Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name Observe here 2. The true End for which the Miracles of Christ were so carefully recorded namely that we might believe By believing that Christ is the Son of God we have Life and by the Evidence of his Miracles we know and believe him to have been the Son of God The Miracles which Christ wrought were the best external Evidence of his Mission Observe 1. That all Christ's Miracles both before his Passion and after his Resurrection were not recorded by the Evangelists Observe 2. The great Point concerning Christ to be known and believed from the Scriptures is this That Jesus the Son of the Virgin is the promised Messiah the anointed of the Father he in whom all the Types and Shadows of the Law are accomplished and that this Jesus is for Nature Co-essential for Dignity Co-equal and for Time Co-eternal with the Father One in Essence equal in Power and Glory Thus believing that Jesus is the Son of God and accompanying that Belief with a holy Life if we believe well and live well we shall have Life through his Name CHAP. XXI AFter these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias and on this wise shewed he himself The foregoing Chapter acquainted us with several Appearances of Christ to his Disciples after his Resurrection All which were in Jerusalem This Chapter acquaints us with his appearing to his Disciples in Galilee whither he had ordered his Disciples to go promising there to meet them Jerusalem now becomes a forsaken Place a People abandoned to destruction Christ will not shew himself openly to them but Gallilee was a Place where Christ's Ministry had found better acceptance to Galilee therefore doth he go Such Places wherein Christ is most welcome to preach shall be most honoured with his Presence Jesus shewed himself to his Disciples at the Sea of Tiberias called elsewhere the Sea of Galilee 2 There were together Simon Peter and Thomas called Didymus and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two other of his disciples 3 Simon Peter saith unto them I go a fishing They say unto him We also go with thee They went forth and entred into a ship immediately and that night they caught nothing Observe here That after Christ was crucified the Disciples returned for a time to their Trade and Employment of Fishing tho' they were called to be Fishers of Men yet Churches not being gathered and constituted at present nor able to maintain them they labour with their Hands to supply their present Necessities Afterwards when at the Feast of Pentecost they had received those visible Gifts of the Holy Ghost which did furnish them for preaching the Gospel to all Nations and they went forth to plant and propagate the Gospel we may believe they then gave over the Labours of their Secular Calling and applied themselves wholly to the Work of the Ministry That may be done in Ecclesiâ Constituendâ in a Churc◠which is constituting or about to be constituted which is not convenient to be done in a Church already constituted Observe farther How Peter with the rest toil all night and catch nothing but no sooner is Christ come among them but they inclose a multitude of Fishes Thereby teaching us That all human Labours and Endeavours are in vain unless Christ by his Presence and Blessing crown them with success 4 But when the morning was now come Jesus stood on the shoar but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus 5 Then Jesus saith unto them Children have ye any meat They answered him No. 6 And he said unto them Cast the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall find They cast therefore and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes Observe here 1. Christ was near very near to his Disciples but they perceive it not Jesus stood on the shoar but they knew not that it was Jesus Learn Christ is not always discerned by us when he is present with us it is a double Mercy to enjoy his Company and to know indeed that it is he Observe 2. Altho' they had laboured all the Night in vain yet at Christ's Command they go to Work again and with great success they were not able to draw the Net for the multitude of Fishes When Christ is about to do great things for his People yet will he have them exert all possible Endeavours of their own and the want of former Success must not discourage from future Endeavours Observe 3. What a Proof Christ here gives of his Divinity and Godhead How were all the Fish in the Sea at his Pleasure and obedient to his Command He knew where they swim and brings them from one part of the Lake to the other where the Disciples had toil'd all night and caught nothing Christ our Mediator is true God and as such has a Sovereign Power and Providence over all the Creatures the Cattel on a thousand Hills and all the Fish swimming in the Sea are obedient to his Power and observant of his Commands 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord he girt his fishers coat unto him for he was naked and did cast himself into the sea 8 And the other disciples came in a little ship for they were not far from land but as it were two hundred cubits dragging the net with fishes 9 Assoon then as they were come to land they saw a fire of coals there and fish laid thereon and bread Observe here 1. The great Zeal and Forwardness of Peter hearing that it was Christ he leaps into the Sea to get to him Oh how inviting attractive and alluring is a sight of Christ It will make those that know him break thro' all Difficulties to come unto him It is not a Sea of Water no not Seas of Blood that can keep a zealous Soul at a distance from Christ When Peter heard that it was the Lord he girt his Coat and cast himself into the Sea Observe 2. What a Complication of Miracles here were as soon as they came to Land they discerned another Miracle viz. A Fire of Coals and Fish laid on and Bread all created and produced by Christ out of nothing at this time as an Evidence of his Divine Power for before they could get the Fish to shoar they saw Fish broiling upon Coals which makes it evident that these were none of the Fish which they had catch'd Christ when he pleases for the Benefit and Comfort of his People will work Miracle upon Miracle Mercy upon Mercy one Wonder upon the head of another For here after a Miracle at Sea they meet with another Miracle at Land As soon as they came to Land they saw a Fire 10 Jesus saith unto them Bring of the fish which ye have now caught 11 Simon
