or of Humane Invention implying very plainly that the calling of such as call themselves the Ministers of God ought to be from God No Man ought to take that Honour upon hâ—m but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 The Pharisees reply They could not tell whence John had his Mission and Authority this was a manifest untruth by refusing to tell the truth they fall into a Lye against the Truth one sin ensnares and draws men into the Commission of many more Such as will not speak exact truth according to their Knowledâ—e they fall into the Sin of Lying against their Knowledge and their Conscience Our Saviour answers them neither telâ— I you by what Authority I do these things he doth not say I cannot or I will not tell you but I do not I need not tell you because the Miracles which I work before you are a sufficient Demonstration of my Divine Commission that I am sent of God amongst you for God never set the Seal of his Omnipotence to a Lye nor impowered an Impostor to work real Miracles CHAP. XII 1 AND he began to speak unto them by parables A certain man planted a Vineyard and set an hedge about it and digged a place for the wine-fat and built a tower and let it out to Husbandmen and went into a far Country 2 And at the season he sent to the Husband men a Servant that he might receive from the Husband men of the fruit of the Vineyard 3 And they caught him and bear him and sent him away empty 4 And again he sent unto them another Servant and at him they cast stones and wounded him in the head and sent him away shamefully handled 5 And again he sent another and him they killed and many others beating some and killing some 6 Having yet therefore one Son his well beloved he sent him also last unto them saying They will reverence my Son 7 But those Husband men said amongst themselves this is the Heir come let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours 8 And they took him and killed him and cast him out of the Vineyard In this Paâ—able the Jewish Church is compared to a Vineyard Almighty God to an Hoâ—sholder his planting pruning and fencing his â—ineyâ—rd denotes his care to furnish his Church with all needful helps and means to make it spiritually fruitful His letting it out to Husband men signifies his committing the care of his Church to the Priests and Levites the publick Pastours and Governours of the Church his Servâ—nts are the Prophets and Apostles whom he sent from time to time to Admoâ—ish them to bring forth Fruit answerable to the cost which God had expended on them his Son is Jesus Câ—rist whom the Rulers of the Jewish Church Slâ—â— and Murthered The dâ—sign and scope of the Parable is to discover to the Jews particularly to thâ— Pharisees their obstâ—â—te impenitency under all the means of Grace their bloody crucify towards the Prophet of God their tremendous â—â—uilt in Crucifying the Son of God for all which God would unchurch them finally ruin their Nation and set up a Church among the Gentiles that should bring forth better fruit then the Jewish Church ever did From the whole Note 1 That the Church is Gods Vineyard A Vineyard is a place Enclosed a place well Planted well Fruited and exceeding Dear and Precious to the Planter and the Owner of it 2 As dear as God's Vineyard is unto him in case of Barrenness and unfruitfulness it is in great danger of being destroyed and laid waste by him 3 That the only way and course to engage God's care over his Vineyard and to prevent its being given to other Husband-men it is to give him the Fruits of it it is but a Vineyard that God lets out it is no inheritance No People ever had so many Promises of God's favour as the Jews had not ever enjoyed so many Priviledges whilst they continued in his favour as they did yet though they were the first and the â—â—tural Branches they are broken off and we Gentiles stâ—nd by Faith let us not be high minded but fear Rom 11. â—0 9 What shall therefore the Lord of the Vine-yard do he will come and destroy the Husbandmen and will give the Vineyard unto others 10 And have ye not read the Scriptures the stone which the Builders rejected is â—â—come the head of the Corner â—1 This was the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our Eâ—â—â—â— 12 And they sought to lay hold on him bâ—â—â—â—â—red the People for they knew thâ—t he hâ—d spoken the Parable against them and they lâ—ft him and went their way These words of our Saviour are taken out of the 118th Psalm which the Jews understood to be a Prophecy of the Messiah and accordingly Christ applys them to himself The Church is the Building intended Christ himself the Stone Rejected by the Rejectors or the Builders Rejecting are the Heads of the Jewish Church that is the chief Priests and Pharisees God the great Master Builder of his Church takes this precious foundation Stone out of the Rubbish and sets it in the head of the Corner nevertheless there are many that stumble at this Stone some through Ignorance others through Malice Some are offended at his Person others at his Doctrine These shall be broken in pieces but on whomsoever this Stone shall fall it will grind them to powder that is Christ himself will fall as a Burthensome Stone upon all them that knowingly and maliciously oppose him and particularly upon the Jews who not only rejected but persecuted and destroyed him Thus Christ tells the chief Priests and Pharisees their own particular doom and also declares what will be the fatal Issue of all that opposition which is made against Himself and his Church it will terminate in the inevitable destruction of all its opposers Whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken and on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind them to Powder 13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees with the Herodians to catch him in his words 14 And when they were come they say unto him Master we know that thou art true and carest for no man for thou regardest not the person of men but teachest the way of God in truth Is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar or not 15 Shall we give or shall we not give But he knowing their hypocrisie said unto them why tempt ye me bring me a penny that I may see it 16 And they brought it and he saith unto them whose is this image and superscription and they said unto him Cesars 17 And Jesus answering said unto them render to Cesar the things that are Cesars and to God the things that are Gods And they marvelled at him Observe here a grand design to entangle our Blessed Saviour in his Discourse where Note 1. The persons imployed to put the ensnaring question to Christ Namely the Pharisees and
understand the presence of Christ amongst them the Preaching of the Gospel to them She did not know that is she did not consider she did not prize and improve her Priviledges as she ought but stopped her Ear against the words of Christ and closed her Eyes against the miraculous Works of Christ till at last they were hidden from her Eyes Learn hence 1. That the time of a Peoples enjoying the Light and Liberty of the Gospel it is a limited day it is a short day If thou hadst known in this thy day 2. That it is the sad and usual Lot of the Gospel not to be embraced and entertained by a People to whom it is in Mercy sent till it be too late and the time of their Visitation be past and over Oh that thou hadst known but now thou shalt never know now they are hid from thine Eyes 43 For the day shall come that thine enemies shall cast a Trench about thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground and thy Children within thee and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another Because thou knewest not the time of thy Visitation Here we have a Prophetical Prediction of the total and final Destruction of the City of Jerusalem by the Roman Armies who begirt the City round burnt the Temple starved the People and brought such Ruine and Destruction upon the place as no History could ever parallel the reason is assigned because they knew not the time of their Visitation that is the time when God visited them with his Gospel first by the Ministry of John then by the Preaching of Christ himself and afterwards by his Disciples and Apostles Hence Learn 1. That when God gives his Gospel to a People he gives that People a merciful and a gracious Visitation 2. That for a People not to know but neglect the time of their gracious Visitation it is a God provoking and a Wrath-procuring Sin Because thou knewest not the time of thy Visitation therefore the time shall come that thine Enemy shall lay thee even with the Ground and not leave one stone upon another which History tells us was literally fulfilled when Turnus Rufus with his Plough ploughed up the very Foundation Stones upon which the Temple stood Lord how has sin laid the Foundation of Ruine in the most Flourishing Cities and Kingdoms 45 And he went into the Temple and began to cast out them that sold therein and them that bought 46 Saying unto them It is writ My house is the house of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Thieves 47 And he taught daily in the Temple but the chief priests and the Scribes and the chief of the People sought to destroy him 48 And could not find what they might do for all the people were very attentive to hear him No sooner was our Blessed Saviour entered Jerusalem but his first walk was to the Temple and his first Work was to Purge and Reform it from abuses not to ruine and destroy it because it had been abused But what was the Prophanation of the Temple that so offended our Saviour Answer in the Court of the Gentiles the outward Court of the Temple there was a publick Mart or Market kept where were sold Oxen Sheep and Doves for Sacrifice which otherwise the People must have brought up along with them from their Houses as a pretended ease therefore to the People the Priests ordered these things to be Sold hard by the Altar but our Blessed Saviour being justly offended at this Prophanation of his Father's House cast the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple Teaching us That there is a special Reverence due to God's House both for the Owners sake and the Service sake nothing but Holiness can become the place where God is Worshipped in the Beauty of Holiness the Reason is added My house is the house of Prayer where by Prayer is to be understood the whole Worship and Service of God of which Prayer is an eminent and principal part That which gives Denomination to an House is most certainly the chief work to be done in that House now God's House being called An House of Prayer implies that Prayer is a chief and principal Work to be performed in this House yet take we heed that we set not the Ordinances of God at variance one with another we must not Idolize one Ordinance and vilify another but reverence them all and pay an awful respect to all Divine Institutions Our Blessed Saviour here in his House of Prayer Preach'd daily to the People as well as Prayed with them and all the People were as attentive to hear his Sermons as he was constant at their Prayers Prayer Sanctifies the Word and the Word fits us for Prayer if we would Glorify God and Edify our selves we must put Honour upon all the Ordinances of God and diligently attend them upon all occasions CHAP. XX. 1 AND it came to pass that on one of those days as he taught the people in the Temple and preached the Gospel the chief Priests and the Scribes came upon him with the Elders 2 And spake unto him saying Tell us by what Authority thou dost these things or who is he that giveth thee this Authority 3 And he answered and said unto them I will also ask you one thing and answer me 4 The Baptism of John Was it from Heaven or of men 5 And they reasoned with themselves saying If we shall say from Heaven he will say Why then believed ye him not 6 But and if we say of men all the people will stone us for they be perswaded that John was a Prophet 7 And they answered that they could not tell whence it was 8 And Jesus said unto them neither tell I you By what authority I do these things The Pharisees having often quarrelled at our Saviour's Doctrine before they call in question his Mission and Authority now Altho' they might easily have understood his Divine Mission by his Divine Miracles for Almighty God never impowered any to work Miracles that were not sent by him Our Blessed Saviour understanding their Design gives them no direct Answer but Replies to their Question by asking them another The Baptism of John was it from Heaven or of men that is was it of Divine Institution or of Humane Invention plainly implying that the calling of them who call themselves the Ministers of God ought to be from God No man ought to take that honour upon him but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.8 The Pharisees Reply that they could not tell whence John had his Mission and Authority which was a manifest Untruth they knew it but durst not own it By refusing to tell the Truth they fall into a Lye against the Truth thus one Sin ensnares and draws men on to the Commission of more Such as will not speak exact Truth according to their Knowledge they fall
