*

called his Disciples, and profess to tread in his Steps, should abandon themselves to the Works of Malice and Shame; and be fo far from the fignal Virtues, which Chriftians ought to be distinguished by, as even to lose the Bowels and the Modesty of Common Men. Thus the Confideration of our Lord's First Advent, the Do&trines he taught, and the Copy he hath fet us, ferve the Defign of this Exhortation very well. But for any farther Enlargement upon this Conftruction of the Words, I must refer my Reader to another Place; *See Epift. for and at prefent fatisfy my felf with repreEpiph. fenting the Arguments contained in them, when interpreted of our Lord's Second Coming. For, 2. Every Reader of the New Teftament must needs have observed the frequent mention made there of One 'Day, eminent and remarkable above all the reft, One ftiled upon this Account by way. of particular Defignation, The Day, * The Day, That Day: Called elfewhere, The Day of the Son of Man, ** The Day of the Lord Jefus Chrift, ++ The Day of God, ‡‡ The Day of Reftitution or final Confummation of all Matt. xii. 36. Things, The Day of Judgment: And diftinguished by many other Titles, which denote, that in that Day the Glory of Chrift fhall fhine forth in its full Luftre; that a perfect Difcrimination fhall then be made between the Good and Bad, and every Man receive an eternal Recompence, according to the things done in his Body. This Day many Expofitors understand here, as reprefented ftill future, by that Expreffion of being at band: whereas the Day of Gofpel-Light, and Chrift's firft Advent, was already come upon these Romans, and could not fo properly be defcribed, as yet approaching. Thus the Night here will answer to the prefent Life, a State of Wandering, and

*Heb. x. 25. t2 Tim. iv. 8. Luke. xvii.24. ***I Cor. v. 5. 2 Thef. v. 2. Phil. ii. 16.

tt2 Pet. iii. 12. Acts iii. 12.

2 Pet. ii. 9.

Ver. 11.

Weakness, and great Imperfection. And the Salvation will import that Blifs, which

the

the Faithful expect and depend upon, when that righteous Judge fhall fave all them, who perfevere in good Works, and live and die in his Fear.

Now, admitting the Ignorance and general Depravation of former Ages, to be well refembled by the Darknefs of the Night; and the Perfection of good Men in the next World, by the bright fhine of the Day: We may ftill difcern, between these Two, difcern a middle State of Things, answerable to the Springing of the Morning, and the Rifing of the Sun. A Dawn sufficient to guide our Feet into the way of Happiness and Peace; though infinitely fhort of the Comforts and Glories of that Bleffed Noon, when all the Clouds of Sin and Infirmity fhall be scattered, and we fhall fee and be like that God, who is Light fo pure, that in Him is no Darkness at all. Thus we may find good Reason, why the Night fhould John i. 5. under this Gofpel-State be reprefented as far spent, but not abfolutely done away; and the Day faid to be at hand, though not come in its full Strength. For frail Mortality will always have fome remains of Shadow and Dufk. The brighteft Virtue, and the clearest Knowledge, ftop vaftly fhort of that Perfection of both, which will break upon Wife and Good Men, and hereafter, at the Refurrection of the Juft.

1 Cor. iv. 5.

Rom. ii. 16.
Rom. ii 5.

This Day is very differently defcribed, according to the different Condition of the Perfons to be concerned in it. With regard to the Wicked, in Circumftances full of Terror, as that, which shall discover the bidden things of dishonefty; bring the Secrets of all Hearts into Judgment; and pour upon fuch the Wrath and Vengeance Rev. vi. 17. of a provoked, and then implacable, God. To the Righteous, as a Day, which shall manifeft their good Deeds to all the World; crown them with publick Praise and everlafting Bliss; accomplish their Redempti- xv. 53, 54

Matt. vii. 23.
Matt. xxv. 34.
&c,

2 Tim. iv. 8.
Rom. viii. 23.
Luke xxi. 28.
I Cor. xiii. 12

on;

? John iii. 2. on; abundantly compenfate their past Sufferings; anfwer and exceed their largeft Hopes; and confer upon them that indefectible Holiness and Wifdom, which they, in the mean while, fo zealously afpire, fo eagerly pant after.

This Latter, and more comfortable, part of the Argument, is what the Apostle infifts upon, in the Paffage now before us. The rather probably, that he might foften the Perfecutions and Afflictions, which Chriftians then lay under, by the profpect of fo glorious a Recompence; and by putting them in mind, that they were, every Day and Hour,advancing nearer to the End of their Troubles, and to that Salvation, in which they were taught to place their All, their only Happinefs. Thus wifely providing against that too common Weaknefs, even in People of fincere and good Intentions, who often fet out at first with Warmth, and Vigour, and vehement Defires; but are apt, in process of time, to cool and languish, and grow remifs, or weary of well-doing. Here then he hints the Folly, and the Sin, of flackening our Endeavour, when, like Racers, we ought rather to quicken our Pace, and to exert our felves more and more, in Proportion as we draw toward the Goal. For the Prize is given to none, who do not come up thither; we must finish, as well as begin, well; and Perseverance is the only thing, which can fecure all our pass'd Labour, though never fo commendable hitherto, from being at laft in vain in the Lord.