had alledged Scripture before to Satan here Satan retorts Scripture back again to Christ It is written says Christ It is written says Satan Learn thence That it is no wonder to hear Hereticks and Hypocrites quote Scripture when Satan himself durst recite them He that had prophanely toucht the Sacred Body of Christ with his Hand sticks not presumptuously to handle the Holy Scriptures of God with his Tongue Yet Observe How wretchedly the Devil wrests perverts and misapplies the Scriptures When God promises his Angels shall keep us it is in Viis non in Praecipitiis 't is in all God's Ways not in any of our own crooked Paths Note here That altho' the Children of God have the Promise of the Guardianship of Holy Angels yet then only may they expect their Protection when they are walking in the Way of their Duty 7 Jesus said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Observe here Tho' the Devil had wrested and abused Scripture yet still Christ alledges Scripture The Abuse of the Holy Scriptures by Hereticks and Seducers is no Argument against the Use of them As Christ here compares Scripture with Scripture so should we in order to the finding out the true Sence and Meaning of it 8 Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the kingdoms 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 The next Sin which Satan tempts our Saviour to is the Sin of Idolatry even to Worship the Devil himself Oh thou Impudent and Foul Spirit To desire thy Creator to Adore thee an Apostate-Creature Surely there can be no Sin so black and foul so gross and monstrous but that the Christian may be tempted to it when Christ himself was tempted to Worship the Tempter St. Matthew reads the Words If thou wilt fall down and Worship me St. Luke If thou wilt Worship before me Whence we may gather That if to Worship before the Devil be to Worship the Devil then to Worship before an Image is to Worship the Image Obs 2. The Bait which Satan makes use of to allure our Saviour to the Sin of Idolatry and that was in representing to his Eye and View all the Glories of the World in the most inviting manner and that in a Moment of Time to the intent it might affect him the more and prevail the sooner Learn thence That the Pomp and Greatness the Glory and Grandeur of this World is made use of by Satan as a dangerous Snare to draw Men to a Compliance with him in his Temptations unto Sin 10 Then saith Jesus unto him Get thee hence Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Observe here 1. With what Zeal and Indignation of Spirit our Blessed Saviour repells and beats back this Temptation of Satan Get thee hence Note thence That the greater the Sins are which the Devil tempts us to the greater our Zeal and Indignation ought to be in opposing and resisting of the Temptation to them A great Temptation must be withstood with great Resolution Observe 2. The Weapon with which he repells and beats back the Fiery Dart of Satan's Temptation and that is with the Shield of Scripture It is written Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God Learn thence That GOD is the Sole Object of all Religious Worship it is so peculiarly the Creator's Due that to give it to any Creature is gross Idolatry and repugnant to the Scriptures 11 Then the devil leaveth him and behold angels came and ministred unto him Observe here 1. The Issue of this Combat Satan is conquered and quits the Field Then the Devil leaveth him Teaching us That nothing like a vigorous Resistance of Temptation causes the Tempter to flee from us Resist the Devil and be will flee from you Observe 2. Our Lord's Triumph over his Enemy Behold Angels came and ministred unto him Food to his hungry Body and Comfort to his tempted Soul Learn thence That those who in the Hour of Temptation do hold out in resisting Satan shall find the Power and Faithfulness of God will not be wanting to them to send in Succour and Relief in the End 12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison he departed into Galilee 13 And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum which is upon the sea-coast in the borders of Zebulon and Nephthalim 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying 15 The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim by the way of the sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up Observe here 1. Our Saviour hearing of John's Imprisonment provides for his own Safety by departing into Galilee As our Holy Lord avoided Persecution so may we Observe 2. The Place in Galilee he comes to Capernaum Christ had three Cities which he called his own Nazareth where he was Bred Bethlehem where he was Born and Capernaum where he dwelt this was a Sea-coast Town in the Borders of Zebulon and Nephthali Observe 3. The Special Providence of God in this Change of our Saviour's Habitation for by that means the Prophecy Isa 9.1 was fulfilled which declares that in that dark part of the Country the Messiah the True Light should shine forth Learn hence 1. That a People destitute of the Saving Knowledge of the Gospel are in great Darkness how great soever the Light of their Outward Comforts may be This People had Natural Light enough and Civil Light enough they had an Abundance of Wealth and Riches Peace and Plenty but they wanted the Light of Christ and his Gospel and therefore are said to sit in Darkness 2. That where-ever the Gospel is Preached amongst a People it is as a Light springing up and shining forth amongst them quickning and enlivening reviving and chearing the Souls of those that entertain it how great soever their outward Darkness and Distress may be The People that sate in Darkness saw great Light and to them which sate in the Region and Shadow of Death Light is sprung up c. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Here our Saviour begins to enter upon his Prophetick Office and by Preaching to make known the Will of God to Mankind and Observe The Doctrine which he Preached is the same that John the Baptist did Preach namely the Doctrine of Repentance Repent ye and the Argument is the same also For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is now is the so much expected Time of the Appearing of the promised Messiah Learn hence That the Doctrine of Christ and his Ambassadors is alike and the same
