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from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For 13 all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye 14

of power to stablish you according to my Gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith;) to God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever, Amen. Ro, xvi. 25, 26, 27. I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages, and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Col. i. 25, 26, 27. Who (Christ) hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling; not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. 2 Ti. i. 9, 10. God having provided some better thing for us, that they (the excellent persons of old time) without us should not be made perfect. He. xi. 40. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. 1 Pe. i. 10.

12 From the days of John the Baptist.] When he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered, and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things; The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say from heaven, he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men, we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, Sir; and went not: whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto

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him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you; for John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward that ye might believe him. Mat. xxi. 23-32. All the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John; but the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. vii. 29, 30. Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Lu. xiii. 24. The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. Lu. xvi. 16. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for him hath God the Father sealed. John vi. 27. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil; for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day; and having done all, to stand. Ep. vi. 11, 12, 13. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence; work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Phi. ii. 12, 13.

13 All the prophets and the law, &c.] See chap. v. 17, 18. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Mal. iv. 6. Beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. Lu. xxiv. 27. 44. Had ye believed Moses (said Jesus), ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? John v. 46, 47. For Moses truly said unto the fathers (said Peter), A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren,

15 will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that 16 hath ears to hear, let him hear. But whereunto shall I liken this

generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and 17 calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you

like unto me, him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people; yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ac. iii. 22, 23, 24. They that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath-day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. Ac. xiii. 27. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Ro. iii. 21.

14 If ye will receive it.] And they (saith the Lord) whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. Ez. ii. 5. Moreover, he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears; and go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. Ez. iii. 10, 11. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. John xvi. 12. I have fed you with milk and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 1 Co. iii. 2.

This is Elias.] And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come and restore all things; but I say unto you, that Elias is come already. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. Mat. xvii. 10-13. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Mal. iv. 5. Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come? And he (Jesus) answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first and restoreth all things; but I say unto you, that Elias is indeed come. Mar. ix. 11-13. He (John) shall go before him (the Lord) in the spirit of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Lu. i. 17. Art thou Elias? (said the priests and Levites to John.) And he saith, I am

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Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. John L. 21. 23. I saw (said John in his vision) the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God. Re. xx. 4. See chap. xvii. 10. and xxvii. 47.

15 That hath ears to hear.] Who hath ears to hear let him hear. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Mat. xiii. 9. 43. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. Mar. iv. 9. 23.; vii. 16. and Lu. viii & He that hath an ear to hear, let him her what the Spirit saith unto the churches. R. ii. 7. 11. 17. 29. ; iii. 6. 13. 22.

16 Whereunto shall I liken this generation?] What things shall I take to witness for thee? What thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem ? What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? For thy breach is great like the sea; who can heal thee? La. ii. 13. Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it! Mar, iv. 30. Then said he (Jesus), Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? Lu. xiii. 18.

This generation.] See chap. xii. 34. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. Mat. xxiii. 36. This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled. Mat. xxiv. 34.

It is like unto children.] Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like me children sitting in the market-place, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist came neither eatm bread nor drinking wine; and ye say he hath a devil: the Son of man is come eating and drinking, and ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicara and sinners! but wisdom is justified of all bet children. Lu. vii. 31—35.

17 We have piped, &c.] Whom shall be teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precep", precept upon precept; line upon line, fine upon line; here a little and there a little; for with stammering lips and another tongue wi he speak to this people. To whom he said. This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: tri they would not hear. But the word of the

and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and 18 they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and 19

Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little; that they might go and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Is. xxviii. 9-13. Though I be free from all men, yet have I (Paul) made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more; and unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law; to the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some; and this I do for the Gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. 1 Co. ix. 19-23.

Piped.] See chap. ix. 15. 23. And all the people came up after him (Solomon), and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them. 1 Ki. i. 40. Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord, to the Mighty One of Israel. Is. xxx. 29. Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for cunning women, that they may come; and let them make haste, and take up ya wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters. For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled? We are greatly confounded because we have forsaken the land; because our dwellings have cast us out. Je. ix. 17-19. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel; thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Je. xxxi. 4. Now his elder son (the brother of the prodigal) was in the field, and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. Lu. xv. 25.

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18 John came neither eating nor drinking.] See chap. iii. 4. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone, because of thy hand, for thou hast filled me with indignation. Je. xv. 17. Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink; for thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride. Je. xvi. 8, 9. VOL. II.

