to long after it till his time come nor to weary of life especially because of any trouble persecution or inconvenience we meet with in his service Therefore Christ who loves his people better then they do love themselves will not pray for this I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world 6. â—eleevers while they are thus left by Christ in the world are exposed to manifold hazards having not only outward troubles but Satan and sin taking advantage of their troubles to drive them wrong for they are in this world in the midst of the evil not so much of outward trouble from which he will not alwaies preserve them but Satan the wicked one as the word will read and the evil and wickednesse to which they are exposed in an evil world and by the many pressures they meet with 7. Albeit Christ will not remove his people from these hazards yet they are no way able to guard themselves against them but they must resolve to have much to do and very little or rather nothing in themselves wherewith to do it for they must be keeped or else they are undone 8. When Christ seeth it not fit to remove his own out of the world he will see to their preservation in it So as though they get now and then the foile yet his intercession is a sure pledge that they shall recover again for these two go together I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them 9. Christ doth abundantly testifie his care and diligence about his people when albeit he doth not exempt them from troubles and these it may be very sharp yet he keeps them from the evil thereof or from spiritual hurt thereby And when albeit he doth not deliver them even from assaults and tentations from that evil yet he upholds them by sufficient grace 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10. for herein doth his care appear in praying that the Father should keep them from the evil 10. Albeit many when they look upon Christs promises and allowances and his intercession for his people be ready to delude themselves with vain hopes of that which Christ never allowed upon them Yet they who are content with being preserved from evil however they be tempted and exercised are no way deluded when they expect this from Christ for it is his express will when he explains himselfe that they should be keeped from the evil 11. It is frequently to be studied by beleevers that their separation from the world is an evidence of their conformity with Christ and consequently that they are like to him in enduring opposition from the world because thereof Therefore is it again held out They are not of the world even as I am not of the world 12. Beleevers disconformity with the world and conformity with Christ is a sure pledge that the Father will keep them from the evil of the world and will not lose these good things which grace hath begun in them for this is an Argument why he should keep them from the evil v. 15. They are not of the world c. Verse 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy Word is truth Followeth the fourth and last branch of this part of the chapter containing Christs second petition for his Apostles which is propounded in this verse and pressed by two Arguments v. 18 19. The petition is that the Father would sanctifie them which albeit it sometime signifie the consecrating of a man and setting him apart to an office as the Apostles also were v. 18. yet here it imports somewhat beside and subservient to that namely that the Lord would conferre upon them the grace of sanctification and so consecrate them unto himself as beleevers and so also fit them for that employment to which he had devoted and consecrated them Unto this is subjoyned the instrumental cause of their sanctification through thy truth whereby is not only signified that he would have them sanctified in truth or truly of which we may hear v. 19. but that the Word of truth is the mean and instrument of sanctification And to prevent all mistakes he declares that this truth is in the Word against all them who seek truth beside it Whence learn 1. Such as are Christs followers indeed and may make comfortable application of other benefits of his intercession must be men sanctified by habitual graces of holinesse infused into them which will not only break forth in some few acts of Religion and righteousnesse but must so devote and consecrate them to God as they may not withdraw themselves to another use for so much is imported in this that Christ prayes for unto his Apostles Sanctifie them intimating that where he intercedes for any he also prayeth for and in due time works this in them 2 It is not enough that men have a begun work of sanctification in them unlesse they grow up in it daily more and more for he prayeth for these who were already converted and sanctified as he maketh his account v. 6 7 8. that the Father would sanctifie them and carry them on in sanctification till it be perfected in glory Such will be invited to grow who entertain the sense of what they have received 1 Pet. 2.2 3. who are sensible of their short-coming in what they have Phil. 3.12 13. and who fear back-sliding and consider that not to grow is the way to decay and they will study to evidence this growth by persevering in their first principles not loving age in what once through grace they loathed nor building up what they once destroyed and by growing in graces especially in sense of their pollution humility love painfulnesse c. 3. Whatever principles or obligations men have to keep them from the evils of the world and from Satan in it yet all these will not avail unlesse they be not only truly sanctified but be growing therein Therefore is this petition sanctifie them subjoyned to the former v. 15. of keeping them as being the effectual mean of their preservation 4. As sanctification is the duty of beleevers laid upon them by God so it is also his work in them who principleth them for it and works it in them when they in the sense of their own inability do put it upon him for Christ by prayer seeketh it of the Father sanctifie them 5. As the truth of God is the rule of true sanctification nothing being holinesse in Gods account how specious soever it be unlesse it be according to that truth So the truth of God which is the instrument of regeneration hath also a special influence in the matter of daily sanctification 1 Pet. 2.2 The word of command being made effectual to presse the duty the word of promise to encourage it 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Pet. 1.4 and the Word and doctrine of the Crosse of Christ holding out vertue enabling to duty 1 Cor. 1.18 and exciting faith which purifieth the heart
before they came away It saith much to the incurablenesse of mens spiritual condition when they are afflicted and make some fashion of coming to Christ with it yea and are delivered and yet continue unrenewed Doctrine 9. His pleading this as a work of charity and necessity teacheth That mercy and compassion in Christ will omit no occasion of shewing it self comfortable to the miserable and them that are in necessity for he will not intermit to help them when he seeth them even albeit it be the Sabbath And this will yet further appear if we consider that one might object that there was no such necessity but the man who had endured that infirmity thirty eight years might endure it yet one day whereas Circumcision in respect of the command could not be omitted But the answer is easie that not only the duty of charity requireth that the miserable be presently helped but however the man might have endured it yet Christs love and pity laid on the necessity and could not forbear And albeit the man might be hardened in his trouble by reason of long continuance yet Christs pitie is as tender towards him as if it had been the first day yea so much the more as he had endured it so long albeit in deep wisdome he reserved the cure for his own hand This may help to correct the jealous thoughts of Gods people who complain that they are forgotten under their long continued trials 10. In declaring that Moses gave them Circumcision Christ adds a correction not because it is of Moses but of the Fathers as indeed it was given to Abraham long before Gen. 17.10 Whereby 1. He would put them in minde that there was a covenant and promise made and seals annexed to it long before the giving of the law by Moses that so they might gather that the law which came after could not make the promise void as it is argued Gal. 3.17 2. Because they doated so much upon Moses yeâ— and eyed him more then God in the ordinances they receiveed by his Ministry Therefore Christ puts him in his own roome and sheweth that precious Ordinances were given to others as well as to him It teacheth That when eminent instruments are too much doated on and idolized by men it provokes the Lord to debase them and to let it be seen that they are but his instruments As here he doth with Moses Verse 24. Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement Unto this argument Christ subjoines an inference or conclusion that it was their duty to judge righteously of his work and not to be led by appearances such as looking on the one part to Moses his authority and on the other to his basenesse and so to condemne him but should compare the one fact with the other and see how they aggreed and rather see a divine power shining in his works setting forth his glory and justifying them then stumble at his works by judging him according to outward appearance to be a meere man Doctrine 1. Christ and the friends of truth desire nothing but righteous judgement and will not be affraid to go to the bar with their enemies if they can get justice and equity for he desires that they judge righteous judgement He had already examined his own way and found it to be right and therefore feared no trial and so should his people sit upon their own assize 2. Men are oft-times so blinded with visible appearances and maskes with passions interests and prejudices that they see not through causes as they are in truth but do judge of them according as they are represented in a false mirrour either judging of a cause as it is masked with pretences or loaden with prejudices or according as they esteeme of the person that owns it Therefore it is requisite they be warned that they judge not according to the appearance or according to external appearance or the outward view they take of persons 3. Whosoever do condemne what is right because of their prejudice against persons or out of respect to persons do justifie what is wrong and who so do rashlie judge of things without considering all circumstances do deal unrighteously before God for so much is here condemned by Christ judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement See Deut. 1.16 17. Verse 25. Then said some of them of Hierusalem is not this he whom they seek to kill 26. But loe he speaketh boldly and they say nothing unto him Do the Rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ 27. Howbeit we know this man whence he is but when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence he is Christ having thus debated with the Jewes and multitude about his doctrine and practice he in the second place is assaulted by the inhabitants of Jerusalem who knew the Rulers plots better then others And 1. They crie out upon their Rulers wondering what is become of their zeal and forwardnesse who were seeking him to kill him and yet now when he preaches so boldly they meddle not with him 2. They alledge in derision that the Rulers were so moderate possibly because they beleeved him to be the Messiah But as for them they think they have strong reasons wherefore they could not joine with them in that opinion For they know whence this man is whereas no man will know whence the Messiah is when he cometh As for the first part of their reason it cometh more fitly to be considered in Christs answer But in the second part they assert a manifest untruth for albeit Christ in respect of his Godhead was prefigured by Melchizedek who in that state is brought in Scripture without father and mother without descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life Heb. 7.3 and it is said of Christ in that respect who shall declare his generation Isa 53.8 Yet it is as clear that in respect of his humanity the Scripture clearly points out what tribe he should come of his descent family and linage and the place of his birth Doctrine 1. When wicked men are put to silence in debates yet will they not be gained but this will irritate their corruptions to start new questions about truth and new prejudices against the maintainers thereof for their not replying to his reasonings makes it clear they were convinced and yet this availeth not but they are irritate and imbittered that the Pharisees are not more violent and they run to new debates 2. Ordinarily they who enjoy most advantages in a visible Church do in a declining time prove worst of any for they of Jerusalem the chiefe City and the place of solemne publike worship for all the Nation are more upon the persecutors plots and more enraged then any 3. God can preserve his own in the faithful discharge of their duty in ill times in an admirable way so that even their enemies themselves may wonder at it for say they Is not this he
