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restore comforts unto him and to his mourners, Isa. lvii. 18. Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God, Jer. iii. 22. Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise, xvii. 14. Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth, xxxiii. 6. I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him, Hos. xiv. 4. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall, Mal. iv. 2. seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them, Mark iv. 12. In the midst of the street of it, and and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations, Rev. xxii. 2.

VER. 16.

That

"Tuav di μaxápios oi ¿planμol, Ti Bréπουσι· καὶ τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἀκούει.

b

But a blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

a See on clause 1. ver. 3. chap. v. b And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven, Matt. xvi. 17. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Luke ii. 29, 30. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see, x. 23. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed, John xx. 29. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of

A. D. 31. sins, and inheritance among them. which are sanctified by faith that is in me, Acts xxvi. 18. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. iv. 6. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Eph. i. 17, 18.

VER. 17.

̓Αμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε, καὶ οὐκ εἶδον· καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε, xal oun novσav.

many prophets and righteous men have For verily I say unto you, a That desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear

those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

a For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them, Luke x. 24. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad, John viii. 56. Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel, Eph. iii. 5, 6. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, Heb. xi. 13. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect, 39, 40. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto

you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into, 1 Pet. i. 10-12.

Παντός ἀκούοντος τὸν λόγον τῆς βασιλείας, καὶ μὴ συνιέντος, ἔρχεται ὁ πονηρὸς, καὶ ἁρπάζει τὸ ἐσπαρμένον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρείς.

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God, Luke viii. 11. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick, ix. 2. And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you, x. 9. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more, Acts xx. 25. And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law

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of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening, xxviii. 23. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. xiv. 17. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, 2 Cor. iv. 2, 3. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph. iii. 8.

b The fear of the LORD is the be

ginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction, Prov. i. 7. Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning? and fools hate knowledge? 20-22. My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding, ii. 1-6. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it? xvii. 16. Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself, xviii. 1, 2. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved, John iii. 19, 20. Why do ye not under

stand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word, viii. 43. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, we will hear thee again of this matter, Acts xvii. 32. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him, xxiv. 25, 26. But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters, xxv. 19, 20. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient, Rom. i. 28.

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one, Matt.xiii. 38. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts, Mark iv. 15. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved, Luke viii. 12. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children; because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one, 1 John ii.

VER. 20.

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away, 5, 6.

b And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended, Mark iv. 16, 17. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly, vi. 20. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light, John v. 35. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done, Acts viii. 13.

VER. 21.

Οὐκ ἔχει δὲ ῥίζαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ πρόσο καιρός ἐστι· γενομένης δὲ θλίψεως ἡ διογμοῦ διὰ τὸν λόγον, εὐθὺς σκανδαλίζεται.

Yet hath he not a root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

a

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done And then many wonderful works? will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity, Matt. vii. 22, 25. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descend

ed, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell and great was the fall of it, Matt. vii. 26, 27. And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and, because they had no root, they withered away, xiii. 6. But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? Job xix. 28. A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved, Prov. xii. 3. The wicked desireth the net of evil men but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit, 12. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away, Luke viii. 13. Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled, John vi. 26. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you, xv. 5-7. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love, Gal. v. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, vi. 15. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, Eph. iii. 17. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins, 2 Pet. i. 8, 9. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction

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from the Holy One, and ye know all things, 1 John ii. 19, 20.

b Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely; for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you, Matt v. 1012. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake but he that endureth to the end shall be saved, x. 22. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it, 37-39. 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. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? xvi. 24-26. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit : he hath left off to be wise, and to do good, Ps. xxxvi. 3. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away, Hos. vi. 4.

And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended, Mark iv. 17. And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever 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; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? viii. 34-36. Now the brother shall