all his Elect to himself with the sound of a Trumpet Probably as there was an audible Sound of a Trumpet at the giving of the Law so there shall be the like Sound of a Trumpet when Christ shall summon the World to Judgment for transgressing of that Law A joyful Sound will this be to the Friends of Christ A doleful dreadful Sound in the Ears of his Enemies 32 Now learn a parable of the fig-tree When his branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves ye know that summer is nigh 33 So likewise ye when ye shall see all these things know that it is near even at the doors 34 Verily I say unto you this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the angels of heaven but my Father only Here our Blessed Saviour declares Two Things with reference to his coming 1. The Certainty of the Thing it self 2. The Uncertainty of the Time The Certainty of his coming he sets forth by the Similitude of the Fig-tree whose beginning to bud declares the Summer at Hand Thus when they should see the foremention'd Signs they might conclude the Destruction of their City and Temple to be nigh at Hand and that some then living should see all these Predictions certainly fulfilled Whatever Christ foretells shall certainly be fulfilled his Word being more firm than the Fabrick of Heaven and Earth Obs 2. The Vncertainty as to the precise Time when this Judgment should come No Angel in Heaven nor Creature on Earth could determine the Time only the glorious Persons in the Godhead the Father Son and Holy Ghost Learn 1. That all things are not revealed to the Angels themselves but such things only as it concerns them to know and the Wisdom of God thinks fit to reveal 2. That the precise Time of the Day of Judgment is kept by God as a Secret to himself he will not have us know that Hour to the Intent that we may be upon our watch every Hour 37 But as the days of Noah were so shall also the coming of the Son of man be 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark 39 And knew not until the flood came and took them all away so shall also the coming of the Son of man be 40 Then shall two be in the field the one shall be taken and the other left 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill the one shall be taken and the other left In these Verses our Saviour declares that Jerusalem's Destruction and the World 's final Desolation at the great Day would be much like the Destruction of the old World and that in two Respects 1. In regard of Unexpectedness 2. In regard of Security and Sensuality How sensual and secure was the old World before the Flood They were eating and drinking marrying and giving in Marriage That is wholly given up to Sensuality and Debauchery and did not know of the Floods coming that is did not consider it till it swept them away Thus was it in the Destruction of Jerusalem and so will it be in the end of the World Learn hence 1. That as the old World perished by Infidelity Security and Sensuality so will the same Sins be prevailing before the Destruction of this present World As it was in the Days of Noah so shall it be when the Son of Man cometh 2. That the true Reason why Sinners are drowned in Sensuality and given over to Security is this because they do not believe the Certainty or consider the Proximity and Nearness of an approaching Judgment The old World knew not of the Floods coming Strange when Noah had told them of it an Hundred and Twenty Years together The meaning is They did not consider it and prepare for it To such as are unprepared for and unapprehensive of Death and Judgment those Evils are always sudden altho' Men be never so often warn'd of them But to such as are prepared Death is never sudden let them die never so suddenly 42 Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come 43 But know this that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up 44 Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh Here we have the Application made by our Saviour of the foregoing Doctrine concerning the Certainty and Suddenness of a future Judgment Watch therefore always not without Intermission but without giving over that ye may be not only in an habitual but actual Readiness for my Appearance Learn thence That it is the indispensible Duty and ought to be the indefatigable Endeavour of every Christian to stand upon his Watch in a prepared Readiness for Christ's Appearance both for his coming to us and for our going to him Watch always for ye know not the Hour when your Lord cometh 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his lord hath made ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season 46 Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing 47 Verily I say unto you that he shall make him ruler over all his goods These Words may be applied two ways 1. To all the faithful Servants of Christ in general Thence Learn That for a Person to spend and end his Days in the Service of Christ and doing his Will gives good Assurance of a blessed Condition Blessed is that Servant 2. To the Ministers of the Gospel in special may these Words be applied And here Obs 1. The Character and Duty of a Gospel-Minister He is the Steward of Christ's Houshold to give them their Meat in due Season Obs 2. The Qualifications requisite in such Stewards Faithfulness and Prudence Who then is that faithful and wise Steward Obs 3. The Reward insured to such Stewards as answer these Qualifications Blessed is that Servant Learn hence 1. That the Ministers of the Gospel are in a special Sense the Stewards of Christ's Houshold 2. That Faithfulness and Prudence are the necessary and indispensible Qualifications of Christ's Stewards 3. That where-ever these Qualifications are found Christ will graciously and abundantly reward them Our Faithfulness must respect God our Selves and our Flock and includes Integrity of Heart Purity of Intention Industry of Endeavour Impartiality in our Administrations Prudence appears in the choice of suitable Subjects in the choice of fit Language in exciting our own Affections in order to the moving of our People Ministerial Prudence will teach us by the Strictness and Gravity of our Deportment to maintain our Esteem in the Consciences of our People It will assist
Diet but both by their Habit and Diet set an Example of Gravity and Sobriety before their People being in these as well as in other things an Example unto their Flocks 7 And preached saying There cometh one mightier then I after me the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose Observe here 1. The high Opinion that the Baptist had of Christ he is mightier than I That is a Person of greater Dignity and Excellency by far than my self whence may be gathered that tho' Christ was Man he was not meer Man but more than Man even very God equal with the Father for John Baptist was the greatest of them that were born of Women Matth. 11.11 yet says he Christ is mightier or greater than I. How so but in regard of the Dignity of his Person being both God and Man in two distinct Natures and one Person Observe 2. The humble and low Estimation that the Baptist had of himself His Shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose A proverbial Speech implying that he was unworthy to do the basest and meanest Service for Christ Oh how well doth Humility of Mind an humble Apprehension a low Esteem and Opinion of themselves and their own Gifts and Abilities become the Messengers and Ministers of Christ John was a Man of eminent Abilities yet of Exemplary Humility he thought himself unworthy to unloose Christ's Shoe or do the meanest Office for him 8 I indeed have baptized you with water but he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost John shewed the Dignity of Christ's Person above his own in the former Verse in this he declares the Excellency of Christ's Office and the meanness of his own I wash the Body with Water but Christ cleanses the Soul by the Operation of his Holy Spirit Thence Learn That tho' the Ministers of Christ do by Christ's Command dispence the Outward Ordinance of Baptism yet it is Christ himself that by the Inward Work of his Spirit doth make it effectual to such as receive it I Baptize with Water but he with the Holy Ghost 9 And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in Jordan 10 And straightway coming up out of the water he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him 11 And there came a voice from heaven saying Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased See the Note on Matth. 3.13 Observe here 1. The great Condescention of Christ in seeking and submitting to the Baptism of John Christ tho' he was John's Lord and Master yea Lord of Heaven and Earth yet cometh to hear John Preach and will be Baptized of his Messenger Thence Learn That the greatest Persons should neither think themselves too great nor too good to come unto the Ministers of God to hear the Word from his Mouth or to receive the Sacrament at his Hand Christ the Son of God was content to be Baptized of John a mean Person in Comparison of himself How dare then the greatest upon Earth despise the Ministry of Man being appointed by God Observe 2. The solemn investing of Christ into the Office of a Mediator by a threefold Miracle namely the opening of the Heavens the Descent of the Holy Ghost and God the Father's Voice or Testimony concerning his Son The Heavens were opened to shew that Heaven which was closed and shut against us for our Sins is now opened to us by Christ's undertaking for us As Christ opened Heaven by his meritorious Passion so he keeps it open by his prevailing Intercession Next The Holy Ghost descends like a Dove upon our Saviour Here we have a Proof and Evidence of the Blessed Trinity The Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the Water and the Holy Ghost descends in the Likeness of a Dove But why did the Holy Ghost now descend upon Christ First For the Designation of his Person to shew that he was the Person set apart for the Work and Office of a Mediator Secondly For the Sanctification of his Person for the Performance of that Office This was Christ's Unction the Day in which he was Anointed above his Fellows to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Isa 61. v. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me he hath anointed me c. Observe 3. The Voice of God the Father pronouncing 1. The Nearness of Christ's Relation to himself This is my Son 2. The Endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The Fruit and Benefit of this near and dear Relation unto us In him I am well pleased Hence Learn 1. That there is no Possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ neither our Persons nor our Performances can find Acceptance but thro' him and for his sake 2. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the Ground and Cause of all that Love which God the Father sheweth to the Sons of Men In Christ God is well pleased with us as a reconciled Father out of him a consuming Fire 12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan and was with the wild beasts and the Angels ministred unto him Immediately That is 1. After his Baptism Christ is no sooner out of the Water of Baptism but he is in the Fire of Temptation Such as are Baptized with Christ and entered into the Profession of Christianity they must look to be assaulted with Satan's Temptations Again Immediately that is 2. After the Father had declared his Complacency in him and being well pleased with him Learn thence That great Manifestations of Love from God are usually followed with great Temptations from Satan The Spirit driveth him That is the Holy Spirit of God For the Devil is seldom if ever called the Spirit but usually some Brand of Reproach is annexed as the evil Spirit or the unclean Spirit and the like Christ was led by the Spirit says St. Matthew 4.1 He was driven by the Spirit says St. Mark that is He was carried by a strong Impulse of the Spirit of God to be tempted by Satan and did not go of his own private Motion to enter the Lists with Satan Teaching us our Duty not to run into or rush upon Temptations without a Warrant and Call from God Observe next the Place where Satan assaulted Christ with his Temptations it was a solitary Wilderness No Place can priviledge us from Temptations or be a Sanctuary from Satan's Assaults The solitary Wilderness has a Tempter in it yea Satan oft-times makes use of Men's Solitariness to farther his Temptations and such as separate themselves from Humane Society and give themselves up to Solitude and Retirement they give great Advantage to the Tempter to tempt them Observe next the Time and Continuance of our Holy Lord's Temptations not for an Hour a Day a Week or a Month but for Forty Days
even at the door 30 Verily I say unto you that this Generation shall not pass till all these things be done 31 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away 32 But of that day and hour knoweth no Man no not the Angels that are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father Here our Blessed Saviour declares two things with Reference to his Coming 1. The Certainty of the thing it self 2. The Uncertainty of the Time The Certainty of his Coming he sets forth by the Similitude of the Fig-Tree whose Beginning to Bud declares the Summer at hand Thus our Saviour tells them that when they should see the fore-mentioned Signs they might Conclude the Destruction of their City and Temple to be nigh at hand and accordingly some then Living did see â—hese Predictions Fulfilled Observe 2. The Uncertainty as to the precise Time when this Judgment should come no Angel in Heaven nor Creature upon Earth could determine the Time only the Glorious Persons in the Godhead the Father Son and Holy Ghost Learn hence That all things are not Revealed to the Angels themselves but such things only as it Concerns them to know and the Wisdom of God thinks fit to Reveal 2. That the precise Time of the Day of Judgment is kept by God as a Secret to himself we are not to know the Hour to the intent we may be upon our Watch every Hour Christ himself did not know it as Man but as GOD only 33 Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the Time is 34 For the Son of Man is as a Man taking a far Journey who left his House and gave Authority to his Servants and to every Man his work and commanded the Porter to watch 35 Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the House cometh at Even or at Midnight or at Cock-crowing or in the Morning 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all Watch. Our Blessed Saviour takes occasion from the fore-going Doctrine of the Certainty and Suddenness of his coming to Judgment to inforce the Duty of diligent and industrious Watchfulness upon all his Disciples and Followers that is to be upon their Guard against all Sin and to be in an actual readiness for his appearance and approach Learn hence That it is the indispensable Duty and ought to be the indefatigable endeavours of every Christian to stand upon his Guard in a prepared readiness for Christ's Appearance both for his coming to them and for their going to him There is a two-fold readiness for Christ's coming namely Habitual and Actual an habitual readiness is a readiness or the state and condition actual readiness is the readiness of the Person When we are furnished with all the Graces and Vertues of a good life when our Lamps are burning and our Loyns girded our Souls furnished with the Graces of God's Holy Spirit and our Lives fruitful in good Works Blessed is that Servant who when his Lord cometh shall be found thus Watching CHAP. XIV 1 AFter two days was the feast of the Pass-over and of unleavened Bread and the chief Priests and the Scribes sought how they might take him by craft and put him to death 2 But they said not on the feast-day lest there be an uproar of the People This Chapter gives us a sad and sorrowful account of the High Priests Conspiracy against the Life of our Bl. Saviour in which we have Observable the persons that made this Conspiracy the manner of the Conspiracy and the time when this Conspiracy was made 1. The Persons Conspiring are the chief Priests Scribes and Elders that is the whole Jewish Sanhedrim or General Council They lay their malicious heads together to contrive the Destruction of the innocent Jesus Thence Learn That General Councils have erred and may err fundamentally in matters of Doctrine so did this General Council at Jerusalem consisting of chief Priests Doctors and Elders with the high Priest their President in not believing Jesus to be the Messias after all the Miracles wrought before their Eyes Observe 2. The manner of this Conspiracy against our Saviour's Life it was Clandestine Secret and Subtile they consult how they may take him â—y craft and put him to Death Thence Note That Satan makes use of the subtilty of crafty Men and abuseth their parts as well as their Power for his own purposes and designs the Devil sends no fools of his Errand Observe 3. The circumstance of time when this Conspiracy was mannaged at the Feast of the Passover it being a custom among the Jews to execute Malefactors at their Solemn Feasts as at the Feast of the Passover the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles at which times all the Jews came up to Jerusalem to Sacrifice and then they put Malefactors to Death that all Israel might see and fear and noâ— do so wickedly Accordingly this Feast of the Passover was waited for by the Jews as a fit opportunity to put our Saviour to Death the only Objection was that it might occasion a Tumult amongst the People there being such a mighty concourse at that time in Jerusalem But Judas making them a proffer they readily comply with the motion and resolve to take the first opportunity to put our Saviour to Death 3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper as he sat at meat there came a Woman having an alablaster box of Ointment of Spikenard very precious and she brake the box and poured it on his head 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves and said why was this waste of the Oyntment made 5 For it might have been sold for more then three hundred pence and have been given to the poor and they murmured against her 6 And Jesus sâ—id leâ— her alone why trouble you her she hath wrought a good work on me 7 For ye have the poor with you always and whensoever ye will ye may do them good but me ye have not always 8 She hath done what she could she is come aforehâ—nd to anoint my body to the Burying 9 Verily I said unto you wheresoever this Gospel shall be Preached thorough out the World this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her Several particulars are Observable in this piece of History As first the Action which this Holy Womâ—n performed she pours a Box of precious Ointment upon our Saviour's Head as he sat at Meat according to the custom of the Eastern Countries at their Feasts Murmuring Judas valued this Ointment at Three Hundred Pence which makes of our Money Nine Pounds Seven Shillings and Six Pence reckoning the Roman Penny at seven pence half penny I do not find that any of the Apostles were at thus much cost and charge to put honour upon our Saviour as this poor Woman was Learn hence That where strong love prevails in the
that Power must be Omnipotent and that Act of Omnipotence doth prove him to be God 'T is true the Disciples raised the Dead who yet were no Gods but with this difference they raised the Dead by Christ's Power but Christ raised others and himself also by his own Power 41 The Jews then murmured at him because he said I am the bread which came down from heaven 42 And they said Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know how is it then that he saith I came down from heaven 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them Murmur not among your selves Altho' Christ had in the foregoing Verses plainly Asserted himself to be the True Bread that came down from Heaven for the Benefit of the World yet the Jews understanding his words carnally are offended with him and Murmur at him for pretending to come down from Heaven when they know him to be the Son of Joseph and Mary They understood nothing of his Divine Nature nor of his Miraculous Conception by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost and therefore were highly offended at him Thence Learn That Ignorance of Christ's Divine Nature was the Ground and Occasion of that Contempt which was cast upon his person Observe farther The proof which Christ gave of his Divine Nature in his knowing the Hearts and Thoughts of these murmuring Jews Jesus said Murmur not among your selves Christ knows and observes the most secret murmurings and repinings that are found in the Breasts of the Children of Men and this his Knowledge is an Evidence and Proof of his Divinity that he is truly and really God 44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day In which words we have something necessarily implied and something positively expres'd The misery of Man in his Natural and Unsanctified State is here implied he is far distant from Christ and unable of himself to to come unto him By Nature we are Strangers yea Enemies unto God Enemies to the Holiness of his Nature and to the Righteousness of his Laws And as the State of Unregeneracy is a State of Enmity so consequently must it be a State of Impotency without me therefore says Christ ye can do nothing John 15.5 That is without interest in me and influences of Grace derived from me Again the Truths we have exprest are these 1. That all those who come unto Christ are drawn unto him 2. That the drawing of sinful Souls unto Jesus Christ is the special and peculiar Work of God This drawing is a powerful Act but not a Compulsory Act. God doth not draw any against their wills to Christ but he inclines the Will of Sinners to come unto him He draws by effectual perswasion and not by violent Compulsion 3. That all those who are drawn to Christ here shall be raised up Gloriously by him hereafter I will raise him up at the last day Such as are brought to Christ by the Father Christ will never abandon them till he has raised them up at the last day and presented them Blameless and Compleat before his Father where they shall ever be with the Lord. 45 It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of God Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father save he which is of God he hath seen the Father 47 Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me hath everlasting life In these words our Blessed Saviour Confirms his former Assertion concerning his Father's drawing from the Prophesies of the Old Testament which speaking of the days of Messias foretold that persons should be Taught of God to Embrace the Messias whence Christ inferreth that every one who is thus Taught will come unto him and Believe in him Learn hence 1. That the Teachings of God are Absolutely necessary to every Man that cometh unto Christ in the way of Faith 2. That such shall not miscarry in the way of Faith who are under the special Teaching and Instructions of God They shall be all taught of God and he Teacheth to profit and that not only Authoritatively but efficaciously and effectually Those whom God undertakes to Teach Receive from him both an Ear to hear and an Heart to understand They shall be all Taught of God and they that are taught have heard and learned of the Father 48 I am that bread of life 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world In these Verses our Blessed Saviour Resumes his former Doctrine Namely That he is the Object of Saving Faith and the Bread of Life which he compares with the Manna the Bread of Israel Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness which Manna was an Illustrious Type of Christ Thus both came down from Heaven both were freely given of God without any merit or desert of Man both in a miraculous manner both at first unknown what they were and whence they came Both equally belonging to all both sufficient for all Poor and Rich. The Manna white in colour so clear our Lord's Innocence Pleasant like Honey so sweet are his Benefits Beaten and Broken before eaten Christ on his Cross bleeding and dying given only in the Wilderness and ceasing as soon as they came into the Land of Promise as Sacraments shall Vanish when we enjoy the Substance in Heaven But tho' Manna was thus excellent yet the eaters of it were dead but such as feed upon Christ the Bread of Life shall live Eternally in Bliss and Glory I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever Here we Learn 1. What a miserable Creature Man naturally is in a pining and starved Condition under the want of Soul-food 2. That Jesus Christ is the food of Souls which quickens them that are Dead and is unto the needy Soul all that it can need such Spiritual food as will prove a Remedy and Preservative against Death both Spiritual and Eternal I am the living Bread 52 The Jews therefore strove amongst themselves saying How can this man give us his flesh to eat 53 Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you 54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day 55 For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed 56 He that eateth my flesh
Winnow his Corn separating it from the Chaff preserving the one and consuming the other Learn hence 1. That the Church is Christ's Floor 2. That this Floor Christ will Purge and that throughly 3. That the Word of Christ is the Fan in his Hands by and with which he will thoroughly Purge his Floor The Church is compared to a Floor upon the Account of that Mixture which is in the Church in a Floor there is Straw as well as Grain Chaff as well as Corn Tares as well as Wheat Cockle and Darnel as well as Good Seed Thus in the Church there is and will be a Mixture of Good and Bad Saints and Sinners Hypocrites and Sincere Christians But this Floor Christ will Purge Purge it but not Break it up Purge out its Corruptions but not Destroy its Essence and Existence and the Fan with which he will Purge his Floor is his Word accompanied with the Wing of Discipline The Fan detects and discovers the Chaff and the Wing dissipates and scatters it and by the help of both the Floor is Purged His Fan is in his Hand c. 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him Here we have our Saviour's Solemn Inauguration and Publick Entrance upon his Prophetick Office by Baptism or Washing with Water according to the Manner of the Priests under the Ceremonial Law Exod. 29.4 Where we have Observable 1. The Circumstance of Time Then cometh Jesus that is after he had lain hid in Nazareth Thirty Years he comes abroad and enters upon his Publick Ministry Teaching us by his Example That when we are ripe and fit for Publick Service we should no less willingly leave our Obscurity than we took the Benefit of it for our Preparation Obs 2. The Action it self Christ is Baptized now as he was Circumcised before not because there was any Impurity in him either Filth or Foreskin which wanted either the Circumcising-Knife or the Baptismal-Water yet Purity it self condescends to be Washed Christ to be Baptized for these Reasons 1. That by this Symbol he might enter himself into the Society of Christians as by Circumcision he had done into the Society of Jews as a King condescends sometimes to be made a Freeman of a City or Corporation 2. That he might by his own Baptism Sanctifie the Ordinance of Baptism unto his Church 3. That thereby he might fulfil the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law which required the Washing of the Priests in Water when they entred upon their Office as appears from Exod. 29.4 Obs 3. The great Dignation and Condescention of Christ in seeking and submitting to the Baptism of John Christ cometh to John not John to Christ Behold the Lord seeking to his Servant Christ will be Baptized of his Messenger Our Saviour's Design hereby no doubt was to put Honour upon the Ministry of John Oh how dare the Greatest upon Earth despise the Ministry of Man being appointed by God which Christ honoured in his own Person and graced with his own Presence 14 But John forbad him saying I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me Note here 1. The Modesty of John's Refusal John forbad him and refused to admit him But why 1. In regard of Christ because he knew he needed it not such was his Majesty and Greatness that he was above it and such was his Purity and Holiness that he could not want it 2. In respect of himself he knew his own Uncleanness I have need to be Baptized of thee c. He thought it unsuitable that a Sinner should Baptize and Wash him that was no Sinner 3. With respect to the People lest they seeing Christ Baptized should apprehend him to be a Sinner and one that wanted the Baptism of Repentance as well as themselves Obs 2. As the Modesty of John's Refusal so the Reason he assigns for it I have need to be Baptized of thee As if he had said Thou art Purity I am Pollution thou art Spirit I am Flesh Thou are the Son of God I am the Son of Adam Such an humble Apprehension has this Holy Man of himself Learn That the more Holy a Person is the more sensible he is of his Unholiness where there is most Grace there is the greatest sense of the want of Grace 15 And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Then he suffered him These Words contain our Saviour's Reason why he submitted to John's Baptism because it became him to fulfil all Righteousness that is particularly the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law which required the Washing of the Priests in Water when they entred upon their Office Exod. 29.4 Learn hence 1. That whatever the Law required in order to perfect Righteousness that Christ fulfilled in most absolute Perfection both in his own Person and also in the Name of all Believers 2. That as it became Christ to fulfil the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law for himself so it is our Duty and Interest to fulfil the Righteousness of the Moral Law for our selves as an Evidence of our being Righteous in God's Sight 1 Joh. 3.7 He that doth Righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous 16 And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him 17 And lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Here we have the solemn Investing of Christ into his Office accompanied with a threefold Miracle 1. The Opening of the Heavens 2. The Descent of the Holy Ghost in the likeness of a Dove 3. God the Father's Voice concerning his Son The Heavens were opened to shew that Heaven which was closed and shut against us for our Sins is now opened to us by Christ's Undertaking for us As the First Adam shuts us out of Heaven the Second Adam lets us into it he opened Heaven to us by his Meritorious Passion and he keeps it open by his Prevailing Intercession Next the Holy Ghost descends like a Dove upon our Saviour here we have an Evidence of the Blessed Trinity the Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the Water and the Holy Ghost appears in the likeness of a Dove Hence we gather That the Holy Ghost is not a Quality or an Operation but a Person and a Person really distinct from the Father and the Son But why did the Holy Spirit now descend upon Christ First For the Designation of his Person to shew that Christ was the Person set apart for the Work and Office of a Mediator Secondly For the Qualification of his Person for the Performance of the Office This was Christ's Unction Isa 61.1 when he was Anointed above his Fellows to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Last of all We have the audible Voice
their Sins and his Sociable Disposition Loosness and Luxury Learn hence 1. That the faithful and zealous Ministers of GOD let their Temper and Converse be what it will cannot please the Enemies of Religion and the Haters of the Power of Godliness neither John's Austerity nor Christ's Familiarity would gain upon the Pharisees It is our Duty in the Course of our Ministry to seek to please all Men for their Good But after all our Endeavours to please all we shall please but very few but if God and Conscience be of the Number of those Few we are Safe and Happy Obs 2. That it has been the old Policy of the Devil that he might hinder the Success of the Gospel to fill the Minds of Persons with an Invincible Prejudice against the Ministers and Dispensers of the Gospel Obs 3. That after all the Scandalous Reproaches cast upon Religion and the Ministers of it such as are Wisdom's Children wise and good Men will justifie Religion that is Approve it in their Judgments Honour it in their Discourses and Adorn it in their Lives Wisdom is justified of her Children 20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not 21 Wo unto thee Chorazin wo unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes 22 But I say unto you It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you Our Saviour having gone thro' the Cities of Galilee Preaching the Doctrine of Repentance and Confirming his Doctrine with Miracles and finding multitudes after all his Endeavours remaining in their Impenitency he proceeds to upbraid them severely for that their Contempt of Gospel-Grace Then began he to upbraid the Cities c. Where Observe 1. The Cities upbraided Chorazin Bethsaida and Capernaum in their Pulpits he daily Preacht and those Places were the Theatres upon which his Miracles were wrought other Cities only heard these saw but where he Preached most he Prevailed least Like some Fisher-men he catcht least in his own Pond Obs 2. What he upbraids them for not for Disrespect to his Person but for Disobedience to his Doctrine Because they repented not The great Design of Christ both in the Doctrine which he preached and in the Miracles which he wrought was to bring Men to Repentance that is to forsake their Sins and Live well Obs 3. Whom he upbraids them with Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah Nations rude and barbarous out of the Pale of the Church ignorant of a Saviour and of the Way of Salvation by him Therefore instead of Wooing them he denounces Woes against them Learn That the higher a People rise under the Means the lower they fall if they miscarry They that have been nearest to Conversion and yet not converted shall have the greatest Condemnation when they are judged Capernaum's Sentence shall exceed Sodom's for Severity because she exceeded Sodom in the Enjoyment of Means and Mercy 23 And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven shalt be brought down to hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this day This City lying under greater Guilt than the rest Christ names it by it self without the rest nay he doth not only name it but notifie it as being lifted up to Heaven by Signal Favours and Priviledges namely Christ's Presence Chnst's Preaching and Miracles Obs 1. Capernaum's Priviledge injoyed tho' a poor obsecure Place in it self yet she was by the Person Ministry and Miracles of Christ lifted up to Heaven Learn thence That Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges enjoyed are a mighty Honour and Advancement to the poorest Persons and obscurest Places Obs 2. An heavy Doom denounced Thou shalt be brought down to Hell that is thy Condition shall be as sad as that of the worst of Men for thy Non-proficiency under the Means injoyed Learn thence That Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges injoyed but not improved provoke Almighty God to inflict the sorest of Judgments upon a People Thou Capernaum exalted to Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell 24 But I say unto you That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee Observe here 1. That there shall be a Day of Judgment 2. That in the Day of Judgment some Sinners shall fare worse than others there are Degrees of Punishment among the Damned 3. That the worst of Heathens who never heard of a Saviour nor ever had an Offer of Salvation by him shall fare better in the Day of Judgment than those that continue impenitent under the Gospel CHRIST here avouches that Capernaum's Sentence shall exceed Sodom's for Severity 25 At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes 26 Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight In these Verses our Saviour glorifies his Father for the wise and free Dispensation of his Gospel-Grace to the meanest and most ignorant whilst the Great and Learned Men of the World undervalued and despised it Learn 1. That till GOD reveals himself his Nature and Will no Man can know either what he is or what he requires Thou hast revealed 2. That the Wise Men of the World have in all Ages despised the Mysteries of the Gospel and have therefore been Judicially given up by GOD to their own wilful Blindness Thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent 3. That the most Ignorant and most Humble not the most Learned and most Proud do stand ready to receive and embrace the Gospel-Revelation Thou hast revealed them unto Babes 4. That this is no less pleasing to Christ than it is the Pleasure of the Father Even so Father as it seemed good in thy sight As if Christ had said Father thy Election and Choice pleases me as being the Choice and Good Pleasure of thy Wisdom 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him In this Verse our Saviour opens his Commission and declares 1. His Authority that all Power is committed to Him as Mediator from God the Father 2. His Office to reveal his Father's Mind and Will to a Lost World No Man knoweth the Father but the Son That is the Essence and Nature of the Father the Will and Counsel of the Father only as the Son reveals them Learn That all our Saving Knowledge of God is in and thro' Jesus Christ he as the Great Prophet of his Church reveals the Mind and Will of GOD unto us for our Salvation and no Saving Knowledge without him 28 Come unto me all ye
slain and Ninety-seven Thousand carried away Captive and made Prisoners They that bought our Saviour for Thirty Pence were now themselves sold Thirty for a Penny Now did the Temple it self become a Sacrifice a whole Burnt-Offering and was consum'd to Ashes Yet Observe Christ promises that these Calamitous Days should be shortned for the Elects sake God had a Remnant which he determined should survive this Destruction to be an holy Seed and accordingly the Providence of God so order'd that the City was taken in Six Months and the whole Country depopulated in Eighteen Whence Observe How the Lord intermixes some Mercy with the extremest Misery that doth befal a People for their Sin On this side Hell no Sinners can say that they feel the Strokes of Justice to the utmost or that they have Judgment without Mercy 23 Then if any man shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there believe it not 24 For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect 25 Behold I have told you before 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not The Jews had all along cherished in themselves a vain Expectation that the promised Messias should be a Temporal Deliverer that should set them at Liberty from the Power and Slavery of the Romans and accordingly Christ declares to his Disciples here that immediately before Jerusalem's Destruction several Persons taking the Advantage of this Expectation would make themselves Heads of Parties and pretend that they were the true Messiah who would save and deliver them from their Enemies if they would repair to them and follow after them Hereupon our Lord cautions his Disciples against such false Christs and false Prophets and bids them believe them not tho' they did never so many great Signs and Wonders and promised them never such Glorious Deliverances Learn hence That the Church's great Danger is from Seducers that come in Christ's Name and pretending to work Signs and Wonders by his Authority 2. That such is the Power of Seduction and Delusion that many are carried away with Seducers and false Teachers 3. That the Elect themselves if left unto themselves might be seduced but Divine Power guards them against Seduction and Delusion They shall deceive if it were possible the very Elect. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the Son of man be There is a threefold coming of Christ spoken of in the New Testament 1. His coming in his Spiritual Kingdom by the preaching of the Gospel among the Gentiles 2. His coming to destroy Jerusalem Forty Years after his Ascension 3. His final Coming to Judgment at the great Day All these Comings of the Son of Man for their Suddenness and Unexpectedness are compared unto Lightning which in a moment breaketh out of the East and shineth unto the West Learn hence That the Coming and Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to the judging of wicked and impenitent Sinners it will be a very certain sudden and unexpected Appearance 28 For wheresoever the carcass is there will the eagles be gathered together If the coming of Christ be understood in the former Verse of his coming to destroy Jerusalem then by the Carcass in this Verse are to be understood the People of Jerusalem and the Body of the Jewish Nation And by the Eagles are to be understood the Roman Armies who carried an Eagle in their Standard These were the Instruments which Almighty God made use of as his Rod and Scourge to chastise and punish the People of Jerusalem Learn thence That the appointed Messengers of God's Wrath and the Instruments of his Vengeance will suddenly gather together certainly find out and severely punish and plague an impenitent People devoted to Destruction Where the Carcass is the Body of the Jewish Nation there will the Eagles the Roman Soldiers be gathered together 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken 30 And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven Our Saviour goes on in figurative Expressions to set forth the Calamities that should befal the Jewish Nation immediately after the Destruction of Jerusalem The Sun shall be darkened that is all their Glory and Excellency shall be eclipsed all their Wealth and Prosperity shall be laid waste their whole Government Civil and Ecclesiastical destroy'd and such Marks of Misery found upon them as never were seen upon a People By the Sign of the Son of Man the Papists will have understood the Sign of the Cross Others understand it of those Prodigies which were seen a little before the Destruction of Jerusalem which Josephus mentions as namely A Comet in the form of a Sword hanging over the City for a Year together A Light in the Temple and about the Altar seen at Midnight for half an Hour A Cow led by the Priest to be sacrificed calved a Lamb. A Voice heard in the Temple saying Abeamus hinc Let us go hence Learn hence God doth premonish before he punish he warns a People of Destruction often before he destroys them once 30 And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other Then shall the Tribes mourn that is then shall the Jews be convinced that their Destruction was the Punishment of their Sin in rejecting and crucifying Christ and accordingly they that pierced him shall behold him and mourn over him Thus it was before the Destruction of Jerusalem and thus will it be before the final Judgment They that pierced him shall be brought before him Lord how will the Sight of a pierced Christ pierce their Souls with Horror they who have not seen a pierced Christ in the Sorrows of Repentance shall hereafter see him in the Sorrows of Despair To behold Christ with the Eye of Sense hereafter will be very dreadful and terrible to all those that have not beheld him with the Eye of Faith here And he shall send his Angels with the Sound of a Trumpet Those that apply this to the Destruction of Jerusalem by the Angels understand the Ministers of the Gospel who by the Trumpet of the Word did bring in Believers throughout all Judea who were saved from that Destruction Those that understand it of the general Judgment take it literally that Christ at the great Day will send forth his Holy Angels and gather
