stone or Mineral can cure thee of thy sins not all the Balm in Gilead not any power or skill of Man or Angel can cure thy diseased Conscience of one sin Only this Divine vertue that is in Christ can do it and therefore seek to him alone to be cured and not to other vain helps and remedie When thou feelest thy sins lye upon thy conscience seek not as many do to be cured by merry company or by following vain sports or recreations nor by going to the bodily Physitian to purge Melancholy as if this alone would cure thee all these are in this case Physitians of no value as Job said of his friends therefore trust not to them but go directly to Jesus Christ to be healed by that Divine Vertue which is in him So much of the Cause moving our Saviour to make enquiry after the Woman that had touched him Now followeth the manner and matter of his Enquiry Touching the Manner it is said He turned about in the preasse Now this he did no doubt chiefly to this end that he might see the woman behind him and by looking upon her might the more affect her and move her to come forth in open sight of the people and to make known the Miracle which was wrought in her Of this we shall speak upon Verse 32. where it is said He looked round about to see her that had touched him Touching the Matter of his Enquiry it is said He asked who had touched his Clothes He speaks not of the outward touching alone but as it was joyned with inward touching by faith Quest 1 Quest 1. Did he not know who it was that touched him Answ Answ Yeâ— he knew it well for at the very time of her touching him he shewed forth his Divine vertue and power in curing her Disease But he enquireth after her for other reasons 1. That by asking after her he might move her to come forth and shew openly what was done in her that so the Miracle might be made known for the glory of God and edifying of the people as also for the confirming of the faith of Jairus the Ruler of the Synagogue who was now going with Christ to visit his Daughter as we have before heard 2. That by this means he might give her occasion to testifie her thankfulness for the benefit of health which she had now received from Christ 3. That she coming forth to testifie her thankfulness by declaring the Miracle our Saviour might take occasion to commend her faith as he did afterward and to confirm and strengthen it by encouraging and comforting her 4. That by this his publike Enquiry he might stir up the people about him to take special notice of the woman and of the Miracle wrought upon her when she should make it known before them Quest 2 Quest 2. Why did not our Saviour himself publish the Miracle Answ Answ 1. To avoid all shew of vain-glory 2. He would have the woman her self report it that by this means the people might be moved to give the more credit to the Miracle hearing the party her self which was cured to report it out of her own experience Quest 3 Quest 3. Sometimes our Saviour forbade his Miracles to be published Why then was he so carefull to have this made known Answ Answ He did not at any time simply forbid his Miracles to be made known But 1. Not rashly and unadvisedly 2. Not unseasonably when it might do hurt by hindring his Ministery and Preaching 3. Not to such persons as were more likely to cavil at them than to profit by them as the Scribes and Pharisees But our Saviour saw it needful for this Miracle to be made known at this time for the Reasons above-mentioned Observ 1 Observ 1. Here then we learn That Christ's Miracles were wrought by him not to the end they should be buried in silence and kept secret but that they might be manifested and made known therefore himself was careful to have this Miracle made known So at other times as Verse 19. of this Chapter he bade him that was dispossessed of the Legion of Devils to go and tell his friends of it And for this cause the Miracles of Christ were not wrought in secret corners but in open and publike places and great Assemblies for the most part that so they might be known and taken notice of That which he speaketh of his Doctrine Joh. 18. 20. is true of his Miracles As he did not preach in secret so neither did he work Miracles in secret or in close corners but in such places where they might be known and taken notice of And to this purpose asso it is that the Evangelists were appointed to publish the Miracles of Christ in writing so leaving them upon record to the end of the world Reasons why it was necessary and fit for Christ's Miracles to be manifested 1. To prove him to be the Son of God and the true Messiah and so to confirm the faith of the Church in the Doctrine of Christ's Person and Office Joh. 20. ult These Miracles are written that ye might believe Jesus to be the Christ the Sonne of God c. So Joh. 1. 25. The works which I do in my Father's Name bear witness of me 2. To confirm and seal the truth and certainty of the Doctrine of the Gospel preached by him for this was one special end of the Miracles wrought by Christ and the Apostles Hebr. 2. 4. The Gospel began at first to be preached by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those that heard him God bearing them witness with signs and wonders and divers Miracles c. Therefore also this effect followed upon the Miracles of Christ that by them the people were confirmed in the faith of his Divine Doctrine as Mark 1. 27. What new doctrine is this say they For with authority he commandeth the foul spirits c. Vse 1 Use 1. See then how needful it is for us to be well acquainted with the Miracles of Christ and therefore diligently to read the History of them recorded by the four Evangelists that by reading and meditation of them we may have our faith strengthened in the doctrine of the Gospel in general and more especially in the doctrine of Christ's Person and Office Besides many other profitable Instructions which we may learn from the Miracles of Christ Use 2 Vse 2. See also how profitable and necessary it is for Ministers to take occasion in their publike Ministery to unfold and apply to the people the History of the Evangelists in which Christ's Miracles are recorded and set down c. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that he asketh Who had touched him thereby he implyeth That he knew that the woman had touched him after a special manner both outwardly with her hand and inwardly by faith though she did this secretly whence we may gather another evidence of Christ's Divine Nature in that he knew and took notice of things
under Satan in which thou art by nature inthralled Vse 3 Use 3. Pray unto God to restrain the Devil's power and malice and not to suffer him to tyrannize over our souls or bodies as he desireth Intreat we the Lord to rebuke him and not to suffer him to have his will of us or to exercise his tyrannical power over us Vse 4 Vse 4. Such as are free from the tyranny of Satan to be truly thankful unto God for this unspeakable mercy c. Mark 5. 6. c. But when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worshipped him c. Sept. 24. 1620. VVE have spoken of the Circumstances of this Miracle Now we are to speak of certain Antecedents which went immediately before the working of it which are two in number 1. The behaviour of the Devils in the party possessed toward our Saviour Christ Verse 6 7 8. 2. A Conference between our Saviour Christ and them Verse 9 c. unto the 13th Touching the first namely the behaviour of the Devils in the party possessed it stands in two things 1. In the outward action and gesture which they used When they saw him afar off they ran and worshipped him Verse 6. 2. In the words or speech which they used unto Christ Where we may consider both the manner of their speaking crying out with a loud voice and the matter of their speech consisting of 3. parts 1. An Expostulating with our Saviour about the cause of his molesting them What have we to do with thee 2. A Confession of Christ to be the Son of God 3. A Request made unto him That he would swear unto them by God not to torment them And this request is amplified by setting down the cause or reason of it Verse 8. Because he said unto him Come out of the man thou unclean spirit When he saw him he ran and worshipped him That is the Devils in the party possessed so soon as they perceived Christ coming toward them made haste to adore Him Luke 8. 28. He fell down before him Quest Quest. What moved the Devills thus hastily to come and adore Christ Answ Answ It is likely they did this partly by compulsion being forced thereunto by the Divine power of Christ which they now began to feel even before they came nigh him And partly of their own accord hoping by this submission and outward obeysance to obtain some favour at the hands of Christ that they might not be cast out as appeareth by their words used to him Observ 1 Observ 1. See here that Christ Jesus the Lord hath absolute power and authority over the wicked Angels and is able to force them to do homage and to submit themselves to him as his slaves and vassals If he had this power over them when he lived on earth in state of abasement how much more now he sits at Gods right hand in heavenly glory See this Point before Cap. 1. Vers 25. Use 1 Use 1. This sheweth us the dignity and excellency of Christ's person and must teach us highly to reverence him and to yield all due homage and subjection to him If the Devills fall down and worship before Christ how much more ought we to serve him with reverence and fear Even Kings and Rulers are to do this Psal 2. Kiss the son c. Use 2 Use 2. It is matter of great comfort to the true Church and all faithful Members of it against all the power and malice of Satan c. Observ 2 Observ 2. Further we learn here That though the Devils do yield sometimes a kind of service and worship unto Christ yet they do not this in sincerity but in hypocritical manner either being forced and compelled thereunto by the power of Christ or else for some sinister ends and respects not ayming in their service at the glory of Christ but at the accomplishment of their own devilish purposes that under colour of doing some homage and reverence to Christ's Person they may do the more hurt and mischief Thus we see this Legion of Devills in the party possessed fall down before Christ and make shew of worshipping him but they do all in Hypocrisy partly compelled to it by Christ's power and partly hoping by this means to obtain their wicked desire and purpose of Christ that he would not cast them out of the party possessed but that they might still hold possession in him And such Hypocriticall counterfeit Service as this is all that homage and worship which the Devils do at any time perform unto Christ Use 1 Use 1. See then a great difference between the service and obedience which the Devills yield to Christ and that which the good Angells and Saints both in Heaven and on Earth do perform to him The one is counterfeit feyned and Hypocriticall the other is true and sincere The wicked Angells serve and worship Christ either by compulsion being forced to it and haled to it by violence against their wills as Bears to the stake for if they might have their choice they would do him no such homage at all as sometimes they are constrained to do or else if they do at any time make shew of serving or adoring the person of Christ willingly yet it is alwayes for some sinister and wicked end and purpose which they therein aim at and not out of any desire of honouring Christ But on the other side the good Angells and Saints of God in Heaven and Earth do serve and worship Christ in sincerity with free and voluntary spirits and aiming in their Service at the Honour and Glory of Christ Use 2 Vse 2. To teach us that it is not enough for us to adore and serve Christ Jesus our Lord for so the Devills do but we must look to the manner of our service that it be not Hypocriticall and counterfeit that it be not a forced Service and that it be not for sinister ends and respects as for Custome or Fashion or to gain credit thereby because we would be accompted Religious c. for such kind of worship as this even the very Devills of Hell may and do yield unto Christ But we must see that the service we yield to Christ be unfeined and such as he requires in his Word both for matter and manner We must look it be a free and voluntary worship Psal 110. 3. Christ's people are a voluntary people as is there Prophesied We are taught to Pray in the Lords Prayer That we may do the will of God as it is done in Heaven by the Saints and Angells that is freely and chearfully not by compulsion as the Devills and wicked men do it So again in all the Service we perform to Christ we must also see that our chief aim be at his Honour and Glory not at sinister ends or respects as it is with the Devills in their Service It must not be so with us for then our service is no better then theirs So much of the
Sicknesse neglecting the means of Physick and yet perswading themselves that God will give them health c. This is a tempting of God to pretend that we rely upon his Providence and yet to use no means whereby to serve his providence for preservation and safety of our Bodies It is also a breach of the sixth Commandement and a degree of murther to neglect the means of preserving our bodies and bodily lives our chief care indeed should be for the Salvation of our Souls yet may we not be careless of the good and safety of our bodies Excessive care of the body is forbidden in the Word of God but not all care thereof So understand that Matth. 6. 25. Mark 3. 10 11 12. For He had healed many c. Octob. 10. 1619. IN the former Verses the Evangelist shewed that a very great multitude of People flocked unto our Saviour Christ being by the Sea of Galilee together with the cause moving them to flock unto him as also a remedy used by him to prevent their thronging of him namely the hearing of the great things which he had done Now in these three next Verses he sheweth more at large the cause both of their great concourse and also of his using that remedy to prevent their thronging of him the Cause was for that he had there wrought many Miracles by reason whereof the People pressed upon him c. Now these Miracles are of two sorts 1. The miraculous curing of many that were Diseased Ver. 10. 2. The powerfull mastering or subduing of the Devils in those that were possessed Ver. 11 12. Touching the former the Evangelist setteth down 1. The miraculous Cures in these words For he had healed many 2. A consequent which followed thereupon The People pressed upon him to touch him as many as had Plagues He had healed many The Evangelist meaneth that he had miraculously cured them without ordinary means onely by his Divine Power for so he used to cure the Diseased either onely by touching them or by speaking the word barely commanding them to be whole as we have heard before Observ Observ Here we see that our Saviour Christ is not onely a Spirituall but also a Bodily Physitian He came into the World not onely to cure the Spirituall Diseases of Mens Souls that is their Sins but also to heal the Sicknesses and Diseases of their Bodies by his Almighty Power Therefore being upon Earth he did not onely forgive Sins and suffer for Man's Redemption but also cure many of their bodily Diseases miraculously a◠we have heard in the former Chapters That which is spoken of God Psal 103. 3. may be applyed to Christ He forgiveth all our Iniquities and healeth all our Diseases both Bodily and Spirituall And it was necessary that our Saviour Christ should miraculously cure the Bodily Diseases of Men whilst he lived on Earth thereby to shew and prove that he was that Person who was appointed and sent of God to take away Men's Sins which are their Spirituall Sicknesses as is shewed Matth. 8. 17. out of the Prophet Esay Vse 1 Vse 1. See then that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour Able perfectly to save such as come to God by Him as the Apostle speaketh Hebr. 7. 27. He is able to save us both in Soul and Body and to cure the Diseases of both most perfectly and as he is able so he is willing and ready to cure the Faithfull not onely in Soul of their Sins by the merit of his Blood and efficacy of his Spirit but also to cure their Bodily Diseases so far as is good for them And though he be not now on Earth to cure Bodily Diseases miraculously neither must we look for this yet his Power is still as great as ever it was over all Bodily Diseases to cure them without means or with means yea his Power is now rather greater then it was on Earth Use 2 Use 2. Therefore seek to Christ not onely for Spirituall Health though chiefly for that but even for Bodily He is the best Physitian for Soul and Body Though he be not now on Earth and so thou canst not go to him with the feet of thy Body nor speak to him nor touch his Body or Garments as these diseased Persons here mentioned yet go up to Heaven to Him with the feet of thy Heart and Affections and speak to him by thy prayers and touch him and lay hold on his Power and Mercy by Faith do this in all Bodily Sicknesses and Griefs Thou must not neglect other outward helps and means of Physick and the like but above all forget not to seek to Christ Jesus the best Physitian for Soul and Body to blesse the means to thee It followeth Insomuch that they pressed upon Him c. This shews what was one end for which so great a multitude came to Christ at this time even to have their bodily Diseases cured miraculously And it is likely to have been the fault of many that they sought to Him more for the cure of their Bodies than to have their Souls benefited by his Preaching yet no doubt but some also came for this end To touch Him By this it seems they had heard of some that had been before cured by Touching our Saviour Christ's Body or Garments And it is likely that hereupon they had some superstitious conceipt as if the bare touching of him had vertue to heal them whereas all the vertue came from his Person as he was God or from his Godhead and not from his Body or Garments See Mark 5. 30. But yet withall this pressing to touch him doth shew their Faith at least the Faith of some of them that they were perswaded of Christ's Power and Mercy that he was able and willing to cure them if they came unto him So many as had Plagues Or Scourges as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth So he calleth those Disenses of the Body with which they were afflicted to shew the grievousnesse of them and the nature of them that they were sent of God upon them as Scourges and Punishments for sin So much of the Words Observ 1 Observ 1. By example of these pressing upon Christ to be healed of their Bodily Diseases we learn What to do in all Miseries and Afflictions even to seek unto Christ Jesus for help and relief yea to be forward and earnest in seeking to Him pressing unto Him as this People did Thus we should do both in outward and inward afflictions both of Body and Mind 1. In outward and bodily Afflictions as Sickness Pain Poverty Want c. The bestway to find help and ease and relief is to go unto Christ by prayer yea to make haste and to presse unto Him by the earnest prayer of Faith intreating Him to give us strength patience and deliverance in the due time appointed Herein we are to imitate the Diseased People in our Saviour Christ's time who pressed unto Christ to be
In hearing it with due reverence and attention of body and mind 2. In hearing it with understanding so as to conceive those things aright that are taught The want of this is the cause that many who hear are not converted by hearing See Matth. 15. 10. and Matth. 13. 19. 3. In applying the Word by faith not onely believing in general the Precepts Promises Threatnings c. but making particular application of them to our selves Heb. 4. 2. The Word did not profit them because not mingled with faith in them that heard it 4. In framing heart and life to the obedience of the Word This is the right hearing so to hear that we do obey the Word therefore hearing is sometime put for obeying in the phrase of Scripture Jam. 1. 22. Be doers of the Word and not hearers onely c. Quest 2 Quest. 2. How is the hearing of the Word a means to work repentance Answ Answ Not of it self alone but by vertue of the Spirit of God wherewith he hath promised to accompany his own Ordinance in the preaching and hearing of his Word Esay 59. ult But the preaching and hearing of the Word is the outward instrument by which Ordinarily God doth confer his Spirit Gal. 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by hearing of faith That is by hearing the doctrine of faith which is the Gospel Act. 10. 44. Use 1 Use 1. Reproveth those that neglect the hearing of the Word preached when they might hear it letting slip the opportunities of hearing it no marvail if such remain in ignorance unbelief and other sins seeing they willingly neglect that Ordinance of God whereby they should be called and brought out of their sins and turned unto God Use 2 Use 2. Let all who have hitherto lived in their sins and would for time to come forsake them and be brought to God by true repentance let all such I say become diligent and conscionable hearers of the Word This is that Word which is able to convert the soul yea to save it This is that Word which being rightly preached and heard is able to change the heart and to make sinful men become new creatures Hear it therefore upon all occasions and be swift to hear it But especially look thou hear in right manner with Attention Understanding Faith c. Thus if thou hear the Word thou shalt find it powerful to change thy heart and to turn thee from thy sins to God If any means will do it this is most likely sanctified of God to that end c. Doctr. 2 Doctr. 2. In that this is mentioned here as a just Judgment of God upon the wicked that they should not have grace to turn from their sins unto God we may learn That it is a grievous Judgment and punishment of God upon any to be left of God in their sins and in such hardness of heart that they cannot repent and turn from them Esay 6. 10. Make the heart of this people fat c. lest they understand with their heart and be converted c. Examples of this we have in Cain and Judas and other wicked Reprobates Especially in Pharaoh to whom this plague of a hard-heart unto which God gave him up was worse and more fearful than all the other Plagues sent upon him Reas 1 Reason 1. This is a spiritual Judgment upon the Soul and Conscience which is far worse than all outward temporal punishment upon the body goods c. Reas 2 Reason 2. A hard and impenitent heart makes way for all the other Plagues and Judgments of God both in this life and after this life for so long as men continue hardened in their sins and turn not from them they cannot be pardoned and so long as their sins are not pardoned they are under the wrath of God and subject to all curses temporal and eternal Rom. 2. 5. After thy hardness and heart that cannot repent treasurest up wrath unto thy self c. Reas 3 Reason 3. It is usually the punishment of heynous sins as Rom. 1. 28. Use 1 Vse 1. See the blockish security of those who lying under this heavy Judgment of an impenitent hard heart do not feel or once complain of it but go on pleasing themselves in their wicked course But as in bodily Diseases those that are dangerous and yet are not felt to be so are in that respect the more dangerous as in a frenzy or dead Palsie c. So this spiritual disease of a hard heart the less it is felt the more fearful and incurable it is Use 2 Use 2. Pray unto God above all temporal Plagues and Judgments to keep from us an impenitent heart not to leave us to our own hearts to harden our selves in our sins as he suffered Pharaoh and as he suffereth many wicked ones If there be cause to pray to God to keep us from the danger of fire and water and from bodily Diseases Famine Sword of the Enemy c. much more cause to pray against hardness of heart the cause and forerunner of all Judgments This is that sin that keeps all other sins from being pardoned Take heed of it therefore and use all means against it of which see before Chap. 3. Verse 5. It is not sin simply but impenitency in sin that condemns the wicked c. Use 3 Use 3. Such whom God hath brought to repentance should be thankful c. Doctr. 3 Doctr. 3. Further from the word Turn we may observe the nature of true Repentance and wherein it consisteth chiefly viz. in a turning from sin and forsaking it and turning unto God by a new course of life But of this see before upon Chap. 1. Verse 15. And their sins should be for given That is the guilt and punishment of them remitted of God and not imputed Psal 32. 1. Observ Observ In that the forgiveness of their sins is mentioned as a consequent of their repentance and turning from sin we gather That forgiveness of sins belongeth onely to such as truly repent and turn from their sins therefore these two Repentance and Remission of sins are often in Scripture joyned together and usually repentance is set in the first place to shew that it must go before else forgiveness cannot follow See before Chap. 1. Verse 4. where this Point was handled Verse 13. And he said unto them Know ye not c. Our Saviour having in the two former Verses instructed and taught his Disciples both the reason why he thought fit to interpret the Parable unto them as also why he spake in Parables to those without Now before he lay down his Exposition of the Parable he reproveth his Disciples for their ignorance in that they understood not his Parables and this he doth the more to stirr them up to an earnest desire to have them opened and to make them the more attentive to his Exposition of them Know ye not That is Understand ye not This Parable Viz.