may look for a sad account and challenge who will not do so for saith he If I say the truth why do ye not beleeve me And it holds out also this general that no prejudice should hinder men from embracing that which is held out to be truth Ver. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore heare them not because ye are not of God In the last place Christ concludes the discourse with a sad note upon them And doth himselfe answer that question he had propounded verse 46. shewing that the true cause why they did not beleeve nor hear his word was because they were not of God which he illustrates from the contrary and so leaves them again to consider of whom they were This assertion as it must necessarily be understood of grown up persons for infants are still to be excepted in these ordinary rules So albeit to be of God be frequently understood of mens being elected from eternity Yet here it is chiefly to be understood of regeneration because even the elect of God so long as they are unregenerate may be guilty of the same sinnes with the reprobate and particularly in sleighting the Word Only if we conjoyne these two to resist known truth and to do so maliciously which was the sinne of many of these Jewes it cannot befall any elect For though Peter sinned wittingly yet not maliciously and though Paul sinned maliciously yet he did it ignorantly and in unbeliefe 1 Tim. 1.13 Doctrine 1. Mens respect to the Word of God is a true touchstone whereby they may try their own condition and state for so doth Christ here teach us 2. Men have nothing in them by nature that can entertain or receive the Word of God with any due respect but what they attain to of that kinde is of God and not of themselves for he must be of God by election and regeneration who will hear Gods words 3. An elect child of God being renewed as he is begotten by the seed of Gods Word so in his progresse he will not resist the known light thereof but will receive and feed upon it And whatever may be his fits of tentation yet he will never reject it maliciously for he that is of God heareth Gods words He heareth it with faith submission and fruitfulnesse for so it is opposed to not beleeving ver 46. See 1 Pet. 1.23 and 2.1 2 3. 4. Whoever they be that do not regard the Word of the Lord but do maliciously reject it after conviction they prove themselves to be unregenerate if not also reprobates for ye heare them not because ye are not of God 5. Consequences soundly and solidly deduced from Scripture are Scripture and as valid a ground of faith as the ground from whence they are deduced for so doth Christ here teach us by his own practice deducing from that ground He that is of God heareth Gods words this necessary and infallible consequence ye therefore here them not because ye are not of God And this pen-man is full of such deductions warranting this way of arguing 6. Whatever affront men think to put upon Christ by rejecting his doctrine Yet the real ignominy redounds to themselves Therefore however they laid all the indignitie of this opposition on Christ himselfe and on his doctrine Yet he tells them it flowed really from this ye are not of God but lying in a reprobate unregenerate condition Verse 48. Then answered the Jewes and said unto him Say we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast a devil From this to the end of the Chapter these adversaries do change their way of proceeding with Christ So long as they had any seeming ground or shew of reason they debate the matter but now being put from all that they fall a railing at his person and Christ defends and replies till they come to violence It may be taken up in this order 1. They rail at him ver 48. and he vindicates himselfe as an honourer of his Father and therefore they were in the wrong who reproached him ver 49. and behoved to make account to God for it ver 50. And he sheweth their losse who despise his Word which preserveth men from death ver 51. 2. They take occasion from what he saith of his Word to carpâ—â—â—in objecting that Abrâ—ham and the Prophets were dead ver 52. And that he should make himselfe greater then they ver 53. And he clears himselfe of ambition in this matter charging it on them ver 54 55. and shâ—weth that Abrahams joy depended on him ver 56. before whom he had a subsistence as God though as man he was not old ver 57 58. Upon which assertion they betake themselves to violence and he avoideth it ver 59. In this verse we have their first attempt wherein taking advantage of his sharp censure of them they charge him with being a Samaritan and possessed with an evil Spirit They do particularly charge him to be a Samaritan not only because they accounted the Samaritans the most impious of men because of their Apostacy from the Church of Judah and the true Religion there whereof they account him also guilty by his doctrine but specially because as the Samaritans were most bitter enemies unto and traducers of the Jewes as may be seen in part Joh. 4.9 so did they account of him who durst be so bold as to deny them to be children of God and to say they were of the devil As for the other charge thou hast a devil it is true that elsewhere they do maliciously assert against their light that he was guided and assisted by Satan in his doctrine and miracles Matth. 12.24 But here it seemes they only intend to retort his challenge and do say he had a devil which prompted him to say they were of the devil And so the challenge is all one with the former of a Samaritan whom they looked on as on all wicked men as guided by an evil spirit and accordingly Christ answers both in answering one of them Doctrine 1. Albeit wicked enemies to truth may for a time enter the lists of dispute as if they minded to seek out and follow truth Yet conviction in debate will not gain ground upon them As appeares in these Jewes who when they are put to the worse in dispute yet they come nothing the nearer to truth 2. Unbeliefe and contempt of the truth will end in blasphemy And impious men being convinced will turne ratlers and betake themselves to personal reflexions against the persons of men who maintain the truth when they can do no better for so do they deal with Christ 3. Wicked men can vent no reproaches calumnie or blasphemies against Christs servants and people which Christ hath not sanctified in his own person being called to his face the worst of men a reproacher and enemy to the people of God and one possessed with an evil spirit As here we see 4. There are none more ready to reproach
Christ and his followers as if they were possessed with an evil spirit then these who are his real slaves themselves for they who are of the devil ver 44. say of Christ thou hast a devil 5. Such is the power of ignorance prejudice or malice when men are possessed therewith that they will draw bad conclusions and put hard constructions upon best actions for upon Christs useful and true doctrine they think they do well to draw these bad conclusions Say we not well intimating they had a custome of it before that thou art a Samaritan c. since thou speakest so Ver. 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 51. Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death In these verses we have Christs answer to this blasphemous calumnie And 1. He declareth that he had no devil but was honouring his Father in what he did and said and therefore it was their great sinne thus to reproach him ver 49. 2 Lost they should think he took to is ill as an indignity done to him he declareth that he was no selfe-seeker nor hunter after vain-glory nor needed he avenge himselfe on them since the Father will honour him and take course with them who rub upon his glory ver 50. 3. To shew what his true glory is and what their losse is who despise his Word he sheweth what blessed effects shall follow upon observing of his doctrine ver 51. From ver 49 Learn Bitterest calumnies should be answered meekly by Christs servants And however men fâ—ile in duty to them yet they should still cleave to duty Therefore doth Christ meekly deny the calumny I have not a devil and refutes it with reason 2. As it is the duty of all Gods people to seek the honour of God as their chiefe end so Christ did eminently honour his Father both in his doctrine and obedience for so saith he I honour my Father See Joh. 17.4 3. They who sincerely seek Gods honour do prove that they are not guided and acted by Satan whatever the world think or say of them for so doth Christ prove his point I have not a devil but I honour my Father 4. Mens innocent lives and carriage is the best mean to refute unjust calumnies and reproaches for so doth Christ refute their blasphemy by his honouring of God in his carriage 5. It is a commendable zeal for God honour when his faithfull servants will not suffer wicked men who carry the devils stamp and image to father themselves on God as his beloved and dear people for in this particularly did he honour his Father here in telling them plainly what they were 6. As mens honouring of God will not stop the mouths of malicious slanderers So their sinne is very great who reproach them who do honour God And particularly this holds true of Christ who cannot be dishonoured but it rubs upon the Father also Therefore saith he by way of sad chalenge I honour my Father and ye do dishonour me See Joh. 5.22 23. From ver 50. Learn 1. Such as unfeignedly seek Gods honour will not hunt after vain-glory nor seek their own glory save in so far as Gods honour is stricken at by the reproaches cast on them Therefore doth Christ subjoyn I seek not mine own glory 2. Such as unfeignedly seek Gods glory need not be anxious about the reproaches they meet with seeing God undertakes to see to that Therefore also lest they should think the want of honour from them grieved him he saith I seek not mine own honour there is one that seeketh and judgeth 3. As Christ did honour the Father in going about the works of his calling so the Father did undertake and hath now honoured him and will avenge all the blasphemies and reproaches that wicked men belch out against him for saith he there is one that seeketh and judgeth From ver 51. Learn 1. Christ is never so angry with his foes as to forget his friends Yea he delights to conveigh his threatnings against enemies in promises to his children if so be they will consider their losse and yet take hold of his offer Therefore instead of threatning he makes a gracious promise and that not only for the confirmation of any weak ones who were then hearing but to try what such an offer might yet work upon these wicked men 2. Albeit most part of men make but little account of the matter of their salvation and these who have any thoughts about it are very averse from crediting Christs naked Word about the way to it Yet