One Sin ensnares and draws Men into the Commission of more Such as will not speak exact Truth according to their Knowledge they fall into the Sin of Lying against their Consciences Our Saviour answers them Neither tell I you by what Authority I do these things He doth not say I cannot or I will not tell you but I do not I need not tell you because the Miracles which I work before you are a sufficient Demonstration of my Divine Commission that I am sent of God amongst you for God never set the Seal of his Omnipotence to a Lie nor impower'd an Impostor to work real Miracles 28 But what think you A certain man had two sons and he came to the first and said Son go work to day in my vineyard 29 He answered and said I will not but afterward he repented and went 30 And he came to the second and said likewise And he answered and said I go sir and went not 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his Father They say unto him The first Jesus saith unto them Verily I say unto you that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness and ye believed him not but the publicans and the harlots believed him And ye when ye had seen it repented not afterward that ye might believe him The Design and Scope of this Parable is to shew That Publicans and Harlots that is the vilest the prophanest and worst of Sinners who upon the hearing of Christ's Doctrine and Miracles did repent and believe were in a much better Condition than the proud Pharisees who tho' they pretended to great Measures of Knowledge and high Degrees of Holiness yet did obstinately oppose Christ disobey his Doctrine deny his Miracles and set at nought his Person Learn hence That the greatest the vilest and the worst of Sinners upon their Repentance and Faith in Christ shall much sooner find Acceptance with God than proud Pharisaical Justiciaries who confidently rely upon their own Righteousness Publicans and Harlots says Christ here to the Pharisees shall go into the Kingdom of God before you Publicans were the worst sort of Men and Harlots the worst kind of Women yet did these repent sooner and believed in Christ before the proud Pharisees 33 Hear another parable There was a certain housholder which planted a vineyard and hedged it round about and digged a wine-press in it and built a tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a far country 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it 35 And the husbandmen took his servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another 36 Again he sent other servants mo than the first and they did unto them likewise 37 But last of all he sent unto them his Son saying They will reverence my Son 38 But when the husbandmen saw the Son they said among themselves This is the heir come let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance 39 And they caught him and cast him out of the vineyard and slew him In this Parable God compares the Jewish Church to a Vineyard himself to an Housholder his Planting Pruning and Fencing his Vineyard denotes his Care to furnish his Church with all needful Helps and Means to make it spiritually fruitful his letting it out to Husbandmen signifies his committing the Care of his Church to the Priests and Levites the publick Pastors and Governours of the Church his Servants are the Prophets and Apostles whom he sent from time to time to admonish them to bring forth Fruit answerable to the Cost which God had expended on them His Son is Jesus Christ whom the Rulers of the Jewish Church slew and murthered The Scope of the Parable is to discover to the Jews particularly to the Pharisees their obstinate Impenitency under all Means their bloody Cruelty to the Prophets of God their Tremendous Guilt in crucifying the Son of God For all which God would unchurch them finally and ruin their Nation and set up a Church among the Gentiles that should bring forth better Fruit than the Jewish Church ever did From the whole Note 1. That the Church is God's Vineyard exceeding dear and precious to the Planter and the Owner of it 2. As dear as God's Vineyard is unto him in case of Barrenness and Unfruitfulness it is in great Danger of being destroyed and laid waste by him 3. That the only Way and Course to engage God's Care over his Vineyard and to prevent his giving it to other Husbandmen is to give him the Fruits of it It is but a Vineyard that God lets out it is no Inheritance no People ever had so many Promises of God's Favour as the Jews had nor ever enjoyed so many Priviledges whilst they stood in his Favour as the Jews did Yet tho' they were the first and the natural Branches they are broken off and we Gentiles stand by Faith let us not be highminded but fear Rom. 11. v. 20. 40 When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh what will he do unto those husbandmen 41 They say unto him He will miserably destroy those wicked men and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen which shall render him the fruits in their seasons Observe here At the first mentioning of the Parable the Pharisees express a bitter Indignation against such wicked Servants not considering what a dreadful Sentence they passed upon themselves and their own Nation Little did they think that hereby they condemned their Temple to be burnt their City to be destroyed their Country to be ruined but in these Words they vindicate God they condemn themselves and own the Justice of God in inflicting the severest Punishments on them 42 Therefore say I unto you The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Which Words are the Application that our Saviour makes of the foregoing Parable concerning the Vineyard which the chief Priests and Pharisees did not apprehend themselves to be concerned in till he brought the Application of it home unto them Therefore say I unto you the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you c. Note 1. The greatest Mercy that God can bestow upon any People is his giving his Kingdom to them that is all Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges leading to the Kingdom of Heaven 2. Observe the Terms upon which God either gives or continues his Kingdom to a Church and Nation And that is upon bringing forth the Fruits thereof Learn 3. That the greatest Judgment which can befal a People is the taking away the Kingdom of God from them The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given c. 43 Jesus saith unto them Did ye never read in the scriptures The stone which the builders rejected the same is become
and vindicates the Honour and Reputation of his Father's House Learn hence That there is a Reverence due to God's House for the Owner's sake and for the Service sake Nothing but Holiness can become that Place where God is worshipped in the Beauty of Holiness Observe Lastly The Reason which our Saviour gives for this Act of his for says he It is written my House shall be called an House of Prayer Whereby Prayer is to be understood the whole Worship and Service of Almighty God of which Prayer is an eminent and principal Part That which gives Denomination to an House is certainly the chief Work to be done in that House Now God's House being called an House of Prayer certainly implies that Prayer is the chief and principal Work to be performed in his House yet must we take heed that we set not the Ordinances of God at Variance one with another we must not idolize one Ordinance and villifie another but pay an awful Respect and Regard to all the Institutions of our Maker 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying in the temple and saying Hosanna to the Son of David they were sore displeased 16 And said unto him Hearest thou what these say And Jesus saith unto them Yea have ye never read Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise Observe here 1. That our Blessed Saviour works his Miracles not secretly in a Corner but openly in the Temple and submits them to the Examination of all Persons Senses A Miracle is a supernatural Action which is obvious to Sense Popish Miracles are talk'd of by many but seen by none Obs 2. That Christ's Enemies are never more incensed than when his Divine Power is most exerted and his Divine Nature owned and acknowledged When the chief Priests saw the Miracles which Jesus did and heard the Children crying Hosanna to the Son of David they were displeased Obs 3. That Christ can glorifie himself by the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings he can form and fit up what Instruments he pleases to shew forth his Excellencies and celebrate his Praises Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected Praise 17 And he left them and went out of the city into Bethany and he lodged there 18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city he hungered 19 And when he saw a fig-tree in the way he came to it and found nothing thereon but leaves only and said unto it Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever And presently the fig-tree withered away Our Blessed Saviour having driven the Buyers and Sellers out of the temple lodges not that Night in Jerusalem but withdraws to Bethany a Place of Retirement from the Noise and Tumult of the City Where Note Our Lord's Love of Solitude and Retiredness How delightful is it to a good Man to dwell sometimes within himself to take the Wings of a Dove and fly away and be at rest Yet the next Morning our Lord returns to the City he knew when to be solitary and when to be sociable when to be alone and when to converse in Company In his Passage to the City he espies a Fig-tree and being an hungry to shew the Truth of his Humanity he goes to the Fig-tree and finds it full of Leaves but without any Fruit. Displeased with this Disappointment he curses the Tree which had deceived his Expectation This Action of our Saviour in cursing the barren Fig-tree was Typical an Emblem of the Destruction of Jerusalem in general and of every Person in particular that satisfies himself with a withered Profession bearing Leaves only but no Fruit. As this Fig-tree was so are they nigh unto cursing Learn thence That such as content themselves with a Fruitless Profession of Religion are in great danger of having God's Blasting added to their Barrenness 20 And when the disciples saw it they marvelled saying how soon is the fig-tree withered away 21 Jesus answered and said unto them Verily I say unto you If ye have faith and doubt not ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree but also if ye shall say unto this mountain Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea it shall be done 22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believving ye shall receive The Disciples being filled with Admiration at the sudden withering of the Fig-tree thereupon our Saviour exhorts them to have Faith in God That is firmly to rely upon the Power of God whereby he is able upon the Goodness of God whereby he is willing to fulfil his Promises to us Learn 1. That Faith is a necessary Ingredient in Prayer Praying without Faith is like shooting without Bullet it makes a noise