Futurities to know things that shall come to pass hereafter and when that hereafter is to come to pass Oh! how happy were we if 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 5 And Jesus answering them began to say take heed lest any man deceive you 6 For many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many 7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars be ye not troubled for such things must needs be but the end shall not be yet 8 For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be earthquakes in divers places and there shall be famines and troubles These are the beginnings of sorrow 9 But take heed to your selves for they shall deliver you up to Councils and in the Synagogues ye shall be beaten and ye shall be brought before Rulers and Kings for my Sake for a Testimony against them 10 And the Gospel must first be published among all Nations Here and in the following Verses our Saviour gives his Disciples the Signs which should Fore-run the Destruction of Jerusalem the first of which was this that there should arise false Christs false Prophets and Seducers such as Theudas and others under the Name and Person of the Messias some affirming themselves to be Christ Personal or the promised Messiah others to be Christ Doctrinal affirming their Erroneous Opinions to be the Mind and Doctrine of Jesus Christ Learn hence That as there will be many Seducers before the end of the World for Jerusalem's Destruction was a Type and Emblem of the World's Destruction and many will be seduced and misled by them So it is the Duty of Christ's own Disciples to take heed lest they being also led away by the Error of the Wicked do fall from their own stedfastness Take heed says Christ That no man deceive you for many will come in my Name saying I am Christ and will deceive many The Second Sign of Jerusalem's Destruction was Wars and Rumours of Wars that is Civil Broyls and intestin Commotion amongst themselves as also Famine and Earth-quakes Whence Note That War and Fire Earth-quakes and Famine are Judgments and Calamities inflicted by God upon a sinful People for their Contempt of Christ and Gospel-Grace 2. That although these be very Terrible Judgments and desolating Calamities yet to an incorrigible and irreclaimable People are they the Fore-runners of worser Judgments These are says Christ the beginning of Sorrows The third Sign of this approaching Destruction was a general Persecution of the Ministers of the Gospel for Preâ—ching the Doctrine of the Gospel to a lost World Ye shall be beaten and brought before Kings for my sake for a Testimony From whence Note That the Preaching of the Gospel where ever it comes it will be for a Testimony to them to whom it comes either a Testimony for them or against them to the Humble it is a Testimony for to Despisers and Scorners it is a Testimony against if the Dust of the Ministers Feet bear Witness against the Despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more The word of God delivered in the Scriptures and dispensed in the Ministry thereof hath its divers and contrary Effects upon different and contrary Subiects from both which yet Almighty God knows how to Raise his own Glory to the Humble and Teachable the Gospel is in Adjutorium to the Scorners and Despisers it will be in Testimonium to some the Savour of Life unto Life to others the Savour of Death unto Death 11 But when they shall lead you and deliver you up take no thought before hand what ye shall speak neither do ye premeditate But whatsoever shall be given you in that Hour that speak ye for it is not ye that speak but the Holy Ghost 12 Now the Brother shall Betray the Brother to death and the Father the Son and Children shall rise up against their Parents and shall cause them to be put to Death 13 And ye shall be hated of all Men for my Names sake but he that shall endure to the end the same shall be Saved Here our Saviour Acquaints his Disciples That for Preaching the Gospel they should be brought before Kings and Rulers but Advises them when they should be so brought not to be Anxiously Thoughtful and Sollicitous what they should say for it should be suggested to them by the Holy Ghost what to say in that Hour Learn thence That though the Truth of Christ may be opposed yet the Defenders of it shall never be ashamed for rather than they shall want a Tongue to plead for it God himselâ— will prompt them by his Holy Spirit and suggest such Arguments to them as all their Enemies shall not be able to gainsay Observe farther How our Saviour describes the bitter Enmity of the World against the Preachers of the Gospel to be such as would over come and extinguish even the Natural Affection of the nearest Relations one towards another The Brother shall betray the Brother tâ— Death Grace Teaches us to lay down our Lives for the Brethren but Corruption in General and Enmity to the Gâ—spel in particular teaches Brother to take away the Life oâ— Brother The Brother shall betray the Brother to Death Observe Lastly how our Saviour Comforts his Disciples that there would be an End of these their sharp and bitter Sufferings assuring them that if their Faith and Patience did hold out unto the end they should be Saved this is our Comfort Our Sufferings for Christ may be sharp but they shall be short if our Sufferinâ—s for Christ end not in our Life-time they will end with our Lives 14 When ye shall see the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing where it ought not let him that readeth understand The sense is When ye shall see the Roman Army which is an Abomination to you and an occasion of great Desolation wherever it goes when you shall see that Abominable Desolating Army Begirting the City of Jerusalem in order to her Ruin and being laid waste Then call to mind the Prophecy of Daniel which primarily respected Antiochus but secondarily Titus the Roman Emperour and shall now be fully Compleated for the Siege shall not be Raised till both City and Temple be Razed to the Ground From whence Learn 1. That God has Instruments ready at his call to lay waste the strongest Cities and to Ruine the most Flourishing Kingdoms which do reject his Son and refuse the Tenders of his Grace 2. That God can and sometimes doth make use of those very Persons whom Sinners most abhor to be the Instruments oâ— their Punishment and the occasions of their Destruction The Roman Army which was an Abomination to the Jews did God destroy them by 15 Then let them in Judea flee to the Mountains and let him
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
