that Power must be Omnipotent and that Act of Omnipotence doth prove him to be God 'T is true the Disciples raised the Dead who yet were no Gods but with this difference they raised the Dead by Christ's Power but Christ raised others and himself also by his own Power 41 The Jews then murmured at him because he said I am the bread which came down from heaven 42 And they said Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know how is it then that he saith I came down from heaven 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them Murmur not among your selves Altho' Christ had in the foregoing Verses plainly Asserted himself to be the True Bread that came down from Heaven for the Benefit of the World yet the Jews understanding his words carnally are offended with him and Murmur at him for pretending to come down from Heaven when they know him to be the Son of Joseph and Mary They understood nothing of his Divine Nature nor of his Miraculous Conception by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost and therefore were highly offended at him Thence Learn That Ignorance of Christ's Divine Nature was the Ground and Occasion of that Contempt which was cast upon his person Observe farther The proof which Christ gave of his Divine Nature in his knowing the Hearts and Thoughts of these murmuring Jews Jesus said Murmur not among your selves Christ knows and observes the most secret murmurings and repinings that are found in the Breasts of the Children of Men and this his Knowledge is an Evidence and Proof of his Divinity that he is truly and really God 44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day In which words we have something necessarily implied and something positively expres'd The misery of Man in his Natural and Unsanctified State is here implied he is far distant from Christ and unable of himself to to come unto him By Nature we are Strangers yea Enemies unto God Enemies to the Holiness of his Nature and to the Righteousness of his Laws And as the State of Unregeneracy is a State of Enmity so consequently must it be a State of Impotency without me therefore says Christ ye can do nothing John 15.5 That is without interest in me and influences of Grace derived from me Again the Truths we have exprest are these 1. That all those who come unto Christ are drawn unto him 2. That the drawing of sinful Souls unto Jesus Christ is the special and peculiar Work of God This drawing is a powerful Act but not a Compulsory Act. God doth not draw any against their wills to Christ but he inclines the Will of Sinners to come unto him He draws by effectual perswasion and not by violent Compulsion 3. That all those who are drawn to Christ here shall be raised up Gloriously by him hereafter I will raise him up at the last day Such as are brought to Christ by the Father Christ will never abandon them till he has raised them up at the last day and presented them Blameless and Compleat before his Father where they shall ever be with the Lord. 45 It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of God Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father save he which is of God he hath seen the Father 47 Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me hath everlasting life In these words our Blessed Saviour Confirms his former Assertion concerning his Father's drawing from the Prophesies of the Old Testament which speaking of the days of Messias foretold that persons should be Taught of God to Embrace the Messias whence Christ inferreth that every one who is thus Taught will come unto him and Believe in him Learn hence 1. That the Teachings of God are Absolutely necessary to every Man that cometh unto Christ in the way of Faith 2. That such shall not miscarry in the way of Faith who are under the special Teaching and Instructions of God They shall be all taught of God and he Teacheth to profit and that not only Authoritatively but efficaciously and effectually Those whom God undertakes to Teach Receive from him both an Ear to hear and an Heart to understand They shall be all Taught of God and they that are taught have heard and learned of the Father 48 I am that bread of life 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world In these Verses our Blessed Saviour Resumes his former Doctrine Namely That he is the Object of Saving Faith and the Bread of Life which he compares with the Manna the Bread of Israel Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness which Manna was an Illustrious Type of Christ Thus both came down from Heaven both were freely given of God without any merit or desert of Man both in a miraculous manner both at first unknown what they were and whence they came Both equally belonging to all both sufficient for all Poor and Rich. The Manna white in colour so clear our Lord's Innocence Pleasant like Honey so sweet are his Benefits Beaten and Broken before eaten Christ on his Cross bleeding and dying given only in the Wilderness and ceasing as soon as they came into the Land of Promise as Sacraments shall Vanish when we enjoy the Substance in Heaven But tho' Manna was thus excellent yet the eaters of it were dead but such as feed upon Christ the Bread of Life shall live Eternally in Bliss and Glory I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever Here we Learn 1. What a miserable Creature Man naturally is in a pining and starved Condition under the want of Soul-food 2. That Jesus Christ is the food of Souls which quickens them that are Dead and is unto the needy Soul all that it can need such Spiritual food as will prove a Remedy and Preservative against Death both Spiritual and Eternal I am the living Bread 52 The Jews therefore strove amongst themselves saying How can this man give us his flesh to eat 53 Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you 54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day 55 For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed 56 He that eateth my flesh
and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him 57 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever 59 These things said he in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum Observe here How the Jews understanding Christ after a Carnal manner were offended at what he said for they thought it was Inhumane to eat Man's Flesh and could not understand how the Body of Christ could in such a Sense be Food to all the World Hence Note That Carnal Persons put a Carnal Sense upon Christ's Spiritual Words and so occasion their own stumbling But yet notwithstanding the Jews stumbled at our Saviour's Expression he doth not alter his words but presseth more and more the Necessity of feeding upon him by Faith in order to Eternal Life Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Learn from hence 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the True Spiritual Food of all Believers 2. That those and only those who do by Faith feed upon him shall obtain a Life of Grace and Glory from him if we do not by Faith feed upon him we can have no Evidence for a Life of Grace nor Title to a Life of Glory This place some Papists produce to Countenance their Doctrine of Transubstantiation and a Bodily eating and drinking of Christ's Flesh and Blood in the Sacrament But it is evident that Christ Treats not of the Sacrament in this Chapter for the Sacrament was not now Instituted and therefore it is not a Sacramental but a Spiritual feeding upon Christ by Faith that is here meant For this eating gives Life to the Eater all that eat are saved and all that do not eat are damned but this is not true of a Sacramental eating besides this eating that Christ speaks of he makes absolutely necessary to Salvation but some are saved that never fed upon Christ in the Sacrament as John the Baptist and the Thief on the Cross Lastly if it be understood of a Sacramental Eating and Drinking wo be to the Church of Rome for denying the Cup to the Laity because Drinking of Christ's Blood is made here as necessary as eating of his Flesh in order to Eternal Life Except ye Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and Drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Observe farther The close and intimate Union which is betwixt Christ himself and those that feed upon him He that eateth me Dwelleth in me and I in him As Meat is turned into the Eater's Substance so Believers and Christ become one and by feeding on him that is by believing in him there followeth a mutual Inhabitation Christ dwelling in them and they in him this is true of a Spiritual feeding upon Christ but not of a Sacramental Eating Nay Christ carries it higher still and tells us That as there is a Real Union between the Father and him and as the Father Lives who sent him â—aving an Eternal Fountain of Life in himself and the Son Lives by the Father having the same Life communicated to him with his Essence from the Father in like manner says Christ he that eateth me the same shall Live by me All which is certainly true of our Spiritual Feeding upon Christ by Faith but cannot be applied to a Corporal feeding upon him in the Sacrament as the Papists would have it 60 Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this said This is an hard saying who can hear it 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said unto them Doth this offend you 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before The foregoing Doctrine of our Saviour concerning eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood sounded so very harshly that not only the common multitude but some of them that had been his Disciples that is who had given up their names to follow him could not tell how to bear them Our Saviour Reproves their unjust stumbling at what he had said That he was the Bread which came down from Heaven and tells them that his Ascension into Heaven should prove the Truth of his descent from Heaven Hence we learn That Christ's arising from the Grave and Ascending into Heaven by his own Power is an Evident proof of his Godhead and that he really came down from Heaven in respect of his Divine Nature which condescended to be cloathed with our Flesh What and if ye shall see the Son of Man Ascend up where he was before 63 It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life To convince the Jews that our Saviour did not mean a carnal fleshly eating of his Body he tells them that such an eating would profit them nothing but it is a Spiritual eating of him by Faith that bringeth that Quickning Life of which he had spoken It is the Spirit or Divine Nature that Quickneth the flesh or human Nature alone separated from his Godhead profiteth nothing and can give no Life Learn hence That it is the Godhead of Christ united to the Humane Nature which adds all Vertue Efficacy and Merit to the Obedience and sufferings of the Humane Nature It is the Spirit or Divine Nature of Christ that Quickneth the flesh or Humane Nature alone profiteth nothing and therefore the carnal eating of my flesh would do no good 64 But there are some of you that believe not For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him 65 And he said Therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father 66 ¶ From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him Our Blessed Saviour having thus cleared his Doctrine that he was the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven and that he is not to be Carnally but Spiritually fed upon He plainly tells the Jews That the true cause of their stumbling at his Doctrine was their Ignorance and Unbelief there are some of you that believe not Upon which plain dealing of our Blessed Saviour's many unsound Professors did wholly forsake him and accompanied no longer with him Learn hence That multitudes who have long professed Christ and his Holy Religion may draw back and fall from their Profession and finally revolt from him 2. That it is an Evil heart of unbelief which causes Men to depart from Christ and to make Shipwrack of their Profession 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve Will ye also go away 68 Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life 69 And we
the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness In the foregoing Verses our Saviour acquainted us what in our Affections and Judgments we should esteem as our Chief Treasure Now this Judgment concerning our Chief Treasure is by our Saviour here compared to the Eye as the Eye is the Candle of the Body that inlightens and directs it so our Understanding and Judgment of the Excellency of Heaven and the Things Above will draw our Affections towards them and quicken our Endeavours after them Note thence That such as our Judgment is concerning Happiness such will our Desires and Endeavours be for the Attainment of that Happiness Our Affections are guided by our Apprehensions where the Esteem is high Endeavours will be strong 24 No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and mammon Observe here A twofold Master spoken of God and the World God is our Master by Creation Preservation and Redemption he has appointed us our Work and secured us our Wages The World is our Master by Intrusion Usurpation and a general Estimation too many esteeming it as their Chief Good and delighting in it as their Chief Joy Obs 2. That no Man can serve these Two Masters who are of contrary Interests and issue out contrary Commands When two Masters are subordinate and their Commands subservient each to other the difficulty of Serving both is not great but where Commands interfere and Interests clash it is impossible No Man can serve God and the World but he may serve God with the World No Man can seek God and Mammon both as his Chief Good and Vltimate End because no Man can divide his Heart betwixt GOD and the World Learn That to love the World as our Chief Good and to serve the World as our Chief and Sovereign Commander cannot stand with the Love and Service which we bear and owe to God The World's Slaves whilest such can be none of God's Free-men 25 Therefore I say unto you Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment 26 Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they The next Sin which our Saviour cautions his Disciples against is immoderate Care for the things of this Life such a solicitous and vexatious Care for Food and Raiment as is accompanied with Diffidence and Distrust of GOD's Fatherly Providence over us and Provision for us and the Arguments which our Saviour uses to disswade from this Sin are many and cogent laid down in the following Verses 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature 28 And why take ye thought for raiment Consider the lilies of the field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin 29 And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these 30 Wherefore if God so cloath the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall he not much more cloath you O ye of little faith 31 Therefore take no thought saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be cloathed 32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things Four Arguments are here used by our Saviour to disswade us from the Sin of Anxious Care 't is needless 't is fruitless 't is heathenish 't is bruitish 1. 'T is needless Your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these things and will certainly provide for you and what need you take Care and God too 2. 'T is fruitless Which of you by taking thought can add one Cubit to his Stature That is by all our Solicitous Care we can add nothing either to the Length or Comfort of our Lives 3. 'T is heathenish After all these things do the Gentiles seek 4. 'T is brutish nay worse than brutish The Fowls of the Air and the Beasts of the Field are fed by God much more shall his Children Has God a Breakfast for every little Bird that comes chirping out of its Nest And for every Beast in the Wilderness that comes leaping out of its Den And will he not much more provide for you Oh ye of little Faith Surely he that feeds the Ravens when they Cry will not starve his Children when they Pray 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you That is Let your first and chief Care be to promote the Kingdom of Grace in this World and to secure the Kingdom of Glory in the next and in order unto both seek after an Universal Holiness and Righteousness both of Heart and Life and then fear not the want of these Outward Comforts they shall be added in Measure tho' not in Excess to Satisfie tho' not to Satiate for Health tho' not for Surfeit Obs 1. That Christians must here on Earth set themselves to seek Heaven or the Kingdom of God 2. That God's Kingdom cannot be sought without God's Righteousness Holiness is the only way to Happiness 3. That Heaven or the Kingdom of God must be sought in the first place with our chief Care and principal Endeavour 4. That Heaven being once secured by us all Earthly Things shall be superadded by God as he sees needful and convenient for us 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof Here our Saviour reinforces his Dehortation from Solicitous Care for Worldly Things assuring us That every Day will bring with it a sufficient Burden of Trouble and therefore we ought not to torment our selves by antedating our own Sorrows and foretelling what may or may not come to pass Learn That it is a Painful Sinful and Unprofitable Evil to perplex our selves with distrustful and distracting Fears of what may come upon us Every Day has its own Duty and Difficulty and tho' Sufferings must be expected and prepared for yet we must not torment our selves to Day with the Fears of what may be to Morrow but every Day cast our Burden of Care upon that God who daily careth for us CHAP. VII Our Blessed Saviour having continued his Sermon on the Mount in the former Chapter concludes it in this with an Exhortation to several Duties the First of which is To forbear Rash Judging of others 1 JUDGE not that ye be not judged 2 For with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete it shall
his Head A Wicked Man needs no worse Tormenter than his own Mind Oh the Terrours and Tortures of a Guilty Conscience How great are the Anxiety of Guilt and the Fears of Divine Displeasure than which nothing is more stinging and perpetually tormenting 3 For Herod had laid hold on John and bound him and put him in prison for Herodias sake his brother Philip's wife 4 For John said unto him It is not lawful for thee to have her 5 And when he would have put him to death he feared the multitude because they counted him as a prophet Observe here 1. The Person that put the Holy Baptist to Death 't was Herod 't was Herod the King 't was Herod that invited John to Preach at Court and heard him gladly 1. It was Herod Antipas Son to that Herod who sought Christ's Life Matth. 2. Cruelty runs in a Blood Herod the Murderer of John who was the Forerunner of Christ descended from that Herod who would have murdered Christ himself 2. 'T was Herod the King Sad That Princes who should always be Nursing-Fathers to should at any time be the Bloody Butchers of the Prophets of God 3. 'T was Herod that heard John gladly John took the Ear and the Heart of Herod and Herod binds the Hands and Feet of John Oh how inconstant is a Carnal Heart to good Resolutions The Word has oft-times an Awakening Influence where it doth not leave an Abiding Impression upon the Minds of Men. Obs 2. The Cause of the Baptist's Death it was for telling a King of his Crime Herod cut off that Head whose Tongue was so bold to tell him of his Faults The Persecution which the Prophets of God fall under is usually for telling Great Men of their Sins Men in Power are impatient of Reproof and imagine that their Authority gives them a Licence to Transgress Obs 3. The plain Dealing of the Baptist in reproving Herod for his Crime which in one Act was Adultery Incest and Violence Adultery that that he took another's Wife Incest that he took his Brother's Wife Violence that he took her in spight of her Husband Therefore John doth not mince the Matter and say It is not Convenient but It is not Lawful for thee to have her it was not the Crown and Scepter of Herod that could daunt the Faithful Messenger of God There ought to meet in God's Ministers both Courage and Impartiality Courage in fearing no Faces Impartiality in sparing no Sins For none are so great but they are under the Authority and Command of the Law of God 6 But when Herod's birth-day was kept the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod 7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask 8 And she being before instructed of her mother said Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger 9 And the king was sorry nevertheless for the oath's sake and them which sat with him at meat he commanded it to be given her 10 And he sent and beheaded John in the prison 11 And his head was brought in a charger and given to the damsel and she brought it to her mother Several Observables are here to be taken Notice of 1. The Time of this Execrable Murther it was upon Herod's Birth-Day It was an Antient Custom among the Eastern Kings to Celebrate their Birth-Days Pharaoh's Birth-Day was kept Gen. 40. Herod's here both with Blood Yet these Personal Stains do not make the Practice unlawful When we solemnize our Birth-Day with Thankfulness to our Creator and Preserver for Life and Being for Protection and Preservation to that Moment and recommend our selves to the Care of his good Providence for the Remainder of our Days This is an Act of Piety and Religion But Herod's Birth-Day was kept with Revelling and Feasting with Musick and Dancing Not that Dancing which in it self is a set regular harmonious Motion of the Body can be unlawful any more than Walking or Running Altho' Circumstances may make it sinful But from this disorderly Banquet on Herod's Birth-Day we Learn That Great Men's Feasts and Frolicks are too often a Season of much Sin Obs 2. The Instigator and Promoter of the Holy Baptist's Death Herodias and her Daughter That Good Man falls a Sacrifice to the Fury and Malice to the Pride and Scorn of a Lustful Woman for being a Rub in the Way of her Licentious Adultery Resolute Sinners who are mad upon their Lusts run furiously upon their Gainsayers tho' they be the Prophets of God themselves and resolve to bear down all Opposition they meet with in the Gratification of their Unlawful Desires Obs 3. With what Reluctancy Herod consented to this Villany The King was sorry Wicked Men oft-times sin with a troubled and disturbed Conscience they have a mighty Struggle with themselves before they commit their Sins But at last their Lusts get Mastery over their Consciences So did Herod's here For 4. Notwithstanding his Sorrow he commands the Fact He sent and Beheaded John in the Prison And a threefold Cord tied him to this Performance 1. The Conscience of his Oath See his Hypocrisie he made Conscience of a rash Oath that made no Scruple of real Murther 2. Respect to his Reputation Them that sat with him heard him promise and will be Witnesses of his Levity if he do not perform Insisting upon Punctilio's of Honour has hazarded the Loss of Millions of Souls 3. A Loathness to discontent Herodias and her Daughter Oh vain and foolish Hypocrite who dreaded the displeasing of a wanton Mistress before the offending of God and Conscience Obs 5. These wicked Women not only require the Baptist to be Beheaded but that his Head be brought in a Charger to them What a Dish was here to be served up at a Prince's Table on his Birth-Day A dead Man's Head swimming in Blood How prodigiously insatiable is Cruelty and Revenge Herodias did not think her self safe 'till John was dead She could not think him dead till his Head was off she could not think his Head off till she had it in her Hand Revenge never thinks it has made sure enough Oh how cruel is a wicked Heart that could take Pleasure in a Spectacle of so much Horror How was that Holy Head tost by impure and filthy Hands That true and faithful Tongue those sacred Lips those pure Eyes those mortified Cheeks are now insultingly handled by an Incestuous Harlot and made a Scorn to the drunken Eyes of Herod's Guests From the whole Learn 1. That neither the Holiest of Prophets nor the Best of Men are more secure from Violence than from Natural Death He that was Sanctified in the Womb Conceived and Born with so much Miracle Lived with so much Reverence and Observation is now at Midnight obscurely Murthered in a close Prison Learn 2. That it is as true a Martyrdom to Suffer for Duty as for Faith He Dies as truly a Martyr that Dies for doing his Duty as he that Dies for
rather grew worse 27 When she had heard of Jesus came in the press behind and touched his garment 28 For she said If I may touch but his cloaths I shall be whole 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague 30 And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that vertue had gone out of him turned him about in the press and said Who touched my cloaths 31 And his disciples said unto him Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest thou Who touched me 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing 33 But the woman fearing and trembling knowing what was done in her came and fell down before him and told him all the truth 34 And he said unto her Daughter thy faith hath made thee whole go in peace and be whole of thy plague As our Saviour was on his way to Jairus his House a diseased Woman comes behind him touches his Cloaths and is presently healed the Virtue lay not in her Finger but in her Faith or rather in Christ which her Faith instrumentally drew forth Obs here 1. The diseased Person a Woman with a Bloody-Flux Let Women here take notice of the Miseries which the Sin of the first Woman has brought upon all Women amongst which this is one that it has made their Bodies subject to unnatural Issues and Fluxes of Blood Obs 2. The long Continuance of this Disease Twelve Years It pleases God to lay long and tedious Afflictions upon some of his Children in this Life and particularly to keep some of them a very long time under bodily Weakness to manifest his Power in supporting them and to magnifie his Mercy in delivering them Obs 3. This poor Woman was found in the use of Means she sought to Physicians for Help and is not blamed for it tho' she spent all she had upon them The use of Physick is not to be neglected by us in times of Sickness especially in dangerous Diseases of the Body To trust to Means is to neglect God and to neglect the Means is to tempt God The Health of our Bodies ought to be dear and precious to us and all lawful Means ought to be used both to preserve it to recover it and confirm it Obs 4. The workings and acting of this poor Woman's Faith her Disease was unclean by the Ceremonial Law and therefore to be separate from Society accordingly she is ashamed to appear before Christ but comes behind him to touch his Cloaths being firmly perswaded that Christ had a Power communicated by God unto him miraculously to cure incurable Diseases And see how our Saviour encouraged her Faith tho' she did not believe him to he the Eternal Son of God but one to whom God had communicated a Power of healing bodily Diseases yet says Christ This thy Faith hath made thee whole Learn hence That Faith oft-times meets with a better Welcome from Christ than it did or could expect This poor Woman came to Christ trembling but went away triumphing Obs 5. Christ would have this Miracle discovered he therefore says Who toucheth me and I perceive that Vertue is gone out of me First In Reference to himself to manifest his Divine Power that by the Touch of his Cloaths he could cure such an incurable Disease Secondly In Relation to the Woman that she might have Opportunity to give God the Praise and Glory for the Cure And Thirdly With Respect to Jairus that his Faith might be strengthned in the Belief of Christ's Power to raise his Daughter 35 While he yet spake there came from the ruler of the synagogues house certain which said Thy daughter is dead why troublest thou the Master any further 36 Assoon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue Be not afraid only believe 37 And he suffered no man to follow him save Peter and James and John the brother of James 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and seeth the tumult and them that wept and wailed greatly 39 And when he was come in he saith unto them Why make ye this ado and weep the damsel is not dead but sleepeth 40 And they laughed him to scorn but when he had put them all out he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel and them that were with him and entereth in where the damsel was lying 41 And he took the damsel by the hand and said unto her Talitha cumi which is