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
the greatest Hardships and Difficulties before they will leave their sins and return home to their Heavenly Father He joined himself to a Citizen of that Country and went into the Fields to feed Swine he chooses rather to feed at the Hogs Trough then to Feast in his Fathers House 5. Observe at last the happy Fruits of a Sanctified Affliction they put the prodigal upon serious Consideration he came to himself upon wise Consultation I perish for hunger and upon a fixed Resolution I will arise and go to my Father serious Consideration and solid Resolution are great steps to a sound Conversion and thorough Reformation Observe 6. The affectionate tenderness and compassion of the Father towards the returning Prodigal tho' he had deserved to be sharply reproved severely Corrected and finally rejected and shut out of doors yet the Fathers Compassion is above his Anger not a word of his miscarriages drops from the Fathers Mouth but as soon as ever the Son looks back mercy looks out and the Father expresses 1. His speedy readiness to receive his son he ran unto him the Son did only arise and go but the Father made haste and ran Mercy has not only a quick eye to spy out a Penitent but a swift Foot it runs to embrace a Penitent 2. Wonderful Tenderness he fell upon his neck it had been much to have looked upon him with the Eye more to have taken him by the hand but most of all to fall upon his Neck Divine Mercy will not only meet a Penitent but embrace him also 3. Strong Affectionateness he kissed him giving him thereby a pledge and assurance of perfect Friendship and Reconciliation with him Learn hence That God is not only ready to give Demonstrations of his Mercy to penitent sinners but also to give the Seals and Tokens of his special Reconciled Favour to them they shall now have the kisses of his Lips who formerly deserved the blows of his Hand The Father ran unto him fell on his Neck and kissed him Observe Lastly The great joy that appeared in the whole House as well as in the Fathers Heart upon this great occasion the prodigal Sons returning They all began to be merry there was Musick and Dancing Learn hence That sincere Conversion brings the Soul into a joyful into a very joyful State and Condition The joy that Conversion brings is an holy and spiritual joy a solid and substantial joy a wonderful and transcendent joy an encreasing and never fading joy our joy on Earth is an earnest of the joys of Heaven where there will be Rejoycing in the presence of our Heavenly Father and his Holy Angels to all Eternity Because we were dead but are now alive again we were lost but are found 25 Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house he heard Musick and Dancing 26 And he called one of the Servants and asked what these things meant 27 And he said unto him Thy Brother is come and thy Father hath killed the fatted Calf because he hath received him safe and sound 28 And he was angry and would not go in therefore came his Father out and entreated him 29 And he answering said to his Father Lo these many years do I serve thee neither transgressed I at any time thy Commandment and yet thou never gavest me a kid that I might make merry with my Friends 30 But as soon as this thy son was come which hath devoured thy Living with Harlots thou hast killed for him the fatted Calf 31 And he said unto him Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine 32 It was meet that we should make merry and be glad For this thy Brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found By the murmurings of the Elder Son at the Prodigals Returning to and Reception with his Father some think the Jews in general are to be understood whose peevishness to the Gentiles and their Repinings at the offer of Salvation made unto them by the Gospel is very evident from many places of Scripture others understand it of the Scribes and Pharisees in particular who presuming on their own Righteousness as if they had never transgressed God's Commandments at any time murmured at our Saviour for Conversing with Sinners tho' it were in order to the bringing of them to Repentance which instead of being frowardly discontented at they ought to have rejoyced in Learn hence There is such an envious Spirit in Men yea even in the best of Men as inclineth them to repine at such Dispensations of Divine Grace and Favour â—s others receive aâ—d they want 2. That to indulge such a Spirit and Temper in our selves argues great sin and great solly great sin in being dissatisfied with God's Dispensations and affronting his Wisdom and Justice and great Folly in making anothers Good our Grief as if we had less because another has more The elder Son was angry and would not go in it follows therefore came the Father out and entreated him This shews the meekness of God in dealing with us under our frowardness and the high satisfaction he takes in a Sinners Converâ—ion and Returning to his Duty Lastly This points out unto us our Duty to imitate God and be Followers of him as dear Children Doth he Reioyce at a Sâ—nners Return to his Duty so should we 'T is the Devil's Temper to regret and envy the Good and Happiness of others he gnashes his Teeth when the Prey he thought himself sure of is snatched out of his Jaws But to God and all his Holy Angels nothing is so agreeable as the Repentance and Conversion of a Sinner from the Error of his ways and the saving of a Soul from death this is look'd upon as a Resurrection from the Dead and a ground of the greatest Joy and Rejoycing It was meet that we should make merry and be glad For this thy Brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found CHAP. XVI 1 AND he said also unto his Disciples There was a certain rich Man which had a Steward and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his Goods 2 And he called him and said unto him How is it that I hear this of thee Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward 3 Then the Steward said within himself what shall I do For my Lord taketh away from me the Stewardship I cannot dig to beg I am ashamed 4 I am resolved what to do That when I am put out of the Stewardship they may receive me into their Houses 5 So he called every one of the Lord's Debtors unto him and said unto him first How much owest thou unto my Lord 6 And he said an hundred measures of Oyl and he said unto him Take thy Bill and set down quickly and write fifty 7 Then said he to another And how much owest thou and he said an hundred
little time in the Wilderness Christ nourishes the Soul the Souls of all Believers be they Jew or Gentile Bond or Free and this not for time but for Eternity the Bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World 34 Then said they unto him Lord evermore give us this bread 35 And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst 36 But I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not Observe here 1. How the carnal Jews hearing the Bread which Christ had commended so highly and conceiving of it carnally desire they may partake of it constantly Lord evermore give us of this Bread The Commendation of Spiritual Things may move the Affections and quicken the Desires of Natural Persons but if their Desires be not Spiritual and Serious Diligent and Laborious Constant and Abiding they are no Evidence of the Truth of Grace Obs 2. Christ discovers another excellent Effect of this Bread of Life which he had been recommending that such as feed of it shall never hunger more that is inordinately after the perishing Satisfactions of this World but shall find an All-sufficient Fulness in him and compleat Refreshment from him for the preserving and perpetuating of their Spiritual Life He that cometh unto me shall never hunger c. Obs 3. How justly Christ upbraids the Jews for their obstinate Infidelity Ye have seen me says our Saviour yet ye believe not Ye have seen me in the Flesh you have heard my Doctrine you have seen my Miracles I have done amongst you those Works which never any Man did to convince you that I am the Messiah yet you will not own me to be such nor believe on me Oh the Strength of Infidelity and Unbelief The Devil has as great an Advantage upon Men by making them strong in Unbelief as God hath by making his People strong in Faith 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Our Blessed Saviour having lamented the obstinate Infidelity of the Jews in the foregoing Verse who though they had seen him would not believe on him he doth in this Verse comfort himself with the assured Expectation that there would be a number which should certainly and infallibly come unto him All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me c. Here observe 1. An Account of the Persons that shall come to Christ All that the Father hath given him There is a double Gift of us to Christ 1. In God's Eternal Purpose and Counsel 2. In our Effectual Vocation and Calling When our Hearts are by the Holy Spirit of God perswaded and enabled to accept of Christ as he is freely tendred to us in the Gospel Obs 2. The gracious Entertainment which Christ gives to those that come unto him He will in no wise cast them out where the Positive is included in the Negative I will not cast them out that is I will kindly receive and graciously entertain them Learn hence 1. That both God the Father and Christ his Son are unfeignedly willing and cordially desirous of the Salvation of lost Sinners That federal Transaction which was betwixt the Father and the Son from everlasting about the Salvation of lost Sinners evidently declares this Learn 2. That the merciful and compassionate Jesus will in no wise cast out or reject but kindly entertain and receive every penitent Sinner that doth believingly apply unto him for Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life I will in no wise cast out that is I will not cast them out of my Pity and Compassion out of my Love and Affection out of my Prayer and Intercession out of my Care and Protection I will not cast them out of my Covenant I will never cast them out of my Kingdom for my Nature inclines me my Promise binds me and my Office as Mediator engages me to the contrary 38 For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me 39 And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day 40 And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day In these Words our Saviour gives us the Confirmation of the foregoing Promise That he will in no wise cast out those that come unto him by assuring us that it was the great End for which he came into the World His Father sent him to do his Will and not his own that is not to do his own Will without his Father's but to do his own Will and his Father's For Christ as God had a co-ordinate Will with his Father's and as Man a Will subordinate to the Will of his Father Now it was the Will both of Father and Son that such as Believe in him should be preserved from perishing and be raised up by Christ at the last Day Hence Learn 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ stands not only inclined by his own Mercy and Goodness to Save Repenting and Believing Sinners but doth also stand obliged thereunto by vertue of a Trust committed to him from the Father Therefore Christ mentions the Will of him that sent him as a Reason of his Fidelity in this matter Learn 2. That the Father's Will and good pleasure is the original Source the Fountain and first Spring from whence the Salvation of Believers doth proceed and flow It is the Fathers Will that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and Believeth on him may have Everlasting Life Learn 3. That such as are given to Christ by the Father and put as his Trust into his Keeping he looks upon them as his Charge and stands engaged for the Preservation of them This is my Father's Will that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing Yet has the Father so committed the Care of Believers to his Son as that he keeps them still in his own hand John 10.28 29. My Father which gave them to me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand Learn 4. From those words I will Raise him up at the last Day That the Lord Jesus Christ is Truly Essentially and Really God That person who can by his own Almighty Power raise the Dead must certainly be God but this Christ had He raised others from the Dead and his own Dead Body from the Grave also by his own Power And therefore Christ says I am the Resurrection and the Life and I will raise him up at the last day Doubtless he that spake these words and made those promises knew his own Power to perform them and
wicked Parents repine because they had Children but because they had lost them Mothers have the sharpest Throws both in their Childrens Births and Burials As Children in their Births are their Mothers Benjamins so in their Burial they are their Mothers Benoni's Sons of Sorrow 19 But when Herod was dead behold an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying 20 Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young child's life Obs 1. Herod's Death like a Bloody Persecutor he is sent unlamented to his Grave Historians say that out of his Body issued forth such impure Streams of Blood that the Loathsomness and Pain made him attempt the killing of himself God seldom suffers Persecutors to pass in quiet to their Graves they rarely die the common Death of all Men having no other Balm at their Funeral than their own Blood Obs 2. The happy Consequent of Herod's Death Christ is now call'd Home without Danger Herod being sent to his Grave the Coast is clear for the Return of the Holy Family The Death of Persecutors is the Delivery of the Persecuted 21 And he arose and took the young child and his mother and came into the land of Israel 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod he was afraid to go thither notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee Observe here 1. The just Fear that Joseph has upon his Mind that Herod's Son would be as Bloody a Tyrant as his Flagitious Father No wonder that the Children of Cruel Persecutors are suspected to tread in their Bloody Parents Steps Obs 2. How God's Warrant and Direction doth quiet Joseph's Mind resolve his Doubts and remove his Fears and makes him readily comply with the Command of God Being warned of God he removes out of Egypt into Galilee Oh how safe and satisfactory is it in all our Ways to follow the Call and Command of God! Joseph and Mary durst not move their Feet no not out of Egypt it self till God gives them a Warrant for their departure and bids them go 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet He shall be called a Nazarene A threefold Interpretation is given of these Words He shall be called a Nazarene Some read the Words 1. He shall be called a Nazarite the Nazarites were a Religious and Separate Rank of Persons among the Jews who abstained from Wine and came not near the Dead for fear of Pollution Christ was a Holy Person but no Nazarite in a strict sence for he drank Wine and touched the Dead 2. Others read the Words He shall be called Netzer a Branch in Allusion to Isa 11.1 where he is called a Branch of the Root of Jesse Christ was that True Branch of which the Prophets had so often spoken 3. Others will have the Word Nazarene referr to the City Nazareth where Christ was conceived and lived most of his time He shall be called a Nazarene because he dwelt at Nazareth hence his Disciples were called the Sect of the Nazarenes that is the Followers of him that dwelt at Nazareth and Christ himself is pleased to own the Title Act. 22.8 I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Learn from hence The great Humility of Mind that was found in our Saviour He was Born at Bethlehem a little City he Lives at Nazareth a poor contemptible Place He aspires not after the Grandeur of the World but is meek and lowly in Spirit may the same humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus CHAP. III. This Evangelist having declared our Saviour's Miraculous Conception in the First Chapter and recorded several remarkable Circumstances relating to his Birth in the Second Chapter in this Chapter before us he passes over in silence the whole Course of our Saviour's Life in private taking no notice how he spent his Minority whilst he dwelt at Nazareth which was till he was Thirty Years old at which time he entred upon his Publick Ministry having John the Baptist for his Harbinger and Forerunner at this Chapter fully informs us 1 IN those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 And saying Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Observe here 1. The Preacher sent by God John the Baptist a Pattern of Mortification and a Preacher of Repentance Obs 2. The Place he is sent to Preach in The Wilderness of Judea not in Populous Jerusalem but in a Barren Wilderness where Inhabitants were sew and probably very ignorant and rude Learn hence That it is God's Prerogative to send forth the Preachers of the Gospel when and whither and to what People he pleases and none must Assume the Office before they be Sent. Obs 3. The Doctrine that he preaches namely the Doctrine of Repentance Repent ye This was to prepare the People for the Messias and the Grace of the Gospel Learn thence That the Preaching of the Doctrine of Repentance is absolutely necessary in order to the preparing of the Hearts of Sinners for the receiving of Christ Jesus Obs 4. The Motive which St. John uses to inforce the Exhortation to Repentance The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is now is the so much expected Time of the Appearing of the Messiah come the Old Testament Dispensation is now to be Abolished and the Mercy and Grace of the Gospel is now to be Revealed therefore Repent and Amend your Lives Note thence That the free and full Tenders of Grace and Mercy in the Gospel are the most alluring Arguments to move a Sinner to Repent and to Convert to God 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias saying The voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight The Papists from John Baptist's living in the Wilderness would make him the first Founder of the Order of the Hermits but very groundlesly For 1. What he did was by God's Command what they do is by the Dictates of their their own Fancy 2. He busied himself in Preaching in the Wilderness they bury themselves alive and do nothing 3. He lived in the Wilderness but for a time afterwards we find him at Court Preaching a Sermon to Herod but they bind themselves with a Vow to live and die Hermits 4 And the same John had his raiment of camels hair and a leathern girdle about his loins and his meat was locusts and wild honey The plainess of John's Habit and Diet is here declared he was habited in a plain Suit of Camels Hair much as Elijah was before him and as his Habit was plain so his Diet was ordinary feeding upon Herbs and such Things as the Wilderness affords hence it was that Nazianzen said he was all
