and destroyed Death dissolved the Union betwixt our Saviour's Soul and Body but there was a closer Union which no Violence of Death could dissolve namely the Union of his Godhead with his Manhood This was incapable either of Dissolution or Destruction Note 3. The repairing restoring and raising up of this Temple out of the Ruins of it by our Saviour's Resurrection In three Days I will raise it up Observe A full Proof of our Saviour's Divinity To raise a dead Man exceeds the Power of Nature but for a dead Man to raise himself requires the Power of God We read of dead Men raised by others but none but Christ ever raised himself The Jews could not say He raised others from the Grave himself he could not raise Inference 1. Was Christ's Body a Temple so should ours be too Temples for the Holy God to dwell in Temples by special Appropriation Temples by solemn Consecration Temples by actual Employment If any Man defiles this Temple of God him will God destroy 2. Was the Temple of Christ's Body pulled down by death and destroyed so must also the Temple of our Bodies ere long The Temple of his Body was pulled down for our sin the Temple of our Bodies is ruined by our own sin Sin brought Mortality into our Natures and the Wages of our sin is death 3. Was the Temple of Christ's Body repaired in the Morning of the Resurrection so shall the Temple of our Bodies also if we be the Members of Christ by a vital Union Thy dead Men Oh blessed Redeemer shall live together with thy dead Body shall they arise Awake then and sing ye that dwell in the Dust for thy Dew is as the Dew of Herbs and the Earth shall cast out the Dead Isa 26.19 23 ¶ Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast day many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men Observe here what Influence the sight of our Saviour's Miracles had upon many of the common People They believed in his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did That is they were convinced by the Works which our Saviour wrought that he came from God and that what he said and did was really True and no Imposture But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all Men. Our Saviour did not and would not trust them who yet believed on his Name Thence Note That a naked Assent to the History of the Gospel is not sufficient to entitle us to saving Faith We may assent to the Truth of all that we find there and yet be far from the Kingdom of God Saving Faith implies more than the Assent of the Understanding to the Truths of the Gospel We cannot believe or disbelieve what we please but must needs assent to what is evident to our Understanding so that it is possible for a Man to assent to the Truth of Christianity and yet remain in a state of Damnation if he doth not embrace it as Good as well as assent to it as True if our Faith be not the Parent and Principle of Obedience if our Belief doth not influence our Practice though we pass for Believers amongst Men we are no better than Unbelievers in the Account of Christ If we believe Jesus to be the True Messias and do not receive him in all his Offices if we commit our selves to his saving Mercy but do not submit our selves to his ruling Power if we desire him for our Saviour but disown him for our Sovereign if we expect Salvation by him and do not yield Subjection to him we put a Cheat upon our selves for he only believes as he should that lives as he does believe 25 And needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man St. John's design in the writing of this Gospel being to assert the Divinity of Christ he scatters Evidences of it in almost every Chapter Here he declares his Omnisciency He knew what was in Man that is being God blessed for ever he had an exact Knowledge of the Hearts of Men not by any Revelation of Men's Hearts from God but by immediate Intuitition from himself he knows all Men and all that is in Men. CHAP. III. 1 THere was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews 2 The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles that thou dost except God be with him The former part of this Chapter acquaints us with that famous Conference which our blessed Saviour had with Nicodemus This Man was by Sect a Pharisee which signifies a Person separated and set a-part for the study of the Law of God and to teach it unto others and by Calling or Profession a Ruler of the Jews that is probably one of the Jewish Sanhedrim A chief Person in their Ecclesiastical Court and Council Consider we Nicodemus first as a Pharisee which sort of Men were filled with inveterate Prejudice and Enmity against Christ yet from hence we may gather that such is the Efficacy of Divine Grace that it sometimes convinces and converts also those that are the greatest Enemies to Christ and the fiercest Opposers of him No such bitter Enemies to Christ as the Pharisees yet behold Nicodemus a Pharisee coming to him convinced and converted by him Consider him secondly as a Ruler of the Jews as a Person of Place and Power making a Figure in the World Though they were generally the Poor which followed Christ yet some of the Great and Rich Men of the World as Nicodemus a Master of Israel and Joseph of Arimathea an Honourable Counsellor are called to Christ and received by him lest if he had admitted illiterate and simple Men only the World might have thought that they were deceived thro' their Simplicity Observe farther The Time when Nicodemus came to Christ it was by Night partly out of Shame lest the World should think that such a knowing Man as he was wanted Instruction and partly out of Fear he had something to lose and therefore durst not own Christ publickly However our dear Lord upbraids him not with his Timerousness but graciously condescends to instruct him in the Fundamental Principle of Christianity the great Doctrine of Regeneration 3 Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Christ here acquaints Nicodemus and in him all Persons that there must be a Change from Nature to Grace before there can be a Change from Grace to Glory for tho' he was a Jew a Doctor and one that had good Thoughts of Christ looking upon him as an extraordinary Person one that had received Power from God to work Miracles yet Christ assures him that nothing short of the regenerating Change
unto him I will come and heal him Oh wonderful Condescension In St. John 4.47 We read of a certain Noble-man and Ruler that twice entreated our Saviour to come to his house and heal his Son but our Lord refused Here the Centurion doth but barely tell Christ of his poor Servants sickness and Christ both unask'd and undesired says I will come and heal him Oh how far was Christ from seeming in the least to honour Riches and despise Poverty he that came in the form of a Servant goes down to visit a sick Servant upon his poor Pallet-Bed who did not come near the rich Couch of the Ruler's Son Observe 6. The Notice and Observation which our Saviour takes of the Centurion's Faith he wondered at it from him Admiration agreed not to Christ as God but as Man it did Christ wrought this Faith as God and wondered at it as Man What can be more wonderful then to see Christ wonder We find not our Saviour wondering at Worldly pomp and greatness when the Disciples wondered at the Magnificence and Stately Buildings of the Temple Christ rather rebuked them then wondered with them But when he sees the gracious acts and exercise of Faith he is ravished with wonder Let it teach us to place our Admiration where Christ fixes his let us be more affected with the least measures of Grace in a goâ—d man then with all the Gaieties and Glories of a great Man let us not Envy the one but admire and imitate the other Obs Lastly Christ doth not only admire the Centurion's Faith but publishes it Verily I have not found so great Faith no not in Israel that is amongst the generality of the Jewish Nation For as to particular Persons several had shewed a greater Faith then this as Joseph and Mary This Expression lets us know that where the Means of Faith are but small the Noble Acts and Exercise of Faith are wonderful and Soul-amazing 11 And it came to pass the day after that he went into a city called Naïn and many of his Disciples went with him and much people 12 Now when he came nigh to the gates of the city behold there was a dead man carried out the only son of his mother and she was a widow and much people of the city was with her 13 And when the Lord saw her he had compassion on her and said Weep not 14 And he came and touched the Biere and they that bare him stood still and he said Young man I say unto thee arise 15 And he that was Dead sate up and began to speak and he delivered him to his mother 16 And there came a fear on all and they glorified God saying That a great prophet is risen up amongst us and that God hath visited his people 17 And the rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea and throughout all the Region round about There were three persons raised from Death to Life by the powerful word of Christ's Mouth namely Jairus his Daughter mentioned by St. Matthew Lazarus Recorded by St. John and here the Widows Son only taken notice of by St. Luke The place where this Miracle was wrought was the City of Nain out of their Cities and not within them the Jews were wont to Bury their Dead Our Saviour at the Gate of this City meets with the sad pomp of a Funeral a sorrowful Widow attended with her mournful Neighbours following her only Son to the Grave Where Note 1. The doleful and distressed Condition of the Widow there were many Heart-piercing Circumstances in her Affliction 1. It was the death of a Son to bury a child rends the Heart of a Parent for what are Children but the Parent multiplied but to lay a Son in the Grave which continues the Name and supports the Family is a sore affliction 2. This Son was a young Man in the strength and flower of his Age not carried from the Cradle to the Coffin had he dy'd an Infant he had not been so much lamented but then when the Mothers Expectations were highest and the endearments greatest even in the flower of his Age he is cut off 3. He was not only a Son but an only Son one in whom all his Mothers hopes and comforts were bound up The Death of one out of many is much more tolerable then of all in one The Loss of that one admits of no Consolation 4. Still to heighten the affliction it is added that she was a Widow she wanted the Counsel and Support of a loving Yoke-fellow Had the Root been left entire she might better have spared the Branch now both are cut down and she has none left to comfort her in her comfortless State of Widowhood In this Distressed condition Christ the God of Comfort meets her pities her relieves her Observe 2. The compassion of Christ towards this Distressed Widow He saw her and had compassion on her Christ saw her she did not speak to him no Tears no Prayers can move Christ so much as our Afflictions and his own Compassions Christ's Heart pitied her his Tongue said to her Weep not his Feet went to the Biere his Hand touched the Coffin and the Power of his Godhead raised the Dead But how strange doth Christ's Counsel seem to bid a Mother not weep for such a Loss was to perswade her to be miserable and not feel it to feel it and not regard it to regard it and yet conceal and hide it It is not the decent expression of our Sorrow then which Christ condemns but the undue excess and extravagancies of it which our Saviour blames And the Lesson of Instruction which we Learn from hence is this That Christian's ought to moderate their Sorrow for their dead Relations how many afflicting circumstances and aggravations soever do meet together in their Death here was a Child that Child a Son that Son an only Son that only Son carried to the Grave in the flower of his Age yet Christ says to the pensive Mother a sorrowful Widow Weep not Observe 3. The power of Christ in raising the Widows Son to Life The Lord of Life Arrests the Serjeant Death and Rescues the Prisoner out of his hand Christ says not In the Name of God young man arise but I say unto thee Arise Christ had a power in himself and of himself to command the Dead to arise and the same powerful Voice which Raised this young Man shall in the last Day Raise up our vanished Bodies For is it not as easy for Omnipotency to say let them be Repaired as to say at first let them be made Observe 4. The Reality of the Miracle he sits up he begins to speak and is delivered to his Mother Death has no power to hold that man down whom the Son of God bids rise up immediately he that was dead sate up and the same power which raised One Man can raise a Thousand a Million a World no Power can raise one Man but an Almighty Power
46 And when Jesus had cryed with a loud Voice he said Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit And having said thus he gave up the Ghost 47 Now when the Centurion saw what was done he Glorified God saying Certainly this was a Righteous Man 48 And all the People that came together to that sight beholding the things which were done smote their Breasts and Returned 49 And all his Acquaintance and the Women that followed him from Galilee stood afar off beholding these things Observe here 1. What Prodigies in Nature happened and fell out at the Crucifixion of our Saviour The Sun was Darkened at the Setting of the Son of Righteousness And the Veil of the Temple was Rent signifying That God was now about to Forsake his Temple that the Ceremonial Law was now Abolishing and the Partition-Wall betwixt Jew and Gentile being now pulled down all may have Access to God through the Blood of a Mediator Observe 2. The last Prayer of our Saviour before his Death Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit They are words full of Faith and Comfort fit to be the last Breathings of every Gracious Soul in this World Learn hence That Dying Believers are both Warranted and Encouraged by Christ's Example Believingly to Commend their precious Souls into the Hands of God as a Gracious Father Father into thy Hands Observe 3. What influence our Saviour's Death had upon the Centurion He Glorified God saying Verily this was a Righteous Man Here Note That Christ had a Testimony of his Innocency and Righteousness given unto him from all sorts of Persons whatsoever Pilate and Herod pronounced him Innocent Pilate's Wife proclaimed him a Righteous Person Judas the Traitor declared it was innocent Blood the Thief on the Cross affirmed he had done nothing amiss and the Centurion owned him to be a Righteous Man yea the Son of God Mark 15.39 only the Pharisees and Chief Priests which were Teachers of others not Ignorance but Obstinacy and Malice Blinded and Hardned them to their Ruine and Destruction instead of Owning and Receiving him for their Saviour they Ignominiously put him to Death as the vilest Impostor 50 And behold there was a Man Named Joseph a Counsellor and he was a good Man and a just 51 The same had not consented to the Counsel and Deed of them he was of Arimathea a City of the Jews who also himself waited for rhe Kingdom of God 52 This Man went unto Pilate and begged the Body of Jesus 53 And he took it down and wrapped it in Linnen and laid it in a Sepulchre that was hewn in Stone wherein never Man before was laid 54 And that Day was the Preparation and the Sabbath drew on 55 And the Women also which came with him from Galilee followed after and beheld the Sepulchre and how his Body was laid 56 And they Returned and prepared Spices and Oyntments and rested the Sabbath-day according to the Commandment The Circumstances of our Lord's Funeral and Honourable Interrment are here Recorded by our Evangelist such a Funeral as never was since Graves were first Digg'd Where Observe 1. Our Lord's Body must be Begg'd before it could be Bury'd The Dead Bodies of Malefactors being in the Power and at the Disposal of the Judge that Condemns them Observe 2. The Person that Begg'd this Body and bestowed a Decent and Honourable Buryal upon it Joseph of Arimathea a worthy though a close Disciple Grace doth not always make a publick and open Shew where it is But as there is much secret Riches in the Bowels of the Earth though unseen so is there much Grace in the Hearts of some Saints which the World takes little Notice of Observe 3. The Mourners that followed our Saviour's Hearse to the Grave The Women which came out of Galilee a poor Train of Mourners The Apostles who should have been most officious to bear his Holy Body to the Ground were sometime since all Scattered afraid to own their Master either Dying or Dead Funeral Pomo had been no way suitable either to the End or Manner of our Lord's Death and accordingly here is is nothing like Observe 4. The Grave or Sepulchre in which our Holy Lord lay it was in a Sepulchre Hewn out of a Rock That so his Enemies might have no occasion to say that his Disciples stole him away by secret Holes and unseen Passages under Ground It was in a New Sepulchre Wherein never Man was laid before lest his Adversaries should say it was another that was Risen who was Bury'd there before him And has Buryed in a Garden As by the Sin of the first Adam we were driven out of the Garden of Pleasure the Earthly Paradise so by the Sufferings of the Second Adam who lay Buryed in a Garden we may hope for Entrance into the Heavenly Paradise Observe 5. The manner of our Lord's Funeral it was Hasty Open and Decent Hasty because of the Preparation for the Sabbath Open that all Persons might be Spectators and none might say He was Buryed before he was Dead Decent being wrapt in fine Linnen and Perfumed with Spices Observe 6. The Reasons why our Lord was thus Buryed Seeing he was to Rise again in as short a Time as other Men lye by the Walls doubtless it was to declare the Certainty of his Death to Fulfil the Types and Prophecies which went before of him As Jonas being Three days and three nights in the Whales Belly He was also Bury'd to Compleat his Humiliation This was the lowest step to which he could Descend in his Abased State In a word Christ went into the Grave that he might Conquer Death in its own Territories and Dominions Observe 7. Of what Use our Lord's Buryal is to us his Followers it shews us the amazing Depths of his Humiliation from what and to what his Love brought him even from the Bosom of his Father to the Bosom of the Grave It may Comfort us against the fears of Death and the Terrors of the Grave The Grave could not long keep Christ it shall not always keep Christians It was a Loathsome Prison before it is a Persumed Bed now He whose Head is in Heaven need not fear to put his Feet into the Grave Awake and Sing thou that dwellest in the Dust for the Enmity of the Grave is slain by Christ CHAP. XXIV This Last Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel contains the History of our Saviour's Resurrection and gives us an Account of what he did upon Earth between the Time of his glorious Resurrection and Triumphant Ascension 1 NOW upon the first day of the Week very early in the Morning they came unto the Sepulchre bringing the Spices which they had prepared and certain others with them 2 And they found the Stone Rolled away from Sepulchre 3 And they entered in and found not the Body of our Lord Jesus 4 And it came to pass as they were much perplexed thereabout Behold Two Men stood by them in shining Garments 5 And
God is worshipped in the Beauty of Holiness Obs 3. The greatness of this Miracle in the weakness of the Means which Christ made use of to effect and work it He drove the Buyers and Sellers before him out of the Temple but how and with what St. Hierom in Matth. 21. says That certain fiery Rays or Beams darting from Christ's Eyes drove out these Merchants from this place I dare not avouch this but am satisfied that Christ drove them out unarmed with any Weapons that might carry Dread and Terror with them at most but with a Whip of small Cords which probably might be scattered by the Drovers that came thither to sell their Cattle Behold then the weakness of the Means on the one side and consider the greatness of the Opposition on the other Here was a Confluence of People to oppose Christ this being the most solemn Mart of the Passover and here were Merchant Men whose Hearts were set upon Gain the Worlds God to oppose him But neither the weakness of the Means nor the greatness of the Opposition did dismay him or cause our Saviour to desist from the Attempt of reforming what was amiss in the House of God Learn we hence That it matters not how weak the Means of Church-Reformation is nor how strong the opposite Power is if we engage Christ in the Undertaking the Work shall certainly be accomplished Oh how great was the Work and how weak and unlikely were the Means here A parcel of sturdy Fellows whose Hearts were set upon their Wealth Christ no sooner speaks to them and shakes his Whip at them but like a company of fearful Hares they run before him Christ in purging of his Church will make every thing yield and give way to his Power Let it Comfort the Church under all unlikelyhood of Reformation Who art thou Oh great Mountain before our spiritual Zerubbabel Thou shalt become a Plain I shall close my Observations upon this Miracle of Christ's whipping the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple which both St. Origen and St. Jerom do make the greatest Miracle that ever Christ wrought all Circumstances considered I shall close it with this Reflection viz. Was there such Power and Terror in Christ's Countenance and Speech here in the Temple in the days of his Flesh Oh how terrible then will his Face and his Appearance be to the wicked and impenitent World at the great Day Lord how fearful will his Iron Scourge then be How terrifying that Voice Depart depart from me depart accursed depart into Fire depart into everlasting Fire into a Fire prepared for the Punishment of Apostate Spirits the Devil and his Angels God grant we may wisely consider it and timely flee from the Wrath to come 17 And his disciples remembred that it was written The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up The Disciples upon this Occasion called to remembrance the words of David Psalm 69.9 The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up Which was verified in Christ as well as in David Where Observe 1. The Grace described Zeal which is the Ardour of the Affections carrying forth a Man to the utmost for God's Glory and his Churches Good Zeal is not so much one Affection as the intense degree of all the Affections Obs 2. The Object about which our Saviour's Zeal was conversant God's House that is all things relating to the Worship of God Temple Tabernacle Ark c. which were the Pledges of God's Presence Obs 3. The effect of this it hath eaten me up Like Fire that eats up and devours that whereon it lights What was said of St. Peter that he was a Man made up all of Fire and of St. Paul in respect of his Sufferings That he was a Spark of Fire burning in the midst of the Sea may much more truly be said of Christ when he was engaged in the Work of Church-Reformation Learn That as Christ was so Christians ought to be very zealous for the Glory of God the Honour of his House and the Purity of his Worship The Zeal of thine House that is for the Honour of thine House hath eaten me up c. 18 ¶ Then answered the Jews and said unto him What sign shewest thou unto us seeing that thou dost these things 19 Jesus answered and said unto them Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up 20 Then said the Jews Fourty and six years was this temple in building and wilt thou rear it up in three days 21 But he spake of the temple of his body 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead his disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had said Observe here 1. How exceedingly offended the Jews were at the Reformation which our Saviour had made in the House of God They were awed indeed with the Majesty of this great Work and durst not openly oppose but secretly malign it Thence Note That a redress of Abuses in God's Worship especially if it crosses our Ease and controuls our Profit as this did is usually distasted Obs 2. How these Jews discover their old inveterate Disease of Infidelity they require a Sign and call for a Miracle to justifie Christ's Commission Why had they not a Miracle before their Eyes Was not the Work of purging the Temple a wonderful Miracle Yet they demand another Miracle to make this good Learn thence That obstinate Infidelity will not be satisfied with the most sufficient means for Satisfaction but still object and oppose against the clearest the fullest and most convincing Evidence What sign shewest thou us say the Jews when they had so many Signs and Wonders daily before their Eyes Obs 3. The Jews demanding a Sign our Saviour grants them one he remits them to his Death and Resurrection to prove that he was the true Messiah Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up That is I know you will destroy this Temple of my Body by putting me to death but I will raise my self again from the Grave the third Day Christ did not command them to destroy his Body but only foretold that they would do it Non est verbum Praecepti sed Praedictionis Christ fore-declares his Passion and his Resurrection Learn thence That all our Saviour's Sufferings were fore-known unto him were foretold by him he would not prevent them but willingly permitted them and chearfully underwent them Destroy ye this Temple Note here 1. The State and Dignity of Christ's holy Body 'T is a Temple He spake of the Temple of his Body The Saints Bodies are Temples by special Sanctification Christ's Body was a Temple by Substantial Inhabitation The Divinity of Christ dwelt in his Humanity personally and immediately God dwells in his Saints by Regal Authority he dwelt in Christ's Humanity by personal Residence Note 2. The Violence and Indignity offered to this holy Temple at our Saviour's Death it was pulled down
wicked Parents repine because they had Children but because they had lost them Mothers have the sharpest Throws both in their Childrens Births and Burials As Children in their Births are their Mothers Benjamins so in their Burial they are their Mothers Benoni's Sons of Sorrow 19 But when Herod was dead behold an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying 20 Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young child's life Obs 1. Herod's Death like a Bloody Persecutor he is sent unlamented to his Grave Historians say that out of his Body issued forth such impure Streams of Blood that the Loathsomness and Pain made him attempt the killing of himself God seldom suffers Persecutors to pass in quiet to their Graves they rarely die the common Death of all Men having no other Balm at their Funeral than their own Blood Obs 2. The happy Consequent of Herod's Death Christ is now call'd Home without Danger Herod being sent to his Grave the Coast is clear for the Return of the Holy Family The Death of Persecutors is the Delivery of the Persecuted 21 And he arose and took the young child and his mother and came into the land of Israel 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod he was afraid to go thither notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee Observe here 1. The just Fear that Joseph has upon his Mind that Herod's Son would be as Bloody a Tyrant as his Flagitious Father No wonder that the Children of Cruel Persecutors are suspected to tread in their Bloody Parents Steps Obs 2. How God's Warrant and Direction doth quiet Joseph's Mind resolve his Doubts and remove his Fears and makes him readily comply with the Command of God Being warned of God he removes out of Egypt into Galilee Oh how safe and satisfactory is it in all our Ways to follow the Call and Command of God! Joseph and Mary durst not move their Feet no not out of Egypt it self till God gives them a Warrant for their departure and bids them go 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet He shall be called a Nazarene A threefold Interpretation is given of these Words He shall be called a Nazarene Some read the Words 1. He shall be called a Nazarite the Nazarites were a Religious and Separate Rank of Persons among the Jews who abstained from Wine and came not near the Dead for fear of Pollution Christ was a Holy Person but no Nazarite in a strict sence for he drank Wine and touched the Dead 2. Others read the Words He shall be called Netzer a Branch in Allusion to Isa 11.1 where he is called a Branch of the Root of Jesse Christ was that True Branch of which the Prophets had so often spoken 3. Others will have the Word Nazarene referr to the City Nazareth where Christ was conceived and lived most of his time He shall be called a Nazarene because he dwelt at Nazareth hence his Disciples were called the Sect of the Nazarenes that is the Followers of him that dwelt at Nazareth and Christ himself is pleased to own the Title Act. 22.8 I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Learn from hence The great Humility of Mind that was found in our Saviour He was Born at Bethlehem a little City he Lives at Nazareth a poor contemptible Place He aspires not after the Grandeur of the World but is meek and lowly in Spirit may the same humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus CHAP. III. This Evangelist having declared our Saviour's Miraculous Conception in the First Chapter and recorded several remarkable Circumstances relating to his Birth in the Second Chapter in this Chapter before us he passes over in silence the whole Course of our Saviour's Life in private taking no notice how he spent his Minority whilst he dwelt at Nazareth which was till he was Thirty Years old at which time he entred upon his Publick Ministry having John the Baptist for his Harbinger and Forerunner at this Chapter fully informs us 1 IN those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 And saying Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Observe here 1. The Preacher sent by God John the Baptist a Pattern of Mortification and a Preacher of Repentance Obs 2. The Place he is sent to Preach in The Wilderness of Judea not in Populous Jerusalem but in a Barren Wilderness where Inhabitants were sew and probably very ignorant and rude Learn hence That it is God's Prerogative to send forth the Preachers of the Gospel when and whither and to what People he pleases and none must Assume the Office before they be Sent. Obs 3. The Doctrine that he preaches namely the Doctrine of Repentance Repent ye This was to prepare the People for the Messias and the Grace of the Gospel Learn thence That the Preaching of the Doctrine of Repentance is absolutely necessary in order to the preparing of the Hearts of Sinners for the receiving of Christ Jesus Obs 4. The Motive which St. John uses to inforce the Exhortation to Repentance The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is now is the so much expected Time of the Appearing of the Messiah come the Old Testament Dispensation is now to be Abolished and the Mercy and Grace of the Gospel is now to be Revealed therefore Repent and Amend your Lives Note thence That the free and full Tenders of Grace and Mercy in the Gospel are the most alluring Arguments to move a Sinner to Repent and to Convert to God 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias saying The voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight The Papists from John Baptist's living in the Wilderness would make him the first Founder of the Order of the Hermits but very groundlesly For 1. What he did was by God's Command what they do is by the Dictates of their their own Fancy 2. He busied himself in Preaching in the Wilderness they bury themselves alive and do nothing 3. He lived in the Wilderness but for a time afterwards we find him at Court Preaching a Sermon to Herod but they bind themselves with a Vow to live and die Hermits 4 And the same John had his raiment of camels hair and a leathern girdle about his loins and his meat was locusts and wild honey The plainess of John's Habit and Diet is here declared he was habited in a plain Suit of Camels Hair much as Elijah was before him and as his Habit was plain so his Diet was ordinary feeding upon Herbs and such Things as the Wilderness affords hence it was that Nazianzen said he was all
