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 into the sin of Lying against their Knowledge and their Conscience our Saviour answers them Neither tell I
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
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
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
Pomp but a Spiritual King in and over his Church only to order the Affairs and look after the Government thereof Learn hence That Christ as God hath an Universal Kingdom of Power and Providence even over the highest of Men and as Mediatour hath a Spiritual Kingdom in and over his Church 2. That it is a clear Evidence that Christ's Kingdom is Spiritual in as much as it is not carried on by violence and force of Arms as worldly Kingdoms are but by Spiritual means and methods If my Kingdom were of this World my Servants would fight for me but now is my Kingdom not from hence 37 Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a king then Jesus answered Thou sayest that I am a king To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice Pilate asks him again directly and expresly Art thou a King or not Our Saviour Answers Thou sayest that I am a King and so it is indeed as thou sayest I am a King and the King of the Jews too but not a Temporal King to Rule over them after the manner of Earthly Kings with Temporal Power and Worldly Pomp and Splendour but I am a Spiritual King to Rule and Govern not only the Jews but my whole Church consisting both of Jews and Gentiles after a Spiritual manner Observe here 1. The Dominion and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ he has a Kingdom My Kingdom Observe 2. The Condition and Qualification of this Kingdom Negatively exprest My Kingdom is not of this World Observe 3. The Use and End of this Kingdom that the Truth may have place among the Children of Men for their Salvation To this end was I Born and came into the World to bear witness unto the truth Observe 4. The Subjects of Christ's Kingdom declared Every one that is of the truth heareth my Voice That is Every one who is by Divine Grace disposed to believe and love the Truth will hear and obey Christ's Doctrine 38 Pilate saith unto him What is truth And when he had said this he went out again unto the Jews and saith unto them I find in him no fault at all 39 But ye have a custom that I should release unto you one at the passover will ye therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews 40 Then cried they all again saying Not this man but Barabbas Now Barabbas was a robber Observe here 1. The Question Pilate put to Christ What is Truth a most noble and important Question had it been put forth with an honest Heart with a Mind fairly disposed for Information and Satisfaction but it is evident Pilate's enquiry was not serious nay it is generally thought that Pilate ask'd this Question in Scorn Contempt and Derision for he stays not for our Lord's Answer but as soon as he startled this Query went oft the Bench in haste Learn hence That this Question What is Truth or how may we come to the Knowledg of the Truth is of unspeakable use and importance and a Question whereon the whole frame and Constitution of Religion depends Because Truth is claimed by all Parties of Men by all Professors of Religion Ask the different Parties from the Old Gentleman at Rome to the poorest Quaker and Muggletonian where is Truth and they will all tell you they are in the possession of it every Sect has thus much of Popery with it that the professors of it think themselves Infallible and every one cries out Here is Truth But God has given us a two-fold Light to search for Truth by Namely The Light of Reason and the Light of Scripture and Divine Revelation The former Solomon calls the Candle of the Lord set up in our Breasts by God on purpose to discover Truth unto us God allows us yea injoyns us the free and impartial use of our Understandings and Judgments in order to the finding out of Divine Truth but because Nature's Light or the Light of Natural Reason is not clear and bright enough to give us a prospect of supernatural Truths for Nature and Reason can never dictate those things which depend wholly upon God's free Grace and good Pleasure such are the Doctrine of a Saviour and Redeemer and the method of Man's Salvation by the Sufferings of the Son of God it had been Blasphemy once to have supposed such things had not God revealed them in Scripture Therefore the Second Standard of Divine Truth is the infallible Word of God The Gospel of Christ is the way and the Truth Truth came by Jesus Christ and would Men be ruled and conducted by these unalterable Standards of Truth namely Right Reason and Divine Revelation they would easily agree in their Judgments what is to be believed and all Disputes and Controversies would vanish right Reason and Inspired Scripture are the best Judges of Controversies they being the fixed Standards and Measures of Divine Truth can best Resolve Pilate's Question here and tell us What is Truth Observe 2. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death He came forth three several times and tells the Jews that he finds no fault in him he bids them take him and judg him according to their Law Pilate a Pagan Absolves Christ whilst the Hypocritical Jews that heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles do Condemn him Observe 3. Pilate having absolved Christ I find no fault in him endeavours next to Release him and takes occasion from their Custom of having a Prisoner released to them at their Feast to insinuate his Desire that they should chuse Christ Ye have a custom that I release unto you one at the Passover Observe lastly How the Jews prefer Barabbas a Robber before the Holy and Innocent Jesus They all cried out saying not this Man but Barabbas Learn hence That no Persons how wicked and vile soever are so odious in the Eyes of the Enemies of God as Christ himself was and his Friends and Followers now are Christ did find it thus in his own Person when on Earth Barabbas a Robber was preferr'd before him and now he is in Heaven he suffers in his Members the filth of the World being preferred before them CHAP. XIX 1 THen Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him Observe here 1. That as the Death of the Cross was a Roman Punishment so it was the manner of the Romans to whip their Malefactors before they Crucified them Accordingly Pilate took Jesus and scourged him Observe 2. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death it is very evident that he had a mind to Release him and it is concluded that Pilate was thus forward to Scourge Christ hoping that the Jews would have been satisfied with this lighter Punishment and so have dismist him From this instance we may gather That Hypocrites within the pale of the