although God never take away the gifts themselves wholly or finally from such to whom they are once given yet he may for a time take away the comfortable feeling and lively working of those Graces from such as are too careless in employing them well Use 1 Use 1. Beware then of hiding any good gifts bestowed on us of God Bury not thy talent in the earth with the unprofitable servant lest it be taken from thee as it was from him live not idly and unprofitably with thy gifts lest God punish thy unthankfulness by depriving thee of those gifts as he may justly do Vse 2 Vse 2. If it be just with God to take his gifts from such as do not use them well then how much more just is it with him to deprive such of them who abuse them to his dishonour God will be honoured with his own gifts therefore dishonour him not with thme lest he severely punish this sin in thee Mark 4. 26 27 28 29. And he said So is the Kingdom of God as if a man c. July 2. 1620. THis is the third Parable uttered by our Saviour and mentioned by the Evangelist in this Chapter The main Scope of which seemeth to be this To set forth unto us the vertue power and efficacy of the Word preached and to shew how God doth by means of it work grace in the hearts of his Elect. This is shewed here by a similitude taken from seed sowen in the ground by a husbandman which doth by the blessing of God fructifie in the earth and grow up after a secret manner unknown to the husbandman although he take no further care or thought for the growth of it after it is sowen Even so our Saviour meaneth that the Word being soundly and faithfully preached by the blessing of God upon it and by vertue of his Spirit accompanying the same doth fructifie and bring forth the fruit of saving grace in the hearts of Gods Elect and that after a secret manner unknown to man and to the Ministers themselves who preach the Word More particularly in this Parable we have four things laid down 1. The outward means by which the work of saving grace is usually wrought in Gods Elect namely the preaching of the Word resembled here by the Husbandman's casting of seed into the ground Verse 26. So is the Kingdome of God as if a man c. 2. From whence it is that the Word preached hath such vertue and efficacy to work Grace in the Elect not from the Ministers themselves which preach it but from God himself blessing his own Ordinance and accompanying it with the powerful work of his Spirit This is implyed Verse 27. where it is said that though the Husbandman sleep and rise up night and day that is do passe dayes and nights securely not taking care or thought how to make the seed fructifie yet it doth spring and grow of it self by the blessing of God upon it so that it is not the care of the Husband-man nor any means that he useth or can use after that he hath sowen the seed that can make it to fructifie but the cause hereof is the blessing and providence of God making the seed to spring and grow in the earth And this is further implyed Verse 28. when it is said that the earth bringeth forth fruit of her self that is not simply and absolutely of her self but by that vertue which God giveth unto it to make it fruitful and not by any vertue which it hath from the Husbandman that soweth seed in it Now by all this our Saviour's purpose is to shew That the efficacy of the Word preached in working Grace in the hearers is not from the Ministers that preach it but only from God himself giving a blessing to his own Ordinance The third Point to be considered is the manner how God worketh grace in his Elect by the Word preached This is set forth here in two things 1. That he doth work it after a hidden and secret manner unknown to man which is implyed Vers 27. when it is said The seed sowen by the Husbandman springeth and groweth up he knowes not how by which our Saviour would shew that the vertue and efficacy of the Word preached in working grace in the hearers doth exercise it self after a manner that is secret and unknown to man and to the Ministers themselves who preach this Word 2. That God doth work grace in his Elect by degrees in tract of time and not all at once on the sudden This is implyed Vers 28. when the Earth is said to bring forth first the blade then the ear c. whereby our Saviour implyeth That the Word preached is effectual by degrees to work grace and not all at once first it causeth a small and weak measure of grace to spring in them and then afterward by degrees causeth it to grow to more ripeness and perfection The 4th principal matter to be considered in this Parable is the issue or consequent that followeth after that the Word preached hath been effectual to work grace in the Elect when his fruit of grace is come unto due ripeness in them that is unto such a degree and measure as God hath appointed they shall attain to in this life then God doth at the time of the harvest reap and gather into his barn as it were this fruit that is the persons themselves in whom this fruit of saving grace is brought forth by the Word preached I say the Lord doth reap and gather them into his barn that is partly at the hour of death and partly at the day of Judgment which are the times of the Lords harvest he doth translate and take his Elect out of this life and make them partakers of his heavenly Kingdom Verse 29. Thus we see the principal Points contained in this Parable Now to speak of them more particularly in their order First of the first thing which is the ordinary outward means of working grace viz. the Ministery or Preaching of the Word Verse 26. So is the Kingdome c. The Kingdom of God Touching the divers significations of this phrase of speech I shewed you upon the first Chapter Verse 15. In this place it is used to signifie the preaching of the Gospel yet not the preaching of it barely considered in it self but together with the efficacy and vertue of it whereby it worketh grace in those that hear it preached This preaching of the Gospel together with the vertue and efficacy of it is called the Kingdom of God because by means of it God doth raign in the hearts of his Elect. As if a man should east seed into the ground By these words our Saviour implyeth That as sowing of seed is the means to bring fruit so the preaching of the Word is the means to bring forth the spiritual fruit of grace in men Doctr. See then from hence the excellency and necessity of the publike Ministery of the Word
Though we seek to Physitians in sickness yet trust not in them as Asa did 2 Chron. 16. 11. but in the Lord who woundeth and healeth Job 5. 18. Use 3 Use 3. See how needfull to joyn Prayer to God with the use of Physick that the Lord may give a blessing to it If this were necessary when the extraordinary gift of healing was in the Church Jam. 5. 14. much more now Seek not only to Physitians as Asa but to God in the first place Mark 5. 27 28. When she had heard of Jesus she came in the press c. Nov. 26. 1620. INn this Miracle of curing the Woman which had the Bloody-Issue we considered 1. The description of the person cured 2. The Miracle it self 3. The Consequents Touching the first of these The person cured is described 1. By her present affliction being diseased with a bloudy-Issue 12 years which Disease was incurable notwithstanding she had suffered much of many Physitians and had spent all she had on them Verse 26. 2. She is described by her behaviour towards Christ set down Verse 27. She came to him behind in the press and touched his garment Touching her Disease and the continuance and incurableness of it we have spoken Now to proceed to speak of her carriage unto Christ Where consider 1. The Occasion of it She had heard of Jesus 2. The Behaviour it self Her coming to Christ behind in the press and touching his garments 3. The Cause moving her so to do For she said If I may touch but his Clothes I shall be whole When she had heard of Jesus That is of the fame of his Person and Miracles and among the rest of his miraculous curing of incurable diseases such as she now perceived hers to be therefore finding no help by all the Physitians she had sought to but being worse rather she now was out of hope to be cured by mans art or help and therefore having heard of the power of Christ manifested by his Miracles she resolves to seek to him she came in the presse For much people thronged him in the Way as he was going with Jairus as we heard before Verse 24. she came behind and touched his garment Matthew and Luke say the hemme or border of his garment Quest Quest Why did she not come directly before the face of Christ and pray him to cure her disease Answ Answ Some think the cause hereof was the weakness of her faith and that by this kind of carriage she shewed her self fearful and doubtfull whether Christ would heal her or not but if it were so it is not likely that our Saviour would so highly commend her faith as he doth afterward Verse 34. telling her That her faith had made her whole Therefore the true Reason why she came behind Christ to touch his garment and not before his face to speak to him I take to be this 1. Because her disease was such as by the Ceremonial Law was accounted unclean insomuch that such as had it upon them were for that time to be separate from the society of others lest by touching them they should be defiled therefore she came behind Christ privately and secretly lest if she had come openly the people should have reproved her and put her back from Christ as being an unclean person and not fit to come into company 2. Her Disease being unclean she was ashamed to acquaint our Saviour Christ with it openly before the people therefore she chose rather to come behind Christ and only to touch his Clothes being by faith perswaded that if she could but do this he was both able and willing to cure her For she said Matth. 9. 21. She said within her self That is she resolved and rested perswaded in her own heart by faith Quest If I may but touch his Clothes I shall be whole Quest Why did she perswade her self she should be healed by touching his garment Answ Answ Not that she thought the power and vertue of healing to be in his garments of themselves But she was perswaded that such was his Divine power that he could cure her by the touch of his garment And in this she shewed some imperfection of faith in that she thus far tyed the power of Christ to his garment that she thought he could not or would not cure her without touching it See Chap. 6. 56. This place maketh nothing for the Papists who from hence would prove That the reliques of the Saints departed as they call them as their garments bones and such like may have power and vertue to work Miracles and consequently that such reliques are to be honoured with a kind of religious worship So Bellarmine teacheth De Eccles Triumph lib. 2. c. 2 3. But this cannot be proved from hence For 1. It is clear That the garments of Christ had not any healing vertue in them or power to work a miraculous cure but this power and vertue came onely from Christ himself as is said afterward Verse 30. He knew that vertue was gone out of him not out of his clothes And if such vertue had been in his clothes it would have healed some others no doubt as well as this Woman for amongst so many people which touched and thronged Christ it is likely that there were some others which were diseased in body 2. Though there had bin such vertue in Christ's Garments to work a Miracle yet it follows not that the like is or may be in the Garments or other reliques of the Saints especially of such as are departed this life 3. The Popish reliques being all or most of them counterfeit are not likely to have any such vertue in them So much in way of clearing the sense of the words in these two Verses Now to gather some Instructions from them First of the occasion of this Womans comming to touch Christ which was the fame she had heard of him that is of his person and Miracles by which he had hitherto sufficiently manifested himself to be the Son of God and the true Messiah The hearing of this fame of him moved her to believe in him though she had never yet seen him or any Miracle of his and not onely to believe in him but to shew her Faith by comming to him thus to touch his garment that she might be healed Observ Observ In that this Woman never Believed in Christ nor shewed her Faith in him till she came to have some knowledg of him by the report which she heard Hence we learn that we must first have knowledg of Christ in some measure before we can Believe in him or shew forth any true fruits of Faith Knowledg is the ground of Faith and the beginning of it Psal 9. 10. They that know the name of God will put their trust in it Rom. 10. 14. How shall they Believe in him of whom they have not heard Therefore Act. 8. 35. first Philip preached Jesus unto the Eunuch and then the Eunuch came to
tumult made by the Mourners assembled to solemnize the Funerals of the young Maid which was dead Verse 38. 2. His reproving of that their tumult and superstitious mourning which they used together with the Reason of his Reproof because the Maid was not dead but asleep Verse 39. 3. Their derision or laughing him to scorn 4. His putting of them all out of the house and taking the Father and Mother of the Maid together with his three Disciples before mentioned and so entring into the Room where the dead Corps lay Verse 40. Now of the two former of these Accidents I have spoken The two latter follow And they laughed him to scorn This is to be understood of the Ministrels and solemn mourners which were making tumult in the house as we have before heard These being reproved by our Saviour for their superstitious mourning and hearing him withall to say of the young Damsel That she was not dead but asleep and not conceiving his meaning were so far from hearkening to his reproof or believing his words touching the dead party that they laughed him to scorn So the cause of their deriding him was their ignorance not understanding what he meant by those words The Damosell is not dead but sleepeth Luke 8. 53. They laughed him to scorn knowing that she was dead They thought he had meant that he was not truly dead but only in a natural sleep though he meant far otherwise as we have before heard and therefore they so derided him Now this their scoffing at our Saviour is mentioned by the Evangelist to shew that she was certainly dead and so to set forth the greatness of the Miracle of Christ in raising her to life again Observ Observ See here That it is the property of ignorant and profane people such as these were to deride and scoff at those good things which they understand not especially at spiritual and heavenly matters 2 Pet. 3. 3. There shall come in the last dayes scoffers saying Where is the promise of his coming The cause of this their scoffing the Apostle mentioneth Verse 5. their wilfull ignorance in the doctrine of the second coming of Christ taught in the Scriptures Act. 2. 13. some of the people when they heard the Apostles suddenly to speak divers Languages mocked and said They were full of new Wine The reason was because they were ignorant of the extraordinary and miraculous gift of Tongues which was then poured forth upon the Apostles So Act. 17. 32. The Athâ—nians scoffed at Paul's Doctrine touching the Resurrection because they were ignorant of it The Reason hereof is given by the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14. Spirituall things are foolishness to the naturall man c. Vse 1 Use 1. See how dangerous it is to live in ignorance of the Word of God and of those spiritual and heavenly matters which are taught in it This ignorance doth not only keep such from believing and imbracing the things revealed in the Word but it makes them also apt and ready to deride and scoff at such heavenly matters when they are taught and when they hear of them by others which how hainous a sin it is may appear in that it is in Scripture usually mentioned as a mark of notorious wicked men as 2 Pet. 3. Jude 18 Verse mockers who should walk after their own ungodly lusts And Psal 1. 1. sitting in the seat of the scornfull is mentioned as a high degree of sin Now ignorance in the Word of God where it raigneth especially obstinate and wilful ignorance brings many to this height of sin to be scoffers and scorners of the Word of God Take heed then of living in ignorance of the Word of God especially take heed of wilful ignorance and of despising the means of knowledg lest it bring thee at length to plain scoffing at Religion and at the Word of God On the contrary use all means to come out of thy ignorant estate and to attain to the sound knowledg of the Word Read it hear it read often in provate according to that Precept of our Saviour Joh. 5. 39. Heat it also upon all occasions in publike and pray unto God to open the eyes of thy mind that thou mayst be able to understand the Scriptures Vse 2 Use 2. Beware of scoffing at good things spoken or done by others lest thou bewray thy self either to be a blind and ignorant person in the Word of God or else one that is openly profane and wicked which is worse for one of the two or both thou must needs be if thou be a scoffer at good things in others Quest It followeth But when he had put them all out c. Quest Why did our Saviour thrust out the mourners and suffer only the Father and Mother of the Damosel with his three Disciples to be with him at the working of the Miracle Answ Answ For the same reasons for which he would not suffer any to go into the house with him but only his three Disciples whereof see before He taketh the Father and the Mother of the Damosel These he took with him because the Miracle did most nearly concern them in that it was to be wrought upon their own daughter and in their own house It was therefore fit they should be eye-witnesses both that they might be the more stirred up to thankfulness for life restored to their daughter and also might be the better able to restifie the truth of the Miracle to others afterward And them that were with him That is Peter James and John which came with him into the house as before Verse 37. Observ Observ Though the mourners scoffed at the words of our Saviour when he said The Damosel was not dead c. yet he regarded not their derision of him neither suffered them to hinder him in that which he went about but putting them all out of the house he proceedeth to the working of the Miracle To teach us That when ignorant or profane persons deride or scorn us for speaking or doing well we are not to regard their scoffs not to be discouraged or hindered by them in speaking or doing well but we are to proceed therein constantly as we have begun Act. 2. 14. Though some of the ignorant people mocked at the Apostles when they spake divers Languages yet Peter is not thereby discouraged but standeth up boldly reproving and confuting them and preacheth Christ to them So the Prophets were mocked and scoffed at by the obstinate Jews yet they were not discouraged nor ceased from preaching as we may see in the example of Isaiah Chap. 50. 6. I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair therefore have I set my face as a flint c. Jer. 20. 7. So David though scoffed at by Michael his Wife for dancing before the Ark was not thereby discouraged but professeth That he would be more vile that he might honour God 2 Sam. 6. 21. See also Psal
arise and walk thereby shewing that life was truly restored to her this shews that the Miracles of Christ were truly and really wrought not in shew and appearance only But of this we have spoken often before in handling other Miracles It followeth And they were astonished c. Now the Evangelist setteth down two special Consequents of the Miracle The first is the Effect wrought by it in the beholders They were in great measure astonished The second is a two-fold Commandment or Charge given by our Saviour Christ unto them 1. That they should not publish the Miracle 2. That meat should be given to the damsel Verse last Touching the first In that they were so greatly astonished at the sight of this Miracle this shewes the greatness and strangeness of it Some think it was the greatest that Christ had hitherto wrought and that this Damsel was the first which he raised from death but it is rather likely that the Widowes son of Naim Luke 7. 11. was the first Howsoever this Damosel was one of the first and the Miracle one of the greatest and most admirable which Christ had yet wrought Therefore no marvail if the beholders were so greatly astonished with admiration Observ Observ Hence learn That it is fit that we should be much affected with reverence and admiration of the extraordinary Works of God which we see or hear of But this hath also been spoken of before Quest Verse 43. And he charged them straightly that none should know it Quest Why did he give this charge seeing his Miracles were wrought to the end they might be known and he knew this Miracle could not be long hid Answ Answ 1. His meaning was not simply to forbid that any at all should be acquainted with it but not any such as were unfit to be told of it being not likely to make good use of it but rather to cavil at it and to grow more malitious and envious against Christ as the Scribes and Pharisees c. 2. His purpose was not to restrain them from making it known at all but he would not have it presently divulged and made common 1. Lest the People by hearing of this great Miracle should be moved too much to flock after him out of a vain curiosity and desire of novelties and so should hinder his preaching 2. Lest the People flocking after him upon the hearing of this Miracle this should incense and enrage the Scribes and Pharisees against him and so cause them to seek his death before the due time for it was come 3. Because this was one of the greatest Miracles which he had hitherto wrought which did most plainly and clearly prove and manifest his God-head shewing him to be Lord of life and death therefore he would not have it made commonly known to all at the first but by little and little afterward in tract of time For so it was ordained of God that the Divine glory of Christ should not be manifested all at once on the sudden but by certain degrees untill his Resurrection which was the time appointed for the full manifestation of it as may appear Matth. 17. 9. Observ Observ Hence then we may gather That every Truth is not fit to be uttered or published at every time but in due time and season when it may bring glory to God and when we may do good by uttering and professing it See this Point observed before Chap. 1. 43. And he commanded to give her meat To shew that she truly lived and to shew the truth and certainty of the Miracle But of this before See Joh. 12. 2. Act. 10. 41. Finis Quinti Capitis CHAP. VI. Mark 6. 1. And he departed thence and came into his own Countrey c. Febr. 11. 1620. THis Chapter containeth in it sundry speciall Histories 1. Our Saviour Christ's Preaching in his own Countrey unto Verse 7. 2. His sending forth of the Twelve Apostles to preach and work Miracles from Verse 7. to the 14. 3. The Judgment and Opinion of Herod concerning Christ when he heard of his fame by occasion whereof the Evangelist relateth also the history of the beheading of John Baptist from Verse 14 unto the 30. 4. Our Saviour's withdrawing himself with his Disciples into the Wilderness to rest themselves where nevertheless the people assembling to him he took occasion to teach them and to feed five thousand of them miraculously with five loaves and two fishes This is set down from Verse 30 unto the 45. 5. His miraculous walking upon the Sea to his Disciples and his helping them being much troubled with difficult rowing in a storm from Verse 45 unto 53. 6. Lastly his coming into the Land of Gennesareth and working sundry miraculous Cures of Diseases there from Verse 53 to the end of the Chapter Touching the first of these the Evangelist layeth down Four Things 1. Our Saviour's coming into his own Country together with the persons which accompanied him viz. his Disciples Verse 1. 2. His Preaching there in the Synagogue on the Sabbath day 3. The Effects which followed in the people upon his Preaching Which Effects are three 1. That many which heard him were astonished 2. They questioned among themselves about his Doctrine Miracles and Person Verse 2 3. Whence hath this man these things c 3. They were offended in him 4. The Evangelist mentioneth certain Events or Consequents which followed upon their taking offence at him 1. Our Saviour answereth for himself and closely reproveth them for their unthankfulness in being offended at him and contemning his Person and Doctrine shewing them the cause of this contempt which was this because he was now in his own Country and among his own kindred c. and therefore the more subject to contempt Verse 4. 2. He wrought but few Miracles there but only cured a few sick persons Verse 5. 3. He marvailed at their unbelief 4. He went and preached in the Towns near about on every side Verse 6. And he departed thence That is from that part of Galilee where he was before and where he had wrought the two former Miracles in curing the Woman of her Bloody-Issue and of raising Jairus his Daughter from death See Chap. 5. 21. And came into his own Countrey That is to the City Nazareth in Galilee which is called his own Countrey or City Luke 4. 23. 1. Because there he was conceived by his Mother the Virgin Mary as appeareth Luke 1. 26. 2. There his Parents Joseph and Mary dwelt Luke 2. 39. it is called their own City and there also his Kindred dwelt as may appear by that which is said Verse 3. of this Chapter 3. There our Saviour himself dwelt with his Parents and was trained up under them being subject to them as is said Luke 2. 51. all the time that he lived a private life till he took upon him his publike Office which was about the space of 30. years See Luke 4. 16. And hence it is that he was
employment in building a City could quiet his Conscience So in Judas Though he brought back and restored the 30 pieces of silver and withall acknowledged his sin in betraying innocent blood Matth. 27. 3. yet all this would not free his guilty Conscience from terrours but they pursued him till he hanged himself Isai 57. 20. The wicked are like the troubled Sea which cannot rest There is no peace to them No means or way to pacifie or quiet their troubled Consciences and to free them from tormenting fears so long as the guilt of sin lyeth upon them Use 1 Use 1. See the folly of the wicked thinking to ease their Consciences of the terrours which sin hath bred in them by outward earthly means as by carnal mirth recreations company following the world c. But alas all these are Physitians of no value to cure a guilty Conscience of fears and terrours caused in it by sin Nothing in the world will do this but true repentance and Christ's blood applyed by faith to purge the Conscience from guilt of sin Let them therefore speedily use these remedies if they desire to have their Conscience eased and cured Vse 2 Use 2. See how dangerous it is to commit sin and so to bring the guilt of it upon our Conscience seeing it breedeth such terrours as are so hardly shaken off leaveth such a sting as is so hardly pulled out and maketh such a wound as is so hard to cure How wary are we of such bodily diseases as are hard to cure as the Pestilence Dropsie c. Mark 6. 17 18 19 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John c. July 1. 1621. IN the three former Verses we have heard of the false and erroneous Opinion of Herod concerning our Saviour Christ That he thought him to be John Baptist risen from the dead whom he had formerly beheaded Now from this mention made of Herod's beheading of John the Evangelist takes occasion to digress to set down the history thereof more fully and largely Where 1. He relateth the Antecedents Occasions or Preparatives going before it 2. The fact it sef Verse 27. 3. The Events or Consequents Verse 28 29. The Occasions or Preparatives are of two sorts 1. Remote or further off 2. More near which went but a little before John's beheading The more remote Occasion or Antecedent was his Imprisonment laid down Verse 17 18 19 20. The more near Occasions are set down afterward Verse 21 c. Touching John's Imprisonment the Evangelist relateth two things principally 1. The fact or sin of Herod in sending forth and taking and binding John in prison 2. The impulsive cause moving thereunto which was John's plain reproof of him for the sin of Incest commited Where 1. Is shewed the sin it self which was Herod's incestuous Marriage with Herodias his brother Philip's Wife Verse 17. 2. John's Reproof of this sin in him Verse 18. 3. The Effect of that Reproof in Herodias Verse 19. Which was twofold 1. That she thereupon had a quarrel against him 2. That she was desirous to kill him Which her malicious and bloody desire and purpose is amplified by the hindering cause which was her unability to accomplish it she could not kill him The reason whereof is shewed Verse 20. Observ First of Herod's fact in imprisoning John Observ See here what reward the faithful Ministers of God have usually at the hands of the unthankfull world for their faithfulness in their Ministery even this That they are for the same often wrongfully abused persecuted and cruelly dealt withall So was John Baptist imprisoned and afterward put to death by Herod for his faithfulness in reproving his incestuous Marriage And so it hath been with other faithful Ministers Matth. 5. 12. So persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Matth. 23. 34. Behold I send unto you Prophets and wise men and Scribes and of them ye shall kill and crucifie and of them shall ye scourge in your Synagogues and persecute from City to City 2 Chron. 36. 16. The wicked Jews mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets c. Examples we have in Elijah Michaiah Jeremy Daniel Amos c. So also in the Apostles and in Christ himself This is the old enmity which hath been from the beginning between the seed of the woman and of the Serpent See also Joh. 3. 20. another main Reason of it Use 1 Use 1. Think it no new or strange thing if in our times we see good faithful Ministers unjustly troubled persecuted imprisoned c. by such as are in authority and that even for the faithful discharge of their Ministery Be not offended hereat nor think the worse of such for being thus troubled and persecuted so long as they suffer not as evil-doers but for discharge of their duties Remember it hath been thus usually in all Ages with the faithful Messengers of God Therefore if we see it so with any now be not offended at them nor condemn them as evil-doers but rather think the better of them and reverence and esteem them the more for their faithfulness in their Ministery for which they suffer such troubles And let this move us also to pray for them and to use all good means to help them out of their troubles Use 2 Use 2. Teacheth all faithful Ministers to prepare and arm themselves for troubles and persecutions in the world and at the hands of the wicked not looking to escape better than the Prophets Apostles and Christ himself have done before them If every Christian which resolves to live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3. 12. how much more every Minister of God resolving to be faithful in his Ministery Matth. 10. 24. The disciple is not above his Master c. If they have called the Master of the house Belzebub c. Use 3 Use 3. Again it should comfort and encourage faithful Ministers to bear such troubles patiently and not to be dismayed at them seeing they suffer no other but what the most excellent Prophets and Ministers of God have gone through before them only we must look to this that we suffer not as evil-doers but for well-doing and for the faithful discharge of our Calling Then have we cause to rejoyce not to be discouraged c. Use 4 Use 4. See the wretched blindness and corruption of our nature causing us to hate and persecute such as are called and sent of God to do us good yea the greatest good c. Vide Conc. in Jacob. 5. 10. So much of the Fact of Herod Imprisoning John Now followeth the Impulsive cause which was John's Reproof of his incestuous Marriage And first of the sin it self which was the marrying of Herodias his brother Philip's Wife The unlawfulness of this marriage is plainly shewed Levit. 18. 16. where the uncovering of the nakedness of the brother's wife is expresly condemned Levit. 20.