poor Woman came to Christ trembling but went away triumphing Christ bids her Be of good Comfort her Faith had made her whole 23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise 24 He said unto them Give place for the maid is not dead but sleepeth And they laughed him to scorn 25 But when the people were put forth he went in and took her by the hand and the maid arose 26 And the same hereof went abroad into all that land Our Saviour being come to the Ruler's House finds the People very busily preparing for the Interrment of the dead Corps with Musick and other Solemnities This Custom of having Musick at Funerals came from the Heathens no mention is made thereof in the Old Testament we read of tearing the Flesh shaving the Head eating the Bread of Mourners also of Funeral-Songs but these were only sung with the Voice but Instruments of Musick at Funerals came from the Pagans Weeping and Lamentation are the most proper Funeral-Musick then nothing sounds so well as a Sigh nor is any thing so much in season as a Tear Yet are all Demonstrations of immoderate and excessive Mourning both hurtful to the Living and dishonourable to the Dead nor is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace Observe next In what sence our Saviour affirms that the Damsel was not dead Mortua est vobis mihi Dormit says St. Jerom She is Dead to you but Asleep to me I can as easily raise her from Death as you can awake her out of Sleep Her Soul was separated from her Body but not yet fixt in its Eternal Mansion Souls departed are under the Conduct of Angels good or bad to their several Places of Bliss or Misery Probably the Soul of this Damsel was under the Guard of Angels near her dead Body waiting the Pleasure of Christ in reference to it either to restore it again to the Body or to translate it to its Eternal Mansion 27 And when Jesus departed thence two blind men followed him crying and saying Thou Son of David have mercy on us 28 And when he was come into the house the blind men came to him and Jesus saith unto them Believe ye that I am able to do this they said unto him Yea Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes saying According to your faith be it unto you 30 And their eyes were opened and Jesus straitly charged them saying See that no man know it 31 But they when they were departed spread abroad his fame in all that country The Ruler and others who came to Christ for Cure and Healing believed him to be a Man unto whom Almighty God had Communicated Divine Power But it is observable that these poor Blind Men did believe him to be the Messias by their calling him the Son of David and according to their Faith so was their Success their Faith capacitated them for a Cure But why did our Lord enjoyn the Blind Men Silence and straitly charge them to tell no Man of the Cure Herein the great Modesty and Humility of Christ appeared in avoiding all Ostentation and Commendation as also a due Care of his own Safety lest the publishing of his Miracles should create him untimely Danger from the Pharisees 32 As they went out behold they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil 33 And when the devil was cast out the dumb spake and the multitudes marvelled saying It was never so seen in Israel Still our Lord goes about doing Good before he Healed the Diseased here he Helps the Possessed Learn 1. That amongst the many Calamities which Sin has rendred Human Nature liable and obnoxious to this is one to be Bodily Possest by Satan This Man's Dumbness was caused by the Devil's Possession Learn 2. That one Demonstration of Christ's Divine Power and a convictive Evidence of his being truly and really God was his Casting our Devils by the Word of his Power 34 But the Pharisees said He casteth out the devils through the prince of the devils See here the dreadful and sad Effects of Blindness Obstinacy and Malice the Pharisees charge Christ with making a Contract with the Devil affirming that he derived his Power from him But how unlikely was this that Satan should lend our Saviour a Power against himself and for the Destruction of his own Kingdom Oh how dangerous is a wilful and obstinate Opposition of the Truth It provokes God to deliver a Person up to final Obduracy 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people 36 But when he saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd Observe here 1. Our Saviour's great Work and Business in this World it was doing Good both to the Bodies and Souls of Men the most pleasant and delightful the most happy and glorious Work that a Person can be imployed about 2. His unwearied Diligence and Industry in this great and good Work He went about all the Cities and Villages Preaching the Gospel and Healing Diseases he travelled from Place to Place to seek Occasions and to lay hold upon all Opportunities of being Useful and Beneficial to Mankind Obs 3. The particular Instance of our Lord's Goodness and Compassion towards the People in those Cities and Villages where he Travelled they wanted the Preaching of the Gospel that is Faithful Dispensers of it For tho' they had the Scribes and Pharisees to Teach them they Instructing them rather in their own Traditions than in the Simplicity of the Gospel Christ pities the People as Sheep without a Shepherd Thence Learn That idle and lazy unskilful and unfaithful Labourers in Christ's Harvest are no Labourers in his Account They were as Sheep having no Shepherd 37 Then saith he unto his disciples The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest Note here 1. That God's Church is an Harvest-Field 2. That the Ministers of God are Labourers in his Harvest under GOD the Lord of the Harvest 3. That to God alone doth it belong to send forth Labourers into his Harvest and none must thrust themselves in till God sends them forth 4. That the Number of Faithful Labourers in God's Harvest is always comparatively small and few 5. That it is the Church's Duty to pray and that earnestly and incessantly to the Lord of the Harvest to increase the Number of Faithful Labourers and to send forth more Labourers into his Harvest CHAP. X. This Chapter acquaints us with the First Commission which our Saviour gave his Disciples to Preach the Gospel He directs them First Whither to go and to whom to Preach namely to the Jews whom he calls The lost
have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not have condemned the guiltless Learn hence That the Law of Mercy is much more excellent than the Law of Ceremonies and where both cannot be observed the less must give place to the greater God never intended that the Ceremonies of his Service in the First Table should hinder Works of Mercy prescribed in the Second Table All GOD's Commands are for Man's Good Where both cannot be obeyed he will have the Moral Duty performed and the Ceremonial Service omitted He will have Mercy and not Sacrifice that is he will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice where both cannot be had 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath-day As if Christ had said I who am Lord of the Sabbath declare to you that I have a Power to dispence with the Observation of it and it is my Will that the Sabbath which was appointed for Man should yield to Man's Safety and Welfare Christ the Son of Man was really the Son of GOD and as such had Power over the Sabbath to dispence with it yea to abrogate and change it at his pleasure 9 And when he was departed thence he went into their synagogue 10 And behold there was a man which had his hand withered and they asked him saying Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath-days that they might accuse him 11 And he said unto them What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath-day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath-days Here we have another Dispute betwixt our Saviour and the Pharisees concerning the Sabbath Whether it be a Breach of that Day mercifully to Heal a Person having a withered Hand Christ confutes them from their own Practice telling the Pharisees that they themselves judg'd it Lawful to help out a Sheep or an Ox if faln into a Pit on that Day How much more ought the Life of a Man to be preferr'd Here we may remark how Inveterate a Malice the Pharisees had against our Saviour when they could find no Crime to charge him with they blame him for working a merciful and miraculous Cure upon the Sabbath-Day When Envy and Malice which are evermore quick-sighted can find no Occasion of Quarrel it will invent one against the Innocent 13 Then saith he to the man Stretch forth thine hand and he stretched it forth and it was restored whole like as the other 14 Then the pharisees went out and held a council against him how they might destroy him 15 But when Jesus knew it he withdrew himself from thence and great multitudes followed him and he healed them all 16 And charged them that they should not make him known Obs 1. The merciful and miraculous Cure wrought by our Saviour's Power upon the Impotent Man He said unto him Stretch out thine Hand and his Hand was restored Obs 2. What a contrary Effect this Cure had upon the Pharisees instead of convincing them they conspire against him Christ's Enemies when Arguments fail fall to Violence Obs 3. The prudent Means which our Saviour uses for his own Preservation He withdrew himself Christ's Example teaches his Ministers their Duty to avoid the Hands of Persecutors and prudently to preserve their Lives unless when their Sufferings are like to do more good than their Lives Obs 4. The great Humility of Christ in concealing his own Praises he had no Ambition that the Fame of his Miracles should be spread abroad for he sought not his own Glory neither would he by the Noise of his Miracles enrage the Pharisees against him to take away his Life knowing that his Time was not yet come and he had much Work to do before his Death 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying 18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased I will put my Spirit upon him and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles 19 He shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man hear his voice in the street 20 A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgment unto victory 21 And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust That is our Blessed Saviour did those Good Acts before spoken of that it might appear that he was the True Messias prophesied of by Isaias the Prophet Chap. 42.1 2. Behold my Servant whom I have set apart for Accomplishing the Work of Salvation for a Lost World he by the Fulness of my Spirit shall Teach the Nations the Way of Truth and Righteousness He shall not subdue Men by Force and Violence but as the Prince of Peace shall deal gently with the Weak and cherish the Least Measures of Grace and Degrees of Goodness Obs here 1. A Description of Christ as Mediator he is God the Father's Servant imployed in the most Noble Service namely that of the Instructing and Saving a Lost World Obs 2. With what Meekness and Gentleness Christ sets up his Spiritual Kingdom in the World he doth not with Noise and Clamour with Force and Violence Subdue and Conquer but with Meekness and Gentleness gains Persons Consent to his Government and Authority Observe 3. The Gentle Carriage of Christ in Treating those of Infirmer Grace he doth and will graciously preserve and tenderly cherish the smallest Beginings the Weakest Measures and the Lowest Degrees of Sincere Grace which he observes in any of his Children â—nd People 22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil blind and dumb and he healed him insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw 23 And all the people were amazed and said Is not this the son of David 24 But when the Pharisees heard it they said This fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils As a farther Instance of Christ's Miraculous Power he Healeth one whom the Devil had cast into a Disease which depriv'd him both of Speech and Sight At this Miracle the Multitude wonder saying Is not this the Son of David That is the promised Messias The Pharisees hearing this with great Bitterness and Contempt said This Fellow casteth out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils Observe from hence How Obstinacy and Malice will make Men misconstrue the Actions of the most Holy and Innocent CHRIST Casteth out Devils say the Pharisees by the help of the Devil There never was any Person so Good nor any Action so Gracious but they have been subject both to Censure and Misconstruction The best Way is to square our Actions by the Right Rule of Justice and Charity and then let the World pass their Censures at their Pleasure When the Holy and Innocent JESUS was thus assaulted what Wonder is it if we his Sinful Servants be Branded on
his Head A Wicked Man needs no worse Tormenter than his own Mind Oh the Terrours and Tortures of a Guilty Conscience How great are the Anxiety of Guilt and the Fears of Divine Displeasure than which nothing is more stinging and perpetually tormenting 3 For Herod had laid hold on John and bound him and put him in prison for Herodias sake his brother Philip's wife 4 For John said unto him It is not lawful for thee to have her 5 And when he would have put him to death he feared the multitude because they counted him as a prophet Observe here 1. The Person that put the Holy Baptist to Death 't was Herod 't was Herod the King 't was Herod that invited John to Preach at Court and heard him gladly 1. It was Herod Antipas Son to that Herod who sought Christ's Life Matth. 2. Cruelty runs in a Blood Herod the Murderer of John who was the Forerunner of Christ descended from that Herod who would have murdered Christ himself 2. 'T was Herod the King Sad That Princes who should always be Nursing-Fathers to should at any time be the Bloody Butchers of the Prophets of God 3. 'T was Herod that heard John gladly John took the Ear and the Heart of Herod and Herod binds the Hands and Feet of John Oh how inconstant is a Carnal Heart to good Resolutions The Word has oft-times an Awakening Influence where it doth not leave an Abiding Impression upon the Minds of Men. Obs 2. The Cause of the Baptist's Death it was for telling a King of his Crime Herod cut off that Head whose Tongue was so bold to tell him of his Faults The Persecution which the Prophets of God fall under is usually for telling Great Men of their Sins Men in Power are impatient of Reproof and imagine that their Authority gives them a Licence to Transgress Obs 3. The plain Dealing of the Baptist in reproving Herod for his Crime which in one Act was Adultery Incest and Violence Adultery that that he took another's Wife Incest that he took his Brother's Wife Violence that he took her in spight of her Husband Therefore John doth not mince the Matter and say It is not Convenient but It is not Lawful for thee to have her it was not the Crown and Scepter of Herod that could daunt the Faithful Messenger of God There ought to meet in God's Ministers both Courage and Impartiality Courage in fearing no Faces Impartiality in sparing no Sins For none are so great but they are under the Authority and Command of the Law of God 6 But when Herod's birth-day was kept the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod 7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask 8 And she being before instructed of her mother said Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger 9 And the king was sorry nevertheless for the oath's sake and them which sat with him at meat he commanded it to be given her 10 And he sent and beheaded John in the prison 11 And his head was brought in a charger and given to the damsel and she brought it to her mother Several Observables are here to be taken Notice of 1. The Time of this Execrable Murther it was upon Herod's Birth-Day It was an Antient Custom among the Eastern Kings to Celebrate their Birth-Days Pharaoh's Birth-Day was kept Gen. 40. Herod's here both with Blood Yet these Personal Stains do not make the Practice unlawful When we solemnize our Birth-Day with Thankfulness to our Creator and Preserver for Life and Being for Protection and Preservation to that Moment and recommend our selves to the Care of his good Providence for the Remainder of our Days This is an Act of Piety and Religion But Herod's Birth-Day was kept with Revelling and Feasting with Musick and Dancing Not that Dancing which in it self is a set regular harmonious Motion of the Body can be unlawful any more than Walking or Running Altho' Circumstances may make it sinful But from this disorderly Banquet on Herod's Birth-Day we Learn That Great Men's Feasts and Frolicks are too often a Season of much Sin Obs 2. The Instigator and Promoter of the Holy Baptist's Death Herodias and her Daughter That Good Man falls a Sacrifice to the Fury and Malice to the Pride and Scorn of a Lustful Woman for being a Rub in the Way of her Licentious Adultery Resolute Sinners who are mad upon their Lusts run furiously upon their Gainsayers tho' they be the Prophets of God themselves and resolve to bear down all Opposition they meet with in the Gratification of their Unlawful Desires Obs 3. With what Reluctancy Herod consented to this Villany The King was sorry Wicked Men oft-times sin with a troubled and disturbed Conscience they have a mighty Struggle with themselves before they commit their Sins But at last their Lusts get Mastery over their Consciences So did Herod's here For 4. Notwithstanding his Sorrow he commands the Fact He sent and Beheaded John in the Prison And a threefold Cord tied him to this Performance 1. The Conscience of his Oath See his Hypocrisie he made Conscience of a rash Oath that made no Scruple of real Murther 2. Respect to his Reputation Them that sat with him heard him promise and will be Witnesses of his Levity if he do not perform Insisting upon Punctilio's of Honour has hazarded the Loss of Millions of Souls 3. A Loathness to discontent Herodias and her Daughter Oh vain and foolish Hypocrite who dreaded the displeasing of a wanton Mistress before the offending of God and Conscience Obs 5. These wicked Women not only require the Baptist to be Beheaded but that his Head be brought in a Charger to them What a Dish was here to be served up at a Prince's Table on his Birth-Day A dead Man's Head swimming in Blood How prodigiously insatiable is Cruelty and Revenge Herodias did not think her self safe 'till John was dead She could not think him dead till his Head was off she could not think his Head off till she had it in her Hand Revenge never thinks it has made sure enough Oh how cruel is a wicked Heart that could take Pleasure in a Spectacle of so much Horror How was that Holy Head tost by impure and filthy Hands That true and faithful Tongue those sacred Lips those pure Eyes those mortified Cheeks are now insultingly handled by an Incestuous Harlot and made a Scorn to the drunken Eyes of Herod's Guests From the whole Learn 1. That neither the Holiest of Prophets nor the Best of Men are more secure from Violence than from Natural Death He that was Sanctified in the Womb Conceived and Born with so much Miracle Lived with so much Reverence and Observation is now at Midnight obscurely Murthered in a close Prison Learn 2. That it is as true a Martyrdom to Suffer for Duty as for Faith He Dies as truly a Martyr that Dies for doing his Duty as he that Dies for
professing his Faith and bearing Witness to the Truth 12 And his disciples came and took up the body and buried it and went and told Jesus 13 When Jesus heard of it he departed thence by ship into a desart place apart and when the people had heard thereof they followed him on foot out of the cities The Disciples of John hearing that their Holy Master was thus basely and barbarously Murthered took up his dead Body and buried it Whence we Learn That the Faithful Servants of God are not ashamed of the Sufferings of the Saints but will testifie their respect unto them both living and dead Observe farther How our Blessed Saviour upon the notice of John's Death flies into the Desart for the Preservation of his own Life Jesus knew that his Hour was not yet come and therefore he keeps out of Herod's way It is no Cowardice to fly from Persecutors when Christ our Captain both practises it himself and directs us to it saying When they persecute you in one City flee c. 14 And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them and he healed their sick Observe here With what Condolency and tender Sympathy the compassionate Jesus exercised Acts of Mercy and Compassion towards the Miserable and Distressed He was moved with Compassion that is toucht with an inward Sense and Feeling of their Sorrow And healed their Sick Those that came to Christ for Healing found Three Advantages of Cure above the Power and Performance of any Earthly Physician to wit Certainty Bounty and Ease Certainty in that all Comers were infallibly cured Bounty in that they were freely cured without Charge And Ease in that they were cured without Pain 15 And when it was evening his disciples came to him saying This is a desart place and the time is now past send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals Note here 1. The Disciples Pity towards the Multitude that had long attended upon Christ's Ministry in the Desart they presuming the People hungry having fasted all the Day request our Saviour to dismiss them that they may procure some Bodily Refreshment Learn thence That it well becomes the Ministers of Christ to respect the Bodily Necessities as well as to regard the Spiritual Wants of their People As the Bodily Father must take Care of the Soul of his Child so must the Spiritual Father have respect to the Bodily Necessities of his Children Obs 2. The Motion which the Disciples make on the behalf of the Multitude Send them away that they may buy Victuals Here was a strong Charity but a weak Faith A strong Charity in that they desire the People's Relief but a weak Faith in that they suppose they could not otherwise be relieved but by sending them away to buy Victuals Forgetting that Christ who had Healed the Multitude miraculously could as easily Feed them miraculously if he pleased All things being equally easie to Omnipotency 16 But Jesus said unto them They need not depart give ye them to eat Obs here 1. Our Saviour's strange Answer to the Disciples Motion They need not depart says Christ Need not Why the People must either feed or famish Victuals they must have and this being a desart Place there was none to be had Surely then there was need enough But 2. Christ's Command was more strange than his Assertion Give ye them to eat Alas Poor Disciples They had nothing for themselves to eat how then should they give the Multitude to eat When Christ requires of us what of our selves we are unable to perform it is to shew us our Impotency and Weakness and to provoke us to look up to him That worketh all our Works in us and for us 17 And they say unto him We have here but five loaves and two fishes Note here What a poor and slender Provision the Lord of the whole Earth has for his Houshold and Family Five Loaves and those Barley two Fishes and they small Teaching us That these Bodies of ours must be fed but not pampered Our Belly must not be our Master much less our God We Read but twice that Christ made any Entertainments and both times his Guests were fed with Loaves and Fishes plain Fare and homely Diet. The end of Food is to sustain Nature we stifle it with a Gluttonous variety Meat was ordained for the Belly the Belly for the Body the Body for the Soul and the Soul for God Obs farther As the quality of this Victuals was plain and course so the quantity of it was small and little Five Loaves and two Fishes Well might the Disciples say what are these among so many The Eye of Sense and Reason sees an impossibility of those Effects which Faith can easily apprehend and Divine Power more easily produce 18 He said Bring them hither to me 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass and took the five loaves and the two fishes and looking up to heaven he blessed and brake and gave the loaves to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude Obs 1. How the Master of the Feast Marshals his Guests he commands them all to sit down None of them Reply sit down but to what Here are the Mouths but where is the Meat We can soon be set but whence shall we be served Nothing of this but they obey and expect Oh how easie is it to trust God and rely upon Providence when there is Corn in the Barn and Bread in the Cupboard but when our Stores are all empty and nothing is before us then to depend upon an invisible Bounty is a true and noble Act of Faith Obs 2. The Actions performed by our Blessed Saviour He Blessed and Brake and gave the Loaves to his Disciples and they to the multitude 1. He Blessed Teaching us by his Example in all our Wants to look up to Heaven for a Supply to wait upon God for his Blessing and not to sit down to our Food as a Beast to his Forage 2. He brake the Loaves He could have multiplied them whole why would he rather do it in the breaking Perhaps to teach us that we are to expect his Blessing in the Distribution rather than in the Reservation of what he gives us Scattering is the way to Increasing Not Grain hoarded up in the Granary but scattered in the Furrows of the Field yields increase Liberality is the way to Riches and Penuriousness the Road to Poverty 3. Christ gave the Bread thus broken to his Disciple that they might distribute it to the Multitude But why did not our Lord distribute it with his own Hand but by the Hands of his Disciples Doubtless to win respect to his Disciples from the People The same course doth our Lord take in spiritual distributions He that could feed the World by his immediate Hâ—nd chooses rather by the Hands of his Ministers to the divide the Bread of Life to
Mysteries to the World 2. That Christ was so intent upon laying down his Life for Sinners that he would not have his Death hindred by an untimely Declaration of his being truly and really God After his Death it was that He declared himself to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from â—he Dead 21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day Obs 1. The Wisdom of our Saviour in acquainting his Disciples with the near Approach of his Death and Sufferings This he did for several Reasons 1. To let them understand that he was really God as they had just before confess'd him to be by his foreknowing and foretelling things to come 2. To convince them of their Error in apprehending that his Kingdom was of this World and that he was to Reign here as a Temporal Prince 3. To prevent their being offended at his Sufferings and to prepare them for their own that they might neither shrink at them nor sink under them Obs 2. The Persons foretold by Christ that should be the bloody Actors in the Tragedy of his Death namely the Rulers and Chief Priests It was the Poor that received Christ and embraced the Gospel it was the Great Ones of the World that rejected him and set him at nought and the Rulers both in Church and State condemn'd and crucifi'd him 22 Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee No doubt Peter spake all this out of a sincere intention and with a singular Affection towards our Saviour but Pious Intentions and Good Affections will not justifie unwarrantable Actions From this Counsel of St. Peter to Christ we Learn 1. How ready Flesh and Blood is to oppose all that tends to Suffering Master spare thy self 2. What need we have to be fortified against the Temptations of Friends as well as of Enemies for Satan can make good Men his instruments to do his Work when they little think of it Peter little suspected that Satan set him on work to hinder the Redemption of Mankind by disswading Christ from Dying But observe in the next Verse with what indignation Christ rejects Peter's Advice 23 But he turned and said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of Men. Christ lookt upon Peter with Anger and Displeasure Christ heard Satan speaking in Peter 'T was Peter's Tongue but Satan tuned it therefore Christ calls Peter by Satan's Name They that will do the Devil's Work shall have the Devil's Name too He that would hinder the Redemption of Mankind is Satan an Adversary to Mankind From our Saviour's smart Reproof given to Peter Learn That no Love or Respect to Mens Persons or Piety must draw us to flatter them in their Sins or cause us to speak lightly of their Sins From our Saviour's Resolution not to favour himself notwithstanding Peter's Advice Learn That so intent was the Heart of Christ upon the great Work of Man's Redemption that he could not bear the least word that should obstruct him in it or divert him from it 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples If any Mâ—n will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me Observe here 1. How our Saviour recommends his Religion to every Man's Choice not attempting by force and violence to compel any to the Profession of it If any Man will come after me that is If any Man choose and resolve to be a Christian 2. Our Saviour's Terms propounded 1. Self-denial Let him deny himself By which we are not to understand the Denying and Renouncing of our Senses in matters of Faith nor yet the Renouncing of our Reason in matters of Religion but by Self-denial is meant that we should be willing to part with all our Earthly Comforts and quit all our Temporal Enjoyments for the sake of Christ and his Holy Religion 2. Gospel-Suffering He must take up his Cross An Allusion to a Roman Custom that the Malefactor who was to be Crucified took his Cross upon his Shoulder and carried it to the place of Execution Where Note Not the making of the Cross for our selves but the patient bearing of it when God lays it upon our Shoulder is the Duty injoyned Let him take up his Cross 3. Gospel-Service He must follow me that is Obey my Commands and follow my Example He must set my Life and Doctrine continually before him and must be daily Correcting and Reforming of his Life by that Rule and Pattern 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it Observe here 1. That the Love of this Temporal Life is a great Temptation to Men to deny Christ and to Renounce his Holy Religion 2. That the surest way to attain Eternal Life is Chearfully to lay down a Mortal Life when the Glory of Christ and his Service calleth us thereunto 26 For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Learn 1. That God has intrusted every one of us with a Soul of inestimable worth and preciousness capable of being saved or lost and that to all Eternity 2. That the Gain of the whole World is not comparable with the Loss of one precious Soul The Soul's Loss is an incompensable and irrecoverable Loss 27 For the Son of Man shall come in the gloâ—y of his Father with his angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works There is a twofold Judgment spoken of by this Evangelist St. Matthew namely a particular coming of Christ to execute Vengeance on the Jews at the Destruction of Jerusalem and a general coming at the Day of Judgment If we understand this place of the latter we have then 1. The Judge Described The Son of Man he who was and is both God and Man shall Judge both Angels and Men. 2. The Splendour of that Day declared He shall come in Glory with his Holy Angels The Attendance of Angels shall be requirâ—d by Christ not for Necessity but for Majesty 3. â—he Work and Business of that Day demonstrated and that is To Render to every Man according to his Works Learn That the Judgment of the great Day will be both Glorious and Righteous Christ will be Glorious in his Person and Glorious in his Attendance and the Judgment will be according to Righteousness Without respect of Persons according to what has been done in the Body 28 Verily I say unto you There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom A
