that is on the House-top not go down into the House neither enter therein to take any thing out of his House 16 And let him that is in the Field not turn back again for to take up his Gâ—rmâ—nt 17 But wo to them which are with Child and to them that give Suck in those days 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter The meaning is As soon as ye shall see the Roman Army appear before the City of Jerusalem let every one that values his own Safety fly as far and as fast as he can as Lot fled from the Flames of Sodom and be glad if by flight he can save his Life though he loose Goods and Cloaths and all things beside Whence Learn That when Almighty God is pouring forth his Fury upon a sinful People it is both Lawful and a Necessary Duty by Fliâ—ht to endeavour to shelter and secure our selves from the approaching Calamity and Desolation when ye see Jerusalem câ—â—mpassed with Aâ—mies flee to the Mountains 2. That in Case of fliâ—ht before an Enraged Enemy and Bloody Army if we loose all that we have and our Lives be given us for a Prey we fâ—re well and the Lord deals very Graciously and Mâ—â—cifully with us Next our Saviour declares the doleful Distress of those that could not flee from the Roman Army encompassing Jerusalem as Women great with Child and others gâ—ving suck who by that means are like to loose their Lives and adds farther that it would encrease the Calamity if their flight should happen to be in the Winter or as St. Matthew adds on the Sabbath day Matth. 24.20 Pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-day Flight in the Winter is sad because we can then fly neither fast nor far and on the Sabbath-day it is very sorrowful that being the day of our Spiritual Labour and of our Bodily Rest Learn thence That it is a great Addition to the trouble and disquiet of a good Man's Spirit when the day of his Spiritual Rest is Interrupted and instead of Enjoying Communion with God in his House he is driven from House and Home 19 For in those days shall be Affliction such as was not from the Beginning of the Creation which God Created unto this time neither shall be 20 And except that the Lord had shortned those Days no flesh should be Saved but for the Elects sake whom he hath Chosen he hath shortned those Days The dreadful Calamities which were coming upon the Jews in general and Jerusalem in particular are here fore-told by our blessed Saviour partly from the Roman-Army without and partly from the Seditions and Factions of the Zealots within who committed such outrages and Slaughters that there were no less than an Hundred Thousand Jews slain and Ninety Seven Thousand taken Prisoners They that Bought our Saviour for Thirty Pence were now themselves Sold Thirty for a Penny Now did the Temple it self become a Sacrifice a whole Burnt-Offering and was Consumed to ashes Yet Observe Christ promises that those days of Vengeance should be shortned for the Elects sake God had a Remnant which he designed shou d survive that Destruction to be an Holy Seed and accordingly the Providence of God so ordered it that the City was taken in six Months and the whole Country depopulated in Eighteen From whence Observe How the Lord intermixes some Mercy with the extreamest Misery that doth bâ—fal a People for their Sin on this side Hell No Sinner can say in this Life that they feel the stroaks of Justice to the utmost or that they have Judgment without Mercy 21 And then if any Man shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or lo he is there Believe him not 22 For false Christs and false Prophets shall rise and shall shew Signs and Wonders to Seduce if it were possible the very Elect. 23 But take ye heed behold I have fore-told you all things The Jews had all along cherished in themselves a vain expectation that the Promised Messias should be a Temporal Deliverer and set them at Liberty from the Power and Slavery of the Romans and accordingly our Saviour declares to his Disciples here that immediately before Jerusalem's Destruction several Persons taking the Advantage of this Expectation would make themselves Heads of Parties and pretend that they were the true Messiah who should save and deliver them from their Enemies if they would follow them hereupon our Saviour cautions his Disciples against such false Christ's and false Prophets and bids them not believe them though they did never so many great Signs and Wonders and promised them never such glorious Deliverances From hence Note 1. That the Churches great Danger is from Seducers that come in Christ's Name and pretend to Work Signs and Wonders by his Authority Note 2. That such is the power of Seduction and Delusion That many in all Ages of the Church have been carried away with Seducers and False Teachers 3. That the Elect themselves if lest to themselves might be Seduced but being guarded by Divine Power against Seduction and Delusision they shall be preserved from that fatal Mischief They shall seduce if p ssible even the Elect. 24 But in those days after that Tribulation the Sun shâ—ll be darkned and the Moon shall not give her Light 25 And the Stars of Heaven shall fall and the Powers that are in Heaven shall be shaken 26 And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds with great Power and Glory 27 And then shall he send his Angels and shall gather together his Elect from the Four Winds from the utmost part of the Earth to the uttermost part of Heaven Our Saviour goes on in Figurative Expressions to set forth the Calamities that should befal the Jewish Nation immediately after Jerusalem's Destruction The Sun shall be Darkened that is all their Glory and Excellency shall be Eclipsed all their Wealth and Prosperity shall be laid waste their whole Government Civil and Ecclesiastical destroyed and such Marks of Misery found upon them as never were seen upon a People Those that apply this to the general Judgment understand the words Literally that Sun and Moon will then have their Influences suspended that the Holy Angels will be sent forth to gather the Elect from all quarters of the World with the sound of a Trumpet says St. Matthew Probably as there was an audible sound of a Trumpet at the giving of the Law so there shall be the like found of a Trumpet when Christ shall Summon the World to Judgment for Transgressing of that Law A joyful Sound will this be to the Friends of Christ a doleful dreadful Sound in the Ears of his Enemies 28 Now Learn a Parable of the Fig-tree when her Branch is yet tender and putteth forth Leaves ye know that Summer is near 29 So ye in like manner when ye shall see these things come to pass know that it is nigh
2. The Name is given or at least declared at the time of the Child's Circumcising and that by its Parents His Mother said he shall be called John But how did his Mother know That when her Husband was dumb Answ 'T is like her Husband Zachary had by Writing informed his Wife concerning the whole Vision and what Name was imposed upon him by the Angel therefore she says he shall be called John and Zachary ratifies it his name is John The Nomination was originally from the Angel the Imposition of the Name is now at Circumcision from the Parents Obs 3. How Ancient a Custom it has been to give Names to Children according to the Names of their Fathers or Kindred There is none of thy Kindred of this name say they The Jews made it a part of Religion to give suitable Names to their Children and significant Names Accordingly they either gave them Names to put them in remembrance of God's Mercy to them or of their Duty to him Thus Zachary signifies the Remembrance of God which name points at God's Mercy in remembring him and his Duty in remembring God Well then is it usual and useful for Parents to give significant Names to their Children then let Children have a Holy Ambition to make good the Signification of their Names Thus John signifies the Grace of God but how will that Gracious Name rise up in Judgment against that Child that is Graceless Obs 4. How Zachary's Speech is immediately restored to him upon the naming of his Child The Angel v. 20. told him he should be dumb till the things he told him should be performed and now that they were performed his Tongue is loosed and he praises God in a most Thankful manner Obs 5. The effect which all this had upon the Neighbourhood fear came upon all that dwelt round about them that is an awful and Religious fear of God occasioned by these miraculous operations and they laid up these sayings in their hearts that is considered of them and pondered upon them It argues a very vain Spirit and temper of Mind when we pass over the Observation of God's wonderful Acts with a slight Regard The true Reason why we do so little admire the wonderful Works of God is because we consider so little of them Obs 6. The special favour vouchsafed by God to this Child John The hand of the Lord was with him that is God was in a special manner present with him to direct and assist him to protect and prosper him The hand of God in Scripture signifies the help of God the strength and assistance of God The hand of Man is a weak and impotent hand a short and ineffectual hand but the hand of God is a strong hand an Almighty hand able to assist and help able to protect and preserve The hand of the Lord was with him that is the heart of God and the help of God the Love and Favour of God to support him and the Power and Providence of God to protect and preserve him Lord let our Hearts be with thee and then thy Heart and thy helping hand will be with us 67 And his Father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophecied saying 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people 69 And hath raised up an horn of Salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began 71 That we should be saved from our Enemies and from the hand of all that hate us 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fore-fathers and to remember his holy Covenant 73 The Oath which he sware to our father Abraham 74 That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear 75 In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life 76 And thou child shalt be called the prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way 77 To give knowledge of Salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins 78 Through the tender mercies of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet in the way of peace Here observe 1. That no sooner was Zachary recovered and restored to his Speech but he sings the Praises of his Redeemer and offers up a Thanksgiving to God The best Return we can make to God for the use of our Tongue for the giving or restoring of our Speech is to publish our Creator's Praise to plead his Cause and vindicate his Honour Obs 2. What it is that Zachary makes the subject matter of his Song What is the particular and special Mercy which he praises and blesses God for It is not for his own particular and private Mercy namely the Recovery of his Speech tho' undoubtedly he was very thankful to God for that Mercy but he Blesses and praises God for Catholick and Universal Mercies bestowed upon his Church and People He doth not say Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath visited me in Mercy that hath once more loosed my Tongue and restored my Speech but Blessed be God that has visited and redeemed his people Whence Learn that it is both the Duty and Disposition of a gracious Soul to abound in Praise and Thankfulness to God more for Catholick and Universal Mercies towards the Church of God then for any particular and private Mercies how great soever towards himself Blessed be God for visiting and redeeming his people Obs 3. In this Evangelical Hymn there is a Prophetical Prediction both concerning Christ and concerning John Concerning Christ he declares that God the Father had sent him of his free mercy and rich Grace yet in performance of his Truth and Faithfulness and according to his promise and Oath which he had made to Abraham and the Fathers of the Old Testament Where Note 1. he blesses God for the Comprehensive blessing of the Messiah Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited his people namely in his Son's Incarnation The Lord Jesus Christ in the Fulness of Time made such a visit to this sinful World as Men and Angels admired at and will admire to all Eternity Note 2. The special fruit and benefit of this gracious and merciful Visitation and that was the Redemption of a lost World he hath visited and redeemed his People This implies that miserable Thraldom and Bondage which we were under to Sin and Satan and expresses the stupendious Love of Christ in buying our Lives with his dearest Blood and both by price and power rescuing us out of the hands of our Spiritual Enemies Note 3. The Character given of This Saviour and Redeemer he is an Horn of Salvation that is a Royal and Glorious a Strong
Person that Suffered three Days ago when his Death doth so well agree with the Predictions of the Prophets who fore-told that the Messias should be cut off but not for himself and be smitten for the iniquities of his People Here we may Observe The great Wisdom and Grace of God who makes sometimes the Diffidence of his People an occasion of farther clearing up the choicest Truths unto them Never did these Disciples hear so Excellent an Exposition of Moses and the Prophets concerning the Messiah as now when their sinful distrust had so far prevailed over them 2. Observe The Doctrines which Christ instructs his Disciples in namely in the Necessity of his Death and Passion and of his Glory and Exaltation Ought not Christ to Suffer and to enter into his Glory Learn 1. That with Respect to God's Decree and with Relation to Mans Guilt the Death of Christ was Necessary and Indispensable 2. That his Resurrection and Exaltation was as Necessary as his Passion 3. That there was a Meritorious Connexion between Christ's Sufferings and his Glory his Exaltation was Merited by his Passion He was to drink of the Brook in the way and then he should lift up his head Observe 4. Christ did not only put Light into these his Apostles Heads but Heat also into their Hearts which burned all the while he Communed with them Did not our Hearts burn within us while he opened to us the Scriptures Oh what an efficacious Power is there in the word of Christ when set home upon the Hearts of Men by the Spirit of Christ 33 And they rose up the same Hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the Eleven gathered together and them that were with them 34 Saying The Lord is Risen indeed and hath Appeared to Simon 35 And they told what things were done in the way and how he was known to them in Breaking of Bread 36 And as they thus spake Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them Peace be unto you 37 But they were Terrified and Affrighted and supposed that they had seen a Vision 38 And he said unto them Why are ye troubled and why do Thoughts arise in your Hearts 39 Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self handle me and see For a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as ye see me have 40 And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his Hands and his Feet 41 And while they yet believed not for joy and wondered he said unto them Have ye here any Meat 42 And they gave him a piece of a Broyled Fish and of an Honey-comb 43 And he took it and did eat before them 44 And he said unto them These are the words which I speak unto you whilst I was yet with you That all things must be Fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and of the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me Observe 1. That these Two Disciples at Emmaus being fully satisfied in the Truth of Christ's Resurrection by his Appearing to them in Breaking of Bread they arose presently and went from Emmaus to Jerusâ—lem It must needs be late at Night being after Supper and Seven Miles Distance Yet considering the Sorrow that the Disciples were under these Two leave all their Private Affairs and hasten to Comfort them with the glad Tidings of our Lord's Resurrection Teaching us That all Secular Affairs all private and particular Business must give place to the Glory of God and the Comfort and Salvation of Souls Observe 2. The great Endeavours which our Saviour used to confirm his Disciples Faith in the Doctrine of the Resurrection He comes and stands in the midst of them and says Peace be unto you Next he shews them h s pierced Hands Side and Feet with the Scars and Marks which he yet retained that they might see it was their Crucified Master After all this He eats before them a piece of broiled Fish and Honey-comb Not that he needed it his Body being now become Immortal but to assure them that it was his own Person and that he had still the same Body Yet so slack and backward were they to Believe that Christ was Risen that all the Predictions of the Scripture all the Assurances they had from our Saviour's Mouth and the several Appearings of Christ unto them were little enough to establish and confirm their Faith in the Resurrection of our Saviour Observe 3. The highest and fullest Evidence which our Saviour offers to Evince and Prove the Certainty of his Resurrection Namely by Appealing to their Senses Handle me and see Christ admits the Testimony of our Senses to assure it be his Real Body And if the Church of Rome will not allow us to believe our Senses we shall loose the best External Evidence we can have to prove the Truth of the Christian Religion Namely the Miracles of Christ For how can I know that those Miracles were True but by the Judgment of my Senses Now as our Senses tell us that Christ's Miracles were True so they assure us that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is False 45 Then opened he their Understandings that they might understand the Scriptures 46 And he said unto them Thus it is Written and thus it behoveth Christ to Suffer and to Rise from the Dead the Third Day 47 And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in his Name among all Natitions beginning at Jerusalem 48 And ye are Witnesses of these things Note here That the opening of the Mind and Heart effectually to Receive the Truths of God is the peculiar Prerogative and Office of Jesus Christ Then opened he their Vnderstandings Namely by the Illuminations of his Holy Spirit One of the greatest Miseries under which Lapsed Nature Labours is Spiritual Blindness Christ has the only Eye-salve which can Heal and Cure it Revel 3.18 And there is no worse Cloud to Obscure the Light of the Spirit than a proud Conceit of our own Knowledge Observe 2. The Special Charge given by our Saviour to his Apostles to Preach Repentance and Remission of Sin to Preach it in Christ's Name to Preach it to all Nations beginning first at Jerusalem Where Note The Astonishing Mercy of Jesus Christ Although Jerusalem was the Place where he lost his Life the City that Barbarously Butcher'd and Inhumanely Murthered him yet there he will have the Doctrine of Repentance Preach'd nay first Preached there the Gospel-Combination must first begin That Repentanâ—e and Remission of Sin be Preached beginning at Jerusalem Lord How unwilling art thou that any should Perish when thou not only prayedst for thy Murtherers and offeredst up thy Blood to God in the Behalf of them that shed it but Requiredst thy Ambassadors to make Jerusalem the first Tender of Remission upon Condition of Repentance That Repentance and Remission of Sin should be Preached among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem 49 And behold I send the Promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye
23 And he saith unto them Ye shall drink indeed of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Observe here Our Blessed Saviour's wonderful Mildness and Gentleness towards his Disciples he doth not with Passion much less with Indignation reprehend them either for their Ambition or Presumption but makes the best of their Answer and encourages their good Intentions He tells them they should have the Honour to share with him in his Sufferings to pledge him in his own Cup and after a Conformity to him in his Sufferings they might expect to be Sharers with him in his Glory Yet observe that when Christ says That to sit at his Right Hand was not his to give He means as he was Man or as he was Mediator for elsewhere as God we find him asserting his Power to dispose of the Kingdom of Heaven John 10.28 I give unto them Eternal Life 24 And when the ten heard it they were moved with indignation against the two brethren 25 But Jesus called them unto him and said Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them 26 But it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister 27 And whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant That Christ might effectually quench those unhappy Sparks of Ambition which were kindled in his Apostles Minds he tells them that Supremacy and Dominion belong to Secular Princes not to Evangelical Pastors who ought to carry themselves with Humility towards one another not that Christ directs to a Parity and Equality amongst all his Ministers and forbids the Preheminency of some over others but the Affectation of Superiority and the Love of Preheminency is that which our Saviour disallows Learn 1. 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 amongst you saith Christ as one that serveth 2. That such Ministers as do love and affect Preheminence and Superiority are most unfit for it and they deserve it best who 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 will be chief says Christ let him be your Servant 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many To encourage his Disciples to this condescending Humility one towards another our Saviour propounds to them his own instructive Example I came not to be ministred unto says Christ but to minister to the Wants and Necessities of others both for Soul and Body Oh what a Sight will it be as if our Lord had said to behold an humble God and a proud Creature an humble Saviour and an haughty Sinner Yea our Lord urges his Example farther that as he laid down his Life for us so should we be ready to lay down our Lives for one another Did Christ lay down his Life for us and shall not we lay down a Lust for him Our Pride our Ambition our Affectation of Dignity and Superiority over others 29 And as they departed from Jericho a great multitude followed him 30 And behold two blind men sitting by the way side when they heard that Jesus passed by cried out saying Have mercy on us O Lord thou Son of David 31 And the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace but they cried the more saying Have mercy on us O Lord thou son of David 32 And Jesus stood still and called them and said What will ye that I shall do unto you 33 They say unto him Lord that our eyes may be opened 34 So Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received sight and they followed him This Chapter concludes with a famous Miracle wrought by Christ upon two blind Men in the Sight of a great Multitude which followed him Where obs 1. The blind Men's Faith in acknowledging Christ to be the true Messias for so much the Title of the Son of David signifies 2. Their Fervency in crying so earnestly to Christ for Mercy and Healing Have mercy upon us thou Son of David A true Sence of Want will make us cry unto Christ for Help earnestly and with undeniable Importunity Obs 3. The great Condescension of Christ towards these poor blind Men He stood still he called them he had Compassion on them he touched their Eyes and healed them A mighty Instance of Christ's Divine Power He that can open blind Eyes with a touch of his Finger is really God His Touch is an Omnipotent Touch. Obs 4. Altho' Christ well knew the Condition of these blind Men yet before he will restore them to sight they must sensibly complain of the want of Sight and cry unto him for Mercy and Healing Learn thence That altho' Christ perfectly knows all our Wants yet he takes no notice of them till we make them known to him by Prayer Obs 5. The best Way and Course which the blind Men took to express their Thankfulness to Christ for recovered Sight they followed him Learn thence That Mercy from Christ is then rightly improved when it engages us to follow Christ This should be the effect of all Salvations wrought for us He praiseth God best that serveth and obeyeth him most the Life of Thankfulness consists in the Thankfulness of the Life CHAP. XXI 1 AND when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem and were come to Bethphage unto the mount of Olives then sent Jesus two disciples 2 Saying unto them Go into the village over against you and straightway ye shall find an ass tied and a colt with her loose them and bring them unto me 3 And if any man say ought unto you ye shall say The Lord hath need of them and straightway he will send them The former part of this Chapter gives us an Account of our Saviour's Solemn and Triumphant Riding into the City of Jerusalem Where Observe That in all our Saviour's Journeys and Travails from Place to Place he constantly went like a poor Man on foot without Noise and without Train now he goes up to Jerusalem to die for Sinners he rides to shew his great Chearfulness in that Service and his Forwardness to lay down his Life for us But what doth he ride upon An Ass according to the manner of great Persons amongst the Jews but especially to fulfill the Prophecy Zach. 9.9 that the
disciples into the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized 23 ¶ And John also was baptizing in Enon near to Salim because there was much water there and they came and were baptized 24 For John was not yet cast into prison Our Blessed Saviour having now finished his excellent Sermon preached to Nicodemus at Jerusalem he departs thence with his Disciples into the Country of Judea to make Proselytes by the Ordinance of Baptism VVhere Note 1. Our Lord 's unwearied Diligence in doing his Father's VVork and VVill. He goes from Place to Place from City to Country preaching with and baptizing by his Disciples for Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples John 4.2 Note 2. That the Enjoyment of Christ's bodily Presence did not take away the use of his own Ordinances None are above Ordinances till they come to Heaven The Ordinance of Baptism is here administred by the Disciples even in the Presence of Christ himself This is called The Baptism of Repentance of which Children as well as others were capable Subjects because Baptism doth not require Childrens Repentance at present but engages them to Repentance for time to come As Children that were circumcised were obliged to observe the whole Law but could not perform it till they came to understand it Note 3. How John did go on with his VVork of Baptizing tho' Christ and his Disciples did eclipse and obscure him though the People now flockt after Christ All Men came unto him v. 26. yet John keeps to his Duty 'T is the Duty of God's Ministers to continue their Diligence and go on with their VVork when God raises up others about them of greater Parts and better Success Oh the admirable Humility of that Minister who can say with John the Baptist Let another increase though I decrease 25 ¶ Then there arose a question between some of Johns disciples and the Jews about purifying 26 And they came unto John and said unto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest witness behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him Observe here What a Spirit of Envy there was in John's Disciples against Christ upon the account of the multitude of his Followers He that was with thee beyond Jordan baptizeth and all Men come unto him Where Note 1. How meanly John's Disciples think and speak of our Saviour compared with John their Master They do not so much as allow him a Name or give him any Title but he that was with thee beyond Jordan the same baptizeth Observe 2. How they intimate as if Christ had received all his Credit and Reputation from their Master John He to whom thou barest witness baptizeth as if they had said This Man whom the People flock after neglecting thee and thy Disciples is much inferior to thee for he came to thee thou didst not go to him thou baptizest him he did not baptize thee thou gavest Testimony to him he did not give Testimony to thee Whence we observe What a bitter Spirit of Envy Emulation there has always been amongst the Ministers of the Gospel even from the very first Plantation of the Gospel Which causes them to look upon the exalted Parts and Gifts of Others as a diminution and debasing of their own but why should the prospering of the Work of God in one Ministers Hand be Matter of repining unto others shall not God honour what Instruments he pleaseth and will he not reward all his faithful Labourers according to their Sincerity not according to their Success 27 John answered and said A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven 28 Ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but that I am sent before him 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled 30 He must increase but I must decrease 31 He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from heaven is above all Observe here How holily and wisely John the Baptist corrects the Envy and Jealousie of his own Disciples and endeavours to root out all Prejudice out of their Minds against Christ in order to which he shews them a fivefold Difference betwixt Christ and himself 1. He tells them Christ was the Master John but his Minister and that he had told them so from the beginning Ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but sent before him The faithful Ministers of Christ think it honour enough to be Servants to him and would not have their Followers attribute the least part of that honour and glory to him which is due to Jesus Christ 2. John acquaints his Disciples that Christ was the Bridegroom of his Church to whom the Christian Church was to be solemnly espoused and married and that he had honour enough in being one of the Bridegroom's Friends and Servants and accordingly instead of envying he rejoyced at the Success which the Bridegroom had and took great pleasure in it Learn 1. That the Relation betwixt Christ and his Church is a Conjugal Relation a Relation of Marriage yet set forth under the Name of Bride and Bridegroom rather than under the Notion of a compleat Marriage because it is but begun here and to be consummate in Heaven and also to shew that Christ's and his People's Affections are as warm and fresh as strong and vehement each towards other as the Affections of espoused or newly-married Persons are to one another Isa 62.5 As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Learn 2. It is honour sufficient to the Ministers of Christ that they as Friends of the Bridegroom are imployed by him to farther the Marriage-Relation betwixt him and his Spouse Their Office is to woe for Christ to commend his Person and to invite all Persons to accept of him for their Head and Husband 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ Learn 3. That there is no greater Joy to the Ministers of Christ than to see themselves honoured by him as his Instruments in preparing a People for Christ and happily uniting them unto him Oh! how little do our People know and less consider how much of the Comfort of their poor Ministers Lives lies at their Mercy We live as we see any of them stand fast in the Lord. We die as we see others stick fast in their Sins This was the second Difference which John acquaints his Disciples was found betwixt Christ and himself The third follows v. 30. He must increase but I must decrease He must increase that is in Honour and Dignity in Esteem and Reputation in Discovery and Manifestation He shall shine forth as the rising Sun
wicked Parents repine because they had Children but because they had lost them Mothers have the sharpest Throws both in their Childrens Births and Burials As Children in their Births are their Mothers Benjamins so in their Burial they are their Mothers Benoni's Sons of Sorrow 19 But when Herod was dead behold an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying 20 Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young child's life Obs 1. Herod's Death like a Bloody Persecutor he is sent unlamented to his Grave Historians say that out of his Body issued forth such impure Streams of Blood that the Loathsomness and Pain made him attempt the killing of himself God seldom suffers Persecutors to pass in quiet to their Graves they rarely die the common Death of all Men having no other Balm at their Funeral than their own Blood Obs 2. The happy Consequent of Herod's Death Christ is now call'd Home without Danger Herod being sent to his Grave the Coast is clear for the Return of the Holy Family The Death of Persecutors is the Delivery of the Persecuted 21 And he arose and took the young child and his mother and came into the land of Israel 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod he was afraid to go thither notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee Observe here 1. The just Fear that Joseph has upon his Mind that Herod's Son would be as Bloody a Tyrant as his Flagitious Father No wonder that the Children of Cruel Persecutors are suspected to tread in their Bloody Parents Steps Obs 2. How God's Warrant and Direction doth quiet Joseph's Mind resolve his Doubts and remove his Fears and makes him readily comply with the Command of God Being warned of God he removes out of Egypt into Galilee Oh how safe and satisfactory is it in all our Ways to follow the Call and Command of God! Joseph and Mary durst not move their Feet no not out of Egypt it self till God gives them a Warrant for their departure and bids them go 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet He shall be called a Nazarene A threefold Interpretation is given of these Words He shall be called a Nazarene Some read the Words 1. He shall be called a Nazarite the Nazarites were a Religious and Separate Rank of Persons among the Jews who abstained from Wine and came not near the Dead for fear of Pollution Christ was a Holy Person but no Nazarite in a strict sence for he drank Wine and touched the Dead 2. Others read the Words He shall be called Netzer a Branch in Allusion to Isa 11.1 where he is called a Branch of the Root of Jesse Christ was that True Branch of which the Prophets had so often spoken 3. Others will have the Word Nazarene referr to the City Nazareth where Christ was conceived and lived most of his time He shall be called a Nazarene because he dwelt at Nazareth hence his Disciples were called the Sect of the Nazarenes that is the Followers of him that dwelt at Nazareth and Christ himself is pleased to own the Title Act. 22.8 I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Learn from hence The great Humility of Mind that was found in our Saviour He was Born at Bethlehem a little City he Lives at Nazareth a poor contemptible Place He aspires not after the Grandeur of the World but is meek and lowly in Spirit may the same humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus CHAP. III. This Evangelist having declared our Saviour's Miraculous Conception in the First Chapter and recorded several remarkable Circumstances relating to his Birth in the Second Chapter in this Chapter before us he passes over in silence the whole Course of our Saviour's Life in private taking no notice how he spent his Minority whilst he dwelt at Nazareth which was till he was Thirty Years old at which time he entred upon his Publick Ministry having John the Baptist for his Harbinger and Forerunner at this Chapter fully informs us 1 IN those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 And saying Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Observe here 1. The Preacher sent by God John the Baptist a Pattern of Mortification and a Preacher of Repentance Obs 2. The Place he is sent to Preach in The Wilderness of Judea not in Populous Jerusalem but in a Barren Wilderness where Inhabitants were sew and probably very ignorant and rude Learn hence That it is God's Prerogative to send forth the Preachers of the Gospel when and whither and to what People he pleases and none must Assume the Office before they be Sent. Obs 3. The Doctrine that he preaches namely the Doctrine of Repentance Repent ye This was to prepare the People for the Messias and the Grace of the Gospel Learn thence That the Preaching of the Doctrine of Repentance is absolutely necessary in order to the preparing of the Hearts of Sinners for the receiving of Christ Jesus Obs 4. The Motive which St. John uses to inforce the Exhortation to Repentance The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is now is the so much expected Time of the Appearing of the Messiah come the Old Testament Dispensation is now to be Abolished and the Mercy and Grace of the Gospel is now to be Revealed therefore Repent and Amend your Lives Note thence That the free and full Tenders of Grace and Mercy in the Gospel are the most alluring Arguments to move a Sinner to Repent and to Convert to God 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias saying The voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight The Papists from John Baptist's living in the Wilderness would make him the first Founder of the Order of the Hermits but very groundlesly For 1. What he did was by God's Command what they do is by the Dictates of their their own Fancy 2. He busied himself in Preaching in the Wilderness they bury themselves alive and do nothing 3. He lived in the Wilderness but for a time afterwards we find him at Court Preaching a Sermon to Herod but they bind themselves with a Vow to live and die Hermits 4 And the same John had his raiment of camels hair and a leathern girdle about his loins and his meat was locusts and wild honey The plainess of John's Habit and Diet is here declared he was habited in a plain Suit of Camels Hair much as Elijah was before him and as his Habit was plain so his Diet was ordinary feeding upon Herbs and such Things as the Wilderness affords hence it was that Nazianzen said he was all
