embrace him as such for they acknowledge him the King of Israel This he will have proclaimed in the world oppose who will Ps 2.7 compare ch 1.49 10. It doth commend Christ unto his people that he comes with his Fathers power and authority being approved and upheld by him in hiâ— Kingdome So that all who embrace him will finde the Father well-pleased in him for this addeth to the joy and acclamation He is the King of Israel that cometh in the Name of the Lord and upon this followeth peace in heaven or betwixt God in heaven and us Luke 19.38 11. Christ is a King perfectly blessed in himself and a fountaine of blessiâ—g to all his â—ubjects and he is to be proclaimed and commended as such for blessed is the King of Israel c. So Ps 72 15. and 118.26 It is he in whom all families of the earth are blessed Gen. 12.3 and in whom they should blesse themselves Gen. 22.18 as it is in the original 12. It is the duty of all such as love Christ heaâ—â—â—ly to wish and pray for the prosperity of his Kingdom for they cried Hosanna as wishing safety and successe to him and his Kingdome Verse 14. And Jesus when he had found a young asse sate thereon as it is written 15. Feare not daughter of Sion behold thy King cometh sitting on an asses colt In these verses we have Christs part and action in this triumph to wit that an asse being provided for him he rode thereupon to accomplish that prediction Zech. 9 9. of which I have spoken in its proper place Albeit this be recorded here after the other of the peoples acclamations and it is probable the people were come to him on the way to the mount of Olives or at least were coming on the way before he sent for the asse Matth. 21.1 2. yet it is certaine that he was riding before these acclamations were Doct. 1. When Christ manifests most of his glory in the world he will have it seen that his Kingdome is not of this world for in all this pomp he rides but on a young asse and that a borrowed one without any furniture save his disciples cloaths and accompanied but with a traine of base people and children all which might appear but very ignominious to a carnal eye 2. We are not to carve out the glory of Christs Kingdome by our carnal conceptions and imaginations but by his own Word for whatever ignominy appear here yet it is glorious and greater glory then any we could devise in so farre as it agreeth with Scripture and fore-going prophesies 3. Christs Kingdome is so great a stranger to carnal glory and pomp that any mean splendour is very much in it for this also takes off the ignominy that this was much glory and state to him who never used to ride before 4. Albeit Christ became poore for us yet he wanted not any thing as he needed it that so he might teach his people what care he will have of them for albeit he possessed not so much as an asse yet when he needed he found a young asse c or obtained the use of it from the owner 5. Christ is a faithful observer of al that is written to see it duly performed for he did all this to accomplish what is written 6. The encouragements of the Gospel are not held out unto men to cherish security but to be an antidote against all their fears and discouragements for the scope of the allowance Zech. 6.10 to rejoyce shout is here summed up in this fear not 7. Albeit men do not reach the height of coâ—solation and joy allowed in Christ yet they are to blesse him in so far as they are keeped from crushing fear for so much also may be gathered from these two places compared They rejoyce in so farre as they feare not 8. Christ is Zions King who will respect her and see her comforted though all the world biside should sink for it is to the daughter of Zion this encouragement is given from her King 9. Whatever be Zions perplexities yet in Christ there is a remedy against all she can feel or fear fear not daughter of Zion thy King cometh 10. It is the Churchâ—s comfort that Christ is a King to her That he cometh to her and seeks her to do her good and that after long expectation he will at last come to give her actual enjoyment All these are imported in this encouragement Thy King cometh He leaves heaven to seek her on earth and is now not held out in the promise as coming but is actually come unto her 11 Christ in his Kingdome and glory is adorned with me knelle and lowlinesse And this is the comfort of his subjects that they have to do with such a one for this addeth to the comfort Thy King cometh sitting on an asses colt 12. As Christs love and condescendence â—s admirable in it self and to be admired by all who see it so even the Church hath need to be stirred up to take notice of this as becometh Theâ—efore a behold is prefixed to this to point out how admirable this is in it selfe and yet how dull Zion is in remarking it till she be stirred up and excited to it Verse 16. These things understood not his disciples at the first but when Jesus was glorified then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him In this verse John omitting what is recorded of the disciples part in this triumph by the other Evangelists doth not only record their not understanding at present that which themselves or others were doing till after the glorification of Christ that the Spirit was poured out and then it was brought to their remembrance that this had been fore-prophesied and accordingly had been performed Whence learn 1. Men may be in the midst of great mercies and actings and may not only be witnesses of the Lords working and the works of others but even actors themselves in that which for the time they do little or nothing understand for These things understood not the disciples at the first Men have much brutish ignorance fed with inadvertency and may be little expecting the things that God is doing in such a time or case Gen. 16.13 and 28.16 and therefore do not discern them 2. When the Lords people are ignorant and under a cloud he useth not to take advantage of them but can guide them as â—ight as may be so that a back-look thereunto when they get light will be â—weeâ— unto them for in all this they act as rightly as if they had understood and afterward they find that what was written of him they had done unto him See Psal 73.21 23 24. 3. However the Lord for a time suffer his people to lie under clouds and ignorant of what he or they are doing yet in due time he will clear them in so far as is needful for afterward they remembred
