Christianity should teach them better and lead them farther even To love their Enemies and to bless them that curse them Note Love for Love is Justice Love for no Love is Favour and Kindness but Love for Hatred and Enmity is Divine Goodness a Christ-like Temper which will render us Illustrious on Earth and Glorious in Heaven 48 Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect That is Aim at Perfection in all Christian Virtues and Divine Graces but particularly in this of Love in Imitation of your Heavenly Father who is the perfect Pattern of all desirable Goodness and adorable Perfections To be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect is indeed impossible as to Equality but not as to Imitation The Word rendred here Perfect by St. Matthew is elsewhere by St. Luke rendred Merciful Luk. 6.36 Implying That Charity is the Perfection of a Christian's Graces He that is made perfect in Love is perfect in all Divine Graces in the Account of God Learn That no less than perfect and compleat Perfection in Grace and particularly in the Grace of Love and Charity is and ought to be the Aim of every Christian in this Life and shall be his Attainment in the next CHAP. VI. This Chapter is a Continuation of our Saviour's Incomparable Sermon upon the Mount in which he cautions his Disciples against the Hypocrisie and Vain-glory of the Pharisees both in their Almsgiving and Prayers The former in the first Four Verses of this Chapter which speak thus 1 TAKE heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward 3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth 4 That thine alms may be in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly Observe here 1. The Duty directed to Almsgiving after a right manner Do not your Alms before Men some Copies read it Do not your Righteousness before Men Because Alms-giving is a considerable part of that Righteousness and Justice which we owe unto our Neighbour he that is Uncharitable is Unjust Acts of Charity are Acts of Justice and Equity It also intimates to us That the Matter of our Alms should be Goods righteously gotten to give Alms of what is gotten unjustly is Robbery and not Righteousness Observe 2. Our Saviour's cautionary Direction in giving of Alms Take heed that you do them not to be seen of Men. It is one thing to do our Alms that Men may see them and another thing to do them that they may be seen of Men. We ought to do Alms before Men that GOD may be glorified but Not to be seen of Men that our Selves may be applauded Obs 3. The particular Sin which our Saviour warns his Disciples against in giving their Alms namely Ostentation and Vain-glory which the Pharisees were notoriously guilty of Sounding a Trumpet to call People about them when they gave their Alms. Thence Learn That the doing any Good Work especially any Work of Charity and Mercy vain-gloriously not with an Eye at God's Glory will certainly miss of the Reward of Well-doing in another World Obs 4. The Advice given by our Saviour for the Prevention of this Sin and Danger and that is to do our Alms as secretly as we can Let not thy left Hand know what thy right Hand doth That is conceal it from thy nearest Relations and if possible from thy Self Note thence That the Secrecy of our Charity is one good Evidence of its Sincerity Hence the Egyptians made the Emblem of Charity to be a Blind Boy reaching out Honey to a Bee that had lost her Wings 5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward 6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Here our Saviour warns his Disciples against the same Pharisaical Hypocrisie in Praying which he had before reproved in Almsgiving It was Lawful to Pray in the Synagogues and to Pray standing and that before Men but to do this upon design to be Applauded by Men is condemned by Christ Our Business in Prayer lyes with God we are not to concern our selves how Men like our Performances it is sufficient if God doth approve and will accept them To cure the foregoing Vanity Christ directs to Secret Prayer in our Closets where God is the Witness and will be the Rewarder of our Sincerity Note That Secret Prayer is a commanded and encouraged Duty and when in Sincerity performed shall be attended with a publick and glorious Reward Pray to thy Father which is in secret c. 7 But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking 8 Be ye not therefore like unto them for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him A vain-glorious Ostentation in Prayer was condemned by our Saviour in the former Verse here a vain-glorious Multiplication of Words by idle Tautologies and impertinent Repetitions is condemned also After the manner of the Heathen who expect to have their Prayers granted by God for the Multiplicity of Words used by themselves Hence Note That a Christian's Business in Prayer being not to inform God For he knoweth what things we need before we ask him nor yet to move and perswade God for he is Our Father it certainly argues an undue Aprehension of God when we lengthen out our Prayers with vain Repetitions and a multitude of Words 9 After this manner therefore pray ye As if Christ had said for preventing these and all other Faults in Prayer I will my self give you a Compleat Form of Prayer to be used when you Pray with others and an exact Pattern and Platform for your Imitation when you Pray alone by your selves Note That the Lord's Prayer is both a Perfect Form of Prayer which ought to be used by us and also a Pattern and Platform according to which all our Prayers ought to be framed St. Matthew says After this manner Pray ye St. Luke says When ye Pray say 9 Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name 10 Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is heaven 11 Give us this day our daily bread 12 And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors 13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver
us from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever Amen The Sence and Signification of this best of Prayers is this Oh thou our Father in Jesus Christ who remainest in thy Throne in Heaven and art there perpetually Praised and perfectly Obeyed by Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints Grant that Thy Name may be Glorified Thy Throne Acknowledged and Thy Holy Will Obeyed here on Earth below by us thy Sons and Servants most sincerely and readily and in some proportion to what is done in Heaven And because by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we cannot subsist without the Comforts and Supports of Life We crave That such a Proportion of the Good Things of this Life may be given in unto us as may be sufficient for us and that we may be content with our Allowance And knowing that thy Holiness and Justice obliges thee to punish Sin and Sinners we Plead with thee for the sake of thy Son's Satisfaction to Pardon to us our daily Trespasses which we are guilty of in this State of Imperfection as we do freely and heartily Forgive others that have offended and wronged us And seeing that by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we are prone to rush upon and run into Temptation we crave That by the Power of thy Omnipotent Grace we may be kept from Satan's Temptations from the World's Allurements from our own Evil Inclinations and be preserved unblamable to thine Everlasting Kingdom which is exalted over all Persons over all Places over all Things in all Times past present and to come And accordingly in Testimony of our Desires and in Assurance to be Heard and Answered we say Amen So be it So let it be Even so O Lord let it be for ever 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly father will also forgive you 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses There being no Duty to which our corrupt Natures are more backward than this of Forgiving Injuries our Saviour repeats that Duty over and over and frequently inculcates it in the Holy Gospels Assuring us That Forgiving others is the indispensible Condition upon which we are to expect Forgiveness from God Learn thence That every time we go to God in Prayer and beg Forgiveness of him as we Forgive others if we do not Forgive them heartily and sincerely fully and freely readily and willingly we Lie in the Face of GOD and our Prayers are a sort of Imprecations against our Selves 16 Moreover when ye fast be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast Verily I say unto you they have their reward 17 But thou when thou fastest anoint thine head and wash thy face 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast but unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly The next Duty which our Saviour instructs his Disciples in is that of Religious Fasting which is a Devoting of the whole Man Soul and Body to a Solemn and Extraordinary Attendance upon GOD in a particular Time set apart for that purpose in order to the Deprecating of his Displeasure and for the Supplicating of his Favour accompanied with an Abstinence from Bodily Food and Sensual Delights and from all Secular Affairs and Worldly Business Now our Saviour's Direction as to this Duty of Fasting is double 1. He cautions us to beware of an Abuse in Fasting Be not as the Hypocrites are of a sad Countenance that is Do not affect a sullen Sadness Ghastliness and Unpleasantness of Countenance like the Hypocritical Pharisees who vitiate and discolour their Faces do marr and abolish their Native Complexion Hypocrisie can paint the Face Black and Sable as well as Pride with Red and White 2. He counsels us to take the right way in Fasting To Anoint the Head and Wash the Face That is to look as at other times using our ordinary Garb and Attire and not to affect any thing that may make us look like Mourners when really we are not so Where we may Note That tho' Hypocrites by their Dejected Countenances and Mortified Habits do seek to gain an Extraordinary Reputation for Piety and Devotion yet the sincere Christian is to be abundantly satisfied with God's Approbation of his Services and with the silent Applause of his own Conscience 19 Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal 20 But lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal 21 For where your treasure is there will your heart be also Observe here 1. Something implied namely That every Man has his Treasure and whatsoever or wheresoever that Treasure is it is attractive and draws the Heart of Man unto it For every Man's Treasure is his Cbief Good 2. Something permitted namely the Getting Possessing and Enjoying of Earthly Treasure as an Instrument enabling us to do much Good 3. Something prohibited and that is the Treasuring up of Worldly Wealth as our Chief Treasure Lay not up Treasures on Earth that is Take heed of an Inordinate Affection to of an excessive Pursuit after of a vain Confidence and Trust in any Earthly Comfort as your Chief Treasure 4. Here is something commanded But lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven Treasure up those Habits of Grace which will bring you to an Inheritance in Glory Be Fruitful in Good Works Laying up in store for your selves a good Foundation against the time to come that ye may lay hold of Eternal Life Obs 5. The Reasons assigned 1. Why we should not lay up our Treasure on Earth because all Earthly Treasures are of a perishing and uncertain nature they are subject to Moth and Rust to Robbery and Theft the perishing Nature of Earthly Things ought to be improved by us as an Argument to sit loose in our Affections towards them 2. The Reason assigned why we should lay up our Treasure in Heaven is this Because Heavenly Treasures are subject to no such Accidents and Casualties as Earthly Treasures are but are durable and lasting The things that are not seen are eternal The Treasures of Heaven are inviolable incorruptible and everlasting Now we may know whether we have chosen these Things for our Treasure by our high Estimation of the Worth of them by our sensible Apprehension of the Want of them by the Torrent and Tendency of our Affection towards them and by our laborious Diligence and Endeavours in the Pursuit after them Where the Treasure is there will the Heart be also 22 The light of the body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light 23 But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness If therefore
good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them Observe here 1. A Caution given Beware of False Prophets There were two sorts of Deceivers which our Saviour gave his Disciples a special Warning of namely False Christs and False Prophets False Christs were such as pretended to be the True Messias False Prophets were such who pretended to own Christianity but drew People away from the Simplicity of the Gospel Obs 2. The Ground of this Caution They come in Sheeps-cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves That is they make fair Pretences to Strictness in Religion and to greater Measures and Degrees of Mortification and Self-Denial than others Whence we Learn That such as go about to Seduce others usually pretend to Extraordinary Measures of Sanctity themselves to raise an Admiration amongst those who judge of Saints more by their Looks than by their Lives more by their Expressions than by their Actions What Heavenly Looks and Devout Gestures what Long Prayers and Frequent Fastings had the Hypocritical Pharisees beyond what Christ or his Disciples ever practised Obs 3. The Rule laid down by Christ whereby we are to Judge of False Teachers By their Fruits we shall know them Learn That the best Course we can take to Judge of Teachers pretending to be sent of God is to Examin the Design and Tendency of their Doctrines and the Course and Tenour of their Conversations Good Teachers like good Trees will bring forth the good Fruits of Truth and Holiness but Evil Men and Seducers like corrupt Trees will bring forth Error and Wickedness in their Life and Doctrine 21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven 22 Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out devils and in thy Name done many wonderful works 23 And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Not every one that is Not any one that saith Lord Lord that is that owneth me by way of Profession by way of Prayer and by way of Appeal shall be Saved But he that doth the Will of my Father sincerely and universally Learn hence 1. That Multitudes at the Great Day shall be really disowned by Christ as none of his Servants that did Nominally own him for their Lord and Master Many that have now Prophesied in his Name shall then Perish in his Wrath Many that have cast out Devils now shall be cast out to Devils then Such as have now Done many Wonderful Works shall then Perish for Evil Workers Note 2. That a bare Name and Profession of Christianity without the Practice of it is a very Insufficient Ground to Build our Hopes of Heaven and Salvation upon 3. That Gifts Eminent Gifts yea Extraordinary and Miraculous Gifts are not to be rested in or depended upon as Sufficient Evidences for Heaven and Salvation Gifts are as the Gold which Adorns the Temple but Grace is like the Temple that Sanctifies the Gold 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock 25 And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand 27 And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it Our Saviour here concludes his Excellent Sermon with an Elegant Similitude The Wise Builder is not the frequent Hearer but the faithful Doer of the Word or the Obedient Christian the House is Heaven and the Hope of Eternal Life the Rock is Christ the Building upon the Sand is resting in the bare Performâ—nce of Outward Duties the Rains the Winds and the Floods are all kind of afflicting Evils Sufferings and Persecutions that may befall us Note 1. That the Obedient Believer is the only Wise Man that Builds his Hopes of Heaven upon a sure and abiding Foundation Note 2. That such Professors as rest in the Outward Performance of Holy Duties are Foolish Builders their Foundation is weak and sandy and all their Hopes of Salvation vain and uncertain 28 And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine 29 For he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes Here we have Two Things Observable 1. The Manner of our Lord 's Teaching it was with Authority that is it was Grave and Serious Pious and Ardent Plain and Profitable With what Brevity without Darkness With what Gravity without Affectation With what Eloquence without Meretricious Ornament were our Lord's Discourses The Majesty he shewed in his Sermons made it evidently appear that he was a Teacher sent of GOD and cloathed with his Authority Observe 2. The Success of his Teaching The People were Astonished at his Doctrine Affected with Admiration believing him to be an Extraordinary Prophet Learn That such is the Power of Christ's Doctrine especially when accompanied with the Energy of his Holy Spirit that it makes all his Auditors Admirers it causes Astonishment in their Minds and Reformation in their Manners CHAP. VIII This Chapter is called by St. Ambrose Scriptura Miraculosa the Miraculous Scripture there being several great Miracles recorded in this Chapter As the Cleansing of the Leper the Curing of the Centurion's Servant the Appeasing of the Winds c. Our Saviour having delivered his Doctrine in the former Chapters in this he backs his Doctrine with Miracles for the Establishment and Confirmation of it 1 WHEN he was come down from the mountain great multitudes followed him 2 And behold there came a leper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 3 And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean And immediately his leprosie was cleansed 4 And Jesus saith unto him See thou tell no man but go thy way shew thy self to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony unto them Several Particulars are here Observable as 1. The Petitioner and that is a Leper he came and Worshipped Christ and petitions him to Heal him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Where he discovers a firm Belief of Christ's Power but a Diffidence and Distrust of Christ's Will to Heal him Learn Christ's Divine Power must be fully assented to and firmly believed by all those that expect Benefit by him and Healing from him Obs 2. How readily our Saviour grants his Petition Jesus touched him saying I will be thou clean Our Saviour
bring forth Fruit tho' not all alike all in Sincerity and Reality tho' not all to the same Degree and none to Perfection 24 Another parable put he forth unto them saying The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field 25 But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way 26 But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit then appeared the tares also 27 So the servants of the housholder came and said unto him Sir didst thou not sow good seed in thy field from whence then hath it tares 28 He said unto them An enemy hath done this The servants said unto him Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up 29 But he said Nay lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them 30 Let both grow together until the harvest and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers Gather ye together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn The Design and Scope of this Parable is to shew that there is no Expectation of Universal Purity in the Church of God in this Life but as the Tares and the Wheat grow together in the same Field so Hypocrites and Sincere Christians are and will be intermixt in the same Church and can hardly be discerued one from the other St. Jerom observes that in the Eastern Countries the Tares and the Wheat were so like one another whilst they were in the Blade that there was no knowing them asunder Learn 1. That in the Outward and Visible Church there ever has been and will be a Mixture of Good and Bad of Saints and Sinners of Hypocrites and Sincere Christians until the Day of Judgment 2. That in that Day Christ will make a thoro ' and a perfect Separation and divide the Tares from the Wheat that is the Righteous from the Wicked 3. That in the mean Time none ought to be so offended at this Mixture in the Church as to separate from Church-Communion on that Account until the Harvest it is not to be expected that the Tares and the Wheat should be perfectly separated Yet Observe 4. That tho' the Tares are forbidden to be pluckt up when fown yet it is the Churches Duty all she can to hinder their â—owing Tho' we must not rooâ— the Wicked up yet we must prevent the rooting of Wickedness all we can Our Saviour that forbad to pluck up the Tares did not forbid to hinder their Sowing 31 Another parable put he forth unto them saying The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed which a man took and sowed in his field 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds but when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof 33 Another parable spake he unto them the kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened 34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables and without a parable spake he not unto them 35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying I will open my mouth in parables I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world Our Saviour's Design in this Parable is to shew how the Gospel from small and little from unlikely and contemptible Beginnings should spread and increase fructifie and grow up Like as Mustard-see one of the smallest of Grains grows up to a considerable tallness and as a little Leaven turns a great Heap of Meal into its own Nature so the Gospel should spread and increase Nations and Countries becoming Christian Learn That how small Beginnings soever the Gospel had in it's first Plantation yet by the Fructifying Blessing of God it has had and shall have a wonderful Increase 36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house and his disciples came unto him saying Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field 37 He answered and said unto them He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man 38 The field is the world the good seed are the children of the kingdom but the tares are the children of the wicked one 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil the harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the angels 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of the world 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the king-of their Father Who hath ears to hear let him hear The Parable of the Tares of the Field Christ is pleased to explain to his Disciples after this manner The Person Sowing Good Seed was himself the Son of Man who first Planted the Gospel The Field in which the Seed was sown was the World that is the Church in the World The Good Seed called The Children of the Kingdom are sincere Christians The Tares called The Children of the Wicked One are prophane Sinners and unsound Hypocrites The Enemy is the Devil the Harvest is the End of the World and the Angels are the Reapers Learn 1. That the Mixture of the Tares and the Wheat of the Rghteous and the Wicked must and shall remain in the Church unto the End of the World 2. That in the End of the World the Angels shall perform the Work of Separation gathering the Righteous from among the Wicked when every one's Harvest shall be according to his Fruit The Righteous shining in the Kingdom of their Father the Wicked cast into a Furnace of Fire 44 Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field 45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man seeking goodly pearls 46 Who when he had found one pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it By the Treasure hid in the Field and the Pearl of great Price are understood the Grace of the Gospel and the Way to Life and Salvation therein discovered He that is throughly convinced of the Worth and Excellency of Grace will part with all that he has to purchase and obtain them Learn That the Sinner who will have Interest in Christ and a Part in Gospel-Grace must part with all that he has to purchase and obtain them Not part with his Goods and Lands with his Wife and Children for
From whence Note That all such as content themselves with a fruitless profession of Religion are in great danger of having God's blasting added to their Earrenness 15 And they came to Jerusalem and Jesus went into the Temple and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the Temple and overthrew the tables of the money-changers and the seats of them that sold Doves 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any Vessel thro' the Temple 17 And he taught saying unto them Is it not written My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves 18 And the Scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy him for they feared him because all the people was astonished at his Doctrine 19 And when even was come he went out of the city No sooner had our blessed Saviour entred Jerusalem but his first walk was to the Temple and his first work there was to purge and reform All Reformation of manners must begin at the house of God Yet observe our Lord's Business at the Temple was not to ruin but reform it only Places dedicated to publick worship if prophaned and polluted ought to be purged from their abuses not pull'd down and destroyed because they have been abused But what was the prophanation of the Temple which so offended our Saviour's I answer in the outward Court of the Temple there was a publick mart or market kept where were sold Oxen sheep and Doves for Sacrifice Many of the Jews coming an hundred miles to the Temple it was burthensome to bring their Sacrifices so far with them Wherefore the Priests ordered that sheep and oxen meal and Oyl and such other Requisites for Sacrifice should be had for money close by the Altar to the great ease of the offerer nothing coulâ— be more plausible then this plea. But the fairest pretences cannot bear out a sin with God Therefore our blessed Saviour in a just indignation whips out these Chap-men casts down their tables and vindicates the honour and reputation of his Fathers house Learn hence that there is a Reverence due to God's house for the owners sake and for the service sake Nothing but holiness can become the place where God is worshipped in the beauty of holiness Observe lastly the Reason which our Saviour gives for this Act of his is it not written says he my house shall be called the house of Prayer Where by Prayer is to be understood the whole worship and service of God of which Prayer is an eminent and principal part that which gives Denomination to an house is certainly the chief work to be done in that house Now God's house being called an house of prayer certainly implies that Prayer is the chief and principal work to be performed in his house Yet take we heed that we set not the ordinance of God at variance we must not idolize one ordinance and vilify another but reverence them all 20 And in the morning as they passed by they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots 21 And Peter called to remembrance saith unto him Master behold the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them have faith in God 23 For verily I say unto you that whosoever shall say unto this mountain Be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith 24 Therefore I say unto you What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them The blasting and sudden withering of the fig-tree at the word of Christ plainly shewed his divine Power and by this miraculous operation our Saviour designed to shew his Disciples the mighty power of Faith That is a full perswasion of the power of God that he is able and of the goodness of God that he is willing to grant whatever we ask according to his will that has a tendency to his glory and our Good Learn hence that Faith is a necessary and principal ingredient in prayer praying without Faith is like to a man's shooting without bullet it makes a noise but doth no execution 2dly That whatsoever good thing God has made the matter of his promise shall be given to good men in a way of performance provided they pray in saith whatsoever ye desire believe that ye Receive them and ye shall have them 25 And when ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any that your Father also which is in heaven may â—orgive you your trespasses 26 But if you do not forgive nâ—ither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses There are two qualifications requisite in prayer if we expect to find Acceptance with God namely Faith and Love to the first Christ had spâ—ken in the former verse to the latter in this when ye stand praying forgive They who are suâ—ing for and expecting forgiveness from God must exercise forâ—iveness towards others or else their Prayers are a sort of imprecations upon themselves 2. Observe Christ speaks indefinitely when ye pray forgive he doth not say your Brethren but Men Mat. 6.14 If ye fâ—â—â—ive Men their Trespasses that is all Men good and bad Friends and Enemies if we forgive one another freely Our heavenly Father will forgive us fully Our forgiving one another is the indispensable Condition of God's forgiving us and of hearing the Prayers which are put up by us 27 And they come again to Jerusalem and as he was walking in the Temple there come to him the chief Priests and the Scribes and the Elders 28 And say unto him by what Authority dost Thou these things and who gave Thee this Authority to do these things 29 And Jesus answered and said unto them I will also ask of you one Question and answer me and I will tell you by what Authority I do these things 30 The Baptism of John was it from Heaven or of Men Answer me 31 And they reasoned with themselves saying if we shall say from Heaven he will say why then did ye not believe him 32 But if we shall say oâ— Men they feared the People for all men counted John that he was a Prophet indeed 33 And they answered and said unto Jesus we cannot tell and Jesus answering saith unto them neither do I tell you by what Authority I do these things The Pharisees having often questioned our Saviour's Doctrine before they call in question his Mission and Authority now although they might easily have understood his Divine Mission by his daily Miracles for Almighty God never impowered any to work Miracles that were not sent by him Our Blessed Saviour understanding their design answers them one Question by asking them another Says Christ the Baptism of John was it from Heaven or of Men Was it oâ— Divine Institution
his Church he furnishes with Endowments suitable to their Employments and when he calls to extraordinary Service comes in with more then Ordinary Assistance Here was the Holy Baptist extraordinarily called and as extraordinarily furnished for his Office and Ministry 18 And Zacharias said unto the Angel whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years 19 And the Angel answering said unto him I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee and to shew thee these glad tidings 20 And behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season 21 And the people waited for Zacharias and marvelled that he tarried so long in the Temple 22 And when he came out he could not speak unto them and they perceived that he had seen a Vision in the Temple for he beckned unto them and remained speechless Observe here Zachary being slow to believe so strange a Message aske the Angel by what Sign he should know that this thing so far above the ordinary Course of Nature should come to pass The Angel answers that he was dispatcht by God as a Messenger extraordinary to declare this good News to him And seeing he was so hard to believe it and required a Sign he should have it but such an one as should be a punishment of his unbelief as well as a Sign to confirm his faith namely he should from thence forward to the Birth of the Child be dumb and deaf as the Original word signifies because he had not hearkned to the Angels Speech he was struck deaf and because he had gainsaid it he was made dumb Learn hence That the word of God in the mouth of his Messengers is God's own word and as such to be received and believed 2. That not believing their word is a sin which God will severely punish it is all one not to believe God and not to believe the Messengers of God speaking from him Some Expositors will have this Dumbness of Zachary to be prefigurative The Priest at the dismission of the People when the Service of the Temple was finished was to pronounce the Blessing Recorded Numb 6.24 25. which when Zachary was about to do he is struck dumb and cannot perform it Signifying thereby that the silencing of the Levitical Priesthood was now at hand that they must expect another kind of Worship and that he who was to bless indeed namely the Messias was near at hand Observe lastly That though Zachary ceased to speak yet he did not cease to minister he takes not his dumbness for a dismission but stays out the eight days of his Course knowing that the service of his heart and hand would be accepted of that God which had bereaved him of his Tongue Those powers which we have we must make use of in the publick Service of God who will accept us according to what we have pardoning our Infirmity and rewarding our Sincerity 23 And it came to pass that as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished he departed to his own house 24 And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and hid her self five months saying 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men The Priests during the time of their Administration had their Lodgings in Buildings appertaining to the Temple Zachary having ended his Administration leaves his Lodgings and returns to his House where his Wife Elizabeth conceiving she hides her self that is Retires from Company partly to prevent the Discourse of people until it was out of all doubt that she had conceived And partly to give her self opportunity of returning her Thankful Acknowledgments unto God who had given her this Miraculous Mercy and had thereby taken away her Reproach of Barrenness which was so heavy and insupportable among the Jews Note here two things 1. How piously Elizabeth ascribes this mercy to the power of God Thus hath the Lord dealt with me 'T is God that keeps the Key of the Womb in his own hand and maketh the Fruit of it his Reward and therefore Children are to be owned as his special Gift Note 2. how great a Reproach Bodily Barrenness is in the sight of Man but not so great as Spiritual Barrenness in the sight of God For this is at once a Reproach to God a Reproach to Religion a Reproach to Professors and to our selves 26 And in the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth 27 To a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David and the Virgins name was Mary 28 And the Angel came in unto her and said Hail thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women 29 And when she saw him she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of Salutation this should be 30 And the Angel said unto her fear not Mary for thou hast found favour with God 31 And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus 32 He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest And the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdom there shall be no end In this History of our Saviours miraculous and immaculate Conception we have several things Observeable as 1. The Messenger sent from Heaven to publish the News of the Conception of the Son of God an Angel an evil Angel was the first Author of our Ruine a good Angel could not be the Author of our Restauration but is the joyful Reporter of it Obs 2. The Angels Name Gabriel which signifies the power of God The same Angel who had many hundred years before declared to the Prophet Daniel the Coming of the Messiah Obs 3. The place which the Angel is sent unto Nazareth an obscure place little taken notice of yea a City in Galilee out of which arises no Prophet even there doth the God of Prophets condescend to be Conceived No blind corner of Nazareth can hide the Blessed Virgin from the Angel The favours of God will find out his Children wherever they are withdrawn Obs 4. The Person whom the Angel is sent unto To a Virgin espoused whose name was Mary For the Honour of Virginity Christ chose a Virgin for his Mother for the Honour of Marriage a Virgin espoused to an Husband Obs 5. The Message it self Hail thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among Women Where Note that the Angel Salutes the Virgin as a Saint he doth not pray to her as a Goddess The Church of Rome Idolatrously use these
