the indubitable certainty thereof I have loved you Follow me from Heaven to Earth and from Earth to Heaven again and you will find that every step I have taken hath been in love Learn 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ has given full and ample Demonstration of his great and wonderful love unto his Church and People 2. That it is the Duty and ought to be the singular care of every Christian to preserve the sweet sense and inward diffusions of Christ's love in their own Souls Continue ye in my love 10 If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love Christ had told his Disciples in the foregoing Verse That he had loved them even as the Father had loved him That is with an eternal love with a real and operative love with an immutable and constant love In this Verse he directs them how they may continue in the sense of his Love Namely By their constant Obedience to his Commands as his Obedience to his Father's Commands had secured him a continuance in his Father's Love If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love That is in the sense of my Love and under the sweet apprehensions of it Learn hence That as our Obedience to Christ is the best Evidence of our Love to him so is it the best means to preserve and keep us in the sense and assurance of his Love to us 11 These thing have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full In these words our Saviour declares the Ground and Reason why he did so vehemently press and urge the Duty of being universally fruitful upon his Disciples and that was twofold 1. That his joy might remain in them That is That the joy which he had in their Holiness and Obedience might remain with him nothing is more desired by Christ than that he may have cause continually to rejoyce in the Faith and fruitfulness of his People 2. That their joy in him might be full This latter arises from the former our joy in Christ results from Christ's joy in us his delight in us causes us abundantly to delight in him Learn hence That nothing is more desired by Christ than that the joy of his People should be a full solid constant and uninterrupted joy 2. That the only way and means in order thereunto is by an Holy fruitfulness in good works All these things have I spoken unto you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy might be full 12 This is my commandment That ye love one another as I have loved you Our Lord had often in this farewel Sermon of his to his dear Disciples pressed upon them the Duty of loving one another ch 13 and 14. And yet here he enforces it again from his own Example As I have loved you so love you one another that is as truly and as sincerely for the manner tho' not to the same proportion and degree Learn hence That for the Disciples of Christ to love one another upon such grounds and in such a way as he loved them is that which his heart greatly desires and is very much set upon 2. That Christ's love unto Believers is both an obligation unto mutual love and also a pattern and example for it This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you 13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends Here our Saviour gives his Disciples an Evidence of the greatness of his love unto them Namely In his readiness to lay down his Life for them which is the highest expression of Love to our dearest Friends because Life is the greatest earthly blessing Learn hence That Christ's Love in laying down his Life for his People was a matchless Love for whilst they were Enemies to him he had a friendly respect for them and never ceased till he had brought them into a covenant of friendship with himself 14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Here Christ invites his People to Obedience by the honourable title of Friends Ye are my Friends 1. Actively you will declare and manifest your selves to be my Friends 2. Passively I will declare my self to be your Friend Learn hence 1. How condescending is the Love of Christ in calling his Servants by the name of Friends 2. How glorious is the Believer's Relation to Christ in being one of his Friends 3. How grateful is Obedience to Christ seeing it dignifies the Practisers of it with the Title of his Friends 4. Our Conformity to Christ consists not so much in imitation of what he did as in Obedience to what he prescrib'd Some Actions of Christ are unimitable but all his Commands are obeyable 5. That nothing short of an humble uniform chearful and constant Obedience to the Commands of Christ will Evidence the Truth of our Relation to him and the sincerity of our friendship with him Then only are ye my friends when you do whatever I command you 15 Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you By these words Christ declares the Reason why he was pleased to change his stile and call his Disciples Friends instead of Servants Namely Because of his Communication of Secrets to them which Servants are not admitted to the knowledge of Henceforth I call you not Servants that is not meer Servants not that they were to be exempted from Obedience for that is called for in the foregoing Verse but Christ treated them now with the kindness and familiarity of Friends being about to leave them he unbosoms himself unto them saying All things that I have heard of my father I have made known unto you Not as if Christ had communicated the infinite Treasures of knowledge to them which the Father had imparted to him but he speaks here as the Prophet of his Church that as such he had revealed all things needful for them to know in order to Salvation all things belonging to their Case and State as a Counsellour doth not impart all his knowledg to his Clients but all that is necessary for his Client to understand and know that he makes known unto him relating to his own Case Learn hence 1. That all Christ's Disciples are his Servants and all his Servants are his Friends in regard of intimate Communion and tender usage Henceforth I call you not servants but friends And after his Resurrection he called them Brethren John 20.17 The Dignity of Believers is a growing Dignity the longer they follow Christ the higher priviledges are indulged to them Learn 2. That all the Fathers counsel concerning our Salvation and so far as it is needful and necessary for us to know is faithfully revealed
and I must disappear like the morning Star Not that John's Light was diminished but by a greater Light obscured only As all the Stars disappear at the appearance of the Sun Yet observe what matter of Joy it was to John to see himself out-shined by Christ Let him increase tho' I decrease That Minister has true Light in himself that can Rejoyce when he is out-shined by others Who is content to be abased and obscured if he may but see Christ dignified and exalted in the Lives of his People whoever the Person is whom God honours as his Instrument in that Service The fourth Difference wherein Christ excels John and all his Ministers is in the Divine Original of his Person v. 31. He that cometh from above is above all says John Now Christ is from above his Original is from Heaven I am from the Earth tho' I had my Commission from Heaven and accordingly my Words and Actions are Earthly My Master therefore infinitely surpasseth and excels me in the Dignity of his Person and in the Sublimity of his Knowledge From the whole Note How much it is the Desire and Endeavour of every Gospel-Minister to magnifie Jesus Christ to display his glorious Excellencies and Perfections before their People that they may reverence his Person revere his Authority and respect his Laws This was the Care of the Holy Baptist here and it will be the Endeavour of every faithful Minister of Christ that succeeds John to the end of the World 32 And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him Observe 1. Another great Difference which John the Baptist teacheth his Disciples to put betwixt his Testimony and Christ's To the intent that he might remove the Prejudice which was upon his Disciples Mind against the Messiah he shews them that his own Testimony which they so much admired was by Revelation only Christ's by immediate Intuition John testified only what he had received but Christ what he had seen lying in the Bosom of the Father What he hath seen and heard that he testifieth Learn hence That it is Christ's the great Prophet of his Church peculiar Prerogative to have the knowledge of Divine Truths immediately from the Father by special Communication and that all others receive their Knowledge from him by gracious Illumination only Observe 2. How sadly and sorrowfully the holy Baptist resents it that Christ's Testimony was no better received and entertained by the World He testifieth but no Man receiveth his testimony John's Disciples murmured that all Men came unto Christ v. 26. but John mourns that there came no more and complains that none that is very few received his Testimony Thence learn That it ought and will be matter of great Regret and Sorrow to all the Friends of Jesus Christ but especially to his faithful Ministers and Servants that his Doctrine is so ill received and entertained in the World It greatly affects and grievously afflicts them that when they testifie of Christ no Man that is comparatively very few Men receive their Testimony Observe 3. The Eulogy and high Commendation given of all true Believers they receive Christ's Testimony and thereby set to their Seal that God is true that is hath subscribed to and ratified the Truth of God that God in all his Promises of the Messiah under the Old Testament is faithful and true Learn hence The great Honour that God puts upon the Faith of Believers As Unbelief defames God and makes him a Lyer so Faith gives Testimony to the Truth of God and setteth its Seal that God is true He that receiveth his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true Observe 4. The Illustrious Character which the Holy Baptist gives of Christ his Master he is the Person whom God hath sent and unto whom God giveth not his Spirit by measure He whom God has sent that is immediately and extraordinarily from Heaven not as the Prophets and Apostles were sent but in a way peculiar to himself Having Authority for speaking not only from God but as being God himself And accordingly it is added that God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him that is the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit were poured forth upon Christ in a Measure far above and beyond all finite Creatures There being a double difference betwixt Christ's fulness of the Spirit and all other Persons whatsoever 1. In the Measure of it God did not give out the Spirit to Christ sparingly and with limitation as he did to the former Prophets and John the Baptist in proportion to what their Offices required but he was anointed more plentifully and abundantly with the Holy Spirit above and beyond his Fellows 2. In the manner of its working The holy Prophets that were filled with the Spirit according to their Measures yet could not do or declare all Things nor act upon all Occasions but sometimes the Spirit restrained them and sometimes departed from them But Christ had no limits put upon the Vigour of his Spirit but his own Will therefore could work what and when he pleased Learn from hence That Christ had an abundant fitness from God for the discharge of his Office and an abundant fulness for his People God did not measure to him a certain Quantity and Proportion of the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit but pour'd it forth upon him without Measure 35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand The Father loveth the Son from Eternity as he was his Son by eternal Generation and he loved him as Mediator by special Constitution he loves him as the Brightness of his own Glory and the express Image of his Person with an Essential Natural and Necessary Love And he loves him as Mediator for undertaking our Cause and interposing for our Peace Learn hence That God the Father had a special Love and Affection to Christ not only in regard of his Eternal Sonship but with respect to his Office of Mediatorship The Father loveth the Son It follows he hath given all things into his hand that is intrusted him with all things necessary to our Salvation Lord what a Privilege is this that our Happiness is in Christ's Hand not in our own without his Oh wonderful Goodness to put our Concerns into the sure Hands of his Son which were lost by the weak Hands of Adam 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Learn 1. That tho' all Power be given to Christ to dispense Grace here and Glory hereafter yet none must expect to enjoy it but upon Condition of believing in him and obeying of him For the Original Word
thirty eight Years so Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him Yet observe the Cloak and Pretence they have for their malicious Persecution of our Saviour namely the supposed Violation of the Sabbath-day They sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabbath-day Learn hence That great Cruelty against Christ and his Members has always been and still is masked and disguised with a fair Pretence of Zeal for God and his Commands The Pharisees mortally hated our Saviour therefore to cover their Malice they traduce him as a Prophaner of the Sabbath and seek to take away his Life 17 ¶ But Jesus answered them My Father worketh hitherto and I work From this Verse to the End of the Chapter we have our Saviour's Apology for his working the foregoing Cure on the impotent Man on the Sabbath-Day And the chief Argument he insists upon is drawn from his Unity and Equality in Nature and Operation with his Father As the Father worketh says he so I work Here he speaks of himself not as a Servant or Instrument in his Father's Hand but as a Fellow-Worker with the Father both in the Works of Creation and in the Works of Providence and Preservation also Learn hence 1. That although Almighty God has long since ceased from the Works of Creation yet not from the Work of Preservation My Father worketh hitherto not by creating new Kinds of Creatures but by upholding and preserving what he has already created Learn 2. That Christ the Son of God is joyned with and undivided from the Father in Working As the Father created all things by him not as a Man and as an Instrument in the Father's Hand for then he was not such but as his Fellow-Worker being equal in Nature and Power with the Father in like manner as the Father preserveth sustaineth governeth and upholdeth all things so doth Christ the Father's Actions and his being the same My Father worketh hitherto and I work 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he not only had broken the sabbath but said also that God was his Father making himself equal with God 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them Verily verily I say unto you The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do for what things soever he doeth these also doeth the Son likewise Observe here the Jews instead of being satisfied were the more enraged not only because he had violated the Sabbath as they pretended by healing the Cripple on the Sabbath-Day but because Christ had asserted that God was his Father in a peculiar manner and made himself equal with God Our Saviour therefore goes on to assert his Equality and Conjunction with the Father in his Operations and Workings which doth at once justify his Work on the Sabbath-day and prove him to be truly and really God Now our holy Lord to prove himself equal with God the Father produces first many Arguments to v. 31. and then alledges the Testimony of many Witnesses to the end of the Chapter Our Saviour's first Argument to prove himself equal with the Father in Essence and Nature is this That the Father and he are equal in Operation in Will and Consent for Working that the Son doth all that the Father doth and the Father doth nothing without the Son v. 19. The Son can do nothing of himself that is as Man as the Messias and as Mediator he could do nothing of himself His perfect Obedience to and Complyance with the Will of his Father that sent him would not suffer him to do any thing without him But as God he could do all things of himself Learn hence That it is an undeniable Proof that the Father and Son are one in Nature Essence and Being in that they are inseparable and undivided in Operation and Working What things soever the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise and the Son doth nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do Therefore Father and Son being equal in Operation and Working are equal in Nature and Being and consequently both essentially truly and really God Therefore the Arians of old and the Socinians at this Day are wide when they produce this Text The Son can do nothing of himself to prove that Christ is not equal with God the Father They forget or neglect to distinguish betwixt his Divine Nature which could do all things and his Mediatorial Office which could not do but what the Father that sent him had appointed him to do 20 For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doeth and he will shew him greater works then these that ye may marvel The second Argument which our Saviour produces to prove his Unity in Nature and Equality in Operation with the Father is drawn from that special Love which the Father beareth to the Son which inclines him to communicate all things to him by a Divine and Ineffable Communication Learn hence 1. That God the Father loveth Jesus Christ his Son with an Essential Natural and Necessary Love as being the Substantial Image of himself and the Splendor and Brightness of his Glory The Father loveth the Son that is with an Essential Eternal and Ineffable Love 2. That the Father's Love to Christ was Communicative the Father communicated his Essence and Nature his Wisdom and Power for Operation to the Son The Father sheweth the Son all things that himself doth namely by a Divine Inconceivable and Unspeakable Communication 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will A third Argument proving Christ to be God and equal with the Father is here produced namely his raising of the dead He is jointly with the Father in that Work and equal with him As the Father quickneth whom he please so doth the Son quicken whom he will that is not as the Father's Instrument but as a principal Agent by the same Authority and with the like absolute Freedom of Will which the Father uses being a Sovereign and Independent Being as the Father is As the Father raiseth the dead and quickneth them so the Son quickneth whom he will Learn hence 1. That quickning and raising of the dead is an Act of Omnipotency and proper to God only The Father raiseth the dead and quickneth them 2. That Christ's Power to raise the dead as well as his Father is a Proof of his Equality with his Father and an Evidence of his being truly and really God the Son quickneth whom he will 22 For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son 23 That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him A fourth Instance of Christ's God-head and proof of his Equality with the Father is That it is his Work to judge the World The Father says Christ judges
not seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth the sheep 13 The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheep 14 I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine 15 As the Father knoweth me even so know I the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep In these Verses our Saviour Evidently proves himself to be the true Shepherd of his Church by the Marks and Signs by the Properties and Characters of a good Shepherd which were eminently found with him Namely To know all his Flock to take care of them and to lay down his Life for them 1. Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of his Church hath an exact and distinct Knowledg of all his Flock I know my Sheep with a threefold Knowledge with a Knowledge of Intelligence and Observation he knows them so as to observe and take notice of them with a Knowledge of Approbation and Acceptation he knows them so as to approve and own them and with a knowledge of Care and Protection he knows them so as to defend and keep them Thus Christ knows his Sheep and is also known of them That is he is believed on beloved and obeyed by them 2. He lays down his Life for his Flock And for this doth he eminently deserve the Title of the good Shepherd As for his Power he is stiled the great Shepherd A good Shepherd indeed who not only gives Life to his Sheep but gives his own Life by way of Ransom for his Sheep This Example of Christ the Great and Good Shepherd in laying down his Life for his Sheep teacheth all Subordinate and Inferiour Shepherds to prefer the Good of their Flock even before their own Lives 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd Here Christ proves himself to be the True Shepherd of his Church from another property of a good Shepherd which is to take care for increasing and inlarging of his Fold by bringing in the Gentiles to it and by breaking down the Partition wall to make one Church both of Jews and Gentiles Christ calls the Gentiles his other Sheep by way of Anticipation because shortly they were to be so and united together with the believing Jews into one Sheep-fold and whereas he says He Must bring these Sheep in we are to understand it not of a Necessity of Coaction but of a Necessity of Compact It being a federal Agreement betwixt the Father and himself that both Jew and Gentile should be one Flock inclosed in one Fold and presented to his Father as a Glorious Church Learn hence How endearing our Obligations are to the Dearest Jesus that he should account us Gentiles who were afar off his Sheep we being so in respect of his Eternal purpose and make it his Care and esteem it his Charge to call us home and bring us in to his Fold the Church that we might be saved amongst the Remnant of the True Israelites Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also I must bring 17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again 18 No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again This commandment have I received of my Father Here Note 1. That Jesus Christ certainly foreknew his own Death and Resurrection 2. That Christ was a Voluntier in Dying he layed down his Life none could have taken it from him 'T is true his death was a violent death but a voluntary Sacrifice he died violently but yet voluntarily The hand of his Enemies could never have hurt him without his own consent 3. That as Christ died voluntarily with respect to himself so in a way of Subjection to his Father's command This Commandment have I Received from my Father 4. That this voluntary Submission of Christ to die for us was the ground of the Father's Love to him Therefore doth my Father Love me because I lay down my Life Altho' the Father had many Reasons to love the Son yet none was stronger than this Obedience of his to Death even the cursed death of the Cross for the Redemption and Salvation of lost Sinners therefore did the Father love him with a more exceeding love because he laid down his Life for his Sheep ¶ 19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings 20 And many of them said He hath a devil and is mad why hear ye him 21 Others said these are not the words of him that hath a devil Can a devil open the eyes of the blind Here the Evangelist shews what different effects this Sermon of our Saviour had upon the Jews many of them do calumniate and slander him as one possessed and mad and therefore not to be heard and minded others of calmer thoughts said That the Doctrine he taught and the late Miracle which he had wrought in curing the blind Man were abundantly sufficient to confute such a groundless slander Learn hence That the Doctrine of Christ meeting with diversity of dispositions it is no wonder that it occasions different effects to the softning of some and hardning of others even as the same Sun that melteth the Wax hardneth the Clay yet is not this to be imputed to the Doctrine of our Saviour but to Mens corruptions which oppose the Truth and the maintainers of it There was a Division again amongst them ¶ 22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication and it was winter This Feast was not of Divine but Humane Institution it was appointed by Judas Maccabeus and continued Eight Days as an Anniversary Commemoration for the Reparing of the Temple Now our Saviour was so far from Reproving the Jews for observing this Feast which is of Humane Institution that he graced the Solemnity with his own presence Hence Observe That our Saviour held communion with the Jewish Church and did without scruple conform himself to the observation of their Rites and Customs altho' they were not orignally of Divine Institution Learn 2. That such a Christian as doth peaceably comply with the practice of the Church in whose Communion he Lives in the observation of those indifferent Rites and Customs which are used by Her acts most agreeably to our Saviour's Practice and Example Who can with any shew of Reason censure Christians for observing the Feast of the Nativity who see Christ himself observing the Feast of Dedication certainly no person of sober Principles ever questioned but that Ecclesiastical Rulers and Civil Magistrates have a Power to appoint publick Days of Thanksgiving Yearly for the Commemoâ—ation of Mercies which ought never to be forgotten 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomons porch 24 Then came the
understand these things clearly 21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Our Blessed Saviour in these words repeats what he had before injoined at Verse 15. Namely to evidence the sincerity of our Love to him by the Universality of our Obedience to his Commands He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Where Note 1. The Necessity of Knowledge in order unto Practice 2. The Necessity of Practice in order unto Happiness we must first have Christ's Commandments before we can keep them we must have them in our Understandings and Judgments in our Wills and Affections not have them only in our Eyes to read in our Ears to hear or in our Mouths to talk of them but to hide them in our Hearts that we may not Sin against Christ in the wilful violation of them Farther we must keep as well as have these Commandments This denotes an universal diligent and persevering Obedience to them Hence Learn That altho' many loose Professors pretend love to Christ because they hear read know and can talk of his Commandments yet in Christ's Account none do truly love him but those who make Conscience of their Obedience to him He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Observe next The gracious Promise of Christ to such as thus express their Love unto him 1. He shall be loved of my Father and of my self And shall he not be loved of the Holy Ghost too Yes no doubt But why is not he named then Because the Son dwelleth in us by the Spirit and sheds his Love abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost 2. I will manifest my self unto him that is such Obedient Christians shall not only injoy the Fruit and Benefit of my Love but they shall injoy the Sense of my Love and experience the sensible manifestations and inward diffusions of my Love in their own Souls Learn hence That the only way to have Christ Love us and to let out his Love upon us and to know that he Loves us is to look diligently to our Obediential walking with him and before him We may as rationally think to nourish our Bodies with Poison as to injoy the manifestations of Christ's Love in a way of Sin 22 Judas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world Some understand these words of a Temporal manifestation and think that Judas the Brother of James who spake them still expected that Christ should be a Temporal Prince and have such a Kingdom as should be Conspicuous to all the World and therefore puts the question how he could possibly shew himself to his Disciples and the World not see him Others understand it of a Spiritual manifestation as if he had said Lord who or what are we thy Disciples that we should enjoy more special manifestations of thy Love to us than to the rest of the World why should we be dignified with such distinguishing favours above others Learn thence 1. That there is a real difference put by Christ betwixt his own Children and the World in the matter of special Manifestations 2. That there being no cause from the Creature why Christ should make this difference his discriminating Grace is matter of just and great Admiration well might the Apostle out of a deep Admiration say Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the World 23 Jesus answered and said unto him If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings and the word which you hear is not mine but the Fathers which sent me Observe here How our Saviour still goes on to direct and encourage his Disciples to evidence the sincerity of their Love to his Person by the universality of their Obedience to his Commands and tells them how great their Advantage would be by so doing For First the Father will love them that is manifest his favour to them in farther dispensations of Grace and Comfort Learn thence That all the Manifestations of Divine Love to the Souls of Believers depend upon their close walking with God in the paths of Holiness and strict Obedience Secondly We will make our abode with him He shall have Father and Son's Company an Allusion to a Parent that has many Children he will be sure to live with them that are most Dutiful to him and most observant of him The expression of making their abode with us denotes that sweet and intimate fellowship which shall be betwixt God and us and the perpetuity and constancy of it at all times till we are taken up by him into Heaven he will make his abode with us by the indwelling presence of his Holy Spirit the Graces and Comforts whereof shall abide with us for ever 25 These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you 26 But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Here we have a repeated Promise of the Mission of the Holy Ghost called the Comforter and his special Office declared Namely To teach and to bring to remembrance what Christ had taught He shall teach you all things As the Spirit of God is the great Comforter so he is the special Teacher of his Children he Teacheth condescendingly stooping to the meanest capacities he Teacheth efficaciously inclining the Heart to receive Instruction as well as opening the Ear to hear it he Teacheth plainly and â—learly unerringly and infallibly he is Truth it self and therefore his teachings are most True And as the Holy Spirit is the Saints Teacher so is he also their Remembrancer He shall bring all things to your Remembrance that is all Truths needful to be known and necessary to Salvation Here Note That the Holy Spirit Teaches nothing but what Christ himself Taught the Spirit Teaches in the word and by the word but never Teaches any thing contrary to the word He shall Teach and bring to Remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you 27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid As if our Lord had said Whatever outward Trouble the World gives you be not afraid of it before it comes nor troubled at it when it is come for I will give you inward Peace in the midst of all your outward Troubles Not as the world giveth give I unto you Where Note That Christ's Peace is vastly different from that Peace which is given or enjoyed
by the World the World may wish Peace yet never intend it or they may wish it yet not be able to give it but Christ's Peace is real and effectual solid and substantial the World's Peace is only a freedom from outward trouble but Christ's Peace is a deliverance from inward guilt and tho' it doth not give us an exemption from outward Troubles yet it gives us a sanctified use and improvement of them and assures us of a Joyful Issue and deliverance out of them 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you I go away and come again unto you If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. That the Disciples of Christ might neither be overset with fears nor overwhelm'd with grief he tells them that they ought to entertain the news of his departure rather with joy and exaltation than with sorrow and dejection If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go to the Father True Love to Christ will make us rejoyce in his Advancement and Exaltation altho' it be to our own disadvantage Those words my Father is greater then I must be understood with reference to his Humane Nature as Mediatour for so he was the Father's Servant and the Father as God was greater than he as Man again the Father may be said to be greater than Christ in regard of his Paternity as being the fountain of the Deity the Father is of himself but the Son is begotten of the Father but being of the same Substance with the Father he is consequently God as the Father is God for the inequality arises not from the Essence but from the order and manner of Subsistence Thus the Father was greater than He. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass that when it is come to pass ye might believe 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you for the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do Arise let us go hence The time of our Saviour's Death now nearer and nearer Approaching he prepares the expectation of his Disciples for it because evils that surprize us suddenly do sink our Spirits sadly whereas what we fear for that we prepare Accordingly our Lord arms his dear Disciples against all disquietude and over-whelming sorrow for his Departure from them I have told you before that when it comes to pass ye might believe that is be assured that I am not meer Man but truly and really God and depend upon me for Life and Salvation Observe 2. How our Saviour points out the cause of his Sufferings Namely Satan and his Instruments The Prince of this World cometh that is by Judas the Soldiers and the High Priests but he has nothing in me that is he will find no Sin or Corruption in me to side with his Temptations or no guilt upon me to give him any Advantage against me for I shall Die as a perfectly Innocent person Christ in Suffering for our Sins did not only conflict with the wrath of God but with the rage of Men and Devils yet all the power and policy all the malice and cruelty of Satan cannot prevail against Christ any further than he voluntarily yields and submits himself unto it The Prince of this World cometh but hath nothing in me Observe 3. That it was Christ's Love and Obedience to his Father that carried him forth so chearfully to the work of Sufferings supported him under it and carried him thorough it That the World may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me Commandment even so I do True Love to God will draw Men to Obedience in the hardest Services and Sufferings the grand motive of Christ's Sufferings was Love to his Father Obedience to his Commands and a regard to his Glory Lord Let thy Love and Obedience to thy Father in all thy Sufferings be the subject of our Admiration and the matter of our Imitation also As the Father gives us Commandment so let us always do CHAP. XV. 1 I Am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Observe here How our blessed Saviour under the Metaphor of a Vine elegantly sets forth himself in his relation to his visible Church shewing under that similitude what his Father meant to do with Judas and with all unfruitful Branches like unto him even take them away cut them off and throw them into the Fire but such as are fruitful he purges by his Word and Spirit by Ordinances and Providences by Mercies and Afflictions that they may be more aboundingly and abidingly fruitful Learn hence 1. That Jesus Christ in his offices for and relation to his People doth most fitly resemble a Vine As the Vine is weak mean and small in outward appearance not like the Cedar for heighth or like the Oak for strength so was Christ in his state of humiliation there was no beauty in him Isa 53. As the Vine is a fruitful Plant tho' it has little pomp yet has it much plenty and is only useful for fruit-bearing and brings forth both plenty and variety of sweet fruit to make glad the Heart of Man thus the fruits of Christ's Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession are many and great delightful and sweet In a word as the fruit of the Vine is pressed that it may be Drink unto Men so Christ submitted to be Trod in the Wine-press of God's Wrath that thereby the sweetest fruit and benefit might redound to his People Finally as the Vine is the Root from which all the Branches derive their nourishment and fruitfulness in like manner is Christ the Stock into which all his Members are ingrafted the Root in which they all subsist and the fountain from whence their spiritual Life and Fruitfulness doth proceed and flow Learn 2. That as Christ is the Vine so his Father is the Husbandman he ingrafts and implants all the Branches into this Vine the Plants of Righteousness are of his own planting he takes notice what store of Fruit every Branch doth bring forth and it is his daily care to dress and dung to purge and prune to support and shelter his Vineyard that it may bring forth Fruit abundantly Learn 3. That there are two sorts of Branches in this Vnie some fruitful others unfruitful some have the visibility but not the reality of Branches some are branches only by external profession others are so by real implantation Learn 4. That the true Touchstone whereby to discern one sort of Branches from another is not by the fair Leaves of Profession but by the substantial Fruits of an Holy and Righteous Conversation Learn 5. That in the most fruitful Branches in the best
