all sides by Reviling Tongues Why should we expect better Treatment than the Son of GOD 25 And Jesus knew their thought and said unto them Every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against it self shall not stand 26 And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his kingdom stand 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils by whom do your children cast them out therefore they shall be your judges 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house 30 He that is not with me is against me and he rhat gathereth not with me scattereth abroad Our Blessed Saviour to clear his Innocency and to convince the Pharisees of the Unreasonableness of this their Calumny and False Accusations offers several Arguments to their Consideration 1. That it was very unlikely that Satan should lend him this Power to use it against himself As Satan has a Kingdom so he has Wit enough to preserve his Kingdom and will do nothing to weaken his own Interest Now if I have received my Power from Satan for Destroying him and his Kingdom then is Satan divided against himself 2. Our Saviour tells them they might with as much Reason attribute all Miracles to the Devil as those that were wrought by Him There were certain Jews amongst themselves who cast out Devils in the Name of the GOD of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Christ asks the Pharisees By what Power these their Children Cast them out They acknowledged that those did it by the Power of GOD and there was no Cause but their Malice why they should not acknowleledge that what he did was by the same Power If I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the Kingdom of God is come unto you that is the Messias is come because he wrought these Miracles to prove that he was the Messias 3. Another Argument to prove That the Miracles which Christ wrought were by the Power of God and not by the Help of Satan is this The Devil is very strong and powerful and there is no Power but God's only that is stronger than his Now says Christ if I were not assisted by a Divine Power I could never cast out this strong Man who reigns in the World as in his House It must be a stronger than the strong Man that shall bind Satan and who is he but the GOD of Strength 31 Wherefore I say unto you All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Obs 1. How our Saviour makes a Difference betwixt speaking against the Son of Man and speaking against the Holy Ghost By Speaking against the Son of Man is meant all those Reproaches which were cast upon our Saviour's Person as Man without reflecting upon his Divine Power as GOD which he testified by his Miracles Such were their reproaching him with the Meaness of his Birth their censuring him for a Winebibber and a Glutton and the like But by Speaking against the Holy Ghost is meant their Blaspheming and Reproaching that Divine Power whereby he wrought his Miracles which was an immediate Reflection upon the Holy Spirit and a Blaspheming of him Observe 2. The Nature of this Sin of Speaking against the Holy Ghost It consisted in this that the Pharisees seeing our Saviour work Miracles and cast out Devils by the Spirit of God contrary to the Conviction of their own Minds they maliciously ascribe his Miracles to the Power of the Devil charging him to be a Sorcerer and Magician and to have a Familiar Spirit by whose Help he did those Mighty Works when in truth he did them by the Spirit of God Observe 3. That this Sin above all others is called Unpardonable and upon what Account it is so The Case of such Blasphemers of the Holy Spirit is not only dangerous but desperate because they resist their last Remedy and oppose the best Means for their Conviction What can God do more to convince a Man that Jesus Christ is the True Messiah than to work â—â—â—â—cles to that purpose Now if when Men see plain Miracles wrought they will say it is not God that works them but the Devil as if Satan would conspire against himself and seek the Ruin of his own Kingdom There is no way left to convince such Persons but they must and will continue in their Opposition to Truth to their inevitable Condemnation 33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit These Words may either referr to the Pharisees or to Christ himself If to the Pharisees the Sence is You hypocritical Pharisees shew your selves what you are by your Words and Actions even as the Fruit sheweth what the Tree is If they referr to Christ then they are an Appeal to the Pharisees themselves to judge of our Saviour and his Doctrine by the Miracles which he wrought If he wrought by the Devil his Works would be as bad as the Devil 's but if his Works were good they must own them to be wrought by the Power of God The Expression implies That a Man may be known by his Actions as a Tree may be judged by his Fruit yet not by a single Action but by a Series of Actions not by a particular Act but by our general Course 34 O generation of vipers how can ye being evil speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Note here 1. The Fervency and Zeal of our Saviour's Spirit in the Compellation given to the Pharisees he calls them a Generation of Vipers intimating that they were a venemous and dangerous sort of Men. Learn thence That it is not always Railing and Indiscreet Zeal to call Wicked Men by such Names as their Sin deserves Obs farther From our Saviour's Saying that Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh that the Heart is the Fountain both of Words and Actions and according as the Heart is so are the Current of Mens Words and Actions either good or evil 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Obs here A double Treasure discovered in the Heart of Man 1. An Evil Treasure of Sin and Corruption both Natural and Acquired from whence proceeds Evil Things Now this is called a Treasure not for
rest in preaching and did with greater Zeal and Power sound forth the Doctrine of the Gospel like Thunder 20 And the multitude cometh together again so that they could not so much as eat bread 21 And when his friends heard of it they went out to lay hold on him for they said He is beside himself 22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said He hath Beelzebub and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils 23 And he called them unto him and said unto them in parables How can Satan cast out Satan 24 And if a kingdom be divided against it self that kingdom cannot stand 25 And if a house be divided against it self that house cannot stand 26 And if Satan rise up against himself and be divided he cannot stand but hath an end 27 No man can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he will first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house 28 Verily I say unto you All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost hath never forgiveness but is in danger of eternal damnation 30 Because they said He hath an unclean spirit Observe here 1. How truly our Lord's Word was verified John 4.34 My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me for he and his Apostles going into an House to refresh themselves in their Hunger the People press'd upon him so fast to hear the Word that he regards not the satisfying of his Hunger but applies himself to instruct the People Lord how exemplary was thy Zeal and Diligence in preaching the everlasting Gospel to a lost World As it is instructive to may it be imitated and followed by all thy Ambassadors Obs 2. The rash Censure of our Saviour's Friends that is his Kinsmen concerning this Action in neglecting to eat Bread and suffering the Multitude thus unseasonably to press upon him They conclude he is besides himself Out of his right Mind and accordingly went out to lay hold upon him Learn hence 1. That the forward Zeal and Diligence of Christ and his Ministers in preaching the Gospel is accounted Madness and Frenzy by a Blind World But they may say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.13 If we be besides our selves it is unto God But who were the Persons that thus look'd upon our Saviour as besides himself Verily his own Kindred and Relations according to the Flesh Learn thence That oft-times the Servants of God meet with the strongest Temptations from and are most discouraged and molested by such as are their nearest Relations by Blood or Alliance This is a great Trial to find our Relations setting us back instead of helping us forward in the ways of Religion but we must bear it patiently knowing that not only others of God's Children but Jesus Christ his own and only Son did experience this Trial. Observe 3. The malicious and wicked Slander which the Scribes endeavoured to fix upon our Blessed Saviour namely That he was possest of the Devil and by Familiarity with him and Help from him cast forth Devils out of others Good God! how was thine own and only Son the Holy and Innocent Jesus censured slandered and falsly accused of the worst of Crimes of Gluttony of Blasphemy of Sorcery Can any of thy Children expect Freedom from the Persecution of the Tongue when Innocency it self could not protect thy Holy Son from Slander and false Accusation Obs 4. Our Saviour's Answer and just Apology for himself in which are contained 1. A Confutation of their Calumny and Slander 2. A Reprehension of the Scribes for the same 1. To confute this Slander our Saviour by several Arguments shews how absurd and unlikely it is that the Devil should cast out himself and any ways oppose or seek to destroy his own Kingdom As if our Saviour had said Is it likely that Satan would â—end me his Power to use it against himself Surely Satan will do nothing to weaken his own Interest or shake the Pillars of his own Kingdom Now if I have received my Power from Satan for destroying him and his Kingdom Then is Satan like a Family divided within it self and like a Kingdom divided against it self which can never stand but be brought to Desolation Our Saviour having sufficiently shewn that he did not work his Miracles by the Power of the Devil he next informs them from whence he had that Power even from God himself and accordingly he compares Satan to a strong Man well-armed with Weapons to defend his House and he compares himself clothed with Divine Power to one that is stronger than the strong Man So that the Argument runs thus The Devil is very strong and powerful and there is no Power but God's only that is stronger than his If then says Christ I were not assisted with a Divine Power I could never cast out this strong Man who reigns in the Bodies and Souls of Men as in his House for it must be a stronger than the strong Man that shall bind Satan and who is he but the God of Strength Learn hence That Christ's Divine Power is only Superiour to Satan's Strength He only can vanquish and over-rule him at his Pleasure and drive him out of that Possession which he holds either in the Bodies or in the Souls of Men. Obs 5. The Charge which our Saviour brings against the Scribes and Pharisees for Blaspheming his Divine Power in working Miracles He charges them with sinning the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost All Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven but he that shall Blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never Forgiveness As if Christ had said All the Reproaches which you cast upon me as Man are pardonable as when you check me with the Poverty and Meaness of my Birth when you censure me for a Wine-bibber a Glutton a Friend and Companion of Sinners and the like unjust Crimes But when you Blaspheme that Divine Power by which all my Miracles are wrought and contrary to the Convictions of your own enlightned Minds maliciously ascribe all my Miracles to the Power of the Devil which were wrought indeed by the Power of the Holy Ghost this makes your Condition not only dangerous but desperate because you resist the last Remedy and oppose the best Means for your Conviction For what can be done more to convince you that I am the true and promised Messiah than to work so many Miracles before your Eyes to that Purpose Now if when you see these you will say it is not the Spirit of God that works these but the Power of the Devil as if Satan would conspire against himself and seek the Ruin of his own Kingdom there is no Way or Means left to convince you but you will continue in your Obstinacy and malicious Opposition to Truth to your unutterable and inevitable Condemnation 31 There came then his