Entertainment of Christ was good but Marys Attendance upon Christ's Ministry was better and more pleasing unto Christ Christ was better pleased to see Mary in the Chapel than Martha in the Kitchin tho' he doth not condemn the one yet he extols the other Mary hath chosen the good part Learn hence That Religion and the Service of God must be the matter our Election and Choice we must choose the good part and it being once chosen by us it shall never be taken away from us One thing is needful and Mary hath chosen the good part which shall never be taken away from her CHAP. XI 1 AND it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples The Learned Mr. Mede upon this place apprehends that it was the custom of the Jewish Doctors to deliver some certain Form of Prayer to their Disciples to use at least that John Baptist had done so to his Disciples Thereupon our Saviour's Disciples besought him that he also would give them in like manner some Form of his own composing that they might pray with their Masters Spirit as John's Disciples did with his Accordingly our Saviour gives them here a Form of his own and commands them when they pray to use it Indeed he had given them this Prayer about a year and half before in his Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 6.9 After this manner pray ye where it is probable that the Disciples look'd upon it only as a pattern of Prayer and not as a Form for had they thought that Christ had given them a Form of Prayer before they had not asked him for one now Therefore says Christ When ye pray say Certainly this gives us to understand that our Saviour intended and commended it for a set Form of Prayer unto his Church Learn hence That the Lords Prayer is both a Pattern and Platform according to which all our Prayers ought to be framed and also an exact Form of Prayer which ought to be used by us in our Addresses to the Throne of Grace After this manner pray ye says St. Matthew When ye pray say says St. Luke 2 And he said unto them When ye pray say Observe here the favour which Christ does us in prescribing a Form of Prayer to us a great Favour no doubt tho' the World grows weary of it we know not Alas what to ask but he himself teaches us and frames our Supplication for us that it may be accepted Should a King's Son draw a Petition for a poor Subject to be put up to his Father what a ground of hope would there be that whatever is desired would be obtained if any of us then think meanly of our Lord's Prayer oh how meanly may he think of us and of our Prayers 2 Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done As in Heaven So in Earth 3 Give us day by day our daily Bread 4 And forgive us our sins For we also forgive every one that is indebted to us And lead us not into Temptation But deliver us from Evil. The Sense and Signification of this Best of Prayers is this O thou our Father in Jesus Christ who remainest in thy Throne in Heaven and art there perpetually praised and perfectly obey'd by Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints Grant that thy Name may be Glorified thy Throne Acknowledged and thy Holy Will Obey'd here on Earth below by us thy Sons and Servants as readily as cheerfully and sincerely and in some degree of Proportion to what is done in Heaven above And because by reason of the Frailty of our Natures we cannot subsist without the Comforts and Supports of Life we crave our daily Bread at thy Bountiful hand even such a proportion of the good things of this Life as thy Wisdom shall see convenient for us And knowing that thy Holiness and Justice doth oblige thee to punish Sin and Sinners we plead with thee for the sake of thy Son's Satisfaction to forgive us our daily Trespasses for it is our desire and endeavour heartily to forgive those that have offended us And seeing this wicked World wherein we live is so full of Snares and Temptations of all sorts we pray that by the Power of thy Grace and the Concurrence of our own careful endeavours we may be kept from Satans Temptations from the World's Allurements and from our own Evil Inclinations and be preserved unblamable to thine Everlasting Kingdom and in Testimony of our Desires and Assurance to be heard we say Amen so be it so let it be even so oh Lord let it be for ever Learn 1. That God is the Father of all his People as a Father he knows all his children he loves them and takes care of them As his Children it is our Duty to Honour him to Obey him to imitate him to cast our care upon him and to long for the Enjoyment of him 2. From the Word Our Learn That it is our Duty to pray for others as well as for our selves we cannot pray acceptably for our selves if we pray only for our selves 3. That the Hallowing Honouring and Sanctifying of God's Name as it is the first thing we are to pray for so it ought to be preferred before all other things whatsoever we pray for it before we pray for our own Salvation we say Hallowed be thy Name before we say Forgive us our Debts 4. Learn That Sins are Debts and Sinners indebted to Divine Justice Sin it is an infinite Debt a multiplied Debt an inexcusable Debt and if not discharged by our Surety we must ly in Prison to all Eternity for Non-payment of this Debt 5. That God has made our Forgiveness of others the Condition of his Forgiving us The word As is not a Note of Equality but of Similitude we cannot equal God in Forgiving but we must imitate him 6. No sooner is Sin pardoned but Satan will be busy with his Temptation forgive us our sins and lead us not into Temptation 7. That it is a greater Mercy to be Delivered from the Evil of Temptation then from Temptations to Evil. The Evil of Temptations is the Evil of Sin but Temptations to Evil is at most but the Evil of Punishment Lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil Suffer us not to be led into Temptation or if so leave us not when we are Tempted 5 And he said unto them which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at mid-night and say unto him friend lend me three loaves 6 For a friend of mine in his Journey is come unto me and I have nothing to set before him 7 And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee 8 I say unto you tho' he will not rise and
the nations of the world seek after And your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things There is a Twofold sense and interpretation given of these Verses 1. Some take them as spoken only to the Apostles directing them absolutely to cast off all care for the things of this Life that so they might attend upon Christ's Person and wholly give up themselves to that Work to which he had called them and therefore St. Luke here takes notice that after he had cautioned his Hearers in general against Covetousness he applies himself particularly to his Disciples and tells them that he would have them so far from this sin of Covetousness that they should not use that ordinary care and common Industry about the things of this Life which is not only Lawful but Necessary for Men in all ordinary Cases v. 22. And he said to his Disciples therefore I say unto you Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or drink but if we understand the words in this sense we must look upon it only as a Temporary Command given to the Apostles for that time only like that in St. Matth. 10.9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses neither coat nor scrip which no Man ever understood as a general Law to all Christians but as a particular Precept to the Apostles at that time 2. Others understand these injunctions of our Saviour to be consistent with a prudent and provident Care for the things of this Life not forbidding a regular industry and diligence for the obtaining of them but condemning only an anxious vexatious tormenting Care and an over-sollicitous diligence for the things of this Life and taking our Saviour's Words for a general and standing Rule to all Christians they only forbid distrustful Thoughtfulness distracting Cares which drives a Mâ—n's mind this way and that way like Meteors or Clouds in the Air as the Word signifies now against this vexatious care and sollicitous thoughtfulness our Saviour propounds many weighty Arguments or Considerations Four especially He tells us such cares are needless fruitless heathenish and brutish 1. 'T is needless Your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of these things and will certainly provide for you and what need you take care and God too cast your care upon him 2 'T is fruitless Which of you by taking care can add one cubit to his stature we may sooner by our carking care add a Furlong to our grief than a Cubit to our Comfort All our own care without God's help will neither feed us when we are hungry nor nourish us when we are fed 3. 'T is Heathenish After all these things do the Gentiles seek Mat. 6.32 The Ends and Objects of a Christians Thoughts ought to be higher and more sublime than that of Heathens Lastly 'T is brutish nay worse than brutish The Birds of the Air the Beasts of the Field the Ravens of the Valley are all fed and sustained by God without any care of their own much more shall his Children Has God a Breakfast ready for every little Bird that comes chirping out of its Nest and for every Beast of the Field that comes leaping out of its Den and will he not much more provide for you Surely that God that feeds the Ravens when they cry will not starve his Children when they pray 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you As if Christ had said let your first and chief care be to promote the Kingdom of Grace in this World and to secure the Kingdom of Glory in the next and then fear not the want of these outward Comforts they shall be added in measure tho' not in excess to satisfy tho' not to satiate for health tho' not for surfeit Learn 1. That Christians ought not to be so sollicitous about the Necessaries and Conveniencies of this Life as about the Happiness of the next rather seek ye the kingdom of God 2. That Heaven or the Kingdom of God must be sought in the first place that is with our principal care and chief Endeavours 3. That Heaven being once secured by us all Earthly things shall be superadded to us as God sees needful and convenient for us But few Men like our Saviour's Method they would seek the things of this World in the first place and get Heaven at last they would be content to seek the World and to have Heaven thrown in without their seeking but this will not be granted if we make Religion and the Salvation of our Souls our first and chief care all other things shall be adaed to us so far as the Wisdom of God sees them fit and convenient for us 32 Fear not little Flock it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom That is fear not the want of any of these outward Comforts and be not over-sollicitous for them for your father which has provided a Kingdom for you hereafter will not suffer you to want such things as are needful for you here Leaâ—â— 1. That the Disciples of Christ are very subject to disquieting and perplexing fears but must by no means cherish but oppose them a fear of present wants a fear of future Sufferings a fear of Death approaching a fear that they shall not find acceptance with God a sear least they should fall foully or finally from God the fear of all these Evils doth oft-times disturb them and discompose them Learn 2. That Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd of his Church the love and care the compassion and tenderness the prudence and providence the guidance and vigilance of a good Shepherd are found with him 3. As Christ is the Churches Shepherd so the Church is Christ's Flock tho' a little Flock in opposition to the huge Herds and Droves of the Men of the World 4. That God the Father has a Kingdom in store for his little Flock his Church and Children 5. That the good will and gracious pleasure of God is the Original Spring and Fontal Cause from whence all Divine Favours do proceed and slow It is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdâ—m 33 Sell that you have and give alms provide your selves Bags which wax not old a treasure in the Heavens that faileth not where no Thief approacheth neither moth corrupteth 34 For where your Treasure is there will your hearts be also The next Duty which our Saviour exhorts his Disciples to is the Duty of Alms-giving that they should be so far from distrusting God's Provision for themselves that they should be always forward to a ready distribution towards others yea in cases of Necessity to be willing to sell their Goods to relieve others yet this precept is not to be taken as if it concerned all Persons at all times and in all places but respects only cases of extreme Necessity or if it concerns all it is only as to the readiness and preparation of the Mind that when
Winnow his Corn separating it from the Chaff preserving the one and consuming the other Learn hence 1. That the Church is Christ's Floor 2. That this Floor Christ will Purge and that throughly 3. That the Word of Christ is the Fan in his Hands by and with which he will thoroughly Purge his Floor The Church is compared to a Floor upon the Account of that Mixture which is in the Church in a Floor there is Straw as well as Grain Chaff as well as Corn Tares as well as Wheat Cockle and Darnel as well as Good Seed Thus in the Church there is and will be a Mixture of Good and Bad Saints and Sinners Hypocrites and Sincere Christians But this Floor Christ will Purge Purge it but not Break it up Purge out its Corruptions but not Destroy its Essence and Existence and the Fan with which he will Purge his Floor is his Word accompanied with the Wing of Discipline The Fan detects and discovers the Chaff and the Wing dissipates and scatters it and by the help of both the Floor is Purged His Fan is in his Hand c. 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him Here we have our Saviour's Solemn Inauguration and Publick Entrance upon his Prophetick Office by Baptism or Washing with Water according to the Manner of the Priests under the Ceremonial Law Exod. 29.4 Where we have Observable 1. The Circumstance of Time Then cometh Jesus that is after he had lain hid in Nazareth Thirty Years he comes abroad and enters upon his Publick Ministry Teaching us by his Example That when we are ripe and fit for Publick Service we should no less willingly leave our Obscurity than we took the Benefit of it for our Preparation Obs 2. The Action it self Christ is Baptized now as he was Circumcised before not because there was any Impurity in him either Filth or Foreskin which wanted either the Circumcising-Knife or the Baptismal-Water yet Purity it self condescends to be Washed Christ to be Baptized for these Reasons 1. That by this Symbol he might enter himself into the Society of Christians as by Circumcision he had done into the Society of Jews as a King condescends sometimes to be made a Freeman of a City or Corporation 2. That he might by his own Baptism Sanctifie the Ordinance of Baptism unto his Church 3. That thereby he might fulfil the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law which required the Washing of the Priests in Water when they entred upon their Office as appears from Exod. 29.4 Obs 3. The great Dignation and Condescention of Christ in seeking and submitting to the Baptism of John Christ cometh to John not John to Christ Behold the Lord seeking to his Servant Christ will be Baptized of his Messenger Our Saviour's Design hereby no doubt was to put Honour upon the Ministry of John Oh how dare the Greatest upon Earth despise the Ministry of Man being appointed by God which Christ honoured in his own Person and graced with his own Presence 14 But John forbad him saying I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me Note here 1. The Modesty of John's Refusal John forbad him and refused to admit him But why 1. In regard of Christ because he knew he needed it not such was his Majesty and Greatness that he was above it and such was his Purity and Holiness that he could not want it 2. In respect of himself he knew his own Uncleanness I have need to be Baptized of thee c. He thought it unsuitable that a Sinner should Baptize and Wash him that was no Sinner 3. With respect to the People lest they seeing Christ Baptized should apprehend him to be a Sinner and one that wanted the Baptism of Repentance as well as themselves Obs 2. As the Modesty of John's Refusal so the Reason he assigns for it I have need to be Baptized of thee As if he had said Thou art Purity I am Pollution thou art Spirit I am Flesh Thou are the Son of God I am the Son of Adam Such an humble Apprehension has this Holy Man of himself Learn That the more Holy a Person is the more sensible he is of his Unholiness where there is most Grace there is the greatest sense of the want of Grace 15 And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Then he suffered him These Words contain our Saviour's Reason why he submitted to John's Baptism because it became him to fulfil all Righteousness that is particularly the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law which required the Washing of the Priests in Water when they entred upon their Office Exod. 29.4 Learn hence 1. That whatever the Law required in order to perfect Righteousness that Christ fulfilled in most absolute Perfection both in his own Person and also in the Name of all Believers 2. That as it became Christ to fulfil the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law for himself so it is our Duty and Interest to fulfil the Righteousness of the Moral Law for our selves as an Evidence of our being Righteous in God's Sight 1 Joh. 3.7 He that doth Righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous 16 And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him 17 And lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Here we have the solemn Investing of Christ into his Office accompanied with a threefold Miracle 1. The Opening of the Heavens 2. The Descent of the Holy Ghost in the likeness of a Dove 3. God the Father's Voice concerning his Son The Heavens were opened to shew that Heaven which was closed and shut against us for our Sins is now opened to us by Christ's Undertaking for us As the First Adam shuts us out of Heaven the Second Adam lets us into it he opened Heaven to us by his Meritorious Passion and he keeps it open by his Prevailing Intercession Next the Holy Ghost descends like a Dove upon our Saviour here we have an Evidence of the Blessed Trinity the Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the Water and the Holy Ghost appears in the likeness of a Dove Hence we gather That the Holy Ghost is not a Quality or an Operation but a Person and a Person really distinct from the Father and the Son But why did the Holy Spirit now descend upon Christ First For the Designation of his Person to shew that Christ was the Person set apart for the Work and Office of a Mediator Secondly For the Qualification of his Person for the Performance of the Office This was Christ's Unction Isa 61.1 when he was Anointed above his Fellows to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Last of all We have the audible Voice
of God the Father pronouncing 1. The Nearness of Christ's Relation to himself This is my Son 2. The Endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The Fruit and Benefit of this near and dear Relation unto us In him I am well pleased Note 1. That there is no possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ both our Persons and our Performances find Acceptance only for His sake 2. That in and through Christ God is well-pleased with all Believers This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased c. CHAP. IV. The former part of this Chapter acquaints us with our Blessed Saviour's Combat with and Conquest over Satan and the first Verse informs us of the Time when and Place where the Combat was fought 1 THEN was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil Observe here 1. The Time when Christ entred the Lists with Satan implied in the word Then that is First Immediately after his Baptism he is no sooner out of the Water of Baptism but he is in the Fire of Temptation Secondly Immediately after the Spirit descended upon him and the Father had by a Voice from Heaven manifested his Complacency and Satisfaction in him This is my Beloved Son c. Note thence That great Manifestations of Love from God are usually followed with great Temptations from Satan Observe 2. The Place where this Combat was fought and that is in the Wilderness Learn thence That no Place can priviledge us from Temptation or be a Sanctuary from Satan's Assaults the solitary Wilderness has a Tempter in it yea Satan sometimes makes use of Mens Solitariness to farther his Temptations a Cell a Nunnery or a Cloister are as open to Satan as the open Fields and the Persons that live in them have a Tempter without and an Enticer within as well as other Men. Obs 3. The Efficient Cause of Christ's going into the Wilderness to be Tempted by Satan He was led up of the Spirit says St. Matthew The Spirit drove him says St. Mark That is the Holy Spirit of God not Satan the Unclean Spirit for the Devil is seldom if ever called The Spirit but usually some Brand of Reproach is annexed as the Evil Spirit or the Vnclean Spirit Christ was Led by the Spirit that is he was carried by a strong Impulse of the Spirit of God into the Wilderness to be Tempted by Satan Learn hence 1. That none of the Children of God ought to expect a Freedom from Temptations seeing Christ himself in the Days of his Flesh was strongly solicited by Satan unto Sin 2. That all the Temptations wherewith the Children of God are assaulted are ordered by Divine and Special Dispensation Satan could not assault our Saviour till he was Led by the Spirit into the Wilderness for that End and he shall not assault any of his Members but by Divine Permission and special Dispensation 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterward an hungred Obs here 1. How the Divine Power upheld the Human Nature of Christ without Food What Moses did at the Giving of the Law Christ doth at the Beginning of the Gospel namely Fast Forty Days and Forty Nights Christ hereby intended our Admiration not our Imitation or if our Imitation of the Action only not of the Time Christ teaches us by Fasting and Prayer to prepare our selves for a Conflict with our Spiritual Enemies as he prepared himself by Fasting to grapple with the Tempter so should we 3 And when the tempter came to him he said If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread Observe here 1. The Occasion of the Temptation 2. The Temptation it self The Occasion was our Saviour's Hunger and want of Bread Learn thence That when God suffers any of his Dear Children to fall into Want and to be streightned for Outward Things Satan takes a mighty Advantage thereupon to Tempt and Assault them But what doth he Tempt our Saviour to To the Sin of Distrust to question his Sonship If thou be the Son of God And next to distrust his Father's Providence and Care Command that these Stones be made Bread Learn hence 1. That Satan's grand Design is first to tempt the Children of God to doubt of their Adoption and next to Distrust God's Fatherly Care over them and Provision for them and last of all to use Unwarrantable Means to help themselves Thus Satan dealt with Christ and thus he deals with Christians For to work a Miracle at Satan's Direction was not a Lawful Means of providing Food for himself 4 But he answered and said It is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Observe here The Weapon which our Saviour made use of to repell the Temptation and to vanquish the Tempter and that is the Word of God It is written Learn That the Scriptures or the Written Word of God is the only sure Weapon wherewith to vanquish Satan and to beat back all his Fiery Temptations 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple That is Satan by God's permission took up his Body and carried it in the Air and set it upon one of the Battlements of the Temple Learn hence 1. What a mighty Power Evil Spirits have over our Bodies if God permits them to execute and exercise their Power upon them 2. That it is owing to the gracious Care and watchful Providence of God over us that we are not hurried away bodily by Satan Thanks be to God tho' the Devil's Malice be infinite yet his Power is limited and bounded as he cannot do all the Mischief he would to the Bodies and Souls of Men so he shall not do all he can 6 And saith unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone Here we have Observable First the Sin which Satan tempts Christ unto and next the Argument which he tempts him from The Sin tempted to is the Sin of Self-Murther Cast thy self down Whence we Learn That Self-Murther is a Sin which Christ himself was and the best of Saints may by Satan be tempted to the Commission of But forasmuch as Satan tempted Christ to murther himself but had not power to do it himself do thou cast thy self down We Learn That tho' Satan may tempt yet he cannot compel he may entice but cannot enforce any to Sin against their own Consent Obs 2. The Argument which Satan uses it is a Scripture-Argument he quotes the Promise of God He shall give his Angels charge over thee What a Marvel is here to find Satan with a Bible under his Arm and a Text of Scripture in his Mouth Christ
and such Persecution as will Afford a Man Solid Comfort and Entitle him to Real Blessedness must be endured and undergone for Righteousness sake 4. That it is the Will and Command of Christ that those which Suffer for Him and for Righteousness-sake should not only be Meek and Patient but Joyous and Chearful Rejoice and be exceeding glad 5. That such a patient and chearful Suffering of Persecution for Christ in this Life shall certainly be Rewarded with the Glory and Blessedness of the Life that is to come Great is your Reward c. 13 Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt have lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden under foot of men Our Saviour compares Christians in general and his Ministers in particular unto Salt for a double Reason First Because it is the nature of Salt to preserve things from Corruption and Putrefaction and to render them savoury and pleasant Thus are the Ministers of the Gospel to labour and endeavour by the Purity of their Doctrine to sweeten putrefying Sinners that they may become savoury to God and Man and may be kept from being Fly-blown with Errours and False Doctrine Secondly Because Salt has a piercing Power in it which subdues the whole Lump and turns it into its own nature Such a piercing Power is there in the Ministry of the Word that it subdues the whole Man to the Obedience of it self 14 Ye are the light of the world A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house 16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Obs here 1. Our Saviour's Doctrine 2. The Inference which he draws from it by way of Application The Doctrine delivered is this That Christians in general and the Ministers of the Gospel in particular are the Light of the World But how Not Originally but Derivatively not Efficiently but Instrumentally Christ himself is the Light of the World by way of Original his Ministers are Lights by way of Derivation and Participation from him Farther Christ teaches them the End why he communicated Light unto them namely to inlighten direct and quicken others Even as the Sun in the Firmament and a Candle in the House diffuses and disperses its Light to all that are within the reach of it so should all Christians and particularly Christ's Ministers by the Light of Life and Doctrine direct People in their Way towards Heaven Obs 2. The Inference which our Saviour draws from the foregoing Doctrine Ye are the Light of the World therefore Let your Light shine before Men. Where Note 1. That our Good Works must shine but not blaze all Vain-glory and Ostentation must be avoided in the Good Works we do 2. Altho' we must abound in Good Works that Men may see them yet not to be seen of Men. 3. That the Glorifying of God and doing Good to Mankind must be the great End we propound in all the Good Works which we perform 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil Our Saviour here informs his Followers That he had no Design to Abrogate any part of the Moral Law or to Loose Mankind from the least Measure of their Duty either towards God or Man but that he came To Fulfil it 1. By yielding a Personal Obedience to it 2. By giving a fuller and stricter Interpretation of it than the Pharisees were wont to give for they taught that the Law did only reach the outward Man and restrain outward Actions Learn That the Law of God is such a perfect Rule of Life that Christ Added no new Precept or Duty to it much less intended to Abrogate or Abolish any Part or Precept of it 18 For verily I say unto you Till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled Another Reason is here given by our Saviour why he had no intention to Abrogate or Abolish the Law and that is drawn from the Duration and Perpetuity the Vnchangeableness and Immutability of the Law Sooner shall Heaven and Earth be abolished than the Authority and Obligation of the Moral Law be dissolved Learn That the Law of God is an Eternal and Unchangeable Rule of Life and Manners and is to stand in Force as long as the World stands and the Frame of Heaven and Earth endures 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven To evidence yet farther that the Moral Law is a perfect Rule of Life our Saviour tells his Disciples That if any of them did either by their Doctrine or Practice make void any one of the least of God's Commands either by allowing themselves in the Omission of any known Duty or in the Commission of any known Sin he should never enter into the Kingdom of God Learn That such a Professor of Christianity as allows himself in the least Voluntary Transgression either of Omission or Commission and encourages others by his Example to do the like is certainly in a State of Damnation 20 For I say unto you That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven Observe here 1. A Glorious Prize or Reward set before the Christian as Attainable namely The Kingdom of Heaven 2. The Means required in order to our obtaining of this Prize and laying hold of this Reward we must be Holy and Righteous Persons Heaven is the Reward of Righteousness a Reward conferred only upon Righteous Persons 3. Here is the Special Qualification of that Righteousness expressed which will Intitle us to Heaven and Salvation It must be a Righteousness which Exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and that these Three Ways 1. In its Principle and Motive Love to God and Obedience to his Command not the Applause and Commendation of Men. 2. In its Aim and End The Pharisees made Themselves their own Credit and Esteem their Wordly Gain and Interest their Ultimate End and not God's Glory their supreme Aim 3. In the Manner of Performance the Pharisees Duty wanted that Purity and Spirituality which the Law of God required they had respect only to the Outward Action without any regard to the Inward Intention and to that Purity of Heart which God required Learn That such a Holiness of Heart and Righteousness of Life as the Spirituality of God's Law requires of us is absolutely and
them to Marry to any other or for others knowingly to Marry to them 33 Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths 34 But I say unto you Swear nor at all neither by heaven for it is God's throne 35 Nor by the earth for it is his footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great king 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black The next Commandment which our Saviour Expounds and Vindicates is the Third which requires a Reverent Use of God's Name Now the Pharisees taught that Perjury was the only Breach of this Commandment and that Swearing was nothing if they did not Forswear themselves And that Persons were only obliged to Swear by the Name of God in Publick Courts of Justice but in their ordinary and common Discourse they might Swear by any of the Creatures Now in opposition to these Wicked Principles and Practices Christ says Swear not at all That is 1. Swear not Prophanely in your ordinary Discourse 2. Swear not Unduly by any of the Creatures for that is to ascribe a Deity to them 3. Swear not Lightly upon any Trifling or Frivolous Occasion for Oaths upon small Occasions are great Sins So that an Oath is not here forbidden by our Saviour but restrained Learn That tho' light and needless common and ordinary Swearing be a very great Sin yet to take an Oath upon a Solemn Occasion when Lawfully called thereunto is a Christian and Necessary Duty 37 But let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Here our Lord prescribes a proper Means and Remedy for shunning the Occasion and Danger of Rash Swearing and that is by using and accustoming our selves in Conversation to a true Simplicity and constant Plainess of Speech either Affirming or Denying according to the Nature of the Thing letting Oaths alone till we are called to them upon great Occasions for ending Strife between Man and Man Learn That the great End of Speech being to Communicate the Sense of our Minds each to other we ought to use such Plainess and Simplicity in Speaking that we may believe one another without Oaths or more Solemn and Religious Asseverations 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth 39 But I say unto you That ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloak also 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him twain Our Saviour here Vindicates the Sixth Commandment which obliges us to do no Wrong to the Body of our Neighbour God had given a Law to the Publick Magistrate to require an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth when a Person was wronged Hereupon the Pharisees taught That a private Person wronged by another might exact Satisfaction from him to the same degree in which he had been Wronged by him if he had lost an Eye by another he might revenge it by taking away the Eye of another But says Christ I say unto you Resist not Evil that is seek not private Revenge but leave the Avenging of Injuries to God and the Magistrate Teaching us That 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 42 Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away Our Saviour here presses the Law of Charity upon his Disciples This is Twofold a Charity in Giving to them that Beg and a Charity in Lending to them that desire to Borrow Christianity obliges all those which have Ability to abound in Works of Charity of all sorts and kinds whatsoever He that is truly Charitable doth not only Give but Lend yea sometimes Lends looking for nothing again It is not enough to act Charity of one sort but we must be ready to act it in every kind and to the highest Degree that our Circumstances and Abilities will admit 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy 44 But I say unto you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Another corrupt Gloss which the Pharisees had put upon the Law of God our Saviour here takes notice of The Law said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour Levit. 19.18 this they interpreted to relate only to their own Country-men the Jews concluding that they might hate all the Uncircumcised Nations as Enemies But saith our Saviour I require you to love all Men for if Enemies must not be shut out of our Love none must Love your Enemies here the inward Affection is required Bless them that curse you there outward Civility and Affability is required Do good to them that hate you here real Acts of Kindness and Charity are commanded to be done by us to our bitterest and most malicious Enemies Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you These are the highest Expressions of Enmity that can be Calumny and Cruelty yet are we commanded to Pray for those that touch us in these two tenderest Points our Reputation and our Life Learn That Christianity obliges us to bear a sincere Affection towards our most malicious Enemies to be ready upon all Occasions to do Good unto them and to Pray for them 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust To encourage us to the foregoing Duty of Loving our Enemies our Saviour propounds the Example of God himself to our Imitation That you may be the Children of your Father that is that you may be known to be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven by your likeness to him and imitation of him Note That the best Evidence we can have of our Divine Sonship is our Conformity to the Divine Nature especially in those Excellent Properties of Goodness and Forgiveness 46 For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye do not even the publicans the same 47 And if ye salute your brethren only what do you more than others do not even the publicans so Yet farther to encourage us to this Duty of Loving our Enemies Christ assures his Disciples that he expects more from them than from others more than common Humanity and civil Courtesie towards Friends for even Heathens by the Light of Nature were taught to love those that love them But he expected that
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