but doth no Execution 2. That whatsoever good thing God has made the Matter of a Promise shall be given to good Men praying in Faith Whatsoever ye ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive 23 And when he was come into the temple the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching and said By what authority dost thou these things and who gave thee this authority 24 And Jesus answered and said unto them I also will ask you one thing which if ye tell me likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things 25 The baptism of John whence was it from heaven or of men and they reasoned with themselves saying If we shall say From heaven he will say unto us Why did ye not then believe him 26 But if we shall say Of men we fear the people for all hold John as a prophet 27 And they answered Jesus and said We cannot tell And he said unto them Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things The Pharisees having often question'd our Saviour's Doctrine before they call in question his Mission and Authority now Altho' they might easily have understood his Divine Mission by his Divine Miracles Almighty God never impowered any to work Miracles that were not sent by him when the Adversaries of Christ can object nothing against his Doctrine they then quarrel with him about his Commission and Calling and demand by what Authority he doth teach and work Miracles Our Blessed Saviour well understanding their Drift and Design answers them one Question by asking them another The Baptism of John was it from Heaven or of Men Was it of Divine Institution or of Humane Invention Implying that the calling of such as call themselves the Ministers of God ought to be from God No Man ought to take this Honour upon himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 The Pharisees reply they could not tell whence John had his Mission and Authority this was a manifest Untruth by refusing to tell the Truth they fall into a Lie
insensible Passage of our Time the Person sleeping shall certainly awake either in this World or in the next It will be our Wisdom to prepare for the Bed of the Grave and so to live that when we lye down in it there may be nothing to disturb our Rest Observe next The Words which our Saviour used at the raising of the Damsel Talitha Cumi Syriack Words to shew the Truth of the Miracle not like a Conjurer murtering a Charm in unknown Words to himself and also to shew the Greatness of the Miracle that he was able to raise her by a Word speaking Observe lastly The Charge given by our Saviour not to divulge this Miracle He charged them straitly that none should know it That is not to divulge it imprudently to such of the Scribes and Pharisees as would not be convinced by it but only cavil at it and be the more enraged against him and seek his Death before his time was come Also not to divulge it unseasonably and all at once but gradually and by degrees for it was the Will of God that the Divine Glory of Christ should not be manifested to the World all at once and on the sudden but by little and little during his State of Humiliation for his Resurrection was the Time appointed for the full Manifestation of his Godhead Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the Dead CHAP. VI. 1 AND he went out from thence and came into his own country and his disciples follow him 2 And when the sabbath day was come he began to teach in the synagogue and many hearing him were astonished saying From whence hath this man these things and what wisdom is this which is given unto him that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands 3 Is not this the carpenter the son of Mary the brother of James and Joses and of Juda and Simon and are not his sisters here with us and they were offended at him 4 But Jesus said unto them A prophet is not without honour but in his own country and among his own kin and in his own house 5 And he could there do no mighty work save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief And he went round about the villages teaching Our Blessed Saviour having in the former Chapter wrought two famous Miracles in curing a Woman of her Bloody Issue and raising Jairus his Daughter from Death we find him here in the beginning of this Chapter passing into his own Country that is to the City of Nazareth in Galilee called his own City and Country because he was there conceived there brought up there Joseph and Mary and his Kindred dwelt and Christ with them during his private Life which was till he was Thirty Years of Age. Now our Saviour being come into his own Country Obs 1. What his imployment was he preach'd in their Synagogues and held Communion with the Jewish Church altho' she had many Corruptions in her Teaching us by his Example not to desert and forsake the Communion of such a Church in which there is found neither Heretical Doctrine nor Idolatrous Worship altho' many things be found in her culpable and blame-worthy The Jewish Church was certainly such and yet our Saviour maintained not occasional only but constant Communion with her Obs 2. The Influence and Effect which our Saviour's preaching had upon his own Countrymen the People of Nazareth it did work Admiration in them but not Faith they were astonished but did not believe Men may be mightily moved and affected by the Word and yet may never be converted by it the Men of Nazareth wondered and yet were offended they did not believe in him but were offended at him Obs 3. The Ground and Cause of this their Offence and that was the Meaness of his Extraction and the Poverty of his Condition Is not this the Carpenter From whence the ancient Fathers particularly Justin Martyr concluded that our Saviour did work upon his Father Joseph's Trade during his Father's Life and thence was called the Carpenter's Son and when Joseph was dead which was before Christ was Thirty Years old when he entered upon his Publick Office he was then called the Carpenter The Antients say he spent his time in making Ploughs and Yoaks and that thence it was that he drew so many Similitudes in his Preaching from the Yoak and the Plough This we are sure of that our Lord lived not Thirty Years before his Manifestation idly and unprofitably It is most probable that he followed his Father's Calling and wrought under him it being said that he was subject to him Luke 2.15 as a Child to a Parent and as a Servant to his Master Indeed after he entred upon his Prophetick Office he no longer followed Joseph's Calling but apply'd himself wholly to the Work of the Ministry He made no more Ploughs but one to break up hard Hearts no more Yoaks but one for the Devil's Neck However in regard of our Saviour's low Extraction and mean Education His Countrymen were offended at him Learn hence 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 Learn 2dly That it is the Property and Practice of prophane Men to take occasion from the outward Quality and Condition of God's Ministers both to despise their Persons and to reject their Doctrine Obs 4. The Reason assigned by our Saviour why the Men of Nazareth despised him and set him at nought because he was their Countryman and Acquaintance their Familiarity bred Contempt Teaching us That very often the faithful Ministers of God are most contemned and dishonoured where they are most familiarly known Sometimes the Remembrance of their mean Original and Extraction sometimes the Poverty of their Parent 's Condition sometimes the Indecencies of their Childhood sometimes the Follies of their Youth are ript up all which are Occasions of Contempt and gave Ground for this proverbial Saying That a Prophet is not without Honour save in his own Country Which like other proverbial Speeches holds true in the general that for the most part it is so but it is not universally true in all Persons and Cases However this good use may be made of our Saviour's Observation to teach his Ministers to be wise in conversing with their People not to make themselves cheap and common in every Company nor too familiar with all sorts of Persons nor to be light and vain in any Company for this will certainly breed Contempt both of their Persons and Ministry Our Duty is by Strictness and Gravity of Deportment to maintain our Esteem in the Consciences of our People and to temper Gravity with a Condescending Affability That Minister which prostitutes his Authority frustrates the Ends of
to keep in Heavens way for fear of Hell 't is good to bid a Friend fear when that fear tendeth to his good 6 Are not five Sparrows sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgotten before God 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered fear not therefore ye are of more value than many Sparrows Obs here 1. The Doctrine which our Saviour Preaches to his Disciples and that is the Doctrine of the Divine Providence which concerns it self for the meanest Creatures Even the Birds of the Air and the Hairs of our Heads do fall within the Compass of God's protecting Care Observe 2. Tha use which our Saviour makes of this Doctrine namely to fortify his Disciples Spirits against all Distrustful fears and distracting cares Learn hence 1. That the Consideration of the Divine Care and Gracious Providence of God over us and ours ought to Antidote our Spirits against all distrustful fears whatsoever If an hair from the Head falls not to the ground without a Providence much less shall the Head it self If the very excrements of the Body such are the Hair be taken care of by God surely the more Noble parts of the Body but especially the Noblest part of our Selves our Souls shall fall under his particular Regard 8 Also I say unto you whosoever shall confess me before men him shall the Son of man confess before the Angels of God 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the Angels of God Note here 1. That not to confess Christ is in his account to deny him and to be ashamed of him 2. That whosoever shall deny oâ— be ashamed of Christ either in his Person in his Gospel or in his Members for any fear or favour of Man shall with shame be disowned and eternally rejected by him at the dreadful Judgment of the great day Christ may be denied three ways Doctrinally by an erroneous and heretical Judgment verbally by oral expressions vitally by a wiâ—ked and unholy Life but wo to that Soul that denies Christ any of these ways 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but unto him that blasphemâ—th against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven Altho' never Man Preached or Lived as Christ did yet there were those that spake against him the Person of Jesus was contemned and reproached for the meanness of his Birth for the poverty of his Condition for the freedom of his Conversation but this sin did not exclude the hope of pâ—rdon Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son â—f Man it shall be forgiven him all the Reproaches cast upon Christ as Man were pardonable But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be fsrgiven him that is whoever affirms that Divine power by which I do all my Miracles to be the power of the Devil such Blasphemy will be unpardonable because it is to resist the last Remedy and to oppose the best Means for Mens Conviction For what could be done more to convince Men that Christ was the True and Promised Messias then to work so many Miracles before their Eyes to that purpose Now these Miracles tho' evidently wrought by the power of God the Pharisees ascribed to the Power of the Devil which our Saviour calls Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and a Sin unpardonable 11 And when they bring you into the Synagogues and unto Magistrates and Powers take ye no thought how or what ye shall answer or what ye shall say 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say Here our Saviour acquaints his Apostles that for Preaching his Doctrine and professing his Religion they should be brought before all sorts of Magistrates and into all kinds of Courts but advises them when they should be so brought not to be anxiously thoughtful or sollicitously careful what they should