give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth The design of our Blessed Saviour in these and the following Verses is to excite and stir up his Disciples to fervency importunity and constancy in the Duty of Prayer and to this purpose he makes use of a double Argument the one of a Friend and the other of a Father 1. He lays before them the Parable of a Friend coming to his Friend at Mid-night and by his importunity obtaining that of him which otherwise he must have gone without From whence our Lord leaves us to infer that if an impudent and bold Beggar can obtain so much from Man what cannot an humble earnest and daily Petitioner obtain from God What Friend so faithful and helpful to his dearest Friend as God is to us his Children From the whole Note 1. That a Man must be brought into a state of Friendship and Reconciliation with God if he hopes his Prayers shall be accepted 2. That when any of the Friends of God are in Necessities and Streights he allows them the liberty at all hours to call upon him and pray unto him at mid-night as well as at Mid-day God's ear is open to his Praying Friends 3. That Almighty God takes pleasure in being urged in Prayer by the Holy importunity of his Friends never is he better pleased then when his People with Holy Jacob Wrestle with him and will not let him go till he has blessed them 4. That such holy and humble importunity shall not only obtain what we desired but more then we expected only three Loaves were desired here but because of importunity he had as many as he needed more is given in the Concession than was desired in the Supplication 9 And I say unto you ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you 10 For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Our Saviour here goes on to urge us to importunity and constancy in Prayer he bids us ask seek and knock and assures us we shall be accepted heard and answered Here Note 1. That Man is a poor indigent Creature full of wants but unable to supply them 2. As Man is an indigent and insufficient Creature so God is an All-sufficient Good able to supply the Wants and to Relieve the Necessities of his Creatures 3. That All-mighty God stands ready to supply all our Wants not Temporal only but Spiritual also affording his Grace and the assistance of his holy Spirit to them that ask it 4. If therefore we want the Grace of God and the assistance of his Holy Spirit it is our own fault and not God's it is either for want of seeking or for want of earnestness in asking for our Saviour expresly assures us that God denies it to none but every one that asketh receiveth 11 If a Son shall ask Bread of any of you that is a Father will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he for a fish give him a Serpent 12 Or if he ask an egg will he offer him a Scorpion 13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him The Second Parable which our Saviour makes use of is that of a Father to his Children Christ represents the care and kindness of God towards us by the affections which Earthly Parents bear to their natural Children who tho' they be many times Evil themselves yet are not wont to deny their Children necessary good things when they dutifully and decently beg them at their hands If ye being evil how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit that is the continual presence and influence of his Holy Spirit to all the purposes of Guidance and Direction of Grace and Assistance of Comfort and Support in our Christian Course Learn hence That the presence and assistance of God's Holy Spirit to enable us to do what God requires shall never be wanting to those that desire it and endeavour after it But we must always remember That the Assistance of God's Holy Spirit tho' it be offered and tendered to us yet it is not forced upon us for if we beg the Holy Spirit and his assistance but refuse to make use of it or if we cry to him for his help to mortify our Lusts but do not put forth his own endeavours we forfeit the Divine Assistance and God will certainly withdraw his Holy Spirit from us 14 And Jesus was casting out a Devil and it was dumb and it came to pass when the Devil was gone out that the dumb spake and the people wondered 15 But some of them said he casteth out Devils through Beelzebub the chief of the Devils 16 And other tempting him sought of him a sight from Heaven 17 But he knowing their thoughts said unto them Every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and a house divided against a house falleth 18 If Satan also be divided against himself how shall his kingdom stand because ye say that I cast out Devils thrô Belzebub 19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out Devils by whom do your Sons cast them out therefore shall they be your judges 20 But if I with the Finger of God cast out Devils no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you A Relation is here given of a famous Miracle wrought by our Saviour in casting a Devil out of a possessed Man it is called a dumb Devil because of the effect upon the poor possessed Person in restraining the use of his Tongue Learn here 1. That amongst the many Calamities which Sin has rendered humane Nature liable and obnoxious to this is one to be bodily possest by Satan 2. That one Demonstration of Christ's Divine Power and a convictive Evidence of his being truly and really God was his casting out Devils by the Word of his Power Observe 3. What a sad and contrary effect this Miracle had upon the wicked Pharisees through their own blindness obstinacy and malice instead of magnifying his Divine Power they maliciously accuse him for holding a correspondency with the Devil and acting by a Power derived from him as if Satan should lend our Saviour a power against himself and that for the Destruction of his own Kingdom Lord how dangerous is a wilful opposition against the Truth it provokes the Almighty to deliver Persons up to the most unreasonable Infidelity and obstinate Obduracy Observe 4. Our Saviour knowing their Thoughts makes a just Apology for himself by shewing how improbable and unlikely how unreasonable and absurd it is once to imagine or suppose that Satan should cast out himself and any ways seek to oppose or destroy his own Kingdom Now if I have received says Christ my power from
Satan for casting out of Satan then is the Devil like a Family divided within it self and divided like a Kingdom against it self which can never stand bust must be brought to Destruction Observe Lastly Our Saviour tells the Pharisee that they might with as much reason attribute all other Miracles to the Power of the Devil as those wrought by himself for there were certain Jews amongst them that casts out Devils in the Name of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob now our Saviour asks them by what power these their Children cast them out They acknowledged that what they did was by the Power of God and there was no cause but their malice why they should not acknowledge that what he did was by the same Power If I by Beelzebub cast out Devils by whom do your sons cast them out but if I with the finger of God cast them out no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you that is the long expected Kingdom of the Messias is certainly come and I having wrought these Miracles by my own Power is a Demonstrative proof that I am the promised Messias 21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace 22 But when a stronger then he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divideth his spoil 23 He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth 24 When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a man he walketh thro' dry places seeking rest and finding none he saith I will return to my house whence I came out 25 And when he cometh he findeth it empty swept and garnisht 26 Then goeth he and taketh to him seven other Spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first Our Saviour having sufficiently shewn that he did not Work his Miracles by the Power of the Devil he next informs the Pharisees from whence he had that Power even from God himself accordingly he compares Satan to a strong Man armed with Weapons to defend his House and himself cloathed with Divine Power he compares him to one that is stronger thâ—n the strong Man so that the Argument runs thus the Devil is very strong and powerful and there is no Power but only God's that is stronger than his if then says Christ I were not assisted with a Divine Power I could never cast out this strong Man who Reigns in the Bodies and Souls of Men as in his house for it must be a stronger than the strong Man that shall bind Satan and who is he but the God of strength Learn thence That only Christ's Divine Power is superior to Satans strength he only can vanquish and over-rule him at his pleasure and drive him out of that Possession which he holds either in the Bodies or Souls of Men The strong man armed keeps the house till a stronger than he comes upon him and over-comes him When the unclean Spirit goeth out of a man he walketh thro' dry places seeking rest and findeth none Note here 1. That Satan is an unclean Spirit he hath lost his Original Purity his Holy Nature in which he was Created and is by sin become universally sinful and impure no means being allowed him by God for the purging of his filthy and impure Nature yea he is a perfect Enemy to Purity and Holiness maligning all that Love it and would promote it 2. That Satan is a restless and unquiet Spirit being cast out of Heaven he can rest no where when he is either gone out of a Man by Policy or cast out by Power he has no content or satisfaction till he returns into a filthy Heart where he delights to be as the Swine in miry places 3. That wicked