and holiest of Christians there remains much Corruption to be purged out in order to future and farther fruitfulness Learn 6. That the Husbandman's hand God the Father's manages the pruning Knife of Affliction in order to his Peoples improvement in Grace and Holiness he had rather see his Vine Bleed than see it Barren Lastly That such Branches as after all the Husbandman's Care and Cost remain unfruitful shall be finally cut off and cast away as was Judas here who in this Discourse of our Saviour seems particularly and especially to be aimed at He was a Branch in him that bare no Fruit who was shortly after taken away and went to his own place 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you 4 Abide in me and I in you As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me 5 I am the vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Our Saviour having in the former Verses distinguished his Disciples into two sorts some that were Members of his Body the Church and Branches of him the true Vine by outward shew and visible profession only others that are spiritually ingrafted into him and do bring forth much fruit now in this third Verse Christ tells his Disciples which number they were of Now saith he ye are clean thro' the word which I have spoken unto you that is Now that Judas the Traitour that Dead Rotten fruitless Branch is cut off and cast out ye are all clean thro' the cleansing Power and Vertue of my Word and Doctrine Learn hence 1. That such as are justified by the Blood and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ are in Christ's Account clean notwithstanding their many spots and manifold imperfections Now are ye clean 2. That as the Blood of Christ is the meritorious and the Spirit of Christ the efficacious so the word of Christ is the Instrumental cause of a Believer's Purification and Cleansing Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Abide in me and I in you That is Abide in me and I will abide in you Abide in me not only by an outward and visible Profession but by a real and fiducial Adherence and I will abide in you by the influences and operations of my Holy Spirit The Union and Conjunction between Christ and his Members is mutual they abide in him by Faith and dependance and he abides in them by the indwelling presence of his Grace and Spirit Abide in me and I will abide in you Observe Farther the Reason which Christ gives why they should thus abide in him because without Union with him without interest in him without influences of Grace derived from him they could bring forth no fruit for him nor do any thing that is truly acceptable and well-pleasing to him As the Branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me for without me ye can do nothing That is As brances sever'd from the Vine cannot live nor bear Fruit so neither can Christians separated from Christ and without deriving vertue from him do any thing spiritually good and well-pleasing in the sight of God Learn hence That not only unregenerate Men do labour under an impotency to that which is spiritually good but even Disciples themselves without daily dependance upon Christ and without constant communications of Grace from him can do nothing in a lively and acceptable way and manner unto him without me Ye can do nothing you that are Branches of me the true Vine 6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Here our Holy Lord discovers the sad and deplorable Condition of such professors who pretending Relation to Christ do yet bring forth no fruit unto him he calls them wither'd Branches fit only for the Fire Learn hence That such as have had a long standing in God's Vineyard and contented themselves with a withered profession they are in great danger of having God's blasting added to their Barrenness All their parts and gifts and common Graces will wither and their fair Blossoms of Profession will drop off and at the great Day the Angels will gather these fruitless Branches together and cast them into Hell fire 7 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you Observe here 1. A glorious priviledge declared Ask what ye will it shall be done unto you Not that we are hereby warranted to ask what we please at God's hand but our Will must be limited by the Word and Will of God we must pray in Faith and in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ and with a single Eye at the Glory of God Observe 2. The Condition upon which this priviledge is attainable If ye abide in me and my word abide in you that is practically and experimentally If my Doctrine and Commands abide in your Hearts and dispose you to an Holy fruitfulness in your Lives then shall all your just requests be granted Learn That such as by Faith embrace the Promises and by Obedience live up to the Precepts of the Gospel may in Prayer humbly ask of God what they will with a due Submission to the Wisdom and Will of God 8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples Our Lord here exhorts his Followers to an Holy fruitfulness in good works by a double Argument One drawn from the Glory of God Herein is my Father glorified The other from their own Advantage so shall ye be my Disciples That is hereby ye shall evidence and prove your selves to be my Disciples Learn hence That a Christian's abounding fruitfulness in good works will abundantly conduce to the Honour and Glory of God and also to his own Peace and Comfort by being the best evidence of his Discipleship 9 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love Lord What a comparison is here As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you he doth not say as the Father hath loved me so have I loved him but so have I loved you nor doth he say as God hath loved me so have I loved you but As the Father it is verbum dilectionis a word importing dearness of Affection nor doth he say the Father hath loved me and I love you but as the Father hath loved me so have I loved you nor doth he say as the Father hath loved me so will I love you but so have I loved you This shews the priority of Christ's love that he loved us first and also denotes the invincible constancy of his love and
23d Verse there seems to be a contradiction in the words Christ tells them in the former part of the Verse That they shall ask him nothing in that Day and yet promises that whatever they ask shall be given them in the latter part of the Verse To resolve this know that there is a twofold asking one by way of Question the other by way of Petition The former is asking that we may know or be informed in what we doubt the latter is asking that we may receive and be supplied with what we want now when Christ saith In that day ye shall ask me nothing it is as much as if he had said at present you understand but little of the Mysteries of Religion and therefore ye put Questions about many things But in that Day when the Comforter comes ye shall be so clearly inlightned by him that ye shall not need to ask me any more Questions But when Christ saith Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it The meaning is In that day when I have left the World and ascended to my Father you shall not need to address your Prayers to me but to my Father in my name But what is it to pray in the name of Christ Answer It is more than to name Christ in Prayer it is easie to name Christ in Prayer but no easie thing to pray in the name of Christ To pray in the name of Christ is 1. To look up to Christ as having purchased for us this Priviledge that we may pray for it is by the Blood of Christ that we draw near to God and that a Throne of Grace is open for us 2. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray in the strength of Christ by the assistance of his Grace and the help of his Holy Spirit 3. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray by Faith in the Virtue of Christ's Mediation and Intercession believing that what we ask on Earth he interceeds for and obtains in Heaven To pray thus is no easie matter and unless we do pray thus we do not pray at all 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name That is explicitely and expresly in my name for the Saints of God under the Old Testament and the Apostles themselves under the New had hitherto put up all their Petitions in the name of the Messiah tho' not in the name of Jesus But now he exhorts them to Eye his Mediatory Office in all their Addresses to God and promises them that whatsoever he had purchased of the Father by his Sufferings and Satisfaction they should obtain it for the sake of his prevailing Intercession Learn hence That it is a mighty encouragement to Prayer that now under the Gospel the person of the Mediatour is exhibited in our Flesh has satisfied Divine Justice in in our Nature and in that Nature interceeds as a Mediatour for whatever he purchased as our Surety Hence is the encouragement Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it you 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father Here our Saviour tells his Disciples That although he had spoken many things to them in dark Parables and figurative Expressions yet now the time was approaching Namely The Comforter's coming when he would by the Holy Ghost clearly inlighten their Understandings in the Knowledg of Divine Mysteries and the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and particularly in the Knowledge of God as his Father and their Father in him Hence learn 1. That the clearest Truths will be but Parables Proverbs and dark Mysteries even to Disciples themselves till the Holy Spirit inlightens their Understandings 2. That the clear and full manifestation of Divine Truth was reserved till the coming of the Comforter who did communicate it to the Apostles and by them to the Church or Body of Christians I by him will shew you plainly of the Father 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you 27 For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God At that day shall ye ask in my name that is after I am Ascended into Heaven and have sent down the Holy Ghost upon you ye shall put up all your Prayers and requests to God in my name And I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you That is I need not tell you tho' I shall certainly do it that I will interceed with the Father for you for he of himself is kindly disposed and affected towards you for my sake When Christ says I do not say that I will pray the Father for you the meaning is not that he will lay aside his Office as Intercessour for Believers but that they had not only his Intercession but the Father's Love upon which to ground their hope of Audience Learn hence 1. That the Christians Prayers put up in Christ's name cannot fail of Audience and Acceptance for the sake of the Mediatour's Intercession and the Father's Love 2. That in our Prayers we ought so to eye and look up to Christ's Intercession as not to over-look or forget the Father's Love but ground our hopes of Audience upon both I say not that I will pray the Father for you tho' I shall assuredly do it for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me 28 I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father 29 His disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Here Observe 1. A proof of our Saviour's God-head He came forth from the Father into the World he came out from the Father in his Incarnation and came into the World to accomplish the work of our Redemption Learn thence That Jesus Christ is true God equal with the Father for he was not only sent by him but came forth from him I came out from the Father Observe 2. That it pleased Christ out of Love to his People to leave the Father and come into the World not by being separated from the Deity but by obscuring the Deity with the vail of our Flesh in order to the finishing the great and glorious work of Redemption for us I came forth from the Father and am come into the World Observe 3. That Christ having finished his Suffering work here on Earth Ascended into Heaven and sent down the Holy Spirit to apply unto his Church the Redemption purchased by his Blood Again I leave the World and go to the Father Observe lastly How the Apostles
sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world Observe here 1. Christ's Mission The Father sent him into the World Christ's sending implies the Designation of his Person his Qualification for the Work his Authority and Commission Learn hence That Christ himself did not of himself undertake the Office of a Mediator but was sent that is authorized and Commissioned of God so to do Thou hast sent me into the World Observe 2. As Christ's Mission so the Apostles Mission As thou hast sent me so have I sent them Learn thence That none may or ought to undertake the Office of the Ministry without an Authoritative sending from Christ himself not immediately and extraordinarily by Voice or Vision but mediately by the Officers of the Church And such as are so sent are sent by Christ himself and if so it is the Peoples Duty to reverence their Persons to respect their Office to receive their Message As thou hast sent me so have I sent them 19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth The word Sanctifie here is not to be taken for the Cleansing Purifying or making Holy that which before was Unclean But Christ's sanctifying himself imports 1. His separation or setting himself apart to be a Sacrifice for Sin 2. His Consecration or Dedication of himself to this Holy Use and Service Hence learn That Jesus Christ did dedicate and solemnly set himself apart to the great Work and Office of a Mediator Learn 2. That the great End for which Christ did thus sanctifie himself it was that he might sanctifie his Members therefore did he consecrate and set himself apart for us that we should be consecrated to and wholly set apart for him 20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Hitherto our Saviour had been praying for himself and his Apostles now he prays for all Persons both Jews and Gentiles that should believe in him throughout the World by the preaching of the Gospel Hence learn That all Believers have a special Interest in Christ's Prayer 2. That in the Sense of the Gospel they are Believers who are wrought upon to believe in Christ thro' the Word 3. That such is Christ's Care of and Love to his own that they were remembred by him in his Prayer even before they had a Being I pray not for them alone but for all that shall believe in me 21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me The special Mercy and particular Blessing which Christ prays for on the behalf of Believers is a close and intimate Union betwixt the Father Himself and Them and also betwixt one another such an Union as doth in some sort resemble that Union which is betwixt God and Christ not an Unity of Essence and Nature but of Wills and Affections Hence Note 1. That the mystical Union betwixt Christ and his Members carrieth some resemblance with that Union which is betwixt the Father and the Son 2. That Union amongst the Ministers and Members of Jesus Christ is of so great Importance Necessity and Consequence that he did in their behalf principally and chiefly pray for it An Unity of Love and Affection of Faith and Profession and Unity of Practice and Conversation are Mercies which Christ earnestly prayed for and has dearly paid for and nothing is more desired by him now in Heaven than that his Disciples should be One among themselves here on Earth Father may they be one as we are one That the World may believe that thou hast sent me Here Christ intimates one special Advantage that would redound to the World by this desirable Union betwixt the Ministers and Members of Christ it will if not Convert yet at least convince the World that I and my Doctrine came from God Thence Note That Union amongst Christ's Disciples is one special means to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ and to cause the World to have better thoughts of him and his Doctrine By their being one as we are one the World will believe that thou didst send me 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one Here Observe 1. Christ's Communication of that Glory to Believers which he had received from the Father that is not his essential Glory but his mediatorial Glory The Glory which thou gavest me Now Christ hath no Glory given him as God but much Glory bestowed upon him as Mediatour Observe 2. The end of this Communication why he gave his Disciples that Glory which the Father had given him Namely That they might be one Learn 1. That God the Father hath bestowed much Glory on Christ his Son as he is Man and Mediatour of the Church 2. That the same Glory for Kind and Substance though not for Measure and Degree which Christ as Mediatour has received from the Father is communicated to true Believers 3. That the great End of this Communication was and is to oblige and enable his People to maintain a very strict Union amongst themselves The Glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one 4. That Unity amongst Believers is part of that Glory which Christ as Mediatour hath obtained for them 23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Observe here 1. That as the Father is in Christ so is Christ in Believers and they in him the Father is in Christ in respect of his Divine Nature Essence and Attributes and Christ is in Believers by the inhabitation of his Holy Spirit Observe 2. That the Believers happiness consisteth in their oneness in being one with God through Christ and one amongst themselves That they may be made perfect in one Observe 3. That God the Father loveth Christ his Son Thou lovest them as thou hast loved me God loveth Christ first as God so he is Primum Amabile the first object of his Love as representing his Attributes exactly Secondly as Mediatour John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my Life for my Sheep Observe 4. That God the Father loves Believers even as they loved Christ himself that is he loves them upon the same grounds that he loved him Namely For their nearness and for their likeness to him 1. For their nearness and relation to him he loveth Christ as his Son Believers as his Children 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father bestoweth upon us that we should be call'd the Sons of God 2. The properties of the Father's Love towards Christ and Believers are the same Doth he Love Christ with a tender Love
with an unchangeable Love with an Everlasting Love so doth he Love Believers also Observe 5. That Christ would have the World know that God the Father loveth the Children of Men as well as himself Christ is not ambitious to ingross all our Love unto himself but would have the World take notice of the good Will of his Father as well as of himself to lost Mankind of the Father's Love in sending him as well as of his own Love in coming That the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me 24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Our Saviour had prayed for his Disciples Sanctification before here he Prays for their Glorification 1. That they may be where he is now Christ is with them in his Ordinances in his Word and at his Table ere long they shall be with him as his Friends as his Spouse as his Companions in his Kingdom 2. That they may be with him where he is this is more than the former a Blind Man may be where the Sun is but not with the Sun because he doth not injoy the light and benefit of it To be with Christ where he is imports Union and Communion with him 3. That being with him where he is they may behold his glory that is so see it as everlastingly to possess and injoy it Learn 1. That all those that are given to Christ as his Charge and as his Reward shall certainly come to Heaven to him Father I will that they be with me because I have merited that they should be with me I will that they behold my Glory because I have purchased it at so dear a rate Learn 2. That the work and imployment of the Saints in Heaven chiefly consists in seeing and injoying Christ's Glory for it will be a possessive sight the language of every look will be This Happiness is mine this Glory is mine 3. That the top and height of the Saints happiness in Heaven consists in this That they shall there be with Christ Father I will that they may be with me to behold my Glory 25 O righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me Observe here 1. The Appellation given to God O Righteous Father This is the Sixth time that Christ in this Prayer has called God Father it being so sweet a Relation and producing all Love Delight Joy and Confidence in God by him that practically improves it But Observe That at Verse 11 When Christ prayed for his Peoples Sanctification he said Holy Father making use of that Attribute which is the cause of all Holiness in the Creature but now praying for their Glorification he says O Righteous Father Righteous in making good thy promises both to me and them Observe 2. What it is that our Saviour affirms concerning the wicked and unbelieving World that they have not known God the World hath not known thee not as if the World had not known him at all but not known him aright the unbelieving and unsanctified part of the World have no saving knowledge of God not living answerably to what they know to be their Duty Observe 3. What Christ affirms concerning himself But I have known thee and these have known thee Intimating thus much unto us That Jesus Christ alone knows God immediately and all others know him by the means of Christ Christ is the Original and fontal cause of all the saving knowledg that Believers have of God There is not the least Ray of saving Illumination that doth not descend from Christ and the Spirit of Christ I have known thee and these have known that thou didst send me 26 And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it That is I have made known unto them thy Nature Attributes Counsels Will and Commands and I will continue the manifestation of the same to the End Learn thence That the saving knowledg of God was not attainable by natural Abilities but cometh to us by the special Revelation of Jesus Christ I have declared unto them thy name Learn 2. That they that have the Name of God his Nature and Will savingly declared to them do stand in need of farther declarations and discoveries of God's Nature and Will to be made unto them I have declared to them thy name and I will declare it 26 That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them That is That the Love which is Originally in thy self as the fountain of all Grace may be communicated and dispensed from thee to them and become inherent in them Learn hence That it is not enough for the People of God that they are beloved of him and that his Love is towards them but they must endeavour to have it in them that is experience it in the effects of it and in the sense and feeling of it in their own Souls The safety of a Christian lies in this that God loves him but the Joy the Comfort and Happiness of a Christian consists in the Knowledg in the sensible Apprehension and feeling of this Love therefore Christ closeth his Prayer for his Members with this Affectionate and Comprehensive Petition Let the Love wherewith thou hast loved me be in them and I in them CHAP. XVIII 1 VVHen Jesus had spoken these words he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron where was a garden into the which he entred and his disciples 2 And Judas also which betrayed him knew the place for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his disciples No sooner had our dear Lord ended his Divine Prayer Recorded in the foregoing Chapter but he goes forth to meet his Sufferings with a willing chearfulness He retires with his Disciples into a Garden not to hide and shelter himself from his Enemies for if so it had been the most improper place he could have chosen it being the accustomed place where he was wont to Pray and a place well known to Judas who was now coming to seek him Judas which betrayed him knew the place for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his Disciples So that Christ repaired to this Garden not to shun but to meet the Enemy to offer himself as a prey to the Wolves which in the Garden hunted him and laid hold upon him he also resorted to this Garden now for privacy that he might freely pour out his Soul to God Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ was praying to his Father in the Garden when Judas with his Bla k-Guard came to apprehend him 3 Judas then having received a band of men and Officers from the chief priests and Pharisees cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons Observe 1. What a multitude were here imployed by the
in which he Preached Sitting When he was set he Taught according to the Custom of the Jewish Doctors who sat to shew their Authority Observe 4. The Sermon it self which begins with Beatitudes and Blessings and is accompanied with Promises of Reward Not as the Law was delivered on Mount Sinai with Threatnings and Thunder with Fire and Earthquake but in a still and soft Voice Our Lord's Lips are full of Grace they drop as the Honey-comb Blessings and Promises are our Encouragements to Obedience 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Observe here 1. It is not said Blessed are the Poor in Estate but Blessed are the Poor in Spirit 't is not a Poverty of Possession but a Poverty of Spirit that Entitles us to the Blessing 2. 'T is not said Blessed are the Spiritually Poor but Blessed are the Poor in Spirit He that is destitute of the Grace and Spirit of Christ that has no sense of his Spiritual Wants he is Spiritually Poor but he is not Poor in Spirit Farther 3. 'T is not said Blessed are the Poor-Spirited but the Poor in Spirit such as Act below and beneath themselves as Men and as Christians these are Poor-Spirited Men but these are not Poor in Spirit 4. 'T is not said Blessed are they that make themselves Poor by leaving their Estates and Callings and turning Beggars as some do among the Papists But Blessed are they whom the Gospel makes Poor by giving them a sight of their Spiritual Wants and Necessities and directing them to Christ that they may be made Rich. In Sum not those that are Poor in Estate or those whom the World has made Poor in Possession but those whom the Gospel has made Poor in Spirit have a Right and Title to the Kingdom of Heaven 4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Obs here 1. That Mourning for Sin is a Gospel-Duty the Law allows no place for Repentance tho' we seek it carefully with Tears Obs 2. The Time and Season for this Duty Blessed are they that Now Mourn Sorrow for Sin is Physick on Earth but 't is Food in Hell Repentance is here a Grace but there a Punishment 3. As Mourning goes before Comfort so Comfort shall follow after Mourning Our Godly Sorrow for Sin shall end in Everlasting Joy and Comfort 5 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Obs here 1. The Grace and Duty recommended Meekness 2. The Wages and Reward belonging to that Grace and Duty The Inheritance of the Earth Meekness either respects God or our Neighbour As it respects God so it implies Flexibleness â—o his Commanding Will and Submissiveness to his Providential Pleasure As it respects our Neighbour it consists in Forgiving Injuries Bearing Reproaches and Recompencing Good for Evil. The Reward and Blessing Insured to this Grace and Duty is the Inheritance of the Earth where Heaven is not excluded but included yet the Earth is mentioned to shew that Men shall be no Losers by their Meekness as to their Outward Estates for Almighty God will make good to them whatever they lose for Peace-sake Oh Happy Temper of Mind that at once Secures Heaven and Earth to boot Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth in this Life and Heaven in the next 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Obs 1. The Character of the Persons whom Christ pronounces Blessed such as Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness 2. Wherein their Blessedness doth consist They shall be filled By Righteousness we are to understand 1. A Righteousness of Justification the Righteousness of the Mediator imputed to us by which we stand Righteous in God's sight being freed from Condemnation 2. A Righteousness of Sanctification wrought in us by the Holy Spirit enabling us to Act Righteously By the former there is a Relative Change in our Condition by the latter a Real Change in our Constitution Learn That all and only such as do Spiritually Hunger and Thirst after Christ and his Righteousness are in an Happy and Blessed Condition 7 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Here our Blessed Redeemer recommends to us a Compassionate Regard towards the Miseries of Others and that both in Soul and Body Name and Estate to be forward to Pity and Pardon to Relieve and Help to Give and Forgive And as an Encouragement he adds That as we deal with others God will deal with us our Charity towards Men shall be Crowned with Mercy from GOD and that in Abundance too for our Rivulet of Charity we shall partake of an Ocean of Mercy Blessed are the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy Learn That the Merciful Man is a Blessed Man and therefore Blessed because he shall obtain Mercy when he most wants it and most desires it 8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Note here 1. The Duty required and called for Purity of Heart and Life the first expressed the other included for a clean Heart will be accompanied with a clean Life Where there is a Principle of Grace within there will be the Actings of Grace without Note 2. The Incentive to this Duty the Pure in Heart and Holy in Life shall See and Enjoy GOD the infinitely Pure and perfectly Holy GOD They shall see him Spiritually and Mediately in this Life Gloriously and Immediately in the Life to come 9 Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Obs 1. The Connexion between Peace and Purity Purity of Heart and Peaceableness of Life accompany one another there is no Inward Purity where there is not an Endeavour after Outward Peace 2. The Duty exhorted to namely to Love Peace and to Labour after Peace to Love it our selves and Promote it amongst others to be not only Peaceable but Peace-makers Note 3. The Title of Honour that is here put upon such as are of this Peaceable and Peace-making Temper they shall be called the Children of God that is they shall be reputed and esteemed God's Children for their likeness to him who is the God of Peace And they shall be dignified and honoured with the Priviledges of God's Children namely Grace here and Glory herefafter 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven 11 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake 12 Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you Note here 1. That all the Disciples and Followers of Christ live they never so Holily and Inoffensively in the World yet must they expect Suffering and Persecution 2. That the keenest and sharpest Edge of Persecution is usually turn'd against the Ministers of Christ and falls heaviest on the Prophets of God 3. That such Sufferings
them to Marry to any other or for others knowingly to Marry to them 33 Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths 34 But I say unto you Swear nor at all neither by heaven for it is God's throne 35 Nor by the earth for it is his footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great king 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black The next Commandment which our Saviour Expounds and Vindicates is the Third which requires a Reverent Use of God's Name Now the Pharisees taught that Perjury was the only Breach of this Commandment and that Swearing was nothing if they did not Forswear themselves And that Persons were only obliged to Swear by the Name of God in Publick Courts of Justice but in their ordinary and common Discourse they might Swear by any of the Creatures Now in opposition to these Wicked Principles and Practices Christ says Swear not at all That is 1. Swear not Prophanely in your ordinary Discourse 2. Swear not Unduly by any of the Creatures for that is to ascribe a Deity to them 3. Swear not Lightly upon any Trifling or Frivolous Occasion for Oaths upon small Occasions are great Sins So that an Oath is not here forbidden by our Saviour but restrained Learn That tho' light and needless common and ordinary Swearing be a very great Sin yet to take an Oath upon a Solemn Occasion when Lawfully called thereunto is a Christian and Necessary Duty 37 But let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Here our Lord prescribes a proper Means and Remedy for shunning the Occasion and Danger of Rash Swearing and that is by using and accustoming our selves in Conversation to a true Simplicity and constant Plainess of Speech either Affirming or Denying according to the Nature of the Thing letting Oaths alone till we are called to them upon great Occasions for ending Strife between Man and Man Learn That the great End of Speech being to Communicate the Sense of our Minds each to other we ought to use such Plainess and Simplicity in Speaking that we may believe one another without Oaths or more Solemn and Religious Asseverations 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth 39 But I say unto you That ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloak also 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him twain Our Saviour here Vindicates the Sixth Commandment which obliges us to do no Wrong to the Body of our Neighbour God had given a Law to the Publick Magistrate to require an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth when a Person was wronged Hereupon the Pharisees taught That a private Person wronged by another might exact Satisfaction from him to the same degree in which he had been Wronged by him if he had lost an Eye by another he might revenge it by taking away the Eye of another But says Christ I say unto you Resist not Evil that is seek not private Revenge but leave the Avenging of Injuries to God and the Magistrate Teaching us That Christians ought rather to suffer a double Wrong than to seek a private Revenge Christianity obliges us to bear many Injuries patiently rather than to avenge one privately 42 Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away Our Saviour here presses the Law of Charity upon his Disciples This is Twofold a Charity in Giving to them that Beg and a Charity in Lending to them that desire to Borrow Christianity obliges all those which have Ability to abound in Works of Charity of all sorts and kinds whatsoever He that is truly Charitable doth not only Give but Lend yea sometimes Lends looking for nothing again It is not enough to act Charity of one sort but we must be ready to act it in every kind and to the highest Degree that our Circumstances and Abilities will admit 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy 44 But I say unto you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Another corrupt Gloss which the Pharisees had put upon the Law of God our Saviour here takes notice of The Law said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour Levit. 19.18 this they interpreted to relate only to their own Country-men the Jews concluding that they might hate all the Uncircumcised Nations as Enemies But saith our Saviour I require you to love all Men for if Enemies must not be shut out of our Love none must Love your Enemies here the inward Affection is required Bless them that curse you there outward Civility and Affability is required Do good to them that hate you here real Acts of Kindness and Charity are commanded to be done by us to our bitterest and most malicious Enemies Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you These are the highest Expressions of Enmity that can be Calumny and Cruelty yet are we commanded to Pray for those that touch us in these two tenderest Points our Reputation and our Life Learn That Christianity obliges us to bear a sincere Affection towards our most malicious Enemies to be ready upon all Occasions to do Good unto them and to Pray for them 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust To encourage us to the foregoing Duty of Loving our Enemies our Saviour propounds the Example of God himself to our Imitation That you may be the Children of your Father that is that you may be known to be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven by your likeness to him and imitation of him Note That the best Evidence we can have of our Divine Sonship is our Conformity to the Divine Nature especially in those Excellent Properties of Goodness and Forgiveness 46 For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye do not even the publicans the same 47 And if ye salute your brethren only what do you more than others do not even the publicans so Yet farther to encourage us to this Duty of Loving our Enemies Christ assures his Disciples that he expects more from them than from others more than common Humanity and civil Courtesie towards Friends for even Heathens by the Light of Nature were taught to love those that love them But he expected that