and to tear in pieces their keepers which feed them and go about to tame them So it is with every wicked man by nature he is like a savage beast c. Let us therefore seriously think of this our miserable blindness and corruption of nature and learn to be more and more humbled for it and to bewail it Use 2 Use 2. To teach us not only to see and bewail this our natural corruption but to labour and strive to reform it and to have it so mortified that it do not break forth in us If we be good Christians we must have this natural corruption crucified in us Look to it therefore that it raign not in thee It is for the wicked and impenitent to hate and persecute such as reprove their sins Let it not be so with us Let it be far from us to be so much as offended at such as reprove our sins or any way go about to hinder us in them Jam. 1. Be swift to hear and slow to wrath This we may fitly apply to the hearing of a Christian reproof given us Be ready to hear and obey it and be far from wrath and anger against such as reprove us Be not like this wicked Strumpet Herodias which had a quarrel against John Baptist for reproving her But on the contrary let us have such in singular love and be thankful to them who do Christianly admonish and reprove us whether they be our faithful Ministers or others Use 3 Use 3. This shews That such as have a calling to reprove sin in others and to set themselves against it must not look for every ones good will but they may look to meet with some such as Herod and Herodias to hate and persecute them c. The Prophets by reproving sin in the people did purchase many enemies Jer. 15. 10. Wo is me my Mother that thou hast born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth c. Mark 6. 19. Therefore Herodias had a quarrell against him c. July 8. 1621. THe Evangelist sheweth a twofold Effect which John's Reproof of Herod did work in Herodias 1. That it provoked her to conceive and bear an inward grudg or quarrel against John 2. That it moved her not only to bear such a grudg against him in heart but also to seek to kill him and this her bloody desire and purpose is set forth further by the hindering cause which was her unability to execute that her malicious desire she could not kill though she much desired and sought to do it The reason whereof is given in the next Verse Now from this Verse we have already observed one Point of Instruction viz. That the wicked and impenitent are so far from reforming their sins when they are reproved for them that they hate and persecute such as reprove their sins and oppose against their wicked practises This Point doth generally arise from all the former part of the Verse in which is set down the malice and malicious and bloody purpose of Herodias against John for reproving Herod and her for their sin of Incest Now to gather some other Points more particularly from those two Effects which John's Reproof did work and bring forth in this wicked Woman And first from this That she did thereupon bear him an inward grudg or had a quarrell against him that is she did not only conceive hatred against him but carried a desire and purpose of revenge as the words following also do shew Observ 1 Observ 1. See here whose property it is to bear inward grudges and purposes of revenge against others even the property of the wicked and ungodly such as this unchast Adulteress Herodias was It is noted in her that she bare a malicious grudg and quarrell in heart against John This was the sin of Cain and of Esau Gen. 27. 41. and of the Scribes and Pharisees against our Saviour Christ Rom. 1. 29. Maliciousnesse and Wickedness are joyned in the Heathen Quest Quest May not a good man be tainted with this sin of inward malice and bearing grudg against others Answ Answ Yes he may be tempted to this as well as other sins and through infirmity yield to it for a time but he will not live in this sin nor suffer it to raign or bear sway in his heart in such sort as it doth in the wicked who give themselves over unto it willingly and do live and continue in it without repentance So doth not a good man Ae may for a time through violence of the natural passion of anger or otherwise be moved to take up a purpose of revenge as David did against Nabal but he cannot long hold it but will lay it down and be truly humbled for it before God Use 1 Use 1. See then what to think of such as live in this sin of malice and desire of revenge against others bearing inward grudges and quarrels against their neighbours and brethren such as stick not to use such speeches as these That they will be even with their enemies And they will sit on the skirts of such and such And though they forgive they will not forget c. expresly contrary to the precept given Levit 19. 18. Thou shalt not avenge nor be mindfull of a wrong or bear any grudg against the children of thy people What is to be thought of such malicious persons but that they discover themselves to be wicked and ungodly Use 2 Use 2. Seeing it is the property of the wicked to bear inward grudges and purposes of revenge against others take heed we be not herein like them beware of having inward quarrels in our hearts against such as wrong us or whom we think to wrong us and especially of carrying such quarrels and grudges long time against others lest hereby we discover our selves to be in the number of the wicked Prov. 24. 29. Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me Say not so either with thy mouth or in thy heart Jam. 5. 9. Grudg not one against another lest ye be condemned c. Especially let us beware of bearing grudg against such as do not wrong us but rather do us good by admonishing us and reproving our sins c. If we are bound to do good against evil and to do good to our enemies and to love them how great shall our sin be if we do evil or desire or purpose evil against such as would do us good even the greatest good Let this therefore be far from every one of us Observ 2 Observ 2. In that Herodias did first bear John an inward grudg in Heart before she sought means to kill him Hence observe where all sins take their beginning even in the Heart and inner man There they are first rooted and grounded and from thence they spring and break forth outwardly in the outward life and practice first evill thoughts and affections are conceived and harboured in the Heart
Devil sets them awork c. Use Use Pray unto God to restrain the rage and malice of the wicked and to deliver us from evill and unreasonable men 2 Thess 3. 2. It followeth But she could not Here is shewed the cause which hindred Herodias from accomplishing her bloody purpose against John namely her unability to do that she desired One reason whereof is shewed in the next Verse because Herod kept John from her c. But the main and principal reason was this That God himself did by his power and special providence so restrain the power and malice of this wicked woman that she could not as yet have her will against John though afterward she had as we shall hear Observ Observ Though the wicked bear deadly malice oftentimes against God's Saints and Servants yet the Lord doth by his power and special providence restrain their malice and power that they cannot alwayes do that hurt and mischief unto Gods Servants which they desire to do Sometimes indeed he permitteth them to annoy and hurt his servants in their bodies goods and outward estate for the greater and more through tryal of his servants and for other just causes but he doth not alwayes suffer them so to do but often restraineth and bridleth their power and malice so as they cannot have their wills against his servants Thus the Lord restrained the power and malice of Saul that he could not take away the life of David though he sought to do it Thus he bridled the malice of Haman against the Nation of the Jews that he could not root them out though he laboured to do it Thus he bridled the rage and malice of Sennacherib King of Assyria against God and his people 2 King 19. 27. I know thy rage against me Therefore I will put my hock into thy nose and my bridle in thy lips c. Use 1 Use 1. Comfort to the faithful Servants of God against the fury and rage of their most malicious and deadly enemies They cannot do what they list against them but that only which the Lord suffereth them to do and he will suffer them to do nothing but that which shall in the end turn to the good and salvation of his servants Though they may hate and persecute them even unto death yet not a hair of their head shall perish without the Will of God See Matth. 10. 29. Use 2 Use 2. Be thankful unto God for his goodness and mercy to his Church and People so restraining the malice of the wicked that they cannot do them so much hurt and mischief as they would If they might have their will the Devil and wicked men would root out all the faithful servants of God from the earth It is therefore the Lord 's infinite mercy and goodness to us that we are not consumed and cut off from the Land of the living by such wicked instruments of Satan Mark 6. 20. For Herod feared John c. July 15. 1621. IN the former verse is shewed that Herodias bearing inward grudg against John would have killed him but could not effect her bloudy purpose Now the Evangelist in this verse mentioneth a special reason why she could not kill him and what hindered her namely this that Herod himself who had cast John in Prison yet did so fear and reverence his person because he was a Holy and Just man that he would not suffer Herodias to put him to death but kept him alive for a time notwithstanding all her rage and malice against him And withall the Evangelist mentioneth not onely this speciall favour and kindness shewed by Herod unto the person of John in keeping him safe from Herodias for a time but also the good respect and liking which he shews to his Doctrine in that he heard it gladly and obeyed it also in part This is the sum of the verse More particularly and distinctly consider in it three things 1. Herod's fearing or reverencing of John's person 2. The ground or motive of it Because he knew him to be a just and holy man 3. The manifestation of it by the effects 1. Toward his person keeping him from Herodias 2. Toward his Doctrine or Ministry 1. In hearing him 2. Hearing him gladly 3. Doing many things General Doctrine from the whole Verse In that Herod did so many good things and yet was but a wicked man we may hence gather That one may go very far in Religion and Christianity and yet not be truely Religious nor a sound Christian but remain an Hypocrite and wicked man Herod had many good things in him and he did many good things and yet neither had enough nor did enough to prove him a good Christian He bare a kind of love and liking and reverence to Johns person and Doctrine being willing and desirous to hear him and ready to obey him in many things and not onely so but he shewed him special kindness and mercy in keeping him alive and safe when Herodias would have killed him and yet all this while Herod remained but an Hypocrite and wicked man which shews that one may go very far in a shew of true Religion and Grace and yet be void of it See also for proof of this Hebr. 6. 4. and Luke 8. 13. See also what hath bin said before of this point upon Mark 4. 16. But more particularly to open this point here There are three sorts of good things which may be found in a wicked man or Hypocrite which yet are not sufficient to prove him a sound Christian The first respecteth the mind and understanding The second the Heart and affections The third the outward life and Conversation Touching the first the mind and understanding a wicked man may be enlightened with a good measure of knowledg in the Word of God and the Doctrine of it so as to be able to speak and discourse readily of it to others yea to Preach it to others as Judas did Hebr. 6. 4. such as commit the sin against the Holy Ghost are enlightened with knowledg So Hebr. 10. 26. and 2 Pet. 2. 21. Some know the way of Righteousness and yet fall away c. Touching the second which is the Heart and affections a wicked man may have his heart moved and stirred with some good affections as a kind of love and desire to the Word of God and a kind of joy and delight in it for a time See for this Hebr. 6. and Luke 8. 13. and here in the example of Herod So also a wicked man may be affected with a kind of love and reverence to Gods Ministers and to other good men as we see also in Herod here He may also have some other good affections as a kind of love and desire after Heaven and Salvation such as was in wicked Balaam wishing to dye the death of the Righteous c. and Hebr. 6. 5. They are said to taste of the powers of the World to come Again a wicked man may be affected
most probable in the Judgment of the best Divines that the Devil when he tempted Christ did come and appear to Him in a bodily shape either of a Man or some other Mat. 4. See Beza on Mat. 14. 26. Use 1 Use 1. To confute the Errour of such as deny this manifest Truth confirmed not onely by the Word of God but also by experience and by the Testimonies of sundry Witches which having been convicted of this Crime have with their own mouths confessed that the Devil hath usually appeared to them in bodily Shapes c. Vide Remig. Daemonolat l. 1. c. 7. et 23. And though these visible Apparitions of Satan be not common with us in this Country in which we live yet in some other Countries they are much more common Vse 2 Use 2. Seeing the Devil hath power by God's permission to appear visibly unto some persons to tempt them to sin or to terrifie and affright them or otherwise to do them hurt and mischief this must admonish us every one to be the more carefull to walk in the true fear of God and to arm our selves daily by Faith and by Prayer and Watchfulness against this powerfull and politick enemy of our Souls and Bodies Pray unto God daily to restrain his power and malice c. Use 3 Use 3. Be thankful to God for not suffering the Devil as he might to come in visible manner to tempt and affright us c. It is God's mercy to restrain him from this Yet be not secure but know that although he come not visibly yet he comes invisibly to us daily to tempt us unto sin by wicked suggestions which is no less dangerous than if he visibly appeared c. Observ 2 Observ 2. Here we see further That the Apostles thought that the Devil might visibly appear not onely to the wicked and unbelievers but even to good Christians such as themselves were else they could not thus have erred and mistaken Christ for an apparition of Satan neither is it to be doubted but that by God's sufferance Satan may thus appear even to the Godly as well as to the Wicked If he thus appeared unto Christ Matth. 4. why not unto good Christians And if unto Eve in the State of Innocency why not to a Child of God now in the state of Grace Therefore such are not privileged from such apparitions of Satan Yet neverthelesse it is probable That he doth more frequently and usually appear so to wicked and ungodly Persons Observ 3 Observ 3. Again in that the Disciples of Christ were deceived in judging Christ to be an evil Spirit appearing to them Hence we may gather That it is easie for men to be deceived in discerning and judging of the visible apparitions of Satan It is easie for the outward senses to be deceived and for the mind to err in jugding of such Apparitions easie for men to think they see such Apparitions of Satan when they do not If the Apostles of Christ were deceived thus how much more may we especially men are apt to be deceived in judging of such Satanicall Apparitions in the night and at such times as their minds are disturbed and distempered with fear as the Disciple were at this time as also when they are otherwise distempered with some bodily disease arising from the corrupt humour of Melancholy For it is the nature of such Melancholick Disease to distemper the mind and outward senses and so to cause many false and vain imaginations to arise in the minds of such as are so distempered Hence it is That sometimes they are falsly perswaded that they see such Apparitions of Satan when indeed they do not see them Here then let us learn not to give too much credit to our minds and outward senses if at any time they perswade us that we see such Apparitions of Satan especially at such times as our minds and senses are distempered with fear or with some bodily Disease or otherwise For although it is not impossible for the Devil so to appear to us in visible shape if God suffer him as hath bin said before yet we are not lightly or easily to believe our own imagination in such Cases but upon very good ground and reason And we are to give the less credit to our outward senses in this Case because the Devil himself hath power also sometimes by God's sufferance to delude our senses causing us to think we see or hear that which we do not see or hear c. Observ 4 Observ 4. In that the Disciples eyes being blinded with the darkness of the Night did mistake Christ for an evil Spirit Hence gather That it is much more dangerous for any to have the eyes of their mind blinded and darkened with ignorance of Christ and of his Word for such must needs run into gross and dangerous errous concerning Christ The Disciples not being able to discern and see Christ with their bodily eyes thought him to be an evil Spirit walking on the Waters even so it is with all that have the eyes of their minds blinded with ignorance that they do not know Christ or understand the Doctrine of Christ in the Gospel such persons run into absurd and gross errors touching Christ Thus we heard before Ver. 15. of this Chapter that the ignorance of Christ's person was the cause of so many erroneous and absurd opinions holden by Herod and the â—ews concerning him some thinking him to be John Baptist some to be Eliah c. So in all Ages ignorance of Christ hath bin the cause of grosse errors or heresies which have bin holden of him as by the Arians and other ancient Hereticks So at this Day the ignorance of Christ which raigneth among the Papists is the cause of many absurd and grosse errors which they hold concerning Christ This also is true of many ignorant People amongst us that by reason of their ignorance of Christ and of his Word they do run into many grosse and foolish errors and opinions concerning Christ Use Use Admonition to all ignorant Persons to take heed of continuing in that estate and to use all means speedily to come to the true knowledge of Christ in some measure This being the onely way to preserve them from dangerous and damnable errors touching Christ On the contrary so long as they live in ignorance they are in danger of all errors and heresies touching Christ c. So much of the first effect and consequent of Christ's walking on the Sea viz. that the Disciples supposed it had bin a Spirit Now followeth the second which was the great fear with which they were troubled at the sight of him which is amplyfied by the effect of it in that it made them to cry out They all saw him and were troubled That is greatly astonished and perplexed with fear of Christ whom they falsly supposed to be an evil Spirit appearing to them to terrifie and affright them or to do them hurt otherwise Matth.