but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Obs here the following Particulars 1. An unwarrantable Fear condemned and that is the sinful servile slavish Fear of impotent Man Fear not him that can kill the Body 2. An holy awful and prudential Fear of the Omnipotent God commended Fear him that is able to kill both Body and Soul 3. The Persons that this Duty of Fear is recommended to and bound upon Christ's own Disciples yea his Ministers and Ambassadors they both may and ought to fear him not only for his Greatness and Goodness but upon the account of his Punitive Justice as Being able to cast both Soul and Body into Hell Such a Fear is not only Lawful but Laudable not only commendable but commanded and well becomes the Servants of God themselves 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbred 31 Fear ye not therefore ye are of more value than many sparrows Obs here 1. The Doctrine which our Saviour Preaches to his Disciples and that is the Doctrine of Divine Providence which concerns it self for the meanest Creatures even the Birds of the Air and the Hairs of our Heads do fall within the compass of God's Protecting Care 2. Here is the Use which our Saviour makes of this Doctrine namely to fortifie the Spirits of his Disciples against all distrustful Fears and distracting Cares Learn That the Consideration of the Divine Care and Gracious Providence of GOD over us and ours ought to antidote our Spirits against all distrustful Fears whatsoever If an Hair from the Head falls not to the Ground without a Providence much less shall the Head it self if the very Excrements of the Body such are the Hair be taken Care of by God surely the more noble Parts of the Body and especially the noblest Part of our selves our Souls shall fall under his particular Regard 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven Obs here 1. That not to confess Christ in his Account is to deny him and to deny him is to be ashamed of him 2. That whosoever shall deny disown or be ashamed of Christ either in his Person in his Gospel or in his Members for any Fear or Favour of Man shall with Shame be disowned and eternally rejected by Him at the Dreadful Judgment of the Great Day CHRIST may be Denied three ways Doctrinally by an Erroneous and Heretical Judgment Verbally by Oral Expressions Vitally by a Wicked and Unholy Life But Wo to that Soul that denies CHRIST any of these Ways 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own houshold We must distinguish here betwixt the Intentional Aim of Christ's Coming and the Accidental Event of it His Intentional Aim was to propagate and promote Peace in the World but thro' the Corruption of Man's Nature the Accidental Event of his Coming is War and Division Not that these are the genuine and natural Fruits of the Gospel but Occasional and Accidental only Note That the Preaching of the Gospel and setting up the Kingdom of Christ in the World tho' it be not the Natural Cause yet it is the Accidental Occasion of all that War and Tumult of all that Distraction and Confusion which the World abounds with 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me 38 And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it Our Saviour by these Expressions doth not condemn Natural Love and Affection either to our Relations or our own Lives but only regulates and directs it and shews that our first and chief Love must be bestowed upon Himself We may have tender and relenting Affections towards our dear Relations but then the Consideration of CHRIST's Truth and Religion must take Place of these nay of Life it self nay when these come in Competition we are to regard them no more than if they were the Objects of our Hatred Luk. 14.26 If a Man hate not his Father c. Learn hence That all the Disciples of Christ should be ready and willing whenever God calls them to it to quit all their Temporal Interests and Enjoyments even Life it self and to submit to any Temporal Inconvenience even Death it self And all this willingly chearfully and patiently rather than disown their Relation to Christ and quit the Profession of his Truth and Religion 2. That such as for Secular Interest and the Preservation of Temporal Life do renounce their Profession of Christ and his Religion they do not only greatly hazard their Temporal Life but expose their Eternal Life to the greatest Danger He that findeth his Life shall lose it c. 40 He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Here in the close of the Chapter our Blessed Saviour encourages his Apostles to Faithfulness in their Office by assuring them that he should reckon and esteem all the Kindness shewn to them as done unto himself And to encourage the World to be kind to his Disciples and Ministers he assures them that even a Cup of cold Water should meet with a liberal Reward How cold is their Charity who deny a Cup of cold Water to the Ministers and Disciples of Christ Learn 1. That there is some special and eminent Reward due to the Faithful Prophets of GOD above other Men. 2. That he that shall entertain a Prophet and do any good Office for him under that Name that is for his Office-sake shall be Partaker of that Reward 3. That the least Office of Love and Respect of Kindness and Charity which we shew to any of the Ministers or Members of Jesus Christ for his sake Christ accounts it as done unto himself and it shall be rewarded by himself CHAP. XI 1 AND it came to pass
their Sins and his Sociable Disposition Loosness and Luxury Learn hence 1. That the faithful and zealous Ministers of GOD let their Temper and Converse be what it will cannot please the Enemies of Religion and the Haters of the Power of Godliness neither John's Austerity nor Christ's Familiarity would gain upon the Pharisees It is our Duty in the Course of our Ministry to seek to please all Men for their Good But after all our Endeavours to please all we shall please but very few but if God and Conscience be of the Number of those Few we are Safe and Happy Obs 2. That it has been the old Policy of the Devil that he might hinder the Success of the Gospel to fill the Minds of Persons with an Invincible Prejudice against the Ministers and Dispensers of the Gospel Obs 3. That after all the Scandalous Reproaches cast upon Religion and the Ministers of it such as are Wisdom's Children wise and good Men will justifie Religion that is Approve it in their Judgments Honour it in their Discourses and Adorn it in their Lives Wisdom is justified of her Children 20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not 21 Wo unto thee Chorazin wo unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes 22 But I say unto you It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you Our Saviour having gone thro' the Cities of Galilee Preaching the Doctrine of Repentance and Confirming his Doctrine with Miracles and finding multitudes after all his Endeavours remaining in their Impenitency he proceeds to upbraid them severely for that their Contempt of Gospel-Grace Then began he to upbraid the Cities c. Where Observe 1. The Cities upbraided Chorazin Bethsaida and Capernaum in their Pulpits he daily Preacht and those Places were the Theatres upon which his Miracles were wrought other Cities only heard these saw but where he Preached most he Prevailed least Like some Fisher-men he catcht least in his own Pond Obs 2. What he upbraids them for not for Disrespect to his Person but for Disobedience to his Doctrine Because they repented not The great Design of Christ both in the Doctrine which he preached and in the Miracles which he wrought was to bring Men to Repentance that is to forsake their Sins and Live well Obs 3. Whom he upbraids them with Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah Nations rude and barbarous out of the Pale of the Church ignorant of a Saviour and of the Way of Salvation by him Therefore instead of Wooing them he denounces Woes against them Learn That the higher a People rise under the Means the lower they fall if they miscarry They that have been nearest to Conversion and yet not converted shall have the greatest Condemnation when they are judged Capernaum's Sentence shall exceed Sodom's for Severity because she exceeded Sodom in the Enjoyment of Means and Mercy 23 And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven shalt be brought down to hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this day This City lying under greater Guilt than the rest Christ names it by it self without the rest nay he doth not only name it but notifie it as being lifted up to Heaven by Signal Favours and Priviledges namely Christ's Presence Chnst's Preaching and Miracles Obs 1. Capernaum's Priviledge injoyed tho' a poor obsecure Place in it self yet she was by the Person Ministry and Miracles of Christ lifted up to Heaven Learn thence That Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges enjoyed are a mighty Honour and Advancement to the poorest Persons and obscurest Places Obs 2. An heavy Doom denounced Thou shalt be brought down to Hell that is thy Condition shall be as sad as that of the worst of Men for thy Non-proficiency under the Means injoyed Learn thence That Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges injoyed but not improved provoke Almighty God to inflict the sorest of Judgments upon a People Thou Capernaum exalted to Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell 24 But I say unto you That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee Observe here 1. That there shall be a Day of Judgment 2. That in the Day of Judgment some Sinners shall fare worse than others there are Degrees of Punishment among the Damned 3. That the worst of Heathens who never heard of a Saviour nor ever had an Offer of Salvation by him shall fare better in the Day of Judgment than those that continue impenitent under the Gospel CHRIST here avouches that Capernaum's Sentence shall exceed Sodom's for Severity 25 At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes 26 Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight In these Verses our Saviour glorifies his Father for the wise and free Dispensation of his Gospel-Grace to the meanest and most ignorant whilst the Great and Learned Men of the World undervalued and despised it Learn 1. That till GOD reveals himself his Nature and Will no Man can know either what he is or what he requires Thou hast revealed 2. That the Wise Men of the World have in all Ages despised the Mysteries of the Gospel and have therefore been Judicially given up by GOD to their own wilful Blindness Thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent 3. That the most Ignorant and most Humble not the most Learned and most Proud do stand ready to receive and embrace the Gospel-Revelation Thou hast revealed them unto Babes 4. That this is no less pleasing to Christ than it is the Pleasure of the Father Even so Father as it seemed good in thy sight As if Christ had said Father thy Election and Choice pleases me as being the Choice and Good Pleasure of thy Wisdom 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him In this Verse our Saviour opens his Commission and declares 1. His Authority that all Power is committed to Him as Mediator from God the Father 2. His Office to reveal his Father's Mind and Will to a Lost World No Man knoweth the Father but the Son That is the Essence and Nature of the Father the Will and Counsel of the Father only as the Son reveals them Learn That all our Saving Knowledge of God is in and thro' Jesus Christ he as the Great Prophet of his Church reveals the Mind and Will of GOD unto us for our Salvation and no Saving Knowledge without him 28 Come unto me all ye
without desiring to speak with thee 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him Who is my mother and who are my brethren 49 And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples and said Behold my mother and my brethren 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother and sister and mother Observe here 1. The Verity of Christ's Humane Nature he had Affinity and Consanguinity with Men Persons near in Blood to him called his Brethren that is his Cosin-Germans 2. That the Holy Virgin her self was not wholly free from Failings and Infirmities for here she does untimely and unseasonably interrupt our Saviour when Preaching to the People and imployed about his Father's Business 3. That Christ did not neglect his Holy Mother nor disregard his near Relations but shewed that he preferr'd his Father's Service before them 4. Learn How dear Believers are to Jesus Christ he preferrs his Spiritual Kindred before his Natural Alliance in Faith and Spiritual Relation to Christ is much nearer and dearer than Alliance by Blood To bear Christ in the Heart is much better than to bear him in the Womb. Blessed be God this greatest Priviledge is not denied to us even now Tho' see Christ we cannot yet love him we may his Bodily Presence cannot be enjoyed by us but his Spiritual Presence is not denied us Tho' Christ be not ours in House in Arms in Affinity in Consanguinity yet in Heart in Faith in Love and Service he is or may be Ours Verily Spiritual Regeneration brings Men into a more Honourable Relation to Christ than Natural Generation ever did Whosoever shall do the Will of my Father he is my Brother Sister and Mother CHAP. XIII 1 THE same day went Jesus out of the house and sat by the sea-side 2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him so that he went into a ship and sat and the whole multitude stood on the shoar 3 And he spake many things unto them in parables saying The foregoing Chapter gave us an Account of an Awakening Sermon preached by our Saviour to the Pharisees In this Chapter we are acquainted with the Continuance of his Preaching to the Multitude Where three things are Observable 1. Our Lord's Assiduity and unwearied Diligence in Preaching of the Gospel for this Sermon was made the same Day with that in the former Chapter Vers 1. The same Day went Jesus out and sat by the Sea-side A good Pattern for the Preachers of the Gospel to follow How ashamed may we be to Preach Once a Week when our Lord Preacht Twice a Day Obs 2. The Place our Lord Preacht in a Ship not that he declined the Temple or the Synagogue when he had the Opportunity but in the want of them Christ thought an House a Mountain a Ship no unmeet Place to Preach in It is not the Place that Sanctifies the Ordinance but the Ordinance that Sanctifies the Place Obs 3. The Manner of our Lord 's Preaching it was by Parables and Similitudes Which was an Ancient Way of Instruction among the Jews and a very Convincing Way working upon Mens Minds Memories and Affections making the Mind attentive the Memory retentive and the Auditors inquisitive after the Interpretation of the Parable Some are of Opinion that our Saviour's Parables were suited to his Hearers Employments some of whom being Husbandmen he resembles his Doctrine to Seed sown in the Field For thus he speaks 3 Behold a sower went forth to sow 4 And when he sowed some seeds fell by the way-side and the fowls came and devoured them up 5 Some fell upon stony places where they had not much earth and forthwith they sprung up because they had no deepness of earth 6 And when the sun was up they were scorched and because they had not root they withered away 7 And some fell among thorns and the thorns sprung up and choaked them 8 But other fell into good ground and brought forth fruit some an hundred fold some sixty fold some thirty fold 9 Who hath ears to hear let him hear The Scope of this Parable is to shew that there are Four several Sorts of Hearers of the Word but One Sort only that Hear to a Saving Advantage And to shew us the Cause of the different Success of the Word Preacht Here Observe 1. The Sower Christ and his Apostles he the prime and principal Sower they the secondary and subordinate Seedsmen Christ sows his own Field his Ministers sow his Field he sows his own Seed they sow his Seed Wo unto us if we sow our own Seed and not Christ's Obs 2. The Seed sown the Word of God Fabulous Legends and Unwritten Traditions which the Seeds-Men of the Church of Rome sow these are not Seed but Chaff or their own Seed not Christ's Our Lord's Field must be sown with his own Seed not with mixt Grain Learn 1. That the Word of God preacht is like Seed sown in the Furrows of the Field As Seed has a Fructifying Virtue in it by which it increases and brings forth more of it 's own kind so has the Word of God a Quickning Power to regenerate and make alive dead Souls Learn 2. That the Seed of the Word where it is most plentifully sown is not alike Fruitful As Seed doth not thrive in all Ground alike so neither doth the Word fructifie alike in the Hearts of Men There is a Difference both from the Nature of the Soil and from the Influence of the Spirit Learn 3. That the Cause of the Word's Unfruitfulness is very different and not the same in all In some 't is the Policy of Satan that Bird of Prey which follows God's Plough steals away the Precious Seed in others 't is a hard Heart of Unbelief in others the Cares of the World like Thorns choak the Word overgrow the Good Seed draw away the Moisture of the Earth and the Heart of the Soil and hinders the Influences of the Sun The far greater part of Hearers are fruitless and unprofitable Hearers Learn 4. That the best Ground doth not bring forth Fruit alike some good Ground brings forth more and some less Some thirty some sixty and some an hundred fold In like manner a Person may be a profitable Hearer of the Word altho' he doth not bring forth so great a Proportion of Fruit as others provided he brings forth as much as he can 10 And the disciples came and said unto him Why speakest thou unto them in parables 11 He answered and said unto them Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it is not given Here we have the Disciples Question and our Saviour's Answer Their Question is Why speakest thou to the People in Parables which they do not understand They cannot see the Soul of thy Meaning thro' the Body of thy Parables Christ answers To you my Disciples and such as you are who love
consider what they eat we may justly wonder that they left any thing If what they left that they eat any thing Observe lastly Christ would not have these Fragments lost but gathered up the Great House-keeper of the World will not allow the Loss of his Orts. Oh how dreadful will the Account of those be who have large and plentiful Estates to Answer for as Lost being spent upon their Lusts in Riot and Excess CHAP. XVI 1 THE Pharisees also with the Sadduces came and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven 2 He answered and said unto them When it is evening ye say It will be fair weather for the sky is red 3 And in the morning It will be foul weather to day for the sky is red and lowring O ye hypocrites ye can discern the face of the sky but can ye not discern the signs of the times 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be given unto it but the sign of the prophet Jonas And he left them and departed Obs here 1. The Persons demanding of our Saviour a Sign the Pharisees and Sadduces Persons of contrary Opinions and Interests yet both agree in Tempting and Opposing Christ Learn thence That Wicked Men how opposite soever they are one to another yet can agree together in Opposing Christ and Undermining his Truth Obs 2. The Sign demanded Shew us a Sign from Heaven As if they had said Put us not off with such Earthly Signs as we have seen in multiplying Loaves but let us see a Miracle from Heaven such as Moses and Elias wrought This they desired not so much for their Satisfaction as out of Curiosity nay Wicked Treachery Learn thence That to demand a Sign not to confirm our Faith but to harden our selves in our Unbelief is a dangerous Tempting of Christ Obs 3. Our Saviour's Rejection of this Demand of the Pharisees to give them a Sign Oh ye Hypocrites says he ye can discern the Face of the Sky but ye cannot discern the Signs of the Times As if he had said Did not Malice and Obstinacy blind your Eyes ye might as easily see and discern that these are the Times of the Messias and that I am he by the Miracles wrought by me as you can make a Judgment of the Weather by looking upon the Sky Learn That to pretend more Ignorance or Uncertainty in discerning the Signs of Gospel-Times than the Signs of the Weather is great Hypocrisie Ye Hypocrites ye can discern the Face of the Sky but can ye not discern the Signs of the Times Observe lastly That our Saviour doth not condemn the Study of Nature or making Observation of the State of the Weather from the Face of the Sky All that our Saviour blames was that they were better skill'd in the Signs of the Weather than in the Signs of the Times As God by Natural Signs gives us Warning of a Change in Natural Things so by his Providential Dispensations he gives us Warning of a Change in Civil Things He that is Wise will Observe these Things and by their Observation Will come to Vnderstand the Pleasure of the Lord. 5 And when his disciples were come to the other side they had forgotten to take bread 6 Then said Jesus unto them Take heed and be ware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces 7 And they reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have taken no bread 8 Which when Jesus perceived he said unto them O ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no bread 9 Do ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets ye took up 11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces Observe here 1. How dull the Disciples of Christ were under Christ's own Teaching and how apt to put a Carnal Sence upon his Words they apprehended he had spoken to them of the Leaven of Bread what he intended of the Leaven of the Pharisees Doctrine Obs 2. The smart and sharp Reproof which Christ gave his Disciples for not understanding the Sense and Signification of what he spake The Lord Jesus Christ is much displeased with his own People when he discerns Blindness and Ignorance in them after more than ordinary Means of Knowledge enjoyed by them How is it that ye do not yet understand Obs 3. The Metaphor which Christ sets forth the corrupt Doctrine of the Pharisees by he compares it to Leaven partly for its Sowrness and partly for its Diffusiveness Leaven is a piece of sower Dough that diffuses it self into the whole Mass or Lump of Bread with which it is mixed From whence our Saviour intimates that the Pharisees were a sower and proud sort of People and their Doctrines like themselves poisonable and pernicious in their Consequences the Contagion of which our Lord warns his Disciples to avoid and shun Whence Learn That Error is as damnable as Vice Persons Erroneous in their Judgments are to be avoided as well as those that are Lewd and Wicked in their Conversations He that has a due Care of his Soul's Salvation must as well beware of Erroneous Principles as of Debauched Practices Obs 4. Our Saviour does not command his Disciples to separate from Commmunion with the Pharisees and oblige them not hear their Doctrine but only to beware of the Errors that they mix with their Doctrine We may and ought to hold Communion with a Church tho' Erroneous in Doctrine if not Fundamentally Erroneous Separation from a Church is not justifiable upon any other Ground than that which makes a Separation betwixt God and that Church Which is either the Apostacy of that Church into gross Idolatry or in Point of Doctrine into damnable Heresie 13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I the Son of man am 14 And they said Some say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the prophets 15 He saith unto them But whom say ye that I am 16 And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven Observe here Our Saviour's Question and the Disciples Answer Our Saviour's Question is twofold 1. Whom do Men say that I am Not that the Son of God was ignorant what Men said of him but he had an Intention more
Glory of after his Resurrection in which there should be distinct Places of Honour and Offices one above another and accordingly at this time the Ambition of the Disciples led them to enquire of our Saviour who should have the chief Place of Honour and Dignity under him in that his Kingdom Learn hence That the best and holiest of Men are too subject to Pride and Ambition to court Worldly Dignity and Greatness to affect a Precedency before and a Superiority above others The Disciples themselves were tainted with this Itch of Ambition which prompted them to enquire of their Master Who should be greatest in the Kingdom of his Church 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them 3 And said Verily I say unto you Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven Our Saviour intending to cure this Pride and Ambition in his Disciples first preaches to them the Doctrine of Humility and to inforce his Doctrine he sets before them a little Child the proper Emblem of Humility assuring them that unless they be converted or turned from this Sin of Pride and Ambition and become as a little Child in Lowliness of Mind and Contempt of Worldly Greatness they cannot be saved Learn hence 1. That no Sins are more odious and abominable in the Sight of God than Pride and Ambition especially amongst the Ministers of the Gospel Learn 2. That Persons already converted do stand in need of farther Conversion They that are converted from a State of Sin may want to be converted from a particular Act of Sin This was the Disciples Case here they were turned from a Course of Sin but they wanted a Conversion from a particular Act of Sin to wit from Ambition 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven As if our Lord had said That Apostle or that Minister who thinks as meanly of himself as a little Child and is humble and lowly in his own Esteem he deserves the highest Place of Dignity and Honour in my Church Note That the truly humble Person who is freest from affecting Preheminency is most worthy of the highest Dignity and Eminency in the Church of God and in the Account of Christ The way to be Honourable is to be Humble Before Honour is Humility 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my Name receiveth me 6 But who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Our Saviour having declared that the humblest Persons should be always highest in his Esteem he next declares how exceeding dear and precious such Christians are to him who resemble little Children in Humility of Heart and Innocency of Life Assuring the World that whatever Kindness and Respect is shewed to such for his sake he reckons shewn to himself and all that Disrespect and Unkindness which is offered to them he accounts as done unto himself So near is the Union and so dear the Relation betwixt Christ and his Members that whatever Good or Evil is done to them he reckons as done unto himself 7 Wo unto the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences come but wo to that man by whom the offence cometh Two things are here Observable 1. The Necessity of Scandalous Offences It must needs be that Offences come 2. The Misery and Mischief that comes by them Wo unto the World because of Offences Wo to such as give Offence this is Va Indignantis the Wo of one Denouncing and Wo to such as Stumble at Offences given this is Vae Dolentis the Wo of one Lamenting From the whole Note 1. That Scandals or Offensive Actions in the Church of Christ will certainly fall out amongst those that profess Religion and the Name of Christ Offences will come Their necessity is partly from the Permission of God partly from the Malice of Satan partly from the Wickedness and Deceitfulness of Mens own Hearts and Natures 2. That Scandalous and Offensive Actions from such as profess Religion and the Name of Christ are Baneful and Fatal Stumbling-Blocks to wicked and worldly Men. 3. That the Offence which wicked Men take at the Falls of the Professors of Religion to the hardning of themselves in their wicked Practices is Matter of just and great Lamentation Wo unto the World because of Offences 8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire 9 And if thine eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire This Command of Christ is not to be understood Literally as if it were our Duty to Maim our Bodily Members but the Exhortation is to cut off all Occasions that may betray us unto Sin and to mortifie our darling and beloved Lusts tho' as dear to us as our right Eye Learn 1. That Sin may be avoided it is our Duty to avoid whatever leads unto it or may be the Instrument or Occasion of it 2. That the best way to be kept from the Outward Acts of Sin is to mortifie our Inward Affection and Love to Sin If our Love and Affection to Sin be mortified our Bodily Members may be preserved for they will no longer be Weapons of Sin but Instruments of Holiness 10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in heaven Obs here 1. A cautionary Direction given by Christ to the Men of the World concerning his Members Take heed that ye offend not one of my little ones that is that ye do not undervalue and neglect much less injure and afflict them 2. A Reason assigned Because their Angels being constantly and immediately in the presence of God are perpetually ready to execute his Will by revenging any Wrongs and Injuries done unto his Friends and Children Learn 1. What is the Office and Employment of the Glorious Angels namely to be the immediate Attendants upon the Royal Person of the Supreme King and Sovereign of the World Learn hence 2. In what Esteem good Men are with God and what a mighty Regard he has for the meanest of his Children in that he commits the Care and Preservation of them to the Holy Angels who are nearest to him and in highest Favour and Honour with him 11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost 12 How think ye If a man have an hundred sheep and
one of them be gone astray doth he not leave the ninety and nine and goeth into the mountains and seeketh that which is gone astray 13 And if so be that he find it verily I say unto you he rejoyceth more of that sheep then of the ninety and nine which went not astray 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish Here our Saviour continues his Argument against giving Offence to his Children and Members he came into the World to redeem and save them therefore none ought to scandalize and offend them And to illustrate this he comparts himself to a good Shepherd who regards every one of his Sheep and if any wander or go astray he seeks to recover it with Desire and Joy Learn 1. That the natural Condition of Mankind is like that of wandring Sheep they err and go astray from God their chief Good and the Object of their compleat Happiness 2. That it was the Work and Business the Care and Concern of Jesus Christ to seek and recover lost Souls as the Shepherd doth his lost Sheep 3. That the Love and Care of Christ towards his â—heep in seeking to save and to preserve them is a forcible Argument unto all not to scandalize and offend much less to persecute and destroy them 15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother 16 But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the church but if he neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican In these Words our Saviour gives us an excellent Rule for the Duty of Fraternal Correption or Brotherly Admonition Where Note 1. That Brotherly Reproof and Admonition is a Duty incumbent upon Church-Members 2. That it may be administred successfully it must be administred privately and prudently 3. When private Admonition prevails not Christ has appointed Church-Governours to execute Church-Censures on the obstinate and irreclaimable 4. Persons justly falling under the Censures of the Church and rightly excommunicate are to be look'd upon as Contumacious and Stubborn Offenders and the Members of the Church to shun Society and Conversation with them If he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican 18 Verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven That is whomsoever the Officers of my Church shall justly excommunicate upon Earth shall without Repentance be shut out of Heaven and whosoever upon their true Repentance shall be absolved on Earth shall be absolved in Heaven Learn That Christ will ratifie in Heaven whatsoever the Church assembled doth in his Name upon Earth whether to the censuring of the Guilty or absolving of the Penitent this Power of binding and loosing is by Christ committed to his Church 19 Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Here we have a Gracious Promise made by Christ of his Presence with all his Members in general and with his Ministers in special Whenever they meet together in his Name that is by his Authority in Obedience to his Command and with an Eye at his Glory Whenever they celebrate any sacred Institution of his or execute any Church-Censures he will be iâ— the midst of them to quicken their Prayers to guide their Counsels to ratifie their Sentence to accept their Endeavours Learn 1. That Christ will be graciously present with and amongst his People whenever they assemble and meet together in his Name be it in never so small a number 2. That Christ will in a special manner be present with the Guides and Officers of his Church to direct their Censures and to confirm the Sentence paâ—â—ed in his Name and pronounced by his Authority upon obstinate Offenders 21 Then came Peter to him and said Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times 22 Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee Until seven times but until seventy times seven Here St. Peter puts a Question to our Saviour how often Christians should forgive Offences to their Brethren professing Repentance Christ answers That there should be no end of our mutual forgiving one another but we are to multiply our Pardon as our Brother manifests his Repentance Not that we are hereby obliged to take the frequent Offender into our Bosom and to make him our Intimate but to lay aside all Malice and all Thoughts and Desires of Revenge and to stand ready to do him any Office of Love and Friendship Learn 1. That to fall often into the same Offence against our Brother is a great Aggravation of our Offence 2. That as the Multiplication of Sin is a great Aggravation of Sin so the Multiplication of Forgiveness is a great Demonstration of a Godlike Temper in us He that multiplies Sin doth like Satan Sin abundantly and he that multiplies Pardon doth like God pardon abundantly 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king which would take account of his servants 24 And when he had begun to reckon one was brought unto him which ought him ten thousand talents 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay his lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that he had and payment to be made 26 The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him saying Lord have patience with me and I will pay thee all 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt 28 But the same se vant we t out and found one of his fellow-servants which ought him an hundred pence and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat saying Pay me that thou owest 29 And his fellow servant fell down at his fâ—et and besought him saying Have patience with me and I will pay thee all 30 And he would not but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt 31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done they were very sorry and came and told unto their lord all that was done 32 Then his lord after that he had called him said to him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on
