in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father 22 Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews 23 But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Here we have our Saviour's Answer to the foregoing Question which consists of two Parts 1. Concerning the Place of Worship 2. Concerning the Worship it self As to the Place of Worship our Saviour tells her that though the Jews had heretofore by warrant of God's Word regularly worshipped at Jerusalem and the Samaritans superstitiously worshipped at Mount Gerizim yet the Hour was coming namely at his Death when all difference of Places for God's Worship should be taken away and therefore she need not trouble her self about the Place of God's Worship to know whether of the two Places were holier and the better to serve God in for ere long the Service of God should not be confined more to one Place than another Hence learn That since the death of Christ the Religious Difference of Places is taken away and the Worship of God not confined to any one particular Place or Nation 2. Our blessed Saviour resolves her concerning the Worship it self namely that the Ceremonial Worship which the Jews and Samaritans used should shortly be abolished and instead thereof a more spiritual Form of Worship should be established more suitable to the Spiritual Nature of the great and holy God and containing in it the Truth and Substance of all that which the Jewish Ceremonies prefigured and shadowed forth Learn hence That the True Worship of God under the Gospel doth not consist in the external Pomp of any outward Ceremonies but is Spiritual and Substantial No Worship is acceptable to him that is the Father of Spirits but that which is truly Spiritual 24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth God is a Spirit that is he has no Body nor bodily Parts He is not a bare spiritual Substance but a pure and perfect Spirit and therefore his Worshippers must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Where Spirit is opposed to the Legal Ceremonies and Truth to the Jewish Rites not to Hypocritical Services for the old Patriarchs did worship God in Spirit and in Truth As Truth is taken for Sincerity they served him with a sincere Conscience and with a single Heart But our Saviour's Business is to shew That a Worship without Legal Rites and Jewish Ceremonies is proper to the times of the Gospel In the Words Observe 1. The Nature of God declared God is a Spirit 2. The Duty of Man inferred therefore they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth From the whole Note 1. That God is a pure Spiritual Being When bodily Parts Hands and Eyes c. are ascribed to him it is only in Condescension to our weakness and to signifie those Acts in God which such Members do perform in us Note 2. That the Worship due from the Creature to God is spiritual Worship and ought to be spiritually performed The Jewish Ceremonial Worship was abolished to promote the Spirituality of Divine Worship yet must not this be so understood as if God rejected bodily Worship because he requires spiritual under the Gopsel for Jesus Christ the most spiritual Worshipper worshipped God with his Body Besides God has appointed some Parts of Worship which cannot be performed without the Body as Sacraments In a Word God has created the Body as well as the Soul Christ has redeemed the Body as well as the Soul and he will glorify the Body as well as the Soul therefore it is our Duty to worship and glorify God with our Bodies and with our Spirits which are his 25 The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things 26 Jesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he Observe here 1. What a General Expectation there was in the Minds of all Persons at the time of our Saviour's appearing of one whom the Jews called the Messiah I know that Messiah cometh This Woman though a Samaritan yet knew that the Messiah should come and that he was now expected Observe 2. What the Work and Office of the Messias was apprehended and believed to be namely to reveal the whole Mind and Will of God to a lost World When the Messias is come he will tell us all things Learn thence That the Lord Jesus Christ the promised and true Messias being called and appointed by God to be the great Prophet of his Church hath fully and perfectly revealed all things needful to be known for our Salvation John 15.15 All things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you Observe Lastly How freely and fully Christ reveals himself to this poor Woman he tells her plainly that he was the Messias When the Jews asked him John 10.24 If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Christ did not in plain Terms tell them who he was Nay when John Baptist sent two of his Disciples to ask him whether he were He that should come he gave them no direct Answer Yet behold he makes himself plainly known to this poor Woman he discerning her Humility and great Simplicity that she was willing to be instructed by him and did not come to him as the Jews and Pharisees did captiously with a design to entangle and enspare him Hence learn That the Lord Jesus Christ delights to reveal himself and make known his Mind and Will to such as with an humble Mind and an honest Simplicity of heart do desire to know him and understand their Duty to him 27 ¶ And upon this came his disciples and marvelled that he talked with the woman yet no man said What seekest thou or Why talkest thou with her 28 The woman then left her water-pot and went her way into the city and saith to the men 29 Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ 30 Then they went out of the city and came unto him Observe here 1. How the Providence of God so ordered and disposed of things that the Disciples did not return to Christ till he had finisht his Discourse with this poor Woman An humbled sinner may meet with such Satisfaction and sweet Refreshment in Christ's Company that the presence even of Disciples themselves the best and holiest of Saints may be lookt upon as injurious to it and an interruption of it This poor Woman had so sweet a time with Christ that an end being put to the Conference by the coming of the Disciples might be Matter of Grief and Resentment to her Yet the Providence of God so ordered that the Disciples did not come to break off the Conference till Christ had made himself known as the Messias to this
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
be measured to you again Observe here The Prohibition and the Reason of that Prohibition The Prohibition Judge not This is not meant of our Selves but of our Neighbour Self-judging is a great Duty Judging others a grievous Sin Yet is not all Judging of others condemned but a Judging of our Neighbour's State or Person rashly and rigidly censoriously and uncharitably especially unrighteously and unjustly And the Reason of the Prohibition is added If we Judge others Rashly God will Judge us Righteously Learn thence That a Rash and Censorious Judging of Others renders a Person liable and obnoxious to the Righteous Judgment of God 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye 5 Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye By the Mote in our Brother's Eye is to be understood small and little Sins or some supposed Sins By the Beam in our own Eye is meant some Notorious Sin of our own Learn 1. That those who are most Censorious of the lesser Infirmities of Others are usually most notoriously Guilty of far greater Failings Themselves 2. That those who desire others should look upon their Infirmities with a Compassionate Eye must not look upon the Failings of others with a Censorious Eye 3. That there is no such way to Teach us Charity in Judging others as to exercise Severity in Judging of our selves 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you By that which is Holy understand the Word and Ordinances in general but Admonition and Reproof in particular By Dogs and Swine Incorrigible and Unreclaimable Sinners hardned Scorners of Holy Things T is a Proverbial Speech expressing how sure Charitable Reprehensions are to be cast away upon Incorrigible Sinners Learn 1. That 't is possible for Sinners to arrive at such an Height and Pitch in Wickedness and Sin that it may be a Christian's Duty not to Admonish or Reprove them Obs 2. How Christ provides as for the Honour of his Word so for the Safety of those that Publish it As Christ will not have his Word offered to some Sinners lest they should abuse it so lest they should abuse those that bring it When Sinners turn Rinish Swines and we are in danger of being rent by them Christ himself gives us a Permission to cease Reproving of them 7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you 8 For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened 9 Or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread will he give him a stone 10 Or if he ask a fish will he give him a serpent 11 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him Observe here A Precept and a Promise the Precept or Duty commanded is Importunity and Constancy in Prayer we must ask seek and knock The Promise or Mercy insured is Audience and Acceptance with God Note 1. That Man is a poor indigent and necessitous Creature full of Wants but unable to supply them 2. That God is an All-sufficient Good able to supply the Wants and to relieve the Necessities of his Creatures if they call upon him and cry unto him 3. Yet if we do not presently receive what we ask we must still continue to seek and knock tho' Prayer be not always answered in our time yet shall it never fail of an Answer in God's time 4. That Natural Propensity which we find in our Breasts to hear the Desires and to supply the Wants of our own Children ought to raise in us a confident Expectation That Almighty God will hear our Prayers and supply our Wants when we Call upon him If a Father will give when a Child asks much more will God If ye being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Father c. 12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the law and the prophets Observe here 1. An Incomparable Rule of Life Always to do as we would be done by Note That the Great Rule of Righteousness and Equity in all our Dealings with Men is this To do as we would be done unto it is a short Rule a full Rule and a clear Rule both the Light of Nature and the Law of CHRIST bind it upon us Obs 2. The Commendation of this Rule It is the Law and the Prophets that is the Sum of the Old Testament so far as concerns our Duty to our Neighbour and the Substance of the Second Table Learn That it is the Design of the Scriptures of the Old Testament first to render Men dutiful and obedient to God and then righteous and charitable one to another This is the Law and the Prophets yea the whole of the Law and the Prophets to Love GOD above our selves and to Love our Neighbour as our selves 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat 14 Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Observe here 1. That every Man is a Traveller in a certain Way 2. That there are but Two Ways in which the Race of Mankind can Travel the one strait and narrow that leads to Life and Salvation the other broad and wide which leads to Hell and Destruction 3. That because of the Difficulties in the Way of Salvation and the Easiness of the Way to Hell and Destruction hence it is that so few Walk in the one and so many in the other 4. That Christians having the strait Way to Heaven revealed to them in and by the Word of God should chuse rather to go in that Way alone to Life than to run with the Multitude in that broad Way which leads down to the Chambers of Death and Hell 15 Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth
the Preciousness of it but for the Abundance of it a little doth not make a Treasure And also for the Continuance of it tho' it be perpetually overflowing in the Life yet doth the Heart continue full this Treasure of Original Corruption in Man's Nature it may be drawn low in this Life by Sanctifying Grace but it can never be drawn dry 2. Here is a Good Treasure of Grace discovered in a Sanctified and Renewed Man which is the Source and Spring from whence all Gracious Actions do proceed and flow For as the Heart of Man by Nature is the Fountain from whence all Sin springs so the Heart renewed by Grace is the Source and Spring from whence all Gracious Actions do proceed and flow 36 But I say unto you That every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment There are Two Sorts of Words for which we must be Judged Sinful Words and Idle Words Sinful Words are Blasphemous Words Censorious Words Lying and Slandering Words Idle Words are such as favour nothing of Wisdom or Piety that have no tendency to make Men either Wiser or Better How light soever Men make of their Words now yet in GOD's Balance another Day they will be found to weigh very heavy 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Observe here The Argument which our Saviour uses to move us to Watchfulness over our Words By our Words we shall be justified not Meritoriously but Declaratively Good Words declare Goodness in our selves and we shall be declared Good to others by our Words if our Words and Actions do correspond and agree with one another Death and Life are in the Power of the Tongue That is according to the right or wrong Using of the Tongue we may judge and gather whether Men are Dead or Alive as to God and bound for Heaven or Hell 38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered saying Master we would see a sign from thee 39 But he answered and said to them An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonas 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth 41 The men of Niniveh shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold a greater than Jonas is here 42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it for she came from the uttermost parts of earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here Observe here 1. The Request which the Pharisees make to Christ Master we would see a Sign from thee But had not Christ shewed them signs enough already What were all the Miracles wrought in their sight but convincing Signs that he was the true Messias but Infidelity mixt with Obstinacy is never satisfied Obs 2. Our Saviour's Answer to the Pharisees Request he tells them that they should have one Sign more to wit that of his Resurrection from the Dead For as Jonas lay buried Three Days in the Whale's Belly and was then wonderfully restored So should and did our Saviour continue in the Grave part of Three Natural Days and then rise again Obs 3. How CHRIST declares the Inexcusableness of their State who would not be convinced by the former Miracles he had wrought that he was the true Messiah nor yet be brought to Believe in him by this last Sign or Miracle of his Resurrection The Ninivites shall condemn the Pharisees They repented at the Preaching of Jonas but these would not be convinced by the Preaching and Miracles of JESUS The Queen of Sheba also who came from the South to hear and admire the Wisdom of Solomon shall rise up in Judgment against those that reject CHRIST who is the Wisdom of the Father and the Doctrine delivered by him which was the Power of God and the Wisdom of God Learn That the Sins of Infidelity and Impenitency are exceedingly heightned and their Guilt aggravated from the Means afforded by God to bring a People to Faith and Obedience The Sin of the Pharisees in Rejecting Christ's Miracles and Ministry was by far greater than that of the Ninevites had they rejected Jonas his Message and Ministry sent by God amongst them 43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none 44 Then he saith I will return into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished 45 Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation The Design and Scope of this Parable is to shew that the Pharisees by rejecting the Gospel and refusing to Believe in Christ were in a seven-fold worse Condition than if the Gospel had never been Preacht to them and a Saviour had never came among them because by our Saviour's Ministry Satan was in some sort cast out But for rejecting Christ and his Grace Satan had got a seven-fold stronger Possession of them now than before From this Parable Learn 1. That Satan is an Unclean Spirit he has lost his Original Purity his Holy Nature in which he was created and is become universally filthy in himself no Means being allowed him by God for the purging of his filthy and unclean Nature Nay he is a perfect Enemy to Purity and Holiness maligning all that love it and would promote it 2. That Satan is a restless and unquiet Spirit being cast out of Heaven he can rest no where when he is either gone out of a Man thro' Policy or cast out of a Man by Power he has no Content or Satisfaction till he returns into a filthy Heart where he delights to be as the Swine in miry places 3. That wicked and prophane Sinners have this unclean Spirit dwelling in them their Hearts are Satan's House and Habitation and the Lusts of Pride and Unbelief Malice and Revenge Envy and Hypocrisie these are the Garnishings of Satan's House Man's Heart was God's House by Creation 't is now Satan's by Usurpation and Judiciary Tradition 4. That Satan by the Preaching of the Gospel may seem to go out of Persons and they become sober and civilized yet may he return to his old Habitation And the last end of that Man may be worse than the beginning 46 While he yet talked to the people behold his mother and his brethren stood without desiring to speak with him 47 Then one said unto him Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand
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
threefold Sense and Interpretation is given of these words 1. Some will have them referr to our Saviour's Transfiguration mentioned in the next Chapter As if he had said Some of you as Peter James and John shall shortly see me upon Mount Tabor in such Glory as I will come in to Judgment 2. Others understand the words of Christ's exercising his Kingly Power in the Destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation which St. John did Live to see 3. Others referr the Words to the Times of the Gospel after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension when the Gospel was propagated and spread far and near according to St. Mark 9.1 There are some standing here that shall not taste of Death till thâ—y see the Kingdom of God come with Power that is till they see the Encrease and Enlargement of the Church by the Gospel Thence Note That where the Gospel is powerfully Preached and chearfully Obeyed there Christ cometh most Gloriously in his Kingdom CHAP. XVII 1 AND after six days Jesus taketh Peter James and John his Brother and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart 2. And was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light The former part of this Chapter gives us an Account of our Saviour's Glorious Transfiguration He laid as it were the Garments of frail Humanity and Mortality aside for a little time and assuming to himself the Robes of Majesty and Glory the Rays of his Divinity darted forth his Face shined with a pleasing Brightness and his Raiment with such a Glorious Lustre as did at once both Dazle and Delight the Eyes of the Beholders Here Observe 1. The Reasons of our Lord's Transfiguration 1. To Demonstrate and Testifie the Truth of his Divinity That he was Christ the Son of the Living God According to St. Peter's Confession just before This Divine Glory was an Evidence of his Divine Nature 2. Christ was thus transfigured to prefigure the Glory of his Second Coming to Judgment when he shall be admired of his Saints as here he was admired by his Disciples Obs 2. The Choice which our Saviour makes of the Witnesses of his Transfiguration his Three Disciples Peter James and John But why Disciples Why Three Disciples Why these Three 1. This Transfiguration was a Type and Shadow of the Glory of Heaven Christ therefore vouchsafes the Earnest and first Fruits of that Glory only to Saints upon whom he intended to bestow the full Harvest 2. Three Disciples were Witnesses sufficient to Testifie this Miracle Judas was unworthy of this Favour yet lest he should murmur or be discontented at his being left out others are also left out besides him 3. These Three rather than others because 1. These Disciples were more eminent for Grace Zeal and Love to Christ and consequently are most highly dignified and honoured by him The most eminent Manifestations of Glory are made by God to those that are most eminent in Grace 2. These Three were Witnesses of Christ's Agony and Passion to prepare them for which they are here made Witnesses of his Transfiguration This glorious Vision upon Mount Tabor fitted them to abide the Terrors of Mount Calvary Learn That those whom God singles out for the greatest Trials he will fit beforehand with the best Enablements 3 And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him Observe here The Glorious Attendants upon our Saviour at his Glorious Transfiguration they were two two Men and those two Men Moses and Elias This being but a Glimpse of Christ's Glory not a full Manifestation of it only Two of the Glorified Saints attend upon Christ at it When he shall come in his full Glory then Thousands oâ— Thousands shall attend him These two Attendants were two Men not two Angels because Men were more nearly concerned in what was done they were not only Spectators but Partners Man's Restauration was Christ's principal Aim the Angels Confirmation his less principal Design But why Moses and Elias 1. Moses the Giver of the Law and Elias the Chief of the Prophets attending both upon Christ did shew the Consent of the Law and the Prophets with Christ and their Fulfilling and Accomplishment in him 2. Because these two were the most laborious Servants of Christ Both adventured their Lives in God's Cause and therefore are highly honoured by Christ Such as honour him he will honour 4 Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias Observe here 1. The Person supplicating Peter No doubt the other two James and John were much affected but Peter is most servent and forward yet there is no arguing with the Papists from his Fervency to his Superiority his Personal Prerogatives were not hereditary Obs 2. The Person supplicated Jesus not Moses or Elias the Disciples make no Prayer no Suit to them but to Christ only Prayers to Saints departed are both vain and unlawful Obs 3. The Supplication it self and that was for their Continuance where they were It is good for us to be here Oh what a ravishing Comfort is the Fellowship of the Saints but the Presence of Christ among them renders their Joys transporting Obs 4. Their Proffer of Service to farther this Continuance Let us make Three Tabernacles This Motion was well meant and devout St. Peter will stick at no Cost or Pains for the Enjoyment of Christ's Presence and his Saints Company yet was the Motion unadvised and rash St. Peter errs in desiring a Perpetuity of that Condition which was but transient and momentary This Vision was only a Taste of Glory not a full Repast He errs in that he would bring down Heaven to Earth and take up with Tabor instead of Heaven He errs in that he would enter upon the Possession of Heavens Glory without suffering and without dying Peter would be clothed upon but was not willing to be uncloathed Learn 1. That a Glimpse of Glory is enough to wrap a Soul into Extasie and to make it out of Love with Worldly Company 2. That we are apt to desire more of Heaven upon Earth than God will allow We would fain have the Heavenly Glory come down to us but we are unwilling to go by Death to that we know not what we say when we talk of Felicity in Tabernacles upon Earth 5 While he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Observe here 1. A Cloud was put before the Disciples Eyes for two Reasons 1. To allay the Lustre and Resplendency of that Glory which they were swallowed up with As we cannot look upon the Sun in its full Brightness but under a Cloud by Reflexion So the Glory of Heaven is insupportable till God vails it and shelters
unto this last even as unto thee 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own is thine eye evil because I am good 16 So the last shall be first and the first last for many be called but few chosen Here observe 1. That the time of God's full rewarding of his Labourers is the Evening of their Days that is when their Work is done When the Evening was come the Lord of the Vineyard called his Labourers and gave them their Hire not but that they have part of their Reward in Hand but it is chiefly laid up in Hope Obs 2. That tho' God makes no difference in his Servants Wages for the time of their Work yet he will make a difference for the degrees of their Service Undoubtedly they that have done most Work shall receive most Wages He that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully God will reward every Man according to his Works that is not only according to the Nature and Quality but the Measure and Degree of his Works All shall have Equity but all shall not have equal Bounty Obs 3. That all Inequality in the Distribution of Rewards doth not make God an unjust Accepter of Persons he may dispence both Grace and Glory in what Measure and Degree he pleases without the least Shadow of Unrighteousness Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own Obs 4. That when we have done much Service for God by labouring longer than others in his Vineyard it is our Duty to have a low Esteem both of our Services and our selves for the first shall be last and the last first That is they that are first and highest in their own Esteem shall be last and least in God's Account 17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way and said unto them 18 Behold we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes and they shall condemn him to death 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucifie him and the third day he shall rise again This is now the third time that Christ had acquainted his Disciples very lately with his approaching Sufferings and bloody Passion He did it twice before Chap. 16 and Chap. 17. yet now he mentions it again that they might not be dismayed and their Faith might not be shaken to see him dye who called himself the true Messias and the Son of God The first time he told his Disciples of his Death in general the second time he declares the means by Treason now he tells them the manner by crucifying that he should be Scourged Mocked Spit upon and Crucified All this he did to prevent his Disciples Dejection at his Sufferings Learn thence That it is highly necessary that the Doctrine of the Cross be often preach'd to us that so being armed with Expectation of Sufferings before they come we may be the less dismayed and disheartned when they come Our Lord 's frequent forewarning his Disciples of his Death and Sufferings was to forearm them with Expectation of his Sufferings and with Preparation for their own 20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons worshipping him and desiring a certain thing of him 21 And he said unto her What wilt thou she saith unto him Grant that these my two sons may sit the one on thy right hand and the other on the left in thy kingdom Observe here 1. The Persons making this Request to Christ Zebedee's Children that is James and John by the Mouth of their Mother They spake by her Lips and made use of her Tongue to usher in a Request which they were asham'd to make themselves Obs 2. The Request it self Grant that these Two may sit the one on thy Right the other on thy Left Hand Where Note How these Disciples did still dream of Christ's Temporal Kingdom altho' he had so often told them that his Kingdom was not of this World and ambitiously seek to have the Preference and Preheminence in that Kingdom See here how these poor Fishermen had already learnt craftily to fish for Preferment Who can wonder to see some Sparks of Ambition and Worldly Desires in the holiest Ministers of Christ when the Apostles themselves were not free from aspiring Thoughts even when they lay in the Bosom of their Saviour Ambition has all along infected Churchmen and troubled the Church even from the very first Original and Foundation of it Obs 3. Both the Unseasonableness and Unreasonableness of this Request made by the Disciples Christ speaks of his Sufferings to them and they sue for Dignity and great Places from him in optimis non nihil est pessimi The holiest the wisest and best of Men in this their imperfect State are not wholly free from passionate Infirmities Who would have expected that when our Saviour had been preaching the Doctrine of the Cross to his Disciples telling them that he must be Mocked Scourged Spit upon and Crucified for them that they should be seeking and suing to him for Secular Dignity and Honour Preheminence and Power But we plainly see the best of Men are but Men at the best none are in a State of Perfection on this side Heaven 22 But Jesus answered and said Ye know not what ye ask Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with they say unto him We are able Our Saviour in his Answer tells these Disciples 1. That they were greatly ignorant of the Nature and Quality of his Kingdom which was not Secular but Heavenly but the Carnal Notion of a Glorious Earthly Kingdom upon Earth in which they should be delivered from the Roman Power was so deeply imprinted in their Minds that they frequently declared their Expectation of it notwithstanding all the Assurances which Christ had given them of the contrary Obs 2. The Course which our Saviour takes to cool the Ambition of his Disciples he tells them they must expect here not Crowns on their Heads but a Cross on their Backs they must first taste of his Sufferings before they talk of his Glory and patiently suffer for him before they expect to reign with him plainly intimating that the Cross is the way to the Crown Suffering the way to Reigning and that those that suffer most for Christ shall partake of highest Dignity and Glory from him Obs 3. The presumptuous Confidence which the Disciples had of their own Strength and Ability for Sufferings Are ye able says Christ to drink of my Cup They reply We are able Alas poor Disciples when it came to the Tryal they all cowardly forsook him and fled A bold Presumption makes us vaunt of our own Ability holy Jealousie makes us distrustful of our own Strength Those that are least acquainted with the Cross are usually the most confident Undertakers
