the Inward baptism of the spirit I have need saith John to be baptized of thee 4. When Christs excellency and his low dismission of himselfe are compared it is a wonderfull thing to the beholder therefore saieth John by way of wondring Comest thou to me Vers. 15. And Iesus answering said unto him suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness Then he suffered him Christ will have John to consider the time of his Lords humiliation and what belonged to them both in regard of their office Doct. 1. Some things were necessary to be done by Christ in the time of his humiliation which otherwise was unbeseeming the dignity of his person Therefore saith Christ suffer it be so now 2. It is a thing both right and comely for each man to do what his calling requireth for It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness saith Christ. 3. When the Lord maketh his will clear unto us we should renounce our wil and follow his whatsoever blind zeal or carnal humility shall speak to the contrary for when John was informed of Christs mind then he suffered him Verse 16. And Iesus 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 As Baptism was the figure of death unto Christ so his speedy coming upon dry land did fitly foreshadow that he could not be holden long of death Therefore it is marked That straight way he went up out of the water Now after his Baptism three wonders do appear The first a vision of the opening of the Heavens towards Christ and to him to shew that as he came down from Heaven so he should return unto it and that Heaven closed against us is made open through him unto these for whom he presented himself upon Baptism The next wonder is The Spirit of God descended like a dove and lighted unto him by this visible sign of his presence shewing that Christ is that meek and gentle One that innocent and harmlesse One that most loving and lovely dove in whom the Holy Spirit hath his constant residence in and through whom alone we are to receive of the gifts of the Spirit and out of his fulness grace for grace of this wonder it is said that he meaning John Baptist saw this to wit in a more speciall manner then the rest of the multitude for this was the sign promised unto John Iohn 1 31 32 33. whereby he should be certified of the person of the true Messiah Ver. 17. And lo a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Now followeth the third wonder unto the observation wherof we are stirred up by a new Lo or Behold for we are dull to conceive heavenly things 2. Beause we cannot conceive what the Lord doth except he declare his mind by his word A voyce speaketh from Heaven 3. Of this man now baptized and demonstrated by the glory of the opened Heaven shining on him and by the residence of the holy Ghost upon him in the similitude of a dove the Father saith This is my Son to wit my Son properly so called my native and only begotten Son by eternall Generation This is he who from all eternity was with God the Father and was God John 1. 1. and who Heb. 1 2 3. is called The brightness of the Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person 4. The Father testifieth of this person that he is his beloved Son beloved in a singular way as his Native Son Beloved for himselfe and for his proper worth being God and Man in one person 5. God loveth Christ and is well pleased with him as he standeth in our room for as he stood now in his office of the Mediator and surety for us offering himself for us unto death in Baptism the Father was well pleased and satisfied with him as with a perfect ransome for our redemption beside or above which he craved no more but rested so fully contented with the Son and with all these in whose name he did offer himself that he made open proclamation of it from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased The demonstrative particle in the originall twice repeated importeth as much as he is that Son that beloved One by way of Excellency to wit that Son spoken of in Paradise shadowed forth in the sacrifices and other figures of the Law prophesied of by the Prophets and declared by them to be Iehovah our righteousness and waited for by all the Faithfull before his coming as the consolation of Israel namely the consolation of such as were baptized by John for salvation in him and thus we have the glorious mystery of the Trinity most clearly revealed for the eternall Father the first Person by a voyce from heaven speaketh of his eternall Son now incarnate the second Person and the Spirit of God the third Person proceeding from the Father and the Son descendeth in the similitude of a Dove all three thus distinguished remaining One infinite and undivided God blessed for ever Amen By this also we have the covenant of Redemption laid open to us for The Son incarnate offereth here himself Redeemer and suerty for the Elect to be baptized unto death The Father accepteth the offer and declareth himself well pleased in him and so it resteth that wee being unable to pay our debts by our selves or to do any thing of ourselves which may please God or profit our souls betake our selves unto Christ who is surety for all those who come unto him CHAP. IIII. Our Lord prepares himself for his publick Ministry by a conflict with Satan to vers 12. Then returning unto Galilee he taketh up his dwelling at Capernaum and preacheth the Gospel vers 17. calleth four Apostles vers 23. and manifesteth his power in the miraculous manner of relieving all sort of miserable persons Vers. 1. THen was Iesus led up of the spirit into the wildernesse to be tempted of the divel AFter that our Lord is baptized and publickly installed in his office he is moved by the spirit to enter the lifts with Satan and his temptations Doct 1. The experience of temptations is a fit preparation for a profitable discharge of the holy Ministry for this exercise was a sitting of Christ unto his office 2. All men are subject to temptations and no man needeth to be discouraged for them for even Christ our Lord was tempted and that to the end he might conquer Satan who had overcome us and might give us also the victory over him and comfort in all our temptations while wee behold the power of holinesse in him who neither had sin in him nor could be drawn by temptation unto sin 3. Whatsoever exercise we go about especially where hazard and danger appeareth we should be sure to have warrant for our ingaging
prophets are Christs servants and witnesses unto him all of them agreeing in one with him 2. That the dead in the Lord are not perished but live with God in heaven for Moses and Elias are seen here kept therefore Vers. 4. Then answered Peter and said unto Iesus Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias The effect of this glorious vision ravisheth so the hearts of the three apostles that they could have taken this estate for heaven Hence learn 1. How joyful the sight of glorified persons shall be 2. The sight of the least part of the glory in heaven so ravisheth the soul that it forgetteth all that is on the earth and is so satisfactory that a soul could rest on the least degree thereof as in a heaven for It is good to be here saith Peter 3. It is our nature if it be well with our selves not to care for others little mind had the Apostles what need others had of their service when they could have stayed still on the mount Verse 5. While hee yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him The third point of Christs glorification is the testimony of the Father concerning his Son Jesus which Peter could never forget again 2 Peter 1.17 First they see a bright cloud then they hear a voyce out of the cloud for we are not able to behold him as he is and must not pry into his glory which is unsearchable but must take heed unto what he revealed by the eare a Voice of his Word must reveal God unto us and that which is here revealed concerning Christ is 1. That the Man Christ is true God the Son of God one in substance with the Father for This is my Son saith the Father 2. That as he is incarnate going about the work of Redemption and presenting himself Mediator for us to satisfie God in all things about us he is Beloved accepted approved as satisfactory and rested upon for our behove In whom I am well pleased saith the Father 3. That we are to take him foâ— our Teacher and Commander to beleeve and obey Him for the Father hath said to us all Hear him Ver. 6. And when the disciples heard it they fell on their face and were sore afraid This voyce was so full of Majesty proceeding from the excellent glory that the disciples fel down Doct. 1. When the God-head of the Father or of Christ is manifested who can stand before his Majesty No wonder they fel on their face the presence of the Lord in this life even in mercy reveiled is very fearfull for it is said They were sore afraid such is his glory and our weakness Ver. 7. And Iesus came and touched them and said Arise and be not afraid Thus lay the Apostles as dead men till Christ came and put strength and comfort in them Doct. It is Christ by whom we are lift up when we fal and confirmed against our fears for the disciples did not stir till he touched them and said Be not afraid Ver. 8. And when they had lift up their eyes they saw no man save Iesus only That we may know that the voice was spoke of Jesus and concerned him alone he alone is left with the disciples and now the vision is removed when the intent of it is obtained Doct. The Lord measureth the means of manifesting himself as he seem fit for our good for When they lifted up their eyes they saw none but Iesus only Ver. 9. And as they came down from the mountain Iesus charged them saying Tell the vision to no man untill the Son of man be risen again from the dead The discharging of the disciples to shew the vision until the resurrection teacheth us that the Lord hath his own set-time when he wil make use of what he revealeth to his servants and will bring forth every truth in his own time when it may be most useful Therfore saith he Tell no man till the Son of man be risen from the dead Ver. 10. And his disciples asked him saying Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come Upon the departure of Elias and the discharge of revealing the vision the three Disciples do move a question about the Prophesie of the coming of Elias which the Disciples do think to be now accomplished and that by his staying still it might have appear'd to the world to be accomplished But Christ sheweth that that prophesie was accomplished another way in John Baptist. Doct. 1. What doubts do arise unto us about Scripture among other means let us by prayer crave solution of them through Christ as the Disciples here asked him about Elias 2 The adversaries of Christ are ready to blindfold themselves and others also by mistaking Scriptures like these Scribes who wil not acknowledg Christ to be come Til Elias come to wit in their way Ver. 11. And Iesus answered and said unto them Elias truely shal first come and restore all things 12. But I say unto you that Elias is already come and they knew him not but have done unto him whatsoever they lifted likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them Our Lord did answer that indeed the Scripture must be accomplished not a letter fail for Elias saith he truly shal first come and that when John Baptist came this Scripture concerning the coming of Elias was fulfilled because when John Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elias Elias in a manner was revived for as Elias set himself to the reformation of Religion when all was wrong in his time so John Baptist when the whole frame of Religion was marred by the corruption of the Jewish Doctors did renew the doctrine and worship again Doct. 1. The fulfilling of the Scriptures may readily be mistaken of men for when that which is foretold is done before their eyes they wil not see it for Now Elias is come and they knew him not 2. The world instead of receiving Gods Messengers as becometh are ready to abuse them as they please Therefore saith he They have done to him what they listed 3. As men do deal with Christs Servants so would they deal with Christs self if they were able and could get occasion for Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them saith Christ. Ver. 13. Then the Disciples understood that he spake unto them of Iohn the Baptist. By this speech the Apostles take satisfaction and stumble no more at this doubt Doct. Albeit our Lord do not answer mens doubts and questions in so many letters and syllables yet he will make his own disciples understand the solution of their questions and what is his meaning His inquisitive Scholers shall be taught what is needful for them to know as here
reason why he did not send the Gospel to Tyrus and Sidon and yet would offer it Chorazin and Bethsaida 3. Such as do hear the Gospel daily may readily be found more hard hearted then they who never heard it Chorazin more impenitently disposed then Tyrus 4. There shall be proportion of judgment at the last day as there hath been of sin in this life and the torment of such as perish without the meanes of the Gospel shall belesse then of such who under the meanes are found impenitent for It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon then for Chorazin and Bethsaida Ver. 23. And thou Capernaum which art exalted â—â—neâ— heaven shalt be brought down to hâ—ll for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained untill this day Verse 24. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of Iudgement then for thee The like judgement is threatned against Capernaum Doct. 1. The honour of a town is the Gospel and where it is most clearly preached that place is exalted most and made nearest heaven Therfore Is Capernaum said to be exalted to heaven 2. Abused means of grace if they prevail not unto true conversion do bring a man deeper in the state of condemnation Therfore saith he Thou Capernaum shalt be brought down to hel 3. Abuse and contempt of the Gospel impernitent unbelief and misregarding the offers of Gods grace do weigh heavier in Gods ballance then the grossest sins against the Law and are attended with heavier wrath for this the comparison of Capernaumâ— sin and judgement with Sodoms sin and judgment maketh evident Vers. 25. At that time Iesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes 26. Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Sometimes one is said to answer when he openeth his mouth and speaketh to them who were expecting some speech from him albeit none have spoken before as here in this speech Christ glorifieth his Father for the wise and free dispensation of saving Grace manifested in the good successe which his Disciples had whom as it is Luke 10.17.21 he sent forth to preach and work miracles verse 25 26. He declareth his own power to give light and life to as many as came unto him vers 27. And last of all exhorts the needy to come unto him with sundry motives to induce them ver 28 29 30. For the first Learn 1. That the mystery of salvation is at Gods disposing to hold it from or shew it unto whom he pleaseth for saith he Thou hast hid it from the wise c. Thou hast revealed it unto babes c. 2. The worldly wise and prudent men in this world are not these for the most part to whom the Gospel is revealed for thou hast hid it saith he from the wise and prudent 3. The people of weaker understanding and babes in comparison of others are found to be the Lords choice in election and the persons who get the saving light of the gospel for the greatest part for he saith Thou revealest them to babes 4. Christ will not want followers despise him who will for whose conversion how base soever they seem God is to be praised Therefore Christ for those little ones saith I thank thee O Father and doth rejoyce in them how contemptible soever they seem to be no lesse then if they had all the excellencies of the world in them 5. Gods supremacy over Heaven and earth maketh him free to chuse or refuse whom he pleaseth I thank thee saith he Lord of Heaven and Earth 6. The cause of election of some and reprobation of other some of this or that man rather then of others is to be found only in Gods good pleasure Therfore saith Christ O Father for it seemed good in thy eyes 7. Christ heartily consents unto and approveth the Fathers decree of election and reprobation as it standeth Therfore saith he Evenso Father and I thank thee for God and Christ are glorified in both Vers. 27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he so whomsoever the Son will reveal him Here Christ proclaimeth his riches and authority that he may make way for the offer following Doct. 1. Beside the right and power which Christ as God hath unto and over all things he hath received of the Father as God-man or God incarnate right unto and oyer all things in and for the church nothing being excepted except him who hath delivered all things unto him for All things are delivered to me of my Father and Christ hath taken the gift of all things for our behove as power to gather his Church appoint Ministers bestow the spirit as he will open and close Heaven and hell as he pleaseth and to dispose of all his enemies and of all creatures as they may best serve for the well of his people 2. The excellency of the Son of God is a mystery which neither man nor Angel can know comprehensively as he is indeed but the Father only for No man knoweth the Son but the Father and so except a man he taught of the Father and learn of the Father he can never attain the right knowledg of the Son 3. The distinction of the Father from the Son and the glory of the Fathers person is a mystery which neither man nor Angel can know perfectly No man knoweth the Father but only the Son 4. Any measure of right knowledg of the Father which we can attain unto must come by revelation from the Son who is the ingraven character of his person who by his word and spirit doth the Father known unto so many as he pleaseth Therfore saith he No man knoweth the Father but he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Ver. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will â—â—ve you rest From the former doctrine Christ draweth forth two exhortations the first unto faith in himselfe the next unto new obedience Doct. 1. The right use of the doctrine of election and reprobation verse 28. and of the riches which is in Christ and of the mystery of the Father and of the Son is this to draw neer to Christ and to seek communion with him for having spoken of those he calleth upon us saying Come unto me 2. All things being delivered unto Christ he cannot be quiet till he have needy soules made partakers of the riches which is in him Therfore doth he call unto us saying Come unto me 3. Such as have wearied themselves in seeking in themselves or in any of the creatures something to quiet their soules and cannot find rest have warrand to come to him for he saith Come unto
generall little Children should be admitted to the signes of his blessing because Of such is the kingdom of heaven then who is he who after he hath heard the Disciples reproved for debarring of such dare debarre any such from the first signe of entry into Christs Kingdome for Christ hath said by way of reason-giving for their admission Of such is the Kingdome of heaven and He laid his hands on these for example Verse 16. And behold one came and said unto him Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternall life Here cometh a young man very holy in his own estimation and hopeth to be approved of Christ. In the example of this Youth observe 1. That a naturall man may perceive that true happinesse is not in riches but in eternall life for this rich Youth having riches for this life seeketh Life eternall A naturall man may have a desire of Heaven for so hath this Youth That he may have life 3. The naturall man is utterly ignorant of justification by faith in Christ and inclined to seek justification by works for he saith What good thing shall I do that I may have eternall life 4. The naturall man presumeth on his own strength as able to do whatsoever good work can be prescribed unto him for What shal I do saith he 5. A natural man may seem to have a good estimation of Christ and call him Good Master and make fair offers to serve God and follow the commands of Christ and yet he found void of all reall truth herein which to himselfe and others he seemeth to have as in this man is found Ver. 17. And he said unto him Why calleâ—â— thou me good there is none good but one that is God but if thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandements 18. He saith unto him Which Iesus said Thou shalt do no murder Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witnesse 19. Honour thy father and thy mother and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self In Christs answer learn 1. That Christ loveth no complements of fair words which proceed not from sound faith and love to him therfore saith he Why callest thou me good 2. Christ wil be known to be God by them who come unto him or else they cannot worship him aright for the reproof being fitted to allay the young mans high estimation of himself who could not speak a right word doth import this much Give me not divine attributes seeing thou takest me not to be God or give me not fairer words then thy judgment and affection do allow 3. In proper speech only God is good by whom alone a man must be made good made to do good and made to receive good for there is One good even God 4. Such as seek justification and eternall life by works must be taught that to keepe the whole Law in all points without the least sin is the only way to heaven by works which way to every man now polluted with sin is impossible There is no better way to humble a proud Pharisee then to teach him soundly the mind of the law Therfore saith Christ If thou wouldst enter into life keep the Commands 5. The precepts of the second Table wherein Pharisees conceive themselves most perfect are a sufficient touchstone whereby to try their unfruitfulnesse and imperfection therfore Christ names only the Commands of the second Table Ver. 20. The young man saith unto him All these things have I kept from my youth up what lack I yet From this impudently false answer learn 1. That the natural man knows not the Laws meaning rightly but conceiveth of it as if it did command some externall duties only and did forbid only some of the grossest sins and did not reach unto the utmost branch of every duty and sin in the inner man no lesss then in the outward Acts Therfore saith this ignorant All these have I kept 2. A short exposition of the Law makes a large opinion of righteousnes keeping of the Law Therfore saith he All these have I kept from my youth up 3. All the righteousnesse that a natural man can conceive himself to have attained unto will not give true quietnesse to his conscience for this youth for all this is asking What lack I yet Ver. 21. Iesus 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 In Christs answer observe 1. That Christ will put the men who have a high estimation of themselves unto speciall tryalls that their inabilities may be openly known as here If thou wilt be perfect go sell all 2. Every man is bound to bestow as God directeth all which God hath given unto him goods lands and life when he is called by God unto it And therfore Christ giveth not here a simple counsell to this man but a speciall command to renounce the love of riches which was his idol and to bestow his goods as he was commanded and that upon promise of more durable riches in Heaven that so he may make the man who would appear perfect to be seen a grosse worshipper of Mammon for Sell and give to the poor is a particular and expresse command given to this man 3. Presuppose a man upon a speciall command sold all and distributed all to the poor as was commanded to this man yet unto the perfecting of him there will be required more to wit that he should be a follower of Christ enter himselfe Christs Disciple deny himselfe take up his crosse and follow Christ that so he might have righteousnesse and life eternall by him alone for it is here written If thou wilt be perfect not only sell all c. but also and come and follow me Ver. 22. But when the yong man heard that saying he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions The young man had no will of this blessed bargain but goeth away sorrowfull In the example learn 1. How trialls do bring men forth to the light and make them manifest what they are as here this youth He went away now 2. A man wedded to the love of this world will renounce Christ and his Commands rather then the world when it cometh to a proofe especially if he be a great man in the world therefore it is marked That hee had great possessions 3. A natural man may be sorrowful when he cannot with Heaven in his own way when he cannot get Heaven and his own wil in this world also for it is said He went away sorrowful Ver. 23. Then said Iesus unto his disciples Verily I say unto you that a rich man shal hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 24. And again I say unto you it is easier for a camell to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God 25.
