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MATT. VII. 11.

than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin : As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God, Rom. iii. 9-19. The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God, viii. 7, 8. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live, 13. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God, Gal. v. 19-21. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind: and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, Eph. ii. 1-3. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers Justs and pleasures, living in malice

A. D. 31. and envy, hateful, and hating one another, Tit. iii. S.

bAnd the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation, Exod. xxxiv.6, 7. And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come: and is this the manner of man, O Lord God, 2 Sam. vii. 19. For thou, LORD, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon thee, Psal. lxxxvi. 5. But thou, O LORD, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth, 15. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a Father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him, ciii. 11-13. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, Isa. xlix. 15. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD, Iv. 8, 9. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city, Hos. xi. 8, 9. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy, Mic. vii. 18. A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine ho

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nour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Mal. i. 6. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life, John iii. 16. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from .wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life, Rom. v. 8-10. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things, viii. 32. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved ;) Eph. ii. 4,'5. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not, 1 John iii. 1. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, iv. 10.

See parallels on two last clauses, ver. 16. chap. v.

d For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly, Psal. lxxxiv. 11. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase, Lxxxν. 12. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah, Jer. xxxiii. 14. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips, Hos. xiv. 2. And the angels said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city

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of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, Luke ii. 10, 11. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us

thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgiv-. ings unto God. Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men: And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Tanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift, 2 Cor. ix. 8-15. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life, Tit. iii. 4-7.

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up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD, Lev. xix. 16. Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool, Isa. i. 17, 18. For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour: If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt. Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, Jer. vii. 5, 6. And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD, Ezek. xviii. 7-9. Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Jacob, Am. v. 14, 15. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Mic. vi. 8. Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain? And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother; And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the

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stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart, Zech. vii. 7—10. These are the things that ye shall do ; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD, viii. 16, 17. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts, Mal. iii. 5. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely, this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the Scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question, Mark xii. 29— 34. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law, Rom. xiii. 8-10. For, brethren, ye have been called

For

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MATT. VII. 12, 13.

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transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no

unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy-pleasure in the death of him that diself, Gal. v. 13, 14. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. i. 5. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery; said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment, Jam. ii. 10-13.

VER. 13.

Εἰσέλθετε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης· ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη, καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι' αὐτῆς.

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, e that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

eth, saith the Lord God. Wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye, Ezek. xviii. 29-32. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me, Luke ix. 23. Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are, xiii. 24, 25. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple, xiv. 33. I am the door : by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture, John x. 9. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me, xiv. 6. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and unto your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation, Acts ii. 38-40. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, iii. 19. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Cor. vi. 17. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts, Gal. v. 24.

a And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance, Matt. iii. 2. 8. And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, xviii. 2, 3. But woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in, xxiii. 13. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding, Prov. ix. 6. Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, b And God saw that the wickedevery one according to his ways, saithness of man was great in the earth, the Lord GoD: Repent, and turn and that every imagination of the yourselves from all your transgres- thoughts of his heart was only evil sions; so iniquity shall not be your continually. And God looked upon ruin. Cast away from you all your the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt;

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for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth, Gen. vi. 5. 12. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy there is none that doeth good, no, not one, Ps. xiv, 2, 3. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah, Isa. i. 9. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them, 2 Cor. iv. 4. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness, 1 John v. 19. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him, Rev. xii. 9. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, xiii. 8. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled : and after that he must be loosed a little season, xx. 3.

c Then shall he also say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, Matt. xxv. 41. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal, 46. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death, Prov. vii. 27. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death, xvi. 25. What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, Rom. ix. 22. Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things, Phil. iii. 19. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the

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gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, 2 Thes. i. 8, 9. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 1 Pet. iv. 17, 18. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire, Rev. xx. 15.

VER. 14.

ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωὴν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσιν Ὅτι στενὴ ἡ πύλη, καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν.

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, band few there be that find it.

a Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it, Matt. xvi. 24, 25. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil, Prov. iv. 26, 27. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment, viii. 20. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left, Isa. xxx. 21. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness: the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein, xxxv. 8. And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people, lvii. 14. Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein, Jer. vi. 16. And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after

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