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
upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen An account is here given of a three-fold appearance of Christ after his Resurrection 1 To Mary Magdalen not to the Virgin Mary and it is observable that our Blessed Saviour after his Resurrection first appeared to Mary Magdalen a grievous Sinner for the comfort of all true Penitents Mary goes immediately to his Disciples whom she finds weeping and mourning and tells them she had seen the Lord but they believed her not The second appearance was to the two Disciples going into the Country that is into the Village of Emaus as they were in the way Jesus joyneth himself to their Company but there Eyes were holden by the power of God that they did not discern him in his own proper shape but apprehended him to be another Person whom they conversed with His third appearance was to the Eleven as they sat at Meat whom he upbraids with their unbelief and to convince them effectually that he was risen from the dead he eats with them a piece of a broiled Fish and of an Honey Comb not that he needed it being he was now become immortal but to assure them he had still the same Body From the whole Note how industriously our Lord endeavours to confirm his Disciples Faith in the Doctrine of his Resurrection so slack and backward they were to believe that the Messiah was risen again from the dead that all the predictions of Scripture all the assurances they had received from our Saviour's mouth yea all the appearances of our Saviour to them after â—e was actually risen from the dead were little enough to confirm and establish them in the certain belief that he was risen from the dead 15 And he said unto them go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believed not shall be damned Here our Saviour gives commission to his Disciples to congregate and gather a Christian Church out of all Nations to go forth and preach the Gospel to every Creature that is to all reasonable Creatures that are capable of it not to the Jews only but to the Gentiles also without any distinction of Country Age or Sex whatsoever Learn thence that the Apostles and first planters of the Gospel had a commission from Christ to go amongst the Pagan Gentiles without limitation or distinction to instruct them in the savinâ— mysteries of the Gospel The second Branch of their commission was to Baptize where observe the encouraâ—ing promise made by Christ he that Believeth and is Baptized shall â—e saved that is he that receiveth and embraceth the Gospel preached by you and thereupon becomes a Proselite and Disciple of Christ and receives Baptism the Seal of the new Covenant shall for all his former sins receive Pardon and upon his perseverance obtain Eternal Life but he that stands out obstinately and impenitently shall certainly be damned The two damning sins under the Gospel are Infidelity and Hypocrisy not receiving Christ for Lord and Saviour by some or doing this feignedly by others happy are they in whom the preaching of the Gospel produces such a Faith as is the parent and principle of Obedience he that so believeth and is Baptized shall be saved 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe in my Name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues 18 They shall tkae up Serpents and if they drink any thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay deadly hands on the sick and they shall recover Here we have a gracious promise of Christ that in order to the spreading and propagating of the Gospel as far as may be the Spirit should be poured forth abundantly from on high upon the Apostles and thereby they should be enabled to work Miracles to cast out Devils to speak strange Languages which we read they did Acts 2. And this power of working Miracles continued in the Church an hundred years after Christ's Ascension untill Christianity had taken rooting in the hearts of men Ireneus lib. 2. ch 58. says that many believers besides the Apostles had this power of working Miracles as new set plants are watered at first till they have taken fast rooting so that the Christian Faith might grow the faster God watered it with miracles at its first Plantation Yet Observe That all the Miracles which they had power to work were healing and beneficent not terrifying judgments but acts of kindness and mercy it was our Saviours design to bring over persons to Christianity by Lenity Mildness and Gentleness not to affright them into a complyance with astonishing judgments which might affect their fear but little influence their Faith for the will and consent of persons to the principles of any Religion especially the Christian is like a royal fort which must not be storm'd by violence but taken by surrender 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God Here we have that grand Article of our Christian Faith asserted namely our Saviour's ascension into Heaven together with his exaltation there expressed by his setting at God's right hand he ascended now to Heaven in his humane Nature for in his Divine Nature he was there already and it was necessary that he should thus ascend in order to his own personal Exaltation and Glorification When he was on Earth his Humility Patience and Self-denial were exercised by undergoing God's Wrath the Devil's Rage and man's Cruelty Now he goes to Heaven that they may be rewarded he that is a patient Sufferer upon Earth shall be a triumphant Conqueror in Heaven also with respect to his Church on Earth was it needful and necessary that our Lord should ascend up into Heaven namely to send down the Holy Spirit upon his Apostles which he did at the Feast of Pentecost If I go not away says Christ the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him to you and likewise to be a powerful Advocate and Intercessor with his Father in Heaven on the behalf of his Church and Children here upon Earth Heb. 9.24 Christ is entered into Heaven it self there to appear in the presence of God for us finally Christ ascended into Heaven to give us an assurance that in due time we should ascend after him John 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you hence the Apostle calls our Saviour Our fore-runner Heb. 6. v. 19. Now if Christ in his Ascension was a Fore-runner then there are some to follow after to the same purpose is that expression of the Apostle Eph. 2.6 He hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ that is we are already sat down in him and ere long shall sit down by him we are already sit down in him as ouâ— Head and shall hereafter
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
in the City of Jerusalem until ye be Endued with Power from on high 50 And he led them out as far as Bethany and he lift up his hands and Blessed them 51 And it came to pass while he Blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into Heaven 52 And they Worshipped him and Returned to Jerusalem with great joy 53 And were continually in the Temple Praising and Blessing God Amen Our Saviour being now about to leave his Disciples Comforts them with the Promise of his Holy Spirit which should supply the want of his Bodily Presence And bids them tarry at Jerusalem till they should at the Feast of Pentecost be made Partakers of this Invaluable Blessing Observe 2. Our Lord having Blessed his Disciples he takes his Leave of them and goes up into Heaven As he Raised himself out of his Grave so did he Ascend into Heaven by his own Power there to appear in the Presence of God for us and as our Fore-runner to give us an Assurance that in due time we shall Ascend after him Whither our Fore-runner is for us entered Heb. 6.20 Observe Lastly The Act of Homage and Adoration which the Apostles perform to the Lord Jesus now they Worshipped him that is as God the Eternal Son of God being so declared by the Resurrection from the Dead and by his Ascension into Heaven before their Eyes from whence he will certainly come at the End of the World to Judge both the Quick and the Dead For which Solemn Hour God Almighty prepare all Mankind by a Renewed Frame of Heart and a Religious Course of Life and then Come Lord Jesus to Judgment come quickly Amen The End of St. Luke's Gospel EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON The Holy Gospel ACCORDING TO S T. JOHN St. JOHN v. Ver. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON The Holy Gospel ACCORDING TO S T. JOHN The Fourth and last of the Holy Gospels falls now under Consideration Namely That which was written by the Evangelist St. John concerning which we have Observable the Writer the Occasion the Design and Scope of this Sublime Book Obs 1. The Writer of it St. John the beloved Disciple that lay in the Bosom of Christ he that lay in Christ's Bosom reveals the Secrets of Christ's Heart John saith St. Austin drew out of the Bosom of Christ the very Heart of Christ and made it known to a lost World Obs 2. The Occasion of St John's writing this Gospel and that was the Heresie of Ebion and Cerinthus which denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ When God suffers Hereticks to vent their blasphemous Opinions he takes Occasion from thence to make a clearer Discovery of Divine Truth We had perhaps wanted St. John's Gospel if Ebion and Cerinthus had not broach'd their Heresie against Christ's Divinity Obs 3. The Design and Scope of this Gospel which is to describe the Person of Christ in his two Natures Divine and Humane as the Object of our Faith This he doth in a Sublime and Lofty Manner upon which Account he was compared by the Ancients to the Eagle that soars aloft and maketh her Nest on high and was also called John the Divine Obs lastly The Difference between this and the other Gospels The other Evangelists insist chiefly upon the Humanity of Christ and prove him to be truly Man the Son of the Virgin Mary This Evangelist proves him to be GOD as well as Man God from Eternity and Man in the fulness of Time The other three Writers Relate what Christ did St. John Reports what Christ said They Recount his Miracles he Records his Sermons and Prayers In short the profound Mysteries of our holy Religion are here unfolded by the beloved Disciple and particularly the Divinity and Incarnation of our Blessed Saviour CHAP. I. 1 IN the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God 2 The same was in the beginning with God Observe here 1. The Person spoken of Jesus Christ under the name of the Word In the beginning was the Word Because God speaks to us by him and makes known his Will to us by Christ as we make known our Minds to one another by our Words Again As our Words are the Conception and Image of our Minds so Christ is the express Image of his Father's Person and was begotten of the Father even as our Words are begotten of our Minds For these Reasons he is so often stiled the Word Obs 2. What the Evangelist here asserts concerning the Word Christ Jesus even three Particulars namely his Eternal Existence his Personal Coexistence and his Divine Essence 1. His Eternal Existence In the beginning was the Word in the beginning when all Things received their Being then the Word was and did actually subsist even from all Eternity Learn thence That Jesus Christ not only Antecedent to his Incarnation but even before all Time and the Beginning of all Things had an Actual Being and Subsistence 2. His Personal Coexistence with the Father The Word was with God that is eternally and inseparably with him in the same Essence and Nature being in the Father as well as with him so that the Father was never without him Prov. 8.22 I was by him as one brought up with him I was by his Sides says the Chaldee Interpreter Learn hence That the Son is a Person distinct from the Father but of the same Essence and Nature with the Father he is God of God very God of very God being of one Substance with the Father by whom all things were made The Word was with God 3. His Divine Essence The Word was God Here St. John declares the Divinity as he did before the Eternity of our Blessed Saviour He was with God and existed in him therefore he must be God and a Person distinct from the Father Learn hence That the Eternity the Personality and the Divinity of Christ are of necessity to be believed if we will worship him aright Christ tells us John 5.23 That we must worship the Son even as we worship the Father Now unless we acknowledge the Eternity and Divinity of Christ the Second Person as well as of God the Father the First Person we honour neither the Father nor the Son There is this Difference between Natural Things and Supernatural Natural Things are first understood and then believed but Supernatural Mysteries must be first believed and then will be better understood If we will first set Reason on work and believe no more than we can comprehend this will hinder Faith But if after we have assented to Gospel Mysteries we set Reason on work this will help Faith 3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Observe here The Argument which St. John uses to prove Christ to be God it is taken from the Work of
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
to contemn worldly Possessions as to be willing to part with them when they hinder our Happiness and Salvation It follows And take up the Cross an Allusion to the Roman Custom when the Malefactor was to be crucified he bare his Cross upon his Shoulder and carried it to the Place of Execution 'T is not the making but the patient bearing of the Cross which is our Duty Learn That all Christ's Followers should prepare their Shoulders for Christ's Cross To bear the Cross implies Faithfulness and Integrity without shifting Patience and Submission without murmuring Joy and Chearfulness without fainting Obs 4. The Effect which our Saviour's Admonition had upon this young Person He was sad and grieved at that Saying Thence Note 1. That carnal Men are sad and exceeding sorrowful when they cannot win Heaven in their own way 2. That such as are wedded to the World will renounce Christ rather than the World when the World and Christ stand in Competition 23 And Jesus looked round about and saith unto his disciples How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God 24 And the disciples were astonished at his words But Jesus answereth again and saith unto them Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God 25 It is easier for a camel to go thorow the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God 26 And they were much astonished saying with themselves Who then can be saved 27. But Jesus answered and said With men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible From this Discourse of our Holy Lord's concerning the Danger of Riches and the Difficulty that attends Rich Men in their way to Heaven we may collect and gather First That Rich Men do certainly meet with more Difficulties in their Way to Heaven than other Men. 'T is Difficult to withdraw their Affections from Riches to place their supream Love upon God in the midst of their Abundance 'T is difficult to depend entirely upon God in a Rich Condition for the Rich Man's Wealth is his strong Tower Secondly That yet the Fault lies not in Riches but in Rich Men who by placing their Trust and reposing their Confidence in Riches do render themselves uncapable of the Kingdom of God Obs 3. The Proverbial Speech which our Saviour makes use of to set forth the Difficulty of a Rich-Man's Salvation It is easier for a Camel to go through a Needle 's Eye This was a Proverb amongst the Jews signifying a thing of great Difficulty next to an Impossibility and it implies thus much That it is not only a very great Difficulty but an utter Impossibility for such as abound in worldly Wealth and place their Confidence therein to be saved without an extraordinary Grace and Assistance from God 'T is hard for God to make a Rich Man happy because he thinks himself happy without God Obs 4. The Disciples are affected with Wonder and Admiration at this Doctrine of our Saviour's and cry out Who then can be saved Learn thence That such are the special and peculiar Difficulties which lye in the Rich Man's way to Salvation that their getting to Heaven is matter of Wonder and Admiration to the Disciples of Christ Obs 5. How our Saviour resolves this Doubt by telling his Disciples That what was impossible with Men was possible with God implying That it is impossible for any Man Rich or Poor by his own Natural Strength to get to Heaven And 2. That when we are discouraged with the Sense of our own Impotency we should consider the Power of God and act our Faith upon it With God all things are possible 28 Then Peter began to say unto him Lord we have left all and have followed thee 29 And Jesus answered and said Verily I say unto you there is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels 30 But he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life 31 But many that are first shall be last and the last first The Apostles having heard our Saviour's Command to sell all and give to the Poor St. Peter in the Name of the rest tells Christ That they had left all to follow him Where Note How Peter magnifies that Little which he had left for Christ and ushers it in with a Note of Admiration Lo We have left all Learn hence That though it be very little that we suffer for Christ and have to forsake upon his Account yet are we apt to magnify and extol it as if it were some great Matter Lord we have left All says Peter What All Man hadst thou to lose besides thy ragged Nets and thy tatter'd Fisher-Boat A great All next to nothing at all scarce worth mentioning and yet how is it magnified Behold we have left all and followed thee Observe next Our Lord 's kind and gracious Answer that those that leave all to follow him shall be no Losers by him We may be Losers for Christ we shall never be Losers by him for whatever we part with in this World for the sake of Christ Houses or Lands Brethren or Sisters we shall receive an hundred fold now in this Life But how so Non formalitèr sed eminenter non in specie sed in valore not in Kind but in Equivalency Not an hundred Brethren Sisters or Lands in Kind but he shall enjoy that in God which all Creatures would be to him if they were multiplied an hundred times And the Gifts and Graces the Comforts and Consolations of the Holy Spirit shall be an hundred times better Portion than any thing we can part with for the sake of Christ For the Sense of those Words The first shall be last c. see the Note on Matth. 30.19 32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem and Jesus went before them and they were amazed and as they followed they were afraid and he took again the twelve and began to tell them what things should happen unto him 33 Saying Behold we go up to Jerusalem and the son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and unto the scribes and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the gentiles 34 And they shall mock him and shall scourge him and spit upon him and kill him and the third day he shall rise again This is at least the Third time that Christ had acquainted his Disciples with his approaching Sufferings The first time he told his Disciples of his Death in geâ—eral the second time he declares the Means by Treason now he tells them the Manner by Crucifying him All this he did to prevent their Dejection at his Sufferings Learn hence That it is highly necessary
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
this he was sorrowful for he was very rich Here Note the Effect which our Saviour's Admonition had upon this Person He was sorrowful Learn thence That Carnal Men are exceeding sorrowful when they cannot win Heaven in their own way 2. That such as are wedded to the World will renounce Christ rather than the World when the World and Christ stand in Competition he went away sorrowful St. Mark 10.22 for he was very rich 24 And when Jesus saw he was very sorrowful he said How hardly shall they that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of God 25 For it is easier for a Camel to go thorough a Needle 's eye then for a rich Man to enter into the kingdom of God 26 And they that heard it said Who then can be saved 27 And he said the things which are impossible with men are possible with God Our Holy Lord takes occasion from the rich Man's Departure from him to discourse concerning the danger of Riches and the Difficulties that attend Rich Men in their way to Heaven From whence we may collect and gather 1. That Rich Men do certainly meet with more Difficulties in their way to Heaven then other Men 't is difficult to withdraw their Affections from Riches to place their supreme Love upon God in the midst of their Riches and to depend entirely upon God in a rich Condition For the rich mans wealth is his strong Tower 2. That yet the fault lies not in Riches but in rich Men who by placing their Trust and reposing their Confidence in Riches do render their Salvation difficult if not impossible 3. Our Saviour's proverbial Speech of a Camels going thorough the eye of a Needle implies thus much That it is not only a great Difficulty but an utter impossibility for such as abound in Worldly Wealth and place their Confidence therein to be Saved without an extraordinary Grace and Assistance from God 'T is hard for God to make a Rich Man Happy because he thinks himself Happy without God 4. That as difficult and impossible this may seem to Men yet nothing is impossible with GOD he can change the Heart of the Rich by the rich and powerful Influences of his Holy Spirit That which is impossible with Men is possible with God 28 Then Peter said Lo we have left all and followed thee It was well done and wisely done of Peter to leave all and follow Christ it was the best Bargain he ever made in all his Life But Observe how he magnifies that little he had left for Christ and ushers it in with a Note of Admiration Lo we have left all and followed thee Learn hence That tho' it be very little that we Suffer for Christ and have to forsake upon his Account yet we are prone to magnify and admire it as if it were some great matter Lord says Peter We have left all What all Man hadst thou to leave a few ragged Nets and a Tatter'd Fisherboat a great All indeed next to nothing at all scarce worth mentioning and yet how is it magnified Behold we have left all and followed thee 29 And he said unto them Verily I say unto you There is no man that hath left house or parents or brethren or wife or children for the kingdom of God's sake 30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come Eternal Life Observe here the Lenity and Kindness of our Lord 's Gracious Answer he tells his Disciples That they who had left all and followed him should be no losers by him that in this World they should receive many fold St. Mark 10.30 says an hundred fold but how so Non formaliter sed eminenter non in specie sed in valore Not in Kind but in Equivalency not an hundred Brethren and Sisters and Possessions in Kind but he shall enjoy all that in God which all Creatures would be to him if they were multiplied an hundred times Oh the Sanctifying Gifts and Saving Graces the supporting Comforts and ravishing Consolations of the Holy Spirit are a sufficient Compensation for any thing for all yea for more than all that we can part with for the sake of Christ 31 Then he took unto him the Twelve and said unto them behold we go up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully entreated and spit upon 33 And they shall Scourge him and put him to Death and the third day he shall rise again 34 And they understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things which were spoken We find our Blessed Saviour very frequently acquainting his Disciples with his approaching Sufferings to prevent the Offence that they might take at them when the Providence of God brought them forth his Design was to arm them with expectation of his Sufferings and to quicken them to Preparation for their own yet is it here said That the Disciples understood none of these sayings Why so were not the words easy enough to be understood yes but they could not reconcile them to the Notion of the Messiah which they had drank in they concluded he should be a Temporal Prince and subdue their Temporal Enemies but could not conceive how he that should redeem Israel should dye and be thus barbarously used we had great need to consider well what Notions we have concerning the things of God before we entertain them for false Notions once taken up are not without great difficulty laid down 35 And it came to pass that as he was come nigh unto Jericho a certain blind man sate by the way-side begging 36 And hearing the multitude pass by he asked what it meant 37 And they told him That Jesus of Nazareth passeth by 38 And he cryed saying Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me 39 And they which went before rebuked him that he should hold his peace and he cryed so much the more Thou Son of David have mercy on me 40 And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought unto him and when he was come near he asked him 41 Saying What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee and he said Lord that I may receive my sight 42 And Jesus said unto him Receive thy sight thy Faith hath saved thee 43 And immediately he received his sight and followed him glorifying God and all the people when they saw it gave praise unto God This Chapter concludes with the recital of a famous Miracle wrought by our Saviour upon a Blind Man whom St. Mark calls Bartimeus Where we have Observable 1. The Blind Man's Faith in Acknowledging Christ to be the Messiah for so much the Title of Son of David did import 2. Observe his Fervency as well as his Faith he cryed to Christ for the Mercy of Healing Have mercy on me thou Son of David