and prophane sinners have this unclean Spirit dwelling in them their Hearts are Satans House and Habitation and the Lusts of Pride and Unbelief Malice and Revenge Envy and Hypocrisy these are the Garnishings and Furniture of Satans House Mans Heart was God's House by Creation 't is now Satan's by Usurpation and judiciary Tradition 4. That Satan by the Preaching of the Gospel may seem to go out of Persons and they become sober and civilized yet may he return again to his old habitation and the latter end of that Man may be worse then the beginning 27 And it came to pass as he spake these things a certain woman of the company lift up her voice and said unto him Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps which thou hast suckt 28 But he said Yea rather Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Observe here 1. How ready we are to admire Persons for their external Priviledges and the favours of Divine Providence and to pronounce such Blessed Blessed is the Womb that bare thee 2. That Christ makes another judgment of Persons and pronounces them more blessed that bear him in their hearts by Faith then his own Mother who bare him in her Womb by sense The Blessedness of being an Obedient Believer is far greater than that of being the Mother of our Blessed Saviour Blessed be God this great and gracious Priviledge is not deny'd unto us now Altho' we cannot see Christ yet love him we may his bodily presence cannot be enjoyed by us but his Spiritual Gracious Presence is not denyed us Tho' Christ be not ours in house in arms by Affinity by Consanguinity yet in Heart in Faith in Love in Service he is or may be ours verily spiritual Regeneration and an obediential doing of God's Will bringeth men into a more Honourable Relation to Christ than natural Generation ever did Yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it 29 And when the people were gathered thick together he began to say this is an evil generation they seek a sign and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonas the Prophet 30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites so shall also the Son of man be to this generation 31 The Queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them for she came from the utmost parts of the Earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here 32 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold a greater than Jonas is here The Sign which the Pharisees here desired of our Saviour was a Miracle wrought by him Now our Saviour tho' he was very ready to work Miracles to encourage and confirm his Hearers Faith yet not to satisfy the unbelieving Pharisees Curiosity And accordingly he tells them they should have no other Sign than that of his Resurrection which Jonas was a Type of Next he threatens them for
to the Devil he is called the Vnclean Spirit The Devils those wicked Spirits of Hell are most impure and filthy Creatures impure by reason of their original Apostacy impure by means of their actual and daily Sins such are Murder Malice Lying and the like by which they continually pollute themselves and impure by means of their continual desire and endeavours to pollute Mankind with the Contagion of their own sins Lord how foul is the nature of Sin which makes the Devil such a foul and filthy such an impure and unclean Creature Obs 3. The Substance of the Devil's out-cry Let us alone What have we to do with thee art thou come to destroy us that is to restrain us from the exercise of our power the Devil thinks himself destroyed when he is restrained from doing Mischief Obs 4. The Title given by the Devil to our Saviour he stiles him The Holy one of God How comes this Acknowledgment out of the Devil's Mouth could an Apostle make a Profession beyond this but how comes Satan to make it for no good end and with no good intention we may be sure for the Devil never speaks Truth for Truth-sake but for advantage-sake probably 1. he might make this Profession that so he might bring the Truth profest into question hoping that a Truth which received Testimony from the Father of Lies would be suspected or 2. it might perhaps be done to make the People believe that our Saviour had some familiarity with Satan and did work Miracles by his help because he did confess him and seem to put honour upon him Hence we may Learn That it is possible for a Person to own and acknowledge Christ to be the True and Only Saviour and yet to miss of Salvation by him If a Speculative Knowledge and a verbal Profession of Christ were sufficient to Salvation the Devil himself would not miss of Happiness Obs 5. How our Saviour rebukes the Devil for this Confession and commands him Silence Jesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace But why was this Rebuke given the Devil and his Mouth stopt when he spake the Truth Answer 1. Because Christ knew that the Devil confest this Truth on purpose to Disgrace the Truth 2. Because the Devil was no fit Person to make this Profession a Testimony of Truth from the father of Lies is enough to render Truth it self suspected Yet the Devil's Evidence that Christ was the Holy One of God will rise up in Judgment against the wicked Pharisees who shut their Eyes against the Miracles and stopt their Ears against the Doctrine of the Holy One of God Observe lastly How the unclean Spirit obeys the voice of Christ but with great Reluctancy and Regret when the unclean Spirit had thrown him in the midst he came out Where Observe The Devil's spite at parting he tares the Man throws him violently from place to place shewing how loth he was to be dispossessed Where Satan has once gotten an hold and settled himself for a time how unwilling is he to be cast out of Possession Yea it is a Torment and vexation to him to be cast out It is much easier to keep Satan out then to cast him out Satan may possess the Body by God's Permission but he cannot possess our Hearts without our own Consent and Approbation it will be our Wisdom to deny him Entrance into our Souls at first by Rejecting his wicked Motions and Suggestions for when once entered he will like the strong Man Armed keep the House till a stronger then he casts him out 38 And he arose out of the Synagogue and entred into Simons house and Simons wives mother lay sick of a fever and they besought him for her 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever and it left her and immediately she arose and ministred unto them Here Observe 1. That St. Peter a Disciple yea an Apostle was a Married Person Neither the Prophets of the Old Testament nor the Apostles of the New did abhor the Marriage-Bed nor judge themselves too pure for an Institution of their Maker The Church of Rome by denying the Lawfulness of Priest's Marriage makes her self wiser then God who says Heb. 13.4 Marriage is Honourable amongst All men Observe 2. Peter tho a Good Man and his Wifes Mother probably a Gracious Woman yet is his Family visited with Sickness Strength of Grace and Dearness of Respect even from Christ himself cannot prevail against Diseases God's own Children are visited with Bodily Sickness as well as others Observe 3. The Divine Power of Christ manifested in this miraculous Cure He stood over her says St. Luke he took her by the hand and lift her up says St. Mark Here was an ordinary Distemper cured after an extraordinary manner by a touch of Christ's hand in an instant Immediately the Fever left her and she arose and ministred unto them That she could arise argued her Cure Miraculous that she could and did arise and administer to Christ and his Disciples argued her Thankfulness After Christ had healed any of us it ought to be our first care to Administer unto him that is to employ our Recovered Strength in the Service of Christ and to improve our Restored Health to the Honour and Glory of Christ 40 Now when the sun was setting all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them 41 And Devils also came out of many crying out and saying Thou art Christ the son of God and he rebuked them and suffered them not to speak for they knew that he was Christ The Evangelist here declares sundry other Cures wrought by our Saviour he healed the Sick and dispossessed the Devils In our Saviour's time we read of many possessed with Devils and but of few either before or afterward Probably 1. Because Satan perceiving the Messiah to be come in the Flesh to destroy his Kingdom did rage the more and discover greater Malice and Enmity against Mankind 2. Perhaps Almighty God suffered Satan at that time to possess so many that Christ might have occasion to manifest his Divine Power by casting Satan out And accordingly we find our Saviour dispossessing all that were possest by Satan It is added That he suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him that is Christ would not be made known to be the Son of God by the Preaching of the Devil lest the World should from thence take occasion to think that our Saviour held a Correspondency with those wicked Spirits and that the Miracles which he wrought were performed by the Devil's Assistance as being one in Combination with him Possibly from the Devil 's owning Christ to be the Holy one of God the Pharisees concluded that there was a compact and agreement betwixt them and thereupon their Affirmation was Grounded he casteth out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of Devils 42 And when it was day he departed and went
very probable Opinion tho' not an infallible Article of Faith as the Church of Rome would make it For the word Vntil signifies in Scripture as much as Never So Gen. 28.15 I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have promised that is I will never leave thee So the Words following Her first-born Son do not imply that she had any Child after but that she had none before That Child which first openeth the Womb is usually in Scripture called the First-born tho' there was no other born after Thus Josh 17.1 Machir is called the First-born of Manasseth tho' he had no more Children So that Christ not only as God but also as he was Man was the First-born and Only Son St. Austin expounds and applies Ezek. 44. v. 2. to the Virgin Mary This Gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no Man shall enter in by it because the Lord God of Israel hath entered in by it therefore it shall be shut And others of the Ancients say That as Christ lay in the Tomb in which none lay before himself so he lodg'd in a Womb in which none ever lay either before or after himself CHAP. II. Our Saviour's Miraculous Conception by the Power of the Holy Ghost being recorded in the First Chapter several remarkable Circumstances relating to his Birth are set down in this As namely the Place of his Birth Bethlehem and the Time In the days of Herod the King 1 NOW when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem Observe here 1. The Place of our Lord's Birth Bethlehem he was Born not at Athens not at Rome not at Jerusalem not in any Opulent or Magnificent City but in the meanest of the Cities of Judah Thereby shewing us that his Kingdom was not of this World and that he little regarded