MATTHEW. MARK. LUKE. JOHN. CHA P. XIII. hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and felleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, feeking goodly pearls: 46 Who when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and fold all that he had, and bought it. 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the sea, and gathered of every kind. 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to fhore, and fat down, and gathered the good into veffels, but caft the bad away. 49 So fhall it be at the end of the world: the angels fhall come forth, and fever the wicked from among the - just. who tho he is extremely glad of his good Fortune, yet is afraid of difcovering the place in which his Treafure lies; and not being able to carry it off privately, dif fembling his Joy, fells all he is worth, if it be neceffary, on purpose to buy that Field, that he may privately dig it up, and fecure it from being feiz'd by the Lord of the Mannor. Surely you ought to thew as great concern for your Salvation; and if the cafe require it, it would be your Intereft to part with every thing, rather than to fail of the Knowledg of the Evangelical Doctrine, tho it hath been fo long conceal'd, and as yet is not much celebrated among Men. A Jeweller having met with a Jewel of extraordinary Value, by the purchase of which he hopes to make his Fortune, fells all his others, if his Stock of Money be not fufficient, on purpose to procure that one Jewel. Thus it fares with thofe that hear, and embrace my Gofpel; rather than mils of an occafion of being acquainted with its divine Precepts, and leading a Life anfwerable to it, they will run the hazard of lofing all they are worth in this World. The preaching of the Gospel is like to a Net, which being let down into the Sea, inclofes a vaft number of all fort of Fifhes. The Fishermen perceiving their Net full, drag it to the fore, and preferving the good for Service, throw away the refufe. In like manner thall it happen at the day of Judgment: The Angels fhall feparate the good men from the bad, with whom they have been mix'd in my Church MATTHEW. CHAP. XIII. so And fhall caft them into the furnace of fire: there fhall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 51 Jefus faith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They fay unto him, Yea, Lord. 52 Then faid he unto them, Therefore every fcribe which is inftructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is an houfholder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. 53 And it came to pass, that when Jefus had finished these parables, he departed thence. Church till now; and fhall caft the bad into a Furnace of Fire, that is, a place where they shall be justly punish'd by God, and where there shall be nothing heard but miferable Groans and Lamentations. When Jefus had ended thefe Parables, he ask'd his Apoftles whether they understood the meaning of them; which they affirming, he told them that they, and all who like them were acquainted, not only with the Doctrine of Mofes and the Prophets, but his alfo, refembled a Master of a Family, who having the last years and this years Fruit, made use of both, upon occafion, for the Suftenance of his Family. After Jefus had pronounc'd these Parables, partly before the Multitude, partly to his Difciples alone, at Capernaum, or the Country adjoining to it, he left thofe Parts. Jefus being determin'd to go into the Country about Gadara, many exprefs a defire of accompanying him, two of whom he converfes with. He appeafes a Tempest upon the Lake, and being landed, cures two that were poffeffed with evil Spirits, who being thus diflodg'd, at his permiffion enter into a Herd of Swine; whereupon the Swine precipitate themselves into the Lake, and the Inhabitants defire him upon that account to depart from their Coaft. Jefus complies with their Requeft, leaving behind him the two men out of whom he had caft the evil Spirits. Owards the Evening, being on the Weftern fide of the Lake of Gennefareth, together with his Difciples, he ordered them to get a Ship in readiness to tranfport 'em to the other fide towards Gadara. Being ready to go on fhip-board, there came a Lawyer to him, declaring he was willing to follow him whitherfoever. he went, imagining in all likelihood he was bound to fome place where he might advance his Fortune. Fefus thereupon told him, that all places here on Earth were alike to him; that the Foxes had Holes, and the Birds Trees wherein to fhelter themfelves, that the 'most moft miferable Men had fome Houfe to repair unto; but for his part he had not any place to retire to, nor where he could entertain his Followers. By which words he admonish'd his Difciples not to hope for his eftablishing an earthly Government among them, nor to hanker after the Profits that ufually attend it. Another Difciple came to him at the fame time, profeffing his readiness to follow him all his Life-time; but defir'd he would permit him to continue with his aged Father till his Death, and that after he had buried him he would return to Jefus. Jefus thereupon, to put him in mind that the Concerns of Heaven were to be prefer'd before all worldly Affairs, and that he ought to make use of the prefent opportunity that he might not fail of the Happiness he propos'd, thus anfwered him: Follow me, and leave the management of the funeral Rites to thofe who may juftly be term'd dead in respect of the fpiritual Life of the Soul, that is, a conformity of Morals to the Gospel Purity. Afterwards the Multitude being difmifs'd, Jefus went on board together with his Apoftles, and feveral other Veffels followed him. When he was at fome diftance from the Shoar, there arofe a fudden Storm of Wind fo fierce, that the little Veffel in which fefus was, together with his Difciples, was in a short space almost full of Water, and fo in danger of being funk. All this while Jefus was afleep on the Stern of the Ship; but his Apoftles, concern'd for the Danger they were all in, wak'd him, and beg'd that he would not fuffer them to perifh in his Company. Jefus, as foon as he awak'd, with a loud Voce commanded the Wind to ceafe, and the Sea to be ftill: which words were no fooner pronounc'd, but the Wind fell, and there enfued fo great a Calm, that they were forc'd to make use of their Oars. Jefus then reproach'd his Apoftles with their unreasonable Fear in his presence, and their mean Notions concerning the Power and Truth of God, fince the many Miracles, of which they had been Eye-witneffes, might have given 'em to underftand how much they, as well as himself, were under God's immediate Care; that therefore they might be fecure in the greateft Tempeft. But they, ftruck with Admiration, mix'd with Terror, inquir'd one of another what fort of Power this was with which Jefus was invefted, and which was extended to an abfolute Au thority |