us to bear Reproach and direct us to give Reproof he that is silent cannot be innocent Reprove we must or we cannot be faithful but prudently or we cannot be successful 48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart My lord delayeth his coming 49 And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the drunken 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of 51 And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocries there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Our Lord in these Verses describes an unfaithful and negligent Steward and denounces the dreadful Sentence of Wrath hanging over him he is described 1. By the Character of Infidelity he believeth not Christ's coming to Judgment tho' he preaches it to others he saith in his Heart My Lord delayeth his coming 2. He is described by his Hatred Envy and Malignity against his Fellow-servants that were more painful and faithful than himself He begins to smite at least with the Virulence of his Tongue if not with the Violence of his Hand 3. By his associating with the wicked and strengthening their Hands by his ill Example He eateth and drinketh with the Drunken That is as their Associate and Fellow-Companion Thus the unfaithful Servant is described next his Judgment and Sentence is declared Obs 2. The tremendous Judgment that shall come upon unfaithful Stewards 1. Christ will surprize them in their Sin and Security by coming in an Hour when they look'd not for him 2. He will execute Temporal Vengeance upon them He will cut them asunder or hew them in pieces as the Jews did their Sacrifices That is separate his Soul from his Body by untimely Death Hence some Observe That God seldom suffers slothful sensual wicked and debauch'd Ministers to live out half their Days 3. Christ will punish them with Eternal Destruction also Appointing them their Portion with Hypocrites That is with the worst of Sinners they shall have a double Damnation As the Hypocrite has a double Heart a double Tongue and is a double Sinner so shall he undergo a double Damnation Learn hence That such Ministers as neglect the Service of God and the Souls of their People as they are ranked amongst the worst sort of Sinners in this Life so shall they be punished with them in the severest manner in the next When Satan destroys the Souls of Men he shall answer for it as a Murtherer only not as an Officer that was intrusted with the Care of Souls But if the Steward doth not provide if the Shepherd doth not feed if the Watchman doth not warn they shall answer not only for the Souls that have miscarried but for an Office neglected for a Talent hidden and for a Stewardship unfaithfully administred Wo unto us if at the great Day we hear distressed Souls roaring out their Complaints and howling forth that doleful Accusation against us Lord Our Stewards have defrauded us our Watchmen have betrayed us our Guides have misled us CHAP. XXV Our blessed Saviour in the Close of the foregoing Chapter had exhorted all Christians to the great Duty of Watchfulness and to be in a Posture of Readiness against his coming Which Duty he is pleased to inculcate again in this Chapter and accordingly he urges the Necessity of it from two eminent Parables the former Of the Ten Virgins v. 1. and the latter Of a Man travelling into a far Country v. 14. 1 THen shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom 2 And five of them were wise and five were foolish By the Kingdom of Heaven here is meant the State of the visible Church here on Earth it cannot be understood of the Kingdom of Glory for there are no foolish Virgins in that Kingdom nor yet of the invisible Kingdom of Grace for therein are no foolish Virgins neither But in the visible Church here on Earth there ever has been a Mixture of wise and unwise of Saints and Hypocrites Five of these Virgins were wise and five were foolish Where Observe our Lord 's great Charity in supposing and hoping that amongst the Professors of the Gospel the number of sincere Christians is equal with Hypocritical Professors Five were wise and Five foolish Teaching us that we should not confine the Church of Christ within a narrow Compass nor confine our Charity to a few and think none shall go to Heaven but those of our own Party and Perswasion but to extend our Charity to all Christians that hold the Foundation with us and to hope well of them Lord let me rather err on the charitable Hand than be found on the censorious and damning side this is to imitate my Saviour whose Charity supposed as many wise as foolish Virgins as many Saints as Hypocrites in the Church All these Virgins are said to take their Lamps and go forth to meet the Bridegroom For understanding which we must know that our Saviour alludes to the ancient Custom of Marriages which were celebrated in the Night when usually Ten young Men attended the Bridegroom and as many Virgins attended the Bride with Lamps in their Hands the Bridegroom leading home his Bride by the Light of those Lamps By these Virgins are shadowed forth the Professors of Christianity The foolish Virgins are such as satisfie themselves with a bare Profession without bringing forth Fruits answerable thereunto The wise Virgins are such as walk'd answerable to their Profession persevered and continued stedfast therein and abounded in the Graces and Virtues of a good Life They are called Virgins for the Purity of their Faith for the Purity of their Worship and for the Purity of their Conversations 3 They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps By the Lamps are meant an outward Profession of Faith and Holiness By Oil in their Lamps is to be understood that solemn Profession of Repentance and Faith which all Christians make in Baptism By Oil in the Vessels is meant the Sanctifying and Saving Graces of the Holy Spirit the Growth and Improvement of them with Constancy and Perseverance in them Observe here wherein the wise and foolish Virgins agreed and wherein they differed They agreed thus far that both took their Lamps both lighted them they both had Oil in their Lamps the difference was not that the wise had Oil and the foolish had none but in this that the wise took care for a future Supply of Oil to feed their Lamp When the first Oil was spent some Professors like foolish Virgins content themselves with a blazing Lamp of an outward Profession without concerning themselves to secure an inward Principle of Grace and Love which should maintain that Profession as the Oil maintains the Lamp As the Lamp will
not long hold burning without a Stock of Oil to feed it so a Profession of Religion tho' never so glorious will not be lasting nor persevering without a Principle of Faith and Love in the Heart to support and maintain it Learn hence That the true Wisdom of a Christian consists in this to take care that not only the Lamp of his Life may shine by outward Profession but that the Vessel of his Heart may be furnished with the Graces of the Holy Spirit as a prevailing and abiding Principle 5 While the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept That is while Christ delays his coming to Persons by Death and Judgment they are not so diligent as they ought to prepare themselves for Death and Judgment Instead of being upon their Watch and Guard they slumbered and slept Note That not only visible Professors but the holiest and best of Christians are very prone to Spiritual Slumber Whilst the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept Spiritual Slumber consists in this When Graces are not lively and kept in exercise particularly Faith Hope and Love when there is an Abatement of our Love and Zeal an Intermission of our Care and Watchfulness this is a degree of Spiritual Slumber yet the Saints Slumber is not a prevailing Slumber 't is nor an Universal Slumber 't is not in all the Faculties of the Soul if there be Deadness in the Affections yet is there not Searedness in the Conscience I sleep says the Church but my Heart awaketh Cant. 5.2 Still there is a Principle in the Soul which takes God's part and the Christian groans under the Burthen of his dull and drowsie State But the greatest Wisdom is to maintain a constant Watch that we may at no time be surprized by the Bridegroom 's coming or be in a Confusion when Death and Judgment shall overtake us Blessed are those Virgins whose Lamps always burn bright 6 And at midnight there was a cry made Behold the bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him At Midnight that is at the most dismal and unseasonable time when all the Virgins were fast asleep and when awaked in great Affrightment could not on a sudden consider what to do Such is the Case of those who put off their Repentance and Preparation for another World till they are surprized by Death and Judgment Lord how will the Midnight Cry of the Bridegroom 's coming terrifie and amaze the unprepared Soul What a surprizing Word will this be Behold the Bridegroom cometh Learn hence That the Bridegroom will certainly come tho' at his own time and then all shall be called upon both prepared and unprepared to go forth to meet him Reason says he may come because there is a just God that will render to every one according to his Deeds and reward both Body and Soul for all the Services they have done for God The Body shall not always remain like a solitary Widow in the Dust but shall meet its old Companion the Soul again And as Reason says he may come Faith says he will come and argues from the Promise of Christ John 14.3 and from the Purchase of Christ from Christ's Affection to us and from our Affection to him Faith has seen him upon the Cross and determines she shall see him in the Clouds The Bridegroom will certainly come at his own time happy they that are ready to go forth to meet him 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps 8 And the foolish said unto the wise Give us of your oil for our lamps are gone out The Virgins arising and trimming their Lamps doth denote their actual Preparation for Christ's Coming and Appearance and their putting themselves into a Posture of Readiness to receive him Thence Learn That a believing Apprehension of the Certainty and Suddenness of our Lord 's Coming and Approach will rouze us out of our Spiritual Slumber and prepare us to meet him with Joy and Assurance Then they arose and trimmed their Lamps And the foolish said to the wise give us of your Oil for our Lamps are gone out Observe here 1. A Request made Give us of your Oil. There is a time when the Neglecters of Grace will be made sensible of the Worth of Grace by the want of it Such as now undervalue yea villifie the Grace of God will be heard to say Oh give us of your Oil. Obs 2. The Reason of the Request For our Lamps are gone out Thence Learn That the Lamp of Profession will certainly go out which has not a Stock of Grace to feed and maintain it 9 But the wise answered saying Not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves Observe here 1. The wise Virgins Denial Not so They will part with no Oil. Learn thence That it must be the Care of every one to get Grace of his own otherwise the Grace of others will do him no Good 'T is not what others have done nay not what Christ himself has done that will save us without our own Endeavours Obs 2. The Reason of their Denial Lest there be not enough for us and you Thence Note That such Christians as have most Grace or the largest Stock of Grace have none to spare none to spare in regard of their Occasions for Grace on Earth and in regard of their Expectations of Glory in Heaven Obs 3. The Advice and Counsel given Go to them that sell and buy for your selves Some take this for an Exhortation others for a mocking Derision Go to them that sell That is say some to the Shops of the Ordinances where it may be had Thence Note That such as would have Grace must have timely Recourse to the Ordinances and Means of Grace Go to them that sell Others understand the Words ironically and as spoken by way of Derision Go to them that sell If you know where to find them and either buy or borrow for your selves Learn thence That it is the greatest Folly in the World to have Oil to buy when we should have Oil to burn To have our Grace to seek when we should have it to exert and exercise It is no time to get Grace when the Bridegroom is come and the Day of Grace is past and over 10 And while they went to buy the bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut Observe here 1. Christ will come at the great Day to his People as a Bridegroom and to the wicked as a Judge The Relation now begun betwixt Christ and his Church shall then be publickly solemniz'd Obs 2. The Qualification of the Persons who shall enter with the Bridegroom into Heaven Such as are ready went in with him This Readiness is twofold Habitual and Actual Habitual Readiness consists in the State of the Person justified and pardoned in the Frame of the Heart sanctified and renewed and in the Course
of the Life universally and perceivingly Holy and Righteous consists our Actual Preparation Obs 3. The doleful Condition of such as were unready The Door is shut against them the Door of Repentance the Door of Hope the Door of Salvation all shut eternally shut and by him that shutteth and none can open Learn hence The utter Impossibility of ever getting our Condition altered by us when the Day of Grace and Salvation is once over with us Wo to such Souls who by the Folly of their own Delays have caused the Door of Conversion and Remission to be everlastingly shut against their own Souls 11 Afterward came also the other virgins saying Lord Lord open to us 12 But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not Observe here The Virgin 's Petition and the Bridegroom's Reply The Petition Lord Lord open to us Learn thence That how negligent soever Men are of Heaven and Salvation here there are none but will desire it earnestly and importunately hereafter Afterwards that is when too late Observe farther the Bridegroom's Reply I know you not that is I own and approve you not There is a twofold Knowledge that Christ has a Knowledge of simple Intuition and a Knowledge of special Approbation the former Knowledge Christ has of all Men the latter only of good Men. Learn hence That it will be a dreadful Misery for any Persons but especially for such as have been eminent Professors to be disowned by Christ at his coming to hear that dreadful Word from the Mouth of Christ Verily I know you not 13 Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh Here we have our Lord's Application of the foregoing Parable to be always upon our Watch continually upon our Guard to meet the Bridegroom in Death and Judgment because we know not the time of his Coming and Approach Learn hence That Watchfulness and a prepared Readiness is a great Duty that lyes upon all those who believe and look for Christ's Coming and Appearance Happy Souls who are found in a Posture of Readiness at the Bridegroom's Approach standing with Lamps trimmed Loins girded Lights burning that is improving and exercising their Graces abounding in all the Fruits of the Spirit and in all the substantial Virtues of a good Life Such and only such shall have an Entrance abundantly administered unto them into the everlasting Kingdom 14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods 15 And unto one he gave five talents to another two and to another one to every man according to his several ability and straightway took his journey Observe here The Person intrusting Christ the Persons intrusted all Christians The Talents they are intrusted with Goods that is Goods of Providence Riches and Honours Gifts of Mind Wisdom Parts and Learning Gifts of Grace all these Goods Christ dispenses variously more to some fewer to others but with Expectation of Improvement from all Learn 1. That Christ is the great Lord of the Universe and Owner of all his Servant's Goods and Talents 2. That every Talent is given us by our Lord to improve and imploy for our Master's Use and Service 3. That it pleases the Lord to dispence his Gifts variously amongst his Servants to some he commits more to others fewer Talents 4. That to this Lord of ours every one of us must be accountable and responsible for every Talent committed to us and intrusted with us 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents 17 And likewise he that had received two he also gained other two 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth and hid his lord's money The former Verses gave an Account of the Lord 's Distribution these acquaint us with the Servants Negotiation Some traded with and made Improvement of their Talents others traded not at all yet is it not said that they did imbezzle the Talent but not improve it Learn It is not sufficient to justifie us that we do not abuse our Talents 't is Fault enough to hide them and not improve them the slothful Servant shall no more escape Punishment than the wasteful Servant 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying Lord thou delivered'st unto me five talents behold I have gained besides them five talents mo 21 His Lord said unto him Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy lord 22 He also that had received two talents came and said Lord thou delivered'st unto me two talents behold I have gained two other talents besides them 23 His lord said unto him Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy lord Note here 1. That the Wisdom of God dispences his Gifts and Graces variously as so many Talents to his Servants to be imployed and improved for his own Glory and his Churches Good 2. That all such Servants as have received any Talents must look to reckon and account for them and this Account must be particular personal exact and impartial 3. That all such Servants as have been faithful in improving their Talents at Christ's coming shall be both commended and rewarded also Well done good and faithful Servant enter into the Joy of thy Lord. Where Obs 1. That the State of the Blessed is a State of Joy 2. That the Joy which the Blessed partake of is the Joy of their Lord that is the Joy which he provides and which he possesses 3. That the way after which the Saints partake of this Joy is by entring into it which denotes the highest and the fullest Participation of it The Joy is too great to enter into them they must enter into that Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art an hard man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strawed 25 And I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth lo there thou hast that is thine 26 His lord answered and said unto him Thou wicked and slothful servant thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not and gather where I have not strawed 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury Observe here 1. That he that received but One Talent is called to an Account as well as he that received Five Heathens that have but One Talent namely the
wrought a good Work upon me And Lastly He gives the Reason of her Action she did it for my Burial As Kings and great Persons were wont in those Eastern Countries at their Funerals to be embalm'd with Odours and sweet Perfumes So says our Saviour this Woman to declare her Faith in me as her King and Lord doth with this Box of Ointment as it were beforehand embalm my Body for its Burial True Faith puts Honour upon a crucified as well as a glorified Saviour This holy Woman accounts Christ worthy of all honour in his Death believing it would be a sweet smelling Sacrifice unto God and the savour of Life unto his People 13 Verily I say unto you Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her Our Saviour having defended this holy Woman from the Calumny of Judas in the foregoing Verses in this he declares that she should be rewarded with an honourable Memorial in all Ages of the Church Where ever the Gospel is preached this shall be spoken of her Oh what Care doth Christ take to have the good Deeds of his Children not buried in the Dust with them but be had in everlasting Remembrance Tho' Sin causes Men to rot above Ground to stink alive and when they are dead leaves an inglorious Memory upon their Graves yet will the Actions of the Just smell sweet and blossom in the Dust 14 Then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went unto the chief priests 15 And said unto them What will ye give me and I will deliver him unto you and they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver 16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him Observe here 1. The Person betraying our Blessed Redeemer Judas Judas a Professor Judas a Preacher Judas an Apostle and one of the Twelve whom Christ had chosen out of all the World to be his dearest Friends and his own Family and Houshold Shall we wonder to find Friends unfriendly or unfaithful towards us when our Saviour had a Traitor in his own House Obs 2. The Heinousness of his Sin in betraying Christ He betrayed Christ Jesus a Man Christ Jesus his Master Christ Jesus his Maker the first was Murther the second Treason Learn thence That it is no strange or uncommon thing for the vilest of Sins and most horrid Impieties to be acted by such Persons as make the most eminent Proâ—ession of Holiness and Religion Obs 3. What was the Sin occasioning and leading Judas to the committing of this horrid Sin It was Covetousness I do not find that Judas had any particular Malice against Christ's Person but a base and unworthy Spirit of Covetousness possess'd him this made him sell his Master Covetousness is the Root-Sin an inordinate Desire and Love of Riches an eager and unsatiable Thirst after the World is the Parent of the most monstrous and unnatural Sins Therefore remember we our Saviour's Caution Luke 12.15 Take heed and beware of Covetousness he doubles the Caution to shew us both the great Danger of the Sin and the great Care we ought to take to preserve our selves from it Obs 4. How small a Sum tempted the covetous Mind of Judas to betray his Master Thirty Pieces of Silver which amounted but to Three Pounds and Fifteen Shillings of our Money This was the Price of a Slave or common Servant Exod. 21. as Christ took upon him the Form of a Servant so his Life was valued at the rate of an ordinary Servant's Life It may seem a wonder that the High Priests should offer no more for the Life of our Saviour and that Judas should accept so little But the Wisdom of God over-ruled this Matter for fulfilling that Prophecy Zach. 11.12 They weighed for my Price Thirty Pieces of Silver Let not any Christian be concerned that he is despised and undervalued he can never meet with so great a Reproach so low an Abasement for Christ as Christ underwent for him Observe Lastly Judas his Folly as well as his Treachery he that might have demanded what he pleased for this Purchase he says unto the chief Priests What will ye give me As if he had said I am resolved to sell him at any rate give me what you will for him Nay farther Judas covenanted and they promised but whether it was now paid appeareth not Learn That such a Person as has a vile and base Esteem of Jesus Christ will part with him upon any Terms The bare Expectation of a few Sheckles of Silver will make such a one willing to part with the Pearl of great Price 17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus saying unto him Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover 18 And he said Go into the city to such a man and say unto him The master saith My time is at hand I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them and they made ready the passover The Time for the Celebration of the Passover being now at Hand Christ sends Two of his Disciples to Jerusalem to prepare things necessary in order thereunto Accordingly they enter the City and find the Master of an House whose Heart Christ by his Divine Power had so inclined that he willingly accommodated them upon this Occasion Our Blessed Saviour had not a Lamb of his own and possibly no Money in his Purse to buy one but he finds as excellent Accommodations in this poor Man's House as if he had dwelt in Ahab's Ivory Palace and had had the Provisions of Solomon's Table Learn hence That Christ has such an Influence upon and Command over the Spirits of Men that he can incline them to do what Service soever he pleaseth for him When Christ has a Passover to celebrate he will prepare an House and dispose the Heart to a free Reception of himself Learn 2. That Christ being under the Law observes and keeps the Law of the Passover Thus he fulfilled all Righteousness and altho' the Ceremonial Law was to receive its Abolishment in the Death of Christ yet all the time of his Life he punctually observed it 20 Now when the even was come he sat down with the twelve Observe here The Impudent Forehead of this bold Traytor Judas who presumed as soon as he had sold his Master to sit down at the Table with him and partake with the other Disciples of the solemn Ordinance of the Passover had the Presence of Judas polluted the Ordinance to any besides himself doubtless our Saviour would never have permitted his bold Intrusion Learn hence 1. That nothing is more ordinary than for unholy Persons presumptuously to rush in upon the solemn Ordinances of God which they have no Right whilst such to partake of 2. That the Presence of such Persons pollutes the Ordinances only to themselves
holy Persons are not polluted by the Sins of such For to the Pure all things are Pure 21 And as they did eat he said Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me What an astonishing Word was this One of you my Disciples shall betray me Can any Church on Earth expect Purity in all its Members when Christ's own Family of Twelve had a Traitor and a Devil in it Yet tho' it was very sad to hear that one should betray him it was Matter of Joy that it was but One One Hypocrite in a Congregation is too much but there is cause of rejoicing if there be no more But why did not Christ name Judas and say Thou art he that shalt betray me Doubtless to draw him to Repentance and to prevent giving Judas any Provocation Lord how sad is it for such as pretend Friendship to Christ and call themselves of his Family and Acquaintance who eat of his Bread and yet lift up the Heel against him 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful and began every one of them to say unto him Lord is it I Observe here 1. The Disciples Sorrow and next the Effect of that Sorrow Their Sorrow was as well it might exceeding great Well might innocent Disciples be overwhelm'd with Sorrow to hear that their Master should dye that he should dye by Treason that the Traitor should be one of themselves But tho' their Sorrow was great yet was the Effect of their Sorrow very good it wrought in them an holy Suspicion of themselves and caused every one to search himself and say Master is it I Thence Learn That it is possible for such secret Wickedness to lurk in our Hearts as we never suspected which Time and Temptation may draw forth in such a manner as we could not believe and therefore it is both wise and holy to suspect our selves and be often saying Lord is it I There is no better Preservative from Sin than to be jealous over our selves with a godly Jealousie Observe farther That tho' the Disciples Fear and Sorrow made them jealous and suspicious yet was it of themselves not of one another nay not of Judas himself Every one said Master is it I Not Master is it Judas Learn hence That true Sincerity and Christian Charity will make us more suspicious of our selves than of any other Person whatsoever It always hopes the best of others and fears the worst concerning our selves 23 And he answered and said He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish the same shall betray me 24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him but wo unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed it had been good for that man if he had not been born 25 Then Judas which betrayed him answered and said Master is it I He said unto him Thou hast said Here our Saviour acquaints his Disciples who it was that had designed his Death even he that dipped with him in the Dish or he to whom he gave the Sop. Observe The Traitor whom Christ less loved he has the Sop given to him the other Disciples whom Christ lov'd better had no such particular Boon Outward good Things are not always given to the Children of Men in Love but are sometimes bestowed in Displeasure there is no measuring Christ's Affection by Temporal Blessings no concluding either Love or Hatred by these things Observe farther how Judas could sit still and hear the Threats of Judgment denounced against himself without Concern he hears Christ say Wo to the Man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed and is no more blank'd than Innocence it self Resolved Sinners run on desperately in their wicked Courses and with open Eyes see and meet their own Destruction and are neither dismayed at it nor concerned about it Observe farther That this shameless Man had the Impudence to say to Christ Master is it I Our Saviour gives him a direct Affirmation Thou hast said Did not Judas think we blush and cast down his guilty Eyes and let fall his droâ—ping dead at so gauling an Intimation Nothing less Lord how does Obâ—urâ—cy in Sin steel the Brow and make it uncapable of all relenting Impressions Observe Lastly How Christ preferrs Non-Entity before Damnation It had been better for that Man he had never been born A Temporal miserable Being is not worse than no Being but an Eternal miserable Being is worse than no Being at all Eternal Misery is much worse than Non-Entity It had been better for Judas he had not been born than to commit such a Sin and lye under such Wrath and that everlasting Oh better to have no Being than not to have a Being in Christ 26 And as they were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the disciples and said Take eat this is my body 27 And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it 28 For this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins 29 But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom 30 And when they had sung an hymn they went out into the mount of Olives Immediately after the Celebration of the Passover follows the Institution of the Lord's Supper In which Observe 1. The Author of this new Sacrament Jesus took Bread Note thence That to institute a Sacrament is Christ's sole Prerogative it is the Churches Duty to celebrate the Sacraments but she has Power to make none This belongs only to Christ Observe 2. The Time of the Institution the Night before his Passion The Night before he was betrayed Jesus took Bread Learn thence That it is very necessary when Sufferings are approaching to have Recourse to the Table of the Lord which affords both an Antidote against Fear and is Restorative to Faith Observe here 3. The Sacramental Elements Bread and Wine Bread representing his Body and Wine his Blood Observe 4. The Ministerial Actions the Breaking of the Bread and the Blessing of the Cup. As to the Bread Jesus took it that is set it apart from common Use and separated it for Holy Ends and Purposes He blessed it that is prayed for a Blessing upon it and brake it thereby shadowing forth his Body broken upon the Cross And he gave it to his Disciples saving This broken Bread signifies my Body suddenly to be broken upon the Cross for your Redemption and Salvation Do this in Remembrance of me and of my Death As to the Cup Christ having set it apart by Prayer and Thanksgiving he commands his Disciples to drink all of it and subjoins a Reason for it For This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for Remission of Sins That is The Wine in this Cup represents the shedding of my Blood by which the new Covenant betwixt God
put up as a direful Imprecation we may with a pious Mind offer up to God as an humble Petition Lord let thy Son's Blood not in the Guilt and Punishment but in the Efficacy and Merit of it be upon us and upon our Posterity after us for evermore 26 Then released he Barabbas unto them and when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified As the Death of the Cross was a Roman Punishment so it was the manner of the Romans first to scourge and whip their Malefactors and then deliver them to be crucified Now the manner of the Roman scourging is said to be thus They stript the condemned Person and bound him to a Post Two strong Men first scourged him with Rods of Thorns Then Two others scourged him with Whips of Cords full of Knots and lastly Two more with Whips of Wyre and therewith tore off the very Flesh and Skin from the Persons Back and Sides That our Saviour was thus cruelly scourged seems to some not improbable from that of the Psalmist Psal 129.3 The Ploughers ploughed upon my Back and made long Furrows Which if spoken Prophetically of Christ was Literally fulfilled in the Day of his Scourging But why was the precious Body of our Blessed Lord thus galled and torn with Scourgings Doubtless to fulfil that Prophecy I gave my Back to the Smiters and my Cheeks to them that plucked off the Hair That by his Stripes we might be healed And to Learn us Patience from his Example why should we think it strange to be scourged either with the Tongue or the Hand or with both when we see our dear Redeemer bleeding by Stripes and Scourges before our Eyes 27 Then the soldiers of the governour took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers 28 And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet robe 29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns they put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand and they bowed the knee before him and mocked him saying Hail king of the Jews 30 And they spit upon him and took the reed and smote him on the head 31 And after that they had mocked him they took the robe off from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucifie him The next part of our Lord's Sufferings consisted of cruel Mockings our blessed Sâ—viour had said that he was the King of the Jews not a Temporal King to rule over them with Pomp and Power but a Spiritual King to rule in the Hearts of his People but the Jews missing of their Expectation of a Temporal King in Christ look upon him as an Impostor and accordingly they treat him as a mock King putting a Crown upon his Head but a very ignominious and painful one A Crown of Thorns a Scepter in his Hand but it was of a Reed and a Robe of Purple or Scarlet both which were used by Princes and bowed the Knee before him as they were wont to do to Princes Thus all the Marks of Scorn imaginable are put upon our Blessed Redeemer yet that which they did in jest God did in earnest for all these things were Ensigns and Marks of Soveraignty and Almighty God caused the Regal Dignity of his Son to appear and shine forth even in the midst of his greatest Abasement Whence was all this Jearing and Sport but to flout Majesty And why did Christ undergo all this Ignominy Disgrace and Shame but to shew us what was due unto us for our Sins and to give us an Example to bear all the Scorn Reproach and Shame imaginable for his sake Who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the Shame 32 And as they came out they found a man of Cyrene Simon by name him they compelled to bear his cross 33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha that is to say a place of a scull 34 They gave him vinegâ—r to drink mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof he would not drink 35 And they crucified him and parted his garments casting lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet They parted my garments among them and upon my vesture did they cast lots 36 And sitting down they watched him there The Sentence of Death being past by Pilate who can with dry Eyes behold the sad Pomp of our Saviour's bloody Execution Forth comes the Blessed Jesus out of Pilate's Gates bearing that Cross which soon after was to bear him With his Cross on his Shoulder he marches towards Golgotha and when they see he can go no faster they force Simon the Cyrenian not out of Compassion but from Indignation to be the Porter of his Cross This Cyrenian being a Gentile not a Jew who bare our Saviour's Cross might signifâ—e and shew that the Gentiles should have a part in Christ and be Sharers with the Jews in the Benefits of his Cross At length Christ comes to the Place of Execution Golgotha or Mount Calvary Here in a publick Place with infamous Company betwixt Two Thieves he is Crucified that is fastned to a great Cross of Wood his Hands stretched forth abroad and his Feet closed together and both Hands and Feet fastned with Nails his naked Body was lifted up in the open Air hanging betwixt Heaven and Earth thereby intimating that the crucified Person was fit to live in neither This shameful painful and accursed Death did the holy and innocent Jesus undergo for Sinners Some observe all the Dimensions of Length Breadth Depth and Height in our Saviour's Sufferings for Length his Passion was several Hours long from Twelve to Three exposed all that time both to Hunger and Cold the Thieves crucified with him were not dead so soon they enduring but personal Pain he undergoing the Miseries of all Mankind But what his Passion wanted in Length it had in Breadth extending over all the Parts and Powers of his Soul and Body no part free but his Tongue which was at Liberty to pray for his Enemies His Sight was tormented with the scornful Gestures of such as passed by wagging their Heads His Hearing grieved with the Taunts and Jears of Priests and People his Smelling offended with noisome Savours in the Place of Skulls his Taste with the Gall and Vinegar given him to drink his Feeling was wonderfully affected by the Nails which pierced his Hand and Feet and the Crown of Thorns which pierced his tender Temples with a Multiplicity of Wounds And for the Depth of his Passion it was as deep as Hell it self enduring Tortures in his Soul as well as Torments in his Body groaning under the Burthen of Desertion and crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Lastly For the Height of his Sufferings they were as high as Heaven his Person being innocent and infinite no less than the Son of God which adds infinite Worth and Value to his Sufferings Lord