judging of men as in all other works and the Father is still with him as being of the same essence and as with his Ambassadour and servant acting according to his instructions Therefore saith he I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me where he proves the Fathers conjunction with him from his being his Father by eternal generation and from his sending of him 4 Christs union with the Father in judging is an infallible proofe that he cannot erre in that work It being impossible that he who is God one with the Father and who in all things walks according to his Fathers instructions should erre in any of his testimonies or records Therefore is it given as a reason why his judgement is true for I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me From verse 17 18. Learn 1. The Laws given by God do not serve for rules to direct or binde him who is supreme and above all Law but to be a rule and direction to these to whom they are given Therefore it is called your law not that they were the penmen or prescribers of it nor yet only because they gloried of it albeit they did little regard it in practice but because it was given for their use and direction 2. It is the will of God that as men should not be rash in private judging so in publike contraversies they should not proceed to judgement upon every report or single testimony but at least the matter must be proven by two witnesses for saith he It is written in your Law that the testimony of two men is true Not that necessarily every thing that is deponed by two witnesses is true for false witnesses may conspire to assert an untruth 1 Kings 21.13 Matth. 26.60 Acts 6.11 13. But the meaning of the Law is that at least there shall be no fewer testimonies to prove any thing And as great care should be had in examining witnesses to finde out if there be any falshood wherein even in persecuting of Christ the Pharisees were exact Marke 14.55 56. and for more security the Jewes put the witnesses to confirme their testimony by being first in executing the sentence Deut. 17.6 7. So where two witnesses concurre in one testimony the matter is to be accounted legally true and proven albeit the witnesses should lie 3. Albeit Christ as God be above Law yet his wayes are so just that the Law can have no just exception against him Therefore doth he confirme his assertion from their own Law For if the testimony of two men who are fallible and may deceive doth suffice to prove a matter to be true how much more is he to be credited who is witnessed unto by the Father and by himselfe as God witnessing of himselfe as man and Mediatour seeing these witnesses are truth it selfe who cannot lie nor be byassed 4. The truth of Christs offers unto lost sinners is so abundantly confirmed by unquestionable witnesses that none can call them in question without egregious wrong done to God So much also may be gathered from this double witnesse of himselfe and the Father that sent him 5. The Father and the Sonne albeit one and undivided in essence and operation yet are distinct persons and did distinctly bear witnesse in this testimonie concerning the man Christ and his offers as Mediatour for saith he I am one that bear witnesse of my selfe and the Father that sent me beareth witnesse of me Verse 19. Then said they unto him Where is thy Father Jesus answered Yee neither know me nor my Father if ye had known me ye should have known my Father also As before they carped at his testimony concerning himselfe so now little regarding what he said they carp at his other witnesse desiring to know who his Father was For they alleaging he had none but Joseph would look upon him to be as unfit a witnesse as they conceived himselfe to be or if he should call God his Father that would waken the old quarrel Chap. 5. 18 But Christ doth not stand to answer their question but declares they were both ignorant of the Father and him and ignorant of the Father because they knew not him Whence learn 1. Let truth be never so clearly held forth yet without the power of grace enemies will not be gained thereby but they will still jangle and set their wit and parts on work to finde out new cavils for so do they here all the fruit of Christs doctrine on them is a new taunting question where is thy Father 2. Where there is greatest conceit of parts and abilities there is ordinarily greatest real ignorance especially of saving truths in a saving manner for these great Rabbi's who think themselves able enough to hold up the debate with Christ yet this sentence from him ye neither know me nor my Father 3. Albeit the Father and the Sonne be two distinct persons Yet they are undivided in essence so that the one cannot be known without the other And particularly albeit devils may beleeve there is a deitie and tremble Jam. 2.19 and albeit Jewes and others may have some notions of him as Creatour of the world Yet there is no saving knowledge of God but in Christ Joh. 17.3 Therefore saith he ye neither know me nor my Father and particularly he asserts their ignorance of the Father because they knew not him 4. The divine nature did so evidently shine in the Sonne that whosoever knew what a deitie was might have seen it in him and whosoever took up his deitie were thereby forthwith led to know the deitie of the Father for saith he if ye had known me ye should have known the Father also And herein Gods gracious condescendence is to be seen who since his divine nature could not be comprehended nor taken up by us was pleased to reveal and manifest himselfe in his own Sonne the expresse image of his person cloathed with our flesh and to hold out this mirrour unto us in that word which is neare unto us and which doth prevent our anxious thoughts about ascending up to heaven or descending down unto the deep Romans 10.6 7 8. Ver. 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 In this verse we have a conclusion subjoyned to this first conference wherein it is declared that however he spake thus boldly and that in a place of the Temple where they had him as in a net and how ever their rage was great against him Yet none of them meddled with him God so ordering the matter because his time of suffering was not yet come As for this place the Treasury the Jewes had a chest in Joash his time wherein they received the peoples collections as they entred into the Temple 2 Chron. 24.8 c. and it seems they continued this practice afterward Mark 12.41 Luk. 21.1 But this was a room or chamber