and Ground of his Worship To this we must keep close without swarving either to the right hand or to the left As God in his Word commands us to worship him so he there prescribes how he will be worshipped and not otherwise As an earthly Master looketh that his Servant shall not onely do his Work but in such manner and Order as he requireth So Rom. 12. 1. Give up your Bodies in reasonable Service and prove what is the acceptable Will of God Deny our own Will and do God's Will c. Mark 7. 8 9. For ye lay the Commandment of God apart c. March 3. 1621. VVEE have heard how our Saviour alledgeth the Testimony of the Prophet Esay for the reproof of the Scribes and Pharisees Now in the 8th Verse he doth more directly apply that Testimony against them and shew how it did touch them in as much as they were guilty of the same sin of Superstition which the Prophet reproved in the Jews of his time and not onely so but they were also guilty of a further Sin even the Contempt of the Word and Commandment of God which latter Sin seems to be mentioned as a fruit of the former Then in Ver. 9. the same reproof is repeated and further pressed against them as we shall see when we come unto it Touching the eighth Verse it contains a Reproof or Censure of the Scribes and Pharisees for two Sins 1. Contempt of the Word of God in these words Ye lay the Commandment of God apart 2. Superstitious Observation of humane Traditions which is laid down 1. Generally Ye observe the Tradition of men 2. More particularly 1. By instancing in some particular Traditions which they observed as the washing of Pots and Cups c. 2. By mentioning the great number of such other Traditions which they observed Ye lay apart Or let go the Commandment of God that is Ye contemn and set leight by the written Word of God making little or no Conscience of yielding Obedience unto it Ye observe Or hold fast It is the same word which was used before in the third Verse which implyes a very strict and curious observing of their Traditions and that they were greatly addicted to them Tradition of men That is humane Ordinances Decrees and Customs which they had received from their superstitious Ancestors not grounded on the written Word as before ver 3. As the washing of Pots c. He instanceth in these particulars for the more plain and direct convincing of their Consciences and withal to aggravate their sin in that they neglecting the Word of God yet were so strict in observing such small and trifling Customs as these And many other c. This also is added by our Saviour to set out their grosse Superstition in that they did not only observe superstitious Customs but so great a number of them therefore this is again repeated Ver. 13. So much of the sense of the words Now to the matter of Instruction And first to speak of the two sins here reproved in the Scribes and Pharisees viz. Contempt of God's Word and superstitious Observation of mens Traditions Of the latter we have spoken before Here I will only observe one Point of Instruction from this that our Saviour joyneth these two sins together in them viz. Contempt of the Word of God and superstitious Observations of humane Ordinances and the former as a fruit or consequent of the latter This may teach us that superstitious affecting and observing of humane Ordinances and Decrees or Customs without warrant from the Word is commonly joyned with Neglect and Contempt of the Word of God and drawes the same with it The more men are addicted to the superstitious keeping of mens Ordinances and Customs having no ground in the Word the more negligent and careless they are in obeying the Word of God So it was with the old superstitious Jews in the time of the Prophets So it was also with the Scribes and Pharisees in our Saviour's time as we see here by censuring them not only as superstitious Observers of mens Traditions but also as profane Contemners of God's Commandments And it is clear by other places of the Evangelists both how curious and strict they were on the one side in observing their Traditions and how negligent and unconscionable in Obedience to the Word of God They were precise in washing hands before meat and in washing when they came from Market c. as we have before heard in many such superstitious Observations but in the mean time they cast behind them the Word of God living in manifest and gross sins condemned in it as in Hypocrisy Malice Covetousness Extortion Swearing c. Mat. 23. 23. Ye tythe Mint Annise and Cummin which it is likely were not tythable by the Law but only by Tradition See Drus in locum and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy and Faith Vide etiam Bezam in loc So it is with the Papists at this day As they are very curious in observing their superstitious Traditions and Customs grounded on mens Authority without warrant from the Word so they are as negligent in keeping the Precepts of the Word of God As they highly account of their Traditions Pope's Decrees c. so they have the Word of God in as little accompt making leight of the Scriptures and speaking contemptibly of them as even the more learned sort of them are not ashamed to do Reason Reason No man can serve two Masters as our Saviour saith in another Case Matth. 6. 24. for either he will hate the one and love the other or else hold to the one and despise the other We cannot serve God and obey his Word conscionably if we become Servants of Men by tying our selves to their Authority and to their Traditions and Customs without warrant from the Word of God but the more love and honour is given to Men's Preceps the more is withdrawen from the precepts of God in his Word See Ver. 9. Ver. 13. of this Chapter Vse 1 Use 1. See one main cause of such contempt of the Word of God in many in our times and of so little love reverence and obedience yielded unto it The reason is that many are so much addicted to humane Ordinances and superstitious Customs of their Elders and forefathers brought into the Church without warrant from the Word of God This Superstition draws with it contempt of the Word of God So in the Papists and so in some ignorant Protestants who are exceedingly addicted to keeping of old superstitious Customs devised and brought up by men without warrant from the Word of God and in the mean time can bear with themselves and others in some gross and manifest sins plainly condemned in the Word of God as Swearing Sabbath-breaking Covetousness Usury c. Use 2 Use 2. See how dangerous and hurtfull a sin superstition is in the Church of God and in Professors of Religion in
sense opened together with the several Points of Instruction thence gathered observing also how the Doctrines are proved by other Scriptures or by reasons from Scripture and how applyed Acts 16. 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia that she attended to those things which Paul spake This diligent attention in hearing is a singular help to the understanding of what is delivered and therefore our Saviour in this place joyneth these two together Hearken and Understand 3. Be carefull to read the Scriptures in private Joh. 5. 39. that ye may not be strangers in the Book of God but well acquainted with the History of it and with the Phrase and Style of the Scriptures Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly c. 4. Let such as are most ignorant labour to ground themselves in the knowledge of the main Principles of Christian Religion by reading and learning some godly Catechism This is a great help to the understanding of Sermons and the want of it is a main hinderance to the Fruit which might otherwise be reaped by the Word preached Hebr. 5. 11 12. They were dull of hearing Because they were not well seen in the first principles of the Word of God 5. Lastly If we would come to understand the Doctrines of the Word preached to us then be sure we make conscience of practising so much as we know and understand already A most excellent means to come to more and more understanding in the word of God Psal 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant or make it known to them Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine c. See also Joh. 8. 31 32. Mark 7. 15 16 17 18. There is nothing from without a man that entring into him can defile him but the things April 14. 1622. which come out of him those are they that defile the man If any man hath ears to hear let him hear THe Evangelist from the 14th Ver. to the 17. sheweth how our Saviour having sharply reproved the Scribes and Pharisees took occasion to turn his Speech from them to the Common People and to Instruct them in a necessary Point of Doctrine touching the true cause of Spirituall pollution and uncleannesse before God that it is not from without but from within the man The occasion of which Doctrine was the cavil of the Scribes and Pharisees against Christ's Disciples for eating with unwashen hands as if that had defiled them before God c. In the words we considered two things 1. The preparation unto Christ's teaching He called them all to Him 2. The teaching it self or the sum of that He spake to them Consisting of three Branches 1. A preface stirring them up to hearken diligently to him and to be carefull to understand his Doctrine 2. The Doctrine it self laid down Ver. 15. 3. The conclusion of his Speech stirring them up again to attention Ver. 16. Of the preparation to his teaching I have spoken as also of the preface to his Doctrine In the next place follows the Doctrine it self Ver. 15. touching the Cause of Spirituall uncleannesse before God Which is laid down 1. Negatively by shewing what is not the Cause Not any thing from without the man 2. Positively by shewing what was the Cause The things which come out of man But these things I deferr to speak of untill I come to the 18th verse c. where our Saviour doth more fully handle this Doctrine and open it to his Disciples It followeth Ver. 16. If any man hath ears c. But of this see before Chap. 4. Ver. 9. I proceed therefore to the 17 18 verses Our Saviour having first instructed the Common People in publick and openly touching the cause of spirituall uncleannesse now takes occasion in private more fully and largely to open the same Doctrine to his Disciples Where consider 1. The place where he took occasion to Instruct them In a private House whither he retired at this time for the refreshing of himself as it is likely after his former labour in publick teaching and working of Miracles 2. The occasion of his opening the Doctrine to his Disciples which was their questioning with him about the matter 3. The manner of his instructing them joyning a sharp reproof therewith for their ignorance and dullness iâ— not conceiving his former words uttered to the multitude Ver. 18. Are ye so without understanding also Do ye not perceive c. 4. The Doctrine it self which he more fully and plainly unfoldeth to them from the end of the 18th Ver. unto the 24. Touching the first which is the place where he taught them In a private House What House is not expressed and therefore uncertain neither is it needfull to enquire From the People This shews That he now left the multitude that he might be private for a time to refresh himself with his Disciples Observ 1 Observ 1. See the Truth of Christ's Humane Nature in that he was subject to weariness and had need of refreshing after Labour c. Of this before sundry times Observ 2 Observ 2. It is lawful for us after Christ's example being much wearyed with the Labours of our Callings to take occasion of refreshing our selves for a time that so we may again return to our Callings with more alacrity c. See before Chap. 6. Ver. 31. Observ 3 Observ 3. See here the diligence of our Saviour in teaching his Disciples not onely in publick but in private on all occasions c. which is a pattern for all Ministers to follow in their Ministery See Acts 20. the example of Paul and 2 Tim. 4. 1. the charge which he gives to Timothy Vse Use People to be forward to learn of their Pastors upon all good occasions as well in private as in publick c. Mal. 2. 7. The Priests Lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth c. Christ's Disciples used often to seek instruction from him in private So much of the place where our Saviour took occasion now to teach his Disciples The next thing to be considered is the occasion given him thus to teach them which was their question moved unto him about the matter of Doctrine before delivered in publick to the multitude His Disciples Matth. 15. 15. It is said That Peter said unto him Declare unto us this Parable Therefore it is likely That either Peter did first request this of him and afterward the other Disciples or else which is most likely that he spake to Christ in the name of all the rest as he used to do at other times Concerning the Parable Touching the signification of this word see before Chap. 4. ver 2. Here it signifies a dark or obscure Speech Sentence or Doctrine such as this of our Saviour seemed unto the Disciples albeit in it self it was not very dark or obscure
find fault with him for that he said he must suffer death c. See also Luke 24. 25. So Paul reproved Peter to his face Gal. 2. 11. Reas 1 Reas 1. It is dangerous for any to be let alone in their sins without Reproof of Admonition though they be good Christians and have excellent Graces yet being winked at and spared in their sins this may harden them therein and so keep them from renewing their Repentance Hebr. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily c. lest any be hardned through deceitfulness of sin So it may be said Admonish and reprove one another c. Reas 2 Reas 2. The sins of good Christians are in some respect more heinous and dishonourable to God than the sins of the wicked because they having more Grace given them than many others God looks for the more obedience from them and besides the sins of such if they come to be known of others do bring great Reproach upon Religion it self and upon the Name of God which they profess 2 Sam. 12. 14 Rom. 2. 24. Therefore of all other they have least need to be spared and let alone in their Sins c. Reas 3 Reas 3. A wise and Christian Reproof or Admonition is most likely to do good and to prevail with a good Christian for the reclaiming and reforming of him therefore it is most fit to reprove and admonish such above all other Prov. 17. 10. A Reproof entreth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a Fool. Use 1 Use 1. This should move such as have a Calling to reprove Sin in others not to forbear or spare such as offend though they be never so good and indued with excellent graces but plainly to deal with them by a seasonable and wise Reproof or Admonition as occasion is offered Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Especially this concerneth such as have special charge of others being in place of pre-eminence and authority over them as Ministers Parents Masters c. Use 2 Use 2. This should move even the best Christians willingly to submit themselves to be admonished or reproved by others having a Calling to do it yea to be glad and thankful for it as proceeding from love and being very profitable and necessary for them So David Psal 141. 5. Let the Righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyl c. It is an Argument of a sincere and upright heart to be willing to be admonished or reproved for a fault Oh therefore labour for this willingness and the rather because it is a matter hard to practise even for the best Christians Very hard we are by Nature to bear a Christian Reproof patiently and humbly to submit to it and to profit by it but if thou canst do it conscionably it is an evidence of much Grace and may greatly comfort thee Pray therefore unto God for an humble Spirit which will make thee willing to be admonished c. And think not that because God hath bestowed good gifts and graces on thee therefore thou shouldst be winked at and spared in some fault or sin of thine which thou art loath to leave The more Grace God hath given thee the more heinous in this respect is thy sin and offence as hath been said and therefore the more needful for thee to be admonished and the more willingly and gladly shouldst thou submit unto it Mark 7. 17 18 19. And when He was entred into the House from the People his Disciples asked him concerning the April 21. 1622. Parable IN the three former Verses the Evangelist shewed how our Saviour took occasion publiquely to instruct the common people in a necessary Point of Doctrine touching the true cause of spiritual Uncleanness that it is not any thing which being without a man doth enter into him but that which being within him doth proceed out of him Now from the seventeenth Verse to the four and twentieth he sheweth how our Saviour having first taught this Doctrine briefly and somewhat obscurely to the People in publick did take occasion at the request of his Disciples to open the same Doctrine more fully and plainly to his Disciples in private Where I propounded 4 principal things to be considered in the words of the Text. 1. The place where Christ did thus open and explain this Doctrine to his Disciples It was in a private House whither he entred apart from the common People 2. The occasion of his opening the Doctrine to them Their questioning with him about the meaning of the Doctrine which he had in publick delivered to the People Ver. 17. 3. The manner of his instructing them in that he joins Reproof with Instruction first rebuking them for their Ignorance in not conceiving his Doctrine and then instructing them c. 4. The matter or substance of Doctrine which he more fully delivereth to them than he had done before to the multirude This is laid down Ver. 18 c. to the 24th Touching the Circumstances of Christ's teaching them namely the place and occasion and manner of it you heard the last day Now in the next place I am to speak of the Teaching it self or the matter of Doctrine which he so plainly and fully openeth unto them Observ Observe generally from the whole Context That the forwardness of People to learn and profit by the Ministry is a great incouragement to faithful Pastors to be the more forward and diligent in their Ministry stirring them up and setting an edge upon them to take the more pains in teaching the oftner in season and out of season c. 2 Tim. 4. 2. and in teaching them more fully and plentifully powring out unto them the rich treasures of the Word of God c. Our Saviour seeing the forwardness of his Disciples to learn of Him and their desire of Instruction and love of the Truth He thence takes occasion to enlarge himself in teaching them much more fully than he had done the People before speaking particularly and largely of those things which he had before touched but generally and briefly So at other times See Chap. 4. ver 2. Use Use See how a People may encourage and quicken their Pastors to pains and diligence in their Ministry even by their zeal and forwardness to profit by their Teaching Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you for they watch for your Souls that they may do it with joy c. Now to speak more particularly of the matter of Doctrine here taught by our Saviour unto his Disciples which is touching the cause of spirituall Uncleannesse which our Saviour layeth down two wayes 1. Negatively shewing what is not the Cause Not any thing which from without entreth into a man Ver. 18 14. 2. Positively shewing what is the true Cause That which cometh out of a man
Pride conceived in respect of the natural feature comliness or complexion of the body Think what a foul Sink of Corruption is in our bodies naturally which must be purged daily It were enough to humble us if we consider that our bodies are but dust and earth but this is more that they are foul and filthy earth See Judg. 3. 22. Use 3 Vse 3. See how willing we should be when God calleth us to death to lay down and put off this corrupt and foul carcase of ours that it may return to the Earth ◠and withal what cause we have to long for the general Resurrection in which our vile bodies shall be changed and made like to the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3. 21. Mark 7. 20 c. And He said That which cometh out of the Man that defileth the Man May 5. 1622. IN the two former Verses our Saviour shewed what is not the cause of spirituall Uncleannesse before God Not the Meat which entreth into Man's Body which He also confirmeth by a Reason taken from the place whither Meat eaten goeth Not to the Heart but to the Belly and so into the Draught c. Now from the 20th Verse unto the 24th he sheweth what is the true cause of spiritual Pollution what it is that maketh a man Unclean before God namely that which cometh out of a man even the sin that cometh from the heart This Point of Doctrine our Saviour teacheth his Disciples here And 1. He doth propound it briefly and generally Ver. 20. 2. He doth more largely and particularly open and unfold the same Ver. 21 c. That which cometh out of the Man that is The Sin or Sins which come from within a Man that is from the Heart or inner Man taking their beginning there and from thence flowing forth and spreading to the outward Man and to the outward Conversation That this is the sense of the words appeareth plainly by the words following in the next Verse where it is said that From within out of the Heart proceed evill thoughts c. Defileth the Man that is Maketh the Person spiritually unclean foul and loathsom in the sight of God See before Ver. 18. Observ 1 Observ 1. That sin is the true cause of all spiritual Uncleanness of the Person before God This is it that makes the whole Person both Soul and body foul and loathsom in God's accompt Hence it is so often called Filthiness as Prov. 30. 12. Ezek. 36. 25. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Jam. 1. 21. to shew that it is the onely cause of all spirituall foulnesse and filthinesse before God Hence also it is that the Wicked are in Scripture resembled to such things as are most foul and loathsom as to unclean Lepers to the Black-Moor Jer. 13. 23. to filthy Swine to Doggs c. Zephan 3. 1. Wo to her that is to Jerusalem that is filthy and polluted c. Reasons Reasons 1. It is most opposite to the pure and holy Nature of God Psal 5. 4 5. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in Wickedness c. Thou hatest all Workers of Iniquity Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold evill and canst not look on Iniquity c. 2. It makes men like unto the Devil that foul and unclean Spirit as he is called in Scripture causing them to bear his Image Therefore Judas is called a Devill Joh. 6. 70. As God's Image stands in Holinesse and Righteousnesse so the Devill 's in Sin and Wickednesse Now that which makes a man most unlike God and most like to Satan must needs make him foul and loathsom before God 3. It makes the best Actions and Duties performed by such as live in sin to be abhorred of God See Isa 1. 13 14 15. Note that when we say Sin makes the Person unclean before God this is to be understood of sin in its own nature as a breach of God's Law and so far as it is lived and continued in without Repentance not as it comes to be repented of and so to be pardoned in Christ to some Persons for so it defiles not the Person but of it self it doth c. Use 1 Use 1. See how loathsom and detestable all sin should be unto us and how we should shun it as we do things most foul and loathsom yea much more than any other thing that is filthy and unclean there being nothing in the World so foul and filthy as sin is no Leprosy or other loathsom Disease of the Body no Dung or Filth of the Earth no venemous Creature no brute Beast so unclean and filthy as sin is in it self Other Uncleanness may defile the Body or make a Man loathsom to men but sin defileth Soul and Body and makes the whole Man odious and detestable before God Oh then how should we detest it Rom. 12. Abhorring evill c. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to hate it like Hell Ephes 5. 3. Let not Sin be once named among you c. Jude ver 23. Hate the Garment spotted by the Flesh Shun not onely manifest and gross sins but abhor all occasions of sin yea all appearance of evil c. Remember this when thou art tempted to sin how odious it is unto God how foul in his sight making thee more loathsom before Him than any outward filthiness can be to men and let this consideration keep thee from yielding to the temptation yea cause thee to abhor all motions of Sin c. Think how wary we use to be of defiling our bodies with outward uncleanness How do we shun the Infection of the Plague and other noisom Diseases How do we fly from Toads Snake◠and other foul and venemous Creatures yea in our Meats and Drinks how curious are we If but a little Uncleanness be in our Cups or Platters we are ready to loath our Meat c. And shall we not much more loath and abhor sin and fly from the Infection of it What folly and madness is this to be so wary of defiling our Bodies yea our Garments with a little spot and in the mean time to make nothing of tumbling our Souls in the mire of filthy sins What folly is it to fly the sting or venome of a Toad or Snake which can infect and sting onely the body and not to shun Sin which will poyson the Soul and leave a venemous sting in the Conscience Oh be not thus foolish but learn above all venemous noisome and filthy things to abhor and shun Sin And pray for a Heart to loath and detest it The rather because the true hatred of Sin as it is offensive and odious to God is a speciall Mark and Evidence of a sanctified Heart Vse 2 Use 2. See the wretched and fearful condition of all wicked ones which love and delight in Sin committing it even with greediness and drinking Iniquity like Water as it is said in the book of Job like Swine loving and delighting