and buy themselves bread for they have nothing to eat 37 He answered and said unto them Give ye them to eat And they say unto him Shall we go and buy two hundred penyworth of bread and give them to eat 38 He saith unto them How many loaves have ye go and see And when they knew they say Five and two fishes 39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass 40 And they sat down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties 41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes he looked up to heaven and blessed and brake the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before them and the two fishes divided he among them all 42 And they did all eat and were filled 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments and of the fishes 44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men This Miracle of our Saviour's feeding Five Thousand Men besides Women and Children with Five Loaves and Two Fishes is recorded by all Four Evangelists and in the History of it these following Particulars are observable Note 1. The Disciples Pity towards the Multitude who had long fasted and wanted now the ordinary Comforts and Supports of Life It well becomes the Ministers of Christ to respect the Bodily Necessities as well as regard the Spiritual Wants of Persons Obs 2. The Motion which the Disciples make to Christ on Behalf of the Multitude Send them away that they may buy Victuals Here was a strong Charity but a weak Faith A strong Charity in desiring the People's Relief but a weak Faith in supposing that they could not otherwise be relieved but by sending them away forgetting that Christ who had healed the Multitude miraculously could also feed them miraculously if he pleased All things being equally easie to an Almighty Power Obs 3. Our Saviour's strange Reply to the Disciple's Request They need not depart give ye them to eat Need not depart Why the People must either feed or famish Victuals they must have and a dry Desart will afford none yet says Christ to his Disciples Give ye them to eat Alas poor Disciples they had nothing for themselves to eat how then should they give the Multitude to eat When Christ requires of us what we are unable to perform it is to shew us our Impotency and Weakness and to provoke us to look up to him and depend by Faith on his Almighty Power Obs 4. What a poor and slender Provision the Lord of the whole Earth has for his Houshold and Family Five Barley Loaves and Two small Fishes Teaching us That these Bodies of ours must be fed but not pumper'd our Belly must not be our Master much less our God The end of Food is to sustain Nature we must not stifle it with a Gluttonous Variety And as the Quality of the Victuals was plain so the Quantity of it was small Five Loaves and Two Fishes Well might the Disciples say What are these among so many The Eye of Sense and Reason sees an utter Impossibility of those Effects which Faith can easâ—ly apprehend and Divine Power more easily produce Obs 5. How Christ the great Master of the Feast doth marshal his Guests He commands them all to sit down in Ranks by Hundreds and by Fifties None of them reply Sit down but to what Here are the Mouths but where 's the Meat We may soon be set but when or whence shall we be serv'd Not a Word like this but they obey and expect Lord how easie is it to trust thy Providence and rely upon thy Power when there is Corn in the Barn Bread in the Cupboard or Money in the Purse but when our Stores are all empty and we have nothing in Hand then to depend upon an invisible Bounty is a true and noble Act of Faith Obs 6. The Actions performed by our Blessed Saviour He blessed and brake and gave the Loaves to his Disciples and they to the Multitude 1. He blessed them Teaching us by his Example never to use or receive the good Creatures of God for our Nourishment without Prayers and Praise Never to sit down to our Food as a Beast to his Forage 2. He brake the Loaves He could have multiplied them whole why then would he rather do it in the breaking Perhaps to teach us that we may rather expect his Blessing in the Distribution of his Bounty than in the Reservation of it Scattering is the way to encreasing Liberality is the way to Riches 3. Christ gave the Bread thus broken to his Disciples that they might distribute it to the Multitude But why did our Lord distribute the Loaves by his Disciple's Hands Doubtless to gain Respect to his Disciples from the People And the same Course doth our Lord take in Spiritual Distributions He that could feed the World by his own immediate Hand chuses rather by the Hand of his Ministers to divide the Bread of Life amongst his People Obs 7. The Certainty and the Greatness of the Miracle They did all eat and were filled They did all eat not a Crumb or a Bit but to Satiety and Fulness All that were hungry did eat and all that did eat were satisfied and yet Twelve Baskets of Fragments remain More is left than was at first set on 'T is hard to say which was the greatest Miracle the miraculous Eating or the miraculous Leaving If we consider what they eat we may wonsider that they left any thing if what they left that they eat any thing Obs 8. These Fragments tho' of Barley Loaves and Fish Bones must not be lâ—st but at our Saviour's Command gathered up The Liberal Housekeeper of the World will not allow the Loss of his Orts. Oh how tremendous will their Account be who having large and plentiful Estates spend them upon their Lusts being worse than lost in God's Account 45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida while he sent away the people 46 And when he had sent them away he departed into a mountain to pray 47 And when even was come the ship was in the midst of the sea and he alone on the land 48 And he saw them toiling in rowing for the wind was contrary unto them and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them walking upon the sea and would have passed by them 49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea they supposed it had been a spirit and cried out 50 For they all saw him and were troubled and immediately he talked with them and saith unto them Be of good cheer it is I be not afraid 51 And he went up unto them into the ship and the wind ceased and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered 52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves for their heart was hardened This Paragraph
