of God the Father pronouncing 1. The Nearness of Christ's Relation to himself This is my Son 2. The Endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The Fruit and Benefit of this near and dear Relation unto us In him I am well pleased Note 1. That there is no possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ both our Persons and our Performances find Acceptance only for His sake 2. That in and through Christ God is well-pleased with all Believers This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased c. CHAP. IV. The former part of this Chapter acquaints us with our Blessed Saviour's Combat with and Conquest over Satan and the first Verse informs us of the Time when and Place where the Combat was fought 1 THEN was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil Observe here 1. The Time when Christ entred the Lists with Satan implied in the word Then that is First Immediately after his Baptism he is no sooner out of the Water of Baptism but he is in the Fire of Temptation Secondly Immediately after the Spirit descended upon him and the Father had by a Voice from Heaven manifested his Complacency and Satisfaction in him This is my Beloved Son c. Note thence That great Manifestations of Love from God are usually followed with great Temptations from Satan Observe 2. The Place where this Combat was fought and that is in the Wilderness Learn thence That no Place can priviledge us from Temptation or be a Sanctuary from Satan's Assaults the solitary Wilderness has a Tempter in it yea Satan sometimes makes use of Mens Solitariness to farther his Temptations a Cell a Nunnery or a Cloister are as open to Satan as the open Fields and the Persons that live in them have a Tempter without and an Enticer within as well as other Men. Obs 3. The Efficient Cause of Christ's going into the Wilderness to be Tempted by Satan He was led up of the Spirit says St. Matthew The Spirit drove him says St. Mark That is the Holy Spirit of God not Satan the Unclean Spirit for the Devil is seldom if ever called The Spirit but usually some Brand of Reproach is annexed as the Evil Spirit or the Vnclean Spirit Christ was Led by the Spirit that is he was carried by a strong Impulse of the Spirit of God into the Wilderness to be Tempted by Satan Learn hence 1. That none of the Children of God ought to expect a Freedom from Temptations seeing Christ himself in the Days of his Flesh was strongly solicited by Satan unto Sin 2. That all the Temptations wherewith the Children of God are assaulted are ordered by Divine and Special Dispensation Satan could not assault our Saviour till he was Led by the Spirit into the Wilderness for that End and he shall not assault any of his Members but by Divine Permission and special Dispensation 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterward an hungred Obs here 1. How the Divine Power upheld the Human Nature of Christ without Food What Moses did at the Giving of the Law Christ doth at the Beginning of the Gospel namely Fast Forty Days and Forty Nights Christ hereby intended our Admiration not our Imitation or if our Imitation of the Action only not of the Time Christ teaches us by Fasting and Prayer to prepare our selves for a Conflict with our Spiritual Enemies as he prepared himself by Fasting to grapple with the Tempter so should we 3 And when the tempter came to him he said If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread Observe here 1. The Occasion of the Temptation 2. The Temptation it self The Occasion was our Saviour's Hunger and want of Bread Learn thence That when God suffers any of his Dear Children to fall into Want and to be streightned for Outward Things Satan takes a mighty Advantage thereupon to Tempt and Assault them But what doth he Tempt our Saviour to To the Sin of Distrust to question his Sonship If thou be the Son of God And next to distrust his Father's Providence and Care Command that these Stones be made Bread Learn hence 1. That Satan's grand Design is first to tempt the Children of God to doubt of their Adoption and next to Distrust God's Fatherly Care over them and Provision for them and last of all to use Unwarrantable Means to help themselves Thus Satan dealt with Christ and thus he deals with Christians For to work a Miracle at Satan's Direction was not a Lawful Means of providing Food for himself 4 But he answered and said It is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Observe here The Weapon which our Saviour made use of to repell the Temptation and to vanquish the Tempter and that is the Word of God It is written Learn That the Scriptures or the Written Word of God is the only sure Weapon wherewith to vanquish Satan and to beat back all his Fiery Temptations 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple That is Satan by God's permission took up his Body and carried it in the Air and set it upon one of the Battlements of the Temple Learn hence 1. What a mighty Power Evil Spirits have over our Bodies if God permits them to execute and exercise their Power upon them 2. That it is owing to the gracious Care and watchful Providence of God over us that we are not hurried away bodily by Satan Thanks be to God tho' the Devil's Malice be infinite yet his Power is limited and bounded as he cannot do all the Mischief he would to the Bodies and Souls of Men so he shall not do all he can 6 And saith unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone Here we have Observable First the Sin which Satan tempts Christ unto and next the Argument which he tempts him from The Sin tempted to is the Sin of Self-Murther Cast thy self down Whence we Learn That Self-Murther is a Sin which Christ himself was and the best of Saints may by Satan be tempted to the Commission of But forasmuch as Satan tempted Christ to murther himself but had not power to do it himself do thou cast thy self down We Learn That tho' Satan may tempt yet he cannot compel he may entice but cannot enforce any to Sin against their own Consent Obs 2. The Argument which Satan uses it is a Scripture-Argument he quotes the Promise of God He shall give his Angels charge over thee What a Marvel is here to find Satan with a Bible under his Arm and a Text of Scripture in his Mouth Christ
23 And he saith unto them Ye shall drink indeed of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Observe here Our Blessed Saviour's wonderful Mildness and Gentleness towards his Disciples he doth not with Passion much less with Indignation reprehend them either for their Ambition or Presumption but makes the best of their Answer and encourages their good Intentions He tells them they should have the Honour to share with him in his Sufferings to pledge him in his own Cup and after a Conformity to him in his Sufferings they might expect to be Sharers with him in his Glory Yet observe that when Christ says That to sit at his Right Hand was not his to give He means as he was Man or as he was Mediator for elsewhere as God we find him asserting his Power to dispose of the Kingdom of Heaven John 10.28 I give unto them Eternal Life 24 And when the ten heard it they were moved with indignation against the two brethren 25 But Jesus called them unto him and said Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them 26 But it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister 27 And whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant That Christ might effectually quench those unhappy Sparks of Ambition which were kindled in his Apostles Minds he tells them that Supremacy and Dominion belong to Secular Princes not to Evangelical Pastors who ought to carry themselves with Humility towards one another not that Christ directs to a Parity and Equality amongst all his Ministers and forbids the Preheminency of some over others but the Affectation of Superiority and the Love of Preheminency is that which our Saviour disallows Learn 1. That so far ought the Ministers of Christ to be from affecting a Domination and Superiority of Power over their Fellow-Brethren that in Imitation of Christ their Lord and Master they ought to account themselves Fellow-Servants I am amongst you saith Christ as one that serveth 2. That such Ministers as do love and affect Preheminence and Superiority are most unfit for it and they deserve it best who seek it least 3. That the Dignity and Honour which the Ministers of Christ should chiefly and only affect is in another World and the way to be greatest and highest there is to be low and humble here mean in our own Eyes and little in our own Esteem Whosoever will be chief says Christ let him be your Servant 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many To encourage his Disciples to this condescending Humility one towards another our Saviour propounds to them his own instructive Example I came not to be ministred unto says Christ but to minister to the Wants and Necessities of others both for Soul and Body Oh what a Sight will it be as if our Lord had said to behold an humble God and a proud Creature an humble Saviour and an haughty Sinner Yea our Lord urges his Example farther that as he laid down his Life for us so should we be ready to lay down our Lives for one another Did Christ lay down his Life for us and shall not we lay down a Lust for him Our Pride our Ambition our Affectation of Dignity and Superiority over others 29 And as they departed from Jericho a great multitude followed him 30 And behold two blind men sitting by the way side when they heard that Jesus passed by cried out saying Have mercy on us O Lord thou Son of David 31 And the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace but they cried the more saying Have mercy on us O Lord thou son of David 32 And Jesus stood still and called them and said What will ye that I shall do unto you 33 They say unto him Lord that our eyes may be opened 34 So Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received sight and they followed him This Chapter concludes with a famous Miracle wrought by Christ upon two blind Men in the Sight of a great Multitude which followed him Where obs 1. The blind Men's Faith in acknowledging Christ to be the true Messias for so much the Title of the Son of David signifies 2. Their Fervency in crying so earnestly to Christ for Mercy and Healing Have mercy upon us thou Son of David A true Sence of Want will make us cry unto Christ for Help earnestly and with undeniable Importunity Obs 3. The great Condescension of Christ towards these poor blind Men He stood still he called them he had Compassion on them he touched their Eyes and healed them A mighty Instance of Christ's Divine Power He that can open blind Eyes with a touch of his Finger is really God His Touch is an Omnipotent Touch. Obs 4. Altho' Christ well knew the Condition of these blind Men yet before he will restore them to sight they must sensibly complain of the want of Sight and cry unto him for Mercy and Healing Learn thence That altho' Christ perfectly knows all our Wants yet he takes no notice of them till we make them known to him by Prayer Obs 5. The best Way and Course which the blind Men took to express their Thankfulness to Christ for recovered Sight they followed him Learn thence That Mercy from Christ is then rightly improved when it engages us to follow Christ This should be the effect of all Salvations wrought for us He praiseth God best that serveth and obeyeth him most the Life of Thankfulness consists in the Thankfulness of the Life CHAP. XXI 1 AND when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem and were come to Bethphage unto the mount of Olives then sent Jesus two disciples 2 Saying unto them Go into the village over against you and straightway ye shall find an ass tied and a colt with her loose them and bring them unto me 3 And if any man say ought unto you ye shall say The Lord hath need of them and straightway he will send them The former part of this Chapter gives us an Account of our Saviour's Solemn and Triumphant Riding into the City of Jerusalem Where Observe That in all our Saviour's Journeys and Travails from Place to Place he constantly went like a poor Man on foot without Noise and without Train now he goes up to Jerusalem to die for Sinners he rides to shew his great Chearfulness in that Service and his Forwardness to lay down his Life for us But what doth he ride upon An Ass according to the manner of great Persons amongst the Jews but especially to fulfill the Prophecy Zach. 9.9 that the
have lived awhile in this World they die and therefore Marriage is necessary to maintain a Succession of Mankind but in the other World Men shall become Immortal and live for ever and then the Reason of Marriage will wholly cease For when Men can die no more there will be no need of any new Supplies of Mankind 2. Our Saviour having got clear of the Sadducees Objection by taking away the Ground and Foundation of it he produceth an Argument for the Proof of the Soul's Immortality and the Body's Resurrection Thus Those to whom Almighty God pronounces himself a God are alive but God pronounced himself a God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob many Hundred Years after their Bodies were Dead therefore their Souls are yet alive otherwise God could not be their God for he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living From the whole Note 1. That there is no Opinion so absurd no Error so monstrous that having had a Mother will die for lack of a Nurse The beastly Opinion of the Mortality of the Soul and the Annihilation of the Body finds Sadducees to profess and propagate it Note 2. The Certainty of another Life after this in which Men shall be eternally happy or intollerably miserable according as they behave themselves here tho' some Men live like Beasts they shall not die like them nor shall their last end be like theirs Note 3. That glorified Saints in the Morning of the Resurrection shall be like unto the Glorious Angels not like them in Essence and Nature but like them in their Properties and Qualities in Holiness and Purity in Immortality and Incorruptibility and in their manner of Living they shall no more stand in need of Meat or Drink than the Angels do but shall live the same Heavenly Immortal and Incorruptible Life that the Angels live Note 4. That all those that are in Covenant with God whose God the Lord is their Souls do immediately pass into Glory and their Bodies at the Resurrection shall be Sharers in the same Happiness with their Souls If God be just the Soul must live and the Body must rise For good Men must be rewarded and wicked Men punished God will most certainly some time or other plentifully reward the Righteous and punish the evil Doers but this being not always done in this Life the Justice of God requires it to be done in the next 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence they were gathered together 35 Then one of them which was a lawyer asked him a question tempting him and saying 36 Master which is the great commandment in the law 37 Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all my mind 38 This is the first and great commandment 39 And the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets The Sadducees being put by Christ to silence the Pharisees again encounter him they send to him a Lawyer that is one of their Interpreters and Expounders of the Law of Moses who propounds this Question to him Which is the great Commandment in the Law Our Saviour tells them It is to love the Lord with all the Heart with all the Soul and with all the Mind That is which all the Powers Faculties and Abilities of the Soul with the greatest Measure and highest Degrees of Love This is the Sum and Substance of the Duties of the first Table And the second is like unto it not equal with it but like unto it The Duties of the second Table are of the same Authority and of the same Necessity with the first As a Man cannot be saved without the Love of God so neither without the Love of his Neighbour On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets That is the whole Duty of Man required by Moses and the Prophets is comprehended in and may be reduced to these Two Heads namely The Love of God and our Neighbour From the whole Note 1. That the Fervency of all our Affections and particularly the Supremacy of our Love is required by God as his Right and Due Love must pass thro' and possess all the Powers and Faculties of the Soul the Mind must meditate upon God the Will must chuse and embrace him and the Affections must take Complacency and Delight in him the measure of loving God is to love him without measure God reckons that we love him not at all if we love him not above all Note 2. That thus to love God is the first and great Commandment Great in regard of the Object which is God the first Cause and the chief Good Great in regard of the Obligation of it To love God is so indispensible a Command that God himself cannot free us from the Obligation of it for so long as he is God and we his Creatures we shall lye under a natural and necessary Obligation to Love and serve him Great in regard of the Duration of it when Faith shall be swallowed up in Vision and Hope in Fruition Love will then be perfected in a full Enjoyment Note 3. That every Man may yea ought to love himself not his sinful self but his natural self and especially his Spiritual self the new Nature in him This it ought to be his particular Care to encrease and strengthen Indeed there is no express Command in Scripture for a Man to love himself because the Light of Nature directs and the Law of Nature binds and moves every Man so to do God has put a Principle of Self-love and of Self-preservation into all his Creatures but especially into Man Note 4. As every Man ought to love himself so 't is every Man's Duty to love his Neighbour as himself 1. Not as he does love himself but as he ought to love himself 2. Not in the same Degree and Measure that he loves himself but after the same manner and with the same kind of Love that he loves himself As we love our selves freely and readily sincerely and unfeignedly tenderly and compassionately constantly and perseveringly so should we love our Neighbour Tho' we are not commanded to love our Neighbour as much as we love our selves yet we are to love him like as we love our selves Note Lastly That the Duties of the first and second Table are inseparable The Love of God and our Neighbour must not be parted He that loveth not his Neighbour whom he hath seen never loved God whom he hath not seen A conscientious Regard to the Duties of both Tables will be an Argument of our Sincerity and an Ornament to our Profession Let it then be our Prayer and daily endeavour that we may love the Lord our God with all our Heart and our Neighbour as our selves For this is the Sum of the Law and the Substance of the Gospel 41
not for Souls Obs 5. The Gracious Promise which Christ gives his Apostles for their Encouragement namely to qualifie them for and to succeed them in their Office I will make you Fishers of Men. Faithfulness and Care Diligence and Endeavour is our part but the Blessing and Success is Christ's our Labour is only in the Cast Christ's Power is wholly in the Draught Some Fish cleave to the Rocks others play upon the Sands more wallow in the Mud and verily we shall labour all our Days and catch nothing if Christ doth not bring our Fish to Net and inclose them in it as well as assist us in the throwing and casting of it Obs 6. The Apostles ready Compliance with our Saviour's Call Straightway they forsook Father and Friends Ship and Nets and followed Jesus Whom Christ calls he calls effectually he draws whom he calls and works their Hearts to a ready Compliance with their Duty Obs 7. That upon their Call to the Ministry they leave off their Trade they forsake their Ship and their Nets and lye close to their Ministerial Imployment Teaching us That the Ministers of the Gospel should wholly give themselves up to their great Work and not incumber themselves with secular Affairs and worldly Business Nothing but an indispensible Necessity in providing for a Family can excuse a Minister's encumbring himself with Worldly Concerns and Business 21 And they went into Capernaum and straightway on the sabbath-day he entred into the synagogue and taught 22 And they were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one that had authority and not as the scribes Our Saviour having called his Disciples Peter and Andrew James and John to follow him in order to their preaching of the Gospel here we may observe how he went himself along with them teaching personally in the Synagogues where-ever he came He did not send his Apostles forth as his Curates and lye at home himself upon his Couch of Ease What shall we say to those lazy Fishermen that set others to the Drag but care only to feed themselves with the Fish Not willing to wet their Hand with the Net or take any Pains themselves Our Saviour did not thus but when he sent forth his Apostles he still preached himself he went into their Synagogues and taught Observe farther The Success of his preaching the People were astonished at his Doctrine struck with Admiration apprehending and believing him to be an extraordinary Prophet sent from God Learn thence That such is the Efficacy of Christ's Doctrine especially when accompanied with the Energy and Operation of his Holy Spirit that it makes all his Auditors Admirers causing Astonishment in their Minds and Reformation in their Manners Observe lastly The Reason of our Lord's Success in preaching He taught as one having Authority He taught in his own Name as being Lord of his Doctrine not saying with the Prophets Thus saith the Lord but I say unto you And he wrought powerful Miracles which accompanied his Doctrine As Christ was careful to preserve the Authority of his Person and Doctrine with the People so is it the Duty of his Ministers to demean themselves amongst their People that neither their Authority may be contemned nor their Persons despised but their Doctrine and themselves reverenced and obeyed 23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit and he cried out 24 Saying Let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy One of God 25 And Jesus rebuked him saying Hold thy peace and come out of him 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him and cried with aloud voice he came out of him 27 And they were all amazed insomuch that they questioned among themselves saying What thing is this what new doctrine is this for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits and they do obey him St. Mark having given an Account of our Saviour's Doctrine which he preach'd v. 15. namely the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance he now acquaints us in the remaining part of this Chapter with the Miracles which he wrought for the confirming of his Doctrine and they are Three First The casting of a Devil out of one possessed v. 23. Secondly The curing of Peter 's Wife's Mother of a Fever v. 29. Thirdly The cleansing of a Leper from v. 40. to the end of the Chapter His first Miracle was the casting out of a Devil out of one possessed There was a Man with an unclean Spirit That is an unclean Spirit did enter into him and bodily possess him Amongst the many Calamities which Sin has brought upon our Bodies this is one that we are liable to be bodily possess'd by Satan The Devil has an inveterate Malice against Mankind seeking to ruin our Souls by his Suggestions and Temptations and to destroy our Bodies by some Means or other but blessed be God tho' his Malice be infinite yet his Power is limited and bounded as he cannot do all the Mischief he would so he shall not do all he can Oh how much is it our Interest as well as our Duty by Prayer to put our selves Morning and Evening under the Divine Protection that we may be preserved from the Power and Malice of evil Spirits Obs 2. The Attribute or Title given to the Devil he is called an unclean Spirit The Devils those wicked Spirits of Hell are most impure and filthy Creatures impure by Means of their original Apostacy impure by Means of their actual and daily Sins such are Murder Malice Lying and the like by which they continually pollute themselves impure by Means of their continual Desire and Endeavour to pollute Mankind with the Contagion of their own Sin Lord how foul is the Nature of Sin which makes the Devil such a foul and unclean Creature Obs 3. This unclean Spirit no sooner saw Christ but he cried out Whence Note That the Greatness of Christ's Power being the Son of God over Devils and wicked Spirits is such that it is very terrible and tormenting to them it was terrible to them in his State of Humiliation on Earth and made them then cry out but Oh how terrible will his Power be to them at the great Day when Christ shall come in flaming Fire to render Vengeance both to Men and Devils Obs 4. The Substance of the Devil's Outcry Let us alone what have we to do with thee Art thou come to destroy us Where Note 1. That tho' the Devils are now as full of Sin and Discontent as they can be yet they are not so full of Misery and Torment as they shall be Art thou come to torment us before the time Says St. Matth. 8.29 Art thou come to destroy us Says St. Mark That is to bring upon us our full and final Destruction Implying that the Devil has not yet his full Judgment and compleat Damnation Therefore there is certainly a Day of
could not 19 He answered him and saith O faithless generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you bring him unto me 20 And they brought him unto him and when he saw him straightway the spirit tare him and he fell on the ground and wallowed foming 21 And he asked his Father How long is it ago since that came unto him And he said of a child 22 And oft-times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him but if thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us 23 Jesus saith unto him if thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth 24 And straightway the Father of the child cried out with tears and said Lord I believe help thou my unbelief 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together he rebuked the foul Spirit saying unto him Thou dumb and deaf spirit I charge thee come out of him and enter no more into him 26 And the Spirit cried and rent him sore and came out of him and he was as one dead insomuch that many said He is dead 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and he arose 28 And when he was come into the house his Disciples asked him privately Why could not we cast him out 29 And he said unto them This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting Observe here 1. The person brought to Christ for help and healing one Bodily possest by Satan who had made him deaf and dumb from his childhood and oft-times cast him into the Fire and Water but rather to torment then to dispatch him Oh how does Satan that malicious Tyrant rejoyce in doing hurt to their Bodies as well as the soul of Mankind Lord abate his power since his malice will not be abated How great is thy goodness in preserving us from the power and malice of evil Spirits and how watchful is thy Providence over us to preserve us when Satan is seeking by all imaginable means and methods to destroy us Observe 2. The Person that represents his sad condition to our Saviour his compassionate Father who kneeled down and cried out need will make a person both humble and eloquent Every one has a Tongue to speak for himself happy he that keeps a Tongue for others Observe 3. The circumstance of time Satan had got possession of this person very young in his youth nay in his childhood and oh how hard was it to cast him out after so long possession the Disciples could not do it with all their power and prayers and when our Saviour himself by the power of his Godhead did dispossess him it was with foming and renting that he left him Thus when Satan gets possession of Persons hearts in their youth oh how hard will it be to cast him out it will put the Soul to great grief great pain great sorrow of heart Satan will endeavour to hold his own and keep the sinner his slave and vassal if all the power of Hell can keep him Lord convince young persons that it is easier to keep Satan out then it is to cast him out of the possession of their hearts Observe 4. The Physicians which this distressed Person is brought unto First to the Disciples and then to Jesus We never apply our selves importunately to the God of Power till we dispair of the Creatures help But why could not the Disciples cast him out Christ tells them because of their unbelief that is because of the weakness of their Faith not the total want of Faith Whence learn that secret unbelief may lie hid and undiscerned in the heart which neither others nor our selves may take notice of until some tryal doth discover it Observe 5. The poor man's humble Request and Christ's gracious reply If thou canst do any thing help me says the Father if thou canst believe all things are possible says our Saviour Note thence that the fault is not in Christ but in our selves if we receive not that mercy from him which we desire and need there is no deficiency in Christ's power the defect lies in our Faith Hereupon the man cries out with Tears Lord I believe help thou my unbelief if these were tears of Joy for the truth of his Faith then we gather that the lowest degree and least measure of Faith is matter of Joy unspeakable to the owner and possessor of it If these were Tears of Sorrow for the weakness of his Faith then we may collect that the Remains of Unbelief in the children of God do cost them many tears they are the burthen and sorrow of gracious Souls The Father of the child cried out with Tears Lord I believe help my unbelief Observe 6. With what facility and ease our Saviour cast out this stubborn Devil that had so long possest this poor child even with a word speaking how long soever Satan has kept possession of a Soul Christ can eject and cast them out both easily and speedily one word of Christ's mouth is sufficient to help us out of all distress both bodily and Spiritual Yet did our Lord suffer the evil Spirit to rage and rend the child before he went out of him not from any delight in the poor childs misery but that the Multitude seeing the Desperateness of the Case might the more admire the power of Christ in his Deliverance Observe 7. The Sovereign Power and absolute Authority which Christ had even here on Earth when in his State of Humiliation over the Devil and his Angels he commands him to go out and enter no more into the child and is obeyed This was a proof and demonstration of the Godhead of our Saviour that he had power and Authority over Devils to command and over-rule them to curb and restrain them at his Pleasure And whereas Christ commands the Devil not only to come out but to enter no more into the Person it implies that Satan being cast out of his hole earnestly desires to enter in again to recover his hold and to regain his possession but if Christ says enter no more Satan shall obey his voyce Observe 8. The Disciples enquiry into the Reasons why they could not cast this stubborn Devil out According to the power which he had given them to work Miracles Christ tells them it was 1. Because of their unbelief by which understand the weakness of their faith not their total want of Faith 2. Because they did not in this extraordinary case apply themselves to the use of extraordinary means Namely prayer and fasting Learn hence 1. That in extraordinary cases where the Necessities either of Soul or Body do require it Recourse must be had to the use of extraordinary means one of which is an importunate Application unto God by solemn Prayer Secondly that fasting and prayer are two special means of Christ's own Appointment for the enabling of his people Victoriously to overcome Satan and cast
