have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not have condemned the guiltless Learn hence That the Law of Mercy is much more excellent than the Law of Ceremonies and where both cannot be observed the less must give place to the greater God never intended that the Ceremonies of his Service in the First Table should hinder Works of Mercy prescribed in the Second Table All GOD's Commands are for Man's Good Where both cannot be obeyed he will have the Moral Duty performed and the Ceremonial Service omitted He will have Mercy and not Sacrifice that is he will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice where both cannot be had 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath-day As if Christ had said I who am Lord of the Sabbath declare to you that I have a Power to dispence with the Observation of it and it is my Will that the Sabbath which was appointed for Man should yield to Man's Safety and Welfare Christ the Son of Man was really the Son of GOD and as such had Power over the Sabbath to dispence with it yea to abrogate and change it at his pleasure 9 And when he was departed thence he went into their synagogue 10 And behold there was a man which had his hand withered and they asked him saying Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath-days that they might accuse him 11 And he said unto them What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath-day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath-days Here we have another Dispute betwixt our Saviour and the Pharisees concerning the Sabbath Whether it be a Breach of that Day mercifully to Heal a Person having a withered Hand Christ confutes them from their own Practice telling the Pharisees that they themselves judg'd it Lawful to help out a Sheep or an Ox if faln into a Pit on that Day How much more ought the Life of a Man to be preferr'd Here we may remark how Inveterate a Malice the Pharisees had against our Saviour when they could find no Crime to charge him with they blame him for working a merciful and miraculous Cure upon the Sabbath-Day When Envy and Malice which are evermore quick-sighted can find no Occasion of Quarrel it will invent one against the Innocent 13 Then saith he to the man Stretch forth thine hand and he stretched it forth and it was restored whole like as the other 14 Then the pharisees went out and held a council against him how they might destroy him 15 But when Jesus knew it he withdrew himself from thence and great multitudes followed him and he healed them all 16 And charged them that they should not make him known Obs 1. The merciful and miraculous Cure wrought by our Saviour's Power upon the Impotent Man He said unto him Stretch out thine Hand and his Hand was restored Obs 2. What a contrary Effect this Cure had upon the Pharisees instead of convincing them they conspire against him Christ's Enemies when Arguments fail fall to Violence Obs 3. The prudent Means which our Saviour uses for his own Preservation He withdrew himself Christ's Example teaches his Ministers their Duty to avoid the Hands of Persecutors and prudently to preserve their Lives unless when their Sufferings are like to do more good than their Lives Obs 4. The great Humility of Christ in concealing his own Praises he had no Ambition that the Fame of his Miracles should be spread abroad for he sought not his own Glory neither would he by the Noise of his Miracles enrage the Pharisees against him to take away his Life knowing that his Time was not yet come and he had much Work to do before his Death 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying 18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased I will put my Spirit upon him and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles 19 He shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man hear his voice in the street 20 A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgment unto victory 21 And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust That is our Blessed Saviour did those Good Acts before spoken of that it might appear that he was the True Messias prophesied of by Isaias the Prophet Chap. 42.1 2. Behold my Servant whom I have set apart for Accomplishing the Work of Salvation for a Lost World he by the Fulness of my Spirit shall Teach the Nations the Way of Truth and Righteousness He shall not subdue Men by Force and Violence but as the Prince of Peace shall deal gently with the Weak and cherish the Least Measures of Grace and Degrees of Goodness Obs here 1. A Description of Christ as Mediator he is God the Father's Servant imployed in the most Noble Service namely that of the Instructing and Saving a Lost World Obs 2. With what Meekness and Gentleness Christ sets up his Spiritual Kingdom in the World he doth not with Noise and Clamour with Force and Violence Subdue and Conquer but with Meekness and Gentleness gains Persons Consent to his Government and Authority Observe 3. The Gentle Carriage of Christ in Treating those of Infirmer Grace he doth and will graciously preserve and tenderly cherish the smallest Beginings the Weakest Measures and the Lowest Degrees of Sincere Grace which he observes in any of his Children â—nd People 22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil blind and dumb and he healed him insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw 23 And all the people were amazed and said Is not this the son of David 24 But when the Pharisees heard it they said This fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils As a farther Instance of Christ's Miraculous Power he Healeth one whom the Devil had cast into a Disease which depriv'd him both of Speech and Sight At this Miracle the Multitude wonder saying Is not this the Son of David That is the promised Messias The Pharisees hearing this with great Bitterness and Contempt said This Fellow casteth out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils Observe from hence How Obstinacy and Malice will make Men misconstrue the Actions of the most Holy and Innocent CHRIST Casteth out Devils say the Pharisees by the help of the Devil There never was any Person so Good nor any Action so Gracious but they have been subject both to Censure and Misconstruction The best Way is to square our Actions by the Right Rule of Justice and Charity and then let the World pass their Censures at their Pleasure When the Holy and Innocent JESUS was thus assaulted what Wonder is it if we his Sinful Servants be Branded on
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
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
23d Verse there seems to be a contradiction in the words Christ tells them in the former part of the Verse That they shall ask him nothing in that Day and yet promises that whatever they ask shall be given them in the latter part of the Verse To resolve this know that there is a twofold asking one by way of Question the other by way of Petition The former is asking that we may know or be informed in what we doubt the latter is asking that we may receive and be supplied with what we want now when Christ saith In that day ye shall ask me nothing it is as much as if he had said at present you understand but little of the Mysteries of Religion and therefore ye put Questions about many things But in that Day when the Comforter comes ye shall be so clearly inlightned by him that ye shall not need to ask me any more Questions But when Christ saith Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it The meaning is In that day when I have left the World and ascended to my Father you shall not need to address your Prayers to me but to my Father in my name But what is it to pray in the name of Christ Answer It is more than to name Christ in Prayer it is easie to name Christ in Prayer but no easie thing to pray in the name of Christ To pray in the name of Christ is 1. To look up to Christ as having purchased for us this Priviledge that we may pray for it is by the Blood of Christ that we draw near to God and that a Throne of Grace is open for us 2. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray in the strength of Christ by the assistance of his Grace and the help of his Holy Spirit 3. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray by Faith in the Virtue of Christ's Mediation and Intercession believing that what we ask on Earth he interceeds for and obtains in Heaven To pray thus is no easie matter and unless we do pray thus we do not pray at all 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name That is explicitely and expresly in my name for the Saints of God under the Old Testament and the Apostles themselves under the New had hitherto put up all their Petitions in the name of the Messiah tho' not in the name of Jesus But now he exhorts them to Eye his Mediatory Office in all their Addresses to God and promises them that whatsoever he had purchased of the Father by his Sufferings and Satisfaction they should obtain it for the sake of his prevailing Intercession Learn hence That it is a mighty encouragement to Prayer that now under the Gospel the person of the Mediatour is exhibited in our Flesh has satisfied Divine Justice in in our Nature and in that Nature interceeds as a Mediatour for whatever he purchased as our Surety Hence is the encouragement Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it you 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father Here our Saviour tells his Disciples That although he had spoken many things to them in dark Parables and figurative Expressions yet now the time was approaching Namely The Comforter's coming when he would by the Holy Ghost clearly inlighten their Understandings in the Knowledg of Divine Mysteries and the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and particularly in the Knowledge of God as his Father and their Father in him Hence learn 1. That the clearest Truths will be but Parables Proverbs and dark Mysteries even to Disciples themselves till the Holy Spirit inlightens their Understandings 2. That the clear and full manifestation of Divine Truth was reserved till the coming of the Comforter who did communicate it to the Apostles and by them to the Church or Body of Christians I by him will shew you plainly of the Father 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you 27 For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God At that day shall ye ask in