with the elders and had taken counsel they gave large money unto the soldiers 13 Saying say ye His disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept 14 And if this come to the governours ears we will perswade him and secure you 15 So they took the money and did as they were taught and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day Observe here 1. How the Priests and Elders endeavour by a notorious Lie to hinder the Belief of our Lord's Resurrection they suborn and bribe the Soldiers to say that his Corps were stoln out of the Grave Lies have been an old Refuge which the Enemies of Christ have all along had Recourse unto â—â—lying is an ancient Device of Satan But Observe 2. What an improbable and unlikely Lie this was which they put into the Soldiers Mouths to vouch Say his Disciples came and stole him away while we slept If the Soldiers were asleep how could they discover the Disciples stealing away the Body If awake why did they not prevent their stealing it Besides how improbable was it that Christ's few and fearful Disciples should attempt to open the Sepulchre guarded by Soldiers And as unlikely was it that the Soldiers should be all asleep together and so fast asleep too that the great Stone at the Mouth of the Sepulchre should be rolled away and not one of the Soldiers awaked with the Noise Yet Observe farther That this incredible Falshood finds a fast and firm rooting in the Belief of the Jews to this Day Note thence That it is a Righteous Thing with God to deliver up to those strong Delusions even to the believing of notorious Lies who will not yield their Assent to Divine Truths upon the clearest Evidence and most convincing Demonstration How strange is it that such a Falshood as this should find Belief amongst the Jews to this Day But where Truth is obstinately rejected a Lie tho' never so improbable is received 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them 17 And when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted This Meeting of our Saviour and his Apostles upon a Mountain in Galilee was an appointed and general Meeting The Mountain is supposed to be that near Capernaum where he made that famous Sermon called the Sermon on the Mount and the Meeting is supposed to be appointed as a general Rendezvous for confirming the Faith of all his Disciples in the Certainty of his Resurrection Possibly our Lord appointed this Place in Galilee so far from Jerusalem that his Disciples might without Danger come thither to see their Saviour alive again after his Crucifixion This is judged to be that famous Appearance of which St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 15.6 When he was seen of above Five Hundred Brethren at once And those that saw him worshipped him who before had doubted Learn hence That when Faith is once satisfied and sees Christ to be God it engages the Soul to worship him Divine Worship is due to Christ upon the Account of his Divine Nature No Creature can be the Object of Divine Worship therefore they that worship Christ by praying to him and yet deny him to be God are certainly Idolaters If Christ had had an Angelick Nature that had not made him capable of Divine Worship for Adoration is founded only in Divinity and what is but Humane or Angelical is not Adorable 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth 19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Amen Observe here 1. A Power asserted 2. An Authority delegated 3. A Command injoined 4. A Promise subjoined Observe 1. A Power and Authority asserted by our Saviour as belonging to himself All Power is given to me both in Heaven and in Earth 1. In Heaven which comprehends a Power of sending the Holy Ghost a Power over the Angels and all the Host of Heaven and a Power to dispose of Heaven to all that shall believe in him 2. In Earth which comprehends a Power to gather a Church out of all Nations and Authority to rule govern and defend the same against all its Enemies Learn hence That all Power and Authority concerning the Church of God was given unto Christ and conferr'd upon him upon the Account of his Meritorious Death and Triumphant Resurrection All Power is given to me That is as Mediator but this Power was inherent in him as God from all Eternity Observe 2. This Power delegated by Christ to his Apostles Go ye therefore and teach and baptize all Nations instructing them to observe all things whatsoever I command you Here is a threefold Power delegated by Christ to his Apostles 1. To congregate and gather a Church a Christian Church out of all the Heathen Nations throughout the World Before he had confined them only to Israel now they must travel from Country to Country and proselyte the Heathen Nations which before had been taught of the Devil and were led away by his Oracles and Delusions Go and disciple all Nations without any Distinction of Country Sex or Age whatsoever and make the Gospel Church as large as you can Thence Note That the Apostles and first Planters of the Gospel had a Commission from Christ to go amongst the Pagan-Gentiles without Limitation and were not to take up their settled Residence in any one Nation but to travel from Country to Country instructing them in the saving Mysteries of the Gospel The second Branch of their Power was to baptize in the Name of the whole Trinity Baptizing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Where Observe That all adult and grown Persons are to be first taught and instructed before they be baptized But it follows not from hence that the Children of such Parents may not be baptized before they are taught for the Apostles were to baptize all Nations of which Children are a chief if not the chiefest part Besides those that were proselyted to the Jewish Religion tho' before they were circumcised themselves they were instructed in the Law of God yet when they were circumcised themselves their Children were not denied Circumcision at Eight Days old In like manner have we no Reason to deny the Children of baptized Parents who are in Covenant themselves the Sign and Seal of the Covenant which is Baptism God having assured his People that he will be the God of them and of their Seed If this Priviledge be denied the Children of Christian Parents are in a worse Condition than the Children of the Jews and consequently Infants are in a worse Condition since Christ's coming than they were before and the Priviledges
that is on the House-top not go down into the House neither enter therein to take any thing out of his House 16 And let him that is in the Field not turn back again for to take up his Gâ—rmâ—nt 17 But wo to them which are with Child and to them that give Suck in those days 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter The meaning is As soon as ye shall see the Roman Army appear before the City of Jerusalem let every one that values his own Safety fly as far and as fast as he can as Lot fled from the Flames of Sodom and be glad if by flight he can save his Life though he loose Goods and Cloaths and all things beside Whence Learn That when Almighty God is pouring forth his Fury upon a sinful People it is both Lawful and a Necessary Duty by Fliâ—ht to endeavour to shelter and secure our selves from the approaching Calamity and Desolation when ye see Jerusalem câ—â—mpassed with Aâ—mies flee to the Mountains 2. That in Case of fliâ—ht before an Enraged Enemy and Bloody Army if we loose all that we have and our Lives be given us for a Prey we fâ—re well and the Lord deals very Graciously and Mâ—â—cifully with us Next our Saviour declares the doleful Distress of those that could not flee from the Roman Army encompassing Jerusalem as Women great with Child and others gâ—ving suck who by that means are like to loose their Lives and adds farther that it would encrease the Calamity if their flight should happen to be in the Winter or as St. Matthew adds on the Sabbath day Matth. 24.20 Pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-day Flight in the Winter is sad because we can then fly neither fast nor far and on the Sabbath-day it is very sorrowful that being the day of our Spiritual Labour and of our Bodily Rest Learn thence That it is a great Addition to the trouble and disquiet of a good Man's Spirit when the day of his Spiritual Rest is Interrupted and instead of Enjoying Communion with God in his House he is driven from House and Home 19 For in those days shall be Affliction such as was not from the Beginning of the Creation which God Created unto this time neither shall be 20 And except that the Lord had shortned those Days no flesh should be Saved but for the Elects sake whom he hath Chosen he hath shortned those Days The dreadful Calamities which were coming upon the Jews in general and Jerusalem in particular are here fore-told by our blessed Saviour partly from the Roman-Army without and partly from the Seditions and Factions of the Zealots within who committed such outrages and Slaughters that there were no less than an Hundred Thousand Jews slain and Ninety Seven Thousand taken Prisoners They that Bought our Saviour for Thirty Pence were now themselves Sold Thirty for a Penny Now did the Temple it self become a Sacrifice a whole Burnt-Offering and was Consumed to ashes Yet Observe Christ promises that those days of Vengeance should be shortned for the Elects sake God had a Remnant which he designed shou d survive that Destruction to be an Holy Seed and accordingly the Providence of God so ordered it that the City was taken in six Months and the whole Country depopulated in Eighteen From whence Observe How the Lord intermixes some Mercy with the extreamest Misery that doth bâ—fal a People for their Sin on this side Hell No Sinner can say in this Life that they feel the stroaks of Justice to the utmost or that they have Judgment without Mercy 21 And then if any Man shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or lo he is there Believe him not 22 For false Christs and false Prophets shall rise and shall shew Signs and Wonders to Seduce if it were possible the very Elect. 23 But take ye heed behold I have fore-told you all things The Jews had all along cherished in themselves a vain expectation that the Promised Messias should be a Temporal Deliverer and set them at Liberty from the Power and Slavery of the Romans and accordingly our Saviour declares to his Disciples here that immediately before Jerusalem's Destruction several Persons taking the Advantage of this Expectation would make themselves Heads of Parties and pretend that they were the true Messiah who should save and deliver them from their Enemies if they would follow them hereupon our Saviour cautions his Disciples against such false Christ's and false Prophets and bids them not believe them though they did never so many great Signs and Wonders and promised them never such glorious Deliverances From hence Note 1. That the Churches great Danger is from Seducers that come in Christ's Name and pretend to Work Signs and Wonders by his Authority Note 2. That such is the power of Seduction and Delusion That many in all Ages of the Church have been carried away with Seducers and False Teachers 3. That the Elect themselves if lest to themselves might be Seduced but being guarded by Divine Power against Seduction and Delusision they shall be preserved from that fatal Mischief They shall seduce if p ssible even the Elect. 24 But in those days after that Tribulation the Sun shâ—ll be darkned and the Moon shall not give her Light 25 And the Stars of Heaven shall fall and the Powers that are in Heaven shall be shaken 26 And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds with great Power and Glory 27 And then shall he send his Angels and shall gather together his Elect from the Four Winds from the utmost part of the Earth to the uttermost part of Heaven Our Saviour goes on in Figurative Expressions to set forth the Calamities that should befal the Jewish Nation immediately after Jerusalem's Destruction The Sun shall be Darkened that is all their Glory and Excellency shall be Eclipsed all their Wealth and Prosperity shall be laid waste their whole Government Civil and Ecclesiastical destroyed and such Marks of Misery found upon them as never were seen upon a People Those that apply this to the general Judgment understand the words Literally that Sun and Moon will then have their Influences suspended that the Holy Angels will be sent forth to gather the Elect from all quarters of the World with the sound of a Trumpet says St. Matthew Probably as there was an audible sound of a Trumpet at the giving of the Law so there shall be the like found of a Trumpet when Christ shall Summon the World to Judgment for Transgressing of that Law A joyful Sound will this be to the Friends of Christ a doleful dreadful Sound in the Ears of his Enemies 28 Now Learn a Parable of the Fig-tree when her Branch is yet tender and putteth forth Leaves ye know that Summer is near 29 So ye in like manner when ye shall see these things come to pass know that it is nigh
sanctify the Ordinance of baptism unto us 3. That thereby he might fulfil the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law which required the washing of the Priests in Water before they entered upon their Office as appears Exod. 29.4 Obs 3. How the Duty of Prayer accompanieth the Ordinance of Baptism Jesus being Baptized and Praying Teaching us by his example to Sanctify every Ordinance and every Action with Prayer Christ when he was Baptized he Prayed when he was Tempted he Prayed when he brake Bread he Prayed when he wrought Miracles he Prayed in his Agony in the Garden he prayed when he Suffered on the Cross he Prayed what was the subject matter of our Lord's Prayer at this time is not exprest but by what followed namely the Heavens opening and the Holy Ghost descending it is probably conjectured that he prayed for some Testimony to be given from Heaven concerning himself for it immediately follows 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a Bodily shape like a dove upon him and a voice came from Heaven which said Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased Observe here the solemn investing of Christ into his Office as Mediator is attended with a threefold Miracle namely the opening of the Heavens the Descending of the Holy Ghost and God the Father's voice concerning his Son the Heavens were opened to shew that Heaven which was closed and shut against us for our Sins is now opened to us by Christ's Undertaking for us Next the Holy Ghost descends like a Dove upon our Saviour here we have a proof and evidence of the Blessed Trinity the Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the Water and the Holy Ghost descends in the likeness of a Dove But why did the Holy Ghost now descend upon Christ first for the Designation of his Person to shew that he was the Person set apart for the Work and Office of a Mediator Secondly for the Unction and Sanctification of his Person for the performance of that Office Now was he anointed to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Lastly we have here the voice of God the Father pronouncing 1. The nearness of Christ's Relation This is my Son 2. The endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The fruit and benefit of this near Relation unto us In thee I am well pleased Hence Learn 1. That there is no possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ neither our Persons nor our Performances can find Acceptance with God but only in and through him and for his sake 2. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the ground and cause of all that Love and Good Will which God the Father sheweth to the Sons of Men. In Christ God is well pleased with us as a Reconciled Father out of him a consuming Fire Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased 23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age being as was supposed the son of Joseph which was the son of Eli. At Thirty years of Age the Priests under the Law entered upon their publick Office accordingly Christ stays the full time prescribed by the Law before he undertakes his publick Ministry and he gives the reason for it Mat. 3.15 that he might fulfil all Rightousness that is the Righteousness of the ceremonial Law which required Persons to be of that Age before they entered that Office and also injoyned them to be Baptized or washt in Water when they undertook their Office See Exod. 29.4 Learn hence that whatever the Law required in order to perfect Righteousness That Christ fulfilled in most absolute Perfection both in his own Person and also in the name of all Believers Observe farther the Title given to Joseph here he is called the supposed Father of Christ Joseph was not his natural Father tho' so supposed by the Jews but he was his Legal Father being Married to the Virgin when our Saviour was Born and he was his nursing Father that took care of him and provided for him tho' Christ sometimes shewed both his Parents that if he pleased he could live without any dependance upon their care See Luke 2.49 24 Which was the son of Matthat which was the son of Levi which was the son of Melchi which was the son of Janna which was the son of Joseph 25 Which was the son of Mattathias which was the son of Amos which was the son of Naum which was the son of Esly which was the son of Nagge 26 Which was the son of Maath which was the son of Mattathias which was the son of Semei which was the son of Joseph which was the son of Judah 27 Which was the son of Joanna which was the son of Resa which was the son of Zorobabel which was the son of Salathiel which was the son of Neri 28 Which was the son of Melchi which was the son of Addi which was the son of Cosam which was the son of Elmodam which was the son of Er. 29 Which was the son of Jose which was the son of Eliezer which was the son of Jorim which was the son of Matthat which was the son of Levi. 30 Which was the son of Simeon which was the son of Juda which was the son of Joseph which was the son of Jonan which was the son of Eliakin 31 Which was the son of Melea which was the son of Menan which was the son of Mattatha which was the son of Nathan which was the son of David 32 Which was the son of Jesse which was the son of Obed which was the son of Booz which was the son of Salmon which was the son of Naasson 33 Which was the son of Aminadab which was the son of Aram which was the son of Esrom which was the son of Phares which was the son of Juda. 34 Which was the son of Jacob which was the son of Isaac which was the son of Abraham which was the son of Thara which was the son of Nachor 35 Which was the son of Saruch which was the son of Ragau which was the son of Phaleg which was the son of Heber which was the son of Sala 36 Which was the son of Cainan which was the son of Arphaxad which was the son of Sem which was the son of Noah which was the son of Lamech 37 Which was the son of Mathusala which was the son of Enoch which was the son of Jared which was the son of Maleleel which was the son of Cainan 38 Which was the son of Enos which was the son of Seth which was the son of Adam which was the son of God We find the Genealogy of our Blessed Saviour Recorded by two Evangelists St. Matthew and St. Luke his Pedegree is set forth by St. Matthew from his Father Joseph by St. Luke from his Mother Mary the design of both is to prove him lineally descended from Abraham and David and consequently the true and promised Messias St. Matthew intending
written in this Book 3. That Persons may know that their Names are written in that Book otherwise they could not rejoyce for no Man can rejoyce in an unknown good 4. That it is greater matter of Joy and Rejoycing to know that our Names are written in Heaven then to have a Power to cast out Devils here on Earth A Man may have Power to cast forth Devils out of others and yet at the same time the Devil may have Power in and over himself Therefore in this rejoyce not that the Devils are subject unto you But rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven If you say With what spectacles shall we read that at such a Distance Who will ascend up into Heaven to see whether his Name be written there Or who can send a Messenger thither to search the Records I Answer Turn thine Eyes inward if the Name of God be written in thy Heart thy Name is certainly written in Heaven if you in your daily Actions write out a Copy of God's Book the Blessed Bible here below assure your selves the hand of God has written your Names in his Book above that is you shall certainly be saved 21 In that Hour Jesus rejoyced in Spirit and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight 22 All things are delivered to me of my father and no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father and who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Here we find our Saviour glorifying his Father and magnifying himself 1. He glorifies his Father for the wise and free Dispensation of his Gospel-Grace to the meanest and most ignorant Persons whilst the Great and Learned Men of the World undervalued and despised it I thank thee Father that thou hast revealed these things to Babes Learn hence 1. That till God reveals himself his Nature and Will no Man can know either what he is or what he requires Thâ—u hast revealed 2. That the wise and knowing Men of the World have in all Ages despised the Mysteries of the Gospel and have therefore been judicially blinded by God Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent When Men shut their Eyes against the clearest Light and say they will not see God closes their Eyes and says they shall not see 3. That the most ignorant if humble and desirous of spiritual Illumination are in the readiest disposition to receive and embrace the Gospel Revelation Thou hast revealed them unto Babes 4. That this is not more pleasing to Christ then it is the pleasure of his Father even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Observe 2. our Saviour magnifies himself 1. His Authority and Commission All things are delivered unto me that is all Power is committed to me as Mediator from God the Father 2. His Office to reveal his Father's Will to a lost World No man knoweth the Father but the Son or the Son but the Father That is no Man knoweth their Essence and Nature their Will and Pleasure their Counsel and Consent their mutual Compact and Agreement betwixt themselves for saving a lost World but only themselves and those to whom they reveal it Learn thence That all saving Knowledge of God is in by and thro' Christ he as the great Prophet of his Church reveals unto us the Mind and Will of God for our Salvation None knoweth but he to whom the Son revealeth 23 And he turned him to his Disciples and said privately Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see 24 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 From the very first giving out of the Promise of Christ to Adam after the Fall Gen. 3.15 There was in all good Men a longing Desire and Expectation to see that Person who should be so great a Blessing to Mankind Prophets and Kings desired to see the promised Messiah Now says our Saviour to his Disciples Blessed are you for you have seen with the Eyes of your Body what others only saw with the Eyes of their Mind with your Bodily Eye you have seen the Promised Messias coming in the Flesh and also the Miracles to confirm you that I am He have been wrought before your Eyes therefore Blessed are the eyes of your Body which have beheld me corporally and blessed also are the eyes of your Mind which have beheld me Spiritually A sight of Christ by a Believing eye much more by a glorified eye is a blessed Sight Blessed are those eyes which see Christ in his Dispensations of Grace here they shall certainly see him in his manifestations of Glory hereafter 25 And behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master What shall I do to inherit eternal Life 26 He said unto him What is written in the Law How readest thou 27 And he answering said Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy self 28 And he said unto him Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live Here we have a Lawyer that is an Interpreter and Expounder of the Law of Moses tempting our Saviour that is making tryal of him whether he would deliver any Doctrine contrary to the Law of Moses he propounds therefore a question What he should do to inherit eternal Life Where Note 1. He Believed the certainty of a future State 2. he professes his desire of an Eternal Happiness in that State 3. He declares his Readiness to do something in order to the obtaining of that Happiness Hence Learn That all Religion both Nâ—tural and Revealed teaches Men that good Works are necessary to Salvation or that something must be done by them who desire to enter into Life What shall I do to inherit eternal Life It is not talking well and professing well but doing well that entitles us to Heaven and Eternal Salvation and this the very Light of Nature teaches Observe 2. Our Saviour's Answer What is written in the Law how readest thou intimating to us that the Word and Law of God is the Rule and measure of our Duty our Guide to direct us in the way to Eternal Life The Man Replies That the Law of God requires That we love God with all our heart soul and strength and our Neighbour as our selves Where Note 1. That the fervour of all our Affections and particularly the Supremacy of our Love is Required by God as his Right and Due Love must pass thro' and possess all the Powers and Faculties of our Souls The Mind must meditate upon God the Will must choose and embrace
Sinners and for their Envy at the Recovery of such Sinners by Repentance assuring them that they are far from the temper of the Holy Angels who Rejoyce more at the News of one Notorious Sinners Conversion then for many Righteous Persons who went not astray like as a Father is touched with a more sensible Joy for the Recovery of one Son who was dangerously sick then for the Health of all the rest who were in no such Danger From the whole Note 1. That the Creatures Aberration may serve for our Instruction the Sheeps straying away from us should put us in mind of our wandring away from God 2. That Christ the great Shepherd of his Church with vigilancy and care seeketh up and findeth out his lost Sheep and will never give over his search till he hath found them 3. That the Recovery of one lost Sinner by Repentance is matter of exceeding Joy and Rejoycing to Christ the great Shepherd and to all the Blessed Company of Heaven There is joy in Heaven over one sinner that Repenteth or changeth the whole Course of his Life more then over Ninety and nine just Persons that need no such Repentance 8 Either what Woman having ten pieces of Silver if she lose one piece doth not light a Candle and sweep the house and seek diligently till she find it 9 And when she hath found it she calleth her Friends and her Neighbours together saying Rejoyce with me for I have found the piece which I had lost 10 Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that Repenteth The scope of this Parable is the same with the former 1. To express the Joy that is found with GOD and his Holy Angels at the Recovery and Conversion of a notorious Sinner 2. To justify Christ in Conversing with such Sinners in order to their Repentance and Conversion from the malicious Reflections of the Pharisees made upon our Saviour for so doing the sense of the words seems to be this If you do all justify the diligence and care of a Woman using all possible means to recover the loss of a piece of Silver that had Cesar's Image upon it why might our Saviour say will you Pharisees Censure and Condemn me for seeking to recover and save lost Sinners that have the Image of an Holy God instampt upon them Learn hence 1. That the Conversion of a Sinner from a Course and State of Sin and wickedness is highly acceptable and pleasing unto God 2. That it is reasonable to suppose that the Holy Angels in Heaven do conceive a new joy at the notice and news of a Sinners Repentance and Conversion unto God how the Angels come by this Knowledge whether by vertue of their Ministry here below or whether God is pleased to reveal it to them above as a thing extremely welcome and delightful to good Spirits 't is neither material to enquire nor possible to determine But their Happiness not being intensively infinite it is certain that they may be Happier than they are Note 3. That God is not only willing to receive and embrace Repenting and Returning Sinners but the News of their Repentance is entertain'd with so much joy in Heaven that if it be possible for the Blessed Inhabitants of that place to have any thing added to their Happiness this will be a new Accession to it For tho' the Happiness of God himself be intensively infinite and can have nothing added to it yet the Happiness of Angels and glorified Spirits being but finite is capable of Addition and as their Knowledge and Love do encrease so their Felicity may be growing and improving to all Eternity so that it is reasonable enough to suppose that there is really joy among the Angels and Spirits of just Men made perfect over every Sinner that Repenteth 11 And he said A certain man had two sons 12 And the younger of them said to his Father Father give me the portion of Goods that falleth to me and he divided to them his Living 13 And not many days after the younger Son gathered all together and took his Journey into a far Country and there wasted his Substance with riotous Living 14 And when he had spent all there arose a mighty Famine in that Land and he began to be in want 15 And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that Country and he sent him into his Fields to feed Swine 16 And he would fain have filled his Belly with the Husks that the Swine did eat and no man gave unto him 17 And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my Fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger 18 I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants 20 And he arose and came to his Father but when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion on him and ran and fell on his Neck and kissed him 21 And the Son said unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son 22 But the Father said to his Servants Bring forth the best Robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his Hand and Shooes on his Feet 23 And bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry 24 For this my Son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found and they began to be merry In the two former Parables of the lost Sheep and lost Groat was Represented to us the great pains and care which Christ takes for the Recovery of lost Sinners In this third Parable of the Prodigal Son is shadowed forth unto us with what great readiness joy and gladness our Heavenly Father receives repenting and returning Sinners In the Face of this Prodigal as in a Glass we may behold first a riotous Sinners Aversion from God secondly a penitent sinners Conversion to God thirdly a pardoned Sinners Acceptance and Entertainment with God From the whole Learn 1. What is the Nature of Sin and the Practice of Sinners Sin is a departing from God and every Sinner doth voluntarily and of his own accord depart from him He took his Journey into a far Country Learn 2. The great extravagancy which Sinners run into when they forsake God and give up themselves to the Conduct of their Lusts and vile Affections he wasted all his Substance with riotous Living that is spent his Time and consumed his Treasure in riot and excess 3. Observe That sin will certainly bring Men into Streights but Streights do not always bring Men off from sin he began to be in want yet thinks not of returning to his Fathers House 4. That sinners will try all ways and go through
the greatest Hardships and Difficulties before they will leave their sins and return home to their Heavenly Father He joined himself to a Citizen of that Country and went into the Fields to feed Swine he chooses rather to feed at the Hogs Trough then to Feast in his Fathers House 5. Observe at last the happy Fruits of a Sanctified Affliction they put the prodigal upon serious Consideration he came to himself upon wise Consultation I perish for hunger and upon a fixed Resolution I will arise and go to my Father serious Consideration and solid Resolution are great steps to a sound Conversion and thorough Reformation Observe 6. The affectionate tenderness and compassion of the Father towards the returning Prodigal tho' he had deserved to be sharply reproved severely Corrected and finally rejected and shut out of doors yet the Fathers Compassion is above his Anger not a word of his miscarriages drops from the Fathers Mouth but as soon as ever the Son looks back mercy looks out and the Father expresses 1. His speedy readiness to receive his son he ran unto him the Son did only arise and go but the Father made haste and ran Mercy has not only a quick eye to spy out a Penitent but a swift Foot it runs to embrace a Penitent 2. Wonderful Tenderness he fell upon his neck it had been much to have looked upon him with the Eye more to have taken him by the hand but most of all to fall upon his Neck Divine Mercy will not only meet a Penitent but embrace him also 3. Strong Affectionateness he kissed him giving him thereby a pledge and assurance of perfect Friendship and Reconciliation with him Learn hence That God is not only ready to give Demonstrations of his Mercy to penitent sinners but also to give the Seals and Tokens of his special Reconciled Favour to them they shall now have the kisses of his Lips who formerly deserved the blows of his Hand The Father ran unto him fell on his Neck and kissed him Observe Lastly The great joy that appeared in the whole House as well as in the Fathers Heart upon this great occasion the prodigal Sons returning They all began to be merry there was Musick and Dancing Learn hence That sincere Conversion brings the Soul into a joyful into a very joyful State and Condition The joy that Conversion brings is an holy and spiritual joy a solid and substantial joy a wonderful and transcendent joy an encreasing and never fading joy our joy on Earth is an earnest of the joys of Heaven where there will be Rejoycing in the presence of our Heavenly Father and his Holy Angels to all Eternity Because we were dead but are now alive again we were lost but are found 25 Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house he heard Musick and Dancing 26 And he called one of the Servants and asked what these things meant 27 And he said unto him Thy Brother is come and thy Father hath killed the fatted Calf because he hath received him safe and sound 28 And he was angry and would not go in therefore came his Father out and entreated him 29 And he answering said to his Father Lo these many years do I serve thee neither transgressed I at any time thy Commandment and yet thou never gavest me a kid that I might make merry with my Friends 30 But as soon as this thy son was come which hath devoured thy Living with Harlots thou hast killed for him the fatted Calf 31 And he said unto him Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine 32 It was meet that we should make merry and be glad For this thy Brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found By the murmurings of the Elder Son at the Prodigals Returning to and Reception with his Father some think the Jews in general are to be understood whose peevishness to the Gentiles and their Repinings at the offer of Salvation made unto them by the Gospel is very evident from many places of Scripture others understand it of the Scribes and Pharisees in particular who presuming on their own Righteousness as if they had never transgressed God's Commandments at any time murmured at our Saviour for Conversing with Sinners tho' it were in order to the bringing of them to Repentance which instead of being frowardly discontented at they ought to have rejoyced in Learn hence There is such an envious Spirit in Men yea even in the best of Men as inclineth them to repine at such Dispensations of Divine Grace and Favour â—s others receive aâ—d they want 2. That to indulge such a Spirit and Temper in our selves argues great sin and great solly great sin in being dissatisfied with God's Dispensations and affronting his Wisdom and Justice and great Folly in making anothers Good our Grief as if we had less because another has more The elder Son was angry and would not go in it follows therefore came the Father out and entreated him This shews the meekness of God in dealing with us under our frowardness and the high satisfaction he takes in a Sinners Converâ—ion and Returning to his Duty Lastly This points out unto us our Duty to imitate God and be Followers of him as dear Children Doth he Reioyce at a Sâ—nners Return to his Duty so should we 'T is the Devil's Temper to regret and envy the Good and Happiness of others he gnashes his Teeth when the Prey he thought himself sure of is snatched out of his Jaws But to God and all his Holy Angels nothing is so agreeable as the Repentance and Conversion of a Sinner from the Error of his ways and the saving of a Soul from death this is look'd upon as a Resurrection from the Dead and a ground of the greatest Joy and Rejoycing It was meet that we should make merry and be glad For this thy Brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found CHAP. XVI 1 AND he said also unto his Disciples There was a certain rich Man which had a Steward and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his Goods 2 And he called him and said unto him How is it that I hear this of thee Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward 3 Then the Steward said within himself what shall I do For my Lord taketh away from me the Stewardship I cannot dig to beg I am ashamed 4 I am resolved what to do That when I am put out of the Stewardship they may receive me into their Houses 5 So he called every one of the Lord's Debtors unto him and said unto him first How much owest thou unto my Lord 6 And he said an hundred measures of Oyl and he said unto him Take thy Bill and set down quickly and write fifty 7 Then said he to another And how much owest thou and he said an hundred
his face at his feet giving him thanks and he was a Samaritane Observe here 1. All were Healed but one was Thankful the Cure is wrought upon the Bodies of all Thankfulness is found but in the Heart of one the Will makes the difference in Men but he makes the difference in Wills who at first made the Will All these Lepers were Cured all saw themselves Cured their sense was alike their Hearts were not alike Observe 2. The Person that made this return of Thankfulness to Christ he was a Samaritan that is none of the Jewish Nation but one that was a Stranger to the Common Wealth of Israel neither Place nor Parentage can block up the way or stop the Current of God's free Mercy which reaches the unworthy and the ill-deserving Observe 3. How singly he returns his Thanks he gets away from his Fellows to make his Acknowledgments there are Cases wherein Singularity is not only Lawful but Laudable instead of Subjecting our selves to others Examples it is sometimes our Duty to resolve to set an Example to others for it is much better to go the right way alone then to err with Company Observe 4. How speedily he returns his Thanks no sooner doth he see his Cure but he hasts to acknowledge it a noble Pattern of Thankfulness What speed of Retribution is here late Payments of our Thankfulness Savours of Ingratitude it were happy for us Christians did we learn our Duty of this Samaritan 17 Aâ—d â—â—â—s answering said Were there not Ten â—leâ—nâ—â—d but where are the Nine 18 There 〈◊〉 not found that returned to give Glory to God save this Stranger 19 And he said unto him Arise go thy way thy Faith hath made thee whole In the face of these ten Lepers we may as in a Glass behold the Face and Complexion of all Mankind How few are there oh Lord scarce more than One in Ten who after signal Mercies return suitable Thanks Men howl to God upon their Beds but run away from God as soon as they are raised up by him Observe farther what an exact account Christ keeps of his own dispensed Favours Were there not not ten cleansed He forgets our Sins but Records his own Mercies It is one of his glorious Titles a God Forgiving and Forgetting Iniquity but his Mercies are over all his Works and deserve everlasting Remembrance God keeps a Register of his Mercies towards us oh shall not we record the favours received from him at once to declare his Bounty towards us and our Thankfulness towards him Observe Lastly The thankful Leper was a Samaritane but the Nine that were unthankful were Israelites Learn thence That the more we are bound to God the more shameful is our ingratitude towards him where God may justly expect the greatest returns of Praise and Service he sometimes receiveth least God has more Rent and better paid him from a smoaky Cottage then he has from some stately Palaces 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come he answered them and said the kingdom of God cometh not with Observation 21 Neither shall they say lo here or lo there for behold the kingdom of God is within you The Generality of the Jews and particularly the Pharisees expected that the promised Messias should be a Temporal Prince and deliver them from the Roman Yoke under which they groaned Accordingly the Pharisees here demanded of our Saviour when the Kingdom of God of which he had so often spoken should-come Christ answers them That his kingdom cometh not with observation that is without Pomp and Splendour which Men may observe and gaze upon but he tells them the Kingdom of God was now among them by the Ministry of John Baptist and Himself and was already set up in the Hearts of his People by the secret Operations of his Holy Spirit Learn here That the false Notion which the Jews had of the Messiah and his Kingdom That he himself was to be a Temporal Prince and his Kingdom a secular Kingdom to be set up with a great deal of Noise Pomp and Splendour did hinder the generality of them from believing in him Secondly That the Kingdom which Christ designed to set up in the World was altogether Spiritual not obvious to Humane Senses but managed in the Hearts of his People by the Scepter of his Spirit My Kingdom cometh not with observation but is within you 22 And he said unto the Disciples the days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the son of man and ye shall not see it 23 And they shall say to you see here or see there go not after them nor follow them 24 For as the Lightning that lighteth out of the one part under Heaven shineth unto the other part under Heaven so shall also the Son of man be in his day 25 But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this Generation In the remaining part of this Chapter our Saviour acquaints his Disciples with what days of Tribulation and distress were coming on the Jewish Nation in general and on Jerusalem in particular Days of Suffering as if our Saviour had said are not far off when you will wish for my Bodily presence again among you to support and comfort you and when many Seducers will rise up pretendinâ— to be Deliverers but go not you after them for after this Generation have rejected and crucified me my Coming says Christ to execute Vengeance on my Enemies and Murtherers at Jerusalem by the Roman Soldiers will be sudden and like the Lightning that shines in an instant from one part of the Heavens to the other From this Coming of Christ to judge Jerusalem which was an Emblem of the final Judgment we may gather this Instruction that the Coming and Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to the judging of wicked and impenitent Sinners it will be a very certain sudden and unexpected Appearance 26 And as it was in the days of Noe so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man 27 They did eat they drank they married Wives they were given in Marriage until the day that Noe entered into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained Fire and Brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed In these Verses our Saviour declares that Jerusalem's Destruction and the World 's final Desolation at the great Day would be like the Destruction of the old World in the Days of Noah and like the Destruction of Sodom in the Days of Lott and that both in regard of unexpectedness and in regard of Sensuality and Security as they before the Flood were eating and drinking Marrying and
