21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels g into Abraham's

g into heaven, to be placed next to Abraham the bosom: the rich man father of the faithful, (see note [g] on Matt. viii.) also died, and was

buried;

23 And in 9 hell 23. And being dead, and in a place of tormenting he lift up his eyes, flames, he beholds Abraham in a place of joy, and the being in torments, and seeth Abraham Poor Lazarus placed next to him. (See note [g] on Matt. viii.)

afar off, and Lazarus

in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this

flame.

25 But Abraham

25. And Abraham, with all *mildness and gentlesaid, Son, remember ness and compassion, without any reproaching or that thou in thy lifetime [e] receivedst reviling, said unto him, All that I can in this thy sad thy good things, and condition impart to thee is only to tell thee what thou likewise Lazarus evil art now to expect, and to mind thee of the reasonablethings: but now he ness of it; for all thy portion of abundance and is comforted, and thou art tormented. prosperity and ease and felicity, without intermixture 26 And beside all of afflictions, thou hast already enjoyed, and spent this, between us and upon thyself in thy lifetime, without imparting them. you there is a great to any other, though in neversomuch want of thy gulf fixed so that relief; and on the other side, Lazarus hath had all his they which would pass from hence to portion of afflictions already; and now it is but just that you cannot; neither he should have his bliss and you your torment withcan they pass to us, out any allay or mixture.

thence.

any re

that would come from 26. But beside, there is an irreversible decree 27 Then he said, I passed upon you and all such, and it is not possible pray thee therefore, for all the saints in heaven to yield or obtain father, that thou lease for you, or for you to get release one minute out wouldest send him of that state. to my father's house:

9 hades, adns.

οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀπάνθρωπε καὶ ὠμὲ, &ς, ἀλλὰ τί ; τέκνον, φησί. Titus Bostrensis, p. 808. C.

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also

h give an account of my condition, and with it some seasonable needful exhortation unto them— i though they are not moved with the hearing God's come into this place law and denunciation of the prophets, being so familiar with them, yet a messenger from the dead, which 29 Abraham saith shall testify his own sight or knowledge, may prounto him, They have bably work upon them to believe what he saith, and Moses and the prophets; let them hear to be warned and reformed by it.

of torment.

them.

repent.

31 But Abraham answered him with a quite 30 And he said, contrary affirmation, That they which by the knowNay, father Abra- ledge of their duty delivered by Moses and the ham: but if one went unto them from denunciations of the prophets are not wrought on, the dead, they will or brought to obedience or amendment of life, would not in any probability be wrought on by a narration 31 And he said of one that came to them from the dead: there being unto him, If they hear not Moses and more reason to persuade any rational man that the the prophets, nei- scriptures are true, and worth our heeding, or (that ther will they be being supposed, as among the Jews it was) that upon persuaded, though that one motive delivered in them he should reform one rose from the and amend his life, than there would be to trust or believe him that should bring a message from the dead to any man on the earth, and to forsake an habit of sin upon that motive.

dead.

THEN said he

unto the disciples, It is impossible but

CHAP. XVII.

a It is not to be imagined that God should so think that offences will fit to interpose his power perpetually as to hinder or come: but woe unto not permit false doctrines and schisms, and other the him, through whom like means of hindering or discouraging men in their 2 It were better for Christian course, to come into the world, (Matt. xviii. him that a millstone 7.) to draw men from the Christian doctrine of truth were hanged about and charity: but woe unto—

they come !

his neck, and he cast

into the sea, than

that he should 2bof- b discourage or drive off one Christian to unchristfend one of these ian life.

little ones.

gainst thee, rebuke

3 Take heed to 3, 4. Be ye careful that ye be not guilty of any yourselves: If thy degree of this; but on the other side, after the exbrother trespass a- ample of Christ, (mentioned in this matter, Matt. xviii. him; and if he re- 11, 12,) do the utmost in your power to reduce any pent, forgive him. Christian that offendeth, though it be by injuring thee; 4 And if he tres- in which case thou art to be so far from being angry pass against thee with him, or designing revenge, that thou must, beseven times in a day, side pardoning him upon his reformation, how often a day turn again to so ever he offend thee, use all probable means to thee, saying, I re- bring him to repentance.

and seven times in

pent; thou shalt forgive him.

5. Upon another occasion, (most probably that Matt. xvii. 20, where, in the discourse between his 5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, disciples and him, he taxeth their unbelief,) he was Increase our faith. intreated by some of the disciples (who were not able 6 And the Lord to cast out a devil, or cure the young man of the said, If ye had faith epilepsy, Matt. xvii. 16.) that he would give them as a grain of mustard more of this gift of miracles, that they might be able unto this sycamine to do all to which they were by his designation sent, tree, Be thou pluck- but were not able to do them for want of some higher ed up by the root, degree of this miraculous faith than as yet they had and be thou planted attained to.

seed, ye might say

in the sea; and it

should obey you.