and that which is Almighty can raise all Men. It was not so much for the Child's sake as the Mothers sake that the Son was Raised it was an injury to the Son tho' a kindness to the Mother for he must twice pass thro' the Gates of Death to others once it returned him from Rest to Labour from the peaceful Harbour back again to the Tempestuous Ocean Observe Lastly What effect this Miracle had upon the Multitude seeing the Divine Power thus manifestly exerted they are filled with Astonishment and Amazement they look upon our Saviour with awful and admiring Looks They glorify and praise God for sending a great Prophet amongst them accounting it a great act of Favour that God had in this wonderful manner visited his People yet a Prophet was the highest Name they could find for him whom they saw like themselves in shape but above themselves in power a Great Prophet is risen up amongst us and God has visited his people 18 And the Disciples of John shewed him of all these things 19 And John calling unto him two of his Disciples sent them unto Jesus saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another 20 When the men were come unto him they said John Baptist hath sent us unto thee saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of evil Spirits and unto many that were blind he gave sight 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them Go your way and tell John what things ye have seen and heard how that the Blind see the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed the Deaf hear the Dead are raised to the poor the Gospel is preached 23 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me About the time of our Saviour's appearing in the World there was a general Expectation of a great Prince that should come out of Judea and govern all Nations This Prince the Jews called the Messias or the anointed and waited for his Appearance Accordingly when John the Baptist appeared in the quality of an extraordinary Prophet the Jews sent to know of him whether he was the Messias or not John 1.19 he answered that he was not but only the Harbinger and Fore-runner of the Messias So that it is very evident that it was not for John's own information that he sent two of his Disciples to Christ to know whether he was the Messias or not for John was assured of it himself by a voice from Heaven at our Saviour's Baptism Matth. 3. last but it was for his Disciples Satisfaction that he sent them to Jesus because John's Disciples were unwilling to acknowledge Christ to be the Messias out of a great Zeal for the honour of him their Master they were not willing to own any Person greater then John their Master lest such an Acknowledgment should Eclipse and cloud him from whence we may Note how the Judgments of the Best Men are very apt to be Byassed and Perverted by Faction or Interest no doubt John's Disciples were good Men and no doubt their Master had often told them as he did others that he was not the Messias yet they will not believe their own Master when they apprehend him to speak against their own Interest for they knew that they must Rise and Fall in their Reputation and Esteem as their Master did therefore that John's Disciples might receive full satisfaction from Christ he sends two of his Disciples to him to hear his Doctrine and see his Miracles for John perceiving his Disciples to be ill-affected towards our Saviour and hearing them speak with some Envy of his Miracles he sent them to him that being Eye-witnesses of what he did they might be convinced who he was Observe next the way and means which our Saviour takes to convince and satisfy John's Disciples that he was the true Messias he appeals to the Miracles wrought by himself and submits those Miracles to the Judgment and Examination of their Senses Go and shew John the Miracles which you hear and see the Blind receive their sight the lame walk the deaf hear Christ was all this in a Literal and Spiritual Sense also he was an Eye of Understanding to the Ignorant a Foot of Power to the weak he opened an Ear in Deaf Hearts to receive the word of Life and the poor receive and embrace the Gospel Miracles are the highest Attestation and the greatest external Confirmation and Evidence that can be given to the Truth and Divinity of any Doctrine Now our Saviour's Miracles for their Nature they were Divine and God-like they were healing and beneficial to Mankind freeing Men from the greatest Calamities of Humane Life for their number they were many for their manner of their Operation they were publickly wrought in the Sight and View of Multitudes of people to free them from all suspicion of fraud and Imposture he wrought them before his Enemies as well as in the presence of his Friends and Followers and this not done once or twice or in one place but at several times and in several places wherever he came and this for a long time even for three years and an half so that our Blessed Saviour had all the Attestation that Miracles can give to Evidence himself the true and promised Messias 22 To the poor the Gospel is preached The poor Hear and Receive the Gospel See on Matth. 11.5 Note that all along in our Saviour's time and since the poor of the World have been more disposed to hear and embrace the Gospel then other men and the Reasons of it are these 1. Because the poor have no Worldly Interest to Engage them to reject Christ and his Gospel the High Priests the Scribes and Pharisees had a plain Worldly Interest to engage them to oppose Christ and his Doctrine But the Poor were free from these Incumbrances and Temptations They had nothing to loose therefore our Saviour's Doctrine went down more easily with them because it did not Contradict their Interests as it did the Interest of those who had great Possessions 2. Those that are poor and enjoy little of the good things of this Life are willing to entertain the glad Tidings of Happiness in another Life Such as are in a State of misery here are glad to understand that it shall be well with them hereafter and are willing to listen to the good News of a future Happiness whereas the Rich who have had their Consolation here are not much concerned what will become of them hereafter 23 And Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me No doubt our Saviour uttered these words with particular Respect and Reference to John's Disciples who out of an extraordinary Zeal for the honour of their Master were prejudiced against our Saviour but the general import of the wordS doth shew that there are many to whom Christ is a Rock of Offence the Jews were offended at
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
to Worship him Obs 2. Herod calls him the young Child not the young King that Word was too big to come out of Herod's proud Mouth he could neither bear the Thing nor brook the Title Obs 3. How craftily Herod lays his Plot he desires the Wise Men to inquire thoroughly and to inform him privately To be Wise in doing Mischief is the worst Wisdom in the World 'T is not the Wisdom from above but from Hell beneath 9 When they had heard the king they departed and lo the star which they saw in the east went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was 10 When they saw the star they rejoyced with exceeding great joy 11 And when they were come into the house they saw the young child with Mary his mother and fell down and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures they presented unto him gifts gold and frankincense and myrrh Observe here 1. How the Star which for some time disappeared now appears again to their farther Direction in finding Christ Teaching us That God will not be wanting to such as are on the Way to seek Christ but will renew Directions and Encouragements to them according as they stand in need none ever sincerely sought Christ but they