open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man The Heavens were open to Christ and the Angels attending upon him first at his Baptism Matth. 3. last then at his Ascension Acts 1.9 Whether Christ alludes to the one or the other or to both I shall not positively say but gather this Note That the Ministry and Attendance of the Holy Angels upon the Lord Jesus Christ in the time of his Humiliation was very remarkable An Angel foretels his Conception to the Virgin Luke 1.31 an Angel publishes his Birth to the Shepherds Luke 2.14 In his Temptations in the Wilderness the Angels came and ministered unto him Matth. 4.11 In his Agony in the Garden an Angel is sent to Comfort him Luke 22.42 At his Resurrection an Angel rolls away the Stone and proclaims him Risen to the Women that sought for him Matth. 28.6 At his Ascension the Angels attended upon him and bear him Company to Heaven And at the Day of Judgment he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels Now thus officious are the Holy Angels to our Blessed Saviour and thus subservient to him upon all Occasions 1. In Point of Affection and Singular Love to Christ 2. In Point of Duty and Special Obligation to Christ There is no such chearful and delightful Service as the Service of Love Such is the Angels Service to Christ for the Services he has done them he being an Head of Confirmation to them For that they are established in that holy and glorious State in which they were at first created is owing to the special Grace of the Redeemer Glorifie him then all ye Angels and praise him all his Host CHAP. II. 1 AND the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there 2 And both Jesus was called and his disciples to the marriage The former Part of this Chapter acquaints us with the first Miracle which our Saviour wrought in turning Water into Wine the Occasion of it was his being invited to a Marriage Feast Here Note first That when ever our Saviour was invited to a publick Entertainment he never refused the Invitation but constantly went not so much for the Pleasure of Eating as for the Opportunity of Conversing and doing Good which was Meat and Drink unto him Note 2. What Honour Christ puts upon the Ordinance of Marriage he Honours it with his Presence and first Miracle Some think it was St. John that was now the Bridegroom others that it was some near Relation of the Virgin Mothers But whoever it might be doubtless Christ's Design was rather to put Honour upon the Ordinance than upon the Person How bold is the Church of Rome in spitting upon the Face of this Ordinance by denying its Lawfulness to the Ministers of Religion when the Apostle Heb. 13.4 affirms that Marriage is honourable among all Neither the Prophets of the Old Testament nor the Apostles of the New St. Peter himself not excepted did abhor the Marriage Bed or judge themselves too pure for an Institution of their Maker Note 3. That it is an ancient and laudable Institution that the Rights of Marriage should not want a solemn Celebration Feasting with Friends upon such an Occasion is both lawful and commendable provided the Rules of Sobriety and Charity Modesty and Decency be observed and no sinful Liberty assumed But it must Be said That Feasting in general and Marriage Feasts in particular are some of those lawful Things which are very difficultly managed without sin Note 4. That our Saviour working a Miracle when he was at a Marriage-Feast should teach us by his Example that in our chearful and free times when we indulge a little more than ordinary to Mirth amongst our Friends we should still be mindful of God's Honour and Glory and lay hold upon an Occasion of doing all the Good we can Note Lastly As Christ was personally invited to and bodily present at this Marriage-Feast when here on Earth so he will not refuse now in heaven to be spiritually present at his Peoples Marriages They want his Presence with them upon that great Occasion they desire and seek it he is acquainted with it and invited to it who ever is neglected And where Christ is made acquainted with the Match he will certainly make one at the Marriage Happy is that Wedding where Christ and his Friends as here are the invited expected and enjoyed Guests 3 And when they wanted wine the mother of Jesus saith unto him They have no wine 4 Jesus saith unto her Woman what have I to do with thee mine hour is not yet come 5 His mother saith unto the servants Whatsoever he saith unto you do it This want of Wine was probably so disposed by the Providence of God to give our Saviour an Opportunity to manifest his Divine Power in working a Miracle to supply it Observe here 1. How the Virgin inquires into the Families Wants and then makes them known to Christ Learn hence That it is an Argument of Piety and an Evidence of Christian Love to inquire into the Wants and to recommend the Necessities of others to Christ's Care and Consideration whose Bounty and Munificence can readily and abundantly supply them Thus far the Virgins Action was Good she laid open the Case to Christ they have no Wine But Christ who discern'd the Thoughts of Mary's Heart finds her guilty of Presumption she thought by her motherly Authority she might have expected if not commanded a Miracle from him Whereas Christ was subject to her as Man during his private Life but now being entered upon his Office as a Mediator as God-Man he gives her to understand she had no Power over him nor any Motherly Authority in the Business of his Publick Office therefore he says to her Woman not Mother what have I to do with thee Observe therefore 2. Christ calls the Virgin Woman not Mother but this not out of any Contempt but to prevent her being thought more than a Woman above and beyond a Woman having brought forth the Son of God Woman says Christ not Goddess as the Papists would make her and proclaim her free from Sin even from Venial Sin But Christ's reproving of her shews that she was not faultless Observe 3. Christ would not bear with the Virgin 's Commanding on Earth will he then indure her Intercession in Heaven Must she not meddle with Matters pertaining to his Office here belowâ— and will it be indured by Christ or endeavoured by her to interpose in the Work of Mediation above No no were it possible for her so far to forget her self in Heaven she would receive the same Answer from Christ which she had on Earth Woman what have I to do with thee Or Thou with me in my Mediatorial Office But instead of this she returns Answer from Heaven to her Idolatrous Petitioners here on Earth What have I to do with you get you to my Son go you to
no Man that is no Man without me but all Men by me to this intent That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father that is honour him with the same Faith Love Fear Worship that is due and payable to God the Father Hence learn 1. That Christ as God hath the absolute Power of Life and Death of Absolution and Condemnation which he executes in Conjunction with his Father 2. That Christ having this Power of judging the World with the Father doth shew that the same Glory is due to him which is due unto the Father All Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father 3. That such as pretend to honour Christ but deny him to be God equal with the Father They withdraw the highest Honour from him and such as withdraw Honour from the Son deny it to the Father who will not be honoured but in and through honouring of the Son This Text speaks dread and terror to the Socinians who pretend to Honour Christ but not with the same Honour with which they pretend to honour the Father in God's Account they honour him not at all For he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father 24 Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life 25 Verily verily I say unto you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live 26 For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man Here we have a fifth Evidence of Christ's God-head and Equality with the Father namely that he is the Author of Spiritual and Eternal Life to all that believe on him He that was a Fountain of Life equal with the Father and communicated to him from the Father is God But Christ hath this v. 26. For as the Father hath Life in himself so he has given to the Son to have Life in himself Again he that hath Authority to execute Judgment upon Angels and Men is God but Christ hath such Authority v. 27. He hath given him Authority to execute Judgment Farther he that with his Voice quickneth and maketh alive them that hear it is God but Christ doth this v. 25. The dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and live The Dead that is 1. The Spiritually dead such as are dead in Trespasses and Sins These hearing the Voice of Christ in the Ministry of the Word shall live a Life of Grace on Earth and a Life of Glory in Heaven 2. Such as are Corporeally dead also these are likewise quickned and raised by Christ as God Learn hence 1. That God the Father hath communicated to Christ his Son a Power to quicken and enliven such as are Spiritually and Corporally dead 2. That the Father's communicating this Power to the Son argues no Inequality nor Inferiority in the Son but he hath the same Life infinitely independently and equally with the Father as the Father hath it so hath the Son the Father hath it in himself and so hath the Son also therefore the Son as well as the Father is essentially and truly God 28 Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice 29 And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Our Saviour finding the Jews amazed and astonished at his declaring his Sovereign and Supreme Authority and Power to quicken and raise whom he pleased from the dead doth in these Verses assure them that there should be a general Resurrection and an universal Day of Judgment both of the Righteous and the Wicked and a future Distribution of Rewards and Punishments in another Life according to Men's Actions here in this Life All that are in the Graves shall hear my Voice and shall come forth Here observe 1. The Certainty and Universality of the Resurrection of the dead declared The Hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves shall come forth Obs 2. The powerful and efficacious Means by which this great and sudden Change shall be effected and accompliished in the Morning of the Resurrection namely the omnipotent Voice or Christ All that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth 3. Here are the different ends of the Resurrection declared according to the Difference of Persons which shall then be raised Good and Bad Those that have done good to the Resurrection of Life and those that have done evil to the Resurrection of Damnation Learn 1. That there shall certainly be a Resurrection of the Body 2. That all in the Graves shall be raised though not all alike the Wicked shall be raised by the Power of Christ as their Judge the Righteous shall be raised by Virtue of their Union with Christ as their Head 3. According as Men live in this World and go out of it so will they be found at the Resurrection without any Change of their State there will then be only two sorts of Persons Good and Bad. All that have done Good how small soever the Degree of their Goodness hath been shall be rewarded And all that have done Evil shall be everlastingly punished For all Persons shall be eternally Happy or intollerably Miserable in the other World accordingly as they manage their Deportment and Behaviour in this Life They that have done Good shall go c. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing as I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me Here Christ declares to the Jews and in them to all Mankind that they might assure themselves his Judgment would be exactly Righteous because he had no private Will or Power of his own contrary to or different from his Father Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ being the same in Essence and Nature in Power and Operation with the Father had no private Will or Interest of his own but acted all things as God in Co-ordination with the Father and as Man in Subordination to him I can of my own self do nothing that is neither as God nor as Mediator not as God for God the Father and Christ being one equal in Power what one Person did the other doth not as Mediator for so Christ finished the Work which his Father gave him to do the Will of the Father and the Will of Christ being both one 31 If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true 32 ¶ There is another that beareth witness of me and I know that the witness which he
witnesseth of me is true Our Blessed Saviour having produced these five foregoing Arguments to prove his Unity in Essence and his Equality in Power with the Father comes now to the end of the Chapter to produce several Testimonies for the Proof of it and the first of them is the Testimony of God his Father There is another that beareth witness of me whose witness is True Now the Father had lately at Christ's Baptism by a Voice from Heaven declared him to be his beloved Son in whom he was well-pleased which illustrious Testimony given to Christ they had not regarded Learn hence That as Christ came into the World in Obedience to his Father and to bear witness to him so did the Father honour him and bear witness of him and his Testimony concerning his Son is undoubtedly True and to be depended and rested upon for we make the Father a Lyar if we do not depend upon the Record which he has given of his Son 33 Ye sent unto John and he bare witness unto the truth 34 But I receive not testimony from man but these things I say that ye might be saved The second Testimony to prove Christ to be the Messias was that of John the Baptist We read John 1.19 how the Jews sent to inquire of him whether he were the Christ or not and he denied it and pointed at Jesus saying Behold the Lamb of God yet would not the Jews abide by this Testimony of John concerning the Messias Nevertheless says Christ I receive not testimony from John that is John by his Testimony addeth nothing to me I was what I was and I am what I am before John testified of me and since Learn hence That the Divinity of Christ's Person and the Verity of his Doctrine needs no Man's Testimony for the Confirmation of it being sufficiently confirmed by Christ's own Authority and his Father's Testimony I receive not Testimony from Man that is I need it not I desire it not upon my own Account but upon yours only that upon the Credit of John's Testimony ye might believe on me and be saved by me These things I say that ye might be saved 35 He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light Observe here John's Character and the Peoples Carriage 1. John's Character he was a Light a burning and a shining Light He had in him a Light of Knowledge to enlighten direct and comfort others and this his Knowledge was accompanied with Zeal he was a burning Light in his Doctrine and a shining Lamp in his Conversation He had the Light of Knowledge in his Head the Warmth of Zeal in his Heart and the Influence of both in his Life Learn hence 1. That those whom God calls to the Office and Work of the Ministry he furnishes with Abilities and Endowments suitable to their great Employments he endues them with a Light of Knowledge which is animated with the Heat and Warmth of Zeal 2. That Ministerial Gifts and Abilities are not bestowed alike upon all but dispersed variously All are Lights according to their Measure but all are not equally burning and shining Lights for Proportion and Degree 3. That the brightest burning and clearest shining Lights in the Church of Christ have but their time in this World they are subject as well as other Men to the common Condition of Mortality and the Lamp of their Lives burns out the faster by lighting others to Heaven John was a burning and a shining Light but now is put out and gone Observe 2. As John's Character so the Peoples Carriage ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his Light Here is a threefold Gradation they rejoyced They rejoyced in his Light and they rejoyced for a season 1. They rejoyced The word signifies they leaped for Joy and danced about him as Children do about a Bonfire when he first began his Ministry amongst them Oh how warm are the Affections of a People when a pious and zealous Minister comes first among them 2. They rejoyced in his Light not in his Heat Or they rejoyced in John's Light not in Christ's For when they found that John bare Record to Christ they soon grew cold in their Affections towards John 3. They rejoyced only for a season for an hour as the word signifies For a short time John's Ministry was acceptable Learn hence 1. That it has been an old Practice amongst Professors not to like their Pastors long though they have been never such burning and shining Lights John was not changed but his Hearers were changed he did burn and shine in the Candlestick of the Church with equal Zeal and Lustre to the last but they had changed their Thoughts of him and lost their Esteem for him Learn 2. That as nothing in general is so mutable as the Mind of Man so nothing in particular is so variable as the Affections and Opinions of People towards their Ministers The Lamp of John's Ministry was always alike burning and shining his Oil did not waste but his Hearers Zeal wasted and their Affections cooled Those whose Gifts are not at all abated may yet find a great abatement in the acceptation of their Gifts Therefore let no Men live upon the Breath of Men least of all let Ministers live upon the popular Air or the Speech of People Oh let us live upon the Credit which we have with God and rejoyce chiefly in his Esteem If our Performances find acceptance with God we are safe and happy tho' they fall under Contempt with Men. 36 ¶ But I have greater witness then that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me The third Testimony produced by Christ to evidence and prove himself to be the promised Messias and Saviour of the World is that of his Miracles which by an Omnipotent Power as God he was enabled to work Christ's Miracles were speaking Testimonies of his Unity with the Father and of the Divinity of his Person Not so the Miracles of his Apostles for he wrought his Miracles in his own Name and by his own Power and Authority but the Apostles expresly declared the contrary Acts 3.12 16. Why look ye so stedfastly on us as if we by our own power had made this Man whole His name through faith in his name hath made this Man strong Learn hence That the Testimony of Christ's own Works his Miracles wrought in his own Name and by his own Authority and Power is a clearer Confirmation of his Godhead Office and Doctrine than the best of Mens Testimonies yea than John Baptist's own Testimony That he saw the Spirit descending on him 37 And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath
and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him 57 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever 59 These things said he in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum Observe here How the Jews understanding Christ after a Carnal manner were offended at what he said for they thought it was Inhumane to eat Man's Flesh and could not understand how the Body of Christ could in such a Sense be Food to all the World Hence Note That Carnal Persons put a Carnal Sense upon Christ's Spiritual Words and so occasion their own stumbling But yet notwithstanding the Jews stumbled at our Saviour's Expression he doth not alter his words but presseth more and more the Necessity of feeding upon him by Faith in order to Eternal Life Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Learn from hence 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the True Spiritual Food of all Believers 2. That those and only those who do by Faith feed upon him shall obtain a Life of Grace and Glory from him if we do not by Faith feed upon him we can have no Evidence for a Life of Grace nor Title to a Life of Glory This place some Papists produce to Countenance their Doctrine of Transubstantiation and a Bodily eating and drinking of Christ's Flesh and Blood in the Sacrament But it is evident that Christ Treats not of the Sacrament in this Chapter for the Sacrament was not now Instituted and therefore it is not a Sacramental but a Spiritual feeding upon Christ by Faith that is here meant For this eating gives Life to the Eater all that eat are saved and all that do not eat are damned but this is not true of a Sacramental eating besides this eating that Christ speaks of he makes absolutely necessary to Salvation but some are saved that never fed upon Christ in the Sacrament as John the Baptist and the Thief on the Cross Lastly if it be understood of a Sacramental Eating and Drinking wo be to the Church of Rome for denying the Cup to the Laity because Drinking of Christ's Blood is made here as necessary as eating of his Flesh in order to Eternal Life Except ye Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and Drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Observe farther The close and intimate Union which is betwixt Christ himself and those that feed upon him He that eateth me Dwelleth in me and I in him As Meat is turned into the Eater's Substance so Believers and Christ become one and by feeding on him that is by believing in him there followeth a mutual Inhabitation Christ dwelling in them and they in him this is true of a Spiritual feeding upon Christ but not of a Sacramental Eating Nay Christ carries it higher still and tells us That as there is a Real Union between the Father and him and as the Father Lives who sent him â—aving an Eternal Fountain of Life in himself and the Son Lives by the Father having the same Life communicated to him with his Essence from the Father in like manner says Christ he that eateth me the same shall Live by me All which is certainly true of our Spiritual Feeding upon Christ by Faith but cannot be applied to a Corporal feeding upon him in the Sacrament as the Papists would have it 60 Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this said This is an hard saying who can hear it 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said unto them Doth this offend you 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before The foregoing Doctrine of our Saviour concerning eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood sounded so very harshly that not only the common multitude but some of them that had been his Disciples that is who had given up their names to follow him could not tell how to bear them Our Saviour Reproves their unjust stumbling at what he had said That he was the Bread which came down from Heaven and tells them that his Ascension into Heaven should prove the Truth of his descent from Heaven Hence we learn That Christ's arising from the Grave and Ascending into Heaven by his own Power is an Evident proof of his Godhead and that he really came down from Heaven in respect of his Divine Nature which condescended to be cloathed with our Flesh What and if ye shall see the Son of Man Ascend up where he was before 63 It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life To convince the Jews that our Saviour did not mean a carnal fleshly eating of his Body he tells them that such an eating would profit them nothing but it is a Spiritual eating of him by Faith that bringeth that Quickning Life of which he had spoken It is the Spirit or Divine Nature that Quickneth the flesh or human Nature alone separated from his Godhead profiteth nothing and can give no Life Learn hence That it is the Godhead of Christ united to the Humane Nature which adds all Vertue Efficacy and Merit to the Obedience and sufferings of the Humane Nature It is the Spirit or Divine Nature of Christ that Quickneth the flesh or Humane Nature alone profiteth nothing and therefore the carnal eating of my flesh would do no good 64 But there are some of you that believe not For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him 65 And he said Therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father 66 ¶ From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him Our Blessed Saviour having thus cleared his Doctrine that he was the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven and that he is not to be Carnally but Spiritually fed upon He plainly tells the Jews That the true cause of their stumbling at his Doctrine was their Ignorance and Unbelief there are some of you that believe not Upon which plain dealing of our Blessed Saviour's many unsound Professors did wholly forsake him and accompanied no longer with him Learn hence That multitudes who have long professed Christ and his Holy Religion may draw back and fall from their Profession and finally revolt from him 2. That it is an Evil heart of unbelief which causes Men to depart from Christ and to make Shipwrack of their Profession 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve Will ye also go away 68 Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life 69 And we
a Corn of Wheat fall into the Ground and die it abideth alone That is as Corn unsown lodg'd in the Barn or laid up in the Chamber never multiplies nor encreases but sow it in the Field and bury it in the Earth and it multiplies and encreases and brings forth a plentiful crop So if Christ had not died he had remained what he was the Eternal Son of God but he had had no Church in the World Whereas his Death and Sufferings made him fructifie That brought a plentiful Encrease of exaltation to himself and Salvation to his People Observe 3. How plainly our Saviour dealt with his Followers he did not deceive them with a vain hope and expectation of Temporal Happiness but tells them plainly that all that will be his Disciples must prepare for Sufferings and not think their Temporal Life too dear to lay down for him when he calls them to it this being the surest way to secure unto themselves Life Everlasting He that loveth his life shall lose it but he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal Learn hence That the surest way to attain Eternal Life is chearfully to lay down our Temporal Life when the Glory of Christ and the Honour of Religion requires it at our hand 26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honour That is if any Man assumes the Title and enters into the sacred engagement of being Christ's Servant let his Conversation correspond with his Profession and let him be willing to follow him in the Thorny path of Affliction and Sufferings from this Assurance that all his grievous Sufferings shall end in Eternal Joys Where I am there shall my Servant be and him will my Father honour Learn hence 1. That all that will be Christ's Servants must be his Followers they must obey his Doctrine and imitate his Example 2. That Christ's Servants must not expect better usage at the hand of an unkind World than he their Master met with before them 3. That such as serve Christ by following of him shall at Death see him as he is and be with him where he is Where I am there shall also my Servant be 4. That God will crown the fideliâ—y and constancy of Christ's Servants with the highest Dignity and Honour If any Man serve me him will my Father honour 27 Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour 28 Father glorifie thy name Then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again Whilst our Saviour was thus preaching of his own Death and Sufferings a Natural horror of his approaching Passion tho such as was without Sin seizes upon him his Father giving him a Taste of that wrath which he was to undergo upon the Cross for our Sins Hereupon he betakes himself to Prayer Father save me from this hour this was the harmless inclination of his sinless nature which abhorred lying under wrath and therefore prays against it yet as it were recalling himself he submits to what his office as our surety required of him and prays again unto his Father to dispose of him as may most and best conduce to the purposes of his Glory Father glorifie thy name Learn hence 1. That meer Trouble is no Sin Christ's Soul was troubled Christianity doth not make Men Senseless Grace introduceth no stoical Stupidity 2. That fear of death especially when accompanied with apprehensions of the wrath of God is most perplexing and Soul-amazing My Soul is troubled and what shall I say 3. No extremity of Sufferings ought to discourage us from laying claim to that Relation which God stands in to us as a Father Our Saviour in the midst of his distress calls God Father Father save me from this hour 4. In the extremity of our Sufferings we may be importunate but must not be peremptory in our Prayers as Christ in his Agony prayed more earnestly so may we in ours but always submissively Father Save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour 5. That our exemption from Suffering may sometimes be inconsistent with the Glory of God Father save me from this hour Father Glorifie thy name Observe lastly The Father's Answer to the Son's Prayer There came a voice from Heaven saying I have glorified it and will glorifie it again That is as God the Father had been already glorified in his Son's Life Doctrine and Miracles so he would farther glorifie Himself in his Death Resurrection and Ascension as also by the Mission of the Holy Ghost and the Preaching of the Gospel for the Conversion of the Gentiles to the ends of the Earth Learn hence That the whole work of Christ from the lowest degree of his Humiliation to the highest degree of his Exaltation was a glorifying of his Father he glorified his Father by the Doctrine which he Taught he glorified his Father by the Miracles which he wrought by the unspotted Innocency of his Life and by his unparallel'd Sufferings at his Death by his Victorious Resurrection from the Grave and by his Triumphant Ascension into Heaven 29 The people therefore that stood by and heard it said that it thundred others said An angel spake to him 30 Jesus answered and said This voice came not because of me but for your sakes 31 Now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out 32 And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me 33 This he said signifying what death he should die Observe here 1. The way of God in speaking to his People by a Voice in Thunder for the greater declaration of his Glory and Majesty Thunderings and Lightnings usually attended the voice of God even in Consolations and when he spake comfortably to his own Servants Oh how dreadful and terrible then must the Voice of God be to his Enemies when he shall come in flaming Fire to render vengeance to them If there was such Dread and Terrors such Thunderings and Lightnings at the giving of the Law Lord What will there be another Day when thou comest to punish the violation of that Law Observe 2. The end why God the Father now spake with an Audible Voice to Christ his Son it was for his Consolation and the Peoples Confirmation His Soul being troubled he stood in need as Mediatour of comfort from his Father and the People had here a farther and fuller Confirmation of his being the promised and true Messias that so they might Believe in him This voice came not because of me That is not only or chiefly because of me but to confirm your Faith in the Belief of this great Truth that I am the Son of God by whom the Father hath glorified and will farther
chearful Obedience a pleasing and an acceptable Obedience A constant and Abiding Obedience All other motives without Love are servile and base and beget in us the drudgery of a Slave but not the Duty of a Son he that fears God only is afraid of smarting but he that Loves God is afraid of offending Learn hence That the best and surest evidence we can have of our Love to the Lord Jesus Christ is an humble chearful universal and persevering Obedience to his commands keep my Commandments that is endeavour it without reserve for tho' we cannot keep the Commandments to a just satisfaction yet we may perform them to a gracious acceptation And the Word My My Commandments is a sweetning and alleviating Word Moses's Law an unsupportable Load but Christ's Law an easie Burthen The Law from Sinai dreadful the Law from Sion Gracious it pardons weakness and accepts sincerity 16 And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 17 Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Christ comforteth his Disciples here with a promise of the Mission of the Holy Spirit to supply the want of his Bodily presence Where Observe The procurer of this Blessing 1. And that is Christ by his prevailing Prayer and powerful Intercession I will pray it runs in the future Tense and so 't is a promise of Christ's continual Intercession As long as Christ is in Heaven a Christian shall not want a supply of Comfort and Consolation here on Earth Observe 2. The Author and Donour of the blessing and that is God himself I will pray the Father and he shall give The Father that is my Father your Father and he that is the Father of Comfort and all Consolation I will pray and he will give 'T is an expression of great assurance Observe 3. The blessing it self the Holy Ghost called here Another Comforter Where note 1. The Divinity of the Holy Ghost he that will supply the Comforts of Christ's presence must be as Christ is the God of all Comfort Note 2. The person of the Holy Ghost he is a Divine person not a Divine quality or operation then we might call him a Comfort but not a Comforter Note 3. The Office and Imployment of the Holy Ghost He is a Comforter that is an Advocate and Intercessour to sue for us an Encourager and one that Administers Consolation to us and as he is an Holy Spirit so are his Comforts Holy Comforts Observe 4. The stability of this Blessing That he may abide with you for ever The best of our outward Comforts are sudden flashes not lasting flames but the Consolations of the Holy Spirit are strong Consolations they are abounding Consolations and everlasting Consolations especially the Holy Spirit will be the Comforter of good Men in the day of Affliction in the day of Temptation and at the hour of Death when all other comforts flag and fail Observe lastly The additional Title given to the Holy Ghost he is called the Spirit of Truth partly in opposition to Satan who is called a Lying Spirit partly because he teacheth and revealeth the Truth leadeth his People into all Truth and sealeth and confirmeth Truth to the Souls of Believers he is the Spirit of Truth both in his Essence and in his Operations Learn hence That as the Holy Spirit is True in his Essence and Nature so is he True in his Office as a Comforter to good Men. All his Consolations being real and solid and free from imposture and delusion 18 I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you Here Observe 1. The Condition which the Disciples were in upon the account of Christ's removal from them and that was sad and Comfortless Fatherless or Orphans as the word signifies Hence learn That Christ's Departure or the loss of his gracious Presence is very sad and Comfortless to a Pious Soul well might the Disciples here lament and mourn upon the occasion of Christ's leaving of them seeing thereby they should be deprived of his Doctrine and Instructions of his Advice and Counsel and of the Benefit of his Holy and Instructive Example Observe 2. The care of Christ for his Disciples in reference to this their sad and disconsolate Condition He would not leave them Comfortless Where Note He doth not say I will not suffer you to be comfortless but I will not leave you so that is he will not desert or disown them in their comfortless Condition he will not leave them either in point of Affection or in point of Activity he will not cease to Love them nor cease to bestir himself for them Learn hence That Christ will not leave his Friends in a sad and Comfortless state and Condition tho' for a time they may be brought into it I will not leave you Comfortless I will come unto you Christ's coming here unto them is to be understood of his coming to them by his Holy Spirit in the Gifts of it in the Graces of it and in the Comforts of it thus he did not long leave them Comfortless but at the Feast of Pentecost came again to them 19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me because I live ye shall live also 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Here our Saviour foretels his approaching Death that within a little time the Men of the World should see him no more for tho' he arose again the World saw him no more after his Death for we Read of no Appearances of him after his Resurrection to any but to his Disciples only indeed the hour is coming when the World shall see him again Namely At the Day of Judgment when every Eye shall behold him with Terror and Amazement Observe farther The Consolation given to his Disciples Ye shall see me and because I live ye shall live also Because I am raised from the Grave I will quicken your Dead Bodies in the Grave and ye shall live also and as I live by my Ascension into Heaven so shall you my Disciples live a Life of Grace here and a Life of Glory with my self hereafter Learn hence That a Believer's Spiritual Life is derived from Christ who by his Spirit Communicates a quickening vertue to all his Members because he lives they shall live also Observe lastly A farther priviledge ensured to Believers after Christ's Ascension and the Spirits Mission they should more perfectly understand the Essential union betwixt Christ and the Father and the Mystical Union betwixt Christ and his Members At that Day ye shall know that I am in my Father c. The knowledge which the Saints now have of the Mysterious and Mystical Union is but dark and imperfect but in Heaven they shall
23d Verse there seems to be a contradiction in the words Christ tells them in the former part of the Verse That they shall ask him nothing in that Day and yet promises that whatever they ask shall be given them in the latter part of the Verse To resolve this know that there is a twofold asking one by way of Question the other by way of Petition The former is asking that we may know or be informed in what we doubt the latter is asking that we may receive and be supplied with what we want now when Christ saith In that day ye shall ask me nothing it is as much as if he had said at present you understand but little of the Mysteries of Religion and therefore ye put Questions about many things But in that Day when the Comforter comes ye shall be so clearly inlightned by him that ye shall not need to ask me any more Questions But when Christ saith Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it The meaning is In that day when I have left the World and ascended to my Father you shall not need to address your Prayers to me but to my Father in my name But what is it to pray in the name of Christ Answer It is more than to name Christ in Prayer it is easie to name Christ in Prayer but no easie thing to pray in the name of Christ To pray in the name of Christ is 1. To look up to Christ as having purchased for us this Priviledge that we may pray for it is by the Blood of Christ that we draw near to God and that a Throne of Grace is open for us 2. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray in the strength of Christ by the assistance of his Grace and the help of his Holy Spirit 3. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray by Faith in the Virtue of Christ's Mediation and Intercession believing that what we ask on Earth he interceeds for and obtains in Heaven To pray thus is no easie matter and unless we do pray thus we do not pray at all 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name That is explicitely and expresly in my name for the Saints of God under the Old Testament and the Apostles themselves under the New had hitherto put up all their Petitions in the name of the Messiah tho' not in the name of Jesus But now he exhorts them to Eye his Mediatory Office in all their Addresses to God and promises them that whatsoever he had purchased of the Father by his Sufferings and Satisfaction they should obtain it for the sake of his prevailing Intercession Learn hence That it is a mighty encouragement to Prayer that now under the Gospel the person of the Mediatour is exhibited in our Flesh has satisfied Divine Justice in in our Nature and in that Nature interceeds as a Mediatour for whatever he purchased as our Surety Hence is the encouragement Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it you 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father Here our Saviour tells his Disciples That although he had spoken many things to them in dark Parables and figurative Expressions yet now the time was approaching Namely The Comforter's coming when he would by the Holy Ghost clearly inlighten their Understandings in the Knowledg of Divine Mysteries and the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and particularly in the Knowledge of God as his Father and their Father in him Hence learn 1. That the clearest Truths will be but Parables Proverbs and dark Mysteries even to Disciples themselves till the Holy Spirit inlightens their Understandings 2. That the clear and full manifestation of Divine Truth was reserved till the coming of the Comforter who did communicate it to the Apostles and by them to the Church or Body of Christians I by him will shew you plainly of the Father 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you 27 For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God At that day shall ye ask in my name that is after I am Ascended into Heaven and have sent down the Holy Ghost upon you ye shall put up all your Prayers and requests to God in my name And I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you That is I need not tell you tho' I shall certainly do it that I will interceed with the Father for you for he of himself is kindly disposed and affected towards you for my sake When Christ says I do not say that I will pray the Father for you the meaning is not that he will lay aside his Office as Intercessour for Believers but that they had not only his Intercession but the Father's Love upon which to ground their hope of Audience Learn hence 1. That the Christians Prayers put up in Christ's name cannot fail of Audience and Acceptance for the sake of the Mediatour's Intercession and the Father's Love 2. That in our Prayers we ought so to eye and look up to Christ's Intercession as not to over-look or forget the Father's Love but ground our hopes of Audience upon both I say not that I will pray the Father for you tho' I shall assuredly do it for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me 28 I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father 29 His disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Here Observe 1. A proof of our Saviour's God-head He came forth from the Father into the World he came out from the Father in his Incarnation and came into the World to accomplish the work of our Redemption Learn thence That Jesus Christ is true God equal with the Father for he was not only sent by him but came forth from him I came out from the Father Observe 2. That it pleased Christ out of Love to his People to leave the Father and come into the World not by being separated from the Deity but by obscuring the Deity with the vail of our Flesh in order to the finishing the great and glorious work of Redemption for us I came forth from the Father and am come into the World Observe 3. That Christ having finished his Suffering work here on Earth Ascended into Heaven and sent down the Holy Spirit to apply unto his Church the Redemption purchased by his Blood Again I leave the World and go to the Father Observe lastly How the Apostles