as they were afraid and bowed down their Faces to the Earth they said unto them Why seek ye the Living among the Dead 6 He is not here but is Risen Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee 7 Saying The Son of Man must be delivered into the Hands of Sinful Men and be Crucified and the Third day Rise Again 8 And they Remembred his Words 9 And Returned from the Sepulchre and told all these things unto the Apostles and to all the Rest 10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the Mother of James and other Women that were with them which told these things unto the Apostles 11 And their words seemed to them as Idle Tales and they believed them not 12 Then arose Peter and ran unto the Sepulchre and stooping down he beheld the Linnen Cloaths laid by themselves and departed wondering in himself at that which was come to pass The Lord of Life who was put to Death upon the Fryday was Buryed in the Evening of the same Day and his Holy Body Rested in the silent Grave all the next Day being the Jewish Sabbath and some part of the Morning Following Thus Rose he again the Third Day according to the Scriptures neither sooner nor later Not sooner lest the Truth of his Death should have been questioned that he did not Dye at all not later lest the Faith of his Disciples should have failed Accordingly when the Sabbath was past Mary Magdalene getting the other Women together she and they set out very early in the Morning to Visit the Holy Sepulchre and about Sun-rising they get to it intending with their Spices and Odours farther to Embalm their Lord's Body Observe here 1. That although the Hearts of these Holy Women did burn with an Ardent Zeal and Affection to their Crucified Lord Yet the Commanded Duties of the Sabbath are not omitted by them they keep close and silently spend that Holy Day in a Mixture of Grief and Hope A good Pattern of Sabbath-Sanctification and worthy of our Christian Imitation Observe 2. These Holy Women go but not empty-handed She that had bestowed a costly Alablaster upon Christ whilst alive prepares no less Precious Odours for him now Dead thereby paying their last Homage to our Saviour's Corpse But what need of Odours to perfume a precious Body which could not see Corruption True his Holy Body did not want them but the Love and Affection of his Friends could not withhold them Observe 3. How great a Tribute of Respect and Honour is due and payable to the Memory of these Holy Women for their great Magnanimity and Courage They followed Christ when his Cowardly Disciples left him they accompanied him to his Cross they attended his Herse to the Grave when his Disciples did not durst not appear And now very early in the Morning they Visit his Sepulchre Fearing neither the Darkness of the Night nor the Presence of the Watchmen though a Band of rude Soldiers Learn hence That Courage and Resolution is the special Gift of God if he gives it to the feebler Sex even to timerous and fearful Women it shall not be in the power of Armed Men to make them afraid But to come to a close Consideration of the several Circumstances relating to the Resurrection of our Holy Lord. Note 1. With what Pomp and Triumph our Holy Lord Arises Two Men that is Two Angels in the Shape of Men V. 4. are sent from Heaven to roll away the Stone But could not Christ have Risen then without the Angels help Yes doubtless he that Raised himself could easily have Rolled away the Stone himself But God thinks fit to send an Officer from Heaven to open the Prison-door of the Grave and by setting our Surety at Liberty proclaims our Debt to the Divine Justice â—â—â—y Satisfied Besides it was fit that the Angels who had been Witnesses of our Saviour's Passion should also be Witnesses of his Resurrection Note 2. our Lord's Resurrection declared He is Risen he is not here Almighty God never intended that the Darling of his Soul should be left in an obscure Sepulchre He is not here said the Angels where you laid him where you left him Death has lost its Prey and the Grave has lost its Prisoner Note 3. It is is not said He is not here for he is Raised but he is Risen V. 6. The Original Word imports the Active Power of Christ or the Self-quickning Principle by which Christ Raised himself from the Dead Acts 1.3 He shewed himself alive after his Passion Hence Learn That it was the Divine Nature or God-head of Christ which Raised the Human Nature from Death to Life others were Raised from the Grave by Christ's Power but he Raised himself by his own Power Note 4. The Persons to whom our Lord's Resurrection was first declared and made known to Women to the two Mary's But why to Women and why to these Women To Women first because God sometimes makes choice of weak Means for producing great Effects knowing that the weakness of the Instrument Redounds to the greater Honour of the Agent In the whole Dispensation of the Gospel God intermixes Divine Power with Humane Weakness Thus the Conception of Christ was by the Power of the Holy Ghost but his Mother a poor Woman a Carpenter's Spouse So the Crucifixion of Christ was in much Meanness and outward Baseness being Crucified between two Thieves But the Powers of Heaven and Earth Trembling the Rocks Rending the Graves opening shewed a mixture of Divine Power Thus here God Selects Women to declare that he will Honour what Instruments he pleases for the Accomplishment of his own Purposes But why to these Women the two Mary's is the first Discovery made of our Lord's Resurrection Possibly it was a Reward for their Magnanimity and Masculine Courage These Women cleave to Christ when the Apostles forsook him They Assisted at his Cross they Attended at his Funeral they Waited at his Sepulchre These Women had more Courage than the Apostles therefore God makes them Apostles to the Apostles This was a Tacit Rebuke a Secret Check given to the Apostles that they should be thus out-done by Women These Holy Women went before the Apostles in the last Services that were done for Christ and therefore the Apostles here come after them in their Rewards and Comforts Note 5. The quick Message which these Holy Women carry to the Disconsolate Disciples of the Joyful news of our Saviour's Resurrection They Returned from the Sepulchre and told all these things to the Eleven Verse 9. And the other Evangelists say That they were sent and bidden to go to the Apostles with the Notices of the Resurrection Go tell the Disciples says the Angel Matthew 28.7 Go tell my Brethren says Christ Verse 10. A most endearing Expression Christ might have said Go tell my Apostate Apostles my Cowardly Disciples that left me in my Danger that durst not own me in the High Priest's Hall
and I must disappear like the morning Star Not that John's Light was diminished but by a greater Light obscured only As all the Stars disappear at the appearance of the Sun Yet observe what matter of Joy it was to John to see himself out-shined by Christ Let him increase tho' I decrease That Minister has true Light in himself that can Rejoyce when he is out-shined by others Who is content to be abased and obscured if he may but see Christ dignified and exalted in the Lives of his People whoever the Person is whom God honours as his Instrument in that Service The fourth Difference wherein Christ excels John and all his Ministers is in the Divine Original of his Person v. 31. He that cometh from above is above all says John Now Christ is from above his Original is from Heaven I am from the Earth tho' I had my Commission from Heaven and accordingly my Words and Actions are Earthly My Master therefore infinitely surpasseth and excels me in the Dignity of his Person and in the Sublimity of his Knowledge From the whole Note How much it is the Desire and Endeavour of every Gospel-Minister to magnifie Jesus Christ to display his glorious Excellencies and Perfections before their People that they may reverence his Person revere his Authority and respect his Laws This was the Care of the Holy Baptist here and it will be the Endeavour of every faithful Minister of Christ that succeeds John to the end of the World 32 And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him Observe 1. Another great Difference which John the Baptist teacheth his Disciples to put betwixt his Testimony and Christ's To the intent that he might remove the Prejudice which was upon his Disciples Mind against the Messiah he shews them that his own Testimony which they so much admired was by Revelation only Christ's by immediate Intuition John testified only what he had received but Christ what he had seen lying in the Bosom of the Father What he hath seen and heard that he testifieth Learn hence That it is Christ's the great Prophet of his Church peculiar Prerogative to have the knowledge of Divine Truths immediately from the Father by special Communication and that all others receive their Knowledge from him by gracious Illumination only Observe 2. How sadly and sorrowfully the holy Baptist resents it that Christ's Testimony was no better received and entertained by the World He testifieth but no Man receiveth his testimony John's Disciples murmured that all Men came unto Christ v. 26. but John mourns that there came no more and complains that none that is very few received his Testimony Thence learn That it ought and will be matter of great Regret and Sorrow to all the Friends of Jesus Christ but especially to his faithful Ministers and Servants that his Doctrine is so ill received and entertained in the World It greatly affects and grievously afflicts them that when they testifie of Christ no Man that is comparatively very few Men receive their Testimony Observe 3. The Eulogy and high Commendation given of all true Believers they receive Christ's Testimony and thereby set to their Seal that God is true that is hath subscribed to and ratified the Truth of God that God in all his Promises of the Messiah under the Old Testament is faithful and true Learn hence The great Honour that God puts upon the Faith of Believers As Unbelief defames God and makes him a Lyer so Faith gives Testimony to the Truth of God and setteth its Seal that God is true He that receiveth his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true Observe 4. The Illustrious Character which the Holy Baptist gives of Christ his Master he is the Person whom God hath sent and unto whom God giveth not his Spirit by measure He whom God has sent that is immediately and extraordinarily from Heaven not as the Prophets and Apostles were sent but in a way peculiar to himself Having Authority for speaking not only from God but as being God himself And accordingly it is added that God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him that is the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit were poured forth upon Christ in a Measure far above and beyond all finite Creatures There being a double difference betwixt Christ's fulness of the Spirit and all other Persons whatsoever 1. In the Measure of it God did not give out the Spirit to Christ sparingly and with limitation as he did to the former Prophets and John the Baptist in proportion to what their Offices required but he was anointed more plentifully and abundantly with the Holy Spirit above and beyond his Fellows 2. In the manner of its working The holy Prophets that were filled with the Spirit according to their Measures yet could not do or declare all Things nor act upon all Occasions but sometimes the Spirit restrained them and sometimes departed from them But Christ had no limits put upon the Vigour of his Spirit but his own Will therefore could work what and when he pleased Learn from hence That Christ had an abundant fitness from God for the discharge of his Office and an abundant fulness for his People God did not measure to him a certain Quantity and Proportion of the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit but pour'd it forth upon him without Measure 35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand The Father loveth the Son from Eternity as he was his Son by eternal Generation and he loved him as Mediator by special Constitution he loves him as the Brightness of his own Glory and the express Image of his Person with an Essential Natural and Necessary Love And he loves him as Mediator for undertaking our Cause and interposing for our Peace Learn hence That God the Father had a special Love and Affection to Christ not only in regard of his Eternal Sonship but with respect to his Office of Mediatorship The Father loveth the Son It follows he hath given all things into his hand that is intrusted him with all things necessary to our Salvation Lord what a Privilege is this that our Happiness is in Christ's Hand not in our own without his Oh wonderful Goodness to put our Concerns into the sure Hands of his Son which were lost by the weak Hands of Adam 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Learn 1. That tho' all Power be given to Christ to dispense Grace here and Glory hereafter yet none must expect to enjoy it but upon Condition of believing in him and obeying of him For the Original Word
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
EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON The Four Holy Evangelists VIZ. S T. Matthew S T. Mark S T. Luke S T. John WHEREIN The Sacred TEXT is at large Recited the Sence Explained Doubts Resolved Controversies Declined References Avoided Seeming Contradictions Reconciled And the Instructive Example of the Holy JESUS to our Imitation Recommended Designed for the Instruction of Private Families and particularly put into the Hands of Family-Governours in Dedham for the Improvement of Themselves and their Houshold in Knowledge Faith and Holiness BY WILLIAM BURKITT M. A. Vicar and Lecturer of Dedham in Essex LONDON Printed by R.J. for T. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside J. Robinson at the Golden Lion and J. Wyat at the Rose in S. Paul's Church-yard M.DCC. To the Right Honourable CHARLES Lord Fitzwalter My Lord THE Sacred Pages inform us of a Son that was Nourished up in the Words of Faith by his Grandmother Lois and his Mother Eunice The like Pious Care has been taken for Your Lordship 's Religious Education by one of the Wisest of Women and the Best of Mothers that the Age has afforded And that Your Lordship's Improvement in Knowledge and Sincere Piety may Answer the Prayers the Tears the Endeavours of such an Endearing Parent who preferrs Your Lordship's Happiness abundantly before her Own I take Leave to put a Part of the Inspired Writings into Your Lordship's Hand with an Endeavour of Mine to Render the Reading of them both Profitable and Delightful to Your Lordship Whilst Others consume their Precious Hours in Plays and Romances and such-like Corrupting and Effeminating Trash which the Superfoetation of the Stage furnishes the Nation with to the Scandal of Our Holy Religion and the Grief of all Good Men Debasing the Minds and Debauching the Manners of so many amongst us That Your Lordship and Others of Your Noble Order with you may Taste such Incomparable Delight and Sweetness in and Experience such Invaluable Benefit and Advantage by Reading the History of Your Blessed Redeemer's Life and Actions and may thereby be Transformed into His Holy Likeness here on Earth and spend an Eternity in the Rapturous Contemplation and Ravishing Fruition of Him in Heaven is the Fervent Prayer of My Lord Your Honour 's Faithfully Devoted Servant and Chaplain W. Burkitt To Family-Governours particularly those of my Charge AS Religion did always consist in an Imitation of God and in a Resemblance of those Excellencies which shine forth in the Best and most Perfect Being so we may Imitate Him now with much more Ease and greater Advantage since His Son was manifest in our Flesh and dwelt among us For He was pleased to become Man on purpose to shew us how we might become like to God by a Daily Imitation of His Holiness And it is most certain that God Our Father will never own any of us for His Children unless He sees upon us the Air and Features the Impresses and Resemblance of Christ Our Elder Brother This Consideration has induced me to set the Example of the Holy Jesus before my self and you in these Plain Practical Notes upon the Holy Evangelists which contain Remarks upon the History of our Saviour's Life Doctrine and Miracles and of His Death Resurrection and Ascension To the Intent that the Temper of our Minds and the Actions of our Lives may be a lively Transcript of the Mind and Life of our Blessed Redeemer That we may Admire and Imitate His unspotted Purity His Condescending Humility His Fervent Charity His Patience under Sufferings and Reproaches His Readiness to Forgive Injuries and His entire Resignation to the Divine Will in all Conditions of Life whatsoever That so following our Lord and Master in all the Steps of an Imitable Vertue and setting His Example continually before us we may be Daily Correcting and Reforming of our Lives by that Glorious Pattern for without present Likeness to Him we have no Grounds to hope that we shall hereafter Live with Him A true Compassion to your Souls and a fervent Desire to farther their Salvation from the Press as well as from the Pulpit has put me upon Redeeming Time for this Work I must acknowledge my constant Preaching thrice a Week unto you besides Occasionals and Visiting as often a populous and scattering Parish from House to House amongst you which I have always accounted a most Important Part of my Duty would allow me but little too little Time for such a Work as This which I heartily wish had fallen upon the Shoulder of one that had more Leisure and Greater Abilities for it But thus much I can truly say that earnestly Imploring Divine Assistance I have done what I could my Work has been my Recreation and the Lord accept it and succeed it And I have this Observation to Ground my Hope of Acceptance and Success upon that Almighty God has in all Ages rendered those Labours of his Servants how mean soever in themselves most Acceptable and Useful which have been employed in the profitable Explication of any part of the Holy Scriptures As if He who Imprinted such a Majesty upon the Text delighted also to Reflect an Honour upon the Interpreters thereof My Design in preparing and giving these Notes into your Hands is to Oblige you to Read a part of the Holy Scriptures in your Families every Day and to invite you thereunto the Sacred Text is here at large Recited Controversies Declined and References Avoided I have chosen to Transcribe and Write over again upon another Evangelist what was observed in a Former rather than give you the Trouble of looking back upon what is written elsewhere And I do most Affectionately Request you not to suffer the Holy Word of God which is in all your Hands to lye by you as a Neglected Book but daily to Read it in and to your Families with a Simplicity of Mind to be Directed and Instructed by it All the Return I desire from you for this my Labour of Love is your living in a daily Imitation of that Grand Pattern of Holiness and Obedience which is here set before you and in every Page Recommended to you and that we may continue to strive together in our Prayers one with and one for another for that Grace which may enable us to the Faithful Discharge of our Respective Duties towards God towards each other and all Mankind And that the Happy Unity and Unanimity which has hitherto been amongst us may continue and encrease still with us to the Glory of God the Honour of our Holy Religion the present Benefit and Comfort and the Eternal Joy and Rejoycing both of Minister and People in the Day of the Lord Jesus Which as it is the fervent Prayer so it shall be the constant Endeavour of your Unworthy Minister whose Highest Ambition it is to serve you in the Faith and Fellowship of the Gospel whilst I am Dedham 1700. W. Burkitt EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON The Holy Gospel