Christ would have it looked upon as a weighty businesse and would have it out of all contraversie that he will make good the Word which he speaks concerning it Therefore doth he premit his ordinary asseveration to this doctrine Verily verily I say unto you that he may teach them that it is no light or trivial matter he is speaking of and that he may remove all hesitation concerning the truth of his Word 3. Such as would receive any benefit by Christs doctrine should not only hear it but lay it up in their heart and keep it in some measure of sincerity in their life for it is required that they keep my saying 4. Albeit such as cleave to Christ and make conscience of obedience to his Word may meet with very many troubles and may oft-times have very great fears about death and their eternal happinesse Yet they shall be secured from eternal death and all their other troubles and bodily death it selfe shall be swallowed up into victory for if a man keep my saying he shall never see death to wit eternal death and consequently shall get a good account of all the steps betwixt him and eternal happinesse Ver. 52. Then said the Jewes 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 selfe In these verses they repeat their blasphemy and think themselves confirmed in it and that they have him at a seen advantage in what he last spake For whereas he had said they should never see death who keep his sayings they think that many wayes absurd and reflecting upon himself For 1. Then certainly Abraham and the Prophets were nâ—ne of his disciples for they are all dead Nay 2. â—e behoved to be very arrogant who made himselfe greater then Abraham and the Prophets in that he ascribes a quickening vertue to his Word not only in respect of himself but his hearers also Whereas they not only kept not others alive but are dead themselves Doctrine 1. Wicked men will be as little taken with Christs promises as they are terrified with his
a fruit of his perfect knowledge seeing it is but mens darknesse and confutednesse that renders them unable to expresse truth to the capacity of mean ones So also it puts us in minde that it is our duty in observing these common things whereof Christ makes use in preaching to gather some spiritual instruction from them as his practice doth teach 2. Albeit the propounding of parables being joyned with the explications thereof did tend to make truth more plain yet on the other hand the naked propounding of parables without the explication did keep the matter dark and that in Gods righteous judgement upon malicious and wicked men to whom the means of salvation do no good at all Matth. 13.10 11 12 13. 3. This way of preaching did also tend to inculcate divine and necessary truths as being not only twice told once in the parable and againe in the exposition but use being made of such obvious things as might make the matter being once understood take deeper impression And herein Christs wisdome doth meet with an ordinary disease among men which is to receive but a slender impression of most materiall truths which therefore they do easily let slip Heb. 2.1 4. This way of preaching did also tend to beget and excite an appetite after divine truths while as the hearers are held in suspense in hearing the parable and excited to desire to know the explication as was the disciples frequent practice And indeed where there is much wealth of spiritual doctrine nothing is more difficult then to keep men in appetite after the Word and from leathing of it Lastly somewhat is here to be spoken of the whole structure and parts of this parable For albeiet it were very impertinent to explain here the properties of sheep and their herds and folds in themselves seeing that is not the doctrine intended here but another thing is pointed at under that representation And albeit it be only required in a parable that the matter propounded be purpose-like in it selfe having its own parts all suitable and agreeing to the fabrike of the parable and that some of the chiefe parts and the whole parable jointly considered have some analogy to the purpose intended to be spoken of under that parable So that to presse every particular part thereof to point out some spiritual purpose is but to wrest the parable and the scope of him that useth it Yea albeit Christ in the explication do chiefly insist upon that of the door and the true and false shepherd and do speak of the true shepherd chiefly with relation to himselfe Yet if we consider 1. That what is here explained is twice told that we may be excited to consider it again and again 2. That what is not expressely explained is yet touched in the by 3. That this parable is not like to many others wherein some purpose or thing is made use of for once the scope whereof tends to illustrate the present purpose but this for most part containe nothing but the very ordinary similitudes and borrowed expressions whereby the Scriptures point out spiritual things and truths and some of them are afterward repeated in this same Chapter as familiar and plain doctrine 4. That some things which are but hinted in the by in the exposition are more fully spoken to on the parable So that we are remitted to it for the further consideration thereof If I say we consider these things we may hold forth the structure and parts of this parable in these particulars which are so many instructions 1. Albeit the Lord might justly have rejected all Adams posterity upon the breach of the Covenant of works Yet it pleaseth him from among these lost ones to select unto himselfe some to be vessels of mercy for here he hath sheep whereby as is after cleared are understood his elect and converted children who are differenced from reprobate goats as will be made visible at the last day As for the reason of the name and the resemblances betwixt them and sheep sundry may be brought from their harmelesse simplicity their cleanlinesse and profitablenesse their readinesse to wander their tractablenesse c. But these may suffice us which are recorded afterward in the parable 2. Among other favours conferred upon Christs people he hath in particular appointed for them the priviledge of a Church society wherein the elect are converted and the converted live under his care and blessing in the use of his Ordinances till they be fitted for glory for the sheep have a sheepfold which is expounded to be the Church as may be gathered from verse 16. It is but a needlesse alegorizing to gather from hence the outward basenesse of the Church in this world seeing the scope is only to shew that their Church society is as suitable to them as a sheepfold is to sheep and that however reprobates may be within the visible Church yet the good of the priviledges thereof do redound only to the elect 3. Albeit Christs sheep are bound to watch over themselves Yet are they not altogether left to their own care of themselves but he hath provided pastors for their better provision and security for there is the shepherd of the sheep Christ himselfe and his sent servants Whereby is intimate that they can no more safely want pastours then a weak flock can want a shepherd 4. As God hath provided lawful Ministers for the good of his people so others are ready to obtrude themselves upon them under that name who have no such warrand for as there is the shepherd so there are theeves and robbers who yet will seek the sheep to follow them and hear their voyce as if they were true shepherds as is imported verse 5. 5. It is one clear evidence of a false shepherd that he doth not enter in a right way or by the right doore but taketh some sinistruous course of his own for so much may be gathered from this that he entreth not by the doore but climeth up some other way of which more in the explication And on the contrary the lawful shepherd entreth in by the doore and to him the porter openeth that is without straining what Christ hath not explained he is admitted as a known man and enters with Gods approbation and in his way as a porter openeth to him whom the Master of the house alloweth to be let in 6. Such as do unwarrantably thrust themselves into the Ministry are sent and do come for little good but much hurt to the flock let them pretend to what they will for the same is a thiefe and a robber of which also afterward 7. As faithful pastours have Gods approbation in their entry so they do acquit themselves faithfully in discharge of their trust so is here held out in several particulars His calling his sheep by name imports his particular inspection and care of every one of the Lords flock and his acquaintance with them and their conditions which though it be eminently
King desires a clear confession thereof and Christ giveth him that good confession mentioned 1 Tim 6.13 Adding 1. That he came into the world to bear witnesse unto the truth where without distinguishing curiously betwixt his being born as being spoken in relation to his person or humane nature subsisting in it and his coming into the world in relation to his office seeing both may be looked on as one and the same we may look upon this either generally that his office at this time was in part to preach truth and avow it and to prove himselfe a King by making it successeful and to confirme it by his suffering Oâ— more particularly that he came into the world to beat witnesse to this truth that he was a King and so to publish that decree Psal 2.6 7. and avow it to the death 2. He addeth that every one that is of the truth heareth his voyce whereby he prevents an objection that might be moved against the truth of his doctrine and witnesse as being so ill entertained and cleareth that however few do receive it either his doctrine in general or this in particular that he is a King Yet this doth not make void the truth thereof seeing all who are of the truth or borne of God and begotten by the Word of truth and who love the truth and do not delight in lyes will hear him and embrace his doctrine and testimony Doct. 1. Sufferers may expect they will have to do with politick and quick sighted men who will sift all their discourses and draw out their minde concerning these things wherein they think they may have most advantage of them for so doth Pilate upon Christs former discourse urge him to speak it out Art thou a King then Yet not so much as appears from the sequel in that he troubled him not for it because of any fear he had of his Kingdome as to try if he would adhere to such a ridiculous-like profession which in his judgement might expose him to mockery and contempt 2. Truth ought to be stoutly maintained and avowed when we are called to it how absurd so ever it seem to be in it selfe and how unpleasant so ever it seem to be unto men for so doth Christ here answer Thou sayest that I am a King or it is so as thou sayest and thou tightly gatherest it from my words A stout confession as to the matter of it and yet modest as to the manner in that he doth it not vauntingly but simply thou sayest it and after cleareth that he did it out of conscience and duty to shew that courage and modesty must go together in owning of truth 3. Christ is indeed King of his Church And where he gathereth his Church there he sets up his Kingdome wherein his laws are to be obeyed and acknowledged by his subjects and which he will protect and defend in despite of all his enemies for this truth is clearly held out here for the Churches comfort thou sayest that I am a King 4. By persecution the Lord giveth occasion to his servants to publish truth and make it known to the greatest of men who possibly otherwise would never hear so much of it as is then spoken in their own audience for by Christs suffering Pilate cometh to hear his doctrine and that concerning his Kingdome And beside this also their very sufferings invite men to enquire after their doctrine for which they suffer which probably otherwise they had not taken notice of Phil. 1.12 13. 