professing his Faith and bearing Witness to the Truth 12 And his disciples came and took up the body and buried it and went and told Jesus 13 When Jesus heard of it he departed thence by ship into a desart place apart and when the people had heard thereof they followed him on foot out of the cities The Disciples of John hearing that their Holy Master was thus basely and barbarously Murthered took up his dead Body and buried it Whence we Learn That the Faithful Servants of God are not ashamed of the Sufferings of the Saints but will testifie their respect unto them both living and dead Observe farther How our Blessed Saviour upon the notice of John's Death flies into the Desart for the Preservation of his own Life Jesus knew that his Hour was not yet come and therefore he keeps out of Herod's way It is no Cowardice to fly from Persecutors when Christ our Captain both practises it himself and directs us to it saying When they persecute you in one City flee c. 14 And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them and he healed their sick Observe here With what Condolency and tender Sympathy the compassionate Jesus exercised Acts of Mercy and Compassion towards the Miserable and Distressed He was moved with Compassion that is toucht with an inward Sense and Feeling of their Sorrow And healed their Sick Those that came to Christ for Healing found Three Advantages of Cure above the Power and Performance of any Earthly Physician to wit Certainty Bounty and Ease Certainty in that all Comers were infallibly cured Bounty in that they were freely cured without Charge And Ease in that they were cured without Pain 15 And when it was evening his disciples came to him saying This is a desart place and the time is now past send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals Note here 1. The Disciples Pity towards the Multitude that had long attended upon Christ's Ministry in the Desart they presuming the People hungry having fasted all the Day request our Saviour to dismiss them that they may procure some Bodily Refreshment Learn thence That it well becomes the Ministers of Christ to respect the Bodily Necessities as well as to regard the Spiritual Wants of their People As the Bodily Father must take Care of the Soul of his Child so must the Spiritual Father have respect to the Bodily Necessities of his Children Obs 2. The Motion which the Disciples make on the behalf of the Multitude Send them away that they may buy Victuals Here was a strong Charity but a weak Faith A strong Charity in that they desire the People's Relief but a weak Faith in that they suppose they could not otherwise be relieved but by sending them away to buy Victuals Forgetting that Christ who had Healed the Multitude miraculously could as easily Feed them miraculously if he pleased All things being equally easie to Omnipotency 16 But Jesus said unto them They need not depart give ye them to eat Obs here 1. Our Saviour's strange Answer to the Disciples Motion They need not depart says Christ Need not Why the People must either feed or famish Victuals they must have and this being a desart Place there was none to be had Surely then there was need enough But 2. Christ's Command was more strange than his Assertion Give ye them to eat Alas Poor Disciples They had nothing for themselves to eat how then should they give the Multitude to eat When Christ requires of us what of our selves we are unable to perform it is to shew us our Impotency and Weakness and to provoke us to look up to him That worketh all our Works in us and for us 17 And they say unto him We have here but five loaves and two fishes Note here What a poor and slender Provision the Lord of the whole Earth has for his Houshold and Family Five Loaves and those Barley two Fishes and they small Teaching us That these Bodies of ours must be fed but not pampered Our Belly must not be our Master much less our God We Read but twice that Christ made any Entertainments and both times his Guests were fed with Loaves and Fishes plain Fare and homely Diet. The end of Food is to sustain Nature we stifle it with a Gluttonous variety Meat was ordained for the Belly the Belly for the Body the Body for the Soul and the Soul for God Obs farther As the quality of this Victuals was plain and course so the quantity of it was small and little Five Loaves and two Fishes Well might the Disciples say what are these among so many The Eye of Sense and Reason sees an impossibility of those Effects which Faith can easily apprehend and Divine Power more easily produce 18 He said Bring them hither to me 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass and took the five loaves and the two fishes and looking up to heaven he blessed and brake and gave the loaves to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude Obs 1. How the Master of the Feast Marshals his Guests he commands them all to sit down None of them Reply sit down but to what Here are the Mouths but where is the Meat We can soon be set but whence shall we be served Nothing of this but they obey and expect Oh how easie is it to trust God and rely upon Providence when there is Corn in the Barn and Bread in the Cupboard but when our Stores are all empty and nothing is before us then to depend upon an invisible Bounty is a true and noble Act of Faith Obs 2. The Actions performed by our Blessed Saviour He Blessed and Brake and gave the Loaves to his Disciples and they to the multitude 1. He Blessed Teaching us by his Example in all our Wants to look up to Heaven for a Supply to wait upon God for his Blessing and not to sit down to our Food as a Beast to his Forage 2. He brake the Loaves He could have multiplied them whole why would he rather do it in the breaking Perhaps to teach us that we are to expect his Blessing in the Distribution rather than in the Reservation of what he gives us Scattering is the way to Increasing Not Grain hoarded up in the Granary but scattered in the Furrows of the Field yields increase Liberality is the way to Riches and Penuriousness the Road to Poverty 3. Christ gave the Bread thus broken to his Disciple that they might distribute it to the Multitude But why did not our Lord distribute it with his own Hand but by the Hands of his Disciples Doubtless to win respect to his Disciples from the People The same course doth our Lord take in spiritual distributions He that could feed the World by his immediate Hâ—nd chooses rather by the Hands of his Ministers to the divide the Bread of Life to