shun the same Now in this 16 Verse the Evangelist noteth the ignorance and infirmity of the Disciples in misconceiving the former admonition which they discover by their words uttered in reasoning together about the matter They reasoned among themselves saying It is Because we have no Bread By which words it appeareth how much they were mistaken in Interpreting Christ's words For whereas his meaning was as we have heard to warm them of the corrupt Doctrine and erroneous Opinions of the Pharisees and Herod they so understand him as if his purpose were to warn them that in this their present necessity and want of Bread they should not seek to the Pharisees or to Herod or the Herodians for Bread nor to eat Bread at their Tables forasmuch as they were the professed Enemies of Christ but that they should rather be content to faint and suffer Hunger than to seek for Bread to such profane and wicked Enemies of Christ Now although this at first sight may seem a plausible construction of Christ's words especially considering what is said second Epist Joh. ver 10. touching the forbearance of all outward communion with false Teachers Yet it is clear by our Saviour's sharp Reproof of them in the Verses following That they were greatly to blame and very faulty in so understanding him And the greatness of their fault and infirmity may better appear if we consider the Grounds and Originall Causes of this their misconstruction of Christ's words Namely 1. Their earthly mindedness being too apt to have their minds run upon things of this Life and to be over-carefull for them especially now when they perceived their present want of Bread which Earthliness of mind hindred them from raising their minds to the Spirituall understanding of Christ's words 2. Their infidelity and distrust of Christ's care in providing for them in this their want of Bread which made them fearfull that they should be in great distresse for want of it especially in the Wilderness or Desart place whither they were now going by Ship And this moved them so to understand the words of Christ as if he warned them that notwithstanding the great distresse they were like to be in for want of Bread yet they should not for all that eat of the Bread of the Pharisees or Herodians Now this infidelity and distrustfulness of Christ's Care and Providence in their present want must needs be a great fault and infirmity in them at this time considering the excellent means they had hitherto to confirm their Faith as Christ's Sermons and Conference from time to time and his Miracles especially those two late Miracles which he had wrought in feeding not onely them but so many thousands besides of the People with so few Loaves and Fishes as we heard Chap. 6. and in the beginning of this Chapter And hence it is That our Saviour doth so sharply reprove them for this their infidelity or weakness of Faith as being the main Cause of their misconceiving him as we may see Matth. 16. 8. He said unto them O ye of little Faith why reason ye among your Selves because ye have brought no Bread Generall Doctr. That the best Christians in this life are not free from infirmities and sinfull corruptions but are tainted with them Christ's own Disciples do here discover sundry Infirmities and Corruptions as ignorance and dulness to conceive Christ's admonition earthliness of mind infidelity c. So at other time also See this Point handled Chap. 3. 31. Particular Observ 1. In that the Disciples misconceived Christ's admonition We learn this That we are all by Nature very dull and hard to conceive things Spirituall and Heavenly which concern God's Glory and our Spiritual Good when they are taught or shewed unto us 'T is true of all sorts of persons by Nature even of good Christians renewed and sanctified by Grace yet so far forth as they are in part unrenewed they are dull and hard to conceive Spirituall and Heavenly things as the Doctrine of the Word of God and the Heavenly Truths contained in it Christ's own Disciples were hard to conceive many things which he taught them in his Sermons and private Conference So Chap. 4. 10. we heard that they were not able to conceive the Parable of the Sower touching the divers sorts of Hearers of the Word till he had Interpreted the same unto them So at others times as Matth. 15. 16. where he reproveth Peter and the rest for their ignorance and dulness to conceive his Doctrine saying Are ye without understanding So Luke 18. 34. Though he plainly foretold them of his future Passion Death and Resurrection yet it is said They understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things that were spoken So Hebr. 5. 11. the Apostle tells the Faithful That they were dull of hearing that is slow and hard to conceive the Doctrine of Christ which he was to teach them Now if this be true of good Christians already in part sanctified and enlightned by the Spirit of God how much more of such as are yet wholly unregenerate 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of God neither can he know them c. See this in Nicodemus a chief Pharisee and a Master in Israel yet how hard was he to conceive the Doctrine of Regeneration Joh. 8. Reas 1 Reas 1. The minds and understanding of all men by Nature are blinded and darkened with ignorance in matters of God This is one part of Originall sin which is in all by Nature Eph. 4. 18. Gentiles by nature have their Cogitations darkened with ignorance c. Reas 2 Reas 2. The knowledge which the best Christians in this Life have in Spirituall things is imperfect and mingled with much ignorance 1 Cor. 13. 9. We know in part This Reason concerneth the Regenerate onely Vse 2 Vse 1. Teacheth us every one to labour to see and feel our Naturall Blindness and Dulness to conceive things Spirituall and heavenly taught us in the Word of God or by his Ministers out of the same We are not so hard by a great deal to conceive Earthly matters of this Life as to understand Spirituall and Heavenly In Earthly matters many are quick and nimble to conceive them but in things Spirituall which concern God's Glory and our spiritual Good Salvation how hard and slow are we to conceive and understand them yea the best of us and such whose minds are in some measure enlightned to see them yet so far forth as we are still in part unrenewed how blind are our minds in the things of God How slow and hard to conceive them What Mysteries and Riddles do they seem unto us yea to such as have best wits and are quickest of apprehension in other matters yet how dull and hard is it to conceive spiritual things c. Labour more and more to see and to be humbled for this our natural blindness in matters of God
hinderances but also to use all helps and means to further us in the performance of holy and spiritual exercises as Prayer Meditation Reading Hearing c. Our Saviour here did not onely withdraw himself from company but made choice of the fittest and most convenient place where to pray with his Disciples and to manifest his Glory to them that the opportunity of the place might be a furtherance to himself and them in those heavenly exercises Now if our Saviour had need thus to do much more we c. to take the fittest time and place also to use due Preparation before we set about such holy duties and Watchfulnesse in performing them See before on the Ver. 46. of the 6th Chapter Reason Reason We are of our selves very unfit and untoward to all spirituall Duties and therefore had need to use of all good helps to further us in performance of them Use See the cause why many perform holy and religious Duties with so little fruit and comfort because they are not carefull to use all good helps and means to further them therein c. Mark 9. 2 3. And he was Transfigured before them And his Raiment became shining c. April 23. 1626. NOw followeth the Transfiguration it self 1. Generally and briefly propounded together with the persons before whom or in whose sight it was done He was Transfigured before them 2. More particularly amplified by one speciall Adjunct or Circumstance of it The shining and perfect whiteness of his Garments which whiteness is amplified 1. By comparison to Snow 2. By comparison to Cloth purged and whited by the Fuller's Art He was Transfigured Or transformed and changed in the figure or shape of his Body the former shape which he had before was altered and changed into a far more excellent and glorious shape or figure Luke 9. 29. As he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered And Matth. 17. 2. His face did shine as the Sun Now touching this Transfiguration or change of his shape some things are to be remembred for the better conceiving of it 1. That it happened while he was at prayer Luke 9. 29. 2. That it was not a change or alteration of the nature or substance of his Body as if that were turned into a Spirit or spiritual substance for it remained still a true humane Body with the same nature and essentiall properties which it had before but it was onely an alteration of the outward quality and condition of his Body that is of the colour shape or outward form and visage of it from that which it was before that whereas before it was of an ordinary colour and outward shape like the bodies of other men now it became most excellent bright and glorious to behold even as bright as the Sun c. 3. That although this change was not in the essentiall form or substance of Christ's body yet it was a true real and sensible change and alteration of the quality of his body and not in imagination or in shew and appearance only Luke 9. 29. It is not said The fashion of his countenance seemed to be altered but it was altered And ver 32. The Disciples saw his Glory Therefore it was visible c. 4. That although this wonderfull change and alteration appeared chiefly in his face as being the most conspicuous part of his body yet it is probable That it was more or less throughout all the outward parts of his Body and from thence the brightness and glory was derived to his Garments shining through the same as is said afterward 5. That this change was not perpetual or long to endure but for a short time onely though it is not expressed how long that is to say during some part of that time in which Christ and his three Disciples were abiding in the Mount for this Glory ceased before they came down again from the Mount Object Object Matth. 17. 9. Called a Vision Answ Answ Yet it might be really done as Acts 10. 3. Before them That is in the presence and sight of those three Disciples before mentioned c. viz. Peter James and John It followeth Ver. 3. And his Raiment became shining c. This is added the more to amplifie and set forth the excellent brightness and heavenly Glory of Christ's body in which he now appeared to the three Disciples Brightness and Light are in Scripture put for heavenly glory and happiness 1 Tim. 6. 16. So also the colour of white Therefore the Angels used so to appear Contrà blackness and darkness signifies misery of Hell which was so great that it shined through all his Garments making them also to shine most bright and to appear perfectly white as the Snow and whiter than any Fuller upon Earth can make any Cloth with Water and Fulling-Earth Note that this perfect whiteness and glittering was not in the Garments of themselves but in the body of Christ and thence derived to his Clothes c. As the Sun which enlighten the Ayr. Quest 1 Quest 1. How or by what means was this perfect whitenesse and brightnesse caused in the Body and Garments of Christ Answ Answ By the divine Power and Majesty of his God-head now manifesting it self extraordinarily for the time not onely in his humane Soul as at other times but also in his Body and Garments Before this time the Glory of his God-head did hide and cover it self under the vail of his humane Flesh or Body even as the brightness of the Sun beams is sometimes covered under a dark Cloud but now this Glory of his God-head did for a time extraordinarily and wonderfully shew and manifest it self outwardly even to the bodily sight and view of the Disciples Object Object 2 Pet. 1. 17. He received this Glory from God the Father Answ Answ As he was Mediatour he received it from the Father but as God he had it in himself c. Quest 2 Quest 2. Whether did the Disciples now see the God-head it self or divine Nature of Christ Answ Answ Not so for the God-head cannot be seen with bodily eyes Joh. 1. 18. but they saw an outward sensible effect of the God-head or a true symbolicall Sign and Representation of it viz. the outward brightness and glory which appeared in his Body and Garments and especially in his Face A symbolicall sight like that of Moses when he saw the back parts of God Exod. 33. 23. Quest 3 Quest 3. Wherefore or to what end was Christ now transfigured and the shape of his Body and Garments thus gloriously changed before his three Disciples Answ Answ 1. To prove and manifest the Truth of his God-head and that he was the Messiah and to confirm their Faith therein For which cause also that heavenly Voice was uttered from God the Father at the time of this Transfiguration of Christ This is my beloved Son hear him ver 7. 2. The better to arm them against that scandall or offence which they might take
of the Cloud So at the giving of the Law he spake unto Moses and the People out of a thick Cloud Exod. 20. And though it be said Exod. 33. 11. that God spake to Moses face to face c. yet that is not so to be taken as if he had spoken to him directly and immediately or as if he had shewed him his immediate face and presence for no Man could see that upon Earth and live as the Lord himself telleth Moses in Ver. 20. of the same Chapter but it is meant onely of the familiar manner of God'â— speaking and revealing of himself unto him Now the Cause and Reason why the Lord hath used thus mediately to reveal himself to men and not immediately is this that so they might not be too much astonished with fear at the fight of his Glory or hearing of his Voice but that they might be able to hear and understand his Will revealed to them And by this he hath in all Ages shewed his great mercy and goodness toward his Church and People in the manner of revealing his Will to them in that he hath therein condescended and stooped to their weakness teaching and instructing them in such manner and by such means as they were able to bear And although the Lord did at some special times manifest himself more immediately and in more terrible and fearful manner than at other times yet it was alwayes in such sort as they were enabled in some measure at least to hear his Voice and to understand his Will Now as this mercy and goodness of God in stooping to our weakness hath alwayes appeared in the extraordinary and more immediate Apparitions of God and Revelations of his Will to his People so especially it doth appear in the ordinary manner and means of revealing his Will to us namely in the Ministry of his Word in which he doth so familiarly and plainly speak unto us not by Angels nor in extraordinary Visions or Dreams nor by miraculous Clouds appearing in terrible manner but by the Voice of mortall men like unto our selves which is such a kind of Teaching as is of all other most plain familiar and easy for us to conceive and understand and whereof we are most capable and best able to profit by it Therefore let us thankfully acknowledge this as a great and unspeakable mercy of God to us that he doth not onely teach us and reveal his Will unto us in the things which concern our Salvation but doth also apply himself to our Weakness in the manner and means of teaching us being such as we are best able to bear If God himself should come from Heaven and immediately appear to us in his infinite Glory and speak to us by his own immediate Voice it would strike us dead to the Earth See Exod 20. 19. Yea if he should but send his glorious Angels to speak to us how terrible would their Voice and Presence be unto us Or if he should appear in a miraculous Cloud and so speak to us as now he did to the three Disciples in Mount Tabor how would it astonish us But now seeing it is the Lord's Mercy to speak in so plain mild and familiar manner to us by the Ministry of men like our selves How thankful should we be and how gladly should we hear his Voice thus speaking to us for our good and how highly should we esteem of this Ordinance of God in the Ministry of his Word by men So likewise of Ministers c. Now followeth the matter it self which was uttered or spoken by the Voice which came out of the Cloud This is my beloved Son hear him General Observation That there is a distinction of Persons in the God-head though but one Essence God the Father the first Person did utter this Voice And Christ the Son the second Person being present also was that Person concerning whom the Voice spake In which words are two things contained 1. A special Testimony given of the Person of Christ This is my beloved Son 2. A speciall Precept or Commandment given unto the Disciples in respect of Christ To hear him Of the first This is my beloved Son Matth. 17. 5. these words are added In whom I am well pleased But my purpose is to speak onely of the words set down by Mark. Here note that this testimony of Christ's Person that he is the Son of God was given from Heaven not for Christ's own sake or in respect of him for he had no need at all to be taught this truth touching his own Person nor to be confirmed in it but this Testimony was given for the Disciples sakes being now present with Christ that by this means their Faith might be confirmed in the truth of Christ's Person that he was the Son of God So Joh. 12. 30. at another time a little before his Passion when the like Voice was sounded from Heaven touching Christ our Saviour himself tells his Disciples that the Voice came not because of him but for their sakes Object Object The Disciples did already believe Christ to be the Son of God and Peter in the name of all the rest had a little before confessed him so to be as we heard Chap. 8. ver 29. and as it appeareth Mat. 16. 16. Therefore this Testimony from Heaven may seem needless Answ Answ Though they did already believe Christ to be the Son of God yet it was no needless thing but very necessary for them to be yet further confirmed in this truth 1. Because their Faith was as yet but weak and so had need of further strengthning especially seeing they were appointed to be special Witnesses of this truth afterward to others 2. This truth of Christ's Person that he is the Son of God is a main and principal Point of Doctrine taught in the Gospel of great necessity to be known and believed unto Salvation and therefore they had need to be throughly stablished in the belief of it 3. Though they did already believe Christ to be the glorious Son of God yet because he was not long afterward to be greatly abased and to suffer death as a man yea the shameful death of the Cross Therefore lest when they should see this come to pass they should begin to doubt of his Person whether he were indeed the Son of God it was needful for their Faith to be yet further stablished herein by this Voice of God himself from Heaven that so they might be the better armed against that great scandal and offence which otherwise they would have taken at his Cross and Sufferings But to come to the words of this Testimony touching Christ's Person In them are two things contained 1. That he is the Son of God 2. That he is his beloved Son Of the first How Christ is said to be the Son of God see before Chap. 1. Ver. 1. viz. not by Creation as the Angels nor by Adoption as true Believers in Christ but by natural Generation
appointed for him first to suffer and be abased and so to enter into Glory Luke 24. 26. so for us Therefore wait for honour and glory till the due time appointed for it till the time after this life In the mean time in this life be content to be abased contemned despised of men for the Name of Christ that thou mayest hereafter be exalted and honoured of God in due time Now followeth the time how long he chargeth them to conceal those things which they had seen viz. Till after he should be risen from the dead This shews that he did not absolutely forbid them to publish the glory of his Transfiguration but onely for a time till after he were risen c. Therefore after his Resurrection they might and ought to publish it and so Peter did as we see 2 Pet. 1. 16. Quest Quest Why not before his Resurrection Answ Answ See the Answer before in the former page Observ 1 Observ 1. See here the undoubted certainty of Christ's Resurrection from the dead even before it was fulfilled For here he takes it for granted that he should not onely suffer death in the due time appointed but also rise again from death and that speedily even the third day after his death ut supra praedixer at cap. 8. 31. The certainty may appear by these Reasons Reasons Reasons 1. It was decreed of God long before even from everlasting Luke 24. 46. Thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day 2. It was fore-told by the Prophets as by David in the Person of Christ Psal 16. 9. My Flesh shall rest in hope c. Typified also in Jonah Mat. 12. 40. 3. Fore-told also by our Saviour himself often before it was fulfilled So we heard Chap. 8. 31. and here So afterward in this Chapter Ver. 31. and again Chap. 10. 34. Use Use If Christ's Resurrection were so certain before it was fulfilled much more now after it is fulfilled This may strengthen our Faith in this Article of Christ's Resurrection c. the rather because this Faith of Christ's Resurrection is propria Christianorum for Turks and Jews believe the death of Christ onely Christians believe Him to be risen And upon this also depends all the comfort we have by the death of Christ See Chap. 8. 31. Observ 2 Observ 2. That the divine Glory and Majesty of Christ's Person as he is God was not to be manifested suddenly or all at once but by certain steps and degrees first more obscurely and then more clearly and openly The more obscure manifestation of the Glory of his God-head was 1. By his miracles both lesser and greater 2. By the forced Confession of the Devils themselves who confessed him to be the Son of God 3. By the private Confession of the Disciples of Christ as we heard before on Ver. 29. of the 8. Chapter 4. By the glorious Vision of his Transfiguration shewed privately in the Mount to three of his Disciples as we have heard before in this Chapter The more clear open and publick manifestation of his Divine Glory was at the time of his Resurrection from the dead and afterward in his Ascension into Heaven Rom. 1. 4. Therefore our Saviour here forbids them to publish the Glory of his Transfiguration till after his Resurrection Reason Reas To the end that the Doctrine of his God-head and Truth of his Person that he was the Messiah might the more easily be believed and embraced Vse Vse See the Reason why our Saviour so often forbade his Miracles to be publickly or openly made known by those upon whom they were wrought Because the Glory of his God-head was to be manifested by degrees and that but obscurely till his Resurrection c. For the same cause also he forbad his Disciples to make it known that he was the Son of God as they confessed him to be in the thirtieth Verse of the 8th Chapter Now followeth the Title which he gives unto himself The Son of Man Of this see before in Ver. 31. of Chap. 8. Mark 9. 10. And they kept that saying with themselves questioning one with another what the rising from the dead Octob. 15. 1626. should mean HEre is laid down the Obedience yielded by the three Disciples unto the former charge given them by our Saviour touching the concealing of his Transfiguration till after his Resurrection Where 1. Their Obedience in concealing the matter They kept that saying c. 2. The Amplification of it by a special Adjunct or Circumstance which accompanied their concealment thereof They questioned one with another what the rising from the dead should mean They kept that saying c. They concealed both the charge given them by Christ and also the Vision of his Transfiguration which he charged them to conceal Luke 9. 36. They kept it close viz. his Transfiguration and told no man in those dayes any of those things which they had seen Beza sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hanc rem The matter before spoken of referring not onely to Christ's charge given them immediately before but also to the whole History of his Transfiguration before set down That saying or Speech is put for that matter after the Hebrew manner of speaking They kept it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly to hold or keep a thing by force with labour and pains to shew How hard it was for them so long to conceal this matter Sic Beza Observ Observ The Duty of Christ's true Disciples and Servants is to yield Obedience to his Precepts and Commandments doing those things he requireth and refraining those which he forbiddeth Thus did these three Disciples here obey Christ's Charge and Command given them touching the concealing of the Vision of his Transfiguration As it is the duty of every Servant to obey the Commandments of his Master so of Christ's Servants to obey his Precepts On the contrary Luke 6. 46. Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say Mat. 7. 24. Mat. 28. 19 20. Go teach all Nations c. teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you Vse 1 Use 1. For Reproof of such as profess themselves to be Christ's Disciples and Servants and yet do not yield Obedience to his Precepts and Commandments but on the contrary do that which is flat contrary to his Commandment For Example He commands them to repent of their sins that they may be forgiven Luke 24. 47. but they go on still in them without Repentance He commands them not to swear at all c. Matth. 5. yet they live in the Sin of profane and customary Swearing c. He commands them to forgive and love their Enemies and not to seek private revenge but rather to suffer two injuries than to requite one with the like but their practice is quite contrary So far are they from forgiving and loving their Enemies that they will not put up the least wrong but seek revenge and go
