would bring him to Heaven 't is not enough that we be new-dress'd but we must be new-made that is thoroughly and universally changed the Understanding by Illumination the Will by Renovation the Affections by Sanctification the Life by Reformation or we can never come at Heaven We must be like God or we can never live with him If we be not like him in the Temper of our Minds on Earth we can never be happy in the Enjoyment of him in Heaven for Heaven which is a place of the greatest Holiness would be a place of the greatest Uneasiness to an unregenerate and unholy person 4 Nicodemus saith unto him How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born Two things are observable in this Question of Nicodemus How can a Man be born when he is old 1. His Ignorance and Weakness in propounding of such a Question So true is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God What a gross Conception had this learned Man of the Notion of Regeneration How ignorant is Nature of the Workings of Grace 2. Yet in this Question of his there is discovered a great deal of Plainness and Simplicity He did not come as usually the Pharisees did with an insnaring Question in his Mouth but with a Mind fairly disposed for Information and Conviction with a pious desire to be instructed Whatever Ignorance we labour under it is safest and best to discover it to our Spiritual Guide that we may attain the Mercy of saving Knowledge but how many had rather carry their Ignorance to Hell with them then discover it to their Minister 5 Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Nicodemus not rightly understanding Christ's meaning in the former Verse our Saviour is pleased to explain himself in this and tells him that the Birth he spake of was not Natural but Spiritual wrought in the Soul by the Spirit of God whose Working is like Water cleansing and purifying the Soul from all sinful Defilement Learn hence That the regenerating Change is wrought in the Soul by the Spirit of God which purifies it from its Natural Defilement and renews it after the Divine Likeness and Image 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit As if Christ had said As Men generate Men and Nature begets Nature so the Holy Spirit produceth Holy Inclinations Qualifications and Dispositions Learn hence That as Original Corruption is conveighed by Natural Generation so Saving Regeneration is the Effect and Product of the Holy Spirit 's Operation 7 Marvel not that I say unto thee Ye must be born again 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit Nicodemus making an Exception against our Saviour's Notion of Regeneration from the Absurdity and Impossibility of it as he thought our Saviour therefore proceeds to clear the Matter by a Similitude taken from the Wind which at once declares the Author and describes the Manner of Spiritual Regeneration The Author of it is the Holy Spirit of God compared to the Wind first for the Quality of its Motion It blows when and where it listeth Secondly From the Sensibleness of its Effects Thou hearest the sound thereof Thirdly From the Intricacy or Mysteriousness of its Proceedings Thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth As the Natural Wind is not under the Power of Man either to send it out or to restrain it It bloweth where it listeth for all us though not where it listeth in regard of God In like manner the Holy Spirit is as Wind in the freeness of its Motion and in the Variableness of its Motion also Learn hence That the Way and Work of the Holy Spirit of God in the Soul's Regeneration it is oft-times very secret and usually exceeding Various Various as to the time Some are wrought upon in Youth others in old Age. Various in his Methods of Working Some are wrought upon by the Corrosives of the Law others by the Lenitives of the Gospel Various in the Manner of his Working and in the Means by which he works Upon some by a powerful Ordinance upon others by an awakening Providence But though there be such Variety in the Method of the Spirit 's Working yet is the Work in all still the same There is no Variety in the Work wrought The effect produced by the Holy Spirit in the Work of Regeneration is alike and the same in all namely Likeness to God A Conformity in our Natures to the Holy Nature of God and a Conformity in our Lives to the Will of God 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him How can these things be 10 Jesus answered and said unto him Art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things 11 Verily verily I say unto thee We speak that we do know and testifie that we have seen and ye receive not our witness 12 If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things Observe here 1. How Nicodemus consulting only with carnal Reason persists in his Apprehension concerning the Absurdity and Impossibility of our Saviour's Notion of Regeneration or being born of the Spirit Nicodemus said How can these things be Learn hence That the great Cause of Mens Ignorance in the Matters of Salvation and the Mysteries of Religion is consulting their own Natural Reason without submitting their Understandings to the Authority of Divine Revelation Till they can give a Reason for every thing they believe they cry out with Nicodemus How can these things be whereas though we cannot give a reason of all Gospel Mysteries which we believe we can give a good reason why we believe them namely Because God has revealed them No Man can be a Christian who refuses to submit his Understanding to the Authority of Divine Revelation Observe 2. How our Saviour reproves Nicodemus for and upbraids him with his Ignorance v. 10. and his Infidelity v. 12. 1. His Ignorance is reproved Art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things as if Christ had said Ignorance in any as to the Fundamentals of Religion is shameful tho' but a common Learner much more in a Teacher and Master and he a Teacher and Master in Israel now art thou one of them and yet knowest not these things Learn hence 1. That a Man may be very knowing himself and take upon him to teach and instruct others and yet be very ignorant of the Nature and much unacquainted with the Work of Regeneration upon his own Soul A Man may be sharp-sighted as the Eagle in the Mysteries of Art
all sides by Reviling Tongues Why should we expect better Treatment than the Son of GOD 25 And Jesus knew their thought and said unto them Every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against it self shall not stand 26 And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his kingdom stand 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils by whom do your children cast them out therefore they shall be your judges 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house 30 He that is not with me is against me and he rhat gathereth not with me scattereth abroad Our Blessed Saviour to clear his Innocency and to convince the Pharisees of the Unreasonableness of this their Calumny and False Accusations offers several Arguments to their Consideration 1. That it was very unlikely that Satan should lend him this Power to use it against himself As Satan has a Kingdom so he has Wit enough to preserve his Kingdom and will do nothing to weaken his own Interest Now if I have received my Power from Satan for Destroying him and his Kingdom then is Satan divided against himself 2. Our Saviour tells them they might with as much Reason attribute all Miracles to the Devil as those that were wrought by Him There were certain Jews amongst themselves who cast out Devils in the Name of the GOD of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Christ asks the Pharisees By what Power these their Children Cast them out They acknowledged that those did it by the Power of GOD and there was no Cause but their Malice why they should not acknowleledge that what he did was by the same Power If I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the Kingdom of God is come unto you that is the Messias is come because he wrought these Miracles to prove that he was the Messias 3. Another Argument to prove That the Miracles which Christ wrought were by the Power of God and not by the Help of Satan is this The Devil is very strong and powerful and there is no Power but God's only that is stronger than his Now says Christ if I were not assisted by a Divine Power I could never cast out this strong Man who reigns in the World as in his House It must be a stronger than the strong Man that shall bind Satan and who is he but the GOD of Strength 31 Wherefore I say unto you All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Obs 1. How our Saviour makes a Difference betwixt speaking against the Son of Man and speaking against the Holy Ghost By Speaking against the Son of Man is meant all those Reproaches which were cast upon our Saviour's Person as Man without reflecting upon his Divine Power as GOD which he testified by his Miracles Such were their reproaching him with the Meaness of his Birth their censuring him for a Winebibber and a Glutton and the like But by Speaking against the Holy Ghost is meant their Blaspheming and Reproaching that Divine Power whereby he wrought his Miracles which was an immediate Reflection upon the Holy Spirit and a Blaspheming of him Observe 2. The Nature of this Sin of Speaking against the Holy Ghost It consisted in this that the Pharisees seeing our Saviour work Miracles and cast out Devils by the Spirit of God contrary to the Conviction of their own Minds they maliciously ascribe his Miracles to the Power of the Devil charging him to be a Sorcerer and Magician and to have a Familiar Spirit by whose Help he did those Mighty Works when in truth he did them by the Spirit of God Observe 3. That this Sin above all others is called Unpardonable and upon what Account it is so The Case of such Blasphemers of the Holy Spirit is not only dangerous but desperate because they resist their last Remedy and oppose the best Means for their Conviction What can God do more to convince a Man that Jesus Christ is the True Messiah than to work â—â—â—â—cles to that purpose Now if when Men see plain Miracles wrought they will say it is not God that works them but the Devil as if Satan would conspire against himself and seek the Ruin of his own Kingdom There is no way left to convince such Persons but they must and will continue in their Opposition to Truth to their inevitable Condemnation 33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit These Words may either referr to the Pharisees or to Christ himself If to the Pharisees the Sence is You hypocritical Pharisees shew your selves what you are by your Words and Actions even as the Fruit sheweth what the Tree is If they referr to Christ then they are an Appeal to the Pharisees themselves to judge of our Saviour and his Doctrine by the Miracles which he wrought If he wrought by the Devil his Works would be as bad as the Devil 's but if his Works were good they must own them to be wrought by the Power of God The Expression implies That a Man may be known by his Actions as a Tree may be judged by his Fruit yet not by a single Action but by a Series of Actions not by a particular Act but by our general Course 34 O generation of vipers how can ye being evil speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Note here 1. The Fervency and Zeal of our Saviour's Spirit in the Compellation given to the Pharisees he calls them a Generation of Vipers intimating that they were a venemous and dangerous sort of Men. Learn thence That it is not always Railing and Indiscreet Zeal to call Wicked Men by such Names as their Sin deserves Obs farther From our Saviour's Saying that Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh that the Heart is the Fountain both of Words and Actions and according as the Heart is so are the Current of Mens Words and Actions either good or evil 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Obs here A double Treasure discovered in the Heart of Man 1. An Evil Treasure of Sin and Corruption both Natural and Acquired from whence proceeds Evil Things Now this is called a Treasure not for
our Lord again forewarns his Disciples of their approaching Sufferings to the intent that they might remember that he had foretold them of them and would not fail to support them under them He had often told them in general of Persecutions and Troubles which they must expect to meet with but did not till now intimate the kinds and degrees of those Sufferings with respect to their Weakness and because whilst he was with them he himself bear the brunt of all the Worlds Rage falling upon him letting them along But after his Ascension when the Malice of Satan and wicked Men could not reach him then did the Storm fall upon them Hence learn 1. That Christ is so tender of his Disciples Weakness that he will not put them upon the hardship of Sufferings till they be trained up and prepared for them 2. That it may encourage the Saints in and under their Sufferings that Christ himself is the great Object of the Persecutors Malice and they only so for his sake for could they reach him they would not concern themselves with them Learn 3. That the Saints of God after long Exemption and Freedom from Sufferings must expect that Storms will arise Clouds gather thick and Trials come on a pace and their being under one Trial will not hide or shelter them from another 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me and none of you asketh me Whither goest thou 6 But because I have said these things unto you sorrow hath filled your heart Observe here How our Saviour again intimates to his Disciples his speedy departure from them and reproves them for being so sadded as it and concerned for it without considering the End and Design of it and the Benefit and Advantage they were to receive by it Here we see how the Disciples Thoughts were wholly taken up about themselves what they should do for want of Christ's bodily Presence without being instant with him to know whither he was going and what Benefit he should reap and they might expect from his departure Learn hence That Christ's Disciples ought not so much to have lamented the loss of his bodily Presence as to have rejoyced in his Glorious Exaltation and in their own Advantages by his Death Resurrection and Ascention None of you ask me Whither goest thou But sorrow hath filled your heart 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you In these words our Saviour urges his Disciples to submit to his Departure as that which would make way for his sending the Comforter to them which he assures them would be of more Advantage to them than his own stay and continuance amongst them Thence learn That the Presence of the Holy Spirit with us is a greater Comfort and Advantage to us than the Presence of Christ in the Flesh amongst us Christ's bodily Presence was comfortable but the Spirit is more intimately a Comforter than Christ in his fleshly Presence Because the Spirit can comfort all Believers at once in all Places but Christ's bodily Presence can comfort but few and that in one Place only at once Christ did converse with his Disciples outwardly but the Spirit possess'd himself of their Hearts inwardly Now for the Spirit to dwell in us is more advantagious than to have Christ dwell in the Flesh amongst us The Benefit of Christ's Conversation was great but the Advantage of the Spirit 's Renovation and holy Inspirations is much greater The one encourages and excites us to be Holy but the other quickens and enables us to be Holy Therefore well might Christ say It is expedient or highly necessary and advantagious for you that I go away He subjoyns a Reason If I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him to you Whence we learn That Christ's Ascension was indispensably necessary in order to the Spirit 's Mission the Spirit could not have descended if Christ had not first ascended the Spirit could not come but by the Gift and Mission of the Mediator Now the sending of the Spirit being a part of Christ's Royalty as Mediator it was not convenient that the Spirit should be sent till Christ was Crowned and sate down on his Throne in his Kingdom then the Spirit was to make Application to us of the Redemption purchased for us 8 And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment 9 Of sin because they believe not on me 10 Of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more 11 Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged In these and the following Verses our Saviour acquaints his Disciples with the Advantages that will redound by the coming of the Comforter First The Advantage to the World Secondly To the Apostles And Thirdly To himself To the World 1. He shall convince them of Sin Righteousness and Judgment Of Sin that is of their sinful State and Nature of the large extent of Sin and particularly of the sin of Unbelief Learn hence 1. That the Spirit of God is the Author of Conviction of Sin and that all Convictions of Sin do either mediately or immediately flow from him 2. That Unbelief is a Sin of the greatest malignity against Christ and of greatest danger to a Christian's Soul He shall convince the World of Sin because they believe not on me Secondly Of Righteousness that is of the insufficiency of all humane Righteousness and of the necessity of the Righteousness of a Mediator by which alone we are to expect acceptance with God Thirdly Of Judgment that is the Spirit shall convince the World that Jesus is both Lord and Christ that he had a Power to judge Satan the Prince of the World and that he did by his Death put down the Kingdom of Darkness Learn hence 1. That Satan is a Prince who by unjust Usurpation and the Sinners voluntary Consent has exercised a Tyrannical Power over the World 2. That Christ by his Death did judge condemn and overcome this mighty Prince and hath made his Conquest evident to the Consciences of Men by the Convictions of his Holy Spirit The Spirit shall convince of Judgment that is that Satan the Prince of this World is judged 12 I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now 13 Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth The second Benefit which our Saviour declares was to be expected by the coming of the Holy Spirit relates to the Apostles themselves He shall guide you into all Truth that is into all Truth necessary for you to know in order to Salvation This is a principal Text which the Papists bring for their Doctrine of Infallibility but groundlesly For this Promise was made to all