of every Guest that cometh to his Royal Supper than any of his Ministers do take or can take There was but one Person without the Wedding-Garment and he falls under the Eye and View of Christ 6. That 't is not sufficient that we come but cloathed we must be before we come if ever we expect a Gracious Welcome to Christ's Supper cloathed with Sincerity cloathed with Humility cloathed with Love and Charity if we be not thus cloathed we shall appear naked to our Shame and hear that dreadful Charge Bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into utter Darkness where is weeping and gnashing of Teeth 14 For many are called but few are chosen This is our Blessed Saviour's Application of the foregoing Parable to the Jews he tells them that many of them indeed all of them were called that is invited to the Gospel-Supper but with few very few of them was found that sincere Faith and that sound Repentance which doth accompany Salvation Learn thence That amongst the Multitude of those that are called by the Gospel unto Holiness and Obedience few very few comparatively do obey that Call and shall be Eternally saved 15 Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians saying Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the person of men 17 Tell us therefore what thinkest thou Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar or not 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites 19 Shew me the tribute-money And they brought unto him a penny 20 And he saith unto them Whose is this image and superscription 21 They say unto him Cesar's Then saith he unto them Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar's and unto God the things that are God's 22 When they had heard these words they marvelled and left him and went their way Here we have another new Design to entangle our Blessed Saviour in his Discourse Where observe 1. The Persons imployed to put the insnaring Question to our Saviour namely the Pharisees and the Herodians The Pharisees were against paying Tribute to Cesar looking upon themselves as a free People and the Emperor as an Usurper But the Herodians were for it Herod being made by the Roman Emperor King of the Jews was zealous for having the Jews pay Tribute to Caesar and such of the Jews as sided with him and particularly his Courtiers and Favourites were called Herodians Obs 2. The Policy and wicked Craft here used in imploying these two contrary Sects to put the Question to our Saviour concerning Tribute Thereby laying him under a Necessity as they hoped to offend one side let him answer how he would If to please the Pharisees he denied paying Tribute to Caesar then he is accused of Sedition if to gratifie the Herodians he voted for paying Tribute then he is look'd upon as an Enemy to the Liberty of his Country and exposed to a popular Odium It has been the old Policy of Satan and his Instruments to draw the Ministers of God into Dislike either with the Magistrates or with the People that they may either fall under the Censure of the one or the Displeasure of the other Obs 3. With what Wisdom and Caution our Lord answers them he first calls for the Tribute-Money which was the Roman Penny answering to Seven Pence Halfpenny of our Money Two of which they paid by way of Tribute or Poll-Money for every Head to the Emperor Christ asks them whose Image or Superscription their Coin bore They answer Caesar's Render then says Christ to Caesar the things that are Caesar ' s. As if he had said The admitting of the Roman Coin amongst you is a Testimony that you are under Subjection to the Roman Emperor because the coining and imposing of Money is an Act of Soveraign Authority Now you having owned Caesar's Authority over you by accepting of his Coin as current amongst you give unto him his just Dues and render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar ' s. Learn thence That there was no truer Paymaster of the King 's Dues than he that was King of Kings he preach'd it and he practised it Matth. 17.27 And as Christ is no Enemy to the Civil Rights of Princes and his Religion exempts none from paying their Civil Duties So Princes should be as careful not to rob him of his Divine Honour as he is not to wrong them of their Civil Rights As Christ requires all his Followers to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's so should Princes oblige all their Subjects to Render unto God the things that are God's 23 The same day came to him the Sadduces which say that there is no resurrection and asked him 24 Saying Master Moses said If a man die having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto his brother 25 Now there were with us seven brethren and the first when he had married a wife deceased and having no issue left his wife unto his brother 26 Likewise the second also and the third unto the seventh 27 And last of all the woman died also 28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven for they all had her 29 Jesus answered and said unto them Ye do err not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the angels of God in heaven 31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying 32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living 33 And when the multitude heard this they were astonished at his doctrine Our Blessed Saviour having put the Pharisees and Herodians to silence next the Sadducees encounter him This Sect denied the Imm rtality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body and as an Objection against both they propound a Case to our Saviour of a Woman that had had Seven Brethren successively to her Husbands They demand Whose Wife of the Seven this Woman shall be at the Resurrection As if they had said If there be a Resurrection of Bodies surely there will be a Resurrection of Relations too and the other World will be like this in which Men will marry as they do here And if so whose Wife of the Seven shall this Woman be they all having an equal Claim to her Now our Saviour for resolving of this Question 1. Shews the different State of Men in this World and in the other World The Children of this World says Christ Marry and are given in Marriage but in the Resurrection they do neither As if our Lord had said After Men
