and destroyed Death dissolved the Union betwixt our Saviour's Soul and Body but there was a closer Union which no Violence of Death could dissolve namely the Union of his Godhead with his Manhood This was incapable either of Dissolution or Destruction Note 3. The repairing restoring and raising up of this Temple out of the Ruins of it by our Saviour's Resurrection In three Days I will raise it up Observe A full Proof of our Saviour's Divinity To raise a dead Man exceeds the Power of Nature but for a dead Man to raise himself requires the Power of God We read of dead Men raised by others but none but Christ ever raised himself The Jews could not say He raised others from the Grave himself he could not raise Inference 1. Was Christ's Body a Temple so should ours be too Temples for the Holy God to dwell in Temples by special Appropriation Temples by solemn Consecration Temples by actual Employment If any Man defiles this Temple of God him will God destroy 2. Was the Temple of Christ's Body pulled down by death and destroyed so must also the Temple of our Bodies ere long The Temple of his Body was pulled down for our sin the Temple of our Bodies is ruined by our own sin Sin brought Mortality into our Natures and the Wages of our sin is death 3. Was the Temple of Christ's Body repaired in the Morning of the Resurrection so shall the Temple of our Bodies also if we be the Members of Christ by a vital Union Thy dead Men Oh blessed Redeemer shall live together with thy dead Body shall they arise Awake then and sing ye that dwell in the Dust for thy Dew is as the Dew of Herbs and the Earth shall cast out the Dead Isa 26.19 23 ¶ Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast day many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men Observe here what Influence the sight of our Saviour's Miracles had upon many of the common People They believed in his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did That is they were convinced by the Works which our Saviour wrought that he came from God and that what he said and did was really True and no Imposture But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all Men. Our Saviour did not and would not trust them who yet believed on his Name Thence Note That a naked Assent to the History of the Gospel is not sufficient to entitle us to saving Faith We may assent to the Truth of all that we find there and yet be far from the Kingdom of God Saving Faith implies more than the Assent of the Understanding to the Truths of the Gospel We cannot believe or disbelieve what we please but must needs assent to what is evident to our Understanding so that it is possible for a Man to assent to the Truth of Christianity and yet remain in a state of Damnation if he doth not embrace it as Good as well as assent to it as True if our Faith be not the Parent and Principle of Obedience if our Belief doth not influence our Practice though we pass for Believers amongst Men we are no better than Unbelievers in the Account of Christ If we believe Jesus to be the True Messias and do not receive him in all his Offices if we commit our selves to his saving Mercy but do not submit our selves to his ruling Power if we desire him for our Saviour but disown him for our Sovereign if we expect Salvation by him and do not yield Subjection to him we put a Cheat upon our selves for he only believes as he should that lives as he does believe 25 And needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man St. John's design in the writing of this Gospel being to assert the Divinity of Christ he scatters Evidences of it in almost every Chapter Here he declares his Omnisciency He knew what was in Man that is being God blessed for ever he had an exact Knowledge of the Hearts of Men not by any Revelation of Men's Hearts from God but by immediate Intuitition from himself he knows all Men and all that is in Men. CHAP. III. 1 THere was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews 2 The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles that thou dost except God be with him The former part of this Chapter acquaints us with that famous Conference which our blessed Saviour had with Nicodemus This Man was by Sect a Pharisee which signifies a Person separated and set a-part for the study of the Law of God and to teach it unto others and by Calling or Profession a Ruler of the Jews that is probably one of the Jewish Sanhedrim A chief Person in their Ecclesiastical Court and Council Consider we Nicodemus first as a Pharisee which sort of Men were filled with inveterate Prejudice and Enmity against Christ yet from hence we may gather that such is the Efficacy of Divine Grace that it sometimes convinces and converts also those that are the greatest Enemies to Christ and the fiercest Opposers of him No such bitter Enemies to Christ as the Pharisees yet behold Nicodemus a Pharisee coming to him convinced and converted by him Consider him secondly as a Ruler of the Jews as a Person of Place and Power making a Figure in the World Though they were generally the Poor which followed Christ yet some of the Great and Rich Men of the World as Nicodemus a Master of Israel and Joseph of Arimathea an Honourable Counsellor are called to Christ and received by him lest if he had admitted illiterate and simple Men only the World might have thought that they were deceived thro' their Simplicity Observe farther The Time when Nicodemus came to Christ it was by Night partly out of Shame lest the World should think that such a knowing Man as he was wanted Instruction and partly out of Fear he had something to lose and therefore durst not own Christ publickly However our dear Lord upbraids him not with his Timerousness but graciously condescends to instruct him in the Fundamental Principle of Christianity the great Doctrine of Regeneration 3 Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Christ here acquaints Nicodemus and in him all Persons that there must be a Change from Nature to Grace before there can be a Change from Grace to Glory for tho' he was a Jew a Doctor and one that had good Thoughts of Christ looking upon him as an extraordinary Person one that had received Power from God to work Miracles yet Christ assures him that nothing short of the regenerating Change
poor Woman came to Christ trembling but went away triumphing Christ bids her Be of good Comfort her Faith had made her whole 23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise 24 He said unto them Give place for the maid is not dead but sleepeth And they laughed him to scorn 25 But when the people were put forth he went in and took her by the hand and the maid arose 26 And the same hereof went abroad into all that land Our Saviour being come to the Ruler's House finds the People very busily preparing for the Interrment of the dead Corps with Musick and other Solemnities This Custom of having Musick at Funerals came from the Heathens no mention is made thereof in the Old Testament we read of tearing the Flesh shaving the Head eating the Bread of Mourners also of Funeral-Songs but these were only sung with the Voice but Instruments of Musick at Funerals came from the Pagans Weeping and Lamentation are the most proper Funeral-Musick then nothing sounds so well as a Sigh nor is any thing so much in season as a Tear Yet are all Demonstrations of immoderate and excessive Mourning both hurtful to the Living and dishonourable to the Dead nor is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace Observe next In what sence our Saviour affirms that the Damsel was not dead Mortua est vobis mihi Dormit says St. Jerom She is Dead to you but Asleep to me I can as easily raise her from Death as you can awake her out of Sleep Her Soul was separated from her Body but not yet fixt in its Eternal Mansion Souls departed are under the Conduct of Angels good or bad to their several Places of Bliss or Misery Probably the Soul of this Damsel was under the Guard of Angels near her dead Body waiting the Pleasure of Christ in reference to it either to restore it again to the Body or to translate it to its Eternal Mansion 27 And when Jesus departed thence two blind men followed him crying and saying Thou Son of David have mercy on us 28 And when he was come into the house the blind men came to him and Jesus saith unto them Believe ye that I am able to do this they said unto him Yea Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes saying According to your faith be it unto you 30 And their eyes were opened and Jesus straitly charged them saying See that no man know it 31 But they when they were departed spread abroad his fame in all that country The Ruler and others who came to Christ for Cure and Healing believed him to be a Man unto whom Almighty God had Communicated Divine Power But it is observable that these poor Blind Men did believe him to be the Messias by their calling him the Son of David and according to their Faith so was their Success their Faith capacitated them for a Cure But why did our Lord enjoyn the Blind Men Silence and straitly charge them to tell no Man of the Cure Herein the great Modesty and Humility of Christ appeared in avoiding all Ostentation and Commendation as also a due Care of his own Safety lest the publishing of his Miracles should create him untimely Danger from the Pharisees 32 As they went out behold they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil 33 And when the devil was cast out the dumb spake and the multitudes marvelled saying It was never so seen in Israel Still our Lord goes about doing Good before he Healed the Diseased here he Helps the Possessed Learn 1. That amongst the many Calamities which Sin has rendred Human Nature liable and obnoxious to this is one to be Bodily Possest by Satan This Man's Dumbness was caused by the Devil's Possession Learn 2. That one Demonstration of Christ's Divine Power and a convictive Evidence of his being truly and really God was his Casting our Devils by the Word of his Power 34 But the Pharisees said He casteth out the devils through the prince of the devils See here the dreadful and sad Effects of Blindness Obstinacy and Malice the Pharisees charge Christ with making a Contract with the Devil affirming that he derived his Power from him But how unlikely was this that Satan should lend our Saviour a Power against himself and for the Destruction of his own Kingdom Oh how dangerous is a wilful and obstinate Opposition of the Truth It provokes God to deliver a Person up to final Obduracy 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people 36 But when he saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd Observe here 1. Our Saviour's great Work and Business in this World it was doing Good both to the Bodies and Souls of Men the most pleasant and delightful the most happy and glorious Work that a Person can be imployed about 2. His unwearied Diligence and Industry in this great and good Work He went about all the Cities and Villages Preaching the Gospel and Healing Diseases he travelled from Place to Place to seek Occasions and to lay hold upon all Opportunities of being Useful and Beneficial to Mankind Obs 3. The particular Instance of our Lord's Goodness and Compassion towards the People in those Cities and Villages where he Travelled they wanted the Preaching of the Gospel that is Faithful Dispensers of it For tho' they had the Scribes and Pharisees to Teach them they Instructing them rather in their own Traditions than in the Simplicity of the Gospel Christ pities the People as Sheep without a Shepherd Thence Learn That idle and lazy unskilful and unfaithful Labourers in Christ's Harvest are no Labourers in his Account They were as Sheep having no Shepherd 37 Then saith he unto his disciples The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest Note here 1. That God's Church is an Harvest-Field 2. That the Ministers of God are Labourers in his Harvest under GOD the Lord of the Harvest 3. That to God alone doth it belong to send forth Labourers into his Harvest and none must thrust themselves in till God sends them forth 4. That the Number of Faithful Labourers in God's Harvest is always comparatively small and few 5. That it is the Church's Duty to pray and that earnestly and incessantly to the Lord of the Harvest to increase the Number of Faithful Labourers and to send forth more Labourers into his Harvest CHAP. X. This Chapter acquaints us with the First Commission which our Saviour gave his Disciples to Preach the Gospel He directs them First Whither to go and to whom to Preach namely to the Jews whom he calls The lost
them Barbarously to Mock him in his Misery and which was worse Atheistically to Jear and Scoff at his Faith and Affiance in God Saying He trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he will have him This was such an Indignity as Confounds our Thoughts But from hence we Learn 1. That Persecutors are generally Atheistical Scoffers the Chief Priests and Elders who Persecuted Christ do Blaspheme God they mock at his Power and deride his Providence which was as wicked as to deny his Being 2. We Learn from this Example That such as Minister to God in Holy things by way of Office if they be not the Best they are generally the worst of Men no such bitter Enemies to the Power of Godliness as such Preachers who were never Experimentally Acquainted with the Efficacy and Power of it upon their own Hearts and Lives Observe 2. The Inscription wrote by Pilate over our suffering Saviour This is Jesus the King of the Jews It was the Custom of the Romans when they Crucified a Malefactor to publish the Cause of his Death in Capital Letters placed over the Head of the Person Now it is Observable how wonderfully the Wisdom of God over-ruled the Heart and Pen of Pilate to draw this Title which was truly Honourable and fix it to his Cross Pilate is Christ's Herald and proclaims him King of the Jews Learn hence That the Kingship and Regal Dignity of Christ was proclaimed by an Enemy and that in a time of his greatest Sufferings and Reproaches Pilate without his Knowledge did our Saviour an eminent piece of Service Verily he did that for Christ which none of his own Disciples durst do not that he did it designedly and with any intent to put Honour upon Christ but from the special over-ruling Providence of God No thanks to Pilate for all this Because the Highest Services performed to Christ undesignedly shall never be Accepted nor Rewarded by him 39 And one of the Malefactors which were hanged Railed on him saying If Thou be Christ Save thy self and us 40 But the other Answering Rebuked him saying Dost thou not fear God seeing thou art in the same Condemnation 41 And we indeed justly For we receive the due Reward of our Deeds But this Man hath done nothing amiss 42 And he said unto Jesus Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Here we have a farther Aggravation of our Lord's Sufferings upon the Cross from the Company he Suffered with the Two Thieves who Reviled him with the rest Saint Matthew and Saint Mark say They both Reviled him Saint Luke says One of them Reviled possibly both of them might do it at first and one of them Repent which if so encreases the wonder of the Penitent Thiefs Conversion From the Impenitent Thiefs Reviling of Christ when he was at the very point of Death and even in the Suburbs of Hell we Learn That neither Shame nor Pain will change the Mind of a Resolute Sinner but even then when he is in the Suburbs of Hell will he Blaspheme From the Penitent Thief 's Confessing of Christ and Praying to him Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom We Learn Both the Efficacy and Freeness of Divine Grace 1. The efficacious Power of it Oh how Powerful must thaâ— Grace be which wrought such a Change in an instant which supplied that Heart in a Moment which had been hardning in Sin for so many Years 2. The Freeness of it which takes hold of his Heart when he was at the height of Sin and was not only void of Grace but seemed past Grace Oh the powerful Efficacy and adorable Freeness of the Heart-changing Grace of God in this vile Person it disposed him to own his Sin to confess the justness of his Punishment to justify Christ's Innocency to Reprove his Fellow-Companion to pray to a Crucified Christ and to intercede with him not for present Deliverance from Death but for a place in Christ's Kingdom Where we Learn 1. That true Conversion is never too late for obtaining Mercy and Salvation 2. That True Conversion how late soever will have its Fruits The Fore-mentioned Fruits of Faith and Repentance were found with this penitent Thief yet must not this extraordinary Case be drawn into Example This Extraordinary and Miraculous Grace of God is not to be expected ordinarily We have no warrant to expect an over-powering degree of God's Grace to turn our Hearts in an instant at the Hour of Death when we have Lived in Forgetfulness of God and in a Supine neglect of our Soul 's Concerns all the days of our Life For it is evident as to this Case of the Penitent Thief 's Conversion at the last Hour 1. It is an Example without a Promise 2. It is but a single Example 3. It is an Example Recorded but by one Evangelist the Spirit of God fore-seeing what an ill use some would make of this Instance leaves one Example upon Record that none might despair and but one that none might Presume 4. This Thief probably never had any Knowledge of Christ before 5. This was a Miracle with the Glory whereof Christ would Honour the Ignominy of his Cross So that we have no more ground to expect such another Conversion then we have to expect a Second Crucifixion This Converted Person was the first Fruits of the Blood of the Cross From whence we Learn That God can and sometimes doth though very seldom prepare Men for Glory immediately before their Dissolution by Death 43 And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise These Words are our Saviour's Gracious Answer to the Penitent Thief 's Humble Prayer Lord Remember me in thy Kingdom says the Thief To day shalt thou be with me in my Kingdom says our Saviour Where Note 1. The Immortality of the Souls of Men is without all doubt Our desires after and hopes for Immortality do prove our Souls Immortal and capable of that State 2. That there is a Future and Eternal State into which Souls pass at Death Death is our passage out of the swift River of Time into the Boundless and Bottomless Ocean of Eternity 3. That the Souls of all the Righteous at Death are immediately Received into a State of Happiness and Glory This day shalt thou be with me not after thy Resurrection but immediately after thy Dissolution That Man's Soul is asleep or worse that Dreams of the Soul 's sleeping till the Resurrection For why should the Believers Happiness be deferred when they are immediately capable of Enjoying it Why should their Salvation slumber when the Wicked's Damnation slumbereth not How do such delays consist with Christ's ardent Desires and his Peoples vehement Longings to be together 44 And it was about the sixth Hour and there was a Darkness over all the Earth until the Ninth Hour 45 And the Sun was Darkned and the Veil of the Temple was Rent in the midst
of God the Father pronouncing 1. The Nearness of Christ's Relation to himself This is my Son 2. The Endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The Fruit and Benefit of this near and dear Relation unto us In him I am well pleased Note 1. That there is no possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ both our Persons and our Performances find Acceptance only for His sake 2. That in and through Christ God is well-pleased with all Believers This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased c. CHAP. IV. The former part of this Chapter acquaints us with our Blessed Saviour's Combat with and Conquest over Satan and the first Verse informs us of the Time when and Place where the Combat was fought 1 THEN was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil Observe here 1. The Time when Christ entred the Lists with Satan implied in the word Then that is First Immediately after his Baptism he is no sooner out of the Water of Baptism but he is in the Fire of Temptation Secondly Immediately after the Spirit descended upon him and the Father had by a Voice from Heaven manifested his Complacency and Satisfaction in him This is my Beloved Son c. Note thence That great Manifestations of Love from God are usually followed with great Temptations from Satan Observe 2. The Place where this Combat was fought and that is in the Wilderness Learn thence That no Place can priviledge us from Temptation or be a Sanctuary from Satan's Assaults the solitary Wilderness has a Tempter in it yea Satan sometimes makes use of Mens Solitariness to farther his Temptations a Cell a Nunnery or a Cloister are as open to Satan as the open Fields and the Persons that live in them have a Tempter without and an Enticer within as well as other Men. Obs 3. The Efficient Cause of Christ's going into the Wilderness to be Tempted by Satan He was led up of the Spirit says St. Matthew The Spirit drove him says St. Mark That is the Holy Spirit of God not Satan the Unclean Spirit for the Devil is seldom if ever called The Spirit but usually some Brand of Reproach is annexed as the Evil Spirit or the Vnclean Spirit Christ was Led by the Spirit that is he was carried by a strong Impulse of the Spirit of God into the Wilderness to be Tempted by Satan Learn hence 1. That none of the Children of God ought to expect a Freedom from Temptations seeing Christ himself in the Days of his Flesh was strongly solicited by Satan unto Sin 2. That all the Temptations wherewith the Children of God are assaulted are ordered by Divine and Special Dispensation Satan could not assault our Saviour till he was Led by the Spirit into the Wilderness for that End and he shall not assault any of his Members but by Divine Permission and special Dispensation 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterward an hungred Obs here 1. How the Divine Power upheld the Human Nature of Christ without Food What Moses did at the Giving of the Law Christ doth at the Beginning of the Gospel namely Fast Forty Days and Forty Nights Christ hereby intended our Admiration not our Imitation or if our Imitation of the Action only not of the Time Christ teaches us by Fasting and Prayer to prepare our selves for a Conflict with our Spiritual Enemies as he prepared himself by Fasting to grapple with the Tempter so should we 3 And when the tempter came to him he said If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread Observe here 1. The Occasion of the Temptation 2. The Temptation it self The Occasion was our Saviour's Hunger and want of Bread Learn thence That when God suffers any of his Dear Children to fall into Want and to be streightned for Outward Things Satan takes a mighty Advantage thereupon to Tempt and Assault them But what doth he Tempt our Saviour to To the Sin of Distrust to question his Sonship If thou be the Son of God And next to distrust his Father's Providence and Care Command that these Stones be made Bread Learn hence 1. That Satan's grand Design is first to tempt the Children of God to doubt of their Adoption and next to Distrust God's Fatherly Care over them and Provision for them and last of all to use Unwarrantable Means to help themselves Thus Satan dealt with Christ and thus he deals with Christians For to work a Miracle at Satan's Direction was not a Lawful Means of providing Food for himself 4 But he answered and said It is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Observe here The Weapon which our Saviour made use of to repell the Temptation and to vanquish the Tempter and that is the Word of God It is written Learn That the Scriptures or the Written Word of God is the only sure Weapon wherewith to vanquish Satan and to beat back all his Fiery Temptations 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple That is Satan by God's permission took up his Body and carried it in the Air and set it upon one of the Battlements of the Temple Learn hence 1. What a mighty Power Evil Spirits have over our Bodies if God permits them to execute and exercise their Power upon them 2. That it is owing to the gracious Care and watchful Providence of God over us that we are not hurried away bodily by Satan Thanks be to God tho' the Devil's Malice be infinite yet his Power is limited and bounded as he cannot do all the Mischief he would to the Bodies and Souls of Men so he shall not do all he can 6 And saith unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone Here we have Observable First the Sin which Satan tempts Christ unto and next the Argument which he tempts him from The Sin tempted to is the Sin of Self-Murther Cast thy self down Whence we Learn That Self-Murther is a Sin which Christ himself was and the best of Saints may by Satan be tempted to the Commission of But forasmuch as Satan tempted Christ to murther himself but had not power to do it himself do thou cast thy self down We Learn That tho' Satan may tempt yet he cannot compel he may entice but cannot enforce any to Sin against their own Consent Obs 2. The Argument which Satan uses it is a Scripture-Argument he quotes the Promise of God He shall give his Angels charge over thee What a Marvel is here to find Satan with a Bible under his Arm and a Text of Scripture in his Mouth Christ
had alledged Scripture before to Satan here Satan retorts Scripture back again to Christ It is written says Christ It is written says Satan Learn thence That it is no wonder to hear Hereticks and Hypocrites quote Scripture when Satan himself durst recite them He that had prophanely toucht the Sacred Body of Christ with his Hand sticks not presumptuously to handle the Holy Scriptures of God with his Tongue Yet Observe How wretchedly the Devil wrests perverts and misapplies the Scriptures When God promises his Angels shall keep us it is in Viis non in Praecipitiis 't is in all God's Ways not in any of our own crooked Paths Note here That altho' the Children of God have the Promise of the Guardianship of Holy Angels yet then only may they expect their Protection when they are walking in the Way of their Duty 7 Jesus said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Observe here Tho' the Devil had wrested and abused Scripture yet still Christ alledges Scripture The Abuse of the Holy Scriptures by Hereticks and Seducers is no Argument against the Use of them As Christ here compares Scripture with Scripture so should we in order to the finding out the true Sence and Meaning of it 8 Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them 9 And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me The next Sin which Satan tempts our Saviour to is the Sin of Idolatry even to Worship the Devil himself Oh thou Impudent and Foul Spirit To desire thy Creator to Adore thee an Apostate-Creature Surely there can be no Sin so black and foul so gross and monstrous but that the Christian may be tempted to it when Christ himself was tempted to Worship the Tempter St. Matthew reads the Words If thou wilt fall down and Worship me St. Luke If thou wilt Worship before me Whence we may gather That if to Worship before the Devil be to Worship the Devil then to Worship before an Image is to Worship the Image Obs 2. The Bait which Satan makes use of to allure our Saviour to the Sin of Idolatry and that was in representing to his Eye and View all the Glories of the World in the most inviting manner and that in a Moment of Time to the intent it might affect him the more and prevail the sooner Learn thence That the Pomp and Greatness the Glory and Grandeur of this World is made use of by Satan as a dangerous Snare to draw Men to a Compliance with him in his Temptations unto Sin 10 Then saith Jesus unto him Get thee hence Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Observe here 1. With what Zeal and Indignation of Spirit our Blessed Saviour repells and beats back this Temptation of Satan Get thee hence Note thence That the greater the Sins are which the Devil tempts us to the greater our Zeal and Indignation ought to be in opposing and resisting of the Temptation to them A great Temptation must be withstood with great Resolution Observe 2. The Weapon with which he repells and beats back the Fiery Dart of Satan's Temptation and that is with the Shield of Scripture It is written Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God Learn thence That GOD is the Sole Object of all Religious Worship it is so peculiarly the Creator's Due that to give it to any Creature is gross Idolatry and repugnant to the Scriptures 11 Then the devil leaveth him and behold angels came and ministred unto him Observe here 1. The Issue of this Combat Satan is conquered and quits the Field Then the Devil leaveth him Teaching us That nothing like a vigorous Resistance of Temptation causes the Tempter to flee from us Resist the Devil and be will flee from you Observe 2. Our Lord's Triumph over his Enemy Behold Angels came and ministred unto him Food to his hungry Body and Comfort to his tempted Soul Learn thence That those who in the Hour of Temptation do hold out in resisting Satan shall find the Power and Faithfulness of God will not be wanting to them to send in Succour and Relief in the End 12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison he departed into Galilee 13 And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum which is upon the sea-coast in the borders of Zebulon and Nephthalim 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying 15 The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim by the way of the sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up Observe here 1. Our Saviour hearing of John's Imprisonment provides for his own Safety by departing into Galilee As our Holy Lord avoided Persecution so may we Observe 2. The Place in Galilee he comes to Capernaum Christ had three Cities which he called his own Nazareth where he was Bred Bethlehem where he was Born and Capernaum where he dwelt this was a Sea-coast Town in the Borders of Zebulon and Nephthali Observe 3. The Special Providence of God in this Change of our Saviour's Habitation for by that means the Prophecy Isa 9.1 was fulfilled which declares that in that dark part of the Country the Messiah the True Light should shine forth Learn hence 1. That a People destitute of the Saving Knowledge of the Gospel are in great Darkness how great soever the Light of their Outward Comforts may be This People had Natural Light enough and Civil Light enough they had an Abundance of Wealth and Riches Peace and Plenty but they wanted the Light of Christ and his Gospel and therefore are said to sit in Darkness 2. That where-ever the Gospel is Preached amongst a People it is as a Light springing up and shining forth amongst them quickning and enlivening reviving and chearing the Souls of those that entertain it how great soever their outward Darkness and Distress may be The People that sate in Darkness saw great Light and to them which sate in the Region and Shadow of Death Light is sprung up c. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Here our Saviour begins to enter upon his Prophetick Office and by Preaching to make known the Will of God to Mankind and Observe The Doctrine which he Preached is the same that John the Baptist did Preach namely the Doctrine of Repentance Repent ye and the Argument is the same also For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is now is the so much expected Time of the Appearing of the promised Messiah Learn hence That the Doctrine of Christ and his Ambassadors is alike and the same
saith unto them Why are ye fearful O ye of little faith Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm 27 But the men marvelled saying What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him Observe here 1. Christ and his Disciples no sooner put forth to Sea but Dangers attend and Difficulties do accompany them a Tempest arose and the Ship was covered with Waves Learn thence That the Presence of Christ it self doth not exempt his Disciples and Followers from Trouble and Danger here is a great Tempest about the Disciples Ears tho' Christ was in their Company Obs 2. The Posture our Saviour was in when this Tempest arose he being weary on the Land was fallen asleep in the Ship Our Blessed Redeemer hereby shewed himself to be truly and really Man as he took upon him our Human Nature so he subjected himself to our Human Infirmities Obs 3. The Disciples Application made to him they awoke him with a sad Out-Cry Lord save us we perish here was Faith mixed with Human Frailty They had Faith in his Power that he could save them but being asleep they concluded he must awake before he could save them Whereas tho' his Human Nature was asleep yet his Divine Nature neither slumbred nor slept Learn hence That the Prevalency of Fear in a time of great and imminent Danger tho' it may argue weakness of Faith yet it is no Evidence of want of Faith In the midst of the Disciples Fears they believed Christ's Power Obs 4. A double Rebuke given by our Saviour 1. To the Winds and Seas next to the Fears of his Disciples He rebukes the Winds and the Seas and instantly they are calm when the Sea was as furious as a Mad-man Christ by his Divine Power calms it Learn hence That the most raging Winds and outrageous Seas cannot stand before the Rebukes of Christ if once he Rebukes them their Rage is down GOD lays a Law upon the most Lawless Creatures even when they seem to act most lawlesly 2. Christ rebukes his Disciples Fears Why are ye fearful No sooner was the Storm up but their Fears were up they forgat that the Lord High-Admiral of the Ocean was on-board the Ship and were as much over-sett with their Boisterous Passions as the Vessel was with the Tempestuous Winds and accordingly Christ rebukes the Tempest within and then the Tempest without first he calms their Hearts and then the Seas From this Instance we see that great Faith in the Habit may appear little in Act and Exercise The Disciples Faith in forsaking all and following Christ was great Faith but in this present Act their Faith was weak through the Prevalency of their Fear 28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes there met him two possessed with devils coming out of the tombs exceeding fierce so that no man might pass by that way We read of few if any in the Old Testament that were possest with Evil Spirits but of many in the New Testament Our Saviour came into the World to destroy the Works of the Devil therefore he suffered Satan to enter some Human Bodies to shew his Divine Power in casting them out Note here 1. That the Evil Angels by their Fall lost their Purity but not their Power 2. That they do no oftner exert their Power in doing Mischief to the Bodies and Lives of Men is from the Restraining-Power of GOD the Devils cannot do all the Mischief they would and they shall not do all they can 29 And behold they cried out saying What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God art thou come hither to torment us before the time Observe The Devils knew Christ to be the Son of GOD and that he came into the World to be a Saviour but not their Saviour therefore they cry out What have we to do with Thee Or Thou with us Oh what an uncomfortable Faith is this to believe that Christ is a Saviour and at the same time to know that he is none of our Saviour But what is their Out-cry against Christ This Art thou come to torment us before the time Learn 1. That there are Tortures appointed to the Spiritual Natures of Evil Angels The Fire of Hell is conceived to be partly Material and partly Spiritual partly Material to work upon the Bodies of Evil Men and partly Spiritual to work upon the Souls of Men and the Spirits of Evil Angels Learn 2. That tho' the Devils be now as full of Discontent as they can be yet they are not so full of Torment as they shall be their Speech here intimates that there will be a time when their Torments shall be increased when they shall have their fill of Torment Therefore they pray Increase not our Torments before the appointed Time of their Encrease 30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding 31 So the devils besought him saying If thou cast us out suffer us to go away into the herd of swine Observe here 1. A notable Evidence of Satan's Limited Power that a whole Legion of Devils had not Power to destroy one Man nor were able to hurt the meanest Creature without Permission Obs 2. The Devils Acknowledgment of their own Impotency and Christ's Power their Asking Leave of Christ to go into the Swine shews that they could not go of themselves Learn hence 1. The Restlesness of Satan's Malice he will hurt the Swine rather than not hurt at all 2. That tho' Satan's Malice be infinite yet his Power is limited and bounded as he cannot do all the Mischief he would so he shall not do all he can 32 And he said unto them Go. And when they were come out they went into the herd of swine and behold the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea and perished in the waters Altho' Christ seldom wrought any Destructive Miracle and altho' he certainly foresaw that the Swine would perish in the Waters yet that the People might see how great the Power and Malice of the Devil would be if not restrained by Christ he permitted him to enter into the Swine Christ said unto them Go and how glad was Satan of this Permission to enter the Swine in order to their Destruction Let it teach us our Duty by Prayer to commit our selves and all that we have Morning and Evening into the Hands of GOD's Care All that we have in the House and all that we have in the Field that it may be preserved from the Power and Malice of Evil Spirits 33 And they that kept them fled and went their ways into the city and told every thing and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils 34 And behold the whole city came out to meet Jesus and when they saw him they besought him thâ—t he would depart out of their coasts Obs 1. What
