ever: caft out by Thy powerful Grace Leffon 92. Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad: for, the tree is known by itsfruit. generation of Vipers? how can you being evil fpeak good things? for,out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpeaks, A good man, out of his good treafure, brings forth good things: and an evil man, out of his evil treafure, brings forth evil things. But,Ifay to you, Of every idle word that men fhall fpeak Ethey hall give account in the day of judg-ment. For, by thy words thou shalt be juftif'd, and by thy words condemn'd. Then certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees anfwered, faying, Mafter, we Would fee a fign from Thee.. But He answering faid to them, A wicked and adulterous generation feeks after a fign; and there fhall none be given it, but the fign of the Prophet Jonas. For, as Jonas was three days and three nights in: the Whales belly: fo fhall the Son of Man Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth, As Jonas was a fign to the Ninevites, fo fhall the Son of Man be to this generation. The men of Nineveh fhall rife in judgment with this generation, and condemn it: becaufe they did penance at the preaching of Jonas, and, behold a greater then F nas is here. The Queen of the South fhall rise up in judgment with this gene ration, and condemn it: for fhe came from the utmost parts of the Earth to hear the Wisdom of Solomon; and, behold a greater then Solomon is here. Refp. Clearfe Thou our hearts, O Lord, from all vain and unlawful thoughts, and our mouths from all foolish and idle words, and our whole lives from all wicked and unprofitable deeds. For, in that great and terrible day, by what we are we fhall be justified; and, by what we are, be condemned. How many Nations will. rife up against us! how will our own Confciences reproach and confound us!! if we neglect fuch motives to Repentance ; if we refufe the Wisdom of the Son of d, bo came down from the highest Hea vens Himself to teach us.. God, n * For, in Lefo Leffon 93. No man lights a Candle and puts it in fecret, nor under a bufhel, but on a Candlestick; that they who go in may fee the light. The Candle of thy body is thy eyes, if thine eye be fimple,thy whole body will be lightfom; but,if it be evil, thy body alfo will be dark. See therefure that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If therefore thy whole. body be light fom not having any part of darkness, it will be all lightfom; as when a Candle with bright fhining doth give thee light. When the unclean Spi-. it is gone out of a Man, he walks through dry places, feeking reft, and finds none. Then he fays, I will return into my houfe from whence I departed: and, when he is come, he finds it empty, fwept and garnisht. Then goes he, and takes with him feven other Spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse then the first. So fhall it allo be to this wicked generation. Refp. Purifie, O Lord, the intention of our bearts, that our whole aim may be the advancement of Tby Glory; directing ftill every thought and word and action, to the eternal Salvation of our felves and others. * So shall we never mifcarry in our way, while we walk by the light of a fincere Confcience. Deliver us, 0 Lord, from all wicked Spirits, and confecrate our Souls into a refidence for thy felf: and, when Thou once haft chac'd away our enemy,fuffer him no more to return again; least our latter state become worfe then the former. So fhall we Leẞon 94. But And it came to pass, when He had faid these things, a certain Woman among the multitude, lifting up her voice, said, Bleffed is the Womb that bare Thee, and the Breafts that Thou didst fuck. He faid, nay rather, Bleffed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. And, while He was yet speaking to the People, behold, His Mother and His Brethren ftood without, defiring to speak with Him, and could not come at Him for the prefs: and they fent to Him,calling Him.. Then it was told Him. Behold Thy Mother and Thy Brethren ftand without, feeking Thee, and defirinh to see Thee. But, He anfwering faid, Who is My Mc-. Mother, and Who are My Brethren? And, looking round on them who fat about Him, and ftretching His hand towards His Difciples, He faid, Behold My Mother and My Brethren. For, whoever fhall do the Will of My Father who is in Heaven, the fame is My Bro ther and My Sifter and Mother. Relp. BleBed, O JESU, is the Womb that bare Thee, and the Breafts that gave Thee fuck Bleßed every one that had the bonour of Relation to Thee: but yet, Submitting to Thy better judgment, *Bleed are rather they who bear the Word of God and keep it. Bleffed, 0 Lord were Thy Followers, who faw Thy Miracles, and Thy familiar acquaintance who convers'd with Thy Perfon; Bleffed were Thy Difciples whom Thou chofeft for Thine Own Companions: Tet, fill preferring Thy wifer Vote, Blessed are rather Leẞon 95. The fame day, when much people were met together; and came flocking to Him. from the Cities, He went out of the houfe, and fat by the Sea fide, and began again to teach them. And great multi tudes |