in some manner and measure redound to the Glory of his Name altho' he undertook the matter without sufficient warrant from Christ We ought not to censure and condemn those who do that which is good in it self tho' they fail in the manner of it and in the means they use for effecting it Obs 4. What Encouragement our Saviour gives the World to be kind to his friends and followers he assures them that even a cup of cold water given for his sake to such as profess his name shall not miss of a Reward Learn thence That the least office of Love and Respect of Kindness and Charity shewn to any of the Ministers or Members of Jesus Christ for his sake is resented as done unto himself and shall be rewarded by himself Obs 5. What an hainous and grievous Sin it is to scandalize or offend any of the Disciples of Jesus Christ he will most severely Judge and punish such as give offence to them by any wrong or injury done unto them both in this Life and the next it were better a Milstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the Sea 43 And if thy hand offend thee cut it off it is better for thee to enter into Life maimed then having two Hands to go into Hell into the Fire that shall never be quenched 44 Where the worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched 45 And if thy foot offend thee cut it off it is better for thee to enter halt into Life then having two feet to be cast into Hell into the fire that never shall be quenched 46 Where their worm dyeth not and their fire is not quenched 47 And if thine Eye offend thee pluck it out it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one Eye then having two Eyes to be cast into Hell Fire 48 Where their worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched In the former verse Our Saviour disswaded from the Sin of Scandal or giving offence to serious and sincere Christistians threatning a very grievous Judgment against such as should any ways offend them Now in these six Verses he prescribes a Remedy against that and all other sins namely by avoiding all occasions that leads to Sin Here Obs 1. The admonition or warning given by Christ unto us to remove far from us all occasions of Sin tho' never so dear unto us We are not to understand the Command literally as if it were our Duty to maim our bodily Members but metaphorically to cut off all occasions that may betray us unto Sin Hence Note That sin may be avoided it is our Duty to avoid whatever leads unto it or may be the Instrument and Occasion of it Obs 2. A Reason enforcing the Admonition This is drawn from the benefit and advantage that will come by cutting off such occasions of Sin It will farther us in our attainment of eternal Life and prevent our being cast into Hell Fire Now our Saviour affirms that it is better for a Man to enter into Life with the loss of all those things that are dear and precious to him in this world rather then go into Hell with the fruition and enjoyment of them Learn hence That a diligent and daily care to avoid sin and all occasions that lead unto it will be a special means to escape the Torments of Hell and farther us in our attainments of Heaven and Eternal Life Obs 3. The Description which our Saviour gives of the Torments of Hell First by its Extremity it is like a gnawing worm and a consuming Fire Secondly and by its Eternity a worm that never dyeth and a Fire that is never quenched Learn hence That there is most certainly a place and state of punishment and torment in another world for wicked men to suffer in upon the score of Sin committed in this world Secondly That the punishment and torments of the wicked in Hell are intollerable and interminable of exquisite pain and endless Duration Their worm never dyeth and the Fire is not quenched 49 For every one shall be salted with fire and every Sacrifice shall be salted with salt Every one shall be salted with Fire that is every one of them mentioned in the foregoing verses who refuse to cut off a right hand and pluck out a right Eye that is to mortifie their bosom lusts and beloved corruptions which are as dear as a right hand or a right eye every such wicked and unmortified person shall be salted with Fire That is thrown into into Hell Fire where the worm dyeth not and the Fire is not quenched as our Saviour speaks v. 4. And their being salted with Fire Imports and Implies that as to their beings they shall be preserved even as salt preserves things from corruption that they may be the Objects of the eternal wrath of God So that for Sinners to be salted with Fire is to be given up to everlasting Destruction Learn hence that all such unsavory sinners as indulge their corrupt lusts and affections shall be salted with fire that is given up to everlasting Destruction in Hell Fire But every Sacrifice shall be salted with salt That is every Christian who has given up himself a real Sacrifice unto God he shall be salted not with fire but with salt not with fire to be consumed and destroyed but with salt to be preserved and keep savoury The grace of Mortification is that to the Soul which salt is to the Body it preserves it from putrefaction and renders it savoury Learn hence 1. That every Christian in this Life ought to be a spiritual Sacrifice or oblation unto God 2. That there is a putrid and corrupt part in every Sacrifice in every Christian which must be purged out and the Sacrifice purified and cleansed from 3. That the grace of Mortification is the true salt which must clarifie the Soul and with which every Sacrifice must be salted that will be a savoury offering unto God Every one shall be salted with Fire and every Sacrifice shall be salted with salt 50 Salt is good but if the salt hath lost its saltness wherewith will ye season it have salt in your selves and have peace one with another Our blessed Saviour here compares Christians in general and his Ministers in particular unto Salt for a double Reason First Because it is the nature of Salt to preserve things from corruption and putrefaction and to render them savoury and pleasant Thus are the Ministers of Christ to labour and endeavour by the purity of their Doctrine to sweeten putrifying Sinners that they may become Savory unto God and man and be kept from being fly-blown with Errours and false Doctrine Secondly Because Salt has an Acrimony a piercing power in if which subdues the whole lump and turns it into its own nature Such a piercing power is there in the ministry of the Word that it subdues the whole Man to the Obedience of it self Have salt in your selves
Herodians The Pharisees were against paying Tribute to Cesar looking upon themselves as a free People and the Emperor as an Usurper but the Herodians were for it Herod being made by the Roâ—an Emperor King over the Jews he was very zealous for having the Jews pay Tribute to Cesar and such of the Jews as sided with him particularly his Courtiers and Favourites were called Herodians Note 2. The Policy and wicked craft here used in imploying these two contrary Parties to put this question to our Saviour concerning Tribute thereby laying him under a Necessity as they hoped to offend one side let them answer how he would if to please the Pharisees he denied paying Tribute to Cesar then he is accused of Sedition if to gratify the Herodians he voted for paying Tribute to Cesar then he is lookt upon as an Enemy to the liberty of his Country and exposed to a popular Odium Thus has it all along been the practise of Satan and his Instruments to draw the Ministers of God into dislike either with the Magistrates or with the People that they may fall under the Censure of the one or the Displeasure of the other Obs 3 With what wisdom and caution our Lord answers them he calls for the Roman Penny answering to seven pence half penny of our Money two of which they paid by way of Tribute as Poll-money for every head to the Emperour Christ asks them whose Image or Superscription this their Coyn bore They answer Cesars Render then says he to Cesar the things that are Cesars as if our Lord had said your admitâ—ing of the Râ—man Coyn amongst you is an Evidence that you are under Subjection to the Roman Emperour because the Coâ—ning and imposing of Money is an Act of Soveraign Authority therefore you having owned Cesar's Authority over you by accepting of his Coyn amongst you Give unto him his just dues and render unto Cesar the things that are Cesars Learn hence 1. That our Saviour was no Enemy to Magistracy and Civil Government there was no truer Pay-master of the King 's dues than he that was King of Kings he preach'd it and he practised it Matth. 17.27 2. Where a Kingdom is in Subjection to a Temporal Prince whither his Right be by Discent Election or by Conquest the Subjects ought from a principle of Conscience to pay Tribute to him 3. That as Christ is no Enemy to the Civil Rights of Princes and his Religion exempts none from paying their Civil dues so Princes should be as careful not to rob him of his Divine Honour as he is not to wrong them of their Civil Rights as Christ Requires all his Followers to render unto Cesar the things that are Cesars so should Princes oblige all their Subjects to Render unto God the things that are Gods 18 Then come unto him the Sadduces which say there is no Resurrection and they asked him saying 19 Masters Moses wrote unto us if a man's brother die and leave his wife behind him and leave no Children that his brother should take his wife and raise up seed unto his brother 20 Now there were seven brethren and the first took a wife and dying left no seed 21 And the second took her and died neither left he any seed and the third likewise 22 And the seven had her and left no seed last of all the woman died also 23 In the Resurrection therefore when they shall rise whose wife shall she be of them for the seven had her to wife 24 And Jesus answering said unto them do ye not therefore err because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God 25 For when they shall rise from the dead they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels which are in Heaven 26 And as touching the dead that they rise have ye not read in the Book of Moses how in the bush God spake unto him saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and of Jacob 27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living ye therefore do greatly err Our Blessed Saviour having put the Pharisees and Herodians to silence in the former verses here he encounters the Sadduces This Sect derived its name from one Sadock who denied the Immortality of the Soul the Resurrection of the Body and Angels and Spirits Here they propound a case to our Saviour of a Woman who had seven Brethren successively to her Husbands they demand whose wise of the seven this Woman shall be at the Resurrection as if they had said if there be a Resurrection of Bodies surely there will be of Relations too and the other World if there be such a place will be like this in which Men will marry as they do here and if so whose Wife of the seven shall this Woman be they all having an equal claim to her Now our Saviour for resolving of this question first shews the different state of Men in this and in the other World The Children of this World says our Saviour marry and are given in Marriage but in the Resurrection they do neither As if Christ had said after Men have lived a while in this World they die and therefore Marriage is necessary to maintain a succession of Mankind But in the other World men shall become immortal and live for ever and then the reason of Marriage will wholly cease for when Men can die no more there will be no need of any new supplies of Mankind Observe Secondly That our Saviour having got clear of the Sâ—duces Objection by taking away the foundation and ground of it he produceth an Arâ—ument for the proof of the Souls Immortality and the Bodies Resurrection Those to whom Almighty God pronounces himself a God are certainly a live but God pronounced himself a God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob many hundred years after their Bodies were dead therefore their Souls are yet alive for otherwise God could not be their God because he is not the God of the Dead but of the Livâ—ng From the whole Note 1. That there is no Opinion so monstrous and absurd that having had a Mother will die for lack of a Nurse The beastly Opinion of the mortality of the Soul and the Annihilation of the Body finds Saduces to profess and propagate it Nâ—te 2. The certainty of another life after this in which Men shall be eternally happy or intollerably miserable according as they behave themselves here Though some Men live like Beasts yet they shall not die like them nor shall their last end be like theirs Note 3. That glorified Saints in the morning of the Resurrection shall be like the glorious Angels not like them in Essence and Nature but like them in their Properties and Qualities in Holiness and Purity in Immortality and Incorruptibility as also in their manner of living they shall stand in no more need of Meat and Drink then the Angels do but shall live the same heâ—venly immortal and
incorruptible life that the Angels live Note 4. That all those who are in Covenant with God whose God the Lord is their Souls do immediately pass into Glory and their Bodies at the Resurrectson shall be sharers in the same happiness with their Souls if God be just the Soul must live and the body must rise for good men must be Rewarded and wicked men Punished somewhere either in this life or in another God will most certainly at one time or other plentifully Reward the Righteous and punish the wicked doers But this being not always done in this life the justice of God requires that it be done in the next 28 And one of the Scribes came and having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that he had answered them well asked him which is the first Commandment of all 29 And Jesus answered him the first of all the Commandments is this Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength this is the first Commandment 31 And the sâ—cond is like namely this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self there is none other Commandment greater then these 32 And the Scribes said unto him well Master thou hast said the truth for there is one God and there is none other but he 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the soul and with all the strength and to love his Neighbour as himself is more then all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly he said unto him Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God And no man after that durst ask him any question Observe here 1. A Question propounded to our Blessed Saviour and his answer thereunto the Question propounded is this Which is the first and great Commandment Our Saviours tells them it is to love God with all their heart and soul with all their mind and strength that is with all the powers faculties and abilities of the Soul with the highest measures and most intent degrees of Love this is the sum of the Duties of the first Table this is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it he doth not say equal with it Although the duties of the second Table are of the same Authority and of the same necessity with the first as no man can be saved without the Love of God so neither without the love of his Neighbour Whence Note 1. That the fervency of all our Affections and particularly the supremacy of our Love is required by God as his right and due Love must pass thorough and possess all the powers and faculties of our Souls the mind must meditate 〈◊〉 God the Will must chose and embrace him and the Affections must delight in him the measure of loving God is to love him without measure God reckons that we love him not all if we love him not above all Note 2. That thus to love God is the first great Commandment Great in regard of its Object which is God the first cause and the chief good Great in regard of the Obligation of it To love God iâ— so indispensable a Duty that God himself cannot free us from the obligation of it for so long as he is God and we his Creatures we shall lye under a natural and necessary oblâ—â—â—ation to love and serve him Great also is this Command and Duty in regard of the Duration and Câ—ntinuance of it when Faith shall be swallowed up in visâ—on and hope in â—â—â—ition Love will then be perfected in a full Enjoyment Note 3. That every man may yea ought to love himsâ—lf not his sinful self but his natural self especially his spiritual sâ—â—â— the new nature in him Thus it ought to be his particular care to strengthen and encrease indeed there is no express command in Scripture for a Man to love himself because the Light of Nature directs and the Law of Nature binds â—very man so to do God has put a principle of self-love and of self-preservation into all his Creatures but espâ—câ—ally into Man Note 4. That aâ— every man ouâ—ht to love himself so is it every Man's duty to love his Neighbour as himself not as he doth love himself but as he ought to love himself yet not in the same deâ—ree that he loves himself but after the same manner and with the same kind of love that he loves himself As we love our selves freely and readily sincerely and unfeignedly tenderly and compassionately constantly and continually so should we love our Neighbour also though we love him not as much as we love our selves yet must we love him as truly as we love our sâ—lves Nâ—te lastly That the Duties of the first and second Table â—re iâ— seperable namely love to God and love to our Neighbour these two must not be separated he that loveth not his Neighbour whom he hath seen never loved God whom he hath not seen A conscientious regard to the Duties of both Tables will be an Argument of our Sincerity and an Ornament to our Profession Observe lastly The favourable censure which our Saviour passes upon this Scribe he 〈…〉 he was not far from the Kingdâ—m of God Nâ—te here 1. Some persons may be said to be far and farther then others thâ—m the Kingdom of Heaven some are farther in reâ—ard of the means they want the Ordinances the Dispensation of the Word and Sacraments others are far from the Kingdom of God in regard of qualifications and dispâ—sitions of the former sort are all Heathens without the pale of the Church they are afar off as the Apostle expresses it Eph. 2.13 of the latter sort are all gross and close Hypocrites within the Church who whilst they continue such shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Note 2. As some Persons may be sâ—â—d to be far from the Kingdom of God so are there otherâ— which may be said not to be far such who have escaped the pâ—llutions of the World abstained from open and scandalous Sins are less wicked then multitudes are but are strangers to an inward thorough and prevailing change in the frame of their Hearts and course of their Lives they have often said I would be but they never said I will be the Lords When the work of Regeneration is brought to the Birth after all it proves an abortion Lord what a disappointment will this be to perish within sight of the promisâ—d Land to bâ— near Heaven in our expectation and yet never the nearer in the Issue and Event Wo unto us if this be the Câ—â—â—â—â—â—n of any of us who have all our days sat under the D 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on of thy Gospel 35 And Jesus answered and said while he taught in the Temple how sâ—y the Scribes that Christ is the Son of David 36 For David himself
people who being ignorant of his Extraction look upon his Breeding as well as his Calling to be Divine This good use ought to be made of our Saviour's Observation that his Ministers be very wise and discreet in Conversation with their People not making themselves cheap and common in every Company nor light and vain in any Company for such Familiarity will breed contempt both of their Persons and their Doctrine But our Duty is by strictness and gravity of deportment to keep up an awe and esteem in the Consciences of our People always tempering our Gravity with Courtesy and a Condescending Affability that Minister which prostitutes his Authority frustrates the end of his Ministry and is the occasion of his own Contempt 25 But I tell you of a truth many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias when the heavens were shut up three years and six months when great Famine was throughout all the Land 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a city of Sidon unto a woman that was a widow 27 And many Lepers were in Israel in the time of Elizeas the Prophet and none of them was cleansed saving Naaman the Syrian Here our Saviour by a double instance confirms what he had last told his Country-men at Nazareth namely that Prophets are most despised by their own Country men and Acquaintance and that Strangers oft-times have more Advantage by a Prophet than his own People The first instance of this which our Saviour gives them is in the days of Elias tho' there were many Widows then in his own Nation yet none of them were qualified to receive his Miracles but a Stranger a Widow of Sareptha The second instance was in the days of Elisha when tho' there were many Lepers in and about his Neighbourhood yet they being his Country-men despised him and none were qualified for a Cure but Naaman the Syrian a man of another Country Thus the Prophets of God like some Fishermen catch least in their own Pond and do more good by their Ministry among strangers then amongst their own Country-men Kinsfolk and near Relations No Prophet is accepted in his own Country 28 And all they in the Synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath 29 And rose up and thrust him out of the city and led him unto the Brow of the Hill whereon their city was built that they might cast him down headlong 30 But he passing thro' the midst of them went his way Observe here 1. The horrid Impiety of the People of Nazareth in thrusting their Saviour out of their City and their barbarous and bloody Cruelty in bringing him to the Brow of the Hill with full intent to cast him down headlong But Christ was to dye a clean contrary way not by throwing down but by lifting up Oh ungrateful and unhappy Nazareth is this the Return you make that Divine Guest which for Thirty Years had sojourned in your Coasts No wonder that the ablest Preaching and most exemplary Living of the Holiest and best of Christ's Ministers obtain no greater success at this day amongst a people when the presence of Christ at Nazareth for thirty Years together had no better influence upon the Minds and Manners of that People but instead of Receiving his Message they rage at the Messenger Neither let any of the Ministers of Christ think it strange that they are ignominiously despised when our Master before us was in danger of being barbarously Murthered and that for his plain Preaching to his own People the Men of Nazareth But Obs 2. The miraculous escape of our Blessed Lord from the murdering hands of the wicked Nazarites he passing through the midst of them went his way How and after what manner he escaped is not declared and therefore cannot without presumption be determined Altho' the Rhemists to make way for their Doctrine of Transubstantiation positively affirm that contrary to the nature of a Body he penetrated thorough the Breasts of the People But whether he struck them with Blindness that they did not see or smote them with fear that they durst not hold him or whether by a greater strength then theirs which his Godhead could easily supply his Humane Nature with he escaped from them it is neither prudent to inquire nor possible to determine we know it was an easy thing for him who was God as well as Man to quit himself of any Mortal Enemies and at the same time when he rescued himself could have ruin'd them by frowning them into Hell or looking them into nothing 31 And came down to Capernaum a city of Galilee and taught them on the Sabbath-days 32 And they were astonished at his Doctrine for his word was with power 33 And in the Synagogue there was a man which had a Spirit of an unclean Devil and he cryed out with a loud voice 34. Saying let us alone What have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy one of God 35 And Jesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace and come out of him and when the Devil had thrown him in the midst he came out of him and hurt him not 36 And they were all amazed and spake among themselves saying what a word is this for with Authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits and they come out 37 And the same of him went out into every place of the Country round about Our Blessed Saviour being driven out of Nazareth by the fury of his Country-men departs to Capernaum where he enters into their Synagogues and taught Who can declare the pains that our Saviour took and the hazards which he ran in preaching the Everlasting Gospel to lost Sinners But observe the smalness of his Success the People were astonished but not believed his Doctrine produced Admiration but not faith his Auditors were Admirers but not Believers the People were astonished at his Doctrine the reason of which Astonishment is added for his word was with power that is there was Majesty in his Person Spirituality in his Preaching and powerful Miracles accompanying both and confirming Both of which the Evangelist here gives us an account namely the casting out of a Devil in one possessed v. 33. There was a man which had a Spirit of an unclean Devil and he cryed out that is the Devil that unclean Spirit did enter into him and bodily possess him Amongst many other Calamities which sin has brought upon our Bodies this is one to be Bodily possest by Satan The Devil has an inveterate Malice against Mankind seeking to ruine our Souls by his Suggestions and Temptations and to destroy our Bodies by some means or other Oh how much is it our Interest as well as our Duty by Prayer to put our selves morning and evening under the Divine care and Protection that we may be preserved from the power and malice of Evil Spirits Obs 2. The Title here given
from your feet for a Testimony against them 6 And they departed and went thro' the Towns preaching the Gospel and healing every where We heard before Ch. 6.13 of our Saviour's choosing his Twelve Apostles and their several Names they were first chosen Disciples to be with Christ to learn of him and be instructed by him and to be Witnesses of what he said and did Now after some time thus spent in preparing and fitting them for publick Service our Saviour sends them forth to preach the Gospel and gives them a power to confirm their Doctrine by Miracles Observe here 1. The Person that sends the Apostles forth to preach the Gospel it is Christ himself Learn thence that none ought to take upon them the Office of Preaching or any other Ministerial Function in the Church till thereunto called by Christ him-himself The Apostles were called by Christ and immediately sent forth by himself The Ministers of the Gospel now are called mediately and receive Authority from Christ by the hand of the Governours of the Church Observe 2. The Power given to the Apostles by our Saviour to Work Miracles for confirming that Doctrine which they preached He gave them power over unclean Spirits c. Now this miraculous Power given to the Apostles was necessary partly to procure Reverence to their Persons being poor and unlearned Men but principally to gain Credit and Authority to their Doctrine for the Doctrine of Faith in the Messiah as now come and exhibited in the Flesh being a strange and new Doctrine to the Jews the truth and certainty of it was to be extraordinarily ratified by Miracles which are the Broad Seal of Heaven to testify that such a Doctrine comes from God Obs 3. The charge here given by Christ to his Apostles at the time of their sending forth and this is Threefold First touching their preparation for their Journey he forbids them to take much care or to spend much time in furnishing themselves with Victuals Money or Cloaths because they were to finish their Journey speedily and to return again to Christ their Master This command of our Saviour to his Apostles not to incumber themselves when going forth to preach the Gospel Teaches his Ministers their Duty to free themselves as much as possibly they can from Worldly incumbrances which may hinder them in their ministerial Services 2 Tim. 2.4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this Life Secondly touching their Lodging in their Journey Christ advises them not to change it during their stay in one place But into whatsoever house they entered they should there continue till they departed out of that place that so they might avoid all shew of lightness and inconstancy and testify all gravity and stayedness in their behaviour this being a special means to gain reverence to their Persons and Authority to their Doctrine Thirdly Christ gives a special Charge to his Apostles concerning their Carriage towards such as should refuse to give entertainment to them and their Doctrine they were to denounce the Judgments of God against such Contemners by shaking off the dust of their feet for a Testimony against them This Action was Emblematical signifying that Almighty God would in like manner shake them off as the vilest Dust for wherever the Word is Preached it is for a Testimony either a Testimony for or against a people for if the dust of a Ministers feet whilst alive and the ashes of his Grave when dead do bear Witness against the Despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more 7 Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was done by him and he was perplexed because that it was said of some that John was risen from the Dead 8 And of some that Elias had appeared and of others that one of the old Prophets was risen again 9 And Herod said John have I beheaded but who is this of whom I hear such things and he desired to see him The History of the Holy Baptist's Beheading by Herod is briefly here hinted at by St. Luke but not largely set forth by him as we find it by St. Matthew ch 14. and St. Mark ch 6. See the Notes there That which St. Luke takes particular notice of is that great perplexity of mind which Herod's guilty Conscience did occasion he had murthered John and now is afraid his Ghost haunted him Herod was perplexed Learn hence That Guilt is naturally troublesome and uneasy it disturbs the peace and serenity of the mind and fills the Soul with Storms and Thunder Guilt is always full of fear every thing affrights the Guilty a bad man is a terror to himself and needs no farther Disquietment then what his own Guilty Conscience doth occasion him 10 And the Apostles when they were returned told him all they had done and he took them and went aside privately into a desert-place belonging to a city called Bethsaida 11 And the people when they knew it followed him and he received them and spake unto them of the kingdom of God and healed them that had need of healing St. Luke here gives a short account of several material passages as 1. concerning the Apostles return to Christ after their first mission and sending forth they acquaint their Master how they had executed their Office and discharged the Trust he had reposed in them 2. He withdraws privately into a desert place from the multitude that he might enjoy himself and his Disciples but there the people find him out and flock after him and Christ whose Meat it was by day and sleep by Night to do good embraces the opportunity bestowing upon their Souls instruction Reproof and Counsel upon their Bodies health and healing teaching us by his example to mix Spiritual Alms with Bodily Relief we must be in fee with the Body sometimes that we may come at the Soul Happy is that Christian whom God has made both able and willing to intermix Spiritual Alms with Corporal and knows how to feed two at once Soul and Body both This is the Duty of all but especially of Spiritual Persons the Lord give us Wisdom and Grace to manage it to advantage 12 And when the day began to wear away then came the Twelve and said unto him send the multitude away that they may go into the Towns and Country round about and lodge and get Victuals for we are here in a desert-place 13 But he said unto them give ye them to eat and they said we have no more but five Loaves and two Fishes except we should go and buy meat for all this people 14 For they were about five thousand men and he said to his Disciples make them sit down by fifties in a Company 15 And they did so and made them all sit down 16 Then he took the five Loaves and the two fishes and looking up to Heaven he blessed them and brake and gave to the Disciples to set before the Multitude 17 And they did eat and were all