a contrary Effect this Miracle which Christ wrought had upon these People Instead of Believing on him for his Miraculous Cure of the Possessed the Loss of their Swine enrages them and makes them desire Christ to depart from them Temporal Losses are so great in Worldly Mens Estimation that Spiritual Advantages are nothing esteemed Carnal Hearts prefer their Swine before their Saviour and had rather lose Christ's Presence than their Worldly Profit Obs 2. How Unanimous and Importunate these Gadarens were to get rid of Christ the whole City came out and are not only willing with his Departure but they beseech him to depart out of their Coasts Learn hence That deplorably sad is the Condition of such from whom Christ departs more deplorably sad their State who say unto Christ depart but most deplorably sad is the Case of them that intreat and beseech Christ to depart from them Thus did these Gadarens and accordingly Christ took Ship and departed from them and we never read of his return more unto them CHAP. IX 1 AND he entred into a ship and passed over and came into his own city In the last Verse of the foregoing Chapter the Gadarens with one Consent desire CHRIST to depart out of their Coasts â—here we find our Saviour according to their desire departing from them into his own City which was Capernaum for Bethlehem brought him forth Nazareth brought him up and Capernaum was his Dwelling-place From their Desire of Christ's Departure and from Christ's departing according to their Desire we Learn That the Blessed Jesus will not long trouble that People with his Presence who are weary of his Company and desirous of his Departure 2 And behold they brought to him a man sick of the palsie lying on a bed and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsie Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee Observe 1. The Patient One sick of the Palsie which being a Resolution of the Nerves weakens the Joints and confines the Person to his Bed or Couch As a Demonstration of Christ's Divine Power he was pleased to single out some Incurable Diseases as the World accounts them to work a Cure upon as the Leprosie and Palsie 2. The Physician Jesus Christ he alone is that Wise Faithful and Compassionate Physician that can and doth Cure both Soul and Body Obs 3. The Moving or Impulsive Cause of this Cure Jesus seeing their Faith that is their firm Perswasion that he was cloathed with a Divine Power and able to help together with their Confidence in his Goodness that he was as willing as he was able and no sooner did they exercise their Faith in Believing but Christ did exert his Divine Power in Healing Obs 4. The marvelous Efficacy and Power of Faith it obtained not only what was desired but more than was expected they desired only the Healing of the Body but Jesus seeing their Faith Heals Body and Soul too saying Be of good cheer thy Sins are forgiven thee 3 And behold certain of the scribes said within themselves This man blasphemeth See here how the best of Men are sometimes charged with saying and doing the worst of things to Do well and Hear ill was the Portion of Christ himself and may be the Portion of the holiest of those that belong to Christ The Innocent Jesus was accused of Blasphemy of Sorcery and of the blackest Crimes Innocency it self can protect no Man from Slander and False Accusations 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts 5 For whether is easier to say Thy sins be forgiven thee or to say Arise and walk 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins then saith he to the sick of the palsie Arise take up thy bed and go unto thine house Our Saviour here gives the Pharisees a Twofold Demonstration of his Godhead First By letting them understand that he knew their Thoughts for to search the Hearts and to know the Thoughts of the Children of Men is not in the Power either of Angels or Men but the Prerogative of God only Secondly By assuming to himself a Power to Forgive Sins the Son of Man hath Power to Forgive Sins Our Saviour here by Forgiving Sins in his own Name and by his own Authority doth give the World an undeniable Proof and convincing Evidence of his Godhead for Who can Forgive Sins but GOD only 7 And he arose and departed to his house 8 But when the multitude saw it they marvelled and glorified God which had given such power unto men Note here The Multitude marvelled but not believed they admire our Saviour for an Extraordinary Man but did not believe in him as the Son of God They praise God for giving such Power to Heal the Bodies of Men but not for sending his Son into the World to Save the Souls of Men. Learn hence That the sight of Christ's Miracles is not sufficient to work Faith in the Soul but requires the concurring Operation of the Holy Spirit the one may make us marvel the other must make us believe 9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receit of custom and he saith unto him Follow me And he arose and followed him Obs here The Number of our Lord's Apostles not being filled up what a strange Election and Choice he makes Matthew a grinding Publican is the Man Learn Such is the Freeness of God's Grace that it chuses and such is the Efficacy of it that it over-powers and brings in the worst of Sinners unto God Matthew a Publican Zaccheus an Extortioner Manasseh a Murderer Paul a Persecutor all these are brought home to God by the Power of Converting Grace Obs 2. Matthew's ready Compliance with God's Call He arose and followed Christ When the Inward Call of the Spirit accompanies the Outward Call of the Word the Soul readily complies and presently yields Obedience to the Voice of God Christ oft-times speaks by his Word to our Ear and we hear not we stir not but when he speaks by his Spirit to our Hearts Satan shall not hold us down the World shall not keep us back but we shall arise and follow our Lord and Master 10 And it came to pass as Jesus sat at meat in the house behold many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples Observe here Christ invited Matthew to a Discipleship Matthew invites Christ to a Feast the Servant invites his Master a Sinner invites his Saviour We do not find where ever Christ was invited to any Table that he refused to go if a Pharisee if a Publican invited he constantly went not for the Pleasure of Eating but for the Opportunity of Conversing and doing Good Christ feasts us when we feast him From Matthew's Example Learn That new Converts are full of Affection towards Christ and very expressive of their Love unto him Such
give it a Civil Salutation but especially a Christian and Spiritual Salute wishing them Mercy Grace and Peace 3. He encourages his Apostles in the want of Success if they hear you not Shake off the Dust of your Feet This Action was Emblematical and signified That Almighty God would in like manner shake off them and esteem them no better than the vilest Dust Note That those who despise the Message which the Ministers of the Gospel bring shall hereafter find the Dust of their Feet and the Ashes of their Grave to give a Judicial Testimony against them in the Day of CHRIST Where-ever the Word is Preached 't is for a Testimony against them for if the Dust of a Minister's Feet bear Witness against the Despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more 16 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves Our Saviour in this and the following Verses arms his Apostles against all the Difficulties Dangers and Discouragements which they might meet with in the Course of their Ministry He tells them he sent them forth as Sheep amongst Wolves intimating thereby unto them that the Enemies of the Gospel have as great an Inclination from their Malicious Nature to devour and destroy the Ministers of Christ as Wolves have from their natural temper to devour Sheep He therefore recommends to them Prudence and Innocence Be wise as Serpents to avoid the World's Injuries and Harmless as Doves in not revenging them The Ministers of Christ must not be altogether Doves lest they fall into Dangers nor altogether as Serpents lest they endanger others For as Piety without Policy is too simple to be safe so Policy without Piety is too subtil to be good Our Saviour in this Text teaches us That Wisdom and Innocency should dwell together 17 But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues 18 And ye shall be brought before governours and kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the gentiles 19 But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak 20 For it is not ye that speak but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Here our Saviour lets his Apostles know that for their Owning Him and Preaching his Gospel they should be brought before all sorts of Magistrates and in all kinds of Courts But he advises them when they are brought before Kings and Princes not to be anxiously thoughtful what they should say for it should be given in that Hour what they should Answer Learn hence That tho' Truth may be opposed yet Truth 's Defenders shall never be ashamed and rather than they shall want a Tongue to plead for it GOD himself will prompt them by his Spirit and suggest such Truths to their Minds as all their Opposers shall not be able to gainsay 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the child and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but he that indureth to the end shall be saved Our Saviour goes on in a farther Discovery of the World's Hatred and Enmity against the Gospel and the Preachers of it and gives all Christians in general and his Ministers in particular to understand That such is the Enmity of the World against Holiness and the Professors of it that it will overcome and extinguish even the Natural Affection of the nearest and dearest Relations towards each other Grace teaches us To lay down our Lives for the Brethren but Corruption teaches Brother to take away the Life of Brother The Brother shall deliver the Brother to Death Yet Observe Our Saviour comforts his Disciples that there will be an end of these Sufferings and assures them That if their Faith and Patience did hold out unto the end they should be saved This is our Comfort that if our Sufferings for Christ end not in our Life-time they will end with our Lives 23 But when they persecute you in this city flee ye into another for verily I say unto you Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come Our Saviour here directs his Apostles to a prudent Care of their own Preservation and allows them to flee in time of Persecution assuring them That before they had gone through all the Cities of the Jews Preaching the Gospel he would certainly come in Judgment against Jerusalem and with Severity destroy his own Murtherers and their Persecutors Learn That Christ allows his Ministers the liberty of Flight in time of Persecution that they may preserve their Lives for future Service Surely 't is no Shame to fly when our Captain commands it and also practises it Matth. 2. Christ by his own Example has Sanctified that State of Life unto us and by his Command made it Lawful for us 24 The disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his lord 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Our Saviour here teaches all Christians but especially Ministers how unreasonable and absurd it is for them to expect kinder Usage from an unkind World than he Himself met with Are we greater holier or wiser than He Why then should we expect better Usage than he Was he hated persecuted reviled murthered for the Holiness of his Doctrine and the Vsefulness of his Life Why then should any of us Think strange of the Fiery Tryal as if some strange thing had befaln us 1 Pet. 4.12 Is it not enough That the Disciple be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord but must he hope to be above him 26 Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known 27 What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye on the house tops Christ here exhorts his Disciples to a free Profession and open Publication of the Doctrine of the Gospel from this Consideration That whatever they say or do shall be brought to light proclaimed and published to the World As Wicked Men have cause to fear because their Evil Deeds shall be made evident so Good Men have cause to rejoice because their Goodness and Good Deeds shall be made manifest Let it be our Care to do Good and it shall be CHRIST's Care to discover the Goodness which we do to vindicate it from Misconstruction and set it in its clearest Light 28 And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul
but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Obs here the following Particulars 1. An unwarrantable Fear condemned and that is the sinful servile slavish Fear of impotent Man Fear not him that can kill the Body 2. An holy awful and prudential Fear of the Omnipotent God commended Fear him that is able to kill both Body and Soul 3. The Persons that this Duty of Fear is recommended to and bound upon Christ's own Disciples yea his Ministers and Ambassadors they both may and ought to fear him not only for his Greatness and Goodness but upon the account of his Punitive Justice as Being able to cast both Soul and Body into Hell Such a Fear is not only Lawful but Laudable not only commendable but commanded and well becomes the Servants of God themselves 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbred 31 Fear ye not therefore ye are of more value than many sparrows Obs here 1. The Doctrine which our Saviour Preaches to his Disciples and that is the Doctrine of Divine Providence which concerns it self for the meanest Creatures even the Birds of the Air and the Hairs of our Heads do fall within the compass of God's Protecting Care 2. Here is the Use which our Saviour makes of this Doctrine namely to fortifie the Spirits of his Disciples against all distrustful Fears and distracting Cares Learn That the Consideration of the Divine Care and Gracious Providence of GOD over us and ours ought to antidote our Spirits against all distrustful Fears whatsoever If an Hair from the Head falls not to the Ground without a Providence much less shall the Head it self if the very Excrements of the Body such are the Hair be taken Care of by God surely the more noble Parts of the Body and especially the noblest Part of our selves our Souls shall fall under his particular Regard 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven Obs here 1. That not to confess Christ in his Account is to deny him and to deny him is to be ashamed of him 2. That whosoever shall deny disown or be ashamed of Christ either in his Person in his Gospel or in his Members for any Fear or Favour of Man shall with Shame be disowned and eternally rejected by Him at the Dreadful Judgment of the Great Day CHRIST may be Denied three ways Doctrinally by an Erroneous and Heretical Judgment Verbally by Oral Expressions Vitally by a Wicked and Unholy Life But Wo to that Soul that denies CHRIST any of these Ways 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own houshold We must distinguish here betwixt the Intentional Aim of Christ's Coming and the Accidental Event of it His Intentional Aim was to propagate and promote Peace in the World but thro' the Corruption of Man's Nature the Accidental Event of his Coming is War and Division Not that these are the genuine and natural Fruits of the Gospel but Occasional and Accidental only Note That the Preaching of the Gospel and setting up the Kingdom of Christ in the World tho' it be not the Natural Cause yet it is the Accidental Occasion of all that War and Tumult of all that Distraction and Confusion which the World abounds with 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me 38 And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it Our Saviour by these Expressions doth not condemn Natural Love and Affection either to our Relations or our own Lives but only regulates and directs it and shews that our first and chief Love must be bestowed upon Himself We may have tender and relenting Affections towards our dear Relations but then the Consideration of CHRIST's Truth and Religion must take Place of these nay of Life it self nay when these come in Competition we are to regard them no more than if they were the Objects of our Hatred Luk. 14.26 If a Man hate not his Father c. Learn hence That all the Disciples of Christ should be ready and willing whenever God calls them to it to quit all their Temporal Interests and Enjoyments even Life it self and to submit to any Temporal Inconvenience even Death it self And all this willingly chearfully and patiently rather than disown their Relation to Christ and quit the Profession of his Truth and Religion 2. That such as for Secular Interest and the Preservation of Temporal Life do renounce their Profession of Christ and his Religion they do not only greatly hazard their Temporal Life but expose their Eternal Life to the greatest Danger He that findeth his Life shall lose it c. 40 He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Here in the close of the Chapter our Blessed Saviour encourages his Apostles to Faithfulness in their Office by assuring them that he should reckon and esteem all the Kindness shewn to them as done unto himself And to encourage the World to be kind to his Disciples and Ministers he assures them that even a Cup of cold Water should meet with a liberal Reward How cold is their Charity who deny a Cup of cold Water to the Ministers and Disciples of Christ Learn 1. That there is some special and eminent Reward due to the Faithful Prophets of GOD above other Men. 2. That he that shall entertain a Prophet and do any good Office for him under that Name that is for his Office-sake shall be Partaker of that Reward 3. That the least Office of Love and Respect of Kindness and Charity which we shew to any of the Ministers or Members of Jesus Christ for his sake Christ accounts it as done unto himself and it shall be rewarded by himself CHAP. XI 1 AND it came to pass
professing his Faith and bearing Witness to the Truth 12 And his disciples came and took up the body and buried it and went and told Jesus 13 When Jesus heard of it he departed thence by ship into a desart place apart and when the people had heard thereof they followed him on foot out of the cities The Disciples of John hearing that their Holy Master was thus basely and barbarously Murthered took up his dead Body and buried it Whence we Learn That the Faithful Servants of God are not ashamed of the Sufferings of the Saints but will testifie their respect unto them both living and dead Observe farther How our Blessed Saviour upon the notice of John's Death flies into the Desart for the Preservation of his own Life Jesus knew that his Hour was not yet come and therefore he keeps out of Herod's way It is no Cowardice to fly from Persecutors when Christ our Captain both practises it himself and directs us to it saying When they persecute you in one City flee c. 14 And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them and he healed their sick Observe here With what Condolency and tender Sympathy the compassionate Jesus exercised Acts of Mercy and Compassion towards the Miserable and Distressed He was moved with Compassion that is toucht with an inward Sense and Feeling of their Sorrow And healed their Sick Those that came to Christ for Healing found Three Advantages of Cure above the Power and Performance of any Earthly Physician to wit Certainty Bounty and Ease Certainty in that all Comers were infallibly cured Bounty in that they were freely cured without Charge And Ease in that they were cured without Pain 15 And when it was evening his disciples came to him saying This is a desart place and the time is now past send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals Note here 1. The Disciples Pity towards the Multitude that had long attended upon Christ's Ministry in the Desart they presuming the People hungry having fasted all the Day request our Saviour to dismiss them that they may procure some Bodily Refreshment Learn thence That it well becomes the Ministers of Christ to respect the Bodily Necessities as well as to regard the Spiritual Wants of their People As the Bodily Father must take Care of the Soul of his Child so must the Spiritual Father have respect to the Bodily Necessities of his Children Obs 2. The Motion which the Disciples make on the behalf of the Multitude Send them away that they may buy Victuals Here was a strong Charity but a weak Faith A strong Charity in that they desire the People's Relief but a weak Faith in that they suppose they could not otherwise be relieved but by sending them away to buy Victuals Forgetting that Christ who had Healed the Multitude miraculously could as easily Feed them miraculously if he pleased All things being equally easie to Omnipotency 16 But Jesus said unto them They need not depart give ye them to eat Obs here 1. Our Saviour's strange Answer to the Disciples Motion They need not depart says Christ Need not Why the People must either feed or famish Victuals they must have and this being a desart Place there was none to be had Surely then there was need enough But 2. Christ's Command was more strange than his Assertion Give ye them to eat Alas Poor Disciples They had nothing for themselves to eat how then should they give the Multitude to eat When Christ requires of us what of our selves we are unable to perform it is to shew us our Impotency and Weakness and to provoke us to look up to him That worketh all our Works in us and for us 17 And they say unto him We have here but five loaves and two fishes Note here What a poor and slender Provision the Lord of the whole Earth has for his Houshold and Family Five Loaves and those Barley two Fishes and they small Teaching us That these Bodies of ours must be fed but not pampered Our Belly must not be our Master much less our God We Read but twice that Christ made any Entertainments and both times his Guests were fed with Loaves and Fishes plain Fare and homely Diet. The end of Food is to sustain Nature we stifle it with a Gluttonous variety Meat was ordained for the Belly the Belly for the Body the Body for the Soul and the Soul for God Obs farther As the quality of this Victuals was plain and course so the quantity of it was small and little Five Loaves and two Fishes Well might the Disciples say what are these among so many The Eye of Sense and Reason sees an impossibility of those Effects which Faith can easily apprehend and Divine Power more easily produce 18 He said Bring them hither to me 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass and took the five loaves and the two fishes and looking up to heaven he blessed and brake and gave the loaves to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude Obs 1. How the Master of the Feast Marshals his Guests he commands them all to sit down None of them Reply sit down but to what Here are the Mouths but where is the Meat We can soon be set but whence shall we be served Nothing of this but they obey and expect Oh how easie is it to trust God and rely upon Providence when there is Corn in the Barn and Bread in the Cupboard but when our Stores are all empty and nothing is before us then to depend upon an invisible Bounty is a true and noble Act of Faith Obs 2. The Actions performed by our Blessed Saviour He Blessed and Brake and gave the Loaves to his Disciples and they to the multitude 1. He Blessed Teaching us by his Example in all our Wants to look up to Heaven for a Supply to wait upon God for his Blessing and not to sit down to our Food as a Beast to his Forage 2. He brake the Loaves He could have multiplied them whole why would he rather do it in the breaking Perhaps to teach us that we are to expect his Blessing in the Distribution rather than in the Reservation of what he gives us Scattering is the way to Increasing Not Grain hoarded up in the Granary but scattered in the Furrows of the Field yields increase Liberality is the way to Riches and Penuriousness the Road to Poverty 3. Christ gave the Bread thus broken to his Disciple that they might distribute it to the Multitude But why did not our Lord distribute it with his own Hand but by the Hands of his Disciples Doubtless to win respect to his Disciples from the People The same course doth our Lord take in spiritual distributions He that could feed the World by his immediate Hâ—nd chooses rather by the Hands of his Ministers to the divide the Bread of Life to
have lived awhile in this World they die and therefore Marriage is necessary to maintain a Succession of Mankind but in the other World Men shall become Immortal and live for ever and then the Reason of Marriage will wholly cease For when Men can die no more there will be no need of any new Supplies of Mankind 2. Our Saviour having got clear of the Sadducees Objection by taking away the Ground and Foundation of it he produceth an Argument for the Proof of the Soul's Immortality and the Body's Resurrection Thus Those to whom Almighty God pronounces himself a God are alive but God pronounced himself a God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob many Hundred Years after their Bodies were Dead therefore their Souls are yet alive otherwise God could not be their God for he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living From the whole Note 1. That there is no Opinion so absurd no Error so monstrous that having had a Mother will die for lack of a Nurse The beastly Opinion of the Mortality of the Soul and the Annihilation of the Body finds Sadducees to profess and propagate it Note 2. The Certainty of another Life after this in which Men shall be eternally happy or intollerably miserable according as they behave themselves here tho' some Men live like Beasts they shall not die like them nor shall their last end be like theirs Note 3. That glorified Saints in the Morning of the Resurrection shall be like unto the Glorious Angels not like them in Essence and Nature but like them in their Properties and Qualities in Holiness and Purity in Immortality and Incorruptibility and in their manner of Living they shall no more stand in need of Meat or Drink than the Angels do but shall live the same Heavenly Immortal and Incorruptible Life that the Angels live Note 4. That all those that are in Covenant with God whose God the Lord is their Souls do immediately pass into Glory and their Bodies at the Resurrection shall be Sharers in the same Happiness with their Souls If God be just the Soul must live and the Body must rise For good Men must be rewarded and wicked Men punished God will most certainly some time or other plentifully reward the Righteous and punish the evil Doers but this being not always done in this Life the Justice of God requires it to be done in the next 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence they were gathered together 35 Then one of them which was a lawyer asked him a question tempting him and saying 36 Master which is the great commandment in the law 37 Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all my mind 38 This is the first and great commandment 39 And the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets The Sadducees being put by Christ to silence the Pharisees again encounter him they send to him a Lawyer that is one of their Interpreters and Expounders of the Law of Moses who propounds this Question to him Which is the great Commandment in the Law Our Saviour tells them It is to love the Lord with all the Heart with all the Soul and with all the Mind That is which all the Powers Faculties and Abilities of the Soul with the greatest Measure and highest Degrees of Love This is the Sum and Substance of the Duties of the first Table And the second is like unto it not equal with it but like unto it The Duties of the second Table are of the same Authority and of the same Necessity with the first As a Man cannot be saved without the Love of God so neither without the Love of his Neighbour On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets That is the whole Duty of Man required by Moses and the Prophets is comprehended in and may be reduced to these Two Heads namely The Love of God and our Neighbour From the whole Note 1. That the Fervency of all our Affections and particularly the Supremacy of our Love is required by God as his Right and Due Love must pass thro' and possess all the Powers and Faculties of the Soul the Mind must meditate upon God the Will must chuse and embrace him and the Affections must take Complacency and Delight in him the measure of loving God is to love him without measure God reckons that we love him not at all if we love him not above all Note 2. That thus to love God is the first and great Commandment Great in regard of the Object which is God the first Cause and the chief Good Great in regard of the Obligation of it To love God is so indispensible a Command that God himself cannot free us from the Obligation of it for so long as he is God and we his Creatures we shall lye under a natural and necessary Obligation to Love and serve him Great in regard of the Duration of it when Faith shall be swallowed up in Vision and Hope in Fruition Love will then be perfected in a full Enjoyment Note 3. That every Man may yea ought to love himself not his sinful self but his natural self and especially his Spiritual self the new Nature in him This it ought to be his particular Care to encrease and strengthen Indeed there is no express Command in Scripture for a Man to love himself because the Light of Nature directs and the Law of Nature binds and moves every Man so to do God has put a Principle of Self-love and of Self-preservation into all his Creatures but especially into Man Note 4. As every Man ought to love himself so 't is every Man's Duty to love his Neighbour as himself 1. Not as he does love himself but as he ought to love himself 2. Not in the same Degree and Measure that he loves himself but after the same manner and with the same kind of Love that he loves himself As we love our selves freely and readily sincerely and unfeignedly tenderly and compassionately constantly and perseveringly so should we love our Neighbour Tho' we are not commanded to love our Neighbour as much as we love our selves yet we are to love him like as we love our selves Note Lastly That the Duties of the first and second Table are inseparable The Love of God and our Neighbour must not be parted He that loveth not his Neighbour whom he hath seen never loved God whom he hath not seen A conscientious Regard to the Duties of both Tables will be an Argument of our Sincerity and an Ornament to our Profession Let it then be our Prayer and daily endeavour that we may love the Lord our God with all our Heart and our Neighbour as our selves For this is the Sum of the Law and the Substance of the Gospel 41
