in which he Preached Sitting When he was set he Taught according to the Custom of the Jewish Doctors who sat to shew their Authority Observe 4. The Sermon it self which begins with Beatitudes and Blessings and is accompanied with Promises of Reward Not as the Law was delivered on Mount Sinai with Threatnings and Thunder with Fire and Earthquake but in a still and soft Voice Our Lord's Lips are full of Grace they drop as the Honey-comb Blessings and Promises are our Encouragements to Obedience 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Observe here 1. It is not said Blessed are the Poor in Estate but Blessed are the Poor in Spirit 't is not a Poverty of Possession but a Poverty of Spirit that Entitles us to the Blessing 2. 'T is not said Blessed are the Spiritually Poor but Blessed are the Poor in Spirit He that is destitute of the Grace and Spirit of Christ that has no sense of his Spiritual Wants he is Spiritually Poor but he is not Poor in Spirit Farther 3. 'T is not said Blessed are the Poor-Spirited but the Poor in Spirit such as Act below and beneath themselves as Men and as Christians these are Poor-Spirited Men but these are not Poor in Spirit 4. 'T is not said Blessed are they that make themselves Poor by leaving their Estates and Callings and turning Beggars as some do among the Papists But Blessed are they whom the Gospel makes Poor by giving them a sight of their Spiritual Wants and Necessities and directing them to Christ that they may be made Rich. In Sum not those that are Poor in Estate or those whom the World has made Poor in Possession but those whom the Gospel has made Poor in Spirit have a Right and Title to the Kingdom of Heaven 4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Obs here 1. That Mourning for Sin is a Gospel-Duty the Law allows no place for Repentance tho' we seek it carefully with Tears Obs 2. The Time and Season for this Duty Blessed are they that Now Mourn Sorrow for Sin is Physick on Earth but 't is Food in Hell Repentance is here a Grace but there a Punishment 3. As Mourning goes before Comfort so Comfort shall follow after Mourning Our Godly Sorrow for Sin shall end in Everlasting Joy and Comfort 5 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Obs here 1. The Grace and Duty recommended Meekness 2. The Wages and Reward belonging to that Grace and Duty The Inheritance of the Earth Meekness either respects God or our Neighbour As it respects God so it implies Flexibleness â—o his Commanding Will and Submissiveness to his Providential Pleasure As it respects our Neighbour it consists in Forgiving Injuries Bearing Reproaches and Recompencing Good for Evil. The Reward and Blessing Insured to this Grace and Duty is the Inheritance of the Earth where Heaven is not excluded but included yet the Earth is mentioned to shew that Men shall be no Losers by their Meekness as to their Outward Estates for Almighty God will make good to them whatever they lose for Peace-sake Oh Happy Temper of Mind that at once Secures Heaven and Earth to boot Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth in this Life and Heaven in the next 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Obs 1. The Character of the Persons whom Christ pronounces Blessed such as Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness 2. Wherein their Blessedness doth consist They shall be filled By Righteousness we are to understand 1. A Righteousness of Justification the Righteousness of the Mediator imputed to us by which we stand Righteous in God's sight being freed from Condemnation 2. A Righteousness of Sanctification wrought in us by the Holy Spirit enabling us to Act Righteously By the former there is a Relative Change in our Condition by the latter a Real Change in our Constitution Learn That all and only such as do Spiritually Hunger and Thirst after Christ and his Righteousness are in an Happy and Blessed Condition 7 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Here our Blessed Redeemer recommends to us a Compassionate Regard towards the Miseries of Others and that both in Soul and Body Name and Estate to be forward to Pity and Pardon to Relieve and Help to Give and Forgive And as an Encouragement he adds That as we deal with others God will deal with us our Charity towards Men shall be Crowned with Mercy from GOD and that in Abundance too for our Rivulet of Charity we shall partake of an Ocean of Mercy Blessed are the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy Learn That the Merciful Man is a Blessed Man and therefore Blessed because he shall obtain Mercy when he most wants it and most desires it 8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Note here 1. The Duty required and called for Purity of Heart and Life the first expressed the other included for a clean Heart will be accompanied with a clean Life Where there is a Principle of Grace within there will be the Actings of Grace without Note 2. The Incentive to this Duty the Pure in Heart and Holy in Life shall See and Enjoy GOD the infinitely Pure and perfectly Holy GOD They shall see him Spiritually and Mediately in this Life Gloriously and Immediately in the Life to come 9 Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Obs 1. The Connexion between Peace and Purity Purity of Heart and Peaceableness of Life accompany one another there is no Inward Purity where there is not an Endeavour after Outward Peace 2. The Duty exhorted to namely to Love Peace and to Labour after Peace to Love it our selves and Promote it amongst others to be not only Peaceable but Peace-makers Note 3. The Title of Honour that is here put upon such as are of this Peaceable and Peace-making Temper they shall be called the Children of God that is they shall be reputed and esteemed God's Children for their likeness to him who is the God of Peace And they shall be dignified and honoured with the Priviledges of God's Children namely Grace here and Glory herefafter 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven 11 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake 12 Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you Note here 1. That all the Disciples and Followers of Christ live they never so Holily and Inoffensively in the World yet must they expect Suffering and Persecution 2. That the keenest and sharpest Edge of Persecution is usually turn'd against the Ministers of Christ and falls heaviest on the Prophets of God 3. That such Sufferings
is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Our Blessed Saviour being thus fitted and prepared by his Baptism and Temptations for the Execution of his Ministerial Office he now enters upon the great work of Preaching the Gospel and St. Luke here declares the first place he preacht at namely Nazareth and the first Text he preacht upon Isa 61.1 Observe 1. The place which our Saviour preacht at he bestowed his first Sermon upon Nazareth the place of his Conception and Education For tho' Christ was Born at Bethlehem yet he was bred and brought up at Nazareth there he had his poor but painful Education working on his Father's Trade that of a Carpenter This prejudiced the Jews against him who lookt for a Scepter not an Ax in the hand of him that was born King of the Jews Our Saviour's short and secret abode at Bethlehem and his long and publick living at Nazareth occasioned him to be called Jesus of Nazareth Yet some conceive it was a Nick-name fastned by the Devil upon our Saviour that he might disguise the place of Christ's Nativity and leave the Jews at the greater loss concerning their Messiah Sure it is that this Name Jesus of Nazareth stuck upon our Saviour all his Life and at his Death was fixed by Pilate on his Cross Yea after his Ascention such as believed on him were called The Sect of the Nazareens or the followers of Jesus of Nazareth Observe 2. The Text which our Saviour preacht upon at Nazareth he takes it out of the Prophet Esaias Ch. 