be measured to you again Observe here The Prohibition and the Reason of that Prohibition The Prohibition Judge not This is not meant of our Selves but of our Neighbour Self-judging is a great Duty Judging others a grievous Sin Yet is not all Judging of others condemned but a Judging of our Neighbour's State or Person rashly and rigidly censoriously and uncharitably especially unrighteously and unjustly And the Reason of the Prohibition is added If we Judge others Rashly God will Judge us Righteously Learn thence That a Rash and Censorious Judging of Others renders a Person liable and obnoxious to the Righteous Judgment of God 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye 5 Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye By the Mote in our Brother's Eye is to be understood small and little Sins or some supposed Sins By the Beam in our own Eye is meant some Notorious Sin of our own Learn 1. That those who are most Censorious of the lesser Infirmities of Others are usually most notoriously Guilty of far greater Failings Themselves 2. That those who desire others should look upon their Infirmities with a Compassionate Eye must not look upon the Failings of others with a Censorious Eye 3. That there is no such way to Teach us Charity in Judging others as to exercise Severity in Judging of our selves 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you By that which is Holy understand the Word and Ordinances in general but Admonition and Reproof in particular By Dogs and Swine Incorrigible and Unreclaimable Sinners hardned Scorners of Holy Things T is a Proverbial Speech expressing how sure Charitable Reprehensions are to be cast away upon Incorrigible Sinners Learn 1. That 't is possible for Sinners to arrive at such an Height and Pitch in Wickedness and Sin that it may be a Christian's Duty not to Admonish or Reprove them Obs 2. How Christ provides as for the Honour of his Word so for the Safety of those that Publish it As Christ will not have his Word offered to some Sinners lest they should abuse it so lest they should abuse those that bring it When Sinners turn Rinish Swines and we are in danger of being rent by them Christ himself gives us a Permission to cease Reproving of them 7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you 8 For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened 9 Or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread will he give him a stone 10 Or if he ask a fish will he give him a serpent 11 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him Observe here A Precept and a Promise the Precept or Duty commanded is Importunity and Constancy in Prayer we must ask seek and knock The Promise or Mercy insured is Audience and Acceptance with God Note 1. That Man is a poor indigent and necessitous Creature full of Wants but unable to supply them 2. That God is an All-sufficient Good able to supply the Wants and to relieve the Necessities of his Creatures if they call upon him and cry unto him 3. Yet if we do not presently receive what we ask we must still continue to seek and knock tho' Prayer be not always answered in our time yet shall it never fail of an Answer in God's time 4. That Natural Propensity which we find in our Breasts to hear the Desires and to supply the Wants of our own Children ought to raise in us a confident Expectation That Almighty God will hear our Prayers and supply our Wants when we Call upon him If a Father will give when a Child asks much more will God If ye being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Father c. 12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the law and the prophets Observe here 1. An Incomparable Rule of Life Always to do as we would be done by Note That the Great Rule of Righteousness and Equity in all our Dealings with Men is this To do as we would be done unto it is a short Rule a full Rule and a clear Rule both the Light of Nature and the Law of CHRIST bind it upon us Obs 2. The Commendation of this Rule It is the Law and the Prophets that is the Sum of the Old Testament so far as concerns our Duty to our Neighbour and the Substance of the Second Table Learn That it is the Design of the Scriptures of the Old Testament first to render Men dutiful and obedient to God and then righteous and charitable one to another This is the Law and the Prophets yea the whole of the Law and the Prophets to Love GOD above our selves and to Love our Neighbour as our selves 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat 14 Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Observe here 1. That every Man is a Traveller in a certain Way 2. That there are but Two Ways in which the Race of Mankind can Travel the one strait and narrow that leads to Life and Salvation the other broad and wide which leads to Hell and Destruction 3. That because of the Difficulties in the Way of Salvation and the Easiness of the Way to Hell and Destruction hence it is that so few Walk in the one and so many in the other 4. That Christians having the strait Way to Heaven revealed to them in and by the Word of God should chuse rather to go in that Way alone to Life than to run with the Multitude in that broad Way which leads down to the Chambers of Death and Hell 15 Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth
as before Conversion Disesteemed him do afterwards kindly and respectfully Entertain him Matthew toucht with a sense of Christ's Rich Love makes him a Royal Feast Obs farther How at this Feast many Publicanes and Sinners were present of Matthew's Acquaintance no doubt and probably invited by him that they might also see Christ and be Partakers of the same Grace with him Whence we Learn That Grace teaches a Man to desire and seek the Conversion of others and such as are truly brought home to Christ themselves will study and endeavour to bring in all their Acquaintance to Christ also 11 And when the Pharisees saw it they said unto his disciples Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners See here what a Grief it is to Wicked Men to see others brought in to Christ the Wicked Pharisees murmur repine and envy instead of admiring Christ's Condescension and adoring his Divine Goodness They censure him for conversing with Sinners but Christ tells them in the following Verses that he converst with them as their Physician not as their Companion 12 But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance As if our Lord had said With whom should the Physician converse but with his Sick Patients Now I am come into the World to do the Office of a kind Physician unto Men surely then I am to take all Opportunities to Help and Heal them They that are Sick need the Physician but for you Pharisees who are whole and well in your own Opinion and swell'd with a Conceit of your own Righteousness I have no Hopes of doing any Good upon you for such as think themselves whole desire no Physician 's Help Learn hence 1. That Sin is the Soul's Malady its Spiritual Disease and Sickness 2. That Christ is the Physician appointed by God for the Cure and Healing of this Disease and Malady 3. That there are Multitudes Spiritually Sick who yet think themselves sound and whole 4. That only such as are sensible of their Spiritual Sickness are Subjects capable of Cure and the Persons whom Christ is an Healing Physician to They that are whole need not the Physician but they that are sick 14 Then came to him the disciples of John saying Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft but thy disciples fast not 15 And Jesus said unto them Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them but the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast 16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment and the rent is made worse 17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles else the bottles break and the wine runneth out and the bottles perish but they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved The Pharisees themselves had a Contention with our Saviour in the foregoing Verses here they set on the Disciples of John to contend with him about Fasting alledging that the Disciples of John fasted often Christ's Disciples not at all Our Saviour owns it that his Disciples did not fast at present for two Reasons 1. Because it was Vnsuitable to them 2. Because it was Intolerable for them It was Vnsuitable to them because of Christ's Bodily Presence with them this made it a time of Joy and Feasting not of Mourning and Fasting While Christ the Bridegroom is with them they must feast and rejoyce when removed from them there will be Cause enough to fast and mourn Christ is the Bridegroom and his Church the Bride which he has Espoused and Married to himself and whilest his Spouse did enjoy his Bodily Presence with her it was a Day of Joy and Rejoycing to her and Mourning and Fasting was improper for her Again This Discipline of Fasting was at present Intolerable for the Disciples for they were raw green and tender and could no more bear the Severities of Religion at present than an old Garment could bear a piece of new stiff Cloth to be set into it which will make the Rent worse if the Garment comes to a stretch or no more than old Bottles can keep new Wine Thus says Christ My Disciples are young and green tender and weak newly converted they cannot bear the Severer Exercises of Religion presently but when I am ascended into Heaven I will send down my Holy Spirit which shall enable them to all the Duties which the Gospel injoyns Hence we may Gather That Young Converts till grown up to some Consistency in Grace must not be put upon the Severer Exercises of Religion but handled with that Tenderness and Gentleness which becomes the mild and merciful Dispensation of the Gospel Our Saviour here commends Prudence to his Ministers that they put not their People upon Duties beyond their Strength but consult their Progress in Christianity and the Proficiency they have made in Religion and treat them accordingly 18 While he spake these things unto them behold there came a certain ruler and worshipped him saying My daughter is even now dead but come and lay thy hand upon her and she shall live 19 And Jesus arose and followed him and so did his disciples The humble Posture in which this Man came unto Christ namely falling at his Foot and worshipping him which was not only a Sign of tender Affection towards his Daughter but an Evidence of his Faith in our Blessed Saviour yet his confining Christ's Power to his Bodily Presence and to the Touch of his Hand was a Token of the Weakness of his Faith Come says he and lay thy Hand upon her and she shall live As if Christ could not have Cured her without either coming to her or laying his Hand upon her Note here That altho' all that come to Christ are not alike strong in Faith yet our Blessed Redeemer refuses none that come unto him with a sincere Faith tho' in much weakness of Faith Jesus arose and followed him 20 And behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years came behind him and touched the hem of his garment 21 For she said within her self If I may but touch his garment I shall be whole 22 But Jesus turned him about and when he saw her he said Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole And the woman was made whole from that hour Whilst Christ is on his way to the Ruler's House a diseased Woman comes behind him touches his Garment and is instantly Healed The Virtue lay not in her Finger but in her Faith or rather in Christ which her Faith Instrumentally drew forth Obs here How Faith oft-times meets with a sweeter Welcom than it could expect This
Ministers of God You shall be hated and killed The next Sign is the Apostacy of Professors upon the Account of those Persecutions Then shall many be offended Shall betray one another and hate one another Learn hence That Times of Persecution for Christianity are constantly Times of Apostacy from the Christian Profession 2. That Apostates are usually the bitterest Persecutors Omnis Apostata est osor sui ordinis They shall betray one another and hate one another A third Sign is the abounding of false Teachers Many false Prophets shall arise and shall deceive many Where Note That the fair Pretences and subtil Practices of Heretical Teachers have drawn off many from the Truth whom open Persecution could not drive from it A fourth Sign is the Decay and Abatement of Zeal for God and Love one to another The Love of many shall wax cold That is both towards God and towards Man When Iniquity abounds Trouble waxes hot and when Trouble waxes hot false Love waxes cold and true Love waxes colder than it was before The cold Blasts of Persecution blow up the Love of a few but blow out the Love of many more These are the Signs laid down by our Saviour foretelling the Destruction of Jerusalem and forasmuch as Jerusalem's Destruction was not only a Forerunner but a Figure of Christ's coming to Judgment these are also the Signs foretelling the Approach of that dreadful Day Verse 13. He that endureth to the end the same shall be saved Our Saviour closes his Discourse with an Exhortation to Constancy and Perseverance Teaching us That there is no such way to overcome Temptation and Persecution as by keeping our Integrity and persevering in our Fidelity to Christ 2. That Constancy and Perseverance in our Integrity and Fidelity towards Christ is sometimes attended with Temporal Salvation and Deliverance in this Life but shall certainly be rewarded with Eternal Salvation in the next He that endureth to the end the same shall be saved 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come Here our Blessed Saviour comforts his Disciples with a threefold Consideration 1. That his Gospel how hated and persecuted soever should be plainly and persuasively preached This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached Therefore called the Gospel of the Kingdom because it discovers the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven Observe 2. The Extent of the Gospel's Publication it shall be preached unto all Nations that is to the Gentile World not only amongst the Jews but amongst the chief and principal Nations of the Gentiles also Observe 3. The Design and End of the Gospel's Publication and that is for a Witness or Testimony namely for a Witness of God's Mercy and Grace offered to Sinners and of their Obstinacy who reject it Learn thence That the preaching of the Gospel where-ever it comes proves a Testimony to them to whom it comes To the Humble and Teachable it is a Testimony for to the Scorners and Despisers it is a Testimony against or in the Words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.16 To some it is the Savour of Death unto Death to others the Savour of Life unto Life 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place whoso readeth let him understand The Sense is when ye shall see the Armies of the Romans who are an Abomination to you and an Occasion of great Desolation where they go when you shall see that abominable desolating Army begirting the Holy City of Jerusalem then call to mind the Prophecy of Daniel which primarily belonged to Antiochus but secondarily to Titus and shall now be fully compleated For the Siege shall not be raised till both City and Temple be razed to the Ground Learn thence That God has Instruments ready at his Call to lay waste the strongest Cities and to ruin the most flourishing Kingdoms which do oppose the Tenders of his Grace and can make those whom Men most abhor to be the Occasions of their Destruction 16 Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains 17 Let him which is on the house-top not come down to take any thing out of his house 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his cloaths The meaning is As soon as you shall see the Roman Army appear before the City of Jerusalem let every one that values his own Safety fly as far and as fast as he can even as Lot fled out of Sodom and let such as fly be glad if by flight they can save their Lives tho' they lose their Goods their Cloaths and all things beside From hence Learn 1. That when Almighty God is pouring forth his Fury upon a sinful People it is lawful yea a necessary Duty by flight to endeavour the hiding and sheltring of themselves from the approaching Calamity and Desolation When ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed with Armies then flee to the Mountains 2. That in the Case of flight before a bloody Enemy and Army if we lose all that we have and our Lives be given us for a Prey we fare well and the Lord deals very mercifully with us 19 And wo unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter neither on the sabbath day Here our Saviour declares the doleful Distress of those that could not flee from the Siege of Jerusalem as Women big with Child and such as give Suck who by that Means are like to lose their Lives And he farther adds that it would encrease the Calamity if their Flight should happen to be in the Winter when none can fly either fast or far or if they should be forced to flee on the Sabbath-Day when the Jews scrupled travelling farther than a Sabbath-Day's Journey which was about Two Miles From hence Learn That it is a great Addition to the Trouble and Disquiet of a good Man's Spirit when the Day of his Spiritual Rest is interrupted and instead of enjoying Communion with God in his House he is driven from House and Home and flies before the Face of an enraged Enemy Pray ye says our Saviour that your Flight be not on the Sabbath-Day That being a Day of Holy Rest 21 For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be 22 And except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved but for the elects sake those days shall be shortened The doleful Miseries and dreadful Calamities which were coming upon the Jews in general and upon Jerusalem in particular are here foretold by our Saviour partly from the Roman Army without and partly from the Seditions and Factions of the Zealots within who committed such Outrages and Slaughters that there were no less than an Hundred Thousand
