tor the So:ace and Comtort of Man's Life, thould he defpiied, racher than thoſe unguier Luſts and Corruption +11 riiged ; the Morttfcation of which, would have made thi. fry Separy- ions both needleſs,and undetirable.Surely they the vid rater hive ſaid, If the Caſe of a Man be ſo with his Wifethen 691 F::G or ts wg Wrves had need 19 learn to deny themſelves , to comply evch with an- other ; to ſilence their brutiſh and buifterous Pati: chat nz the ſame Fleſh, they might alſo have one and t©:- me 45 and not be like a difeated piece of Fleſh whe: tum 1 {9 quarrel, that one piece need be cur off to pretcr-c if.2 wher; Bur the beit of Men have their Infirmicies , and a: (i. 7 rews faid , Spirits Dei non ſemper tangit corda prophetarun:;, Time ©P1E ot God was not always upon the Kearrs cf the Prupher $i 1s as true, Spirits Dei, non ſemper Go ubique t:ngit c72.. , tolinnn 7 All rat the Saints fay is nor Goſpel, Their F!:th b2''1 irs turn ro ſpear, as well as the Spirit in them. A fintat Liver:» © ,n- ceded, indulged, or comived at, by the Laws, or by t:.e Rulers of a Church or Piace where we live, for a long tine, is not catily reſtrained; and even good Men may for a time be carried away with che Error of ir, fo as they cannot Gifcern ir, be con- vinced of ir, or be brought clearly off ir, toa Contormity to the Wil of God,
17 But he ſaid unto them, * All men cannot re- celve this laying, ſave rhey to whom it is given.
12 For there are ſome cunuchs, which were {6 born from 7zhe7z7 mothers womb : and there ar: ſome cunuchs, which were made 'eunuchs of men : and there be * eunuchs, which have ma6.; r:2mſclves cunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's ſake, He th: CUunucis tor the Kingdom of heaven's fake, He that 1s able to receive z7, let him receive 27.
Our Saviour knowing the ſinfui Cuſtom , and Practice cf the
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ror thar, and his Diſciples Infirmities , doth not antiwer them feverelv, as what they ſaid migtic deſerve , bur reproves them gently ; whar he faith amounts to thus much, You &o nor con- ' 1der what you ſay; Al Men, withour ſinning againſt God, , cannot abſtain trom Marriage. An Ability to live Chaſtly, with- ; our the uſe of Marriage, is a peculiar Giit of God ; and your ; Saying harh no place in Perſons ro whom God hath not ziven that G1it, Fr it # better to Marry, than to Burn. There are tome whom Gcd by Nature hath made unfit for Marriage. There are others whom Men (wickedly) make unfic for it, that they may gracifie their own Jealouſte. ( Thus ſeveral Courtiers were made Eunichs, and fo betruſtecd with the Care of Princes Wives and ; Concubines,) And there are ſome who have made themſelves Eunuchs, ( nor Caſtrating themſelves, that is Wickednets ) bur abſtaining from Mnriage, and yer living Chaſtly, (having mor- tified their Luſts, and brought under their Body ) chat they might be lefs incumbred with the Cares of the Werld, and be more tree for the Work of the Miniſtry, or be able mcre to grve up themſelves to an Holy Lite and Spiritual Converſation. Bur God , who by his Ordinance ot Marriage detigned to People, and continue the World, hath ;.iven to Perfons different Tempers and Conſtiruricns, fo as poſſibly the muſt of Men and Women cannor without making uſe of Marriage govern their Luſts, As to theſe, Marriage 1s nota matter of Choice and Deliberacion, | and they may,and ought to uſe it as an Appointment of God, for the Ends for which he hath inſtiruced ir. If there be any who can receive this Saying , who can without Marriaze- bridle kis Luſt, and fo live in a ſolute and ſingle State, 25s not co fin avainſi God by any Extravagancy of Luſts, and impure Defires and At- teftions, and deſire, and ſhall do fo, that he may be more Spi- ricual, and ſerve God with lefs diftration, and be a more fir Inſtrument to promove the Kingdom of God in the World, ler him do 1t.
13 Then were there brought unto him little chil- dren, that he ſnould put Þzs hands on them, and pray : and the diſciples rebuked them.
Mark faith, chap. 10.13. and Luke ſaith, chap. 18. 15. they were broughre that he ſhnwld Touch them. A doubr may fron: this Text ariſe in the Reader's Mind, tor what purpoſe the Pa- rents, or Nurſes did bring theſe young Children ro Chriſt. Ic was nor for Baptiſm , for he Baptized none himfelt, Foh. 4. 2. It 1s nor like ir was for Healing; tor tho' our Saviour in ſuch Cafes did tomerimes Touch, or lay his Hand upon rhe fick Pertons, yer it is not likely that in char Caſe che Difciples would have re- buked rhem , knowing that their Maſter uſed to heal ſuch as were brought to him. Ir muſt therefore unqueſtionably be, has he mizhr Bleſs them ; Matthew here faith , that he mishe pur his Hands on them, and Pray. The putting of Hands upon Perſons, when they Bleſſed them, or Prayed for a Bleffing on Perſons, was a very uſual Rite and Cuſtom amongſt che Zews : Without all can- tradidim, (faith the Apoſtle ) 25.7. 7. the leſſer was Bleſſed of the greater, It was a Cuſtom amongit the Fews to bring Perſons ro thoſe whom they lookt upon as Excelling in Holineſs, ro be blefſed and commended to God by their Prayers, Gen. 27. 4. and 43. 14. The Parents or Nurſes of theſe Children by tl:is At declared, that they looked upon Chriſt as ſome great Frophet, in favour with God ; and whoſe Prayers could prevail with God,and whoſe Bleſſing was confiderable as to rheſe liccle ones. | The Diſci- ples rebuked them :} As thinking they were too troublefom to cheir Maſter, and nor underſtanding what Children in Health had o do with their Maſter , nor perhaps having betore tcen ſuch a Piclident.
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14 Bur Jeſus ſaid Suffer little children, and forbid then
Chap. A1X.
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*Exod. 290. 3- Deur. 5. I7.
* Ch.45.1, *Le.1ig.18,
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15 And he laid Þ/s hands on them, and departed LNence.