my name that is after I am Ascended into Heaven and have sent down the Holy Ghost upon you ye shall put up all your Prayers and requests to God in my name And I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you That is I need not tell you tho' I shall certainly do it that I will interceed with the Father for you for he of himself is kindly disposed and affected towards you for my sake When Christ says I do not say that I will pray the Father for you the meaning is not that he will lay aside his Office as Intercessour for Believers but that they had not only his Intercession but the Father's Love upon which to ground their hope of Audience Learn hence 1. That the Christians Prayers put up in Christ's name cannot fail of Audience and Acceptance for the sake of the Mediatour's Intercession and the Father's Love 2. That in our Prayers we ought so to eye and look up to Christ's Intercession as not to over-look or forget the Father's Love but ground our hopes of Audience upon both I say not that I will pray the Father for you tho' I shall assuredly do it for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me 28 I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father 29 His disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Here Observe 1. A proof of our Saviour's God-head He came forth from the Father into the World he came out from the Father in his Incarnation and came into the World to accomplish the work of our Redemption Learn thence That Jesus Christ is true God equal with the Father for he was not only sent by him but came forth from him I came out from the Father Observe 2. That it pleased Christ out of Love to his People to leave the Father and come into the World not by being separated from the Deity but by obscuring the Deity with the vail of our Flesh in order to the finishing the great and glorious work of Redemption for us I came forth from the Father and am come into the World Observe 3. That Christ having finished his Suffering work here on Earth Ascended into Heaven and sent down the Holy Spirit to apply unto his Church the Redemption purchased by his Blood Again I leave the World and go to the Father Observe lastly How the Apostles
and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion Go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it done unto thee And his servant was healed in the self same hour This was the first Occasion that Christ took to speak of the Calling of the Gentiles and the Rejection of the Jews Observe here That the Unbelieving Jews are called the Children of the Kingdom because Born within the Pale of the Visible Church they presumed that the Kingdom of Heaven was Entailed upon them because they were Abraham's Seed they boasted of and gloried in their External and Outward Priviledges Note thence 1. That Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges enjoyed are a special Honour to a People admitted to the Participation of them Our Saviour here stiles the Jews upon that Account The Children of the Kingdom 2. That such Priviledges injoyed but not improved do provoke Almighty God to inflict the heaviest of Judgments upon a People The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter Darkness that is into the Darkness of Hell where shall be perpetual Lamentations for the Remembrance of the Gospel kindly offered but unthankfully rejected 14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house he saw his wive's mother laid and sick of a fever 15 And he touched her hand and the fever left her and she rose and ministred unto them The next Miracle which our Saviour wrought was in Curing Peter's Wive's Mother of a Fever the Miracle was not in Curing an Incurable Distemper but in the Way and Manner of Curing For 1. It was by a Touch of our Saviour's Hand 2. It was Instantaneous and Sudden Immediately the Fever left her 3. The visible Effects of her Recovery presently appeared She instantly arose and ministred unto them That she could Arise argued her Cure Miraculous that she could and did Arise and Administer unto Christ argued her Thankfulness and a great Sense of his Goodness upon her Mind Note here 1. That Marriage in the Ministers of the Gospel yea even in the Apostles themselves and in Peter the chiefest of them was neither censured nor condemned by our Saviour St. Peter had a Wife and Family which Christ condescends to Visit Observe 2. That the first thing which Christ takes notice of in the House which he condescends to Visit is what Aileth any in it what Need they stand of his Help and Healing and accordingly together with his Presence he affords them Relief Learn 3. That when Christ has graciously Visited and Healed any of his Servants it ought to be their first Work and next Care to Administer unto Christ that is to employ their Recovered Health and improve their Renewed Strength in his Service 16 When the even was come they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils and he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses It was very common about the Time of our SAVIOUR's Coming in the Flesh for the Devil bodily to Possess Persons and very grievously to Torment them This is one of the sad and dismal Evils which Sin has made us liable and obnoxious to to be Bodily Possest by Satan when we give Satan the Power of our Hearts it is a just and righteous thing with God to give him the Possession of our Bodies But who is the Person that Dispossesses Satan Christ Jesus 'T is a stronger than the Strong Man that must cast out Satan Our Jesus in whom we trust by his Powerful Word alone can deliver from Satan's Power and all the sad Effects and Consequences thereof But Observe With what Condolency and Sympathizing Pity he exercises these Acts of Mercy and Compassion towards poor Creatures he is said to take our Infirmities upon Himself and to bear our Sicknesses he bare the Guilt which was the Cause of these Griefs and Sorrows and he bare the Sorrows themselves by a tender Sympathy with us under the Burthen of them Christ considers our Sufferings as his own He is afflicted in all our Afflictions and pained with all our Pains in this Sence He took our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses 18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him he gave commandment to depart unto the other side 19 And a certain scribe came and said unto him Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest 20 And Jesus saith unto him The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head Observe here A Person resolving to follow Christ a Good Resolution if made deliberately and not rashly for Sinister Ends and Secular Advantages which it is to be feared was the Case here by the Answer which our Saviour gives for says he Foxes have Holes c. that is my Condition in this World is very poor worse than the Birds of the Air for they have their fixed Nests or the Beasts of the Earth for they have their Dens and Holes but I have no fixed Habitation Note 1. That many Persons take up rash and sudden Resolutions to follow Christ before they have well considered what it will cost them what they are like to gain or lose by being his Disciples 2. That such Men may find themselves miserably mistaken who expect to gain any thing by following of Christ but their Souls Salvation 21 And another of his disciples said unto him Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father 22 But Jesus said unto him Follow me and let the dead bury their dead We must not supâ—â—se by this Prohibition that Christ disallows or disapproves of any Civil Office from one Person to another much less of a Child to a Parent either living or dying But he lets us know 1. That no Office of Love and Service to Man must be preferred before our Duty to God unto whom we owe our first Obedience 2. That Lawful and Decent Offices become Sinful when they hinder greater Duties 3. That such as are called to the Work and Imployment of the Ministry must mind that alone and leave Inferior Duties to Inferior Persons As if our Saviour had said Others will serve well enough to Bury the Dead but thou that art a Consecrated Person must do that unto which thou art consecrated and set apart Under the Law the Priests might not come near a dead Corps nor meddle with the Interrment of their own Parents unto which our Saviour probably alludes 23 And when he was entred into a ship his disciples followed him 24 And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves but he was asleep 25 And his disciples came to him and awoke him saying Lord save us we perish 26 And he
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
Diet but both by their Habit and Diet set an Example of Gravity and Sobriety before their People being in these as well as in other things an Example unto their Flocks 7 And preached saying There cometh one mightier then I after me the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose Observe here 1. The high Opinion that the Baptist had of Christ he is mightier than I That is a Person of greater Dignity and Excellency by far than my self whence may be gathered that tho' Christ was Man he was not meer Man but more than Man even very God equal with the Father for John Baptist was the greatest of them that were born of Women Matth. 11.11 yet says he Christ is mightier or greater than I. How so but in regard of the Dignity of his Person being both God and Man in two distinct Natures and one Person Observe 2. The humble and low Estimation that the Baptist had of himself His Shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose A proverbial Speech implying that he was unworthy to do the basest and meanest Service for Christ Oh how well doth Humility of Mind an humble Apprehension a low Esteem and Opinion of themselves and their own Gifts and Abilities become the Messengers and Ministers of Christ John was a Man of eminent Abilities yet of Exemplary Humility he thought himself unworthy to unloose Christ's Shoe or do the meanest Office for him 8 I indeed have baptized you with water but he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost John shewed the Dignity of Christ's Person above his own in the former Verse in this he declares the Excellency of Christ's Office and the meanness of his own I wash the Body with Water but Christ cleanses the Soul by the Operation of his Holy Spirit Thence Learn That tho' the Ministers of Christ do by Christ's Command dispence the Outward Ordinance of Baptism yet it is Christ himself that by the Inward Work of his Spirit doth make it effectual to such as receive it I Baptize with Water but he with the Holy Ghost 9 And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in Jordan 10 And straightway coming up out of the water he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him 11 And there came a voice from heaven saying Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased See the Note on Matth. 