MATTHEW. MARK. LUKE JOHN. СНАР. Х. robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be faved, and fhall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to fteal, and to kill, and to deftroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. II I am the good shepherd: the good fhepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling and not the fhepherd, whofe own the sheep are not, feeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the fheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the fheep. 14 I am the good fhepherd,. and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even fo know I the Father: Robbers, whofe bufinefs it was to mislead the Sheep, that is, to pervert the Good, who never gave ear to them. I only am the Gate; whoever imbraces my Doctrin. fhall enter into the Sheepfold, and remain in fafety, and be nourished with the food of my Doctrin. The Thief comes only that he may fteal and kill the Sheep, and the Impoftor's bufinefs is to make a prey of thofe he can impofe on. I am come to Mankind, as the Shepherd vifits his Flock, not that they may have wherewith to supply the mere neceffities of Life, but a Plenty of it. I am that true Shepherd who am ready to expofe my Life in defence of the Sheep. But the Hireling, who feeds the Flock of another man, feeing the Wolf coming, forfakes his charge, and leaves 'em to be devour'd and difpers'd by him, being only a mercenary, and confequently thinking it not worth while to run the hazard of his Life for them. But I am, as I faid, the true Shepherd, who know my Sheep, and am known by them.. My Father knows whatever I defign, and I know what it is he expects from me; and MATTHEW. MARK. LUKE. JOHN. СНА Р. Х. and I lay down my life for the Theep. 16 And other fheep. I have, which are not of this fold: them alfo I must bring, and they fhall hear my voice; and there fhall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my self: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 19 There was a divifion therefore again among the Jews for these fayings. 20 And many of them faid, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 21 Others faid, These are not the words of him that hath a devil: Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? and whenever it is neceffary, will not refufe to lay down my Life for 'em, because it is his good pleasure. But other Sheep I have befide thofe of the Jewish Nation, whom I am to bring into one Sheepfold, together with the believing Jews. They, when acquainted with the Gospel, will perceive its divine Original; and fo it will fall out, that all my Sheep fhall be gathered into one Sheepfold, and be under the care of one Shepherd. And my Father loves me, because I am difpos'd to dy, that I may bring Salvation to them: But the Life I fhall lofe for their fakes, I fhall alfo recover. No one can take it from me, if I confent not; but I will freely lay it down for a fhort time, for I have the power confer'd upon me of parting with it, and refuming it again. Thefe Commands I have receiv'd from my Father. Upon this Speech of Jefus, the Jews were again divided in their opinions concerning him; fome faying that he was over-run with Melancholy, or poffeffed with an evil Spirit, while others faid, that this was not the Speech of a man out of his wits, and ask'd one another whether the Demons could give fight to the Blind? СНАР. 17 And the feventy returned again with joy, faying, Lord, even the devils are fubject unto us through thy name. 18 And he faid unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning, fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on ferpents and fcorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing fhall by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the fpirits are fubject to you: but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. CHAP. XLI. Јони. The Jeventy Difciples return to Jefus. His Difcourfe with them; he fhews them the advantage of their holy Vocation. His answer to a Lawyer who inquir'd of him the way to obtain eternal Life, concerning him that may be faid to be our Neighbour. He is entertain'd by Martha and Mary. His Doctrin concerning Prayer. One cured that was poffefs'd with a dumb Dæmon, which Miracle Chrift maintains against the Calumny of the Pharifees. He shows who are bleffed, and treats of the Obftinacy of the Jews who requir'd a Miracle. He is invited to Dinner by a Pharifee, whereupon be inveighs against the Hypocrites who laid fnares for him. ΤΗ HE Feaft of Tabernacles being ended, Jefus departed from Ferusalem, and the 70 Disciples, who, as we faid, were fent out into divers places to publish the approach of the Kingdom of the Meth, return'd to him. They were filled with joy, because God had bin fo propitious to them, as to caft out the evil Spirits at their invocating him. Jefus told them, that while they had bin publishing the Gospel, his defign