is no Desire like unto God's Desire of a People's Repentance no Longing like unto God's Longing for a People's Salvation Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee When shall it once be CHAP. XXIV 1 AND Jesus went out and departed from the temple and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple 2 And Jesus said unto them See ye not all these things Verily I say unto you There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Our Blessed Saviour had often acquainted his Disciples with his approaching Death at Jerusalem The Son of Man must go up to Jerusalem to be Crucified Now in this Chapter he acquaints them with the Destruction that should come upon Jerusalem in general and upon the Temple in particular for their putting him the Son of God to Death The Disciples looking upon the Temple with Wonder and Admiration were apt to think that the Temple in regard of its invincible Strength could not be destroyed or that at least in regard of its incredible Magnificence 't was great pity it should be destroyed and accordingly they say to Christ See what goodly Buildings are here as if they had said Master what great Pity is it that such a magnificent Structure should become a ruinous Heap But hence we Learn 1. That Sin brings Cities and Kingdoms as well as particular and private Persons to their end There are no places so strong but an Almighty God is able to destroy them and Sin is sufficient to lay them waste Observe 2. That the Threatnings of God are to be feared and shall be fulfilled whatever appearing Improbabilities there may be to the contrary God had threatned Jerusalem with Destruction for her Sin and now it is not all her Strength that can oppose his Power Learn 3. That notwithstanding Magnificence and Worldly Glory doth mightily dazle our Eye yet how little doth it affect Christ's Heart Even the Temple it self that most magnificent Structure Christ values no more than an Heap of Rubbish when the Impiety of the Worshippers had devoted it to Destruction Not one Stone says Christ shall be left upon another unthrown down This threatning was fulfill'd Forty Years after Christ's Death when Titus the Roman Emperor destroyed the City and burnt the Temple and Turnus Rufus the General of his Army ploughed up the very Foundation upon which the Temple stood Thus was the Threatning of God fulfilled Jer. 26.18 Zion shall be ploughed as a Field and Jerusalem shall become Heaps The Truth and Veracity the Faithfulness and Fidelity of God is as much concerned in the Execution of his Threatnings as in the Performance of his Promises 3 And as he sat upon the mount of olives the disciples came unto him privately saying Tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the World 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them Take heed that no man deceive you 5 For many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many A double Question is here propounded by the Disciples to our Saviour First As to the time of the Temple's Destruction Secondly As to the Signs of that Destruction As to the former the time when the Temple should be destroyed See the Curiosity of Humane Nature both in desiring to know what should be hereafter and also when that hereafter should be Thence Learn That there is found with all of us an itching Curiosity and Desire rather to inquire and pry into the hidden Counsels of God's secret Will than to obey the manifest Declarations of God's revealed Will. Tell us when these things shall be As to their second Question What should be the Sign of his coming Our Saviour acquaints them with this amongst many others That there should arise false Christs false Prophets and Seducers a multitude of Impostors that should draw many after them therefore he bids them Take heed and beware Where Observe That Christ doth not gratifie his Disciples Curiosity but acquaints them with their present Duty to watch against Deceivers and Seducers who should have the Impudence to affirm themselves to be Christ Some Christ Personal or the Messiah others Christ Doctrinal affirming their erroneous Opinions to be Christ's Mind and Doctrine From the whole Note 1. That there will be many Seducers many erroneous Persons and false Opinions before the end of the World For Jerusalem's Destruction was a Type and Emblem of the World's Destruction 2. That such Seducers will come in Christ's Name and their Errors and false Opinions shall be given out to be the Mind of Christ 3. That many will be seduced and carried away with their fair Pretences and plausible Deceits 4. That Christ's own Disciples had need to take heed lest they themselves being led away by the Error of the Wicked do fall from their own Stedfastness Take heed that no Man deceive you for many will come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars see that ye be not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet 7 For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in divers places 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows The next Sign which our Saviour gives his Disciples of Jerusalem's Destruction is the many Broyls and Commotions civil Discords and Dissentions that should be found amongst the Jews Famines Pestilence and Earthquakes fearful Sights and Signs in the Air. And Josephus declares that there appeared in the Air Chariots and Horses Men skirmishing in the Clouds and encompassing the City and that a Blazing Star in fashion of a Sword hung over the City for a Year together Learn 1. That War Pestilence and Famine are Judgments and Calamities inflicted by God upon a sinful People for their Contempt of Christ and Gospel Grace Ye shall hear of Wars Famine and Pestilence 2. That altho' these be mighty and terrible Judgments yet are they the Forerunners of worser Judgments All these are the Beginnings of Sorrow 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all nations for my Names sake 10 And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate on another 11 And many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many 12 And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold 13 But he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Our Saviour here goes on in giving farther Signs of the Destruction of Jerusalem 1. He declares the sharp Persecutions which should fall upon the Apostles themselves they shall kill you Thence Learn That the keenest and sharpest edge of Persecution is usually turn'd against the Ambassadors of Christ and falls heaviest on the
