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40 When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will be do unto

those husbandmen?

41 They fay unto him, He will misera

bly deftroy thofe wicked men, and will let out his vineyard

40. When therefore, faid Jefus, The Mafter of the Vineyard returns, what do you think will be do to thefe wicked Husbandmen? That is, when the time of God's executing Judgment shall come, what punishment will he inflict upon these incorrigible Jews?

41. The Chief Priests and Elders, not yet understanding that this was the

unto other husband-true intent of the Quefti

men, which shall render him the fruits in

their seasons.

42 Jefus faith un

to them, did ye

on, Anfwered; He will deftroy without Mercy, thofe wicked Husbandmen, and let out his Vineyard to others who will ferve him more faithfully: By which Answer they unawares gave Judgment against themselves with their own Mouths, that it was juft for God to destroy the Jews, and Reveal his Will to another People, who would obey it more fincerely.

42. Jefus replied; ye have judged rightly; Even fcriptures, The ftone thus will God deal with

never read in the

which the builders

rejected, the fame is you. And when the Chief become the head of of the Jews, perceiving

now

16.

now whereto the Parable tended, would have recall'd their Words, and + Luke 20. faid † God forbid; Jefus added and faid, Nay, thus it muft certainly be; For doth not the Scripture fay, (Pfal. 118. 22.) The ftone which the builders refufed, is become the head ftone of the Corner? That is, Chrift, the Meffiah, whom the Jews rejected, fhall ceive and unite the Gentiles to his Church, as a principal Corner-ftone unites and links the two fides of a Building together.

re

43. Affuredly therefore it fhall come to pass, that you Jews fhall be no longer the peculiar People of God; but he will entruft the Gentiles with the Revelation of his Will, and make fuch other Na

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*That Chrift's being the Chief Corner-ftone, fignifies not only his being Head of the Church, to which Senfe it seems to be applied, Acts 4. 11. but that it alfo fignifies his Uniting the Gentiles to the Church, is evident from Eph. 2. 20. compared with the foregoing and following Verses; and that Sense seems to fit much better in this place.

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tions partakers of his Covenant and Promises, as will make a better use of them than you have done; bringing forth the Fruits of Holiness, Righteouf nefs, and Peace.

44. And this great and general Revelation of the the Will of God by the Meffiah, being the laft Discovery that he will ever make to Mankind; whoever shall stumble and be offended at any part of it,or behave himself in any wife unworthily of it, fhall be feverely punished: But he that fhall utterly and finally reject it, or behave himself fo as to deserve the utmost effect of the Wrath which it reveals and brings along with it, shall be miferably and utterly deftroyed.

45. All thefe Sayings, the Chief Priefts and Pharifees at length perceived plainly to be directed against them.

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46 And falling into a great rage, they were even ready to apprehend Jefus; But they were a fraid the People would rescue him, who all look'd upon him to be a great Prophet fent from God; and therefore for that time they forbore.

46 But when they fought to lay hands on him, they feared

the multitude, becaufe they took him

for a prophet.

CHAP.

CHA P. XXII.

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I.

1. U

PON another occafion Jesus spake

again in Parables, reprefenting the State of the Gofpel by way of comparifon or fimilitude, faying: 2. A certain King made a great Feaft at the Marriage of his Son: Thus God at the fending his Son into the World, revealed the gracious Terms of the Gofpel, and invited Men to embrace the advantagious conditions of that NewCovenant.

3. And when the Feast was ready, the King sent his Servants to call those that had been invited; but they refused to come:Thus Chrift, during his continuance here upon Earth, fent forth his Apoftles to preach the Gospel to the Jews, who were the peculiar People of God, and who had before been admonished of the

T:

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