likewise And he answered him and said I go sir and went not 31. Whether of them twain did 〈◊〉 Will of his father They say unto him The first Iesus saith unto them Verily I say unto you that the Publicans and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you Thus they have done with Christ their plot is disappointed but Christ doth pursue them convincing them of disobedience and denouncing deserved judgment upon them in two parables The scope of the first is to shew that sundry of Publicans and open sinners of whom they esteemed least were more righteous and blessed then they were because the Publicans like the penitent son repented their backwardnesse unto Gods commandements and were fled in by faith to the Messiah and were made Subjects of the Kingdom of Grace and so Heirs of the Kingdom of glory But they notwithstanding of a faire profession of obedience to God were like the other disobedient and counterfeit son abiding still in their impenitency and unbelief and in the way to be debarred from the Kingdom of grace and glory Hence learn 1. That men will more readily acknowledg their fault in another mans person then in their own therfore doth Christ draw forth these mens judgment by a parable 2. He wil have the conscience of the wicked subscribing to the righteousnes of Gods judgment against themselves as will appear by What think ye compared with their answer 3. The most odious and despised sinners repenting and beleeving in Jesus do find Grace and Place both in the church and in heaven above but such as confide in their own righteousnes are debarred for Harlots saith Christ go into the kingdom of heaven before you Ver. 32. For Iohn came unto you in the way of righteousnes and ye beleeved him not but the Publicans and the harlots beleevd him And ye when ye had seen it repented not afterward that ye might beleeve him Christ giveth reason of the condemning these wicked men Doct. 1. The more blamelesse and holy the Preacher of repentance righteousnes by Christ be found the greater is the sin of those who do not receive the message for so Christ aggravateth these mens sin saying Iohn came in the way of righteousnes ye beleeved him not 2. Albeit self-conceited righteous people do not beleeve the doctrine of righteousness by Christ yet God wil manifest the power of his truth in the conversion of despised sinners for The harlots beleeved Iohn albeit the Pharisees did not 3. The sight and example of other folks beleeving and repenting in Christ if it do not move us to acknowledging of our sins also and flying unto Christ it shall stand as a witnesse against us to aggravate our sin and condemnation Therfore saith he And ye when ye had seen it ye repented not 4. Remorse for not believing Gods word in his servants mouth in time bygone is a speciall spur and preparative to beleeve it the more solidly for time to come Therefore saith he Ye repented not that ye might beleeve him that is When you saw that the Publicans had out stripped you in the way of righteousnesse by beleeving Johns testimony of me ye did not lament your unbelief that you might give him so much the more credit for time to come and so recover your loss by faith in me Ver. 33. Hear another parable There was a certain housholder which planted a vineyard and hedged it round about and digged a wine-presse in it and built a tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a far country 34. And when the time of the fruit drew near he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it 35. And the husbandmen took his servants and beatone and killed another and stoned another 36. And he sent other servants moe then the rest and they did unto them likewise 37 But last of all he sent unto them his Son saying They wil reverence my Son 38. But when the husbandmen saw the Son They said among themselves This is the Heir come let us kill him and let us seise on his inheritance 39 And they caught him and cast him out of the Vineyard and sâ—â—w him 40. When the Lord therefore of the Vineyard cometh what will he do unto those Husbandmen 41. They say unto him He will miserably destroy those wicked men and wil let out his Vineyard unto other husbandmen which shal render him the fruits in their seasons Another parable convincing them of their wickednesse against God and his Son Christ and denouncing judgement against them and that whole ungrate nation under the similitude of a Housholder and his Tenants the substance whereof is this As the Tenants of the housholder dealt with their Master and his servants and his son the heir of the vineyard so the Scribes and Elders of the Jews with the rest of that unthankfull nation dealt with God and his servants the Prophets and with his son Jesus Christ and as the housholder punished these wicked tenants of the vineyard so should God punish that wicked nation by taking the Gospel and face of a visible Kirk from them and giving their room unto the Gentiles who should bring forth better fruits than they had done From this parable learn 1. That the Lords care of his visible church is comparable to the care which the most painfull husbandman hath of his vineyard he leaves nothing undone which may make it fruitfull he giveth wholesome ordinances of Doctrine Worship Discipline erecteth governours civil and Ecclesiastick appointeth them as his tenants to presse the fruits of a holy conversation from his people and when they are remisse he stirreth up some speciall instruments faithfull Prophets and Preachers to stir up all and to exact of all the fruit of his labour upon his people as may be seen in his dealing with the Jewish church 2. Ordinarily the Lord gets a bad meeting of his people and specially of the rulers of the church who look more each man unto his own case honour and gain than to the holy conversation of people and glory of God as the example of the Jewish doctors here and Rulers of the Lord's people sheweth 3. When the body of church-rulers are corrupt if any of their fellowes shall plead the Lords cause against them these faithfull servants shall readily be persecuted evill intreated and killed for their paines as in the example of the Jewish church is to be seen 4. As men deal with God's servants so would they doe with God himself if he should come as a man to them and put himselfe in their power to try their affections unto him as is evident in the Jewish rulers who flew Christ the Son of God God manifested in the flesh 5. When a people not only do bring forth no fruits of the Gospel but also do persecute such as do stir them up unto their duties it is righteousnesse with God to pour out his plagues upon them and go
away from them to some other people as he dealt with the Jews after many provocations Vers. 42. Iesus saith unto them Did ye never read in the Scriptures The stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the corner this is the Lords doings and it is marvellous in our eyes From 118. Psalme our Lord sheweth That it was foretold how the Rulers of the Church should deale with himselfe the Messiah and with what successe Doct. 1. The not considering and believing of the Scriptures is the cause why many do fulfill things foretold in the Scripture to their own ruine and condemnation therefore saith he Did ye never read 2. The gathering of the Church is compared to the building of a Temple wherein the Ministers and Rulers are Builders 3. It was prophesied that Christ should be esteemed by the Church-men in his time a Stone not worthy to have any room in the building and therefore should be rejected and excommunicated by them for it is written of Christ The stone which the Builders refused 4. How basely soever he was esteemed of by them yet he was indeed the Ground-stone the Strength and Glory of the Church so should he be seen and acknowledged to be contrary to all opposition for This Stone is become the Head of the corner 5. The Divine Power of God appeareth most evidently in the exaltation of Christ in his Church beyond the expectation and contrary to the hearts of all his enemies therefore saith he This is the Lords doing 6. The work of God about his Church in setting up the Throne of Christ is a most wonderfull matter in the eyes of all who have understanding for It is marvellous in our eyes saith the Prophet Vers. 43. Therefore say I unto you The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Here Christ applieth the last Parable and the Psalme last cited to the Scribes and Rulers and to the rest of the rotten members of that Church Doct. 1. The Gospel or the means of Grace in a visible face of a Church is Gods Kingdom on earth and the greatest benefit that can be bestowed on a Land for so it is called here 2. The Nation which doth not bring forth the fruits of the Gospell may justly be deprived of that priviledge as here is threatned The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you 3. The Church mâ—y be flitted from one Nation to another but shal not cease to be among some people for It shall be given to another saith Christ Thus he foretelleth them of the rejection of the Jews and the in-bringing of the Gentiles Ver. 44. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grinde him to powder Having threatned the whole Nation of the Jewes now he threatneth all his enemies of every sort more specially teaching us 1. That some will stumble at him as at a stone of offence and wil oppose him out of ignorance and inadvertance as men do fal on a stone in their way and some wil oppose him out of malice and wil set themselves as adversaries to him as the distinction of falling on and being fallen upon importeth 2. The first sort shal not only not prevail against him but as here is said shal be broken also either to their repentance as Paul was or to their perdition as ignorant and misbeleeving adversaries are 3. Such as are adversaries out of malice he will set himself against these as here he saith He will fall upon them with his weight and by his mighty power grind them to powder that is destroy them utterly by the highest degrees of punishment and thus he telleth the chief Priests and Pharisees their own particular doom Ver. 45. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables they perceived that he spake of them 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him they feared the multitude because they took him for a Prophet These men take up Christs meaning but do make no good use of the warning Doct. 1. Threatnings profit not but rather do irritate desperately wicked men as here they desired to lay hands on him 2. Christs most malicious adversaries though they be set for bloud yet can do no more than God will suffer them to do as here is to be seen 3. As long as the body of the people do favour Christs cause persecutors will not vent all their designs against Christ and his followers as here They sought to lay hands on Christ but they feared the multitude 4. The least good opinion of Christ wil serve for some use albeit not to the parties salvation yet to the advantage of Christs cause as here it served for some use That they took him for a Prophet CHAP. XXII The Parable of the marriage of the Kings son to ver 15. The Pharisees tempt Christ about tribute to Caesar ver 23. and the Sadduces tempt him about marriage in the resurrection ver 34. The Pharisees againe tempt him about the greatest commandement in the law and our Lord trieth their skill in scripture by a question about the Messiah Ver. 1. ANd Iesus answered and spake again unto them by parables and said 2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son 3. And sent for his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding and they would not come 4. Again he sent forth other servants saying Tel them which are bidden Behold I have prâ—pared my dinner my oxen and my fatlings are killed and all things are ready come unto the marriage 5. But they made light of it and went their wayes one to his farm another to his merchandise 6. And the remnant took his servants and intreated them spitefully and flew them 7. But when the king heard thereof he was wroth and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burnt up their city THe scope of this parable is to set forth the manner of acceptance of the Gospel preached some reject the offer altogether some not only reject the offer but do abuse and persecute the church and Preachers of the Gospel some do joyn themselves in Truth into the fellowship of the Grace of God in Christ and some do joyne themselves unto the church in hypocrisie being onely called externally but not elected all this is represented in a similitude of the marriage of the Kings son In which parable or presupposed history we are given to understand 1. That communion and fellowship with Christ in all graces in his church visible dayly preached to the world is like a feast a marriage feast of the King's son abounding in all meanes of life and joy and honour ready prepared and offered unto men liberally and freely to be bestowed on such as will receive the offer as is described vers 1 2 3 4.2 The acceptance which the offer
the Kingdome of Heaven â—hich is above and they who do not prepare themselves â—o not watch for his coming shall be excluded from Christ â— his coming From this Parable in so far as it tendeth â—â—â—o this scope Learn 1. Christ and his Church may well be compared to the Bridegroom and the Bride and the spiriâ—all communion between them to Marriage mutually proâ—ised in espousals in this life and to be solemnized and compleaâ—ed at the coming of our Lord. 2. As in the Parable â—o in the visible Church all do professe themselves devoted â—nto Jesus Christ the Bridegroom and to be desirous of communion with him in Heaven and possibly may attain to a â—amelesse conversation and appear Virgine-like all waiting for the coming of our Lord in their own and others estimation 3. As among the Virgines in the Parable so in the visible Church all are not wise Christians but some wise and really such as they professe themselves to be others are counterfeit Christians and foolish 4. As among the Virâ—ines in the Parable so in the visible Church onely these are wise who with the outward Lamps of open profession labour to be furnished inwardly with the saving graces of the holy Spirit namely Faith working by love and repentance mortifying their sinfull lusts that in newnesse of life they may glorifie God But whoso are destitute of inward grace in their heart they are foolish for the Lamps of their outward profession without oyle do serve to no purpose when matters come to a triall 5. As in the Parable the Bridegroom cometh when they are not aware So will Christ come unto Judgment in a day and hour that men know not 6. As in the Parable the wise are admitted and the foolish excluded So they who are inwardly renewed and indued with the saving graces of the holy Spirit shall be taken up to heaven and they who are destitute of the oyle of the holy Spirit void of true faith and of the renewing vertue of Gods Grace shall be excluded 7. As in the parable the wise could not help the foolish nor the foolish hurt the wise So the society of the hypocrites with the godly in the visible church shall not be prejudiciall to the sound christians in the day of Gods judgment not yet the society of the godly avail the hypocrites among whom they have lived but every man shall be judged according to that which is within him 8. As in the parable the self-conceit of the Virgins ver 11 12. helped not them so the opinion which unrenewed persons within the visible church have of their interest in Christ their vain confidence and foolish hopes grounded upon the outward profession and their formal practises of externall duties will not avail them before the Lord at that day 9. To be watchfull now and to examine well our own case and to see that we be sure of the inward anointing of the holy Spirit whereby we are made indeed holy is the only way to be certain of our salvation when Christ cometh to judgement for this use Christ commandeth us to make of the parable saying Watch therfore Ver. 14. For the Kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods 15. And unto one he gave five talents to another two and to another one to every man according to his seuerall ability and straitway took his journâ—y 16. Thâ—â— he that had received the five talents 〈◊〉 and traded with the same and made them other 〈◊〉 â—â—lents 17. And likewise he that had received two he also gained other two 18. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth and hid his lords mony 19. After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them 20. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying Lord thou delivered â—â— unto me five talents behold I have gained besides them five talents more 21. His lord said unto him Well done thou good and â—â—full servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 22. He also that had received two talents came and said Lord thou deliveredst me two talents behold I have gained two other talents beside them 23. His lord said unto him Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I wil make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 24. Then he which had received the one talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art an hard man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not straâ—ed 25. And I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth 〈◊〉 there thou hast that is thine 26. His Lord answered and said unto him thou wicked and slothful servant thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not and gather where I have not strawed 27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my mony to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury 28. Take therefore the talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten talents 29. For unto every one that hath shal be given and he shal have abundance buâ— from him that hath not shal be taken away even that which he hath 30. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into utter darknes there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Another parable tending to put all men on work and in speciall the Ministers of the Gospel for setting forth the glory of Christ and of his Kingdome among men according to every man's ability and calling under the similitude of a master giving to his servants mony to trade withall for his use Doct. 1. As the man in the parable travelling into a far country disposed of his affaires and ordered all matters till his return So hath our Lord Jesus given exact order in his Word to all men and specially to his Ministers how his house shall be governed and how every man should serve him till his second coming again 2. As the master in the parable giveth not the same number of talents to each servant So the Lord So the Lord giveth not a like measure of gifts to every one but to some more to some lesse as his heavenly Wisdom thinketh expedient 3. As in the parable some made use of their talents some not So in the visible church some imploy the gifts they have according to their calling to the edifying of others and promoving of the Kingdome of Christ othersome do misregard the Kingdome of Christ and care not how it go with Christs matters if their own particular go right and therefore they make no conscience to promove Christs Kingdome in their vocation as their duty set down in his word doth require 4. As the master in the parable reckoned with his servants