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath Anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor that is God the Father hath poured forth his Holy Spirit without measure upon me in all the Gifts and Graces of it to sit and furnish me for the work of a Mediator and particularly to preach the Gospel to the poor in Spirit and to such as are poor in outward Condition also if meekned and humbled with the sight and sense of their sins To bind up the broken hearted that is to comfort them with the glad tidings of the Gospel To preach Deliverance to the Captives to let such Sinners know who were slaves to sin and Satan that a Deliverer is come if they be willing to be Delivered by him To preach the acceptable year of the Lord or to proclaim a Spiritual Jubilee in which God proffers pardon of Sin and Reconciliation with himself upon the Terms of the Gospel Learn hence 1. That God stirreth up none to take upon them the Office of the Ministry whom he hath not fitted and furnished with Gifts for the Regular discharge of it 2. That Christ himself did not undertake the Office of a Mediator but by the Ordination of God the Holy Spirit The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath sent me to preach the Gospel 3. That no Creature Angel or Man could perform the Office of a Mediator but only Christ who was Consecrated to that Office by an Anointing from the Holy Spirit without measure The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me 4. That the preaching of the Gospel is the great Ordinance which Christ himself made use of and recommended to his Apostles and Ministers for inlightning blind Sinners for comforting broken hearts and for Delivering Captive Souls from the slavery and dominion of sin and Satan He hath sent me to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken-hearted to publish Deliverance to the Captives and Recovering of Sight to the blind What Enemies then are they to the Souls of Men who have low and mean thoughts of this high and honourable Ordinance of God the preaching of the Everlasting Gospel which is the power of God unto Salvation Observe 3. The Behaviour of our Saviour's Auditors the Men of Nazareth under his Preaching their Eyes were fixt and their minds intent upon him and upon what was spoken by him The Eyes of all that were in the Synagâ—gue were fastned upon him not closed with sleep nor gazing about upon others but fixed upon Christ the Preacher fixing of the Eye is a great help to the attention of the ear and the intention of the mind a fastned eye is a means to help us to a fixed heart as a wandring eye is both a sign and a cause of a wandring Heart O that our Hearers would imitate our Saviour's Hearers under the Word They fastned their Eyes upon him as if they meant to hear with their eyes as well as with their Ears And yet we have cause to suspect that Curiosity rather than Piety caused this their Attention seeing as you will find v. 29. That these very Persons who out of Novelty were ready to eat his words soon after out of Cruelty were ready to devour the speaker for they thrust him out of the city led him to the Brow of the Hill and would have cast him down headlong Oh blessed Saviour What wonder is it that the Persons of thy Ministers are despised and their Doctrine neglected when thou thy self the first Preacher of the Gospel and for thy first Sermon at Nazareth wert thus ignominiously treated 22 And all bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth and they said is not this Joseph's son 23 And he said unto them ye will surely say unto me this Proverb Physician heal thy self Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum do also here in thy country 24 And he said verily I say unto you no Prophet is accepted in his own country Observe here 1. The effect of our Saviour's Ministry at Nazareth it created wonder but did not produce Faith they marvelled but not believed they admire the Wisdom of his Discourses but will not own him to be the promised Messias because of the Poverty and Meanness of his Condition Is not this Joseph's Son They expect the son of a Prince not the son of a Carpenter to be their Messiah Thence Note That the Poverty and Meaness of Christ's Condition was that which Multitudes stumbled at and which kept many yea most from Believing on him None but a Spiritual Eye can discern Beauty in an humbled and abased Saviour Obs 2. Our Saviour wonders not that so few of his Country men amongst whom he had been bred and brought up and with whom he had lived most part of his time did despise his Person and reject his Doctrine He tells them No Prophet has honour in his own Country that is very seldom has Teaching us that usually the Ministers of God are most despised where they are most familiarly known sometimes the remembrance of their mean Original and Extraction sometimes the poverty of their Parents sometimes the Indecencies of their Childhood sometimes the follies of their youth sometimes the faults of their Family and Relations are ript up and made occasions of Contempt and therefore that Prophet that comes from afar and has not been much known gains the greatest Reputation amongst a
Sheep of the House of Israel He instructs them Secondly As to the Doctrine he would have them Preach namely the Doctrine of Repentance And Lastly He arms them against all the Difficulties they might meet with in their Ministry and particularly fortifies them against the Fears of Poverty and Persecution 1 AND when he had called unto him his twelve disciples he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease As the Jewish Church arose from Twelve Patriarchs so did the Christian Church become planted by Twelve Apostles the Person commissionating them was Christ None are to undertake the Work and Calling of the Ministry but those whom Christ appoints and the Persons commissionated were Discipleâ— before they were Apostles To teach us that Christ will have such as Preach the Gospel to be Disciples before they are Ministers trained up in the Doctrine of the Gospel before they undertake a Publick Charge 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these The first Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother James the son of Zebedee and John his brother 3 Philip and Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew the Publican James the son of Alpheus and Lebbeus whose sirname was Thaddeus 4 Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot who also betrayed him Observe here Of the Twelve Apostles Peter is named first and Judas last Peter is named first because probably elder than the rest or because for Order-sake he might Speak before the rest From whence may be inferr'd a Primacy but no Supremacy a Priority of Order but no Superiority of Degree As the Fore-man of a Grand-Inquest has a Precedency but no Preheminency Judas is named last with a Brand of Infamy set upon him that he was the Traditor the Person that Betrayed his Lord and Master Learn thence That tho' the Truth of Grace be absolutely necessary to a Minister's Salvation yet the want of it doth not disannul his Office nor hinder the Lawfulness of his Ministry Judas though a Traytor was yet a Lawful Minister 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel This was only a Temporary Prohibition whilst Christ was here upon Earth the Jews being Christ's own People of whom he came and to whom he was promised the Gospel is first Preached to them but afterwards the Apostles had a Command to Teach all Nations and after Christ's Ascension Samaria received the Gospel by the Preaching of Philip. From the Character which Christ gives of the Jews calling them Lost Sheep we Learn 1. That the Condition of a People before brought home to Christ by the Ministry of the Gospel is a Lost Condition Sinners are as Lost Sheep wandring and going astray from God till the Ministry of the Word finds them 2. That the great Work and Office of the Ministers of the Gospel is to call home and to bring in lost Sheep unto Jesus Christ the Great Shepherd Go says Christ to the lost Sheep c. 7 And as ye go preach saying The kingdom of heaven is at hand Observe here 1. The Duty injoined the Apostles in order to the bringing home of Lost Souls to Christ and that is Preaching As ye go Preach Note thence That the plain and perswasive Preaching of the Gospel is the Special Means appointed by Christ for the Salvation of Lost Sinners Obs 2. The Doctrine they are injoined to Preach namely that The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is that the promised Messias was come and had set up his Kingdom in the World and expected their Obedience to his Laws Where note How that the Preaching of John of Christ and his Apostles was one and the same namely the Doctrine of Repentance Repent say they all for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand that is the Time of the Messiah's Appearing which has been so long expected is now come 8 Heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise the dead cast out devils freely ye have received freely give Here our Saviour impowers his Apostles to work Miracles for the Confirmation of their Doctrine but gives them a Charge to work them freely without making any private Advantage to themselves Where Obs 1. How Beneficial the Miracles were which Christ and his Apostles wrought to Mankind Moses's Miracles were as great Judgments as Wonders but these were Beneficent they delivered Men from Miseries from Bodily Diseases from the Power and Malice of Evil Spirits They healed the Sick and cast out Devils Obs 2. That Jesus Christ to shew himself a free Saviour and that whatever came from him was the Effect of Free-Grace gave his