and Jesus rebuked the unclean Spirit and healed the child and delivered him to his Father Observe here 1. The Person brought to Christ for help and healing one Bodily possest by Satan who Rent and Tore him but rather to Torment than to Dispatch him Oh how does Satan delight to do hurt to the Bodies as well as the Souls of Mankind Lord abate his Power since his Malice will not be abated Observe 2. The Person who represented his sad Condition to our Saviour his Compassionate Father who kneeled down and cryed out Need will make a Person both humble and Eloquent every one has a Tongue to speak for himself happy he that keeps a Tongue for others Observe 3. The Physicians which this Distressed Person is brought unto first to the Disciples and then to Jesus We never apply our selves importunately to the God of power till we despair of the Creatures help But what hindered the Disciples that they could not cast this Evil Spirit out why it was their unbelief oh faithless Generation Learn thence That the great Obstacle and Obstruction of all Blessings both Spiritual and Temporal coming to us is our wretched Infidelity and Unbelief Observe 4. The Sovereign Power and absolute Authority which Christ had when on Earth over the Devil and his Angels Jesus rebuked him cast him out and charged him to return no more into him This was a Proof and Demonstration of the Godhead of our Saviour that in his own Name that is by his own Power and Authority he did and could cast the Devils out 43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did he saith unto his Disciples 44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men 45 But they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not and they feared to ask him of that saying Observable it is how frequently our Saviour fore-warned his Disciples of his approaching Sufferings and as the time of his Sufferings drew nearer he did more frequently warn them of his Death But all was little enough to arm them against the Scandal of the Cross and to Reconcile them to the thoughts of his Suffering Condition how an ordinary Prophet should be Delivered into the hands of Men they could easily understand but how the Messias should be so treated they could not apprehend for the Disciples had taken up the Common Opinion That the Messias was to be a Temporal Prince and should Conquer and Reign here upon Earth and how to Reconcile this with being killed they could no ways apprehend and they were afraid to be too particular in their Enquiries about it Now from Christ's so frequent warning his Disciples of his approaching Sufferings we may gather That we can never hear either too often or too much of the Doctrine of the Cross nor be too frequently instructed in our Duty to prepare for a Suffering State as Christ went from his Cross to the Crown from a State of Abasement to a State of Exaltation so must all his Disciples and Followers likewise 46 Then there arose a Reasoning among them which of them should be the greatest 47 And Jesus perceiving the thoughts of their Heart took a child and set him by him 48 And said unto them whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me for he that is least among you all the same shall be great It may justly seem a wonder that when our Blessed Saviour Discoursed so frequently with his Disciples about his Sufferings that they should at the same time be disputing amongst themselves about precedency and preheminency which of them should be the greatest the first in place and the highest in Dignity and Honour But from this Instance we may Learn That the Holiest and Best of Men are too prone to Ambition ready to catch at the Bait of Honour to affect a Precedency before and Superiority over others Here the Apostles themselves were touch'd with the Itch of Ambition to cure this our Saviour sets before them a little Child as the proper Emblem of Humility shewing that they ought to be as free from Pride and Ambition as a young Child which affects nothing of Precedency Such as are of highest Eminency in the Church ought to be singularly adorned with the Grace of Humility looking upon themselves as lying under the greatest Obligations to be most Eminently useful and serviceable for the Churches good 49 And John answered and said Master we saw one casting out Devils in thy name and we forbad him because he followeth not with us 50 And Jesus said unto him forbid him not for he that is not against us is for us Observe here 1. St. John's Relation of a matter of Fact to our Saviour namely his Forbidding one to cast out Devils in Christ's Name that did not follow Christ as they did for tho' only the Disciples which followed Christ had a Commission to work Miracles yet were there others no Enemies to Christ who in imitation of the Disciples did attempt to do the like and God was pleased for the Honour of his Son in whose Name they cast out Devils to give them sometimes Success Observe 2. The Action of the Disciples towards this Person we forbad him because he followed not with us where is Observable their Rashness in Forbidding him of their own Heads before they had consulted Christ about it and their Envy and Emulation in that they were grieved and discontented that good was done because they did not do it it is as hard a matter to look upon the Gifts of others without Envy as it is to look upon our own without Pride Observe 3. Our Saviour's Reply forbid him not Because Our Saviour knew that this Action of casting out Devils in his Name would some ways Redound to his Glory altho' he undertook the matter without Direction from Christ We ought not to censure and condemn those which do that which is good in it self tho' they fail in the manner of their doing of it 51 And it came to pass when the time was come that he should be received up he stedfastly set his Face to go to Jerusalem The time now drew on wherein our Saviour was to be Received up into Heaven and accordingly he sets his Face to go to Jerusalem that he might there Suffer and from thence Ascend Now here we have Observable 1. That altho ' Jerusalem was the Nest of his Enemies the Stage upon which his Bloody Sufferings were to be Acted the fatal place of his Death yet nothing terrified with Danger he sets his Face for Jerusalem that is come what will he will go with an invincible Courage and Resolution Learn thence That altho' Christ had a perfect and exact Knowledge of all the Bitter Sufferings he was to undergo
their Obstinacy and Infidelity which he aggravates from the Example of the Queen of the South and the Men of Nineveh From hence Learn That the sins of infidelity and impenitency are exceedingly heightned and their guilt aggravated from the Means afforded by God to bring Men to Faith and Obedience The sin of the Pharisees was infinitely greater in rejecting the Evidence of Christ's Miracles than the sin of the Ninevites would have been in refusing to hearken to Jonas his Ministry therefore the Ninevites shall condemn the Pharisees 33 No man when he hath lighted a Candle putteth it in a secret place neither under a Bushel but on a Candlestick that they which come in may see the Light 34 The light of the body is the eye therefore when thine eye is single thy whole body also is full of Light but when thine eye is evil thy body also is full of darkness 35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness 36 If thy whole body therefore shall be full of light having no part dark the whole shall be full of light as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light Our Saviour in these words does these two things 1. he declares that altho' his Ministry had no effect upon the proud and obstinate Pharisees yet he would not hide the light which he came into the World to bring nor conceal that Heavenly Doctrine which his Father had committed to him to Communicate to the Children of Men teaching us That such as are enlightned by God with the Knowledge of his Word and Will ought not to conceal and hide this Knowledge within themselves but communicate it to others and improve it for the good and benefit of others No man that lighteth a Candle putteth it under a Bushel 2. Our Saviour here discovers the Reason why the Pharisees continued blind under so clear a light as that of his Ministry namely because the eye of their Understanding was darkned not so much with Ignorance as with Prejudice whereby they opposed Christ and his Holy Doctrine for if the Mind be clearly enlightned by the Word and Spirit of God that Light will diffuse and spread it self in the Soul as the bright shining of a Candle doth in the House enlightning all the inward Faculties and directing all the outward Actions and communicating its Light also to the enlightning of others 37 And as he spake a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him and he went in and sate down to meat 38 And when the Pharisee saw it he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner 39 And the Lord said unto him now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness 40 Ye fools did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also Observe here 1. The free Conversation of our Blessed Saviour how readily he complies with the Pharisees Invitation to dine with him I do not find that when Christ was invited to any Table that ever he refused to go if a Pharisee if a Publican invited him he constantly went not so much for the pleasure of eating as for the opportunity of Conversing and doing good Christ feasts us when we feed him He says of himself that he came eating and drinking that is allowing himself a free tho' innocent Conversation with all sorts of Persons that he might gain some Observe 2. The Exception which the Pharisee takes at our Saviour's not washing his hands before Dinner This they made but without any warrant for it a Religious Act abounding in external washings but neglecting the inward Purgations of their Hearts and Consciences from Sin and Uncleanness Thus Pharisaical Hypocrisy puts God off with outward cleansing instead of inward Purity regarding more the outward cleanness of the hand than the inward Purity of the Heart Observe 3. Our Blessed Saviour does not condemn any external Decency and cleanliness in Conversation but his design is to shew the vanity of outward Purity without inward Sanctity and to convince them of the Necessity of cleansing the Heart in order to the purifying and Reforming the Life The Pharisee washt his hands clean but left his Soul full of uncleanness not considering that he that made the Soul as well as the Body requires that both should be kept pure all the impiety of mens Lives proceeding from the impurity of their Hearts and Natures 41 But rather give alms of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you As if Christ had said the way to purify your Meats and Drinks and Estates from all pollution cleaving to them and to have them Sanctified Blessings to you is in Conjunction with other Graces by doing Works of Mercy and by liberal Alms-giving according to your Ability Learn that Charity and Alms-giving according to our ability and opportunity is a special means to sanctify our Estates to us and to cause us holily and comfortably to enjoy whatever we do possess Give Alms of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you 42 But Wo unto you Pharisees for ye Tythe Mint and Rue and all manner of Herbs and pass over judgment and the love of God these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Our Saviour here denounces a Wo against the Pharisees for their strict and scrupulous observing the lesser things of the Law as Tything Mint and Rue whilst they were regardless of the principal and substantial Duties which they owed both to GOD and Man Learn hence That altho' some Duties are of greater moment and importance than others yet a good Man will omit none but make Conscience of all both great and small in obedience to the Command of God there is no Duty so little as to be neglected no Command so small as to be disobeyed but yet there is a difference in Duties and our first regard ought to be to the greater then to the less Christ doth not condemn them for Tything Mint and Rue but for passing over judgment and the love of God 43 Wo unto you Pharisees for ye love the uppermost seats in the Synagogues and greetings in the Market-place The next Wo denounced against the Pharisees is for their Ambition Pride and Popularity affecting the uppermost Seats in the Synagogues and Salutations in the Markets where their fault was not in taking but in affecting these uppermost places God is the God of Order there may and ought to be a precedency amongst Persons honour is to be given to whom honour is due and that by God's Command But Pride and Ambition are detestable Vices especially in such as are Preachers and ought to be patterns of Humility 44 Wo unto you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites for ye are as Graves which appear not and the men that walk over them are not aware of them Another Wo is here
Cesar's so Princes should oblige all their Subjects To render unto God the things that are Gods 27 Then came unto him certain of the Sadduces which say there is no Resurrection and they asked him 28 Saying Master Moses wrote unto us if any mans Brother dye having a wife and he dye without children that his Brother should take his Wife and raise up Seed unto his Brother 29 There were therefore seven Brethren and the first took a wife and dyed without Children 30 And the second took her to wife and he dyed childless 31 And the third took her and in like manner the seventh also and they left no Children and dyed 32 Last of all the Woman dyed also 33 Therefore in the Resurrection whose wife of them is she for seven had her to wife 34 And Jesus answering said unto them The children of this World marry and are given in marriage 35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the Resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage 36 Neither can they dye any more for they are equal unto the Angels and are the Children of God being the Children of the Resurrection 37 Now that the dead are raised even Moses shewed at the Bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 For he is not a God of the Dead but of the Living for all live unto him Our Blessed Saviour having put the Pharisees and Herodians to silence in the foregoing Verses here the Sadduces encounter him This Sect denied the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body and as an Objection against both they propound a Case to our Saviour of a Woman that had Seven Husbands they demand whose Wife of the Seven this Woman shall be at the Resurrection as if they had said if there be a Resurrection of Bodies at the great Day surely there will be a Resurrection of Relations too and the other World will be like this in which Men will marry as they do here and if so whose wife of the seven shall this Woman be they all having an equal claim to her Now our Saviour for resolving of this question first shews the different State of Men in this and in the other World The Children of this World says Christ marry and are given in Marriage but in the Resurrection they do neither as if our Lord had said after Men have lived a while in this World they dye and therefore Marriage is necessary to maintain a Succession of Mankind but in the other World Men shall become Immortal and live for ever and then the Reason of Marriage will wholly cease for when Men can dye no more there will be no need of any new Supplies of Mankind Secondly Our Saviour having got clear of the Sadduces Objection by taking away the Ground and Foundation of it he produces an Argument for the proof of the Soul's Immortality and the Bodies Resurrection thus Those to whom Almighty God pronounces himself a God are alive but God pronounces himself a God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob many hundred years after their Bodies were dead therefore their Souls are yet alive otherwise God could not be their God For he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living From the whole Note 1. That there is no Opinion so absurd no error so monstrous that having had a Mother will dye for lack of a Nurse the Beastly Opinion of the Mortality of the Soul and of the Annihilation of the Body finds Sadduces to profess and propagate it Learn 2. The certainty of another Life after this in which Men shall be Eternally Happy or Intolerably Miserable according as they behave themselves here Tho' some Men live like Beasts they shall not dye like them neither shall their last End be like theirs Note 3. The Glorified Saints in the Morning of the Resurrection shall be like unto the Glorious Angels not like them in Essence and Nature but like them in their Properties and Qualities namely in Holiness and Purity in Immortality and Incorruptibility and also like them in their way and manner of Living They shall no more stand in need of Meat or Drink than the Angels do but shall live the same Heavenly and Immortal Lives that the Angels live Note 4. That all those that are in Covenant with God whose God the Lord is their Souls do immediately pass into Glory and their Bodies at the Resurrection shall be sharers in the same Happiness with their Souls if God be just the Soul must Live and the Body must Rise for Good Men must be Rewarded and Wicked Men Punished God will most certainly one time or other plentifully Reward the Righteous and Punish the Evil doers but this being not always done in this Life the justice of God requires it be done in the next 39 Then certain of the Scribes answering said Master thou hast well said 40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all 41 And he said unto them How say they that Christ is David's Son 42 And David himself saith in the Book of Psalms the Lord saith unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand 43 Till I make thine enemies thy Footstool 44 David therefore calleth him Lord How is he then his Son The Design of our Blessed Saviour in propounding this Question to the Pharisees how Christ could be David's Son when David by Inspiration called him Lord it was two-fold 1. To confute the People's Erroneous Opinion touching the Person of the Messias who they thought should be a meer Man of the Stock and Lineage of David only and not the Son of God 2. To strengthen the Faith of his Disciples touching his Godhead against the time that they should see him Suffer and Rise again The place Christ alludes to is Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand The Lord That is God the Father said to my Lord that is to God the Son who was to be Incarnate whom David calleth his Lord both as God and as Mediatour his Lord by a Right of Creation and Redemption also now the question our Saviour puts to the Pharisees is this how Christ could be both David's Lord and David's Son No Son being Lord to his own Father therefore if Christ were David's Sovereign he must be more than Man more than David's Son As Man so he was David's Son as God Man so he was David's Lord. Note hence 1. That altho' Christ was truly and really Man yet was he more than a meer Man he was Lord unto and the Salvation of his own Fore-fathers Note 2. That the only way to reconcile the Scriptures which speak concerning Christ is to believe and acknowledge him to be both God and Man in one Person The Messiah as Man was to come forth out of David's Loyns but as God man he was David's Lord his Sovereign and Saviour
in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father 22 Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews 23 But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Here we have our Saviour's Answer to the foregoing Question which consists of two Parts 1. Concerning the Place of Worship 2. Concerning the Worship it self As to the Place of Worship our Saviour tells her that though the Jews had heretofore by warrant of God's Word regularly worshipped at Jerusalem and the Samaritans superstitiously worshipped at Mount Gerizim yet the Hour was coming namely at his Death when all difference of Places for God's Worship should be taken away and therefore she need not trouble her self about the Place of God's Worship to know whether of the two Places were holier and the better to serve God in for ere long the Service of God should not be confined more to one Place than another Hence learn That since the death of Christ the Religious Difference of Places is taken away and the Worship of God not confined to any one particular Place or Nation 2. Our blessed Saviour resolves her concerning the Worship it self namely that the Ceremonial Worship which the Jews and Samaritans used should shortly be abolished and instead thereof a more spiritual Form of Worship should be established more suitable to the Spiritual Nature of the great and holy God and containing in it the Truth and Substance of all that which the Jewish Ceremonies prefigured and shadowed forth Learn hence That the True Worship of God under the Gospel doth not consist in the external Pomp of any outward Ceremonies but is Spiritual and Substantial No Worship is acceptable to him that is the Father of Spirits but that which is truly Spiritual 24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth God is a Spirit that is he has no Body nor bodily Parts He is not a bare spiritual Substance but a pure and perfect Spirit and therefore his Worshippers must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Where Spirit is opposed to the Legal Ceremonies and Truth to the Jewish Rites not to Hypocritical Services for the old Patriarchs did worship God in Spirit and in Truth As Truth is taken for Sincerity they served him with a sincere Conscience and with a single Heart But our Saviour's Business is to shew That a Worship without Legal Rites and Jewish Ceremonies is proper to the times of the Gospel In the Words Observe 1. The Nature of God declared God is a Spirit 2. The Duty of Man inferred therefore they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth From the whole Note 1. That God is a pure Spiritual Being When bodily Parts Hands and Eyes c. are ascribed to him it is only in Condescension to our weakness and to signifie those Acts in God which such Members do perform in us Note 2. That the Worship due from the Creature to God is spiritual Worship and ought to be spiritually performed The Jewish Ceremonial Worship was abolished to promote the Spirituality of Divine Worship yet must not this be so understood as if God rejected bodily Worship because he requires spiritual under the Gopsel for Jesus Christ the most spiritual Worshipper worshipped God with his Body Besides God has appointed some Parts of Worship which cannot be performed without the Body as Sacraments In a Word God has created the Body as well as the Soul Christ has redeemed the Body as well as the Soul and he will glorify the Body as well as the Soul therefore it is our Duty to worship and glorify God with our Bodies and with our Spirits which are his 25 The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things 26 Jesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he Observe here 1. What a General Expectation there was in the Minds of all Persons at the time of our Saviour's appearing of one whom the Jews called the Messiah I know that Messiah cometh This Woman though a Samaritan yet knew that the Messiah should come and that he was now expected Observe 2. What the Work and Office of the Messias was apprehended and believed to be namely to reveal the whole Mind and Will of God to a lost World When the Messias is come he will tell us all things Learn thence That the Lord Jesus Christ the promised and true Messias being called and appointed by God to be the great Prophet of his Church hath fully and perfectly revealed all things needful to be known for our Salvation John 15.15 All things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you Observe Lastly How freely and fully Christ reveals himself to this poor Woman he tells her plainly that he was the Messias When the Jews asked him John 10.24 If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Christ did not in plain Terms tell them who he was Nay when John Baptist sent two of his Disciples to ask him whether he were He that should come he gave them no direct Answer Yet behold he makes himself plainly known to this poor Woman he discerning her Humility and great Simplicity that she was willing to be instructed by him and did not come to him as the Jews and Pharisees did captiously with a design to entangle and enspare him Hence learn That the Lord Jesus Christ delights to reveal himself and make known his Mind and Will to such as with an humble Mind and an honest Simplicity of heart do desire to know him and understand their Duty to him 27 ¶ And upon this came his disciples and marvelled that he talked with the woman yet no man said What seekest thou or Why talkest thou with her 28 The woman then left her water-pot and went her way into the city and saith to the men 29 Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ 30 Then they went out of the city and came unto him Observe here 1. How the Providence of God so ordered and disposed of things that the Disciples did not return to Christ till he had finisht his Discourse with this poor Woman An humbled sinner may meet with such Satisfaction and sweet Refreshment in Christ's Company that the presence even of Disciples themselves the best and holiest of Saints may be lookt upon as injurious to it and an interruption of it This poor Woman had so sweet a time with Christ that an end being put to the Conference by the coming of the Disciples might be Matter of Grief and Resentment to her Yet the Providence of God so ordered that the Disciples did not come to break off the Conference till Christ had made himself known as the Messias to this
poor VVoman Obs 2. The Carriage and Behaviour of the Disciples upon their return to Christ Finding him preaching a Sermon to a single VVoman they marvelled but yet were silent Learn 1. That the Humility and Condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ in treating poor penitent and humbled sinners is matter of wonder and admiration even to Disciples themselves Oh blessed Saviour there was more Kindness and Condescension more Love and Compassion more Meekness and Humility in thy self alone than in all thy Disciples and Followers put together Yet Observe 2. Tho' they marvelled they were silent No Man said Why talkest thou with her Thence Note That such Reverence is due to Christ in all his Dispensations and Actions that when we can see no reason for what he doth it is not for us to inquire much less to quarrel But we must awfully admire what we cannot comprehend Observe 3. the Behaviour of this VVoman after the Conference was over she leaves her VVater-Pot and makes haste to invite and call her Neighbours to Christ whose Grace and Kindness she had experienced Learn thence That such as truly know Christ have tasted Sweetness in him and derived Comfort and Satisfaction from him will be forward to invite and industrious to draw others to a saving Acquaintance with him Come with me and see a Man that told me all that ever I did is not this the Christ Learn farther from the Woman's leaving her Water-Pot behind her and hastening to the City That when once a Soul has tasted the Sweetness and Excellency that is in Jesus Christ those things which were highly esteemed before will be little regarded then The poor Woman came to draw Water and thought much and spake much of the Water of that Well which was before her but meeting with Jesus Christ and tasting of his Grace she forgets both Water and Water-Pot and away she goes to fetch in all her Acquaintance to Christ 31 ¶ In the mean while his disciples prayed him saying Master eat 32 But he said unto them I have meat to eat that ye know not of 33 Therefore said the Disciples one to another Hath any man brought him ought to eat 34 Jesus saith unto them My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Observe here The fit and seasonable Motion which our Saviour's Disciples make to him Master eat Learn from thence That though a Person 's chief Care should be for his own Soul and for improving all Opportunities for doing good to the Souls of others yet the Bodies of Men must not be neglected but supported by Meat and Drink especially theirs whose Health and Strength may be of greater Use and Service to God and his Church The Body is the Servant of the Soul the Instrument whereby it worketh and therefore to neglect the Body is to disable and unfit the Soul for Service to hinder the Functions and Operations of it The sixth Commandment which forbids us to kill requires us to use all Means for the Preservation of Life both in our selves and others Observe next our Saviour's Answer to the Disciples Motion Master eat say they I have Meat to eat that ye know not of says he for my Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me Not that our Saviour did not want Meat at this time for he was both hungry and thirsty as appears by his asking Water of the Woman to drink and by his sending his Disciples into the City to buy Meat But our Lord was more intent upon doing his Father's Work than upon satisfying his own hunger Christ hungred more after an Opportunity of doing good to the Souls of Men than he did after Meat and Drink to satisfie his hunger Lord Let us thy Ministers learn of thee to prefer the Spiritual Welfare of our People before any temporal Advantages whatsoever 35 Say not ye There are yet four months and then cometh harvest Behold I say unto you Lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoyce together 37 And herein is that saying true One soweth and another reapeth 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour other men laboured and ye are entred into their labours Our Blessed Saviour having in the former Verses given a most plain and evident Demonstration of his fervent desire to bring Souls home unto God doth in these Verses labor to stir up and kindle the like Affections in his Disciples and this he doth by three very effectual Arguments The first Argument is drawn from the Ripeness of the People and their Willingness to hear and their Readiness to be reaped and gathered by the Gospel whereof there was a present instance in the Samaritans who were now coming forth in multitudes to Christ which opportunity was therefore to be improved Lift up your Eyes and look on the Fields for they are white already for Harvest Learn hence That as a People is sometimes ripe for the Ministry of the Word as Corn is ripe and ready for the Reapers Hand so it is the Duty of the Ministers of Christ to lay hold upon such Opportunities with as much desire and delight as the Harvest-Man doth upon a reaping Season The second Argument to stir up the Disciples Diligence in preaching the Gospel is drawn from the great Reward they should receive for this their Work He that reapeth receiveth Wages The Harvest Man's Wages is double to what other Labourers receive The Ministers of God shall receive good Wages at his Hand how ill soever they are requited and rewarded by an unkind World And as a farther Encouragement it follows He that soweth and he that reapeth shall rejoice together that is the Prophets who took much pains in sowing the Seed of the Gospel and particularly John the Baptist and you my Apostles which succeed them and reap the Fruit of what they did sow shall have the same Reward in Glory and rejoyce together Learn hence That not only the Successful but the Faithful Labourer in God's Harvest shall be rewarded not only those which see the Fruit of their Ministry in the Conversion of Sinners but such as are faithful Seeds-Men Though the Seed doth not come up till we are in our Graves nay though it rots under the Clods and does not come up at all yet shall the faithful Seeds-Man be rewarded according to his Labour not according to his Success The third Argument to quicken the Disciples Diligence is drawn from the Easiness and Facility of that Labour which God required of them Others have laboured and you are entred into their Labours that is the Prophets and John the Baptist have prepared the Ground and sown the Seed and made ready a People for the Lord and now you enter into their Labours by forming and gathering them into a Gospel-Church