was to deftroy the Empire of thofe evil Spirits, which he forefaw was nigh, and that he had feen them precipitated like Lightning from Heaven, into which they had as it were exalted themfelves, by the general Impiety of Mankind. But, faid he, to incourage you to go on couragioully in your Ministry, I give you the power of treading upon Serpents and Scorpions, without receiving any hurt from them, a Power which will fecure you againft all the attempts of the evil Spirits and other Enemies of the Gofpel. However, rejoice not fo much be .. caufe the Damons are subjected to you, as because your Names are registred in the Kingdom of the Meffiah. ST. Jefus MATTHEW. MARK. LUKE. СНА Р. Х. 21 In that hour Jefus rejoiced in fpirit, and faid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou haft hid these things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes: even fo, Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight. 22 All things are delivered to me of my Father and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. 23 And he turned him unto bis difciples, and faid privately, Bleffed are the eyes which fee the things that ye fee. 24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have defired to fee those things which ye fee, and have not seen them; and to hear thofe things which ye hear, and have not heard them. JOHN. Fefus having faid this, and confidering what fort of men they were whom he imployed in publishing his Gofpel, broke out into this joyful exclamation: I thank thee, O Father, the Lord of all things, and acknowledg thy Wisdom in the method thou haft chofen for the propagating thy Gospel among the Jews, whose divine Original is not perceiv'd by thofe that are vulgarly efteem'd Wife and Learned, whereas it is clearly manifefted to men of far lefs Learning and Politics, who are wont to be directed by them. Even fo Father, because it has pleas'd thee for thy own moft wife Defigns, which it is impoffible for men to fathom. Then addreffing himfelf to the Auditory: Whatsoever I fay, I have received from the Father, nor does any one know my purposes besides him; fo also no one knows the pleasure of the Father but the Son, and they to whom the Son will reveal it. Then taking the Apostles afide, he told them in privat, that they were highly blefs'd who faw the things that they then faw, namely Himfelf, and the Miracles perform'd by him. For, faid he, many Prophets and religious Princes have defired to fee thefe times in which fo many are reclaim'd from their Vices by the Miracles wrought among them, and to hear thofe Difcourfes by which you are inform'd of the means of obtaining eternal Happiness, and yet never faw or heard. any thing like them. Upon 25 And behold, a certain lawyer ftood up, and tempted him, faying, Mafter, what ihall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He faid unto him, What is written in the law? how readeft thou? 27 And he answering, faid, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy ftrength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thy felf. 28 And he faid unto him, Thou haft answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 29 But he willing to justify himfelf, faid unto Jefus, And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jefus anfwering, faid, A certain man went down from Jerufalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped JOHN. Upon this, a certain Lawyer, to try whether he would fay any thing contrary to the Law, put this queftion to him: Mafter, what advice do you give me to obtain this eternal Happiness? Jefus knowing his design, ask'd him what the Law of Mofes prefcrib'd in this cafe, bidding him quote fome Paffage out of it. The Lawyer cited these words, which comprehend the Sum and Subftance of the whole Law: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy ftrength, and thy Neighbor as thy felf: Deut. 6. 5. Levit. 19. 18. Which words, if taken in that large fenfe the Gofpel puts upon them, and not in the Jewish interpretation of them, contain the fummary of the whole Duty of Man. Jefus therefore replied; Thou answereft right, do this, and thou fhalt obtain eternal Happiness. The Lawyer, to fhew his Probity and Devotion, ask'd Jefus who might by the Law be accounted our Neighbour; that upon hearing his Anfwer he might profefs he had obferv'd the Law in this particular alfo: for he made no question but he should easily be believ'd to have obferved the former part, which enjoins the Love of God, fince it was certain that not he only, but many others of the Jews, rejecting the fictitious Deities and Idols of the Gentiles, applied them. felves folely to the Worship of the true God. Jefus, to fhew him he was far from loving his Neighbour like himself, fince that Appellation belong'd to fuch alfo as the Jews thought they might juftly hate, made this answer: A Few travelling from Jerufalem to Jericho, was fet upon by Robbers, Sf2 who |