Pomp and outward Greatness Oh how can we be Abased enough for Christ that thus Neglected himself for us Obs 2. The Time of our Lord's Birth In the Days of Herod the King This Herod being a Foreigner and King of the Romans which now reigned over the Jews in him was fulfilled Jacob's Prophecy Gen. 49.10 That the Scepter should not depart from Judah that is the Jews should have Governours of their own Nation until Shiloh come That is until Christ the promised Messiah come in the Flesh So that considering the Circumstance of Time and Place where and when Christ was Born it was and is wilful Obstinacy in the Jews to deny that the Messiah is come in the Flesh Obs 3. That Tribute of Honour which was paid unto our Saviour at his Birth the Wise Men of the East came and Worshipped him That is the Chaldean Arabian or Persian Astronomers who as the First-Fruits of the Gentiles seek after Christ whilst the Jews his own People rejected him Oh how will their coming so far as the East to seek Christ rise up another Day in Judgment against us if we refuse to be found by Christ who came from Heaven to seek us 2 Saying where is he that is born king of the Jews for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him Observe here 1. The Inquiry that they make after Christ they do not ask whether he was Born but where he was Born not doubting of the Fact but ignorant of the Place Obs 2. The Ground of their Inquiry For we have seen his Star They had seen a Star but how did they know it was his Star Doubtless by Divine Revelation they had a Light within as well as a Star without or they had never found Christ No doubt the Holy Spirit 's Illumination accompanied the Star's Apparition As God made known the Birth of Christ to the Jews by an Angel so he manifested the same to the Gentiles by a new-created Star Obs 3. The End of their Journey We are come to Worship him that is to Pay all that Honour and Homage which is due to a Great and Mighty Prince All that Adoration and Worship which belongs to the promised Messiah the Redeemer of the World Learn hence That all Honour and Homage all Glory and Worship is due to Christ from the Sons of Men and will be given him by those that know him 3 When Herod the king heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him Observe here That when Christ came into the World to Save Men it cast the World into Consternation and caused wonderful Disturbance Herod is first concerned and next all Jerusalem with him Herod for fear of losing his Kingdom Jerusalem for fear of losing their Prince Thus Christ who was the Angel's Song the Wise Men's Joy Israel's Consolation becomes Herod's Fear and Jerusalem's Terrour But why was Herod thus disturbed 'T is true a King is Born but one whose Kingdom is not of this World 't was Herod's false Apprehension that was the Cause of this Perturbation Hence we see that the greatest Enmities and bitterest Animosities have arisen from causless Fears and groundless Jealousies 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together he demanded of them where Christ should be born 5 And they said unto him In Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet 6 And thou Bethlehem in the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel Herod being in great Perplexity conven'd a Council of the Chief Priests and Scribes and demands of them the Place where Christ the promised Messiah was to be Born they readily reply out of the Prophet Micah ch 5.2 that Bethlehem is the Place this was the City of David's Birth and of Christ's the Son of David Bethlehem signifies the House of Bread and was so called from its Fertility and Fruitfulness and as some think with Reference to Christ the True Bread of Life Born there Bethlehem was a mean and contemptible Place in it self but being Honoured with Christ's Presence how great is it Learn thence That the Presence of Christ dignifies and exalts a Place how mean soever in it self Bethlehem tho' a little City in it self yet is not the least amongst the Cities of Judah because Christ is Born there 7 Then Herod when he had privily called the wise men inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said Go and search diligently for the young child and when ye have found him bring me word again that I may come and worship him also Observe here 1. How Herod cloaks his intended Cruelty with disguised Hypocrisie he had Murder in his Heart when he pretended to Worship Christ with his Mouth There is no Villany so great but will mask it self under a Pretence and Shew of Piety Herod veils his Intent to Kill Christ with a Pretence
had alledged Scripture before to Satan here Satan retorts Scripture back again to Christ It is written says Christ It is written says Satan Learn thence That it is no wonder to hear Hereticks and Hypocrites quote Scripture when Satan himself durst recite them He that had prophanely toucht the Sacred Body of Christ with his Hand sticks not presumptuously to handle the Holy Scriptures of God with his Tongue Yet Observe How wretchedly the Devil wrests perverts and misapplies the Scriptures When God promises his Angels shall keep us it is in Viis non in Praecipitiis 't is in all God's Ways not in any of our own crooked Paths Note here That altho' the Children of God have the Promise of the Guardianship of Holy Angels yet then only may they expect their Protection when they are walking in the Way of their Duty 7 Jesus said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Observe here Tho' the Devil had wrested and abused Scripture yet still Christ alledges Scripture The Abuse of the Holy Scriptures by Hereticks and Seducers is no Argument against the Use of them As Christ here compares Scripture with Scripture so should we in order to the finding out the true Sence and Meaning of it 8 Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them 9 And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me The next Sin which Satan tempts our Saviour to is the Sin of Idolatry even to Worship the Devil himself Oh thou Impudent and Foul Spirit To desire thy Creator to Adore thee an Apostate-Creature Surely there can be no Sin so black and foul so gross and monstrous but that the Christian may be tempted to it when Christ himself was tempted to Worship the Tempter St. Matthew reads the Words If thou wilt fall down and Worship me St. Luke If thou wilt Worship before me Whence we may gather That if to Worship before the Devil be to Worship the Devil then to Worship before an Image is to Worship the Image Obs 2. The Bait which Satan makes use of to allure our Saviour to the Sin of Idolatry and that was in representing to his Eye and View all the Glories of the World in the most inviting manner and that in a Moment of Time to the intent it might affect him the more and prevail the sooner Learn thence That the Pomp and Greatness the Glory and Grandeur of this World is made use of by Satan as a dangerous Snare to draw Men to a Compliance with him in his Temptations unto Sin 10 Then saith Jesus unto him Get thee hence Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Observe here 1. With what Zeal and Indignation of Spirit our Blessed Saviour repells and beats back this Temptation of Satan Get thee hence Note thence That the greater the Sins are which the Devil tempts us to the greater our Zeal and Indignation ought to be in opposing and resisting of the Temptation to them A great Temptation must be withstood with great Resolution Observe 2. The Weapon with which he repells and beats back the Fiery Dart of Satan's Temptation and that is with the Shield of Scripture It is written Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God Learn thence That GOD is the Sole Object of all Religious Worship it is so peculiarly the Creator's Due that to give it to any Creature is gross Idolatry and repugnant to the Scriptures 11 Then the devil leaveth him and behold angels came and ministred unto him Observe here 1. The Issue of this Combat Satan is conquered and quits the Field Then the Devil leaveth him Teaching us That nothing like a vigorous Resistance of Temptation causes the Tempter to flee from us Resist the Devil and be will flee from you Observe 2. Our Lord's Triumph over his Enemy Behold Angels came and ministred unto him Food to his hungry Body and Comfort to his tempted Soul Learn thence That those who in the Hour of Temptation do hold out in resisting Satan shall find the Power and Faithfulness of God will not be wanting to them to send in Succour and Relief in the End 12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison he departed into Galilee 13 And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum which is upon the sea-coast in the borders of Zebulon and Nephthalim 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying 15 The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim by the way of the sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up Observe here 1. Our Saviour hearing of John's Imprisonment provides for his own Safety by departing into Galilee As our Holy Lord avoided Persecution so may we Observe 2. The Place in Galilee he comes to Capernaum Christ had three Cities which he called his own Nazareth where he was Bred Bethlehem where he was Born and Capernaum where he dwelt this was a Sea-coast Town in the Borders of Zebulon and Nephthali Observe 3. The Special Providence of God in this Change of our Saviour's Habitation for by that means the Prophecy Isa 9.1 was fulfilled which declares that in that dark part of the Country the Messiah the True Light should shine forth Learn hence 1. That a People destitute of the Saving Knowledge of the Gospel are in great Darkness how great soever the Light of their Outward Comforts may be This People had Natural Light enough and Civil Light enough they had an Abundance of Wealth and Riches Peace and Plenty but they wanted the Light of Christ and his Gospel and therefore are said to sit in Darkness 2. That where-ever the Gospel is Preached amongst a People it is as a Light springing up and shining forth amongst them quickning and enlivening reviving and chearing the Souls of those that entertain it how great soever their outward Darkness and Distress may be The People that sate in Darkness saw great Light and to them which sate in the Region and Shadow of Death Light is sprung up c. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Here our Saviour begins to enter upon his Prophetick Office and by Preaching to make known the Will of God to Mankind and Observe The Doctrine which he Preached is the same that John the Baptist did Preach namely the Doctrine of Repentance Repent ye and the Argument is the same also For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is now is the so much expected Time of the Appearing of the promised Messiah Learn hence That the Doctrine of Christ and his Ambassadors is alike and the same
