kind and gracious Answer You that have left all to follow me shall be no Losers by me For in the Regeneration that is at the Resurrection when Believers shall be perfectly renewed both in Soul and Body and shall enjoy my Kingdom then as I sit upon the Throne of my Glory so shall you sit with me in an higher Degree of Dignity and Honour Judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel that is the Jews first for their Unbelief and then all other Despisers of Gospel-Grace and Mercy Learn 1. That such Ministers as do most Service for Christ and forsake most to follow him shall in his Kingdom partake of most Honour and Dignity with him and from him 2. That as the Ministers of Christ in general so his Twelve Apostles in particular shall set nearer the Throne of Christ and have an higher place in Glory at the great Day than ordinary Believers 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life The foregoing Promise v. 28. respected the Apostles this all Christians who forsake their dearest Enjoyments for Christ He assures them they shall be recompensed in this Life an Hundred fold How Non formaliter sed eminenter Not in Specie but in Valore not in Kind but in Equivalency Not an Hundred Brethren or Sisters or Lands but first he shall have that in God which all Creatures would be to him if they were multiplied an Hundred times 2dly The Gifts and Graces the Comforts and Consolations of the Holy Spirit shall be an Hundred-fold better Portion than any thing we can part with for the sake of Christ and his Gospel here Learn hence That tho' we may be Losers for Christ yet shall we never be Loosers by him 30 But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first A twofold Sense and Interpretation is given of these Words The First respects the Jews and Gentiles in general the Second all Professors of Christianity in particular The Jews as if Christ had said Look upon themselves as first and nearest to the Kingdom of Heaven but for their Infidelity they shall be last in it That is shall never come there And the Gentiles who are look'd upon as Dogs and farthest from Heaven shall be first there upon their Conversion to me and Faith in me As the Words respect all Professors the Sense is Many that are first in their own Esteem and in the Opinion of others and forward in a Profession of Religion yet at the Day of Judgment they will be last and least in mine and my Father's Estimation and Account And many that were little in their own and less in the Esteem of others who had a less Name and Vogue in the World shall yet be first and highest in my Favour Learn hence That the Day of Judgment will frustrate a great many Persons Expectations both as touching others and concerning themselves Many will miss of Heaven and be last which look'd upon themselves to be first And many will find others in Heaven whom they least expected there The Lord judgeth not as Man judgeth We judge of Men by outward Appearances but we are sure that the Judgment of God is according to Truth He can neither be deceived nor yet deceive CHAP. XX. 1 FOR the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day he sent them into his vineyard 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market-place 4 And said unto them Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right I will give you And they went their way 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour and did likewise 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle and saith unto them Why stand ye here all the day idle 7 They say unto him Because no man hath hired us He saith unto them Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right that shall ye receive A twofold Sence and Interpretation is given of this Parable The one Literal the other Analogical The Historical and Literal Sence relates to the calling of the Gentiles The Jews were the first People that God had in the World they were hired into the Vineyard betimes in the Morning the Gentiles not till the Day was far spent yet shall the Gentiles by the Favour and Bounty of God receive the same Reward of Eternal Life which was promised to the Jews who bare the Heat of the Day while the Gentiles stood idle In the Analogical Sence we may understand all Persons indefinitely called by the Gospel into the visible Church those that are called last shall be rewarded together with the first and accordingly the Design and Scope of this Parable is to shew the Freeness of Divine Grace in the Distribution of those Rewards which the Hand of Mercy conferrs upon God's faithful Servants The Vineyard is the Church of God the Husbandman is God himself the Labourers are particular Persons God's going at divers times into his Vineyard imports the several Ages of Man's Life some are called early in the Morning some at Noon others at Night Now when God comes to dispence his Rewards those that entered first into the Vineyard and did most Service for God shall be plentifully rewarded by him and such as came in later but did faithful Service shall not miss of a merciful Reward Learn 1. That so long as a Person keeps out of Christ's Vineyard and Service he is Idle Every unregenerate Man is an idle Man 2. That Persons are called by the preaching of the Gospel at several Ages and Periods of Life into God's Vineyard that is into the Communion of the visible Church 3. That such as do come in tho' late into God's Vineyard and work diligently and faithfully shall not miss of a Reward of Grace at the Hand of free Mercy 8 So when even was come the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward Call the labourers and give them their hire beginning from the last unto the first 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour they received every man a penny 10 But when the first came they supposed that they should have received more and they likewise received every man a penny 11 And when they had received it they murmured against the good man of the house 12 Saying These last have wrought but one hour and thou hast made them equal unto us which have born the burden and heat of the day 13 But he answered one of them and said Friend I do thee no wrong didst thou not agree with me for a penny 14 Take that thine is and go thy way I will give