argue from the Knowledg of Christ's Omnisciency to the certainty of his Divinity Now are we sure that thou knowest all things by this we believe that thou camest forth from God The Knowledg and Experience of Christ's Omnisciency may and ought fully to confirm us in the Belief of his Deity 31 Jesus answered them Do ye now believe 32 Behold the hour cometh yea is now come that ye shall be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me In the foregoing Verse the Apostles made a full profession of their Faith in Christ's Divinity and in Christ's Omnisciency Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and that thou camest forth from God In this Verse Christ intimates to them that their Faith should be put upon a great Tryal very shortly Namely when his Sufferings came on and that then they should all forsake him and take care of themselves Ye shall be scattered and leave me alone Learn hence 1. That Christ was forsaken and left alone by his own Disciples in the Day of his greatest Distress and Danger 2. That when the Disciples left Christ they were scattered every one to his own 3. That when all forsook Christ and left him alone he was far from being simply alone because God was with him Ye shall leave me alone and yet am I not alone because the Father is with me God was with Christ and will be with Christians in a Suffering hour in his Essential presence in his Gracious and supporting presence He that sent me saith Christ is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I do always those things that please my Father 33 These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world These words are the Conclusion of our Saviour's farewel Sermon to his Disciples in which he declares to them 1. The inevitable necessity of the World's Trouble In the World ye shall have Tribulation that is while ye have to do with the Men of the World while you have any thing to do with the things of the World nay while you have a being in the World you must look for Trouble both from within and from without from Friends and Foes in Body Soul Name Estate Heart-breaking Troubles Soul-rending Troubles such Troubles as will make the Heart to break and the Back to bend and you my Disciples must expect it as well as others In the World ye shall have Tribulation Hence learn That the Disciples of Christ in this World may yea must expect and look for Trouble Observe 2. The Remedy provided by Christ against this Malady In me ye shall have Peace when in the World ye have Tribulation Ye shall have Peace that is serenity of Mind a quiet and calm Temper of Spirit within when the World like a Tempestuous Air is full of Storms without Learn thence That though in the World Christ's own Disciples must look for and expect Troubles yet he has taken effectual care that amidst all their Troubles in him they may have Peace Christ's Blood has purchased Peace for them his Word has promised it to them and his Spirit seals it up to their Souls Observe 3. The Cordial provided by Christ for the support of his Disciples Spirits under the sinking Burthen of the World's Tribulations and Troubles But be of good cheer I have overcome the World I have taken the Sting out of every Cross and the Venom out of every Arrow Learn hence That it is a great Comfort to a Christian under all the Troubles of this World to consider that Christ has overcome the World That is all things in the World which may hinder his Peoples Comfort and Consolation here and their Eternal Happiness and Salvation hereafter As Namely the Prince of the World the Rulers of the World the wicked Men of the World the Troubles of the World the Temptations of the World the Corruptions that are in the World through Lust Now Christ having overcome the World all persons and things in it are at his disposal and can do nothing but by his permission and as he has overcome the World himself so he will enable us through Faith in him to overcome it also 1 John 5.4 This is the victory over the World even our Faith CHAP. XVII 1 THese words spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee Our blessed Saviour having ended his Consolatory and Valedictory Sermon contained in the Three foregoing Chapters in this Chapter we have Recorded his last Prayer with and for his Disciples before he left the World which is a Copy left upon Earth of what he doth now interceed for as an Advocate in Heaven It is good saith one to compare Scripture with Scripture but not to prefer Scripture before Scripture all Scripture being written by Inspiration of God but if any part of Scripture be to be magnified above another this Chapter claims the preheminence it contains the breathings out of Christ's Soul for his Church and Children before his Departure not for his Disciples only but for the succeeding Church to the end of the World In the Verse before us Observe 1. The order of our Saviour's Prayer These words spake Jesus that is after he had finished his Excellent Sermon he closes the Exercise with a most fervent and affectionate Prayer teaching his Ministers by his Example to add Solemn Prayer and Supplication to all their Instructions and Exhortations if every Creature of God be to be Sanctified by Prayer much more the word of God which works not as a Natural Agent but as a moral Instrument in God's hand Now as God sets the Word on work so it is Prayer that sets God on work Observe 2. As the order of Christ's Prayer so the gesture in which he prayed He lifted up his Eyes to Heaven as an indication of his Souls being lifted up to God in Heaven to signifie his Reverence of God whose Throne is in Heaven and to denote his confidence in God and raised expectation of aid and help from God and not from any Creature Learn That the gestures which we use in Prayer should be such as may best express our Reverence of God and denote our Affiance and Trust in him Observe 3. The Person prayed to God under the Appellation of a Father it intimates a sweet Relation 't is a word of endearing Affection and implies great Reverence towards God and great confidence and trust in him Learn It is very sweet and comfortable in Prayer when we can come and call God Father Observe 4. The Mercy prayed for The hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee the hour is come that is the hour of my Sufferings and thy Satisfaction the hour of
That is Thou sparest none but tellest all Men of their Faults XIX In his Vniversal Obedience to his Father's Will and chearful Submission to his Father's Pleasure He obeyed the Will of his Father Universally Voluntarily Sincerely and with a single Eye at his Glory perseveringly and to the End and as he was so must we be faithful to the Death if ever we expect the Crown of Life And in like manner did he submit to the Will of his Providence Father not as I will but as thou wilt not my will but thine be done O let us keep this Example continually before us and every day obey the will of God's Precept universally And submit to the Will of his Providence very chearfully this is Heaven on Earth XX. In his Love and Practice of Universal Holiness both in Heart and Life He was Holy in his Nature Holy in his Principle and Motives Holy in his Aim and Ends he was perfectly Holy precisely Holy uniformly Holy exemplarily Holy he delighted only in holy Persons and holy Things it concerns us to imitate him herein if ever we expect to be where he is Heaven is the habitation of Holiness the company is Holy the imployment Holy the enjoyments Holy no unclean Thing can enter into Heaven or could be Happy in Heaven Heaven is rather a Nature than a place 'T is not the place of Heaven can make us Happy but the Disposition and Temper of our Minds in Heaven without Conformity to the Nature of God there can be no Communion with him nor Delight in him what a discourteous Courtesie would it be to turn a filthy Swine into a Garden of curious Flowers to lodge it in a Bed of sweet Perfumes to bath it in a clear and Crystal Fountain Alas its unclean Temper and sordid Inclinations would rather choose to lie down in a Kennel and to wallow in the Mire its proper Element Thus unsuitable would Heaven be that place of greatest Happiness be the greatest Vneasiness to an unholy Heart Let us then Pray and Endeavour that the Temper of our Minds and the Actions of our Lives may be a lively Transcript of the Mind and Life of the Holy Jesus that we may be like him in Purity and Holiness in Justice and Righteousness in Patience and Meekness in Charity and Universal Goodness That as he was we may be in the World Holy Humble Harmless Heavenly Minded glorifying God on Earth that we may be glorified with him and by him in his Eternal Kingdom Yet before I close this Exhortation to an Imitation of Jesus I must subjoin this cautionary Direction Take heed that you do not so imitate Christ for your Pattern as to disown him for your Priest This is the dangerous Error of those who affirm that the great End of Christ's Death was to give the World an Example of Patience Humility Meekness and the fore-mentioned Christian Graces and that his Sufferings were Exemplary but not properly Satisfactory We acknowledge that Christ's giving us an Example was one End of his coming into the World and Dying for us but not the great End A Subordinate End but not the Vltimate God preserve us from the Contagion of this growing Error other Errors only scratch the Face but this stabs the Heart of the Christian Religion in that it deprives us of the choicest Benefit of Christ's Death namely The Expiation of Sin by a proper Satisfaction to the Justice of God But blessed be God we have not so learned Christ as we are Taught so we Believe that the Holy Jesus by the Sacrifice of his Death has Redeemed us from Death and Hell and Saved us from Wrath to come by a full and adequate payment to Divine Justice and by the Redundancy of his Merit has purchased an Eternal Inheritance for us and as we are Taught and Believe so we Pray Almighty God who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both a Sacrifice for Sin and also an Example of Godly Life Give us Grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable Benefit and also daily endeavour our selves to follow the blessed Steps of his most Holy Life through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Almighty and everlasting God who of thy tender Love towards Mankind hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our Flesh and to suffer Death upon the Cross that all Mankind should follow the Example of his great Humility Mercifully grant that we may both follow the Example of his Patience and also be made Partakers of his Resurrection through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS Advertisements BOOKS published by Mr. WILLIAM BURKITT and printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside THE Poor Man's Help and Young Man's Guide Containing I. Doctrinal Instructions for the right Informing of his Judgment II. Practical Directions for the General Course of his Life III. Particular Advices for the Well-managing of every Day With reference to his 1. Natural Actions 2. Civil Imployments 3. Necessary Recreations 4. Religious Duties Particularly I. Prayer Publick in the Congregation Private in the Family Secret in the Closet II. Reading the Holy Scriptures III. Hearing of the Word Preached IV. Receiving of the Lord's Supper Unto which is added An Earnest Exhortation unto all Christians to the Love and Practice of Universal Holiness The Fourth Edition An Argumentative and Practical Discourse of Infant-Baptism In which I. The Lawfulness of Infant-Baptism is Demonstrated II. The Objections against Infant-Baptism are Answered III. The Usefulness of the Ordinance is Asserted IV. The Sinfulness of Re-baptizing Manifested V. The Non-necessity of Dipping Evidenced VI. The Practical Use of Infant-Baptism Urged and Inforced The Second Edition A Sermon at the Funeral of the Reverend Mr. William Gurnall THE Works of the late Reverend and Learned William Bates D. D. In one large Volume in Folio Viz. 1. Of the Existence of God the Immortality of the Soul and the Divinity of the Christian Religion 2. The Harmony of the Divine Attributes 3. The Great Duty of Resignation 4. The Danger of Prosperity 5. Sermons of the Forgiveness of Sins 6. The Sure Trial of Uprightness 7. The Four Last Things viz. Death Judgment Heaven and Hell In which his Book called The Final Happiness of Man is included 8. Of Spiritual Perfection 9. Eleven Sermons on several Occasions 10. A Sermon upon the Death of Queen Mary 11. A Funeral Sermon on Dr. Manton 12. A Funeral Sermon on Dr. Jacomb 13. A Funeral Sermon on Mr. Baxter With his Life 14. A Funeral Sermon on Mr. Clarkson 15. A Funeral Sermon on Mr. Benjamin Ashurst To which are added Two Discourses never before publish'd being exactly taken in Short-hand and Approv'd by the Author in his Life-time viz. 16. A Discourse on Divine Meditation 17. A Discourse on the Fear of God c. With an Alphabetical Table to the Whole As likewise The Author's Effigies curiously Engrav'd by Mr. Robert White from an Original of Sir Godfrey Kneller And some Account of his Life and Character in a Funeral Sermon preach'd by the Reverend Mr. Howe Printed for Johnathan Robinson at the Golden-Lyon in St. Paul's Church-Yard There will be speedily publish'd A Catechetical Course of Sermons for the whole Year Being an Explanation of the Church-Catechism in Fifty Two Distinct Discourses on so many several Texts of Scripture Wherein are Briefly contained the most Necessary Points of Christian Doctrine in Two Volumes in Octavo With an Alphabetical Index to each Volume Recommended Especially for the Use of Families By Peter Newcome M. A. and Vicar of Aldenham in Hertford-shire Printed for John Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-Yard
very probable Opinion tho' not an infallible Article of Faith as the Church of Rome would make it For the word Vntil signifies in Scripture as much as Never So Gen. 28.15 I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have promised that is I will never leave thee So the Words following Her first-born Son do not imply that she had any Child after but that she had none before That Child which first openeth the Womb is usually in Scripture called the First-born tho' there was no other born after Thus Josh 17.1 Machir is called the First-born of Manasseth tho' he had no more Children So that Christ not only as God but also as he was Man was the First-born and Only Son St. Austin expounds and applies Ezek. 44. v. 2. to the Virgin Mary This Gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no Man shall enter in by it because the Lord God of Israel hath entered in by it therefore it shall be shut And others of the Ancients say That as Christ lay in the Tomb in which none lay before himself so he lodg'd in a Womb in which none ever lay either before or after himself CHAP. II. Our Saviour's Miraculous Conception by the Power of the Holy Ghost being recorded in the First Chapter several remarkable Circumstances relating to his Birth are set down in this As namely the Place of his Birth Bethlehem and the Time In the days of Herod the King 1 NOW when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem Observe here 1. The Place of our Lord's Birth Bethlehem he was Born not at Athens not at Rome not at Jerusalem not in any Opulent or Magnificent City but in the meanest of the Cities of Judah Thereby shewing us that his Kingdom was not of this World and that he little regarded Pomp and outward Greatness Oh how can we be Abased enough for Christ that thus Neglected himself for us Obs 2. The Time of our Lord's Birth In the Days of Herod the King This Herod being a Foreigner and King of the Romans which now reigned over the Jews in him was fulfilled Jacob's Prophecy Gen. 49.10 That the Scepter should not depart from Judah that is the Jews should have Governours of their own Nation until Shiloh come That is until Christ the promised Messiah come in the Flesh So that considering the Circumstance of Time and Place where and when Christ was Born it was and is wilful Obstinacy in the Jews to deny that the Messiah is come in the Flesh Obs 3. That Tribute of Honour which was paid unto our Saviour at his Birth the Wise Men of the East came and Worshipped him That is the Chaldean Arabian or Persian Astronomers who as the First-Fruits of the Gentiles seek after Christ whilst the Jews his own People rejected him Oh how will their coming so far as the East to seek Christ rise up another Day in Judgment against us if we refuse to be found by Christ who came from Heaven to seek us 2 Saying where is he that is born king of the Jews for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him Observe here 1. The Inquiry that they make after Christ they do not ask whether he was Born but where he was Born not doubting of the Fact but ignorant of the Place Obs 2. The Ground of their Inquiry For we have seen his Star They had seen a Star but how did they know it was his Star Doubtless by Divine Revelation they had a Light within as well as a Star without or they had never found Christ No doubt the Holy Spirit 's Illumination accompanied the Star's Apparition As God made known the Birth of Christ to the Jews by an Angel so he manifested the same to the Gentiles by a new-created Star Obs 3. The End of their Journey We are come to Worship him that is to Pay all that Honour and Homage which is due to a Great and Mighty Prince All that Adoration and Worship which belongs to the promised Messiah the Redeemer of the World Learn hence That all Honour and Homage all Glory and Worship is due to Christ from the Sons of Men and will be given him by those that know him 3 When Herod the king heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him Observe here That when Christ came into the World to Save Men it cast the World into Consternation and caused wonderful Disturbance Herod is first concerned and next all Jerusalem with him Herod for fear of losing his Kingdom Jerusalem for fear of losing their Prince Thus Christ who was the Angel's Song the Wise Men's Joy Israel's Consolation becomes Herod's Fear and Jerusalem's Terrour But why was Herod thus disturbed 'T is true a King is Born but one whose Kingdom is not of this World 't was Herod's false Apprehension that was the Cause of this Perturbation Hence we see that the greatest Enmities and bitterest Animosities have arisen from causless Fears and groundless Jealousies 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together he demanded of them where Christ should be born 5 And they said unto him In Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet 6 And thou Bethlehem in the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel Herod being in great Perplexity conven'd a Council of the Chief Priests and Scribes and demands of them the Place where Christ the promised Messiah was to be Born they readily reply out of the Prophet Micah ch 5.2 that Bethlehem is the Place this was the City of David's Birth and of Christ's the Son of David Bethlehem signifies the House of Bread and was so called from its Fertility and Fruitfulness and as some think with Reference to Christ the True Bread of Life Born there Bethlehem was a mean and contemptible Place in it self but being Honoured with Christ's Presence how great is it Learn thence That the Presence of Christ dignifies and exalts a Place how mean soever in it self Bethlehem tho' a little City in it self yet is not the least amongst the Cities of Judah because Christ is Born there 7 Then Herod when he had privily called the wise men inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said Go and search diligently for the young child and when ye have found him bring me word again that I may come and worship him also Observe here 1. How Herod cloaks his intended Cruelty with disguised Hypocrisie he had Murder in his Heart when he pretended to Worship Christ with his Mouth There is no Villany so great but will mask it self under a Pretence and Shew of Piety Herod veils his Intent to Kill Christ with a Pretence
wicked Parents repine because they had Children but because they had lost them Mothers have the sharpest Throws both in their Childrens Births and Burials As Children in their Births are their Mothers Benjamins so in their Burial they are their Mothers Benoni's Sons of Sorrow 19 But when Herod was dead behold an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying 20 Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young child's life Obs 1. Herod's Death like a Bloody Persecutor he is sent unlamented to his Grave Historians say that out of his Body issued forth such impure Streams of Blood that the Loathsomness and Pain made him attempt the killing of himself God seldom suffers Persecutors to pass in quiet to their Graves they rarely die the common Death of all Men having no other Balm at their Funeral than their own Blood Obs 2. The happy Consequent of Herod's Death Christ is now call'd Home without Danger Herod being sent to his Grave the Coast is clear for the Return of the Holy Family The Death of Persecutors is the Delivery of the Persecuted 21 And he arose and took the young child and his mother and came into the land of Israel 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod he was afraid to go thither notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee Observe here 1. The just Fear that Joseph has upon his Mind that Herod's Son would be as Bloody a Tyrant as his Flagitious Father No wonder that the Children of Cruel Persecutors are suspected to tread in their Bloody Parents Steps Obs 2. How God's Warrant and Direction doth quiet Joseph's Mind resolve his Doubts and remove his Fears and makes him readily comply with the Command of God Being warned of God he removes out of Egypt into Galilee Oh how safe and satisfactory is it in all our Ways to follow the Call and Command of God! Joseph and Mary durst not move their Feet no not out of Egypt it self till God gives them a Warrant for their departure and bids them go 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet He shall be called a Nazarene A threefold Interpretation is given of these Words He shall be called a Nazarene Some read the Words 1. He shall be called a Nazarite the Nazarites were a Religious and Separate Rank of Persons among the Jews who abstained from Wine and came not near the Dead for fear of Pollution Christ was a Holy Person but no Nazarite in a strict sence for he drank Wine and touched the Dead 2. Others read the Words He shall be called Netzer a Branch in Allusion to Isa 11.1 where he is called a Branch of the Root of Jesse Christ was that True Branch of which the Prophets had so often spoken 3. Others will have the Word Nazarene referr to the City Nazareth where Christ was conceived and lived most of his time He shall be called a Nazarene because he dwelt at Nazareth hence his Disciples were called the Sect of the Nazarenes that is the Followers of him that dwelt at Nazareth and Christ himself is pleased to own the Title Act. 22.8 I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Learn from hence The great Humility of Mind that was found in our Saviour He was Born at Bethlehem a little City he Lives at Nazareth a poor contemptible Place He aspires not after the Grandeur of the World but is meek and lowly in Spirit may the same humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus CHAP. III. This Evangelist having declared our Saviour's Miraculous Conception in the First Chapter and recorded several remarkable Circumstances relating to his Birth in the Second Chapter in this Chapter before us he passes over in silence the whole Course of our Saviour's Life in private taking no notice how he spent his Minority whilst he dwelt at Nazareth which was till he was Thirty Years old at which time he entred upon his Publick Ministry having John the Baptist for his Harbinger and Forerunner at this Chapter fully informs us 1 IN those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 And saying Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Observe here 1. The Preacher sent by God John the Baptist a Pattern of Mortification and a Preacher of Repentance Obs 2. The Place he is sent to Preach in The Wilderness of Judea not in Populous Jerusalem but in a Barren Wilderness where Inhabitants were sew and probably very ignorant and rude Learn hence That it is God's Prerogative to send forth the Preachers of the Gospel when and whither and to what People he pleases and none must Assume the Office before they be Sent. Obs 3. The Doctrine that he preaches namely the Doctrine of Repentance Repent ye This was to prepare the People for the Messias and the Grace of the Gospel Learn thence That the Preaching of the Doctrine of Repentance is absolutely necessary in order to the preparing of the Hearts of Sinners for the receiving of Christ Jesus Obs 4. The Motive which St. John uses to inforce the Exhortation to Repentance The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is now is the so much expected Time of the Appearing of the Messiah come the Old Testament Dispensation is now to be Abolished and the Mercy and Grace of the Gospel is now to be Revealed therefore Repent and Amend your Lives Note thence That the free and full Tenders of Grace and Mercy in the Gospel are the most alluring Arguments to move a Sinner to Repent and to Convert to God 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias saying The voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight The Papists from John Baptist's living in the Wilderness would make him the first Founder of the Order of the Hermits but very groundlesly For 1. What he did was by God's Command what they do is by the Dictates of their their own Fancy 2. He busied himself in Preaching in the Wilderness they bury themselves alive and do nothing 3. He lived in the Wilderness but for a time afterwards we find him at Court Preaching a Sermon to Herod but they bind themselves with a Vow to live and die Hermits 4 And the same John had his raiment of camels hair and a leathern girdle about his loins and his meat was locusts and wild honey The plainess of John's Habit and Diet is here declared he was habited in a plain Suit of Camels Hair much as Elijah was before him and as his Habit was plain so his Diet was ordinary feeding upon Herbs and such Things as the Wilderness affords hence it was that Nazianzen said he was all
of God the Father pronouncing 1. The Nearness of Christ's Relation to himself This is my Son 2. The Endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The Fruit and Benefit of this near and dear Relation unto us In him I am well pleased Note 1. That there is no possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ both our Persons and our Performances find Acceptance only for His sake 2. That in and through Christ God is well-pleased with all Believers This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased c. CHAP. IV. The former part of this Chapter acquaints us with our Blessed Saviour's Combat with and Conquest over Satan and the first Verse informs us of the Time when and Place where the Combat was fought 1 THEN was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil Observe here 1. The Time when Christ entred the Lists with Satan implied in the word Then that is First Immediately after his Baptism he is no sooner out of the Water of Baptism but he is in the Fire of Temptation Secondly Immediately after the Spirit descended upon him and the Father had by a Voice from Heaven manifested his Complacency and Satisfaction in him This is my Beloved Son c. Note thence That great Manifestations of Love from God are usually followed with great Temptations from Satan Observe 2. The Place where this Combat was fought and that is in the Wilderness Learn thence That no Place can priviledge us from Temptation or be a Sanctuary from Satan's Assaults the solitary Wilderness has a Tempter in it yea Satan sometimes makes use of Mens Solitariness to farther his Temptations a Cell a Nunnery or a Cloister are as open to Satan as the open Fields and the Persons that live in them have a Tempter without and an Enticer within as well as other Men. Obs 3. The Efficient Cause of Christ's going into the Wilderness to be Tempted by Satan He was led up of the Spirit says St. Matthew The Spirit drove him says St. Mark That is the Holy Spirit of God not Satan the Unclean Spirit for the Devil is seldom if ever called The Spirit but usually some Brand of Reproach is annexed as the Evil Spirit or the Vnclean Spirit Christ was Led by the Spirit that is he was carried by a strong Impulse of the Spirit of God into the Wilderness to be Tempted by Satan Learn hence 1. That none of the Children of God ought to expect a Freedom from Temptations seeing Christ himself in the Days of his Flesh was strongly solicited by Satan unto Sin 2. That all the Temptations wherewith the Children of God are assaulted are ordered by Divine and Special Dispensation Satan could not assault our Saviour till he was Led by the Spirit into the Wilderness for that End and he shall not assault any of his Members but by Divine Permission and special Dispensation 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterward an hungred Obs here 1. How the Divine Power upheld the Human Nature of Christ without Food What Moses did at the Giving of the Law Christ doth at the Beginning of the Gospel namely Fast Forty Days and Forty Nights Christ hereby intended our Admiration not our Imitation or if our Imitation of the Action only not of the Time Christ teaches us by Fasting and Prayer to prepare our selves for a Conflict with our Spiritual Enemies as he prepared himself by Fasting to grapple with the Tempter so should we 3 And when the tempter came to him he said If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread Observe here 1. The Occasion of the Temptation 2. The Temptation it self The Occasion was our Saviour's Hunger and want of Bread Learn thence That when God suffers any of his Dear Children to fall into Want and to be streightned for Outward Things Satan takes a mighty Advantage thereupon to Tempt and Assault them But what doth he Tempt our Saviour to To the Sin of Distrust to question his Sonship If thou be the Son of God And next to distrust his Father's Providence and Care Command that these Stones be made Bread Learn hence 1. That Satan's grand Design is first to tempt the Children of God to doubt of their Adoption and next to Distrust God's Fatherly Care over them and Provision for them and last of all to use Unwarrantable Means to help themselves Thus Satan dealt with Christ and thus he deals with Christians For to work a Miracle at Satan's Direction was not a Lawful Means of providing Food for himself 4 But he answered and said It is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Observe here The Weapon which our Saviour made use of to repell the Temptation and to vanquish the Tempter and that is the Word of God It is written Learn That the Scriptures or the Written Word of God is the only sure Weapon wherewith to vanquish Satan and to beat back all his Fiery Temptations 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple That is Satan by God's permission took up his Body and carried it in the Air and set it upon one of the Battlements of the Temple Learn hence 1. What a mighty Power Evil Spirits have over our Bodies if God permits them to execute and exercise their Power upon them 2. That it is owing to the gracious Care and watchful Providence of God over us that we are not hurried away bodily by Satan Thanks be to God tho' the Devil's Malice be infinite yet his Power is limited and bounded as he cannot do all the Mischief he would to the Bodies and Souls of Men so he shall not do all he can 6 And saith unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone Here we have Observable First the Sin which Satan tempts Christ unto and next the Argument which he tempts him from The Sin tempted to is the Sin of Self-Murther Cast thy self down Whence we Learn That Self-Murther is a Sin which Christ himself was and the best of Saints may by Satan be tempted to the Commission of But forasmuch as Satan tempted Christ to murther himself but had not power to do it himself do thou cast thy self down We Learn That tho' Satan may tempt yet he cannot compel he may entice but cannot enforce any to Sin against their own Consent Obs 2. The Argument which Satan uses it is a Scripture-Argument he quotes the Promise of God He shall give his Angels charge over thee What a Marvel is here to find Satan with a Bible under his Arm and a Text of Scripture in his Mouth Christ
us from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever Amen The Sence and Signification of this best of Prayers is this Oh thou our Father in Jesus Christ who remainest in thy Throne in Heaven and art there perpetually Praised and perfectly Obeyed by Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints Grant that Thy Name may be Glorified Thy Throne Acknowledged and Thy Holy Will Obeyed here on Earth below by us thy Sons and Servants most sincerely and readily and in some proportion to what is done in Heaven And because by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we cannot subsist without the Comforts and Supports of Life We crave That such a Proportion of the Good Things of this Life may be given in unto us as may be sufficient for us and that we may be content with our Allowance And knowing that thy Holiness and Justice obliges thee to punish Sin and Sinners we Plead with thee for the sake of thy Son's Satisfaction to Pardon to us our daily Trespasses which we are guilty of in this State of Imperfection as we do freely and heartily Forgive others that have offended and wronged us And seeing that by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we are prone to rush upon and run into Temptation we crave That by the Power of thy Omnipotent Grace we may be kept from Satan's Temptations from the World's Allurements from our own Evil Inclinations and be preserved unblamable to thine Everlasting Kingdom which is exalted over all Persons over all Places over all Things in all Times past present and to come And accordingly in Testimony of our Desires and in Assurance to be Heard and Answered we say Amen So be it So let it be Even so O Lord let it be for ever 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly father will also forgive you 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses There being no Duty to which our corrupt Natures are more backward than this of Forgiving Injuries our Saviour repeats that Duty over and over and frequently inculcates it in the Holy Gospels Assuring us That Forgiving others is the indispensible Condition upon which we are to expect Forgiveness from God Learn thence That every time we go to God in Prayer and beg Forgiveness of him as we Forgive others if we do not Forgive them heartily and sincerely fully and freely readily and willingly we Lie in the Face of GOD and our Prayers are a sort of Imprecations against our Selves 16 Moreover when ye fast be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast Verily I say unto you they have their reward 17 But thou when thou fastest anoint thine head and wash thy face 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast but unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly The next Duty which our Saviour instructs his Disciples in is that of Religious Fasting which is a Devoting of the whole Man Soul and Body to a Solemn and Extraordinary Attendance upon GOD in a particular Time set apart for that purpose in order to the Deprecating of his Displeasure and for the Supplicating of his Favour accompanied with an Abstinence from Bodily Food and Sensual Delights and from all Secular Affairs and Worldly Business Now our Saviour's Direction as to this Duty of Fasting is double 1. He cautions us to beware of an Abuse in Fasting Be not as the Hypocrites are of a sad Countenance that is Do not affect a sullen Sadness Ghastliness and Unpleasantness of Countenance like the Hypocritical Pharisees who vitiate and discolour their Faces do marr and abolish their Native Complexion Hypocrisie can paint the Face Black and Sable as well as Pride with Red and White 2. He counsels us to take the right way in Fasting To Anoint the Head and Wash the Face That is to look as at other times using our ordinary Garb and Attire and not to affect any thing that may make us look like Mourners when really we are not so Where we may Note That tho' Hypocrites by their Dejected Countenances and Mortified Habits do seek to gain an Extraordinary Reputation for Piety and Devotion yet the sincere Christian is to be abundantly satisfied with God's Approbation of his Services and with the silent Applause of his own Conscience 19 Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal 20 But lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal 21 For where your treasure is there will your heart be also Observe here 1. Something implied namely That every Man has his Treasure and whatsoever or wheresoever that Treasure is it is attractive and draws the Heart of Man unto it For every Man's Treasure is his Cbief Good 2. Something permitted namely the Getting Possessing and Enjoying of Earthly Treasure as an Instrument enabling us to do much Good 3. Something prohibited and that is the Treasuring up of Worldly Wealth as our Chief Treasure Lay not up Treasures on Earth that is Take heed of an Inordinate Affection to of an excessive Pursuit after of a vain Confidence and Trust in any Earthly Comfort as your Chief Treasure 4. Here is something commanded But lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven Treasure up those Habits of Grace which will bring you to an Inheritance in Glory Be Fruitful in Good Works Laying up in store for your selves a good Foundation against the time to come that ye may lay hold of Eternal Life Obs 5. The Reasons assigned 1. Why we should not lay up our Treasure on Earth because all Earthly Treasures are of a perishing and uncertain nature they are subject to Moth and Rust to Robbery and Theft the perishing Nature of Earthly Things ought to be improved by us as an Argument to sit loose in our Affections towards them 2. The Reason assigned why we should lay up our Treasure in Heaven is this Because Heavenly Treasures are subject to no such Accidents and Casualties as Earthly Treasures are but are durable and lasting The things that are not seen are eternal The Treasures of Heaven are inviolable incorruptible and everlasting Now we may know whether we have chosen these Things for our Treasure by our high Estimation of the Worth of them by our sensible Apprehension of the Want of them by the Torrent and Tendency of our Affection towards them and by our laborious Diligence and Endeavours in the Pursuit after them Where the Treasure is there will the Heart be also 22 The light of the body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light 23 But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness If therefore
and support their Cause as they bear a Faithful Witness to Christ so Christ will bear Witness to their Faithfulness for him Obs 3. The Commendation it self Our Saviour commends John 1. For his Constancy he was not a Reed shaken with the Wind that is a Man of an unstable and unsetled Judgment but fixt and stedfast 2. For his Sobriety and high Measures of Mortification he was no delicate voluptuous Person but grave sober and severe he was mortified to the Glory and Honour to the Ease and Pleasures of the World John wrought no Miracles but his Holy Conversation was as effectual as Miracles to prevail with the People 3. For his Humility he might have been what he would the People were ready to cry him up for the Messiah the Christ of God but John's lowly Spirit refuses all He confessed and denied not saying I am not the Christ but a poor Minister of his willing but not worthy to do him Service This will commend our Ministry to the Consciences of our People when we seek not our own Glory but the Glory of Christ 4. Our Saviour commends John for his clear Preaching and Revealing of CHRIST to the People He was more than a Prophet vers 9. because he pointed out Christ more clearly and fully than any before him The Ancient Prophets saw Christ afar off John beheld him Face to Face they prophesied of him he pointed at him saying This is He. Whence Learn That the Clearer any Ministry is in discovering of CHRIST the more Excellent it is 11 Verily I say unto you Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he Our Saviour having highly commended John in the soregoing Verses here he sets Bounds to the Honours of his Ministry adding That tho' John was greater than all the Prophets that went before him seeing more of Christ than all them yet he saw less than them that came after him The meanest Evangelical Minister that Preaches Christ come is to be preferr'd before all the Old Prophets who Prophesied of Christ to come That Minister who sets forth the Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ Is greater in the Kingdom of Heaven that is has an higher Office in the Church and a more excellent Ministry than all the Prophets yea than John himself The Excellency of a Ministry consists in the Light and Clearness of it Now tho' John's Light did exceed all that went before him yet it fell short of them that came after him And thus he that was Least in the Kingdom of Grace on Earth much more he that is least in the Kingdom of Glory in Heaven Was greater than John 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Our Saviour goes on in commending John's Ministry from the great Success of it it had that powerful Influence upon the Consciences of Men that no Soldiers were ever more violent and eager in the storming and taking a strong Hold than John's Hearers were in pursuing the Kingdom of Heaven Never any Minister before discovered the Messiah and his Kingdom so clearly as John did and therefore never was there such Zeal to press into the Kingdom of Heaven amongst any as the Hearers of John had Learn hence 1. That the clearer Knowledge any People have of the Worth and Excellency of Heaven the more will their Zeal be inflamed in the pursuit of Heaven 2. That all that do intend and resolve for Heaven must offer violence in the taking of it none but the violent are victorious They take it by Force Which Words are both Restrictive and Promissive They are the violent and none other that take it and all the violent shall take it Tho' careless Endeavours may prove abortive vigorous prosecution shall not miscarry 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John 14 And if ye will receive it this is Elias which was for to come 15 He that hath ears to hear let him hear Here is still a farther Commendation of John The Law and the Prophets till the coming of John did foretel the Messiah but not so determinately not so nearly not so clearly as John did And accordingly he was that Elias which Isaiah and Malachy foretold should be the Harbinger and Forerunner of Christ But why has John the Baptist the Name of Elias Possibly because they were alike zealous in the Work of GOD they were alike successful in that Work and they were alike persecuted for their Work the one by Jezebel the other by Herodias 16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation It is like unto children sitting in the markets and calling unto their fellows 17 And saying We have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking and they say He hath a devil 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber a friend of publicans and sinners but wisdom is justified of her children Our Saviour in these Words describes the perverse Humour of the Pharisees whom nothing could allure to the Embracing of the Gospel neither John's Ministry nor CHRIST's This our Saviour sets forth two Ways 1. Allegorically vers 16 17. 2. Properly vers 18 19. By way of Allegory he compares them to sullen Children whom nothing would please neither Mirth nor Mourning If their Fellows Piped before them they would not Dance if they sang Mournful Songs to them they would not Lament That is the Pharisees were of such a Censorious and Capricious Humour that GOD himself could not please them tho' he used variety of Means and Methods in order to that End Next our Lord plainly interprets this Allegory by telling them That John came to them neither eating nor drinking that is not so freely and plentifully as other Men being a very austere and mortified Man both in his Diet and in his Habit And all this was designed by God that the Austerity of his Life and Severity of his Doctrine might awaken the Pharisees to Repentance But instead of this they censure him for having a Devil because he delighted in Solitude and avoided Converse with Men. According to the Ancient Observation that every Solitary Person is either an Angel or a Devil John being thus rejected Christ himself comes to them who being of a free and familiar Converse not shunning the Society of the worst of Men even of the Pharisees themselves but complying with their Customs and accompanying with them at their Feasts yet without the least Compilnace with them in their Sins But the Freedom of our Saviour's Conversation displeased them as much as John's Reservedness of Temper for they cry Behold a Man gluttonous Christ's Affability towards Sinners they call Approbation of