Apostles a Charge to dispence their Power in working Miracles freely without Money and without Price 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses 10 Nor scrip for your journey neither two coats neither shoes nor yet staves for the workman is worthy of his meat This Command of Christ was Temporary and extended only to the Apostles first Journey which they were soon to dispatch Our Saviour encourages them to trust God first for Protection take no Staves with you that is no striking or smiting Staves for your own defence Preachers must be no Strikers Tho' a Walking-Staff they might take with them Itinerant-Preachers might be wearied with Travelling as well as with Speaking Next for Provision he would not have them over-solicitous for that neither saying The Workman is worthy of his Meat As it is a Minister's great Duty to trust GOD for his Maintenance so it is the People's Duty to take care for their Minister's comfortable Subsistence The Labourer is worthy of his Hire and the Work-man is worthy of his Meat 11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter inquire who in it is worthy and there abide till ye go thence 12 And when ye come into an house salute it 13 And if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it but if it be not worthy let your peace return to you 14 And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet 15 Verily I say unto you It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that city Our Saviour proceeds to direct his Disciples how to manage this their first Journey in Preaching the Gospel he injoins them 1. To observe the Rules of Decency in their going from one Place to another not like Beggars wandring from House to House but having entred a City or Village to make enquiry who stood best affected to the Gospel and there turn in 2. Our Saviour injoins them Civil and Religious Courtesie towards those whom they applied themselves unto When ye come into an House salute it
give it a Civil Salutation but especially a Christian and Spiritual Salute wishing them Mercy Grace and Peace 3. He encourages his Apostles in the want of Success if they hear you not Shake off the Dust of your Feet This Action was Emblematical and signified That Almighty God would in like manner shake off them and esteem them no better than the vilest Dust Note That those who despise the Message which the Ministers of the Gospel bring shall hereafter find the Dust of their Feet and the Ashes of their Grave to give a Judicial Testimony against them in the Day of CHRIST Where-ever the Word is Preached 't is for a Testimony against them for if the Dust of a Minister's Feet bear Witness against the Despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more 16 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves Our Saviour in this and the following Verses arms his Apostles against all the Difficulties Dangers and Discouragements which they might meet with in the Course of their Ministry He tells them he sent them forth as Sheep amongst Wolves intimating thereby unto them that the Enemies of the Gospel have as great an Inclination from their Malicious Nature to devour and destroy the Ministers of Christ as Wolves have from their natural temper to devour Sheep He therefore recommends to them Prudence and Innocence Be wise as Serpents to avoid the World's Injuries and Harmless as Doves in not revenging them The Ministers of Christ must not be altogether Doves lest they fall into Dangers nor altogether as Serpents lest they endanger others For as Piety without Policy is too simple to be safe so Policy without Piety is too subtil to be good Our Saviour in this Text teaches us That Wisdom and Innocency should dwell together 17 But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues 18 And ye shall be brought before governours and kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the gentiles 19 But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak 20 For it is not ye that speak but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Here our Saviour lets his Apostles know that for their Owning Him and Preaching his Gospel they should be brought before all sorts of Magistrates and in all kinds of Courts But he advises them when they are brought before Kings and Princes not to be anxiously thoughtful what they should say for it should be given in that Hour what they should Answer Learn hence That tho' Truth may be opposed yet Truth 's Defenders shall never be ashamed and rather than they shall want a Tongue to plead for it GOD himself will prompt them by his Spirit and suggest such Truths to their Minds as all their Opposers shall not be able to gainsay 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the child and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but he that indureth to the end shall be saved Our Saviour goes on in a farther Discovery of the World's Hatred and Enmity against the Gospel and the Preachers of it and gives all Christians in general and his Ministers in particular to understand That such is the Enmity of the World against Holiness and the Professors of it that it will overcome and extinguish even the Natural Affection of the nearest and dearest Relations towards each other Grace teaches us To lay down our Lives for the Brethren but Corruption teaches Brother to take away the Life of Brother The Brother shall deliver the Brother to Death Yet Observe Our Saviour comforts his Disciples that there will be an end of these Sufferings and assures them That if their Faith and Patience did hold out unto the end they should be saved This is our Comfort that if our Sufferings for Christ end not in our Life-time they will end with our Lives 23 But when they persecute you in this city flee ye into another for verily I say unto you Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come Our Saviour here directs his Apostles to a prudent Care of their own Preservation and allows them to flee in time of Persecution assuring them That before they had gone through all the Cities of the Jews Preaching the Gospel he would certainly come in Judgment against Jerusalem and with Severity destroy his own Murtherers and their Persecutors Learn That Christ allows his Ministers the liberty of Flight in time of Persecution that they may preserve their Lives for future Service Surely 't is no Shame to fly when our Captain commands it and also practises it Matth. 2. Christ by his own Example has Sanctified that State of Life unto us and by his Command made it Lawful for us 24 The disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his lord 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Our Saviour here teaches all Christians but especially Ministers how unreasonable and absurd it is for them to expect kinder Usage from an unkind World than he Himself met with Are we greater holier or wiser than He Why then should we expect better Usage than he Was he hated persecuted reviled murthered for the Holiness of his Doctrine and the Vsefulness of his Life Why then should any of us Think strange of the Fiery Tryal as if some strange thing had befaln us 1 Pet. 4.12 Is it not enough That the Disciple be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord but must he hope to be above him 26 Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known 27 What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye on the house tops Christ here exhorts his Disciples to a free Profession and open Publication of the Doctrine of the Gospel from this Consideration That whatever they say or do shall be brought to light proclaimed and published to the World As Wicked Men have cause to fear because their Evil Deeds shall be made evident so Good Men have cause to rejoice because their Goodness and Good Deeds shall be made manifest Let it be our Care to do Good and it shall be CHRIST's Care to discover the Goodness which we do to vindicate it from Misconstruction and set it in its clearest Light 28 And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul
is in it self considered a very bitter and distasteful Cup which Humane Nature abhorrs and cannot but desire and pray may pass from it 2. That yet oft-times the Wisdom of God is pleased to put this bitter Cup of Affliction into the Hands of those whom he doth most sincerely love 3. That when God doth so it is their Duty to drink it with humble Submission and chearful Resignation Not my Will but thine be done Obs 4. The manner how our Lord prayed and here we shall find it 1. A solitary Prayer he went by himself alone out of the hearing of his Disciples he said to them Tarry ye here while I go and pray yonder Mark Christ did neither desire his Disciples to pray with him or to pray for him No he must tread the Wine-press alone not but that Christ loved and delighted in his Disciples Company but there were Occasions when he thought fit to leave them and to go alone to God in Prayer Thence Learn That the Company of our best Friends is not always seasonable Peter James and John were Three good Men but Christ bids them tarry while he went aside for private Prayer There are Times and Cases when a Christian would not be willing that the dearest Friend he has in the World should be with him or understand and hear what passes betwixt him and his God 2. This Prayer of Christ was an humble Prayer that 's evident by the Postures into which he cast himself sometimes Kneeling sometimes Lying prostrate upon his Face He lyes in the very Dust lower he cannot fall and his Heart was as low as his Body And such was the Fervour of his Spirit that he prayed himself into an Agony Oh let us blush to think how unlike we are to Christ in Prayer as to our praying Frame of Spirit Lord what Drowsiness and Deadness What Laziness and Dulness What Stupidity and Formality is found in our Prayers How often do our Lips move and our Hearts stand still 3. It was a repeated and reiterated Prayer He prayed the first second and third time He returns upon God over and over plies him again and again resolving to take no Denial Learn thence That Christians ought not to be discouraged tho' they have sought God again and again for a particular Mercy and no Answer of Prayer has come unto them Observe also How our Lord used the same Prayer three times over saying the same Words A Person then may pray with and by a Form of Prayer and yet not pray formally but in a very acceptable manner unto God Christ both gave a Form of Prayer to his Disciples and also used one himself Observe next The Posture in which our holy Lord found his own Disciples when he was in his Agony they were sleeping when he was praying Oh wonderful that they could sleep at such a time Hence we gather That the best of Christ's Disciples may be sometimes overtaken with Infirmities with great Infirmities when the most important Duties are performing He cometh to his Disciples and finds them sleeping Observe next The gentle Reproof he gave the Disciples for sleeping What could you not watch with me one Hour Could you not watch when your Master is in such Danger Could you not watch with me when I am going to deliver up my Life for you What not one Hour and that the parting Hour too After his Reprehension he subjoins an Exhortation Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation and superadds a forcible Reason For tho' the Spirit be willing yet the Flesh is weak Thence Learn That the holiest and best resolved Christians who have willing Spirits for Christ and his Service yet in regard of the Weakness of the Flesh or the Frailty of Humane Nature it is their Duty to watch and pray and thereby guard themselves against Temptations Watch and pray for tho' the Spirit is willing yet 45 Then cometh he to his disciples and saith unto them Sleep on now and take your rest behold the hour is at hand and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners 46 Rise let us be going behold he is at hand that doth betray me 47 And while he yet spake lo Judas one of the twelve came and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and elders of the people 48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying Whomsoever I shall kiss that same is he hold him fast 49 And forthwith he came to Jesus and said Hail Master and kissed him 50 And Jesus said unto him Friend wherefore art thou come Then came they and laid hands on Jesus and took him Our Saviour having pour'd out his Soul in Prayer to God in the Garden he is now ready and waits for the coming of his Enemies being first in the Field Accordingly While he yet spake came Judas one of the Twelve and under his Conduct a Band of Soldiers to apprehend him It was the Lot and Portion of our Blessed Redeemer to be betrayed into the Hands of his mortal Enemies by the Treachery of a false and dissembling Friend Observe here The Traytor the Treason the Manner how and the Time when this treasonable Design was executed Obs 1. The Betrayer Judas all the Evangelists carefully describe him by his Name Judas by his Sirname Iscariot lest he should be mistaken for Jude the Brother of James God is tender of the Names and Reputations of his upright-hearted Servants He is also described by his Office One of the Twelve The Eminence of his Place and Station was an high Aggravation of his Transgression Nay in some respect he was preferred above the rest having a peculiar Trust reposed in him he bare the Bag That is he was Almoner and Steward of Christ's Family to take Care for the necessary Accommodations of Christ and his Apostles and yet this Man thus called thus honoured thus respectfully treated by Christ for the Lucre of a little Money perfidiously betrays him Oh whither will not a bad Heart and a busie Devil carry a Man Learn hence 1. That the greatest Professors had need be jealous of their own Hearts and look well to the Grounds and Principles of their Profession A Profession begun in Hypocrisie will certainly end in Apostacy Learn 2. That Persons are never in such eminent Danger as when they meet with Temptations exactly suited to their Master-Lusts Covetousness was Judas's Master-Sin the Love of the World made him a Slave to Satan and the Devil lays a Temptation before him which suits his Temper hits his Humour and it prevails immediately Oh pray pray that ye may be kept from a strong and suitable Temptation a Temptation suited to your predominant Lust and Inclination Obs 2. As the Betrayer Judas so the Treason it self with its aggravating Circumstances he led an armed Multitude to the Place where Christ was gave them a Signal to discover him and encouraged them to lay Hands upon him and hold him
promulge and publish the Doctrine of Salvation 2. The Quality or Kind of this Voice a crying Voice the Voice of one crying This implies 1. His Earnestness and Vehemency his Zeal and Fervency in Preaching When we lift up our Voice and cry aloud we speak with Earnestness and Fervour When our own Hearts are warmly affected with what we preach we may hope to affect the Hearts of our Hearers Why has God commissioned Men rather than Angels to be the Preachers and Dispensers of his Word But because we can speak to and treat with Sinners more feelingly and more affectionately than the Angels can 2. This crying of the Holy Baptist in his Preaching implies his Liberty and Boldness as well as his Vehemency and Earnestness in delivering of his Message The lifting up of the Voice in speaking argues Boldness and Courage in the Speaker as on the contrary the depressing of the Voice sheweth Timerousness Learn hence That the Ministers of the Word are to use both Zeal and Earnestness and also Courage and Boldness of Spirit in delivering the Word and Message of God Not forbearing to reprove Sin nor concealing any part of God's Truth for fear of Mâ—n's Displeasure Observe 3. The Sum and Substance of what he cried Prepare ye the Way of the Lord make his Paths straight That is Make ready your selves prepare your own Hearts to entertain the Doctrine and glad Tydings of the Gospel It is a Metaphorical Speech taken from the Custom of Loyal and Dutiful Subjects who when â—heir Princâ— is coming to lodge in their â—ity they prepâ—re â—nd make ready the way for his coming by removing every thing that may obstruct or hinder his Progress Learn hence That Man's Heart by Nature is very unfit to embrace and entertain the Lord Jesus Christ We have naturally no Fitness no Disposition no Inclination to believe in him or to submit unto him 2. If ever we desire to entertain Christ in our Hearts we must first prepare and make fit our Hearts for the receiving and embracing of him For tho' the Preparation of the Heart be from the Lord yet he requires the Exercise of our Faculties and the Use of our Endeavours He prepares our Hearts by enabling us to the Preparation of our own Hearts This is done by getting a sight of the Evil of Sin a sense of our Misery without Christ an hungring and thirsting Desire after him a true Faith in him Christ will lodge in no Heart that is not thus made ready to receive him 4 John did baptize in the wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins A twofold Account is here given of St. John's Execution of his Ministry and Office first his Baptizing secondly his Preaching John did Baptize That is admit Persons into the Church by washing them with Water John baptized into the Name of Christ who was to come the Apostles baptized into the Name of Christ already come The second Part of his Office was Preaching where Note That Preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments are to go together and belong only to the Ministers of the Word lawfully called John did Baptize and