indispensibly necessary to Salvation 21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment 22 But I say unto you That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say unto his brother Racha shall be in danger of the council but whosoever shall say Thou fool shall be in danger of hell-fire Here our Blessed Saviour begins to Expound the Spiritual Sence and Meaning of the Law and to Vindicate it from the corrupt Glosses of the Pharisees Where Observe Christ doth not deliver a New Law but expounds the Old and doth not Injoin New Duties but Inforces the Old Ones The Law of God was always perfect requiring the Sons of Men to Love God with all their Hearts and their Neighbour as themselves In this Exposition of the Law Christ begins with the Sixth Commandment Thou shalt not Kill Where he shews That besides the actual taking away of Life a Person may violate that Command 1. By Rash Anger 2. By Disgraceful and Reviling Words Thence Learn That every Evil Motion of our Hearts against our Neighbour all unjust Anger towards him all Terms of Contempt put upon him are forbidden by the Law of God no less than the gross Act of Murther it self 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly whiles thou art in the way with him lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge and the judge deliver thee to the officer and thou be cast into prison 26 Verily I say unto thee Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing For preventing the Sin of rash Anger which in our Saviour's Account is a Degree of Murder he exhorts all his Disciples and Followers to Brotherly Agreement and to seek Mutual Reconciliation with each other Agree with thine Adversary That is thy offended or offending Brother Agree with him as becomes a Man Quickly as becomes a Christian Implying that it is a necessary Duty for every Christian to seek Reconciliation sincerely and speedily with such as have offended him or have been offended by him Obs 2. The Argument or Motive with which Christ enforces his Exhortation to Brotherly Reconciliation drawn from the Peril and Danger of the Neglect and this is Twofold The First respects our present Duties and Services when we wait upon God at his Altar and attend upon him in Holy Offices None of our Performances will find Acceptance with God if there be found Malice and Hatred Anger and Ill-will against our Brother Learn That no Sacrifice we can offer will be acceptable to God so long as we our selves are Implacable to Men. A Second Danger respects us when we appear before God in Judgment then God will be our Adversary Christ our Judge Satan our Accuser Hell our Tormentor If now from the Heart we do not every one of us forgive our Brother his Trespasses 27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not commit adultery 28 But I say unto you That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Our Saviour next proceeds to Explain the Seventh Commandment which forbids Adultery by which the Pharisees understood only the gross Act of Uncleanness and Carnal Lying with a Woman But says our Saviour Whoever secretly in his Heart desires such a thing and casts his Eye upon a Woman in order to such an Act entertaining only a Thought of it with Pleasure and Delight he is an Adulterer in God's Account Learn That such is the Purity and Spirituality of the Law of God that it condemns Speculative Wantonness no less than Practical Uncleanness and forbids not only the outward Action but the secret Purpose and Intention and first Out-goings of the Soul after unlawful Objects 29 And if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell 30 And if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell Our Saviour had condemned Ocular Adultery in the foregoing Verse or the Adultery of the Eye He that looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her in his Heart Whence Note That the Eye is an Inlet to Sin especially the Sin of Uncleanness Lust enters the Heart at the Window of the Eye Now in these Verses Christ prescribes a Remedy for the Cure of this Eye-Malady If thine Eye offend thee pluck it out Which is not to be understood Literally as if Christ commanded any Man to maim his Bodily Members but Spiritually to Mortifie the Lusts of the Flesh and the Lusts of the Eye which otherwise will prove a dangerous Snare to the Soul Learn 1. That Sin may be avoided it is our Duty to avoid whatsoever leads to it or may be an Occasion of it if we find the View of an Insnaring Object will Inflame us we must tho' not put out our Eye yet make a Covenant with our Eye that we will not look upon it Note 2. That the best Course we can take to be kept from the Outward Acts of Sin is to Mortifie our Inward Affection and Love to Sin This is to Kill it in the Root and if once our Inward Affections be mortified our Bodily Members may be spared and preserved for they will no longer be Weapons of Sin but Instruments of Righteousness unto Holiness 31 It hath been said Whosoever shall put away his wife let him give her a writing of divorcement 32 But I say unto you That whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery Our Blessed Saviour still proceeds in Vindicating and Clearing the Seventh Commandment from the corrupt Glosses of the Pharisees Almighty God had tolerated the Jews in Case of Uncleanness to put away their Wives by a Bill of Divorce Deut. 24. v. 1. Hereupon the Pharisees maintained it Lawful to put away the Wife upon every slight Occasion This Abuse Christ corrects and shews That Divorce except in Case of Adultery is a certain Breach of the Seventh Commandment Learn 1. That so Indissoluble is the Marriage-Covenant betwixt Two Persons that nothing but Adultery which violates the Bands of Marriage can dissolve or disannul it 2. When Persons are justly put away it is unlawful for
professing his Faith and bearing Witness to the Truth 12 And his disciples came and took up the body and buried it and went and told Jesus 13 When Jesus heard of it he departed thence by ship into a desart place apart and when the people had heard thereof they followed him on foot out of the cities The Disciples of John hearing that their Holy Master was thus basely and barbarously Murthered took up his dead Body and buried it Whence we Learn That the Faithful Servants of God are not ashamed of the Sufferings of the Saints but will testifie their respect unto them both living and dead Observe farther How our Blessed Saviour upon the notice of John's Death flies into the Desart for the Preservation of his own Life Jesus knew that his Hour was not yet come and therefore he keeps out of Herod's way It is no Cowardice to fly from Persecutors when Christ our Captain both practises it himself and directs us to it saying When they persecute you in one City flee c. 14 And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them and he healed their sick Observe here With what Condolency and tender Sympathy the compassionate Jesus exercised Acts of Mercy and Compassion towards the Miserable and Distressed He was moved with Compassion that is toucht with an inward Sense and Feeling of their Sorrow And healed their Sick Those that came to Christ for Healing found Three Advantages of Cure above the Power and Performance of any Earthly Physician to wit Certainty Bounty and Ease Certainty in that all Comers were infallibly cured Bounty in that they were freely cured without Charge And Ease in that they were cured without Pain 15 And when it was evening his disciples came to him saying This is a desart place and the time is now past send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals Note here 1. The Disciples Pity towards the Multitude that had long attended upon Christ's Ministry in the Desart they presuming the People hungry having fasted all the Day request our Saviour to dismiss them that they may procure some Bodily Refreshment Learn thence That it well becomes the Ministers of Christ to respect the Bodily Necessities as well as to regard the Spiritual Wants of their People As the Bodily Father must take Care of the Soul of his Child so must the Spiritual Father have respect to the Bodily Necessities of his Children Obs 2. The Motion which the Disciples make on the behalf of the Multitude Send them away that they may buy Victuals Here was a strong Charity but a weak Faith A strong Charity in that they desire the People's Relief but a weak Faith in that they suppose they could not otherwise be relieved but by sending them away to buy Victuals Forgetting that Christ who had Healed the Multitude miraculously could as easily Feed them miraculously if he pleased All things being equally easie to Omnipotency 16 But Jesus said unto them They need not depart give ye them to eat Obs here 1. Our Saviour's strange Answer to the Disciples Motion They need not depart says Christ Need not Why the People must either feed or famish Victuals they must have and this being a desart Place there was none to be had Surely then there was need enough But 2. Christ's Command was more strange than his Assertion Give ye them to eat Alas Poor Disciples They had nothing for themselves to eat how then should they give the Multitude to eat When Christ requires of us what of our selves we are unable to perform it is to shew us our Impotency and Weakness and to provoke us to look up to him That worketh all our Works in us and for us 17 And they say unto him We have here but five loaves and two fishes Note here What a poor and slender Provision the Lord of the whole Earth has for his Houshold and Family Five Loaves and those Barley two Fishes and they small Teaching us That these Bodies of ours must be fed but not pampered Our Belly must not be our Master much less our God We Read but twice that Christ made any Entertainments and both times his Guests were fed with Loaves and Fishes plain Fare and homely Diet. The end of Food is to sustain Nature we stifle it with a Gluttonous variety Meat was ordained for the Belly the Belly for the Body the Body for the Soul and the Soul for God Obs farther As the quality of this Victuals was plain and course so the quantity of it was small and little Five Loaves and two Fishes Well might the Disciples say what are these among so many The Eye of Sense and Reason sees an impossibility of those Effects which Faith can easily apprehend and Divine Power more easily produce 18 He said Bring them hither to me 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass and took the five loaves and the two fishes and looking up to heaven he blessed and brake and gave the loaves to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude Obs 1. How the Master of the Feast Marshals his Guests he commands them all to sit down None of them Reply sit down but to what Here are the Mouths but where is the Meat We can soon be set but whence shall we be served Nothing of this but they obey and expect Oh how easie is it to trust God and rely upon Providence when there is Corn in the Barn and Bread in the Cupboard but when our Stores are all empty and nothing is before us then to depend upon an invisible Bounty is a true and noble Act of Faith Obs 2. The Actions performed by our Blessed Saviour He Blessed and Brake and gave the Loaves to his Disciples and they to the multitude 1. He Blessed Teaching us by his Example in all our Wants to look up to Heaven for a Supply to wait upon God for his Blessing and not to sit down to our Food as a Beast to his Forage 2. He brake the Loaves He could have multiplied them whole why would he rather do it in the breaking Perhaps to teach us that we are to expect his Blessing in the Distribution rather than in the Reservation of what he gives us Scattering is the way to Increasing Not Grain hoarded up in the Granary but scattered in the Furrows of the Field yields increase Liberality is the way to Riches and Penuriousness the Road to Poverty 3. Christ gave the Bread thus broken to his Disciple that they might distribute it to the Multitude But why did not our Lord distribute it with his own Hand but by the Hands of his Disciples Doubtless to win respect to his Disciples from the People The same course doth our Lord take in spiritual distributions He that could feed the World by his immediate Hâ—nd chooses rather by the Hands of his Ministers to the divide the Bread of Life to
and said O faithless and perverse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you bring him hither to me These Words are a severe Rebuke given by Christ to his own Disciples Where Observe the Persons upbraided his Disciples and the Sin upbraided with Unbelief Oh faithless Generation Yet was it not the total Want of Faith but the Weakness and Imperfection of Faith that they were upbraided with and reproved for Hence learn 1. That secret Unbelief may lye hid and undiscerned in a Person 's Heart which neither others nor himself may take any Notice of until some Tryal doth discover it The Disciples were not sensible of that Unbelief which lay hid in them till this Occasion did discover it Learn 2. That the great Obstacle and Obstruction of all Blessings both Spiritual and Temporal coming to us is our Unbelief Oh faithless Generation 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil and he departed out of him and the child was cured from that very hour Observe here With what Facility and Ease our Saviour cured this poor Man who was bodily possess'd by Satan With one Word speaking he deliver'd the distressed Person from the Malice and Power of Satan Thence Learn That how long soever and how strong soever Satan's Possession has been in a Soul Christ can eject and cast him out both easily and speedily 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart and said Why could not we cast him out 20 And Jesus said unto them Because of your unbelief for verily I say unto you If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed ye shall say unto this mountain Remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be unpossible unto you 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Observe here How ashamed the Disciples were of this open Rebuke given them by their Master they privately ask him the Cause of their ill Success Why they could not cast out Satan according to the Power promised them to work Miracles Our Saviour tells them that their Power to work this Miracle now failed them for a double Reason 1. For their Vnbelief by which we are to understand the Weakness of their Faith not their total Want of Faith 2. Because they neglected the special Means appointed by God in order to that end to wit Fasting and Prayer That is a Fervour of Devotion joyned with Faith and Fasting Thence Learn That Fasting and Prayer are two special Means of Christ's Appointment for the enabling of us victoriously to overcome Satan and to cast him out of our selves or others We must set an edge upon our Faith by Prayer and upon our Prayer by fasting 22 And while they abode in Galilee Jesus said unto them The son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men 23 And they shall kill him and the third day he shall be raised again And they were exceeding sorry Observable it is how frequently our Saviour forewarn'd his Disciples of his Approaching Sufferings All was little enough to arm them against the Scandâ—l of the Cross and to reconcile them to the Thoughts of what he was to suffer for them and they were to suffer with him Learn That we can never hear too much of the Doctrine of the Cross Nor can we be too often instructed in our Duty to prepare for a suffering Condition As Christ went by his Cross to his Crown from a State of Abasement to a State of Exaltation so must all his Disciples and Followers likewise 24 And when they were come to Capernaum they that received tribute money came to Peter and said Doth not your master pay tribute 25 He saith Yes And when he was come into the house Jesus prevented him saying What thinkest thou Simon of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute of their own children or of strangers 26 Peter saith unto him Of strangers Jesus saith unto him Then are the children free 27 Notwithstanding lest we should offend them go thou to the sea and cast an hook and take up the fish that first cometh up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money that take and give unto them for me and thee Observe here 1. The question put to St. Peter Doth your Master pay Tribute This Tribute-money originally was a Tax paid Yearly by every Jew to the Service of the Temple to the value of 15 Pence an Head But when the Jews were brought under the Power of the Romans this Tribute-money was paid to the Emperor and was changed from an Homage-penny to God to a Tribute-penny to the Conqueror The Collectors of this Tribute-money ask Peter whether his Master would pay it or not Observe 2. the Answer returned positively and suddenly He does pay Peter consults not first with our Saviour whether he would pay it but knowing his Readiness to render to all their Due he says Yes There was no truer Paymaster of the King 's Dues than he that was King of Kings He preach'd it and he practiced it Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's Yet Observe 3. Our Saviour insinuates his own Exemption Priviledge and Freedom from paying this Tribute-money as he was the Son of God the Universal King Subjects pay Tribute but King's Children are free Tho' Christ was free from paying Tribute by a natural Right yet he would not be free by voluntary Dispensation Therefore Obs 4. to prevent all Scandal and Offence he works a Miracle rather than the Tribute-money should go unpaid Whether Christ by his Almighty Word created this Piece of Money in the Mouth of the Fish which was Half a Crown for himself and St. Peter who had an House in Capernaum and was there to pay his Poll or whether Christ caused the Fish to take up this piece of Money at the bottom of the Sea is not necessary to inquire nor possible to determine Our Duty is 1. Reverentially to adore that Omnipotent Power which could command the Fish to be both his Treasurer to keep his Silver and his Purveyor to bring it to him 2. Industriously to imitate his Example in shunning all Occasions of Offence especially towards those whom God has placed in Sovereign Authority over us Obs Lastly The Poverty of our Holy Lord and his Contempt of Worldly Wealth and Riches He had not so much as 15 Pence by him to pay his Poll. Christ would not honour the World so far as to have any part of it in his own Possession The best Man that ever lived in the World had not a Penny in his Purse nor an House to hide his Head in CHAP. XVIII 1 AT the same time came the disciples unto Jesus saying Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven Notwithstanding our Blessed Saviour had so often told his Disciples that his Kingdom was not of this World yet they still dreamt of a Temporal and Earthly Kingdom which he as the Messias should shew forth the
us to bear Reproach and direct us to give Reproof he that is silent cannot be innocent Reprove we must or we cannot be faithful but prudently or we cannot be successful 48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart My lord delayeth his coming 49 And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the drunken 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of 51 And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocries there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Our Lord in these Verses describes an unfaithful and negligent Steward and denounces the dreadful Sentence of Wrath hanging over him he is described 1. By the Character of Infidelity he believeth not Christ's coming to Judgment tho' he preaches it to others he saith in his Heart My Lord delayeth his coming 2. He is described by his Hatred Envy and Malignity against his Fellow-servants that were more painful and faithful than himself He begins to smite at least with the Virulence of his Tongue if not with the Violence of his Hand 3. By his associating with the wicked and strengthening their Hands by his ill Example He eateth and drinketh with the Drunken That is as their Associate and Fellow-Companion Thus the unfaithful Servant is described next his Judgment and Sentence is declared Obs 2. The tremendous Judgment that shall come upon unfaithful Stewards 1. Christ will surprize them in their Sin and Security by coming in an Hour when they look'd not for him 2. He will execute Temporal Vengeance upon them He will cut them asunder or hew them in pieces as the Jews did their Sacrifices That is separate his Soul from his Body by untimely Death Hence some Observe That God seldom suffers slothful sensual wicked and debauch'd Ministers to live out half their Days 3. Christ will punish them with Eternal Destruction also Appointing them their Portion with Hypocrites That is with the worst of Sinners they shall have a double Damnation As the Hypocrite has a double Heart a double Tongue and is a double Sinner so shall he undergo a double Damnation Learn hence That such Ministers as neglect the Service of God and the Souls of their People as they are ranked amongst the worst sort of Sinners in this Life so shall they be punished with them in the severest manner in the next When Satan destroys the Souls of Men he shall answer for it as a Murtherer only not as an Officer that was intrusted with the Care of Souls But if the Steward doth not provide if the Shepherd doth not feed if the Watchman doth not warn they shall answer not only for the Souls that have miscarried but for an Office neglected for a Talent hidden and for a Stewardship unfaithfully administred Wo unto us if at the great Day we hear distressed Souls roaring out their Complaints and howling forth that doleful Accusation against us Lord Our Stewards have defrauded us our Watchmen have betrayed us our Guides have misled us CHAP. XXV Our blessed Saviour in the Close of the foregoing Chapter had exhorted all Christians to the great Duty of Watchfulness and to be in a Posture of Readiness against his coming Which Duty he is pleased to inculcate again in this Chapter and accordingly he urges the Necessity of it from two eminent Parables the former Of the Ten Virgins v. 1. and the latter Of a Man travelling into a far Country v. 14. 1 THen shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom 2 And five of them were wise and five were foolish By the Kingdom of Heaven here is meant the State of the visible Church here on Earth it cannot be understood of the Kingdom of Glory for there are no foolish Virgins in that Kingdom nor yet of the invisible Kingdom of Grace for therein are no foolish Virgins neither But in the visible Church here on Earth there ever has been a Mixture of wise and unwise of Saints and Hypocrites Five of these Virgins were wise and five were foolish Where Observe our Lord 's great Charity in supposing and hoping that amongst the Professors of the Gospel the number of sincere Christians is equal with Hypocritical Professors Five were wise and Five foolish Teaching us that we should not confine the Church of Christ within a narrow Compass nor confine our Charity to a few and think none shall go to Heaven but those of our own Party and Perswasion but to extend our Charity to all Christians that hold the Foundation with us and to hope well of them Lord let me rather err on the charitable Hand than be found on the censorious and damning side this is to imitate my Saviour whose Charity supposed as many wise as foolish Virgins as many Saints as Hypocrites in the Church All these Virgins are said to take their Lamps and go forth to meet the Bridegroom For understanding which we must know that our Saviour alludes to the ancient Custom of Marriages which were celebrated in the Night when usually Ten young Men attended the Bridegroom and as many Virgins attended the Bride with Lamps in their Hands the Bridegroom leading home his Bride by the Light of those Lamps By these Virgins are shadowed forth the Professors of Christianity The foolish Virgins are such as satisfie themselves with a bare Profession without bringing forth Fruits answerable thereunto The wise Virgins are such as walk'd answerable to their Profession persevered and continued stedfast therein and abounded in the Graces and Virtues of a good Life They are called Virgins for the Purity of their Faith for the Purity of their Worship and for the Purity of their Conversations 3 They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps By the Lamps are meant an outward Profession of Faith and Holiness By Oil in their Lamps is to be understood that solemn Profession of Repentance and Faith which all Christians make in Baptism By Oil in the Vessels is meant the Sanctifying and Saving Graces of the Holy Spirit the Growth and Improvement of them with Constancy and Perseverance in them Observe here wherein the wise and foolish Virgins agreed and wherein they differed They agreed thus far that both took their Lamps both lighted them they both had Oil in their Lamps the difference was not that the wise had Oil and the foolish had none but in this that the wise took care for a future Supply of Oil to feed their Lamp When the first Oil was spent some Professors like foolish Virgins content themselves with a blazing Lamp of an outward Profession without concerning themselves to secure an inward Principle of Grace and Love which should maintain that Profession as the Oil maintains the Lamp As the Lamp will
of the Life universally and perceivingly Holy and Righteous consists our Actual Preparation Obs 3. The doleful Condition of such as were unready The Door is shut against them the Door of Repentance the Door of Hope the Door of Salvation all shut eternally shut and by him that shutteth and none can open Learn hence The utter Impossibility of ever getting our Condition altered by us when the Day of Grace and Salvation is once over with us Wo to such Souls who by the Folly of their own Delays have caused the Door of Conversion and Remission to be everlastingly shut against their own Souls 11 Afterward came also the other virgins saying Lord Lord open to us 12 But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not Observe here The Virgin 's Petition and the Bridegroom's Reply The Petition Lord Lord open to us Learn thence That how negligent soever Men are of Heaven and Salvation here there are none but will desire it earnestly and importunately hereafter Afterwards that is when too late Observe farther the Bridegroom's Reply I know you not that is I own and approve you not There is a twofold Knowledge that Christ has a Knowledge of simple Intuition and a Knowledge of special Approbation the former Knowledge Christ has of all Men the latter only of good Men. Learn hence That it will be a dreadful Misery for any Persons but especially for such as have been eminent Professors to be disowned by Christ at his coming to hear that dreadful Word from the Mouth of Christ Verily I know you not 13 Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh Here we have our Lord's Application of the foregoing Parable to be always upon our Watch continually upon our Guard to meet the Bridegroom in Death and Judgment because we know not the time of his Coming and Approach Learn hence That Watchfulness and a prepared Readiness is a great Duty that lyes upon all those who believe and look for Christ's Coming and Appearance Happy Souls who are found in a Posture of Readiness at the Bridegroom's Approach standing with Lamps trimmed Loins girded Lights burning that is improving and exercising their Graces abounding in all the Fruits of the Spirit and in all the substantial Virtues of a good Life Such and only such shall have an Entrance abundantly administered unto them into the everlasting Kingdom 14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods 15 And unto one he gave five talents to another two and to another one to every man according to his several ability and straightway took his journey Observe here The Person intrusting Christ the Persons intrusted all Christians The Talents they are intrusted with Goods that is Goods of Providence Riches and Honours Gifts of Mind Wisdom Parts and Learning Gifts of Grace all these Goods Christ dispenses variously more to some fewer to others but with Expectation of Improvement from all Learn 1. That Christ is the great Lord of the Universe and Owner of all his Servant's Goods and Talents 2. That every Talent is given us by our Lord to improve and imploy for our Master's Use and Service 3. That it pleases the Lord to dispence his Gifts variously amongst his Servants to some he commits more to others fewer Talents 4. That to this Lord of ours every one of us must be accountable and responsible for every Talent committed to us and intrusted with us 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents 17 And likewise he that had received two he also gained other two 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth and hid his lord's money The former Verses gave an Account of the Lord 's Distribution these acquaint us with the Servants Negotiation Some traded with and made Improvement of their Talents others traded not at all yet is it not said that they did imbezzle the Talent but not improve it Learn It is not sufficient to justifie us that we do not abuse our Talents 't is Fault enough to hide them and not improve them the slothful Servant shall no more escape Punishment than the wasteful Servant 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying Lord thou delivered'st unto me five talents behold I have gained besides them five talents mo 21 His Lord said unto him Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy lord 22 He also that had received two talents came and said Lord thou delivered'st unto me two talents behold I have gained two other talents besides them 23 His lord said unto him Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy lord Note here 1. That the Wisdom of God dispences his Gifts and Graces variously as so many Talents to his Servants to be imployed and improved for his own Glory and his Churches Good 2. That all such Servants as have received any Talents must look to reckon and account for them and this Account must be particular personal exact and impartial 3. That all such Servants as have been faithful in improving their Talents at Christ's coming shall be both commended and rewarded also Well done good and faithful Servant enter into the Joy of thy Lord. Where Obs 1. That the State of the Blessed is a State of Joy 2. That the Joy which the Blessed partake of is the Joy of their Lord that is the Joy which he provides and which he possesses 3. That the way after which the Saints partake of this Joy is by entring into it which denotes the highest and the fullest Participation of it The Joy is too great to enter into them they must enter into that Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art an hard man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strawed 25 And I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth lo there thou hast that is thine 26 His lord answered and said unto him Thou wicked and slothful servant thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not and gather where I have not strawed 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury Observe here 1. That he that received but One Talent is called to an Account as well as he that received Five Heathens that have but One Talent namely the
