Work he will furnish them with Endowments answerable to their vast Employment And the best Furniture they can have is the Holy Spirit in his Gifts and Qualifications suitable to their Work He breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost Observe 4. How Christ asserts their Authority in the discharge of their Commission and declares that what they act Ministerially according to their Commission here on Earth is ratified in Heaven Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted Where Note That there is a twofold Power of remitting or forgiving Sins the one Magisterial and Authoritative this belongs to Christ alone The other Ministerial and Declarative this belongs to Christ's Ambassadors who have a Power in his Name to bind and loose It is a pious Note of St. Austin upon this Place That Christ first conferr'd the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and then said Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted Thereby intimating that it is not they but the Holy Ghost by them that puts away Sin For who can forgive Sin but God only The Power of forgiving Sin that Man hath is only to declare That if Men be truly and really Penitent their Sins are forgiven them for the sake of Christ's satisfaction 24 ¶ But Thomas one of the twelve called Didymus was not with them when Jesus came 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe What the cause of Thomas his absence was is not declared it is evident that he was not with the rest of the Disciples when Christ appeared to them and his absence had like to have cost him dear even the loss of his Faith and he might have had cause for ever to have bewailed his absence from that Meeting of the Disciples had not Christ been more merciful Learn thence That the letting slip of one holy Opportunity may prove exceedingly prejudicial to the Souls Advantage It is wise and safe to lay hold upon every Opportunity for injoying Communion with God and Fellowship with his Saints Thomas his absence deprived him not only of the good News which Mary brought of Christ's being risen but also of the sight of him which the other Disciples got by assembling together and for want thereof Thomas is left under many Doubts and Fears Observe farther What a strange Declaration Thomas makes of his obstinate Unbelief Except I see the print of the nails and put my finger into his side I will not believe Where Note How strangely rooted Unbelief is in the Hearts of holy Men insomuch that they desire the Objects of Faith should fall under the view of their Senses Thomas carries his Faith at his Fingers ends he will believe no more than he can see or feel whereas Faith is the Evidence of things not seen 26 ¶ And after eight days again his disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you 27 Then saith he to Thomas Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing Observe here First Our Saviour's appearing again to his Disciples after his Resurrection it was eight days after he first arose which was the first day of the Week Here Note That Christ's rising the first day of the Week and appearing on the next First-day of the Week after to the Disciples and they observing that Day for their solemn Assemblies and St. Paul administring on that Day the Lord's Supper Acts 20. and commanding on that Day Collections for the Poor 1 Cor. 16. and St. John calling it the Lord's-Day Rev. 1.10 From these Authorities and the Primitive Practice we derive our Christian Sabbath For we do not find in all the Scripture one Instance of any one Congregation of Christians only assembling upon the Jewish Sabbath but on the First Day of the Week on which we ground our Observation of that Day Observe 2. The wonderful Condescension of Christ to the weakness of Thomas his Faith he bids him reach forth his hand and thrust it into his side Not that Christ was pleased with but only pitiful towards Thomas his Infirmities and it ought to be no encouragement to any Person to follow his Example in seeking or expecting the like Signs of their own prescribing for helping of their Faith Observe 3. How mercifully Christ over-ruled Thomas his Unbelief for the Confirmation of our Faith His Doubting proved a means for establishing his own and our Faith Therefore says Gregory well Plus mihi profuit dubitatio Thomae quam credulitas Mariae Had not Thomas doubted we had not been so fully assured that it was the same Christ that was crucified who rose again 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God These Words may be considered two ways 1. As an abrupt Speech importing a vehement Admiration of Christ's Mercy towards him and of his own Stupidity and Dulness to believe Learn hence That the convincing Condescension of Christ turns Unbelief into a Rapture of holy Admiration and humble Adoration 2. This Expression of Thomas My Lord and my God contains a short but absolute Confession of Faith Thomas rightly collects from his Resurrection that he was Lord God blessed for evermore the true Messias the expected Redeemer and accordingly with an explicite Faith he now professes his Interest in him saying My Lord and my God 29 Jesus saith unto him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed Here we have Christ's Reprehension of Thomas for not believing without such sensible Evidence as he desired He believed now that Christ was risen from the Dead but it was upon the Testimony of his Senses only Therefore Christ tells him that his Faith would have been more excellent and more eminently rewardable if he had believed without such demonstrative Evidence Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Therefore to give Credit to a thing upon the Evidence of Sense is not properly believing Observe farther How Christ pronounces them Blessed who should hereafter believe on him through the preaching of the Gospel though they did not see him as Thomas did nor handle him as he might This is a sure Rule that by how much our Faith stands in less need of the external Evidence of Sense the stronger our Faith is and the more acceptable it is provided what we believe be revealed in the Word of God Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed 30 ¶ And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book 31 But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the
and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him 57 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever 59 These things said he in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum Observe here How the Jews understanding Christ after a Carnal manner were offended at what he said for they thought it was Inhumane to eat Man's Flesh and could not understand how the Body of Christ could in such a Sense be Food to all the World Hence Note That Carnal Persons put a Carnal Sense upon Christ's Spiritual Words and so occasion their own stumbling But yet notwithstanding the Jews stumbled at our Saviour's Expression he doth not alter his words but presseth more and more the Necessity of feeding upon him by Faith in order to Eternal Life Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Learn from hence 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the True Spiritual Food of all Believers 2. That those and only those who do by Faith feed upon him shall obtain a Life of Grace and Glory from him if we do not by Faith feed upon him we can have no Evidence for a Life of Grace nor Title to a Life of Glory This place some Papists produce to Countenance their Doctrine of Transubstantiation and a Bodily eating and drinking of Christ's Flesh and Blood in the Sacrament But it is evident that Christ Treats not of the Sacrament in this Chapter for the Sacrament was not now Instituted and therefore it is not a Sacramental but a Spiritual feeding upon Christ by Faith that is here meant For this eating gives Life to the Eater all that eat are saved and all that do not eat are damned but this is not true of a Sacramental eating besides this eating that Christ speaks of he makes absolutely necessary to Salvation but some are saved that never fed upon Christ in the Sacrament as John the Baptist and the Thief on the Cross Lastly if it be understood of a Sacramental Eating and Drinking wo be to the Church of Rome for denying the Cup to the Laity because Drinking of Christ's Blood is made here as necessary as eating of his Flesh in order to Eternal Life Except ye Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and Drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Observe farther The close and intimate Union which is betwixt Christ himself and those that feed upon him He that eateth me Dwelleth in me and I in him As Meat is turned into the Eater's Substance so Believers and Christ become one and by feeding on him that is by believing in him there followeth a mutual Inhabitation Christ dwelling in them and they in him this is true of a Spiritual feeding upon Christ but not of a Sacramental Eating Nay Christ carries it higher still and tells us That as there is a Real Union between the Father and him and as the Father Lives who sent him â—aving an Eternal Fountain of Life in himself and the Son Lives by the Father having the same Life communicated to him with his Essence from the Father in like manner says Christ he that eateth me the same shall Live by me All which is certainly true of our Spiritual Feeding upon Christ by Faith but cannot be applied to a Corporal feeding upon him in the Sacrament as the Papists would have it 60 Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this said This is an hard saying who can hear it 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said unto them Doth this offend you 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before The foregoing Doctrine of our Saviour concerning eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood sounded so very harshly that not only the common multitude but some of them that had been his Disciples that is who had given up their names to follow him could not tell how to bear them Our Saviour Reproves their unjust stumbling at what he had said That he was the Bread which came down from Heaven and tells them that his Ascension into Heaven should prove the Truth of his descent from Heaven Hence we learn That Christ's arising from the Grave and Ascending into Heaven by his own Power is an Evident proof of his Godhead and that he really came down from Heaven in respect of his Divine Nature which condescended to be cloathed with our Flesh What and if ye shall see the Son of Man Ascend up where he was before 63 It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life To convince the Jews that our Saviour did not mean a carnal fleshly eating of his Body he tells them that such an eating would profit them nothing but it is a Spiritual eating of him by Faith that bringeth that Quickning Life of which he had spoken It is the Spirit or Divine Nature that Quickneth the flesh or human Nature alone separated from his Godhead profiteth nothing and can give no Life Learn hence That it is the Godhead of Christ united to the Humane Nature which adds all Vertue Efficacy and Merit to the Obedience and sufferings of the Humane Nature It is the Spirit or Divine Nature of Christ that Quickneth the flesh or Humane Nature alone profiteth nothing and therefore the carnal eating of my flesh would do no good 64 But there are some of you that believe not For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him 65 And he said Therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father 66 ¶ From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him Our Blessed Saviour having thus cleared his Doctrine that he was the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven and that he is not to be Carnally but Spiritually fed upon He plainly tells the Jews That the true cause of their stumbling at his Doctrine was their Ignorance and Unbelief there are some of you that believe not Upon which plain dealing of our Blessed Saviour's many unsound Professors did wholly forsake him and accompanied no longer with him Learn hence That multitudes who have long professed Christ and his Holy Religion may draw back and fall from their Profession and finally revolt from him 2. That it is an Evil heart of unbelief which causes Men to depart from Christ and to make Shipwrack of their Profession 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve Will ye also go away 68 Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life 69 And we
sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world Observe here 1. Christ's Mission The Father sent him into the World Christ's sending implies the Designation of his Person his Qualification for the Work his Authority and Commission Learn hence That Christ himself did not of himself undertake the Office of a Mediator but was sent that is authorized and Commissioned of God so to do Thou hast sent me into the World Observe 2. As Christ's Mission so the Apostles Mission As thou hast sent me so have I sent them Learn thence That none may or ought to undertake the Office of the Ministry without an Authoritative sending from Christ himself not immediately and extraordinarily by Voice or Vision but mediately by the Officers of the Church And such as are so sent are sent by Christ himself and if so it is the Peoples Duty to reverence their Persons to respect their Office to receive their Message As thou hast sent me so have I sent them 19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth The word Sanctifie here is not to be taken for the Cleansing Purifying or making Holy that which before was Unclean But Christ's sanctifying himself imports 1. His separation or setting himself apart to be a Sacrifice for Sin 2. His Consecration or Dedication of himself to this Holy Use and Service Hence learn That Jesus Christ did dedicate and solemnly set himself apart to the great Work and Office of a Mediator Learn 2. That the great End for which Christ did thus sanctifie himself it was that he might sanctifie his Members therefore did he consecrate and set himself apart for us that we should be consecrated to and wholly set apart for him 20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Hitherto our Saviour had been praying for himself and his Apostles now he prays for all Persons both Jews and Gentiles that should believe in him throughout the World by the preaching of the Gospel Hence learn That all Believers have a special Interest in Christ's Prayer 2. That in the Sense of the Gospel they are Believers who are wrought upon to believe in Christ thro' the Word 3. That such is Christ's Care of and Love to his own that they were remembred by him in his Prayer even before they had a Being I pray not for them alone but for all that shall believe in me 21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me The special Mercy and particular Blessing which Christ prays for on the behalf of Believers is a close and intimate Union betwixt the Father Himself and Them and also betwixt one another such an Union as doth in some sort resemble that Union which is betwixt God and Christ not an Unity of Essence and Nature but of Wills and Affections Hence Note 1. That the mystical Union betwixt Christ and his Members carrieth some resemblance with that Union which is betwixt the Father and the Son 2. That Union amongst the Ministers and Members of Jesus Christ is of so great Importance Necessity and Consequence that he did in their behalf principally and chiefly pray for it An Unity of Love and Affection of Faith and Profession and Unity of Practice and Conversation are Mercies which Christ earnestly prayed for and has dearly paid for and nothing is more desired by him now in Heaven than that his Disciples should be One among themselves here on Earth Father may they be one as we are one That the World may believe that thou hast sent me Here Christ intimates one special Advantage that would redound to the World by this desirable Union betwixt the Ministers and Members of Christ it will if not Convert yet at least convince the World that I and my Doctrine came from God Thence Note That Union amongst Christ's Disciples is one special means to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ and to cause the World to have better thoughts of him and his Doctrine By their being one as we are one the World will believe that thou didst send me 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one Here Observe 1. Christ's Communication of that Glory to Believers which he had received from the Father that is not his essential Glory but his mediatorial Glory The Glory which thou gavest me Now Christ hath no Glory given him as God but much Glory bestowed upon him as Mediatour Observe 2. The end of this Communication why he gave his Disciples that Glory which the Father had given him Namely That they might be one Learn 1. That God the Father hath bestowed much Glory on Christ his Son as he is Man and Mediatour of the Church 2. That the same Glory for Kind and Substance though not for Measure and Degree which Christ as Mediatour has received from the Father is communicated to true Believers 3. That the great End of this Communication was and is to oblige and enable his People to maintain a very strict Union amongst themselves The Glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one 4. That Unity amongst Believers is part of that Glory which Christ as Mediatour hath obtained for them 23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Observe here 1. That as the Father is in Christ so is Christ in Believers and they in him the Father is in Christ in respect of his Divine Nature Essence and Attributes and Christ is in Believers by the inhabitation of his Holy Spirit Observe 2. That the Believers happiness consisteth in their oneness in being one with God through Christ and one amongst themselves That they may be made perfect in one Observe 3. That God the Father loveth Christ his Son Thou lovest them as thou hast loved me God loveth Christ first as God so he is Primum Amabile the first object of his Love as representing his Attributes exactly Secondly as Mediatour John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my Life for my Sheep Observe 4. That God the Father loves Believers even as they loved Christ himself that is he loves them upon the same grounds that he loved him Namely For their nearness and for their likeness to him 1. For their nearness and relation to him he loveth Christ as his Son Believers as his Children 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father bestoweth upon us that we should be call'd the Sons of God 2. The properties of the Father's Love towards Christ and Believers are the same Doth he Love Christ with a tender Love
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
