Semi. CXXXVI. conflder'd, as our Jxample, lz 3 Ï His (harp Reproofs of the Scribes and Pharifees, were but a neceffary Severity, and a jolt Exprefiìon of his Indignátion at the fulfomeHypocrifie of fuch great Pretenders to Piety and Devotion 5 for he knew their Hearts. His whipping of the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple, the only Aftion of his. Life in which there appears any tranfport of Anger, was no other but a becoming Zeal for Honour of God's Houfe,which he fawfo notorioufly prophaned ; which Zeal was warranted, after the Example of Phiaeas, by the extraordinary Occafion of it. In all his other Actions, he was perfec}!y meek and lowly in Spirit,. void of Pride, one of the chief Caufes of inordinate Anger. We cannot fay he was never angry ; but when ever he was fo, which wasvery feldom, hefinned not ; it was upon great and juft Occafion, and never to any undué Degree. And this is the more remarkable, becaufe he was very apt to receive the Imoreflions of other Paffions of Love and Pity, which eafily moved him to Kiñdnefs and Compaffion. He could not forbear toweep, when he raw Lazarus his Friends lamenting over his Grave, though he knew the:Clafe of their Sor- row would foon be removed and turned into Joy, byhis Refurreecion to. Life. Nay, he had not only this Tendernefs towards his Friends, but even to his greateft Enemies. When he looked upon yeruflem, and forelaw the terrible Revenge that God would take upon his Enemies and Murderers, and beheld at a great Diftance the dreadful Calamities that were coming upon them, he could not refrain from Tears. He allowed himfelf in rhefe innocentand humane Par- fions ; but where there was Danger of Tranfgreffìng, as there is in no Paffion more than that of Anger, he was continually upon his Guard, and govern'd himfelf with great Care, and never gaveWay to it, but upon evident and jufì Occafion ; and was never tranfported to any undue Degree. And yet he lived and died almoft under continual Provocations to it; not only from his Friends and Followers, but from all forts of Perfons, Provoca- tions of the higheft Nature ; if the molt fpiteful Reproaches and injurious Wage, and the molt cruel Perfecutions and Sufferings from the Hands of thofe whom he had by all Ways endeavoured to oblige ; if the Contradi5lion of Sinners, whom he cane to fave : In a Word, if the greateft Malice accompanied with the higheft Ingratitude ; if any, if all of thefebeProvocationsofahigh Na-' ture, he was almoft continually, living and dying, exercifed with there. And how did he demean himfelf in the midft of all there Provocations, with the greateft Meeknefs and Mildnefs imaginable, anfwering their bittereft Reproaches and crueleft 'Wage, either with calm Reafonings, or with meek Silence ; that by the Reafonablenefs and Meeknefs of his Anfwers. and Carriage, he might either convince or mollife them! When his Enemies charged him with the Profanation of the Sabbath, he only reafons the Matter fairly with them, ask- ing them, whether it was lawful to do Good, or to do Evil on the Sabbath Day; tel- ling them, that the Sabbath was made for Man, and not Man for the Sabbath ; bid- ding themgo and learn what that means, Iwill have Mercy, and not facrce. When they accufed him for beinga Magician, and calling out Devils by the Prince of the Devils; heconvinceth them by Reafon, that this was a malicious and ground- let's Charge, telling them, that a Kingdom divided againli it Pelf; cannot fiand; and that if he by Satan cafi out Satan, his Kingdom was divided againfi it felf and muff fall. When they upbraided him for companying with Publicans and Sinners; he.luftifies the Thing, by telling them, that the Whole have no need ofthe Phyfcian, but the Sick; that he came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance. When they charged him with Blafphemy, forfaying to the Manfickof the Palfse, Thy Sins be forgiven thee; heonly asks them this Quefrion, Which is eager to fill, Thy Sint beforgiven thee? or, take up thy Bed and.walk? When they call'd him by the odi- ous Name of Impofor and Seducer of the People, he makes no (harp Anfwer, but appeals to his Miracles, and the Works which he haddone among them, as an undue ftionableTeftimony that he came from God. When they took up Stones to throw or him, he oppoferh to this harçi Ufage only loft, gentleWords, if by that Means he might ftay their Rage, John to. 32. Many good Works have I jhewed you from my Father; for which of theft Works do "'Janeme? Thus upon all Oçcafions he anfwers
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