the passover. As they were eat-union to, and service of himself; he ing the supper of bitter herbs, Jesus concluded with a solemn prayer, chieftold them that one of them should be- ||ly in behalf of his disciples and peotray him. Filled with perplexity, ple: and, after singing an hymn, left they asked him, one by one, Lord, is the house when it was near midnight. it I? Jesus replied, it would be one of Matth. xxvi. 15-38. Mark xiv. Luke them, and his fate would be terrible. xxii. 6-38. John xiii-xvii. chap. Crossing the brook Kidron, they Instigated by Peter, John, who was recame to the mount of Olives, to a garclining on the bed next to Jesus, seJesus, along cretly asked, who should be the person? den of Gethsemane. By giving a sop dipped in the sauce to with Peter, James, and John, retired to a corner thereof. Going a little Judas, Jesus hinted, that it should be HE. Judas suspecting the design, said, from them, he prayed thrice with the Lord, am I the traitor? Jesus told him utmost fervour, that if it was possible, that he had hit on the person; and ad- and consistent with his Father's will, his sufferings might be prevented.ded, What thou doest, do quickly.Confounded with this discovery, Ju- At every turn, his disciples fell asleep. Jesus Meanwhile, the impressions and fears das immediately went out. hereon observed, that now God would of his Father's wrath, thew him into glorify his Son, in making him an a- such an agony of soul-trouble, that he toning sacrifice, and should be glorifi- did sweat great drops of blood, though ed in him. The mention of his fu- the night was cold, and he lay withture glory occasioned new contention out on the ground. At length, Juamong the eleven, which of them das, coming with a band of ruffians should be the greatest in his tempo- from the high-priest, did, by a kiss, ral kingdom. He sharply rebuked point out to them which was HE, that them; and advised them humility they might apprehend him. To shew and perseverence in his service, if his power to withstand them, he, with they desired a glorious reward.-a word, made them fall backward; While they continued their supper, and after they had recovered themJesus, consecrating the bread and selves, desired them to let his disciwine, instituted and dispensed the sa-ples go, if they wanted him. Peter crament of his body and blood. This drew his sword, and cut off the ear of finished he told them, he would quick- Malchus, one of the high-priest's serJesus rebuked him, and told ly leave them, as to his bodily pre-vants. sence; and charged them to manifest him, it was proper for him to endure themselves his disciples, by loving one what sufferings his Father had apanother. He warned them, that they pointed him; and that, if it were not so, would all desert him that very night; he could easily obtain multitudes of and Peter thrice deny him, though angels to protect him; and with a his faith should not utterly fail. Hetouch he healed Malchus's ear. Meanadmonished them to prepare them- while, the disciples fled; and Judas, selves with spiritual fortitude for their with his band, carried Jesus to Annas, approaching trials. This they fool-the late high-priest. Annas interroishly imagined to mean, their provid-gated him concerning his disciples