diseases and cast out many devils and suffered not the devils to speak because they knew him The Evangelist here declares sundry other Miracles wrought by our Saviour before the Door of Peter's House where he now was He healed all the Diseased that were brought unto him and cast out Devils out of them that were possessed with them But how comes it to pass that we read of so many possessed with Devils in our Saviour's time and so few either before or since Answ 1. Probably Satan perceiving that the Messiah was come in the Flesh to destroy his Kingdom did rage the more and discover greater Malice and Enmity against Mankind 2. Perhaps Almighty God permitted Satan at that time to possess so many that Christ might have Occasion to manifest his Divine Power by casting Satan out And accordingly we find our Saviour dispossessing all that were possess'd by Satan It is added That he suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him That is Christ would not be made known to be the Son of God by the preaching of the Devil to whom it belonged not to publish the Gospel lest the World should take from thence an Occasion to think that our Saviour held a Correspondency with those wicked Spirits and that the Miracles he wrought were performed by the Devil's Assistance as being one in Combination with him possibly from the Devil 's owning Christ to be the Holy One of God the Pharisees concluded that there was a Compact and Agreement betwixt them and thereupon their Affirmation was grounded he casteth out Devils by Beelzebub c. 35 And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed Observe here 1. The Duty performed by our Saviour namely Prayer solitary and private Prayer He went by himself alone out of the hearing of his Disciples The Company of our best Friends is not always seasonable nor acceptable there are Times and Cases when a Christian would not be willing that his dearest Relations upon Earth should hear that Intercourse which passes betwixt him and his God Obs 2. Christ chuses the Opportunity of the Morning for Prayer He rises a great while before Day to set about this Work Teaching us that the Morning is a fit Season yea the best Season for private Duties Now our Spirits are freshest and our Minds freest before the Distractions of the Day break in upon us it is better to go from Prayer to Business than from Business to Prayer 36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him 37 And when they had found him they said unto him All men seek for thee 38 And he said unto them Let us go into the next towns that I may preach there also for therefore came I forth 39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee and cast out devils Observe here Two Things First The great End of Christ in his Incarnation and coming into the World namely as a Prophet sent from God to reveal his Will and to publish the Doctrine of the Gospel Therefore came I forth that is to preach and plant the Gospel Secondly It being Christ's Design not only to plant but propagate the Gospel he would not confine his Ministry to any particular Place no not to the great City of Capernaum but resolves to preach the Word in the smallest Towns and Villages Leaving his Ministers herein an instructive Example to be as willing to preach the Gospel in the smallest Villages as in the largest Cities if God calls them thereunto Let the Place be never so obscure and mean and the Congregation never so small and little if God sends us thither the greatest of us must not think it beneath us to go and instruct an handful of People 40 And there came a leper to him beseeching him and kneeling down to him and saying unto him If thou wilt thou canst make me clean 41 And Jesus moved with compassion put forth his hand and touched him and saith unto him I will be thou clean 42 And as soon as he had spoken immediately the leprosie departed from him and he was cleansed 43 And he straightly charged him and forthwith sent him away 44 And saith unto him See thou say nothing to any man but go thy way shew thy self to the Priest and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them 45 But he went out and began to publish it much and to blaze abroad the matter insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city but was without in desert places and they came to him from every quarter The last Miracle of our Saviour's recorded in this Chapter is his healing of a leper he came beseeching Christ to heal him Saying If thou wilt thou canst make me clean Where Obs 1. He doth not question Christ's Power but distrusts Christ's Willingness to heal him Lord if thou wilt thou canst 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. The great Readiness of Christ to help and heal this distressed Person Jesus touched him saying I will be thou clean By the Ceremonial Law the Leper was forbidden to be touch'd therefore Christ's touching this Leper shewed him to be above the Law and that he was the Lord of it and might dispence with it and his healing the Leper by the Word of his Mouth and Touch of his Hand shew'd him to be truly and really God Leprosie amongst the Jews was an incurable Distemper called the Finger of God a Disease of his sending and of his removing Our Saviour therefore as a Proof of his being the true Messiah tells John's Disciples Matth. 11.5 That the Lepers were cleansed and the Dead raised by him which two being joined together do imply that the cleansing of Lepers is as much an Act of Divine Power as the raising of the Dead And accordingly 2 Kin. 5.8 't is said Am I a God that this Man sends to me to cure a Man of his Leprosie Obs 3. The Certainty and Suddenness of the Cure was a Proof of Christ's Divine Power immediately his Leprosie was cleansed Christ not only cured him without Means but without the ordinary Time required for such a Cure Thus Christ shew'd both Power and Will to cure him miraculously who believed his Power but questioned his Willingness Obs 4. The Cause moving our Saviour to cure this Leper his Bowels were moved with tender Pity and Compassion towards him Christ's exercising Acts of Mercy and Compassion with such Condolency and Sympathizing Pity should by way of Example teach us to be inwardly moved with tender Compassion and Mercy towards such as are in Misery We are not only to draw out our Bread but to draw out our Soul to the Hungry Obs 5. A twofold Charge and Command given by Christ to the Leper after his Cure 1. To
in some manner and measure redound to the Glory of his Name altho' he undertook the matter without sufficient warrant from Christ We ought not to censure and condemn those who do that which is good in it self tho' they fail in the manner of it and in the means they use for effecting it Obs 4. What Encouragement our Saviour gives the World to be kind to his friends and followers he assures them that even a cup of cold water given for his sake to such as profess his name shall not miss of a Reward Learn thence That the least office of Love and Respect of Kindness and Charity shewn to any of the Ministers or Members of Jesus Christ for his sake is resented as done unto himself and shall be rewarded by himself Obs 5. What an hainous and grievous Sin it is to scandalize or offend any of the Disciples of Jesus Christ he will most severely Judge and punish such as give offence to them by any wrong or injury done unto them both in this Life and the next it were better a Milstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the Sea 43 And if thy hand offend thee cut it off it is better for thee to enter into Life maimed then having two Hands to go into Hell into the Fire that shall never be quenched 44 Where the worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched 45 And if thy foot offend thee cut it off it is better for thee to enter halt into Life then having two feet to be cast into Hell into the fire that never shall be quenched 46 Where their worm dyeth not and their fire is not quenched 47 And if thine Eye offend thee pluck it out it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one Eye then having two Eyes to be cast into Hell Fire 48 Where their worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched In the former verse Our Saviour disswaded from the Sin of Scandal or giving offence to serious and sincere Christistians threatning a very grievous Judgment against such as should any ways offend them Now in these six Verses he prescribes a Remedy against that and all other sins namely by avoiding all occasions that leads to Sin Here Obs 1. The admonition or warning given by Christ unto us to remove far from us all occasions of Sin tho' never so dear unto us We are not to understand the Command literally as if it were our Duty to maim our bodily Members but metaphorically to cut off all occasions that may betray us unto Sin Hence Note That sin may be avoided it is our Duty to avoid whatever leads unto it or may be the Instrument and Occasion of it Obs 2. A Reason enforcing the Admonition This is drawn from the benefit and advantage that will come by cutting off such occasions of Sin It will farther us in our attainment of eternal Life and prevent our being cast into Hell Fire Now our Saviour affirms that it is better for a Man to enter into Life with the loss of all those things that are dear and precious to him in this world rather then go into Hell with the fruition and enjoyment of them Learn hence That a diligent and daily care to avoid sin and all occasions that lead unto it will be a special means to escape the Torments of Hell and farther us in our attainments of Heaven and Eternal Life Obs 3. The Description which our Saviour gives of the Torments of Hell First by its Extremity it is like a gnawing worm and a consuming Fire Secondly and by its Eternity a worm that never dyeth and a Fire that is never quenched Learn hence That there is most certainly a place and state of punishment and torment in another world for wicked men to suffer in upon the score of Sin committed in this world Secondly That the punishment and torments of the wicked in Hell are intollerable and interminable of exquisite pain and endless Duration Their worm never dyeth and the Fire is not quenched 49 For every one shall be salted with fire and every Sacrifice shall be salted with salt Every one shall be salted with Fire that is every one of them mentioned in the foregoing verses who refuse to cut off a right hand and pluck out a right Eye that is to mortifie their bosom lusts and beloved corruptions which are as dear as a right hand or a right eye every such wicked and unmortified person shall be salted with Fire That is thrown into into Hell Fire where the worm dyeth not and the Fire is not quenched as our Saviour speaks v. 4. And their being salted with Fire Imports and Implies that as to their beings they shall be preserved even as salt preserves things from corruption that they may be the Objects of the eternal wrath of God So that for Sinners to be salted with Fire is to be given up to everlasting Destruction Learn hence that all such unsavory sinners as indulge their corrupt lusts and affections shall be salted with fire that is given up to everlasting Destruction in Hell Fire But every Sacrifice shall be salted with salt That is every Christian who has given up himself a real Sacrifice unto God he shall be salted not with fire but with salt not with fire to be consumed and destroyed but with salt to be preserved and keep savoury The grace of Mortification is that to the Soul which salt is to the Body it preserves it from putrefaction and renders it savoury Learn hence 1. That every Christian in this Life ought to be a spiritual Sacrifice or oblation unto God 2. That there is a putrid and corrupt part in every Sacrifice in every Christian which must be purged out and the Sacrifice purified and cleansed from 3. That the grace of Mortification is the true salt which must clarifie the Soul and with which every Sacrifice must be salted that will be a savoury offering unto God Every one shall be salted with Fire and every Sacrifice shall be salted with salt 50 Salt is good but if the salt hath lost its saltness wherewith will ye season it have salt in your selves and have peace one with another Our blessed Saviour here 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 Christ to labour and endeavour by the purity of their Doctrine to sweeten putrifying Sinners that they may become Savory unto God and man and be kept from being fly-blown with Errours and false Doctrine Secondly Because Salt has an Acrimony a piercing power in if 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 Have salt in your selves