into a desart place and the people sought him and came unto him and stayed him that he should not depart from them 43 And he said unto them I must preach the kingdom of God unto other cities also for therefore am I sent 44 And he preached in the Synagogues of Galilee Observe here 1. The great work and business of our Saviour's Life to preach the Gospel I must preach the Kingdom of God for therefore came I forth Preaching was Christ's great work it is undoubtedly his Ministers Christ omitted some Opportunities of working Miracles that he might preach to other Cities This was his great Work Obs 2. It being Christ's great Design to plant and propagate the Gospel he would not confine his Ministry to one particular place no not to the great City of Capernaum but resolves to preach the word in smaller Towns and Villages leaving his Ministers herein an Instructive Example to be as willing to Preach the Gospel in the smallest Villages as in the largest and most populous Cities if God calls us thereunto Let the place be never so obscure and mean and the Congregation never so small and little and if God sends us thither the greatest of us must not think it beneath us to go and instruct an handful of People CHAP. V. 1 AND it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God he stood by the Lake of Genesareth 2 And saw two ships standing by the Lake but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their Nets 3 And he entered into one of the Ships which was Simons and pray'd him that he would thrust out a little from the Land and he sat down and taught the people out of the ship Here Observe 1. That our Saviour used the Sea as well as the Land in his passage from place to place to preach the Gospel and the reasons why he did so might probably be these 1. to shew Natures intent in making of the Sea namely to be Sailed upon as the Land to be walked upon 2. That Christ might take occasion to manifest his Deity in working Miracles upon the Sea namely by calming of the Waves and stilling of the Winds 3. It might be to comfort Sea-faring men in their Distresses and to encourage them to pray to such a Saviour as had an experimental Knowledge of the Dangers of the Sea it were well if Sailers would consider this and instead of inuring themselves to the Language of Hell when they go down into the deeps would direct their Prayer unto Christ and look up to him who now in Heaven has the remembrance of what he himself indured and underwent here on Earth and on the Sea Obs 2. The circumstance of time when Christ used to put forth to Sea it was usually after he had wrought some extraordinary Miracle which set them on admiring and commending of him as after he had fed so many thousands with a few Barley-Loaves and Fishes presently he put forth to Sea shunning thereby all popularity and vain-glorious Applause from the Multitude which he was never ambitious of but industriously avoided Obs 3. That after our Saviour's Resurrection we never find him Sailing any more upon the Seas For such a Fluctuating and Turbulent Condition which necessarily attends Sea-Voyages was utterly inconsistent with the constancy stability and perpetuity of Christ's estate when Risen from the Grave The firm Land better agreeing with his fixed State he keeps upon it till his Ascension into Heaven Obs 4. That Christ scruples not to preach to the People in and out of the Ship he sate down and taught the people out of the Ship Sometimes we find our Holy Lord preaching upon a Mountain sometimes in a Ship sometimes in an House as often as may be in the Synagogue He that laid hold on all Seasons for Preaching the Gospel never scrupled any place which conveniency offered to preach in well knowing that it is the Ordinance that Sanctifies the place and not the Place the Ordinance 4 Now when he had left speaking he said unto Simon launch out into the deep and let down your Nets for a Draught 5 And Simon answering said unto him Master we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the Net 6 And when they had this done they enclosed a great multitude of Fishes and their Net brake 7 And they beckned unto their partners which were in the other ship that they should come and help them and they came and filled both the ships so that they began to sink 8 When Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus feet saying depart from me for I am a sinful Man O Lord. 9 For he was astonished and all that were with him at the draught of the Fishes which they had taken 10 And so was also James and John sons of Zebedee which were partners with Simon And Jesus said unto Simon fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men 11 And when they had brought their ships to land they forsook all and followed him Observe here 1. Our Saviour having delivered his Doctrine to the People confirms his Doctrine with a Miracle and with such a Miracle as did at once instruct and encourage his Apostles the miraculous number of Fish which they caught did presage and prefigure their miraculous Success in preaching planting and propagating of the Gospel Obs 2. our Saviour's Command to Peter and his ready Compliance with Christ's Command Let down your Net for a Draught says Christ We have toiled all night says St. Peter and catcht nothing nevertheless at thy word we will let down the Net This Mystically represents to us 1. That that the Fishers of men may Labour all Night and all day too and catch nothing This is sometimes the Fisher-mens fault but oftner the Fishes 'T is the Fisher's fault that nothing is taken if he doth only play upon the Sands and not launch out into the Deep deliver some Superficial and less necessary Truths without opening to the people the great Mysteries of Godliness If they Fish with brokeh Nets either deliver unsound Doctrine or lead unexemplary Lives if they do not cast the Net on the right side of the Ship that is rightly divide the word as Workmen that need not to be ashamed And if they do not fish at Christ's Command but run a fishing unsent it is then no wonder that they Labour all their days and catch nothing But very often is it the Fishes Fault rather than the Fisher-mans Worldly men are crafty and cunning they will not come near the Net Hypocrites are slippery like Eels the Fisherman cannot long hold them but they dart into their holes priding themselves in their external Performances and satisfying themselves with a round of Duties The great men of the World break thro' the Net the Divine Commands cannot bind them Jer. 5.5 I will go to the great men and speak to them