not long hold burning without a Stock of Oil to feed it so a Profession of Religion tho' never so glorious will not be lasting nor persevering without a Principle of Faith and Love in the Heart to support and maintain it Learn hence That the true Wisdom of a Christian consists in this to take care that not only the Lamp of his Life may shine by outward Profession but that the Vessel of his Heart may be furnished with the Graces of the Holy Spirit as a prevailing and abiding Principle 5 While the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept That is while Christ delays his coming to Persons by Death and Judgment they are not so diligent as they ought to prepare themselves for Death and Judgment Instead of being upon their Watch and Guard they slumbered and slept Note That not only visible Professors but the holiest and best of Christians are very prone to Spiritual Slumber Whilst the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept Spiritual Slumber consists in this When Graces are not lively and kept in exercise particularly Faith Hope and Love when there is an Abatement of our Love and Zeal an Intermission of our Care and Watchfulness this is a degree of Spiritual Slumber yet the Saints Slumber is not a prevailing Slumber 't is nor an Universal Slumber 't is not in all the Faculties of the Soul if there be Deadness in the Affections yet is there not Searedness in the Conscience I sleep says the Church but my Heart awaketh Cant. 5.2 Still there is a Principle in the Soul which takes God's part and the Christian groans under the Burthen of his dull and drowsie State But the greatest Wisdom is to maintain a constant Watch that we may at no time be surprized by the Bridegroom 's coming or be in a Confusion when Death and Judgment shall overtake us Blessed are those Virgins whose Lamps always burn bright 6 And at midnight there was a cry made Behold the bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him At Midnight that is at the most dismal and unseasonable time when all the Virgins were fast asleep and when awaked in great Affrightment could not on a sudden consider what to do Such is the Case of those who put off their Repentance and Preparation for another World till they are surprized by Death and Judgment Lord how will the Midnight Cry of the Bridegroom 's coming terrifie and amaze the unprepared Soul What a surprizing Word will this be Behold the Bridegroom cometh Learn hence That the Bridegroom will certainly come tho' at his own time and then all shall be called upon both prepared and unprepared to go forth to meet him Reason says he may come because there is a just God that will render to every one according to his Deeds and reward both Body and Soul for all the Services they have done for God The Body shall not always remain like a solitary Widow in the Dust but shall meet its old Companion the Soul again And as Reason says he may come Faith says he will come and argues from the Promise of Christ John 14.3 and from the Purchase of Christ from Christ's Affection to us and from our Affection to him Faith has seen him upon the Cross and determines she shall see him in the Clouds The Bridegroom will certainly come at his own time happy they that are ready to go forth to meet him 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps 8 And the foolish said unto the wise Give us of your oil for our lamps are gone out The Virgins arising and trimming their Lamps doth denote their actual Preparation for Christ's Coming and Appearance and their putting themselves into a Posture of Readiness to receive him Thence Learn That a believing Apprehension of the Certainty and Suddenness of our Lord 's Coming and Approach will rouze us out of our Spiritual Slumber and prepare us to meet him with Joy and Assurance Then they arose and trimmed their Lamps And the foolish said to the wise give us of your Oil for our Lamps are gone out Observe here 1. A Request made Give us of your Oil. There is a time when the Neglecters of Grace will be made sensible of the Worth of Grace by the want of it Such as now undervalue yea villifie the Grace of God will be heard to say Oh give us of your Oil. Obs 2. The Reason of the Request For our Lamps are gone out Thence Learn That the Lamp of Profession will certainly go out which has not a Stock of Grace to feed and maintain it 9 But the wise answered saying Not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves Observe here 1. The wise Virgins Denial Not so They will part with no Oil. Learn thence That it must be the Care of every one to get Grace of his own otherwise the Grace of others will do him no Good 'T is not what others have done nay not what Christ himself has done that will save us without our own Endeavours Obs 2. The Reason of their Denial Lest there be not enough for us and you Thence Note That such Christians as have most Grace or the largest Stock of Grace have none to spare none to spare in regard of their Occasions for Grace on Earth and in regard of their Expectations of Glory in Heaven Obs 3. The Advice and Counsel given Go to them that sell and buy for your selves Some take this for an Exhortation others for a mocking Derision Go to them that sell That is say some to the Shops of the Ordinances where it may be had Thence Note That such as would have Grace must have timely Recourse to the Ordinances and Means of Grace Go to them that sell Others understand the Words ironically and as spoken by way of Derision Go to them that sell If you know where to find them and either buy or borrow for your selves Learn thence That it is the greatest Folly in the World to have Oil to buy when we should have Oil to burn To have our Grace to seek when we should have it to exert and exercise It is no time to get Grace when the Bridegroom is come and the Day of Grace is past and over 10 And while they went to buy the bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut Observe here 1. Christ will come at the great Day to his People as a Bridegroom and to the wicked as a Judge The Relation now begun betwixt Christ and his Church shall then be publickly solemniz'd Obs 2. The Qualification of the Persons who shall enter with the Bridegroom into Heaven Such as are ready went in with him This Readiness is twofold Habitual and Actual Habitual Readiness consists in the State of the Person justified and pardoned in the Frame of the Heart sanctified and renewed and in the Course
himself has purchased for them Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you 35 For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in 36 Naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Here our Saviour sets forth not the meritorious Cause of his Saint's Happiness but the infallible Signs of such as should inherit that Happiness the Character of the Persons that might expect it Such as fed him clothed and visited him in his Members Where Note 1. That the Godly having their Sins forgiven in this World probably there shall be no mention made of them in the Day of Judgment Christ here only mentions the good Works of his Saints Ye fed me ye clothed not a Word of their Failings Obs 2. That they are not the Duties of the first but of the second Table which here Christ mentions because Works of Charity are more visible to the World than Works of Piety Learn hence 1. That at the great Day every Man's Sentence shall be pronounced according to his Works 2. That Works of Charity done out of Love to Christ shall be particularly observed and bountifully rewarded by Christ at the great Day The Question then will be not how have you Heard Pray'd or Preach'd but whom have you Fed Cloathed and Visited 3. That whatever Good or Evil is done to the poor Members of Christ Christ reckons it as done unto himself I was an hungry and ye gave me Meat 37 Then shall the righteous answer him saying when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink 38 When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and clothed thee 39 Or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Here we have a Dialogue or interchangeable Discourse betwixt Christ and his faithful Servants at the great Day where Observe their Question and his Reply Their Question Lord when did we feed thee cloath or visit thee We have forgot the Time tho' such is thy Goodness to remember it Learn thence That Christ keeps a faithful Record of all our Acts of pious Charity when we have forgotten them If we remember to do Good Christ will be sure to remember the Good we have done Ay and reward it as well as remember it Again this Question of theirs may proceed from Admiration and Wonder and from an humble Sense of their own Nothingness and from the Greatness of Christ's Condescension in taking notice of such mean Services and requiting them with such a Transcendent Reward Learn hence That when Christ comes to reward his Children and People they will wonder and be astonished at the Poverty and Meanness of their own Services and at the Transcendency and Greatness of his Rewards Observe next Our Lord's Reply Inasmuch as ye did it to the least of these of my Brethren ye did it unto me Where Obs 1. The Title put by Jesus Christ upon his poorest and meanest Members My Brethren 2. The Resentment of the Kindness shewed to his Brethren as shewn unto himself Inasmuch as ye did it to them ye have done it to me Learn thence That such is the indearing Intimacy betwixt Christ and his Members that whatever is done to any of them is esteem'd by him as done unto himself 41 Their shall he say also unto them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Here we have the Sentence of Condemnation denounced against the Wicked Where Obs 1. The Posture in which they are found at Christ's Left Hand This doth not so much denote the Ignominy of the Place tho' placing at the Left Hand is less honourable as the Impiety of their Choice they took up with left-hand Mercies the Mercies of the Footstool Wealth and Riches Dignity and Honour As for the good Things which are at God's Right Hand for evermore they never sought after these Verily a Man may know his future State by his present Choice Obs 2. The Title given to wicked Men Ye cursed Not cursed of my Father because cursing is God's strange Work We force him to it he delights not in it Obs 3. The Sentence it self Where Note 1. The Punishment of Loss Depart from me Learn thence That it is the Hell of Hell to the damned that they must everlastingly depart from and lose the comfortable Fruition and Enjoyment of God in Christ 'T is to be deprived of an infinite Good Hell is a deep Dungeon where the Sunshine of God's Presence never cometh 2. The Punishment of Sense Depart into everlasting Fire Where Note Its Severity 't is Fire its Eternity it is everlasting Fire Learn thence That there are everlasting Torments in Hell prepared for the Wicked there is a State of Torment and a Place of Torment provided by God All Princes have not only their Palace but their Prison God has the Palace of Heaven for Enjoyment of himself and his Friends and the Prison of Hell for the punishing his Enemies The Nature of the damned's Misery is set out by Fire and the whole Man Body and Soul shall be tormented in it 1. The Body in all its Members their Eyes with affrighting Spectacles the Devil and his Angels and their old Companions in Sin every time they behold these it revives their Guilt and enrages their Despair Their Ears are filled with Yellings and Howlings and hideous Outcries 2. The Soul shall suffer in Hell by reflecting upon its own Choice by remembring Time sinfully wasted Seasons of Grace sadly sâ—ighted the Mercies of God unworthily abused Lord how will the Remembrance of past Mercies aggravate present Miseries 42 For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave no drink 43 I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not 44 Then shall they also answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred or a thirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee 45 Then shall he answer them saying Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Observe here 1. How Christ lays the Charge of the Wicked's Damnation upon themselves alone You gave me no Meat you took me not in Man and Man alone is the Cause of his own Destruction and Damnation Obs 2. The Kind of Sin charged on the Wicked at the great Day Consider it 1. In its generical Nature 't is a Sin of Omission Whence Learn That Sins of Omission are certainly damning
Diet but both by their Habit and Diet set an Example of Gravity and Sobriety before their People being in these as well as in other things an Example unto their Flocks 7 And preached saying There cometh one mightier then I after me the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose Observe here 1. The high Opinion that the Baptist had of Christ he is mightier than I That is a Person of greater Dignity and Excellency by far than my self whence may be gathered that tho' Christ was Man he was not meer Man but more than Man even very God equal with the Father for John Baptist was the greatest of them that were born of Women Matth. 11.11 yet says he Christ is mightier or greater than I. How so but in regard of the Dignity of his Person being both God and Man in two distinct Natures and one Person Observe 2. The humble and low Estimation that the Baptist had of himself His Shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose A proverbial Speech implying that he was unworthy to do the basest and meanest Service for Christ Oh how well doth Humility of Mind an humble Apprehension a low Esteem and Opinion of themselves and their own Gifts and Abilities become the Messengers and Ministers of Christ John was a Man of eminent Abilities yet of Exemplary Humility he thought himself unworthy to unloose Christ's Shoe or do the meanest Office for him 8 I indeed have baptized you with water but he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost John shewed the Dignity of Christ's Person above his own in the former Verse in this he declares the Excellency of Christ's Office and the meanness of his own I wash the Body with Water but Christ cleanses the Soul by the Operation of his Holy Spirit Thence Learn That tho' the Ministers of Christ do by Christ's Command dispence the Outward Ordinance of Baptism yet it is Christ himself that by the Inward Work of his Spirit doth make it effectual to such as receive it I Baptize with Water but he with the Holy Ghost 9 And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in Jordan 10 And straightway coming up out of the water he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him 11 And there came a voice from heaven saying Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased See the Note on Matth. 3.13 Observe here 1. The great Condescention of Christ in seeking and submitting to the Baptism of John Christ tho' he was John's Lord and Master yea Lord of Heaven and Earth yet cometh to hear John Preach and will be Baptized of his Messenger Thence Learn That the greatest Persons should neither think themselves too great nor too good to come unto the Ministers of God to hear the Word from his Mouth or to receive the Sacrament at his Hand Christ the Son of God was content to be Baptized of John a mean Person in Comparison of himself How dare then the greatest upon Earth despise the Ministry of Man being appointed by God Observe 2. The solemn investing of Christ into the Office of a Mediator by a threefold Miracle namely the opening of the Heavens the Descent of the Holy Ghost and God the Father's Voice or Testimony concerning his Son The Heavens were opened to shew that Heaven which was closed and shut against us for our Sins is now opened to us by Christ's undertaking for us As Christ opened Heaven by his meritorious Passion so he keeps it open by his prevailing Intercession Next The Holy Ghost descends like a Dove upon our Saviour Here we have a Proof and Evidence of the Blessed Trinity The Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the Water and the Holy Ghost descends in the Likeness of a Dove But why did the Holy Ghost now descend upon Christ First For the Designation of his Person to shew that he was the Person set apart for the Work and Office of a Mediator Secondly For the Sanctification of his Person for the Performance of that Office This was Christ's Unction the Day in which he was Anointed above his Fellows to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Isa 61. v. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me he hath anointed me c. Observe 3. The Voice of God the Father pronouncing 1. The Nearness of Christ's Relation to himself This is my Son 2. The Endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The Fruit and Benefit of this near and dear Relation unto us In him I am well pleased Hence Learn 1. That there is no Possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ neither our Persons nor our Performances can find Acceptance but thro' him and for his sake 2. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the Ground and Cause of all that Love which God the Father sheweth to the Sons of Men In Christ God is well pleased with us as a reconciled Father out of him a consuming Fire 12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan and was with the wild beasts and the Angels ministred unto him Immediately That is 1. After his Baptism Christ is no sooner out of the Water of Baptism but he is in the Fire of Temptation Such as are Baptized with Christ and entered into the Profession of Christianity they must look to be assaulted with Satan's Temptations Again Immediately that is 2. After the Father had declared his Complacency in him and being well pleased with him Learn thence That great Manifestations of Love from God are usually followed with great Temptations from Satan The Spirit driveth him That is the Holy Spirit of God For the Devil is seldom if ever called the Spirit but usually some Brand of Reproach is annexed as the evil Spirit or the unclean Spirit and the like Christ was led by the Spirit says St. Matthew 4.1 He was driven by the Spirit says St. Mark that is He was carried by a strong Impulse of the Spirit of God to be tempted by Satan and did not go of his own private Motion to enter the Lists with Satan Teaching us our Duty not to run into or rush upon Temptations without a Warrant and Call from God Observe next the Place where Satan assaulted Christ with his Temptations it was a solitary Wilderness No Place can priviledge us from Temptations or be a Sanctuary from Satan's Assaults The solitary Wilderness has a Tempter in it yea Satan oft-times makes use of Men's Solitariness to farther his Temptations and such as separate themselves from Humane Society and give themselves up to Solitude and Retirement they give great Advantage to the Tempter to tempt them Observe next the Time and Continuance of our Holy Lord's Temptations not for an Hour a Day a Week or a Month but for Forty Days
and Forty Nights not all the Time but very often in that Time Teaching us what we are to expect from Satan Temptations not a few he will not solicite us once but often and follow us with fresh Assaults but the only way to overcome him is as often to resist him Observe farther a special Aggravation of our Lord's Temptations in the Wilderness He was with the wild Beasts having no Comfort from Man but only wild Beasts for his Companions which were more likely to annoy and hurt him than any way to help and comfort him Here we have an Evidence of the Divine Power of Christ who as Lord of the Creatures can alter and change the Nature of the Creatures at his Pleasure restraining the most Savage and Hurtful Beasts from hurting either himself or any of his People Observe lastly The Supply sent in to Christ in the Hour of Temptation The Angels came and ministred unto him Food to his hungry Body and Comfort to his tempted Soul Learn thence that those who in the Hour of Temptation do hold out in resisting Satan shall find that the Power and Faithfulness of God will not be wanting to them to send in Succour and Relief at last Then the Devil leaveth him and behold Angels came and ministred unto him 14 Now after that John was put in prison Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God 15 And saying the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand repent ye and believe the gospel In this our Saviour's first beginning to preach the Gospel we have an Account of the Time when the Place where and the Sum of what he preached Observe 1. The Time when our Lord began to preach and that was after John the Baptist was cast into Prison Where Note 1. The undue Reward which the Ministers of God do sometimes meet with from a wicked World They are hated persecuted and imprison'd for their Courage in reproving Sin John for reproving Herod's Incest was put in Prison Note 2. John was no sooner in Prison and stopt and hindered from preaching but Christ began to preach See the Care and Kindness of God towards his Church in that he never leaves it wholly destitute of the Means of Instruction When some of his faithful Ministers are restrained from preaching he stirreth up others in their Rooms not suffering all their Mouths to be stopt at once Observe 2. The Place where our Lord first preached in Galilee The Land of Canaan in our Saviour's time was divided into three principal Provinces On the South Judea on the North Galilee in the midst Samaria Galilee was divided into the upper and lower Galilee the higher was called Galilee of the Gentiles because it was the outmost part of the Land and so next unto the Gentiles In this upper Galilee Capernaum was the Metropolis or Chief and Corazin a lesser City Now much of our Saviour's time was spent in Galilee he was conceived and brought up at Nazareth a City in Galilee he first preached at Capernaum in Galilee he wrought the first Miracle at Cana in Galilee His Transfiguration was upon Mount Tabor in Galilee and our Saviour's ordinary Residence was in Galilee he came into Judea and up to Jerusalem only at the Feasts and after his Resurrection he appoints his Disciples to meet him in Galilee Only his Nativity his Passion and Ascension were proper to Judea His Nativity at Bethlehem his Passion at Jerusalem and his Ascension upon Mount Olivet hard by Jerusalem Now all this demonstrates Christ to be the true and promised Messias for according to Prophecy the Messiah was to have his Presence and principal Abode in the Province of Galilee Isa 9. v. 1 2 3 c. yet because he was of Galilee the Jews would not believe him to be the Messiah saying in Scorn Can any good thing come out of Galilee Whereas our Saviour's Habitation and free Conversation there was a Proof unto them and ought to have perswaded them that according to Prophecy he was the very Christ Observe 3. The Sum of what our Lord preached namely a Doctrine and an Exhortation His Doctrine is That the Time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at Hand That is that the Time foretold by the Prophets when the Kingdom of the Messiah should begin was now come The Exhortation is Therefore Repent and Believe the Gospel From the former Note That the Messiah's coming or our Saviour's appearing in the Flesh was exactly at the time foretold by the Holy Prophets The time is fulfilled the Kingdom of the Messiah is at Hand Note 2. That the great Doctrines of Repentance and Faith are taught only in and by the Gospel and accordingly ought in a special Manner to be preach'd and insisted upon by the Ministers of the Gospel The Doctrine of Christ and his Ambassador is and ought to be the same they both teach the great Doctrines of Faith and Repentance to a lost World Repent and Believe the Gospel 16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers 17 And Jesus said unto them Come ye after me and I will make you to become fishers of men 18 And straightway they forsook their nets and followed him 19 And when he had gone a little further thence he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother who also were in the ship mending their nets 20 And straightway he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants and went after him In this History of our Saviour's calling the four Disciples Peter and Andrew James and John Observe these Particulars Obs 1. The Meanness of the Persons whom he calls Illiterate Fishermen Christ took hereby effectual Care that his Gospel should be known to be the Power of God and not the Wisdom and Device of Man and that the Instruments should not carry away the Glory of the Work Obs 2. Christ called his Apostles by Couples Two and Two first Peter and Andrew then James and John thereby signifying to us that the Work of the Ministry requires the Concurrence of all Hands that are called to it All the Ministers of God should join their Hearts and Hands and set their Shoulders as one Man to this great Work and all little enough God knows to carry it on with Advantage and Success Obs 3. The Work which they are called from and called to from being Fishermen to be Fishers of Men from catching Fish with the Labour of their Hands to catch Men with the Labour of their Tongues Obs 4. Our Saviour's Command first to follow him before they be sent out by him Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men. We must be Christ's Disciples before we are his Ministers his Followers before we are his Ambassadors We must learn Christ before we preach him otherwise we may fish for a Livelihood but
not for Souls Obs 5. The Gracious Promise which Christ gives his Apostles for their Encouragement namely to qualifie them for and to succeed them in their Office I will make you Fishers of Men. Faithfulness and Care Diligence and Endeavour is our part but the Blessing and Success is Christ's our Labour is only in the Cast Christ's Power is wholly in the Draught Some Fish cleave to the Rocks others play upon the Sands more wallow in the Mud and verily we shall labour all our Days and catch nothing if Christ doth not bring our Fish to Net and inclose them in it as well as assist us in the throwing and casting of it Obs 6. The Apostles ready Compliance with our Saviour's Call Straightway they forsook Father and Friends Ship and Nets and followed Jesus Whom Christ calls he calls effectually he draws whom he calls and works their Hearts to a ready Compliance with their Duty Obs 7. That upon their Call to the Ministry they leave off their Trade they forsake their Ship and their Nets and lye close to their Ministerial Imployment Teaching us That the Ministers of the Gospel should wholly give themselves up to their great Work and not incumber themselves with secular Affairs and worldly Business Nothing but an indispensible Necessity in providing for a Family can excuse a Minister's encumbring himself with Worldly Concerns and Business 21 And they went into Capernaum and straightway on the sabbath-day he entred into the synagogue and taught 22 And they were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one that had authority and not as the scribes Our Saviour having called his Disciples Peter and Andrew James and John to follow him in order to their preaching of the Gospel here we may observe how he went himself along with them teaching personally in the Synagogues where-ever he came He did not send his Apostles forth as his Curates and lye at home himself upon his Couch of Ease What shall we say to those lazy Fishermen that set others to the Drag but care only to feed themselves with the Fish Not willing to wet their Hand with the Net or take any Pains themselves Our Saviour did not thus but when he sent forth his Apostles he still preached himself he went into their Synagogues and taught Observe farther The Success of his preaching the People were astonished at his Doctrine struck with Admiration apprehending and believing him to be an extraordinary Prophet sent from God Learn thence That such is the Efficacy of Christ's Doctrine especially when accompanied with the Energy and Operation of his Holy Spirit that it makes all his Auditors Admirers causing Astonishment in their Minds and Reformation in their Manners Observe lastly The Reason of our Lord's Success in preaching He taught as one having Authority He taught in his own Name as being Lord of his Doctrine not saying with the Prophets Thus saith the Lord but I say unto you And he wrought powerful Miracles which accompanied his Doctrine As Christ was careful to preserve the Authority of his Person and Doctrine with the People so is it the Duty of his Ministers to demean themselves amongst their People that neither their Authority may be contemned nor their Persons despised but their Doctrine and themselves reverenced and obeyed 23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit and he cried out 24 Saying Let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy One of God 25 And Jesus rebuked him saying Hold thy peace and come out of him 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him and cried with aloud voice he came out of him 27 And they were all amazed insomuch that they questioned among themselves saying What thing is this what new doctrine is this for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits and they do obey him St. Mark having given an Account of our Saviour's Doctrine which he preach'd v. 15. namely the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance he now acquaints us in the remaining part of this Chapter with the Miracles which he wrought for the confirming of his Doctrine and they are Three First The casting of a Devil out of one possessed v. 23. Secondly The curing of Peter 's Wife's Mother of a Fever v. 29. Thirdly The cleansing of a Leper from v. 40. to the end of the Chapter His first Miracle was the casting out of a Devil out of one possessed There was a Man with an unclean Spirit That is an unclean Spirit did enter into him and bodily possess him Amongst the many Calamities which Sin has brought upon our Bodies this is one that we are liable to be bodily possess'd by Satan The Devil has an inveterate Malice against Mankind seeking to ruin our Souls by his Suggestions and Temptations and to destroy our Bodies by some Means or other but blessed be God tho' his Malice be infinite yet his Power is limited and bounded as he cannot do all the Mischief he would so he shall not do all he can Oh how much is it our Interest as well as our Duty by Prayer to put our selves Morning and Evening under the Divine Protection that we may be preserved from the Power and Malice of evil Spirits Obs 2. The Attribute or Title given to the Devil he is called an unclean Spirit The Devils those wicked Spirits of Hell are most impure and filthy Creatures impure by Means of their original Apostacy impure by Means of their actual and daily Sins such are Murder Malice Lying and the like by which they continually pollute themselves impure by Means of their continual Desire and Endeavour to pollute Mankind with the Contagion of their own Sin Lord how foul is the Nature of Sin which makes the Devil such a foul and unclean Creature Obs 3. This unclean Spirit no sooner saw Christ but he cried out Whence Note That the Greatness of Christ's Power being the Son of God over Devils and wicked Spirits is such that it is very terrible and tormenting to them it was terrible to them in his State of Humiliation on Earth and made them then cry out but Oh how terrible will his Power be to them at the great Day when Christ shall come in flaming Fire to render Vengeance both to Men and Devils Obs 4. The Substance of the Devil's Outcry Let us alone what have we to do with thee Art thou come to destroy us Where Note 1. That tho' the Devils are now as full of Sin and Discontent as they can be yet they are not so full of Misery and Torment as they shall be Art thou come to torment us before the time Says St. Matth. 8.29 Art thou come to destroy us Says St. Mark That is to bring upon us our full and final Destruction Implying that the Devil has not yet his full Judgment and compleat Damnation Therefore there is certainly a Day of
Judgment to come and the Devils are in Chains of Darkness reserved to the Judgment of that great Day But some by these Words Art thou come to destroy us understand as much as are thou come to restrain us from the Exercise of our Power Learn we thence That the Devil thinks himself destroyed when he is restrained from doing Mischief Obs 5. The Title which the Devil puts upon our Saviour Jesus of Nazareth the Holy One of God Altho' there was Ground for the common People's calling Christ Jesus of Nazareth because he was bred and brought up there and lived there during his private Life till about 30 Years of Age Tho' he was not born there but at Bethlehem yet it is conceived that the Devil gave this Title to our Saviour in Policy to disguise the place of Christ's Nativity that so the Jews might not believe him to be the true Messiah because he was of Nazareth whereas the Messiah was to come out of Bethlehem Therefore to the Intent that the Jews might be at the greater Loss concerning Christ and in Doubt of his being the true Messiah the Devil here calls him not Jesus of Bethlehem but Jesus of Nazareth But how comes the next Title out of the Devil's Mouth The Holy One of God Could an Apostle Could Peter himself make a Profession beyond this But how comes the Devil to make it For no good End or Purpose we may be sure For he never speaks Truth for Truths sake but for Advantage Probably 1. He made this Profession that so he might bring the Truth profess'd into Suspicion hoping that a Truth which received Testimony from the Father of Lies would be suspected 2. It might perhaps be done that the People might believe that our Saviour had some Familiarity with Satan and did work Miracles by his Help because he did confess him and seem so much to honour him From this Instance and Example Learn That it is possible for a Person to own and acknowledge Christ to be the true and only Saviour and yet to miss of Salvation by him If a speculative Knowledge and a verbal Profession of Christ were sufficient to Salvation the Devil himself would not miss of Happiness Obs 6. How our Saviour rebukes the Devil for this Confession and commands him Silence And Jesus rebuked him saying Hold thy Peace But why was this Rebuke given the Devil when he spake the Truth Ans 1. Because Christ knew that the Devil confess'd this Truth on purpose to disgrace the Truth 2. Because the Devil was no fit Person to make this Profession A Testimony of Truth from the Father of Lies is enough to render Truth it self suspected Yet the Devil's Evidence that Christ was the Holy One of God will rise up in Judgment against the wicked Pharisees who shut their Eyes against the Miracles and stopt their Ears against the Doctrine of the Holy One of God Obs lastly How the unclean Spirit obeys the Voice of Christ tho' with great Reluctancy and Regret When the unclean Spirit had torn him and cried with a loud Voice he came out Christ is Lord over the wicked Angels and has an absolute Power and Authority to over-rule them and command them at his Pleasure If Christ says to the evil Spirit Come out out he must come Yet observe the Devil's Spight at parting he tears the Man tortures his Body throws him violently from Place to Place shewing how loth he was to be dispossessed Where Satan has once gotten an hold and setled himself for a time how unwilling is he to be cast out of Possession yea it is a Torture and Vexation to him to be cast out it is much easier to keep him our than to cast him out Satan may possess the Body by God's Permission but he cannot possess our Hearts without our own Consent and Approbation it will be our Wisdom to deny him Entrance into our Souls at first by rejecting his wicked Motions and Suggestions for when once entered he will like the strong Man armed keep the House till a stronger than he casts him out 28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee 29 And forthwith when they were come out of the synagogue they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John 30 But Simons wives mother lay sick of a fever and anon they tell him of her 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lift her up and immediately the fever left her and she ministred unto them The second Miracle which our Saviour wrought in this Chapter to confirm the Truth and Authority of his Doctrine was his raising up of Peter's Wives Mother from her Bed of Sickness Where Note 1. That St. Peter now a Disciple and afterwards an Apostle was a married Person Neither the Prophets of the Old Testament nor the Ministers of the New did abhor the Marriage Bed nor think themselves too pure for an Institution of their Maker The Church of Rome by denying the Lawfulness of Priests Marriage makes her self wiser than God who says Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honourable amongst all Men. Obs 2. Peter tho' a good Man and his Wives Mother probably a gracious Woman yet is his Family visited with Sickness Strength of Grace and Dearness of Respect even from Christ himself cannot prevail against Diseases God's own Children are visited with Bodily Sicknesses as well as others Obs 3. The charitable Care of St. Peter and the other Disciples forthwith to acquaint Christ with the Condition of this Sick Person Anon they tell him of her The Care of our fellow-Christians especially when of the number of our near and dear Relations in a time of Sickness is not to be deferred or delayed Outward Help for their Bodies and the Spiritual Help of our Prayers for their Souls are both straightway to be afforded them Obs 4. Christ's Divine Power manifested in this miraculous Cure He no sooner took her by the Hand but the Fever left her The Miracle was not in curing an incurable Distemper but in curing an ordinary Distemper after a miraculous manner namely 1. By a Touch of the Hand 2. The Recovery was instantaneous and sudden Immediately the Fever left her 3. The visible Effects of her Recovery instantly appeared She arose and ministred unto Christ and his Disciples That she could arise argued her Cure miraculous that she did arise and did administer to Christ argued her Thankfulness Learn thence That after Christ has graciously healed any of us it ought to be our first Work and Care to administer unto Christ That is to employ our recovered Health in the Service of Christ and to improve our renewed Strength to the Honour and Glory of Christ 32 And at even when the sun did set they brought unto him all that were diseased and them that were possessed with devils 33 And all the city was gathered together at the door 34 And he healed many that were sick of divers
