Ch. zi Bl4heming the St. Matthew. Holy Ghofi. Ch. ix. to. For this is the . Harbinger ofthe Meffiah, promifed by other Prophets. r r. Verily I fay unto you, among them that are born of women, there hath not rifen a greater thanJohn the Baptit : notwithflanding, he that is leaf/ in the kingdom of heaven, is greater than he. 1 r. Therehath not been a greater than John beforehim, as being neareft the Kingdom of the Meffiah. But yet, the leaft ofmy minifters in thismy Kingdom, is greater than he, and hall have moreeminent gifts of the Spirit, as wellas a more excellent office and work ; fo far fhall my Kingdom, begun after my afcen- tion, excell all ages that werebefore it. 12. And from the days of John the Baptií/, until now, the kingdom ofheaven fuffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 12 . And as the People crowded to John in the wildernefs, and now as you fee flock after me, fofece Johnbegan to preach, I may fay, that thefe multitudesof inferiour people, croud asit were into the Kingdom of Heaven, and will not lofe it, while it is negle&ed by the higher fört. 13. For all the prophets, and the law propheffeduntil John. 14. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias which was for to come. 1 p. He that hath ears to hear let him hear. 13, 14, is. The Law and Prophets till John indeed foretold the Meffiah ; but not fo de- terminately and nearly asPan did. And ifyou can receive it, Itell you, John is that Elias that Malachi foretold frould go before to prepare the way toChrift. The belief of this is of great moment to your faith. a6. But whereunto (hall I liken this generation? It is like unto chil- dren fitting in the markets, and cal- ing unto their fellows, 17. And fay- ing, We have piped unto you, and ye havenot danced : we have mourn- ed unto you, and ye have not la- mented. 16, 17. But the unbelievers of this genera- tion, doas children in theirgames,complain of one another ; you will neither dance when we pipe, nor lament whenwe mourn to you; you are crois to us whatever game we play. 18. ForJohn came neither eating nor drinking; and they lay, He hath a devil. 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they fay, Behold, a man glutinous, and a wine- bibber, a friend ofpublicans and lin- nets : but wifdom is juflified of her children. t 8, lg. Jahn lived auflerely on Lecrsfts and wild -honey : and they took him for a poffeffed mad-man: And of me that exercife no inch unufual aufterity ofdiet, but mere temperance, they lay, I am a glutinous man, and a lover of wine. No innocency will fuffice to efcape the falle cenfitres of Malignanis : But the Ions of Wifdom will juftifie ir, 20. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein moil of his mighty works were done, becaufe they re- pented not. 2r. Wo unto thee Cho- razin, wo unto thee Bethfaida : for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repent- ed long ago in fackcloth and Ales. 22. But I fay unto you, It (hall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidonat the day ofjudgement, than for you. 20, 2t, 22.. Note, t. Christ's own Preach. ing and Miracles had fo little fuccefs, as that he is put to upbraid the places , where he had wrought them, for their impenitence: There fore the belt Preachers maybe put to the like. 2. Thepunithmenr of filch as are unconverted under themolt convincingpreaching, will be molt intolerable. 3.Tho it beGod'sgracewhich converteth Souls, yet he ufually fo proportion- eth it to the means he uferh, that the fame means ordinarily would convert dome, which converts not others. 23. And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven, fhalt be brought down to hell : for if the mighty works which have beendone in thee, hadbeen done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24. But I fay unto you, that it fhall be more tolerable for the land ofSo- dom, in the day of judgment, than for thee. 23, 24. Thou Capernaum where I have dwelt, hail by my prefence, preaching and works, been honoured with the heavenly gifts; but for impenitence fhalt be deltroy'd: If So- domhad feen and heard what thou haft, their repentance would have prevented their deftru- ction. But their doom at the day of judgment flailbe more tolerable than thine. zg. At that time Jefus anfwered and faid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord
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