Winnow his Corn separating it from the Chaff preserving the one and consuming the other Learn hence 1. That the Church is Christ's Floor 2. That this Floor Christ will Purge and that throughly 3. That the Word of Christ is the Fan in his Hands by and with which he will thoroughly Purge his Floor The Church is compared to a Floor upon the Account of that Mixture which is in the Church in a Floor there is Straw as well as Grain Chaff as well as Corn Tares as well as Wheat Cockle and Darnel as well as Good Seed Thus in the Church there is and will be a Mixture of Good and Bad Saints and Sinners Hypocrites and Sincere Christians But this Floor Christ will Purge Purge it but not Break it up Purge out its Corruptions but not Destroy its Essence and Existence and the Fan with which he will Purge his Floor is his Word accompanied with the Wing of Discipline The Fan detects and discovers the Chaff and the Wing dissipates and scatters it and by the help of both the Floor is Purged His Fan is in his Hand c. 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him Here we have our Saviour's Solemn Inauguration and Publick Entrance upon his Prophetick Office by Baptism or Washing with Water according to the Manner of the Priests under the Ceremonial Law Exod. 29.4 Where we have Observable 1. The Circumstance of Time Then cometh Jesus that is after he had lain hid in Nazareth Thirty Years he comes abroad and enters upon his Publick Ministry Teaching us by his Example That when we are ripe and fit for Publick Service we should no less willingly leave our Obscurity than we took the Benefit of it for our Preparation Obs 2. The Action it self Christ is Baptized now as he was Circumcised before not because there was any Impurity in him either Filth or Foreskin which wanted either the Circumcising-Knife or the Baptismal-Water yet Purity it self condescends to be Washed Christ to be Baptized for these Reasons 1. That by this Symbol he might enter himself into the Society of Christians as by Circumcision he had done into the Society of Jews as a King condescends sometimes to be made a Freeman of a City or Corporation 2. That he might by his own Baptism Sanctifie the Ordinance of Baptism unto his Church 3. That thereby he might fulfil the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law which required the Washing of the Priests in Water when they entred upon their Office as appears from Exod. 29.4 Obs 3. The great Dignation and Condescention of Christ in seeking and submitting to the Baptism of John Christ cometh to John not John to Christ Behold the Lord seeking to his Servant Christ will be Baptized of his Messenger Our Saviour's Design hereby no doubt was to put Honour upon the Ministry of John Oh how dare the Greatest upon Earth despise the Ministry of Man being appointed by God which Christ honoured in his own Person and graced with his own Presence 14 But John forbad him saying I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me Note here 1. The Modesty of John's Refusal John forbad him and refused to admit him But why 1. In regard of Christ because he knew he needed it not such was his Majesty and Greatness that he was above it and such was his Purity and Holiness that he could not want it 2. In respect of himself he knew his own Uncleanness I have need to be Baptized of thee c. He thought it unsuitable that a Sinner should Baptize and Wash him that was no Sinner 3. With respect to the People lest they seeing Christ Baptized should apprehend him to be a Sinner and one that wanted the Baptism of Repentance as well as themselves Obs 2. As the Modesty of John's Refusal so the Reason he assigns for it I have need to be Baptized of thee As if he had said Thou art Purity I am Pollution thou art Spirit I am Flesh Thou are the Son of God I am the Son of Adam Such an humble Apprehension has this Holy Man of himself Learn That the more Holy a Person is the more sensible he is of his Unholiness where there is most Grace there is the greatest sense of the want of Grace 15 And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Then he suffered him These Words contain our Saviour's Reason why he submitted to John's Baptism because it became him to fulfil all Righteousness that is particularly the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law which required the Washing of the Priests in Water when they entred upon their Office Exod. 29.4 Learn hence 1. That whatever the Law required in order to perfect Righteousness that Christ fulfilled in most absolute Perfection both in his own Person and also in the Name of all Believers 2. That as it became Christ to fulfil the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law for himself so it is our Duty and Interest to fulfil the Righteousness of the Moral Law for our selves as an Evidence of our being Righteous in God's Sight 1 Joh. 3.7 He that doth Righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous 16 And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him 17 And lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Here we have the solemn Investing of Christ into his Office accompanied with a threefold Miracle 1. The Opening of the Heavens 2. The Descent of the Holy Ghost in the likeness of a Dove 3. God the Father's Voice concerning his Son The Heavens were opened to shew that Heaven which was closed and shut against us for our Sins is now opened to us by Christ's Undertaking for us As the First Adam shuts us out of Heaven the Second Adam lets us into it he opened Heaven to us by his Meritorious Passion and he keeps it open by his Prevailing Intercession Next the Holy Ghost descends like a Dove upon our Saviour here we have an Evidence of the Blessed Trinity the Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the Water and the Holy Ghost appears in the likeness of a Dove Hence we gather That the Holy Ghost is not a Quality or an Operation but a Person and a Person really distinct from the Father and the Son But why did the Holy Spirit now descend upon Christ First For the Designation of his Person to shew that Christ was the Person set apart for the Work and Office of a Mediator Secondly For the Qualification of his Person for the Performance of the Office This was Christ's Unction Isa 61.1 when he was Anointed above his Fellows to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Last of all We have the audible Voice
when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities Our Blessed Saviour having sent forth his Twelve Apostles in the foregoing Chapter to Plant and Propagate the Gospel we find him in this Chapter following them himself in that great and necessary Work He departed to Teach and to Preach in their Cities CHRIST the Great Bishop and Shepherd of Souls sent not forth the Apostles as his Curates to labour and sweat in the Vineyard whilst he took his Ease at Home but he followed them himself His Word of Command to them was Praeite Sequar Go ye before I will follow after Note 1. That Preaching of the Gospel is a great and necessary Work incumbent upon all the Ministers of Christ let their Dignity and Preheminency in the Church be what it will None of the Servants are above their Lord. 2. That if there be a Distinction betwixt Teaching and Preaching as some apprehend they are both the Work of Christ's Ministers who are obliged from their Master's Example to perform both Teaching is in order to the Conversion of Sinners and Preaching in order to the Edification of Saints 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ he sent two of his disciples 3 And said unto him Art thou he that should come or do we look for another It was not for John's Information that he sent his Disciples to Christ but for their Satisfaction that he was the true and promised Messias John was assured of it himself by a Sign from Heaven at our Saviour's Baptism Matth. 3.17 But John's Disciples out of a great Zeal to him their Master envied Christ himself and were unwilling to believe any Person greater than their Master Therefore John out of a Pious Design to confirm his Disciples in the Belief of Christ's being the true Messias sends them to our Saviour to hear the Doctrine which he taught and to see the Miracles which he wrought Learn hence What a Pious Desire there is in such as know Christ experimentally themselves to bring all that belong to them to a Saving Acquaintance with him 4 Jesus answered and said unto them Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see 5 The blind receive their sight and the lame walk the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them Observe here 1. The Way and Means which our Saviour takes for the Conviction and Satisfaction of John's Disciples that he was the true Messias he appeals to the Miracles wrought by himself and submits the Miracles wrought by him to the Judgment of their Senses Go and shew John the Miracles which you hear and see Obs 2. The Miracles themselves The Blind receive their sight the Lame walk the Deaf hear c. Christ was all this in a Literal Sence and in a Mystical Sence also he was an Eye of Understanding to the Ignorant a Foot of Power to the Weak He opened an Ear in deaf Hearts to receive the Word of Life And the Poor are Evangelized that is turned into the Spirit and Temper of the Gospel the Rich hear the Gospel but the Poor receive it that is they feel the powerful Impressions of it As we say such a one is Italianized when his Carriage is such as if he were a Natural Italian The Passive Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes Non Actum Praedicationis sed Effectum Evangelii Praedicati the Good Effect which the Gospel had upon the Hearts and Lives of the Poor transforming them into the likeness of it self Learn It is a Blessed Thing when the Preaching of the Gospel has such a powerful Influence upon the Minds of Men that the Temper of their Minds and the Actions of their Lives are a lively Transcript of the Spirit and Temper of the Holy JESUS 6 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me Our Saviour here by pronouncing them Blessed that are not offended in him doth intimate the Misery of those who stumble at him and to whom he is a Rock of Offence Some are offended at the Poverty of his Person others are offended at the Sublimity and Sanctity of his Doctrine Some are offended at his Cross others are offended at his Free Grace But such as instead of being Offended at CHRIST Believe in him and bottom their Expectations of Heaven and Salvation upon him are in a Happy and Blessed Condition Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me 7 And as they departed Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John What went ye out into the wilderness to see A reed shaken with with the wind 8 But what went ye out for to see A man cloathed in soft raiment behold they that wear soft cloathing are in king's houses 9 But what went ye out for to see A prophet yea I say unto you and more than a prophet 10 For this is he of whom it is written Behold I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee Our Saviour having given Satisfaction to John's Disciples next enters upon a large Commendation of John himself Where Observe 1. The Persons whom he commended him before not John's own Disciples for they had too high an Opinion of their Master already and were so much addicted to John that they envied Christ for his sake See Joh. 3.26 Behold Christ Baptizeth and all Men come unto him It was a great Eye-sore that Christ had more Hearers and Followers than John therefore not before John's Disciples but before the Multitude Christ commends John For as John's Disciples had too high so the Multitude had too low an Opinion of him possibly because of his Imprisonment and Sufferings There was a time when the People had high Thoughts of John but now they undervalued him Learn thence The great uncertainty of Popular Applause the People contemn to day whom they admired yesterday he who to day is cried up to morrow is troden down The Word and the Ministers are the same but this proceeds from the Fickleness and Inconstancy of the People nothing is so mutable as the Mind of Man nothing so variable as the Opinion of the Multitude Observe 2. The Time when our Saviour thus commended John not in the time of his Prosperity and Greatness when the People flockt after him and Herod got him to Court and reverenced him but when the giddy Multitude had forsaken him and he was faln into Disgrace at Court and had Preacht himself into a Prison Now Christ vindicates his Innocency maintains his Honour proclaims his Worth and tells the People that the World was not worthy of such a Preacher as John was Learn thence That Christ will stand by and stick fast to his Faithful Ministers when all the World forsakes them Let the World slight and despise them at their pleasue yet Christ will maintain their Honour
all sides by Reviling Tongues Why should we expect better Treatment than the Son of GOD 25 And Jesus knew their thought and said unto them Every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against it self shall not stand 26 And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his kingdom stand 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils by whom do your children cast them out therefore they shall be your judges 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house 30 He that is not with me is against me and he rhat gathereth not with me scattereth abroad Our Blessed Saviour to clear his Innocency and to convince the Pharisees of the Unreasonableness of this their Calumny and False Accusations offers several Arguments to their Consideration 1. That it was very unlikely that Satan should lend him this Power to use it against himself As Satan has a Kingdom so he has Wit enough to preserve his Kingdom and will do nothing to weaken his own Interest Now if I have received my Power from Satan for Destroying him and his Kingdom then is Satan divided against himself 2. Our Saviour tells them they might with as much Reason attribute all Miracles to the Devil as those that were wrought by Him There were certain Jews amongst themselves who cast out Devils in the Name of the GOD of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Christ asks the Pharisees By what Power these their Children Cast them out They acknowledged that those did it by the Power of GOD and there was no Cause but their Malice why they should not acknowleledge that what he did was by the same Power If I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the Kingdom of God is come unto you that is the Messias is come because he wrought these Miracles to prove that he was the Messias 3. Another Argument to prove That the Miracles which Christ wrought were by the Power of God and not by the Help of Satan is this The Devil is very strong and powerful and there is no Power but God's only that is stronger than his Now says Christ if I were not assisted by a Divine Power I could never cast out this strong Man who reigns in the World as in his House It must be a stronger than the strong Man that shall bind Satan and who is he but the GOD of Strength 31 Wherefore I say unto you All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Obs 1. How our Saviour makes a Difference betwixt speaking against the Son of Man and speaking against the Holy Ghost By Speaking against the Son of Man is meant all those Reproaches which were cast upon our Saviour's Person as Man without reflecting upon his Divine Power as GOD which he testified by his Miracles Such were their reproaching him with the Meaness of his Birth their censuring him for a Winebibber and a Glutton and the like But by Speaking against the Holy Ghost is meant their Blaspheming and Reproaching that Divine Power whereby he wrought his Miracles which was an immediate Reflection upon the Holy Spirit and a Blaspheming of him Observe 2. The Nature of this Sin of Speaking against the Holy Ghost It consisted in this that the Pharisees seeing our Saviour work Miracles and cast out Devils by the Spirit of God contrary to the Conviction of their own Minds they maliciously ascribe his Miracles to the Power of the Devil charging him to be a Sorcerer and Magician and to have a Familiar Spirit by whose Help he did those Mighty Works when in truth he did them by the Spirit of God Observe 3. That this Sin above all others is called Unpardonable and upon what Account it is so The Case of such Blasphemers of the Holy Spirit is not only dangerous but desperate because they resist their last Remedy and oppose the best Means for their Conviction What can God do more to convince a Man that Jesus Christ is the True Messiah than to work â—â—â—â—cles to that purpose Now if when Men see plain Miracles wrought they will say it is not God that works them but the Devil as if Satan would conspire against himself and seek the Ruin of his own Kingdom There is no way left to convince such Persons but they must and will continue in their Opposition to Truth to their inevitable Condemnation 33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit These Words may either referr to the Pharisees or to Christ himself If to the Pharisees the Sence is You hypocritical Pharisees shew your selves what you are by your Words and Actions even as the Fruit sheweth what the Tree is If they referr to Christ then they are an Appeal to the Pharisees themselves to judge of our Saviour and his Doctrine by the Miracles which he wrought If he wrought by the Devil his Works would be as bad as the Devil 's but if his Works were good they must own them to be wrought by the Power of God The Expression implies That a Man may be known by his Actions as a Tree may be judged by his Fruit yet not by a single Action but by a Series of Actions not by a particular Act but by our general Course 34 O generation of vipers how can ye being evil speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Note here 1. The Fervency and Zeal of our Saviour's Spirit in the Compellation given to the Pharisees he calls them a Generation of Vipers intimating that they were a venemous and dangerous sort of Men. Learn thence That it is not always Railing and Indiscreet Zeal to call Wicked Men by such Names as their Sin deserves Obs farther From our Saviour's Saying that Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh that the Heart is the Fountain both of Words and Actions and according as the Heart is so are the Current of Mens Words and Actions either good or evil 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Obs here A double Treasure discovered in the Heart of Man 1. An Evil Treasure of Sin and Corruption both Natural and Acquired from whence proceeds Evil Things Now this is called a Treasure not for