long time under Bodily Weakness to manifest his Power in supporting them and to magnify his Mercy in Delivering them Observe 3. This poor Woman was found in the use of Means she sought to Physicians for help and is not blamed for so doing altho' she spent all she had upon them The use and help of Physick is by no means to be neglected by us in times of sickness especially in dangerous Diseases of the Body to trust to means is to neglect God and to neglect the means is to tempt God The health of our Bodies ought to be dear unto us and all lawful means used both to preserve it to recover it and to confirm it Observe 4. The actings of this poor Womans Faith her Disease was unclean by the Ceremonial Law and she to be separated from Society Accordingly she is ashamed to appear before Christ but comes behind him to touch his Cloaths being firmly perswaded that Christ had a power Communicated to him miraculously to Cure incurable Diseases and see how our Saviour encouraged her Faith he saith This thy faith hath made thee whole Learn hence That Faith oft-times meets with a better welcome from Christ then it did or could expect this poor Woman came to Christ Trembling but went away Triumphing Observe 5. Christ would have this Miracle Discovered he therefore says Who toucheth me for I perceive that vertue is gone out of me Christ says this first in Reference to himself to manifest his Divine Power that by the touch of his Cloaths he could cure such an incurable Disease secondly in Relation to the Woman that she might have opportunity to give God the Praise and Glory for the Cure and thirdly with respect to Jairus that his Faith might be strengthned in Belief of Christ's Power to raise his Daughter 49 While he yet spake there came one from the Ruler of the Synagogues house saying to him thy Daughter is Dead trouble not the Master 50 But when Jesus heard it he answered him saying fear not believe only and she shall be made whole 51 And when he came into the house he suffered no man to go in save Peter James and John and the Father and Mother of the Maiden 52 And all wept and bewailed her But he said weep not she is not dead but sleepeth 53 And they laughed him to Scorn knowing that she was dead 54 And he put them all out and took her by the hand and called saying Maid Arise 55 And her Spirit came again and she arose straitway and he commanded to give her Meat 56 And her parents were astonished But he charged them that they should tell no man what was done Observe here 1. the doleful News brought to Jairus his Ear Thy Daughter is dead The Lord doth sometimes suffer the Faith and Patience of his Children to be greatly exercised and tryed The Loss of dear Relations particularly of Children especially of an only Child is one of the greatest Sorrows of humane Life a Tryal which has often shockt an ordinary Patience and constancy of mind Observe 2. Our Saviour's seasonable Word of Advice and Comfort fear not only believe Christ stands ready to comfort Believers in the Hour of their greatest Tryals and Temptations Observe 3. Christ's Application of himself in order to the raising unto Life Jairus his dead Daughter And here 1. he goes into the house only with three of his Disciples and the Father and Mother of the Maid which were sufficient to bear Witness to the Truth of the Miracle Our Saviour to avoid all shew of vain Glory would not work this Miracle publickly before all the People 2. Our Saviour rebukes them for the shew they made of immoderate Grief and Sorrow for the dead Damsel they wept and wailed greatly with Minstrels making a noise say the other Evangelists according to the Custom of the Heathens who by a mournful sort of Musick did seek to stir up the passion of Grief at their Funerals To mourn immoderately for the Dead is an Heathenish Custom and Practice 't is hurtful to the Living 't is dishonourable to the Dead nor is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace 3. Christ adds a Reason for this Rebuke given by him for the Damsel is not dead but sleepeth Vobis mortua mihi dormit She is dead to you but asleep to me not so dead as to be beyond my Power to raise her to Life Souls Departed are under the Conduct of Angels to their several Regions of Bliss or Misery It is very probable That the Soul of this Damsel was under the Guard of Angels near her Dead Body waiting the pleasure of God in order to its Disposal either to restore it again to the Body or to translate it to its Eternal Mansion Observe farther the Nature of Death in General and of the Saints Death in particular 't is a Sleep Sleep is a state of Rest sleep is a sudden surprisal in sleep there is an insensible passage of our Time the person sleeping shall certainly Awake Oh how much is it 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 farther with what facility and ease our Saviour Raises the dead Damsel with a word speaking and St. Mark tells us what the word was Talitha Cumi Syriack words to shew the Truth of the Miracle not like a Conjurer muttering a Charm in an unknown Tongue The Miracles which Christ wrought were real Miracles and carried their own Evidence along with them Observe Lastly The charge given by our Saviour not to publish this Miracle he charged them to tell no Man what was done that is Divulge it not 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 for it and seek his Death before his appointed time was come Again tell it to no man 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 estate of Humiliation for his Resurrection was the time appointed by God for the full manifestation of Christ's Godhead Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with power by the Resurrection from the Dead CHAP. IX 1 THen he called his twelve Disciples together and gave them power and authority over all Devils and to cure Diseases 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick 3 And said unto them take nothing for your journey neither Staves nor Scrip neither Bread nor Money neither have two Coats a piece 4 And whatsoever house ye enter into there abide and thence depart 5 And whosoever will not receive you when ye go out of that city shake off the very dust