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He (John) shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. Lu. i. 15. I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway. 1 Co. ix. 27. He hath a devil.] See chap. x. 25. Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord, and one said unto him, Is all well? Wherefore came this mad fellow (the young prophet sent by Elijah to anoint Jehu) to thee? he said unto them, Ye know the man and his communication. 2 Ki. ix. 11. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, Because "thou" ("Shemaiah") hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying, The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks. Now therefore, why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you? Je. xxix. 25, 26. The days of visitation are come; the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool; the spiritual man is mad; for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. Ho. ix. 7. The people answered and said (to Jesus), Thou hast a devil, who goeth about to kill thee? John vii. 20. Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? John viii. 48. Many of them said, He hath a devil and is mad; why hear ye him? John x. 20. And as he (Paul) thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. Ac. xxvi. 24. See chap. ix. 34. and xxi. 32.

19 Came eating and drinking.] See chap. xii. 32. And Levi made him (Jesus) a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them; but their Scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? Lu. v. 29, 30. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber; a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of all her children. And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him; and he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. Lu. vii. 34-36. And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread, on the sabbath day, that they watched P

drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified 20 of her children. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein

him. Lu. xiv. 1. And both Jesus was called and his disciples, to the marriage (in Cana of Galilee). John ii. 2. There (in Bethany) they made him a supper, and Martha (the sister of Lazarus) served. John xii. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour, for his good to edification. Ro. xv. 2.

A friend of publicans, &c.] See chap. ix. 10, 11.

But wisdom is justified.] O Lord, how great are thy works, and thy thoughts are very deep; a brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this. Ps. xcii. 5, 6. Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. Pr. xvii. 24. All the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But wisdom is justified of all her children. Lu. vii. 29. 35. We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. 1 Co. i. 23-29. Unto me (said Paul), who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent, that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Ep. iii. 8-10. And I be held, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing; and every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying,

Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said Amen. Re. v. 11-14. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. Re. vii. 12.

20 Began he, &c.] Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes; but it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you; and thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. La. x. 13-15.

Upbraid the cities.] My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me; so I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust; and they walked in their own counsels. Oh, that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! Ps. lxxxi. 11-13. Hear, O heavens; and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me; the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters! they have forsaken the Lord; they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger; they are gone away backward! Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. Is. i. 2-5. Hear ye now what the Lord saith, Arise, contend thou before the moun‣ tains, and let the hills hear thy voice; hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me; for I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab, consulted, and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. Mi. vi. O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? Mar. ix. 19. Afterwards he (Jesus) appeared in another form unto two of them (his diserples), and upbraided them with their unbelief

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most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the 21 mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre

and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. Mar. xvi. 14. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. Ja. i. 5.

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Because they repented not.] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Mat. xii. 41. What think ye (said Jesus)? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first and said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard; he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise; and he answered and said, I go, sir; and went Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you: for John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not, but the publicans and harlots believed him; and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. Mat. xxi. 28-32. I hearkened and heard (saith the Lord) but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turneth to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. Je. viii. 6. The times of this ignorance (of the Gentiles) God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent. Ac. xvii. 30. The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 7'i. ii. 24-26. And I gave "her" ("the church at Thyatira") space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not. Re. ii. 21. The rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues (which came out from the bottomless pit), yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship the devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Re. ix. 20, 21. And men were scorched with great heat (by the vial of the fourth angel), and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues, and they repented not, to give him glory.

And the fifth angel poured out his vial, and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. Re. xvi. 9-11.

21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin.] Woe unto the world because of offences; for it must needs be that offences come: but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh. Mat. xviii. 7. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! woe unto you, ye blind guides; ye fools and blind; fill ye up then the measure of your fathers; ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not; behold, your house is left unto you desolate. Mat. xxiii. 13–39. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him, but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed; it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Mat. xxvi. 24. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem ! Wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be? Je. xiii. 27. Woe unto you, Pharisees; woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! woe unto you also, ye lawyers; for ye have taken away the key of knowledge, &c. Lu. xi. 42-52. Woe unto them" ("that speak evil of those things which they know not"), for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. Jude 11.

Bethsaida, &c.] And he straightway constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side, before unto Bethsaida. Mar. vi. 45. And he (Jesus) cometh to Bethsaida, and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. Mar. viii. 22. And he took “them” (“his disciples"), and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. Lu. ix. 10. Now Philip (the apostle) was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew, and Peter. John i. 44. The same (certain Greeks) came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Gali lee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. John xii. 21.

For if the mighty works, &c.] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost parts of

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