3.13 Observe here 1. The great Condescention of Christ in seeking and submitting to the Baptism of John Christ tho' he was John's Lord and Master yea Lord of Heaven and Earth yet cometh to hear John Preach and will be Baptized of his Messenger Thence Learn That the greatest Persons should neither think themselves too great nor too good to come unto the Ministers of God to hear the Word from his Mouth or to receive the Sacrament at his Hand Christ the Son of God was content to be Baptized of John a mean Person in Comparison of himself How dare then the greatest upon Earth despise the Ministry of Man being appointed by God Observe 2. The solemn investing of Christ into the Office of a Mediator by a threefold Miracle namely the opening of the Heavens the Descent of the Holy Ghost and God the Father's Voice or Testimony concerning his Son The Heavens were opened to shew that Heaven which was closed and shut against us for our Sins is now opened to us by Christ's undertaking for us As Christ opened Heaven by his meritorious Passion so he keeps it open by his prevailing Intercession Next The Holy Ghost descends like a Dove upon our Saviour Here we have a Proof and Evidence of the Blessed Trinity The Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the Water and the Holy Ghost descends in the Likeness of a Dove But why did the Holy Ghost now descend upon Christ First For the Designation of his Person to shew that he was the Person set apart for the Work and Office of a Mediator Secondly For the Sanctification of his Person for the Performance of that Office This was Christ's Unction the Day in which he was Anointed above his Fellows to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Isa 61. v. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me he hath anointed me c. Observe 3. The Voice of God the Father pronouncing 1. The Nearness of Christ's Relation to himself This is my Son 2. The Endearedness of his Person This is my Beloved Son 3. The Fruit and Benefit of this near and dear Relation unto us In him I am well pleased Hence Learn 1. That there is no Possibility for any Person to please God out of Christ neither our Persons nor our Performances can find Acceptance but thro' him and for his sake 2. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the Ground and Cause of all that Love which God the Father sheweth to the Sons of Men In Christ God is well pleased with us as a reconciled Father out of him a consuming Fire 12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan and was with the wild beasts and the Angels ministred unto him Immediately That is 1. After his Baptism Christ is no sooner out of the Water of Baptism but he is in the Fire of Temptation Such as are Baptized with Christ and entered into the Profession of Christianity they must look to be assaulted with Satan's Temptations Again Immediately that is 2. After the Father had declared his Complacency in him and being well pleased with him Learn thence That great Manifestations of Love from God are usually followed with great Temptations from Satan The Spirit driveth him That is the Holy Spirit of God For the Devil is seldom if ever called the Spirit but usually some Brand of Reproach is annexed as the evil Spirit or the unclean Spirit and the like Christ was led by the Spirit says St. Matthew 4.1 He was driven by the Spirit says St. Mark that is He was carried by a strong Impulse of the Spirit of God to be tempted by Satan and did not go of his own private Motion to enter the Lists with Satan Teaching us our Duty not to run into or rush upon Temptations without a Warrant and Call from God Observe next the Place where Satan assaulted Christ with his Temptations it was a solitary Wilderness No Place can priviledge us from Temptations or be a Sanctuary from Satan's Assaults The solitary Wilderness has a Tempter in it yea Satan oft-times makes use of Men's Solitariness to farther his Temptations and such as separate themselves from Humane Society and give themselves up to Solitude and Retirement they give great Advantage to the Tempter to tempt them Observe next the Time and Continuance of our Holy Lord's Temptations not for an Hour a Day a Week or a Month but for Forty Days
diseases and cast out many devils and suffered not the devils to speak because they knew him The Evangelist here declares sundry other Miracles wrought by our Saviour before the Door of Peter's House where he now was He healed all the Diseased that were brought unto him and cast out Devils out of them that were possessed with them But how comes it to pass that we read of so many possessed with Devils in our Saviour's time and so few either before or since Answ 1. Probably Satan perceiving that the Messiah was come in the Flesh to destroy his Kingdom did rage the more and discover greater Malice and Enmity against Mankind 2. Perhaps Almighty God permitted Satan at that time to possess so many that Christ might have Occasion to manifest his Divine Power by casting Satan out And accordingly we find our Saviour dispossessing all that were possess'd by Satan It is added That he suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him That is Christ would not be made known to be the Son of God by the preaching of the Devil to whom it belonged not to publish the Gospel lest the World should take from thence an Occasion to think that our Saviour held a Correspondency with those wicked Spirits and that the Miracles he wrought were performed by the Devil's Assistance as being one in Combination with him possibly from the Devil 's owning Christ to be the Holy One of God the Pharisees concluded that there was a Compact and Agreement betwixt them and thereupon their Affirmation was grounded he casteth out Devils by Beelzebub c. 35 And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed Observe here 1. The Duty performed by our Saviour namely Prayer solitary and private Prayer He went by himself alone out of the hearing of his Disciples The Company of our best Friends is not always seasonable nor acceptable there are Times and Cases when a Christian would not be willing that his dearest Relations upon Earth should hear that Intercourse which passes betwixt him and his God Obs 2. Christ chuses the Opportunity of the Morning for Prayer He rises a great while before Day to set about this Work Teaching us that the Morning is a fit Season yea the best Season for private Duties Now our Spirits are freshest and our Minds freest before the Distractions of the Day break in upon us it is better to go from Prayer to Business than from Business to Prayer 36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him 37 And when they had found him they said unto him All men seek for thee 38 And he said unto them Let us go into the next towns that I may preach there also for therefore came I forth 39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee and cast out devils Observe here Two Things First The great End of Christ in his Incarnation and coming into the World namely as a Prophet sent from God to reveal his Will and to publish the Doctrine of the Gospel Therefore came I forth that is to preach and plant the Gospel Secondly It being Christ's Design not only to plant but propagate the Gospel he would not confine his Ministry to any particular Place no not to the great City of Capernaum but resolves to preach the Word in the smallest Towns and Villages Leaving his Ministers herein an instructive Example to be as willing to preach the Gospel in the smallest Villages as in the largest Cities if God calls them thereunto Let the Place be never so obscure and mean and the Congregation never so small and little if God sends us thither the greatest of us must not think it beneath us to go and instruct an handful of People 40 And there came a leper to him beseeching him and kneeling down to him and saying unto him If thou wilt thou canst make me clean 41 And Jesus moved with compassion put forth his hand and touched him and saith unto him I will be thou clean 42 And as soon as he had spoken immediately the leprosie departed from him and he was cleansed 43 And he straightly charged him and forthwith sent him away 44 And saith unto him See thou say nothing to any man but go thy way shew thy self to the Priest and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them 45 But he went out and began to publish it much and to blaze abroad the matter insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city but was without in desert places and they came to him from every quarter The last Miracle of our Saviour's recorded in this Chapter is his healing of a leper he came beseeching Christ to heal him Saying If thou wilt thou canst make me clean Where Obs 1. He doth not question Christ's Power but distrusts Christ's Willingness to heal him Lord if thou wilt thou canst Christ's Divine Power must be fully assented to and firmly believed by all those that expect Benefit by him and healing from him Obs 2. The great Readiness of Christ to help and heal this distressed Person Jesus touched him saying I will be thou clean By the Ceremonial Law the Leper was forbidden to be touch'd therefore Christ's touching this Leper shewed him to be above the Law and that he was the Lord of it and might dispence with it and his healing the Leper by the Word of his Mouth and Touch of his Hand shew'd him to be truly and really God Leprosie amongst the Jews was an incurable Distemper called the Finger of God a Disease of his sending and of his removing Our Saviour therefore as a Proof of his being the true Messiah tells John's Disciples Matth. 11.5 That the Lepers were cleansed and the Dead raised by him which two being joined together do imply that the cleansing of Lepers is as much an Act of Divine Power as the raising of the Dead And accordingly 2 Kin. 5.8 't is said Am I a God that this Man sends to me to cure a Man of his Leprosie Obs 3. The Certainty and Suddenness of the Cure was a Proof of Christ's Divine Power immediately his Leprosie was cleansed Christ not only cured him without Means but without the ordinary Time required for such a Cure Thus Christ shew'd both Power and Will to cure him miraculously who believed his Power but questioned his Willingness Obs 4. The Cause moving our Saviour to cure this Leper his Bowels were moved with tender Pity and Compassion towards him Christ's exercising Acts of Mercy and Compassion with such Condolency and Sympathizing Pity should by way of Example teach us to be inwardly moved with tender Compassion and Mercy towards such as are in Misery We are not only to draw out our Bread but to draw out our Soul to the Hungry Obs 5. A twofold Charge and Command given by Christ to the Leper after his Cure 1. To