5. Every man is sent into the world and employed by God for some end and service which they should much minde and labour to be faithful in their employment and trust upon all hazards Therefore doth Christ as man and Mediatour look to the end for which he was born and the cause for which he came into the world which being to bear witnesse unto the truth therefore he will here avow it on all hazards even before Pilate 6. As it is the eminent imployment put upon all professours of Religion that they bear witnesse to the truth or give a testimony to the worth thereof Partly by their open avowing of it and suffering for it when they are called to it in times of hazard and partly in their ordinary carriage by publishing truth in their stations by subjecting their walking thoughts and reasonings to it and by magnifying the truth thereof in opposition to their tentations and discouragements which when men neglect they will never prove stout in suffering for it And particularly they are bound to bear witnesse unto the Kingdome of Christ So Christ himselfe is the great Captain of these witnesses He is the great preacher of truth whose powerful Scepter as a King is the Word of truth who stands for the maintenance of truth and particularly this truth that he is a King over his own Church to order the affairs thereof and who did seal this and the whole truths of God by his blood for he declareth this to be one of his great ends and works in the world to bear witnesse unto the truth as a pattern to all others in their stations and an encouragement to all who follow his pattern that they have such a Champion of truth who yet doth maintain it though he come no more into the world in person nor suffer any more 7. Albeit the most part of the world do little regard Christs doctrine yet it is the very truth and all the lovers and friends of truth will own it and who so do otherwise they bewray their own estrangement from truth and are indeed delighters in lyes for every one that is of the truth heareth my voyce Verse 38. Pilate saith unto him What is truth And when he had said this he went out again unto the Jewes and saith unto them I finde in him no fault at all In the last branch of this part of the chapter is recorded Pilates carriage and dealing with Christs accusers after his examination of him and that in two particulars The first whereof is that Pilate abruptly breaking off the Conference with Christ disdainfully enquiring what truth is he goeth forth to the Jews and absolveth Christ declaring that he judged him innocent Whence learn 1. Christ and his followers may seem oft-times great fooles in their sufferings as suffering for things of no moment in the esteem of men who as the Lord oft-times draweth the controversie for which the godly suffer to a very small haire and point of truth so they account it great folly for men to suffer for any divine truth for so much doth Pilates question What is truth import He propounds it not so much for satisfaction seeing he went out not waiting for an answer as testifying that he looked on truth and particularly that which Christ now avowed as a very trivial thing for him to hazard so much upon 2. Mens own wit and knowledge is so great an idol to them that they can hardly endure to
that certain of them which were with the disciples went to the sepulchre not that they were sent by common consent but they went of their own accord 4. Such as do slide in an houre of tentation ought not to lie still but recover themselves by repentance Jer. 8.4 5. and being recovered they ought to return to the society of the Lords people to keep communion with them and to run one hazard with them therefore we finde Simon Peter who had repented before returned unto the disciples again 5. As back-sliders should be encouraged to return considering that they have the Churches affection ready to receive them again and confirme their love toward them 2 Cor. 2.8 as here Simon Peter is admitted amongst them so the more any have tasted themselves of the love of Christ they will be the more ready with tendernesse to welcome back-sliders and such as do come in Therefore it is specially marked that Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved were together and afterward they keep together A man so qualified as John was a fit man to receive and welcome a penitent Peter And thus also Barnabas the Son of consolation did entertain Paul Act. 9.26 27 28. and 11.25 26. And thus will these who are indeed spiritual deal with such as have fallen Gal. 6.1 6. Unbelief though joyned with affection may mistake Gods dealing so far as not only to look upon real mercies as trials but to point out supposed trials in the blackest colours enough to discourage a whole meeting of disciples and as sadder then their real afflictions yea the more affection there be unbelief may abuse it to render their apprehensions yet sadder for affectionate Mary represents this great mercy of Christs Resurrection as sadder then the death and burial of Christ for then though he was dead and buried yet she knew where to finde him to tender her respects to his dead body but now saith she They either some friends out of their respects or his foes or some others See v. 15. have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre and we I nor any of the women who were with me know not where they have laid him 7. It is sad to affectionate soules when Christ is away from them but much sadder when they know not where to seek or finde him and this doth usually follow on the other for both these concurred in Maries trial in this particular way of finding Christ here They have taken away the Lord c. and we know not where they have laid him And this also is the lot of deserted soules Job 23.3 8 9. Cant. 3.1 2 3. and 5.6 8. which may teach them who enjoy Christ to entertain him well lest they not only want him but involve themselves in a perplexed labyrinth And may point out their tolerable condition unto them who though they want yet they know what to do and how to come speed 8. Such is the power of unbelief and tentation that even real encouragements will beget and feed discouragement and fear for the empty grave which should have comforted her occasions all this mistake and sorrow They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre 9 Unbelief also is so powerful and Gods wonderful actings do oft-times so overcome our weak faith that even an Angel from heaven will not prevail to perswade us of them till the Lord come for albeit as hath been cleared Angels had told her and the rest of Christs Resurrection yet she insists on this as her real thought of the businesse They have taken away the Lord c. A lie is far more easily beleeved then truth in an houre of tentation and she credits her own heart and sense better then an Angels testistimony 10. Whoever look upon Gods dealing and the passages they meet with without the Word they will readily mistake and feed their own tentations for whereas the Angels had remitted them to Christs doctrine to clear this passage Luke 24.6 7. the looks only to the empty grave and judgeth according to her sense They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre 11. In all this regrate she calls him the Lord a title proper to him in a peculiar sense and which she uttered in another sense here then when she gave that title to him when she supposed him to be the Gardiner v. 15. It doth not only point out her great respect to him when dead and gone as she supposed and that indeed he was the Lord still even when dead as she supposeth him now to be But further this title as it is proper to him in a peculiar sense and she intends it so doth contain a refutation of all her mistakes for his being the Lord and that even when dead in her account doth evince that he was not to be detained a prisoner by death but was now risen the time prefixed by him for his continuance in the grave being expired And so it may teach 1. Even in the greatest fits of Saints unbelief a right discerner may yet reade some faith as may be gathered to be in Mary from this compellation So in the Churches complaint Isa 49.14 my Lord is not only the language of affection regrating that such a one had forgotten her but the language of faith also cleaving to an interest in him though she discern it not being over-powred with sense which saith he had forgotten her 2. What Saints do sometime beleeve in the midst of their tentations if it were enlarged as it ought would refute all their unbelief for as her acknowledging him the Lord doth refute her present diffidence and mistake so when Saints beleeve an interest in God and that he is theirs when yet they are plunged in perplexities about many particulars His being their God is sufficient to give them comfortable ground of hope in all these Verse 3. Peter therefore went forth and that other disciple and came to the sepulchre 4. So they ran both together and the other disciple did out-run Peter and came first to the sepulchre The second particular in this Narration is the use which Peter and John make of this information and that they went to the sepulchre to see Which being generally propounded v 3. is more particularly spoken of v. 4. that they both ran toward the sepulchre and that John being more young and vigorous then Peter did out-strip him in running Whence learn 1. When Saints finde any intimation that Christ is a missing they should take with the alarme and it is their duty to be stir themselves to seek a good account of that dispensation for albeit there was much unbelief here yet it was commendable that when they heard the newes they went forth and came to the sepulchre to see what newes they could get 2. Such as have fresh sense of their own frailty and of Christs love will be most active to enquire after an absent and missed Christ for it is Peter new recovered and that
histories record he went to Asia the lesser where he did propagate the Kingdome of Christ not onely by preaching unto them but by writing at the direction of the Holy Ghost to the edification of the whole Church as appeareth by his Epistles the Revelation and this Gospel whereof he declareth he was the Penman John 21.20 24. His scope in this Narration of the History of Christ is to prove that Christ-man is also the very Son of God and to clear up the way of salvation through faith in his Name as he declareth Chap. 20. 31. And more particularly the time and occasion of his writing of it as is recorded in Ecclesiastical history was That during the time of his exile in Pathmos where he wrote the Revelation the Churches in Asia were infested with many seducers publishing their pernicious errors as may be gathered also from his Epistles to the seven Churches there Rev. 2. and 3. and namely with Ebion and Cerinthus who denied the divinity of Christ Therefore after his return and so long after all the rest of the Apostles were dead he is set on work by Christ to write this Gospel and adde this witnesse to the other three to make up a most perfect narration for the use of the Church in all ages Wherin he doth in a very sublime way describe and assert the person natures and offices of Jesus Christ against all the errors of that time or which might afterward trouble the Church and as the beloved Disciple that had lien in his Masters bosome he soareth very high in speaking of the great mystery of godlinesse In his narration he doth not insist to repeat what had been sufficiently recorded by the other Evangelists but pitcheth chiefly upon some noted and special actions of Christ adding thereto divers of his excellent Sermons upon the chief points of Christian Religion together with his solemn Prayer before his passion which in the Lords holy and wise providence had been reserved for such a time and such a Penman and wherein the deepest mysteries of saith and the rich treasures of the godlies comfort are clearly and satisfactorily pointed out The parts of this History are 1. A descrition of Christ to ver 37. of Chap. 1. 2. A narration of the execution of his offices in his doctrine and actions during the time of his life and ministry to Chap. 18. 3. The history of his death and sufferings Chap 18. and 19. 