hanged up nailed to the Crosse to continue in pain for a long time and his wounds continually widening by the weight of his body till he died we are taught what the bitter fruit of sin is how great his love was that did submit to endure this sharp and long continuing pain and how we are bound to look on him whom we have pierced till our hearts be pierced and bleed again 4 His being fastned and continuing there upon the Crosse for a space before he died may teach how resolute he was to endure that assault till justice were satisfied That he kept and stood in the field there to endure the uttermost that enemies could do against the work of Redemption and to grapple with all of them till they had no more to say against his people and That he would give a proof how certainly he is to be found at his Crosse with stretched-out armes ready to receive all them who seek for life in him and through his death 5. His being lifted up thus nailed to the Crosse may teach partly That we deserved no room neither in heaven nor earth and therefore our Surety was lifted up betwixt both and hence also was the Sun darkned as for other causes so to shew that we deserve not so much as that the Sun should shine upon us and partly That his suffering was indeed his exaltation he was lifted up in it by triumphing over his enemies there and he is exalted in the world as crucified Doct. 9. Albeit Christ in his own person was the spotlesse Lamb of God yet so hainous and so many were the sins of the Elect charged upon him that in divine Providence he is not only reckoned among transgressours Isa 53.12 but as the chief of them Therefore it is so ordered that he is crucified and other two with him and Jesus in the midst as the most notable of them And this may teach the Elect not to mince or extenuate their own sins which were charged on Christ as so odious 10. Christ was content to be accounted and undergo the lot of a malefactour not only that he might free us who were indeed evil-doers but that he might sanctifie unto his people their being looked upon and intreated as evil-doers Therefore also was he crucified in such company Verse 19. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the Crosse And the writing was JESVS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWES 20. This title then read many of the Jewes for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the City and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latine 21. Then said the chief Priests of the Jewes to Pilate Write not The King of the Jewes but that he said I am King of the Jewes 22. Pilate answered What I have written I have written The third branch of this part of the chapter contains the title put by Pilate upon Christs Crosse and his declining to alter it at the Jewes desire In all which we are not only to look upon Pilate as following the Romane custome in publishing the faults of condemned and execute malefactours and as affronting the Jewes who had so impudently urged him to crucifie Christ but we are to look to God also who by this title would have him proclaimed the true King of Israel Whence learn 1. It is a good use to be made of the cutting off of delinquents that justice be cleared and the guilty ashamed and that others be warned to fear for upon these grounds it was a commendable practice in it self that a title was put upon the Crosse of malefactours containing their crime and the cause of their death and that it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latine that all present of different Nations and Languages might reade and understand it 2. Christ hath sanctified his peoples being unjustly condemned as traitours by suffering upon that account and by having this title written over his head The King of the Jews 3. Christs intended shame doth tend to the real manifestation of his glory for Pilate set up this title to brand him as an affecter of a worldly Kingdome but hereby God would have it proclaimed that he is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jewes That he is a King in the midst of his sufferings That he did indeed triumph in them spoiling Satan and converting one of them that was crucified with him and That the glory of this suffering King should be conspicuous and acknowledged in all Nations of all Languages as this title was written in the three principal Languages 4. Inveterate and violent enemies against Christ shall meet with perpetual reproach never to be wiped off for therefore doth Pilate write him the King of the Jewes and that in three languages that they reading it as it is v. 20. might reade their own reproach in having one who was called King of their Nation crucified and that in Gods holy Providence it might be their perpetual reproach to have crucified him who was indeed their King 5. The Lord leaveth cruel persecutors to be ambitious and tender of their own credit when he is to affront them that as they have served themselves of their lusts and idols so he also may serve himself of them to make them the more sensible of their affronts therefore it is marked that when they read this title the crosse being near the City v. 20. their ambition renders the affront of this more grievous to them and they desire to have it altered Then said the chief Priests of the Jewes to Pilate write not the King of the Jewes but that he said I am the King of the Jewes 6. Such as are not tender of Gods honour and of Christ and his interest in the world God in his justice will be little tender of them their idols and interests when they come to be rubbed upon for in this answer of Pilate What I have written I have written we are not only to look to Pilate as cleaving to their Romane customes which did not admit that their publike Programmes or Tables should be altered after they were published nor yet only as requiting them with inexotablenesse who had been so inexorable to his desire of releasing Christ But we are chiefly to look to the hand of God who will not have their ambition satisfied nor allow any tendernesse in the matter of their supposed credit who had so cruelly pursued Christ to death 7. Gods decree concerning the Kingdome of Christ is immutable nor will he have the glory of it obscured or born down by any opposition for so much also doth this answer of Pilate point out that as Christ was the King of the Jewes however they fretted so the Lord in his Providence would not have the publication thereof on the Crosse hindered by any entreaty of theirs and therefore Pilate is over-ruled to answer What I have written I have written Verse 23. Then the souldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and