16 And Simon he furnamed Peter. 17 And James the fan of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (and he furnamed them Boanerges, which is, The fons of thunder) 18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the fon of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite, 19 And Judas Ifcariot, which also betrayed him and they went into an house. 20 And the multitude cometh together again, fo that they could not fo much as eat bread. Jews who were already prejudiced with 13 14. At another time, Jesus 15. And he communicated to them a Power of working the fame Miracles for the Confirmation of their Doctrine, as he himself worked; fuch as healing the Sick, cafting out Devils, and the like. 1619. Now the Names of the 1. Simon, whom Jefus called 2. James,? Sons of * Zebedee. 9. Another James, Son of *Thefe Je fus called בנירעש in the Syriack Pronunciation Boanerges, Sons of Al- Thunder, 10. Thaddeus, or Jude. lotes, 20. that is, principal Minifters of the Gof pel. Thele Twelve Jefus carried home with him † to his House at Ca- + See pernaum. And as foon as the People Mat. iv, heard they were there, they gathered 13. together again, and preffed after them fo much, as hardly to give them time to eat. 21, Which himself? 24 & 25. For as it is impoffible that a Kingdom or Family, which is divided into Parties and Factions within it felf, can long subsist : 26. Even fo if the Devils act against themselves, and difpoffefs one another, and That in Confirmation of a Dotrine directly oppofite to their whole Power and Intereft; this is abfurdly to fuppofe them doing that, which muft of Neceffity deftroy their own Kingdom. 27. When you fee the Houfe of a ftrong Man broken up, and his Goods carried away by Force; you make no doubt, but he that thus fpoileth the other, is ftronger and more powerful than the Perfon fpoiled. Why then is it not as evident to you, that if I caft the Devils out of their Poffef 21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they faid, He is befide himself. 25 And if a houfe be divided against it felf, that house cannot ftand. 26 And if Satan rife up against himfelf, and be divided, he cannot ftand, but hath an end. 27 No man can enter into a strong mans house,and spoil his goods, except he will firft bind the trong man, and then he will spoil his house. 28 Verily fion with Authority, and in Con- 28 & 29. So that, what you fay 30. This fevere Sentence Jesus paffed upon the blafpheming Pharifees, because when they could not deny the Truth of his Miracles, they maliciously reprefented them to the People as done by the Affiftance of the Devil. 31. But to return to the Hiftory. As Jefus was fitting in the House, * Ver. 20. and teaching the People; his Mother, and other Relations came to ask for him. 32. And because the Croud was fo great, that they could not get into the Houfe; therefore thofe that fat next him, told him that his Mother and his Kinfmen waited at the Door to speak with him. 33. Jefus replied; Who is my Mother? and who are my Kinsmen ? Do Do you think that I efteem People by natural Relation, or by any temporal Confiderations? 34. And turning about to his Difciples who fat round him, he said: No; but these are most properly my Kinf men and Relations. 35. For they who attentively hear the Word of God, and believe and obey the Doctrine of true Religion; those are they whom I account my nearest Relations, and fhall treat them as fuch. Who is my mother, or my brethren ? 34 And he looked round about on them which fat about him, and faid, Behold my mother and my brethren. 35 For whofoever fhall do the will of God, the fame is my and my brother, fifter, and mother. CHA P. IV. The Parable of the Sower, with the Explication, ver. 1, and 14. Why Jefus fpake in Parables, ver. 11. I. Knowledge must be communicated, ver. 21. Grace given proportionable to Mens Improvements, ver. 24. Parable of Corn growing imperceptibly, ver. 26. Of the Mustard-feed, ver. 31. Why Jefus fpake in Parables, ver. 33. Jefus ftilleth a Storm, ver. 35. And AFTER this, Jefus retired again to the Lake's fide; and the People followed him out of the City. when the Multitude grew fo great as to croud him, that he could not conveniently stand on the Ground and be heard; he went into a Boat, and the People ftood before him along the Shore. 2. And he taught them many Things by way of Comparison or Similitude. Particularly, he reprefented the Doctrine of the Gofpel, and the Effect it has upon Men of various Tempers and Difpofitions, by this following Similitude. 3 Hearken, Behold, there went out a fower to fow: 4 And it came to pafs as he fowed, fome fell by the wayfide, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And fome fell on ftony ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the fun was up, it was fcorched, and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And fome fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choaked it, and it yielded no fruit. 3. Hearken, faith he, and attend to what I fay. A certain Husbandman went out to fow his Ground. Thus Chrift, or the Preacher of the Gospel, publishes the Doctrine of true Religion amongst Men. 4. And as he was fowing, fome of the Seed fell upon the hard beaten Road, where it never entred the Earth at all, but the Birds picked it up and deftroyed it. Thus the Gospel is preached to fome, who never regard it or confider it at all, but presently forget what they have heard; and the flight Impreffions it makes upon them, very foon wear out. 5 & 6. And fome of the Seed fell upon Stones covered with thin Earth, where it prefently grew up indeed, but without Root, fo that as foon as the Sun came to fhine hot upon it, it withered away. Thus the Doctrine of true Religion is preached to others, who entertain it indeed readily, and are pleafed with it, and in fome measure alfo refolve to obey it; but for want of Steddinefs and Conftancy of Mind, they are overcome by Temptations, efpecially by Perfecution, and fall away from their Obedience to the Truth. 7. Again, fome other of the Seed, fell among Weeds, which springing up together with the Corn, over-ran it, and deftroyed it: Thus fome others hear the Doctrine of Chriftianity, who likewife entertain it indeed, and pretend to obey it; but the Hurry of Bufinefs, and the deceitful Cares of Riches, and the Allurements of Pleafures, do fo take up their Thoughts, and divert their Minds, that Religion has little Influence upon their Lives and Con verfations, |