Imatges de pàgina
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come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abra

ham.

Behold, Zaccheus, thou losest not by the bargain: for, instead of these transitory riches, which thou thus disposest of, thou dost this day receive the tender of Salvation, which shall be both to thyself, and thy family: see ye, my disciples, what a happy change this man hath made; for, whereas before he was an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, now he is become a son of faithful Abraham.

XIX. 13. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. See Matthew xxv. 14, 15,

XIX. 20. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which &c. See Matthew xxv. 18.

XIX. 21. For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest &c. See Matthew xxv. 24 and 25, &c.

XIX. 26. That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even &c. See Matthew xxv. 29. XIX. 45, 46. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. See Matthew xxi. 12, 13.

XX. 18. Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on &c. See Matthew xxi. 44.

XX. 22. Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or no? See Matthew xxii.. 17.

XX. 25. Give unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar's, and unto God, the things which be God's. See Matthew xxii. 20, 21.

XX. 34, 35, 36. The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they &c. See Matthew xxii. 29, 30, 31.

XX. 41. How say they that Christ is David's son? See Matthew xxii. 43, 45.

XXI. 21. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; &c. See Matthew xxiv. 16.

XXI. 23. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! See Matthew xxiv. 19. XXI. 25. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth &c. See Matt. xxiv. 29.

XXI. 29. Behold the fig tree, and all the trees. See Matthew xxiv. 32.

XXI. 32. This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. See Matthew xxiv. 34.

XXI. 33. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. See Matthew xxiv. 35.

XXII. 3. Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

Then Satan, by a strong temptation, possessed himself of the heart of Judas, being one of the domestic attendants of Christ.

XXII. 18. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. See Matthew xxvi. 29.

XXII. 20. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

See Matthew xxvi. 28.

XXII. 25. The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. See Matthew xx. 25.

XXII. 31, 32. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Simon, Simon, Satan, that malicious adversary of mankind, hath earnestly sued for permission to put you to an exquisite and full trial, as wheat is tried in the fan; not for the purging and cleansing of you, but for your utter dispersion and destruction ye shall be in danger of his strong assaults: But for thee, Simon, whose temptation shall be strongest and peril most, I have prayed for thee, that, however thou shalt be hardly laid at, and thy faith may waver and stagger, by the power of those onsets, yet that it may not utterly fail, and be either wholly or finally lost.

XXII. 36. But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

But now, ye will have need of all the provisions, that ye can make, whether of money or weapons; for there will be too much occasion of the use of both, both in respect of your destitution, and that violence which will be offered to me.

XXII. 42. Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: &c. See Matthew xxvi. 39.

XXIII. 28. Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

Ye women of Jerusalem, ye see nothing now in me, that doth not aggravate misery; and therefore ye, not considering my inward grounds of assurance and comfort, spend yourselves

in tears for me: but forbear this weeping of yours; and reserve your tears rather for those grievous miseries and calamities, which are ready to seize upon you and your children.

XXIII. 29. For, behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

For, ere long, the days shall come, wherein it shall be grief enough to the mother to think, that she hath children, which must be exposed to so cruel slaughters; and shall envy and bless those, that are barren and childless.

XXIII. 31. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

I am as a green and sappy plant; this people is a sear and dry tree it is the sear wood, and not the green and juicy, that is for the fire: if then the hardest measure of death be inflicted upon me, how much less shall the vengeance of God forbear those, whom their horrible sins have made fit matter for his wrath and displeasure!

XXIII. 42. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

eyes

Lord, howsoever I am now justly dying for my offence, and howsoever thou art now in a despicable and forlorn condition, ready to yield up thy life also; yet I know and see, by the of my faith, that there is a glorious kingdom prepared for thee; whereof, after thy dissolution, thou shalt receive the happy and everlasting possession: O then remember thou me, in that glory of thine, who am now a just partner in that shame and pain, which thou unjustly sufferest; that even after my death, I may be capable of happiness with thee: Remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom.

