MATTHEW. CHAP. XXI. 20 And when the difciples faw it, they marvelled, fay ing, How foon is the fig-tree withered away? 宁 21 Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, Verily I fay unto you, If ye have faith and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree, but alfo if ye fhall fay unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou caft into the fea, it shall be done. MARK. CHAP. XI. ftroy him for they feared 19 And when even was 20 And in the morning, as they paffed by, they faw the fig-tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to re- which thou curfedft, is wi- 22 And Jefus answering 23 For verily I fay unto you, that whofoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou caft into the fea, and fhall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that thofe things which he faith fhall come to pass, he fhall have whatfoever he faith. 24 Therefore I fay unto 22 And all things whatfo- you, What things foever ye destroy him; but they fear'd a Tumult, knowing he was admir'd by the People. However, Jefus would not truft himfelf among them except in the day time, but every night retir'd from the City, that he might not be oppreft by them in the dark and every morning he return'd to the City. The day after he had curs'd the Fig-trec, paffing the fame way, the Apostles took notice of it, and wondred at its being wither'd: Peter particularly turning to Jefus, Master, faid he, behold how the Fig-tree that thou curfedft yesterday is already wither'd. Jefus replied, that they had no reafon to be aftonifh'd at what had happen'd to that Fig-tree by his command, fince they themselves might command Mount Oliver to be carried into the Sea, and it should obey them, if they had a fteddy Faith in God, who had promis'd to grant whatever they fhould ask him with a firm reliance on his Power and Goodness, affaring them they should not fail to obtain whatever they petition'd for 27 And they come again to Jerufalem : 23 And when he and as he was walking was come into the in the temple, there temple, the chief come to him the chief priefts and the elders priefts, and the fcribes, of the people came and the elders, unto him as he was teaching, and faid, By 28 And fay unto what authority doeft 24 And Jefus anfwered and faid unto 29 And Jefus anfwered and faid to СНАР. ХXX. AND it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he caught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the fcribes came upon him, with the elders, 2 And fpake unto him, faying, Tell us, By what authority doeft thou thefe things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? 3 And he answered and said to them, I will for with that happy temper of Mind; but withal he put them in mind, that if they expected the remiflion of their Sins from his heavenly Father, they ought allo to forgive the Trefpaffes of Men to them; for it would be in vain to hope for the pardon of their Sins, if they did not perform this juft condition on their part. To return now to what paft the day before: After Jefus had carfed the Fig-tree, while he was walking with his Difciples, and inftructing them in the Temple, feveral of the chief among the Jews came to him, Members of the Sanhedrim, and ask'd him by what Authority he drove the Merchants out of the Temple, and publicly taught the People. Jefus told 'em he had alfo a question to propofe to them, Hhh and LUKE JOHN them, I alfo will ask them, I will alfo ask alfo ask you one thing, 25 The baptifm of 30 The baptifm of And they reafoned with themselves, faying, If we fhall fay, anfwer me. 4 The baptifm of John, was it from heaven, or of men? 31 And they rea- s And they reafonfoned with themselves, ed with themfelves, faying, If we fhall faying, If we fhall fay, him? From heaven; he will fay, From heaven; he From heaven; he will phet. 7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was. 27 And they an- 33 And they anfwered Jefus, and faid, fwered and faid unto We cannot tell. And Jefus, We cannot tell. he faid unto them, And Jefus answering Neither tell I you by faith unto them, Neiwhat authority I do ther do I tell you by tell you by what authese things. what authority I do thority I do these these things. things. 8 And Jefus faid.. unto them, Neither and after they had anfwer'd him he would reply to their demands. He then defir'd them to inform him what their opinion was of John the Baptift's preaching Repen tance to the Jews, and washing the Profelytes; whether they believed he acted by his own Authority, or by one deriv'd from God? The Sanhedrim confidering with themselves that if they fhould fay he acted by a Divine Commiffion, Jefus would immediatly ask why they did not believe on him; and on the contrary, if they thould affirm it was only upon his own private motion, that they fhould then inrage the Multitude, who generally look'd on John as a true Prophet, made anfwer, that they knew not by what Authority he acted. Jefus prefently retorted, that fince it was lawful for John to baptize the Penitents, tho they were ignorant by what Authority he did fo; and fince no one ever call'd him to account for it, he faw no neceflity of gratifying their curiofity by informing them with what Authority he did thofe things in the Temple, at which they carp'd. After MATTHEW. CHAP. XXI. 28 But what think you? A certain man had two fons, and he came to the firft, and faid, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and faid, I will not : but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the fecond, and faid likewife. And he anfwered and faid, I go, fir, and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They fay unto him, The firft. Jefus faith unto them, Verily I fay unto you, that the Publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: Afterwards he defcrib'd the ftubborn Temper of the Jews in feveral Parables, from which they might plainly learn their Duty. A certain man, faid he, had two Sons, one of whom he commanded to go and work in his Vineyard, who at first refus'd, but repenting afterwards of his Difobedience, went, and did as his Father had commanded him: The other being alfo ordered by his Father to work in the Vineyard, promis'd immediately to do what was commanded him, but never went. What think you, which of these two obeyed his Father? They replied, The first. Verily I fay unto you, that the very Publicans and Harlots who have abandon'd themfelves to Profaneness and Immorality, fhall in like manner excel you who fet up for holy perfons, and make a fhew of more than ordinary Probity, as to what re lates to the Kingdom of Heaven, or the true Religion: For John the Baptift came to call you to repentance, that you might be prepar'd to imbrace the Laws of the Kingdom of Heaven that was fhortly to be manifefted, but you did not believe Hhh 2 on MATTHEW. CHAP. XXI. but the Publicans and the harlots believed him. And ye when ye had feen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. 33 Hear another parable: There was a certain houfholder A certain man A certain man which planted a vine- planted a vineyard, planted a vineyard, yard, and hedged it and fet an hedg about and let it forth to round about, and dig- it, and digged a place husbandmen, and went ged a wine-prefs in it, for the wine-fat, and into a far country for and built a tower, and built a tower, and let a long time. let it out to husband- it out to husbandmen, men, and went into a far country. and went into a far country. 34 And when the 2 And at the feafon 10 And at the fea time of the fruit drew he fent to the huf- fon he fent a fervant vants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the hufbandmen took his fervants, and beat one, and killed another, and ftoned another. 36 Again, he fent other fervants, more than the first and they did unto likewife. 3 And they caught him, and beat him, and fent him away empty. but the huf bandmen beat him, and fent him away empty. 4 And again he sent 11 And again he unto them another fer- fent another fervant; vat; and at him they and they beat him alío, them caft ftones, and wound- and intreated him ed him in the head, fhamefully, and fent and fent him away him away empty. thamefully handled. on him. The Publicans and Harlots believ'd him, repented, and amended their Lives; but you have not bin prevail'd on by their example to alter your Sentiments concerning John, and to believe his Doctrin. He fpake another Parable to them: A certain Master of a Family planted a Vineyard, and hedged it in; and having built a Houfe in it, and furnished it with a Wine prefs and all other neceffaries, let it out, and went himself into a far Country. At the time of Vintage he fent his Servants to gather the Fruits of it; but the men to whom he had let his Vineyard, beat, and fent them away empty. He fent a fecond time other Servants, and thefe the Laborers fton'd, and grievously |