Preach but where and what did he preach The place where was the Wilderness a place not much frequented tho' not altogether uninhabited a solitary mean and obscure place Thither God had called him and there he contents himself Learn hence That the Ministers of God must be content to execute their Ministry where God calls them be the Place never so mean and obscure and the People never so rude and barbarous John was a Preacher of great Note and Fame Jerusalem the chief City might seem more fit for him but God had called him to Preach in the Wilderness and he would not leave it We must not leave our Place because it is mean and obscure nor desert our People thinking them too base to instruct but where God has called us we must there abide till he that call'd us thither remove us thence Observe farther as the Place where the Baptist preach'd in the Wilderness so the Doctrine which he preach'd namely the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sin That is the Doctrine of Baptism which sealeth Remission of Sins to the Party baptized Learn hence That the Preaching of the Doctrine of Repentance is absolutely necessary and the Indispensible Duty of every Gospel-Minister John Baptist preach'd it our Saviour preach'd it his Apostles preach'd it They went out Preaching every where that Men should repent 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan confessing their sins Here we have an Account of the Success of John's Ministry 1. In the general Concourse and Resort of the People to it All Judea and Jerusalem that is a great many of all Degrees and Ranks of Ages and Sexes John was famed for a Prophet and a Prophet was now a great Rarity Malachy was the last Prophet before John and he lived about Five Hundred Years before John Now the Excellency of his Person the Earnestness of his Preaching the Acceptableness of his Doctrine that the Messias was come and the Austerity of his Life and Conversation all these caused the People to flock unto him Learn hence That it is a great Encouragement to the Ministers of Christ when People shew themselves ready and forward to repair unto the Places where the Word and Sacraments are dispensed to them All Judea and Jerusalem attended upon John's Ministry The second Fruit of John's Ministry was that the People were ready to receive at his Hand the Sacrament of Baptism They were all baptized of him in Jordan Learn hence That the Ministers of Christ ought not only to preach the Word but also to dispense the Sacraments to their People even to all that do desire them and are fit to be Partakers of them A third Fruit of John's Ministry was his Hearers Profession of their true Repentance by the Confession of their Sins As the Profession of Repentance is requisite in all that are Baptized so a free and voluntary ingenious and impartial Confession of Sin is a good Evidence and Testimony of the Truth and Sincerity of our Repentance 6 And John was cloathed with camels hair and with a girdle of a skin about his loins and he did eat locusts and wild honey This Verse acquaints us with the Strictness and Austerity of St. John's Life in the Wilderness which is laid down in two Things in his mean and frugal Apparel and in his sober and temperate Diet. His Apparel was rough and hairy and his Girdle of Leather as Elijah his Forerunner was clad before him 2 Kings 1.8 His Diet was course and ordinary Locusts and wild Honey that is such plain and ordinary Food as the Wilderness afforded His Example teaches us That the Ministers of the Gospel are not to affect either Bravery in Apparel or Delicacy in
he cast himself sometimes Kneeling sometimes lying prostrate upon his Face he lies in the very Dust and lower he cannot lye and his Heart was as low as his Body 3. It was a vehement fervent and most importunate Prayer such was the fervour of our Lord's Spirit that he Prayed himself into an Agony Oh let us blush to think how unlike we are to Christ in Prayer as to our praying-frame of Spirit Lord what deadness and drowsiness what stupidity and formality what dulness and Laziness is found in our Prayers How often do our Lips move when our Hearts stand still 4. It was a Re-iterated and Repeated Prayer he Prayed the first second and third time for the passing of the Cup from him he returns upon God over and over again resolving to take no Denyal Let us not be Discouraged though we have sought God often for a particular Mercy and yet no Answer has been given in unto us Our Prayers may be answered though their Answer for the present is suspended A Prayer put up in Faith according to the Will of God though it may be delayed it shall not be lost Our Saviour Prayed the first second and third Time for the passing of the Cup and altho' he was not heard as to Exemption from Suffering yet he was heard as to Support under Suffering Observe 5. The Posture the Disciples were found in when our Lord was in this Agony Praying to his Father They were fast asleep Good God! Could they possibly sleep at such a time as that was when Christ's Soul was exceeding Sorrowful Could their Eyes be thus heavy Learn thence That the best of Christ's Disciples may be and oft-times are over-taken with Infirmities with great Infirmities when the most important Duties are performing He cometh to his Disciples and finds them sleeping Observe 6. The mild and gentle Reproof which he gives the Disciples for their sleeping Could ye not watch with me one hour Could you not Watch when your Master is in such Danger Could you not Watch with me when I am going to deliver up my Life for you What not one Hour and that the parting Hour too After his Reprehension he Subjoyns an Exhortation Watch and Pray that ye enter not into Temptation and super-adds a forcible Reason for though the Spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak Thence Learn That the Holiest and best Resolved Christians who have willing Spirits for Christ and his Service yet in regard of the Weakness of the Flesh or frailty of Humane Nature it is their Duty to Watch and Pray and thereby guard themselves against Temptation Watch and Pray that ye enter not into Temptation for though the Spirit is willing yet the flesh is weak 43 And immediately while he yet spake cometh Judas one of the Twelve and with him a great Multitude with Swords and Staves from the Chief Priests and Scribes and Elders 44 And he that Betrayed him had given him a Token saying whomsoever I shall kiss that same is he Take him and lead him away safely 45 And as soon as he was come he goeth straightway to him and saith Master Master and kissed him 46 And they laid their hands on him and took him 47 And one of them that stood by dreâ— a Sword and smote a Servant of the High-priests and cut off his Ear. 48 And Jesus answered and said unto them Are ye come out as against a Thief with Swords and with Staves to take me 49 I was daily with you in the Temple Teaching and ye took me not but the Scriptures must be Fulfilled 50 And they all forsook him and fled The Hour is now almost come even that Hour of Sorrow which Christ had so often spoken of yet a little while and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of Sinners for while he yet spake cometh Judas with a Band of Soldiers to apprehend him it was the Lot and Portion of our Dear Redeemer to be Betrayed into the hands of his Mortal Enemies by the Treachery of a false and dissembling Friend Here we have Observable 1. The Traitor 2. The Treason 3. The Manner how 4. The Time when this Treasonable Design was Executed Observe 1. The Traitor Judas All the Evangelists carefully describe him by his Name Judas by his sir-name Judas Iscariot lest he should be mistaken for Jude the Brother of James Almighty God takes great care to preserve the Names of his upright-hearted Servants he is further described by his Office One of the Twelve The Eminency of his Place and Station was an high aggravation of his Transgression Learn hence That the greatest Professors had need be very jealous of themselves and suspicious of their own Hearts and look well to the Grounds and Principles of their Profession for a Profession begun in Hypocrisy will certainly end in Apostacy Learn farther That Persons are never in such eminent Danger as when they meet with Temptations exactly suited to their Master Lusts Covetousness was Judas his Master-sin the Love of the World made him a Slave to Satan and the Devil lays a Temptation before him exactly suited to his Temper and Inclination and it instantly over-comes him Oh pray we that we may be kept from a strong and suitable Temptation a Temptation suited to our inclination and predominant Lust and Corruption Observe 2. The Treason of this Traitor Judas he led on an Armed Multitude to the place where Christ was gave them a Signal to discover him by and bids them lay Hands upon him and