slain and Ninety-seven Thousand carried away Captive and made Prisoners They that bought our Saviour for Thirty Pence were now themselves sold Thirty for a Penny Now did the Temple it self become a Sacrifice a whole Burnt-Offering and was consum'd to Ashes Yet Observe Christ promises that these Calamitous Days should be shortned for the Elects sake God had a Remnant which he determined should survive this Destruction to be an holy Seed and accordingly the Providence of God so order'd that the City was taken in Six Months and the whole Country depopulated in Eighteen Whence Observe How the Lord intermixes some Mercy with the extremest Misery that doth befal a People for their Sin On this side Hell no Sinners can say that they feel the Strokes of Justice to the utmost or that they have Judgment without Mercy 23 Then if any man shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there believe it not 24 For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect 25 Behold I have told you before 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not The Jews had all along cherished in themselves a vain Expectation that the promised Messias should be a Temporal Deliverer that should set them at Liberty from the Power and Slavery of the Romans and accordingly Christ declares to his Disciples here that immediately before Jerusalem's Destruction several Persons taking the Advantage of this Expectation would make themselves Heads of Parties and pretend that they were the true Messiah who would save and deliver them from their Enemies if they would repair to them and follow after them Hereupon our Lord cautions his Disciples against such false Christs and false Prophets and bids them believe them not tho' they did never so many great Signs and Wonders and promised them never such Glorious Deliverances Learn hence That the Church's great Danger is from Seducers that come in Christ's Name and pretending to work Signs and Wonders by his Authority 2. That such is the Power of Seduction and Delusion that many are carried away with Seducers and false Teachers 3. That the Elect themselves if left unto themselves might be seduced but Divine Power guards them against Seduction and Delusion They shall deceive if it were possible the very Elect. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the Son of man be There is a threefold coming of Christ spoken of in the New Testament 1. His coming in his Spiritual Kingdom by the preaching of the Gospel among the Gentiles 2. His coming to destroy Jerusalem Forty Years after his Ascension 3. His final Coming to Judgment at the great Day All these Comings of the Son of Man for their Suddenness and Unexpectedness are compared unto Lightning which in a moment breaketh out of the East and shineth unto the West Learn hence That the Coming and Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to the judging of wicked and impenitent Sinners it will be a very certain sudden and unexpected Appearance 28 For wheresoever the carcass is there will the eagles be gathered together If the coming of Christ be understood in the former Verse of his coming to destroy Jerusalem then by the Carcass in this Verse are to be understood the People of Jerusalem and the Body of the Jewish Nation And by the Eagles are to be understood the Roman Armies who carried an Eagle in their Standard These were the Instruments which Almighty God made use of as his Rod and Scourge to chastise and punish the People of Jerusalem Learn thence That the appointed Messengers of God's Wrath and the Instruments of his Vengeance will suddenly gather together certainly find out and severely punish and plague an impenitent People devoted to Destruction Where the Carcass is the Body of the Jewish Nation there will the Eagles the Roman Soldiers be gathered together 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken 30 And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven Our Saviour goes on in figurative Expressions to set forth the Calamities that should befal the Jewish Nation immediately after the Destruction of Jerusalem The Sun shall be darkened that is all their Glory and Excellency shall be eclipsed all their Wealth and Prosperity shall be laid waste their whole Government Civil and Ecclesiastical destroy'd and such Marks of Misery found upon them as never were seen upon a People By the Sign of the Son of Man the Papists will have understood the Sign of the Cross Others understand it of those Prodigies which were seen a little before the Destruction of Jerusalem which Josephus mentions as namely A Comet in the form of a Sword hanging over the City for a Year together A Light in the Temple and about the Altar seen at Midnight for half an Hour A Cow led by the Priest to be sacrificed calved a Lamb. A Voice heard in the Temple saying Abeamus hinc Let us go hence Learn hence God doth premonish before he punish he warns a People of Destruction often before he destroys them once 30 And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other Then shall the Tribes mourn that is then shall the Jews be convinced that their Destruction was the Punishment of their Sin in rejecting and crucifying Christ and accordingly they that pierced him shall behold him and mourn over him Thus it was before the Destruction of Jerusalem and thus will it be before the final Judgment They that pierced him shall be brought before him Lord how will the Sight of a pierced Christ pierce their Souls with Horror they who have not seen a pierced Christ in the Sorrows of Repentance shall hereafter see him in the Sorrows of Despair To behold Christ with the Eye of Sense hereafter will be very dreadful and terrible to all those that have not beheld him with the Eye of Faith here And he shall send his Angels with the Sound of a Trumpet Those that apply this to the Destruction of Jerusalem by the Angels understand the Ministers of the Gospel who by the Trumpet of the Word did bring in Believers throughout all Judea who were saved from that Destruction Those that understand it of the general Judgment take it literally that Christ at the great Day will send forth his Holy Angels and gather
could not 19 He answered him and saith O faithless generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you bring him unto me 20 And they brought him unto him and when he saw him straightway the spirit tare him and he fell on the ground and wallowed foming 21 And he asked his Father How long is it ago since that came unto him And he said of a child 22 And oft-times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him but if thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us 23 Jesus saith unto him if thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth 24 And straightway the Father of the child cried out with tears and said Lord I believe help thou my unbelief 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together he rebuked the foul Spirit saying unto him Thou dumb and deaf spirit I charge thee come out of him and enter no more into him 26 And the Spirit cried and rent him sore and came out of him and he was as one dead insomuch that many said He is dead 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and he arose 28 And when he was come into the house his Disciples asked him privately Why could not we cast him out 29 And he said unto them This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting Observe here 1. The person brought to Christ for help and healing one Bodily possest by Satan who had made him deaf and dumb from his childhood and oft-times cast him into the Fire and Water but rather to torment then to dispatch him Oh how does Satan that malicious Tyrant rejoyce in doing hurt to their Bodies as well as the soul of Mankind Lord abate his power since his malice will not be abated How great is thy goodness in preserving us from the power and malice of evil Spirits and how watchful is thy Providence over us to preserve us when Satan is seeking by all imaginable means and methods to destroy us Observe 2. The Person that represents his sad condition to our Saviour his compassionate Father who kneeled down and cried out need will make a person both humble and eloquent Every one has a Tongue to speak for himself happy he that keeps a Tongue for others Observe 3. The circumstance of time Satan had got possession of this person very young in his youth nay in his childhood and oh how hard was it to cast him out after so long possession the Disciples could not do it with all their power and prayers and when our Saviour himself by the power of his Godhead did dispossess him it was with foming and renting that he left him Thus when Satan gets possession of Persons hearts in their youth oh how hard will it be to cast him out it will put the Soul to great grief great pain great sorrow of heart Satan will endeavour to hold his own and keep the sinner his slave and vassal if all the power of Hell can keep him Lord convince young persons that it is easier to keep Satan out then it is to cast him out of the possession of their hearts Observe 4. The Physicians which this distressed Person is brought unto First to the Disciples and then to Jesus We never apply our selves importunately to the God of Power till we dispair of the Creatures help But why could not the Disciples cast him out Christ tells them because of their unbelief that is because of the weakness of their Faith not the total want of Faith Whence learn that secret unbelief may lie hid and undiscerned in the heart which neither others nor our selves may take notice of until some tryal doth discover it Observe 5. The poor man's humble Request and Christ's gracious reply If thou canst do any thing help me says the Father if thou canst believe all things are possible says our Saviour Note thence that the fault is not in Christ but in our selves if we receive not that mercy from him which we desire and need there is no deficiency in Christ's power the defect lies in our Faith Hereupon the man cries out with Tears Lord I believe help thou my unbelief if these were tears of Joy for the truth of his Faith then we gather that the lowest degree and least measure of Faith is matter of Joy unspeakable to the owner and possessor of it If these were Tears of Sorrow for the weakness of his Faith then we may collect that the Remains of Unbelief in the children of God do cost them many tears they are the burthen and sorrow of gracious Souls The Father of the child cried out with Tears Lord I believe help my unbelief Observe 6. With what facility and ease our Saviour cast out this stubborn Devil that had so long possest this poor child even with a word speaking how long soever Satan has kept possession of a Soul Christ can eject and cast them out both easily and speedily one word of Christ's mouth is sufficient to help us out of all distress both bodily and Spiritual Yet did our Lord suffer the evil Spirit to rage and rend the child before he went out of him not from any delight in the poor childs misery but that the Multitude seeing the Desperateness of the Case might the more admire the power of Christ in his Deliverance Observe 7. The Sovereign Power and absolute Authority which Christ had even here on Earth when in his State of Humiliation over the Devil and his Angels he commands him to go out and enter no more into the child and is obeyed This was a proof and demonstration of the Godhead of our Saviour that he had power and Authority over Devils to command and over-rule them to curb and restrain them at his Pleasure And whereas Christ commands the Devil not only to come out but to enter no more into the Person it implies that Satan being cast out of his hole earnestly desires to enter in again to recover his hold and to regain his possession but if Christ says enter no more Satan shall obey his voyce Observe 8. The Disciples enquiry into the Reasons why they could not cast this stubborn Devil out According to the power which he had given them to work Miracles Christ tells them it was 1. Because of their unbelief by which understand the weakness of their faith not their total want of Faith 2. Because they did not in this extraordinary case apply themselves to the use of extraordinary means Namely prayer and fasting Learn hence 1. That in extraordinary cases where the Necessities either of Soul or Body do require it Recourse must be had to the use of extraordinary means one of which is an importunate Application unto God by solemn Prayer Secondly that fasting and prayer are two special means of Christ's own Appointment for the enabling of his people Victoriously to overcome Satan and cast
that is on the House-top not go down into the House neither enter therein to take any thing out of his House 16 And let him that is in the Field not turn back again for to take up his Gâ—rmâ—nt 17 But wo to them which are with Child and to them that give Suck in those days 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter The meaning is As soon as ye shall see the Roman Army appear before the City of Jerusalem let every one that values his own Safety fly as far and as fast as he can as Lot fled from the Flames of Sodom and be glad if by flight he can save his Life though he loose Goods and Cloaths and all things beside Whence Learn That when Almighty God is pouring forth his Fury upon a sinful People it is both Lawful and a Necessary Duty by Fliâ—ht to endeavour to shelter and secure our selves from the approaching Calamity and Desolation when ye see Jerusalem câ—â—mpassed with Aâ—mies flee to the Mountains 2. That in Case of fliâ—ht before an Enraged Enemy and Bloody Army if we loose all that we have and our Lives be given us for a Prey we fâ—re well and the Lord deals very Graciously and Mâ—â—cifully with us Next our Saviour declares the doleful Distress of those that could not flee from the Roman Army encompassing Jerusalem as Women great with Child and others gâ—ving suck who by that means are like to loose their Lives and adds farther that it would encrease the Calamity if their flight should happen to be in the Winter or as St. Matthew adds on the Sabbath day Matth. 24.20 Pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-day Flight in the Winter is sad because we can then fly neither fast nor far and on the Sabbath-day it is very sorrowful that being the day of our Spiritual Labour and of our Bodily Rest Learn thence That it is a great Addition to the trouble and disquiet of a good Man's Spirit when the day of his Spiritual Rest is Interrupted and instead of Enjoying Communion with God in his House he is driven from House and Home 19 For in those days shall be Affliction such as was not from the Beginning of the Creation which God Created unto this time neither shall be 20 And except that the Lord had shortned those Days no flesh should be Saved but for the Elects sake whom he hath Chosen he hath shortned those Days The dreadful Calamities which were coming upon the Jews in general and Jerusalem in particular are here fore-told by our blessed Saviour partly from the Roman-Army without and partly from the Seditions and Factions of the Zealots within who committed such outrages and Slaughters that there were no less than an Hundred Thousand Jews slain and Ninety Seven Thousand taken Prisoners They that Bought our Saviour for Thirty Pence were now themselves Sold Thirty for a Penny Now did the Temple it self become a Sacrifice a whole Burnt-Offering and was Consumed to ashes Yet Observe Christ promises that those days of Vengeance should be shortned for the Elects sake God had a Remnant which he designed shou d survive that Destruction to be an Holy Seed and accordingly the Providence of God so ordered it that the City was taken in six Months and the whole Country depopulated in Eighteen From whence Observe How the Lord intermixes some Mercy with the extreamest Misery that doth bâ—fal a People for their Sin on this side Hell No Sinner can say in this Life that they feel the stroaks of Justice to the utmost or that they have Judgment without Mercy 21 And then if any Man shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or lo he is there Believe him not 22 For false Christs and false Prophets shall rise and shall shew Signs and Wonders to Seduce if it were possible the very Elect. 23 But take ye heed behold I have fore-told you all things The Jews had all along cherished in themselves a vain expectation that the Promised Messias should be a Temporal Deliverer and set them at Liberty from the Power and Slavery of the Romans and accordingly our Saviour declares to his Disciples here that immediately before Jerusalem's Destruction several Persons taking the Advantage of this Expectation would make themselves Heads of Parties and pretend that they were the true Messiah who should save and deliver them from their Enemies if they would follow them hereupon our Saviour cautions his Disciples against such false Christ's and false Prophets and bids them not believe them though they did never so many great Signs and Wonders and promised them never such glorious Deliverances From hence Note 1. That the Churches great Danger is from Seducers that come in Christ's Name and pretend to Work Signs and Wonders by his Authority Note 2. That such is the power of Seduction and Delusion That many in all Ages of the Church have been carried away with Seducers and False Teachers 3. That the Elect themselves if lest to themselves might be Seduced but being guarded by Divine Power against Seduction and Delusision they shall be preserved from that fatal Mischief They shall seduce if p ssible even the Elect. 24 But in those days after that Tribulation the Sun shâ—ll be darkned and the Moon shall not give her Light 25 And the Stars of Heaven shall fall and the Powers that are in Heaven shall be shaken 26 And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds with great Power and Glory 27 And then shall he send his Angels and shall gather together his Elect from the Four Winds from the utmost part of the Earth to the uttermost part of Heaven Our Saviour goes on in Figurative Expressions to set forth the Calamities that should befal the Jewish Nation immediately after Jerusalem's Destruction The Sun shall be Darkened that is all their Glory and Excellency shall be Eclipsed all their Wealth and Prosperity shall be laid waste their whole Government Civil and Ecclesiastical destroyed and such Marks of Misery found upon them as never were seen upon a People Those that apply this to the general Judgment understand the words Literally that Sun and Moon will then have their Influences suspended that the Holy Angels will be sent forth to gather the Elect from all quarters of the World with the sound of a Trumpet says St. Matthew Probably as there was an audible sound of a Trumpet at the giving of the Law so there shall be the like found of a Trumpet when Christ shall Summon the World to Judgment for Transgressing of that Law A joyful Sound will this be to the Friends of Christ a doleful dreadful Sound in the Ears of his Enemies 28 Now Learn a Parable of the Fig-tree when her Branch is yet tender and putteth forth Leaves ye know that Summer is near 29 So ye in like manner when ye shall see these things come to pass know that it is nigh