witnessed to be but frivolous adjureth our Lord to confesse whether he were the Christ the Son of God Doct. 1. The Messiah by the Jews own acknowledgement behoved to be the Son of God for Tell us saith the High Priest whether thou be the Christ the Son of God importing that the promised Messiah or Christ was to be no other than the Son of God 2. The wicked labour to make the fear of God a trap to take the godly when they cannot otherwayes overtake them I adjure thee by God to tell us saith the High Priest 3. Profane and crafty men stand not to take the Name of God in vain when it may serve to their own ends for I adjure thee by the living God saith the high priest when he mindeth nothing but to make the answer a snare Vers. 64. Iesus saith unto him Thou hast said neverthelesse I say unto you Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven Christ avoweth himself to be what the High Priest had said and forewarneth them all that though he was to them a despised man yet should they see him to be the Son of God and Judge over them at the day of judgement and so in a manner summoneth them to answer at his tribunal that day Doct. 1. That Christ is the Son of God is a truth judicially deponed by himselfe being adjured to answer upon his Oath and being now ready to die for Thou hast said saith he or I am the same whom thou inquirest for 2. Such as will not receive Christs woâ—d as divine shall be forced to acknowledge his power to be divine for thus saith he Nevertheless or though ye believe me noâ— yet Ye shal see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and this in part came to passe first in his resurrection next in his Spirit poured forth on the Apostles thirdly in the conversion of multitudes of soules and fourthly in the overthrow of the Jewish church and Nation in their own time not long after 3. Such as wil not acknowledg Jesus to be the Son of God for their salvation shal see him come to judge them at the last day for You shal see me coming in the clouds of heaven saith Christ. Ver. 65. Then the high priest rent his clothes saying He hath spoken blasphemy what further need we of witnesses behold now ye have heard his blasphemy 66. What thinke ye They answered and said he is guilty of death 67. Then did they spit it his face and buffetted him and others smote him with the palmes of their hands 68. Saying Prophesie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee This good confession of Christ is counted blasphemy and he therefore condemned buffetted spitted upon and mocked Doct. 1. A man given over to unbelief though he pretend to desire to know truth yet wil he not beleeve when truth is told him no not when it is confirmed by the oath of him who cannot lie and when it is proved by many miracles but hâ— will affront his own conscience in all this as here He hath spoken blaspemy said the high priest when Christ had told the truth which before was proved by his workes and was undertaken to be proved yet more 2. Profane and gracelesse hypocrites when it may serve their turn will put on the mask of marvelloos zeal to the glory of God as here The high priest doth rend his clothes and saith You have heard his blasphemy 3. Partiality and malice in Christs came especially can hardly be hid for the high priest even when he will seem to do justice doth first condemne Christ of blasphemy and then asketh the voice of his councel 4. Assemblies and councels may erre so far as to agree in one to condemne Christ to death for here this councell answered and said He is worthy of death 5. Albeit Christ be most free of blasphemy and of all sin yet because they in whose room he did stand are guilty of it and of all sort of sin therfore it is provided by Divine Justice that Christ shall be condemned for our cause and sentence given thus He is guilty of death 6. What must we be worthy of when Christ is spitted upon buffetted blind-folded and mocked for our cause Vers. 69. Now Peter sate without in the Palace and a Damsel came unto him saying Thou also wasâ— with Iesus of Galilee 70. But he denied before them all saying I know not what thou sayest How Peter denied Christ thrice and then repented is set down in the end of the chapter wherin we learn 1. That it is dangerous to be in the place with and company of Christ's enemies wiâ— hour a speciall calling for the occasion of Peters being tempted was his sitting in the high priests hall 2. A smal blast of temptation is sufficient to overturn a man who is puffed up with confidence of his own strength as here The voyce of a Damsel â—ver â—â—rneth Peter 3. The shifting of a confession for Christ when it is requisite is in effect a denyal of him for Peters saying He knew not what the damsel said is called here A denyall Ver. 71. And when he was gone into the porch another maid saw him and said unto them that were there This fellow was also with Iesus of Nazareth 72. And again he denied with an oath I do not know the man The second denyall follâ—weth wherin learn 1 That when temptation doth prevaill change of place will nâ—t hinder the tempter to pursue the victory he will follow on and prâ—sâ—e his point so long as the sicknesse and sin doâ—h adhere for Another Damsell is set on work by Satan to tempt Peter when he goeth out into the porch 2. Sin groweth by degrees from the time that a man falleth therein til he repent he stil groweth worse for Now Peter denieth expresly and with an oath that he did not know Christ. Ver. 73. And after a while came unto him them that stood by and said to Peter Surely thou also art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee 74. Then began he to curse and to swear saying I know not the man And immediately the cock crew This is the third denyall Wherein learn the horrible tyranny of Satan and unspeakeable weaknesse of a sinner left to himselfe still Satan draweth men unto deeper and further sinning and the sinner as he is more tempted sinneth more for now standers by do fall on Peter and presse him yet more and he at last denyeth with oathes and cursing of himselfe if be knew Christ This was a pittifull spectacle Ver. 75. And Peter remembred the words of Iesus which said unto him Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice And he went out and wept bitterly After this fearfull fall the Lord raiseth Peter up again by bringing to his remembrance the words which he did not beleeve till now and by this meanes
their robbery were not free of mocking the innocent Son of God for one of them did cast the same scoffe in his teeth also Doct. 1. It is no wonder to see the innocency of Christ mocked by rascals for our Lord did suffer cruell mocking by a condemned robber 2. Straits and torments will not tame a reprobate even in the threshold of hell he will blaspheme God without a cause offered as here is to be seen Ver. 45. Now from the sixth hour there was darknesse over all the land unto the ninth hour In the midst of this infirmity of the humane Nature Christ lets forth the Glory of his God-head in shewing himselfe Lord of Heaven and Earth as by other evidences remarked by the rest of the Evangelists so by darkning the whole land at the Noon-tide of the Day for the space of three Houres and drawing as it were the curtain of darknesse over his naked Body while he hung upon the crosse and thus not suffering the creatures to shew their glory where their Maker is suffering the extremity of Shame Doct. Our Lord did not empty himselfe in the dayes of his humiliation but so as he did ever let some spark of his Glory appear to such as believed in him whereby they might discern the Divine Majesty of his Person even in his lowest condition Ver. 46. And about the ninth hour Iesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli lama-sabachthani that is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Our Lord a little before his Death being now under the full weight and burden of the curse due to our sins and finding all sensible consolation from Heaven and Earth withdrawn from his humane Spirit breaketh forth into this heavy representation of his case in the words of Psalm 22. wherein this agony was foretold By which speech we understand that howsoever the humane Nature of the Mediatour kept constantly the same room in Gods estimation and love and could no more be loosed from the incomprehensible-fervent love of God then the Personall Union of the Divine and humane Nature could be dissolved yet was it necessary that it should suffer the punishment of our sins and feel the effects of the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin in as high a degree and measure as should be equivalent to our perpetuall destruction and be found satisfactory to Divine Justice for us and therefore albeit it was impossible that the humane nature could be deserted in regard of Gods love or of sustaining strength or in regard of inherent Holinesse or any other thing else necessarily joyned with the stability of the Hypostaticall Union yet in regard of sensible consolation it was not onely possible but also necessary that for a time it should be deserted and should taste of horrible bitternesse and accompanying such a desertion and this sort of torment and anguish of Spirit could as well consist with the personall Union as the Pain and Torment of Body could consist with it yea as the Personall Union gave way to his death and remained fast till the time of the seperation of His Soul and body so did it also give way to the temporall affliction of his humane Spirit and to this desertion in regard of Felt comfort and yet remained constantly fixed and unmoveable notwithstanding and if any should doubt how Christ his perswasion of the union of the two Natures and of the necessity and profitablenesse of his sufferings could stand with this expression let us consider that no perswasion of whatsoever truth can make holy Nature senslesse of what is destructive of it nor hinder it to expresse how it is naturally affected and what it naturally feeleth and as perswasion of the necessity and profitableness of the searing of a bleeding wound with a hot iron cannot hinder nature to be sensible of the pain or to crie out in the sense thereof so no knowledge or perswasion of the Personall Union of the two Natures in Christ or certainty of the necessity and profitablenesse of his sufferings could reasonably hinder such an expression as this wherein perswasion of love and union with God crieth My God my God and holy nature filled with the sense of wrath due to our sins and destitute of all comfortable feeling of Gods presence for the time crieth forth Why hast thou forsaken me not by way of quarelling but by way of admiring the terriblenesse and abhorring the bitternesse of Divine Wrath now felt to be far surpassing all humane apprehension which could precede the feeling of it Doct. 1. Christ our surety beside all the sufferings which he suffered in his body did suffer also sorrow grief anguish torment and desertion in regard of comfort in his soul for this and other expressions prove so much 2. Our sins deserved that we should have been utterly forsaken of God and it behoved our Redeemer to taste a little of the hell of being forsaken ere we could be redeemed 3. Heavinesse of spirit sense of wrath appearance of being forsaken and want of fel consolation may consist with the Love of God toward a mants person yea and with a mans adoption unto the state of a child of God for here is consisteth with the personall union of the Man-hood of Christ with the Divine Nature 4. Whensoever naturall sense doth misse the consolations of God faith must gripe more straitly unto God as Christ his faith doth here crying My God my God when sense seeth nothing but forsaking Ver. 47. Some of them that stood there when they heard that said This man calleth for Elias This his speech unto God some of the beholders did mock and say of him as much as if he had left God and prayed to Elias Doct. 1. No wonder the griefs and troubles of the souls of Gods children be ridiculous to the World for even the deep anguish of Christ and his prayer to the Father were mocked by some as here we see 2. In common reason it is a just reproach for any man to call upon any other except God only for even profane sinners here do make it a matter of mocking to pray to Elias supposing that Christ had done so This man calleth for Elias say they Ver. 48. And straightway one of them ran and took a spunge and filled it with vineger and put it on a reed and gave him to drink Here in his thirst as was before signified Psal. 69. vineger is given him to drink Doct. No consolation no not so much as a drink of water was yeilded unto our Lord till he paied all our debt but only what could be devised to augment his grief as here They gave him vineger to drink Ver. 49. The rest said Let be let us see whether Elias will come to save him They had wrested his Prayer before as if he had prayed not to God but to Elias now they mock also the falsly supposed Prayer to Elias in this speech importing that there was no help
lie for money vers 16. Christ meeteth with his disciples and authorizeth them to teach and baptize all Nations Ver. 1. IN the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre OUr Lord having satisfied Justice for us to the full in his obedience unto the death could not be holden by death but as the Son of God in Power behoved to rise again according to the prediction of the Scriptures that he might give Righteousnesse and Resurrection unto eternall Life to all his Redeemed Ones who do flie unto him for refuge In these two women who are made the first witnesses of his resurrection learn 1. The Power of Love and Faith in that soul which hath found peace of conscience through Christ will not suffer the Believer to be unmindfull of him as appeareth in Mary Magdalene and that other Mary They must know what is become of him They come to see the Sepulchre the third day after his Buriall 2. As any are before others in love to Christ so are they in account in Gods books for this is the third time that Mary Magdalene is honourably made mention of for her love to our Lord. 3. It is wisdome to moderate the expressions of Love and Zeal so as commanded duties be nor neglected for These holy women do observe the Sabbath and come not forth till it he ended Ver. 2. And behold there was a great earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it In the manner of the Lord's Resurrection learn 1. That as our Lords Death was shamefull in suffering the punishment due to our sins so his Resurrection for our Justification was wonderfully glorious for as Heaven sent forth an Angel for his service now so the Earth trembled when he stirred to arise out of it There was a great earthquake and an Angel descended from Heaven 2. Christ will make use of his creatures so as he seeth most fit for his own Glory for some base rascalâ— shall crucifie him honourable Joseph of Arimathea shall bury him an Angel shall roll the stone from the tombe 3. Albeit all the Angels be at our Lords call yet he will make use onely of one or two in a service when one or two â—â— sufficient for his purpose as here one spoken of is abundant to roll away the stone and to be Porter to him at his going out of the Sepulchre one is sufficient to affray and boast all the Priests guard set about the Sepulchre for this one Angel when he had rolled away the stone sat upon it as a Commander Ver. 3. His countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow 4. And for fear of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men In the description of the Angel learn 1. That Angels take upon them bodily shapes when their commission to speak to men and to be seen of men requireth so as here this Angels countenance and his garments are observed 2. Great must be the Majesty of our Lord Jesus when his servants countenance is like lightning and his garment white as snow 3. The plots of Christ's adversaries are turned about as engines of war against themselves for these keepers are sent forth to keep Christ within the tombe and now they are made nill they will they witnesses of his resurrection 4. Such as are most stout against Christ shall be most afraid and astonished when he sheweth his Glory for The keepers now do shake and become as dead men Ver. 5. And the Angel answered and said unto the women Fear not ye for I know that ye seek Iesus which was crucified 6. He is not here for he is risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay The Angel speaketh comfortably to these two women and sheweth them that Christ is risen and commandeth them to carry the news unto the Apostles Doct. 1. By the same means the Lord can terrifie his adversaries and comfort his people those he suffereth to lie still in their terrour these he comforteth Fear not ye saith the Angel unto the women as much as these keepers may look for wrath but Fear not ye 2. Such as are seeking after Jesus may take comfort whatsoever come for upon this ground the Angel saith Fear not I know ye are seeking Iesus 3. We have no reason to be ashamed of Christs crosse when the Angels avow Christ crucified to be the Lord. 4. If God should use Kings and Emperours to be Preachers of Christs crosse and resurrection it should be no disparagement to their high place for this message is worthy of such an Angel as this â—o be messenger and even the Angels do not so much honour the message as they are honoured by it and who is he who thinketh himselfe too good to be a Preacher of the Gospel 5. Christs body after his resurrection retaineth the naturall properties of a body it is in one place and not in another the Scripture knoweth no ubiquity of his body for He is not here saith the Angel he is risen 6. No rest for our faith save in our Lords word if it be once received then other things serve to confirm faith for first He is risen as he said saith the Angel and then biddeth them Come see where the Lord lay 7. It is a sufficient argument to prove that Christs body is not present in a place if sense perceive it not present for the Angel proveth that Christ is not in the Sepulchre by this reason Come see the place where the Lord lay he is not here Ver. 7 And go quickly and tell his Disciples that he is risen from the dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him lo I have told you The Angel sendeth away these women to carry joyfull tidings to the scattered Apostles Doc. 1. Albeit women be debarred from the ordinary office of preaching the Gospel yet it may serve them sufficiently for incouragement to believe in Jesus that beside other extraordinary passages of Christ's respect unto them their Sex is honoured with the carrying of the first tidings of the resurrection Go tell his Disciples that he is risen from the dead saith the Angel to the women 2. What concerneth Gods glory and others comfort in the day of griefe should be diligently gone about without delay Go quickly 3. Christ is that good Shepherd who gathereth his people unto him after that the storm of persecution hath scattered them and driven them from him for here he sendeth his Angel to his feeble Disciples to conveen them unto him in Galilee 4. The Lord pitieth the infirmity of his people and appointeth their Assemblies where they may be most secure and safe as here he trusteth his Disciples not at Jerusalem at the first but in their own Countrey Galilee 5. The Lords