Gentiles Christ is a light to the one and the glory of the other a light to the blind and dark Gentiles and the Glory of the Renowned Church of the Jews The Messias being promised to them born and bred up with them living amongst them preaching his Doctrine to them and working his Miracles before them and thus was Christ the Glory of his people Israel 34 And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against 35 Yea a sword shall pass thro' thine own Soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed Two things are here observed Simeon's Blessing and Simeons Prediction he blessed them that is the Parents and the Child Jesus not Authoritatively but Prophetically declaring how God would bless them his Prediction is Twofold 1. concerning Christ 2. concerning his Mother concerning Christ Simeon declares that he should be for the rise of many in Israel namely all such as should embrace and obey his Doctrine and imitate and follow his example and for the fall of others that is shall bring punishment and ruine upon all obdurate and impenitent Sinners and a Sign to be spoken against that is he shall be as a mark for obstinate Sinners to set themselves against Christ himself when here in the World was a stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to the men of the World enduring the contradiction of Sinners against himself both the virulence of their Tongues and the violence of their hands 2. Concerning the Mother of Christ Simeon declares that the sight of her Son 's bitter Sufferings would like a Sword pierce through heâ— Heart for tho' he might be born yet should he not dyâ— without the pains of his Mother as if the Throws suffered by other Women at the Birth were reserved for her to endure at the death of her Son The Sufferings of the Holy Jesus on the Cross were as a Sword or dagger at the Heart of the Holy Virgin and she Suffered with him both as a tender Mother and as a Sympathizing Member of his Body 36 And there was one Anna a prophetess the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asser she was of a great Age and had lived with an husband seven years from her Virginity 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years which departed not from the Temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day 38 And she coming in at that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Israel Simeon is seconded by Anna a Prophetess she also declares that the child Jesus was the promised and expected Messias and thus Christ was proclaimed in the Temple by two Heralds of different Sexes Concerning this Aged Woman Anna it is said that she departed not from the Temple night nor day not that she lived and lodged there but by her never departing from understand her daily repairing to the Temple that which is often done is said in Scripture to be always done we are said to do a thing continually when we do it seasonably Thus we pray continually when we pray as often as duty requires us to pray Learn hence That such duties as a Christian performs out of Conscience he will perform with Constancy and Perseverance Nature will have her good Moods but Grace is steady The devotions of a pious Soul like Anna's are as constant but more frequent then the returns of day and night 39 And when they had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord they returned into Galilee to their own city Nazareth 40 And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdom and the Grace of God was upon him Here we see the truth and reality of Christ's Humane Nature he grew as we do from Infancy to Childhood from Childhood to Youth and Manhood To his divine Nature no accession or addition could be made for that which is infinite cannot encrease The deity was infinite in Christ so was not the Humanity but capable of additions and accordingly as Christ grâ—w up the Stature of his Body and the faculties of his mind encreased thro' the Grace and Power of God's Spirit upon him 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every Year at the feast of the passover 42 And when he was twelve years old they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast Observe here the persons making this yearly Journey to Jerusalem our Saviour's Parents and himself 1. Joseph who is called Christ's Father not that he was his natural Father for Christ had no Father upon Earth but Joseph was his Reputed and supposed Father his nursing Father who by the appointment of God took a Fatherly care of him and and his Father in Law being Husband to Mary 2. Mary the Mother of Christ went up to Jerusalem with her Husband and her Son God commanded only the Males to go up to Jerusalem the weaker Sex were excused but the Holy Virgin well knowing the spiritual profit of that long Journey would not stay at home Such as will go no farther than they are dragged in Religious Exercises are Strangers to the Virgins Piety and devotion But 3. the child Jesus in his Minority goes up with his Parents to this holy Solemnity thereby no doubt intending our instruction when we are young to give God an early possession of our Souls to consecrate the Virgin Operations of our minds to him and in our Youth to keep close to the Worship and Service of God when we are so importunately courted by the World Obâ—erve farther This holy Family came not to look at the Feast and be gone but they duly stay'd out all the appointed time â—â—seph's Calling and the Virgins Houshold Business could â—either keep them at home nor hasten them home before the publick Duties in the Temple were dispatcht and ended All worldly Business must give place to Divine Offices and we must attend God's service to the end except we will depart unblest 43 And when they had fulfilled the days as they returned the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem and Joseph and his mother knew not of it 44 But supposing him to have been in the company went a days journey and they sought him amongst their kinsfolk and acquaintance 45 And when they found him not they turned back to Jerusalem seeking him The Service of the Temple being ended they return home to Nazareth Religious Duties are not to be attended to the prejudice and neglect of our particular Callings God calls us as well from his House as to his House They are much mistaken who think God is pleased with nothing but Devotion he that says be fervent in Spirit serving the Lord says also be not slothful in business Piety and Industry must keep pace with one another God is as well pleased
is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Our Blessed Saviour being thus fitted and prepared by his Baptism and Temptations for the Execution of his Ministerial Office he now enters upon the great work of Preaching the Gospel and St. Luke here declares the first place he preacht at namely Nazareth and the first Text he preacht upon Isa 61.1 Observe 1. The place which our Saviour preacht at he bestowed his first Sermon upon Nazareth the place of his Conception and Education For tho' Christ was Born at Bethlehem yet he was bred and brought up at Nazareth there he had his poor but painful Education working on his Father's Trade that of a Carpenter This prejudiced the Jews against him who lookt for a Scepter not an Ax in the hand of him that was born King of the Jews Our Saviour's short and secret abode at Bethlehem and his long and publick living at Nazareth occasioned him to be called Jesus of Nazareth Yet some conceive it was a Nick-name fastned by the Devil upon our Saviour that he might disguise the place of Christ's Nativity and leave the Jews at the greater loss concerning their Messiah Sure it is that this Name Jesus of Nazareth stuck upon our Saviour all his Life and at his Death was fixed by Pilate on his Cross Yea after his Ascention such as believed on him were called The Sect of the Nazareens or the followers of Jesus of Nazareth Observe 2. The Text which our Saviour preacht upon at Nazareth he takes it out of the Prophet Esaias Ch. 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath Anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor that is God the Father hath poured forth his Holy Spirit without measure upon me in all the Gifts and Graces of it to sit and furnish me for the work of a Mediator and particularly to preach the Gospel to the poor in Spirit and to such as are poor in outward Condition also if meekned and humbled with the sight and sense of their sins To bind up the broken hearted that is to comfort them with the glad tidings of the Gospel To preach Deliverance to the Captives to let such Sinners know who were slaves to sin and Satan that a Deliverer is come if they be willing to be Delivered by him To preach the acceptable year of the Lord or to proclaim a Spiritual Jubilee in which God proffers pardon of Sin and Reconciliation with himself upon the Terms of the Gospel Learn hence 1. That God stirreth up none to take upon them the Office of the Ministry whom he hath not fitted and furnished with Gifts for the Regular discharge of it 2. That Christ himself did not undertake the Office of a Mediator but by the Ordination of God the Holy Spirit The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath sent me to preach the Gospel 3. That no Creature Angel or Man could perform the Office of a Mediator but only Christ who was Consecrated to that Office by an Anointing from the Holy Spirit without measure The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me 4. That the preaching of the Gospel is the great Ordinance which Christ himself made use of and recommended to his Apostles and Ministers for inlightning blind Sinners for comforting broken