in which he Preached Sitting When he was set he Taught according to the Custom of the Jewish Doctors who sat to shew their Authority Observe 4. The Sermon it self which begins with Beatitudes and Blessings and is accompanied with Promises of Reward Not as the Law was delivered on Mount Sinai with Threatnings and Thunder with Fire and Earthquake but in a still and soft Voice Our Lord's Lips are full of Grace they drop as the Honey-comb Blessings and Promises are our Encouragements to Obedience 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Observe here 1. It is not said Blessed are the Poor in Estate but Blessed are the Poor in Spirit 't is not a Poverty of Possession but a Poverty of Spirit that Entitles us to the Blessing 2. 'T is not said Blessed are the Spiritually Poor but Blessed are the Poor in Spirit He that is destitute of the Grace and Spirit of Christ that has no sense of his Spiritual Wants he is Spiritually Poor but he is not Poor in Spirit Farther 3. 'T is not said Blessed are the Poor-Spirited but the Poor in Spirit such as Act below and beneath themselves as Men and as Christians these are Poor-Spirited Men but these are not Poor in Spirit 4. 'T is not said Blessed are they that make themselves Poor by leaving their Estates and Callings and turning Beggars as some do among the Papists But Blessed are they whom the Gospel makes Poor by giving them a sight of their Spiritual Wants and Necessities and directing them to Christ that they may be made Rich. In Sum not those that are Poor in Estate or those whom the World has made Poor in Possession but those whom the Gospel has made Poor in Spirit have a Right and Title to the Kingdom of Heaven 4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Obs here 1. That Mourning for Sin is a Gospel-Duty the Law allows no place for Repentance tho' we seek it carefully with Tears Obs 2. The Time and Season for this Duty Blessed are they that Now Mourn Sorrow for Sin is Physick on Earth but 't is Food in Hell Repentance is here a Grace but there a Punishment 3. As Mourning goes before Comfort so Comfort shall follow after Mourning Our Godly Sorrow for Sin shall end in Everlasting Joy and Comfort 5 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Obs here 1. The Grace and Duty recommended Meekness 2. The Wages and Reward belonging to that Grace and Duty The Inheritance of the Earth Meekness either respects God or our Neighbour As it respects God so it implies Flexibleness â—o his Commanding Will and Submissiveness to his Providential Pleasure As it respects our Neighbour it consists in Forgiving Injuries Bearing Reproaches and Recompencing Good for Evil. The Reward and Blessing Insured to this Grace and Duty is the Inheritance of the Earth where Heaven is not excluded but included yet the Earth is mentioned to shew that Men shall be no Losers by their Meekness as to their Outward Estates for Almighty God will make good to them whatever they lose for Peace-sake Oh Happy Temper of Mind that at once Secures Heaven and Earth to boot Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth in this Life and Heaven in the next 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Obs 1. The Character of the Persons whom Christ pronounces Blessed such as Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness 2. Wherein their Blessedness doth consist They shall be filled By Righteousness we are to understand 1. A Righteousness of Justification the Righteousness of the Mediator imputed to us by which we stand Righteous in God's sight being freed from Condemnation 2. A Righteousness of Sanctification wrought in us by the Holy Spirit enabling us to Act Righteously By the former there is a Relative Change in our Condition by the latter a Real Change in our Constitution Learn That all and only such as do Spiritually Hunger and Thirst after Christ and his Righteousness are in an Happy and Blessed Condition 7 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Here our Blessed Redeemer recommends to us a Compassionate Regard towards the Miseries of Others and that both in Soul and Body Name and Estate to be forward to Pity and Pardon to Relieve and Help to Give and Forgive And as an Encouragement he adds That as we deal with others God will deal with us our Charity towards Men shall be Crowned with Mercy from GOD and that in Abundance too for our Rivulet of Charity we shall partake of an Ocean of Mercy Blessed are the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy Learn That the Merciful Man is a Blessed Man and therefore Blessed because he shall obtain Mercy when he most wants it and most desires it 8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Note here 1. The Duty required and called for Purity of Heart and Life the first expressed the other included for a clean Heart will be accompanied with a clean Life Where there is a Principle of Grace within there will be the Actings of Grace without Note 2. The Incentive to this Duty the Pure in Heart and Holy in Life shall See and Enjoy GOD the infinitely Pure and perfectly Holy GOD They shall see him Spiritually and Mediately in this Life Gloriously and Immediately in the Life to come 9 Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Obs 1. The Connexion between Peace and Purity Purity of Heart and Peaceableness of Life accompany one another there is no Inward Purity where there is not an Endeavour after Outward Peace 2. The Duty exhorted to namely to Love Peace and to Labour after Peace to Love it our selves and Promote it amongst others to be not only Peaceable but Peace-makers Note 3. The Title of Honour that is here put upon such as are of this Peaceable and Peace-making Temper they shall be called the Children of God that is they shall be reputed and esteemed God's Children for their likeness to him who is the God of Peace And they shall be dignified and honoured with the Priviledges of God's Children namely Grace here and Glory herefafter 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven 11 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake 12 Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you Note here 1. That all the Disciples and Followers of Christ live they never so Holily and Inoffensively in the World yet must they expect Suffering and Persecution 2. That the keenest and sharpest Edge of Persecution is usually turn'd against the Ministers of Christ and falls heaviest on the Prophets of God 3. That such Sufferings
and such Persecution as will Afford a Man Solid Comfort and Entitle him to Real Blessedness must be endured and undergone for Righteousness sake 4. That it is the Will and Command of Christ that those which Suffer for Him and for Righteousness-sake should not only be Meek and Patient but Joyous and Chearful Rejoice and be exceeding glad 5. That such a patient and chearful Suffering of Persecution for Christ in this Life shall certainly be Rewarded with the Glory and Blessedness of the Life that is to come Great is your Reward c. 13 Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt have lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden under foot of men Our Saviour compares Christians in general and his Ministers in particular unto Salt for a double Reason First Because it is the nature of Salt to preserve things from Corruption and Putrefaction and to render them savoury and pleasant Thus are the Ministers of the Gospel to labour and endeavour by the Purity of their Doctrine to sweeten putrefying Sinners that they may become savoury to God and Man and may be kept from being Fly-blown with Errours and False Doctrine Secondly Because Salt has a piercing Power in it which subdues the whole Lump and turns it into its own nature Such a piercing Power is there in the Ministry of the Word that it subdues the whole Man to the Obedience of it self 14 Ye are the light of the world A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house 16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Obs here 1. Our Saviour's Doctrine 2. The Inference which he draws from it by way of Application The Doctrine delivered is this That Christians in general and the Ministers of the Gospel in particular are the Light of the World But how Not Originally but Derivatively not Efficiently but Instrumentally Christ himself is the Light of the World by way of Original his Ministers are Lights by way of Derivation and Participation from him Farther Christ teaches them the End why he communicated Light unto them namely to inlighten direct and quicken others Even as the Sun in the Firmament and a Candle in the House diffuses and disperses its Light to all that are within the reach of it so should all Christians and particularly Christ's Ministers by the Light of Life and Doctrine direct People in their Way towards Heaven Obs 2. The Inference which our Saviour draws from the foregoing Doctrine Ye are the Light of the World therefore Let your Light shine before Men. Where Note 1. That our Good Works must shine but not blaze all Vain-glory and Ostentation must be avoided in the Good Works we do 2. Altho' we must abound in Good Works that Men may see them yet not to be seen of Men. 3. That the Glorifying of God and doing Good to Mankind must be the great End we propound in all the Good Works which we perform 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil Our Saviour here informs his Followers That he had no Design to Abrogate any part of the Moral Law or to Loose Mankind from the least Measure of their Duty either towards God or Man but that he came To Fulfil it 1. By yielding a Personal Obedience to it 2. By giving a fuller and stricter Interpretation of it than the Pharisees were wont to give for they taught that the Law did only reach the outward Man and restrain outward Actions Learn That the Law of God is such a perfect Rule of Life that Christ Added no new Precept or Duty to it much less intended to Abrogate or Abolish any Part or Precept of it 18 For verily I say unto you Till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled Another Reason is here given by our Saviour why he had no intention to Abrogate or Abolish the Law and that is drawn from the Duration and Perpetuity the Vnchangeableness and Immutability of the Law Sooner shall Heaven and Earth be abolished than the Authority and Obligation of the Moral Law be dissolved Learn That the Law of God is an Eternal and Unchangeable Rule of Life and Manners and is to stand in Force as long as the World stands and the Frame of Heaven and Earth endures 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven To evidence yet farther that the Moral Law is a perfect Rule of Life our Saviour tells his Disciples That if any of them did either by their Doctrine or Practice make void any one of the least of God's Commands either by allowing themselves in the Omission of any known Duty or in the Commission of any known Sin he should never enter into the Kingdom of God Learn That such a Professor of Christianity as allows himself in the least Voluntary Transgression either of Omission or Commission and encourages others by his Example to do the like is certainly in a State of Damnation 20 For I say unto you That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven Observe here 1. A Glorious Prize or Reward set before the Christian as Attainable namely The Kingdom of Heaven 2. The Means required in order to our obtaining of this Prize and laying hold of this Reward we must be Holy and Righteous Persons Heaven is the Reward of Righteousness a Reward conferred only upon Righteous Persons 3. Here is the Special Qualification of that Righteousness expressed which will Intitle us to Heaven and Salvation It must be a Righteousness which Exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and that these Three Ways 1. In its Principle and Motive Love to God and Obedience to his Command not the Applause and Commendation of Men. 2. In its Aim and End The Pharisees made Themselves their own Credit and Esteem their Wordly Gain and Interest their Ultimate End and not God's Glory their supreme Aim 3. In the Manner of Performance the Pharisees Duty wanted that Purity and Spirituality which the Law of God required they had respect only to the Outward Action without any regard to the Inward Intention and to that Purity of Heart which God required Learn That such a Holiness of Heart and Righteousness of Life as the Spirituality of God's Law requires of us is absolutely and
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
as before Conversion Disesteemed him do afterwards kindly and respectfully Entertain him Matthew toucht with a sense of Christ's Rich Love makes him a Royal Feast Obs farther How at this Feast many Publicanes and Sinners were present of Matthew's Acquaintance no doubt and probably invited by him that they might also see Christ and be Partakers of the same Grace with him Whence we Learn That Grace teaches a Man to desire and seek the Conversion of others and such as are truly brought home to Christ themselves will study and endeavour to bring in all their Acquaintance to Christ also 11 And when the Pharisees saw it they said unto his disciples Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners See here what a Grief it is to Wicked Men to see others brought in to Christ the Wicked Pharisees murmur repine and envy instead of admiring Christ's Condescension and adoring his Divine Goodness They censure him for conversing with Sinners but Christ tells them in the following Verses that he converst with them as their Physician not as their Companion 12 But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance As if our Lord had said With whom should the Physician converse but with his Sick Patients Now I am come into the World to do the Office of a kind Physician unto Men surely then I am to take all Opportunities to Help and Heal them They that are Sick need the Physician but for you Pharisees who are whole and well in your own Opinion and swell'd with a Conceit of your own Righteousness I have no Hopes of doing any Good upon you for such as think themselves whole desire no Physician 's Help Learn hence 1. That Sin is the Soul's Malady its Spiritual Disease and Sickness 2. That Christ is the Physician appointed by God for the Cure and Healing of this Disease and Malady 3. That there are Multitudes Spiritually Sick who yet think themselves sound and whole 4. That only such as are sensible of their Spiritual Sickness are Subjects capable of Cure and the Persons whom Christ is an Healing Physician to They that are whole need not the Physician but they that are sick 14 Then came to him the disciples of John saying Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft but thy disciples fast not 15 And Jesus said unto them Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them but the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast 16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment and the rent is made worse 17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles else the bottles break and the wine runneth out and the bottles perish but they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved The Pharisees themselves had a Contention with our Saviour in the foregoing Verses here they set on the Disciples of John to contend with him about Fasting alledging that the Disciples of John fasted often Christ's Disciples not at all Our Saviour owns it that his Disciples did not fast at present for two Reasons 1. Because it was Vnsuitable to them 2. Because it was Intolerable for them It was Vnsuitable to them because of Christ's Bodily Presence with them this made it a time of Joy and Feasting not of Mourning and Fasting While Christ the Bridegroom is with them they must feast and rejoyce when removed from them there will be Cause enough to fast and mourn Christ is the Bridegroom and his Church the Bride which he has Espoused and Married to himself and whilest his Spouse did enjoy his Bodily Presence with her it was a Day of Joy and Rejoycing to her and Mourning and Fasting was improper for her Again This Discipline of Fasting was at present Intolerable for the Disciples for they were raw green and tender and could no more bear the Severities of Religion at present than an old Garment could bear a piece of new stiff Cloth to be set into it which will make the Rent worse if the Garment comes to a stretch or no more than old Bottles can keep new Wine Thus says Christ My Disciples are young and green tender and weak newly converted they cannot bear the Severer Exercises of Religion presently but when I am ascended into Heaven I will send down my Holy Spirit which shall enable them to all the Duties which the Gospel injoyns Hence we may Gather That Young Converts till grown up to some Consistency in Grace must not be put upon the Severer Exercises of Religion but handled with that Tenderness and Gentleness which becomes the mild and merciful Dispensation of the Gospel Our Saviour here commends Prudence to his Ministers that they put not their People upon Duties beyond their Strength but consult their Progress in Christianity and the Proficiency they have made in Religion and treat them accordingly 18 While he spake these things unto them behold there came a certain ruler and worshipped him saying My daughter is even now dead but come and lay thy hand upon her and she shall live 19 And Jesus arose and followed him and so did his disciples The humble Posture in which this Man came unto Christ namely falling at his Foot and worshipping him which was not only a Sign of tender Affection towards his Daughter but an Evidence of his Faith in our Blessed Saviour yet his confining Christ's Power to his Bodily Presence and to the Touch of his Hand was a Token of the Weakness of his Faith Come says he and lay thy Hand upon her and she shall live As if Christ could not have Cured her without either coming to her or laying his Hand upon her Note here That altho' all that come to Christ are not alike strong in Faith yet our Blessed Redeemer refuses none that come unto him with a sincere Faith tho' in much weakness of Faith Jesus arose and followed him 20 And behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years came behind him and touched the hem of his garment 21 For she said within her self If I may but touch his garment I shall be whole 22 But Jesus turned him about and when he saw her he said Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole And the woman was made whole from that hour Whilst Christ is on his way to the Ruler's House a diseased Woman comes behind him touches his Garment and is instantly Healed The Virtue lay not in her Finger but in her Faith or rather in Christ which her Faith Instrumentally drew forth Obs here How Faith oft-times meets with a sweeter Welcom than it could expect This
Works of the Law only must keep the whole Law or Covenant of Works perfectly and exactly Learn 2. That the best way to prâ—pare Men for Jesus Christ is to let them see their own Impotency to keep and fulfil the Covenant of Works 18 He saith unto him Which Jesus said Thou shalt do no murder Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness 19 Honour thy father and thy mother and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 20 The young man saith unto him All these things have I kept from my youth up what lack I yet Observe here That the Duties our Saviour instances in are the Duties of the second Table which Hypocrites are most failing in but the sincere Practice of our Duty to our Neighbour is a singular Evidence of our Love to God These Duties of the second Table the young Man says he had kept from his Youth and perhaps might say it truly according to the Pharisees Interpretation which condemned only the gross outward Act not the inward Lust and Motion of the Heart Learn hence How apt Men are to think well of themselves and to have too high an Opinion of their own Goodness and Righteousness before God All these have I kept from my Youth 21 Jesus said unto him If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me That is Thou that hast been all thy Days a Pharisee if now thou wilt be a Christian thou must maintain a Readiness and Disposition of Mind to part with all that thou hast in this World at my Call and at my Command and follow after me Learn That such as enter themselves Disciples of Christ must be ready at Christ's Call to part with all for Christ's sake that they have in this World 2. All that profess themselves to be Christ's Disciples must be his Followers that is They must obey his Doctrine and imitate his Example his Holiness his Humility his Heavenly mindedness his Patience and Meekness his Readiness to forgive Injuries and the same Mind must be in us which was in Christ Jesus 22 But when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions This parting with all for Christ seemed so hard a Condition to the young Man that he went away sorrowful from Christ Whence Learn 1. That a Man wedded to the World will renounce Christ rather than the World when both stand in Competition 2. That Unregenerate and Carnal Men are exceeding sorrowful and sadly concern'd when they cannot have Heaven upon their own Terms and win it in their own way The young Man went away sorrowful 23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples Verily I say unto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven Our Blessed Saviour takes occasion from what had past to discourse with his Disciples concerning the Danger of Riches and the Difficulty that attends rich Men in their way to Salvation A rich Man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of God Whence Note 1. That rich Men do certainly meet with more Difficulties in their Way to Heaven than other Men 'T is difficult to withdraw their Affections from Riches to place their Supreme Love upon God in the midst of their Abundance 'T is difficult to depend upon God in a rich Condition The Poor committeth himself to God but a Rich Man's Wealth is his strong Tower 2. That yet the Fault lyes not in Riches but in Rich Men who by placing their Trust and putting their Confidence in Riches do render themselves uncapable of the Kingdom of God 24 And again I say unto you It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God These Words were a Proverbial Speech among the Jews to signifie a thing of great Difficulty next to an Impossibility And they import thus much that it is not only a very great Difficulty but an Impossibility for such as abound in Worldly Wealth to be saved without an extraordinary Grace and Assistance from God 'T is hard for God to make a Rich Man happy because he thinks himself happy without God 25 When his disciples heard it they were exceedingly amazed saying Who then can be saved The Disciples understanding how naturally and strongly Men love the World and how Idolatrously and Inordinately their Hearts run out upon it they say unto Christ Lord who can be saved Learn 1. That when the general Difficulties which lye in the Way of Salvation are laid forth and sufficiently understood we may justly wonder that any are or shall be saved 2. That such are the special and peculiar Difficulties in the rich Man's Way to Heaven that his Salvation is Matter of Wonder and great Admiration to the Disciples of Christ When the Disciples heard this they were exceedingly amazed saying Who then can be saved 26 But Jesus beheld them and said unto them With men this is unpossible but with God all things are possible As if Christ had said Were all Men left to themselves no Man either Poor or Rich would be saved but God can bring Men to Heaven by the mighty Power of his Grace he can make the Rich in Estate Poor in Spirit and them that are Poor in this World Rich in Grace Learn 1. That it is impossible for any Man Rich or Poor by his own natural Strength to get to Heaven 2. That when we are discouraged with the Sense of our own Impotency we should consider the Power of God and act our Faith upon it With God all things are possible 27 Then answered Peter and said unto him Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore 28 And Jesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel The Apostles having heard our Saviour's Command to the young Man to sell all and give to the Poor St. Peter in the Name of the rest tells Christ that they had left all and followed him Behold we have forsaken all Where Note how Peter magnifies that little which he had left for Christ and ushers it in with a Note of Observation and Admiration also Behold we have forsaken all what shall we have then Learn thence That altho' it be very little that we suffer for Christ and less that we have to forsake upon his Account yet we are apt to magnifie and extol it as if it were some great matter Lord we have left all What all His tatter'd Fisher-Boat and his ragged Nets a great all next to nothing at all scarce worthy to be mentioned Yet how is it magnified Behold Lord we have left all But observe our Lord 's