A BRIEF EXPOSITION OF THE Evangel of JESUS CHRIST According to MATTHEW By DAVID DICKSON Preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Professor of Divinity in the University of GLASGOW PHIL. 2. VER 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Iesus Who being in the form of God though it not robbery to be equal with God But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Wherfore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth And that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father The Third Edition LONDON Printed for Ralph Smith at the sign of the Bible in Cornhill neer the Royall Exchange 1651. TO THE Right Honorable and truly Noble MY LORD EARL OF LOUDOUN LORD OF MAUCHLIN and TARINZAN c. High Chancellor of SCOTLAND c. And to His Honorable and Hopeful Eldest Son my Lord MAUCHLIN Grace and Peace Right Honourable IT is a sweet and remarkable Providence that within these not many yeers such a multitude of Impressions of the holy Scriptures are vented among these three united Kingdoms and so many thousands are of Scots and English who delight not only to have the holy Bible in their possession and houses but also to carry it in their pockets for reading of it upon all occasions This as it speaketh much of the desire after divine Knowledge raised up by God in peoples hearts and as it promiseth much of the spreading of the light of the Gospel in these Dominions especially the Lord having now seconded his own Work by drawing from the fountain of his own free grace the body of these Kingdoms into a solemn Covenant for purging of all his holy Ordinances and promoving of sound Religion so doth it call aloud to all the Pastors of his Flock and to all the godly learned by all means to lead the Lords people in upon the right understanding of the Scriptures left the plain and marvellously consonant word of God be mistaken and wrested by the instability and unskilfulnesse of such as have not their senses exercised to discern the single meaning of the Lords Voyce and the admirable harmony of his heavenly Speeches Many worthy men of God it is true have profitably taken pains to this purpose and some have written large Commentaries upon sundry Books and parcels of Scripture others have translated out of Latine the Commentaries of others But of those worthy mens Labours only such as have much leasure and patience to read can make use Others have written short Paraphrases of harder places others Expositions of hard words others have minded herewith some sweet notes and observations all of them contributing one with another to the common good so much as each sort of Writing could carry Yet besides all these laudable wayes of explication of Scripture it seemeth that these dangerous Times wherein so many diverse errours are privily crept in and begun openly also to avow themselves do call for such an Explanation of the whole Bible as might not only shew the scope of each Book and Chapter with the cohesion of the Verses and the meaning of the Words but also propone the speciall heads of Doctrine in each place whereby people might see the whole grounds of Religion in the Text and be guarded against all damnable errours in which those persons are easily ensnared who know not the Scriptures nor the power of God and all this to be in such brevity and cleerness That men in their daily set-reading of the Lords word might in the space of half an hour peruse a competent portion of Scripture thus explained I say Set-time for their private reading because albeit every man is not set apart for the Word and Doctrine but most part have by Gods appointment civil callings and necessary imployments about the matters of this life each calling and imployment having its own work and each work requiring his own time so that there remaineth little time beside unto many yet that man is too much busied in temporall affairs and more involved in the World then he can answer for who doth not daily redeem so much time as the necessary exercise of Religion in the Word and Prayer doth require beside secret ejaculations of Prayer unto God mixed with his affairs and the Mason-like-looks of his Conscience levelling its eye to each action to see if it be conform to the Rule for presuppose a man were imployed as much as a King and had so many Realms to govern as were under David K. of Israel yet could he not be excused for this to neglect Gods word prayer for Dav. oftner then once a day yea in the night also found time to call on God praise his name verse himself in his Word Ps. 119.55 62 164. Let the men of this world who have their portion in this life have set up in their hearts the filthy idols of worldly profit pleasure preferment for gaining keeping wherof they make use not only of all men but also of God and Religion so far only as they may be suitable serviceable to their base ends Let such men I say neglect reading the Scriptures and all serious following of religious exercises But let not the children of God do so who hold their standing here and the hopes of eternal life hereafter by faith in Christ for promoving of whose cause and Kingdom they are resolved to bear his Crosse were it even to the doors of Heaven if so GOD please and to lay it down on the threshold with thanks and praise that ever they were counted worthy to suffer for his Name let not these blessed Soules walk in the way of the ungodly but rather delight themselves in the Law of GOD and meditate therein night and day Psal. 1.2 3. For the service of such saints and facilitating of their reading of holy Scripture I come forth as before in the brief Explanation of the Epistle to the Hebrews so now in the brief explanation of the Evangel according to Matthew to call yet again unto the Godly Learned to stir up themselves for contributing one with another unto some such brief explanation of the whole Bible as their Godly wisdome shall agrâ—e upon a mould this or any other because apparently it is but little and not considerable which any one man alone can overtake in this Work As for this Piece such a one as it is There is great reason why it should bear your Honourable Name in the title of it it being a part of the fruit of your Lordships labour who as
the righteousness of such as suffer in their name and estimation for Christ for Maries chastity is now made manifest from Heaven Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wise for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost Verse 21. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shall call his name IESUS for he shall save his people from their sins For the further confirmation of Jâ—seph the Angel sheweth to him how that the conception is of a man child and giveth order to call him after he is born with the reason thereof hereby teaching us these Truths 1. As Christ was really partâ—ker of our flesh and bloud in his conception so Mary his Mother did bring him forth as really and kindly as ever woman bare a child for it is said She shall bring forth a Son The word in the Originall speaketh this plainly 2. The Son of the Virgin Mary is the only true Jesus recommended unto us from heaven to be taken notice of as the true Saviour All who had this name before him were but shadows and types of him at the best for of Christ it is said Thou shalt call His name Iesus for he shall save 3. Natural and civil relations of men and women unto Christ did not take away their obligation and necessity to beleeve in him and to confess him unto salvation as other sinners must do but rather augmented the same for to Joseph it is said Thou shalt call his name Iesus to wit not only as Foster-father giving this name to him but as a Beleever in him and confessor of him avowing him to be the true Saviour because He shall save his people from their sins 4. The Son of Mary Jesus Christ God incarnate purchaseth and giveth salvation by his own proper worth and power for of him it is said absolutely in the strictest sense He himself shall save his people 5. Jesus is not to save every man but only his own people for whose ransome he made paction with the Father in the covenant of redemption for it is said he shall save his own people 6. The Redeemed are no lesse sinners and lost in themselves then others are for it is said He shall save his own people from their sins 7. These things are spoken to Joseph to move him to consecrate himselfe to the service of Jesus whereby we learne that except Christ be known as the Saviour a man cannot heartily do him service nor indure trouble for him Therefore is Joseph instructed to expect salvation from him in saying Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people Vers. 22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying 23. Behold a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and they shall call his name Immanuel which being interpreted is God with us The fourth Evidence of the incarnation is the manifested accomplishment of the prophesie of Esay 7.14 Wherein the Prophet for the comfort of the church giveth assurance that not only God should save Israel from their enemies whom misbeleeving Ahaz did too much fear but also that the Redeemer of Israel should verily be incarnate and assume humane nature in a wonderfull manner Doct. 1. The mystery of Christs wonderfull conception was not altogether hid from the church under the old Testament for it is here foretold by Esay that a Virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son 2. It was foretold that the child born should be God and Man in one person Immanuel that is God with us God manifested in the flesh God in our nature God reconciling us to himself 3. It was foretold that he should be beleeved on and acknowledged to be God incarnate for it is said They shall call his name Immanuel which is fully seen to be accomplished when this child Jesus is born who is the Saviour of his people from their sins For who except God can redeem and save men who can make the redeemed his own proper and peculiar people except God Who can by his own merit and effectuall power save from sin except God only such a Jesus as is verily God really Immanuel God incarnate the true reconciler of God and Man Ver. 24 Then Ioseph being raised from sleep did as the Angel of the Lâ—â—d had bidden him and took unto him his wife 25. 〈◊〉 knew her not till she had brought forth her first-borne son â—naâ—â—â—â—led his name Iesus Tâ—e 〈◊〉 evidence of Christs holy and wonderfull incarnationâ—â— the quiet faith and ready obedience of Joseph after thaâ—â—â— is now taught of God Doct. 1. From time that a mâ—â—â—bâ— sure of Gods Word and Warrant he should dispute no mâ—re but stop his ear to all carnall reasoning for God having solved Joseph of his doubts and given him assurance that Christ is the promised Saviour he did as the Angel had bidden him 2. A soul that knoweth the worth of Christ will be glad according to its power to do service to him or to any of these who belong unto him for now Joseph as a foster-father taketh home under the shadow of matrimony both Mother and Child 3. When saith beholdeth the Majesty of Jesus it breedeth fear and respect in the Beleever toward him and bringeth all his affections in subjection to him for Joseph understanding that the Virgin is with child that the promised seed is now come to destroy the works of the divell and that the holy one of Israel is now incarnate in the Virgins womb he beareth our LORD at such reverence and so sanctifieth him in his heart that he suffereth the Virgin to remain a Virgin for it is said He knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born Son which is sufficient for evidencing the accomplishment of the prophesie Isaiah 14. CHAPTER II. Christ being born in Beth-lehem is honoured from heaven and earth by the wise mens coming to worship him to vers 12. And by the wonderful disappointing of Herods bloudy plot against him Verse 1. NOw when IESUS was born in Beth-lehem of Iudea in the dayes of Herod the king behold there came wise men from the east to Ierusalem WE hear no more of these wise men but what we collect from Matthew That they were of the Gentiles men of learning and wisdome men of wealth and reputation the circumstances of their coming are set down here They came from the east to Ierusalem when Christ is born in the daies of Herod the king wherein we have these things observable 1. The place of the nativity of Christ well agreeth to the prophesie of Micah 5.2 Jesus is born in Beth-lehem the city of David which is in Judea so called to distinguish it from Beth-lehem in Galilee 2. The time when he should be born agreeth also to the Prophets Gen. 49.10 to wit before or about the time of the Scepters taking altogether from Juda That is before the tribe of Juda
did cease to be a tribe before this tribe was dissipate and so destitute of all sort of government which came not to passe till after our Lords death For now Herod is king in Judea who had slain the Elders of the house of David to confirm the kingdome in his own hand yet the tribe remained and had the own order within it self for the regulating of the common things pertaining unto the severall families thereof as appeareth in the taxing of the family of David in Beth-lehem But after Christs coming and ending of the worke of redemption for which he came the tribe of Juda was so cut off and confounded that it never had a face of a tribe again unto this day therefore the Messia is now come 3. When such as should glorifie God do it not but do misken Christ He can raise up others in their room by whom he will honour himselfe for though the wise men of the Jewish Church do not observe the time of Christs coming yet God prepareth witnesses for himselfe from among the Gentiles Behold a number of wise men come from the east to honour him whether from Chaldea or Persia or how many they were or what were their names it is not materiall to us It is sufficient that Christ is honoured by them and that they are the first fruits of the Gentiles their conversion unto Christ. 4. The Lord faileth not to make the best of all means for his own glory to make these mens testimony famous and most fit to check the security of the Jews they are led in a providence to Jerusalem to ask for Christ. Ver. 2. Saying Where is he that is born King of the Iews for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him When these men are come to Jerusalem they ask where Christ is and posesse their faith in him and their purpose to worship him Doct. 1. Though Christs kingdome be not of this world yet is he King of Saints the true King of Israel to whom the throne of David was promised that he should fit theron and raign over souls for ever for he is that born King of the Jews 2. Saving faith looketh through all clouds of humane infirmities in Christ and pitcheth upon some point of excellency in him For these men by faith in a babe new born behold the promised Messiah and the King of Israel They ask for the King of the Iews giving to him the ordinary stile of the Messiah 3. The least spunk of saving knowledg doth set a man on work to seek after Christ for where is he say they 4. Faith ere it want Christ will hazard all to come by him for these men confess him with the danger of their life to be the born King of the Iews and do ask for him in Jerusalem even when and where Herod a stranger is reigning as King 5. Though Christ came in the shape of a servant and humbled himself to be born of a mean Damsel yet is his honour to be seen in heaven and earth for a star is created to give warning to the world that the bright morning Star is arisen and from the east wise men do come to confesse him 6. Though God give signes and evidences of Christs coming yet every man doth not see or observe them but such only as God doth reveal them unto for only these wise men are they who get a right sight of this star we say they have seen his star in the cast 7. Faith in Christ and love to him will spare no pains nor travell to come at him for these men are come from a far from the east to sâ—e him 8. Faith seeth Christ to be God and that maketh men to overcome a world of difficulties in seeking to have communion with him for we are come to worship him say they to wit with religious worship due to the promised Mâ—ssiah the Redeemer of souls Ver. 3. When Herod the King had heard these things he was troubled and all Ierusalem with him At the hearing of these news Herod is troubled and all Jerusalem with him he for fear to lose his kingdome and they for fear of wars betwixt two Kings Doct. 1. It is no new thing that Kings are jealous of Christ when they hear he is a King They can hardly conceive how his Kingdome shall not pre-judg their reign albeit indeed their Kingdome hath no such friend as he is therefore Herod when he heard was troubled 2. Worldly men setled in their honours ease and wealth are feared to be troubled about Christ and could be contented to sit quiet without him for all Ierusalem here is troubled also more fearing temporall inconveniences by occasion of Christs nativity then rejoycing in the hope of salvation through him Vers. 4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and Sribes of the people together he demanded of them where Christ should be born Herod dissembleth his fear and pretendeth zeal to bring the knowledge of Christ to light and to this â—nd he calleth an assembly of the church to enquire what the Scripture spake of the place of his nativity Then which there could not be any act more plausible to the people more acceptable unto these strangers or a more specious show of religious respect unto Christ. In Herod we have the portrait of Christs enemies he dissembleth like a crafty fox waiting for the prey so do they He befriendeth the wise men who are seeking Christ so far as it may serve for his own ends so do they He abuseth the church-men and their assembly calleth for a meeting of the chief priests and Scribes proponeth questions to be solved as if he minded to make good use thereof In speciall asking of them where Chrâ—st should be born as if none were readier to serve him then he mean time he was seeking to find him out to kill him so do they Ver. 5. And they said unto him In Beth-lehem of Iudea for thus it is written by the Prophet 6. And thou Beth-lehem in the land of Iuda art not the least among the princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel The Priests and Scribes of the people assembled answer the question from Scripture â—oct 1. As it is the duty of the church-men to assemble readily when matters of Religion and questions concerning Christ are moved in the church so they ought to determine questions according to the Scripture without seed or favour for being conveened they answer It is written in the text cited by the assembly Matthew and Micah do agree in substance That albeit Beth-lehem was a small city of no great wealth nor estimation among the cities of Israel yet it was not little in effect but a city of renown Because in it was born the Governor of Israel the King and Captain of the Lords people Christ Jesus Doct. 1. Scripture consisteth not in letters or syllables but in sense
any extraordinary proofs of his care towards us when he hath after an ordinary manner provided means for our safety neither should we limit the Lord in any thing for this is the meaning of Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 3. What the Scripture speaks indifferently to all it is to be esteemed as spoken to every singular person and the singular persons are to be accounted as written in the writing of the generallâ— for upon this ground Christ saith It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Because Deut. 6.16 it is written Ye shall not tempt your God 4. Christ as our surety did subject himselfe unto the law and therefore he doth apply the prcepts to himself no less then to us for he saith of himself Thou shalt not tempt the Lord. Ver. 8. Again the Divel taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them 9. And saith unto him All these things will I give thee If thou wilt fall down and worship me This is the third temptation whereunto Satan doth make way by shewing the glory of the Kingdomes of the World from a high mountain whence many Towns Castles and fruitfull Fields might be seen as the compend and example of all the kingdomes of the world which have nothing in them but a greater quantity of what may be seen in one place of one Kingdom Doct. 1. Satan will not give over the conflict till he have made triall of all sorts of temptations after the former essayes Satan wil now tempt Christ with the offer of gain and glory All these saith he will I give thee 2. Satan labours to have a man in love with the bait of Riches and Honour ere he utter a temptation and to have the bait speaking ere the temptation speak for before he speaks to Christ He sheweth him all the Kingdomes of the world 3. Satan will make fair offers of what he cannot perform for the saith All these things will I give to thee 4. The children of God may be tempted with the vilest and most blasphemous suggestions that Satan can devise for this uncleane Spirit dare tempt the Son of God to the vilest idolatry and dare say to Christ fall down and worship me 5. When Satan mindes to make a man a slave to sin and to ruine him for ever he will crave but one act of sin as a very small thing and that under hope of great advantage therefore he saith All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me or kneel to me Verse 10. Then saith Iesus unto him Get thee hence Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve The Lord abhorring the blasphemy of the proud and unclean Spirit rebuketh him and answereth the temptation by Scripture Doct. 1. A bold temptation should have a peremptory answer and that confirmed by Scripture as here Get thee hence c. saith Christ. 2. As well religious service as religious worship is due to God only God will not permit either of them to be given to Saint or Angel or any creature for him only shalt thou serve 3. Whatsoever is the true sense and intent of any passage of Scripture it is to be accounted of as if it were expressly written for because Deut. 6.13 it is said Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him Christ saith it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and serve him only Ver. 11. Then the divel leaveth him and behold angels came and ministred unto him Thus our Lord hath overcome Satan in our name and shown to us the way how to fight against and overcome the Adversary Doct. 1. Satan being resisted doth flee for it is written here Then the divel leaveth him 2. The grief and vexation which cometh by temptation shall be recompensed with consolation after the conflict and victory for Angels do come and minister unto Christ after his combate Ver. 12. Now when Iesus had heard that Iohn was cast into prison he departed into Galilee Upon the hearing of John Baptists imprisonment Christ goeth unto Galilee Doct. 1. Faithfull Ministers must resolve for persecution for Iohn Baptist is cast in prison 2. All Preachers of the Gospel are not imprisoned at once for when John is in prison Christ is free 3. Persecution of the Ministers of the Gospel is a forerunner of Christs departing from a land for when word came of Johns imprisonment Christ departed from Judea and went into Galilee Ver. 13. And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum which is upon the seacoast in the borders of Zabulon and Naphthali 14. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying 15. The land of Zabulon and the land of Naphthali by the way of the sea beyond Iordan Galâ—lee of the Gentiles 16. The people which sate in darkness saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow if death light is sprung up Christ being now come into Galilee fleeth from Nazareth to Capernaum Doct. 1. Christ will not be tyed unto any place though he be brought up at Nazareth he will leave it for his own reasons and come and dwell at Capernaum 2. Our Lord in all things had respect to Scripture to fulfill what was foretold in it Even this change of place was made that the Prophesie of Esaiah might be fulfilled by this means In which prophesie to comfort the church against the desolation to be made in the land by the enemy Isaiah doth foretell that in that part of the countrey where the desolation began that is in the land of Zabulon and Nephthali there Christ should begin the consolation of the church in preaching of the gospel and now our Lord performeth this 3. The people that lie in their sins without the saving knowledg of the gospel are indeed in great darkness and under the power of death 4. Whatsoever sin or misery people be under the preaching of the gospel is able to relieve them therefore it is called A great light A light sprung up to them when Christ preacheth the gospel among them Vers. 17. From that time Iesus began to preach and to say Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Christ had preached before in the time of Johns freedome and made moâ— disciples then he Iohn 3.26 but now he begins in this country side and shews himself more powerfull then before Doctr. 1. When his gospel is opposed and his servants persecuted he can let forth his light and power so much the more and can supply the inlack of instruments therefore it is said From that time he began to preach 2. Christs doctrine and the doctrine of his faithfull servants is all one in substance the sum of John Baptists preaching and Christs is all one for both preached in substance Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