wrath and curse of God He deals with the Souls and Consciences of such as he did here with the body of this possessed young man He carries them headlong to the practice of sin and so doth cast their Souls into the fire of Hell even as he did violently throw the body of this party into the Fire and into the Water And as he did reâ—â— and tear the body of this party with grievous pains causing him to fome and gnash his teeth c. So doth he rack and torment the Consciences of wicked men with inward gripings and terrours and makes their Consciences to fome and gnash within them as it were And as he did deprive this party of his bodily senses striking him both dumb and deaf So doth he bereave the wicked of their spiritual senses striking them with spirituall dumbness and deafness c. so as they can neither pray nor speak a word to God's Glory or Edification of others nor yet hear God speak unto them by his Word as they ought c. See then the wofull misery of all such as are thus spiritually possessed of Satan and under his Power in their Souls and Consciences which should move all such to labour for a true feeling of this their own lamentable condition and to use all means speedily to be delivered from this spirituall Power of Satan especially to come duly to the publike Ministery of the Word which is the ordinary means to cast down the holds of sin in them and to deliver them from the Power of Satan c. And it should also move us to pitty and pray for such If we should see one bodily possessed by the Devil and so tormented as this party was would not our bowels yearn Much more then c. See before chap. 5. 1 c. Mark 9. 18. And I spake to thy Disciples that they should cast him out and they could not March 4. 1626. HItherto of the first Argument or Motive used by the father of this possessed young man to move our Saviour to shew mercy on him taken from the lamentable misery in which he was Now follows the second Motive from the unability of the Disciples to cast the Devil out of him notwithstanding that he had sought unto them to do it I spake to thy Disciples The reason why he first sought to the Disciples was because Christ himself was at that time absent And they could not Hence it is probable That they did attempt the casting out of the Devil but could not do it c. The cause of this unability in the Disciples was partly their own Weakness of Faith Matth. 17. 20. and partly the Unbelief of the Father and of the Nation of Jews especially of the Scribes and Pharisees in the following Verse Observ 1 Observ 1. That although the Apostles of Christ had the extraordinary Gift and Power of working Miracles conferred on them by Christ for the sealing of their Doctrine as we heard before Chap. 6. 7. yet they could not exercise this Power at all times whensoever they would but then onely when it was expedient when it made for God's Glory and Edification of the People and when they were thereunto moved by special instinct Sometimes it was not expedient neither did it make for God's Glory that they should exercise the Power and Gift of Miracles and sometimes also they were hindred by their own Unbelief or by the Unbelief of others from working those Miracles which they attempted as at this time they were as appeareth Matth. 17. 20. and in this Chapter afterward Hence also we may gather by the way That this Gift of working Miracles was not any Power or Vertue inherent in their own Persons for then they mighâ— have exercised it at all times when they would but it was the divine Power of God and of Christ himself which did work in them and by them as by Instruments So Peter professeth plainly Act. 3. 12. Why look ye on us as though by our own Power we had made this man to walk c. But ver 16. The Name of Christ had made this man strong c. See before Chap. 6. 7. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that the Disciples were hindred and disabled by their own Unbelief and Weakness of Faith that they could not at this time work this Miracle in casting the Devil out of the possessed party we learn that Unbelief or Weakness of Faith is a sin very hurtful and dangerous to the true Saints and Servants of God hindring and depriving them of most excellent priviledges and benefits which otherwise they might enjoy So here the Disciples by their Unbelief deprived themselves for a time of that rare and extraordinary gift of working Miracles utterly disabling themselves for the exercise thereof More particularly the Saints of God do by their Unbelief hinder and deprive themselves of two sorts of benefits or priviledges 1. Of inward and spiritual priviledges which concern the good of their Souls and the life to come as of the comfortable feeling of God's favour and of that measure of inward peace of Conscience and spirituall Joy which they might and should otherwise enjoy if they had more strength of Faith Hence it is that David sometimes felt so little inward peace and comfort and on the contrary so great inward trouble and discomfort within himself as he complaineth Psal 42. and Psal 77. The cause hereof was the Weakness of his Faith even as himself implyeth plainly Psal 77. 10. when he saith This is mine Infirmity Thus also it waâ— with Jonah Chap. 2. ver 4 7. being in the Whale's Belly through Weakness of Faith his Soul fainted within him for a time and he thought himself to be cast out of God'â— sight 2. The Saints of God by Unbelief do oftentimes deprive themselves of those outward and corporal benefits and priviledges which otherwise they might enjoy as of that measure and degree of outward peace and prosperity God's Protection and Blessing in things of this life which they might otherwise enâ—oy yea they may and do sometimes wholly deprive themselves of these or some of these Blessings through their own Unbelief Numb 20. 12. Moses and Aaron by their Unbelief deprived themselves of the great benefit of coming into the promised Land of Canaan to dwell in it And Isa 7. 9. the Lord threatens his People the Jews that if they would not believe his Word and Promise given for their deliverance from their enemies they should not be established that is they should not enjoy the benefir of outward security and safety from those enemies but should be deprived of the same See also Joh. 11. 40. Exemplum Marthae Observ 3 Observ 3. In that the Father of this possessed young man having first brought his Son to the Disciples to be dispossessed and they not being able to help him yet did not forthwith despair of help nor yet give over the use of further means but hereupon made sute unto Christ
from the beginning Rev. 9. 11. called Abaddon and Apollyâ—n which signifieth a Destroyer much more true of the Devil This deadly malice he sheweth both against the Bodies and Souls of men seeking the utter destruction of both 1. He seeks to destroy and murder the bodies of men by temporal or bodily death so far as God doth permit and suffer him as here he did to this Child and to Job's Children and Servants Job 1. 2. He seeks also and that principally the eternal Destruction of mens Souls and Bodies together in Hell He seeks nothing so much to cast their bodies into the Fire or Water to burn or drown them as he doth to cast both their bodies and souls into the fire and pit of Hell there to be burned and drowned everlastingly And this he doth by his wicked and sinful suggestions and temptations labouring continually to entise men unto sin and so to bring them to eternal destruction 1 Pet. 5. 8. As a roaring Lion c. He is called The Tempter 1 Thes 3. 5. Use 1 Use 1. See what cause there is for us to be watchful at all times against this our deadly Enemy the Devil and against his Temptations walking circumspectly in all our wayes and carefully looking to our selves that we give him not the least advantage to tempt and draw us to sin and so to the destruction of our Soul and Bodies The more he seeketh to do this the more watchful must we be over our selves the more wary of giving him any advantage against us Ephes 4. 27. Give not place to the Devill that is Give him no advantage or occasion to draw us to sin by his Temptations which may be done many wayes as by yielding to the first motions of any sin arising in our hearts and not resisting them at first or by casting our selves upon the occasions of sin as evil Company Idleness c. or by negligence in good Duries or by loosnesse in our outward Carriage thereby discovering the inward Corruptions of our hearts and so laying our selves open to Satan our deadly Enemy All these take heed of and look to thy self in all thy wayes that thou give no advantage to the Tempter to tempt thee to sin and so to murder and devour thy Soul as he desireth and seeketh by all means and at all times and at all places He goeth about as a roaring Lion Therefore look to him and to thy self and all thy wayes especially to thy heart that thou keep it with all diligence as Solomon exhorteth in the Proverbs See thou be daily armed against him with Faith Prayer the Word of God c. If thou didst certainly know that thou hast an Enemy which did seek thy bodily life and did ly in wait secretly to murder thee How wary and fearful would it make thee to be where thou becomest how thou caâ—â—iest thy self thou wouldst carry some weapon about thee c. How much more cause hast thou to walk circumspectly at all times in all places seeing it is so certain that Satan the deadly Enemy of thy Soul and Body lyeth in wait continually to tempt thee to sin and so to devoure thy Soul in eternal destruction See 1 Pet. 5. 8. Use 2 Use 2. This should teach us not to hearken or yield to the faire or friendly perswasions of Satan whereby he eâ—tiseth us to sin under pretence of good Will as he did to our first Parents by suggesting to our minds the Profit Pleasure or Content which sin will bring to us For whatsoever he pretend the Truth is he doth intend nothing else but the devouring of our Souls He is a Liar and a Murderer from the beginning Therefore trust him not though he seem to speak never so faire to thy heart c. See in Ver. 23. of the first Chapter Use 3 Use 3. See what cause there is for us daily to commit our selvs and such as belong to us unto God's special Protection by Prayer that he may keep us from the power and malice of this our deadly Enemy which daily goeth about and laboureth to destroy and Murder our Souls and Bodies Observ 2 Observ 2. Though the Devil had often cast this Child into the Fire and Water desiring and seeking to destroy it yet it appears that he could never do it the Lord restraining his Power and preserving the Child from destruction Hence we learn that although the Devil's Power and Malice against Mankind be very great yet it is limited and restrained by the over-ruling Power of God so as he cannot do so much hurt as he desireth but so much only as the Lord suffereth him See before Chap. 5. ver 12. Vse 1 Use 1. To comfort the Godly against the malice and power of Satan c. See before the 12th Verse of Chap. 5. Vse 2 Use 2. This should also cause us to bless God for his Goodness and Mercy in curbing and restraining the Power and Malice of Satan that he cannot do us so much hurt and mischief as he would If he might have his Will he would not suffer us or ours to live an hour but would use some means to murder us and to destroy our Bodies he would devour our Souls c. How then are we bound to God for restraining his power See Chap. 1. 23. Now followeth the third part of the Answer of the Father unto Christ's Question or Demand viz. The renewing of his former sute unto Christ for his Son that he would shew mercy on him and help him out of that misery But if thou canst do anything c. Having further declared and laid open unto Christ the misery of his Child in that the Devil had so often cast him into the Fire and Water c. Now suddainly he breaketh off all further discourse touching that matter as being tedious and grievous to him to speak or think of and as one that was impatient of further delay and desirous to have his Son speedily healed if it might be he now takes occasion to renew his earnest Sute and Prayer unto Christ saying But if thou canst do any thing c. Now in that he speaketh thus doubtfully touching Christ's Power If thou canst c. this was out of the Weakness of Faith For although he was not quite destitute of Faith but had some Seed thereof sowen in his heart by which he did in some measure believe and had some perswasion of Christ's Power and Ability to help his Child for otherwise he would never have brought his Child to him nor made any sute at all to him to cast the Devil out of him yet notwithstanding it appeareth by these words as also by that which followeth Ver. 24. that this his Faith was as yet very weak and feeble being joyned with much doubting and wavering Quest Quest What was the Cause or Occasion of this Weakness of Faith and doubtfulness in him touching the Power of Christ Answ Answ There might be sundry occasions of it As
is good for him and stands with the Will of God yea it is a powerfull means for the obtaining not onely of ordinary favours but also of extraordinary and miraculous Benefits and Priviledges at the hands of God and that both Spirituall and Temporall Touching Spirituall it is a means to obtain pardon of sin and God's favour justification and eternall Life at the hands of God For all these are in Scripture promised to such as believe as we have heard before Touching temporall Favours and Priviledges of this Life there is none so great or hard to be obtained but Faith is able to procure for the Believers good Hebr. 11. The Apostle reckoneth up sundry great and excellent Benefits which Believers obtained at the hands of God by means of Faith as that by it the Israelites obtained safe passage through the Red-Sea as on dry Land ver 19. So ver 33. By Faith they subdued Kingdoms obtained the Promises of God stopped mouths of Lyon quenched violence of Fire c. And ver 35. Women received their Dead raised to Life again c. By Faith the Apostles of Christ obtained the extraordinary Power and Gift of Miracles in those times as of healing the Sick raising the Dead casting out Devils c. And by the same Faith they should have been inabled to work other Miracles besides those they did work if it had made for God's Glory Matth. 17. 20. Verily I say unto you If ye have Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say unto this Mountain remove hence c. and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible unto you So Luke 17. 6. Reas 1 Reas 1. By Faith a Believer doth honour God believing his Word Power c. Therefore God doth honour him 1 Sam. 2. 30. Reas 2 Reas 2. It helpeth and inableth us to pray unto God earnestly and effectually in all our Necessities and so to obtain all things of God which tend to his Glory and our Good Jam. 5. 16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much that is the prayer of Faith as he calls it before ver 15. Oratio fidei omnipotens Luther Vse 1 Vse 1. See the excellency of this Grace of true Faith worthily called precious Faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. in that it is so powerfull and effectuall to prevail with God for the obtaining not onely of some but of all Blessings and Benefits needfull and profitable for us By Faith Jacob wrestled and prevailed with God and obtained a blessing Gen. 32. 28 29. And by this as by a powerfull instrument or means we prevail with God for the obtaining of all blessings Spirituall and Temporall especially Spirituall This makes all things possible to be obtained for us at the hands of God yea by it we do actually come to receive from God whatsoever is good for us The hand of our Souls by which we lay hold upon all the blessings of God and reach them to our selves though they be never so hard to be obtained though they be never so far removed from us c. A strange and wonderfull Instrument or Engine it is by which we are inabled to reach up to Heaven and to pull down from thence all things which we stand in need of all blessings and good things all deliverances from evil c. Use 2 Use 2. For the comfort of all true Believers who are indued with any measure of this excellent and powerfull Gift of Faith which is able to work so great matters and to prevail so much with God Great is the Priviledge and Happiness of such as are partakers of this Grace for having Faith they either have or may have all things in Heaven and Earth that are good and necessary for them All Spirituall blessings as pardon of Sins God's favour c. All Temporall blessings of this Life as Health Wealth and outward Prosperity so far as is good and fit for them and so far as stands with the Will of God 1 Cor. 3. 22. All things are yours and ye are Christ's c. Hieronym Fideli homini totus mundus divitiarum est Object Object But do we not see that the Faithfull do want many good things in this Life especially Temporall things c. Answ Answ 1. They want nothing that is good and profitable for them to further their Happinesse and Salvation Psal 34. 10. They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing 2. If they do want any Blessing it is their own fault because they do not stirr up and exercise their Faith in depending upon God and praying to him so often and earnestly as they should Vse 3 Use 3. See what cause for us to labour for this excellent Grace of Faith as we were before exhorted c. Mark 9. 24. And straightway the Father of the Child cryed out and said c. May 13. 1627. IN this verse and the three next going before as ye have heard is laid down to us a Conference holden between our Saviour Christ and the Father of the Lunatick Child which Conference consisteth of four parts 1. A Question moved by our Saviour to the Father of the Child How long his Son had been in that case 2. The Answer of the Father in which he doth not onely certify our Saviour how long his Son had been so even from his Childhood or Infancy but withall takes occasion further to lay open the misery of his Child and to renew his earnest sute and supplication unto Christ for his Son 3. Our Saviour's Reply which he made to that Answer and particularly to the Petition or Sute made to Him by the Father of the Child In which Reply he doth seem to yield and grant his Request conditionally that he could believe that is by Faith rest perswaded of his divine Power and Mercy and depend on it for the working of this Miracle on his Child 4. The Answer of the Father of the Child unto that Reply of Christ Touching the three first parts of this Conference I have spoken already Now followeth the fourth and last which is set down in this 24th Verse now read viz. The Answer made by the Father of the Child unto Christ's Reply in the former Verse requiring Faith of him to believe his Power and Mercy if he would have this Miracle wrought for his Child To this he now answereth in these words which do contain in them nothing else but an earnest Prayer or Supplication made by the Father of the Child unto our Saviour Christ in which as he doth make open Profession of his Faith so withall he prayeth for further encrease of it In the words consider three things 1. The time when he made this Prayer to Christ Straightway that is immediately upon those words of our Saviour used to him in the former Verse in which he assured him that If he could believe all things were possible c. 2. The manner of his praying or making Supplication to Christ which consisteth
is shewed uâ—to such he taketh it as shewed unto himself Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my Name receiveth me And this is further amplified by a comparison from the lesse to the greater In that the love and respect which is shewed to humble persons is not only shewed to Christ but also to God the Father who sent him Whosoever shall receive me receiveth not me but him that sent me Whosoever shall receive That is perform any duty of love and good respect to such One duty of love viz. loving and respectful entertainment is put for all other duties of love and respect One of such children This is not to be understood properly of children in age although our Saviour would have them also to be lovingly and respectfully used as we have heard before and as he shewed by his own practise but of such persons as do resemble and are like unto little children in the grace of humility Verse 42. he saith on the contrary Whosoever shall offend oneof these little ones that believe in me c. Now little children cannot be said properly to believe in Christ by actual faith In my Name That is for my sake or for this cause and in this respect that he doth believe in me and is my disciple or doth belong to me as it is explained Verse 41. Receiveth me Sheweth the same love and respect unto me Observ 2 Observ 2. Christians ought not only to be truly humble in themselves but also to shew special love and respect unto such as do resemble young children in humility This our Saviour here teacheth us in that he did not only set a young child before his disciples as a pattern of humility to teach them to be as humble as children in themselves but also taketh occasion withall to perswade and move them to receive such humble Christians in his name that is to shew all love kindnesse and good respect to them for his sake affirming that in so doing they should shew love and respect to himself yea and to his heavenly Father that sent him This shews that he would have his Disciples and all other good Christians not only to be like unto children in themâ—elves by the grace of humility but also to love and esteem well of such as are like children in humility and to shew it by all fruits of love and good respect towards such Reas 1 Reason 1. God himself sheweth special love and respect to such as are truly humble Esay 66. 2. To him will I look that is of a poor and contrite spirit c. and Esay 57. 15. He professeth that he doth dwell not only in heaven but with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit Reas 2 Reas 2. Christ Jesus our Saviour was not only truly humble in himself but did also shew special love and respect unto such as were humble when he lived on earth as we heard upon the former Verse Therefore we ought herein to follow his practise Reas 3 Reas 3. Humble Christians do in special manner resemble Christ Matth. 11. 29. Learn of me c. Therefore we ought to shew special love to such Use 1 Use 1. See how contrary the practise of the world is unto that which God requireth of us in his Word For whereas the Lord requireth of us to shew special love honour and respect to humble Christians it is so for the most part that in the world none are more hated despised and set at naught then such as are most humble and most like unto children in thiâ— grace of humility and in practise of it None more contemned and vilified by the profane and common sort than these who carry themselves most humbly and lowly even as little children in their behaviour See how contrary the practise of the world and of the common sort of men in the world is to the rule of Gods Word which therefore must teach us to beware how we make the example of the world that is of the profane or common sort in the world the rule of our practise either in this or in any other matter Rom. 12. 2. Be not conformed to this world c. Use 2 Use 2. Let us not think it enough to be humble in our selves like little children but withall see that we do shew special love and respect unto all humble Christians who do truly resemble children in humility and the more humble they shew themselve the more let us shew our love and respect towards them by all fruits and tokens of it by receiving and entertaining them lovingly and respectfully both into our company and into our houses as occasion is offered and by our readiness to help relieve and comfort such in their troubles and by doing them all the good we can Seeing they are so belovâ—d and respected of God himself and of Christ Jesus let them be also loved and respected and honoured by us and that in special manner let us esteem them as the â—ittest objects of our love and respect Whom should we so much love and honour as those whom God himself and Christ Jesus doth love and honour Whom but such as are most like unto Christ himself And who are thâ—se but humble Christians who are most like unto little children in this grace The rather le 〈…〉 love and honour such because they have so much need of our love and respect being as they are for most part so apt to be despised and trampled under feet in the world yea the more they are conâ—emned in the world the more ought we to love and honour them for the Lords sake c. Observ 2 Observ 2. That whatsoever duties of love and good respect we do perform toward good Christians being believers in Christ and truly humble the same doth Christ Jesus accept as done unto himself Whosoever shall receive one of such children receiveht me c. So Matth. 10. 40. He that receiveth you receiveth me c. And Matth. 25. 34 c. Come ye blessed of my father c. For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink c. Verse 40. Verâ—ly I say â—nto you in as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto Me. Reas 1 Reason 1. There is a most straight union between Christ and true believers They are one with him and he with them 1 Cor. 12. 12. As between husband and wife and as between the Vine and the Branches c. Joh. 15. 5. Reas 2 Reas 2. Christ going up into heaven did leave the Saints and faithful upon earth as Deputies or Substitutes in his room and place to the end that in them we might shew our love to him being absent Matth. 26. 11. Ye have the poor alwayes with you but me ye have not alwayes Understand it chiefly of the poor Saints and believers in Christ Use 1 Use 1. How should this perswade