the Truth and desire to obey it the Spirit gives you an Affective Operative and Experimental Knowledge not barely to know these things but to believe them and feel the Power of them in and upon your own Hearts But the Generality of Hearers do satisfie and content themselves with a bare Notional Knowledge of what they hear a Parable therefore is well enough for them Learn 1. That the Doctrines of the Gospel are Mysteries 2. That it is a matchless and unvaluable Priviledge practically and savingly to understand and know Gospel-Mysteries 3. That this Priviledge all are not Sharers in nor Partakers of but only those to whom it is given Vnto you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom but to them it is not given 12 For whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that he hath That is whosoever improves the Measures of Grace received shall obtain farther Measures and Degrees of it But from him that doth not improve what he has already received shall be taken away that which to himself or others he seemeth to have his Common Gifts and Moral Endowments Learn That where there are Beginnings of True Grace and a right and wise Improvement of it God will make rich Additions of more Grace to the present Stock which we have received 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables because they seeing see not and hearing they hear not neither do they understand 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias which saith by hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive 15 For this peoples heart is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them These Words of our Blessed Saviour as I conceive have a peculiar Reference and Relation to the Pharisees who attended upon Christ's Ministry not with an honest simplicity of Mind to be instructed by it but to carp and cavil at it Our Saviour tells them he had formerly spoken things very plainly and clearly to them and also wrought Miracles before them to convince them of the Divinity of his Person and of the Verity of his Doctrine But they would not believe either his Person or his Doctrine to be from God and therefore he would now speak to them in dark Parables that they may be Judicially Blinded they shut their Eyes against the clearest Light and said they would not see and now Christ closes their Eyes and says they shall not see Learn hence To acknowledge the Divine Justice which speaks darkly to them that despise the Light Such who see and yet see not they shall see the Shell but not the Kernel they shall hear the Parable but not understand the Spiritual Sence and Meaning of it When wilful Blindness of Mind is added to Natural Blindness it is a just and righteous thing with God to superadd Judicial Blindness and to give them Obstinacy of Heart His Curse unto them 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear 17 For verily I say unto you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them Here our Saviour pronounces such of his Disciples and Followers Blessed who received the Truths of the Gospel so far as they were already taught them he assures them that they shall receive farther Light and fuller Measures of Spiritual Illumination Blessed are your Eyes for they see Learn That such as have received the least Measures of Spiritual Knowledge and Saving Illumination and do improve it they are in an happy and blessed Condition for as they are capable of farther Measures of Divine Knowledge so shall they be Partakers of them 18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart this is he which received seed by the way-side 20 But he that received the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth it and anon with joy receiveth it 21 Yet hath he not root in himself but dureth for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choak the word and he becometh unfruitful 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it which also beareth fruit and bringeth forth some an hundred fold some sixty some thirty As if our Lord had said You my Disciples who are not satisfied with a Sound of Words I will explain to you the Sence and Signification of this Parable The Scope of which is to shew the different Effects which the Word of God has upon Mens Hearts and the Reason of that Difference The Seed is the Word the Sower is the Preacher the Soil is the Heart and Soul of Man Now our Saviour assures us that the Hearts of some Hearers are like Highway-Ground in which the Seed is not covered with the Harrow of Meditation others are like Stony-Ground in which the Word has no Root no Root in their Understandings Memories Conscience Will or Affections But They are offended either at the Depth and Profoundness of the Word or at the Sanctity and Strictness of it or at the Plainess and Simplicity of it Again some Hearers our Lord compares to Thorny-Ground Thorns are Covetous Desires which choak the good Seed shadow the Blade when sprung up keep off the Influences of the Sun and draw away the Fatness of the Soil from the Seed All these Effects have Thorns in and among the Seed And the like Effects have Worldly Affections and Covetous Desires in the Heart of Man rendring the Word unfruitful and unprofitable But the good Christian hears the Word attentively keeps it retentively believes it stedfastly applies it particularly practises it universally and brings forth Fruit with Patience and Perseverance Fruit that will redound to his Account in the Great Day of Account Learn 1. That no Hearers are in Christ's Account Good Hearers of the Word but such as bring forth the Fruits of an holy humble and peaceable Conversation 2. That a Person may be a good Hearer of the Word if he brings forth the best Fruit he can tho' it be not in so great a Proportion as others do As some Ground brings forth Thirty some Sixty and some an Hundred-fold In like manner do all the sincere Hearers of the Word they all
consider what they eat we may justly wonder that they left any thing If what they left that they eat any thing Observe lastly Christ would not have these Fragments lost but gathered up the Great House-keeper of the World will not allow the Loss of his Orts. Oh how dreadful will the Account of those be who have large and plentiful Estates to Answer for as Lost being spent upon their Lusts in Riot and Excess CHAP. XVI 1 THE Pharisees also with the Sadduces came and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven 2 He answered and said unto them When it is evening ye say It will be fair weather for the sky is red 3 And in the morning It will be foul weather to day for the sky is red and lowring O ye hypocrites ye can discern the face of the sky but can ye not discern the signs of the times 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be given unto it but the sign of the prophet Jonas And he left them and departed Obs here 1. The Persons demanding of our Saviour a Sign the Pharisees and Sadduces Persons of contrary Opinions and Interests yet both agree in Tempting and Opposing Christ Learn thence That Wicked Men how opposite soever they are one to another yet can agree together in Opposing Christ and Undermining his Truth Obs 2. The Sign demanded Shew us a Sign from Heaven As if they had said Put us not off with such Earthly Signs as we have seen in multiplying Loaves but let us see a Miracle from Heaven such as Moses and Elias wrought This they desired not so much for their Satisfaction as out of Curiosity nay Wicked Treachery Learn thence That to demand a Sign not to confirm our Faith but to harden our selves in our Unbelief is a dangerous Tempting of Christ Obs 3. Our Saviour's Rejection of this Demand of the Pharisees to give them a Sign Oh ye Hypocrites says he ye can discern the Face of the Sky but ye cannot discern the Signs of the Times As if he had said Did not Malice and Obstinacy blind your Eyes ye might as easily see and discern that these are the Times of the Messias and that I am he by the Miracles wrought by me as you can make a Judgment of the Weather by looking upon the Sky Learn That to pretend more Ignorance or Uncertainty in discerning the Signs of Gospel-Times than the Signs of the Weather is great Hypocrisie Ye Hypocrites ye can discern the Face of the Sky but can ye not discern the Signs of the Times Observe lastly That our Saviour doth not condemn the Study of Nature or making Observation of the State of the Weather from the Face of the Sky All that our Saviour blames was that they were better skill'd in the Signs of the Weather than in the Signs of the Times As God by Natural Signs gives us Warning of a Change in Natural Things so by his Providential Dispensations he gives us Warning of a Change in Civil Things He that is Wise will Observe these Things and by their Observation Will come to Vnderstand the Pleasure of the Lord. 5 And when his disciples were come to the other side they had forgotten to take bread 6 Then said Jesus unto them Take heed and be ware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces 7 And they reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have taken no bread 8 Which when Jesus perceived he said unto them O ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no bread 9 Do ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets ye took up 11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces Observe here 1. How dull the Disciples of Christ were under Christ's own Teaching and how apt to put a Carnal Sence upon his Words they apprehended he had spoken to them of the Leaven of Bread what he intended of the Leaven of the Pharisees Doctrine Obs 2. The smart and sharp Reproof which Christ gave his Disciples for not understanding the Sense and Signification of what he spake The Lord Jesus Christ is much displeased with his own People when he discerns Blindness and Ignorance in them after more than ordinary Means of Knowledge enjoyed by them How is it that ye do not yet understand Obs 3. The Metaphor which Christ sets forth the corrupt Doctrine of the Pharisees by he compares it to Leaven partly for its Sowrness and partly for its Diffusiveness Leaven is a piece of sower Dough that diffuses it self into the whole Mass or Lump of Bread with which it is mixed From whence our Saviour intimates that the Pharisees were a sower and proud sort of People and their Doctrines like themselves poisonable and pernicious in their Consequences the Contagion of which our Lord warns his Disciples to avoid and shun Whence Learn That Error is as damnable as Vice Persons Erroneous in their Judgments are to be avoided as well as those that are Lewd and Wicked in their Conversations He that has a due Care of his Soul's Salvation must as well beware of Erroneous Principles as of Debauched Practices Obs 4. Our Saviour does not command his Disciples to separate from Commmunion with the Pharisees and oblige them not hear their Doctrine but only to beware of the Errors that they mix with their Doctrine We may and ought to hold Communion with a Church tho' Erroneous in Doctrine if not Fundamentally Erroneous Separation from a Church is not justifiable upon any other Ground than that which makes a Separation betwixt God and that Church Which is either the Apostacy of that Church into gross Idolatry or in Point of Doctrine into damnable Heresie 13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I the Son of man am 14 And they said Some say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the prophets 15 He saith unto them But whom say ye that I am 16 And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven Observe here Our Saviour's Question and the Disciples Answer Our Saviour's Question is twofold 1. Whom do Men say that I am Not that the Son of God was ignorant what Men said of him but he had an Intention more
threefold Sense and Interpretation is given of these words 1. Some will have them referr to our Saviour's Transfiguration mentioned in the next Chapter As if he had said Some of you as Peter James and John shall shortly see me upon Mount Tabor in such Glory as I will come in to Judgment 2. Others understand the words of Christ's exercising his Kingly Power in the Destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation which St. John did Live to see 3. Others referr the Words to the Times of the Gospel after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension when the Gospel was propagated and spread far and near according to St. Mark 9.1 There are some standing here that shall not taste of Death till thâ—y see the Kingdom of God come with Power that is till they see the Encrease and Enlargement of the Church by the Gospel Thence Note That where the Gospel is powerfully Preached and chearfully Obeyed there Christ cometh most Gloriously in his Kingdom CHAP. XVII 1 AND after six days Jesus taketh Peter James and John his Brother and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart 2. And was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light The former part of this Chapter gives us an Account of our Saviour's Glorious Transfiguration He laid as it were the Garments of frail Humanity and Mortality aside for a little time and assuming to himself the Robes of Majesty and Glory the Rays of his Divinity darted forth his Face shined with a pleasing Brightness and his Raiment with such a Glorious Lustre as did at once both Dazle and Delight the Eyes of the Beholders Here Observe 1. The Reasons of our Lord's Transfiguration 1. To Demonstrate and Testifie the Truth of his Divinity That he was Christ the Son of the Living God According to St. Peter's Confession just before This Divine Glory was an Evidence of his Divine Nature 2. Christ was thus transfigured to prefigure the Glory of his Second Coming to Judgment when he shall be admired of his Saints as here he was admired by his Disciples Obs 2. The Choice which our Saviour makes of the Witnesses of his Transfiguration his Three Disciples Peter James and John But why Disciples Why Three Disciples Why these Three 1. This Transfiguration was a Type and Shadow of the Glory of Heaven Christ therefore vouchsafes the Earnest and first Fruits of that Glory only to Saints upon whom he intended to bestow the full Harvest 2. Three Disciples were Witnesses sufficient to Testifie this Miracle Judas was unworthy of this Favour yet lest he should murmur or be discontented at his being left out others are also left out besides him 3. These Three rather than others because 1. These Disciples were more eminent for Grace Zeal and Love to Christ and consequently are most highly dignified and honoured by him The most eminent Manifestations of Glory are made by God to those that are most eminent in Grace 2. These Three were Witnesses of Christ's Agony and Passion to prepare them for which they are here made Witnesses of his Transfiguration This glorious Vision upon Mount Tabor fitted them to abide the Terrors of Mount Calvary Learn That those whom God singles out for the greatest Trials he will fit beforehand with the best Enablements 3 And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him Observe here The Glorious Attendants upon our Saviour at his Glorious Transfiguration they were two two Men and those two Men Moses and Elias This being but a Glimpse of Christ's Glory not a full Manifestation of it only Two of the Glorified Saints attend upon Christ at it When he shall come in his full Glory then Thousands oâ— Thousands shall attend him These two Attendants were two Men not two Angels because Men were more nearly concerned in what was done they were not only Spectators but Partners Man's Restauration was Christ's principal Aim the Angels Confirmation his less principal Design But why Moses and Elias 1. Moses the Giver of the Law and Elias the Chief of the Prophets attending both upon Christ did shew the Consent of the Law and the Prophets with Christ and their Fulfilling and Accomplishment in him 2. Because these two were the most laborious Servants of Christ Both adventured their Lives in God's Cause and therefore are highly honoured by Christ Such as honour him he will honour 4 Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias Observe here 1. The Person supplicating Peter No doubt the other two James and John were much affected but Peter is most servent and forward yet there is no arguing with the Papists from his Fervency to his Superiority his Personal Prerogatives were not hereditary Obs 2. The Person supplicated Jesus not Moses or Elias the Disciples make no Prayer no Suit to them but to Christ only Prayers to Saints departed are both vain and unlawful Obs 3. The Supplication it self and that was for their Continuance where they were It is good for us to be here Oh what a ravishing Comfort is the Fellowship of the Saints but the Presence of Christ among them renders their Joys transporting Obs 4. Their Proffer of Service to farther this Continuance Let us make Three Tabernacles This Motion was well meant and devout St. Peter will stick at no Cost or Pains for the Enjoyment of Christ's Presence and his Saints Company yet was the Motion unadvised and rash St. Peter errs in desiring a Perpetuity of that Condition which was but transient and momentary This Vision was only a Taste of Glory not a full Repast He errs in that he would bring down Heaven to Earth and take up with Tabor instead of Heaven He errs in that he would enter upon the Possession of Heavens Glory without suffering and without dying Peter would be clothed upon but was not willing to be uncloathed Learn 1. That a Glimpse of Glory is enough to wrap a Soul into Extasie and to make it out of Love with Worldly Company 2. That we are apt to desire more of Heaven upon Earth than God will allow We would fain have the Heavenly Glory come down to us but we are unwilling to go by Death to that we know not what we say when we talk of Felicity in Tabernacles upon Earth 5 While he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Observe here 1. A Cloud was put before the Disciples Eyes for two Reasons 1. To allay the Lustre and Resplendency of that Glory which they were swallowed up with As we cannot look upon the Sun in its full Brightness but under a Cloud by Reflexion So the Glory of Heaven is insupportable till God vails it and shelters
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
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