wicked Parents repine because they had Children but because they had lost them Mothers have the sharpest Throws both in their Childrens Births and Burials As Children in their Births are their Mothers Benjamins so in their Burial they are their Mothers Benoni's Sons of Sorrow 19 But when Herod was dead behold an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying 20 Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young child's life Obs 1. Herod's Death like a Bloody Persecutor he is sent unlamented to his Grave Historians say that out of his Body issued forth such impure Streams of Blood that the Loathsomness and Pain made him attempt the killing of himself God seldom suffers Persecutors to pass in quiet to their Graves they rarely die the common Death of all Men having no other Balm at their Funeral than their own Blood Obs 2. The happy Consequent of Herod's Death Christ is now call'd Home without Danger Herod being sent to his Grave the Coast is clear for the Return of the Holy Family The Death of Persecutors is the Delivery of the Persecuted 21 And he arose and took the young child and his mother and came into the land of Israel 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod he was afraid to go thither notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee Observe here 1. The just Fear that Joseph has upon his Mind that Herod's Son would be as Bloody a Tyrant as his Flagitious Father No wonder that the Children of Cruel Persecutors are suspected to tread in their Bloody Parents Steps Obs 2. How God's Warrant and Direction doth quiet Joseph's Mind resolve his Doubts and remove his Fears and makes him readily comply with the Command of God Being warned of God he removes out of Egypt into Galilee Oh how safe and satisfactory is it in all our Ways to follow the Call and Command of God! Joseph and Mary durst not move their Feet no not out of Egypt it self till God gives them a Warrant for their departure and bids them go 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet He shall be called a Nazarene A threefold Interpretation is given of these Words He shall be called a Nazarene Some read the Words 1. He shall be called a Nazarite the Nazarites were a Religious and Separate Rank of Persons among the Jews who abstained from Wine and came not near the Dead for fear of Pollution Christ was a Holy Person but no Nazarite in a strict sence for he drank Wine and touched the Dead 2. Others read the Words He shall be called Netzer a Branch in Allusion to Isa 11.1 where he is called a Branch of the Root of Jesse Christ was that True Branch of which the Prophets had so often spoken 3. Others will have the Word Nazarene referr to the City Nazareth where Christ was conceived and lived most of his time He shall be called a Nazarene because he dwelt at Nazareth hence his Disciples were called the Sect of the Nazarenes that is the Followers of him that dwelt at Nazareth and Christ himself is pleased to own the Title Act. 22.8 I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Learn from hence The great Humility of Mind that was found in our Saviour He was Born at Bethlehem a little City he Lives at Nazareth a poor contemptible Place He aspires not after the Grandeur of the World but is meek and lowly in Spirit may the same humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus CHAP. III. This Evangelist having declared our Saviour's Miraculous Conception in the First Chapter and recorded several remarkable Circumstances relating to his Birth in the Second Chapter in this Chapter before us he passes over in silence the whole Course of our Saviour's Life in private taking no notice how he spent his Minority whilst he dwelt at Nazareth which was till he was Thirty Years old at which time he entred upon his Publick Ministry having John the Baptist for his Harbinger and Forerunner at this Chapter fully informs us 1 IN those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 And saying Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Observe here 1. The Preacher sent by God John the Baptist a Pattern of Mortification and a Preacher of Repentance Obs 2. The Place he is sent to Preach in The Wilderness of Judea not in Populous Jerusalem but in a Barren Wilderness where Inhabitants were sew and probably very ignorant and rude Learn hence That it is God's Prerogative to send forth the Preachers of the Gospel when and whither and to what People he pleases and none must Assume the Office before they be Sent. Obs 3. The Doctrine that he preaches namely the Doctrine of Repentance Repent ye This was to prepare the People for the Messias and the Grace of the Gospel Learn thence That the Preaching of the Doctrine of Repentance is absolutely necessary in order to the preparing of the Hearts of Sinners for the receiving of Christ Jesus Obs 4. The Motive which St. John uses to inforce the Exhortation to Repentance The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is now is the so much expected Time of the Appearing of the Messiah come the Old Testament Dispensation is now to be Abolished and the Mercy and Grace of the Gospel is now to be Revealed therefore Repent and Amend your Lives Note thence That the free and full Tenders of Grace and Mercy in the Gospel are the most alluring Arguments to move a Sinner to Repent and to Convert to God 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias saying The voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight The Papists from John Baptist's living in the Wilderness would make him the first Founder of the Order of the Hermits but very groundlesly For 1. What he did was by God's Command what they do is by the Dictates of their their own Fancy 2. He busied himself in Preaching in the Wilderness they bury themselves alive and do nothing 3. He lived in the Wilderness but for a time afterwards we find him at Court Preaching a Sermon to Herod but they bind themselves with a Vow to live and die Hermits 4 And the same John had his raiment of camels hair and a leathern girdle about his loins and his meat was locusts and wild honey The plainess of John's Habit and Diet is here declared he was habited in a plain Suit of Camels Hair much as Elijah was before him and as his Habit was plain so his Diet was ordinary feeding upon Herbs and such Things as the Wilderness affords hence it was that Nazianzen said he was all
in which he Preached Sitting When he was set he Taught according to the Custom of the Jewish Doctors who sat to shew their Authority Observe 4. The Sermon it self which begins with Beatitudes and Blessings and is accompanied with Promises of Reward Not as the Law was delivered on Mount Sinai with Threatnings and Thunder with Fire and Earthquake but in a still and soft Voice Our Lord's Lips are full of Grace they drop as the Honey-comb Blessings and Promises are our Encouragements to Obedience 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Observe here 1. It is not said Blessed are the Poor in Estate but Blessed are the Poor in Spirit 't is not a Poverty of Possession but a Poverty of Spirit that Entitles us to the Blessing 2. 'T is not said Blessed are the Spiritually Poor but Blessed are the Poor in Spirit He that is destitute of the Grace and Spirit of Christ that has no sense of his Spiritual Wants he is Spiritually Poor but he is not Poor in Spirit Farther 3. 'T is not said Blessed are the Poor-Spirited but the Poor in Spirit such as Act below and beneath themselves as Men and as Christians these are Poor-Spirited Men but these are not Poor in Spirit 4. 'T is not said Blessed are they that make themselves Poor by leaving their Estates and Callings and turning Beggars as some do among the Papists But Blessed are they whom the Gospel makes Poor by giving them a sight of their Spiritual Wants and Necessities and directing them to Christ that they may be made Rich. In Sum not those that are Poor in Estate or those whom the World has made Poor in Possession but those whom the Gospel has made Poor in Spirit have a Right and Title to the Kingdom of Heaven 4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Obs here 1. That Mourning for Sin is a Gospel-Duty the Law allows no place for Repentance tho' we seek it carefully with Tears Obs 2. The Time and Season for this Duty Blessed are they that Now Mourn Sorrow for Sin is Physick on Earth but 't is Food in Hell Repentance is here a Grace but there a Punishment 3. As Mourning goes before Comfort so Comfort shall follow after Mourning Our Godly Sorrow for Sin shall end in Everlasting Joy and Comfort 5 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Obs here 1. The Grace and Duty recommended Meekness 2. The Wages and Reward belonging to that Grace and Duty The Inheritance of the Earth Meekness either respects God or our Neighbour As it respects God so it implies Flexibleness â—o his Commanding Will and Submissiveness to his Providential Pleasure As it respects our Neighbour it consists in Forgiving Injuries Bearing Reproaches and Recompencing Good for Evil. The Reward and Blessing Insured to this Grace and Duty is the Inheritance of the Earth where Heaven is not excluded but included yet the Earth is mentioned to shew that Men shall be no Losers by their Meekness as to their Outward Estates for Almighty God will make good to them whatever they lose for Peace-sake Oh Happy Temper of Mind that at once Secures Heaven and Earth to boot Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth in this Life and Heaven in the next 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Obs 1. The Character of the Persons whom Christ pronounces Blessed such as Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness 2. Wherein their Blessedness doth consist They shall be filled By Righteousness we are to understand 1. A Righteousness of Justification the Righteousness of the Mediator imputed to us by which we stand Righteous in God's sight being freed from Condemnation 2. A Righteousness of Sanctification wrought in us by the Holy Spirit enabling us to Act Righteously By the former there is a Relative Change in our Condition by the latter a Real Change in our Constitution Learn That all and only such as do Spiritually Hunger and Thirst after Christ and his Righteousness are in an Happy and Blessed Condition 7 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Here our Blessed Redeemer recommends to us a Compassionate Regard towards the Miseries of Others and that both in Soul and Body Name and Estate to be forward to Pity and Pardon to Relieve and Help to Give and Forgive And as an Encouragement he adds That as we deal with others God will deal with us our Charity towards Men shall be Crowned with Mercy from GOD and that in Abundance too for our Rivulet of Charity we shall partake of an Ocean of Mercy Blessed are the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy Learn That the Merciful Man is a Blessed Man and therefore Blessed because he shall obtain Mercy when he most wants it and most desires it 8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Note here 1. The Duty required and called for Purity of Heart and Life the first expressed the other included for a clean Heart will be accompanied with a clean Life Where there is a Principle of Grace within there will be the Actings of Grace without Note 2. The Incentive to this Duty the Pure in Heart and Holy in Life shall See and Enjoy GOD the infinitely Pure and perfectly Holy GOD They shall see him Spiritually and Mediately in this Life Gloriously and Immediately in the Life to come 9 Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Obs 1. The Connexion between Peace and Purity Purity of Heart and Peaceableness of Life accompany one another there is no Inward Purity where there is not an Endeavour after Outward Peace 2. The Duty exhorted to namely to Love Peace and to Labour after Peace to Love it our selves and Promote it amongst others to be not only Peaceable but Peace-makers Note 3. The Title of Honour that is here put upon such as are of this Peaceable and Peace-making Temper they shall be called the Children of God that is they shall be reputed and esteemed God's Children for their likeness to him who is the God of Peace And they shall be dignified and honoured with the Priviledges of God's Children namely Grace here and Glory herefafter 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven 11 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake 12 Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you Note here 1. That all the Disciples and Followers of Christ live they never so Holily and Inoffensively in the World yet must they expect Suffering and Persecution 2. That the keenest and sharpest Edge of Persecution is usually turn'd against the Ministers of Christ and falls heaviest on the Prophets of God 3. That such Sufferings
as before Conversion Disesteemed him do afterwards kindly and respectfully Entertain him Matthew toucht with a sense of Christ's Rich Love makes him a Royal Feast Obs farther How at this Feast many Publicanes and Sinners were present of Matthew's Acquaintance no doubt and probably invited by him that they might also see Christ and be Partakers of the same Grace with him Whence we Learn That Grace teaches a Man to desire and seek the Conversion of others and such as are truly brought home to Christ themselves will study and endeavour to bring in all their Acquaintance to Christ also 11 And when the Pharisees saw it they said unto his disciples Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners See here what a Grief it is to Wicked Men to see others brought in to Christ the Wicked Pharisees murmur repine and envy instead of admiring Christ's Condescension and adoring his Divine Goodness They censure him for conversing with Sinners but Christ tells them in the following Verses that he converst with them as their Physician not as their Companion 12 But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance As if our Lord had said With whom should the Physician converse but with his Sick Patients Now I am come into the World to do the Office of a kind Physician unto Men surely then I am to take all Opportunities to Help and Heal them They that are Sick need the Physician but for you Pharisees who are whole and well in your own Opinion and swell'd with a Conceit of your own Righteousness I have no Hopes of doing any Good upon you for such as think themselves whole desire no Physician 's Help Learn hence 1. That Sin is the Soul's Malady its Spiritual Disease and Sickness 2. That Christ is the Physician appointed by God for the Cure and Healing of this Disease and Malady 3. That there are Multitudes Spiritually Sick who yet think themselves sound and whole 4. That only such as are sensible of their Spiritual Sickness are Subjects capable of Cure and the Persons whom Christ is an Healing Physician to They that are whole need not the Physician but they that are sick 14 Then came to him the disciples of John saying Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft but thy disciples fast not 15 And Jesus said unto them Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them but the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast 16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment and the rent is made worse 17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles else the bottles break and the wine runneth out and the bottles perish but they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved The Pharisees themselves had a Contention with our Saviour in the foregoing Verses here they set on the Disciples of John to contend with him about Fasting alledging that the Disciples of John fasted often Christ's Disciples not at all Our Saviour owns it that his Disciples did not fast at present for two Reasons 1. Because it was Vnsuitable to them 2. Because it was Intolerable for them It was Vnsuitable to them because of Christ's Bodily Presence with them this made it a time of Joy and Feasting not of Mourning and Fasting While Christ the Bridegroom is with them they must feast and rejoyce when removed from them there will be Cause enough to fast and mourn Christ is the Bridegroom and his Church the Bride which he has Espoused and Married to himself and whilest his Spouse did enjoy his Bodily Presence with her it was a Day of Joy and Rejoycing to her and Mourning and Fasting was improper for her Again This Discipline of Fasting was at present Intolerable for the Disciples for they were raw green and tender and could no more bear the Severities of Religion at present than an old Garment could bear a piece of new stiff Cloth to be set into it which will make the Rent worse if the Garment comes to a stretch or no more than old Bottles can keep new Wine Thus says Christ My Disciples are young and green tender and weak newly converted they cannot bear the Severer Exercises of Religion presently but when I am ascended into Heaven I will send down my Holy Spirit which shall enable them to all the Duties which the Gospel injoyns Hence we may Gather That Young Converts till grown up to some Consistency in Grace must not be put upon the Severer Exercises of Religion but handled with that Tenderness and Gentleness which becomes the mild and merciful Dispensation of the Gospel Our Saviour here commends Prudence to his Ministers that they put not their People upon Duties beyond their Strength but consult their Progress in Christianity and the Proficiency they have made in Religion and treat them accordingly 18 While he spake these things unto them behold there came a certain ruler and worshipped him saying My daughter is even now dead but come and lay thy hand upon her and she shall live 19 And Jesus arose and followed him and so did his disciples The humble Posture in which this Man came unto Christ namely falling at his Foot and worshipping him which was not only a Sign of tender Affection towards his Daughter but an Evidence of his Faith in our Blessed Saviour yet his confining Christ's Power to his Bodily Presence and to the Touch of his Hand was a Token of the Weakness of his Faith Come says he and lay thy Hand upon her and she shall live As if Christ could not have Cured her without either coming to her or laying his Hand upon her Note here That altho' all that come to Christ are not alike strong in Faith yet our Blessed Redeemer refuses none that come unto him with a sincere Faith tho' in much weakness of Faith Jesus arose and followed him 20 And behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years came behind him and touched the hem of his garment 21 For she said within her self If I may but touch his garment I shall be whole 22 But Jesus turned him about and when he saw her he said Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole And the woman was made whole from that hour Whilst Christ is on his way to the Ruler's House a diseased Woman comes behind him touches his Garment and is instantly Healed The Virtue lay not in her Finger but in her Faith or rather in Christ which her Faith Instrumentally drew forth Obs here How Faith oft-times meets with a sweeter Welcom than it could expect This