let us be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth and Length Depth and Heighth and let us know the Love of Christ which in suffering for us passeth Knowledge So infinite every way were the Dimensions of it 37 And set up over his head his accusation written THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS It was the manner of the Romans when they crucified any Man to publish the Cause of his Death in Capital Letters placed over the Head of the Person Now see how the Wisdom and Providence of God powerfully over-ruled the Heart and Pen of Pilate to draw this Title which was truly honourable and fix it to his Cross Pilate is Christ's Herald and proclaims him King of the Jews Learn hence That the Regal Dignity of Christ was proclaimed by an Enemy and that in a time of his greatest Sufferings and Reproaches Pilate did Christ a special Honour and an eminent piece of Service he did that for Christ which none of his own Disciples durst do but he did it not designedly for his Glory but from the special over-ruling Power of Divine Providence But the highest Services performed to Christ undesignedly shall never be accepted nor rewarded by God 38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him one on the right hand and another on the left 39 And they that passed by reviled him wagging their heads 40 And saying Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days save thy self if thou be the Son of God come down from the cross 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him with the scribes and elders said 42 He saved others himself he cannot save if he be the king of Israel let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him 43 He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the Son of God 44 The thieves also which were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth Here we have several Aggravations of our Lord's Sufferings upon the Ctoss 1. From the Company he suffer'd with Two Thieves It had been Disparagement enough to our Blessed Saviour to have been sorted with the Best of Men but to be numbered with the Scum of Mankind is such an Indignity as confounds our Thoughts This was intended by the Jews to dishonour him the more and to perswade the World that he was the greatest of Offenders but God over-ruled this that the Scripture might be fulfilled He was numbered with the Transgressors 2. Another Aggravation of our Lord's Sufferings on the Cross was the Scorn and mocking Derision which he met with in his dying Moments from the common People from the chief Priests and from the Thieves that suffer'd with him The common People both in Words and Actions expressed Scorn and Detestation against him They reviled him wagging their Heads The chief Priests tho' Men of Age and Gravity not only barbarously mock him in his extreamest Misery whom Humanity obliged them to Pity but they scoff Atheistically and Prophanely jeering at his Faith and Affiance in God tauntingly saying He trusted in God that he would deliver him now let him deliver him if he will have him Where Observe That Persecutors are generally Atheists tho' they make a Profession of Religion The chief Priests and Elders here tho' learned and knowing Men yet they blaspheme God and mock at his Power deride his Providence which was as bad as to deny his Being Hence we may gather that those who administer to God in Holy Things by way of Office if they be not the best they are the worst of Men. No such bitter Enemies to the Power of Godliness as the Ministers of Religion who were never acquainted with the Efficacy and Power of it in their own Hearts and Lives A Third Aggravation of our Lord's Sufferings on the Cross was That the Thief 's that suffered with him reviled him with the rest That is one of them as St. Luke has it or perhaps both of them might do it at first Which if so encreases the Wonder of the penitent Thieves Conversion From the Thief 's Impenitency we Learn That neither Shame nor Pain will change the Mind of a resolute Sinner but even then when he is in the very Suburbs of Hell will he blaspheme 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli Lamasabachthani that is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 47 Some of them that stood there when they heard that said This man calleth for Elias 48 And straightway one of them run and took a spunge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink 49 The rest said Let be let us see whether Elias will come to save him 50 Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yeilded up the ghost Observe here 1. How the Rays of Christ's Divinity and the Glory of his Godhead breaks out and shines forth in the midst of that Infirmity which his Humane Nature laboured under He shews himself to be the God of Nature by altering the Course of Nature The Sun is eclipsed and Darkness overspreads the Earth for Three Hours namely from Twelve a Clock to Three Thus the Sun in the Firmament becomes close Mourner at our Lord's Death and the whole Frame of Nature puts it self into a Funeral Habit. Obs 2. That the Soul of Christ's Sufferings consisted in the Sufferings of his Soul the Distress of his Spirit was more intolerable than the Torments of his Body as appears by his mournful Complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Being the first Words of the 22d Psalm and some conceive that he repeated that whole Psalm it being an admirable Narrative of the Dolours of his Passion Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ when suffering for our Sins was really deserted for a Time and left destitute of all sensible Consolation Why hast thou forsaken me Learn farther That under this Desertion Christ despaired not but still retain'd a firm Perswasion of God's Love unto him and experienced necessary Supports from him My God my God These are Words of Faith and Affiance striving under Temptation Christ was thus forsaken for us that we might never be forsaken by God yet by God's forsaking of Christ is not to be understood any Abatement of Divine Love but only a Withdrawing from the Humane Nature the Sense of hiâ— Love and a letting out upon his Soul a deep afflicting Sense of his Displeasure against Sin There is a total and eternal Desertion by which God utterly forsakes a Man both as to Grace and Glory being wholly cast out of God's Presence and adjudged to Eternal Torments this was not compatible to Christ nor agreeable to the Dignity of his Person But these is a Partial and Temporary Desertion when God for a little Moment hides his
yet such weak Christians perhaps when a Trial comes shall stand their Ground when stronger run away We read of none of the Apostles at Christ's Funeral Fear had chased them away tho' they profess'd a Readiness to die with Christ But Joseph and Nicodemus appear boldly for him Let it be a Caution to strong Christians neither to glory in themselves nor to glory over the weak If God desert the strong and assist the weak the feeble shall be as David and the strong as Tow. Obs 3. The Mourners that followed the Hearse namely the Women that follow'd him out of Galilee and particularly the Two Maries a very poor Train of Mourners a few sorrowful Women Others are attended to their Graves by their Relations and Friends but Christ's Disciples were all scattered and afraid to own him either dying or dead Our Blessed Lord affected no Pomp or Gallantry in his Life and it was no ways suitable either to the End or Manner of his Death Humiliation was designed in his Death and his Burial was the lowest degree of his Humiliation Obs 4. The Grave or Sepulchre in which they buried him it was in a Garden As by the Sin of the first Adam we were driven out of the Garden of Pleasure the Earthly Paradice so by the Sufferings of the second Adam who lay buried in a Garden we may hope for an Entrance into the Heavenly Paradice It was in a Sepulchre hew'd out of a Rock that so his Enemies might have no Occasion to cavil and say that his Disciples stole him away by secret Holes or unseen Passages under Ground And it was in a new Sepulchre in which never any Man was laid lest his Adversaries should say it was some other that was risen or that he rose from the Dead by touching some other Corps Obs 5. The Manner of our Lord's Funeral hastily openly decently It was done in haste by reason of the Streights of Time the Preparation for the Passover caused them to be very expeditious the Sabbath was approaching and they lay all Business aside to prepare for that Learn thence How much it is our Duty to dispatch our Worldly Business as early as we can towards the end of the Week that we may be the better prepared to sanctifie the Lord's Day if we live to enjoy it We ought to remember that Day before it come and to sanctifie it when it is come Again our Lord was buried openly as well as hastily all Persons had Liberty to be Spectators that none might object there was any Fraud or Deceit used in or about his Burial He was also interr'd decently his Body wrapt in fine Linnen and perfum'd with Odours according to the Jewish Custom which used not to unbowel but embalm their Dead Obs 6. The Reason why our Lord was buried seeing he was to rise again in as short a time as other Men lye by the Walls and had his dead Body remain'd a Thousand Years unburied it could have seen no Corruption having never been tainted with Sin Sin is the Cause of the Body's Corruption 't is Sin that makes our Body stink worse than Carrion when they are dead A Funeral then was not necessary for Christ's Body upon the same Accounts that it is necessary for ours But 1. He was buried to declare the Certainty of his Death and the Reality of his Resurrection and for this Reason did God's Providence order it that he should be embalm'd to cut off all Pretensions For in this kind of embalming his Mouth his Ears and his Nostrils were all fill'd with Spices and Odours so that there could be no Latent Principle of Life in him being thus buried then declares him to be certainly dead 2. He was buried to fulfill the Types and Prophecies that went before concerning him Jonas being Three Days and Three Nights in the Belly of the Whale was a Type of Christ's being Three Days and Three Nights in the Heart of the Earth and the Prophet Esay 53.9 had declar'd the manner of his Funeral long before he was born He made his Grave with the Wicked and with the Rich in his Death Pointing by that Expression at this Tomb of Joseph's who was a rich Man and the Scriptures cannot be broken 3. He was buried to compleat his Humiliation They have brought me to the Dust of Death says David a Type of Christ This was the lowest Step he could possibly descend in his abased state lower he could not be laid and so low his blessed Head must be laid else he had not been humbled to the lowest 4. He went into the Grave that he might conquer Death in its own Territories and Dominions Christ's Victory over the Grave causes his Saints to triumph and sing Oh Grave where is thy Destruction Our blessed Lord has perfum'd the Bed of the Grave by his own lying in it so that a Pillow of Down is not so soft to a Believer's Head as a Pillow of Dust Observe Lastly what Use the Doctrine of our Lord's Burial may be unto us 1. For Instruction here we see the amazing Depths of our Lord's Humiliation From what to what his Love brought him even from the Bosom of his Father to the Bosom of the Grave Now the Depth of his Humiliation shews us the Fulness and Sufficiency of his Satisfaction as well as the Heinousness of our Transgression 2. For Consolation against the Fears of Death and the Grave The Grave received Christ but could not retain him Death swallow'd him up as the Fish did Jonas but quickly vomitted him up again so shall it fare with Christ mystical as it did with Christ Personal the Grave could not long keep him it shall not for ever keep us as his Body rested in Hope so shall ours also and tho' they see Corruption which he did not yet shall they not always lye under the Power of Corruption In a Word Christ's lying in the Grave has chang'd and alter'd the Nature of the Grave it was a Prison before a Bed of Rest now a loathsome Grave before a perfumed Bed now He whose Head is in Heaven need not fear to put his Foot into the Grave Awake and sing thou that dwellest in the Dust for the Enmity of the Grave is slain by Christ 3. For Imitation let us study and endeavour to be buried with Christ in respect of our Sins I mean Rom. 6.4 Buried with him into Death Our Sins should be as a dead Body in several Respects Are dead Bodies removed out of the Society of Men so should our Sins be removed far from us Do dead Bodies in the Grave spend and consume away by little and little So should our Sins daily Will dead Bodies grow every Day more and more loathsome to others So should our Sins be to our selves Do dead Bodies wax out of Memory and are quite forgotten So should our Sins in respect of any Delight that we take in remembring of them We should always remember our Sins to our Humiliation
but never think or speak of them with the least Delight or Satisfaction for this in God's Account is a new Commission of them and lays under an Additional Guilt 62 Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation the chief Priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate 63 Saying Sir we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive After three days I will rise again 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say unto the people he is risen from the dead so the last errour shall be worse than the first 65 Pilate said unto them Ye have a watch go your way make it as sure as you can 66 So they went and made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone and setting a watch This last Paragraph of the Chapter acquaints us with the Endeavours that the Murtherers of Christ used to prevent his foretold Resurrection They ask and obtain of Pilate that his Sepulchre may be strongly guarded till the Third Day was past and over when probably they intended to have exposed his dead Body to the view of the People and accordingly a threefold Guard is set about the Grave the Stone the Seal and the Watch concluding that Christ was safe enough either for rising or stealing The Stone making the Grave sure the Seal making the Stone sure and the Watch or Band of Soldiers making all sure The Stone being sealed with the publick Seal no Person might meddle with it upon pain of Death Where Note 1. The wonderful Wisdom the over-ruling Power and Providence of God by this excessive Care and extraordinary Diligence the High Priests hoped to prevent our Saviour's Resurrection but the Truth and Belief of it was hereby confirmed to all the World How much Evidence had Christ's Resurrection wanted if the High Priests and Elders had not been thus maliciously industrious to prevent his rising Learn 2. That the Endeavours used to obstruct our Lord's Resurrection have render'd it more certain and undoubted had not all this Care and Caution been used by his Enemies the Grounds of our Faith had not been so strong so evident and so clear It was very happy that the Jews were thus jealous and suspicious thus careful and distrustful for otherwise the World had never received so full and perfect an Evidence of Christ's Resurrection as now whereon all our Comfort and Salvation doth depend Verily their solicitous Care to suppress our Redeemer's Resurrection has render'd it more conspicuous and freed it from all Suspicion of Forgery CHAP. XXVIII This last Chapter of St. Matthew contains the History of our Saviour's Resurrection and gives us an Account of what he did on Earth between the time of his Triumphant Resurrection and his Glorious Ascension 1 IN the end of the sabbath as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre The Lord of Life was buried upon the Friday in the Evening of that Day on which he was crucified and his holy Body rested in the silent Grave the next Day and a part of the Morning the Day following Thus he arose again the Third Day neither sooner nor later not sooner lest the Truth of his Death should have been question'd that he did not die at all and not later lest the Faith of his Disciples should have fail'd And accordingly when the Sabbath was past and it dawned towards the first Day of the Week in the Morning very early before Day Mary Magdalen and other devout Women go to visit the holy Sepulchre intending with their Spices and Odours farther to imbalm our Lord's Body But Observe Altho' the Hearts of these good Women did burn with an Ardent Love and Zeal to their Crucified Lord yet the commanded Duties of the Sabbath are not omitted by them they stay till the Sabbath is ended and then early in the Morning they go with Odours in their Hands to perfume his Sacred Corps fearing neither the Darkness of the Night nor the Presence of the Watchmen How great a Tribute of Respect and Honour is due and payable to these Women for their Magnanimity and Courage They follow'd Christ when his Disciples left him they accompanied him to his Cross and follow'd his Hearse to the Grave when none of his Disciples durst appear Learn hence That Courage is the special and peculiar Gift of God and where God gives Courage it is not in Man to make afraid 2 And behold there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it 3 His countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men Observe here 1. With what Pomp and Triumph doth our Lord arise The Earth that quaked before at his Crucifixion quakes now again at his Resurrection it quak'd then at the Dissolution now at the Reunion of his Humane Nature to tell the World that the God of Nature then suffer'd and now conquer'd Observe 2. How an Angel is imploy'd in Christ's Resurrection He rolls away the Stone But could not Christ have risen then without the Angel's Help Yes sure he that raised himself surely could have removed the Stone But God thinks fit to send an Officer from Heaven to open the Prison Door of the Grave and by setting our Surety at Liberty proclaims our Debt to the Divine Justice fully satisfied Besides it was fit that the Angels who had been Witnesses of our Saviour's Passion should also be Witnesses of his Resurrection Observe 3. How unable the Keepers of the Grave were to bear the Sight and Presence of the Angel they shake for Fear and became as dead Men. Angels being pure and perfect Spirits Man is not able to bear the Sight of an Angel no not in Humane Shape without Terror and Affrightment and if the Sight of an Angel be so dreadful what is the Sight of God himself 5 And the angel answered and said unto the women Fear not ye for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified 6 He is not here for he is risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay 7 And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him lo I have told you Observe here 1. Our Lord's Resurrection asserted and declar'd He is risen God never intended that the darling of his Soul should be lost in an obscure Sepulchre he is not here says the Angel that is in the Grave where you laid him where you left him Death has lost its Prey and the Grave has lost her Guest Observe 2. It is not said He is not here for he is raised but he is risen The Word imports the active Power of
rather grew worse 27 When she had heard of Jesus came in the press behind and touched his garment 28 For she said If I may touch but his cloaths I shall be whole 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague 30 And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that vertue had gone out of him turned him about in the press and said Who touched my cloaths 31 And his disciples said unto him Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest thou Who touched me 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing 33 But the woman fearing and trembling knowing what was done in her came and fell down before him and told him all the truth 34 And he said unto her Daughter thy faith hath made thee whole go in peace and be whole of thy plague As our Saviour was on his way to Jairus his House a diseased Woman comes behind him touches his Cloaths and is presently healed the Virtue lay not in her Finger but in her Faith or rather in Christ which her Faith instrumentally drew forth Obs here 1. The diseased Person a Woman with a Bloody-Flux Let Women here take notice of the Miseries which the Sin of the first Woman has brought upon all Women amongst which this is one that it has made their Bodies subject to unnatural Issues and Fluxes of Blood Obs 2. The long Continuance of this Disease Twelve Years It pleases God to lay long and tedious Afflictions upon some of his Children in this Life and particularly to keep some of them a very long time under bodily Weakness to manifest his Power in supporting them and to magnifie his Mercy in delivering them Obs 3. This poor Woman was found in the use of Means she sought to Physicians for Help and is not blamed for it tho' she spent all she had upon them The use of Physick is not to be neglected by us in times of Sickness especially in dangerous Diseases of the Body To trust to Means is to neglect God and to neglect the Means is to tempt God The Health of our Bodies ought to be dear and precious to us and all lawful Means ought to be used both to preserve it to recover it and confirm it Obs 4. The workings and acting of this poor Woman's Faith her Disease was unclean by the Ceremonial Law and therefore to be separate from Society accordingly she is ashamed to appear before Christ but comes behind him to touch his Cloaths being firmly perswaded that Christ had a Power communicated by God unto him miraculously to cure incurable Diseases And see how our Saviour encouraged her Faith tho' she did not believe him to he the Eternal Son of God but one to whom God had communicated a Power of healing bodily Diseases yet says Christ This thy Faith hath made thee whole Learn hence That Faith oft-times meets with a better Welcome from Christ than it did or could expect This poor Woman came to Christ trembling but went away triumphing Obs 5. Christ would have this Miracle discovered he therefore says Who toucheth me and I perceive that Vertue is gone out of me First In Reference to himself to manifest his Divine Power that by the Touch of his Cloaths he could cure such an incurable Disease Secondly In Relation to the Woman that she might have Opportunity to give God the Praise and Glory for the Cure And Thirdly With Respect to Jairus that his Faith might be strengthned in the Belief of Christ's Power to raise his Daughter 35 While he yet spake there came from the ruler of the synagogues house certain which said Thy daughter is dead why troublest thou the Master any further 36 Assoon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue Be not afraid only believe 37 And he suffered no man to follow him save Peter and James and John the brother of James 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and seeth the tumult and them that wept and wailed greatly 39 And when he was come in he saith unto them Why make ye this ado and weep the damsel is not dead but sleepeth 40 And they laughed him to scorn but when he had put them all out he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel and them that were with him and entereth in where the damsel was lying 41 And he took the damsel by the hand and said unto her Talitha cumi which is being interpreted Damsel I say unto thee arise 42 And straightway the damsel arose and walked for she was of the age of twelve years and they were astonished with a great astonishment 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it and commanded that something should be given her to eat Obs here 1. The doleful News brought to Jairus his Ears Thy Daughter is dead The Lord doth sometimes suffer the Faith of his Saints to be hard put to it greatly assaulted with Difficulties and Trials Obs 2. Our Saviour's seasonable Word of Comfort Be not afraid only believe Christ is ready to comfort Believers in the Hour of their strongest Temptations and greatest Trials Obs 3. Christ's Application of himself to the raising unto Life Jairus his dead Daughter In order to which 1. He goes into the House only with three of his Disciples which were sufficient to witness the Truth of the Miracle Our Saviour to avoid all shew of Vain-Glory and to evidence that he sought not ambitiously his own Honour and Praise would not work this great Miracle publickly before all the People 2. He rebukes them for the shew they make of immoderate Grief and Sorrow for the dead Damsel they wept and wailedâ— eatly with Ministress and musical Instruments according to the Custom of the Heathens who by a mournful sort of Musick did stir up the Passion of Grief at their Funerals To mourn immoderately for the dead is an Heathenish Practice and Custom 'T is hurtful to the Living and dishonourable to the Dead nor is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace 3. He adds a Reason for this Rebuke and Reproof given them The Damsel is not dead but sleepeth Vobis Mortua mihi Dormit She is Dead to you but asleep to me Not so dead as to be beyond my Power to raise her to Life Souls departed are under the Conduct of Angels to their several Regions of Bliss or Misery It is very probable that the Soul of this Damsel was under the Guard of Angels near her dead Body waiting the Pleasure of God in order to its Disposal either to restore it again to the Body or to translate it to its Eternal Mansion Observe farther The Nature of Death in general and of the Saints in particular described 'T is a Sleep Sleep is a State of Rest Sleep is a sudden Surprizal in Sleep there is an
his Ministry and is the Occasion of his own Contempt Obs 5. How this People's Contempt of Christ's Person and Unbelief of this Doctrine did hinder Christ from working Miracles amongst them He could do no mighty Works there Not because he was unable but they were unwilling This Inability proceeded from no Deficiency in Christ's Power but from a Defect in their Faith He could not because he would not and he would not because it was not fit for him so to do Altho' Christ be Omnipotent and has all Power in his Hand yet Unbelief binds his Hands and hinders him in the Execution of that Power Unbelief is such a Sin as keeps Men from being Partakers of the Benefits of Christ Obs 6. How the Incredulity and Unbelief of this People was so great that Christ wondred at it He marvelled because of their Vnbelief Not because he was ignorant of the Cause of it but because he had used such marvellous Means for the curing them of their Unbelief Learn hence That Unbelief is a great Sin at all times but when Marvels are wrought for the cure and healing of it and it remains uncured it is a marvellous Sin and justly causes Admiration and Wonder in Christ himself He marvelled because of their Vnbelief 7 And he calleth unto him the twelve and began to send them forth by two and two and gave them power over unclean spirits 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey save a staff only no scrip no bread no money in their purse 9 But be shod with sandals and not put on two coats 10 And he said unto them In what place soever ye enter into an house there abide till ye depart from that place 11 And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear you when ye depart thence shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment then for that city 12 And they went out and preached that men should repent 13 And they cast out many devils and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them We heard before Chap. 3. of our Saviour's solemn calling his Apostles to their Work and Office now he sends them forth to execute their Office Where Observe 1. The Person that sends them forth Christ. Learn thence That none ought to take upon them the Office of Preaching or any other Ministerial Function in the Church till thereunto lawfully called by Christ himself The Apostles were immediately called and sent forth by Christ himself and received the Doctrine which they taught immediately from Christ's own Mouth His Ministers now are called mediately they receive their Authority from Christ by the Hands of the Governours of his Church Obs 2. The manner of their sending by Two and Two in a Company partly to make their Message of more Authority partly to testifie their mutual Consent in the Doctrine which they taught and partly to comfort and encourage to help and strengthen to assist and support each other in Imitation of this Example the Jesuits send forth their Emissaries by Pairs Learn hence That the Ministers of the Word do stand in great need of the mutual Help and Comfort of the united Assistance and Encouragement of each other in the weighty Duties of their Calling and Function like Labourers in the Harvest-Field they should help one another the strong endeavouring to strengthen the Hands of the Weak But Lord what Tears are sufficient to bewail the Want of Love and Unity yea the Prevalency of that Envy and Malignity which is found too often amongst the Ministers of the Gospel so that instead of going forth Two by Two happy is he that is alone in a Place Well might Melancthon bless God when he lay a dying that he was going to a Place where he should be free from the implacable Hatred of Divines This is and ought to be for a Lamentation Obs 3. The Power given by Christ to work Miracles for confirming the Doctrine of the Gospel which his Apostles preached he gave them Power over unclean Spirits and they cast out Devils and anointed with Oil them that were sick and healed them This Power to work Miracles was necessary for the Apostles partly to procure Reverence to their Persons being poor and unlearned Men but principally to gain Credit and Authority to their Doctrine for the Doctrine of Faith in the Messiah as now come and exhibited in the Flesh being a strange and new Doctrine to the Jews the Truth and Certainty of it was to be extraordinarily ratified by Christ and his Apostles Miracles Some of which were casting out of Devils and by anointing with Oil to heal and recover sick Persons This Gift of healing remained some time in the Church as appears from St. James 5.14 Is any sick anoint him with Oil in the Name of the Lord Where observe that the Apostles did not use Oil as the Instrument and Means of healing for then the Cure had not been miraculous but only as a Symbol of the Cure or as an outward Sign and Testimony of miraculous healing which outward Sign was for the strengthning of the Faith of such as were healed assuring them that as certainly as their Bodies were anointed so certainly should their Health and Strength be restored The Papists upon this ground their Sacrament of Extream Vnction but very vainly for the Apostles anointed those that were sick as a Sign of their Recovery but the Papists anoint those that have the Pangs of Death upon them that their Sins may be blotted out and the Snares of the Devil avoided Obs 4. The Charge given by Christ to his Apostles at the time of their sending out This is threefold First Touching their Preparation for their Journey he bids them not take much Care nor spend much Time in furnishing themselves with Victuals Money Apparel Weapons of Defence and the like only take a Walking-Staff in their Hands because they were to finish their Journey speedily and to return again to Christ This Command of our Saviour to his Apostles not to incumber themselves when going forth to preach the Gospel Teaches his Ministers their Duty to free themselves as much as possibly they can from Worldly Incumbrances which may hinder them in the Performance of their Office and Function 2 Tim. 2.4 No Man that warreth intangleth himself with the Affairs of this Life Secondly Touching their Lodging in their Journey Our Saviour advises them not to change it during their stay in one Place but into whatsoever House they first entred they should there continue till they departed out of that place That so they might avoid all shew of Lightness and Inconstancy and testifie all Gravity and Stayedness in their Behaviour This being a special Means to win Authority to their Persons and Ministry Thirdly Christ gives a Charge to his Apostles touching their Carriage towards such as should refuse to