6. And he said unto them, If you had but the least 7 But which of degree of true faith, you should by my power be enyou, having a servant abled to work any the greatest miracle, remove mounplowing or feeding tains, Matt. xvii. 20, make trees grow in the sea, &c. cattle, will say unto But what I mean by this true faith, I will express to he is come from the you by a parable or similitude.

him by and by, when

field, Go and sit down to meat?

rather say unto him,

eaten and drunken;

7-10. As it is with an hired servant, it is not sufficient for him to do that one business for which he

8 And will not was hired, but other common offices there are which Make ready where- belong indifferently to all servants, as waiting at table, with I may sup, and &c.; and when he hath done his other works in the gird thyself, and field for which he was hired, as ploughing, &c., he serve me, till I have must first set cheerfully to the other offices before he and afterward thou think he have done his duty, or expect to receive his shalt eat and drink? ordinary food, his daily wages; so must ye (whose 9 Doth he thank task it is to cure diseases, cast out devils) do all those that servant because things with all fidelity which are means to that end, he did the things or never think have performed your duty. When ed him? I trow not. confidence of my power and using the mention of my 10 So likewise ye, name will not cast out devils, then solemn prayer is when ye shall have your duty, to be superadded to that; and when that done all those things and prayer alone will not do, you must add fasting also, Matt. xvii. 21, and not think that it is free for ed you, say, We are [a] unprofitable ser- you to do or not to do this, (and that if you do it, it is vants: we have done eminent virtue in you,) but you must look upon it as that which was our necessary duty, which when you have done, you have duty to do.

that were

command

which are command

you

done no more than was commanded you, and was strictly required of you to do. This is the best answer which is likely to be given to your request of having your faith increased. Do not you neglect the means, and you shall be able to do what miracles you will; but as long as you think your partial obedience will serve the turn, and will not take the pains to fast and pray, to cast out a devil, and the like; this is an infidelity in you, Matt. xvii. 17. 20, which will disable you from doing those miracles which otherwise you would easily be able to do.

II And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted

e who being unclean by their leprosy, and so to be separated from society, durst not come near unto him. 13. And being far from him, they cried aloud to said, Jesus, Master, him, and said— have mercy on us.

up their voices, and

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, "Go shew d You shall be healed; and therefore go and shew yourselves unto the yourselves to the priest, which by the law you are repriests. And it came to pass, that, as they quired to do when the cure is wrought, that he went, they were pronounce you clean: do you go immediately to the priest, and before you come thither you shall be cured. 15 And one of them, And accordingly it fell out, as they were on their way, they were healed.

cleansed.

when he saw that he

was healed, turned back, and with aloud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down e

may

now came near unto him, being cured of his unon his face at his clean disease, which before made him stand afar off, feet, giving him and fell down before him on his face, giving him

thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

ngdom of God

18. No one hath returned to acknowledge the mercy, save this one, who is a Gentile, or no Jew (for so are the Samaritans accounted by the Jews).

f when that kingdom of God, which John Baptist 20 ¶ And when he and he had preached so often, should come, he said, demanded of the It comes not in any splendid manner, as you expect, arisees, f when the with a pompous solemn court along with it, for men should come, he an- to gaze and look upon it, and say, Lo, here it comes! swered them and as it is wont to be with ordinary courts of kings when said, The kingdom they remove: for indeed it is already among you, of God cometh not the gospel preached, which is the sceptre of this kingNeither shall dom; and all other parts are but attendants of that. they say, Lo here! See note [c] on Matt. iii.

with observation :

21

or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 22 And he said un

22. And turning to his disciples, he tells them of to the disciples, The these Pharisees, and other the like contemners of his days will come, when preaching, that they that now despise this sceptre of ye shall desire to see the kingdom, receive not the gospel, there shall come one of the days of the Son of man, and out against them that iron rod, destruction for this ye shall not see it. great sin; and then it will be too late for them to wish 23 And they shall for these days of mercy which now they despise and See here; make no use of. say to you,

or, see there: go not

them.

after them, nor follow 23. Then many shall put you in hopes of a deliverer, pretend that there is a Messias in this or that place; 24 For as the light- but do not you follow nor heed any such report, nor ning, that lighteneth look for any such deliverer. (See Matt. xxiv. 25.) out of the one part For a destruction shall come like lightning, eth unto the other quick and fearful, upon the Jews from the Romans part under heaven; in this day of Christ's vengeance upon his enemies. so shall also the Son (See note [a] on Heb. x.)

under heaven, shin

25 But first must he

24.

of man be in his day. 25. But this shall not be till after Christ's being resuffer many things, jected and crucified by the Jews.

and be rejected of 26, 27. And as it was in the old world, when this generation. for the great provocations thereof God was pleased 26 And as it was to send the flood upon it, without any visible change in the days of Noe, so shall it be also or omen or presignification of the particular time, in the days of the Matt. xxiv. 36, (only Noah preaching repentance to them, and they not hearkening to him, and then his 27 They did eat, building an ark, and going into it with his family,) they drank, they no man expecting it, the flood came and swept away married wives, they all but those in the ark, so shall it be when Christ were given in mar

Son of man.

riage, until the day comes to work his revenge upon his crucifiers; when that Noe entered in- they expect it not at all, as soon as ever a course is taken to the ark, and the for preserving the faithful from the destruction, (see flood came, and denote on Matt. xxiv. 9, and Rev. vii. 3.) the vengeance 28 Likewise also as shall light upon the rest, and destroy all that are left it was in the days of in Jerusalem. And that is all the foreknowledge of Lot; they did eat, the time you shall have in answer to your question, they drank, they ver. 20.

stroyed them all.

bought, they sold,

out of Sodom it

rained fire and brim

they planted, they 28-30. And as when the sins of Sodom were builded; filled up, and their cry was gone up to heaven, and 29 But the same God determined to destroy them, the people went on day that Lot went in their ordinary course, doing all things according to their wont, and then on that very day when Lot stone from heaven, went out of Sodom the fire and brimstone fell on that and destroyed them city; so, as soon as the faithful penitent Christians depart out of Jerusalem, that fatal day shall come upon 30 Even thus shall the rest, that day, I say, wherein Christ shall reveal the Son of man is himself by his judgments on his enemies and crucifiers (see note [a] on Heb. x.)

all.

it be in the day when

revealed.