say for it should be suggested to them by the Holy Ghost what they should speak in that Hour Thence Note That tho' the Truth of Christ may be opposed yet the Defenders of it shall never be ashamed for rather then they shall want a Tongue to plead for it God himself will prompt them by his Holy Spirit and furnish them with such Arguments to defend the Truth as all their Adversaries shall not be able to gainsay In that hour the Holy Ghost shall teach you what ye ought to say 13 And one of the Company said unto him Master Speak to my brother that he divide the Inheritance with me 14 And he said unto him Man Who made me a judge or a divider over you Whilst our Saviour was thus instructing his Disciples and the rest of his Auditors in things appertaining to the Kingdom of Heaven one of the Company being more intent as it seems upon his Temporal then his Eternal Concerns desired him to speak to his Brother to divide the Inheritance with him Christ tells him he would neither be judge nor arbitrator in any civil Affairs or secular Concerns This Work as if Christ had said belongs to the civil Magistrate to divide Inheritances and decide Controversies betwixt Man and Man But my work is of another Nature namely to preach the Gospel to a lost World and to direct Men how to secure an Inheritance in Heaven not to divide Inheritances here on Earth Teaching us That matters of Civil Justice do not belong to those whom Christ sends forth to preach the Gospel that work alone is sufficient for them The proper Work of a Minister is work enough one branch of which is to manage a perswading task betwixt Neighbour and Neighbour to prevent Differences and to compose them but as Christ's Commissioners and Ministers of the Gospel they have no Authority to intermeddle in civil Judgments Who made me a judge over you said our Great Master that is a Judge in Civil Affairs 15 And he said unto them Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a mans Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Our Saviour upon the occasion given him in the fore-going Verses admonishes all his Disciples and Followers to take heed and beware of the Sin of Covetousness assuring them that neither the Comfort nor Continuance of Man's Life doth consist in an Abundance for tho' something of this World's Goods is necessary to the Comfort and Happiness of Life yet abundance is not necessary Here Observe 1. The manner of our Lord's Caution he doubles it not saying take heed alone or beware only but take heed and beware both this argues that there is a strong inclination in our Natures to this Sin the great danger we are in of falling into it and of what fatal Consequence it is to them in whom this Sin Reigns Observe 2. The matter of the Caution or the Sin which our Saviour warns his Hearers against and that is Covetousness Take heed and beware of Covetousness where under
intimate Friend he has in the World should be with him to hear what passes in Secret betwixt him and his God Again 2. it was an humble Prayer that appears by the Postures in which he cast himself sometimes kneeling sometimes lying Prostrate upon his Face he lyes in the very Dust and lower he could not lye and his Heart was as low as his Body 3. It was a vehement fervent and importunate Prayer Such was the Fervour of his Spirit that he Prayed himself into an Agony Oh let us blush to think how unlike our Praying-frame of Spirit is to Christ's Lord What Coldness Deadness Drowsiness Formality and Laziness is found in our Prayers how often do our Lips move when our Hearts stand still Observe 4. The Posture which the Disciples were found in when our Lord was Praying in his Agony they were fast asleep Good God! Could they possibly sleep at such a time as this When Christ's Soul was exceeding sorrowful could their Eyes be thus heavy Learn thence That the very best of Christ's Disciples may be and oft-times are overtaken with great Infirmities when the most important Duties are performing Then cometh he to his Disciples and findâ— them Sleeping Observe 5. The Mild Meek and Gentle Rebuke which he gives his Disciples for their Sleeping he said unto them Why sleep ye could you not Watch with me one hour What not Watch when your Master was in such Danger Could you not Watch with me when I am going to lay down my Life for you What not one hour and that the parting Hour too Learn hence That the holiest and best Resolved Christians who have willing Spirits for Christ and his Service yet in regard of the Weakness of the Flesh and frailty of Humane Nature it is their Duty to Watch and Pray and thereby Guard themselves against Temptations Rise and pray lest ye enter into c. 47 While he yet spake Behold a Multitude and he that was called Judas one of the Twelve went before them and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him 48 But Jesus said unto him Judas Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a Kiss 49 When they which were about him saw what would follow they said unto him Lord Shall we smite with the Sword 50 And one of them smote the Servant of the High-priest and cut off his right Ear. 51 And Jesus answered and said Suffer ye thus far and he touched his ear and healed him 52 Then Jesus said unto the Chief Priests and Captains of the Temple and the Elders which were come to him Be ye come out as against a Thief with Swords and Staves 53 When I was daily with you in the Temple ye stretched forth no hands against me But this is your Hour and the Power of Darkness It was the Lot and Portion of our Blessed Redeemer here we find to be Betrayed into the hands of his Mortal Enemies by the Treachery of a false and dissembling Friend And in this sad Relation before us we have Observable The Traitor the Treason the Manner how and the Time when this Treasonable Design was Executed Observe 1. The Traitor Judas all the Evangelists carefully Describe him by his Name Judas Judas Iscariot lest he should be mistaken for Jude the Brother of James and by his Office one of the Twelve Lord How ought the greatest Professors to look well to themselves and to the Grounds and Principles of their Profession For a Profession begun in Hypocrisy will certainly end in Apostacy Observe 2. The occasion of the Treason Covetousness or the inordinate Love of Worldly Wealth and accordingly the Devil lays a Temptation before him exactly suited to his Temper and Inclination and it instantly over-came him Learn hence That Persons are never in such imminent danger of falling into Sin as when they meet with Temptations exactly suited to their Master Lusts Oh pray we That God would keep us from a Temptation suited to our predominant Lust and Corruption Observe 3. The Treason of Judas He led on an armed Multitude to the place where Christ was gave them a signal to discover him by and bids them lay hands upon him and hold him fast Which Treason of Judas was attended with these black and hellish Aggravations He had been a Witness of our Saviour's Miracles an Hearer of our Holy Lord's Doctrine What he did was not by Sollicitation the Chief Priests did not send to him but he went to them Lord How dangerous is it to allow our selves in any Secret Sin none can say how far that one Sin may in time lead us Should any one have told Judas that his Covetousness would at last make him deny his Master and Sell his Saviour he would have said with Hazael Is thy Servant a Dog that I should do this thing Observe 4. The Endeavours used by the Disciples for their Master's Rescue One of them St. Matthew says it was Peter drew a Sword and cut off the Ear of Malchus But why not the Ear of Judas rather Because though Judas was most Faulty yet Malchus might be most forward to Arrest and carry off our Saviour Oh how does a pious Breast boyl with Indignation at the sight of any open Affront offered to its Saviour Yet tho' St. Peter's Heart was sincere his hand was too rash good Intentions are no warrant for irregular Actions and accordingly Christ who accepted the Affection reproved the Action To resist Authority even in Christ's own Defence is rash Zeal and discountenanced by the Gospel Peter did well to ask his Master If he should smite with the Sword but he ought to have stayed his hand till Christ had given him his Answer 54 Then took they him and led him and brought him into the High-priests House and Peter followed afar off 55 And when they had kindled a Fire in the midst of the Hall and were set down together Peter sate down amongst them 56 But a certain Maid beheld him as he sate by the fire and earnestly looked upon him and said This Man was also with him 57 And he denied him saying Woman I know him not 58 And after a little while another saw him and said Thou art also of them And Peter said Man I am not 59 And about the space of an hour after Another confidently affirmed saying Of a truth that fellow also was with him 60 And Peter said Man I know not what thou sayest and immediately the Cock Crew while he yet spake 61 And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter And Peter remembred the word of the Lord how he said unto him before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice 62 And Peter went out and wept bitterly This Paragraph of the Chapter gives us an account of the Fall and Rising of Peter of his Sin in denying his Master and of his Recovery by Repentance both must be considered distinctly First touching his Sin and Fall there are Four Particulars Observable relating thereunto namely the Sin it self the Occasion
of that Sin the Re-iteration and Repetition of it and the aggravating Circumstances attending it Observe 1. The Sin it self the denyal of Christ Jesus his Lord and Master I know not the Man and this back'd with an Oath he Sware that he knew him not Lord How may the slavish fear of Suffering drive the Holiest and best of Men to commit the foulest and the worst of Sins Observe 2. The Occasions leading to this Sin and they were these First his Following of Christ afar off To follow Christ was the Effect of Peter's Faith but to follow him afar off at this time was the fruit of Fear and the Effect of Frailty Wo unto us when Temptation comes if we be far from Christ's gracious Presence and Assistance 2. His being in bad Company amongst Christ's Enemies Would we escape Temptations to Sin we must then decline such Company as would allure and draw us into Sin Peter had better have been a cold by himself alone then warming himself at a Fire which was Compassed in with the Blasphemies of the Multitude where his Conscience though not seared was yet made hard 3. Another grand occasion of Peter's Falling was a presumptuous Confidence of his own Strength and Standing Though all Men forsake thee yet will not I. Oh Lord to presume upon our selves is the ready way to provoke thee to leave us to our selves if ever we stand in the day of Tryal 't is the fear of Falling must enable us to stand we soon Fall if we believe it impossible to Fall Observe 3. The Re-iteration and Repetition of this Sin he denied Christ again and again he denies him first with a Lye then with an Oath and next with a Curse Lord How dangerous is it not to resist the first Beginnings of Sin If we yield to one Temptation Satan will assault us with more and stronger Peter proceeded from a Denyal to a Lye from a Lye to an Oath from an Oath to an Imprecation and Curse It is our Wisdom vigorously to Resist Sin at the Beginning for theâ— have we most Power and Sin has least Observe 4. The heinous and aggravating Circumstances of St. Peter's Sin and they are these 1. The Character of his Person a Disciple an Apostle a chief Apostle a special Favourite who with James and John had the special Honour to be with Christ at his Transfiguration yet he denies Christ 2. The Person whom he denies his Master his Saviour and Redeemer he that in great Humility had washed Peter's Feet had eat the Passover with Peter had given but just before the Holy Sacrament to Peter yet is this kind and condescending Saviour denied by Peter 3. Consider the Persons before whom he denied Christ the Chief Priests Servants Oh how surprizing and yet very pleasing was it to