heart towards Christ nothing is adjudged too dear for him neither will it suffer it self to be out sâ—ined by any Examples the weakest Woman that strongly Lâ—ves her Saviour will piously strive with the greatest Apostle to express the fervour of her affection towards him Observe 2 How this Action was resented and reflected upon by Judas and some other Disciples whom he had influenced they had indignation within themselves and said to what purpose is this waste Oh! how doth a covetous heart think every thing too good for Christ Happy was it for this poor Woman that she had a more righteous judge to pass sentence upon her Action then murmuring Judas Observe 3. How readily our Holy Lord vindicates this good Woman she says nothing for her selâ— nor need she having so good an Advocate First he rebukes Judas let her alone why trouble ye the Woman Next he justifies the Action she hath wrought a good Work because it flow'd from a principle oâ— Love to Christ and lastly he gives the Reason oâ— her Action she did it for my Buryal As Kings and great Persons were wont in those Eastern Countries at their Funerals to be Embalm'd with Odours and sweet Perfumes so says our Saviour This Woman to declare her Faith in me as her King and Lord doth with this Box of Ointment as it were before hand Embalm my Body for its Burial True Faith puts honour upon a Crucified as well as Glorified Saviour This holy Woman accounts Christ worthy of all honour in his Death believing it would be a sweet smelling Sacrifice unto God and the Saviour of Life unto his People Observe 4. Our Saviour doth not only justify and defend the Action of this holy Woman but magnifies and extolls it declaring that she should be rewarded for it with an honourable Memorial in all ages of the Church wherever this Gospel is preached this shall be spoken of for a Memorial of her Note hence the care which Christ takes to have the good Deeds of his Children not buried in the dust with them but had in everlasting remembrance Though sin causes men to rot above Ground to stink alive and when they are dead leaves an Ignominy upon their Graves yet will the Actions of the just smell sweet and Blossom in the Dust 10 And Judas Iscariot one of the twelve went unto the chief Priests to betray him unto them 11 And when they heard it they were glad and promised to give him money And he sought how he might conveniently betray him Observe here 1. The Person betraying our blessed Redeemer Judas Judas a Professor Judas a Preacher Judas an Apostle and one of the Twelve whom Christ had chosen out of all the world to be his dearest Friends his Family and Houshold shall we wonder to find Friends unfriendly or unfaithful to us when our Saviour had a Traitor in his own Family Obseâ—ve 2. The heinous nature of Judas his sin he betrayed Jesus Jesus his Maker Jesus his Master it is no strange or uncommon thing for the vilest of sins and most horrid impiâ—ties to be acted by such persons as make the most eminent profession of Holiness and Religion Observe 3. What was the occasion that led Judas to the commission of this sin It was his inordinate Love of Money I do not find that Judas had any particular Malice Spight or ill Will against our Saviour but a base and unworthy Spirit of Covetousness possest him and this made him sell his Master Covetousness is the root-sin an eager and insatiable Thirst after the world is the parent of the most monstrous and unnatural sins for which reason our Saviour doubles his caution Luke 12.15 Take heed and beware of Covetousness it shews us both the danger of the sin and the great care we ought to take to preserve our selves from it 12 And the first day of unleavened bread when they killed the passover his Disciples said unto him where wilt thou that we go and prepare that we may eat the passover 13 And he sendeth forth two of his Disciples and said unto them go ye into the City and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of Water follow him 14 And wheresoever he shall go in say ye to the good man of the house the Master saith where is the Guess-chamber where I shall eat the passover with my Disciples 15 And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared there make ready for us 16 And his Disciples went forth and came into the City and found as he had said unto them and they made ready the passover The time for the Celebration of the Passover being now at hand Christ sends two of his Disciples to Jerusalem to prepare things necessary in order thereunto And here we have Observable 1. An eminent proof of Christ's Divine Nature in telling them all the particulars which they should meet with in the City as a Man bearing a pitcher of Water c. 2. How readily the heart of this House-holder was disposed to receive our Saviour and his Disciples and to accommodate them with all things needful upon this occasion Our Blessed Saviour had not a Lamb of his own and peradventure no Money wherewith to buy one yet he finds as excellent Accommodation in this poor Man's House as if he had dwelt in Ahab's Ivory Palace and had the Provisions of Solomon's Table When Christ has a Passover to Celebrate he will dispose the Heart to a free Reception of himself The Room which Christ will enter into must be a large Room an upper Room a Room furnished and prepared a large Room is an enlarged Heart enlarged with Love and Thankfulness an upper Room is an Heart Exalted not puft up with Pride but lift up by Heavenly Mindedness a Room furnished is a Soul adorned with the Graces of the Holy Spirit into such an Heart and such only will Christ enter 17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve 18 And as they sat and did eat Jesus said verily I say unto you one of you which eateth with me shall betray me 19 And they began to be sorrowful and say unto him one by one is it I and another said is it I 20 And he answered and said unto them it is one of the twelve that dippeth with me in the dish 21 The Son of man indeed goeth as it is written of him but wo to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed good were it for that man if he had never been born Observe here 1. The unexampled Boldness of this impudent Traitor Judas he presumed as soon as he had sold his Master to sit down at the Table with him and eat the Pass-over with the Disciples had the presence of Judas polluted this Ordinance to any but himself doubtless our Saviour would never have suffered him to approach unto it But hence we Learn 1. That nothing is more ordinary then for unholy persons to press in unto
the holy Ordinances of God which they have no right whilst such to partake of 2. That the presence of such persons doth pollute the Ordinance only to themselves holy persons are not polluted by their Sins therefore ought not to be discouraged from coming by their presence there Observe 2. What a surprizing and astonishing word it was which dropt from our Saviour's Mouth amongst his Disciples One shall betray me yea one of you shall betray me Can any Church upon Earth expect purity in all its Members when Christ's own family of Twelve had a Traitor and a Devil in it Yet tho' it was very sad to hear of one it was matter of joy to understand that there was but one One Hypocrite in a Congregation is too much but there is cause of rejoycing if there be no more Observe 3. Christ did not name Judas and say Thou O perfidious Judas art the Traitor but one of you shall betray me Doubtless it was to draw him to Repentance and to prevent the giving him any provocation Lord how sad is it for any of thy Family who pretend friendship to Thee to conspire with thine Enemies against Thee For any that eat of thy Bread to lift up their heel against Thee Observe 4. The Disciples sorrow upon these words of Christ and the effect of that Sorrow Their Sorrow was as well it might exceeding great Well might innocent Disciples be over-whelm'd with Sorrow to hear that their Master should die that he should die by Treason that the Traitor should be one of themselves But though their Sorrow was great yet was the effect of their Sorrow very good it wrought in them an holy suspicion of themselves and caused every one to search himself and say Master is it I Learn hence That it is possible for such secret wickedness to lodge in the heart as we never suspected till Time and Temptation drew it forth None of the Disciples suspected nay Judas himself never apprehended that depth of iniquity and hypocrisy which was found lodging in him Yet Note that though the Disciples were jealous and suspicious yet was it of themselves not of one another nay not of Judas himself every one said Master is it I not Master is it Judas True Sincerity and Christian Charity will make us more suspicious of our selves then of any other it hopes the best of others and fears the worst of our selves Observe 5. That though Judas sees himself pointed at by our Saviour and hears the dreadful Threatnings denounced against him that it had been better for him that he had ne-never been Born yet he is no more Blank'd then innocence it self Resolute Sinners run on desperately in their Evil Courses and with open Eyes see and meet their own Destruction without being either dismayed at it or Concerned about it This Shameless Man had the Impudence to say to our Blessed Saviour Master is it I Our Saviour gives him a direct Answer Thou sayest it Did not Judas think we Blush extreamly cast down his guilty Eyes and let fall his drooping Head at so galling an intimation Nothing less we read of nothing like it Lord How does obduracy in Sin steel the Brow and make it uncapable of all Relenting impressions Observe Lastly How our Saviour prefers Non-entity before Damnation It had been better for that Man he had never been born A Temporal miserable Being is not worse than no Being but Eternal Misery is much worse than Non-entity Better to have no Being then not to have a Being in Christ It had been better for Judas that he had never been Born than to lye under Everlasting Wrath. 22 And as they did eat Jesus took Bread and blessed and brake it and gave to them and said Take eat this is my Body 23 And he took the Cup and when he had given Thanks he gave it to them and they all drank of it 24 And he said unto them This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many 25 Verily I say unto you I will drink no more of the Fruit of the Vine until that day that I drink it new in the Kingdom of God 26 And when they had sung an Hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives Immediately after the Celebration of the Passover our Lord Institutes his Holy Supper in which Institution we have Observable The Author the Time the Elements and Ministerial Actions Observe here 1. The Author of this new Sacrament Jesus took Bread Note thence That to Institute a Sacrament is the sole Prerogative of Jesus Christ The Church has no Power to make new Sacraments it is only her Duty to Celebrate those which her Saviour has made Observe 2. The Time of the Institution the Night before his Passion The Night in which he was Betrayed Jesus took Bread Learn thence That it is very necessary when Sufferings are approaching to have Recourse to the Table of the Lord which affords both an Antidote against Fear and is a Restaurative to our Faith Observe 3. The Sacramental Elements Bread and Wine Bread representing the Body and Wine the Blood of our dear Redeemer Observe 4. The Ministerial Actions The Breaking of the Bread and the Blessing of the Cup as to the Bread Jesus took it that is set it apart from Common Use and separated it for Holy Ends and Purposes He Blessed it that is Prayed for a Blessing upon it and Brake it thereby shadowing forth his Body broken upon the Cross and he gave it to his Disciples saying This broken Bread signifies my Body suddenly to be broken upon the Cross for the Redemption and Salvation of a lost World Do this in Remembrance of my Death As to the Cup Christ having set it apart by Prayer and Thanksgiving he Commands his Disciples to drink all of it and accordingly they all drink of it says this Evangelist and our Saviour gives his Reason for it v. 24. For this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for Remission of sins that is the Wine in this Cup represents the shedding of my Blood by which the New Covenant betwixt GOD and Man is Ratified and Confirmed Whence we Gather That every Communicant hath as undoubted a Right to the Cup as to the Bread in the Lord's Supper Drink ye all of this says Christ therefore to deny the Cup to the Common People is Sacriledge and directly contrary to our Saviour's Institution After the Celebration was over our Saviour and his Disciples Sang an Hymn as the Jews were wont to do at the Passover the six Eucharistical Psalms from the 113th to the 119th Psalm From Christ's Example we gather how suitable it is to sing a Psalm after the Celebration of the Lord's Supper How fit is it that God be Glorified in his Church by singing of Psalms and in particular when the Lord's Supper is Celebrated When they had Sung an Hymn they went into the Mount of Olives 27 And Jesus saith unto them All ye shall
be offended because of me this Night for it is written I will smite the Shepheard and the Sheep shall be scattered 28 But after that I am Risen I will go before you into Galilee 29 But Peter said unto him Although all shall be offended yet will not I. 30 And Jesus saith unto him Verily I say unto thee That this day even in this Night before the Cock Crow Twice thou shalt deny me Thrice 31 But he spake more vehemently if I should dye with thee I will not deny thee in any wise Likewise also said they all Observe here 1. The Warning that our Saviour gives his Disciples of their Forsaking of him in the time of his Sufferings All ye shall be offended because of me this night Learn that Christ's dearest Friends forsook and left him alone in the midst of his greatest distress and danger Observe 2. What was the Cause of their Flight it was their Fear the weakness of their Faith and the prevalency of their Fear Oh how sad and dangerous is it for the best of Men to be left under the power of their own Fears in the day of Temptation Observe 3. Notwithstanding our Saviour's Prediction St. Peter's Presumption of his own Strength and Standing Though all Men forsake thee yet-will not I. Learn thence That Self-confidence and a Presumptuous Opinion of their own Strength is a sin very incident to the holiest and best of Men. This good Man resolved honestly no doubt but too too much in his own strength Little little did he think what a Feather he should be in the Wind of Temptation if once left to the Power and Prevalency of his own Fears None are so near falling as those who are most confident of their own Standing if ever we stand in the day of Tryal 't is the fear of falling that must enable us to stand 32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane and he saith unto his Disciples sit ye here while I shall pray 33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy 34 And saith unto them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful unto Death Tarry ye here and watch 35 And he went forward a little and fell on the Ground and Prayed That if it were possible the Hour might pass from him 36 And he said Abba Father all things are possible unto thee Take away this Cup from me nevertheless not as I will but what thou wilt 37 And he cometh and findeth them sleeping and saith unto Peter Simon sleepest thou couldst not thou watch one Hour 38 Watch ye and pray lest ye enter into Temptation the Spirit truly is ready but the Flesh is weak 39 And again he went away and prayed and spake the same words 40 And when he returned he found them asleep again for their Eyes were heavy neither wist they what to answer him 41 And he cometh the third time and saith unto them Sleep on now and take your rest it is enough the Hour is come behold the Son of Man is Betrayed into the Hands of Sinners Rise up let us go lo he that Betrayeth me is at hand Our Blessed Saviour being now come with his Disciples into the Garden he falls there into a bitter and bloody Agony in which he prayed with wonderful Fervency and Importunity to his Heavenly Father his Sufferings were now coming on a great pace and he meets them upon his Knees and would be found in a Praying Posture Learn thence That Prayer is the best Preparative for as well as the most powerful Support under the heaviest Sufferings that can befal us As to this Prayer of our Saviour in the Garden many things are very Observable as 1. The place where he Prayed the Garden But why went Christ thither not with our first Parents to hide himself there amongst the Trees of the Garden from the Notice and Observation of his Enemies But as a Garden was the place where our Misery began as the first scene of humane sin and misery was Acted in a Garden so does our Lord choose a Garden as the fittest place for his Agony and Satisfactory pains to begin in Again this Garden was a place of privacy and Retirement where our Lord might best attend the Offices of Devotion preparatory to his Passion John 18.2 tells us That Jesus oft-times resorted to this Garden with his Disciples and that Judas well knew the place It is evident then that Christ went not into the Garden to shun his Sufferings but to prepare himself by Prayer to meet his Enemies 2. Observe the Time when he entered into the Garden for Prayer it was in the Evening before he Suffered here he spent some hours in pouring forth his Soul to God For about Mid-night Judas with his Black Guard came and Apprehended him in a Praying Posture Our Lord Teaching us by his Example that when eminent Dangers are before us especially when Death is Apprehended by us to be very much in Prayer to God and very fervent in our Wrestlings with him Observe 3. The Matter of our Lord's Prayer That if possible the Cup might pass from him and he might be kept from the Hour of Suffering that his Soul might escape that Dreadful Wrath at which he was so sore Amazed But what Did Christ then begin to Repent of his Undertaking for Sinners Did he shrink and give back when it came to the pinch No nothing less but as he had two Natures being GOD and Man so he had two distinct Wills as Man he feared and shunned Death as GOD man he willingly submitted to it The Divine Nature and the Humane Spirit of Christ did now Assault each other with disagreeing Interests Again this Prayer was not Absolute but Conditional If it be possible Father if it may be if thou art willing if it please thee let this Cup pass if not I will drink it The Cup of Sufferings we see is a very bitter and distastful Cup a Cup which Humane Nature abhors and cannot desire but pray against yet doth God put this Bitter Cup of Affliction into the Hands oft-times of those whom he doth sincerely Love and when he doth do so it is their Duty to drink it with Silence and Submission as here their Lord did before them Father let the Cup pass yet not my Will but thine be done Observe 4. The Manner of our Lord's Prayer in the Garden and here we may Remark 1. it was a Solitary Prayer he went by himself alone out of the Hearing of his Disciples The Company of our best and dearest Friends is not always Seasonable there is a time to be Solitary as well as to be Sociable there are Times and Cases when a Christian would not be willing that the most intimate Friend he has in the World should be with him to hear what passes in secret betwixt him and his God 2. It was an humble Prayer that 's Evident by the Postures into which
spit upon him and bowing their Knees worshipped him 20 And when they had mocked him they took off the Purple from him and put his own Cloaths on him and led him out to Crucify him The next part of our Saviour's Sufferings consisted of Cruel Mockings he had owned himself to be the King of the Jews that is a Spiritual King in and over his Church but the Jews expecting that the Messiah should have appeared in the Pomp of an Earthly Prince and finding themselves disappointed of their Expectation in our Saviour they look upon him as a Deceiver and Impostor and accordingly treat him as a mock-King with all the marks of Derision and Scorn for first they put a Crown upon his Head but a very ignominious and painful one a Crown of Thorns they place a Scepter in his hand but that of a Reed a Robe of Scarlet or Purple upon his Body and then bowed their Knees unto him as they were wont to do before their Princes crying Hail King Thus were all the marks of Scorn imaginable put upon our Dear Redeemer Yet what they did in Jest God permitted to be done in Earnest for all these things were Signs and Marks of Sovereignty and Almighty God caused the Regal Dignity of his Son to shine forth even in the midst of his greatest Abasement Whence was all this Jearing and Sport but to flout Majesty and why did Christ undergo all this ignominy disgrace and shame but to shew what was due unto us for our sins as also to give us an Example to bear all the Scorn Reproach and Shame imaginable for his sake who for the joy that was set before him despised the shame as well as endured the Cross 21 And they compel one Symon a Cyrenian who passed by coming out of the Country the Father of Alexander and Rufus to bear his Cross 22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha which is being Interpreted the place of a Skull 23 And they gave him to drink Wine mingled with Myrrh but he received it not 24 And when they had Crucified him they parted his Garments casting Lots upon them what every Man should take 25 And it was the third Hour and they Crucified him 26 And the Superscription of his Accusation was written over The King of the Jews 27 And with him they Crucify two Thieves the one on his Right hand the other on his Left 28 And the Scripture was Fulfilled which saith And he was numbred with the Transgressors 29 And they that passed by railed on him wagging their heads and saying Ah thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three days 30 Save thy self and come down from the Cross 31 Likewise also the chief Priests mocking said among themselves with the Scribes He saved others himself he cannot save 32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the Cross that we may see and believe and they that were Crucified with him reviled him 33 And when the sixth hour was come there was Darkness over the whole Land until the ninth hour 34 And at the ninth Hour Jesus cryed with a loud Voice saying Eloi Eloi lamasabachthani which is being Interpreted My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me 35 And some of them that stood by said when they heard it behold he calleth Elias 36 And one ran and filled a Sponge of Vinegar and put it on a Reed and gave him to drink saying let alone Let us see whether Elias will come to take him down 37 And Jesus cryed with a loud Voice and gave up the Ghost The Sentence of Death being past by Pilate who can with dry Eyes behold the sad Pomp of our Saviour's Bloody Execution forth-comes the Blessed Jesus out of Pilate's Gate bearing that Cross which soon after was to bear him with his Cross on his Shoulder he marches towards Golgotha and when they see he can go no faster they force Symon the Cyrenian not out of Compassion but Indignation to be the Porter of his Cross This Cyrenian being a Gentile not a Jew that bare our Saviour's Cross thereby might be signified that the Gentiles should have a part in Christ as well as the Jews and be sharers with them in the Benefits of the Cross At length our Holy Lord comes to Golgotha the place of his bitter and bloody Execution here in a publick place with infamous Company betwixt two Thieves is he Crucified that is fastned to a great Cross of Wood his Hands stretched forth abroad and his Feet closed together and both Hands and Feet fastned with Nails his Naked Body was lifted up in the open Air hanging betwixt Heaven and Earth signifying thereby that the Crucified Person deserved to live in neither This shameful painful and accursed death did the holy and innocent Jesus suffer and undergo for shameless Sinners Some Observe all the Dimensions of Length breadth and Depth and Height in our Saviour's Sufferings for Length his Passion was several Hours long from Twelve to Three exposed all that Time both to Hunger and Cold The Thieves that were Crucified with him endured only Personal Pains but he underwent the Miseries of all Mankind As to its Breadth his Passion extended over all the Powers and Parts of his Soul and Body no part free but his Tongue which was at Liberty to pray for his Enemies His sight was tormented with the scornful Gestures of those who passed by wagging their Heads his Hearing grieved with the Taunts and Jears of the Priests and People his Smelling offended with noysom Savours in the place of Skulls his Taste with the Gall and Vinegar given him to Drink his Feeling was wonderfully affected by the Nails which pierced his tender Nerves with a Multiplicity of Wounds And for the Depth of his Passion it was as deep as Hell it self enduring Tortures in his Soul as well as Torments in his Body groaning under the Burthen of Desertion and crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Lastly for the Heighth of his Passion his Sufferings were as high as Heaven his Person being infinite as well as innocent no less then the Son of God which adds infinite worth and value to his sufferings Lord Let us be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length depth and heighth of our Saviour's Love in suffering for us and let us know that Love of his which passeth knowledge Observe next the Inscription wrote by Pilate over our suffering Saviour This is Jesus the King of the Jews it was the manner of the Romans when they crucified a Malefactor to publish the cause of his Death in Capital Letters placed over the head of the Person Now it is observable how wonderfully the wisdom of God over-ruled the heart and pen of Pilate to draw his Title which was truly Honourable and fix it to his Cross Pilate is Christ's Herald and proclaims him King of the Jews Learn hence that the regal dignity of Christ was proclaimed by
Jewish Doctors Obstinacy and Unbelief filled their minds with an invincible prejudice against Christ so that neither the Miracles wrought by him in his Life or at his Death could convince them that Christ was any thing better than an Impostor and Deceiver None are so blind as those who through malicious obstinacy and inveterate prejudice will not see Observe 3. Who of Christ's Friends were witness of his Death they are the Women that followed him and ministred unto him not one of his dear Disciples dare come near him except St. John who stood by the Cross with the Virgin Mary Oh! what a shame was this for the Apostles to be absent from a Spectacle upon which the Salvation of the whole World did depend and what an honour was this to the Female Sex in general and to these holy Women in particular that they had the Courage to follow Christ to his Cross when all his Disciples forsook him and fled God can make timerous and fearful Women bold and couragious Confessors of his Truth and fortify them against the fears of his Suffering contrary to the natural timerousness of their Temper these Women wait upon Christ's Cross when Apostles fligh and durst not come nigh it 42 And now when the Even was come because it was the preparation that is the day before the Sabbath 43 Joseph of Arimathea an Honourable Counsellor which also waited for the Kingdom of God came and went in boldly unto Pilate and craved the Body of Jesus 44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead and calling unto him the Centurion he asked him whither he had been any while dead 45 And when he knew it of the Centurion he gave the Body to Joseph 46 And he brought fine Linnen and took him down and wrapped him in Linnen and laid him in a Sepulchre which was hewn out of a Rock and rolled a stone unto the door of the Sepulchre 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of Joses beheld where he was laid The Circumstances of our Lord's Funeral and Honourable Interment in the Grave are here Recorded by the Evangelist such a Funeral as never was since Graves were first digged Where Observe 1. Our Lord's Body must be Begg'd before it could be Bury'd the dead Bodies of Malefactors being in the Power and at the Disposal of the Judge Pilate grants it and accordingly the dead Body is taken down wrapped in fine Linnen and prepared for the Sepulchre Observe 2. The Person that bestows this Honourable Buryal upon our Saviour Joseph of Arimathea a Disciple no doubt though he did not make a publick and open Profession a Worthy though a Close Disciple Grace doth not always make a publick and open shew where it is as there is much Secret Riches in the Bowels of the Earth which no Eye ever saw so there is much Grace in the Hearts of some Christians that the Eye of the World takes little Notice of Some gracious Persons cannot put forward and discover themselves in Discourse as others and yet such weak Christians as the World counts them perhaps shall stand their Ground when stronger run away We read of none of the Apostles at Christ's Funeral fear had Chased them away but Joseph of Arimathea appears boldly if God strengthen the Weak and leave the strong to the prevalency of their own Fears The weak shall be as David and the strong as Tow. Observe 3. The Mourners that followed our Saviour's Hearse Namely the Women which came out of Galilee and particularly the two Mary's a very poor train of Mourners the Apostles were all scattered and afraid to own their Lord and Master either Dying or Dead And as our Lord affected no Pomp nor Gallantry in his Life so Funeral Pomp had been no way suitable either to the End or Manner of his Death Humiliation was designed in his death and his Buryal was the lowest Degree of his Humiliation and therefore might not be Pompous Observe 4. The Grave or Sepulchre in which our Lord was Buryed it was in a Sepulchre hewn out of a Rock in a new Sepulchre in a new Sepulchre in a Garden 1. Our Lord was Buryed in a Garden As by the sin of the first Adam we were driven out of the Garden of Pleasure the Earthly Paradise so by the Sufferings of the Second Adam who lay Buryed in a Garden we may hope for Entrance into the Heavenly Paradise 2. It was in a Sepulchre hewn out of a Rock that so his Enemies might have no occasion to cavil and say that his Disciples stole him away by secret holes or un seen passages under Ground 3. It was in a new Sepulchre in which never any Man was laid lest his Adversaries should say it was some other that was Risen who was Buryed there before him or that he Arose from the Dead by touching some other Corpse Observe 5. The Manner of our Lord's Funeral it was hasty open and decent it was performed in haste by reason of the streights of Time the Sabbath was Approaching and they lay all Business aside to prepare for that Learn hence How much it is our Duty to dispatch our Worldly Business as early as we can towards the End of the Week that we may be the better prepared to Sanctify the Lord's day if we live to enjoy it Hence it is that we are called upon to Remember that day before it comes and to Sanctify it when it is come Again our Lord was Buryed openly as well as hastily all Persons had Liberty to be Spectators lest any should object that there was deceit and fraud used in or about our Saviours Buryal yet was he also Interr'd Decently his Holy Body being wrapped in fine Linnen and perfumed with Spices according to the Jewish Custom Observe 6. The Reasons why our Lord was Buryed seeing he was to Rise again in as short a time as other Men lye by the Walls and had his dead Body remained a Thousand Years un-buryed it could have seen no Corruption having never been tainted with sin sin is the Cause of the Bodies Corruption 't is sin that makes our Bodies stink worse than Carrion when they are dead A Funeral then was not necessary for Christ's Body upon the same Accounts that it is necessary for ours But 1. Our Lord was Buryed to declare the certainty of his Death and the Reality of his Resurrection and for this Reason did God's Providence Order it that he should be Embalmed to cut off all Pretensions for in this kind of Embalming his Mouth his Ears and his Nostrils were all filled with Odours and Spices so that there could be no latent principle of Life in him he being thus Buryed then did demonstrate him to be certainly Dead 2. Christ was Buryed to fulfil the Types and Prophecies that went before concerning him Jonas being three days and three nights in the Belly of the Whale was a Type of Christ's being three days and three nights in the Heart of the Earth