and ambitiously contended for the first and uppermost Seats in all Conventions as at Feasts and in the Synagogues and loved to be respectfully saluted in open and publick Places and to have Titles of Honour such as Rabbi Master Father and Doctor put upon them Now that which our Saviour condemns is the Pharisees fond Affectation of these little things and unduly seeking their own Honour and Glory It was not their taking but their loving the uppermost Rooms at Feasts that Christ condemns From the whole Note 1. That Hypocrites are most in affecting Ceremonial Observations and outward Parts of commanded Duties neglecting the Substance of Religion it self These Pharisees were for carrying a Library of God's Law on their Cloaths scarce a Letter of it in their Hearts They wore the Law of God as frontlets before their Eyes but not engraven on the Tables of their Hearts Observe 2. That the Nature of Hypocrisie is to study more to seem Religious in the Sight of Men than to be Religious indeed before God The Hypocrite is the World's Saint and not God's He courts the World's Acceptation more than the Divine Favour and Approbation 8 But be not ye called Rabbi for one is your master even Christ and all ye are brethren 9 And call no man your father upon the earth for one is your Father which is in heaven 10 Neither be ye called masters for one is your master even Christ 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted The Word Rabbi signifies a Doctor or Teacher eminently endowed with Variety of Knowledge whose Place it was to sit in an exalted Chair or chief Seat in the Synagogue their Disciples and Scholars sat upon lower Forms at the Feet of their Teachers Our Saviour doth not simply condemn the giving or receiving of these Titles of Rabbi Master and Father But the things forbidden are 1. A vain-glorious Affectation of such Titles as these the ambitious seeking of them and glorying in them 2. He condemns that Authority and Dominion over the Consciences of Men which the Pharisaical Doctors had usurped telling the People that they ought to believe all their Doctrines and practice all their Injunctions as the Commands of the Living God They did in effect assume Infallibility to themselves Learn hence 1. That there have been in all Ages of the Church a sort of Teachers who have usurped Authority and Dominion over the Faith and Consciences of Men. 2. That Christians ought not to submit their Faith and Conscience in Matters of Religion to any Humane Authority whatsoever nor to give up themselves absolutely to the Conduct of any Man's Judgment or Opinion in Matters of Faith 3. That Christ alone the great Prophet and infallible Teacher of his Church is the only Person to whose Doctrine and Precepts we owe absolute Faith and Obedience One is your Master even Christ 4. As God will abase and Men will despise the Proud especially Ministers who are such so shall God exalt and Men will honour them that stoop to the meanest Services for the Good of Souls Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased This was a Sentence often used by our Saviour and was a frequent Saying among the Jews 13 But wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for ye neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in From this Thirteenth Verse to the Thirtieth the Pharisees have Eight several Woes denounced against them by our Saviour The first is for perverting the Scriptures and keeping the true Sense and Knowledge of them from the People This St. Matthew calls the shutting up of the Kingdom of Heaven against Men. St. Luke calls it A taking away the Key of Knowledge from Men which is an Allusion to a known Custom among the Jews in Admission of their Doctors for those that had Authority given them to interpret the Law and the Prophets were solemnly admitted into that Office by delivering to them a Key and a Table-Book So that by the Key of Knowledge is meant the Interpretation and Understanding of the Scriptures and by taking away the Key of Knowledge is signified first that they arrogated to themselves alone the Understanding of the Scriptures secondly that they kept the true Knowledge of the Scriptures from the People especially the Prophecies which concerned the Messias and so they hindered Men from embracing our Saviour's Doctrine who were otherwise well enough disposed for it Learn hence 1. That the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures is absolutely and indispensibly necessary in order to Salvation This our Saviour calls the Key which lets Men into the Kingdom of Heaven Learn 2. That great is the Guilt and inexcusable the Fault of those who deprive the People of the Knowledge of the Scriptures They shut the Kingdom of Heaven against Men and do what in them lyes to hinder their Eternal Salvation Men may miscarry with their Knowledge but they are sure to perish for want of Knowledge 14 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation The second Wo denounced against the Pharisees is for their gross Hypocrisie in colouring over their Covetousness with a Pretence of Religion making long Prayers in the Temple and Synagogues for Widows and thereupon perswading them to give bountifully to the Corban or the common Treasure of the Temple Some part of which was imployed for their Maintenance Learn 1. It is no new thing for designing Hypocrites to cover the foulest Transgression with the Cloak of Religion The Pharisees make long Prayers a Cover for their Covetousness 2. That to make use of Religion in Policy for Worldly Advantage-sake is the way to be damn'd with a Vengeance for Religion-sake Wo unto you Scribes c. 15 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye compass sea and land to make one Proselyte and when he is made ye make him twofold more the child of hell than your selves The next Wo denounced is for their false-ended Zeal and Earnestness in proselyting Heathens to the Jewish Religion not with a pious Intention to save them but to serve themselves upon them to have their Consciences and Purses under their Power and when you have poyson'd them says our Saviour by your corrupt Doctrine and hardned them in a course of Sin by your wicked Example they are more the Children of Hell than before you practiced upon them Learn 1. Great is the Diligence and indefatigable the Industry which false Teachers use in gaining Proselytes to their Opinion and Party They compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte 2. That such as are proselyted to Error are oft-times faster rivetted in their false Opinions than their Teachers themselves They are made twofold more the Children of
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
Diet but both by their Habit and Diet set an Example of Gravity and Sobriety before their People being in these as well as in other things an Example unto their Flocks 7 And preached saying There cometh one mightier then I after me the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose Observe here 1. The high Opinion that the Baptist had of Christ he is mightier than I That is a Person of greater Dignity and Excellency by far than my self whence may be gathered that tho' Christ was Man he was not meer Man but more than Man even very God equal with the Father for John Baptist was the greatest of them that were born of Women Matth. 11.11 yet says he Christ is mightier or greater than I. How so but in regard of the Dignity of his Person being both God and Man in two distinct Natures and one Person Observe 2. The humble and low Estimation that the Baptist had of himself His Shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose A proverbial Speech implying that he was unworthy to do the basest and meanest Service for Christ Oh how well doth Humility of Mind an humble Apprehension a low Esteem and Opinion of themselves and their own Gifts and Abilities become the Messengers and Ministers of Christ John was a Man of eminent Abilities yet of Exemplary Humility he thought himself unworthy to unloose Christ's Shoe or do the meanest Office for him 8 I indeed have baptized you with water but he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost John shewed the Dignity of Christ's Person above his own in the former Verse in this he declares the Excellency of Christ's Office and the meanness of his own I wash the Body with Water but Christ cleanses the Soul by the Operation of his Holy Spirit Thence Learn That tho' the Ministers of Christ do by Christ's Command dispence the Outward Ordinance of Baptism yet it is Christ himself that by the Inward Work of his Spirit doth make it effectual to such as receive it I Baptize with Water but he with the Holy Ghost 9 And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in Jordan 10 And straightway coming up out of the water he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him 11 And there came a voice from heaven saying Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased See the Note on Matth. 3.13 Observe here 1. The great Condescention of Christ in seeking and submitting to the Baptism of John Christ tho' he was John's Lord and Master yea Lord of Heaven and Earth yet cometh to hear John Preach and will be Baptized of his Messenger Thence Learn That the greatest Persons should neither think themselves too great nor too good to come unto the Ministers of God to hear the Word from his Mouth or to receive the Sacrament at his Hand Christ the Son of God was content to be Baptized of John a mean Person in Comparison of himself How dare then the greatest upon Earth despise the Ministry of Man being appointed by God Observe 2. The solemn investing of Christ into the Office of a Mediator by a threefold Miracle namely the opening of the Heavens the Descent of the Holy Ghost and God the Father's Voice or Testimony concerning his Son The Heavens were opened to shew that Heaven which was closed and shut against us for our Sins is now opened to us by Christ's undertaking for us As Christ opened Heaven by his meritorious Passion so he keeps it open by his prevailing Intercession Next The Holy Ghost descends like a Dove upon our Saviour Here we have a Proof and Evidence of the Blessed Trinity The Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the Water and the Holy Ghost descends in the Likeness of a Dove But why did the Holy Ghost now descend upon Christ First For the Designation of his Person to shew that he was the Person set apart for the Work and Office of a Mediator Secondly For the Sanctification of his Person for the Performance of that Office This was Christ's Unction the Day in which he was Anointed above his Fellows to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Isa 61. v. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me he hath anointed me c. Observe 3. The Voice of God the Father pronouncing 1. The Nearness of Christ's Relation to himself This is my Son 2. The Endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The Fruit and Benefit of this near and dear Relation unto us In him I am well pleased Hence Learn 1. That there is no Possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ neither our Persons nor our Performances can find Acceptance but thro' him and for his sake 2. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the Ground and Cause of all that Love which God the Father sheweth to the Sons of Men In Christ God is well pleased with us as a reconciled Father out of him a consuming Fire 12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan and was with the wild beasts and the Angels ministred unto him Immediately That is 1. After his Baptism Christ is no sooner out of the Water of Baptism but he is in the Fire of Temptation Such as are Baptized with Christ and entered into the Profession of Christianity they must look to be assaulted with Satan's Temptations Again Immediately that is 2. After the Father had declared his Complacency in him and being well pleased with him Learn thence That great Manifestations of Love from God are usually followed with great Temptations from Satan The Spirit driveth him That is the Holy Spirit of God For the Devil is seldom if ever called the Spirit but usually some Brand of Reproach is annexed as the evil Spirit or the unclean Spirit and the like Christ was led by the Spirit says St. Matthew 4.1 He was driven by the Spirit says St. Mark that is He was carried by a strong Impulse of the Spirit of God to be tempted by Satan and did not go of his own private Motion to enter the Lists with Satan Teaching us our Duty not to run into or rush upon Temptations without a Warrant and Call from God Observe next the Place where Satan assaulted Christ with his Temptations it was a solitary Wilderness No Place can priviledge us from Temptations or be a Sanctuary from Satan's Assaults The solitary Wilderness has a Tempter in it yea Satan oft-times makes use of Men's Solitariness to farther his Temptations and such as separate themselves from Humane Society and give themselves up to Solitude and Retirement they give great Advantage to the Tempter to tempt them Observe next the Time and Continuance of our Holy Lord's Temptations not for an Hour a Day a Week or a Month but for Forty Days
upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen An account is here given of a three-fold appearance of Christ after his Resurrection 1 To Mary Magdalen not to the Virgin Mary and it is observable that our Blessed Saviour after his Resurrection first appeared to Mary Magdalen a grievous Sinner for the comfort of all true Penitents Mary goes immediately to his Disciples whom she finds weeping and mourning and tells them she had seen the Lord but they believed her not The second appearance was to the two Disciples going into the Country that is into the Village of Emaus as they were in the way Jesus joyneth himself to their Company but there Eyes were holden by the power of God that they did not discern him in his own proper shape but apprehended him to be another Person whom they conversed with His third appearance was to the Eleven as they sat at Meat whom he upbraids with their unbelief and to convince them effectually that he was risen from the dead he eats with them a piece of a broiled Fish and of an Honey Comb not that he needed it being he was now become immortal but to assure them he had still the same Body From the whole Note how industriously our Lord endeavours to confirm his Disciples Faith in the Doctrine of his Resurrection so slack and backward they were to believe that the Messiah was risen again from the dead that all the predictions of Scripture all the assurances they had received from our Saviour's mouth yea all the appearances of our Saviour to them after â—e was actually risen from the dead were little enough to confirm and establish them in the certain belief that he was risen from the dead 15 And he said unto them go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believed not shall be damned Here our Saviour gives commission to his Disciples to congregate and gather a Christian Church out of all Nations to go forth and preach the Gospel to every Creature that is to all reasonable Creatures that are capable of it not to the Jews only but to the Gentiles also without any distinction of Country Age or Sex whatsoever Learn thence that the Apostles and first planters of the Gospel had a commission from Christ to go amongst the Pagan Gentiles without limitation or distinction to instruct them in the savinâ— mysteries of the Gospel The second Branch of their commission was to Baptize where observe the encouraâ—ing promise made by Christ he that Believeth and is Baptized shall â—e saved that is he that receiveth and embraceth the Gospel preached by you and thereupon becomes a Proselite and Disciple of Christ and receives Baptism the Seal of the new Covenant shall for all his former sins receive Pardon and upon his perseverance obtain Eternal Life but he that stands out obstinately and impenitently shall certainly be damned The two damning sins under the Gospel are Infidelity and Hypocrisy not receiving Christ for Lord and Saviour by some or doing this feignedly by others happy are they in whom the preaching of the Gospel produces such a Faith as is the parent and principle of Obedience he that so believeth and is Baptized shall be saved 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe in my Name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues 18 They shall tkae up Serpents and if they drink any thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay deadly hands on the sick and they shall recover Here we have a gracious promise of Christ that in order to the spreading and propagating of the Gospel as far as may be the Spirit should be poured forth abundantly from on high upon the Apostles and thereby they should be enabled to work Miracles to cast out Devils to speak strange Languages which we read they did Acts 2. And this power of working Miracles continued in the Church an hundred years after Christ's Ascension untill Christianity had taken rooting in the hearts of men Ireneus lib. 2. ch 58. says that many believers besides the Apostles had this power of working Miracles as new set plants are watered at first till they have taken fast rooting so that the Christian Faith might grow the faster God watered it with miracles at its first Plantation Yet Observe That all the Miracles which they had power to work were healing and beneficent not terrifying judgments but acts of kindness and mercy it was our Saviours design to bring over persons to Christianity by Lenity Mildness and Gentleness not to affright them into a complyance with astonishing judgments which might affect their fear but little influence their Faith for the will and consent of persons to the principles of any Religion especially the Christian is like a royal fort which must not be storm'd by violence but taken by surrender 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God Here we have that grand Article of our Christian Faith asserted namely our Saviour's ascension into Heaven together with his exaltation there expressed by his setting at God's right hand he ascended now to Heaven in his humane Nature for in his Divine Nature he was there already and it was necessary that he should thus ascend in order to his own personal Exaltation and Glorification When he was on Earth his Humility Patience and Self-denial were exercised by undergoing God's Wrath the Devil's Rage and man's Cruelty Now he goes to Heaven that they may be rewarded he that is a patient Sufferer upon Earth shall be a triumphant Conqueror in Heaven also with respect to his Church on Earth was it needful and necessary that our Lord should ascend up into Heaven namely to send down the Holy Spirit upon his Apostles which he did at the Feast of Pentecost If I go not away says Christ the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him to you and likewise to be a powerful Advocate and Intercessor with his Father in Heaven on the behalf of his Church and Children here upon Earth Heb. 9.24 Christ is entered into Heaven it self there to appear in the presence of God for us finally Christ ascended into Heaven to give us an assurance that in due time we should ascend after him John 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you hence the Apostle calls our Saviour Our fore-runner Heb. 6. v. 19. Now if Christ in his Ascension was a Fore-runner then there are some to follow after to the same purpose is that expression of the Apostle Eph. 2.6 He hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ that is we are already sat down in him and ere long shall sit down by him we are already sit down in him as ouâ— Head and shall hereafter
with our Return to Nazareth as with our going up to Jerusalem Observe further tho' Joseph and Mary returned home the Child Jesus unknown to them stays behind Their back was no sooner turn'd upon the Temple but his Face was towards it Christ had Business in that place which his Parents knew not of They missing him seek him in the company concluding him with their Kinsfolk and Acquaintance from whence we may gather that the Parents of Christ knew him to be of a sweet and sociable of a free and Conversative not of a sullen and morose Disposition They did not suspect him to be wandered into Fields or Deserts but when they mist him sought him among their Kinsfolk had he not wonted to converse formerly with them he had not now been sought amongst them Our Blessed Saviour when on Earth did not take pleasure in a wild retiredness in a froward austerity but in a mild affability and amiable Conversation and herein also his Example is very instructive to us 46 And it came to pass that after three days they found him in the temple sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers At Twelve years old our Saviour disputes in the Temple with the Doctors of the Law Never had those great Rabbies heard the voice of such a Tutor Thus in our Saviour's Non-age he gives us a proof of his Proficiency even as the Springs shews us what we may hope for of the Tree in Summer Our Saviour discovered his Accomplishments by degrees had his Perfections appeared all at once they had rather dazled then delighted the eyes of the Beholders even as the Sun would confound all eyes should it appear at its first Rising in its full strength Christ could now have taught all those great Rabbies the deep Mysteries of God but being not yet called by his Father to be a publick Teacher he contents himself to hear with Diligence and to ask with Modesty Learn hence That Parts and Abilities for the Ministerial Function are not sufficient to warrant our Undertaking of it without a regular Call Christ himself would not run no not of his Heavenly Fathers Errand before he was sent much less should we 48 And when they saw him they were amazed and his mother said unto him son why hast thou thus dealt with us Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing Without doubt it was impossible to express the sorrow of the holy Virgin 's Soul when all the search of three days could bring them no tidings of their Holy Child How did she blame her Eyes for once looking off this Object of her Love and spend both days and nights in a passionate bemoaning of her Loss O Blessed Saviour who can miss Thee and not mourn for Thee Never any Soul conceived Thee by Faith but was apprehensive of thy worth and sensible of thy want What Comforts are we capable of while we want Thee and what relish can we taste in any earthly Delight without Thee 49 And he said unto them how is it that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my fathers business Observe here That Christ blames not his Parents for their sollicitous care of him but shews them how able he was to live without any dependency upon them and their care and also to let them understand that higher respects had called him away that as he had meat to eat so had he work to do which they knew not of For says he Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers Business as if he had said Altho' I owe respect to you as my natural Parent yet my Duty to my Heavenly Father must be preferred I am about his work promoting his Glory and propagating his Truth We have also a Father in Heaven oh how good is it to steal away from our earthly Distractions that we may imploy our selves immediately in his Service that when the World makes inquiry after us we may say as our Saviour did before us wist ye not that I must be about my fathers business 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them 51 And he went down with them and went to Nazareth and was subject unto them but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart 52 And Jesus encreased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man The most material passage of our Saviour's Life for the first twelve years is here Recorded namely his disputing with the Doctors in the Temple how he spent the next eighteen years namely till he was Thirty the Scripture doth not mention It is here said that he lived with and was Subject to his Parents obeying their commands and as it is believed following their employments working upon the Trade of a Carpenter as was observed Mark 6.3 doubtless he did not live an idle Life and why should he that did not abhor the Virgins Womb a Stable and a Manger be supposed to abhor the works of an honest Vocation Observe farther What a singular pattern is here for Children to imitate and follow in their Subjection to their Parents If the greatest and highest of mortals think themselves above their Parents commands our Saviour did not so he pay'd Homage to the Womb that bare him and to his supposed Father that provided for him Let a person be never so high above others he is still below and inferiour to his Parents Jesus dwelt with his Parents and was subject to them Obs Lastly a farther Evidence of our Saviour's Humanity with respect to his Humane Nature which consisted of Body and Soul he did Grow and improve his Body in Stature his Soul in Wisdom and he became every day a more eminent and illustrious Person in the eyes of all being highly in favour both with God and man CHAP. III. 1 NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar Pontius Pilate being Governour of Judea and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the Region of Trachonites and Lysanias as the Tetrarch of Abilene Annas and Caiaphas being the High-priests the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness The two foregoing Chapters gave us an Account of the Birth of our Saviour Christ and of John the Baptist The Evangelist â—ow leaving the History of our blessed Saviour for eighteen years namely till he was thirty years old the Holy Ghost having thought sit to conceal that part of our Saviour's private Life from our knowledge he begins this chapter with a relation of the Baptist's Ministry acquainting us with the time when and the place where and the Doctrine which the Baptist taught Obs 1. The time described when St. John began his publick Ministry namely when Tiberius was Emperour and Annas and Caiphas High-priests 1. in the fifteenth year of Tiberius when the Jews were intirely under
sanctify the Ordinance of baptism unto us 3. That thereby he might fulfil the Righteousness of the Ceremonial Law which required the washing of the Priests in Water before they entered upon their Office as appears Exod. 29.4 Obs 3. How the Duty of Prayer accompanieth the Ordinance of Baptism Jesus being Baptized and Praying Teaching us by his example to Sanctify every Ordinance and every Action with Prayer Christ when he was Baptized he Prayed when he was Tempted he Prayed when he brake Bread he Prayed when he wrought Miracles he Prayed in his Agony in the Garden he prayed when he Suffered on the Cross he Prayed what was the subject matter of our Lord's Prayer at this time is not exprest but by what followed namely the Heavens opening and the Holy Ghost descending it is probably conjectured that he prayed for some Testimony to be given from Heaven concerning himself for it immediately follows 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a Bodily shape like a dove upon him and a voice came from Heaven which said Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased Observe here the solemn investing of Christ into his Office as Mediator is attended with a threefold Miracle namely the opening of the Heavens the Descending of the Holy Ghost and God the Father's voice concerning his Son the Heavens were opened to shew that Heaven which was closed and shut against us for our Sins is now opened to us by Christ's Undertaking for us Next the Holy Ghost descends like a Dove upon our Saviour here we have a proof and evidence of the Blessed Trinity the Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the Water and the Holy Ghost descends in the likeness of a Dove But why did the Holy Ghost now descend upon Christ first for the Designation of his Person to shew that he was the Person set apart for the Work and Office of a Mediator Secondly for the Unction and Sanctification of his Person for the performance of that Office Now was he anointed to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Lastly we have here the voice of God the Father pronouncing 1. The nearness of Christ's Relation This is my Son 2. The endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The fruit and benefit of this near Relation unto us In thee I am well pleased Hence Learn 1. That there is no possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ neither our Persons nor our Performances can find Acceptance with God but only in and through him and for his sake 2. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the ground and cause of all that Love and Good Will which God the Father sheweth to the Sons of Men. In Christ God is well pleased with us as a Reconciled Father out of him a consuming Fire Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased 23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age being as was supposed the son of Joseph which was the son of Eli. At Thirty years of Age the Priests under the Law entered upon their publick Office accordingly Christ stays the full time prescribed by the Law before he undertakes his publick Ministry and he gives the reason for it Mat. 3.15 that he might fulfil all Rightousness that is the Righteousness of the ceremonial Law which required Persons to be of that Age before they entered that Office and also injoyned them to be Baptized or washt in Water when they undertook their Office See Exod. 29.4 Learn hence that whatever the Law required in order to perfect Righteousness That Christ fulfilled in most absolute Perfection both in his own Person and also in the name of all Believers Observe farther the Title given to Joseph here he is called the supposed Father of Christ Joseph was not his natural Father tho' so supposed by the Jews but he was his Legal Father being Married to the Virgin when our Saviour was Born and he was his nursing Father that took care of him and provided for him tho' Christ sometimes shewed both his Parents that if he pleased he could live without any dependance upon their care See Luke 2.49 24 Which was the son of Matthat which was the son of Levi which was the son of Melchi which was the son of Janna which was the son of Joseph 25 Which was the son of Mattathias which was the son of Amos which was the son of Naum which was the son of Esly which was the son of Nagge 26 Which was the son of Maath which was the son of Mattathias which was the son of Semei which was the son of Joseph which was the son of Judah 27 Which was the son of Joanna which was the son of Resa which was the son of Zorobabel which was the son of Salathiel which was the son of Neri 28 Which was the son of Melchi which was the son of Addi which was the son of Cosam which was the son of Elmodam which was the son of Er. 29 Which was the son of Jose which was the son of Eliezer which was the son of Jorim which was the son of Matthat which was the son of Levi. 30 Which was the son of Simeon which was the son of Juda which was the son of Joseph which was the son of Jonan which was the son of Eliakin 31 Which was the son of Melea which was the son of Menan which was the son of Mattatha which was the son of Nathan which was the son of David 32 Which was the son of Jesse which was the son of Obed which was the son of Booz which was the son of Salmon which was the son of Naasson 33 Which was the son of Aminadab which was the son of Aram which was the son of Esrom which was the son of Phares which was the son of Juda. 34 Which was the son of Jacob which was the son of Isaac which was the son of Abraham which was the son of Thara which was the son of Nachor 35 Which was the son of Saruch which was the son of Ragau which was the son of Phaleg which was the son of Heber which was the son of Sala 36 Which was the son of Cainan which was the son of Arphaxad which was the son of Sem which was the son of Noah which was the son of Lamech 37 Which was the son of Mathusala which was the son of Enoch which was the son of Jared which was the son of Maleleel which was the son of Cainan 38 Which was the son of Enos which was the son of Seth which was the son of Adam which was the son of God We find the Genealogy of our Blessed Saviour Recorded by two Evangelists St. Matthew and St. Luke his Pedegree is set forth by St. Matthew from his Father Joseph by St. Luke from his Mother Mary the design of both is to prove him lineally descended from Abraham and David and consequently the true and promised Messias St. Matthew intending
mockings bitter Reproaches sharp invectives to free the Ministers of God in all Ages from the danger of our Saviour's Wo here denounced Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you 27 But I say unto you love your Enemies do good to them that hate you 28 Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despightfully use 29. And unto him smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also Observe here 1. The Noble Spirit of Christianity and the large extent of Christian Charity the Jewish kindness was limited and confined to those of their own Religion Kindred and Nation their Charity began and ended at home but our Saviour obliges his Followers to the exercise of a more extensive Charity even to all Mankind even the worst of men our Enemies that seek our Destruction Christianity is so far from allowing us to persecute them that hate us that it commands us to Love them that Persecute us Observe 2. The Nature and quality of the Duty enjoyn'd Love your Enemies there the inward affection is required Bless them that curse you there outward civility and affability is required Do good to them that hate you here real acts of kindness beneficence are required to be done to the worst of Enemies tho' they be guilty of the worst of Crimes calumly and cruelty striking both at our Reputation and our Life Learn That Christianity obliges us to bear a sincere Love to our most malicious Enemies to be ready at all times to pray for them and upon all occasions to do good unto them Thus to do is an imitation of God our Maker of Christ our Master 'T is for the good of this lower World and the way to a Better 't is the Ornament of our Religion the perfection of our Nature and an high degree and pitch of Vertue To which may be added the next Duty not to revenge injuries where private Revenge is the thing forbidden and we are directed rather to suffer a double Wrong then to seek a private Revenge Christianity obliges us to bear many injuries patiently rather then to Revenge one privately we must leave the matter to God and the Magistrate The truth is Revenge is a very troublesome and vexatious passion the mans Soul swells and boils and is in pain and anguish and has no ease Besides by our Revenging of one injury we necessarily draw on another and so bring on a perpetual Circulation of Injuries and Revenges whereas forgiveness prevents vexation to others and disquietment to our selves 30 Give to every one that asketh of thee and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again These and the like Precepts of our Saviour are not to be taken strictly but restrainedly we are thereby obliged to Charity according to others Necessities and our own Abilities but not bound to give to every one that has the Confidence to ask for what we have Indeed every Man that really wants is the proper Object of our Christian Charity and we must with a compassionate Heart and open Hand relieve him according to his Necessity but answerably to our Ability Nor must the second part of the Verse be understood as forbidding Christians to seek the Recovery of their just Rights by pursuing Thieves and following the Law upon Oppressors but requiring us to forbear all Acts of private Revenge as directly contrary to the Spirit and Temper of Christianity as Jealousy is the Rage of a Man so Revenge is the Rage of the Devil 't is the very Soul and Spirit of the Apostate Nature 31 And as ye would that men should do to you do ye also to them likewise Here our Saviour lays down a most excellent Rule of Life for all his Disciples and Followers to walk by namely always to do as we would be done by The Golden Rule of Justice and Equity in all our Dealings with Men is this To do as we would be done unto It is a full Rule a clear Rule a most just and equitable Rule which the Light of Nature and the Law of Christ binds upon us St. Matthew Ch. 7.12 adds that this is the Law and the Prophets that is the Sum of the Old Testament and the Substance of the Second Table The whole of the Law is this to Love GOD above our selves and to Love our Neighbour as our selves 32 For if ye love them which love you what thank have ye sinners also love those that love them 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you what thank have ye for sinners also do even the same 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive what thank have ye for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again 35 But love your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great and ye shall be the children of the Highest for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil 36 Be ye therefore merciful as your father also is merciful The Design of our Blessed Saviour in all and every of these Precepts is to recommend unto us all sorts and kinds of mercy and charity namely charity in giving charity in forgiving charity in lending it is sometimes our Duty if we have ability to Lend to such poor Persons as we cannot expect will ever be in a Capacity either to repay or to requite us This is to imitate the Divine Bounty which does Good to all even to the unthankful and to the unholy Love for Love is justice Love for no Love is favour and kindness but Love and Charity mercy and compassion to all Persons even the undeserving and ill-deserving this is Divine Goodness a Christ-like Temper which will render us illustrious on Earth and glorious in Heaven St. Luke says here Be ye merciful as your Father it merciful St. Matthew says Ch. 5. last Be ye perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect implying that love and mercy charity and compassion is the perfection of a Christians Grace he that is made perfect in Love is perfect in all Divine Graces in the Account of God Perfection in all Graces but especially in Love and Charity ought to be our Aim in this Life and shall be our attainment in the next 37 Judge not and ye shall not be judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned forgive and ye shall be forgiven This Prohibition Judge not is not to be understood of our selves but our Neighbours Self-judging is a great and necessary Duty rash judging of others is an heinous and grievous sin which exposes to the Righteous judgment of God it is private judging and private condemning of Persons which Christ forbids it follows Forgive and ye shall be forgiven not that a bare forgiving of others is all that God requires in order to our forgiveness But it is one part of that Obedience which we owe