4. The history of his resurrection with some passages confirming the same Chap. 20. 21. CHAP. I. IN this Chapter first John describeth Christ the subject of the Gospel pointing out his divinity and his manifestation of himself to the world before and by his incarnation to v. 15. Next he confirmeth this doctrine from sundry testimonies of John the Baptist concerning Christ to v 37. Lastly He relateth the calling of five disciples to the end of the Chapter Verse 1. IN the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God In the first part of the Chapter John asserteth the divinity of christ v. 1 2. and confirmeth his assertion and proveth his subsistence and manifestation of himself to the world before his incarnation v. 3 4 5. Then to make way for the doctrine of his manifestation in the flesh he begins with the sending of John the Baptist his forerunner v. 6.7 By occasion of whom he describeth yet more of Christ his excellency and dignity in his manifestations and offices to v. 14. And in the last place he describeth his incarnation and proveth that he became God and man in one person ver 14. In this verse the Godhead of Christ is asserted and confirmed from his eternity from his coexistence and society with the Father and by expreâ—s assertion declaring him to be true God one in essence with the Father and the holy Ghost Doctr. 1. Christ is called the Word both here and ver 14. and 1 John 1.1 and 5.7 Rev. 19.13 and elsewhere not only because he is the chief subject of the written Word or Scripture being the promise made and often repeated in the Old Testament He in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen the substance and truth of all the Law-types and shadowes the end of the Law and kernel of the Gospel But further because as a word is a mean of revealing a mans mind to others so Christ hath revealed the Father in his own person being the brightnsse of his glory and the expresse image of his person Heb. 1.3 so that God is to be taken up and is savingly known onely as he hath revealed himself in Christ And in his office as he is the wisdome of the Father Prov. 8.12 22 23. and knoweth all the Fathers secrets so he is the Word of the Father as declaring him his minde and will to the Church in all ages Matth. 11.27 John 1 18. 2. As Christ in his person natures and offices is the great Theame of the Gospel and ought to be the matter of our studie so particularly it is needful that beleevers do know and take him up as God Not onely that they may avoid errours concerning his person but That they may see how little need he had of the son of men whom yet he came to seek and save for their own good not to receive from them but to give unto them That their faith may be led through the vaile of his flesh to this rock of his God head where it will get sure sooting in his essence and attributes against all assaults That the ignominy of his Crosse may not obscure his glory but they may have high and honourable thoughts of their humbled Lord in his lowest estate That they may see the infinite worth that is in his sufferings to satisfie justice and to expiate sin considering the dignity of his person And That this may teach them rightly to receive his doctrine and not to be ashamed of his truth and the profession of his Name or to suffer for him who is so excellent a Lord for these among other reasons doth John begin this Gospel with so sublime a description of the Godhead of Christ 3 The Godhead of Christ doth appear in his being eternal and that he had his proper and perfect subsistence not onely before his incarnation but before the first point of time wherein God began to create all things for In the beginning was the Word He doth not say as Moses Gen. 1.1 whom he imitates in this beginning of his Gospel In the beginning God created the Word but in the beginning when all things created got a begining the Word was and did actually subsist He thus describeth his eternity that he was in the begining because there is nothing before the first period of times beginning but eternity and because our shallow conceptions can follow eternity no farther but onely over the border of time 4. Christ as God is a person distinct from the Father yet undivided
taught in that the Word was made or became flesh that is being God from all eternity and remaining so still he became also man in respect of the unity of the person and yet the Word and flesh remain distinct still in their own natures and properties though the properties of either nature be ascribed to the whole person with relation to that nature to which they do belong and both concurre in the operations required in execution of the office of Mediator And by reason of this union he is a fit Mediator betwixt God and man his sufferings are of infinite worth being the sufferings of one who is God Act. 20.28 And is able not onely to suffer but to carry through the work to apply his own purchase and repair all our losses 6. As the ingratitude of the world did not hinder the Son of God to come into the world and to take on our nature so it pleased him in our nature to live in the world for a space That so he might prove the truth of his humanity to these who conversed with him That he might sanctifie the earth by his residence upon it as a place of his peoples pilgrimage that he might in his owne person who was greater then Moses abrogate the ceremonies of Moses and That he might perfect the work of mans redemption appointed to him of the Father Wherein his great love appeared that no provocation no contradiction of sinners did prevaile with him to leave the earth till he had perfected his work for the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us saith John in name of all the Apostles 7. The Son of God his incarnation and dwelling in our nature is the substance of the type of the ancient Tabernacle in the Church of Israel His humane nature and flesh is that true Tabernacle wherein he dwelt Heb. 8.2 and 9.11 The glory of his Godhead did fill this Tabernacle and shine forth in view of his disciples as after followeth as the glory of the Lord filled that Tabernacle Exod 40.34 35. And the Son of God thus incarnate is the trysting place wherein sinners may draw neer unto and meet with God as of old they sought him in the Tabernacle Therefore it is said in the Original He or the Word dwelt as in a tent or Tabernacle among us 8. Christ our Lord during his abode in the world was content to submit to a meane and pilgrims life That through his poverty many might become rich That he might sanctifie a poor condition of life to his followers and That he might assure us of his being a fellow-feeling High-Priest having been in his own person partaker of our miseries for so much also is imported in that he dwelt as in a tent or Tabernacle which is the habitation of pilgrims among us And to this also doth the type of the ancient Tabernacle agree which was ambulatory and fitted to their wandring condition Though Christ also be the substance of the type of the fixed Temple John 2.21 9. Christ also came into the world and dwelt in it to undertake a warfare and did undertake Devils men death and all that had any thing to say against his people and did overcome them that so his people might have to do with vanquished enemies and might go to him in need as to one who had experience of hard conflicts and exercise in his own person for so much further doth his dwelling as in a tent which is a military habitation import 10. Christ in his abasement and sufferings did not cease to be the same glorious and excellent Lord still and this his glorious excellency and Godhead did shine through the veile of his flesh and in his low condition and was seene by all them who got anointed eyes and seriously considered it for saith John in name of the Apostles and believers we saw or did contemplate and seriously view till we discerned his glory His starres appearing while he was lying in a manger the Angels proclaiming his birth to the shepheards his disputing with the Doctors when he was young the glorious appearances at his Baptisme and transfiguration yea the whole course of his doctrine miracles and sufferings ascension and pouring out of the Holy Ghost afterward did abundantly evince this And by this we are taught not to judge of him nor of his members according to outward appearance 11. Christ as God comes of the Father by way of inexpressible generation proper to himself onely as being an eternal generation by communication of the same essence and properties And a generation wherein the Father is not before the Son but both alike eternal And this his glory did shine forth in his lowest condition for his glory was the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father that is such glory as was sutable and becoming Gods onely begotten Son for as here is not a note of similitude or likenesse as when we say of a beggar he goeth as or like a King but a note of sutablenesse as when we say of a King he goeth as or as becometh a King And by this Christ is commended to his people as he who should be onely and chief in their hearts 12. Albeit Christ conversed in the world in a poor and meane condition yet his furniture for the worlds behoof was rich And particularly there was in him grace or the free favour of God as a remedy for that wrath which the Law revealeth because of sin and the gifts of grace to cure and remove sin In him did the fulnesse of the Godhead dwell bodily and on him as man was the spirit poured forth above measure and he had fulnesse of this grace to supply all his peoples wants to make up the greatnesse of their misery and to overcome even their abuse of grace for he dwelt among us full of grace as the construction in the Original conjoyneth them 13. Christ also came into the world fraught with truth and fulnesse of truth being as God truth it self and as man full of truth by vertue of the personal union having treasures of knowledge for all our ignorance and errours the truth of all the shadows of the Law and what was foretold of him by word or signes being found in him and all that is in him and said of him being true and solid and such as will not disappoint us whereas other things without him prove but shadows for he dwelt among us full of truth Ver. 15. John bare witnesse of him and cried saying This was he of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me IN the second part of the Chapter John confirmeth this his doctrine concerning Christ from four testimonies of John the Baptist given after the Baptisme of Christ ver 37. The first from this ver to ver 14. The second from ver 19. to ver 29. The third from ver 29. to ver 35. The fourth ver 35 36. In the first testimony