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
them to Marry to any other or for others knowingly to Marry to them 33 Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths 34 But I say unto you Swear nor at all neither by heaven for it is God's throne 35 Nor by the earth for it is his footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great king 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black The next Commandment which our Saviour Expounds and Vindicates is the Third which requires a Reverent Use of God's Name Now the Pharisees taught that Perjury was the only Breach of this Commandment and that Swearing was nothing if they did not Forswear themselves And that Persons were only obliged to Swear by the Name of God in Publick Courts of Justice but in their ordinary and common Discourse they might Swear by any of the Creatures Now in opposition to these Wicked Principles and Practices Christ says Swear not at all That is 1. Swear not Prophanely in your ordinary Discourse 2. Swear not Unduly by any of the Creatures for that is to ascribe a Deity to them 3. Swear not Lightly upon any Trifling or Frivolous Occasion for Oaths upon small Occasions are great Sins So that an Oath is not here forbidden by our Saviour but restrained Learn That tho' light and needless common and ordinary Swearing be a very great Sin yet to take an Oath upon a Solemn Occasion when Lawfully called thereunto is a Christian and Necessary Duty 37 But let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Here our Lord prescribes a proper Means and Remedy for shunning the Occasion and Danger of Rash Swearing and that is by using and accustoming our selves in Conversation to a true Simplicity and constant Plainess of Speech either Affirming or Denying according to the Nature of the Thing letting Oaths alone till we are called to them upon great Occasions for ending Strife between Man and Man Learn That the great End of Speech being to Communicate the Sense of our Minds each to other we ought to use such Plainess and Simplicity in Speaking that we may believe one another without Oaths or more Solemn and Religious Asseverations 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth 39 But I say unto you That ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloak also 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him twain Our Saviour here Vindicates the Sixth Commandment which obliges us to do no Wrong to the Body of our Neighbour God had given a Law to the Publick Magistrate to require an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth when a Person was wronged Hereupon the Pharisees taught That a private Person wronged by another might exact Satisfaction from him to the same degree in which he had been Wronged by him if he had lost an Eye by another he might revenge it by taking away the Eye of another But says Christ I say unto you Resist not Evil that is seek not private Revenge but leave the Avenging of Injuries to God and the Magistrate Teaching us That Christians ought rather to suffer a double Wrong than to seek a private Revenge Christianity obliges us to bear many Injuries patiently rather than to avenge one privately 42 Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away Our Saviour here presses the Law of Charity upon his Disciples This is Twofold a Charity in Giving to them that Beg and a Charity in Lending to them that desire to Borrow Christianity obliges all those which have Ability to abound in Works of Charity of all sorts and kinds whatsoever He that is truly Charitable doth not only Give but Lend yea sometimes Lends looking for nothing again It is not enough to act Charity of one sort but we must be ready to act it in every kind and to the highest Degree that our Circumstances and Abilities will admit 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy 44 But I say unto you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Another corrupt Gloss which the Pharisees had put upon the Law of God our Saviour here takes notice of The Law said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour Levit. 19.18 this they interpreted to relate only to their own Country-men the Jews concluding that they might hate all the Uncircumcised Nations as Enemies But saith our Saviour I require you to love all Men for if Enemies must not be shut out of our Love none must Love your Enemies here 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 and Charity are commanded to be done by us to our bitterest and most malicious Enemies Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you These are the highest Expressions of Enmity that can be Calumny and Cruelty yet are we commanded to Pray for those that touch us in these two tenderest Points our Reputation and our Life Learn That Christianity obliges us to bear a sincere Affection towards our most malicious Enemies to be ready upon all Occasions to do Good unto them and to Pray for them 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust To encourage us to the foregoing Duty of Loving our Enemies our Saviour propounds the Example of God himself to our Imitation That you may be the Children of your Father that is that you may be known to be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven by your likeness to him and imitation of him Note That the best Evidence we can have of our Divine Sonship is our Conformity to the Divine Nature especially in those Excellent Properties of Goodness and Forgiveness 46 For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye do not even the publicans the same 47 And if ye salute your brethren only what do you more than others do not even the publicans so Yet farther to encourage us to this Duty of Loving our Enemies Christ assures his Disciples that he expects more from them than from others more than common Humanity and civil Courtesie towards Friends for even Heathens by the Light of Nature were taught to love those that love them But he expected that
of the wicked where thy Conscience tho' not seared was yet made hard The way to escape prevailling Temptations to Sin is to shun such Places and avoid such Companions as in all Probability will invite and draw us into Sin 3. Confidence of his own Strength and Standing was another Occasion of Peter's Falling Pride and presumptuous Confidence have been ever the Forerunners and Occasions of a Fall Oh Lord to presume upon our selves is the ready way to provoke thee to leave us to our selves if ever we stand in the Day of Trial. 'T is the fear of falling must enable us to stand Obs 3. The Reiteration and Repetition of this Sin He denies him a First Second and Third Time He denies him first with a Lie then with an Oath and after all with an Anathema and a Curse Oh how dangerous is it not to resist the first Beginnings of Sin If we yield to one Temptation Satan will assault us with more and stronger Peter proceeded from a bare Denial first to Perjury then to Cursing and Imprecation Obs 4. The aggravating Circumstances attending this Sin of Peter's and they are these 1. The Character of the Person thus falling a Disciple an Apostle a chief Apostle a special Favourite who with James and John had the special Honour to be with Christ upon Mount Tabor Peter who had preached and prophesied in Christ's Name cast out Devils and wrought Miracles by Christ's Power yet he denies him 2. Consider the Person whom he denies his Master his Saviour and Redeemer he that had washed Peter's Feet but a little before that eat the Passover with Peter and gave the Sacrament to Peter yet this kind and condescending Saviour was denied by Peter 3. Consider before whom he denies him in the Company and Presence of the chief Priests Scribes and Elders and their Servants who rejoiced at it and were hardned by it That one Disciple should sell him for Money and another Disciple deny him thro' Fear 4. Consider the Time when he denied him verily it was but a few Hours after he had received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper from Christ's own Hand How unreasonrble then is their Objection against coming to the Lord's Table because some that go to it dishonour Christ as soon as they come from it Such Examples must not discourage us from coming to the Ordinance but excite and encrease our Watchfulness after we have been there to take heed that the future Conduct of our Lives be suitable to the Solemnity of a Sacramental Table 5. Consider the smallness of his Temptation to deny Christ a Damsel only put the Question to him Art thou not one of his Disciples If a Band of armed Soldiers had appeared to him and affrighted him had he been terrified by the high Priest's Threatnings bound and led away to Judgment sentenced to an ignominious painful Death some Excuse might have been made for him But to disown his Relation to Christ at the Question of a Maid-Servant that kept the Door only the smalness of the Temptation was an Aggravation of the Crime Ah Peter how unlike thy self art thou at this time Not a Rock but a Reed a Pillar blown down by a Woman's Breath Oh frail Humanity whose Strength is Weakness and Infirmity Observe here That in most of the Saint's Falls recorded in Scripture either the first Inticers or the accidental Occasion were Women Thus in Adam's Lot's Sampson's David's Solomon's and Peter's A weak Creature may be a strong Tempter nothing is too impotent or useless for the Devil's Service It was a great Aggravation of Peter's Sin that the Voice of a Maid a Door-keeper only should be stronger to overcome him than his Faith in Jesus to sustain him But what shall we say Small things are sufficient to cast us down if God doth not hold us up We sink under any Burden if he sustains us not and yeild to every Temptation if he leaves us to our selves A Damsel shall then make a Disciple shrink and a Door-keeper is enough to drive an Apostle before her And immediately the Cock crew And Peter remembred the Words of Jesus which said unto him Before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice and he went out and wept bitterly Here we have an Account of St. Peter's Rising and Recovery after his shameful Fall by a renewed Act and Exercise of Repentance Where Observe The Suddenness of his Repentance the Means of his Repentance and the Manner of it Obs 1. The Suddenness of his Repentance Altho' his Sin was great yet was his Repentance speedy and without Delay From whence Note That Sins committed by the surprizal of a sudden Temptation are much sooner repented of than where the Sin is presumptuous and deliberate David's Sins of Murther and Adultery were presumptuous and deliberate Sins he continued a long time in them and lived almost a Twelvemonth without any solemn Repentance of them St. Peter's Sin was hasty and sudden under a violent Passion of Fear contrary to his settled Purpose and Resolution of Constancy and he takes the warning of the second crowing of the Cock and goes forth to express his Repentance Obs 2. The Means of his Repentance which was twofold Less Principal the crowing of the Cock more principal Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter 's remembring the Words of Christ. 