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thofe Rewards among the Pious, that they have been Prophets in my Church, that they have caft out evil Spirits, and performed many Miracles; to whom I shall openly declare, that inasmuch as they did not join Sanctity of Manners with thofe Gifts I had bestowed upon them, they ought not to be acccounted my Difciples, and are not to expect to fhare with me in the Happiness of my Kingdom, fince they did not throw off their vitious Habits. 'Twill be in vain for any then to call me Lord and Matter, who have not obey'd my Precepts; for they only can be esteem'd my Difciples, whofe Practice has been conformable to my Commands. Whoever, after having fully acquainted himself with my Doctrine, leads a Life conformable unto it, will refemble a wife Architect, who being to build a Houfe near the Bauk of fome River, lays the Foundation of it deep, and upon a Rock.

A.

MATTHEW.

CHA P. VII.

25 And the rain defcended, and the flouds came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these fayings of mine, and doeth them not, fhall be likened unto a foolish man which built his houfe upon the fand: 27 And the rain defcended, and the flouds. came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house: and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pafs when Jefus had ended thefe fayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine.

29 For he taught them as one having authority,

and not as the scribes.

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A House thus built will be able to withstand the fhock of all Storms and Tempests, nor is it to be undermin'd by the overflowing of the River: and he that lives agreeably to my Doctrine, has fo well fortified himself, as not to be brib'd or frigh ten'd from his Duty, but is fecure against the weak Efforts of all worldly Hopes and Fears. On the contrary, whoever is acquainted with my Doctrine, and neglects to live answerably to it, is like an unwary Builder, who having a House to build upon the River fide, lays the Foundation of it in the Sand, and imagins it is iecur'd against every Accident, whereas the firft Tempeft or Inundation is able to deftroy it. For he who cannot perfuade himself to quit thofe vitious Practices which are condemn'd by my Doctrine in cafe of Perfecution, will without hesitating abandon that Religion, whofe Principles would reftrain him from indulging himself in his beloved Vices.

When Jefus had finifh'd thefe Difcourfes, the whole Multitude were in admiration both of his Doctrine, and the Authority that went along with it: for whereas the Doctors of the Law were wont to expound Mofes, and the Doctrines handed down to them from their Ancestors, Jefus acted as one that had receiv'd Commiffion from God himself no otherwife than Mofes had done before him, and propounded his Doctrine to them with the Authority of a Legislator.

V 2

СНАР.

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LUKE.

CHAP. VII.

'N

IN had ended all his

OW when he

fayings in the audience
of the people, he entred
into Capernaum.

2 And a certain cen-
turions fervant, who was
dear unto him, was sick,
and ready to die.

3
And when he heard
of Jefus, he fent unto
him the elders of the
Jews, befeeching him
that he would come and
heal his fervant.

4 And when they came
to Jefus, they befought
him inftantly, faying,
That he was worthy for
whom he should do this.

JOHN.

CHA P. XXIII.

Jefus cures the Centurion's Servant at Capernaum, and reftores to Life the Son of a Widow of Naim.

After thefe Difcourfes he defcended from the Mount, and return'd to Capernaum. It happen'd at the fame time that a Servant of a certain Roman Centurion, very much belov❜d by him, fell fick of the Pally, and was fo very ill with it, that his Life began to be defpair'd of. The Centurion hearing that Jefres was return'd, fent fome of the beft Condition among the Jewish Inhabitants of the Town to him, to intreat him to repair to his fick Servant to fave his Life, and restore him to Health. Thefe men went forthwith to Jefies, earnestly interceding with him, and urging in behalf of the Centurion, that he had always fhew'd himself a Friend to the Jewish

Nation,

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Nation, that he had built 'em a Synagogue at Capernaum at his own proper cost; that therefore he deferv'd to have all Favour fhewn him by the Jews, and every one of 'em in particular. Jefus being prevail'd upon by thefe reafons, went together with them directly to the Houfe of the Centurion, and being not far from it, he was accofted by fome other of his Friends with this Meffage from him: That he did not think it in the leaft neceffary for him to take the trouble upon him to comein perfon to his Houfe, as knowing very well that he was able with one words fpeaking, in what place foever he were, to heal his Servant, tho at never fo great a diftance from him that he look'd upon himself as unworthy to entertain fo great a Prophet, for which reafon he did not wait upon him himfelf, but had recourfe to the mediation of his Jewish Friends for the obtaining this Favour from him: That he confider'd, that as he himself, who was under the command of fuperior Officers, yet had Soldiers of his Company and domeftick Servants, whom he might fend on what Errands, and whitherfoever he pleas'd; fo Jefus, who was fupreme Governour of the Universe, bad Angels at his command, any of whom difpatch'd by his Authority would be able to cure his Servant. Jefus having receiv'd this

Meffage

t

MATTHEW.

CHA P. VIII. '.

10 When Jefus heard it, he marvelled, and faid to them that followed, Verily, fay unto you, I have not found fo great faith, no not in Ifrael.

11 And I fay unto you, that many fhall come from the east and weft, and shall fit down with Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the children of the kingdom shall be caft out into outer darknefs: there fhall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13 And Jefus faid unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou haft believed, fo be it done unto thee. And his fervant was healed in the self-fame hour.

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Meffage from the Centurion, admir'd the fingular Opinion this man had conceiv'd of the Power he was invefted with; and turning himself to the Multitude, declar'd before 'em all, that he had not met with any one among the Jews who entertain'd fuch elevated Notions concerning the Divine Power. He added further, that like as the Faith of this Roman Centurion, which entitl'd him to a participation of the Benefits of the Kingdom of Heaven, exceeded that of any of the Jews, fo alfo it fhould come to pafs, that many Heathens from the remotest parts of the Earth fhould believe on him, and share the Felicity of the Kingdom of Heaven with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, thofe Founders of the Jewish Nation, while many of the Jews who had the Advantages and Rewards of the Kingdom of Heaven propounded to them in the first place by the peculiar Bounty of God, fhall be wholly excluded from them. Jefus then difmifs'd the Friends of the Centurion, bidding 'em tell him that in confideration of his Faith, his Servant fhould be cur'd: they therefore return'd, and found his Servant had recover'd exactly at the fame time that Jefus told them he fhould be cur'd.

The

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