hearts and for Delivering Captive Souls from the slavery and dominion of sin and Satan He hath sent me to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken-hearted to publish Deliverance to the Captives and Recovering of Sight to the blind What Enemies then are they to the Souls of Men who have low and mean thoughts of this high and honourable Ordinance of God the preaching of the Everlasting Gospel which is the power of God unto Salvation Observe 3. The Behaviour of our Saviour's Auditors the Men of Nazareth under his Preaching their Eyes were fixt and their minds intent upon him and upon what was spoken by him The Eyes of all that were in the Synagâ—gue were fastned upon him not closed with sleep nor gazing about upon others but fixed upon Christ the Preacher fixing of the Eye is a great help to the attention of the ear and the intention of the mind a fastned eye is a means to help us to a fixed heart as a wandring eye is both a sign and a cause of a wandring Heart O that our Hearers would imitate our Saviour's Hearers under the Word They fastned their Eyes upon him as if they meant to hear with their eyes as well as with their Ears And yet we have cause to suspect that Curiosity rather than Piety caused this their Attention seeing as you will find v. 29. That these very Persons who out of Novelty were ready to eat his words soon after out of Cruelty were ready to devour the speaker for they thrust him out of the city led him to the Brow of the Hill and would have cast him down headlong Oh blessed Saviour What wonder is it that the Persons of thy Ministers are despised and their Doctrine neglected when thou thy self the first Preacher of the Gospel and for thy first Sermon at Nazareth wert thus ignominiously treated 22 And all bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth and they said is not this Joseph's son 23 And he said unto them ye will surely say unto me this Proverb Physician heal thy self Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum do also here in thy country 24 And he said verily I say unto you no Prophet is accepted in his own country Observe here 1. The effect of our Saviour's Ministry at Nazareth it created wonder but did not produce Faith they marvelled but not believed they admire the Wisdom of his Discourses but will not own him to be the promised Messias because of the Poverty and Meanness of his Condition Is not this Joseph's Son They expect the son of a Prince not the son of a Carpenter to be their Messiah Thence Note That the Poverty and Meaness of Christ's Condition was that which Multitudes stumbled at and which kept many yea most from Believing on him None but a Spiritual Eye can discern Beauty in an humbled and abased Saviour Obs 2. Our Saviour wonders not that so few of his Country men amongst whom he had been bred and brought up and with whom he had lived most part of his time did despise his Person and reject his Doctrine He tells them No Prophet has honour in his own Country that is very seldom has Teaching us that usually the Ministers of God are most despised where they are most familiarly known sometimes the remembrance of their mean Original and Extraction sometimes the poverty of their Parents sometimes the Indecencies of their Childhood sometimes the follies of their youth sometimes the faults of their Family and Relations are ript up and made occasions of Contempt and therefore that Prophet that comes from afar and has not been much known gains the greatest Reputation amongst a
Humility of the holy Baptist the mean and lowly Opinion he had of himself Although John was the greatest among them that were born of a Woman and so much esteemed by the Jews and had the honour to go before Christ in the Exercise of his Office and Ministry yet he judges himself unworthy to carry Christ's Shoes after him He that cometh after me is preferred before me whose Shoes I am not worthy to unloose Learn hence That the more eminent Gifts the Ministers of the Gospel have and the more ready Men are to honour and esteem them the more will they abase themselves if they be truly Gracious and account themselves highly honoured in doing the meanest Offices of Love and Service for Jesus Christ Thus doth the holy Baptist here His Shoes Latchet I am not worthy to unloose 29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world 30 This is he of whom I said After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me This is John the Baptist's third Testimony concerning Christ in which he points out Christ as the True Sacrifice for Expiation of Sin Behold the Lamb of God the Lamb of God's appointing to be an Expiatory Sacrifice the Lamb of God's Election the Lamb of God's Affection the Lamb of God's Acceptation the Lamb of God's Exaltation who by the Sacrifice of his death has taken away the sin of the World The sin not the sins in the plural Number to denote Original Sin as some think or as others to shew that Christ has universally taken upon himself the whole Burthen of our Sin and Guilt And there seems to be a secret Antithesis in the Word World In the Levitical Sacrifices only the sins of the Jews were laid upon the sacrificed Beast but this Lamb takes away the sin both of Jew and Gentile The Lord hath caused to meet on him the Iniquity of us all And the Word Taketh Away being of the Present Tense denotes a continued Act and it intimates to us thus much viz. That it is the daily Office of Christ to take away our sin by presenting to the Father the Memorials of his Death Christ takes away from all Believers the Guilt and Punishment of their sins the Filth and Pollution of them the Power and Dominion that is in them and as St. John called upon the Jews to behold this Lamb of God with an Eye of Observation so is it our Duty to behold him now with an Eye of Admiration with an Eye of Gratulation but especially with an Eye of Faith and Dependence improving the Fruit of his Death to our own Consolation and Salvation Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be saved c. 31 And I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water 32 And John bare record saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him 33 And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost 34 And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God Observe here 1. That John the Baptist tho' a near Kinsman of Christ's according to the Flesh yet the Providence of God so ordered it that for thirty Years together they did not know one another nor converse with each other nor probably ever saw the faces of each other to be sure he did not know him to be the Messiah This no doubt was over-ruled by the wisdom of God to prevent all suspicion as if John and Christ had compacted together to give one another Credit that the World might suspect nothing of the Truth of John's Testimony concerning Christ or have the least jealousie that what he said of Christ was from any Bias of Mind to his Person therefore he repeats it a second time v. 31. v. 33. I knew him not Hence we may learn That a Corporal sight of Christ and an outward Personal Acquaintance with him is not simply needful and absolutely necessary for enabling a Minister to set him forth and represent him savingly to the World Observe 2. The Means declared by which John came to know Christ to be the true Messiah it was by a Sign from Heaven namely the Holy Ghost descending like a Dove upon our Saviour He that sent me to Baptize with Water the same said unto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining the same is he Learn hence 1. That Christ taking upon him our Nature did so cover his Glory with the Veil of our Flesh and common Infirmities that he could not be known by bodily sight from another Man Till John had a divine Revelation and an evident Sign from Heaven that Christ was the Son of God he knew him not Learn 2. That Christ in his solemn entry upon his Office as Mediator was sealed unto the Work by the descending of the Holy Ghost upon him he was sealed by the Holy Ghost's descending and the Teacher's testifying that this was his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased Now it was that God gave not the Spirit to Christ by Measure for the effectual Administration of his Mediatorial Office now it pleased the Father that in Christ should all fulness dwell He was filled Extensively with all Kinds of Grace and filled Intensively with all Degrees of Grace in the Day of his Inauguration when the Holy Spirit descended upon him ¶ 35 Again the next day after John stood and two of his disciples 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked he said Behold the Lamb of God It is evident that John's Disciples were never very willing to acknowledge Jesus for the Messias because they thought he did shadow and cloud their Master See therefore the Sincerity of the Holy Baptist he takes every Opportunity to draw off the Eyes of his own Disciples from himself and to fix them upon Christ he saith to two of his Disciples Behold the Lamb of God As if he had said Turn your Eyes from me to Christ take less Notice of me his Minister but behold your and my Lord and Master Behold the Lamb of God Learn hence That the great Design of Christ's faithful Ministers is to set People upon admiring of Christ and not magnifying themselves Oh! 't is their great Ambition and Desire that such as love and respect them and honour their Ministry may be led by them to Christ to behold and admire him to accept of him and to submit unto him John said to his Disciples Behold the Lamb of God 37 And the two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus 38 Then Jesus returned and saw them following and saith unto them What seek ye They said unto him Rabbi which is to say being interpreted Master