him to undertake it unlesse he had an extraordinary calling or were the Messiah and if so he were they desire a proof of his Commission by some signe Christ in answering remits them but in dark termes to his death which he foresaw and would permit them to put him to and to his Resurrection to prove that he was the true Messiah and Saviour of sinners Doct. 1. A work of Reformation of Gods house will never want opposition from corrupt men even when Christ and his terrour is eminently seen in it for Christ met with opposition thus far that we should not stumble when we meet with more 2 Obstinate wicked men and especially polluters of the House of God will hardly be reformed however they be convinced for these Jewes answer again or except against what he did now when terrour had driven them out and they had nothing to say 3. Whatever pretences men may have wherewith they think to palliate their corruptions in Gods service and make them plausible yet when Christ cometh he will make their greatest Patrons speechless in that cause for they are put to the door with silence and when they would carp most they dare say nothing in defence of the corruptions themselves only they question his authority to purge them out 4. When mens hearts are once hardened in ill courses even a shake with the terrour of God will not gaine them but so soon as the fit is over they will not fear impudently to speak against Christ for so do they when he draweth back his terrour 5. When enemies of Reformation cannot justifie their own faults they will rather quarrel the calling of Reformers then yield to the convincing truth held out by them for their question importeth their questioning of his calling to do this since he had given no signe for it 6. Enemies of Reformation and unbelievers are not content with warrants from the Word nor with such confirmations as God prescribeth unlesse they get signes of their own carving for it was not their fault simply to sâ—ek a signe seeing Christ was to confirme his authority and doctrine by signes but that beside that they had no intention to believe however they were nothing at all wrought upon by the Word fore â—â—ing this noâ— are they content and convinced by he signe Christ had given now wrought upon themselves in that one man had chased them all being overcome wiâ—h the conscience of the filthinesse of their fact and the sense of his Majesty 7. No man ought to undertake a work of Reformation but he who hath a calling thereto and can instruct it by evidences sutable to the nature of the calling he claimeth to for this Question doth import that if Christ could not prove his â—uthority he had done unwarrantably though the action were good in it self 8. Chtist did foreknow all his own sufferings and would not hinder but willingly permitted them to come on and underwent them for Destroy this Temple is not a command of Christ but a Prediction foretelling their malice and a permission to them to do their uttermost 9. The malice of superstitious and greedy enemies of Truth and Reformation will be satisfied with no lesse then the lives of Reformers and as God permitted Christ to be killed so he may permit the lives of notable Reformers to be taken by enemies that so they may be made conforme to their head and that their sufferings may be a seale and testimony to their doctrine for Destroy this Temple doth import that he knew no signes would satisfie them but to have him killed hereby also teaching all his followers what to expect in doing the like work 10. Christ foreknew that he would not succumbe in his sufferings but would overcome death and all the malice of his enemies by giving them their will and then rising again the third day by his own power as it accordingly came to passe for saith he Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up 11. Christs Death and Resurrection from the deal is an infallible signe that he is the Messiah and true Redeemer of sinners having authority to order abuses in his own house for herein he did the works of the Redeemer of sinners and triumphed over death and proved himself to be God Rom. 1.4 therefore doth he remit them to this signe to prove his authority Verse 20. Then said the Jewes Fourty and six years was this Temple in building and wilt thou reare it up in three dayes 21. But he spake of the Temple of his body These Jewes mistaking Christs speech do again carp supposing he had meant of the material Temple But John cleareth Christs meaning whereas they as would appear were lest to their mistakes Whence learn It is Gods judgement on haters of truth that Christ speaketh in parables to them and that they are given up to mistake and carp at him and are left in their mistakes for so fared it with these Jewes to whom Christ spake of his body under the name of the Temple 2 As it is no new thing to see men wrest Christs speeches so a maine cause of mens mistakes in Religion is when they understand figurative speeches as if they were proper for the Jews erre in taking what Christ spake of his body under the name of the Temple the type thereof as if it had been spoken of the type it selfe 3. A work of Reformation is a work of great difficulty and may encounter with much opposition and many delays before it be perfected for so much doth the Jewes exception against Christs words taken in their own sense import Fourtie and six years was the Temple in building reckoning all the time betwixt Cyrus edict of their laying the foundation and the sixth yeare of Darius wherein it was finished after many delayes Ezr. 6.15 Or however their supputation hold yet it was certainly long in building 4. Men do mistake Christ take his words as they will when they measure his power by their carnal reason for take them even in their own sense it was not impossible for him to reare up the Temple in three dayes since he was God and did undertake a greater work even to raise up his own body from the dead 5. Scripture doth expound it self and what is dark in one place is cleared in another for John doth here clear Christs meaning He spake of the Temple of his body 6. Christs body is the truth of that type of the Temple for as God did declare the Temple to be his dwelling place so in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily As the Temple was the trysting place whese sinners found God in the Mercy-seat and where he gave out his Oracles so in Christ incarnate God is to be found reconciled with sinners and he is to be heard revealing the Father and his minde And as the Temple was a magnificent stately Palace yet more glorious within then in outward shew so also was Christs
the certainty of his doctrine it being perfectly known as by eye-sight This way of certainty by seeing is attributed to Christ v. 32. as proper to him who was in the bosome of the Father and taking it thus strictly while Christ saith we have seen it may be understood of the whole Trinity bearing witnesse with him John 8.16 29. 1 John 5 7. But taking this seeing more largely the expression seemeth rather to take in John the Baptist who was the present publick witnesse with Christ at that time and who as others Prophets and Apostles had the certainty of what he preached in his own measure from Christs illumination and did indeed preach what was most certain and what Christ revealed out of the bosome of the Father though few did believe and embrace either Christs testimony or his Doct. 1. Where Christ hath men to reprove for ignorance there will be also unbelief found that is blame-worthy for not only cannot ignorant men believe but in many things men are bound to embrace truth by faith though they cannot comprehend them by natural reason and so unbelief is the cause of not closing with these high mysteries therefore doth Christ challenge Nicodemus for not receiving the witnesse or not embracing this truth by faith resting on the Authority of God the Revealer 2. Ill Scholars that come to Christ may be led back to see more of their misery common to them with others that so they may not rest on any thing they think peculiar in themselves but be stirred up effectually to studie to profit therefore doth Christ shew Nicodemus that he was lying yet in the common sin of others Ye receive not c. 3. Whatever mistakes men have about spiritual truthes yet they are infallibly certain in themselves and infallibly known to Christ who revealed them out of the bosome of the Father as the sure ground of our faith and that he cannot mislead such as he teacheth therefore doth Christ so gravely assert and inculcate this principle Verily verily I say unto thee we speak that we know and testifie that we have seen The latter word explains the former that he is as certain of it as of a thing seen though not with bodily eyes 4. Such is Christs condescendence as to take in sinful men with him in the same yoke of bearing witnesse to the truth and of partaking in their measure in the same honour with him the chief Shepherd and of holding out the same infallible truth with him from the Word though their perswasion and certainty of it be from his gift and inferiour to his therefore saith he we speak c. John being a conjunct witnesse speaking the same sure truth and knowing it certainly in his measure though Christ knew it in an higher way both as God of himself and as man by vertue of the personal union 5. As it is no strange thing to see men however they may hear yet not liking embracing nor believing most certain and saving truths even when spoken by Christ himself so the certainty of divine doctrine will aggâ—eage the sin of unbelief for saith he we speak that we do know c. and ye receive not our witnesse His doctrine is called a testifying and witnesse as being both certain in it self such as solemn depositions of faithful men are and a standing testimony against them who beleeve it not Verse 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye beleeve not how shall ye beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things The second ground upon which Christ reproveth and aggreageth his unbelief is the plainnesse of his doctrine Christ had spoken of heavenly things in a plain way under a similitude taken from earthly things as v 8. and if he did not comprehend and believe them so what would he do if they had been spoken of as heavenly things in a stile suitable to their own nature Doct. 1. It is the will of Christ that teachers of souls do not affect high and lofty stiles and quaintness of expression but that in doctrine they descend as low as may be and accommodate themselves to the capacity of people for herein Christ commends his own love in drawing the copie I have told you earthly things 2. Even spiritual things when they are spoken of under earthly similitudes are but earthly things in comparison of what they would be being spoken of in their own language and termes therefore he calleth them being so expressed earthly things in comparison of heavenly things expressed in a suitable stile There is an eminencie in these things above what any similitude can expresse and when we come to know as we are known we will finde it so 3. When all is done that can be to bring down spiritual things to a peoples capacity yet there is no power in men of themselves to understand or close with them for Christ found it so I have told you earthly things and ye believe not and Ministers need not think it strange if their doctrine be no better entertained then Christs was 4. The plainnesse of doctrine doth aggreage the sin of ignorance and unbelief and make it more inexcusable for it is a challenge I have told you earthly things and ye beleeve not c. 5. Such as are rightly convinced of their dulness in taking up spiritual things when plainly expressed will much more see their inability to take up these things in their own nature and however this will stand as a witnesse how far men are from knowledge or closing with spiritual things for so doth Christ hold out If I have told you earthly things and ye beleeve not how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things Verse 13. And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Sonne of man which is in heaven If we understand these words properly of ascending to heaven and enjoying eternal felicity it doth indeed hold good that onely Christ entereth there by his own vertue and all others onely through and by him and so the scope of this verse will be the same with verse 14 15. of which in its owne place But the dependance on the former purpose and the expression of this in the by-past time whereas Christ was not yet ascended in his humane nature leads us rather to understand this ascending to heaven figuratively of comprehending heavenly mysteries and entering on Gods Councel concerning the way of salvation as it seemeth to be understood Rom. 10.6 8. with Deut. 30.11 12 14. And so the meaning is that no man of himselfe can know or take up these things that being Christs prerogative who manifested himselfe from the bosome of the Father in our nature and yet as God is still in heaven and thus Christ having reproved Nicodemus for his ignorance doth yet shew the remedy thereof in himselfe Whence Learn 1. Christs sharp Word is not his last Word to his own but when he hath chalenged most sharply