taken up about our selves even then did Christ find Leisure to think upon Peter remember to turn about and give him a pittiful but piercing Look a Look that melted his Heart and dissolved it into Tears We never begin to lament for Sin till we are first lamented by our Saviour Jesus looked upon Peter That is the first more principal Means of Peter's Repentance the second is Peter 's remembring the Words of Christ before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice This Remembrance of Christ's Words was an applicative and feeling Remembrance of them He remembred the Prediction of Christ and applies it sensibly to himself Teaching us That the Efficacy of Christs Word in order to the bringing of a Soul unto Repentance depends not upon the Historical Remembrance of it but upon the close Application of it to every Man's Conscience A sanctified Remembrance of Christ's Words and our own Sins is an excellent Preparative to Repentance Observe Lastly The Manner of St. Peter's Repentance It was secret he went out it was sincere he wept bitterly it was lasting and abiding all the Days of his Life and attended with an extraordinary Zeal and Forwardness for the Service of Christ to the end of his Life 1. It was secret he went out Vere dolet qui sine Teste dolet He sought a Place of Retirement where he might mourn in secret he cannot well be thought to dissemble his Grief who chuses no other Witness but the Omnipresent God Solitariness is most agreeable to an afflicted Spirit and as St. Peter's Sorrow caused him to go forth so might also Shame Christ looked upon Peter but how ashamed must Peter be to look upon Christ considering that he so lately denied to have ever seen him 2. His Repentance was sincere he wept bitterly his Grief was extraordinary and his Tears abundant There is ever a weeping that follows Sin Sin must cost the Soul Sorrow either here or in Hell we must mourn awhile or lament for ever Doubtless with Peter's Tears there was join'd hearty Confession of Sin to God and smart Reflexions upon himself after this manner Lord what have I done I that did once acknowledge my Master to be Christ the Son of the living God have since denied him with Oaths Curses and Imprecations I that promised to lay down my Life for his sake have yet disown'd and denied him at the Voice of a Damsel Oh what Unfaithfulness what Weakness what Wickedness Oh that my Head were Waters and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears that I might weep all my Days for the Fault of this one Night Blessed indeed are the Tears of a converted Revolter and happy is the very Misery of a mourning Offender 3. This holy Man's Repentance was lasting and abiding he had a lively Sense and Remembrance of this Sin upon his Soul all his Life Ecclesiastical History reports that ever after when St. Peter heard the crowing of a Cock he fell upon his Knees and mourn'd others say that he was wont to rise at Midnight and spend the time in penitent Devotion between Cock-crowing and Day-light and the Papists who love to turn every thing into Superstition began that Practice of setting a Cock upon the top of Towers and Steeples and Chimneys to put People in mind of this Sin of Peter and hâ—s Repentance by that Signal Lastly St. Peter's Repentance was attended with an extraordinary Zeal and Forwardness for the Service of Christ to the end of his Life He had a burning Love towards Christ Thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee And as an Evidence of it he fed Christ's Sheep for in the Acts of the Apostles we read of his extraordinary Diligence to spread the Gospel and his Travels in order thereunto are computed to be Nine Hundred and Fifty Miles And the Wisdom of God thought fit that this Apostle should preach the Gospel to the Jews as St. Paul did to the Gentiles that as he had joined with the Jews in denying and disowning Christ so he should endeavour to perswade them to join with him in Repentance as he had joined with them in their Sin His Sin was in some Respect like theirs therefore is he sent to preach the Gospel to them and his Diligence therein is an undoubted Proof and Evidence of his Repentance Have any of us fallen with Peter tho' not with a formal abjuring yet by a practical denying of him let us go forth and weep with him let us be more vigilant and watchful over our selves for time to come let us express more extraordinary Love unto and Zeal for Christ more Diligence in his Service and more Concernedness for his Honour and Glory This would be an happy Improvement of this Example The Lord grant it may have that blessed Effect Amen CHAP. XXVII 1 WHen the morning was come all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death 2 And when they had bound him they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governour The foregoing Chapter gave us an Account of Judas his Treason in delivering our Saviour into the Hands of the chief Priests In this Chapter we find our holy Lord brought by the chief Priests unto Pontius Pilate the Roman Governour in order to his Arraignment and Condemnation Whence Observe that it has been the old Policy of corrupt Church-Governors to abuse the Power of the civil Magistrate in executing their cruel and unjust Censures upon holy and innocent Persons The chief Priests and Elders do not kill our Saviour themselves but they deliver him over to the secular Power and desire Pilate the civil Magistrate to sentence and condemn him which soon after we shall find he did 3 Then Judas which had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned repented himself and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders 4 Saying I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood And they said What is that to us see thou to that 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself Here we have a sad Relation of Judas his desperate Death after an Hypocritial Liâ—e as also of the Horror of his Mind and Conscience before his Death Observe here 1. The time when Judas repented after it was too late When he saw that he was condemned he repented Learn thence That they that will not see their Sins timely to their Conversion shall see them sooner or later to their Confusion Obs 2. The Repentance it self in the several Parts and Branches of it He was sorrowful for the Fact he made Confession of his Sin and made Restitution for the Wrong done He repented saying I have sinned and cast down the Thirty Pieces of Silver Learn thence That a wicked Man when Conscience is thoroughly awaked may make Confession of his Sin express some Sorrow for it and endeavour also the making
some Satisfaction and Restitution for the Wrong and Injury done by it They that mourn for Sin as Sin They that mourn more for the intrinsical Evil that is in Sin than for the Penal and Consequential Evils that follow Sin They that confess Sin voluntarily and freely particularly penitently believingly with an Eye of Sorrow upon their Sin and an Eye of Faith fixt upon their Saviour They that make Restitution as an Act of Obedience to the Command of God and as an Act of Justice and Righteousness to their Neighbour such Persons Repentance shall find Acceptance with God Obs 3. The Answer and Reply which the wicked high Priests and Elders make to despairing Judas 1. They excuse themselves What is that to us 'T is natural to all Sinners to shift Sin from themselves and to lay it at any Door rather than their own Those that have had a Share in the Pleasure and Profit of Sin are yet very desirous to throw the Odium and Guilt of it upon others What is that to us say these Monsters in Sin 2. As they excuse and acquit themselves so they load and burthen him Look thou to that Lord what miserable Comforters are Companions in Sin to one another when Distress and Sorrow comes upon them When Sin comes to be question'd in order to its being punish'd every Sinner is for shifting for himself and leaves his Fellow in the Suds Let us then remember the Words of the Holy Ghost He that walketh with wise Men shall be wiser but a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed Obs 4. The sad and fatal End of Judas he went forth and hang'd himself Horror and Despair took hold upon him and seized his Conscâ—ence which was so intolerable that he ran to the Halter for a Remedy Learn hence 1. That Conscience is a powerful tho' invisible Executioner the Wrath of Man may be endured but the Wrath of God is insupportable and the Eruptions of Conscience are irresistible Oh how intolerable are those Scourges that lash us in this tender and vital Part Judas awakened with the Horror of his Fact Conscience begins to rouze and the Man is unable to bear up under the furious Revenges of his own Mind Learn 2. That there is an active Principle in Mens Breasts and Bosoms which seldom suffers daring Sinners to pass in quiet to their Graves Guilt is naturally troublesome and uneasie it disturbs the Peace and Serenity of the Mind and fills the Soul with Storms and Thunder both in Life and Death How vainly did Judas hope to take Sanctuary in a Grave and to meet with that Ease in another World which he could not find in this Thus ended this miserable Man Judas Lord how earnest ought we to be for thy persevering Grace when neither the Presence the Miracles the Sermons the Sacraments of Christ could preserve and secure a Professor a Disciple an Apostle from the fatal Mischief of a ruinous Apostacy 6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury because it is the price of blood 7 And they took counsel and bought with them the potters field to bury strangers in 8 Wherefore that field was called The field of blood unto this day 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet saying And they took the thirty pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel did value 10 And gave them for the potter's field as the Lord appointed me Observe here 1. The Niceness and Scrupulosity of these Hypocrites they made no Scruple to give Money to shed Blood but they scruple the putting that Money into the Treasury which was the Price of Blood They are afraid to defile their â—reasury but are not afraid to polute their Souls Thus Hypocrites strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel scruple a Ceremony but make no Conscience of Murther and Perjury Observe 2. The use which they put this Money to which Judas brought them they bought with it a Field to bury Strangers in Thus Christ who was himself a Stranger in a borrow'd Grave by the Price of his Blood being Thirty Pieces of Silver conferred Graves on many Strangers Observe Lastly How the Wisdom of God order'd it that hereby a Scripture-Prophecy was fulfilled Zach. 11.13 They weighed for my Price Thirty Pieces of Silver and I took and cast them unto the Potter Whence Learn That all the Indignities and debasing Sufferings which the Lord Jesus underwent were not only fore-ordain'd by God but also foretold by the holy Prophets His being Scourged Buffetted Spit upon and here his being sold for Thirty Pieces of Silver 11 And Jesus stood before the governour and the governour asked him saying Art thou the king of the Jews And Jesus said unto him Thou sayest 12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders he answered nothing 13 Then saith Pilate unto him Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee 14 And he answered him to never a word insomuch that the governour marvelled greatly Observe here 1. That our Saviour readily answers Pilate but refuses to answer the chief Priests before Pilate Pilate asks him Art thou the King of the Jews Jesus readily answers Thou sayest or it is as thou sayest But to all the Accusations of the chief Priests and to all that they laid to his Charge before Pilate our Saviour answers never a Word probably for these Reasons Because his Innocency was such as needed no Apology because their Calumnies and Accusations were so notoriously false that they needed no Confutation To shew his Contempt of Death and to teach us by his own Example Patience and Silence when for his sake we are slandered and traduced Learn hence That altho' we are not obliged to answer every captious and ensnaring Question nor to refute every Slander and false Accusation yet are we bound faithfully to own and confess the Truth when we are solemnly called thereunto Our Saviour as a deaf Man hears not answers not the Calumnies of the chief Priests but when Pilate asks him Art thou the King of the Jews Or as St. Mark has it Art thou the Son of the Blessed Jesus said I am tho' he knew that Answer would cost him his Life Hence the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 says That Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession Teaching us Sometimes to hold our Peace when our own Reputation is concerned but never to be silent when the Honour of God the Glory of his Truth the Edification and Confirmation of others may effectually be promoted by our open Confession Then must we with Christ give a direct plain and sincere Answer For whoever denies him or any Truth of his knowingly and wilfully him will Christ deny in the Presence of his Father and before all his Holy Angels 15 Now at that feast the governour was wont to release unto the people a prisoner whom they would 16
conceal and Tell it to no Man Where the great Modesty Humility and Piety of Christ is discovered together with the Care of his own Safety His Modesty in not desiring his good Deeds should be published and proclaimed His Humility in shunning vain-glorious Applause and Commendation His Piety in desiring all Honour and Glory should redound entirely to God And the Care of his own Safety appeared lest the publishing of his Miracles should create him untimely Danger from the Pharisees The second part of the Charge given to the recovered Leper was To shew himself to the Priest and offer the Gift which Moses commanded for a Testimony unto them That is to testifie to the Jews that he did not oppose the Ceremonial Law which required a Thank-Offering at his Hand and that he was the true and promised Messiah Learn thence That our Saviour would have the Ceremonial Law punctually observ'd so long as the time for its Continuance did endure tho' he came to destroy that Law yet whilst it stood he would have it punctually observ'd Observe 6. Notwithstanding our Saviour's strict Prohibition the Leper publishes the Fame of this Miracle 'T is like his Intention might be good in extolling his great Benefactor but his acting contrary to Christ's Command was a Fault and shews the Corruption of Humane Nature in being most forward to that which is most forbidden 'T is a Sin to do any thing against the Command of Christ tho' with never so good a Meaning Purpose and Intention to Exalt and Honour Christ Obs Lastly The Inconveniences which attended our Saviour upon this indiscreet Publication of the Miracle and they were Two 1. Our Saviour could no more enter into Capernaum and other Cities to preach in an open Manner as he had done by reason of the great Concourse of People after him 2. The Fame of this Miracle brought the People about him from all Quarters not so much to hear as to see not so much to hear his Holy and Heavenly Doctrine which he taught as to gratifie their Curiosity with the Sight of the Miracles which he wrought Oh how many throng'd after Christ more to have their Bodily Diseases cured than their Souls healed Christ desired not their flocking after him upon this Account therefore he retires from the Breath of popular Applause he would not openly enter into the City but was without in desert Places Oh great Humility How little did our Blessed Redeemer regard the Applause and Commendation of Men Constantly we find him as soon as his publick Preaching and working Miracles was over he withdraws himself from the Multitude into some private Place apart he doth not stay in the Crowd with his Ear open to listen how Men admire the Preacher and applaud the Sermon plainly shewing that he sought his Father's Glory not his own Praise or the People's Commendation leaving his Example as an instructive Pattern to all his Ministers and Ambassadors to take heed of Vain-Glory Not to affect Popularity or seek the Applause and Commendation of Men in what they do resolving that Man's Opinion shall be nothing with them but that the pleasing of God and doing their Duty to the Souls of their People shall always be their whole Scope CHAP. II. 1 ANd again he entered into Capernaum after some days and it was noised that he was in the house 2 And straightway many were gathered together insomuch that there was no room to receive them no not so much as about the door and he preached the word unto them In the last Verse of the foregoing Chapter we find how industriously our Blessed Saviour withdrew himself from the Concourse and Throng of People which flock'd after him from every Quarter and to shew how little he affected the Applause and Commendation of the Multitude he left the Cities and was without in desart Places Hereby giving his Ministers an instructive Example to decline Vain-Glory and to shun popular Applause But now the Words before us shew that our Saviour having entered privately it is probable into the City of Capernaum it is presently noised and reported that he was in the House and a mighty Concourse and Throng of People are after him insomuch that neither the House nor hardly the Streets could contain them Thence Learn That such as least seek after Honour and Applause from Men are oft-times most Famous and Renowned Our Saviour was so far from seeking the Peoples Praise and Commendation that he came into Capernaum without Observation and betook himself to his dwelling House there but the more he sought to lye hid the more he was taken notice of Honour flies from them that pursue it and pursues those that fly from it The way to be Honourable is to be Humble God seldom honours a proud Man by making him either eminently serviceable or successful Observe farther the People being come together our Saviour takes the Opportunity to preach And he preached the Word unto them Teaching his Ministers by his Example to embrace all Opportunities in Season and out of Season on the Lord's Day and on the Week Day to edify our People by our Ministry by our publick Exhortations by our private Instructions and prudent Admonitions and holy Example 3 And they came unto him bringing one sick of the palsie which was born of four 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press they uncovered the roof where he was and when they had broken it up they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsie lay 5 When Jesus saw their faith he said unto the sick of the palsie Son thy sins be forgiven thee 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies who can forgive sins but God only 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves he said unto them Why reason ye these things in your hearts 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsie Thy sins be forgiven thee or to say Arise and take up thy bed and walk 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins he saith to the sick of the palsie 11 I say unto thee Arise and take up thy bed and go thy way into thine house 12 And immediately he arose took up the bed and went forth before them all insomuch that they were all amazed and glorified God saying We never saw it on this fashion Here we have the Relation of our Saviour's miraculous healing of one sick of the Palsie at Capernaum Where Obs 1. The diseased and distressed Person one sick of the Palsie Which Disease being a Resolution and Weakness of the Nerves enfeebles the Joints and confines the Person to his Bed or Couch As a Demonstration of Christ's Divine Power he was pleased to single our the Palsie and Leprosie incurable Diseases to work a Cure upon such as were afflicted
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
even at the door 30 Verily I say unto you that this Generation shall not pass till all these things be done 31 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away 32 But of that day and hour knoweth no Man no not the Angels that are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father Here our Blessed Saviour declares two things with Reference to his Coming 1. The Certainty of the thing it self 2. The Uncertainty of the Time The Certainty of his Coming he sets forth by the Similitude of the Fig-Tree whose Beginning to Bud declares the Summer at hand Thus our Saviour tells them that when they should see the fore-mentioned Signs they might Conclude the Destruction of their City and Temple to be nigh at hand and accordingly some then Living did see â—hese Predictions Fulfilled Observe 2. The Uncertainty as to the precise Time when this Judgment should come no Angel in Heaven nor Creature upon Earth could determine the Time only the Glorious Persons in the Godhead the Father Son and Holy Ghost Learn hence That all things are not Revealed to the Angels themselves but such things only as it Concerns them to know and the Wisdom of God thinks fit to Reveal 2. That the precise Time of the Day of Judgment is kept by God as a Secret to himself we are not to know the Hour to the intent we may be upon our Watch every Hour Christ himself did not know it as Man but as GOD only 33 Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the Time is 34 For the Son of Man is as a Man taking a far Journey who left his House and gave Authority to his Servants and to every Man his work and commanded the Porter to watch 35 Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the House cometh at Even or at Midnight or at Cock-crowing or in the Morning 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all Watch. Our Blessed Saviour takes occasion from the fore-going Doctrine of the Certainty and Suddenness of his coming to Judgment to inforce the Duty of diligent and industrious Watchfulness upon all his Disciples and Followers that is to be upon their Guard against all Sin and to be in an actual readiness for his appearance and approach Learn hence That it is the indispensable Duty and ought to be the indefatigable endeavours of every Christian to stand upon his Guard in a prepared readiness for Christ's Appearance both for his coming to them and for their going to him There is a two-fold readiness for Christ's coming namely Habitual and Actual an habitual readiness is a readiness or the state and condition actual readiness is the readiness of the Person When we are furnished with all the Graces and Vertues of a good life when our Lamps are burning and our Loyns girded our Souls furnished with the Graces of God's Holy Spirit and our Lives fruitful in good Works Blessed is that Servant who when his Lord cometh shall be found thus Watching CHAP. XIV 1 AFter two days was the feast of the Pass-over and of unleavened Bread and the chief Priests and the Scribes sought how they might take him by craft and put him to death 2 But they said not on the feast-day lest there be an uproar of the People This Chapter gives us a sad and sorrowful account of the High Priests Conspiracy against the Life of our Bl. Saviour in which we have Observable the persons that made this Conspiracy the manner of the Conspiracy and the time when this Conspiracy was made 1. The Persons Conspiring are the chief Priests Scribes and Elders that is the whole Jewish Sanhedrim or General Council They lay their malicious heads together to contrive the Destruction of the innocent Jesus Thence Learn That General Councils have erred and may err fundamentally in matters of Doctrine so did this General Council at Jerusalem consisting of chief Priests Doctors and Elders with the high Priest their President in not believing Jesus to be the Messias after all the Miracles wrought before their Eyes Observe 2. The manner of this Conspiracy against our Saviour's Life it was Clandestine Secret and Subtile they consult how they may take him â—y craft and put him to Death Thence Note That Satan makes use of the subtilty of crafty Men and abuseth their parts as well as their Power for his own purposes and designs the Devil sends no fools of his Errand Observe 3. The circumstance of time when this Conspiracy was mannaged at the Feast of the Passover it being a custom among the Jews to execute Malefactors at their Solemn Feasts as at the Feast of the Passover the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles at which times all the Jews came up to Jerusalem to Sacrifice and then they put Malefactors to Death that all Israel might see and fear and noâ— do so wickedly Accordingly this Feast of the Passover was waited for by the Jews as a fit opportunity to put our Saviour to Death the only Objection was that it might occasion a Tumult amongst the People there being such a mighty concourse at that time in Jerusalem But Judas making them a proffer they readily comply with the motion and resolve to take the first opportunity to put our Saviour to Death 3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper as he sat at meat there came a Woman having an alablaster box of Ointment of Spikenard very precious and she brake the box and poured it on his head 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves and said why was this waste of the Oyntment made 5 For it might have been sold for more then three hundred pence and have been given to the poor and they murmured against her 6 And Jesus sâ—id leâ— her alone why trouble you her she hath wrought a good work on me 7 For ye have the poor with you always and whensoever ye will ye may do them good but me ye have not always 8 She hath done what she could she is come aforehâ—nd to anoint my body to the Burying 9 Verily I said unto you wheresoever this Gospel shall be Preached thorough out the World this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her Several particulars are Observable in this piece of History As first the Action which this Holy Womâ—n performed she pours a Box of precious Ointment upon our Saviour's Head as he sat at Meat according to the custom of the Eastern Countries at their Feasts Murmuring Judas valued this Ointment at Three Hundred Pence which makes of our Money Nine Pounds Seven Shillings and Six Pence reckoning the Roman Penny at seven pence half penny I do not find that any of the Apostles were at thus much cost and charge to put honour upon our Saviour as this poor Woman was Learn hence That where strong love prevails in the
the Cock the more principal Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter's remembring the word of Christ 1. The less principal means of St. Peter's rising and recovery by Repentance was the crowing of the Cock as the voice of the Maid occasioned him to sin so the voice of the Cock occasioned him to reflect that God who always can work without means can when ever he please work by weak and contemptible means and open the mouth of a Bird or a Beast for the conversion of a Man But why doth our Lord make use of the crowing of a Cock to be the means of bringing St. Peter to Repentance There is ever some mystery in Christ's Instruments the Cock was a Preacher to call St. Peter to Repentance there being something of Emblem between the Cock and a Preacher The Preacher must have the wings of the Cock to rouze up himself from security and to awaken others to a sense of their Duty he must have the watchfulness of the Cock to be ready to discover and forewarn Danger he must have the Voice of the Cock to cry aloud and tell Israel of their sins and terrify the Roaring Lyon of Hell and make him tremble In a word he must observe the hours of the Cock to crow at all seasons of the Night to preach in Season and out of Season the glad Tidings of Salvation Again 2. The more principal means of St Peter's Recovery was first Christs looking upon Peter Christ first looks upon Peter before Peter look'd either upon Christ or upon himself Oh! wonderful Love and Grace towards this poor Disciple when our Saviour was upon his Tryal for his Life a time when our thoughts would be wholly taken up about our selves even then did Christ find leisure to think upon Peter to remember his disconsolate Disciple to turn himself about and give him a pittiful but piercing look a look that melted him into Tears We never begin to lament our Sins till we are lamented first by our Saviour Jesus looked upon Peter that was the first more principal means of his Recovery and Repentance But 2. The other means was Peter's Remembring the words of Christ before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Now this remembrance was an applicative and feeling remembrance he remembered the prediction of Christ and applied it sensibly to himself Teaching us that the efficacy of Christ's word in order to a sound Repentance depends not upon the Historical Remembrance of it but upon the close application thereof to every Man's Conscience Observe 3. The manner of St. Peter's Repentance it was secret he went out it was sincere he wept yea wept bitterly says St. Matthew it was lasting and abiding even all the days of his Life 1. His Repentance was secret he went out verè Dolet qui sine Teste Dolet he sought a place of Retirement where he might mourn in secret Solitariness is most agreeable to an afflicted Spirit and as St. Peter's Sorrow caused him to go forth so might also shame put him upon going out Christ looked upon him but how ashamed must he be to look upon Christ considering that he so lately denied that he had ever seen him 2 St. Peter's Repentance was Sincere he wept he wept bitterly His Grief was extraordinary and his Tears abundant there is ever a weeping that must follow sin sin must cost the Soul sorrow either here or in Hell we must either now mourn a while or lament for ever doubtless with Peter's Tears there was joined hearty Confession of Sin to God and smart Reflections upon himself we may suppose after this manner Lord what have I done I that did once acknowledge my Master to be Christ the Lord have since denied him with Oaths and Imprecations I that promised to lay down my Life for his sake have yet disowned and denied him at the voice of a Damsel Oh! what weakness what wickedness what unfaithfulness was here Oh! that my Head were Waters and mine eyes a fountain of Tears that I might weep all my days for the fault of this one Night Blessed are indeed the Tears of a Converted Revolter and Happy is the very Misery of a mourning Offender 3 This holy Man's Repentance was lasting and abiding he had a very quick sense and lively remembrance of this Sin upon his Soul all his life Ecclesiastical story Report that ever after when St Peter heard the crowing of a Cock he fell upon his knees and wept Others say that he was wont to rise at Midnight and spend the time in penitent Devotion between Cock-crowing and day-light and the Papists who delight to turn every thing into Superstition began that Practice of setting a Cock upon the top of Towers and Steeples to put People in mind of this sin of Peter's and of his Repentance also by that Signal Lastly St. Peter's Repentance was attended with an extraordinary Zeal and forwardness for the Service of Christ to the and of his Life he had a burning Love towards Christ Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee and as evidence of it he feed Christ's Sheep for in the Acts of the Apostles we read of his extraordinary Diligence to spread the Gospel and his Travels in order thereunto are computed to be 950 Miles Have any of us fallen with Peter tho' not with a formal abjuring yet by a practical denying of him Let us go forth and weep with him let us be more vigilent and watchful for time to come let us express more extraordinary love unto and zeal for Christ more diligence in his Service and more concernedness for his Honour and Glory This would be an happy improvement of this Example the Lord grant it may have that Blessed effect Amen CHAP. XV. 1 AND straitway in the Morning the Chief Priests held a Consultation with the Elders and the Scribes and the whole Council and bound Jesus and carried him away and delivered him to Pilate The fore-going Chapter gave us an Account of Judas his Treason in delivering our Saviour into the Hands of the Chief Priests In this Chapter we find our Holy Lord brought by the Chief Priests unto Pontius Pilate the Roman-Governour in order to his Condemnation Whence Observe That it has been the old Policy of Corrupt Church Governours to abuse the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Executing their cruel and unjust Censures and Sentences upon holy and innocent Persons The Chief Priests and Elders do not kill our Saviour themselves for it was not Lawful for them to put any Man to Death being themselves under the Power of the Roman-Government accordingly they deliver Christ over to the Secular Power and desire Pilate the Civil Magistrate to Sentence and Condemn him 2 And Pilate asked him Art thou the King of the Jews and he answering said unto him thou sayest it 3 And the Chief Priests accused him of many things but he answered nothing 4 And Pilate asked him saying answerest thou nothing Behold how many things