and the Hand of his own Faith The Hand of Christ's Power laid hold on Peter and the Hand of Peter's Faith laid hold on the Power of Christ If we let go our hold on Christ we Sink if he le ts go his hold on us we drown Now Peter Answered his Name Cephas and Sunk like a Stone 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt 32 And when they were come into the ship the wind ceased 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him saying Of a truth thou art the Son of God Obs here 1. The Mercy of Christ is no sooner sought but found Immediately Jesus put forth his Hand and caught him Oh with what speed and with what Assurance should we flee to that Soveraign Bounty from whence never any Suitor was sent away empty Obs 2. Though Christ gave Peter his Hand yet with his Hand he gave him a Check O thou of little Faith why didst thou doubt Though Christ likes Believing yet he dislikes Doubting A Person may be truly Believing who nevertheless is sometimes Doubting but his Doubting eclipses the Beauty of his Believing 34 And when they were gone over they came into the land of Genesaret 35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him they sent out into all that country round about and brought unto him all that were diseased 36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment and as many as touched were made perfectly whole Obs 1. Our Saviour's unwearied Diligence in going about to do good He no sooner landeth but goeth to Genesaret and healeth their Sick 2. The Peoples Charity to their Sick Neighbours in sending abroad to let all the Country know that Christ the great Physician was come amongst them 3. Obs Where lay the Healing Vertue Not in their Finger but in their Faith or rather in Christ whom their Faith apprehended CHAP. XV. 1 THen came to Jesus Scribes and Pharisees which were of Jerusalem saying 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread The former part of this Chapter acquaints us with a great Contest between our Saviour and the Pharisees about their Traditions and old Customs which they valued more than the Commandments of God They accused the Disciples for Eating Bread with unwasht Hands which though it were in it self but a Decent Custom the Pharisees made it a Religious Rite for which reason our Saviour and his Disciples would not observe it Whence we learn That what is in it self and may without offence be done as a Civil Custom ought to be discountenanced and opposed when Men require it of us as a Religious Act. 3 But he answered and said unto them Why do you also transgress the Commandment of God by your tradition 4 For God commanded saying Honour thy father and mother and he that curseth father or mother let him die the death 5 But ye say Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me 6 And honour not his father or his mother he shall be free Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition Observe here 1. The heavy Charge which our Saviour brings in against the Pharisees namely For violating an Express Command of God and preferring their own Traditions before it You make void the Comandments of God by your Traditions Obs 2. The Command which our Saviour instances in as violated by them it is the Fifth Commandment which requires Children to Relieve their Parents in their Necessity Now though the Pharisees did not deny this in plain Terms yet they made an Exception from it which if Children had a mind rendered it void and useless For the Pharisees taught that in case any would give a Gift to the Temple which Gift they called Corban and of which they themselves had a great share that then Children were discharged from making any fuâ—â—er Provision for their Poor Aged or Impotent Parents And might say unto them after this manner That which thou askest for thy Supply is given to God and therefore I cannot Relieve thee So that Covetous and Graceless Children lookt upon it as the most frugal way once for all to Fine to the Temple rather than pay the constant Rent of daily Relief to their poor Parents Learn That no Duty Gift or Offering to God is accepted where the Duty of Charity is neglected It is more acceptable to God to refresh the Bowels of his Saints who are the Living Temples of the Holy Ghost than to adorn material Temples with Gold and Silver 7 Ye hypocrites well did Esaias prophesie of you saying 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me me with their lips but their heart is far from me 9 But in vain they do worship me teaching for doctrine the commandments of Men. Our Saviour reproves the Hypocritical Pharisees for these things 1. That they preferred Humane Traditions before the Divine Precepts 2. That by their Humane Traditions they made void the Worship of God It is God's undoubted Prerogative to prescribe all the parts of his own Worship and whoever presumes to add thereunto they worship him in vain Our Saviour farther shews that all this proceeded from the Insincerity of their Hearts This People honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me Whence Learn 1. That the removing of the Heart far from God in Worship is a great Sin and an high Degree of Hypocrisie 2. That whatever Outward Shew and Profession of Religion Men make if their Hearts be not right with God and what they do proceeds not from an Inward Principle of Love and Obedience to God they are under the Reign and Power of Hypocrisie Ye Hypocrites in vain do ye worship me 10 And he called the multitude and said unto them hear and understand 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man Our Blessed Saviour leaving the Pharisees with some dislike applies himself to the Multitude and shews them the true Spring and Original Fountain of all Spiritual Pollution and Vncleaness Namely the Filthiness and Impurity of Man's Heart and Nature which boiling in the Heart the Scum runs out at the Mouth Thereby informing the Multitude That not that which is Eaten but that which is Spoken defiles a Man Not the Meat eaten with the Mouth but the Wickedness of the Heart vented by the Mouth Pollutes a Person in God's Account 12 Then came his disciples and said unto him Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying 13 But he answered and said Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up 14 Let them alone they be blind leaders of the