2. The Name is given or at least declared at the time of the Child's Circumcising and that by its Parents His Mother said he shall be called John But how did his Mother know That when her Husband was dumb Answ 'T is like her Husband Zachary had by Writing informed his Wife concerning the whole Vision and what Name was imposed upon him by the Angel therefore she says he shall be called John and Zachary ratifies it his name is John The Nomination was originally from the Angel the Imposition of the Name is now at Circumcision from the Parents Obs 3. How Ancient a Custom it has been to give Names to Children according to the Names of their Fathers or Kindred There is none of thy Kindred of this name say they The Jews made it a part of Religion to give suitable Names to their Children and significant Names Accordingly they either gave them Names to put them in remembrance of God's Mercy to them or of their Duty to him Thus Zachary signifies the Remembrance of God which name points at God's Mercy in remembring him and his Duty in remembring God Well then is it usual and useful for Parents to give significant Names to their Children then let Children have a Holy Ambition to make good the Signification of their Names Thus John signifies the Grace of God but how will that Gracious Name rise up in Judgment against that Child that is Graceless Obs 4. How Zachary's Speech is immediately restored to him upon the naming of his Child The Angel v. 20. told him he should be dumb till the things he told him should be performed and now that they were performed his Tongue is loosed and he praises God in a most Thankful manner Obs 5. The effect which all this had upon the Neighbourhood fear came upon all that dwelt round about them that is an awful and Religious fear of God occasioned by these miraculous operations and they laid up these sayings in their hearts that is considered of them and pondered upon them It argues a very vain Spirit and temper of Mind when we pass over the Observation of God's wonderful Acts with a slight Regard The true Reason why we do so little admire the wonderful Works of God is because we consider so little of them Obs 6. The special favour vouchsafed by God to this Child John The hand of the Lord was with him that is God was in a special manner present with him to direct and assist him to protect and prosper him The hand of God in Scripture signifies the help of God the strength and assistance of God The hand of Man is a weak and impotent hand a short and ineffectual hand but the hand of God is a strong hand an Almighty hand able to assist and help able to protect and preserve The hand of the Lord was with him that is the heart of God and the help of God the Love and Favour of God to support him and the Power and Providence of God to protect and preserve him Lord let our Hearts be with thee and then thy Heart and thy helping hand will be with us 67 And his Father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophecied saying 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people 69 And hath raised up an horn of Salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began 71 That we should be saved from our Enemies and from the hand of all that hate us 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fore-fathers and to remember his holy Covenant 73 The Oath which he sware to our father Abraham 74 That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear 75 In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life 76 And thou child shalt be called the prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way 77 To give knowledge of Salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins 78 Through the tender mercies of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet in the way of peace Here observe 1. That no sooner was Zachary recovered and restored to his Speech but he sings the Praises of his Redeemer and offers up a Thanksgiving to God The best Return we can make to God for the use of our Tongue for the giving or restoring of our Speech is to publish our Creator's Praise to plead his Cause and vindicate his Honour Obs 2. What it is that Zachary makes the subject matter of his Song What is the particular and special Mercy which he praises and blesses God for It is not for his own particular and private Mercy namely the Recovery of his Speech tho' undoubtedly he was very thankful to God for that Mercy but he Blesses and praises God for Catholick and Universal Mercies bestowed upon his Church and People He doth not say Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath visited me in Mercy that hath once more loosed my Tongue and restored my Speech but Blessed be God that has visited and redeemed his people Whence Learn that it is both the Duty and Disposition of a gracious Soul to abound in Praise and Thankfulness to God more for Catholick and Universal Mercies towards the Church of God then for any particular and private Mercies how great soever towards himself Blessed be God for visiting and redeeming his people Obs 3. In this Evangelical Hymn there is a Prophetical Prediction both concerning Christ and concerning John Concerning Christ he declares that God the Father had sent him of his free mercy and rich Grace yet in performance of his Truth and Faithfulness and according to his promise and Oath which he had made to Abraham and the Fathers of the Old Testament Where Note 1. he blesses God for the Comprehensive blessing of the Messiah Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited his people namely in his Son's Incarnation The Lord Jesus Christ in the Fulness of Time made such a visit to this sinful World as Men and Angels admired at and will admire to all Eternity Note 2. The special fruit and benefit of this gracious and merciful Visitation and that was the Redemption of a lost World he hath visited and redeemed his People This implies that miserable Thraldom and Bondage which we were under to Sin and Satan and expresses the stupendious Love of Christ in buying our Lives with his dearest Blood and both by price and power rescuing us out of the hands of our Spiritual Enemies Note 3. The Character given of This Saviour and Redeemer he is an Horn of Salvation that is a Royal and Glorious a Strong
and powerful Saviour to his Church and people The Horn in Scripture signifies Glory and Dignity Strength and Power as the Beauty so the Strength of the Beast lies in its Horn. Now Christ being stiled an Horn of Salvation intimates that he himself is a Royal and Princely Saviour and that the Salvation which he brings is great and plentiful glorious and powerful God has raised up an horn of Salvation for us in the house of his Servant David Note 4. The Nature and Quality of that Salvation and Deliverance which the Son of God came to accomplish for us Not a Temporal Deliverance as the Jews expected from the power of the Romans but Spiritual from the hands of Sin and Satan Death and Hell his Design was to purchase a Spiritual Freedom and Liberty for us that we might be enabled to serve him without fear that is without the servile and offending fear of a Slave but with the Dutiful and ingenuous fear of a Child and this in holiness and Righteousness that is in the Duties of the First and Second Table all the days of our Life Learn hence That Believers who were Slaves of Satan are by Christ made God's free Men. 2dly That as such they owe God a Service a willing chearful and delightful Service without fear and a constant persevering Service all the days of their Life that we being delivered out of the hands of c. Note 5. The Source and Fountain from whence this Glorious Saviour and Gracious Salvation did arise and spring namely from the mercy and faithfulness of God To perform the mercy promised to our Forefathers and to remember his holy Covenant the Oath which he swear to our Father Abraham Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ the Mercy of Mercies was graciously promised and faithfully performed by God to his Church and People Christ was a free and full Mercy a suitable a seasonable and a satisfying Mercy an incomparable unsearchable and everlasting Mercy which God graciously promised in the beginning of Time and faithfully performed in the fulness of Time Thus far this Hymn of Zachary respects the Messiah Obs 4. How he next turns himself to his Child and Prophecies concerning him And thou Child shall be called the Prophet of the Highest c. Where Note 1. The Nature of his Office thou shalt be a Prophet not a common and ordinary one but a Prophet of the highest Rank the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts A Prophet thou shalt be and more then a Prophet Note 2. As the nature of his Office so the quality of his Work Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way Thou shalt be an Herald and Harbinger to the most High thou shalt go before the Face of the Messias and by thy severe Reproofs and powerful Exhortations shalt prepare his way before him and make men fit and ready to receive this mighty Saviour Thou Child shall be as the Morning Star to foretel the Glorious arising of this Sun of Righteousness Learn hence 1. That it is the highest Honour and Dignity to serve Christ in the quality and relation of a Prophet 2. That it is the Office and Duty of the Prophets of Christ to prepare and make fit the Hearts of men to receive and embrace him Obs 5. That Zachary having spoken a few Words concerning his Son he returns instantly to Celebrate the Praises of our Saviour comparing him to the Rising Sun which shined forth in the Brightness of his Gospel to enlighten the dark corners of the World thro' the tender mercies of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness Learn here 1. That Jesus Christ is that true Son of Righteousness which in the fulness of Time did spring from on high to visit a lost and undone World 2. That the great Errand of Christ's coming into the World and the particular End of his Appearing in our Flesh it was to give light to them that sit in darkness 3. That it was nothing less than infinite Mercy and bowels of Compassion in God and Christ which inclined him to come from on high to visit them that sit in Darkness Through the tender Bowels of Mercy in our God whereby his own and only Son sprung from on high to visit us here below who sat in darkness and the shadow of Death and to guide our Feet into the way that leads to everlasting peace 80 And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel Here we have a short Account of John's private Life before he entred upon his publick Ministry which was at Thirty Years of Age He grew that is in Bodily stature and waxed strong in Spirit that is in the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit which encreased with his Age and shewed themselves in him every day more and more and he was in the Deserts that is in the mountainous Country of Judea where he was Born till the time of his preaching to and amongst the Jews not that he lived like an Hermite Recluse from all Society with men but contented himself to continue in an obscure privacy 'till called forth to promulge and preach the Gospel and when that time was come John leaves the Hill-country and enters with Resolution and unwearied diligence upon his publick Ministry Teaching us by his Example That when we are fit and ripe for publick Service we should no less willingly leave our Obscurity then we took the benefit of it for our Preparation John abode in the Deserts till his shewing unto Israel that is till the time of his setting forth to execute his Office among the Jews CHAP. II. 1 AND it came to pass in those days that there went out a Decree from Cesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed 2. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria 3 And all went to be taxed every one into his own city 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazarerh into Judea unto the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused Wife being great with child 6 And so it was that while they were there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered 7 And she brought forth her first born Son and wrapped him in swadling Cloaths and laid him in a Manger because there was no room for them in the Inn. The Conclusion of the former Chapter acquainted us with the Birth of John the Baptist the beginning of this Chapter relates the Birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ and the remarkable Circumstances which did attend it And here we have Observable 1. The place where he was Born not at Nazareth but at Bethlehem according to the prediction of the Prophet Micah Ch. 5.2 And thou Bethlehem in the Land of
mockings bitter Reproaches sharp invectives to free the Ministers of God in all Ages from the danger of our Saviour's Wo here denounced Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you 27 But I say unto you love your Enemies do good to them that hate you 28 Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despightfully use 29. And unto him smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also Observe here 1. The Noble Spirit of Christianity and the large extent of Christian Charity the Jewish kindness was limited and confined to those of their own Religion Kindred and Nation their Charity began and ended at home but our Saviour obliges his Followers to the exercise of a more extensive Charity even to all Mankind even the worst of men our Enemies that seek our Destruction Christianity is so far from allowing us to persecute them that hate us that it commands us to Love them that Persecute us Observe 2. The Nature and quality of the Duty enjoyn'd Love your Enemies there the inward affection is required Bless them that curse you there outward civility and affability is required Do good to them that hate you here real acts of kindness beneficence are required to be done to the worst of Enemies tho' they be guilty of the worst of Crimes calumly and cruelty striking both at our Reputation and our Life Learn That Christianity obliges us to bear a sincere Love to our most malicious Enemies to be ready at all times to pray for them and upon all occasions to do good unto them Thus to do is an imitation of God our Maker of Christ our Master 'T is for the good of this lower World and the way to a Better 't is the Ornament of our Religion the perfection of our Nature and an high degree and pitch of Vertue To which may be added the next Duty not to revenge injuries where private Revenge is the thing forbidden and we are directed rather to suffer a double Wrong then to seek a private Revenge Christianity obliges us to bear many injuries patiently rather then to Revenge one privately we must leave the matter to God and the Magistrate The truth is Revenge is a very troublesome and vexatious passion the mans Soul swells and boils and is in pain and anguish and has no ease Besides by our Revenging of one injury we necessarily draw on another and so bring on a perpetual Circulation of Injuries and Revenges whereas forgiveness prevents vexation to others and disquietment to our selves 30 Give to every one that asketh of thee and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again These and the like Precepts of our Saviour are not to be taken strictly but restrainedly we are thereby obliged to Charity according to others Necessities and our own Abilities but not bound to give to every one that has the Confidence to ask for what we have Indeed every Man that really wants is the proper Object of our Christian Charity and we must with a compassionate Heart