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early, and know the Will of God, and receive his Mercies, and enjoy great Advantages; But there are but few who improve themselves proportionably to thofe Advantages, and ufe them worthily, fo as to attain an excellent and extraordinary Reward.

7. After these things, Jefus knowing that the time of his Sufferings drew nigh, went up towards Jerufalem, And, that his Apoftles might be prepared against the Storm that was coming upon them, he took the Twelve aside, as they were going in the Way, and reminded them again, faying:

18. We are going up to Jerufalem; and I would have you remember, that, as I told you before, 'tis the Will of God that I fhould at laft be delivered into the Hands of the Chief Priests and Scribes, who have hitherto laid wait for me; and they shall cause me to be condemned to Death by an unjuft Judgment:

19. And they fhall deliver me over to the Roman Soldiers, to be abused and mocked, to be beaten and fpit upon, and at last to be ignominioufly crucified among Malefactors: But on the third Day I will rife again.

20 & 21. Then Salome the Wife of Zebedee, with her two Sons, James and John, thinking that immediately after this Refurrection which Jefus fpake of, he would appear in great Pomp and Glory to reftore to the Jews a temporal Kingdom; came to him, and defired that thofe her two Sons, who had hitherto been his conftant Difciples and Followers, might at the opening of his Kingdom have the chief Places of Honour under

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thy right hand, and

the other on the left
in thy kingdom.
22 But Jefus an-
fivered and faid, Ye
know not what ye
ask. Are ye able to
drink of the cup that
I shall drink of, and
to be baptized with
the baptifm that I
am baptized with?
They say unto him,

We are able.

23 And he faith unto them, Ye fhall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptifm that I am baptized with but to fit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it fhall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. 24 And when the ten heard it, they moved with indignation against

were

the two brethren.

25 But Jefus called them unto him, and faid, Ye know

the princes of the Gentiles exercife do

him, and be next in Dignity to his own Perfon.

22. Jefus answered: Ye are in a great mistake, and understand not what ye ask: My Kingdom is not, as ye fondly imagine, a temporal Kingdom, confifting in earthly Glory and Greatnefs; but it is a Spiritual Kingdom, confifting only in Holinefs, Righteoufnefs, and Godliness, and in the Spiritual Rewards of thefe Divine Virtues: And Places of Dignity therein, are not to be expected by Favour or Affection; but to be attained by Humility, by Patience and Sufferings. Can ye therefore follow my Example in bearing patiently Injuries, Sufferings, and Death? They faid, We can.

23. Jefus replied: Ye fhall indeed follow me in Perfccutions and Sufferings, and may thereby attain a Place in my Kingdom and a Share in my Rewards; But for the Chief Seat of Preheminence and Dignity above others, this is not mine to difpofe of by any abfolute Favour, but must be beftowed upon thofe Perfons, and according to thofe Conditions and Qualifications, which God hath appointed.

24. Now when the other ten Apoftles heard what these two Brethren de

fired, and what Anfwer Jefus gave them, they were angry and moved with indignation against them; not without fomething of the fame Ambition and Envy in themselves, for fear the two Brothers fhould have been preferred before Them:

25. But Jefus called them all to him, and faid; Ye have all yet a very wrong Apprehenfion of the Matter. Among the Gentiles indeed, and in the King

K 2

doms

doms of this prefent World, men ftrive ambitioufly to get the Dominion one over another; and they who are greateft in Riches and Power, have the greatest Honour and Refpect paid them by others:

He

26. But among you I will have things ordered by other Measures. that defires to be Great and Honourable among You, let him feek to deferve his Honour, by Meeknefs and Lowlinefs; and let him excercife his Power, not in domineering over any, but in affisting and doing good to All.

27. And he that defires to have the Dignity and Preheminence among you, let him be eminent for his Humility and Readiness to ferve all Men.

28. For thus even I my felf came not into the World to exercise Power and Dominion, to rule over Men, and to be ferved by them; but to ferve, and affift, and to do good to all Men, with all Humility, Meeknefs and Gentleness; and to lay down my Life for the Redemption of Mankind.

29. When Jefus had finished these Difcourfes, he travelled on with his Difciples towards Jerufalem; and when they had paffed through Jericho, a very great multitude of People followed him.

30. And as they went in the Way, there fat two blind Men by the Roadfide; who hearing by the Multitude, that Jefus who had worked fo many Miracles in the Land, was now going along that way, they cried out, faying: Lord, we believe you to be a Teacher fent from God, and that you do these wonderful Works by his Power and Commiffion: We befeech you, have pity on us.

minion over them, and they that are great, exercife authority upon them.

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31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they fhould hold their peace: but they cryed the more, faying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou fon of David.

32 And Jefus flood ftill, and called them, and faid, What will ye that I shall do unto you ?

33 They fay unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 34 So Jefus had compaffion on them, and touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received fight, and they followed him.

31. But the multitude chid them, bidding them not make fuch a Noife to difturb and ftop Jefus. Nevertheless they continued crying cut, and That the more vehemently; Lord, we believe you to be the Meffias, have pity

on us.

32. Then Jefus ftood ftill, and commanded them to be called to him; and when they came, he asked them, what they defired he should do.

33. They faid; Lord, we have heard of the many mighty Works which you have done for the Relief of fuch miferable Perfons as we are, and we defire you would restore to us our fight.

34. Then Jefus took pity on them, and touched their Eyes; and their Sight lowed him in the Way. was immediately reftored, and they fol

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CHA P. XXI,

Christ rideth into Jerufalem, ver. I. Driveth the Traders out of the Temple, ver. 12. Children make Acclamations to Jefus, ver. 14. Jefus curfeth the Fig tree, ver. 18. Silences the Jews with a Queßion about John the Baptift's Authority, ver. 23. Shows by the Similitude of two Sons, that the Jews were worse than the Gentiles, ver. 28. The Parable of the Vineyard let out to Husbandmen, ver. 33. The Pharifees Indignation at it, ver. 45.

1. NOW when Jefus and his Dif

ciples drew nigh to Jerufalem, and were come as far as Bethphage, at the foot of the Mount of Olives; Jefus knowing that the appointed time of his Sufferings approached, fought now no longer to conceal himself, but refolved to enter publickly into JerusaLem.

2. Calling therefore two of his Difciples to him, he fent them into the neighbouring Village, faying; Go and take the Afs and Colt, which ye fhall find tied up in a Corner of the Street, and bring them hither to me.

3. And if any Man ask you, What

circum

you have to do with them; fay, The
Mafter wants them; and the Divine
Providence hall fo order the
ftances of things, that at that Answer
they fhall be willing to let you have
them.

4. (All this fefus did, that in Him might be fulfilled thefe Prophecies:

AND when they

drew nigh unto Jerufalein, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then fent Jefus two difciples,

2

Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you,and ftraight way ye fhall find an afs tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

3 And if any man fay ought unto you, ye fhall fay, The Lord hath need of them and ftraightway he will fend them.

4

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was fpoken by the prophet, faying,

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