of him but as he is directed therefore he would have the work found to be divine by the Priest before it should be known that it was his work for his own greater glory therfore saith he See thou tell no man 3. That Christ would have the ceremoniall law kept so long as the time thereof indured saying Offer the gift that Moses commanded 4. That if our Lord suspend the manifesting of his glory it is for manifesting of it in a fitter time to the convincing of his adversaries and confirmation of the faith of his own Therefore he will have a Sacrifice offered unto God for the cleansing that the God-head of the cleanser may be seen and a testimony given against them who would not acknowledg his power to be divine Ver. 5. And when Iesus was entred into Capernaum there came unto him a Centurion beseeching him 6. And saying Lord my servant lieth at home sick of the palsie grievously tormented Another evidence of Christs divine power is the healing of the Centurions seavant Wherein learn That Gods elections calling and saving grace runs to all ranks of men without exception for here a man of War a Commander inâ—ued with faith a Centurion and a Gentile cometh to him 2. That faith working by love can make an earrand to Christ for others no lesse then for it self for My servant lieth sick saith the Centurion 3. Faith accounts misery laid before Christ a motive good enough for mercy to work on Therfore saith he My servant is grievously tormented Verse 7. And Iesus saith unto him I will come and heal him In Christs answer learn 1. How ready our Lord is to hear prayer proceeding from faith and love for he answereth quickly I wil heal him 2. That when the party afflicted cannot stir Christ will be content to make the travell as here he saith I will come and heal him 3. The Centurion did not expresly ask so much as is here granted but half a word from saith serveth Christ he wil give unto it a compleat answer My servant is sick saith the Centurion I wil come and heal him saith Christ. Ver. 8. The Centurion answered and said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed 9. For I am a man under authority having souldiers undermâ—â— and I say to this man Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh and to my servant Do this and be dâ—â—â— it In the Centurions answer learn 1. That Faith hath a high esteem of Christ and a low esteem of it selfe as is seen in the Centurions saying I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof 2. That faith is content with Christs word without bodily presence and looks for no lesse effect from his word then from his presence for Speake saith he the word only and my servant shall be made whole 3. Thâ—â— faith acknowledgeth all power and authority over all things to be eminently in Christ and in speciall that all sicknesses are Christs souldiers and servants to go or stay as he commandâ— in a far more excellent way then a centurion can command his souldiers for saith he I am a man under authority c. therefore thou who art supream in authority overall may it do more then I. Ver. 10. When Iesus heard it he marvelled and said to them that followed Verily I say unto you I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Christ is said to Marvel not that he is ignorant of the cause of this glorious faith of the Centurion for Christ was author of it and did give it unto him but because it was to be wondred at by the Disciples and Christ did use some externall gesture of wondring to make the centurions faith to be so much the more taken notice of and therefore â—eâ— is said to marvell Hence learn 1. That faith the greater it is the more it pitcheth on Christs Deity the more work it purs upon him it is the more pleasing to him he delights in his own gift of grace where-ever he sees it he will marvellously entertain it and hold it forth as a rarity unto others this is it that He marvelled and spake of it to his followers 2. That the more means and the more time that a man hath had to grow strong in the faith and yet hath profited little the more is he to be blamed and to be reproached in comparison of these who profit by few meanes This is it which Christ saith I have not found so great faith in Israel as in this Centurion a born Ethnick Ver. 11. And I say unto you that many shall come from the east and west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaâ—c and Iacob in the kingdom of heaven 12. But the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into utter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gâ—ashing of teeth Upon this occasion our Lord prophesieth of the calling of the Gentiles verse 11. and rejection of the Jews verse 12. Whence we learn 1. That such of the Gentiles as beleeve In Jesus Christ are joyned in society with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and that out of whatsoever Nation they shall come unto Christ they shall be incorporate in the same fellowship of grace and glory for they shall sit down in the Kingdome of Heaven with Abraham c. 2. Whatsoever was our Lords purpose about the choosing of the Sacramental Signs of his Supper we are sure that he esteemed sociall fitting of the Saints at Table a fit sign to represent their fellowship one with another in grace and glory and that he thought it good before the institution of the Sacrament to acquaint his Disciples with such a form of speech as might expresse so much for in stead of saying Many shall be partakers with Abraham Isaac and Iacob of life joy and honour He saith Many shall SIT DOWN TO TABLE with Abraham Isaac and Iacob 3. Whosoever are born within the compasse of a Nationall covenant with God are children of the Kingdome that is have an external title to be heirs of the Kingdome for therefore are the Jews who were born under the covenant called Children of the Kingdom 4. If a man have no more but the externall honour of a Covenanter for the Kingdom and do want faith in Christ he shall be stripped naked of that externall honour also for here it is said of such The children of the Kingdom shall be cast out 5. Such as are debarred from heaven are cast into utter darknesse that is in extreme misery confusion horror and torment in hell Where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth that is where shall be nothing but desperate sorrow Ver. 13. And Iesus said unto the Centurion Go thy way and as thou hast beleeved so be it done unto thee And his servant was healed in the self same hour After reproving and threatning the Jews Christ turneth about and speaketh
the comparison importeth 2. Somtime the people are more in number and more willing to hear then there are able willing Ministers to teach and Then is the harvest plenteous and the labourers few 3. The true Disciples of Christ should carefully observe this and lay it to heart therefore is it that Christ layeth this case before his Disciples 4. True Labourers and faithful Preachers are Gods special gift to a land worthy to be sought from God by prayer therfore saith he Pray the Lord to send labourers 5. God himself must fit men for the work of the Ministry and must thrust them forth and give them their commission for no man can further the harvest who is not sent the fore saith he Pray that he would send forth c. CHAP. X In this Chapter is contained the first commission given by Christ to the Apostles to go preach wherein he doth guard them against all difficulties in their Ministerie and in speciall against povertie and persecution Ver. 1. ANd when he had called unto him his twelve Disciples he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and to heale all manner of sickness and all manner of disease HEre Christ calleth and furnished his Apostles Doct. 1. Christ doth not admit every man unto the work of the Ministry but chuseth out and calleth whom he will as here he calleth unto him twelve and no other 2. Christ will have such as shall preach the Gospel to be Disciples ere they be Ministers trained and prepared a while in his company ere they be put in publick charge for here He called unto him his twelve Disciples 3. He fits whom he sends with all gifts and abilities necessary for the discharge of their Office as here he gave them power against unclean spirits c. 4. Our Lord Jesus is very God having divine power in himself which he will put forth by what instruments he pleaseth as here He giveth power to his Apostles to work miracles in his name and authority Ver. 2. Now the names of the twelve Apostles are these The first Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother Iames the son of Zebedee and Iohn his brother 3. Phillip and Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew the Publican Iames the son of Alpheus and Lebbeus whose surname was Thaddeus 4. Simon the Canaanite and Iudas Iscariot who also betrayed him In the names of the Apostles we learn 1. That there must be an order among the Ministers of the Gospel albeit without stately subjection of all to any one there may be a priority of order which nature requires without supremacy of Jurisdiction yea there may be priority of order without a superiority of degree in Office let be without superiority of jurisdiction for here there is a first without naming a second The first Simon who is called Peter who in the meetings of the Apostles might for orders cause speak in the name of the rest as elder then the rest or as Moderator but had no Lordship nor superiority of office over the rest for this he disclaims 1 Peter 5.4 Next we observe That albeit for a mans own salvation his conversion and sanctification be necessary yet want of true grace and sanctification doth not disanâ—â—â— the office of a man outwardly called nor hinder the lawsuinesse of his Ministry for Iudas Iscariot is here called and authorized to preach the Gospel as Peter was and is sent out in a common commission with the rest for it is said He calleth the twelve and giveth them power or whom Judas is named for one Ver. 5. These twelve Iesus sent forth and commanded them saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any City of the Samaritans enter yee not 6. But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel 7. And as ye go Preach saying The Kingdome of heaven is at hand In the direction learn 1. That it was necessary that the Jewes should have the first offer of the Gospel being the visible Kirk for the time the people first and before all other in covenant with God therefore in this first commission the Apostles are commanded to keep within the Iews bounds and not go to the Gentiles as yet nor unto the Samaritans which were composed of the off-spring of the mixt multitude of Pagans who after the cativity of the ten tribes were planted in their room for Go not in the way of the Gentiles but rather to the lost sheep of Israel saith Christ. 2. The office of Ministers is to bring home unto the true shepherd Christ Jesus lost sheep going astray from Christ Therfore saith he Go to the lost sheep 3. The consideration of the danger of peoples souls ready to perish must stir up the Ministers to faithfulnesse in their charge Therefore he calleth his people Lost sheep 4. The mean appointed by Christ for salvation of souls is preaching how foolish soever it may seem to the world for Go saith Christ and preach 5. The sum of John Baptists preaching Mat. 3.2 and of Christs Mat. 4.17 and here of the Apostles is all one to wit The Kingdome of heaven is at hand 6. By the preaching of Christ his Ministers the kingdome of heaven is brought neer hand to men for righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost is offered unto every soule who in the sense of need shall embrace Christ Preach saith he the Kingdome of heaven is at hand Ver. 8. Heal the sick cleanse the Lepers raise the dead cast out divels freely yee have received freely give It is worthy observation that the Lord for confirmation of mens faith hath given power to the first Preachers of his Doctrine to deliver men from miseries both of soul and body from sicknesse and divels that in all time coming the power of his Gospel might be beleeved for Heal the sick saith he Cleanse the Lepers Cast out divels 2. To shew the freedome and rich grace of the Gospel whereby whatsoever belongeth to righteousness and salvation is bestowed upon the unworthy without money and without price he gave the first Preachers of his grace a command to take no reward for their miraculous cures saying Freely have you received freely give Vers. 9. Provide neither gold nor silver nor brasse in your purses 10. Nor scrip for your journey neither two coats nor yet shooes nor yet staves for the workman is worthy of his meat In this temporary commandement to the Apostles in their first commission our Lord teacheth 1. That such as have a calling to preach need not be solicitous for their living and that they should not aime at the conquest of money or meanes unto themselves but to bring in souls to God Therefore saith he Provide neither gold nor silver c. 2. Christ esteemeth and declareth the Preachers of the Gospel worthy of their sustenance and their Hearers to be obliged in equity to sustaine them saying The work man is worthy of his meat 3. When
is untill the day of judgement wherein the Angels shall have work to separate the wicked from the godly for The harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the Angels 6. In the end of the world every man shall have the fruit of his labour as his seed that is as his good or evil works have been for This is the full harvest vers 39. 7. Openly prophane persons and secret Hypocrites workers of iniquity shall have no place among Gods people any more after the day of judgement but their place shall be hell the place of unexpressible torment for The tares shall be gathered and burnt in the fire 8. Such as are justified by faith in Christ and do study by his grace to live righteously how base soever they may appear in this world shall in the world to come be wonderfull glorious for They shall shine as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father 9. It is sufficient for the main end of Christs doctrine if such as have grace to understand and believe shall make use therof for the rest he regardeth not for he saith They that have ears to hear let them hear Ver. 44. Again the Kingdome of heaven is like unto a treasure bid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field Another parable teaching us that the church in regard of the precious doctrine of grace and salvation to be had by Christ in it is a rich treasure able to relieve and supply all wants and necessities therefore called an hid Treasure which the misbeleevers how wise soever in the world cannot perceive 2. The beleever who findeth it will make no reckoning of the worth of any earâ—hly thing in comparison of it but will part with what soever is pleasant or profitable unto him in this life rather then be deprived of this grace for He selleth all to buy it 3. As he laboureth to have this treasure so he hath a care to keep it that neither by violence nor deceit it be taken from him for He hideth it and selleth all to have the means of enjoying of it and to have right to the field of the visible Church where this treasure is to be found Ver 45. Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly pearls 46. Who when he had found one pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it Another parable teaching us 1. That the Church in respect of the true subjects thereof that is in respect of the Elect and true Beleevers is like Merchant-men occupied about the purchase of these things which may truly enrich them and make them happy 2. That among all things which can be conceived to be fit to bring men unto happiness there is only one means able to make blessed one pearl of price to wit Christ Jesus in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and grace and that the wise man wil content himself with Christ and what is to be found in him and wil renounce all other things which come in comparison with him Verse 47. Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind 48. Which when it was full they drew to shore and sat down and gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away 49. So shall it be at the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just 50. And shal cast them into the furnace of fire there shal be wailing and gnashing of teeth Another parable teaching us 1. That the visible Church in the way of gathering members and manner of constitution thereof is like a draught-net taking in all who professe subjection to Christ in his ordinances good and bad true and false professors for it gathereth of every kinde to wit whosoever professe faith in and promise subjection to Christ. 2. That not before the day of judgment but then precisely separation shall be made of the just and wicked and then shall the wicked be punished for ever in whatsoever place or estimation they have been in this world This parable and that of the tares tend to one end to strengthen us so much the more against the stumbling blocke of the unavoydable mixture of wicked hypocrites in the Church visible that the godly shall not fare the worse for the wickeds being among them in one field in one draught-net nor the wicked fare the better at the latter end for their society with the godly in the visible Church Ver. 51. Iesus saith unto them Have ye understood all these things They say unto him Yea Lord. Christ taketh account of his Disciples whether they understood his speech Doct. 1. Hearers of the Gospel should labour to understand what they hear for Have ye understood saith Christ. 2. The Ministers by catechising should take account of their hearers for so doth Christ saying Have ye understood 3. People of what quality soever should be willing to give account to their Teachers of their profiting in knowledg for the Disciples do aâ—swer Yea Lord. Ver. 52. Then said he unto them Therefore every Scribe which is instructed unto the kingdome of heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old Christ teacheth them still to be gathering more knowledge and to make use of their hearing Doct. 1. Every Minister should be furnished for his imployment for He is A Scribe unto the kingdom of heaven 2. Ministers should be faithful stâ—wards distributing unto the necessity of the people out of the abundance of their furniture for They are Housholders who should be provided with store as it were of the last years growth and of this years gathering also Ver. 53. And it came to passe that when Iesus had finished these parables he departed thence 54. And when he was come into his own Country he taught them in their Synagogue insomuch that they were astonished and said Whence hath this man this Wisâ—dome and these mighty Works 55. Is not this the Carpenters Son Is not his Mother called Mary and his Brethren Iames and Ioses and Simon and Iudas 56. And his Sisters are they not all with us whence then hath this Man all these things Christ departs from that place and goeth into Gaâ—ilee where he is not well received Hence learn 1. That when Christ hath perfected his Work and not till then will he remove from a place for it is said When he had finished then he departed 2. He neglected no bands of common duty he visits Nazareth Galilee where he was brought up giveth them an offer of his grace teaching us by his example that the greatest evidence of kindness to our Friends or Acquaintence which can be given is according to our calling to draw them unto God for