their Sepulchers 2. In professing great Respect to the dead Saints and at the same time persecuting the living Palpable Hypocrisie And yet as gross as it is it prevails to this Day The Church of Rome who magnifie Martyrs and canonize Saints departed have yet added to their numbers by shedding of their Blood 3. In taking false measures of their Love to the Saints departed from their building their Tombs and garnishing their Sepulchers whereas the best Evidence of our Love unto them is the imitating their Vertues and cherishing their Followers 'T is gross Hypocrisie to pay Respect to the Relicks of Saints and Veneration to their Images and at the same time to persecute and afflict their Followers Learn hence 1. That the World has all along loved dead Saints better than the living Mortui non mordent the dead Saint's Example how bright soever is not so scorching and troublesome at a distance and he himself no longer stands in other Men's Light whereas the living Saint's Example is a cutting Reproof to Sin and Vice Obs 2. That there is a certain Civility in Humane Nature which leads Men to a just Commendation of the Dead and to a due Estimation of their Worth The Pharisees here tho' they persecuted the Prophets whilst alive yet had they a mighty Veneration for their Piety and Vertue after they were dead and thought no Honour too great to be done unto them Note 3. That it is the grossest Hypocrisie to pretend to love Goodness and yet hate and persecute good Men. These Hypocritical Pharisees pretended high to Piety and Religion and at the same time killed the Prophets and stoned them that were sent unto them 4. That the highest Honour we can pay to the Saints departed is not by raising Monuments and building Tombs to their Memory but by a careful Imitation of their Piety and Virtue following the Holiness of their Lives and their Patience and Constancy at their Deaths 34 Wherefore behold I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes and some of them ye shall kill and crucifie and some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias whom ye slew between the temple and the altar 36 Verily I say unto you All these things shall come upon this generation Observe here A Prophetical Prediction and a severe Denunciation 1. A Prediction foretelling what cruel Usage the Apostles should meet with from the Jews Killing and Crucifying some Scourging and Stoning others which accordingly was fulfilled in the Crucifying of St. Peter the Scourging of St. Paul in the Stoning of St. Stephen and Killing of St. James The first Planters and Propagators of the Gospel sealed their Doctrine with their Blood and the Blood of the Martyrs has all along been the Seed of the Church Obs 2. A severe Denunciation That upon you may come all the Righteous Blood shed upon the Earth from Abel to Zacharias the Son of Jehoiada 2 Chron. 24.20 who was the last Prophet whose Murder is related by Name in the Old Testament These Words are not to be understood as if the End and Intent of Christ's sending the Prophets were that the Jews might put them to Death and bring their righteous Blood upon themselves This was the Consequent and Event indeed of their sending but by no means the Design and Intent of it Learn 1. That raging Persecutors have no Regard either to the extraordinary Mission or eminent Sanctity of Persons who reprove them for their Sins I send unto you Prophets says our Saviour wise Men and Scribes and some of them ye shall Kill and Crucifie 2. That as the Piety of the Persons so neither can the Sanctity of the Place discourage and deterr bloody Persecutors from their Rage and Fury against the Prophets of God In the Temple it self in the Court of the House of the Lord even betwixt the Porch and the Altar was Zacharias slain 3. That it is a righteous Thing with God to punish the Children for the Impieties of their Parents This is to be understood 1. where the Children tread in their Father's Steps and continue in their Parents Sins which they do if they do not confess them abhor them and be humbled for them 2. This is to be understood of Temporal Evils not of Eternal Punishments No Man shall for his Father's Sins lye down in Everlasting Burnings As our Fathers Faith will not let us into Heaven so neither will their Impiety shut us into Hell At the Day of Judgment every Man shall be separately considered according to his Deeds 37 O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not 38 Behold your house is left unto you desolate 39 For I say unto you Ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord concludes this Chapter with a Pathetical Lamentation over Jerusalem His Ingemination or doubling of the Word Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem shews the Vehemency of Christ's Affection towards them and the Sincerity of his Desires for their Salvation Obs 1. The great Kindness and Compassion of Christ to the Jews in general and Jerusalem in particular set forth by a lively Metaphor and Similitude that of an Hen gathering her Chickens under her Wings As the Hen doth tenderly cherish and carefully hide and cover her Young from the Eye of the Destroyer so would Christ have shrouded and sheltered this People from all those Birds of Prey and particularly from the Roman Eagle by which they were at last devoured Again As the Hen continueth her Call to her young ones from Morning to Night and holds out her Wings for shelter to them all the Day long so did Christ wait for this Peoples Repentance and Conversion for more than Forty Years after they had killed his Prophets and murthered himself before they met with a final Overthrow Obs 2. The amazing Obstinacy and Wilfulness of this People in rejecting this Grace and Favour this Kindness and Condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ I would have gathered you but ye would not Obs 3. The Fatal Issue of this Obstinacy Behold your House is left unto you desolate Is left that is certainly and suddenly will be so The Present-Tense put for the Paulo post futurum it denotes both the Certainty and Proximity of this People's Ruin Learn 1. That the Ruin and Destruction of Sinners is wholly chargeable upon themselves that is on their own Wilfulness and Obstinacy I would have gathered you says Christ but ye would not Learn 2. How deplorably and inexcusably they will perish who perish by their own Wilfulness under the Gospel 3. That there
Ministers of God You shall be hated and killed The next Sign is the Apostacy of Professors upon the Account of those Persecutions Then shall many be offended Shall betray one another and hate one another Learn hence That Times of Persecution for Christianity are constantly Times of Apostacy from the Christian Profession 2. That Apostates are usually the bitterest Persecutors Omnis Apostata est osor sui ordinis They shall betray one another and hate one another A third Sign is the abounding of false Teachers Many false Prophets shall arise and shall deceive many Where Note That the fair Pretences and subtil Practices of Heretical Teachers have drawn off many from the Truth whom open Persecution could not drive from it A fourth Sign is the Decay and Abatement of Zeal for God and Love one to another The Love of many shall wax cold That is both towards God and towards Man When Iniquity abounds Trouble waxes hot and when Trouble waxes hot false Love waxes cold and true Love waxes colder than it was before The cold Blasts of Persecution blow up the Love of a few but blow out the Love of many more These are the Signs laid down by our Saviour foretelling the Destruction of Jerusalem and forasmuch as Jerusalem's Destruction was not only a Forerunner but a Figure of Christ's coming to Judgment these are also the Signs foretelling the Approach of that dreadful Day Verse 13. He that endureth to the end the same shall be saved Our Saviour closes his Discourse with an Exhortation to Constancy and Perseverance Teaching us That there is no such way to overcome Temptation and Persecution as by keeping our Integrity and persevering in our Fidelity to Christ 2. That Constancy and Perseverance in our Integrity and Fidelity towards Christ is sometimes attended with Temporal Salvation and Deliverance in this Life but shall certainly be rewarded with Eternal Salvation in the next He that endureth to the end the same shall be saved 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come Here our Blessed Saviour comforts his Disciples with a threefold Consideration 1. That his Gospel how hated and persecuted soever should be plainly and persuasively preached This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached Therefore called the Gospel of the Kingdom because it discovers the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven Observe 2. The Extent of the Gospel's Publication it shall be preached unto all Nations that is to the Gentile World not only amongst the Jews but amongst the chief and principal Nations of the Gentiles also Observe 3. The Design and End of the Gospel's Publication and that is for a Witness or Testimony namely for a Witness of God's Mercy and Grace offered to Sinners and of their Obstinacy who reject it Learn thence That the preaching of the Gospel where-ever it comes proves a Testimony to them to whom it comes To the Humble and Teachable it is a Testimony for to the Scorners and Despisers it is a Testimony against or in the Words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.16 To some it is the Savour of Death unto Death to others the Savour of Life unto Life 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place whoso readeth let him understand The Sense is when ye shall see the Armies of the Romans who are an Abomination to you and an Occasion of great Desolation where they go when you shall see that abominable desolating Army begirting the Holy City of Jerusalem then call to mind the Prophecy of Daniel which primarily belonged to Antiochus but secondarily to Titus and shall now be fully compleated For the Siege shall not be raised till both City and Temple be razed to the Ground Learn thence That God has Instruments ready at his Call to lay waste the strongest Cities and to ruin the most flourishing Kingdoms which do oppose the Tenders of his Grace and can make those whom Men most abhor to be the Occasions of their Destruction 16 Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains 17 Let him which is on the house-top not come down to take any thing out of his house 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his cloaths The meaning is As soon as you shall see the Roman Army appear before the City of Jerusalem let every one that values his own Safety fly as far and as fast as he can even as Lot fled out of Sodom and let such as fly be glad if by flight they can save their Lives tho' they lose their Goods their Cloaths and all things beside From hence Learn 1. That when Almighty God is pouring forth his Fury upon a sinful People it is lawful yea a necessary Duty by flight to endeavour the hiding and sheltring of themselves from the approaching Calamity and Desolation When ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed with Armies then flee to the Mountains 2. That in the Case of flight before a bloody Enemy and Army if we lose all that we have and our Lives be given us for a Prey we fare well and the Lord deals very mercifully with us 19 And wo unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter neither on the sabbath day Here our Saviour declares the doleful Distress of those that could not flee from the Siege of Jerusalem as Women big with Child and such as give Suck who by that Means are like to lose their Lives And he farther adds that it would encrease the Calamity if their Flight should happen to be in the Winter when none can fly either fast or far or if they should be forced to flee on the Sabbath-Day when the Jews scrupled travelling farther than a Sabbath-Day's Journey which was about Two Miles From hence Learn That it is a great Addition to the Trouble and Disquiet of a good Man's Spirit when the Day of his Spiritual Rest is interrupted and instead of enjoying Communion with God in his House he is driven from House and Home and flies before the Face of an enraged Enemy Pray ye says our Saviour that your Flight be not on the Sabbath-Day That being a Day of Holy Rest 21 For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be 22 And except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved but for the elects sake those days shall be shortened The doleful Miseries and dreadful Calamities which were coming upon the Jews in general and upon Jerusalem in particular are here foretold by our Saviour partly from the Roman Army without and partly from the Seditions and Factions of the Zealots within who committed such Outrages and Slaughters that there were no less than an Hundred Thousand
some Satisfaction and Restitution for the Wrong and Injury done by it They that mourn for Sin as Sin They that mourn more for the intrinsical Evil that is in Sin than for the Penal and Consequential Evils that follow Sin They that confess Sin voluntarily and freely particularly penitently believingly with an Eye of Sorrow upon their Sin and an Eye of Faith fixt upon their Saviour They that make Restitution as an Act of Obedience to the Command of God and as an Act of Justice and Righteousness to their Neighbour such Persons Repentance shall find Acceptance with God Obs 3. The Answer and Reply which the wicked high Priests and Elders make to despairing Judas 1. They excuse themselves What is that to us 'T is natural to all Sinners to shift Sin from themselves and to lay it at any Door rather than their own Those that have had a Share in the Pleasure and Profit of Sin are yet very desirous to throw the Odium and Guilt of it upon others What is that to us say these Monsters in Sin 2. As they excuse and acquit themselves so they load and burthen him Look thou to that Lord what miserable Comforters are Companions in Sin to one another when Distress and Sorrow comes upon them When Sin comes to be question'd in order to its being punish'd every Sinner is for shifting for himself and leaves his Fellow in the Suds Let us then remember the Words of the Holy Ghost He that walketh with wise Men shall be wiser but a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed Obs 4. The sad and fatal End of Judas he went forth and hang'd himself Horror and Despair took hold upon him and seized his Conscâ—ence which was so intolerable that he ran to the Halter for a Remedy Learn hence 1. That Conscience is a powerful tho' invisible Executioner the Wrath of Man may be endured but the Wrath of God is insupportable and the Eruptions of Conscience are irresistible Oh how intolerable are those Scourges that lash us in this tender and vital Part Judas awakened with the Horror of his Fact Conscience begins to rouze and the Man is unable to bear up under the furious Revenges of his own Mind Learn 2. That there is an active Principle in Mens Breasts and Bosoms which seldom suffers daring Sinners to pass in quiet to their Graves Guilt is naturally troublesome and uneasie it disturbs the Peace and Serenity of the Mind and fills the Soul with Storms and Thunder both in Life and Death How vainly did Judas hope to take Sanctuary in a Grave and to meet with that Ease in another World which he could not find in this Thus ended this miserable Man Judas Lord how earnest ought we to be for thy persevering Grace when neither the Presence the Miracles the Sermons the Sacraments of Christ could preserve and secure a Professor a Disciple an Apostle from the fatal Mischief of a ruinous Apostacy 6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury because it is the price of blood 7 And they took counsel and bought with them the potters field to bury strangers in 8 Wherefore that field was called The field of blood unto this day 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet saying And they took the thirty pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel did value 10 And gave them for the potter's field as the Lord appointed me Observe here 1. The Niceness and Scrupulosity of these Hypocrites they made no Scruple to give Money to shed Blood but they scruple the putting that Money into the Treasury which was the Price of Blood They are afraid to defile their â—reasury but are not afraid to polute their Souls Thus Hypocrites strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel scruple a Ceremony but make no Conscience of Murther and Perjury Observe 2. The use which they put this Money to which Judas brought them they bought with it a Field to bury Strangers in Thus Christ who was himself a Stranger in a borrow'd Grave by the Price of his Blood being Thirty Pieces of Silver conferred Graves on many Strangers Observe Lastly How the Wisdom of God order'd it that hereby a Scripture-Prophecy was fulfilled Zach. 11.13 They weighed for my Price Thirty Pieces of Silver and I took and cast them unto the Potter Whence Learn That all the Indignities and debasing Sufferings which the Lord Jesus underwent were not only fore-ordain'd by God but also foretold by the holy Prophets His being Scourged Buffetted Spit upon and here his being sold for Thirty Pieces of Silver 11 And Jesus stood before the governour and the governour asked him saying Art thou the king of the Jews And Jesus said unto him Thou sayest 12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders he answered nothing 13 Then saith Pilate unto him Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee 14 And he answered him to never a word insomuch that the governour marvelled greatly Observe here 1. That our Saviour readily answers Pilate but refuses to answer the chief Priests before Pilate Pilate asks him Art thou the King of the Jews Jesus readily answers Thou sayest or it is as thou sayest But to all the Accusations of the chief Priests and to all that they laid to his Charge before Pilate our Saviour answers never a Word probably for these Reasons Because his Innocency was such as needed no Apology because their Calumnies and Accusations were so notoriously false that they needed no Confutation To shew his Contempt of Death and to teach us by his own Example Patience and Silence when for his sake we are slandered and traduced Learn hence That altho' we are not obliged to answer every captious and ensnaring Question nor to refute every Slander and false Accusation yet are we bound faithfully to own and confess the Truth when we are solemnly called thereunto Our Saviour as a deaf Man hears not answers not the Calumnies of the chief Priests but when Pilate asks him Art thou the King of the Jews Or as St. Mark has it Art thou the Son of the Blessed Jesus said I am tho' he knew that Answer would cost him his Life Hence the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 says That Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession Teaching us Sometimes to hold our Peace when our own Reputation is concerned but never to be silent when the Honour of God the Glory of his Truth the Edification and Confirmation of others may effectually be promoted by our open Confession Then must we with Christ give a direct plain and sincere Answer For whoever denies him or any Truth of his knowingly and wilfully him will Christ deny in the Presence of his Father and before all his Holy Angels 15 Now at that feast the governour was wont to release unto the people a prisoner whom they would 16