Person that Suffered three Days ago when his Death doth so well agree with the Predictions of the Prophets who fore-told that the Messias should be cut off but not for himself and be smitten for the iniquities of his People Here we may Observe The great Wisdom and Grace of God who makes sometimes the Diffidence of his People an occasion of farther clearing up the choicest Truths unto them Never did these Disciples hear so Excellent an Exposition of Moses and the Prophets concerning the Messiah as now when their sinful distrust had so far prevailed over them 2. Observe The Doctrines which Christ instructs his Disciples in namely in the Necessity of his Death and Passion and of his Glory and Exaltation Ought not Christ to Suffer and to enter into his Glory Learn 1. That with Respect to God's Decree and with Relation to Mans Guilt the Death of Christ was Necessary and Indispensable 2. That his Resurrection and Exaltation was as Necessary as his Passion 3. That there was a Meritorious Connexion between Christ's Sufferings and his Glory his Exaltation was Merited by his Passion He was to drink of the Brook in the way and then he should lift up his head Observe 4. Christ did not only put Light into these his Apostles Heads but Heat also into their Hearts which burned all the while he Communed with them Did not our Hearts burn within us while he opened to us the Scriptures Oh what an efficacious Power is there in the word of Christ when set home upon the Hearts of Men by the Spirit of Christ 33 And they rose up the same Hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the Eleven gathered together and them that were with them 34 Saying The Lord is Risen indeed and hath Appeared to Simon 35 And they told what things were done in the way and how he was known to them in Breaking of Bread 36 And as they thus spake Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them Peace be unto you 37 But they were Terrified and Affrighted and supposed that they had seen a Vision 38 And he said unto them Why are ye troubled and why do Thoughts arise in your Hearts 39 Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self handle me and see For a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as ye see me have 40 And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his Hands and his Feet 41 And while they yet believed not for joy and wondered he said unto them Have ye here any Meat 42 And they gave him a piece of a Broyled Fish and of an Honey-comb 43 And he took it and did eat before them 44 And he said unto them These are the words which I speak unto you whilst I was yet with you That all things must be Fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and of the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me Observe 1. That these Two Disciples at Emmaus being fully satisfied in the Truth of Christ's Resurrection by his Appearing to them in Breaking of Bread they arose presently and went from Emmaus to Jerusâ—lem It must needs be late at Night being after Supper and Seven Miles Distance Yet considering the Sorrow that the Disciples were under these Two leave all their Private Affairs and hasten to Comfort them with the glad Tidings of our Lord's Resurrection Teaching us That all Secular Affairs all private and particular Business must give place to the Glory of God and the Comfort and Salvation of Souls Observe 2. The great Endeavours which our Saviour used to confirm his Disciples Faith in the Doctrine of the Resurrection He comes and stands in the midst of them and says Peace be unto you Next he shews them h s pierced Hands Side and Feet with the Scars and Marks which he yet retained that they might see it was their Crucified Master After all this He eats before them a piece of broiled Fish and Honey-comb Not that he needed it his Body being now become Immortal but to assure them that it was his own Person and that he had still the same Body Yet so slack and backward were they to Believe that Christ was Risen that all the Predictions of the Scripture all the Assurances they had from our Saviour's Mouth and the several Appearings of Christ unto them were little enough to establish and confirm their Faith in the Resurrection of our Saviour Observe 3. The highest and fullest Evidence which our Saviour offers to Evince and Prove the Certainty of his Resurrection Namely by Appealing to their Senses Handle me and see Christ admits the Testimony of our Senses to assure it be his Real Body And if the Church of Rome will not allow us to believe our Senses we shall loose the best External Evidence we can have to prove the Truth of the Christian Religion Namely the Miracles of Christ For how can I know that those Miracles were True but by the Judgment of my Senses Now as our Senses tell us that Christ's Miracles were True so they assure us that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is False 45 Then opened he their Understandings that they might understand the Scriptures 46 And he said unto them Thus it is Written and thus it behoveth Christ to Suffer and to Rise from the Dead the Third Day 47 And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in his Name among all Natitions beginning at Jerusalem 48 And ye are Witnesses of these things Note here That the opening of the Mind and Heart effectually to Receive the Truths of God is the peculiar Prerogative and Office of Jesus Christ Then opened he their Vnderstandings Namely by the Illuminations of his Holy Spirit One of the greatest Miseries under which Lapsed Nature Labours is Spiritual Blindness Christ has the only Eye-salve which can Heal and Cure it Revel 3.18 And there is no worse Cloud to Obscure the Light of the Spirit than a proud Conceit of our own Knowledge Observe 2. The Special Charge given by our Saviour to his Apostles to Preach Repentance and Remission of Sin to Preach it in Christ's Name to Preach it to all Nations beginning first at Jerusalem Where Note The Astonishing Mercy of Jesus Christ Although Jerusalem was the Place where he lost his Life the City that Barbarously Butcher'd and Inhumanely Murthered him yet there he will have the Doctrine of Repentance Preach'd nay first Preached there the Gospel-Combination must first begin That Repentanâ—e and Remission of Sin be Preached beginning at Jerusalem Lord How unwilling art thou that any should Perish when thou not only prayedst for thy Murtherers and offeredst up thy Blood to God in the Behalf of them that shed it but Requiredst thy Ambassadors to make Jerusalem the first Tender of Remission upon Condition of Repentance That Repentance and Remission of Sin should be Preached among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem 49 And behold I send the Promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye
in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father 22 Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews 23 But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Here we have our Saviour's Answer to the foregoing Question which consists of two Parts 1. Concerning the Place of Worship 2. Concerning the Worship it self As to the Place of Worship our Saviour tells her that though the Jews had heretofore by warrant of God's Word regularly worshipped at Jerusalem and the Samaritans superstitiously worshipped at Mount Gerizim yet the Hour was coming namely at his Death when all difference of Places for God's Worship should be taken away and therefore she need not trouble her self about the Place of God's Worship to know whether of the two Places were holier and the better to serve God in for ere long the Service of God should not be confined more to one Place than another Hence learn That since the death of Christ the Religious Difference of Places is taken away and the Worship of God not confined to any one particular Place or Nation 2. Our blessed Saviour resolves her concerning the Worship it self namely that the Ceremonial Worship which the Jews and Samaritans used should shortly be abolished and instead thereof a more spiritual Form of Worship should be established more suitable to the Spiritual Nature of the great and holy God and containing in it the Truth and Substance of all that which the Jewish Ceremonies prefigured and shadowed forth Learn hence That the True Worship of God under the Gospel doth not consist in the external Pomp of any outward Ceremonies but is Spiritual and Substantial No Worship is acceptable to him that is the Father of Spirits but that which is truly Spiritual 24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth God is a Spirit that is he has no Body nor bodily Parts He is not a bare spiritual Substance but a pure and perfect Spirit and therefore his Worshippers must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Where Spirit is opposed to the Legal Ceremonies and Truth to the Jewish Rites not to Hypocritical Services for the old Patriarchs did worship God in Spirit and in Truth As Truth is taken for Sincerity they served him with a sincere Conscience and with a single Heart But our Saviour's Business is to shew That a Worship without Legal Rites and Jewish Ceremonies is proper to the times of the Gospel In the Words Observe 1. The Nature of God declared God is a Spirit 2. The Duty of Man inferred therefore they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth From the whole Note 1. That God is a pure Spiritual Being When bodily Parts Hands and Eyes c. are ascribed to him it is only in Condescension to our weakness and to signifie those Acts in God which such Members do perform in us Note 2. That the Worship due from the Creature to God is spiritual Worship and ought to be spiritually performed The Jewish Ceremonial Worship was abolished to promote the Spirituality of Divine Worship yet must not this be so understood as if God rejected bodily Worship because he requires spiritual under the Gopsel for Jesus Christ the most spiritual Worshipper worshipped God with his Body Besides God has appointed some Parts of Worship which cannot be performed without the Body as Sacraments In a Word God has created the Body as well as the Soul Christ has redeemed the Body as well as the Soul and he will glorify the Body as well as the Soul therefore it is our Duty to worship and glorify God with our Bodies and with our Spirits which are his 25 The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things 26 Jesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he Observe here 1. What a General Expectation there was in the Minds of all Persons at the time of our Saviour's appearing of one whom the Jews called the Messiah I know that Messiah cometh This Woman though a Samaritan yet knew that the Messiah should come and that he was now expected Observe 2. What the Work and Office of the Messias was apprehended and believed to be namely to reveal the whole Mind and Will of God to a lost World When the Messias is come he will tell us all things Learn thence That the Lord Jesus Christ the promised and true Messias being called and appointed by God to be the great Prophet of his Church hath fully and perfectly revealed all things needful to be known for our Salvation John 15.15 All things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you Observe Lastly How freely and fully Christ reveals himself to this poor Woman he tells her plainly that he was the Messias When the Jews asked him John 10.24 If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Christ did not in plain Terms tell them who he was Nay when John Baptist sent two of his Disciples to ask him whether he were He that should come he gave them no direct Answer Yet behold he makes himself plainly known to this poor Woman he discerning her Humility and great Simplicity that she was willing to be instructed by him and did not come to him as the Jews and Pharisees did captiously with a design to entangle and enspare him Hence learn That the Lord Jesus Christ delights to reveal himself and make known his Mind and Will to such as with an humble Mind and an honest Simplicity of heart do desire to know him and understand their Duty to him 27 ¶ And upon this came his disciples and marvelled that he talked with the woman yet no man said What seekest thou or Why talkest thou with her 28 The woman then left her water-pot and went her way into the city and saith to the men 29 Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ 30 Then they went out of the city and came unto him Observe here 1. How the Providence of God so ordered and disposed of things that the Disciples did not return to Christ till he had finisht his Discourse with this poor Woman An humbled sinner may meet with such Satisfaction and sweet Refreshment in Christ's Company that the presence even of Disciples themselves the best and holiest of Saints may be lookt upon as injurious to it and an interruption of it This poor Woman had so sweet a time with Christ that an end being put to the Conference by the coming of the Disciples might be Matter of Grief and Resentment to her Yet the Providence of God so ordered that the Disciples did not come to break off the Conference till Christ had made himself known as the Messias to this