Christ or the self-quickning Principle by which Christ raised himself from the Dead Acts 1.3 He shewed himself active after his Passion Learn That it was the Divine Nature or Godhead of Christ which raised his Humane Nature from Death to Life Others were raised from the Grave by Christ's Power he raised himself by his own Power Observe 3. The Testimony or Witness given to our Lord's Resurrection that of an Angel The Angel said he is not here but risen But why is an Angel the first Publisher of our Lord's Resurrection Surely the Dignity of our Lord's Person and the Excellency of his Resurrection required that it should be first published by an Angel and accordingly it is worthy our Observation how very serviceable and officious the holy Angels were in attending upon our Saviour in the Days of his Flesh an Angel foretells his Conception to the Blessed Virgin an Angel proclaims his Birth to the Shepherds an Angel succours him in his Temptations in the Wilderness an Angel comforts him in his Agony in the Garden and at his Resurrection the Angel rolls away the Stone from the Sepulchre and brings the first Tydings of it to the Women In his Ascension the Angels bore him Company to Heaven and when he comes again to Judgment he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels Observe 4. The Persons to whom our Lord's Resurrection was first made known to Women to the Two Maries But why to the Women God will make Choice of weak Means for producing great Effects knowing that the Weakness of the Instrument redounds to the greater Honour of the Agent In the whole Dispensation of the Gospel Almighty God intermixes Divine Power with Humane Weakness Thus the Conception of Christ was by the Power of the Holy Ghost but his Mother a poor Woman a Carpenter's Spouse So the Crucifixion of Christ was in much Meanness and outward Baseness being crucified between Two Thieves But the Powers of Heaven and Earth trembling the Rocks rending and the Graves opening shew'd a mixture of Divine Power God will honour what Instruments he pleases for the Accomplishment of his own Purposes But why to these Women the Two Maries is this Discovery of Christ's Resurrection first made Possibly it was a Reward for their Magnanimity and Masculine Courage These Women clave to Christ when the Apostles fled from him and forsook him they assisted at his Cross they attended at his Funeral they watched his Sepulchre These Women had more Courage than the Apostles therefore God makes the Women Apostles to the Apostles he sends them to tell the Apostles of the Resurrection and they must have the News at the second Hand Oh what a tacit Rebuke was hereby given to the Apostles A secret Check that they should be thus outdone by poor Women These holy Women went before the Apostles in the last Services that were done for Christ and therefore the Apostles here come after them in their Rewards and Comforts Observe 5. The Evidence which the Angel offers to the Women to evince and prove the Verity and Certainty of our Saviour's Resurrection namely by an Appeal to their Senses Come see the Place where the Lord lay The Senses when rightly disposed are the proper Judges of all sensible Objects therefore Christ himself did appeal to his Disciples Senses concerning the Truth of his own Resurrection Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self and indeed if we must not believe our Senses we shall want the best External Evidence for the Proof of the Truth of the Christian Religion namely the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles For what Assurance can we have of the Reality of those Miracles but from our Senses Therefore says our Saviour If ye believe not me yet believe the Works that I do That is the Miracles which I have wrought before your Eyes Now as my Senses tell me that Christ's Miracles were true so they assure me that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false From the whole Note That the Lord Jesus Christ by the Omnipotent Power of his Godhead revived and rose again from the Dead to the Terror and Consternation of his Enemies and the unspeakable Joy and Consolation of Believers 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy and did run to bring his disciples word 9 And as they went to tell his disciples behold Jesus met them saying All hail And they came and held him by the feet and worshipped him 10 Then said Jesus unto them Be not afraid go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee and there shall they see me Observe here 1. What Haste and Speed these holy Women make to carry the News of Christ's Resurrection to the Apostles such as find and feel their Hearts grieved for the Absence and Want of Christ will be very ready to comfort such as are in the same Condition Oh how glad are these holy Women to carry the good News of their Lord's Resurrection to the Heart-broken Disciples Observe 2. How these holy Women hasting in Obedience to the Angel's Command to tell the Disciples do meet with Christ in the way Such as obey the Directions of God's Ministers seeking Christ in his own Way and Means shall find him to their Comfort sooner than they expected These holy Women find Christ before they look'd for him as they went to tell his Disciples Jesus met them Observe 3. The affectionate and loving Title which Christ puts upon his Disciples Tell my Brethren He might have said Go tell those Apostate Apostles that cowardly left me in my Danger that durst not own me in the High Priest's Hall that durst not come within the Shadow of my Cross nor within the Sight of my Sepulchre Not a word of this by way of upbraiding them for their late shameful Cowardice but all Words of Kindness Go tell my Brethren Where Note That Christ calls his Disciples Brethren after his Resurrection and Exaltation as he had done before in his State of Humiliation to shew the Continuance of his former Affection to them and that the Change of his Condition had wrought no Change in his Affection towards his despised Members But those that were his Brethren before in the time of his Abasement are so still after his Exaltation and Advancement Observe Lastly The Place where Christ chuses to meet with and speak to his Disciples not in Jerusalem but in Galilee I go before them into Galilee there shall they see me Jerusalem was now a forsaken Place a People abandoned to Destruction Christ would not shew himself openly to them but Galilee was a Place where Christ's Ministry was more acceptable Such Places wherein Christ is most welcome to preach shall be most honoured with his Presence In Galilee shall they see me 11 Now when they were going behold some of the watch came into the city and shewed unto the chief Priests all the things that were done 12 And when they were assembled
the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod 16 And they reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have no bread 17 And when Jesus knew it he saith unto them Why reason ye because ye have no bread perceive ye not yet neither understand have ye your hearts yet hardened 18 Having eyes see ye not and having ears hear ye not and do ye not yet remember 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand how many baskets full of fragments took ye up They say unto him Twelve 20 And when the seven amongst four thousand how many baskets full of fragments took ye up And they said Seven 21 And he said unto them How is it that you do not understand Observe here 1. How dull the Disciples of Christ were under Christ's own Teaching and how apt to put a carnal Sense upon his Words They apprehended he had spoke unto them of the Leaven of Bread what he intended of the Leaven of the Pharisees Doctrine Obs 2. The Rebuke our Saviour gives his Disciples for not understanding the Sense and Signification of what he spake Christ is much offended with his own People when he discerns Blindness and Ignorance in them after more than ordinary means of Knowledge enjoyed by them How is it that ye do not yet understand Obs 3. The Metaphor by which Christ sets forth the corrupt Doctrines of the Pharisees and Herodians He compares it to Leaven Partly for its Sowerness and partly for its Diffusiveness Now the Leaven of Herod or the Herodians is supposed to be This That because Herod was a Jew born and made King of the Jews and lived at the time when the Messiah was expected there were those that maintained the Opinion that he was the promised Messiah which Opinion Christ compares to Leaven because as that diffuseth it self into the whole Mass or Lump of Bread with which it is mixed So false Doctrine was not only evil and corrupt in it self but apt to spread its Contagion farther and farther to the infecting of others with it Learn thence That Error is as damnable as Vice and Persons erroneous in Judgment to be avoided as well as those that are wicked in Conversation and he that has a due Care of his Soul's Salvation will be as much afraid of erroneous Principles as he is of debauched Practices Obs 4. Our Saviour does not command his Disciples to separate from Communion with the Pharisees and oblige them not to hear their Doctrine but only to beware of their Errors which they mix with their Doctrine We may and ought to hold Communion with a Church though erroneous in Judgment if not fundamentally erroneous For Separation from a Church is not justifiable upon any other Grounds than that which makes a Separation betwixt God and that Church which is either Apostacy into gross Idolatry or in point of Doctrine into damnable Heresy Obs 5. The Fault observed by our Saviour in his Disciples hardness of Heart Have ye your Hearts yet hardened There may be and oft times is some degree of Hardness of Heart in sincere Christians but this is not a total Hardness but in some degree only and it is lamented and humbled or not indulged and delighted in As Christ is grieved for the Hardness of his Peoples Hearts so are they grieved also it is both bitter and burthensom to them 22 And he cometh to Bethsaida and they bring a blind man to him and besought him to touch him 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town and when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands upon him he asked him if he saw ought 24 And he looked up and said I see men as trees walking 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes and made him look up and he was restored and saw every man clearly 26 And he sent him away to his house saying Neither go into the town nor tell it to any man in the town Here we have recorded a special Miracle wrought by our Saviour at Bethsaida in curing a blind Man brought unto him Where Observe 1. What evident Proof the Pharisees had of Christ's Divine Power and Godhead He had before caused the Deaf to hear the Dumb to speak the Lame to walk now he makes the Blind to see Yet did the Pharisees obstinately resist all Means of their Conviction and continued in their Opposition to Truth to their inevitable and unutterable Condemnation Obs 2. The wonderful Humility the great Condescention of Jesus Christ towards this Blind-Man He took him by the Hand and led him himself A great Evidence of his Condescending Humility and of his Goodness and Mercy shewing how ready and willing he was to help and heal him see here a singular Pattern of Humility and condescending Grace and Mercy in our dear Redeemer in that he vouchsafed with his own hands to take and lead a poor Blind Man through the Streets of Bethsaida in the sight of all the People Let us learn of him who was thus meek and lowly in heart Obs 3. Our Lord leads the Blind Man out of the Town before he heals him not in the Town where all the People might take notice of it Thereby teaching us to avoid all shew of Ambition all Appearance of Vain-Glory in what we do Even as Christ sought not his own Glory but the Glory of him that sent him Obs 4. The manner of the Cure wrought upon this Blind Man it was gradual and by degrees not instantaneous and at once he had first a dark dim and obscure Sight afterwards a clear and a perfect Sight Christ thereby gave Evidence of his Absolute and Omnipotent Power that he was not tyed to any particular Means or Manner or Order of Working but wrought his Miracles variously as he saw to be most fit for the Glory of God and the Benefit of his People Observe Lastly The Charge given by our Saviour not to publish this Miracle in the Town of Bethsaida a Place where Christ had so often preach'd and wrought so many Miracles But the Inhabitants had obstinately and contemptuously undervalued and despised both his Doctrine and Miracles therefore we read Mat. 11.21 that our Saviour denounced a Woe against Bethsaida assuring her that it would be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for her The higher a People rise under the Means the lower they fall if they miscarry Such a People as have been nearest to Conversion being not converted shall have the greatest Condemnation when they are judged 27 And Jesus went out and his disciples into the towns of Cesarea Philippi and by the way he asked his disciples saying unto them Whom do men say that I am 28 And they answered John the Baptist but some say Elias and others One of the prophets 29 And he saith unto them But whom say ye that I am And Peter answereth and saith unto him Thou art the Christ 30 And he charged them that
the whole world and lose his own soul 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Our Saviour had shewn in the former Verses the great Danger of seeking to save our Temporal Life by exposing to hazard our Eternal Life This he confirms in the Words before us by a double Argument the first drawn from the Excellency of Eternal Life or the Life of the Soul The second drawn from the Irrecoverableness of this Loss or the Impossibility of Redeeming the Loss of the Soul by any way or means whatsoever What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul Learn 1. That Almighty God has intrusted every one of us with a Soul of inestimable Worth and Preciousness capable of being saved or lost and that to all Eternity 2. That the Gain of the whole World is not comparable with the Loss of one precious Soul The Soul's Loss is an inconceivable incompensable and irrecoverable Loss 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father with his holy angels That is whosoever shall deny or disown me either in my Person my Gospel or my Members for any Fear or Favour of Man he shall with shame be disowned and eternally rejected by me at the great Day There are Two Passions that make Persons disown Christ and Religion in the Day of Temptation Namely Fear and Shame Many good Men have been overcome by the former as St. Peter and others but we find not any good Man in Scripture guilty of the latter Namely that denied Christ out of Shame This argues a rotten unsound and corrupt Heart If any Man thinks it beneath his Honour and Quality to own the opposed Truths and despised Members of Jesus Christ he will think it much more beneath him his Honour and Dignity to own them at the great Day Learn hence That it is not sufficient that we own Christ by believing in him but we must honour him by an outward professing of him also Secondly That such as are ashamed of Christ's Doctrine or Members are ashamed of Christ himself Thirdly That such as either for Fear dare not or for Shame will not own the Doctrine of Christ or the Members of Christ now shall find Christ ashamed to own and confess them at the Great Day Whosoever is ashamed of me and of my Words in this adulterous and wicked Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with his Holy Angels CHAP. IX 1 AND he said unto them verily I say unto you That there be some of them that stand here which shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with Power There is a three-fold Sense and interpretation given of these Words by Expositors 1. Some refer the Words to the Times of the Gospel after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension when the Gospel was spread and propagated far and near and the Kingdom of God came with Power Learn thence That where the Gospel is powerfully preached and chearfully obeyed there Christ cometh most gloriously in his Kingdom 2. Others understand these Words of Christ's coming and exercising his Kingly Power in the Destruction of Jerusalem which some of the Apostles then standing by lived to see 3. Others as most agreeable to the Context understand the Words as relating to our Saviour's Transfiguration as if he had said Some of you meaning Peter James and John shall shortly see me upon Mount Tabor in such Splendor and Glory as shall be a Praeludium a Shadow and Representation of that Glory which I shall appear in when I come to Judge the World at the Great Day And whereas our Saviour says not there be some standing here which shall not die but which shall not taste of Death This implies Two Things 1. That after they had seen this Transfiguration they must taste of Death as well as others 2. That they should but taste of it and no more From whence Learn 1. That the faithful Servants and Disciples of Christ must at length in God's appointed Time taste and have experience of Death as well as others 2. That although they must taste yet they shall but taste of Death they shall not drink off the Dregs of that bitter Cup though they fall by the hand of Death yet shall they not be overcome by it but in the very Fall get Victory over it 2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter James and John and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves and he was transfigured before them Here we have the History of our Saviour's Transfiguration when he laid as it were the Garments of our frail Humanity aside for a little time assuming to himself the Robes of Majesty and Glory to demonstrate and testify the Truth of his Divinity for this Divine Glory was an Evidence of his Divine Nature and also an Emblem of that Glory which he and his Disciples all his faithful Servants and Followers shall enjoy together in Heaven 3 And his Raiment became shining exceeding white as snow so as no Fuller on Earth can white them 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses and they were talking with Jesus 5 And Peter answered and said unto Jesus Master it is good for us to be here let us make three tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias 6 For he wist not what to say for they were fore afraid 7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud saying This is my Beloved Son hear ye him 8 And suddenly when they had looked round about they saw no man any more save Jesus only with themselves Observe here First That to confirm the Disciples Faith in the Truth of Christ's Divine Nature he was pleased to suffer the Rays of his Divinity to dart forth before their Eyes so far as they were able to bear it His Face shined with a pleasing Brightness and his Raiment with such a glorious Lustre as did at once both delight and dazzle the Eyes of the Disciples Obs 2. The Choice which our Saviour makes of the Witnesses of this his glorious Transfiguration his Three Disciples Peter James and John But why Disciples Why Three Disciples Why these Three 1. Why Disciples Because this Transfiguration was a Type and Shadow of the Glory of Heaven Christ vouchsafes therefore the Earnest and First-Fruits of that Glory only to Saints upon whom he intended to bestow the full Harvest in due time 2. Why Three Disciples Because Three were sufficient to witness the Truth and Reality of this Miracle Judas was unworthy of this Favour yet lest he should murmur or be discontented others are left out as well as he But 3. Why these Three rather than others Probably 1. Because these Three were more eminent
