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the sentence which he himself will give, when, sitting on his throne, they shall all appear at his tribunal, to receive every one his doom from the mouth of this righteous Judge of all men.

147. What he proposes to his followers to be believed, we have already seen, by examining his, and his apostles' preaching, step by step, all through the history of the four evangelists, and the Acts of the Apostles. The same method will best and plainest show us, whether he required of those who believed him to be the Messiah, any thing besides that faith, and what it was. For he being a king, we shall see by his commands what he expects from his subjects: for if he did not expect obedience to them, his commands would be but mere mockery; and if there were no punishment for the transgressors of them, his laws would not be the laws of a king, that had authority to command, and power to chastise the disobedient; but empty talk, without force, and without influence.

148. We shall therefore, from his injunctions, (if any such there be,) see what he has made necessary to be performed, by all those who shall be received into eternal life in his kingdom prepared in the heavens and in this we cannot be deceived. What we have from his own mouth, especially if repeated over and over again, in different places and expressions, will be past doubt and controversy. I shall pass by all that is said by St. John Baptist, or any other, before our Saviour's entry upon his ministry and public promulgation of the laws of his kingdom. He began his preaching with a command to repent; as St. Matthew tells

us: From that time Jesus began to preach; saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand :' and, Luke, v. 32, he tells the Scribes and Pharisees, 'I come not to call the righteous,' (those who were truly so, needed no help; they had a right to the tree of life,) but sinners to repentance.'

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149. In his sermon, as it is called, in the mount, he commands they should be exemplary in good works. Let your light so shine amongst men, that they may see your good, works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' And that they might know what he came for, and what he expected of them, he tells them, 'Think not that I am come to dissolve or loosen the law, or the prophets: I am not come to dissolve or loosen, but to make it full, or complete;' by giving it you in its true and strict sense. Here we see he confirms, and at once reinforces all the moral precepts in the Old Testament.

For verily I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be done. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least (that is, as it is interpreted, shall not be at all) in the kingdom of heaven. I say unto you, that except your righteousness,' that is, your performance of the eternal law of right, shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven:' and then he goes on to make good what he said, that he was come to complete the law,' viz., by giving its full and clear sense, free from the corrupt and loosening glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees. He tells them, that not only murder, but causeless

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anger, and so much as words of contempt, were forbidden. He commands them to be reconciled and kind towards their adversaries; and that upon pain of condemnation. In the following part of his sermon, which is to be read, Luke, vi., and more at large, Matt. v. vi. vii., he not only forbids actual uncleanness, but all irregular desires, upon pain of hell-fire; causeless divorces, swearing in conversation, as well as forswearing in judgment, revenge, retaliation, ostentation of charity, of devotion, and of fasting, repetitions in prayer, covetousness, worldly care, censoriousness: and on the other side, commands loving our friends, doing good to those that hate us, blessing those that curse us, praying for those that despitefully use us; patience and meekness under injuries; forgiveness, liberality, compassion and closes all his particular injunctions with this general golden rule: 'All things whatsoever ye would have that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.' And to show how much he is in earnest, and expects obedience to these laws, he tells them, that if they obey, 'great shall be their reward; they shall be called the sons of the Highest." And to all this, in the conclusion, he adds this solemn sanction: Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? It is in vain for you to take me for the Messiah, your king, unless you obey me. Not every one who calls me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, or be the sons of God; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven.' To such disobedient subjects, though

1 Luke, vi. 35.

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they have prophesied and done miracles in my name, I shall say at the day of judgment, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I know you not.'

150. When he was told that his mother and brethren sought to speak with him, 'stretching out his hands to his disciples, he said, Behold my mother and my brethren; for whosoever shall do the will of my Father, who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister, and mother.' They could not be children of the adoption, and fellow-heirs with him of eternal life, who did not do the will of his heavenly Father. Matt. xv. and Mark, vii., the Pharisees finding fault, that his disciples eat with unclean hands, he makes this declaration to his apostles: Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever from without entereth into a man, cannot defile him; because it enters not into his heart, but his belly. That which cometh out of the man that defileth the man: for from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, false witnesses, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these ill things come from within, and defile a man.' He commands self-denial, and the exposing ourselves to suffering and danger, rather than to deny or disown him; and this upon pain of losing our souls, which are of more worth than all the world.'

151. The apostles disputing amongst them who should be greatest in the kingdom of the Messiah,

This we may read, Matt. xvi. 24, 27, and the parallel places. Matt. viii. and Luke, ix.

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he thus determines the controversy: If any one will be first, let him be last of all, and servant of all :' and setting a child before them, adds, Verily I say unto you, unless ye turn, and become as children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaMatt. xviii. 15, 'If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother; but if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen and publican. Peter said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee till seven times, but until seventy times seven.' And then ends the parable of the servant, who being himself forgiven, was rigorous to his fellowservant, with these words: And his lord was wrath, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.' Luke, x. 25, to the lawyer, asking him, 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life? he said, What is written in the law? How readest thou? He answered, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.' Jesus said, 'This do, and thou shalt live.' And when the lawyer, upon our Saviour's parable of the good Samaritan, was forced to confess, that he that

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