and ambitiously contended for the first and uppermost Seats in all Conventions as at Feasts and in the Synagogues and loved to be respectfully saluted in open and publick Places and to have Titles of Honour such as Rabbi Master Father and Doctor put upon them Now that which our Saviour condemns is the Pharisees fond Affectation of these little things and unduly seeking their own Honour and Glory It was not their taking but their loving the uppermost Rooms at Feasts that Christ condemns From the whole Note 1. That Hypocrites are most in affecting Ceremonial Observations and outward Parts of commanded Duties neglecting the Substance of Religion it self These Pharisees were for carrying a Library of God's Law on their Cloaths scarce a Letter of it in their Hearts They wore the Law of God as frontlets before their Eyes but not engraven on the Tables of their Hearts Observe 2. That the Nature of Hypocrisie is to study more to seem Religious in the Sight of Men than to be Religious indeed before God The Hypocrite is the World's Saint and not God's He courts the World's Acceptation more than the Divine Favour and Approbation 8 But be not ye called Rabbi for one is your master even Christ and all ye are brethren 9 And call no man your father upon the earth for one is your Father which is in heaven 10 Neither be ye called masters for one is your master even Christ 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted The Word Rabbi signifies a Doctor or Teacher eminently endowed with Variety of Knowledge whose Place it was to sit in an exalted Chair or chief Seat in the Synagogue their Disciples and Scholars sat upon lower Forms at the Feet of their Teachers Our Saviour doth not simply condemn the giving or receiving of these Titles of Rabbi Master and Father But the things forbidden are 1. A vain-glorious Affectation of such Titles as these the ambitious seeking of them and glorying in them 2. He condemns that Authority and Dominion over the Consciences of Men which the Pharisaical Doctors had usurped telling the People that they ought to believe all their Doctrines and practice all their Injunctions as the Commands of the Living God They did in effect assume Infallibility to themselves Learn hence 1. That there have been in all Ages of the Church a sort of Teachers who have usurped Authority and Dominion over the Faith and Consciences of Men. 2. That Christians ought not to submit their Faith and Conscience in Matters of Religion to any Humane Authority whatsoever nor to give up themselves absolutely to the Conduct of any Man's Judgment or Opinion in Matters of Faith 3. That Christ alone the great Prophet and infallible Teacher of his Church is the only Person to whose Doctrine and Precepts we owe absolute Faith and Obedience One is your Master even Christ 4. As God will abase and Men will despise the Proud especially Ministers who are such so shall God exalt and Men will honour them that stoop to the meanest Services for the Good of Souls Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased This was a Sentence often used by our Saviour and was a frequent Saying among the Jews 13 But wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for ye neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in From this Thirteenth Verse to the Thirtieth the Pharisees have Eight several Woes denounced against them by our Saviour The first is for perverting the Scriptures and keeping the true Sense and Knowledge of them from the People This St. Matthew calls the shutting up of the Kingdom of Heaven against Men. St. Luke calls it A taking away the Key of Knowledge from Men which is an Allusion to a known Custom among the Jews in Admission of their Doctors for those that had Authority given them to interpret the Law and the Prophets were solemnly admitted into that Office by delivering to them a Key and a Table-Book So that by the Key of Knowledge is meant the Interpretation and Understanding of the Scriptures and by taking away the Key of Knowledge is signified first that they arrogated to themselves alone the Understanding of the Scriptures secondly that they kept the true Knowledge of the Scriptures from the People especially the Prophecies which concerned the Messias and so they hindered Men from embracing our Saviour's Doctrine who were otherwise well enough disposed for it Learn hence 1. That the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures is absolutely and indispensibly necessary in order to Salvation This our Saviour calls the Key which lets Men into the Kingdom of Heaven Learn 2. That great is the Guilt and inexcusable the Fault of those who deprive the People of the Knowledge of the Scriptures They shut the Kingdom of Heaven against Men and do what in them lyes to hinder their Eternal Salvation Men may miscarry with their Knowledge but they are sure to perish for want of Knowledge 14 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation The second Wo denounced against the Pharisees is for their gross Hypocrisie in colouring over their Covetousness with a Pretence of Religion making long Prayers in the Temple and Synagogues for Widows and thereupon perswading them to give bountifully to the Corban or the common Treasure of the Temple Some part of which was imployed for their Maintenance Learn 1. It is no new thing for designing Hypocrites to cover the foulest Transgression with the Cloak of Religion The Pharisees make long Prayers a Cover for their Covetousness 2. That to make use of Religion in Policy for Worldly Advantage-sake is the way to be damn'd with a Vengeance for Religion-sake Wo unto you Scribes c. 15 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye compass sea and land to make one Proselyte and when he is made ye make him twofold more the child of hell than your selves The next Wo denounced is for their false-ended Zeal and Earnestness in proselyting Heathens to the Jewish Religion not with a pious Intention to save them but to serve themselves upon them to have their Consciences and Purses under their Power and when you have poyson'd them says our Saviour by your corrupt Doctrine and hardned them in a course of Sin by your wicked Example they are more the Children of Hell than before you practiced upon them Learn 1. Great is the Diligence and indefatigable the Industry which false Teachers use in gaining Proselytes to their Opinion and Party They compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte 2. That such as are proselyted to Error are oft-times faster rivetted in their false Opinions than their Teachers themselves They are made twofold more the Children of
Face from his Children now this was both agreeable to the Dignity of Christ's Nature and also suitable to his Office who was to satisfie the Justice of God for our forsaking of him and to bring us near to him that we might â—e received for ever Observe Lastly What a miraculous Evidence Christ gave of his Divinity instantly before he gave up the Ghost He cried with a loud Voice This shew'd that he did not dye according to the ordinary Course of Nature gradually departing and drawing on as we express it No his Life was whole in him and Nature as strong at last as at first Other Men dye gradually and towards their End their Sense of Pain is much blunted they faulter fumble and dye by degrees but Christ stood under the Pains of Death in his full Strength his Life was whole in him This was evident by the mighty Outcry he made when he gave up the Ghost contrary to the Sense and Experience of all other Persons this argued him to be full of Strength And he that could cry with such a loud Voice in articulo mortis as he did could have kept himself from dying if he would Hence we Learn That when Christ died he rather conquered Death than was conquer'd by Death He must voluntarily and freely lay down Life before Death could come at him 51 And behold the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and the earth did quake and the rocks rent 52 And the graves were opened and many bodies of saints which slept arose 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many 54 Now when the centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus saw the earthquake and those things that were done they feared greatly saying Truly this was the Son of God 55 And many women were there beholding afar off which followed Jesus from Galilee ministering unto him 56 Among which was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joses and the mother of Zebedee's children Here we have an Account of several extraordinary and wonderful Things which occurr'd and fell out about the time that our Saviour died 1. The Vail of the Temple rent asunder That is the Partition Wall of Stone between the Sanctuary and the outer Court was now broken down Signifying That the ceremonial Law was now abolished by the Death of Christ and that by the Blood of Jesus we have Access unto God and may enter into the Holy of Holies 2. The Earth quak'd As there was an Universal Eclipse so likewise an Universal Earthquake at our Lord's Crucifixion which did awaken many of the Saints that died before our Saviour's Incarnation out of their dead Sleep These arose both as Witnesses of Christ's Resurrection and also as Sharers in it But none of them arose till Christ was risen he being the first Fruits of them that slept And these holy Persons that arose with him possibly attended him to Heaven at his Ascension From hence we Learn That Christ was the Saviour of those that believed in him before his Incarnation as well as those that believed in him since his Incarnation and that the former are Partakers of the Fruit and Benefit of his Death and Resurrection no less than the latter Observe next What Influence and Effect the sight of these prodigious Things had upon the Centurion and the Soldiers It convinced them that verily this was the Son of God Here we see the Heathen Soldiers are sooner convinced of the Divinity of Christ than the unbelieving Jewish Doctors Obstinacy and Unbelief fill'd their Minds with an invincible Prejudice against Christ so that neither the Miracles done by him in his Life nor wrought at his Death could convince the high Priests that Christ was any other than an Impostor and Deceiver Observe Lastly Who of Christ's Friends were Witnesses of his Death They are Women who followed him from Galilee and ministred unto him not one of his dear Disciples except St. John who stood by the Cross with the Virgin Mary What a Shame was this for the Apostles to be absent from a Spectacle upon which the Salvation of the whole World did depend and what an Honour was this to the Female Sex in general and to these Women in particular that they had the Courage to follow Christ to his Cross when all his Disciples forsook him and fled God can make Women Glorious Confessors of his Truth and arm them against the Fears of Sufferings contrary to the natural Timorâ—â—sness of their Tempers These Women wait upon Christ's Cross when Apostles fly and durst not come near it 57 When the even was come there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph who also himself was Jesus disciple 58 He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered 59 And when Joseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a clean linnen cloth 60 And laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out in the rock and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed 61 And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre Here we have an Account given of our Lord's Funeral and Interment in the Grave such a Funeral as never was since Graves were first digged Concerning which we have these Particulars Observable 1. The Preparatives that were made for our Lord's Funeral namely the begging and perfuming of his dead Body his Body could not be buried till by begging it was obtain'd of Pilate the dead Bodies of Malefactors being in the Power of the Disposal of the Judge Pilate grants it and to manifest their dear Affection to their dead Lord they wrap the Body in fine Linnen with Spices to perfume it But what need of Odours for that Body which could not see Corruption Tho' his holy Body did not want them yet the Affections of his Friends could not withhold them Obs 2. The Bearers that carried his Body to the Grave or the Persons concern'd in solemnizing his Funeral Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus Two rich Men and Two secret Disciples 1. They were rich Men Senators honourable Counsellors and so that Prophecy was fulfilled Isa 53. last He made his Grave with the wicked and with the rich in his Death 2. They were good Men as well as rich Men Disciples tho' secretly for fear of the Jews Grace doth not always make a publick and open show where it is As there is much secret Riches in the Bowels of the Earth which no Eye ever saw so there may be Grace in the Heart of a Christian which the World takes no notice of We never heard any News of Joseph of Arimathea till now yet was he eminently rich wise and good a Worthy tho' a close Disciple Much Grace may be where little is seen Some Gracious Persons cannot put forward and discover themselves like others and
Christ or the self-quickning Principle by which Christ raised himself from the Dead Acts 1.3 He shewed himself active after his Passion Learn That it was the Divine Nature or Godhead of Christ which raised his Humane Nature from Death to Life Others were raised from the Grave by Christ's Power he raised himself by his own Power Observe 3. The Testimony or Witness given to our Lord's Resurrection that of an Angel The Angel said he is not here but risen But why is an Angel the first Publisher of our Lord's Resurrection Surely the Dignity of our Lord's Person and the Excellency of his Resurrection required that it should be first published by an Angel and accordingly it is worthy our Observation how very serviceable and officious the holy Angels were in attending upon our Saviour in the Days of his Flesh an Angel foretells his Conception to the Blessed Virgin an Angel proclaims his Birth to the Shepherds an Angel succours him in his Temptations in the Wilderness an Angel comforts him in his Agony in the Garden and at his Resurrection the Angel rolls away the Stone from the Sepulchre and brings the first Tydings of it to the Women In his Ascension the Angels bore him Company to Heaven and when he comes again to Judgment he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels Observe 4. The Persons to whom our Lord's Resurrection was first made known to Women to the Two Maries But why to the Women God will make Choice of weak Means for producing great Effects knowing that the Weakness of the Instrument redounds to the greater Honour of the Agent In the whole Dispensation of the Gospel Almighty God intermixes Divine Power with Humane Weakness Thus the Conception of Christ was by the Power of the Holy Ghost but his Mother a poor Woman a Carpenter's Spouse So the Crucifixion of Christ was in much Meanness and outward Baseness being crucified between Two Thieves But the Powers of Heaven and Earth trembling the Rocks rending and the Graves opening shew'd a mixture of Divine Power God will honour what Instruments he pleases for the Accomplishment of his own Purposes But why to these Women the Two Maries is this Discovery of Christ's Resurrection first made Possibly it was a Reward for their Magnanimity and Masculine Courage These Women clave to Christ when the Apostles fled from him and forsook him they assisted at his Cross they attended at his Funeral they watched his Sepulchre These Women had more Courage than the Apostles therefore God makes the Women Apostles to the Apostles he sends them to tell the Apostles of the Resurrection and they must have the News at the second Hand Oh what a tacit Rebuke was hereby given to the Apostles A secret Check that they should be thus outdone by poor Women These holy Women went before the Apostles in the last Services that were done for Christ and therefore the Apostles here come after them in their Rewards and Comforts Observe 5. The Evidence which the Angel offers to the Women to evince and prove the Verity and Certainty of our Saviour's Resurrection namely by an Appeal to their Senses Come see the Place where the Lord lay The Senses when rightly disposed are the proper Judges of all sensible Objects therefore Christ himself did appeal to his Disciples Senses concerning the Truth of his own Resurrection Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self and indeed if we must not believe our Senses we shall want the best External Evidence for the Proof of the Truth of the Christian Religion namely the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles For what Assurance can we have of the Reality of those Miracles but from our Senses Therefore says our Saviour If ye believe not me yet believe the Works that I do That is the Miracles which I have wrought before your Eyes Now as my Senses tell me that Christ's Miracles were true so they assure me that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false From the whole Note That the Lord Jesus Christ by the Omnipotent Power of his Godhead revived and rose again from the Dead to the Terror and Consternation of his Enemies and the unspeakable Joy and Consolation of Believers 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy and did run to bring his disciples word 9 And as they went to tell his disciples behold Jesus met them saying All hail And they came and held him by the feet and worshipped him 10 Then said Jesus unto them Be not afraid go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee and there shall they see me Observe here 1. What Haste and Speed these holy Women make to carry the News of Christ's Resurrection to the Apostles such as find and feel their Hearts grieved for the Absence and Want of Christ will be very ready to comfort such as are in the same Condition Oh how glad are these holy Women to carry the good News of their Lord's Resurrection to the Heart-broken Disciples Observe 2. How these holy Women hasting in Obedience to the Angel's Command to tell the Disciples do meet with Christ in the way Such as obey the Directions of God's Ministers seeking Christ in his own Way and Means shall find him to their Comfort sooner than they expected These holy Women find Christ before they look'd for him as they went to tell his Disciples Jesus met them Observe 3. The affectionate and loving Title which Christ puts upon his Disciples Tell my Brethren He might have said Go tell those Apostate Apostles that cowardly left me in my Danger that durst not own me in the High Priest's Hall that durst not come within the Shadow of my Cross nor within the Sight of my Sepulchre Not a word of this by way of upbraiding them for their late shameful Cowardice but all Words of Kindness Go tell my Brethren Where Note That Christ calls his Disciples Brethren after his Resurrection and Exaltation as he had done before in his State of Humiliation to shew the Continuance of his former Affection to them and that the Change of his Condition had wrought no Change in his Affection towards his despised Members But those that were his Brethren before in the time of his Abasement are so still after his Exaltation and Advancement Observe Lastly The Place where Christ chuses to meet with and speak to his Disciples not in Jerusalem but in Galilee I go before them into Galilee there shall they see me Jerusalem was now a forsaken Place a People abandoned to Destruction Christ would not shew himself openly to them but Galilee was a Place where Christ's Ministry was more acceptable Such Places wherein Christ is most welcome to preach shall be most honoured with his Presence In Galilee shall they see me 11 Now when they were going behold some of the watch came into the city and shewed unto the chief Priests all the things that were done 12 And when they were assembled
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
with his sick Patients Now I am come into the World to do the Office of a kind Physician unto Men. Surely then I am to take all Opportunities of conversing with them that I may help and heal them for they that are sick need the Physician But as for you Scribes and Pharisees who are well and whole in your own Opinion and Conceit I have no Hopes of doing Good upon you for such as think themselves whole desire no Physician 's Help From this Assertion of our Saviour these Truths are suggested to us 1. That Sin is the Soul's Malady its Spiritual Disease and Sickness 2. That Christ is the Physician appointed by God for the cure and healing of this Disease 3. That there are Multitudes of Sinners Spiritually sick who yet think themselves sound and whole 4. That such and only such as find and feel themselves Spiritually sick are Subjects capable of Christ's healing They that are whole need not the Physician but they that are sick I came not to call the Opinionatively Righteous but the Sensible Sinner to Repentance 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast and they come and say unto him Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast but thy disciples fast not 19 And Jesus said unto them Can the children of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them as long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those days 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old and the rent is made worse 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles else the new wine doth burst the bottles and the wine is spilled and the bottles will be marred but new wine must be put into new bottles Observe here 1. A great Difference betwixt John's Disciples and Christ's in the Matter of Fasting John's Disciples imitated him who was a Man of an Austere Life and much given to fasting Therefore is said To come neither eating nor drinking Matth. 11.18 On the other side Christ's Disciples followed him who came eating and drinking as other Men did and yet tho' there was a great Difference betwixt John's Disciples and Christ's in Matters of Practice yet were they all of one Faith and Religion Thence Learn That there may be Unity of Faith and Religion among those who do not maintain an Uniformity in Practice Men may differ in some outward Religious Observations and Customs and yet agree in the Fundamentals of Faith and Religion Thus did John's Disciples and Christ's the one fasted often the other fasted not Obs 2. In that the Disciples of the Pharisees used to fast as well as John's Disciples We may Learn That Hypocrites and wicked Men may be and sometimes are as strict and forward in the Outward Duties of Religion as the holiest and best of Christians They pray they fast they hear the Word they receive the Sacraments They do yea it may be they out do and go beyond the Sincere Christian in External Duties and outward Performances Obs 3. The defensative Plea which our Blessed Saviour makes for the not fasting of his Disciples he declares that it was neither suitable to them nor tolerable for them thus to fast at present Not suitable in regard of Christ's bodily Presence with them This made it a time of Joy and Rejoicing not of Mourning and Fasting Christ is the Bridegroom and his Church the Bride whilst therefore his Spouse did enjoy his bodily Presence with her it was a Day of Joy and Rejoicing to her and Mourning and Fasting were improper for her But when Christ's bodily Presence shall be removed there will be Cause enough to fast and mourn Again This Discipline of Fasting was not at present tolerable for the Disciples for they were raw green and tender not fit for Austerities nor could bear as yet the Severities of Religion no more than an old Garment could bear a piece of new stiff Cloth to be set into it which will make the Rent worse if the Garment comes to a Stretch Or no more than old Bottles can keep new Wine As if our Saviour had said My Disciples at present are tender and weak newly called and converted they cannot therefore bear the Severities of Religion presently but e're long I shall leave them and go to Heaven from whence I will send down my Holy Spirit upon them which shall enable them to all the Duties which the Gospel enjoins Now the intended Lesson of Instruction from hence is this That it is hurtful and dangerous for young Converts for weak Christians to be put upon the severer Exercises of Religion or to be urged to the Performance of such Duties as are above their Strength But they ought to be handled with that Tenderness which becomes the mild and gentle Dispensation of the Gospel Our Saviour here commends Prudence to his Ministers in treating their People according to their Strength and putting them upon Duties according to their Time and Standing 23 And it came to pass that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath-day and his disciples began as they went to pluck the ears of corn 24 And the Pharisees said unto him Behold why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful 25 And he said unto them Have ye never read what David did when he had need and was an hungered he and they that were with him 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest and did eat the shew-bread which is not lawful to eat but for the priest and gave also to them which were with him 27 And he said unto them The sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath 28 Therefore the son of man is Lord also of the sabbath Obs here 1. The Poverty the low Estate and Condition of Christ's own Disciples in this World they wanted Bread and are forced to pluck the Ears of Corn to satisfie their Hunger God may and sometimes doth suffer his dearest Children to fall into Streights to taste of Want for the Trial of their Faith and Dependance upon his Power and Providence Obs 2. How the Pharisees who accompanied our Saviour only with a Design to cavil at and quarrel with every thing that either he or his Disciples did blame this Action of the Disciples namely their plucking of the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath-day Yet Note First It was not any Theft which the Disciples were charged with for to take in our Necessity so much of our Neighbour's Goods as we may reasonably suppose that if he were present and knew our Circumstances he would give us is no Theft But it is the servile Labour on the Sabbath in gathering the Ears of Corn which the Pharisees scruple Whence