yea the Prophet Isa Chap. 53.9 Declared our Lord's Funeral and the Manner of it long before he was born he made his Grave with the wicked and with the Rich in his Death pointing by that Expression at this Tomb of Joseph's who was a Rich Man and laid him in the Tomb designed for himself 3. He was Buryed to compleat his Humiliation They have brought me to the Dust of Death says David a Type of Christ This was the lowest step he could possibly descend in his abased State lower he could not be laid and so low his blessed Head must be laid else he had not been Humbled to the lowest degree of Humiliation 4. Christ went into the Grave that he might Conquer Death in its own Territories and Dominions His Victory over the Grave causes his Saints to Triumph and Sing Oh Grave where is thy Destruction Our dear Redeemer has perfumed the Bed of the Grave by his own lying in it so that a Pillow of down is not so soft to a Believer's Head as a pillow of Dust Observe Lastly Of what use the Doctrine of our Lord's Buryal may be unto us his Disciples and Followers 1. For Instruction Here we see the amazing Depths of our Lord's Humiliation from what and to what his Love brought him even from the Bosom of his Father to the Bosom of the Grave Oh how doth the depth of his Humiliation shew us the Sufficiency of his Satisfaction and therewith the Heinousness of our Transgression 2. For Consolation against the fears of Death and the Grave the Grave Received Christ but could not Retain him Death swallowed him up as the Fish did Jonas but quickly Vomited him up again and so shall it fare with Christ Mystical as it did with Christ Personal as it was done to the Head so shall it be done to the Members the Grave could not long keep him it shall not always keep us as his Body Rested in Hope so shall ours also and although we see Corruption yet shall we not always lye under the Power of Corruption in short Christ's lying in the Grave has Changed and Alter'd the Nature of the Grave it was a Prison before a Bed of Rest now a Loathsom Grave before a perfumed Bed now he whose Head is in Heaven need not fear to put his Feet into the Grave Awake and sing thou that dwellest in the Dust for the enmity of the Grave is slain by Christ 3. For our imitation Let us study and endeavour to be Buryed with Christ in respect of our sins I mean Rom. 6.4 Buryed with him into Death Our sins should be as a dead Body in several Respects Are dead Bodies removed out of the Society of Men so should our sins be removed far from us Do dead Bodies in the Grave spend and consume by Degrees so should our sins daily Will Dead Bodies grow every day more and more Loathsome to others so should our sins be to our selves Do dead Bodies wax out of Memory and are quite Forgotten so should our sins also in respect of any delight that we take in the remembring of them we should always Remember our Sins to our Humiliation but never think or speak of them with the least Delight or Satisfaction for this in God's Account is a new Commission of them and lays us under an aggravated Guilt and Condemnation CHAP. XVI This last Chapter of St. Mark 's Gospel contains the History of our Saviours Resurrection and gives us an Account of what he did upon Earth between the Time of his Triumphant Resurrection and his Glorious Ascension 1 AND when the Sabbath was past Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of James and Salome had brought sweet Spices that they might come and anoint him 2 And very early in the Morning in the first day of the week they came unto the Sepulchre at the Rising of the Sun The Lord of Life was Buryed on the Fryday in the Evening of that Day on which he was Crucified and his Holy Body Rested in the silent Grave all the next day and some part of the day following Thus rose he again the third day neither sooner nor later not sooner lest the truth of his Death should have been questioned that he did not dye at all and not later lest the Faith of his Disciples should have failed Accordingly when the Sabbath was past Mary Magdalene getting the other Women together she and they set out before day to visit the Holy Sepulchre and about Sun-rising they get to it intending with their Spices and Odours farther to Embalm their Lord's Body Here Observe 1. That although the Hearts of these Holy Women did burn with an ardent Zeal and Affection to their Crucified Lord yet the Commanded Duties of the Sabbath are not omitted by them they keep close and silently spend that Holy Day in a Mixture of Grief and Hope A good Pattern of Sabbath-Sanctification and worthy of our Christian imitation Observe 2. These Holy Women go but not empty-handed She that had bestowed a costly Alabaster upon Christ whilst alive has prepared no less precious Odours for him now dead thereby paying their last Homage to our Saviour's Corpse But what need of Odours to Persume a Body which could not see Corruption True his Holy Body did not want them but the Love and Affection of his Friends could not with-hold them Observe 3. How great a Tribute of Respect and Honour is due and payable to the Memory of these Holy Women for their great Magnanimity and Courage They followed Christ when his Cowardly Disciples left him they accompanied him to his Cross they followed his Hearse to the Grave when his Disciples durst not appear and now very early in the Morning they go to Visit his Sepulchre fearing neither the Darkness of the Night nor the presence of the Watch-men Learn hence That Courage is the special Gift of God and if he gives it to the feebler Sex even to Timorous and fearful Women it is not in the power of Men to make them afraid 3 And they said among themselves Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the Sepulchre 4 And when they looked they saw that the Stone was Rolled away for it was very great 5 And entring into the Sepulchre they saw a young Man sitting on the right side cloathed in a long white Garment and they were afraid 6 And he saith unto them Be not affrighted ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which was Crucified he is Risen he is not here behold the place where they laid him 7 But go your way tell his Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him as he said unto you 8 And they went out quickly and fled from the Sepulchre for they trembled and were amazed neither said they any thing to any Man for they were afraid Observe here 1. With what Pomp and Triumph doth our Lord Arise An Angel is sent from Heaven to roll away the Stone But
long time under Bodily Weakness to manifest his Power in supporting them and to magnify his Mercy in Delivering them Observe 3. This poor Woman was found in the use of Means she sought to Physicians for help and is not blamed for so doing altho' she spent all she had upon them The use and help of Physick is by no means to be neglected by us in times of sickness especially in dangerous Diseases of the Body to trust to means is to neglect God and to neglect the means is to tempt God The health of our Bodies ought to be dear unto us and all lawful means used both to preserve it to recover it and to confirm it Observe 4. The actings of this poor Womans Faith her Disease was unclean by the Ceremonial Law and she to be separated from Society Accordingly she is ashamed to appear before Christ but comes behind him to touch his Cloaths being firmly perswaded that Christ had a power Communicated to him miraculously to Cure incurable Diseases and see how our Saviour encouraged her Faith he saith This thy faith hath made thee whole Learn hence That Faith oft-times meets with a better welcome from Christ then it did or could expect this poor Woman came to Christ Trembling but went away Triumphing Observe 5. Christ would have this Miracle Discovered he therefore says Who toucheth me for I perceive that vertue is gone out of me Christ says this first in Reference to himself to manifest his Divine Power that by the touch of his Cloaths he could cure such an incurable Disease secondly in Relation to the Woman that she might have opportunity to give God the Praise and Glory for the Cure and thirdly with respect to Jairus that his Faith might be strengthned in Belief of Christ's Power to raise his Daughter 49 While he yet spake there came one from the Ruler of the Synagogues house saying to him thy Daughter is Dead trouble not the Master 50 But when Jesus heard it he answered him saying fear not believe only and she shall be made whole 51 And when he came into the house he suffered no man to go in save Peter James and John and the Father and Mother of the Maiden 52 And all wept and bewailed her But he said weep not she is not dead but sleepeth 53 And they laughed him to Scorn knowing that she was dead 54 And he put them all out and took her by the hand and called saying Maid Arise 55 And her Spirit came again and she arose straitway and he commanded to give her Meat 56 And her parents were astonished But he charged them that they should tell no man what was done Observe here 1. the doleful News brought to Jairus his Ear Thy Daughter is dead The Lord doth sometimes suffer the Faith and Patience of his Children to be greatly exercised and tryed The Loss of dear Relations particularly of Children especially of an only Child is one of the greatest Sorrows of humane Life a Tryal which has often shockt an ordinary Patience and constancy of mind Observe 2. Our Saviour's seasonable Word of Advice and Comfort fear not only believe Christ stands ready to comfort Believers in the Hour of their greatest Tryals and Temptations Observe 3. Christ's Application of himself in order to the raising unto Life Jairus his dead Daughter And here 1. he goes into the house only with three of his Disciples and the Father and Mother of the Maid which were sufficient to bear Witness to the Truth of the Miracle Our Saviour to avoid all shew of vain Glory would not work this Miracle publickly before all the People 2. Our Saviour rebukes them for the shew they made of immoderate Grief and Sorrow for the dead Damsel they wept and wailed greatly with Minstrels making a noise say the other Evangelists according to the Custom of the Heathens who by a mournful sort of Musick did seek to stir up the passion of Grief at their Funerals To mourn immoderately for the Dead is an Heathenish Custom and Practice 't is hurtful to the Living 't is dishonourable to the Dead nor is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace 3. Christ adds a Reason for this Rebuke given by him for the Damsel is not dead but sleepeth Vobis mortua mihi dormit She is dead to you but asleep to me not so dead as to be beyond my Power to raise her to Life Souls Departed are under the Conduct of Angels to their several Regions of Bliss or Misery It is very probable That the Soul of this Damsel was under the Guard of Angels near her Dead Body waiting the pleasure of God in order to its Disposal either to restore it again to the Body or to translate it to its Eternal Mansion Observe farther the Nature of Death in General and of the Saints Death in particular 't is a Sleep Sleep is a state of Rest sleep is a sudden surprisal in sleep there is an insensible passage of our Time the person sleeping shall certainly Awake Oh how much is it our Wisdom to prepare for the Bed of the Grave and so to live that when we lye down in it there may be nothing to disturb our Rest Observe farther with what facility and ease our Saviour Raises the dead Damsel with a word speaking and St. Mark tells us what the word was Talitha Cumi Syriack words to shew the Truth of the Miracle not like a Conjurer muttering a Charm in an unknown Tongue The Miracles which Christ wrought were real Miracles and carried their own Evidence along with them Observe Lastly The charge given by our Saviour not to publish this Miracle he charged them to tell no Man what was done that is Divulge it not imprudently to such of the Scribes and Pharisees as would not be convinced by it but only cavil at it and be the more enraged against him for it and seek his Death before his appointed time was come Again tell it to no man unseasonably and all at once but gradually and by degrees For it was the Will of God that the Divine Glory of Christ should not be manifested to the World all at once and on the sudden but by little and little during his estate of Humiliation for his Resurrection was the time appointed by God for the full manifestation of Christ's Godhead Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with power by the Resurrection from the Dead CHAP. IX 1 THen he called his twelve Disciples together and gave them power and authority over all Devils and to cure Diseases 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick 3 And said unto them take nothing for your journey neither Staves nor Scrip neither Bread nor Money neither have two Coats a piece 4 And whatsoever house ye enter into there abide and thence depart 5 And whosoever will not receive you when ye go out of that city shake off the very dust
God the Grace of Sanctification is sometimes bestowed most eminently where the Gifts of Providence have been dispensed more sparingly 22 And it came to pass that the Beggar dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosom the rich man also dyed and was buried 23 And in Hell lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom Obs here 1. That our Saviour represents all Men both Good and bad passing immediately out of this Life into a State of Happiness or Misery Lazarus dyed and was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom Thence Note That all Holy Souls and amongst the rest the Godly Poor are instantly after Death conveyed by Angels to their place of Rest and Blessedness The Rich Man also dyed this is added to let us know that Riches for all Mens Confidence in them will not deliver from Death the rich Man might be Surfeited by faring deliciously every day whilst Lazarus was Famished And was Buried Here is no mention of Lazarus's Buryal probably he had none but flung out of the way into some Hole or Pit or if he had a Buryal a very mean one which is past over in silence All the advantage which a rich Man has by a great Estate after he is Dead is only to have a pompous Funeral which yet signifies nothing to him because he is not sensible of it And in Hell lifts up his Eyes c. he feels at once his own Misery and sensibly perceives Lazarus his Happiness Thence Note That the Souls of wicked Men whilst their Bodies lye in the Grave are in a State of greatest Misery which is aggravated by the sense they have at the same time of the Saints Happiness 24 And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I am tormented in this flame Observe here 1. The place where the rich Man Suffers it is in Hell the Souls of wicked Men when they leave their Bodies do certainly go into a place of Torment which is not only beyond Expression but our Apprehension also Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor has it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive those dreadful things which God has prepared for them that hate him Observe 2. The sin for which he Suffers it is the Sin of unmercifulness Thence Learn That uncharitableness and unmercifulness to the Poor is a very great sin and such a sin as alone and without any other Guilt is sufficient to Ruine a Man for ever there is found in this sin great Impiety towards God and great Inhumanity towards our own Nature Obs 3. The Nature and Quality of his Sufferings they are exquisitely painful and void of the least degrees of Comfort not a drop of Water is granted to cool an inflamed Tongue Learn thence That the least Refreshments are impatiently desired by damned Souls in Hell but righteously denied and withheld from them a drop of Water was desired but not granted 25 But Abraham said Son Remember that thou in thy Life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Observe 1. The Title given to the rich Man by Father Abraham Son He doth not revile him tho' a very bad Man if we revile the Good we are unjust they deserve it not if we revile the Bad we are unwise we shall get nothing by it a wise Man knows not what it is to give bad Language Observe 2. The Admonition given Remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things thy good things in which thou placedst all thy Happiness thy good things which thou lookedst upon thy self as the Proprietor and not as the Dispenser of Now remember what thou hadst and what thou abusedst Learn hence That the outward Blessings which are afforded to wicked Men on Earth will be sadly remembred in Hell Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things 2. That no Man ought to measure his Happiness hereafter by his Temporal Felicity here we may receive our good things here and yet be tormented hereafter 3. That no Man ought to be excessively troubled if he meets with Hardship here because those for whom God designs good things hereafter may have their evil things here Son Thou hadst thy good things and also Lazarus evil things 26 And besides all this between us and you there is a great gulph fixed so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence The meaning is That there neither is nor can be any Commerce or intercourse betwixt glorified Saints and damned Sinners but the State of Souls at Death is unalterably fixt and stated Learn that the miserable Condition of damn'd Souls in the next World and the blessed Condition of glorified Souls is unchangeably and unalterably such the power of God is irresistible and the will of God is invariable the Oath of God is immutable I have sworn that they shall never enter into my rest 27 Then said he I pray thee therefore Father that thou wouldest send him to my Fathers house 28 For I have five Brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come to this place of torment Here the rich Man is represented as retaining even in Hell some tenderness for his Relations on Earth yet others think that the kindness intended was rather to himself than to his Relations fearing that their sinning by his Example should be an aggravation of his own Torments Note thence That the presence of sinful Relations and companions in Hell may be supposed to make a considerable Addition to the miseries of the Damned the sight of those whom they have sinned with is a fresh revival of their own Guilt all the Circumstances of their past and profligate Lives are upon this occasion continually in their remembrance 29 Abraham saith unto him They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them That is they have the inspired Writings of Moses and the Prophets which sufficiently declare the Mind and Will of God to Mankind and therefore it is unreasonable to expect any farther Revelation Learn thence That a standing Revelation of God is Evidence sufficient for Divine things it is a more certain way of Conveyance and more secure from Imposture Secondly That there is sufficient Evidence that Moses and the Prophets or the Writings of the Holy Scriptures are of Divine Authority and therefore to be read and heard to be believed and assented to They have Moses c. 30 And he said nay father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they would repent As if he had said they have always had Moses and the Prophets in their hands but yet their Hearts remain impenitent but if a special Messenger be sent to them from the Dead this will not fail to awaken them
Foundation of Ruine in the most flourishing Cities and Kingdoms Jerusalem the Glory of the World is here by sin threatned to be made a Desolation 2. That the Threatnings of God are to be feared and shall be Fulfilled whatever appearing Improbabilities there may be to the contrary 'T is neither the Temples Strength nor Beauty that can oppose or withstand God's Power 7 And they asked him saying Master But when shall these things be and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass A double Question is here propounded to our Saviour namely when the Destruction of Jerusalem should be â—nd what would be the signs of it From whence Learn What an itching Curiosity there is in the best of Men to know Futurities and to understand things that shall come to pass hereafter and when that hereafter is come to pass oh how happy were it if we were as forward to obey the Declarations of God's Revealed Will as we are to pry into the hidden Counsels of his secret Will Tell us say the Disciples when shall these things be 8 And he said take heed that ye be not deceived for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and the time draweth near go ye not therefore after them 9 But when ye shall hear of Wars and Commotions be not troubled for these things must first come to pass but the end is not by and by 10 Then said he unto them Nation shall rise against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom 11 And great Earthquakes shall be in divers places and famines and pestilences and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from Heaven Observe here Christ does not gratify his Disciples Curiosity but acquaints them with their present Duty namely to watch against Deceivers and Seducers who should have the Impudence to affirm themselves to be Christ saying I am Christ Some Christ personal or the Messias others Christ Doctrinal affirming their erroneous Opinions to be Christ's Mind and Doctrine Take heed that ye be not deceived for many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ Observe farther the signs which our Saviour gives of Jerusalem's approaching Destruction namely the many Broyls and Commotions the Civil Discords and Dissentions that should be found amongst the Jews immediately before You shall hear of Wars and Commotions and see fearful Sights and great Signs from Heaven Josephus declares that there appeared in the Air Chariots and Horsemen Skirmishing and that a Blazing Star in fashion of a Sword hung over the City for a year together Hence Learn That War Pestilence and Famine are Judgments and Calamities inflicted by God upon a sinful People for their Contempt of Christ and Gospel-Grace Ye shall hear of War Famine and Pestilence 12 But before all these things they shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Synagogues and into prisons being brought before Kings and Rulers for my names sake 13 And it shall turn to you for a Testimony 14 Settle it therefore in your Hearts not to meditate before what ye shall answer 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your Adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist 16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents and brethren and kinsfolks and friends and some of you shall they cause to be put to death 17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake 18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish 19 In your patience possess ye your Souls Our Saviour here goes on in giving farther Signs of Jerusalem's Destruction he declares 1. The sharp Persecution that should fall upon the Apostles themselves They shall lay their hands on you and persecute you Learn thence That the keenest and sharpest edge of Persecution is usually turned upon the Ambassadors of Christ and falls heaviest on the Ministers of God 2. He acquaints them that for Preaching his Holy Doctrine they should be brought before Kings and Rulers but advises them not to be anxiously thoughtful or exceedingly sollicitous what they should say for it should be suggested to them by the Holy Ghost what they should say in that hour Learn thence That tho' the Truth of Christ may be opposed yet the Defenders of it shall never be ashamed for rather then they shall want a Tongue to plead for it God himself will prompt them by his Holy Spirit and suggest such Arguments to them as all their Enemies shall not be able to gainsay I will give you a mouth and wisdom Observe 3. How he describes the bitter Enmity of the World against the Preachers of his Gospel to be such as would overcome and extinguish even the Natural Affection of nearest Relations Ye shall be betrayed both by Parents and Brethren Grace teaches us to lay down our Lives for the Brethren but Corruption in General and Enmity to the Gospel in Particular will put Brother upon taking away the Life of Brother and cause Parents to hate and persecute their own Bowels Observe Lastly Our Saviour's Admonition In your patience possess your Souls There are three Degrees of Christian Patience the first consists in a silent Submission to God's Will the Second in a thankful Acceptation of God's Fatherly Rod the third in serious chearfulness under sorrowful Dispensations Rejoycing in Tribulation and counting it all joy when we fall into divers Temptations by this Patience we possess our Souls as Faith gives us the Possession of Christ so Patience gives us the possession of our selves an impatient Man is not in his own hand for what Title soever we have to our own Souls we have no possession of them without Patience In your patience possess your Souls 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with Armies then know that the Desolation thereof is nigh 21 Then let them which are in Judea flee to the Mountains and let them which are in the midst of it depart out and let not them that are in the Countries enter thereinto 22 For these be the days of Vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled 23 But wo unto them which are with Child and to them that give Suck in those days for there shall be great distress in the Land and wrath upon this People 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the Sword and shall be led away Captive into all Nations and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled 25 And there shall be Signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the Earth distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waves roaring 26 Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory 28 And when these things come to pass then look up and lift
gave Thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying This is my Body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me 20 Likewise also the Cup after Supper Saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you 21 For behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table 22 And truly the Son of man goeth as it was determined but wo unto that Man by whom he is Betrayed 23 And they began to enquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing Observe here 1. What ardency of Desire and vehemency of Affection our holy Lord expresses to Celebrate the Passover with his Disciples and to Administer the Sacramental Supper to them before he left them with desire have I desired to eat with you before I suffer Thence Learn That it is very necessary when Sufferings do appear especially when Death does approach to have immediate Recourse to the Table of the Lord which affords both an Antidote against Fear and is Restaurative to our Faith Christ the Night before he Suffered Communicated with his Disciples Observe 2. The unexampled Boldness of the impudent Traitor Judas tho' he had sold his Master he presumes to sit down at the Table with him and with the other Disciples had the presence of Judas polluted this Ordinance to any but himself doubtless our Saviour would not have suffered him to approach unto it It Teaches us That altho' nothing be more ordinary then for unholy Persons to press in to the Holy Ordinances of God which they have no Right whilst such to approach unto yet their Presence pollutes the Ordinances only to themselves Holy Persons are not polluted by their Sins therefore ought not to be discouraged from coming by their presence Observe 3. Christ did not Name Judas and say Oh thou perfidious Traitor but behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table Doubtless Christ did not name him because he would not provoke him he did not name him because he would not drive him to despair but draw him to Repentance But Lord thou knowest us when thou namest us not Oh how sad is it for any of thy Family who pretend Friendship with thee to conspire against thee and after they have eat of thy Bread to lift up the heel against thee Observe 4. That tho' Judas was not named yet he saw himself pointed at by our Saviour Behold the hand that Betrayeth me is on the Table and Judas his Heart told him whose hand that was yea tho' Judas heard that dreadful Sentence denounced against him Wo to the Man by whom the Son of Man is Betrayed yet is he no more Blank'd then Innocency it self This Shameless Man had the Impudence to say to our Blessed Saviour Master is it I tho' St. Luke says it not the other Evangelists tell us that Christ answered him Thou sayest it Did not Judas think we blush extremely hang down his Guilty Head at so galling an Intimation nothing less we read not of any thing like it Lord How does obstinacy in Sinning Steel the Brow and render it uncapable of all relenting Impressions Immediately after the Celebration of the Passover followed the Institution of the Lord's Supper where we have Observable The Author the Time the Elements and the Ministerial Actions 1. Observe the Author of this new Sacrament Jesus took Bread Learn thence That to institute a Sacrament is the sole Prerogative of Jesus Christ the Church has no power to make new Sacraments it is only her Duty to Celebrate those which our Saviour has made 2. The Time of the Institution the Night before the Passion the Night in which he was Betrayed he took Bread 3. The Sacramental Elements Bread and Wine Bread representing the Body and Wine the Blood of our Redeemer Bread being an absolutely necessary Food a common and obvious Food a strengthning and refreshing Food and Wine being the most excellent drink the most pleasant and delightful the most Cordial and Restaurative for these Reasons amongst others did Christ Consecrate and set these Creatures apart for those Holy Purposes for which he designed them 4. The Ministerial Actions Breaking of the Bread and Blessing of the Cup Jesus took Bread that is separated it and set it apart from common Use for holy Purposes He blessed it that is he prayed for a Blessing upon it and brake it thereby shadowing forth his Body broken upon the Cross and he gave it to his Disciples saying This broken Bread signifies my Body which is suddenly to be broken upon the Cross for the Redemption and Salvation of a Lost World Do you likewise this in remembrance of my Death as to the Cup Christ having set it apart by Prayer and Thanksgiving he commands his Disciples to Drink all of it For says he this Cup is the new Testament in my Blood that is The Wine in this Cup doth represent the shedding of my Blood by which the New Covenant betwixt GOD and Man is ratified and confirmed Drink ye all of this says our Saviour whence we gather That every Communicant has as undoubtedly a Right to the Cup as he has to the Bread in the Lord's Supper therefore for the Church of Rome to deny the Cup to the Common People is Sacriledge and directly contrary to Christ's Institution 24 And there was also a strife amongst them which of them should be accounted the Greatest 25 And he said unto them the Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors 26 But ye shall not be so For he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve 27 For whether is greater He that sitteth at meat or he that serveth Is not he that sitteth at Meat But I am among you as he that serveth If these Words be not placed out of Order by St. Luke here it may seem very strange that the Apostles immediately after their Receiving the Sacrament should entertain their Minds with thoughts of Precedency and Superiority and much stranger yet that they should Discourse openly of such a Subject as this especially considering what our Saviour had just before told them that he was betrayed into the hands of Sinners but whether at this time or not it is most certain at some time or other a strife was found amongst them which should be the Greatest now that our Saviour might effectually quench these unhappy Sparks of Ambition which were kindled in his Apostles Minds he tells them that Supremacy and Dominion belongs to Secular Princes not to Evangelical Pastors who ought to carry themselves with Humility and Condescention one towards another Not that Christ directs to a parity and equality amongst his Ministers or forbids the Preheminency of some over others but the affecting of Superiority and the love of Preheminency is that which our Saviour disalloweth Learn 1.
