Luke XIII. 12.

13

134 Sect. 117. called her to him, and faid to her, Woman, thou art loofed from that Affliction which thou haft long been under by reafon of thy Weakness and And as he was fpeaking these Words, Malady. be laid his Hands upon her, and immediately fhe was strengthened, and made freight; fo that the flood before them all in an erect Pofture, and moved with as much Eafe and Freedom, as if the had never been difabled: And, as was most reafonable, he in a very affectionate Manner glorified GOD before the whole Affembly; praifing him for fo fignal and unexpected a Favour, and declaring how long her Illness had continued, and how defperate and incurable it had been thought. But a Ruler of the Synagogue (c), instead of joining in Acknowledgments of the Divine Power and Goodness, difplayed in that gracious Action of our Lord, was moved with Indignation, which he endeavoured to difguife under the Form of Piety and Zeal; and as if he only had been angry becaufe Jefus had healed her on the Sabbath-Day, he anfwered and faid unto the People, There are Six Days on which the common Work of human Life must be done; on fome of these therefore you may furely find Time to come and be healed, and fhould not make thefe Applications on the Sabbath-Day, which you know is appropriated to the facred Purposes of religious Rest and Worship.

Offence is taken at his healing on the Sabbath-Day.

14

15

Then the Lord answered him with a juft Severity, and faid, Thou Hypocrite, that thus makeft thy pretended Zeal for the Honour of Divine Inftitutions, a fpecious Cloak for thy Malice against me, art thou not felf-condemned? Does not every one of you, even the Pharifees and Rulers of Syna

gogues

and faid unto her, Woman, thou art loofed from thine Infirmity.

13 And he laid his Hands

on her and immediately he was made straight, and

glorified GOD.

14 And the Ruler of the

Synagogue answered with Indignation, because that Jefus had healed on the Sabbath-day, and faid unto the People, There are fix-Days work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath-day.

in which Men ought to

15 The Lord then an

fwered him, and faid, Thou Hypocrite, doth not each

one

(c) A Ruler of the Synagogue.] It is plain, that there were feveral Rulers of the fame Synagogue. (Compare Mark v. 22. Acts xiii. 15. xviii. 8, 17.) And Dr. Lightfoot and Vitringa have obferved, that in every Town where there was a Synagogue, there were at leaft Ten Men who were obliged conftantly to attend on the publick Worship in it. Of thefe Three were called Rulers, who prefided in directing the Worship, and judged of fuch little Difputes and Litigations, as might be determined in the Synagogue; but not without a Referve of Appeal to the feveral fuperior Courts. If of thefe Three, there was any One who had a diftinguished Authority, and might by Way of Eminence be called The Ruler of the Synagogue, it is ftrange the Jewish Writers omit to mention it, which, fo far as I can recollect, they never do. See Walfius on this Text, and Vitringa, Synag. Vet. pag. 585.

(d) Even

135

But Jesus vindicates himself by what they did for their Beafts. gogues among the reft (d), without any Scruple Sect. 117. or Blame, loofe his Ox or his Afs from the Manger,

one of you on the Sabbath the Stall, and lead him away

loofe his Ox or his Afs from

to watering?

16 And ought not this Woman being a Daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo these eigh teen Years, be loofed from this Bond on the Sabbathday!

17 And when he had faid thefe Things, all his Adver

faries were afhamed: and all the People rejoiced for all the glorious Things that were done by him.

18 Then faid he, Unto what is the Kingdom of

GOD like? and whereunto fhall I refemble it?

and lead him away to drink on the Sabbath-Day, Luke XIII.

15.

as well as on any other; tho' the Work be more
fervile than what I have done, and the Occafion
far lefs important? Now if you have such a 16
Regard to the Thirft of one of your Cattle, was
it not much more apparently fit, that this good
Woman, who is a believing Daughter of Abra-
ham, whom Satan by the Divine Permiffion has
bound in this cruel Manner, lo, for thefe Eighteen
Years together, should be loofed from this Bond,
even on the Sabbath-Day, especially when it might
be effected in fo eafy a Manner, by a Word, and
a Touch?

And when he had faid thefe Things, all his Op- 17
pofers were afhamed, and perfectly confounded by
the Strength of fuch obvious and conclufive Rea-
foning: And all the Multitude who were prefent,
rejoiced in his Triumph; for they were greatly
delighted with all thofe wonderful and glorious
Things that were done by him, in which there was fo
amiable a Display of his Goodness, as well as his

Power.