certainly found him at the last Obs 2. That the Joy which arises in such a Soul as has found Christ is unutterable and unspeakable the Wise Men here Rejoyced with Joy with great Joy with exceeding great Joy Obs 3. The Wise Men having found this young King they bring Presents to him according to the manner of the Eastern Countries namely Gold Frankincense and Myrrh which were the principal Commodities of the East But the best Present we can make to Christ is our Selves he seeks not Ours but Us and rather desires what we are than what we have Yet the Providence of God was wonderfully seen in these Presents for hereby Provision was made for the Sustenance of Joseph and Mary and the Child Jesus in their Exile or Flight into Egypt which they were shortly to undergo 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod they departed into their own countrey another way God having warned the Wise Men in a Dream not to go back to Herod they return home another way But did these Wise Men play the Parts of Honest Men in that they returned not again to Herod Answ It appears not that they promised Herod to return tho' he expected it or if they did it was in consideration that Herod should Come and Worship Christ not Murther and Destroy him But if they promised him never so positively God Almighty gave them a Dispensation from that Promise by commanding them to return home another way Herod kept his Design against Christ close from the Wise Men but he could not conceal his Intentions from the infinitely Wise God he knew the Purposes of his Heart and by his Providence kept Christ out of his Hand There is no Wisdom nor Understanding nor Counsel against the Lord. 13 And when they were departed behold the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream saying Arise and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt and be thou there until I bring thee word for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him 14 When he arose he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt 15 And was there until the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying Out of Egypt have I called my Son Obs here 1. How our Lord himself in a time of Persecution flies for Safety who was able a thousand ways to have preserv'd himself from Danger Teaching us That in times of Difficulty and Danger 't is neither unwarrantable nor unbecoming to preserve our Lives by flight surely 't is no Shame for us to fly when our Captain doth both practise it and command it also Christ by his own Example has sanctified that State of Life unto us and by his Command has made it lawful for us Obs 2. The Place which Christ flies unto for Safety and that is Egypt an unlikely Place considered in it self Who could expect Liberty in that House of Bondage But any Place is good if God sends us thither and Christ be in our company his Presence can make Egypt it self not only safe but delightful also Obs 3. How readily Joseph complies with the Divine Command instantly He arose and took the young Child and fled Teaching us That when our Direction is clear our Compliance should be speedy We cannot be too forward and expeditious in the Execution of Divine Commands Obs 4. Tho' Joseph at the Command of God flies presently from Herod's Rage yet he flies privately by Night and prudentially begins his Journey when least Notice should be taken of his Motion Teaching us That altho' we have never so many Promises of Safety and Deliverance yet we must not put God upâ—â— Working Miracles for our Preservation when it may be obtained in the Use of Means 16 Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men Obs How Herod having play'd the Fox before he acts the Lion now his secret Policy not succeeding he breaks out into open and inhumane Cruelty Learn That when Fraud and Subtilty fail the Enemies of the Church they then fall to open Rage and barbarous Inhumanity Thus here these Holy Innocents fall as a Sacrifice to Herod's Rage and Die for Christ who came to Die for them and so were Martyrs in Deed tho' not in Will Some affirm that Herod did not spare his own Child then at Nurse in the Coasts of Bethlehem which made Augustus say He had rather be Herod's Hog than Herod's Child because the Jews did kill and eat no Swine's Flesh 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet saying 18 In Rama was there a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they are not Observe here The loud and bitter Cry which the Mothers of Bethlehem make for the Death of their innocent Children which were barbarously slain by the Sword of Herod Here was Lamentation Weeping and great Mourning made by Rachel that is by the Women inhabiting in and about Bethlehem where Rachel's Sepulcher was for the Land about Bethlehem was called Rachel from her Sepulcher so famous in those Parts Rachel here is not the Name of a Person but of a Place Obs 2. The Cause and Reason of this Cry and bitter Lamentation the Mothers weep not because their Children are but because they are not they did not with some
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
give it a Civil Salutation but especially a Christian and Spiritual Salute wishing them Mercy Grace and Peace 3. He encourages his Apostles in the want of Success if they hear you not Shake off the Dust of your Feet This Action was Emblematical and signified That Almighty God would in like manner shake off them and esteem them no better than the vilest Dust Note That those who despise the Message which the Ministers of the Gospel bring shall hereafter find the Dust of their Feet and the Ashes of their Grave to give a Judicial Testimony against them in the Day of CHRIST Where-ever the Word is Preached 't is for a Testimony against them for if the Dust of a Minister's Feet bear Witness against the Despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more 16 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves Our Saviour in this and the following Verses arms his Apostles against all the Difficulties Dangers and Discouragements which they might meet with in the Course of their Ministry He tells them he sent them forth as Sheep amongst Wolves intimating thereby unto them that the Enemies of the Gospel have as great an Inclination from their Malicious Nature to devour and destroy the Ministers of Christ as Wolves have from their natural temper to devour Sheep He therefore recommends to them Prudence and Innocence Be wise as Serpents to avoid the World's Injuries and Harmless as Doves in not revenging them The Ministers of Christ must not be altogether Doves lest they fall into Dangers nor altogether as Serpents lest they endanger others For as Piety without Policy is too simple to be safe so Policy without Piety is too subtil to be good Our Saviour in this Text teaches us That Wisdom and Innocency should dwell together 17 But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues 18 And ye shall be brought before governours and kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the gentiles 19 But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak 20 For it is not ye that speak but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Here our Saviour lets his Apostles