they Witness against thee 5 But Jesus yet answered nothing so that Pilate marvelled It is very Observable how readily our Saviour Answers before Pilate Pilate said Art thou the King of the Jews Jesus answered Thou sayest it or it is as thou sayâ—st But to all the Accusations of the Chief Priests and to all that they falsly laid to his Charge before Pilate our Saviour answered never a Word â—e Answered Pilate but would â—ot answer the Chief Priests a word before Pilate probably for these Reasons because his Innocency was such as needed no Apology because their Calumnies and Accusations were so notoriously false that they needed no Confutation to shew his Contempt of Death and to teach us by hâ—s Example to despise the false Accusations of malicious Men and to learn us Patience and Submission when for his sake we are slandered and Traduced for these Reasons our Saviour was as a deaf Man not answering the Calumnies of the Chief Priests but when Pilate asks him a question which our Saviour knew that a direct Answer to would cost him his Life Art thou the King of the Jews he Replies I am Hence says the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 That Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession Teaching us That although we may and sometimes ought to hold our Peace when our own Reputation is Concerned yet must we never be silent when the Honour of God and his Truth may effectually be promoted by a free and a full Confession For says Christ whoever denies me before Men him will I deny in the presence of my Father and before all his Holy Angels 6 Now at the Feast he Released unto them one Prisoner whomsoever they desired 7 And there was one named Barabbas which lay bound with them that had made Insurrection with him who had committed Murther in the Insurrection 8 And the Multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them 9 But Pilate answered them saying Will ye that I Release unto you the King of the Jews 10 For he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered him for Envy 11 But the Chief Priests moved the People that he should rather Release Barabbas unto them 12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews 13 And they cryed out again Crucify him 14 Then Pilate said unto them Why what Evil hath he done and they cryed out the more exceedingly Crucify him 15 And so Pilate willing to content the People Released Barabbas unto them and delivered Jesus when he had Scourged him to be Crucified Now at the Feast that is at the Feast of the Passover which by way of Eminency is called the Feast the Governour used to Release a Prisoner possibly by way of Memorial of their Deliverance out of Egypt accordingly Pilate makes a Motion that Christ may be the Prisoner set at Liberty in Honour of their Feast for he was sensible that what they did was out of Envy and Malice Observe here 1. What were the sins which immediately occasioned the death of Christ they were Covetousness and Envy Covetousness caused Judas to sell him to the Chief Priests and Envy caused the Chief Priests to deliver him up to Pilate to Crucify him Envy is a killing and murthering Passion Envy slayeth the silly one Job 5.2 That is it slayeth the silly Person who harbours this pestilent Lust in his Breast and Bosom being like a Fire in his Bones continually preying upon his Spirits and it is also the occasion of slaying many an holy and innocent Person for who can stand before Envy The Person Envying wishes the Envied out of the way yea out of the World and if need be will not only wish it but lend a Lift upon occasion towards it also Witness the Chief Priests here whose Envy was so Conspicuous and Bare-faced that Pilate himself takes notice of it he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered him for Envy Observe 2. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death One while he Expostulates with the Chief Priests saying What Evil hath he done another while he bids them take him and judge him according to their Law Nay St. Luke says that Pilate came forth three several times professing That he found no fault in him Luke 23. From hence Note That Hypocrites within the visible Church may be Guilty of such Tremendous Acts of Wickedness as the Consciences of Infidels and Pagans without the Church may Boggle at and Protest against Pilate a Pagan absolves Christ whilst the Hypocritical Jews that heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles do Condemn him Observe Lastly How Pilate suffers himself to be overcome with the Jews Importunity and contrary to the Light of his own Reason and Judgment delivers the holy and innocent Jesus first to be Scourged and then Crucified it is a vain Apology for Sin when Persons pretend that they were not committed with their own Consent but at the Instigation and importunity of others Such is the Frame and Constitution of Man's Soul that none can make him either wicked or miserable without his own Consent Pilate willing to content the People when he had scourged Jesus dilivered him to be Crucified Here Observe That as the Death of the Cross was a Roman Punishment so it was the manner of the Romans first to whip their Malefactors and then Crucify them Now the Manner of the Roman Scourging is said to be thus They stript the Condemned Person and bound him to a Post two strong Men first Scourged him with Rods of Thorns then two others Scourged him with Whips of Cords full of Knots and last of all two more with Whips of Wire and therewith tore off the very Flesh and Skin from the Malefactors Back and Sides That our Blessed Saviour was thus Cruelly Scourged by Pilate's Command seems to some not improbable from that of the Psalmist Ps 129.3 The ploughers ploughed upon my back and made long Furrows which if spoken Prophetically of Christ was Literally Fulfilled in the Day of his Scourging But why was the precious and tender Body of our Holy Lord thus Galled Rent and Torn with Scourging Doubtless to Fulfil that Prophecy Isa 50.6 I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the Hair That by his Stripes we might be healed and from his Example Learn not to think it strange if we find our selves Scourged with Tongue with Hand or with both when we see our dear Redeemer bleeding by Stripes and Scourges before our Eyes 16 And the Soldiers led him away into the Hall called Pretorium and they call together the whole Band. 17 And they cloathed him with purple and platted a Crown of Thorns and put it about his Head 18 And began to Salute him Hail King of the Jews 19 And they smote him on the Head with a Reed and did
could not Christ have Risen without the Angels Help yes doubtless he that Raised himself could surely have Rolled away 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 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 Angel where you laid him where you left him Death has lost its Prey and the Grave has lost its Prisoner Observe 3. It is not said He is not here for he is Raised but he is Risen the 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 Godhead of Christ which Raised the Humane Nature from Death to Life others were Raised from the Grave by Christ's Power but he Raised himself by his own Power Observe 4. The Testimony or Witness given of our Lord's Resurrection that of an Angel in Humane Shape A young man cloathed in a long white Garment But why is an Angel the first Publisher of our Saviour's Resurrection Surely the Dignity of our Lord's Person and the Excellency of his Resurrection required that it should be thus Published How very serviceable and officious the Holy Angels were in Attending upon our Saviour in the days of his Flesh see in the Note on Mat. 28.6 7. Observe 5. 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 why to Women because God will make 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 Carpenters 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 will honour what instruments he pleases for the accomplishment of his own purposes but why to these Women the two Marys is the first discovery made of our Saviours Resurrection possibly it was a reward for their magnanimity and masculine Courage these Women clave 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 tacite 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 Obs 6. The Evidence which the Angels offers to the Women to evince and prove the verity and certainty of our Saviour's Resurrection namely by an appeal to their senses behold the place where they laid him the senses when rightly disposed are the proper judges of all sensible Objects and accordingly Christ himself did appeal to his Disciples senses concerning the Truth of his own Resurrection Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self and indeed if we must not believe our Senses we shall want the best external Evidence for the proof of the certainty and truth of the Christian Religion namely the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles For what Assurance can we have of the reallity of those Miracles but from our Senses therefore says our Saviour if ye believe not me yet believe the works that I do that is the Miracles which I have wrought before your Eyes Now as my Senses tell me that Christ's Miracles were true so they assure me that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false From the whole Note That the the Lord Jesus Christ by the Omnipotent Power of his Godhead revived and rose again from the dead the third day to the Terror and Consternation of his Enemies and the unspeakable joy and consolation of Believers Observe lastly the quick dispatch made of the joyful news of our Lord's Resurrection to the sorrowful Disciples go tell the Disciples says the Angel go tell my Brethren says Christ Matth. 28.10 Christ might have said go tell those Apostate Apostles that cowardly left me in my danger that durst not own me in the High-priests Hall that durst not come within the shadow of my Cross nor within sight of my Sepulchre not a word of this by way of upbraiding them for their late shameful Cowardize but all words of Kindness Go tell my Brethren where Note That Christ calls them Brethren after his Resurrection and Exaltation thereby shewing that the change of his condition had wrought no change in his Affection towards his poor Disciples but those that were his Brethren before in the time of his Abasement are so still after his Exaltation and Advancement Go tell my Brethren says Christ Go tell my Disciples and Peter says the Angel Where Note That St. Peter is here particularly named not because of his primacy and superiority over the rest of the Apostles as the Church of Rome would have it but because he had denied Christ and for that denial was swallowed up with sorrow and stood most in need of comfort therefore says Christ by the Angel speak particularly to Peter be sure that his sad heart be comforted with this joyful news that he may know that I am friends with him notwithstanding his late Cowardize Tell the Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee but why into Galilee because Jerusalem was now a forsaken place a people abandoned to destruction but Galilee was a place where Christ's Ministry was more acceptable Such places shall be most Honoured with Christ's presence where his Gospel is most accepted 9 Now when Jesus was risen from the dead early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven Devils 10 And she went and told them that had been with him as they mourned and wept 11 And they when they had heard that he was alive and had been seen of her believed not 12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked and went into the Country 13 And they went and told it unto the residue neither believed they them 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and
sit down by him as his Members The only way to this namely to ascend unto and sit down with Christ in Heaven is to live like him and to live unto him here on Earth If any Man love me he will follow me and where I am there shall alsâ— my servant be St. Joh. 12.26 20 And they went forth and preached every where the Lord working with them and confirming the word with Signs following Observe here first the general publication of the Gospel by the Apostles They went forth and preached every where Secondly the reason of the Efficacy and Success of it namely that Divine and miraculous power which accompanied the Preaching of it the Lord wrought with them and câ—nfirmed the word with Signs following 1. Obs The general publication of the Gospel by the Apostles they went forth and Preached every where The industry of the Holy Apostles was incredibly great yet was their success greater then their industry even beyond all humane Expectation which will evidently appear if we consider 1. The vast spreading of the Gospel so far in so short a space of time for in thirty Years time after Christ's death it was spread through the greatest part of the Roman Empire and reached as far as Parthia and India 2. The wonderful power and efficacy which the Gospel had upon the lives and manners of men the generality of those that entertained the Gospel were obedient to it both in word and deed because Christianity being an hated and persecuted profession no man could have any inducement to embrace it that did not resolve to practise it and live up unto it 3. The weakness and meanness of the Instruments that were imployed in propagating the Gospel shews the success of it to be very great and strange a company of plain and illiterate Men most of them destitute of the advantages of Education and unassisted by the countenance of any Authority whatsoever yet did they in a short space draw the World after them 4. The powerful opposition which was raised against the Gospel namely the prejudices of Education the power of indwelling Lusts and also the powers of the World then in being did strongly combine against it yet did Christianity bear up against all this opposition and made its way thorough all the resistance that the Lusts and prejudices of Men armed with the power and authority of the whole world could make against it 5. The great discouragements that Men were then under to embrace the Gospel and the Christian profession all the evils of this World threatned them Mockings and Scourgings Banishment and Imprisonment Reproach and Ruin death in all its fearful shapes was presented to them to deter them from embracing this Religion Observe therefore 2. The reason of this wonderful Success the Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with Signs following the Lord wrought with them this points at the inward operation of the Holy Spirit upon the minds of Men and confirmed the word with Signs that is confirmed their Doctrine with Miracles such as healing Diseases raising the Dead casting out Devils inflicting corporal Diseases on scandalous persons and sometimes Death it self from the whole we gather the Truth and Divinity of the Christian Religion that it was and is certainly of God and therefore never could never can be overthrown The End of St. Mark EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON The Holy Gospel ACCORDING TO S T. LUKE St. LUKE xxiii 45 46 47. Then opened he their Vnderstandings that they might understand the Scriptures And he said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the Third day and that Repentance and Remission of sins should be Preach'd in his name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON The Holy Gospel ACCORDING TO S T. LUKE CHAP. I. 1 FOrasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed amongst us 2 Even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word 3 It seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order most excellent Theophilus 4. That thou mayest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed This Gospel together with the Acts of the Apostles were written by St. Luke the beloved Physician and Companion of St. Paul who wrote as did the rest of the Evangelists by the special Direction and Inspiration of the Holy Ghost where we may profitably Remark the wonderful wisdom of God who in Order to the Confirming of our Faith in the Truth of the Gospel raised up a sufficient number of Witnesses to testify the verity and infallible certainty of all that the Gospel delivers to us Now this Evangelist St. Luke Dedicates this Gospel together with the Acts of the Apostles to Theophilus who was as some think an Honourable Senator or a Renowned and eminent Person in the Church as Others suppose But many take the word Theophilus not for a proper Name but common Name signifying every one that Loveth God to whom St. Luke addresses his Discourse The first four Verses of this Chapter are a Preface to the following History and acquaint us with the Reasons which induced St. Luke to write namely because divers Persons in that Age had imprudently and inconsiderately set upon writing Gospels without direction from the Spirit of God whose Errors and Mistakes were to be corrected by a true Narrative This St. Luke declare he was able to make having had perfect Understanding and Knowledge of the Truth of those things he was about to Relate partly by his familiarity with St. Paul and partly by his Conversation with the other Apostles who constantly attending our Saviour were Eye and Ear-witnesses of those things that are the Subject matter of the â—â—â—hing-History Hence learn 1. That there were some Apocryphal Writings or Writings which were not of Divine Authority Reâ—â—ting to the New Testament as well as to the Old as the Books of Asher Gad and Iddâ— are recited in the Old Testament but were never received into the Canon of the Scripture So were there some Gospels or Historical Relations of our Saviour's Life and Actions wrote by Persons which the Church never received as not having the impress of God's Ordination Note Secondly that the Gospels which St. Luke and the other Evangelists wrote have nothing of fallibility or uncertainty in them they wrote nothing but what they either heard or saw themselves or else received from those that were Eye and Ear-witnesses of matter of Fact It seemed good to me to write having had perfect knowledge of all things from the very first 5 There was in the days of Herod the king of Judea a certain Priest named Zacharias of the course of Abia and his wife was of the daughters of
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
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
that durst not come within the Shadow of my Cross nor within sight of my Sepulchre But not one Word of all this by way of upbraiding them for their late shameful Cowardice but all words of Divine Indulgence and of endearing Kindness Go tell my Brethren Where Mark that Christ calls them Brethren after his Resurrection and Exaltation thereby shewing that the Change of his Condition had wrought no Change in his Affection towards his poor Disciples But those that were his Brethren before in the Time of his Humiliation and Abasement are so still after his Exaltation and Advancement Go tell my Brethren One thing more must be Noted with Reference to our Lord's Resurrection and that is Why he did not first choose to appear to the Virgin Mary his Disconsolate Mother whose Soul was pierced with a quick and lively sight and Sense of her Son's Sufferings But to Mary Magdalene who had been a grievous Sinner Doubtless this was for the Comfort of all true Penitents and Administers great Consolation to them As the Angels in Heaven Rejoyce much more doth Christ Joy in the Recovery of one Repenting Sinner then in Multitudes of Holy and Just Persons such was the Blessed Virgin who need no Repentance For the same Reason did our Saviour particularly Name Peter Go tell my Disciples and Peter He being for his Denyal of Christ swallowed up with Sorrow and standing most in need of Consolation therefore speak particularly to Peter As if Christ had said Be sure that his sad Heart be Comforted with this joyful News that I am Risen and let him know that I am Friends with him notwithstanding his late Cowardice 13 And behold two of them went the same day to a Village called Emmaus which was from Jerusalem about Threescore Furlongs 14 And they talked together of all those things which had happened 15 And it came to pass that while they Communed together and reasoned Jesus himself drew near and went with them 16 But their Eyes were holden that they should not know him 17 And he said unto them What manner of Communications are these that ye have one to another as ye walk and are sad 18 And one of them whose Name was Cleopas answering said unto him Art thou only a Stranger in Israel and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these Days 19 And he said unto them What things And they said unto him Concerning Jesus of Nazareth which was a Prophet mighty in Deed and Word before God and all the People 20 And how the Chief Priests and our Rulers delivered him to be Condemned to Death and have Crucified him 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have Redeemed Israel and besides all this To Day is the Third Day since these things were done 22 Yea and certain Women of our Company made us Astonished which were early at the Sepulchre 23 And when they found not his Body they came saying That they had also seen a Vision of Angels which said that he was Alive 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the Sepulchre and found it even so as the Women had said but him they saw not Here we have Observable 1. The Journey which Two of the Disciples took to Emmaus a Village not far from Jerusalem The Occasion of their Journey is not told us but the Scripture Acquaints us with their Discourse in their Journey and as they were walking by the way It was Holy and Useful Pious and Profitable Discourse that they entertained one another with as they walk'd They Discours'd of Christ's Death and Resurrection a good Pattern for our Imitation when Providentially cast into such Company as will bear it That our Lips drop as the Honey-comb and our Tongue be as choice Silver Observe 2. How our Holy Lord presently made one in the Company when they were Discoursing Seriously about the Matters of Religion he over-took them and joined himself to them The way to have Christ's Presence and Company with us is to be discoursing of Christ and the things of Christ Observe 3. Tho' Christ came to them it was Incognito he was not known to them for their Eyes were holden by the Power of God their Sight was restrained that they could not Discern who he was but took him for another Person though his Body had the same Dimensions that it had before Whence we Learn The Influence which God has upon all our Powers and Faculties upon all our Members and Senses and how much we depend upon God for the Use and Exercise of our Faculties and Members Their Eyes were holden that they could not see him Observe 4. That the Notion of the Messias being a Temporal Saviour was so deeply Rooted in the minds of the Disciples that it remained here with them even after he was Risen from the Dead They here Own and Acknowledge him To be a Prophet mighty in Deed and in Word but they Question whether he were the Messias the Redeemer of Israel They could not Reconcile the Ignominy of his Death with the Grandeur of his Office nor Conceive how the Infamy of a Cross was Consistent with the Glory of a King We trusted that it had been he which should have Redeemed Israel As if they had said we were full of Hopes that this had been the Messias so long Expected by us but this being the Third Day since he Dyed we fear we shall find our selves mistaken 25 Then said he unto them O Fools and slow of Heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken 26 Ought not Christ to have Suffered these things and to enter into his Glory 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he Expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself 28 And they drew nigh unto the Village whither they went and he made as though he would have gone farther 29 But they constrained him saying Abide with us for it is towards Evening and the day is far spent And he went in to tarry with them 30 And it came to pass as he sate at Meat with them he took Bread and Blessed it and Brake and gave to them 31 And their Eyes were opened and they knew him and he Vanished out of their Sight 32 And they said one to another Did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures Observe 1. our Saviour Reproves and then Instructs them he Reproves them for being Ignorant of the Sense of Scripture They thought the Death of the Messias a sufficient Ground to question the Truth of his Office when it was an Argument to confirm and establish it Oh Fools oâ—â—â—t not Christ to Suffer As if he had said Do you not find that the Person described by the Prophets in the Old Testament to be the Messias was to wade to his Glory through a Sea of Blood Why then do you think your selves deceived in the
Humility of the holy Baptist the mean and lowly Opinion he had of himself Although John was the greatest among them that were born of a Woman and so much esteemed by the Jews and had the honour to go before Christ in the Exercise of his Office and Ministry yet he judges himself unworthy to carry Christ's Shoes after him He that cometh after me is preferred before me whose Shoes I am not worthy to unloose Learn hence That the more eminent Gifts the Ministers of the Gospel have and the more ready Men are to honour and esteem them the more will they abase themselves if they be truly Gracious and account themselves highly honoured in doing the meanest Offices of Love and Service for Jesus Christ Thus doth the holy Baptist here His Shoes Latchet I am not worthy to unloose 29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world 30 This is he of whom I said After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me This is John the Baptist's third Testimony concerning Christ in which he points out Christ as the True Sacrifice for Expiation of Sin Behold the Lamb of God the Lamb of God's appointing to be an Expiatory Sacrifice the Lamb of God's Election the Lamb of God's Affection the Lamb of God's Acceptation the Lamb of God's Exaltation who by the Sacrifice of his death has taken away the sin of the World The sin not the sins in the plural Number to denote Original Sin as some think or as others to shew that Christ has universally taken upon himself the whole Burthen of our Sin and Guilt And there seems to be a secret Antithesis in the Word World In the Levitical Sacrifices only the sins of the Jews were laid upon the sacrificed Beast but this Lamb takes away the sin both of Jew and Gentile The Lord hath caused to meet on him the Iniquity of us all And the Word Taketh Away being of the Present Tense denotes a continued Act and it intimates to us thus much viz. That it is the daily Office of Christ to take away our sin by presenting to the Father the Memorials of his Death Christ takes away from all Believers the Guilt and Punishment of their sins the Filth and Pollution of them the Power and Dominion that is in them and as St. John called upon the Jews to behold this Lamb of God with an Eye of Observation so is it our Duty to behold him now with an Eye of Admiration with an Eye of Gratulation but especially with an Eye of Faith and Dependence improving the Fruit of his Death to our own Consolation and Salvation Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be saved c. 31 And I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water 32 And John bare record saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him 33 And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost 34 And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God Observe here 1. That John the Baptist tho' a near Kinsman of Christ's according to the Flesh yet the Providence of God so ordered it that for thirty Years together they did not know one another nor converse with each other nor probably ever saw the faces of each other to be sure he did not know him to be the Messiah This no doubt was over-ruled by the wisdom of God to prevent all suspicion as if John and Christ had compacted together to give one another Credit that the World might suspect nothing of the Truth of John's Testimony concerning Christ or have the least jealousie that what he said of Christ was from any Bias of Mind to his Person therefore he repeats it a second time v. 31. v. 33. I knew him not Hence we may learn That a Corporal sight of Christ and an outward Personal Acquaintance with him is not simply needful and absolutely necessary for enabling a Minister to set him forth and represent him savingly to the World Observe 2. The Means declared by which John came to know Christ to be the true Messiah it was by a Sign from Heaven namely the Holy Ghost descending like a Dove upon our Saviour He that sent me to Baptize with Water the same said unto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining the same is he Learn hence 1. That Christ taking upon him our Nature did so cover his Glory with the Veil of our Flesh and common Infirmities that he could not be known by bodily sight from another Man Till John had a divine Revelation and an evident Sign from Heaven that Christ was the Son of God he knew him not Learn 2. That Christ in his solemn entry upon his Office as Mediator was sealed unto the Work by the descending of the Holy Ghost upon him he was sealed by the Holy Ghost's descending and the Teacher's testifying that this was his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased Now it was that God gave not the Spirit to Christ by Measure for the effectual Administration of his Mediatorial Office now it pleased the Father that in Christ should all fulness dwell He was filled Extensively with all Kinds of Grace and filled Intensively with all Degrees of Grace in the Day of his Inauguration when the Holy Spirit descended upon him ¶ 35 Again the next day after John stood and two of his disciples 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked he said Behold the Lamb of God It is evident that John's Disciples were never very willing to acknowledge Jesus for the Messias because they thought he did shadow and cloud their Master See therefore the Sincerity of the Holy Baptist he takes every Opportunity to draw off the Eyes of his own Disciples from himself and to fix them upon Christ he saith to two of his Disciples Behold the Lamb of God As if he had said Turn your Eyes from me to Christ take less Notice of me his Minister but behold your and my Lord and Master Behold the Lamb of God Learn hence That the great Design of Christ's faithful Ministers is to set People upon admiring of Christ and not magnifying themselves Oh! 't is their great Ambition and Desire that such as love and respect them and honour their Ministry may be led by them to Christ to behold and admire him to accept of him and to submit unto him John said to his Disciples Behold the Lamb of God 37 And the two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus 38 Then Jesus returned and saw them following and saith unto them What seek ye They said unto him Rabbi which is to say being interpreted Master