of the Life universally and perceivingly Holy and Righteous consists our Actual Preparation Obs 3. The doleful Condition of such as were unready The Door is shut against them the Door of Repentance the Door of Hope the Door of Salvation all shut eternally shut and by him that shutteth and none can open Learn hence The utter Impossibility of ever getting our Condition altered by us when the Day of Grace and Salvation is once over with us Wo to such Souls who by the Folly of their own Delays have caused the Door of Conversion and Remission to be everlastingly shut against their own Souls 11 Afterward came also the other virgins saying Lord Lord open to us 12 But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not Observe here The Virgin 's Petition and the Bridegroom's Reply The Petition Lord Lord open to us Learn thence That how negligent soever Men are of Heaven and Salvation here there are none but will desire it earnestly and importunately hereafter Afterwards that is when too late Observe farther the Bridegroom's Reply I know you not that is I own and approve you not There is a twofold Knowledge that Christ has a Knowledge of simple Intuition and a Knowledge of special Approbation the former Knowledge Christ has of all Men the latter only of good Men. Learn hence That it will be a dreadful Misery for any Persons but especially for such as have been eminent Professors to be disowned by Christ at his coming to hear that dreadful Word from the Mouth of Christ Verily I know you not 13 Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh Here we have our Lord's Application of the foregoing Parable to be always upon our Watch continually upon our Guard to meet the Bridegroom in Death and Judgment because we know not the time of his Coming and Approach Learn hence That Watchfulness and a prepared Readiness is a great Duty that lyes upon all those who believe and look for Christ's Coming and Appearance Happy Souls who are found in a Posture of Readiness at the Bridegroom's Approach standing with Lamps trimmed Loins girded Lights burning that is improving and exercising their Graces abounding in all the Fruits of the Spirit and in all the substantial Virtues of a good Life Such and only such shall have an Entrance abundantly administered unto them into the everlasting Kingdom 14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods 15 And unto one he gave five talents to another two and to another one to every man according to his several ability and straightway took his journey Observe here The Person intrusting Christ the Persons intrusted all Christians The Talents they are intrusted with Goods that is Goods of Providence Riches and Honours Gifts of Mind Wisdom Parts and Learning Gifts of Grace all these Goods Christ dispenses variously more to some fewer to others but with Expectation of Improvement from all Learn 1. That Christ is the great Lord of the Universe and Owner of all his Servant's Goods and Talents 2. That every Talent is given us by our Lord to improve and imploy for our Master's Use and Service 3. That it pleases the Lord to dispence his Gifts variously amongst his Servants to some he commits more to others fewer Talents 4. That to this Lord of ours every one of us must be accountable and responsible for every Talent committed to us and intrusted with us 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents 17 And likewise he that had received two he also gained other two 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth and hid his lord's money The former Verses gave an Account of the Lord 's Distribution these acquaint us with the Servants Negotiation Some traded with and made Improvement of their Talents others traded not at all yet is it not said that they did imbezzle the Talent but not improve it Learn It is not sufficient to justifie us that we do not abuse our Talents 't is Fault enough to hide them and not improve them the slothful Servant shall no more escape Punishment than the wasteful Servant 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying Lord thou delivered'st unto me five talents behold I have gained besides them five talents mo 21 His Lord said unto him Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy lord 22 He also that had received two talents came and said Lord thou delivered'st unto me two talents behold I have gained two other talents besides them 23 His lord said unto him Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy lord Note here 1. That the Wisdom of God dispences his Gifts and Graces variously as so many Talents to his Servants to be imployed and improved for his own Glory and his Churches Good 2. That all such Servants as have received any Talents must look to reckon and account for them and this Account must be particular personal exact and impartial 3. That all such Servants as have been faithful in improving their Talents at Christ's coming shall be both commended and rewarded also Well done good and faithful Servant enter into the Joy of thy Lord. Where Obs 1. That the State of the Blessed is a State of Joy 2. That the Joy which the Blessed partake of is the Joy of their Lord that is the Joy which he provides and which he possesses 3. That the way after which the Saints partake of this Joy is by entring into it which denotes the highest and the fullest Participation of it The Joy is too great to enter into them they must enter into that Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art an hard man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strawed 25 And I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth lo there thou hast that is thine 26 His lord answered and said unto him Thou wicked and slothful servant thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not and gather where I have not strawed 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury Observe here 1. That he that received but One Talent is called to an Account as well as he that received Five Heathens that have but One Talent namely the
Bloodshed Accordingly they industriously suborn false-witnesses to take away his Life not sticking at the grossest Perjury so they might destroy him The Chief Priests and Elders and all the Council sought false Witness against Jesus to put him to Death Abominable Wickedness Innocency it self cannot protect from Slander and false Accusation No Man is so innocent or good whom false Witness may not condemn Yet Observe farther Our Lord's Meekness and Patience his submissive Silence under all these wicked Suggestions and false Accusations Jesus held his Peace v. 63. Guilt is clamorous and impatient Innocency is silent and careless of mis-reports Learn hence That to bear the Revilings Contradictions and false Accusations of Men with a silent and submissive Spirit is an excellent and Christ-like Temper Our Lord stood before his unjust Judges and false Accusers as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb and not opening his Mouth Altho' a Trial for his Life was managed most maliciously and illegally against him when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Oh let the same humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus 63 And the high priest answered and said unto him I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God 64 Jesus saith unto him Thou hast said nevertheless I say unto you Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven 65 Then the high priest rent his cloaths saying He hath spoken blasphemy what further need have we of witnesses behold now ye have heard his blasphemy 66 What think ye They answered and said He is guilty of death 67 Then did they spit in his face and buffetted him and others smote him with the palms of their hands 68 Saying Prophesie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee We observed even now that our Saviour was silent and did make no Reply to the false Witnesses that evidenced against him at his Trial because being so manifestly contradicting they did fall to the Ground of themselves But now when the Question was solemnly put by the High Priest Art thou the Christ He said I am Thence Learn That altho' we are not obliged to answer every cavilling or ensnaring Question yet we are bound faithfully to own and freely to confess the Truth when we are solemnly called thereunto Christ who in the former Verses was silent and as a deaf Man that heard not now witnesses a good Confession Teaching us both by his Example and Command to confess and own both him and his Truth when lawfully required when our Silence will be a denying of the Truth a Dishonour to God and a Scandal to our Brethren Christ knew that his Answer would cost him his Life and yet he durst not but give it Art thou the Son of the Blessed Jesus said I am Yea farther Observe That as Christ answer'd directly and plainly at his Trial so he did not refuse to answer upon Oath I adjure thee by the living God says the Judge of the Court that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ That is I require thee to answer this Question upon Oath for adjuring a Person or requiring them to answer upon Oath was the manner of swearing among the Jews Now to this Adjuration our Saviour answer'd plainly and directly I am Mark 14.61 Hence Learn That swearing before a Magistrate upon a just and great Occasion is lawful If Christ in the Fifth of St. Matthew forbids all Oaths then here his Practice was contrary to his own Doctrine but it is evident that Christ answered the Magistrate upon Oath and so may we Observe Lastly The Sentence of Condemnation which the Council passed upon him for owning himself to be the Son of God He hath spoken Blasphemy and is worthy to die Hereupon the unruly Rabble affront him with the vilest Abuses and most horrid Indignities They Spit in his Face they Blind-fold him they Smote him with their Fists and Palms of their Hands and in a way of Contempt and Mockery they bid him Divine or Prophesie who it was that smote him Learn hence That there is no Degree of Contempt no Mark of Shame no Kind of Suffering which we ought to decline or stick at for Christ's sake who hid not his Face from Shame and Spitting upon our Account 69 Now Peter sat without in the palace and a damsel came unto him saying Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee 70 But he denied before them all saying I know not what thou sayest 71 And when he was gone out into the porch another maid saw him and said unto them that were there This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth 72 And again he denied with an oath I do not know the man 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by and said unto Peter surely thou also art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee 74 Then he began to curse and to swear saying I know not the man And immediately the cock crew 75 And Peter remembred the words of Jesus which said unto him Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice And he went out and wept bitterly This last Paragraph of the Chapter gives us an Account of the Fall and Rising of Peter of his Sin in denying Christ and of his Recovery by a speedy and severe Repentance Both must be consider'd distinctly First As touching his Sin and Fall there are Four Particulars Observable namely the Sin it self the Occasion of that Sin the Reiteration and Repetition of it and the aggravating Circumstances attending it Obs 1. The Sin it self the Denial of Christ I know not the Man a manifest Untruth Next he adds an Oath to confirm that Untruth he swore that he knew not the Man And last of all he wish'd an horrid Curse and Imprecation upon himself That is he wish'd himself excommunicated and cast out of the Church Say some he wish'd himself eternally separated from the Presence of God Say others he wish'd in effect that the Devil might take him if he were acquainted with Jesus The inordinate Love of Life and slavish Fear of Sufferings and Death may draw the best Men to commit the worst of Sins Obs 2. The Occasions of this Sin and they were Three his following Christ afar off his being in bad Company amongst Christ's Enemies and his presumptuous Confidence of his own Strength and Standing 1. His following of Christ afar off To follow Christ is the Work of Faith and Fruit of Love but to follow him afar off was the Effect of Fear and Frailty Wo unto us when a Temptation comes if we be far off from Christ's Presence and Assistance 2. His being in wicked Company amongst Christ's Enemies Oh Peter thou hadst better have been a cold by thy self alone than sitting by a Fire compassed in with the Blasphemies