know that for their Owning Him and Preaching his Gospel they should be brought before all sorts of Magistrates and in all kinds of Courts But he advises them when they are brought before Kings and Princes not to be anxiously thoughtful what they should say for it should be given in that Hour what they should Answer Learn hence That tho' Truth may be opposed yet Truth 's Defenders shall never be ashamed and rather than they shall want a Tongue to plead for it GOD himself will prompt them by his Spirit and suggest such Truths to their Minds as all their Opposers shall not be able to gainsay 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the child and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but he that indureth to the end shall be saved Our Saviour goes on in a farther Discovery of the World's Hatred and Enmity against the Gospel and the Preachers of it and gives all Christians in general and his Ministers in particular to understand That such is the Enmity of the World against Holiness and the Professors of it that it will overcome and extinguish even the Natural Affection of the nearest and dearest Relations towards each other Grace teaches us To lay down our Lives for the Brethren but Corruption teaches Brother to take away the Life of Brother The Brother shall deliver the Brother to Death Yet Observe Our Saviour comforts his Disciples that there will be an end of these Sufferings and assures them That if their Faith and Patience did hold out unto the end they should be saved This is our Comfort that if our Sufferings for Christ end not in our Life-time they will end with our Lives 23 But when they persecute you in this city flee ye into another for verily I say unto you Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come Our Saviour here directs his Apostles to a prudent Care of their own Preservation and allows them to flee in time of Persecution assuring them That before they had gone through all the Cities of the Jews Preaching the Gospel he would certainly come in Judgment against Jerusalem and with Severity destroy his own Murtherers and their Persecutors Learn That Christ allows his Ministers the liberty of Flight in time of Persecution that they may preserve their Lives for future Service Surely 't is no Shame to fly when our Captain commands it and also practises it Matth. 2. Christ by his own Example has Sanctified that State of Life unto us and by his Command made it Lawful for us 24 The disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his lord 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Our Saviour here teaches all Christians but especially Ministers how unreasonable and absurd it is for them to expect kinder Usage from an unkind World than he Himself met with Are we greater holier or wiser than He Why then should we expect better Usage than he Was he hated persecuted reviled murthered for the Holiness of his Doctrine and the Vsefulness of his Life Why then should any of us Think strange of the Fiery Tryal as if some strange thing had befaln us 1 Pet. 4.12 Is it not enough That the Disciple be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord but must he hope to be above him 26 Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known 27 What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye on the house tops Christ here exhorts his Disciples to a free Profession and open Publication of the Doctrine of the Gospel from this Consideration That whatever they say or do shall be brought to light proclaimed and published to the World As Wicked Men have cause to fear because their Evil Deeds shall be made evident so Good Men have cause to rejoice because their Goodness and Good Deeds shall be made manifest Let it be our Care to do Good and it shall be CHRIST's Care to discover the Goodness which we do to vindicate it from Misconstruction and set it in its clearest Light 28 And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul
is no Desire like unto God's Desire of a People's Repentance no Longing like unto God's Longing for a People's Salvation Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee When shall it once be CHAP. XXIV 1 AND Jesus went out and departed from the temple and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple 2 And Jesus said unto them See ye not all these things Verily I say unto you There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Our Blessed Saviour had often acquainted his Disciples with his approaching Death at Jerusalem The Son of Man must go up to Jerusalem to be Crucified Now in this Chapter he acquaints them with the Destruction that should come upon Jerusalem in general and upon the Temple in particular for their putting him the Son of God to Death The Disciples looking upon the Temple with Wonder and Admiration were apt to think that the Temple in regard of its invincible Strength could not be destroyed or that at least in regard of its incredible Magnificence 't was great pity it should be destroyed and accordingly they say to Christ See what goodly Buildings are here as if they had said Master what great Pity is it that such a magnificent Structure should become a ruinous Heap But hence we Learn 1. That Sin brings Cities and Kingdoms as well as particular and private Persons to their end There are no places so strong but an Almighty God is able to destroy them and Sin is sufficient to lay them waste Observe 2. That the Threatnings of God are to be feared and shall be fulfilled whatever appearing Improbabilities there may be to the contrary God had threatned Jerusalem with Destruction for her Sin and now it is not all her Strength that can oppose his Power Learn 3. That notwithstanding Magnificence and Worldly Glory doth mightily dazle our Eye yet how little doth it affect Christ's Heart Even the Temple it self that most magnificent Structure Christ values no more than an Heap of Rubbish when the Impiety of the Worshippers had devoted it to Destruction Not one Stone says Christ shall be left upon another unthrown down This threatning was fulfill'd Forty Years after Christ's Death when Titus the Roman Emperor destroyed the City and burnt the Temple and Turnus Rufus the General of his Army ploughed up the very Foundation upon which the Temple stood Thus was the Threatning of God fulfilled Jer. 26.18 Zion shall be ploughed as a Field and Jerusalem shall become Heaps The Truth and Veracity the Faithfulness and Fidelity of God is as much concerned in the Execution of his Threatnings as in the Performance of his Promises 3 And as he sat upon the mount of olives the disciples came unto him privately saying Tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the World 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them Take heed that no man deceive you 5 For many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many A double Question is here propounded by the Disciples to our Saviour First As to the time of the Temple's Destruction Secondly As to the Signs of that Destruction As to the former the time when the Temple should be destroyed See the Curiosity of Humane Nature both in desiring to know what should be hereafter and also when that hereafter should