to contemn worldly Possessions as to be willing to part with them when they hinder our Happiness and Salvation It follows And take up the Cross an Allusion to the Roman Custom when the Malefactor was to be crucified he bare his Cross upon his Shoulder and carried it to the Place of Execution 'T is not the making but the patient bearing of the Cross which is our Duty Learn That all Christ's Followers should prepare their Shoulders for Christ's Cross To bear the Cross implies Faithfulness and Integrity without shifting Patience and Submission without murmuring Joy and Chearfulness without fainting Obs 4. The Effect which our Saviour's Admonition had upon this young Person He was sad and grieved at that Saying Thence Note 1. That carnal Men are sad and exceeding sorrowful when they cannot win Heaven in their own way 2. That such as are wedded to the World will renounce Christ rather than the World when the World and Christ stand in Competition 23 And Jesus looked round about and saith unto his disciples How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God 24 And the disciples were astonished at his words But Jesus answereth again and saith unto them Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God 25 It is easier for a camel to go thorow the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God 26 And they were much astonished saying with themselves Who then can be saved 27. But Jesus answered and said With men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible From this Discourse of our Holy Lord's concerning the Danger of Riches and the Difficulty that attends Rich Men in their way to Heaven we may collect and gather First That Rich Men do certainly meet with more Difficulties in their Way to Heaven than other Men. 'T is Difficult to withdraw their Affections from Riches to place their supream Love upon God in the midst of their Abundance 'T is difficult to depend entirely upon God in a Rich Condition for the Rich Man's Wealth is his strong Tower Secondly That yet the Fault lies not in Riches but in Rich Men who by placing their Trust and reposing their Confidence in Riches do render themselves uncapable of the Kingdom of God Obs 3. The Proverbial Speech which our Saviour makes use of to set forth the Difficulty of a Rich-Man's Salvation It is easier for a Camel to go through a Needle 's Eye This was a Proverb amongst the Jews signifying a thing of great Difficulty next to an Impossibility and it implies thus much That it is not only a very great Difficulty but an utter Impossibility for such as abound in worldly Wealth and place their Confidence therein to be saved without an extraordinary Grace and Assistance from God 'T is hard for God to make a Rich Man happy because he thinks himself happy without God Obs 4. The Disciples are affected with Wonder and Admiration at this Doctrine of our Saviour's and cry out Who then can be saved Learn thence That such are the special and peculiar Difficulties which lye in the Rich Man's way to Salvation that their getting to Heaven is matter of Wonder and Admiration to the Disciples of Christ Obs 5. How our Saviour resolves this Doubt by telling his Disciples That what was impossible with Men was possible with God implying That it is impossible for any Man Rich or Poor by his own Natural Strength to get to Heaven And 2. That when we are discouraged with the Sense of our own Impotency we should consider the Power of God and act our Faith upon it With God all things are possible 28 Then Peter began to say unto him Lord we have left all and have followed thee 29 And Jesus answered and said Verily I say unto you there is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels 30 But he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life 31 But many that are first shall be last and the last first The Apostles having heard our Saviour's Command to sell all and give to the Poor St. Peter in the Name of the rest tells Christ That they had left all to follow him Where Note How Peter magnifies that Little which he had left for Christ and ushers it in with a Note of Admiration Lo We have left all Learn hence That though it be very little that we suffer for Christ and have to forsake upon his Account yet are we apt to magnify and extol it as if it were some great Matter Lord we have left All says Peter What All Man hadst thou to lose besides thy ragged Nets and thy tatter'd Fisher-Boat A great All next to nothing at all scarce worth mentioning and yet how is it magnified Behold we have left all and followed thee Observe next Our Lord 's kind and gracious Answer that those that leave all to follow him shall be no Losers by him We may be Losers for Christ we shall never be Losers by him for whatever we part with in this World for the sake of Christ Houses or Lands Brethren or Sisters we shall receive an hundred fold now in this Life But how so Non formalitèr sed eminenter non in specie sed in valore not in Kind but in Equivalency Not an hundred Brethren Sisters or Lands in Kind but he shall enjoy that in God which all Creatures would be to him if they were multiplied an hundred times And the Gifts and Graces the Comforts and Consolations of the Holy Spirit shall be an hundred times better Portion than any thing we can part with for the sake of Christ For the Sense of those Words The first shall be last c. see the Note on Matth. 30.19 32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem and Jesus went before them and they were amazed and as they followed they were afraid and he took again the twelve and began to tell them what things should happen unto him 33 Saying Behold we go up to Jerusalem and the son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and unto the scribes and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the gentiles 34 And they shall mock him and shall scourge him and spit upon him and kill him and the third day he shall rise again This is at least the Third time that Christ had acquainted his Disciples with his approaching Sufferings The first time he told his Disciples of his Death in geâ—eral the second time he declares the Means by Treason now he tells them the Manner by Crucifying him All this he did to prevent their Dejection at his Sufferings Learn hence That it is highly necessary
the Cock the more principal Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter's remembring the word of Christ 1. The less principal means of St. Peter's rising and recovery by Repentance was the crowing of the Cock as the voice of the Maid occasioned him to sin so the voice of the Cock occasioned him to reflect that God who always can work without means can when ever he please work by weak and contemptible means and open the mouth of a Bird or a Beast for the conversion of a Man But why doth our Lord make use of the crowing of a Cock to be the means of bringing St. Peter to Repentance There is ever some mystery in Christ's Instruments the Cock was a Preacher to call St. Peter to Repentance there being something of Emblem between the Cock and a Preacher The Preacher must have the wings of the Cock to rouze up himself from security and to awaken others to a sense of their Duty he must have the watchfulness of the Cock to be ready to discover and forewarn Danger he must have the Voice of the Cock to cry aloud and tell Israel of their sins and terrify the Roaring Lyon of Hell and make him tremble In a word he must observe the hours of the Cock to crow at all seasons of the Night to preach in Season and out of Season the glad Tidings of Salvation Again 2. The more principal means of St Peter's Recovery was first Christs looking upon Peter Christ first looks upon Peter before Peter look'd either upon Christ or upon himself Oh! wonderful Love and Grace towards this poor Disciple when our Saviour was upon his Tryal for his Life a time when our thoughts would be wholly taken up about our selves even then did Christ find leisure to think upon Peter to remember his disconsolate Disciple to turn himself about and give him a pittiful but piercing look a look that melted him into Tears We never begin to lament our Sins till we are lamented first by our Saviour Jesus looked upon Peter that was the first more principal means of his Recovery and Repentance But 2. The other means was Peter's Remembring the words of Christ before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Now this remembrance was an applicative and feeling remembrance he remembered the prediction of Christ and applied it sensibly to himself Teaching us that the efficacy of Christ's word in order to a sound Repentance depends not upon the Historical Remembrance of it but upon the close application thereof to every Man's Conscience Observe 3. The manner of St. Peter's Repentance it was secret he went out it was sincere he wept yea wept bitterly says St. Matthew it was lasting and abiding even all the days of his Life 1. His Repentance was secret he went out verè Dolet qui sine Teste Dolet he sought a place of Retirement where he might mourn in secret Solitariness is most agreeable to an afflicted Spirit and as St. Peter's Sorrow caused him to go forth so might also shame put him upon going out Christ looked upon him but how ashamed must he be to look upon Christ considering that he so lately denied that he had ever seen him 2 St. Peter's Repentance was Sincere he wept he wept bitterly His Grief was extraordinary and his Tears abundant there is ever a weeping that must follow sin sin must cost the Soul sorrow either here or in Hell we must either now mourn a while or lament for ever doubtless with Peter's Tears there was joined hearty Confession of Sin to God and smart Reflections upon himself we may suppose after this manner Lord what have I done I that did once acknowledge my Master to be Christ the Lord have since denied him with Oaths and Imprecations I that promised to lay down my Life for his sake have yet disowned and denied him at the voice of a Damsel Oh! what weakness what wickedness what unfaithfulness was here Oh! that my Head were Waters and mine eyes a fountain of Tears that I might weep all my days for the fault of this one Night Blessed are indeed the Tears of a Converted Revolter and Happy is the very Misery of a mourning Offender 3 This holy Man's Repentance was lasting and abiding he had a very quick sense and lively remembrance of this Sin upon his Soul all his life Ecclesiastical story Report that ever after when St Peter heard the crowing of a Cock he fell upon his knees and wept Others say that he was wont to rise at Midnight and spend the time in penitent Devotion between Cock-crowing and day-light and the Papists who delight to turn every thing into Superstition began that Practice of setting a Cock upon the top of Towers and Steeples to put People in mind of this sin of Peter's and of his Repentance also by that Signal Lastly St. Peter's Repentance was attended with an extraordinary Zeal and forwardness for the Service of Christ to the and of his Life he had a burning Love towards Christ Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee and as evidence of it he feed Christ's Sheep for in the Acts of the Apostles we read of his extraordinary Diligence to spread the Gospel and his Travels in order thereunto are computed to be 950 Miles Have any of us fallen with Peter tho' not with a formal abjuring yet by a practical denying of him Let us go forth and weep with him let us be more vigilent and watchful for time to come let us express more extraordinary love unto and zeal for Christ more diligence in his Service and more concernedness for his Honour and Glory This would be an happy improvement of this Example the Lord grant it may have that Blessed effect Amen CHAP. XV. 1 AND straitway in the Morning the Chief Priests held a Consultation with the Elders and the Scribes and the whole Council and bound Jesus and carried him away and delivered him to Pilate The fore-going Chapter gave us an Account of Judas his Treason in delivering our Saviour into the Hands of the Chief Priests In this Chapter we find our Holy Lord brought by the Chief Priests unto Pontius Pilate the Roman-Governour in order to his Condemnation Whence Observe That it has been the old Policy of Corrupt Church Governours to abuse the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Executing their cruel and unjust Censures and Sentences upon holy and innocent Persons The Chief Priests and Elders do not kill our Saviour themselves for it was not Lawful for them to put any Man to Death being themselves under the Power of the Roman-Government accordingly they deliver Christ over to the Secular Power and desire Pilate the Civil Magistrate to Sentence and Condemn him 2 And Pilate asked him Art thou the King of the Jews and he answering said unto him thou sayest it 3 And the Chief Priests accused him of many things but he answered nothing 4 And Pilate asked him saying answerest thou nothing Behold how many things
could not Christ have Risen without the Angels Help yes doubtless he that Raised himself could surely have Rolled away the Stone but God thinks fit to send an Officer from Heaven to open the Prison-door of the Grave and by setting our Surety at Liberty proclaims our Debt to the Divine Justice fully satisfied Besides it was fit that the Angels who had been Witnesses of our Saviour's Passion should also be Witnesses of his Resurrection Observe 2. Our Lord's Resurrection declared He is Risen he is not here Almighty God never intended that the darling of his Soul should be left in an obscure Sepulchre He is not here said the Angel where you laid him where you left him Death has lost its Prey and the Grave has lost its Prisoner Observe 3. It is not said He is not here for he is Raised but he is Risen the word imports the Active Power of Christ or the self-quickning Principle by which Christ Raised himself from the Dead Acts 1.3 He shewed himself alive after his Passion Hence Learn That it was the Divine Nature or Godhead of Christ which Raised the Humane Nature from Death to Life others were Raised from the Grave by Christ's Power but he Raised himself by his own Power Observe 4. The Testimony or Witness given of our Lord's Resurrection that of an Angel in Humane Shape A young man cloathed in a long white Garment But why is an Angel the first Publisher of our Saviour's Resurrection Surely the Dignity of our Lord's Person and the Excellency of his Resurrection required that it should be thus Published How very serviceable and officious the Holy Angels were in Attending upon our Saviour in the days of his Flesh see in the Note on Mat. 28.6 7. Observe 5. The Persons to whom our Lord's Resurrection was first declared and made known to Women to the two Mary's But why to Women and why to these Women why to Women because God will make choice of weak Means for producing great Effects knowing that the weakness of the Instrument redounds to the greater honour of the Agent In the whole dispensation of the Gospel God intermixes Divine Power with Humane Weakness Thus the conception of Christ was by the power of the Holy Ghost but his Mother a poor Woman a Carpenters Spouse so the crucifixion of Christ was in much meanness and outward baseness being crucified between two Thieves But the powers of Heaven and Earth trembling the Rocks rending the Graves opening shewed a mixture of Divine Power Thus here God will honour what instruments he pleases for the accomplishment of his own purposes but why to these Women the two Marys is the first discovery made of our Saviours Resurrection possibly it was a reward for their magnanimity and masculine Courage these Women clave to Christ when the Apostles forsook him they assisted at his Cross they attended at his Funeral they waited at his Sepulchre these Women had more Courage than the Apostles therefore God makes them Apostles to the Apostles This was a tacite Rebuke a secret check given to the Apostles that they should be thus out done by Women these holy Women went before the Apostles in the last Services that were done for Christ and therefore the Apostles here come after them in their Rewards and Comforts Obs 6. The Evidence which the Angels offers to the Women to evince and prove the verity and certainty of our Saviour's Resurrection namely by an appeal to their senses behold the place where they laid him the senses when rightly disposed are the proper judges of all sensible Objects and accordingly Christ himself did appeal to his Disciples senses concerning the Truth of his own Resurrection Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self and indeed if we must not believe our Senses we shall want the best external Evidence for the proof of the certainty and truth of the Christian Religion namely the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles For what Assurance can we have of the reallity of those Miracles but from our Senses therefore says our Saviour if ye believe not me yet believe the works that I do that is the Miracles which I have wrought before your Eyes Now as my Senses tell me that Christ's Miracles were true so they assure me that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false From the whole Note That the the Lord Jesus Christ by the Omnipotent Power of his Godhead revived and rose again from the dead the third day to the Terror and Consternation of his Enemies and the unspeakable joy and consolation of Believers Observe lastly the quick dispatch made of the joyful news of our Lord's Resurrection to the sorrowful Disciples go tell the Disciples says the Angel go tell my Brethren says Christ Matth. 28.10 Christ might have said go tell those Apostate Apostles that cowardly left me in my danger that durst not own me in the High-priests Hall that durst not come within the shadow of my Cross nor within sight of my Sepulchre not a word of this by way of upbraiding them for their late shameful Cowardize but all words of Kindness Go tell my Brethren where Note That Christ calls them Brethren after his Resurrection and Exaltation thereby shewing that the change of his condition had wrought no change in his Affection towards his poor Disciples but those that were his Brethren before in the time of his Abasement are so still after his Exaltation and Advancement Go tell my Brethren says Christ Go tell my Disciples and Peter says the Angel Where Note That St. Peter is here particularly named not because of his primacy and superiority over the rest of the Apostles as the Church of Rome would have it but because he had denied Christ and for that denial was swallowed up with sorrow and stood most in need of comfort therefore says Christ by the Angel speak particularly to Peter be sure that his sad heart be comforted with this joyful news that he may know that I am friends with him notwithstanding his late Cowardize Tell the Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee but why into Galilee because Jerusalem was now a forsaken place a people abandoned to destruction but Galilee was a place where Christ's Ministry was more acceptable Such places shall be most Honoured with Christ's presence where his Gospel is most accepted 9 Now when Jesus was risen from the dead early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven Devils 10 And she went and told them that had been with him as they mourned and wept 11 And they when they had heard that he was alive and had been seen of her believed not 12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked and went into the Country 13 And they went and told it unto the residue neither believed they them 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and