save us we perish Obs 4. A double rebuke given by our Saviour 1. to the Winds 2. to the fears of his Disciples Christ rebuked the Winds and instantly they were calm when the Sea was as furious as a Mad Man Christ with a single Word calms it Learn thence That the most raging Winds and outragious Seas cannot stand before the Rebukes of Christ Christ as God lays a Law upon the most Lawless Creatures even when they seem to act most Lawlesly Observe farther Christ Rebukes his Disciples fears and their want of Faith Why are ye fearful where is your faith No sooner was the storm up but their fears were up and their faith was down They forgot that the Lord High Admiral of the Ocean was now on Board their Ship and were as much over-set with their Boysterous Passions as the Ship was with tempestuous Winds and accordingly Christ rebukes the Tempest within before he calms the Storm without first he quickens their Faith then he quiets the Seas Note from hence that great Faith in the Habit may appear but little in Act and Exercise The Disciples Faith in forsaking all and following Christ was great Faith but in this present Act their Faith was weak thro' the prevalency of their fear Oh the imperfect composition of the best of Saints faith and fear will take their turns and act their several parts whilst we are here ere long our fears will be vanquished and our faith swallowed up in Vision our hope in fruition Then shall we obey with vigour praise with chearfulness Love without measure fear without Torment Trust without Despondency Lord strengthen our Faith in the Belief of this desirable Happiness and set our Souls a longing for the full fruition and final enjoyment of it 26 And they arrived at the Country of the Gadarens which is over-against Galilee 27 And when he went forth to Land there met him out of the city a certain man which had Devils long time and wore no cloaths neither abode in any house but in the Tombes 28 When he saw Jesus he cryed out and fell down before him and with a loud voice said What have I to do with thee Jesus thou son of God most high I beseech thee torment me not 29 For he had commanded the unclean Spirit to come out of the man for oftentimes it had caught him and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters and he brake the bands and was driven of the Devil into the Wilderness 30 And Jesus asked him saying What is thy name and he said Legion because many Devils were entered into him 31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep 32 And there was there an herd of many Swine feeding on the mountain and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them and he suffered them 33 Then went the Devils out of the man and entered into the Swine and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the Lake and were choaked 34 When they that fed them saw what was done they fled and went and told it in the city and in the country 35 Then they went out to see what was done and came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the Devils were departed sitting at the feet of Jesus cloathed and in his right mind and they were afraid 36 They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the Devils was healed 37 Then the whole multitude of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them for they were taken with great fear and he went up into the Ship and returned back again 38 Now the man out of whom the Devils were departed besought him that he might be with him 39 But Jesus sent him away saying Return to thine house and shew how great things God has done for thee and he went his way and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him 40 And it came to pass when Jesus was returned the people gladly received him for they were all waiting for him This piece of History gives us a very sad Relation of a Person that was possessed with a Legion of Devils we read of few if any in the Old Testament that were thus possest but of many in the New Our Saviour came into the world to destroy the Works of the Devil therefore he suffered Satan to enter some Humane Bodies to shew his Divine Power in casting him out Observe here 1. That the Evil Angels by their Fall lost their Purity but not their Power for with God's permission they have Power not only to enter Mens Bodies and to possess them but also to distemper their minds and to drive them to Frenzy and Madness such was the deplorable Case here Note 2. That the reason why the Evil Angels do no oftner exert their Power in doing mischief to the Bodies and Lives of Men is from the restraining Power of God the Devil cannot do all the mischief he would and he shall not do all he can Observe 3. The place where these Evil Spirits delighted to make their abode amongst the Tâ—mbs or Graves places desolate forlorn and solitary which are apt to breed horror of mind and to give advantage to Temptation from whence I gather That it is very dangerous and unsafe for Persons especially in whom Melancholy prevails to give themselves too much to solitariness to frequent desolate places and to affect being much alone for it gives advantage to Satan to set upon them with powerful Temptations It is much better to frequent Humane Society especially to delight in the Communion of the Saints by means whereof we may be more and more strengthned against Satans Temptations Obs 4. How the Devils own Christ to be the Son of God and pay unwillingly Worship and Homage to him yielding Subjection to him as his slaves and vassals not a free and voluntary Service They cryed out and fell down before him saying What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God where by calling him Jesus they own him to be a Saviour but none of their Saviour What have we to do with thee Jesus Oh what an uncomfortable Expression is this to own Christ to be a Saviour and at the same time to know and declare that he is none of our Saviour Quid est Deus si non sit meus What is God if he be not my God What comfort in a Saviour if he be not my Saviour Observe 5. What a multitude of Evil Spirits do enter into one Man oh the extreme malice and enmity of the Devil against Mankind in that so many Evil Spirits should at once afflict and torment a single Person even a Legion many thousands of them Note likewise the unity and agreement which is amongst these Evil Spirits in doing mischief tho' there was a multitude of them in this one Person yet have they all but one Name
