before them; and fo proceedeth to instruct her in Things of the greatest Importance relating to his own Divine Miffion, to the Nature of true Religion, and spiritual Worship: And when his Disciples, who were gone into the City to buy Meat, returned, and marvelled that he talked with this Samaritan Woman, and urged him to eat; he took that Occafion to make that remarkable Declaration to them, My Meat is to do the Will of him that fent me, and to finish bis Work, John iv. 34. than which Words nothing could be more ftrongly expreffive of his Affiduity and Diligence, and the Delight he took in fulfilling the Ends of his Ministry.

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Many other Inftances might be produced of his occafional Inftructions, and his Readinefs to lay hold of every Thing that offered for turning the Attention of his Hearers to fomething that would make them wifer and better. Thus upon Оссаfion of the poor Widow's cafting in two Mites into the Treafury, whilft many rich Men caft in large Gifts; he faid to his Dif ciples, Of a Truth I say unto you, that this poor Widow bath caft in more than they all: For all thefe have of their Abundance caft in unto the Offerings of God; but she of her Penury bath caft in all the Living that she had, i. e. all that he had to live on for that VOL. IV. Day.

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Day. Luke xxi. 3, 4. A noble Leffon to fhew, that God meafureth not the Gifts fo much by the Largenefs of the Donations themselves, as by the Mind of the Donor; and that the smallest Oblations shall be accepted and rewarded, when proceeding from a pure Intention, and a fincere and benevolent Heart. When little Children were brought to him, he took that Occafion to check that Pride and Ambition which he faw rifing among his Difciples, and to declare what were the proper Qualifications of those that should have an Interest in the Benefits of his Kingdom: Except ye be converted, and become as little Children, ye fhall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Verily I fay unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little Child, ¿. e. with an humble teachable Frame of Spirit, and with a Meeknefs and Simplicity of Heart, free from worldly Ambition and Guile, fhall in no wise enter therein. Luke xviii. 16, 17. Matt. xviii. 2, 3, 4. In the laft Day of the Feast of Tabernacles, when, as the Jewish Writers inform us, they were wont with great Pomp and Joy to perform the Ceremony of drawing Water out of the Fountain of Siloam, and bringing it to the Temple, Jefus cried out, in Allusion to what they were then doing, If any Man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He

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that believeth on me, as the Scripture bath faid, out of his Belly fhall flow Rivers of living Water. The Evangelift obferves, that this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. John vii. 37, 38, 39. And indeed the Influences of the Spirit are frequently in Scripture Language compared to Water. When he

was told of the Galileans, whofe Blood Pilate had mingled with their Sacrifices, he admonished the People of the Ruin that would come upon them all, if they did not repent. Luke xiii. 1, 2, 3. As be fat at Meat in the House of a Pharifee that had invited him, he took Occafion to speak of the Gospel Difpenfation and it's Benefits, and the Reception it would meet with among many of those to whom it should be offered, under the Notion of a plentiful Feast, to which many were invited, who yet, under various Pretences, refused the Invitation. Thus was he ready to fpiritualife every Occurrence, and to draw useful Leffons from whatever Things prefented themselves. And, as in this he far excelled all other Teachers, fo it argued a most holy and ferious Temper of Mind, ever intent upon his great Work; and shewed that his Heart was filled with Zeal for the Glory of God, and the Salvation of Mankind.

And here it may not be improper to ob ferve, that our Lord Jefus Chrift, whose great End was the doing Good, was wont, at different Times, and on different Occafions, to repeat and inculcate the fame excellent Leffons, and often nearly in the fame Words, the better to fasten them on the Minds of the People. Thus what he faith, in his Sermon on the Mount, against anxious diftracting Cares and Thoughtfulnefs for To-morrow, was repeated by him, on another Occafion, .with the fame Arguments and Illuftrations, and for the moft Part in the fame Expreffions. Luke xii. from Ver. 22. to 31. The fame Thing may be observed with Regard to what he faith concerning the not laying up for ourfelves Treafures on Earth, but laying up for our felves Treafures in Heaven, and concerning our not being able to ferve two Mafters, God and Mammon. Matt. vi. 19, 20, 21, 22. Luke xiii. 33, 34. and xvi. 13. and xvi. 13. Concerning our not fearing them which kill the Body, and are not able to kill the Soul, but fearing him who can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell; and concerning the Care of Divine Providence, as extending even to the Sparrows, and Numbering the very Hairs of our Head. Matt. x. 28, 29, 30. Luke xii. 4, 5, 6, 7. and concerning the Vanity and Infufficiency of all outward Privileges

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and Profeffions without Obedience to the Will of God. Matt. vii. 21, 22, 23. Luke xiii. 25, 26, 27. He frequently repeateth his excellent Leffons of Humility and the Forgiveness of Injuries. The fame Observation may be made with Regard to others of his important Inftructions, and particularly feveral of his Parables, as I fhall have Occafion to fhew, when I come to confider them.

And now should not all this caufe us to form an high Idea of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as a Teacher? How excellent and amiable doth he appear in this View? And how thankful fhould we be to God, that thofe ufeful and admirable Inftructions, which he took every Occafion to inculcate in the Time of his perfonal Ministry, are tranfmitted to us in authentic Records! By these he continueth still to speak to us. And furely it highly concerneth us frequently to confider them, and to get them wrought into the Temper of our Minds, that they may have a governing Influence upon us in our whole Course; without which thofe Divine Lessons, instead of being an Advantage to us, will only turn to our greater Condemnation.

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