consider what they eat we may justly wonder that they left any thing If what they left that they eat any thing Observe lastly Christ would not have these Fragments lost but gathered up the Great House-keeper of the World will not allow the Loss of his Orts. Oh how dreadful will the Account of those be who have large and plentiful Estates to Answer for as Lost being spent upon their Lusts in Riot and Excess CHAP. XVI 1 THE Pharisees also with the Sadduces came and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven 2 He answered and said unto them When it is evening ye say It will be fair weather for the sky is red 3 And in the morning It will be foul weather to day for the sky is red and lowring O ye hypocrites ye can discern the face of the sky but can ye not discern the signs of the times 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be given unto it but the sign of the prophet Jonas And he left them and departed Obs here 1. The Persons demanding of our Saviour a Sign the Pharisees and Sadduces Persons of contrary Opinions and Interests yet both agree in Tempting and Opposing Christ Learn thence That Wicked Men how opposite soever they are one to another yet can agree together in Opposing Christ and Undermining his Truth Obs 2. The Sign demanded Shew us a Sign from Heaven As if they had said Put us not off with such Earthly Signs as we have seen in multiplying Loaves but let us see a Miracle from Heaven such as Moses and Elias wrought This they desired not so much for their Satisfaction as out of Curiosity nay Wicked Treachery Learn thence That to demand a Sign not to confirm our Faith but to harden our selves in our Unbelief is a dangerous Tempting of Christ Obs 3. Our Saviour's Rejection of this Demand of the Pharisees to give them a Sign Oh ye Hypocrites says he ye can discern the Face of the Sky but ye cannot discern the Signs of the Times As if he had said Did not Malice and Obstinacy blind your Eyes ye might as easily see and discern that these are the Times of the Messias and that I am he by the Miracles wrought by me as you can make a Judgment of the Weather by looking upon the Sky Learn That to pretend more Ignorance or Uncertainty in discerning the Signs of Gospel-Times than the Signs of the Weather is great Hypocrisie Ye Hypocrites ye can discern the Face of the Sky but can ye not discern the Signs of the Times Observe lastly That our Saviour doth not condemn the Study of Nature or making Observation of the State of the Weather from the Face of the Sky All that our Saviour blames was that they were better skill'd in the Signs of the Weather than in the Signs of the Times As God by Natural Signs gives us Warning of a Change in Natural Things so by his Providential Dispensations he gives us Warning of a Change in Civil Things He that is Wise will Observe these Things and by their Observation Will come to Vnderstand the Pleasure of the Lord. 5 And when his disciples were come to the other side they had forgotten to take bread 6 Then said Jesus unto them Take heed and be ware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces 7 And they reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have taken no bread 8 Which when Jesus perceived he said unto them O ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no bread 9 Do ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets ye took up 11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces Observe here 1. How dull the Disciples of Christ were under Christ's own Teaching and how apt to put a Carnal Sence upon his Words they apprehended he had spoken to them of the Leaven of Bread what he intended of the Leaven of the Pharisees Doctrine Obs 2. The smart and sharp Reproof which Christ gave his Disciples for not understanding the Sense and Signification of what he spake The Lord Jesus Christ is much displeased with his own People when he discerns Blindness and Ignorance in them after more than ordinary Means of Knowledge enjoyed by them How is it that ye do not yet understand Obs 3. The Metaphor which Christ sets forth the corrupt Doctrine of the Pharisees by he compares it to Leaven partly for its Sowrness and partly for its Diffusiveness Leaven is a piece of sower Dough that diffuses it self into the whole Mass or Lump of Bread with which it is mixed From whence our Saviour intimates that the Pharisees were a sower and proud sort of People and their Doctrines like themselves poisonable and pernicious in their Consequences the Contagion of which our Lord warns his Disciples to avoid and shun Whence Learn That Error is as damnable as Vice Persons Erroneous in their Judgments are to be avoided as well as those that are Lewd and Wicked in their Conversations He that has a due Care of his Soul's Salvation must as well beware of Erroneous Principles as of Debauched Practices Obs 4. Our Saviour does not command his Disciples to separate from Commmunion with the Pharisees and oblige them not hear their Doctrine but only to beware of the Errors that they mix with their Doctrine We may and ought to hold Communion with a Church tho' Erroneous in Doctrine if not Fundamentally Erroneous Separation from a Church is not justifiable upon any other Ground than that which makes a Separation betwixt God and that Church Which is either the Apostacy of that Church into gross Idolatry or in Point of Doctrine into damnable Heresie 13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I the Son of man am 14 And they said Some say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the prophets 15 He saith unto them But whom say ye that I am 16 And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven Observe here Our Saviour's Question and the Disciples Answer Our Saviour's Question is twofold 1. Whom do Men say that I am Not that the Son of God was ignorant what Men said of him but he had an Intention more
kind and gracious Answer You that have left all to follow me shall be no Losers by me For in the Regeneration that is at the Resurrection when Believers shall be perfectly renewed both in Soul and Body and shall enjoy my Kingdom then as I sit upon the Throne of my Glory so shall you sit with me in an higher Degree of Dignity and Honour Judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel that is the Jews first for their Unbelief and then all other Despisers of Gospel-Grace and Mercy Learn 1. That such Ministers as do most Service for Christ and forsake most to follow him shall in his Kingdom partake of most Honour and Dignity with him and from him 2. That as the Ministers of Christ in general so his Twelve Apostles in particular shall set nearer the Throne of Christ and have an higher place in Glory at the great Day than ordinary Believers 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life The foregoing Promise v. 28. respected the Apostles this all Christians who forsake their dearest Enjoyments for Christ He assures them they shall be recompensed in this Life an Hundred fold How Non formaliter sed eminenter Not in Specie but in Valore not in Kind but in Equivalency Not an Hundred Brethren or Sisters or Lands but first he shall have that in God which all Creatures would be to him if they were multiplied an Hundred times 2dly The Gifts and Graces the Comforts and Consolations of the Holy Spirit shall be an Hundred-fold better Portion than any thing we can part with for the sake of Christ and his Gospel here Learn hence That tho' we may be Losers for Christ yet shall we never be Loosers by him 30 But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first A twofold Sense and Interpretation is given of these Words The First respects the Jews and Gentiles in general the Second all Professors of Christianity in particular The Jews as if Christ had said Look upon themselves as first and nearest to the Kingdom of Heaven but for their Infidelity they shall be last in it That is shall never come there And the Gentiles who are look'd upon as Dogs and farthest from Heaven shall be first there upon their Conversion to me and Faith in me As the Words respect all Professors the Sense is Many that are first in their own Esteem and in the Opinion of others and forward in a Profession of Religion yet at the Day of Judgment they will be last and least in mine and my Father's Estimation and Account And many that were little in their own and less in the Esteem of others who had a less Name and Vogue in the World shall yet be first and highest in my Favour Learn hence That the Day of Judgment will frustrate a great many Persons Expectations both as touching others and concerning themselves Many will miss of Heaven and be last which look'd upon themselves to be first And many will find others in Heaven whom they least expected there The Lord judgeth not as Man judgeth We judge of Men by outward Appearances but we are sure that the Judgment of God is according to Truth He can neither be deceived nor yet deceive CHAP. XX. 1 FOR the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day he sent them into his vineyard 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market-place 4 And said unto them Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right I will give you And they went their way 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour and did likewise 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle and saith unto them Why stand ye here all the day idle 7 They say unto him Because no man hath hired us He saith unto them Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right that shall ye receive A twofold Sence and Interpretation is given of this Parable The one Literal the other Analogical The Historical and Literal Sence relates to the calling of the Gentiles The Jews were the first People that God had in the World they were hired into the Vineyard betimes in the Morning the Gentiles not till the Day was far spent yet shall the Gentiles by the Favour and Bounty of God receive the same Reward of Eternal Life which was promised to the Jews who bare the Heat of the Day while the Gentiles stood idle In the Analogical Sence we may understand all Persons indefinitely called by the Gospel into the visible Church those that are called last shall be rewarded together with the first and accordingly the Design and Scope of this Parable is to shew the Freeness of Divine Grace in the Distribution of those Rewards which the Hand of Mercy conferrs upon God's faithful Servants The Vineyard is the Church of God the Husbandman is God himself the Labourers are particular Persons God's going at divers times into his Vineyard imports the several Ages of Man's Life some are called early in the Morning some at Noon others at Night Now when God comes to dispence his Rewards those that entered first into the Vineyard and did most Service for God shall be plentifully rewarded by him and such as came in later but did faithful Service shall not miss of a merciful Reward Learn 1. That so long as a Person keeps out of Christ's Vineyard and Service he is Idle Every unregenerate Man is an idle Man 2. That Persons are called by the preaching of the Gospel at several Ages and Periods of Life into God's Vineyard that is into the Communion of the visible Church 3. That such as do come in tho' late into God's Vineyard and work diligently and faithfully shall not miss of a Reward of Grace at the Hand of free Mercy 8 So when even was come the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward Call the labourers and give them their hire beginning from the last unto the first 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour they received every man a penny 10 But when the first came they supposed that they should have received more and they likewise received every man a penny 11 And when they had received it they murmured against the good man of the house 12 Saying These last have wrought but one hour and thou hast made them equal unto us which have born the burden and heat of the day 13 But he answered one of them and said Friend I do thee no wrong didst thou not agree with me for a penny 14 Take that thine is and go thy way I will give
the head of the corner this is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder These Words are taken out of the 118th Psalm which the Jews understood to be a Prophecy of the Messiah and accordingly Christ applies them to himself The Church is the Building intended Christ himself the Stone rejected The Rejecters or the Builders Rejecting were the Heads of the Jewish Church that is the chief Priests and Pharisees God the great Master-Builder of his Church takes this precious Foundation Stone out of the Rubbish and sets it in the Head of the Corner Nevertheless there are some who stumble at this Stone Some thro' Ignorance others thro' Malice stumble at his Person at his Doctrine at his Institutions These shall be broken in pieces But on whomsoever this Stone shall fall it will grinde them to Powder That is Christ himself will fall as a burthensome Stone upon all those that knowingly and maliciously oppose him and particularly upon the Jews who not only rejected him but persecuted and destroyed him Thus Christ tells the chief Priests and Pharisees their own particular Doom and also declares what will be the fatal Issue of all that Opposition which is made against himself and his Church It will terminate in their inevitable and irreparable Destruction Whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken and on whomsoever it shall fall it will grinde them to Powder 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables they perceived that he spake of them 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him they feared the multitude because they took him for a prophet When the chief Priests came to understand that these Parables were all applied to them that they were the Murtherers of the King's Son That they were the Builders that rejected the chief Corner-stone they are enraged at the close Application made to themselves and had not Fear restrain'd them would have laid violent Hands upon him Learn thence That nothing doth more provoke and exasperate unsound Hypocrites than the particular Application and close coming home of the Word of God unto their Hearts and Consciences So long as the Truths of God are generally delivered Sinners are easie looking upon themselves as unconcern'd but when the Word of God comes close to them and says Thou art the Man This is thy Wickedness They are angry at the Message and rage at the Messenger CHAP. XXII 1 AND Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables and said 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his Son 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding and they would not come 4 Again he sent forth other servants saying Tell them which are bidden Behold I have prepared my dinner my oxen and my fatlings are killed and all things are ready come unto the marriage 5 But they made light of it and went their ways one to his farm another to his merchandise 6 And the remnant took his servants and entreated them spitefully and slew them 7 But when the king heard thereof he was wroth and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burnt up their city 8 Then saith he to his servants The wedding is ready but they which were bidden were not worthy 9 Go ye therefore into the high ways and as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage 10 So those servants went out into the high ways and gathered together all as many as they found both bad and good and the wedding was furnished with guests 11 And when the king came in to see the guests he saw there a man which had not a wedding garment 12 And he saith unto him Friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment and he was speechless 13 Then said the king to the servants Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The Design and Scope of this Parable of the Marriage-Supper is to set forth that Gracious Offer of Mercy and Salvation which was made by God in and thro' the preaching of the Gospel to the Church of the Jews The Gospel is here compared to a Feast because in a Feast there is Plenty Variety and Dainties Also to a Marriage-Feast being full of Joy Delight and Pleasure And to a Marriage Feast made by a King as being full of State Magnificence and Grandeur To this Marriage-Feast or Gospel-Supper Almighty God invited the Church of the Jews and the Servants sent forth to invite them were the Prophets and Apostles in general and John the Baptist in particular whom they entreated spitefully and slew The making light of the Invitation signifies the Generality of the Jews Refusal and careless Contempt of the Offers of Grace in the Gospel By the Armies which God sent forth to destroy those Murderers are meant the Roman Soldiers who spoiled and laid waste the City of Jerusalem and were the severe Executioners of God's Wrath and Judgment upon the wicked Jews The High Ways signifie the despised Gentiles who upon the Jews Refusal were invited to this Supper and prevailed with to come in The King 's coming in to see his Guests denotes that Inspection which Christ makes into his Church in the times of the Gospel By that Man without the Wedding-Garment understand such as are destitute of true Grace and real Holiness both in Heart and Life in the Examination of him Christ says Friend how camest thou in hither Not Friends why came you along with him Teaching us That if unholy Persons will press in to the Lord's Supper the Sin is theirs but if we come not because they will come the Sin is ours The Presence of an unholy Person at the Lord's Table ought not to discourage us from our Duty or cause us to turn our Back upon that Ordinance The Command to bind the unqualified Person Hand and Foot and to cast him into utter Darkness plainly intimates that the Condition of such Persons as live under the Light and enjoy the Liberty of the Gospel but walk not answerably to their Profession is deplorably sad and doleful They do not only incur Damnation but no Damnation like it Bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into utter Darkness From the whole Note 1. That the Gospel for its Freeness and Fulness for its Varieties and Delicacies is like a Marriage-Supper 2. That Gospel Invitations are mightily disesteem'd 3. That the Preference which the World has in Men's Esteem is the great cause of the Gospel's Contempt They went one to his Farm and the other to his Merchandise 4. That such as are Careless in the Day of Grace shall undoubtedly be Speechless in the Day of Judgment 5. That Christ takes a more particular Notice
not long hold burning without a Stock of Oil to feed it so a Profession of Religion tho' never so glorious will not be lasting nor persevering without a Principle of Faith and Love in the Heart to support and maintain it Learn hence That the true Wisdom of a Christian consists in this to take care that not only the Lamp of his Life may shine by outward Profession but that the Vessel of his Heart may be furnished with the Graces of the Holy Spirit as a prevailing and abiding Principle 5 While the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept That is while Christ delays his coming to Persons by Death and Judgment they are not so diligent as they ought to prepare themselves for Death and Judgment Instead of being upon their Watch and Guard they slumbered and slept Note That not only visible Professors but the holiest and best of Christians are very prone to Spiritual Slumber Whilst the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept Spiritual Slumber consists in this When Graces are not lively and kept in exercise particularly Faith Hope and Love when there is an Abatement of our Love and Zeal an Intermission of our Care and Watchfulness this is a degree of Spiritual Slumber yet the Saints Slumber is not a prevailing Slumber 't is nor an Universal Slumber 't is not in all the Faculties of the Soul if there be Deadness in the Affections yet is there not Searedness in the Conscience I sleep says the Church but my Heart awaketh Cant. 5.2 Still there is a Principle in the Soul which takes God's part and the Christian groans under the Burthen of his dull and drowsie State But the greatest Wisdom is to maintain a constant Watch that we may at no time be surprized by the Bridegroom 's coming or be in a Confusion when Death and Judgment shall overtake us Blessed are those Virgins whose Lamps always burn bright 6 And at midnight there was a cry made Behold the bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him At Midnight that is at the most dismal and unseasonable time when all the Virgins were fast asleep and when awaked in great Affrightment could not on a sudden consider what to do Such is the Case of those who put off their Repentance and Preparation for another World till they are surprized by Death and Judgment Lord how will the Midnight Cry of the Bridegroom 's coming terrifie and amaze the unprepared Soul What a surprizing Word will this be Behold the Bridegroom cometh Learn hence That the Bridegroom will certainly come tho' at his own time and then all shall be called upon both prepared and unprepared to go forth to meet him Reason says he may come because there is a just God that will render to every one according to his Deeds and reward both Body and Soul for all the Services they have done for God The Body shall not always remain like a solitary Widow in the Dust but shall meet its old Companion the Soul again And as Reason says he may come Faith says he will come and argues from the Promise of Christ John 14.3 and from the Purchase of Christ from Christ's Affection to us and from our Affection to him Faith has seen him upon the Cross and determines she shall see him in the Clouds The Bridegroom will certainly come at his own time happy they that are ready to go forth to meet him 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps 8 And the foolish said unto the wise Give us of your oil for our lamps are gone out The Virgins arising and trimming their Lamps doth denote their actual Preparation for Christ's Coming and Appearance and their putting themselves into a Posture of Readiness to receive him Thence Learn That a believing Apprehension of the Certainty and Suddenness of our Lord 's Coming and Approach will rouze us out of our Spiritual Slumber and prepare us to meet him with Joy and Assurance Then they arose and trimmed their Lamps And the foolish said to the wise give us of your Oil for our Lamps are gone out Observe here 1. A Request made Give us of your Oil. There is a time when the Neglecters of Grace will be made sensible of the Worth of Grace by the want of it Such as now undervalue yea villifie the Grace of God will be heard to say Oh give us of your Oil. Obs 2. The Reason of the Request For our Lamps are gone out Thence Learn That the Lamp of Profession will certainly go out which has not a Stock of Grace to feed and maintain it 9 But the wise answered saying Not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves Observe here 1. The wise Virgins Denial Not so They will part with no Oil. Learn thence That it must be the Care of every one to get Grace of his own otherwise the Grace of others will do him no Good 'T is not what others have done nay not what Christ himself has done that will save us without our own Endeavours Obs 2. The Reason of their Denial Lest there be not enough for us and you Thence Note That such Christians as have most Grace or the largest Stock of Grace have none to spare none to spare in regard of their Occasions for Grace on Earth and in regard of their Expectations of Glory in Heaven Obs 3. The Advice and Counsel given Go to them that sell and buy for your selves Some take this for an Exhortation others for a mocking Derision Go to them that sell That is say some to the Shops of the Ordinances where it may be had Thence Note That such as would have Grace must have timely Recourse to the Ordinances and Means of Grace Go to them that sell Others understand the Words ironically and as spoken by way of Derision Go to them that sell If you know where to find them and either buy or borrow for your selves Learn thence That it is the greatest Folly in the World to have Oil to buy when we should have Oil to burn To have our Grace to seek when we should have it to exert and exercise It is no time to get Grace when the Bridegroom is come and the Day of Grace is past and over 10 And while they went to buy the bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut Observe here 1. Christ will come at the great Day to his People as a Bridegroom and to the wicked as a Judge The Relation now begun betwixt Christ and his Church shall then be publickly solemniz'd Obs 2. The Qualification of the Persons who shall enter with the Bridegroom into Heaven Such as are ready went in with him This Readiness is twofold Habitual and Actual Habitual Readiness consists in the State of the Person justified and pardoned in the Frame of the Heart sanctified and renewed and in the Course
put up as a direful Imprecation we may with a pious Mind offer up to God as an humble Petition Lord let thy Son's Blood not in the Guilt and Punishment but in the Efficacy and Merit of it be upon us and upon our Posterity after us for evermore 26 Then released he Barabbas unto them and when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified As the Death of the Cross was a Roman Punishment so it was the manner of the Romans first to scourge and whip their Malefactors and then deliver them to be crucified Now the manner of the Roman scourging is said to be thus They stript the condemned Person and bound him to a Post Two strong Men first scourged him with Rods of Thorns Then Two others scourged him with Whips of Cords full of Knots and lastly Two more with Whips of Wyre and therewith tore off the very Flesh and Skin from the Persons Back and Sides That our Saviour was thus cruelly scourged seems to some not improbable from that of the Psalmist Psal 129.3 The Ploughers ploughed upon my Back and made long Furrows Which if spoken Prophetically of Christ was Literally fulfilled in the Day of his Scourging But why was the precious Body of our Blessed Lord thus galled and torn with Scourgings Doubtless to fulfil that Prophecy I gave my Back to the Smiters and my Cheeks to them that plucked off the Hair That by his Stripes we might be healed And to Learn us Patience from his Example why should we think it strange to be scourged either with the Tongue or the Hand or with both when we see our dear Redeemer bleeding by Stripes and Scourges before our Eyes 27 Then the soldiers of the governour took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers 28 And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet robe 29 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 saying Hail king of the Jews 30 And they spit upon him and took the reed and smote him on the head 31 And after that they had mocked him they took the robe off from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucifie him The next part of our Lord's Sufferings consisted of cruel Mockings our blessed Sâ—viour had said that he was the King of the Jews not a Temporal King to rule over them with Pomp and Power but a Spiritual King to rule in the Hearts of his People but the Jews missing of their Expectation of a Temporal King in Christ look upon him as an Impostor and accordingly they treat him as a mock King putting a Crown upon his Head but a very ignominious and painful one A Crown of Thorns a Scepter in his Hand but it was of a Reed and a Robe of Purple or Scarlet both which were used by Princes and bowed the Knee before him as they were wont to do to Princes Thus all the Marks of Scorn imaginable are put upon our Blessed Redeemer yet that which they did in jest God did in earnest for all these things were Ensigns and Marks of Soveraignty and Almighty God caused the Regal Dignity of his Son to appear and shine forth even in the midst of his greatest Abasement Whence was all this Jearing and Sport but to flout Majesty And why did Christ undergo all this Ignominy Disgrace and Shame but to shew us what was due unto us for our Sins and to give us an Example to bear all the Scorn Reproach and Shame imaginable for his sake Who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the Shame 32 And as they came out they found a man of Cyrene Simon by name him they compelled to bear his cross 33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha that is to say a place of a scull 34 They gave him vinegâ—r to drink mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof he would not drink 35 And they crucified him and parted his garments casting lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet They parted my garments among them and upon my vesture did they cast lots 36 And sitting down they watched him there The Sentence of Death being past by Pilate who can with dry Eyes behold the sad Pomp of our Saviour's bloody Execution Forth comes the Blessed Jesus out of Pilate's Gates bearing that Cross which soon after was to bear him With his Cross on his Shoulder he marches towards Golgotha and when they see he can go no faster they force Simon the Cyrenian not out of Compassion but from Indignation to be the Porter of his Cross This Cyrenian being a Gentile not a Jew who bare our Saviour's Cross might signifâ—e and shew that the Gentiles should have a part in Christ and be Sharers with the Jews in the Benefits of his Cross At length Christ comes to the Place of Execution Golgotha or Mount Calvary Here in a publick Place with infamous Company betwixt Two Thieves he is Crucified that is fastned to a great Cross of Wood his Hands stretched forth abroad and his Feet closed together and both Hands and Feet fastned with Nails his naked Body was lifted up in the open Air hanging betwixt Heaven and Earth thereby intimating that the crucified Person was fit to live in neither This shameful painful and accursed Death did the holy and innocent Jesus undergo for Sinners Some observe all the Dimensions of Length Breadth Depth and Height in our Saviour's Sufferings for Length his Passion was several Hours long from Twelve to Three exposed all that time both to Hunger and Cold the Thieves crucified with him were not dead so soon they enduring but personal Pain he undergoing the Miseries of all Mankind But what his Passion wanted in Length it had in Breadth extending over all the Parts and Powers of his Soul and Body no part free but his Tongue which was at Liberty to pray for his Enemies His Sight was tormented with the scornful Gestures of such as passed by wagging their Heads His Hearing grieved with the Taunts and Jears of Priests and People his Smelling offended with noisome Savours in the Place of Skulls his Taste with the Gall and Vinegar given him to drink his Feeling was wonderfully affected by the Nails which pierced his Hand and Feet and the Crown of Thorns which pierced his tender Temples with a Multiplicity of Wounds And for the Depth of his Passion it was as deep as Hell it self enduring Tortures in his Soul as well as Torments in his Body groaning under the Burthen of Desertion and crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Lastly For the Height of his Sufferings they were as high as Heaven his Person being innocent and infinite no less than the Son of God which adds infinite Worth and Value to his Sufferings Lord
and have peace one with another That is let all persons especially Ministers retain a seasoning Vertue in themselves that they may sweeten and season others even all that they converse with and as Salt has an uniting power and knits the parts of the body salted together So the upholding of Union and Peace one with another will declare that you have salt in your selves Learn hence That it is the Duty of all Christians but especially of the Ministers of the Gospel to maintain brotherly concord and agreement among themselves both as an Argument of their Sincerity and an Ornament to their profession CHAP. X. 1 AND he arose from thence and cometh into the coasts of Judea by the farther side of Jordan and the people resort unto him again and as he was wont he taught them again 2 And the Pharisees came to him and asked him Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife tempting him 3 And he answered and said unto them What did Moses command you 4 And they said Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept 6 But from the beginning of the Creation God made them male and female 7 For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife 8 And they twain shall be one flesh so then they are no more twain but one flesh 9 What therefore God hath joyned together let no man put asunder 10 And in the house the Disciples asked him again of the same matter 11 And he said unto them Whosoever shall put away his Wife and marry another commiteth adultery against her 12 And if a Woman shall put away her husband and be married to another she committeth adultery The first Verse of this Chapter acquaints us with the great Labour and pains our Saviour took in the exercise of his ministry travelling from place to place in an hot Country and that on foot to preach the Gospel when he was here upon earth Teaching all persons but especially Ministers by his Example to be willing to undergo Pains and Labour even unto much weariness in the service of God and in the Duties of their calling For this is God's Ordinance that every one should feel the Burthen of his calling and the painfulness of it But Lord how nice and delicate are some labourers in thy Vineyard who are willing to do nothing but what they can do with ease that cannot endure to think of labouring unto weariness but are sparing of their pains for fear of shortning their days and hasting their end Whereas the Lamp of our Lives can never be better spent or burnt out then in lighting others to Heaven The following verses acquaint us with an ensnaring question which the Pharisees put to our Saviour concerning the matter of Divorce concluding that they should entrap him in his answer whatever it was if he denied the lawfulness of Divorce then they would charge him with Contradicting Moses who allowed it If he affirmed it then they would condemn him for contradicting his own Doctrine St. Mat. v. 32. for favouring mens lusts and complying with the wicked custom of the Jews who upon every slight and frivolous occasion put away their Wives from them But such was the Wisdom of our Saviour in all his answers to the ensnaring Pharisees that neither their wit nor malice could lay hold upon any thing to entangle him in his talk Obs Therefore the piety and prudence of our Saviour's answer to the Pharisees he refers them to the first institution of marriage When God made Husband and Wife one flesh to the intent that matrimonial Love might be both incommunicable and indissoluble and accordingly asks them what did Moses command you thereby teaching us that the best means for deciding all doubts and resolving all controversies about matters of Religion is to have Recourse unto the Scriptures or the written Word of God what did Moses command you Obs Farther How our Saviour to confute the Pharisees and convince them of the unlawfulness of Divorces used by the Jews lays down the first institution of Marriage and shews them first the Author next the time and then the end of the Institution the Author God What God has joyned together c. Marriage is an Ordinance of God's own Appointment as the Ground and Foundation of all sacred and civil society The time of the Institution was in the beginning Marriage is almost as old as the World as old as Nature it self there was no sooner one Person but God divided him into two and no sooner was there two but he united them into one And the end of the Instituti of Mariage Christ declares was this that there might be not only an intimacy and nearness but also an inseparable Union and Oneness by means of this endearing Relation the congugal knot is tied so close that the Bonds of matrimonial love are stronger then those of Nature Stricter is the Tye betwixt husband and wife then that betwixt parent and child according to God's own appointment For this cause shall a man leave Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they Twain shall be one flesh And whereas our Saviour adds what God hath joyned together let not man put asunder two things are hereby intimated to us 1. That God is the Author of the close and intimate Union which is betwixt Man and Wife in a married condition 2. That it is not in the power of man to untie or dissolve that Union which God has made betwixt Man and Wife in the married estate yea it is a great sin to advise unto or endeavour after the separation of them Obs Lastly Our Saviour's private conference with the Disciples after his publick disputation with the Pharisees about this matter of divorce He tells his Disciples and in them he tells all Christians to the end of the World that it is utterly unlawful for Man and Wife to be separated by Divorcement one from another for any cause whatsover except only for the sin of Adultery committed by either of them after the Marriage Learn hence that according to the Word and Will of God nothing can violate the bonds of marriage and justly a divorce betwixt Man and Wife save only the defiling of the marriage Bed by Adultery and uncleanness This is the only case in which Man and Wife may lawfully part and being for this cause parted whether they may afterwards marry again to other Persons has been much disputed but that the innocent and injured person whether Man or Woman for there is an equal Right on both sides may not marry again seems very unreasonable for why should one suffer for anothers fault 13 And they brought young children to him that he should touch them and his Disciples rebuked those that brought them 14 But when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said unto