and open Hand relieve him according to his Necessity but answerably to our Ability Nor must the second part of the Verse be understood as forbidding Christians to seek the Recovery of their just Rights by pursuing Thieves and following the Law upon Oppressors but requiring us to forbear all Acts of private Revenge as directly contrary to the Spirit and Temper of Christianity as Jealousy is the Rage of a Man so Revenge is the Rage of the Devil 't is the very Soul and Spirit of the Apostate Nature 31 And as ye would that men should do to you do ye also to them likewise Here our Saviour lays down a most excellent Rule of Life for all his Disciples and Followers to walk by namely always to do as we would be done by The Golden Rule of Justice and Equity in all our Dealings with Men is this To do as we would be done unto It is a full Rule a clear Rule a most just and equitable Rule which the Light of Nature and the Law of Christ binds upon us St. Matthew Ch. 7.12 adds that this is the Law and the Prophets that is the Sum of the Old Testament and the Substance of the Second Table The whole of the Law is this to Love GOD above our selves and to Love our Neighbour as our selves 32 For if ye love them which love you what thank have ye sinners also love those that love them 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you what thank have ye for sinners also do even the same 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive what thank have ye for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again 35 But love your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great and ye shall be the children of the Highest for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil 36 Be ye therefore merciful as your father also is merciful The Design of our Blessed Saviour in all and every of these Precepts is to recommend unto us all sorts and kinds of mercy and charity namely charity in giving charity in forgiving charity in lending it is sometimes our Duty if we have ability to Lend to such poor Persons as we cannot expect will ever be in a Capacity either to repay or to requite us This is to imitate the Divine Bounty which does Good to all even to the unthankful and to the unholy Love for Love is justice Love for no Love is favour and kindness but Love and Charity mercy and compassion to all Persons even the undeserving and ill-deserving this is Divine Goodness a Christ-like Temper which will render us illustrious on Earth and glorious in Heaven St. Luke says here Be ye merciful as your Father it merciful St. Matthew says Ch. 5. last Be ye perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect implying that love and mercy charity and compassion is the perfection of a Christians Grace he that is made perfect in Love is perfect in all Divine Graces in the Account of God Perfection in all Graces but especially in Love and Charity ought to be our Aim in this Life and shall be our attainment in the next 37 Judge not and ye shall not be judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned forgive and ye shall be forgiven This Prohibition Judge not is not to be understood of our selves but our Neighbours Self-judging is a great and necessary Duty rash judging of others is an heinous and grievous sin which exposes to the Righteous judgment of God it is private judging and private condemning of Persons which Christ forbids it follows Forgive and ye shall be forgiven not that a bare forgiving of others is all that God requires in order to our forgiveness But it is one part of that Obedience which we owe
she is led in with a note of Admiration Behold a Woman that was a Sinner Learn That to see a sensual and notorious Sinner out of true remorse of Conscience to seek unto a Saviour is a rare and wonderful sight Observe farther it is not said Behold a Woman that had sinned but Behold a Woman that was a Sinner One Action does not denominate a Person a Sinner but an habit and trade of sin Again it is said Behold a Woman in the City the Place where she acted her Lewdness in added to the heinousness of her Sin it was in the City the more publick the Offence the greater the Scandal Sin is Sin tho' in the Desert where no Eye sees it but the offence is aggravated by the number and multitude of Beholders yet observable it is that there is no mention made either of the Womans Name or of the Cities Name and it is both Presumption and Injuriousness for any to Name her whose Name God has been pleased to conceal for this is not the same Woman that Anointed Christ's Feet Matth. 26. Mark 14. and John 12. that was in Bethany this in Galilee that in the House of Simon the Leper this of Simon the Pharisee Observe 3 The Behaviour and Demeanour of this poor Woman she appears in the posture of a Penitent she stood at Christ's feet behind him weeping Where Note 1. The great change wrought in this sinful Woman and the evident effects of it her Eyes which had been formerly Lamps of Fire by Lust are now an holy Fountain of penitential Tears her Hair which she had used as a Net to catch her fond and foolish Lovers doth now become a Towel for her Saviour's Feet Verily such an Heart as has once felt the sting and smart of Sin will make plentiful Expressions of the greatness of its Sorrow Again she stands behind Christ and weeps this proceeded no doubt from an holy Bashfulness she that was wont to look boldly upon the Face of her Lovers dares not now behold the Face of our Saviour she that was wont to send her alluring Beams forth into the Eyes of her wanton Lovers now casts her dejected Eyes down upon the Earth and behold the plenty of her Tears they flow in such abundance that she washes Christ's feet with them she began to wash his Feet says the Text but we read not when she ended never were our Saviour's Feet bedewed with more precious Liquor then this of Remorseful Tears Thus doth an Holy Penitent account no office too mean that is done to the Honour of its Saviour 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it he spake within himself saying This man if he were a prophet would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner 40 And Jesus answering said unto him Simon I have somewhat to say unto thee and he saith Master say on 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors the one ought five hundred pence and the other fifty 42 And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both Tell me therefore which of them will love him most 43 Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most and he said unto him thou hast rightly judged Observe here 1. How unreasonably the Pharisee was offended with Christ for permitting this poor Woman to come near him and touch him Admit she had been the greatest of Sinners might not such come to Christ when he was come from Heaven to them Oh Blessed Saviour there is Merit enough in thy Blood and Mercy enough in thy Bowels to justify and save the vilest Sinners which by Repentance and Faith do make a timely Application to thee Observe 2. The Parable which Christ makes use of for the Pharisees Conviction and the Womans Comfort namely the Parable of two Debtors one of whom owed a greater Sum and the other a less who both having nothing to pay were both freely forgiven and both upon their Forgiveness loved their Creditor much but he most to whom most was given Now from this Parable we gather these Lessons of Instruction 1. That great is the Debt which all Mankind has Contracted and lyes under to the justice of God 'T is here exprest by Five hundred pence Our Debt is infinite and had not miraculous Mercy interposed Divine Justice could never have been satisfied but by undergoing an infinite punishment 2. That yet all Sinners stand not alike indebted to the Justice of God some owe more and others less all are Guilty but not all alike Some owe Five hundred Talents others Fifty Pence 3. That be Mens Debts greater or less their Sins more or fewer 't is utterly impossible for any Person of himself to clear his Debt and make Satisfaction but they that owe least stand in need of mercy and forgiveness He forgave them both 4. That the forgiveness that is in God is a free gratuitous and gracious Forgiveness he frankly forgave them both Gracious art thou oh Lord in thy doings towards thy children and thy tender mercy is over all thy works 44 And he turned to the woman and said unto Simon seest thou this woman I entered into thy House and thou gavest me no water for my feet but she hath washed my feet with Tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head 45 Thou gavest me no kiss but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet 46 Mine head with Oyl thou didst not anoint but this woman hath anointed my feet with Oyntment 47 Wherefore I say unto her her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little 48 And he said unto her Thy sins are forgiven 49 And they that sate at meat with him began to say within themselves who is this that forgiveth sins also 50 And he said unto the woman thy faith hath saved thee go in peace Observe here 1. How our Saviour Recounts and Sums up the several particular instances of this Womans Love and Respect towards himself she wash'd wip'd kist and anointed his Feet according to the Custom of those Eastern Countries Love will creep where it cannot go it will stoop to the meanest Offices and is ambitious of the highest Services for and towards the Person we sincerely Love Observe 2. The words of Comfort given by our Saviour to this poor Woman Thy Sins which are many are forgiven thee Thence Learn That the pardoning Mercy of God is boundless and unlimited it is not limited to any sort of Sins or Sinners it is not limited to any degree of Sins or Sinners Thy Sins that are many are forgiven thee and thy Sins which are heinous are forgiven also Observe 3. What is the effect and fruit of great pardoning Mercy it is great Love her Sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much Her Love to Christ was the effect
God the Grace of Sanctification is sometimes bestowed most eminently where the Gifts of Providence have been dispensed more sparingly 22 And it came to pass that the Beggar dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosom the rich man also dyed and was buried 23 And in Hell lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom Obs here 1. That our Saviour represents all Men both Good and bad passing immediately out of this Life into a State of Happiness or Misery Lazarus dyed and was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom Thence Note That all Holy Souls and amongst the rest the Godly Poor are instantly after Death conveyed by Angels to their place of Rest and Blessedness The Rich Man also dyed this is added to let us know that Riches for all Mens Confidence in them will not deliver from Death the rich Man might be Surfeited by faring deliciously every day whilst Lazarus was Famished And was Buried Here is no mention of Lazarus's Buryal probably he had none but flung out of the way into some Hole or Pit or if he had a Buryal a very mean one which is past over in silence All the advantage which a rich Man has by a great Estate after he is Dead is only to have a pompous Funeral which yet signifies nothing to him because he is not sensible of it And in Hell lifts up his Eyes c. he feels at once his own Misery and sensibly perceives Lazarus his Happiness Thence Note That the Souls of wicked Men whilst their Bodies lye in the Grave are in a State of greatest Misery which is aggravated by the sense they have at the same time of the Saints Happiness 24 And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I am tormented in this flame Observe here 1. The place where the rich Man Suffers it is in Hell the Souls of wicked Men when they leave their Bodies do certainly go into a place of Torment which is not only beyond Expression but our Apprehension also Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor has it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive those dreadful things which God has prepared for them that hate him Observe 2. The sin for which he Suffers it is the Sin of unmercifulness Thence Learn That uncharitableness and unmercifulness to the Poor is a very great sin and such a sin as alone and without any other Guilt is sufficient to Ruine a Man for ever there is found in this sin great Impiety towards God and great Inhumanity towards our own Nature Obs 3. The Nature and Quality of his Sufferings they are exquisitely painful and void of the least degrees of Comfort not a drop of Water is granted to cool an inflamed Tongue Learn thence That the least Refreshments are impatiently desired by damned Souls in Hell but righteously denied and withheld from them a drop of Water was desired but not granted 25 But Abraham said Son Remember that thou in thy Life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Observe 1. The Title given to the rich Man by Father Abraham Son He doth not revile him tho' a very bad Man if we revile the Good we are unjust they deserve it not if we revile the Bad we are unwise we shall get nothing by it a wise Man knows not what it is to give bad Language Observe 2. The Admonition given Remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things thy good things in which thou placedst all thy Happiness thy good things which thou lookedst upon thy self as the Proprietor and not as the Dispenser of Now remember what thou hadst and what thou abusedst Learn hence That the outward Blessings which are afforded to wicked Men on Earth will be sadly remembred in Hell Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things 2. That no Man ought to measure his Happiness hereafter by his Temporal Felicity here we may receive our good things here and yet be tormented hereafter 3. That no Man ought to be excessively troubled if he meets with Hardship here because those for whom God designs good things hereafter may have their evil things here Son Thou hadst thy good things and also Lazarus evil things 26 And besides all this between us and you there is a great gulph fixed so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence The meaning is That there neither is nor can be any Commerce or intercourse betwixt glorified Saints and damned Sinners but the State of Souls at Death is unalterably fixt and stated Learn that the miserable Condition of damn'd Souls in the next World and the blessed Condition of glorified Souls is unchangeably and unalterably such the power of God is irresistible and the will of God is invariable the Oath of God is immutable I have sworn that they shall never enter into my rest 27 Then said he I pray thee therefore Father that thou wouldest send him to my Fathers house 28 For I have five Brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come to this place of torment Here the rich Man is represented as retaining even in Hell some tenderness for his Relations on Earth yet others think that the kindness intended was rather to himself than to his Relations fearing that their sinning by his Example should be an aggravation of his own Torments Note thence That the presence of sinful Relations and companions in Hell may be supposed to make a considerable Addition to the miseries of the Damned the sight of those whom they have sinned with is a fresh revival of their own Guilt all the Circumstances of their past and profligate Lives are upon this occasion continually in their remembrance 29 Abraham saith unto him They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them That is they have the inspired Writings of Moses and the Prophets which sufficiently declare the Mind and Will of God to Mankind and therefore it is unreasonable to expect any farther Revelation Learn thence That a standing Revelation of God is Evidence sufficient for Divine things it is a more certain way of Conveyance and more secure from Imposture Secondly That there is sufficient Evidence that Moses and the Prophets or the Writings of the Holy Scriptures are of Divine Authority and therefore to be read and heard to be believed and assented to They have Moses c. 30 And he said nay father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they would repent As if he had said they have always had Moses and the Prophets in their hands but yet their Hearts remain impenitent but if a special Messenger be sent to them from the Dead this will not fail to awaken them