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
am ascending to my Father and must be injoyed no longer after a Corporal but Spiritual manner Learn hence That our Love to Jesus Christ is best shewn not by our Humane Passionate Affections to his bodily Presence but by our Spiritual Communion with him by Faith here on Earth in order to an immediate Communion with him face to face in Heaven Christ now after his Resurrection was advanced to a more Spiritual Condition therefore refuses at Mary's Hand the Offices of Humane Conversation but expects of her the Duties and Services of Spiritual Devotion Obs 2. Christ's Injunction But go to my Brethren and say I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Where Note The endearing Title given to the Disciples My Brethren he had before his Death called them his Servants his Friends his Children but now after his Resurrection he calls them his Brethren he became our Brother by assuming our Nature in his Incarnation he continues our Brother by resuming that Nature at his Resurrection Note farther That Christ calls his Disciples Brethren after his Exaltation and Resurrection thereby shewing that the change of his condition had wrought no change in his Affection towards his poor Disciples but those that were his Brethren before in the time of his Humilition and Abasement are so still after his Exaltation and Advancement Go to my Brethren and say Humility doth not only go before Honour but it dwells with Honour and doth ever more accompany it Observe lastly The good News or Message of Joy which Christ sends by Mary to his dear Disciples say I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God as if Nature and Adoption gave the same Interest Christ calls God his God and his Disciples God his Father and their Father first his and then theirs and therefore theirs because his Learn hence That God for Christ's sake hath dignified Believers with that near and dear Relation of his being a Father to them in and through his Son so that as they ought to carry it towards him like Children by Obedience Subjection and Resignation so they may expect he will retain a Fatherly Affection towards them and they may expect from him Fatherly Compassion Provision Protection Correction and all things needful 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things unto her 19 ¶ Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you 20 And when he had so said he shewed unto them his hands and his side Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Our blessed Saviour's first appearing after his Resurrection having been to Mary Magdalen as the former Verses acquainted us The same Day at Evening when the Doors were shut for fear of the Jews Jesus miraculously and as to the Disciples insensibly opens the Doors and stands in the midst of them and says Peace be unto you and shews them his Hands and his Side Where Note 1. That it has been no strange thing in the Church that the best Members of it have been put to frequent their Assemblies with great fear and been forced to meet in the Night with great Caution because of the Fury of the Persecutors Here Christ's own Disciples were forced to get together in the Night the Doors kept shut for fear of the Jews Note 2. Let Christ's Disciples meet together never so privately and with never so much hazard and jeopardy they shall have Christ's Company with them neither Bolts nor Locks nor fastned Doors shall hold Christ from them When the Doors were shut Jesus came and stood in the midst of them Observe lastly The Evidence which our Saviour offers to evince and prove the certainty of his Resurrection he shewed his Disciples his Hands and his Feet Christ appealed to and admitted of the Judgment of their Senses to assure them that it was his real Body And if we must not be allowed to believe our Senses as the Romish Synagogue would persuade us we shall want the best external Evidence we can have to prove the Truth of the Christian Religion namely the Miracles of our Saviour For how can we be assured that those Miracles were true but by the Judgment of our Senses Now as our Senses tell us that Christ's Miracles were true so they assure us that the Popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false 21 Then said Jesus to them again Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me even so send I you 22 And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the holy Ghost 23 Whos 's soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Observe here 1. The Repetition of our Saviour's endeared Salutation to his Disciples Peace be unto you Peace be unto you This was no more than might be needful to signifie his firm Reconciliation to them notwithstanding their late Cowardize in forsaking of him and flying from him when the Storm fell upon him Observe 2. How Christ doth renew his Disciples Commission for the Work of the Ministry who possibly were much discouraged with the remembrance of their faint-heartedness in the time of his Sufferings he doth therefore anew Commissionate them and sends them forth in these Words As my Father sent me that is to preach plant and propagate the Gospel so send I you By the same Authority and for the same Ends in part for which I was sent by my Father do I send you namely to gather to govern and instruct my Church Learn hence That when Christ left the World he did not leave his Church destitute of a Gospel-Ministry which shall continue to the end of the World As Christ was sent by the Father so are his Ministers sent by him and they may expect having the same Authority and Commission the same Success and Blessing and the Contempt cast upon them and their Message ultimately reflects upon God and Christ whose Messengers they are Observe 3. How Christ that sends them forth doth furnish them with the Gifts of the Spirit for their Office He breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost that is the Gifts of the Holy Ghost They had received the Holy Spirit before as a Spirit of Sanctification here they receive it in its extraordinary Gifts to fit them for their Office And Christ's conferring the Holy Ghost by breathing upon them shews that the Holy Spirit proceeds as well from the Son as from the Father And as by God's breathing the first Man was made a living Soul so by Christ's breathing on the Apostles they were quickened and extraordinarily enabled for the Service they were called to Learn hence That when Christ sends forth any about his