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MATTHEW.

CHAP. III.

3 For this is he that was fpoken of by the : prophet Efaias, faysing,

The voice of one * crying in the wildernefs, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths ftraight.

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7 this Commiffion in a large Field near the River Jordan, in which all that came to : hear him were wafh'd. He by this, Ceremony reprefenting that their minds ought likewife to be cleans'd from the vitious Habits they had contracted, if they seriously defign'd to obtain God's pardon for their fins, and be made partakers of the heavenly Kingdom, which he plainly told 'em fhould be eftablith'd by the Meah, whom they might expect in a thort time. The divine Authority of his Commiffion was confirm'd by the feveral predictions of Malachi and Ifaiah; the former of whom, chap. 3. 1. has thefe words: Behold I will fend. my Meffenger, and he fhall prepare the way before me. The Meffenger there mention'd is John the Baptift, fo call'd from his Office of baptizing or washing; who is alfo defcrib'd in thefe words of Ifaiah, chap. 40. 3. The voice of him that crieth in the Wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make frait in the Defert a High-way for our God, every Valley shall be exalted, and every Mountain and Hill fhall be made low: the crooked hall be made Arait, and the rough places plain. All flefh fhall fee the Glory of God. In which words is contain'd the Character of a man, whofe Office it should be to prepare the minds of Men for the reception of the Meffiah.

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MATTHEW.

CHA P. III.

4 And the fame John had his raiment of camels hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his meat was i locufts and wild honey.

s Then went out to him Jerufalem, and all Judea,and all the region round about Jordan,

6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confeffing their fins.

7 But when he faw many of the Pharifes

. and Sadduces come to

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John, according to the custom of the antient Prophets (efpecially if their Meffage was fevere) was cloth'd with a Coat made of Camels Hair, girt with a leathern girdle, and liv'd a most auftere Life, fuftaining himself for the moft part only with Locusts and wild Honey. The fum of his difcourfe to the Jews, was concerning the punishment God would fhortly inflict upon them, if they did not amend their Lives; which occafion'd a vaft concourfe of People from Jerufalem, and all the other parts of Judea, who acknowledging their Crimes had made them juftly incur the divine difpleasure, and profeffing their Repentance for what was paft, and their Refolutions to live for the future in a ftricter conformity to God's Law, to confirm their fincerity, fubmitted themselves to be baptiz'd by him in the River Jordan.

Among the numerous croud that came from all parts to hear him, were many Sadduces and Pharifes, the former of which deny that there is any Life after this; the others who profefs their belief of a future State, for the moft part impofe upon the People under a formal fhew of Religion. When John perceiv'd thefe alfo coming to him, he thus accofted them: O you whofe vitiated Nature may be justly, compar'd to the deadly poifon of Serpents, you are quite miftaken if you think to escape God's impending Vengeance by a mere outward washing, without an amendment of your Lives. This is none of my Doctrine, nor have you learnt it from any

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in his right wits. If you defign to make this Baptifm of mine of use to you, you muft fo behave your felves for the future, as that the reformation of your Minds may be demonftrated by a conformity of Manners. By which change of Life you will become acceptable to God, and not by reafon of your defcent from Abraham, as you vainly imagine; as if God without any refpect to their Actions, had confin'd his Favours to one particular race of men. God, if he fo pleases, can make to himself a chofen people out of any Nation, who imitating the Religion and Probity of Abraham, will be entitl'd to all the benefits promis'd to his Offfpring, for the time is near, in which God will inflict his Punishments on the Jews, which it will be impollible for them to escape who continue to indulge themselves in a vitious Practice.

His hearers upon this demanded of him what they were to do to avoid the danger; to whom he recommended before all things, a more extenfive Charity, and the retrenching of their fuperfluous Expences, that they might have wherewithal to contribute more liberally to the fupport of the Needy. The Jewish Tax-,

gatherers,

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gatherers, a covetous, unjuft, griping fort of men, came likewife to his Baptifm, and demanded of him what they alfo were to do. He anfwer'd 'em, that they ought not to exact any thing beyond what they were impower'd to collect, by vir tue of the Edicts of the Magiftrate. The Jewish Soldiers alfo, or fuch as were addicted to the Jewish Religion, enquir'd of him what Vices he judg'd were principally to be avoided by them: he told 'em they ought to do no manner of Injuftice, neither by open Violence nor Fraud; that they ought to be contented with their Pay, and out of it provide themselves with neceffaries for their Subfiftence.

CHAP

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of Tiberius, 16. from
the 18th of August.

MARK.

CHAP. I.

9 And it came to

of Antipas and
Philip, 29.

LUKE.

CHAP. III.

21 Now when alt

pafs in those days,that the people were bap
Jefus came from Na- tized,
zareth of Galilee, and
was baptized of John
in Jordan.

ro And straight

up ftraightway out of way coming up out the water and lo, the of the water, he faw heavens were opened the heavens opened,

it came to pass that Jefus alfo being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened:

CHAP. VIII.

After Chrift according to the Vulgar Æra, 26.

Јони.

of

The beginning of the publick Actions of Jefus, in the thirtieth year his Age. His Baptifm and Temptation. WHILST John continued baptizing the Jews that prefented themselves to him,

Jefus came out of Galilee with a defign of being alfo baptiz'd by him, which John at first refus'd, alledging that he himself ought rather to be baptiz'd by him, who was a much more holy Perfon, and from whom he might himself learn how to correct his Vices: which fohn deliver'd by a prophetical Infpiration, for at that time he knew not Jefus. But Jefus having told him that he came on purpose to be wash'd by him, not that he ftood in need of it, as it reprefented the inward purging of the Mind from Vices, but being fully refolv'd to comply with all the religious obfervances of the Jews; John no longer hefitated, but immediately perform'd his Office. Jefus having been thus wathd, and being come out of the Water, and upon his Knees adoring God, on a fudden the Clouds parted, and the Heavens feem'd to

open,

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