the flesh though indeed they be subject to errour Nor yet that their calling and authority to preach it is from the earth or men for in both these respects Johns Baptisme and Ministry was from heaven But 1. In respect of mens natural condition they favour and can speak onely of things of the earth and what they can do beside that is by gift 2. Those who are enabled and endowed with authority to speak the things of God Yea suppose they be regenerate also yet their renovation and gifts are so imperfect that their way of preaching favoureth of their original and putteth them farre beneath Christ and therefore the best have need of touched lips dayly Isa 6.5 6 7. 3. Their authority in preaching is from Christ and as farre inferiour to his as the earth or the footstool from off which as the word signifieth they speak is to heaven or the throne from which he speaketh and thus the comparison seemeth to be instituted Heb. 12.25 Doctrine 10. It is our part to dwell much on the thoughts of the excellencie and sovereignty of Christ and to see it shining in every step of his dispensations toward us Therefore it is repeated he that cometh from heaven is above all partly to inculcate this point and partly to point him out as excellent in doctrine above man who speaketh of the earth which is further insisted on in the next verse For albeit he stooped to our weaknesse in speaking heavenly things under earthly similitudes verse 12. yet his way and authority even in that was altogether heavenly John 7.46 Verse 32. And what he hath seene and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony A fifth difference betwixt Christ and all men is taken from his knowledge and the manner of it All men of themselves do but speak and favour of the earth verse 31. and what they have above this is of free gift but Christ in this also is above all having the knowledge of that doctrine which he delivereth by seeing and hearing that is by a clear full certain and immediate comprehension of it as being in the bosome of the Father and upon all his counsel whereof mens being eye and eare witnesses of what they speak is but a shadow And yet for all this John regrateth that so few embrace his doctrine of which see verse 11. Whence learn 1. It is Christs prerogative to have the knowledge of divine truths of himself from the Father and to have all others who know any thing beholden to his bounty and illumination for his doctrine is what he hath seene and heard in a way peculiar to him 2. It sets out the bounty of Christ that he doth not keep up this knowledge but discovereth it that so sinners may have a sure guide and teacher and the solemne testimony of an eye and eare witnesse on which they may lean for what he hath seene and heard that he testifieth It is called a testifying both in respect of the certainty of the matter and in respect of Christs earnest perswading of men to embrace it as testifying seemeth to import Acts 18.5 3. Christs gracious condescendence in revealing the counsel of God concerning mans salvation gets but ill entertainment in the world the most part of men either not hearkning to him or not embracing his offer with respect affection or faith for no man that is very few or none in comparison of them who do otherwise though some there are verse 33. receiveth his testimony Let them hear it as they will yet they do not receive nor embrace it as becometh and therefore also it is called a testimony as witnessing against them that they receive not so certain a truth 4. It ought and will be matter of regrate to all the friends and servants of Christ that his doctrine is so ill received in the world for whereas Johns disciples complained verse 26. that all men came to Christ he seeth rather cause to complaine that no man receiveth his testimony Ver. 33. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true The receiving of the doctrine of the Gospel being the great businesse as to promoving of the salvation of sinners therefore John insisteth on it and aggreageth the sinne of unbeleevers from the great dignity which is put upon beleevers in that they are honoured by their faith solemnly to ratifie and beare witnesse unto the truth of God Whence learn 1. How many soever do reject Christ and his doctrine yet he will still prevaile with some for it is here imported that there are who receive his testimony 2. Whosoever do receive Christ and his doctrine will finde that they have to do with a true God who cannot lie nor will disappoint them for so is imported that God is true and will prove so to such 3. Faith embracing the doctrine of Christ doth also glorifie God by subscribing to the truth of his Word and doth so far as beleevers can ratifie the truth of the Word that others may embrace it and so the beleever is also honoured of God in that his testimony is taken in so great a matter for he that hath received his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true See Rom 4.20 Whereas on the contrary unbeleevers beside their own prejudice thereby do speak blasphemy against God 1 John 5.10 Verse 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him That receivers of Christs doctrine do seale the veracity of God is confirmed from this reason that he is the sent Angel of the Covenant and therefore speaketh the minde and truth of God This is again confirmed from another ground that Christ hath the Spirit without measure as for other ends of which in the next verse so also to reveale the Father and his minde infallibly and this also sets forth his excellencie above all others Whence learn 1. It is beleevers duty to study much and be perswaded that what is revealed in the Word is the minde of God and that it is his truth which is sealed by beleeving for so much doth this confirmation of the former assertion teach that they seale that God is true because what Christ propoundeth to be beleeved is his Word 2. As they who are sent of God ought to speak onely what they have in Commission so sending by God and speaking of Gods minde for inviting sinners to beleeve must go together for they are conjoyned even in Christ See Heb. 5.4 5. 3. Christ is a messenger sent of the Father in a way peculiar to himself not onely in his coming to the earth but in the exercise of a publick calling thereupon being the great Angel and Mediator of the Covenant and the chief Prophet of his Church for it is he whom God hath sent in a singular way 4. As Christs sending so also his speaking of the minde of God is in a way peculiar
are the most simple pure and perfect of creatures 10. The right way of worshipping of God is when men study to do that which is most agreeable to his nature which is most pleasing unto him And men who know him cannot but see that it is not carnal and outward performances that please him but that which is performed in inward sincerity and real substance for so much doth this second reason confirming the former teach God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Verse 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 By this discourse concerning the change of Religion the woman is brought to remember of the Messiah's coming for the full clearing of all doubts to whom as appeareth she remits the controversie and Christ doth assure her that he is the same person Whence learn 1. Some knowledge of the mysteries of Religion may be found among those who otherwise are very far ost whereby the Lord would condemne all those who being in a nearer relation do yet remain grossely ignorant and all those who content themselves with notional knowledge for this woman a Samaritane not only knew the Messiah was promised but was expecting him as near at hand in regard that things fore-prophecied before his coming were accomplished and especially that the Scepter was removed from Judah I know that the Messiah cometh saith she 2. It is the Will of God that the Scriptures and truths of God should be made plain to the capacity of all and that men should not please themselves with formes of words in the matter of knowledge but should be acquainted with the thing it self therefore is the name Messiah expounded which is called Christ not by the woman who understood that name well enough but by John for the use of all Readers that they might know what was signified by that name 3. Resolution in a controversie of Religion is only to be had and sought from Christ who is the infallible resolver of all who come to his light theâ—efore doth she remit the matter to him 4. As the Will of God concerning Religion and the way of salvation was not fully revealed till Christ came from the bosome of the Father so Christ came to be a teacher of his Church and hath fully revealed the counsel of God concerning his service and mans salvation so as there is no place for adding or diminishing so much is imported in her expectation VVhen he is come he will tell us all things to wit which relate to this subject in hand 5. Christ is not far off from any who have an high estimation of him and a desire after him how great soever the distance seem to be to themselves for to this woman so affected he is at hand I am he 6. It doth commend Christs great condescendence that he not only came into the world but was pleased to converse with the vilest of sinners to do them good for saith he I am he that speaketh unto thee a lewd woman and a scoffer 7. It commendeth also his great compassion towards needy sinners that his secret is with them and that he will reveal himself unto them when he lets others lie in darknesse for though upon wise grounds he forbade his disciples to make him known and would not himself answer many captious and tempting questions of the Jewes to this purpose yet he will not conceale himself from this Samaritane now convinced of her need of him 8. None can know or take up Christ though present with them and speaking to them unlesse he reveal himself therefore doth this woman need this declaration Verse 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 In the next branch of this part of the chapter is recorded First in these verses that the conference being broken up by the disciples returne who wondred at their Masters carriage and yet would not challenge it she proveth how she was affected with it by forgetting her own errand and going to invite those of the City to come to him wherein she had successe Whence learn 1. Poor sinners may meet with so sweet a time in Christs company that the company even of disciples would be an interruption to it for she had so sweet a time with Christ that the disciples coming puts an end to it They had been sent to buy meat v. 8. and now they returning the conference breaks up or at least shortly after 2. Providence doth wisely and graciously order dispensations towards his people so as they are not prejudged thereby but they tend to good therefore doth not the disciples come till she knew him to be the Messiah and till the breaking up of the conference tended to a greater good in sending her to bring in more 3. Christ will demit himself and stoop so low to a poor sinner as is marvellous to flesh and blood and there is more kindnesse meeknesse and humility in him alone then in all his followers for his disciples marvelled that he talked with the woman or that he should take notice of such a one and it seems he was upon the close of his discourse and had not yet ended when they came He is so compassionate as he needs no intercessors 4. It is no strange thing to see Christs followers soon forget themselves and being advanced by grace to become so proud as to despise others for they who were even now chosen out of the dust marvelled that he talked with the woman 5. Such reverence is due to Christ in his working as when we can see no reason for what he doth yet we are bound not to quarrel but to suppresse our own thoughts for so did they yet no man said VVhat seekest thou or VVhy talkest thou with her 6. When a soul hath tasted of Christ and his excellencie other things will be little regarded which before were in great esteem for so was it with this woman she came to draw water for her thirst and thought much of that water but now she forgot her errand and left her water-pot and went her way 7. True grace is communicative of it selfe and knowledge of Christ will make a person diligent to spread his name and particularly to these they have greatest interest in for she goeth to the City where she dwelt and saith to the men come c. 8. Such as are kindly inviters of others to Christ from any saving knowledge of him they will not be content