but never think or speak of them with the least Delight or Satisfaction for this in God's Account is a new Commission of them and lays under an Additional Guilt 62 Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation the chief Priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate 63 Saying Sir we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive After three days I will rise again 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say unto the people he is risen from the dead so the last errour shall be worse than the first 65 Pilate said unto them Ye have a watch go your way make it as sure as you can 66 So they went and made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone and setting a watch This last Paragraph of the Chapter acquaints us with the Endeavours that the Murtherers of Christ used to prevent his foretold Resurrection They ask and obtain of Pilate that his Sepulchre may be strongly guarded till the Third Day was past and over when probably they intended to have exposed his dead Body to the view of the People and accordingly a threefold Guard is set about the Grave the Stone the Seal and the Watch concluding that Christ was safe enough either for rising or stealing The Stone making the Grave sure the Seal making the Stone sure and the Watch or Band of Soldiers making all sure The Stone being sealed with the publick Seal no Person might meddle with it upon pain of Death Where Note 1. The wonderful Wisdom the over-ruling Power and Providence of God by this excessive Care and extraordinary Diligence the High Priests hoped to prevent our Saviour's Resurrection but the Truth and Belief of it was hereby confirmed to all the World How much Evidence had Christ's Resurrection wanted if the High Priests and Elders had not been thus maliciously industrious to prevent his rising Learn 2. That the Endeavours used to obstruct our Lord's Resurrection have render'd it more certain and undoubted had not all this Care and Caution been used by his Enemies the Grounds of our Faith had not been so strong so evident and so clear It was very happy that the Jews were thus jealous and suspicious thus careful and distrustful for otherwise the World had never received so full and perfect an Evidence of Christ's Resurrection as now whereon all our Comfort and Salvation doth depend Verily their solicitous Care to suppress our Redeemer's Resurrection has render'd it more conspicuous and freed it from all Suspicion of Forgery CHAP. XXVIII This last Chapter of St. Matthew contains the History of our Saviour's Resurrection and gives us an Account of what he did on Earth between the time of his Triumphant Resurrection and his Glorious Ascension 1 IN the end of the sabbath as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre The Lord of Life was buried upon the Friday in the Evening of that Day on which he was crucified and his holy Body rested in the silent Grave the next Day and a part of the Morning the Day following Thus he arose again the Third Day neither sooner nor later not sooner lest the Truth of his Death should have been question'd that he did not die at all and not later lest the Faith of his Disciples should have fail'd And accordingly when the Sabbath was past and it dawned towards the first Day of the Week in the Morning very early before Day Mary Magdalen and other devout Women go to visit the holy Sepulchre intending with their Spices and Odours farther to imbalm our Lord's Body But Observe Altho' the Hearts of these good Women did burn with an Ardent Love and Zeal to their Crucified Lord yet the commanded Duties of the Sabbath are not omitted by them they stay till the Sabbath is ended and then early in the Morning they go with Odours in their Hands to perfume his Sacred Corps fearing neither the Darkness of the Night nor the Presence of the Watchmen How great a Tribute of Respect and Honour is due and payable to these Women for their Magnanimity and Courage They follow'd Christ when his Disciples left him they accompanied him to his Cross and follow'd his Hearse to the Grave when none of his Disciples durst appear Learn hence That Courage is the special and peculiar Gift of God and where God gives Courage it is not in Man to make afraid 2 And behold there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it 3 His countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men Observe here 1. With what Pomp and Triumph doth our Lord arise The Earth that quaked before at his Crucifixion quakes now again at his Resurrection it quak'd then at the Dissolution now at the Reunion of his Humane Nature to tell the World that the God of Nature then suffer'd and now conquer'd Observe 2. How an Angel is imploy'd in Christ's Resurrection He rolls away the Stone But could not Christ have risen then without the Angel's Help Yes sure he that raised himself surely could have removed the Stone But God thinks fit to send an Officer from Heaven to open the Prison Door of the Grave and by setting our Surety at Liberty proclaims our Debt to the Divine Justice fully satisfied Besides it was fit that the Angels who had been Witnesses of our Saviour's Passion should also be Witnesses of his Resurrection Observe 3. How unable the Keepers of the Grave were to bear the Sight and Presence of the Angel they shake for Fear and became as dead Men. Angels being pure and perfect Spirits Man is not able to bear the Sight of an Angel no not in Humane Shape without Terror and Affrightment and if the Sight of an Angel be so dreadful what is the Sight of God himself 5 And the angel answered and said unto the women Fear not ye for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified 6 He is not here for he is risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay 7 And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him lo I have told you Observe here 1. Our Lord's Resurrection asserted and declar'd He is risen God never intended that the darling of his Soul should be lost in an obscure Sepulchre he is not here says the Angel that is in the Grave where you laid him where you left him Death has lost its Prey and the Grave has lost her Guest Observe 2. It is not said He is not here for he is raised but he is risen The Word imports the active Power of
with his sick Patients Now I am come into the World to do the Office of a kind Physician unto Men. Surely then I am to take all Opportunities of conversing with them that I may help and heal them for they that are sick need the Physician But as for you Scribes and Pharisees who are well and whole in your own Opinion and Conceit I have no Hopes of doing Good upon you for such as think themselves whole desire no Physician 's Help From this Assertion of our Saviour these Truths are suggested to us 1. That Sin is the Soul's Malady its Spiritual Disease and Sickness 2. That Christ is the Physician appointed by God for the cure and healing of this Disease 3. That there are Multitudes of Sinners Spiritually sick who yet think themselves sound and whole 4. That such and only such as find and feel themselves Spiritually sick are Subjects capable of Christ's healing They that are whole need not the Physician but they that are sick I came not to call the Opinionatively Righteous but the Sensible Sinner to Repentance 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast and they come and say unto him Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast but thy disciples fast not 19 And Jesus said unto them Can the children of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them as long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those days 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old and the rent is made worse 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles else the new wine doth burst the bottles and the wine is spilled and the bottles will be marred but new wine must be put into new bottles Observe here 1. A great Difference betwixt John's Disciples and Christ's in the Matter of Fasting John's Disciples imitated him who was a Man of an Austere Life and much given to fasting Therefore is said To come neither eating nor drinking Matth. 11.18 On the other side Christ's Disciples followed him who came eating and drinking as other Men did and yet tho' there was a great Difference betwixt John's Disciples and Christ's in Matters of Practice yet were they all of one Faith and Religion Thence Learn That there may be Unity of Faith and Religion among those who do not maintain an Uniformity in Practice Men may differ in some outward Religious Observations and Customs and yet agree in the Fundamentals of Faith and Religion Thus did John's Disciples and Christ's the one fasted often the other fasted not Obs 2. In that the Disciples of the Pharisees used to fast as well as John's Disciples We may Learn That Hypocrites and wicked Men may be and sometimes are as strict and forward in the Outward Duties of Religion as the holiest and best of Christians They pray they fast they hear the Word they receive the Sacraments They do yea it may be they out do and go beyond the Sincere Christian in External Duties and outward Performances Obs 3. The defensative Plea which our Blessed Saviour makes for the not fasting of his Disciples he declares that it was neither suitable to them nor tolerable for them thus to fast at present Not suitable in regard of Christ's bodily Presence with them This made it a time of Joy and Rejoicing not of Mourning and Fasting Christ is the Bridegroom and his Church the Bride whilst therefore his Spouse did enjoy his bodily Presence with her it was a Day of Joy and Rejoicing to her and Mourning and Fasting were improper for her But when Christ's bodily Presence shall be removed there will be Cause enough to fast and mourn Again This Discipline of Fasting was not at present tolerable for the Disciples for they were raw green and tender not fit for Austerities nor could bear as yet the Severities of Religion no more than an old Garment could bear a piece of new stiff Cloth to be set into it which will make the Rent worse if the Garment comes to a Stretch Or no more than old Bottles can keep new Wine As if our Saviour had said My Disciples at present are tender and weak newly called and converted they cannot therefore bear the Severities of Religion presently but e're long I shall leave them and go to Heaven from whence I will send down my Holy Spirit upon them which shall enable them to all the Duties which the Gospel enjoins Now the intended Lesson of Instruction from hence is this That it is hurtful and dangerous for young Converts for weak Christians to be put upon the severer Exercises of Religion or to be urged to the Performance of such Duties as are above their Strength But they ought to be handled with that Tenderness which becomes the mild and gentle Dispensation of the Gospel Our Saviour here commends Prudence to his Ministers in treating their People according to their Strength and putting them upon Duties according to their Time and Standing 23 And it came to pass that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath-day and his disciples began as they went to pluck the ears of corn 24 And the Pharisees said unto him Behold why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful 25 And he said unto them Have ye never read what David did when he had need and was an hungered he and they that were with him 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest and did eat the shew-bread which is not lawful to eat but for the priest and gave also to them which were with him 27 And he said unto them The sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath 28 Therefore the son of man is Lord also of the sabbath Obs here 1. The Poverty the low Estate and Condition of Christ's own Disciples in this World they wanted Bread and are forced to pluck the Ears of Corn to satisfie their Hunger God may and sometimes doth suffer his dearest Children to fall into Streights to taste of Want for the Trial of their Faith and Dependance upon his Power and Providence Obs 2. How the Pharisees who accompanied our Saviour only with a Design to cavil at and quarrel with every thing that either he or his Disciples did blame this Action of the Disciples namely their plucking of the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath-day Yet Note First It was not any Theft which the Disciples were charged with for to take in our Necessity so much of our Neighbour's Goods as we may reasonably suppose that if he were present and knew our Circumstances he would give us is no Theft But it is the servile Labour on the Sabbath in gathering the Ears of Corn which the Pharisees scruple Whence
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
and Watchfulness dropping Heavenly Advice and Counsel upon them while he yet spake Lo Judas came Our Saviour was found in the most Heavenly and Excellent Employment when his Enemies came to Apprehend him Lord How happy is it when our Sufferings finds us in God's way engaged in his Work and engaging his Assistance by fervent Supplication Thus did our Lord's Sufferings meet him may ours in like manner meet us Observe 5. The Endeavours used by the Disciples for their Master's Rescue One of them St. Matthew says it was Peter draws his Sword and cuts off the Ear of Malchus who probably was one of the forwardest to lay hands on Christ But why did not St. Peter draw upon Judas rather than Malchus because though Judas was more Faulty yet Malchus was more forward to arrest and carry off our Saviour How doth a pious Breast swell with Indignation at the sight of any open Affront offered to its Saviour Yet though St. Peter's Heart was sincere his hand was Rash good Intentions are no Warrant for irregular Actions and accordingly Christ who accepted the Affection reproves the Action Put up thy Sword for they that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword Christ will thank no Man to fight for him without a Warrant and Commission from him To resist a Lawful Magistrate in Christ's own Defence is rash Zeal and discountenanced by the Gospel Observe Lastly The effect which our Saviour's Apprehension had upon the Disciples They all forsook him and fled They that said to Christ a little before Though we should dye with thee yet will not we deny thee do all here desert and Cowardly forsake him when it came to the Tryal Learn hence That the best and holiest of men know not their own Hearts when great Temptations and Tryals are before them until such time as they come to grapple with them No Man knows his own strength till Temptation puts it to the proof 51 And there followed him a certain young Man having a Linnen Cloath cast about his naked Body and the young Man laid hold on him 52 And he left the Linnen Cloath and fled from them naked 53 And they led Jesus away to the High Priest and with him were assembled all the Chief Priests and the Elders and the Scribes 54 And Peter followed him afar off even into the Palace of the High Priests and he sat with the Servants and warmed himself at the Fire 55 And the Chief Priests and all the Council sought for Witness against Jesus to put him to death and found none 56 For many bare false Witness against him but their Witness agreed not together 57 And there arose certain and bare false Witness against him saying 58 We heard him say I will destroy this Temple that is made with hands and within three days I will build another made without hands 59 But neither so did their Witness agree together 60 And the High Priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus saying Answerest thou nothing What is it which these Witness against thee 61 But he held his peace and answered nothing Again the High Priest asked him and said unto him Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed 62 And Jesus said I am And ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the Right hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven 63 Then the High Priest rent his Cloaths and said What need we any farther Witnesses 64 Ye have heard the Blasphemy What think ye and they all condemned him to be Guilty of Death 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his Face and to buffer him and to say unto him Prophecy and the Servants did strike him with the Palms of their hands Here we have the History of our Saviour's Examination before the High-priest and Council who sat up all Night to Arraign and Try the Holy and Innocent Jesus for lest his Death should look like a down-right Murther they allow him a Mock-Tryal and abuse the Law by perverting it to Injustice and Blood-shed Accordingly false Witnesses are suborned who Depose that they heard him say he would destroy their Temple and build it again in three days It is not in the power of the greatest Innocency to protect the most Innocent and Holy Person from Slander and false Accusation yea no Person is so innocent and good whom false Witness may not Condemn Observe 2. Our Lord's Meekness and Patience his Silence under all these wicked Suggestions and false Accusations Jesus held his peace and answered nothing v. 61. Guilt is naturally Clamorous and Impatient but Innocency is silent and careless of Mis-Reports Learn hence That to bear the Revilings Contradictions and false Accusations of Men with a silent and submissive Spirit is an Excellent and Christ-like Temper Our Lord stood before his unjust Judge and false Accusers even as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb and not opening his Mouth even then when a Tryal for his Life was managed and most maliciously and illegally against him When he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not May the same humble Mind and forgiving Spirit be in us which was also in Christ Jesus Observe 3. That although our Saviour was silent and made no Reply to the false Witnesses yet now when the question was solemnly put by the High-Priest Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed he answered I am Thence Learn That although we are not obliged to every insnaring Question to make Answer yet are we bound faithfully to own and freely to confess the Truth when solemnly called thereunto when our Silence will be interpreted a Denyal of the Truth a Dishonour to God a Reproach and Scandal to our Brethren it will be a great Sin to hold our Peace and we must not be silent though our Confession of the Truth hazards our Liberty yea our Life Christ knew that his Answer would cost him his Life and yet he durst not but give it Art thou the Son of the Blessed Jesus said I am Observe 4. The Crime which the High-Priest pronounces our Saviour to be Guilty of that of Blasphemy He hath spoken Blasphemy Hereupon the High-Priest rends his Cloaths it being usual with the Jews so to do both to shew their Sorrow for it and great detestation of it and indignation against it Observe 5. The vile Affronts and horrid Abuses which the Enemies of our Saviour put upon him they spit in his Face they blind fold him they smite him with their hands and in Contempt and Mockery bid him prophecy who it was that smote him Verily there is no degree of Contempt no mark of Shame no kind of Suffering which we ought to decline or stick at for Christ's sake who hid not his Face from shame and spitting upon our Account 66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace there cometh one of the maids of the high Priest 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself she looked upon him and