no Man that is no Man without me but all Men by me to this intent That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father that is honour him with the same Faith Love Fear Worship that is due and payable to God the Father Hence learn 1. That Christ as God hath the absolute Power of Life and Death of Absolution and Condemnation which he executes in Conjunction with his Father 2. That Christ having this Power of judging the World with the Father doth shew that the same Glory is due to him which is due unto the Father All Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father 3. That such as pretend to honour Christ but deny him to be God equal with the Father They withdraw the highest Honour from him and such as withdraw Honour from the Son deny it to the Father who will not be honoured but in and through honouring of the Son This Text speaks dread and terror to the Socinians who pretend to Honour Christ but not with the same Honour with which they pretend to honour the Father in God's Account they honour him not at all For he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father 24 Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life 25 Verily verily I say unto you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live 26 For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man Here we have a fifth Evidence of Christ's God-head and Equality with the Father namely that he is the Author of Spiritual and Eternal Life to all that believe on him He that was a Fountain of Life equal with the Father and communicated to him from the Father is God But Christ hath this v. 26. For as the Father hath Life in himself so he has given to the Son to have Life in himself Again he that hath Authority to execute Judgment upon Angels and Men is God but Christ hath such Authority v. 27. He hath given him Authority to execute Judgment Farther he that with his Voice quickneth and maketh alive them that hear it is God but Christ doth this v. 25. The dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and live The Dead that is 1. The Spiritually dead such as are dead in Trespasses and Sins These hearing the Voice of Christ in the Ministry of the Word shall live a Life of Grace on Earth and a Life of Glory in Heaven 2. Such as are Corporeally dead also these are likewise quickned and raised by Christ as God Learn hence 1. That God the Father hath communicated to Christ his Son a Power to quicken and enliven such as are Spiritually and Corporally dead 2. That the Father's communicating this Power to the Son argues no Inequality nor Inferiority in the Son but he hath the same Life infinitely independently and equally with the Father as the Father hath it so hath the Son the Father hath it in himself and so hath the Son also therefore the Son as well as the Father is essentially and truly God 28 Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice 29 And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Our Saviour finding the Jews amazed and astonished at his declaring his Sovereign and Supreme Authority and Power to quicken and raise whom he pleased from the dead doth in these Verses assure them that there should be a general Resurrection and an universal Day of Judgment both of the Righteous and the Wicked and a future Distribution of Rewards and Punishments in another Life according to Men's Actions here in this Life All that are in the Graves shall hear my Voice and shall come forth Here observe 1. The Certainty and Universality of the Resurrection of the dead declared The Hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves shall come forth Obs 2. The powerful and efficacious Means by which this great and sudden Change shall be effected and accompliished in the Morning of the Resurrection namely the omnipotent Voice or Christ All that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth 3. Here are the different ends of the Resurrection declared according to the Difference of Persons which shall then be raised Good and Bad Those that have done good to the Resurrection of Life and those that have done evil to the Resurrection of Damnation Learn 1. That there shall certainly be a Resurrection of the Body 2. That all in the Graves shall be raised though not all alike the Wicked shall be raised by the Power of Christ as their Judge the Righteous shall be raised by Virtue of their Union with Christ as their Head 3. According as Men live in this World and go out of it so will they be found at the Resurrection without any Change of their State there will then be only two sorts of Persons Good and Bad. All that have done Good how small soever the Degree of their Goodness hath been shall be rewarded And all that have done Evil shall be everlastingly punished For all Persons shall be eternally Happy or intollerably Miserable in the other World accordingly as they manage their Deportment and Behaviour in this Life They that have done Good shall go c. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing as I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me Here Christ declares to the Jews and in them to all Mankind that they might assure themselves his Judgment would be exactly Righteous because he had no private Will or Power of his own contrary to or different from his Father Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ being the same in Essence and Nature in Power and Operation with the Father had no private Will or Interest of his own but acted all things as God in Co-ordination with the Father and as Man in Subordination to him I can of my own self do nothing that is neither as God nor as Mediator not as God for God the Father and Christ being one equal in Power what one Person did the other doth not as Mediator for so Christ finished the Work which his Father gave him to do the Will of the Father and the Will of Christ being both one 31 If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true 32 ¶ There is another that beareth witness of me and I know that the witness which he
Life Observe 2. How the Jews misunderstood our Saviour's words He that keeps my saying shall never see Death as if he meant a freedom from Temporal Death and hereupon they looked upon him as beside himself to promise a Priviledge which neither Abraham nor the Prophets did ever enjoy Whereas it was not Exemption from Temporal Death but freedom from Eternal Destruction which our Saviour promised to them that keep his sayings Hence learn That the misunderstanding of Christ's Doctrine and taking it in a Carnal Sense has given occasion for the many Cavils and Objections made against it Observe 3. How Christ clears himself of all Ambition in this matter and shews that he did not make this promise of delivering his followers from Death vain-gloriously but that God whom they called their Father had honoured him with Power to make good what ever he had promised to them that keep his saying Learn hence That as Christ intirely sought his Father's Glory so the Father conferred all Honour and Glory upon Christ as Mediatour thereby testifying how infinitely pleased he was with the Redemption of Mankind performed by him If I honour my self my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoureth me 56 Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad That is Abraham having Received a Promise that the Messias should come of his Seed he exceedingly Rejoyced to see the day of my coming in the Flesh tho' afar off with the Eye of his Faith and in a Figure in his Sacrificed Son Isaac And this sight of his Faith was so Transporting that he leap'd for Joy Learn hence That a strong Faith giveth such a clear sight of Christ tho' at a distance as produceth an Holy delight and Rejoycing in him 57 Then said the Jews unto him Thou art not yet fifty years old and hast thou seen Abraham 58 Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Before Abraham was I am 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him but Jesus hid himself and went put of the temple going through the midst of them and so passed by Observe here 1. What a false and Ridiculous construction the Jews make of our Saviour's words as if he had affirmed that he had seen Abraham and Abraham him with bodily Eyes whereas Christ only asserted that Abraham had seen his Day that is he foresaw by Faith the Day of his Incarnation and coming in the Flesh Observe 2. Our Saviour's positive asserting of his Divinity or that he had a Being as God from all Eternity for says he Before Abraham was I am Where Note That Christ doth not say Before Abraham was I was but Before Abraham was I am which is the proper name of God whereby is signified the Eternal duration and permanency of his Being The Adversaries of Christ's Divinity say that before Abraham was Christ was that is in God's fore-knowledge or Decree but this may be said of any other person as well as Christ that he was in the fore-knowledge of God before Abraham was Born Whereas undoubtedly it was Christ's design in these words to give himself some preference and advantage above Abraham which this Interpretation doth not in the least do Observe lastly How the Jews looking upon Christ as a Blasphemer for making himself equal with God and for asserting his Eternal Existence they make a Zealous attempt upon his Life by taking up Stones to cast at him as the Jews used to deal with Blasphemers but our Saviour delivers himself miraculously from their fury and escapes untouched Hence learn That when Arguments fail the Enemies of Truth betake themselves to force and violence They took up Stones to cast at him 2. That as Christ disappointed his own Persecutors so he can and will deliver his People in their greatest extremity from the Persecutors Rage and Fury 2. Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptation and to reserve the Vnjust to the Day of Judgment to be punished CHAP. IX 1 ANd as Jesus passed by he saw a man which was blind from his birth The foregoing Chapter acquainted us with a famous Encounter which the Pharisees had with our Blessed Saviour in the Temple at Jerusalem This being ended as he passed from the Temple he saw a Man lying possibly by the High-way who was Born Blind Him Christ pitches upon as an object fit to exercise his Divine Power in the cure and healing of They that are Blind by casualty may possibly be relieved by Art and Industry but to cure one that is Born Blind nothing less is required than an Almighty Power Learn hence That Diseases and Distempers which are incurable by the ordinary course of Nature are not insuperable to Christ's Power nor impossible for him to help but a proper object for him to magnifie his Power upon Therefore is it here Recorded that this poor Man was Blind from his Birth such Blindness being accounted incurable by Natural means 2 And his disciples asked him saying Master who did sin this man or his parents that he was born blind Here Observe Something implied or supposed Namely 1. That all Bodily Afflictions and Calamities do come upon us for Sin Whereas Afflictions tho' they always fall upon a Sinner yet are they not always sent for Sin but by way of Purgation and Prevention of Sin 2. It is here supposed that as some Afflictions come upon Men for personal Sins so others come upon them for Parental Sins and that Children may and oftimes do very justly suffer for their Parents Sins 3. It is here supposed that there is no other Reason of a person's sufferings but only Sin Whereas tho' Sin be much and often the cause of suffering yet we may wrong God and Man yea and Sin too to conclude it is always the cause of suffering 4. It is implied here That there is a Transmigration of Souls from one Body to another the Disciples supposed that this Soul when it was in another Body sinned and was now punished by being put into a Blind Body This Pythagorean Error was crept in among the Pharisees and the Disciples here seem to be tainted and infected with it This may Teach us how far the Holiest and Wisest of Men are from an Infallible Spirit and that the Best Men may be misled by a common Error 3 Jesus answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him Christ's Answer must not be understood Absolutely as if he denied this Man and his Parents to be guilty of Sin for both he and they had Sin enough not only to deserve Temporal Blindness but Eternal darkness The meaning is That in Afflicting this Man the Lord did not so much Respect his or his Parent 's Sin as the manifestation of his own Glory in this miraculous Cure Christ doth not deny but that a Man 's own Sin and the Sin of his Parents may be the procuring
the Apostles as well as Peter nay not only to the Apostles but to all their Successors yea not to the Apostles only and their Successors but to all Believer also for they are led by the Spirit of God and that into all Truth too not absolutely but into all necessary Truth And so far as a private Christian follows the Conduct and Guidance of the Divine Spirit he is more infallible than either Pope or Council who follow the Dictates and Direction of their own Spirits only 13 For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come That is he shall not teach you a private Doctrine or that which is contrary to what ye have learned of me but whatsoever he shall hear of me and receive from me that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come This affords an Argument to prove the Holy Spirit to be God He that can shew us things to come he that clearly foreseeth and infallibly foretelleth what shall be before it is is certainly God But this the Holy Spirit doth he will shew you things to come Men and Devils may guess at things to come but none can shew things to come but he that is truly and really God therefore the Spirit is so 14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you 15 All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you Here Christ shews the Advantage which would redound to himself by the coming of the Comforter he declares that the Spirit should glorifie him by his Testimony Gifts and Miracles and shall in all things accord with him and thereby evidence that he hath his Mission from him He shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you And all things that the Father hath are mine Hence learn That although the Union in Essence amongst the Persons in the Trinity is the same yet the Order of their Subsistence and Operation is distinct the Son being from the Father and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son For all things that the Father hath are mine And the Spirit shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you 16 A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me because I go to the Father 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves What is this that he saith unto us A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me and Because I go to the Father 18 They said therefore What is this that he saith A little while we cannot tell what he saith 19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him and said unto them Do ye enquire among your selves of that I said A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me 20 Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowful but your sorrow shall be turned into joy 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come but assoon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you In these Words our Holy Lord proceeds to comfort his Disciples with a Promise That however he was now to be removed from them yet they should shortly see him again namely after his Resurrection it being impossible that he should be held by Death but must arise and go to his Father His Disciples not understanding what he meant but labouring under the Prejudices of their national Errors concerning the Temporal Kingdom of the Messias knew not what to make of those Words A little while and ye shall not see me Our Saviour therefore explains himself to his Disciples telling them that they shall have a time of sad sorrow and grief of Heart during the time of his suffering and absence from them but their Sadness should soon be turned into Joy when they shall see him alive again after his Resurrection This he illustrates by the Similitude of a travailing Woman who soon forgets her Sorrow after she has brought forth a Child Thus will their Hearts revive upon the sight of him risen from the Grave and no Man shall be able to take their Joy away from them because he shall die no more but go to Heaven and there live for ever to make Intercession for them Learn hence 1. From the Apostles not understanding Christ's Words concerning his Departure tho' so often inculcated upon them A little while and ye shall not see me because I go to the Father Hence Note How unreasonable it is to arrogate to Man's understanding a Power to comprehend Spiritual Mysteries yea to understand the plainest Truths till Christ enlightens the Understanding let the Doctrine be delivered never so plainly and repeated never so frequently yet will Men continue ignorant without Divine Illumination How often had this plain Doctrine of Christ's departure to the Father been preached to the Disciples by Christ's own Mouth yet still they say What is this he saith We cannot tell what he saith Learn 2. From the different Effects which Christ's absence should have upon the World and upon his Disciples The World will rejoyce but ye shall weep and lament Note 1. That it is the wretched Disposition of the World to rejoyce in the absence and want of Christ out of the World When I am gone the World will rejoyce 2. That nothing is the cause of so much Sorrow and Sadness to sincere Disciples as Christ's absence and removal from them Such is their Estimation of the worth of him so great is their Apprehension of the want of him that there is no loss comparable to his absence and removal from them ye shall weep and lament at my departure tho' the World will rejoyce Learn 3. That the Believers Sorrow for Christ's absence tho' it be very great yet it shall not be perpetual Ye have now sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you The Joy of the Saints may be interrupted it shall never be totally extinguished it is a permanent Joy of which they shall never be totally deprived till they enter into the Ocean of eternal Joy Your Joy no Man taketh from you 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full At the first reading of the