them to see one Disciple Betray and Sell his Master and another disown and deny him 4. Consider the Time when he denied him it was but a few Hours after he had received the Holy Sacrament from Christ's own hands how unreasonable then is their Objection against coming to the Lord's Table That some who go to it dishonour Christ as soon as they come from it Such Examples ought not to discourage us from Coming to the Ordinance but should excite and encrease our Watchfulness after we have been there that our After-deportment may be suitable to the Solemnity of a Sacramental Table Observe 5. What a small Temptation he lay under thus shamefully to deny his Lord and Master a Damsel only at first spake to him had a Band of Armed Soldiers appeared to him and apprehended him Had he been bound and led away to the Judgment-Hall and there Threatned with the Sentence of an ignominious Death some Excuse might have been made better for him But to disown his Relation to Christ upon a word spoken by a sorry Maid that kept the door the smallness of the Temptation was an high aggravation of the Crime Ah Peter How little didst thou answer thy Name at this time Thou art not now a Rock but a Reed a Pillar blown down by a Womans Breath Oh frail Humanity whose Strength is Weakness and Infirmity Note here That in most of the Saints Falls Recorded in Scriptures the first enticers to Sin or the accidental occasions of it were Women Witness besides the first Fall that of Adam's where the Woman was first in the Transgression the Fall of Lot Samson David Solomon and Peter these are sad instances of the Truth of what I speak A weak Creature may be a strong Tempter nothing is too impotent or useless for the Devil's Service it was a great Aggravation of Peter's Sin that the voice of a poor Maid that kept the door should be of more Force to over-come him then his Faith in Jesus to sustain him But what shall we say small things are sufficient to cast us down if God doth not hold us up we sink under any Burthen if God sustains us not and yield to the least Temptation if he leaves us to our selves a Damsel shall then make a Disciple shrink and a Door-keeper shall be able to drive an Apostle before her This is the Account in short of St. Peter's Fall considered in it self and with the Circumstances relating to it Now follows his Recovery and Rising again by Repentance and here we have Observable the Suddenness of his Repentance the Means of his Repentance and the Manner of his Repentance Observe 1. The Suddenness of St. Peter's Repentance as his Sin was sad so was his Repentance speedy Sins committed by Surprize and through the prevalency of a Temptation that suddenly Assaults us are much sooner Repented of then where the sin is presumptuous and deliberate David's Murther and Adultery were Deliberate Acts of Sin in which he lay almost Twelve Months without any Solemn Repentance for them St. Peter's Denyal was hasty and sudden under a violent pang and passion of Fear and he takes the warning of the Cock's Crowing to go forth speedily and weep for his Transgression Observe 2. The Means of his Repentance which was Two-fold the less Principal-means was the Crowing of the Cock the more principal Means were Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter's Remembring the word of Christ 1. The less principal Means of St. Peter's Rising and Recovery by Repentance was the Crowing of the Cock as the voice of the Maid occasioned him to Sin so the voice of the Cock occasioned him to Reflect That God who always can work without Means can ever when he please work by weak and contemptible Means and open the Mouth of a Bird or a Beast for the Conversion of a Man But why doth our Lord make use of the Crowing of the Cock as a Means of bringing St. Peter to Repentance There is ever some Mystery in Christ's Institutions and Instruments The Cock was a Preacher to call St. Peter to his Duty there being something of Emblem between a Cock and a Preacher The Preacher ought to have
as is the Parent and Principle of Obedience to him Note 2dly That it is the high honourable Privilege of all such as receive Christ by Faith to become the Sons of God by Adoption This is a precious Privilege a free Privilege an honourable Privilege an abiding Privilege and calls for all possible Returns of Gratitude and Thankfulness of Love and Service of Duty and Obedience of Submission and Self-Resignation 13 Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Because the bragging Jews did much boast of their Natural Birth and Descent from Abraham as being his Blood and Off-spring Therefore it is here asserted that Men become not the Children of God by Natural Propagation but by Spiritual Regeneration They are not born of Blood Grace runs not in a Blood Piety is not Hereditary Religious Parents propagate Corruption not Regeneration Were the Conveyances of Grace Natural good Parents would not be so ill suited with Children as sometimes they are No Person then whatsoever has the gracious Privilege of Adoption by the first Birth They are not born of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man that is no Man by the utmost Improvement of Nature can raise himself up to this Privilege of Adoption and be the Author and Efficient Cause of his own Regeneration Learn hence That Man in all his Capacities is too weak to produce the Work of Regeneration in himself They says Dr. Hammond who by the influence of the highest Rational Principles live most exactly according to the Rule of Rational Nature that is of unregenerate Morality are the Persons here described Learn 2. That God alone is the Prime Efficient Cause of Regeneration He works upon the Understanding by Illumination and upon the Will by Sanctification Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God 14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth The Evangelist having asserted the Divinity of Christ in the foregoing Verses comes now to speak of his Humanity and Manifestation in our Nature The Word was made Flesh Where Note 1. Our Saviour's Incarnation for us 2. His Life and Cenversation here among us He dwelt or tabernacled for a Season with us In the Incarnation or Assumption of our Nature Observe 1. The Person Assuming The Word that is the Second Person subsisting in the glorious God-Head Obs 2. The Nature Assumed Flesh that is the Humane Nature consisting of Soul and Body But why is it not said The Word was made Man but The Word was made Flesh Answ To denote and set forth the wonderful Abasement and Condescension of Christ there being more of Vileness and Weakness and Opposition to Spirit in the Word Flesh than in the Word Man Christ's taking Flesh implies that he did not only take upon him the Humane Nature but all the Weaknesses and Infirmities of that Nature also sinful Infirmities and personal Infirmities excepted he had nothing to do with our sinful Flesh Tho' Christ loved Souls with an infinite and insuperable Love yet he would not sin to save a Soul And he took no personal Infirmities upon him but such as are common to the whole Nature as Hunger Thirst Weariness c. Obs 3. The Assumption it self He was made Flesh that is he assumed the Humane Nature into an Union with his God-head and so became a True and Real Man by that Assumption Learn hence That Jesus Christ did really assume the true and perfect Nature of Man into a personal Union with his Divine Nature and still Remains True God and True Man in one Person for ever Oh blessed Union Oh thrice happy Conjunction As Man Christ has an experimental Sense of our Infirmities and Wants As God he can support and supply them All. Note farther 2. As our Saviour's Incarnation for us so his Life and Conversation among us He dwelt or tabernacled amongst us The Tabernacle was a Type of Christ's Humane Nature 1. As the out-side of the Tabernacle was mean made of ordinary Materials but it 's inside glorious so was the Son of God 2. God's special Presence was in the Tabernacle there he dwelt for he had a delight therein In like manner dwelt all the fulness of the God-head bodily in Christ and the glory of his Divinity shined forth to the Eye and view of his Disciples for they beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only Begotten of the Father that is whilst Christ appeared as a Man amongst us he gave great and glorious Testimonies of his Being the Son of God Learn hence That in the Day of our Saviour's Incarnation the Divinity of his Person did shine forth through the Vail of his Flesh and was seen by all them that had a Spiritual Eye to behold it and a mind disposed to consider it We beheld his Glory as the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father ¶ 15 John bare witness of him and cried saying This was he of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me 16 And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace 17 For the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ 18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten son which is in the bosom of the father he hath declared him Here we have John Baptist's first Testimony concerning Christ the promised Messiah And it consists of four Parts 1. John prefers Christ before himself as being surpassingly above himself He that cometh after me is preferred before me that is in the Dignity of his Person and in the Eminency of his Office as being the eternal God Now amongst them that were born of Women there was not a greater than John the Baptist If Christ then was greater than John it was in regard of his being God He is therefore preferred before him because he was before him as being God from all Eternity Learn hence That the Dignity and Eternity of Christ's Person as God sets him up above all his Ministers yea above all Creatures how excellent soever He that cometh after me in Time is preferred before me in Dignity for he was before me even from all Eternity 2. John prefers Christ before all Believers in Point of Fulness and Sufficiency of Divine Grace Of his Fulness do they receive They have their Fillings Christ has his Fulness theirs is the fulness of a Vessel his is the Fulness of a Fountain their fulness is Derivative his Fulness is Original yet also Ministerial on purpose in him to give out to us that we may receive Grace for Grace that is Grace answerable for Kind and Quality though not for Measure and Degree As a Child in Generation receives from its Parents Member for