with them Now this Person was so great a Cripple by reason of the Palsie that he was born of Four He could not go nor was capable of being led but was carried by Four in his Bed or Couch Obs 2. As the Grievousness of the Disease so the Greatness of their Faith The Man and his Friends had a firm Persuasion that Christ was cloath'd with a Divine Power and able to help him and they hoped in his Goodness that he was also willing to help him Accordingly the Roof of the Jewish Houses being flat they uncover some part of it and let the Bed down with the sick Man in it into the Room where Christ was Obs 3. No sooner did they exercise their Faith in believing but Christ exerts his Divine Power in healing And see the marvellous Efficacy of Faith it obtained not only what was desired but more than was expected They desired only the healing of the Body but Christ heals Body and Soul too Son be of good Cheer thy Sins are forgiven Thereby our Saviour shews them that Sin is the Original Cause of all Bodily Diseases and consequently that in Sickness the best way to find Ease and Deliverance from Pain is first to seek for Pardon The Sense of Pardon in some degree will take away the Sense of Pain Obs 4. The Exception which the Scribes took against our Saviour for pronouncing that this Man's Sins were forgiven him They accuse him of the Sin of Blasphemy urging that it is God's peculiar Prerogative to pardon Sin Their Doctrine was true but their Application false Nothing more true than that it is the highest degree of Blasphemy for any meer Man to arrogate to himself the incommunicable Prerogative of God which consists in an Absolute and Authoritative Power to forgive Sin But then their denying this Power to Christ of forgiving Sin which he had as God from all Eternity and as Mediator God and Man in one Person when here upon Earth this was Blasphemy in them the challenging of it none in him Obs â— Our Saviour gives these Scribes a twofold Demonstration of his Godhead 1. By letting them understand that he knew their Thoughts Jesus perceived in his Spirit that they reasoned within themselves To search the Hearts and to know the Thoughts and Reasonings of Men is not in the Power of Angels or Men but the Prerogative of God only 2dly By assuming to himself a Power to forgive Sin For our Saviour here by assuming to himself a Power of forgiving Sins in his own Name and by his own Authority doth give the World an undeniable Proof and convincing Evidence of his Godhead for who can forgive Sins but God only Obs 6. The Effect of this Miracle upon the Minds of the People They marvelled and were amazed but not believed They admire our Saviour for an extraordinary Man but did not believe him to be God Learn hence That the Sight of Christ's Miracles is not sufficient to work Faith in the Soul without the concurring Operation of the Holy Spirit The one may make us marvel the other must make us believe 13 And he went forth again by the sea-side and all the multitude resorted unto him and he taught them 14 And as he passed by he saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receit of custom and said unto him Follow me And he arose and followed him 15 And it came to pass that as Jesus sat at meat in his house many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples for there were many and they followed him 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicanes and sinners they said unto his disciples How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners 17 When Jesus heard it he saith unto them They that are whole have no need of the physician but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Obs here 1. The unwearied Pains and Diligence which our Saviour used in the Execution of his Ministerial Office and Calling No sooner had he done preaching in Capernaum and healing the sick of the Palsie but he goeth out thence to the Sea side to preach there Oh Blessed Saviour How perpetually wert thou employed in the Labours of thy Calling in the Service of thy Father and for the Good of Mankind Thou went'st about doing Good setting a Pattern for all thy Ministers to follow How doth the Example of thy laborious Diligence at once instruct and shame us Obs 2. The number of out Lord's Disciples not being fill'd up observe what a free and gracious unexpected and undeserved Choice he makes Levi that is Matthew for he had both Names a grinding Publican who gathered the Taxes for the Romans and was probably guilty as others were of the Sins of Covetousness Extortion and Oppression yet is he called to follow Christ as a special Disciple Learn thence That such is the Freeness of God's Grace that it calls and converts Sinners unto Christ when they think not of him nor seek unto him Little did Levi now think of a Saviour much less seek after him yet is he at this time called by him Matthew a Publican Zacheus an Extortioner Saul a Persecutor all these are brought home to God as Instances and Evidences of the mighty Power of converting Grace Obs 3. Matthew's ready Compliance with Christ's Call He arose and followed him When the inward Call of the Holy Spirit accompanieth the outward Call of the Word the Soul readily complies and presently yields Obedience to the Voice of Christ Christ oft-times speaks by his Word to our Ears and we hear not we stir not but when he speaks by his Spirit efficaciously to our Hearts Satan shall not hold us down the World shall not keep us back but we shall with Levi instantly arise and follow our Saviour Obs 4. Levi or Matthew to shew his Thankfulness to Christ makes him a great Feast Christ invited Matthew to a Discipleship Matthew invites Christ to a Dinner The Servant invites his Master a Sinner invites his Saviour We do not find that when Christ was invited to any Table that he ever refus'd to go if a Publican if a Pharisee invited him he constantly went not so much for the Pleasure of eating as for the Opportunity of conversing and doing Good Christ feasts us when we feast him Learn hence That new Converts are full of Affection towards Christ and very expressive of their Love unto him Matthew touch'd with a Sense of Christ's rich Love makes him a Royal Feast Obs 5. The Cavil and Exception which the Scribes and Pharisees made at our Lord 's free Conversation They censure him for conversing with Sinners he justifies himself telling them that he convers'd with them as their Physician not as their Companion They that are whole need no Physician says Christ but they that are Sick As if our Lord had said With whom should a Physician converse but
rest in preaching and did with greater Zeal and Power sound forth the Doctrine of the Gospel like Thunder 20 And the multitude cometh together again so that they could not so much as eat bread 21 And when his friends heard of it they went out to lay hold on him for they said He is beside himself 22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said He hath Beelzebub and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils 23 And he called them unto him and said unto them in parables How can Satan cast out Satan 24 And if a kingdom be divided against it self that kingdom cannot stand 25 And if a house be divided against it self that house cannot stand 26 And if Satan rise up against himself and be divided he cannot stand but hath an end 27 No man can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he will first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house 28 Verily I say unto you All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost hath never forgiveness but is in danger of eternal damnation 30 Because they said He hath an unclean spirit Observe here 1. How truly our Lord's Word was verified John 4.34 My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me for he and his Apostles going into an House to refresh themselves in their Hunger the People press'd upon him so fast to hear the Word that he regards not the satisfying of his Hunger but applies himself to instruct the People Lord how exemplary was thy Zeal and Diligence in preaching the everlasting Gospel to a lost World As it is instructive to may it be imitated and followed by all thy Ambassadors Obs 2. The rash Censure of our Saviour's Friends that is his Kinsmen concerning this Action in neglecting to eat Bread and suffering the Multitude thus unseasonably to press upon him They conclude he is besides himself Out of his right Mind and accordingly went out to lay hold upon him Learn hence 1. That the forward Zeal and Diligence of Christ and his Ministers in preaching the Gospel is accounted Madness and Frenzy by a Blind World But they may say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.13 If we be besides our selves it is unto God But who were the Persons that thus look'd upon our Saviour as besides himself Verily his own Kindred and Relations according to the Flesh Learn thence That oft-times the Servants of God meet with the strongest Temptations from and are most discouraged and molested by such as are their nearest Relations by Blood or Alliance This is a great Trial to find our Relations setting us back instead of helping us forward in the ways of Religion but we must bear it patiently knowing that not only others of God's Children but Jesus Christ his own and only Son did experience this Trial. Observe 3. The malicious and wicked Slander which the Scribes endeavoured to fix upon our Blessed Saviour namely That he was possest of the Devil and by Familiarity with him and Help from him cast forth Devils out of others Good God! how was thine own and only Son the Holy and Innocent Jesus censured slandered and falsly accused of the worst of Crimes of Gluttony of Blasphemy of Sorcery Can any of thy Children expect Freedom from the Persecution of the Tongue when Innocency it self could not protect thy Holy Son from Slander and false Accusation Obs 4. Our Saviour's Answer and just Apology for himself in which are contained 1. A Confutation of their Calumny and Slander 2. A Reprehension of the Scribes for the same 1. To confute this Slander our Saviour by several Arguments shews how absurd and unlikely it is that the Devil should cast out himself and any ways oppose or seek to destroy his own Kingdom As if our Saviour had said Is it likely that Satan would â—end me his Power to use it against himself Surely Satan will do nothing to weaken his own Interest or shake the Pillars of his own Kingdom Now if I have received my Power from Satan for destroying him and his Kingdom Then is Satan like a Family divided within it self and like a Kingdom divided against it self which can never stand but be brought to Desolation Our Saviour having sufficiently shewn that he did not work his Miracles by the Power of the Devil he next informs them from whence he had that Power even from God himself and accordingly he compares Satan to a strong Man well-armed with Weapons to defend his House and he compares himself clothed with Divine Power to one that is stronger than the strong Man So that the Argument runs thus The Devil is very strong and powerful and there is no Power but God's only that is stronger than his If then says Christ I were not assisted with a Divine Power I could never cast out this strong Man who reigns in the Bodies and Souls of Men as in his House for it must be a stronger than the strong Man that shall bind Satan and who is he but the God of Strength Learn hence That Christ's Divine Power is only Superiour to Satan's Strength He only can vanquish and over-rule him at his Pleasure and drive him out of that Possession which he holds either in the Bodies or in the Souls of Men. Obs 5. The Charge which our Saviour brings against the Scribes and Pharisees for Blaspheming his Divine Power in working Miracles He charges them with sinning the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost All Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven but he that shall Blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never Forgiveness As if Christ had said All the Reproaches which you cast upon me as Man are pardonable as when you check me with the Poverty and Meaness of my Birth when you censure me for a Wine-bibber a Glutton a Friend and Companion of Sinners and the like unjust Crimes But when you Blaspheme that Divine Power by which all my Miracles are wrought and contrary to the Convictions of your own enlightned Minds maliciously ascribe all my Miracles to the Power of the Devil which were wrought indeed by the Power of the Holy Ghost this makes your Condition not only dangerous but desperate because you resist the last Remedy and oppose the best Means for your Conviction For what can be done more to convince you that I am the true and promised Messiah than to work so many Miracles before your Eyes to that Purpose Now if when you see these you will say it is not the Spirit of God that works these but the Power of the Devil as if Satan would conspire against himself and seek the Ruin of his own Kingdom there is no Way or Means left to convince you but you will continue in your Obstinacy and malicious Opposition to Truth to your unutterable and inevitable Condemnation 31 There came then his
the extream Malice and Cruelty of the Devil against Mankindâ— in that so many evil Spirits did at once afflict and torment a single Person even a Legion many Thousands of them Observe also The Unity and Agreement which is amongst these evil Spirits in doing Mischief tho' there was a Legion of them in this one Person yet they have all but one Name Learn That the very Devils have a sort of Unity amongst themselves and in their Malice and mischievous Designs against Mankind they are as one How happy were it if good Men were as much united in Designs and Endeavours for the Glory of God as Devils conspire and combine against it Note 7. The Outcry which the Devil makes at the Appearance and Approach of Christ Art thou come to torment us before the time From thence Learn 1. That there are Tortures appointed to the Spiritual Natures of evil Angels 2. That the Devils are not so full of Torment as they shall be Altho' they are as full of Discontent as they can be there will be a Time when their Torments shall be encreased when they shall have their Fill of torment This they know and accordingly thus they pray Torment us not before our Time That is encrease not our Torments before the appointed time of their Encrease Note 8. The Devils Request for Permission and Leave to go into the Herd of Swine Where Observe First The Devil's Malice he will hurt the poor Beasts rather than not hurt at all Secondly His powerful Restraint he cannot hurt a Pig without a Permission Suffer us to enter Satan's Malice indeed is infinite but his Power is bounded it is Potestas sub potestate A Power under a Power If he could not hurt the Swine much less can he afflict the Body or Soul of Man without Leave and Licence Note 9. How Satan's Request is yeilded to by our Saviour he permits the Devils to enter into the Swine not to satisfie their Desire in doing Mischief But First To shew his Power over the Devils that they could do nothing without his Permission Next To shew how great the Power and Malice of the Devil would be if not restrained and Lastly That the Miracle of casting out such a Multitude of Devils might appear to be the greater Learn hence That sometimes Almighty God for wise Ends and just Causes doth suffer the Devil to enjoy his Desire in doing Hurt and Mischief unto the Creatures Jesus said unto them Go. Note 10. What a contrary Effect this Miracle which Christ wrought had upon these People instead of believing his Divine Power upon the Sight of his miraculous healing the possessed the Loss of their Swine enrages them and makes them desire Christ to depart from them Carnal Hearts preferr their Swine before their Saviour and had rather lose Christ's Presence than their Worldly Profit So desirous were these Gadarens to get rid of our Saviour's Company that they pray and beseech him to depart out of their Coasts Learn hence Sad is the Condition of such from whom Christ departs more sad the Condition of such who say unto Christ Depart but most sad the Case of them who pray and beseech Christ to depart from them Thus did these Gadarens desire and beseech Christ to depart from them which accordingly he did and we read no more of his Return to them Note lastly How desirous the possessed Man was to continue with Christ after he was come to himself He prayed that he might be with him This he might desire partly to testifie his Thankfulness to Christ partly out of fear of being repossess'd again by Satan or perhaps to have the Opportunity of hearing Christ's Doctrine and seeing his Miracles For such as have once tasted that the Lord is gracious and experienced the Pleasure and Profit of Christ's Company are very desirous of the Continuance of it and exceeding loth to part with it However our Saviour at this time did not think fit to suffer him knowing that more Glory would redound to God by publishing this Miracle to his Friends Christ expects after eminent Deliverances wrought for us that we should be the Publishers of his Praises and declare to all far and near the great things which God hath done for us 21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side much people gathered unto him and he was nigh unto the sea 22 And behold there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue Jairus by name and when he saw him he fell at his feet 23 And besought him greatly saying My little daughter lieth at the point of death I pray thee come and lay thy hands on her that she may be healed and she shall live 24 And Jesus went with him and much people followed him and thronged him Obs here 1. The Person who came to Christ on Behalf of his sick Daughter described by his Name Jairus by his Office a Ruler of the Synagogue by his Gesture he fell down at Jesus Feet and worshipped him This Gesture of his was not only a Sign of tender Affection in him towards his Daughter but also an Evidence of his Faith in our Blessed Saviour 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 thine 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 All that come to Christ are not alike strong in Faith yet our blessed Redeemer refuses none who come to him with a smeere Faith tho' in much Weakness of Faith Obs 2. How readily our Saviour complies with Jairus's Request Jesus went with him Altho' his Faith was but weak yet our Saviour doth not reject him or deny his Sute but readily goes with him Learn hence How ready we should be to go to Christ in all our Distresses Afflictions and Necessities who is so ready to hear and so forward to help us if we seek him in Sincerity tho' our Faith be feeble Obs 3. The great Humility of our Blessed Saviour in suffering himself to be thronged by poor People Much People followed him and thronged him Oh humble and lowly Saviour How free was thy Conversation from Pride and Haughtiness How willing to converse with the meanest of the People for their Advantage Our Lord did not only suffer them to come near him but even to throng him What an Example is here for the greatest Persons upon Earth to imitate and follow not to despise the Persons nor disdain the Presence of the meanest and poorest of the People but to look upon some with an Eye of Favour upon others with an Eye of Pity upon none with an Eye of Contempt 25 And a certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians and had spent all that she had and was nothing bettered but
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
Herodians The Pharisees were against paying Tribute to Cesar looking upon themselves as a free People and the Emperor as an Usurper but the Herodians were for it Herod being made by the Roâ—an Emperor King over the Jews he was very zealous for having the Jews pay Tribute to Cesar and such of the Jews as sided with him particularly his Courtiers and Favourites were called Herodians Note 2. The Policy and wicked craft here used in imploying these two contrary Parties to put this question to our Saviour concerning Tribute thereby laying him under a Necessity as they hoped to offend one side let them answer how he would if to please the Pharisees he denied paying Tribute to Cesar then he is accused of Sedition if to gratify the Herodians he voted for paying Tribute to Cesar then he is lookt upon as an Enemy to the liberty of his Country and exposed to a popular Odium Thus has it all along been the practise of Satan and his Instruments to draw the Ministers of God into dislike either with the Magistrates or with the People that they may fall under the Censure of the one or the Displeasure of the other Obs 3 With what wisdom and caution our Lord answers them he calls for the Roman Penny answering to seven pence half penny of our Money two of which they paid by way of Tribute as Poll-money for every head to the Emperour Christ asks them whose Image or Superscription this their Coyn bore They answer Cesars Render then says he to Cesar the things that are Cesars as if our Lord had said your admitâ—ing of the Râ—man Coyn amongst you is an Evidence that you are under Subjection to the Roman Emperour because the Coâ—ning and imposing of Money is an Act of Soveraign Authority therefore you having owned Cesar's Authority over you by accepting of his Coyn amongst you Give unto him his just dues and render unto Cesar the things that are Cesars Learn hence 1. That our Saviour was no Enemy to Magistracy and Civil Government there was no truer Pay-master of the King 's dues than he that was King of Kings he preach'd it and he practised it Matth. 17.27 2. Where a Kingdom is in Subjection to a Temporal Prince whither his Right be by Discent Election or by Conquest the Subjects ought from a principle of Conscience to pay Tribute to him 3. That as Christ is no Enemy to the Civil Rights of Princes and his Religion exempts none from paying their Civil dues so Princes should be as careful not to rob him of his Divine Honour as he is not to wrong them of their Civil Rights as Christ Requires all his Followers to render unto Cesar the things that are Cesars so should Princes oblige all their Subjects to Render unto God the things that are Gods 18 Then come unto him the Sadduces which say there is no Resurrection and they asked him saying 19 Masters Moses wrote unto us if a man's brother die and leave his wife behind him and leave no Children that his brother should take his wife and raise up seed unto his brother 20 Now there were seven brethren and the first took a wife and dying left no seed 21 And the second took her and died neither left he any seed and the third likewise 22 And the seven had her and left no seed last of all the woman died also 23 In the Resurrection therefore when they shall rise whose wife shall she be of them for the seven had her to wife 24 And Jesus answering said unto them do ye not therefore err because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God 25 For when they shall rise from the dead they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels which are in Heaven 26 And as touching the dead that they rise have ye not read in the Book of Moses how in the bush God spake unto him saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and of Jacob 27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living ye therefore do greatly err Our Blessed Saviour having put the Pharisees and Herodians to silence in the former verses here he encounters the Sadduces This Sect derived its name from one Sadock who denied the Immortality of the Soul the Resurrection of the Body and Angels and Spirits Here they propound a case to our Saviour of a Woman who had seven Brethren successively to her Husbands they demand whose wise of the seven this Woman shall be at the Resurrection as if they had said if there be a Resurrection of Bodies surely there will be of Relations too and the other World if there be such a place will be like this in which Men will marry as they do here and if so whose Wife of the seven shall this Woman be they all having an equal claim to her Now our Saviour for resolving of this question first shews the different state of Men in this and in the other World The Children of this World says our Saviour marry and are given in Marriage but in the Resurrection they do neither As if Christ had said after Men have lived a while in this World they die and therefore Marriage is necessary to maintain a succession of Mankind But in the other World men shall become immortal and live for ever and then the reason of Marriage will wholly cease for when Men can die no more there will be no need of any new supplies of Mankind Observe Secondly That our Saviour having got clear of the Sâ—duces Objection by taking away the foundation and ground of it he produceth an Arâ—ument for the proof of the Souls Immortality and the Bodies Resurrection Those to whom Almighty God pronounces himself a God are certainly a live but God pronounced himself a God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob many hundred years after their Bodies were dead therefore their Souls are yet alive for otherwise God could not be their God because he is not the God of the Dead but of the Livâ—ng From the whole Note 1. That there is no Opinion so monstrous and absurd that having had a Mother will die for lack of a Nurse The beastly Opinion of the mortality of the Soul and the Annihilation of the Body finds Saduces to profess and propagate it Nâ—te 2. The certainty of another life after this in which Men shall be eternally happy or intollerably miserable according as they behave themselves here Though some Men live like Beasts yet they shall not die like them nor shall their last end be like theirs Note 3. That glorified Saints in the morning of the Resurrection shall be like the glorious Angels not like them in Essence and Nature but like them in their Properties and Qualities in Holiness and Purity in Immortality and Incorruptibility as also in their manner of living they shall stand in no more need of Meat and Drink then the Angels do but shall live the same heâ—venly immortal and
incorruptible life that the Angels live Note 4. That all those who are in Covenant with God whose God the Lord is their Souls do immediately pass into Glory and their Bodies at the Resurrectson shall be sharers in the same happiness with their Souls if God be just the Soul must live and the body must rise for good men must be Rewarded and wicked men Punished somewhere either in this life or in another God will most certainly at one time or other plentifully Reward the Righteous and punish the wicked doers But this being not always done in this life the justice of God requires that it be done in the next 28 And one of the Scribes came and having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that he had answered them well asked him which is the first Commandment of all 29 And Jesus answered him the first of all the Commandments is this Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength this is the first Commandment 31 And the sâ—cond is like namely this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self there is none other Commandment greater then these 32 And the Scribes said unto him well Master thou hast said the truth for there is one God and there is none other but he 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the soul and with all the strength and to love his Neighbour as himself is more then all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly he said unto him Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God And no man after that durst ask him any question Observe here 1. A Question propounded to our Blessed Saviour and his answer thereunto the Question propounded is this Which is the first and great Commandment Our Saviours tells them it is to love God with all their heart and soul with all their mind and strength that is with all the powers faculties and abilities of the Soul with the highest measures and most intent degrees of Love this is the sum of the Duties of the first Table this is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it he doth not say equal with it Although the duties of the second Table are of the same Authority and of the same necessity with the first as no man can be saved without the Love of God so neither without the love of his Neighbour Whence Note 1. That the fervency of all our Affections and particularly the supremacy of our Love is required by God as his right and due Love must pass thorough and possess all the powers and faculties of our Souls the mind must meditate 〈◊〉 God the Will must chose and embrace him and the Affections must delight in him the measure of loving God is to love him without measure God reckons that we love him not all if we love him not above all Note 2. That thus to love God is the first great Commandment Great in regard of its Object which is God the first cause and the chief good Great in regard of the Obligation of it To love God iâ— so indispensable a Duty that God himself cannot free us from the obligation of it for so long as he is God and we his Creatures we shall lye under a natural and necessary oblâ—â—â—ation to love and serve him Great also is this Command and Duty in regard of the Duration and Câ—ntinuance of it when Faith shall be swallowed up in visâ—on and hope in â—â—â—ition Love will then be perfected in a full Enjoyment Note 3. That every man may yea ought to love himsâ—lf not his sinful self but his natural self especially his spiritual sâ—â—â— the new nature in him Thus it ought to be his particular care to strengthen and encrease indeed there is no express command in Scripture for a Man to love himself because the Light of Nature directs and the Law of Nature binds â—very man so to do God has put a principle of self-love and of self-preservation into all his Creatures but espâ—câ—ally into Man Note 4. That aâ— every man ouâ—ht to love himself so is it every Man's duty to love his Neighbour as himself not as he doth love himself but as he ought to love himself yet not in the same deâ—ree that he loves himself but after the same manner and with the same kind of love that he loves himself As we love our selves freely and readily sincerely and unfeignedly tenderly and compassionately constantly and continually so should we love our Neighbour also though we love him not as much as we love our selves yet must we love him as truly as we love our sâ—lves Nâ—te lastly That the Duties of the first and second Table â—re iâ— seperable namely love to God and love to our Neighbour these two must not be separated he that loveth not his Neighbour whom he hath seen never loved God whom he hath not seen A conscientious regard to the Duties of both Tables will be an Argument of our Sincerity and an Ornament to our Profession Observe lastly The favourable censure which our Saviour passes upon this Scribe he 〈…〉 he was not far from the Kingdâ—m of God Nâ—te here 1. Some persons may be said to be far and farther then others thâ—m the Kingdom of Heaven some are farther in reâ—ard of the means they want the Ordinances the Dispensation of the Word and Sacraments others are far from the Kingdom of God in regard of qualifications and dispâ—sitions of the former sort are all Heathens without the pale of the Church they are afar off as the Apostle expresses it Eph. 2.13 of the latter sort are all gross and close Hypocrites within the Church who whilst they continue such shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Note 2. As some Persons may be sâ—â—d to be far from the Kingdom of God so are there otherâ— which may be said not to be far such who have escaped the pâ—llutions of the World abstained from open and scandalous Sins are less wicked then multitudes are but are strangers to an inward thorough and prevailing change in the frame of their Hearts and course of their Lives they have often said I would be but they never said I will be the Lords When the work of Regeneration is brought to the Birth after all it proves an abortion Lord what a disappointment will this be to perish within sight of the promisâ—d Land to bâ— near Heaven in our expectation and yet never the nearer in the Issue and Event Wo unto us if this be the Câ—â—â—â—â—â—n of any of us who have all our days sat under the D 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on of thy Gospel 35 And Jesus answered and said while he taught in the Temple how sâ—y the Scribes that Christ is the Son of David 36 For David himself