of his Kingdom for there were in Christs dayes divers opinions of men about him even among them who were not his opposite enemies for Some said he was Iohn Baptist c. 3. Of such as have most means of the knowledg of Christ most is to be expected and if Christs Disciples have a right estimation of him the less matter what others have but chiefly it is necessary that such as are to preach Christ know him rightly Therefore saith Christ But whom say ye that I am Ver. 16. And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God From Peters answer Learn 1. That the Apostles knew Christ to be very God and very man in one person for Peter saith Thou art that Christ i. e. The promised Christ. 2. The vail of his humane nature and infirmities did not keep the eye of their faith from seâ—ing him to be one in substance with he living God for Thou art Christ the son of the living God say they Vers. 17. And Iesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thée but my Father which is in heaven 18. And I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Christ commendeth this confession of Peter as a saving truth revealed from Heaven whereupon in despite of Satan he would settle his church and rule the same by the Ministry of his servants and would ratifie in heaven their service done upon earth Doct. 1. It is very acceptable and pleasant unto Christ that his disciples do profit in knowledge and grace Therfore saith he Blessed art thou 2. None get saving knowledge of Christs person and offices but by special revelation from God for Flesh and blood hath not revealed it saith he 3. Such as know Christ rightly are truly blessed for this cause he saith Blessed art thou 4. Such as bear testimony unto Christ he will bear testimony for them and will give them a new name as here he pronounceth Peter A lively stone builded on a sure rock and that by way of confirmation of the name which he had given unto him at his first calling saying Thou art Peter or a stone 5. The truth that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah very God and very man in one person the anointed Saviour of the world is The main ground-stone wherupon the faith of all believers is founded as upon a rock for Upon this rock I will build saith he 6. All the power and policy of the divel and his instruments shall not be able to overturn this truth nor the Lords building of his church upon it nor the work of Gods grace in any member of the church which is builded on this truth for so he promiseth in a speech borrowed from the manner of these times when the Judges sat at the Port and gave judgement And so what wisdome or power was in the towne was in the gates thereof The gates of hell shall not prevail against it saith he 7. The church properly belongeth to Christ as his own peculiar neither Pope nor King nor Parliament nor any one or moe in heaven or earth may subject the Church unto themselves as it is the church for Christ hath reserved the church for himself and hath appropriate this incorporation as such unto himself alone and called the church his own proper saying I wil build my Church 8. Howsoever there be many particular churches distinguished one from another yet must they all endeavour for an unity among themselves that they may be one church with and to Christ and among themselves keeping the unity of faith in Christ and unity of subjection to all his ordinances in the bond of peace among themselves for Christ hath called them one and appointed them to be one saying I will build my Church in the singular number 9. Whatsoever externall defence comfort cherishing and assistance unto the church be required of the Magistrate for the service of Christ yet all the means of edification of the church and all the administration of the means of the internall building of the church Christ reserveth unto himself to be done by his own means and his own chosen instruments for this worke he taketh unto himselfe saying I will build my Church Ver. 19. And I wil give unto thee the keyes of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven In this promise made to Peter in name of the Apostles and their Successours in the Pastorall charge in whose name he did speak learn 1. Christs church visible is his Kingdom even on this earth not an earthly Kingdom but a spiritual and heavenly Kingdom wherein he as King of heaven in heavenly things doth reign therfore he calleth the church visible The Kingdom of Heaven 2. This Kingdom or church hath keys to let in and keep in subjects to cast out and hold out rebels by doctrine and Discipline and is not left without Ordinances and Order for the preservation and inlargement of it self for I will give Keyes saith he 3. The Ministriall power of their keyes is promised to the Ministers of this Kingdom that is the Apostles and their Successours in the Pastorall charge in whose name Peter did speak unto Christ and in whose name he is spoken unto by Christ for he saith I will give to thee 4. Such as have the office of administration of the keyes have their authority in that office only from Christ in whose Name the keyes are to be used for He only is the Giver of the keyes for it is said I will give thee the keyes 5. What the Lords Ministers do by vertue of their office in admitting unto the fellowship of God and his Saints or excluding from the same binding unto judgment and loosing from judgment in Christs Name according to their commission it is ratified by God in Heaven as done by his warrant for it is promised Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth or loose shall be so in Heaven Ver. 20. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Iesus the Christ. This mystery he commandeth them to keep to themselves till he should give further order Hence learn Christ hath his own fit times when he will reveal his own mysteries therefore be charged them that they should tel no man that he was Iesus the Christ for if they had known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory He will not have his death hindred by the untimous proclamation of his Truth Vers. 21. From that time forth began Iesus to shew to his disciples how that he must go into Ierusalem and suffer many things of the elders and â—hief priests and Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day The disciples being now
your Master pay tribute 25. He saith Yes And when he was come into the house Iesus prevented him saying What thinkest thou Simon of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute of their own children or of strangers 26. Peter saith unto him Of strangers Iesus saith unto him theâ— are the children free 27. Notwithstanding lest we should offend them go thou to the sea and cast an hook and take up the fish that first cometh up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of mony that take and give unto them for me and thee In this history of Christs paying tribute Learn 1. That tribute is due to Magistrats for their publick service this is imported in Doth your Master pay tribute 2. Christ is no unfriend unto Magistrats and Rulers nor any wayes a hinderer of paying any thing due unto them for Peter affirmeth that Christ payed ordinarily 3. He wil not exempt his Ministers or Followers from the common civil duties wherunto other subjects are lyable Therfore he saith to Peter What thinkest thou c. 4. Christ by no ordinary course of Law was subject unto any power under heaven for as Kings sons are naturally free from tribute so is the Son of God naturally free also for he is the Heir and Owner of all things for as every King and his native children are naturally free from the burdens proper unto the subject so is God the Father and his native Son Christ coeternall with the Father naturally also free from all things which the creatures can impose upon him What King is he who will subject Gods Son unto him Therfore Christ said That Kings children are free of all whom he was the chief 5. Howsoever Christ was the rich Heir of Heaven and Earth as of his own workmanship yet for our cause he voluntarily subjected himself and became poor that he might make us rich for he had no mony to pay his tribute 6. As in matters of civil losse Christ did dispense with his own right civill and subjected himself to pay tribute which he was not bound to do so must his servants do and not only must they pay tribute which is their due by civil obligation but rather then they mar the Gospel and breed scandall they must bear burdens which civilly they are not bound to bear 7. Christ was never so far abased at any time but the glory of his God-head might have been seen breaking forth in the mean time or shortly after lest his humiliation should at any time prejudice his glory at our hands as here at the time when he doth subject himself to pay tribute at the same time he sheweth himself Lord of all the creatures who can make the most wild of them to come to his angle and bring mony with them in their mouth unto him as here he giveth evidence in this fish which Peter catcheth CHAP. XVIII Our Lord dischargeth prelacy among his Disciples to ver 7. Commandeth to eschew offences to ver 15. And to remove them when they should fall out by discipline and forgivenesse mutuall Ver. 1. AT the same time came the Disciples unto Iesus saying Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven THe Disciples dreaming of a worldly kingdome of Christ do strive for state among themselves Hence learn 1. The seed of ambition and prelacie is old in Ministers and ground was found to foster it in the unmortified corruptions of the Apostles for here they are disputing Who is the greatest in the kingdome 2. Neither Peter nor any other of the Apostles had supremacie or majority of power over the rest for here they ask Christ Who is the greatest They did not acknowledge any one greater then another but referred the determination of this unto Christ who simply disallowed the question as sinfull Ver. 2. And Iesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them 3. And said Verily I say unto you Except you be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven This pestilent and pernicious evil Christ dischargeth disswadeth them from by six reasons The first reason which comprehendeth a doctrine in it except you study to be as far as this little child is from seeking of preheminence one over another in the church or kingdom of heaven here beneath you shal not enter into the kingdom of heaven which is above 2. Learn that the mortifying of ambition and renunciation of prelacy and folowing of humility is so hard a lesson to be learned that there is need of teaching of it in an odd way by the eye as well as by the ear therfore Is a yong child set as a copy of the lesson before the Disciples eyes 3. Howsoever Christ hath ordained sundry degrees of office-bearers in his house yet he will have no majority of power of any one over the rest of that office but will have men so far from affecting of it as a young child is who knoweth not what striving for state doth mean therfore saith he Except ye become as children 4. If this wicked root set up the self in a man he must repent him of any motion toward it and be converted and if being convinced of the sin he shall not be converted and repent of it he shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven which is above for so much saith our Lord here to the Apostles Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shal not enter into heaven Verse 4. Whosoever therfore shall humble himself as this little childe the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heaven A second reason The man furthest from affectation of preheminence is the man worthy of most estimation before men therfore beware of looking toward prelaticall preheminence of one over another Doct. True greatness of Ministers stands not in being one over another in majority of power but in humility and farnesse from seeking a prelacy or preheminence over their brethren for Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child saith he is the greatest in the kingdome of heaven Ver. 5. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which beleeve in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that hee were drowned in the depth of the sea The third reason I give authority unto every messenger of the Gospel even to the meanest and most averse from this sort of preheminence that Whosoever receiveth him receiveth me c. Therefore be content with this common honour and seek not greatnesse of one over another The fourth reason the ministeriall authority is not augmented by prelatical power erected among you nor diminished for want of it therfore beware of prelacy for I do give the authority of Embassadors to the meanest whom I send even to the most humble so as Whoso receiveth such an
The band of Man and Wife for mutuall society is more intire then of Parents and children Yea it is a sort of unity so that man and wife become As one flesh for in regard of mutual affection and agreement for the mutuall welfare one of another They are no more two but one flesh 6. Where God doth not give warrant to loose marriage neither consent of parties nor any humane authority can lawfully loose for What God hath joyned let no man put asunder Ver. 7. They say unto him Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement and to put her away 8. He saith unto them Moses because of the hardnesse of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives but from the beginning it was not s◠9. And I say unto you Whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery and who so marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery The Pharisees do object the bill of divorcement and Christ sheweth that this doth not free any man from sin who except in the case of adultery shall put away his wife Hence learn 1. That Patrons of error wil wrest Scripture and set it in opposition to truth for Why did Moses c. say the Pharisees 2. Moses Ordinance about the bill of divorcement was no allowance of the divorcement but a judicial or civill law providing for the credit and safety of the honest woman for the sum of it was I find no fault with this woman only I cannot love her so shee was clear and this civill permission did deliver the man from civil punishment only but not from sin therfore saith he Moses suffered you 2. The civill punishment was spared and the bill of divorcement permitted for the hardnesse of the mans heart who if he should not have been suffered to put away his wife would have some way taken away her life for Moses suffered you for the hardnesse of your heart 4. This permission was but temporary and for a time but the first and ancient institution of marriage behoved to be the rule wherby to correct abuses crept in therfore saith he From the beginning it was not so 5. Marriage is loosed by adultery and the innocent party is free for he doth make exception of fornication as a cause making the party injured to be free to put away the Adultresse 6. And in case the unlawfully divorced party be married to another it is Adultery for so doth Christ pronounce Ver. 10. His disciples say unto him If the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marry The disciples think this doctrine hard for in case divorcement were not lawful they say it were better not to marry then to be so straightly bound in marriage in whom we see 1. How impatient our nature is of all restraint and how much we love to be at liberty even from the bands of God for If so it be it is not good to marry say they 2. Suddain resolutions and sentences are readily full of folly for here the disciples neither do look unto their own strength or rather inability to live in a single life nor do they consider the incommodities of an unmarried life nor the commodities of marriage where God giveth a blessing Ver. 11. But he said unto them All men cannot receive this saying save they to whom it is given 12. For there are some eunuchs which were so born from their mothers womb and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs of men and there be some eunuchs which made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of heavens sake He that is able to receive it let him receive it Our Lords answer is to this meaning Every man is not able to receive this saying of yours that is To live without marriage lawfully except either he be an Eunuch by nature born impotent unfit for marriage or an Eunuch by Art of man gelded or an Eunuch by grace to whom God hath given power over all his natural affections and the gift of continency to live unmarried for this end that he may be so helped more constantly and without diversion to go on toward the Kingdom of Heaven Hence learn that no man ought to despise or rashly reject marriage it being Gods Ordinance and a mean to keep from fornication for all men cannot receive this saying of Better not marry c. 2. If any man be freed of the necessity of marriage he ought to imploy himself so much the more for the kingdom of God else the gift is to small use for he that is able to live unmarried and to receive the disciples saying he to whom this gift is given must be as an Eunuch unto the Kingdom of God Ver. 13. Then were there brought unto him little children that he should put his hands on them and pray and the disciples rebuked them Some desired Christ to blesse their yong children and to this end do present them unto him Doct. 1. Albeit little children understand not the mysteries of Christ yet it is lawful and commendable to beleeving parents to consecrate their children to Christ and to seek his blessing with the externall signs and seals of the blessing of them for here They brought unto him little children that he should lay his hands on them and pray 2. Carnal wisdom is not fit to judg of the extent of Christ his grace not what persons are priviledged to come unto him for here in the disciples it is carnal wisdom to thrust away children offered unto Christ. Ver. 14. But Iesus said Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of heaven 15. And he laid his hands on them and departed 〈◊〉 Christ admitteth the children and reproveth the Disciples for debarring them Hence learn 1. That Christ will not exclude the young children of Beleevers being offered unto him for Christ said Suffer little children to come unto me 2. Albeit little children know not what to ask or what is done unto them yet can Christ give both his blessing and the signes thereof to them the ignorance of little children did not exclude them from the Sacrament of Circumcision nor these children from imposition of Christs hands in sign of a speciall blessing Neither must this exception of childrens ignorance exclude our children from Baptism for this holdeth still Suffer them to come unto me 3. Seeing little children of Beleevers are neither excluded from the Kingdome of Heaven in this earth that is from being members of the visible church nor are they secluded from the Kingdome of Heaven which is above therfore are they not excluded from receiving the signs and seales of the Right and Entry to such grace namely the seal of the covenant Baptism for it is said Of such is the kingdom of heaven 4. If Christ did esteem it a sufficient reason why not only these little children but also why in
