Many think thar this Scery was 1n order before the other, Ir { related by Lub. 7. 1. With ſome larger Circumſtances there 15 only chis Difference berwixr the two Evangeliſts; Matthew feems ro ſpeak, as if rhe Centurion At firſt came in Perſon to him; Luke ſiirh, char he firſt ſent che Elders of che Jews to him, then ſome F jends, Bur we are accounted our ſelves to do that which we ſ-r others on Work to do. {There came unto him 4 Centurion. There came ſome Elders of the Fews firſt, rhen ſome parricular Eriends of one that was a Roman Captain, to him, tO tell him, that rhe Captain had a Servant ar his Houſe, thart lay grievoully fick of, and tormented with the Palfie. Thar which we uſually call th Dead Palſie, in which a Fir of the Apoplexy uſually iſſuerh, when ic doch nor preſently kill, Our Lord promiſerh to come and heal him; therein ſhewing borh his Kindneſs, and how ac- ceptable ro 1:3im the Humanity of this Centurion to his Servant was. The Centurion, by his Friends, as Luke tells us, ſends to him, detiring him not to trouble himſelf ro that degree; telling him, 1. That it was a Favour of which he was not worthy : The beſt Men have always the meaneſt Thoughts of themſelves. >. That ir was needleſs; for it he would only ſpeak the Hord, commanding out the Diſtemper, that was enough to effe& the Care, For he tells him, that he believed Dijexſes were as much ar Chrill's Comm, as his Servants were at his Command, That they came at Ged's Command, wrought according to their Com- mithon from God, and went off when God commanded them off; 1o rhar if he, cho'ar a diſtance, would Command off his Servant's Diſeaſc, ir would be as effe&ualas his Prefence. Whe- ther chis Captain were aQtually Profelyred to the Fewiſh Religion, cr no, is uncertain; ir ſhould ſeem by our Saviour's next Word, that he was nor an 1/7zelite; bur it is moſt certain, that he had a rizhit Notion of the Power of the true God, and it looks very probable, chat he had a Revelation of Chriſt, as the true Meſſiah and Son of God, | marF np heard this, he marvelled.] Admira- tion agreed nor t Chriſt as God, bur as Man ir did. {[ And ſaid 25 thoſe tha; foibwed him. ierily I uy unto you, T have not found 7 great Faith in Trael :] Thatis, in the Generality of the I/rae- lizes;, forif we ipeak of particular Perſons, borh 7ojeph and Mary had ſhewes a greater Faith, This Expreſſion 1s enough to ler us kiow, thar che Centurion was no narive J7elite, and make It probable he was not of the Jewiſh Church, which might be, tho' he was fo kind to the Fewiſh Nation, as to build them a Syna- g0gue z up2n which Account, Like 7. 3, 3c. the Elders of the Fes pleaded wirh Chriſt for him. This made our Saviour go on, Prophecying of a furcher Converhion of the Gentiles,
17 AndI ſay unto you.that* many ſhall come from the Faſt and Weſt, and {hall fit down with Abraham, and Ifnac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven : *Ch.21.43 12 But* the Children of the Kingdom * ſhall be *Ch.13-42, Caſt out into outer Darkneſs : there thall be weep- 5% X22. ing and gnaſhing of teeth.
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4-4 - - Thar is, in ſhorr, many of thoſe who are now Heathens ſhall 20, ©?* beſaved; and many of rhe Jews ſhall be damned: Many, nor all, by
ſha!l come from the Exjt and Weſt, from all Parts, trom the re- maoreſt Pircs in the World : Luke fairk, Eaſt, We/t, North, and Suuth, Like 13. 29. 0 1/1, 11. 12. & 93: 5, 6: [And ſit doon with A%ahaia, and Tauc, and Facoh, in the Kingdom of God : | In Hea- ven, where Abrchim, Tjaac, and Facrb, the Heads of che Jewiſh XN:tin are, to whomthe Promiſes were made: Or, 1n the Church of God; tor rhe Church-Triumphant and Miſcane are both bur one Church. They thall fit down with them, as Men fit down ar a Barquet; an Expreſſion ott uſed ro fignifie the Reft and P.caſure rhe Saints ſhall have 1n Heaven, 7/z. 25. 6,7, 8. Luk. 22. 29. 20. { But the Children of the Kingdom : | The Jews, who boaſt mc rh they are the Children of Abr.h7m, and think cthem-
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Chap. VI
are indeed the only Church of God, as yet. | Shall be caft cyt i. to outer Darkneſs : | Either the Darkneſs of Errors, lgnorance and d]
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