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fortifies them against the dread of their power ;-reminds them of the care of Providence ;—and of the greatness of their future recompense :—the danger of apostacy ;—and of detracting from the Holy Spirit :-warning against covetousness, from the example of a rich fool who exulted in his stores, and knew not that he had a day to live :—against anxiety :—incitements to vigilance and activity :—the doctrine of Jesus the occasion of contention and division :—men attentive and judicious in temporal affairs, often careless and injudicious in spiritual

concerns.

Page 273

SECTION IX.

THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM.

CHAPTERS XIII. XIV.

Sudden and violent deaths not evidences of greater guilt in individuals, but general warnings to reformation :-the similitude of the barren fig-tree :—an infirm woman cured on the Sabbath :—the similitude of the grain of mustard seed ;—and of the leaven:-salvation demands our utmost vigilance and exertion :-in spite of Herod's designs upon him, Jesus would go about safely for a short time, and then finish his course at Jerusalem;-his lamentation over that impenitent and devoted city:-a dropsical man cured in a Pharisee's house on the Sabbath -a warning against forwardness and vanitý :— admonition to entertain the needy rather than the wealthy :— parable of the supper to which the invited refused to come :the necessity of deliberation before we engage in the Messiah's service, illustrated from the example of a prudent builder ;and of a king at war.

283

SECTION X.

PARABLES.

CHAPTERS XV. XVI.

The lost sheep—the lost drachma ;—the prodigal son ;—the unjust, but provident steward;-the use men make of temporal things here, marks their fitness for the trust of spiritual things hereafter :-admonitions against avarice ;-hypocrisy ;-reliance on the judgment of men ;—against divorce :—the utmost exertion requisite to secure a place in the kingdom of heaven: the rich man and Lazarus.

Page 289

SECTION XI.

INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS.

CHAPTERS XVII. XVIII. XIX. 1-27.

Nothing more dangerous than to ensnare :—the method of treating an offending brother :—the power of faith :—obedience to the Creator, gives no claim on his favour :—the cure of ten lepers, of whom only one, a Samaritan, proves grateful:-the reign of God not introduced with outward show :—the coming to judgment sudden and unexpected, like the deluge, and the destruction of Sodom :-that disciple is fortified against danger who prefers his Master to every earthly thing :-the parable of the importunate widow and the unjust judge :-the devotions of the Pharisee and of the publican compared:-the people encouraged to bring their children to Jesus-what must be done to obtain eternal life :—how far the desire of perfection would lead us :-riches a great obstacle to men's admission into the kingdom :—the reward of them who abandon any thing for Jesus; his death and resurrection foretold;—the cure of a blind beggar-the conversion of Zaccheus :-the parable of the pounds.

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295

SECTION XII.

THE ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.

CHAPTERS XIX. 28, &c. xx. xxi. 1-4.

Jesus rides into the city on an ass, the multitude accompanying him with shouts ;-laments the obduracy of the city, and foretells its fate ;-drives the traffickers out of the temple ;-silences the chief priests and others who questioned his authority : -the parable of the husbandmen who ill-treated and killed their landlord's messengers :-foretells the rejection of the Jews, and the admission of the Gentiles into the church :eludes the craft of the Pharisees who question him on the lawfulness of paying tribute to Cesar :-vindicates the resurrection against the Sadducees :-puzzles the Pharisees about the meaning of an expression in the Psalms :—warns his hearers against the vanity and arrogance of the Scribes :-teaches that charity is to be rated more by the ability of the giver than by the greatness of the gift.

Page 303

SECTION XIII.

THE LAST SUPPER.

CHAPTERS XXI. 5, &c. xxII. 1—53.

The destruction of the temple foretold :—the calamities by which it would be preceded;-the signs that judgment is nigh:-the punishment of the wicked will prove the deliverance of the saints: the need of unremitted vigilance :—the rulers consult together about putting Jesus to death :-Judas sells him to them :-Jesus eats the passover with his disciples ;—institutes the commemoration of his death;-acquaints them of the treachery of one of them ;-assures them, that, in his reign, humility and usefulness will prove the only, genuine honour ;—foretells the transgression of Peter,-and some of the calamities to

which they where soon to be exposed :—the agony on Mount Olivet :-he is seized by an armed multitude conducted by Judas;—heals the high priest's servant whose ear had been cut off by one of the Apostles.

Page 308

SECTION XIV.

THE CRUCIFIXION.

CHAPTERS XXII. 54, &c. xxiii. 1–49.

Jesus is brought to the high priest's house ;-denied by Peter;abused by the servants;-tried by the Sanhedrim, and condemned;-consigned to the Roman procurator, before whom they accuse him of sedition and rebellion :-Pilate not convinced, sends him to Herod, then at Jerusalem :-Herod disappointed of seeing him perform miracles, derides him, and remands him to Pilate.-Pilate perceiving his innocence, tries in vain to save him, on pretence of granting him to the prayer of the people, accustomed to obtain the release of a prisoner at the passover ; -but they and their rulers obstinately demand the crucifixion of Jesus, and the release of Barabbas imprisoned for sedition and murder:-Pilate reluctantly consents to gratify them :Jesus led to Calvary, the cross carried by Simon a Cyrenian; -is followed by some female disciples, who lament him ;-is nailed to the cross between two malefactors ;-prays for his enemies ;-is insulted by all ranks ;-one of the malefactors joins in insulting him ;-and is rebuked by the other :-Jesus promises paradise to the penitent criminal :-th edeath of Jesus attended with such prodigies as confound the centurion and other spectators.

315

7

SECTION XV.

THE RESURRECTION.

CHAPTERS XXIII. 50, &c. XXIV.

The body of Jesus given to Joseph of Arimathea, who deposits it in his own sepulchre :—the resurrection of Jesus announced by angels to some pious women at the sepulchre;-these report it to the disciples:-Peter hastens to the sepulchre, where he finds nothing but the linen :-Jesus appears to two disciples on the way to Emmaus ;-he appears to Peter and afterwards to the eleven; he eats with them, and shows them from the scriptures, the necessity of his death and resurrection ;-commissions them to preach his doctrine, after the instructions they were soon ta receive from the Holy Spirit ;-leads them out to Bethany,and having blessed them, ascends into heaven. Page 320

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