written in this Book 3. That Persons may know that their Names are written in that Book otherwise they could not rejoyce for no Man can rejoyce in an unknown good 4. That it is greater matter of Joy and Rejoycing to know that our Names are written in Heaven then to have a Power to cast out Devils here on Earth A Man may have Power to cast forth Devils out of others and yet at the same time the Devil may have Power in and over himself Therefore in this rejoyce not that the Devils are subject unto you But rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven If you say With what spectacles shall we read that at such a Distance Who will ascend up into Heaven to see whether his Name be written there Or who can send a Messenger thither to search the Records I Answer Turn thine Eyes inward if the Name of God be written in thy Heart thy Name is certainly written in Heaven if you in your daily Actions write out a Copy of God's Book the Blessed Bible here below assure your selves the hand of God has written your Names in his Book above that is you shall certainly be saved 21 In that Hour Jesus rejoyced in Spirit and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight 22 All things are delivered to me of my father and no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father and who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Here we find our Saviour glorifying his Father and magnifying himself 1. He glorifies his Father for the wise and free Dispensation of his Gospel-Grace to the meanest and most ignorant Persons whilst the Great and Learned Men of the World undervalued and despised it I thank thee Father that thou hast revealed these things to Babes Learn hence 1. That till God reveals himself his Nature and Will no Man can know either what he is or what he requires Thâ—u hast revealed 2. That the wise and knowing Men of the World have in all Ages despised the Mysteries of the Gospel and have therefore been judicially blinded by God Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent When Men shut their Eyes against the clearest Light and say they will not see God closes their Eyes and says they shall not see 3. That the most ignorant if humble and desirous of spiritual Illumination are in the readiest disposition to receive and embrace the Gospel Revelation Thou hast revealed them unto Babes 4. That this is not more pleasing to Christ then it is the pleasure of his Father even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Observe 2. our Saviour magnifies himself 1. His Authority and Commission All things are delivered unto me that is all Power is committed to me as Mediator from God the Father 2. His Office to reveal his Father's Will to a lost World No man knoweth the Father but the Son or the Son but the Father That is no Man knoweth their Essence and Nature their Will and Pleasure their Counsel and Consent their mutual Compact and Agreement betwixt themselves for saving a lost World but only themselves and those to whom they reveal it Learn thence That all saving Knowledge of God is in by and thro' Christ he as the great Prophet of his Church reveals unto us the Mind and Will of God for our Salvation None knoweth but he to whom the Son revealeth 23 And he turned him to his Disciples and said privately Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see 24 For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them From the very first giving out of the Promise of Christ to Adam after the Fall Gen. 3.15 There was in all good Men a longing Desire and Expectation to see that Person who should be so great a Blessing to Mankind Prophets and Kings desired to see the promised Messiah Now says our Saviour to his Disciples Blessed are you for you have seen with the Eyes of your Body what others only saw with the Eyes of their Mind with your Bodily Eye you have seen the Promised Messias coming in the Flesh and also the Miracles to confirm you that I am He have been wrought before your Eyes therefore Blessed are the eyes of your Body which have beheld me corporally and blessed also are the eyes of your Mind which have beheld me Spiritually A sight of Christ by a Believing eye much more by a glorified eye is a blessed Sight Blessed are those eyes which see Christ in his Dispensations of Grace here they shall certainly see him in his manifestations of Glory hereafter 25 And behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master What shall I do to inherit eternal Life 26 He said unto him What is written in the Law How readest thou 27 And he answering said Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy self 28 And he said unto him Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live Here we have a Lawyer that is an Interpreter and Expounder of the Law of Moses tempting our Saviour that is making tryal of him whether he would deliver any Doctrine contrary to the Law of Moses he propounds therefore a question What he should do to inherit eternal Life Where Note 1. He Believed the certainty of a future State 2. he professes his desire of an Eternal Happiness in that State 3. He declares his Readiness to do something in order to the obtaining of that Happiness Hence Learn That all Religion both Nâ—tural and Revealed teaches Men that good Works are necessary to Salvation or that something must be done by them who desire to enter into Life What shall I do to inherit eternal Life It is not talking well and professing well but doing well that entitles us to Heaven and Eternal Salvation and this the very Light of Nature teaches Observe 2. Our Saviour's Answer What is written in the Law how readest thou intimating to us that the Word and Law of God is the Rule and measure of our Duty our Guide to direct us in the way to Eternal Life The Man Replies That the Law of God requires That we love God with all our heart soul and strength and our Neighbour as our selves Where Note 1. That the fervour of all our Affections and particularly the Supremacy of our Love is Required by God as his Right and Due Love must pass thro' and possess all the Powers and Faculties of our Souls The Mind must meditate upon God the Will must choose and embrace
denounced against the Pharisees for cheating and deceiving the people with an outward shew and appearance of Piety and Religion They were like Graves and Sepulchres grown over with Grass which tho' they held dead mens Bones yet the putrefaction not outwardly appearing Men walked unawares over them and so were polluted by them intimating that the inward Rottenness and filthy Corruptions of the Pharisees not appearing unto Men the people were easily deceived by outward shews of Pharisaical Sanctity and so fell into a dangerous imitation of them Learn thence That the great design of Hypocrisy is to cheat the World with an empty shew of Piety the Hypocrites Ambition is to be thought good not to be so Learn 2. That nothing is more fatally dangerous to the Souls of Men and draws Persons to an admiration and imitation of hypocritical Professors like their outward shews of Sanctity and their extraordinary appearances of Devotion and Piety This it was that gained the Pharisees such a veneration and esteem among the people that it became a proverb amongst them If but two men went to Heaven the one must be a Pharisee but their counterfeit piety being double iniquity they did receive for it double Damnation 45 Then answered one of the Lawyers and said unto him Master thus saying thou reproachest us also 46 And he said Wo unto you also ye Lawyers for ye lade men with Burthens grievous to be born and ye your selves touch not the Burthens with one of your Fingers The former Woes were denounced by our Saviour against the Pharisees who had their Name from an Hebrew word which signifies to separate because they were persons separated and set apart for studying the Law of God and teaching it to others The next Wo is here denounced against the Lawyers that is the Scribes of the Law of which there were two sorts the Civil Scribe and the Ecclesiastical Scribe the Civil Scribe was a publick Notary or Register of the Synagogue employed in writing Bills of Divorce and Sentences in the Phylacteries The Ecclesiastical Scribe was an expounder of the Scripture an interpreter of the Law Men of great Learning and Knowledge whose Decrees and Interpretations the Pharisees strictly observed this Lawyer here insolently calls our Saviour's Reproof a Reproach however our Saviour who never feared the Face or regarded the person of any Man gives them their portion and lets them know wherein they were faulty as well as the Pharisees and accordingly pronounces a Wo unto them also for a threefold Crime 1. For their laying heavy Burthens upon others Shoulders which they would not touch with one of their own Fingers These Burthens in general were a rigid exaction of Obedience to the whole Ceremonial Law and in particular the Burthen of Traditions certain austerities and severities which they imposed upon the people but would not undergo any part of them themselves in vain do we hope to oblige our Hearers to follow those Rules of Life which we refuse or neglect to put in practise our selves 47 Wo unto you for ye build the Sepulchres of the Prophets and your fathers killed them 48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the Deeds of your fathers for they indeed killed them and ye build their Sepulchres 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God I will send them Prophets and Apostles and some of them they shall slay and Persecute 50 That the blood of all the Prophets which was shed from the foundation of the World may be required of this Generation 51 From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias which perished between the Altar and the Temple Verily I say unto you it shall be required of this Generation The second Crime which Christ reproves in these Men is their grand Hypocrisy in pretending great honour to the Saints departed building their Tombs and garnishing their Sepulchres declaiming against their Fathers impiety that had they lived in their days they would not have been partakers with them in their sins Now their Hypocrisâ— appeared in three Particulars 1. In that they continued in their own wickedness and yet commended the Saints departed they magnify the Saints but multiply their sins and instead of imitating their Vertues they content themselves with garnishing their Sepulchres 2. In professing great Respect to the Dead Saints and at the same time Persecuting the Living Palpable Hypocrisy and yet as gross as it is it prevails to this day The Church of Rome who magnifies Martyrs Canonizes Saints departed have yet added to their number 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 Sepulchres whereas the best Evidence of our Love to them is the imitating their Vertues and cherishing their Followers 'T is gross Hypocrisy to pay respect to the Relicks of Saints and Veneration to their Images and at the same time to persecute and hate their Followers From the whole Note 1. That the World has all along Loved dead Saints better than living ones Mortui non mordent the dead Saints Example how bright soever is not so scorching and troublesome at a distance and he himself stands no longer in other Mens Light whereas the Living Saints Example is a cutting Reproof to Sin and Vice Note 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 did they pretend to 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 greatest Hypocrisy imaginable to pretend to love Goodness and at the same time to hate and persecute good Men. These Pharisees and Lawyers pretended high to Piety and Religion and at the same time killed the Prophets Note 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 Vertue following the Holiness of their Lives and their Patience and Constancy at their Death Lastly Learn That it is a Righteous thing with God to punish Children for the impiety of their Parents when they walk in their ungodly Parents Footsteps upon you shall come the Blood of all the Prophets from the Blood of Abel to the Blood of Zacharias yet this must be understood of Temporal Evils not of Eternal Punishments no Man for his Fathers Sins shall 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 own Deeds 52 Wo unto you Lawyers for ye have taken away the Key of Knowledge ye entered not in your selves and them that were entering in ye hindered The last Wo pronounced by
Sinners and for their Envy at the Recovery of such Sinners by Repentance assuring them that they are far from the temper of the Holy Angels who Rejoyce more at the News of one Notorious Sinners Conversion then for many Righteous Persons who went not astray like as a Father is touched with a more sensible Joy for the Recovery of one Son who was dangerously sick then for the Health of all the rest who were in no such Danger From the whole Note 1. That the Creatures Aberration may serve for our Instruction the Sheeps straying away from us should put us in mind of our wandring away from God 2. That Christ the great Shepherd of his Church with vigilancy and care seeketh up and findeth out his lost Sheep and will never give over his search till he hath found them 3. That the Recovery of one lost Sinner by Repentance is matter of exceeding Joy and Rejoycing to Christ the great Shepherd and to all the Blessed Company of Heaven There is joy in Heaven over one sinner that Repenteth or changeth the whole Course of his Life more then over Ninety and nine just Persons that need no such Repentance 8 Either what Woman having ten pieces of Silver if she lose one piece doth not light a Candle and sweep the house and seek diligently till she find it 9 And when she hath found it she calleth her Friends and her Neighbours together saying Rejoyce with me for I have found the piece which I had lost 10 Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that Repenteth The scope of this Parable is the same with the former 1. To express the Joy that is found with GOD and his Holy Angels at the Recovery and Conversion of a notorious Sinner 2. To justify Christ in Conversing with such Sinners in order to their Repentance and Conversion from the malicious Reflections of the Pharisees made upon our Saviour for so doing the sense of the words seems to be this If you do all justify the diligence and care of a Woman using all possible means to recover the loss of a piece of Silver that had Cesar's Image upon it why might our Saviour say will you Pharisees Censure and Condemn me for seeking to recover and save lost Sinners that have the Image of an Holy God instampt upon them Learn hence 1. That the Conversion of a Sinner from a Course and State of Sin and wickedness is highly acceptable and pleasing unto God 2. That it is reasonable to suppose that the Holy Angels in Heaven do conceive a new joy at the notice and news of a Sinners Repentance and Conversion unto God how the Angels come by this Knowledge whether by vertue of their Ministry here below or whether God is pleased to reveal it to them above as a thing extremely welcome and delightful to good Spirits 't is neither material to enquire nor possible to determine But their Happiness not being intensively infinite it is certain that they may be Happier than they are Note 3. That God is not only willing to receive and embrace Repenting and Returning Sinners but the News of their Repentance is entertain'd with so much joy in Heaven that if it be possible for the Blessed Inhabitants of that place to have any thing added to their Happiness this will be a new Accession to it For tho' the Happiness of God himself be intensively infinite and can have nothing added to it yet the Happiness of Angels and glorified Spirits being but finite is capable of Addition and as their Knowledge and Love do encrease so their Felicity may be growing and improving to all Eternity so that it is reasonable enough to suppose that there is really joy among the Angels and Spirits of just Men made perfect over every Sinner that Repenteth 11 And he said A certain man had two sons 12 And the younger of them said to his Father Father give me the portion of Goods that falleth to me and he divided to them his Living 13 And not many days after the younger Son gathered all together and took his Journey into a far Country and there wasted his Substance with riotous Living 14 And when he had spent all there arose a mighty Famine in that Land and he began to be in want 15 And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that Country and he sent him into his Fields to feed Swine 16 And he would fain have filled his Belly with the Husks that the Swine did eat and no man gave unto him 17 And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my Fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger 18 I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants 20 And he arose and came to his Father but when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion on him and ran and fell on his Neck and kissed him 21 And the Son said unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son 22 But the Father said to his Servants Bring forth the best Robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his Hand and Shooes on his Feet 23 And bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry 24 For this my Son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found and they began to be merry In the two former Parables of the lost Sheep and lost Groat was Represented to us the great pains and care which Christ takes for the Recovery of lost Sinners In this third Parable of the Prodigal Son is shadowed forth unto us with what great readiness joy and gladness our Heavenly Father receives repenting and returning Sinners In the Face of this Prodigal as in a Glass we may behold first a riotous Sinners Aversion from God secondly a penitent sinners Conversion to God thirdly a pardoned Sinners Acceptance and Entertainment with God From the whole Learn 1. What is the Nature of Sin and the Practice of Sinners Sin is a departing from God and every Sinner doth voluntarily and of his own accord depart from him He took his Journey into a far Country Learn 2. The great extravagancy which Sinners run into when they forsake God and give up themselves to the Conduct of their Lusts and vile Affections he wasted all his Substance with riotous Living that is spent his Time and consumed his Treasure in riot and excess 3. Observe That sin will certainly bring Men into Streights but Streights do not always bring Men off from sin he began to be in want yet thinks not of returning to his Fathers House 4. That sinners will try all ways and go through
is establish others in the Faith from which thou art shamefully fallen thy self Now the Lessons of Instructions from the whole are these 1. That Temptations are like siftings God sifts to purge away our dust and dross Satan sifts not to get out the Chaff but to boult out the Flower his Temptations are Levelled against our Faith 2. That Satan has a continual Desire to be Sifting and Winnowing God's Flower Satan's own Children are all Bran all Chaff these he sifts not God's Children have Flower mix'd with Bran good Wheat mix'd with Chaff these he desires to sift winnow and fâ—n not to separate the Bran and Dross but to destroy the Flower Learn 3. That the intercession of Christ gives Security Satisfaction and Encouragement to all Believers that tho' their Faith may by Temptations be shaken and assaulted yet that it shall never be finally vanquish'd and overcome I have prayed that thy Faith fail not 4. That lapsed Christians when Recovered and Restored ought to endeavour to Restore and Recover to strengthen and establish others When thou art Converted strengthen thy Brethren 33 And he said unto him Lord I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death 34 And he said I tell thee Peter the Cock shall not Crow this day before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me St Peter's Resolution to accompany Christ both to Prison and to Death was Holy and Good but his too confident Opinion of his own Strength and Ability so to do without a Divine Aid and Assistance was his failing and infirmity Self-confidence is a sin too too incident to the holiest and best of Men. Little did Peter think What a Feather he should be in the Wind of Temptation if once God left him to himself and to Satan's Assaults Learn farther How hard a matter it is for a Christian to excel in Gifts and not to be over-confident and conceited To see a Man eminent in Gifts and yet exemplary in Humility is a rare sight if we stand in the Evil Day 't is an humble fear of Falling that must enable us to stand 35 And he said unto them When I sent you without Purse and Scrip and Shoes Lacked ye any thing and they said nothing 36 Then said he unto them But now he that hath a purse let him take it and likewise his Scrip and he that hath no Sword let him sell his Garment and buy one 37 For I say unto you That this that is written must yet be accomplished in me And he was reckoned among the Transgressors For the things concerning me have an end 38 And they said Lord behold here are two Swords and he said unto them It is enough As if our Lord had said Hitherto I have been with you and you have had my special Protection and careful Provision tho' you went without Purse Scrip or Sword But the Time is now at hand when I must leave you when your Friends will be few and your Enemies many therefore make such Preparation for your selves as Prudence shall direct Indeed my Sufferings will be first I must be numbred with the Transgressors and all things that are written of me must be accomplished and will suddenly be fulfilled and after me you will next come upon the Stage therefore prepare and provide for it Learn That Christ having fore-warned his Members but especially his Ministers of the Dangers Distresses and Difficulties that they are to conflict and encounter with it is their Duty by Faith and Patience with Courage and Christian Resolution to be well armed and prepared against them 39 And he came out and went as he was wont to the Mount of Olives and his Disciples also followed him 40 And when he was at the place he said unto them Pray that ye enter not into Temptation 41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stones cast and kneeled down and prayed saying 42 Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me nevertheless not my Will but thine be done 43 And there appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven strengthning him 44 And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his Sweat was as it were great drops of Blood falling down to the Ground 45 And when he rose up from Prayer and was come to his Disciples he found them sleeping for Sorrow 46 And he said unto them Why sleep ye rise and pray lest ye enter into Temptation Our Blessed Saviour being now come to the Mount of Olives and having entered with his Disciples into the Garden near it whither he used to retire and pray In this place he falls into a bitter and bloody Agony in which he prayed with wonderful Fervour and Importunity his Sufferings were now coming on a great pace and he meets them upon his Knees and would be found in a Praying posture Learn thence That Prayer is the best Preparative for as well as the most powerful Support under the heaviest Sufferings that can befal us As to this Prayer of our Saviour in his Agony many particulars are very Observable As 1. The Time when he Prayed thus extraordinarily it was the Evening before he Suffered just before Judas with his Black Guard came to Apprehend him and when he did come he found him in a praying Posture our Lord Teaching us by his Example That when Eminent Dangers are before us especially when Death is apprehended by us it is our Duty to be very much in Prayer to God and very fervent in our Wrestlings with him Observe 2. The Subject Matter of our Lord's Prayer That if possible the Cup might pass from him That is he might escape that Dreadful Wrath at which he was so sore amazed But what Did Christ now begin to repent of his Undertaking for Sinners Did he shrink and give back when it came to the pinch No nothing like this but as he had Two Natures being GOD and Man so he had two distinct Wills as Man he feared and shunned Death as God-man he willingly submitted to it The Divine Nature and the Humane Spirit of Christ did now assault each other with disagreeing Interests Again This Prayer was not absolute but Conditional Father if it may be if thou wilt if it please thee let the Cup pass if not I will drink it The Cup of Sufferings we see is a very bitter and distastful Cup a Cup which Humane Nature abhors yet doth God oft-times put this Bitter Cup of Affliction into the hands of those whom yet he does sincerely Love and when he doth do so it is their Duty to drink it with Silence and Submission as here their Lord did before them Observe 3. The manner of our Lord's Prayer in this his Agony and here we may Remark 1. It was a Solitary Prayer he went by himself alone out of the Hearing of his Disciples The Company of our best and dearest Friends is not always Seasonable there are Times and Seasons when a Christian would not be willing that the most
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
witnesseth of me is true Our Blessed Saviour having produced these five foregoing Arguments to prove his Unity in Essence and his Equality in Power with the Father comes now to the end of the Chapter to produce several Testimonies for the Proof of it and the first of them is the Testimony of God his Father There is another that beareth witness of me whose witness is True Now the Father had lately at Christ's Baptism by a Voice from Heaven declared him to be his beloved Son in whom he was well-pleased which illustrious Testimony given to Christ they had not regarded Learn hence That as Christ came into the World in Obedience to his Father and to bear witness to him so did the Father honour him and bear witness of him and his Testimony concerning his Son is undoubtedly True and to be depended and rested upon for we make the Father a Lyar if we do not depend upon the Record which he has given of his Son 33 Ye sent unto John and he bare witness unto the truth 34 But I receive not testimony from man but these things I say that ye might be saved The second Testimony to prove Christ to be the Messias was that of John the Baptist We read John 1.19 how the Jews sent to inquire of him whether he were the Christ or not and he denied it and pointed at Jesus saying Behold the Lamb of God yet would not the Jews abide by this Testimony of John concerning the Messias Nevertheless says Christ I receive not testimony from John that is John by his Testimony addeth nothing to me I was what I was and I am what I am before John testified of me and since Learn hence That the Divinity of Christ's Person and the Verity of his Doctrine needs no Man's Testimony for the Confirmation of it being sufficiently confirmed by Christ's own Authority and his Father's Testimony I receive not Testimony from Man that is I need it not I desire it not upon my own Account but upon yours only that upon the Credit of John's Testimony ye might believe on me and be saved by me These things I say that ye might be saved 35 He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light Observe here John's Character and the Peoples Carriage 1. John's Character he was a Light a burning and a shining Light He had in him a Light of Knowledge to enlighten direct and comfort others and this his Knowledge was accompanied with Zeal he was a burning Light in his Doctrine and a shining Lamp in his Conversation He had the Light of Knowledge in his Head the Warmth of Zeal in his Heart and the Influence of both in his Life Learn hence 1. That those whom God calls to the Office and Work of the Ministry he furnishes with Abilities and Endowments suitable to their great Employments he endues them with a Light of Knowledge which is animated with the Heat and Warmth of Zeal 2. That Ministerial Gifts and Abilities are not bestowed alike upon all but dispersed variously All are Lights according to their Measure but all are not equally burning and shining Lights for Proportion and Degree 3. That the brightest burning and clearest shining Lights in the Church of Christ have but their time in this World they are subject as well as other Men to the common Condition of Mortality and the Lamp of their Lives burns out the faster by lighting others to Heaven John was a burning and a shining Light but now is put out and gone Observe 2. As John's Character so the Peoples Carriage ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his Light Here is a threefold Gradation they rejoyced They rejoyced in his Light and they rejoyced for a season 1. They rejoyced The word signifies they leaped for Joy and danced about him as Children do about a Bonfire when he first began his Ministry amongst them Oh how warm are the Affections of a People when a pious and zealous Minister comes first among them 2. They rejoyced in his Light not in his Heat Or they rejoyced in John's Light not in Christ's For when they found that John bare Record to Christ they soon grew cold in their Affections towards John 3. They rejoyced only for a season for an hour as the word signifies For a short time John's Ministry was acceptable Learn hence 1. That it has been an old Practice amongst Professors not to like their Pastors long though they have been never such burning and shining Lights John was not changed but his Hearers were changed he did burn and shine in the Candlestick of the Church with equal Zeal and Lustre to the last but they had changed their Thoughts of him and lost their Esteem for him Learn 2. That as nothing in general is so mutable as the Mind of Man so nothing in particular is so variable as the Affections and Opinions of People towards their Ministers The Lamp of John's Ministry was always alike burning and shining his Oil did not waste but his Hearers Zeal wasted and their Affections cooled Those whose Gifts are not at all abated may yet find a great abatement in the acceptation of their Gifts Therefore let no Men live upon the Breath of Men least of all let Ministers live upon the popular Air or the Speech of People Oh let us live upon the Credit which we have with God and rejoyce chiefly in his Esteem If our Performances find acceptance with God we are safe and happy tho' they fall under Contempt with Men. 36 ¶ But I have greater witness then that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me The third Testimony produced by Christ to evidence and prove himself to be the promised Messias and Saviour of the World is that of his Miracles which by an Omnipotent Power as God he was enabled to work Christ's Miracles were speaking Testimonies of his Unity with the Father and of the Divinity of his Person Not so the Miracles of his Apostles for he wrought his Miracles in his own Name and by his own Power and Authority but the Apostles expresly declared the contrary Acts 3.12 16. Why look ye so stedfastly on us as if we by our own power had made this Man whole His name through faith in his name hath made this Man strong Learn hence That the Testimony of Christ's own Works his Miracles wrought in his own Name and by his own Authority and Power is a clearer Confirmation of his Godhead Office and Doctrine than the best of Mens Testimonies yea than John Baptist's own Testimony That he saw the Spirit descending on him 37 And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath
sent him ye believe not Here our blessed Saviour produces again the Testimony of his Father that he was the true and promised Messias This was given him both at his Baptism and his Transfiguration when God the Father owned Christ to be his Son by an audible Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Which Testimony the Jews now ought the more to have regarded because tho' their Fore-fathers had heard the Voice of God at certain times Exod. 20. and Deut. 4. yet they in their times had never heard his Voice Learn hence That the Fathers immediate Testimony of Christ from Heaven is greater than all Testimonies given to him here on Earth greater than John's greater than his Miracles The presence of the glorious Trinity when that Testimony was given Matth. 3. last made that Witness most awful and solemn 39 ¶ Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me The next Testimony which Christ appeals to is the Testimony of the Scriptures That is the Writings of Moses the Prophets which Christ bids the Jews diligently search and they shall find that they abundantly testified of him and that all the Prophecies and Types were fulfilled in him The word search signifying to search as Men do for a golden Mine in the Bowels of the Earth which they must dig deep for before they can come at It intimates 1. That there is an inestimable Treasure lying hid in the holy Scriptures which we shall never fathom by a slight superficial search 2. That this inestimable Treasure may be found out by the painful Searcher and it is the Duty of all the Members of the visible Church to read and search the Scriptures which point out the way to eternal Life 40 And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Here our Saviour upbraids the Jews for their obstinate Infidelity that notwithstanding God the Father by a Voice from Heaven John the Baptist by his Testimony on Earth notwithstanding all the Miracles which they had seen wrought by Christ himself and notwithstanding the Scriptures which they pretended so highly to esteem of did prove him to be the Messias and the Author of eternal Life which they profest to seek yet such was their Obstinacy that they would not come unto him nor believe in him Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Here Observe 1. A choice and invaluable Mercy which Christ stands ready to bestow upon poor Sinners and that is Life both Spiritual and Eternal A Life of Grace in order to a Life of Glory Observe 2. The gracious Condition upon which this invaluable Blessing may be had and that is upon coming to Christ believing on him and receiving of him 3. Here is the true Reason declared why Sinners do miss of Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ when he has so dearly purchased it for them and does so freely tender it unto them and that lies in their own Wilfulness and Obstinacy Ye will not come unto me Learn hence That the true Reason why so many Sinners miss of Salvation and eternal Life after all that Christ has done and suffered for them is their own obstinacy and unwillingness to come to him that they may have Life Man by Nature has not only an Inability but a fixed Enmity in his Will against Jesus Christ 41 I receive not honour from men 42 But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you 43 I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive Here observe 1. How little our Saviour sought the Approbation and vain-glorious Estimation of Men. I receive not honour from Men. The same should all his Disciples and Followers do rest satisfied in the secret Testimony and silent Applause of their own Consciences without pumping for popular Applause Observe 2. The dreadful sin which Christ charged upon the Jews as the cause why they rejected him I know that you have not the love of God in you Oh deplorable State and Case to be void of all true Love to God! Love being the Spring of all Action and the Root of all true Obedience he that loves God will not only sweat at his Work but bleed at his Work too if his Work cannot be carried on without bleeding But where Love to God is wanting and no Care to please God is found his Authority is despised his Son rejected As the Jews here would not come to Christ that they might have Life because they had not the Love of God in them Observe 3. The high Affront which the Jews offered to the Son of God in preferring any Seducers and Impostors before him who came in their own Names whilst he was rejected who came in the Name of his Father Learn hence That altho' Christ was the great Ambassador of his Father not a Servant but a Son and had his Mission his Approbation and his Testimony from Heaven yet so far did the Perverseness and Prejudices of the Jews prevail that he was rejected whilst Impostors and Deceivers false Christs and Anti-Christs without any Evidence and Authority from God because promising them a temporal Kingdom were embraced and entertained I come in my Father's name and ye receive me not But if another a Seducer shall come in his own name him ye will receive 44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Here Christ tells the Jews that it is impossible they should believe aright in him because they were so in love with the Praise of Men that they would own him for the Messias who would promise them a temporal Kingdom and in the mean time reject himself who came authorized with the Testimony and Approbation of God You will receive Honour one of another but reject the Honour that cometh from God only Learn That such as ambitiously hunt after Vain-glory and Respect from Men do evidence themselves to be regardless of God's Approbation and Acceptation 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust 46 For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me 47 But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words Think not that I will accuse you that is that I only will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses that is the Writings of Moses which you pretend to depend upon and to trust to For had you believed his Writings that is the Prophesies and Types contained in his Writings you would have been led by them to believe on me for they all pointed at me and received their Accomplishment in me But if Moses cannot be heard by you I must expect no Authority with you Learn 1.