be measured to you again Observe here The Prohibition and the Reason of that Prohibition The Prohibition Judge not This is not meant of our Selves but of our Neighbour Self-judging is a great Duty Judging others a grievous Sin Yet is not all Judging of others condemned but a Judging of our Neighbour's State or Person rashly and rigidly censoriously and uncharitably especially unrighteously and unjustly And the Reason of the Prohibition is added If we Judge others Rashly God will Judge us Righteously Learn thence That a Rash and Censorious Judging of Others renders a Person liable and obnoxious to the Righteous Judgment of God 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye 5 Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye By the Mote in our Brother's Eye is to be understood small and little Sins or some supposed Sins By the Beam in our own Eye is meant some Notorious Sin of our own Learn 1. That those who are most Censorious of the lesser Infirmities of Others are usually most notoriously Guilty of far greater Failings Themselves 2. That those who desire others should look upon their Infirmities with a Compassionate Eye must not look upon the Failings of others with a Censorious Eye 3. That there is no such way to Teach us Charity in Judging others as to exercise Severity in Judging of our selves 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you By that which is Holy understand the Word and Ordinances in general but Admonition and Reproof in particular By Dogs and Swine Incorrigible and Unreclaimable Sinners hardned Scorners of Holy Things T is a Proverbial Speech expressing how sure Charitable Reprehensions are to be cast away upon Incorrigible Sinners Learn 1. That 't is possible for Sinners to arrive at such an Height and Pitch in Wickedness and Sin that it may be a Christian's Duty not to Admonish or Reprove them Obs 2. How Christ provides as for the Honour of his Word so for the Safety of those that Publish it As Christ will not have his Word offered to some Sinners lest they should abuse it so lest they should abuse those that bring it When Sinners turn Rinish Swines and we are in danger of being rent by them Christ himself gives us a Permission to cease Reproving of them 7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you 8 For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened 9 Or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread will he give him a stone 10 Or if he ask a fish will he give him a serpent 11 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him Observe here A Precept and a Promise the Precept or Duty commanded is Importunity and Constancy in Prayer we must ask seek and knock The Promise or Mercy insured is Audience and Acceptance with God Note 1. That Man is a poor indigent and necessitous Creature full of Wants but unable to supply them 2. That God is an All-sufficient Good able to supply the Wants and to relieve the Necessities of his Creatures if they call upon him and cry unto him 3. Yet if we do not presently receive what we ask we must still continue to seek and knock tho' Prayer be not always answered in our time yet shall it never fail of an Answer in God's time 4. That Natural Propensity which we find in our Breasts to hear the Desires and to supply the Wants of our own Children ought to raise in us a confident Expectation That Almighty God will hear our Prayers and supply our Wants when we Call upon him If a Father will give when a Child asks much more will God If ye being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Father c. 12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the law and the prophets Observe here 1. An Incomparable Rule of Life Always to do as we would be done by Note That the Great Rule of Righteousness and Equity in all our Dealings with Men is this To do as we would be done unto it is a short Rule a full Rule and a clear Rule both the Light of Nature and the Law of CHRIST bind it upon us Obs 2. The Commendation of this Rule It is the Law and the Prophets that is the Sum of the Old Testament so far as concerns our Duty to our Neighbour and the Substance of the Second Table Learn That it is the Design of the Scriptures of the Old Testament first to render Men dutiful and obedient to God and then righteous and charitable one to another This is the Law and the Prophets yea the whole of the Law and the Prophets to Love GOD above our selves and to Love our Neighbour as our selves 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat 14 Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Observe here 1. That every Man is a Traveller in a certain Way 2. That there are but Two Ways in which the Race of Mankind can Travel the one strait and narrow that leads to Life and Salvation the other broad and wide which leads to Hell and Destruction 3. That because of the Difficulties in the Way of Salvation and the Easiness of the Way to Hell and Destruction hence it is that so few Walk in the one and so many in the other 4. That Christians having the strait Way to Heaven revealed to them in and by the Word of God should chuse rather to go in that Way alone to Life than to run with the Multitude in that broad Way which leads down to the Chambers of Death and Hell 15 Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth
have lived awhile in this World they die and therefore Marriage is necessary to maintain a Succession of Mankind but in the other World Men shall become Immortal and live for ever and then the Reason of Marriage will wholly cease For when Men can die no more there will be no need of any new Supplies of Mankind 2. Our Saviour having got clear of the Sadducees Objection by taking away the Ground and Foundation of it he produceth an Argument for the Proof of the Soul's Immortality and the Body's Resurrection Thus Those to whom Almighty God pronounces himself a God are alive but God pronounced himself a God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob many Hundred Years after their Bodies were Dead therefore their Souls are yet alive otherwise God could not be their God for he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living From the whole Note 1. That there is no Opinion so absurd no Error so monstrous that having had a Mother will die for lack of a Nurse The beastly Opinion of the Mortality of the Soul and the Annihilation of the Body finds Sadducees to profess and propagate it Note 2. The Certainty of another Life after this in which Men shall be eternally happy or intollerably miserable according as they behave themselves here tho' some Men live like Beasts they shall not die like them nor shall their last end be like theirs Note 3. That glorified Saints in the Morning of the Resurrection shall be like unto the Glorious Angels not like them in Essence and Nature but like them in their Properties and Qualities in Holiness and Purity in Immortality and Incorruptibility and in their manner of Living they shall no more stand in need of Meat or Drink than the Angels do but shall live the same Heavenly Immortal and Incorruptible Life that the Angels live Note 4. That all those that are in Covenant with God whose God the Lord is their Souls do immediately pass into Glory and their Bodies at the Resurrection shall be Sharers in the same Happiness with their Souls If God be just the Soul must live and the Body must rise For good Men must be rewarded and wicked Men punished God will most certainly some time or other plentifully reward the Righteous and punish the evil Doers but this being not always done in this Life the Justice of God requires it to be done in the next 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence they were gathered together 35 Then one of them which was a lawyer asked him a question tempting him and saying 36 Master which is the great commandment in the law 37 Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all my mind 38 This is the first and great commandment 39 And the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets The Sadducees being put by Christ to silence the Pharisees again encounter him they send to him a Lawyer that is one of their Interpreters and Expounders of the Law of Moses who propounds this Question to him Which is the great Commandment in the Law Our Saviour tells them It is to love the Lord with all the Heart with all the Soul and with all the Mind That is which all the Powers Faculties and Abilities of the Soul with the greatest Measure and highest Degrees of Love This is the Sum and Substance of the Duties of the first Table And the second is like unto it not equal with it but like unto it The Duties of the second Table are of the same Authority and of the same Necessity with the first As a Man cannot be saved without the Love of God so neither without the Love of his Neighbour On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets That is the whole Duty of Man required by Moses and the Prophets is comprehended in and may be reduced to these Two Heads namely The Love of God and our Neighbour From the whole Note 1. That the Fervency of all our Affections and particularly the Supremacy of our Love is required by God as his Right and Due Love must pass thro' and possess all the Powers and Faculties of the Soul the Mind must meditate upon God the Will must chuse and embrace him and the Affections must take Complacency and Delight in him the measure of loving God is to love him without measure God reckons that we love him not at all if we love him not above all Note 2. That thus to love God is the first and great Commandment Great in regard of the Object which is God the first Cause and the chief Good Great in regard of the Obligation of it To love God is so indispensible a Command that God himself cannot free us from the Obligation of it for so long as he is God and we his Creatures we shall lye under a natural and necessary Obligation to Love and serve him Great in regard of the Duration of it when Faith shall be swallowed up in Vision and Hope in Fruition Love will then be perfected in a full Enjoyment Note 3. That every Man may yea ought to love himself not his sinful self but his natural self and especially his Spiritual self the new Nature in him This it ought to be his particular Care to encrease and strengthen Indeed there is no express Command in Scripture for a Man to love himself because the Light of Nature directs and the Law of Nature binds and moves every Man so to do God has put a Principle of self-Self-love and of Self-preservation into all his Creatures but especially into Man Note 4. As every Man ought to love himself so 't is every Man's Duty to love his Neighbour as himself 1. Not as he does love himself but as he ought to love himself 2. Not in the same Degree and Measure that he loves himself but after the same manner and with the same kind of Love that he loves himself As we love our selves freely and readily sincerely and unfeignedly tenderly and compassionately constantly and perseveringly so should we love our Neighbour Tho' we are not commanded to love our Neighbour as much as we love our selves yet we are to love him like as we love our selves Note Lastly That the Duties of the first and second Table are inseparable The Love of God and our Neighbour must not be parted He that loveth not his Neighbour whom he hath seen never loved God whom he hath not seen A conscientious Regard to the Duties of both Tables will be an Argument of our Sincerity and an Ornament to our Profession Let it then be our Prayer and daily endeavour that we may love the Lord our God with all our Heart and our Neighbour as our selves For this is the Sum of the Law and the Substance of the Gospel 41
their Sepulchers 2. In professing great Respect to the dead Saints and at the same time persecuting the living Palpable Hypocrisie And yet as gross as it is it prevails to this Day The Church of Rome who magnifie Martyrs and canonize Saints departed have yet added to their numbers by shedding of their Blood 3. In taking false measures of their Love to the Saints departed from their building their Tombs and garnishing their Sepulchers whereas the best Evidence of our Love unto them is the imitating their Vertues and cherishing their Followers 'T is gross Hypocrisie to pay Respect to the Relicks of Saints and Veneration to their Images and at the same time to persecute and afflict their Followers Learn hence 1. That the World has all along loved dead Saints better than the living Mortui non mordent the dead Saint's Example how bright soever is not so scorching and troublesome at a distance and he himself no longer stands in other Men's Light whereas the living Saint's Example is a cutting Reproof to Sin and Vice Obs 2. That there is a certain Civility in Humane Nature which leads Men to a just Commendation of the Dead and to a due Estimation of their Worth The Pharisees here tho' they persecuted the Prophets whilst alive yet had they a mighty Veneration for their Piety and Vertue after they were dead and thought no Honour too great to be done unto them Note 3. That it is the grossest Hypocrisie to pretend to love Goodness and yet hate and persecute good Men. These Hypocritical Pharisees pretended high to Piety and Religion and at the same time killed the Prophets and stoned them that were sent unto them 4. That the highest Honour we can pay to the Saints departed is not by raising Monuments and building Tombs to their Memory but by a careful Imitation of their Piety and Virtue following the Holiness of their Lives and their Patience and Constancy at their Deaths 34 Wherefore behold I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes and some of them ye shall kill and crucifie and some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias whom ye slew between the temple and the altar 36 Verily I say unto you All these things shall come upon this generation Observe here A Prophetical Prediction and a severe Denunciation 1. A Prediction foretelling what cruel Usage the Apostles should meet with from the Jews Killing and Crucifying some Scourging and Stoning others which accordingly was fulfilled in the Crucifying of St. Peter the Scourging of St. Paul in the Stoning of St. Stephen and Killing of St. James The first Planters and Propagators of the Gospel sealed their Doctrine with their Blood and the Blood of the Martyrs has all along been the Seed of the Church Obs 2. A severe Denunciation That upon you may come all the Righteous Blood shed upon the Earth from Abel to Zacharias the Son of Jehoiada 2 Chron. 24.20 who was the last Prophet whose Murder is related by Name in the Old Testament These Words are not to be understood as if the End and Intent of Christ's sending the Prophets were that the Jews might put them to Death and bring their righteous Blood upon themselves This was the Consequent and Event indeed of their sending but by no means the Design and Intent of it Learn 1. That raging Persecutors have no Regard either to the extraordinary Mission or eminent Sanctity of Persons who reprove them for their Sins I send unto you Prophets says our Saviour wise Men and Scribes and some of them ye shall Kill and Crucifie 2. That as the Piety of the Persons so neither can the Sanctity of the Place discourage and deterr bloody Persecutors from their Rage and Fury against the Prophets of God In the Temple it self in the Court of the House of the Lord even betwixt the Porch and the Altar was Zacharias slain 3. That it is a righteous Thing with God to punish the Children for the Impieties of their Parents This is to be understood 1. where the Children tread in their Father's Steps and continue in their Parents Sins which they do if they do not confess them abhor them and be humbled for them 2. This is to be understood of Temporal Evils not of Eternal Punishments No Man shall for his Father's Sins lye down in Everlasting Burnings As our Fathers Faith will not let us into Heaven so neither will their Impiety shut us into Hell At the Day of Judgment every Man shall be separately considered according to his Deeds 37 O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not 38 Behold your house is left unto you desolate 39 For I say unto you Ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord concludes this Chapter with a Pathetical Lamentation over Jerusalem His Ingemination or doubling of the Word Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem shews the Vehemency of Christ's Affection towards them and the Sincerity of his Desires for their Salvation Obs 1. The great Kindness and Compassion of Christ to the Jews in general and Jerusalem in particular set forth by a lively Metaphor and Similitude that of an Hen gathering her Chickens under her Wings As the Hen doth tenderly cherish and carefully hide and cover her Young from the Eye of the Destroyer so would Christ have shrouded and sheltered this People from all those Birds of Prey and particularly from the Roman Eagle by which they were at last devoured Again As the Hen continueth her Call to her young ones from Morning to Night and holds out her Wings for shelter to them all the Day long so did Christ wait for this Peoples Repentance and Conversion for more than Forty Years after they had killed his Prophets and murthered himself before they met with a final Overthrow Obs 2. The amazing Obstinacy and Wilfulness of this People in rejecting this Grace and Favour this Kindness and Condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ I would have gathered you but ye would not Obs 3. The Fatal Issue of this Obstinacy Behold your House is left unto you desolate Is left that is certainly and suddenly will be so The Present-Tense put for the Paulo post futurum it denotes both the Certainty and Proximity of this People's Ruin Learn 1. That the Ruin and Destruction of Sinners is wholly chargeable upon themselves that is on their own Wilfulness and Obstinacy I would have gathered you says Christ but ye would not Learn 2. How deplorably and inexcusably they will perish who perish by their own Wilfulness under the Gospel 3. That there
as well as Sins of Commission Consider it 2. In its specifical Nature 't is a Sin of Unmercifulness or Want of Love to Christ and his Members Learn thence That one reigning Sin one prevailing Corruption is enough to damn a Person because it deprives a Man of the Grace of the Gospel and excludes him from all the Benefit of the Promises Note Lastly If such as do not give to Christ in his Members shall be miserable at the great Day what will the Condition of them be that take from them who strip and starve them who persecute and hate them Who imprison or banish them If the Uncharitable shall scarcely be saved yea shall certainly be damned where shall the Unmerciful and Cruel appear 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal Observe here 1. That tho' the Righteous are first judged yet the Sentence is first executed on the Wicked These shall go into everlasting Punishment Obs 2. That Men's States and Conditions in another World will be different as their Ways and Doings have been in this World 3. That everlasting Life shall be the Portion of the Godly and everlasting Punishment the Portion of the Wicked God grant that the Horrors of eternal Darkness and the dismal Thoughts of a miserable Eternity may effectually discourage every one of us from a wicked and impenitent Course of Life for who can dwell with the devouring Fire Who can dwell with everlasting Burnings CHAP. XXVI 1 AND it came to pass when Jesus had finished all these sayings he said unto his disciples 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passeover and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified 3 Then assembled together the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people unto the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas 4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him 5 But they said Not on the feast day lest there be an uproar among the people Several things are here Observeable as 1. The Persons conspiring against our blessed Redeemer's Life namely the chief Priests Scribes and Elders that is the whole Sanhedrim or general Council These lay their malicious Heads together to contrive the Destruction of the innocent Jesus Learn thence That general Councils have erred and may err Here was a general Council consisting of Priests Doctors and Elders with the High Priest their President yet erring in a Point of Doctrine concerning the Messiah not believing Jesus to be the Son of God notwithstanding all the convincing Miracles which he had wrought before them Obs 2. The manner of this Conspiracy against our Saviour's Life it was clandestine secret and subtil they consulted how they might take him by Subtilty and kill him Learn thence That Satan makes use of the Subtilty of crafty Men and abuseth their Parts as well as their Power for his own Purposes Satan never sends a Fool of his Errand Obs 3. The Time when this Conspiracy was managed at the Time of the Passover Indeed at first the chief Priests did not incline to that time fearing a Tumult and Vproar among the People but Judas presenting them with a fair Opportunity to apprehend him they changed their Purpose and accordingly at the Feast of the Passover our Saviour suffered This was not without a Mystery that Christ the true Lamb of God whom the Paschal Lamb typified and represented should be offered up at the Feast of the Passover Signifying thereby that he was the true Paschal Lamb and that the Legal Shadow ought to cease in the Exhibition of him Learn hence That not only the Death of Christ in general but all the Circumstances relating to it were fore-ordained by God himself as the Place where at Jerusalem the Time when at the Feast of the Passover that Time did God devise best for this Lamb to be a Sacrifice 6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper 7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it on his head as he sat at meat This Woman St. John says was Mary the Sister of Lazarus who to shew her Love to Christ and put Honour upon him took a precious Box of Ointment and poured it upon our Saviour's Head according to the Custom of the Eastern Countries who used so to do at their Feasts and Banquets to which David alludes Psal 23.5 Learn hence 1. That where true Love to Christ prevails in the Heart nothing is adjudged too dear for Christ This Box of Ointment murmuring Judas valued at 300 Pence which reckoning the Roman Penny at Seven Pence Halfpenny makes of our Money Nine Pounds Seven Shillings and Six Pence Love we see spares for no Cost but where the Esteem of Christ is high the Affection will be strong Note 2. That where strong Love prevails towards Jesus Christ it suffers not it self to be outshined by any Examples The weakest Woman that strongly loves Jesus Christ will piously strive with the greatest Apostle to express the Fervour of her Love unto him I do not find any of the Apostles at thus much Cost to put Honour upon Christ that this poor Woman was at Love knows no Bounds no Measures 8 But when his disciples saw it they had indignation saying To what purpose is this waste 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor That is when Judas and some other Disciples whom he had influenced saw this Action they murmured particularly Judas blamed this holy Woman for needless Prodigality and did tacitly reflect upon Christ himself for suffering that wasteful Expence Oh how doth a covetous Heart think every thing too good for Christ He that sees a pious Action well done and seeks to undervalue it shews himself possess'd with a Spirit of Envy Judas his invidious Spirit makes him censure an Action which Christ highly approved Learn thence That Men who know not our Hearts may thro' Ignorance or Prejudice censure and condemn those Actions which God doth commend and will graciously reward Happy for this poor Woman that she had a more righteous Judge to pass Sentence upon her Action than wicked Judas 10 When Jesus understood it he said unto them Why trouble ye the woman for she hath wrought a good work upon me 11 For ye have the poor always with you but me ye have not always 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body she did it for my burial Observe here How readily our Lord vindicates this good Woman She says nothing for her self nor need she having such an Advocate 1. Christ rebukes Judas why trouble ye the Woman Plainly intimating that it is no small Trouble to a Gracious Spirit to find their good Works misinterpreted and misrepresented next he defends the Action calling it a good Work because done out of a Principle of Love to Christ she hath
and Man was ratified and confirmed Whence we Learn That every Communicant has an undoubted Right to the Cup as to the Bread in the Lord's Supper Drink ye all of it says Christ therefore to deny the Cup to the Laity is contrary to the Institution of Christ After the Celebration was over our Saviour and his Disciples sang an Hymn as the Jews were wont to do at the Passover the Six Eucharistical Psalms from 113th to the 119th Psalm Learn hence How fit it is that God be glorified in his Church by singing of Psalms and in particular when the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is celebrated When they had sung an Hymn they went unto the Mount of Olives 31 Then saith Jesus unto them All ye shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad Here our Saviour acquaints his Disciples that by reason of his approaching Sufferings they should all of them be so exceedingly offended with him that they would certainly forsake and leave him which accordingly came to pass Learn thence That Christ's dearest Freinds forsook him and left him alone in the midst of his greatest Distress and Danger Obs 2. What was the Cause of this their Flight it was the Prevalency of their Fear Thence Note How sad it is for the holiest and best of Men to be left under the Power of their own Fears in a Day of Temptation 32 But after I am risen again I will go before you into Galilee Observe here The wonderful Lenity of Christ towards his timerous and fearful Disciples notwithstanding their cowardly Flight from him he tells them he would not forsake them but love them still and as an Evidence of it would meet them in Galilee I will go before you into Galilee there shall you see me And when they did see him he never upbraided them with their Timerousness but was Friends with them notwithstanding their late Cowardice Christ's Love to his Disciples is like himself unchangeable and everlasting Having loved his own he loved them unto the end 33 Peter answered and said unto him Though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended 34 Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee That this night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice 35 Peter said unto him Though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee Likewise also said all the disciples See here what strong Purposes and settled Resolutions both Peter and all the Apostles had to keep close to Christ but how did their Self-confidence fail them Learn thence That Self-confidence is a Sin too too incident to the holiest and best of Men. Tho' all Men forsake thee yet will not I. Good Man he resolved honestly but too too much in his own Strength Little little did he think what a Feather he should be in the Wind of Temptation if once God left him to the Power and Prevalency of his own Fears Observe farther That the Rest of the Apostles had the like Confident Opinion of their own Strength with St. Peter Likewise also said they all Note thence That the holiest of Men know not their own Strength till it comes to the Trial. Little did these good Men imagine what a cowardly Spirit they had in them till Temptation put it to the Proof 36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane and saith unto the disciples Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and very heavy 38 Then saith he unto them My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death tarry ye here and watch with me 39 And he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt 40 And he cometh unto the disciples and findeth them asleep and saith unto Peter What could ye not watch with me one hour 41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak 42 He went away again the second time and prayed saying O my Father if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it thy will be done 43 And he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy 44 And he left them and went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words Our Blessed Saviour being now come with his Disciples into the Garden he falls there into a bitter and bloody Agony in which he prayed with wonderful Fervency and Importunity to his Heavenly Father His Sufferings were now coming on a great pace and he meets them upon his Knees and would be found in a praying Posture Learn thence That Prayer is the best Preparative for as well as the most powerful Support under the heaviest Sufferings that can befal us As to this Prayer of our Saviour's in the Garden many things are very Observable As 1. The Place where he prayed In the Garden but why went Christ thither Was it to hide or shelter himself from his Enemies Nothing less for if so it had been the most improper Place because he was wont to retire thither to pray John 18.2 Judas knew the Place for Jesus oft-times resorted thither so that Christ went thither not to shun but to prepare himself by Prayer to meet his Enemies Obs 2. The time when he enter'd the Garden for Prayer it was in the Evening here he spent some Hours in pouring out his Soul to God for about Midnight Judas and the Soldiers came and apprehended him in a praying Posture Teaching us by his Example that when eminent Dangers are before us especially when Death is apprehended by us to be very much in Prayer to God and very fervent in our Wrestlings with him Obs 3. The Matter of our Lord's Prayer that if possible the Cup might pass from him That is those bitter Sufferings which were then before him particularly the insupportable Burthen of his Father 's Wrath. He prays if possible that his Father would excuse him from this dreadful Wrath his Soul being amaz'd at it But what Did Christ then begin to repent of his Undertaking for Sinners Did he shrink and give back when it came to the Pinch No no as Christ had Two Natures being God and Man so he had Two distinct Wills as Man he feared and shunned Death as God-man he willingly submitted to it the Divine Spirit and the Humane Nature of Christ did now assault each other with disagreeing Interests till at last Victory was got on the Spirit 's side Again This Prayer was not absolute but conditional If it be possible Father it may be if thou art willing if it please thee let it pass if not I will drink it Learn hence 1. That the Cup of Sufferings
taken up about our selves even then did Christ find Leisure to think upon Peter remember to turn about and give him a pittiful but piercing Look a Look that melted his Heart and dissolved it into Tears We never begin to lament for Sin till we are first lamented by our Saviour Jesus looked upon Peter That is the first more principal Means of Peter's Repentance the second is Peter 's remembring the Words of Christ before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice This Remembrance of Christ's Words was an applicative and feeling Remembrance of them He remembred the Prediction of Christ and applies it sensibly to himself Teaching us That the Efficacy of Christs Word in order to the bringing of a Soul unto Repentance depends not upon the Historical Remembrance of it but upon the close Application of it to every Man's Conscience A sanctified Remembrance of Christ's Words and our own Sins is an excellent Preparative to Repentance Observe Lastly The Manner of St. Peter's Repentance It was secret he went out it was sincere he wept bitterly it was lasting and abiding all the Days of his Life and attended with an extraordinary Zeal and Forwardness for the Service of Christ to the end of his Life 1. It was secret he went out Vere dolet qui sine Teste dolet He sought a Place of Retirement where he might mourn in secret he cannot well be thought to dissemble his Grief who chuses no other Witness but the Omnipresent God Solitariness is most agreeable to an afflicted Spirit and as St. Peter's Sorrow caused him to go forth so might also Shame Christ looked upon Peter but how ashamed must Peter be to look upon Christ considering that he so lately denied to have ever seen him 2. His Repentance was sincere he wept bitterly his Grief was extraordinary and his Tears abundant There is ever a weeping that follows Sin Sin must cost the Soul Sorrow either here or in Hell we must mourn awhile or lament for ever Doubtless with Peter's Tears there was join'd hearty Confession of Sin to God and smart Reflexions upon himself after this manner Lord what have I done I that did once acknowledge my Master to be Christ the Son of the living God have since denied him with Oaths Curses and Imprecations I that promised to lay down my Life for his sake have yet disown'd and denied him at the Voice of a Damsel Oh what Unfaithfulness what Weakness what Wickedness Oh that my Head were Waters and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears that I might weep all my Days for the Fault of this one Night Blessed indeed are the Tears of a converted Revolter and happy is the very Misery of a mourning Offender 3. This holy Man's Repentance was lasting and abiding he had a lively Sense and Remembrance of this Sin upon his Soul all his Life Ecclesiastical History reports that ever after when St. Peter heard the crowing of a Cock he fell upon his Knees and mourn'd others say that he was wont to rise at Midnight and spend the time in penitent Devotion between Cock-crowing and Day-light and the Papists who love to turn every thing into Superstition began that Practice of setting a Cock upon the top of Towers and Steeples and Chimneys to put People in mind of this Sin of Peter and hâ—s Repentance by that Signal Lastly St. Peter's Repentance was attended with an extraordinary Zeal and Forwardness for the Service of Christ to the end of his Life He had a burning Love towards Christ Thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee And as an Evidence of it he fed Christ's Sheep for in the Acts of the Apostles we read of his extraordinary Diligence to spread the Gospel and his Travels in order thereunto are computed to be Nine Hundred and Fifty Miles And the Wisdom of God thought fit that this Apostle should preach the Gospel to the Jews as St. Paul did to the Gentiles that as he had joined with the Jews in denying and disowning Christ so he should endeavour to perswade them to join with him in Repentance as he had joined with them in their Sin His Sin was in some Respect like theirs therefore is he sent to preach the Gospel to them and his Diligence therein is an undoubted Proof and Evidence of his Repentance Have any of us fallen with Peter tho' not with a formal abjuring yet by a practical denying of him let us go forth and weep with him let us be more vigilant and watchful over our selves for time to come let us express more extraordinary Love unto and Zeal for Christ more Diligence in his Service and more Concernedness for his Honour and Glory This would be an happy Improvement of this Example The Lord grant it may have that blessed Effect Amen CHAP. XXVII 1 WHen the morning was come all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death 2 And when they had bound him they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governour The foregoing Chapter gave us an Account of Judas his Treason in delivering our Saviour into the Hands of the chief Priests In this Chapter we find our holy Lord brought by the chief Priests unto Pontius Pilate the Roman Governour in order to his Arraignment and Condemnation Whence Observe that it has been the old Policy of corrupt Church-Governors to abuse the Power of the civil Magistrate in executing their cruel and unjust Censures upon holy and innocent Persons The chief Priests and Elders do not kill our Saviour themselves but they deliver him over to the secular Power and desire Pilate the civil Magistrate to sentence and condemn him which soon after we shall find he did 3 Then Judas which had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned repented himself and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders 4 Saying I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood And they said What is that to us see thou to that 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself Here we have a sad Relation of Judas his desperate Death after an Hypocritial Liâ—e as also of the Horror of his Mind and Conscience before his Death Observe here 1. The time when Judas repented after it was too late When he saw that he was condemned he repented Learn thence That they that will not see their Sins timely to their Conversion shall see them sooner or later to their Confusion Obs 2. The Repentance it self in the several Parts and Branches of it He was sorrowful for the Fact he made Confession of his Sin and made Restitution for the Wrong done He repented saying I have sinned and cast down the Thirty Pieces of Silver Learn thence That a wicked Man when Conscience is thoroughly awaked may make Confession of his Sin express some Sorrow for it and endeavour also the making
them Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God 15 Verily I say unto you Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child he shall not enter therein 16 And he took them up in his Arms put his hands upon them and blessed them Obs here a solemn Action performed Children are brought to Christ to be blest by him Where Note 1. The Persons Brought children young children sucking Children as the Word imports St. Luke 18.15 They brought them in their Arms not led them by the Hands 2. The Person they are brought unto Jesus Christ But for what End not to Baptize them but to bless them The Parents looking upon Christ as a Prophet a great Prophet the great Prophet do bring their Infants to him that they might receive the Benefit of his Blessing and Prayers Whence Learn 1. That Infants are capable of Benefit by Jesus Christ 2. That it is the best Office that Parents can perform unto their Children to bring them unto Christ that they may be made Partakers of that Benefit 3. If Infants be capable of Benefit by Christ if capable of his Blessing on Earth and Presence in Heaven If they be Subjects of his Kingdom of Grace and Heirs of his Kingdom of Glory then may they be Baptized For they that are in Covenant have a Right to the Seal of the Covenant If Christ denies not Infants the Kingdom of Heaven which is the Greater what Reason have Ministers to deny them the Benefit of Baptism which is the Less 17 And when he was gone forth into the way there came one running and kneeled to him and asked him Good master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life Obs Here 1. A Person addressing himself to Christ with an important Question in his Mouth This Person was a young Man a rich Man and a Ruler a young Man in the Prime of his Age a rich Man in the Fulness of his Wealth and a Ruler in the Prime of his Authority and Power From whence Learn That for young Men rich Men especially Noble Men to enquire the way to Salvation is very commendable but very rare Observe 2. As the Person addressing so the manner of the Address he came running and kneeled to Christ Where Observe his Voluntariness he came of himself not drawn by others Importunity nor drawn by his own personal Afflictions And his Readiness he came Running This shewed his Zeal and Forwardness to meet with Christ and be resolved by him And Lastly His Humility he Kneeled to him as an eminent Prophet and Teacher not knowing him to be the Son of God Obs 3. The Address it self What shall I do to inherit Eternal Life Where Note 1. He believes the Certainty of a future State 2. He professes his Desire of an Eternal Happiness in that State 3. He declares his Readiness to do some good thing in order to the obtaining of that Happiness Hence Learn That the Light of Nature or Natural Religion teaches Men that good Works are necessary to Salvation or that some good thing must be done by them who at Death expect Eternal Life It is not talking well and professing well but doing well that entitles us to Heaven and Eternal Life 18 And Jesus said unto him Why callest thou me good there is none good but one that is God As if Christ had said Why callest thou me good when thou dost not believe or own me to be God for there is none good that is essentially and originally good absolutely and immutably good but God only nor any derivatively good but he that receiveth his Goodness from God also There is no mere Man that is absolutely and perfectly good of himself but by Participation and Derivation from God only See the Note on St. Matth. 19.17 19 Thou knowest the commandments Do not commit adultery Do not kill Do not steal Do not bear false witness Defraud not Honour thy father and mother Observe here That the Duties which our Saviour instances in are the Duties of the Second Table which Hypocrites are most failing in But nothing is a better Evidence of our unfeigned Love to God than the sincere Performance of our Duty to our Neighbours Love to Man is a Fruit and Testimony of our Love to God for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen 1 John 4.20 Learn hence That such as are defective in the Duties of the Second Table Charity and Justice do make but a counterfeit Shew of Religion though they pretend to the highest Measures and Degrees of Love to God 20 And he answered and said unto him Master all these have I observed from my youth This Assertion of the young Man might be very true according to the Pharisees Sense and Interpretation of the Law which condemned only the gross outward Act not the inward Lust and Motion of the Heart An out-side Obedience to the Law this young Man had performed this made him think well of himself and conclude the Goodness of his own Condition Learn hence How prone Men are to think the best of themselves and to have too high an Opinion of their own Goodness and Righteousness before God All these things have I kept from my Youth It is a natural Corruption in Men to think too well of themselves and of their own Goodness and Righteousness before God but it is very dangerous and fatal so to do 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him and said unto him One thing thou lackest go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come take up the cross and follow me 22 And he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions Observe here 1. Christ's Compassion towards this young Man He loved him with a Love of Pity and Compassion with a Love of Courtesy and Respect There may be some very amiable and lovely Qualities in natural and unregenerate Men and Goodness in what Kind or Degree soever it is doth attract and draw forth Christ's Love towards a Person If Christ did love Civility what Respect has he for sincere Sanctity Obs 2. Our Lord's Admonition One thing thou lackest which was true Self-denial in renouncing the Sin of Covetousness and the inordinate Love of worldly Wealth We ought upon God's Call to maintain such a readiness of Mind as to be willing to part with all for God's sake which is dear unto us in this World Obs 3. Our Lord's Injunction Sell what thou hast and give to the Poor This was not a common but a special Precept belonging particularly to this young Man it was a Commandment of Tryal given to him like that given to Abraham Gen. 22. to convince him of his corrupt Confidence in his Riches Yet is it thus far of general use to us all to teach us so
incorruptible life that the Angels live Note 4. That all those who are in Covenant with God whose God the Lord is their Souls do immediately pass into Glory and their Bodies at the Resurrectson shall be sharers in the same happiness with their Souls if God be just the Soul must live and the body must rise for good men must be Rewarded and wicked men Punished somewhere either in this life or in another God will most certainly at one time or other plentifully Reward the Righteous and punish the wicked doers But this being not always done in this life the justice of God requires that it be done in the next 28 And one of the Scribes came and having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that he had answered them well asked him which is the first Commandment of all 29 And Jesus answered him the first of all the Commandments is this Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength this is the first Commandment 31 And the sâ—cond is like namely this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self there is none other Commandment greater then these 32 And the Scribes said unto him well Master thou hast said the truth for there is one God and there is none other but he 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the soul and with all the strength and to love his Neighbour as himself is more then all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly he said unto him Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God And no man after that durst ask him any question Observe here 1. A Question propounded to our Blessed Saviour and his answer thereunto the Question propounded is this Which is the first and great Commandment Our Saviours tells them it is to love God with all their heart and soul with all their mind and strength that is with all the powers faculties and abilities of the Soul with the highest measures and most intent degrees of Love this is the sum of the Duties of the first Table this is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it he doth not say equal with it Although the duties of the second Table are of the same Authority and of the same necessity with the first as no man can be saved without the Love of God so neither without the love of his Neighbour Whence Note 1. That the fervency of all our Affections and particularly the supremacy of our Love is required by God as his right and due Love must pass thorough and possess all the powers and faculties of our Souls the mind must meditate 〈◊〉 God the Will must chose and embrace him and the Affections must delight in him the measure of loving God is to love him without measure God reckons that we love him not all if we love him not above all Note 2. That thus to love God is the first great Commandment Great in regard of its Object which is God the first cause and the chief good Great in regard of the Obligation of it To love God iâ— so indispensable a Duty that God himself cannot free us from the obligation of it for so long as he is God and we his Creatures we shall lye under a natural and necessary oblâ—â—â—ation to love and serve him Great also is this Command and Duty in regard of the Duration and Câ—ntinuance of it when Faith shall be swallowed up in visâ—on and hope in â—â—â—ition Love will then be perfected in a full Enjoyment Note 3. That every man may yea ought to love himsâ—lf not his sinful self but his natural self especially his spiritual sâ—â—â— the new nature in him Thus it ought to be his particular care to strengthen and encrease indeed there is no express command in Scripture for a Man to love himself because the Light of Nature directs and the Law of Nature binds â—very man so to do God has put a principle of self-self-love and of self-preservation into all his Creatures but espâ—câ—ally into Man Note 4. That aâ— every man ouâ—ht to love himself so is it every Man's duty to love his Neighbour as himself not as he doth love himself but as he ought to love himself yet not in the same deâ—ree that he loves himself but after the same manner and with the same kind of love that he loves himself As we love our selves freely and readily sincerely and unfeignedly tenderly and compassionately constantly and continually so should we love our Neighbour also though we love him not as much as we love our selves yet must we love him as truly as we love our sâ—lves Nâ—te lastly That the Duties of the first and second Table â—re iâ— seperable namely love to God and love to our Neighbour these two must not be separated he that loveth not his Neighbour whom he hath seen never loved God whom he hath not seen A conscientious regard to the Duties of both Tables will be an Argument of our Sincerity and an Ornament to our Profession Observe lastly The favourable censure which our Saviour passes upon this Scribe he 〈…〉 he was not far from the Kingdâ—m of God Nâ—te here 1. Some persons may be said to be far and farther then others thâ—m the Kingdom of Heaven some are farther in reâ—ard of the means they want the Ordinances the Dispensation of the Word and Sacraments others are far from the Kingdom of God in regard of qualifications and dispâ—sitions of the former sort are all Heathens without the pale of the Church they are afar off as the Apostle expresses it Eph. 2.13 of the latter sort are all gross and close Hypocrites within the Church who whilst they continue such shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Note 2. As some Persons may be sâ—â—d to be far from the Kingdom of God so are there otherâ— which may be said not to be far such who have escaped the pâ—llutions of the World abstained from open and scandalous Sins are less wicked then multitudes are but are strangers to an inward thorough and prevailing change in the frame of their Hearts and course of their Lives they have often said I would be but they never said I will be the Lords When the work of Regeneration is brought to the Birth after all it proves an abortion Lord what a disappointment will this be to perish within sight of the promisâ—d Land to bâ— near Heaven in our expectation and yet never the nearer in the Issue and Event Wo unto us if this be the Câ—â—â—â—â—â—n of any of us who have all our days sat under the D 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on of thy Gospel 35 And Jesus answered and said while he taught in the Temple how sâ—y the Scribes that Christ is the Son of David 36 For David himself
said by the Holy Ghost the 〈◊〉 sâ—id to my Lord sit thou on my right hand till I make thine Enemies thy footstool 37 Dâ—vid therefore himself calleth him Lord and whence is he then his Son and the common people heard him gladly The Pharisees had often put forth several questions malitiously unto Christ and now Christ puts forth one question innocently unto them namely What they thought of the Messiah whom they expected They reply that he was to be the Son of David that is a secular Prince descending from David who should deliver them from the power of the Romans and restore them to their Civil Rights This was the Notion they had of the Messiah that he should be a meer Man the Son of David according to the flesh and nothing more Our Saviour replys Whence is it then that David calls the Messiah Lord Psalm 110. v. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand how could he be both David's Lord and David's Son No Son being Lord to his own Father therefore if Christ were David s Soveraign he must be more than Man more then David's Son as Man so he was David's Son as God-man so he was David's Lord. Note hence 1. That although Christ was truly and really Man yet he was more then a bare Man he was Lord unto and the Salvation of his own Fore-fathers Note 2. That the only way to reconcile the Scriptures which speak concerning Christ is to believe and acknowledge him to be God and Man in one Preson the Messiah as Man was to come forth out of David's Loyns but as God-man he was David's Soveraign and Saviour As Man he was his Fathers Son as God he was Lord to his own Father 38 And he said unto them in his Doctrine beware of the Scribes which love to go in long cloathing and love Salutations in the market place 39 And the chief seats in the Synagogues and the uppermost rooms at feasts 40 Which devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers these shall receive greater Damnation Observe here What it is that our Saviour condemns not civil Salutations in the Market place not the chief seats in Synagogues not the uppermost Rooms at Feasts but their fond Affecting of these things and their Ambitious aspiring after them It was not their taking but their loving the uppermost Rooms at Feasts which Christ condemns Observe 2. How our Saviour condemns the Pharisees for their gross Hypocrisy in colouring over their Covetousness with a pretence of Religion making long Prayers in the Temple and Synagogues for Widows and thereupon perswading them to give bountifully to Corban that is the common Treasury for the Temple some part of which was imployed for their maintenance whence we learn that it is no new thing for designing Hypocrites to cover the fowlest Transgression with the cloak of Religion The Pharisees made long Prayers a cloak and cover for their Covetousness 41 And Jesus sat over against the Treasury and beheld how the people cast money into the Treasury and many that were rich cast in much 42 And there came a certain poor widow and she threw in two mites which makes a farthing 43 And he called unto him his Disciciples and saith unto them verily I say unto you that this poor Widow hath cast more in then all they which have cast into the Treasury 44. For all they did cast in of their abundance but she of her want did cast in all that she had even all her living As our blessed Saviour sat over against the Treasury that is that part of the Court of the Temple where the Corban or Chests for receiving the Peoples Offerings and Gifts were set he observed and took notice of those that offered their Oblations and some that were rich offered very liberally but a certain poor Widow came and offered two Mites Our Saviour hereupon takes occasion to instruct his Disciples in this comfortable Truth namely that Almighty God accepts the will of those that give chearfully though they cannot give largely This poor Woman cast in more in respect of the inward affection of her heart and in proportion to her estate then all those that were Rich and Wealthy that had cast in before her a mite to her being more then a pound to them From the whole Note 1. That the poorer yea the poorest sort of People are not exempted from good works even they must exercise charity according to their Abilities Learn 2. That in all works of pious charity which we perform God looks at the heart the will and the affection of the Giver more then at the largeness and liberality of the Gift if there be a willing mind says the Apostle 2 Câ—r 8.12 It is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not CHAP. XIII 1 AND as he went out of the Temple one of his Disciples saith unto him Master see what manner of stones and what buildings are here 2 And Jesus answering said unto him seest thou these great buildings there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Our blessed Saviour being now ready to depart from the Temple never more after this entring into it and his Disciples shewing him with wonder and admiration the magnificient Structures and Buildings thereof apprehending that in regard of its invincible strength it could not be destroyed or that at least in regard of its incredible magnificence it was great pitty it should be destroyed They say to Christ Master behold what Buildings are here not considering how sin will undermine and blow up the most famous Structures Sin brings Cities and Kingdoms as well as particular persons to their end not one stone of this magnificent Structure says Christ shall remain unpulled down which threatning was exactly fulfilled after Christ's Death when Titus the Roman Emperor destroâ—ed the City burnt the Temple and Turnus Rufus the General of his Army ploughed up the very foundation on which the Temple stood Thus was the threatning of God fulfilled Jer. 26.18 Zion shall be ploughed as a Field and Jerusalem shall becâ—me an heap Learn hence 1. That sin has laid the foundation of ruin in the most flourishing Cities and Kingdom 2. That the threatnings of God are to be feared and shall be fulfilled whatever appearing improbabilities there may be to the contrary 'T is neither the Temples strength nor beauty that can oppose or withstand God's Power 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the Temple Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately 4 Tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled A double question is here propounded to our Saviour by his Disciples namely When the Destruction of Jerusalem shall be and what should be the signs of that Destruction See here what an itching curiosity there is in the best of Men to know
the Cock the more principal Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter's remembring the word of Christ 1. The less principal means of St. Peter's rising and recovery by Repentance was the crowing of the Cock as the voice of the Maid occasioned him to sin so the voice of the Cock occasioned him to reflect that God who always can work without means can when ever he please work by weak and contemptible means and open the mouth of a Bird or a Beast for the conversion of a Man But why doth our Lord make use of the crowing of a Cock to be the means of bringing St. Peter to Repentance There is ever some mystery in Christ's Instruments the Cock was a Preacher to call St. Peter to Repentance there being something of Emblem between the Cock and a Preacher The Preacher must have the wings of the Cock to rouze up himself from security and to awaken others to a sense of their Duty he must have the watchfulness of the Cock to be ready to discover and forewarn Danger he must have the Voice of the Cock to cry aloud and tell Israel of their sins and terrify the Roaring Lyon of Hell and make him tremble In a word he must observe the hours of the Cock to crow at all seasons of the Night to preach in Season and out of Season the glad Tidings of Salvation Again 2. The more principal means of St Peter's Recovery was first Christs looking upon Peter Christ first looks upon Peter before Peter look'd either upon Christ or upon himself Oh! wonderful Love and Grace towards this poor Disciple when our Saviour was upon his Tryal for his Life a time when our thoughts would be wholly taken up about our selves even then did Christ find leisure to think upon Peter to remember his disconsolate Disciple to turn himself about and give him a pittiful but piercing look a look that melted him into Tears We never begin to lament our Sins till we are lamented first by our Saviour Jesus looked upon Peter that was the first more principal means of his Recovery and Repentance But 2. The other means was Peter's Remembring the words of Christ before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Now this remembrance was an applicative and feeling remembrance he remembered the prediction of Christ and applied it sensibly to himself Teaching us that the efficacy of Christ's word in order to a sound Repentance depends not upon the Historical Remembrance of it but upon the close application thereof to every Man's Conscience Observe 3. The manner of St. Peter's Repentance it was secret he went out it was sincere he wept yea wept bitterly says St. Matthew it was lasting and abiding even all the days of his Life 1. His Repentance was secret he went out verè Dolet qui sine Teste Dolet he sought a place of Retirement where he might mourn in secret Solitariness is most agreeable to an afflicted Spirit and as St. Peter's Sorrow caused him to go forth so might also shame put him upon going out Christ looked upon him but how ashamed must he be to look upon Christ considering that he so lately denied that he had ever seen him 2 St. Peter's Repentance was Sincere he wept he wept bitterly His Grief was extraordinary and his Tears abundant there is ever a weeping that must follow sin sin must cost the Soul sorrow either here or in Hell we must either now mourn a while or lament for ever doubtless with Peter's Tears there was joined hearty Confession of Sin to God and smart Reflections upon himself we may suppose after this manner Lord what have I done I that did once acknowledge my Master to be Christ the Lord have since denied him with Oaths and Imprecations I that promised to lay down my Life for his sake have yet disowned and denied him at the voice of a Damsel Oh! what weakness what wickedness what unfaithfulness was here Oh! that my Head were Waters and mine eyes a fountain of Tears that I might weep all my days for the fault of this one Night Blessed are indeed the Tears of a Converted Revolter and Happy is the very Misery of a mourning Offender 3 This holy Man's Repentance was lasting and abiding he had a very quick sense and lively remembrance of this Sin upon his Soul all his life Ecclesiastical story Report that ever after when St Peter heard the crowing of a Cock he fell upon his knees and wept Others say that he was wont to rise at Midnight and spend the time in penitent Devotion between Cock-crowing and day-light and the Papists who delight to turn every thing into Superstition began that Practice of setting a Cock upon the top of Towers and Steeples to put People in mind of this sin of Peter's and of his Repentance also by that Signal Lastly St. Peter's Repentance was attended with an extraordinary Zeal and forwardness for the Service of Christ to the and of his Life he had a burning Love towards Christ Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee and as evidence of it he feed Christ's Sheep for in the Acts of the Apostles we read of his extraordinary Diligence to spread the Gospel and his Travels in order thereunto are computed to be 950 Miles Have any of us fallen with Peter tho' not with a formal abjuring yet by a practical denying of him Let us go forth and weep with him let us be more vigilent and watchful for time to come let us express more extraordinary love unto and zeal for Christ more diligence in his Service and more concernedness for his Honour and Glory This would be an happy improvement of this Example the Lord grant it may have that Blessed effect Amen CHAP. XV. 1 AND straitway in the Morning the Chief Priests held a Consultation with the Elders and the Scribes and the whole Council and bound Jesus and carried him away and delivered him to Pilate The fore-going Chapter gave us an Account of Judas his Treason in delivering our Saviour into the Hands of the Chief Priests In this Chapter we find our Holy Lord brought by the Chief Priests unto Pontius Pilate the Roman-Governour in order to his Condemnation Whence Observe That it has been the old Policy of Corrupt Church Governours to abuse the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Executing their cruel and unjust Censures and Sentences upon holy and innocent Persons The Chief Priests and Elders do not kill our Saviour themselves for it was not Lawful for them to put any Man to Death being themselves under the Power of the Roman-Government accordingly they deliver Christ over to the Secular Power and desire Pilate the Civil Magistrate to Sentence and Condemn him 2 And Pilate asked him Art thou the King of the Jews and he answering said unto him thou sayest it 3 And the Chief Priests accused him of many things but he answered nothing 4 And Pilate asked him saying answerest thou nothing Behold how many things
mockings bitter Reproaches sharp invectives to free the Ministers of God in all Ages from the danger of our Saviour's Wo here denounced Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you 27 But I say unto you love your Enemies do good to them that hate you 28 Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despightfully use 29. And unto him smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also Observe here 1. The Noble Spirit of Christianity and the large extent of Christian Charity the Jewish kindness was limited and confined to those of their own Religion Kindred and Nation their Charity began and ended at home but our Saviour obliges his Followers to the exercise of a more extensive Charity even to all Mankind even the worst of men our Enemies that seek our Destruction Christianity is so far from allowing us to persecute them that hate us that it commands us to Love them that Persecute us Observe 2. The Nature and quality of the Duty enjoyn'd Love your Enemies there the inward affection is required Bless them that curse you there outward civility and affability is required Do good to them that hate you here real acts of kindness beneficence are required to be done to the worst of Enemies tho' they be guilty of the worst of Crimes calumly and cruelty striking both at our Reputation and our Life Learn That Christianity obliges us to bear a sincere Love to our most malicious Enemies to be ready at all times to pray for them and upon all occasions to do good unto them Thus to do is an imitation of God our Maker of Christ our Master 'T is for the good of this lower World and the way to a Better 't is the Ornament of our Religion the perfection of our Nature and an high degree and pitch of Vertue To which may be added the next Duty not to revenge injuries where private Revenge is the thing forbidden and we are directed rather to suffer a double Wrong then to seek a private Revenge Christianity obliges us to bear many injuries patiently rather then to Revenge one privately we must leave the matter to God and the Magistrate The truth is Revenge is a very troublesome and vexatious passion the mans Soul swells and boils and is in pain and anguish and has no ease Besides by our Revenging of one injury we necessarily draw on another and so bring on a perpetual Circulation of Injuries and Revenges whereas forgiveness prevents vexation to others and disquietment to our selves 30 Give to every one that asketh of thee and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again These and the like Precepts of our Saviour are not to be taken strictly but restrainedly we are thereby obliged to Charity according to others Necessities and our own Abilities but not bound to give to every one that has the Confidence to ask for what we have Indeed every Man that really wants is the proper Object of our Christian Charity and we must with a compassionate Heart and open Hand relieve him according to his Necessity but answerably to our Ability Nor must the second part of the Verse be understood as forbidding Christians to seek the Recovery of their just Rights by pursuing Thieves and following the Law upon Oppressors but requiring us to forbear all Acts of private Revenge as directly contrary to the Spirit and Temper of Christianity as Jealousy is the Rage of a Man so Revenge is the Rage of the Devil 't is the very Soul and Spirit of the Apostate Nature 31 And as ye would that men should do to you do ye also to them likewise Here our Saviour lays down a most excellent Rule of Life for all his Disciples and Followers to walk by namely always to do as we would be done by The Golden Rule of Justice and Equity in all our Dealings with Men is this To do as we would be done unto It is a full Rule a clear Rule a most just and equitable Rule which the Light of Nature and the Law of Christ binds upon us St. Matthew Ch. 7.12 adds that this is the Law and the Prophets that is the Sum of the Old Testament and the Substance of the Second Table The whole of the Law is this to Love GOD above our selves and to Love our Neighbour as our selves 32 For if ye love them which love you what thank have ye sinners also love those that love them 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you what thank have ye for sinners also do even the same 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive what thank have ye for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again 35 But love your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great and ye shall be the children of the Highest for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil 36 Be ye therefore merciful as your father also is merciful The Design of our Blessed Saviour in all and every of these Precepts is to recommend unto us all sorts and kinds of mercy and charity namely charity in giving charity in forgiving charity in lending it is sometimes our Duty if we have ability to Lend to such poor Persons as we cannot expect will ever be in a Capacity either to repay or to requite us This is to imitate the Divine Bounty which does Good to all even to the unthankful and to the unholy Love for Love is justice Love for no Love is favour and kindness but Love and Charity mercy and compassion to all Persons even the undeserving and ill-deserving this is Divine Goodness a Christ-like Temper which will render us illustrious on Earth and glorious in Heaven St. Luke says here Be ye merciful as your Father it merciful St. Matthew says Ch. 5. last Be ye perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect implying that love and mercy charity and compassion is the perfection of a Christians Grace he that is made perfect in Love is perfect in all Divine Graces in the Account of God Perfection in all Graces but especially in Love and Charity ought to be our Aim in this Life and shall be our attainment in the next 37 Judge not and ye shall not be judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned forgive and ye shall be forgiven This Prohibition Judge not is not to be understood of our selves but our Neighbours Self-judging is a great and necessary Duty rash judging of others is an heinous and grievous sin which exposes to the Righteous judgment of God it is private judging and private condemning of Persons which Christ forbids it follows Forgive and ye shall be forgiven not that a bare forgiving of others is all that God requires in order to our forgiveness But it is one part of that Obedience which we owe