1. The less principal Means of St. Peter's Repentance was the crowing of the Cock As the Voice of the Maid occasioned him to sin so the Voice of the Cock occasion'd him to repent That God who can work without Means does sometimes work by weak and contemptible Means and when he pleases can open the Mouth of a Bird or a Beast for the Conversion of a Man But why should our Saviour chuse the crowing of the Cock as a Means to bring St. Peter to Repentance There is ever some Mystery in Christ's Instrument the Cock was a Preacher to call Peter to Repentance there being something of Emblem between the Cock and a Preacher A true Minister must have the Wings of a Cock to rouze up himself from Security and to awaken others to a Sense of their Duty He must have the Watchfulness of a Cock to be ever ready to discover and forewarn Danger he must have the Voice of the Cock to cry aloud and tell Israel of their Sins and terrifie the roaring Lion and make him tremble In a word he must observe the Hours of the Cock to crow at all Seasons of the Night to preach in Season and out of Season the glad Tydings of Salvation But 2. The more principal Means of St. Peter's Recovery was 1. Christ's looking upon Peter Christ first looks upon Peter with an Eye of Mercy Grace and Pity before Peter looks upon his Sin in order to Repentance Here take notice of the Greatness of Christ's Grace of his wonderful Love and Mercy to this poor Disciple When our Saviour was upon his Trial for his Life a time when our Thoughts are wholly
the Cock the more principal Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter's remembring the word of Christ 1. The less principal means of St. Peter's rising and recovery by Repentance was the crowing of the Cock as the voice of the Maid occasioned him to sin so the voice of the Cock occasioned him to reflect that God who always can work without means can when ever he please work by weak and contemptible means and open the mouth of a Bird or a Beast for the conversion of a Man But why doth our Lord make use of the crowing of a Cock to be the means of bringing St. Peter to Repentance There is ever some mystery in Christ's Instruments the Cock was a Preacher to call St. Peter to Repentance there being something of Emblem between the Cock and a Preacher The Preacher must have the wings of the Cock to rouze up himself from security and to awaken others to a sense of their Duty he must have the watchfulness of the Cock to be ready to discover and forewarn Danger he must have the Voice of the Cock to cry aloud and tell Israel of their sins and terrify the Roaring Lyon of Hell and make him tremble In a word he must observe the hours of the Cock to crow at all seasons of the Night to preach in Season and out of Season the glad Tidings of Salvation Again 2. The more principal means of St Peter's Recovery was first Christs looking upon Peter Christ first looks upon Peter before Peter look'd either upon Christ or upon himself Oh! wonderful Love and Grace towards this poor Disciple when our Saviour was upon his Tryal for his Life a time when our thoughts would be wholly taken up about our selves even then did Christ find leisure to think upon Peter to remember his disconsolate Disciple to turn himself about and give him a pittiful but piercing look a look that melted him into Tears We never begin to lament our Sins till we are lamented first by our Saviour Jesus looked upon Peter that was the first more principal means of his Recovery and Repentance But 2. The other means was Peter's Remembring the words of Christ before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Now this remembrance was an applicative and feeling remembrance he remembered the prediction of Christ and applied it sensibly to himself Teaching us that the efficacy of Christ's word in order to a sound Repentance depends not upon the Historical Remembrance of it but upon the close application thereof to every Man's Conscience Observe 3. The manner of St. Peter's Repentance it was secret he went out it was sincere he wept yea wept bitterly says St. Matthew it was lasting and abiding even all the days of his Life 1. His Repentance was secret he went out verè Dolet qui sine Teste Dolet he sought a place of Retirement where he might mourn in secret Solitariness is most agreeable to an afflicted Spirit and as St. Peter's Sorrow caused him to go forth so might also shame put him upon going out Christ looked upon him but how ashamed must he be to look upon Christ considering that he so lately denied that he had ever seen him 2 St. Peter's Repentance was Sincere he wept he wept bitterly His Grief was extraordinary and his Tears abundant there is ever a weeping that must follow sin sin must cost the Soul sorrow either here or in Hell we must either now mourn a while or lament for ever doubtless with Peter's Tears there was joined hearty Confession of Sin to God and smart Reflections upon himself we may suppose after this manner Lord what have I done I that did once acknowledge my Master to be Christ the Lord have since denied him with Oaths and