mockings bitter Reproaches sharp invectives to free the Ministers of God in all Ages from the danger of our Saviour's Wo here denounced Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you 27 But I say unto you love your Enemies do good to them that hate you 28 Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despightfully use 29. And unto him smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also Observe here 1. The Noble Spirit of Christianity and the large extent of Christian Charity the Jewish kindness was limited and confined to those of their own Religion Kindred and Nation their Charity began and ended at home but our Saviour obliges his Followers to the exercise of a more extensive Charity even to all Mankind even the worst of men our Enemies that seek our Destruction Christianity is so far from allowing us to persecute them that hate us that it commands us to Love them that Persecute us Observe 2. The Nature and quality of the Duty enjoyn'd Love your Enemies there the inward affection is required Bless them that curse you there outward civility and affability is required Do good to them that hate you here real acts of kindness beneficence are required to be done to the worst of Enemies tho' they be guilty of the worst of Crimes calumly and cruelty striking both at our Reputation and our Life Learn That Christianity obliges us to bear a sincere Love to our most malicious Enemies to be ready at all times to pray for them and upon all occasions to do good unto them Thus to do is an imitation of God our Maker of Christ our Master 'T is for the good of this lower World and the way to a Better 't is the Ornament of our Religion the perfection of our Nature and an high degree and pitch of Vertue To which may be added the next Duty not to revenge injuries where private Revenge is the thing forbidden and we are directed rather to suffer a double Wrong then to seek a private Revenge Christianity obliges us to bear many injuries patiently rather then to Revenge one privately we must leave the matter to God and the Magistrate The truth is Revenge is a very troublesome and vexatious passion the mans Soul swells and boils and is in pain and anguish and has no ease Besides by our Revenging of one injury we necessarily draw on another and so bring on a perpetual Circulation of Injuries and Revenges whereas forgiveness prevents vexation to others and disquietment to our selves 30 Give to every one that asketh of thee and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again These and the like Precepts of our Saviour are not to be taken strictly but restrainedly we are thereby obliged to Charity according to others Necessities and our own Abilities but not bound to give to every one that has the Confidence to ask for what we have Indeed every Man that really wants is the proper Object of our Christian Charity and we must with a compassionate Heart and open Hand relieve him according to his Necessity but answerably to our Ability Nor must the second part of the Verse be understood as forbidding Christians to seek the Recovery of their just Rights by pursuing Thieves and following the Law upon Oppressors but requiring us to forbear all Acts of private Revenge as directly contrary to the Spirit and Temper of Christianity as Jealousy is the Rage of a Man so Revenge is the Rage of the Devil 't is the very Soul and Spirit of the Apostate Nature 31 And as ye would that men should do to you do ye also to them likewise Here our Saviour lays down a most excellent Rule of Life for all his Disciples and Followers to walk by namely always to do as we would be done by The Golden Rule of Justice and Equity in all our Dealings with Men is this To do as we would be done unto It is a full Rule a clear Rule a most just and equitable Rule which the Light of Nature and the Law of Christ binds upon us St. Matthew Ch. 7.12 adds that this is the Law and the Prophets that is the Sum of the Old Testament and the Substance of the Second Table The whole of the Law is this to Love GOD above our selves and to Love our Neighbour as our selves 32 For if ye love them which love you what thank have ye sinners also love those that love them 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you what thank have ye for sinners also do even the same 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive what thank have ye for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again 35 But love your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great and ye shall be the children of the Highest for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil 36 Be ye therefore merciful as your father also is merciful The Design of our Blessed Saviour in all and every of these Precepts is to recommend unto us all sorts and kinds of mercy and charity namely charity in giving charity in forgiving charity in lending it is sometimes our Duty if we have ability to Lend to such poor Persons as we cannot expect will ever be in a Capacity either to repay or to requite us This is to imitate the Divine Bounty which does Good to all even to the unthankful and to the unholy Love for Love is justice Love for no Love is favour and kindness but Love and Charity mercy and compassion to all Persons even the undeserving and ill-deserving this is Divine Goodness a Christ-like Temper which will render us illustrious on Earth and glorious in Heaven St. Luke says here Be ye merciful as your Father it merciful St. Matthew says Ch. 5. last Be ye perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect implying that love and mercy charity and compassion is the perfection of a Christians Grace he that is made perfect in Love is perfect in all Divine Graces in the Account of God Perfection in all Graces but especially in Love and Charity ought to be our Aim in this Life and shall be our attainment in the next 37 Judge not and ye shall not be judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned forgive and ye shall be forgiven This Prohibition Judge not is not to be understood of our selves but our Neighbours Self-judging is a great and necessary Duty rash judging of others is an heinous and grievous sin which exposes to the Righteous judgment of God it is private judging and private condemning of Persons which Christ forbids it follows Forgive and ye shall be forgiven not that a bare forgiving of others is all that God requires in order to our forgiveness But it is one part of that Obedience which we owe
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
the Name and Notion of Covetousness our Saviour doth not condemn a provident Care for the things of this Life nor a regular Industry and Diligence for obtaining of them nor every degree of Love and Affection to them but by Covetousness is to be understood an eager and insatiable desire after the things of this Life or using unjust ways and means to get or encrease an Estate seeking the things of this Life with the neglect of things infinitely better and placing their chief Happiness in Riches Observe 3. The Reason of this Caution Because mans Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Humane Life is sustained by a little therefore abundance is not necessary either to the Support or Comfort of it 'T is not a great Estate and vast Possessions that makes a Man happy in this World but a mind suited to our Condition whatever it be 16 And Jesus spake a Parable unto them saying the Ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully 17 And he thought within himself saying What shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits 18 And he said this will I do I will pull down my Barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods 19 And I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast goods much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry 20 But God said unto him Thou fool This Night shall thy Soul be required of thee Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided 21 So is he that layeth up Treasure for himself and is not rich towards God The Design and Scope of our Saviour in this Parable is to shew Men the vileness and vanity of the Sin of Covetousness or an eager and insatiable desire after the things of this World When Men heap up Riches and lay up Treasures in this Life taking no care to be Rich towards God in Faith and good Works our Saviour illustrates this by the Parable of a Rich Man whom God had Blessed with great Plenty yet his desire of more wealth was never satisfied but he is projecting how he may lay up Goods in store for many Years Where Note 1. That the Parable doth not intimate any indirect and unjust ways of Gain which this Man used to encrease his Estate but condemns his insatiable desire and Thirst after more So that hence we may Learn That an eager and inordinate desire after the things of this World tho' it be free from injustice and doing wrong to others is one species or kind of the sin of Covetousness Observe 2. How this rich Man looked no farther than himself not looking upon himself as God's Steward but his own Carver he cries out What shall I do because I have no room where to lay my fruits not considering that the houses of the Poor should have been his Granaries for the Abundance of his Encrease Charity to the Necessitous is the best way of bestowing our Abundance God's extraordinary Bounty is to be laid out for the Relief of others Necessities not for the gratifying of our own Luxurious Desires Obs 3. The Brand of Infamy which the wise God fixes upon this Covetous Rich Man Thou fool says God Learn thence That it is an act and instance of the most egregious Folly imaginable for Persons to spend their time and strength in getting and laying up Treasure upon Earth in the mean time neglecting to be rich towards God in Faith and good Works Thou fool Observe 4. The doleful Tidings and threatning News brought unto him This Night shall thy soul be required of thee Learn hence 1. That all a Mans Wealth is not able to preserve his Life much less to save his Soul and if Wealth cannot save a Mans Life why should men endanger their Lives nay hazard their Souls to get or encrease Wealth Learn 2. That God takes away Mens Lives many times when they least suspect it This night says God many Years says he God will not have us think of Rest in a place of Disquiet nor of Certainty in a Condition of Inconstancy we are Dependant Creatures and our time is in God's Hand This night shall thy soul be taken away from thee Learn 3. That the Souls of ungodly Men are taken from them by force and compulsion Thy soul shall be required of thee good Men have the same reluctancies of Nature which others have yet they sweetly resign their Souls into the Hands of God in a dying Hour whereas a wicked Man tho' he sometimes dyes by his own hand yet never dyes with the consent of his own Will he chooses rather to eat Dust with the Serpent then to return to Dust Observe 5 The Expostulatory Question Whose then shall these things be which thou hast provided intimating 1. That they should not be his A Man's Wealth lasts no longer than his Life neither has he any longer the comfort of it lay up Gold and it perishes with thee but Treasure up Grace and it shall accompany thee whose shall these things be not thine undoubtedly 2. As these things shall not be thine when thou art gone so thou knowest not whose they shall be after thou art gone whether they shall fall into the hand of a Child or a Stranger of a wise Man or a Fool the Wealthiest Man cannot be certain who shall be his Heir and whose his Goods shall be Observe Lastly The Application which our Saviour makes of this Parable to his Disciples So is every one that layeth up Treasure for himself and is not rich towards God Learn hence That such as are not rich in Grace rich in good Works shall find no benefit by and take no comfort in all their Worldly Riches in the time of their greatest need at the hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment 22 And he said unto his Disciples therefore I say unto you Take no thought for your life what shall ye eat neither for the Body what ye shall put on 23 The Life is more than Meat and the Body is more than Raiment 24 Consider the Ravens for they neither sow nor reap which neither have store-house nor barn and God feedeth them how much more are ye better than the fowls 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least why take ye thought for the rest 27 Consider the Lillies how they grow they toil not they spin not and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these 28 If then God so cloth the grass which is to day in the field and to morrow is cast into the oven How much more will he cloath you O ye of little Faith 29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink neither be ye of doubtful mind 30 For all these things do
of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more Our Lord in these Verses describes a negligent and unfaithful Steward of his Houshold and then declares that dreadful Sentence of Wrath which hangs over him The unfaithful Steward or negligent Minister of the Gospel is described 1. by his infidelity he believeth not Christ's Coming to Judgment tho' he preaches it to others he saith in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming 2. He is described by his hatred envy and malignity against his Fellow Servants that were more faithful than himself He begins to smite them at least with the virulence of his Tongue if not with the violence of his hand 3. He is farther described by his Associating with the wicked and strengthning their hands by his ill example He eateth and drinketh with the drunken that is as their Associate and Fellow Companion Thus the negligent Steward and unfaithful Minister is described Next his Sentence is declared 1. Christ will surprize him in his sin and security by coming in an hour when he lookt not for him 2. He will execute temporal Vengeance upon him He will cut him in pieces as the Jews did their Sacrifices dividing them into two parts Hence some Observe That God seldom suffers slothful sensual Ministers to Live out half their days 3. Christ will punish them with Eternal Destruction also appoint them their portion with unbelievers Teaching us That such Ministers as neglect the Service of God and the Souls of their People as they are ranked amongst the worst sort of Sinners in this Life so shall they be punished with them in the severest manner in the next When Satan destroys the Souls of Men he shall answer for it as a Murtherer only not as an Officer that was intrusted with the Care of Souls But if the Steward doth not provide if the Shepherd doth not feed if the Watchman doth not warn they shall answer not only for the Souls that have miscarried but for an Officâ— neglected for a Tallent hidden and for a Stewardship unfaithfully managed Wo unto us if at the Great day we hear distressed Souls roaring out their Complaints and howling forth that doleful accusation against us saying Lord Our Stewards have defrauded us our Watchmen have betrayed us our Guides have misled us 48 For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more Here we Learn 1. That whatever we receive from God is both a Gift and a Talent 2. That every one has some Gift or Talent from God to be improved for God 3. That God's Gifts or Talents are not given to all in the same measure 4. That whether we receive little or much all is in order to an Account 5. That answerable to our present Talents will be our future Accounts If thy Gifts be mean the less thou hast to Account for if greater then others God expects thou shouldest do more good than others For where much is given much will be required 49 I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled 50 But I have a Baptism to be Baptized with and how am I streightned till it be accomplished 51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on the earth I tell you nay but rather division 52 For from henceforth there shall be two in one house divided against three and three against two 53 The father shall be divided against the son and the son against the father the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother the mother-in-law against the daughter-in-law and the danghter-in-law against the mother-in-law Our Saviour in these Verses declares what will be the accidental Event and effect but not the natural tendency of his Religion so that we must distinguish between the intentional Aim of Christ's Coming and the Accidental Event of it Christ's intentional aim was to plant propagate and promote Peace in the World but thro' the Lusts and Corruptions of Mens Natures the issue and event of his Coming is War and Division not that these are the genuine and natural Fruits of the Gospel but occasional and accidental only Hence Learn That the preaching of the Gospel and setting up the Kingdom of Christ tho' it be not the Genuine and Natural Cause yet is it the accidental occasion of all that War and Tumult of all that Dissention and Division of all that Distraction and Confusion which the World abounds with I am come to send fire on the earth He is said to send the fire of Dissention because he foresaw this would be the certain Consequence tho' not the proper and natural Effect of the Preaching of the Gospel There was another Fire of Christ's sending the Holy Spirit this was a fire to warm not to burn or if so not mens Persons but Corruptions but that seems not to be intended in this place 54 And he said also to the people when ye see a cloud rise out of the West streightway ye say there cometh a shower and so it is 55 And when ye see the South wind blow ye say there will be heat and it cometh to pass 56 Ye hypocrites ye can discern the Face of the Sky and of the Earth but how is it that ye do not discern this time 57 Yea and why even of your selves judge ye not what is right Our Saviour in these words does at once upbraid the stupid ignorance of the Jews in General and the obstinate infidelity of the Pharisees in particular in that they could make a judgment of the Weather by the sight of the Sky by the appearance of the Heavens and the motions of the Winds but could not discern this Time of the Messias tho' they had so many miraculous Signs and Evidences of it and for this he upbraids them with Hypocrisy Ye hypocrites ye can discern the face of the sky but ye do not discern this time Learn thence That to pretend either more Ignorance or greater uncertainty in discerning the Signs of Gospel Times the time of our gracious Visitation than the Signs of the weather is great Hypocrisy Ye hypocrites can ye not discern this time Observe farther That Christ doth not here condemn the study of Nature or making Observation of the State of the Weather from the Face of the Sky For Almighty God by natural Signs gives us warning of a Change in Natural things and in like manner by his Providential Dispensations he gives us warning of a Change in Civil things He that is wise will observe both and by their Observation will come to understand the pleasure of the Lord. 58 When thou goest with thine Adversary to the Magistrate as thou art in the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him lest he hale thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and the Officer cast thee
measures of Wheat and he said unto him Take thy Bill and write Fourscore Our Lord begins this Chapter with the Parable of a rich Mans Steward who being called upon by his Master to give up his Accounts in order to his being discharged from his Office cast about with himself what Course he had best take to provide for his Subsistence when he should be turned out of his Employment at last he resolves upon this Course That he will go to his Lord's Debtors and take a favourable Account of them writing down Fifty for an Hundred that by this means he might oblige them to be kind to him in his Necessity this is the Sum of the Parable Now the Scope and Design of it is this To exhort all Men that are entrusted by God here with Estates Honours and Authority to make use of all these unto Spiritual Ends the Glory of God and the Benefit of others for we are not Proprietors and Owners but Stewards only of the manifold Gifts of God and must be accountable unto him for all at last but in the mean time to use imploy and improve our Lord's Goods to the best Advantage for our selves whilst we are entrusted with them this is the Scope of the Parable Now the Observations from it are these 1. That all Persons even the highest and greatest of Persons are but Stewards of the good things of God 2. That our Stewardship must and shall have an End we shall not be always nay we shall not be long Stewards 3. That when we are put out of our Stewardship we must give an Aâ—count of our Carriage therâ—in and the greater our Trust was the heavier will our Beckâ—ning be 4. That therefore it will be our highest Prudence whilst we are entrusted with our Masters Goods so to usâ— and improve them as may make most for our Comfort and Advantage when we give up our Account 8 And the Lord commended the unjust Steward because he had doâ—e wisely for the Children of this world are in their generation wiser than the Children of Light The Steward here is Commended not for his dishonesty but for his policy shrewdness and sagacity having done cunningly for himself tho' knavishly for his Master from whence our Saviour draws this Conclusion That the Children of this World are in their generation wiser than the Children of Light Hence Note That the generality of Men are not so wise and provident for the Soul and the Concernments of another World as Worldly Men are for the Interests and Concerns of this Life It is seldom seen that good Men are so wise for the Concerns of their Souls as Worldly Men are for their Worldly Interests 9 And I say unto you make unto your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Here our Saviour makes Application of the foregoing Parable to his Disciples Where Note 1. The Title given by our Saviour to Wealth and Riches he calls it Mammon and Mammon of Vnrighteousness Mammon was the Name given by the Heathen to the God of Riches the Mammon of Unrighteousness is Riches unrighteously gotten 2. The advice given by our Saviour to the Men of Wealth Make to your selves Friends of the Mammon of unrighteousâ—ess that is make God your Friend by a Charitable Distribution that he may bless you make the Poor your Friends that they may unitedly engage their Prayers for you make your own Consciences your Friends that they may not reproach and shame you sting and torment you 3. Observe the Argument used to excite the Rich to this Improvement of their Wealth That when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting Habitations when ye fail that is when ye dye and your Riches fail you and can stand you in no farther stead they may receive you What they Some understand it of the Holy Trinity others of the Blessed Angels whose Office it is to convoy the Charitable and good Mans Soul to Heaven its Eternal Habitation Some understand it of Riches themselves they may receive you that is your Estates laid out for God in Works of Piety and Charity may enter before you into Heaven and open the Gate of Eternal Life for you not in a way of Merit but in a way of Means Lastly They may receive you Some understand it of the poor themselves whose Bowels our Charity have Refresh'd that they will welcome us to Heaven and receive us with joyful Acclamations into the Eternal Mansions which are prepared for the Merciful 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much 11 If therefore ye have not been Faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your Trust the true Riches 12 And if ye have not been Faithful in that which is another mans who shall give you that which is your own 13 No Servant can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon 14 And the Pharisees also who were Covetous heard these things and they derided him Our Blessed Saviour having declared to his Followers in the foregoing Verses the great advantage they shall reap by a charitable Distribution of Temporal good things he acquaints them in these Verses with the great Detriment and Disadvantage that will redound to them if they do otherwise 1. If they be not Faithful in right employing temporal Riches they must not expect that God will intrust them with Spiritual and Heavenly which are the true Riches God will deal with his Servants as we deal with ours never trust them with much whom we find unfaithful in a little 2. If they be not faithful in the improvement of these outward things which God intrusts them with but for a time and must shortly leave them to others how can they expect that God should give them those Spiritual good things which shall never be taken away from them to whom they are given Where Note 1. That the Riches we have are called not our own but another Mans If ye have not been faithful in that which is another mans Because God has not made us Proprietors but dispensers not owners but Stewards of these things we have them for others and must leave them to others we are only Trustees for the Poor if much be put into our hands it is to dispense to others according to our Masters Order let us be Faithful then in that which is another Mans that is with what God puts into our hand for the Benefit of others 2. Note That tho' our Gifts are not our own yet Grace or Spiritual Goods are our own others may have all the Benefit of our Gifts but we shall have the benefit and comfort of our own Grace this Treasure we cannot leave to others and it shall never be taken away
God the Grace of Sanctification is sometimes bestowed most eminently where the Gifts of Providence have been dispensed more sparingly 22 And it came to pass that the Beggar dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosom the rich man also dyed and was buried 23 And in Hell lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom Obs here 1. That our Saviour represents all Men both Good and bad passing immediately out of this Life into a State of Happiness or Misery Lazarus dyed and was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom Thence Note That all Holy Souls and amongst the rest the Godly Poor are instantly after Death conveyed by Angels to their place of Rest and Blessedness The Rich Man also dyed this is added to let us know that Riches for all Mens Confidence in them will not deliver from Death the rich Man might be Surfeited by faring deliciously every day whilst Lazarus was Famished And was Buried Here is no mention of Lazarus's Buryal probably he had none but flung out of the way into some Hole or Pit or if he had a Buryal a very mean one which is past over in silence All the advantage which a rich Man has by a great Estate after he is Dead is only to have a pompous Funeral which yet signifies nothing to him because he is not sensible of it And in Hell lifts up his Eyes c. he feels at once his own Misery and sensibly perceives Lazarus his Happiness Thence Note That the Souls of wicked Men whilst their Bodies lye in the Grave are in a State of greatest Misery which is aggravated by the sense they have at the same time of the Saints Happiness 24 And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I am tormented in this flame Observe here 1. The place where the rich Man Suffers it is in Hell the Souls of wicked Men when they leave their Bodies do certainly go into a place of Torment which is not only beyond Expression but our Apprehension also Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor has it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive those dreadful things which God has prepared for them that hate him Observe 2. The sin for which he Suffers it is the Sin of unmercifulness Thence Learn That uncharitableness and unmercifulness to the Poor is a very great sin and such a sin as alone and without any other Guilt is sufficient to Ruine a Man for ever there is found in this sin great Impiety towards God and great Inhumanity towards our own Nature Obs 3. The Nature and Quality of his Sufferings they are exquisitely painful and void of the least degrees of Comfort not a drop of Water is granted to cool an inflamed Tongue Learn thence That the least Refreshments are impatiently desired by damned Souls in Hell but righteously denied and withheld from them a drop of Water was desired but not granted 25 But Abraham said Son Remember that thou in thy Life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Observe 1. The Title given to the rich Man by Father Abraham Son He doth not revile him tho' a very bad Man if we revile the Good we are unjust they deserve it not if we revile the Bad we are unwise we shall get nothing by it a wise Man knows not what it is to give bad Language Observe 2. The Admonition given Remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things thy good things in which thou placedst all thy Happiness thy good things which thou lookedst upon thy self as the Proprietor and not as the Dispenser of Now remember what thou hadst and what thou abusedst Learn hence That the outward Blessings which are afforded to wicked Men on Earth will be sadly remembred in Hell Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things 2. That no Man ought to measure his Happiness hereafter by his Temporal Felicity here we may receive our good things here and yet be tormented hereafter 3. That no Man ought to be excessively troubled if he meets with Hardship here because those for whom God designs good things hereafter may have their evil things here Son Thou hadst thy good things and also Lazarus evil things 26 And besides all this between us and you there is a great gulph fixed so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence The meaning is That there neither is nor can be any Commerce or intercourse betwixt glorified Saints and damned Sinners but the State of Souls at Death is unalterably fixt and stated Learn that the miserable Condition of damn'd Souls in the next World and the blessed Condition of glorified Souls is unchangeably and unalterably such the power of God is irresistible and the will of God is invariable the Oath of God is immutable I have sworn that they shall never enter into my rest 27 Then said he I pray thee therefore Father that thou wouldest send him to my Fathers house 28 For I have five Brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come to this place of torment Here the rich Man is represented as retaining even in Hell some tenderness for his Relations on Earth yet others think that the kindness intended was rather to himself than to his Relations fearing that their sinning by his Example should be an aggravation of his own Torments Note thence That the presence of sinful Relations and companions in Hell may be supposed to make a considerable Addition to the miseries of the Damned the sight of those whom they have sinned with is a fresh revival of their own Guilt all the Circumstances of their past and profligate Lives are upon this occasion continually in their remembrance 29 Abraham saith unto him They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them That is they have the inspired Writings of Moses and the Prophets which sufficiently declare the Mind and Will of God to Mankind and therefore it is unreasonable to expect any farther Revelation Learn thence That a standing Revelation of God is Evidence sufficient for Divine things it is a more certain way of Conveyance and more secure from Imposture Secondly That there is sufficient Evidence that Moses and the Prophets or the Writings of the Holy Scriptures are of Divine Authority and therefore to be read and heard to be believed and assented to They have Moses c. 30 And he said nay father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they would repent As if he had said they have always had Moses and the Prophets in their hands but yet their Hearts remain impenitent but if a special Messenger be sent to them from the Dead this will not fail to awaken them