hold him fast This Treason of Judas is attended with these Hellish Aggravations He had been a Witness to the Miracles which our Saviour had wrought by his Divine Power and therefore could not sin out of Ignorance What he did was not at the sollicitation and perswasion of others but he was a Voluntier in this Service the High-priests did not send to him but he went to them offering his Assistance No doubt it was matter of Surprize to the Chief Priests to find one of Christ's own Disciples at the head of a Conspiracy against him Lord How dangerous is it to allow our selves in any one secret or open Sin None can say how far that one Sin may in time lead us Should any have told Judas that his Love of Money would at last make him sell his Saviour he would have said with Hasael is thy Servant a Dog that he should do this thing That Soul can never be safe that Harbours one sin within its Breast Observe 3. The manner how this Hellish Plot was Executed partly by Force and partly by Fraud by Force in that Judas came with a Multitude Armed with Swords and Staves and by Fraud giving a kiss and saying Hail Master Here was Honey in the Lips but Poyson in the Heart Observe 4. The Time when the Place where and the Work which our Saviour was about when this Treasonable Design was Executed he was in the Garden with his Disciples exhorting them to Prayer
they Witness against thee 5 But Jesus yet answered nothing so that Pilate marvelled It is very Observable how readily our Saviour Answers before Pilate Pilate said Art thou the King of the Jews Jesus answered Thou sayest it or it is as thou sayâ—st But to all the Accusations of the Chief Priests and to all that they falsly laid to his Charge before Pilate our Saviour answered never a Word â—e Answered Pilate but would â—ot answer the Chief Priests a word before Pilate 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 hâ—s Example to despise the false Accusations of malicious Men and to learn us Patience and Submission when for his sake we are slandered and Traduced for these Reasons our Saviour was as a deaf Man not answering the Calumnies of the Chief Priests but when Pilate asks him a question which our Saviour knew that a direct Answer to would cost him his Life Art thou the King of the Jews he Replies I am Hence says the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 That Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession Teaching us That although we may and sometimes ought to hold our Peace when our own Reputation is Concerned yet must we never be silent when the Honour of God and his Truth may effectually be promoted by a free and a full Confession For says Christ whoever denies me before Men him will I deny in the presence of my Father and before all his Holy Angels 6 Now at the Feast he Released unto them one Prisoner whomsoever they desired 7 And there was one named Barabbas which lay bound with them that had made Insurrection with him who had committed Murther in the Insurrection 8 And the Multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them 9 But Pilate answered them saying Will ye that I Release unto you the King of the Jews 10 For he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered him for Envy 11 But the Chief Priests moved the People that he should rather Release Barabbas unto them 12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews 13 And they cryed out again Crucify him 14 Then Pilate said unto them Why what Evil hath he done and they cryed out the more exceedingly Crucify him 15 And so Pilate willing to content the People Released Barabbas unto them and delivered Jesus when he had Scourged him to be Crucified Now at the Feast that is at the Feast of the Passover which by way of Eminency is called the Feast the Governour used to Release a Prisoner possibly by way of Memorial of their Deliverance out of Egypt accordingly Pilate makes a Motion that Christ may be the Prisoner set at Liberty in Honour of their Feast for he was sensible that what they did was out of Envy and Malice Observe here 1. What were the sins which immediately occasioned the death of Christ they were Covetousness and Envy Covetousness caused Judas to sell him to the Chief Priests and Envy caused the Chief Priests to deliver him up to Pilate to Crucify him Envy is a killing and murthering Passion Envy slayeth the silly one Job 5.2 That is it slayeth the silly Person who harbours this pestilent Lust in his Breast and Bosom being like a Fire in his Bones continually preying upon his Spirits and it is also the occasion of slaying many an holy and innocent Person for who can stand before Envy The Person Envying wishes the Envied out of the way yea out of the World and if need be will not only wish it but lend a Lift upon occasion towards it also Witness the Chief Priests here whose Envy was so Conspicuous and Bare-faced that Pilate himself takes notice of it he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered him for Envy Observe 2. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death One while he Expostulates with the Chief Priests saying What Evil hath he done another while he bids them take him and judge him according to their Law Nay St. Luke says that Pilate came forth three several times professing That he found no fault in him Luke 23. From hence Note That Hypocrites within the visible 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 Lastly How Pilate suffers himself to be overcome with the Jews Importunity and contrary to the Light of his own Reason and Judgment delivers the holy and innocent Jesus first to be Scourged and then Crucified it is a vain Apology for Sin when Persons pretend that they were not committed with their own Consent but at the Instigation and importunity of others Such is the Frame and Constitution of Man's Soul that none can make him either wicked or miserable without his own Consent Pilate willing to content the People when he had scourged Jesus dilivered him to be Crucified Here Observe That as the Death of the Cross was a Roman Punishment so it was the manner of the Romans first to whip their Malefactors and then Crucify them Now the Manner of the Roman Scourging is said to be thus They stript the Condemned Person and bound him to a Post two strong Men first Scourged him with Rods of Thorns then two others Scourged him with Whips of Cords full of Knots and last of all two more with Whips of Wire and therewith tore off the very Flesh and Skin from the Malefactors Back and Sides That our Blessed Saviour was thus Cruelly Scourged by Pilate's Command seems to some not improbable from that of the Psalmist Ps 129.3 The ploughers ploughed upon my back and made long Furrows which if spoken Prophetically of Christ was Literally Fulfilled in the Day of his Scourging But why was the precious and tender Body of our Holy Lord thus Galled Rent and Torn with Scourging Doubtless to Fulfil that Prophecy Isa 50.6 I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the Hair That by his Stripes we might be healed and from his Example Learn not to think it strange if we find our selves Scourged with Tongue with Hand or with both when we see our dear Redeemer bleeding by Stripes and Scourges before our Eyes 16 And the Soldiers led him away into the Hall called Pretorium and they call together the whole Band. 17 And they cloathed him with purple and platted a Crown of Thorns and put it about his Head 18 And began to Salute him Hail King of the Jews 19 And they smote him on the Head with a Reed and did