them Barbarously to Mock him in his Misery and which was worse Atheistically to Jear and Scoff at his Faith and Affiance in God Saying He trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he will have him This was such an Indignity as Confounds our Thoughts But from hence we Learn 1. That Persecutors are generally Atheistical Scoffers the Chief Priests and Elders who Persecuted Christ do Blaspheme God they mock at his Power and deride his Providence which was as wicked as to deny his Being 2. We Learn from this Example That such as Minister to God in Holy things by way of Office if they be not the Best they are generally the worst of Men no such bitter Enemies to the Power of Godliness as such Preachers who were never Experimentally Acquainted with the Efficacy and Power of it upon their own Hearts and Lives Observe 2. The Inscription wrote by Pilate over our suffering Saviour This is Jesus the King of the Jews It was the Custom of the Romans when they Crucified a Malefactor to publish the Cause of his Death in Capital Letters placed over the Head of the Person Now it is Observable how wonderfully the Wisdom of God over-ruled the Heart and Pen of Pilate to draw this Title which was truly Honourable and fix it to his Cross Pilate is Christ's Herald and proclaims him King of the Jews Learn hence That the Kingship and Regal Dignity of Christ was proclaimed by an Enemy and that in a time of his greatest Sufferings and Reproaches Pilate without his Knowledge did our Saviour an eminent piece of Service Verily he did that for Christ which none of his own Disciples durst do not that he did it designedly and with any intent to put Honour upon Christ but from the special over-ruling Providence of God No thanks to Pilate for all this Because the Highest Services performed to Christ undesignedly shall never be Accepted nor Rewarded by him 39 And one of the Malefactors which were hanged Railed on him saying If Thou be Christ Save thy self and us 40 But the other Answering Rebuked him saying Dost thou not fear God seeing thou art in the same Condemnation 41 And we indeed justly For we receive the due Reward of our Deeds But this Man hath done nothing amiss 42 And he said unto Jesus Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Here we have a farther Aggravation of our Lord's Sufferings upon the Cross from the Company he Suffered with the Two Thieves who Reviled him with the rest Saint Matthew and Saint Mark say They both Reviled him Saint Luke says One of them Reviled possibly both of them might do it at first and one of them Repent which if so encreases the wonder of the Penitent Thiefs Conversion From the Impenitent Thiefs Reviling of Christ when he was at the very point of Death and even in the Suburbs of Hell we Learn That neither Shame nor Pain will change the Mind of a Resolute Sinner but even then when he is in the Suburbs of Hell will he Blaspheme From the Penitent Thief 's Confessing of Christ and Praying to him Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom We Learn Both the Efficacy and Freeness of Divine Grace 1. The efficacious Power of it Oh how Powerful must thaâ— Grace be which wrought such a Change in an instant which supplied that Heart in a Moment which had been hardning in Sin for so many Years 2. The Freeness of it which takes hold of his Heart when he was at the height of Sin and was not only void of Grace but seemed past Grace Oh the powerful Efficacy and adorable Freeness of the Heart-changing Grace of God in this vile Person it disposed him to own his Sin to confess the justness of his Punishment to justify Christ's Innocency to Reprove his Fellow-Companion to pray to a Crucified Christ and to intercede with him not for present Deliverance from Death but for a place in Christ's Kingdom Where we Learn 1. That true Conversion is never too late for obtaining Mercy and Salvation 2. That True Conversion how late soever will have its Fruits The Fore-mentioned Fruits of Faith and Repentance were found with this penitent Thief yet must not this extraordinary Case be drawn into Example This Extraordinary and Miraculous Grace of God is not to be expected ordinarily We have no warrant to expect an over-powering degree of God's Grace to turn our Hearts in an instant at the Hour of Death when we have Lived in Forgetfulness of God and in a Supine neglect of our Soul 's Concerns all the days of our Life For it is evident as to this Case of the Penitent Thief 's Conversion at the last Hour 1. It is an Example without a Promise 2. It is but a single Example 3. It is an Example Recorded but by one Evangelist the Spirit of God fore-seeing what an ill use some would make of this Instance leaves one Example upon Record that none might despair and but one that none might Presume 4. This Thief probably never had any Knowledge of Christ before 5. This was a Miracle with the Glory whereof Christ would Honour the Ignominy of his Cross So that we have no more ground to expect such another Conversion then we have to expect a Second Crucifixion This Converted Person was the first Fruits of the Blood of the Cross From whence we Learn That God can and sometimes doth though very seldom prepare Men for Glory immediately before their Dissolution by Death 43 And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise These Words are our Saviour's Gracious Answer to the Penitent Thief 's Humble Prayer Lord Remember me in thy Kingdom says the Thief To day shalt thou be with me in my Kingdom says our Saviour Where Note 1. The Immortality of the Souls of Men is without all doubt Our desires after and hopes for Immortality do prove our Souls Immortal and capable of that State 2. That there is a Future and Eternal State into which Souls pass at Death Death is our passage out of the swift River of Time into the Boundless and Bottomless Ocean of Eternity 3. That the Souls of all the Righteous at Death are immediately Received into a State of Happiness and Glory This day shalt thou be with me not after thy Resurrection but immediately after thy Dissolution That Man's Soul is asleep or worse that Dreams of the Soul 's sleeping till the Resurrection For why should the Believers Happiness be deferred when they are immediately capable of Enjoying it Why should their Salvation slumber when the Wicked's Damnation slumbereth not How do such delays consist with Christ's ardent Desires and his Peoples vehement Longings to be together 44 And it was about the sixth Hour and there was a Darkness over all the Earth until the Ninth Hour 45 And the Sun was Darkned and the Veil of the Temple was Rent in the midst
as they were afraid and bowed down their Faces to the Earth they said unto them Why seek ye the Living among the Dead 6 He is not here but is Risen Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee 7 Saying The Son of Man must be delivered into the Hands of Sinful Men and be Crucified and the Third day Rise Again 8 And they Remembred his Words 9 And Returned from the Sepulchre and told all these things unto the Apostles and to all the Rest 10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the Mother of James and other Women that were with them which told these things unto the Apostles 11 And their words seemed to them as Idle Tales and they believed them not 12 Then arose Peter and ran unto the Sepulchre and stooping down he beheld the Linnen Cloaths laid by themselves and departed wondering in himself at that which was come to pass The Lord of Life who was put to Death upon the Fryday was Buryed in the Evening of the same Day and his Holy Body Rested in the silent Grave all the next Day being the Jewish Sabbath and some part of the Morning Following Thus Rose he again the Third Day according to the Scriptures neither sooner nor later Not sooner lest the Truth of his Death should have been questioned that he did not Dye at all not later lest the Faith of his Disciples should have failed Accordingly when the Sabbath was past Mary Magdalene getting the other Women together she and they set out very early in the Morning to Visit the Holy Sepulchre and about Sun-rising they get to it intending with their Spices and Odours farther to Embalm their Lord's Body Observe here 1. That although the Hearts of these Holy Women did burn with an Ardent Zeal and Affection to their Crucified Lord Yet the Commanded Duties of the Sabbath are not omitted by them they keep close and silently spend that Holy Day in a Mixture of Grief and Hope A good Pattern of Sabbath-Sanctification and worthy of our Christian Imitation Observe 2. These Holy Women go but not empty-handed She that had bestowed a costly Alablaster upon Christ whilst alive prepares no less Precious Odours for him now Dead thereby paying their last Homage to our Saviour's Corpse But what need of Odours to perfume a precious Body which could not see Corruption True his Holy Body did not want them but the Love and Affection of his Friends could not withhold them Observe 3. How great a Tribute of Respect and Honour is due and payable to the Memory of these Holy Women for their great Magnanimity and Courage They followed Christ when his Cowardly Disciples left him they accompanied him to his Cross they attended his Herse to the Grave when his Disciples did not durst not appear And now very early in the Morning they Visit his Sepulchre Fearing neither the Darkness of the Night nor the Presence of the Watchmen though a Band of rude Soldiers Learn hence That Courage and Resolution is the special Gift of God if he gives it to the feebler Sex even to timerous and fearful Women it shall not be in the power of Armed Men to make them afraid But to come to a close Consideration of the several Circumstances relating to the Resurrection of our Holy Lord. Note 1. With what Pomp and Triumph our Holy Lord Arises Two Men that is Two Angels in the Shape of Men V. 4. are sent from Heaven to roll away the Stone But could not Christ have Risen then without the Angels help Yes doubtless he that Raised himself could easily have Rolled away the Stone himself But God thinks fit to send an Officer from Heaven to open the Prison-door of the Grave and by setting our Surety at Liberty proclaims our Debt to the Divine Justice â—â—â—y Satisfied Besides it was fit that the Angels who had been Witnesses of our Saviour's Passion should also be Witnesses of his Resurrection Note 2. our Lord's Resurrection declared He is Risen he is not here Almighty God never intended that the Darling of his Soul should be left in an obscure Sepulchre He is not here said the Angels where you laid him where you left him Death has lost its Prey and the Grave has lost its Prisoner Note 3. It is is not said He is not here for he is Raised but he is Risen V. 6. The Original Word imports the Active Power of Christ or the Self-quickning Principle by which Christ Raised himself from the Dead Acts 1.3 He shewed himself alive after his Passion Hence Learn That it was the Divine Nature or God-head of Christ which Raised the Human Nature from Death to Life others were Raised from the Grave by Christ's Power but he Raised himself by his own Power Note 4. The Persons to whom our Lord's Resurrection was first declared and made known to Women to the two Mary's But why to Women and why to these Women To Women first because God sometimes makes choice of weak Means for producing great Effects knowing that the weakness of the Instrument Redounds to the greater Honour of the Agent In the whole Dispensation of the Gospel God intermixes Divine Power with Humane Weakness Thus the Conception of Christ was by the Power of the Holy Ghost but his Mother a poor Woman a Carpenter's Spouse So the Crucifixion of Christ was in much Meanness and outward Baseness being Crucified between two Thieves But the Powers of Heaven and Earth Trembling the Rocks Rending the Graves opening shewed a mixture of Divine Power Thus here God Selects Women to declare that he will Honour what Instruments he pleases for the Accomplishment of his own Purposes But why to these Women the two Mary's is the first Discovery made of our Lord's Resurrection Possibly it was a Reward for their Magnanimity and Masculine Courage These Women cleave to Christ when the Apostles forsook him They Assisted at his Cross they Attended at his Funeral they Waited at his Sepulchre These Women had more Courage than the Apostles therefore God makes them Apostles to the Apostles This was a Tacit Rebuke a Secret Check given to the Apostles that they should be thus out-done by Women These Holy Women went before the Apostles in the last Services that were done for Christ and therefore the Apostles here come after them in their Rewards and Comforts Note 5. The quick Message which these Holy Women carry to the Disconsolate Disciples of the Joyful news of our Saviour's Resurrection They Returned from the Sepulchre and told all these things to the Eleven Verse 9. And the other Evangelists say That they were sent and bidden to go to the Apostles with the Notices of the Resurrection Go tell the Disciples says the Angel Matthew 28.7 Go tell my Brethren says Christ Verse 10. A most endearing Expression Christ might have said Go tell my Apostate Apostles my Cowardly Disciples that left me in my Danger that durst not own me in the High Priest's Hall
Eternal All Believers have and shall experience the healing Power of our Redeemer's Death to the end of the World Lastly The Israelites that were cured by looking up to the brazen Serpent dyed afterwards some Distemper or other soon carried them to their Graves but the Soul of the Believer that is healed by Christ shall never dye more Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal Life 16 ¶ For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Here observe 1. The Orignal Source and Fountain of Man's Salvation and that is God's free and undeserved his great and wonderful Love God so loved the World he doth not say how much but leaves it to our most solemn raised Thoughts it is rather to be conceived than declared and admired rather than conceived God so loved the World Hence Note That the Original Spring and first Cause of our Salvation is the free Favour and meer Love of God Observe 2. The Greatness of the Gift by which God evidenced and demonstrated the Greatness of his Love to a lost World He gave his only begotten Son that is he deliver'd him up from out of his own Bosom and everlasting Embraces Now this will appear a stupendious Expression of God's Love if we consider that God gave Him for us who was not only the greatest but the dearest Person to him in the World even his own Son That he gave him for Sinners That he gave him for a World of Sinners That he gave him up to become a Man for Sinners That he gave him up to become a miserable Man for Sinners That he gave him up to be a Sacrifice for the Sin of Sinners Observe 3. The Gracious end for which God gave this great Gift of his Love to lost Sinners That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal Life Where Note 1. The gentle and merciful Condition upon which Salvation depends Whoever believeth on Christ shall not perish 2. The infinite Goodness of God in proposing such a vast Reward unto us upon our performing of this Condition He shall have everlasting Life Learn hence That Faith is the way which God hath appointed and the Condition which God has required in order to our obtaining Salvation by Jesus Christ This Faith consists in the assent of the Understanding That Jesus is the Saviour of the World In the Consent of the Will to accept of Jesus freely and voluntarily deliberately advisedly and resolvedly for our Saviour in accepting the Merit of his Blood and submitting to the Authority of his Laws it being in vain to expect Salvation by Christ if we do not yield Subjection to him He that thus believes on Christ that submits himself to his ruling Power as well as commits himself to his saving Mercy shall not perish but have everlasting Life 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved 18 ¶ He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begoten Son of God Observe here That the Salvation of Sinners was the intentional End and the Condemnation of them only the accidental Event of Christ's coming into the World The Design of Christ's first coming into the World was to save it The End of his second coming will be to judge the unbelieving Part of it Observe Secondly That Unbelief is the formal Cause of the Sinner's Damnation it is that sin which doth bind all other sins upon the sinner and consign him over to Damnation it is that sin which doth not only procure Damnation but no Damnation like it which is intimated in the next Verse 19 And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Observe here 1. The Worth and Dignity of a choice and invaluable Priviledge declared Light is come into the World A Personal Light Christ a Doctrinal Light the Gospel 2. Observe the Unworthiness Abuse and great Indignity which the World through Infidelity offers to this Benefit they reject it and love Darkness rather than Light Obs 3. The dreadful Sentence of Wrath which the Rejection of this Benefit and the Abuse of Christ brings upon the impenitent and unbelieving World It terminates in their full and final Condemnation This is the Condemnation That is 't is a just and righteous Condemnation 't is an inevitable and unavoidable Condemnation 't is an heightened and aggravated 't is an accelerated and hastned an irrevocable and eternal Condemnation Learn hence That the greater and clearer the Light is under which the unregenerate and impenitent do live in this World so much the heavier will their Condemnation and Misery be in the World to come if they wilfully and finally reject it 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God In these Words our Saviour acquaints us with the different Nature of Sin and Holiness It is the Nature of Sin and the Property of Sinners to hate the Light because it discovers the Evil and Sinfulness of their Ways unto them and condemns them for them as the Ethiopians are said to curse the Sun for its bright and hot shining whereas holy and gracious Persons that walk uprightly do love the Light that is they delight to have their Thoughts Words and Actions tried by the Light of the Word because they are wrought in God that is performed as in the sight of God According to the Direction of the VVord of God and with a single Eye and sincere Aim at the Glory of God Learn hence 1. That the Word of God or the Gospel of Jesus Christ it has all the Properties of a Great and True Light It is of a pure and purifying Nature it is manifestative and of a discovering Nature It has a piercing Power and penetrating Vertue It enters the darkest Recesses of the Soul and detects the Errors of Mens Judgments as well as discovers the Enormities of their Lives Learn 2. That nothing is so hateful to and hated by a wicked Man as the discovering and reproving Light of the Word of God for at the same time that it discovers the sin it condemns the Sinner Learn 3. That a truly gracious Person who acteth agreeably to the Will of God is not afraid to examine his Actions by the VVord of God but desires and delights that what he does may be made manifest both to God and Man He that doth Truth cometh to the Light and rejoyceth that his Deeds may be made manifest because they are wrought in God 22 ¶ After these things came Jesus and his
himself glorified when the Glory of his Son is advanced This Sickness is for the Glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified thereby 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick he abode two days still in the same place where he was 7. Then after that saith he to his disciples Let us go into Judea again 8 His disciples say unto him Master the Jews of late sought to stone thee and goest thou thither again 9 Jesus answered Are there not twelve hours in the day If any Man walk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world 10 But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him Observe 1. What an happy because an holy and religious Family was here and much honoured by Christ Jesus loved Martha Mary and Lazarus wherever true Piety dwells it draws the Eye and Heart of Christ towards it Christ had frequently and familiarly lodged under their Roof and he rewards them for their Entertainment with his Love Jesus loved Martha and her Sister Where Note That Martha is here named first though elsewhere Mary had the Precedency to shew no doubt that they were both equally dear to Christ Obs 2. That altho' Christ loved Lazarus yet he seems to neglect him he delays going to him for some days But could Christ absent himself from one so long whom he loved so well we find he did Let us take heed then that we do not mis-interpret Christ's Delays He seldom comes at our time but never stays beyond his own Our Saviour had a double End in staying thus long Namely for greatning of the Miracle and confirming of their Faith Had Christ gone before Lazarus was dead they might have attributed his Recovery rather to the strength of Nature than to Christ's miraculous Power or had Christ raised Lazarus as soon as he was Dead they might peradventure have thought it rather some Trance or Extasie than a Death and Dissolution therefore Christ stays so many days that God might be the more glorified and his own omnipotent Power the more magnified We Learn then That when Christ delays to help them whom he dearly loves it is always for wise ends and holy purposes Observe 3. How the Disciples tho' they were dearly affected to Lazarus for they had Learned to love where their Master loved yet they discourage Christ from going to him into Judea for fear of violence offered to him Master the Jews of late sought to stone Thee and goest thou thither again Here the Disciples pleaded for their Master's safety at the same time aiming at their own they were to go with him into Judea and they well knew that their danger was inwrapped in his Therefore they seek to divert him from his intention Oh how has the fear of Suffering made many of the Friends of Christ decline an opportunity of glorifying God and doing good to others But cannot God give safety in the midst of danger if he pleaseth let us not then chuse our way according to our own Apprehensions either of danger or safety but as we see God going before us if our call be clear let us go on with Courage whatever difficulties lye in our way Observe 4. How our Saviour corrects these fears of his Disciples by acquainting them with his call from God to undertake this Journey into Judea Are there not Twelve hours in the day if a Man walk therein he stumbleth not but in the night he stumbleth As if Christ had said As he that walks in the Day is in no danger of stumbling but in the Night he is in danger So as long as I have a call from God and my working time lasts there is a Divine Providence that will watch over me and secure me from all danger now my day is not fully spent and therefore it is not in the Power of my Enemies to precipitate my Passion or to bring the Night of Sufferings upon me before the appointed time but ere long the Night will come on the working time will be over and then shall both I and you stumble upon Death but while the day lasteth we are safe Learn hence 1. Every Man has his Twelve hours that is his working time assigned him by God in this World 2. While these hours are spent and whilest his working time is unexpired he shall not stumble he shall not die he shall not be disabled for working while God has any work for him to do neither the Malice of Men nor the rage of Devils shall take them off till their work be finished 3. Every Man has his Night as well as his Day in which he must expect and prepare to stumble that is to fall by Death for when God has done his work by us and with us he will withdraw his protection from us but not his care over us we stumble upon Death and fall into the Grave but God receives us to himself and at the end of our working Season rewards us for our work 11 These things said he and after that he saith unto them Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of sleep Observe here 1. Our Saviour coming near to Bethany Tells his Disciples that Lazarus sleepeth that is plainly he was Dead This shewed his omnisciency and that he was truly God for he had received no Advice of his Death from any person but as God he knew that he was deceased Observe 2. The sweet Title given both to Death and Lazarus Death is called a sleep Lazarus is stiled a friend yet Christ says not my friend but our friend Lazarus sleepeth intimating that gracious Familiarity and Mutual Friendship which was betwixt himself and all his Members Learn hence 1. That all True Believers are Christ's Friends 2. That the Friends of Christ must die as well as others 3. That their Death is but a Sleep Our friend Lazarus Sleepeth It followeth But I go that I may awake him out of sleep Observe Christ says not we will go and awake him but I will go and I will awake him The Disciples who were Companions in the way must not be Partners in the work Witnesses they may be Actors they cannot be none can awake Lazarus but the maker of Lazarus Who can command the Soul to come down and meet the Body and who can command the Body to Rise up and meet the Soul but that God that created both Soul and Body Lord It is our Comfort against the Dread and Terror of Death that our Resurrection depends upon thy Almighty Power I will go that I may awake him out of sleep 12 Then said his disciples Lord if he sleep he shall do well 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly Lazarus is dead 15 And I am glad for your sakes
they took counsel together for to put him to death 54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews but went thence unto a countrey near to the wilderness into a city called Ephraim and there continued with his disciples 55 ¶ And the Jews passover was nigh at hand and many went out of the countrey up to Jerusalem before the passover to purifie themselves 56 Then sought they for Jesus and spake among themselves as they stood in the Temple What think ye that he will hot come to the feast 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment that if any man knew where he were he should shew it that they might take him Observe here 1. How baneful and destructive Evil Counsel is especially out of the Mouth of leading Men and how soon embraced and followed Caiaphas no sooner propounds the putting of Christ to Death but from that Day forward they lie in wait to take him The High-Priest had satisfied their Consciences and now they make all possible speed to put their malicious Designs and purposes in Execution Obs 2. The prudential Care and Means which our Lord used for his own Preservation to avoid their fury he withdraws himself privately into a Place called Ephraim and there continues with his Disciples Learn As Christ himself fled so is it lawful for his Servants to flee when their Life is conspired against by their bloody Enemies and the Persecution is Personal Observe 3. When the time was come that he was to expose himself when the time of the Passover drew near in which he being the true Pascal Lamb was to be slain to put an end to that Type he withdraws no more but surrenders himself to the Rage and Fury of his Enemies and dyes a shameful Death for shameful Sinners as the next Chapter more at large informs us CHAP. XII THen Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany where Lazarus was which had been dead whom he raised from the dead The latter end of the foregoing Chapter acquainted us with the prudential Care of Christ in withdrawing from the Fury of his Enemies in and about Jerusalem who were consulting his Destruction his time not being fully come he gets out of the way of his Persecutors But now the Passover being at hand which was the time that this Lamb of God was to die as a Sacrifice for the Sin of the World Our Lord comes forth first to Bethany and then to Jerusalem not fearing the Teeth of his Enemies but with a fixed Resolution to encounter Death and Danger for the Salvation of his People His Example teacheth us That altho' we are bound by all lawful Means and prudential Methods to preserve our selves from the unjust Violence of our Persecutors yet when God's time for our Sufferings is come and we evidently see that it is his Will that we suffer for his sake we ought to set our Faces very chearfully towards it and resign up our selves to the Wisdom and Will of God Thus did Christ here ch 11.54 we find he withdrew from Suffering his Hour not being then come but now when the Passover was nigh at hand which was the time when he was to suffer he sets his Face towards Jerusalem and withdraws no more 2 There they made him a supper and Martha served but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard very costly and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment 4 Then saith one of his disciples Judas Iscariot Simons son which should betray him 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor 6 This he said not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief and had the bag and bare what was put therein 7 Then said Jesus Let her alone against the day of my burying hath she kept this 8 For the poor always ye have with you but me ye have not always In these Verses an account is given of our Saviour's entertainment at Bethany after he had raised Lazarus A Supper is made for him at which Martha served and Lazarus sate with him but Mary Anoints Christ with precious Ointments Where Note 1. The Action which this Holy Woman performed she pours a Box of precious Ointment upon our Saviour's Head as he sat at Meat according to the custom of the Eastern Countries at their Feasts I do not find that any of the Apostles were at thus much charge and cost to put honour upon our Saviour as this poor Woman was From whence learn 1. That where strong Love prevails in the Heart nothing is adjudg'd too dear for Christ neither will it suffer it self to be out-shined by any Examples The weakest Woman that strongly Loves her Saviour will vye with the greatest Apostle and Piously strive to express the fervour of her Affection towards him Observe 2. How this Action was resented and reflected upon by murmuring Judas who valued this Ointment at Three hundred Pence and grudg'd the bestowing of it upon Christ He accuses this Holy Woman of needless prodigality Lord How doth a Covetous heart think every thing too good for Thee He that sees a Pious Action performed and seeks to lessen or undervalue it shews himself possessed with a Spirit of Envy Judas his invidious Spirit makes him censure an Action which Christ highly approved Hence learn That Men who know not our Hearts may thro' ignorance or prejudice censure and condemn those Actions which God doth commend and will graciously reward Happy was it for this poor Woman that she had a more Righteous Judg to pass Sentence upon her Action than wicked Judas Observe 3. How readily our Holy Lord vindicates this poor Woman she says nothing for her self nor need she having such an Advocate and gives the Reason for her Action She did it for my Burial as Kings and great Persons were wont in those Eastern Countries at their Funerals to be Embalm'd with Odours and sweet Perfumes So saith our Saviour this Woman to declare her Faith in me as her King and Lord doth with this Box of Ointment as it were before-hand Embalm my Body for its Burial True Faith will put honour upon a Crucified as well as Glorified Saviour This Holy Woman accounts Christ worthy of all honour in his Death believing it would be a sweet smelling Sacrifice unto God and the Savour of Life unto his People 9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there and they came not for Jesus sake onely but that they might see Lazarus also whom he had raised from the dead Observe here It was not zeal but curiosity which brought these persons at this time to Christ they had an itching desire to see Lazarus to enquire after the Truth of his Death and possibly after the state of the Dead and the
a Corn of Wheat fall into the Ground and die it abideth alone That is as Corn unsown lodg'd in the Barn or laid up in the Chamber never multiplies nor encreases but sow it in the Field and bury it in the Earth and it multiplies and encreases and brings forth a plentiful crop So if Christ had not died he had remained what he was the Eternal Son of God but he had had no Church in the World Whereas his Death and Sufferings made him fructifie That brought a plentiful Encrease of exaltation to himself and Salvation to his People Observe 3. How plainly our Saviour dealt with his Followers he did not deceive them with a vain hope and expectation of Temporal Happiness but tells them plainly that all that will be his Disciples must prepare for Sufferings and not think their Temporal Life too dear to lay down for him when he calls them to it this being the surest way to secure unto themselves Life Everlasting He that loveth his life shall lose it but he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal Learn hence That the surest way to attain Eternal Life is chearfully to lay down our Temporal Life when the Glory of Christ and the Honour of Religion requires it at our hand 26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honour That is if any Man assumes the Title and enters into the sacred engagement of being Christ's Servant let his Conversation correspond with his Profession and let him be willing to follow him in the Thorny path of Affliction and Sufferings from this Assurance that all his grievous Sufferings shall end in Eternal Joys Where I am there shall my Servant be and him will my Father honour Learn hence 1. That all that will be Christ's Servants must be his Followers they must obey his Doctrine and imitate his Example 2. That Christ's Servants must not expect better usage at the hand of an unkind World than he their Master met with before them 3. That such as serve Christ by following of him shall at Death see him as he is and be with him where he is Where I am there shall also my Servant be 4. That God will crown the fideliâ—y and constancy of Christ's Servants with the highest Dignity and Honour If any Man serve me him will my Father honour 27 Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour 28 Father glorifie thy name Then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again Whilst our Saviour was thus preaching of his own Death and Sufferings a Natural horror of his approaching Passion tho such as was without Sin seizes upon him his Father giving him a Taste of that wrath which he was to undergo upon the Cross for our Sins Hereupon he betakes himself to Prayer Father save me from this hour this was the harmless inclination of his sinless nature which abhorred lying under wrath and therefore prays against it yet as it were recalling himself he submits to what his office as our surety required of him and prays again unto his Father to dispose of him as may most and best conduce to the purposes of his Glory Father glorifie thy name Learn hence 1. That meer Trouble is no Sin Christ's Soul was troubled Christianity doth not make Men Senseless Grace introduceth no stoical Stupidity 2. That fear of death especially when accompanied with apprehensions of the wrath of God is most perplexing and Soul-amazing My Soul is troubled and what shall I say 3. No extremity of Sufferings ought to discourage us from laying claim to that Relation which God stands in to us as a Father Our Saviour in the midst of his distress calls God Father Father save me from this hour 4. In the extremity of our Sufferings we may be importunate but must not be peremptory in our Prayers as Christ in his Agony prayed more earnestly so may we in ours but always submissively Father Save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour 5. That our exemption from Suffering may sometimes be inconsistent with the Glory of God Father save me from this hour Father Glorifie thy name Observe lastly The Father's Answer to the Son's Prayer There came a voice from Heaven saying I have glorified it and will glorifie it again That is as God the Father had been already glorified in his Son's Life Doctrine and Miracles so he would farther glorifie Himself in his Death Resurrection and Ascension as also by the Mission of the Holy Ghost and the Preaching of the Gospel for the Conversion of the Gentiles to the ends of the Earth Learn hence That the whole work of Christ from the lowest degree of his Humiliation to the highest degree of his Exaltation was a glorifying of his Father he glorified his Father by the Doctrine which he Taught he glorified his Father by the Miracles which he wrought by the unspotted Innocency of his Life and by his unparallel'd Sufferings at his Death by his Victorious Resurrection from the Grave and by his Triumphant Ascension into Heaven 29 The people therefore that stood by and heard it said that it thundred others said An angel spake to him 30 Jesus answered and said This voice came not because of me but for your sakes 31 Now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out 32 And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me 33 This he said signifying what death he should die Observe here 1. The way of God in speaking to his People by a Voice in Thunder for the greater declaration of his Glory and Majesty Thunderings and Lightnings usually attended the voice of God even in Consolations and when he spake comfortably to his own Servants Oh how dreadful and terrible then must the Voice of God be to his Enemies when he shall come in flaming Fire to render vengeance to them If there was such Dread and Terrors such Thunderings and Lightnings at the giving of the Law Lord What will there be another Day when thou comest to punish the violation of that Law Observe 2. The end why God the Father now spake with an Audible Voice to Christ his Son it was for his Consolation and the Peoples Confirmation His Soul being troubled he stood in need as Mediatour of comfort from his Father and the People had here a farther and fuller Confirmation of his being the promised and true Messias that so they might Believe in him This voice came not because of me That is not only or chiefly because of me but to confirm your Faith in the Belief of this great Truth that I am the Son of God by whom the Father hath glorified and will farther
