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12. And those few come to have this Power by one of these three ways; either by the Happiness of their natural Temper and Conftitution, or by Violence and an unnatural maiming of the Body; or by a voluntary Refolution of fubduing their natural Inclinations, that they may attend the Bufinefs of Religion with fewer Incumbrances and greater Freedom from Secular Affairs. The first of these ways, is not at all in a Man's own Power, but merely the Gift of God: The fecond is unwarrantable and unlawful: The third is rare, and of great difficulty; and they, who know their own ftrength, may, if they please, endeavour to attain to this Excellency.

13. After this, fome of the believing Jews brought young Children to Jefus, that he might lay his Hands on them, and blefs them, and recommend them to God by his Prayers. But his Difciples, thinking thofe

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that brought them too bufie and troublesom, began to chide them and keep them back.

14. Which when Jefus perceiv'd,he rebuked his Difciples, faying: Do not hinder the Children from being brought to me. For 'tis these, and Men qualified like these, with Innocency, Humility, and a teachable Difpofition, free from all Prejudices and Customs of Sinning, that are the only fit Perfons to be made Members of my Church on Earth, and Inheritors of the King dom of God in Heaven.

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15. Then he laid his Hands on them, and bleffed them, and departed.

16. And as he was going, there met him a young Man of good quality, who being of a religious Difpofi tion, and hearing that Jefus taught new and purer Precepts of Virtue and Piety, came to him and faid; Good Mafter, what excellent and extraordinary thing fhall I

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do, whereby I may attain eternal Life?

17. Jefus answered him Why do you call me Good, whom you do not know to be any other than a meer Man? There is none truly Good but God, who is the only Author of all Good, nefs and Happiness. However, as to your Question, you know what are the Conditions of Eternal Life; keep the Commandments of God.

18, 19. Then the young Man asked, What Commandments? Jesus faid, Not to commit Murder, nor do Wrong; not to commit Adultery, nor Fornication; not to Steal, nor Cheat and Defraud any Man; not to accufe any one falfly, nor pervert Juftice; To honour and reverence your Parents and all other Superiours; and to do to all Men, as you would they should do to you, with Equity and Charity.

20. The young Man, rejoycing at this Answer, and

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hoping to be greatly commended by Jefus, replied: All these Commandments have I obeyed from a Child; What further Inftructions have you for me?

21. Jefus answered: These are the are the neceffary Duties, which God hath made the indifpenfible Conditions of Life: But if you aim at a great degree of Perfection, and will do fomething excellent and extraordinary; then go fell all your Estate, and give it to the Poor, and come and follow me through Afflictions and Poverty; and laying afide all worldly Affairs, apply your felf wholly to be a Preacher of the Gospel; and you fhall have an extraordinary degree of Reward in Heaven.

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† It does not appear, but the young Man might have done. well, if he had gone away fatisfied with Chrift's first Anfwer. So that our Saviour does not feem to have bidden him fell his Estate, as a thing abfolutely neceffary to his being a good Man, but only as a thing neceffary at that time to his being a Preacher of the Gospel; and that he might reprove his Confidence; and that he might have an occafion to reprefent to his Difciples, the great danger and mischief of the love of Riches.

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22. At this Answer the young Man was greatly troubled, and went away very forrowful: For he was rich, and very unwilling to part with his Eftate.

23. Whereupon Jefus took occafion to reprefent to his Difciples, how great a Snare the Love of Riches is; how unfit it makes a Man, to be a perfect Difciple of Chrift; and how hard it is, for a rich Man to be a good Chriftian.

24. And he said; Such is the deceitfulness of the love of Riches, that it is an exceeding hard thing, (than which hardly any thing can be imagined more difficult,) for a rich Man to become a worthy Disciple of Chrift, and to attain that refigned difpofition of Mind, and readiness to part with all things for the fake of Religion, which God requires.

25. When the Difciples heard this, they feemed greatly furprifed, and faid 5

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25 When his dif

ciples heard it, they were exceedingly athen can be faved? mazed, faying, Who

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