be Thence Learn That there is found with all of us an itching Curiosity and Desire rather to inquire and pry into the hidden Counsels of God's secret Will than to obey the manifest Declarations of God's revealed Will. Tell us when these things shall be As to their second Question What should be the Sign of his coming Our Saviour acquaints them with this amongst many others That there should arise false Christs false Prophets and Seducers a multitude of Impostors that should draw many after them therefore he bids them Take heed and beware Where Observe That Christ doth not gratifie his Disciples Curiosity but acquaints them with their present Duty to watch against Deceivers and Seducers who should have the Impudence to affirm themselves to be Christ Some Christ Personal or the Messiah others Christ Doctrinal affirming their erroneous Opinions to be Christ's Mind and Doctrine From the whole Note 1. That there will be many Seducers many erroneous Persons and false Opinions before the end of the World For Jerusalem's Destruction was a Type and Emblem of the World's Destruction 2. That such Seducers will come in Christ's Name and their Errors and false Opinions shall be given out to be the Mind of Christ 3. That many will be seduced and carried away with their fair Pretences and plausible Deceits 4. That Christ's own Disciples had need to take heed lest they themselves being led away by the Error of the Wicked do fall from their own Stedfastness Take heed that no Man deceive you for many will come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars see that ye be not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet 7 For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in divers places 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows The next Sign which our Saviour gives his Disciples of Jerusalem's Destruction is the many Broyls and Commotions civil Discords and Dissentions that should be found amongst the Jews Famines Pestilence and Earthquakes fearful Sights and Signs in the Air. And Josephus declares that there appeared in the Air Chariots and Horses Men skirmishing in the Clouds and encompassing the City and that a Blazing Star in fashion of a Sword hung over the City for a Year together Learn 1. 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 Wars Famine and Pestilence 2. That altho' these be mighty and terrible Judgments yet are they the Forerunners of worser Judgments All these are the Beginnings of Sorrow 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all nations for my Names sake 10 And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate on another 11 And many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many 12 And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold 13 But he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Our Saviour here goes on in giving farther Signs of the Destruction of Jerusalem 1. He declares the sharp Persecutions which should fall upon the Apostles themselves they shall kill you Thence Learn That the keenest and sharpest edge of Persecution is usually turn'd against the Ambassadors of Christ and falls heaviest on the
said by the Holy Ghost the 〈◊〉 sâ—id to my Lord sit thou on my right hand till I make thine Enemies thy footstool 37 Dâ—vid therefore himself calleth him Lord and whence is he then his Son and the common people heard him gladly The Pharisees had often put forth several questions malitiously unto Christ and now Christ puts forth one question innocently unto them namely What they thought of the Messiah whom they expected They reply that he was to be the Son of David that is a secular Prince descending from David who should deliver them from the power of the Romans and restore them to their Civil Rights This was the Notion they had of the Messiah that he should be a meer Man the Son of David according to the flesh and nothing more Our Saviour replys Whence is it then that David calls the Messiah Lord Psalm 110. v. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand how could he be both David's Lord and David's Son No Son being Lord to his own Father therefore if Christ were David s Soveraign he must be more than Man more then David's Son as Man so he was David's Son as God-man so he was David's Lord. Note hence 1. That although Christ was truly and really Man yet he was more then a bare Man he was Lord unto and the Salvation of his own Fore-fathers Note 2. That the only way to reconcile the Scriptures which speak concerning Christ is to believe and acknowledge him to be God and Man in one Preson the Messiah as Man was to come forth out of David's Loyns but as God-man he was David's Soveraign and Saviour As Man he was his Fathers Son as God he was Lord to his own Father 38 And he said unto them in his Doctrine beware of the Scribes which love to go in long cloathing and love Salutations in the market place 39 And the chief seats in the Synagogues and the uppermost rooms at feasts 40 Which devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers these shall receive greater Damnation Observe here What it is that our Saviour condemns not civil Salutations in the Market place not the chief seats in Synagogues not the uppermost Rooms at Feasts but their fond Affecting of these things and their Ambitious aspiring after them It was not their taking but their loving the uppermost Rooms at Feasts which Christ condemns Observe 2. How our Saviour condemns the Pharisees for their gross Hypocrisy in colouring over their Covetousness with a pretence of Religion making long Prayers in the Temple and Synagogues for Widows and thereupon perswading them to give bountifully to Corban that is the common Treasury for the Temple some part of which was imployed for their maintenance whence we learn that it is no new thing for designing Hypocrites to cover the fowlest Transgression with the cloak of Religion The Pharisees made long Prayers a cloak and cover for their Covetousness 41 And Jesus sat over against the Treasury and beheld how the people cast money into the Treasury and many that were rich cast in much 42 And there came a certain poor widow and she threw in two mites which makes a farthing 43 And he called unto him his Disciciples and saith unto them verily I say unto you that this poor Widow hath cast more in then all they which have cast into the Treasury 44. For all they did cast in of their abundance but she of her want did cast in all that she had even all her living As our blessed Saviour sat over against the Treasury that is that part of the Court of the Temple where the Corban or Chests for receiving the Peoples Offerings and Gifts were set he observed and took notice of those that offered their Oblations and some that were rich offered very liberally but a certain poor Widow came and offered two Mites Our Saviour hereupon takes occasion to instruct his Disciples in this comfortable Truth namely that Almighty God accepts the will of those that give chearfully though they cannot give largely This poor Woman cast in more in respect of the inward affection of her heart and in proportion to her estate then all those that were Rich and Wealthy that had cast in before her a mite