116 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED The keys of the kingdom of heaven ,being given to the apoílles, by a very eafy and beautiful figure, reprefents the fuccefs of their miniflry. The kingdomof heaven, in the language of the evangelios, it the kingdom of grace, or the difpenfa- tion of the glorious gofpel : and what can be more natural, than to fay, that the keys of the kingdom of heaven are given to them who open thofe noble truths to the Eons of men. And when it is Paid, that whatfoever the apoílles bind on earth, Ihall be bound in heaven ; it evidently relates to the divine approbation of thofe regulations and reftriélions, which the apooles fhould eoablifh in the church; for binding and loofing, are frequently ufed in the Talmudical language, torepre- fent allowing or forbidding particular fenti ments and praélices ; fo that, from the whole, we may conclude, that however our Lord approved or applauded Peter's faith and zeal, he did not, by thefe declarations, intend to give him any pre- eminence or authority over the refs of the apoílles. C H A P T E R XIX. CHRIST informs his Difciples of his Sufferings and Death, and rebuketh Peter for dyfuading him from it : He fheweth his Followers that they mull deny themfelves, and not be afharaed of him and his G el : He declares, that he flail sa judge the World, and gives a Defcription of the Laß Judgment : He is transfigured in the Pretence of three ofhis Apofiles: At the Foot of the Mountain of Transfiguration, he cures a Youth, who had a dumb and deaf Spirit: And, returning to Capernaum, pays the Roman Tribute, with a Piece of Money, taken out of the Mouth of a F 1i by Peter, agreeable to his Mafier's Direcilion. TH E difciples, as they fill retained their expeélations of a temporal king- dom, were, doubtlefs, highly elated with the difcourfe of their Matter, which they had lately heard ; giving them the keys of the kingdomof heaven, and enabling them to bind and look with fuch authority, were very agreeable to them ; and it is to be fuppofed, that they explained thefe grants to mean force great temporal powers and honours they were to be invefied with. Their divine Leader, to abate their high fwelling conceits, and to lead them into clearer views of the nature of his king- dom, and the final iffue of his miniftry amongft the Jews, informed them, that it was appointed in the eternal counfels of his Father, that he fhould be rejected by the rulers of Ifrael, perfecuted with the utmoft malice, followed with falfe accufa- tions, and, at fall, put to death as a male- fa&or, with circumltances of the greateft cruelty and public fháme. The difcîples were exceedingly alarmed at this predietion of their Mailer; he had jufi before accepted the title ofthe Meffiah, and declared, that he would bellow high honours, peculiar privileges, and extraor- dinary powers on his apoftles ; and his now declaring, that he fhould bearraigned, condemned, and put to death as a male- faßor, was fo contrary to their expecta- tions, that they thought it impoffible to be true. Peter, who was ofa warmer temper than the reo, heard his Matter talk of dyingat Jerufalem withthe utmoft aftonifh- ment, and could not forbear hinting, that he did not believe it to be trùe ; and he proceeded
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