he would curse them and make them unable to bear fruit afterwards such like flowers may seem pleasant but have no solidity as from the intention of this miracle I grant that allusions may be made unto this tree and similitudes may be drawn from it no lesse then from any other thing but the scope which our Lord declareth afterward is that onely whereupon we must with warrant build namely He will shew his Almighty Power in blasting of so strong a tree with a word of his mouth so that the Disciples do wonder to see the miracle vers 20. Whereupon our Lord doth teach them that whensoever they should have this word for their warrant whether extraordinarily inspired for the doing of any miraculous work in his name or ordinarily propounded in the common doctrine of the Church for a warrant to pray for and expect anything if they should act their faith and not give wayto doubting then they should be able to do greater miracles then the blasting of the fig-tree was even the greatest which they could imagine so that if the Spirit of the Lord gave a word for removing of a mountain for examples cause how impossible soever it might seem yet should it come to passe if they did put forth their Faith to act about it and so also whatsoever the Word of the Lord did warrant them to pray for and to expect of him they should obtain it if they did pray in faith for it and was not this lesson worth all the figs which either this fig-tree or any other tree could bear Doct. 1. Our Lord was never so hungry for meat and drink but he could forbear it til a fit time and make it his meat and drink to be doing good and fulfilling the Fathers will for he loveth to edifie and feed his Disciples here more then to feed his naturall hunger 2. Albeit our Lord did never harme to any man by any of his miracles yet had he power to curse and miraculously to destroy as well as to save if he had pleased to put forth his power in justice for the fig-tree was not able to stand when he did curse it 3. He trained his Disciples by his own example unto all duties which he put them unto and here he traineth them unto the exercise of the gift of miracles 4. The gift of miracles was never to be exercised in particular but upon a good ground of Faith that is upon a warrant given from Christs Spirit for doing that work in particular and it was necessary for him who had the gift and the warrant for doing of a miracle to strengthen his Faith on the warrant or else to misse of his intent as in Peters sinking did appear Therfore saith he If ye have faith and doubt not 5. The Lord requireth Faith in prayer for obtaining promised mercies or else if we come short to blame our misbelief Therefore saith he Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive it Ver. 23. And when he was come into the Temple the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching and said By what authority dost thou these things and who gave thee this authority Here is another conflict Teaching us 1. That when Christ's adversaries can say nothing against his doctrine and are convinced by his miracles of his Comission from God yea of his God-head yet do they quarrell with him about his calling saying By what authority dost thou c. It is no strange thing if his adversaries deal so with his servants 2. This holdeth sure in the generall That no man should take this honour unto him to be a Preacher of Gods truth without warrant and authority for so importeth the question By what authority dost thou these things Ver. 24. And Iesus answered and said unto them I also ask you one thing which if ye tell me I in likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things 25. The baptism of Iohn whence was it from heaven or of men and they reasoned with themselves saying If we shall say From heaven he will say unto us Why did ye not believe him 26. But if we shall say Of men we fear the people for all hold Iohn as a Prophet Christ propoundeth another question to his adversaries Doct. 1. When cavillers come to tempt us to take advantage of our speeches we ought to be circumspect that neither the truth be damnified by us nor our adversaries get advantage against us Therefore here Christ asketh a question in stead of giving an answer 2. The Lord â—â—n catch the crafty in their craftinesse and can decipher 〈◊〉 â—olly of them who seek to cloak wickednesse under colours for this question both answered the former and convinced the adversaries of wilfull wickednesse For they knew John's calling and doctrine to be divine and that John bare witnesse unto Christ and so they behoved to know Christ to be the Messiah therefore pertinently doth he ask Iohn's baptisme whence was it 3. Callings unto the holy Ministery must either be from God and so they are lawfull or from men only and so they are unlawfull They must either be from heaven or of men 4 The Sacraments and all religious Service and Worship must have the same authority with the doctrine to wit Divine for the question is moved about John's Baptism in stead of John's Doctrine or John's Commission or Calling 5. Men of corrupt minds do seek not the verity but the victory in dispute they do not look what is true or false right or wrong but what is most for their own corrupt ends and purpose as the reasoning of these men doth shew for the verity which they knew of John they will not confesse for shame nor dare they flatly deny it for fear the people should fall on them 6. Whosoever confesse a doctrine to be from Heaven and yet do not believe it are inexcusable and condemned by their own conscience for say they If we say from Heaven he will say Why did ye not believe him Ver. 27. And they answered Iesus and said We cannot tell And he said unto them Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things Christ hath the victory here Doct. 1. The Lords enemies at last are confounded and put to silence for We cannot tell say they 2. One sin insnareth and draweth a man into another sin for they refuse to tell the truth and in refusing they fall in a lie saying We cannot tell 3. Such as captivate the knowledge they have and make no use of it are justly deprived of what further kowledge they pretend to seek for Neither will I tell you is Christs last answer to such Ver. 28. But what think you A certain man had two sons and he came to the first and said Son go work to day in my vineyard 29. He answered and said I will not but afterward he repented and went 30. And he came to the second and said
tribute money And they brought unto him a peny 20. And he saith unto them Whose is this image and superscription 21. They say unto him Cesars Then saith he unto them Render therfore unto Cesar the things which are Cesars and unto God the things which are Gods By calling for the stamp of the tribute mony and finding by the Im age and superscription of the money that they had by agreement subjected themselves unto Cesar and taken him for their King and stricken coyne for his use he concludeth the question as solved and biddeth them Give unto Cesar that which is Cesars and unto God that which is Gods Hence learn 1. Where a Kingdome hath subjected themselves unto a King and become his Subjects and tributaries it is lawfull to pay tribute unto him Give unto Cesar that which is his 2. Christ is no enemy to Magistrayey nor to civill rulers but teacheth men to give therin their due for Give unto Cesar that which is Cesars saith he and therfore it is reason that magistrates be as carefull that God have what is due to him in Religion and obedience of his commands as he is carefull that their due be given to them 3. Men should so regard Kings and Rulers as they do not mistake God but respect honour and obey him above all Therfore saith he Give unto God that which is Gods Ver. 22. When they had heard these words they marvelled and left him and went their way They find themselves disappointed and with a fruitlesse admiration of Christs wisdom do depart Doct. Christs adversaries in the end will find themselves mistaken in their vain hopes which they have had to ensnare him or his and all that open the mouth against him shal be ashamed as These men marvelled and went away Ver. 23. The same day came unto him the Sadduces which say that there is no resurrection and asked him 24. Saying Master Moses said if a man dye having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto his brother In Christs ran counter with the Sadduces learn 1. Christ will yoke with all his adversaries and will dispute with all Sectaries and confound them new exercises new disputes new contradictions new temptations abide our Lord and his Church for after the Pharisees and Herodians are gone the Sadduces come 2. It is a speciell policy of Satan to multiply his temptations one after another so near in time as he can for The Sadduces came that day 3. Multitudes of sects and schismes is not new nor strange but the just punishment of a corrupt Church not onely Pharisees and Herodians but Sadduces also set on by turn upon our Lord. 4. No errour so monstrous but it will finde Patrons and Followers among them who do not follow Christ for the beastly errour of the mortality of the Soul and denying the Resurrection of the body findeth here Sadduces to professe it Ver. 25. Now there were with us seven brethren and the first when he had married a wife deceased and having no issue left his wife unto his brother 26. Likewise the second also and the third unto the seventh 27. And last of all the woman died also 28. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven for they all had her Because that in the resurrection the Sadduces conceived that every man is to return to his wordly estate and condition as wife children and goods and thus do see many absurdities follow as they apprehend upon their own suspicion therefore they reject this article of faith and propound their conceit as an unanswerable doubt unto Christ. Hence learn 1. The conceiving of spirituall things in a fleshly manner is the ground of mistaking the truth and setting up of errours and heresies as appeareth in these Sadduces they apprehend the doctrine of eternall life to be this That the course of this temporary life shall be renewed and made perpetuall 2. No man seemeth wiser in his own eyes then the blindest hereticks do they conceive that Christ himself cannot answer their objections against the truth and this imboldneth these Sadduces to dispute Ver. 29. Iesus answered and said unto them Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God 30. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the angels of God in heaven Christ confuteth them by Scripture Doct. 1. If the Scriptures be not understood and believed it cannot misse but errours will arise for nothing else but this light can prevent or remove errours for They erred not knowing the Scriptures 2. It is necessary for quieting our minds in the truth of Gods Word that we look onely to the promise of God and to his ability to performe all what he hath promised Therefore saith he Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God 3. After the resurrection we shall be set free from the infirmities whereunto now we are subject and shall neither need meat nor drink nor marriage but shall be upholden immediately of God without means as Angels are and shall be imployed onely in the immediate service of God as the Angels of Heaven are Vers. 31. But as touching the Resurrection of the dead have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying 32. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Having reproved their errour he confirmeth the true Doctrine by Scripture Hence learn 1. That no sufficient silencing of errour can be till the contrary truth be made clear by Scripture Therefore saith he Have ye not read 2. Whatsoever is said in the Scripture should be taken as spoken unto us and that by God for Have ye not read that which is spoken unto you by God saith he 3. Whatsoever the Scripture doth import by good consequence is to be accounted for Godâ— speech and that which in reading should be so understood as if it were expressed as here Christ reckoneth Concerning the Resurrection have ye not read saith he for the Scripture doth not stand in letters or syllables but in the sense of words and in the truely inferred consequences from thence 4. Whosoever are within the Covenant of Grace whose God the Lord is by Covenant they are sure to live in Heaven with God after this life and to have their bodies raised at last unto immortall life because God is the Saviour and Redeemer not of the soul of his Elect only but also of the body therefore there must be a resurrection of the body for God is not the God of the dead but of the living that is His Covenant to be a mans God will not suffer the man to perish in soul or body but though temporall death overtake the body yet the soul must live and not die but be for ever in a blessed condition with God and the body must not alwayes remaine under
false prophets that they shall not always be deceived Ver. 25. Behold I have told you before The Lord commandeth to make use of the warning Doct. 1. The Lords forewarning of the danger from false prophets should stirre up all to be the more watchfull and it shall make men inexcusable if they shall be seduced for Behold I have told you before saith he 2. The doctrine of election doth not give warrant unto security but should be made use of for diligence and watchfulness therfore saith he Behold I have told you for God hath decreed as to save the Elect so to save them by his own means 3. This forewarning sheweth that albeit the elect shal not bealtogether and without recovery deceived yet they may be so farr mistaken as it had been good they had watched much sin and misery may befal a man by not watching albeit at length he may be brought forth of it for Behold I have told you before maketh the Lord free of what ill unwatchfulnesse may let in Ver. 26. Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not As before ver 23. So here again Christ bids them beware to believe his bodily locall presence in the earth after his Ascension untill the day of judgment Doct. 1. Such a Christ as is not the Son of Abraham the Son of David such a one as is not described to us in the scriptures is not to be looked upon nor believed nor esteemed of such a Christ as is said to be locally present in the earth after Christs Ascension a man should not go unto nor believe any speech of such a Christ as shal be said to be in his body in the desert or in a chamber or in a box or in a wafer-cake Lo here lo there or such like as the Papists have their Christ Beleeve it not saith Christ himself Ver. 27. For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the Son of man be He giveth a reason why such imaginations of his being on the earth in his body is not to be believed Doct. after Christ's Ascension no other bodily presence of Christ or coming into the World is to be beleeved save his second coming in glory which shall be on a sudden when men are not looking for itâ— and in such evidence of glory that all the World from the East to the West shall be made witnesses of it for As the lightning so shall the coming of the Son of man be saith Christ. Ver. 28. For wheresoever the carcasse is there will the eagles be gathered together He meeteth with an objection if he come in the East or in the West how shal those Elect persons come unto him who shal be so farr removed from that place as is the VVest from the East he answereth and teacheth that as the eagles from all quarters are shortly gathered unto the place where the carcass is so shall all the Elect be swiftly gathered together to the place where Christ shall shew his bodily presence at his second coming to judgment Doct. We need not trouble our selves about the swift dispatch of the last judgement how or in what place of the World the convocation of the Elect shall be this is sufficient We shall meet with Christ where he shall be for Where the carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered together Ver. 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the starrs shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken For further satisfaction of his Disciples Our Lord giveth six signes of his second coming Doct. 1. All the time before the second coming of our Lord whatsoever comforts may be mixed shal be dayes of tribulation and not so free of the miseries of this life as some do dream for here he telleth us the second coming of our Lord shal be immediatly after the tribulation of these days are ended and brought toward a period 2. When all the Churches Exercises all her Tribulations and warfare are accomplished then shall the comforter Jesus Christ come to give full refreshment immediately 3. Yet shall his coming be in a terrible manner to the world with such an alteration made upon the creatures being now all of them to be changed from the estate of vanity whereunto they are subject that Sun Moon and Stars obscured by the glory of Christ shall no more be able to give comfort unto men not to shew forth their glory as before but shall cease from their service and lose their power expressed here by Darkning not giving light falling from heaven and shaking of heaven as a tree that casteth her fruit for so must it be ere they be made new this is the first signe of his coming Ver. 30. And then shall appear the signe of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory The second signe or evidence of Christ's coming iâ— the glorious shining of Christ's Person approaching called the signe of the Son of Man because as the light of the Sun approaching is a signe of the present appearing or rising of the Sun so shall the shining glory of Christ's approaching which is more bright than the Sun Acts 26.13 14. be a signe of his present appearing what other signe of the Son of Man beside this may be we leave it till the time come of his revealing of it Doct. 1. Christ shall be seen visible Judge of quick and dead at the last day in his humane nature 〈◊〉 The signe of the Son of Man bodily descending shall appear in heaven The third signe of Christ's coming is the mourning of all people it being now manifest that the day of judgement is come the penitent shal fall on mourning and lamenting theâ—â— sins with a godly sorrow that they may be fitted for the promised consolation of wiping all tears from theâ— eyes and the wicked shall fall on weeping for the misery coâ—ing on them presently by the sentence of their Judge Doct. 1. Such as have mocked at the day of judgement and sâ—offed at piety and rejected or abused the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall then mourn a great mourning All the tribes of the earth shall mourn The fourth signe of his coming is the manifestation of his bodily down-coming in the clouds with power and great glory Doct. Howsoever Christ's first coming was in much infirmity because he was to suffer for us yet his second coming being to judgment and to reward all according to their works as here iâ— said Shall be with power and glory Ver. 31. And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather
together his elect from the four windes from one end of heaven to the other The fifth signe There shall be a great sound of a trumpet as it were summoning all to compear before the Tribunall of Christ unto judgement which teacheth us That the Day of Judgement shall be no lesse terrible thâ—n the Day of Promulgation of the Law upon Mount Sinai as for other reasons so for this that as there was an audible Trumpet which sounded at the giving out of the Law so 〈◊〉 there be an audible Sound of a Trumpet at the Day of judging Men for transgressing the Law The sixth signe or evidence of Christ's coming is That the Elect being raised from death or in stead of death changed from this mortall life unto the estate of Immortality the Angels shall be set on work to gather them from all the quarters of the earth whence the winds do blow or from the utmost paâ—eâ— of the earth where the sight of the Heavens have an end Doct. Albet the Elect be now fat scattered one from another in sundry respects yet then shall they all meet together not one shal be in lacking for the Angels shall gather Christ's Elect in unto him from one end of heaven unto another Ver. 32. Now learn a parable of the fig-treeâ— When 〈◊〉 branch is â—et tender and putteth forth leaves ye know that Summer is high 33. So likewise ye when ye shall see all tâ—â—â—e things know was it is near even at the doors 34. Verily I say unto you this generation shall not passe will all these things be fulfilled 35. Heaven and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away After he hath given the signes of the destruction of Jerusalem and of his own second coming he confirmed them in the certainty of the coming of both and draweth all this doctrine to good use and first he certifieâ—h them of the destruction of the Temple under the parable of a fig-tree that when the fig-tree beginneth to bud Summer is near So when they should see the Jews dâ—ting on false Christs hearkâ—â—ing to false prophets persecuting the preachers of the Gospel growing tumultuous and seditious under hopes of a bodily liberation from the yoke of the Romans rumours of wars arising Armies coming in upon Judea then let them perswade themselves saith he When these signs should appear judgment was at the door upon that Nation and that both these signes and the destruction of Jerusalem with the Temple should all come to passe in the dayes of them that were then living vers 33 34 and he forbiddeth them to doubt hereof because his words were more firm then heaven or earth vers 35. And so much for the destruction of the Temple and the signes and time therof Doct. 1. When we see some part of the truth of God come to passe in our sight it should help us to beleeve and expect the fulfilling of the rest as When we see the trees bud we know that Summer is near 2. It is hard to our misbeleeving hearts to give that credit to Christs words whereof they are worthy but by so much more is our Lords love to us and care of us to be praised and admired that he by so many meanes goeth about to confirm and perswade us therfore saith he Verily I say unto you c. 3. Whatsoever Christ doth say shal be or shal not be his word is more firm then the Fabrick of heaven and earth for these shal be altered but the Lords word is solid and endureth for ever Heaven and earth shal pass rather saith he c. Ver. 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels in heaven but my Father only Concerning the precise time of his second coming he saith that neither man nor Angel knoweth but only the Father wherby he doth not exclude the rest of the persons of the God-head but only the creatures Doct. 1. The peremptory time of the day of judgement â—nd keepeth it to himself secret and will not have it particularly known and therefore it should not be narrowly pryed into for Of this day and hour knoweth no man c. 2. All things are not revealed neither to the Angels nor to men but so much at may edifie the Church and as concerneth us to know for My Father only knoweth saith he Ver. 37. But as the dayes of Noah were so shall also the coming of the Son of man be 38. For as in the dayes that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage untill the day that Noah entred into the Ark. 39. And knew not untill the flood came and tooke them all away so also shall the coming of the Son of man be Our Lord draweth this doctrine unto use to stir us up unto watchfulness and to this end he setteth before us seven motives the first motive is There is no small hazard in case men be sound secure and not watching when Christ cometh therefore watchfulnesse is necessary Doct. 1. It is safer to make ready for the day of judgment and to watch lest we be surprised then to be curious to know the particular time of it for As the dayes of Noah were c. 2. As the old world did not beleeve judgement coming albeit forewarned by Noah that it was coming so fares â—â— with the world and will be so with the multitude of the world till the day of judgment for As in the dayes of Noah 3. When men beleeve not things concerning the day of judgement and another life no wonder they be given over unto and drowned in the matters of this life for They were eating c. that is This and the like was al their care 4. Whatsoever truth men do not beleeve when it is told them that they do not rightly know though they conceive the meaning of the word told them for it is said They knew not 5. Who so beleeve not judgment when it is threatned shall feele judgement and be taken away with it when it cometh for The flood came and tooke them all away Ver. 40. Then shall two be in the field the one shall be taken and the other left 41. Two women shal be grinding at the mil the one shal be taken and the other left This second motive of watchfulnesse teaching that at the day of judgement they who have lived in near fellowship shal be shed one from another as for example they who had been joyned in one work Some in the field some in the miâ— 2. The meanest degree of people shall be taken notice of Even women labourers in the field grinding at the mill 3. Judgement shall passe exceeding exactly to take one and leave another to pull up one to meet Christ in the clouds and leave another to be punished with the damned Therefore watchfulnesse is necessary Ver. 42. Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come The third motive teaching
silent and to keep up truth for any earthly gain will yeild also to speak contrary to known truth for gain as these men took the money and did as they were taught 7. Such as do not apprehend any wrath from God for sin do seek no guard against it but do think it sufficient to be secure at mens hands as here Money and Assurance to be secure at the Governours hand suffice these souldiers having these granted unto them They do as they were taught 8. He that taketh the bait of sin will also swallow the hook for so soon as these men took the money They did as they were taught 9. Where truth is rejected a lie will be received were it never so incredible and it is righteousnesse with God so to plague those that do not receive the truth in love for what lesse probable speech could be spoken than that Christ's few and fearfull Disciples should hazard to open the Sepulchre when a Guard of souldiers were about it that all the Guard set about the Sepulchre should be sleeping at once and be so fast asleep as the great stone of the Sepulchre should be rolled back and none be awake yea that there should be an earthquake in the mean time and none of them for this be awaked and yet This saying findeth credit among the misbelieving Iews Ver. 16. Then the eleven Disciples went away into Galilee into a Mountain where Iesus had appointed them 17. And when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted Beside sundry other meetings which Christ had with his Apostles we have here a solemn and appointed meeting which we judge to be that meeting wherein there were above five hundred Brethren whereof the Apostle Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 15.6 In which meeting Christ establisheth a Ministry in his church for Preaching of the Word Administration of the Sacraments and exercise of Discipline for the better observation of his commands unto the end of the World Doct. 1. Let the Lord shew himself to us as he pleaseth it is our duty to attend and keep what means and meetings he hath appointed as the eleven Disciples went away into Galilee into a mountain where he had appointed them 2. Christ loveth the Assembly of his Saints and doth not disappoint the expectation of those that wait upon him in the appointed means for in the appointed place it is said The Apostles saw him 2. The Faith of believers is not alwayes alike vigorous and active neither in comparison one of another nor in comparison of a man with himself at divers times for here are disciples who doubt nothing of Christ's Resurrection when they see him and some also are who doubted at the first sight 4. As Faith is clear and vigorous so doth it see Christ to be God and bringeth the soul down before him to worship for such as did not doubt When they saw him they worshipped him Ver. 18. And Iesus 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 To remove all doubting from every man Christ draweth nearer to them and speaketh to the people in open audience and giveth order for gathering and ruling his church unto the end of the World Doc. 1. The Lord draweth near unto his own and communicateth himselfe familiarly to them when it is needfull and leaveth no means unassayed which may remove doubting from his weak Disciples as here knowing that some doubted He came and spake in their hearing 2. Christ not only as the Son of God hath joynt equal and the same Soveraignty in Heaven and Earth with the Father communicate unto him by eternal Generation but also as God Incarnate God-man he hath supreme and absolute Authority given unto him over all things in Heaven and Earth to and for the church all things for the good therof being put under his Feet without exception of any thing save of him who hath put all things under his Feet and he hath supreme sole and absolute Authority as onely Head and King of the Church to appoint and maintain the way and means of gathering preserving and ruling his church and all the affairs thereof unto the end of the World for so much will these Words being compared with other Scriptures bear All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth 3. Christ hath instituted a Ministry of Teachers and rulers of his church to continue from his Resurrection unto the end of the World for he saith Goe ye make Disciples Teach them obedience unto me I wil be with you to the end of the world 4. The community of Ministers and Rulers of the church respective have all the Nations of the earth under their charge to gather Disciples unto Christ out of them Go make all nations disciples saith he Now these are made disciples whosoever are given up unto Christ to be taught and governed by him whether by themselves or being brought by others who have power of them as Parents and Masters are dedicate and consecrate unto Christ who hath said of children elsewhere Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not All those may and should be taken charge of admitted into the Church as Disciples and baptized for hee saith Go make Disciples of all Nations and baptize them 6. The community of believers or the body of covenanted and baptized disciples are not the subject of this authority granted for gathering of churches administration of doctrine Sacraments Discipline and other publick Ordinances but the community of the Ministers Teachers and Rulers contradistinguished from the body of Disciples which is taught and governed for it is said Go ye my Ministers make ye Disciples Baptize yee and Teach ye them 7. Ministers or church-rulers in this their Ecclesiastics charge do not derive their power and authority from any under Heaven but from Christ who hath made all in heaven and in earth who giveth unto them a commision to make disciples unto him out of all nations for after he hath said All power is given to mee Hee subjoyneth Goe ye therefore and make Disciples of all Nations 8. The commission of Christs Ministers doth extend unto the drawing Nations into subjection unto Christ and into covenant with him to be his disciples and to obey all his commandements only by way of doctrine for Goe saith hee by Doctrine make all nations Disciples this is the force of the Word Teach in the Original 9. The Ministers of the Gospel Teaching and Ruling-elders respective are the true successours of the Apostles in the dispensation of the Doctrin Sacraments and Discipline appointed by Christ for they are appointed in the same Parent with the Apostles and spoken unto in the Person by Christ saying I will be with you unto the end of the world 10. Baptisme is the seal of the covenant made between God and all initiate Disciples elder and younger for after that they are commanded to make disciples they are commanded to baptize them Go make Disciples and baptize them 11. There are three persons in the God-head distinct one from another in order of subsistence and Operation the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost for so beareth the text 12. These three are one GOD undivided in Essence and Operation equall and one in Authority and Power their Name and their exercise of Authority is one for it is said Baptizing them not in the names but in the Name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost 13. The Covenant of Grace on both sides is made for cleansing and putting away sinne according to the way and order prescribed by GOD in whose Name Baptisme or sprinkling with water for assuring Disciples of remission of sinnes through CHRIST and obliging them to study Holinesse is given and taken 14. The Ministers and Rulers of the Church are limited unto the commands given to them from CHRIST they may not injoyne unto the Church any thing save the commands of CHRIST These and all these and only these must they teach Teaching them saith he to observe whatsoever I commanded you 15. The baptized Disciples of Christ may not walke as they list but must study to observe all that Christ hath commanded his Ministers to teach them for hee saith Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you 16. Faithfull Ministers have assurance of Christs assistance and blessing in whatsoever part or time of the World they fall into I am with you saith he unto the end of the world 17. People need not feare to joyne themselves in church society with any Nation under such Pastors as do faithfully teach whatsoever Christ hath commanded for Christ hath promised to bee with such Teachers and to blesse their labours to the end of the world Behold I am with you to the end of the World 18. This whole Gospel is solid Truth and worthy to bee imbraced to be sealed and to bee setled upon by all Men according as the Evangelist giveth example unto us closing the whole doctrine and this last Promise with AMEN FINIS
3. When the gospel cometh it findeth men under the tyranny of Satan for the offer to bring them in into the kingdom of God importeth this Vers. 18. And Iesus walking by the sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers 19. And he saith unto them Follow me and I will make you fishers of men 20. And they straight way left their nets and followed him 21. And going on from thence he saw other two brethren Iames the son of Zebedee and Iohn his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets and he called them 22. And they immediately left the ship and their father and followed him Christ calleth Apostles first two then other two Brethren Doct. 1. In the calling of these Apostles may be seen the care which our Lord hath to provide Ministers for his church 2. None should intrude himself into the Office but should expect Christs calling as these Disciples did 3. Such as Christ doth call he doth furnish them with all furniture for the calling and promiseth unto them good successe for I will make you fishers of men saith he 4. Such as are called to the Ministry must neither refuse pains nor perill to save souls but must go about their work with as great desire to convert men and as great prudence to bring them in as fishers go about their work for I will make you fishers of men 5. When Christ doth call his chosen instruments he calls them with power of perswasion and overpowers all opposition and impediments for Straightway they leave their nets and follow him 6. His calling of them by Couples and those also Bretheren giveth us to understand that the worke of the Ministry requireth the concurrence of more hands and no lesse affection among them then among Brethren 7. His calling of so mean men as fishers sheweth the freedome of his grace in choosing of instruments manifesteth the power of his kingdom who by such weak means can subdue the world and declareth the depth of his wisdom who provides so for his own honour that the instrument shall not carry away the glory of the work Vers. 23. And Iesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people 24. And his fame went thoughout all Syria and tey brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments and those which were possessed with divets and those which were lunatick and those that had a palsie and he healed them 25. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Ierusalem and from Iudeâ— and from beyond Iordan Here is the diligence of our Lord in his office with the great power of his God-head manifesting it selfe Doct. 1. How painfull should Ministers be in seeking out lost sheep within their bounds when they hear that Christ went about all Galilee 2. The means of conversion of souls is the preaching of the Gospel however men esteem of it for He went about teaching and preaching 3. The speciall opportunity of preaching is when people are conveened in the ordinary place appointed for religious exercises for Christ preached in their Synagogues 4. The Gospel is a matter of highest concernment It is the Gospel of the kingdome of that incomparable kingdom of heaven which by the gospel is revealed to men and offered unto men by which gospel men get right and title unto the kingdome yea heirs of the Kingdome and whereby men are governed and led on unto the full possession of the Kingdome 5. Albeit our LORDS doctrine needed no confirmation because it is the Truth of the everliving GOD yet our weak faith needeth confirmation therfore Christ strengtheneth the weak faith of such as at first did not perceive Christ to be the Son of GOD he was graciously pleased to let forth the evidence of his God-head soveraign power and goodnesse in working miracles and those all profitable miracles such as might lead men to seek the reliefe of the maladies of the soul from him who was healing all manner of sicknesse and all manner of diseases among the people 6. The first report of Christs grace is very taking the savour of his grace as of precious ointment did in the beginning of his preaching of the gospel affect the gentiles and drew them to seek after him for his fame went through all Syria 7. Such as find need of Christs help and do beleeve to be relieved by him will spare no pains but seek him where they may find him for there followed him great multitudes 8. When it pleaseth our Lord to let forth his power he can gather multitudes after him and make up his church out of all sorts of people from all places as he pleaseth for They follow him from Galilee from Decapolis c. CHAP. V. Christ his Sermon on the mount is set down in this and the two chapters following In this our Lord giveth evident marks of the blessednesse of faithfull disciples to vers 12. he instructeth the Apostles in their duty to 17. and exponeth the law otherwise then the Pharisees did Vers. 1. ANd seeing the multitudes he went up into a mountains and when he was set his disciples came unto him 2. And he opened his mouth and saught them saying IN these two verses is set down how Christ fitted himself and the auditors for the Sermon Doct. 1. The Lord hath respect to the multitudes and pâ—â—ieth their misery This is the seeing of the multitude with the eye of compassion here spoken of 2. He judgeth their soules to stand in more need of healing then their bodies Therefore he openeth his mouth and teacheth them 3. There are great ods between the firie promulgation of the law on mount Sinai unto which none might approach and Christs preaching of the Gospel for Christ went up into a mountain in a homely manner and sate down and gathered his disciples about him and when he was set he taught Ver. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven These speeches following do not declare wherein blessedness doth consist but do shew the marks of the Man who albeit by faith in Jesus he indeed is blessed yet possibly for some mist or cloud of temptation he cannot perceive himselfe to be blessed for the present The marks are made in number eight The first mark of a true Disciple of Christ is Poverty of Spirit wherby a poor beggarly soul in his own estimation sensible both of his own sinfulness and inlack of Knowledge Faith Love and other saving Graces doth in the sense of his wants follow after Christ to be helped Doct. 1. Every man who in the sense of his own wants and poverty is made to begge at the throne of Grace verily is blessed whatsoever be the sense he