194 Falf Signs of GrRCe. S n c T. dAw 44 &Q,(-'12W 'VPVVVVVVW e V SERMON XXXIII. The Vif ficulty, ttndin f me f n f impoßibility of,5'al- vation notvvithflanding the eafinefvhich menfan- cy to themfelves thereof. MAT. 19.20.' When the Difciplesheard this, they wereaflonifFied, Paying, Who thencanbe Paved? HAving in feveral inftances difcoveced the weakneíïeof thofe props, which molt leanúpon in reference to Salvation,I íhall conclude thismatter with a difcourfeupontheDifciples pathetical exclamation in the Text, Who then can befaved ? In theverfe precedent, we have mention madeof one, who had good wifhes anddefires for heaven, but beingput by our Saviour upon an exploratory duty, itproved like jealoufie water tohim, difcovering his rottenneffe ;- he was a fpu- rious brood of the Eagle, for hewasnot able to endure thefe pure Sun-beams, He Went awayfarrowfull, for he had manypoffefons. It clothnot fay, for he loved them, but he had them, it being very difficult to have theft things, and not im- moderately love them : theywereaniewara indeed, becaufe they poffeffed him, rather then be poffeffedthem. He had much wealth, as we fay, a man bath a feavor, when that path him, deftroying andwaftinghis health. Upon this we have ourSaviour uttering a ßrange and paradoxal fpeech to Pelt and blood, Christswords weremiracles as well as his works , Ir is hardfor a rich man to en- ter into the Kingdom of Heaven: comparethis with M:rkro.andthere re feveral aggravations ; firsi, our Saviour faith, its hard ; Mark faith, be fpake it with admiration, Howbard is it ? Then this heaffirmed] with a vehement affeverati- on, verily, yea Markfaith, He lookedabout him, to fignifie he had Tome ex- traordinary thing to fay, and therefore would have them attentive, yea the Evangelift faith, he fyhedalfo, when he fpake this further he fpake this to his Difciples, thoughnot rich, as appeareth by thatcompellation in Mark, Sonne, howhard is ir, &c ? as a tenderfather hebids them beware: In thenext place Chrift Both not only thew the difficulty, but at tail the im- poffibility by a proverbial fpeech, It is as impo/blefora rich man to be laved, aos a Camel togo thorow the eye ofa needle, a Proverb in the Eaftern parts to expreffe an impoßibility. Thofe that would undedtand it of a Cable-rope, as they miftake about the Greek word, fo they confider not the greater impofibility is implied inthephrafe the morefignificant it is. Now this fpeech of our Saviours isan hard fpeech, but thou art not to expoftulate or contendwith Gods Minifiers about it, for truth it fell bath¡aid it : only by rich men, Markexpounds thole who trust in
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