and I must disappear like the morning Star Not that John's Light was diminished but by a greater Light obscured only As all the Stars disappear at the appearance of the Sun Yet observe what matter of Joy it was to John to see himself out-shined by Christ Let him increase tho' I decrease That Minister has true Light in himself that can Rejoyce when he is out-shined by others Who is content to be abased and obscured if he may but see Christ dignified and exalted in the Lives of his People whoever the Person is whom God honours as his Instrument in that Service The fourth Difference wherein Christ excels John and all his Ministers is in the Divine Original of his Person v. 31. He that cometh from above is above all says John Now Christ is from above his Original is from Heaven I am from the Earth tho' I had my Commission from Heaven and accordingly my Words and Actions are Earthly My Master therefore infinitely surpasseth and excels me in the Dignity of his Person and in the Sublimity of his Knowledge From the whole Note How much it is the Desire and Endeavour of every Gospel-Minister to magnifie Jesus Christ to display his glorious Excellencies and Perfections before their People that they may reverence his Person revere his Authority and respect his Laws This was the Care of the Holy Baptist here and it will be the Endeavour of every faithful Minister of Christ that succeeds John to the end of the World 32 And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him Observe 1. Another great Difference which John the Baptist teacheth his Disciples to put betwixt his Testimony and Christ's To the intent that he might remove the Prejudice which was upon his Disciples Mind against the Messiah he shews them that his own Testimony which they so much admired was by Revelation only Christ's by immediate Intuition John testified only what he had received but Christ what he had seen lying in the Bosom of the Father What he hath seen and heard that he testifieth Learn hence That it is Christ's the great Prophet of his Church peculiar Prerogative to have the knowledge of Divine Truths immediately from the Father by special Communication and that all others receive their Knowledge from him by gracious Illumination only Observe 2. How sadly and sorrowfully the holy Baptist resents it that Christ's Testimony was no better received and entertained by the World He testifieth but no Man receiveth his testimony John's Disciples murmured that all Men came unto Christ v. 26. but John mourns that there came no more and complains that none that is very few received his Testimony Thence learn That it ought and will be matter of great Regret and Sorrow to all the Friends of Jesus Christ but especially to his faithful Ministers and Servants that his Doctrine is so ill received and entertained in the World It greatly affects and grievously afflicts them that when they testifie of Christ no Man that is comparatively very few Men receive their Testimony Observe 3. The Eulogy and high Commendation given of all true Believers they receive Christ's Testimony and thereby set to their Seal that God is true that is hath subscribed to and ratified the Truth of God that God in all his Promises of the Messiah under the Old Testament is faithful and true Learn hence The great Honour that God puts upon the Faith of Believers As Unbelief defames God and makes him a Lyer so Faith gives Testimony to the Truth of God and setteth its Seal that God is true He that receiveth his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true Observe 4. The Illustrious Character which the Holy Baptist gives of Christ his Master he is the Person whom God hath sent and unto whom God giveth not his Spirit by measure He whom God has sent that is immediately and extraordinarily from Heaven not as the Prophets and Apostles were sent but in a way peculiar to himself Having Authority for speaking not only from God but as being God himself And accordingly it is added that God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him that is the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit were poured forth upon Christ in a Measure far above and beyond all finite Creatures There being a double difference betwixt Christ's fulness of the Spirit and all other Persons whatsoever 1. In the Measure of it God did not give out the Spirit to Christ sparingly and with limitation as he did to the former Prophets and John the Baptist in proportion to what their Offices required but he was anointed more plentifully and abundantly with the Holy Spirit above and beyond his Fellows 2. In the manner of its working The holy Prophets that were filled with the Spirit according to their Measures yet could not do or declare all Things nor act upon all Occasions but sometimes the Spirit restrained them and sometimes departed from them But Christ had no limits put upon the Vigour of his Spirit but his own Will therefore could work what and when he pleased Learn from hence That Christ had an abundant fitness from God for the discharge of his Office and an abundant fulness for his People God did not measure to him a certain Quantity and Proportion of the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit but pour'd it forth upon him without Measure 35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand The Father loveth the Son from Eternity as he was his Son by eternal Generation and he loved him as Mediator by special Constitution he loves him as the Brightness of his own Glory and the express Image of his Person with an Essential Natural and Necessary Love And he loves him as Mediator for undertaking our Cause and interposing for our Peace Learn hence That God the Father had a special Love and Affection to Christ not only in regard of his Eternal Sonship but with respect to his Office of Mediatorship The Father loveth the Son It follows he hath given all things into his hand that is intrusted him with all things necessary to our Salvation Lord what a Privilege is this that our Happiness is in Christ's Hand not in our own without his Oh wonderful Goodness to put our Concerns into the sure Hands of his Son which were lost by the weak Hands of Adam 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Learn 1. That tho' all Power be given to Christ to dispense Grace here and Glory hereafter yet none must expect to enjoy it but upon Condition of believing in him and obeying of him For the Original Word
witnesseth of me is true Our Blessed Saviour having produced these five foregoing Arguments to prove his Unity in Essence and his Equality in Power with the Father comes now to the end of the Chapter to produce several Testimonies for the Proof of it and the first of them is the Testimony of God his Father There is another that beareth witness of me whose witness is True Now the Father had lately at Christ's Baptism by a Voice from Heaven declared him to be his beloved Son in whom he was well-pleased which illustrious Testimony given to Christ they had not regarded Learn hence That as Christ came into the World in Obedience to his Father and to bear witness to him so did the Father honour him and bear witness of him and his Testimony concerning his Son is undoubtedly True and to be depended and rested upon for we make the Father a Lyar if we do not depend upon the Record which he has given of his Son 33 Ye sent unto John and he bare witness unto the truth 34 But I receive not testimony from man but these things I say that ye might be saved The second Testimony to prove Christ to be the Messias was that of John the Baptist We read John 1.19 how the Jews sent to inquire of him whether he were the Christ or not and he denied it and pointed at Jesus saying Behold the Lamb of God yet would not the Jews abide by this Testimony of John concerning the Messias Nevertheless says Christ I receive not testimony from John that is John by his Testimony addeth nothing to me I was what I was and I am what I am before John testified of me and since Learn hence That the Divinity of Christ's Person and the Verity of his Doctrine needs no Man's Testimony for the Confirmation of it being sufficiently confirmed by Christ's own Authority and his Father's Testimony I receive not Testimony from Man that is I need it not I desire it not upon my own Account but upon yours only that upon the Credit of John's Testimony ye might believe on me and be saved by me These things I say that ye might be saved 35 He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light Observe here John's Character and the Peoples Carriage 1. John's Character he was a Light a burning and a shining Light He had in him a Light of Knowledge to enlighten direct and comfort others and this his Knowledge was accompanied with Zeal he was a burning Light in his Doctrine and a shining Lamp in his Conversation He had the Light of Knowledge in his Head the Warmth of Zeal in his Heart and the Influence of both in his Life Learn hence 1. That those whom God calls to the Office and Work of the Ministry he furnishes with Abilities and Endowments suitable to their great Employments he endues them with a Light of Knowledge which is animated with the Heat and Warmth of Zeal 2. That Ministerial Gifts and Abilities are not bestowed alike upon all but dispersed variously All are Lights according to their Measure but all are not equally burning and shining Lights for Proportion and Degree 3. That the brightest burning and clearest shining Lights in the Church of Christ have but their time in this World they are subject as well as other Men to the common Condition of Mortality and the Lamp of their Lives burns out the faster by lighting others to Heaven John was a burning and a shining Light but now is put out and gone Observe 2. As John's Character so the Peoples Carriage ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his Light Here is a threefold Gradation they rejoyced They rejoyced in his Light and they rejoyced for a season 1. They rejoyced The word signifies they leaped for Joy and danced about him as Children do about a Bonfire when he first began his Ministry amongst them Oh how warm are the Affections of a People when a pious and zealous Minister comes first among them 2. They rejoyced in his Light not in his Heat Or they rejoyced in John's Light not in Christ's For when they found that John bare Record to Christ they soon grew cold in their Affections towards John 3. They rejoyced only for a season for an hour as the word signifies For a short time John's Ministry was acceptable Learn hence 1. That it has been an old Practice amongst Professors not to like their Pastors long though they have been never such burning and shining Lights John was not changed but his Hearers were changed he did burn and shine in the Candlestick of the Church with equal Zeal and Lustre to the last but they had changed their Thoughts of him and lost their Esteem for him Learn 2. That as nothing in general is so mutable as the Mind of Man so nothing in particular is so variable as the Affections and Opinions of People towards their Ministers The Lamp of John's Ministry