with our Return to Nazareth as with our going up to Jerusalem Observe further tho' Joseph and Mary returned home the Child Jesus unknown to them stays behind Their back was no sooner turn'd upon the Temple but his Face was towards it Christ had Business in that place which his Parents knew not of They missing him seek him in the company concluding him with their Kinsfolk and Acquaintance from whence we may gather that the Parents of Christ knew him to be of a sweet and sociable of a free and Conversative not of a sullen and morose Disposition They did not suspect him to be wandered into Fields or Deserts but when they mist him sought him among their Kinsfolk had he not wonted to converse formerly with them he had not now been sought amongst them Our Blessed Saviour when on Earth did not take pleasure in a wild retiredness in a froward austerity but in a mild affability and amiable Conversation and herein also his Example is very instructive to us 46 And it came to pass that after three days they found him in the temple sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers At Twelve years old our Saviour disputes in the Temple with the Doctors of the Law Never had those great Rabbies heard the voice of such a Tutor Thus in our Saviour's Non-age he gives us a proof of his Proficiency even as the Springs shews us what we may hope for of the Tree in Summer Our Saviour discovered his Accomplishments by degrees had his Perfections appeared all at once they had rather dazled then delighted the eyes of the Beholders even as the Sun would confound all eyes should it appear at its first Rising in its full strength Christ could now have taught all those great Rabbies the deep Mysteries of God but being not yet called by his Father to be a publick Teacher he contents himself to hear with Diligence and to ask with Modesty Learn hence That Parts and Abilities for the Ministerial Function are not sufficient to warrant our Undertaking of it without a regular Call Christ himself would not run no not of his Heavenly Fathers Errand before he was sent much less should we 48 And when they saw him they were amazed and his mother said unto him son why hast thou thus dealt with us Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing Without doubt it was impossible to express the sorrow of the holy Virgin 's Soul when all the search of three days could bring them no tidings of their Holy Child How did she blame her Eyes for once looking off this Object of her Love and spend both days and nights in a passionate bemoaning of her Loss O Blessed Saviour who can miss Thee and not mourn for Thee Never any Soul conceived Thee by Faith but was apprehensive of thy worth and sensible of thy want What Comforts are we capable of while we want Thee and what relish can we taste in any earthly Delight without Thee 49 And he said unto them how is it that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my fathers business Observe here That Christ blames not his Parents for their sollicitous care of him but shews them how able he was to live without any dependency upon them and their care and also to let them understand that higher respects had called him away that as he had meat to eat so had he work to do which they knew not of For says he Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers Business as if he had said Altho' I owe respect to you as my natural Parent yet my Duty to my Heavenly Father must be preferred I am about his work promoting his Glory and propagating his Truth We have also a Father in Heaven oh how good is it to steal away from our earthly Distractions that we may imploy our selves immediately in his Service that when the World makes inquiry after us we may say as our Saviour did before us wist ye not that I must be about my fathers business 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them 51 And he went down with them and went to Nazareth and was subject unto them but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart 52 And Jesus encreased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man The most material passage of our Saviour's Life for the first twelve years is here Recorded namely his disputing with the Doctors in the Temple how he spent the next eighteen years namely till he was Thirty the Scripture doth not mention It is here said that he lived with and was Subject to his Parents obeying their commands and as it is believed following their employments working upon the Trade of a Carpenter as was observed Mark 6.3 doubtless he did not live an idle Life and why should he that did not abhor the Virgins Womb a Stable and a Manger be supposed to abhor the works of an honest Vocation Observe farther What a singular pattern is here for Children to imitate and follow in their Subjection to their Parents If the greatest and highest of mortals think themselves above their Parents commands our Saviour did not so he pay'd Homage to the Womb that bare him and to his supposed Father that provided for him Let a person be never so high above others he is still below and inferiour to his Parents Jesus dwelt with his Parents and was subject to them Obs Lastly a farther Evidence of our Saviour's Humanity with respect to his Humane Nature which consisted of Body and Soul he did Grow and improve his Body in Stature his Soul in Wisdom and he became every day a more eminent and illustrious Person in the eyes of all being highly in favour both with God and man CHAP. III. 1 NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar Pontius Pilate being Governour of Judea and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the Region of Trachonites and Lysanias as the Tetrarch of Abilene Annas and Caiaphas being the High-priests the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness The two foregoing Chapters gave us an Account of the Birth of our Saviour Christ and of John the Baptist The Evangelist â—ow leaving the History of our blessed Saviour for eighteen years namely till he was thirty years old the Holy Ghost having thought sit to conceal that part of our Saviour's private Life from our knowledge he begins this chapter with a relation of the Baptist's Ministry acquainting us with the time when and the place where and the Doctrine which the Baptist taught Obs 1. The time described when St. John began his publick Ministry namely when Tiberius was Emperour and Annas and Caiphas High-priests 1. in the fifteenth year of Tiberius when the Jews were intirely under
there is required a lawful Authority a righteous Cause an honourable Aim and Intention and a just and righteous manner of Prosecution without Vanity and Ostentation without Cruelty and Oppression Courage and Compassion on the one hand and Cowardise and Cruelty on the other hand do frequently accompany one another 15 And as the people were in expectation and all men mused in their hearts of John whether he were the Christ or not 16 John answered saying unto them all I indeed baptize you with water but one mightier then I cometh the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unlose he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire 17 whose fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor and gather his Wheat into his Garner but the chaff he will burn with Fire unquenchable Observe here 1. How the extraordinariness of John the Baptists Person the earnestness of his Preaching the Acceptableness of his Doctrine and the Exemplariness of his Conversation drew all Persons to an Admiration of him insomuch that they began to think within themselves whether he were not the Messias himself He plainly tells them he was not but only his Servant his Harbinger and Fore-runner Obs 2. The high Opinion which John had of Christ he is mightier than I that is a Person of greater Authority Dignity and Excellency than my self From whence may be gathered that tho' Christ was man he was more then Man even very God equal with the Father for John himself was the greatest of them that were born of Women Matth. 11.11 yet says John Christ is mightier then I. How so but in regard of the Dignity of his Person being both God and Man he that cometh after me is mightier then I. Obs 3. The humble and low Estimation that the Holy Baptist had of himself his Shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unlose a Proverbial Speech implying that he was unworthy to do the lowest Offices and meanest Services for Christ Lord how well does humility of Mind an humble Apprehension and a low opinion of themselves become the Messengers and Ministers of Christ John was a Man of eminent Abilities yet of exemplary Humility he thought himself unworthy to unlose Christ's Shoe Obs 4. John does not only declare the Dignity of Christ's Person but the Excellency of his Office He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire as if he had said I only wash the Body with water but Christ cleanses the Soul by the operation of his Holy Spirit which is as fire in the effects of it purifying the hearts of his People from Sin and consuming their Lusts and Corruptions yet at the same time having fiery Indignation and flaming Judgments to destroy and burn up impenitent Sinners like dry Stubble Observable it is in Scripture that Christ is represented by one and the same Metaphor of fire in a way of Comfort to his Children and in a way of Terror to his Enemies he is a fire unto Both. He sits in the hearts of his people as a Refiners fire he is amongst his Enemies as a Consuming fire a fire for his Church to take Comfort in a fire for his Enemies to perish by Observe Lastly how the Holy Baptist compares our Saviour to an Husbandman and the Jewish Church to a Barn floor the office of the Husbandman is to thresh fan and winnow his Corn separating it from the Chaff preserving the one and consuming the other Observe 1. That the Church is Christ's floor 2. That this Floor Christ will purge and that thoroughly 3. That the Word of Christ is the Fan in his hand by and with which he will thoroughly purge his Floor The Church is compared to a Floor upon the account of that Mixture which is in the Church In a Floor there is Straw as well as Grain Chaff as well as Corn Tares as well as Wheat Cockel and Darnel as well as good Seed Thus in the Church there has been there is and ever will be a mixture of good and bad Saints and Sinners Hypocrites and Sincere Christians but this floor Christ will purge purge it but not break it up purge out its Corruptions but not destroy its Essence and existence And the Fan in Christ's hand with which he will purge his Floor is his Holy word accompanied with the wing of Discipline The Fan detects and discovers the Chaff and the Wing dissipates and scatters it and by the help of both the Floor is purged his Fan is in hand and he will thoroughly purge c. 18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people 19 But Herod the Tetrarch being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philips wife and for all the evils which Herod had done 20 Added yet this above all that he shut up John in prison Observe here 1. In John the Baptist the character of a zealous and faithful Minister of the Gospel he is one that deals plainly and durst tell the Greatest Persons of their Faults Herod tho' a King is reproved by him for his Adultery and Incest The Crown and Scepter of Herod could not daunt the faithful Messenger of God There ought to meet in the Ministers of Christ both courage and impartiality courage in fearing no faces and impartiality in sparing no sins Obs 2. Who it was that Imprisoned and Beheaded the Holy Baptist Herod a King How sad is it when Kings who should be nursing Fathers to the Church do prove the bloody Butchers of the Prophets of God The severest Persecutions which the Ministers of God have fallen under have been occasioned by their telling great Men of their Crimes Men in power are impatient of Reproof and imagine that their Authority gives them a License to transgress Obs 3. The heinous aggravations of this Sin in Herod He added this to all his other Sins that he shut up John in prison This evidenced him incorrigible and unreclaimable John had preacht before Herod and Herod had heard John with some Delight but he had a darling lust which occasioned his Destruction Learn thence that Hypocrites may hear the word with some pleasure and do many things with some delight but they have always some beloved Lust that must be spared they will neither part with it nor bear Reproof for it Herod sticks not to cut off that Head whose Tongue was so bold to reprove him for his Lusts 21 Now when all the people were Baptized it came to pass thâ—t Jesus also being Baptized and praying the heavens were opened Obs 1. The great Condescension of Christ in seeking and submitting to the Baptism of John Christ tho' John's Lord and Master yet yields to be Baptized of his Servant and Messenger Obs 2. The Reasons why Christ would be Baptized 1. That by this Rite he might enter himself into the Society of Christians as he had before by Circumcision entred into the Society of the Jews 2. That he might by his own Baptism
people who being ignorant of his Extraction look upon his Breeding as well as his Calling to be Divine This good use ought to be made of our Saviour's Observation that his Ministers be very wise and discreet in Conversation with their People not making themselves cheap and common in every Company nor light and vain in any Company for such Familiarity will breed contempt both of their Persons and their Doctrine But our Duty is by strictness and gravity of deportment to keep up an awe and esteem in the Consciences of our People always tempering our Gravity with Courtesy and a Condescending Affability that Minister which prostitutes his Authority frustrates the end of his Ministry and is the occasion of his own Contempt 25 But I tell you of a truth many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias when the heavens were shut up three years and six months when great Famine was throughout all the Land 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a city of Sidon unto a woman that was a widow 27 And many Lepers were in Israel in the time of Elizeas the Prophet and none of them was cleansed saving Naaman the Syrian Here our Saviour by a double instance confirms what he had last told his Country-men at Nazareth namely that Prophets are most despised by their own Country men and Acquaintance and that Strangers oft-times have more Advantage by a Prophet than his own People The first instance of this which our Saviour gives them is in the days of Elias tho' there were many Widows then in his own Nation yet none of them were qualified to receive his Miracles but a Stranger a Widow of Sareptha The second instance was in the days of Elisha when tho' there were many Lepers in and about his Neighbourhood yet they being his Country-men despised him and none were qualified for a Cure but Naaman the Syrian a man of another Country Thus the Prophets of God like some Fishermen catch least in their own Pond and do more good by their Ministry among strangers then amongst their own Country-men Kinsfolk and near Relations No Prophet is accepted in his own Country 28 And all they in the Synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath 29 And rose up and thrust him out of the city and led him unto the Brow of the Hill whereon their city was built that they might cast him down headlong 30 But he passing thro' the midst of them went his way Observe here 1. The horrid Impiety of the People of Nazareth in thrusting their Saviour out of their City and their barbarous and bloody Cruelty in bringing him to the Brow of the Hill with full intent to cast him down headlong But Christ was to dye a clean contrary way not by throwing down but by lifting up Oh ungrateful and unhappy Nazareth is this the Return you make that Divine Guest which for Thirty Years had sojourned in your Coasts No wonder that the ablest Preaching and most exemplary Living of the Holiest and best of Christ's Ministers obtain no greater success at this day amongst a people when the presence of Christ at Nazareth for thirty Years together had no better influence upon the Minds and Manners of that People but instead of Receiving his Message they rage at the Messenger Neither let any of the Ministers of Christ think it strange that they are ignominiously despised when our Master before us was in danger of being barbarously Murthered and that for his plain Preaching to his own People the Men of Nazareth But Obs 2. The miraculous escape of our Blessed Lord from the murdering hands of the wicked Nazarites he passing through the midst of them went his way How and after what manner he escaped is not declared and therefore cannot without presumption be determined Altho' the Rhemists to make way for their Doctrine of Transubstantiation positively affirm that contrary to the nature of a Body he penetrated thorough the Breasts of the People But whether he struck them with Blindness that they did not see or smote them with fear that they durst not hold him or whether by a greater strength then theirs which his Godhead could easily supply his Humane Nature with he escaped from them it is neither prudent to inquire nor possible to determine we know it was an easy thing for him who was God as well as Man to quit himself of any Mortal Enemies and at the same time when he rescued himself could have ruin'd them by frowning them into Hell or looking them into nothing 31 And came down to Capernaum a city of Galilee and taught them on the Sabbath-days 32 And they were astonished at his Doctrine for his word was with power 33 And in the Synagogue there was a man which had a Spirit of an unclean Devil and he cryed out with a loud voice 34. Saying let us alone What have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy one of God 35 And Jesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace and come out of him and when the Devil had thrown him in the midst he came out of him and hurt him not 36 And they were all amazed and spake among themselves saying what a word is this for with Authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits and they come out 37 And the same of him went out into every place of the Country round about Our Blessed Saviour being driven out of Nazareth by the fury of his Country-men departs to Capernaum where he enters into their Synagogues and taught Who can declare the pains that our Saviour took and the hazards which he ran in preaching the Everlasting Gospel to lost Sinners But observe the smalness of his Success the People were astonished but not believed his Doctrine produced Admiration but not faith his Auditors were Admirers but not Believers the People were astonished at his Doctrine the reason of which Astonishment is added for his word was with power that is there was Majesty in his Person Spirituality in his Preaching and powerful Miracles accompanying both and confirming Both of which the Evangelist here gives us an account namely the casting out of a Devil in one possessed v. 33. There was a man which had a Spirit of an unclean Devil and he cryed out that is the Devil that unclean Spirit did enter into him and bodily possess him Amongst many other Calamities which sin has brought upon our Bodies this is one to be Bodily possest by Satan The Devil has an inveterate Malice against Mankind seeking to ruine our Souls by his Suggestions and Temptations and to destroy our Bodies by some means or other Oh how much is it our Interest as well as our Duty by Prayer to put our selves morning and evening under the Divine care and Protection that we may be preserved from the power and malice of Evil Spirits Obs 2. The Title here given
to the Devil he is called the Vnclean Spirit The Devils those wicked Spirits of Hell are most impure and filthy Creatures impure by reason of their original Apostacy impure by means of their actual and daily Sins such are Murder Malice Lying and the like by which they continually pollute themselves and impure by means of their continual desire and endeavours to pollute Mankind with the Contagion of their own sins Lord how foul is the nature of Sin which makes the Devil such a foul and filthy such an impure and unclean Creature Obs 3. The Substance of the Devil's out-cry Let us alone What have we to do with thee art thou come to destroy us that is to restrain us from the exercise of our power the Devil thinks himself destroyed when he is restrained from doing Mischief Obs 4. The Title given by the Devil to our Saviour he stiles him The Holy one of God How comes this Acknowledgment out of the Devil's Mouth could an Apostle make a Profession beyond this but how comes Satan to make it for no good end and with no good intention we may be sure for the Devil never speaks Truth for Truth-sake but for advantage-sake probably 1. he might make this Profession that so he might bring the Truth profest into question hoping that a Truth which received Testimony from the Father of Lies would be suspected or 2. it might perhaps be done to make the People believe that our Saviour had some familiarity with Satan and did work Miracles by his help because he did confess him and seem to put honour upon him Hence we may Learn That it is possible for a Person to own and acknowledge Christ to be the True and Only Saviour and yet to miss of Salvation by him If a Speculative Knowledge and a verbal Profession of Christ were sufficient to Salvation the Devil himself would not miss of Happiness Obs 5. How our Saviour rebukes the Devil for this Confession and commands him Silence Jesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace But why was this Rebuke given the Devil and his Mouth stopt when he spake the Truth Answer 1. Because Christ knew that the Devil confest this Truth on purpose to Disgrace the Truth 2. Because the Devil was no fit Person to make this Profession a Testimony of Truth from the father of Lies is enough to render Truth it self suspected Yet the Devil's Evidence that Christ was the Holy One of God will rise up in Judgment against the wicked Pharisees who shut their Eyes against the Miracles and stopt their Ears against the Doctrine of the Holy One of God Observe lastly How the unclean Spirit obeys the voice of Christ but with great Reluctancy and Regret when the unclean Spirit had thrown him in the midst he came out Where Observe The Devil's spite at parting he tares the Man throws him violently from place to place shewing how loth he was to be dispossessed Where Satan has once gotten an hold and settled himself for a time how unwilling is he to be cast out of Possession Yea it is a Torment and vexation to him to be cast out It is much easier to keep Satan out then to cast him out Satan may possess the Body by God's Permission but he cannot possess our Hearts without our own Consent and Approbation it will be our Wisdom to deny him Entrance into our Souls at first by Rejecting his wicked Motions and Suggestions for when once entered he will like the strong Man Armed keep the House till a stronger then he casts him out 38 And he arose out of the Synagogue and entred into Simons house and Simons wives mother lay sick of a fever and they besought him for her 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever and it left her and immediately she arose and ministred unto them Here Observe 1. That St. Peter a Disciple yea an Apostle was a Married Person Neither the Prophets of the Old Testament nor the Apostles of the New did abhor the Marriage-Bed nor judge themselves too pure for an Institution of their Maker The Church of Rome by denying the Lawfulness of Priest's Marriage makes her self wiser then God who says Heb. 13.4 Marriage is Honourable amongst All men Observe 2. Peter tho a Good Man and his Wifes Mother probably a Gracious Woman yet is his Family visited with Sickness Strength of Grace and Dearness of Respect even from Christ himself cannot prevail against Diseases God's own Children are visited with Bodily Sickness as well as others Observe 3. The Divine Power of Christ manifested in this miraculous Cure He stood over her says St. Luke he took her by the hand and lift her up says St. Mark Here was an ordinary Distemper cured after an extraordinary manner by a touch of Christ's hand in an instant Immediately the Fever left her and she arose and ministred unto them That she could arise argued her Cure Miraculous that she could and did arise and administer to Christ and his Disciples argued her Thankfulness After Christ had healed any of us it ought to be our first care to Administer unto him that is to employ our Recovered Strength in the Service of Christ and to improve our Restored Health to the Honour and Glory of Christ 40 Now when the sun was setting all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them 41 And Devils also came out of many crying out and saying Thou art Christ the son of God and he rebuked them and suffered them not to speak for they knew that he was Christ The Evangelist here declares sundry other Cures wrought by our Saviour he healed the Sick and dispossessed the Devils In our Saviour's time we read of many possessed with Devils and but of few either before or afterward Probably 1. Because Satan perceiving the Messiah to be come in the Flesh to destroy his Kingdom did rage the more and discover greater Malice and Enmity against Mankind 2. Perhaps Almighty God suffered Satan at that time to possess so many that Christ might have occasion to manifest his Divine Power by casting Satan out And accordingly we find our Saviour dispossessing all that were possest by Satan It is added That he suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him that is Christ would not be made known to be the Son of God by the Preaching of the Devil lest the World should from thence take occasion to think that our Saviour held a Correspondency with those wicked Spirits and that the Miracles which he wrought were performed by the Devil's Assistance as being one in Combination with him Possibly from the Devil 's owning Christ to be the Holy one of God the Pharisees concluded that there was a compact and agreement betwixt them and thereupon their Affirmation was Grounded he casteth out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of Devils 42 And when it was day he departed and went
our Best friends is not always seasonable nor acceptable There are Times and Seasons when a Christian would not be willing that his Dearest Relations upon Earth should hear that Intercourse which passes betwixt him and his God Observe 3. The place our Lord withdraws to for private Prayer it is the desert he withdrew into the Wilderness and Prayed both to avoid Ostentation and also to enjoy Communion with his Father The modest Bridegroom of his Church says St. Bernard will not impart himself so freely to his Spouse before Company St. Mark 1.35 adds That our Saviour rose up a great while before day and went into this desert place to pray Teaching us that the Morning is the fit Season yea the best of Seasons for private Duties now are our Spirits freshest and our minds freest before the Distractions of the day break in upon us It is certainly much better to go from Prayer to business then from business to Prayer Note lastly that our Blessed Saviour had no idle hours here in the World his time did not lye upon his hand as ours do he was always either Preaching or Praying or working Miracles either paying Homage to God or doing good to man Lord help us to imitate this thy instructive Example by imbracing all opportunities of Glorifying God and doing good to one another 17 And it came to pass on a certain day as he was teaching that there were Pharisees and Doctors of the Law sitting by which were come out of every Town of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and the power of the Lord was present to heal them 18 And behold men brought in a Bed a man which was taken with the palsey and they sought means to bring him in and to lay him before them 19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude they went upon the house-top and let him down through the Tiling with his Couch into the midst before Jesus 20 And when he saw their faith he said unto him Man thy sins are forgiven thee 21 And the Scribes and the Pharisees began to reason saying Who is this which speaketh Blasphemies who can forgive Sins but God alone 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts he answering said unto them what reason ye in your hearts 23 Whither is easier to say Thy sins be forgiven thee or to say Rise up and walk 24 But that ye may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive Sins he said unto the sick of the Palsy I say unto thee Arise and take up thy Couch and go into thy house 25 And immediately he rose up before them and took up that whereon he lay and departed to his own house glorifying God 26 And they were all amazed and they glorified God and were filled with fear saying We have seen strange things this day As the great End of our Saviours Miracles was to confirm his Doctrine so commonly after his Preaching he wrought his Miracles The Scribes and Pharisees tho' they had no love for our Saviour's person nor value for his Ministry yet they frequently accompanied him wherever he went partly to cavil at his Doctrine and partly out of Curiosity to see his Miracles but Observe the gracious Condescension of our Saviour altho' he well knew that the Pharisees at this time attended upon him with no good intention yet he puts forth his Divine Power in working Miracles before them the power of the Lord was present to heal Not that Christ's Power was at any time absent but it is said now to be present because it was now exerted and put forth at his Will and Pleasure And accordingly at this time before the Pharisees Eyes he Miraculously Cures a Person sick of the Palsy as the Paragraph before us does inform us Wherein Observe 1. The Diseased and Distressed Person one sick of the Palsy which being a Resolution and weakness of the Nerves enfeebles the Joynts and confines a Person to his Bed or Couch As a Demonstration of Christ's Divine Power he was pleased to single out the Palsy and Leprosy incurable Diseases to work a Cure upon Now this Person was so great a Cripple by reason of the Palsy that he could not go nor be led but was carried in his Bed or Couch Observe 2. As the grievousness of the Disease so the greatness of the Peoples Faith The Man and his friends had a firm and full perswasion that Christ was cloathed with a Divine Power and able to help him and they hope in his Goodness that he was willing as well as able And accordingly the Roof of the Jewish Houses being flat they uncover some part of it and let the Bed down with the sick Man in it and lay him at the foot of Christ in hopes of help and healing Observe 3. That no sooner did they exercise their Faith in Believing but Christ exerts his Divine Power in healing yet the Object of their Faith probably was not Christ's Divine Power as God but they look upon him as an extraordinary Prophet to whom God had Communicated such a Divine power as Elijah and Elisha had before him Yet see the marvellous efficacy even of this Faith which obtained not only what was desired but more then was expected They desired only the healing of the Body but Christ heals Body and Soul too saying Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee Thereby our Saviour signifies to them that sin is the meritorious Cause of Sickness and consequently that in Sickness the best way to find ease and deliverance from pain is first to seek for pardon for the sense of pardon will in some degree take away the sense of pain Obs 4. The Exception which the Pharisees take against our Saviour for pronouncing that this Man's Sins were forgiven him they charge him with Blasphemy urging that it is God's peculiar Prerogative to pardon sin indeed their proposition was true but their application was false Nothing more true then that it is the highest Blasphemy for any meer Man to arrogate and assume to himself the incommunicable property of God absolutely and authoritatively to forgive sin But then their denying this power to Christ of Forgiving sins which he had as God from all Eternity and as Mediator GOD and Man in one Person when here on Earth this was Blasphemy in them but the assuming and challenging of it none in him Observe 5. To Cure if possible the obstinacy and blindness of the Pharisees our Saviour gives them a Two-fold Demonstration of his Godhead 1. By letting them understand that he knew their thoughts Jesus perceived their thoughts v. 22. to know the thoughts to search the Hearts and understand the reasonings of Men is not in the power of Angels or Men but the Prerogative of God only 2. By assuming to himself a power to forgive Sins for our Saviour here by taking upon him to forgive sins in his own name and by his own
from your feet for a Testimony against them 6 And they departed and went thro' the Towns preaching the Gospel and healing every where We heard before Ch. 6.13 of our Saviour's choosing his Twelve Apostles and their several Names they were first chosen Disciples to be with Christ to learn of him and be instructed by him and to be Witnesses of what he said and did Now after some time thus spent in preparing and fitting them for publick Service our Saviour sends them forth to preach the Gospel and gives them a power to confirm their Doctrine by Miracles Observe here 1. The Person that sends the Apostles forth to preach the Gospel it is Christ himself Learn thence that none ought to take upon them the Office of Preaching or any other Ministerial Function in the Church till thereunto called by Christ him-himself The Apostles were called by Christ and immediately sent forth by himself The Ministers of the Gospel now are called mediately and receive Authority from Christ by the hand of the Governours of the Church Observe 2. The Power given to the Apostles by our Saviour to Work Miracles for confirming that Doctrine which they preached He gave them power over unclean Spirits c. Now this miraculous Power given to the Apostles was necessary partly to procure Reverence to their Persons being poor and unlearned Men but principally to gain Credit and Authority to their Doctrine for the Doctrine of Faith in the Messiah as now come and exhibited in the Flesh being a strange and new Doctrine to the Jews the truth and certainty of it was to be extraordinarily ratified by Miracles which are the Broad Seal of Heaven to testify that such a Doctrine comes from God Obs 3. The charge here given by Christ to his Apostles at the time of their sending forth and this is Threefold First touching their preparation for their Journey he forbids them to take much care or to spend much time in furnishing themselves with Victuals Money or Cloaths because they were to finish their Journey speedily and to return again to Christ their Master This command of our Saviour to his Apostles not to incumber themselves when going forth to preach the Gospel Teaches his Ministers their Duty to free themselves as much as possibly they can from Worldly incumbrances which may hinder them in their ministerial Services 2 Tim. 2.4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this Life Secondly touching their Lodging in their Journey Christ advises them not to change it during their stay in one place But into whatsoever house they entered they should there continue till they departed out of that place that so they might avoid all shew of lightness and inconstancy and testify all gravity and stayedness in their behaviour this being a special means to gain reverence to their Persons and Authority to their Doctrine Thirdly Christ gives a special Charge to his Apostles concerning their Carriage towards such as should refuse to give entertainment to them and their Doctrine they were to denounce the Judgments of God against such Contemners by shaking off the dust of their feet for a Testimony against them This Action was Emblematical signifying that Almighty God would in like manner shake them off as the vilest Dust for wherever the Word is Preached it is for a Testimony either a Testimony for or against a people for if the dust of a Ministers feet whilst alive and the ashes of his Grave when dead do bear Witness against the Despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more 7 Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was done by him and he was perplexed because that it was said of some that John was risen from the Dead 8 And of some that Elias had appeared and of others that one of the old Prophets was risen again 9 And Herod said John have I beheaded but who is this of whom I hear such things and he desired to see him The History of the Holy Baptist's Beheading by Herod is briefly here hinted at by St. Luke but not largely set forth by him as we find it by St. Matthew ch 14. and St. Mark ch 6. See the Notes there That which St. Luke takes particular notice of is that great perplexity of mind which Herod's guilty Conscience did occasion he had murthered John and now is afraid his Ghost haunted him Herod was perplexed Learn hence That Guilt is naturally troublesome and uneasy it disturbs the peace and serenity of the mind and fills the Soul with Storms and Thunder Guilt is always full of fear every thing affrights the Guilty a bad man is a terror to himself and needs no farther Disquietment then what his own Guilty Conscience doth occasion him 10 And the Apostles when they were returned told him all they had done and he took them and went aside privately into a desert-place belonging to a city called Bethsaida 11 And the people when they knew it followed him and he received them and spake unto them of the kingdom of God and healed them that had need of healing St. Luke here gives a short account of several material passages as 1. concerning the Apostles return to Christ after their first mission and sending forth they acquaint their Master how they had executed their Office and discharged the Trust he had reposed in them 2. He withdraws privately into a desert place from the multitude that he might enjoy himself and his Disciples but there the people find him out and flock after him and Christ whose Meat it was by day and sleep by Night to do good embraces the opportunity bestowing upon their Souls instruction Reproof and Counsel upon their Bodies health and healing teaching us by his example to mix Spiritual Alms with Bodily Relief we must be in fee with the Body sometimes that we may come at the Soul Happy is that Christian whom God has made both able and willing to intermix Spiritual Alms with Corporal and knows how to feed two at once Soul and Body both This is the Duty of all but especially of Spiritual Persons the Lord give us Wisdom and Grace to manage it to advantage 12 And when the day began to wear away then came the Twelve and said unto him send the multitude away that they may go into the Towns and Country round about and lodge and get Victuals for we are here in a desert-place 13 But he said unto them give ye them to eat and they said we have no more but five Loaves and two Fishes except we should go and buy meat for all this people 14 For they were about five thousand men and he said to his Disciples make them sit down by fifties in a Company 15 And they did so and made them all sit down 16 Then he took the five Loaves and the two fishes and looking up to Heaven he blessed them and brake and gave to the Disciples to set before the Multitude 17 And they did eat and were all
