9. Ch. xix. ver. 11. The Parable of the marriage of the king's fon. Of the ten virgins. -Of a kingdom divided against itself. Of the two debtors. -Of the candle under a bufhel. Of thofe bidden to a wedding. Of the loft fheep. -Of the loft piece of filver, Of the unjuft fteward. Of the Pharifee and Publican. Of the unprofitable fervant, or ten pieces of mo- 3. OUR Saviour's miracles were not defigned for oftentation, nor merely to furprife men, or to gratify their curiofity, but to be really ufeful and beneficial to mankind. Chrift's miracles made way for the reception of his doctrine, not only as they were a demonftration that he who wrought them was a teacher sent from God, but likewife as they were an argument of our Saviour's own affectionate love and kindness to the fons of men, and a pledge and affurance of God's gracious purpofes towards them. So fuitable were all Chrift's miracles to the great defign of his coming into the world, that they difpofed men to believe that he, who was the healer of their bodily infirmities, was alfo bett qualified to be the phyfician of their fouls. We may further confider, that the prophets foretold that the Meffiah fhould come with miracles, and they have inftanced in the particular kinds of miracles which he wrought. So that here we have God himself bearing witness, by the mouth of his prophets, to the truth of our Saviour's miracles, and guarding them from all fufpicion of impofture; all which you may readily find by the following directions. St. MATTHEW. 13. The MIRACLES. CHRIST cleanfeth the leper. See Mark i. ver. 42. 15.Healeth Peter's mother-in-law. See Mark i. ver. 16. 26. 31. Luke iv. ver. 39. -Cafteth out devils, and healeth the fick. See -Rebuketh the winds and the sea, and there was a St. St. MATTHEW. Ch. viii. ver. 28. Ch. ix. ver. 6.. 20. 25. 30. 33. Ch. xii. ver. 13. 22. Ch. xiv. ver. 20. 25. 36.. Ch. xv. ver. 28. 30. 37. Ch. xvii. ver. 18. per See Mark v. CHRIST cafteth devils out of two men which he -Cureth a man fick of the palfy. See Mark ii. Cureth a woman diseased of an issue of blood 12 Giveth fight to two blind men. -Healeth a dumb man poffeffed with a devil. See -Reftoreth the withered hand. See Markiii. ver. 5. -Healeth one poffeffed that was blind and dumb. -Healeth the fick with the hem of his garment at -Healeth the daughter of the woman of Canaan. -Healeth the lame, blind, dumb, maimed, &c. -Healeth the lunatick. See Mark ix. ver. 26. 27.His miraculous paying of tribute by money taken Ch. xxi. ver. 14. 19. St. MARK. Ch. i. ver. 26.. Ch. viii. ver. 25.. St. LUKE. out of the fifh's mouth. -Healeth the fick. Giveth fight to two blind men. Healeth the blind and lame. Curfeth the fig-tree. See Mark xi. v. 14. Healeth one that had a devil. See Luke iv. v. 35. -Reftoreth fight to a blind man at Bethfaida. -Reftoreth fight to Bartimeus. See Luke xviii. Commands a miraculous draught of fishes. Ch. xxiv. ver. 4.-Healeth one of the dropfy. St. 4. OUR Saviour's manner of life and converfation. He practifed first himself what he taught to others, and laid no other burthens upon his difciples, but what he willingly underwent himself, and wherein he was their pattern as well as their director. He was one intire inftance of all eminent virtues. He made it his meat and drink to do the will of him that fent him; he went about doing good, and healing both the bodies and fouls of men. He fubmitted to the lowest offices for the fake of others, and was at every body's fervice that defired his affiftance. He condefcended to the meanest company, that of publicans and finners, when he had a profpect of doing any good upon them; and was content to lofe the reputation of being a good man, that he might more effectually ferve the ends of piety and goodness. So much goodness never met with fuch ungrateful and unfuitable returns! And yet this did not difcourage him from going on as he had begun: He still continued unwearied in well-doing, endeavouring to conquer men's malice by kindness, and overcome evil with good. This eminent example of humility and a patient fubmiffion to God's will, charity, and a contempt of the world, which are the peculiar doctrines of the chriftian religion, and were never effectually, till then, recommended to the world, and which are so confpicuous in every part of our Saviour's life, is of great efficacy to perfuade us to go and do likewife. 