Submission and intire Resignation to the Divine pleasure to be disposed of by God as he thought fit Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word We hear of no more Objections or Interrogations but an humble and submissive Silence Learn hence that a Gracious Heart when once it understands the pleasure of God argues no farther but quietly Rests in a Believing Expectation of what God will do All disputations with God after his Will is made known and understood arise from Infidelity and Unbelief The Virgin having thus Consented instantly Conceived by the Over-shadowing Power of the Holy Ghost 39 And Mary arose in those days and went into the Hill-country with haste into a City of Judah 40 And entred into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth 41 And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the Salutation of Mary the babe leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost 42 And she spake out with aloud voice and said Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb 43 And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me 44 For lo as soon as the voice of thy Salutation sounded in mine ears the babe leaped in my womb for joy 45 And blessed is she that believed for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. Observe here 1. The Visit made by the Virgin Mary to her Cousin Elizabeth The Holy Virgin had understood by the Angel that Elizabeth was no less akin to her in Condition than in Relation being both Fruitful in Conception she hastens into the Hill-country to Visit that Holy Matron The Two Wonders of the World were now met under one Roof to Congratulate their mutual Happiness only the meeting of the Saints in Heaven can parallel the meeting of these two Saints on Earth Obs 2. The design and intention of this Visit which was partly to Communicate their Joys each to other and partly to strengthen the Faith of each other Such a Soul as has Christ Spiritually Conceived in it is restless and cannot be quiet till it has imparted its joy Obs 3. The effect of the Virgins Salutation She had no sooner Saluted Elizabeth but the babe in Elizabeths womb leaped for joy doing homage and paying adoration to his Lord who was then in presence If Elizabeth and her holy Babe thus rejoyced when Christ came under their Roof how should our Hearts leap within us when the Son of God vouchsafes to come into the Secret of our Souls not to visit us for an hour but to dwell with us yea to dwell in us and that for ever Obs 4. How Elizabeth by an extraordinary Spirit of Prophecy confirms what the Angel before had told the Holy Virgin Blessed says she art thou among Women and Blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb and what an honour is this that the Mother of my Lord should come to me Where Note How Elizabeth acknowledgeth the Incarnation of Christ and the Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in the person of the Mediator She acknowledges Christ her Lord and Mary to be the Mother of the Son of God Obs Lastly How the Virgin is pronounced Blessed not so much for carrying Christ in her Womb by sense as for bearing him in her Heart by Faith Blessed is she that believed Mary was not so Blessed in bringing forth Christ as in Believing in him yet the Believing here mentioned I take to be her firm assent to the Message which was brought her by the Angel as if Elizabeth had said Dumbness was inflicted on my Husband for his Unbelief of what the Angel said but Blessed art thou that didst believe the Angel My Husband a Man an aged Man a learned and eminent Man a Priest of the most High God and the Message to him of more appearing possibility yet he disbelieved But thou a Woman a mean unlearned Woman of a private Condition and the Message brought most incredible both to Nature and Reason and yet is it believed by thee Blessed therefore is she that believed and know that as a Reward for thy Faith all things shall certainly be performed that were foretold thee from the Lord Learn hence 1. It is the Property of God to do Great and Wonderful things Our Faith must be Great and our Expectation great great Expectations from God Honour the greatness of God 3. If our Faith be Great God's performances will be gracious and full Blessed is she that believed for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 46 And Mary said My soul doth magnify the Lord. 47 And my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maiden for behold from hence-forth all Generations shall call me Blessed 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things and holy is his name 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts 52 He hath put down the mighty from their Seats and exalted them of low degree 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy 55 As he spake to our Fore-fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever This is the first Canticle or Song of praise Recorded in the New Testament composed by the Blessed Virgin with unspeakable Joy for designing her to be the Instrument of the Conception and Birth of the Saviour of the World Where Observe 1. The manner of her Praise her Soul and Spirit bear their part in the work of Thanksgiving My Soul doth magnify my Spirit hath rejoyced As the sweetest Musick is made in the Belly of the Instrument so the most delightful praise arises from the bottom of the Heart Obs 2. The object of her praise she doth not magnify her self but the Lord yea she doth not Rejoice so much in her Son as in her Saviour Where Note 1. That she doth implicitly own and confess her self a Sinner for none need a Saviour but a Sinner And 2. by rejoycing in Christ as her Saviour she declares how she valued her self rather by her spiritual Relation to Christ as his Member than by her natural Relation to him as his Mother according to that of St. Austin Beatior Fuit Maria percipiendo Christi fidem quam concipiendo Carnem She might have been miserable notwithstanding she bore him as her Son had she not Believed in him as her Saviour therefore she sings my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Obs 3. How she admires and magnifies God's peculiar favour towards her self in casting an eye upon her Poverty and lowly Condition that she a poor obscure Maid unknown to the World should be lookt upon
Pharisees and Sadduces whom he gives first a quick and cutting compellation oh Generation of Vipers then a sharp and severe Reprehension who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come And last of all a seasonable Exhortation bring forth therefore fruits meet for Repentance As if he had said O ye Pharisees and worst of Men I perceive by your coming hither some body has Alarm'd you with the Notices of that dreadful Vengeance that is coming upon this Generation to prevent which you pretend Repentance of your Sins but let me see by your Actions that you are not only demure but sincere Penitents let me see the Fruits of your Repentance in the daily Course of your Conversations Learn here 1. That the Condition of proud Pharisees pretending and false hearted Hypocrites tho' very dangerous yet is not hopeless and desperate and their Salvation tho' the worst of Men must not be despaired of St. John reproves them for their Sin but yet encourages their Repentance 2. That sincere Repentance is not a barren thing but does constantly bring forth Fruits answerable to its Nature as Faith without Works so Repentance without Fruits is dead also The genuine Fruits of Repentance are humility of Heart and holiness of Life Obs Lastly The cautionary Direction which he gives to these Hypocrites not to rest in their external Priviledges Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father glory not in this that you are the only visible Church that God has upon Earth for God can out of the obdurate Gentile World raise up a People to himself take them into Covenant with himself and cast you out Learn hence 1. That men are exceeding apt to boast of and glory in their external Priviledges and to place Religion most in those things wherein God places it least How did the Jews Glory in their fleshly descent from Abraham as if God were ty'd to Abraham's Line and could have no People if he had not them for his People 2. That it is a vain thing to expect exemption from the Judgments of God because of outward Priviledges enjoyed by God If we be not born again of the Spirit it will avail us nothing to be Born of Abraham's Flesh If Abraham's Faith be not found in our Hearts it will be no advantage to us that Abraham's Blood is running in their Veins Think not to say we have Abraham to our Father 9 And now also the Ax is laid unto the root of the trees every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire St. John having preacht the Doctrine of Repentance in the foregoing Verses he backs it with a powerful Argument in this Verse drawn from the certainty and severity of that Judgment which would come upon them if they continued in their sins Now is the Ax laid to the root of the Tree Learn 1. That it is not unsuitable for Gospel-preachers to press Repentance and Holiness of Life upon their Hearers from Arguments of Terrour John does it here and Christ elsewhere 2. That those whose Hearts are not pierced with the Sword of God's Word shall certainly be cut down and destroyed by the Ax of his Judgments Observe further that forasmuch as the sin here specified is a Sin of Omission every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit as well as that which bringeth forth evil Fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire We learn that Sins of Omission are certainly damning as well as Sins of Commission The neglects of Duty are as dangerous and damnable as the Acts of Sin Such Trees as stand in God's Orchard the Church and bring forth no good Fruit are markt out as Fewel for the Devil's Fire 10 And the people asked him saying What shall we do then 11 He answereth and saith unto them he that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none and he that hath meat let him do likewise The Baptist having prest his Hearers to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance here they inquire of him what Fruits they should bring forth he tells them first the fruits of Charity and Mercy he that hath two Coats let him give to him that hath none This is not to be understood strictly as if the Command required us to give the Cloaths off our Back to every one that wanted them But it directs those that have the things of this Life in abundance to distribute and communicate to those that are in want Learn hence that an extensive Liberality and diffusive Charity in distributing such things as we can well spare towards the Relief of others Necessities is an excellent fruit of Repentance and a good proof and evidence of the truth and sincerity of it Let him that hath two Coats impart to him that hath none 12 Then came also Publicans to be baptized and said unto him master What shall we do 13 And he he said unto them exact no more then that which is appointed you The Publicans were Persons imployed by the Romans to gather the Tax or Tribute among the Jews who were now Tributaries to the Romans and paid them a publick Revenue These Publicans were great Oppressers exacting more then was the Emperor's due therefore we find Publicans and Sinners so often joyned together in the Gospel These men inquiring what Fruits of Repentance they should bring forth St. John directs them to acts of Justice â—xact not Where Note 1. That acts of Justice and Righteousness as well as of Charity and Mercy are real Fruits of sincere Repentance Obs 2. John doth not condemn the Office but caution the Officer If Magistrates may impose Taxes they may doubtless appoint Officers to Collect those Taxes Christian Charity then must always teach us to distinguish betwixt Calling and the Crime We must not Censure any Officer either in Church or State for the sake of their Male-Administration who are imploy'd in that Office 14 And the Soldiers also demanded of him saying and what shall we do and he said unto them do violence to no man neither accuse any falsely and be content with your Wages Observe here what a general Resort there was of all sorts of Persons to John's Ministry Pharisees Sadduces Publicans Soldiers these last here inquire of him what they should do to gain Acceptance with God he answers do no violence defraud no man of his own by false Accusation but be content with the Allowance assigned for your Maintenance Where it is 1. strongly supposed that Soldiers are insolent Oppressors making no conscience of injustice false Accusation and violent Oppression yet 2. the Office and Employment of a Soldier is not condemned but regulated he does not bid them cast away their Arms abandon War appear no more as Military Men in the Field but manage their Employment inoffensively Whence we Learn That in some Cases and under some Circumstances for Christians to make War is both lawful and necessary To make a War Lawful
Flesh the Mighty the Noble the great and Honourable these despised our Saviour's Person slighted his Ministry yea sought to take away his Life Thus from the first Plantation of the Gospel to this day the pooâ—â—r and meaner sort of People have entertained the glad Tidings of Salvation it is a sad but a certain Truth that Heaven is a place where few comparatively but very few of the great Men of the World are like to come Their Temptations are many their Corruptions strong and their great Estates thro' their own abuse become fewel to to their Lusts Lord how rare is it to find those that are Eminently Great Exemplary Good Observe 3. The Nature of our Saviour's Miracles Moses's Miracles were as great Judgments as Wonders but Christ's Miracles were as great Mercies as Wonders they were salubrious and healing there went Vertue out of him and he healed them all Christ's Miracles were like the Author of them full of Goodness yet would not the obstinate pharisees be convinced either by the Goodness that was in them or by that omnipotent power which wrought them All our Saviour's Miracles were wonderful but Wonders of Love and Mercy 20 And he lifted up his eyes on his Disciples and said Blessed be ye poor for yours is the kingdom of God As our Saviour's Condition in this World was very poor so was his Disciples condition also therefore to relieve them against their poverty and low estate in the World he thus bespeaks them Blessed be ye poor you that believe in me and follow me are in a happier condition then those that are rich and received their consolation for yours is the kingdom of Heaven Christ was the poor man's preacher and the poor man's comforter yet a bare outward Poverty or an avowed voluntary Poverty will entitle none to the Blessing 'T is not a Poverty of Possession but a poverty of Spirit that makes us members of the Kingdom of Grace and heirs of the Kingdom of Glory 21 Blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled Hunger and Thirst are not Blessings in themselves nor yet are they curses in themselves sanctified hunger is a far greater Blessing then surfeiting Fulness St. Matthew therefore adds Ch. 5. v. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness Learn thence 1. That such as spiritually hunger and thirst after Christ and his Righteousness are certainly in an Happy and Blessed Condition 2. That the Happiness of those who do hunger and thirst after Righteousness consists in being filled 21 Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh As if Christ had said you my Disciples that are now in a sad mournful and afflicted State are Blessed for there will come a time when ye shall be Comforted a time when God shall wipe away all Tears from your Eyes yet must we not think that we have nothing to do but to mourn there is a time to Rejoyce as well as to Mourn nor that bare Mourning and Weeping is in it self and for its own sake acceptable unto God But when we mourn rationally for our own Sins and the sins of others God will comfort us in this World by his Word and Spirit and in the World to come with the sight of himself 22 Blessed are ye when Men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their Company and shall Reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of man's sake 23 Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in Heaven for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets Observe here 1. The Sufferers described the Disciples and their Sufferings foretold ye shall be hated separated and reproached Hatred of Christ's Disciples is the bitter Root from which Persecution grows where there is Hatred in the Heart no wonder that Reviling is in the Lips Those that are Hated are sure to be reproached Excommunicated from the Church of Christ having their names cast out or blotted out of the Rolls of the Church Obs 2. For what cause they suffer all this For the Son of man's sake for their respect to Christ and his Holy Religion for their regard to his Worship and holy Institutions Learn hence That such Disciples as will cordially embrace and stedfastly hold fast the Faith delivered by our Saviour must expect and prepare for hatred and persecution to be separated from civil Society excommunicated from Church-fellowship and all this by them who shall call themselves the Guides and Governours of an Infallible Church 24 But wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your Consolation 25 Wo unto you that are full for ye shall hunger wo unto you that laugh now for you shall mourn and weep 26 Wo unto you when all Men shall speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets Observe here 1. that tho' St. Luke omits divers of the Beatitudes mentioned by St. Matthew ch 5. yet he reciteth the Woes which St. Matthew omitteth If we will understand our Saviour's Doctrine fully we must consult all the Evangelists thoroughly Observe 2. These Woes are not to be understood absolutely but restrainedly the Wo does not belong to Men because they are Rich because they are full because they do laugh but because they place their happiness in these things take up with them for their portion rejoyce in them as their chief Good Valluing themselves by what they have in hand not by what they have in hope He that is Rich and Righteous he that is Great and Gracious he that has his hands full of this World and his heart empty of pride and vain Confidences he that laughs when God smiles he that expresses himself joyfully when God expresses himself Graciously such a man is rich in Grace who is thus gracious in the midst of Riches for to be Rich and Holy argues much Riches of Holiness 26 Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets Our Saviour's design in these Words is not to condemn any of his Disciples or Ministers who have by doing their Duty gain'd a fair Reputation amongst the men of the World but to let us understand how rarely and seldom it is attained for usually the best men are worst spoken of neither the Prophets of the Old Testament nor John Baptist the Prophet of the New Testament nor Christ himself nor his Apostles did ever gain either the good Will or the good Word of the Men of that Generation in which they Lived The Applause of the Multitude that contingent Judge of Good and Evil rather attends the vain then the vertuous None have ever been so much reproached by man as the Faithful Ministers of God who have learnt to take pleasure in Reproaches For tho' Grace does not bid us invite Reproaches yet it teaches us to bid them welcome The World has all along taken effectual care by their cruel