Imprecations I that promised to lay down my Life for his sake have yet disowned and denied him at the voice of a Damsel Oh! what weakness what wickedness what unfaithfulness was here Oh! that my Head were Waters and mine eyes a fountain of Tears that I might weep all my days for the fault of this one Night Blessed are indeed the Tears of a Converted Revolter and Happy is the very Misery of a mourning Offender 3 This holy Man's Repentance was lasting and abiding he had a very quick sense and lively remembrance of this Sin upon his Soul all his life Ecclesiastical story Report that ever after when St Peter heard the crowing of a Cock he fell upon his knees and wept Others say that he was wont to rise at Midnight and spend the time in penitent Devotion between Cock-crowing and day-light and the Papists who delight to turn every thing into Superstition began that Practice of setting a Cock upon the top of Towers and Steeples to put People in mind of this sin of Peter's and of his Repentance also by that Signal Lastly St. Peter's Repentance was attended with an extraordinary Zeal and forwardness for the Service of Christ to the and of his Life he had a burning Love towards Christ Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee and as evidence of it he feed Christ's Sheep for in the Acts of the Apostles we read of his extraordinary Diligence to spread the Gospel and his Travels in order thereunto are computed to be 950 Miles Have any of us fallen with Peter tho' not with a formal abjuring yet by a practical denying of him Let us go forth and weep with him let us be more vigilent and watchful for time to come let us express more extraordinary love unto and zeal for Christ more diligence in his Service and more concernedness for his Honour and Glory This would be an happy improvement of this Example the Lord grant it may have that Blessed effect Amen CHAP. XV. 1 AND straitway in the Morning the Chief Priests held a Consultation with the Elders and the Scribes and the whole Council and bound Jesus and carried him away and delivered him to Pilate The fore-going Chapter gave us an Account of Judas his Treason in delivering our Saviour into the Hands of the Chief Priests In this Chapter we find our Holy Lord brought by the Chief Priests unto Pontius Pilate the Roman-Governour in order to his Condemnation Whence Observe That it has been the old Policy of Corrupt Church Governours to abuse the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Executing their cruel and unjust Censures and Sentences upon holy and innocent Persons The Chief Priests and Elders do not kill our Saviour themselves for it was not Lawful for them to put any Man to Death being themselves under the Power of the Roman-Government accordingly they deliver Christ over to the Secular Power and desire Pilate the Civil Magistrate to Sentence and Condemn him 2 And Pilate asked him Art thou the King of the Jews and he answering said unto him thou sayest it 3 And the Chief Priests accused him of many things but he answered nothing 4 And Pilate asked him saying answerest thou nothing Behold how many things
is a Priest to God and may enter the Holy of Holies by the Blood of Jesus But Lord What are we the better for this Great and Gracious freedom of Access to Thee if we want Hearts to prize and to improve our Priviledge 11 And there appeared unto him an Angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the Altar of Incense Whilst Zachary was praying to God an Angel appears to Zachary when we are nearest God the Good Angels are nighest us they are most with us when we are most with him The presence of Angels with us is no Novelty but their Apparition to us is so They are always with us but rarely seen by us Let our Faith see them whom our Senses cannot discern Their assumed Shapes do not make them more present but only more visible Obs 2. The place as well as the time where the Angel appeared in the Temple and at the Altar and on the right side of the Altar of Incense As the Holy Angels are always present with us in our Devotions so especially in Religious Assemblies as in all places so most of all in God's House They rejoyce to be with us whilst we are with God but they turn their Faces from us when we go about our Sins 12 And when Zacharias saw him he was troubled and fear fell upon him It was partly the suddenness partly the unexpectedness and partly the Glory of the Apparition that affrighted this Good Man Glorious and sudden Apparations do affright even the holiest and best of Men. We cannot bear the sight and presence of an Angel without Consternation and Fear in this our frail and sinful State Oh happy hour when mortality and Sin being taken out of our Natures we shall not only behold the Glorified Angels without fear but the Glorious God with Delight and Love Lord let me now see Thee by Faith hereafter by sight Sit in alio Seculo non in Hoc visio tua merces mea 13 But the Angel said unto him fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son and thou shalt call his name John Observe here 1. How Apprehensive this good Angel was of Zachary's Surprizing fear and encourages him against it The Holy Angels tho' they do not express it in words yet they pity our frailties and suggest Comfort to us The Evil Angels if they might would kill us with Terrour The good Angels labour altogether for our Tranquility and cheerfulness The Angel said unto him fear not Obs 2. the Comfortable words spoken by the Angel to Zacharias Thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a Son No doubt Zachary and Elizabeth had often prayed for a Child and now God sends