Our Saviour's Prayer to his Father for his Apostles before he left the World Holy Father keep them that is preserve them by thy Divine Power and Goodness for the Glory of thy Holy Name Here Note 1. The Title and Appellation given to God Holy Father Thence Learn That when we go to God in Prayer especially for Grace and Sanctification we must look upon him as an Holy Father as essentially and originally Holy as infinitely and independently Holy Note 2. The Supplication requested of God Keep through thy name those whom thou hast given me Thence Learn That the Perseverance of the Saints in a state of Grace is the sweet Effect and Fruit of Christ's Prayer Christ has begged it and it cannot be denied there being such an Harmony and sweet Consent betwixt the Will of the Father and the Will of the Son Three things concur to the Believer's Perseverance On the Father's Part there is everlasting Love and all-sufficient Power On the Son's Part there is everlasting Merit and constant Intercession On the Spirit 's Part there is a perpetual Inhabitation and continued Influence Observe 3. The End of Christ's Supplication on behalf of his People that they may be one as we are one Here Note 1. That the Heart of Christ is exceedingly set upon the Unity and Oneness of his Members 2. That the Believers Union with Christ their Head and one with another has some resemblance to that Unity that is betwixt the Father and the Son For 't is an holy and spiritual Union a close and intimate Union an indissoluble and inseparable Union 12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled Observe here 1. That those which shall be saved are given unto Christ and committed to his Care and Trust 2. That none of those that are given unto Christ as his Charge and committed to his Care and Trust shall be finally lost Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost It follows but the Son of Perdition A Person may be said to be a Son of Perdition two ways Actively and Passively Actively he is so who makes it his Work and Business to destroy others Passively he is a Son of Perdition who for his Wickedness in destroying others is destroyed himself Judas was a Son of Perdition in both these Senses his Heart was maliciously set upon destroying Christ and wilfully set upon his own destruction His Covetousness and Hypocrisie prompted him to betray our Saviour his Despair provoked him to destroy himself 13 And now come I to thee and these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves In these Words our Saviour declares the great Reason why he did at this time so publickly and solemnly pray for his Disciples it was to fill them with Joy and Comfort that their Joy might not be diminished by Christ's departure but rather encreased by the coming of the Comforter That they may have my Joy fulfilled in them that is the Joy which they take in me and the Joy which they have from me There is a double Care which Christ takes of his People namely a Care of their Graces and a Care of their Joy and Comfort How solicitous was he to leave his Disciples joyful before he departed from them He delights to see his People chearful and he knows of what great Use spiritual Joy is in the Christian's Course both to enable us for Doing and to fit us for Suffering Learn hence 1. That Christ is the Author and Original of the Joy of his People My Joy 2. That it is Christ's Will and Desire that his People should be full of holy Joy That my Joy may be fulfilled in them 3. That the great End of Christ's Prayer and Intercession was and is that his Peoples Hearts might be full of Joy These things I speak in the World that they might have my Joy fulfilled in themselves 14 I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world I have given them thy Word partly by external Revelation and partly by internal Illumination and for thy Word sake the World hates them as also because they are not of the World Learn 1. That Christians especially Ministers to whom Christ has given his Word must expect the World's hatred Few of the Prophets or Apostles died a natural death As their Calling is Eminent so must their Sufferings be Exemplary The best Ministers and the best Men are usually most hated There is an Antipathy against the Power of Godliness or a cruel causeless implacable and irreconcilable hatred against the Saints because of their strictness in Religion and contrariety to the World 2. That it is the Honour of Believers that they are like unto Christ in being the Objects of the World's hatred The World hates them because they are not of the World as I am not of the World This Christ adds both for Information and Consolation for Information that they should look for such Hatred Misery and Trouble as they saw him grapple with and for Consolation to think that the World can never hate us so bad as it hated Christ 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil 16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world Here Observe 1. That the Wisdom of Christ sees it fit to continue his Children and People in the World notwithstanding all the Perils and Dangers of the World He has Work for them and they are of Use to him for a time in the World and till their Work be done Christ's Love will not and the World's Malice cannot remove them hence Yet Christ prays that his Father would keep them from the Evil that is from the Sins Temptations and Snares of this wicked World Thence Note That a spiritual Victory over Evil is to be preferred before a total exemption from Evil it is a far greater Mercy to be kept from sin in our Afflictions than from the Afflictions themselves 17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Sanctifie them not initially for so they were sanctified already but progressively let them increase more and more in Grace and Holiness Learn hence 1. That such as are already sanctified must labour and ought to endeavour after further Measures and higher Degrees of Sanctification The most Holy may yet be more Holy 2. That the Word of God is the great Instrument in God's Hand for his Peoples Sanctification 3. That the Word of God is the Truth of God Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth The Word of God is a Divine Truth an Eternal Truth an Infallible Truth an Holy Truth 18 As thou hast
vindicates himself and defends himself both with Law and Reason If I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil But if well why smitest thou me Note 2. That when the Soldier had struck Christ upon one Cheek he did not turn to him the other also according to Matth. 5.39 Which evidently shews that That Precept if they smite thee on one Cheek turn the other also commands only this That rather than take Revenge we should take a second Injury Christians ought rather to suffer a double Wrong than to seek a private Revenge Christianity obliges us to bear many Injuries patiently rather than to avenge one privately But tho' it binds up our Hands from private Revenge yet it doth not shut our Mouths from complaining to publick Authority Christ's own Practice here expounds the Precept elsewhere Matth. 5.39 for he complains here of the Officers Injustice in smiting him before the Judicatory and challenges the Man to bear witness of the Evil. Observe Lastly How our Lord was not only buffetted but bound and sent bound from Annas to Caiaphas from Caiaphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod and from Herod to Pilate again And all this on foot through the Streets of Jerusalem from one end of the City to the other partly to render his Passion more publick being made a Gazing-stock to the World and a Spectacle both to Angels and Men. And his condescending to go bound from one High Priest to another and from one Tribunal to another teaches his People what Delinquents they were before the Tribunal of God and what they deserved by reason of Sin even a Sentence of eternal Condemnation at the Tribunal of the Just and Holy God 28 ¶ Then â—ed they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment and it was early and they themselves went not into the judgment-hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the passover There were two Courts of Judicature which our blessed Saviour was brought before and condemned by 1. The Ecclesiastical Court or Sanhedrim in which the High Priest sate as Judge Here he was condemned to Death for Blasphemy 2. The Civil Court or Judgment-Hall where Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor sate Judge who because he was a Gentile they would not go into his House lest they should be defiled for they accounted it a Legal Pollution to come into the House of a Gentile Where Observe The notorious Hypocrisie of these Jews they scruple the defiling of themselves by coming near the Judgment-Hall where Pilate sate but make no scruple at all to defile themselves with the guilt of that innocent Blood which Pilate shed When Persons are over-zealous for Ceremâ—nial Observations they are oft-times too remiss with reference to Moral Duties They brought him to the Judgment-Hall but they themselves went not in lest they should be defiled 29 Pilate then went out unto them and said What accusation bring you against this man 30 They answered and said unto him If he were not a malefactour we would not have delivered him up unto thee Observe here 1. How Pilate humours these Jews in their Superstition They scruple to go into the Judgment-Hall to him he therefore goes out to them and demands what Accusation they had against Christ They charge him here only for being a Malefactor or an evil Doer in the general but elsewhere Luke 23. they particularly accuse him 1. For perverting the Nation 2. For forbidding to pay Tribute to Caesar 3. For saying that he himself was Christ a King All of which was filthy Calumny yet Christ underwent the Reproach of it without opening his Mouth Teaching us when we lie under Calumny and unjust Imputation to imitate him who opened not his Mouth but committed his Case to him that judgeth uprightly 31 Then said Pilate unto them Take ye him and judge him according to your law The Jews therefore said unto him It is not lawful for us to put any man to death 32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should die The Jews being now under the Power of the Romans tho' they had a Power of Judging and Censuring Criminals in smaller Matters yet not in capital Cases they could not pronounce a Sentence of Death upon any Person say some they might and did say others punish Blasphemers by stoning them to death but then their Sentence was to be ratified by the Roman Power Accordingly here they had in their Ecclesiastical Court condemned Christ for Blasphemy now they bring him to Pilate the Roman Governor to confirm the Sentence of Death From hence it appears that Christ was the true Messias being sent into the World when the Sceptre was departed from Judah according to that ancient Prophecy of Jacob Gen. 49.10 The Sceptre shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh come The Jews now had no Power absolutely to condemn any Man or to put him death but this Power the Roman Emperor reserved to his own Deputy This contributed towards the fulfilling of our Saviour's Words Matth. 20.19 That he should be delivered to the Gentiles and should be crucified Which was not a Jewish but a Roman Punishment Had the Jews put him to death they had stoned him But Christ was to be made a Curse for us by hanging upon a Tree and accordingly the Jews execute the Counsel of God tho' they knew â—â— not by refusing to put him to death themselves Learn hence How willing Christ was to undergo a shameful painful and accursed Death that he might testifie his Love unto and procure a Blessing for his People Thus the Saying of Jesus was fulfilled which he spake signifying what Death he should die 33 Then Pilate entred into the judgement-hall again and called Jesus and said unto him Art thou thou the king of the Jews 34 Jesus answered him Sayest thou this thing of thy self or did others tell it thee of me 35 Pilate answered Am I a Jew Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me What hast thou done 36 Jesus answered My kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my kingdom not from hence Observe here 1. Pilate's insnaring Question Art thou King of the Jews How jealous are great Men of Jesus Christ and how afraid are they of his Kingdom Power and Authority as if it would be prejudicial to their Authority and Power in the World which was far enough from Christ's Thoughts Observe 2. The Wisdom and Caution of our Saviour's Answer he neither affirms nor denies though whenever we speak we are bound to speak the truth yet we are not bound at all times to speak the whole truth Christ tells him therefore That upon the supposition that he was King yet his Kingdom was no Earthly but a Spiritual Kingdom he was no Temporal King to Rule over his Subjects with Temporal Power and Worldly
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