and Jesus rebuked the unclean Spirit and healed the child and delivered him to his Father Observe here 1. The Person brought to Christ for help and healing one Bodily possest by Satan who Rent and Tore him but rather to Torment than to Dispatch him Oh how does Satan delight to do hurt to the Bodies as well as the Souls of Mankind Lord abate his Power since his Malice will not be abated Observe 2. The Person who represented his sad Condition to our Saviour his Compassionate Father who kneeled down and cryed 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 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 despair of the Creatures help But what hindered the Disciples that they could not cast this Evil Spirit out why it was their unbelief oh faithless Generation Learn thence That the great Obstacle and Obstruction of all Blessings both Spiritual and Temporal coming to us is our wretched Infidelity and Unbelief Observe 4. The Sovereign Power and absolute Authority which Christ had when on Earth over the Devil and his Angels Jesus rebuked him cast him out and charged him to return no more into him This was a Proof and Demonstration of the Godhead of our Saviour that in his own Name that is by his own Power and Authority he did and could cast the Devils out 43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did he saith unto his Disciples 44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men 45 But they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not and they feared to ask him of that saying Observable it is how frequently our Saviour fore-warned his Disciples of his approaching Sufferings and as the time of his Sufferings drew nearer he did more frequently warn them of his Death But all was little enough to arm them against the Scandal of the Cross and to Reconcile them to the thoughts of his Suffering Condition how an ordinary Prophet should be Delivered into the hands of Men they could easily understand but how the Messias should be so treated they could not apprehend for the Disciples had taken up the Common Opinion That the Messias was to be a Temporal Prince and should Conquer and Reign here upon Earth and how to Reconcile this with being killed they could no ways apprehend and they were afraid to be too particular in their Enquiries about it Now from Christ's so frequent warning his Disciples of his approaching Sufferings we may gather That we can never hear either too often or too much of the Doctrine of the Cross nor be too frequently instructed in our Duty to prepare for a Suffering State as Christ went from his Cross to the Crown from a State of Abasement to a State of Exaltation so must all his Disciples and Followers likewise 46 Then there arose a Reasoning among them which of them should be the greatest 47 And Jesus perceiving the thoughts of their Heart took a child and set him by him 48 And said unto them whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me for he that is least among you all the same shall be great It may justly seem a wonder that when our Blessed Saviour Discoursed so frequently with his Disciples about his Sufferings that they should at the same time be disputing amongst themselves about precedency and preheminency which of them should be the greatest the first in place and the highest in Dignity and Honour But from this Instance we may Learn That the Holiest and Best of Men are too prone to Ambition ready to catch at the Bait of Honour to affect a Precedency before and Superiority over others Here the Apostles themselves were touch'd with the Itch of Ambition to cure this our Saviour sets before them a little Child as the proper Emblem of Humility shewing that they ought to be as free from Pride and Ambition as a young Child which affects nothing of Precedency Such as are of highest Eminency in the Church ought to be singularly adorned with the Grace of Humility looking upon themselves as lying under the greatest Obligations to be most Eminently useful and serviceable for the Churches good 49 And John answered and said Master we saw one casting out Devils in thy name and we forbad him because he followeth not with us 50 And Jesus said unto him forbid him not for he that is not against us is for us Observe here 1. St. John's Relation of a matter of Fact to our Saviour namely his Forbidding one to cast out Devils in Christ's Name that did not follow Christ as they did for tho' only the Disciples which followed Christ had a Commission to work Miracles yet were there others no Enemies to Christ who in imitation of the Disciples did attempt to do the like and God was pleased for the Honour of his Son in whose Name they cast out Devils to give them sometimes Success Observe 2. The Action of the Disciples towards this Person we forbad him because he followed not with us where is Observable their Rashness in Forbidding him of their own Heads before they had consulted Christ about it and their Envy and Emulation in that they were grieved and discontented that good was done because they did not do it it is as hard a matter to look upon the Gifts of others without Envy as it is to look upon our own without Pride Observe 3. Our Saviour's Reply forbid him not Because Our Saviour knew that this Action of casting out Devils in his Name would some ways Redound to his Glory altho' he undertook the matter without Direction from Christ We ought not to censure and condemn those which do that which is good in it self tho' they fail in the manner of their doing of it 51 And it came to pass when the time was come that he should be received up he stedfastly set his Face to go to Jerusalem The time now drew on wherein our Saviour was to be Received up into Heaven and accordingly he sets his Face to go to Jerusalem that he might there Suffer and from thence Ascend Now here we have Observable 1. That altho ' Jerusalem was the Nest of his Enemies the Stage upon which his Bloody Sufferings were to be Acted the fatal place of his Death yet nothing terrified with Danger he sets his Face for Jerusalem that is come what will he will go with an invincible Courage and Resolution Learn thence That altho' Christ had a perfect and exact Knowledge of all the Bitter Sufferings he was to undergo
Satan for casting out of Satan then is the Devil like a Family divided within it self and divided like a Kingdom against it self which can never stand bust must be brought to Destruction Observe Lastly Our Saviour tells the Pharisee that they might with as much reason attribute all other Miracles to the Power of the Devil as those wrought by himself for there were certain Jews amongst them that casts out Devils in the Name of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob now our Saviour asks them by what power these their Children cast them out They acknowledged that what they did was by the Power of God and there was no cause but their malice why they should not acknowledge that what he did was by the same Power If I by Beelzebub cast out Devils by whom do your sons cast them out but if I with the finger of God cast them out no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you that is the long expected Kingdom of the Messias is certainly come and I having wrought these Miracles by my own Power is a Demonstrative proof that I am the promised Messias 21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace 22 But when a stronger then he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divideth his spoil 23 He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth 24 When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a man he walketh thro' dry places seeking rest and finding none he saith I will return to my house whence I came out 25 And when he cometh he findeth it empty swept and garnisht 26 Then goeth he and taketh to him seven other Spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first Our Saviour having sufficiently shewn that he did not Work his Miracles by the Power of the Devil he next informs the Pharisees from whence he had that Power even from God himself accordingly he compares Satan to a strong Man armed with Weapons to defend his House and himself cloathed with Divine Power he compares him to one that is stronger thâ—n the strong Man so that the Argument runs thus the Devil is very strong and powerful and there is no Power but only God's that is stronger than his if then says Christ I were not assisted with a Divine Power I could never cast out this strong Man who Reigns in the Bodies and Souls of Men as in his house for it must be a stronger than the strong Man that shall bind Satan and who is he but the God of strength Learn thence That only Christ's Divine Power is superior to Satans strength he only can vanquish and over-rule him at his pleasure and drive him out of that Possession which he holds either in the Bodies or Souls of Men The strong man armed keeps the house till a stronger than he comes upon him and over-comes him When the unclean Spirit goeth out of a man he walketh thro' dry places seeking rest and findeth none Note here 1. That Satan is an unclean Spirit he hath lost his Original Purity his Holy Nature in which he was Created and is by sin become universally sinful and impure no means being allowed him by God for the purging of his filthy and impure Nature yea he is a perfect Enemy to Purity and Holiness maligning all that Love it and would promote it 2. That Satan is a restless and unquiet Spirit being cast out of Heaven he can rest no where when he is either gone out of a Man by Policy or cast out by Power he has no content or satisfaction till he returns into a filthy Heart where he delights to be as the Swine in miry places 3. That wicked and prophane sinners have this unclean Spirit dwelling in them their Hearts are Satans House and Habitation and the Lusts of Pride and Unbelief Malice and Revenge Envy and Hypocrisy these are the Garnishings and Furniture of Satans House Mans Heart was God's House by Creation 't is now Satan's by Usurpation and judiciary Tradition 4. That Satan by the Preaching of the Gospel may seem to go out of Persons and they become sober and civilized yet may he return again to his old habitation and the latter end of that Man may be worse then the beginning 27 And it came to pass as he spake these things a certain woman of the company lift up her voice and said unto him Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps which thou hast suckt 28 But he said Yea rather Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Observe here 1. How ready we are to admire Persons for their external Priviledges and the favours of Divine Providence and to pronounce such Blessed Blessed is the Womb that bare thee 2. That Christ makes another judgment of Persons and pronounces them more blessed that bear him in their hearts by Faith then his own Mother who bare him in her Womb by sense The Blessedness of being an Obedient Believer is far greater than that of being the Mother of our Blessed Saviour Blessed be God this great and gracious Priviledge is not deny'd unto us now Altho' we cannot see Christ yet love him we may his bodily presence cannot be enjoyed by us but his Spiritual Gracious Presence is not denyed us Tho' Christ be not ours in house in arms by Affinity by Consanguinity yet in Heart in Faith in Love in Service he is or may be ours verily spiritual Regeneration and an obediential doing of God's Will bringeth men into a more Honourable Relation to Christ than natural Generation ever did Yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it 29 And when the people were gathered thick together he began to say this is an evil generation they seek a sign and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonas the Prophet 30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites so shall also the Son of man be to this generation 31 The Queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them for she came from the utmost parts of the Earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here 32 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold a greater than Jonas is here The Sign which the Pharisees here desired of our Saviour was a Miracle wrought by him Now our Saviour tho' he was very ready to work Miracles to encourage and confirm his Hearers Faith yet not to satisfy the unbelieving Pharisees Curiosity And accordingly he tells them they should have no other Sign than that of his Resurrection which Jonas was a Type of Next he threatens them for
our Saviour against the Scribes and Pharisees is for perverting the Holy Scriptures and keeping the true sense and knowledge of them from the People This St. Luke here calls The taking away the Key of Knowledge from Men alluding to a custom among the Jews in Admission of their Doctors Those that had Authority given them to interpret the Law and the Prophets were solemnly admitted into that Office by delivering to them a Key and a Table-Book so that by the Key of Knowledge is meant the Interpretation and Understanding of the Scriptures and by taking away that Key is signified 1. That they arrogated to themselves the sole Power of Understanding and Interpreting the Holy Scriptures 2. That they kept the true knowledge of the Scriptures from the People especially the Prophecies which concerned the Kingdom and Coming of the Messias and so they hindered Men from embracing our Saviour's Doctrine who were otherwise well enough disposed for it Learn First That the written Word is the Key whereby an entrance into Heaven is opened unto Men. 2. That the use of this Key or the Knowledge of the Word of God is absolutely and indispensably necessary in order to Salvation 3. That great is the Guilt and inexcusable the Fault of those who deny the People the use of this Key and deprive them of the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures which alone can make them wise unto Salvation 4. That such as do so shut the Kingdom of Heaven against Men endeavouring what in them lies to hinder their Salvation Men may miscarry with their Knowledge but they are sure to perish for lack of Knowledge 53 And as he said these things unto them the Scribes and Pharisees began to urge him vehemently and to provoke him to speak of many things 54 Laying wait for him and seeking to catch something out of his mouth that they might accuse him Observe here 1. How our Blessed Saviour's Plain and Faithful dealing with these Men does Enrage instead of Reform them they are filled with Anger and Indignation 2. Their Wrath sets their Wits on Work to ensnare him Lord When any of thy Faithful Ministers and Ambassadors meet with the like Usage and Treatment from a wicked World when any lye in wait to catch something out of our Mouth that therewith they may ensnare us give us thy Prudence and thy Patience that we may cut off occasion from those that seek occasion against us and disappoint them of their purpose or else furnish us with such measures of Meekness and Patience as becomes Persons of our Holy Character and Profession that we may Glory in Reproaches in Persecutions and Distresses for Christ's sake and that the Spirit of Glory and of God may rest upon us CHAP. XII 1 IN the mean time when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people insomuch that they trode one upon another he began to say unto his Disciples first of all Beware ye of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisy 2 For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed neither hid that shall not be known 3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the house tops In this Chapter our Blessed Saviour furnishes his Disciples with many Instructions for the worthy discharge of their Function in Preaching the Gospel particularly he recommends unto them two gracious Qualifications namely uprightness and sincerity v. 1 2 3. Secondly Courage and Magnanimity v. 4 5. 1. He recommends unto them the Grace and Vertue of Sincerity Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy Learn thence That hypocrisy is a dangerous Leaven which Ministers and People are chiefly and especially to beware of and to preserve themselves from Hypocrisy is a Vice in a Vizor the Face is Vice the Vizor is Vertue God is pretended self intended Hypocrisy is resembled to Leaven partly for its sowerness partly for its diffusiveness Leaven is a piece of sower dow that diffuses it self into the whole Mass or Lump of Bread with which it is mixed Thus Hypocrisy spreads over all the Man all his Duties Parts and Performances are Leavened with it Again Leaven is of a swelling as well as of a spreading Nature it puffs up the Dough and so doth Hypocrisy the Heart The Pharisees were a sour and proud sort of People they were all for preheminence chief places chief Seats chief Titles to be called Rabbi Rabbi in a word as Leaven is hardly discerned from good Dough at first sight so is Hypocrisy hardly discerned and distinguished from Sincerity The Pharisees outwardly appeared righteous unto Men but within were full of Hypocrisy and Iniquity Observe next the Argument which Christ uses to disswade Men from Hypocrisy There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed as if he had said the day is coming when a rotten and corrupt Heart shall no longer pass under the Vizor and disguise of a demure Look In the day of Judgment Hypocritical sinners shall walk naked GOD Angels and Men shall see their Shame Learn hence That God will certainly e're long wash off all the Varnish and Paint which the Hypocrite has put upon the Face of his Profession and lay him open to the Terrour of himself and the Astonishment of the World 4 And I say unto you my friends Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and after that have no power that they can do 5 But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him The Second Duty which our Saviour presses upon his Disciples is that of Holy Courage and Resolution As if Christ had said The Preaching of the Gospel will stir up many Enemies against you which will malign and oppose you vex and persecute you but I say unto you fear them not who can only kill the Body but fear him who if you fail in your Duty can cast both Body and Soul into Hell Here Note 1. an unwarrantable fear condemned and that is the sinful servile slavish fear of Man Fear not them that can kill the Body 2. An holy awful and prudential fear of the Omnipotent God commended Fear him that is able to kill both Body and Soul 3. The Persons whom this Duty of fear is recommended to and bound upon Disciples Ministers and Ambassadors all the Friends of Christ They not only may but ought to fear him not only for his greatness and goodness but upon the account of his punitive Justice as being able to cast both Soul and Body into Hell Such a fear is not only Lawful but Lawdable not only Commendable but Commanded and not misbecoming the Friends of Christ The Ministers of God may use Arguments from fear of Judgments both to disswade from Sin and to perswade to Duty It is not unsuitable to the best of Saints
to keep in Heavens way for fear of Hell 't is good to bid a Friend fear when that fear tendeth to his good 6 Are not five Sparrows sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgotten before God 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered fear not therefore ye are of more value than many Sparrows Obs here 1. The Doctrine which our Saviour Preaches to his Disciples and that is the Doctrine of the Divine Providence which concerns it self for the meanest Creatures Even the Birds of the Air and the Hairs of our Heads do fall within the Compass of God's protecting Care Observe 2. Tha use which our Saviour makes of this Doctrine namely to fortify his Disciples Spirits against all Distrustful fears and distracting cares Learn hence 1. That the Consideration of the Divine Care and Gracious Providence of God over us and ours ought to Antidote our Spirits against all distrustful fears whatsoever If an hair from the Head falls not to the ground without a Providence much less shall the Head it self If the very excrements of the Body such are the Hair be taken care of by God surely the more Noble parts of the Body but especially the Noblest part of our Selves our Souls shall fall under his particular Regard 8 Also I say unto you whosoever shall confess me before men him shall the Son of man confess before the Angels of God 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the Angels of God Note here 1. That not to confess Christ is in his account to deny him and to be ashamed of him 2. That whosoever shall deny oâ— be ashamed of Christ either in his Person in his Gospel or in his Members for any fear or favour of Man shall with shame be disowned and eternally rejected by him at the dreadful Judgment of the great day Christ may be denied three ways Doctrinally by an erroneous and heretical Judgment verbally by oral expressions vitally by a wiâ—ked and unholy Life but wo to that Soul that denies Christ any of these ways 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but unto him that blasphemâ—th against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven Altho' never Man Preached or Lived as Christ did yet there were those that spake against him the Person of Jesus was contemned and reproached for the meanness of his Birth for the poverty of his Condition for the freedom of his Conversation but this sin did not exclude the hope of pâ—rdon Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son â—f Man it shall be forgiven him all the Reproaches cast upon Christ as Man were pardonable But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be fsrgiven him that is whoever affirms that Divine power by which I do all my Miracles to be the power of the Devil such Blasphemy will be unpardonable because it is to resist the last Remedy and to oppose the best Means for Mens Conviction For what could be done more to convince Men that Christ was the True and Promised Messias then to work so many Miracles before their Eyes to that purpose Now these Miracles tho' evidently wrought by the power of God the Pharisees ascribed to the Power of the Devil which our Saviour calls Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and a Sin unpardonable 11 And when they bring you into the Synagogues and unto Magistrates and Powers take ye no thought how or what ye shall answer or what ye shall say 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say Here our Saviour acquaints his Apostles that for Preaching his Doctrine and professing his Religion they should be brought before all sorts of Magistrates and into all kinds of Courts but advises them when they should be so brought not to be anxiously thoughtful or sollicitously careful what they should say for it should be suggested to them by the Holy Ghost what they should speak in that Hour Thence Note That tho' the Truth of Christ may be opposed yet the Defenders of it shall never be ashamed for rather then they shall want a Tongue to plead for it God himself will prompt them by his Holy Spirit and furnish them with such Arguments to defend the Truth as all their Adversaries shall not be able to gainsay In that hour the Holy Ghost shall teach you what ye ought to say 13 And one of the Company said unto him Master Speak to my brother that he divide the Inheritance with me 14 And he said unto him Man Who made me a judge or a divider over you Whilst our Saviour was thus instructing his Disciples and the rest of his Auditors in things appertaining to the Kingdom of Heaven one of the Company being more intent as it seems upon his Temporal then his Eternal Concerns desired him to speak to his Brother to divide the Inheritance with him Christ tells him he would neither be judge nor arbitrator in any civil Affairs or secular Concerns This Work as if Christ had said belongs to the civil Magistrate to divide Inheritances and decide Controversies betwixt Man and Man But my work is of another Nature namely to preach the Gospel to a lost World and to direct Men how to secure an Inheritance in Heaven not to divide Inheritances here on Earth Teaching us That matters of Civil Justice do not belong to those whom Christ sends forth to preach the Gospel that work alone is sufficient for them The proper Work of a Minister is work enough one branch of which is to manage a perswading task betwixt Neighbour and Neighbour to prevent Differences and to compose them but as Christ's Commissioners and Ministers of the Gospel they have no Authority to intermeddle in civil Judgments Who made me a judge over you said our Great Master that is a Judge in Civil Affairs 15 And he said unto them Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a mans Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Our Saviour upon the occasion given him in the fore-going Verses admonishes all his Disciples and Followers to take heed and beware of the Sin of Covetousness assuring them that neither the Comfort nor Continuance of Man's Life doth consist in an Abundance for tho' something of this World's Goods is necessary to the Comfort and Happiness of Life yet abundance is not necessary Here Observe 1. The manner of our Lord's Caution he doubles it not saying take heed alone or beware only but take heed and beware both this argues that there is a strong inclination in our Natures to this Sin the great danger we are in of falling into it and of what fatal Consequence it is to them in whom this Sin Reigns Observe 2. The matter of the Caution or the Sin which our Saviour warns his Hearers against and that is Covetousness Take heed and beware of Covetousness where under
Cesar's so Princes should oblige all their Subjects To render unto God the things that are Gods 27 Then came unto him certain of the Sadduces which say there is no Resurrection and they asked him 28 Saying Master Moses wrote unto us if any mans Brother dye having a wife and he dye without children that his Brother should take his Wife and raise up Seed unto his Brother 29 There were therefore seven Brethren and the first took a wife and dyed without Children 30 And the second took her to wife and he dyed childless 31 And the third took her and in like manner the seventh also and they left no Children and dyed 32 Last of all the Woman dyed also 33 Therefore in the Resurrection whose wife of them is she for seven had her to wife 34 And Jesus answering said unto them The children of this World marry and are given in marriage 35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the Resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage 36 Neither can they dye any more for they are equal unto the Angels and are the Children of God being the Children of the Resurrection 37 Now that the dead are raised even Moses shewed at the Bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 For he is not a God of the Dead but of the Living for all live unto him Our Blessed Saviour having put the Pharisees and Herodians to silence in the foregoing Verses here the Sadduces encounter him This Sect denied the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body and as an Objection against both they propound a Case to our Saviour of a Woman that had Seven Husbands they demand whose Wife of the Seven this Woman shall be at the Resurrection as if they had said if there be a Resurrection of Bodies at the great Day surely there will be a Resurrection of Relations too and the other World will be like this in which Men will marry as they do here and if so whose wife of the seven shall this Woman be they all having an equal claim to her Now our Saviour for resolving of this question first shews the different State of Men in this and in the other World The Children of this World says Christ marry and are given in Marriage but in the Resurrection they do neither as if our Lord had said after Men have lived a while in this World they dye and therefore Marriage is necessary to maintain a Succession of Mankind but in the other World Men shall become Immortal and live for ever and then the Reason of Marriage will wholly cease for when Men can dye no more there will be no need of any new Supplies of Mankind Secondly Our Saviour having got clear of the Sadduces Objection by taking away the Ground and Foundation of it he produces an Argument for the proof of the Soul's Immortality and the Bodies Resurrection thus Those to whom Almighty God pronounces himself a God are alive but God pronounces himself a God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob many hundred years after their Bodies were dead therefore their Souls are yet alive otherwise God could not be their God For he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living From the whole Note 1. That there is no Opinion so absurd no error so monstrous that having had a Mother will dye for lack of a Nurse the Beastly Opinion of the Mortality of the Soul and of the Annihilation of the Body finds Sadduces to profess and propagate it Learn 2. The certainty of another Life after this in which Men shall be Eternally Happy or Intolerably Miserable according as they behave themselves here Tho' some Men live like Beasts they shall not dye like them neither shall their last End be like theirs Note 3. The Glorified Saints in the Morning of the Resurrection shall be like unto the Glorious Angels not like them in Essence and Nature but like them in their Properties and Qualities namely in Holiness and Purity in Immortality and Incorruptibility and also like them in their way and manner of Living They shall no more stand in need of Meat or Drink than the Angels do but shall live the same Heavenly and Immortal Lives that the Angels live Note 4. That all those that are in Covenant with God whose God the Lord is their Souls do immediately pass into Glory and their Bodies at the Resurrection shall be sharers in the same Happiness with their Souls if God be just the Soul must Live and the Body must Rise for Good Men must be Rewarded and Wicked Men Punished God will most certainly one time or other plentifully Reward the Righteous and Punish the Evil doers but this being not always done in this Life the justice of God requires it be done in the next 39 Then certain of the Scribes answering said Master thou hast well said 40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all 41 And he said unto them How say they that Christ is David's Son 42 And David himself saith in the Book of Psalms the Lord saith unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand 43 Till I make thine enemies thy Footstool 44 David therefore calleth him Lord How is he then his Son The Design of our Blessed Saviour in propounding this Question to the Pharisees how Christ could be David's Son when David by Inspiration called him Lord it was two-fold 1. To confute the People's Erroneous Opinion touching the Person of the Messias who they thought should be a meer Man of the Stock and Lineage of David only and not the Son of God 2. To strengthen the Faith of his Disciples touching his Godhead against the time that they should see him Suffer and Rise again The place Christ alludes to is Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand The Lord That is God the Father said to my Lord that is to God the Son who was to be Incarnate whom David calleth his Lord both as God and as Mediatour his Lord by a Right of Creation and Redemption also now the question our Saviour puts to the Pharisees is this how Christ could be both David's Lord and David's Son No Son being Lord to his own Father therefore if Christ were David's Sovereign he must be more than Man more than David's Son As Man so he was David's Son as God Man so he was David's Lord. Note hence 1. That altho' Christ was truly and really Man yet was he more than a meer Man he was Lord unto and the Salvation of his own Fore-fathers Note 2. That the only way to reconcile the Scriptures which speak concerning Christ is to believe and acknowledge him to be both God and Man in one Person The Messiah as Man was to come forth out of David's Loyns but as God man he was David's Lord his Sovereign and Saviour