XXIII. 43. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day thou shalt be with me in paradise.

Since thy faith hath looked thus through my sufferings to my ensuing glory, be thou assured, that I, who have wrought this confidence in thee, will crown it: comfort thyself therefore in thy death, with the certainty of thine immediate happiness: this very day shall thy soul be received up into glory with me: this day shalt thou enjoy my presence, in that happy Paradise of Heaven.

XXIV. 5. Why seek ye the living among the dead?

Why do ye seek for a living man in the graves of the dead? XXIV. 16. But their eyes were holden that they should not

know him.

But God did so work upon the senses of these two men, that their eyes were held from being able to discern him; so as they took him for a stranger.

XXIV. 32. And they said one to another, Did not our heart

burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures!

Did we not feel an extraordinary working of his Spirit within us, while he talked with us by the way?

XXIV. 39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

Why are ye affrighted, as if it were some spirit that appeared unto you? let all your senses search and try me: handle me, and convince yourselves of the truth of my human body a spirit is an immaterial substance; and hath not flesh and bones, as ye see and feel me to have.

XXIV. 43. And he took it, and did eat before them. Not out of any necessity or use of nature, but to give unto them a more full proof of his true human body, now raised from the dead, he took that fish, and honeycomb, and did eat before them.

THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN.

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I. 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

In and before the beginning of the world, the Son of God, who is the Eternal and Essential Word of the Father, had a true and perfect being; and that Word was co-eternal with God the Father, and the Holy Ghost; and that Word was in essence one and the same with God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. I. 2. The same was in the beginning with God.

The same Word, though he appeared not to the world until the fulness of time, yet was from everlasting with God the Father, and of one essence with him.

I. 3. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

He was the Almighty Creator of all things; for the Father made all things by him: neither is nor was there any thing, that had a being in the world, but from and by him and his omnipotent power.

I. 4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

He did not only give a being to the creature, at the first; but he also gave and doth still continue the life and preservation of those things, which he hath made: and, as he hath both given and preserved a life to the rest of his creatures, so to man especially he hath pleased to give such a life, as is joined with the light of understanding and knowledge; whereby he may come to the sight and acknowledgment of him, who is the author and giver of all good to him.

I. 5. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

It is true indeed, that the faculties of man's knowledge and understanding are now so overspread with darkness of ignorance and misconceit, that he cannot rightly apprehend and conceive the things of God; yet the means of this divine knowledge are offered and held forth unto him, howsoever the indisposition of man's depraved nature is such, that he doth not entertain them, and make use of them accordingly.

I. 6. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. There was a man, fore-ordained and sent from God, to be the harbinger of that Son of his into the world, whose name was, as it was fore-appointed by the angel, John.

I. 7. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

The same came purposely to bear witness of the truth of that Saviour, who is the Light of the World; that, through his testimony, all men might be won to a belief in Christ, their Redeemer.

I. 8. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

This John was indeed a great and holy Prophet; but he was not that Light, which God had fore-promised should shine forth into the world, for their redemption and salvation; but was only sent to give testimony to that Messiah, whose forerunner he was.

I. 9. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

That Blessed Messiah is he, which was the True Light, that shined from heaven; and from whose beams every man in the world, that hath any glimpse at all of right understanding, receiveth his illumination.

I. 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He was, for a time, visibly here in the world: and though, by his divine power, the world was made; yet, so as he was shrouded in the state of a servant, the world did not know nor acknowledge him.

I. 11. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. He came to his own creature, man; and that, in man's own shape: he came to his own peculiar people, the Jews, having taken flesh from one of that nation; yet, his own creature man, his own countrymen the Jews, received him not.

I. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his

name:

But to so many of mankind, as did, by a true faith, receive him, to them he gave this blessed privilege, that, whereas formerly they were aliens from God and enemies to him, now, they should become the sons of God, heirs of salvation :

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