give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth The design of our Blessed Saviour in these and the following Verses is to excite and stir up his Disciples to fervency importunity and constancy in the Duty of Prayer and to this purpose he makes use of a double Argument the one of a Friend and the other of a Father 1. He lays before them the Parable of a Friend coming to his Friend at Mid-night and by his importunity obtaining that of him which otherwise he must have gone without From whence our Lord leaves us to infer that if an impudent and bold Beggar can obtain so much from Man what cannot an humble earnest and daily Petitioner obtain from God What Friend so faithful and helpful to his dearest Friend as God is to us his Children From the whole Note 1. That a Man must be brought into a state of Friendship and Reconciliation with God if he hopes his Prayers shall be accepted 2. That when any of the Friends of God are in Necessities and Streights he allows them the liberty at all hours to call upon him and pray unto him at mid-night as well as at Mid-day God's ear is open to his Praying Friends 3. That Almighty God takes pleasure in being urged in Prayer by the Holy importunity of his Friends never is he better pleased then when his People with Holy Jacob Wrestle with him and will not let him go till he has blessed them 4. That such holy and humble importunity shall not only obtain what we desired but more then we expected only three Loaves were desired here but because of importunity he had as many as he needed more is given in the Concession than was desired in the Supplication 9 And I say unto you ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you 10 For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Our Saviour here goes on to urge us to importunity and constancy in Prayer he bids us ask seek and knock and assures us we shall be accepted heard and answered Here Note 1. That Man is a poor indigent Creature full of wants but unable to supply them 2. As Man is an indigent and insufficient Creature so God is an All-sufficient Good able to supply the Wants and to Relieve the Necessities of his Creatures 3. That All-mighty God stands ready to supply all our Wants not Temporal only but Spiritual also affording his Grace and the assistance of his holy Spirit to them that ask it 4. If therefore we want the Grace of God and the assistance of his Holy Spirit it is our own fault and not God's it is either for want of seeking or for want of earnestness in asking for our Saviour expresly assures us that God denies it to none but every one that asketh receiveth 11 If a Son shall ask Bread of any of you that is a Father will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he for a fish give him a Serpent 12 Or if he ask an egg will he offer him a Scorpion 13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him The Second Parable which our Saviour makes use of is that of a Father to his Children Christ represents the care and kindness of God towards us by the affections which Earthly Parents bear to their natural Children who tho' they be many times Evil themselves yet are not wont to deny their Children necessary good things when they dutifully and decently beg them at their hands If ye being evil how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit that is the continual presence and influence of his Holy Spirit to all the purposes of Guidance and Direction of Grace and Assistance of Comfort and Support in our Christian Course Learn hence That the presence and assistance of God's Holy Spirit to enable us to do what God requires shall never be wanting to those that desire it and endeavour after it But we must always remember That the Assistance of God's Holy Spirit tho' it be offered and tendered to us yet it is not forced upon us for if we beg the Holy Spirit and his assistance but refuse to make use of it or if we cry to him for his help to mortify our Lusts but do not put forth his own endeavours we forfeit the Divine Assistance and God will certainly withdraw his Holy Spirit from us 14 And Jesus was casting out a Devil and it was dumb and it came to pass when the Devil was gone out that the dumb spake and the people wondered 15 But some of them said he casteth out Devils through Beelzebub the chief of the Devils 16 And other tempting him sought of him a sight from Heaven 17 But he knowing their thoughts said unto them Every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and a house divided against a house falleth 18 If Satan also be divided against himself how shall his kingdom stand because ye say that I cast out Devils thrô Belzebub 19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out Devils by whom do your Sons cast them out therefore shall they be your judges 20 But if I with the Finger of God cast out Devils no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you A Relation is here given of a famous Miracle wrought by our Saviour in casting a Devil out of a possessed Man it is called a dumb Devil because of the effect upon the poor possessed Person in restraining the use of his Tongue Learn here 1. That amongst the many Calamities which Sin has rendered humane Nature liable and obnoxious to this is one to be bodily possest by Satan 2. That one Demonstration of Christ's Divine Power and a convictive Evidence of his being truly and really God was his casting out Devils by the Word of his Power Observe 3. What a sad and contrary effect this Miracle had upon the wicked Pharisees through their own blindness obstinacy and malice instead of magnifying his Divine Power they maliciously accuse him for holding a correspondency with the Devil and acting by a Power derived from him as if Satan should lend our Saviour a power against himself and that for the Destruction of his own Kingdom Lord how dangerous is a wilful opposition against the Truth it provokes the Almighty to deliver Persons up to the most unreasonable Infidelity and obstinate Obduracy Observe 4. Our Saviour knowing their Thoughts makes a just Apology for himself by shewing how improbable and unlikely how unreasonable and absurd it is once to imagine or suppose that Satan should cast out himself and any ways seek to oppose or destroy his own Kingdom Now if I have received says Christ my power from
forsake their sins and obey his Gospel Adding farther that it would be an Heart-piercing sorrow a Soul-rending grief to them at the Great Day to see not only the Patriarchs and Prophets and other Jews but even the despised Gentiles from all Quarters and Nations whom they thought accursed admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven and themselves eternally shut out For the last shall be first and the first last that is the Gentiles who were afar off shall receive the Gospel when you for rejecting it shall be cast off From the whole Note 1. That there is a determinate time when Souls must if ever accept of the offers of Grace and Salvation which are made unto them now is the door open and Persons invited in 2. That e're long Jesus Christ who now stands at every one of our doors waiting for our complyance with his Gospel-Terms will wait no longer upon us nor strive any farther by the motions of his Spirit with us when once the master of the house is risen up and shut to the door 3. That doleful is the condition of such miserable Souls against whom the door is shut the door of Repentance the door of hope the door of Salvation all shut eternally shut and that by him who shutteth and none can open 4. That all would be saved at last all will cry for mercy when it is too late even such as now sinfully undervalue and scornfully despise it Ye shall stand without and knock at the door saying Lord Lord open to us Note 5. That it is no good plea for admittance into Heaven because we have been Church-members here on Earth no outward priviledges tho' Christ has taught in our Streets no external Acts of Communion tho' we have eaten and drunk in his presence and at his holy Table will justify our hopes of entring into Heaven when we dye if we be workers of iniquity whilst we live Lord we have eaten and drunk in thy presence but he shall say I know you not ye workers of iniquity Note 6. That as Hell will be a second Heaven to the Glorified so Heaven will be a second Hell to the Damn'd Hell will be a second Heaven to the Glorified that is it will add exceedingly to the Happiness of the Saints in Heaven to see and be sensible of that misery which they escaped and the damn'd indure and on the other hand Heaven will be a second Hell to the Damn'd that is it will encrease their Torments and add to the vexation of their Spirits to see some in Heaven whom they little expected to see there some that never saw nor heard nor enjoyed what they have done Strangers yea Heathens taken in when the Children of the Kingdom that is the Members of the visible Church are shut out They shall come from the East from the West from the North and from the South and sit down in the Kingdom of God but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness 31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees saying unto him Get thee out and depart hence for Herod will kill thee 32 And he said unto them Go ye and tell that Fox Behold I cast out Devils and do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected 33 Nevertheless I must walk to day and to morrow and the day following for it cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem It may seem strange that the Pharisees who had no kindness for our Saviour should come here and acquaint him with a danger that he was in from Herod Get thee hence for Herod will kill thee It is probable they had a design to drive him out of the Country because his Reputation was so great among the People who were admirers of his Person hearers of his Doctrine and Witnesses of his Miracles But what intention soever they had in acquainting Christ with this Danger it is very evident that our Saviour slighted it by the Message which he sent to Herod Go and tell that Fox Where we must not suppose that our Lord did fix this Name of Fox upon Herod as an opprobrious Title thereby reflecting the least dishonour upon him as a King but it was to let him know that being about his Fathers Work he feared neither his Power nor his Policy neither his Cruelty nor his Craft and that nothing should take him off from finishing the Work of Man's Redemption Learn hence That when God calls forth any of his Servants to any special service for him all the combined Power and Policy of the Prince of Darkness and his Instruments shall never be able to hinder them till they have finished their Course and done the Service which God designed I must work to day and to morrow and the day following as if Christ had said Let Herod know that my time is not in his Hand and as to this matter I am not under his Command or Power e're long my work will be finished and then I shall be perfected 34 O Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered thy children together as an Hen doth gather her Brood under her wings and ye would not 35 Behold your house is left unto you desolate and verily I say unto you Ye shall not see me until the time come when ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Our Lord concludes this Chapter with a Compassionate Lamentation over Jerusalem the place where he was to suffer his Ingemination or doubling of the Word Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem shews the vehemency of his affection towards them and the sincerity of his desires for their Salvation Observe 1. The Kindness and Compassion of Christ to the Jews in general and Jerusalem in particular set forth by a lively Metaphor and Similitude namely that of a Hen gathering her Chickens under her Wings As the Hen doth tenderly cherish and carefully hide and cover her young from the Eye of the Destroyer so would Christ have shrouded and sheltered this People from all those Birds of Prey and particularly from the Roman Eagle by whose Tallons they were at last destroyed Again as the Hen continueth her Call to her young ones from Morning to Night and holds out her Wings for shelter to them all the day long so did Christ wait for this Peoples Repentance and Conversion for it was more than Forty years after they had killed his Prophets and murthered himself before they met with a final Overthrow Observe 2. The amazing obstinacy and wilfulness of this People in rejecting the Grace and Favour the kindness and condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ I would have gathered you but ye would not Observe 3. The fatal issue of this obstinacy Behold your house is left unto you desolate is left that is certainly and suddenly will be left desolate the present Tense being put for the paulo post futurum
his face at his feet giving him thanks and he was a Samaritane Observe here 1. All were Healed but one was Thankful the Cure is wrought upon the Bodies of all Thankfulness is found but in the Heart of one the Will makes the difference in Men but he makes the difference in Wills who at first made the Will All these Lepers were Cured all saw themselves Cured their sense was alike their Hearts were not alike Observe 2. The Person that made this return of Thankfulness to Christ he was a Samaritan that is none of the Jewish Nation but one that was a Stranger to the Common Wealth of Israel neither Place nor Parentage can block up the way or stop the Current of God's free Mercy which reaches the unworthy and the ill-deserving Observe 3. How singly he returns his Thanks he gets away from his Fellows to make his Acknowledgments there are Cases wherein Singularity is not only Lawful but Laudable instead of Subjecting our selves to others Examples it is sometimes our Duty to resolve to set an Example to others for it is much better to go the right way alone then to err with Company Observe 4. How speedily he returns his Thanks no sooner doth he see his Cure but he hasts to acknowledge it a noble Pattern of Thankfulness What speed of Retribution is here late Payments of our Thankfulness Savours of Ingratitude it were happy for us Christians did we learn our Duty of this Samaritan 17 Aâ—d â—â—â—s answering said Were there not Ten â—leâ—nâ—â—d but where are the Nine 18 There 〈◊〉 not found that returned to give Glory to God save this Stranger 19 And he said unto him Arise go thy way thy Faith hath made thee whole In the face of these ten Lepers we may as in a Glass behold the Face and Complexion of all Mankind How few are there oh Lord scarce more than One in Ten who after signal Mercies return suitable Thanks Men howl to God upon their Beds but run away from God as soon as they are raised up by him Observe farther what an exact account Christ keeps of his own dispensed Favours Were there not not ten cleansed He forgets our Sins but Records his own Mercies It is one of his glorious Titles a God Forgiving and Forgetting Iniquity but his Mercies are over all his Works and deserve everlasting Remembrance God keeps a Register of his Mercies towards us oh shall not we record the favours received from him at once to declare his Bounty towards us and our Thankfulness towards him Observe Lastly The thankful Leper was a Samaritane but the Nine that were unthankful were Israelites Learn thence That the more we are bound to God the more shameful is our ingratitude towards him where God may justly expect the greatest returns of Praise and Service he sometimes receiveth least God has more Rent and better paid him from a smoaky Cottage then he has from some stately Palaces 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come he answered them and said the kingdom of God cometh not with Observation 21 Neither shall they say lo here or lo there for behold the kingdom of God is within you The Generality of the Jews and particularly the Pharisees expected that the promised Messias should be a Temporal Prince and deliver them from the Roman Yoke under which they groaned Accordingly the Pharisees here demanded of our Saviour when the Kingdom of God of which he had so often spoken should-come