but not improved them Learn hence 1. That Gospel-Ordinances enjoyed are a mighty Honour and Advancement to the poorest Persons and obscurest Places Thou Capernaum art exalted to Heaven 2. That Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges enjoyed but not improved provoke Almighty God to inflict the soarest of Judgments upon a People Thou that art exalted to Heaven shalt be thrust down to Hell 16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Here our Saviour encourages his Ministers to Faithfulness in their Office by assuring them that he should reckon and esteem all the kindness shewn to them as done unto himself He that receiveth you receiveth me he that despiseth you despiseth me Where Note That all the Offices of Love and Respect of Kindness and Charity which we shew to the Ministers or Members of Christ for his sake Christ reckons it as done unto himself 17 And the seventy returned again with joy saying Lord even the Devils are Subject unto us thro' thy Name 18 And he said unto them I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven Obs here 1. The Seventy Disciples return to give Christ an account of the Success of their Expedition they return as Victors with joy and triumph shewing Christ the Trophies of their Conquest Lord the Devils are subject unto us thro' thy Name the Weapons of their warfare were not carnal but Spiritual and Mighty through Christ the Powers of Darkness cannot stand but must fall before the power of Christ the Devils are no match for Christ no nor for the meanest of the Ministers of Christ who go forth in his Name armed with his Authority and Power Observe 2. our Saviour's Reply to the Seventy Disciples upon this occasion I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven a Two-fold Interpretation is given of which words 1. Some look upon them as a Secret Rebuke given by our Saviour to the Seventy for that excess of joy and mixture of vain-glory which was found with them upon the account of those extraordinary Gifts and Abilities of casting out Devils and healing Diseases which were conferr'd upon them I beheld Satan says Christ falling like Lightning from Heaven as if Christ had said Take heed of being puft up with Pride upon the account of those Endowments which I have bestowed upon you Remember Lucifer the Prince of Pride how he fell from Heaven by his Arrogancy and Labour you to ascend thither by Humility The words in this sense afford this Instruction That those whom Christ has bestowed the greatest measure of Spiritual Graces Ministerial Gifts and Temporal Blessings upon ought to be very watchful against that hateful Sin of Pride which has ruin'd and destroy'd so many Thousands of Angels and Men. 2. Some understand this Fall of Satan not Literally but Figuratively and Mystically of his Ruine by the Power and Preaching of the Gospel as if Christ had said I know that this is no vain boast of yours no vaunt nor brag of your Valour that Devils are conquer'd by your Courage for when I first sent you forth to preach the Gospel and armed you with Divine Power I easily foresaw that the Devils Kingdom would shake about his Ears and that his Power would be ruin'd by the Power of the Gospel and that wherever you Preached Satans Strength and Power should vanish like a Flash of Lightning suddenly and irrevocably Learn hence That the powerful and efficacious Preaching of the Gospel is the special means ordained and appointed by Christ for the Ruine and Subversion of Satans Kingdom in the World as the Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation to them that believe and obey it so it is the Power of God unto Destruction to Satan and all that fight under his Banner against it 19 Behold I give you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the Enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you Our Lord finding that his Seventy Ambassadors had managed their former Commission so well he here enlargeth it adding thereunto a promise of Divine Protection Behold I give you power to tread on Serpents and nothing shall hurt you as if Christ had said Go forth again in this Armour of Power with which I have girt you and I warrant you Sword-free and Shot-free nothing shall by any means hurt you neither Strength nor Stratagem shall overcome you neither the Power the Presence nor Protection of God shall be wanting to any of Christ's Ministers or Members who go forth in his Strength against the Spiritual Enemies of their Salvation As we have a Promise of Power in this Text to enable us to resist the Devil so we have a Promise of Success elsewhere upon our Resisting of him Resist the Devil and he will flee from you St. James 4.7 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the Spirits are Subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven In these words of our Saviour there is something Corrective and something Directive the corrective part lies in the first words wherein Christ checks the suspected excesses of their joy for Victories gained over Evil Spirits in this Rejoyce not that is lâ—t not your Hearts too much over-flow with joy upon this occasion the Negation is not absolute but comparative only Christ doth not forbid but only qualify and moderate their joy That the Spirits are subject to you that is the Devils Where Note 1. That tho' the Evil Angels by their Fall have lost their happy Condition yet not their original Constitution their Honour but not their Nature they are Spirits still 2. The Subjection of those Evil Spirits to the Power of Christ is not a free and professed but an involuntary and imposed Subjection like that of a slave to his Lord whether he will or no. Learn hence 1. That Evil Spirits are Subject to the Power of Christ not only to his personal but to his Ministerial Power 2. That it is matter of great joy to see Evil Spirits brought into Subjection by the Power of Christ to see the Evil Spirit of Pride and Contention of Envy and Malice of Error and Falshood of Jealousy and Self-love of Animosity and Division not only chained but changed to see not only an unwilling Subjection but a Subjection of the Will given to Christ is matter of great Joy and unspeakable Rejoycing The Directive part of our Saviour's Words lies in the latter part of the Verse But rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven There are no literal Records in the Court of Heaven no Pen or Ink Paper or Parchment but to be written in Heaven is to have a Title to Eternal Life and to be made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Learn 1. That God has in Heaven a Book of Life a Book written with the Golden Rays and Beams of his own Eternal Love Observe 2. That there are Names
theirs The Beast might live a day without Water the Beast might not be sick but this Woman was in sore distress and had been so for eighteen years nay she was in the hands of the Enemy of Mankind bound by Satan Was it not then a greater Act of Mercy and Compassion to loose her than to lead a Beast Observe 6. What Effect Our Lord's Vindication of himself had upon the Hearers of it His adversaries were ashamed the people rejoyced v. 17. his Accusers were ashamed and probably convinced perhaps silenced but we read not that they confest their Errour or acknowledged their unjust Censure or craved Christ's pardon When Persons judgments are under Conviction of an errour and mistake it is very hard to bring themselves to confess and own their mistake because all men stand very much upon the Credit and Reputation of their Understandings and look upon it as a Reproach to own themselves mistaken tho' it is really otherwise But tho' our Saviour's Adversaries were only ashamed others Rejoyced for all the glorious things that were done by him 18 Then said he Unto what is the kingdom of God like and whereunto shall I resemble it 19 It is like a grain of Mustard-seed which a man took and cast into his Garden and it grew and waxed a great Tree and the fowls of the Air lodged in the branches of it 20 And again he said Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God 21 It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened Our Saviour's Design in both these Parables is to keep his Disciples and Followers from being offended at the small Beginnings of his Kingdom and to fore-tell the future great Success of the Gospel notwithstanding the present small appearance of the efficacy of it to this purpose he compares the Kingdom of God that is the Gospel-Church to a grain of Mustard-seed which being one of the least Seeds yet in that Country grew into so large a Tree that the Birds did Roost and Lodge in the Boughs of it He also likens it to Leaven which quickly diffuses it self through the whole Mass and Lump instantly turning a great heap of Meal into its own nature Christ shews hereby of what a spreading Nature the Doctrine of the Gospel would be notwithstanding all the Malice and Opposition of the wicked Men. Learn thence That how small Beginnings soever the Gospel had in its first plantation yet by the fructifying Blessing of God and the influence of the Holy Spirit it has had and shall have a wonderful encrease 22 And he went through the cities and villages teaching and journeying towards Jerusalem 23 Then said one unto him Lord are there few that be saved And he said unto them 24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Observe here 1. The unwearied pains and diligence of our Holy Lord in preaching and publishing the glad tidings of the Gospel to lost Sinners He went through cities and villages teaching not in great and populous Cities only but in poor and obscure Villages also not preaching by his exemplary Life only but by his Holy Doctrine likewise Let such preachers who look upon the work of Preaching as the least part of their Business consider the indefatigable pains which our Lord took in that work