to her being more then a pound to them From the whole Note 1. That the poorer yea the poorest sort of People are not exempted from good works even they must exercise charity according to their Abilities Learn 2. That in all works of pious charity which we perform God looks at the heart the will and the affection of the Giver more then at the largeness and liberality of the Gift if there be a willing mind says the Apostle 2 Câ—r 8.12 It is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not CHAP. XIII 1 AND as he went out of the Temple one of his Disciples saith unto him Master see what manner of stones and what buildings are here 2 And Jesus answering said unto him seest thou these great buildings there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Our blessed Saviour being now ready to depart from the Temple never more after this entring into it and his Disciples shewing him with wonder and admiration the magnificient Structures and Buildings thereof apprehending that in regard of its invincible strength it could not be destroyed or that at least in regard of its incredible magnificence it was great pitty it should be destroyed They say to Christ Master behold what Buildings are here not considering how sin will undermine and blow up the most famous Structures Sin brings Cities and Kingdoms as well as particular persons to their end not one stone of this magnificent Structure says Christ shall remain unpulled down which threatning was exactly fulfilled after Christ's Death when Titus the Roman Emperor destroâ—ed the City burnt the Temple and Turnus Rufus the General of his Army ploughed up the very foundation on which the Temple stood Thus was the threatning of God fulfilled Jer. 26.18 Zion shall be ploughed as a Field and Jerusalem shall becâ—me an heap Learn hence 1. That sin has laid the foundation of ruin in the most flourishing Cities and Kingdom 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 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the Temple Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately 4 Tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled A double question is here propounded to our Saviour by his Disciples namely When the Destruction of Jerusalem shall be and what should be the signs of that Destruction See here what an itching curiosity there is in the best of Men to know
as Man he was David s Son as God man he was Lord to his own Father 45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his Disciples 46 Beware of the Scribes which desire to walk in long Robes and love greetings in the markets and the highest Seats in the Synagogues and the chief Rooms at Feasts 47 Which devour widows houses and for a shew make long prayers the same shall receive greater Damnation Observe here What it is that our Saviour condemns not Civil Salutations in the Market-place not the chief Seats in the Synagogue not the uppermost Rooms at Feasts but their fond affecting of these things and their ambitious aspiring after them it was not their Taking but their loving the uppermost Rooms at Feasts which our Saviour condemns God is the God of Order there may and ought to be a Precedency among Persons God commands us to give Honour to whom Honour is due but Pride and Ambition are detestable and hateful Vices especially in such as are Preachers and ought to be Patterns of Humility Observe 2. How our Saviour condemns the Pharisees for their gross Hypocrisy in colouring over their abominable Covetousness with a specious pretence of Religion making long Prayers in the Temple and Synagogues for Widows and thereupon perswading them to give Bountifully to Corban that is the Common Treasury for the Temple some part of which was employed for their Maintenance Whence we Learn That it is no new thing for Designing Hypocrites to cover the fowlest Transgressions with the Cloak of Religion thus the Pharisees made their Prayers a cloak and cover for their Covetousness CHAP. XXI 1 AND Jesus looked up and saw the rich men casting their Gifts into the Treasury 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites 3 And he said Of a truth I say unto you That this poor Widow hath cast in more then they all 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God but she of her penury hath cast in all that she had At the door of the Temple thro' which all the People passed in and out who came up three times a Year at the Solemn Feasts to Worship Almighty God in his own House there was a Chest set like the poor Mans Box in some of our Churches into which all Persons cast in their Free Will Offerings and Oblations which were employed either for the use of the Poor or for the Service of the Temple and what was thus given our Saviour calls an Offering to God v. 4. These of their abundance have cast in unto the Offering of God Thence Learn That what we rightly give to the Relief of the Poor or for the Service and towards the Support of God's publick Worship is Consecrated to God and as such is accepted of him and ought to be esteemed by us Observe 2. With what pleasure and Satisfaction our Saviour sets Himself to view those Offerings he beheld the rich men casting their Gifts into the Treasury Thence Note That our Saviour sees with pleasure and beholds with Delight whatever we have Hearts to give unto him whether for the Relief of his Members or for the Support of his Service Oh Blessed Saviour while now thou sittest at thy Father's Right Hand in Glory thou seest every hand that is stretched forth to the relief of thy poor Members here on Earth But a certain poor widow cast in two mites Several Circumstances relating both to the Person and the Action are here Observable as 1. The Person that offered was a Widow the Married Woman is under the careful Provision of her Husband if she spends he earns but the Widow has no hands but her own to work for her 2. She was a poor Widow poverty added to the Sorrow of her Widowhood she had no rich Joynture to live upon it is some alleviation of the Sorrow that attends Widow-hood when the Hand is left full tho' the Bed be left empty this Widow was needy and desolate but yet gives some in her Circumstances would have look'd upon themselves as having Right to receive what was given by others rather than to give any thing themselves 3 Observe her Bounty and Munificence in giving her two Mites are proclaimed by Christ to be more then all the rich Mens Talents more in respect of the mind and affection of the Giver more with respect to the proportion of the Gift a Mite to her being more than Pounds to others Pounds were little to them two Mites were all to her she leaves her self nothing so that the poor Woman gave not only more than any of them all but more then they all Christ's Eye look'd at once into the bottom of her Purse and into the bottom of her Heart and judge of the Offering rather by the Mind of the Giver than by the value of the Gift From this instance we Learn 1. That the Poorer yea the poorest sort of People are not exempted from good Works but even they must and ought to exercise Charity according to their Ability This poor Widow that had not a Pound nay not a Penny presents God with a Farthing 2. That in all