All-sufficient Good and man an indigent helpless dependent Creature full of Wants and obnoxious to Dangers 2. That Prayer is not only an inestimable Priviledge but an indispensable Duty So sollicitous is God for our Welfare and Happiness that he makes our Priviledge our Duty by the Authority of his Command so that we are at once ungrateful to God and unjust to our selves in the most exalted Degree if we do not pray unto him and spread our Wants before him Observe 3. That this Duty of Prayer is not an Occasional but a constant Duty Men ought always to pray that is 1. at all seasonable times and fit opportunities we are said to do a thing continually when we do it Seasonably now the Seasons for Prayer are Morning and Evening As the Morning and Evening Sacrifice was constant among the Jews and the Fire was always upon the Altar and never went out so he that prays Morning and Evening may be said to be instant in prayer and to pray without ceasing 2. Always to pray is an endeavour always to keep the Heart in a praying Frame and to be very frequent in offering up pious Ejaculations and short mental Prayers to God as occasion shall offer when in the Field in the Shop in the Bed when Sleep departs in the Journey when alone this may be done advantagiously without loss of Time and Acceptably without danger of Hypocrisy which too often mingles it self with our more set Prayers Observe 4. We must not only pray constantly but pray fervently yea importunately if we would pray successfully we must cry to God as the Widow to the Judge vehemency and importunity are both helps and ornaments to Prayer they both Fortify and Beautify our Prayers they pierce the Heavens and offer an Holy Violence to God Oratio vincit invincibilem ligat Omnipotentem haec Deo Grata est says Tertullian God delights in such Importunity 8 Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith on the Earth If by the Son of Man's Coming we understand Christ's Coming in Judgment against Jerusalem then the sense is this That when he comes to take Vengeance on the obstinate Jews and to destroy their City he shall find but little Faith and patient waiting for help from God in the Land of Judea and consequently little Importuning him with incessant Cries and Supplications as this poor widow did the unjust Judge Secondly if by the Son of Man's Coming we understand Christ's Coming to Judge the World at the Last Day then the sense is when he Cometh he will find but few Faithful ones comparatively speaking he will find but few sincere and serious Christians in whom the genuine effects and fruits of Faith are found Learn That when Christ shall come to Judgment he will find comparatively very few whose Hearts have not fainted and very many who thro' the power that Temptation has upon the Frailty of humane Nature are fallen away When the Son of Man cometh will he find Faith on the Earth verily but little Faith and few Faithful ones 9 And he spake this Parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were Righteous and despised others 10 Two men went up into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publican 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican 12 I fast twice in the week I give Alms of all that I possess 13 And the Publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven but smote upon his Breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner 14 I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather then the other for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted The Design and Scope of our Saviour in this Parable is to reprove and condemn the Pharisees and in them all other Self-Justiciaries who having an high Opinion of and trusting in their own Righteousness despised others as vile Persons whose Religion is not accompanied with Ostentation and who pretend not to such extraordinary degrees of Sanctity as themselves And the Parable further shews That an humble Self-Condemned Sinner who tho' he has been wicked is now sensible of it and with shame and sorrow confesses it before God shall be sooner pardoned and find Favour with God than he that vaunts of his Vertue and rests in the outward Duties of Religion his pride and exaltation of himself shall abase him while the others Humility shall exalt him This is the general Scope of the Parable the particular Observations from it are these 1. The Pharisee and the Publican both Pray they both pray together they both pray together in the place of Prayer the Holy Temple and they both Pray Apud se with and within themselves where the Duty and Action is the same there may be vast difference in the purpose and intention doth an humble Saint pray so may an haughty Hypocrite Two men went up into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publican Observe 2. The Pharisees Prayer He stood and prayed with himself God I thank c. Where Note his Gesture He stood and prayed standing and kneeling are Praying Gestures but sitting is a rude Indecency except in Cases of Necessity In Prayer says pious Bishop Hall I will either stand as a Servant to my Master or Kneel as a Subject to my Prince Note farther It is said he prayed but here is not one Petition but Thanksgiving God I thank thee c. Whence Learn That Thanksgiving is a part of Prayer Hannah's Prayer as it is called 1 Sam. 2. is a Canticle or Song of Praise we then Pray best when we praise God most Again See the Pharisees Pride in this his Prayer This proud Begger shews not his Wounds but his worth not his Rags but his Robes not his Misery but his Bravery yea he brings God Almighty in a Reckoning of his Services I fast twice a Week I give Alms of all that I possess and thanks God more that others were bad than that himself was good had the Pharisee with an humble Mind thanked God for his restraining Grace that tho' he were not so good as he should be that yet he was not so vile and bad as some others this had been no fault but when he comes before God with a proud and scornful Mind inwardly pleased that others were so bad and so much worse than himself giving Thanks rather for others Badness than his own Goodness This is a wickedness incident to none but Divellish Dispositions Learn hence That whatever shews of Goodness an Hypocrite may make yet he is inwardly glad and takes a secret Delight in others Badness God I thank thee that I am not as this Publican which was a kind of Triumph and proud insultation over the poor Publican he would