Now, what can be a more effectual Spur to the Virtues recommended here, than the Confideration of fuch a Day? If any thing have the Power to enlarge our Hearts, and open our Hands, in entire Affection and unbounded Charity; furely this Reflection must do it, that thefe Difpofitions, and Acts of Beneficence, are the very Marks, which fhall then distinguish the Matt. xxv, 34, &c. Sheep from the Goats, If any thing prevail for the effectual Mortification of our brutal Appe

1 Cor. ix. 25.

tites and Paffions; the Excellence of this Salvation fure will quicken and confirm this good Refolution in us. If any thing support us under the Afflictions of the World, and the Difficulties of Religion; it is the nearer Approach of that blissful Reward, which, if rightly eftimated, would make us more than Conquerors. Much weaker Arguments than These are fuccefsful, with them who ftrive for a corruptible crown; And what ftupid Wretches are We, if we faint and give out, notwithstanding Encouragments infinitely greater, when ftriving for a Crown incorruptible? We, I fay, whofe Gain is ineftimable, whose Conflict is but short, and whofe Day (in refpect of Death at least, which will determine the eternal State of every Man's Soul) may, without a Figure, be moft truly faid to be at band, and even at the door. Shake off then (my Brethren) shake off your Sloth from this very moment; Awake, for it is high time that we should All awake, to Righteoufnefs. Let us up and be doing, every one of us; and fo remember that Condefcenfion of our Lord, when he came to vifit us in great Humility, that our Loins may be girt, our Lights burning, and our Lamps trimm'd, that is, our Souls adorned with all thofe Graces and Good Works, which may prepare and fit us to meet this great King decently, when be fhall come to judge us in his Glorious Majefty. So fhall we rife to the Life Immortal, and, being found fuch as bad put on the Lord Jefus now in the time of this Mortal Life, fhall live and reign with him, who liveth and reigneth with the Almighty Father and the Holy Ghoft, now and

ever,

Amen.

1Pet. 1135

Luke xii. 35.

Collect.

There are fome Inferences from the foregoing Particulars, proper to have been added here, but this Comment having already exceeded its just Bounds, the Reader is defired to confult the Epiftles and Gospels already noted in the Margin.

The

See Mark xi.
Luke xix.
John xii,

PARAPHRASE.

W

The GOSPEL:

S. Matth. xxi. 1.

HEN they drew nigh unto Jerufalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then fent Jefus two Difciples,

2. Saying unto them, Go ye into the village over against you, and fraightway ye fhall find an ass tied, and a colt with ber: loose them, and bring them unte

1, 2, 3. As our Lord. 1. one day was paffing with his Difciples from Bethany towards Jerufalem (fhortly after his raifing Lazarus from the Dead, and five days before the Paffover, which he fuffered) when they were as far on their way as Bethphage, and near the foot of the Mount of Olives, Then,

at

me.

3. And if any Man fay ought fay, the Lord hath need of them, will fend them.

&c.

unto you, ye shall and straightway be

4, 5. This was not done by Jefus, with any Defign to relieve himfelf from the Toil and Weariness of a long Journey (for the diftance between Jerufalem and Bethany is but fmall) nor do we find him confulting his Eafe after this manner, in much longer Travels; But he had other Reafons in view, and particularly, that, by this approach to the Holy City, a Prophecy of Zechariah's might be fulfilled in Him, which the ancient Jews conftantly underftood of the Meffias. Now this foretels matter of great Joy to Jerufalem, upon the Account of a King, who should diftinguish himself from other Princes, by an Entry full of humble and moft unufual Pomp: fuch as thould exprefs the Meeknefs of his Mind, and the Nature of his Dominion.

4. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was Spoken by the Prophet, faying,

5. Tell ye the Daughter of Sion, Behold thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and fitting upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of an afs.

7. After having fatisfied the Owners, who queftioned them about

6. And the Difciples went, and did as Jefus commanded them.

7. And brought them their cloaths,

oofing thefe Beafts; with their leave they

the afs and the colt, and put on and Jet him thereon.

brought them; and, instead of

riding Furniture, made use of their own Cloaths, and thus Jefus rode.

8. Great numbers of 8. And a very great Multitude Spread their garments the People alfo affifted in the way; Others cut down branches from the trees, at this Solemnity; They and ftrawed them in the way.

came out of the City to

meet him; They performed fuch Ceremonies of Joy and Refpect, as were cuftomary in publick Rejoicings; particularly, with the Jews at their most fplendid Feaft, that of Tabernacles, and at the Inauguration of their Kings.