Christ and in the Profession and Practice of the true Religion is a Note indeed of the true Church But Unity in opposing Christ his Person his Doctrine his People is so far from being a Mark of the true Church that it is the Badge of the Antichristian Synagogue Obs 2. The prudent Means which our Saviour uses to preserve himself from the Rage of the Pharisees he withdrew himself from them Christ's Example teaches his Ministers their Duty in a time of Danger to fly from Persecution and to endeavour to preserve their Lives unless when their Sufferings are like to do more Good than their Lives Obs 3. The great Zeal and Forwardness of the People in flocking after our Saviour's Ministry People come now at first from all Places and Countries from Judea from Idumea from beyond Jordan from Tyre and Sidon to hear his Doctrine and see his Miracles The People came from all parts when our Saviour first began to preach His Ministers find it thus At their first coming amongst a People their Labours are most acceptable and they do most Good our Peoples Affections are then warmest and perhaps our own too Obs 4. What sort of People they were which attended thus zealously upon our Saviour's Ministry they were the common and ordinary People the poor received the Gospel whilst the Pharisees and other Men of most Account the mighty the noble and the wise Men after the Flesh despised our Saviour's Person slighted his Ministry and sought his Life The ordinary and meanest sort of People ever have been more zealous and forward in embracing the Gospel than ever the Great the Rich and the Honourable part of the World have been It is a sad but a certain Truth Heaven is a place where few comparatively of the great Men of the World are like to come their Temptations are many their Lusts are strong and their great Estates thro' their own Abuse become Fuel to their Lusts Obs 5. The Behaviour of the unclean Spirits the Devils towards our Saviour and our Saviour's Carriage towards them They fall down at the very sight of him they cry out and confess him to be the Son of God but he sharply Rebukes them and charges them that they should not make him known Not that our Saviour would have the Knowledge of his Person supprest but because the Devils were no fit Persons to preach Jesus Christ A Truth out of the Mouth of the Father of Lies is enough to render Truth it self suspected Besides the time appointed for the full and clear Manifestation of the Godhead of Christ was not yet come This was not to be done till after his Resurrection the Divine Nature was to lye hid under the Veil of Christ's Flesh during his state of Humiliation and Abasement 13 And he goeth up into a mountain and calleth unto him whom he would and they came unto him 14 And he ordained twelve that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils 16 And Simon he sirnamed Peter 17 And James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James and he sirnamed them Boanerges which is The sons of thunder 18 And Andrew and Philip and Bartholomew and Matthew and Thomas and James the son of Alpheus and Thaddeus and Simon the Canaanite 19 And Judas Iscariot which also betrayed him and they went into an house As the Jewish Church arose from Twelve Patriarchs so the Christian Church became planted by Twelve Apostles the Person commissioning them was Christ None may undertake the Work and Calling of the Ministry but those whom Christ appoints and calls The Persons commissioned were Disciples before they were Apostles to teach us That Christ will have such as preach the Gospel to be Disciples before they are Ministers trained up in the Faith and Doctrine of the Gospel before they undertake a publick Charge Observe farther The Holy Preparative which our Saviour uses in order to this Election of his Apostles he goeth up into a Mountain to pray upon that great Occasion So says St. Luke 6.12 He went up into a Mountain to pray and spent the night in Prayer to God And when it was Day he called his Disciples and of them he chose Twelve In this Prayer no doubt he pleaded with his Father to furnish those that were to be sent forth by him with all Ministerial Gifts and Graces Learn thence That as Prayer is a necessary Preparative to all Duties so more especially before the publick Election and Ordination of the Ministers of the Church solemn Prayer is to be used by such as are to ordain and choose them our Lord's Practice is to be a standing Rule herein to all Church Officers Observe again Tho' Christ called his Apostles now yet he did not send them forth now He ordained Twelve that they should be with him That is that they might converse with him and be Eye-witnesses and Ear-witnesses of his Life Doctrine and Miracles And having been thus with Christ and fitted and prepared by him for their Work afterwards they went forth Thence Learn That such as are to take upon them the Office of the Ministry ought first to be fitted and prepared for it then solemnly called to it before they enterprize and undertake the Execution of it if the Apostles here who were called and qualified extraordinarily were to spend some Time with Christ to receive Direction and Instruction from him before they went forth to preach how much more needful is it for such as are ordinarily called to be well-fitted and furnished for the Ministerial Service before they undertake it Observe next How the several Names of the Apostles are here Registred and Recorded God will honour those that honour him and are the special Instruments of his Glory Of these Apostles Peter is named first and Judas last Peter is named first because probably elder than the rest or because for Order-sake he might speak before the rest From whence may be inferr'd a Primacy but no Supremacy a Priority of Order not a Superiority of Degree As the Foreman of a Grand-Jury has a Precedency but no Preheminency he is first in order before the rest but has no Authority or Power over the rest Judas is named last with a Brand of Infamy upon him that he was the Traditor the Person that betrayed his Lord and Master Whence Learn That tho' the Truth of Grace be absolutely necessary to a Minister's Salvation yet the want of it doth not disannul his Office nor hinder the Lawfulness of his Ministry Judas tho' a Traytor was yet a Lawful Minister Observe lastly That our Saviour sirnamed James and John Boanerges Sons of Thunder St. Jerome thinks this Name was given them because being with Christ in the Mount at his Transfiguration they heard the Father's Voice out of the Cloud like Thunder Others think them so called because they were more vehement and earnest than the
and commanded to set them also before them 8 So they did eat and were filled and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand and he sent them away This Chapter begins with the Relation of a famous Miracle wrought by our Saviour Namely His feeding of Four Thousand Persons with Seven Loaves and a few Fishes And here we have observable First The tender Care which Christ took of the Bodies of Men to provide all Necessaries for their Support and Comfort He giveth us Richly all things to enjoy The great House-keeper of the World openeth his Hand and filleth all things living with Plenteousness How careful was our Saviour here that the Bodies of poor Creatures might not faint nor be over weak and weary by the way therefore he would not dismiss them without Refreshment Obs 2. The Original Source and Spring from whence this Care that Christ had of the Multitude did proceed and flow Namely from that Sympathizing Pity and Tender Compassion which the merciful Heart of Christ did bear towards Persons in Distress and Misery Learn thence That the Tender Pity and Compassion of Christ is not the Spring and Fountain of Spiritual Mercies only but of Temporal Blessings also I have Compassion on the Multitude who have nothing to eat Obs 3. How the Disciples not seeing any outward visible Means for the Peoples Support conclude it impossible for so many to be satisfied with the little Supply they had Namely Seven Loaves and a few small Fishes Learn thence That a weak Faith soon grows Thoughtful and sometimes Distrustful at the Sight of Difficulties Whence say the Disciples can these Men be satisfied with Bread Not considering that the Power of God in Blessing our Food is far above the Means of Food It is as easy for him to sustain and nourish us with a little as with much Man liveth not by Bread but by the Blessing of God upon the Bread he eats Obs 4. That although Christ could have fed these Four Thousand without the Loaves yet he takes and makes use of them seeing they might be had Learn thence That Christ did not neglect his own appointed ordinary Means nor do any thing in an extraordinary way farther than was absolutely necessary Christ was above Means and could work without them and when they failed did so But when the Means were at hand he made use of them himself to teach us never to expect That in a way of Miracle which may be come at in a way of Means Obs 5. From our Lord's Example That Religious Custom of begging a Blessing upon our Food before we set down to it and of Receiving the good Creatures of God with Thanksgiving How unworthy is he of the Crumbs that fall from his own Table who with the Swine looks not up unto and takes no thankful Notice of the Hand that feeds him Obs 6. The Certainty and Greatness of the Miracle They did all eat and were filled They did all eat not a Crust of Bread or a bit of Fish but to Satiety and Fulness All that were hungry did eat and all that did eat were satisfied And yet Seven Baskets remain more is left than was at first set on 'T is hard to say which was the greatest Miracle the miraculous Eating or miraculous Leaving If we consider what they eat we may wonder that they left any thing if what they left that they eat any thing Obs Lastly Our Lord's Command to gather up the Fragments Teaches us That we make no waste of the good Creatures of God The Fragments of Fish-Bones and broken Bread must be gathered up The Liberal House-Keeper of the World will not allow the Loss of his Orts. Frugality is a commendable Duty God hath made us Stewards but not absolute Lords of his Blessing We must be accountable to him for all the Instances of his Bounty received from him 10 And straightway he entred into a ship with his disciples and came into the parts of Dalmanutha 11 And the Pharisees came forth and began to question with him seeking of him a sign from Heaven tempting him 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said Why doth this generation seek after a sign Verily I say unto you There shall be no sign given unto this generation 13 And he left them and departed to the other side Obs Here 1. The unreasonable Practice of the wicked Pharisees in asking a Sign of Christ that is some new and extraordinary Miracle to be wrought by him to demonstrate him to be the true and promised Messias But had not our Sâ—viour shewed them Signs enough already What were all the Miracles daily wrought before their Eyes but convincing Signs of his Divine Power But Infidelity mixt with Obstinacy is never satisfied Obj. 2. Our Saviour's Carriage towards these obstinate Pharisees who persisted in their Unbelief He sighed deeply in his Spirit and mourn'd for the Hardness of their Heart Learn thence That to grieve and mourn for the Sins of others to be affected with them and deeply afflicted for them is a gracious and Christ-like Temper It is not sufficient to make an outward shew of grieving for others Sins but we ought to lay them to Heart and to be inwardly afflicted for them Jesus sighed deeply in his Spirit Obs 3. A sharp Reproof given by our Saviour to them at the same time that our Saviour did inwardly grieve for the Pharisees Wickedness he did openly reprove them for it It is not sufficient that we mourn for the Sins of others but we must prudently reprove them as Occasion is offered and our Calling requireth Obs 4. The Sin which the Pharisees are reproved for namely for seeking after a Sign That is for demanding new Miracles after he had wrought so many before their Eyes to prove the Divinity of his Person Learn thence That it is a Sin for any to require new Signs and Miracles for the Confirmation of That Doctrine which has been already sufficiently confirm'd by Miracles Yea an heinous Sin which deserveth a sharp Reproof and Censure Observe Lastly Our Saviour's peremptory Denyal of the Pharisees presumptuous Request There shall be no Sign given to this Generation That is no such Sign or Miracles as they desire and would have No Sign or Miracle shall be wrought at their Motion and Sute although after this Christ of his own Accord and at his own Pleasure wrought many Miracles before their Eyes Such as wilfully harden themselves against the Light of their own Consciences are righteously delivered up to Hardness of Heart and final Impenitency These Hypocritical Pharisees shut their Eyes against the most convictive Evidence and they are given up to their own Obstinacy Our Saviour left them and departed 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf 15 And he charged them saying Take heed beware of the leaven of
could not Christ have Risen without the Angels Help yes doubtless he that Raised himself could surely have Rolled away the Stone but God thinks fit to send an Officer from Heaven to open the Prison-door of the Grave and by setting our Surety at Liberty proclaims our Debt to the Divine Justice fully satisfied Besides it was fit that the Angels who had been Witnesses of our Saviour's Passion should also be Witnesses of his Resurrection Observe 2. Our Lord's Resurrection declared He is Risen he is not here Almighty God never intended that the darling of his Soul should be left in an obscure Sepulchre He is not here said the Angel where you laid him where you left him Death has lost its Prey and the Grave has lost its Prisoner Observe 3. It is not said He is not here for he is Raised but he is Risen the word imports the Active Power of Christ or the self-quickning Principle by which Christ Raised himself from the Dead Acts 1.3 He shewed himself alive after his Passion Hence Learn That it was the Divine Nature or Godhead of Christ which Raised the Humane Nature from Death to Life others were Raised from the Grave by Christ's Power but he Raised himself by his own Power Observe 4. The Testimony or Witness given of our Lord's Resurrection that of an Angel in Humane Shape A young man cloathed in a long white Garment But why is an Angel the first Publisher of our Saviour's Resurrection Surely the Dignity of our Lord's Person and the Excellency of his Resurrection required that it should be thus Published How very serviceable and officious the Holy Angels were in Attending upon our Saviour in the days of his Flesh see in the Note on Mat. 28.6 7. Observe 5. The Persons to whom our Lord's Resurrection was first declared and made known to Women to the two Mary's But why to Women and why to these Women why to Women because God will make choice of weak Means for producing great Effects knowing that the weakness of the Instrument redounds to the greater honour of the Agent In the whole dispensation of the Gospel God intermixes Divine Power with Humane Weakness Thus the conception of Christ was by the power of the Holy Ghost but his Mother a poor Woman a Carpenters Spouse so the crucifixion of Christ was in much meanness and outward baseness being crucified between two Thieves But the powers of Heaven and Earth trembling the Rocks rending the Graves opening shewed a mixture of Divine Power Thus here God will honour what instruments he pleases for the accomplishment of his own purposes but why to these Women the two Marys is the first discovery made of our Saviours Resurrection possibly it was a reward for their magnanimity and masculine Courage these Women clave to Christ when the Apostles forsook him they assisted at his Cross they attended at his Funeral they waited at his Sepulchre these Women had more Courage than the Apostles therefore God makes them Apostles to the Apostles This was a tacite Rebuke a secret check given to the Apostles that they should be thus out done by Women these holy Women went before the Apostles in the last Services that were done for Christ and therefore the Apostles here come after them in their Rewards and Comforts Obs 6. The Evidence which the Angels offers to the Women to evince and prove the verity and certainty of our Saviour's Resurrection namely by an appeal to their senses behold the place where they laid him the senses when rightly disposed are the proper judges of all sensible Objects and accordingly Christ himself did appeal to his Disciples senses concerning the Truth of his own Resurrection Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self and indeed if we must not believe our Senses we shall want the best external Evidence for the proof of the certainty and truth of the Christian Religion namely the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles For what Assurance can we have of the reallity of those Miracles but from our Senses therefore says our Saviour if ye believe not me yet believe the works that I do that is the Miracles which I have wrought before your Eyes Now as my Senses tell me that Christ's Miracles were true so they assure me that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false From the whole Note That the the Lord Jesus Christ by the Omnipotent Power of his Godhead revived and rose again from the dead the third day to the Terror and Consternation of his Enemies and the unspeakable joy and consolation of Believers Observe lastly the quick dispatch made of the joyful news of our Lord's Resurrection to the sorrowful Disciples go tell the Disciples says the Angel go tell my Brethren says Christ Matth. 28.10 Christ might have said go tell those Apostate Apostles that cowardly left me in my danger that durst not own me in the High-priests Hall that durst not come within the shadow of my Cross nor within sight of my Sepulchre not a word of this by way of upbraiding them for their late shameful Cowardize but all words of Kindness Go tell my Brethren where Note That Christ calls them Brethren after his Resurrection and Exaltation thereby shewing that the change of his condition had wrought no change in his Affection towards his poor Disciples but those that were his Brethren before in the time of his Abasement are so still after his Exaltation and Advancement Go tell my Brethren says Christ Go tell my Disciples and Peter says the Angel Where Note That St. Peter is here particularly named not because of his primacy and superiority over the rest of the Apostles as the Church of Rome would have it but because he had denied Christ and for that denial was swallowed up with sorrow and stood most in need of comfort therefore says Christ by the Angel speak particularly to Peter be sure that his sad heart be comforted with this joyful news that he may know that I am friends with him notwithstanding his late Cowardize Tell the Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee but why into Galilee because Jerusalem was now a forsaken place a people abandoned to destruction but Galilee was a place where Christ's Ministry was more acceptable Such places shall be most Honoured with Christ's presence where his Gospel is most accepted 9 Now when Jesus was risen from the dead early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven Devils 10 And she went and told them that had been with him as they mourned and wept 11 And they when they had heard that he was alive and had been seen of her believed not 12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked and went into the Country 13 And they went and told it unto the residue neither believed they them 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and
Submission and intire Resignation to the Divine pleasure to be disposed of by God as he thought fit Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word We hear of no more Objections or Interrogations but an humble and submissive Silence Learn hence that a Gracious Heart when once it understands the pleasure of God argues no farther but quietly Rests in a Believing Expectation of what God will do All disputations with God after his Will is made known and understood arise from Infidelity and Unbelief The Virgin having thus Consented instantly Conceived by the Over-shadowing Power of the Holy Ghost 39 And Mary arose in those days and went into the Hill-country with haste into a City of Judah 40 And entred into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth 41 And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the Salutation of Mary the babe leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost 42 And she spake out with aloud voice and said Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb 43 And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me 44 For lo as soon as the voice of thy Salutation sounded in mine ears the babe leaped in my womb for joy 45 And blessed is she that believed for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. Observe here 1. The Visit made by the Virgin Mary to her Cousin Elizabeth The Holy Virgin had understood by the Angel that Elizabeth was no less akin to her in Condition than in Relation being both Fruitful in Conception she hastens into the Hill-country to Visit that Holy Matron The Two Wonders of the World were now met under one Roof to Congratulate their mutual Happiness only the meeting of the Saints in Heaven can parallel the meeting of these two Saints on Earth Obs 2. The design and intention of this Visit which was partly to Communicate their Joys each to other and partly to strengthen the Faith of each other Such a Soul as has Christ Spiritually Conceived in it is restless and cannot be quiet till it has imparted its joy Obs 3. The effect of the Virgins Salutation She had no sooner Saluted Elizabeth but the babe in Elizabeths womb leaped for joy doing homage and paying adoration to his Lord who was then in presence If Elizabeth and her holy Babe thus rejoyced when Christ came under their Roof how should our Hearts leap within us when the Son of God vouchsafes to come into the Secret of our Souls not to visit us for an hour but to dwell with us yea to dwell in us and that for ever Obs 4. How Elizabeth by an extraordinary Spirit of Prophecy confirms what the Angel before had told the Holy Virgin Blessed says she art thou among Women and Blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb and what an honour is this that the Mother of my Lord should come to me Where Note How Elizabeth acknowledgeth the Incarnation of Christ and the Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in the person of the Mediator She acknowledges Christ her Lord and Mary to be the Mother of the Son of God Obs Lastly How the Virgin is pronounced Blessed not so much for carrying Christ in her Womb by sense as for bearing him in her Heart by Faith Blessed is she that believed Mary was not so Blessed in bringing forth Christ as in Believing in him yet the Believing here mentioned I take to be her firm assent to the Message which was brought her by the Angel as if Elizabeth had said Dumbness was inflicted on my Husband for his Unbelief of what the Angel said but Blessed art thou that didst believe the Angel My Husband a Man an aged Man a learned and eminent Man a Priest of the most High God and the Message to him of more appearing possibility yet he disbelieved But thou a Woman a mean unlearned Woman of a private Condition and the Message brought most incredible both to Nature and Reason and yet is it believed by thee Blessed therefore is she that believed and know that as a Reward for thy Faith all things shall certainly be performed that were foretold thee from the Lord Learn hence 1. It is the Property of God to do Great and Wonderful things Our Faith must be Great and our Expectation great great Expectations from God Honour the greatness of God 3. If our Faith be Great God's performances will be gracious and full Blessed is she that believed for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 46 And Mary said My soul doth magnify the Lord. 47 And my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maiden for behold from hence-forth all Generations shall call me Blessed 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things and holy is his name 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts 52 He hath put down the mighty from their Seats and exalted them of low degree 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy 55 As he spake to our Fore-fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever This is the first Canticle or Song of praise Recorded in the New Testament composed by the Blessed Virgin with unspeakable Joy for designing her to be the Instrument of the Conception and Birth of the Saviour of the World Where Observe 1. The manner of her Praise her Soul and Spirit bear their part in the work of Thanksgiving My Soul doth magnify my Spirit hath rejoyced As the sweetest Musick is made in the Belly of the Instrument so the most delightful praise arises from the bottom of the Heart Obs 2. The object of her praise she doth not magnify her self but the Lord yea she doth not Rejoice so much in her Son as in her Saviour Where Note 1. That she doth implicitly own and confess her self a Sinner for none need a Saviour but a Sinner And 2. by rejoycing in Christ as her Saviour she declares how she valued her self rather by her spiritual Relation to Christ as his Member than by her natural Relation to him as his Mother according to that of St. Austin Beatior Fuit Maria percipiendo Christi fidem quam concipiendo Carnem She might have been miserable notwithstanding she bore him as her Son had she not Believed in him as her Saviour therefore she sings my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Obs 3. How she admires and magnifies God's peculiar favour towards her self in casting an eye upon her Poverty and lowly Condition that she a poor obscure Maid unknown to the World should be lookt upon