Christianity should teach them better and lead them farther even To love their Enemies and to bless them that curse them Note Love for Love is Justice Love for no Love is Favour and Kindness but Love for Hatred and Enmity is Divine Goodness a Christ-like Temper which will render us Illustrious on Earth and Glorious in Heaven 48 Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect That is Aim at Perfection in all Christian Virtues and Divine Graces but particularly in this of Love in Imitation of your Heavenly Father who is the perfect Pattern of all desirable Goodness and adorable Perfections To be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect is indeed impossible as to Equality but not as to Imitation The Word rendred here Perfect by St. Matthew is elsewhere by St. Luke rendred Merciful Luk. 6.36 Implying That Charity is the Perfection of a Christian's Graces He that is made perfect in Love is perfect in all Divine Graces in the Account of God Learn That no less than perfect and compleat Perfection in Grace and particularly in the Grace of Love and Charity is and ought to be the Aim of every Christian in this Life and shall be his Attainment in the next CHAP. VI. This Chapter is a Continuation of our Saviour's Incomparable Sermon upon the Mount in which he cautions his Disciples against the Hypocrisie and Vain-glory of the Pharisees both in their Almsgiving and Prayers The former in the first Four Verses of this Chapter which speak thus 1 TAKE heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward 3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth 4 That thine alms may be in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly Observe here 1. The Duty directed to Almsgiving after a right manner Do not your Alms before Men some Copies read it Do not your Righteousness before Men Because Alms-giving is a considerable part of that Righteousness and Justice which we owe unto our Neighbour he that is Uncharitable is Unjust Acts of Charity are Acts of Justice and Equity It also intimates to us That the Matter of our Alms should be Goods righteously gotten to give Alms of what is gotten unjustly is Robbery and not Righteousness Observe 2. Our Saviour's cautionary Direction in giving of Alms Take heed that you do them not to be seen of Men. It is one thing to do our Alms that Men may see them and another thing to do them that they may be seen of Men. We ought to do Alms before Men that GOD may be glorified but Not to be seen of Men that our Selves may be applauded Obs 3. The particular Sin which our Saviour warns his Disciples against in giving their Alms namely Ostentation and Vain-glory which the Pharisees were notoriously guilty of Sounding a Trumpet to call People about them when they gave their Alms. Thence Learn That the doing any Good Work especially any Work of Charity and Mercy vain-gloriously not with an Eye at God's Glory will certainly miss of the Reward of Well-doing in another World Obs 4. The Advice given by our Saviour for the Prevention of this Sin and Danger and that is to do our Alms as secretly as we can Let not thy left Hand know what thy right Hand doth That is conceal it from thy nearest Relations and if possible from thy Self Note thence That the Secrecy of our Charity is one good Evidence of its Sincerity Hence the Egyptians made the Emblem of Charity to be a Blind Boy reaching out Honey to a Bee that had lost her Wings 5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward 6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Here our Saviour warns his Disciples against the same Pharisaical Hypocrisie in Praying which he had before reproved in Almsgiving It was Lawful to Pray in the Synagogues and to Pray standing and that before Men but to do this upon design to be Applauded by Men is condemned by Christ Our Business in Prayer lyes with God we are not to concern our selves how Men like our Performances it is sufficient if God doth approve and will accept them To cure the foregoing Vanity Christ directs to Secret Prayer in our Closets where God is the Witness and will be the Rewarder of our Sincerity Note That Secret Prayer is a commanded and encouraged Duty and when in Sincerity performed shall be attended with a publick and glorious Reward Pray to thy Father which is in secret c. 7 But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking 8 Be ye not therefore like unto them for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him A vain-glorious Ostentation in Prayer was condemned by our Saviour in the former Verse here a vain-glorious Multiplication of Words by idle Tautologies and impertinent Repetitions is condemned also After the manner of the Heathen who expect to have their Prayers granted by God for the Multiplicity of Words used by themselves Hence Note That a Christian's Business in Prayer being not to inform God For he knoweth what things we need before we ask him nor yet to move and perswade God for he is Our Father it certainly argues an undue Aprehension of God when we lengthen out our Prayers with vain Repetitions and a multitude of Words 9 After this manner therefore pray ye As if Christ had said for preventing these and all other Faults in Prayer I will my self give you a Compleat Form of Prayer to be used when you Pray with others and an exact Pattern and Platform for your Imitation when you Pray alone by your selves Note That the Lord's Prayer is both a Perfect Form of Prayer which ought to be used by us and also a Pattern and Platform according to which all our Prayers ought to be framed St. Matthew says After this manner Pray ye St. Luke says When ye Pray say 9 Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name 10 Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is heaven 11 Give us this day our daily bread 12 And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors 13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver
blind And if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch Obs here 1. How the Disciples wonder that our Saviour did so little regard the Displeasure of the Pharisees Knowest thou not that the Pharisees were offended Altho' nothing vext the Pharisees more than the Discovery of their False Doctrine before the Multitude yet our Saviour did not stick to detect their Errours and to declare the Truth let the Effects of their Displeasure be what they would Sinful Man-pleasing is fruitless and endless Obs 2. Our Lord's Answer which shews a double Reason why he thus slighted the Offence taken by the Pharisees 1. He compares the Pharisees Doctrine and Tradition to noisom Weeds in the Church planted there not by God but themselves and consequently shall certainly be rooted up In Matters of Religion if Men will act according to the Dictates of their own Fancies and not walk by the Rule of God's Word they may please themselves perhaps but they can never please their Maker Divine Institution is the only sure Rule of Religious Worship 2. Christ compares the Pharisees themselves to blind Guides They are blind Leaders of the Blind Leaders and Followers both blind who will certainly and suddenly fall into the Ditch of Temporal and Eternal Destruction Learn 1. That Ignorant Erroneous and Unfaithful Ministers are the heaviest Judgments that can befal a People 2. That the following of such Teachers and blind Guides will be no Excuse to a People another Day much less free them from the Danger of Eternal Destruction 15 Then answered Peter and said unto him Declare unto us this parable 16 And Jesus said Are ye also yet without understanding 17 Do not ye yet understand that whatsoever entreth in at the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart and they defile the man 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies 20 These are the things which defile a man but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man The Disciples desiring the Interpretation of the foregoing Parable our Saviour gives it them but withal expostulates with them that they did not understand a thing so obvious and plain Are ye yet without Vnderstanding As if he had said Have you sat thus long under my Ministerial Teaching and enjoyed the Benefit of my Company and Conversation And yet are no farther Proficients in Knowledge Whence Learn That our Lord expects a Proficiency in Knowledge from us answerable to the Opportunities and Means of Knowledge enjoyed by us Next he gives them the Sence and Signification of the Parable telling them that it is out of a Sinful Heart that all Sin proceeds The Heart is the Cage of Nest which is full of these unclean Birds and from whence they take their flight Tho' the Occasions of Sin are from without yet the Source and Original of Sin is from within Learn That the Heart of Man is the Sink and Seed-Plot of all Sin and the Fountain of all Pollution the Life could not be so bad if the Heart were not worse All the Irregularity of our Lives flows from the Impurity of our Hearts and Natures 21 And Jesus went thence and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon 22 And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cried unto him saying Have mercy on me O Lord thou Son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil Observe here The constant Employment of our Saviour He went about doing Good from Place to Place in the Borders of Tyre and Sidon he finds a Faithful Woman of the Race of the Canaanites who becomes an humble Supplicant to Christ while the Jews neglected so great Salvation Yea she not only speaks but cries unto him Were we duly affected with our Spiritual Wants we could speak to God in no other Language than that of Cries and Tears nothing but Cries can pierce Heaven Obs 2. Tho' all Israel could not Example the Faith of this Canaanite yet was her Daughter tormented with a Devil Learn That neither Truth nor Strength of Faith can secure us either against Satan's inward Temptations or outward Vexations and consequently the worst of Bodily Afflictions are no sufficient Proof of Divine Displeasure Obs 3. The Daughter did not come to Christ for her self but the Mother for her Perhaps the Child was not so sensible of its own Misery but the good Mother feels both the Child's Sorrow and her own True Goodness teaches us to appropriate the Afflictions of others to our selves it causes us to bear their Griefs and to sympathize with them in their Sorrows 23 But he answered her not a word And his disciples came and besought him saying Send her away for she crieth after us Strange That a miserable Supplicant should cry and sue whilst the God of Mercy is speechless What Is the Fountain of Mercy dried up Oh Saviour We have oft sound Cause to wonder at thy Words but never till now at thy Silence Learn hence That Christ doth sometimes delay to return an Answer to a well-qualified Prayer Sometimes his People do not Pray enough earnestly sometimes they Pray too earnestly for some Outward and Temporal Mercy sometimes the Mercy they Pray for is not good for them or it may be it is not yet good for them Let us not then judge of God's Hearing Prayer by his present Answer 24 But he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel Obs When our Saviour doth Answer he gives not one Word of Comfort but rather a Repulse Christ has oft-times Love in his Heart to his People when they can read none in his Countenance nor gather it from his Discourse Obs The Answer it self Christ says not I am sent to the lost Sheep of the House of Adam but To the lost Sheep of the House of Israel The Jews are compared unto Sheep the Gentiles unto Dogs Christ insinuates that tho' she were a lost Sheep of Adam yet not being one of the lost Sheep of Israel he could do nothing for her 25 Then came she and worshipped him saying Lord help me Yet hath not this poor Woman done Christ's former Silence and his present Denial cannot silence her She Comes she Worships she Cries Lord help me Oh what an undaunted Grace is the Grace of Faith It has a strong Heart and a bold Forehead peremptory Denials cannot dismay it This Woman will not despond though her Prayer of Faith from the Knees of Humility succeed not 26 But he answered and said It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs Obs here The seeming Severity of Christ to this poor Woman he calls her not a Woman but a Dog and as it were spurns her from his Feet with an harsh Repulse Did ever so severe a Word drop
kind and gracious Answer You that have left all to follow me shall be no Losers by me For in the Regeneration that is at the Resurrection when Believers shall be perfectly renewed both in Soul and Body and shall enjoy my Kingdom then as I sit upon the Throne of my Glory so shall you sit with me in an higher Degree of Dignity and Honour Judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel that is the Jews first for their Unbelief and then all other Despisers of Gospel-Grace and Mercy Learn 1. That such Ministers as do most Service for Christ and forsake most to follow him shall in his Kingdom partake of most Honour and Dignity with him and from him 2. That as the Ministers of Christ in general so his Twelve Apostles in particular shall set nearer the Throne of Christ and have an higher place in Glory at the great Day than ordinary Believers 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life The foregoing Promise v. 28. respected the Apostles this all Christians who forsake their dearest Enjoyments for Christ He assures them they shall be recompensed in this Life an Hundred fold How Non formaliter sed eminenter Not in Specie but in Valore not in Kind but in Equivalency Not an Hundred Brethren or Sisters or Lands but first he shall have that in God which all Creatures would be to him if they were multiplied an Hundred times 2dly The Gifts and Graces the Comforts and Consolations of the Holy Spirit shall be an Hundred-fold better Portion than any thing we can part with for the sake of Christ and his Gospel here Learn hence That tho' we may be Losers for Christ yet shall we never be Loosers by him 30 But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first A twofold Sense and Interpretation is given of these Words The First respects the Jews and Gentiles in general the Second all Professors of Christianity in particular The Jews as if Christ had said Look upon themselves as first and nearest to the Kingdom of Heaven but for their Infidelity they shall be last in it That is shall never come there And the Gentiles who are look'd upon as Dogs and farthest from Heaven shall be first there upon their Conversion to me and Faith in me As the Words respect all Professors the Sense is Many that are first in their own Esteem and in the Opinion of others and forward in a Profession of Religion yet at the Day of Judgment they will be last and least in mine and my Father's Estimation and Account And many that were little in their own and less in the Esteem of others who had a less Name and Vogue in the World shall yet be first and highest in my Favour Learn hence That the Day of Judgment will frustrate a great many Persons Expectations both as touching others and concerning themselves Many will miss of Heaven and be last which look'd upon themselves to be first And many will find others in Heaven whom they least expected there The Lord judgeth not as Man judgeth We judge of Men by outward Appearances but we are sure that the Judgment of God is according to Truth He can neither be deceived nor yet deceive CHAP. XX. 1 FOR the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day he sent them into his vineyard 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market-place 4 And said unto them Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right I will give you And they went their way 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour and did likewise 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle and saith unto them Why stand ye here all the day idle 7 They say unto him Because no man hath hired us He saith unto them Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right that shall ye receive A twofold Sence and Interpretation is given of this Parable The one Literal the other Analogical The Historical and Literal Sence relates to the calling of the Gentiles The Jews were the first People that God had in the World they were hired into the Vineyard betimes in the Morning the Gentiles not till the Day was far spent yet shall the Gentiles by the Favour and Bounty of God receive the same Reward of Eternal Life which was promised to the Jews who bare the Heat of the Day while the Gentiles stood idle In the Analogical Sence we may understand all Persons indefinitely called by the Gospel into the visible Church those that are called last shall be rewarded together with the first and accordingly the Design and Scope of this Parable is to shew the Freeness of Divine Grace in the Distribution of those Rewards which the Hand of Mercy conferrs upon God's faithful Servants The Vineyard is the Church of God the Husbandman is God himself the Labourers are particular Persons God's going at divers times into his Vineyard imports the several Ages of Man's Life some are called early in the Morning some at Noon others at Night Now when God comes to dispence his Rewards those that entered first into the Vineyard and did most Service for God shall be plentifully rewarded by him and such as came in later but did faithful Service shall not miss of a merciful Reward Learn 1. That so long as a Person keeps out of Christ's Vineyard and Service he is Idle Every unregenerate Man is an idle Man 2. That Persons are called by the preaching of the Gospel at several Ages and Periods of Life into God's Vineyard that is into the Communion of the visible Church 3. That such as do come in tho' late into God's Vineyard and work diligently and faithfully shall not miss of a Reward of Grace at the Hand of free Mercy 8 So when even was come the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward Call the labourers and give them their hire beginning from the last unto the first 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour they received every man a penny 10 But when the first came they supposed that they should have received more and they likewise received every man a penny 11 And when they had received it they murmured against the good man of the house 12 Saying These last have wrought but one hour and thou hast made them equal unto us which have born the burden and heat of the day 13 But he answered one of them and said Friend I do thee no wrong didst thou not agree with me for a penny 14 Take that thine is and go thy way I will give