Now on this Occafion, for the farther Encou- 18: ragement of his Friends, and Confufion of his Enemies, our Lord thought proper to intimate the great Increase of his Kingdom, notwithstanding. the malignant Oppofition it fhould meet with,. which he illuftrated by two Parables formerly delivered elsewhere: And he faid, To what is the Kingdom of GOD like, or what shall I compare it to? or how is it that I shall represent the Propagation

(d) Even the Pharifees and Rulers of Synagogues among the reft.] Had not this been generally the Cafe, the Anfwer would not have been fufficient for Conviction, in the prefent Circumftance. Perhaps this Ruler might that very Day have been performing fuch an Office for one of his Cattle, with his own Hands: I fay, with his own Hands; for it was by no means effential to his being a Ruler of the Synagogue, that he fhould be a Perfon of Wealth or Dignity in common Life: Tho' probably, in large and fplendid Cities, (fuch, for Inftance, as Capernaum was,) fuch Perfons might generally be chofen.Criticks have collected Paffages from Rabbinical Writers, in which they allow it to be lawful, to feed or water a Bealt on the Sabbath-Day. See Lightfoot's Hor. Hebr. on this Text; where he fhews they were expressly allowed, even to draw Water for their Beafts; a much more laborious Work, than leading them to it. See also Wotton's Mifcell. Tracts, Vol. ii. pag. 41,—46.

Luke XIII. 19.

took, and caft into his Garden, and it grew, and waxed great Tree: and the Fowls of the Air lodged in the

Mustard-feed, which a Man

a

Branches of it.

136 The Parables of the Grain of Mustard-feed, and of the Leaven. Sect. 117. pagation of the Gospel in the World? It is 19 It is like a Grain of like a Grain of Mustard-feed, which a Man took and forved in his Garden; and from fo minute a Seed it grew to a prodigious Bulk, and became fuch a great Tree, that the Birds of the Air came and built their Nefts in its Branches. So fhall my Kingdom, which in its first Beginning seems to be contemptible, diffuse itself in Time over the whole World, and the Inhabitants of diftant Nations fhall feek their Shelter in it. (Compare Mat. xiii. 31, 32. and Mark iv. 30,-32. Vol. i. pag. 412.) And again he faid, To what else shall I liken the Kingdom of GOD, of which I have now been fpeaking? or how fhall I defcribe the Efficacy of 21 its Doctrine ? It is like a little Quantity of Leaven, which a Woman took, and covered up in a Mafs of Dough, confifting of no lefs than three Meafures of Meal; and yet it infinuated and diffufed itself throughout, till the whole Lump was leavened. So fhall the Gospel make its Way, and by a fecret Influence fhall spread its Efficacy thro' the Hearts of Men, till it has changed them into a Likeness to itself. (Compare Mat. xiii. 33. Vol. i. pag. 413.)

20

22

Luke xili. 12.

Ver. 16.

Ver. 11.

And thus he went thro' all the principal Cities and Villages of Galilee, teaching them wherefoever he came, and travelling on toward Jerufalem; to which he had now begun to fteer his Course, as he intended to be there at the approaching Feast of the Dedication, (John x. 22. Sect. 134.) and to spend the little Remainder of his Time during his Continuance upon Earth, in that City, or the neighbouring Parts; no more returning to thefe Northern Regions, till he appeared here after his Refurrection.

A

20 And again he faid, Whereunto fhall I liken the Kingdom of GOD?

21 It is like Leaven,

which a Woman took and Meal, till the whole was leavened.

hid in three Measures of

22 And he went through

the Cities and Villages,
wards Jerufalem.
teaching and journeying to-

IMPROVEMENT.

GAIN do we fee, in a very inftructive Inftance, the Power and Goodness of Chrift. It wrought on a poor defpifed Creature; but our Lord confidered her as a Daughter of Abraham, and honoured, even in her, whatever Traces of her Father Abraham's Faith and Piety, his penetrating Eye might difcern. Her Zeal for publick Worship brought her out, tho' fhe could not stand upright, and had probably in thar Respect

a much

Reflections on the Cure of the Crooked Woman.

137

a much better Excufe for staying at Home, than many could make, who Sect. 117. now often absent themselves from the much nobler Services of the Chriftian

Sanctuary.

She met with Chrift in the Synagogue, and returned with a Cure. And Ver. 10, 13. oh, how many, as the Effect of fuch a pious Zeal, tho' they have not been loofed from their Infirmities, have at least been greatly strengthened

to bear them!

Our Lord fays, that Satan had bound her. That malignant Enemy to Ver. 16. our Bodies and Souls, rejoices in any Opportunity of hurting either. But it is pleafing to think, that his Power is always under the Controul of Chrift; and therefore fhall never be exercised on his People any farther, than their gracious Redeemer fees it confiftent with their Good, and will take care to render it fubfervient to it.

