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make him (according to their falfe Notions of the Meffiah) a Temporal Kings or because he knew it to be more agreeable to his Defign, that Men should collect and conclude who he was, from his Doctrine and Miracles than that they fhould be told ex‐ prefly by his Difciples; therefore he ftrictly commanded his Difciples, not to publifh in plain Terms,

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that he was Chrift the Mef and hows attein. fiah.

21. Moreover, having now made known to them his Glory and Power, he thought it a fit Seafon to acquaint them alfo with his

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difciples, how the he muft go unto Je rufalem, and fuffe. many things of the elders, and chief priefts, and fcribes, and be killed, and be rais'd again the third

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the Jews, and at last be put to death; but that on the Third Day he fhould rife again.

22. But his Difciples understood nothing of this. And Peter particularly whofe Thoughts were full of Glory and Greatness, was fo difturbed at this Difcourfe, that he could not forbear but took Jefus afide and expoftulated with him, faying, God forbid, that you who are the Son of God, the Meffiah and Redeemer of Ifrael, should have any fuch thing happen unto you.

23. But Jefus turning about to him with dif pleasure, faid; Nay, now you are become my Enemy and Hinderer. When you made a good Confeffion, I commended and extolled you; but now you deserve a fevere Reproof : For you talk like a weak Man, and fhew your self to understand nothing of God's Difpenfations, and of the

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24 After this, Jefus ¶ faid to his Difciples: I my felf am to be perfected by Sufferings; whoever will be a True Difciple of mine, must be willing to follow my Example: He must abfolute ly refign himself to the Will of God, renouncing all worldly defires, and refolving both to do and fuffer whatever God fhall think fit to require of him.

25. And let him not think much, if he be forced even to lay down his Life for the fake of

True Religion. For they who fave their Lives in this present time, by basely complying with Temptations to forfake their Religion; thefe only are they who moft truly lofe them by incurring eternal Death: But he that conftantly perfeveres, and lofes his

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Jefus unto his disciples, If any man will

come after me, let him deny himself,and take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whofoever will fave his life,fhall lofe it and whofoever will loose his life for my fake, fhaN find it.

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Life in this present time to preserve his Religion and his Virtue; does most truly fave it unto Eternal Happiness.

26. For what Comparifon is there, between all the Things that this prefent World can afford, even if one could poffefs himself of them All ; and the faving or lofing a Mans Soul eternally? or what valuable Confideration can be given for a Man's Soul?

27. For the time is coming, when Chrift fhall appear in the Majefty of God, and with the glorious attendance of his holy Angels, to pass a final Judgment upon all Mankind, and to reward every one according to his Works.

28. The Time indeed of this laft Judgment, God has not thought fit to reveal: But I affure you there are fome here prefent, who fhall live to fee the Kingdom of Chrift be0 3 gun,

gun, in his glorious Refurrection and Afcenfion, and in his executing Judgment upon the unbelieving Jews in the final Deftruction of their City and Nation.

CHAP.

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