them one when they least expected it Learn hence That sometimes God gives in a Mercy to us when we least expect it yea when we have given over looking for it No doubt this was the Case here Zachary and Elizabeth being both well stricken in Age. Obs 3. the Name which the Angel directs Zachary to give his Son Thou shalt call his name John which signifies Gracious because he was to open the Kingdom of Grace and to preach the Grace of the Gospel through Jesus Christ The giving of significant names to Children has been an ancient and pious practice Names which either carried a Remembrance of Duty or of Mercy 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness and many shall rejoice at his birth 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mothers womb 16 And many of the Children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Here the Angel declares to Zachary what kind of Son should be born unto him even one of eminent Endowments and designed for extraordinary Services The proof of Children makes them either the Blessings or Crosses of their parents What greater comfort could Zachary desire in a child then is here promised to him 1. he hears of a Son that should bring joy to himself and many others even to all that did expect the coming of the Messias whose fore-runner the Baptist was 2. That he should be great in the sight of the Lord that is a Person of great Eminency and great Usefulness in the Church A Person of great Riches and Reputation is great in the sight of Men but the Man of great ability and usefulness the Man of great Integrity and Serviceableness he is truly great in the sight of the Lord. They are little Men in the sight of the Lord that live in the World to little purposes who do little Service for God and bring little Honour and Glory to him But the Man that does all the possible Service he can for God and the utmost Good that he is capable of doing to all Mankind he is a person great in the sight of the Lord and such was the Holy Baptist 3. It is foretold that he should drink neither Wine nor strong drink that is that he should be a very Temperate and Abstemious Person living after the manner of the Nazarites tho' he was not separated by any Vow of his own or his Parents but by the special designation and appointment of God only It was forbidden the Priests under the Law to drink either Wine or strong Drink upon pain of Death during the time of their Ministration Levit. 10.9 And the Ministers of Christ under the Gospel are forbidden to be lovers of Wine 1 Tim. 3.3 4. He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost from his Mothers Womb That is he shall be furnished abundantly with the extraordinary Gifts and sanctifying Graces of the Holy Spirit which shall very early appear to be in him and upon him 5. His High and Honourable Office is declared That he should go before the Messiah as his Harbinger and Fore-runner with the same Spirit of Zeal and Courage against Sin which was found in the old Prophet Elias whom he did so nearly resemble 6. The great Success of his Ministry is foretold namely That he should turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just That is the Hearts of the Jews to the Gentiles say some that he should bring Men say others even the most disobedient and rebellious Pharisees and Sadduces Publicans and Sinners unto Repentance and to the minding of Justice and Righteousness and all moral duties and thus he made ready a people for the Lord. By fitting men to receive Christ upon his own Terms and Conditions namely Faith and Repentance From the whole Note That those whom Almighty God designs for eminent Usefulness in
of that Sin the Re-iteration and Repetition of it and the aggravating Circumstances attending it Observe 1. The Sin it self the denyal of Christ Jesus his Lord and Master I know not the Man and this back'd with an Oath he Sware that he knew him not Lord How may the slavish fear of Suffering drive the Holiest and best of Men to commit the foulest and the worst of Sins Observe 2. The Occasions leading to this Sin and they were these First his Following of Christ afar off To follow Christ was the Effect of Peter's Faith but to follow him afar off at this time was the fruit of Fear and the Effect of Frailty Wo unto us when Temptation comes if we be far from Christ's gracious Presence and Assistance 2. His being in bad Company amongst Christ's Enemies Would we escape Temptations to Sin we must then decline such Company as would allure and draw us into Sin Peter had better have been a cold by himself alone then warming himself at a Fire which was Compassed in with the Blasphemies of the Multitude where his Conscience though not seared was yet made hard 3. Another grand occasion of Peter's Falling was a presumptuous Confidence of his own Strength and Standing Though all Men forsake thee yet will not I. Oh Lord to presume upon our selves is the ready way to provoke thee to leave us to our selves if ever we stand in the day of Tryal 't is the fear of Falling must enable us to stand we soon Fall if we believe it impossible to Fall Observe 3. The Re-iteration and Repetition of this Sin he denied Christ again and again he denies him first with a Lye then with an Oath and next with a Curse Lord How dangerous is it not to resist the first Beginnings of Sin If we yield to one Temptation Satan will assault us with more and stronger Peter proceeded from a Denyal to a Lye from a Lye to an Oath from an Oath to an Imprecation and Curse It is our Wisdom vigorously to Resist Sin at the Beginning for theâ— have we most Power and Sin has least Observe 4. The