had known kim , they would not have Crucified the Ly f Ii yer ir was doubtleſs rrue of many of them, and thoſe the mor knowing men amongſt chem. Bur herein did their moſi Pro; gious Blindneſs, and Madneſs appear, that when they knew Pa
chey ſhould think 1c poſſible ro prevent his being ſer a; Ki? upon the Lord's Holy Hill of Sion. - One would think this were
impotſible to Rational Creatures? But why ſhould we thin}; (-; How many are there in the World this day, that are Convia in their own Conſciences, and do believe that the Ways, and People whom they proſecute to their Ruin, yea to Death; jc fin are the Truths, the Ways, the People of God, yer they —
Kicking againſt the Pricks; and tho' God makes many of tj
periſh in their Enterprizes, and ſuffers them nor to come 4; +1 Hoary Heads to the Grave in Peace. yer there ariſeth another jy ſtead of this Hydr.z, a Poſterity approving their Doings , 1r,; thinking , tho' their Fathers failed in this or thar little Pcjic, To they ſhall prevail againſt God, and his Inheritance ſhall he th... Wiſe Providence thus firrerh Saints for their Crown, and tis: wy, Sinners to prepare themſelves for the Day of Wrath. ;
40 When the lord therefore of the vineya;| cometh, what will he do unto thoſe husbandma :
41 They ſay unto him, he will miſerably deltrcy thoſe wicked men, and will let out Þzs vineyard 5; other husbandmen, which thall render him the tryir; in thcir ſeaſons.
Mark relates the latter Verſe, as Chriſt's own Words, <þ, 12,,
ſo doth Luke, chap. 20. 15, 16, adding, thar When they he they ſaid, God forbid. Ir 1s ſaid, to Solve this Dithculty, 1, Thr ;/
-liy ka UC
s
ſay unto im, ) muſt nor be underſtood of the Phariſees, bur "i ot the Hearersz the Phariſees 1a1d only, God forbid, 2, Other; think the Phariſees and Elders did at firft ſay as is here expreſ bur our Saviour then telling them, They were the Men , 1nd opening it turther to them, they faid, God forbid, Ir is very py. ſible the Phariſees and Elders might firſt ſay it, and that our $. viour confirming and opening their Words , ſhewing them hy; they had given Judgment againſt themſelves , they ſaid , 5: forbid; 1o both they might ſay theſe Words, and Chriſt 41, This I rake to be the moſt Satistatory Anſwer. By thoſe Wyrg; alſo our Saviour declares, That his Church ſhould ſhortly t+ taken out of the Hands of theſe Phariſees and Elders and P;1:3; and put into the Hands of his Apoſtles and a Goſpel- Miniſtry,
42 Jeſus ſaith unto them. Did ye never read in th: {criptures, The ſtone which the builders rejected, the ſame is become the head of the corner ? This is th: Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes,
4.3 Theretore ſay I unto you, * The kingdom (f,,
God ſhall be taken from you, and given to a natic ©
bringing forth the fruits thereof:
44 * And whoſoever ſhall fall on this tone, {hall «x;
be broken : but on whomfoever it {hall fall, i will 1; grinde him to pouder.
Mark faith, chap. 12. 10, And have you not read this Seriptue, The Stone which the Builders rejefed, #s become the head of th: Ci: ner * This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in vn Fi: Luke ſaith, chap, 20. 17. And he beheld them, and ſaid, Wi # this then that w written, The Stone which the Builders rejeGed, s become the head of the Corner * Whoſoever ſhall fall upon that Stir, ſhall be broken ; but on whomſoever it ſhall fall, it will grinde him, pouder. It is more than probable, that our Saviour had more Words with them upon this Argument than are left us upn Sacred Record , { for John hath ler us know, that we are nc: ro expect that all he did or ſpake ſhould be written, chap.21.25; and nor as every Diſcourſe or Aion, ſo nor all Words in tlc ſame Diſcourſe, nor all Circumſtances relating to the fame 4 on,) knowing themſelves, and their Mafters to be the Husband- men , with whom the Lord had betrufted his Vineyard the Houſe of Iſrael, it is not reaſonable to think they ſhould be very patient to hear that God would miſerably deftroy then as Wicked Men, and commir his Vineyard co the truſt ot others We cannot therefore in reaſon imagine , but that rhey ſhould reply ſomething to that, as thinking it a ſtrange thing that he ſhould afferr, That for the reje&ion of him, God would rex! his Ancient People , and caſt off rhe Church of the Fews. To ſhew this was nothing which ought to ſeem ſtrange ro them, hc asks them , Did you never read in the Scriptures, The Stone, Xc Luke ſaith , He beheld them and ſaid, What 3s this then * 4s 1 che Phariſees had charged him with ſpeaking wichour any War: rant from the Word of God, there was no ſuch thing in the La or Prophets. To convince them of their miſtake, or at leaf! that there was nothing in what he ſaid which needed 0 pear ſtrange ro them, he ſaich, Did you never read ? Or, Have "i mt read the Scripture ? (fo Mark relates ir,) Or, What 5s this then * as Luke hath ir. The Text he quoterh is, Pal. 118. 22, 23+ is manifeft char the Fews underſtood thar Pſalm to be a Prophec) of Chriſt, by the Peoples Acclamations of Hsſmna ; for the ſub- ſtance of thoſe Acclamations are in the 25 and 26 Verlcs © that Pſalm. Save now T beſeech thee O Lord / O Lord, 16 eſcecs thee ſend now Proſperity : Bleſſed is he that comes to 114 in the Mm of the Lord. Hofhiah na, FJ) JW , Save 7 beſeech the: This they underſiood of the Meſſiah, ' This they had heard cried ut ro our Saviour. Saich our Saviour in that very Pſalm, you may read,The Stone which the Builders reje&ed, is become the Head J 1 Corner. Before he had compared the Church to a }in./1% © ſhew their Obligation ro bring forth Fruit ; here co a Building, to denote God's dwelling in ir. The Builders here intendc6, were the Heads of the ewiſh Church, who nor only ÞY Ew own Prerences, bur by their Calling were Builders , and ougit to have been Builders, rho' indeed rhey proved Deſtroz?rs, ane
Pullers down, inſtead of Builders, The Church is cllewi'r* compared to.a Building, 1 Cor. 3. 9. Epheſ. 2. 21. and che Teac!
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