Works of pious Charity which we perform God looks at the Heart the Will and the Affection of the Giver more then at the largeness and liberality of the Gift it is not said the Lord loveth a Liberal Giver but a chearful Giver He accepteth the Gift according to what a Man hath and not according to what he hath not Oh our God the poorest of us thy Servants have our two Mites also a Soul and a Body perswade and enable us to offer them both unto thee tho' they are thine own already yet wilt thou graciously accept them and oh how happy shall we be in thy acceptation 5 And as some spake of the Temple how it was adorned with goodly Stones and Gifts he said 6 As for these things which ye behold the days will come in which there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Our Blessed Saviour being now ready to depart from the Temple never more after this Entering into it and his Disciples shewing him with Wonder and Admiration the magnificent Structures and Buildings thereof apprehending that in regard of its Invincible Strength it could not be destroyed not considering that Sin will undermine and blow up the most magnificent and famouâ— Structures For Sin brings Cities and Kingdoms as well as particular Persons to their End Not one stone says Christ shall be left upon another which threatning was exactly fulfilled after Christ's Death when Titus the Roman Emperour destroyed the City burnt the Temple and Turnus Rufus the General of his Army ploughed up the very Foundation on which the Temple stood Thus was the Threatning of God fulfilled Jerem 26.18 Zion shall be ploughed as a Field and Jerusalem shall become an heap Learn hence 1. That Sin has laid the
has his Numbers among all Orders Ranks and Degrees of Men. And tho' not many Noble are called yet some are Note 2. The Calamity which befel this noble Person his Son was sick yea dying Earthly Greatness is no Defence against Afflictions great Men are in Trouble as other Men neither the Wealth and Riches of this noble Man nor his Power and Authority nor his Honour in his Country nor his Favour with his Prince could keep off God's Hand either from himself or from his Son But the Father feels as much by Simpathy as the Child by Sense Note 3. The Cause and special Occasion which brought this noble Man to Christ It was in general an Affliction and in particular the sickness of his Child Learn thence That great is the Fruit and Profit of Afflictions to the Children of Men. Many with this noble Man never come to Christ till they be driven by the Cross and particularly God sanctifies the Sickness and Death of near and dear Relations Children in special to bring Persons nearer to himself Note 4. This noble Man was neither faithless nor faithful had he been quite faithless he had not taken such Pains to come to Christ had he been faithful he had not limited the Son of God by saying Come down and heal my Son ere he die Come down as if Christ could not have cured him absent ere my Son die as if the same Power required to heal him being sick could not raise him being dead Lord heal my Son had been a proper Suit to him who was the great Physician But Come down and heal him was to teach Christ how to work He who doth whatsoever he will must do it how he will and when he will It is for us to crave and receive not to prescribe and appoint Note 5. The Meekness and great condescending Goodness of Jesus Christ notwithstanding the Infirmity of this poor Man our Lord says Go thy way thy Son liveth Worthiness in the Creature is not the Motive that rules Christ Should we measure our Hopes by our Worthiness there were no Blessing to be hoped for but if we measure them by Christ's Bounty and Compassion there is no Blessing to be despaired of Note 6. How Christ not only answers the Desires but exceeds the Expectations of this distressed Person His Request was only Come and heal my Son Christ's Answer was Go thy way thy Son liveth Our heavenly Father when he doth not give us what we ask gives us better than we asked We ask what we think best but God gives what he knows best Christ here gave a greater Demonstration of his Omnipotency than was craved Note Lastly With one Word doth Christ heal two Patients the Son of his Fever the Father of his Unbelief It was a low degree of Faith that brought the Father to Christ it was an higher degree that sent him back to his Son but highest of all when finding his Son healed he himself believed and his whole House Learn hence That a weak Faith may be true but a true Faith is always growing and increasing It is like the Path of the Just that shineth more and more until the perfect Day CHAP. V. AFter this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda having five porches 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk of blind halt withered waiting for the the moving of the water 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had This Chapter begins with a Description of the famous Pool of Bethesda whose Waters were Medicinal to cure the first comer thereinto whatsoever Disease he had Some think this was effected in a natural way and that the Entrails of the sacrificed Beasts being wasted in this Pool an healing Vertue was communicated for curing the Palsie and such cold Diseases As Persons that have lame and withered Hands are at this day directed to put them into the Belly of a Beast newly opened But others look upon the healing Vertue of this Pool to be supernatural and miraculous because it cured all Diseases how old great and desperate soever and this in a moment or very quickly and but one at a time and that one the first that stepp'd in only after an Angel had descended and troubled the Waters All which shew that the healing Vertue came not from the goodness of the Waters but that it was a supernatural Work Some think that the Miracle of this Pool was granted to the Jews partly to strengthen them in the true worship of God and to confirm them in their religious Course of Sacrificing against the Scoffs of the Romans who were now their Lords such a Vertue being given to that Water wherein their Sacrifices were wont to be washed Learn hence That means of God's appointment how improbable and unlikely soever must not be despised but awfully admired and thankfully used although the way and manner of their working be not understood or comprehended by us 5 And a certain man was there which had an infirmity thirty and eight years 6 When Jesus saw him lie and knew that he had been now a long time in that case he saith unto him Wilt thou be made whole 7 The impotent man answered him Sir I have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool but while I am coming another steppeth down before me 8 Jesus saith unto him Rise take up thy bed and walk 9 And immediately the man was made whole and took up his bed and walked and on the same day was the sabbath 10 ¶ The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured It is the sabbath-day it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed 11 He answered them He that made me whole the same said unto me Take up thy bed and walk 12 Then asked they him What man is that which said unto thee Take up thy bed and walk 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was for Jesus had conveyed himself away a multitude being in that place It was very commendable that the rich Men did not engross this Pool and the Benefit of it to themselves but suffered poor People to come to it In this College of Cripples a poor Man that had been lame thirty eight Years was found who wanting Strength to help himself wanting Money to hire others and others wanting Mercy to help him Christ takes pity on him and because he could not go to Health Health is graciously brought to him and that by the Hand of the great Physician Christ Jesus Observe here 1. That not only are Mens Bodies subject to innumerable Infirmities and Diseases but it pleases God for wise Ends to continue some of his Servants labouring under
