15 comeft thou to me? And Jesus answering, faid unto him, Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh 16 us to fulfil all righteousness (/). Then he fuffered him. And Jesus when he was baptized, went up ftraightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove (m), and lighting upon him. And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

THEN was Jefus led up of the Spirit (a) into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was af 3 terwards an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he faid, If thou be the Son of God, command 4 that these stones be made bread. But he answered and faid, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone (b), but by every word that proceedeth out 5 of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh himup into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle

(2)

a

preparation

for

entering

new

As Baptifm denotes religion, it is not fit that fo folemn and facred a Rite (however un

neceffary in my particular cafe) should be omitted on this occafion. For I am willing to fubmit to any condefcenfion, and to conform to any cuftom that can tend to promote the cause of piety and virtue.

(m) It is not neceffary to suppose that the Spirit of God appeared in the shape of a Dove, but that the fluttering motion with which it came down, and hovered over him, was like that of a dove.

(a) Led by the holy Spirit of God. Let us learn from the temp. tation of Chrift, not to be discouraged when under any temptations. They are not always proofs of God's difpleasure, but are trials of our obedience, and if we use them right, will be means of our im

provement.

(6) It is only by God's good pleasure and appointment, that food hath power to nourish us. See Wisdom xvi. 26. And his Providence is at all times sufficient for our support and relief, either by usual or extraordinary means, for all are equally in his power: we are therefore never to defpair.

6 of the temple, And faith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, caft thyself down': for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, left at 7 any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus faid unto him, It is written again, (c) Thou shalt not 8 tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh hím up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glo9 ry of them: And faith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and 10 worship me. Then faith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, (d) and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

12

Now when Jefus had heard that John was cast into 13 prifon, he departed into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which

is upon the fea-coast, in the borders of Zabulon and 14 Nephthalim: That (e) it might be fulfilled which 15 was fpoken by Efaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nepthalim, by the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the 16 Gentiles (f): The people which fat in darkness, faw great light: and to them which fat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven (g) is at hand.

(c) On the other hand, to run wilfully into unneceffary danger, and then, expect that Providence will interpose for our fafety, is a most finful prefumptión. It is making an experiment, as it were, how far the power and goodness of God can reach.

(d) We fee that the word of God, justly applied, affords a fure defence against the affaults of the Devil, and that if we refift him, be will flee from us.

(e) Ifaiah ix. 1, 2. See Chap. i. Note (d). (f) The upper Galilee, bordering on the Gentile nations. (g) The kingdom of Heaven is to be understood, as in Chap. ii. 2. 18 And

B5

:

18 And Jesus walking by the fea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, cafting a net into the sea: (for they were fishers) 19 And he faith unto them, Follow me, and I will make 20 you fishers of men (b). And they straightway left 21 their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he faw other two brethren, James the fon of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he called 22 them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

:

:

:

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their fynagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of fickness, 24 and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria (i): and they brought unto him all fick people that were taken with divers diseases, and torments, and those which were poffefssed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he heal

25 ed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people, from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.

CHAP. V.

I AND feeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disci2 ples came unto him. And he opened his mouth, 3 and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in

(h) You shall have a far better employment; in recovering men from ignorance and fin, and bringing them into the way of truth and falvation.

(i) Syria was a country of large extent, bordering on the Holy

Land.

4 fpirit:

A

4 spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (a). Blessed are they that mourn (b): for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the 6 earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness (c): for they fhall be filled. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain 8 mercy. Bleffed are the pure in heart: for they shall fee God. Blessed are the peace-makers: for they 10 shall be called the children of God (d). Blefted are they which are perfecuted for righteousness sake (e): II for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and perfecute you, and shall fay all manner of evil against you falfly for my 12 fake: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven: for so perfecuted they the prophets which were before you.

13

Ye are the falt of the earth (f): but if the falt have loft his favour, wherewith shall it be falted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, 14 and to be trodden under foot of men (g). Ye are the light

(a) Blessed are the humble-minded; for they are of a fit disposition to receive the gospel, and become my disciples. Chap. ii. 2. (6) That they mourn for their sins with a godly forrow, which worketh repentance not to be repented of.

(c) They who earnefily defire to improve the foul in all virtue and goodness; which are as neceffary to its well-being, as meat and drink are to the support of the body.

(d) They imitate the divine goodness and love to mankind, and shall therefore be acknowledged by God for his children..

(e) For the fake of Chrift and his religion, which, though it ex-pole its profeffors to perfecution, is not however without its peculiar rewards. See Mark x. 30. Note.

(f) As falt is useful to keep meat sweet, fo you must take care that your instructions and example may be of use to purify the world, and keep it from the corruption of fin: otherwise you will be rejected, and caft out of the favour of God.

(g) In that country, rock falt lies level with the ground, and to fuch an extent, that long roads are made over it: but it is remark, able, that when the furface is broken by digging, the parts exposed

B6

to

i

light of the world. A city that is set on a hill, can15 not be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel; but on a candlestick, and it giveth 16 light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

17

Think not that I am come to destroy the law (b), or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to 18 fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pafs 19 from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whofoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called leaft in the kingdom of heaven (i): but whosoever shall do, and teach them, the same shall be called great in the king20 dom of heaven. For I fay unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness (k) of the

Scribes

to the weather are found to lose their favour, and become unfit for ufe.

(h) I am come, not to teach any thing contrary to what God hath been pleased to command. The foundation of my religion is in the law and the prophets; and the intent of it is, to explain and inforce, to fulfil and complete, what hath been already delivered by them in a less perfect manner.

(i) He shall be called, fignifies not only he shall be reputed, but he will actually be, leaft in the kingdom of heaven; that is, he is unworthy to profess the religion of Chrift; whereas he that takes the beft care to keep Chrifl's commands, and to promote the like obedience in others, is the best Christian, and fure of the highest reward.

(h). The righteousness on which the Scribes and Pharifees valued themselves, was a scrupulous attention to outward obfervances: but the righteousness that intitles a man to the profession and reward of a Chriftian, confifts in purity of heart and holiness of life; for it is not merely keeping the commandments according to the letter that will be accepted by God, but fulfilling them in their true spirit and intention, regulating and fubduing every defire of the heart, which might lead to the breach of any of them, even in the lowest degree, as our blessed Lord inftances in three several cafes; which, if they could be tried in courts of law, ought to be condemned there, according