Spouse the Church 2. That this Bridegroom was to be taken away 3. That because of the Bridegroom's Removal the Church did shall and must fast The days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away and then shall they fast Again our Saviour declares that this Discipline of fasting was not at present tolerable for his Disciples for they were at present but raw green and tender unable to bear the Severities and rigours of Religion any more then an old garment can bear a piece of new cloath to be set into it or any more than old Bottles can bear new Wine to be put into them The sense of our Saviour's words seems to be this My Disciples at present are tender and weak newly called and converted they cannot therefore at present undergo the austerities of Religion fastings weepings and watchings but e're long I shall leave them and go to Heaven from whence I will send down my Holy Spirit upon them which shall enable them to all the Duties that the Gospel enjoins The Lesson of Instruction which we may profitably gather from hence is this That it is hurtful and dangerous for young converts for weak Christians to be put upon the severer Exercises of Religion or to be urged to the performance of such Duties as are above their strength but they ought to be treated with that tenderness which becomes the mild and gentle dispensation of the Gospel Our Saviour says one doth here commend prudence to his Ministers in treating their people according to their strength and putting them upon Duties according to their Time and Standing we must consult what Progress our People have made in Christianity and manage accordingly CHAP. VI. 1 AND it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the First that he went thro' the Corn-fields and his Disciples plucked the ears of Corn and did eat rubbing them in their hands 2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath-day 3 And Jesus answering said unto them Have ye not read so much as this what David did when himself was an hungred and they which were with him 4 How he went into the House of God and did take and eat the Shewbread and gave also to them that were with him which is not lawful to eat but for the Priests alone 5 And he said unto them that the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath In the former part of this chapter we find our blessed Saviour defending his Disciples from the clamorous accusations of the Pharisees for breaking the Sabbath-day because they plucked the ears of Corn and rubbed them in their hands in order to the satisfying of their Hunger Where Note 1. The great Poverty the low estate and condition of Christ's own Disciples in the World They wanted Bread and are forced to pluck the ears of Corn to satisfy their hunger God may and sometimes does suffer his dearest children to fall into streights and to taste of want for the Tryal of their Faith and Dependance upon his power and Goodness Note 2. How the hypocritical Pharisees blame this Action of the Disciples namely their plucking of the Ears of Corn yet did they not charge them with Theft for so doing because to take in our great Necessity so much of our Neighbour's Goods as we may reasonably suppose that if he were present and knew our Circumstances he would not deny us is not Theft But it was the servile Labours on the Sabbath in gathering the Ears of Corn which the Pharisees Scruple and Object against Where Note How Hypocrites expend their Zeal in and upon the lesser things of the Law whilst they neglect the greater placing all Holiness in the observation of outward Ceremonies whilst they neglect moral Duties Note 3. The Argument with which our Saviour defends this action of his Disciples it is taken from the example of David Necessity freed him from fault and blame in eating the Consecrated Bread which none but the Priests might lawfully eat For in cases of Necessity a Ceremonial Precept must give place to a moral Duty Works of mercy for the preserving our Lives and the better fitting us for Sabbath-services are certainly lawful on the Sabbath-day Note Lastly The Argument which our Saviour uses to prove the Sabbath's Observation may be dispens'd with in a case of absolute Necessity and that is drawn from that Authority which Christ the Institutor and Lord of the Sabbath had over it The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath that is he has Authority and Power as God and as Mediator to institute and appoint a Sabbath to alter and change it to dispense with the breach of it upon a just and great occasion and consequently acts of Mercy which tend to fit us for works of Piety not only may but ought to be done upon the Sabbath-day This Action of the Disciples being of that Nature is without just cause censured and condemned by the Pharisees a sort of Men who were resolved to cavil at and quarrel with whatever our Saviour or his Disciples either did or said 6 And it came to pass on another Sabbath that he entered into the Synagogue and taught and there was a man whose right hand was withered 7 And the Scribes and Pharisees watched him whether he would heal on the Sabbath-day that they might find an accusation against him 8 But he knew their thoughts and said to the man which had the withered hand rise up and stand forth in the midst and he arose and stood forth 9 Then said Jesus unto them I will ask you one thing Is it lawful on the Sabbath-day to do good or to do evil to save life or to destroy it 10 And looking round about them all he said unto the man stretch forth thy hand and he did so and his hand was restored whole as the other 11 And they were filled with madness and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus Observe here 1. The miraculous cure which our Saviour wrought upon the man which had the withered hand and 2. The effect which this Miracle had upon the wicked Pharisees in the former Note the place where our Saviour wrought this Miracle in the Synagogue the Time when on the Sabbath-day the manner how by speaking of a word the persons before whom namely the envious and malicious Pharisees These men were always slandering Christ's Doctrine and cavilling at his Miracles yet does our Holy Lord go on with his Work before their Faces without Discouragement Learn thence That the unjust censures and malicious cavils of wicked men against us for well-doing must not discourage us from doing our Duty either towards God or towards our Neighbour Altho' the Pharisees watcht our Saviour wherever he went and when they could find no occasion of quarrel would invent and make one yet such was our Lord's courage and resolution that he bids the man which had the withered
and that which is Almighty can raise all Men. It was not so much for the Child's sake as the Mothers sake that the Son was Raised it was an injury to the Son tho' a kindness to the Mother for he must twice pass thro' the Gates of Death to others once it returned him from Rest to Labour from the peaceful Harbour back again to the Tempestuous Ocean Observe Lastly What effect this Miracle had upon the Multitude seeing the Divine Power thus manifestly exerted they are filled with Astonishment and Amazement they look upon our Saviour with awful and admiring Looks They glorify and praise God for sending a great Prophet amongst them accounting it a great act of Favour that God had in this wonderful manner visited his People yet a Prophet was the highest Name they could find for him whom they saw like themselves in shape but above themselves in power a Great Prophet is risen up amongst us and God has visited his people 18 And the Disciples of John shewed him of all these things 19 And John calling unto him two of his Disciples sent them unto Jesus saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another 20 When the men were come unto him they said John Baptist hath sent us unto thee saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of evil Spirits and unto many that were blind he gave sight 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them Go your way and tell John what things ye have seen and heard how that the Blind see the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed the Deaf hear the Dead are raised to the poor the Gospel is preached 23 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me About the time of our Saviour's appearing in the World there was a general Expectation of a great Prince that should come out of Judea and govern all Nations This Prince the Jews called the Messias or the anointed and waited for his Appearance Accordingly when John the Baptist appeared in the quality of an extraordinary Prophet the Jews sent to know of him whether he was the Messias or not John 1.19 he answered that he was not but only the Harbinger and Fore-runner of the Messias So that it is very evident that it was not for John's own information that he sent two of his Disciples to Christ to know whether he was the Messias or not for John was assured of it himself by a voice from Heaven at our Saviour's Baptism Matth. 3. last but it was for his Disciples Satisfaction that he sent them to Jesus because John's Disciples were unwilling to acknowledge Christ to be the Messias out of a great Zeal for the honour of him their Master they were not willing to own any Person greater then John their Master lest such an Acknowledgment should Eclipse and cloud him from whence we may Note how the Judgments of the Best Men are very apt to be Byassed and Perverted by Faction or Interest no doubt John's Disciples were good Men and no doubt their Master had often told them as he did others that he was not the Messias yet they will not believe their own Master when they apprehend him to speak against their own Interest for they knew that they must Rise and Fall in their Reputation and Esteem as their Master did therefore that John's Disciples might receive full satisfaction from Christ he sends two of his Disciples to him to hear his Doctrine and see his Miracles for John perceiving his Disciples to be ill-affected towards our Saviour and hearing them speak with some Envy of his Miracles he sent them to him that being Eye-witnesses of what he did they might be convinced who he was Observe next the way and means which our Saviour takes to convince and satisfy John's Disciples that he was the true Messias he appeals to the Miracles wrought by himself and submits those Miracles to the Judgment and Examination of their Senses Go and shew John the Miracles which you hear and see the Blind receive their sight the lame walk the deaf hear Christ was all this in a Literal and Spiritual Sense also he was an Eye of Understanding to the Ignorant a Foot of Power to the weak he opened an Ear in Deaf Hearts to receive the word of Life and the poor receive and embrace the Gospel Miracles are the highest Attestation and the greatest external Confirmation and Evidence that can be given to the Truth and Divinity of any Doctrine Now our Saviour's Miracles for their Nature they were Divine and God-like they were healing and beneficial to Mankind freeing Men from the greatest Calamities of Humane Life for their number they were many for their manner of their Operation they were publickly wrought in the Sight and View of Multitudes of people to free them from all suspicion of fraud and Imposture he wrought them before his Enemies as well as in the presence of his Friends and Followers and this not done once or twice or in one place but at several times and in several places wherever he came and this for a long time even for three years and an half so that our Blessed Saviour had all the Attestation that Miracles can give to Evidence himself the true and promised Messias 22 To the poor the Gospel is preached The poor Hear and Receive the Gospel See on Matth. 11.5 Note that all along in our Saviour's time and since the poor of the World have been more disposed to hear and embrace the Gospel then other men and the Reasons of it are these 1. Because the poor have no Worldly Interest to Engage them to reject Christ and his Gospel the High Priests the Scribes and Pharisees had a plain Worldly Interest to engage them to oppose Christ and his Doctrine But the Poor were free from these Incumbrances and Temptations They had nothing to loose therefore our Saviour's Doctrine went down more easily with them because it did not Contradict their Interests as it did the Interest of those who had great Possessions 2. Those that are poor and enjoy little of the good things of this Life are willing to entertain the glad Tidings of Happiness in another Life Such as are in a State of misery here are glad to understand that it shall be well with them hereafter and are willing to listen to the good News of a future Happiness whereas the Rich who have had their Consolation here are not much concerned what will become of them hereafter 23 And Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me No doubt our Saviour uttered these words with particular Respect and Reference to John's Disciples who out of an extraordinary Zeal for the honour of their Master were prejudiced against our Saviour but the general import of the wordS doth shew that there are many to whom Christ is a Rock of Offence the Jews were offended at
of him that is not commonly to Publish and openly to declare him to be the Son of God because being in his State of Humiliation the Glory of his Divinity was to be concealed till his Resurrection He was then declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1.4 Observe Lastly The great Wisdom of our Saviour in acquainting his Disciples with the near approach of his Death and Sufferings The Son of Man must suffer many things c. This our Saviour did 1. To prevent that Scandal and Offence which otherwise they might have taken at his Sufferings 2. The better to fit and prepare them to bear that great Tryal when it did come 3. To correct the Error which they had entertained concerning the Temporal Kingdom of the Messias and that he was to be a great and mighty Prince here upon Earth for these Reasons did Christ frequently acquaint his Disciples with his Sufferings 23 And he said to them all if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me 24 For whosoever will save his Life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his Life for my sake the same shall find it Observe here 1. How our Saviour recommends his Religion to every Persons Election and Choice not compelling any one by force and Violence to embrace or entertain it If any man will be my Disciple that is if any Man chooses and resolves to be a Christian Observe 2. Our Saviour's Terms propounded namely Self-denial Gospel-suffering and Gospel-service 1. Self-denial Let him deny himself by which we are not to understand either the denying of our Senses in matters of Faith or the Renouncing of our Reason in matters of Religion but a willingness to part with all our Earthly Comforts and Temporal Enjoyments for the sake of Christ when called thereunto 2. Gospel-suffering He must take up his Cross daily an allusion to a Roman Custom when a Malefactor was to be Crucified he took his Cross up upon his Shoulder and carried it to the place of Execution Here Note That not the making of the Cross but patient bearing of it when God has made it and laid it upon our Shoulder is the Duty injoin'd Let him take up his Cross 3. Gospel-service Let him follow me says Christ that is obey my Commands and imitate my Example he must set my Life and Doctrine continually before him and be daily Correcting and Reforming of his Life by that Rule and Pattern Observe 3. The Arguments urged by our Saviour to induce Men to a willingness to lay down their Lives for the sake of Christ and his Holy Religion He that will save his Life shall lose it and he that is willing to lose his Life for the sake of the Gospel he shall find it intimating to us 1. That the Love of this Temporal Life is a great Temptation to men to deny Christ and to renounce his Holy Religion 2. That the surest way to attain Eternal Life is cheerfully to lay down our Temporal Life when the Glory of Christ and the Honour of Religion requires it at our hands 25 For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself Here our Saviour goes on to shew the Folly of those that for saving their Temporal Lives will expose their Eternal Life or the Life of their Souls to hazard and danger yea sometimes by refusing to lay down our Temporal Life for Christ we lose that also which renders it the greatest folly in the World to refuse to part with any enjoyment even Life it self at the Call and Command of Christ 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of the Holy Angels That is whosoever shall deny and disown me either in my Person in my Doctrine or my Members for any fear or favour of Man he shall with shame be disowned by me and rejected of me at the Great Day There are two Passions which cause Men to disown Christ in the day of Temptation namely fear and shame Many good Men have been over-come by the former as St. Peter and others but we find not any good Man in Scripture guilty of the latter namely that denied Christ out of shame this argues a rotten unsound and corrupt Heart If any Man thinks it beneath his Honour and Quality to own the opposed Truths and despised Members of Christ Christ will think it beneath him to own such Persons at the Great Day Learn hence 1. That such as are ashamed of Christ's Doctrine or Members are in God's Account ashamed of Christ himself 2. That such as either for fear dare not or for shame will not own the Doctrine and Members of Christ now shall certainly find Christ ashamed to own and confess them at the Great Day 27 But I tell you of a truth there be some standing here which shall not taste of Death till they see the Kingdom of God There is a Threefold sense and interpretation of these Words given by Expositors 1. Some refer the Words to the Times of the Gospel after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension when the Gospel was Propagated far and near and the Kingdom of God came with Power Learn thence That where the Gospel is powerfully preached and chearfully obey'd there Christ cometh most gloriously in his Kingdom 2. Others understand these Words of Christ's Coming and Exercising his Kingly Power in the Destruction of Jerusalem which some of the Apostles then standing by Lived to see 3. Others as most agreeable to the Context understand the words with Reference to our Saviour's Transfiguration as if he had said Some of you meaning Peter James and John shall shortly see me upon Mount Tabor and that in such splendour and Glory as shall be a Preludium a shadow and Representation of that Glory which I shall appear in when I shall come with Power to judge the World at the great Day And whereas our Saviour saith not there are some standing here which shall not dye but which shall not taste of Death till they had seen this glorious sight This implies two things 1. That after they had seen this Transfiguration they must taste of Death as well as others 2. That they should but taste of it and no more From whence Learn 1. That the most Renowned Servants of Christ for Faith Holiness and Service must at length in God's appointed time taste and have experience of Death as well as others 2. That altho' they must taste yet they shall but taste of Death they shall not drink off the Dregs of that bitter cup tho' they fall by the hand of Death yet shall they not be hurt by it but in the very fall be victorious over it 28 And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings he took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to