me St. Luke If thou wilt worship before me from whence we may gather that if to worship before the Devil be to worship the Devil then to worship before an Image is to worship the Image Obs 2. the Bait which Satan makes use of to allure our Saviour to the sin of Idolatry representing to his eye and view all the glories of the World in a most inviting manner and that in a moment of time that so he might affect him the more and prevail the sooner Learn thence That the Pomp and Grandeur of the World is made use of by Satan as a dangerous Snare to draw Men into a compliance with him in his Temptations unto sin He shewed him all the Kingdoms of the world and the Glory of them Observe 3. What an impudent Lyar and proud Boaster the Devil is he was a Lyar from the beginning All this will I give thee for it was delivered unto me an impudent untruth for the Dominion over the things of the World was never given to the Angels neither has the Devil any power over the Creatures but by permission from God The Devil is a most impudent Lyar he told the first Lye and by long Practice is become a perfect Master in the Art of Lying Observe also the Devil 's Boasting as well as Lying All this will I give thee when he had not one foot of Ground to dispose of Great Boasters are for the most part great Lyars and such Boasters and Lyars are like the Devil Observe 4. How our Saviour declares the true and only Object of Religious Worship namely God himself thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Religious Worship is to be given to none of the Creatures neither to Angels nor Men how excellent soever but to God alone We read but of two Creatures that ever desired in Scripture to be Worshipped with Divine Worship namely the Devil and Antichrist but the command is peremptory Thou shalt worship the Lord and him only 9 And he brought him to Jerusalem and set him upon a pinacle of the temple and said unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down from hence 10 For it is written He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee 11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone 12 And Jesus answering said unto him it is said thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 13 And when the Devil had ended all the temptation he departed from him for a Season Observe here 1. The power which Satan by God's permission had over the Body of our Blessed Saviour He took him up and he carried his Body through the Air from the Wilderness to Jerusalem and there sets him upon one of the Pinacles of the Temple Learn hence 1. That Satan by God's permission may have a power over the Bodies of Men yea over the Bodies of the best of Men. 2. That this exercise of Satans power over the Bodies of Men is no Argument that such Persons do not belong to God Our Saviour himself who was dear to God is yet left for a time in Satans hands But tho' Satan had a power to set him upon the Pinacle of the Temple yet he had no power to cast him down tho' Satan's Malice be infinite his power is limited and bounded he cannot do all the mischief he would and he shall not do all he can Obs 2. The Sin which Satan tempts Christ to the sin of Self-murther Cast thy self down Learn that Self-murther is a sin which Christ himself was and the Best of his Children may be sollicited and tempted to yet tho' Satan sollicited Christ to the sin he could not compel him to comply with the Temptation Thence Note That how much earnestness and importunity soever Satan uses in pressing his Temptation he can only perswade he cannot compel he may entice but cannot enforce Observe 3. The Argument which Satan uses to perswade Christ to the sin of Self-murther it is a Scripture-Argument he quotes a Promise He shall give his Angels charge over thee What a wonder is here to see the Devil with a Bible under his Arm and with a Text of Scripture in his Mouth Christ had alledged Scripture before to Satan here Satan Retorts Scripture back again to Christ It is written says Christ it is written says Satan Learn That Satan knows how to abuse the most excellent and comfortable Scriptures to the most horrid and prodigious Ends and Purposes He that had Prophanely toucht the Sacred Body of Christ with his hand sticks not presumptuously to handle the Holy Scriptures with his Tongue Obs 4. The Text of Scripture which Satan makes use of Psal 91.11 12. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee where the Doctrine is good but the Application bad The Doctrine is true that God is pleased to imploy his Angels for the good of his Servants and particularly for their preservation in times of Danger But see how falsely the Devil perverts misapplies and wrests that Sacred Scripture When God promises that his Angels shall keep us it is in all his ways not in our own crooked paths Learn That altho' the Children of God have the promise of the Guardianship of his Holy Angels yet then only may they expect their Protection when walking in the way of their Duty He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways Observe Lastly The issue of this Combat Satan is vanquished and departs from our Saviour St. Matthew says the Devil left him and Angels came and ministred unto him Satan is Conquered and quâ—â—s the Field Teaching us That nothing like a vigorous resistance of Temptations causes the Tempter to flee from us Satan is both a Cowardly Enemy and a Conquered Enemy resist him and he will run 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee and there went out a fame of him through all the Region round about 15 And he taught in their Synagogues being glorified of all 16 And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day and stood up for to read 17 And there was delivered unto him the Book of the Prophet Esaias and when he had opened the Book he found the place where it was written 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and Recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the Book and gave it again to the Minister and sate down and the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastned upon him 21 And he began to say unto them This day
Flesh the Mighty the Noble the great and Honourable these despised our Saviour's Person slighted his Ministry yea sought to take away his Life Thus from the first Plantation of the Gospel to this day the pooâ—â—r and meaner sort of People have entertained the glad Tidings of Salvation it is a sad but a certain Truth that Heaven is a place where few comparatively but very few of the great Men of the World are like to come Their Temptations are many their Corruptions strong and their great Estates thro' their own abuse become fewel to to their Lusts Lord how rare is it to find those that are Eminently Great Exemplary Good Observe 3. The Nature of our Saviour's Miracles Moses's Miracles were as great Judgments as Wonders but Christ's Miracles were as great Mercies as Wonders they were salubrious and healing there went Vertue out of him and he healed them all Christ's Miracles were like the Author of them full of Goodness yet would not the obstinate pharisees be convinced either by the Goodness that was in them or by that omnipotent power which wrought them All our Saviour's Miracles were wonderful but Wonders of Love and Mercy 20 And he lifted up his eyes on his Disciples and said Blessed be ye poor for yours is the kingdom of God As our Saviour's Condition in this World was very poor so was his Disciples condition also therefore to relieve them against their poverty and low estate in the World he thus bespeaks them Blessed be ye poor you that believe in me and follow me are in a happier condition then those that are rich and received their consolation for yours is the kingdom of Heaven Christ was the poor man's preacher and the poor man's comforter yet a bare outward Poverty or an avowed voluntary Poverty will entitle none to the Blessing 'T is not a Poverty of Possession but a poverty of Spirit that makes us members of the Kingdom of Grace and heirs of the Kingdom of Glory 21 Blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled Hunger and Thirst are not Blessings in themselves nor yet are they curses in themselves sanctified hunger is a far greater Blessing then surfeiting Fulness St. Matthew therefore adds Ch. 5. v. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness Learn thence 1. That such as spiritually hunger and thirst after Christ and his Righteousness are certainly in an Happy and Blessed Condition 2. That the Happiness of those who do hunger and thirst after Righteousness consists in being filled 21 Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh As if Christ had said you my Disciples that are now in a sad mournful and afflicted State are Blessed for there will come a time when ye shall be Comforted a time when God shall wipe away all Tears from your Eyes yet must we not think that we have nothing to do but to mourn there is a time to Rejoyce as well as to Mourn nor that bare Mourning and Weeping is in it self and for its own sake acceptable unto God But when we mourn rationally for our own Sins and the sins of others God will comfort us in this World by his Word and Spirit and in the World to come with the sight of himself 22 Blessed are ye when Men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their Company and shall Reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of man's sake 23 Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in Heaven for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets Observe here 1. The Sufferers described the Disciples and their Sufferings foretold ye shall be hated separated and reproached Hatred of Christ's Disciples is the bitter Root from which Persecution grows where there is Hatred in the Heart no wonder that Reviling is in the Lips Those that are Hated are sure to be reproached Excommunicated from the Church of Christ having their names cast out or blotted out of the Rolls of the Church Obs 2. For what cause they suffer all this For the Son of man's sake for their respect to Christ and his Holy Religion for their regard to his Worship