Religion Learn hence That Hypocrites within the Church may be guilty of such Tremendous Acts of Wickedness as the Consciences of Infidels and Pagans without the Church may Boggle at and Protest against Pilate a Pagan Absolves Christ whilst the Hypocritical Jews that heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles do condemn him Observe 2. How Pilate at last suffers himself to be over-come with the Importunity of the Jews and delivers the Holy and Innocent Jesus contrary to his Judgment and Conscience to the Will of his Murtherers It is a vain Apology for Sin when Persons pretend that they are not committed with their own Consent but at the Instigation and Importunity of others For such is the Frame and Constitution of Man's Soul that none can make a Person wicked without his own Consent It was no Extenuation of Pilate's Sin no Alleviation of his Punishment that to please the People he delivered up our Saviour contrary to the Direction of his own Conscience to be Crucified Observe 3. The Person whose Life the wicked Jews preferred before the Life of the Holy Jesus Barabbas We will that thou Release Barabbas and destroy Jesus Mark these Hypocritical High Priests who pretended such Zeal for God and Religion they prefer the Life of a Person Guilty of the highest Immoralities and Debaucheries even Murder and Sedition before the best Man that ever lived in the World But whence sprang the Malice and Hatred of the High Priests and People of the Jews against our Saviour Why plainly from hence Christ Interpreted the Law of God more strictly than their Lusts could bear and he lived a more Holy Useful and Excellent Life than they could endure Now nothing enrages the Men of the World more against the Professors but especially the Preachers of the Gospel then Holiness of Doctrine and Strictness of Life and Conversation Such as Preach and Live well let them expect such Enmity and Opposition such Malice and Persecution such Sufferings and Tryals as will shock an ordinary Patience and Constancy of Mind Our Master met with it let his Zealous Ministers prepare for it 26 And as they led him away they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian coming out of the Country and on him they laid the Cross that he might bear it after Jesus The Sentence of Death being past by Pilate who can with dry Eyes behold the sad Pomp of our Saviour's Execution Forth comes the Blessed Jesus out of Pilate's Gates bearing that Cross which soon after was to bear him with his Cross on his Shoulder he Marches towards Golgotha and when they see he can go no faster they Compel Symon of Cyrenea not out of Compassion but Indignation to bear his Cross This Cyrenian being a Gentile who bare Christ's Cross some think thereby was signified that the Gentiles should have a part in Christ as well as the Jews and be Sharers with them in the Benefits of the Cross 27 And there followed him a great Company of People and of Women who also Bewailed and Lamented him 28 But Jesus turning unto them said Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and your Children 29 For Behold the Days are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the Barren and the Wombs that never Bare and the Paps which never gave Suck 30 Then shall they begin to say to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills cover us 31 For if they do these things in the green Tree what shall be done in the dry There were Four sorts of Persons which Attended our Saviour at his Crucifixion The Executioners that Tormented him the Jews that mock'd him the Spectators and Lookers on that Mark'd him and Sympathizing Friends which Lamented him These last Christ thus bespoke Weep not for me but for your selves That is Weep rather upon your own Account then mine Reserve your Sorrows for the Calamities coming upon your Selves and your Children It is very probable That the Tears and Lamentations of many of these Mourners were but the fruits of tender Nature not the Effects of Faith and flowing from a Principle of Grace Learn thence That melting Affections and Sorrows even from the Sense of Christ's Sufferings are no infallible Marks of Grace The History of Christ's Sufferings is very Tragical and Pathetical and may melt ingenuous Nature where there is no Renewed Principle of Grace 32 And there were also two other Malefactors led with him to be put to Death 33 And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary there they Crucifyed him and the Malefactors with him one on the Right Hand and the other on the Left Here we see the Infamous Company that our holy Lord Suffered with Two Thieves It had been a sufficient Disparagement to our Blessed Saviour to be Sorted with the best of Men But to be numbered with the Scum of Mankind is such an Indignity as Confounds our Thoughts This was designed by the Jews to dishonour and disgrace our Saviour the more and to perswade the World that he was the greatest of Offenders But God over ruled this for Fulfilling an Ancient Prophecy concerning the Messiah Isa 53. last and he was Numbered with the Transgressors 34 Then said Jesus Father Forgive them for they know not what they do Christ had often Preach'd the Doctrine of Forgiving Enemies and Praying for them he Practises it here himself in a most Exemplary manner Where Note 1. The Mercy desired and Prayed for and that is Forgiveness 2. The Person desiring that Mercy Christ the Dying Jesus 3. The Persons for whom it is Desired his Bloody Murtherers Father Forgive them 4. The Argument used or Motive urged to procure the Mercy Forgive them For they know not what they do Learn hence 1. That Ignorance is the usual Cause of Enmity against Christ 2. That there is Forgiveness with God for such as oppose yea Persecute Christ out of Ignorance 3. That to Forgive Enemies and to beg Forgiveness for them is an Evidence of a Christ-like Frame of Spirit Father Forgive them 35 And the People stood beholding and the Rulers also with them derided him saying He saved others let him save himself if he be Christ the chosen of God 36 And the Soldiers also mocked him coming to him and offering him Vinegar 37 And saying If thou be the King of the Jews save thy self 38 And a Superscription was written over him in Hebrew in Greek and Latin This is the King of the Jews Observe here 1. A mighty Aggravation of our Lord's Sufferings upon the Cross Namely The mocking Derision which he met with in his Dying Moments As he endured the Pain so he despised the Shame Cruel Mockings was our Lord Tryed with both from the Common People and from the Chief Priests yet the Common People's Reviling him and wagging their Heads at him was not so much to be taken Notice of as the Chief Priests who were Men of Age and Gravity and the Ministers of Religion For
sent him ye believe not Here our blessed Saviour produces again the Testimony of his Father that he was the true and promised Messias This was given him both at his Baptism and his Transfiguration when God the Father owned Christ to be his Son by an audible Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Which Testimony the Jews now ought the more to have regarded because tho' their Fore-fathers had heard the Voice of God at certain times Exod. 20. and Deut. 4. yet they in their times had never heard his Voice Learn hence That the Fathers immediate Testimony of Christ from Heaven is greater than all Testimonies given to him here on Earth greater than John's greater than his Miracles The presence of the glorious Trinity when that Testimony was given Matth. 3. last made that Witness most awful and solemn 39 ¶ Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me The next Testimony which Christ appeals to is the Testimony of the Scriptures That is the Writings of Moses the Prophets which Christ bids the Jews diligently search and they shall find that they abundantly testified of him and that all the Prophecies and Types were fulfilled in him The word search signifying to search as Men do for a golden Mine in the Bowels of the Earth which they must dig deep for before they can come at It intimates 1. That there is an inestimable Treasure lying hid in the holy Scriptures which we shall never fathom by a slight superficial search 2. That this inestimable Treasure may be found out by the painful Searcher and it is the Duty of all the Members of the visible Church to read and search the Scriptures which point out the way to eternal Life 40 And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Here our Saviour upbraids the Jews for their obstinate Infidelity that notwithstanding God the Father by a Voice from Heaven John the Baptist by his Testimony on Earth notwithstanding all the Miracles which they had seen wrought by Christ himself and notwithstanding the Scriptures which they pretended so highly to esteem of did prove him to be the Messias and the Author of eternal Life which they profest to seek yet such was their Obstinacy that they would not come unto him nor believe in him Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Here Observe 1. A choice and invaluable Mercy which Christ stands ready to bestow upon poor Sinners and that is Life both Spiritual and Eternal A Life of Grace in order to a Life of Glory Observe 2. The gracious Condition upon which this invaluable Blessing may be had and that is upon coming to Christ believing on him and receiving of him 3. Here is the true Reason declared why Sinners do miss of Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ when he has so dearly purchased it for them and does so freely tender it unto them and that lies in their own Wilfulness and Obstinacy Ye will not come unto me Learn hence That the true Reason why so many Sinners miss of Salvation and eternal Life after all that Christ has done and suffered for them is their own obstinacy and unwillingness to come to him that they may have Life Man by Nature has not only an Inability but a fixed Enmity in his Will against Jesus Christ 41 I receive not honour from men 42 But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you 43 I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive Here observe 1. How little our Saviour sought the Approbation and vain-glorious Estimation of Men. I receive not honour from Men. The same should all his Disciples and Followers do rest satisfied in the secret Testimony and silent Applause of their own Consciences without pumping for popular Applause Observe 2. The dreadful sin which Christ charged upon the Jews as the cause why they rejected him I know that you have not the love of God in you Oh deplorable State and Case to be void of all true Love to God! Love being the Spring of all Action and the Root of all true Obedience he that loves God will not only sweat at his Work but bleed at his Work too if his Work cannot be carried on without bleeding But where Love to God is wanting and no Care to please God is found his Authority is despised his Son rejected As the Jews here would not come to Christ that they might have Life because they had not the Love of God in them Observe 3. The high Affront which the Jews offered to the Son of God in preferring any Seducers and Impostors before him who came in their own Names whilst he was rejected who came in the Name of his Father Learn hence That altho' Christ was the great Ambassador of his Father not a Servant but a Son and had his Mission his Approbation and his Testimony from Heaven yet so far did the Perverseness and Prejudices of the Jews prevail that he was rejected whilst Impostors and Deceivers false Christs and Anti-Christs without any Evidence and Authority from God because promising them a temporal Kingdom were embraced and entertained I come in my Father's name and ye receive me not But if another a Seducer shall come in his own name him ye will receive 44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Here Christ tells the Jews that it is impossible they should believe aright in him because they were so in love with the Praise of Men that they would own him for the Messias who would promise them a temporal Kingdom and in the mean time reject himself who came authorized with the Testimony and Approbation of God You will receive Honour one of another but reject the Honour that cometh from God only Learn That such as ambitiously hunt after Vain-glory and Respect from Men do evidence themselves to be regardless of God's Approbation and Acceptation 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust 46 For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me 47 But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words Think not that I will accuse you that is that I only will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses that is the Writings of Moses which you pretend to depend upon and to trust to For had you believed his Writings that is the Prophesies and Types contained in his Writings you would have been led by them to believe on me for they all pointed at me and received their Accomplishment in me But if Moses cannot be heard by you I must expect no Authority with you Learn 1.
God heareth not Sinners that is such as love and delight in Sin such as are in a State of Sin and go on in a Course of Sin God will not hear such or answer the Prayers of such Indeed God sometimes hears a Sinners Prayers in Wrath and refuses to hear a Saints Prayers in Mercy But he never denies a Saints Prayers in wrath or hears a Sinners Prayers in mercy The Proposition laid down is an eternal Truth God heareth not Sinners that is so long as they purpose to continue sinners and go on in a Course of Sin and remain bold and presumptuous Sinners Learn hence That none that live in a Course of Sin can reasonably expect that God should hear them and give in an Answer of Prayer to them God heareth not Sinners But if any Man be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth that is If a Man feareth God and worketh Righteousness him the Lord accepteth heareth and answereth Learn thence 1. That such as would be heard of God and accepted with him must be devout Worshippers of him 2. That it is not enough to prove Men Religious and Accepted with God that they are devout Worshippers of him unless they walk in Obedience to him and do his Will If any Man be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth Observe 3. How the blind Man goes on to prove that Christ had a special Authority from God and an extraordinary Presence of God with him in what he did because he had done such a Work as was never done by Moses or by any of the Prophets or by any Person whatsoever since the Creation of the World From whence he wisely and well infers that Christ was a Person authorized by and sent of God Learn hence 1. That Christ having done that which was never done before namely to give Sight to one that was born blind was an Evidence of his Omnipotency 2. That this Act of Omnipotency proved him to be God Whatever Miracles the Prophets wrought they wrought them by Christ's Power but Christ wrought this and all other Miracles by his own Power 34 They answered and said unto him Thou wast altogether born in sins and dost thou teach us And they call him out 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found him he said unto him Dost thou believe on the Son of God 36 He answered and said Who is he Lord that I might believe on hâ—m 37 And Jesus said unto him Thou hast both seen him and it is he that talketh with thee 38 And he said Lord I believe And he worshipped him Observe here 1. A special Instance of Pharisaical Pride they account this poor Man a vile Person whom Heaven had marked by his Native Blindess for some extraordinary Wickedness How prone are we to judge them the greatest Sinners whom we observe to be the greatest Sufferers Obs 2. From reviling they proceed to excommunicating They cast him out that is out of Communion with the Jewish Church Oh happy Man who having lost a Synagogue hast found Heaven Behold this blind Man and admire him for a resolute Confessor stoutly defending the Gracious Author of his Cure against the Cavils of the Pharisees and maintaining the Innocence and Honour of so blessed a Benefactor Obs 3. Our Saviour's Regard to this blind Man whom the Pharisees had set at naught and excommunicated He finds him out reveals himself more fully to him and directs him to believe in him Where observe That the Miracle which Christ had wrought upon the blind Man did not convert him and work Faith in him till Christ revealed himself unto him and enabled him to discern the Truth of what he revealed Learn thence That Miracles confirm Faith but Miracles alone cannot work Faith The blind Man had experienced a Miracle wrought upon him yet remains an Unbeliever till Christ said I am he Obs 4. How readily the Man receives the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith upon the forementioned Revelation of himself unto him He instantly said Lord I believe and in Testimony thereof worships him that is as God incarnate as God manifested in the Flesh Thence learn That true Knowledge of the Son of God will beget Faith in him and true Faith in him will be productive of Homage and Adoration of Obedience and Subjection to him He that knows Christ aright will believe and he that believes will worship and obey He said Lord I believe and he worshipped him 39 ¶ And Jesus said For judgment I am come into this world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind In these words our Saviour declares not the Intentional design but the Accidental event of his coming into the World Namely 1. That those who were Blind might receive Sight 2. That those who presume they see and know more than others for their despising the Gospel and shutting their Eyes against the light of it should be left in darkness and by the just judgment of God be more and more blinded Those who shut their Eyes willfully against the clearest light and say they will not see it is just with God to close their Eyes judicially and say they shall not see 40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words and said unto him Are we blind also 41 Jesus said unto them If ye were blind ye should have no sin but now ye say We see therefore your sin remaineth Observe here 1. How the Pharisees who watched all opportunities to insnare our Saviour look upon these last words as reflecting upon them as if Christ did insinuate that they were blind Are we blind also They that shut their Eyes and will not see the light which Christ offers to them are the worst of blind ones Observe 2. Our Saviour's Reply to the Pharisees Question If ye were Blind that is simply ignorant of your Duty and without the means of Knowledge and Instruction you should have no sin that is comparatively to what you now have you should not have had so much sin and guilt upon you as now you have by shutting your Eyes against the Light But now you say we see that is being puft up with the Knowledge which you have as if you were the only Men that saw this proud conceit of yours renders your condition incurable and your sin remaineth unpardonable Learn hence 1. That it is a far greater sin to contemn the known Laws of God than to be Ignorant of them Pride is a greater hinderance of Knowledge than Ignorance because the proud Man thinks he wants no Knowledge 2. That the most exalted Knowledge is insufficient to Salvation without a suitable and correspondent practice The Pharisees had the Key of Knowledge at their Girdle yet our Saviour tells them of a double Damnation Lord How sad is it so to know Christ in this World as that he will be ashamed to know us in another World CHAP.
