where they are fure of a welcome reception, and of reft unto their fouls.

May the Almighty grant us grace to be of that glorious number, for the fake of our blessed faviour and redeemer, Jefus Christ our Lord! Amen.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER THE EIGHTH.

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1.

ST. JOHN, CHAP. IV.

WHI

HEN therefore the Lord knew how the Pharifees had heard "that Jefus made and baptized more difciples than John,

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2. (Though Jefus himself baptized not, but his disciples),

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'3. He left Judea, and departed again "into Galilee."

Bishop Beveridge obferves, that many people, mistaking the texts which relate to baptism, have fuppofed it neceffary that they should be perfectly instructed in their religion before they were baptized: he also says that European tranflators render the words of the original text, "Go ye

" and

" and teach all nations, baptizing them," &c.; but that it will bear no fuch fenfe: for that the word which they have translated "to teach" had no fuch fignification, but means, 'to be, or to make disciples;' and that they were to be taught after they were baptized. This opinion feems confirmed by St. Matthew, chap. xxviii. ver. 19. 20.; Go ye, therefore, and teach all "nations, baptizing them in the name of "the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to obferve "all things whatsoever I have command"ed you and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Thus, fays Beveridge, are all the texts upon this subject tranflated in the oriental versions by which means the Eastern Churches have escaped this error.

The Seventy who are so often referred to in books of divinity, were wife men of Greece who tranflated the Scriptures into the Greek language; and, it may naturally be fuppofed, that their work was not published till it had been inspected

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and

and corrected by the whole body. With fuch advantages, it must have been an excellent tranflation; in which light it is confidered by all the writers on divinity, and as a work highly beneficial to mankind.

'4. And he must needs go through "Samaria."

Before I proceed further with my comments upon this chapter, I propofe (trusting to the indulgence of my reader) to give fome account of the origin of the Samaritans, and of the hatred which fubfifted between them and the Jews; an account which, as it is strictly connected with the prefent fubject, will not, I hope, be thought either uninteresting or useless. For this purpose, I must carry my reader back to the prophecy of Ifaiah, (II. Kings, chap. xx.) who foretels to the good King Hezekiah the circumftances which were to happen to his pofterity, and the calamities to be brought on them by the Babylonians; and as fome parts of the hiftory of this king

furnish

furnish admirable leffons against pride and oftentation, I fhall treat of it pretty much at large.

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"In those days, Hezekiah was fick unto

death; and the prophet Ifaiah came and 'faid unto him, Thus faith the Lord, Set

thine house in order, for thou shalt die " and not live. Then he turned his face "to the wall and prayed unto the Lord,

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saying, I beseech thee, O Lord, remem"ber how I have walked before thee in "truth and with a perfect heart, and have "done that which is good in thy fight; " and Hezekiah wept fore."

The subsequent events will fhew us how much better it is to obferve a perfect refignation to the will of the Almighty, than to wish for any alteration in his wife decrees; but it is a melancholy weakness in our nature, that even fome of the best people are over-anxious for long life, inftead of refting affured that whatever time our all-wife and good Creator thinks fit to fummon us hence, is beft for us. God had compaflion on the weakness of Hezekiah,

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