she is led in with a note of Admiration Behold a Woman that was a Sinner Learn That to see a sensual and notorious Sinner out of true remorse of Conscience to seek unto a Saviour is a rare and wonderful sight Observe farther it is not said Behold a Woman that had sinned but Behold a Woman that was a Sinner One Action does not denominate a Person a Sinner but an habit and trade of sin Again it is said Behold a Woman in the City the Place where she acted her Lewdness in added to the heinousness of her Sin it was in the City the more publick the Offence the greater the Scandal Sin is Sin tho' in the Desert where no Eye sees it but the offence is aggravated by the number and multitude of Beholders yet observable it is that there is no mention made either of the Womans Name or of the Cities Name and it is both Presumption and Injuriousness for any to Name her whose Name God has been pleased to conceal for this is not the same Woman that Anointed Christ's Feet Matth. 26. Mark 14. and John 12. that was in Bethany this in Galilee that in the House of Simon the Leper this of Simon the Pharisee Observe 3 The Behaviour and Demeanour of this poor Woman she appears in the posture of a Penitent she stood at Christ's feet behind him weeping Where Note 1. The great change wrought in this sinful Woman and the evident effects of it her Eyes which had been formerly Lamps of Fire by Lust are now an holy Fountain of penitential Tears her Hair which she had used as a Net to catch her fond and foolish Lovers doth now become a Towel for her Saviour's Feet Verily such an Heart as has once felt the sting and smart of Sin will make plentiful Expressions of the greatness of its Sorrow Again she stands behind Christ and weeps this proceeded no doubt from an holy Bashfulness she that was wont to look boldly upon the Face of her Lovers dares not now behold the Face of our Saviour she that was wont to send her alluring Beams forth into the Eyes of her wanton Lovers now casts her dejected Eyes down upon the Earth and behold the plenty of her Tears they flow in such abundance that she washes Christ's feet with them she began to wash his Feet says the Text but we read not when she ended never were our Saviour's Feet bedewed with more precious Liquor then this of Remorseful Tears Thus doth an Holy Penitent account no office too mean that is done to the Honour of its Saviour 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it he spake within himself saying This man if he were a prophet would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner 40 And Jesus answering said unto him Simon I have somewhat to say unto thee and he saith Master say on 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors the one ought five hundred pence and the other fifty 42 And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both Tell me therefore which of them will love him most 43 Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most and he said unto him thou hast rightly judged Observe here 1. How unreasonably the Pharisee was offended with Christ for permitting this poor Woman to come near him and touch him Admit she had been the greatest of Sinners might not such come to Christ when he was come from Heaven to them Oh Blessed Saviour there is Merit enough in thy Blood and Mercy enough in thy Bowels to justify and save the vilest Sinners which by Repentance and Faith do make a timely Application to thee Observe 2. The Parable which Christ makes use of for the Pharisees Conviction and the Womans Comfort namely the Parable of two Debtors one of whom owed a greater Sum and the other a less who both having nothing to pay were both freely forgiven and both upon their Forgiveness loved their Creditor much but he most to whom most was given Now from this Parable we gather these Lessons of Instruction 1. That great is the Debt which all Mankind has Contracted and lyes under to the justice of God 'T is here exprest by Five hundred pence Our Debt is infinite and had not miraculous Mercy interposed Divine Justice could never have been satisfied but by undergoing an infinite punishment 2. That yet all Sinners stand not alike indebted to the Justice of God some owe more and others less all are Guilty but not all alike Some owe Five hundred Talents others Fifty Pence 3. That be Mens Debts greater or less their Sins more or fewer 't is utterly impossible for any Person of himself to clear his Debt and make Satisfaction but they that owe least stand in need of mercy and forgiveness He forgave them both 4. That the forgiveness that is in God is a free gratuitous and gracious Forgiveness he frankly forgave them both Gracious art thou oh Lord in thy doings towards thy children and thy tender mercy is over all thy works 44 And he turned to the woman and said unto Simon seest thou this woman I entered into thy House and thou gavest me no water for my feet but she hath washed my feet with Tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head 45 Thou gavest me no kiss but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet 46 Mine head with Oyl thou didst not anoint but this woman hath anointed my feet with Oyntment 47 Wherefore I say unto her her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little 48 And he said unto her Thy sins are forgiven 49 And they that sate at meat with him began to say within themselves who is this that forgiveth sins also 50 And he said unto the woman thy faith hath saved thee go in peace Observe here 1. How our Saviour Recounts and Sums up the several particular instances of this Womans Love and Respect towards himself she wash'd wip'd kist and anointed his Feet according to the Custom of those Eastern Countries Love will creep where it cannot go it will stoop to the meanest Offices and is ambitious of the highest Services for and towards the Person we sincerely Love Observe 2. The words of Comfort given by our Saviour to this poor Woman Thy Sins which are many are forgiven thee Thence Learn That the pardoning Mercy of God is boundless and unlimited it is not limited to any sort of Sins or Sinners it is not limited to any degree of Sins or Sinners Thy Sins that are many are forgiven thee and thy Sins which are heinous are forgiven also Observe 3. What is the effect and fruit of great pardoning Mercy it is great Love her Sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much Her Love to Christ was the effect
of his pardoning Love to her and not the Cause of it She did not first Love much and then Christ forgave her but Christ first forgave her and then she loved much Her Love was a Love of Gratitude because she was pardoned and not a Love of Merit to Purchase and procure her Pardon The Papists interpret this Word For as if it were the Antecedent Cause of her Forgiveness whereas it is a consequential Sign and Evidence that the free Grace and Mercy of Christ had forgiven her her many and great Sins were forgiven her and therefore she Loved much The Debt is not Forgiven because the Debtor Loves his Creditor but the Debtor therefore Loves because the Debt is Forgiven Forgiveness goes before and Love follows after Hence Learn That much Love will follow great Forgiveness Love will work in the heart towards God in some proportion to that Love which we have Experienced from God Observe Lastly The very Gracious Dismission which this Woman meets with from our Blessed Saviour What could she desire that is not here granted to her Here is Remission Safety Faith and Peace all these here meet to make a Contrite Soul Happy Remission is the Ground of her Safety Faith the Ground of her Peace Peace the fruit of her Faith and Salvation the Issue of her Remission Oh Woman Great was thy Sin Great was Christ's pardoning Grace and Great was thy Joy and Comfort Thy Sins are forgiven thee thy Faith hath saved thee go in peace CHAP. VIII 1 AND it came to pass afterwards that he went throughout every city and village preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God and the Twelve were with him Observe here the great work and business which not only the Apostles but Christ himself was engaged in and imploy'd about namely preaching the Gospel those glad Tidings of Salvation to a lost World Where Note That Christ himself labour'd in this Work of publick Preaching he did not send forth his Apostles as his Curates to work and sweat in the Vineyard whilst he himself took his ease at home but he accompanieth them himself yea he goes before them himself in this great and excellent Work Jesus went preaching the glad tidings of the Gospel and the twelve were with him Learn thence That Preaching of the Gospel is a great and necessary Work incumbent upon all the Ministers of Christ let their Dignity and Preheminence in the Church be what it will Surely none of the Servants are above their Lord and Master did he Labour in the Word and Doctrine well may they Observe 2. The places where Christ and his Apostles preached not only in the populous Cities but in the poor Country Villages They went through every city and village preaching the Gospel Some will preach the Gospel provided they may preach at Court or in the capital Cities of the Nation but the poor Country Villages are over-look'd by them Our Saviour and his Apostles were not of this mind it 's true they were Itinerary Preachers we are settled but be the place never so mean and obscure and the People never so rude and barbarous we must not think it beneath the greatest of us to exercise our Ministry there if God calls us thither Christ went through the villages as well as cities Preaching 2 And certain women which had been healed of evil Spirits and infirmities Mary called Magdalene out of whom went seven Devils 3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's Steward and Susanna and many others which ministered unto him of their Substance Amongst the number of those that did Accompany our Saviour and his Apostles mention is here made of certain Women who had been healed by Christ of Evil Spirits and Infirmities that is of Spiritual and Corporeal Diseases for the Jews were wont to call Vices and evil Habits by the Name of Devils as the Devil of Pride the Devil of Malice c. Now as concerning these Womens following of Christ and administring to him several Circumstances are Observable as 1. That Women did make up a considerable number of Christ's Followers ay and of his Apostles Followers too the Devout Women not a few Acts 17.4 And verily it is no Disgrace or Shame but matter of Glory and cause of Thankfulness if our Ministry be attended by and Blest unto the weaker Sex I believe in many of our Congregations and at most of our Communions are found two Women for one Man God grant them Knowledge answerable to their Zeal and Obedience proportionable to their Devotion Observe 2. One of these Women that followed Christ was Joanna the Wife of Herod's Steward What one of Herod's Family transplanted into Christ's Houshold oh the freeness of the Grace of God Even in the worst Societies and Places God has a number to stand up for his Name and bear witness to his Truth we read of a Joseph in Pharaoh's Court of an Obadiah in Ahab's Court of a Daniel in Nebuchadnezar's Court of a Church in Nero's House and of a Joanna here in bloody Herod's Family who had put John the Baptist to Death Observe 3. The Holy courage and resolution of our Saviour's Female Followers no doubt they met with Taunts and Jears with Scofs and Scorns enough and perhaps from their Husbands too for following the Carpenters Son and a few Fishermen but this does not damp but inflame their Zeal The Holy Gospel acquaints us with several instances of Masculine Courage and manly Resolutions in the Women that followed Christ as his Female Disciples at our Saviour's Tryal the Women cleave to him when his Disciples fled from him they accompanied him to his Cross they assisted at his Funeral they attended his Hearse to the Grave they watched his Sepulchre fearing neither the Darkness of the Night nor the rudeness of the Soldiers These feeble Women had more courage then all the Apostles Learn that Courage is the special and peculiar Gift of God and where he gives Courage it is not in Man to make afraid Observe 4. The pious and charitable care of these Holy Women to supply the Wants and outward Necessities of our Saviour they administred to him of their Substance Where Note 1. The great Poverty of Christ he lived upon the Basket he would not honour the World so far as to have any part of it in his own hand but was beholding to others for what he eat and drank yet must we not suppose that either Christ or his Apostles were common Beggars but it is probable there was a Bag or common Purse amongst them which upon occasion supplied their Necessities and there were certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sisters or Christian Women as the Learned Dr. Hammond observes who accompanied Christ and his Apostles in their Travels and provided Necessaries for them when they went up and down Preaching the Gospel Note also 2. The condescending Grace and Humility of Christ he was not ashâ—med either of these Womens following of him or administring to
him the affections must take complacency and delight in him the measure of Loving God is to Love him without Measure Note 2. that the best Evidence of our sincere Love to God is the unfeigned Love of our Neighbour Love to Man is both a Fruit and Testimony of our Love to God For he that Loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he Love God whom he hath not seen Note 3. That as it is every Mans Duty to Love himself so is he to Love his Neighbour as himself not as he does Love himself but as he ought to Love himself not with the same measure and degree of Love but in the same manner and kind of Love that we Love our selves Do we Love our selves freely and readily sincerely and unfeignedly tenderly and compassionately constantly and perseveringly so should we Love our Neighbour also Tho' we are not required to Love our Neighbour as much as we Love our selves yet are we commanded to Love him like as we Love ourselves Observe Lastly Our Lord's Reply Thou hast anâ—â—â—â— right This do and thou shalt live Where Note That Christ intimates to him that the Law considered in it self could give Life but then a Person must keep it perfectly and exactly without the least Deficiency which is impossible to Man in his Fallen State for the Law is not weak to us but we are weak to that Rom. 8.3 the Law becomes weak through the weakness of our Flesh Such as seek Salvation by the Works of the Law must keep the Law perfectly and exactly which being impossible in our fallen estate Christ has obtained of his Father that for his sake our sincere tho' imperfect Obedience shall find Acceptance with God and be available to our Salvation 29 But he willing to justify himself said unto Jesus And who is my Neighbour 30 And Jesus answering said a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among Thieves which stripped him of his Raiment and wounded him and departed leaving him half dead 31 And by chance there came down a certain Priest that way and when he saw him he passed by on the other side 32 And likewise a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side 33 But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion on him 34 And went to him and bound up his Wounds pouring in Oyl and Wine and set him on his own Beast and brought him to an Inn and took care of him 35 And on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the Host and said unto him Take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee 36 Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour unto him that fell among the Thieves 37 And he said he that shewed mercy on him Then said Jesus unto him Go and do thou likewise The Design of our Saviour in this Parable is to convince the Lawyer who put that question to him Who is my Neighbour v. 29. That every one is and ought to be accounted our Neighbour to whom God affords us opportunity of doing good contrary to the strait Notion of the Pharisees that by the Word Neighbour understood Friends and Kinsfolk Brethren by Blood Neighbours by Habitation and Persons of the same Religion Our Saviour by this Parable taught him that even Strangers and professed Enemies every one that needeth our help and relief is to be accounted our Neighbour to convince him hereof Christ propounds this parable of a Jew that fell among Thieves who was neglected by his own Country-men but relieved by a Samaritan who tho' a professed Enemy upon the score of Religion yet was so exceeding kind and charitable that he became Physician Surgeon and Host and a real Neighbour to the unknown Traveller Wounded by Thieves in his Journey to Jericho From the whole Learn 1. That every Person in Misery is the object of our Mercy our Neighbour and capable of our Charity 2. That no difference in Religion much less in some doubtful Opinions will excuse us from exercising Acts of Charity and Compassion towards such as are really in Want and need our Assistance our Holy and merciful Religion makes all Persons the Objects of our compassion who are indigent and helpless tho' they be Strangers and Foreigners Heathens or Hereticks Friends or Enemies yea be they good or bad holy or wicked as we have opportunity we must do good unto all and imitate the example of our merciful God who is kind to the unthankful and to the Evil. 3. That real Charity is an Active operative thing it consists not in good Words given to the Distressed nor in a compassionate beholding of them nor in a pitiful mourning over them but in positive Acts of kindness towards them The Samaritan here is an example of a real and thorough Charity he turns his Face towards the forlorn Man his Feet hasten to him his hand pours in Wine and Oyl into his Wounds after which he sets him upon his own Beast brings him to the Inn stays with him all Night and the next day because his Recovery would be a Work of Time and Expence he leaves him but first leaves Money with the Host and a special charge to take care of him with a punctual promise that whatever was expended more should be Repaid Behold here an instance and pattern of a compleat Charity managed with as much Discretion as Compassion well might our Lord say to this Person and in him to every one of us Go and do thou likewise 38 Now it came to pass as they went that he entered into a certain Village and a certain Woman named Martha received him into her house Observe here 1. the great Work and Business of our Saviour's Life it was to go about Preaching the Gospel 2. The Nature of the place which Christ at this time preached in it was a poor Village Bethany as some think Christ did not only take care of populous Cities and great Towns but private Villages and obscure places enjoyed also the blessing of his Ministry Our Saviour's Example herein is instructive to his Ministers not to affect great Auditories and to Preach only in populous Cities but to scatter the Seed of the Word in Country Villages where are like precious Souls to be taken care of and provided for as Christ was sent himself so he sends his Ministers to preach the Gospel to the poor Observe 3. The party that entertain'd him in the Village Martha received him into her house Martha is named because she was probably the Owner of the House Tho' Christ had no house of his own yet he had as many as he pleased at his Command for wherever he had an Heart he was sure to have an House Martha received him into her house 39 And she had a Sister called Mary which also
their Obstinacy and Infidelity which he aggravates from the Example of the Queen of the South and the Men of Nineveh From hence Learn That the sins of infidelity and impenitency are exceedingly heightned and their guilt aggravated from the Means afforded by God to bring Men to Faith and Obedience The sin of the Pharisees was infinitely greater in rejecting the Evidence of Christ's Miracles than the sin of the Ninevites would have been in refusing to hearken to Jonas his Ministry therefore the Ninevites shall condemn the Pharisees 33 No man when he hath lighted a Candle putteth it in a secret place neither under a Bushel but on a Candlestick that they which come in may see the Light 34 The light of the body is the eye therefore when thine eye is single thy whole body also is full of Light but when thine eye is evil thy body also is full of darkness 35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness 36 If thy whole body therefore shall be full of light having no part dark the whole shall be full of light as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light Our Saviour in these words does these two things 1. he declares that altho' his Ministry had no effect upon the proud and obstinate Pharisees yet he would not hide the light which he came into the World to bring nor conceal that Heavenly Doctrine which his Father had committed to him to Communicate to the Children of Men teaching us That such as are enlightned by God with the Knowledge of his Word and Will ought not to conceal and hide this Knowledge within themselves but communicate it to others and improve it for the good and benefit of others No man that lighteth a Candle putteth it under a Bushel 2. Our Saviour here discovers the Reason why the Pharisees continued blind under so clear a light as that of his Ministry namely because the eye of their Understanding was darkned not so much with Ignorance as with Prejudice whereby they opposed Christ and his Holy Doctrine for if the Mind be clearly enlightned by the Word and Spirit of God that Light will diffuse and spread it self in the Soul as the bright shining of a Candle doth in the House enlightning all the inward Faculties and directing all the outward Actions and communicating its Light also to the enlightning of others 37 And as he spake a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him and he went in and sate down to meat 38 And when the Pharisee saw it he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner 39 And the Lord said unto him now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness 40 Ye fools did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also Observe here 1. The free Conversation of our Blessed Saviour how readily he complies with the Pharisees Invitation to dine with him I do not find that when Christ was invited to any Table that ever he refused to go if a Pharisee if a Publican invited him he constantly went not so much for the pleasure of eating as for the opportunity of Conversing and doing good Christ feasts us when we feed him He says of himself that he came eating and drinking that is allowing himself a free tho' innocent Conversation with all sorts of Persons that he might gain some Observe 2. The Exception which the Pharisee takes at our Saviour's not washing his hands before Dinner This they made but without any warrant for it a Religious Act abounding in external washings but neglecting the inward Purgations of their Hearts and Consciences from Sin and Uncleanness Thus Pharisaical Hypocrisy puts God off with outward cleansing instead of inward Purity regarding more the outward cleanness of the hand than the inward Purity of the Heart Observe 3. Our Blessed Saviour does not condemn any external Decency and cleanliness in Conversation but his design is to shew the vanity of outward Purity without inward Sanctity and to convince them of the Necessity of cleansing the Heart in order to the purifying and Reforming the Life The Pharisee washt his hands clean but left his Soul full of uncleanness not considering that he that made the Soul as well as the Body requires that both should be kept pure all the impiety of mens Lives proceeding from the impurity of their Hearts and Natures 41 But rather give alms of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you As if Christ had said the way to purify your Meats and Drinks and Estates from all pollution cleaving to them and to have them Sanctified Blessings to you is in Conjunction with other Graces by doing Works of Mercy and by liberal Alms-giving according to your Ability Learn that Charity and Alms-giving according to our ability and opportunity is a special means to sanctify our Estates to us and to cause us holily and comfortably to enjoy whatever we do possess Give Alms of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you 42 But Wo unto you Pharisees for ye Tythe Mint and Rue and all manner of Herbs and pass over judgment and the love of God these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Our Saviour here denounces a Wo against the Pharisees for their strict and scrupulous observing the lesser things of the Law as Tything Mint and Rue whilst they were regardless of the principal and substantial Duties which they owed both to GOD and Man Learn hence That altho' some Duties are of greater moment and importance than others yet a good Man will omit none but make Conscience of all both great and small in obedience to the Command of God there is no Duty so little as to be neglected no Command so small as to be disobeyed but yet there is a difference in Duties and our first regard ought to be to the greater then to the less Christ doth not condemn them for Tything Mint and Rue but for passing over judgment and the love of God 43 Wo unto you Pharisees for ye love the uppermost seats in the Synagogues and greetings in the Market-place The next Wo denounced against the Pharisees is for their Ambition Pride and Popularity affecting the uppermost Seats in the Synagogues and Salutations in the Markets where their fault was not in taking but in affecting these uppermost places God is the God of Order there may and ought to be a precedency amongst Persons honour is to be given to whom honour is due and that by God's Command But Pride and Ambition are detestable Vices especially in such as are Preachers and ought to be patterns of Humility 44 Wo unto you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites for ye are as Graves which appear not and the men that walk over them are not aware of them Another Wo is here
denounced against the Pharisees for cheating and deceiving the people with an outward shew and appearance of Piety and Religion They were like Graves and Sepulchres grown over with Grass which tho' they held dead mens Bones yet the putrefaction not outwardly appearing Men walked unawares over them and so were polluted by them intimating that the inward Rottenness and filthy Corruptions of the Pharisees not appearing unto Men the people were easily deceived by outward shews of Pharisaical Sanctity and so fell into a dangerous imitation of them Learn thence That the great design of Hypocrisy is to cheat the World with an empty shew of Piety the Hypocrites Ambition is to be thought good not to be so Learn 2. That nothing is more fatally dangerous to the Souls of Men and draws Persons to an admiration and imitation of hypocritical Professors like their outward shews of Sanctity and their extraordinary appearances of Devotion and Piety This it was that gained the Pharisees such a veneration and esteem among the people that it became a proverb amongst them If but two men went to Heaven the one must be a Pharisee but their counterfeit piety being double iniquity they did receive for it double Damnation 45 Then answered one of the Lawyers and said unto him Master thus saying thou reproachest us also 46 And he said Wo unto you also ye Lawyers for ye lade men with Burthens grievous to be born and ye your selves touch not the Burthens with one of your Fingers The former Woes were denounced by our Saviour against the Pharisees who had their Name from an Hebrew word which signifies to separate because they were persons separated and set apart for studying the Law of God and teaching it to others The next Wo is here denounced against the Lawyers that is the Scribes of the Law of which there were two sorts the Civil Scribe and the Ecclesiastical Scribe the Civil Scribe was a publick Notary or Register of the Synagogue employed in writing Bills of Divorce and Sentences in the Phylacteries The Ecclesiastical Scribe was an expounder of the Scripture an interpreter of the Law Men of great Learning and Knowledge whose Decrees and Interpretations the Pharisees strictly observed this Lawyer here insolently calls our Saviour's Reproof a Reproach however our Saviour who never feared the Face or regarded the person of any Man gives them their portion and lets them know wherein they were faulty as well as the Pharisees and accordingly pronounces a Wo unto them also for a threefold Crime 1. For their laying heavy Burthens upon others Shoulders which they would not touch with one of their own Fingers These Burthens in general were a rigid exaction of Obedience to the whole Ceremonial Law and in particular the Burthen of Traditions certain austerities and severities which they imposed upon the people but would not undergo any part of them themselves in vain do we hope to oblige our Hearers to follow those Rules of Life which we refuse or neglect to put in practise our selves 47 Wo unto you for ye build the Sepulchres of the Prophets and your fathers killed them 48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the Deeds of your fathers for they indeed killed them and ye build their Sepulchres 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God I will send them Prophets and Apostles and some of them they shall slay and Persecute 50 That the blood of all the Prophets which was shed from the foundation of the World may be required of this Generation 51 From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias which perished between the Altar and the Temple Verily I say unto you it shall be required of this Generation The second Crime which Christ reproves in these Men is their grand Hypocrisy in pretending great honour to the Saints departed building their Tombs and garnishing their Sepulchres declaiming against their Fathers impiety that had they lived in their days they would not have been partakers with them in their sins Now their Hypocrisâ— appeared in three Particulars 1. In that they continued in their own wickedness and yet commended the Saints departed they magnify the Saints but multiply their sins and instead of imitating their Vertues they content themselves with garnishing their Sepulchres 2. In professing great Respect to the Dead Saints and at the same time Persecuting the Living Palpable Hypocrisy and yet as gross as it is it prevails to this day The Church of Rome who magnifies Martyrs Canonizes Saints departed have yet added to their number by shedding of their Blood 3. In taking false measures of their Love to the Saints departed from their Building their Tombs and garnishing their Sepulchres whereas the best Evidence of our Love to them is the imitating their Vertues and cherishing their Followers 'T is gross Hypocrisy to pay respect to the Relicks of Saints and Veneration to their Images and at the same time to persecute and hate their Followers From the whole Note 1. That the World has all along Loved dead Saints better than living ones Mortui non mordent the dead Saints Example how bright soever is not so scorching and troublesome at a distance and he himself stands no longer in other Mens Light whereas the Living Saints Example is a cutting Reproof to Sin and Vice Note 2. That there is a certain Civility in humane Nature which leads Men to a just Commendation of the Dead and to a due estimation of their Worth The Pharisees here tho' they persecuted the Prophets whilst alive yet did they pretend to a mighty Veneration for their Piety and Vertue after they were dead and thought no Honour too great to be done unto them Note 3. That it is the greatest Hypocrisy imaginable to pretend to love Goodness and at the same time to hate and persecute good Men. These Pharisees and Lawyers pretended high to Piety and Religion and at the same time killed the Prophets Note 4. That the highest Honour we can pay to the Saints departed is not by raising Monuments and Building Tombs to their Memory but by a careful imitation of their Piety and Vertue following the Holiness of their Lives and their Patience and Constancy at their Death Lastly Learn That it is a Righteous thing with God to punish Children for the impiety of their Parents when they walk in their ungodly Parents Footsteps upon you shall come the Blood of all the Prophets from the Blood of Abel to the Blood of Zacharias yet this must be understood of Temporal Evils not of Eternal Punishments no Man for his Fathers Sins shall lye down in Everlasting Burnings as our Fathers Faith will not let us into Heaven so neither will their Impiety shut us into Hell At the Day of Judgment every Man shall be separately considered according to his own Deeds 52 Wo unto you Lawyers for ye have taken away the Key of Knowledge ye entered not in your selves and them that were entering in ye hindered The last Wo pronounced by
That so far ought the Ministers of Christ to be from affecting a Domination and Superiority of Power over their Fellow Brethren that in imitation of Christ their Lord and Master they ought to account themselves Fellow-Servants I am among you as one that serveth 2. That such Ministers as do Love and Affect Preheminency and Superiority are most unfit for it and they deserve it best which seek it least 3. That the Dignity and Honour which the Ministers of Christ should chiefly and only affect is in another World and the way to be greatest and highest there is to be low and humble here mean in our own Eyes and little in our own esteem Whosoever is chief says Christ let him be your Servant 28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my Temptations 29 And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me 30 That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel Observe here What an Honourable Acknowledgment Christ makes of the Constancy of his Disciples Love and Affection towards him Ye are they that have continued with me in my Temptations that is in my Afflictions Tryals and Sufferings It is an easy matter to abide with Christ in days of Peace in times of Consolation but when we are under Afflictions Temptations and Troubles then to abide and keep close to Christ this is the proof of Love and Friendship And as Christ makes an honourable mention of their constancy towards him so he presently assures them of an honourable Reward I appoint unto you a Kingdom Learn hence That such as are Sharers with Christ in his Sufferings shall certainly Communicate with him in his Glory If we Suffer with him we shall Reign with him And whereas our Saviour promises his Apostles To sit upon Thrones with him judging the twelve Tribes of Israel we may gather That such Ministers as do most Service for Christ and forsake most to follow him and continue in Temptation and Tribulation with him shall in his Kingdom partake of most Honour and Dignity with him and from him You shall eat and drink in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel possibly the Apostles and all the Zealous Faithful and Laborious Ministers of Jesus Christ shall be nearer his Throne in Heaven than either Saints or Angels nearer than the Angels because by Christ's assuming the Humane Nature they are more nearly allyed to him he is their Friend but our Brother and nearer than other Saints as having done more eminent Service for Christ and brought more Honour and Glory to him by a Laborious Diligence in their Place and Station Dan. 12.3 They that turn many to Righteousness shall shine c. 31 And the Lord said Simon Simon Behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat 32 But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not and when thou art Converted strengthen thy Brethren Here I shall give 1. The general sense of the words 2. The particular Matters contained in them 3. The special Observations from them The Sense of the Words is this As for you my Disciples in general and for thee Peter in particular I must tell thee that Satan hath accused you all before God and desired that he may have the sifting of you all by his winnowing Winds of Temptation and Persecution that he may shake your Faith and weaken your Confidence But I have prayed for you all and particularly for thy self who art in greatest danger of falling because so confident of thine own Strength and Standing that thy Faith tho severely shaken may not utterly fail and when by Repentance thou art Recovered from thy Fall be careful to confirm and strengthen others that they fall not in like manner The particular matters contained in these words are three a Christians Danger a Christians Safety and a Christians Duty 1. a Christians Danger Satan hath desired to sift you Where Observe 1. The Person particularly warned of the Danger Simon Simon the Doubling of the Word doubtless carries a special intimation with it it denotes the greatness and nearness of Peter's Danger his own security and insensibleness of that danger and the great affection of Christ his Monitors to give him warning of his Danger Observe 2. The warning it self and that is of a Devilish Conspiracy against himself and all the Apostles Satan hath desired to have you to have you for his own if it might be to have you as Believers rather then other Men to have you as eminent Believers rather than other Christians and to have you as Apostles and Ministers rather than other eminent Believers And as Satan has desired to have you so to sift you too to winnow you as Wheat Here Note That Satan has his Winnowing Winds of Temptation and his Tempestuous Winds of Persecution for the sifting of God's Children Note further That it is the Wheat the good Corn that Satan Winnows not Chaff not Dross Sinners that are all Chaff and nothing but Dross Satan will not be at the pains to sift and winnow them But what is this Sifting Answer in sifting two things are performed 1. The agitation shaking and tossing of the Corn from side to side 2. The Separation of the Corn from the Chaff and Dust Satan intends the former GOD effects the latter Cribratione non perditur sed purgatur frumentum The Corn is improved not impaired by Winnowing The Saints of God shall be no losers in the end by Satans Temptations how many and strong soever they may be in the way Observe 2. The Christians Safety But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Where Note 1. The Care that Christ had of Peter and in him of all Believers I have prayed for thee for thee as a Believing Christian and for thee as a Tempted Christian and it is not said I will pray for thee but I have Prayed for thee Christ prayed for Peter before Peter understood that he had need of Christ's Prayer Christ Prayed for Peter as soon as ever Satan desired to sift Peter Our Intercessor is full as nimble and speedy in his Suit for us as Satan is in his Accusations against us he has desired but I have prayed he is a potent Assailant but thou hast a powerful Assistant Observe 2. The Subject Matter Prayed for That thy Faith fail not not that thy Faith be not assaulted not that thy Faith be not shaken but that thy Faith may not fail by an absolute and total deficiency The third Particular is the Christians Duty When thou art Converted strengthen thy Brethren When Converted that is when Recovered from thy Fall when Restored upon thy Repentance to the Divine Favour This Conversion is not from a State of Sin Peter was so Converted before but it was from an Act of Sin into which he should Lapse and Relapse Strengthen thy Brethren that