and how will his diligence shame our negligence Observe 2. A curious question put to our Saviour concerning the number of those that should be saved whether they should be few or many Lord are there few that be saved Where Note How curiously inquisitive we naturally are after the Knowledge of things that do not concern us how forward to pry into unrevealed Secrets and to search into God's hidden Counsel it concerns us rather to understand what sort of Persons shall be saved than how man shall be saved and to make sure that we be of that number Observe 3. Our Saviour gives no direct Answer to the Curiosity of this Inquirer but turns his Speech from him to the People Jesus said unto them strive to enter in at the strait gate for c. Where Note 1. The Metaphor which Christ is pleased to set forth Heaven and the Happiness of a future State by he compares it to a streight gate to a Gate to denote the possibility of entring to a streight gate to denote the difficulty of Entrance a Gate supposes the entrance possible but a streight gate bespeaks the Entrance difficult 2. Here is a Duty urged and enforced upon all those that expect the Happiness of another Life and desire to enter in at this streight gate and that is a diligent and industrious striving Strive to enter in at the streight gate 3. We have a forcible argument and motive to excite and quicken to the practice of this Duty drawn from the paucity or small number of those that shall obtain Salvation in a dying hour Many will seek to enter in but shall not be able Learn hence 1. That Heaven or the Happiness of a future State is attainable 2. That it is not attainable without Labour and difficulty 3. That all those difficulties may be happily overcome by a diligent and industrious striving 25 When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door saying Lord Lord open unto us and he shall answer and say unto you I know you not whence you are 26 Then shall ye begin to say we have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets 27 But he shall say I tell you I know you not whence you are Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity 28 There shall he weeping and gnashing of Teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out 29 And they shall come from the east and from the west and from the the north and from the south and shall sit down in the kingdom of God 30 And behold there are last that shall be first and there are first that shall be last Our Saviour having exhorted all his Followers in the foregoing Verses to make sure of Heaven and Salvation to themselves whilst the door of Hope and Salvation is open to them by this Parable of a Master of a Family inviting Guests to his Table and waiting for their Coming and at last shutting the door against them because they either deny'd or delay'd Coming Christ hereby represented to the Jews the great danger they were in if they neglected the present Season of Grace and Salvation which now they did enjoy telling them farther how little it would profit them at the day of Judgment to alledge that they had eaten and drunk in his presence that they had heard him preach in their streets if they did not
little time in the Wilderness Christ nourishes the Soul the Souls of all Believers be they Jew or Gentile Bond or Free and this not for time but for Eternity the Bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World 34 Then said they unto him Lord evermore give us this bread 35 And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst 36 But I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not Observe here 1. How the carnal Jews hearing the Bread which Christ had commended so highly and conceiving of it carnally desire they may partake of it constantly Lord evermore give us of this Bread The Commendation of Spiritual Things may move the Affections and quicken the Desires of Natural Persons but if their Desires be not Spiritual and Serious Diligent and Laborious Constant and Abiding they are no Evidence of the Truth of Grace Obs 2. Christ discovers another excellent Effect of this Bread of Life which he had been recommending that such as feed of it shall never hunger more that is inordinately after the perishing Satisfactions of this World but shall find an All-sufficient Fulness in him and compleat Refreshment from him for the preserving and perpetuating of their Spiritual Life He that cometh unto me shall never hunger c. Obs 3. How justly Christ upbraids the Jews for their obstinate Infidelity Ye have seen me says our Saviour yet ye believe not Ye have seen me in the Flesh you have heard my Doctrine you have seen my Miracles I have done amongst you those Works which never any Man did to convince you that I am the Messiah yet you will not own me to be such nor believe on me Oh the Strength of Infidelity and Unbelief The Devil has as great an Advantage upon Men by making them strong in Unbelief as God hath by making his People strong in Faith 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Our Blessed Saviour having lamented the obstinate Infidelity of the Jews in the foregoing Verse who though they had seen him would not believe on him he doth in this Verse comfort himself with the assured Expectation that there would be a number which should certainly and infallibly come unto him All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me c. Here observe 1. An Account of the Persons that shall come to Christ All that the Father hath given him There is a double Gift of us to Christ 1. In God's Eternal Purpose and Counsel 2. In our Effectual Vocation and Calling When our Hearts are by the Holy Spirit of God perswaded and enabled to accept of Christ as he is freely tendred to us in the Gospel Obs 2. The gracious Entertainment which Christ gives to those that come unto him He will in no wise cast them out where the Positive is included in the Negative I will not cast them out that is I will kindly receive and graciously entertain them Learn hence 1. That both God the Father and Christ his Son are unfeignedly willing and cordially desirous of the Salvation of lost Sinners That federal Transaction which was betwixt the Father and the Son from everlasting about the Salvation of lost Sinners evidently declares this Learn 2. That the merciful and compassionate Jesus will in no wise cast out or reject but kindly entertain and receive every penitent Sinner that doth believingly apply unto him for Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life I will in no wise cast out that is I will not cast them out of my Pity and Compassion out of my Love and Affection out of my Prayer and Intercession out of my Care and Protection I will not cast them out of my Covenant I will never cast them out of my Kingdom for my Nature inclines me my Promise binds me and my Office as Mediator engages me to the contrary 38 For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me 39 And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day 40 And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day In these Words our Saviour gives us the Confirmation of the foregoing Promise That he will in no wise cast out those that come unto him by assuring us that it was the great End for which he came into the World His Father sent him to do his Will and not his own that is not to do his own Will without his Father's but to do his own Will and his Father's For Christ as God had a co-ordinate Will with his Father's and as Man a Will subordinate to the Will of his Father Now it was the Will both of Father and Son that such as Believe in him should be preserved from perishing and be raised up by Christ at the last Day Hence Learn 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ stands not only inclined by his own Mercy and Goodness to Save Repenting and Believing Sinners but doth also stand obliged thereunto by vertue of a Trust committed to him from the Father Therefore Christ mentions the Will of him that sent him as a Reason of his Fidelity in this matter Learn 2. That the Father's Will and good pleasure is the original Source the Fountain and first Spring from whence the Salvation of Believers doth proceed and flow It is the Fathers Will that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and Believeth on him may have Everlasting Life Learn 3. That such as are given to Christ by the Father and put as his Trust into his Keeping he looks upon them as his Charge and stands engaged for the Preservation of them This is my Father's Will that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing Yet has the Father so committed the Care of Believers to his Son as that he keeps them still in his own hand John 10.28 29. My Father which gave them to me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand Learn 4. From those words I will Raise him up at the last Day That the Lord Jesus Christ is Truly Essentially and Really God That person who can by his own Almighty Power raise the Dead must certainly be God but this Christ had He raised others from the Dead and his own Dead Body from the Grave also by his own Power And therefore Christ says I am the Resurrection and the Life and I will raise him up at the last day Doubtless he that spake these words and made those promises knew his own Power to perform them and
our Lord again forewarns his Disciples of their approaching Sufferings to the intent that they might remember that he had foretold them of them and would not fail to support them under them He had often told them in general of Persecutions and Troubles which they must expect to meet with but did not till now intimate the kinds and degrees of those Sufferings with respect to their Weakness and because whilst he was with them he himself bear the brunt of all the Worlds Rage falling upon him letting them along But after his Ascension when the Malice of Satan and wicked Men could not reach him then did the Storm fall upon them Hence learn 1. That Christ is so tender of his Disciples Weakness that he will not put them upon the hardship of Sufferings till they be trained up and prepared for them 2. That it may encourage the Saints in and under their Sufferings that Christ himself is the great Object of the Persecutors Malice and they only so for his sake for could they reach him they would not concern themselves with them Learn 3. That the Saints of God after long Exemption and Freedom from Sufferings must expect that Storms will arise Clouds gather thick and Trials come on a pace and their being under one Trial will not hide or shelter them from another 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me and none of you asketh me Whither goest thou 6 But because I have said these things unto you sorrow hath filled your heart Observe here How our Saviour again intimates to his Disciples his speedy departure from them and reproves them for being so sadded as it and concerned for it without considering the End and Design of it and the Benefit and Advantage they were to receive by it Here we see how the Disciples Thoughts were wholly taken up about themselves what they should do for want of Christ's bodily Presence