heinous and aggravating Circumstances of St. Peter's Sin and they are these 1. The Character of his Person a Disciple an Apostle a chief Apostle a special Favourite who with James and John had the special Honour to be with Christ at his Transfiguration yet he denies Christ 2. The Person whom he denies his Master his Saviour and Redeemer he that in great Humility had washed Peter's Feet had eat the Passover with Peter had given but just before the Holy Sacrament to Peter yet is this kind and condescending Saviour denied by Peter 3. Consider the Persons before whom he denied Christ the Chief Priests Servants Oh how surprizing and yet very pleasing was it to them to see one Disciple Betray and Sell his Master and another disown and deny him 4. Consider the Time when he denied him it was but a few Hours after he had received the Holy Sacrament from Christ's own hands how unreasonable then is their Objection against coming to the Lord's Table That some who go to it dishonour Christ as soon as they come from it Such Examples ought not to discourage us from Coming to the Ordinance but should excite and encrease our Watchfulness after we have been there that our After-deportment may be suitable to the Solemnity of a Sacramental Table Observe 5. What a small Temptation he lay under thus shamefully to deny his Lord and Master a Damsel only at first spake to him had a Band of Armed Soldiers appeared to him and apprehended him Had he been bound and led away to the Judgment-Hall and there Threatned with the Sentence of an ignominious Death some Excuse might have been made better for him But to disown his Relation to Christ upon a word spoken by a sorry Maid that kept the door the smallness of the Temptation was an high aggravation of the Crime Ah Peter How little didst thou answer thy Name at this time Thou art not now a Rock but a Reed a Pillar blown down by a Womans Breath Oh frail Humanity whose Strength is Weakness and Infirmity Note here That in most of the Saints Falls Recorded in Scriptures the first enticers to Sin or the accidental occasions of it were Women Witness besides the first Fall that of Adam's where the Woman was first in the Transgression the Fall of Lot Samson David Solomon and Peter these are sad instances of the Truth of what I speak A weak Creature may be a strong Tempter nothing is too impotent or useless for the Devil's Service it was a great Aggravation of Peter's Sin that the voice of a poor Maid that kept the door should be of more Force to over-come him then his Faith in Jesus to sustain him But what shall we say small things are sufficient to cast us down if God doth not hold us up we sink under any Burthen if God sustains us not and yield to the least Temptation if he leaves us to our selves a Damsel shall then make a Disciple shrink and a Door-keeper shall be able to drive an Apostle before her This is the Account in short of St. Peter's Fall considered in it self and with the Circumstances relating to it Now follows his Recovery and Rising again by Repentance and here we have Observable the Suddenness of his Repentance the Means of his Repentance and the Manner of his Repentance Observe 1. The Suddenness of St. Peter's Repentance as his Sin was sad so was his Repentance speedy Sins committed by Surprize and through the prevalency of a Temptation that suddenly Assaults us are much sooner Repented of then where the sin is presumptuous and deliberate David's Murther and Adultery were Deliberate Acts of Sin in which he lay almost Twelve Months without any Solemn Repentance for them St. Peter's Denyal was hasty and sudden under a violent pang and passion of Fear and he takes the warning of the Cock's Crowing to go forth speedily and weep for his Transgression Observe 2. The Means of his Repentance which was Two-fold the less Principal-means was the Crowing of the Cock the more principal Means were Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter's Remembring the word of Christ 1. The less principal Means of St. Peter's Rising and Recovery by Repentance was the Crowing of the Cock as the voice of the Maid occasioned him to Sin so the voice of the Cock occasioned him to Reflect That God who always can work without Means can ever when he please work by weak and contemptible Means and open the Mouth of a Bird or a Beast for the Conversion of a Man But why doth our Lord make use of the Crowing of the Cock as a Means of bringing St. Peter to Repentance There is ever some Mystery in Christ's Institutions and Instruments The Cock was a Preacher to call St. Peter to his Duty there being something of Emblem between a Cock and a Preacher The Preacher ought to have
the Wings of the Cock to rouze up himself from Drowsiness and Security and to awaken others to a sense of their Duty He must have the Watchfulness of the Cock to be ever ready to discover and fore-warn Danger He must have the voice of the Cock to cry aloud to tell Israel of their Sin to terrify the Roaring Lyon of Hell and make him Tremble as they say the natural Lyon does in a word he must observe the Hours of the Cock to Crow at all Seasons to Preach the Word in Season and out of Season Again 2. The more principal Means of St. Peter's Recovery were Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter's remembring the word of Christ 1. Christ's looking upon Peter our Saviour look'd upon Peter before either Peter look'd upon our Saviour or upon himself Oh wonderful Act of Love and Grace towards this fallen Disciple Christ was now upon his Tryal for his Life a time when our Thoughts would have been wholly taken up about our selves but even then did