5. THE circumftances of our Saviour's death. In great humility he took upon him the form of a fervant, and submitted to a fervile and ignominious death, and was numbered among the tranfgreffors. He gave the greatest demonstration of his charity, in dying even for his enemies, and offering up his blood, as well as prayers, to procure a pardon for thofe that fhed it. And how tender his affections were towards his friends and followers, fully appears from his last discourses, wherewith he took his leave of his difciples, recorded in the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters of St. John; a portion of fcripture which we cannot too often read and confider, fo full it is of excellent advice and heavenly confolation. This we may call the laft fermon of our dying Lord, which we ought to lay up in our minds, as the pledge of his love, and our own fecurity. And when our Lord had in fo affectionate a manner performed all the tendereft offices of the kindest mafter and the best friend, he absolutely refigned himself to the will of his father, and became obedient to death, even the death of the crofs! Our Saviour hath thus given us an example both how to live, and how to die: and if we follow this glorious pattern, which he hath fet us, neither death nor life will be able to separate us from him. Therefore fays the apostle, "Take heed that ye defpife not him "that speaks to you in the holy Gospels; for, if they escaped not, who defpifed "him that spake on earth, how fhall we efcape, if we turn away from him that fpeaks to us from henven?" For which end therefore I have added the following particulars, that you may the more readily improve in the knowledge of the great mysteries and duties recorded in these holy books. St. MAT. St. MATTHEW. THIS gospel contains an hiftory of the birth, life, miracles, death, and refurrection of Jefus: All which most necessary truths must be known and believed. The genealogy of Chrift, ch. 1. v. I. The preaching, &c. of John the Bap- -Fafting and temptation, ch. 4. v. I. Teacheth to pray, c. 6. v. 5. ข. L. The names of the apoftles, c. 10. ย. 2. c. 18. v. 21. Christ's humility add meekness, c. 18. v. 15. The danger of riches, c. 19. v. 23. -Driveth buyers and fellers out of Chrift proves the refurrection of the The first and great commandment, c. 22. v. 34. The figns of Chrifl's coming tojudgment, c. 24. v. 29. -Of the deftruction of the temple, c. 24. v. 3. A defcription of the last judgment, c. 25. v. 31. Judas betrays Christ, c. 26. v. 14. & 47. Chrift eateth the Passover, c. 26. v. 17. Their commiffion, c. 10. v. 1. See-Inftituteth the Lord's-Supper, c. Mark 6. v. 7. Luke 9. v. 1. 26. v. 26. Chrift's teftimony concerning John,-Is denied by Peter, c. 26. v. 69. See Mark 14. v. 66. c. II. v. 7. The blafphemy against the Holy-Delivered to Pilate, c. 27. v. I. Ghost, c. 12. v. 31. -Crowned with thorns, c. 27.v.29. Death of John the Baptift, c. 14.-Crucified, c. 27. v. 35. v. 3. See Mark 6. v. 27. Chrift condemneth the traditions of the Pharifees, c. 15. v. 3. Peter's confeffion of faith, c. 16. v. 16. -Dieth, c. 27. v. 50. Chrift's refurrection, c. 28. v. 1. Chrift's transfiguration, c. 17. v. I.-Sendeth his difciples to baptise See Mark 9. v. I. -Teacheth forgiveness and mercy, and preach to all nations; c. 28. v. 19. See Luke, c. 24. v. 45. St. MARK. St. MARK was the difciple and companion of St. Peter; and fome affirm, that this gofpel of our Saviour's life and death was dictated to him by St. Peter, and indited by the Holy Ghoft. The character of St. John the Baptift, Chrift fheweth what divorcement is c. I. v. 2.6, 6. v. 27. lawful, c. 10. v. 2. Chrift 3 Chrift exhorteth us to watch and | Herod's value for the Baptift, c. 6. v. pray, c. 13. v. 32. 26. Afcendeth into heaven, c. 16. The Baptift's fuffering, c. 6. v. 27. v. 19. See Luke, c. 24. v. 51. Ačts, See Luke, c. 3. v. 20. c. I. v. 9. St. LUKE. THIS gofpel, written by St. Luke, the phyfician and beloved companion of St. Paul, by the Special direction and inspiration of the Holy Ghoft, was dedicated by him to Theophilus, who was an honourable fenator, or a renowned perfon in the church. Chrift reprehendeth Martha, &c. The conception of John the Bap- John the Baptif's nativity and cir- c. 2. v. 8. -His circumcifion, c. 2. v. 21. c. 2. v. 22. Chrift difputing with the doctors in V. I. The Centurion's faith, c. 7. V. I.. The converfion of Mary Magdalen, c. 7. v. 36. Christ fendeth out 70 difciples, c. 10. V. I. -Teacheth the way of falvation, f. 10. v. 25. -Covetoufnefs, c. 12. v. 13. The penitent thief's requeft, c. 23. -To the apostles, c. 24. v. 36. -Promifeth the Holy Ghoft, c. 24. v. 49. St. JOHN. THE writer of this gospel was the beloved difciple that lay in the bofom of Chrift; the occafion thereof was the herely of Ebion and Cerinthus, which denied the divinity of Jefus Chrift. The defign of this gospel is to defcribe the perfon of Chrift in his divine and buman nature, as the object of our faith. The other Evangelifts prove him to be truly man; this proves him to be God as well as man. They relate what Christ did; St. John reports what Chrift jaid. They recount his miracles; he records his fermons and prayers: By which be unfolds the profound mysteries of our holy religion. The divinity, humanity, and office | Christ talketh with the woman of of Christ, c. 1. v. I. The teftimony of John the Baptist, c. I. v. 15. Christ teacheth Nicodemus the neceffity of regeneration, c. 3. v. I. Samaria, c. 4. V. I. -Reproveth the Jews, c. 5. v. 10. V. 12. |