was always alike burning and shining his Oil did not waste but his Hearers Zeal wasted and their Affections cooled Those whose Gifts are not at all abated may yet find a great abatement in the acceptation of their Gifts Therefore let no Men live upon the Breath of Men least of all let Ministers live upon the popular Air or the Speech of People Oh let us live upon the Credit which we have with God and rejoyce chiefly in his Esteem If our Performances find acceptance with God we are safe and happy tho' they fall under Contempt with Men. 36 ¶ But I have greater witness then that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me The third Testimony produced by Christ to evidence and prove himself to be the promised Messias and Saviour of the World is that of his Miracles which by an Omnipotent Power as God he was enabled to work Christ's Miracles were speaking Testimonies of his Unity with the Father and of the Divinity of his Person Not so the Miracles of his Apostles for he wrought his Miracles in his own Name and by his own Power and Authority but the Apostles expresly declared the contrary Acts 3.12 16. Why look ye so stedfastly on us as if we by our own power had made this Man whole His name through faith in his name hath made this Man strong Learn hence That the Testimony of Christ's own Works his Miracles wrought in his own Name and by his own Authority and Power is a clearer Confirmation of his Godhead Office and Doctrine than the best of Mens Testimonies yea than John Baptist's own Testimony That he saw the Spirit descending on him 37 And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath
Learn hence 1. That the Servants of God themselves are oftimes much to seek and cannot apprehend and understand at present the actings and dealings of God with them they understand not either the intent or the event of God's dispensations 2. That altho' God's dealings with his Children and People are for a while in the dark and are not presently made known yet there will come a time for the clearing and evidencing of them when they shall understand that all his dispensations were in mercy to them The second part of our Saviour's Reply to St. Peter follows If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me as if Christ had said Peter This external act of mine in washing thy Feet doth signifie something farther and imports my washing of thy Soul from the guilt and defilement of Sin without which thou canst neither have interest in me nor Communion with me Learn hence 1. That so universal is the pollution of Sin that every Soul stands in need of washing 2. That Christ washeth all that have a part and interest in him both from the guilt and pollution of all their Sin Observe 3. That St. Peter now understanding better what was meant by this outward washing Namely That it did signifie and represent the cleansing of the Soul from the defilement of Sin he is so far from refusing that Christ should wash his Feet that he offers Hands and Head and all to be washed by him Lord not my Feet only c. Learn hence That so thoroughly sensible are the Saints of the filthiness and pollution of Sin that they desire nothing more than an inward thorough and prevailing purification of their whole Man by the Blood and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Observe 4. Our Saviour's Reply to St. Peters's last Request he that is washed needeth not save to wash his Feet plainly alluding to the custom of those Countries where going abroad barefoot or with thin Sandals covering only a small part of their Feet they had frequent occasion to wash their Feet but no need to wash their whole Bodies In like manner the Saints and Servants of God who are already washed and cleansed by the Blood of Christ from the guilt of their Sins and have a real work of Renovation and Sanctification begun in them by the Spirit of Christ they ought to be daily purging and purifying their Affections and Actions and labouring daily after further measures and degrees of Sanctification Learn hence 1. That the holiest the wisest and the best of Saints whilest here in a World of Sin and Temptation do stand in need of a daily washing by Repentance and according to their renewed and repeated acts of Sin 2. That all justified persons are in God's account clean persons ye are clean but not all that is you are justified and pardoned sanctified and cleansed all of you excepting Judas whose heart was known to Christ tho' his Hypocrisie was hid from the Disciples 12 So after he had washed their feet and had taken his garments and was set down again he said unto them Know ye what I have done to you 13 Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am 14 If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet ye also ought to wash one anothers feet 15 For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you 16 Verily verily I say unto you The servant is not greater then his lord neither he that is sent greater then he that sent him In these words our Saviour declares to his Disciples his intention and design in washing of their Feet Namely To teach them by his Example the duty of humility that as he had performed that act of abasement towards them so should they be ready to perform all offices of Love and humble Condescension one towards another Behold I have given you an Example that ye should do as I have done unto you Learn thence That humility and mutual condescension amongst the Members and Ministers of Jesus Christ is a most necessary Grace and Duty which the Son of God not only taught by his Doctrine but recommended and inforced by his Example Observe farther The Argument which Christ makes use of to press the imitation of his Example upon them and that is drawn from the titles given to him by his Disciples Ye call me Master and Lord and so I am Now Servants ought to imitate their Master and Subjects to obey their Lord and King Christ is a Master to teach and direct a Lord to govern and protect as he is a Master we are to learn in his School as he is a Lord we are to serve in his House he must be submitted to as a Prince as well as relied upon as a Saviour It is in vain to expect Salvation from him if we do not yield subjection to him Another Argument which our Lord makes use of to press his Disciples to imitate his Example is drawn from his Dignity and Superiority over them The Servant is not greater than his Lord as if Christ had said Tho' you my Disciples are to have a very high and honourable station in the Gospel Church yet let not this swell you with pride but be you mutually condescending to each other Remembring you are yet but Servants to my self and ought to be so to one another and the Servant is not greater than his Lord. Learn hence That whatever dignity Christ confers upon his Servants and Officers yet he is over them all superior to them and above them 2. That the consideration of Christ's Dignity and his Ministers meanness ought to keep their minds humble and lowly and far from affecting Superiority over their Brethren The Servant is not greater than his Lord nor he that is sent greater than he that sent him 17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Our Lord here intimates unto to us these two things 1. The necessity of Knowledge in order unto Practice 2. The necessity of Practice in order unto Happiness A Man may know the Will of God indeed and not do it but he can never do the Will of God acceptably and not know it Learn hence 1. That Christ doth not approve of a blind Obedience in his People but requires that their Practice and Obedience be founded upon Understanding and Knowledge 2. That the first care of those that will be Christ's Disciples and followers must be this With all seriousness to apply themselves to the Knowledge of their Master 's Will. 3. That next to the Knowledge of our Duty our first and chief care must be to practise every thing that we understand and know to be our Duty 4. That a right-knowledge and practice of our Duty will certainly make us happy If ye know these things happy are ye if do them 18 ¶ I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen but that the scripture may be fulfilled He that eateth
follow me afterwards 37 Peter said unto him Lord Why cannot I follow thee now I will lay down my life for thy sake 38 Jesus answered him Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake Verily verily I say unto thee the cock shall no crow till thou hast denied me thrice Here we find Peter reflecting upon what our Saviour had said just before v. 33. Whither I go ye cannot come he is inquisitive to know of Christ whither he went Our Lord tells him that for the present he could not follow him but should hereafter he was not as yet strong enough to suffer for him as he should and did afterwards St. Peter grieved at this rashly resolves to follow him tho' he should die for his sake Christ advises him not to be over-confident of his own strength and standing for he should deny him Thrice within the Time of Cock-crowing Observe here 1. How that fond Conceit which our Lord's Disciples had of his Temporal Kingdom here in this World did abide and continue with them to the very last for when Christ spake of leaving them by Ascending into Heaven Peter understands him of a removal that was Earthly from one place to another whereas Christ intended it of a removal from Earth to Heaven The Opinion that the Messiah was to be a Temporal Prince and that his Kingdom should be of this World was so deeply rooted in the Minds of the Jews that they stumbled at it fatally and Christ's own Disciples had so drunk in the notion that they wonder to hear Christ say that he is going from them and that whither he goes they cannot come Observe 2. That Christ's Disciples shall certainly follow their Master afterwards and be for ever with the Lord but they must wait their Lord's time and finish their Lord's work they must patiently wait for their Change and not peevishly wish for it for tho' they do not follow Christ presently to Heaven they shall follow him afterwards Observe 3. The greatness of St. Peters's self-confidence I will lay down my Life for thy sake Good Man He resolved honestly but too too much in his own strength Little Oh little did he think what a Feather he should be in the wind of Temptation if once God left him to the power and prevalency of his own fears The holiest of Men knows not his own strength till Temptation brings him to