and holy Institutions Learn hence That such Disciples as will cordially embrace and stedfastly hold fast the Faith delivered by our Saviour must expect and prepare for hatred and persecution to be separated from civil Society excommunicated from Church-fellowship and all this by them who shall call themselves the Guides and Governours of an Infallible Church 24 But wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your Consolation 25 Wo unto you that are full for ye shall hunger wo unto you that laugh now for you shall mourn and weep 26 Wo unto you when all Men shall speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets Observe here 1. that tho' St. Luke omits divers of the Beatitudes mentioned by St. Matthew ch 5. yet he reciteth the Woes which St. Matthew omitteth If we will understand our Saviour's Doctrine fully we must consult all the Evangelists thoroughly Observe 2. These Woes are not to be understood absolutely but restrainedly the Wo does not belong to Men because they are Rich because they are full because they do laugh but because they place their happiness in these things take up with them for their portion rejoyce in them as their chief Good Valluing themselves by what they have in hand not by what they have in hope He that is Rich and Righteous he that is Great and Gracious he that has his hands full of this World and his heart empty of pride and vain Confidences he that laughs when God smiles he that expresses himself joyfully when God expresses himself Graciously such a man is rich in Grace who is thus gracious in the midst of Riches for to be Rich and Holy argues much Riches of Holiness 26 Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets Our Saviour's design in these Words is not to condemn any of his Disciples or Ministers who have by doing their Duty gain'd a fair Reputation amongst the men of the World but to let us understand how rarely and seldom it is attained for usually the best men are worst spoken of neither the Prophets of the Old Testament nor John Baptist the Prophet of the New Testament nor Christ himself nor his Apostles did ever gain either the good Will or the good Word of the Men of that Generation in which they Lived The Applause of the Multitude that contingent Judge of Good and Evil rather attends the vain then the vertuous None have ever been so much reproached by man as the Faithful Ministers of God who have learnt to take pleasure in Reproaches For tho' Grace does not bid us invite Reproaches yet it teaches us to bid them welcome The World has all along taken effectual care by their cruel
Entertainment of Christ was good but Marys Attendance upon Christ's Ministry was better and more pleasing unto Christ Christ was better pleased to see Mary in the Chapel than Martha in the Kitchin tho' he doth not condemn the one yet he extols the other Mary hath chosen the good part Learn hence That Religion and the Service of God must be the matter our Election and Choice we must choose the good part and it being once chosen by us it shall never be taken away from us One thing is needful and Mary hath chosen the good part which shall never be taken away from her CHAP. XI 1 AND it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples The Learned Mr. Mede upon this place apprehends that it was the custom of the Jewish Doctors to deliver some certain Form of Prayer to their Disciples to use at least that John Baptist had done so to his Disciples Thereupon our Saviour's Disciples besought him that he also would give them in like manner some Form of his own composing that they might pray with their Masters Spirit as John's Disciples did with his Accordingly our Saviour gives them here a Form of his own and commands them when they pray to use it Indeed he had given them this Prayer about a year and half before in his Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 6.9 After this manner pray ye where it is probable that the Disciples look'd upon it only as a pattern of Prayer and not as a Form for had they thought that Christ had given them a Form of Prayer before they had not asked him for one now Therefore says Christ When ye pray say Certainly this gives us to understand that our Saviour intended and commended it for a set Form of Prayer unto his Church Learn hence That the Lords Prayer is both a Pattern and Platform according to which all our Prayers ought to be framed and also an exact Form of Prayer which ought to be used by us in our Addresses to the Throne of Grace After this manner pray ye says St. Matthew When ye pray say says St. Luke 2 And he said unto them When ye pray say Observe here the favour which Christ does us in prescribing a Form of Prayer to us a great Favour no doubt tho' the World grows weary of it we know not Alas what to ask but he himself teaches us and frames our Supplication for us that it may be accepted Should a King's Son draw a Petition for a poor Subject to be put up to his Father what a ground of hope would there be that whatever is desired would be obtained if any of us then think meanly of our Lord's Prayer oh how meanly may he think of us and of our Prayers 2 Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done As in Heaven So in Earth 3 Give us day by day our daily Bread 4 And forgive us our sins For we also forgive every one that is indebted to us And lead us not into Temptation But deliver us from Evil. The Sense and Signification of this Best of Prayers is this O thou our Father in Jesus Christ who remainest in thy Throne in Heaven and art there perpetually praised and perfectly obey'd by Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints Grant that thy Name may be Glorified thy Throne Acknowledged and thy Holy Will Obey'd here on Earth below by us thy Sons and Servants as readily as cheerfully and sincerely and in some degree of Proportion to what is done in Heaven above And because by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we cannot subsist without the Comforts and Supports of Life we crave our daily Bread at thy Bountiful hand even such a proportion of the good things of this Life as thy Wisdom shall see convenient for us And knowing that thy Holiness and Justice doth oblige thee to punish Sin and Sinners we plead with thee for the sake of thy Son's Satisfaction to forgive us our daily Trespasses for it is our desire and endeavour heartily to forgive those that have offended us And seeing this wicked World wherein we live is so full of Snares and Temptations of all sorts we pray that by the Power of thy Grace and the Concurrence of our own careful endeavours we may be kept from Satans Temptations from the World's Allurements and from our own Evil Inclinations and be preserved unblamable to thine Everlasting Kingdom and in Testimony of our Desires and Assurance to be heard we say Amen so be it so let it be even so oh Lord let it be for ever Learn 1. That God is the Father of all his People as a Father he knows all his children he loves them and takes care of them As his Children it is our Duty to Honour him to Obey him to imitate him to cast our care upon him and to long for the Enjoyment of him 2. From the Word Our Learn That it is our Duty to pray for others as well as for our selves we cannot pray acceptably for our selves if we pray only for our selves 3. That the Hallowing Honouring and Sanctifying of God's Name as it is the first thing we are to pray for so it ought to be preferred before all other things whatsoever we pray for it before we pray for our own Salvation we say Hallowed be thy Name before we say Forgive us our Debts 4. Learn That Sins are Debts and Sinners indebted to Divine Justice Sin it is an infinite Debt a multiplied Debt an inexcusable Debt and if not discharged by our Surety we must ly in Prison to all Eternity for Non-payment of this Debt 5. That God has made our Forgiveness of others the Condition of his Forgiving us The word As is not a Note of Equality but of Similitude we cannot equal God in Forgiving but we must imitate him 6. No sooner is Sin pardoned but Satan will be busy with his Temptation forgive us our sins and lead us not into Temptation 7. That it is a greater Mercy to be Delivered from the Evil of Temptation then from Temptations to Evil. The Evil of Temptations is the Evil of Sin but Temptations to Evil is at most but the Evil of Punishment Lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil Suffer us not to be led into Temptation or if so leave us not when we are Tempted 5 And he said unto them which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at mid-night and say unto him friend lend me three loaves 6 For a friend of mine in his Journey is come unto me and I have nothing to set before him 7 And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee 8 I say unto you tho' he will not rise and