that time when he had with an unbelieving Heart and an unthankful Spirit been eating the Passover which was a Type of Christ Now Satan enters into him that is takes fuller possession of him and he gives up himself more freely and fully to the Devil's conduct and suggestions Satan gets possession of wicked Men gradually and by degrees not all at once the only way to be safe is to resist the beginnings of Sin for when Satan once gets footing it is hard to prevent a more full possession Observe 4. The place where Judas now was Namely at Bethany some Miles from Jerusalem and it was now Night yet so intent he was upon the Devil's work that away he trudges to Jerusalem and at that time of the Night repairs to the high Priests and sells his Saviour into their hands Oh what a warmth and zeal was here in the Devil's cause Men given over by God possest by Satan are so restless and unwearied in Sin that neither by day nor by Night can they cease from the contrivance and execution of it 31 ¶ Therefore when he was gone out Jesus said Now is the son of man glorified and God is glorified in him 32 If God be glorified in him God shall also glorifie him in himself and shall straightway glorifie him Observe here 1. Our blessed Lord calls his Death his glory Now is the Son of Man glorified That is now is the time at hand when I am to die and shall by my Death finish the work of Man's Redemption and thereby eminently glorifie God God the Father was eminently glorified in the Obedience and Sufferings of his dear and only Son It is true that the Sufferings of Christ were Ignominious in themselves yet were they the way to his own Glory and his Father 's also for by them he redeemed a lost World trampled upon Satan triumphed over Sin And the Father was exceedingly glorified by the Son 's giving Obedience to his Will and so chearfully Suffering Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him 33 Little children yet a little while I am with you Ye shall seek me and as I said unto the Jews Whither I go ye cannot come so now I say unto you Observe here An indearing compellation a sweet Title given by Christ to his Disciples Little Children intimating that tender Affection which he bare unto them tho' now upon the point of departing from them Learn thence That whatever Christ's dealings are or may be with his People in respect of his removing and withdrawing from them yet he still retains the relation of a Father to them and will in his absence from them exercise such a care over them as Parents have of their young and tender Children so much doth the Title of Little Children imply and import Observe farther The plain intimation which our Saviour gives to his Disciples of his death being very nigh for it was the very next day he tells them he was going to Heaven and whither he went they could not come that is not presently they should follow him their forerunner afterwards but at present he had a great deal of work for them to do tho' his own work was done and till they had finished their work Whither He went they could not come Learn hence That tho' it be Rest which the Saints may lawfully desire an everlasting rest with Christ in glory yet must they not refuse to labour whilest their Lord will have it so Till their work be done whither Christ is gone they cannot come Ye shall seek me but whither I go at present ye cannot come 34 A new commandment I give unto you That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another Our Saviour having mentioned his departure from his Disciples in the former Verse I go away and whither I go ye cannot come In this and the following Verses he gives them a strict charge that in his absence they should love one another This he calls a new Commandment not that it was new in regard of Institution but of Restitution not new in regard of the Substance of it for it was a Branch of the Law of Nature and a known precept of the Jewish Religion But he calls it a new Commandment 1. Because purged from the old corrupt glosses of the Pharisees who had limited this duty of Love and confined it to their own Country-men whereas Christ enlarges the object and obliges his Disciples to love all mankind even their very Enemies 2. Because this Duty of Love was so greatly advanced and heightned by our Saviour as to the measures and degrees of it even to the laying down of our Lives one for another 3. It is called a new Commandment because urged from a new Motive and enforced by a new Example As I have loved you that ye also love one another never was this Duty so effectually taught so mightily encouraged so much urged and insisted upon by any Teacher as our Saviour and never was there such an Example given of it as his own 4. 'T is a new Commandment because with the rest it was never to wax old but to be always fresh in the memory and practice of Christ's Disciples to the end of the World 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another To recommend the foregoing Duty of loving one another with the greater advantage our Saviour tells us here that it will be the best Evidence of our Relation to him as sincere Disciples By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples Where Observe 1. Our Saviour doth not say by this Men shall conjecture and guess that you belong to me as being my Disciples but they shall certainly know it 2. He doth not say by this shall you know your selves to be my Disciples and one another to be so but by this shall all others know it as well as your selves 3. He doth not say by this shall all Men know that you look like my Disciples but that you are indeed what you pretend to be Namely By your loving one another 4. Christ doth not say by this shall the World know that you are my Disciples Namely By your assembling often together in my House of Prayer by your frequent fastings by your reading the Scriptures Daily by your hearing Sermons Weekly by your Receiving Sacraments Monthly all these put together will be no sufficient evidence of your Disciple-ship if you keep up a secret grudg in your Hearts one against another But by this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Learn hence That one of the best Proofs and Evidences we can have of our relation to Christ as his sincere Disciples is an hearty love and good will one towards another 36 ¶ Simon Peter said unto him Lord whither goest thou Jesus answered him Whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt