6. When other means faile Christ can use violent remedies and by plagues put sinners from their courses Yea when he cometh to reforme he may see it just to smite the very creatures for sinners cause So are we here taught in that by force be drave them all out of the Temple and the sheep and the oxen 7. Our Lords face is very terrible when he is angry even in his abasement and a weak mean of Reformation in his hand and assisted with his power and terrour will serve the turn for when he had made a scourge of small cords more fit in appearance for affrighting children then for this work he drave them all out and none durst resist him 8. It is the duty of all such as are employed in a work of Reformation to testifie their zeal and integrity by not minding or seeking their own things under pretext thereof so much doth Christ practice teach who poured out the changers money and overthrew the Tables but put none of it up 9. There ought to be no tryfling nor composition in the matter of corruptions in the House of God no lesse must satisfie then putting them out at doors as here Christ doth 10. Corruptions even after they have been cast out by Christs own hand may yet creep in again into the House of God in which case Christ will deal more severely for Christ having purged the Temple in this first year of his Ministry hath it again to purge of the same evils Matth. 21.12 13. in the last yeare where in stead of an house of Merchandize he chargeth them with making it a den of thieves 11. Reformation will not be through when only force and violent remedies are applied to purge unlesse instruction be joyned with it to take out the roots of corruptions out of mens mindes and to make them willing to concurre and reforme themselves for Christ joyneth his Word here bidding some take these things hence and warning all not to abuse his house 12. As Christ is Lord and heire of his Fathers house the Church Heb. 3.6 and therefore careth for it so all who have relation to God as their Father their heart will rise in his quarrel when his honour house or service are wronged nor can they endure the presence of what desireth his house Make not saith he my Fathers house an house of merchandize 13. Albeit men would passe over faults done to Gods house and beare with them yet Christ will not but in due time will see to the redressing of them as here we see in this instance 14. Things lawful being done in a wrong time and place become sin as it is also unlawful to spend what is dedicated to God in common or prophane uses both which are reproved in this Make not my fathers house dedicated to him an house of Merchandize though Merchandize be lawful in its own time and place Verse 17. And his disciples remembred that it was written The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up Unto this is subjoyned the observation and use the disciples got of it The Spirit suggested to them that passage Psal 69.9 at that time or afterward and let them see it was then accomplished in Christ though it had its own verity in David the type Whence learn 1. It is the propertie of disciples to construct well of Christs working and get a right sight thereof how rude and tumultuous soever it seem to others for so do the disciples here 2. Christs working will be well constructed and tend to edification when his Word and working are compared together as the disciples are led to do 3. Such as are faithful disciples and conscientious hearers have the promise of a sanctified memory by the Spirits bringing Scriptures to their remembrance as they need for thus it was that his disciples remembred that it was written c. Yet we ought in this to guard against neglect of searching Scripture expecting somewhat to be suggested against leaning to the suggesting of it as the reason why we fasten faith on it rather then if we found it by search agreeing with our need which were to make it no divine Scripture to us but when it is suggested and against Satans delusions who may suggest Scriptures unto soules taken with this way under false glosses 4. Much is spoken of Christ in the Old Testament under types and it should be our care in reading it to understand these types well and see Christ the truth in them for so do the disciples see a Prophecie of Christ held forth in the profession and practice of David the type 5. Zeale providing it be according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 is a commendable grace when men are employed about right things not negligently and for the fashion but affectionately As herein Christ hath given us a patterne who excelled in all graces and particularly that of zeale 6. As Gods house and the matter of his Kingdome and Ordinances are the chief object of zeale which should be ballanced with meeknesse in our own matters so true zeal is the only right and acceptable principle of Reformation and men will go no further in the study of Reformation then there is zeal or indignation against what dishonoureth God and love to that which honoureth him for upon this principle did Christ reforme and he was affected with the zeal of Gods house 7. Albeit true zeal do trust God with caring for his own affaires and so is neither diffident nor hastie yet the nature of it is to be a spending grace and it will affect the person with pain till what is amisse in Gods house be rectified And it will encline a man having Gods call to stoop to meanest employments and to feare no hazards in carrying on Gods work for The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up and Christ evidenced how much his zeal affected both body and minde by abasing himself to this mean emploiment of scourging out beasts and men and by exposing himselfe to their fury if he had not been armed with divine terrour 8. Albeit that zealous instruments were removed and love and zeal among men should decay and they neglect and become carelesse of the matters of God yet Christ never wanteth zeal to resent and redresse the wrongs done to Gods house for of him it is still true The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up Verse 18. Then answered the Jewes and said unto him What signe shewest thou unto us seeing that thou doest these things 19. Jesus answered and said unto them Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up Followeth in the second branch of this part of the chapters Christs conference with the contentious Jewes even these it seems who were driven out who being put to the door and he drawing back his terrour they in these verses begin to question his authority to do as he had done For seeing these that were in power did tolerate these things they reckon that it was boldnesse in
him cometh by free gift without any deserving on their part and should be esteemed of as an excellent gift for I have given them the glory 4. What beleevers have in and from Christ doth advance them to a glorious estate and is their begun glory and salvation so that none but they have any true glory nor is any thing enjoyed by men truly glorious but the grace and other priviledges they enjoy in and from him for it is the glory which I have given them 5. It is not enough we know what we have in Christ and from him unlesse we also take up the end for which it is allowed and emprove it accordingly Therefore doth he subjoyne I have given them that glory that they may be one 6. All Christs communication of himself to beleevers doth tend to advance their union Their union among themselves in some sort of resemblance with that union betwixt the Father and him and their union with God through him for that end is in it self a part of that glory which he giveth them And all their participation of the fruits of that incommunicable glory which is in Christ and all that is communicate by Christ to them should sit them the more for union and make them grow in humility and mutual condescendence for that effect and not puffe them up for the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one 7. Christ would have the excellency of union studied in the gloriousnesse thereof in his large communications for the advancement thereof and in the resemblance it hath with the union betwixt the Father and him Therefore doth he so point it out here to the conviction of all I have given them the glory even to be one and that they may be one even as we are one 8. Such as would promove the welfare of Gods people ought not only to wish or pray for it but must also be active in their station for promoving thereof for so much doth Christs practice teach who as he prayed for this union so he gave them the glory that they may be one 9. It may upon the one hand shame beleevers from division and dissention that hereby they do what they can to deprive themselves of that glory gifted by Christ to be one as the Father and he are and to make void the fruit of all his glorious communications And on the other hand it may assure them who long for union that Christ whose desire and allowance it is and who hath laid out so much for it and is daily interceding with the Father for that effect will in due time bring it about among his people Therefore both to shame his people from their contentions and neglect of union and to presse his suit before the Father how averse soever they be he useth this Argument The glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one c. Verse 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me In this verse Christ yet insists to clear presse his suit for obtaining union of beleevers among themselves And for this end 1. He propounds the way of their union among themselves instancing one particular branch of that glory given them v. 22. for that end even union with himself and with the Father through him Which as it is a great dignity in it self so it tends to the perfecting of their union among themselves 2. He again amplifieth and presseth the suit from the final causes thereof where unto that end formerly mentioned v. 21. of the conviction of the world of his authority and Commission another also is added that hereby the world shall be convinced of the Fathers love to his followers according as he loved him Whence learn 1. Christ takes up an inhabitation in his people by his Spirit so that they become one with him for it is their allowance I in them 2. The Father dwells in Christ not only as he is one God with him but also as he is man in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells bodily so highly is our nature dignified in his person for thou art in me saith he 3. Albeit there can be no union betwixt God and fallen man immediately yet through Christ this union is made up and Christ being in us and we united to him the Father also in him is in us and we in him for thus is our union here with God made up I in them and thou in me 4. It is by our union with Christ and with God through him that our union among our selves is perfected for by this mean they are made perfect in one 5. Whatever excellency the Lord conferre upon every particular beleever yet their perfection consists in their union among themselves and with Christ their Head and Store-house and with the Father in his fulnesse through him for no one member hath the perfection of the whole body but of a part only nor hath it that perfection separate from the body but in it and being united with it to supply its own proper function and the whole body thus united hath its perfection in and from Christ and the Father for so doth Christs conjoyning of all these teach us I in them and thou in me that they may he made perfect in one 6. It is never enough studied how necessary union is to convince the world of the excellency of Christ and his doctrine therefore it is again repeated as a forcible argument pressing this union that the world may know that thou hast sent me And as the Apostles union and consent in doctrine â—id contribute to this end so also doth the union of the people of God in every age in its own measure 7. It tends to the great encouragement of beleevers that Christ their Surety is beloved and accepted of the Father for thou hast loved me saith he 8. Every beleever also is really beloved of the Father so that whatever he do unto them there is still love in it and they keep a room in his affection for thou hast loved them saith he 9. The Fathers love to beleevers doth resemble his love to his Son Christ for though his love to his eternal and only Son be matchlesse and necessary not voluntary us his love to us is nor are we loved for our own sakes as he is nor is he capable of some effects of love we receive yet this love doth most resemble it of any and albeit considering him as Mediatour there is a great difference betwixt us who are beloved and him for whose sake we â—e beloved yet the resemblance doth also here hold And the Father loveth Christ and all his as one mystical body and loveth them eternally immutably and freely as he loved the Mediatour yea that same love that is leâ—â— out on Christ
hanged up nailed to the Crosse to continue in pain for a long time and his wounds continually widening by the weight of his body till he died we are taught what the bitter fruit of sin is how great his love was that did submit to endure this sharp and long continuing pain and how we are bound to look on him whom we have pierced till our hearts be pierced and bleed again 4 His being fastned and continuing there upon the Crosse for a space before he died may teach how resolute he was to endure that assault till justice were satisfied That he kept and stood in the field there to endure the uttermost that enemies could do against the work of Redemption and to grapple with all of them till they had no more to say against his people and That he would give a proof how certainly he is to be found at his Crosse with stretched-out armes ready to receive all them who seek for life in him and through his death 5. His being lifted up thus nailed to the Crosse may teach partly That we deserved no room neither in heaven nor earth and therefore our Surety was lifted up betwixt both and hence also was the Sun darkned as for other causes so to shew that we deserve not so much as that the Sun should shine upon us and partly That his suffering was indeed his exaltation he was lifted up in it by triumphing over his enemies there and he is exalted in the world as crucified Doct. 9. Albeit Christ in his own person was the spotlesse Lamb of God yet so hainous and so many were the sins of the Elect charged upon him that in divine Providence he is not only reckoned among transgressours Isa 53.12 but as the chief of them Therefore it is so ordered that he is crucified and other two with him and Jesus in the midst as the most notable of them And this may teach the Elect not to mince or extenuate their own sins which were charged on Christ as so odious 10. Christ was content to be accounted and undergo the lot of a malefactour not only that he might free us who were indeed evil-doers but that he might sanctifie unto his people their being looked upon and intreated as evil-doers Therefore also was he crucified in such company Verse 19. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the Crosse And the writing was JESVS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWES 20. This title then read many of the Jewes for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the City and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latine 21. Then said the chief Priests of the Jewes to Pilate Write not The King of the Jewes but that he said I am King of the Jewes 22. Pilate answered What I have written I have written The third branch of this part of the chapter contains the title put by Pilate upon Christs Crosse and his declining to alter it at the Jewes desire In all which we are not only to look upon Pilate as following the Romane custome in publishing the faults of condemned and execute malefactours and as affronting the Jewes who had so impudently urged him to crucifie Christ but we are to look to God also who by this title would have him proclaimed the true King of Israel Whence learn 1. It is a good use to be made of the cutting off of delinquents that justice be cleared and the guilty ashamed and that others be warned to fear for upon these grounds it was a commendable practice in it self that a title was put upon the Crosse of malefactours containing their crime and the cause of their death and that it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latine that all present of different Nations and Languages might reade and understand it 2. Christ hath sanctified his peoples being unjustly condemned as traitours by suffering upon that account and by having this title written over his head The King of the Jews 3. Christs intended shame doth tend to the real manifestation of his glory for Pilate set up this title to brand him as an affecter of a worldly Kingdome but hereby God would have it proclaimed that he is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jewes That he is a King in the midst of his sufferings That he did indeed triumph in them spoiling Satan and converting one of them that was crucified with him and That the glory of this suffering King should be conspicuous and acknowledged in all Nations of all Languages as this title was written in the three principal Languages 4. Inveterate and violent enemies against Christ shall meet with perpetual reproach never to be wiped off for therefore doth Pilate write him the King of the Jewes and that in three languages that they reading it as it is v. 20. might reade their own reproach in having one who was called King of their Nation crucified and that in Gods holy Providence it might be their perpetual reproach to have crucified him who was indeed their King 5. The Lord leaveth cruel persecutors to be ambitious and tender of their own credit when he is to affront them that as they have served themselves of their lusts and idols so he also may serve himself of them to make them the more sensible of their affronts therefore it is marked that when they read this title the crosse being near the City v. 20. their ambition renders the affront of this more grievous to them and they desire to have it altered Then said the chief Priests of the Jewes to Pilate write not the King of the Jewes but that he said I am the King of the Jewes 6. Such as are not tender of Gods honour and of Christ and his interest in the world God in his justice will be little tender of them their idols and interests when they come to be rubbed upon for in this answer of Pilate What I have written I have written we are not only to look to Pilate as cleaving to their Romane customes which did not admit that their publike Programmes or Tables should be altered after they were published nor yet only as requiting them with inexotablenesse who had been so inexorable to his desire of releasing Christ But we are chiefly to look to the hand of God who will not have their ambition satisfied nor allow any tendernesse in the matter of their supposed credit who had so cruelly pursued Christ to death 7. Gods decree concerning the Kingdome of Christ is immutable nor will he have the glory of it obscured or born down by any opposition for so much also doth this answer of Pilate point out that as Christ was the King of the Jewes however they fretted so the Lord in his Providence would not have the publication thereof on the Crosse hindered by any entreaty of theirs and therefore Pilate is over-ruled to answer What I have written I have written Verse 23. Then the souldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and
being as so many witnesses confirming the same for here is the third time or witnesse proving this After which he confirmed it further on the Mount of Galilee Matth. 28.18 and at Jerusalem in the time of his Ascension Acts 1. 2. Christs tender condescendence again and again to remove and cure his peoples unbelief is much and seriously to be studied and taken notice of Therefore also is it marked that now the third time he shewed himself to his disciples c. to cure their unbelief in this matter 3. Christs present favours should be a mean to bring his former mercies to remembrance that use may be made of all together Therefore also doth John upon this occasion thankfully remember the former and record that this is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples after that he was risen from the dead Verse 15 So when they had dined Jesus saith to Simon Peter Simon sonne of Jonas lovest thou me more then these He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my lambes 16. He saith unto him again the second time Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowost that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my sheep 17. He said unto him the third time Simon sonne of Jonas lovest thou me Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time Lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Jesus saith unto him Feed my sheep In the fifth branch of this Narration Christs conference with Peter is recorded and that both concerning himself to v. 20. and concerning John v. 20 21 22 23. That which concernes Peter himself seems to have been his special end in shewing himself at this time as his general end was to confirme the truth of his Resurrection but that which concerneth John was only occasionally drawn out by Peters curiosity Christs conference concerning Peter consists of two parts In the first whereof in these verses Peter upon Profession of his love unto Christ is restored unto and confirmed in his Apostolick office and former dignity which he had forfeited by his foule and grosse fall Christs threefold question concerning Peters love tends only to draw out a threefold answer from Peter and that his professed repentance might be as frequent as his denial And consequently we are not to look upon Christs threefold injunction to Peter to feed his lambs and sheep as three distinct commands enjoyning divers things but only as one command thrice repeated upon occasion of his threefold answer And therefore I shall take them together in drawing observations from them And first this whole purpose with the dependance thereof upon what precedes may teach in general 1. Apostacie and denial of Christ though even out of weaknesse in a time of strait is a matter full of hazard and brings disciples to a losse not easily recovered for Peter by reason of his fall needs a kinde of restitution and a confirmation of new in his office and dignity And albeit not only he had wept bitterly immediately after his fall but Christ after his Resurrection and before this time had caused remember him in particular in that message to the disciples Mark 16.7 and had appeared to him alone Luke 24.34 yea and had confirmed him in his office with the rest when he appeared to all of them John 20.21 22. yet here again he is brought publickly on a stage to testifie his repentance before them all 2. When Christ doth put his people on service and calls for evidences of their love to him he first prevents them with proofes of himself his power love and care to engage them to their duty for this enquiry after Peters love and his engaging him to service was not till after he had given proof of himself by the miracle and when they had dined and after their bodies were refreshed by him Secondly Christs question unto Peter and the thrice repeating and way of propounding it may teach 1. Love to Christ is the Christians badge and he is a Run-away who deserts that Standard for by this Christ trieth Peter Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me 2. Ministers who are called to take charge of Christs children and stock had need of much love to him no service about them being approven if it flow not from this but be undertaken for by-respects and there being no possibility without this love to endure the many blasts they will meet with from without in their calling nor the much toile they will have even with and from the flock themselves Therefore is the enquiry concerning this premitted lovest thou me as a needful qualification for discharge of the trust committed to him 3. Whatever love men may warrantably professe they have unto Christ yet it doth not allow them to swell in their own eyes because of it or because of any dignity conferred upon them as lovers of Christ And Saints in their repenting for their failings should look back to the low estate from whence Christ raised them that they may see their ingratitude the more in back-sliding or forsaking him Therefore doth he guard all these questions with this designation Simon not Peter which was the name he gave him chap. 1.42 and sonne of Jonas a poor fisherman that now he might in professingt his repentance and renewed love affect his hear with thoughts of his low estate from whence he was exalted and to which Christ might justly debase him again and leave him as he found him Simon son of Jonas And that in professing his love and embracing this charge he might still remember his Original 4. The sense of the Lords peoples backslidings should be a whet-stone to sharpen their love to Christ and to make them not content to return to a formal way of profession after their foule slâ—ps unless there be a new edge upon them to recover their losses and prevent the like failing in time to come therefore doth he enquire particularly at Peter lovest thou me as one who if he were truly recovered ought to be eminent in love and have it more deeply rooted in his heart that he slide not again and in testimony of his sense of Christs kindnesse who looked upon him after his fall 5. True repentance ought and will not only be sincere and real but as eminent in the effects thereof as sinners fall hath been Therefore doth he pose him thrice concerning his love to try if he was real in his Profession and might indeed stand to it and that his threefold profession of love might be answerable to his threefold denial 6. Such as have fallen grossely in an houre of tentation and have through mercy recovered again ought yet still to be jealous and suspitious of themselves as having grossely given the lie to their former professions for so much also doth the repetition of these questions teach that he would have