Christ or the self-quickning Principle by which Christ raised himself from the Dead Acts 1.3 He shewed himself active after his Passion Learn That it was the Divine Nature or Godhead of Christ which raised his Humane Nature from Death to Life Others were raised from the Grave by Christ's Power he raised himself by his own Power Observe 3. The Testimony or Witness given to our Lord's Resurrection that of an Angel The Angel said he is not here but risen But why is an Angel the first Publisher of our Lord's Resurrection Surely the Dignity of our Lord's Person and the Excellency of his Resurrection required that it should be first published by an Angel and accordingly it is worthy our Observation how very serviceable and officious the holy Angels were in attending upon our Saviour in the Days of his Flesh an Angel foretells his Conception to the Blessed Virgin an Angel proclaims his Birth to the Shepherds an Angel succours him in his Temptations in the Wilderness an Angel comforts him in his Agony in the Garden and at his Resurrection the Angel rolls away the Stone from the Sepulchre and brings the first Tydings of it to the Women In his Ascension the Angels bore him Company to Heaven and when he comes again to Judgment he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels Observe 4. The Persons to whom our Lord's Resurrection was first made known to Women to the Two Maries But why to the Women God will make 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 Almighty 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 and the Graves opening shew'd a mixture of Divine Power God will honour what Instruments he pleases for the Accomplishment of his own Purposes But why to these Women the Two Maries is this Discovery of Christ's Resurrection first made Possibly it was a Reward for their Magnanimity and Masculine Courage These Women clave to Christ when the Apostles fled from him and forsook him they assisted at his Cross they attended at his Funeral they watched his Sepulchre These Women had more Courage than the Apostles therefore God makes the Women Apostles to the Apostles he sends them to tell the Apostles of the Resurrection and they must have the News at the second Hand Oh what a tacit Rebuke was hereby given to the Apostles A secret Check that they should be thus outdone by poor 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 Observe 5. The Evidence which the Angel offers to the Women to evince and prove the Verity and Certainty of our Saviour's Resurrection namely by an Appeal to their Senses Come see the Place where the Lord lay The Senses when rightly disposed are the proper Judges of all sensible Objects therefore Christ himself did appeal to his Disciples Senses concerning the Truth of his own Resurrection Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self and indeed if we must not believe our Senses we shall want the best External Evidence for the Proof of the Truth of the Christian Religion namely the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles For what Assurance can we have of the Reality of those Miracles but from our Senses Therefore says our Saviour If ye believe not me yet believe the Works that I do That is the Miracles which I have wrought before your Eyes Now as my Senses tell me that Christ's Miracles were true so they assure me that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false From the whole Note That the Lord Jesus Christ by the Omnipotent Power of his Godhead revived and rose again from the Dead to the Terror and Consternation of his Enemies and the unspeakable Joy and Consolation of Believers 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy and did run to bring his disciples word 9 And as they went to tell his disciples behold Jesus met them saying All hail And they came and held him by the feet and worshipped him 10 Then said Jesus unto them Be not afraid go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee and there shall they see me Observe here 1. What Haste and Speed these holy Women make to carry the News of Christ's Resurrection to the Apostles such as find and feel their Hearts grieved for the Absence and Want of Christ will be very ready to comfort such as are in the same Condition Oh how glad are these holy Women to carry the good News of their Lord's Resurrection to the Heart-broken Disciples Observe 2. How these holy Women hasting in Obedience to the Angel's Command to tell the Disciples do meet with Christ in the way Such as obey the Directions of God's Ministers seeking Christ in his own Way and Means shall find him to their Comfort sooner than they expected These holy Women find Christ before they look'd for him as they went to tell his Disciples Jesus met them Observe 3. The affectionate and loving Title which Christ puts upon his Disciples Tell my Brethren He might have said Go tell those Apostate Apostles that cowardly left me in my Danger that durst not own me in the High Priest's Hall that durst not come within the Shadow of my Cross nor within the Sight of my Sepulchre Not a word of this by way of upbraiding them for their late shameful Cowardice but all Words of Kindness Go tell my Brethren Where Note That Christ calls his Disciples Brethren after his Resurrection and Exaltation as he had done before in his State of Humiliation to shew the Continuance of his former Affection to them and that the Change of his Condition had wrought no Change in his Affection towards his despised Members But those that were his Brethren before in the time of his Abasement are so still after his Exaltation and Advancement Observe Lastly The Place where Christ chuses to meet with and speak to his Disciples not in Jerusalem but in Galilee I go before them into Galilee there shall they see me Jerusalem was now a forsaken Place a People abandoned to Destruction Christ would not shew himself openly to them but Galilee was a Place where Christ's Ministry was more acceptable Such Places wherein Christ is most welcome to preach shall be most honoured with his Presence In Galilee shall they see me 11 Now when they were going behold some of the watch came into the city and shewed unto the chief Priests all the things that were done 12 And when they were assembled
and Nature and yet blind as a Mole in the things of God 2. That Ignorance in the Fundamentals of Religion especially is very culpable and shameful in any that enjoy the means of Knowledge but especially in those that undertake to teach and instruct others Art thou a Teacher thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things Next our Saviour upbraids him for his Infidelity v. 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not This Infidelity received its Aggravation from the Facility and Perspicuity of our Saviour's Doctrine I have told you earthly Things that is I have set forth Spiritual Things by Earthly Similitudes not in a Stile suitable to the Sublimity of their own Nature Let the Ministers of Christ learn from their Master's Example in all their Discoures to accommodate themselves and descend as low as may be to the Capacities of their People I have told you earthly things 2. That even Spiritual Things when they are shadowed forth by earthly Similitudes and brought down in the plainest manner to the Capacities of our People yet are they very slow to understand them and very backward to believe them I have told you of earthly things and ye believe them not 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the son of man which is in heaven Here our Saviour declares to Nicodemus that none ever ascended up into Heaven to fetch down from thence the Knowledge of Divine Mysteries And to reveal the Way of Life and Salvation to Mankind by a Mediator but only Christ himself who tho' he took upon him the human Nature and was then Man upon Earth yet was he at the same time in his Divine Nature actually in heaven as God This Text evidently proves two distinct Natures in Christ namely a Divine Nature as he was God and an Humane Nature as Man In his Humane Nature he was then upon Earth when he spake these Words in his Divine Nature he was at that Instant in Heaven Here observe That the Son of God hath taken the Humane Nature into so close and intimate an Union with his God-head that what is proper to either Nature is ascribed unto the Person of our Saviour The same Person who was on Earth as the Son of Man was then in Heaven as God and yet but one Person still Lord what Love hast thou shewen to our Humane Nature that under that Name thou ascribest to thy self what is proper to thy God-head The Son of Man which is in Heaven 14 ¶ And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Christ having instructed Nicodemus in the Doctrine of Regeneration in the former Verses here he instructs him in the Death of the Messiah and in the Necessity of Faith in his Death The Son of Man must be lifted up that is upon his Cross and dye that whosoever believeth in him should not perish Observe here 1. An Old Testament Type which our Saviour refers to and that is the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness the History of which is recorded Numb 21.7 8. Observe 2. The Antitype or the Substance of what that Type did shadow forth the Brazen Serpent's lifting up upon the Pole prefiguring Christ's Exaltation or lifting up upon his Cross So must the Son of Man be lifted up Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ is of the same Use and Office to a Sin-stung Soul which the Brazen Serpent was of old to a Serpent-stung Israelite Here observe First Wherein the Brazen Serpent and Christ do agree And Secondly Wherein they differ They agree thus In the Occasion of their Institution they were both appointed for Cure and Healing Were they Serpent-stung We are Sin-stung Devil-bitten Was the Sting of the fiery Serpents inflaming Was it spreading Was it killing So is sin which is the Venom and Poison of the old Serpent They agree in this that they both must be lifted up before Cure could be obtained the Brazen Serpent upon the Pole Christ upon his Cross They both must be lookt unto before Cure could be obtained The looking up of the Israelite was as necessary unto Healing as the lifting up of the Serpent Faith is as necessary to Salvation as the Death of Christ The one rendered God reconcilable unto Sinners the other renders him actually reconciled Again did the Brazen Serpent heal All that lookt upon it and lookt up unto it though all had not Eyes alike some with a weak others with a stronger Eye In like manner doth Christ justifie and save All that with a sincere Faith though weak do rely upon him for Salvation Whoever believeth in him shall not perish Further the Brazen Serpent was effectual for Israel's Cure after many Stingings if after they were healed they were stung afresh and did look up to it they were healed by it Thus the Merit of Christ's Death is not only effectual for our Cure and Healing at our first Conversion but after involuntary Relapses and Backslidings if by Faith we have recourse to the Blood of Christ we shall find it efficacious for our farther Benefit and future Healing In a Word as the Brazen Serpent had the Likeness of a Serpent the Form the Figure the Name the Colour of a Serpent but nothing of the Venom and Poison of the Serpent in it Thus Christ did take upon him our Natures but sin the Venom and Poison of our Natures he had nothing to do with though Christ loved Souls with an invincible and insuperable Love yet he would not sin to save a Soul This was the Similitude and Resemblance between Christ and the Brazen Serpent The Disparity or Dissimilitude follows The Brazen Serpent had no Power in its self or of its self to heal and cure but Christ has a Power inherent in himself for the Cure and Healing of all that do believe in him Again the Brazen Serpent cured only one particular Nation and People Jews only Christ is for the healing of all Nations and his Salvation is to the ends of the Earth Farther the Brazen Serpent cured only one particular Disease namely the Stingings of the fiery Serpents had a Person been sick of the Plague or Leprosie he might have died for all the Brazen Serpent But Christ pardons all the Iniquities and heals all the Diseases of his People Psal 103.3 Yet again though the Brazen Serpent healed all that lookt up unto it yet it gave an Eye to none to look up unto it Whereas Christ doth not only heal those that look up to him but bestows the Eye of Faith upon them to enable them to look unto him that they may be saved In a Word the Brazen Serpent did not always retain its healing Virtue but in time lost it and was it self destroyed 2 Kings 18.4 But now the healing Vertue and Efficacy of Christ's Blood is
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
and inimitable never was Love like thine 16 And they took Jesus and led him away 17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a scull which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha 18 Where they crucified him and two other with him on either side one and Jesus in the midst Here Observe 1. That it was a Custom among the Romans to cause the Person condemned to crucifying to carry his own Cross accordingly our Saviour bare his own Cross part of the way till fainting under the burthen of it they laid it upon another not out of Mercy but Malice reserving him for a more publick Death They were loth he should go away in a fainting Fit But why could not Christ bear his own Cross who was able to bear the Sins of the whole World when hanging upon the Cross Answer 1. Probably the Jews Malice provided for him a Cross of extraordinary greatness proportionable to the Crimes they charged him with 2. He was much debilitated and weakned with his long watching and sweating the Night before 3. The sharp edges of the Cross grating his late whipped and galled Shoulders might occasion the fresh bleeding of his wounds and his weakning thereby 4. Hereby he gave the World a Demonstration of the Truth of his Humanity that he was in all things like unto us with respect to his Humane Nature and the common Infirmities of that Nature Observe 2. The Infamous Company which our Holy Lord suffered with two Thieves on either side one and himself in the midst it had been a sufficient disparagement to our blessed Redeemer to be sorted with the best of Men but to be numbred with the Scum of Mankind is such an Indignity as confounds our Thoughts This was designed by the Jews to dishonour and disgrace our Saviour the more and to perswade the World that he was the greatest of Offenders But God over-ruled this for fulfilling an Ancient Prophesie concerning the Messias Isaiah 53. last And he was numbered with the Transgressors 19 ¶ And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS 20 This title then read many of the Jews for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latine 21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate Write not The king of the Jews but that he said I am king of the Jews 22 Pilate answered What I have written I have written Observe here 1. The Inscription wrote by Pilate over our suffering Saviour This is Jesus of Nazareth 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 over his Head that so the Equity of their Proceedings might more clearly appear to the People 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 who was before his Judge and pronounced him Innocent is now his Herald to proclaim his Glory Learn hence That the Regal Dignity of Christ was openly proclaimed by an Enemy and that in the time of his greatest Reproaches and Sufferings Pilate without his own knowledge did our Saviour an eminent piece of Service he did that for Christ which none of his own Disciples durst do not designedly 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 neither be accepted nor rewarded by God Observe 2. How the Jews endeavour to alter this Write not The King of the Jews but that he said I am the King of the Jews The Jews thought it would be a disgrace to them that Christ should be reported abroad to have been their King therefore they desire an alteration of the Writing But Pilate that wrote in Honour of Christ stifly defends what he had done To all their Importunity he returns this resolute Answer What I have written I have written Surely the Constancy of Pilate at this time must be attributed to special Divine Providence How wonderful was it that he who before was as inconstant as a Reed should now be as fixed as a Pillar of Brass Whence is this but from the God of Spirits moving upon his Spirit to write and to defend what was written The Providence of God hath a Prospect beyond the Understanding of all Creatures 23 ¶ Then the souldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and made four parts to every souldier a part and also his coat now the coat was without seam woven from the top throughout 24 They said therefore among themselves Let us not rent it but cast lots for it whose it shall be that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith They parted my raiment among them and for my vesture they did cast lots These things therefore the souldiers did Here we have recorded our Saviour's Sufferings from the Soldiers they strip him of his Garments before they fastned him to his Cross and divide those Garments which could be parted amongst them and cast Lots for his woven Coat which could not be divided Little did these vile Soldiers think that they were now fulfilling a Scripture-Prophecy Yet so it was this Action of theirs being foretold Psalm 22.18 They part my Garments amongst them and cast lots upon my Vesture Not that the Prophesie made them do it but was fulfilled by their doing of it From hence we may gather That Christ suffered naked upon the Cross as naked say some as he came into the World We had made our selves naked to our shame and Christ became naked to cover our shame If sensible of our own Nakedness and Shame we flee unto him by Faith we shall be cloathed upon with Robes of Righteousness and Garments of everlasting Praise 25 ¶ Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mother Woman behold thy son 27 Then saith he to the disciple Behold thy mother And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home These Words contain our Saviour's affectionate Recommendation of his distressed Mother to the Care of a dear Disciple It was an Argument of Christ's wonderful Love to her that when he was nailed to the Cross and ready to die he was more concern'd for his Mothers Sorrows than for his own Sufferings Now was Simeon's Prophesie fulfilled Luke 2.35 A Sword shall pass through thine own Soul also Her Soul was pierced for him both as his natural Mother and also as a mystical Member of him her Head therefore Christ applies these comfortable Words as a Salve to her Wounds even whilst his own were bleeding unto
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