Sinners and for their Envy at the Recovery of such Sinners by Repentance assuring them that they are far from the temper of the Holy Angels who Rejoyce more at the News of one Notorious Sinners Conversion then for many Righteous Persons who went not astray like as a Father is touched with a more sensible Joy for the Recovery of one Son who was dangerously sick then for the Health of all the rest who were in no such Danger From the whole Note 1. That the Creatures Aberration may serve for our Instruction the Sheeps straying away from us should put us in mind of our wandring away from God 2. That Christ the great Shepherd of his Church with vigilancy and care seeketh up and findeth out his lost Sheep and will never give over his search till he hath found them 3. That the Recovery of one lost Sinner by Repentance is matter of exceeding Joy and Rejoycing to Christ the great Shepherd and to all the Blessed Company of Heaven There is joy in Heaven over one sinner that Repenteth or changeth the whole Course of his Life more then over Ninety and nine just Persons that need no such Repentance 8 Either what Woman having ten pieces of Silver if she lose one piece doth not light a Candle and sweep the house and seek diligently till she find it 9 And when she hath found it she calleth her Friends and her Neighbours together saying Rejoyce with me for I have found the piece which I had lost 10 Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that Repenteth The scope of this Parable is the same with the former 1. To express the Joy that is found with GOD and his Holy Angels at the Recovery and Conversion of a notorious Sinner 2. To justify Christ in Conversing with such Sinners in order to their Repentance and Conversion from the malicious Reflections of the Pharisees made upon our Saviour for so doing the sense of the words seems to be this If you do all justify the diligence and care of a Woman using all possible means to recover the loss of a piece of Silver that had Cesar's Image upon it why might our Saviour say will you Pharisees Censure and Condemn me for seeking to recover and save lost Sinners that have the Image of an Holy God instampt upon them Learn hence 1. That the Conversion of a Sinner from a Course and State of Sin and wickedness is highly acceptable and pleasing unto God 2. That it is reasonable to suppose that the Holy Angels in Heaven do conceive a new joy at the notice and news of a Sinners Repentance and Conversion unto God how the Angels come by this Knowledge whether by vertue of their Ministry here below or whether God is pleased to reveal it to them above as a thing extremely welcome and delightful to good Spirits 't is neither material to enquire nor possible to determine But their Happiness not being intensively infinite it is certain that they may be Happier than they are Note 3. That God is not only willing to receive and embrace Repenting and Returning Sinners but the News of their Repentance is entertain'd with so much joy in Heaven that if it be possible for the Blessed Inhabitants of that place to have any thing added to their Happiness this will be a new Accession to it For tho' the Happiness of God himself be intensively infinite and can have nothing added to it yet the Happiness of Angels and glorified Spirits being but finite is capable of Addition and as their Knowledge and Love do encrease so their Felicity may be growing and improving to all Eternity so that it is reasonable enough to suppose that there is really joy among the Angels and Spirits of just Men made perfect over every Sinner that Repenteth 11 And he said A certain man had two sons 12 And the younger of them said to his Father Father give me the portion of Goods that falleth to me and he divided to them his Living 13 And not many days after the younger Son gathered all together and took his Journey into a far Country and there wasted his Substance with riotous Living 14 And when he had spent all there arose a mighty Famine in that Land and he began to be in want 15 And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that Country and he sent him into his Fields to feed Swine 16 And he would fain have filled his Belly with the Husks that the Swine did eat and no man gave unto him 17 And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my Fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger 18 I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants 20 And he arose and came to his Father but when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion on him and ran and fell on his Neck and kissed him 21 And the Son said unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son 22 But the Father said to his Servants Bring forth the best Robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his Hand and Shooes on his Feet 23 And bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry 24 For this my Son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found and they began to be merry In the two former Parables of the lost Sheep and lost Groat was Represented to us the great pains and care which Christ takes for the Recovery of lost Sinners In this third Parable of the Prodigal Son is shadowed forth unto us with what great readiness joy and gladness our Heavenly Father receives repenting and returning Sinners In the Face of this Prodigal as in a Glass we may behold first a riotous Sinners Aversion from God secondly a penitent sinners Conversion to God thirdly a pardoned Sinners Acceptance and Entertainment with God From the whole Learn 1. What is the Nature of Sin and the Practice of Sinners Sin is a departing from God and every Sinner doth voluntarily and of his own accord depart from him He took his Journey into a far Country Learn 2. The great extravagancy which Sinners run into when they forsake God and give up themselves to the Conduct of their Lusts and vile Affections he wasted all his Substance with riotous Living that is spent his Time and consumed his Treasure in riot and excess 3. Observe That sin will certainly bring Men into Streights but Streights do not always bring Men off from sin he began to be in want yet thinks not of returning to his Fathers House 4. That sinners will try all ways and go through
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
That so far ought the Ministers of Christ to be from affecting a Domination and Superiority of Power over their Fellow Brethren that in imitation of Christ their Lord and Master they ought to account themselves Fellow-Servants I am among you as one that serveth 2. That such Ministers as do Love and Affect Preheminency and Superiority are most unfit for it and they deserve it best which seek it least 3. That the Dignity and Honour which the Ministers of Christ should chiefly and only affect is in another World and the way to be greatest and highest there is to be low and humble here mean in our own Eyes and little in our own esteem Whosoever is chief says Christ let him be your Servant 28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my Temptations 29 And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me 30 That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel Observe here What an Honourable Acknowledgment Christ makes of the Constancy of his Disciples Love and Affection towards him Ye are they that have continued with me in my Temptations that is in my Afflictions Tryals and Sufferings It is an easy matter to abide with Christ in days of Peace in times of Consolation but when we are under Afflictions Temptations and Troubles then to abide and keep close to Christ this is the proof of Love and Friendship And as Christ makes an honourable mention of their constancy towards him so he presently assures them of an honourable Reward I appoint unto you a Kingdom Learn hence That such as are Sharers with Christ in his Sufferings shall certainly Communicate with him in his Glory If we Suffer with him we shall Reign with him And whereas our Saviour promises his Apostles To sit upon Thrones with him judging the twelve Tribes of Israel we may gather That such Ministers as do most Service for Christ and forsake most to follow him and continue in Temptation and Tribulation with him shall in his Kingdom partake of most Honour and Dignity with him and from him You shall eat and drink in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel possibly the Apostles and all the Zealous Faithful and Laborious Ministers of Jesus Christ shall be nearer his Throne in Heaven than either Saints or Angels nearer than the Angels because by Christ's assuming the Humane Nature they are more nearly allyed to him he is their Friend but our Brother and nearer than other Saints as having done more eminent Service for Christ and brought more Honour and Glory to him by a Laborious Diligence in their Place and Station Dan. 12.3 They that turn many to Righteousness shall shine c. 31 And the Lord said Simon Simon Behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat 32 But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not and when thou art Converted strengthen thy Brethren Here I shall give 1. The general sense of the words 2. The particular Matters contained in them 3. The special Observations from them The Sense of the Words is this As for you my Disciples in general and for thee Peter in particular I must tell thee that Satan hath accused you all before God and desired that he may have the sifting of you all by his winnowing Winds of Temptation and Persecution that he may shake your Faith and weaken your Confidence But I have prayed for you all and particularly for thy self who art in greatest danger of falling because so confident of thine own Strength and Standing that thy Faith tho severely shaken may not utterly fail and when by Repentance thou art Recovered from thy Fall be careful to confirm and strengthen others that they fall not in like manner The particular matters contained in these words are three a Christians Danger a Christians Safety and a Christians Duty 1. a Christians Danger Satan hath desired to sift you Where Observe 1. The Person particularly warned of the Danger Simon Simon the Doubling of the Word doubtless carries a special intimation with it it denotes the greatness and nearness of Peter's Danger his own security and insensibleness of that danger and the great affection of Christ his Monitors to give him warning of his Danger Observe 2. The warning it self and that is of a Devilish Conspiracy against himself and all the Apostles Satan hath desired to have you to have you for his own if it might be to have you as Believers rather then other Men to have you as eminent Believers rather than other Christians and to have you as Apostles and Ministers rather than other eminent Believers And as Satan has desired to have you so to sift you too to winnow you as Wheat Here Note That Satan has his Winnowing Winds of Temptation and his Tempestuous Winds of Persecution for the sifting of God's Children Note further That it is the Wheat the good Corn that Satan Winnows not Chaff not Dross Sinners that are all Chaff and nothing but Dross Satan will not be at the pains to sift and winnow them But what is this Sifting Answer in sifting two things are performed 1. The agitation shaking and tossing of the Corn from side to side 2. The Separation of the Corn from the Chaff and Dust Satan intends the former GOD effects the latter Cribratione non perditur sed purgatur frumentum The Corn is improved not impaired by Winnowing The Saints of God shall be no losers in the end by Satans Temptations how many and strong soever they may be in the way Observe 2. The Christians Safety But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Where Note 1. The Care that Christ had of Peter and in him of all Believers I have prayed for thee for thee as a Believing Christian and for thee as a Tempted Christian and it is not said I will pray for thee but I have Prayed for thee Christ prayed for Peter before Peter understood that he had need of Christ's Prayer Christ Prayed for Peter as soon as ever Satan desired to sift Peter Our Intercessor is full as nimble and speedy in his Suit for us as Satan is in his Accusations against us he has desired but I have prayed he is a potent Assailant but thou hast a powerful Assistant Observe 2. The Subject Matter Prayed for That thy Faith fail not not that thy Faith be not assaulted not that thy Faith be not shaken but that thy Faith may not fail by an absolute and total deficiency The third Particular is the Christians Duty When thou art Converted strengthen thy Brethren When Converted that is when Recovered from thy Fall when Restored upon thy Repentance to the Divine Favour This Conversion is not from a State of Sin Peter was so Converted before but it was from an Act of Sin into which he should Lapse and Relapse Strengthen thy Brethren that
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
Member or as the Paper in the Printing-Press receives Letter for Letter and the Wax under the Seal receives print for print So in the Work of Regeneration whatever Grace is in Christ there is the like for Kind instampt upon the Christian's Soul All the Members of Christ being made plentiful Partakers of his Spiritual Endowments Learn hence That all fulness of Grace by way of Supply for Believers is treasured up in Christ and communicated by him as their Wants and Necessities do require His Fulness is inexhaustible it can never be drawn low much less drawn dry Of his Fulness do we receive Grace for Grace that is Grace freely Grace plentifully God grant that none of us may receive the Grace of Christ in vain 3. John prefers Christ before Moses whom the Jews doated so much upon The Law was given by Moses not as the Author but as the Dispenser of it Moses was God's Minister by whom the Law which reveals Wrath was given to the Jews but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Grace in Opposition to the Condemnatory Curse and Sentence of the Law and Truth in Opposition to the Types Shadows and Ceremonies of the Legal Administration Learn hence That all Grace for Remission of Sin and for Performance of Duty is given from Christ the Fountain of Grace Grace came by Jesus Christ The Grace of Pardon and Reconciliation the Grace of Holiness and Sanctification the Grace of Love and Adoption even all that Grace that fits us for Service here and Glory hereafter Christ is both the Dispenser and the Author of it Grace came by Jesus Christ Again 4. John the Baptist here v. 18. doth not only prefer Christ before himself before Moses before all Believers but even before all Persons whatsoever in Point of Knowing and Revealing the Mind of God No Man hath seen God at any time that is no meer Man hath ever seen God in his Essence whilst he was in this mortal State Here God's Invisibility is asserted next Christ's Intimacy with the Father is declared The only begotten Son that is in the Bosom of the Father This Expression implies three Things 1. Unity of Natures the Bosom is the Child's Place who is part of our selves and of the same Nature with our selves 2. Dearness of Affection None lye in the Bosom but the Person that is very dear to us A Bosom Friend is the dearest of Friends 3. It implies Communication of Secrets Christ's lying in his Fathers Bosom intimates his being conscious to all his Father's Secrets to know all his Counsels and to understand his whole Will and Pleasure Now as Christ's lying in the Father's Bosom implies Unity of Nature it teacheth us to give the same Worship to Christ which we give to God the Father because he is of the same Nature with the Father as it implies Dearness of Affection betwixt the Father and the Son it teaches us to place our chief Love upon Christ the Son because God the Father doth so He who is the Son of God's Love should be the Object of our Love as God hath a Bosom for Christ so should we have also the noblest Object challenges the highest Affection Again as Christ's lying in the Father's Bosom implies the Knowledge of his Mind and Will it teaches us to apply our selves to Christ to his Word and Spirit for Illumination Whither should we go for Instruction but to this Great Prophet for Direction but to this wonderful Counsellor We can never be made wise unto Salvation if Christ the Wisdom of the Father doth not make us so ¶ 19 And this is the record of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him Who art thou 20 And he confessed and denied not but confessed I am not the Christ 21 And they asked him What then Art thou Elias And he saith I am not Art thou that prophet And he answered No 22 Then said they unto him Who art thou that we may give an answer to them that sent us What sayest thou of thy self 23 He said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness Make straight the way of the Lord as said the prophet Esaias 24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees 25 And they asked him and said unto him Why baptizest thou then if thou be not that Christ nor Elias neither that prophet 26 John answered them saying I baptize with water but there standeth one among you whom ye know not 27 He it is who coming after me is preferred before me whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose 28 These things were done in Beth-abara beyond Jordan where John was baptizing In these Verses we have a second Testimony which John the Baptist gave of our Saviour Jesus Christ The Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem saying Who art thou That is the Sanhedrim or Great Council at Jerusalem to whom it belonged to judge who were True Prophets sent Messengers to the Baptist to know whether he was the Messias or not John refuses to take this Honour to himself but tells them plainly He was his Harbinger and Forerunner and that the Messias himself was just at hand From hence Note how very cautious and exceeding careful this Messenger of Christ was and all the Ministers of Christ ought to be that they do not assume or arrogate to themselves any part of that Honour which is due to Christ but set the Crown of Praise upon Christ's own Head acknowledging him to be All in All 1 Cor. 3.5 Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed Observe farther in this Testimony of John the Baptist these two Things 1. A Negative Declaration who he was not I am not says he the Messiah whom you look for nor Elias nor that Prophet you expect not Elias that is in your Sense not Elias the Tishbite not Elias for identity of Person but Elias for Similitude of Gifts Office and Calling John came though not in the Person yet in the Power and Spirit of Elias He farther denies that he was That Prophet that Prophet which Moses spake of Deut. 18.15 nor any of the old Prophets risen from the dead nay strictly speaking he was not any Prophet at all but more than a Prophet The Old Testament Prophets prophesied of Christ to come but John pointed at shewed and declared a Christ already come and in this Sense he was no meer Prophet but more than a Prophet 2. We have here the Baptist's positive Affirmation who he was namely Christ's Herauld in the Wilderness his Usher his Fore-runner to prepare the People for the receiving of the Messias and to make them ready for the Entertaining of the Gospel by preaching the Doctrine of Repentance to them From hence Learn That the preaching of the Doctrine of Repentance is indispensably necessary in order to the preparing of the Hearts of Sinners for the receiving of Jesus Christ Observe lastly The Great Exemplary