slain and Ninety-seven Thousand carried away Captive and made Prisoners They that bought our Saviour for Thirty Pence were now themselves sold Thirty for a Penny Now did the Temple it self become a Sacrifice a whole Burnt-Offering and was consum'd to Ashes Yet Observe Christ promises that these Calamitous Days should be shortned for the Elects sake God had a Remnant which he determined should survive this Destruction to be an holy Seed and accordingly the Providence of God so order'd that the City was taken in Six Months and the whole Country depopulated in Eighteen Whence Observe How the Lord intermixes some Mercy with the extremest Misery that doth befal a People for their Sin On this side Hell no Sinners can say that they feel the Strokes of Justice to the utmost or that they have Judgment without Mercy 23 Then if any man shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there believe it not 24 For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect 25 Behold I have told you before 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not The Jews had all along cherished in themselves a vain Expectation that the promised Messias should be a Temporal Deliverer that should set them at Liberty from the Power and Slavery of the Romans and accordingly Christ declares to his Disciples here that immediately before Jerusalem's Destruction several Persons taking the Advantage of this Expectation would make themselves Heads of Parties and pretend that they were the true Messiah who would save and deliver them from their Enemies if they would repair to them and follow after them Hereupon our Lord cautions his Disciples against such false Christs and false Prophets and bids them believe them not tho' they did never so many great Signs and Wonders and promised them never such Glorious Deliverances Learn hence That the Church's great Danger is from Seducers that come in Christ's Name and pretending to work Signs and Wonders by his Authority 2. That such is the Power of Seduction and Delusion that many are carried away with Seducers and false Teachers 3. That the Elect themselves if left unto themselves might be seduced but Divine Power guards them against Seduction and Delusion They shall deceive if it were possible the very Elect. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the Son of man be There is a threefold coming of Christ spoken of in the New Testament 1. His coming in his Spiritual Kingdom by the preaching of the Gospel among the Gentiles 2. His coming to destroy Jerusalem Forty Years after his Ascension 3. His final Coming to Judgment at the great Day All these Comings of the Son of Man for their Suddenness and Unexpectedness are compared unto Lightning which in a moment breaketh out of the East and shineth unto the West Learn hence That the Coming and Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to the judging of wicked and impenitent Sinners it will be a very certain sudden and unexpected Appearance 28 For wheresoever the carcass is there will the eagles be gathered together If the coming of Christ be understood in the former Verse of his coming to destroy Jerusalem then by the Carcass in this Verse are to be understood the People of Jerusalem and the Body of the Jewish Nation And by the Eagles are to be understood the Roman Armies who carried an Eagle in their Standard These were the Instruments which Almighty God made use of as his Rod and Scourge to chastise and punish the People of Jerusalem Learn thence That the appointed Messengers of God's Wrath and the Instruments of his Vengeance will suddenly gather together certainly find out and severely punish and plague an impenitent People devoted to Destruction Where the Carcass is the Body of the Jewish Nation there will the Eagles the Roman Soldiers be gathered together 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken 30 And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven Our Saviour goes on in figurative Expressions to set forth the Calamities that should befal the Jewish Nation immediately after the Destruction of Jerusalem The Sun shall be darkened that is all their Glory and Excellency shall be eclipsed all their Wealth and Prosperity shall be laid waste their whole Government Civil and Ecclesiastical destroy'd and such Marks of Misery found upon them as never were seen upon a People By the Sign of the Son of Man the Papists will have understood the Sign of the Cross Others understand it of those Prodigies which were seen a little before the Destruction of Jerusalem which Josephus mentions as namely A Comet in the form of a Sword hanging over the City for a Year together A Light in the Temple and about the Altar seen at Midnight for half an Hour A Cow led by the Priest to be sacrificed calved a Lamb. A Voice heard in the Temple saying Abeamus hinc Let us go hence Learn hence God doth premonish before he punish he warns a People of Destruction often before he destroys them once 30 And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other Then shall the Tribes mourn that is then shall the Jews be convinced that their Destruction was the Punishment of their Sin in rejecting and crucifying Christ and accordingly they that pierced him shall behold him and mourn over him Thus it was before the Destruction of Jerusalem and thus will it be before the final Judgment They that pierced him shall be brought before him Lord how will the Sight of a pierced Christ pierce their Souls with Horror they who have not seen a pierced Christ in the Sorrows of Repentance shall hereafter see him in the Sorrows of Despair To behold Christ with the Eye of Sense hereafter will be very dreadful and terrible to all those that have not beheld him with the Eye of Faith here And he shall send his Angels with the Sound of a Trumpet Those that apply this to the Destruction of Jerusalem by the Angels understand the Ministers of the Gospel who by the Trumpet of the Word did bring in Believers throughout all Judea who were saved from that Destruction Those that understand it of the general Judgment take it literally that Christ at the great Day will send forth his Holy Angels and gather
of the wicked where thy Conscience tho' not seared was yet made hard The way to escape prevailling Temptations to Sin is to shun such Places and avoid such Companions as in all Probability will invite and draw us into Sin 3. Confidence of his own Strength and Standing was another Occasion of Peter's Falling Pride and presumptuous Confidence have been ever the Forerunners and Occasions of a Fall Oh Lord to presume upon our selves is the ready way to provoke thee to leave us to our selves if ever we stand in the Day of Trial. 'T is the fear of falling must enable us to stand Obs 3. The Reiteration and Repetition of this Sin He denies him a First Second and Third Time He denies him first with a Lie then with an Oath and after all with an Anathema and a Curse Oh how dangerous is it not to resist the first Beginnings of Sin If we yield to one Temptation Satan will assault us with more and stronger Peter proceeded from a bare Denial first to Perjury then to Cursing and Imprecation Obs 4. The aggravating Circumstances attending this Sin of Peter's and they are these 1. The Character of the Person thus falling a Disciple an Apostle a chief Apostle a special Favourite who with James and John had the special Honour to be with Christ upon Mount Tabor Peter who had preached and prophesied in Christ's Name cast out Devils and wrought Miracles by Christ's Power yet he denies him 2. Consider the Person whom he denies his Master his Saviour and Redeemer he that had washed Peter's Feet but a little before that eat the Passover with Peter and gave the Sacrament to Peter yet this kind and condescending Saviour was denied by Peter 3. Consider before whom he denies him in the Company and Presence of the chief Priests Scribes and Elders and their Servants who rejoiced at it and were hardned by it That one Disciple should sell him for Money and another Disciple deny him thro' Fear 4. Consider the Time when he denied him verily it was but a few Hours after he had received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper from Christ's own Hand How unreasonrble then is their Objection against coming to the Lord's Table because some that go to it dishonour Christ as soon as they come from it Such Examples must not discourage us from coming to the Ordinance but excite and encrease our Watchfulness after we have been there to take heed that the future Conduct of our Lives be suitable to the Solemnity of a Sacramental Table 5. Consider the smallness of his Temptation to deny Christ a Damsel only put the Question to him Art thou not one of his Disciples If a Band of armed Soldiers had appeared to him and affrighted him had he been terrified by the high Priest's Threatnings bound and led away to Judgment sentenced to an ignominious painful Death some Excuse might have been made for him But to disown his Relation to Christ at the Question of a Maid-Servant that kept the Door only the smalness of the Temptation was an Aggravation of the Crime Ah Peter how unlike thy self art thou at this time Not a Rock but a Reed a Pillar blown down by a Woman's Breath Oh frail Humanity whose Strength is Weakness and Infirmity Observe here That in most of the Saint's Falls recorded in Scripture either the first Inticers or the accidental Occasion were Women Thus in Adam's Lot's Sampson's David's Solomon's and Peter's A weak Creature may be a strong Tempter nothing is too impotent or useless for the Devil's Service It was a great Aggravation of Peter's Sin that the Voice of a Maid a Door-keeper only should be stronger to overcome him than his Faith in Jesus to sustain him But what shall we say Small things are sufficient to cast us down if God doth not hold us up We sink under any Burden if he sustains us not and yeild to every Temptation if he leaves us to our selves A Damsel shall then make a Disciple shrink and a Door-keeper is enough to drive an Apostle before her And immediately the Cock crew And Peter remembred the Words of Jesus which said unto him Before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice and he went out and wept bitterly Here we have an Account of St. Peter's Rising and Recovery after his shameful Fall by a renewed Act and Exercise of Repentance Where Observe The Suddenness of his Repentance the Means of his Repentance and the Manner of it Obs 1. The Suddenness of his Repentance Altho' his Sin was great yet was his Repentance speedy and without Delay From whence Note That Sins committed by the surprizal of a sudden Temptation are much sooner repented of than where the Sin is presumptuous and deliberate David's Sins of Murther and Adultery were presumptuous and deliberate Sins he continued a long time in them and lived almost a Twelvemonth without any solemn Repentance of them St. Peter's Sin was hasty and sudden under a violent Passion of Fear contrary to his settled Purpose and Resolution of Constancy and he takes the warning of the second crowing of the Cock and goes forth to express his Repentance Obs 2. The Means of his Repentance which was twofold Less Principal the crowing of the Cock more principal Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter 's remembring the Words of Christ. 1. The less principal Means of St. Peter's Repentance was the crowing of the Cock As the Voice of the Maid occasioned him to sin so the Voice of the Cock occasion'd him to repent That God who can work without Means does sometimes work by weak and contemptible Means and when he pleases can open the Mouth of a Bird or a Beast for the Conversion of a Man But why should our Saviour chuse the crowing of the Cock as a Means to bring St. Peter to Repentance There is ever some Mystery in Christ's Instrument the Cock was a Preacher to call Peter to Repentance there being something of Emblem between the Cock and a Preacher A true Minister must have the Wings of a Cock to rouze up himself from Security and to awaken others to a Sense of their Duty He must have the Watchfulness of a Cock to be ever ready to discover and forewarn Danger he must have the Voice of the Cock to cry aloud and tell Israel of their Sins and terrifie the roaring Lion 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 Tydings of Salvation But 2. The more principal Means of St. Peter's Recovery was 1. Christ's looking upon Peter Christ first looks upon Peter with an Eye of Mercy Grace and Pity before Peter looks upon his Sin in order to Repentance Here take notice of the Greatness of Christ's Grace of his wonderful Love and Mercy to this poor Disciple When our Saviour was upon his Trial for his Life a time when our Thoughts are wholly
rather grew worse 27 When she had heard of Jesus came in the press behind and touched his garment 28 For she said If I may touch but his cloaths I shall be whole 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague 30 And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that vertue had gone out of him turned him about in the press and said Who touched my cloaths 31 And his disciples said unto him Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest thou Who touched me 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing 33 But the woman fearing and trembling knowing what was done in her came and fell down before him and told him all the truth 34 And he said unto her Daughter thy faith hath made thee whole go in peace and be whole of thy plague As our Saviour was on his way to Jairus his House a diseased Woman comes behind him touches his Cloaths and is presently healed the Virtue lay not in her Finger but in her Faith or rather in Christ which her Faith instrumentally drew forth Obs here 1. The diseased Person a Woman with a Bloody-Flux Let Women here take notice of the Miseries which the Sin of the first Woman has brought upon all Women amongst which this is one that it has made their Bodies subject to unnatural Issues and Fluxes of Blood Obs 2. The long Continuance of this Disease Twelve Years It pleases God to lay long and tedious Afflictions upon some of his Children in this Life and particularly to keep some of them a very long time under bodily Weakness to manifest his Power in supporting them and to magnifie his Mercy in delivering them Obs 3. This poor Woman was found in the use of Means she sought to Physicians for Help and is not blamed for it tho' she spent all she had upon them The use of Physick is not to be neglected by us in times of Sickness especially in dangerous Diseases of the Body To trust to Means is to neglect God and to neglect the Means is to tempt God The Health of our Bodies ought to be dear and precious to us and all lawful Means ought to be used both to preserve it to recover it and confirm it Obs 4. The workings and acting of this poor Woman's Faith her Disease was unclean by the Ceremonial Law and therefore to be separate from Society accordingly she is ashamed to appear before Christ but comes behind him to touch his Cloaths being firmly perswaded that Christ had a Power communicated by God unto him miraculously to cure incurable Diseases And see how our Saviour encouraged her Faith tho' she did not believe him to he the Eternal Son of God but one to whom God had communicated a Power of healing bodily Diseases yet says Christ This thy Faith hath made thee whole Learn hence That Faith oft-times meets with a better Welcome from Christ than it did or could expect This poor Woman came to Christ trembling but went away triumphing Obs 5. Christ would have this Miracle discovered he therefore says Who toucheth me and I perceive that Vertue is gone out of me First In Reference to himself to manifest his Divine Power that by the Touch of his Cloaths he could cure such an incurable Disease Secondly In Relation to the Woman that she might have Opportunity to give God the Praise and Glory for the Cure And Thirdly With Respect to Jairus that his Faith might be strengthned in the Belief of Christ's Power to raise his Daughter 35 While he yet spake there came from the ruler of the synagogues house certain which said Thy daughter is dead why troublest thou the Master any further 36 Assoon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue Be not afraid only believe 37 And he suffered no man to follow him save Peter and James and John the brother of James 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and seeth the tumult and them that wept and wailed greatly 39 And when he was come in he saith unto them Why make ye this ado and weep the damsel is not dead but sleepeth 40 And they laughed him to scorn but when he had put them all out he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel and them that were with him and entereth in where the damsel was lying 41 And he took the damsel by the hand and said unto her Talitha cumi which is being interpreted Damsel I say unto thee arise 42 And straightway the damsel arose and walked for she was of the age of twelve years and they were astonished with a great astonishment 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it and commanded that something should be given her to eat Obs here 1. The doleful News brought to Jairus his Ears Thy Daughter is dead The Lord doth sometimes suffer the Faith of his Saints to be hard put to it greatly assaulted with Difficulties and Trials Obs 2. Our Saviour's seasonable Word of Comfort Be not afraid only believe Christ is ready to comfort Believers in the Hour of their strongest Temptations and greatest Trials Obs 3. Christ's Application of himself to the raising unto Life Jairus his dead Daughter In order to which 1. He goes into the House only with three of his Disciples which were sufficient to witness the Truth of the Miracle Our Saviour to avoid all shew of Vain-Glory and to evidence that he sought not ambitiously his own Honour and Praise would not work this great Miracle publickly before all the People 2. He rebukes them for the shew they make of immoderate Grief and Sorrow for the dead Damsel they wept and wailedâ— eatly with Ministress and musical Instruments according to the Custom of the Heathens who by a mournful sort of Musick did stir up the Passion of Grief at their Funerals To mourn immoderately for the dead is an Heathenish Practice and Custom 'T is hurtful to the Living and dishonourable to the Dead nor is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace 3. He adds a Reason for this Rebuke and Reproof given them The Damsel is not dead but sleepeth Vobis Mortua mihi Dormit She is Dead to you but asleep to me Not so dead as to be beyond my Power to raise her to Life Souls departed are under the Conduct of Angels to their several Regions of Bliss or Misery It is very probable that the Soul of this Damsel was under the Guard of Angels near her dead Body waiting the Pleasure of God in order to its Disposal either to restore it again to the Body or to translate it to its Eternal Mansion Observe farther The Nature of Death in general and of the Saints in particular described 'T is a Sleep Sleep is a State of Rest Sleep is a sudden Surprizal in Sleep there is an