by the World the World may wish Peace yet never intend it or they may wish it yet not be able to give it but Christ's Peace is real and effectual solid and substantial the World's Peace is only a freedom from outward trouble but Christ's Peace is a deliverance from inward guilt and tho' it doth not give us an exemption from outward Troubles yet it gives us a sanctified use and improvement of them and assures us of a Joyful Issue and deliverance out of them 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you I go away and come again unto you If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. That the Disciples of Christ might neither be overset with fears nor overwhelm'd with grief he tells them that they ought to entertain the news of his departure rather with joy and exaltation than with sorrow and dejection If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go to the Father True Love to Christ will make us rejoyce in his Advancement and Exaltation altho' it be to our own disadvantage Those words my Father is greater then I must be understood with reference to his Humane Nature as Mediatour for so he was the Father's Servant and the Father as God was greater than he as Man again the Father may be said to be greater than Christ in regard of his Paternity as being the fountain of the Deity the Father is of himself but the Son is begotten of the Father but being of the same Substance with the Father he is consequently God as the Father is God for the inequality arises not from the Essence but from the order and manner of Subsistence Thus the Father was greater than He. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass that when it is come to pass ye might believe 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you for the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do Arise let us go hence The time of our Saviour's Death now nearer and nearer Approaching he prepares the expectation of his Disciples for it because evils that surprize us suddenly do sink our Spirits sadly whereas what we fear for that we prepare Accordingly our Lord arms his dear Disciples against all disquietude and over-whelming sorrow for his Departure from them I have told you before that when it comes to pass ye might believe that is be assured that I am not meer Man but truly and really God and depend upon me for Life and Salvation Observe 2. How our Saviour points out the cause of his Sufferings Namely Satan and his Instruments The Prince of this World cometh that is by Judas the Soldiers and the High Priests but he has nothing in me that is he will find no Sin or Corruption in me to side with his Temptations or no guilt upon me to give him any Advantage against me for I shall Die as a perfectly Innocent person Christ in Suffering for our Sins did not only conflict with the wrath of God but with the rage of Men and Devils yet all the power and policy all the malice and cruelty of Satan cannot prevail against Christ any further than he voluntarily yields and submits himself unto it The Prince of this World cometh but hath nothing in me Observe 3. That it was Christ's Love and Obedience to his Father that carried him forth so chearfully to the work of Sufferings supported him under it and carried him thorough it That the World may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me Commandment even so I do True Love to God will draw Men to Obedience in the hardest Services and Sufferings the grand motive of Christ's Sufferings was Love to his Father Obedience to his Commands and a regard to his Glory Lord Let thy Love and Obedience to thy Father in all thy Sufferings be the subject of our Admiration and the matter of our Imitation also As the Father gives us Commandment so let us always do CHAP. XV. 1 I Am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Observe here How our blessed Saviour under the Metaphor of a Vine elegantly sets forth himself in his relation to his visible Church shewing under that similitude what his Father meant to do with Judas and with all unfruitful Branches like unto him even take them away cut them off and throw them into the Fire but such as are fruitful he purges by his Word and Spirit by Ordinances and Providences by Mercies and Afflictions that they may be more aboundingly and abidingly fruitful Learn hence 1. That Jesus Christ in his offices for and relation to his People doth most fitly resemble a Vine As the Vine is weak mean and small in outward appearance not like the Cedar for heighth or like the Oak for strength so was Christ in his state of humiliation there was no beauty in him Isa 53. As the Vine is a fruitful Plant tho' it has little pomp yet has it much plenty and is only useful for fruit-bearing and brings forth both plenty and variety of sweet fruit to make glad the Heart of Man thus the fruits of Christ's Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession are many and great delightful and sweet In a word as the fruit of the Vine is pressed that it may be Drink unto Men so Christ submitted to be Trod in the Wine-press of God's Wrath that thereby the sweetest fruit and benefit might redound to his People Finally as the Vine is the Root from which all the Branches derive their nourishment and fruitfulness in like manner is Christ the Stock into which all his Members are ingrafted the Root in which they all subsist and the fountain from whence their spiritual Life and Fruitfulness doth proceed and flow Learn 2. That as Christ is the Vine so his Father is the Husbandman he ingrafts and implants all the Branches into this Vine the Plants of Righteousness are of his own planting he takes notice what store of Fruit every Branch doth bring forth and it is his daily care to dress and dung to purge and prune to support and shelter his Vineyard that it may bring forth Fruit abundantly Learn 3. That there are two sorts of Branches in this Vnie some fruitful others unfruitful some have the visibility but not the reality of Branches some are branches only by external profession others are so by real implantation Learn 4. That the true Touchstone whereby to discern one sort of Branches from another is not by the fair Leaves of Profession but by the substantial Fruits of an Holy and Righteous Conversation Learn 5. That in the most fruitful Branches in the best
by Christ to his Church he being constituted by God the Father to be the great Prophet and Instructer of it All things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you 16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name he may give it you Here our Saviour gives another Instance and Evidence of his Love to his Disciples He tells them that his mercy and free goodness had prevented them in their election to Eternal Salvation and in their vocation unto the Office of Apostleship Ye have not chosen me to be your Master and Lord but I have chosen you to be my Disciples Friends and Servants 2. He acquaints them with the end design and intention of his in chusing of them Namely That they bring forth fruit and persevere therein even in all the Fruits of Holiness and Obedience which are to the Praise and Glory of God by Jesus Christ I have ordained you that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should Remain 3. He directs them that in order to their being fruitful they should have access to the Father through him for whatever they wanted and stood in need of Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Learn hence That all those whom God hath chosen and called to the knowledge and Service of Jesus Christ do and will make it their chief care and endeavours to bring forth Fruit and to persevere therein to their Lives end I have chosen you that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain 17 These things I command you that ye love one another 18 If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you 19 If ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 20 Remember the word that I said unto you The servant is not greater then the lord If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my names sake because they know not him that sent me Observe here 1. With what frequency and importunity our Lord inculcates and presses the Duty of mutual Love upon his Disciples I command you to love one another It denotes the great importance of the Duty and the great aversness and backwardness of our Hearts to the performance of it And if we consider the Disciples as Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel it intimates to us the necessity of mutual Love amongst the dispensers of the Gospel as conducing exceedingly to the welfare and benefit of the Church of God over which he hath set them Observe 2. The Argument which our Saviour makes use of to press his Disciples in general and his Ministers and Ambassadours in particular to love each other and that is because the World would certainly hate them Learn hence That the World's hatred of the Members and Ministers of Christ is and ought to be esteemed by them a strong Argument to excite and persuade them to Love one another for this is subjoined as an Argument to press mutual Love that we are sure to meet with the World's hatred Observe 3. The several Arguments by way of encouragement which Christ propounds to Comfort his Members and Ministers against the World's hatred 1. Argument is taken from his own Lot and usage when here in the World he met with the very same before them The World hated me before it hated you Learn hence That Hatred and Persecution from the World need not seem hard to the Saints if they consider what a shock Christ before them had upon him he is the prime Object of the World's Hatred and they who hate his Members much do hate him more because of their likeness to him and resemblance of him A second Argument of Comfort under the World's Hatred is this That it will evidence they are not of the World but chosen out of the World v. 19. Because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hates you Hence learn 1. That the Children of God though in the World yet they are not of the World they have not the Spirit of the World in them nor is the Conversation of the World led by them 2. That the difference betwixt them that are of the World and those that are chosen out of the World is of God's making I have chosen you out of the World 3. That such Christians as are separated from the World in Judgment Affection and Practice must for that reason expect to be Hated and Persecuted by the World Because ye are not of the World therefore the World hates you The Third Argument for Consolation and Support under the World's hatred is taken from our Relation to Christ as Servants to a Master v. 20. Remember the Servant is not greater than his Lord. As if Christ had said is it equal That you should expect better Treatment than my self either as to your Persons or Ministry or that you should expect that the World should better Receive your Doctrine than it did mine before you Learn hence That neither the Members nor Ministers of Christ can nor ought to expect better Entertainment in and from the World than he their Master found before them The Servant is not above his Master nor greater than his Lord. A Fourth Argument to support them under the Burthen of the World's Hatred is taken from the goodness of the Cause for which they were to Suffer Namely For Christ's Name sake v. 21. All these things will they do unto you for my name sake Hence learn 1. That it is the Duty of all but especially the Ministers of Christ to own the Name of Christ to stand up in defence of his Name and Truth his Glory and Honour what opposition soever they meet with for the same Learn 2. That the great quarrel of the World against the Disciples of Christ is for the Name of Christ whatever may be pretended this is the ground of the quarrel 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloke for their sin These Words are not to be understood Absolutely but Comparatively as if Christ had said had not I come amongst them in my Incarnation and Preached personally to them the Doctrine of Salvation and confirmed that Doctrine by miraculous operations they might have pleaded Ignorance in some measure and they had not had sin that is they had not had the Sin of Unbelief and Gospel-Contempt to Answer for or had not had so great a measure of any kind of Sin to Answer for as now
argue from the Knowledg of Christ's Omnisciency to the certainty of his Divinity Now are we sure that thou knowest all things by this we believe that thou camest forth from God The Knowledg and Experience of Christ's Omnisciency may and ought fully to confirm us in the Belief of his Deity 31 Jesus answered them Do ye now believe 32 Behold the hour cometh yea is now come that ye shall be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me In the foregoing Verse the Apostles made a full profession of their Faith in Christ's Divinity and in Christ's Omnisciency Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and that thou camest forth from God In this Verse Christ intimates to them that their Faith should be put upon a great Tryal very shortly Namely when his Sufferings came on and that then they should all forsake him and take care of themselves Ye shall be scattered and leave me alone Learn hence 1. That Christ was forsaken and left alone by his own Disciples in the Day of his greatest Distress and Danger 2. That when the Disciples left Christ they were scattered every one to his own 3. That when all forsook Christ and left him alone he was far from being simply alone because God was with him Ye shall leave me alone and yet am I not alone because the Father is with me God was with Christ and will be with Christians in a Suffering hour in his Essential presence in his Gracious and supporting presence He that sent me saith Christ is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I do always those things that please my Father 33 These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world These words are the Conclusion of our Saviour's farewel Sermon to his Disciples in which he declares to them 1. The inevitable necessity of the World's Trouble In the World ye shall have Tribulation that is while ye have to do with the Men of the World while you have any thing to do with the things of the World nay while you have a being in the World you must look for Trouble both from within and from without from Friends and Foes in Body Soul Name Estate Heart-breaking Troubles Soul-rending Troubles such Troubles as will make the Heart to break and the Back to bend and you my Disciples must expect it as well as others In the World ye shall have Tribulation Hence learn That the Disciples of Christ in this World may yea must expect and look for Trouble Observe 2. The Remedy provided by Christ against this Malady In me ye shall have Peace when in the World ye have Tribulation Ye shall have Peace that is serenity of Mind a quiet and calm Temper of Spirit within when the World like a Tempestuous Air is full of Storms without Learn thence That though in the World Christ's own Disciples must look for and expect Troubles yet he has taken effectual care that amidst all their Troubles in him they may have Peace Christ's Blood has purchased Peace for them his Word has promised it to them and his Spirit seals it up to their Souls Observe 3. The Cordial provided by Christ for the support of his Disciples Spirits under the sinking Burthen of the World's Tribulations and Troubles But be of good cheer I have overcome the World I have taken the Sting out of every Cross and the Venom out of every Arrow Learn hence That it is a great Comfort to a Christian under all the Troubles of this World to consider that Christ has overcome the World That is all things in the World which may hinder his Peoples Comfort and Consolation here and their Eternal Happiness and Salvation hereafter As Namely the Prince of the World the Rulers of the World the wicked Men of the World the Troubles of the World the Temptations of the World the Corruptions that are in the World through Lust Now Christ having overcome the World all persons and things in it are at his disposal and can do nothing but by his permission and as he has overcome the World himself so he will enable us through Faith in him to overcome it also 1 John 5.4 This is the victory over the World even our Faith CHAP. XVII 1 THese words spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee Our blessed Saviour having ended his Consolatory and Valedictory Sermon contained in the Three foregoing Chapters in this Chapter we have Recorded his last Prayer with and for his Disciples before he left the World which is a Copy left upon Earth of what he doth now interceed for as an Advocate in Heaven It is good saith one to compare Scripture with Scripture but not to prefer Scripture before Scripture all Scripture being written by Inspiration of God but if any part of Scripture be to be magnified above another this Chapter claims the preheminence it contains the breathings out of Christ's Soul for his Church and Children before his Departure not for his Disciples only but for the succeeding Church to the end of the World In the Verse before us Observe 1. The order of our Saviour's Prayer These words spake Jesus that is after he had finished his Excellent Sermon he closes the Exercise with a most fervent and affectionate Prayer teaching his Ministers by his Example to add Solemn Prayer and Supplication to all their Instructions and Exhortations if every Creature of God be to be Sanctified by Prayer much more the word of God which works not as a Natural Agent but as a moral Instrument in God's hand Now as God sets the Word on work so it is Prayer that sets God on work Observe 2. As the order of Christ's Prayer so the gesture in which he prayed He lifted up his Eyes to Heaven as an indication of his Souls being lifted up to God in Heaven to signifie his Reverence of God whose Throne is in Heaven and to denote his confidence in God and raised expectation of aid and help from God and not from any Creature Learn That the gestures which we use in Prayer should be such as may best express our Reverence of God and denote our Affiance and Trust in him Observe 3. The Person prayed to God under the Appellation of a Father it intimates a sweet Relation 't is a word of endearing Affection and implies great Reverence towards God and great confidence and trust in him Learn It is very sweet and comfortable in Prayer when we can come and call God Father Observe 4. The Mercy prayed for The hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee the hour is come that is the hour of my Sufferings and thy Satisfaction the hour of