spit upon him and bowing their Knees worshipped him 20 And when they had mocked him they took off the Purple from him and put his own Cloaths on him and led him out to Crucify him The next part of our Saviour's Sufferings consisted of Cruel Mockings he had owned himself to be the King of the Jews that is a Spiritual King in and over his Church but the Jews expecting that the Messiah should have appeared in the Pomp of an Earthly Prince and finding themselves disappointed of their Expectation in our Saviour they look upon him as a Deceiver and Impostor and accordingly treat him as a mock-King with all the marks of Derision and Scorn for first they put a Crown upon his Head but a very ignominious and painful one a Crown of Thorns they place a Scepter in his hand but that of a Reed a Robe of Scarlet or Purple upon his Body and then bowed their Knees unto him as they were wont to do before their Princes crying Hail King Thus were all the marks of Scorn imaginable put upon our Dear Redeemer Yet what they did in Jest God permitted to be done in Earnest for all these things were Signs and Marks of Sovereignty and Almighty God caused the Regal Dignity of his Son to shine forth even in the midst of his greatest Abasement Whence was all this Jearing and Sport but to flout Majesty and why did Christ undergo all this ignominy disgrace and shame but to shew what was due unto us for our sins as also to give us an Example to bear all the Scorn Reproach and Shame imaginable for his sake who for the joy that was set before him despised the shame as well as endured the Cross 21 And they compel one Symon a Cyrenian who passed by coming out of the Country the Father of Alexander and Rufus to bear his Cross 22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha which is being Interpreted the place of a Skull 23 And they gave him to drink Wine mingled with Myrrh but he received it not 24 And when they had Crucified him they parted his Garments casting Lots upon them what every Man should take 25 And it was the third Hour and they Crucified him 26 And the Superscription of his Accusation was written over The King of the Jews 27 And with him they Crucify two Thieves the one on his Right hand the other on his Left 28 And the Scripture was Fulfilled which saith And he was numbred with the Transgressors 29 And they that passed by railed on him wagging their heads and saying Ah thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three days 30 Save thy self and come down from the Cross 31 Likewise also the chief Priests mocking said among themselves with the Scribes He saved others himself he cannot save 32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the Cross that we may see and believe and they that were Crucified with him reviled him 33 And when the sixth hour was come there was Darkness over the whole Land until the ninth hour 34 And at the ninth Hour Jesus cryed with a loud Voice saying Eloi Eloi lamasabachthani which is being Interpreted My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me 35 And some of them that stood by said when they heard it behold he calleth Elias 36 And one ran and filled a Sponge of Vinegar and put it on a Reed and gave him to drink saying let alone Let us see whether Elias will come to take him down 37 And Jesus cryed with a loud Voice and gave up the Ghost The Sentence of Death being past by Pilate who can with dry Eyes behold the sad Pomp of our Saviour's Bloody Execution forth-comes the Blessed Jesus out of Pilate's Gate bearing that Cross which soon after was to bear him with his Cross on his Shoulder he marches towards Golgotha and when they see he can go no faster they force Symon the Cyrenian not out of Compassion but Indignation to be the Porter of his Cross This Cyrenian being a Gentile not a Jew that bare our Saviour's Cross thereby might be signified that the Gentiles should have a part in Christ as well as the Jews and be sharers with them in the Benefits of the Cross At length our Holy Lord comes to Golgotha the place of his bitter and bloody Execution here in a publick place with infamous Company betwixt two Thieves is he Crucified that is fastned to a great Cross of Wood his Hands stretched forth abroad and his Feet closed together and both Hands and Feet fastned with Nails his Naked Body was lifted up in the open Air hanging betwixt Heaven and Earth signifying thereby that the Crucified Person deserved to live in neither This shameful painful and accursed death did the holy and innocent Jesus suffer and undergo for shameless Sinners Some Observe all the Dimensions of Length breadth and Depth and Height in our Saviour's Sufferings for Length his Passion was several Hours long from Twelve to Three exposed all that Time both to Hunger and Cold The Thieves that were Crucified with him endured only Personal Pains but he underwent the Miseries of all Mankind As to its Breadth his Passion extended over all the Powers and Parts of his Soul and Body no part free but his Tongue which was at Liberty to pray for his Enemies His sight was tormented with the scornful Gestures of those who passed by wagging their Heads his Hearing grieved with the Taunts and Jears of the Priests and People his Smelling offended with noysom Savours in the place of Skulls his Taste with the Gall and Vinegar given him to Drink his Feeling was wonderfully affected by the Nails which pierced his tender Nerves with a Multiplicity of Wounds And for the Depth of his Passion it was as deep as Hell it self enduring Tortures in his Soul as well as Torments in his Body groaning under the Burthen of Desertion and crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Lastly for the Heighth of his Passion his Sufferings were as high as Heaven his Person being infinite as well as innocent no less then the Son of God which adds infinite worth and value to his sufferings Lord Let us be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length depth and heighth of our Saviour's Love in suffering for us and let us know that Love of his which passeth knowledge Observe next the Inscription wrote by Pilate over our suffering Saviour This is Jesus the King of the Jews it was the manner of the Romans when they crucified a Malefactor to publish the cause of his Death in Capital Letters placed over the head of the Person Now it is observable how wonderfully the wisdom of God over-ruled the heart and pen of Pilate to draw his Title which was truly Honourable and fix it to his Cross Pilate is Christ's Herald and proclaims him King of the Jews Learn hence that the regal dignity of Christ was proclaimed by
his Church he furnishes with Endowments suitable to their Employments and when he calls to extraordinary Service comes in with more then Ordinary Assistance Here was the Holy Baptist extraordinarily called and as extraordinarily furnished for his Office and Ministry 18 And Zacharias said unto the Angel whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years 19 And the Angel answering said unto him I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee and to shew thee these glad tidings 20 And behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season 21 And the people waited for Zacharias and marvelled that he tarried so long in the Temple 22 And when he came out he could not speak unto them and they perceived that he had seen a Vision in the Temple for he beckned unto them and remained speechless Observe here Zachary being slow to believe so strange a Message aske the Angel by what Sign he should know that this thing so far above the ordinary Course of Nature should come to pass The Angel answers that he was dispatcht by God as a Messenger extraordinary to declare this good News to him And seeing he was so hard to believe it and required a Sign he should have it but such an one as should be a punishment of his unbelief as well as a Sign to confirm his faith namely he should from thence forward to the Birth of the Child be dumb and deaf as the Original word signifies because he had not hearkned to the Angels Speech he was struck deaf and because he had gainsaid it he was made dumb Learn hence That the word of God in the mouth of his Messengers is God's own word and as such to be received and believed 2. That not believing their word is a sin which God will severely punish it is all one not to believe God and not to believe the Messengers of God speaking from him Some Expositors will have this Dumbness of Zachary to be prefigurative The Priest at the dismission of the People when the Service of the Temple was finished was to pronounce the Blessing Recorded Numb 6.24 25. which when Zachary was about to do he is struck dumb and cannot perform it Signifying thereby that the silencing of the Levitical Priesthood was now at hand that they must expect another kind of Worship and that he who was to bless indeed namely the Messias was near at hand Observe lastly That though Zachary ceased to speak yet he did not cease to minister he takes not his dumbness for a dismission but stays out the eight days of his Course knowing that the service of his heart and hand would be accepted of that God which had bereaved him of his Tongue Those powers which we have we must make use of in the publick Service of God who will accept us according to what we have pardoning our Infirmity and rewarding our Sincerity 23 And it came to pass that as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished he departed to his own house 24 And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and hid her self five months saying 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men The Priests during the time of their Administration had their Lodgings in Buildings appertaining to the Temple Zachary having ended his Administration leaves his Lodgings and returns to his House where his Wife Elizabeth conceiving she hides her self that is Retires from Company partly to prevent the Discourse of people until it was out of all doubt that she had conceived And partly to give her self opportunity of returning her Thankful Acknowledgments unto God who had given her this Miraculous Mercy and had thereby taken away her Reproach of Barrenness which was so heavy and insupportable among the Jews Note here two things 1. How piously Elizabeth ascribes this mercy to the power of God Thus hath the Lord dealt with me 'T is God that keeps the Key of the Womb in his own hand and maketh the Fruit of it his Reward and therefore Children are to be owned as his special Gift Note 2. how great a Reproach Bodily Barrenness is in the sight of Man but not so great as Spiritual Barrenness in the sight of God For this is at once a Reproach to God a Reproach to Religion a Reproach to Professors and to our selves 26 And in the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth 27 To a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David and the Virgins name was Mary 28 And the Angel came in unto her and said Hail thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women 29 And when she saw him she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of Salutation this should be 30 And the Angel said unto her fear not Mary for thou hast found favour with God 31 And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus 32 He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest And the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdom there shall be no end In this History of our Saviours miraculous and immaculate Conception we have several things Observeable as 1. The Messenger sent from Heaven to publish the News of the Conception of the Son of God an Angel an evil Angel was the first Author of our Ruine a good Angel could not be the Author of our Restauration but is the joyful Reporter of it Obs 2. The Angels Name Gabriel which signifies the power of God The same Angel who had many hundred years before declared to the Prophet Daniel the Coming of the Messiah Obs 3. The place which the Angel is sent unto Nazareth an obscure place little taken notice of yea a City in Galilee out of which arises no Prophet even there doth the God of Prophets condescend to be Conceived No blind corner of Nazareth can hide the Blessed Virgin from the Angel The favours of God will find out his Children wherever they are withdrawn Obs 4. The Person whom the Angel is sent unto To a Virgin espoused whose name was Mary For the Honour of Virginity Christ chose a Virgin for his Mother for the Honour of Marriage a Virgin espoused to an Husband Obs 5. The Message it self Hail thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among Women Where Note that the Angel Salutes the Virgin as a Saint he doth not pray to her as a Goddess The Church of Rome Idolatrously use these
people who being ignorant of his Extraction look upon his Breeding as well as his Calling to be Divine This good use ought to be made of our Saviour's Observation that his Ministers be very wise and discreet in Conversation with their People not making themselves cheap and common in every Company nor light and vain in any Company for such Familiarity will breed contempt both of their Persons and their Doctrine But our Duty is by strictness and gravity of deportment to keep up an awe and esteem in the Consciences of our People always tempering our Gravity with Courtesy and a Condescending Affability that Minister which prostitutes his Authority frustrates the end of his Ministry and is the occasion of his own Contempt 25 But I tell you of a truth many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias when the heavens were shut up three years and six months when great Famine was throughout all the Land 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a city of Sidon unto a woman that was a widow 27 And many Lepers were in Israel in the time of Elizeas the Prophet and none of them was cleansed saving Naaman the Syrian Here our Saviour by a double instance confirms what he had last told his Country-men at Nazareth namely that Prophets are most despised by their own Country men and Acquaintance and that Strangers oft-times have more Advantage by a Prophet than his own People The first instance of this which our Saviour gives them is in the days of Elias tho' there were many Widows then in his own Nation yet none of them were qualified to receive his Miracles but a Stranger a Widow of Sareptha The second instance was in the days of Elisha when tho' there were many Lepers in and about his Neighbourhood yet they being his Country-men despised him and none were qualified for a Cure but Naaman the Syrian a man of another Country Thus the Prophets of God like some Fishermen catch least in their own Pond and do more good by their Ministry among strangers then amongst their own Country-men Kinsfolk and near Relations No Prophet is accepted in his own Country 28 And all they in the Synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath 29 And rose up and thrust him out of the city and led him unto the Brow of the Hill whereon their city was built that they might cast him down headlong 30 But he passing thro' the midst of them went his way Observe here 1. The horrid Impiety of the People of Nazareth in thrusting their Saviour out of their City and their barbarous and bloody Cruelty in bringing him to the Brow of the Hill with full intent to cast him down headlong But Christ was to dye a clean contrary way not by throwing down but by lifting up Oh ungrateful and unhappy Nazareth is this the Return you make that Divine Guest which for Thirty Years had sojourned in your Coasts No wonder that the ablest Preaching and most exemplary Living of the Holiest and best of Christ's Ministers obtain no greater success at this day amongst a people when the presence of Christ at Nazareth for thirty Years together had no better influence upon the Minds and Manners of that People but instead of Receiving his Message they rage at the Messenger Neither let any of the Ministers of Christ think it strange that they are ignominiously despised when our Master before us was in danger of being barbarously Murthered and that for his plain Preaching to his own People the Men of Nazareth But Obs 2. The miraculous escape of our Blessed Lord from the murdering hands of the wicked Nazarites he passing through the midst of them went his way How and after what manner he escaped is not declared and therefore cannot without presumption be determined Altho' the Rhemists to make way for their Doctrine of Transubstantiation positively affirm that contrary to the nature of a Body he penetrated thorough the Breasts of the People But whether he struck them with Blindness that they did not see or smote them with fear that they durst not hold him or whether by a greater strength then theirs which his Godhead could easily supply his Humane Nature with he escaped from them it is neither prudent to inquire nor possible to determine we know it was an easy thing for him who was God as well as Man to quit himself of any Mortal Enemies and at the same time when he rescued himself could have ruin'd them by frowning them into Hell or looking them into nothing 31 And came down to Capernaum a city of Galilee and taught them on the Sabbath-days 32 And they were astonished at his Doctrine for his word was with power 33 And in the Synagogue there was a man which had a Spirit of an unclean Devil and he cryed out with a loud voice 34. Saying let us alone What have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy one of God 35 And Jesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace and come out of him and when the Devil had thrown him in the midst he came out of him and hurt him not 36 And they were all amazed and spake among themselves saying what a word is this for with Authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits and they come out 37 And the same of him went out into every place of the Country round about Our Blessed Saviour being driven out of Nazareth by the fury of his Country-men departs to Capernaum where he enters into their Synagogues and taught Who can declare the pains that our Saviour took and the hazards which he ran in preaching the Everlasting Gospel to lost Sinners But observe the smalness of his Success the People were astonished but not believed his Doctrine produced Admiration but not faith his Auditors were Admirers but not Believers the People were astonished at his Doctrine the reason of which Astonishment is added for his word was with power that is there was Majesty in his Person Spirituality in his Preaching and powerful Miracles accompanying both and confirming Both of which the Evangelist here gives us an account namely the casting out of a Devil in one possessed v. 33. There was a man which had a Spirit of an unclean Devil and he cryed out that is the Devil that unclean Spirit did enter into him and bodily possess him Amongst many other Calamities which sin has brought upon our Bodies this is one to be Bodily possest by Satan The Devil has an inveterate Malice against Mankind seeking to ruine our Souls by his Suggestions and Temptations and to destroy our Bodies by some means or other Oh how much is it our Interest as well as our Duty by Prayer to put our selves morning and evening under the Divine care and Protection that we may be preserved from the power and malice of Evil Spirits Obs 2. The Title here given
Flesh the Mighty the Noble the great and Honourable these despised our Saviour's Person slighted his Ministry yea sought to take away his Life Thus from the first Plantation of the Gospel to this day the pooâ—â—r and meaner sort of People have entertained the glad Tidings of Salvation it is a sad but a certain Truth that Heaven is a place where few comparatively but very few of the great Men of the World are like to come Their Temptations are many their Corruptions strong and their great Estates thro' their own abuse become fewel to to their Lusts Lord how rare is it to find those that are Eminently Great Exemplary Good Observe 3. The Nature of our Saviour's Miracles Moses's Miracles were as great Judgments as Wonders but Christ's Miracles were as great Mercies as Wonders they were salubrious and healing there went Vertue out of him and he healed them all Christ's Miracles were like the Author of them full of Goodness yet would not the obstinate pharisees be convinced either by the Goodness that was in them or by that omnipotent power which wrought them All our Saviour's Miracles were wonderful but Wonders of Love and Mercy 20 And he lifted up his eyes on his Disciples and said Blessed be ye poor for yours is the kingdom of God As our Saviour's Condition in this World was very poor so was his Disciples condition also therefore to relieve them against their poverty and low estate in the World he thus bespeaks them Blessed be ye poor you that believe in me and follow me are in a happier condition then those that are rich and received their consolation for yours is the kingdom of Heaven Christ was the poor man's preacher and the poor man's comforter yet a bare outward Poverty or an avowed voluntary Poverty will entitle none to the Blessing 'T is not a Poverty of Possession but a poverty of Spirit that makes us members of the Kingdom of Grace and heirs of the Kingdom of Glory 21 Blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled Hunger and Thirst are not Blessings in themselves nor yet are they curses in themselves sanctified hunger is a far greater Blessing then surfeiting Fulness St. Matthew therefore adds Ch. 5. v. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness Learn thence 1. That such as spiritually hunger and thirst after Christ and his Righteousness are certainly in an Happy and Blessed Condition 2. That the Happiness of those who do hunger and thirst after Righteousness consists in being filled 21 Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh As if Christ had said you my Disciples that are now in a sad mournful and afflicted State are Blessed for there will come a time when ye shall be Comforted a time when God shall wipe away all Tears from your Eyes yet must we not think that we have nothing to do but to mourn there is a time to Rejoyce as well as to Mourn nor that bare Mourning and Weeping is in it self and for its own sake acceptable unto God But when we mourn rationally for our own Sins and the sins of others God will comfort us in this World by his Word and Spirit and in the World to come with the sight of himself 22 Blessed are ye when Men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their Company and shall Reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of man's sake 23 Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in Heaven for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets Observe here 1. The Sufferers described the Disciples and their Sufferings foretold ye shall be hated separated and reproached Hatred of Christ's Disciples is the bitter Root from which Persecution grows where there is Hatred in the Heart no wonder that Reviling is in the Lips Those that are Hated are sure to be reproached Excommunicated from the Church of Christ having their names cast out or blotted out of the Rolls of the Church Obs 2. For what cause they suffer all this For the Son of man's sake for their respect to Christ and his Holy Religion for their regard to his Worship and holy Institutions Learn hence That such Disciples as will cordially embrace and stedfastly hold fast the Faith delivered by our Saviour must expect and prepare for hatred and persecution to be separated from civil Society excommunicated from Church-fellowship and all this by them who shall call themselves the Guides and Governours of an Infallible Church 24 But wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your Consolation 25 Wo unto you that are full for ye shall hunger wo unto you that laugh now for you shall mourn and weep 26 Wo unto you when all Men shall speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets Observe here 1. that tho' St. Luke omits divers of the Beatitudes mentioned by St. Matthew ch 5. yet he reciteth the Woes which St. Matthew omitteth If we will understand our Saviour's Doctrine fully we must consult all the Evangelists thoroughly Observe 2. These Woes are not to be understood absolutely but restrainedly the Wo does not belong to Men because they are Rich because they are full because they do laugh but because they place their happiness in these things take up with them for their portion rejoyce in them as their chief Good Valluing themselves by what they have in hand not by what they have in hope He that is Rich and Righteous he that is Great and Gracious he that has his hands full of this World and his heart empty of pride and vain Confidences he that laughs when God smiles he that expresses himself joyfully when God expresses himself Graciously such a man is rich in Grace who is thus gracious in the midst of Riches for to be Rich and Holy argues much Riches of Holiness 26 Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets Our Saviour's design in these Words is not to condemn any of his Disciples or Ministers who have by doing their Duty gain'd a fair Reputation amongst the men of the World but to let us understand how rarely and seldom it is attained for usually the best men are worst spoken of neither the Prophets of the Old Testament nor John Baptist the Prophet of the New Testament nor Christ himself nor his Apostles did ever gain either the good Will or the good Word of the Men of that Generation in which they Lived The Applause of the Multitude that contingent Judge of Good and Evil rather attends the vain then the vertuous None have ever been so much reproached by man as the Faithful Ministers of God who have learnt to take pleasure in Reproaches For tho' Grace does not bid us invite Reproaches yet it teaches us to bid them welcome The World has all along taken effectual care by their cruel
for and on behalf of his Members yet did it not in the least dishearten him in or discourage him from that Great and Glorious Undertaking Observe 2. That tho' Christ was first to Suffer before he did Ascend and to be lifted up upon the Cross before received up into Heaven yet is there no mention of his Death here but of his Ascension only as if all thoughts of Death were swallowed up in his Victory over Death teaching us by his Example to over-look our Suffering and Death as not worthy to be named or mentioned with that Glory which we are received into after Death The Evangelist doth not say the time was come when he should Suffer but when he should be Received up 52 And sent Messengers before his Face and they went and entered into a Village of the Samaritans to make ready for him 53 And they did not receive him because his Face was as tho he would go to Jerusalem Our Saviour was now going from Galilee to Jerusalem and being to pass thro' a Village of Samaria he sent Messengers before him to prepare Entertainment for him The Son of God who was Heir of all things sends to and sues for a Lodging in a Samaritan Cottage Oh Blessed Saviour how can we be abased enough for thee who thus neglected thy self for us It was thy pleasure to appear not in the Figure of a Prince but in the Form of a Servant yet the people in the Samaritan Village would not receive him Strange to hear the Son of God Sue for a Lodging and be deny'd but the Reason was the difference of Religion which was between the Jews and the Samaritans the Jews Worshipped at the Temple in Jerusalem the Samaritans at a Temple of their own built upon Mount Gerizim Upon the Building of this new Temple there arose so great a Fewd between the Jews and the Samaritans and in process of time such an implacable Hatred that they would not shew common Civility to one another A Samaritan's Bread to a Jew was no better then Swines Flesh they would rather thirst then drink a Draught of Samaritan-Water Hence we Learn That no Enmity is so desperate as that which arises from matters of Religion 54 And when his Disciples James and John saw this they said Lord Wilt thou that we command Fire to come down from Heaven and consume them as Elias did Here Observe 1. The Crime which these Men were guilty of no affront must be accounted little no indignity light that is offered to the Son of God But these Samaritans did not Revile Christ nor any of his Retinue that we read of they did not violently assault him they did not follow him with Stones in their Hands or Blasphemies in their Mouths but the wrong and injury was only Negative They received him not They denied him a Night's Lodging and this not out of any dislike of his Person but from an antipathy against his Nation Observe 2. The Carriage of the Disciples upon this occasion it was thus far commendable that from the endeared Love which they bare to their Master they did highly resent the churlish Denial of an act of Kindness towards him A gracious Heart is Holily impatient at the sight of any indignity offered to Christ But their fault was That they were too far Transported with Passion and Revenge even to desire the Death and Destruction of the uncivil Samaritans Wilt thou that we command Fire to come down from Heaven and consume them They do not say Master will it please thee who art Lord of the Creatures to command Fire to come down Nor did they say if it be thy pleasure command us to call down Fire but wilt thou that we command Fire this savours too much of Pride Cruelty and Revenge so dangerous is a misguided Zeal 55 But he turned and rebuked them saying ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens Lives but to save them Here we have our Saviour's Censure of the rash and hot Motion of his Disciples which proceeded 1. from ignorance of themselves Ye know not what Spirits ye are of ye are not now under the rough and sower Dispensation of the Law but under the calm and gentle Institution of the Gospel which designs universal Love Peace and good Will to all Mankind Hence Learn first That a cruel and revengeful Spirit is directly contrary to the Design and Temper of Christianity Secondly That no difference in Religion no pretence of Zeal for God can warrant and justify such a Spirit and Temper Again This rashness in the Disciples proceeded from their ignorance of Christ their Lord and Master as well as of themselves The Son of man did not come to destroy mens lives but to save them that is the proper intent and design of my Coming was to save and not destroy tho' the accidental event of it may be otherwise thro' the malice and perverseness of men Learn That it was the Design of Christ and his Holy Religion to discountenance all fierceness rage and cruelty in Men one towards another and to inspire them universally with a Spirit of Love and Unity Christ is so far from allowing us to persecute them that hate us that he forbids us to hate them that persecute us 57 And it came to pass that as they went in the way a certain man said to him Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest 58 And Jesus said unto him Foxes have holes and Birds of the air have nests but the son of man hath not where to lay his head Observe here 1. A Person resolving to follow Christ a good Resolution if made deliberately and wisely not for sinister Ends or secular Advantages which it is to be feared was the Case here by our Saviour's Answer For says he Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air Nests but the Son of Man has not where to lay his head as if Christ had said My Condition in the World is very poor I have no house of Residence that I call my own the Birds of the Air have their fixed Nests and the Beasts of the Earth have their Dens and Holes but I have no fixed Habitation therefore if you think to follow me for the sake of Wordly Advantage you will find your self greatly disappointed Learn hence That such Men will find themselves miserably mistaken and greatly disappointed who expect to gain any thing by following of Christ but their Souls Salvation 59 And he said to another follow me but he said Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father 60 Jesus said unto him Let the dead bury their dead but go thou and preach the Kingdom of God We are not to suppose by this Prohibition that Christ disallows or disapproves of any civil office from one Person to another much less of a Child to a Parent either Living or Dying but he lets us know 1. That no Office of
Into whatsoever house ye enter first say peace be to this house they must wish peace to the Sons of peace yea to the Enemies of peace also and as their peace shall rest upon the one so shall it return from the other Peace be to this house is a fit Salutation for them to use who were the Disciples and Ambassadors of the Prince of Peace and very agreeable to the Gospel they were to Preach which was a Gospel of Peace and it was a Prayer as well as a Salutation the Disciples were to speak it not from the Lip only but from the Heart also Peace is the Musick which both Angels and Men are delighted with and the Christian Religion is the greatest Promoter and Preserver of it That commands us to pray for peace to follow after peace to part with our Coat and Cloak that is with our civil Rights for peace and if it be possible to live peaceably with all men Observe 2. As the injunction given by our Saviour to his Disciples to deliver a message of Peace first say Peace be to this house so the prediction of what should befal them in the Delivery of this their Message their Salutation tho' it be Peace yet will not find a welcome and entertainment with all Persons but only with the Sons of Peace If the Sons of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it Observe 3. An Encouragement not to be afraid of delivering their Message tho' it wanted Success If your peace rest not it shall return to you again Learn 1. That as there was at the first preaching of the Gospel so there is and always will be some that are Sons of Peace and others that are Enemies unto Peace 2. That this Peace will rest on none but those that are fit to receive it 3. That tho' it doth not rest yet it shall not be lost but return again to those that publish it Ministers can but say Peace be to this House they cannot make it rest there we can offer Terms of Peace to a lost World but cannot compel men to accept them and if they finally refuse them We shall be a sweet Savour unto God as well in them that perish as in them that are saved 7 And in the same house remain eating and drinking such things as they give for the Labourer is worthy of his hire Go not from house to house 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you eat such things as are set before you 9 And heal the sick that are therein and say unto them the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you not go your ways out into the streets of the same and say 11 Even the very dust of your city which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you 12 But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city Here our Saviour gives his Disciples sundry directions how to manage themselves in this Expedition for Preaching the Gospel he enjoyns them 1. To observe the Rules of Decency in going from place to place having entered an house to continue there not changing their Lodging and going from house to house thereby avoiding all shew of Lightness and Inconstancy and testifying all gravity and stayedness in their Behaviour this being a special means to win Authority to their Persons and Ministry 2. He gives them a power to work Miracles for the confirming of the Doctrine which they Preach'd Heal the Sick that are therein This was necessary partly to procure Reverence to their Persons being poor and unlearned Men and partly to gain credit and Authority to their Doctrine for the Doctrine of Faith in the Messias as now come and exhibited in the Flesh being a strange and new Doctrine to the Jews the Truth and Certainty of it was to be extraordinarily ratified and confirmed by working Miracles one sort of which was healing of Diseases in an extraordinary manner Obs 3. How Christ encourages his Disciples against the want of Success he bids them denounce the Judgments of God against such contemners of their Doctrine by shaking off the dust of their feet which Action was Emblematical and signified that God in like manner would shake off them and esteem them no better then the vilest Dust Learn hence That those which despise the Message that the Ministers of the Gospel bring shall hereafter find the Dust of their Feet and the Ashes of their Graves to give a judicial Testimony against them in the Day of Christ Where ever the Word is Preach'd it is for a Testimony either a Testimony for or against a People For if the Dust of a Minister's Feet bear Witness against a People their Sermons much more Observe Lastly The dreadful Judgment denounced by our Saviour against the Contemners of his Disciples Doctrine Verily it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment then for that City Where Note 1. That there shall be a Day of Judgment 2. That in the day of Judgment some Sinners shall fare worse then others 3. That of all Sinners the Condition of such shall be saddest at the day of Judgment who living under the Gospel dye after all in their impenitency and infidelity It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah then for that City 13 Wo unto thee Corazin wo unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you they had a great while ago repented sitting in Sack-cloth and ashes 14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of Judgment then for you 15 And thou Capernaum which art exalted to Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell These Cities in Galilee Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum having been the places where Christ preached and wrought his Miracles they have a Wo denounced here against them for their contempt of Christ and the offers of his Grace Wo unto thee Corazin c. The higher a People rise under the Means the lower they fall if they miscarry They that have been nearest to Conversion being not Converted shall have the greatest Condemnation when they are judged Capernaum's Sentence will exceed Sodoms for Severity because she exceeded Sodom in the enjoyment of Means and Mercy Observe here 1. Capernaums Priviledge enjoyned She was lifted up to heaven that is enjoyed Priviledges above all other Places namely the Presence Preaching and Miracles of our Saviour Observe 2. Capernaums doom denounced Thou shalt be thrust down to Hell that is thy condition shall be sadder then those that never heard of a Saviour even Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah those rude and barbarous Nations out of the Pale of the Church shall be in an easier state and condition then those that have enjoyed Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges
Entertainment of Christ was good but Marys Attendance upon Christ's Ministry was better and more pleasing unto Christ Christ was better pleased to see Mary in the Chapel than Martha in the Kitchin tho' he doth not condemn the one yet he extols the other Mary hath chosen the good part Learn hence That Religion and the Service of God must be the matter our Election and Choice we must choose the good part and it being once chosen by us it shall never be taken away from us One thing is needful and Mary hath chosen the good part which shall never be taken away from her CHAP. XI 1 AND it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples The Learned Mr. Mede upon this place apprehends that it was the custom of the Jewish Doctors to deliver some certain Form of Prayer to their Disciples to use at least that John Baptist had done so to his Disciples Thereupon our Saviour's Disciples besought him that he also would give them in like manner some Form of his own composing that they might pray with their Masters Spirit as John's Disciples did with his Accordingly our Saviour gives them here a Form of his own and commands them when they pray to use it Indeed he had given them this Prayer about a year and half before in his Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 6.9 After this manner pray ye where it is probable that the Disciples look'd upon it only as a pattern of Prayer and not as a Form for had they thought that Christ had given them a Form of Prayer before they had not asked him for one now Therefore says Christ When ye pray say Certainly this gives us to understand that our Saviour intended and commended it for a set Form of Prayer unto his Church Learn hence That the Lords Prayer is both a Pattern and Platform according to which all our Prayers ought to be framed and also an exact Form of Prayer which ought to be used by us in our Addresses to the Throne of Grace After this manner pray ye says St. Matthew When ye pray say says St. Luke 2 And he said unto them When ye pray say Observe here the favour which Christ does us in prescribing a Form of Prayer to us a great Favour no doubt tho' the World grows weary of it we know not Alas what to ask but he himself teaches us and frames our Supplication for us that it may be accepted Should a King's Son draw a Petition for a poor Subject to be put up to his Father what a ground of hope would there be that whatever is desired would be obtained if any of us then think meanly of our Lord's Prayer oh how meanly may he think of us and of our Prayers 2 Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done As in Heaven So in Earth 3 Give us day by day our daily Bread 4 And forgive us our sins For we also forgive every one that is indebted to us And lead us not into Temptation But deliver us from Evil. The Sense and Signification of this Best of Prayers is this O thou our Father in Jesus Christ who remainest in thy Throne in Heaven and art there perpetually praised and perfectly obey'd by Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints Grant that thy Name may be Glorified thy Throne Acknowledged and thy Holy Will Obey'd here on Earth below by us thy Sons and Servants as readily as cheerfully and sincerely and in some degree of Proportion to what is done in Heaven above And because by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we cannot subsist without the Comforts and Supports of Life we crave our daily Bread at thy Bountiful hand even such a proportion of the good things of this Life as thy Wisdom shall see convenient for us And knowing that thy Holiness and Justice doth oblige thee to punish Sin and Sinners we plead with thee for the sake of thy Son's Satisfaction to forgive us our daily Trespasses for it is our desire and endeavour heartily to forgive those that have offended us And seeing this wicked World wherein we live is so full of Snares and Temptations of all sorts we pray that by the Power of thy Grace and the Concurrence of our own careful endeavours we may be kept from Satans Temptations from the World's Allurements and from our own Evil Inclinations and be preserved unblamable to thine Everlasting Kingdom and in Testimony of our Desires and Assurance to be heard we say Amen so be it so let it be even so oh Lord let it be for ever Learn 1. That God is the Father of all his People as a Father he knows all his children he loves them and takes care of them As his Children it is our Duty to Honour him to Obey him to imitate him to cast our care upon him and to long for the Enjoyment of him 2. From the Word Our Learn That it is our Duty to pray for others as well as for our selves we cannot pray acceptably for our selves if we pray only for our selves 3. That the Hallowing Honouring and Sanctifying of God's Name as it is the first thing we are to pray for so it ought to be preferred before all other things whatsoever we pray for it before we pray for our own Salvation we say Hallowed be thy Name before we say Forgive us our Debts 4. Learn That Sins are Debts and Sinners indebted to Divine Justice Sin it is an infinite Debt a multiplied Debt an inexcusable Debt and if not discharged by our Surety we must ly in Prison to all Eternity for Non-payment of this Debt 5. That God has made our Forgiveness of others the Condition of his Forgiving us The word As is not a Note of Equality but of Similitude we cannot equal God in Forgiving but we must imitate him 6. No sooner is Sin pardoned but Satan will be busy with his Temptation forgive us our sins and lead us not into Temptation 7. That it is a greater Mercy to be Delivered from the Evil of Temptation then from Temptations to Evil. The Evil of Temptations is the Evil of Sin but Temptations to Evil is at most but the Evil of Punishment Lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil Suffer us not to be led into Temptation or if so leave us not when we are Tempted 5 And he said unto them which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at mid-night and say unto him friend lend me three loaves 6 For a friend of mine in his Journey is come unto me and I have nothing to set before him 7 And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee 8 I say unto you tho' he will not rise and