whole Kingdom 2. Respect to his Reputation not only for his Oath 's sake but for them that sat with him They heard him promise and will be Witnesses of his Inconstancy if he do not perform Insisting upon Punctilio's of Honour has hazarded the Loss of Millions of Souls 3. His great Unwillingness to discontent Herodias and her Daughter Oh vain and foolish Hypocrite who dreaded the displeasing of a wanton Mistress more than the offending of God and Conscience Obs 7. These bloody Women do not only require the Baptist to be beheaded but that his Head be brought in a Charger to them What a Dish was here to be served up at a Prince's Table on his Birth-Day A dead Man's Head swimming in Blood How prodigiously insatiable is Cruelty and Revenge Herodias did not think her self safe till John was dead she would not think him dead till his Head was off and would not believe his Head off till the had it in her Hand Revenge never thinks it has made sure enough Oh how cruel is a wicked Heart that could take Pleasure in a Spectacle of so much Horror Methinks I see how that holy Head was toss'd upon Herod's Table by impure and filthy Hands That true and faithful Tongue those sacred Lips those chaste Eyes those mortified Cheeks are now insultingly handled by a lewd and incestuous Harlot and made a Scorn to Herod's drunken Guests Obs 8. That neither the Holiest of the Prophets nor the Best of Men are more secure from Violence than from natural Death The Holy Baptist who was sanctified in the Womb conceived and born with so much Miracle lived with so much Reverence and Observation is now at Midnight obscurely murthered in a close Prison Obs 9. That it is as true a Martyrdom to suffer for Duty as for Faith He dies as truly a Martyr that dies for doing his Duty as he that dies for professing his Faith and bearing Witness to the Truth Obs 10. How far Men may go in Religion and yet be far enough from saving Grace they may reverence God's Ministers believe them to be holy and just Men hear them with Delight and Pleasure protect and defend them from their Opposers they may reform and do many things and yet be far from the Kingdom of God Herod did all this he knew John to be an holy and just Man reverenced and respected him guarded and kept him safe from Herodias Malice For tho' he was imprison'd before yet Herod suffered none to hurt him but heard him often with Pleasure and Delight Wicked and unregenerate Men may be so affected with the Word of God as to become Protectors and Defenders of those that dispence it and yet receive no saving Advantage by it The plain and powerful preaching of the Word may win upon and prevail with an unregenerate Man to perform many good Duties and to forsake many known Sins and yet may he after all remain under the Power of Hypocrisie Nay from Herod's Example we may Learn That a wicked Man may take some Pleasure and Delight in hearing the Word preached either the Generality of the Truths asserted or the Novelty of the Notions delivered or the Wit and Fancy The graceful Elocution and Delivery of the Preacher may create a present Delight but it is neither a Spiritual Delight nor an abiding Delight And when his Disciples heard of it they came and took up his Corps and laid it in a Tomb. When his Disciples heard it That is the Disciples of John hearing that their holy Master was thus barbarously murthered they took up his dead Body and decently interr'd it Learn thence That the faithful Servants of God are not ashamed of the Sufferings of the Saints but will testifie their Respects unto them both living dying and dead the Disciples of John give their Master an honourable and respectful Burial Fearing neither Herod's Power nor Herodias's Malice 30 And the Apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus and told him all things both what they had done and what they had taught 31 And he said unto them Come ye your selves apart into a desert place and rest a while For there were many coming and going and they had no leisure so much as to eat 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately 33 And the people saw them departing and many knew him and ran afoot thither out of all cities and outwent them and came together unto him 34 And Jesus when he came out saw much people and was moved with compassion towards them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd and he began to teach them many things Observe here 1. How the Report of John's Death being brought to Christ he presently withdraws and his Disciples with him from that Place into the Desert Christ will not long continue his Presence in those Places where any of his Servants are slain and others of them are in Danger Obs 2. How our Saviour upon the Notice of John's Death flies into the Desert for his own Preservation His Hour was not yet come and therefore he keeps out of Herod's way It is no Cowardice to fly from the Rage of Persecutors Christ himself both practiced it and directs his Disciples to it saying When they persecute you in one City fly to another We must not expose our Lives to Hazard but when the laying down our Lives will do God and Religion more Service than we can do by living Obs 3. With what Condolency and Sympathizing Pity our Blessed Saviour exercised Acts of Mercy and Compassion when the Objects of Compassion were before him Jesus seeing the Multitude was moved with Compassion towards them Christ when here on Earth did bear a tender and compassionate Heart towards poor Creatures in Distress and Misery and to our Comfort he retains the same compassionate Nature and Disposition now in Heaven which he had hereon Earth Obs 4. The Ground or Cause of this Compassion in our Saviour because they were as Sheep having no Shepherd Learn thence That the Case of such a People is very sad and to their Condition be much lamented and pitied who are destitute of able faithful and conscientious Pastors and Teachers to feed them with the Spiritual Food of the Word and Sacraments Where Vision fails the People perish But was the Jewish Church now without Pastors as Sheep without a Shepherd Had they not the Pharisees the Scribes and Doctors to teach and instruct them Yes no doubt but they were no Pastors in Christ's Account because unfaithful Pastors Thence Learn That idle negligent and unfaithful Pastors are no Pastors in the Sight of God and in the Account of Christ Jesus had Compassion on the Multitude because they were as Sheep having no Shepherd 35 And when the day was now far spent his disciples came unto him and said This is a desart place and now the time is far passed 36 Send them away that they may go into the country round about and into the villages
and powerful Saviour to his Church and people The Horn in Scripture signifies Glory and Dignity Strength and Power as the Beauty so the Strength of the Beast lies in its Horn. Now Christ being stiled an Horn of Salvation intimates that he himself is a Royal and Princely Saviour and that the Salvation which he brings is great and plentiful glorious and powerful God has raised up an horn of Salvation for us in the house of his Servant David Note 4. The Nature and Quality of that Salvation and Deliverance which the Son of God came to accomplish for us Not a Temporal Deliverance as the Jews expected from the power of the Romans but Spiritual from the hands of Sin and Satan Death and Hell his Design was to purchase a Spiritual Freedom and Liberty for us that we might be enabled to serve him without fear that is without the servile and offending fear of a Slave but with the Dutiful and ingenuous fear of a Child and this in holiness and Righteousness that is in the Duties of the First and Second Table all the days of our Life Learn hence That Believers who were Slaves of Satan are by Christ made God's free Men. 2dly That as such they owe God a Service a willing chearful and delightful Service without fear and a constant persevering Service all the days of their Life that we being delivered out of the hands of c. Note 5. The Source and Fountain from whence this Glorious Saviour and Gracious Salvation did arise and spring namely from the mercy and faithfulness of God To perform the mercy promised to our Forefathers and to remember his holy Covenant the Oath which he swear to our Father Abraham Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ the Mercy of Mercies was graciously promised and faithfully performed by God to his Church and People Christ was a free and full Mercy a suitable a seasonable and a satisfying Mercy an incomparable unsearchable and everlasting Mercy which God graciously promised in the beginning of Time and faithfully performed in the fulness of Time Thus far this Hymn of Zachary respects the Messiah Obs 4. How he next turns himself to his Child and Prophecies concerning him And thou Child shall be called the Prophet of the Highest c. Where Note 1. The Nature of his Office thou shalt be a Prophet not a common and ordinary one but a Prophet of the highest Rank the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts A Prophet thou shalt be and more then a Prophet Note 2. As the nature of his Office so the quality of his Work Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way Thou shalt be an Herald and Harbinger to the most High thou shalt go before the Face of the Messias and by thy severe Reproofs and powerful Exhortations shalt prepare his way before him and make men fit and ready to receive this mighty Saviour Thou Child shall be as the Morning Star to foretel the Glorious arising of this Sun of Righteousness Learn hence 1. That it is the highest Honour and Dignity to serve Christ in the quality and relation of a Prophet 2. That it is the Office and Duty of the Prophets of Christ to prepare and make fit the Hearts of men to receive and embrace him Obs 5. That Zachary having spoken a few Words concerning his Son he returns instantly to Celebrate the Praises of our Saviour comparing him to the Rising Sun which shined forth in the Brightness of his Gospel to enlighten the dark corners of the World thro' the tender mercies of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness Learn here 1. That Jesus Christ is that true Son of Righteousness which in the fulness of Time did spring from on high to visit a lost and undone World 2. That the great Errand of Christ's coming into the World and the particular End of his Appearing in our Flesh it was to give light to them that sit in darkness 3. That it was nothing less than infinite Mercy and bowels of Compassion in God and Christ which inclined him to come from on high to visit them that sit in Darkness Through the tender Bowels of Mercy in our God whereby his own and only Son sprung from on high to visit us here below who sat in darkness and the shadow of Death and to guide our Feet into the way that leads to everlasting peace 80 And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel Here we have a short Account of John's private Life before he entred upon his publick Ministry which was at Thirty Years of Age He grew that is in Bodily stature and waxed strong in Spirit that is in the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit which encreased with his Age and shewed themselves in him every day more and more and he was in the Deserts that is in the mountainous Country of Judea where he was Born till the time of his preaching to and amongst the Jews not that he lived like an Hermite Recluse from all Society with men but contented himself to continue in an obscure privacy 'till called forth to promulge and preach the Gospel and when that time was come John leaves the Hill-country and enters with Resolution and unwearied diligence upon his publick Ministry Teaching us by his Example That when we are fit and ripe for publick Service we should no less willingly leave our Obscurity then we took the benefit of it for our Preparation John abode in the Deserts till his shewing unto Israel that is till the time of his setting forth to execute his Office among the Jews CHAP. II. 1 AND it came to pass in those days that there went out a Decree from Cesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed 2. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria 3 And all went to be taxed every one into his own city 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazarerh into Judea unto the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused Wife being great with child 6 And so it was that while they were there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered 7 And she brought forth her first born Son and wrapped him in swadling Cloaths and laid him in a Manger because there was no room for them in the Inn. The Conclusion of the former Chapter acquainted us with the Birth of John the Baptist the beginning of this Chapter relates the Birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ and the remarkable Circumstances which did attend it And here we have Observable 1. The place where he was Born not at Nazareth but at Bethlehem according to the prediction of the Prophet Micah Ch. 5.2 And thou Bethlehem in the Land of
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
Entertainment of Christ was good but Marys Attendance upon Christ's Ministry was better and more pleasing unto Christ Christ was better pleased to see Mary in the Chapel than Martha in the Kitchin tho' he doth not condemn the one yet he extols the other Mary hath chosen the good part Learn hence That Religion and the Service of God must be the matter our Election and Choice we must choose the good part and it being once chosen by us it shall never be taken away from us One thing is needful and Mary hath chosen the good part which shall never be taken away from her CHAP. XI 1 AND it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples The Learned Mr. Mede upon this place apprehends that it was the custom of the Jewish Doctors to deliver some certain Form of Prayer to their Disciples to use at least that John Baptist had done so to his Disciples Thereupon our Saviour's Disciples besought him that he also would give them in like manner some Form of his own composing that they might pray with their Masters Spirit as John's Disciples did with his Accordingly our Saviour gives them here a Form of his own and commands them when they pray to use it Indeed he had given them this Prayer about a year and half before in his Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 6.9 After this manner pray ye where it is probable that the Disciples look'd upon it only as a pattern of Prayer and not as a Form for had they thought that Christ had given them a Form of Prayer before they had not asked him for one now Therefore says Christ When ye pray say Certainly this gives us to understand that our Saviour intended and commended it for a set Form of Prayer unto his Church Learn hence That the Lords Prayer is both a Pattern and Platform according to which all our Prayers ought to be framed and also an exact Form of Prayer which ought to be used by us in our Addresses to the Throne of Grace After this manner pray ye says St. Matthew When ye pray say says St. Luke 2 And he said unto them When ye pray say Observe here the favour which Christ does us in prescribing a Form of Prayer to us a great Favour no doubt tho' the World grows weary of it we know not Alas what to ask but he himself teaches us and frames our Supplication for us that it may be accepted Should a King's Son draw a Petition for a poor Subject to be put up to his Father what a ground of hope would there be that whatever is desired would be obtained if any of us then think meanly of our Lord's Prayer oh how meanly may he think of us and of our Prayers 2 Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done As in Heaven So in Earth 3 Give us day by day our daily Bread 4 And forgive us our sins For we also forgive every one that is indebted to us And lead us not into Temptation But deliver us from Evil. The Sense and Signification of this Best of Prayers is this O thou our Father in Jesus Christ who remainest in thy Throne in Heaven and art there perpetually praised and perfectly obey'd by Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints Grant that thy Name may be Glorified thy Throne Acknowledged and thy Holy Will Obey'd here on Earth below by us thy Sons and Servants as readily as cheerfully and sincerely and in some degree of Proportion to what is done in Heaven above And because by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we cannot subsist without the Comforts and Supports of Life we crave our daily Bread at thy Bountiful hand even such a proportion of the good things of this Life as thy Wisdom shall see convenient for us And knowing that thy Holiness and Justice doth oblige thee to punish Sin and Sinners we plead with thee for the sake of thy Son's Satisfaction to forgive us our daily Trespasses for it is our desire and endeavour heartily to forgive those that have offended us And seeing this wicked World wherein we live is so full of Snares and Temptations of all sorts we pray that by the Power of thy Grace and the Concurrence of our own careful endeavours we may be kept from Satans Temptations from the World's Allurements and from our own Evil Inclinations and be preserved unblamable to thine Everlasting Kingdom and in Testimony of our Desires and Assurance to be heard we say Amen so be it so let it be even so oh Lord let it be for ever Learn 1. That God is the Father of all his People as a Father he knows all his children he loves them and takes care of them As his Children it is our Duty to Honour him to Obey him to imitate him to cast our care upon him and to long for the Enjoyment of him 2. From the Word Our Learn That it is our Duty to pray for others as well as for our selves we cannot pray acceptably for our selves if we pray only for our selves 3. That the Hallowing Honouring and Sanctifying of God's Name as it is the first thing we are to pray for so it ought to be preferred before all other things whatsoever we pray for it before we pray for our own Salvation we say Hallowed be thy Name before we say Forgive us our Debts 4. Learn That Sins are Debts and Sinners indebted to Divine Justice Sin it is an infinite Debt a multiplied Debt an inexcusable Debt and if not discharged by our Surety we must ly in Prison to all Eternity for Non-payment of this Debt 5. That God has made our Forgiveness of others the Condition of his Forgiving us The word As is not a Note of Equality but of Similitude we cannot equal God in Forgiving but we must imitate him 6. No sooner is Sin pardoned but Satan will be busy with his Temptation forgive us our sins and lead us not into Temptation 7. That it is a greater Mercy to be Delivered from the Evil of Temptation then from Temptations to Evil. The Evil of Temptations is the Evil of Sin but Temptations to Evil is at most but the Evil of Punishment Lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil Suffer us not to be led into Temptation or if so leave us not when we are Tempted 5 And he said unto them which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at mid-night and say unto him friend lend me three loaves 6 For a friend of mine in his Journey is come unto me and I have nothing to set before him 7 And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee 8 I say unto you tho' he will not rise and
his face at his feet giving him thanks and he was a Samaritane Observe here 1. All were Healed but one was Thankful the Cure is wrought upon the Bodies of all Thankfulness is found but in the Heart of one the Will makes the difference in Men but he makes the difference in Wills who at first made the Will All these Lepers were Cured all saw themselves Cured their sense was alike their Hearts were not alike Observe 2. The Person that made this return of Thankfulness to Christ he was a Samaritan that is none of the Jewish Nation but one that was a Stranger to the Common Wealth of Israel neither Place nor Parentage can block up the way or stop the Current of God's free Mercy which reaches the unworthy and the ill-deserving Observe 3. How singly he returns his Thanks he gets away from his Fellows to make his Acknowledgments there are Cases wherein Singularity is not only Lawful but Laudable instead of Subjecting our selves to others Examples it is sometimes our Duty to resolve to set an Example to others for it is much better to go the right way alone then to err with Company Observe 4. How speedily he returns his Thanks no sooner doth he see his Cure but he hasts to acknowledge it a noble Pattern of Thankfulness What speed of Retribution is here late Payments of our Thankfulness Savours of Ingratitude it were happy for us Christians did we learn our Duty of this Samaritan 17 Aâ—d â—â—â—s answering said Were there not Ten â—leâ—nâ—â—d but where are the Nine 18 There 〈◊〉 not found that returned to give Glory to God save this Stranger 19 And he said unto him Arise go thy way thy Faith hath made thee whole In the face of these ten Lepers we may as in a Glass behold the Face and Complexion of all Mankind How few are there oh Lord scarce more than One in Ten who after signal Mercies return suitable Thanks Men howl to God upon their Beds but run away from God as soon as they are raised up by him Observe farther what an exact account Christ keeps of his own dispensed Favours Were there not not ten cleansed He forgets our Sins but Records his own Mercies It is one of his glorious Titles a God Forgiving and Forgetting Iniquity but his Mercies are over all his Works and deserve everlasting Remembrance God keeps a Register of his Mercies towards us oh shall not we record the favours received from him at once to declare his Bounty towards us and our Thankfulness towards him Observe Lastly The thankful Leper was a Samaritane but the Nine that were unthankful were Israelites Learn thence That the more we are bound to God the more shameful is our ingratitude towards him where God may justly expect the greatest returns of Praise and Service he sometimes receiveth least God has more Rent and better paid him from a smoaky Cottage then he has from some stately Palaces 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come he answered them and said the kingdom of God cometh not with Observation 21 Neither shall they say lo here or lo there for behold the kingdom of God is within you The Generality of the Jews and particularly the Pharisees expected that the promised Messias should be a Temporal Prince and deliver them from the Roman Yoke under which they groaned Accordingly the Pharisees here demanded of our Saviour when the Kingdom of God of which he had so often spoken should-come Christ answers them That his kingdom cometh not with observation that is without Pomp and Splendour which Men may observe and gaze upon but he tells them the Kingdom of God was now among them by the Ministry of John Baptist and Himself and was already set up in the Hearts of his People by the secret Operations of his Holy Spirit Learn here That the false Notion which the Jews had of the Messiah and his Kingdom That he himself was to be a Temporal Prince and his Kingdom a secular Kingdom to be set up with a great deal of Noise Pomp and Splendour did hinder the generality of them from believing in him Secondly That the Kingdom which Christ designed to set up in the World was altogether Spiritual not obvious to Humane Senses but managed in the Hearts of his People by the Scepter of his Spirit My Kingdom cometh not with observation but is within you 22 And he said unto the Disciples the days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the son of man and ye shall not see it 23 And they shall say to you see here or see there go not after them nor follow them 24 For as the Lightning that lighteth out of the one part under Heaven shineth unto the other part under Heaven so shall also the Son of man be in his day 25 But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this Generation In the remaining part of this Chapter our Saviour acquaints his Disciples with what days of Tribulation and distress were coming on the Jewish Nation in general and on Jerusalem in particular Days of Suffering as if our Saviour had said are not far off when you will wish for my Bodily presence again among you to support and comfort you and when many Seducers will rise up pretendinâ— to be Deliverers but go not you after them for after this Generation have rejected and crucified me my Coming says Christ to execute Vengeance on my Enemies and Murtherers at Jerusalem by the Roman Soldiers will be sudden and like the Lightning that shines in an instant from one part of the Heavens to the other From this Coming of Christ to judge Jerusalem which was an Emblem of the final Judgment we may gather this Instruction that the Coming and Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to the judging of wicked and impenitent Sinners it will be a very certain sudden and unexpected Appearance 26 And as it was in the days of Noe so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man 27 They did eat they drank they married Wives they were given in Marriage until the day that Noe entered into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained Fire and Brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed In these Verses our Saviour declares that Jerusalem's Destruction and the World 's final Desolation at the great Day would be like the Destruction of the old World in the Days of Noah and like the Destruction of Sodom in the Days of Lott and that both in regard of unexpectedness and in regard of Sensuality and Security as they before the Flood were eating and drinking Marrying and
signifies both No Faith is acceptable to Christ nor available to our Salvation but that which is the Parent and Principle of Obedience Learn 2. That final Unbelief renders a Man infallibly an Object of the Eternal Wrath of God He that believeth not the Son the wrath of God abideth on him The Unbeliever now lies under the Sentence of God's Wrath hereafter he shall lie under the full and final execution of it Lord how sad is it to be here in a state of Condemnation But how intollerable will it be in Hell to continue eternally under the Power of Condemnation To lie for ever in that mysterious Fire of Hell whose strange property it is always to torture but never to kill or always to kill but never to consume For after Millions of Years are expired still 't is a Wrath to come and tho' the Unbeliever has felt and endured never so much yet still the Wrath of God abideth on him CHAP. IV. 1 WHen therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized mo disciples then John 2 Though Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples 3 He left Judea and departed again into Galilee The former part of this Chapter acquaints us with our Saviour's removal from Judea into Galilee The occasion of it was this Christ hearing that John was cast into Prison and understanding how the Pharisees were inraged at the increasing of the Number of his Disciples to decline their Fury and to prevent Danger to himself he leaves Judea and departs into Galilee for his own Preservation Hence learn That when the faithful Ministers of Christ do meet with eminent Success in their Master's Service they must expect to meet with a mighty shock of Malice and Envy from Satan and his wicked Instruments Christ himself experienced it let his Ministers expect it and prepare for it 2. That it is neither unlawful nor unbecoming for the Ministers of Christ to flee when Persecution threatens them Their Lord and Master having fled before them And commanded also when they persecute in one City to flee into another 4 And he must needs go through Samaria 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph 6 Now Jacobs well was there Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey sat thus on the well and it was about the sixth hour Here Observe 1. How wonderfully the Wisdom of God over-rules the Malice of Men for his own Glory and the Good of others The Malice of the Pharisees in Judea drives Christ into Galilee and in his Passage through Samaria the first Fruits of the Gentiles are called and particularly the Woman of Samaria Observe 2. How in every step of Christ's way he was doing good to the Souls of Men. In his Passage through Samaria into Galilee a poor Woman is brought to know him to be the true Messias Observe 3. Our Holy Lord in his Journeying from Place to Place did travel usually on foot and the wearkness of his Body upon travelling shews him to be truly and really Man and in all things like unto us Sin only excepted Our blessed Lord did not only take upon him our Nature but the Infirmities of our Nature also 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water Jesus saith unto her Give me to drink 8 For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him How is it that thou being a Jew askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans Observe here 1. How all our own Motions and Actions are under the Direction and Government of God and how Divine Providence doth sometimes dispose of small Matters to become Occasions of great Good This poor Woman's coming to the Well to draw Water became the means of her Conversion Observe 2. Christ speaks to and seeks after this poor Woman before she takes any Notice of him God is found of those that seek him not and makes himself manifest to them that inquire not after him Jesus said unto her Give me Drink Observe 3. The great Poverty of our Lord 's outward Condition he wanted a draught of Water for his Refreshment and a meals Meat now at Dinner-time to refresh his wearied Nature Oh! what Contempt did Christ cast upon the World when he was here in it He would not honour it so far as to keep any Part of it in his own hand Yet Observe 4. That tho' Christ had neither House nor Land nor Money of his own yet he lived not by Begging or upon meer Alms. The Disciples were now gone into the City to buy not to beg Meat For there was a Bag which required a Bearer John 12.6 and our Saviour's Friends and Followers supplied him with Money for his necessary Occasions His Disciples were gone to buy Bread Observe Lastly How bitter is the Enmity which differences in Religion and diversity of Opinions do occasion They do not only alienate Affections but even violate the Bonds of civil Society and common Conversation The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans would neither eat nor drink with them 10 Jesus answered and said unto her If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee Give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water The Samaritan Woman had refused Christ a draught of Water in the former Verse he offers her the Water of Life in this Verse Oh how kindly doth Christ deal with those that dealt unkindly with him If thou knewest the gift of God c. Here Observe 1. The Mercy which Christ had for and was so desirous to bestow upon this poor Woman it was the Gift of God that is himself his Holy Spirit in the sanctifying Gifts and saving Graces of it All which are compared to Water in regard of their Effects and Operations which are to purifie the Unclean and to satisfie the Thirsty Observe 2. The way and course which this Woman and every lost Sinner ought to take in order to the obtaining of this inestimable Gift and that is by asking of it Thou wouldst have asked and he would have given thee living Water Learn hence That Christ himself his Holy Spirit with all the sanctifying Graces of it must be earnestly sought of God and such as do unfeignedly seek them shall certainly obtain them Observe 3. The true Cause and Reason assigned why Sinners ask not for and seek not after Jesus Christ and the Graces of the Holy Spirit and that is Ignorance of the worth and want of them If thou knowest the gift of God thou wouldst have asked Learn thence That it is Ignorance of the worth of Christ and insensibleness of the want of him that makes Persons so indifferent in their Desires after him and so remiss in their Endeavours for the obtaining of
bodily Weakness for many Years together yea even all the days of their Life Here is a poor Man for eight and thirty Years together under the Discipline of God's Rod by bodily Weakness Observe 2. That it is the Duty of the Afflicted to wait upon God in a diligent use of all Means which God has appointed for their Help and Healing As to trust to Means is to neglect God so to neglect the Means is to tempt God This poor Man no doubt had made use of the Means before yet waits at the Pool now Observe 3. Tho' Christ well knew the Case of this afflicted Person and wanted no Information yet he asks him If he were willing to be made whole to make him sensible of his Misery to quicken his Desires after healing and to raise his Expectations of Help from him Tho' Christ knows our Wants yet he takes no notice of them till we make them known to him by Prayer Observe 4. The time when Christ wrought this Miracle of healing upon the impotent Man it was on the Sabbath-day and as an Evidence of the certainty of the Cure Christ bids him take up his Bed and walk Our Saviour's Miracles were real and beneficial they were obvious to Sense and would bear the Examination of all Persons The Miracles which the Church of Rome boast of will not bear the Examination of our Senses Their great Miracle Transubstantiation is so far from being obvious to Sense that it contradicts the Sense and Reason of Mankind and is the greatest Affront to humane Nature that ever the World was acquainted with And our Saviour's working this and many other Miracles on the Sabbath-day was for the Testification of the Miracles to all Persons that would take notice of them Observe 5. How unjustly the Jews tax the Cripple that was healed with the breach of the Sabbath for taking up his Bed and walking on the Sabbath-day whereas the Law only forbad carrying Burthens on the Sabbath-day for Profit in a way of Trade But this Man's carrying his Bed was a Testimony of God's Goodness and Mercy towards him and of his Gratitude and Thankfulness towards God Hypocritical and superstitious Persons oft-times pretend much Zeal for observing the Letter of the Law little respecting the Moral Sense and Signification of it Besides our Saviour had a mind to let the Jews know that he was Lord of the Sabbath that he had a Power over it and could dispense with it as he thought good Observe Lastly The great Modesty and Humility of our blessed Saviour how hateful all Ostentation and Vain-glory was unto him for having wrought this famous Miracle before the People at a Publick Time the Feast of the Passover to shun all Applause from the Multitude he conveys himself privately away from them Jesus conveyed himself away a multitude being in that place Our Saviour's Business was to do much Good and make but little Noise He sought not his own Glory 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple and said unto him Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee These words are our Saviour's seasonable Advice and Counsel to the poor impotent Cripple whom he had miraculously restored to Health and Soundness Where Observe 1. The Person admonishing Jesus he that had been his Physician before is his Monitor and Teacher now Behold thou art whole sin no more Oh how much is it the Duty but how seldom the Practice of those whom God makes Instruments for recovering bodily Health to put their Patients in mind of their Obligations to Thankfulness and new Obedience Thus did our Saviour here The Recovered Mans Physician gave him Instruction his Healer became his Monitor Sin no more Obs 2. The Person admonished the recovered Cripple Thou art made whole But what was he Not a Disciple not a Believer For he that was healed wist not who Jesus was v. 13. he knew not Christ therefore believed not on him and yet was healed by him Thence Learn That there are many outward Mercies and common Blessings which Christ bestows upon those that have no spiritual Knowledge of him or saving Acquaintance with him The Man that was healed wist not who he was that had healed him Observe 3. The Place where Christ meets this his recovered Patient not at the Tavern but in the Temple returning Thanks to God for his recovered Health When God sends forth his Word and healeth us it is our Duty to make our first Visit to God's House and to pay our Vows in the great Congregation and found forth the Praises of our great and gracious Deliverer Observe 4. The Circumstance of Time when Christ found him in the Temple soon after his recovery Afterwards Jesus findeth him in the Temple We must not be clamorous and importunate to receive Mercies and dumb and tongue-tied in returning Thanks but make haste and not delay the time to pay our Acknowledgments to him that healeth us Observe 5. The Admonition it self Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee where our Saviour admonishes him of the greatness of the Mercy Behold thou art made whole and subjoyns a cautionary Direction Sin no more Where it is necessarily implyed that sin is always the deserving and oft times the procuring Cause of a Person 's Afflictions and Calamities and that the best and surest way to prevent the Return of Judgments and Calamities to a Person is for a Person to return no more to sin Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee where it is farther implied that Almighty God has sorer Plagues and severer Judgments in store for those Sinners who go on obstinately in a Course of Sin and Rebellion against God notwithstanding all the signal Rebukes of his avenging Anger From the whole Note That when the Lord doth graciously heal a Person or a People it is a Mercy to be much observed and thankfully acknowledged 15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole 16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the sabbath day After the Man understood who his Healer and Benefactor was he went and told the Jewish Magistrates it was Christ that had healed him This he did not with any evil Design no doubt to inform against him and stir up the Jews to persecute him but desirous to publish what Christ had done to his Honour and to direct others to make use of him Learn thence That it is the Duty of all those that have experienced the Power and Pity of Christ themselves to proclaim and publish it to others to the intent that all that need him may experience Help and Healing from him This seems to be the poor Man's Design But behold the Blindness Obstinacy and Malice of the Jews who persecuted Christ and sought to kill him for doing good and healing a Cripple that had been
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.