Christ answers them That his kingdom cometh not with observation that is without Pomp and Splendour which Men may observe and gaze upon but he tells them the Kingdom of God was now among them by the Ministry of John Baptist and Himself and was already set up in the Hearts of his People by the secret Operations of his Holy Spirit Learn here That the false Notion which the Jews had of the Messiah and his Kingdom That he himself was to be a Temporal Prince and his Kingdom a secular Kingdom to be set up with a great deal of Noise Pomp and Splendour did hinder the generality of them from believing in him Secondly That the Kingdom which Christ designed to set up in the World was altogether Spiritual not obvious to Humane Senses but managed in the Hearts of his People by the Scepter of his Spirit My Kingdom cometh not with observation but is within you 22 And he said unto the Disciples the days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the son of man and ye shall not see it 23 And they shall say to you see here or see there go not after them nor follow them 24 For as the Lightning that lighteth out of the one part under Heaven shineth unto the other part under Heaven so shall also the Son of man be in his day 25 But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this Generation In the remaining part of this Chapter our Saviour acquaints his Disciples with what days of Tribulation and distress were coming on the Jewish Nation in general and on Jerusalem in particular Days of Suffering as if our Saviour had said are not far off when you will wish for my Bodily presence again among you to support and comfort you and when many Seducers will rise up pretendinâ— to be Deliverers but go not you after them for after this Generation have rejected and crucified me my Coming says Christ to execute Vengeance on my Enemies and Murtherers at Jerusalem by the Roman Soldiers will be sudden and like the Lightning that shines in an instant from one part of the Heavens to the other From this Coming of Christ to judge Jerusalem which was an Emblem of the final Judgment we may gather this Instruction that the Coming and Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to the judging of wicked and impenitent Sinners it will be a very certain sudden and unexpected Appearance 26 And as it was in the days of Noe so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man 27 They did eat they drank they married Wives they were given in Marriage until the day that Noe entered into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained Fire and Brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed In these Verses our Saviour declares that Jerusalem's Destruction and the World 's final Desolation at the great Day would be like the Destruction of the old World in the Days of Noah and like the Destruction of Sodom in the Days of Lott and that both in regard of unexpectedness and in regard of Sensuality and Security as they before the Flood were eating and drinking Marrying and
farther Witness we have heard his Blasphemy Abominable Wickedness It is not in the Power of Innocency it self nay not in the Power of the greatest and unspotted Innocency to protect from Slander and false Accusation Observe farther The great Meekness of our Saviour under all these ill Suggestions and false Accusations as a Lamb before the Shearer so is he Dumb and opened not his Mouth Learn thence That to bear the Revilings Contradictions and false Accusations of Men with a Silent and Submissive Spirit is an excellent and Christ-like Temper Though a Tryal for his Innocent Life was now Managed most Maliciously and Illegally against him yet When he was Reviled Reviled not again when he Suffered he Threatned not Oh may the same Meek and Humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus who instead of Reviling his Accusers Prayed for his Murtherers and Offered up his Blood to God on the Behalf of them that shed it Lord Jesus help us to set thy Instructive Example continually before us and to be daily Correcting and Reforming of our Lives by that Blessed Pattern Amen CHAP. XXIII 1 AND the whole Multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate 2 And they began to accuse him saying We found this Fellow perverting the Naâ—ion and forbidding to give Tribute to Cesar saying That he himself is Christ a King 3 And Pilate asked him saying Art thou the King of the Jews And he answered him and said Thou sayest it 4 Then said Pilate to the Chief Priests and to the People I find no fault in this Man 5 And they were the more fierce saying He stirreth up the People Teaching throughout all Jeury beginning from Galilee to this place 6 When Pilate heard of Galilee he asked whether the Man were a Galilean 7 And as soon as he heard that he belonged to Herod's Jurisdiction he sent him to Herod who himself was also at Jerusalem at that time 8 And when Herod saw Jesus he was exceeding glad for he was desirous to see him of a long Season because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to have seen some Miracle done by him 9 Then he questioned with him in many words but he answered him nothing 10 And the Chief Priests and Scribes stood and vehemently accused him 11 And Herod with his Men of War set him at naught and mocked him And arrayed him in a gorgeous Robe and sent him again to Pilate 12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made Friends together for before they were at enmity between themselves In this Chapter we have a Relation of the Black and Saddest Tragedy that ever was Acted upon the Stage of the World Namely the Barbarous and Bloody Murther of the Holy and Innocent Jesus by the Jews his own Country-Men the Best of Kings put to Death by his own Subjects And the first step towards it is his Arraignment before Pilate and Herod they Post him from one to another Pilate sends him to Herod and Herod having made sufficient Sport with him Remands him to Pilate Neither of them find any Fault in him worthy of Death yet neither of them would Release him Here Observe That our Saviour being before Pilate Answers him Readily and Cautiously Art thou the King of the Jews says Pilate Thou sayest it says our Saviour Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed He Replied I am Hence says the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 That Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession Teaching us That though we may and sometimes ought to hold our Peace when our Reputation is Concerned yet must we never be Silent when the Honour of God and his Truth may be effectually promoted by a Free and a Full Confession yet is it farther Observable That our Saviour being before Herod would neither Answer him to any Question nor Work any Miracle before him This was an Instance and Evidence of our Lord 's great Humility in refusing to Work Miracles before Herod who desired it only to gratify his Curiosity Thus do vile Men abuse the Holy Power of God desiring to see it exerted for Admiration and Pastime not to be Convinced or Converted by it And as Admirable was the Patience as the Humility of Christ and his present Silence who neither at Herod's Request nor at the Jews Importunity and false Accusations could be moved to Answer any thing Observe Lastly That though Herod had Murthered Christ's Fore-runner John the Baptist and our Saviour's own Life was in danger by Herod heretofore yet now he had him in his Hands he lets him go only he first abuses him and mocks him and Arrays him in a Gorgeous Robe like a Mock King Thus were all the Marks of Scorn imaginable put upon our Dear Redeemer yet all this Jearing and sportful Shame did our Lord undergo to shew what was due unto us for our Sins and also to give us an Example to bear all the Shame and Reproach imaginable for his sake Who for the Joy that was set before him despised the Shame Hebr. 12.2 13 And Pilate when he had called together the Chief Priests and the Rulers and the People 14 Said unto them Ye have brought this Man unto me as one that perverteth the People And behold I have examined him before you and find no fault in this Man touching those things whereof ye accuse him 15 No nor yet Herod For I sent you to him and lo nothing worthy of Death is done unto him 16 I will therefore chastize him and Release him 17 For of necessity he must Release one unto them at the Feast 18 And they cryed out all at once saying Away with this Man and Release unto us Barabbas 19 Who for a certain Sedition made in the City and for Murder was cast into Prison 20 Pilate therefore willing to Release Jesus spake again to them 21 But they cryed saying Crucify him Crucify him 22 And he said unto them the third time Why What Evil hath he done I have found no Cause of Death in him I will therefore Chastise him and let him go 23 And they were instant with loud Voices Requiring that he might be Crucified And the voices of them and of the Chief Priests prevailed 24 And Pilate gave Sentence that it should be as they Required 25 And he Released unto them him that for Sedition and Murder was cast into Prison whom they had desired But he delivered Jesus to their Will Observe here 1. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death One while he Expostulates with the Chief Priests Saying What Evil hath he done Nay St. Luke here declares that Pilate came forth Three several Times professing that he found no Fault in him Where Note How much more Justice and Equitâ— Christ met with from Pilate an Heathen then from the Chief Priests and People of the Jews professing the true Religion Oh how desperate is the Hatred that grows upon the Root of
disciples into the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized 23 ¶ And John also was baptizing in Enon near to Salim because there was much water there and they came and were baptized 24 For John was not yet cast into prison Our Blessed Saviour having now finished his excellent Sermon preached to Nicodemus at Jerusalem he departs thence with his Disciples into the Country of Judea to make Proselytes by the Ordinance of Baptism VVhere Note 1. Our Lord 's unwearied Diligence in doing his Father's VVork and VVill. He goes from Place to Place from City to Country preaching with and baptizing by his Disciples for Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples John 4.2 Note 2. That the Enjoyment of Christ's bodily Presence did not take away the use of his own Ordinances None are above Ordinances till they come to Heaven The Ordinance of Baptism is here administred by the Disciples even in the Presence of Christ himself This is called The Baptism of Repentance of which Children as well as others were capable Subjects because Baptism doth not require Childrens Repentance at present but engages them to Repentance for time to come As Children that were circumcised were obliged to observe the whole Law but could not perform it till they came to understand it Note 3. How John did go on with his VVork of Baptizing tho' Christ and his Disciples did eclipse and obscure him though the People now flockt after Christ All Men came unto him v. 26. yet John keeps to his Duty 'T is the Duty of God's Ministers to continue their Diligence and go on with their VVork when God raises up others about them of greater Parts and better Success Oh the admirable Humility of that Minister who can say with John the Baptist Let another increase though I decrease 25 ¶ Then there arose a question between some of Johns disciples and the Jews about purifying 26 And they came unto John and said unto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest witness behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him Observe here What a Spirit of Envy there was in John's Disciples against Christ upon the account of the multitude of his Followers He that was with thee beyond Jordan baptizeth and all Men come unto him Where Note 1. How meanly John's Disciples think and speak of our Saviour compared with John their Master They do not so much as allow him a Name or give him any Title but he that was with thee beyond Jordan the same baptizeth Observe 2. How they intimate as if Christ had received all his Credit and Reputation from their Master John He to whom thou barest witness baptizeth as if they had said This Man whom the People flock after neglecting thee and thy Disciples is much inferior to thee for he came to thee thou didst not go to him thou baptizest him he did not baptize thee thou gavest Testimony to him he did not give Testimony to thee Whence we observe What a bitter Spirit of Envy Emulation there has always been amongst the Ministers of the Gospel even from the very first Plantation of the Gospel Which causes them to look upon the exalted Parts and Gifts of Others as a diminution and debasing of their own but why should the prospering of the Work of God in one Ministers Hand be Matter of repining unto others shall not God honour what Instruments he pleaseth and will he not reward all his faithful Labourers according to their Sincerity not according to their Success 27 John answered and said A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven 28 Ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but that I am sent before him 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled 30 He must increase but I must decrease 31 He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from heaven is above all Observe here How holily and wisely John the Baptist corrects the Envy and Jealousie of his own Disciples and endeavours to root out all Prejudice out of their Minds against Christ in order to which he shews them a fivefold Difference betwixt Christ and himself 1. He tells them Christ was the Master John but his Minister and that he had told them so from the beginning Ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but sent before him The faithful Ministers of Christ think it honour enough to be Servants to him and would not have their Followers attribute the least part of that honour and glory to him which is due to Jesus Christ 2. John acquaints his Disciples that Christ was the Bridegroom of his Church to whom the Christian Church was to be solemnly espoused and married and that he had honour enough in being one of the Bridegroom's Friends and Servants and accordingly instead of envying he rejoyced at the Success which the Bridegroom had and took great pleasure in it Learn 1. That the Relation betwixt Christ and his Church is a Conjugal Relation a Relation of Marriage yet set forth under the Name of Bride and Bridegroom rather than under the Notion of a compleat Marriage because it is but begun here and to be consummate in Heaven and also to shew that Christ's and his People's Affections are as warm and fresh as strong and vehement each towards other as the Affections of espoused or newly-married Persons are to one another Isa 62.5 As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Learn 2. It is honour sufficient to the Ministers of Christ that they as Friends of the Bridegroom are imployed by him to farther the Marriage-Relation betwixt him and his Spouse Their Office is to woe for Christ to commend his Person and to invite all Persons to accept of him for their Head and Husband 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ Learn 3. That there is no greater Joy to the Ministers of Christ than to see themselves honoured by him as his Instruments in preparing a People for Christ and happily uniting them unto him Oh! how little do our People know and less consider how much of the Comfort of their poor Ministers Lives lies at their Mercy We live as we see any of them stand fast in the Lord. We die as we see others stick fast in their Sins This was the second Difference which John acquaints his Disciples was found betwixt Christ and himself The third follows v. 30. He must increase but I must decrease He must increase that is in Honour and Dignity in Esteem and Reputation in Discovery and Manifestation He shall shine forth as the rising Sun