Our Saviour's Prayer to his Father for his Apostles before he left the World Holy Father keep them that is preserve them by thy Divine Power and Goodness for the Glory of thy Holy Name Here Note 1. The Title and Appellation given to God Holy Father Thence Learn That when we go to God in Prayer especially for Grace and Sanctification we must look upon him as an Holy Father as essentially and originally Holy as infinitely and independently Holy Note 2. The Supplication requested of God Keep through thy name those whom thou hast given me Thence Learn That the Perseverance of the Saints in a state of Grace is the sweet Effect and Fruit of Christ's Prayer Christ has begged it and it cannot be denied there being such an Harmony and sweet Consent betwixt the Will of the Father and the Will of the Son Three things concur to the Believer's Perseverance On the Father's Part there is everlasting Love and all-sufficient Power On the Son's Part there is everlasting Merit and constant Intercession On the Spirit 's Part there is a perpetual Inhabitation and continued Influence Observe 3. The End of Christ's Supplication on behalf of his People that they may be one as we are one Here Note 1. That the Heart of Christ is exceedingly set upon the Unity and Oneness of his Members 2. That the Believers Union with Christ their Head and one with another has some resemblance to that Unity that is betwixt the Father and the Son For 't is an holy and spiritual Union a close and intimate Union an indissoluble and inseparable Union 12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled Observe here 1. That those which shall be saved are given unto Christ and committed to his Care and Trust 2. That none of those that are given unto Christ as his Charge and committed to his Care and Trust shall be finally lost Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost It follows but the Son of Perdition A Person may be said to be a Son of Perdition two ways Actively and Passively Actively he is so who makes it his Work and Business to destroy others Passively he is a Son of Perdition who for his Wickedness in destroying others is destroyed himself Judas was a Son of Perdition in both these Senses his Heart was maliciously set upon destroying Christ and wilfully set upon his own destruction His Covetousness and Hypocrisie prompted him to betray our Saviour his Despair provoked him to destroy himself 13 And now come I to thee and these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves In these Words our Saviour declares the great Reason why he did at this time so publickly and solemnly pray for his Disciples it was to fill them with Joy and Comfort that their Joy might not be diminished by Christ's departure but rather encreased by the coming of the Comforter That they may have my Joy fulfilled in them that is the Joy which they take in me and the Joy which they have from me There is a double Care which Christ takes of his People namely a Care of their Graces and a Care of their Joy and Comfort How solicitous was he to leave his Disciples joyful before he departed from them He delights to see his People chearful and he knows of what great Use spiritual Joy is in the Christian's Course both to enable us for Doing and to fit us for Suffering Learn hence 1. That Christ is the Author and Original of the Joy of his People My Joy 2. That it is Christ's Will and Desire that his People should be full of holy Joy That my Joy may be fulfilled in them 3. That the great End of Christ's Prayer and Intercession was and is that his Peoples Hearts might be full of Joy These things I speak in the World that they might have my Joy fulfilled in themselves 14 I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world I have given them thy Word partly by external Revelation and partly by internal Illumination and for thy Word sake the World hates them as also because they are not of the World Learn 1. That Christians especially Ministers to whom Christ has given his Word must expect the World's hatred Few of the Prophets or Apostles died a natural death As their Calling is Eminent so must their Sufferings be Exemplary The best Ministers and the best Men are usually most hated There is an Antipathy against the Power of Godliness or a cruel causeless implacable and irreconcilable hatred against the Saints because of their strictness in Religion and contrariety to the World 2. That it is the Honour of Believers that they are like unto Christ in being the Objects of the World's hatred The World hates them because they are not of the World as I am not of the World This Christ adds both for Information and Consolation for Information that they should look for such Hatred Misery and Trouble as they saw him grapple with and for Consolation to think that the World can never hate us so bad as it hated Christ 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil 16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world Here Observe 1. That the Wisdom of Christ sees it fit to continue his Children and People in the World notwithstanding all the Perils and Dangers of the World He has Work for them and they are of Use to him for a time in the World and till their Work be done Christ's Love will not and the World's Malice cannot remove them hence Yet Christ prays that his Father would keep them from the Evil that is from the Sins Temptations and Snares of this wicked World Thence Note That a spiritual Victory over Evil is to be preferred before a total exemption from Evil it is a far greater Mercy to be kept from sin in our Afflictions than from the Afflictions themselves 17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Sanctifie them not initially for so they were sanctified already but progressively let them increase more and more in Grace and Holiness Learn hence 1. That such as are already sanctified must labour and ought to endeavour after further Measures and higher Degrees of Sanctification The most Holy may yet be more Holy 2. That the Word of God is the great Instrument in God's Hand for his Peoples Sanctification 3. That the Word of God is the Truth of God Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth The Word of God is a Divine Truth an Eternal Truth an Infallible Truth an Holy Truth 18 As thou hast
sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world Observe here 1. Christ's Mission The Father sent him into the World Christ's sending implies the Designation of his Person his Qualification for the Work his Authority and Commission Learn hence That Christ himself did not of himself undertake the Office of a Mediator but was sent that is authorized and Commissioned of God so to do Thou hast sent me into the World Observe 2. As Christ's Mission so the Apostles Mission As thou hast sent me so have I sent them Learn thence That none may or ought to undertake the Office of the Ministry without an Authoritative sending from Christ himself not immediately and extraordinarily by Voice or Vision but mediately by the Officers of the Church And such as are so sent are sent by Christ himself and if so it is the Peoples Duty to reverence their Persons to respect their Office to receive their Message As thou hast sent me so have I sent them 19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth The word Sanctifie here is not to be taken for the Cleansing Purifying or making Holy that which before was Unclean But Christ's sanctifying himself imports 1. His separation or setting himself apart to be a Sacrifice for Sin 2. His Consecration or Dedication of himself to this Holy Use and Service Hence learn That Jesus Christ did dedicate and solemnly set himself apart to the great Work and Office of a Mediator Learn 2. That the great End for which Christ did thus sanctifie himself it was that he might sanctifie his Members therefore did he consecrate and set himself apart for us that we should be consecrated to and wholly set apart for him 20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Hitherto our Saviour had been praying for himself and his Apostles now he prays for all Persons both Jews and Gentiles that should believe in him throughout the World by the preaching of the Gospel Hence learn That all Believers have a special Interest in Christ's Prayer 2. That in the Sense of the Gospel they are Believers who are wrought upon to believe in Christ thro' the Word 3. That such is Christ's Care of and Love to his own that they were remembred by him in his Prayer even before they had a Being I pray not for them alone but for all that shall believe in me 21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me The special Mercy and particular Blessing which Christ prays for on the behalf of Believers is a close and intimate Union betwixt the Father Himself and Them and also betwixt one another such an Union as doth in some sort resemble that Union which is betwixt God and Christ not an Unity of Essence and Nature but of Wills and Affections Hence Note 1. That the mystical Union betwixt Christ and his Members carrieth some resemblance with that Union which is betwixt the Father and the Son 2. That Union amongst the Ministers and Members of Jesus Christ is of so great Importance Necessity and Consequence that he did in their behalf principally and chiefly pray for it An Unity of Love and Affection of Faith and Profession and Unity of Practice and Conversation are Mercies which Christ earnestly prayed for and has dearly paid for and nothing is more desired by him now in Heaven than that his Disciples should be One among themselves here on Earth Father may they be one as we are one That the World may believe that thou hast sent me Here Christ intimates one special Advantage that would redound to the World by this desirable Union betwixt the Ministers and Members of Christ it will if not Convert yet at least convince the World that I and my Doctrine came from God Thence Note That Union amongst Christ's Disciples is one special means to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ and to cause the World to have better thoughts of him and his Doctrine By their being one as we are one the World will believe that thou didst send me 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one Here Observe 1. Christ's Communication of that Glory to Believers which he had received from the Father that is not his essential Glory but his mediatorial Glory The Glory which thou gavest me Now Christ hath no Glory given him as God but much Glory bestowed upon him as Mediatour Observe 2. The end of this Communication why he gave his Disciples that Glory which the Father had given him Namely That they might be one Learn 1. That God the Father hath bestowed much Glory on Christ his Son as he is Man and Mediatour of the Church 2. That the same Glory for Kind and Substance though not for Measure and Degree which Christ as Mediatour has received from the Father is communicated to true Believers 3. That the great End of this Communication was and is to oblige and enable his People to maintain a very strict Union amongst themselves The Glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one 4. That Unity amongst Believers is part of that Glory which Christ as Mediatour hath obtained for them 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 Observe here 1. That as the Father is in Christ so is Christ in Believers and they in him the Father is in Christ in respect of his Divine Nature Essence and Attributes and Christ is in Believers by the inhabitation of his Holy Spirit Observe 2. That the Believers happiness consisteth in their oneness in being one with God through Christ and one amongst themselves That they may be made perfect in one Observe 3. That God the Father loveth Christ his Son Thou lovest them as thou hast loved me God loveth Christ first as God so he is Primum Amabile the first object of his Love as representing his Attributes exactly Secondly as Mediatour John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my Life for my Sheep Observe 4. That God the Father loves Believers even as they loved Christ himself that is he loves them upon the same grounds that he loved him Namely For their nearness and for their likeness to him 1. For their nearness and relation to him he loveth Christ as his Son Believers as his Children 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father bestoweth upon us that we should be call'd the Sons of God 2. The properties of the Father's Love towards Christ and Believers are the same Doth he Love Christ with a tender Love
a Pattern of Thankfulness then was Jesus to his followers There is hardly any one External Duty which we do not find the Hypocrite performing in Scripture except this of Thanksgiving and Praise we find Judas Repenting Ahab Humbling himself Saul Sacrificing but we do not find any wicked Man in an humble Spiritual manner blessing and praising God Need will make us Beggars but Grace only Thanks-givers X. In his Compassion towards those that were in Distress and Misery Matth. 20.34 Great was his Compassion to the Bodies of Men he healed all that came unto him he healed many undesired with great Condolency and tender Sympathy he exercised acts of Mercy and Compassion when the object of Compassion was before him and did perfectly abhor and severely condemn all Acts of Cruelty How great was his Compassion to the Souls of Men what Pains did he take and what Hazards did he run in preaching the Gospel to lost Sinners in his fervent Prayers for them but especially in Dying for them Let us imitate Christ herein as his Compassion was universal to all Mankind to the whole Man Soul and Body as it was Active and Operative as it was exercised with marvellous Complacency and delight as it was a preventing Compassion and an unwearied Compassion so let ours be also XI In his Holy and fruitful Discourse his Lips dropt as the Honey Comb and his Tongue was as choice Silver when walking with his Disciples to Emaus with what Heavenly Discourse did he entertain them in the way See Luke 24.13 c. A good Pattern for our Imitation when providentially cast into such Company as will bear it Lord what a Shame and Reproach is it to us that in common Conversation we spend so many hours together in talking over all the News of City and Country and part without speaking one word of Jesus Christ our best Friend XII In his free Conversation The Son of Man came eating and drinking Matth. 11. v. 19. that is was of a free and familiar Converse Affable and Sociable not Sower or Morose never shuning the Society of the worst of Men even of the Pharisees themselves but complying with their innocent Customs and accompanying them at their Feasts See on Luke 5.29 We do not find that when Christ was invited to any publick Entertainment that ever he refused to go not so much for the pleasure of Eating as for the opportunity of Conversing and doing good Christ converst with bad Men but as their Physician not as their Companion Let us go and do likewise XIII In his Patience under Sufferings and Reproaches when he was reviled he reviled not again but under-went the Burden of his Sufferings with admirable Patience and Meekness of Spirit when his Name and Honour suffered the vilest Indignities Blasphemies and Reproaches that the Malice of Satan and the Malignity of wicked Men could belch out against it when he was called a Blasphemer a Sorcerer a Devil a Wine-bibber a Glutton a Friend of Publicans and Sinners For an innocent Person and a dignified Person to bear all this when he could have look'd all his Enemies into Hell and have frown'd them into nothing Verily to bear all this without the least discomposure of Spirit is the highest Triumph of Patience that ever the World was acquainted with And why all this but to leave us an Example that we should follow his Steps 1 Pet. 2.21 22. XIV In his readiness to forgive Injuries One of his last Words upon the Cross was a Prayer for his Murtherers Father forgive them Luke 23.34 He offered up his Blood to God on the behalf of them that shed it Thus to forgive our Enemies and to beg Forgiveness for them will be an Evidence of a Christ-like Frame and Temper when the Grace of God calms those tumultuous and outragious Passions which at any time we find raging in our Breasts moulding our Spirits into Sweetness and Gentleness freeing us from all malicious desires of Revenge which are so far beneath a Christian that it is the baseness of a Man yea as Jealousie is the Rage of a Man so Malice is the Rage of the Devil 't is the very Soul and Spirit of the Apostate Nature XV. In his laying to Heart the Sins as well as the Sufferings of others Mark 3.5 He was grieved for the hardness of their Hearts Such was his Zeal for his Father's Glory such his Compassion to the Souls of Men such his Antipathy against and hatred of Sin that he was grieved for Sin where-ever he found it and mourned over those who had no Hearts to mourn for themselves Lord how far are they from a Christ-like Spirit and Temper who instead of mourning for other Mens Sins rejoyce in Iniquity and take Pleasure to see their Brother stab at once the Christian Name and his own Soul XVI In his Zeal for the Publick Worship of God John 2.17 The Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up Now as Christ was so Christians ought to be intensly Zealous for the Glory of God the Honour of his House and the Purity of his Publick Worship The Zeal of thine House that is for the Honour of thine House hath eaten me up Our Zeal for the Publick Worship of God glorifies him most and he accepts it best Now we own that God whom we serve in the face of the World And this creates a veneration and esteem of God in the Minds of Men. XVII In his glorifying of his Father in all he did John 17.4 I have glorified thee on the Earth The whole Life of Jesus when here on Earth it was a glorifying of his Father he glorified his Father by the Doctrine which he taught by the Miracles which he wrought by the unspotted Purity of his Life and by his unparallel'd Sufferings at his Death In like manner should we glorifie God in all we do in all we design in all we desire in our natural Actions of eating and drinking in our Civil imployments buying and selling in our lawful Recreations taking care that too much of our time be not consumed therein Recreation is not to be our business but to fit us for business but especially let us seek to glorifie God in our Religious Duties Publick and Private and Secret XVIII In his Impartiality in reproving Sin He feared the Faces and spared the Faults of no Offenders The Pharisees were a Proud and Haughty sort of People who dishonoured God above most when they pretended to glorifie him above any Therefore we find Christ denouncing a Bed-Roll of Woes against them in one Chapter St. Matth. 23. Wo to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites Eight several Woes are denounced against them for so many several Sins committed by them Those to whom God has given Authority to Reprove the Sins of others ought to imitate their Pattern in his Impartiality in reproving Sin His very Enemies gave him that Character St. Matth. 22.17 Thou carest not for any Man thou regardest not the Person of Men