Saviour which is Christ the Lord. 13 And suddenly there was with the Angels a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying 14 Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards Men. Although the Birth of our Blessed Saviour was published by one Angel yet is it Celebrated by an Host of Angels the whole Quire of Angels chaunt forth the Praises of Almighty God upon this great and joyful Occasion Here Observe 1. the Singers 2. the Song it self The Singers of this Heavenly Anthem are the holy Angels called an Host partly for their number partly for their Order where Learn 1. The goodness and sweet disposition of these Blessed Spirits in whose Bosoms that Cankered passion of Envy has no place if it had there was never such an occasion to stir it up as now But Heaven admits of no such Passion Envy is a Native of Hell 't is the smoke of the Bottomless Pit the character and temper of the Apostate spirits these grieve at the Happiness of Man as much as the Angels rejoyce O ye Blessed Angels what did these Tidings concern you that ruin'd Mankind should be taken again into favour whereas those of your own Host which fell likewise remained still in that gulph of Perdition into which their Sin had plung'd them without either hope of Mercy or possibility of Recovery The less we repine at the Good and the more we rejoyce at the Happiness of others the more like we are to the Holy Angels yea the more we resemble God himself Learn 2. Did the Angels thus joy and rejoice for us then what joy ought we to express for our selves Had we the Tongue of Angels we could not sufficiently chaunt forth the Praises of our Redeemer Eternity it self it will be too short to spend in the Rapturous Contemplation of Redeeming Mercy Obs 2. The Anthem or Song it self which begins with a Doxology Glory be to God in the Highest that is let God in the highest Heavens be glorified by the Angels that dwell on high The Angelical Quire excite themselves and all the Host of Angels to give glory to God for these wonderful Tidings as if they had said let the Power the Wisdom the Goodness and Mercy of God be acknowledged and revered by all the Host of Heaven for ever and ever Next to the Doxology follows a Gratulation Glory be to God in the Highest for there is peace on earth and good will towards men The Birth of Christ has brought a peace of Reconciliation betwixt GOD and Man upon Earth and also a peace of amity and concord betwixt man and man and is therefore to be Celebrated with Acclamations of joy 15 And it came to pass as the Angels were gone away from them into Heaven the Shepherds said one to another let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass which the Lord hath made known unto us 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger 17 And when they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the Shepherds 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart Several particulars are here observeable as 1. That the Shepherds no sooner hear the News of a Saviour but they run to Bethlehem to seek him And tho' it was at Midnight yet they delayed not to go Those that lest their Beds to attend their Flocks now leave their Flocks to enquire after their Saviour Learn thence That a gracious Soul no sooner hears where Christ is but instantly makes out after him and judges no earthly Comfort too dear to be left and forsaken for him These Shepherds shew That they preferred their Saviour before their Sheep Obs 2. These Shepherds having found Christ themselves do make him known to others v. 17. When they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child Learn That such as have found Christ to their comfort and tasted that the Lord is Gracious themselves cannot but recommend him to the love and admiration of others Obs 3. What effect this relation had upon the generality of people that heard it It wrought in them amazement and astonishment but not Faith The people wondered but not Believed 'T is not the hearing of Christ with the hearing of the Ear nor the seeing of Christ with the sight of the outward Eye neither the hearing of his Doctrine nor the sight of his Miracles will work divine Faith in the Soul without the concurring Operation of the holy Spirit the one may make us marvel but the other makes us Believe All that heard it wondered at these things Lastly Note The effect which these things had upon Mary quite different from what they had upon the common people they wondered she pondered the things that affected their Heads influenced her Heart she kept all these things and pondered them in her heart 21 And when eight days were accomplished for the Circumcision of the child his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the womb Two things are here Observable our Saviour's Circumcision and the name given him at his Circumcision There was no impurity in the Son of God and yet is he Circumcised and Baptised also tho' he had neither filth nor foreskin which wanted either the Circumcising Knife or the Baptismal Water yet he condescends to be both Circumcised and Baptized thereby shewing that as he was made of a Woman so he would be made under the Law which he punctually observed to a tittle And accordingly he was not only Circumcised but Circumcised the eighth day as the ceremonial Law required and thus our Lord fulfilled all Righteousness St. Matth. 3.15 Obs 2. The Name given at our Saviour's Circumcision his name was called Jesus that is a Saviour he being to save his people from their sins St. Matth. 1.21 The great End of Christ's coming into the World was to save Persons from the punishment and power of their Sins Had not he saved us from our Sins we must have dyed in our Sins and dyed for our Sins and that Eternally Never let us then sit down desponding either under the Guilt or under the power of our Sins and conclude that they are either so great that they cannot be forgiven or so strong that they can never be overcome 22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 As it is written in the Law of the Lord every male that openeth the womb shall be called Holy to the Lord. 24 And to offer a Sacrifice according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord a pair of Turtle Doves or two young Pidgeons A Twofold
Spouse the Church 2. That this Bridegroom was to be taken away 3. That because of the Bridegroom's Removal the Church did shall and must fast The days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away and then shall they fast Again our Saviour declares that this Discipline of fasting was not at present tolerable for his Disciples for they were at present but raw green and tender unable to bear the Severities and rigours of Religion any more then an old garment can bear a piece of new cloath to be set into it or any more than old Bottles can bear new Wine to be put into them The sense of our Saviour's words seems to be this My Disciples at present are tender and weak newly called and converted they cannot therefore at present undergo the austerities of Religion fastings weepings and watchings but e're long I shall leave them and go to Heaven from whence I will send down my Holy Spirit upon them which shall enable them to all the Duties that the Gospel enjoins The Lesson of Instruction which we may profitably gather from hence is this That it is hurtful and dangerous for young converts for weak Christians to be put upon the severer Exercises of Religion or to be urged to the performance of such Duties as are above their strength but they ought to be treated with that tenderness which becomes the mild and gentle dispensation of the Gospel Our Saviour says one doth here commend prudence to his Ministers in treating their people according to their strength and putting them upon Duties according to their Time and Standing we must consult what Progress our People have made in Christianity and manage accordingly CHAP. VI. 1 AND it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the First that he went thro' the Corn-fields and his Disciples plucked the ears of Corn and did eat rubbing them in their hands 2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath-day 3 And Jesus answering said unto them Have ye not read so much as this what David did when himself was an hungred and they which were with him 4 How he went into the House of God and did take and eat the Shewbread and gave also to them that were with him which is not lawful to eat but for the Priests alone 5 And he said unto them that the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath In the former part of this chapter we find our blessed Saviour defending his Disciples from the clamorous accusations of the Pharisees for breaking the Sabbath-day because they plucked the ears of Corn and rubbed them in their hands in order to the satisfying of their Hunger Where Note 1. The great Poverty the low estate and condition of Christ's own Disciples in the World They wanted Bread and are forced to pluck the ears of Corn to satisfy their hunger God may and sometimes does suffer his dearest children to fall into streights and to taste of want for the Tryal of their Faith and Dependance upon his power and Goodness Note 2. How the hypocritical Pharisees blame this Action of the Disciples namely their plucking of the Ears of Corn yet did they not charge them with Theft for so doing because to take in our great Necessity so much of our Neighbour's Goods as we may reasonably suppose that if he were present and knew our Circumstances he would not deny us is not Theft But it was the servile Labours on the Sabbath in gathering the Ears of Corn which the Pharisees Scruple and Object against Where Note How Hypocrites expend their Zeal in and upon the lesser things of the Law whilst they neglect the greater placing all Holiness in the observation of outward Ceremonies whilst they neglect moral Duties Note 3. The Argument with which our Saviour defends this action of his Disciples it is taken from the example of David Necessity freed him from fault and blame in eating the Consecrated Bread which none but the Priests might lawfully eat For in cases of Necessity a Ceremonial Precept must give place to a moral Duty Works of mercy for the preserving our Lives and the better fitting us for Sabbath-services are certainly lawful on the Sabbath-day Note Lastly The Argument which our Saviour uses to prove the Sabbath's Observation may be dispens'd with in a case of absolute Necessity and that is drawn from that Authority which Christ the Institutor and Lord of the Sabbath had over it The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath that is he has Authority and Power as God and as Mediator to institute and appoint a Sabbath to alter and change it to dispense with the breach of it upon a just and great occasion and consequently acts of Mercy which tend to fit us for works of Piety not only may but ought to be done upon the Sabbath-day This Action of the Disciples being of that Nature is without just cause censured and condemned by the Pharisees a sort of Men who were resolved to cavil at and quarrel with whatever our Saviour or his Disciples either did or said 6 And it came to pass on another Sabbath that he entered into the Synagogue and taught and there was a man whose right hand was withered 7 And the Scribes and Pharisees watched him whether he would heal on the Sabbath-day that they might find an accusation against him 8 But he knew their thoughts and said to the man which had the withered hand rise up and stand forth in the midst and he arose and stood forth 9 Then said Jesus unto them I will ask you one thing Is it lawful on the Sabbath-day to do good or to do evil to save life or to destroy it 10 And looking round about them all he said unto the man stretch forth thy hand and he did so and his hand was restored whole as the other 11 And they were filled with madness and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus Observe here 1. The miraculous cure which our Saviour wrought upon the man which had the withered hand and 2. The effect which this Miracle had upon the wicked Pharisees in the former Note the place where our Saviour wrought this Miracle in the Synagogue the Time when on the Sabbath-day the manner how by speaking of a word the persons before whom namely the envious and malicious Pharisees These men were always slandering Christ's Doctrine and cavilling at his Miracles yet does our Holy Lord go on with his Work before their Faces without Discouragement Learn thence That the unjust censures and malicious cavils of wicked men against us for well-doing must not discourage us from doing our Duty either towards God or towards our Neighbour Altho' the Pharisees watcht our Saviour wherever he went and when they could find no occasion of quarrel would invent and make one yet such was our Lord's courage and resolution that he bids the man which had the withered
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
but not improved them Learn hence 1. That Gospel-Ordinances enjoyed are a mighty Honour and Advancement to the poorest Persons and obscurest Places Thou Capernaum art exalted to Heaven 2. That Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges enjoyed but not improved provoke Almighty God to inflict the soarest of Judgments upon a People Thou that art exalted to Heaven shalt be thrust down to Hell 16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Here our Saviour encourages his Ministers to Faithfulness in their Office by assuring them that he should reckon and esteem all the kindness shewn to them as done unto himself He that receiveth you receiveth me he that despiseth you despiseth me Where Note That all the Offices of Love and Respect of Kindness and Charity which we shew to the Ministers or Members of Christ for his sake Christ reckons it as done unto himself 17 And the seventy returned again with joy saying Lord even the Devils are Subject unto us thro' thy Name 18 And he said unto them I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven Obs here 1. The Seventy Disciples return to give Christ an account of the Success of their Expedition they return as Victors with joy and triumph shewing Christ the Trophies of their Conquest Lord the Devils are subject unto us thro' thy Name the Weapons of their warfare were not carnal but Spiritual and Mighty through Christ the Powers of Darkness cannot stand but must fall before the power of Christ the Devils are no match for Christ no nor for the meanest of the Ministers of Christ who go forth in his Name armed with his Authority and Power Observe 2. our Saviour's Reply to the Seventy Disciples upon this occasion I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven a Two-fold Interpretation is given of which words 1. Some look upon them as a Secret Rebuke given by our Saviour to the Seventy for that excess of joy and mixture of vain-glory which was found with them upon the account of those extraordinary Gifts and Abilities of casting out Devils and healing Diseases which were conferr'd upon them I beheld Satan says Christ falling like Lightning from Heaven as if Christ had said Take heed of being puft up with Pride upon the account of those Endowments which I have bestowed upon you Remember Lucifer the Prince of Pride how he fell from Heaven by his Arrogancy and Labour you to ascend thither by Humility The words in this sense afford this Instruction That those whom Christ has bestowed the greatest measure of Spiritual Graces Ministerial Gifts and Temporal Blessings upon ought to be very watchful against that hateful Sin of Pride which has ruin'd and destroy'd so many Thousands of Angels and Men. 2. Some understand this Fall of Satan not Literally but Figuratively and Mystically of his Ruine by the Power and Preaching of the Gospel as if Christ had said I know that this is no vain boast of yours no vaunt nor brag of your Valour that Devils are conquer'd by your Courage for when I first sent you forth to preach the Gospel and armed you with Divine Power I easily foresaw that the Devils Kingdom would shake about his Ears and that his Power would be ruin'd by the Power of the Gospel and that wherever you Preached Satans Strength and Power should vanish like a Flash of Lightning suddenly and irrevocably Learn hence That the powerful and efficacious Preaching of the Gospel is the special means ordained and appointed by Christ for the Ruine and Subversion of Satans Kingdom in the World as the Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation to them that believe and obey it so it is the Power of God unto Destruction to Satan and all that fight under his Banner against it 19 Behold I give you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the Enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you Our Lord finding that his Seventy Ambassadors had managed their former Commission so well he here enlargeth it adding thereunto a promise of Divine Protection Behold I give you power to tread on Serpents and nothing shall hurt you as if Christ had said Go forth again in this Armour of Power with which I have girt you and I warrant you Sword-free and Shot-free nothing shall by any means hurt you neither Strength nor Stratagem shall overcome you neither the Power the Presence nor Protection of God shall be wanting to any of Christ's Ministers or Members who go forth in his Strength against the Spiritual Enemies of their Salvation As we have a Promise of Power in this Text to enable us to resist the Devil so we have a Promise of Success elsewhere upon our Resisting of him Resist the Devil and he will flee from you St. James 4.7 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the Spirits are Subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven In these words of our Saviour there is something Corrective and something Directive the corrective part lies in the first words wherein Christ checks the suspected excesses of their joy for Victories gained over Evil Spirits in this Rejoyce not that is lâ—t not your Hearts too much over-flow with joy upon this occasion the Negation is not absolute but comparative only Christ doth not forbid but only qualify and moderate their joy That the Spirits are subject to you that is the Devils Where Note 1. That tho' the Evil Angels by their Fall have lost their happy Condition yet not their original Constitution their Honour but not their Nature they are Spirits still 2. The Subjection of those Evil Spirits to the Power of Christ is not a free and professed but an involuntary and imposed Subjection like that of a slave to his Lord whether he will or no. Learn hence 1. That Evil Spirits are Subject to the Power of Christ not only to his personal but to his Ministerial Power 2. That it is matter of great joy to see Evil Spirits brought into Subjection by the Power of Christ to see the Evil Spirit of Pride and Contention of Envy and Malice of Error and Falshood of Jealousy and Self-love of Animosity and Division not only chained but changed to see not only an unwilling Subjection but a Subjection of the Will given to Christ is matter of great Joy and unspeakable Rejoycing The Directive part of our Saviour's Words lies in the latter part of the Verse But rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven There are no literal Records in the Court of Heaven no Pen or Ink Paper or Parchment but to be written in Heaven is to have a Title to Eternal Life and to be made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Learn 1. That God has in Heaven a Book of Life a Book written with the Golden Rays and Beams of his own Eternal Love Observe 2. That there are Names
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
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