being interpreted Damsel I say unto thee arise 42 And straightway the damsel arose and walked for she was of the age of twelve years and they were astonished with a great astonishment 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it and commanded that something should be given her to eat Obs here 1. The doleful News brought to Jairus his Ears Thy Daughter is dead The Lord doth sometimes suffer the Faith of his Saints to be hard put to it greatly assaulted with Difficulties and Trials Obs 2. Our Saviour's seasonable Word of Comfort Be not afraid only believe Christ is ready to comfort Believers in the Hour of their strongest Temptations and greatest Trials Obs 3. Christ's Application of himself to the raising unto Life Jairus his dead Daughter In order to which 1. He goes into the House only with three of his Disciples which were sufficient to witness the Truth of the Miracle Our Saviour to avoid all shew of Vain-Glory and to evidence that he sought not ambitiously his own Honour and Praise would not work this great Miracle publickly before all the People 2. He rebukes them for the shew they make of immoderate Grief and Sorrow for the dead Damsel they wept and wailedâ— eatly with Ministress and musical Instruments according to the Custom of the Heathens who by a mournful sort of Musick did stir up the Passion of Grief at their Funerals To mourn immoderately for the dead is an Heathenish Practice and Custom 'T is hurtful to the Living and dishonourable to the Dead nor is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace 3. He adds a Reason for this Rebuke and Reproof given them The Damsel is not dead but sleepeth Vobis Mortua mihi Dormit She is Dead to you but asleep to me Not so dead as to be beyond my Power to raise her to Life Souls departed are under the Conduct of Angels to their several Regions of Bliss or Misery It is very probable that the Soul of this Damsel was under the Guard of Angels near her dead Body waiting the Pleasure of God in order to its Disposal either to restore it again to the Body or to translate it to its Eternal Mansion Observe farther The Nature of Death in general and of the Saints in particular described 'T is a Sleep Sleep is a State of Rest Sleep is a sudden Surprizal in Sleep there is an
acquaints us with another Miracle which our Saviour wrought in walking upon the Sea to his Disciples and herein we have Observable 1. His sending his Disciples to Sea he constrained them to go into a Ship not compelling them against their Wills but commanding them to take Ship and go before him No doubt the Disciples were loth to this unwilling to leave him and to go without him for they that have once tasted the Sweetness of Christ's Company and Acquaintance are hardly and difficultly drawn away from him Obs 2. Christ having dismist his Disciples and the Company retires into a Mountain to pray to teach us that when we address our selves to God in Duty to take all Helps Furtherances and Advantages for the doing of our Duty We must dismiss the Multitude before we address to God in Prayer we must send away the Multitude of worldly Cares worldly Thoughts worldly Concerns and Business when we would wait upon God in Duty Obs 3. The great Danger the Disciples were in and the Difficulties they were to encounter with They were in the midst of the Sea tossed with the Waves and the Winds were contrary and which was saddest of all Christ was absent The Wisdom of God sometimes suffers his Children and People not only to be distressed but greatly distressed with a variety of Distresses Obs 4. The seasonable Succour and Relief which Christ afforded his Disciples In the fourth Watch he came unto them walking upon the Waters It was not a stormy and tempestuous Sea that could separate betwixt him and them he that waded thro' a Sea of Blood and a Sea of Wrath to save his People will walk upon a Sea of Waters to succour and relieve them And the time was the fourth Watch about Four in the Morning when they had been many Hours conflicting with the Waves and in great Danger of their Lives To Teach us that Christ sometimes lengthens out the Trials of his Children before he delivers them but when they come to an Extremity that is the Season of his Succour Obs 5. How the Disciples took their Deliverer for their Destroyer When they saw Christ they cried out Their Fears were highest when their Deliverer and Deliverance was nearest God may be coming with Salvation and Deliverance to his People when they for the present cannot discern it Obs 6. When the Disciples were in the suddest Condition one word from Christ revives them it is a sufficient support in all our Afflictions to hear Christ's Voice speaking to us and to enjoy his favourable Presence with us Say but Oh Saviour it is I and then let Evils do their worst That one word it is I is sufficient to allay all Storms and to calm a Thousand Tempests Obs Lastly What Influence and Effect this Miracle had upon the Disciples They were sore amazed and beyond measure astonished they wonder at the ceasing of the Winds and calming of the Seas but they had forgotten the Miracles of the Loaves which was a great Stupidity and Dulness in them and argued Hardness of Heart and want of Consideration in them Learn thence That there is much Stupidity of Mind and Hardness of Heart remaining unmortified in the best of Saints whilst here in an imperfect State the work of Grace and Sanctification is but imperfect here 53 And when they had passed over they came into the land of Genesareth and drew to the shore 54 And when they were come out of the ship straightway they knew him 55 And ran thorow that whole region round about and began to carry about in beds those that were sick where they heard he was 56 And whithersoever he entered into villages or cities or country they laid the sick in the streets and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment and as many as touched him were made whole Here Observe 1. The unwearied Diligence and Industry of our Saviour in going about to do good He no sooner landeth but goeth to Genesareth and healeth their Sick It was the Great Business and Constant Employment of our Saviour's Life to Travel from Place to Place that he might he Useful and Beneficial to Mankind He went to those that could not and to those that would not come to him Obs 2. The People of Genesareth's Charity to their Sick Neighbours they send abroad to let all the Country know that Christ the great Physician was come amongst them There is a Duty of Love and Mercy which we owe unto those that are in Affliction and Misery namely To afford them the best Help Relief and Succour we are able both in their inward and outward Afflictions Obs 3. The Suddeness and Certainty of the Cure they touched him and were made whole The Healing Vercue lay not in their Fingers but in their Faith or rather in Christ whom their Faith Apprehended CHAP. VII 1 THen came together unto him the Pharisees and certain of the Scribes which came from Jerusalem 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled that is to say with unwashen hands they found fault 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews except they wash their hands oft eat not holding the tradition of the Elders 4 And when they come from the market except they wash they eat not And many other things there be which they have received to hold as the washing of cups and pots brazen vessels and of tables Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked him Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders but eat bread with unwashen hands 6 He answered and said unto them Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men 8 For laying aside the commandment of God ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do 9 And he said unto them Full well ye reject the Commandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition 10 For Moses said honour thy father and thy mother and whoso curseth father or mother let him die the death 11. But ye say If a man shall say to his father or mother It is Corban that is to say a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me shall be free 12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition which ye have delivered and many such like things ye do The former part of this Chapter acquaints us with a Conference or Disputation which our Saviour had with the Pharisees about their Superstitious Observation of the Jewish Traditions These Traditions were such Rites and Customs as were delivered to them by the Elders and Rulers of the Jewish Church in former times which Traditions they Valued and Regarded
tells us that John had two sorts of Hearers 1. the common People and Publicans 2. The Pharisees and Lawyers and declares that different effect which John's Ministry had upon these two different sorts of Persons As to the former the common People and the Publicans the common People were accounted by the Jewish Doctors as the Dregs of Mankind an ignorant and rude Mob the Publicans were esteemed notoriously wicked guilty of great Injustice Oppression and Extortion yet these vile Persons were converted sooner then the Knowing Men of the Time the Self-justifying Pharisees and Lawyers for it is said The Publicans were baptized of John and justified God that is they look'd upon John as a Prophet sent of God they owned his Ministry received his Message and submitted to his Baptism Those which believe the Message that God sendeth and obey it they justify God They that do not believe and obey accuse and condemn God But of the others it is said namely of the Pharisees and Lawyers That they rejected the Counsel of God against themselves that is the revealed Will of God refusing to be Baptized of him this rejecting the Counsel of God we are guilty of when we have low and undervaluing thoughts of Christ and his Gospel when we are ashamed in times of Persecution to own and profess him when we stop our Ears to the voice of his Ministers and Messengers when we submit not our selves to the reasonable Laws and Commands of Christ and this Rejection of Christ at the Great Day will render our Condition worse then the Condition of Heathens that never heard of a Saviour then the Condition of Jews which Crucified their Saviour yea then the Condition of Devils for whom a Saviour was never intended Lord Where shall we appear if we either Reject or Neglect thy great Salvation 31 And the Lord said whereunto shall I liken the men of this generation and to what are they like 32 They are like unto children sitting in the market-place and calling one to another and saying we have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned to you and ye have not wept 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drining wine and ye say he hath a Devil 34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking and ye say behold a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners 35 But wisdom is justified all of her children Our Blessed Saviour in these words describes the perverse Humour of the Pharisees whom nothing could allure to the embracing of the Gospel neither John's Ministry nor Christ's This our Saviour sets forth two ways allegorically and properly by way of Allegory he compares them to sullen Children whom nothing would please neither Mirth nor Mourning if their fellows piped before them they would not Dance if they sang mournful Songs to them they would not lament that is the Pharisees were of such a censorious and capricious humour that God himself could not please them altho' he used variety of Means and Methods in order to that end Next our Lord plainly interprets this Allegory by telling them that John came to them neither eating nor drinking that is not so freely and plentifully as other Men being a very austere and mortified man both in his Dyet and Habit all which was designed by God to bring the Pharisees to Repentance and Amendment of Life But instead of this they Censure him for having a Devil because he delighted in Solitude and was not so free in Conversation as some Men according to the ancient Observation that he that delighteth in Solitude is either an Angel or a Devil either a wild Beast or a God John being thus rejected Christ himself comes to them who being of a free and familiar Conversation not shunning the Society of the worst of men no not of the Pharisees themselves but complying with their Customs and accompanying them innocently at their Feasts yet the freedom of our Saviour's Conversation displeas'd them as much as John's reservedness of Temper for they cry Behold a man gluttonous a friend of Publicans and Sinners Christ's Affability towards Sinners they account an Approbation of their Sins and his Sociable Disposition Looseness and Luxury Learn hence That the Faithful and Zealous Ministers of Christ let their Temper and Converse be what it will cannot please the Enemies of Religion and the haters of the Power of Godliness neither John's Austerity nor Christ's familiarity could gain upon the Pharisees It is the Duty of the Minister's of God in the course of their Ministry to seek to please all Men for their good But after all our endeavours to please all if we strenuously oppose the Errors and Vices of the Times we shall please but very few But if God and Conscience be of the number of those few we are Safe and Happy Observe 2. that it has been the old Policy of the Devil that he might hinder the Success of the Gospel to fill the minds of Persons with an invincible Prejudice against the Ministers and Dispensers of the Gospel Here the Pharisees are prejudiced unreasonably both against John and against Christ that the Success of both their Ministry might be frustrated and disappointed Observe 3. That after all the scandalous Reproaches cast upon the Christian Religion and the Ministers and Professors of it such as are Wisdoms Children wise and good men will justify Religion that is approve it in their judgments honour it in their Discourses and adorn it in their Lives Wisdom is justified of all her Children 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him and he went into the Pharisees house and sate down to meat 37 And behold a woman in the city which was a sinner when she knew that Jesus sate at meat in the Pharisees house brought an Alablaster Box of Oyntment 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with Tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the Oyntment Observe here 1. The Pharisees Civility and our Saviour's Courtesy the Pharisee invites Christ to eat with him Christ readily accepts the invitation never refusing any opportunity for doing good There is a Duty of Civil Courtesy which we owe to the worst of Men none are so bad but we may soberly eat and drink with them only let us take care that if our Converse do not make them better their Example may not make us worse Observe 2. What an opportunity our Saviour lays hold upon in the Pharisees House of doing good to a sinful Woman who coming to Christ bowed down in a sorrowful sight and sense of her Sins finds an hearty welcome to him and is dismissed with comfort from him The History runs thus Behold a Woman in the City which was a sinner that is a Gentile say some a remarkable notorious and infamous Sinner say others probably a lewd unclean woman