A true sense of Want either Bodily or Spiritual will cause a Soul to cry to Christ with earnestness and importunity Observe 3. The great Compassion and Condescension of Christ towards this blind Man he stood still he called him and enlightned his Eyes 4. Before Christ would restore the blind Man to sight he must sensibly complain of the want of sight and cry unto him for it Christ knows all his Creatures Wants but takes no notice of them till they make them known to him by Prayer Observe 5. How much Christ magnifies Faith what he attributes to it and how he rewards the least Exercise of it Jesus said thy faith hath saved thee Christ himself was the efficient Cause of the blind mans Healing but he exerted this Divine Power upon the Exercise of the blind Mans Faith and accordingly says Thy Faith hath saved thee 6. Note in what way and manner the Blind Man doth express his Thankfulness to Christ for his recovered Sight he followed him glorifying God Mercy received from Christ is then well Improved when it engages us to follow Christ this should be the Effect of all Salvations wrought for us he praiseth God best that serveth him most the Life of Thankfulness consists in the Thankfulness of the Life CHAP. XIX 1 AND Jesus entered and passed through Jericho 2 And behold there was a man named Zacheus which was the chief among the Publicans and he was rich This History which relates the Calling and Conversion of Zacheus the Publican is ushered in with a Note of Wonder Behold there was a man named Zacheus It is both great and good News to hear of a Soul Converted unto God especially such a remarkable Sinner as Zacheus was for 1. he was by Profession a Publican a Calling that carried Extortion in its Face and bad defiance to his Conversion yet behold from the Toll Booth is Zacheus called to be a Disciple and Matthew an Apostle such is the Freeness of Divine Grace that it often calls the greatest sinners and Triumphs in their powerful Conversion 2. He was a Chief Publican and probably one of the chief of Sinners yet behold him among the chief of Saints Lord What Penitent need despair of thy Mercy when he sees a Publican nay the chief of Publicans gone to Heaven 3. It is added as a farther Circumstance That he was Rich his Trade was not a greater obstacle to his Conversion than his Wealth not that there is any malignity in Riches considered in themselves but they become a snare through the Corruption of our Natures Zacheus had not been so famous a Convert if he had not been Rich if more Difficulty yet was there more Glory in the Conversion of rich Zacheus To all these might be added a fourth Circumstance namely that Zacheus was Converted in his old Age after a long Habit of sin contracted Such instances tho' few has God left upon Record in Scripture Abraham and Manasses in the Old Testament Zacheus and Paul in the New 3 And he ran before and sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the Press because he was little of stature 4 And he climbed up into a Sycamore Tree to see him for he was to pass that way Zacheus desired to see Jesus this was a sight that few rich Men desire to see the sight of Cesar's Face upon their Coyn is more pleasing to them then to see the Face of Christ in his Ordinances yet it was not Faith but Fancy and Curiosity that made Zacheus climb the Sycamore to see Jesus but the Curiosity of the Eye gave occasion for the belief of the Heart he that desires to see Jesus is in the way to enjoy him 't is good to be near the place where Christ is whatever Principle bring us thither 5 And when Jesus came to the place he looked up and saw him and said unto him Zacheus make haste and come down for to day I must abide at thy House 6 And he made haste and came down and received him joyfully What an instance is here of Christ's preventing Grace and Mercy Zacheus climbs up into the Sycamore to see Jesus Jesus first sees him little did Zacheus think that Jesus should cast up his Eyes to him Christ's Looks are Converting Looks there went a Divine Power along with them to change the Heart of him whom he look'd upon he that could heal a Disease by the Hem of his Garment could change an Heart with the glance of his Eye Observe farther Christ doth not only Note but Name Zacheus He bids him come down for he must abide at his house What a sweet Familiarity was here tho' the distance be infinitely great betwixt our Saviour and our selves yet he treats us not with a Majestick Stateliness but with a gracious Affability Some Note That Zacheus was the first Man we read of to whose House Christ invited himself Observe Lastly With what speed Zacheus hastens down and with what Alacrity he entertains our Saviour Curiosity carried him up but Love brings him down and he entertains Christ joyfully but alas it was but for a few Hours Lord How great is the Happiness of that Man that Receives and Entertains thee not for a Day or a Year or for Millions of Years but for Everlasting Ages Oh let us welcome thee into our Hearts by Faith whilst we are here on Earth and then thou wilt make us welcome with thy self Everlastingly in thy Kingdom 7 And when they saw it they all murmured saying That he was gone to be a Guest with a Man that is a sinner That is the Pharisees who were there were highly discontented that Christ went to a Publican's House whom they look'd upon as the worst of Men their Eye was Evil because Christ's was good Whither should the Physician go but to the Sick the whole need him not 8 And Zacheus stood and said unto the Lord Behold Lord half of my Goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any Man by false accusation I restore him four-fold Two things are here Observable the greatness of his Charity and the justness of his Restitution As to his Charity Observe 1. The freeness of it not I lend but I give 2. The readiness of it not I will but I do give 3. The justness and honesty of it my Goods not my Spoyls what is my own and not rent from others by Rapine or Extortion 4. The largeness and extensiveness of this Charity half of my Goods not an inconsiderable pittance 5. The fitness of his Charity to the Poor not to the rich not to his rich Heirs but to his poor Neighbours Again as his Charity was large so his Restitution was just as he gave half to the Poor so he Restored fourfold to the wronged What an evidence was here of a true Penitent Confession and Satisfaction are both found with him 9 And Jesus said unto him This day is Salvation come unto this house forasmuch as
Religion Learn hence That Hypocrites within the Church may be guilty of such Tremendous Acts of Wickedness as the Consciences of Infidels and Pagans without the Church may Boggle at and Protest against Pilate a Pagan Absolves Christ whilst the Hypocritical Jews that heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles do condemn him Observe 2. How Pilate at last suffers himself to be over-come with the Importunity of the Jews and delivers the Holy and Innocent Jesus contrary to his Judgment and Conscience to the Will of his Murtherers It is a vain Apology for Sin when Persons pretend that they are not committed with their own Consent but at the Instigation and Importunity of others For such is the Frame and Constitution of Man's Soul that none can make a Person wicked without his own Consent It was no Extenuation of Pilate's Sin no Alleviation of his Punishment that to please the People he delivered up our Saviour contrary to the Direction of his own Conscience to be Crucified Observe 3. The Person whose Life the wicked Jews preferred before the Life of the Holy Jesus Barabbas We will that thou Release Barabbas and destroy Jesus Mark these Hypocritical High Priests who pretended such Zeal for God and Religion they prefer the Life of a Person Guilty of the highest Immoralities and Debaucheries even Murder and Sedition before the best Man that ever lived in the World But whence sprang the Malice and Hatred of the High Priests and People of the Jews against our Saviour Why plainly from hence Christ Interpreted the Law of God more strictly than their Lusts could bear and he lived a more Holy Useful and Excellent Life than they could endure Now nothing enrages the Men of the World more against the Professors but especially the Preachers of the Gospel then Holiness of Doctrine and Strictness of Life and Conversation Such as Preach and Live well let them expect such Enmity and Opposition such Malice and Persecution such Sufferings and Tryals as will shock an ordinary Patience and Constancy of Mind Our Master met with it let his Zealous Ministers prepare for it 26 And as they led him away they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian coming out of the Country and on him they laid the Cross that he might bear it after Jesus The Sentence of Death being past by Pilate who can with dry Eyes behold the sad Pomp of our Saviour's Execution Forth comes the Blessed Jesus out of Pilate's Gates bearing that Cross which soon after was to bear him with his Cross on his Shoulder he Marches towards Golgotha and when they see he can go no faster they Compel Symon of Cyrenea not out of Compassion but Indignation to bear his Cross This Cyrenian being a Gentile who bare Christ's Cross some think thereby was signified that the Gentiles should have a part in Christ as well as the Jews and be Sharers with them in the Benefits of the Cross 27 And there followed him a great Company of People and of Women who also Bewailed and Lamented him 28 But Jesus turning unto them said Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and your Children 29 For Behold the Days are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the Barren and the Wombs that never Bare and the Paps which never gave Suck 30 Then shall they begin to say to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills cover us 31 For if they do these things in the green Tree what shall be done in the dry There were Four sorts of Persons which Attended our Saviour at his Crucifixion The Executioners that Tormented him the Jews that mock'd him the Spectators and Lookers on that Mark'd him and Sympathizing Friends which Lamented him These last Christ thus bespoke Weep not for me but for your selves That is Weep rather upon your own Account then mine Reserve your Sorrows for the Calamities coming upon your Selves and your Children It is very probable That the Tears and Lamentations of many of these Mourners were but the fruits of tender Nature not the Effects of Faith and flowing from a Principle of Grace Learn thence That melting Affections and Sorrows even from the Sense of Christ's Sufferings are no infallible Marks of Grace The History of Christ's Sufferings is very Tragical and Pathetical and may melt ingenuous Nature where there is no Renewed Principle of Grace 32 And there were also two other Malefactors led with him to be put to Death 33 And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary there they Crucifyed him and the Malefactors with him one on the Right Hand and the other on the Left Here we see the Infamous Company that our holy Lord Suffered with Two Thieves It had been a sufficient Disparagement to our Blessed Saviour to be Sorted with the best of Men But to be numbered with the Scum of Mankind is such an Indignity as Confounds our Thoughts This was designed by the Jews to dishonour and disgrace our Saviour the more and to perswade the World that he was the greatest of Offenders But God over ruled this for Fulfilling an Ancient Prophecy concerning the Messiah Isa 53. last and he was Numbered with the Transgressors 34 Then said Jesus Father Forgive them for they know not what they do Christ had often Preach'd the Doctrine of Forgiving Enemies and Praying for them he Practises it here himself in a most Exemplary manner Where Note 1. The Mercy desired and Prayed for and that is Forgiveness 2. The Person desiring that Mercy Christ the Dying Jesus 3. The Persons for whom it is Desired his Bloody Murtherers Father Forgive them 4. The Argument used or Motive urged to procure the Mercy Forgive them For they know not what they do Learn hence 1. That Ignorance is the usual Cause of Enmity against Christ 2. That there is Forgiveness with God for such as oppose yea Persecute Christ out of Ignorance 3. That to Forgive Enemies and to beg Forgiveness for them is an Evidence of a Christ-like Frame of Spirit Father Forgive them 35 And the People stood beholding and the Rulers also with them derided him saying He saved others let him save himself if he be Christ the chosen of God 36 And the Soldiers also mocked him coming to him and offering him Vinegar 37 And saying If thou be the King of the Jews save thy self 38 And a Superscription was written over him in Hebrew in Greek and Latin This is the King of the Jews Observe here 1. A mighty Aggravation of our Lord's Sufferings upon the Cross Namely The mocking Derision which he met with in his Dying Moments As he endured the Pain so he despised the Shame Cruel Mockings was our Lord Tryed with both from the Common People and from the Chief Priests yet the Common People's Reviling him and wagging their Heads at him was not so much to be taken Notice of as the Chief Priests who were Men of Age and Gravity and the Ministers of Religion For
them Barbarously to Mock him in his Misery and which was worse Atheistically to Jear and Scoff at his Faith and Affiance in God Saying He trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he will have him This was such an Indignity as Confounds our Thoughts But from hence we Learn 1. That Persecutors are generally Atheistical Scoffers the Chief Priests and Elders who Persecuted Christ do Blaspheme God they mock at his Power and deride his Providence which was as wicked as to deny his Being 2. We Learn from this Example That such as Minister to God in Holy things by way of Office if they be not the Best they are generally the worst of Men no such bitter Enemies to the Power of Godliness as such Preachers who were never Experimentally Acquainted with the Efficacy and Power of it upon their own Hearts and Lives Observe 2. The Inscription wrote by Pilate over our suffering Saviour This is Jesus the King of the Jews It was the Custom of the Romans when they Crucified a Malefactor to publish the Cause of his Death in Capital Letters placed over the Head of the Person Now it is Observable how wonderfully the Wisdom of God over-ruled the Heart and Pen of Pilate to draw this Title which was truly Honourable and fix it to his Cross Pilate is Christ's Herald and proclaims him King of the Jews Learn hence That the Kingship and Regal Dignity of Christ was proclaimed by an Enemy and that in a time of his greatest Sufferings and Reproaches Pilate without his Knowledge did our Saviour an eminent piece of Service Verily he did that for Christ which none of his own Disciples durst do not that he did it designedly and with any intent to put Honour upon Christ but from the special over-ruling Providence of God No thanks to Pilate for all this Because the Highest Services performed to Christ undesignedly shall never be Accepted nor Rewarded by him 39 And one of the Malefactors which were hanged Railed on him saying If Thou be Christ Save thy self and us 40 But the other Answering Rebuked him saying Dost thou not fear God seeing thou art in the same Condemnation 41 And we indeed justly For we receive the due Reward of our Deeds But this Man hath done nothing amiss 42 And he said unto Jesus Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Here we have a farther Aggravation of our Lord's Sufferings upon the Cross from the Company he Suffered with the Two Thieves who Reviled him with the rest Saint Matthew and Saint Mark say They both Reviled him Saint Luke says One of them Reviled possibly both of them might do it at first and one of them Repent which if so encreases the wonder of the Penitent Thiefs Conversion From the Impenitent Thiefs Reviling of Christ when he was at the very point of Death and even in the Suburbs of Hell we Learn That neither Shame nor Pain will change the Mind of a Resolute Sinner but even then when he is in the Suburbs of Hell will he Blaspheme From the Penitent Thief 's Confessing of Christ and Praying to him Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom We Learn Both the Efficacy and Freeness of Divine Grace 1. The efficacious Power of it Oh how Powerful must thaâ— Grace be which wrought such a Change in an instant which supplied that Heart in a Moment which had been hardning in Sin for so many Years 2. The Freeness of it which takes hold of his Heart when he was at the height of Sin and was not only void of Grace but seemed past Grace Oh the powerful Efficacy and adorable Freeness of the Heart-changing Grace of God in this vile Person it disposed him to own his Sin to confess the justness of his Punishment to justify Christ's Innocency to Reprove his Fellow-Companion to pray to a Crucified Christ and to intercede with him not for present Deliverance from Death but for a place in Christ's Kingdom Where we Learn 1. That true Conversion is never too late for obtaining Mercy and Salvation 2. That True Conversion how late soever will have its Fruits The Fore-mentioned Fruits of Faith and Repentance were found with this penitent Thief yet must not this extraordinary Case be drawn into Example This Extraordinary and Miraculous Grace of God is not to be expected ordinarily We have no warrant to expect an over-powering degree of God's Grace to turn our Hearts in an instant at the Hour of Death when we have Lived in Forgetfulness of God and in a Supine neglect of our Soul 's Concerns all the days of our Life For it is evident as to this Case of the Penitent Thief 's Conversion at the last Hour 1. It is an Example without a Promise 2. It is but a single Example 3. It is an Example Recorded but by one Evangelist the Spirit of God fore-seeing what an ill use some would make of this Instance leaves one Example upon Record that none might despair and but one that none might Presume 4. This Thief probably never had any Knowledge of Christ before 5. This was a Miracle with the Glory whereof Christ would Honour the Ignominy of his Cross So that we have no more ground to expect such another Conversion then we have to expect a Second Crucifixion This Converted Person was the first Fruits of the Blood of the Cross From whence we Learn That God can and sometimes doth though very seldom prepare Men for Glory immediately before their Dissolution by Death 43 And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise These Words are our Saviour's Gracious Answer to the Penitent Thief 's Humble Prayer Lord Remember me in thy Kingdom says the Thief To day shalt thou be with me in my Kingdom says our Saviour Where Note 1. The Immortality of the Souls of Men is without all doubt Our desires after and hopes for Immortality do prove our Souls Immortal and capable of that State 2. That there is a Future and Eternal State into which Souls pass at Death Death is our passage out of the swift River of Time into the Boundless and Bottomless Ocean of Eternity 3. That the Souls of all the Righteous at Death are immediately Received into a State of Happiness and Glory This day shalt thou be with me not after thy Resurrection but immediately after thy Dissolution That Man's Soul is asleep or worse that Dreams of the Soul 's sleeping till the Resurrection For why should the Believers Happiness be deferred when they are immediately capable of Enjoying it Why should their Salvation slumber when the Wicked's Damnation slumbereth not How do such delays consist with Christ's ardent Desires and his Peoples vehement Longings to be together 44 And it was about the sixth Hour and there was a Darkness over all the Earth until the Ninth Hour 45 And the Sun was Darkned and the Veil of the Temple was Rent in the midst
Eternal All Believers have and shall experience the healing Power of our Redeemer's Death to the end of the World Lastly The Israelites that were cured by looking up to the brazen Serpent dyed afterwards some Distemper or other soon carried them to their Graves but the Soul of the Believer that is healed by Christ shall never dye more Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal Life 16 ¶ For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Here observe 1. The Orignal Source and Fountain of Man's Salvation and that is God's free and undeserved his great and wonderful Love God so loved the World he doth not say how much but leaves it to our most solemn raised Thoughts it is rather to be conceived than declared and admired rather than conceived God so loved the World Hence Note That the Original Spring and first Cause of our Salvation is the free Favour and meer Love of God Observe 2. The Greatness of the Gift by which God evidenced and demonstrated the Greatness of his Love to a lost World He gave his only begotten Son that is he deliver'd him up from out of his own Bosom and everlasting Embraces Now this will appear a stupendious Expression of God's Love if we consider that God gave Him for us who was not only the greatest but the dearest Person to him in the World even his own Son That he gave him for Sinners That he gave him for a World of Sinners That he gave him up to become a Man for Sinners That he gave him up to become a miserable Man for Sinners That he gave him up to be a Sacrifice for the Sin of Sinners Observe 3. The Gracious end for which God gave this great Gift of his Love to lost Sinners That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal Life Where Note 1. The gentle and merciful Condition upon which Salvation depends Whoever believeth on Christ shall not perish 2. The infinite Goodness of God in proposing such a vast Reward unto us upon our performing of this Condition He shall have everlasting Life Learn hence That Faith is the way which God hath appointed and the Condition which God has required in order to our obtaining Salvation by Jesus Christ This Faith consists in the assent of the Understanding That Jesus is the Saviour of the World In the Consent of the Will to accept of Jesus freely and voluntarily deliberately advisedly and resolvedly for our Saviour in accepting the Merit of his Blood and submitting to the Authority of his Laws it being in vain to expect Salvation by Christ if we do not yield Subjection to him He that thus believes on Christ that submits himself to his ruling Power as well as commits himself to his saving Mercy shall not perish but have everlasting Life 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved 18 ¶ He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begoten Son of God Observe here That the Salvation of Sinners was the intentional End and the Condemnation of them only the accidental Event of Christ's coming into the World The Design of Christ's first coming into the World was to save it The End of his second coming will be to judge the unbelieving Part of it Observe Secondly That Unbelief is the formal Cause of the Sinner's Damnation it is that sin which doth bind all other sins upon the sinner and consign him over to Damnation it is that sin which doth not only procure Damnation but no Damnation like it which is intimated in the next Verse 19 And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Observe here 1. The Worth and Dignity of a choice and invaluable Priviledge declared Light is come into the World A Personal Light Christ a Doctrinal Light the Gospel 2. Observe the Unworthiness Abuse and great Indignity which the World through Infidelity offers to this Benefit they reject it and love Darkness rather than Light Obs 3. The dreadful Sentence of Wrath which the Rejection of this Benefit and the Abuse of Christ brings upon the impenitent and unbelieving World It terminates in their full and final Condemnation This is the Condemnation That is 't is a just and righteous Condemnation 't is an inevitable and unavoidable Condemnation 't is an heightened and aggravated 't is an accelerated and hastned an irrevocable and eternal Condemnation Learn hence That the greater and clearer the Light is under which the unregenerate and impenitent do live in this World so much the heavier will their Condemnation and Misery be in the World to come if they wilfully and finally reject it 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God In these Words our Saviour acquaints us with the different Nature of Sin and Holiness It is the Nature of Sin and the Property of Sinners to hate the Light because it discovers the Evil and Sinfulness of their Ways unto them and condemns them for them as the Ethiopians are said to curse the Sun for its bright and hot shining whereas holy and gracious Persons that walk uprightly do love the Light that is they delight to have their Thoughts Words and Actions tried by the Light of the Word because they are wrought in God that is performed as in the sight of God According to the Direction of the VVord of God and with a single Eye and sincere Aim at the Glory of God Learn hence 1. That the Word of God or the Gospel of Jesus Christ it has all the Properties of a Great and True Light It is of a pure and purifying Nature it is manifestative and of a discovering Nature It has a piercing Power and penetrating Vertue It enters the darkest Recesses of the Soul and detects the Errors of Mens Judgments as well as discovers the Enormities of their Lives Learn 2. That nothing is so hateful to and hated by a wicked Man as the discovering and reproving Light of the Word of God for at the same time that it discovers the sin it condemns the Sinner Learn 3. That a truly gracious Person who acteth agreeably to the Will of God is not afraid to examine his Actions by the VVord of God but desires and delights that what he does may be made manifest both to God and Man He that doth Truth cometh to the Light and rejoyceth that his Deeds may be made manifest because they are wrought in God 22 ¶ After these things came Jesus and his
him 11 The woman saith unto him Sir thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deep from whence then hast thou that living water 12 Art thou greater then our father Jacob which gave us the well and drank thereof himself and his children and his cattel 13 Jesus answered and said unto her Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Observe here 1. How ignorant Persons are of spiritual things till enlightned by the Holy Spirit of God This poor Womans Question Whence hast thou that living Water looks much like that of Nicodemus John 3.9 How can these things be A natural Person cannot perceive the Mind of Christ when speaking to them about spiritual things Spiritual Objects must have a spiritual Eye to discern and behold them 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit Observe 2. With what great Humility and Condescension our Holy Lord treats this poor Woman pitying her Ignorance and pardoning her Infidelity He tells her That the Water of that Well which she was about to draw could not give an abiding Satisfaction but the Thirst quenched for the present would certainly return again But he that should drink of the Water which he had to give that is be made partakers of the Graces of his Spirit shall find such refreshing satisfaction therefrom that all inordinate Desires after earthly things will be quench'd and extinguish'd and will be like a Well of Water springing up till they come to Eternal Glory Learn hence 1. That as the Body of Man is subject to natural so is the Soul of Man subject to a spiritual kind of Thirst 2. That no Creature-Comfort or earthly Enjoyment can quench this Thirst which the Soul of Man is subject unto 3. That the Spirit of Grace which our Saviour here calls the Water of Life is able fully and perfectly to quench this Thirst of the Soul And where it is once savingly received shall never be totally or finally lost It shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into everlasting life 15 The woman saith unto him Sir give me this water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw 16 Jesus saith unto her Go call thy husband and come hither 17 The woman answered and said I have no husband Jesus said unto her Thou hast well said I have no husband 18 For thou hast had five husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband in that saidst thou truly These Words set forth unto us 1. What manner of Person this Woman was whose Conversion Christ sought so industriously after 2. The Means he used in order to that End Observe 1. What manner of Person this Woman was besides that she was an Idolater as being a Samaritan she was also an Adulteress and lived now in the Sin of Uncleanness with one that was not her Husband after she had had five Husbands before Whence we learn That the ice of old Age will not quench the Fire of Lust Concupiscentia non senescit such is the Pollulution of our Nature that Lust will be insatiable if Grace doth not restrain it This Woman after five Marriages yet lives in the Sin of Uncleanness Observe 2. The Way and Manner our Lord takes the Method and Means our Lord uses in order to her Conversion 1. He deals very tenderly and gently with her he uses no roughness or tartness of Speech with her he doth not call her Whore nor upbraid her for her impudent Lewdness in living with a Man that was none of her Husband but only gives her to understand that he knew the Sin she lived in yet this he did likewise with all imaginable privacy whilst his Disciples were away and no Body by but they two only Hence learn 1. That private Sins are not to be reproved publickly 2. That in reproving Sin all sharpness and bitterness of Expression must be avoided The Pill of Reproof must be rapp'd up in Sugar for if they to whom it is given taste the bitterness of Gall and Passion mixt with it they will certainly spit it out before it may be upon our Faces Our Lord's Practcie here instructs us That Sin is to be so reproved as that the Credit and Estimation of the Sinner may be preserved as much as may be Note 2. That as Christ dealt with this Woman tenderly and gently so he discovers her Sin to her particularly and sets her secret Sin before the Face of her Conscience distinctly If ever the Ministry of the Word works upon the Minds of Men to their Conversion it must be by a particular and close application of the Word to every Man's Conscience Generals will not affect Note 3. What the particular Sin is which Christ charges home upon the Conscience of this Woman it is the Sin of Uncleanness that the Man she kept with was not her Husband Learn thence That amongst all Sins the sin of Uncleanness will lie heaviest upon the Conscience and wound the Soul most deeply when the Spirit of God once effectually discovers it and charges it home upon the Conscience For there is no Sin so directly opposite to Sanctification and Holiness as this Sin No Sin that quenches the Holy Spirit of God like this Sin 19 The woman saith unto him Sir I perceive that thou art a prophet 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship In these Verses the Evangelist declares a threefold Effect and Fruit of the Grace of Conversion that appeared in this Woman 1. She neither denied nor excused nor extenuated the Sin which Christ had charged her with but tacitly owns and implicitly confesses it 2. She doth not only own and confess what she was charged with but she doth profess Reverence to our Saviour's Person and pays Honour to him as an extraordinary Prophet Sir I perceive that thou art a Prophet 3. She desireth Instruction and Resolution from him concerning the Worship and Service of the true God how she might seek him and where she might serve him most acceptably whether at Jerusalem or upon Mount Gerizim Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain but ye say Jerusalem is the place where Men ought to worship Where Observe How ready and forward Persons of a false Religion are to ascribe too much to Antiquity and to the Example and custom of their Fore-Fathers Whereas it is not the continuance of a thousand or two thousand Years that can make any thing truly Ancient in Religion except it has been from the beginning Nothing is truly Ancient in Matters of Religion but that which can derive its Original from him that is truly called the Ancient of Days 21 Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither
That the whole Scope of Moses Ceremonial Law was to point out and prefigure Jesus Christ Christ was the Sum of the Law as well as the Substance of the Gospel he was Abraham's promised Seed Moses his great Prophet Jacob's Shiloh Esay's Emanuel Daniel's Holy One Zechary's Branch and Malachi's Angel 2. That such as believed the ancient Prophecies before Christ came did see their Accomplishment in him when he was come CHAP. VI. AFter these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee which is the sea of Tiberias Observe here How busie and industrious our holy Lord was about his Father's Work both on the Sea and on the Land both by Night and by Day His Meat was to do the Will of him that sent him and to finish his Work Some have inquired into the Reasons why Christ travelled by Sea as well as by Land and they seem to be these 1. To shew what his intent was in making the Sea namely to be sailed upon as the Land was made to be walked upon 2. That Christ might take occasion to manifest his Deity in working Miracles upon the Sea as well as upon the Land 3. Might it not be to comfort and encourage sea-faring Men that dwell much upon the Waters in the midst of their Distresses to trust in and pray unto such a Saviour as had himself an experimental Knowledge of the dangers of the Seas Some have farther observed That after our Saviour's Resurrection we never find him sailing upon the Seas more for such a turbulent Condition which necessarily attends Sea Voyages was utterly inconsistent with the stability and perpetuity of Christ's State when he was risen from the dead the firm Land better agreeing with his fix'd Estate than the fluctuating Water 2 And a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased Observe here What an exact Knowledge Christ had not only of all his Followers but of the Motives and Principles which did induce them to follow him it was not the Excellency of his Person nor the heavenliness of his Doctrine that drew the multitude at this time after him but the Novelty of his Miracles They saw the Miracles which he did It is better to feel one Miracle wrought upon the Heart in changing and renewing That than to see a thousand outward Miracles wrought before our Eyes 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain and there he sat with his disciples 4 And the Passover a feast of the Jews was nigh 5 ¶ When Jesus then lift up his eyes and saw a great company come unto him he saith unto Philip Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat 6 And this he said to prove him for he himself knew what he would do 7 Philip answered him Two hundred penny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may take a little 8 One of his disciples Andrew Simon Peters brother saith unto him 9 There is a lad here which hath five barley-loaves and two small fishes but what are they among so many 10 And Jesus said Make the men sit down Now there was much grass in the place So the men sat down in number about five thousand 11 And Jesus took the loaves and when he had given thanks he distributed to the disciples and the disciples to them that were set down and likewise of the fishes as much as they would 12 When they were filled he said unto his disciples Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost 13 Therefore they gathered them together and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which remained over and above unto them that had eaten 14 Then those men when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did said This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world This Miracle of our Saviour's feeding five thousand Persons with five Barly Loaves and two small Fishes is recorded by all the four Evangelists and several Particulars therein are very remarkable Obs 1. What a poor and slender Provision the Lord of the whole Earth has for his Family for himself for his Disciples and the Multitude nothing more than five Barley Loaves and two Fishes Teaching us that these Bodies of ours must be fed not pampered Our Belly must not be our Master much less our God and as the Quality of the Victuals was plain so was the Quantity small only five Loaves and two Fishes Well might the Disciples say What are they among so many The Eye of Sense and Reason sees an utter Impossibility of those Effects which Faith can easily apprehend and a Divine Power more easily produce When Men judge by Sense and Reason and do not look to Christ's Power if Extremities come they are soon at their wits end and know not what to do Obs 2. How the great Master of this miraculous Feast doth marshal his Guests he commands them to sit down None of the People reply Sit down But to what Here 's the Mouths but where 's the Meat we may soon be set but when shall we be served not a word like this but they obey and expect Lord how easie is it to trust thy Providence and rely upon thy Power when there is Corn in the Barn Bread in the Cupboard Money in the Purse but when our Stores are empty when our Stock runs low when we have nothing in Hand then to depend upon an invisible Bounty is a noble Act of Faith indeed Obs 3. The Actions performed by our Blessed Saviour 1. He blest the Loaves Teaching us by his Example never to use or receive the good Creatures of God without Prayer and Praise not to sit down to our Food as a Beast to his Fodder 2. Christ broke the Loaves he could have multiplied them whole why then doth he rather choose to do it in the breaking perhaps to teach us that we may rather expect his Blessing in the Distribution of his Bounty than in the Reservation of it Scattering is the way to encreasing and Liberality the way to Riches Again 3. He gave to his Disciples that they might distribute to the Multitude he did not do it with his own Hands but by theirs doubtless it was to gain Reputation to his Disciples from the People the same Course doth Christ take in Spiritual Distributions He that could feed the Souls of his People immediately by the Hand of his Spirit chooses rather by the Hand of his Ministers to divide the Bread of Life among them Obs 4. The Reality and Greatness of the Miracle They did all eat and were filled they did eat not a Crumb or a Bit but to satiety and fulness All that were hungry did eat and all that did eat were satisfied and yet twelve Baskets of Fragments remain More is left than was at first set on 'T is hard to say which was the greatest Miracle the miraculous eating or miraculous Leaving If we consider what they eat we
may wonder that they left any thing if what they left that they eat any thing Observe Lastly These Fragments tho' of Barly Loaves and Fish Bones must not be lost but gathered up the great House-Keeper of the World will not allow the Loss of his Orts We must exercise Frugality in the Enjoyment of the greatest Plenty Lord how tremendous will their Accounts be who having large and plentiful Estates do consume them upon their Lusts how will they wish they had been born to Poverty and Necessity when they appear to make up their Accounts before God! 15 ¶ When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a king he departed again into a mountain himself alone Here we have observable the wonderful Effect of the foregoing Miracle the People seeing so many thousands fed with five Loaves were so transported that they conclude that Jesus was certainly the promised Messias Now the Notion they had of the Messias was this That he should be a temporal Prince that should subdue all Nations under his Feet and particularly free the Jews from the Slavery of the Roman Yoke which was now upon their Necks forgetting what our Saviour had often told them that his Kingdom was not of this World but within Men and that his Business was to free Men from Soul-Slavery not from civil Subjection However upon this Mistake the Jews here in a furious Zeal designed to take Christ by force and make him their King but our Saviour who came not into the World to disturb the Order of Civil Government understanding their Intentions withdraws himself into a Mountain to avoid giving the least occasion for any such Jealousie or Suspicion Hence learn That altho' Jesus Christ be the great King of his Church and doth exercise a Spiritual Kingdom in it yet he came not into the World to be a temporal King nor was his Kingdom of this World or ever designed to be prejudicial to the Thrones of Princes and Civil Government of Men. Therefore doth Christ withdraw himself and refuse all this Offer as no ways agreeable to him or consistent with his design 16 And when even was now come his disciples went down unto the sea 17 And entred into a ship and went over the sea towards Capernaum and it was now dark and Jesus was not come to them 18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew 19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs they see Jesus walking on the sea and drawing nigh unto the ship and they were afraid 20 But he saith unto them It is I be not afraid 21 Then they willingly received him into the ship and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went Observe here 1. The great danger the Disciples were in and the Difficulties they encounter with after they had enjoyed the sweet Priviledge of Christ's gracious Presence with them They were tossed upon a tempestuous Sea Learn thence That it is not unusual after sweet Refreshments and Manifestations from Christ unto his People to meet with a stormy and sharp Exercise of Faith and Patience such was the Lot of the Disciples here a constant Gale of Sweetness and an uninterrupted Course of Prosperity and Happiness as it is not to be expected here so neither can it be injoyed here without great peril and danger Obs 2. What haste our Saviour makes towards his Disciples when they were tossed upon a tempestuous Sea Jesus drew nigh to the Ship Nothing can separate between nor keep Christ from his Children and People in a suffering Hour He that waded through a Sea of Wrath to save his People will walk upon a Sea of Water to succour and relieve them in an Hour of Tribulation Obs 3. The Disciples not discerning Christ nor knowing him to be their Saviour were afraid of him Christ may be coming to save his People and they not able at present to discern and apprehend him but their Fears may be highest when their Deliverer and Deliverance is nearest Obs 4. How speedily Christ relieves them and their Fears by telling them who he was It is I be not afraid It is a sufficient support in all our Afflictions to be assured of Christ's gracious Presence with us Say but Oh Saviour It is I and then let Evils do their worst that one word It is I is sufficient to allay all storms and to calm a thousand Tempests Observe Lastly VVith what Joy and Gladness the Disciples received and entertained Christ in this Hour of their Distress They willingly received him into the Ship Tho' the Company of Christ is always sweet and welcome to his Disciples and Friends yet never is it so very agreeable and desirable to them as in the Hour of Tryal and Temptation Then they willingly receive him and joyfully welcome and entertain him 22 ¶ The day following when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there save that one whereinto his disciples were entred and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat but that his disciples were gone away alone 23 Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread after that the Lord had given thanks 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there neither his disciples they also took shipping and came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus 25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea they said unto him Rabbi when camest thou hither 26 Jesus answered them and said Verily verily I say unto you Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed Our Blessed Saviour having wrought the foregoing Miracle feeding five thousand with five Loaves the People followed him in Troops from Place to Place Christ who knew their Hearts tells them plainly what was their end They followed him indeed but not for any Spiritual Excellencies they saw in him or Soul-Advantages they expected from him but for Bread only to have their Bellies fed with the Loaves not their Souls satisfied with the Bread of Life Oh how seldom is Christ soâ—ght for his own sake vix Jesus quaritur propter Jesum Aug. How natural is it for Men to seek Christ for Sinister Ends and By-Respects but to seek him only for outward Advantages is the basest of By-Ends and that which the Soul of Christ exceedingly abhors Labour not for the Meat that perisheth This Prohibition must not be understood absolutely but comparatively not as if Christ intended to take them off from their lawful Labours and the Business of their Calling but his meaning is labour not in the first and chief Place for worldly Things which
little time in the Wilderness Christ nourishes the Soul the Souls of all Believers be they Jew or Gentile Bond or Free and this not for time but for Eternity the Bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World 34 Then said they unto him Lord evermore give us this bread 35 And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst 36 But I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not Observe here 1. How the carnal Jews hearing the Bread which Christ had commended so highly and conceiving of it carnally desire they may partake of it constantly Lord evermore give us of this Bread The Commendation of Spiritual Things may move the Affections and quicken the Desires of Natural Persons but if their Desires be not Spiritual and Serious Diligent and Laborious Constant and Abiding they are no Evidence of the Truth of Grace Obs 2. Christ discovers another excellent Effect of this Bread of Life which he had been recommending that such as feed of it shall never hunger more that is inordinately after the perishing Satisfactions of this World but shall find an All-sufficient Fulness in him and compleat Refreshment from him for the preserving and perpetuating of their Spiritual Life He that cometh unto me shall never hunger c. Obs 3. How justly Christ upbraids the Jews for their obstinate Infidelity Ye have seen me says our Saviour yet ye believe not Ye have seen me in the Flesh you have heard my Doctrine you have seen my Miracles I have done amongst you those Works which never any Man did to convince you that I am the Messiah yet you will not own me to be such nor believe on me Oh the Strength of Infidelity and Unbelief The Devil has as great an Advantage upon Men by making them strong in Unbelief as God hath by making his People strong in Faith 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Our Blessed Saviour having lamented the obstinate Infidelity of the Jews in the foregoing Verse who though they had seen him would not believe on him he doth in this Verse comfort himself with the assured Expectation that there would be a number which should certainly and infallibly come unto him All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me c. Here observe 1. An Account of the Persons that shall come to Christ All that the Father hath given him There is a double Gift of us to Christ 1. In God's Eternal Purpose and Counsel 2. In our Effectual Vocation and Calling When our Hearts are by the Holy Spirit of God perswaded and enabled to accept of Christ as he is freely tendred to us in the Gospel Obs 2. The gracious Entertainment which Christ gives to those that come unto him He will in no wise cast them out where the Positive is included in the Negative I will not cast them out that is I will kindly receive and graciously entertain them Learn hence 1. That both God the Father and Christ his Son are unfeignedly willing and cordially desirous of the Salvation of lost Sinners That federal Transaction which was betwixt the Father and the Son from everlasting about the Salvation of lost Sinners evidently declares this Learn 2. That the merciful and compassionate Jesus will in no wise cast out or reject but kindly entertain and receive every penitent Sinner that doth believingly apply unto him for Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life I will in no wise cast out that is I will not cast them out of my Pity and Compassion out of my Love and Affection out of my Prayer and Intercession out of my Care and Protection I will not cast them out of my Covenant I will never cast them out of my Kingdom for my Nature inclines me my Promise binds me and my Office as Mediator engages me to the contrary 38 For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me 39 And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day 40 And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day In these Words our Saviour gives us the Confirmation of the foregoing Promise That he will in no wise cast out those that come unto him by assuring us that it was the great End for which he came into the World His Father sent him to do his Will and not his own that is not to do his own Will without his Father's but to do his own Will and his Father's For Christ as God had a co-ordinate Will with his Father's and as Man a Will subordinate to the Will of his Father Now it was the Will both of Father and Son that such as Believe in him should be preserved from perishing and be raised up by Christ at the last Day Hence Learn 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ stands not only inclined by his own Mercy and Goodness to Save Repenting and Believing Sinners but doth also stand obliged thereunto by vertue of a Trust committed to him from the Father Therefore Christ mentions the Will of him that sent him as a Reason of his Fidelity in this matter Learn 2. That the Father's Will and good pleasure is the original Source the Fountain and first Spring from whence the Salvation of Believers doth proceed and flow It is the Fathers Will that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and Believeth on him may have Everlasting Life Learn 3. That such as are given to Christ by the Father and put as his Trust into his Keeping he looks upon them as his Charge and stands engaged for the Preservation of them This is my Father's Will that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing Yet has the Father so committed the Care of Believers to his Son as that he keeps them still in his own hand John 10.28 29. My Father which gave them to me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand Learn 4. From those words I will Raise him up at the last Day That the Lord Jesus Christ is Truly Essentially and Really God That person who can by his own Almighty Power raise the Dead must certainly be God but this Christ had He raised others from the Dead and his own Dead Body from the Grave also by his own Power And therefore Christ says I am the Resurrection and the Life and I will raise him up at the last day Doubtless he that spake these words and made those promises knew his own Power to perform them and
X. 1 VErily verily I say unto you He that entreth not by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a robber 2 But he that entreth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep 3 To him the porter openeth and the sheep hear his voice and he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice 5 And a stranger will they not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voice of strangers 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them Our blessed Saviour having in the end of the foregoing Chapter upbraided the Pharisees for their Blindness and Ignorance in the Mysteries of Religion notwithstanding the high conceit which they had of their own Knowledge He proceeds in this Chapter farther to convince them that they were Blind Leaders of the Blind tho' they thought and look'd upon themselves as the only Guides and Teachers of the People And in order hereunto he propounds before us a Parable of the true and false Shepherd which represents a good and bad Pastor and Teacher and gives us a fourfold mark and character of a good Shepherd Observe 1. The Good Shepherd enters in by the Door that is he has his Vocation and Mission from Christ he comes into the Church Regularly in a right and approved way and manner not by any clandestine methods or indirect means To him the Porter openeth that is the Holy Spirit who openeth the Hearts of Men to Receive Jesus Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel which the Faithful Shepherds deliver in his Name and by Authority Received from him Learn hence That all Faithful Pastors have a lawful call to the work of the Ministry They enter by the right door and execute their Trust in a right manner but such as without a Call from God unwarrantably thrust themselves into the Ministry they are no better nor no other than Thieves and Robbers in God's Account Observe 2. Another property of a good Shepherd is this That he calleth his Sheep by their names This importeth Three things 1. A special Love that he bears to them 2. A special care that he has over them 3. A particular Acquaintance with them that he may know how to apply himself suitably to them which tho' it be eminently verified in Christ yet is it the Duty of every Faithful Pastor and under-Shepherd in his measure to labour after Observe 3. The good Shepherd leads out his Sheep into good Pastures that is he feedeth them with sound Doctrine nourishes them with the word of Life Whereas the hireling or false Shepherd whatever he may do for his own sake he has no regard to Jesus Christ to the honour of his Person to the Edification of his Church or the Salvation of Souls but his design is to raise and inrich himself and so he may compass that he cares not how many Souls perish thro' his neglect Observe 4. The last property of the good Shepherd here mentioned is this That he goeth before his Sheep as the Shepherd doth before his Flock Namely By a holy Life and unblameable Conversation He treads out those steps before the People which they are to take in their way towards Heaven And the Sheep follow him and are guided by him He leadeth out his Sheep and goeth before them and the Sheep follow him for they know his voice 7 Then said Jesus unto them again Verily verily I say unto you I am the door of the sheep 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers but the sheep did not hear them 9 I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture 10 The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Observe here 1. The Character which Christ gives of himself I am the door of the Sheep that is the only way and means by which Sinners have access to God and can obtain Salvation the only door by which Sinners are entred into the Kingdom of Grace and admitted into the Kingdom of Glory Learn hence That there is no possible way of Access to God for fallen Man but by Jesus Christ As there is no way of entring the House but by the Door and those that so enter are safe in like manner such as come unto God thro' Jesus Christ in the way of Faith and Holy Obedience shall be put into a secure Condition and at last obtain Eternal Salvation Observe 2. The end and design of Christ in coming into the World asserted and declared by himself I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly But had not his People Spiritual Life before he came into the World Yes he gave Life to his People before his coming in a measure sufficient to supply their Necessity but since his coming he gives it in such a superabounding measure as may testifie his Divine Bounty they shall not only barely Live but Live abundantly that is their Spiritual Life shall abound thro' the upholding strengthning quickning and comforting presence of my Holy Spirit for having conveyed spiritual Life unto his People in their Regeneration and Conversion he will cause it to encrease more and more in their Sanctification until it arrive at a compleat perfection in their Glorification Observe lastly The Character which our Saviour gives of the Scribes and Pharisees in general and of those false Christs and false Prophets which went before him in particular he stiles them Thieves and Robbers All that ever came before me were Thieves and Robbers Observe He doth not say All that were sent before me but all that came before me were Thieves and Robbers So that Christ doth not speak this of the true Prophets who were sent by God before him but of the false Christs and false Prophets that came of themselves without any Commission from God The meaning is all persons that came before me pretending to be what I am the true Messias as did Theudas and Judas of Galilee c. they were Thieves and Robbers That is they only sought their own Advantage while they deceived and ruin'd you Learn hence That whoever took upon them the Office and Person of the Messiah before Christ or whosoever have since Usurp'd a lawful calling in his Church without his Commission they are in Christ's account no better than Murtherers Thieves and Robbers and they ought to be so in the Peoples esteem The Sheep did not hear them 11 I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep 12 But he that is an hireling and not the shepherd whose own the sheep are
humble himself that he needed to pray to his Father to bestow upon him the Glory which he wanted Namely The Glory of his Ascension and Exaltation Now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word By the name of God we are here to understand his Nature his Properties and Attributes his Designs and Counsels for the Salvation of Mankind Christ as the Prophet of his Church made all these known unto his People Learn thence That Jesus Christ has made a full and compleat Discovery of his Father's Mind and Will unto his People I have manifested thy name unto them which thou gavest me thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word Learn 1. That all Believers are given unto Christ as his Purchase and as his Charge They are given him as his Subjects as his Children as the Wife of his Bosom as the Members of his Body Learn 2. That none are given to Christ but those that were first the Fathers Thine they were and thou gavest them me Learn 3. That all those that are given unto Christ do keep his word they keep it in their understandings they hide it in their Hearts they feel the force of it in their Souls they express the power of it in their Lives They have kept thy word 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee Observe here 1. The faithfulness of Christ in revealing the whole Will of his Father to his Disciples 2. The proficiency of the Disciples in the School of Christ they knew all the things which Christ had told them Namely That whatsoever he had it was given him of the Father and that he had these things from him to be a Mediatour Learn hence That Christ hath approved himself a faithful Prophet to his Church a faithful Messenger from his Father to his People in that he hath added nothing to his Message nor taken nothing from it 2. That it is our duty to know and believe on Christ as the only Messenger and Mediatour sent of God Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me As if Christ had said The Message by thee my Father committed to me I have communicated to them my Disciples and they have received it and will communicate it from thee to the World being sufficiently assured that my coming and preaching was all by Commission from thee Hence learn 1. That the Doctrine of the Gospel which was revealed by Christ was received from the Father 2. That Faith is a receiving of the word of Christ and of Christ in and by the word Receiving is a relative term and presupposes an offer God offers on his part we receive on our part the whole word with the whole heart 3. That the Ministers of the Gospel are to preach that and only that which they have out of the word of God I have given them the word which thou gavest me 9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine That is I now offer up a Prayer particularly 1. For my Apostles designed to so great a work as the Preaching of the Everlasting Gospel to the obstinate Jews and obdurate Gentiles 2. I interceed also for all Believers at this time for their perseverance in the Faith and constancy in Persecution but I do not now interceed for the wicked and impenitent World they not being capable whilst such of these Mercies and Blessings though at other times we find him praying for the World yea for his very Crucifiers Father forgive them c. Nay in this very Prayer at the 20th Verse he Prays for the World that is for the Gentile World all those that by the preaching of the Apostles and their Successors should be brought to Believe on him to the End of the World Learn hence 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the Great and Gracious Intercessour 2. That all Believers all the Children of God in general are under the fruit and benefit of Christ's Intercession 3. That as all the Members of Christ in general so the Ministers and Ambassadours of Christ in special have a peculiar interest in Christ's Intercession and great are the Advantages of His Intercession for them 1. From the person interceeding Christ consider the Dignity of his Person God Man the dearness of his Person God's Son 2. From the manner of his Intercession not by way of entreaty but meritorious claim 3. From the sublimity of the Office our Intercessor is near to God even at his Right Hand 4. From the Fruits of his Intercession it procures the Acceptance and Justification of our Persons the hearing and answering of our Prayers the pardon and forgiveness of our Sins our preservation in Grace and our hopes of Eternal Glory 10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them We may understand this two ways 1. Of all Persons all my Friends all my Disciples are thine as well as mine Thence learn That the Father and the Son have a like Share and Propriety in all Believers 2. The words in the Original being of the Neuter Gender signifie all thy things are mine and all my things are thine Christ and his Father are one and they agree in one they have the same Essence and Nature the same Attributes and Will Christ hath all things that the Father hath willeth all things that the Father willeth and doth all things that the Father doth he is therefore really and essentially God It followeth and I am glorified in them that is I am made glorious by their owning and receiving me by their believing in me and accepting of me for their Lord and Saviour Thence Note That the Lord Jesus Christ is eminently glorified in and by all those that believe in him and belong unto him 11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are Here Observe 1. Our Saviour's present Condition I am no more in the World that is I shall continue on Earth but a small time longer and then ascend to my Father in Heaven Learn thence That Jesus Christ as he is Man is gone out of this lower World into the immediate Presence of his Father He had been abased before he must be exalted now He had no more Work to do on Earth but much to do in Heaven therefore he left this Earth to go to Heaven Observe 2.