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There is no doubt but they who were rich within themselves, rich in their own Opinion and Esteem; and they that were full, full of themselves, which implies fomething more, a further Advance, when they heard our Lord's preceding Bleffings; I fay, there is no doubt but they laugh'd, and that our Lord turned himself towards them, and lifted up his Eyes upon them, and directed his Difcourfe towards them, and denounced his Woes very emphatically against them. The foregoing Difcourfe ftrongly implies this, if carefully attended to.

But there is no need to lay the whole Stress of this Affertion on this fingle Paffage; for it will appear from others, that the Jews were very high in Sneer and Ridicule, and that they generally treated our Lord, both with regard to his Word and Works, in this Way,

When

t

When a certain Ruler came to Jefus, and worshipped him, faying, My Daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy Hand upon her, and she fball live. And when he came into the Ruler's Houfe, and faw the Minstrels and the People making a Noife, he faid unto them, Give place, for the Maid is not dead, but fleepeth. And they laugh'd him to fcorn. From this Paffage we may conclude, that the Jews were much used to ridicule our Lord; that it was become a fashionable thing among them; how elfe could they turn their Funeral Lamentations, their great Weeping and Wailing into this fcornful Laughter? They law the Damfel dead; they thought our Lord's was a ridiculous Affertion, and were refolved to lose no Opportunity of expofing him. What fort of Face they put upon the matter, when they came back to the Room, from which

* Matth. ix. 18, 23, &c.

they

they had been very defervedly turned out, and found the Maid reftored to Life, and eating, is easier to imagine, than describe: We are told that they were aftonished.

The Accounts given us of our bleffed Lord's Trial and Crucifixion are so strong to this Purpose, as to render all other Inftances needlefs. He had foretold to his Difciples, that the Chief Priests should deliver him to the Gentiles, to mock and to fcourge him, and to crucify him. The Prediction of the Mockers was as thoroughly fulfilled as the others. For Herod, and his Men of War, fet him at nought; . the Soldiers of the Governour gathering together, the whole Band, ftripped him, and put on him a fcarlet Robe; and when they had platted a Crown of Thorns, they put it upon his Head, and a Reed in his right Hand; and they bowed the Knee before him, and mocked him, faying, Hail, King of the Jews!

And

they

they spit upon him, and took the Reed and fmote him on the Head. The Chief Priests alfo, with the Scribes and Elders, as well as those that pasfed by, mocked him, and wagged their Heads at him, and infulted him with taunting Speeches: One of the Malefactors alfo which were crucify'd with him, railed on him. From thefe Accounts it is evident enough, that it was a customary and reputable, and poffibly a meritorious thing, to treat the Appearance and Behaviour of Jefus Chrift with Scorn and Laughter: Nothing less could have produc'd a Behaviour fo cruel and inhuman, at an Execution, especially in a FellowSufferer. And we may obferve alfo from hence, that not to be ashamed of Chrift, to receive others in his Name, and to confefs him before Men, were no flight Matters: Nor need we wonder

* Matth. xxvii. 27, &c.

at

at the great Reward promis'd upon thefe Occafions.

From this general Introduction, I proceed more particularly to enquire into the Nature of this Laughter; to confider the Affemblage of its Qualities; how it lies in the Mind; what its ordinary Conduct is towards others; how it returns upon it felf; and what is the Result of it: And by this means we shall fee the Force of the Woe denounced against it.

This Laughter then, as was before obferved, is the Product of the Abundance of Self-Esteem, and Fulness of Sufficiency: This gives us its proper Idea, and evidently diftinguishes it from other Kinds. The Men of this Character view themselves with perfect Complacency and Delight: This fills their Mouth with Laughter, and their Tongue with Joy. Poverty of Spirit; a Senfe of our own Defects; of our Corruptions and Sins, leads us

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