our Saviour against the Scribes and Pharisees is for perverting the Holy Scriptures and keeping the true sense and knowledge of them from the People This St. Luke here calls The taking away the Key of Knowledge from Men alluding to a custom among the Jews in Admission of their Doctors Those that had Authority given them to interpret the Law and the Prophets were solemnly admitted into that Office by delivering to them a Key and a Table-Book so that by the Key of Knowledge is meant the Interpretation and Understanding of the Scriptures and by taking away that Key is signified 1. That they arrogated to themselves the sole Power of Understanding and Interpreting the Holy Scriptures 2. That they kept the true knowledge of the Scriptures from the People especially the Prophecies which concerned the Kingdom and Coming of the Messias and so they hindered Men from embracing our Saviour's Doctrine who were otherwise well enough disposed for it Learn First That the written Word is the Key whereby an entrance into Heaven is opened unto Men. 2. That the use of this Key or the Knowledge of the Word of God is absolutely and indispensably necessary in order to Salvation 3. That great is the Guilt and inexcusable the Fault of those who deny the People the use of this Key and deprive them of the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures which alone can make them wise unto Salvation 4. That such as do so shut the Kingdom of Heaven against Men endeavouring what in them lies to hinder their Salvation Men may miscarry with their Knowledge but they are sure to perish for lack of Knowledge 53 And as he said these things unto them the Scribes and Pharisees began to urge him vehemently and to provoke him to speak of many things 54 Laying wait for him and seeking to catch something out of his mouth that they might accuse him Observe here 1. How our Blessed Saviour's Plain and Faithful dealing with these Men does Enrage instead of Reform them they are filled with Anger and Indignation 2. Their Wrath sets their Wits on Work to ensnare him Lord When any of thy Faithful Ministers and Ambassadors meet with the like Usage and Treatment from a wicked World when any lye in wait to catch something out of our Mouth that therewith they may ensnare us give us thy Prudence and thy Patience that we may cut off occasion from those that seek occasion against us and disappoint them of their purpose or else furnish us with such measures of Meekness and Patience as becomes Persons of our Holy Character and Profession that we may Glory in Reproaches in Persecutions and Distresses for Christ's sake and that the Spirit of Glory and of God may rest upon us CHAP. XII 1 IN the mean time when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people insomuch that they trode one upon another he began to say unto his Disciples first of all Beware ye of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisy 2 For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed neither hid that shall not be known 3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the house tops In this Chapter our Blessed Saviour furnishes his Disciples with many Instructions for the worthy discharge of their Function in Preaching the Gospel particularly he recommends unto them two gracious Qualifications namely uprightness and sincerity v. 1 2 3. Secondly Courage and Magnanimity v. 4 5. 1. He recommends unto them the Grace and Vertue of Sincerity Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy Learn thence That hypocrisy is a dangerous Leaven which Ministers and People are chiefly and especially to beware of and to preserve themselves from Hypocrisy is a Vice in a Vizor the Face is Vice the Vizor is Vertue God is pretended self intended Hypocrisy is resembled to Leaven partly for its sowerness partly for its diffusiveness Leaven is a piece of sower dow that diffuses it self into the whole Mass or Lump of Bread with which it is mixed Thus Hypocrisy spreads over all the Man all his Duties Parts and Performances are Leavened with it Again Leaven is of a swelling as well as of a spreading Nature it puffs up the Dough and so doth Hypocrisy the Heart The Pharisees were a sour and proud sort of People they were all for preheminence chief places chief Seats chief Titles to be called Rabbi Rabbi in a word as Leaven is hardly discerned from good Dough at first sight so is Hypocrisy hardly discerned and distinguished from Sincerity The Pharisees outwardly appeared righteous unto Men but within were full of Hypocrisy and Iniquity Observe next the Argument which Christ uses to disswade Men from Hypocrisy There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed as if he had said the day is coming when a rotten and corrupt Heart shall no longer pass under the Vizor and disguise of a demure Look In the day of Judgment Hypocritical sinners shall walk naked GOD Angels and Men shall see their Shame Learn hence That God will certainly e're long wash off all the Varnish and Paint which the Hypocrite has put upon the Face of his Profession and lay him open to the Terrour of himself and the Astonishment of the World 4 And I say unto you my friends Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and after that have no power that they can do 5 But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him The Second Duty which our Saviour presses upon his Disciples is that of Holy Courage and Resolution As if Christ had said The Preaching of the Gospel will stir up many Enemies against you which will malign and oppose you vex and persecute you but I say unto you fear them not who can only kill the Body but fear him who if you fail in your Duty can cast both Body and Soul into Hell Here Note 1. an unwarrantable fear condemned and that is the sinful servile slavish fear of Man Fear not them that can kill the Body 2. An holy awful and prudential fear of the Omnipotent God commended Fear him that is able to kill both Body and Soul 3. The Persons whom this Duty of fear is recommended to and bound upon Disciples Ministers and Ambassadors all the Friends of Christ They not only may but ought to fear him not only for his greatness and goodness but upon the account of his punitive Justice as being able to cast both Soul and Body into Hell Such a fear is not only Lawful but Lawdable not only Commendable but Commanded and not misbecoming the Friends of Christ The Ministers of God may use Arguments from fear of Judgments both to disswade from Sin and to perswade to Duty It is not unsuitable to the best of Saints
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
measures of Wheat and he said unto him Take thy Bill and write Fourscore Our Lord begins this Chapter with the Parable of a rich Mans Steward who being called upon by his Master to give up his Accounts in order to his being discharged from his Office cast about with himself what Course he had best take to provide for his Subsistence when he should be turned out of his Employment at last he resolves upon this Course That he will go to his Lord's Debtors and take a favourable Account of them writing down Fifty for an Hundred that by this means he might oblige them to be kind to him in his Necessity this is the Sum of the Parable Now the Scope and Design of it is this To exhort all Men that are entrusted by God here with Estates Honours and Authority to make use of all these unto Spiritual Ends the Glory of God and the Benefit of others for we are not Proprietors and Owners but Stewards only of the manifold Gifts of God and must be accountable unto him for all at last but in the mean time to use imploy and improve our Lord's Goods to the best Advantage for our selves whilst we are entrusted with them this is the Scope of the Parable Now the Observations from it are these 1. That all Persons even the highest and greatest of Persons are but Stewards of the good things of God 2. That our Stewardship must and shall have an End we shall not be always nay we shall not be long Stewards 3. That when we are put out of our Stewardship we must give an Aâ—count of our Carriage therâ—in and the greater our Trust was the heavier will our Beckâ—ning be 4. That therefore it will be our highest Prudence whilst we are entrusted with our Masters Goods so to usâ— and improve them as may make most for our Comfort and Advantage when we give up our Account 8 And the Lord commended the unjust Steward because he had doâ—e wisely for the Children of this world are in their generation wiser than the Children of Light The Steward here is Commended not for his dishonesty but for his policy shrewdness and sagacity having done cunningly for himself tho' knavishly for his Master from whence our Saviour draws this Conclusion That the Children of this World are in their generation wiser than the Children of Light Hence Note That the generality of Men are not so wise and provident for the Soul and the Concernments of another World as Worldly Men are for the Interests and Concerns of this Life It is seldom seen that good Men are so wise for the Concerns of their Souls as Worldly Men are for their Worldly Interests 9 And I say unto you make unto your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Here our Saviour makes Application of the foregoing Parable to his Disciples Where Note 1. The Title given by our Saviour to Wealth and Riches he calls it Mammon and Mammon of Vnrighteousness Mammon was the Name given by the Heathen to the God of Riches the Mammon of Unrighteousness is Riches unrighteously gotten 2. The advice given by our Saviour to the Men of Wealth Make to your selves Friends of the Mammon of unrighteousâ—ess that is make God your Friend by a Charitable Distribution that he may bless you make the Poor your Friends that they may unitedly engage their Prayers for you make your own Consciences your Friends that they may not reproach and shame you sting and torment you 3. Observe the Argument used to excite the Rich to this Improvement of their Wealth That when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting Habitations when ye fail that is when ye dye and your Riches fail you and can stand you in no farther stead they may receive you What they Some understand it of the Holy Trinity others of the Blessed Angels whose Office it is to convoy the Charitable and good Mans Soul to Heaven its Eternal Habitation Some understand it of Riches themselves they may receive you that is your Estates laid out for God in Works of Piety and Charity may enter before you into Heaven and open the Gate of Eternal Life for you not in a way of Merit but in a way of Means Lastly They may receive you Some understand it of the poor themselves whose Bowels our Charity have Refresh'd that they will welcome us to Heaven and receive us with joyful Acclamations into the Eternal Mansions which are prepared for the Merciful 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much 11 If therefore ye have not been Faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your Trust the true Riches 12 And if ye have not been Faithful in that which is another mans who shall give you that which is your own 13 No Servant can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon 14 And the Pharisees also who were Covetous heard these things and they derided him Our Blessed Saviour having declared to his Followers in the foregoing Verses the great advantage they shall reap by a charitable Distribution of Temporal good things he acquaints them in these Verses with the great Detriment and Disadvantage that will redound to them if they do otherwise 1. If they be not Faithful in right employing temporal Riches they must not expect that God will intrust them with Spiritual and Heavenly which are the true Riches God will deal with his Servants as we deal with ours never trust them with much whom we find unfaithful in a little 2. If they be not faithful in the improvement of these outward things which God intrusts them with but for a time and must shortly leave them to others how can they expect that God should give them those Spiritual good things which shall never be taken away from them to whom they are given Where Note 1. That the Riches we have are called not our own but another Mans If ye have not been faithful in that which is another mans Because God has not made us Proprietors but dispensers not owners but Stewards of these things we have them for others and must leave them to others we are only Trustees for the Poor if much be put into our hands it is to dispense to others according to our Masters Order let us be Faithful then in that which is another Mans that is with what God puts into our hand for the Benefit of others 2. Note That tho' our Gifts are not our own yet Grace or Spiritual Goods are our own others may have all the Benefit of our Gifts but we shall have the benefit and comfort of our own Grace this Treasure we cannot leave to others and it shall never be taken away
from our selves Note 3. That God is just and will be eternally justified in denying his special Grace to those who do not make use of his common Gifts would Men be Faithful in improving a little GOD would intrust them with more did they not abuse the Trust of his common Gifts he would not deny them the Treasure of his Saving Grace called here the true Riches 13 No servant can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon Observe here a Two-fold Master spoken of GOD and the World GOD is our Master by Creation Preservation and Redemption he has appointed us our Work and secured us our Wages the World is become our Master by Intrusion Usurpation and a general Estimation too many esteeming it as their chief Good and delighting in it as their chief Joy Observe 2. That no Man can serve these two Masters who are of contrary Interests and issue out contrary Commands when two Masters are Subordinate and their Commands subservient each to other the difficulty of serving both is not great But where Commands interfere and Interests clash it is impossible no Man can serve GOD and the World but he may serve GOD with the World we may be served of Riches and yet serve God but we cannot serve Riches but we must disserve God we cannot serve GOD and the World both and seek them as our chief Good and ultimate End because no Man can divide his Heart betwixt GOD and the World Learn hence That to Love the World as our chief Good to seek it as our highest Interest and to serve it as our chief Commander cannot stand with the Love and Service which we bear and owe to God our Maker The World's Slaves whilst such can be none of God's free Men. 14 And the Pharisees also who were Covetous heard these things and they derided him The Pharisees were notoriously addicted to the sin of Covetousness accounting no Men happy but them that were rich and because the Promises made to the Jews were generally tho' not only of Temporal Blessings they look'd upon Poverty as a Curse and esteemed the Poor Accursed John 7.49 These Pharisees hearing their Covetousness reproved and the Doctrine of Charity and Alms preached and enforced by our Saviour they derided him in the shamefullest manner with the highest degree of Contempt and Scorn wringing the Nose and making Mouths at him as the Original Word seems to import Learn hence 1. That Sinners grow very angry and impatient under the Ministry of the Word when they hear their darling sin their beloved Lusts struck at and sharply reproved 2. That Covetous Men who make Wealth their Idol when they hear the Doctrine of an Holy Contempt of the World Preached and the great Duty of Alms-giving Urged and Enforced they make it the matter of their Contempt and Derision The Pharisees heard and derided him 15 And he said unto them Ye are they which justify your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Here our Saviour sharply reproves the Pharisees for their horrible Pride their Self-justification and vain Affectation of the Opinion and esteem of others as if Christ had said You bear up your selves and take a pride in this that Men know no ill by you that no Man can say Black is your Eye but God can see that black is your Heart Learn That no Man ought to think himself approved of God barely because he is approved by himself for all who justify themselves upon the goodness of their Works are not good 16 The Law and the Prophets were until John since that time the kingdom of God is preached and every man presseth into it 17 And it is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass then one Tittle of the Law to fail 18 Whosoever putteth away his Wife and marrieth another committeth Adultery and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her Husband committeth adultery Our Saviour in these words gives the Pharisees to understand that their contempt of his Person and Doctrine was the more inexcusable because they lived in and under the clearest Light of the Gospel The Preaching of the Law and the Prophets continued but till John the Baptist came amongst you since which time the Gospel has been clearly Preached both by him and my self unto you and it has pleased God to give my Doctrine great acceptation in the World tho' you Pharisees reject it yet every one that is very many press into it so that the Doctrine which you mock the Holy Doctrine of the Gospel others will embrace yet lest whilst Christ spake thus highly of the Gospel the Pharisees should reproach him as a Destroyer of the Law he shews that the Obligation of the Moral Law was of Eternal Force and that Heaven and Earth should sooner pass then the Obligation of that Law cease which yet the Pharisees most shamefully violated particularly the Seventh Commandment which they break by permitting and practising Divorces upon unjustifiable Grounds Learn hence That the Moral Law in all the Branches of it which is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments is an Eternal Rule of Life and Manners which is to stand in force as long as the World stands and the frame of Heaven and Earth endures 19 There was a certain rich man who was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day 20 And there was a certain Beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of Sores 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans Table moreover the Dogs came and licked his Sores Our Saviour in this Parabolical History of Dives and Lazarus instructs us concerning the right use of Riches which is to capacitate us to do good to others declaring that in the Life to come the pious poor man shall be eternally Happy whilst the unmerciful rich Man shall be intolerably miserable Here Observe 1. That our Saviour did not censure the Rich Man for being Rich but for being sensual not for wearing costly Apparel and keeping a plentiful Table which if managed according to Mens Qualities and Estates is a commendable Vertue but his Sensuality and Luxury and forgetting to feed the Hungry with the Superfluities of his Table these are the things for which he is Censured From whence me may Learn That Pride and Luxury Intemperance and Sensuality are such abuses of Worldly Riches as Worldly Men are very prone and incident to Rich Men too often make their Back and their Belly their God Sacrificing and Devoting all they have to the Service of those Idols Observe 2. That a poor and mean Condition is the Lot of many nay perhaps of the most in this World 3. That a Man may be poor and miserable in this World and yet be very dear to
be thou planted in the Sea and it should obey you Here our Saviour tells his Disciples that if they have the smallest degrees of true Faith lively operative Faith it will enable them to perform this difficult Duty of Forgiving Injuries and all other Duties with as much facility and ease as a miraculous Faith would enable them to remove Mountains and transplant Trees Learn That there is nothing which may tend to the Glory of God or to our own Good and Comfort but may be obtained of God by a firm exercise of Faith in him All things are possible to him that believeth 7 But which of you having a Servant ploughing or feeding Cattel will say unto him by and by when he is come from the field Go and sit down to meat 8 And will not rather say unto him make ready wherewith I may sup and gird thy self and serve me till I have eaten and drunken and afterward thou shalt eat and drink 9 Doth he thank that Servant because he did the things that were commanded him I trow not 10 So likewise ye when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable Servants we have done that which was our Duty to do The Design and Scope of this Parable is to shew that Almighty God neither is nor can be a Debtor to any of his Creatures for the best Services which they are able to perform unto him and that they are so far from meriting a Reward of Justice that they do not deserve a return of thanks three Arguments our Saviour makes use of to evidence and prove this 1. In respect of God who is our absolute Lord and Master and the Argument lies thus if Earthly Masters do not owe so much as thanks to their Servants for doing that which is commanded them how much less can God owe the Reward of Eternal Life to his Servants when they are never able to do all that is commanded them in a perfect and sinless manner 2. In respect of our selves who are his Bond-servants his Ransomed Slaves and consequently we are not our own Men but his who hath redeemed us and accordingly do owe him all that Service yea more then all that we are able to perform unto him and therefore whatever Reward is either promised or given it is wholly to be ascribed to the Master's Bounty and not to the Servants Merit 3. To Merit any thing by our good Works is impossible in regard of the Works themselves because all that we can do altho' we did do all that is Commanded us is but our Duty The Argument runs thus to bounden Duty belongs no Reward of Justice but all the Service we do perform yea more than we can perform to God is Bounden Duty therefore there is due unto us no reward of Justice but of free Mercy From the whole Note 1. That we are wholly the Lord's both by a right of Creation and Redemption also 2. That as his we are so him we ought to serve by doing all those things which he hath Commanded us 3. That when we have done all we are to look for our Reward not of Debt but of Grace 4. That werâ—â—ur Service and Obedience absolutely Perfect yet it couâ—d not merit any thing at the hand of Justice When ye have done all say c. 11 And it came to pass as he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaâ—ia and Galilee 12 And as he entered into a certain Village there met him ten men that were Lepers which stood afar off 13 And they lifted up their voice and said Jesus Master have mercy on us Observe here 1. Tho' the Samaritans were bitter Enemies to the Jews and had been guilty of great incivility towards our Saviour yet our Saviour in his Journey to Jerusalem balks them not but bestows the favour of a Miracle upon them Civil Courtesy and Respect may and ought to be paid to those that are the professed Enemies of us and our Holy Religion Observe 2. Tho' the Leper by the Law of God was to be separated from all other Society God thereby signifying to his People that the Society of those that are spiritually Contagious ought to be avoided yet the Law of God did not restrain them from Conversing with one another accordingly these Ten Lepers get together and are Company for themselves Fellowship is that we all naturally affect tho' even in Leprosy Lepers will flock together Where shall we find one Spiritual Leper alone Drunkards prophane Persons will be sure to Consort with one another why should not God's Children delight in an Holy Communion when the Wicked joyn hand in hand Observe 3. Tho' Jews and Samaritans could not abide one another yet here in Leprosy they Accord here was one Samaritan Leper with the â—ewish Common Sufferings had made them Friends whom Religion had disjoined Oh what Vertue is there in Afflictâ—â— to unite the most alienated and estranged Hearts Obserâ—â— 4. These Lepers apply themselves to Christ the great Physician they cry unto him for Mercy with respect to their Afflictions they jointly cry they all lifted up their voice with fervent importunity Teaching us our Duty to joyn our Spiritual Forces together and set upon God by Troops Oh Holy and Happy Violence that is thus offered to Heaven how can we want Blessings when so many Cords draw them down upon our Heads 14 And when Jesus saw them he said unto them Go shew your selves unto the Priests and it came to pass that as they went they were cleansed Observe here 1. The preventing Grace and Mercy of Christ their Disease is Cured e're it can be complained of Go shew your selves to the Priests says Christ and in their going they were cleansed they were healed before they could come at the Priests that as the Power that healed them was wholly Christ's so might the Praise be also Observe 2. A twofold reason why Christ commanded them to go to the Priests 1. In Complyance with the Ceremonial Law which required the Leper to be brought to them to judge whether healed or not and if so to receive the Offering prescribed in Token of Thankfulness 2. For the Tryal of their Obedience had they stood upon Terms with Christ and said alas to what purpose is it to shew our selves to the Priests what good can their Eyes do us we should be glad to see our selves Cured but why should we go to them to see our selves loathed Had they thus expostulated they had not been healed what Command soever we receive from Christ we must rather consider the Authority of the Commander than the weight of the thing Commanded for God delights to try our Obedience by small Precepts happy for these Lepers that in obedience to Christ went to the Priests for as they went they were healed 15 And one of them when he saw that he was healed turned back and with a loud voice glorified God 16 And fell down on