Death from which there is no Recovery unto Life Observe Secondly The grand Sin for which this great Punishment is threatned and that is the Sin of Unbelief If ye Believe not that I am he ye shall Die in your Sins Plainly intimating that of all Sins Infidelity or Unbelief is the grand damning Sin under the Gospel The Devil hath as great an advantage upon Men by making them strong in Unbelief as God hath by making his People strong in Faith Unbelief renders a Sinner's case desperate and incurable it doth not only procure Damnation but no Damnation like it 25 Then said they unto him Who art thou And Jesus saith unto them Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning 26 I have many things to say and to judge of you but he that sent me is true and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him 27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father 28 Then said Jesus unto them When ye have lift up the the Son of man then shall ye know that I am he and that I do nothing of my self but as my Father hath taught me I speak these things The Jews hearing our Saviour denouncing such a terrible Threatning against them because they Believed not on him in the foregoing Verses Here they perversely ask him who he was Our Saviour replies That he was the same he was from the Beginning even the very Christ and that they were the very same they were also the mortal Enemies and opposers of the Truth But that the time was hastning when they should be fully convinced who he was Namely When they had lifted him upon his Cross when he was Risen again and ascended into Heaven and brought that destruction upon them which he had so often threatned Learn hence That the Sufferings of Christ were clear and convincing Demonstrations both who he was and what he was the darkning of the Sun the quaking of the Earth the rending of the Rocks the opening of the Graves were such convincing Proofs of his Deity that they could not but say Verily this was the Son of God 29 And he that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I do always those things that please him That is he that sent and Commissioned me for the great work of Redemption he is continually with me both to assist and to accept me I doing every thing that is agreeable to his Holy Will and Pleasure Hence learn 1. That the work of Redemption in the hands of Jesus Christ was a work well pleasing to God the Father the work it self was highly pleasing to him and Christ's way of managing it was well pleasing also 2. That the Reason why it was thus pleasing to God was because he acted in a constant conformity to his Father's Will kept to his Father's Commission and executed his Father's Commands Doing always those things that pleased him Learn 3. That as the Father and Christ were inseparable in respect of the Unity of the Divine Essence So the Father was always with Christ as Mediatour both to support and to uphold him to accept and to reward him The Father hath not left me alone either in the doing of his Will or in the suffering of his Pleasure Learn 4. That those who desire the gracious and special presence of God with them in all Conditions particularly in times of Suffering and Trouble they must make it their care and study to please God and to observe his Will in all things Then God will be with them in his guiding presence in his strengthning presence in his comforting in his quickning in his sanctifying sympathising and accepting presence 30 As he spake these words many believed on him 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed 32 And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free Observe here 1. The Blessed Fruit and Success of our Saviour's foregoing Discourse concerning his Person and Office As he spake these words many Believed on him Not by their own natural Power and Ability but by Christ's omnipotent and efficacious Grace he that spake to the Ear caused his word to reach the Heart Christ himself that planted and watred gave also the Encrease Observe 2. The Love and Care of Christ mentioned to these new Converts he watreth immediately these Plants with wholesome Advice and Counsel If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed Where Note It must be Christ's word the true Doctrine of the Gospel and this abided and continued in which will evidence our Discipleship Observe 3. A special priviledge which shall follow upon abiding in the Doctrine of Christ they shall increase in the Knowledge of it and be made free by it Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free Where Note That Man is naturally in Bondage and Captivity by blindness of Mind by hardness of Heart by rebellion of Will 2. That the means appointed by God for setting him at Liberty from this Captivity and Bondage is the word of Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel The Truth shall make you free 33 ¶ They answered him We be Abrahams seed and were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou Ye shall be made free 34 Jesus answered them Verily verily I say unto you Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Son abideth ever 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed Observe here How these Carnal Jews understand all that our Saviour said to be spoken in and after a Carnal manner when he spake to them before of eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood they understood it grosly of his natural Body When he speaks to them here of a Spiritual freedom from Sin they understand it of a Civil freedom from servile Bondage and Subjection Alledging They were Abraham's Seed and never in Bondage to any Which was a manifest untruth having been in Bondage to their Ancestors to the Egyptians and Babylonians and in their own persons to the Romans But this was not the Bondage that Christ meant but a Spiritual Slavery and Thraldom under the Dominion of Sin and Power of Satan For he that committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin That is whosoever doth habitually wilfully deliberately and constantly allow and tollerate himself in a sinful course he is under the Servitude and Thraldom of Sin Every Sinner is a Bondslave and to live in Sin is to live in Slavery And this every Man doth till the Son makes him free Then and not till then is he free indeed Learn hence That interest in Christ and continuance in his Doctrine sets the Soul at liberty from all that Bondage whereunto it was subject in its natural and sinful State Oh happy exchange from being the
Devil's Slaves to become Christ's Free Men. 37 I know that ye are Abrahams seed but ye seek to kill me because my word hath no place in you 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father and ye do that which ye have seen with your father 39 They answered and said unto him Abraham is our father Jesus saith unto them If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham 40 But now ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham The Jews boasting again that they were Abraham's Seed and bearing themselves much upon it our Saviour tells them he knew they were so his natural Children according to the Flesh but not his genuine Children according to the Spirit This he proves because they did not tread in Abraham's steps and do his works for if either the Temper of their Minds or the Actions of their Lives were agreeable to Abraham they would not seek as they did to destroy and kill him only for bringing the Doctrine of Salvation to them which he had heard and learned of the Father Hence learn 1. How prone we are to glory in our outward Priviledges and to reâ—y upon them Whereas these are Arguments of God's goodness towards us but no evidences of our goodness towards him 2. That it is very dangerous and unsafe to pride our selves in and depend upon any external priviledges and prerogatives whatsoever As our being Born within the pale of the visible Church our descending from Pious Parents and Holy Progenitors for unless we be followers of their Faith admirers of their Piety and imitate their Example we are none of their Children but belong to another Father as our Saviour tells the Jews in the next Verses 41 Ye do the deeds of your father Then said they to him We be not born of fornication we have one Father even God 42 Jesus said unto them If God were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me 43 Why do ye not understand my speech even because ye cannot hear my word 44 Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it In the former Verses the Jews made their Boast that they were the Children of Abraham in these that they are the Children of God We have one father even God This our Saviour disproves Telling them that if God were their Father they would love him as proceeding from him by eternal Generation and in his Office imployed by him as Mediatour Also if God were their Father they would understand him speaking from God whereas now they were so transported with Malice that they could not endure his Doctrine with patience tho' it came from God All which were undeniable proofs that they were not the Children of God Hence learn That none can justly pretend any Interest in God as his Children but they that love Christ as being the Express Image of his Father's Person and do hear and receive his Doctrine as coming from God This the Jews did not do therefore says Christ They are not the Children of God Observe farther Having told them whose Children they are not our Saviour tells them plainly whose Children they were Ye are of your father the Devil This appears by their being Acted by him by their Resembling and Imitating of him their Inclinations Dispositions and Actions being all to fulfil the Lusts of the Devil Now as his Servants we are whom we obey so his Children we are whom we resemble Learn hence That Men's sinful Practices will prove them to be Satan's Children let their Profession be what it will if in the Temper of their Minds and in the Actions of their Lives there be a Conformity to Satan's Disposition and a ready Compliance with his Temptations they are certainly his Children what pretences soever they make of being the Children of God None could pretend higher to the Relation of God's Children than these Jews did yet says Christ Ye are the Children of the Devil for his workâ— ye do 45 And because I tell you the truth ye believe me not 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin And if I say the truth Why do ye not believe me 47 He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God 48 Then answered the Jews and said unto him Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil 49 Jesus answered I have not a devil but I honour my Father and ye do dishonour me 50 And I seek not mine own glory there is one that seeketh and judgeth Here Observe 1. The free Reproof which Christ gave the Jews for their obstinate Unbelief Because I tell you the Truth ye Believe me not 2. The Challenge which he gives the worst of his Adversaries Which of you convinceth me of Sin So perfectly pure Innocent and Spotless was the Doctrine and Life of Christ That altho' his Enemies loaded him with Slander and false Accusation yet none of them could justly convince him of much less condemn him for the least known Sin Observe 3. The Jews being enraged at this free Reproof fell a railing at his Person charging him with being a Samaritan possessed with an Evil Spirit Our Saviour meekly replies That he did not deal with the Devil but was honouring his Father in what he did and said And therefore his Father would take care of his honour and judge between him and them Here Note That tho' Christ used some sharpness in Reproving the Jews and Representing them to themselves yet he answers with wonderful mildness and meekness when he discovers his Resentments of his own Reproaches How cool was Christ in his own Cause but hot enough in Gods 51 Verily verily I say unto you If a man keep my saying he shall never see death 52 Then said the Jews unto him Now we know that thou hast a devil Abraham is dead and the prophets and thou sayest If a man keep my saying he shall never taste of death 53 Art thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the prophets are dead whom makest thou thy self 54 Jesus answered If I honour my self my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoureth me of whom ye say that he is your God 55 Yet ye have not known him but I know him and if I should say I know him not I shall be a liar like unto you but I know him and keep his saying Observe here 1. The blessed Fruit and effect of observing our Saviour's Doctrine He that keeps my saying shall never see Death that is Shall be secured from Eternal Misery and enjoy Eternal
