and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and Jais APOSTLES, &c. 16.> end to their wicked defigns, by proving, that according to their own allowed prac- tice, he had done nothing but what was lawful : Which ofyou, faid he, frail have an of or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not flraightway hull lzim out on the Sabbath-day ? Our Lord's argument flood thus, If a misfortune happens to one of your beans, you make no fcruple of Ailing it on the Sabbath, though the a&ion be attended with confiderable la- bour: and furely, I may relieve a de- fcendant of Abraham, when nothing more is required, than touching him with my hand. This reafoning was, fo brong, forcible, and conclufive, and, at the fame time, fo fimple and eafy, that the mob illiterate of mankind, muff fee it's propriety and feel it's force, and the mob prejudiced could not contradi& it. This was manifef from the profound filence with which thefe remarks ofour Lord were heard, and which continued after he had done fpeaking. None of his adverfaries, however inveterate their malice, or hot their refentment, durb at this time ap- pear againb him, for they could not an- fwer again to thefe things. Before they fat down to meat, our bief, fed Saviour had an opportunity of remark- ing the pride of the Pharifees, which manifebed itfelf by an anxious and eager defire to obtain the mob honourable place at the table; nor did he fail, on this occafion, to give them fuch a rebuke, as their ridiculous behaviour deferved. To malte them fenfible of their folly, our, Lord called upon them to confider, that pride generally expofes the perfon to fre- quent mortifications, and many affronts, while an humble deportment is a fure way to honour and refpea: When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, raid he, fit not down in the higheft room ; left a more honourable sisan than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him, come and fay to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with flzaane to take the'lowe room. Bitt when thou art bidden, go andfit down in the lows room ; that when he that bade thee canals, he may fay unto thee, Friend, go up higher : then"halt thou have woflzip in the pretence of them that fit at meat with thee. For whofo- ever exalteth hinzfelf"hall be abated; and he that humbleth him"élf "hall be exalted. Having direcied this difeourfe to the Pharifees in general, our Lord turned to the mailer of the houfe, and faid unto him, When thou nzakeft a disaster or a 'Up- per, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinfinen, nor thy rich neigh- bours. But when thou sake", afee, " call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind: limit not thy hofpitality to the rich and great, but let the poor and needy be partakers of thy bounty : and thou"halt be blelled, added our Lord, for they cannot recomience thee: but thou 'halt be recom- penfed at the refurreliotz of thefull. While our' Lord was thus difcourfing, one of the Pharifees, feeming to be ravifhed with the delightful profpet of the happi- nefs which good men will enjoy in the heavenly world, cried out, Blued , is he that (hall eat bread in the kingdom' of God. Our Lord, in anfwer to this, took occafion to deliver to the company at the table, the parable of the marriage-flipper : A certain man, Paid he, made a great ¡up- per, and bade many.; and lent his fevant at fupper-time, to fay to them that were bidden, Coarse: for all things are now ready. And they all with one content began to make excafes. The fifí "raid unto him, I have bought apiece ofground, and Imull needs go andfee it : Ipray thee have me excufed. And another Paid, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and Igo toprove thesis: Ipray thee have size excu/ed. And another faid, Piave married a wife, and thereforeIcannot cone. So that fervant came, and "hewed his Lord thefe things. Then the mailer of the houfe, being angry, faid to his fervant, Go out quickly into the /reets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And thefervant faid, Lord, it is done as thou haft
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