seem to thank God that he was not so bad as the Publican when indeed he was glad that the Publican was not so good as himself Observe 3. The Publicans Behaviour in an humble sight and sense of his own sinfulness and unworthiness He stood afar off probably in the Court of the Gentiles where all sorts of Sinners might come acknowledging thereby that he was unworthy to come near the Holy Majesty of God not presuming to lift up his eyes to Heaven That place of perfect Holiness and Purity but like a true self-condemned Penitent smote upon his Breast and in bitter Remorse of Soul said God be merciful to me a sinner Hence Learn That a truly humble temper of mind well becomes us in all our Approaches and Addresses to God and is more acceptable to him than all pompous Performances whatsoever For Observe Lastly The Publican being thus condemned of himself departs Justified by God He went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee the Pharisee justified himself the Publican was justified by God Thence Learn That a Penitent Sinner who is indeed poor in Spirit is far more esteemed of God than he that makes long Prayers fasts often Tythes all his Substance and prides himself in all this Without Humility all is vain Glory and Hypocrisy and the Seemingly most Sanctified Person that has it not is like a painted Sepulchre Beautiful without but full of rottenness within 15 And they brought unto him Infants that he would touch them but when his Disciples saw it they rebuked them 16 But Jesus called them unto him and said Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God 17 Verily I say unto you whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little Child shall in no wise enter therein Observe here 1. A solemn Action performed Children Infants sucking Children as the word signifies are brought to Christ that he might bless them the Parents looking up-Christ as a Prophet as a great and extraordinary Prophet perswaded themselves that by his Prayers and laying his Hands on their Children they should be preserved from Bodily Diseases and from Satan's Power and that he would confer upon them all needful Blessings Learn 1. That Infants are capable of Benefit by Jesus Chrst 2. That it is the best Office that Parents can perform unto their Children to bring them unto Christ that they may be made partakers of that Benefit 3. That if Infants are capable of Benefit by Christ if capable of his Blessing on Earth and Presence in Heaven if they be Subjects of his Kingdom of Grace and Heirs of his Kingdom of Glory then may they be Baptized for they that are within the Covenant Acts 2.39 have a Right to the Priviledges of the Covenant and to Baptism the Seal of the Covenant And if Christ denies not Infants the Kingdom of Heaven which is the greater What Reason have his Ministers to deny them the Benefit of Baptism which is the less Learn 4. That Christ will have all his Disciples and Followers to resemble little Children in such Properties wherein they may be patterns to them viz. in Humility and Innocency in freedom from Malice and Revenge in Docibility and Teachableness in Cleaving to and Depending upon their Parents and in Contentedness with their Condition Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little Child shall in no wise enter therein 18. And a certain Ruler asked him saying Good Master What shall I do to inherit Eternal Life We have here a considerable Person a Ruler coming to Christ with an important question in his Mouth What must I do to inherit eternal Life Where Note 1. He believes the certainty of future State 2. He professes a desire of an Eternal Happiness in that State 3. He declares his readiness and willingness to do some good thing in order to the obtaining of that Happiness Hence Learn 1. That the Light of Nature or Natural Religion teaches Men that good Works are necessary to Salvation or that some good thing must be done by them who at Death expect Eternal Life it is not Talking well and Professing well but Living well that Entitles us to Heaven and Eternal Life 19 And Jesus said unto him Why callest thou me Good None is good save one that is God Our Saviour here reproves this Person for calling him Good when he did not own to be God saying There is none good that is Essentially and Originally Good absolutely and immutably Good but God only nor any derivatively Good but he that receives his Goodness from God also 20 Thou knowest the Commandments Do not commit Adultery Do not Kill Do not Steal Do not bear false Witness Honour thy Father and thy Mother Note here that the Duties Directed to by our Saviour are the Duties of the Second Table nothing being a better Evidence of our unfeigned Love to God than a sincere Performance of our Duty to our Neighbour Love to Man is a Fruit and Testimony of our Love to God Learn thence That such as are defective in the Duties of the Second Table Charity and Justice towards Man do make but a Counterfeit shew of Religion tho' they pretend to the highest Degrees of Love to God 21 And he said all these things have I kept from my Youth up This Assertion might be very true according to the Pharisees sense and interpretation of the Law which Condemned only the gross outward Act not the inward Lusts and Motions of the Heart An external Obedience to the Letter of the Law this Man might possibly have performed this made him think well of himself and conclude the goodness of his own Condition Learn hence How prone Men are to think the best of themselves and to have too high an Opinion of their own Goodness and Righteousness before God this is very natural but dangerous and fatal 22 Now when Jesus heard these things he said unto him Yet lackest thou one thing Sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the Poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven and come and follow me Here Observe 1. Our Lord's Admonition Yet lackest thou one thing which was true Self-denial in renouncing the Sin of Covetousness and the inordinate Love of Worldly Wealth We ought in the midst of our abundance to maintain a readiness of Disposition to part with all for God's sake that is dear unto us in this World Observe 2. Our Lord's Injunction Sell all that thou hast and give to the poor This was not a Common but a special Precept given particularly to this Rich Man for Tryal like that given to Abraham Gen. 22. and to convince him of his corrupt Confidence in Riches yet is the Precept thus far of general use to us all to teach us so to contemn Worldly Possessions as to be willing to part with them all at God's Pleasure and when they prejudice our Salvation 23 And when he heard
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 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
X. 1 VErily verily I say unto you He that entreth not by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a robber 2 But he that entreth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep 3 To him the porter openeth and the sheep hear his voice and he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice 5 And a stranger will they not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voice of strangers 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them Our blessed Saviour having in the end of the foregoing Chapter upbraided the Pharisees for their Blindness and Ignorance in the Mysteries of Religion notwithstanding the high conceit which they had of their own Knowledge He proceeds in this Chapter farther to convince them that they were Blind Leaders of the Blind tho' they thought and look'd upon themselves as the only Guides and Teachers of the People And in order hereunto he propounds before us a Parable of the true and false Shepherd which represents a good and bad Pastor and Teacher and gives us a fourfold mark and character of a good Shepherd Observe 1. The Good Shepherd enters in by the Door that is he has his Vocation and Mission from Christ he comes into the Church Regularly in a right and approved way and manner not by any clandestine methods or indirect means To him the Porter openeth that is the Holy Spirit who openeth the Hearts of Men to Receive Jesus Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel which the Faithful Shepherds deliver in his Name and by Authority Received from him Learn hence That all Faithful Pastors have a lawful call to the work of the Ministry They enter by the right door and execute their Trust in a right manner but such as without a Call from God unwarrantably thrust themselves into the Ministry they are no better nor no other than Thieves and Robbers in God's Account Observe 2. Another property of a good Shepherd is this That he calleth his Sheep by their names This importeth Three things 1. A special Love that he bears to them 2. A special care that he has over them 3. A particular Acquaintance with them that he may know how to apply himself suitably to them which tho' it be eminently verified in Christ yet is it the Duty of every Faithful Pastor and under-Shepherd in his measure to labour after Observe 3. The good Shepherd leads out his Sheep into good Pastures that is he feedeth them with sound Doctrine nourishes them with the word of Life Whereas the hireling or false Shepherd whatever he may do for his own sake he has no regard to Jesus Christ to the honour of his Person to the Edification of his Church or the Salvation of Souls but his design is to raise and inrich himself and so he may compass that he cares not how many Souls perish thro' his neglect Observe 4. The last property of the good Shepherd here mentioned is this That he goeth before his Sheep as the Shepherd doth before his Flock Namely By a holy Life and unblameable Conversation He treads out those steps before the People which they are to take in their way towards Heaven And the Sheep follow him and are guided by him He leadeth out his Sheep and goeth before them and the Sheep follow him for they know his voice 7 Then said Jesus unto them again Verily verily I say unto you I am the door of the sheep 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers but the sheep did not hear them 9 I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture 10 The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Observe here 1. The Character which Christ gives of himself I am the door of the Sheep that is the only way and means by which Sinners have access to God and can obtain Salvation the only door by which Sinners are entred into the Kingdom of Grace and admitted into the Kingdom of Glory Learn hence That there is no possible way of Access to God for fallen Man but by Jesus Christ As there is no way of entring the House but by the Door and those that so enter are safe in like manner such as come unto God thro' Jesus Christ in the way of Faith and Holy Obedience shall be put into a secure Condition and at last obtain Eternal Salvation Observe 2. The end and design of Christ in coming into the World asserted and declared by himself I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly But had not his People Spiritual Life before he came into the World Yes he gave Life to his People before his coming in a measure sufficient to supply their Necessity but since his coming he gives it in such a superabounding measure as may testifie his Divine Bounty they shall not only barely Live but Live abundantly that is their Spiritual Life shall abound thro' the upholding strengthning quickning and comforting presence of my Holy Spirit for having conveyed spiritual Life unto his People in their Regeneration and Conversion he will cause it to encrease more and more in their Sanctification until it arrive at a compleat perfection in their Glorification Observe lastly The Character which our Saviour gives of the Scribes and Pharisees in general and of those false Christs and false Prophets which went before him in particular he stiles them Thieves and Robbers All that ever came before me were Thieves and Robbers Observe He doth not say All that were sent before me but all that came before me were Thieves and Robbers So that Christ doth not speak this of the true Prophets who were sent by God before him but of the false Christs and false Prophets that came of themselves without any Commission from God The meaning is all persons that came before me pretending to be what I am the true Messias as did Theudas and Judas of Galilee c. they were Thieves and Robbers That is they only sought their own Advantage while they deceived and ruin'd you Learn hence That whoever took upon them the Office and Person of the Messiah before Christ or whosoever have since Usurp'd a lawful calling in his Church without his Commission they are in Christ's account no better than Murtherers Thieves and Robbers and they ought to be so in the Peoples esteem The Sheep did not hear them 11 I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep 12 But he that is an hireling and not the shepherd whose own the sheep are
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
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
she wept she stouped down and looked into the sepulchre 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had layen Here we have a Description of the great Love of Mary Magdalene which she expressed towards Christ after his Resurrection she went to his Sepulchre early when it was yet dark she hastily calls the Disciples Peter and John to the Sepulchre And she stays behind weeping at the Sepulchre when they were gone away to their own home And as Mary first sought him and longest sought him so she first finds him Here Note 1. Mary's carriage and behaviour towards her Saviour this is discovered by her patient attendance She stood without at the Sepulchre by her passionate mourning she stood at the Sepulchre weeping by her unwearied diligence she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre here was great Love indeed in this poor Woman a Love stronger than Death a Love which did out-strip and go beyond the greatest Apostles Learn thence 1. That true Love to Christ suffers not it self to be stinted or limited no not by the greatest Examples the weakest Woman that truly Loves Christ may piously strive with the greatest Apostle in this point though he be Learneder Wiser more Useful and more Eminent than any of us yet it is Holy and Wise not to suffer our selves to be exceeded by any in our Love to Christ every Christian may strive to exceed any one in Grace and to attain the highest place in the Kingdom of Heaven Learn 2. That strong Love is valiant and undaunted it will grapple and encounter with the strongest opposition Mary fears nothing in seeking of her Lord neither the darkness of the Night nor the terror of the Soldiers nor the malice of the Jews Love is strong as Death and the Flames thereof are vehement Note farther The success of Mary Magdalen's Love to Christ and unwearied Attendance on his Sepulchre she found not the Dead Body of Christ and it was well she did not for if Death could have held him it would not have let us go But though she found not her Lord in the Grave she found two of his Servants there two Angels of all things in the World one would least have expected to find an Angel in a Grave Spirits in the place of Dead Bodies and Immortality in the place of Corruption But from hence we Learn That such as sincerely seek the Lord shall certainly find if not the very thing which they seek yet that which is much fitter and better for them Mary did not find Christ's Dead Body but she finds that which was more comfortable for her to find Namely Two Angels to testifie that he was Risen Where Note The posture of these Angels described the one sitting at the Head the other at the Feet It is matter of Comfort to the Members of Christ that Angels do not wait upon the Head only but upon the Feet also And it ought to be matter of imitation also Let us imitate our blessed Saviour in having an Angel not at our Head only but at our Feet also many have an Ambition to have an Angel at their Head a great measure of Light and Knowledge there but they care not for an Angel at their Feet they delight not to walk answerably to their Light and Knowledge they have an Angelical Understanding and a Diabolical Conversation it is sad for a Man to have all his Religion in his Brain and Tongue and nothing in his Heart and Life 13 And they say unto her Woman why weepest thou She saith unto them because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him 14 And when she had thus said she turned her self back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus 15 Jesus saith unto her Woman Why weepest thou Whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the gardner saith unto him Sir if thou have born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away Observe here 1. That the best company in the World will not satisfie or content such as are seeking for Jesus Christ when they find not him whom their Souls seek Mary now enjoyed the Presence and Company of two Angels but this did not satisfie her in the Absence of Christ himself Observe 2. How Passionately did Mary mourn for the Loss and want of Christ's Bodily Presence thereby giving Testimony of her great Affection towards him but truly our Love to Christ is best shewn not by our Passionate desires for his Bodily Presence but by our Holy longings after his Spiritual Presence in his Word and Ordinances here on Earth and his blessed and immediate Presence in Heaven Observe 3. How Christ may be present with and very near unto his People and yet not be presently discerned by them Jesus stood by Mary but she knew not that it was Jesus her not expecting a living Christ was one cause why she did not discern him Observe 4. How exceedingly Mary's thoughts were taken up with Christ she saith to the Gardiner If thou hast born him hence What Him She doth not say whom but her Heart was so taken up with Christ and her Mind so full of him that she concluded every body would understand whom she meant though she did not say whom she meant Hence Note That the Soul of a sincere Believer is full of earnest and longing desires after Jesus Christ 2. That such a Soul is yet sometimes at a loss for Christ and cannot tell where to find him 3. That whilst the Soul is at a loss for Christ its desires are often quicker and more stirring after Christ This was the case of Mary here with the Spouse by Night on her Bed and early in the Morning she sought him whom her Soul loved 16 Jesus saith unto her Mary She turned her self and saith unto him Raboni which is to say Master 17 Jesus saith unto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God In the former of these Verses Christ makes himself known to Mary and calleth her by her Name In the latter he gives her a Prohibition and an Injunction Observe 1. The Prohibition Touch me not together with the Reason of it for I am not yet ascended to my Father It is concluded by Interpreters that Mary Magdalene was now fallen at Christ's Feet and embraced them that having found him whom her Soul loveth she hugs him now and hangs about him but Christ forbids any farther embracing and rejects such Testimonies of her Love as if he had said Although I will allow you as much familiarity as shall satisfactorily Convince you of the verity of my Resurrection yet you must not expect to converse with me in that carnal manner which you did before my Death for I
Work he will furnish them with Endowments answerable to their vast Employment And the best Furniture they can have is the Holy Spirit in his Gifts and Qualifications suitable to their Work He breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost Observe 4. How Christ asserts their Authority in the discharge of their Commission and declares that what they act Ministerially according to their Commission here on Earth is ratified in Heaven Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted Where Note That there is a twofold Power of remitting or forgiving Sins the one Magisterial and Authoritative this belongs to Christ alone The other Ministerial and Declarative this belongs to Christ's Ambassadors who have a Power in his Name to bind and loose It is a pious Note of St. Austin upon this Place That Christ first conferr'd the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and then said Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted Thereby intimating that it is not they but the Holy Ghost by them that puts away Sin For who can forgive Sin but God only The Power of forgiving Sin that Man hath is only to declare That if Men be truly and really Penitent their Sins are forgiven them for the sake of Christ's satisfaction 24 ¶ But Thomas one of the twelve called Didymus was not with them when Jesus came 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe What the cause of Thomas his absence was is not declared it is evident that he was not with the rest of the Disciples when Christ appeared to them and his absence had like to have cost him dear even the loss of his Faith and he might have had cause for ever to have bewailed his absence from that Meeting of the Disciples had not Christ been more merciful Learn thence That the letting slip of one holy Opportunity may prove exceedingly prejudicial to the Souls Advantage It is wise and safe to lay hold upon every Opportunity for injoying Communion with God and Fellowship with his Saints Thomas his absence deprived him not only of the good News which Mary brought of Christ's being risen but also of the sight of him which the other Disciples got by assembling together and for want thereof Thomas is left under many Doubts and Fears Observe farther What a strange Declaration Thomas makes of his obstinate Unbelief Except I see the print of the nails and put my finger into his side I will not believe Where Note How strangely rooted Unbelief is in the Hearts of holy Men insomuch that they desire the Objects of Faith should fall under the view of their Senses Thomas carries his Faith at his Fingers ends he will believe no more than he can see or feel whereas Faith is the Evidence of things not seen 26 ¶ And after eight days again his disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you 27 Then saith he to Thomas Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing Observe here First Our Saviour's appearing again to his Disciples after his Resurrection it was eight days after he first arose which was the first day of the Week Here Note That Christ's rising the first day of the Week and appearing on the next First-day of the Week after to the Disciples and they observing that Day for their solemn Assemblies and St. Paul administring on that Day the Lord's Supper Acts 20. and commanding on that Day Collections for the Poor 1 Cor. 16. and St. John calling it the Lord's-Day Rev. 1.10 From these Authorities and the Primitive Practice we derive our Christian Sabbath For we do not find in all the Scripture one Instance of any one Congregation of Christians only assembling upon the Jewish Sabbath but on the First Day of the Week on which we ground our Observation of that Day Observe 2. The wonderful Condescension of Christ to the weakness of Thomas his Faith he bids him reach forth his hand and thrust it into his side Not that Christ was pleased with but only pitiful towards Thomas his Infirmities and it ought to be no encouragement to any Person to follow his Example in seeking or expecting the like Signs of their own prescribing for helping of their Faith Observe 3. How mercifully Christ over-ruled Thomas his Unbelief for the Confirmation of our Faith His Doubting proved a means for establishing his own and our Faith Therefore says Gregory well Plus mihi profuit dubitatio Thomae quam credulitas Mariae Had not Thomas doubted we had not been so fully assured that it was the same Christ that was crucified who rose again 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God These Words may be considered two ways 1. As an abrupt Speech importing a vehement Admiration of Christ's Mercy towards him and of his own Stupidity and Dulness to believe Learn hence That the convincing Condescension of Christ turns Unbelief into a Rapture of holy Admiration and humble Adoration 2. This Expression of Thomas My Lord and my God contains a short but absolute Confession of Faith Thomas rightly collects from his Resurrection that he was Lord God blessed for evermore the true Messias the expected Redeemer and accordingly with an explicite Faith he now professes his Interest in him saying My Lord and my God 29 Jesus saith unto him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed Here we have Christ's Reprehension of Thomas for not believing without such sensible Evidence as he desired He believed now that Christ was risen from the Dead but it was upon the Testimony of his Senses only Therefore Christ tells him that his Faith would have been more excellent and more eminently rewardable if he had believed without such demonstrative Evidence Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Therefore to give Credit to a thing upon the Evidence of Sense is not properly believing Observe farther How Christ pronounces them Blessed who should hereafter believe on him through the preaching of the Gospel though they did not see him as Thomas did nor handle him as he might This is a sure Rule that by how much our Faith stands in less need of the external Evidence of Sense the stronger our Faith is and the more acceptable it is provided what we believe be revealed in the Word of God Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed 30 ¶ And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book 31 But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the
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