we see the very Devils have a sort of unity amongst themselves and in their malicious and mischievous Designs against Mankind they are as one Oh how happy were it if good Men were as united in their Designs and endeavours for the Glory of God and the good of one another as Devils conspire and contrive against them Observe 6. The request which the Devils make to Christ we beseech thee torment us not From whence we may gather 1. That there are Torments appointed to the Spiritual Nature of Evil Angels 2. That the Evil Angels or Devils are not so full of Torment as they shall be altho' they are as full of sin and discontent as they can be there will be a time when their Torments shall be encreased therefore they pray Torment us not before the time that is do not encrease our Torments before the appointed time of their Encrease Observe 7. The Devils Request for Permission and Leave to go into the Herd of Swine Where Note 1. The Devils malice he will hurt the poor Beasts rather then not hurt at all 2. his powerful Restraint he cannot hurt a poor Pig without a Permission Suffer us to enter Satan's malice indeed is infinite but his power is bounded it is potestas sub potestate a power under a power if he could not hurt the Swine much less can he afflict the children of Men without Leave Obs 8. How Satans request is yielded to by our Saviour He suffered them to go into the Swine not to gratify their desire in doing mischief but first hereby Christ shewed his Power over the Devils that they could not Act without his Permission and Leave next to shew how great the malice and power of the Devil is if not restrained and Lastly That the Miracle of casting out so many Devils might appear to be the greater Learn hence That sometimes Almighty God for wise Ends and just Causes doth suffer the Devil to enjoy his Desire in doing mischief unto the Creatures Jesus said unto them go Observe 9. What a bad effect this Miracle had upon the Minds of the Gadarens instead of Believing and owning Christ's Divine Power the loss of their Swine enrages them and makes them desire Christ's departure from them Learn That Carnal Hearts prefer their Swine before their Saviour and had rather lose Christ's Presence then their Worldly Profit They besought him to depart from them Sad is the condition of those from whom Christ departs more sad the Condition of such who say unto Christ depart but most sad the condition of them who beseech and intreat Christ to depart from them thus did the Gadarens here and we do not read that ever Christ returned more to them Observe 10. How desirous the possessed Man was to continue with Christ after he was come to himself He prayed that he might be with him This he might desire partly to testify his Thankfulness to Christ partly out of fear of being Repossessed again by Satan or perhaps to have the opportunity of hearing Christ's Doctrine and seeing his Miracles for such as have once tasted that the Lord is Gracious and experienced the pleasure and profit of Christ's Company are very desirous of the continuance of it and exceeding loth to part with it However our Saviour at this time did not think fit to suffer him knowing that more Glory would redound to God by publishing this Miracle to his Friends Christ expects after eminent Deliverances wrought for us that we should be the publishers of his Praises and declare to all far and near the great and wonderful things which he has done for us 41 And behold there came a man named Jairus and he was a Ruler of the Synagogue and he fell down at Jesus Feet and besought him that he would come into his house 42 For he had one only Daughter about twelve years of Age and she lay a dying but as he went the People thronged him Obs here 1. The Person described who came to Christ on behalf of his sick Daughter by his Name Jairus by his office a Ruler of the Synagogue by his Gesture he fell down at Jesus Feet this Gesture of his was not only a Sign of tender affection in him towards his Daughter but also an evidence of his Faith in our Blessed Saviour He believed him either to be God or an extraordinary Man who had a miraculous power of healing Observe 2. How readily Christ complies with Jairus his Request Jesus went with him Altho' his Faith was but weak yet our Saviour doth not reject him or deny his Suit Oh how ready should we be to go to Christ in all our Distresses who is so ready to hear and so forward to help us if we seek him in Sincerity tho our Faith be weak and feeble Observe 3. The great Humility of our Blessed Saviour in suffering himself to be thronged by poor People much people followed him and thronged him Oh humble and lowly Saviour how free was thy Conversation from Pride and Haughtiness how willing to converse with the meanest of the People for their advantage Christ did not only suffer them to come near him but even to throng him Let not then the greatest Persons upon Earth despise or disdain the poorest of the People but look upon some with an eye of favour upon others with an eye of pity upon none with an eye of Contempt 43 And a woman having an issue of Blood twelve years which had spent all her Living upon Physicians neither could be healed of any 44 Came behind him and touched the Border of his Garment and immediately her Issue of blood stenched 45 And Jesus said who touched me when all deny'd Peter and they that were with him said Master the multitude throng thee and press thee and sayest thou who touched me 46 And Jesus said some body hath touched me for I perceive that vertue is gone out of me 47 And when the Woman saw that she was not hid she came trembling and falling down before him she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him and how she was healed immediately 48 And he said unto her Daughter be of good comfort thy Faith hath made thee whole go in peace As our Saviour was on his way to Jairus his House a Diseased Woman cometh behind him toucheth his Cloaths and is presently healed The virtue lay not in her Finger but in her Faith or rather in Christ which her Faith instrumentally drew forth Observe 1. The Diseased Woman one with a bloody Flux let Women here take Notice of the Miseries which the sin of the first Woman brought upon all Women amongst which this is one that it has made their Bodies subject to preternatural Issues and Fluxes of Blood Observe 2. The long continuance of this Disease Twelve years it pleases God to lay long and tedious Afflictions upon some of his Children in this Life and particularly to keep some of them a very
their Obstinacy and Infidelity which he aggravates from the Example of the Queen of the South and the Men of Nineveh From hence Learn That the sins of infidelity and impenitency are exceedingly heightned and their guilt aggravated from the Means afforded by God to bring Men to Faith and Obedience The sin of the Pharisees was infinitely greater in rejecting the Evidence of Christ's Miracles than the sin of the Ninevites would have been in refusing to hearken to Jonas his Ministry therefore the Ninevites shall condemn the Pharisees 33 No man when he hath lighted a Candle putteth it in a secret place neither under a Bushel but on a Candlestick that they which come in may see the Light 34 The light of the body is the eye therefore when thine eye is single thy whole body also is full of Light but when thine eye is evil thy body also is full of darkness 35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness 36 If thy whole body therefore shall be full of light having no part dark the whole shall be full of light as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light Our Saviour in these words does these two things 1. he declares that altho' his Ministry had no effect upon the proud and obstinate Pharisees yet he would not hide the light which he came into the World to bring nor conceal that Heavenly Doctrine which his Father had committed to him to Communicate to the Children of Men teaching us That such as are enlightned by God with the Knowledge of his Word and Will ought not to conceal and hide this Knowledge within themselves but communicate it to others and improve it for the good and benefit of others No man that lighteth a Candle putteth it under a Bushel 2. Our Saviour here discovers the Reason why the Pharisees continued blind under so clear a light as that of his Ministry namely because the eye of their Understanding was darkned not so much with Ignorance as with Prejudice whereby they opposed Christ and his Holy Doctrine for if the Mind be clearly enlightned by the Word and Spirit of God that Light will diffuse and spread it self in the Soul as the bright shining of a Candle doth in the House enlightning all the inward Faculties and directing all the outward Actions and communicating its Light also to the enlightning of others 37 And as he spake a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him and he went in and sate down to meat 38 And when the Pharisee saw it he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner 39 And the Lord said unto him now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness 40 Ye fools did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also Observe here 1. The free Conversation of our Blessed Saviour how readily he complies with the Pharisees Invitation to dine with him I do not find that when Christ was invited to any Table that ever he refused to go if a Pharisee if a Publican invited him he constantly went not so much for the pleasure of eating as for the opportunity of Conversing and doing good Christ feasts us when we feed him He says of himself that he came eating and drinking that is allowing himself a free tho' innocent Conversation with all sorts of Persons that he might gain some Observe 2. The Exception which the Pharisee takes at our Saviour's not washing his hands before Dinner This they made but without any warrant for it a Religious Act abounding in external washings but neglecting the inward Purgations of their Hearts and Consciences from Sin and Uncleanness Thus Pharisaical Hypocrisy puts God off with outward cleansing instead of inward Purity regarding more the outward cleanness of the hand than the inward Purity of the Heart Observe 3. Our Blessed Saviour does not condemn any external Decency and cleanliness in Conversation but his design is to shew the vanity of outward Purity without inward Sanctity and to convince them of the Necessity of cleansing the Heart in order to the purifying and Reforming the Life The Pharisee washt his hands clean but left his Soul full of uncleanness not considering that he that made the Soul as well as the Body requires that both should be kept pure all the impiety of mens Lives proceeding from the impurity of their Hearts and Natures 41 But rather give alms of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you As if Christ had said the way to purify your Meats and Drinks and Estates from all pollution cleaving to them and to have them Sanctified Blessings to you is in Conjunction with other Graces by doing Works of Mercy and by liberal Alms-giving according to your Ability Learn that Charity and Alms-giving according to our ability and opportunity is a special means to sanctify our Estates to us and to cause us holily and comfortably to enjoy whatever we do possess Give Alms of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you 42 But Wo unto you Pharisees for ye Tythe Mint and Rue and all manner of Herbs and pass over judgment and the love of God these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Our Saviour here denounces a Wo against the Pharisees for their strict and scrupulous observing the lesser things of the Law as Tything Mint and Rue whilst they were regardless of the principal and substantial Duties which they owed both to GOD and Man Learn hence That altho' some Duties are of greater moment and importance than others yet a good Man will omit none but make Conscience of all both great and small in obedience to the Command of God there is no Duty so little as to be neglected no Command so small as to be disobeyed but yet there is a difference in Duties and our first regard ought to be to the greater then to the less Christ doth not condemn them for Tything Mint and Rue but for passing over judgment and the love of God 43 Wo unto you Pharisees for ye love the uppermost seats in the Synagogues and greetings in the Market-place The next Wo denounced against the Pharisees is for their Ambition Pride and Popularity affecting the uppermost Seats in the Synagogues and Salutations in the Markets where their fault was not in taking but in affecting these uppermost places God is the God of Order there may and ought to be a precedency amongst Persons honour is to be given to whom honour is due and that by God's Command But Pride and Ambition are detestable Vices especially in such as are Preachers and ought to be patterns of Humility 44 Wo unto you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites for ye are as Graves which appear not and the men that walk over them are not aware of them Another Wo is here
the Name and Notion of Covetousness our Saviour doth not condemn a provident Care for the things of this Life nor a regular Industry and Diligence for obtaining of them nor every degree of Love and Affection to them but by Covetousness is to be understood an eager and insatiable desire after the things of this Life or using unjust ways and means to get or encrease an Estate seeking the things of this Life with the neglect of things infinitely better and placing their chief Happiness in Riches Observe 3. The Reason of this Caution Because mans Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Humane Life is sustained by a little therefore abundance is not necessary either to the Support or Comfort of it 'T is not a great Estate and vast Possessions that makes a Man happy in this World but a mind suited to our Condition whatever it be 16 And Jesus spake a Parable unto them saying the Ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully 17 And he thought within himself saying What shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits 18 And he said this will I do I will pull down my Barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods 19 And I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast goods much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry 20 But God said unto him Thou fool This Night shall thy Soul be required of thee Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided 21 So is he that layeth up Treasure for himself and is not rich towards God The Design and Scope of our Saviour in this Parable is to shew Men the vileness and vanity of the Sin of Covetousness or an eager and insatiable desire after the things of this World When Men heap up Riches and lay up Treasures in this Life taking no care to be Rich towards God in Faith and good Works our Saviour illustrates this by the Parable of a Rich Man whom God had Blessed with great Plenty yet his desire of more wealth was never satisfied but he is projecting how he may lay up Goods in store for many Years Where Note 1. That the Parable doth not intimate any indirect and unjust ways of Gain which this Man used to encrease his Estate but condemns his insatiable desire and Thirst after more So that hence we may Learn That an eager and inordinate desire after the things of this World tho' it be free from injustice and doing wrong to others is one species or kind of the sin of Covetousness Observe 2. How this rich Man looked no farther than himself not looking upon himself as God's Steward but his own Carver he cries out What shall I do because I have no room where to lay my fruits not considering that the houses of the Poor should have been his Granaries for the Abundance of his Encrease Charity to the Necessitous is the best way of bestowing our Abundance God's extraordinary Bounty is to be laid out for the Relief of others Necessities not for the gratifying of our own Luxurious Desires Obs 3. The Brand of Infamy which the wise God fixes upon this Covetous Rich Man Thou fool says God Learn thence That it is an act and instance of the most egregious Folly imaginable for Persons to spend their time and strength in getting and laying up Treasure upon Earth in the mean time neglecting to be rich towards God in Faith and good Works Thou fool Observe 4. The doleful Tidings and threatning News brought unto him This Night shall thy soul be required of thee Learn hence 1. That all a Mans Wealth is not able to preserve his Life much less to save his Soul and if Wealth cannot save a Mans Life why should men endanger their Lives nay hazard their Souls to get or encrease Wealth Learn 2. That God takes away Mens Lives many times when they least suspect it This night says God many Years says he God will not have us think of Rest in a place of Disquiet nor of Certainty in a Condition of Inconstancy we are Dependant Creatures and our time is in God's Hand This night shall thy soul be taken away from thee Learn 3. That the Souls of ungodly Men are taken from them by force and compulsion Thy soul shall be required of thee good Men have the same reluctancies of Nature which others have yet they sweetly resign their Souls into the Hands of God in a dying Hour whereas a wicked Man tho' he sometimes dyes by his own hand yet never dyes with the consent of his own Will he chooses rather to eat Dust with the Serpent then to return to Dust Observe 5 The Expostulatory Question Whose then shall these things be which thou hast provided intimating 1. That they should not be his A Man's Wealth lasts no longer than his Life neither has he any longer the comfort of it lay up Gold and it perishes with thee but Treasure up Grace and it shall accompany thee whose shall these things be not thine undoubtedly 2. As these things shall not be thine when thou art gone so thou knowest not whose they shall be after thou art gone whether they shall fall into the hand of a Child or a Stranger of a wise Man or a Fool the Wealthiest Man cannot be certain who shall be his Heir and whose his Goods shall be Observe Lastly The Application which our Saviour makes of this Parable to his Disciples So is every one that layeth up Treasure for himself and is not rich towards God Learn hence That such as are not rich in Grace rich in good Works shall find no benefit by and take no comfort in all their Worldly Riches in the time of their greatest need at the hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment 22 And he said unto his Disciples therefore I say unto you Take no thought for your life what shall ye eat neither for the Body what ye shall put on 23 The Life is more than Meat and the Body is more than Raiment 24 Consider the Ravens for they neither sow nor reap which neither have store-house nor barn and God feedeth them how much more are ye better than the fowls 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least why take ye thought for the rest 27 Consider the Lillies how they grow they toil not they spin not and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these 28 If then God so cloth the grass which is to day in the field and to morrow is cast into the oven How much more will he cloath you O ye of little Faith 29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink neither be ye of doubtful mind 30 For all these things do
that bade when thou makest a Dinner or a Supper call not thy friends nor thy brethren neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours lest they also bid thee again and a recompence be made thee 13 But when thou makest a Feast call the poor the maimed the lame and the blind 14 And thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the Resurrection of the just Our Saviour observing how the Pharisee that bade him to Dinner invited only the Rich over-looking and neglecting the Poor he exhorts him and the Company that whenever they make Entertainments for the time to come they should not only invite their rich Neighbours and Friends who can and will invite them again but remember the Poor Here Note 1. That Civil Courtesies and Hospitable Entertainments of Kindred and Friends for maintaining and preserving Love and Concord is not only Lawful but an expedient and necessary Duty Vse hospitality to one another says St. Peter without grudging 2. That altho' it be not lawful to invite and feast the Rich yet is it most acceptable to God when we feed and refresh the Poor When thou makest a Feast call rather the poor and thou shalt be blessed We must prefer the Duties of Christian Charity before Acts of Common Civility Blessed are those Feast-makers who make the Bowels of the Hungry to Bless them 3. That God oft-times Rewards our Liberality to the poor very signally in this Life but if it be deferr'd we shall not fail to receive it at the Resurrection of the Just The poor cannot recompence thee but thou shalt be recompenced at the Resurrection of the just 15 And when one of them that sate at meat with him heard these things he said unto him Blessed is he that shall eat Bread in the kingdom of God 16 Then said he unto him A certain man made a great Supper and bade many 17 And sent his Servant at Supper-time to say to them that were bidden Come for all things are now ready 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse The first said unto him I have bought a piece of Ground and I must needs go and see it I pray thee have me excused 19 And another said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused 20 And another said I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come 21 So that the servant came and shewed his Lord these things Then the master of the house being angry said to his Servant Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the City and bring in hither the poor and the maimed the halt and the blind 22 And the servant said Lord it is done as thou hast commanded and yet there is room 23 And the Lord said unto the servant go into the High-ways and Hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled 24 For I say unto you None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper One of them that sate at meat with our Saviour in the Pharisees House hearing Christ speak of being Recompenc'd at the Resurrection of the Just repeated that known saying among the Rabbins Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God that is who shall be partaker of the Joys of Heaven Hereupon Christ utters the Parable of the Marriage Supper Recorded here by St. Luke with small variation from what was delivered by St. Matthew Ch. 22. The first intention of our Saviour in that Parable seems to be this to set forth that gracious offer of Mercy and Salvation which was made by the preaching of the Gospel unto the Jews and to declare God's purpose of Receiving the Gentiles into the Fold of Christ upon the Jews despising and rejecting that inestimable Favour But besides this it has an aspect upon us Christians who have embraced the Doctrine of the Gospel Here Note 1. That the Gospel for its freeness and fulness for its varieties and delicacies is like a Marriage-Supper For 1. it does create the same Relation between Christ and Believers that Marriage doth between Husband and Wife 2. it entitles to the same Priviledges that a Conjugal Relation doth to the same endearing Love and Tenderness to the same Care and Protection to the same Honour and to the same Happiness 3. It obliges to the like Duties namely unspotted Love and fidelity chearful obedience to his Commands reverence to his Person submission to his Authority 4. It produces the same Effects as the Effect of Marriage is increase of Children so the fruit of the Gospel is bringing many sons to God Note 2. That Gospel invitations are mightily disesteemed they made light of the invitation and offered frivolous Excuses for their refusal of it Note 3. That the preference which the World has in Mens esteem is the great Cause of the Gospel-Contempt one had purchased a piece of Ground another had bought five yoke of Oxen. Note 4. The deplorable sadness of their Condition who refuse upon any pretence whatever to comply with the Gospel-Tender of Reconciliation and Mercy The King was wrath pronounced them unworthy of his Favour and resolved they should not taste of his Supper but sends forth his Servants to invite others to the Supper Note 5. The Notion under which the Gentiles are set forth unto us such as were in Lanes Streets and High-ways that is a rude rustick barbarous People whom the Jews despised yea whom they held Accursed yet even these are called and accepted whilst the Jews the first intended Guests are excluded by means of their own Contempt Note lastly The means used to bring in the Gentiles to the Gospel-Supper Go and compel them to come in not by Violence but perswasion by Argumentation not Compulsion the plain and perswasive the powerful and efficacious Preaching of the Word with the Motions and influences of the Holy Spirit are the Compulsion here intended not external Force not temporal Punishments not outward Violence Non Religionis est cogere Religionem says Tertullian No Man ought by Force and Violence to be compelled to the Profession of the true Faith 25 And there were great multitudes with him and he turned and said unto them 26 If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple 27 And whosoever doth not bare his cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple Our Saviour by these Expressions doth not condemn natural Love and Affection either to our Relations or our own Lives but only regulates and directs it shewing that our first and chief Love must be bestowed upon himself we may have and ought to cherish tender and relenting affections towards our near and dear Relations But then the Consideration of Christ's Truth and Religion must take place of these yea of Life it self and when they stand in Competition