are all perishing but for Bread for your Souls to live eternally by even for the Food of my heavenly Doctrine which will make them that feed upon it Immortal and this the Son of Man stands ready to give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed that is by a Special Commission and Authority hath impowered him to dispense all Spiritual Blessings to them that want and crave them Learn hence 1. That all the Things of this Life are perishing and fading The best of outward Comforts and Enjoyments are Meat that perisheth 2. That it is the greatest of Follies to labour intensely and inordinately for and to set our selves with all our might and strength to persue and follow after perishing things 3. That Jesus Christ his Holy Doctrine his heavenly Grace is Food which neither perisheth nor diminisheth how many soever partake of it but makes all that partake thereof to be Partakers of Eternal Life therewith 4. That Jesus Christ is authorized sealed and commissioned by his Father to give eternal Life to such as industriously labour after him and will not be satisfied without him Him hath God the Father sealed That is Jesus Christ was sealed to the Office of a Mediator by God the Father Christ was sealed at his Baptism sealed by his Doctrine sealed by his Miracles sealed by his Resurrection sealed by his Unction or Supereminent and Unparalleled Sanctification Lord where will the Rejecters of Christ then appear at the great Day who have despised the Authority of him whom the Father commissioned to give eternal Life to whom soever he pleaseth 28 Then said they unto him What shall we do that we might work the works of God 29 Jesus answered and said unto them This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent Here the Jews who were strict Observers of the Ceremonial Law of Moses and rested thereupon for Salvation inquire of our Saviour what they should do that they might please God Christ directs them to the great Duty of believing on himself to own and acknowledge him to be the True Messias and as such to rely upon him alone for Salvation This is the work of God that ye believe c. Learn hence That for a penitent humbled Sinner to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ it is a work highly pleasing and acceptable unto God Christ calls Faith the work of God upon a threefold Account it is the Work of his Efficiency and Operation 't is the work of his commanding and 't is the work of his Approbation and Acceptation a work that God is highly pleased with and greatly delighted in This is the work of God 30 They said therefore unto him What sign shewest thou then that we may see and believe thee what dost thou work 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert as it is written He gave them bread from heaven to eat Here the Jews tell our Saviour that before they will believe in him they must see some Sign from him to confirm his Doctrine and prove him to be the Messias They acknowledge Christ had wrought a great Miracle in feeding five thousand Persons with five Barley Loaves but Moses fed their Fathers in the Wilderness who were no less than six hundred thousand Persons with excellent Manna from Heaven and this for forty Years together from whence they would seem to conclude that they had more reason to believe Moses than Christ not considering that Moses was but an Instrument to obtain by Prayer the Manna at the Hands of God but Christ was an Agent and that by a creating Power inherent in himself he multiplied the five Loaves to the feeding of five thousand Note here 1. From the Jews requiring a Sign before they would believe That he who publishes a new Doctrine to the World ought to confirm his Mission by some Miraculous Operation 2. That God honoured Moses his Messenger very much and Christ his Minister much more in that both of them wrought great and special Miracles for the Confirmation of their Mission 3. That the Jews not believing Christ to be the true Messias upon so many Attestations and after his Divine Mission was confirmed by such Miraculous Operations rendered their Infidelity inexcusable and their Obstinacy invincible 32 Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my father giveth you the true bread from heaven 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world Upon the Jews mentioning Manna to our Blessed Saviour he takes occasion to make a Comparison betwixt himself the Bread of Life and Manna the Bread of Moses and that in three Particulars 1. It was not Moses that gave the Israelites that Manna it was God at the Prayer of Moses but it was God that now offered them the Bread of Life were they willing to accept it 2. The Manna was not given from Heaven that is from the Coelestial Heaven but only from the Air and Clouds which frequently in Scripture is called Heaven But Christ the Bread of Life was given and sent by the Father from the highest Heaven even the Heaven of Glory 3. Manna was not true Spiritual Food effectively and of it self but bodily Food only but Christ is Real and Spiritual Bread which gives Life to lost and dead Men which Manna did not could not do And whereas Manna was peculiar to Israel only Christ gives Life to all sorts of Persons Gentiles as well as Jews The Bread of God giveth Life unto the World Learn hence That as Christ is the Truth and Substance of all the Types in the Old Testament so particularly the Manna was an illustrious Type of Christ In many things they agree and in some they differ They agree in their Original Manna came down from Heaven so did Christ Manna was freely given so is Jesus Christ the free Gift of God Manna was not fit to be eaten as it lay in the Field but must be ground in a Mill or beaten in a Mortar and baked in an Oven before it was fit for Food Christ was ground by his Sufferings bruised on the Cross scorched in the fiery Oven of his Father's Wrath that he might become a fit Saviour for us Again as the Manna was gathered by the Israelites daily and equally it was rained down about their Tents and every Man had his Omer Thus is Christ in the Ministry of the Word daily offered to a lost World and all that believe in him shall share alike in the Benefits of Justification Sanctification and Glorification from him But now the Manna and Christ differ in this and the Truth excells the Type thus There is a quickening inlivening Vertue a Life-giving and a Life-upholding Power in Christ the Bread of Life which was never found in Manna the Bread of Israel And wheras Manna only fed the Body the Body of an Israelite and this only for a
that Power must be Omnipotent and that Act of Omnipotence doth prove him to be God 'T is true the Disciples raised the Dead who yet were no Gods but with this difference they raised the Dead by Christ's Power but Christ raised others and himself also by his own Power 41 The Jews then murmured at him because he said I am the bread which came down from heaven 42 And they said Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know how is it then that he saith I came down from heaven 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them Murmur not among your selves Altho' Christ had in the foregoing Verses plainly Asserted himself to be the True Bread that came down from Heaven for the Benefit of the World yet the Jews understanding his words carnally are offended with him and Murmur at him for pretending to come down from Heaven when they know him to be the Son of Joseph and Mary They understood nothing of his Divine Nature nor of his Miraculous Conception by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost and therefore were highly offended at him Thence Learn That Ignorance of Christ's Divine Nature was the Ground and Occasion of that Contempt which was cast upon his person Observe farther The proof which Christ gave of his Divine Nature in his knowing the Hearts and Thoughts of these murmuring Jews Jesus said Murmur not among your selves Christ knows and observes the most secret murmurings and repinings that are found in the Breasts of the Children of Men and this his Knowledge is an Evidence and Proof of his Divinity that he is truly and really God 44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day In which words we have something necessarily implied and something positively expres'd The misery of Man in his Natural and Unsanctified State is here implied he is far distant from Christ and unable of himself to to come unto him By Nature we are Strangers yea Enemies unto God Enemies to the Holiness of his Nature and to the Righteousness of his Laws And as the State of Unregeneracy is a State of Enmity so consequently must it be a State of Impotency without me therefore says Christ ye can do nothing John 15.5 That is without interest in me and influences of Grace derived from me Again the Truths we have exprest are these 1. That all those who come unto Christ are drawn unto him 2. That the drawing of sinful Souls unto Jesus Christ is the special and peculiar Work of God This drawing is a powerful Act but not a Compulsory Act. God doth not draw any against their wills to Christ but he inclines the Will of Sinners to come unto him He draws by effectual perswasion and not by violent Compulsion 3. That all those who are drawn to Christ here shall be raised up Gloriously by him hereafter I will raise him up at the last day Such as are brought to Christ by the Father Christ will never abandon them till he has raised them up at the last day and presented them Blameless and Compleat before his Father where they shall ever be with the Lord. 45 It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of God Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father save he which is of God he hath seen the Father 47 Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me hath everlasting life In these words our Blessed Saviour Confirms his former Assertion concerning his Father's drawing from the Prophesies of the Old Testament which speaking of the days of Messias foretold that persons should be Taught of God to Embrace the Messias whence Christ inferreth that every one who is thus Taught will come unto him and Believe in him Learn hence 1. That the Teachings of God are Absolutely necessary to every Man that cometh unto Christ in the way of Faith 2. That such shall not miscarry in the way of Faith who are under the special Teaching and Instructions of God They shall be all taught of God and he Teacheth to profit and that not only Authoritatively but efficaciously and effectually Those whom God undertakes to Teach Receive from him both an Ear to hear and an Heart to understand They shall be all Taught of God and they that are taught have heard and learned of the Father 48 I am that bread of life 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world In these Verses our Blessed Saviour Resumes his former Doctrine Namely That he is the Object of Saving Faith and the Bread of Life which he compares with the Manna the Bread of Israel Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness which Manna was an Illustrious Type of Christ Thus both came down from Heaven both were freely given of God without any merit or desert of Man both in a miraculous manner both at first unknown what they were and whence they came Both equally belonging to all both sufficient for all Poor and Rich. The Manna white in colour so clear our Lord's Innocence Pleasant like Honey so sweet are his Benefits Beaten and Broken before eaten Christ on his Cross bleeding and dying given only in the Wilderness and ceasing as soon as they came into the Land of Promise as Sacraments shall Vanish when we enjoy the Substance in Heaven But tho' Manna was thus excellent yet the eaters of it were dead but such as feed upon Christ the Bread of Life shall live Eternally in Bliss and Glory I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever Here we Learn 1. What a miserable Creature Man naturally is in a pining and starved Condition under the want of Soul-food 2. That Jesus Christ is the food of Souls which quickens them that are Dead and is unto the needy Soul all that it can need such Spiritual food as will prove a Remedy and Preservative against Death both Spiritual and Eternal I am the living Bread 52 The Jews therefore strove amongst themselves saying How can this man give us his flesh to eat 53 Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you 54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day 55 For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed 56 He that eateth my flesh
and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him 57 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever 59 These things said he in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum Observe here How the Jews understanding Christ after a Carnal manner were offended at what he said for they thought it was Inhumane to eat Man's Flesh and could not understand how the Body of Christ could in such a Sense be Food to all the World Hence Note That Carnal Persons put a Carnal Sense upon Christ's Spiritual Words and so occasion their own stumbling But yet notwithstanding the Jews stumbled at our Saviour's Expression he doth not alter his words but presseth more and more the Necessity of feeding upon him by Faith in order to Eternal Life Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Learn from hence 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the True Spiritual Food of all Believers 2. That those and only those who do by Faith feed upon him shall obtain a Life of Grace and Glory from him if we do not by Faith feed upon him we can have no Evidence for a Life of Grace nor Title to a Life of Glory This place some Papists produce to Countenance their Doctrine of Transubstantiation and a Bodily eating and drinking of Christ's Flesh and Blood in the Sacrament But it is evident that Christ Treats not of the Sacrament in this Chapter for the Sacrament was not now Instituted and therefore it is not a Sacramental but a Spiritual feeding upon Christ by Faith that is here meant For this eating gives Life to the Eater all that eat are saved and all that do not eat are damned but this is not true of a Sacramental eating besides this eating that Christ speaks of he makes absolutely necessary to Salvation but some are saved that never fed upon Christ in the Sacrament as John the Baptist and the Thief on the Cross Lastly if it be understood of a Sacramental Eating and Drinking wo be to the Church of Rome for denying the Cup to the Laity because Drinking of Christ's Blood is made here as necessary as eating of his Flesh in order to Eternal Life Except ye Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and Drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Observe farther The close and intimate Union which is betwixt Christ himself and those that feed upon him He that eateth me Dwelleth in me and I in him As Meat is turned into the Eater's Substance so Believers and Christ become one and by feeding on him that is by believing in him there followeth a mutual Inhabitation Christ dwelling in them and they in him this is true of a Spiritual feeding upon Christ but not of a Sacramental Eating Nay Christ carries it higher still and tells us That as there is a Real Union between the Father and him and as the Father Lives who sent him â—aving an Eternal Fountain of Life in himself and the Son Lives by the Father having the same Life communicated to him with his Essence from the Father in like manner says Christ he that eateth me the same shall Live by me All which is certainly true of our Spiritual Feeding upon Christ by Faith but cannot be applied to a Corporal feeding upon him in the Sacrament as the Papists would have it 60 Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this said This is an hard saying who can hear it 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said unto them Doth this offend you 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before The foregoing Doctrine of our Saviour concerning eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood sounded so very harshly that not only the common multitude but some of them that had been his Disciples that is who had given up their names to follow him could not tell how to bear them Our Saviour Reproves their unjust stumbling at what he had said That he was the Bread which came down from Heaven and tells them that his Ascension into Heaven should prove the Truth of his descent from Heaven Hence we learn That Christ's arising from the Grave and Ascending into Heaven by his own Power is an Evident proof of his Godhead and that he really came down from Heaven in respect of his Divine Nature which condescended to be cloathed with our Flesh What and if ye shall see the Son of Man Ascend up where he was before 63 It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life To convince the Jews that our Saviour did not mean a carnal fleshly eating of his Body he tells them that such an eating would profit them nothing but it is a Spiritual eating of him by Faith that bringeth that Quickning Life of which he had spoken It is the Spirit or Divine Nature that Quickneth the flesh or human Nature alone separated from his Godhead profiteth nothing and can give no Life Learn hence That it is the Godhead of Christ united to the Humane Nature which adds all Vertue Efficacy and Merit to the Obedience and sufferings of the Humane Nature It is the Spirit or Divine Nature of Christ that Quickneth the flesh or Humane Nature alone profiteth nothing and therefore the carnal eating of my flesh would do no good 64 But there are some of you that believe not For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him 65 And he said Therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father 66 ¶ From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him Our Blessed Saviour having thus cleared his Doctrine that he was the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven and that he is not to be Carnally but Spiritually fed upon He plainly tells the Jews That the true cause of their stumbling at his Doctrine was their Ignorance and Unbelief there are some of you that believe not Upon which plain dealing of our Blessed Saviour's many unsound Professors did wholly forsake him and accompanied no longer with him Learn hence That multitudes who have long professed Christ and his Holy Religion may draw back and fall from their Profession and finally revolt from him 2. That it is an Evil heart of unbelief which causes Men to depart from Christ and to make Shipwrack of their Profession 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve Will ye also go away 68 Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life 69 And we
Crime but bids her Accusers look at home and examine their own Consciences whether they were not Guilty of the like or as great a Sin He doth not say Let her be stoned this had been against the course of his Mercy he doth not say Let her not be stoned this had been against the Law of Moses but he so Answers that both his Justice and his Mercy are intire she dismissed and they ashamed It is a false Zeal that is Eagle-eyed abroad and blind at home Such as are most wicked themselves are oftimes most ready and skilful to spie out the faults and failings of others We stand too near our selves to discern our own miscarriages The Eye that sees every thing sees not it self Observe 6. Tho' Christ abhorred the Sin yet he does not condemn the Sinner Hath no Man condemned thee Neither do I condemn thee says Christ This Christ said not to excuse the Woman or to connive at her offence but to shew that he declined the Office of a Civil Judge which was to pass Sentence on Criminals He therefore doth not say No Man ought to condemn thee but hath no Man condemned thee Christ doth not execute the Office of a Magistrate in judging her to Death but of a Minister in calling her to Repentance and Reformation How ought every one of us to keep within the bounds of our calling when our Saviour himself will not intrench upon the Office and Functions of others Observe Lastly Our Saviour's cautionary Direction to this Adulteress Go and sin no more Where Note Christ doth not say Go and commit Adultery no more but Go and sin no more It is not a partial Repentance or a turning away from this or that particular Sin that will denominate us true Penitents or intitle us to the pardoning Mercy of God but a leaving off all Sin of what kind soever Therefore says Christ Go and sin no more 12 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life 13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him Thou bearest record of thy self thy record is not true 14 Jesus answered and said unto them Though I bear record of my self yet my record is true for I know whence I came and whither I go but ye cannot tell whence I come and whither I go 15 Ye judge after the flesh I judge no man 16 And yet if I judge my judgment is true for I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me 17 It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true 18 I am one that bear witness of my self and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me 19 Then said they unto him Where is thy Father Jesus answered Ye neither know me nor my Father if ye had known me ye should have known my Father also 20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury as he taught in the temple and no man laid hands on him for his hour was not yet come Our Blessed Saviour having baffled the design which the Pharisees had upon him and shewed a Spirit of Divine Wisdom in delivering himself from that snare which they had laid for him He returns to instruct the People in the Treasury And here Note 1. He instructs them in the nature of his Office which was to inlighten all Men with the Knowledge of Divine Truth so that they should not walk in Darkness either of Sin or Error but be led to Eternal Life Learn hence That the great End and Errand of Christ's coming into the World it was to give Light unto poor Souls that sat in Darkness Observe 2. The Exception which the Pharisees made against our Saviour's Testimony of himself Thou bearest Record of thy self thy Record is not True Indeed such is the Corrupt Nature of Man which is prone to seek it self and hunt after vain Glory that it may render a person's Testimony of himself suspected but Christ being true God that cannot Lye and coming out of the Bosom of his Father as his Ambassador his Testimony of himself is above all Exception and ought to be credited without farther proof Observe 3. How Christ challenges his Enemies the Pharisees for judging carnally of him and according to the meanness of his outward appearance whereas he judged no Man That is First No Man as they judged according to outward shew or 2dly I judge no Man that is at present My proper work is not to Condemn any but to Teach all and my present Office is that of a Prophet not of a Judge My coming now is to Instruct and Save the World my next coming will be to Judge and Condemn it Observe 4. Christ declares that he is not alone in the Testimony given of himself but that the Father did also Testifie and bear Witness of him and that according to their own Law the Testimony of Two was always accounted and esteemed valid Now says Christ If so much weight be to be laid upon the Testimony of Two Men how much more forcibly should the Testimony of the Father and of him whom the Father hath sent satisfie you that what I say of my self is True Learn hence That the Father and the Son tho' one in Essence and Operation yet are distinct persons Secondly That these distinct persons did bear joint witness concerning Christ God the Father testified of him by a Voice from Heaven and Christ as God bare witness of himself as Man and as Mediatour Surely out of the mouth of Two such Witnesses the Truth of Christ's Divine Mission is sufficiently established 21 Then said Jesus again unto them I go my way and ye shall seek me and shall die in your sins whither I go ye cannot come 22 Then said the Jews Will he kill himself because he saith Whither I go ye cannot come 23 And he said unto them Ye are from beneath I am from above ye are of this world I am not of this world 24 I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins Observe here A dreadful Threatning denounced by Christ against the Obstinate and Unbelieving Jews ye shall die in your sins that is in the Guilt of your Sins under the Power and undergoing the punishment of your Sins Lord what a sad word is this ye shall die in your Sins Oh better it is a Thousand times to die in a Ditch for they that die in their Sins shall rise in their Sins and stand before Christ in their Sins such as lie down in Sin in the Grave shall have Sin lie down with them in Hell to all Eternity The Sins of Believers go to the Grave before them Sin dieth while they Live But the Sins of Unbelievers go to the Grave with them While they live they are dead in Sin and by Sin they fall into
a Corn of Wheat fall into the Ground and die it abideth alone That is as Corn unsown lodg'd in the Barn or laid up in the Chamber never multiplies nor encreases but sow it in the Field and bury it in the Earth and it multiplies and encreases and brings forth a plentiful crop So if Christ had not died he had remained what he was the Eternal Son of God but he had had no Church in the World Whereas his Death and Sufferings made him fructifie That brought a plentiful Encrease of exaltation to himself and Salvation to his People Observe 3. How plainly our Saviour dealt with his Followers he did not deceive them with a vain hope and expectation of Temporal Happiness but tells them plainly that all that will be his Disciples must prepare for Sufferings and not think their Temporal Life too dear to lay down for him when he calls them to it this being the surest way to secure unto themselves Life Everlasting He that loveth his life shall lose it but he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal Learn hence That the surest way to attain Eternal Life is chearfully to lay down our Temporal Life when the Glory of Christ and the Honour of Religion requires it at our hand 26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honour That is if any Man assumes the Title and enters into the sacred engagement of being Christ's Servant let his Conversation correspond with his Profession and let him be willing to follow him in the Thorny path of Affliction and Sufferings from this Assurance that all his grievous Sufferings shall end in Eternal Joys Where I am there shall my Servant be and him will my Father honour Learn hence 1. That all that will be Christ's Servants must be his Followers they must obey his Doctrine and imitate his Example 2. That Christ's Servants must not expect better usage at the hand of an unkind World than he their Master met with before them 3. That such as serve Christ by following of him shall at Death see him as he is and be with him where he is Where I am there shall also my Servant be 4. That God will crown the fideliâ—y and constancy of Christ's Servants with the highest Dignity and Honour If any Man serve me him will my Father honour 27 Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour 28 Father glorifie thy name Then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again Whilst our Saviour was thus preaching of his own Death and Sufferings a Natural horror of his approaching Passion tho such as was without Sin seizes upon him his Father giving him a Taste of that wrath which he was to undergo upon the Cross for our Sins Hereupon he betakes himself to Prayer Father save me from this hour this was the harmless inclination of his sinless nature which abhorred lying under wrath and therefore prays against it yet as it were recalling himself he submits to what his office as our surety required of him and prays again unto his Father to dispose of him as may most and best conduce to the purposes of his Glory Father glorifie thy name Learn hence 1. That meer Trouble is no Sin Christ's Soul was troubled Christianity doth not make Men Senseless Grace introduceth no stoical Stupidity 2. That fear of death especially when accompanied with apprehensions of the wrath of God is most perplexing and Soul-amazing My Soul is troubled and what shall I say 3. No extremity of Sufferings ought to discourage us from laying claim to that Relation which God stands in to us as a Father Our Saviour in the midst of his distress calls God Father Father save me from this hour 4. In the extremity of our Sufferings we may be importunate but must not be peremptory in our Prayers as Christ in his Agony prayed more earnestly so may we in ours but always submissively Father Save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour 5. That our exemption from Suffering may sometimes be inconsistent with the Glory of God Father save me from this hour Father Glorifie thy name Observe lastly The Father's Answer to the Son's Prayer There came a voice from Heaven saying I have glorified it and will glorifie it again That is as God the Father had been already glorified in his Son's Life Doctrine and Miracles so he would farther glorifie Himself in his Death Resurrection and Ascension as also by the Mission of the Holy Ghost and the Preaching of the Gospel for the Conversion of the Gentiles to the ends of the Earth Learn hence That the whole work of Christ from the lowest degree of his Humiliation to the highest degree of his Exaltation was a glorifying of his Father he glorified his Father by the Doctrine which he Taught he glorified his Father by the Miracles which he wrought by the unspotted Innocency of his Life and by his unparallel'd Sufferings at his Death by his Victorious Resurrection from the Grave and by his Triumphant Ascension into Heaven 29 The people therefore that stood by and heard it said that it thundred others said An angel spake to him 30 Jesus answered and said This voice came not because of me but for your sakes 31 Now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out 32 And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me 33 This he said signifying what death he should die Observe here 1. The way of God in speaking to his People by a Voice in Thunder for the greater declaration of his Glory and Majesty Thunderings and Lightnings usually attended the voice of God even in Consolations and when he spake comfortably to his own Servants Oh how dreadful and terrible then must the Voice of God be to his Enemies when he shall come in flaming Fire to render vengeance to them If there was such Dread and Terrors such Thunderings and Lightnings at the giving of the Law Lord What will there be another Day when thou comest to punish the violation of that Law Observe 2. The end why God the Father now spake with an Audible Voice to Christ his Son it was for his Consolation and the Peoples Confirmation His Soul being troubled he stood in need as Mediatour of comfort from his Father and the People had here a farther and fuller Confirmation of his being the promised and true Messias that so they might Believe in him This voice came not because of me That is not only or chiefly because of me but to confirm your Faith in the Belief of this great Truth that I am the Son of God by whom the Father hath glorified and will farther