Christ find Leisure to think upon Peter to Remember his Disconsolate Disciple to turn himself about and give him a pittiful but piercing Look even a Look that melted and dissolved him into Tears We never begin to lament our Sins but we are first Lamented by our Saviour Jesus looked upon Peter that was the first more principal Means of his Repentance But 2. the other Means was Peter remembring of the word of the Lord Before the Câ—ck Crow thou shalt deny me Now this Remembrance was an Applicative and Feeling Remembrance he Remembred the Prediction of Christ and apply'd it sensibly to himself Teaching us That the efficacy of Christ's Word in order to a sound Repentance depends not upon the Historical Remembrance of it but upon the close Application thereof to every Man's Conscience Observe 3. The Manner of St. Peter's Repentance it was Secret it was Sincere it was Lasting and Abibiding 1. It was secret He went out and wept Verè dolet qui sine Teste dolet He sought a place of Retirement where he might mourn in Secret Solitariness is most agreeable to an afflicted Spirit Yet must I add that as St. Peter's Sorrow so probably his Shame might cause him to go forth and weep Christ looked upon him and how ashamed must he be to look upon Christ seeing he had so lately denied that he had ever seen him 2. St. Peter's Repentance was Sincere He wept bitterly His Grief was extraordinary and his Tears abundant There is always a weeping that must follow Sin Sin must cost the Soul Sorrow either here or in Hell We must now either Mourn a while or Lament for ever Doubtless with Peter's Tears there was joined hearty Confession of Sin to God and smart Reflections upon himself after this manner Lord What have I done I a Disciple I an Apostle I that did so lately acknowledge my Master to be Christ the Lord I that spoke with so much Assurance Though all Men deny thee yet will not I I that promised to lay down my Life for his sake yet have I denied him yet have I with Oaths and Imprecations Disowned him and this at the Voice of a Damsel not at the sight of a Drawn Sword presented at my Breast Lord What weakness what wickedness what unfaithfulness have I been guilty of Oh that my Head were Waters and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears that I might weep all my days for the Fault of this one Night Thus may we suppose our Lapsed Apostle to have bemoaned himself And happy was it for him that he did so for Blessed are the Tears of a Converted Revolter and happy is the Misery of a Mourning Offender Observe 3. St. Peter's Repentance was not only Secret and Sincere but Lasting and Abiding He retained a very quick Sense and lively Remembrance of this Sin upon his Mind all his Life after Ecclesiastical History Reports that ever after when St. Peter heard the Crowing of the Cock he fell upon his Knees and wept Others say That he was wont to rise at Mid-night and spend the Time in Prayer and Humiliation between Cock-Crowing and Day-light And the Papists who delight to turn every thing into Folly and Superstition first began that Practice of setting up what we call Weather-Cocks upon Towers and Steeples to put People in mind of St. Peter's Fall and Repentance by that Signal Lastly St. Peter's Repentance was attended with an extraordinary Zeal and Forwardness for the Service of Christ to the end of his Days He had a burning Love towards the Holy Jesus ever after which is now improved into a Seraphick Flame Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee says himself John 21.17 And as an Evidence of it he fed Christ's Sheep For in the Acts of the Apostles we read of his Extraordinary Diligence to spread the Gospel and his Travels in order thereunto are Computed by some to be Nine hundred and Fifty Miles To end all have any of us fallen with Peter though not with a formal Abjuration yet by a Practical denying of him let us go forth and weep with him let us be more vigilant and watchful over our selves for the time to come let us express more fervent Love and Zeal for Christ more diligence in his Service more Concernedness for his Honour and Glory This would be an Happy Improvement of this Example God grant it may have that Blessed Effect 63 And the Men that held Jesus mocked him and smote him 64 And when they had Blind-folded him they stroke him on the Face and asked him saying Prophecy who he is that smote thee 65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him Observe here The vile Affronts the horrid Abuses the Injuries and Indignities which were put upon the Holy and Innocent Jesus in the day of his Sufferings the rude Officers and Servants spit in his Face Blind-fold his Eyes smite him with their Hands and in Contempt and Scorn bid him Prophecy who it was that smote him Verily There is no degree of Contempt no mark of Shame no kind of Suffering which we ought to Decline for Christ's sake who hid not his Face from Shame and Spitting upon our Account 66 And as soon as it was day the Elders of the people and the Chief Priests and Scribes came together and led him into their Council 67 Saying Art thou the Christ Tell us And he said If I tell you you will not believe 68 And if I also ask you you will not answer me nor let me go 69 Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the Right Hand of the power of God 70 Then said they all Art thou then the Son of God And he said unto them Ye say that I am 71 And they said What need we any farther Witness for we our selves have heard of his own Mouth Our Lord is now Arraigned by the Chief Priests and Observe the Indictment of Blasphemy is brought in against him What need we any