without being instant with him to know whither he was going and what Benefit he should reap and they might expect from his departure Learn hence That Christ's Disciples ought not so much to have lamented the loss of his bodily Presence as to have rejoyced in his Glorious Exaltation and in their own Advantages by his Death Resurrection and Ascention None of you ask me Whither goest thou But sorrow hath filled your heart 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you In these words our Saviour urges his Disciples to submit to his Departure as that which would make way for his sending the Comforter to them which he assures them would be of more Advantage to them than his own stay and continuance amongst them Thence learn That the Presence of the Holy Spirit with us is a greater Comfort and Advantage to us than the Presence of Christ in the Flesh amongst us Christ's bodily Presence was comfortable but the Spirit is more intimately a Comforter than Christ in his fleshly Presence Because the Spirit can comfort all Believers at once in all Places but Christ's bodily Presence can comfort but few and that in one Place only at once Christ did converse with his Disciples outwardly but the Spirit possess'd himself of their Hearts inwardly Now for the Spirit to dwell in us is more advantagious than to have Christ dwell in the Flesh amongst us The Benefit of Christ's Conversation was great but the Advantage of the Spirit 's Renovation and holy Inspirations is much greater The one encourages and excites us to be Holy but the other quickens and enables us to be Holy Therefore well might Christ say It is expedient or highly necessary and advantagious for you that I go away He subjoyns a Reason If I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him to you Whence we learn That Christ's Ascension was indispensably necessary in order to the Spirit 's Mission the Spirit could not have descended if Christ had not first ascended the Spirit could not come but by the Gift and Mission of the Mediator Now the sending of the Spirit being a part of Christ's Royalty as Mediator it was not convenient that the Spirit should be sent till Christ was Crowned and sate down on his Throne in his Kingdom then the Spirit was to make Application to us of the Redemption purchased for us 8 And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment 9 Of sin because they believe not on me 10 Of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more 11 Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged In these and the following Verses our Saviour acquaints his Disciples with the Advantages that will redound by the coming of the Comforter First The Advantage to the World Secondly To the Apostles And Thirdly To himself To the World 1. He shall convince them of Sin Righteousness and Judgment Of Sin that is of their sinful State and Nature of the large extent of Sin and particularly of the sin of Unbelief Learn hence 1. That the Spirit of God is the Author of Conviction of Sin and that all Convictions of Sin do either mediately or immediately flow from him 2. That Unbelief is a Sin of the greatest malignity against Christ and of greatest danger to a Christian's Soul He shall convince the World of Sin because they believe not on me Secondly Of Righteousness that is of the insufficiency of all humane Righteousness and of the necessity of the Righteousness of a Mediator by which alone we are to expect acceptance with God Thirdly Of Judgment that is the Spirit shall convince the World that Jesus is both Lord and Christ that he had a Power to judge Satan the Prince of the World and that he did by his Death put down the Kingdom of Darkness Learn hence 1. That Satan is a Prince who by unjust Usurpation and the Sinners voluntary Consent has exercised a Tyrannical Power over the World 2. That Christ by his Death did judge condemn and overcome this mighty Prince and hath made his Conquest evident to the Consciences of Men by the Convictions of his Holy Spirit The Spirit shall convince of Judgment that is that Satan the Prince of this World is judged 12 I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now 13 Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth The second Benefit which our Saviour declares was to be expected by the coming of the Holy Spirit relates to the Apostles themselves He shall guide you into all Truth that is into all Truth necessary for you to know in order to Salvation This is a principal Text which the Papists bring for their Doctrine of Infallibility but groundlesly For this Promise was made to all
into a desart place and the people sought him and came unto him and stayed him that he should not depart from them 43 And he said unto them I must preach the kingdom of God unto other cities also for therefore am I sent 44 And he preached in the Synagogues of Galilee Observe here 1. The great work and business of our Saviour's Life to preach the Gospel I must preach the Kingdom of God for therefore came I forth Preaching was Christ's great work it is undoubtedly his Ministers Christ omitted some Opportunities of working Miracles that he might preach to other Cities This was his great Work Obs 2. It being Christ's great Design to plant and propagate the Gospel he would not confine his Ministry to one particular place no not to the great City of Capernaum but resolves to preach the word in smaller Towns and Villages leaving his Ministers herein an Instructive Example to be as willing to Preach the Gospel in the smallest Villages as in the largest and most populous Cities if God calls us thereunto Let the place be never so obscure and mean and the Congregation never so small and little and if God sends us thither the greatest of us must not think it beneath us to go and instruct an handful of People CHAP. V. 1 AND it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God he stood by the Lake of Genesareth 2 And saw two ships standing by the Lake but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their Nets 3 And he entered into one of the Ships which was Simons and pray'd him that he would thrust out a little from the Land and he sat down and taught the people out of the ship Here Observe 1. That our Saviour used the Sea as well as the Land in his passage from place to place to preach the Gospel and the reasons why he did so might probably be these 1. to shew Natures intent in making of the Sea namely to be Sailed upon as the Land to be walked upon 2. That Christ might take occasion to manifest his Deity in working Miracles upon the Sea namely by calming of the Waves and stilling of the Winds 3. It might be to comfort Sea-faring men in their Distresses and to encourage them to pray to such a Saviour as had an experimental Knowledge of the Dangers of the Sea it were well if Sailers would consider this and instead of inuring themselves to the Language of Hell when they go down into the deeps would direct their Prayer unto Christ and look up to him who now in Heaven has the remembrance of what he himself indured and underwent here on Earth and on the Sea Obs 2. The circumstance of time when Christ used to put forth to Sea it was usually after he had wrought some extraordinary Miracle which set them on admiring and commending of him as after he had fed so many thousands with a few Barley-Loaves and Fishes presently he put forth to Sea shunning thereby all popularity and vain-glorious Applause from the Multitude which he was never ambitious of but industriously avoided Obs 3. That after our Saviour's Resurrection we never find him Sailing any more upon the Seas For such a Fluctuating and Turbulent Condition which necessarily attends Sea-Voyages was utterly inconsistent with the constancy stability and perpetuity of Christ's estate when Risen from the Grave The firm Land better agreeing with his fixed State he keeps upon it till his Ascension into Heaven Obs 4. That Christ scruples not to preach to the People in and out of the Ship he sate down and taught the people out of the Ship Sometimes we find our Holy Lord preaching upon a Mountain sometimes in a Ship sometimes in an House as often as may be in the Synagogue He that laid hold on all Seasons for Preaching the Gospel never scrupled any place which conveniency offered to preach in well knowing that it is the Ordinance that Sanctifies the place and not the Place the Ordinance 4 Now when he had left speaking he said unto Simon launch out into the deep and let down your Nets for a Draught 5 And Simon answering said unto him Master we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the Net 6 And when they had this done they enclosed a great multitude of Fishes and their Net brake 7 And they beckned unto their partners which were in the other ship that they should come and help them and they came and filled both the ships so that they began to sink 8 When Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus feet saying depart from me for I am a sinful Man O Lord. 9 For he was astonished and all that were with him at the draught of the Fishes which they had taken 10 And so was also James and John sons of Zebedee which were partners with Simon And Jesus said unto Simon fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men 11 And when they had brought their ships to land they forsook all and followed him Observe here 1. Our Saviour having delivered his Doctrine to the People confirms his Doctrine with a Miracle and with such a Miracle as did at once instruct and encourage his Apostles the miraculous number of Fish which they caught did presage and prefigure their miraculous Success in preaching planting and propagating of the Gospel Obs 2. our Saviour's Command to Peter and his ready Compliance with Christ's Command Let down your Net for a Draught says Christ We have toiled all night says St. Peter and catcht nothing nevertheless at thy word we will let down the Net This Mystically represents to us 1. That that the Fishers of men may Labour all Night and all day too and catch nothing This is sometimes the Fisher-mens fault but oftner the Fishes 'T is the Fisher's fault that nothing is taken if he doth only play upon the Sands and not launch out into the Deep deliver some Superficial and less necessary Truths without opening to the people the great Mysteries of Godliness If they Fish with brokeh Nets either deliver unsound Doctrine or lead unexemplary Lives if they do not cast the Net on the right side of the Ship that is rightly divide the word as Workmen that need not to be ashamed And if they do not fish at Christ's Command but run a fishing unsent it is then no wonder that they Labour all their days and catch nothing But very often is it the Fishes Fault rather than the Fisher-mans Worldly men are crafty and cunning they will not come near the Net Hypocrites are slippery like Eels the Fisherman cannot long hold them but they dart into their holes priding themselves in their external Performances and satisfying themselves with a round of Duties The great men of the World break thro' the Net the Divine Commands cannot bind them Jer. 5.5 I will go to the great men and speak to them