follow me afterwards 37 Peter said unto him Lord Why cannot I follow thee now I will lay down my life for thy sake 38 Jesus answered him Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake Verily verily I say unto thee the cock shall no crow till thou hast denied me thrice Here we find Peter reflecting upon what our Saviour had said just before v. 33. Whither I go ye cannot come he is inquisitive to know of Christ whither he went Our Lord tells him that for the present he could not follow him but should hereafter he was not as yet strong enough to suffer for him as he should and did afterwards St. Peter grieved at this rashly resolves to follow him tho' he should die for his sake Christ advises him not to be over-confident of his own strength and standing for he should deny him Thrice within the Time of Cock-crowing Observe here 1. How that fond Conceit which our Lord's Disciples had of his Temporal Kingdom here in this World did abide and continue with them to the very last for when Christ spake of leaving them by Ascending into Heaven Peter understands him of a removal that was Earthly from one place to another whereas Christ intended it of a removal from Earth to Heaven The Opinion that the Messiah was to be a Temporal Prince and that his Kingdom should be of this World was so deeply rooted in the Minds of the Jews that they stumbled at it fatally and Christ's own Disciples had so drunk in the notion that they wonder to hear Christ say that he is going from them and that whither he goes they cannot come Observe 2. That Christ's Disciples shall certainly follow their Master afterwards and be for ever with the Lord but they must wait their Lord's time and finish their Lord's work they must patiently wait for their Change and not peevishly wish for it for tho' they do not follow Christ presently to Heaven they shall follow him afterwards Observe 3. The greatness of St. Peters's self-confidence I will lay down my Life for thy sake Good Man He resolved honestly but too too much in his own strength Little Oh little did he think what a Feather he should be in the wind of Temptation if once God left him to the power and prevalency of his own fears The holiest of Men knows not his own strength till Temptation brings him to the Trial. Observe Lastly How detestable St. Peters's Presumption and Self-Confidence was to Christ and how fatal and pernicious to himself Wilt thou lay down thy Life for my sake As if Christ had said Peter Thou sayest more than thou can'st do Thine own strength will fail thee and thy Self-Confidence deceive thee I know thy Heart better than thou dost thy self and I foresee that before the Cock crows thou wilt deny me thrice Thence Learn That none are so near falling as those that are most confident of their own standing CHAP. XIV 1 LEt not your heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me 2 In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also 4 And whither I go ye know and the way ye know Our blessed Saviour in the foregoing Chapter having acquainted his Disciples with his approaching Death by the Treachery of Judas their Hearts were thereupon over-whelmed with Grief and Trouble Accordingly in this Chapter by sundry Arguments he comforts his Disciples against the perplexity of their fears and sorrows 1. Observe How Christ addresses himself to his Disciples in a very endearing and Affectionate manner Let not your hearts be troubled Whence learn 1. That the Best and Holiest of God's Children and Servants whilest here in an imperfect state are subject to desponding disquieting and distrustful fears 2. That no work is more delightful to our Saviour than to comfort the troubled and perplexed Spirits of his Servants Observe 2. The Remedy which Christ prescribes for the calming their present fears and for arming them against future troubles and that is Faith in the Father and himself Ye believe in God believe also in me Here learn 1. That God is the supream object of Faith his unchangeable love and faithfulness with his infinite Power in the accomplishing of his promises is the security of Believers Learn 2. That Christ as Mediatour between God and guilty Creatures is the immediate object of our Faith Learn 3. That Christ being the true and proper object of our Faith is a proof of his being truly and really God Christ doth here assert his own Deity in the substance of the Command in making himself an object of Faith in Conjunction with God the Father Ye believe in God believe also in me Observe Next the Arguments of Consolation which Christ propounds for the support of his Disciples under the sorrow which they had conceived for his approaching departure 1. He tells them That Heaven whither he was now going was his Father's House a place of happiness not designed for himself alone but for many more to enjoy a perpetual rest and abode in as in everlasting Mansions in my Father's House are many mansions Heaven is God's House in which he will freely converse with his Domesticks his Children and Servants and they shall enjoy full glory there as in a quiet and capacious habitation A second ground of Comfort is that he assures them he will come again and receive them to himself that they may live together with him in the Heavenly Mansions This promise Christ makes good to his Saints partly at the day of their Death and perfectly at the day of Judgment when he shall make one errand for all and take up all his Children to himself and make them compleatly happy both in Soul and Body with himself Learn hence That tho' Christ has removed his Bodily presence from his Friends on Earth yet his love to them is not ceased nor will he rest satisfied till he and they meet again Eternally to solace themselves in each others Company I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there you may be also A Third Argument for Consolation is That notwithstanding Christ was to leave them yet they knew whither he went Namely To Heaven and which was the way thither Whither I go ye know and the way ye know It contributes much to the Comfort of Believers as to know God and Heaven so to know the way that leads thither that so they may be armed against all the difficulties of that way 5 Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way 6 Jesus saith unto him I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me Observe here 1. How Thomas and probably
divers others of the Apostles notwithstanding all that Christ had said to the contrary did still dream of a Temporal Kingdom and supposed him to speak of some Earthly Pallace which he was going to and therefore he tells our Saviour he knew not whither he was going But Christ meaning not a Temporal but Heavenly Kingdom tells them that if they intended to follow him and be with him in Heaven He himself was the only way thither I am the way the Truth and the Life That is I am the True and Living way to the Father And no Man cometh to the Father but by me That is no Man can have any access to God by Prayer or any other Act of Religious Worship here on Earth or any access to God in Heaven but by me as Mediatour 7 If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him 8 Philip saith unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us 9 Jesus saith unto him Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip he that hath seen me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then Shew us the Father 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doeth the works 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the very works sake Observe here 1. What a gross conception the Apostles had and St. Philip in particular of the Divine Nature and Being as if God the Father could be seen with mortal Eyes Shew us the Father and it suffices us It is not easie to determine what degrees of Ignorance may consist with saving Grace doubtless as the degrees of Revelation and means of Knowledge are more or less so a person's Ignorance is more or less excusable before God Observe 2. How meekly our Blessed Saviour Reproves their Ignorance Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip and then proceeds to instruct them in and farther acquaint them with the Oneness of himself with his Father and the personal Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in himself Learn hence That the Father being invisible in his Essence to know or see him with mortal bodily eyes is impossible but he was seen in his Son who is the express Image of the Father being one in Essence with him and one in operation also He that hath seen me hath seen the Father 12 Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these shall he do because I go unto my Father Here Christ gives his Disciples a promise of enduing them with Power after his Departure to work Miracles in some respect greater than what he wrought himself not greater in regard of the manner for he wrought by his own Power and they wrought all in his Name But greater in regard of the matter of them particularly their speaking with strange Tongues their giving the Holy Ghost by laying on of Hands their healing Diseases by the very shadow of their Bodies but especially by their wonderful conversion of the Gentiles from Idolatry to serve the living God When St. Peter converted Three Thousand at one Sermon then Christ made good this promise the Disciple at that time appeared to be above his Master Christ all his time was Angling for a few Fishes and catch'd but an Hundred and Twenty Act. 1.15 Whilst Peter comes with his Dragnet and catcheth Three Thousand at one cast the reason might be because Christ was not properly to be the Builder but the Foundation it self He subjoins the Reason of all this Because I go unto my Father that is to send down and pour forth upon you my Apostles the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost which was the great cause of the Apostles Miraculous Operations Hence learn That it pleased the Wisdom of Christ to do greater things by the hand of his weak Servants here in the World than he was pleased to do himself who was God over all Blessed for evermore 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it In these words our Saviour produces another Argument to quiet his Disciples Hearts under their perplexity and trouble for the loss of his Bodily presence he assures them that whatever Comforts they enjoyed by his Presence they shall obtain by their Prayers Observe here 1. The Qualification requisite in Prayer we must Pray in Christ's name that is for the sake of his Merits and Mediation in Obedience to God's command and and with an Eye at his Glory and for things agreeable to his Will and for things which his Wisdom sees good for us Observe 2. The promise made to such Prayers Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do he saith not that will my Father do but that will I do to testifie his Divine Power and oneness with the Father This evidently proves him to be God Observe 3. The Repetition of the promise for the further confirmation of it If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it The promise is doubled for the farther Confirmation of it that so we might be free from all fears and doubts of being heard when we put up our Prayers to God in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ for things agreeable to his Will Learn hence That altho' the Children of God have sometimes many Jealousies and Fears arising in their Minds concerning the Answer of their Prayers yet they are altogether groundless for it is most certain their desires shall be granted them so far as the Wisdom of God sees sit and convenient for them and for that reason our Saviour redoubles the Promise If ye ask any thing in my name I will do it 15 ¶ If ye love me keep my commandments In these words our Saviour implicitly reproves his Disciples for their fond way of expressing their Love to him by doating upon his Bodily presence and sorrowing immoderately for his absence and he expresly warns them to evidence their Love to him by their Obedience to his commands If ye love me keep my commandments Where Observe Christ requires an Obedient Love and loving Obedience Love without Obedience is but dissimulation Obedience without Love is but drudgery and slavery Such a Love as produces Obedience it must be a Dutiful Love a Love of Reverence and Honour to him as a Commander And an operative and working Love a labour of Love as the Apostle calls it not waiters but workers are the best Servants in Christ's esteem And such an Obedience as is the product of Love it will be a willing easie and
chearful Obedience a pleasing and an acceptable Obedience A constant and Abiding Obedience All other motives without Love are servile and base and beget in us the drudgery of a Slave but not the Duty of a Son he that fears God only is afraid of smarting but he that Loves God is afraid of offending Learn hence That the best and surest evidence we can have of our Love to the Lord Jesus Christ is an humble chearful universal and persevering Obedience to his commands keep my Commandments that is endeavour it without reserve for tho' we cannot keep the Commandments to a just satisfaction yet we may perform them to a gracious acceptation And the Word My My Commandments is a sweetning and alleviating Word Moses's Law an unsupportable Load but Christ's Law an easie Burthen The Law from Sinai dreadful the Law from Sion Gracious it pardons weakness and accepts sincerity 16 And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 17 Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Christ comforteth his Disciples here with a promise of the Mission of the Holy Spirit to supply the want of his Bodily presence Where Observe The procurer of this Blessing 1. And that is Christ by his prevailing Prayer and powerful Intercession I will pray it runs in the future Tense and so 't is a promise of Christ's continual Intercession As long as Christ is in Heaven a Christian shall not want a supply of Comfort and Consolation here on Earth Observe 2. The Author and Donour of the blessing and that is God himself I will pray the Father and he shall give The Father that is my Father your Father and he that is the Father of Comfort and all Consolation I will pray and he will give 'T is an expression of great assurance Observe 3. The blessing it self the Holy Ghost called here Another Comforter Where note 1. The Divinity of the Holy Ghost he that will supply the Comforts of Christ's presence must be as Christ is the God of all Comfort Note 2. The person of the Holy Ghost he is a Divine person not a Divine quality or operation then we might call him a Comfort but not a Comforter Note 3. The Office and Imployment of the Holy Ghost He is a Comforter that is an Advocate and Intercessour to sue for us an Encourager and one that Administers Consolation to us and as he is an Holy Spirit so are his Comforts Holy Comforts Observe 4. The stability of this Blessing That he may abide with you for ever The best of our outward Comforts are sudden flashes not lasting flames but the Consolations of the Holy Spirit are strong Consolations they are abounding Consolations and everlasting Consolations especially the Holy Spirit will be the Comforter of good Men in the day of Affliction in the day of Temptation and at the hour of Death when all other comforts flag and fail Observe lastly The additional Title given to the Holy Ghost he is called the Spirit of Truth partly in opposition to Satan who is called a Lying Spirit partly because he teacheth and revealeth the Truth leadeth his People into all Truth and sealeth and confirmeth Truth to the Souls of Believers he is the Spirit of Truth both in his Essence and in his Operations Learn hence That as the Holy Spirit is True in his Essence and Nature so is he True in his Office as a Comforter to good Men. All his Consolations being real and solid and free from imposture and delusion 18 I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you Here Observe 1. The Condition which the Disciples were in upon the account of Christ's removal from them and that was sad and Comfortless Fatherless or Orphans as the word signifies Hence learn That Christ's Departure or the loss of his gracious Presence is very sad and Comfortless to a Pious Soul well might the Disciples here lament and mourn upon the occasion of Christ's leaving of them seeing thereby they should be deprived of his Doctrine and Instructions of his Advice and Counsel and of the Benefit of his Holy and Instructive Example Observe 2. The care of Christ for his Disciples in reference to this their sad and disconsolate Condition He would not leave them Comfortless Where Note He doth not say I will not suffer you to be comfortless but I will not leave you so that is he will not desert or disown them in their comfortless Condition he will not leave them either in point of Affection or in point of Activity he will not cease to Love them nor cease to bestir himself for them Learn hence That Christ will not leave his Friends in a sad and Comfortless state and Condition tho' for a time they may be brought into it I will not leave you Comfortless I will come unto you Christ's coming here unto them is to be understood of his coming to them by his Holy Spirit in the Gifts of it in the Graces of it and in the Comforts of it thus he did not long leave them Comfortless but at the Feast of Pentecost came again to them 19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me because I live ye shall live also 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Here our Saviour foretels his approaching Death that within a little time the Men of the World should see him no more for tho' he arose again the World saw him no more after his Death for we Read of no Appearances of him after his Resurrection to any but to his Disciples only indeed the hour is coming when the World shall see him again Namely At the Day of Judgment when every Eye shall behold him with Terror and Amazement Observe farther The Consolation given to his Disciples Ye shall see me and because I live ye shall live also Because I am raised from the Grave I will quicken your Dead Bodies in the Grave and ye shall live also and as I live by my Ascension into Heaven so shall you my Disciples live a Life of Grace here and a Life of Glory with my self hereafter Learn hence That a Believer's Spiritual Life is derived from Christ who by his Spirit Communicates a quickening vertue to all his Members because he lives they shall live also Observe lastly A farther priviledge ensured to Believers after Christ's Ascension and the Spirits Mission they should more perfectly understand the Essential union betwixt Christ and the Father and the Mystical Union betwixt Christ and his Members At that Day ye shall know that I am in my Father c. The knowledge which the Saints now have of the Mysterious and Mystical Union is but dark and imperfect but in Heaven they shall
23d Verse there seems to be a contradiction in the words Christ tells them in the former part of the Verse That they shall ask him nothing in that Day and yet promises that whatever they ask shall be given them in the latter part of the Verse To resolve this know that there is a twofold asking one by way of Question the other by way of Petition The former is asking that we may know or be informed in what we doubt the latter is asking that we may receive and be supplied with what we want now when Christ saith In that day ye shall ask me nothing it is as much as if he had said at present you understand but little of the Mysteries of Religion and therefore ye put Questions about many things But in that Day when the Comforter comes ye shall be so clearly inlightned by him that ye shall not need to ask me any more Questions But when Christ saith Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it The meaning is In that day when I have left the World and ascended to my Father you shall not need to address your Prayers to me but to my Father in my name But what is it to pray in the name of Christ Answer It is more than to name Christ in Prayer it is easie to name Christ in Prayer but no easie thing to pray in the name of Christ To pray in the name of Christ is 1. To look up to Christ as having purchased for us this Priviledge that we may pray for it is by the Blood of Christ that we draw near to God and that a Throne of Grace is open for us 2. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray in the strength of Christ by the assistance of his Grace and the help of his Holy Spirit 3. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray by Faith in the Virtue of Christ's Mediation and Intercession believing that what we ask on Earth he interceeds for and obtains in Heaven To pray thus is no easie matter and unless we do pray thus we do not pray at all 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name That is explicitely and expresly in my name for the Saints of God under the Old Testament and the Apostles themselves under the New had hitherto put up all their Petitions in the name of the Messiah tho' not in the name of Jesus But now he exhorts them to Eye his Mediatory Office in all their Addresses to God and promises them that whatsoever he had purchased of the Father by his Sufferings and Satisfaction they should obtain it for the sake of his prevailing Intercession Learn hence That it is a mighty encouragement to Prayer that now under the Gospel the person of the Mediatour is exhibited in our Flesh has satisfied Divine Justice in in our Nature and in that Nature interceeds as a Mediatour for whatever he purchased as our Surety Hence is the encouragement Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it you 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father Here our Saviour tells his Disciples That although he had spoken many things to them in dark Parables and figurative Expressions yet now the time was approaching Namely The Comforter's coming when he would by the Holy Ghost clearly inlighten their Understandings in the Knowledg of Divine Mysteries and the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and particularly in the Knowledge of God as his Father and their Father in him Hence learn 1. That the clearest Truths will be but Parables Proverbs and dark Mysteries even to Disciples themselves till the Holy Spirit inlightens their Understandings 2. That the clear and full manifestation of Divine Truth was reserved till the coming of the Comforter who did communicate it to the Apostles and by them to the Church or Body of Christians I by him will shew you plainly of the Father 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you 27 For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God At that day shall ye ask in my name that is after I am Ascended into Heaven and have sent down the Holy Ghost upon you ye shall put up all your Prayers and requests to God in my name And I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you That is I need not tell you tho' I shall certainly do it that I will interceed with the Father for you for he of himself is kindly disposed and affected towards you for my sake When Christ says I do not say that I will pray the Father for you the meaning is not that he will lay aside his Office as Intercessour for Believers but that they had not only his Intercession but the Father's Love upon which to ground their hope of Audience Learn hence 1. That the Christians Prayers put up in Christ's name cannot fail of Audience and Acceptance for the sake of the Mediatour's Intercession and the Father's Love 2. That in our Prayers we ought so to eye and look up to Christ's Intercession as not to over-look or forget the Father's Love but ground our hopes of Audience upon both I say not that I will pray the Father for you tho' I shall assuredly do it for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me 28 I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father 29 His disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Here Observe 1. A proof of our Saviour's God-head He came forth from the Father into the World he came out from the Father in his Incarnation and came into the World to accomplish the work of our Redemption Learn thence That Jesus Christ is true God equal with the Father for he was not only sent by him but came forth from him I came out from the Father Observe 2. That it pleased Christ out of Love to his People to leave the Father and come into the World not by being separated from the Deity but by obscuring the Deity with the vail of our Flesh in order to the finishing the great and glorious work of Redemption for us I came forth from the Father and am come into the World Observe 3. That Christ having finished his Suffering work here on Earth Ascended into Heaven and sent down the Holy Spirit to apply unto his Church the Redemption purchased by his Blood Again I leave the World and go to the Father Observe lastly How the Apostles
my Victory and of thy Glory the hour the sad hour determined in thy decree and purpose no calamity can touch us till God's hour is come and when the sad hour is come the best remedy is Prayer and the only person to fly unto for Succour is our Heavenly Father Father the hour is come the doleful hour of my Death and Passion Glorifie thy Son Glorifie him at his Death by manifesting him to have been the Son of God Glorifie him in his Death by accepting it as the Death of thy Son for the Sins of the World Glorifie him after his Death by a speedy Resurrection from the Grave and a Triumphant Exaltation at thy Right Hand Here note How the Glory of the Father and the Son are inseparably link'd together it was the Father's design to Glorifie the Son and it was the Son's desire to have Glory from the Father for this end that he might bring Glory to the Father Glorifie thy Son that thy Son may Glorifie thee 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Observe here 1. The Dignity which Christ was invested with Power over all flesh that is Authority to Judge and Sentence all Mankind Observe 2. How Christ came to be invested with this Power it was given him by his Father Thou hast given him power over all flesh Hence the Socinians would infer that he was not God because he received all from God but the Text speaks not of his Divine Power as God but of his Power as Mediatour and the Note is That all Mankind is under the Power and Authority of Jesus Christ as Mediatour he has a Legislative Power or a Power to give Laws to all Mankind and a Judiciary Power or a Power to execute the Laws that he hath given Observe 3. The end for which Christ was invested with this Power That he might give Eternal Life to as many as God had given him Here Note 1. That all Believers that is all sincere and serious Christians are given by God the Father unto Christ they are given to him as his Charge to Redeem Sanctifie and Save and as his Reward Isa 53.10 2. All that are given to Christ have Life from him a Life of Justification and Sanctification on Earth and a Life of Glory in Heaven 3. The Life which Christ gives to them that are given him is Eternal Life 4. That this Eternal Life is a free Gift from Christ unto his People though they do not work for wages yet they shall not work for nothing I give unto them eternal Life John 10. 3 And this is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent That is This is the way and means to obtain Eternal Life Namely By the true knowledge of God the Father and of Jesus Christ the Mediatour who was commissioned and sent by his Father to accomplish the work of Redemption for a lost World Here Observe Christ calls God the Father the only true God not in opposition to the Son and Holy Ghost who being one in Essence with the Father are truly and really God as well as the Father but in opposition to Idols and false Gods there is a great difference betwixt these two Propositions the Father is the only true God and the Father only is true God Christ saith the former This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God The Socinian saith the latter This is Life Eternal to know only thee to be the true God and that neither Jesus Christ nor the Spirit are God but the Father only But how comes Eternal Life to depend as well upon the Knowledge of Jesus Christ as of God the Father if Jesus Christ be only Man and not truly and really God For thus our Saviour affirms this is Life Eternal to know thee and Jesus Christ Whence learn 1. That the beginning encrease and perfection of Eternal Life lyeth in Holy Knowledg 2. That no Knowledg is sufficient to Eternal Life but the Knowledg of God and Jesus Christ who is also God for who can think that the Knowledg of a mere Creature should be accounted equally necessary to Salvation with the Knowledg of the Great and Mighty God Surely if our Happiness consists equally in the Knowledg of God and Christ then God and Christ are of the same Nature equal in Power and Glory The comprehensive sense of the words seems to be this That the Knowledge of the only true God and of Jesus Christ the Mediatour is the Life of Grace and the necessary way to the Life of Glory 4 I have glorified thee on the earth Learn hence That the whole Life of Christ when here on Earth it was a glorifying of his Father he glorified his Father by the Doctrine which he preach'd he glorified his Father by the Miracles which he wrought he glorified his Father by the unspotted Purity and Innocency of his Life and by his unparallel'd Sufferings at his Death 4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do That is I am now about to finish it he speaks of what he was resolv'd to do as already done Here Note 1. That 't is work that glorifies God 2. That every Man has his work his proper work assigned him by God 3. This work must be finished here upon Earth 4. That when we have done our proportion of work we may expect our portion of wages 5. That it is a blessed thing at the hour of Death to be able to say in sincerity and uprightness that we have glorified God in the World and have finished the work which he appointed us to do Father I have glorified thee on the Earth and have finished the work which thou gavest me to do 5 And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was From the Connexion of this with the foregoing Verse Learn 1. That who ever expect to be glorified with God in Heaven must glorifie him first here upon Earth 2. That after we have glorified him we may expect to be glorified with him and by him I have glorified thee now O Father glorifie thou me it follows with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was Hence Note 1. That Christ as God had an Essential Glory with God the Father before the World was he had this Glory not in the purpose and decree of God only as the Socinians would have it for he doth not say Glorifie me with the Glory which thou didst purpose and prepare for me before the World was but which I had and enjoyed with thee before the World was by which words our Lord plainly asserts his own Existence and Being from Eternity and prays for a Re-exaltation to that Glory which he enjoyed with his Father before his Incarnation Note 2. That Christ as Mediatour did so far
humble himself that he needed to pray to his Father to bestow upon him the Glory which he wanted Namely The Glory of his Ascension and Exaltation Now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word By the name of God we are here to understand his Nature his Properties and Attributes his Designs and Counsels for the Salvation of Mankind Christ as the Prophet of his Church made all these known unto his People Learn thence That Jesus Christ has made a full and compleat Discovery of his Father's Mind and Will unto his People I have manifested thy name unto them which thou gavest me thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word Learn 1. That all Believers are given unto Christ as his Purchase and as his Charge They are given him as his Subjects as his Children as the Wife of his Bosom as the Members of his Body Learn 2. That none are given to Christ but those that were first the Fathers Thine they were and thou gavest them me Learn 3. That all those that are given unto Christ do keep his word they keep it in their understandings they hide it in their Hearts they feel the force of it in their Souls they express the power of it in their Lives They have kept thy word 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee Observe here 1. The faithfulness of Christ in revealing the whole Will of his Father to his Disciples 2. The proficiency of the Disciples in the School of Christ they knew all the things which Christ had told them Namely That whatsoever he had it was given him of the Father and that he had these things from him to be a Mediatour Learn hence That Christ hath approved himself a faithful Prophet to his Church a faithful Messenger from his Father to his People in that he hath added nothing to his Message nor taken nothing from it 2. That it is our duty to know and believe on Christ as the only Messenger and Mediatour sent of God Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me As if Christ had said The Message by thee my Father committed to me I have communicated to them my Disciples and they have received it and will communicate it from thee to the World being sufficiently assured that my coming and preaching was all by Commission from thee Hence learn 1. That the Doctrine of the Gospel which was revealed by Christ was received from the Father 2. That Faith is a receiving of the word of Christ and of Christ in and by the word Receiving is a relative term and presupposes an offer God offers on his part we receive on our part the whole word with the whole heart 3. That the Ministers of the Gospel are to preach that and only that which they have out of the word of God I have given them the word which thou gavest me 9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine That is I now offer up a Prayer particularly 1. For my Apostles designed to so great a work as the Preaching of the Everlasting Gospel to the obstinate Jews and obdurate Gentiles 2. I interceed also for all Believers at this time for their perseverance in the Faith and constancy in Persecution but I do not now interceed for the wicked and impenitent World they not being capable whilst such of these Mercies and Blessings though at other times we find him praying for the World yea for his very Crucifiers Father forgive them c. Nay in this very Prayer at the 20th Verse he Prays for the World that is for the Gentile World all those that by the preaching of the Apostles and their Successors should be brought to Believe on him to the End of the World Learn hence 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the Great and Gracious Intercessour 2. That all Believers all the Children of God in general are under the fruit and benefit of Christ's Intercession 3. That as all the Members of Christ in general so the Ministers and Ambassadours of Christ in special have a peculiar interest in Christ's Intercession and great are the Advantages of His Intercession for them 1. From the person interceeding Christ consider the Dignity of his Person God Man the dearness of his Person God's Son 2. From the manner of his Intercession not by way of entreaty but meritorious claim 3. From the sublimity of the Office our Intercessor is near to God even at his Right Hand 4. From the Fruits of his Intercession it procures the Acceptance and Justification of our Persons the hearing and answering of our Prayers the pardon and forgiveness of our Sins our preservation in Grace and our hopes of Eternal Glory 10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them We may understand this two ways 1. Of all Persons all my Friends all my Disciples are thine as well as mine Thence learn That the Father and the Son have a like Share and Propriety in all Believers 2. The words in the Original being of the Neuter Gender signifie all thy things are mine and all my things are thine Christ and his Father are one and they agree in one they have the same Essence and Nature the same Attributes and Will Christ hath all things that the Father hath willeth all things that the Father willeth and doth all things that the Father doth he is therefore really and essentially God It followeth and I am glorified in them that is I am made glorious by their owning and receiving me by their believing in me and accepting of me for their Lord and Saviour Thence Note That the Lord Jesus Christ is eminently glorified in and by all those that believe in him and belong unto him 11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are Here Observe 1. Our Saviour's present Condition I am no more in the World that is I shall continue on Earth but a small time longer and then ascend to my Father in Heaven Learn thence That Jesus Christ as he is Man is gone out of this lower World into the immediate Presence of his Father He had been abased before he must be exalted now He had no more Work to do on Earth but much to do in Heaven therefore he left this Earth to go to Heaven Observe 2.