Devil's Slaves to become Christ's Free Men. 37 I know that ye are Abrahams seed but ye seek to kill me because my word hath no place in you 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father and ye do that which ye have seen with your father 39 They answered and said unto him Abraham is our father Jesus saith unto them If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham 40 But now ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham The Jews boasting again that they were Abraham's Seed and bearing themselves much upon it our Saviour tells them he knew they were so his natural Children according to the Flesh but not his genuine Children according to the Spirit This he proves because they did not tread in Abraham's steps and do his works for if either the Temper of their Minds or the Actions of their Lives were agreeable to Abraham they would not seek as they did to destroy and kill him only for bringing the Doctrine of Salvation to them which he had heard and learned of the Father Hence learn 1. How prone we are to glory in our outward Priviledges and to reâ—y upon them Whereas these are Arguments of God's goodness towards us but no evidences of our goodness towards him 2. That it is very dangerous and unsafe to pride our selves in and depend upon any external priviledges and prerogatives whatsoever As our being Born within the pale of the visible Church our descending from Pious Parents and Holy Progenitors for unless we be followers of their Faith admirers of their Piety and imitate their Example we are none of their Children but belong to another Father as our Saviour tells the Jews in the next Verses 41 Ye do the deeds of your father Then said they to him We be not born of fornication we have one Father even God 42 Jesus said unto them If God were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me 43 Why do ye not understand my speech even because ye cannot hear my word 44 Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it In the former Verses the Jews made their Boast that they were the Children of Abraham in these that they are the Children of God We have one father even God This our Saviour disproves Telling them that if God were their Father they would love him as proceeding from him by eternal Generation and in his Office imployed by him as Mediatour Also if God were their Father they would understand him speaking from God whereas now they were so transported with Malice that they could not endure his Doctrine with patience tho' it came from God All which were undeniable proofs that they were not the Children of God Hence learn That none can justly pretend any Interest in God as his Children but they that love Christ as being the Express Image of his Father's Person and do hear and receive his Doctrine as coming from God This the Jews did not do therefore says Christ They are not the Children of God Observe farther Having told them whose Children they are not our Saviour tells them plainly whose Children they were Ye are of your father the Devil This appears by their being Acted by him by their Resembling and Imitating of him their Inclinations Dispositions and Actions being all to fulfil the Lusts of the Devil Now as his Servants we are whom we obey so his Children we are whom we resemble Learn hence That Men's sinful Practices will prove them to be Satan's Children let their Profession be what it will if in the Temper of their Minds and in the Actions of their Lives there be a Conformity to Satan's Disposition and a ready Compliance with his Temptations they are certainly his Children what pretences soever they make of being the Children of God None could pretend higher to the Relation of God's Children than these Jews did yet says Christ Ye are the Children of the Devil for his workâ— ye do 45 And because I tell you the truth ye believe me not 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin And if I say the truth Why do ye not believe me 47 He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God 48 Then answered the Jews and said unto him Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil 49 Jesus answered I have not a devil but I honour my Father and ye do dishonour me 50 And I seek not mine own glory there is one that seeketh and judgeth Here Observe 1. The free Reproof which Christ gave the Jews for their obstinate Unbelief Because I tell you the Truth ye Believe me not 2. The Challenge which he gives the worst of his Adversaries Which of you convinceth me of Sin So perfectly pure Innocent and Spotless was the Doctrine and Life of Christ That altho' his Enemies loaded him with Slander and false Accusation yet none of them could justly convince him of much less condemn him for the least known Sin Observe 3. The Jews being enraged at this free Reproof fell a railing at his Person charging him with being a Samaritan possessed with an Evil Spirit Our Saviour meekly replies That he did not deal with the Devil but was honouring his Father in what he did and said And therefore his Father would take care of his honour and judge between him and them Here Note That tho' Christ used some sharpness in Reproving the Jews and Representing them to themselves yet he answers with wonderful mildness and meekness when he discovers his Resentments of his own Reproaches How cool was Christ in his own Cause but hot enough in Gods 51 Verily verily I say unto you If a man keep my saying he shall never see death 52 Then said the Jews unto him Now we know that thou hast a devil Abraham is dead and the prophets and thou sayest If a man keep my saying he shall never taste of death 53 Art thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the prophets are dead whom makest thou thy self 54 Jesus answered If I honour my self my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoureth me of whom ye say that he is your God 55 Yet ye have not known him but I know him and if I should say I know him not I shall be a liar like unto you but I know him and keep his saying Observe here 1. The blessed Fruit and effect of observing our Saviour's Doctrine He that keeps my saying shall never see Death that is Shall be secured from Eternal Misery and enjoy Eternal
they have but would have had more to say in excuse or for a cover for their Sin than now they can But now they have no Cloak for their Sin That is they are totally inexcusable and have not the least colour or pretence for their obstinate unbelief Learn hence 1. That Sins of Ignorance are as it were no Sins compared with Sins committed against light and Knowledge 2. That Sins committed against Gospel-Light are of an heinous Nature and Aggravated Guilt as being committed against the very Remedy 3. That the Gospel where it is plainly preached doth take away all pretence and excuse from Sinners Now they have no Cloak for their Sin 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did they had not had sin but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father 25 But this cometh to pass that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law they hated me without a cause These words declare the heinous Nature of the Pharisees sin in hating and persecuting Christ who had done before their Eyes such Works as no Man besides him or before him ever did he acting by his own Power Peter healed the lame Man Acts 3. but it was in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth But Christ healed the sick and raised the dead in his own Name and by a special Word of Command I say unto thee Arise Yet did the Pharisees hate him and his Father according to the Prediction Psalm 35.19 They hated me without a cause Which being spoken of David in Type received a more eminent Accomplishment in Christ the Son of David Learn hence 1. That let Men pretend to never so much Holiness or Respect to God yet if they hate Christ and despise his Gospel they are haters of God who is One in Essence and Nature with his Son He that hateth me hateth my Father also Learn 2. That no Miracles wrought by mortal Men were ever comparable with the Miracles wrought by Christ the Son of God his did surpass them all in number kind and manner of doing them by his own Authority in his own Name and not as others who obtained their Power by Prayer from God I have done amongst them the works which none other man did Learn 3. That Christ's having confirmed his Doctrine by such unparallel'd Miracles as the World was never before acquainted with doth aggravate the sin of those that are Haters of his Person Despisers of his Doctrine and Reproachers of his Miracles It being just with God when Men obstinately shut their Eyes and will not see judicially to close their Eyes and say They shall not see 26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me 27 And ye also shall bear witness because ye have been with me from the beginning Here our Holy Lord Comforts himself that tho' he had lain then under many Aspersions and Scandals from the World yet all these should be done away by the coming of the Holy Spirit who should testifie of him and make his Person and Doctrine to be acknowledged in the World and that they themselves should bear witness of him who had been with him from the beginning that is since he first began to exercise his Prophetick Office Observe here 1. That Father Son and Holy Spirit are Three distinct Persons in the Godhead 2. That the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son Here the Son is said to send him and as to the Father he is said to proceed from him If the Holy Ghost doth not proceed from the Son why is he called the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4.6 Why is he said here to be sent by the Son The Comforter whom I will send unto you from the Father And if the Spirit doth not proceed from the Son what personal Relation can we conceive betwixt the Son and the Spirit Observe 3. That it is the high Dignity and Honour of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ that the Spirit beareth no Testimony unto Christ but with and according to the Testimony given by them for here it is conjoyned He shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness who have been with me from the beginning CHAP. XVI 1 THese things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service 3 And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me 4 But these things have I told you that when the time shall come ye may remember that I told you of them And these things I said unto you at the beginning because I was with you In the close of the foregoing Chapter our blessed Saviour had acquainted his Disciples with the hatred and hard usage which they were like to meet with from the World and here he intimates to them the Reason why he did so much insist upon the Subject namely not to sadden their Hearts and grieve their Spirits before their Sufferings came but that they might not be offended discouraged or scandalized at them when they came but prepared for them and armed against them Hence Learn 1. That all Afflictions but especially Persecutions are so searching and trying that the best of Christians have need to be guarded against them that they may not be offended at them 2. That it was the great Design of Christ to Arm his Disciples against the Scandal of the Cross lest stumbling at that which they expected not they should fall from the Profession of Christianity These things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended Observe 2. How our Saviour instances in two particular sorts and kinds of Sufferings which his Disciples were to expect in the World and from the World namely Excommunication and Martyrdom ver 2. They shall put you out of their Synagogues that is exclude them from all their Assemblies both Civil and Religious and shall not only think it lawful but a very acceptable Service to God to put them to death Whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service Observe 3. How Christ discovers to his dear Disciples the Cause and Ground of the World's Hatred against them and Enmity towards them namely their Ignorance of the Father and himself ver 3. These things will they do because they have not known the Father nor me From whence we may Learn That all the Persecutions of the Saints do speak in Persecutors an Ignorance both of God the Father and of Jesus Christ his Son All Persecution springs from Ignorance as well as from Malice And Men who continue ignorant of God and Christ are in danger of turning Persecutors if they have a temptation to it Observe 4. How
a Pattern of Thankfulness then was Jesus to his followers There is hardly any one External Duty which we do not find the Hypocrite performing in Scripture except this of Thanksgiving and Praise we find Judas Repenting Ahab Humbling himself Saul Sacrificing but we do not find any wicked Man in an humble Spiritual manner blessing and praising God Need will make us Beggars but Grace only Thanks-givers X. In his Compassion towards those that were in Distress and Misery Matth. 20.34 Great was his Compassion to the Bodies of Men he healed all that came unto him he healed many undesired with great Condolency and tender Sympathy he exercised acts of Mercy and Compassion when the object of Compassion was before him and did perfectly abhor and severely condemn all Acts of Cruelty How great was his Compassion to the Souls of Men what Pains did he take and what Hazards did he run in preaching the Gospel to lost Sinners in his fervent Prayers for them but especially in Dying for them Let us imitate Christ herein as his Compassion was universal to all Mankind to the whole Man Soul and Body as it was Active and Operative as it was exercised with marvellous Complacency and delight as it was a preventing Compassion and an unwearied Compassion so let ours be also XI In his Holy and fruitful Discourse his Lips dropt as the Honey Comb and his Tongue was as choice Silver when walking with his Disciples to Emaus with what Heavenly Discourse did he entertain them in the way See Luke 24.13 c. A good Pattern for our Imitation when providentially cast into such Company as will bear it Lord what a Shame and Reproach is it to us that in common Conversation we spend so many hours together in talking over all the News of City and Country and part without speaking one word of Jesus Christ our best Friend XII In his free Conversation The Son of Man came eating and drinking Matth. 11. v. 19. that is was of a free and familiar Converse Affable and Sociable not Sower or Morose never shuning the Society of the worst of Men even of the Pharisees themselves but complying with their innocent Customs and accompanying them at their Feasts See on Luke 5.29 We do not find that when Christ was invited to any publick Entertainment that ever he refused to go not so much for the pleasure of Eating as for the opportunity of Conversing and doing good Christ converst with bad Men but as their Physician not as their Companion Let us go and do likewise XIII In his Patience under Sufferings and Reproaches when he was reviled he reviled not again but under-went the Burden of his Sufferings with admirable Patience and Meekness of Spirit when his Name and Honour suffered the vilest Indignities Blasphemies and Reproaches that the Malice of Satan and the Malignity of wicked Men could belch out against it when he was called a Blasphemer a Sorcerer a Devil a Wine-bibber a Glutton a Friend of Publicans and Sinners For an innocent Person and a dignified Person to bear all this when he could have look'd all his Enemies into Hell and have frown'd them into nothing Verily to bear all this without the least discomposure of Spirit is the highest Triumph of Patience that ever the World was acquainted with And why all this but to leave us an Example that we should follow his Steps 1 Pet. 2.21 22. XIV In his readiness to forgive Injuries One of his last Words upon the Cross was a Prayer for his Murtherers Father forgive them Luke 23.34 He offered up his Blood to God on the behalf of them that shed it Thus to forgive our Enemies and to beg Forgiveness for them will be an Evidence of a Christ-like Frame and Temper when the Grace of God calms those tumultuous and outragious Passions which at any time we find raging in our Breasts moulding our Spirits into Sweetness and Gentleness freeing us from all malicious desires of Revenge which are so far beneath a Christian that it is the baseness of a Man yea as Jealousie is the Rage of a Man so Malice is the Rage of the Devil 't is the very Soul and Spirit of the Apostate Nature XV. In his laying to Heart the Sins as well as the Sufferings of others Mark 3.5 He was grieved for the hardness of their Hearts Such was his Zeal for his Father's Glory such his Compassion to the Souls of Men such his Antipathy against and hatred of Sin that he was grieved for Sin where-ever he found it and mourned over those who had no Hearts to mourn for themselves Lord how far are they from a Christ-like Spirit and Temper who instead of mourning for other Mens Sins rejoyce in Iniquity and take Pleasure to see their Brother stab at once the Christian Name and his own Soul XVI In his Zeal for the Publick Worship of God John 2.17 The Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up Now as Christ was so Christians ought to be intensly Zealous for the Glory of God the Honour of his House and the Purity of his Publick Worship The Zeal of thine House that is for the Honour of thine House hath eaten me up Our Zeal for the Publick Worship of God glorifies him most and he accepts it best Now we own that God whom we serve in the face of the World And this creates a veneration and esteem of God in the Minds of Men. XVII In his glorifying of his Father in all he did John 17.4 I have glorified thee on the Earth The whole Life of Jesus when here on Earth it was a glorifying of his Father he glorified his Father by the Doctrine which he taught by the Miracles which he wrought by the unspotted Purity of his Life and by his unparallel'd Sufferings at his Death In like manner should we glorifie God in all we do in all we design in all we desire in our natural Actions of eating and drinking in our Civil imployments buying and selling in our lawful Recreations taking care that too much of our time be not consumed therein Recreation is not to be our business but to fit us for business but especially let us seek to glorifie God in our Religious Duties Publick and Private and Secret XVIII In his Impartiality in reproving Sin He feared the Faces and spared the Faults of no Offenders The Pharisees were a Proud and Haughty sort of People who dishonoured God above most when they pretended to glorifie him above any Therefore we find Christ denouncing a Bed-Roll of Woes against them in one Chapter St. Matth. 23. Wo to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites Eight several Woes are denounced against them for so many several Sins committed by them Those to whom God has given Authority to Reprove the Sins of others ought to imitate their Pattern in his Impartiality in reproving Sin His very Enemies gave him that Character St. Matth. 22.17 Thou carest not for any Man thou regardest not the Person of Men