That the whole Scope of Moses Ceremonial Law was to point out and prefigure Jesus Christ Christ was the Sum of the Law as well as the Substance of the Gospel he was Abraham's promised Seed Moses his great Prophet Jacob's Shiloh Esay's Emanuel Daniel's Holy One Zechary's Branch and Malachi's Angel 2. That such as believed the ancient Prophecies before Christ came did see their Accomplishment in him when he was come CHAP. VI. AFter these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee which is the sea of Tiberias Observe here How busie and industrious our holy Lord was about his Father's Work both on the Sea and on the Land both by Night and by Day His Meat was to do the Will of him that sent him and to finish his Work Some have inquired into the Reasons why Christ travelled by Sea as well as by Land and they seem to be these 1. To shew what his intent was in making the Sea namely to be sailed upon as the Land was made to be walked upon 2. That Christ might take occasion to manifest his Deity in working Miracles upon the Sea as well as upon the Land 3. Might it not be to comfort and encourage sea-faring Men that dwell much upon the Waters in the midst of their Distresses to trust in and pray unto such a Saviour as had himself an experimental Knowledge of the dangers of the Seas Some have farther observed That after our Saviour's Resurrection we never find him sailing upon the Seas more for such a turbulent Condition which necessarily attends Sea Voyages was utterly inconsistent with the stability and perpetuity of Christ's State when he was risen from the dead the firm Land better agreeing with his fix'd Estate than the fluctuating Water 2 And a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased Observe here What an exact Knowledge Christ had not only of all his Followers but of the Motives and Principles which did induce them to follow him it was not the Excellency of his Person nor the heavenliness of his Doctrine that drew the multitude at this time after him but the Novelty of his Miracles They saw the Miracles which he did It is better to feel one Miracle wrought upon the Heart in changing and renewing That than to see a thousand outward Miracles wrought before our Eyes 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain and there he sat with his disciples 4 And the Passover a feast of the Jews was nigh 5 ¶ When Jesus then lift up his eyes and saw a great company come unto him he saith unto Philip Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat 6 And this he said to prove him for he himself knew what he would do 7 Philip answered him Two hundred penny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may take a little 8 One of his disciples Andrew Simon Peters brother saith unto him 9 There is a lad here which hath five barley-loaves and two small fishes but what are they among so many 10 And Jesus said Make the men sit down Now there was much grass in the place So the men sat down in number about five thousand 11 And Jesus took the loaves and when he had given thanks he distributed to the disciples and the disciples to them that were set down and likewise of the fishes as much as they would 12 When they were filled he said unto his disciples Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost 13 Therefore they gathered them together and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which remained over and above unto them that had eaten 14 Then those men when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did said This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world This Miracle of our Saviour's feeding five thousand Persons with five Barly Loaves and two small Fishes is recorded by all the four Evangelists and several Particulars therein are very remarkable Obs 1. What a poor and slender Provision the Lord of the whole Earth has for his Family for himself for his Disciples and the Multitude nothing more than five Barley Loaves and two Fishes Teaching us that these Bodies of ours must be fed not pampered Our Belly must not be our Master much less our God and as the Quality of the Victuals was plain so was the Quantity small only five Loaves and two Fishes Well might the Disciples say What are they among so many The Eye of Sense and Reason sees an utter Impossibility of those Effects which Faith can easily apprehend and a Divine Power more easily produce When Men judge by Sense and Reason and do not look to Christ's Power if Extremities come they are soon at their wits end and know not what to do Obs 2. How the great Master of this miraculous Feast doth marshal his Guests he commands them to sit down None of the People reply Sit down But to what Here 's the Mouths but where 's the Meat we may soon be set but when shall we be served not a word like this but they obey and expect Lord how easie is it to trust thy Providence and rely upon thy Power when there is Corn in the Barn Bread in the Cupboard Money in the Purse but when our Stores are empty when our Stock runs low when we have nothing in Hand then to depend upon an invisible Bounty is a noble Act of Faith indeed Obs 3. The Actions performed by our Blessed Saviour 1. He blest the Loaves Teaching us by his Example never to use or receive the good Creatures of God without Prayer and Praise not to sit down to our Food as a Beast to his Fodder 2. Christ broke the Loaves he could have multiplied them whole why then doth he rather choose to do it in the breaking perhaps to teach us that we may rather expect his Blessing in the Distribution of his Bounty than in the Reservation of it Scattering is the way to encreasing and Liberality the way to Riches Again 3. He gave to his Disciples that they might distribute to the Multitude he did not do it with his own Hands but by theirs doubtless it was to gain Reputation to his Disciples from the People the same Course doth Christ take in Spiritual Distributions He that could feed the Souls of his People immediately by the Hand of his Spirit chooses rather by the Hand of his Ministers to divide the Bread of Life among them Obs 4. The Reality and Greatness of the Miracle They did all eat and were filled they did eat not a Crumb or a Bit but to satiety and fulness All that were hungry did eat and all that did eat were satisfied and yet twelve Baskets of Fragments remain More is left than was at first set on 'T is hard to say which was the greatest Miracle the miraculous eating or miraculous Leaving If we consider what they eat we