confirmed therein with an utter impossibility of losing that Happiness The Wicked who would not submit to Christ's Authority shall not be able to resist his Power They that would not suffer Christ to Reign over them they shall at the last Day be brought forth and slain before him These mine Enemies that would not that I c. 28 And when he had thus spoken he went Before ascending up to Jerusalem 29 And it came to pass when he was come nigh to Bethpage and Bethany at the Mount called the Mount of Olives he sent two of his Disciples 30 Saying Go ye into the Village over-against you in the which at your entering ye shall find a Colt tyed whereon yet never man sate loose him and bring him hither 31 And if any man ask you why do you loose him thus shall ye say unto him Because the Lord hath need of him 32 And they that were sent went their way and found even as he had said unto them 33 And as they were loosing the Colt the Owners thereof said unto them Why loose ye the Colt 34 And they said The Lord hath need of him 35 And they brought him to Jesus and they cast their Garments upon the Colt and they set Jesus thereon 36 And as he went they spread their Cloaths in the way 37 And when he was come nigh even now at the descent of the mount of Olives the whole multitude of the Disciples began to rejoyce and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen 38 Saying Blessed be the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord peace in Heaven and glory in the Highest 39 And some of the Pharisees from among the Multitude said unto him Master rebuke thy Disciples 40 And he answered and said unto them I tell you That if these should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out Our Lord as is Noted before was now upon his last Journey to Jerusalem where he was to shed his Blood and lay down his Life for the Redemption and Salvation of a lost World and it is Observable what a double Demonstration he gives of his great Willingness and Forwardness to go up to Jerusalem there to dye 1. Both St. Luke here and St. Mark Ch. 10.32 tells us That he went before the Company leading the way when he went to Suffer Lord With what Alacrity and holy Chearfulness didst thou manage the great Work of Man's Redemption None ever went so willingly to a Crown as thou to thy Cross 2. Our Saviour who all his Life Travelled like a poor Man on Foot now he goes up to Jerusalem to dye for us he will Ride to shew his great Forwardness to lay down his Life for us but what was the Beast he rode upon an Asses Colt to Fulfil that Prophecy Zach. 9.9 Tell ye the Daughter of Sion behold your King cometh riding upon an Ass yea it was a Colt upon which never man rode before to let us see how the most unruly and untamed Creatures become obedient and obsequious to Christ and render themselves serviceable to him at his pleasure It was also a borrowed Ass taken without the Owners Leave whereby our Saviour's Right to all the Creatures was manifested and accordingly he bids his Disciples tell the Owner That the Lord had need of him not your Lord or our Lord but the Lord that is he that is Lord of the whole Earth whose are the Cattel upon a thousand Hills Here Note What a clear and full Demonstration Christ gave of his Divine Nature of his Omnisciency in fore-seeing and fore-telling the Event of his Omnipotency in inclining the Heart and over-ruling the will of the Owner to let the Colt go and of his Sovereignty that as he was Lord of the Creatures he could command and call for their Service whenever he needed them The Colt being brought and our Saviour set thereon Observe next the Actions of the Multitude in Acknowledging Christ to be their King they spread their Cloaths in the way casting their Garments on the Ground for him to ride upon according to the Custom of Princes when they ride in State yea the Multitude do not only Disrobe their Backs but expend their Breath in ioyful Acclamations and loud Hosannah's wishing all manner of Prosperity to their Meek but Mighty Prince In this Princely yet poor and despicable Pomp doth our Saviour enter the famous City of Jerusalem Oh how far was our Holy Lord from affecting Worldly greatness and grandeur he despised that Glory which Worldly Hearts fondly admire yet because he was a King he would be proclaimed such and have his Kingdom Confest Applauded and Blest but that it might appear that his Kingdom was not of this World he abandons all Worldly Magnificence Oh Glorious yet Homely Pomp oh Meek but Mighty Prince Observe Lastly The peevish Envy of the wicked Pharisees who were then in Company they grudge our Saviour this poor Honour they Envy him this small Triumph of coming into the City upon an Asses Colt attended by a Company of poor People strewing the way with Boughs of Trees with Hosannah's and joyful Acclamations in their Mouths These poor Peoples Mouths they would have stopped Master rebuke thy Disciples they did not like the Musick Christ tells them that they Labour in vain to suppress the Testimony given him by his Disciples for if they should be silent the stones would cry out yea cry shame of them for neglecting their Duty as if Christ had said the Speechless Stones will speak and give witness to me if Men will not Learn hence They that are owned of God shall not want ownings and witnessings from Man at one time or other in one way or other tho' the Envy and Malice of Men do never so much gainsay and oppose it 41 And when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it No sooner did our Saviour come within the sight and view of the City of Jerusalem but he burst out into Tears at the consideration of their Obstinacy and wilful rejecting of the Offers of Grace and Salvation made unto them and also he wept to consider the dreadful Judgments that hung over their Heads for those Sins even the utter Ruine and Destruction of their City and Temple Learn hence 1. That good Men ever have been and are Men of tender and compassionate Dispositions sorrowing not only for their own Sufferings but others Calamities 2. That Christ shed Tears as well as Blood for a lost World Christ wept over Jerusalem as well as bled for her 3. That Christ was infinitely more concerned for the Salvation of poor Sinners than for his own Death and Sufferings not the sight of his own Cross but Jerusalem's Calamities made him weep 42 If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes By the things belonging to their peace we are to
farther Witness we have heard his Blasphemy Abominable Wickedness It is not in the Power of Innocency it self nay not in the Power of the greatest and unspotted Innocency to protect from Slander and false Accusation Observe farther The great Meekness of our Saviour under all these ill Suggestions and false Accusations as a Lamb before the Shearer so is he Dumb and opened not his Mouth Learn thence That to bear the Revilings Contradictions and false Accusations of Men with a Silent and Submissive Spirit is an excellent and Christ-like Temper Though a Tryal for his Innocent Life was now Managed most Maliciously and Illegally against him yet When he was Reviled Reviled not again when he Suffered he Threatned not Oh may the same Meek and Humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus who instead of Reviling his Accusers Prayed for his Murtherers and Offered up his Blood to God on the Behalf of them that shed it Lord Jesus help us to set thy Instructive Example continually before us and to be daily Correcting and Reforming of our Lives by that Blessed Pattern Amen CHAP. XXIII 1 AND the whole Multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate 2 And they began to accuse him saying We found this Fellow perverting the Naâ—ion and forbidding to give Tribute to Cesar saying That he himself is Christ a King 3 And Pilate asked him saying Art thou the King of the Jews And he answered him and said Thou sayest it 4 Then said Pilate to the Chief Priests and to the People I find no fault in this Man 5 And they were the more fierce saying He stirreth up the People Teaching throughout all Jeury beginning from Galilee to this place 6 When Pilate heard of Galilee he asked whether the Man were a Galilean 7 And as soon as he heard that he belonged to Herod's Jurisdiction he sent him to Herod who himself was also at Jerusalem at that time 8 And when Herod saw Jesus he was exceeding glad for he was desirous to see him of a long Season because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to have seen some Miracle done by him 9 Then he questioned with him in many words but he answered him nothing 10 And the Chief Priests and Scribes stood and vehemently accused him 11 And Herod with his Men of War set him at naught and mocked him And arrayed him in a gorgeous Robe and sent him again to Pilate 12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made Friends together for before they were at enmity between themselves In this Chapter we have a Relation of the Black and Saddest Tragedy that ever was Acted upon the Stage of the World Namely the Barbarous and Bloody Murther of the Holy and Innocent Jesus by the Jews his own Country-Men the Best of Kings put to Death by his own Subjects And the first step towards it is his Arraignment before Pilate and Herod they Post him from one to another Pilate sends him to Herod and Herod having made sufficient Sport with him Remands him to Pilate Neither of them find any Fault in him worthy of Death yet neither of them would Release him Here Observe That our Saviour being before Pilate Answers him Readily and Cautiously Art thou the King of the Jews says Pilate Thou sayest it says our Saviour Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed He Replied I am Hence says the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 That Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession Teaching us That though we may and sometimes ought to hold our Peace when our Reputation is Concerned yet must we never be Silent when the Honour of God and his Truth may be effectually promoted by a Free and a Full Confession yet is it farther Observable That our Saviour being before Herod would neither Answer him to any Question nor Work any Miracle before him This was an Instance and Evidence of our Lord 's great Humility in refusing to Work Miracles before Herod who desired it only to gratify his Curiosity Thus do vile Men abuse the Holy Power of God desiring to see it exerted for Admiration and Pastime not to be Convinced or Converted by it And as Admirable was the Patience as the Humility of Christ and his present Silence who neither at Herod's Request nor at the Jews Importunity and false Accusations could be moved to Answer any thing Observe Lastly That though Herod had Murthered Christ's Fore-runner John the Baptist and our Saviour's own Life was in danger by Herod heretofore yet now he had him in his Hands he lets him go only he first abuses him and mocks him and Arrays him in a Gorgeous Robe like a Mock King Thus were all the Marks of Scorn imaginable put upon our Dear Redeemer yet all this Jearing and sportful Shame did our Lord undergo to shew what was due unto us for our Sins and also to give us an Example to bear all the Shame and Reproach imaginable for his sake Who for the Joy that was set before him despised the Shame Hebr. 12.2 13 And Pilate when he had called together the Chief Priests and the Rulers and the People 14 Said unto them Ye have brought this Man unto me as one that perverteth the People And behold I have examined him before you and find no fault in this Man touching those things whereof ye accuse him 15 No nor yet Herod For I sent you to him and lo nothing worthy of Death is done unto him 16 I will therefore chastize him and Release him 17 For of necessity he must Release one unto them at the Feast 18 And they cryed out all at once saying Away with this Man and Release unto us Barabbas 19 Who for a certain Sedition made in the City and for Murder was cast into Prison 20 Pilate therefore willing to Release Jesus spake again to them 21 But they cryed saying Crucify him Crucify him 22 And he said unto them the third time Why What Evil hath he done I have found no Cause of Death in him I will therefore Chastise him and let him go 23 And they were instant with loud Voices Requiring that he might be Crucified And the voices of them and of the Chief Priests prevailed 24 And Pilate gave Sentence that it should be as they Required 25 And he Released unto them him that for Sedition and Murder was cast into Prison whom they had desired But he delivered Jesus to their Will Observe here 1. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death One while he Expostulates with the Chief Priests Saying What Evil hath he done Nay St. Luke here declares that Pilate came forth Three several Times professing that he found no Fault in him Where Note How much more Justice and Equitâ— Christ met with from Pilate an Heathen then from the Chief Priests and People of the Jews professing the true Religion Oh how desperate is the Hatred that grows upon the Root of
poor VVoman Obs 2. The Carriage and Behaviour of the Disciples upon their return to Christ Finding him preaching a Sermon to a single VVoman they marvelled but yet were silent Learn 1. That the Humility and Condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ in treating poor penitent and humbled sinners is matter of wonder and admiration even to Disciples themselves Oh blessed Saviour there was more Kindness and Condescension more Love and Compassion more Meekness and Humility in thy self alone than in all thy Disciples and Followers put together Yet Observe 2. Tho' they marvelled they were silent No Man said Why talkest thou with her Thence Note That such Reverence is due to Christ in all his Dispensations and Actions that when we can see no reason for what he doth it is not for us to inquire much less to quarrel But we must awfully admire what we cannot comprehend Observe 3. the Behaviour of this VVoman after the Conference was over she leaves her VVater-Pot and makes haste to invite and call her Neighbours to Christ whose Grace and Kindness she had experienced Learn thence That such as truly know Christ have tasted Sweetness in him and derived Comfort and Satisfaction from him will be forward to invite and industrious to draw others to a saving Acquaintance with him Come with me and see a Man that told me all that ever I did is not this the Christ Learn farther from the Woman's leaving her Water-Pot behind her and hastening to the City That when once a Soul has tasted the Sweetness and Excellency that is in Jesus Christ those things which were highly esteemed before will be little regarded then The poor Woman came to draw Water and thought much and spake much of the Water of that Well which was before her but meeting with Jesus Christ and tasting of his Grace she forgets both Water and Water-Pot and away she goes to fetch in all her Acquaintance to Christ 31 ¶ In the mean while his disciples prayed him saying Master eat 32 But he said unto them I have meat to eat that ye know not of 33 Therefore said the Disciples one to another Hath any man brought him ought to eat 34 Jesus saith unto them My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Observe here The fit and seasonable Motion which our Saviour's Disciples make to him Master eat Learn from thence That though a Person 's chief Care should be for his own Soul and for improving all Opportunities for doing good to the Souls of others yet the Bodies of Men must not be neglected but supported by Meat and Drink especially theirs whose Health and Strength may be of greater Use and Service to God and his Church The Body is the Servant of the Soul the Instrument whereby it worketh and therefore to neglect the Body is to disable and unfit the Soul for Service to hinder the Functions and Operations of it The sixth Commandment which forbids us to kill requires us to use all Means for the Preservation of Life both in our selves and others Observe next our Saviour's Answer to the Disciples Motion Master eat say they I have Meat to eat that ye know not of says he for my Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me Not that our Saviour did not want Meat at this time for he was both hungry and thirsty as appears by his asking Water of the Woman to drink and by his sending his Disciples into the City to buy Meat But our Lord was more intent upon doing his Father's Work than upon satisfying his own hunger Christ hungred