drowned in the Sea this punishment should be much more easie and tolerable for him than that which he shall suffer in Hell for the sin of offending any good Christian c. See Jansen and Luke 17. 2. Now followeth the Instructions 1. From the persons threatned Whosoever shall offend c. Observ Observ It is a very haynous and grievous sin for any to offend or scandalize good Christians or the true Saints and Servants of God by offering any outward wrong or injury unto them in word or deed Our Saviour threatneâ—h a grievous punishment to be inflicted upon all such even eternal punishment of soul and body in Hell being far more grievous than any bodily punishment or temporal death whatsoever which shews the grievousnesse of this sin of giving offence to the true Saints and servants of God or of Christ Jesus by offering any wrong or injury to them in word or deed Therefore Matth. 18. 7. a Woe is denounced by our Saviour against such as are the cause of such offences or scandals against good Christians And Verse 10. of the same Chapter he gives a caveat to take heed of despising his little ones that is of shewing contempt of any humble Christians that are his true disciples by offering any wrong or abuse to them to shew how great a sin it is so to do Therefore also Psal 105. 14. It is said The Lord did reprove even Kings for the hurt and wrong they did unto his Saints and that he charged them not so much as to touch his anointed c. to shew how great a sin and offence to God it is to offer wrong to such Reas 1 Reason 1. To offer wrong or injury to the Saints of God is to offer injury to the Lord himself whose servants they are Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye So 2 King 19. 22. Sennacherib in reproaching Hezekiah is said to have blasphemed against God himself And Act. 9. 4. Christ chargeth Paul before his conversion to have persecuted Him in persecuting his Saints Reas 2 Reas 2. We are commanded in Scripture to shew speciall love to the Saints of God above all others Gal. 6. 10. Let us do good to all but especially to the houshold of faith Therefore on the contrary to do hurt to such or to offer wrong and injury to them must needs be a grievous sin Vse 1 Use 1. See the wickedness of such as make but leight of this sin of offending the Saints of God or good Christians by wrongs or abuses offered to them in word or deed or both Some are so profane as to make it their pastime or sport to speak or do evil to the Saints of God to reproach and slander them to jest and mock at them and to call them by reproachful names Prov. 10. 23. It is a sport to a fool to do mischief c. But it will be no matter of sport when such shall give account to God for this sin of abusing and scandalizing his Saints and servants when God shall enter into Judgment and cast them to Hell for it Use 2 Use 2. For admonition to every one to fear and take heed of this haynous sin of offending the Saints of God and good Christians by any outward wrong or injury offered to them in word or deed yea though it be in the least measure though it be but by an evil word spoken against such much more take heed of hurting or abusing such in deed Take heed of shewing any hatred or enmity against the true Saints and servants of God Take heed of molesting troubling persecuting them by word or deed Take heed of speaking or doing any thing against such unjustly whereby to vex and grieve their minds and so to discourage and hinder them in their holy and Christian course of life Remember what a grievous sin it is thus to offend and scandalize the Saints and servants of God and so to hinder or discourage them in well-doing by any wrong or abuse offered to them in word or deed As it is a great sin to give just offence or scandal to any by offering wrong or injury to them or abusing them any way so especially to give cause of offence to the Saints and Servants of God and to good Christians of all offences and scandals this is the greatest and worst kind and therefore most of all to be feared and shunned 1 Cor. 10. 32. Give none offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God A grievous sin it is to offend and discourage any in well-doing by offering wrongs or abuses to them but especially to do this to the Church of God that is to his true Saints and Servants c. especially such as are eminent for Graces or special instruments of Gods glory as Ministers c. This is a most hainous and grievous kind of offence and scandal Therefore fear and take heed of it by all means Consider that the wrongs and injuries done against the Saints of God are done against God and against Christ himself and so he taketh them Consider also how we are bound in Conscience to love and honour such in highest degree above all others and therefore to give offence to such by any wrong or abuse offered them in word or deed must needs be a hainous and grievous sin before God therefore see we be not guilty of it And to this end take heed of contemning or despising the Saints and Servants of God in our hearts lest this contempt grow to dislike or hatred and so break forth outwardly into open scandalls and offences against such in word and deed Resist the beginnings of this sin this is the way to be kept from it Mark 9. 42. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that Believe in me it is better for him that a Milstone Octob. 14. 1627. were hanged about his neck c. NOw follow the persons against whom this sin is said to be committed viz. good Christians described 1. By the name or title given them they are called little ones 2. By special property such as Believe in Christ Of the first One of these little ones Observ 1 Observ 1. It is not said whosoever shall offend these little ones but Whosoever shall offend one of these c. We learn That it is a great sin before God to offer wrong or injury and to give cause of offence to any one of his true Saints and Servants yea though it be the least or meanest of them Matth. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones c. Use Use This doth serve further to aggravate the sin of offending or giving cause of scandall to the Saints of God in that the Lord doth accompt it so great a sin to offend or wrong but one good Christian or true Servant of his How much greater sin is it then to give offence or to offer wrong to
Precept or Commandment Further touching this Law of Moses here mentioned and set down Deut. 24. 1. some questions are to be resolved Quest 1 Quest 1. Wherefore Moses or rather the Lord himself by Moses did by this Law tolerate or permit Divorcement of the Wife in the forenamed case of dislike or hatred conceived against her Answ Answ Not thereby to allow or approve of such Divorces for it was against the first institution of Marriage as our Saviour afterwards sheweth in ver 6 7 8. but for the preventing of a greater evill or mischief viz. the hard and cruell dealing of Husbands with their Wives as the times then were amongst the Jews For such was the cruelty and hard-heartednesse of the Jewish Husbands against their Wives as some do affirm that when once they had conceived hatred against them they would rather do them any hurt or mischief yea though it were to the wilfull murthering of them then they would live with them And this may be gathered from the words of our Saviour himself in the verse following where he saith That it was for the hardnesse of the Jews hearts that Moses did give them that Law or Precept Quest 2 Quest 2. What kind of Law was this of Moses touching Divorcement Answ Answ It was no Morall or perpetual Law to continue in force for ever at least not in regard of all the circumstances of it but it was onely a Judicial Civil or Politick Law given onely for the good and convenient ordering of the Common-wealth of the Jews and that for a time onely that is to say untill the time of Reformation as it is called Hebr. 9. 10. which was after the comming of Christ in the flesh and therefore we see that our Saviour at his comming though he did not quite abrogate this Law in regard of the substance and equity of it yet he did correct and amend it or at least open and explain the true scope and meaning of it further then ever it was before opened by teaching it not to be an absolute allowance of Divorcement in such cases of dislike and hatred conceived against the Wife but onely a permission of it for a time in regard of the hard-heartednesse of the Jews and withall by shewing expresly the unlawfulness of such Divorces as he doth afterward as we shall hear ver 9-11 of this Chapter Quest 3 Quest 3. Wherefore was the Husband commanded to give a writing or Bill of Divorcement to his Wife before he put her away Answ Answ It is most likely that the principal causes were these 1. That by this Bill of Divorcement the Wife being the innocent party might be saved harmless from being too much wronged and abused by her Husband For she having the Bill of her Divorcement to shew this was a testimony for her innocency and besides by it she being cleared from her former Husband was at liberty by this toleration before men to marry with another as the words of the Law do shew Deut. 24. 2. 2. That this might be a means to bridle and restrain such rigorous Husbands from that unlawfull practice of putting away their Wives in such cases when as they could not do it without giving them a Bill of Divorcement which would also be a perpetual testimony both against themselves to shew their hard dealing and for their Wives to clear their innocency See Esay 50. 1. So much in way of clearing these words of the Pharisees here alledging the Law of Moses touching Divorces Where 1. Consider the persons alledging this Law the Pharisees They said c. 2. Their corrupt manner and end of alledging it to justify unlawfull Divorces 3. The Law it self Observ Of the first Observ That groâ—s Hypocrites and profane or wicked men may have knowledg in the Scriptures and be able to alledg the same readily So these Pharisees here they had literal knowledg in the Law of Moses and could readily cite places out of the books of Moses So at other times as Joh. 8. 5. they alledg the Law of stoning such to death who were taken in Adultery So the profane Sadduces who denyed the Resuâ—rection and held there was neither Angell nor Spirit Act. 23. yet could alledg Scripture Matth. 22. 24. yea the Devill himself Matth. 4. Use Use Teacheth us not to rest contented with the literal knowledg of the Scriptures but withall to labour for the true understanding of the sense and meaning of the Scriptures and especially for Sanctified hearts to imbrace and yield obedience to the Word of God else we go no further then Hypocrites and Reprobates who may have great knowledg in the Letter and History of the Scripture yea they may also understand the meaning of them in a great measure yea further they may have some taste in their affections of the sweetness of God's Word and yet be but Hypocrites and Reprobates Hebr. 6. 5. Therefore above all labour for the true sanctifying and saving knowledg of the Word of God with a true feeling of the power and vertue thereof renewing and changing our hearts If this be not in thee thou mayest perish and go to Hell with all thy literal or speculative knowledg of the Scriptures If it be onely in thy head and not truely rooted in thy heart c. Of the second It is the property and manner of Hypocrites and wicked men to alledg Scripture for the justification of sin and unlawfull practices and to this end to pervert the true sense and meaning of the Scripture So these Pharisees here do alledg this Law of Moses out of Deut. 24. to justify unlawful Divoâ—ces for small and light causes then in use amongst the Jews and to this end the better to colour over the matter and to hide the true meaning of the Law they alledg the words of it in a perplexed and confused manner sometimes calling the whole Law a permission which was not so but in part an express Commandment namely in respect of the Bill of Divorcement to be given unto the Wife and sometimes calling it a Commandment as Matth. 19. 7. whereas it was in part a permission or toleration onely viz. in regard of the Divorces themselves And this hath bin an usual practice of wicked men in all ages to alledg Scripture in defence of sin both of their own sins and of the sins of others in the times wherein they lived and to this end to pervert the true sense of the Scriptures alledged by â—hem Thus all profane Hereticks which have bin both in ancient and latter times have alledged Scripture in defence of their wicked Heresies perverting the Scripture to that end So the Arrâ—ans Pelagians Manichees c. in old time So at this day the Papisâ—s Anabaptists and such like So amongst our selves there are to be found now adayes such profane men who are ready to alledg Scripture in excuse and defence of their own and others sins perverting and wresting such Scriptures to this wicked end So our
Marriages are first made in heaven See this also in the marriage between Boaz and Ruth Here note That when we say God is the Author of the marriage-union this is to be understood only of the union between such persons as are lawfully and rightly joyned in marriage according to Gods Ordinance at least in regard of the substance of that which God in his Word requireth in a lawfull marriage For otherwise if any be joyned in marriage in unlawful manner or by unlawful means as without consent of Parents or with such as are within the degrees of kindred forbidden Levit. 18. or by any other unlawful means God doth not joyn them together But in all lawful marriages it is God that doth joyn man and wife together Vse 1 Use 1. See by this the dignity of the married estate in that God himself is the Author and efficient cause of it and of that near union which is between man and wife in that estate But of this before Verse 6. Vse 2 Use 2. See how great a sin it is for any to break or dissolve this union between man and wife or to give cause or occasion hereunto as by the foul sin of adultery or by ministring matter of strife and debate between man and wife whether this be done by the married couple themselves or by others This is to divide those whom God himself hath joyned and so to sin directly against the Ordinance of God Let every one therefore take heed they be not guilty of this sin Use 3 Use 3. Seeing it is God that joyneth man and wife in the married estate This should teach married couples to look at God's hand and providence in their marriage and in the uniting and joyning of them therein often considering and remembring who it was that brought them together at first and drew their affections one to the other and gave success to the means used for the accomplishment of the Matrimoniall conjunction between them that so this consideration may be a means more and more to unite their hearts in true marriage love and to cause them to shew their love by all fruits of it as by bearing with each others infirmities c. and by doing all Marriage-duties one to the other more conscionably To this end they are often to remember that they were not joyned together by chance c. Use 4 Vse 4. See how fit for such as intend and desire to enter into the married estate first to seek unto God by prayer both that he may direct them to such parties as are fit for them to be joyned with in marriage as also that he may unite their affections c. So Abraham's servant Gen. 24. 12. Prov. 19. 14. A prudent wife is from the Lord So is a prudent husband also Use 5 Use 5. This may comfort married persons against the troubles incident to the married estate In that he who hath joyned them together in that estate and called them to it will enable them to bear and go thorow the troubles and difficulties of it and not only so but sanctifie all unto them causing them to work for their spiritual good and to further them to heaven which should therefore cause them with patience contentedness and chearfulness to bear those troubles c. Doctr. 2 Doct. 2. That it is not in the power of man to untye or dissolve that union which God hath made betwixt man and wife in the married estate Our Saviour here gives a general Precept and warning that no man should presume to do it to shew that it is not in mans power only God himself who maketh this union can dissolve it either by the death of one or both of the married parties or in the case of adultery by giving liberty to the innocent party to be separated from the other by divorce and to marry with another Vse Use To confute the Papists teaching That it is in the power of the Church that is of the Pope as they mean it to dissolve the marriage bond betwixt man and wife in some cases and that out of the case of adultery for in that case they hold that the marriage bond is not dissolved As for example If the husband or the wife after marriage do make a religious Vow as they call it that is to say a Vow of perpetuall continency or that they will live a Monastical life in this case they hold That by reason of such a Vow made the Church or the Pope hath power to make void the marriage bond between husband and wife Vide Concil Trident. Sess 24. Can. 4. et 6. Herein the Pope discovereth himself to be that Antichrist foretold by the Apostle 2 Thess 2. 4. not only in equalling himself with God but exalting himself above God For God hath not any where in his Word dispensed with the separation of man and wife and dissolution of the marriage bond except in the case of adultery but the Pope doth dispense with it for other causes and not for adultery See how contrary he is to God Vide Bellarm. de Monachis lib. 2. c. 38. Doctr. 3 Doctr. 3. In that our Saviour speaks generally here not only of man and wife but of all other persons and things which God hath joyned together that man ought not to separate them hence we learn That it is a sin not only to separate man and wife being joyned of God in the married estate but also to separate any other persons or things whatsoever which God hath appointed to be joyned together For example It is a sin in any to separate between Christian brethren or friends c. by causing strife and debate between them One of the seven things which God in speciall manner hateth Prov. 6. 19. Him that soweth discord among brethren So also it is a sin to separate any of those things which God hath joyned and will have to be joyned together For this is to transgress the general Rule and Precept here delivered by our Saviour That what God hath joyned man may not put asunder Now there are many who are guilty of this sin of separating the things which God hath joyned 1. The Papists in separating the God head from the Manhood of Christ in the Office of Mediation holding him to be Mediator only according to his humane nature c. Also in separating the bread from the wine in the Lords Supper 2. Many also among our selves in our own Church do sin against this Rule of our Saviour For example Such as do separate good works and holy life from the profession of faith which God hath joyned Contrà Jam. 2. Such as separate Justification from Sanctification or forgiveness of sins from repentance which God hath joyned perswading themselves that their sins are forgiven and themselves justified though they live in sin c. Such also as do separate refraining of evil from doing of good in the practice of repentance Contra Rom. 12. 9. Such as do
there and he thereupon rehearsed the summe of both Tables of the Commandements 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul c. 2. Thy Neighbour as thy self Upon this our Saviour replyes thus unto him This do and thou shalt live Reason Reason This is the Condition of the Legal Covenant of Works viz. perfect obedience to be yielded to the whole Law and to every part of it and that in the highest degree So understand the tenure of this Covenant Levit. 18. 5. Ye shall keep my Statutes c. which if a man do he shall live in them As on the contrary the Condition of the Evangelical Covenant is Faith in Christ Act. 16. 31. Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved c. Therefore such as look to be saved by the Legal Covenant must keep the Condition of it viz. perfect obedience to the whole Law in the highest degree c. Use Use Hence gather That it is impossible for any to be justified or saved by their own good works or inherent righteousnesse forasmuch at none can thus be saved without perfect obedience yielded to the Law which none is able to perform since Adam's fall Therefore Gal. 3. 10. As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. Which shews the misery of all such as seek Justification or salvation by their own good works as Papists and some ignorant people in our Church who think to be saved by their good meaning good prayers and good serving of God c. They seek salvation by such a way and means as by which they can never attain to it that is by their own good works and obedience to Gods Commandements which being imperfect is so far from justifying or saving them that on the contrary it makes them lyable to the curse of God Quest 1 Quest 1. Are not good works then necessary to the attainment of Salvation Answ Answ Yes as fruits and testimonies of our faith in Christ shewing the truth and soundnesse of it but not as meritorious causes of salvation We cannot be saved without good works though we be not saved by or for the dignity or worthinesse of them Ephes 2. 9. We are not saved by works as meritorious causes c. and yet Verse 10. God hath ordained them for us to walk in They are via Regni c. Bernard Quest 2 Quest 2. Why then is the Legal Covenant set down in Scripture c Answ Answ See Perkins on Gal. 3. 12. Observ 2 Observ 2. One use for which the Moral Law doth serve is To bring men to a sight of their sins and imperfections and so to humble them before God especially such as were never yet thus humbled nor brought to a true sight of their sins but are puâ—â—ed up with a conceit of their own goodnesse and righteousnesse in themselves Our Saviour perceiving this young man to be thus conceited of himself sends him to the Law putting him in mind of that perfect obedience which it requireth of all that look to be justified or saved by their good works that by this means he might bring him to a true sight of his sins and humble him before God if it might be This was the end our Saviour aymed at in referring him to the Commandements of the Law and requiring him to keep them perfectly if he would enter into life that he might by this means discover to him his sins and the imperfection of his obedience to the Law although the young man did not make so good use as he should have done of our Saviour's Admonition but stood still to justifie himself as if he had already kept the Law perfectly c. Howsoever by the scope and drift of our Saviour in urging him to the obedience of the Law thereby to humble him if it might be in sight of his sins and disobedience we may see that this is one special use of the Moral Law of God for which it serveth and is to be applyed unto men viz. to bring them to sight of their sins and so to humble them before God in regard of their unability to keep this Law Rom. 3. 20. By the Law is the knowledg of sin and Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin but by the Law This use the Law hath both in the regenerate and unregenerate but especially in the unregenerate and such as are yet meer natural men and never truly humbled or brought to a true sight of their sins Use Use See then how fit and necessary it is for the Law to be preached and urged unto men by the Ministers of God especially to such as are yet in their natural estate and never yet humbled for their sins nor brought to a true sight of them but are rather puffed up with conceit and opinion of their own goodnesse and righteousnesse by Nature To such the doctrine of the Law is most necessary yea first to be preached to them before they can be fit to have the promises of the Gospel applyed to them They must first have the Law urged and pressed to their conscience to shew them their sins and misery by nature how unable they are to keep the Law and consequently to be justified or saved by their own righteousnesse and good works and therefore to drive them out of themselves to seek salvation by faith in Christ alone c. Then being thus by the Law truly humbled c. they are fit to hear the glad tydings of the Gospel and never till then which shews the folly and ignorance of such as would not have the Law preached but the Gospel onely These are their own enemies And this is all one as if a Chirurgion should first lay on a heaâ—ing plaister to skin over a wound or sore in the body before he have searched the wound c. Observ 3 Observ 3. In that our Saviour appealeth to his knowledg Thou knowest the Commandements c. we may learn That Christians living in the Church should not be ignorant of the Commandements of the Moral Law of God but well acquainted with them for else they come short of this young man here Neither ought we onely to know the words of the Ten Commandements but also to be acquainted with the matter and true meaning of them And herein we should outstrip this young Ruler who although he had some literal knowledg in the Law and did also in some measure no doubt understand the meaning of the Commandements yet not so truely or thorowly as he should have done as appeareth in that he thought he had kept them all from his youth which he would never have supposed if he had truely understood the meaning of the Law Therefore in this we ought not onely to be equall with him but to go beyond him in being carefull not onely to know and be familiarly