How gravely does this Ruler of the Synagogue inftruct the People in a Ver. 14. Point of Ceremony, while his Heart was full of Enmity to Chrift, and hardened against every Sentiment of Human Compaffion! Juftly was his Ver. 15. Hypocrify confounded and expofed.

We thould with Pleasure fee this Sun of Righteoufnefs, thus victoriously breaking thro' thofe Clouds, which Envy and Malice had raised to obfcure him, and diffufing his facred Light from one End of the Heavens to the other. With Pleasure should we view the Accomplishment of these Para- Ver. 18,-214 bles, which represent the Success of his Gospel as fo great; and we should daily pray, with increafing Earneftnefs, that all the remaining Nations and Kingdoms of this World may at length become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of bis Chrift; and fincere Converts flock to him from every Side, even as Doves to their Windows. (Rev. xi. 15. and Isa. lx. 8.)

SECT. CXVIII.

CHRIST warns his Hearers of the Difficulty and Importance of entering into the Kingdom of Heaven; and is not intimidated by the Fear of Herod from pursuing his Work. Luke XIII. 23, to the End.

LUKE XIII. 23.

THEN faid one unto him, Lord, are there

few

LUKE XIII. 23.

AND as Jefus was proceeding in his Journey Sect. 118.
towards Jerufalem, where he defigned to be
present at the Feast of the Dedication (a), being
attended

(a) Where he defigned to be prefent at the Feaft of the Dedication.] Mr. Whiston, and fome others, place the following Paffages in a different Order, and introduce them after this

VOL. II.

S

Feaft:

Luke XIII.

23.

138

faid unto them,

Heaven fhould be fought with great and early Care. Sect. 118. attended by feveral of his Difciples, in a pretty few that be faved? And he large Compafs which he took by the Way, one of Luke XIII. them said to him, Lord, are there [but] few that Jhall be faved? Surely if thy Kingdom be fo extenfive, as thefe Parables intimate, (fee ver. 19, 21.) the Number must be very confiderable.

23.

But he faid to them, Inftead of amufing yourfelves with fuch curious Enquiries with relation to others, attend to what more nearly concerns you, and be folicitous to fecure your own Safety: 24 And let me urge it upon you, that you exert your utmoft Strength to enter in at the ftrait Gate (b), which I formerly mentioned as leading to Eternal Life, (Mat. vii. 14. Vol. i. pag. 263.) and strain, as it were, every Nerve, to break your Way thro' thofe Enemies, who are always ready to oppose your Paffage For I feriously tell you, the Time is coming, when many will importunately Seek to enter in (c), and fhall not be able to do it.

25

:

And howsoever they may now defpife and trifle with the Means of Grace, this will hereafter be the Cafe, even with the moft ftupid and negligent of Mankind, as foon as ever the great Lord and Mafter of the Family fhall, as it were, have rifen up from his Seat, and with his own authoritative Hand fhall have fut, and barred the Door (d); and you, among the reft, shall begin to Stand without, and to knock at the Door, faying

with

Feaft: But it does not appear, that Chrift was ever in Galilee before his Refurrection, after this Journey. He was indeed at Ephraim, or Ephrem; (John xi. 54. Sect. 141.) but as that City lay on the Confines of the Tribe of Benjamin, at no great Distance from Jerufalem, (Lightfoot's Difquifit. Chorogr. in Joan. cap. vii. §. 1.) the Argument which Mr. Whiston draws from thence in favour of his Order, must be very inconclufive. See Whifton's Harmony, pag. 385, and 403.

(b) Exert your utmost Strength to enter in at the ftrait Gate.] The original Word aywirfully exprefles this. It import the Act of contending in the most ardent and refolute Manner, with Antagonists in Games, or in War: And may well intimate, that the trait Gate is befet with a Variety of Enemies, thro' which, if we afpire to a Crown of Eternal Glory, we must break and force our Way: A Representation equally just and awakening! Compare 1 Cor. ix. 25. Col. i. 29. 1 Tim. vi. 12. and 2 Tim. iv. 7.

(c) Many will feek to enter in.] The Pruffian Verfion renders it, fhall try, or attempt: But I apprehend from the Context, that it refers to importunate Intreaties when they were actually excluded, rather than to feeble Attempts now; tho' it is an awful Truth, that these likewife will be unfuccefsful.

(d) The Master of the Family, &c.] There is a Majefty and Pathos in this Paffage, as in many others, which no Paraphrafe can retain, in which the very Words of our Lerd do not make a Part.

(e) We