more after an Opportunity of doing good to the Souls of Men than he did after Meat and Drink to satisfie his hunger Lord Let us thy Ministers learn of thee to prefer the Spiritual Welfare of our People before any temporal Advantages whatsoever 35 Say not ye There are yet four months and then cometh harvest Behold I say unto you Lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoyce together 37 And herein is that saying true One soweth and another reapeth 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour other men laboured and ye are entred into their labours Our Blessed Saviour having in the former Verses given a most plain and evident Demonstration of his fervent desire to bring Souls home unto God doth in these Verses labor to stir up and kindle the like Affections in his Disciples and this he doth by three very effectual Arguments The first Argument is drawn from the Ripeness of the People and their Willingness to hear and their Readiness to be reaped and gathered by the Gospel whereof there was a present instance in the Samaritans who were now coming forth in multitudes to Christ which opportunity was therefore to be improved Lift up your Eyes and look on the Fields for they are white already for Harvest Learn hence That as a People is sometimes ripe for the Ministry of the Word as Corn is ripe and ready for the Reapers Hand so it is the Duty of the Ministers of Christ to lay hold upon such Opportunities with as much desire and delight as the Harvest-Man doth upon a reaping Season The second Argument to stir up the Disciples Diligence in preaching the Gospel is drawn from the great Reward they should receive for this their Work He that reapeth receiveth Wages The Harvest Man's Wages is double to what other Labourers receive The Ministers of God shall receive good Wages at his Hand how ill soever they are requited and rewarded by an unkind World And as a farther Encouragement it follows He that soweth and he that reapeth shall rejoice together that is the Prophets who took much pains in sowing the Seed of the Gospel and particularly John the Baptist and you my Apostles which succeed them and reap the Fruit of what they did sow shall have the same Reward in Glory and rejoyce together Learn hence That not only the Successful but the Faithful Labourer in God's Harvest shall be rewarded not only those which see the Fruit of their Ministry in the Conversion of Sinners but such as are faithful Seeds-Men Though the Seed doth not come up till we are in our Graves nay though it rots under the Clods and does not come up at all yet shall the faithful Seeds-Man be rewarded according to his Labour not according to his Success The third Argument to quicken the Disciples Diligence is drawn from the Easiness and Facility of that Labour which God required of them Others have laboured and you are entred into their Labours that is the Prophets and John the Baptist have prepared the Ground and sown the Seed and made ready a People for the Lord and now you enter into their Labours by forming and gathering them into a Gospel-Church
are all perishing but for Bread for your Souls to live eternally by even for the Food of my heavenly Doctrine which will make them that feed upon it Immortal and this the Son of Man stands ready to give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed that is by a Special Commission and Authority hath impowered him to dispense all Spiritual Blessings to them that want and crave them Learn hence 1. That all the Things of this Life are perishing and fading The best of outward Comforts and Enjoyments are Meat that perisheth 2. That it is the greatest of Follies to labour intensely and inordinately for and to set our selves with all our might and strength to persue and follow after perishing things 3. That Jesus Christ his Holy Doctrine his heavenly Grace is Food which neither perisheth nor diminisheth how many soever partake of it but makes all that partake thereof to be Partakers of Eternal Life therewith 4. That Jesus Christ is authorized sealed and commissioned by his Father to give eternal Life to such as industriously labour after him and will not be satisfied without him Him hath God the Father sealed That is Jesus Christ was sealed to the Office of a Mediator by God the Father Christ was sealed at his Baptism sealed by his Doctrine sealed by his Miracles sealed by his Resurrection sealed by his Unction or Supereminent and Unparalleled Sanctification Lord where will the Rejecters of Christ then appear at the great Day who have despised the Authority of him whom the Father commissioned to give eternal Life to whom soever he pleaseth 28 Then said they unto him What shall we do that we might work the works of God 29 Jesus answered and said unto them This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent Here the Jews who were strict Observers of the Ceremonial Law of Moses and rested thereupon for Salvation inquire of our Saviour what they should do that they might please God Christ directs them to the great Duty of believing on himself to own and acknowledge him to be the True Messias and as such to rely upon him alone for Salvation This is the work of God that ye believe c. Learn hence That for a penitent humbled Sinner to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ it is a work highly pleasing and acceptable unto God Christ calls Faith the work of God upon a threefold Account it is the Work of his Efficiency and Operation 't is the work of his commanding and 't is the work of his Approbation and Acceptation a work that God is highly pleased with and greatly delighted in This is the work of God 30 They said therefore unto him What sign shewest thou then that we may see and believe thee what dost thou work 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert as it is written He gave them bread from heaven to eat Here the Jews tell our Saviour that before they will believe in him they must see some Sign from him to confirm his Doctrine and prove him to be the Messias They acknowledge Christ had wrought a great Miracle in feeding five thousand Persons with five Barley Loaves but Moses fed their Fathers in the Wilderness who were no less than six hundred thousand Persons with excellent Manna from Heaven and this for forty Years together from whence they would seem to conclude that they had more reason to believe Moses than Christ not considering that Moses was but an Instrument to obtain by Prayer the Manna at the Hands of God but Christ was an Agent and that by a creating Power inherent in himself he multiplied the five Loaves to the feeding of five thousand Note here 1. From the Jews requiring a Sign before they would believe That he who publishes a new Doctrine to the World ought to confirm his Mission by some Miraculous Operation 2. That God honoured Moses his Messenger very much and Christ his Minister much more in that both of them wrought great and special Miracles for the Confirmation of their Mission 3. That the Jews not believing Christ to be the true Messias upon so many Attestations and after his Divine Mission was confirmed by such Miraculous Operations rendered their Infidelity inexcusable and their Obstinacy invincible 32 Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my father giveth you the true bread from heaven 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world Upon the Jews mentioning Manna to our Blessed Saviour he takes occasion to make a Comparison betwixt himself the Bread of Life and Manna the Bread of Moses and that in three Particulars 1. It was not Moses that gave the Israelites that Manna it was God at the Prayer of Moses but it was God that now offered them the Bread of Life were they willing to accept it 2. The Manna was not given from Heaven that is from the Coelestial Heaven but only from the Air and Clouds which frequently in Scripture is called Heaven But Christ the Bread of Life was given and sent by the Father from the highest Heaven even the Heaven of Glory 3. Manna was not true Spiritual Food effectively and of it self but bodily Food only but Christ is Real and Spiritual Bread which gives Life to lost and dead Men which Manna did not could not do And whereas Manna was peculiar to Israel only Christ gives Life to all sorts of Persons Gentiles as well as Jews The Bread of God giveth Life unto the World Learn hence That as Christ is the Truth and Substance of all the Types in the Old Testament so particularly the Manna was an illustrious Type of Christ In many things they agree and in some they differ They agree in their Original Manna came down from Heaven so did Christ Manna was freely given so is Jesus Christ the free Gift of God Manna was not fit to be eaten as it lay in the Field but must be ground in a Mill or beaten in a Mortar and baked in an Oven before it was fit for Food Christ was ground by his Sufferings bruised on the Cross scorched in the fiery Oven of his Father's Wrath that he might become a fit Saviour for us Again as the Manna was gathered by the Israelites daily and equally it was rained down about their Tents and every Man had his Omer Thus is Christ in the Ministry of the Word daily offered to a lost World and all that believe in him shall share alike in the Benefits of Justification Sanctification and Glorification from him But now the Manna and Christ differ in this and the Truth excells the Type thus There is a quickening inlivening Vertue a Life-giving and a Life-upholding Power in Christ the Bread of Life which was never found in Manna the Bread of Israel And wheras Manna only fed the Body the Body of an Israelite and this only for a
order to our Improvement in Faith and Holiness If then after all the Revelation and Discovery which God has made of his Son Christ Jesus and of the Way that leads to eternal Salvation by him Persons remain willingly ignorant of him and their Duty to him Where shall they appear And how shall they escape Revel 1. Verse 5 6. Now unto him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father To Him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen The CLOSE THE design of the foregoing Notes upon the Holy Evangelists being to recommend the Instructive Life of our blessed Redeemer to our Observation and Imitation Altho' I have upon all occasions propounded his Example to be followed by us in all the steps of an Imitable Vertue as the matter every where occur'd yet adjudging it may be profitable to sum up together the several Graces and Vertues which were so Orient in the Life of Christ that having them daily before our Eyes we may be continually correcting and reforming of our Lives by that blessed Pattern I shall therefore briefly offer at it Because Nothing is so proper to form us to Holiness as the Example of the Mediatour it being absolutely perfect and thoroughly Accommodate to our present state there is no Example of any meer Man that is to be followed without limitation But the Life of Christ was as the purest Gold without the least Allay His conversation was a living Law and Christianity which is the Best and Holiest Institution in the World is nothing else but a Conformity to his Precepts and Pattern The Universal Command of the whole Gospel is this To walk as Christ walked This denotes a sincere intention design and endeavour to imitate and follow him in all the paths of Holiness and Obedience Particularly let us imitate Jesus I. IN his early Piety We find him at Twelve Years Old about his Father's Business sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing and asking them Questions See on St. Luke 2.46.47 An early Piety gives both the Person and the Service a peculiar preheminency no Comfort in Life no Happiness in Death like the Happiness and Comfort of being good betimes II. In his Obedience to his Earthly Parents See on St. Luke 2.51 He went down to Nazareth and was subject to them He paid Homage to the Womb that bare him and to his supposed and reputed Father that provided for him let a Person be never so high above others he is still below his Parents if the Highest upon Earth think their Parents beneath them and themselves above their Parents Commands Our Saviour did not so what shall we think of those Monsters of Ingratitude the Reproach of Humane Nature who are ashamed to own their Parents because of their Poverty or despise them because of the Infirmities of their Age. Prov. 23.22 Hearken to thy Father that begat thee and despise not thy Mother when she is old III. In his unwearied Diligence in doing Good Acts 10.38 Who went about doing good This was his Meat and Drink by Day his Rest and Sleep by Night He fed the Hungry cloathed the naked visited the Sick was Eyes to the Blind Feet to the Lame and Administred to such as were in Necessities and Streights And he has declared that he will Judg us at the great Day according to our imitation of him in doing good to all Mankind See the Notes on S. Math. 25. Ten last Verses IV. In his Humility and lowliness of Mind Math. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart witness his stooping to the meanest Office even that of washing his Disciples Feet S. John 13.5 He that came in the form of a Servant performs the Office of the meanest Servant to his Disciples And all this was to set us an Example of mutual Condescension each to other if I your Lord and Master have washed your Feet you ought also to wash one anothers Feet which Precept tho' it doth not bind us to the same Action yet it obliges us to the same Condescension Namely to think no Office of Love beneath us which the necessities of our Brother call for from us V. In the Vnblameableness and Inoffensiveness of his Life and Actions He injured none and justly offended none but was Harmless as well as Holy he wrought a Miracle to pay Tribute Money rather than give occasion of Offence to the Government See on Math. 19.27 Accordingly let us be Harmless and Blameless Wise as Serpents and Innocent as Doves Piety without Policy is too simple to be safe Policy without Piety is too subtile to be good VI. In his Eminent Self-Denial He emptied himself and became poor when he was Rich as God from all Eternity He impoverish'd himself by becoming Man Oh! what did he not deny when he left the Bosom of his Father with the ineffable Delights and Pleasures which he there enjoyed from all Eternity And instead thereof to Drink the Cup the Bitter Cup of his Father's wrath for our sake Lord how can we enough abase our selves for thee who thus deniedst thy self for us VII In his contentment in a low and mean Condition in this World Yea in a Suffering and Afflicted Condition he would not honour the World so far as to have any part of it in his own hand was therefore of himself less provided of comfortable accommodations than the Birds of the Air or the Beasts of the Field See Luke 9.58 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head Let us learn from him to manage an afflicted Condition with a contented Spirit let there be no murmurings complaints or foolish chargings of God heard from us whatever straits or Troubles we may be brought into but in whatsoever state we are let us be therewith content Phil. 4.11 VIII In his frequent performance of the Duty of private Prayer and Fasting he sometimes spent a whole Night in Prayer Luke 6.12 He went into a Mountain to Pray and continued all Night in Prayer to God And Mark 1.35 In the morning rising up a great while before Day he went into a solitary place and prayed It is certain we have much more business with Almighty God in Prayer than Christ had he had no Sins to Confess no wants of Grace to make known yet did he delight with frequency and fervency to perform this Homage to his Heavenly Father Lord how doth thy Zeal and forwardness condemn our remisness and lukewarmness in praying to our heavenly Father IX In his Affectionate performance of the Duty of Praise and Thanksgiving Our blessed Saviour was a great Pattern of Thankfulness Matth. 11.25 I thank thee Oh Father Lord of Heaven and Earth c. John 11.41 Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me when he was to eat common Bread he received it with Thanksgiving What