to such covetous rich men as trust in their riches hence gather That rich men are naturally prone and apt to put trust and confidence of heart in their worldly wealth to rest and rely on it as the only or chief means of their happiness welfare and safety especially covetous rich men of which our Saviour here speaks Prov. 10. 15. A rich man's wealth is his strong City Psal 49. 6. They that trust in wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches So are rich men for the most part apt to do Therefore 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge rich men not to trust in uncertain riches c. What need this charge if they were not very apt thus to offend Example Luke 12. in that rich fool who when his barns were full and he had much goods laid up thought himself safe Hence is covetousness called Idolatry because rich men who for most part are covetous are apt to withdraw the confidence of their hearts from God and to place it in their wealth Reason Reason This reposing of trust in Riches is the ground and cause of covetousness c. Therefore these go together in rich men as the cause and the effect Use 1 Use 1. See again the truth of that we heard before Verse 22. that it is dangerous to be rich in this world without the special grace of God inabling a man to use his riches to Gods glory c. otherwise rich men are in danger to have their hearts drawn away not onely to covetousness but to put trust in their wealth and riches and so to become guilty of the sin of Idolatry This is one dangerous sin unto which rich men are apt to be tempted viz. carnal confidence in the creatures instead of the Creator Besides many other dangerous sins unto which rich men do lye open as we have heard before which shews the danger of worldly riches Therefore Luke 6. 24. Woe to you that are rich c. It is not said any where in Scripture Woe to the poor c. Use 2 Use 2. For admonition to rich men to take heed of this sin of trusting in worldly wealth watching over their own hearts to this end The more natural it is to them and the more prone they are unto it the more must they watch against this sin Especially then when riches increase Then they must take heed of setting their heart upon them by putting confidence in them Psal 62. 10. Then are they in most danger to be tempted to this sin as we see in the example of him Luke 12. Neither doth this concern only rich men but all sorts of Christians even the poorer and meaner sort forasmuch as this is a common corruption which is natural to all and every one of us to be apt to put trustâ— and confidence in these outward things of the world as in worldly wealth and substance which we enjoy thinking our selves safe and happy in them be it more or less All of us are Idolaters in this kind c. Therefore have we every one need to watch against this sin and to take heed of it Remedies against this carnal confidence in wordly goods 1. To pray unto God to keep us from this sin 2. Labour by faith to make God our trust and confidence to rest and rely upon his power mercy and goodness for all good things we stand in need of and for deliverance out of evils Then we shall not trust in these earthly things Confidence in the Creator will not stand with confidence in the creature 1 Tim 6. 17. Trust not in riches but in the living God c. 3. Consider the vanity and uncertainty of worldly wealth 1 Tim. 6. 17. Trust not in uncertain riches like a broken reed or Spiders web like a fugitive servant Chrysost Who would trust in that which will deceive him and cannot help him or do him good of it self Luke 12. 15. A man's life consisteth not in abundance c. Riches avail not in the day of wrath Prov. 11. 4. Psal 49. 6. They that trust in wealth c. yet none of them can redeem his brother c. 4. Consider the greatness of this sin of putting trust in worldly goods no less than Idolatry highly offensive and dishonourable to God The sin of wicked and ungodly men Psal 49. They trust in their wealth c. and Psal 52. 7. Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthened himself in his wickednesse 5. Lastly Consider the danger of this sin being threatned with the Judgment of God Prov. 11. 28. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall And in this place our Saviour shewâ— the great danger of it when he sayes How hardly shall they that trust in Riches enter into the Kingdom of God Verse 25. Now followeth a further confirmation of the former doctrine of our Saviour touching the danger of riches and the difficulty of the salvation of rich men especially of covetous rich men who trust in riches of which he spake in the former Verse This doctrine he now confirmeth by a proverbial speech or sentence containing an Argument from the less to the greater It is easier for a Camel c. Some think it should be translated rather a Cable-rope So Theâ—phylact Stella Calvin c. but the other Translation may well enough stand and it comes to one and the same effect in regard of the sense being a proverbial speech such as is likely to have been then in use among the Jews used to express a thing either impossible or very hard to be done As if one should say in like case It is easier to remove a Mountain So our Saviour useth this kind of speech here though not to express an impossibility Vide Bezam in locum et Drus Observ lib. 1. c. 11. yet a great difficulty in the matter See Luke 18. 24 25. For a rich man That is a covetous rich man and such a one as trusteth in his wealth as in the foregoing Verse But our Saviour speaks of a rich man in general and simply to shew thereby the danger of riches by reason of man's corruption being so apt to be abused to covetousness and carnal confidence in them Observ Observ In that our Saviour here again repeateth and urgeth the third time that doctrine before taught touching the danger of worldly riches hence Ministers of the Word may learn That it is necessary and profitable for them sometimes not only to propound briefly the doctrines which they teach but also to repeat and urge them further unto the people yea again and again to press them that so they may the more affect the hearers and leave the deeper impression in them Especially such Points of Instruction as are of great moment and very useful and necessary to be known and practised and such also as are contrary to man's corrupt Nature and to natural reason as this doctrine taught
and negligent in hearkening to the Word and Doctrine of Christ delivered by himself or by his Ministers yea the best are dull of hearing as the Apostle sayes of the Hebrews Chap. 5. 11. that is hard to conceive and understand the Word and Doctrine of Christ as the Disciples were at this time as appeareth Luke 18. 34. And therefore the best have need to be quickned and stirred up by all means to attend diligently to the Word and Doctrine of Christ whensoever it is taught and delivered to them by his Ministers c. Thus our Saviour here doth stir up the attention of his Disciples by this word Behold c. Of the second The matter it self which he foretelleth to his Disciples Which is two-fold 1. His Passion or Sufferings at Hierusalem 2. His Resurrection c. Of the first three things are set down or mentioned by our Saviour 1. The place where he was to suffer viz. Hierusalem together with their going or journeying thither at this time We go up to Hierusalem 2. The Person who was to suffer which was himself whom he calleth the Sonne of Man 3. The Passion it self or things which he was to suffer which he mentioneth particularly and they may be referred to three heads 1. That which he was to suffer at the hands of Judas the Traytor he was by him to be delivered or to be betrayed unto the chief Priests and Scribes 2. That which he was to suffer at the hands of the chief Priests and Scribes viz. two things especially 1. He should by them be condemned to death 2. He should by them be delivered to the Gentiles that is to Pilate and the Roman Souldiers 3. Those things which he was to suffer at the hands of the Gentiles that is of Pilaete and the Roman Souldiers Which are of two sorts 1. Those things which he should suffer before his death viz. sundry great indignities and shameful abuses They shall mock him scourge him and spit upon him 2. Death it self unto which he should be put by them They shall kill him And then is added his resurrection c. But first to speak of the Prediction of his Passion Touching the Causes or Reasons moving our Saviour to foretel his Disciples of his suffering before-hand see before Chap. 8. Verse 31. The Instructions also to be gathered from hence Vide ibidem Vide etiam Stellam in Luc. 18. v. 31. Mark 10. 33. 34. And the Sonne of man shall be delivered unto the chief Priests and unto the Mar. 29. 1629. Scribes and they shall condemn him to death c. IT followeth To speak of the particulars which he mentioneth in foretelling his Passion And first of the place Hierusalem The chief City of Judea whither he and his Disciples were now going and in the way thither and that to this very end that his sufferings might there be fulfilled very shortly Therefore he now mentions the place to them particularly as he had done also before Matth. 16. 21. together with their present journey or going thither thereby to shew them the certainty of the matter and that the time also was near they being now in their way going thither and that for this end to suffer there And all this the better to prepare and to arm them before-hand against the time when his sufferings should indeed be fulfilled there Observ 1 Observ 1. How far our Saviour was humbled for us in that he did not only suffer the shamefull death of the Crosse for us but also in such an open publike and conspicuous place as Hierusalem in open view of the World Vse Use To make us willing and content to suffer any shame for him though in open and publike view of Men. So did the Apostles and Martyrs Now followeth the second thing The Person who was to suffer Himself whom he calleth the Son of man Of which title see before Chap. 8. 31. Then he telleth of the sufferings themselves And first of that he was to suffer at the hands of Judas the Traytor This is implyed when he tells them That he should be delivered or betrayed for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may also be translated as Matth. 20. 18. unto the chief Priests and to the Scribes This was to be done by Judas Iscariot one of Christ's own Apostles whom he chose to that special Office and Function But our Saviour as it seems did not at this time particularly name Judas unto them or tell them who should betray him but conceals this till afterward viz. till the time f his eating his last Supper with them which was but the very night before he was betrayed And then at that Supper he took occasion as the Evangelists do shew to discover the Trayâ—or more plainly to them See Joh. 13. Unto the chief Priests and Scribes Vide supra Cap. 8. Ver. 31. There were three sorts of Priests in time of the Law 1. The High Priest as Aaron and those that succeeded him in that Office 2. The Chief Priests which were next in degree to the High-Priest who were called Chief Priests as is most probable because they were the chief and principal of their own Order for 1 Chron. 24. we read of 24 several Orders of Ranks of the Priests instituted by David and these continued thus distinguished till our Saviour's time and afterward as Josephus testifieth Now it is most likely that the chief of every one of those Orders were called the Chief Priests and these are they also as it seems probable who are called in Scripture Priests of the second Order as 2 King 23. 4. Vide Scalig. Canon Isagog 3. The common sort of Priests which were of the lowest Rank or Degree being compared with the High Priest and with the chief Priests Here then we are to understand the second sort of Priests yet so as we are also to include the High Priest which was at this time Caiphas who joyned with the other chief Priests in conspiring against Christ and in covenanting with Judas to betray him unto them Matth. 26. 3. compared with the 14 Verse And to the Scribes These were another sorâ— of Ecclesiasâ—ical Officers amongst the Jews in our Saviour's time viz. such as were called and appointed to be publike Readers and Expounders of the Law of Moses in their Synagogues whence they are sometimes called Lawyers in the New Testament c. as hath been before often shewed See upon Chap. 1. 22. Chap. 2. 6. and Chap. 7. 1. These also were in the number of those wicked enemies of Christ to whom he was betrayed by Judas and with these chief Priests and Scribes the Pharisees also together with the Elders of the people joyned then selves against Christ as may appear Matth. 26. 3. and Joh. 18. 3. Observ 1 Observ 1. See what every true Christian who is a follower of Christ may look for in this World viz. to be falsly and treacherously dealt withall by others yea by such as are near
evil but rather to do well Thus they are like close thieves hiding themselves in dens and holes of the earth that they be not seen Saul in sparing Agag and the best of the spoil would be thought to do well 1 Sam. 15. And Judas hid his covetousness under the cloak of charity to the poor Joh. 12. 4. The Pharisees hid many gross sins under pretence and shew of Religion Matth. 23. 14. they devoured Widdows houses under colour of long Prayers 2 Cor. 11. 13. the false Apostles transformed themselves into the Apostles of Christ in shew and appearance Use 1 Use 1. See what a shameful thing sin is in that even the wicked and hypocrites themselves who are willing to commit sin and live in it yet are not willing to have their sins known but seek to hide them under fair colours and pretences These pretences the Apostle calleth the hidden things of shame or the secret lurking corners of dishonesty 2 Cor. 4. 2. turpitudinis latebras as Beza translateth it Vse 2 Use 2. Take heed of this gross hypocrisy in seeking to hide our selves and unlawful practises under colourable excuses and pretences especially under pretence of Religion It is the property of gross hypocrites and wicked men thus to do But these excuses and pretences are no other but dens and lurking holes in which men seek to hide themselves when they do evill which howsoever they may for a time hide and cover them from the eyes of men yet not from the eyes of God but he will hereafter pluck them out of these dens and bring them to open shame and punishment before men and Angels if they repent not See 1 Cor. 4. 5. Mark 11. 18 19. And the Scribes and chief Priests heard it and sought how they might destroy him for they Febr. 14. 1629. feared him because all the people was astonished at his Doctrine And when Even was come he went out of the City VVE have heard before in the three former Verses our Saviour's special and extraordinary sact in purging the Temple at Hierusalem from abuses by casting out thence the buyers sellers and money-changers c. Now the Evangelist mentioneth certain Consequents or Events which thereupon followed The Consequents are two 1. The malicious practice of the Scribes and chief Priests against our Saviour seeking hereupon to destroy him where also is set down the cause moving them thereunto for that they feared him together with the ground of that fear because all the people were astonished at his Doctrine Verse 18. 2. His departute out of the City an Even-tide Verse 19. First to open the meaning of the words The Scribes and chief Priests Who these were see before Chap. 10. Verse 33. Heard it When they heard what he had done in casting out the buyers and sellers c. And also that sharp reproof with which he reproved them for profaning the Temple Verse 17. which Reproof touched them also very nearly viz. the Scribes and chief Priests who were publick Officers and Ministers of the Temple forasmuch as they did wink at those abuses in the Temple yea allowed and maintained them because they were gainful to them as well as to the buyers and sellers c. as we have heard before Therefore not enduring this plain and sharp reproof they were so incensed against him that out of their wrath and malice they sought how to destroy him that is they used diligence to enquire and find out the best way and means how to put him to death most securely and safely so as the common people being much addicted to him might not be moved to any tumult or insurrection against them for the same That this is the meaning appears by that which followeth where it is said They feared him in regard of the people being astonished at his Doctrine And Luke 19. ult it is said they could not find what they might do to him that is how they might safely and without danger of tumult or insurrection in the common people make away with him because the people were so attentive to him c. For they feared him Not so much in respect of any hurt which they thought he could do unto them of himself for although he had shewed his power by Miracles yet they did not believe it as in respect of that power and authority which he had with the common people who favouring him and being much addicted to him for the excellency of his Doctrine and innocency of his life they feared lest if they should in open manner seek to put him to death the people should make insurrection against them for so doing as Mar. 14. 2. and Chap. 12. 12. That this was the ground of their fear may appear by the words following So in these words is rendred a reason not so much of their desire to put him to death as of their diligent enquiry about the manner and means of doing it Because all the people That is the common sort of people Were astonished at his Doctrine That is were moved with fear and reverence and with admiration at the excellent matter and manner of his teaching The Reason whereof is alledged Matth. 7. 29. Because he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes In the words thus explained consider Five things 1. The persons which sought to destroy or put to death our Saviour The Scribes and chief Priests 2. The occasion moving them hereunto The hearing what he had done in casting out the buyers and sellers c. As also that sharp reproof directed against those profaners of the Temple and consequently against themselves for tolerating and allowing such abuses there 3. Their malicious practice against our Saviour They sought how to destroy him 4. The cause or reason why they did so because they feared him 5. Lastly the ground of that their fear Because all the people were astonished at his Doctrine Of the first The persons The Scribes ond chief Priests Observ 1 Observ 1. Such as by their places and callings in the Church ought to be the greatest friends and favourers of Christ and of his doctrine are oftentimes the greatest enemies of the same and so do shew themselves See before Chap. 8. Verse 31. Observ 2 Observ 2. Such as ought to be most forward in seeking reformation of abuses and corruptions in the Church are oftentimes the greatest enemies and hinderers of such reformation and of such as seek it These chief Priests and Scribes who should have been most forward to reform the abuses of buying and selling Sacrifices in the Temple were so far from this that they oppose and persecute our Saviour Christ yea seek his death because he reproved and opposed those abuses In the Prophet Jeremiah's time the Church of the Jews was full of corruptions But those who should have been most forward to reform them as the King himself and the Princes and Priests these did most oppose and hinder this reformation when it was
Ver. 20 c. Touching the first our Saviour doth first propound and lay down the Matter or Doctrine it self in the end of the 18th verse 2. The proof and confirmation of it Ver. 19. Whatsoever from without entreth c. This is to be understood of Meats and Drinks which being from without a man are said to enter into him when he doth by eating and drinking receive them into his mouth and stomack for the nourishment of his Body That this is the sense of the words doth plainly appear by the words following in the next Verse as also by the scope of our Saviour which is to confute the grosse error of the Scribes and Pharisees who taught that eating with unwashen hands doth defile a man before God because the hands being unclean or not duly washed did as they thought make the Meat which they did eat unclean and that being unclean did pollute the person and make him unholy before God Contrary to this our Saviour affirmeth That whatsoever Meat enters into a man's body it cannot defile him that is make him spiritually unclean or loathsome before God There is a twofold uncleanness 1. Outward and Bodily 2. Inward and Spirituall of the Soul caused onely by sin here spoken of Quest 1 Quest 1. How doth our Saviour affirm this seeing some kinds of Meat were forbidden by the Ceremonial Law which was yet in use being not abrogated till the Death of Christ See Levit. 11. Now to eat such meats forbidden was a sin Ergo c. Answ Answ 1. Some think that our Saviour here speaketh onely of such Meats as were permitted by the Ceremoniall Law 2. But the words may be understood of all Meats which are now lawfull and fit to be eaten For howsoever some were then forbidden yet this made them not all unclean in their own Nature but onely in respect of the prohibition laid upon him Quest 2 Quest 2. Some eat and drink excessively unto Gluttony and Drunkennesse Are not such defiled by the Meat and Drink which entereth into their Bodies Answ Answ Not simply by the Meats or Drinks considered in their own nature but by the abuse of them unto such sins c. Doctr. Doctr. Here then we are taught That Meats and Drinks received and taken into the Body do not of themselves pollute those before God who receive and use them they do not of themselves make the person which useth them Spiritually unclean unholy or sinfull before God I say of themselves in respect of their own nature or in respect of the simple and naked use of them though otherwise in respect of the abuse of them unto sin as hath been said they may be said to pollute such as so abuse them As 1. When they are abused to excesse in Gluttony c. or to make us unfit for good Duties 2. When used unseasonably when God calls to Fasting Isa 22. 3. With Scandall of the Weak 1 Cor. 8. Reason Reason All Meats and Drinks are of themselves pure and clean in the sight of God being well and lawfully used Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded that there is nothing unclean of it self c. 1 Tim. 4. 4. Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving Tit. 1. 15. To the pure all things are pure 1 Cor. 10. 25. Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles eat c. Object Object Acts 15. 20. The Apostles determined that the Christian Gentiles should abstain from things strangled and from Blood Answ Answ This was not a perpetuall Ordinance to continue for ever but onely for a time neither did they forbid the eating of Blood and things strangled simply as unclean before God of themselves but onely in respect of the offence which the weak Jews being then newly converted to Christianity were like to take at the Gentiles if they should have eaten such things as had been formerly forbidden to the Jews by the Ceremoniall Law Vse 1 Use 1. This manifestly overthroweth the Popish Doctrine and practise of abstaining from some kinds of Meat as Flesh c. at some set times holding it a sin before God to eat or taste such Meats at such times as if in themselves they were unholy and unclean and did defile the conscience before God This is a Pharisaicall Doctrine directly contrary to the Doctrine of Christ in this place Contrary also to that Acts 10. 15. yea it is a Doctrine of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1 3. Object Object They say they do not hold any Meats unclean of themselves as the Manichees did but onely in respect of the Churches prohibition c. Answ Answ 1. The like may be said for the Jewish opinion of unclean Meats For it is most likely That they did not judge the Meats forbidden in the Law to be simply unclean of their own nature but onely in respect of the prohibition of the Law c. 2. Let them shew what Authority the Church hath from the Word of God simply to forbid the eating of certain kinds of Meat at certain times as evil and sinfull before God Quest Quest Hath not the Christian Magistrate Power to restrain the eating of Flesh on certain Dayes Answ Answ Yes for a civil end and respect tending to the good of the Common-wealth as for the maintenance of the breed of Cattell and of the Fisherman's Trade c. but not for any Religious end or respect as if Flesh were at any time unclean or unlawful before God to be eaten Use 2 Use 2. If the bare use of Meats and Drinks do not make the person unclean before God then on the contrary the forbearing or abstinence either from all Meat and Drink for a time or from some kind of Meat or Drink doth not make any more holy before God 1 Cor. 8. 8. Meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not Meat or Drink c. See then by this That the outward exercise of Fasting though it be an excellent religious Work and Duty and of great necessity to be used in some extraordinary Cases yet the outward abstinence of it self alone doth not commend the person to God but only so far forth as it is holily and conscionably used in due manner and to the true and right end c. The Pharisees fasted yet never the holier before God c. Use 3 Vse 3. If Meats and Drinks which are from without and enter into man's body do not defile him before God then by the same reason no other outward thing being in it self lawfull or indifferent can defile such as use the same not Apparrel not lawful Recreation not Physick c. Therefore we may lawfully use all these in due time and place moderately and without offence of the weak neither are we rashly to censure others for the use of such outward indifferent things or judge