with an unchangeable Love with an Everlasting Love so doth he Love Believers also Observe 5. That Christ would have the World know that God the Father loveth the Children of Men as well as himself Christ is not ambitious to ingross all our Love unto himself but would have the World take notice of the good Will of his Father as well as of himself to lost Mankind of the Father's Love in sending him as well as of his own Love in coming That the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me 24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Our Saviour had prayed for his Disciples Sanctification before here he Prays for their Glorification 1. That they may be where he is now Christ is with them in his Ordinances in his Word and at his Table ere long they shall be with him as his Friends as his Spouse as his Companions in his Kingdom 2. That they may be with him where he is this is more than the former a Blind Man may be where the Sun is but not with the Sun because he doth not injoy the light and benefit of it To be with Christ where he is imports Union and Communion with him 3. That being with him where he is they may behold his glory that is so see it as everlastingly to possess and injoy it Learn 1. That all those that are given to Christ as his Charge and as his Reward shall certainly come to Heaven to him Father I will that they be with me because I have merited that they should be with me I will that they behold my Glory because I have purchased it at so dear a rate Learn 2. That the work and imployment of the Saints in Heaven chiefly consists in seeing and injoying Christ's Glory for it will be a possessive sight the language of every look will be This Happiness is mine this Glory is mine 3. That the top and height of the Saints happiness in Heaven consists in this That they shall there be with Christ Father I will that they may be with me to behold my Glory 25 O righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me Observe here 1. The Appellation given to God O Righteous Father This is the Sixth time that Christ in this Prayer has called God Father it being so sweet a Relation and producing all Love Delight Joy and Confidence in God by him that practically improves it But Observe That at Verse 11 When Christ prayed for his Peoples Sanctification he said Holy Father making use of that Attribute which is the cause of all Holiness in the Creature but now praying for their Glorification he says O Righteous Father Righteous in making good thy promises both to me and them Observe 2. What it is that our Saviour affirms concerning the wicked and unbelieving World that they have not known God the World hath not known thee not as if the World had not known him at all but not known him aright the unbelieving and unsanctified part of the World have no saving knowledge of God not living answerably to what they know to be their Duty Observe 3. What Christ affirms concerning himself But I have known thee and these have known thee Intimating thus much unto us That Jesus Christ alone knows God immediately and all others know him by the means of Christ Christ is the Original and fontal cause of all the saving knowledg that Believers have of God There is not the least Ray of saving Illumination that doth not descend from Christ and the Spirit of Christ I have known thee and these have known that thou didst send me 26 And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it That is I have made known unto them thy Nature Attributes Counsels Will and Commands and I will continue the manifestation of the same to the End Learn thence That the saving knowledg of God was not attainable by natural Abilities but cometh to us by the special Revelation of Jesus Christ I have declared unto them thy name Learn 2. That they that have the Name of God his Nature and Will savingly declared to them do stand in need of farther declarations and discoveries of God's Nature and Will to be made unto them I have declared to them thy name and I will declare it 26 That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them That is That the Love which is Originally in thy self as the fountain of all Grace may be communicated and dispensed from thee to them and become inherent in them Learn hence That it is not enough for the People of God that they are beloved of him and that his Love is towards them but they must endeavour to have it in them that is experience it in the effects of it and in the sense and feeling of it in their own Souls The safety of a Christian lies in this that God loves him but the Joy the Comfort and Happiness of a Christian consists in the Knowledg in the sensible Apprehension and feeling of this Love therefore Christ closeth his Prayer for his Members with this Affectionate and Comprehensive Petition Let the Love wherewith thou hast loved me be in them and I in them CHAP. XVIII 1 VVHen Jesus had spoken these words he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron where was a garden into the which he entred and his disciples 2 And Judas also which betrayed him knew the place for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his disciples No sooner had our dear Lord ended his Divine Prayer Recorded in the foregoing Chapter but he goes forth to meet his Sufferings with a willing chearfulness He retires with his Disciples into a Garden not to hide and shelter himself from his Enemies for if so it had been the most improper place he could have chosen it being the accustomed place where he was wont to Pray and a place well known to Judas who was now coming to seek him Judas which betrayed him knew the place for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his Disciples So that Christ repaired to this Garden not to shun but to meet the Enemy to offer himself as a prey to the Wolves which in the Garden hunted him and laid hold upon him he also resorted to this Garden now for privacy that he might freely pour out his Soul to God Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ was praying to his Father in the Garden when Judas with his Bla k-Guard came to apprehend him 3 Judas then having received a band of men and Officers from the chief priests and Pharisees cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons Observe 1. What a multitude were here imployed by the
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
manner of our Lord's Funeral it was hasty publick and decent it was hasty by reason of the streights of Time the Sabbath was approaching and all Business is laid aside to prepare for that Teaching us how much it is our Duty to dispatch our Worldly business early in the Evening of the Lord's Day that we may be the better prepared to Sanctifie that Day Again our Lord's Funeral was publick and open all Persons that would might be Spectators to cut off occasion from any to object that there was deceit and fraud used in or about our Lord's Burial yet was he also Interr'd decently his Holy Body being wrapt in fine Linen and perfum'd with Spices according to the Jewish Custom Observe 5. The Reasons why our Lord was thus buried seeing he was to Rise again in as short a time as other Men lie by the Walls doubtless it was to declare the certainty of his Death and the reality of his Resurrection to fulfill the Types and Prophesies which went before of him As Jonas being three Days and three Nights in the Whale's Belly he was also buried to compleat his Humiliation this being the lowest step to which he could descend in his abased State Finally he went into the Grave that he might conquer Death in its own Territories Observe Lastly Of what use our Lord's Burial 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 also comfort us against the fears of Death the Grave could not long keep Christ it shall not always keep us it was a loathsome Prison before it is a perfum'd 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. XX. This and the following Chapter gives us an Account of our Saviour's Exaltation and Victorious Triumph over all his Enemies by his powerful Resurrection All the four Evangelists do confirm the Truth of it by recording the several steps and degrees of the manifestation of it In this Chapter Christ's Resurrection is confirmed first to Mary Magdalene next to Peter and John then to all the Disciples except Thomas 1 THe first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark unto the sepulchre and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre In this Verse is Recorded how Mary Magdalene came early to the Sepulchre on the first Day of the Week to Anoint the Dead Body of our Lord Jesus Where Note That tho' her Heart did burn with an ardent Zeal and Affection to her Crucified Lord yet the commanded Duties of the Sabbath were not omitted by her she kept close and silently spent that Holy Day in a mixture of Grief and Hope her Example is a good Pattern of Sabbath-Sanctification and worthy of our Christian Imitation Note 2. What magnanimity and courage is found in this weak Woman she followed Christ Couragiously when his Disciples left him Cowardly she accompanied him to his Cross she followed his Hearse to the Grave when his Disciples durst not appear and now very early in the Morning she goes to visit his Sepulchre fearing neither the Darkness of the Night nor the presence of the Watch-men Learn thence That Courage is the special gift of God and if he gives it to the feebler Sex even to timerous and fearful Women it is not in the Power of Man to make them afraid 2 Then she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and saith unto them They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre and we know not where they have laid him It was a great Honour that God put upon this poor Woman Mary Magdalene that she has the first Notice of our Saviour's Resurrection and is the first that discovers it to the Apostles But why had not the Virgin Mary his Disconsolate Mother this Priviledge conferr'd on her rather than Mary Magdalene who had been a grievous Sinner Doubtless this was for the Comfort of all True Pentitents and Administers great Consolation to them As the Angels in Heaven Rejoyce much more doth Christ Joy in the Recovery of one repenting Sinner than in multitudes of Holy and Just Persons such was the blessed Virgin who need no Repentance 3 Peter therefore went forth and that other disciple and came to the sepulchre 4 So they ran both together and the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulchre 5 And he stouping down and looking in saw the linen clothes lying yet went he not in 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him and went into the sepulchre and seeth the linen clothes lie 7 And the napkin that was about his head not lying with the linen clothes but wrapped together in a place by it self 8 Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepulchre and he saw and believed 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture that he must rise again from the dead Here observe 1. How Peter and John moved with Mary Magdalens words They have taken away the Lord c. do run to the Sepulchre to satisfie themselves in the Truth of it Such as sincerely Love Christ upon the least intimation that he is missing bestir themselves with great Activity and Diligence that they may see him or hear of him Peter and John run to the Sepulchre to see what was become of their Holy Master Observe 2. That there were such clear Evidences about Christ's Grave as made it apparent that he was indeed Risen from the Dead and not conveighed away either by Friends or Foes It cannot be supposed that any of his Friends could they have come at it would have so handled his Holy Body as to carry it away naked and for his Foes had they Stole away the Body they would never have left the Fine Linnen behind them Observe 3. That when Christ arose from the Grave he left his Grave Cloaths behind him whereas when Lazarus arose he came forth with his Grave Cloaths about him it Teaches us that Christ Rose never to Die more but to Live and Reign for ever therefore he left his Grave Cloaths in the Grave as never to make use of them more But Lazarus was to Die again Death was once more to have Dominion over him he therefore came forth with his Grave Cloaths about him Observe Lastly How ignorant the Apostles were of the Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection and of the Holy Scriptures which declared he was to Rise again from the Dead They knew not the Scriptures That is They did not heed and regard them ponder them in their Hearts and feed upon them by Faith 10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home 11 ¶ But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping and as
order to our Improvement in Faith and Holiness If then after all the Revelation and Discovery which God has made of his Son Christ Jesus and of the Way that leads to eternal Salvation by him Persons remain willingly ignorant of him and their Duty to him Where shall they appear And how shall they escape Revel 1. Verse 5 6. Now unto him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father To Him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen The CLOSE THE design of the foregoing Notes upon the Holy Evangelists being to recommend the Instructive Life of our blessed Redeemer to our Observation and Imitation Altho' I have upon all occasions propounded his Example to be followed by us in all the steps of an Imitable Vertue as the matter every where occur'd yet adjudging it may be profitable to sum up together the several Graces and Vertues which were so Orient in the Life of Christ that having them daily before our Eyes we may be continually correcting and reforming of our Lives by that blessed Pattern I shall therefore briefly offer at it Because Nothing is so proper to form us to Holiness as the Example of the Mediatour it being absolutely perfect and thoroughly Accommodate to our present state there is no Example of any meer Man that is to be followed without limitation But the Life of Christ was as the purest Gold without the least Allay His conversation was a living Law and Christianity which is the Best and Holiest Institution in the World is nothing else but a Conformity to his Precepts and Pattern The Universal Command of the whole Gospel is this To walk as Christ walked This denotes a sincere intention design and endeavour to imitate and follow him in all the paths of Holiness and Obedience Particularly let us imitate Jesus I. IN his early Piety We find him at Twelve Years Old about his Father's Business sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing and asking them Questions See on St. Luke 2.46.47 An early Piety gives both the Person and the Service a peculiar preheminency no Comfort in Life no Happiness in Death like the Happiness and Comfort of being good betimes II. In his Obedience to his Earthly Parents See on St. Luke 2.51 He went down to Nazareth and was subject to them He paid Homage to the Womb that bare him and to his supposed and reputed Father that provided for him let a Person be never so high above others he is still below his Parents if the Highest upon Earth think their Parents beneath them and themselves above their Parents Commands Our Saviour did not so what shall we think of those Monsters of Ingratitude the Reproach of Humane Nature who are ashamed to own their Parents because of their Poverty or despise them because of the Infirmities of their Age. Prov. 23.22 Hearken to thy Father that begat thee and despise not thy Mother when she is old III. In his unwearied Diligence in doing Good Acts 10.38 Who went about doing good This was his Meat and Drink by Day his Rest and Sleep by Night He fed the Hungry cloathed the naked visited the Sick was Eyes to the Blind Feet to the Lame and Administred to such as were in Necessities and Streights And he has declared that he will Judg us at the great Day according to our imitation of him in doing good to all Mankind See the Notes on S. Math. 25. Ten last Verses IV. In his Humility and lowliness of Mind Math. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart witness his stooping to the meanest Office even that of washing his Disciples Feet S. John 13.5 He that came in the form of a Servant performs the Office of the meanest Servant to his Disciples And all this was to set us an Example of mutual Condescension each to other if I your Lord and Master have washed your Feet you ought also to wash one anothers Feet which Precept tho' it doth not bind us to the same Action yet it obliges us to the same Condescension Namely to think no Office of Love beneath us which the necessities of our Brother call for from us V. In the Vnblameableness and Inoffensiveness of his Life and Actions He injured none and justly offended none but was Harmless as well as Holy he wrought a Miracle to pay Tribute Money rather than give occasion of Offence to the Government See on Math. 19.27 Accordingly let us be Harmless and Blameless Wise as Serpents and Innocent as Doves Piety without Policy is too simple to be safe Policy without Piety is too subtile to be good VI. In his Eminent Self-Denial He emptied himself and became poor when he was Rich as God from all Eternity He impoverish'd himself by becoming Man Oh! what did he not deny when he left the Bosom of his Father with the ineffable Delights and Pleasures which he there enjoyed from all Eternity And instead thereof to Drink the Cup the Bitter Cup of his Father's wrath for our sake Lord how can we enough abase our selves for thee who thus deniedst thy self for us VII In his contentment in a low and mean Condition in this World Yea in a Suffering and Afflicted Condition he would not honour the World so far as to have any part of it in his own hand was therefore of himself less provided of comfortable accommodations than the Birds of the Air or the Beasts of the Field See Luke 9.58 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head Let us learn from him to manage an afflicted Condition with a contented Spirit let there be no murmurings complaints or foolish chargings of God heard from us whatever straits or Troubles we may be brought into but in whatsoever state we are let us be therewith content Phil. 4.11 VIII In his frequent performance of the Duty of private Prayer and Fasting he sometimes spent a whole Night in Prayer Luke 6.12 He went into a Mountain to Pray and continued all Night in Prayer to God And Mark 1.35 In the morning rising up a great while before Day he went into a solitary place and prayed It is certain we have much more business with Almighty God in Prayer than Christ had he had no Sins to Confess no wants of Grace to make known yet did he delight with frequency and fervency to perform this Homage to his Heavenly Father Lord how doth thy Zeal and forwardness condemn our remisness and lukewarmness in praying to our heavenly Father IX In his Affectionate performance of the Duty of Praise and Thanksgiving Our blessed Saviour was a great Pattern of Thankfulness Matth. 11.25 I thank thee Oh Father Lord of Heaven and Earth c. John 11.41 Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me when he was to eat common Bread he received it with Thanksgiving What
That is Thou sparest none but tellest all Men of their Faults XIX In his Vniversal Obedience to his Father's Will and chearful Submission to his Father's Pleasure He obeyed the Will of his Father Universally Voluntarily Sincerely and with a single Eye at his Glory perseveringly and to the End and as he was so must we be faithful to the Death if ever we expect the Crown of Life And in like manner did he submit to the Will of his Providence Father not as I will but as thou wilt not my will but thine be done O let us keep this Example continually before us and every day obey the will of God's Precept universally And submit to the Will of his Providence very chearfully this is Heaven on Earth XX. In his Love and Practice of Universal Holiness both in Heart and Life He was Holy in his Nature Holy in his Principle and Motives Holy in his Aim and Ends he was perfectly Holy precisely Holy uniformly Holy exemplarily Holy he delighted only in holy Persons and holy Things it concerns us to imitate him herein if ever we expect to be where he is Heaven is the habitation of Holiness the company is Holy the imployment Holy the enjoyments Holy no unclean Thing can enter into Heaven or could be Happy in Heaven Heaven is rather a Nature than a place 'T is not the place of Heaven can make us Happy but the Disposition and Temper of our Minds in Heaven without Conformity to the Nature of God there can be no Communion with him nor Delight in him what a discourteous Courtesie would it be to turn a filthy Swine into a Garden of curious Flowers to lodge it in a Bed of sweet Perfumes to bath it in a clear and Crystal Fountain Alas its unclean Temper and sordid Inclinations would rather choose to lie down in a Kennel and to wallow in the Mire its proper Element Thus unsuitable would Heaven be that place of greatest Happiness be the greatest Vneasiness to an unholy Heart Let us then Pray and Endeavour that the Temper of our Minds and the Actions of our Lives may be a lively Transcript of the Mind and Life of the Holy Jesus that we may be like him in Purity and Holiness in Justice and Righteousness in Patience and Meekness in Charity and Universal Goodness That as he was we may be in the World Holy Humble Harmless Heavenly Minded glorifying God on Earth that we may be glorified with him and by him in his Eternal Kingdom Yet before I close this Exhortation to an Imitation of Jesus I must subjoin this cautionary Direction Take heed that you do not so imitate Christ for your Pattern as to disown him for your Priest This is the dangerous Error of those who affirm that the great End of Christ's Death was to give the World an Example of Patience Humility Meekness and the fore-mentioned Christian Graces and that his Sufferings were Exemplary but not properly Satisfactory We acknowledge that Christ's giving us an Example was one End of his coming into the World and Dying for us but not the great End A Subordinate End but not the Vltimate God preserve us from the Contagion of this growing Error other Errors only scratch the Face but this stabs the Heart of the Christian Religion in that it deprives us of the choicest Benefit of Christ's Death namely The Expiation of Sin by a proper Satisfaction to the Justice of God But blessed be God we have not so learned Christ as we are Taught so we Believe that the Holy Jesus by the Sacrifice of his Death has Redeemed us from Death and Hell and Saved us from Wrath to come by a full and adequate payment to Divine Justice and by the Redundancy of his Merit has purchased an Eternal Inheritance for us and as we are Taught and Believe so we Pray Almighty God who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both a Sacrifice for Sin and also an Example of Godly Life Give us Grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable Benefit and also daily endeavour our selves to follow the blessed Steps of his most Holy Life through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Almighty and everlasting God who of thy tender Love towards Mankind hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our Flesh and to suffer Death upon the Cross that all Mankind should follow the Example of his great Humility Mercifully grant that we may both follow the Example of his Patience and also be made Partakers of his Resurrection through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS Advertisements BOOKS published by Mr. WILLIAM BURKITT and printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside THE Poor Man's Help and Young Man's Guide Containing I. Doctrinal Instructions for the right Informing of his Judgment II. Practical Directions for the General Course of his Life III. Particular Advices for the Well-managing of every Day With reference to his 1. Natural Actions 2. Civil Imployments 3. Necessary Recreations 4. Religious Duties Particularly I. Prayer Publick in the Congregation Private in the Family Secret in the Closet II. Reading the Holy Scriptures III. Hearing of the Word Preached IV. Receiving of the Lord's Supper Unto which is added An Earnest Exhortation unto all Christians to the Love and Practice of Universal Holiness The Fourth Edition An Argumentative and Practical Discourse of Infant-Baptism In which I. The Lawfulness of Infant-Baptism is Demonstrated II. The Objections against Infant-Baptism are Answered III. The Usefulness of the Ordinance is Asserted IV. The Sinfulness of Re-baptizing Manifested V. The Non-necessity of Dipping Evidenced VI. The Practical Use of Infant-Baptism Urged and Inforced The Second Edition A Sermon at the Funeral of the Reverend Mr. William Gurnall THE Works of the late Reverend and Learned William Bates D. D. In one large Volume in Folio Viz. 1. Of the Existence of God the Immortality of the Soul and the Divinity of the Christian Religion 2. The Harmony of the Divine Attributes 3. The Great Duty of Resignation 4. The Danger of Prosperity 5. Sermons of the Forgiveness of Sins 6. The Sure Trial of Uprightness 7. The Four Last Things viz. Death Judgment Heaven and Hell In which his Book called The Final Happiness of Man is included 8. Of Spiritual Perfection 9. Eleven Sermons on several Occasions 10. A Sermon upon the Death of Queen Mary 11. A Funeral Sermon on Dr. Manton 12. A Funeral Sermon on Dr. Jacomb 13. A Funeral Sermon on Mr. Baxter With his Life 14. A Funeral Sermon on Mr. Clarkson 15. A Funeral Sermon on Mr. Benjamin Ashurst To which are added Two Discourses never before publish'd being exactly taken in Short-hand and Approv'd by the Author in his Life-time viz. 16. A Discourse on Divine Meditation 17. A Discourse on the Fear of God c. With an Alphabetical Table to the Whole As likewise The Author's Effigies curiously Engrav'd by Mr. Robert White from an Original of Sir Godfrey Kneller And some Account of his Life and Character in a Funeral Sermon preach'd by the Reverend Mr. Howe Printed for Johnathan Robinson at the Golden-Lyon in St. Paul's Church-Yard There will be speedily publish'd A Catechetical Course of Sermons for the whole Year Being an Explanation of the Church-Catechism in Fifty Two Distinct Discourses on so many several Texts of Scripture Wherein are Briefly contained the most Necessary Points of Christian Doctrine in Two Volumes in Octavo With an Alphabetical Index to each Volume Recommended Especially for the Use of Families By Peter Newcome M. A. and Vicar of Aldenham in Hertford-shire Printed for John Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-Yard
and holiest of Christians there remains much Corruption to be purged out in order to future and farther fruitfulness Learn 6. That the Husbandman's hand God the Father's manages the pruning Knife of Affliction in order to his Peoples improvement in Grace and Holiness he had rather see his Vine Bleed than see it Barren Lastly That such Branches as after all the Husbandman's Care and Cost remain unfruitful shall be finally cut off and cast away as was Judas here who in this Discourse of our Saviour seems particularly and especially to be aimed at He was a Branch in him that bare no Fruit who was shortly after taken away and went to his own place 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you 4 Abide in me and I in you As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me 5 I am the vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Our Saviour having in the former Verses distinguished his Disciples into two sorts some that were Members of his Body the Church and Branches of him the true Vine by outward shew and visible profession only others that are spiritually ingrafted into him and do bring forth much fruit now in this third Verse Christ tells his Disciples which number they were of Now saith he ye are clean thro' the word which I have spoken unto you that is Now that Judas the Traitour that Dead Rotten fruitless Branch is cut off and cast out ye are all clean thro' the cleansing Power and Vertue of my Word and Doctrine Learn hence 1. That such as are justified by the Blood and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ are in Christ's Account clean notwithstanding their many spots and manifold imperfections Now are ye clean 2. That as the Blood of Christ is the meritorious and the Spirit of Christ the efficacious so the word of Christ is the Instrumental cause of a Believer's Purification and Cleansing Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Abide in me and I in you That is Abide in me and I will abide in you Abide in me not only by an outward and visible Profession but by a real and fiducial Adherence and I will abide in you by the influences and operations of my Holy Spirit The Union and Conjunction between Christ and his Members is mutual they abide in him by Faith and dependance and he abides in them by the indwelling presence of his Grace and Spirit Abide in me and I will abide in you Observe Farther the Reason which Christ gives why they should thus abide in him because without Union with him without interest in him without influences of Grace derived from him they could bring forth no fruit for him nor do any thing that is truly acceptable and well-pleasing to him As the Branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me for without me ye can do nothing That is As brances sever'd from the Vine cannot live nor bear Fruit so neither can Christians separated from Christ and without deriving vertue from him do any thing spiritually good and well-pleasing in the sight of God Learn hence That not only unregenerate Men do labour under an impotency to that which is spiritually good but even Disciples themselves without daily dependance upon Christ and without constant communications of Grace from him can do nothing in a lively and acceptable way and manner unto him without me Ye can do nothing you that are Branches of me the true Vine 6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Here our Holy Lord discovers the sad and deplorable Condition of such professors who pretending Relation to Christ do yet bring forth no fruit unto him he calls them wither'd Branches fit only for the Fire Learn hence That such as have had a long standing in God's Vineyard and contented themselves with a withered profession they are in great danger of having God's blasting added to their Barrenness All their parts and gifts and common Graces will wither and their fair Blossoms of Profession will drop off and at the great Day the Angels will gather these fruitless Branches together and cast them into Hell fire 7 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you Observe here 1. A glorious priviledge declared Ask what ye will it shall be done unto you Not that we are hereby warranted to ask what we please at God's hand but our Will must be limited by the Word and Will of God we must pray in Faith and in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ and with a single Eye at the Glory of God Observe 2. The Condition upon which this priviledge is attainable If ye abide in me and my word abide in you that is practically and experimentally If my Doctrine and Commands abide in your Hearts and dispose you to an Holy fruitfulness in your Lives then shall all your just requests be granted Learn That such as by Faith embrace the Promises and by Obedience live up to the Precepts of the Gospel may in Prayer humbly ask of God what they will with a due Submission to the Wisdom and Will of God 8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples Our Lord here exhorts his Followers to an Holy fruitfulness in good works by a double Argument One drawn from the Glory of God Herein is my Father glorified The other from their own Advantage so shall ye be my Disciples That is hereby ye shall evidence and prove your selves to be my Disciples Learn hence That a Christian's abounding fruitfulness in good works will abundantly conduce to the Honour and Glory of God and also to his own Peace and Comfort by being the best evidence of his Discipleship 9 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love Lord What a comparison is here As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you he doth not say as the Father hath loved me so have I loved him but so have I loved you nor doth he say as God hath loved me so have I loved you but As the Father it is verbum dilectionis a word importing dearness of Affection nor doth he say the Father hath loved me and I love you but as the Father hath loved me so have I loved you nor doth he say as the Father hath loved me so will I love you but so have I loved you This shews the priority of Christ's love that he loved us first and also denotes the invincible constancy of his love and
the indubitable certainty thereof I have loved you Follow me from Heaven to Earth and from Earth to Heaven again and you will find that every step I have taken hath been in love Learn 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ has given full and ample Demonstration of his great and wonderful love unto his Church and People 2. That it is the Duty and ought to be the singular care of every Christian to preserve the sweet sense and inward diffusions of Christ's love in their own Souls Continue ye in my love 10 If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love Christ had told his Disciples in the foregoing Verse That he had loved them even as the Father had loved him That is with an eternal love with a real and operative love with an immutable and constant love In this Verse he directs them how they may continue in the sense of his Love Namely By their constant Obedience to his Commands as his Obedience to his Father's Commands had secured him a continuance in his Father's Love If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love That is in the sense of my Love and under the sweet apprehensions of it Learn hence That as our Obedience to Christ is the best Evidence of our Love to him so is it the best means to preserve and keep us in the sense and assurance of his Love to us 11 These thing have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full In these words our Saviour declares the Ground and Reason why he did so vehemently press and urge the Duty of being universally fruitful upon his Disciples and that was twofold 1. That his joy might remain in them That is That the joy which he had in their Holiness and Obedience might remain with him nothing is more desired by Christ than that he may have cause continually to rejoyce in the Faith and fruitfulness of his People 2. That their joy in him might be full This latter arises from the former our joy in Christ results from Christ's joy in us his delight in us causes us abundantly to delight in him Learn hence That nothing is more desired by Christ than that the joy of his People should be a full solid constant and uninterrupted joy 2. That the only way and means in order thereunto is by an Holy fruitfulness in good works All these things have I spoken unto you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy might be full 12 This is my commandment That ye love one another as I have loved you Our Lord had often in this farewel Sermon of his to his dear Disciples pressed upon them the Duty of loving one another ch 13 and 14. And yet here he enforces it again from his own Example As I have loved you so love you one another that is as truly and as sincerely for the manner tho' not to the same proportion and degree Learn hence That for the Disciples of Christ to love one another upon such grounds and in such a way as he loved them is that which his heart greatly desires and is very much set upon 2. That Christ's love unto Believers is both an obligation unto mutual love and also a pattern and example for it This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you 13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends Here our Saviour gives his Disciples an Evidence of the greatness of his love unto them Namely In his readiness to lay down his Life for them which is the highest expression of Love to our dearest Friends because Life is the greatest earthly blessing Learn hence That Christ's Love in laying down his Life for his People was a matchless Love for whilst they were Enemies to him he had a friendly respect for them and never ceased till he had brought them into a covenant of friendship with himself 14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Here Christ invites his People to Obedience by the honourable title of Friends Ye are my Friends 1. Actively you will declare and manifest your selves to be my Friends 2. Passively I will declare my self to be your Friend Learn hence 1. How condescending is the Love of Christ in calling his Servants by the name of Friends 2. How glorious is the Believer's Relation to Christ in being one of his Friends 3. How grateful is Obedience to Christ seeing it dignifies the Practisers of it with the Title of his Friends 4. Our Conformity to Christ consists not so much in imitation of what he did as in Obedience to what he prescrib'd Some Actions of Christ are unimitable but all his Commands are obeyable 5. That nothing short of an humble uniform chearful and constant Obedience to the Commands of Christ will Evidence the Truth of our Relation to him and the sincerity of our friendship with him Then only are ye my friends when you do whatever I command you 15 Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you By these words Christ declares the Reason why he was pleased to change his stile and call his Disciples Friends instead of Servants Namely Because of his Communication of Secrets to them which Servants are not admitted to the knowledge of Henceforth I call you not Servants that is not meer Servants not that they were to be exempted from Obedience for that is called for in the foregoing Verse but Christ treated them now with the kindness and familiarity of Friends being about to leave them he unbosoms himself unto them saying All things that I have heard of my father I have made known unto you Not as if Christ had communicated the infinite Treasures of knowledge to them which the Father had imparted to him but he speaks here as the Prophet of his Church that as such he had revealed all things needful for them to know in order to Salvation all things belonging to their Case and State as a Counsellour doth not impart all his knowledg to his Clients but all that is necessary for his Client to understand and know that he makes known unto him relating to his own Case Learn hence 1. That all Christ's Disciples are his Servants and all his Servants are his Friends in regard of intimate Communion and tender usage Henceforth I call you not servants but friends And after his Resurrection he called them Brethren John 20.17 The Dignity of Believers is a growing Dignity the longer they follow Christ the higher priviledges are indulged to them Learn 2. That all the Fathers counsel concerning our Salvation and so far as it is needful and necessary for us to know is faithfully revealed