the indubitable certainty thereof I have loved you Follow me from Heaven to Earth and from Earth to Heaven again and you will find that every step I have taken hath been in love Learn 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ has given full and ample Demonstration of his great and wonderful love unto his Church and People 2. That it is the Duty and ought to be the singular care of every Christian to preserve the sweet sense and inward diffusions of Christ's love in their own Souls Continue ye in my love 10 If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love Christ had told his Disciples in the foregoing Verse That he had loved them even as the Father had loved him That is with an eternal love with a real and operative love with an immutable and constant love In this Verse he directs them how they may continue in the sense of his Love Namely By their constant Obedience to his Commands as his Obedience to his Father's Commands had secured him a continuance in his Father's Love If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love That is in the sense of my Love and under the sweet apprehensions of it Learn hence That as our Obedience to Christ is the best Evidence of our Love to him so is it the best means to preserve and keep us in the sense and assurance of his Love to us 11 These thing have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full In these words our Saviour declares the Ground and Reason why he did so vehemently press and urge the Duty of being universally fruitful upon his Disciples and that was twofold 1. That his joy might remain in them That is That the joy which he had in their Holiness and Obedience might remain with him nothing is more desired by Christ than that he may have cause continually to rejoyce in the Faith and fruitfulness of his People 2. That their joy in him might be full This latter arises from the former our joy in Christ results from Christ's joy in us his delight in us causes us abundantly to delight in him Learn hence That nothing is more desired by Christ than that the joy of his People should be a full solid constant and uninterrupted joy 2. That the only way and means in order thereunto is by an Holy fruitfulness in good works All these things have I spoken unto you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy might be full 12 This is my commandment That ye love one another as I have loved you Our Lord had often in this farewel Sermon of his to his dear Disciples pressed upon them the Duty of loving one another ch 13 and 14. And yet here he enforces it again from his own Example As I have loved you so love you one another that is as truly and as sincerely for the manner tho' not to the same proportion and degree Learn hence That for the Disciples of Christ to love one another upon such grounds and in such a way as he loved them is that which his heart greatly desires and is very much set upon 2. That Christ's love unto Believers is both an obligation unto mutual love and also a pattern and example for it This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you 13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends Here our Saviour gives his Disciples an Evidence of the greatness of his love unto them Namely In his readiness to lay down his Life for them which is the highest expression of Love to our dearest Friends because Life is the greatest earthly blessing Learn hence That Christ's Love in laying down his Life for his People was a matchless Love for whilst they were Enemies to him he had a friendly respect for them and never ceased till he had brought them into a covenant of friendship with himself 14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Here Christ invites his People to Obedience by the honourable title of Friends Ye are my Friends 1. Actively you will declare and manifest your selves to be my Friends 2. Passively I will declare my self to be your Friend Learn hence 1. How condescending is the Love of Christ in calling his Servants by the name of Friends 2. How glorious is the Believer's Relation to Christ in being one of his Friends 3. How grateful is Obedience to Christ seeing it dignifies the Practisers of it with the Title of his Friends 4. Our Conformity to Christ consists not so much in imitation of what he did as in Obedience to what he prescrib'd Some Actions of Christ are unimitable but all his Commands are obeyable 5. That nothing short of an humble uniform chearful and constant Obedience to the Commands of Christ will Evidence the Truth of our Relation to him and the sincerity of our friendship with him Then only are ye my friends when you do whatever I command you 15 Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you By these words Christ declares the Reason why he was pleased to change his stile and call his Disciples Friends instead of Servants Namely Because of his Communication of Secrets to them which Servants are not admitted to the knowledge of Henceforth I call you not Servants that is not meer Servants not that they were to be exempted from Obedience for that is called for in the foregoing Verse but Christ treated them now with the kindness and familiarity of Friends being about to leave them he unbosoms himself unto them saying All things that I have heard of my father I have made known unto you Not as if Christ had communicated the infinite Treasures of knowledge to them which the Father had imparted to him but he speaks here as the Prophet of his Church that as such he had revealed all things needful for them to know in order to Salvation all things belonging to their Case and State as a Counsellour doth not impart all his knowledg to his Clients but all that is necessary for his Client to understand and know that he makes known unto him relating to his own Case Learn hence 1. That all Christ's Disciples are his Servants and all his Servants are his Friends in regard of intimate Communion and tender usage Henceforth I call you not servants but friends And after his Resurrection he called them Brethren John 20.17 The Dignity of Believers is a growing Dignity the longer they follow Christ the higher priviledges are indulged to them Learn 2. That all the Fathers counsel concerning our Salvation and so far as it is needful and necessary for us to know is faithfully revealed
my Victory and of thy Glory the hour the sad hour determined in thy decree and purpose no calamity can touch us till God's hour is come and when the sad hour is come the best remedy is Prayer and the only person to fly unto for Succour is our Heavenly Father Father the hour is come the doleful hour of my Death and Passion Glorifie thy Son Glorifie him at his Death by manifesting him to have been the Son of God Glorifie him in his Death by accepting it as the Death of thy Son for the Sins of the World Glorifie him after his Death by a speedy Resurrection from the Grave and a Triumphant Exaltation at thy Right Hand Here note How the Glory of the Father and the Son are inseparably link'd together it was the Father's design to Glorifie the Son and it was the Son's desire to have Glory from the Father for this end that he might bring Glory to the Father Glorifie thy Son that thy Son may Glorifie thee 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Observe here 1. The Dignity which Christ was invested with Power over all flesh that is Authority to Judge and Sentence all Mankind Observe 2. How Christ came to be invested with this Power it was given him by his Father Thou hast given him power over all flesh Hence the Socinians would infer that he was not God because he received all from God but the Text speaks not of his Divine Power as God but of his Power as Mediatour and the Note is That all Mankind is under the Power and Authority of Jesus Christ as Mediatour he has a Legislative Power or a Power to give Laws to all Mankind and a Judiciary Power or a Power to execute the Laws that he hath given Observe 3. The end for which Christ was invested with this Power That he might give Eternal Life to as many as God had given him Here Note 1. That all Believers that is all sincere and serious Christians are given by God the Father unto Christ they are given to him as his Charge to Redeem Sanctifie and Save and as his Reward Isa 53.10 2. All that are given to Christ have Life from him a Life of Justification and Sanctification on Earth and a Life of Glory in Heaven 3. The Life which Christ gives to them that are given him is Eternal Life 4. That this Eternal Life is a free Gift from Christ unto his People though they do not work for wages yet they shall not work for nothing I give unto them eternal Life John 10. 3 And this is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent That is This is the way and means to obtain Eternal Life Namely By the true knowledge of God the Father and of Jesus Christ the Mediatour who was commissioned and sent by his Father to accomplish the work of Redemption for a lost World Here Observe Christ calls God the Father the only true God not in opposition to the Son and Holy Ghost who being one in Essence with the Father are truly and really God as well as the Father but in opposition to Idols and false Gods there is a great difference betwixt these two Propositions the Father is the only true God and the Father only is true God Christ saith the former This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God The Socinian saith the latter This is Life Eternal to know only thee to be the true God and that neither Jesus Christ nor the Spirit are God but the Father only But how comes Eternal Life to depend as well upon the Knowledge of Jesus Christ as of God the Father if Jesus Christ be only Man and not truly and really God For thus our Saviour affirms this is Life Eternal to know thee and Jesus Christ Whence learn 1. That the beginning encrease and perfection of Eternal Life lyeth in Holy Knowledg 2. That no Knowledg is sufficient to Eternal Life but the Knowledg of God and Jesus Christ who is also God for who can think that the Knowledg of a mere Creature should be accounted equally necessary to Salvation with the Knowledg of the Great and Mighty God Surely if our Happiness consists equally in the Knowledg of God and Christ then God and Christ are of the same Nature equal in Power and Glory The comprehensive sense of the words seems to be this That the Knowledge of the only true God and of Jesus Christ the Mediatour is the Life of Grace and the necessary way to the Life of Glory 4 I have glorified thee on the earth Learn hence That the whole Life of Christ when here on Earth it was a glorifying of his Father he glorified his Father by the Doctrine which he preach'd he glorified his Father by the Miracles which he wrought he glorified his Father by the unspotted Purity and Innocency of his Life and by his unparallel'd Sufferings at his Death 4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do That is I am now about to finish it he speaks of what he was resolv'd to do as already done Here Note 1. That 't is work that glorifies God 2. That every Man has his work his proper work assigned him by God 3. This work must be finished here upon Earth 4. That when we have done our proportion of work we may expect our portion of wages 5. That it is a blessed thing at the hour of Death to be able to say in sincerity and uprightness that we have glorified God in the World and have finished the work which he appointed us to do Father I have glorified thee on the Earth and have finished the work which thou gavest me to do 5 And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was From the Connexion of this with the foregoing Verse Learn 1. That who ever expect to be glorified with God in Heaven must glorifie him first here upon Earth 2. That after we have glorified him we may expect to be glorified with him and by him I have glorified thee now O Father glorifie thou me it follows with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was Hence Note 1. That Christ as God had an Essential Glory with God the Father before the World was he had this Glory not in the purpose and decree of God only as the Socinians would have it for he doth not say Glorifie me with the Glory which thou didst purpose and prepare for me before the World was but which I had and enjoyed with thee before the World was by which words our Lord plainly asserts his own Existence and Being from Eternity and prays for a Re-exaltation to that Glory which he enjoyed with his Father before his Incarnation Note 2. That Christ as Mediatour did so far
am ascending to my Father and must be injoyed no longer after a Corporal but Spiritual manner Learn hence That our Love to Jesus Christ is best shewn not by our Humane Passionate Affections to his bodily Presence but by our Spiritual Communion with him by Faith here on Earth in order to an immediate Communion with him face to face in Heaven Christ now after his Resurrection was advanced to a more Spiritual Condition therefore refuses at Mary's Hand the Offices of Humane Conversation but expects of her the Duties and Services of Spiritual Devotion Obs 2. Christ's Injunction But go to my Brethren and say I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Where Note The endearing Title given to the Disciples My Brethren he had before his Death called them his Servants his Friends his Children but now after his Resurrection he calls them his Brethren he became our Brother by assuming our Nature in his Incarnation he continues our Brother by resuming that Nature at his Resurrection Note farther That Christ calls his Disciples Brethren after his Exaltation and Resurrection thereby shewing that the change of his condition had wrought no change in his Affection towards his poor Disciples but those that were his Brethren before in the time of his Humilition and Abasement are so still after his Exaltation and Advancement Go to my Brethren and say Humility doth not only go before Honour but it dwells with Honour and doth ever more accompany it Observe lastly The good News or Message of Joy which Christ sends by Mary to his dear Disciples say I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God as if Nature and Adoption gave the same Interest Christ calls God his God and his Disciples God his Father and their Father first his and then theirs and therefore theirs because his Learn hence That God for Christ's sake hath dignified Believers with that near and dear Relation of his being a Father to them in and through his Son so that as they ought to carry it towards him like Children by Obedience Subjection and Resignation so they may expect he will retain a Fatherly Affection towards them and they may expect from him Fatherly Compassion Provision Protection Correction and all things needful 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things unto her 19 ¶ Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you 20 And when he had so said he shewed unto them his hands and his side Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Our blessed Saviour's first appearing after his Resurrection having been to Mary Magdalen as the former Verses acquainted us The same Day at Evening when the Doors were shut for fear of the Jews Jesus miraculously and as to the Disciples insensibly opens the Doors and stands in the midst of them and says Peace be unto you and shews them his Hands and his Side Where Note 1. That it has been no strange thing in the Church that the best Members of it have been put to frequent their Assemblies with great fear and been forced to meet in the Night with great Caution because of the Fury of the Persecutors Here Christ's own Disciples were forced to get together in the Night the Doors kept shut for fear of the Jews Note 2. Let Christ's Disciples meet together never so privately and with never so much hazard and jeopardy they shall have Christ's Company with them neither Bolts nor Locks nor fastned Doors shall hold Christ from them When the Doors were shut Jesus came and stood in the midst of them Observe lastly The Evidence which our Saviour offers to evince and prove the certainty of his Resurrection he shewed his Disciples his Hands and his Feet Christ appealed to and admitted of the Judgment of their Senses to assure them that it was his real Body And if we must not be allowed to believe our Senses as the Romish Synagogue would persuade us we shall want the best external Evidence we can have to prove the Truth of the Christian Religion namely the Miracles of our Saviour For how can we be assured that those Miracles were true but by the Judgment of our Senses Now as our Senses tell us that Christ's Miracles were true so they assure us that the Popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false 21 Then said Jesus to them again Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me even so send I you 22 And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the holy Ghost 23 Whos 's soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Observe here 1. The Repetition of our Saviour's endeared Salutation to his Disciples Peace be unto you Peace be unto you This was no more than might be needful to signifie his firm Reconciliation to them notwithstanding their late Cowardize in forsaking of him and flying from him when the Storm fell upon him Observe 2. How Christ doth renew his Disciples Commission for the Work of the Ministry who possibly were much discouraged with the remembrance of their faint-heartedness in the time of his Sufferings he doth therefore anew Commissionate them and sends them forth in these Words As my Father sent me that is to preach plant and propagate the Gospel so send I you By the same Authority and for the same Ends in part for which I was sent by my Father do I send you namely to gather to govern and instruct my Church Learn hence That when Christ left the World he did not leave his Church destitute of a Gospel-Ministry which shall continue to the end of the World As Christ was sent by the Father so are his Ministers sent by him and they may expect having the same Authority and Commission the same Success and Blessing and the Contempt cast upon them and their Message ultimately reflects upon God and Christ whose Messengers they are Observe 3. How Christ that sends them forth doth furnish them with the Gifts of the Spirit for their Office He breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost that is the Gifts of the Holy Ghost They had received the Holy Spirit before as a Spirit of Sanctification here they receive it in its extraordinary Gifts to fit them for their Office And Christ's conferring the Holy Ghost by breathing upon them shews that the Holy Spirit proceeds as well from the Son as from the Father And as by God's breathing the first Man was made a living Soul so by Christ's breathing on the Apostles they were quickened and extraordinarily enabled for the Service they were called to Learn hence That when Christ sends forth any about his