the Apostles as well as Peter nay not only to the Apostles but to all their Successors yea not to the Apostles only and their Successors but to all Believer also for they are led by the Spirit of God and that into all Truth too not absolutely but into all necessary Truth And so far as a private Christian follows the Conduct and Guidance of the Divine Spirit he is more infallible than either Pope or Council who follow the Dictates and Direction of their own Spirits only 13 For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come That is he shall not teach you a private Doctrine or that which is contrary to what ye have learned of me but whatsoever he shall hear of me and receive from me that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come This affords an Argument to prove the Holy Spirit to be God He that can shew us things to come he that clearly foreseeth and infallibly foretelleth what shall be before it is is certainly God But this the Holy Spirit doth he will shew you things to come Men and Devils may guess at things to come but none can shew things to come but he that is truly and really God therefore the Spirit is so 14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you 15 All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you Here Christ shews the Advantage which would redound to himself by the coming of the Comforter he declares that the Spirit should glorifie him by his Testimony Gifts and Miracles and shall in all things accord with him and thereby evidence that he hath his Mission from him He shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you And all things that the Father hath are mine Hence learn That although the Union in Essence amongst the Persons in the Trinity is the same yet the Order of their Subsistence and Operation is distinct the Son being from the Father and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son For all things that the Father hath are mine And the Spirit shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you 16 A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me because I go to the Father 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves What is this that he saith unto us A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me and Because I go to the Father 18 They said therefore What is this that he saith A little while we cannot tell what he saith 19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him and said unto them Do ye enquire among your selves of that I said A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me 20 Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowful but your sorrow shall be turned into joy 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come but assoon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you In these Words our Holy Lord proceeds to comfort his Disciples with a Promise That however he was now to be removed from them yet they should shortly see him again namely after his Resurrection it being impossible that he should be held by Death but must arise and go to his Father His Disciples not understanding what he meant but labouring under the Prejudices of their national Errors concerning the Temporal Kingdom of the Messias knew not what to make of those Words A little while and ye shall not see me Our Saviour therefore explains himself to his Disciples telling them that they shall have a time of sad sorrow and grief of Heart during the time of his suffering and absence from them but their Sadness should soon be turned into Joy when they shall see him alive again after his Resurrection This he illustrates by the Similitude of a travailing Woman who soon forgets her Sorrow after she has brought forth a Child Thus will their Hearts revive upon the sight of him risen from the Grave and no Man shall be able to take their Joy away from them because he shall die no more but go to Heaven and there live for ever to make Intercession for them Learn hence 1. From the Apostles not understanding Christ's Words concerning his Departure tho' so often inculcated upon them A little while and ye shall not see me because I go to the Father Hence Note How unreasonable it is to arrogate to Man's understanding a Power to comprehend Spiritual Mysteries yea to understand the plainest Truths till Christ enlightens the Understanding let the Doctrine be delivered never so plainly and repeated never so frequently yet will Men continue ignorant without Divine Illumination How often had this plain Doctrine of Christ's departure to the Father been preached to the Disciples by Christ's own Mouth yet still they say What is this he saith We cannot tell what he saith Learn 2. From the different Effects which Christ's absence should have upon the World and upon his Disciples The World will rejoyce but ye shall weep and lament Note 1. That it is the wretched Disposition of the World to rejoyce in the absence and want of Christ out of the World When I am gone the World will rejoyce 2. That nothing is the cause of so much Sorrow and Sadness to sincere Disciples as Christ's absence and removal from them Such is their Estimation of the worth of him so great is their Apprehension of the want of him that there is no loss comparable to his absence and removal from them ye shall weep and lament at my departure tho' the World will rejoyce Learn 3. That the Believers Sorrow for Christ's absence tho' it be very great yet it shall not be perpetual Ye have now sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you The Joy of the Saints may be interrupted it shall never be totally extinguished it is a permanent Joy of which they shall never be totally deprived till they enter into the Ocean of eternal Joy Your Joy no Man taketh from you 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full At the first reading of the
good this Promise to the Chief Priests and delivered Jesus a Prisoner bound into their Hands those Evening-Wolves no sooner seize the Lamb of God but they thirst and long to suck his innocent Blood yet lest it should look like a down-right Murther they allow him a Mock-Trial and abuse the Law by perverting it to Injustice and Bloodshed How impossible is it for the greatest Innocence and Vertue to protect from Slander and false Accusation and no Person can be so innocent or good whom false Witness may not condemn 15 ¶ And Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple That disciple was known unto the high priest and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest 16 But Peter stood at the door without Then went out that other disciple which was known unto the high priest and spake unto her that kept the door and brought in Peter 17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter Art not thou also one of this man's disciples He saith I am not 18 And the servants and officers stood there who had made a fire of coals for it was cold and they warmed themselves and Peter stood with them and warmed himself They said therefore unto him Art not thou also one of his disciples He denied it and said I am not One of the servants of the high priest being his kinsman whose ear Peter had cut off saith Did not I see thee in the garden with him Peter then denied again and immediately the cock crew All the four Evangelists give us an Account of Peter's Fall in denying his Master And therein we have Observable 1. The Sin it self which he fell into the Denial of Christ and this back'd with an Oath he sware that he knew not the Man Lord how may the slavish fear of Suffering drive the holiest and best of Men to commit the foulest and worst of Sins Observe 2. The occasion of his Fall 1. His presumptuous Confidence of his own strength and standing though all Men forsake thee yet will not I. Lord to presume upon our selves is the ready way to provoke thee to leave us to our selves If ever we stand in the Day of Trial 't is the fear of falling must enable us to stand we soon fall if we believe it impossible to fall 2. His being in bad Company amongst Christ's Enemies Peter had better have been a cold by himself alone than warming himself at a Fire which was compassed in with the Blasphemies of the Soldiers where his Conscience tho' not seared was yet made hard Observe 3. The reiteration or repetition of this Sin he denied Christ again and again he denied him first with a Lye then with an Oath and Curse Oh how dangerous is it not to resist the beginnings of Sin If we yield to one Temptation Satan will assault us with more and stronger Observe 4. The heinous and aggravating Circumstances of Peter's Sin 1. From the Character of his Person a Disciple an Apostle a chief Apostle yet he denies Christ 2. From the Person whom he denies his Master his Saviour 3. The Time when he denied him soon after that Christ had wash'd his Feet yea soon after he had received the Sacrament from Christ's own Hand How unreasonable then is their Objection against coming to the Lord's-Table That some who go to it dishonour Christ as soon as they come from it Such Examples ought not to discourage us from coming to the Ordinance but should excite and increase our watchfulness after we have been there that our after-deportment may be suitable to the Solemnity of a Sacramental Table 19 ¶ The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples and of his doctrine 20 Jesus answered him I spake openly to the world I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple whither the Jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing 21 Why askest thou me ask them which heard me what I have said unto them behold they know what I said Our Saviour being brought before Caiaphas the High Priest he examines him concerning his Doctrine and his Disciples pretending him to be guilty of Heresie in Doctrine and Sedition in gathering Disciples and Followers Our Saviour answers That as to his Doctrine he had not delivered it in Holes and Corners but had taught publickly in the Temple and Synagogues and that in secret he had said nothing that is nothing contrary to what he had delivered in Publick Christ never willingly affected Corners he taught openly and propounded his Doctrine publickly and plainly to the World A convincing Evidence that both he and his Doctrine were of God Learn hence 1. That it is not unusual for the best of Doctrines to pass under the odious name and imputation of Error and Heresie Christ's own Doctrine is here charged The High Priest asked Jesus of his Doctrine 2. That the Ministers of Christ who have Truth on their side may and ought to speak boldly and openly I spake openly to the World Veritas nihil erubescit praeterquam abscondi Truth blushes at nothing except at its being concealed In secret says Christ have I said nothing 22 And when he had thus spoken one of the officers which stood by stroke Jesus with the palm of his hand saying Answerest thou the high priest so 23 Jesus answered him If I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil but if well why smitest thou me 24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest 25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself They said therefore unto him Art not thou also one of his disciples He denied it and said I am not 26 One of the servants of the high priest being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off saith Did not I see thee in the garden with him 27 Peter then denied again and immediately the cock crew Observe here 1. How insolently and injuriously an Officer strikes our Saviour in this Court of Judicature One of the Officers stroke Jesus with the Palms of his Hands What had the Holy and Innocent Jesus done to deserve these Buffettings He only made use of the Liberty which their Law did allow him which was not to accuse himself but to put them upon the Proof of those Accusations which were brought against him But from this Instance of our Saviour's Sufferings we learn That Christ did endure painful Buffettings ignominious and contemptible Usage even from Inferiour Servants giving his Cheek to the Smiters to testifie that Shame and reproachful Usage which was deserved by us and to sanctifie that Condition to us when ever it is allotted for us Observe 2. The meek and gentle Reproof which the Lord Jesus gives to this rude Officer he doth not strike him dead upon the Place nor cause that Arm to wither which was stretched forth against the Lord's anointed but only lets him know there was no Reason for his striking of him Where Note That tho' our Saviour doth not revenge himself yet he