Crime but bids her Accusers look at home and examine their own Consciences whether they were not Guilty of the like or as great a Sin He doth not say Let her be stoned this had been against the course of his Mercy he doth not say Let her not be stoned this had been against the Law of Moses but he so Answers that both his Justice and his Mercy are intire she dismissed and they ashamed It is a false Zeal that is Eagle-eyed abroad and blind at home Such as are most wicked themselves are oftimes most ready and skilful to spie out the faults and failings of others We stand too near our selves to discern our own miscarriages The Eye that sees every thing sees not it self Observe 6. Tho' Christ abhorred the Sin yet he does not condemn the Sinner Hath no Man condemned thee Neither do I condemn thee says Christ This Christ said not to excuse the Woman or to connive at her offence but to shew that he declined the Office of a Civil Judge which was to pass Sentence on Criminals He therefore doth not say No Man ought to condemn thee but hath no Man condemned thee Christ doth not execute the Office of a Magistrate in judging her to Death but of a Minister in calling her to Repentance and Reformation How ought every one of us to keep within the bounds of our calling when our Saviour himself will not intrench upon the Office and Functions of others Observe Lastly Our Saviour's cautionary Direction to this Adulteress Go and sin no more Where Note Christ doth not say Go and commit Adultery no more but Go and sin no more It is not a partial Repentance or a turning away from this or that particular Sin that will denominate us true Penitents or intitle us to the pardoning Mercy of God but a leaving off all Sin of what kind soever Therefore says Christ Go and sin no more 12 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life 13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him Thou bearest record of thy self thy record is not true 14 Jesus answered and said unto them Though I bear record of my self yet my record is true for I know whence I came and whither I go but ye cannot tell whence I come and whither I go 15 Ye judge after the flesh I judge no man 16 And yet if I judge my judgment is true for I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me 17 It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true 18 I am one that bear witness of my self and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me 19 Then said they unto him Where is thy Father Jesus answered Ye neither know me nor my Father if ye had known me ye should have known my Father also 20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury as he taught in the temple and no man laid hands on him for his hour was not yet come Our Blessed Saviour having baffled the design which the Pharisees had upon him and shewed a Spirit of Divine Wisdom in delivering himself from that snare which they had laid for him He returns to instruct the People in the Treasury And here Note 1. He instructs them in the nature of his Office which was to inlighten all Men with the Knowledge of Divine Truth so that they should not walk in Darkness either of Sin or Error but be led to Eternal Life Learn hence That the great End and Errand of Christ's coming into the World it was to give Light unto poor Souls that sat in Darkness Observe 2. The Exception which the Pharisees made against our Saviour's Testimony of himself Thou bearest Record of thy self thy Record is not True Indeed such is the Corrupt Nature of Man which is prone to seek it self and hunt after vain Glory that it may render a person's Testimony of himself suspected but Christ being true God that cannot Lye and coming out of the Bosom of his Father as his Ambassador his Testimony of himself is above all Exception and ought to be credited without farther proof Observe 3. How Christ challenges his Enemies the Pharisees for judging carnally of him and according to the meanness of his outward appearance whereas he judged no Man That is First No Man as they judged according to outward shew or 2dly I judge no Man that is at present My proper work is not to Condemn any but to Teach all and my present Office is that of a Prophet not of a Judge My coming now is to Instruct and Save the World my next coming will be to Judge and Condemn it Observe 4. Christ declares that he is not alone in the Testimony given of himself but that the Father did also Testifie and bear Witness of him and that according to their own Law the Testimony of Two was always accounted and esteemed valid Now says Christ If so much weight be to be laid upon the Testimony of Two Men how much more forcibly should the Testimony of the Father and of him whom the Father hath sent satisfie you that what I say of my self is True Learn hence That the Father and the Son tho' one in Essence and Operation yet are distinct persons Secondly That these distinct persons did bear joint witness concerning Christ God the Father testified of him by a Voice from Heaven and Christ as God bare witness of himself as Man and as Mediatour Surely out of the mouth of Two such Witnesses the Truth of Christ's Divine Mission is sufficiently established 21 Then said Jesus again unto them I go my way and ye shall seek me and shall die in your sins whither I go ye cannot come 22 Then said the Jews Will he kill himself because he saith Whither I go ye cannot come 23 And he said unto them Ye are from beneath I am from above ye are of this world I am not of this world 24 I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins Observe here A dreadful Threatning denounced by Christ against the Obstinate and Unbelieving Jews ye shall die in your sins that is in the Guilt of your Sins under the Power and undergoing the punishment of your Sins Lord what a sad word is this ye shall die in your Sins Oh better it is a Thousand times to die in a Ditch for they that die in their Sins shall rise in their Sins and stand before Christ in their Sins such as lie down in Sin in the Grave shall have Sin lie down with them in Hell to all Eternity The Sins of Believers go to the Grave before them Sin dieth while they Live But the Sins of Unbelievers go to the Grave with them While they live they are dead in Sin and by Sin they fall into
cause of Blindness but that neither the one nor the other was the cause in that Man's case but that the Power and Mercy of God might be seen in Restoring this Man to his Sight therefore was he Born Blind Whence Note 1. That tho' Sin be always the deserving yet is it not always the procuring cause of Affliction 2. That we seldom think of or hit upon any other cause of Affliction but only Sin tho' the design of God looks beyond the Sin of Man in Afflictions yet Man seldom looks beyond that or thinks of any other design of God in Afflicting but only punishing for Sin 4 I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work 5 As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world Here our Saviour tells his Disciples that he was sent by God into the World and had a great work assigned him by God during his abode in it Namely To Instruct Reform and Save Mankind and what our Saviour says of himself is Applicable to every one of us in a lower Sense we are sent into the World to work out our own Salvation in the first place and then to promote the Salvation of others as much as in us lies Note 1. That every one has a work to do in the World a great work assigned him by God that sent him into it 2. That the Time allotted for the finishing and dispatching of this great work it is a limited Time it is a short Time our working Season is a short Season While it is Day 3. That after the working Season is past and expired there will succeed a Night of Darkness in which there must be a cessation from work The Night cometh 6 When he had thus spoken he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay 7 And said unto him Go wash in the pool of Siloam which is by interpretation Sent. He went his way therefore and washed and came seeing Two things concurred towards the Cure of this Blind Man Namely An act of Divine Power on Christ's part and an act of Faith and Obedience on the Man's part 1. An act of Divine Power on Christ's part he Tempers Clay and Spittle together and Anoints the Man's Eyes therewith and behold he sees What an improbable remedy and means was this to Humane Reason Much fitter to put out a seeing Man's Eyes than to cure a Blind Man's Had Christ pull'd out his Box and Applied some Medicinal Oyntment to his Eyes then the praise had been ascribed to his Skill not to his Power But now it plainly appeared that all the vertue was in Christ not in the means Lord What great things canst thou do by weak and unlikely means yea by opposite and contrary means But it is the praise of Omnipotency to work by Improbabilities From the Contemptibleness of the means or Instrument always redounds the greater honour to the Agent Observe 2. An act of Faith and Obedience on the Man's part He went his way and washed his Eyes in the Pool of Siloam and returned seeing Where Note 1. How Christ delights to exercise and try the Faith of his People by their subjection and Obedience to difficult commands 2. That true Faith joined with sincere Obedience never faileth the expectation of them that exercise it especially in obeying the most hard and difficult commands Therefore the Evangelist addeth that the Blind Man after washing Returned seeing 8 ¶ The neighbours therefore and they which before had seen him that he was blind said Is not this he that sat and begged 9 Some said This is he others said He is like him but he said I am he 10 Therefore said they unto them How were thine eyes opened 11 He answered and said A man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine eyes and said unto me Go to the pool of Siloam and wash and I went and washed and I received sight 12 Then said they unto him Where is he He said I know not The Blind Man thus miraculously cured returns with much Joy to his Neighbours and Acquaintance who confer with him upon this matter they enquire whether he was the person cured or not who was the person that cured him and where that person was He assures them he was the very person that was Blind but now cured that he that cured him was Jesus that the means used was Clay and Spittle but where this Jesus was or what was become of him he knew not Learn hence 1. That the miraculous cures of God work a sensible alteration in Men not only in their own Apprehension but in the judgment of others This Miracle shined forth among the Neighbours who having seen and observed the Blind Man admire his healing Learn 2. How frankly the Blind Man acknowledges and how freely he confesses that he was the person whom Jesus had healed I am he It is an unthankful silence to smother the works of God in an affected secrecy to make God a loser by his bounty towards us is a shameful injustice Oh God we are not worthy of thy common favours much less of Spiritual Blessings if we do not publish thy mercies on the House Top and praise thee for them in the great Congregation 13 ¶ They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind 14 And it was the sabbath-day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes 15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight He said unto them He put clay upon mine eyes and I washed and do see 16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees This man is not of God becauseth he keepeth not the sabbath-day Others said How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles And there was a division among them Observe here 1. How the Jews who should have been full of silent wonder and inclined to believe in Jesus Christ so omnipotent an Agent are prejudiced against him and bring the late Blind Man before the Pharisees our Saviour's professed Enemies Observe 2. The time which our Saviour chose for working this cure it was on the Sabbath many if not most of Christ's famous Miracles were wrought upon the Sabbath-day Upon that Day he cured the withered Hand Math. 12. Upon that Day he cured the impotent Man at the Pool of Bethesda St. John 5. Upon that Day he cured the Bâ—ind Man here Thus Christ did probably for two Reasons 1. To confirm his Doctrine which he Preach'd on that Day by Miracles therefore his preaching and working Miracles went together 2. To Instruct the Jews had they been willing to Receive instruâ—tion in the true Doctrine and proper Duties of their Sabbath and to let them know that works of Necessity and Mercy are very consistent with the due Sanctification of the Sabbath It his hard to find out any time wherein Charity is unseasonable for
God heareth not Sinners that is such as love and delight in Sin such as are in a State of Sin and go on in a Course of Sin God will not hear such or answer the Prayers of such Indeed God sometimes hears a Sinners Prayers in Wrath and refuses to hear a Saints Prayers in Mercy But he never denies a Saints Prayers in wrath or hears a Sinners Prayers in mercy The Proposition laid down is an eternal Truth God heareth not Sinners that is so long as they purpose to continue sinners and go on in a Course of Sin and remain bold and presumptuous Sinners Learn hence That none that live in a Course of Sin can reasonably expect that God should hear them and give in an Answer of Prayer to them God heareth not Sinners But if any Man be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth that is If a Man feareth God and worketh Righteousness him the Lord accepteth heareth and answereth Learn thence 1. That such as would be heard of God and accepted with him must be devout Worshippers of him 2. That it is not enough to prove Men Religious and Accepted with God that they are devout Worshippers of him unless they walk in Obedience to him and do his Will If any Man be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth Observe 3. How the blind Man goes on to prove that Christ had a special Authority from God and an extraordinary Presence of God with him in what he did because he had done such a Work as was never done by Moses or by any of the Prophets or by any Person whatsoever since the Creation of the World From whence he wisely and well infers that Christ was a Person authorized by and sent of God Learn hence 1. That Christ having done that which was never done before namely to give Sight to one that was born blind was an Evidence of his Omnipotency 2. That this Act of Omnipotency proved him to be God Whatever Miracles the Prophets wrought they wrought them by Christ's Power but Christ wrought this and all other Miracles by his own Power 34 They answered and said unto him Thou wast altogether born in sins and dost thou teach us And they call him out 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found him he said unto him Dost thou believe on the Son of God 36 He answered and said Who is he Lord that I might believe on hâ—m 37 And Jesus said unto him Thou hast both seen him and it is he that talketh with thee 38 And he said Lord I believe And he worshipped him Observe here 1. A special Instance of Pharisaical Pride they account this poor Man a vile Person whom Heaven had marked by his Native Blindess for some extraordinary Wickedness How prone are we to judge them the greatest Sinners whom we observe to be the greatest Sufferers Obs 2. From reviling they proceed to excommunicating They cast him out that is out of Communion with the Jewish Church Oh happy Man who having lost a Synagogue hast found Heaven Behold this blind Man and admire him for a resolute Confessor stoutly defending the Gracious Author of his Cure against the Cavils of the Pharisees and maintaining the Innocence and Honour of so blessed a Benefactor Obs 3. Our Saviour's Regard to this blind Man whom the Pharisees had set at naught and excommunicated He finds him out reveals himself more fully to him and directs him to believe in him Where observe That the Miracle which Christ had wrought upon the blind Man did not convert him and work Faith in him till Christ revealed himself unto him and enabled him to discern the Truth of what he revealed Learn thence That Miracles confirm Faith but Miracles alone cannot work Faith The blind Man had experienced a Miracle wrought upon him yet remains an Unbeliever till Christ said I am he Obs 4. How readily the Man receives the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith upon the forementioned Revelation of himself unto him He instantly said Lord I believe and in Testimony thereof worships him that is as God incarnate as God manifested in the Flesh Thence learn That true Knowledge of the Son of God will beget Faith in him and true Faith in him will be productive of Homage and Adoration of Obedience and Subjection to him He that knows Christ aright will believe and he that believes will worship and obey He said Lord I believe and he worshipped him 39 ¶ And Jesus said For judgment I am come into this world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind In these words our Saviour declares not the Intentional design but the Accidental event of his coming into the World Namely 1. That those who were Blind might receive Sight 2. That those who presume they see and know more than others for their despising the Gospel and shutting their Eyes against the light of it should be left in darkness and by the just judgment of God be more and more blinded Those who shut their Eyes willfully against the clearest light and say they will not see it is just with God to close their Eyes judicially and say they shall not see 40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words and said unto him Are we blind also 41 Jesus said unto them If ye were blind ye should have no sin but now ye say We see therefore your sin remaineth Observe here 1. How the Pharisees who watched all opportunities to insnare our Saviour look upon these last words as reflecting upon them as if Christ did insinuate that they were blind Are we blind also They that shut their Eyes and will not see the light which Christ offers to them are the worst of blind ones Observe 2. Our Saviour's Reply to the Pharisees Question If ye were Blind that is simply ignorant of your Duty and without the means of Knowledge and Instruction you should have no sin that is comparatively to what you now have you should not have had so much sin and guilt upon you as now you have by shutting your Eyes against the Light But now you say we see that is being puft up with the Knowledge which you have as if you were the only Men that saw this proud conceit of yours renders your condition incurable and your sin remaineth unpardonable Learn hence 1. That it is a far greater sin to contemn the known Laws of God than to be Ignorant of them Pride is a greater hinderance of Knowledge than Ignorance because the proud Man thinks he wants no Knowledge 2. That the most exalted Knowledge is insufficient to Salvation without a suitable and correspondent practice The Pharisees had the Key of Knowledge at their Girdle yet our Saviour tells them of a double Damnation Lord How sad is it so to know Christ in this World as that he will be ashamed to know us in another World CHAP.