God is worshipped in the Beauty of Holiness Obs 3. The greatness of this Miracle in the weakness of the Means which Christ made use of to effect and work it He drove the Buyers and Sellers before him out of the Temple but how and with what St. Hierom in Matth. 21. says That certain fiery Rays or Beams darting from Christ's Eyes drove out these Merchants from this place I dare not avouch this but am satisfied that Christ drove them out unarmed with any Weapons that might carry Dread and Terror with them at most but with a Whip of small Cords which probably might be scattered by the Drovers that came thither to sell their Cattle Behold then the weakness of the Means on the one side and consider the greatness of the Opposition on the other Here was a Confluence of People to oppose Christ this being the most solemn Mart of the Passover and here were Merchant Men whose Hearts were set upon Gain the Worlds God to oppose him But neither the weakness of the Means nor the greatness of the Opposition did dismay him or cause our Saviour to desist from the Attempt of reforming what was amiss in the House of God Learn we hence That it matters not how weak the Means of Church-Reformation is nor how strong the opposite Power is if we engage Christ in the Undertaking the Work shall certainly be accomplished Oh how great was the Work and how weak and unlikely were the Means here A parcel of sturdy Fellows whose Hearts were set upon their Wealth Christ no sooner speaks to them and shakes his Whip at them but like a company of fearful Hares they run before him Christ in purging of his Church will make every thing yield and give way to his Power Let it Comfort the Church under all unlikelyhood of Reformation Who art thou Oh great Mountain before our spiritual Zerubbabel Thou shalt become a Plain I shall close my Observations upon this Miracle of Christ's whipping the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple which both St. Origen and St. Jerom do make the greatest Miracle that ever Christ wrought all Circumstances considered I shall close it with this Reflection viz. Was there such Power and Terror in Christ's Countenance and Speech here in the Temple in the days of his Flesh Oh how terrible then will his Face and his Appearance be to the wicked and impenitent World at the great Day Lord how fearful will his Iron Scourge then be How terrifying that Voice Depart depart from me depart accursed depart into Fire depart into everlasting Fire into a Fire prepared for the Punishment of Apostate Spirits the Devil and his Angels God grant we may wisely consider it and timely flee from the Wrath to come 17 And his disciples remembred that it was written The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up The Disciples upon this Occasion called to remembrance the words of David Psalm 69.9 The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up Which was verified in Christ as well as in David Where Observe 1. The Grace described Zeal which is the Ardour of the Affections carrying forth a Man to the utmost for God's Glory and his Churches Good Zeal is not so much one Affection as the intense degree of all the Affections Obs 2. The Object about which our Saviour's Zeal was conversant God's House that is all things relating to the Worship of God Temple Tabernacle Ark c. which were the Pledges of God's Presence Obs 3. The effect of this it hath eaten me up Like Fire that eats up and devours that whereon it lights What was said of St. Peter that he was a Man made up all of Fire and of St. Paul in respect of his Sufferings That he was a Spark of Fire burning in the midst of the Sea may much more truly be said of Christ when he was engaged in the Work of Church-Reformation Learn That as Christ was so Christians ought to be very zealous for the Glory of God the Honour of his House and the Purity of his Worship The Zeal of thine House that is for the Honour of thine House hath eaten me up c. 18 ¶ Then answered the Jews and said unto him What sign shewest thou unto us seeing that thou dost these things 19 Jesus answered and said unto them Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up 20 Then said the Jews Fourty and six years was this temple in building and wilt thou rear it up in three days 21 But he spake of the temple of his body 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead his disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had said Observe here 1. How exceedingly offended the Jews were at the Reformation which our Saviour had made in the House of God They were awed indeed with the Majesty of this great Work and durst not openly oppose but secretly malign it Thence Note That a redress of Abuses in God's Worship especially if it crosses our Ease and controuls our Profit as this did is usually distasted Obs 2. How these Jews discover their old inveterate Disease of Infidelity they require a Sign and call for a Miracle to justifie Christ's Commission Why had they not a Miracle before their Eyes Was not the Work of purging the Temple a wonderful Miracle Yet they demand another Miracle to make this good Learn thence That obstinate Infidelity will not be satisfied with the most sufficient means for Satisfaction but still object and oppose against the clearest the fullest and most convincing Evidence What sign shewest thou us say the Jews when they had so many Signs and Wonders daily before their Eyes Obs 3. The Jews demanding a Sign our Saviour grants them one he remits them to his Death and Resurrection to prove that he was the true Messiah Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up That is I know you will destroy this Temple of my Body by putting me to death but I will raise my self again from the Grave the third Day Christ did not command them to destroy his Body but only foretold that they would do it Non est verbum Praecepti sed Praedictionis Christ fore-declares his Passion and his Resurrection Learn thence That all our Saviour's Sufferings were fore-known unto him were foretold by him he would not prevent them but willingly permitted them and chearfully underwent them Destroy ye this Temple Note here 1. The State and Dignity of Christ's holy Body 'T is a Temple He spake of the Temple of his Body The Saints Bodies are Temples by special Sanctification Christ's Body was a Temple by Substantial Inhabitation The Divinity of Christ dwelt in his Humanity personally and immediately God dwells in his Saints by Regal Authority he dwelt in Christ's Humanity by personal Residence Note 2. The Violence and Indignity offered to this holy Temple at our Saviour's Death it was pulled down
him 11 The woman saith unto him Sir thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deep from whence then hast thou that living water 12 Art thou greater then our father Jacob which gave us the well and drank thereof himself and his children and his cattel 13 Jesus answered and said unto her Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Observe here 1. How ignorant Persons are of spiritual things till enlightned by the Holy Spirit of God This poor Womans Question Whence hast thou that living Water looks much like that of Nicodemus John 3.9 How can these things be A natural Person cannot perceive the Mind of Christ when speaking to them about spiritual things Spiritual Objects must have a spiritual Eye to discern and behold them 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit Observe 2. With what great Humility and Condescension our Holy Lord treats this poor Woman pitying her Ignorance and pardoning her Infidelity He tells her That the Water of that Well which she was about to draw could not give an abiding Satisfaction but the Thirst quenched for the present would certainly return again But he that should drink of the Water which he had to give that is be made partakers of the Graces of his Spirit shall find such refreshing satisfaction therefrom that all inordinate Desires after earthly things will be quench'd and extinguish'd and will be like a Well of Water springing up till they come to Eternal Glory Learn hence 1. That as the Body of Man is subject to natural so is the Soul of Man subject to a spiritual kind of Thirst 2. That no Creature-Comfort or earthly Enjoyment can quench this Thirst which the Soul of Man is subject unto 3. That the Spirit of Grace which our Saviour here calls the Water of Life is able fully and perfectly to quench this Thirst of the Soul And where it is once savingly received shall never be totally or finally lost It shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into everlasting life 15 The woman saith unto him Sir give me this water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw 16 Jesus saith unto her Go call thy husband and come hither 17 The woman answered and said I have no husband Jesus said unto her Thou hast well said I have no husband 18 For thou hast had five husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband in that saidst thou truly These Words set forth unto us 1. What manner of Person this Woman was whose Conversion Christ sought so industriously after 2. The Means he used in order to that End Observe 1. What manner of Person this Woman was besides that she was an Idolater as being a Samaritan she was also an Adulteress and lived now in the Sin of Uncleanness with one that was not her Husband after she had had five Husbands before Whence we learn That the ice of old Age will not quench the Fire of Lust Concupiscentia non senescit such is the Pollulution of our Nature that Lust will be insatiable if Grace doth not restrain it This Woman after five Marriages yet lives in the Sin of Uncleanness Observe 2. The Way and Manner our Lord takes the Method and Means our Lord uses in order to her Conversion 1. He deals very tenderly and gently with her he uses no roughness or tartness of Speech with her he doth not call her Whore nor upbraid her for her impudent Lewdness in living with a Man that was none of her Husband but only gives her to understand that he knew the Sin she lived in yet this he did likewise with all imaginable privacy whilst his Disciples were away and no Body by but they two only Hence learn 1. That private Sins are not to be reproved publickly 2. That in reproving Sin all sharpness and bitterness of Expression must be avoided The Pill of Reproof must be rapp'd up in Sugar for if they to whom it is given taste the bitterness of Gall and Passion mixt with it they will certainly spit it out before it may be upon our Faces Our Lord's Practcie here instructs us That Sin is to be so reproved as that the Credit and Estimation of the Sinner may be preserved as much as may be Note 2. That as Christ dealt with this Woman tenderly and gently so he discovers her Sin to her particularly and sets her secret Sin before the Face of her Conscience distinctly If ever the Ministry of the Word works upon the Minds of Men to their Conversion it must be by a particular and close application of the Word to every Man's Conscience Generals will not affect Note 3. What the particular Sin is which Christ charges home upon the Conscience of this Woman it is the Sin of Uncleanness that the Man she kept with was not her Husband Learn thence That amongst all Sins the sin of Uncleanness will lie heaviest upon the Conscience and wound the Soul most deeply when the Spirit of God once effectually discovers it and charges it home upon the Conscience For there is no Sin so directly opposite to Sanctification and Holiness as this Sin No Sin that quenches the Holy Spirit of God like this Sin 19 The woman saith unto him Sir I perceive that thou art a prophet 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship In these Verses the Evangelist declares a threefold Effect and Fruit of the Grace of Conversion that appeared in this Woman 1. She neither denied nor excused nor extenuated the Sin which Christ had charged her with but tacitly owns and implicitly confesses it 2. She doth not only own and confess what she was charged with but she doth profess Reverence to our Saviour's Person and pays Honour to him as an extraordinary Prophet Sir I perceive that thou art a Prophet 3. She desireth Instruction and Resolution from him concerning the Worship and Service of the true God how she might seek him and where she might serve him most acceptably whether at Jerusalem or upon Mount Gerizim Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain but ye say Jerusalem is the place where Men ought to worship Where Observe How ready and forward Persons of a false Religion are to ascribe too much to Antiquity and to the Example and custom of their Fore-Fathers Whereas it is not the continuance of a thousand or two thousand Years that can make any thing truly Ancient in Religion except it has been from the beginning Nothing is truly Ancient in Matters of Religion but that which can derive its Original from him that is truly called the Ancient of Days 21 Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither
in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father 22 Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews 23 But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Here we have our Saviour's Answer to the foregoing Question which consists of two Parts 1. Concerning the Place of Worship 2. Concerning the Worship it self As to the Place of Worship our Saviour tells her that though the Jews had heretofore by warrant of God's Word regularly worshipped at Jerusalem and the Samaritans superstitiously worshipped at Mount Gerizim yet the Hour was coming namely at his Death when all difference of Places for God's Worship should be taken away and therefore she need not trouble her self about the Place of God's Worship to know whether of the two Places were holier and the better to serve God in for ere long the Service of God should not be confined more to one Place than another Hence learn That since the death of Christ the Religious Difference of Places is taken away and the Worship of God not confined to any one particular Place or Nation 2. Our blessed Saviour resolves her concerning the Worship it self namely that the Ceremonial Worship which the Jews and Samaritans used should shortly be abolished and instead thereof a more spiritual Form of Worship should be established more suitable to the Spiritual Nature of the great and holy God and containing in it the Truth and Substance of all that which the Jewish Ceremonies prefigured and shadowed forth Learn hence That the True Worship of God under the Gospel doth not consist in the external Pomp of any outward Ceremonies but is Spiritual and Substantial No Worship is acceptable to him that is the Father of Spirits but that which is truly Spiritual 24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth God is a Spirit that is he has no Body nor bodily Parts He is not a bare spiritual Substance but a pure and perfect Spirit and therefore his Worshippers must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Where Spirit is opposed to the Legal Ceremonies and Truth to the Jewish Rites not to Hypocritical Services for the old Patriarchs did worship God in Spirit and in Truth As Truth is taken for Sincerity they served him with a sincere Conscience and with a single Heart But our Saviour's Business is to shew That a Worship without Legal Rites and Jewish Ceremonies is proper to the times of the Gospel In the Words Observe 1. The Nature of God declared God is a Spirit 2. The Duty of Man inferred therefore they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth From the whole Note 1. That God is a pure Spiritual Being When bodily Parts Hands and Eyes c. are ascribed to him it is only in Condescension to our weakness and to signifie those Acts in God which such Members do perform in us Note 2. That the Worship due from the Creature to God is spiritual Worship and ought to be spiritually performed The Jewish Ceremonial Worship was abolished to promote the Spirituality of Divine Worship yet must not this be so understood as if God rejected bodily Worship because he requires spiritual under the Gopsel for Jesus Christ the most spiritual Worshipper worshipped God with his Body Besides God has appointed some Parts of Worship which cannot be performed without the Body as Sacraments In a Word God has created the Body as well as the Soul Christ has redeemed the Body as well as the Soul and he will glorify the Body as well as the Soul therefore it is our Duty to worship and glorify God with our Bodies and with our Spirits which are his 25 The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things 26 Jesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he Observe here 1. What a General Expectation there was in the Minds of all Persons at the time of our Saviour's appearing of one whom the Jews called the Messiah I know that Messiah cometh This Woman though a Samaritan yet knew that the Messiah should come and that he was now expected Observe 2. What the Work and Office of the Messias was apprehended and believed to be namely to reveal the whole Mind and Will of God to a lost World When the Messias is come he will tell us all things Learn thence That the Lord Jesus Christ the promised and true Messias being called and appointed by God to be the great Prophet of his Church hath fully and perfectly revealed all things needful to be known for our Salvation John 15.15 All things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you Observe Lastly How freely and fully Christ reveals himself to this poor Woman he tells her plainly that he was the Messias When the Jews asked him John 10.24 If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Christ did not in plain Terms tell them who he was Nay when John Baptist sent two of his Disciples to ask him whether he were He that should come he gave them no direct Answer Yet behold he makes himself plainly known to this poor Woman he discerning her Humility and great Simplicity that she was willing to be instructed by him and did not come to him as the Jews and Pharisees did captiously with a design to entangle and enspare him Hence learn That the Lord Jesus Christ delights to reveal himself and make known his Mind and Will to such as with an humble Mind and an honest Simplicity of heart do desire to know him and understand their Duty to him 27 ¶ And upon this came his disciples and marvelled that he talked with the woman yet no man said What seekest thou or Why talkest thou with her 28 The woman then left her water-pot and went her way into the city and saith to the men 29 Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ 30 Then they went out of the city and came unto him Observe here 1. How the Providence of God so ordered and disposed of things that the Disciples did not return to Christ till he had finisht his Discourse with this poor Woman An humbled sinner may meet with such Satisfaction and sweet Refreshment in Christ's Company that the presence even of Disciples themselves the best and holiest of Saints may be lookt upon as injurious to it and an interruption of it This poor Woman had so sweet a time with Christ that an end being put to the Conference by the coming of the Disciples might be Matter of Grief and Resentment to her Yet the Providence of God so ordered that the Disciples did not come to break off the Conference till Christ had made himself known as the Messias to this
poor VVoman Obs 2. The Carriage and Behaviour of the Disciples upon their return to Christ Finding him preaching a Sermon to a single VVoman they marvelled but yet were silent Learn 1. That the Humility and Condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ in treating poor penitent and humbled sinners is matter of wonder and admiration even to Disciples themselves Oh blessed Saviour there was more Kindness and Condescension more Love and Compassion more Meekness and Humility in thy self alone than in all thy Disciples and Followers put together Yet Observe 2. Tho' they marvelled they were silent No Man said Why talkest thou with her Thence Note That such Reverence is due to Christ in all his Dispensations and Actions that when we can see no reason for what he doth it is not for us to inquire much less to quarrel But we must awfully admire what we cannot comprehend Observe 3. the Behaviour of this VVoman after the Conference was over she leaves her VVater-Pot and makes haste to invite and call her Neighbours to Christ whose Grace and Kindness she had experienced Learn thence That such as truly know Christ have tasted Sweetness in him and derived Comfort and Satisfaction from him will be forward to invite and industrious to draw others to a saving Acquaintance with him Come with me and see a Man that told me all that ever I did is not this the Christ Learn farther from the Woman's leaving her Water-Pot behind her and hastening to the City That when once a Soul has tasted the Sweetness and Excellency that is in Jesus Christ those things which were highly esteemed before will be little regarded then The poor Woman came to draw Water and thought much and spake much of the Water of that Well which was before her but meeting with Jesus Christ and tasting of his Grace she forgets both Water and Water-Pot and away she goes to fetch in all her Acquaintance to Christ 31 ¶ In the mean while his disciples prayed him saying Master eat 32 But he said unto them I have meat to eat that ye know not of 33 Therefore said the Disciples one to another Hath any man brought him ought to eat 34 Jesus saith unto them My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Observe here The fit and seasonable Motion which our Saviour's Disciples make to him Master eat Learn from thence That though a Person 's chief Care should be for his own Soul and for improving all Opportunities for doing good to the Souls of others yet the Bodies of Men must not be neglected but supported by Meat and Drink especially theirs whose Health and Strength may be of greater Use and Service to God and his Church The Body is the Servant of the Soul the Instrument whereby it worketh and therefore to neglect the Body is to disable and unfit the Soul for Service to hinder the Functions and Operations of it The sixth Commandment which forbids us to kill requires us to use all Means for the Preservation of Life both in our selves and others Observe next our Saviour's Answer to the Disciples Motion Master eat say they I have Meat to eat that ye know not of says he for my Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me Not that our Saviour did not want Meat at this time for he was both hungry and thirsty as appears by his asking Water of the Woman to drink and by his sending his Disciples into the City to buy Meat But our Lord was more intent upon doing his Father's Work than upon satisfying his own hunger Christ hungred more after an Opportunity of doing good to the Souls of Men than he did after Meat and Drink to satisfie his hunger Lord Let us thy Ministers learn of thee to prefer the Spiritual Welfare of our People before any temporal Advantages whatsoever 35 Say not ye There are yet four months and then cometh harvest Behold I say unto you Lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoyce together 37 And herein is that saying true One soweth and another reapeth 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour other men laboured and ye are entred into their labours Our Blessed Saviour having in the former Verses given a most plain and evident Demonstration of his fervent desire to bring Souls home unto God doth in these Verses labor to stir up and kindle the like Affections in his Disciples and this he doth by three very effectual Arguments The first Argument is drawn from the Ripeness of the People and their Willingness to hear and their Readiness to be reaped and gathered by the Gospel whereof there was a present instance in the Samaritans who were now coming forth in multitudes to Christ which opportunity was therefore to be improved Lift up your Eyes and look on the Fields for they are white already for Harvest Learn hence That as a People is sometimes ripe for the Ministry of the Word as Corn is ripe and ready for the Reapers Hand so it is the Duty of the Ministers of Christ to lay hold upon such Opportunities with as much desire and delight as the Harvest-Man doth upon a reaping Season The second Argument to stir up the Disciples Diligence in preaching the Gospel is drawn from the great Reward they should receive for this their Work He that reapeth receiveth Wages The Harvest Man's Wages is double to what other Labourers receive The Ministers of God shall receive good Wages at his Hand how ill soever they are requited and rewarded by an unkind World And as a farther Encouragement it follows He that soweth and he that reapeth shall rejoice together that is the Prophets who took much pains in sowing the Seed of the Gospel and particularly John the Baptist and you my Apostles which succeed them and reap the Fruit of what they did sow shall have the same Reward in Glory and rejoyce together Learn hence That not only the Successful but the Faithful Labourer in God's Harvest shall be rewarded not only those which see the Fruit of their Ministry in the Conversion of Sinners but such as are faithful Seeds-Men Though the Seed doth not come up till we are in our Graves nay though it rots under the Clods and does not come up at all yet shall the faithful Seeds-Man be rewarded according to his Labour not according to his Success The third Argument to quicken the Disciples Diligence is drawn from the Easiness and Facility of that Labour which God required of them Others have laboured and you are entred into their Labours that is the Prophets and John the Baptist have prepared the Ground and sown the Seed and made ready a People for the Lord and now you enter into their Labours by forming and gathering them into a Gospel-Church
Life Observe 2. How the Jews misunderstood our Saviour's words He that keeps my saying shall never see Death as if he meant a freedom from Temporal Death and hereupon they looked upon him as beside himself to promise a Priviledge which neither Abraham nor the Prophets did ever enjoy Whereas it was not Exemption from Temporal Death but freedom from Eternal Destruction which our Saviour promised to them that keep his sayings Hence learn That the misunderstanding of Christ's Doctrine and taking it in a Carnal Sense has given occasion for the many Cavils and Objections made against it Observe 3. How Christ clears himself of all Ambition in this matter and shews that he did not make this promise of delivering his followers from Death vain-gloriously but that God whom they called their Father had honoured him with Power to make good what ever he had promised to them that keep his saying Learn hence That as Christ intirely sought his Father's Glory so the Father conferred all Honour and Glory upon Christ as Mediatour thereby testifying how infinitely pleased he was with the Redemption of Mankind performed by him If I honour my self my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoureth me 56 Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad That is Abraham having Received a Promise that the Messias should come of his Seed he exceedingly Rejoyced to see the day of my coming in the Flesh tho' afar off with the Eye of his Faith and in a Figure in his Sacrificed Son Isaac And this sight of his Faith was so Transporting that he leap'd for Joy Learn hence That a strong Faith giveth such a clear sight of Christ tho' at a distance as produceth an Holy delight and Rejoycing in him 57 Then said the Jews unto him Thou art not yet fifty years old and hast thou seen Abraham 58 Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Before Abraham was I am 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him but Jesus hid himself and went put of the temple going through the midst of them and so passed by Observe here 1. What a false and Ridiculous construction the Jews make of our Saviour's words as if he had affirmed that he had seen Abraham and Abraham him with bodily Eyes whereas Christ only asserted that Abraham had seen his Day that is he foresaw by Faith the Day of his Incarnation and coming in the Flesh Observe 2. Our Saviour's positive asserting of his Divinity or that he had a Being as God from all Eternity for says he Before Abraham was I am Where Note That Christ doth not say Before Abraham was I was but Before Abraham was I am which is the proper name of God whereby is signified the Eternal duration and permanency of his Being The Adversaries of Christ's Divinity say that before Abraham was Christ was that is in God's fore-knowledge or Decree but this may be said of any other person as well as Christ that he was in the fore-knowledge of God before Abraham was Born Whereas undoubtedly it was Christ's design in these words to give himself some preference and advantage above Abraham which this Interpretation doth not in the least do Observe lastly How the Jews looking upon Christ as a Blasphemer for making himself equal with God and for asserting his Eternal Existence they make a Zealous attempt upon his Life by taking up Stones to cast at him as the Jews used to deal with Blasphemers but our Saviour delivers himself miraculously from their fury and escapes untouched Hence learn That when Arguments fail the Enemies of Truth betake themselves to force and violence They took up Stones to cast at him 2. That as Christ disappointed his own Persecutors so he can and will deliver his People in their greatest extremity from the Persecutors Rage and Fury 2. Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptation and to reserve the Vnjust to the Day of Judgment to be punished CHAP. IX 1 ANd as Jesus passed by he saw a man which was blind from his birth The foregoing Chapter acquainted us with a famous Encounter which the Pharisees had with our Blessed Saviour in the Temple at Jerusalem This being ended as he passed from the Temple he saw a Man lying possibly by the High-way who was Born Blind Him Christ pitches upon as an object fit to exercise his Divine Power in the cure and healing of They that are Blind by casualty may possibly be relieved by Art and Industry but to cure one that is Born Blind nothing less is required than an Almighty Power Learn hence That Diseases and Distempers which are incurable by the ordinary course of Nature are not insuperable to Christ's Power nor impossible for him to help but a proper object for him to magnifie his Power upon Therefore is it here Recorded that this poor Man was Blind from his Birth such Blindness being accounted incurable by Natural means 2 And his disciples asked him saying Master who did sin this man or his parents that he was born blind Here Observe Something implied or supposed Namely 1. That all Bodily Afflictions and Calamities do come upon us for Sin Whereas Afflictions tho' they always fall upon a Sinner yet are they not always sent for Sin but by way of Purgation and Prevention of Sin 2. It is here supposed that as some Afflictions come upon Men for personal Sins so others come upon them for Parental Sins and that Children may and oftimes do very justly suffer for their Parents Sins 3. It is here supposed that there is no other Reason of a person's sufferings but only Sin Whereas tho' Sin be much and often the cause of suffering yet we may wrong God and Man yea and Sin too to conclude it is always the cause of suffering 4. It is implied here That there is a Transmigration of Souls from one Body to another the Disciples supposed that this Soul when it was in another Body sinned and was now punished by being put into a Blind Body This Pythagorean Error was crept in among the Pharisees and the Disciples here seem to be tainted and infected with it This may Teach us how far the Holiest and Wisest of Men are from an Infallible Spirit and that the Best Men may be misled by a common Error 3 Jesus answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him Christ's Answer must not be understood Absolutely as if he denied this Man and his Parents to be guilty of Sin for both he and they had Sin enough not only to deserve Temporal Blindness but Eternal darkness The meaning is That in Afflicting this Man the Lord did not so much Respect his or his Parent 's Sin as the manifestation of his own Glory in this miraculous Cure Christ doth not deny but that a Man 's own Sin and the Sin of his Parents may be the procuring
himself glorified when the Glory of his Son is advanced This Sickness is for the Glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified thereby 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick he abode two days still in the same place where he was 7. Then after that saith he to his disciples Let us go into Judea again 8 His disciples say unto him Master the Jews of late sought to stone thee and goest thou thither again 9 Jesus answered Are there not twelve hours in the day If any Man walk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world 10 But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him Observe 1. What an happy because an holy and religious Family was here and much honoured by Christ Jesus loved Martha Mary and Lazarus wherever true Piety dwells it draws the Eye and Heart of Christ towards it Christ had frequently and familiarly lodged under their Roof and he rewards them for their Entertainment with his Love Jesus loved Martha and her Sister Where Note That Martha is here named first though elsewhere Mary had the Precedency to shew no doubt that they were both equally dear to Christ Obs 2. That altho' Christ loved Lazarus yet he seems to neglect him he delays going to him for some days But could Christ absent himself from one so long whom he loved so well we find he did Let us take heed then that we do not mis-interpret Christ's Delays He seldom comes at our time but never stays beyond his own Our Saviour had a double End in staying thus long Namely for greatning of the Miracle and confirming of their Faith Had Christ gone before Lazarus was dead they might have attributed his Recovery rather to the strength of Nature than to Christ's miraculous Power or had Christ raised Lazarus as soon as he was Dead they might peradventure have thought it rather some Trance or Extasie than a Death and Dissolution therefore Christ stays so many days that God might be the more glorified and his own omnipotent Power the more magnified We Learn then That when Christ delays to help them whom he dearly loves it is always for wise ends and holy purposes Observe 3. How the Disciples tho' they were dearly affected to Lazarus for they had Learned to love where their Master loved yet they discourage Christ from going to him into Judea for fear of violence offered to him Master the Jews of late sought to stone Thee and goest thou thither again Here the Disciples pleaded for their Master's safety at the same time aiming at their own they were to go with him into Judea and they well knew that their danger was inwrapped in his Therefore they seek to divert him from his intention Oh how has the fear of Suffering made many of the Friends of Christ decline an opportunity of glorifying God and doing good to others But cannot God give safety in the midst of danger if he pleaseth let us not then chuse our way according to our own Apprehensions either of danger or safety but as we see God going before us if our call be clear let us go on with Courage whatever difficulties lye in our way Observe 4. How our Saviour corrects these fears of his Disciples by acquainting them with his call from God to undertake this Journey into Judea Are there not Twelve hours in the day if a Man walk therein he stumbleth not but in the night he stumbleth As if Christ had said As he that walks in the Day is in no danger of stumbling but in the Night he is in danger So as long as I have a call from God and my working time lasts there is a Divine Providence that will watch over me and secure me from all danger now my day is not fully spent and therefore it is not in the Power of my Enemies to precipitate my Passion or to bring the Night of Sufferings upon me before the appointed time but ere long the Night will come on the working time will be over and then shall both I and you stumble upon Death but while the day lasteth we are safe Learn hence 1. Every Man has his Twelve hours that is his working time assigned him by God in this World 2. While these hours are spent and whilest his working time is unexpired he shall not stumble he shall not die he shall not be disabled for working while God has any work for him to do neither the Malice of Men nor the rage of Devils shall take them off till their work be finished 3. Every Man has his Night as well as his Day in which he must expect and prepare to stumble that is to fall by Death for when God has done his work by us and with us he will withdraw his protection from us but not his care over us we stumble upon Death and fall into the Grave but God receives us to himself and at the end of our working Season rewards us for our work 11 These things said he and after that he saith unto them Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of sleep Observe here 1. Our Saviour coming near to Bethany Tells his Disciples that Lazarus sleepeth that is plainly he was Dead This shewed his omnisciency and that he was truly God for he had received no Advice of his Death from any person but as God he knew that he was deceased Observe 2. The sweet Title given both to Death and Lazarus Death is called a sleep Lazarus is stiled a friend yet Christ says not my friend but our friend Lazarus sleepeth intimating that gracious Familiarity and Mutual Friendship which was betwixt himself and all his Members Learn hence 1. That all True Believers are Christ's Friends 2. That the Friends of Christ must die as well as others 3. That their Death is but a Sleep Our friend Lazarus Sleepeth It followeth But I go that I may awake him out of sleep Observe Christ says not we will go and awake him but I will go and I will awake him The Disciples who were Companions in the way must not be Partners in the work Witnesses they may be Actors they cannot be none can awake Lazarus but the maker of Lazarus Who can command the Soul to come down and meet the Body and who can command the Body to Rise up and meet the Soul but that God that created both Soul and Body Lord It is our Comfort against the Dread and Terror of Death that our Resurrection depends upon thy Almighty Power I will go that I may awake him out of sleep 12 Then said his disciples Lord if he sleep he shall do well 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly Lazarus is dead 15 And I am glad for your sakes