forsake their sins and obey his Gospel Adding farther that it would be an Heart-piercing sorrow a Soul-rending grief to them at the Great Day to see not only the Patriarchs and Prophets and other Jews but even the despised Gentiles from all Quarters and Nations whom they thought accursed admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven and themselves eternally shut out For the last shall be first and the first last that is the Gentiles who were afar off shall receive the Gospel when you for rejecting it shall be cast off From the whole Note 1. That there is a determinate time when Souls must if ever accept of the offers of Grace and Salvation which are made unto them now is the door open and Persons invited in 2. That e're long Jesus Christ who now stands at every one of our doors waiting for our complyance with his Gospel-Terms will wait no longer upon us nor strive any farther by the motions of his Spirit with us when once the master of the house is risen up and shut to the door 3. That doleful is the condition of such miserable Souls against whom the door is shut the door of Repentance the door of hope the door of Salvation all shut eternally shut and that by him who shutteth and none can open 4. That all would be saved at last all will cry for mercy when it is too late even such as now sinfully undervalue and scornfully despise it Ye shall stand without and knock at the door saying Lord Lord open to us Note 5. That it is no good plea for admittance into Heaven because we have been Church-members here on Earth no outward priviledges tho' Christ has taught in our Streets no external Acts of Communion tho' we have eaten and drunk in his presence and at his holy Table will justify our hopes of entring into Heaven when we dye if we be workers of iniquity whilst we live Lord we have eaten and drunk in thy presence but he shall say I know you not ye workers of iniquity Note 6. That as Hell will be a second Heaven to the Glorified so Heaven will be a second Hell to the Damn'd Hell will be a second Heaven to the Glorified that is it will add exceedingly to the Happiness of the Saints in Heaven to see and be sensible of that misery which they escaped and the damn'd indure and on the other hand Heaven will be a second Hell to the Damn'd that is it will encrease their Torments and add to the vexation of their Spirits to see some in Heaven whom they little expected to see there some that never saw nor heard nor enjoyed what they have done Strangers yea Heathens taken in when the Children of the Kingdom that is the Members of the visible Church are shut out They shall come from the East from the West from the North and from the South and sit down in the Kingdom of God but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness 31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees saying unto him Get thee out and depart hence for Herod will kill thee 32 And he said unto them Go ye and tell that Fox Behold I cast out Devils and do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected 33 Nevertheless I must walk to day and to morrow and the day following for it cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem It may seem strange that the Pharisees who had no kindness for our Saviour should come here and acquaint him with a danger that he was in from Herod Get thee hence for Herod will kill thee It is probable they had a design to drive him out of the Country because his Reputation was so great among the People who were admirers of his Person hearers of his Doctrine and Witnesses of his Miracles But what intention soever they had in acquainting Christ with this Danger it is very evident that our Saviour slighted it by the Message which he sent to Herod Go and tell that Fox Where we must not suppose that our Lord did fix this Name of Fox upon Herod as an opprobrious Title thereby reflecting the least dishonour upon him as a King but it was to let him know that being about his Fathers Work he feared neither his Power nor his Policy neither his Cruelty nor his Craft and that nothing should take him off from finishing the Work of Man's Redemption Learn hence That when God calls forth any of his Servants to any special service for him all the combined Power and Policy of the Prince of Darkness and his Instruments shall never be able to hinder them till they have finished their Course and done the Service which God designed I must work to day and to morrow and the day following as if Christ had said Let Herod know that my time is not in his Hand and as to this matter I am not under his Command or Power e're long my work will be finished and then I shall be perfected 34 O Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered thy children together as an Hen doth gather her Brood under her wings and ye would not 35 Behold your house is left unto you desolate and verily I say unto you Ye shall not see me until the time come when ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Our Lord concludes this Chapter with a Compassionate Lamentation over Jerusalem the place where he was to suffer his Ingemination or doubling of the Word Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem shews the vehemency of his affection towards them and the sincerity of his desires for their Salvation Observe 1. The Kindness and Compassion of Christ to the Jews in general and Jerusalem in particular set forth by a lively Metaphor and Similitude namely that of a Hen gathering her Chickens under her Wings As the Hen doth tenderly cherish and carefully hide and cover her young from the Eye of the Destroyer so would Christ have shrouded and sheltered this People from all those Birds of Prey and particularly from the Roman Eagle by whose Tallons they were at last destroyed Again as the Hen continueth her Call to her young ones from Morning to Night and holds out her Wings for shelter to them all the day long so did Christ wait for this Peoples Repentance and Conversion for it was more than Forty years after they had killed his Prophets and murthered himself before they met with a final Overthrow Observe 2. The amazing obstinacy and wilfulness of this People in rejecting the Grace and Favour the kindness and condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ I would have gathered you but ye would not Observe 3. The fatal issue of this obstinacy Behold your house is left unto you desolate is left that is certainly and suddenly will be left desolate the present Tense being put for the paulo post futurum
All-sufficient Good and man an indigent helpless dependent Creature full of Wants and obnoxious to Dangers 2. That Prayer is not only an inestimable Priviledge but an indispensable Duty So sollicitous is God for our Welfare and Happiness that he makes our Priviledge our Duty by the Authority of his Command so that we are at once ungrateful to God and unjust to our selves in the most exalted Degree if we do not pray unto him and spread our Wants before him Observe 3. That this Duty of Prayer is not an Occasional but a constant Duty Men ought always to pray that is 1. at all seasonable times and fit opportunities we are said to do a thing continually when we do it Seasonably now the Seasons for Prayer are Morning and Evening As the Morning and Evening Sacrifice was constant among the Jews and the Fire was always upon the Altar and never went out so he that prays Morning and Evening may be said to be instant in prayer and to pray without ceasing 2. Always to pray is an endeavour always to keep the Heart in a praying Frame and to be very frequent in offering up pious Ejaculations and short mental Prayers to God as occasion shall offer when in the Field in the Shop in the Bed when Sleep departs in the Journey when alone this may be done advantagiously without loss of Time and Acceptably without danger of Hypocrisy which too often mingles it self with our more set Prayers Observe 4. We must not only pray constantly but pray fervently yea importunately if we would pray successfully we must cry to God as the Widow to the Judge vehemency and importunity are both helps and ornaments to Prayer they both Fortify and Beautify our Prayers they pierce the Heavens and offer an Holy Violence to God Oratio vincit invincibilem ligat Omnipotentem haec Deo Grata est says Tertullian God delights in such Importunity 8 Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith on the Earth If by the Son of Man's Coming we understand Christ's Coming in Judgment against Jerusalem then the sense is this That when he comes to take Vengeance on the obstinate Jews and to destroy their City he shall find but little Faith and patient waiting for help from God in the Land of Judea and consequently little Importuning him with incessant Cries and Supplications as this poor widow did the unjust Judge Secondly if by the Son of Man's Coming we understand Christ's Coming to Judge the World at the Last Day then the sense is when he Cometh he will find but few Faithful ones comparatively speaking he will find but few sincere and serious Christians in whom the genuine effects and fruits of Faith are found Learn That when Christ shall come to Judgment he will find comparatively very few whose Hearts have not fainted and very many who thro' the power that Temptation has upon the Frailty of humane Nature are fallen away When the Son of Man cometh will he find Faith on the Earth verily but little Faith and few Faithful ones 9 And he spake this Parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were Righteous and despised others 10 Two men went up into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publican 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican 12 I fast twice in the week I give Alms of all that I possess 13 And the Publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven but smote upon his Breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner 14 I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather then the other for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted The Design and Scope of our Saviour in this Parable is to reprove and condemn the Pharisees and in them all other Self-Justiciaries who having an high Opinion of and trusting in their own Righteousness despised others as vile Persons whose Religion is not accompanied with Ostentation and who pretend not to such extraordinary degrees of Sanctity as themselves And the Parable further shews That an humble Self-Condemned Sinner who tho' he has been wicked is now sensible of it and with shame and sorrow confesses it before God shall be sooner pardoned and find Favour with God than he that vaunts of his Vertue and rests in the outward Duties of Religion his pride and exaltation of himself shall abase him while the others Humility shall exalt him This is the general Scope of the Parable the particular Observations from it are these 1. The Pharisee and the Publican both Pray they both pray together they both pray together in the place of Prayer the Holy Temple and they both Pray Apud se with and within themselves where the Duty and Action is the same there may be vast difference in the purpose and intention doth an humble Saint pray so may an haughty Hypocrite Two men went up into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publican Observe 2. The Pharisees Prayer He stood and prayed with himself God I thank c. Where Note his Gesture He stood and prayed standing and kneeling are Praying Gestures but sitting is a rude Indecency except in Cases of Necessity In Prayer says pious Bishop Hall I will either stand as a Servant to my Master or Kneel as a Subject to my Prince Note farther It is said he prayed but here is not one Petition but Thanksgiving God I thank thee c. Whence Learn That Thanksgiving is a part of Prayer Hannah's Prayer as it is called 1 Sam. 2. is a Canticle or Song of Praise we then Pray best when we praise God most Again See the Pharisees Pride in this his Prayer This proud Begger shews not his Wounds but his worth not his Rags but his Robes not his Misery but his Bravery yea he brings God Almighty in a Reckoning of his Services I fast twice a Week I give Alms of all that I possess and thanks God more that others were bad than that himself was good had the Pharisee with an humble Mind thanked God for his restraining Grace that tho' he were not so good as he should be that yet he was not so vile and bad as some others this had been no fault but when he comes before God with a proud and scornful Mind inwardly pleased that others were so bad and so much worse than himself giving Thanks rather for others Badness than his own Goodness This is a wickedness incident to none but Divellish Dispositions Learn hence That whatever shews of Goodness an Hypocrite may make yet he is inwardly glad and takes a secret Delight in others Badness God I thank thee that I am not as this Publican which was a kind of Triumph and proud insultation over the poor Publican he would
he also is the Son of Abraham That which Zacheus gave to the Poor was nothing to what Christ gave to him it was but dross he gave to them it was Salvation Christ gave to him Where is the Man that can say God is in his Debt for Acts of Charity and Mercy Where is he that will not own God the best and quickest Pay-master This day is Salvation come to this house 't is thine in Title and e're long it shall be thine in Possession Forasmuch as he also is the Son of Abraham that is either a natural Son of Abraham a Jew or a Spiritual Son a Believer the Heir of Abraham's Faith which was also imputed to him for Righteousness Oh happy Zacheus thou hast climbed up from thy Sycamore to Heaven and by thy Charity and Justice hast purchased to thy self a Kingdom that fadeth not away 10 For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Observe here 1. A Description of Man's deplorable State and undone Condition he is Lost 2. The Care of Christ to Seek and Recover Man out of that lost State The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost Learn 1. That Man's Condition is a Lost Condition and every unregenerate Man is a lost Man he has lost his God his Soul his Happiness his Excellency his Liberty his Ability 2. That the great Errand that Christ came into the World upon it was to seek and to save lost Sinners this he does by his Blood by his Word by his Spirit and by his Rod. 11 And as they heard these things he added and spake a Parable because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought the king dom of God should immediately appear 12 He said therefore A certain Noble-man went into a far Country to receive for himself a Kingdom and to return 13 And he called his Ten Servants and delivered them Ten Pounds and said unto them occupy till I come 14 But his Citizens hated him and sent a Messenger after him saying We will not have this Man to Reign over us 15 And it came to pass when he was returned having received the Kingdom that he commanded those Servants to be called unto him to whom he had given the Money that he might know how much every man had gained by Trading 16 Then came the first saying Lord thy pound hath gained ten Pounds 17 And he said unto him Well thou good Servant Because thou hast been Faithful in a very little have thou Authority over Ten Cities 18 And the second came saying Lord Thy pound hath gained Five pounds 19 And he said likewise to him Be thou also over Five Cities 20 And another came saying Lord Behold here is thy pound which I have laid up in a Napkin 21 For I feared thee because thou art an austere Man thou takest up that thou laid'st not down and reapest that thou didst not sow 22 And he saith unto him Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee thou wicked Servant Thou knewest that I was an austere Man taking up that I laid not down and reaping that I did not sow 23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the Bank that at my coming I might have received my own with Usury 24 And he said unto them that stood by Take from him the pound and give it to him that hath Ten pounds 25 And they said unto him Lord he hath Ten pounds 26 For I say unto you that unto every one which hath shall be given and from him that hath not even that which he hath shall be taken away 27 But those mine enemies that would not that I should Reign over them bring hither and slay them before me For the better understanding of this Parable we must 1. Consider the occasion of it 2. The Design and Scope of it 3. The Lessons of Instruction which our Saviour intended us by it As to the former the occasion of our Saviour's uttering this Parable seems to be this he was now going up to Jerusalem to dye some of the Company were of Opinion that he would immediately enter upon his Kingdom and Act as a Temporal Prince delivering them from the Romans and destroying his and their Enemies he lets them understand the quite contrary that he must dye and rise again and ascend into Heaven and then return again and receive the Kingdom and that he was now taking his last Journey to Jerusalem in order to that End The Design 2. and Scope of the Parable together with the Interpretation of it is thus The Noble-man here mentioned is our Saviour himself who in his State of great Humiliation was but like a Noble-man His going into a far Country signifieth his return from Earth to Heaven his coming back again signifieth his Coming to Judgment his calling his Servants and delivering them their Talents intimates to us the various Gifts which he bestows upon the Sons of Men all which are to be employed in his Service and improved to his Glory his calling his Servants to an Account plainly signifies that when Christ comes to Judgment he will have an account of every Individual Person how they have used the Gifts and improved the Tallents entrusted with them and that they may expect to be impartially Rewarded according to their Works for God will appear a Righteous God and will Condemn Sinners out of their own Mouths and a most certain and final Ruine will be their Portion whilst those that were Faithful in his Service shall be crowned with his Rewards Now from the whole we may Learn these Lessons of Instruction 1. That our Lord's State of Humiliation and great Abasement on Earth being past and over a glorious State of Exaltation he is now arrived at in Heaven God has exalted him with great Triumph to his Kingdom in Heaven 2. That Cloathed with infinite Majesty and Power and attended with an innumerable Host of Glorified Angels and Saints this exalted Saviour will come to Judge Angels and Men. 3. That in the mean time Christ variously dispenses to his Servants particular Talents to be employed and improved for his own Glory and his Churches good 4. That there will most certainly be a Reckoning-day or a time when our Lord will take an Account of Mens improving those Gifts and Graces which were given them as so many Talents to be improved by them 5. That there will be degrees of Happiness and Misery in the other World according to Mens Degrees of Faithfulness or Negligence in this 6. That it is abominably False and Impious to charge God as being rigid and severe with Men and requiring Impossibilities at their Hands For out of their own Mouths will God condemn them Lastly That the Condition of God's Faithful Servants will be unspeakably Happy and that of the unprofitable Servant intolerably Miserable both in this World and in the next the Righteous shall enter into the joy of their Lord and be
Foundation of Ruine in the most flourishing Cities and Kingdoms Jerusalem the Glory of the World is here by sin threatned to be made a Desolation 2. That the Threatnings of God are to be feared and shall be Fulfilled whatever appearing Improbabilities there may be to the contrary 'T is neither the Temples Strength nor Beauty that can oppose or withstand God's Power 7 And they asked him saying Master But when shall these things be and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass A double Question is here propounded to our Saviour namely when the Destruction of Jerusalem should be â—nd what would be the signs of it From whence Learn What an itching Curiosity there is in the best of Men to know Futurities and to understand things that shall come to pass hereafter and when that hereafter is come to pass oh how happy were it if we were as forward to obey the Declarations of God's Revealed Will as we are to pry into the hidden Counsels of his secret Will Tell us say the Disciples when shall these things be 8 And he said take heed that ye be not deceived for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and the time draweth near go ye not therefore after them 9 But when ye shall hear of Wars and Commotions be not troubled for these things must first come to pass but the end is not by and by 10 Then said he unto them Nation shall rise against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom 11 And great Earthquakes shall be in divers places and famines and pestilences and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from Heaven Observe here Christ does not gratify his Disciples Curiosity but acquaints them with their present Duty namely to watch against Deceivers and Seducers who should have the Impudence to affirm themselves to be Christ saying I am Christ Some Christ personal or the Messias others Christ Doctrinal affirming their erroneous Opinions to be Christ's Mind and Doctrine Take heed that ye be not deceived for many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ Observe farther the signs which our Saviour gives of Jerusalem's approaching Destruction namely the many Broyls and Commotions the Civil Discords and Dissentions that should be found amongst the Jews immediately before You shall hear of Wars and Commotions and see fearful Sights and great Signs from Heaven Josephus declares that there appeared in the Air Chariots and Horsemen Skirmishing and that a Blazing Star in fashion of a Sword hung over the City for a year together Hence Learn That War Pestilence and Famine are Judgments and Calamities inflicted by God upon a sinful People for their Contempt of Christ and Gospel-Grace Ye shall hear of War Famine and Pestilence 12 But before all these things they shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Synagogues and into prisons being brought before Kings and Rulers for my names sake 13 And it shall turn to you for a Testimony 14 Settle it therefore in your Hearts not to meditate before what ye shall answer 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your Adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist 16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents and brethren and kinsfolks and friends and some of you shall they cause to be put to death 17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake 18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish 19 In your patience possess ye your Souls Our Saviour here goes on in giving farther Signs of Jerusalem's Destruction he declares 1. The sharp Persecution that should fall upon the Apostles themselves They shall lay their hands on you and persecute you Learn thence That the keenest and sharpest edge of Persecution is usually turned upon the Ambassadors of Christ and falls heaviest on the Ministers of God 2. He acquaints them that for Preaching his Holy Doctrine they should be brought before Kings and Rulers but advises them not to be anxiously thoughtful or exceedingly sollicitous what they should say for it should be suggested to them by the Holy Ghost what they should say in that hour Learn thence That tho' the Truth of Christ may be opposed yet the Defenders of it shall never be ashamed for rather then they shall want a Tongue to plead for it God himself will prompt them by his Holy Spirit and suggest such Arguments to them as all their Enemies shall not be able to gainsay I will give you a mouth and wisdom Observe 3. How he describes the bitter Enmity of the World against the Preachers of his Gospel to be such as would overcome and extinguish even the Natural Affection of nearest Relations Ye shall be betrayed both by Parents and Brethren Grace teaches us to lay down our Lives for the Brethren but Corruption in General and Enmity to the Gospel in Particular will put Brother upon taking away the Life of Brother and cause Parents to hate and persecute their own Bowels Observe Lastly Our Saviour's Admonition In your patience possess your Souls There are three Degrees of Christian Patience the first consists in a silent Submission to God's Will the Second in a thankful Acceptation of God's Fatherly Rod the third in serious chearfulness under sorrowful Dispensations Rejoycing in Tribulation and counting it all joy when we fall into divers Temptations by this Patience we possess our Souls as Faith gives us the Possession of Christ so Patience gives us the possession of our selves an impatient Man is not in his own hand for what Title soever we have to our own Souls we have no possession of them without Patience In your patience possess your Souls 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with Armies then know that the Desolation thereof is nigh 21 Then let them which are in Judea flee to the Mountains and let them which are in the midst of it depart out and let not them that are in the Countries enter thereinto 22 For these be the days of Vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled 23 But wo unto them which are with Child and to them that give Suck in those days for there shall be great distress in the Land and wrath upon this People 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the Sword and shall be led away Captive into all Nations and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled 25 And there shall be Signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the Earth distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waves roaring 26 Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory 28 And when these things come to pass then look up and lift
Humility of the holy Baptist the mean and lowly Opinion he had of himself Although John was the greatest among them that were born of a Woman and so much esteemed by the Jews and had the honour to go before Christ in the Exercise of his Office and Ministry yet he judges himself unworthy to carry Christ's Shoes after him He that cometh after me is preferred before me whose Shoes I am not worthy to unloose Learn hence That the more eminent Gifts the Ministers of the Gospel have and the more ready Men are to honour and esteem them the more will they abase themselves if they be truly Gracious and account themselves highly honoured in doing the meanest Offices of Love and Service for Jesus Christ Thus doth the holy Baptist here His Shoes Latchet I am not worthy to unloose 29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world 30 This is he of whom I said After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me This is John the Baptist's third Testimony concerning Christ in which he points out Christ as the True Sacrifice for Expiation of Sin Behold the Lamb of God the Lamb of God's appointing to be an Expiatory Sacrifice the Lamb of God's Election the Lamb of God's Affection the Lamb of God's Acceptation the Lamb of God's Exaltation who by the Sacrifice of his death has taken away the sin of the World The sin not the sins in the plural Number to denote Original Sin as some think or as others to shew that Christ has universally taken upon himself the whole Burthen of our Sin and Guilt And there seems to be a secret Antithesis in the Word World In the Levitical Sacrifices only the sins of the Jews were laid upon the sacrificed Beast but this Lamb takes away the sin both of Jew and Gentile The Lord hath caused to meet on him the Iniquity of us all And the Word Taketh Away being of the Present Tense denotes a continued Act and it intimates to us thus much viz. That it is the daily Office of Christ to take away our sin by presenting to the Father the Memorials of his Death Christ takes away from all Believers the Guilt and Punishment of their sins the Filth and Pollution of them the Power and Dominion that is in them and as St. John called upon the Jews to behold this Lamb of God with an Eye of Observation so is it our Duty to behold him now with an Eye of Admiration with an Eye of Gratulation but especially with an Eye of Faith and Dependence improving the Fruit of his Death to our own Consolation and Salvation Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be saved c. 31 And I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water 32 And John bare record saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him 33 And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost 34 And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God Observe here 1. That John the Baptist tho' a near Kinsman of Christ's according to the Flesh yet the Providence of God so ordered it that for thirty Years together they did not know one another nor converse with each other nor probably ever saw the faces of each other to be sure he did not know him to be the Messiah This no doubt was over-ruled by the wisdom of God to prevent all suspicion as if John and Christ had compacted together to give one another Credit that the World might suspect nothing of the Truth of John's Testimony concerning Christ or have the least jealousie that what he said of Christ was from any Bias of Mind to his Person therefore he repeats it a second time v. 31. v. 33. I knew him not Hence we may learn That a Corporal sight of Christ and an outward Personal Acquaintance with him is not simply needful and absolutely necessary for enabling a Minister to set him forth and represent him savingly to the World Observe 2. The Means declared by which John came to know Christ to be the true Messiah it was by a Sign from Heaven namely the Holy Ghost descending like a Dove upon our Saviour He that sent me to Baptize with Water the same said unto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining the same is he Learn hence 1. That Christ taking upon him our Nature did so cover his Glory with the Veil of our Flesh and common Infirmities that he could not be known by bodily sight from another Man Till John had a divine Revelation and an evident Sign from Heaven that Christ was the Son of God he knew him not Learn 2. That Christ in his solemn entry upon his Office as Mediator was sealed unto the Work by the descending of the Holy Ghost upon him he was sealed by the Holy Ghost's descending and the Teacher's testifying that this was his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased Now it was that God gave not the Spirit to Christ by Measure for the effectual Administration of his Mediatorial Office now it pleased the Father that in Christ should all fulness dwell He was filled Extensively with all Kinds of Grace and filled Intensively with all Degrees of Grace in the Day of his Inauguration when the Holy Spirit descended upon him ¶ 35 Again the next day after John stood and two of his disciples 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked he said Behold the Lamb of God It is evident that John's Disciples were never very willing to acknowledge Jesus for the Messias because they thought he did shadow and cloud their Master See therefore the Sincerity of the Holy Baptist he takes every Opportunity to draw off the Eyes of his own Disciples from himself and to fix them upon Christ he saith to two of his Disciples Behold the Lamb of God As if he had said Turn your Eyes from me to Christ take less Notice of me his Minister but behold your and my Lord and Master Behold the Lamb of God Learn hence That the great Design of Christ's faithful Ministers is to set People upon admiring of Christ and not magnifying themselves Oh! 't is their great Ambition and Desire that such as love and respect them and honour their Ministry may be led by them to Christ to behold and admire him to accept of him and to submit unto him John said to his Disciples Behold the Lamb of God 37 And the two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus 38 Then Jesus returned and saw them following and saith unto them What seek ye They said unto him Rabbi which is to say being interpreted Master
and Nature and yet blind as a Mole in the things of God 2. That Ignorance in the Fundamentals of Religion especially is very culpable and shameful in any that enjoy the means of Knowledge but especially in those that undertake to teach and instruct others Art thou a Teacher thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things Next our Saviour upbraids him for his Infidelity v. 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not This Infidelity received its Aggravation from the Facility and Perspicuity of our Saviour's Doctrine I have told you earthly Things that is I have set forth Spiritual Things by Earthly Similitudes not in a Stile suitable to the Sublimity of their own Nature Let the Ministers of Christ learn from their Master's Example in all their Discoures to accommodate themselves and descend as low as may be to the Capacities of their People I have told you earthly things 2. That even Spiritual Things when they are shadowed forth by earthly Similitudes and brought down in the plainest manner to the Capacities of our People yet are they very slow to understand them and very backward to believe them I have told you of earthly things and ye believe them not 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the son of man which is in heaven Here our Saviour declares to Nicodemus that none ever ascended up into Heaven to fetch down from thence the Knowledge of Divine Mysteries And to reveal the Way of Life and Salvation to Mankind by a Mediator but only Christ himself who tho' he took upon him the human Nature and was then Man upon Earth yet was he at the same time in his Divine Nature actually in heaven as God This Text evidently proves two distinct Natures in Christ namely a Divine Nature as he was God and an Humane Nature as Man In his Humane Nature he was then upon Earth when he spake these Words in his Divine Nature he was at that Instant in Heaven Here observe That the Son of God hath taken the Humane Nature into so close and intimate an Union with his God-head that what is proper to either Nature is ascribed unto the Person of our Saviour The same Person who was on Earth as the Son of Man was then in Heaven as God and yet but one Person still Lord what Love hast thou shewen to our Humane Nature that under that Name thou ascribest to thy self what is proper to thy God-head The Son of Man which is in Heaven 14 ¶ And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Christ having instructed Nicodemus in the Doctrine of Regeneration in the former Verses here he instructs him in the Death of the Messiah and in the Necessity of Faith in his Death The Son of Man must be lifted up that is upon his Cross and dye that whosoever believeth in him should not perish Observe here 1. An Old Testament Type which our Saviour refers to and that is the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness the History of which is recorded Numb 21.7 8. Observe 2. The Antitype or the Substance of what that Type did shadow forth the Brazen Serpent's lifting up upon the Pole prefiguring Christ's Exaltation or lifting up upon his Cross So must the Son of Man be lifted up Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ is of the same Use and Office to a Sin-stung Soul which the Brazen Serpent was of old to a Serpent-stung Israelite Here observe First Wherein the Brazen Serpent and Christ do agree And Secondly Wherein they differ They agree thus In the Occasion of their Institution they were both appointed for Cure and Healing Were they Serpent-stung We are Sin-stung Devil-bitten Was the Sting of the fiery Serpents inflaming Was it spreading Was it killing So is sin which is the Venom and Poison of the old Serpent They agree in this that they both must be lifted up before Cure could be obtained the Brazen Serpent upon the Pole Christ upon his Cross They both must be lookt unto before Cure could be obtained The looking up of the Israelite was as necessary unto Healing as the lifting up of the Serpent Faith is as necessary to Salvation as the Death of Christ The one rendered God reconcilable unto Sinners the other renders him actually reconciled Again did the Brazen Serpent heal All that lookt upon it and lookt up unto it though all had not Eyes alike some with a weak others with a stronger Eye In like manner doth Christ justifie and save All that with a sincere Faith though weak do rely upon him for Salvation Whoever believeth in him shall not perish Further the Brazen Serpent was effectual for Israel's Cure after many Stingings if after they were healed they were stung afresh and did look up to it they were healed by it Thus the Merit of Christ's Death is not only effectual for our Cure and Healing at our first Conversion but after involuntary Relapses and Backslidings if by Faith we have recourse to the Blood of Christ we shall find it efficacious for our farther Benefit and future Healing In a Word as the Brazen Serpent had the Likeness of a Serpent the Form the Figure the Name the Colour of a Serpent but nothing of the Venom and Poison of the Serpent in it Thus Christ did take upon him our Natures but sin the Venom and Poison of our Natures he had nothing to do with though Christ loved Souls with an invincible and insuperable Love yet he would not sin to save a Soul This was the Similitude and Resemblance between Christ and the Brazen Serpent The Disparity or Dissimilitude follows The Brazen Serpent had no Power in its self or of its self to heal and cure but Christ has a Power inherent in himself for the Cure and Healing of all that do believe in him Again the Brazen Serpent cured only one particular Nation and People Jews only Christ is for the healing of all Nations and his Salvation is to the ends of the Earth Farther the Brazen Serpent cured only one particular Disease namely the Stingings of the fiery Serpents had a Person been sick of the Plague or Leprosie he might have died for all the Brazen Serpent But Christ pardons all the Iniquities and heals all the Diseases of his People Psal 103.3 Yet again though the Brazen Serpent healed all that lookt up unto it yet it gave an Eye to none to look up unto it Whereas Christ doth not only heal those that look up to him but bestows the Eye of Faith upon them to enable them to look unto him that they may be saved In a Word the Brazen Serpent did not always retain its healing Virtue but in time lost it and was it self destroyed 2 Kings 18.4 But now the healing Vertue and Efficacy of Christ's Blood is
sent him ye believe not Here our blessed Saviour produces again the Testimony of his Father that he was the true and promised Messias This was given him both at his Baptism and his Transfiguration when God the Father owned Christ to be his Son by an audible Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Which Testimony the Jews now ought the more to have regarded because tho' their Fore-fathers had heard the Voice of God at certain times Exod. 20. and Deut. 4. yet they in their times had never heard his Voice Learn hence That the Fathers immediate Testimony of Christ from Heaven is greater than all Testimonies given to him here on Earth greater than John's greater than his Miracles The presence of the glorious Trinity when that Testimony was given Matth. 3. last made that Witness most awful and solemn 39 ¶ Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me The next Testimony which Christ appeals to is the Testimony of the Scriptures That is the Writings of Moses the Prophets which Christ bids the Jews diligently search and they shall find that they abundantly testified of him and that all the Prophecies and Types were fulfilled in him The word search signifying to search as Men do for a golden Mine in the Bowels of the Earth which they must dig deep for before they can come at It intimates 1. That there is an inestimable Treasure lying hid in the holy Scriptures which we shall never fathom by a slight superficial search 2. That this inestimable Treasure may be found out by the painful Searcher and it is the Duty of all the Members of the visible Church to read and search the Scriptures which point out the way to eternal Life 40 And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Here our Saviour upbraids the Jews for their obstinate Infidelity that notwithstanding God the Father by a Voice from Heaven John the Baptist by his Testimony on Earth notwithstanding all the Miracles which they had seen wrought by Christ himself and notwithstanding the Scriptures which they pretended so highly to esteem of did prove him to be the Messias and the Author of eternal Life which they profest to seek yet such was their Obstinacy that they would not come unto him nor believe in him Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Here Observe 1. A choice and invaluable Mercy which Christ stands ready to bestow upon poor Sinners and that is Life both Spiritual and Eternal A Life of Grace in order to a Life of Glory Observe 2. The gracious Condition upon which this invaluable Blessing may be had and that is upon coming to Christ believing on him and receiving of him 3. Here is the true Reason declared why Sinners do miss of Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ when he has so dearly purchased it for them and does so freely tender it unto them and that lies in their own Wilfulness and Obstinacy Ye will not come unto me Learn hence That the true Reason why so many Sinners miss of Salvation and eternal Life after all that Christ has done and suffered for them is their own obstinacy and unwillingness to come to him that they may have Life Man by Nature has not only an Inability but a fixed Enmity in his Will against Jesus Christ 41 I receive not honour from men 42 But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you 43 I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive Here observe 1. How little our Saviour sought the Approbation and vain-glorious Estimation of Men. I receive not honour from Men. The same should all his Disciples and Followers do rest satisfied in the secret Testimony and silent Applause of their own Consciences without pumping for popular Applause Observe 2. The dreadful sin which Christ charged upon the Jews as the cause why they rejected him I know that you have not the love of God in you Oh deplorable State and Case to be void of all true Love to God! Love being the Spring of all Action and the Root of all true Obedience he that loves God will not only sweat at his Work but bleed at his Work too if his Work cannot be carried on without bleeding But where Love to God is wanting and no Care to please God is found his Authority is despised his Son rejected As the Jews here would not come to Christ that they might have Life because they had not the Love of God in them Observe 3. The high Affront which the Jews offered to the Son of God in preferring any Seducers and Impostors before him who came in their own Names whilst he was rejected who came in the Name of his Father Learn hence That altho' Christ was the great Ambassador of his Father not a Servant but a Son and had his Mission his Approbation and his Testimony from Heaven yet so far did the Perverseness and Prejudices of the Jews prevail that he was rejected whilst Impostors and Deceivers false Christs and Anti-Christs without any Evidence and Authority from God because promising them a temporal Kingdom were embraced and entertained I come in my Father's name and ye receive me not But if another a Seducer shall come in his own name him ye will receive 44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Here Christ tells the Jews that it is impossible they should believe aright in him because they were so in love with the Praise of Men that they would own him for the Messias who would promise them a temporal Kingdom and in the mean time reject himself who came authorized with the Testimony and Approbation of God You will receive Honour one of another but reject the Honour that cometh from God only Learn That such as ambitiously hunt after Vain-glory and Respect from Men do evidence themselves to be regardless of God's Approbation and Acceptation 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust 46 For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me 47 But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words Think not that I will accuse you that is that I only will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses that is the Writings of Moses which you pretend to depend upon and to trust to For had you believed his Writings that is the Prophesies and Types contained in his Writings you would have been led by them to believe on me for they all pointed at me and received their Accomplishment in me But if Moses cannot be heard by you I must expect no Authority with you Learn 1.