vindicates himself and defends himself both with Law and Reason If I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil But if well why smitest thou me Note 2. That when the Soldier had struck Christ upon one Cheek he did not turn to him the other also according to Matth. 5.39 Which evidently shews that That Precept if they smite thee on one Cheek turn the other also commands only this That rather than take Revenge we should take a second Injury Christians ought rather to suffer a double Wrong than to seek a private Revenge Christianity obliges us to bear many Injuries patiently rather than to avenge one privately But tho' it binds up our Hands from private Revenge yet it doth not shut our Mouths from complaining to publick Authority Christ's own Practice here expounds the Precept elsewhere Matth. 5.39 for he complains here of the Officers Injustice in smiting him before the Judicatory and challenges the Man to bear witness of the Evil. Observe Lastly How our Lord was not only buffetted but bound and sent bound from Annas to Caiaphas from Caiaphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod and from Herod to Pilate again And all this on foot through the Streets of Jerusalem from one end of the City to the other partly to render his Passion more publick being made a Gazing-stock to the World and a Spectacle both to Angels and Men. And his condescending to go bound from one High Priest to another and from one Tribunal to another teaches his People what Delinquents they were before the Tribunal of God and what they deserved by reason of Sin even a Sentence of eternal Condemnation at the Tribunal of the Just and Holy God 28 ¶ Then â—ed they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment and it was early and they themselves went not into the judgment-hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the passover There were two Courts of Judicature which our blessed Saviour was brought before and condemned by 1. The Ecclesiastical Court or Sanhedrim in which the High Priest sate as Judge Here he was condemned to Death for Blasphemy 2. The Civil Court or Judgment-Hall where Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor sate Judge who because he was a Gentile they would not go into his House lest they should be defiled for they accounted it a Legal Pollution to come into the House of a Gentile Where Observe The notorious Hypocrisie of these Jews they scruple the defiling of themselves by coming near the Judgment-Hall where Pilate sate but make no scruple at all to defile themselves with the guilt of that innocent Blood which Pilate shed When Persons are over-zealous for Ceremâ—nial Observations they are oft-times too remiss with reference to Moral Duties They brought him to the Judgment-Hall but they themselves went not in lest they should be defiled 29 Pilate then went out unto them and said What accusation bring you against this man 30 They answered and said unto him If he were not a malefactour we would not have delivered him up unto thee Observe here 1. How Pilate humours these Jews in their Superstition They scruple to go into the Judgment-Hall to him he therefore goes out to them and demands what Accusation they had against Christ They charge him here only for being a Malefactor or an evil Doer in the general but elsewhere Luke 23. they particularly accuse him 1. For perverting the Nation 2. For forbidding to pay Tribute to Caesar 3. For saying that he himself was Christ a King All of which was filthy Calumny yet Christ underwent the Reproach of it without opening his Mouth Teaching us when we lie under Calumny and unjust Imputation to imitate him who opened not his Mouth but committed his Case to him that judgeth uprightly 31 Then said Pilate unto them Take ye him and judge him according to your law The Jews therefore said unto him It is not lawful for us to put any man to death 32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should die The Jews being now under the Power of the Romans tho' they had a Power of Judging and Censuring Criminals in smaller Matters yet not in capital Cases they could not pronounce a Sentence of Death upon any Person say some they might and did say others punish Blasphemers by stoning them to death but then their Sentence was to be ratified by the Roman Power Accordingly here they had in their Ecclesiastical Court condemned Christ for Blasphemy now they bring him to Pilate the Roman Governor to confirm the Sentence of Death From hence it appears that Christ was the true Messias being sent into the World when the Sceptre was departed from Judah according to that ancient Prophecy of Jacob Gen. 49.10 The Sceptre shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh come The Jews now had no Power absolutely to condemn any Man or to put him death but this Power the Roman Emperor reserved to his own Deputy This contributed towards the fulfilling of our Saviour's Words Matth. 20.19 That he should be delivered to the Gentiles and should be crucified Which was not a Jewish but a Roman Punishment Had the Jews put him to death they had stoned him But Christ was to be made a Curse for us by hanging upon a Tree and accordingly the Jews execute the Counsel of God tho' they knew â—â— not by refusing to put him to death themselves Learn hence How willing Christ was to undergo a shameful painful and accursed Death that he might testifie his Love unto and procure a Blessing for his People Thus the Saying of Jesus was fulfilled which he spake signifying what Death he should die 33 Then Pilate entred into the judgement-hall again and called Jesus and said unto him Art thou thou the king of the Jews 34 Jesus answered him Sayest thou this thing of thy self or did others tell it thee of me 35 Pilate answered Am I a Jew Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me What hast thou done 36 Jesus answered My kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my kingdom not from hence Observe here 1. Pilate's insnaring Question Art thou King of the Jews How jealous are great Men of Jesus Christ and how afraid are they of his Kingdom Power and Authority as if it would be prejudicial to their Authority and Power in the World which was far enough from Christ's Thoughts Observe 2. The Wisdom and Caution of our Saviour's Answer he neither affirms nor denies though whenever we speak we are bound to speak the truth yet we are not bound at all times to speak the whole truth Christ tells him therefore That upon the supposition that he was King yet his Kingdom was no Earthly but a Spiritual Kingdom he was no Temporal King to Rule over his Subjects with Temporal Power and Worldly
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
divers others of the Apostles notwithstanding all that Christ had said to the contrary did still dream of a Temporal Kingdom and supposed him to speak of some Earthly Pallace which he was going to and therefore he tells our Saviour he knew not whither he was going But Christ meaning not a Temporal but Heavenly Kingdom tells them that if they intended to follow him and be with him in Heaven He himself was the only way thither I am the way the Truth and the Life That is I am the True and Living way to the Father And no Man cometh to the Father but by me That is no Man can have any access to God by Prayer or any other Act of Religious Worship here on Earth or any access to God in Heaven but by me as Mediatour 7 If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him 8 Philip saith unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us 9 Jesus saith unto him Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip he that hath seen me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then Shew us the Father 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doeth the works 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the very works sake Observe here 1. What a gross conception the Apostles had and St. Philip in particular of the Divine Nature and Being as if God the Father could be seen with mortal Eyes Shew us the Father and it suffices us It is not easie to determine what degrees of Ignorance may consist with saving Grace doubtless as the degrees of Revelation and means of Knowledge are more or less so a person's Ignorance is more or less excusable before God Observe 2. How meekly our Blessed Saviour Reproves their Ignorance Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip and then proceeds to instruct them in and farther acquaint them with the Oneness of himself with his Father and the personal Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in himself Learn hence That the Father being invisible in his Essence to know or see him with mortal bodily eyes is impossible but he was seen in his Son who is the express Image of the Father being one in Essence with him and one in operation also He that hath seen me hath seen the Father 12 Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these shall he do because I go unto my Father Here Christ gives his Disciples a promise of enduing them with Power after his Departure to work Miracles in some respect greater than what he wrought himself not greater in regard of the manner for he wrought by his own Power and they wrought all in his Name But greater in regard of the matter of them particularly their speaking with strange Tongues their giving the Holy Ghost by laying on of Hands their healing Diseases by the very shadow of their Bodies but especially by their wonderful conversion of the Gentiles from Idolatry to serve the living God When St. Peter converted Three Thousand at one Sermon then Christ made good this promise the Disciple at that time appeared to be above his Master Christ all his time was Angling for a few Fishes and catch'd but an Hundred and Twenty Act. 1.15 Whilst Peter comes with his Dragnet and catcheth Three Thousand at one cast the reason might be because Christ was not properly to be the Builder but the Foundation it self He subjoins the Reason of all this Because I go unto my Father that is to send down and pour forth upon you my Apostles the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost which was the great cause of the Apostles Miraculous Operations Hence learn That it pleased the Wisdom of Christ to do greater things by the hand of his weak Servants here in the World than he was pleased to do himself who was God over all Blessed for evermore 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it In these words our Saviour produces another Argument to quiet his Disciples Hearts under their perplexity and trouble for the loss of his Bodily presence he assures them that whatever Comforts they enjoyed by his Presence they shall obtain by their Prayers Observe here 1. The Qualification requisite in Prayer we must Pray in Christ's name that is for the sake of his Merits and Mediation in Obedience to God's command and and with an Eye at his Glory and for things agreeable to his Will and for things which his Wisdom sees good for us Observe 2. The promise made to such Prayers Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do he saith not that will my Father do but that will I do to testifie his Divine Power and oneness with the Father This evidently proves him to be God Observe 3. The Repetition of the promise for the further confirmation of it If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it The promise is doubled for the farther Confirmation of it that so we might be free from all fears and doubts of being heard when we put up our Prayers to God in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ for things agreeable to his Will Learn hence That altho' the Children of God have sometimes many Jealousies and Fears arising in their Minds concerning the Answer of their Prayers yet they are altogether groundless for it is most certain their desires shall be granted them so far as the Wisdom of God sees sit and convenient for them and for that reason our Saviour redoubles the Promise If ye ask any thing in my name I will do it 15 ¶ If ye love me keep my commandments In these words our Saviour implicitly reproves his Disciples for their fond way of expressing their Love to him by doating upon his Bodily presence and sorrowing immoderately for his absence and he expresly warns them to evidence their Love to him by their Obedience to his commands If ye love me keep my commandments Where Observe Christ requires an Obedient Love and loving Obedience Love without Obedience is but dissimulation Obedience without Love is but drudgery and slavery Such a Love as produces Obedience it must be a Dutiful Love a Love of Reverence and Honour to him as a Commander And an operative and working Love a labour of Love as the Apostle calls it not waiters but workers are the best Servants in Christ's esteem And such an Obedience as is the product of Love it will be a willing easie and