the Wings of the Cock to rouze up himself from Drowsiness and Security and to awaken others to a sense of their Duty He must have the Watchfulness of the Cock to be ever ready to discover and fore-warn Danger He must have the voice of the Cock to cry aloud to tell Israel of their Sin to terrify the Roaring Lyon of Hell and make him Tremble as they say the natural Lyon does in a word he must observe the Hours of the Cock to Crow at all Seasons to Preach the Word in Season and out of Season Again 2. The more principal Means of St. Peter's Recovery were Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter's remembring the word of Christ 1. Christ's looking upon Peter our Saviour look'd upon Peter before either Peter look'd upon our Saviour or upon himself Oh wonderful Act of Love and Grace towards this fallen Disciple Christ was now upon his Tryal for his Life a time when our Thoughts would have been wholly taken up about our selves but even then did Christ find Leisure to think upon Peter to Remember his Disconsolate Disciple to turn himself about and give him a pittiful but piercing Look even a Look that melted and dissolved him into Tears We never begin to lament our Sins but we are first Lamented by our Saviour Jesus looked upon Peter that was the first more principal Means of his Repentance But 2. the other Means was Peter remembring of the word of the Lord Before the Câ—ck Crow thou shalt deny me Now this Remembrance was an Applicative and Feeling Remembrance he Remembred the Prediction of Christ and apply'd it sensibly to himself Teaching us That the efficacy of Christ's Word in order to a sound Repentance depends not upon the Historical Remembrance of it but upon the close Application thereof to every Man's Conscience Observe 3. The Manner of St. Peter's Repentance it was Secret it was Sincere it was Lasting and Abibiding 1. It was secret He went out and wept Verè dolet qui sine Teste dolet He sought a place of Retirement where he might mourn in Secret Solitariness is most agreeable to an afflicted Spirit Yet must I add that as St. Peter's Sorrow so probably his Shame might cause him to go forth and weep Christ looked upon him and how ashamed must he be to look upon Christ seeing he had so lately denied that he had ever seen him 2. St. Peter's Repentance was Sincere He wept bitterly His Grief was extraordinary and his Tears abundant There is always a weeping that must follow Sin Sin must cost the Soul Sorrow either here or in Hell We must now either Mourn a while or Lament for ever Doubtless with Peter's Tears there was joined hearty Confession of Sin to God and smart Reflections upon himself after this manner Lord What have I done I a Disciple I an Apostle I that did so lately acknowledge my Master to be Christ the Lord I that spoke with so much Assurance Though all Men deny thee yet will not I I that promised to lay down my Life for his sake yet have I denied him yet have I with Oaths and Imprecations Disowned him and this at the Voice of a Damsel not at the sight of a Drawn Sword presented at my Breast Lord What weakness what wickedness what unfaithfulness have I been guilty of Oh that my Head were Waters and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears that I might weep all my days for the Fault of this one Night Thus may we suppose our Lapsed Apostle to have bemoaned himself And happy was it for him that he did so for Blessed are the Tears of a Converted Revolter and happy is the Misery of a Mourning Offender Observe 3. St. Peter's Repentance was not only Secret and Sincere but Lasting and Abiding He retained a very quick Sense and lively Remembrance of this Sin upon his Mind all his Life after Ecclesiastical History Reports that ever after when St. Peter heard the Crowing of the Cock he fell upon his Knees and wept Others say That he was wont to rise at Mid-night and spend the Time in Prayer and Humiliation between Cock-Crowing and Day-light And the Papists who delight to turn every thing into Folly and Superstition first began that Practice of setting up what we call Weather-Cocks upon Towers and Steeples to put People in mind of St. Peter's Fall and Repentance by that Signal Lastly St. Peter's Repentance was attended with an extraordinary Zeal and Forwardness for the Service of Christ to the end of his Days He had a burning Love towards the Holy Jesus ever after which is now improved into a Seraphick Flame Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee says himself John 21.17 And as an Evidence of it he fed Christ's Sheep For in the Acts of the Apostles we read of his Extraordinary Diligence to spread the Gospel and his Travels in order thereunto are Computed by some to be Nine hundred and Fifty Miles To end all have any of us fallen with Peter though not with a formal Abjuration yet by a Practical denying of him let us go forth and weep with him let us be more vigilant and watchful over our selves for the time to come let us express more fervent Love and Zeal for Christ more diligence in his Service more Concernedness for his Honour and Glory This would be an Happy Improvement of this Example God grant it may have that Blessed Effect 63 And the Men that held Jesus mocked him and smote him 64 And when they had Blind-folded him they stroke him on the Face and asked him saying Prophecy who he is that smote thee 65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him Observe here The vile Affronts the horrid Abuses the Injuries and Indignities which were put upon the Holy and Innocent Jesus in the day of his Sufferings the rude Officers and Servants spit in his Face Blind-fold his Eyes smite him with their Hands and in Contempt and Scorn bid him Prophecy who it was that smote him Verily There is no degree of Contempt no mark of Shame no kind of Suffering which we ought to Decline for Christ's sake who hid not his Face from Shame and Spitting upon our Account 66 And as soon as it was day the Elders of the people and the Chief Priests and Scribes came together and led him into their Council 67 Saying Art thou the Christ Tell us And he said If I tell you you will not believe 68 And if I also ask you you will not answer me nor let me go 69 Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the Right Hand of the power of God 70 Then said they all Art thou then the Son of God And he said unto them Ye say that I am 71 And they said What need we any farther Witness for we our selves have heard of his own Mouth Our Lord is now Arraigned by the Chief Priests and Observe the Indictment of Blasphemy is brought in against him What need we any
Eternal All Believers have and shall experience the healing Power of our Redeemer's Death to the end of the World Lastly The Israelites that were cured by looking up to the brazen Serpent dyed afterwards some Distemper or other soon carried them to their Graves but the Soul of the Believer that is healed by Christ shall never dye more Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal Life 16 ¶ For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Here observe 1. The Orignal Source and Fountain of Man's Salvation and that is God's free and undeserved his great and wonderful Love God so loved the World he doth not say how much but leaves it to our most solemn raised Thoughts it is rather to be conceived than declared and admired rather than conceived God so loved the World Hence Note That the Original Spring and first Cause of our Salvation is the free Favour and meer Love of God Observe 2. The Greatness of the Gift by which God evidenced and demonstrated the Greatness of his Love to a lost World He gave his only begotten Son that is he deliver'd him up from out of his own Bosom and everlasting Embraces Now this will appear a stupendious Expression of God's Love if we consider that God gave Him for us who was not only the greatest but the dearest Person to him in the World even his own Son That he gave him for Sinners That he gave him for a World of Sinners That he gave him up to become a Man for Sinners That he gave him up to become a miserable Man for Sinners That he gave him up to be a Sacrifice for the Sin of Sinners Observe 3. The Gracious end for which God gave this great Gift of his Love to lost Sinners That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal Life Where Note 1. The gentle and merciful Condition upon which Salvation depends Whoever believeth on Christ shall not perish 2. The infinite Goodness of God in proposing such a vast Reward unto us upon our performing of this Condition He shall have everlasting Life Learn hence That Faith is the way which God hath appointed and the Condition which God has required in order to our obtaining Salvation by Jesus Christ This Faith consists in the assent of the Understanding That Jesus is the Saviour of the World In the Consent of the Will to accept of Jesus freely and voluntarily deliberately advisedly and resolvedly for our Saviour in accepting the Merit of his Blood and submitting to the Authority of his Laws it being in vain to expect Salvation by Christ if we do not yield Subjection to him He that thus believes on Christ that submits himself to his ruling Power as well as commits himself to his saving Mercy shall not perish but have everlasting Life 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved 18 ¶ He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begoten Son of God Observe here That the Salvation of Sinners was the intentional End and the Condemnation of them only the accidental Event of Christ's coming into the World The Design of Christ's first coming into the World was to save it The End of his second coming will be to judge the unbelieving Part of it Observe Secondly That Unbelief is the formal Cause of the Sinner's Damnation it is that sin which doth bind all other sins upon the sinner and consign him over to Damnation it is that sin which doth not only procure Damnation but no Damnation like it which is intimated in the next Verse 19 And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Observe here 1. The Worth and Dignity of a choice and invaluable Priviledge declared Light is come into the World A Personal Light Christ a Doctrinal Light the Gospel 2. Observe the Unworthiness Abuse and great Indignity which the World through Infidelity offers to this Benefit they reject it and love Darkness rather than Light Obs 3. The dreadful Sentence of Wrath which the Rejection of this Benefit and the Abuse of Christ brings upon the impenitent and unbelieving World It terminates in their full and final Condemnation This is the Condemnation That is 't is a just and righteous Condemnation 't is an inevitable and unavoidable Condemnation 't is an heightened and aggravated 't is an accelerated and hastned an irrevocable and eternal Condemnation Learn hence That the greater and clearer the Light is under which the unregenerate and impenitent do live in this World so much the heavier will their Condemnation and Misery be in the World to come if they wilfully and finally reject it 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God In these Words our Saviour acquaints us with the different Nature of Sin and Holiness It is the Nature of Sin and the Property of Sinners to hate the Light because it discovers the Evil and Sinfulness of their Ways unto them and condemns them for them as the Ethiopians are said to curse the Sun for its bright and hot shining whereas holy and gracious Persons that walk uprightly do love the Light that is they delight to have their Thoughts Words and Actions tried by the Light of the Word because they are wrought in God that is performed as in the sight of God According to the Direction of the VVord of God and with a single Eye and sincere Aim at the Glory of God Learn hence 1. That the Word of God or the Gospel of Jesus Christ it has all the Properties of a Great and True Light It is of a pure and purifying Nature it is manifestative and of a discovering Nature It has a piercing Power and penetrating Vertue It enters the darkest Recesses of the Soul and detects the Errors of Mens Judgments as well as discovers the Enormities of their Lives Learn 2. That nothing is so hateful to and hated by a wicked Man as the discovering and reproving Light of the Word of God for at the same time that it discovers the sin it condemns the Sinner Learn 3. That a truly gracious Person who acteth agreeably to the Will of God is not afraid to examine his Actions by the VVord of God but desires and delights that what he does may be made manifest both to God and Man He that doth Truth cometh to the Light and rejoyceth that his Deeds may be made manifest because they are wrought in God 22 ¶ After these things came Jesus and his
sent him ye believe not Here our blessed Saviour produces again the Testimony of his Father that he was the true and promised Messias This was given him both at his Baptism and his Transfiguration when God the Father owned Christ to be his Son by an audible Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Which Testimony the Jews now ought the more to have regarded because tho' their Fore-fathers had heard the Voice of God at certain times Exod. 20. and Deut. 4. yet they in their times had never heard his Voice Learn hence That the Fathers immediate Testimony of Christ from Heaven is greater than all Testimonies given to him here on Earth greater than John's greater than his Miracles The presence of the glorious Trinity when that Testimony was given Matth. 3. last made that Witness most awful and solemn 39 ¶ Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me The next Testimony which Christ appeals to is the Testimony of the Scriptures That is the Writings of Moses the Prophets which Christ bids the Jews diligently search and they shall find that they abundantly testified of him and that all the Prophecies and Types were fulfilled in him The word search signifying to search as Men do for a golden Mine in the Bowels of the Earth which they must dig deep for before they can come at It intimates 1. That there is an inestimable Treasure lying hid in the holy Scriptures which we shall never fathom by a slight superficial search 2. That this inestimable Treasure may be found out by the painful Searcher and it is the Duty of all the Members of the visible Church to read and search the Scriptures which point out the way to eternal Life 40 And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Here our Saviour upbraids the Jews for their obstinate Infidelity that notwithstanding God the Father by a Voice from Heaven John the Baptist by his Testimony on Earth notwithstanding all the Miracles which they had seen wrought by Christ himself and notwithstanding the Scriptures which they pretended so highly to esteem of did prove him to be the Messias and the Author of eternal Life which they profest to seek yet such was their Obstinacy that they would not come unto him nor believe in him Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Here Observe 1. A choice and invaluable Mercy which Christ stands ready to bestow upon poor Sinners and that is Life both Spiritual and Eternal A Life of Grace in order to a Life of Glory Observe 2. The gracious Condition upon which this invaluable Blessing may be had and that is upon coming to Christ believing on him and receiving of him 3. Here is the true Reason declared why Sinners do miss of Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ when he has so dearly purchased it for them and does so freely tender it unto them and that lies in their own Wilfulness and Obstinacy Ye will not come unto me Learn hence That the true Reason why so many Sinners miss of Salvation and eternal Life after all that Christ has done and suffered for them is their own obstinacy and unwillingness to come to him that they may have Life Man by Nature has not only an Inability but a fixed Enmity in his Will against Jesus Christ 41 I receive not honour from men 42 But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you 43 I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive Here observe 1. How little our Saviour sought the Approbation and vain-glorious Estimation of Men. I receive not honour from Men. The same should all his Disciples and Followers do rest satisfied in the secret Testimony and silent Applause of their own Consciences without pumping for popular Applause Observe 2. The dreadful sin which Christ charged upon the Jews as the cause why they rejected him I know that you have not the love of God in you Oh deplorable State and Case to be void of all true Love to God! Love being the Spring of all Action and the Root of all true Obedience he that loves God will not only sweat at his Work but bleed at his Work too if his Work cannot be carried on without bleeding But where Love to God is wanting and no Care to please God is found his Authority is despised his Son rejected As the Jews here would not come to Christ that they might have Life because they had not the Love of God in them Observe 3. The high Affront which the Jews offered to the Son of God in preferring any Seducers and Impostors before him who came in their own Names whilst he was rejected who came in the Name of his Father Learn hence That altho' Christ was the great Ambassador of his Father not a Servant but a Son and had his Mission his Approbation and his Testimony from Heaven yet so far did the Perverseness and Prejudices of the Jews prevail that he was rejected whilst Impostors and Deceivers false Christs and Anti-Christs without any Evidence and Authority from God because promising them a temporal Kingdom were embraced and entertained I come in my Father's name and ye receive me not But if another a Seducer shall come in his own name him ye will receive 44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Here Christ tells the Jews that it is impossible they should believe aright in him because they were so in love with the Praise of Men that they would own him for the Messias who would promise them a temporal Kingdom and in the mean time reject himself who came authorized with the Testimony and Approbation of God You will receive Honour one of another but reject the Honour that cometh from God only Learn That such as ambitiously hunt after Vain-glory and Respect from Men do evidence themselves to be regardless of God's Approbation and Acceptation 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust 46 For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me 47 But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words Think not that I will accuse you that is that I only will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses that is the Writings of Moses which you pretend to depend upon and to trust to For had you believed his Writings that is the Prophesies and Types contained in his Writings you would have been led by them to believe on me for they all pointed at me and received their Accomplishment in me But if Moses cannot be heard by you I must expect no Authority with you Learn 1.
been actually his Son as certainly he was from before the Foundations of the World Prov. 8.23 I was set up from everlasting from the Beginning or ever the Earth was 37 If I do not the works of my Father believe me not 38 But if I do though ye believe not me believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him Here we have a second Argument by which our Saviour proves That it was no Blasphemy to call himself God But that he was God in very deed Namely an Argument taken from his Works If I do not the Works of my Father believe me not And the Argument runs thus If says Christ I do those miraculous Works which no Power less than a Divine Power can effect then you ought by these Works to be led to believe and acknowledge that I am truly and really God But the Works which I do are the Effect and Product of an omnipotent Power therefore ye ought to believe That I am one in Essence with the Father there being a mutual Inexistence of one Person in the other so that the Father is in me and I in him and thus I and the Father are one Learn hence That Christ never required of his Disciples and Followers an Implicite Faith or a blind Obedience but as he submitted his Doctrine to the Tryal of Reason so he submitted his Miracles to the Examination and Judgment of Sense therefore he says If I do not the Works of my Father that is Divine Works believe me not to be a Divine Person 39 Therefore they sought again to take him but he escaped out of their hand 40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized and there he abode 41 And many resorted unto him and said John did no miracle but all things that John spake of this man were true 42 And many believed on him there Observe here 1. The Violence and Fury of these unbelieving Jews against the Holy and Innocent Jesus They sought again to take him Observe 2. The prudential Care of Christ for his own Preservation his time being not yet come he withdraws from Jerusalem the Nest of his Enemies and goes beyond Jordan when Christ was persecuted in one City he fled to another he has sanctified a State of Persecution to his Ministers and Members by his own being in it 'T is no Disgrace for any of them to fly when their Captain did it and bids them do it saying When they persecute you in one City flee unto another Obs 3. The Success of Christ's Ministry beyond Jordan Many resorted to him and believed on him This Place about Jordan was the Place where John had exercised a great Part of his Ministry and now many Years after John's Death the Fruit of his Ministry appears for many believed on him there that is about Jordan where John had preached and baptized Learn thence That the Labours of faithful Ministers may seem to be lost and lye long like Seed under the Ground and yet at last by some new Watering may spring up and the Fruit appear in abundance Here John's Ministry about Jordan hath fresh Fruit upon Christ's coming long after John was dead Observe 4. The Dignity of Christ above John John did no Miracle but Christ did all The Wisdom of God so ordered it that though the Old Testament Prophets Elijah and Elisha wrought many Miracles for the Confirmation of their Divine Mission yet John the Baptist coming immediately before Christ as his Messenger and Forerunner wrought none for these three Reasons probably 1. That so the Glory of Christ in working Miracles when he came upon the Stage of his Ministry might be the more clear and evident 2. That the Evidence of Christ's being the Messias might be made the more clear by the Miracles which he wrought 3. That the Minds of the People might not be divided and distracted between John and Christ and that there might be no Pretence of Competition between them Therefore John did no Miracle but all things that John spake of Christ were true CHAP. XI 1 NOw a certain man was sick named Lazarus of Bethany the town of Mary and her sister Martha 2 It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick 3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him saying Lord behold he whom thou lovest is sick 4 When Jesus heard that he said This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby This Chapter relates unto us the Miraculous Power of Christ in raising of dead Lazarus which as it was one of his last so was it one of the greatest Miracles which he wrought and yet we find none of the Evangelists making mention of it but only St. John the Reason supposed to be this because when the other Evangelists wrote their History Lazarus was then alive for Epiphanius says he lived thirty Years after he was raised by Christ and probably the mention of this Relation might have brought Lazarus into Danger and Trouble but St. John wrote his Gospel after Lazarus his Death This Miracle was a sufficient Demonstration of Christ's Godhead None but an Almighty Power could recal a Man four Days dead from a settled Corruption to a State of Life None but he that created Lazarus could thus make him new Here Observe 1. The Tender Sympathy of these Two endeared Sisters with their afflicted Brother they feel his Sorrows and Acquaint their Saviour with his Sufferings Lord Behold he whom thou lovest is sick They do not say our Brother that Loves thee is sick but he whom thou lovest is sick Thereby pleading not the Merit of Lazarus but the Mercy of Christ For how can the Love of Christ which is infinite and eternal have any Cause but it self Note the Person whom Christ loved is sick and dyes Learn thence That Strength of Grace and Dearness of Respect even from Christ himself cannot prevail either against Death or against Diseases Lazarus whom Christ loved is sick Obs 2. The gracious Answer which Christ sent to the Sisters Message This Sickness is not unto Death but for the Glory of God that is this Sickness shall not bring upon him such a Death as he shall remain under the Power of to the General Resurrection but is only designed to give me an Opportunity of glorifying God by exerting my miraculous Power in restoring him to Life Learn hence 1. That as God's own Glory is his supream Aim and End in all his Actions so in particular it is designed by him in sending Afflictions upon his People to glorifie his Power and Wisdom Mercy and Love in and upon them The Saints Sicknesses are all for the Glory of God 2. That God is glorified when his Son is glorified as none do honour the Father who do not honour the Son so the Father accounts
himself glorified when the Glory of his Son is advanced This Sickness is for the Glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified thereby 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick he abode two days still in the same place where he was 7. Then after that saith he to his disciples Let us go into Judea again 8 His disciples say unto him Master the Jews of late sought to stone thee and goest thou thither again 9 Jesus answered Are there not twelve hours in the day If any Man walk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world 10 But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him Observe 1. What an happy because an holy and religious Family was here and much honoured by Christ Jesus loved Martha Mary and Lazarus wherever true Piety dwells it draws the Eye and Heart of Christ towards it Christ had frequently and familiarly lodged under their Roof and he rewards them for their Entertainment with his Love Jesus loved Martha and her Sister Where Note That Martha is here named first though elsewhere Mary had the Precedency to shew no doubt that they were both equally dear to Christ Obs 2. That altho' Christ loved Lazarus yet he seems to neglect him he delays going to him for some days But could Christ absent himself from one so long whom he loved so well we find he did Let us take heed then that we do not mis-interpret Christ's Delays He seldom comes at our time but never stays beyond his own Our Saviour had a double End in staying thus long Namely for greatning of the Miracle and confirming of their Faith Had Christ gone before Lazarus was dead they might have attributed his Recovery rather to the strength of Nature than to Christ's miraculous Power or had Christ raised Lazarus as soon as he was Dead they might peradventure have thought it rather some Trance or Extasie than a Death and Dissolution therefore Christ stays so many days that God might be the more glorified and his own omnipotent Power the more magnified We Learn then That when Christ delays to help them whom he dearly loves it is always for wise ends and holy purposes Observe 3. How the Disciples tho' they were dearly affected to Lazarus for they had Learned to love where their Master loved yet they discourage Christ from going to him into Judea for fear of violence offered to him Master the Jews of late sought to stone Thee and goest thou thither again Here the Disciples pleaded for their Master's safety at the same time aiming at their own they were to go with him into Judea and they well knew that their danger was inwrapped in his Therefore they seek to divert him from his intention Oh how has the fear of Suffering made many of the Friends of Christ decline an opportunity of glorifying God and doing good to others But cannot God give safety in the midst of danger if he pleaseth let us not then chuse our way according to our own Apprehensions either of danger or safety but as we see God going before us if our call be clear let us go on with Courage whatever difficulties lye in our way Observe 4. How our Saviour corrects these fears of his Disciples by acquainting them with his call from God to undertake this Journey into Judea Are there not Twelve hours in the day if a Man walk therein he stumbleth not but in the night he stumbleth As if Christ had said As he that walks in the Day is in no danger of stumbling but in the Night he is in danger So as long as I have a call from God and my working time lasts there is a Divine Providence that will watch over me and secure me from all danger now my day is not fully spent and therefore it is not in the Power of my Enemies to precipitate my Passion or to bring the Night of Sufferings upon me before the appointed time but ere long the Night will come on the working time will be over and then shall both I and you stumble upon Death but while the day lasteth we are safe Learn hence 1. Every Man has his Twelve hours that is his working time assigned him by God in this World 2. While these hours are spent and whilest his working time is unexpired he shall not stumble he shall not die he shall not be disabled for working while God has any work for him to do neither the Malice of Men nor the rage of Devils shall take them off till their work be finished 3. Every Man has his Night as well as his Day in which he must expect and prepare to stumble that is to fall by Death for when God has done his work by us and with us he will withdraw his protection from us but not his care over us we stumble upon Death and fall into the Grave but God receives us to himself and at the end of our working Season rewards us for our work 11 These things said he and after that he saith unto them Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of sleep Observe here 1. Our Saviour coming near to Bethany Tells his Disciples that Lazarus sleepeth that is plainly he was Dead This shewed his omnisciency and that he was truly God for he had received no Advice of his Death from any person but as God he knew that he was deceased Observe 2. The sweet Title given both to Death and Lazarus Death is called a sleep Lazarus is stiled a friend yet Christ says not my friend but our friend Lazarus sleepeth intimating that gracious Familiarity and Mutual Friendship which was betwixt himself and all his Members Learn hence 1. That all True Believers are Christ's Friends 2. That the Friends of Christ must die as well as others 3. That their Death is but a Sleep Our friend Lazarus Sleepeth It followeth But I go that I may awake him out of sleep Observe Christ says not we will go and awake him but I will go and I will awake him The Disciples who were Companions in the way must not be Partners in the work Witnesses they may be Actors they cannot be none can awake Lazarus but the maker of Lazarus Who can command the Soul to come down and meet the Body and who can command the Body to Rise up and meet the Soul but that God that created both Soul and Body Lord It is our Comfort against the Dread and Terror of Death that our Resurrection depends upon thy Almighty Power I will go that I may awake him out of sleep 12 Then said his disciples Lord if he sleep he shall do well 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly Lazarus is dead 15 And I am glad for your sakes