ye dead and come to Judgment Observe lastly How readily obedient Lazarus was to the Call and Command of Christ He that was dead came forth and if Lazarus did thus instantly start up at the Voice of Christ in the Day of his Humiliation how shall the dead be rouzed up out of their Graves by that Voice which will shake the powers of Heaven and move the Foundations of the Earth in the Day of his Glorification Question But where was Lazarus his Soul all this while that he was dead if in Heaven was it not a wrong to him to come from thence If not doth it not prove that the Soul sleeps as well as the Body Ans Souls go not to Heaven by Necessitation as the Fire naturally and necessarily ascends upward But are disposed of by God as the supream Governour those that have served him go to Heaven and those that have served the Devil to Hell and those that are not yet judged to either place but are to live presently again upon Earth as Lazarus was are reserved by God accordingly whether shut up in the Body as in a Swound or whether kept in the Custody and Hands of an Angel not far from the Body waiting his pleasure either to restore it to the Body or to return it to its proper place of Bliss or Misery The Scripture has not told us whether and it would be too great Curiosity to inquire and greater presumption to determine 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary and had seen the things which Jesus did believed on him 46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees and told them what things Jesus had done 47 ¶ Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council and said What do we for this man doeth many miracles 48 If we let him thus alone all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation Observe here 1. The different Effects which this Miracle had upon those Jews who were present at the raising of Lazarus Some of them believed on Christ but others persisting in their Unbelief went to the Pharisees and informed against him Notwithstanding all the Evidence which our Saviour gave of his being the Messias by the Miracles which he wrought yet many rejected him and refused to believe in him to their unutterable and inevitable Condemnation Obs 2. How greatly disturbed the Pharisees were upon the Account of our Saviour's Miracles Knowing how proper an Argument they were to convince Men they concluded that if Christ were suffered to go on and work Miracles he would draw all Men after him Learn thence That Jesus proved himself to be the true Messias by the Miracles which he wrought his Enemies themselves being Judges For we find here the worst of our Saviour's Enemies were afraid of his Miracles that by them he would draw all Men after him If we let him alone all Men will believe on him Obs 3. What was the Ground of the Pharisees fear if they let Christ go on to work Miracles that he would have so many Followers as would Alarm the Romans and awaken their Jealousie and cause them to come upon them with an Army to deprive them of the little Liberty they indulged them and take away their Place and Nation Their Place that is their Place of Worship the Temple And their Nation that is bring the whole Body of the Jewish Nation to utter Destruction Learn hence How all the Enemies and Opposers of Christ and his Kingdom do endeavour to colour their Quarrel with some specious Pretences that they may hide the odiousness of their Practices from the Eye of the World and may not be openly seen to fight against God Thus the Pharisees here persecute our Saviour not as the Messias though the Miracles he wrought were a sufficient Evidence that he was such but as one who would bring Ruine upon their Nation If we let him alone the Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation 49 And one of them named Caiaphas being the high-priest that same year said unto them Ye know nothing at all 50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and that the whole nation perish not 51 And this spake he not of himself but being high-priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation 52 And not for that nation only but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad The foregoing Verses acquainted us with the Apprehension which the chief Priests had of the Necessity of taking away the Life of our blessed Saviour Lest the Romans should take away both their Place and Nation Now here in these Verses Caiaphas the High-Priest delivers his Opinion for the preventing of this danger he tells the rest that they ought not to boggle at the Matter but come to a positive and peremptory Resolution to provide for the Publick Safety Right or Wrong and that it is great Folly to prefer one Man's Life though never so innocent before a Nations Welfare a most wicked and devilish Speech as a Judge he regarded not what was lawful but as a wicked Politician he consulted what was expedient he declares that one Man though never so good and holy though never so just and innocent had better dye than a whole Nation suffer Whereas it is in any case unlawful to do Evil that Good may come Learn hence That although it be the Duty of all Persons to pray for and endeavour after the publick Welfare of a Church and Nation whereof they are Members yet it is altogether unlawful to promote the greatest National Good by wicked and unlawful Means Observe further How God over-ruled the Tongue of Caiaphas beyond his own intention prophetically to foretel that great good which by our Saviour's death should redound to the World And that the Fruit and Benefit of his death should not only extend to the Jews but to the Gentiles also and that he should gather into one Body or Church all that truly believe in him though far and wide dispersed upon the Face of the Earth Hence learn 1. That the Spirit of Prophecy did sometimes fall upon very bad Men and God has been pleased to reveal some part of his Mind to the worst of Men. Thus Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezar had in their Dreams a Revelation from God what things he intended to do Learn 2. That it is consistent with the Holiness of God sometimes to make use of the Tongues of the worst of Men to publish and declare his Will Caiaphas here though a vile and wicked Man was influenced by God to prophesie and speak an Oracle Almighty God may when he please employ wicked Men this way without any prejudice to his Holiness This Caiaphas spake not of himself but being High-Priest he prophesied that Jesus should dye for that Nation 53 Then from that day forth
sufficient both for their Conviction and Condemnation The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day Observe 4. The Argument and Reason which our Saviour produces to prove that the Word of God and the Doctrine of the Gospel slighted and rejected should condemn Sinners at the great Day Namely From the Divine Authority of his Doctrine for albeit his Doctrine was his own as he was true God yet as Man and as Mediatour it was not his own but the Father's which sent him so that his Word and Doctrine being Divine and the Father 's as well as his for he did not speak of himself that is of himself alone and without the Father it is sufficient to Judge and Condemn all the rejecters and despisers of it Learn hence 1. That tho' the Doctrine of the Gospel be Christ's own as he is truly and really God yet it was not his own as meer Man exclusive of the Father who is one God with him and who gave him a Commission and Instructions as Mediatour to Preach and Publish the glad tidings of the Gospel for says he I have not spoken of my self but the Father which sent me gave me a Commandment 2. That the Doctrine which Christ delivered by command from the Father doth point out the way to Eternal Life and will bring lost Sinners thereunto if they sincerely believe it and obey it I know that his Commandment is Life everlasting 3. That therefore Sinners who reject the Doctrine of Christ contained in the Gospel do highly Dishonour Offend and Affront both the Father and Son and bring upon themselves a just and righteous judgment and expose themselves to unutterable and inevitable condemnation The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last Day CHAP. XIII 1 NOW before the feast of the passover when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end 2 And supper being ended the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simons son to betray him 3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God In this Chapter is Recorded the History of our Saviour's washing his Disciples Feet an Action full of Humility and Condescension and propounded to his followers Imitation The Circumstance of Time is here noted when this Act was done Namely At the Feast of the Passover when the time of our Saviour's departure was at hand and having constantly and immutably loved his own he expresses the permanency of his Love towards them to the end by this Action of his in washing their Feet Here Note How Christ chose the Time of the Jewish Passover to suffer in that he might prove himself to be the substance of that Type that he was the true Pascal Lamb who by the Sacrifice of his Death did attone Divine displeasure and taketh away the Sins of the World Observe 2. The means which the Wisdom of God permitted to bring the Lord of Life to his Ignominious Death And that was the Treason and perfidiousness of one of his own Disciples Judas Iscariot Where Observe 1. The person betraying Judas Judas a Professor Judas a Preacher Judas an Apostle being one of the Twelve whom Christ had chosen out of all the World to be his dearest Friend Can we wonder to find Friends unfriendly or unfaithful towards us when our Saviour had a Traytor in his own House Observe 2. The heinousness of Judas Sin in betraying Christ he betrayed Christ Jesus a Man Christ Jesus his Master Christ Jesus his Maker the first was Murther the second Treason Lord It is no strange or uncommon thing for the vilest of Sins and most horrid impieties to be acted by persons making the most eminent profession of thy holy Religion Observe 3. What hand the Devil had in the Sufferings of our Saviour He put it into Judas's heart to betray Christ that is he did suggest and inject such thoughts into his mind which Judas instantly closed with The Devil being a Spirit has a quick access to our Spirits and can instill his suggestions into them as Christ did breath upon his Disciples and they received the Holy Ghost and were filled with the Spirit so Satan breaths filthy suggestions into the Spirits of Men and fills them with all manner of wickedness even with the Spirit of Hell it self The Devil put it into Judas heart to betray him 4 He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself 5 After that he poureth water into a bason and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded Observe here The admirable humility and great self-denial of our Lord and Master he arises from Supper whilst his Disciples sate still and he that came in the form of a Servant performs all the offices of the meanest Servant to his Disciples he lays aside his upper Garments he girds himself with a Towel pours Water into a Bason and begins to wash and wipe their Feet which lay out behind them as they leaned at the Table all which was a most servile imployment Learn hence That the wonderful humility of Jesus Christ inclined him to do the meanest offices of Service unto his People even to become a Servant to them in the Day of his Humiliation and tho' now glorified in Heaven he retains the same Compassionate Heart towards them as when here on Earth 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter saith unto him Lord dost thou wash my feet 7 Jesus answered and said unto him What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter 8 Peter saith unto him Thou shalt never wash my feet Jesus answered him If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me 9 Simon Peter saith unto him Lord not my feet onely but also my hands and my head 10 Jesus saith to him He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit and ye are clean but not all 11 For he knew who should betray him therefore said he ye are not all clean Observe here 1. How Simon Peter refuses to admit of such a condescending act from Christ his Lord and Master as the washing of his Feet Lord Thou shalt never wash my Feet it is a sinful humility to refuse the offered favours of Christ because we are unworthy to receive them Tho' we are not worthy of Christ and of his Love yet Christ is worthy of us and of our Faith Observe 2. Our Saviour's Reply to Peter's refusal 1. He tells him that there was more in it than the bare act of washing did at first sight import and that he should know hereafter what he did not understand now What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter
that time when he had with an unbelieving Heart and an unthankful Spirit been eating the Passover which was a Type of Christ Now Satan enters into him that is takes fuller possession of him and he gives up himself more freely and fully to the Devil's conduct and suggestions Satan gets possession of wicked Men gradually and by degrees not all at once the only way to be safe is to resist the beginnings of Sin for when Satan once gets footing it is hard to prevent a more full possession Observe 4. The place where Judas now was Namely at Bethany some Miles from Jerusalem and it was now Night yet so intent he was upon the Devil's work that away he trudges to Jerusalem and at that time of the Night repairs to the high Priests and sells his Saviour into their hands Oh what a warmth and zeal was here in the Devil's cause Men given over by God possest by Satan are so restless and unwearied in Sin that neither by day nor by Night can they cease from the contrivance and execution of it 31 ¶ Therefore when he was gone out Jesus said Now is the son of man glorified and God is glorified in him 32 If God be glorified in him God shall also glorifie him in himself and shall straightway glorifie him Observe here 1. Our blessed Lord calls his Death his glory Now is the Son of Man glorified That is now is the time at hand when I am to die and shall by my Death finish the work of Man's Redemption and thereby eminently glorifie God God the Father was eminently glorified in the Obedience and Sufferings of his dear and only Son It is true that the Sufferings of Christ were Ignominious in themselves yet were they the way to his own Glory and his Father 's also for by them he redeemed a lost World trampled upon Satan triumphed over Sin And the Father was exceedingly glorified by the Son 's giving Obedience to his Will and so chearfully Suffering Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him 33 Little children yet a little while I am with you Ye shall seek me and as I said unto the Jews Whither I go ye cannot come so now I say unto you Observe here An indearing compellation a sweet Title given by Christ to his Disciples Little Children intimating that tender Affection which he bare unto them tho' now upon the point of departing from them Learn thence That whatever Christ's dealings are or may be with his People in respect of his removing and withdrawing from them yet he still retains the relation of a Father to them and will in his absence from them exercise such a care over them as Parents have of their young and tender Children so much doth the Title of Little Children imply and import Observe farther The plain intimation which our Saviour gives to his Disciples of his death being very nigh for it was the very next day he tells them he was going to Heaven and whither he went they could not come that is not presently they should follow him their forerunner afterwards but at present he had a great deal of work for them to do tho' his own work was done and till they had finished their work Whither He went they could not come Learn hence That tho' it be Rest which the Saints may lawfully desire an everlasting rest with Christ in glory yet must they not refuse to labour whilest their Lord will have it so Till their work be done whither Christ is gone they cannot come Ye shall seek me but whither I go at present ye cannot come 34 A new commandment I give unto you That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another Our Saviour having mentioned his departure from his Disciples in the former Verse I go away and whither I go ye cannot come In this and the following Verses he gives them a strict charge that in his absence they should love one another This he calls a new Commandment not that it was new in regard of Institution but of Restitution not new in regard of the Substance of it for it was a Branch of the Law of Nature and a known precept of the Jewish Religion But he calls it a new Commandment 1. Because purged from the old corrupt glosses of the Pharisees who had limited this duty of Love and confined it to their own Country-men whereas Christ enlarges the object and obliges his Disciples to love all mankind even their very Enemies 2. Because this Duty of Love was so greatly advanced and heightned by our Saviour as to the measures and degrees of it even to the laying down of our Lives one for another 3. It is called a new Commandment because urged from a new Motive and enforced by a new Example As I have loved you that ye also love one another never was this Duty so effectually taught so mightily encouraged so much urged and insisted upon by any Teacher as our Saviour and never was there such an Example given of it as his own 4. 'T is a new Commandment because with the rest it was never to wax old but to be always fresh in the memory and practice of Christ's Disciples to the end of the World 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another To recommend the foregoing Duty of loving one another with the greater advantage our Saviour tells us here that it will be the best Evidence of our Relation to him as sincere Disciples By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples Where Observe 1. Our Saviour doth not say by this Men shall conjecture and guess that you belong to me as being my Disciples but they shall certainly know it 2. He doth not say by this shall you know your selves to be my Disciples and one another to be so but by this shall all others know it as well as your selves 3. He doth not say by this shall all Men know that you look like my Disciples but that you are indeed what you pretend to be Namely By your loving one another 4. Christ doth not say by this shall the World know that you are my Disciples Namely By your assembling often together in my House of Prayer by your frequent fastings by your reading the Scriptures Daily by your hearing Sermons Weekly by your Receiving Sacraments Monthly all these put together will be no sufficient evidence of your Disciple-ship if you keep up a secret grudg in your Hearts one against another But by this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Learn hence That one of the best Proofs and Evidences we can have of our relation to Christ as his sincere Disciples is an hearty love and good will one towards another 36 ¶ Simon Peter said unto him Lord whither goest thou Jesus answered him Whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt
where dwellest thou 39 He saith unto them Come and see They came and saw where he dwelt and abode with him that day for it was about the tenth hour 40 One of the two which heard John speak and followed him was Andrew Simon Peters brother 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon and saith unto him We have found the Messias which is being interpreted the Christ 42 And he brought him to Jesus And when Jesus beheld him he said Thou art Simon the son of Jona thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretation a stone 43 ¶ The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee and findeth Philip and saith unto him Follow me 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida the city of Andrew and Peter This latter part of the Chapter acquaints t is with the calling of five Disciples not to the Apostleship for that was afterwards nor yet simply by Conversion for some of them were John's Disciples already and believed in the Messiah to come but they are here called to own and acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the true and promised Messiah The Disciples here called were Andrew and Peter and Philip mean and obscure Persons poor Fisher-men not any of the learned Rabbies and Doctors among the Jews Hereby Christ shewed at once the Freeness of his Grace in passing by the knowing Men of the Age the Greatness of his Power who by such weak Instruments could effect such mighty Things and the Glory of his Wisdom in chusing such Instruments as should not carry away the Glory of the Work from him but cause the Intire Honour and Glory of all their great Successes to redound to Christ As Christ can do so he chuses to do great things by weak means knowing that the weakness of the Instrument redounds to the greater Honour of the Agent For these Persons called now to be Disciples were afterwards sent forth by Christ as his Apostles to convert the World unto Christianity Observe farther The Order according to which the Disciples were called first Andrew then Peter which may make the Church of Rome ashamed of the Weakness of their Argument for Peter's Supremacy that he was first called whereas Andrew was before him and Peter was brought to Jesus by him Andrew findeth his own Brother Simon brought him to Jesus Such as have gotten any Knowledge of Christ themselves and are let into Acquaintance with him will be very diligent to invite and industrious to bring in others to him Peter being brought to Christ our Saviour names him Cephas which signifies a Stone a Rock to intimate to him his Duty to be firm and steady in the Christian Profession full of Courage and Constancy Thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretation a stone 45 Philip findeth Nathanael and saith unto him We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph 46 And Nathanael said unto him Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth Philip saith unto him Come and see 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and saith of him Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile The last Person mentioned in this Chapter who was called to own and embrace Christ for the Messiah is Nathanael Who this Nathanael was doth not certainly appear but it is evident he was a sincere good Man tho' prejudiced for the present against Christ because of the Place of his supposed Birth and Residence Nazareth Can any good thing come out of Nazareth That is can any worthy or excellent Person much less the promised and long expected Messias come out of such an obscure Place as Nazareth is Whereas Almighty God when ever he pleases can raise worthy Persons out of contemptible Places Observe farther How mercifully and meekly Christ passes over the Mistakes and Failings the Prepossessions and Prejudices of Nathanael but takes notice of and publickly proclaims his Sincerity Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile That is no Guile imputed no Guile concealed no prevailing Guile It being only true of Christ in a strict and absolute Sense that there was no Guile found in his Lips But in a qualified Sense it is true of Nathanael and every upright Man they are true Israelites like their Father Jacob plain Men Men of great sincerity and uprightness of Heart both in the sight of God and Man And whereas our Saviour speaks of him with a sort of Admiration Behold an Israelite in whom is no guile We learn That a Person of great Sincerity and Uprightness of Heart towards God and Man a true Nathanael an Israelite indeed is a rare and a worthy sight Behold an Israelite indeed Learn 2. That such as are indeed Nathanael's need not commend themselves Christ will be sure to do it for them Nathanael conceals his own worth Christ publishes and proclaims it and calls upon others to take notice of it Behold c. 48 Nathanael saith unto him Whence knowest thou me Jesus answered and said unto him Before that Philip called thee when thou wast under the fig-tree I saw thee 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him Rabbi thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel 50 Jesus answered and said unto him Because I said unto thee I saw thee under the fig-tree believest thou thou shalt see greater things then these Observe here How Nathanael wondereth that Christ should know him having as he thought never seen him Christ gives him to understand that by his All-seeing Eye he had seen him when he was not seen by him When thou wert under the fig-tree I saw thee Christ's All-seeing Eye is an infallible Proof of his Deity and Godhead Christ seeth us where ever we are and whatever we do tho' we see not him He seeth the sincerity of our Hearts and will own it and bear witness to it if we are upright in his sight Observe farther How Christ's Omnipresence and Omniscience convinces Nathanael that he was more than Man even the Messias God and Man in two distinct Natures and one Person Rabbi thou art the Son of God Philip called Christ the Son of Joseph Nathanael calls him the Son of God Such as believe Christ's Omnisciency will never call in question his Divinity Observe Lastly How Christ encourages the Faith of this new Disciple Nathanael by promising him that he should enjoy farther helps and means for the Confirmation of his Faith than ever yet he had All that Christ said to him was only this That he saw him under the fig-tree before Philip called him How ready art thou Oh Lord to encourage the beginnings of Faith in the Hearts of thy People and to furnish them with farther means of Knowledge when they wisely improve what they have received Never wilt thou be wanting either in Means or Mercy to us if we be not wanting to thee and our selves 51 And he saith unto him Verily verily I say unto you Hereafter you shall see heaven
little time in the Wilderness Christ nourishes the Soul the Souls of all Believers be they Jew or Gentile Bond or Free and this not for time but for Eternity the Bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World 34 Then said they unto him Lord evermore give us this bread 35 And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst 36 But I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not Observe here 1. How the carnal Jews hearing the Bread which Christ had commended so highly and conceiving of it carnally desire they may partake of it constantly Lord evermore give us of this Bread The Commendation of Spiritual Things may move the Affections and quicken the Desires of Natural Persons but if their Desires be not Spiritual and Serious Diligent and Laborious Constant and Abiding they are no Evidence of the Truth of Grace Obs 2. Christ discovers another excellent Effect of this Bread of Life which he had been recommending that such as feed of it shall never hunger more that is inordinately after the perishing Satisfactions of this World but shall find an All-sufficient Fulness in him and compleat Refreshment from him for the preserving and perpetuating of their Spiritual Life He that cometh unto me shall never hunger c. Obs 3. How justly Christ upbraids the Jews for their obstinate Infidelity Ye have seen me says our Saviour yet ye believe not Ye have seen me in the Flesh you have heard my Doctrine you have seen my Miracles I have done amongst you those Works which never any Man did to convince you that I am the Messiah yet you will not own me to be such nor believe on me Oh the Strength of Infidelity and Unbelief The Devil has as great an Advantage upon Men by making them strong in Unbelief as God hath by making his People strong in Faith 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Our Blessed Saviour having lamented the obstinate Infidelity of the Jews in the foregoing Verse who though they had seen him would not believe on him he doth in this Verse comfort himself with the assured Expectation that there would be a number which should certainly and infallibly come unto him All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me c. Here observe 1. An Account of the Persons that shall come to Christ All that the Father hath given him There is a double Gift of us to Christ 1. In God's Eternal Purpose and Counsel 2. In our Effectual Vocation and Calling When our Hearts are by the Holy Spirit of God perswaded and enabled to accept of Christ as he is freely tendred to us in the Gospel Obs 2. The gracious Entertainment which Christ gives to those that come unto him He will in no wise cast them out where the Positive is included in the Negative I will not cast them out that is I will kindly receive and graciously entertain them Learn hence 1. That both God the Father and Christ his Son are unfeignedly willing and cordially desirous of the Salvation of lost Sinners That federal Transaction which was betwixt the Father and the Son from everlasting about the Salvation of lost Sinners evidently declares this Learn 2. That the merciful and compassionate Jesus will in no wise cast out or reject but kindly entertain and receive every penitent Sinner that doth believingly apply unto him for Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life I will in no wise cast out that is I will not cast them out of my Pity and Compassion out of my Love and Affection out of my Prayer and Intercession out of my Care and Protection I will not cast them out of my Covenant I will never cast them out of my Kingdom for my Nature inclines me my Promise binds me and my Office as Mediator engages me to the contrary 38 For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me 39 And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day 40 And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day In these Words our Saviour gives us the Confirmation of the foregoing Promise That he will in no wise cast out those that come unto him by assuring us that it was the great End for which he came into the World His Father sent him to do his Will and not his own that is not to do his own Will without his Father's but to do his own Will and his Father's For Christ as God had a co-ordinate Will with his Father's and as Man a Will subordinate to the Will of his Father Now it was the Will both of Father and Son that such as Believe in him should be preserved from perishing and be raised up by Christ at the last Day Hence Learn 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ stands not only inclined by his own Mercy and Goodness to Save Repenting and Believing Sinners but doth also stand obliged thereunto by vertue of a Trust committed to him from the Father Therefore Christ mentions the Will of him that sent him as a Reason of his Fidelity in this matter Learn 2. That the Father's Will and good pleasure is the original Source the Fountain and first Spring from whence the Salvation of Believers doth proceed and flow It is the Fathers Will that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and Believeth on him may have Everlasting Life Learn 3. That such as are given to Christ by the Father and put as his Trust into his Keeping he looks upon them as his Charge and stands engaged for the Preservation of them This is my Father's Will that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing Yet has the Father so committed the Care of Believers to his Son as that he keeps them still in his own hand John 10.28 29. My Father which gave them to me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand Learn 4. From those words I will Raise him up at the last Day That the Lord Jesus Christ is Truly Essentially and Really God That person who can by his own Almighty Power raise the Dead must certainly be God but this Christ had He raised others from the Dead and his own Dead Body from the Grave also by his own Power And therefore Christ says I am the Resurrection and the Life and I will raise him up at the last day Doubtless he that spake these words and made those promises knew his own Power to perform them and
understand these things clearly 21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Our Blessed Saviour in these words repeats what he had before injoined at Verse 15. Namely to evidence the sincerity of our Love to him by the Universality of our Obedience to his Commands He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Where Note 1. The Necessity of Knowledge in order unto Practice 2. The Necessity of Practice in order unto Happiness we must first have Christ's Commandments before we can keep them we must have them in our Understandings and Judgments in our Wills and Affections not have them only in our Eyes to read in our Ears to hear or in our Mouths to talk of them but to hide them in our Hearts that we may not Sin against Christ in the wilful violation of them Farther we must keep as well as have these Commandments This denotes an universal diligent and persevering Obedience to them Hence Learn That altho' many loose Professors pretend love to Christ because they hear read know and can talk of his Commandments yet in Christ's Account none do truly love him but those who make Conscience of their Obedience to him He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Observe next The gracious Promise of Christ to such as thus express their Love unto him 1. He shall be loved of my Father and of my self And shall he not be loved of the Holy Ghost too Yes no doubt But why is not he named then Because the Son dwelleth in us by the Spirit and sheds his Love abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost 2. I will manifest my self unto him that is such Obedient Christians shall not only injoy the Fruit and Benefit of my Love but they shall injoy the Sense of my Love and experience the sensible manifestations and inward diffusions of my Love in their own Souls Learn hence That the only way to have Christ Love us and to let out his Love upon us and to know that he Loves us is to look diligently to our Obediential walking with him and before him We may as rationally think to nourish our Bodies with Poison as to injoy the manifestations of Christ's Love in a way of Sin 22 Judas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world Some understand these words of a Temporal manifestation and think that Judas the Brother of James who spake them still expected that Christ should be a Temporal Prince and have such a Kingdom as should be Conspicuous to all the World and therefore puts the question how he could possibly shew himself to his Disciples and the World not see him Others understand it of a Spiritual manifestation as if he had said Lord who or what are we thy Disciples that we should enjoy more special manifestations of thy Love to us than to the rest of the World why should we be dignified with such distinguishing favours above others Learn thence 1. That there is a real difference put by Christ betwixt his own Children and the World in the matter of special Manifestations 2. That there being no cause from the Creature why Christ should make this difference his discriminating Grace is matter of just and great Admiration well might the Apostle out of a deep Admiration say Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the World 23 Jesus answered and said unto him If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings and the word which you hear is not mine but the Fathers which sent me Observe here How our Saviour still goes on to direct and encourage his Disciples to evidence the sincerity of their Love to his Person by the universality of their Obedience to his Commands and tells them how great their Advantage would be by so doing For First the Father will love them that is manifest his favour to them in farther dispensations of Grace and Comfort Learn thence That all the Manifestations of Divine Love to the Souls of Believers depend upon their close walking with God in the paths of Holiness and strict Obedience Secondly We will make our abode with him He shall have Father and Son's Company an Allusion to a Parent that has many Children he will be sure to live with them that are most Dutiful to him and most observant of him The expression of making their abode with us denotes that sweet and intimate fellowship which shall be betwixt God and us and the perpetuity and constancy of it at all times till we are taken up by him into Heaven he will make his abode with us by the indwelling presence of his Holy Spirit the Graces and Comforts whereof shall abide with us for ever 25 These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you 26 But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Here we have a repeated Promise of the Mission of the Holy Ghost called the Comforter and his special Office declared Namely To teach and to bring to remembrance what Christ had taught He shall teach you all things As the Spirit of God is the great Comforter so he is the special Teacher of his Children he Teacheth condescendingly stooping to the meanest capacities he Teacheth efficaciously inclining the Heart to receive Instruction as well as opening the Ear to hear it he Teacheth plainly and â—learly unerringly and infallibly he is Truth it self and therefore his teachings are most True And as the Holy Spirit is the Saints Teacher so is he also their Remembrancer He shall bring all things to your Remembrance that is all Truths needful to be known and necessary to Salvation Here Note That the Holy Spirit Teaches nothing but what Christ himself Taught the Spirit Teaches in the word and by the word but never Teaches any thing contrary to the word He shall Teach and bring to Remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you 27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid As if our Lord had said Whatever outward Trouble the World gives you be not afraid of it before it comes nor troubled at it when it is come for I will give you inward Peace in the midst of all your outward Troubles Not as the world giveth give I unto you Where Note That Christ's Peace is vastly different from that Peace which is given or enjoyed