fast This was the hellish Design Satan put into his Heart and it has these aggravating Circumstances attending it He had seen the Miracles which Christ wrought by the Power of God and could not but know him to be a Divine Person He could not sin out of Ignorance or blind Zeal but the Love of Money made him do what he did Farther what he did was not done by the Perswasions of any but he was a Voluntier in this Service The High Priests neither sent to him nor sent for him but he offers his Service and no doubt they were very much surprized to find one of Christ's own Disciples at the Head of a Conspiracy against him Learn hence That no Man knows where he shall stop or stand when he first enters the Ways of Sin should any one have told Judas that his Love of Money would at last so far prevail upon him as to make him sell the Blood of Jesus Christ he would have answered as Hasael did Elisha Is thy Servant a Dog that I should do this thing Wickedness like Holiness doth not presently come to its full Strength in the Soul but grows up by insensible degrees Obs 3. The manner how this hellish Plot was executed partly by Force and partly by Fraud by Force in that he came with a Multitude armed with Swords and Staves and by Fraud he gives him a Kiss and says Hail Master Here was Honey in the Tongue and Poyson in the Heart Learn we hence To beware of Men when we see too too glittering Appearances we may suspect the inside Charity for others is our Duty but too great Confidence may be our Snare There is so much Hypocrisie in many and so much Corruption in all that we must not be too confident Obs 4. The time when this treasonable Design was executed upon Christ when he was in the Garden with his Disciples exhorting them to Prayer and Watchfulness dropping Heavenly and most seasonable Counsels upon them While he yet spake lo Judas came and the Multitude with him Judas found Christ in the most heavenly and excellent Employment when he came to apprehend him Oh how happy is it when our Sufferings find us in God's Way engaged in his Service and engaging his Assistance by fervent Supplication Thus did our Lord's Sufferings meet him may they so meet us 51 And behold one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and stroke a servant of the high priests and smote off his ear 52 Then said Jesus unto him Put up again thy sword into his Place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be The rude Multitude laying Hands upon Christ the Disciples who had remitted their Watch do resume their Courage and are willing to rescue their Master if they can particularly Peter draws his Sword and cuts off the Ear of Malchus one of the forwardest to lay hold on Jesus Observe here St. Peter's Zeal and sincere Love for his Lord and Master it was in great Sincerity spoken Tho' I dye with thee I will not deny thee But why did not St. Peter draw his Sword upon Judas rather than Malchus Perhaps because tho' Judas was more faulty yet Malchus was more forward to arrest and carry off our Saviour How doth a pious Breast swell with Indignation at the Sight of any open Affront offered unto Christ Observe further That tho' St. Peter's Heart was sincere yet his Hand was rash Good Intentions are no Warrant for irregular Actions and accordingly Christ who accepted his Affection reproves him for the Action Put up thy Sword for they that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword Learn hence That Christ will thank no Man to fight for him without a Warrant and Commission from him To resist a lawful Magistrate even in Christ's own Defence is rash Zeal and discountenanced by the Gospel Observe Lastly Our Lord 's absolute Refusal to be rescued out of his Enemies Hands with the Reason of it did I encline to be rescued by Force As if our Lord had said I could command all the Troops of Angels in Heaven to shew themselves upon that Occasion but how can this stand with the Decree of my Father with the Declarations of the Scripture with the Demonstration of my Mercy and with the Salvation of miserable Mankind Learn hence That Christ was infinitely more concern'd for the Salvation of lost Sinners than for his own Death and Sufferings more concerned for our Eternal Salvation than for his own Temporal Preservation Had he been rescued by the Power of Angels we had faln a Prey into the Paw of Devils 55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me I sat daily with you teaching in the temple and ye laid no hold on me 56 But all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled Then all the disciples forsook him and fled We had an Account of our Lord's Apprehension in the former Verses here the sad Effect of it upon his Disciples They all forsake him and fled They that said all to Christ v. 25. Tho' we should dye with thee yet will we not deny thee do here all of them desert and forsake him when it came to the push not a Man of them stands by him Learn hence That the holiest Men know not their own Hearts when great Temptations and Trials are before them till they come to grapple with them and to be engaged in them We know not our own Strength till Temptation puts us to the Proof 57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and the elders were assembled 58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priests palace and went in and sat with the servants to see the end 59 Now the chief priests and elders and all the counsel sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death 60 But found none yea though many false witnesses came yet found they none At the last came two false witnesses 61 And said This fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days 62 And the high priest arose and said unto him Answerest thou nothing what is it which these witness against thee 63 But Jesus held his peace Judas having made good his Promise to the High Priest and delivered Jesus a Prisoner into their Hand these Wolves of the Evening no sooner seize the Lamb of God but they thirst and long to suck his innocent Blood Yet lest it should look like a down-right Murther they will allow him a Mock-Trial and abuse the Law by perverting it to Injustice and
Bloodshed Accordingly they industriously suborn false-witnesses to take away his Life not sticking at the grossest Perjury so they might destroy him The Chief Priests and Elders and all the Council sought false Witness against Jesus to put him to Death Abominable Wickedness Innocency it self cannot protect from Slander and false Accusation No Man is so innocent or good whom false Witness may not condemn Yet Observe farther Our Lord's Meekness and Patience his submissive Silence under all these wicked Suggestions and false Accusations Jesus held his Peace v. 63. Guilt is clamorous and impatient Innocency is silent and careless of mis-reports Learn hence That to bear the Revilings Contradictions and false Accusations of Men with a silent and submissive Spirit is an excellent and Christ-like Temper Our Lord stood before his unjust Judges and false Accusers as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb and not opening his Mouth Altho' a Trial for his Life was managed most maliciously and illegally against him when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Oh let the same humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus 63 And the high priest answered and said unto him I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God 64 Jesus saith unto him Thou hast said nevertheless I say unto you Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven 65 Then the high priest rent his cloaths saying He hath spoken blasphemy what further need have we of witnesses behold now ye have heard his blasphemy 66 What think ye They answered and said He is guilty of death 67 Then did they spit in his face and buffetted him and others smote him with the palms of their hands 68 Saying Prophesie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee We observed even now that our Saviour was silent and did make no Reply to the false Witnesses that evidenced against him at his Trial because being so manifestly contradicting they did fall to the Ground of themselves But now when the Question was solemnly put by the High Priest Art thou the Christ He said I am Thence Learn That altho' we are not obliged to answer every cavilling or ensnaring Question yet we are bound faithfully to own and freely to confess the Truth when we are solemnly called thereunto Christ who in the former Verses was silent and as a deaf Man that heard not now witnesses a good Confession Teaching us both by his Example and Command to confess and own both him and his Truth when lawfully required when our Silence will be a denying of the Truth a Dishonour to God and a Scandal to our Brethren Christ knew that his Answer would cost him his Life and yet he durst not but give it Art thou the Son of the Blessed Jesus said I am Yea farther Observe That as Christ answer'd directly and plainly at his Trial so he did not refuse to answer upon Oath I adjure thee by the living God says the Judge of the Court that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ That is I require thee to answer this Question upon Oath for adjuring a Person or requiring them to answer upon Oath was the manner of swearing among the Jews Now to this Adjuration our Saviour answer'd plainly and directly I am Mark 14.61 Hence Learn That swearing before a Magistrate upon a just and great Occasion is lawful If Christ in the Fifth of St. Matthew forbids all Oaths then here his Practice was contrary to his own Doctrine but it is evident that Christ answered the Magistrate upon Oath and so may we Observe Lastly The Sentence of Condemnation which the Council passed upon him for owning himself to be the Son of God He hath spoken Blasphemy and is worthy to die Hereupon the unruly Rabble affront him with the vilest Abuses and most horrid Indignities They Spit in his Face they Blind-fold him they Smote him with their Fists and Palms of their Hands and in a way of Contempt and Mockery they bid him Divine or Prophesie who it was that smote him Learn hence That there is no Degree of Contempt no Mark of Shame no Kind of Suffering which we ought to decline or stick at for Christ's sake who hid not his Face from Shame and Spitting upon our Account 69 Now Peter sat without in the palace and a damsel came unto him saying Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee 70 But he denied before them all saying I know not what thou sayest 71 And when he was gone out into the porch another maid saw him and said unto them that were there This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth 72 And again he denied with an oath I do not know the man 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by and said unto Peter surely thou also art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee 74 Then he began to curse and to swear saying I know not the man And immediately the cock crew 75 And Peter remembred the words of Jesus which said unto him Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice And he went out and wept bitterly This last Paragraph of the Chapter gives us an Account of the Fall and Rising of Peter of his Sin in denying Christ and of his Recovery by a speedy and severe Repentance Both must be consider'd distinctly First As touching his Sin and Fall there are Four Particulars Observable namely the Sin it self the Occasion of that Sin the Reiteration and Repetition of it and the aggravating Circumstances attending it Obs 1. The Sin it self the Denial of Christ I know not the Man a manifest Untruth Next he adds an Oath to confirm that Untruth he swore that he knew not the Man And last of all he wish'd an horrid Curse and Imprecation upon himself That is he wish'd himself excommunicated and cast out of the Church Say some he wish'd himself eternally separated from the Presence of God Say others he wish'd in effect that the Devil might take him if he were acquainted with Jesus The inordinate Love of Life and slavish Fear of Sufferings and Death may draw the best Men to commit the worst of Sins Obs 2. The Occasions of this Sin and they were Three his following Christ afar off his being in bad Company amongst Christ's Enemies and his presumptuous Confidence of his own Strength and Standing 1. His following of Christ afar off To follow Christ is the Work of Faith and Fruit of Love but to follow him afar off was the Effect of Fear and Frailty Wo unto us when a Temptation comes if we be far off from Christ's Presence and Assistance 2. His being in wicked Company amongst Christ's Enemies Oh Peter thou hadst better have been a cold by thy self alone than sitting by a Fire compassed in with the Blasphemies