that I was not there to the intent ye may believe nevertheless let us go unto him 16 Then said Thomas which is called Didymus unto his fellow-disciples Let us also go that we may die with him Observe here 1. How desirous the Disciples were that Christ should not go to Bethany where Lazarus was Bethany being within two Miles of Jerusalem where the seat of our Saviour's Enemies was But our Lord knowing his Call to be clear Resolves to go Nevertheless says Christ let us go unto him Oh Love stronger than Death the Grave cannot separate betwixt Christ and his Friends other Friends accompany us to the brink of the Grave and there they leave us to Worms and Dust for Death hath both horror and noysomness to attend it But for thee O Saviour the Grave-stone the Earth the Coffin are no Bounders of thy Dear Respects Blessed be God that neither Life nor Death can separate from the Love of Christ but even after Death and Burial he is graciously affected to those he loves Christ has a Gracious Regard to the Dust of his Saints tho' his holy ones see Corruption they shall not always lye under the power of Corruption their dead Bodies are a part of the undoubted Members of Christ's Mystical Body Blessed be God the time is coming when Christ will knock at the door of his Childrens Graves and call them up out of their Bed of Dust and they shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and Live Observe 2. The Wise and Holy design of Christ in delaying to go to Bethany till Lazarus was Dead Namely That he might at once Raise Lazarus his Dead Body and his Disciples Faith confirming them in the Belief that he was the Son of God and the true Messias But could the Faith of the Apostles want confirmation who had seen so many Miracles wrought by our Saviour and had lived under his Ministry all the time of it Yes the Faith of the most Eminent Saints even of Apostles themselves wants Confirmation in this state of Weakness and Imperfection and is capable of Growth I am glad for your sakes that I was not there to the intent ye may Believe Observe 3. The great Passion which Thomas expresses upon the notice given by Christ of Lazarus his Death Plainly Lazarus is Dead says Christ Let us go and die with him says Thomas Oh what passionate and impatient Expressions do sometimes drop from our Mouths on the occasion of the Death of our dear Relations We are ready to be so affected with the Death of our Friends as to wish our selves out of the World that we might be with them But we must remember that it is God that appoints us our several Posts and particular Stations which we must keep till the Wisdom of God sees fit to remove us 17 Then when Jesus came he found that he had lien in the grave four days already 18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs off 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother 20 Then Martha assoon as she heard that Jesus was coming went and met him but Mary sat still in the house 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died 22 But I know that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God God will give it thee Observe here 1. The length of time which Christ designedly delayed before he would come to Lazarus his Grave he was not above six Miles off Bethany being within two Miles of Jerusalem and Jerusalem within four Miles of Bethabara where Christ now was and yet our Saviour comes not of four Days doubtless that the Miracle of Lazarus's Resurrection might be the more Conspicuous and remarkable Christ could as easily have cured Lazarus's being sick as have raised him being dead and as easily have raised him the first day as the fourth day but that had not carried along with it such a full conviction of Christ's Almighty Power Therefore that he might draw the eyes of their Faith more steadfastly to behold and admire his Almighty Power our Saviour defers his coming till Lazarus had been dead four Days Observe 2. The civil usage of mourning with those that mourn for the Dead Anciently they mourned Thirty Days and sometimes forty for a dear Relation Numb 20 29. During which time Neighbours and Friends came to visit and Relieve them in their sadness with such consolatory Arguments as they had Christian Religion doth not condemn natural Affection humane passions are not sinful if not excessive to be above the stroke of passions is a condition equal to Angels to be in a state of sorrow without the Sense of sorrow is a disposition beneath the Beasts but duly to regulate our sorrows and set Boundaries to our grief is the Wisdom the Duty the Interest and the Excellency of a Christian As to be above all passions will be our happiness in Heaven so to regulate and rectifie our passions is a great part of our holiness on Earth Observe 3. Although Martha was a â—rue mourner for the Death of her Brother yet she doth not so far indulge to grief but upon the first notice of Christ's approach she arises and goes forth to meet him with a mournful moan in her mouth Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died Where Observe How Faith and Infirmity were mixt together Faith appeared in that him perswasion which she had of Christ's Power as if Death durst not shew its face in Christ's presence hadst thou been here my Brother had not died But then her Infirmity appeared in limiting Christ both to Time and Place to Place if thou hadst been here As if Christ could not if it had pleased him save his Life absent as well as present then to time Now he stinketh as if she had said you are come but alas too late you have stayed too long he is past Recovery the Grave has swallowed him up as if Death would not deliver up its Prisoner at the command of Christ Oh the Imperfect Composition of the Best of Saints what a mixture of Faith and Infirmity is found in the Holiest and Best of Christians This also farther appears in her next words ver 22. I know that whatsoever thou shalt ask of God he will give it thee She seems not to Believe that Christ was able to raise him by his own immediate Power but must obtain Power of God to do it as the Prophets were wont to do that raised the Dead She thought Christ a person highly in God's favour but scarce believed him able to raise Lazarus by his own Power had her Faith extended to a Belief that Christ was equal with the Father and that the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him she would not have questioned his Power to raise him from the Grave for tho' Christ as Mediatour did apply himself by Prayer to God at the raising of Dead
And some of them said Could not this man which opened the eyes of the blind have caused that even this man should not have died Observe here 1. The Condolency and tender Sympathy expressed by our Saviour upon this occasion He groaned in his Spirit and was troubled Or as the Original has it he troubled himself intimating that our Saviour's Passions were pure and holy not like ours muddy and mixt with sinful imperfection The Commotions of his Affections were like the shaking of pure Water in a Chrystal-glass which still remain clear and they arose and were calmed at his pleasure he was not over-powered by them but had them at his Command Learn hence That as Christ took upon him the Humane Nature so he did assume also Humane Affections thereby evidencing himself to be our Brother and near Kinsman according to the Flesh Learn 2. That the Passions and Affections which our Saviour had and exprest were always Holy and Innocent he was not without them but he was above them they did never violently and immoderately trouble him but when he pleased he troubled himself Jesus groaned in Spirit and Troubled himself Observe 2. How our Saviour manifests this Condolency and tender Sympathy with Martha and Mary by his weeping Jesus wept Partly from Compassion and partly for Example in Compassion first to humanity to see how miserably Sin had debased the Humane Nature and rendred Man like unto the Bruit Beasts that perish 2dly In Compassion to Lazarus whom he was now about to bring back into a sinful and troublesome World Thus St. Jerom Non flevit Christus Lachrymas nostras c. Christ says he did not weep our Tears he mourned over Lazarus not because dead but because now to be brought again to Life Again Christ wept for our Example to fetch Sighs and Tears from us at the sight of others miseries and especially at the Funerals of our godly Friends Learn hence That mourning and sorrow and this exprest by Tears and weeping is an Affection proper for those that go to Funerals provided it be decently kept within due bounds and is not excessive For immoderate sorrow is hurtful to the living and dishonourable to the dead neither is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace Note 3. How the Jews observing Christ's sorrow for admire his Love to Dead Lazarus Behold how he loved him Christ's Love to his People is admirable and Soul amazing such as see it may admire it but can never fully comprehend it Note 4. How some of the malicious Jews attempt to lessen the Reputation of our Saviour not willing to own him to be God because he did not keep Lazarus from dying as if Christ could not be the Son of God because he did not at all times and in all cases exert and put forth his Divine Power Whereas Christ acted freely and not necessarily governing his Actions by his own Wisdom as he saw most conducing to the ends and purposes of his own Glory 38 Jesus therefore again groning in himself cometh to the grave It was a cave and a stone lay upon it 39 Jesus said Take ye away the stone Martha the sister of him that was dead saith unto him Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days 40 Jesus saith unto her Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of God 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid And Jesus lift up his eyes and said Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always but because of the people which stand by I said it that they may believe that thou hast sent me 43 And when he thus had spoken he cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth 44 And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave-clothes and his face was bound about with a napkin Jesus saith unto them Loose him and let him go In these Verses we find our Lord addressing himself to the Miracle of raising Lazarus from the Grave First he commands them to take away the Stone But could not that Voice which raised the Dead remove the Stone Yes no doubt but it is always the Will of Christ that we put forth our utmost Endeavours and do what we can in order to our own Deliverance To remove the Stone and unty the Napkins was in their Power This therefore they must do but to raise the Dead was out of their Power this therefore Christ will do alone Our Hands must do their utmost before Christ will put forth his Help The Stone being thus removed his Eyes begin they are lift up to Heaven His Father's Throne from whence he expects to derive his Power His Tongue Seconds his Eye and he prays unto his Father Christ as God wrought this Miracle by his own Power Consider him as Mediatour and so he looks up to his Father by Prayer yet we hear of no Prayer but a Thanksgiving only Christ's Will was his Prayer whatever Christ willed God granted Christ and his Father having one Essence one Nature and one Will. Neither was it fit for Christ to pray vocally and audibly lest the unbelieving Jews should say he did all by entreaty nothing by Power Observe farther That as Christ when he spake to his Father lifted up his Eyes so when he spake to dead Lazarus he lifted up his Voice and cryed aloud This Christ did that the Strength of the Voice might answer the Strength of the Affection Since we vehemently utter what we earnestly desire also that the greatness of the Voice might answer to the greatness of the Work but especially that the Hearers might be Witnesses that this mighty Work was performed not by any magical Inchantments which are commonly mumbled forth with a low Voice but by an authoritative and divine Command In a word might not Christ utter a loud Voice at the raising of Lazarus that it might be a Representation of the shrill and loud Voice of the last Trumpet at the General Resurrection which shall sound into all Graves and raise all Flesh from their Bed of Dust Obs next As the manner of our Lord 's speaking with a loud Voice so the Words spoken by him Lazarus Come forth Mark Christ says not Lazarus revive but as if he suppoposed him already alive he says Lazarus Come forth to let us know that they are alive to him who are dead to us Mark also what a commanding Word this was Come forth not that it was in the power of these loud commanding Words to raise Lazarus but in the quickning power of Christ which attended these words Oh Blessed Saviour It is thy Voice which we shall ere long hear sounding into the Bottom of the Grave and raising us up from our Bed of Dust It is thy Voice that shall pierce the Rocks divide the Mountains and eccho forth throughout the Universe saying Arise
they took counsel together for to put him to death 54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews but went thence unto a countrey near to the wilderness into a city called Ephraim and there continued with his disciples 55 ¶ And the Jews passover was nigh at hand and many went out of the countrey up to Jerusalem before the passover to purifie themselves 56 Then sought they for Jesus and spake among themselves as they stood in the Temple What think ye that he will hot come to the feast 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment that if any man knew where he were he should shew it that they might take him Observe here 1. How baneful and destructive Evil Counsel is especially out of the Mouth of leading Men and how soon embraced and followed Caiaphas no sooner propounds the putting of Christ to Death but from that Day forward they lie in wait to take him The High-Priest had satisfied their Consciences and now they make all possible speed to put their malicious Designs and purposes in Execution Obs 2. The prudential Care and Means which our Lord used for his own Preservation to avoid their fury he withdraws himself privately into a Place called Ephraim and there continues with his Disciples Learn As Christ himself fled so is it lawful for his Servants to flee when their Life is conspired against by their bloody Enemies and the Persecution is Personal Observe 3. When the time was come that he was to expose himself when the time of the Passover drew near in which he being the true Pascal Lamb was to be slain to put an end to that Type he withdraws no more but surrenders himself to the Rage and Fury of his Enemies and dyes a shameful Death for shameful Sinners as the next Chapter more at large informs us CHAP. XII THen Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany where Lazarus was which had been dead whom he raised from the dead The latter end of the foregoing Chapter acquainted us with the prudential Care of Christ in withdrawing from the Fury of his Enemies in and about Jerusalem who were consulting his Destruction his time not being fully come he gets out of the way of his Persecutors But now the Passover being at hand which was the time that this Lamb of God was to die as a Sacrifice for the Sin of the World Our Lord comes forth first to Bethany and then to Jerusalem not fearing the Teeth of his Enemies but with a fixed Resolution to encounter Death and Danger for the Salvation of his People His Example teacheth us That altho' we are bound by all lawful Means and prudential Methods to preserve our selves from the unjust Violence of our Persecutors yet when God's time for our Sufferings is come and we evidently see that it is his Will that we suffer for his sake we ought to set our Faces very chearfully towards it and resign up our selves to the Wisdom and Will of God Thus did Christ here ch 11.54 we find he withdrew from Suffering his Hour not being then come but now when the Passover was nigh at hand which was the time when he was to suffer he sets his Face towards Jerusalem and withdraws no more 2 There they made him a supper and Martha served but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard very costly and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment 4 Then saith one of his disciples Judas Iscariot Simons son which should betray him 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor 6 This he said not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief and had the bag and bare what was put therein 7 Then said Jesus Let her alone against the day of my burying hath she kept this 8 For the poor always ye have with you but me ye have not always In these Verses an account is given of our Saviour's entertainment at Bethany after he had raised Lazarus A Supper is made for him at which Martha served and Lazarus sate with him but Mary Anoints Christ with precious Ointments Where Note 1. The Action which this Holy Woman performed she pours a Box of precious Ointment upon our Saviour's Head as he sat at Meat according to the custom of the Eastern Countries at their Feasts I do not find that any of the Apostles were at thus much charge and cost to put honour upon our Saviour as this poor Woman was From whence learn 1. That where strong Love prevails in the Heart nothing is adjudg'd too dear for Christ neither will it suffer it self to be out-shined by any Examples The weakest Woman that strongly Loves her Saviour will vye with the greatest Apostle and Piously strive to express the fervour of her Affection towards him Observe 2. How this Action was resented and reflected upon by murmuring Judas who valued this Ointment at Three hundred Pence and grudg'd the bestowing of it upon Christ He accuses this Holy Woman of needless prodigality Lord How doth a Covetous heart think every thing too good for Thee He that sees a Pious Action performed and seeks to lessen or undervalue it shews himself possessed with a Spirit of Envy Judas his invidious Spirit makes him censure an Action which Christ highly approved Hence learn That Men who know not our Hearts may thro' ignorance or prejudice censure and condemn those Actions which God doth commend and will graciously reward Happy was it for this poor Woman that she had a more Righteous Judg to pass Sentence upon her Action than wicked Judas Observe 3. How readily our Holy Lord vindicates this poor Woman she says nothing for her self nor need she having such an Advocate and gives the Reason for her Action She did it for my Burial as Kings and great Persons were wont in those Eastern Countries at their Funerals to be Embalm'd with Odours and sweet Perfumes So saith our Saviour this Woman to declare her Faith in me as her King and Lord doth with this Box of Ointment as it were before-hand Embalm my Body for its Burial True Faith will put honour upon a Crucified as well as Glorified Saviour This Holy Woman accounts Christ worthy of all honour in his Death believing it would be a sweet smelling Sacrifice unto God and the Savour of Life unto his People 9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there and they came not for Jesus sake onely but that they might see Lazarus also whom he had raised from the dead Observe here It was not zeal but curiosity which brought these persons at this time to Christ they had an itching desire to see Lazarus to enquire after the Truth of his Death and possibly after the state of the Dead and the
has the offer of Christ in the Gospel met with from the first Original Tender to this Day Obstinate Infidelity and cursed Hypocrisie draw more Souls to Hell than all the Devils in Hell Observe 2. How the present Infidelity of these unbelieving Jews was long before foretold and Prophesied of by the Prophet Esaias ch 53. 1. Lord who hath believed our report that is our Preaching Where Note That Isaias's Complaint of the small success of his Preaâ—hing was a Prophesie and Prediction of the like success that Christ and his Ministers should have under the Gospel Learn hence That the Gospel in all Ages has met with more that have rejected it by unbelief than have savingly entertained it by Faith Isaias complained before Christ and his Apostles and Ministers in every Age since that few have believed their Reports Observe 3. That tho' the present unbelief of the Obstinate Jews was long foretold by the Prophets of God yet the Prophets Prediction was no cause of their unbelief or that which laid them under an impossibility of believing but the fault lay in their own Obstinate Wills with respect to which by the just judgment of God they were blinded and hardned for their contempt of Christ the promised Messias When Men close their Eyes wilfully and say they will not see it is just with God to close their Eyes judicially and say they shall not see He hath blinded their Eyes and hardned their hearts c. 42 ¶ Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue 43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Observe here 1. That altho' the generality of the Jews were thus hardned under Christ's Ministry and Miracles yet there were some and those of the chief Rank even Rulers that did believe on him That is they were under strong and powerful convictions that he was the true and expected Messias even in times and places where obstinacy and infidelity most prevails the Ministry of the word shall not be altogether without its fruit Christ here had some and those of the Rulers too who believed on him when others under the same word were hardned Nevertheless among the chief Rulers also many believed on him Observe 2. That tho' many of the chief Rulers had a secret Belief or an inward Perswasion that Christ was the promised and expected Messias yet it was not sufficient to make them openly own confess and avow him to be such for fear of Excommunication from the Pharisees They did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue Slavish fear of Men and suffering by them has hindred many from believing on Christ and kept more from an open owning and confessing of him Because of the Pharisees they did not confess him Observe 3. As the fear of Suffering on the one hand so the Love of Reputation on the other kept them from owning and confessing Jesus to be the Christ They loved the praise of Men more than the praise of God That is They valued Honour and Applause from Men more than God's honouring and approving them There is no greater snare to draw persons from their Duty than inordinate Love and Affection to their own Credit and Reputation Oh how often is the Applause and Commendation of Men preferred before the Testimony and Approbation of God! Here was their snare They loved the praise of Men more than the praise of God 44 ¶ Jesus cried and said he that believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me 46 I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness 47 And if any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge the world but to save the world 48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day 49 For I have not spoken of my self but the Father which sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father said unto me so I speak In these Verses we have our blessed Saviour's farewel Sermon to the Jews concerning his Person Office and Doctrine as touching his Person he acquaints them with his Divine Nature his oneness and equality with the Father and accordingly challenges not only the Assent but also the Obedience and Adoration of their Faith Jesus cried saying he that believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me That is He that believeth on me doth not believe on a meer Man but on him that is truly and really God as well as Man and therefore he being true God one in Essence and equal in Power and Glory with the Father their believing in him was believing in God the Father that sent him Observe 2. The Argument which our Saviour uses to prove that Believers in Christ do Believe in the Father He that seeth me seeth him that sent me That is He that seeth me Spiritually and by Faith seeth my Father to be one with me in Essence tho' not in person and he that seeth me in my Miraculous works which I do seeth him also that sent me by whom I do these mighty works Learn hance 1. That we do not see Christ aright by the Eye of our Faith unless we see him and Believe him to be truly and really God one with and equal to the Father he that seeth me seeth in me him that sent me Learn 2. That the Father is not to be seen but in the Son nor can Believers know what the Father is but by seeing what the Son is and what they see the Son to be that the Father is in him For he that seeth me seeth him that sent me Observe 3. The dreadful judgment which Christ denounces against all Unbelievers and such as reject him by rejecting of his Gospel for tho' at Christ's first coming his errand was not to judge the World but to save the World that is to offer the tenders of Salvation to lost Sinners yet at his second coming he would judge them at the last Day when the Word preached to them and rejected by them will give a judicial Testimony against them Learn hence 1. That Christ and his Doctrine are inseparable to receive his Doctrine is to receive him and to reject his Doctrine is to reject him 2. That such rejecters of Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel shall not escape the judgment of Christ at the great Day 3. That at the great Day were there no other witness against the rejecters of Christ and his Gospel but the Word preached yet that alone will be
bread with me hath lift up his heel against me If the chusing spoken of here be understood of Eternal Election a chusing to everlasting Life then it affords a strong Argument to prove Christ to be God Thus he that is the Author of Eternal Election is God but Christ is such I know whom I have chosen Consider Christ as God so we are chosen by him consider him as Mediatour and so we are chosen in him If the chusing here be meant of chusing to the work of the Apostleship then our Saviour tells his Disciples that it need not seem strange to them that he chose one to be an Apostle whom he knew would prove a Traitour for hereby that Scripture Prophesie Ps 41.9 would be fulfilled He that eateth Bread with me hath lift up the heel against me which tho' it was literally spoken of Achitophel's Treachery against David yet was it Prophetically spoken of Judas his Treason against Christ and the Expression of lifting up the heel is Metaphorical taken from a fed Beast that Kicks against his Master Learn hence That Christ did and his followers do daily suffer not only from open Enemies but from bosom and familiar Friends Lord How many are there in the World who by profession lift up their Hand unto thee who yet by Treason and Rebellion lift up their Heel against thee 19 Now I tell you before it come that when it is come to pass ye may believe that I am he Here another Argument occurs to prove the Divinity of our Blessed Saviour from his fore knowledge of Judas his Treason the person who the Time when and the Place where were all known to Christ I tell you before it come to pass The Argument lies thus He that foresaw the future Actions of Men and infallibly foreknew the future Events and Issues of things is certainly God But Christ did this therefore he is really God And he tells us here that for this very Reason he foretold now the Treason of Judas Now I tell you before that when it is come to pass ye may believe that I am He. What He doth he mean What He could foretel so many things to come which did not depend upon necessary but contingent causes onely This He was not a meer Man surely for he knows not what shall be on the morrow but must be real God because he knew all things not by Revelation as the Prophets knew things to come but by immediate inspection and simple intuition so that we may say with Peter Lord Thou knowest all things and because thou knowest all things thou art God 20 Verily verily I say unto you He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Lest his Apostles should think that for the Treachery of one of them they shoul all become odious and abominable to the whole World our Saviour encourages them with this promise and assurance that there should be those that would receive them and he would take it as kindly as if they received himself He that receiveth you receiveth me Learn hence That it is a sweet encouragement to the Ministers of Christ unto the faithful discharge of their Duty that Christ and the Father account that the respect paid to the Ministers of the Gospel is paid to themselves and on the contrary that all the contempt cast upon them reflects upon themselves He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me 21 When Jesus had thus said he was troubled in spirit and testified and said Verily verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me 22 Then the disciples looked one on another doubting of whom he spake Oh what an astonishing word was this one shall betray me one of my Disciples shall betray me yea one of you my Disciples and Apostles shall do it well might they look one upon another with sorrow and amazement to hear that their Master should die that he should die by Treason and that the Traitours should be one of themselves yet do not they censure one another but suspect themselves saying Master is it I not Master is it Judas Learn hence 1. That it is possible for secret wickedness to lurk yea for the greatest villany to lodge in the hearts of Professors in whose Conversation appeareth nothing that may give a just suspicion to others Learn 2. That it is both the duty and property of the Disciples of Christ to have so much Candour and Brotherly Love as not rashly to censure and judge one another but to hope the best of others and to fear the worst of themselves 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved 24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake 25 He then lying on Jesus breast saith unto him Lord who is it 26 Jesus answered He it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it And when he had dipped the sop he gave it to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon 27 And after the sop Satan entred into him Then said Jesus unto him That thou doest do quickly 28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him 29 For some of them thought because Judas had the bag that Jesus had said unto him Buy those things that we have need of against the feast or that he should give something to the poor 30 He then having received the sop went immediately out and it was night Observe here 1. The Character given of St. John the beloved Disciple he leaned on Christ's Bosom that is he had most intimate converse with Christ one whom Christ treated with greater freedom and familiarity than the rest and one that knew more of his Heart than most of his Disciples We commonly call a very near Friend a Bosom Friend Learn That altho' Christ had an endeared love for all his Disciples and followers yet there were degrees in Christ's own love and he had a familiarity with some Disciples beyond others whilest he was here upon Earth even as now in Heaven tho' his Heart be towards all his Children here on Earth yet he is pleased to let out more kind Manifestations of himself and more sensible Evidences of his love towards some than towards others John was the Disciple that lay in Jesus his Bosom Observe 2. The way which our Saviour took to discover Judas to the rest of his Disciples not by naming of him but by giving him a Sop partly because he would not give Judas any provocation by mentioning of his Name and partly because this sign of eating the Sop was most agreeable to the Prophetical Prediction Ps 41.9 Mine own familiar friend who did eat of my Bread hath lift up the heel against me Observe 3. The time when Judas received the Sop and the consequent that followed upon his receiving of it it was at
that time when he had with an unbelieving Heart and an unthankful Spirit been eating the Passover which was a Type of Christ Now Satan enters into him that is takes fuller possession of him and he gives up himself more freely and fully to the Devil's conduct and suggestions Satan gets possession of wicked Men gradually and by degrees not all at once the only way to be safe is to resist the beginnings of Sin for when Satan once gets footing it is hard to prevent a more full possession Observe 4. The place where Judas now was Namely at Bethany some Miles from Jerusalem and it was now Night yet so intent he was upon the Devil's work that away he trudges to Jerusalem and at that time of the Night repairs to the high Priests and sells his Saviour into their hands Oh what a warmth and zeal was here in the Devil's cause Men given over by God possest by Satan are so restless and unwearied in Sin that neither by day nor by Night can they cease from the contrivance and execution of it 31 ¶ Therefore when he was gone out Jesus said Now is the son of man glorified and God is glorified in him 32 If God be glorified in him God shall also glorifie him in himself and shall straightway glorifie him Observe here 1. Our blessed Lord calls his Death his glory Now is the Son of Man glorified That is now is the time at hand when I am to die and shall by my Death finish the work of Man's Redemption and thereby eminently glorifie God God the Father was eminently glorified in the Obedience and Sufferings of his dear and only Son It is true that the Sufferings of Christ were Ignominious in themselves yet were they the way to his own Glory and his Father 's also for by them he redeemed a lost World trampled upon Satan triumphed over Sin And the Father was exceedingly glorified by the Son 's giving Obedience to his Will and so chearfully Suffering Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him 33 Little children yet a little while I am with you Ye shall seek me and as I said unto the Jews Whither I go ye cannot come so now I say unto you Observe here An indearing compellation a sweet Title given by Christ to his Disciples Little Children intimating that tender Affection which he bare unto them tho' now upon the point of departing from them Learn thence That whatever Christ's dealings are or may be with his People in respect of his removing and withdrawing from them yet he still retains the relation of a Father to them and will in his absence from them exercise such a care over them as Parents have of their young and tender Children so much doth the Title of Little Children imply and import Observe farther The plain intimation which our Saviour gives to his Disciples of his death being very nigh for it was the very next day he tells them he was going to Heaven and whither he went they could not come that is not presently they should follow him their forerunner afterwards but at present he had a great deal of work for them to do tho' his own work was done and till they had finished their work Whither He went they could not come Learn hence That tho' it be Rest which the Saints may lawfully desire an everlasting rest with Christ in glory yet must they not refuse to labour whilest their Lord will have it so Till their work be done whither Christ is gone they cannot come Ye shall seek me but whither I go at present ye cannot come 34 A new commandment I give unto you That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another Our Saviour having mentioned his departure from his Disciples in the former Verse I go away and whither I go ye cannot come In this and the following Verses he gives them a strict charge that in his absence they should love one another This he calls a new Commandment not that it was new in regard of Institution but of Restitution not new in regard of the Substance of it for it was a Branch of the Law of Nature and a known precept of the Jewish Religion But he calls it a new Commandment 1. Because purged from the old corrupt glosses of the Pharisees who had limited this duty of Love and confined it to their own Country-men whereas Christ enlarges the object and obliges his Disciples to love all mankind even their very Enemies 2. Because this Duty of Love was so greatly advanced and heightned by our Saviour as to the measures and degrees of it even to the laying down of our Lives one for another 3. It is called a new Commandment because urged from a new Motive and enforced by a new Example As I have loved you that ye also love one another never was this Duty so effectually taught so mightily encouraged so much urged and insisted upon by any Teacher as our Saviour and never was there such an Example given of it as his own 4. 'T is a new Commandment because with the rest it was never to wax old but to be always fresh in the memory and practice of Christ's Disciples to the end of the World 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another To recommend the foregoing Duty of loving one another with the greater advantage our Saviour tells us here that it will be the best Evidence of our Relation to him as sincere Disciples By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples Where Observe 1. Our Saviour doth not say by this Men shall conjecture and guess that you belong to me as being my Disciples but they shall certainly know it 2. He doth not say by this shall you know your selves to be my Disciples and one another to be so but by this shall all others know it as well as your selves 3. He doth not say by this shall all Men know that you look like my Disciples but that you are indeed what you pretend to be Namely By your loving one another 4. Christ doth not say by this shall the World know that you are my Disciples Namely By your assembling often together in my House of Prayer by your frequent fastings by your reading the Scriptures Daily by your hearing Sermons Weekly by your Receiving Sacraments Monthly all these put together will be no sufficient evidence of your Disciple-ship if you keep up a secret grudg in your Hearts one against another But by this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Learn hence That one of the best Proofs and Evidences we can have of our relation to Christ as his sincere Disciples is an hearty love and good will one towards another 36 ¶ Simon Peter said unto him Lord whither goest thou Jesus answered him Whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt
divers others of the Apostles notwithstanding all that Christ had said to the contrary did still dream of a Temporal Kingdom and supposed him to speak of some Earthly Pallace which he was going to and therefore he tells our Saviour he knew not whither he was going But Christ meaning not a Temporal but Heavenly Kingdom tells them that if they intended to follow him and be with him in Heaven He himself was the only way thither I am the way the Truth and the Life That is I am the True and Living way to the Father And no Man cometh to the Father but by me That is no Man can have any access to God by Prayer or any other Act of Religious Worship here on Earth or any access to God in Heaven but by me as Mediatour 7 If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him 8 Philip saith unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us 9 Jesus saith unto him Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip he that hath seen me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then Shew us the Father 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doeth the works 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the very works sake Observe here 1. What a gross conception the Apostles had and St. Philip in particular of the Divine Nature and Being as if God the Father could be seen with mortal Eyes Shew us the Father and it suffices us It is not easie to determine what degrees of Ignorance may consist with saving Grace doubtless as the degrees of Revelation and means of Knowledge are more or less so a person's Ignorance is more or less excusable before God Observe 2. How meekly our Blessed Saviour Reproves their Ignorance Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip and then proceeds to instruct them in and farther acquaint them with the Oneness of himself with his Father and the personal Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in himself Learn hence That the Father being invisible in his Essence to know or see him with mortal bodily eyes is impossible but he was seen in his Son who is the express Image of the Father being one in Essence with him and one in operation also He that hath seen me hath seen the Father 12 Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these shall he do because I go unto my Father Here Christ gives his Disciples a promise of enduing them with Power after his Departure to work Miracles in some respect greater than what he wrought himself not greater in regard of the manner for he wrought by his own Power and they wrought all in his Name But greater in regard of the matter of them particularly their speaking with strange Tongues their giving the Holy Ghost by laying on of Hands their healing Diseases by the very shadow of their Bodies but especially by their wonderful conversion of the Gentiles from Idolatry to serve the living God When St. Peter converted Three Thousand at one Sermon then Christ made good this promise the Disciple at that time appeared to be above his Master Christ all his time was Angling for a few Fishes and catch'd but an Hundred and Twenty Act. 1.15 Whilst Peter comes with his Dragnet and catcheth Three Thousand at one cast the reason might be because Christ was not properly to be the Builder but the Foundation it self He subjoins the Reason of all this Because I go unto my Father that is to send down and pour forth upon you my Apostles the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost which was the great cause of the Apostles Miraculous Operations Hence learn That it pleased the Wisdom of Christ to do greater things by the hand of his weak Servants here in the World than he was pleased to do himself who was God over all Blessed for evermore 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it In these words our Saviour produces another Argument to quiet his Disciples Hearts under their perplexity and trouble for the loss of his Bodily presence he assures them that whatever Comforts they enjoyed by his Presence they shall obtain by their Prayers Observe here 1. The Qualification requisite in Prayer we must Pray in Christ's name that is for the sake of his Merits and Mediation in Obedience to God's command and and with an Eye at his Glory and for things agreeable to his Will and for things which his Wisdom sees good for us Observe 2. The promise made to such Prayers Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do he saith not that will my Father do but that will I do to testifie his Divine Power and oneness with the Father This evidently proves him to be God Observe 3. The Repetition of the promise for the further confirmation of it If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it The promise is doubled for the farther Confirmation of it that so we might be free from all fears and doubts of being heard when we put up our Prayers to God in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ for things agreeable to his Will Learn hence That altho' the Children of God have sometimes many Jealousies and Fears arising in their Minds concerning the Answer of their Prayers yet they are altogether groundless for it is most certain their desires shall be granted them so far as the Wisdom of God sees sit and convenient for them and for that reason our Saviour redoubles the Promise If ye ask any thing in my name I will do it 15 ¶ If ye love me keep my commandments In these words our Saviour implicitly reproves his Disciples for their fond way of expressing their Love to him by doating upon his Bodily presence and sorrowing immoderately for his absence and he expresly warns them to evidence their Love to him by their Obedience to his commands If ye love me keep my commandments Where Observe Christ requires an Obedient Love and loving Obedience Love without Obedience is but dissimulation Obedience without Love is but drudgery and slavery Such a Love as produces Obedience it must be a Dutiful Love a Love of Reverence and Honour to him as a Commander And an operative and working Love a labour of Love as the Apostle calls it not waiters but workers are the best Servants in Christ's esteem And such an Obedience as is the product of Love it will be a willing easie and
chearful Obedience a pleasing and an acceptable Obedience A constant and Abiding Obedience All other motives without Love are servile and base and beget in us the drudgery of a Slave but not the Duty of a Son he that fears God only is afraid of smarting but he that Loves God is afraid of offending Learn hence That the best and surest evidence we can have of our Love to the Lord Jesus Christ is an humble chearful universal and persevering Obedience to his commands keep my Commandments that is endeavour it without reserve for tho' we cannot keep the Commandments to a just satisfaction yet we may perform them to a gracious acceptation And the Word My My Commandments is a sweetning and alleviating Word Moses's Law an unsupportable Load but Christ's Law an easie Burthen The Law from Sinai dreadful the Law from Sion Gracious it pardons weakness and accepts sincerity 16 And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 17 Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Christ comforteth his Disciples here with a promise of the Mission of the Holy Spirit to supply the want of his Bodily presence Where Observe The procurer of this Blessing 1. And that is Christ by his prevailing Prayer and powerful Intercession I will pray it runs in the future Tense and so 't is a promise of Christ's continual Intercession As long as Christ is in Heaven a Christian shall not want a supply of Comfort and Consolation here on Earth Observe 2. The Author and Donour of the blessing and that is God himself I will pray the Father and he shall give The Father that is my Father your Father and he that is the Father of Comfort and all Consolation I will pray and he will give 'T is an expression of great assurance Observe 3. The blessing it self the Holy Ghost called here Another Comforter Where note 1. The Divinity of the Holy Ghost he that will supply the Comforts of Christ's presence must be as Christ is the God of all Comfort Note 2. The person of the Holy Ghost he is a Divine person not a Divine quality or operation then we might call him a Comfort but not a Comforter Note 3. The Office and Imployment of the Holy Ghost He is a Comforter that is an Advocate and Intercessour to sue for us an Encourager and one that Administers Consolation to us and as he is an Holy Spirit so are his Comforts Holy Comforts Observe 4. The stability of this Blessing That he may abide with you for ever The best of our outward Comforts are sudden flashes not lasting flames but the Consolations of the Holy Spirit are strong Consolations they are abounding Consolations and everlasting Consolations especially the Holy Spirit will be the Comforter of good Men in the day of Affliction in the day of Temptation and at the hour of Death when all other comforts flag and fail Observe lastly The additional Title given to the Holy Ghost he is called the Spirit of Truth partly in opposition to Satan who is called a Lying Spirit partly because he teacheth and revealeth the Truth leadeth his People into all Truth and sealeth and confirmeth Truth to the Souls of Believers he is the Spirit of Truth both in his Essence and in his Operations Learn hence That as the Holy Spirit is True in his Essence and Nature so is he True in his Office as a Comforter to good Men. All his Consolations being real and solid and free from imposture and delusion 18 I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you Here Observe 1. The Condition which the Disciples were in upon the account of Christ's removal from them and that was sad and Comfortless Fatherless or Orphans as the word signifies Hence learn That Christ's Departure or the loss of his gracious Presence is very sad and Comfortless to a Pious Soul well might the Disciples here lament and mourn upon the occasion of Christ's leaving of them seeing thereby they should be deprived of his Doctrine and Instructions of his Advice and Counsel and of the Benefit of his Holy and Instructive Example Observe 2. The care of Christ for his Disciples in reference to this their sad and disconsolate Condition He would not leave them Comfortless Where Note He doth not say I will not suffer you to be comfortless but I will not leave you so that is he will not desert or disown them in their comfortless Condition he will not leave them either in point of Affection or in point of Activity he will not cease to Love them nor cease to bestir himself for them Learn hence That Christ will not leave his Friends in a sad and Comfortless state and Condition tho' for a time they may be brought into it I will not leave you Comfortless I will come unto you Christ's coming here unto them is to be understood of his coming to them by his Holy Spirit in the Gifts of it in the Graces of it and in the Comforts of it thus he did not long leave them Comfortless but at the Feast of Pentecost came again to them 19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me because I live ye shall live also 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Here our Saviour foretels his approaching Death that within a little time the Men of the World should see him no more for tho' he arose again the World saw him no more after his Death for we Read of no Appearances of him after his Resurrection to any but to his Disciples only indeed the hour is coming when the World shall see him again Namely At the Day of Judgment when every Eye shall behold him with Terror and Amazement Observe farther The Consolation given to his Disciples Ye shall see me and because I live ye shall live also Because I am raised from the Grave I will quicken your Dead Bodies in the Grave and ye shall live also and as I live by my Ascension into Heaven so shall you my Disciples live a Life of Grace here and a Life of Glory with my self hereafter Learn hence That a Believer's Spiritual Life is derived from Christ who by his Spirit Communicates a quickening vertue to all his Members because he lives they shall live also Observe lastly A farther priviledge ensured to Believers after Christ's Ascension and the Spirits Mission they should more perfectly understand the Essential union betwixt Christ and the Father and the Mystical Union betwixt Christ and his Members At that Day ye shall know that I am in my Father c. The knowledge which the Saints now have of the Mysterious and Mystical Union is but dark and imperfect but in Heaven they shall
by Christ to his Church he being constituted by God the Father to be the great Prophet and Instructer of it All things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you 16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name he may give it you Here our Saviour gives another Instance and Evidence of his Love to his Disciples He tells them that his mercy and free goodness had prevented them in their election to Eternal Salvation and in their vocation unto the Office of Apostleship Ye have not chosen me to be your Master and Lord but I have chosen you to be my Disciples Friends and Servants 2. He acquaints them with the end design and intention of his in chusing of them Namely That they bring forth fruit and persevere therein even in all the Fruits of Holiness and Obedience which are to the Praise and Glory of God by Jesus Christ I have ordained you that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should Remain 3. He directs them that in order to their being fruitful they should have access to the Father through him for whatever they wanted and stood in need of Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Learn hence That all those whom God hath chosen and called to the knowledge and Service of Jesus Christ do and will make it their chief care and endeavours to bring forth Fruit and to persevere therein to their Lives end I have chosen you that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain 17 These things I command you that ye love one another 18 If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you 19 If ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 20 Remember the word that I said unto you The servant is not greater then the lord If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my names sake because they know not him that sent me Observe here 1. With what frequency and importunity our Lord inculcates and presses the Duty of mutual Love upon his Disciples I command you to love one another It denotes the great importance of the Duty and the great aversness and backwardness of our Hearts to the performance of it And if we consider the Disciples as Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel it intimates to us the necessity of mutual Love amongst the dispensers of the Gospel as conducing exceedingly to the welfare and benefit of the Church of God over which he hath set them Observe 2. The Argument which our Saviour makes use of to press his Disciples in general and his Ministers and Ambassadours in particular to love each other and that is because the World would certainly hate them Learn hence That the World's hatred of the Members and Ministers of Christ is and ought to be esteemed by them a strong Argument to excite and persuade them to Love one another for this is subjoined as an Argument to press mutual Love that we are sure to meet with the World's hatred Observe 3. The several Arguments by way of encouragement which Christ propounds to Comfort his Members and Ministers against the World's hatred 1. Argument is taken from his own Lot and usage when here in the World he met with the very same before them The World hated me before it hated you Learn hence That Hatred and Persecution from the World need not seem hard to the Saints if they consider what a shock Christ before them had upon him he is the prime Object of the World's Hatred and they who hate his Members much do hate him more because of their likeness to him and resemblance of him A second Argument of Comfort under the World's Hatred is this That it will evidence they are not of the World but chosen out of the World v. 19. Because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hates you Hence learn 1. That the Children of God though in the World yet they are not of the World they have not the Spirit of the World in them nor is the Conversation of the World led by them 2. That the difference betwixt them that are of the World and those that are chosen out of the World is of God's making I have chosen you out of the World 3. That such Christians as are separated from the World in Judgment Affection and Practice must for that reason expect to be Hated and Persecuted by the World Because ye are not of the World therefore the World hates you The Third Argument for Consolation and Support under the World's hatred is taken from our Relation to Christ as Servants to a Master v. 20. Remember the Servant is not greater than his Lord. As if Christ had said is it equal That you should expect better Treatment than my self either as to your Persons or Ministry or that you should expect that the World should better Receive your Doctrine than it did mine before you Learn hence That neither the Members nor Ministers of Christ can nor ought to expect better Entertainment in and from the World than he their Master found before them The Servant is not above his Master nor greater than his Lord. A Fourth Argument to support them under the Burthen of the World's Hatred is taken from the goodness of the Cause for which they were to Suffer Namely For Christ's Name sake v. 21. All these things will they do unto you for my name sake Hence learn 1. That it is the Duty of all but especially the Ministers of Christ to own the Name of Christ to stand up in defence of his Name and Truth his Glory and Honour what opposition soever they meet with for the same Learn 2. That the great quarrel of the World against the Disciples of Christ is for the Name of Christ whatever may be pretended this is the ground of the quarrel 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloke for their sin These Words are not to be understood Absolutely but Comparatively as if Christ had said had not I come amongst them in my Incarnation and Preached personally to them the Doctrine of Salvation and confirmed that Doctrine by miraculous operations they might have pleaded Ignorance in some measure and they had not had sin that is they had not had the Sin of Unbelief and Gospel-Contempt to Answer for or had not had so great a measure of any kind of Sin to Answer for as now
she wept she stouped down and looked into the sepulchre 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had layen Here we have a Description of the great Love of Mary Magdalene which she expressed towards Christ after his Resurrection she went to his Sepulchre early when it was yet dark she hastily calls the Disciples Peter and John to the Sepulchre And she stays behind weeping at the Sepulchre when they were gone away to their own home And as Mary first sought him and longest sought him so she first finds him Here Note 1. Mary's carriage and behaviour towards her Saviour this is discovered by her patient attendance She stood without at the Sepulchre by her passionate mourning she stood at the Sepulchre weeping by her unwearied diligence she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre here was great Love indeed in this poor Woman a Love stronger than Death a Love which did out-strip and go beyond the greatest Apostles Learn thence 1. That true Love to Christ suffers not it self to be stinted or limited no not by the greatest Examples the weakest Woman that truly Loves Christ may piously strive with the greatest Apostle in this point though he be Learneder Wiser more Useful and more Eminent than any of us yet it is Holy and Wise not to suffer our selves to be exceeded by any in our Love to Christ every Christian may strive to exceed any one in Grace and to attain the highest place in the Kingdom of Heaven Learn 2. That strong Love is valiant and undaunted it will grapple and encounter with the strongest opposition Mary fears nothing in seeking of her Lord neither the darkness of the Night nor the terror of the Soldiers nor the malice of the Jews Love is strong as Death and the Flames thereof are vehement Note farther The success of Mary Magdalen's Love to Christ and unwearied Attendance on his Sepulchre she found not the Dead Body of Christ and it was well she did not for if Death could have held him it would not have let us go But though she found not her Lord in the Grave she found two of his Servants there two Angels of all things in the World one would least have expected to find an Angel in a Grave Spirits in the place of Dead Bodies and Immortality in the place of Corruption But from hence we Learn That such as sincerely seek the Lord shall certainly find if not the very thing which they seek yet that which is much fitter and better for them Mary did not find Christ's Dead Body but she finds that which was more comfortable for her to find Namely Two Angels to testifie that he was Risen Where Note The posture of these Angels described the one sitting at the Head the other at the Feet It is matter of Comfort to the Members of Christ that Angels do not wait upon the Head only but upon the Feet also And it ought to be matter of imitation also Let us imitate our blessed Saviour in having an Angel not at our Head only but at our Feet also many have an Ambition to have an Angel at their Head a great measure of Light and Knowledge there but they care not for an Angel at their Feet they delight not to walk answerably to their Light and Knowledge they have an Angelical Understanding and a Diabolical Conversation it is sad for a Man to have all his Religion in his Brain and Tongue and nothing in his Heart and Life 13 And they say unto her Woman why weepest thou She saith unto them because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him 14 And when she had thus said she turned her self back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus 15 Jesus saith unto her Woman Why weepest thou Whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the gardner saith unto him Sir if thou have born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away Observe here 1. That the best company in the World will not satisfie or content such as are seeking for Jesus Christ when they find not him whom their Souls seek Mary now enjoyed the Presence and Company of two Angels but this did not satisfie her in the Absence of Christ himself Observe 2. How Passionately did Mary mourn for the Loss and want of Christ's Bodily Presence thereby giving Testimony of her great Affection towards him but truly our Love to Christ is best shewn not by our Passionate desires for his Bodily Presence but by our Holy longings after his Spiritual Presence in his Word and Ordinances here on Earth and his blessed and immediate Presence in Heaven Observe 3. How Christ may be present with and very near unto his People and yet not be presently discerned by them Jesus stood by Mary but she knew not that it was Jesus her not expecting a living Christ was one cause why she did not discern him Observe 4. How exceedingly Mary's thoughts were taken up with Christ she saith to the Gardiner If thou hast born him hence What Him She doth not say whom but her Heart was so taken up with Christ and her Mind so full of him that she concluded every body would understand whom she meant though she did not say whom she meant Hence Note That the Soul of a sincere Believer is full of earnest and longing desires after Jesus Christ 2. That such a Soul is yet sometimes at a loss for Christ and cannot tell where to find him 3. That whilst the Soul is at a loss for Christ its desires are often quicker and more stirring after Christ This was the case of Mary here with the Spouse by Night on her Bed and early in the Morning she sought him whom her Soul loved 16 Jesus saith unto her Mary She turned her self and saith unto him Raboni which is to say Master 17 Jesus saith unto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God In the former of these Verses Christ makes himself known to Mary and calleth her by her Name In the latter he gives her a Prohibition and an Injunction Observe 1. The Prohibition Touch me not together with the Reason of it for I am not yet ascended to my Father It is concluded by Interpreters that Mary Magdalene was now fallen at Christ's Feet and embraced them that having found him whom her Soul loveth she hugs him now and hangs about him but Christ forbids any farther embracing and rejects such Testimonies of her Love as if he had said Although I will allow you as much familiarity as shall satisfactorily Convince you of the verity of my Resurrection yet you must not expect to converse with me in that carnal manner which you did before my Death for I
Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes an hundred and fifty and three and for all there were so many yet was not the net broken Observe here 1. What was Christ's End in commanding his Disciples to bring forth the Fish which they had now taken namely That the sight of their number and bigness together with the sight of the Net remaining unbroken might confirm them in the belief of its being a real Miracle Christ had fed their Bellies before his business now is to feed their Minds with the Contemplation of the Greatness and Reality of the Miracle All Christ's Miracles were obvious to Sense and would bear the examination of the Senses not like the lying Wonders of the Church of Rome which are commonly wrought in the dark to couzen the Vulgar and are meer Cheats and Impostours Observe 2. That this full Draught of Fishes which Peter and the rest of the Disciples now had might probably presage that great and wonderful Success which he and they afterwards were to have in fishing for Men. Here we have an Hundred fifty and three great Fishes caught at one Draught but Acts 2. we find Three thousand Souls converted by St. Peter at one Sermon Oh the marvellous success of the Gospel at the first preaching and planting of it Three thousand then proselyted by one Sermon Now we have cause to fear that there are Three thousand Sermons preached and scarce one Soul savingly converted Lord Who hath believed our Report 12 Jesus saith unto them Come and dine And none of the disciples durst ask him Who art thou knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then cometh and taketh bread and giveth them and fish likewise 14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples after that he was risen from the dead A twofold Reason may be assigned why Christ did at this time invite and call his Disciples to dine with him The first and more principal Reason was to evidence to them the reality of his Resurrection and to assure them of the Truth of his Manhood that they might not think it was an Apparition only By the Miracle in catching the Fishes he proved himself to be God by his present eating of the fish he evidenced himself to be Man And consequently teacheth us That our exalted High-Priest continues our Kinsman in Heaven He is still Bone of our Bone and Flesh of our Flesh He has taken possession of Heaven in our Nature sitting there in our glorified humanity united to the glorious Deity clothed with that Body which hung in its Blood and Gore upon the Cross but now shining brighter than ten thousand Suns The second and less principal Reason why Christ called his Disciples to dine with him was this To shew his tender Care over the Bodies of his dear Disciples as being the Tabernacles of his own Spirit the Temples of the Holy Ghost Therefore Christ incourages though not to the pampering yet to the refreshing of them Jesus said unto them Come and dine And he would not confer with them till they had dined as the next Verse shews 15 ¶ So when they had dined Jesus saith to Simon Peter Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more then these He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my lambs 16 He saith to him again the second time Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my sheep 17 He saith unto him the third time Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time Lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Jesus saith unto him Feed my sheep Observe here 1. Christ puts Peter upon a threefold profession of his Love unto him answerable to his threefold Denial of him His threefold Denial required a threefold Confession True Repentance ought and will be as eminent in the Fruits and Effects of it as the Saints Fall hath been A threefold Denial of Christ shall be attended with a threefold profession of Love unto him Observe 2. The solemn Question put by our Saviour unto Peter Lovest thou me Lovest thou me more than these That is more than the rest of my Disciples Dost thou love me more than thou lovest them Or more than they love me If so evidence the sincerity of thy Love to me by thy Care of mine Thence Note That Ministers who are called to take Care of Christ's Flock had need of much Love to Jesus Christ and great Compassion for Souls by which they will be animated and fortified to go through with the Labours and Difficulties as well as to encounter the Dangers and Sufferings which do accompany their Calling Simon lovest thou me Feed my Flock Note farther That the surest Argument and best Evidence of a Minister's Love to Jesus Christ is his conscientious Care to Feed that is to Teach Instruct and Govern the whole Flock of Christ Lambs and Sheep weak and strong the feeblest in the Fold were purchased by the great Shepherd And if he judg'd them worth his Blood well may we judge them worth our Sweat Note Again That such as would be faithful in their Ministerial Charge ought to look upon their People as committed to them by Christ himself as loved of him and committed to their care by him and for which they must be accountable to him Christ calls them three times over His Lambs and His Sheep and as often charges Peter to feed them Observe next Peter's threefold Answer to Christ's Question Simon lovest thou me more than these Lord thou knowest that I love Where Note 1. The great Modesty of Peter in his Reply Lovest thou me more than these says Christ Peter replies Lord Thou knowest that I Love thee he doth not say Lord I Love thee above them 〈◊〉 and before them all here is no boasting now once it was said and Peter vaunted tho' all Men forsake thee yet will not I but now his Fall had taught him Humility he boasts not of his Love above others and makes no comparison with others but only ranks himself among the true lovers of Christ Lord I love thee Note 2. The Evidence that Peter gives of his sincere Love to Christ he dare appeal to Christ himself Lord thou knowest that I love thee yea thou that art Omniscient the all-knowing and Heart-searching God Thou that knowest all things knowest that I Love thee Oh! 't is a blessed thing when we can and dare Appeal to God's Knowledge and 't is matter of high consolation to know that God knoweth our sincerity and Love unto him and that he knoweth and approveth us as such Lord Thou knowest all things thou knowest that I Love thee 18 Verily verily I say unto thee When thou wast young thou girdedst thy self and walkedst whither thou wouldest
written in this Book 3. That Persons may know that their Names are written in that Book otherwise they could not rejoyce for no Man can rejoyce in an unknown good 4. That it is greater matter of Joy and Rejoycing to know that our Names are written in Heaven then to have a Power to cast out Devils here on Earth A Man may have Power to cast forth Devils out of others and yet at the same time the Devil may have Power in and over himself Therefore in this rejoyce not that the Devils are subject unto you But rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven If you say With what spectacles shall we read that at such a Distance Who will ascend up into Heaven to see whether his Name be written there Or who can send a Messenger thither to search the Records I Answer Turn thine Eyes inward if the Name of God be written in thy Heart thy Name is certainly written in Heaven if you in your daily Actions write out a Copy of God's Book the Blessed Bible here below assure your selves the hand of God has written your Names in his Book above that is you shall certainly be saved 21 In that Hour Jesus rejoyced in Spirit and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight 22 All things are delivered to me of my father and no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father and who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Here we find our Saviour glorifying his Father and magnifying himself 1. He glorifies his Father for the wise and free Dispensation of his Gospel-Grace to the meanest and most ignorant Persons whilst the Great and Learned Men of the World undervalued and despised it I thank thee Father that thou hast revealed these things to Babes Learn hence 1. That till God reveals himself his Nature and Will no Man can know either what he is or what he requires Thâ—u hast revealed 2. That the wise and knowing Men of the World have in all Ages despised the Mysteries of the Gospel and have therefore been judicially blinded by God Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent When Men shut their Eyes against the clearest Light and say they will not see God closes their Eyes and says they shall not see 3. That the most ignorant if humble and desirous of spiritual Illumination are in the readiest disposition to receive and embrace the Gospel Revelation Thou hast revealed them unto Babes 4. That this is not more pleasing to Christ then it is the pleasure of his Father even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Observe 2. our Saviour magnifies himself 1. His Authority and Commission All things are delivered unto me that is all Power is committed to me as Mediator from God the Father 2. His Office to reveal his Father's Will to a lost World No man knoweth the Father but the Son or the Son but the Father That is no Man knoweth their Essence and Nature their Will and Pleasure their Counsel and Consent their mutual Compact and Agreement betwixt themselves for saving a lost World but only themselves and those to whom they reveal it Learn thence That all saving Knowledge of God is in by and thro' Christ he as the great Prophet of his Church reveals unto us the Mind and Will of God for our Salvation None knoweth but he to whom the Son revealeth 23 And he turned him to his Disciples and said privately Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see 24 For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them From the very first giving out of the Promise of Christ to Adam after the Fall Gen. 3.15 There was in all good Men a longing Desire and Expectation to see that Person who should be so great a Blessing to Mankind Prophets and Kings desired to see the promised Messiah Now says our Saviour to his Disciples Blessed are you for you have seen with the Eyes of your Body what others only saw with the Eyes of their Mind with your Bodily Eye you have seen the Promised Messias coming in the Flesh and also the Miracles to confirm you that I am He have been wrought before your Eyes therefore Blessed are the eyes of your Body which have beheld me corporally and blessed also are the eyes of your Mind which have beheld me Spiritually A sight of Christ by a Believing eye much more by a glorified eye is a blessed Sight Blessed are those eyes which see Christ in his Dispensations of Grace here they shall certainly see him in his manifestations of Glory hereafter 25 And behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master What shall I do to inherit eternal Life 26 He said unto him What is written in the Law How readest thou 27 And he answering said Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy self 28 And he said unto him Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live Here we have a Lawyer that is an Interpreter and Expounder of the Law of Moses tempting our Saviour that is making tryal of him whether he would deliver any Doctrine contrary to the Law of Moses he propounds therefore a question What he should do to inherit eternal Life Where Note 1. He Believed the certainty of a future State 2. he professes his desire of an Eternal Happiness in that State 3. He declares his Readiness to do something in order to the obtaining of that Happiness Hence Learn That all Religion both Nâ—tural and Revealed teaches Men that good Works are necessary to Salvation or that something must be done by them who desire to enter into Life What shall I do to inherit eternal Life It is not talking well and professing well but doing well that entitles us to Heaven and Eternal Salvation and this the very Light of Nature teaches Observe 2. Our Saviour's Answer What is written in the Law how readest thou intimating to us that the Word and Law of God is the Rule and measure of our Duty our Guide to direct us in the way to Eternal Life The Man Replies That the Law of God requires That we love God with all our heart soul and strength and our Neighbour as our selves Where Note 1. That the fervour of all our Affections and particularly the Supremacy of our Love is Required by God as his Right and Due Love must pass thro' and possess all the Powers and Faculties of our Souls The Mind must meditate upon God the Will must choose and embrace