the Trial. Observe Lastly How detestable St. Peters's Presumption and Self-Confidence was to Christ and how fatal and pernicious to himself Wilt thou lay down thy Life for my sake As if Christ had said Peter Thou sayest more than thou can'st do Thine own strength will fail thee and thy Self-Confidence deceive thee I know thy Heart better than thou dost thy self and I foresee that before the Cock crows thou wilt deny me thrice Thence Learn That none are so near falling as those that are most confident of their own standing CHAP. XIV 1 LEt not your heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me 2 In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also 4 And whither I go ye know and the way ye know Our blessed Saviour in the foregoing Chapter having acquainted his Disciples with his approaching Death by the Treachery of Judas their Hearts were thereupon over-whelmed with Grief and Trouble Accordingly in this Chapter by sundry Arguments he comforts his Disciples against the perplexity of their fears and sorrows 1. Observe How Christ addresses himself to his Disciples in a very endearing and Affectionate manner Let not your hearts be troubled Whence learn 1. That the Best and Holiest of God's Children and Servants whilest here in an imperfect state are subject to desponding disquieting and distrustful fears 2. That no work is more delightful to our Saviour than to comfort the troubled and perplexed Spirits of his Servants Observe 2. The Remedy which Christ prescribes for the calming their present fears and for arming them against future troubles and that is Faith in the Father and himself Ye believe in God believe also in me Here learn 1. That God is the supream object of Faith his unchangeable love and faithfulness with his infinite Power in the accomplishing of his promises is the security of Believers Learn 2. That Christ as Mediatour between God and guilty Creatures is the immediate object of our Faith Learn 3. That Christ being the true and proper object of our Faith is a proof of his being truly and really God Christ doth here assert his own Deity in the substance of the Command in making himself an object of Faith in Conjunction with God the Father Ye believe in God believe also in me Observe Next the Arguments of Consolation which Christ propounds for the support of his Disciples under the sorrow which they had conceived for his approaching departure 1. He tells them That Heaven whither he was now going was his Father's House a place of happiness not designed for himself alone but for many more to enjoy a perpetual rest and abode in as in everlasting Mansions in my Father's House are many mansions Heaven is God's House in which he will freely converse with his Domesticks his Children and Servants and they shall enjoy full glory there as in a quiet and capacious habitation A second ground of Comfort is that he assures them he will come again and receive them to himself that they may live together with him in the Heavenly Mansions This promise Christ makes good to his Saints partly at the day of their Death and perfectly at the day of Judgment when he shall make one errand for all and take up all his Children to himself and make them compleatly happy both in Soul and Body with himself Learn hence That tho' Christ has removed his Bodily presence from his Friends on Earth yet his love to them is not ceased nor will he rest satisfied till he and they meet again Eternally to solace themselves in each others Company I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there you may be also A Third Argument for Consolation is That notwithstanding Christ was to leave them yet they knew whither he went Namely To Heaven and which was the way thither Whither I go ye know and the way ye know It contributes much to the Comfort of Believers as to know God and Heaven so to know the way that leads thither that so they may be armed against all the difficulties of that way 5 Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way 6 Jesus saith unto him I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me Observe here 1. How Thomas and probably
Work he will furnish them with Endowments answerable to their vast Employment And the best Furniture they can have is the Holy Spirit in his Gifts and Qualifications suitable to their Work He breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost Observe 4. How Christ asserts their Authority in the discharge of their Commission and declares that what they act Ministerially according to their Commission here on Earth is ratified in Heaven Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted Where Note That there is a twofold Power of remitting or forgiving Sins the one Magisterial and Authoritative this belongs to Christ alone The other Ministerial and Declarative this belongs to Christ's Ambassadors who have a Power in his Name to bind and loose It is a pious Note of St. Austin upon this Place That Christ first conferr'd the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and then said Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted Thereby intimating that it is not they but the Holy Ghost by them that puts away Sin For who can forgive Sin but God only The Power of forgiving Sin that Man hath is only to declare That if Men be truly and really Penitent their Sins are forgiven them for the sake of Christ's satisfaction 24 ¶ But Thomas one of the twelve called Didymus was not with them when Jesus came 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe What the cause of Thomas his absence was is not declared it is evident that he was not with the rest of the Disciples when Christ appeared to them and his absence had like to have cost him dear even the loss of his Faith and he might have had cause for ever to have bewailed his absence from that Meeting of the Disciples had not Christ been more merciful Learn thence That the letting slip of one holy Opportunity may prove exceedingly prejudicial to the Souls Advantage It is wise and safe to lay hold upon every Opportunity for injoying Communion with God and Fellowship with his Saints Thomas his absence deprived him not only of the good News which Mary brought of Christ's being risen but also of the sight of him which the other Disciples got by assembling together and for want thereof Thomas is left under many Doubts and Fears Observe farther What a strange Declaration Thomas makes of his obstinate Unbelief Except I see the print of the nails and put my finger into his side I will not believe Where Note How strangely rooted Unbelief is in the Hearts of holy Men insomuch that they desire the Objects of Faith should fall under the view of their Senses Thomas carries his Faith at his Fingers ends he will believe no more than he can see or feel whereas Faith is the Evidence of things not seen 26 ¶ And after eight days again his disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you 27 Then saith he to Thomas Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing Observe here First Our Saviour's appearing again to his Disciples after his Resurrection it was eight days after he first arose which was the first day of the Week Here Note That Christ's rising the first day of the Week and appearing on the next First-day of the Week after to the Disciples and they observing that Day for their solemn Assemblies and St. Paul administring on that Day the Lord's Supper Acts 20. and commanding on that Day Collections for the Poor 1 Cor. 16. and St. John calling it the Lord's-Day Rev. 1.10 From these Authorities and the Primitive Practice we derive our Christian Sabbath For we do not find in all the Scripture one Instance of any one Congregation of Christians only assembling upon the Jewish Sabbath but on the First Day of the Week on which we ground our Observation of that Day Observe 2. The wonderful Condescension of Christ to the weakness of Thomas his Faith he bids him reach forth his hand and thrust it into his side Not that Christ was pleased with but only pitiful towards Thomas his Infirmities and it ought to be no encouragement to any Person to follow his Example in seeking or expecting the like Signs of their own prescribing for helping of their Faith Observe 3. How mercifully Christ over-ruled Thomas his Unbelief for the Confirmation of our Faith His Doubting proved a means for establishing his own and our Faith Therefore says Gregory well Plus mihi profuit dubitatio Thomae quam credulitas Mariae Had not Thomas doubted we had not been so fully assured that it was the same Christ that was crucified who rose again 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God These Words may be considered two ways 1. As an abrupt Speech importing a vehement Admiration of Christ's Mercy towards him and of his own Stupidity and Dulness to believe Learn hence That the convincing Condescension of Christ turns Unbelief into a Rapture of holy Admiration and humble Adoration 2. This Expression of Thomas My Lord and my God contains a short but absolute Confession of Faith Thomas rightly collects from his Resurrection that he was Lord God blessed for evermore the true Messias the expected Redeemer and accordingly with an explicite Faith he now professes his Interest in him saying My Lord and my God 29 Jesus saith unto him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed Here we have Christ's Reprehension of Thomas for not believing without such sensible Evidence as he desired He believed now that Christ was risen from the Dead but it was upon the Testimony of his Senses only Therefore Christ tells him that his Faith would have been more excellent and more eminently rewardable if he had believed without such demonstrative Evidence Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Therefore to give Credit to a thing upon the Evidence of Sense is not properly believing Observe farther How Christ pronounces them Blessed who should hereafter believe on him through the preaching of the Gospel though they did not see him as Thomas did nor handle him as he might This is a sure Rule that by how much our Faith stands in less need of the external Evidence of Sense the stronger our Faith is and the more acceptable it is provided what we believe be revealed in the Word of God Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed 30 ¶ And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book 31 But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the