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
Our Saviour's Prayer to his Father for his Apostles before he left the World Holy Father keep them that is preserve them by thy Divine Power and Goodness for the Glory of thy Holy Name Here Note 1. The Title and Appellation given to God Holy Father Thence Learn That when we go to God in Prayer especially for Grace and Sanctification we must look upon him as an Holy Father as essentially and originally Holy as infinitely and independently Holy Note 2. The Supplication requested of God Keep through thy name those whom thou hast given me Thence Learn That the Perseverance of the Saints in a state of Grace is the sweet Effect and Fruit of Christ's Prayer Christ has begged it and it cannot be denied there being such an Harmony and sweet Consent betwixt the Will of the Father and the Will of the Son Three things concur to the Believer's Perseverance On the Father's Part there is everlasting Love and all-sufficient Power On the Son's Part there is everlasting Merit and constant Intercession On the Spirit 's Part there is a perpetual Inhabitation and continued Influence Observe 3. The End of Christ's Supplication on behalf of his People that they may be one as we are one Here Note 1. That the Heart of Christ is exceedingly set upon the Unity and Oneness of his Members 2. That the Believers Union with Christ their Head and one with another has some resemblance to that Unity that is betwixt the Father and the Son For 't is an holy and spiritual Union a close and intimate Union an indissoluble and inseparable Union 12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled Observe here 1. That those which shall be saved are given unto Christ and committed to his Care and Trust 2. That none of those that are given unto Christ as his Charge and committed to his Care and Trust shall be finally lost Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost It follows but the Son of Perdition A Person may be said to be a Son of Perdition two ways Actively and Passively Actively he is so who makes it his Work and Business to destroy others Passively he is a Son of Perdition who for his Wickedness in destroying others is destroyed himself Judas was a Son of Perdition in both these Senses his Heart was maliciously set upon destroying Christ and wilfully set upon his own destruction His Covetousness and Hypocrisie prompted him to betray our Saviour his Despair provoked him to destroy himself 13 And now come I to thee and these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves In these Words our Saviour declares the great Reason why he did at this time so publickly and solemnly pray for his Disciples it was to fill them with Joy and Comfort that their Joy might not be diminished by Christ's departure but rather encreased by the coming of the Comforter That they may have my Joy fulfilled in them that is the Joy which they take in me and the Joy which they have from me There is a double Care which Christ takes of his People namely a Care of their Graces and a Care of their Joy and Comfort How solicitous was he to leave his Disciples joyful before he departed from them He delights to see his People chearful and he knows of what great Use spiritual Joy is in the Christian's Course both to enable us for Doing and to fit us for Suffering Learn hence 1. That Christ is the Author and Original of the Joy of his People My Joy 2. That it is Christ's Will and Desire that his People should be full of holy Joy That my Joy may be fulfilled in them 3. That the great End of Christ's Prayer and Intercession was and is that his Peoples Hearts might be full of Joy These things I speak in the World that they might have my Joy fulfilled in themselves 14 I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world I have given them thy Word partly by external Revelation and partly by internal Illumination and for thy Word sake the World hates them as also because they are not of the World Learn 1. That Christians especially Ministers to whom Christ has given his Word must expect the World's hatred Few of the Prophets or Apostles died a natural death As their Calling is Eminent so must their Sufferings be Exemplary The best Ministers and the best Men are usually most hated There is an Antipathy against the Power of Godliness or a cruel causeless implacable and irreconcilable hatred against the Saints because of their strictness in Religion and contrariety to the World 2. That it is the Honour of Believers that they are like unto Christ in being the Objects of the World's hatred The World hates them because they are not of the World as I am not of the World This Christ adds both for Information and Consolation for Information that they should look for such Hatred Misery and Trouble as they saw him grapple with and for Consolation to think that the World can never hate us so bad as it hated Christ 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil 16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world Here Observe 1. That the Wisdom of Christ sees it fit to continue his Children and People in the World notwithstanding all the Perils and Dangers of the World He has Work for them and they are of Use to him for a time in the World and till their Work be done Christ's Love will not and the World's Malice cannot remove them hence Yet Christ prays that his Father would keep them from the Evil that is from the Sins Temptations and Snares of this wicked World Thence Note That a spiritual Victory over Evil is to be preferred before a total exemption from Evil it is a far greater Mercy to be kept from sin in our Afflictions than from the Afflictions themselves 17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Sanctifie them not initially for so they were sanctified already but progressively let them increase more and more in Grace and Holiness Learn hence 1. That such as are already sanctified must labour and ought to endeavour after further Measures and higher Degrees of Sanctification The most Holy may yet be more Holy 2. That the Word of God is the great Instrument in God's Hand for his Peoples Sanctification 3. That the Word of God is the Truth of God Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth The Word of God is a Divine Truth an Eternal Truth an Infallible Truth an Holy Truth 18 As thou hast
and inimitable never was Love like thine 16 And they took Jesus and led him away 17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a scull which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha 18 Where they crucified him and two other with him on either side one and Jesus in the midst Here Observe 1. That it was a Custom among the Romans to cause the Person condemned to crucifying to carry his own Cross accordingly our Saviour bare his own Cross part of the way till fainting under the burthen of it they laid it upon another not out of Mercy but Malice reserving him for a more publick Death They were loth he should go away in a fainting Fit But why could not Christ bear his own Cross who was able to bear the Sins of the whole World when hanging upon the Cross Answer 1. Probably the Jews Malice provided for him a Cross of extraordinary greatness proportionable to the Crimes they charged him with 2. He was much debilitated and weakned with his long watching and sweating the Night before 3. The sharp edges of the Cross grating his late whipped and galled Shoulders might occasion the fresh bleeding of his wounds and his weakning thereby 4. Hereby he gave the World a Demonstration of the Truth of his Humanity that he was in all things like unto us with respect to his Humane Nature and the common Infirmities of that Nature Observe 2. The Infamous Company which our Holy Lord suffered with two Thieves on either side one and himself in the midst it had been a sufficient disparagement to our blessed Redeemer to be sorted with the best of Men but to be numbred with the Scum of Mankind is such an Indignity as confounds our Thoughts This was designed by the Jews to dishonour and disgrace our Saviour the more and to perswade the World that he was the greatest of Offenders But God over-ruled this for fulfilling an Ancient Prophesie concerning the Messias Isaiah 53. last And he was numbered with the Transgressors 19 ¶ And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS 20 This title then read many of the Jews for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latine 21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate Write not The king of the Jews but that he said I am king of the Jews 22 Pilate answered What I have written I have written Observe here 1. The Inscription wrote by Pilate over our suffering Saviour This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews It was the manner of the Romans when they crucified a Malefactor to publish the Cause of his Death in Capital Letters over his Head that so the Equity of their Proceedings might more clearly appear to the People Now it is Observable how wonderfully the Wisdom of God over-ruled the Heart and Pen of Pilate to draw this Title which was truly Honourable and fix it to his Cross Pilate who was before his Judge and pronounced him Innocent is now his Herald to proclaim his Glory Learn hence That the Regal Dignity of Christ was openly proclaimed by an Enemy and that in the time of his greatest Reproaches and Sufferings Pilate without his own knowledge did our Saviour an eminent piece of Service he did that for Christ which none of his own Disciples durst do not designedly but from the special Over-ruling Providence of God No Thanks to Pilate for all this Because the highest Services performed to Christ undesignedly shall neither be accepted nor rewarded by God Observe 2. How the Jews endeavour to alter this Write not The King of the Jews but that he said I am the King of the Jews The Jews thought it would be a disgrace to them that Christ should be reported abroad to have been their King therefore they desire an alteration of the Writing But Pilate that wrote in Honour of Christ stifly defends what he had done To all their Importunity he returns this resolute Answer What I have written I have written Surely the Constancy of Pilate at this time must be attributed to special Divine Providence How wonderful was it that he who before was as inconstant as a Reed should now be as fixed as a Pillar of Brass Whence is this but from the God of Spirits moving upon his Spirit to write and to defend what was written The Providence of God hath a Prospect beyond the Understanding of all Creatures 23 ¶ Then the souldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and made four parts to every souldier a part and also his coat now the coat was without seam woven from the top throughout 24 They said therefore among themselves Let us not rent it but cast lots for it whose it shall be that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith They parted my raiment among them and for my vesture they did cast lots These things therefore the souldiers did Here we have recorded our Saviour's Sufferings from the Soldiers they strip him of his Garments before they fastned him to his Cross and divide those Garments which could be parted amongst them and cast Lots for his woven Coat which could not be divided Little did these vile Soldiers think that they were now fulfilling a Scripture-Prophecy Yet so it was this Action of theirs being foretold Psalm 22.18 They part my Garments amongst them and cast lots upon my Vesture Not that the Prophesie made them do it but was fulfilled by their doing of it From hence we may gather That Christ suffered naked upon the Cross as naked say some as he came into the World We had made our selves naked to our shame and Christ became naked to cover our shame If sensible of our own Nakedness and Shame we flee unto him by Faith we shall be cloathed upon with Robes of Righteousness and Garments of everlasting Praise 25 ¶ Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mother Woman behold thy son 27 Then saith he to the disciple Behold thy mother And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home These Words contain our Saviour's affectionate Recommendation of his distressed Mother to the Care of a dear Disciple It was an Argument of Christ's wonderful Love to her that when he was nailed to the Cross and ready to die he was more concern'd for his Mothers Sorrows than for his own Sufferings Now was Simeon's Prophesie fulfilled Luke 2.35 A Sword shall pass through thine own Soul also Her Soul was pierced for him both as his natural Mother and also as a mystical Member of him her Head therefore Christ applies these comfortable Words as a Salve to her Wounds even whilst his own were bleeding unto
we see the very Devils have a sort of unity amongst themselves and in their malicious and mischievous Designs against Mankind they are as one Oh how happy were it if good Men were as united in their Designs and endeavours for the Glory of God and the good of one another as Devils conspire and contrive against them Observe 6. The request which the Devils make to Christ we beseech thee torment us not From whence we may gather 1. That there are Torments appointed to the Spiritual Nature of Evil Angels 2. That the Evil Angels or Devils are not so full of Torment as they shall be altho' they are as full of sin and discontent as they can be there will be a time when their Torments shall be encreased therefore they pray Torment us not before the time that is do not encrease our Torments before the appointed time of their Encrease Observe 7. The Devils Request for Permission and Leave to go into the Herd of Swine Where Note 1. The Devils malice he will hurt the poor Beasts rather then not hurt at all 2. his powerful Restraint he cannot hurt a poor Pig without a Permission Suffer us to enter Satan's malice indeed is infinite but his power is bounded it is potestas sub potestate a power under a power if he could not hurt the Swine much less can he afflict the children of Men without Leave Obs 8. How Satans request is yielded to by our Saviour He suffered them to go into the Swine not to gratify their desire in doing mischief but first hereby Christ shewed his Power over the Devils that they could not Act without his Permission and Leave next to shew how great the malice and power of the Devil is if not restrained and Lastly That the Miracle of casting out so many Devils might appear to be the greater Learn hence That sometimes Almighty God for wise Ends and just Causes doth suffer the Devil to enjoy his Desire in doing mischief unto the Creatures Jesus said unto them go Observe 9. What a bad effect this Miracle had upon the Minds of the Gadarens instead of Believing and owning Christ's Divine Power the loss of their Swine enrages them and makes them desire Christ's departure from them Learn That Carnal Hearts prefer their Swine before their Saviour and had rather lose Christ's Presence then their Worldly Profit They besought him to depart from them Sad is the condition of those from whom Christ departs more sad the Condition of such who say unto Christ depart but most sad the condition of them who beseech and intreat Christ to depart from them thus did the Gadarens here and we do not read that ever Christ returned more to them Observe 10. How desirous the possessed Man was to continue with Christ after he was come to himself He prayed that he might be with him This he might desire partly to testify his Thankfulness to Christ partly out of fear of being Repossessed again by Satan or perhaps to have the opportunity of hearing Christ's Doctrine and seeing his Miracles for such as have once tasted that the Lord is Gracious and experienced the pleasure and profit of Christ's Company are very desirous of the continuance of it and exceeding loth to part with it However our Saviour at this time did not think fit to suffer him knowing that more Glory would redound to God by publishing this Miracle to his Friends Christ expects after eminent Deliverances wrought for us that we should be the publishers of his Praises and declare to all far and near the great and wonderful things which he has done for us 41 And behold there came a man named Jairus and he was a Ruler of the Synagogue and he fell down at Jesus Feet and besought him that he would come into his house 42 For he had one only Daughter about twelve years of Age and she lay a dying but as he went the People thronged him Obs here 1. The Person described who came to Christ on behalf of his sick Daughter by his Name Jairus by his office a Ruler of the Synagogue by his Gesture he fell down at Jesus Feet this Gesture of his was not only a Sign of tender affection in him towards his Daughter but also an evidence of his Faith in our Blessed Saviour He believed him either to be God or an extraordinary Man who had a miraculous power of healing Observe 2. How readily Christ complies with Jairus his Request Jesus went with him Altho' his Faith was but weak yet our Saviour doth not reject him or deny his Suit Oh how ready should we be to go to Christ in all our Distresses who is so ready to hear and so forward to help us if we seek him in Sincerity tho our Faith be weak and feeble Observe 3. The great Humility of our Blessed Saviour in suffering himself to be thronged by poor People much people followed him and thronged him Oh humble and lowly Saviour how free was thy Conversation from Pride and Haughtiness how willing to converse with the meanest of the People for their advantage Christ did not only suffer them to come near him but even to throng him Let not then the greatest Persons upon Earth despise or disdain the poorest of the People but look upon some with an eye of favour upon others with an eye of pity upon none with an eye of Contempt 43 And a woman having an issue of Blood twelve years which had spent all her Living upon Physicians neither could be healed of any 44 Came behind him and touched the Border of his Garment and immediately her Issue of blood stenched 45 And Jesus said who touched me when all deny'd Peter and they that were with him said Master the multitude throng thee and press thee and sayest thou who touched me 46 And Jesus said some body hath touched me for I perceive that vertue is gone out of me 47 And when the Woman saw that she was not hid she came trembling and falling down before him she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him and how she was healed immediately 48 And he said unto her Daughter be of good comfort thy Faith hath made thee whole go in peace As our Saviour was on his way to Jairus his House a Diseased Woman cometh behind him toucheth his Cloaths and is presently healed The virtue lay not in her Finger but in her Faith or rather in Christ which her Faith instrumentally drew forth Observe 1. The Diseased Woman one with a bloody Flux let Women here take Notice of the Miseries which the sin of the first Woman brought upon all Women amongst which this is one that it has made their Bodies subject to preternatural Issues and Fluxes of Blood Observe 2. The long continuance of this Disease Twelve years it pleases God to lay long and tedious Afflictions upon some of his Children in this Life and particularly to keep some of them a very
long time under Bodily Weakness to manifest his Power in supporting them and to magnify his Mercy in Delivering them Observe 3. This poor Woman was found in the use of Means she sought to Physicians for help and is not blamed for so doing altho' she spent all she had upon them The use and help of Physick is by no means to be neglected by us in times of sickness especially in dangerous Diseases of the Body to trust to means is to neglect God and to neglect the means is to tempt God The health of our Bodies ought to be dear unto us and all lawful means used both to preserve it to recover it and to confirm it Observe 4. The actings of this poor Womans Faith her Disease was unclean by the Ceremonial Law and she to be separated from Society Accordingly she is ashamed to appear before Christ but comes behind him to touch his Cloaths being firmly perswaded that Christ had a power Communicated to him miraculously to Cure incurable Diseases and see how our Saviour encouraged her Faith he saith This thy faith hath made thee whole Learn hence That Faith oft-times meets with a better welcome from Christ then it did or could expect this poor Woman came to Christ Trembling but went away Triumphing Observe 5. Christ would have this Miracle Discovered he therefore says Who toucheth me for I perceive that vertue is gone out of me Christ says this first in Reference to himself to manifest his Divine Power that by the touch of his Cloaths he could cure such an incurable Disease secondly in Relation to the Woman that she might have opportunity to give God the Praise and Glory for the Cure and thirdly with respect to Jairus that his Faith might be strengthned in Belief of Christ's Power to raise his Daughter 49 While he yet spake there came one from the Ruler of the Synagogues house saying to him thy Daughter is Dead trouble not the Master 50 But when Jesus heard it he answered him saying fear not believe only and she shall be made whole 51 And when he came into the house he suffered no man to go in save Peter James and John and the Father and Mother of the Maiden 52 And all wept and bewailed her But he said weep not she is not dead but sleepeth 53 And they laughed him to Scorn knowing that she was dead 54 And he put them all out and took her by the hand and called saying Maid Arise 55 And her Spirit came again and she arose straitway and he commanded to give her Meat 56 And her parents were astonished But he charged them that they should tell no man what was done Observe here 1. the doleful News brought to Jairus his Ear Thy Daughter is dead The Lord doth sometimes suffer the Faith and Patience of his Children to be greatly exercised and tryed The Loss of dear Relations particularly of Children especially of an only Child is one of the greatest Sorrows of humane Life a Tryal which has often shockt an ordinary Patience and constancy of mind Observe 2. Our Saviour's seasonable Word of Advice and Comfort fear not only believe Christ stands ready to comfort Believers in the Hour of their greatest Tryals and Temptations Observe 3. Christ's Application of himself in order to the raising unto Life Jairus his dead Daughter And here 1. he goes into the house only with three of his Disciples and the Father and Mother of the Maid which were sufficient to bear Witness to the Truth of the Miracle Our Saviour to avoid all shew of vain Glory would not work this Miracle publickly before all the People 2. Our Saviour rebukes them for the shew they made of immoderate Grief and Sorrow for the dead Damsel they wept and wailed greatly with Minstrels making a noise say the other Evangelists according to the Custom of the Heathens who by a mournful sort of Musick did seek to stir up the passion of Grief at their Funerals To mourn immoderately for the Dead is an Heathenish Custom and Practice 't is hurtful to the Living 't is dishonourable to the Dead nor is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace 3. Christ adds a Reason for this Rebuke given by him for the Damsel is not dead but sleepeth Vobis mortua mihi dormit She is dead to you but asleep to me not so dead as to be beyond my Power to raise her to Life Souls Departed are under the Conduct of Angels to their several Regions of Bliss or Misery It is very probable That the Soul of this Damsel was under the Guard of Angels near her Dead Body waiting the pleasure of God in order to its Disposal either to restore it again to the Body or to translate it to its Eternal Mansion Observe farther the Nature of Death in General and of the Saints Death in particular 't is a Sleep Sleep is a state of Rest sleep is a sudden surprisal in sleep there is an insensible passage of our Time the person sleeping shall certainly Awake Oh how much is it our Wisdom to prepare for the Bed of the Grave and so to live that when we lye down in it there may be nothing to disturb our Rest Observe farther with what facility and ease our Saviour Raises the dead Damsel with a word speaking and St. Mark tells us what the word was Talitha Cumi Syriack words to shew the Truth of the Miracle not like a Conjurer muttering a Charm in an unknown Tongue The Miracles which Christ wrought were real Miracles and carried their own Evidence along with them Observe Lastly The charge given by our Saviour not to publish this Miracle he charged them to tell no Man what was done that is Divulge it not imprudently to such of the Scribes and Pharisees as would not be convinced by it but only cavil at it and be the more enraged against him for it and seek his Death before his appointed time was come Again tell it to no man unseasonably and all at once but gradually and by degrees For it was the Will of God that the Divine Glory of Christ should not be manifested to the World all at once and on the sudden but by little and little during his estate of Humiliation for his Resurrection was the time appointed by God for the full manifestation of Christ's Godhead Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with power by the Resurrection from the Dead CHAP. IX 1 THen he called his twelve Disciples together and gave them power and authority over all Devils and to cure Diseases 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick 3 And said unto them take nothing for your journey neither Staves nor Scrip neither Bread nor Money neither have two Coats a piece 4 And whatsoever house ye enter into there abide and thence depart 5 And whosoever will not receive you when ye go out of that city shake off the very dust