ye dead and come to Judgment Observe lastly How readily obedient Lazarus was to the Call and Command of Christ He that was dead came forth and if Lazarus did thus instantly start up at the Voice of Christ in the Day of his Humiliation how shall the dead be rouzed up out of their Graves by that Voice which will shake the powers of Heaven and move the Foundations of the Earth in the Day of his Glorification Question But where was Lazarus his Soul all this while that he was dead if in Heaven was it not a wrong to him to come from thence If not doth it not prove that the Soul sleeps as well as the Body Ans Souls go not to Heaven by Necessitation as the Fire naturally and necessarily ascends upward But are disposed of by God as the supream Governour those that have served him go to Heaven and those that have served the Devil to Hell and those that are not yet judged to either place but are to live presently again upon Earth as Lazarus was are reserved by God accordingly whether shut up in the Body as in a Swound or whether kept in the Custody and Hands of an Angel not far from the Body waiting his pleasure either to restore it to the Body or to return it to its proper place of Bliss or Misery The Scripture has not told us whether and it would be too great Curiosity to inquire and greater presumption to determine 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary and had seen the things which Jesus did believed on him 46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees and told them what things Jesus had done 47 ¶ Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council and said What do we for this man doeth many miracles 48 If we let him thus alone all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation Observe here 1. The different Effects which this Miracle had upon those Jews who were present at the raising of Lazarus Some of them believed on Christ but others persisting in their Unbelief went to the Pharisees and informed against him Notwithstanding all the Evidence which our Saviour gave of his being the Messias by the Miracles which he wrought yet many rejected him and refused to believe in him to their unutterable and inevitable Condemnation Obs 2. How greatly disturbed the Pharisees were upon the Account of our Saviour's Miracles Knowing how proper an Argument they were to convince Men they concluded that if Christ were suffered to go on and work Miracles he would draw all Men after him Learn thence That Jesus proved himself to be the true Messias by the Miracles which he wrought his Enemies themselves being Judges For we find here the worst of our Saviour's Enemies were afraid of his Miracles that by them he would draw all Men after him If we let him alone all Men will believe on him Obs 3. What was the Ground of the Pharisees fear if they let Christ go on to work Miracles that he would have so many Followers as would Alarm the Romans and awaken their Jealousie and cause them to come upon them with an Army to deprive them of the little Liberty they indulged them and take away their Place and Nation Their Place that is their Place of Worship the Temple And their Nation that is bring the whole Body of the Jewish Nation to utter Destruction Learn hence How all the Enemies and Opposers of Christ and his Kingdom do endeavour to colour their Quarrel with some specious Pretences that they may hide the odiousness of their Practices from the Eye of the World and may not be openly seen to fight against God Thus the Pharisees here persecute our Saviour not as the Messias though the Miracles he wrought were a sufficient Evidence that he was such but as one who would bring Ruine upon their Nation If we let him alone the Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation 49 And one of them named Caiaphas being the high-priest that same year said unto them Ye know nothing at all 50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and that the whole nation perish not 51 And this spake he not of himself but being high-priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation 52 And not for that nation only but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad The foregoing Verses acquainted us with the Apprehension which the chief Priests had of the Necessity of taking away the Life of our blessed Saviour Lest the Romans should take away both their Place and Nation Now here in these Verses Caiaphas the High-Priest delivers his Opinion for the preventing of this danger he tells the rest that they ought not to boggle at the Matter but come to a positive and peremptory Resolution to provide for the Publick Safety Right or Wrong and that it is great Folly to prefer one Man's Life though never so innocent before a Nations Welfare a most wicked and devilish Speech as a Judge he regarded not what was lawful but as a wicked Politician he consulted what was expedient he declares that one Man though never so good and holy though never so just and innocent had better dye than a whole Nation suffer Whereas it is in any case unlawful to do Evil that Good may come Learn hence That although it be the Duty of all Persons to pray for and endeavour after the publick Welfare of a Church and Nation whereof they are Members yet it is altogether unlawful to promote the greatest National Good by wicked and unlawful Means Observe further How God over-ruled the Tongue of Caiaphas beyond his own intention prophetically to foretel that great good which by our Saviour's death should redound to the World And that the Fruit and Benefit of his death should not only extend to the Jews but to the Gentiles also and that he should gather into one Body or Church all that truly believe in him though far and wide dispersed upon the Face of the Earth Hence learn 1. That the Spirit of Prophecy did sometimes fall upon very bad Men and God has been pleased to reveal some part of his Mind to the worst of Men. Thus Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezar had in their Dreams a Revelation from God what things he intended to do Learn 2. That it is consistent with the Holiness of God sometimes to make use of the Tongues of the worst of Men to publish and declare his Will Caiaphas here though a vile and wicked Man was influenced by God to prophesie and speak an Oracle Almighty God may when he please employ wicked Men this way without any prejudice to his Holiness This Caiaphas spake not of himself but being High-Priest he prophesied that Jesus should dye for that Nation 53 Then from that day forth
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
Original or Parentage Art thou a Divine Person or not our blessed Saviour being unwilling to obstruct his own Sufferings or to discover any thing that might hinder Pilate from proceeding against him would give him no Answer having before made a reasonable and sufficient Defence Oh how ready was Christ to lay down his Life for Sinners and how willing to pay that Ransome for his People which the Justice of God required 10 Then saith Pilate unto him Speakest thou not unto me knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee 11 Jesus answered Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin Observe here 1. How offended Pilate was at Christ's silence and how unreasonably he boasts of his Power and Authority Have not I Power to Crucifie thee and Power to Release thee It is the great Sin and snare of Men in Power to forget from whom they derive their Power and to think that they may employ their Power as they please Observe 2. The Piety and meekness of our Saviour's Answer Thou couldst have no Power against me except it were given thee from above That is Thou hast no Power over me nor couldst thou inflict any punishment upon me were it not that my Father had in his great Wisdom Divine Counsel and for glorious Ends permitted it so to be Learn That Christ's being under the Power of any Man how great and eminent soever did flow from the peculiar Dispensation of God who in his wise and wonderful Counsel so ordered it and ordained it for the Redemption and Salvation of his People he was above all Humane Power as God and no ways obnoxious to Pilate's Power being a perfectly Innocent Man Observe 3. How Christ charges his Death more upon Judas and the Jews than upon Pilate and the Gentiles They that delivered me unto thee have the greater Sin Not that Pilate was excused from Sin in delivering Christ to be Crucified he sinned heinously in abusing his Power but Judas sinned more in delivering him up to the Chief Priests and the Chief Priests in delivering him up to Pilate than Pilate himself whom they made a Tool to serve their Malice and Revenge they had better means of Knowledge than he and so sinned against more Light than he and consequently their Guilt was greater and their Condemnation heavier than his Learn thence That the greater means of Light and Knowledge Persons Sin against the more aggravated is their Guilt and the more heigthned will be their Condemnation He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater Sin 12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him but the Jews cried out saying If thou let this man go thou art not Cesars friend whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cesar 13 ¶ When Pilate therefore heard that saying he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the judgment-seat in a place that is called the Pavement but in the Hebrew Gabbatha Still Observe How unwilling Pilate was to put Christ to Death Conscience bids him spare Popularity bids him Kill how frequently and how fervently did he contend with the Jews till they make it a State-case and Tacitly Accuse him for a Traitour to the Roman Emperor if he released him If thou let this Man go thou art not Cesar's friend When Pilate heard that he delivers up the Innocent Jesus to be Crucified Learn hence That the Natural Consciences of Men and the Innate notions of Good and Evil may carry Men on a great way in opposing that which is a bare-faced Iniquity but at last either fear or shame will over-rule if there be not a Superiour and more noble Principle Though Pilate's Conscience acquitted Christ and his Mouth had declared that he found no fault at all in him yet fear of Cesar's displeasure causes him to deliver up to Death the Holiest and best of Men against his Judgment and his Conscience When Pilate heard that he brought Jesus forth unto them 14 And it was the preparation of the passover and about the sixth hour and he saith unto the Jews Behold your king 15 But they cried out Away with him away with him crucifie him Pilate saith unto them Shall I crucifie your king The chief priests answered We have no king but Cesar 16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified Observe here How careful the Holy Ghost is to Record and set down the Time when Pilate gave Sentence against Christ In general it was on the Day of the preparation for the Passover that is the Day immediately before it when they prepared every thing needful for the Solemnization and in particular it was about the sixth hour of that Day St. Mark calls it the third hour St. John the sixth but this is easily reconciled thus the Jews divided the Day into four quarters which they called hours the first was called the third hour which answers our ninth the second called the sixth hour answering our twelfth the third called the ninth hour answering our three in the Afternoon the fourth called the twelfth hour which was the time of their Retirement from Labour and beginning of the first Night watch Now the whole time from the third hour to the sixth that is from Nine to Twelve was called the Third Hour and the whole intervening time from the Sixth to the Ninth that is from Twelve to Three is called the Sixth Hour and so of the rest Now when St. John says it was about the Sixth Hour when Christ was condemned by Pilate and led away to be Crucified and St. Mark says it was the Third Hour we are to understand that St. Mark takes in the whole time of the Third Hour from Nine to Twelve and St. John saying it was about the sixth Hour implies that it was near Twelve so that between the Hours of Nine and Twelve our Lord was Sentenced and led away to his Cross about Twelve fastned to his Cross upon which he hung till the Ninth Hour that is till about Three in the Afternoon during which time there was such an Eclipse of the Sun as did occasion darkness over all the Earth Learn hence The great Love and Condescension of Jesus Christ in stooping so low to have his Sufferings lengthned out upon our accounts to expiate our Guilt which deserveth Eternal Sufferings that he might by his Example warn us to prepare for Trials of long continuance and Sanctifie a state of continual Affliction to us Behold the Son of God harassed all Night before he suffered hurried from place to place posted backward and forward from Pilate to Herod and from Herod to Pilate wearied scourged buffetted crowned with Thorns at last nailed to his Cross and hanging thereupon from about Twelve to Three in exquisit Torture of Body and under the sense of his Father's wrath in his Soul Oh Lord Thy kindness towards us is matchless
death Woman behold thy Son Where Note He calls her Woman and not Mother he doth not say Mother behold thy Son but Woman behold him Not that Christ was ashamed of or unwilling to own her for his Mother But either 1. Fearing that calling her by that name should augment and increase her Grief and Trouble Or else 2. To intimate his change of State and Condition that being ready to die and return to his Father in Heaven he was above all earthly Relations and knew no one after the Flesh no not his very Mother Yet see at the same time when he was above her and about to leave her how his Care manifested it self for her when his Soul and Body were full of Anguish to the very brim Yet all this makes him not in the least unmindful of so dear a Relation Thence learn That Christ's tender Care of his Mother even in the time of his greatest Distress is an excellent Pattern for all Children to imitate and follow to the end of the World St. John here obeyed Christ's Command and imitated his Example he took her to his own Home that is he treated her with all that dutiful Regard which a tender and indulgent Mother challenges from a pious and obedient Son No personal Trial or Trouble upon our selves doth exempt us from the performance of our Duty towards others especially towards our near and dear Relations Christ in the extremity of his Sufferings accounted it his Duty to take care of and provide for his dear Mother Teaching us by his Example That Children ought to evidence that they honour their Parents by taking care of them in their decayed and desolate Condition Again Inasmuch as St. John took care of the holy Mother after her dear Son's death That Disciple took her to his own home We Learn That the Lord never removes one Comfort and taketh away the means of subsistance from his People but he raises up another in the room of it It is very probable that Joseph her Husband was before this time dead and Jesus her Son was now dying but still God provides he raises up St. John to take care of her he takes her to his own Home and looks upon her as one of his Family But how comes St. John above the rest to have this honourable Service put upon him and this high Trust reposed in him Answer The Text tells us he was the Disciple whom Jesus loved that is in a more especial manner treating him with greater Freedom and Familiarity than the rest he also evidenced more Love unto and more Courage and Resolution for Christ than the rest of his Disciples he standing by the Cross when they got afar off Mark 15.49 Thence we learn That such as are beloved of Christ as do keep close unto him and express most Zeal and Resolution for him they shall be peculiarly honoured by him and be employed in the highest Services for him 28 ¶ After this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vineger and they filled a spunge with vineger and put it upon hyssop and put it to his mouth Observe here 1. The Affliction or Suffering which our Saviour complained of and that is Thirst there are two sorts of Thirst one Natural and Proper the other Spiritual and Figurative Christ felt both at this time His Body Thirsted by Reason of those Agonies which it laboured under His Soul Thirsted in vehement Desires and fervent longings to accomplish that great and difficult Work he was now about 2. The design and end of our Lord's Complaint That the Scripture might be fulfilled he saith I Thirst Our Saviour finding that all was accomplished which he was to do before his Death but only the fulfilling that one Scripture Ps 69.21 They gave me Vineger to Drink He for the accomplishment thereof Said I Thirst Whence Note That such were the Agonies and Extream Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ upon the Cross that they drank up his very Spirits and made him cry I Thirst 2. That when Christ cried out I Thirst it was to shew that what ever was foretold by the Prophets concerning him was exactly accomplished and even to a Circumstance fulfilled in him That the Scripture might be fulfilled Jesus saith I Thirst 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vineger he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the Ghost Observe here 1. Our Lord's last word It is finished 2. His last Act He bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost As to the former his last Word It is finished This might be the probable intendment of it 1. It is finished That is Now is my Father's Eternal Council concerning me accomplished and now is the Promise that he made of my becoming a Sacrifice for Sin fulfilled both my Father's Purpose and my Father's Promise are now receiving their final Accomplishment 2. It is finished that is the Scriptures are now fulfilled all the Types that did prefigure me all the Prophetical Predictions that were made of me all the Jewish Sacrifices that pointed at me have now received their final accomplishment in me and are abolished in my Death 3. It is finished that is my Sufferings are now ended my Race is Run my work is done I am now putting my last Hand to it my Death is before me I have finished the Work the whole Work which I came into the World for doing as well as dying all is upon the matter compleated it is just finishing it will be instantly finished Again 4. It is finished that is the Fury and Malice the Rage and Revenge of my Enemies is now ended they have done their worst the Chief Priests and Soldiers the Judges and Witnesses the Executioners and Tormenters have all tired out themselves with the Exercise of their own Malice but now their Spite and Spleen their Envy and Enmity is ended and the Son of God's at Rest 5. It is finished that is the Glorious work of Man's Redemption and Salvation is perfected and performed consummated and compleated the Price is paid Satisfaction is given Redemption is purchased and Salvation insured to a miserable World Woe unto us if Christ had left but one farthing of our Debt to the Justice of God unpaid we must have lain in Hell to all Eternity as being insolvend But Christ has by one offering for ever perfected them that are sanctified Learn hence That Jesus Christ hath perfected and compleatly finished the great work of Redemption committed to him by God the Father Observe 2. Our Saviour's last Act. He bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost Whence learn The spontaneity and voluntariness of Christ's Sufferings how freely he surrendred to Death his Soul was not rent from him but yeilded up to God by him Christ was a volunteer in dying tho' his Death was a violent Death yet it was a voluntary Sacrifice He bowed his
she wept she stouped down and looked into the sepulchre 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had layen Here we have a Description of the great Love of Mary Magdalene which she expressed towards Christ after his Resurrection she went to his Sepulchre early when it was yet dark she hastily calls the Disciples Peter and John to the Sepulchre And she stays behind weeping at the Sepulchre when they were gone away to their own home And as Mary first sought him and longest sought him so she first finds him Here Note 1. Mary's carriage and behaviour towards her Saviour this is discovered by her patient attendance She stood without at the Sepulchre by her passionate mourning she stood at the Sepulchre weeping by her unwearied diligence she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre here was great Love indeed in this poor Woman a Love stronger than Death a Love which did out-strip and go beyond the greatest Apostles Learn thence 1. That true Love to Christ suffers not it self to be stinted or limited no not by the greatest Examples the weakest Woman that truly Loves Christ may piously strive with the greatest Apostle in this point though he be Learneder Wiser more Useful and more Eminent than any of us yet it is Holy and Wise not to suffer our selves to be exceeded by any in our Love to Christ every Christian may strive to exceed any one in Grace and to attain the highest place in the Kingdom of Heaven Learn 2. That strong Love is valiant and undaunted it will grapple and encounter with the strongest opposition Mary fears nothing in seeking of her Lord neither the darkness of the Night nor the terror of the Soldiers nor the malice of the Jews Love is strong as Death and the Flames thereof are vehement Note farther The success of Mary Magdalen's Love to Christ and unwearied Attendance on his Sepulchre she found not the Dead Body of Christ and it was well she did not for if Death could have held him it would not have let us go But though she found not her Lord in the Grave she found two of his Servants there two Angels of all things in the World one would least have expected to find an Angel in a Grave Spirits in the place of Dead Bodies and Immortality in the place of Corruption But from hence we Learn That such as sincerely seek the Lord shall certainly find if not the very thing which they seek yet that which is much fitter and better for them Mary did not find Christ's Dead Body but she finds that which was more comfortable for her to find Namely Two Angels to testifie that he was Risen Where Note The posture of these Angels described the one sitting at the Head the other at the Feet It is matter of Comfort to the Members of Christ that Angels do not wait upon the Head only but upon the Feet also And it ought to be matter of imitation also Let us imitate our blessed Saviour in having an Angel not at our Head only but at our Feet also many have an Ambition to have an Angel at their Head a great measure of Light and Knowledge there but they care not for an Angel at their Feet they delight not to walk answerably to their Light and Knowledge they have an Angelical Understanding and a Diabolical Conversation it is sad for a Man to have all his Religion in his Brain and Tongue and nothing in his Heart and Life 13 And they say unto her Woman why weepest thou She saith unto them because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him 14 And when she had thus said she turned her self back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus 15 Jesus saith unto her Woman Why weepest thou Whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the gardner saith unto him Sir if thou have born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away Observe here 1. That the best company in the World will not satisfie or content such as are seeking for Jesus Christ when they find not him whom their Souls seek Mary now enjoyed the Presence and Company of two Angels but this did not satisfie her in the Absence of Christ himself Observe 2. How Passionately did Mary mourn for the Loss and want of Christ's Bodily Presence thereby giving Testimony of her great Affection towards him but truly our Love to Christ is best shewn not by our Passionate desires for his Bodily Presence but by our Holy longings after his Spiritual Presence in his Word and Ordinances here on Earth and his blessed and immediate Presence in Heaven Observe 3. How Christ may be present with and very near unto his People and yet not be presently discerned by them Jesus stood by Mary but she knew not that it was Jesus her not expecting a living Christ was one cause why she did not discern him Observe 4. How exceedingly Mary's thoughts were taken up with Christ she saith to the Gardiner If thou hast born him hence What Him She doth not say whom but her Heart was so taken up with Christ and her Mind so full of him that she concluded every body would understand whom she meant though she did not say whom she meant Hence Note That the Soul of a sincere Believer is full of earnest and longing desires after Jesus Christ 2. That such a Soul is yet sometimes at a loss for Christ and cannot tell where to find him 3. That whilst the Soul is at a loss for Christ its desires are often quicker and more stirring after Christ This was the case of Mary here with the Spouse by Night on her Bed and early in the Morning she sought him whom her Soul loved 16 Jesus saith unto her Mary She turned her self and saith unto him Raboni which is to say Master 17 Jesus saith unto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God In the former of these Verses Christ makes himself known to Mary and calleth her by her Name In the latter he gives her a Prohibition and an Injunction Observe 1. The Prohibition Touch me not together with the Reason of it for I am not yet ascended to my Father It is concluded by Interpreters that Mary Magdalene was now fallen at Christ's Feet and embraced them that having found him whom her Soul loveth she hugs him now and hangs about him but Christ forbids any farther embracing and rejects such Testimonies of her Love as if he had said Although I will allow you as much familiarity as shall satisfactorily Convince you of the verity of my Resurrection yet you must not expect to converse with me in that carnal manner which you did before my Death for I
are all perishing but for Bread for your Souls to live eternally by even for the Food of my heavenly Doctrine which will make them that feed upon it Immortal and this the Son of Man stands ready to give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed that is by a Special Commission and Authority hath impowered him to dispense all Spiritual Blessings to them that want and crave them Learn hence 1. That all the Things of this Life are perishing and fading The best of outward Comforts and Enjoyments are Meat that perisheth 2. That it is the greatest of Follies to labour intensely and inordinately for and to set our selves with all our might and strength to persue and follow after perishing things 3. That Jesus Christ his Holy Doctrine his heavenly Grace is Food which neither perisheth nor diminisheth how many soever partake of it but makes all that partake thereof to be Partakers of Eternal Life therewith 4. That Jesus Christ is authorized sealed and commissioned by his Father to give eternal Life to such as industriously labour after him and will not be satisfied without him Him hath God the Father sealed That is Jesus Christ was sealed to the Office of a Mediator by God the Father Christ was sealed at his Baptism sealed by his Doctrine sealed by his Miracles sealed by his Resurrection sealed by his Unction or Supereminent and Unparalleled Sanctification Lord where will the Rejecters of Christ then appear at the great Day who have despised the Authority of him whom the Father commissioned to give eternal Life to whom soever he pleaseth 28 Then said they unto him What shall we do that we might work the works of God 29 Jesus answered and said unto them This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent Here the Jews who were strict Observers of the Ceremonial Law of Moses and rested thereupon for Salvation inquire of our Saviour what they should do that they might please God Christ directs them to the great Duty of believing on himself to own and acknowledge him to be the True Messias and as such to rely upon him alone for Salvation This is the work of God that ye believe c. Learn hence That for a penitent humbled Sinner to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ it is a work highly pleasing and acceptable unto God Christ calls Faith the work of God upon a threefold Account it is the Work of his Efficiency and Operation 't is the work of his commanding and 't is the work of his Approbation and Acceptation a work that God is highly pleased with and greatly delighted in This is the work of God 30 They said therefore unto him What sign shewest thou then that we may see and believe thee what dost thou work 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert as it is written He gave them bread from heaven to eat Here the Jews tell our Saviour that before they will believe in him they must see some Sign from him to confirm his Doctrine and prove him to be the Messias They acknowledge Christ had wrought a great Miracle in feeding five thousand Persons with five Barley Loaves but Moses fed their Fathers in the Wilderness who were no less than six hundred thousand Persons with excellent Manna from Heaven and this for forty Years together from whence they would seem to conclude that they had more reason to believe Moses than Christ not considering that Moses was but an Instrument to obtain by Prayer the Manna at the Hands of God but Christ was an Agent and that by a creating Power inherent in himself he multiplied the five Loaves to the feeding of five thousand Note here 1. From the Jews requiring a Sign before they would believe That he who publishes a new Doctrine to the World ought to confirm his Mission by some Miraculous Operation 2. That God honoured Moses his Messenger very much and Christ his Minister much more in that both of them wrought great and special Miracles for the Confirmation of their Mission 3. That the Jews not believing Christ to be the true Messias upon so many Attestations and after his Divine Mission was confirmed by such Miraculous Operations rendered their Infidelity inexcusable and their Obstinacy invincible 32 Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my father giveth you the true bread from heaven 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world Upon the Jews mentioning Manna to our Blessed Saviour he takes occasion to make a Comparison betwixt himself the Bread of Life and Manna the Bread of Moses and that in three Particulars 1. It was not Moses that gave the Israelites that Manna it was God at the Prayer of Moses but it was God that now offered them the Bread of Life were they willing to accept it 2. The Manna was not given from Heaven that is from the Coelestial Heaven but only from the Air and Clouds which frequently in Scripture is called Heaven But Christ the Bread of Life was given and sent by the Father from the highest Heaven even the Heaven of Glory 3. Manna was not true Spiritual Food effectively and of it self but bodily Food only but Christ is Real and Spiritual Bread which gives Life to lost and dead Men which Manna did not could not do And whereas Manna was peculiar to Israel only Christ gives Life to all sorts of Persons Gentiles as well as Jews The Bread of God giveth Life unto the World Learn hence That as Christ is the Truth and Substance of all the Types in the Old Testament so particularly the Manna was an illustrious Type of Christ In many things they agree and in some they differ They agree in their Original Manna came down from Heaven so did Christ Manna was freely given so is Jesus Christ the free Gift of God Manna was not fit to be eaten as it lay in the Field but must be ground in a Mill or beaten in a Mortar and baked in an Oven before it was fit for Food Christ was ground by his Sufferings bruised on the Cross scorched in the fiery Oven of his Father's Wrath that he might become a fit Saviour for us Again as the Manna was gathered by the Israelites daily and equally it was rained down about their Tents and every Man had his Omer Thus is Christ in the Ministry of the Word daily offered to a lost World and all that believe in him shall share alike in the Benefits of Justification Sanctification and Glorification from him But now the Manna and Christ differ in this and the Truth excells the Type thus There is a quickening inlivening Vertue a Life-giving and a Life-upholding Power in Christ the Bread of Life which was never found in Manna the Bread of Israel And wheras Manna only fed the Body the Body of an Israelite and this only for a
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