follow me afterwards 37 Peter said unto him Lord Why cannot I follow thee now I will lay down my life for thy sake 38 Jesus answered him Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake Verily verily I say unto thee the cock shall no crow till thou hast denied me thrice Here we find Peter reflecting upon what our Saviour had said just before v. 33. Whither I go ye cannot come he is inquisitive to know of Christ whither he went Our Lord tells him that for the present he could not follow him but should hereafter he was not as yet strong enough to suffer for him as he should and did afterwards St. Peter grieved at this rashly resolves to follow him tho' he should die for his sake Christ advises him not to be over-confident of his own strength and standing for he should deny him Thrice within the Time of Cock-crowing Observe here 1. How that fond Conceit which our Lord's Disciples had of his Temporal Kingdom here in this World did abide and continue with them to the very last for when Christ spake of leaving them by Ascending into Heaven Peter understands him of a removal that was Earthly from one place to another whereas Christ intended it of a removal from Earth to Heaven The Opinion that the Messiah was to be a Temporal Prince and that his Kingdom should be of this World was so deeply rooted in the Minds of the Jews that they stumbled at it fatally and Christ's own Disciples had so drunk in the notion that they wonder to hear Christ say that he is going from them and that whither he goes they cannot come Observe 2. That Christ's Disciples shall certainly follow their Master afterwards and be for ever with the Lord but they must wait their Lord's time and finish their Lord's work they must patiently wait for their Change and not peevishly wish for it for tho' they do not follow Christ presently to Heaven they shall follow him afterwards Observe 3. The greatness of St. Peters's self-confidence I will lay down my Life for thy sake Good Man He resolved honestly but too too much in his own strength Little Oh little did he think what a Feather he should be in the wind of Temptation if once God left him to the power and prevalency of his own fears The holiest of Men knows not his own strength till Temptation brings him to the Trial. Observe Lastly How detestable St. Peters's Presumption and Self-Confidence was to Christ and how fatal and pernicious to himself Wilt thou lay down thy Life for my sake As if Christ had said Peter Thou sayest more than thou can'st do Thine own strength will fail thee and thy Self-Confidence deceive thee I know thy Heart better than thou dost thy self and I foresee that before the Cock crows thou wilt deny me thrice Thence Learn That none are so near falling as those that are most confident of their own standing CHAP. XIV 1 LEt not your heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me 2 In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also 4 And whither I go ye know and the way ye know Our blessed Saviour in the foregoing Chapter having acquainted his Disciples with his approaching Death by the Treachery of Judas their Hearts were thereupon over-whelmed with Grief and Trouble Accordingly in this Chapter by sundry Arguments he comforts his Disciples against the perplexity of their fears and sorrows 1. Observe How Christ addresses himself to his Disciples in a very endearing and Affectionate manner Let not your hearts be troubled Whence learn 1. That the Best and Holiest of God's Children and Servants whilest here in an imperfect state are subject to desponding disquieting and distrustful fears 2. That no work is more delightful to our Saviour than to comfort the troubled and perplexed Spirits of his Servants Observe 2. The Remedy which Christ prescribes for the calming their present fears and for arming them against future troubles and that is Faith in the Father and himself Ye believe in God believe also in me Here learn 1. That God is the supream object of Faith his unchangeable love and faithfulness with his infinite Power in the accomplishing of his promises is the security of Believers Learn 2. That Christ as Mediatour between God and guilty Creatures is the immediate object of our Faith Learn 3. That Christ being the true and proper object of our Faith is a proof of his being truly and really God Christ doth here assert his own Deity in the substance of the Command in making himself an object of Faith in Conjunction with God the Father Ye believe in God believe also in me Observe Next the Arguments of Consolation which Christ propounds for the support of his Disciples under the sorrow which they had conceived for his approaching departure 1. He tells them That Heaven whither he was now going was his Father's House a place of happiness not designed for himself alone but for many more to enjoy a perpetual rest and abode in as in everlasting Mansions in my Father's House are many mansions Heaven is God's House in which he will freely converse with his Domesticks his Children and Servants and they shall enjoy full glory there as in a quiet and capacious habitation A second ground of Comfort is that he assures them he will come again and receive them to himself that they may live together with him in the Heavenly Mansions This promise Christ makes good to his Saints partly at the day of their Death and perfectly at the day of Judgment when he shall make one errand for all and take up all his Children to himself and make them compleatly happy both in Soul and Body with himself Learn hence That tho' Christ has removed his Bodily presence from his Friends on Earth yet his love to them is not ceased nor will he rest satisfied till he and they meet again Eternally to solace themselves in each others Company I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there you may be also A Third Argument for Consolation is That notwithstanding Christ was to leave them yet they knew whither he went Namely To Heaven and which was the way thither Whither I go ye know and the way ye know It contributes much to the Comfort of Believers as to know God and Heaven so to know the way that leads thither that so they may be armed against all the difficulties of that way 5 Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way 6 Jesus saith unto him I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me Observe here 1. How Thomas and probably
Visible Church may be guilty of such tremendous Acts of wickedness as the Conscience of an Infidel and Pagan may boggle at and protest against Pilate a Pagan Absolves Christ and seeks to release him whilst the Hypocritical Jews who heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles condemn him Observe 3. How wretchedly Pilate suffers himself to be overcome with the Jews importunity and contrary to the light of his own Reason and Conscience delivers the Holy and Innocent Jesus first to be Scourged and then Crucified Learn thence That it is a vain Apology for Sin when Persons pretend that it was not committed with their own consent but at the instigation and importunity of others for such is the frame and Constitution of Man's Soul that none can make him either wicked or miserable without his own Consent Then Pilate took Jesus and Scourged him 2 And the souldiers platted a crown of thorns and put it on his head and they put on him a purple robe 3 And said Hail King of the Jews and they smote him with their hands The next part of our Saviour's Sufferings consisted of cruel mockings Christ had owned himself to be the King of the Jews that is a Spiritual King in and over his Church But the Jews expecting that the Messiah should have appeared in the Pomp of an Earthly Prince and finding it to be quite otherwise in our Saviour they look upon him as a Deceiver and Impostour and accordingly Treat him as a Mock-King with all the marks of Derision and Scorn for first they put a Crown upon his Head but a very Ignominious and Painful one a Crown of Thorns They put a Scepter in his Hand but that of a Reed a Robe of Scarlet or Purple upon his Body and then bowed their Knees unto him as they were wont to do before their Princes crying Hail King Thus were all the marks of Scorn imaginable put upon our dear Redeemer yet what they did in Jest God permitted to be done in Earnest for all these things were ensigns and marks of Sovereignty and Almighty God caused the Royal Dignity of his Son to shine forth even in the midst of his greatest Abasement Whence was all this Jearing and Sport but to flout Majesty and why did the Son of God undergo all this Ignominy Disgrace and Shame but to shew what was due unto us for our Sins as also to give us an Example to bear all the Scorn Reproach and Shame imaginable for the sake of him who for the Joy that was set before him despised the Shame as well as indured the Cross 4 Pilate therefore went forth again and saith unto them Behold I bring him forth to you that ye may know that I find no fault in him 5 Then came Jesus forth wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe And Pilate saith unto them Behold the man 6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him they cried out saying Crucifie him crucifie him Pilate saith unto them Take ye him and crucifie him for I find no fault in him Observe here 1. The great variety of our Saviour's Sufferings he is made the Foot-ball of Cruelty and Scorn his Sacred Body is stripped of his Garments and his Back disguised with Purple-Robes his tender Temples wounded with a Thorny Crown his Face spit upon his Cheeks buffetted his Head smitten his Hand Sceptred with a Reed By his wearing a Crown of Thorns he took away the bitterness of that Curse which our Sins brought upon the Earth Gen. 3.18 Thorns and Briars shall it bring forth Christ by his Bitter and Bloody Sufferings has turned all the Curses of his People into Crowns and Blessings Observe 2. The noble Testimony given of Christ's Innocency by the mouth of Pilate I find in him no fault at all he doth not say I find him not Guilty of what is laid to his Charge but gives an universal Testimony of our Lord's Innocency I find no fault at all in him In spight of all Malice Innocency shall find some Friends and Abettors Rather than Christ shall want witnesses Pilate's mouth shall be opened for his Justification how fain would he have freed Jesus whom he found faultless Our Lord found more Compassion from Pilate an Heathen than he did from them of his own Nation Pilate would have saved him but they cry out for his Blood Hypocrites within the visible Church may be guilty of such monstrous Acts of wickedness as the Consciences of Heathens without the Church may boggle at and protest against Pilate a Pagan pronounces Christ Innocent whilst the Hypocritical Jews who had heard his Doctrine and seen his Miracles do Condemn him Observe 3. Who influenced the main Body of the Jews to desire Pilate to put Jesus to Death it was the Chief Priests and Elders they perswaded the Multitude Wo be to the Common People when their Guides and Leaders are corrupt and wo unto them much more if they follow their wicked and pernicious Counsels the Jews here followed their Guides the Chief Priests but it was to their own destruction as well as their Leaders when the Blind lead the Blind both fall into the Ditch 7 The Jews answered him we have a law and by our law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God 8 ¶ When Pilate therefore heard that saying he was the more afraid 9 And went again into the judgment-hall and saith unto Jesus Whence art thou But Jesus gave him no answer Observe here 1. How Ambitious the Chief Priests were that Christ should Die under a colour of Law We have a Law and by that Law he ought to Die The Law which they allude to is the Law for putting false Prophets and Blasphemers to Death of which number they conclude Christ to be because he made himself the Son of God whereas he did not make himself so or only pretend to be so but really and indeed was so to wit the eternal Son of God Such as are indeed Blasphemers and do Arrogate to themselves what is proper to God only by the Law of God they ought to be put to Death but Christ was not Guilty of the Violation of that Law for he was indeed the Son of God and did not make himself so Observe 2. How full of fear the Conscience of Pilate was when the Jews told him that Jesus made himself the Son of God he was afraid to Condemn him not knowing but that he might be some Divine and extraordinary Person and consequently might draw down Divine Vengeance on his own head Learn hence That serious thoughts of a Deity will strike terror even into a natural Conscience especially when the Sinner is following a course which his own judgment cannot approve when Pilate heard of Christ's being the Son of God he was afraid knowing that what he had done to him was against his own Conscience Observe 3. The Question Pilate puts to Christ upon this occasion Whence art thou that is what is thy
death Woman behold thy Son Where Note He calls her Woman and not Mother he doth not say Mother behold thy Son but Woman behold him Not that Christ was ashamed of or unwilling to own her for his Mother But either 1. Fearing that calling her by that name should augment and increase her Grief and Trouble Or else 2. To intimate his change of State and Condition that being ready to die and return to his Father in Heaven he was above all earthly Relations and knew no one after the Flesh no not his very Mother Yet see at the same time when he was above her and about to leave her how his Care manifested it self for her when his Soul and Body were full of Anguish to the very brim Yet all this makes him not in the least unmindful of so dear a Relation Thence learn That Christ's tender Care of his Mother even in the time of his greatest Distress is an excellent Pattern for all Children to imitate and follow to the end of the World St. John here obeyed Christ's Command and imitated his Example he took her to his own Home that is he treated her with all that dutiful Regard which a tender and indulgent Mother challenges from a pious and obedient Son No personal Trial or Trouble upon our selves doth exempt us from the performance of our Duty towards others especially towards our near and dear Relations Christ in the extremity of his Sufferings accounted it his Duty to take care of and provide for his dear Mother Teaching us by his Example That Children ought to evidence that they honour their Parents by taking care of them in their decayed and desolate Condition Again Inasmuch as St. John took care of the holy Mother after her dear Son's death That Disciple took her to his own home We Learn That the Lord never removes one Comfort and taketh away the means of subsistance from his People but he raises up another in the room of it It is very probable that Joseph her Husband was before this time dead and Jesus her Son was now dying but still God provides he raises up St. John to take care of her he takes her to his own Home and looks upon her as one of his Family But how comes St. John above the rest to have this honourable Service put upon him and this high Trust reposed in him Answer The Text tells us he was the Disciple whom Jesus loved that is in a more especial manner treating him with greater Freedom and Familiarity than the rest he also evidenced more Love unto and more Courage and Resolution for Christ than the rest of his Disciples he standing by the Cross when they got afar off Mark 15.49 Thence we learn That such as are beloved of Christ as do keep close unto him and express most Zeal and Resolution for him they shall be peculiarly honoured by him and be employed in the highest Services for him 28 ¶ After this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vineger and they filled a spunge with vineger and put it upon hyssop and put it to his mouth Observe here 1. The Affliction or Suffering which our Saviour complained of and that is Thirst there are two sorts of Thirst one Natural and Proper the other Spiritual and Figurative Christ felt both at this time His Body Thirsted by Reason of those Agonies which it laboured under His Soul Thirsted in vehement Desires and fervent longings to accomplish that great and difficult Work he was now about 2. The design and end of our Lord's Complaint That the Scripture might be fulfilled he saith I Thirst Our Saviour finding that all was accomplished which he was to do before his Death but only the fulfilling that one Scripture Ps 69.21 They gave me Vineger to Drink He for the accomplishment thereof Said I Thirst Whence Note That such were the Agonies and Extream Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ upon the Cross that they drank up his very Spirits and made him cry I Thirst 2. That when Christ cried out I Thirst it was to shew that what ever was foretold by the Prophets concerning him was exactly accomplished and even to a Circumstance fulfilled in him That the Scripture might be fulfilled Jesus saith I Thirst 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vineger he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the Ghost Observe here 1. Our Lord's last word It is finished 2. His last Act He bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost As to the former his last Word It is finished This might be the probable intendment of it 1. It is finished That is Now is my Father's Eternal Council concerning me accomplished and now is the Promise that he made of my becoming a Sacrifice for Sin fulfilled both my Father's Purpose and my Father's Promise are now receiving their final Accomplishment 2. It is finished that is the Scriptures are now fulfilled all the Types that did prefigure me all the Prophetical Predictions that were made of me all the Jewish Sacrifices that pointed at me have now received their final accomplishment in me and are abolished in my Death 3. It is finished that is my Sufferings are now ended my Race is Run my work is done I am now putting my last Hand to it my Death is before me I have finished the Work the whole Work which I came into the World for doing as well as dying all is upon the matter compleated it is just finishing it will be instantly finished Again 4. It is finished that is the Fury and Malice the Rage and Revenge of my Enemies is now ended they have done their worst the Chief Priests and Soldiers the Judges and Witnesses the Executioners and Tormenters have all tired out themselves with the Exercise of their own Malice but now their Spite and Spleen their Envy and Enmity is ended and the Son of God's at Rest 5. It is finished that is the Glorious work of Man's Redemption and Salvation is perfected and performed consummated and compleated the Price is paid Satisfaction is given Redemption is purchased and Salvation insured to a miserable World Woe unto us if Christ had left but one farthing of our Debt to the Justice of God unpaid we must have lain in Hell to all Eternity as being insolvend But Christ has by one offering for ever perfected them that are sanctified Learn hence That Jesus Christ hath perfected and compleatly finished the great work of Redemption committed to him by God the Father Observe 2. Our Saviour's last Act. He bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost Whence learn The spontaneity and voluntariness of Christ's Sufferings how freely he surrendred to Death his Soul was not rent from him but yeilded up to God by him Christ was a volunteer in dying tho' his Death was a violent Death yet it was a voluntary Sacrifice He bowed his
Head and gave up the Ghost 31 The Jews therefore because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day for that sabbath-day was an high day besought Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away 32 Then came the souldiers and brake the legs of the first and of the other which was Crucified with him 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his legs 34 But one of the souldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out bloud and water 35 And he that saw it bare record and his record is true and he knoweth that he saith true that ye might believe 36 For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled A bone of him shall not be broken 37 And again another scripture saith They shall look on him whom they pierced These Verses contain several remarkable passages tending to the Confirmation of our Faith in the Belief of the certainty and reality of our Saviour's Death in which the Jews the Soldiers and St. John do all give their several and sufficient Evidences Observe 1. The Jews part in clearing up this Truth They desire Pilate who had Power alone to dispose of the Dead Bodies of condemned Persons that the Legs of the crucified Persons might be broken to hasten their Death that so they might be taken away and buried because according to the Law Deut. 21.22 23. the Land was defiled with those that were hang'd if not timely buried and they judged if the Bodies of these Persons did remain on the Cross all that Night and the next Sabbath Day which was an high day the ordinary Sabbath and the first Day of the Passover or Feast of unleavened Bread meeting together it might pollute both them and their Feast Where Note The cursed Hypocrisie of these Jews they look upon themselves as strictly bound to observe an outward Ceremony but their Consciences never scruple to violate the most weighty Precepts of the moral Law they strictly observe the Ceremonial Precept that the dead bodies should not remain upon the Cross but they scruple not to Crucifie the Son of God and to use him with the utmost Rigour desiring his Bones may be broken Observe 2. the Soldiers part contributing to clear the Truth of Christ's Death they execute what the Jews had desired and Pilate granted breaking the Legs of the two Thieves but not of Jesus because he was already Dead but one of the Soldiers resolving to make sure work thrusts a Spear into his Side and there came out straight way Blood and Water proving that he was really Dead All which points out to us that it is he who came by Water and Blood 1 John 5.6 and that from the merit and efficacy of his Death there floweth out Blood for the obtaining Remission of Sin and Water to Regenerate and wash us from our Uncleanness From the Barbarous Soldiers peircing of Christ's Side after he was Dead We learn That no cruelty was omitted towards Christ either Dead or alive which might testifie the great desert of our Sin nor was there any needful Evidence wanting which might make clear the Truth of his Death the Soldier 's piercing of our Saviour's Side was at once an exercise of their Cruelty and an Evidence of the certainty of Christ's Death Observe 3. St. John's part in this Evidence he avouches that Christ really died and expresly affirms that he saw it with his own Eyes for the confirmation of our Faith he that saw it bare Record and his Record is True And farther shews that by these Actions of the Soldiers That was done by which several Scripture-Prophecies were fulfilled and received their Accomplishment particularly That of Exod. 12.46 concerning the Paschal Lamb which was a Type of Christ that a Bone of it should not be broken and that prediction Zach. 12.10 They shall look on him whom they have pierced Learn hence That Christ is the Truth and Substance of that Type the Paschal Lamb mentioned Exod. 12. and the True Passover Sacrificed for us therefore what was ordained concerning the Paschal Lamb is applied here to Christ as the Substance of that Type A Bone of him shall not be broken 38 ¶ And after this Joseph of Arimathea being a disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jews besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus and Pilate gave him leave he came therefore and took the body of Jesus 39 And there came also Nicodemus which at the first came to Jesus by night and brought a mixture of myrrhe and aloes about an hundred pound weight 40 Then took they the body of Jesus and wound it in linen clothes with the spices as the manner of the Jews is to bury 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid 42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews preparation day for the sepulchre was nigh at hand This last Paragraph of the Chapter gives us an Account of our Lord 's Honourable Burial such a Funeral as never was since Graves were first digg'd Where Observe 1. Our Lord's Body must be begg'd before it could be buried the dead Bodies of Malefactours being in the Power and at the Disposal of the Judg Pilate grants it and accordingly the dead Body is taken down wrapped in fine Linnen and prepared for the Sepulchre Observe 2. The Persons who bestowed this Honourable Burial upon Christ Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus the one provided fine Linen the other fine Spices and they jointly wound and embalmed his Body after the Jewish manner both of them Worthy tho' close Disciples Grace doth not always make a publick and open shew where it is But as there is much secret Treasure unseen in the Bowels of the Earth so is there much Grace in the Hearts of some Saints which the World takes little notice of We Read of none of the Apostles at Christ's Funeral fear had put them to flight but Joseph and Nicodemus appear bold If God strengthen the weak and leave the strong to the prevalency of their own fears the weak shall be as David and the strong as Tow. Observe 3. The Grave or Sepulchre in which our Lord was buried it was a Sepulchre in a Garden to expiate Adam's Sin committed in a Garden as by the Sin of the First Adam we were driven out of Paradice the Garden of Pleasure so by the Sufferings of the Second Adam who lay buried in a Garden we may hope for Entrance into the Heavenly Paradice And it was in a new Sepulchre wherein never any Man was laid lest his Adversaries should say it was another that was Risen who was buried there before or that he Arose as one of the Old Prophets did by touching the Bones of some other Dead Person Observe 4. The
she wept she stouped down and looked into the sepulchre 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had layen Here we have a Description of the great Love of Mary Magdalene which she expressed towards Christ after his Resurrection she went to his Sepulchre early when it was yet dark she hastily calls the Disciples Peter and John to the Sepulchre And she stays behind weeping at the Sepulchre when they were gone away to their own home And as Mary first sought him and longest sought him so she first finds him Here Note 1. Mary's carriage and behaviour towards her Saviour this is discovered by her patient attendance She stood without at the Sepulchre by her passionate mourning she stood at the Sepulchre weeping by her unwearied diligence she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre here was great Love indeed in this poor Woman a Love stronger than Death a Love which did out-strip and go beyond the greatest Apostles Learn thence 1. That true Love to Christ suffers not it self to be stinted or limited no not by the greatest Examples the weakest Woman that truly Loves Christ may piously strive with the greatest Apostle in this point though he be Learneder Wiser more Useful and more Eminent than any of us yet it is Holy and Wise not to suffer our selves to be exceeded by any in our Love to Christ every Christian may strive to exceed any one in Grace and to attain the highest place in the Kingdom of Heaven Learn 2. That strong Love is valiant and undaunted it will grapple and encounter with the strongest opposition Mary fears nothing in seeking of her Lord neither the darkness of the Night nor the terror of the Soldiers nor the malice of the Jews Love is strong as Death and the Flames thereof are vehement Note farther The success of Mary Magdalen's Love to Christ and unwearied Attendance on his Sepulchre she found not the Dead Body of Christ and it was well she did not for if Death could have held him it would not have let us go But though she found not her Lord in the Grave she found two of his Servants there two Angels of all things in the World one would least have expected to find an Angel in a Grave Spirits in the place of Dead Bodies and Immortality in the place of Corruption But from hence we Learn That such as sincerely seek the Lord shall certainly find if not the very thing which they seek yet that which is much fitter and better for them Mary did not find Christ's Dead Body but she finds that which was more comfortable for her to find Namely Two Angels to testifie that he was Risen Where Note The posture of these Angels described the one sitting at the Head the other at the Feet It is matter of Comfort to the Members of Christ that Angels do not wait upon the Head only but upon the Feet also And it ought to be matter of imitation also Let us imitate our blessed Saviour in having an Angel not at our Head only but at our Feet also many have an Ambition to have an Angel at their Head a great measure of Light and Knowledge there but they care not for an Angel at their Feet they delight not to walk answerably to their Light and Knowledge they have an Angelical Understanding and a Diabolical Conversation it is sad for a Man to have all his Religion in his Brain and Tongue and nothing in his Heart and Life 13 And they say unto her Woman why weepest thou She saith unto them because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him 14 And when she had thus said she turned her self back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus 15 Jesus saith unto her Woman Why weepest thou Whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the gardner saith unto him Sir if thou have born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away Observe here 1. That the best company in the World will not satisfie or content such as are seeking for Jesus Christ when they find not him whom their Souls seek Mary now enjoyed the Presence and Company of two Angels but this did not satisfie her in the Absence of Christ himself Observe 2. How Passionately did Mary mourn for the Loss and want of Christ's Bodily Presence thereby giving Testimony of her great Affection towards him but truly our Love to Christ is best shewn not by our Passionate desires for his Bodily Presence but by our Holy longings after his Spiritual Presence in his Word and Ordinances here on Earth and his blessed and immediate Presence in Heaven Observe 3. How Christ may be present with and very near unto his People and yet not be presently discerned by them Jesus stood by Mary but she knew not that it was Jesus her not expecting a living Christ was one cause why she did not discern him Observe 4. How exceedingly Mary's thoughts were taken up with Christ she saith to the Gardiner If thou hast born him hence What Him She doth not say whom but her Heart was so taken up with Christ and her Mind so full of him that she concluded every body would understand whom she meant though she did not say whom she meant Hence Note That the Soul of a sincere Believer is full of earnest and longing desires after Jesus Christ 2. That such a Soul is yet sometimes at a loss for Christ and cannot tell where to find him 3. That whilst the Soul is at a loss for Christ its desires are often quicker and more stirring after Christ This was the case of Mary here with the Spouse by Night on her Bed and early in the Morning she sought him whom her Soul loved 16 Jesus saith unto her Mary She turned her self and saith unto him Raboni which is to say Master 17 Jesus saith unto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God In the former of these Verses Christ makes himself known to Mary and calleth her by her Name In the latter he gives her a Prohibition and an Injunction Observe 1. The Prohibition Touch me not together with the Reason of it for I am not yet ascended to my Father It is concluded by Interpreters that Mary Magdalene was now fallen at Christ's Feet and embraced them that having found him whom her Soul loveth she hugs him now and hangs about him but Christ forbids any farther embracing and rejects such Testimonies of her Love as if he had said Although I will allow you as much familiarity as shall satisfactorily Convince you of the verity of my Resurrection yet you must not expect to converse with me in that carnal manner which you did before my Death for I
condition that separated Souls are in after Death Thus the Miracles of Christ drew many followers after his Person who were never converted by his Doctrine It was the Sin of many when Christ was here upon Earth that they flock'd after him rather out of Curiosity than out of Conscience and chose rather to gaze upon his Works than to fall in Love with the Worker The Multitude here came to Bethany Not for Jesus's sake onely but that they might see Lazarus also 10 ¶ But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death 11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus Observe here 1. The unreasonableness of that Rage and Madness which was found in the chief Priests against Lazarus They consulted together how they might put Lazarus to Death But supposing that Christ had spoken Blasphemy in making himself equal with God or supposing that he had broken the Sabbath by curing the Man that was Born Blind on that Day yet what had Lazarus done that he must be put to Death But from hence we learn That such as have received special Mercy and Favours from Christ or are made the Instruments of his Glory must expect to be made the Mark and Butt of malicious Enemies Christ had highly honoured Lazarus by raising him from the Grave and here there is a Resolution against his Life whom Christ had thus highly Honoured The chief Priests consulted that they might put Lazarus to Death also Observe 2. The cause why the Chief Priests consulted that they might put Lazarus to Death Namely Because that by Reason of him many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus That is many of the Jews seeing the Miracle of Christ's raising Lazarus from the Grave were drawn thereby to Believe in Jesus Christ and this so inraged the Chief Priests against Lazarus that they sought to put him to Death Learn hence That nothing so much enrages the Enemies of Christ as the enlargement of his Kingdom and the sight of the number of Believers daily encreasing This provokes the Devil's wrath and his Servants rage 12 ¶ On the next day much people that were come to the Feast when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem 13 Took branches of palm-trees and went forth to meet him and cried Hosanna blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. 14 And Jesus when he had found a young ass sat thereon as it is written 15 Fear not daughter of Sion behold thy King cometh fitting on an asses colt 16 These things understood not his disciples at the first but when Jesus was glorified then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him Here we have Recorded the carriage of the Multitude towards our Saviour when he came near the City of Jerusalem They take Palms in their Hands and go forth to meet him and cast their Garments on the Ground before him to Ride upon yea they do not only Disrobe their Backs but expend their Breath in joyful Acclamations and loud Hosannahs wishing all manner of Prosperity to their meek but mighty King In this Prince-like yet Poor and Despicable Pomp doth our Saviour enter the Famous City of Jerusalem Lord How far wert thou from affecting Worldly Greatness and Grandeur Thou despisest that Glory which our Hearts fondly Admire Yet because Christ was a King he would be proclaimed such and have his Kingdom confest and applauded and blest Yet that it might appear that his Kingdom was not of this World he abandons all Worldly magnificence Oh Glorious yet homely Pomp Oh meek but mighty Prince 17 The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave and raised him from the dead bare record 18 For this cause the people also met him for that they heard that he had done this miracle 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing behold the world is gone after him 20 ¶ And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast 21 The same came therefore to Philip which was of Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him saying Sir we would see Jesus 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew and again Andrew and Philip told Jesus Observe here 1. How the Multitude at Jerusalem came forth to meet Christ when he was making his publick entry into the City hearing the fame of his Miracles For this cause the People also met him for that they had heard that he had done this Miracle Observe 2. How amongst others who came forth to meet our Saviour certain Greeks or Gentile Proselytes who came up to worship in the outward Court of the Temple apply themselves to Philip that he would help them to a sight of Jesus Sir we would see Jesus It is probable that this desire to see Christ in these persons proceeded from Curiosity only But if it did produce true Faith in them we may thence infer That a spiritual sight of Christ by the discerning Eye of a Believer's Faith it is the most glorious and consequently the most desirable sight in all the World and so must needs be for it is a Soul-Ravishing a Soul-Satisfying a Soul-Transforming and a Soul-Saving sight This sight of Christ by Faith will constrain a Soul highly to admire and greatly to commend him It will incline a Soul to chuse him and cleave unto him and will set the Soul a longing for the full fruition and final injoyment of him Luke 2.29 Mine eyes have seen thy Salvation now let thy Servant depart Observe lastly How the Envious Pharisees were galled and cut to the Heart to see such a Multitude both of Jews and Greeks crouding out of the City to meet Jesus in his Triumphant entrance into the City The Pharisees said Behold the World is gone after him Learn hence That in the day of Christ's greatest Solemnity and Triumph there will not be wanting some persons of such a canker'd disposition that they will neither rejoyce themselves nor can they endure that others should This was the case of the wicked Pharisees here 23 ¶ And Jesus answered them saying The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified 24 Verily verily I say unto you Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal Observe here 1. How our blessed Saviour entertains his followers with a Discourse concerning his approaching Death and Sufferings The hour is coming that the Son of Man shall be glorified Observe 2. How he Arms his Disciples against the scandal of the Cross by shewing them the great Benefit that would redound by his Death unto all Mankind and this by a Similitude taken from Grain Except