He told me all that ever I did 40. So when the Samaritanes were come unto him they besought him that he would tarry with them and he abode there two dayes 41. And many moe believed because of his own word 42. And said unto the woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world In the last branch of this part of the chapter John proceedeth to record the Conversion of more of the Samaritanes of Sychar and for that end he returnes to prosecute that Narration v. 29 30. setting down First the cause which drew at least many of them to go out which was their giving credit to the womans testimony v. 39. Next their request to Christ when they came to him and his granting thereof v. 40. Thirdly the effect of his doctrine among them which is the Conversion of many more who belike out of curiosity or otherwise had gone out with the rest v. 41. The effect of which Conversion is their declaration to the woman that their faith did not depend on her testimony but on the sure ground of his own instruction v. 42. which may also be safely understood of them who get some measure of faith by her information and were confirmed by his own doctrine but chiefly of these who were drawen out to see him though as yet they beleeved not from v 39. Learn 1. Very weak instruments may be very richly blessed when they employ themselves for Christ for this woman prevaileth not only to bring them out but many of the Samaritanes beleeved on him for the saying of the woman c. 2. When one can say but little of Christ yet if it be spoken from experience and feeling it may be more persuasive to invite men to beleeve then much more which is spoken from notional knowledge for such was this womans testimony of him which was so successeful He told me all that ever I did 3. As it is a commendation to be easily perswaded to beleeve so when a people are ripe a very weak mean through Gods blessing will draw them in for these Samaritanes are perswaded by lesse then many incorrigible Jewes had daily 4. As true faith may be wrought by degrees so Christ hath a great estimation even of the smallest beginnings of it therefore he giveth it the name of beleeving from v. 40. Learn 1. It is a good preparation where men are thus far prevailed with as to draw near where Christ is to be found and take a trial of him for the Samaritanes belike moe then believed came to him and this drew on moe 2. Christ being rightly taken up his company will be more desired and especially the weakest degree of faith will breath out desires after its own confirmation by enjoying more of him therefore they besought him that he would tarry with them 3. Christ is very tender and willing to grant the desires of these who long for his company Therefore albeit he had forbidden his disciples to go in the way of the Samaritans Matth. 10.5 and albeit the time of spreading his glory to the world was not yet come yet for a preludy of the calling of the Gentiles and our of respect to their need he abode there 4. As Christ measures the time of his sensible presence according to his own purpose and his childrens necessity so a very short while of his company is a great blessing Therefore he abode there two dayes only as being the Minister of circumcision and of the Jewes and yet that is marked as a mercie to them whereas many now think little that his Sun stands still in one Horizon From verse 41. Learn 1. Such as are not wrought upon by instruments are not yet desperate if Christ take them in hand for moe beleeved then would give credit to the woman 2. Christ being found speaking in and by his Word will have such clearnesse in discovering himself and such efficacie in perswading that it will prevaile with those that otherwise stand out for his own Word spoken by him prevailed with them 3. A short time in Christs company may do much good through his blessing for in two dayes many moe beleeved From verse 42. Learn 1. Albeit that instruments speaking may be a mean to draw people to hearken or give some assent to truth yet it is Christ himself who must work a perswasion and faith is never established till it get rooting on Christs speaking and sealing the Word by the Spirit and then any thing men can say cometh short of what they finde in him and they will undervalue mens authority when it comes in competition with his All this is imported in that they said unto the woman now we beleeve not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves c. where they do not despise her as an instrument but declare that their faith is bottomed on a surer ground then her word 2. The right knowledge of Christ in his person and offices and particularly that he is the Saviour of sinners offered to all Nations is a notable mean to draw souls to rest on him and embrace him for this doctrine Christ taught to convert them and this their faith rests upon We know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world and not of the Jewes onely Verse 43. Now after two dayes he departed thence and went into Galilee 44. For Jesus himself testifieth that a Prophet hath no honour in his owne countrey 45. Then when he was come into Galilee the Galileans received him having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast for they also went unto the feast Followeth in the third part of the Chapter Christs coming into Galilee with his entertainment and working of another miracle there This history being interrupted from verse 3. by the narration of what occurred by the way is now prosecuted And in these verses John relates his coming thither after his removal from Sychar verse 43. that expecting according to the common proverb no respect in his own City Nazareth therefore he went not thither or staid not there verse 44. but went to Cana as it is verse 46 and that as he travelled through Galilee toward Cana he was entertained and welcomed by them who had been at Jerusalem at the feast and had seene his miracles there verse 45. from verse 43. learn It is the duty of the Lords servants closely to follow their calling from him even though it should seeme they might do more good elsewhere Therefore notwithstanding his successe in Samaria yet after two dayes he departed thence and went into Galilee being a part of his charge as Minister of the circumcision From verse 44. Learn 1. Christ is a Prophet among and above others and whatever charge he lay on others to teach his people yet he remains still the chiefe Teacher himself for the proverb importeth that he was
judgment seat of Christ the godly rejoycing to go meet their bridegroome and the wicked forced to appear who could wish that hills and mountains would cover them for they shall hear his voice and shall come forth 11. In the day of the resurrection and general judgment there will be onely two sorts of persons good or evil and all the godly will be reckoned to have done good how small soever the degree of their goodnesse hath beene and how many faults soever they have had if their course and way hath aimed at good yea the evil deeds of such as sincerely close with Christ if it were but at their death shall be forgotten And on the other hand all the wicked shall be accounted evil-doers how many soever moral vertues they have had or albeit they have beene painted hypocrite and that because they have not made their peace through Jesus Christ for there shall be onely then they that have done good and they that have done evil 12. Albeit there may be many mistakes in this world and the godly may be misconstructed and slandered and the wicked and hypocrites may be cried up and seeme to be very good yet in the day of judgment mens wayes will appear in their true colours and their actions and wayes shall be clearly known to the Judge who will distinguish and rank them accordingly on his right and left hand for then it will be clear who have done good and who have done evil 13. According as men live in this world and die and go out of it accordingly will they be found in the resurrection and judgment without any change for in that day men are reckoned according as they have done good or evil to wit in this life 14. Albeit Christ will not reward men for their good works as he punisheth them for their wickednesse in the generall judgment Yet he will proceed in that day according as their works shall evidence their state that they have been beleevers in Christ or living in the bond of iniquity to punish them for the one and to reward them of free grace according to the other Therefore will it be taken notice of in that day who have done good and who have done evil See Matthew 25.34 45. 15. Albeit the Lord see it fit for wise reasons to let common lots befall the wicked and the godly within time and albeit the wicked may prosper in the world when the godly holding fast their integrity are in deep distresse Yet in the resurrection and general judgment God will give a full and final recompence to men according to their wayes for the Godly shall be raised up and brought to judgment that they may be entered into the possession of a blessed and eternal life wherein they shall enjoy God and Christ and the company of Saints and Angels and sing Hallelujahs for ever And the wicked to get the sentence of condemnation passed by the Law and Gospel execute upon them and to be in the pit tormented with the Devil and his Angels for ever And they shall be raised by vertue of that sentence and by the power of the Judge to have it executed and not by vertue of Christs life and resurrection and their head 1 Cor. 15.23 for they shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Verse 30. I can of mine own self do nothing as I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine owne will but the will of the Father which hath sent me This verse is a conclusion of this part of Christs Apology for his curing of the man and commanding him to carry his bed on the Sabbath day and for his asserting his unity and equality with the Father Wherein from the former purpose he summes up these conclusions 1. That he is inseparable from the Father in operation as verse 19. having no private power of his own as they conceived of him as a meere man but the same in essence power and operation with him 2. That he is on all the Fathers counsels and hath the power of administration of all things communicate to him from the Father which is pointed out under the name of hearing as it is verse 19. by seeing to hold forth the spirituality of the way of communicating and his infinite comprehension of all that is communicate as hearing and seeing all 3. That his government and administration is most just as seeking no satisfaction to any will of his owne contrary to or diverse from the Fathers as he is God And that he doth this not onely as God simply but as God now incarnate also being the same still with the Father and acting in all things according to the will of God And though as man he have a will distinct from his will as God and so diverse from the Fathers will yet that did act in subordination to the will of God Matth. 26.39 Whence learn 1. The divinity of Christ is a truth that may no wayes be quarrelled and doth call for our second and serious thoughts Therefore doth he recapitulate his Apology that this truth may be inculcate 2. Such is the strict conjunction and perfect unity of the Father and the Sonne that the Sonne neither doth nor can do any thing without the fellowship of the Father So that in all his working the Father is to be seen and taken up for I can of mine own self do nothing saith he 3. Christ in the administration of all things and executing of his purposes in this life and at the day of judgment is upon the Fathers counsel acting from him and all Christs administrations are upon counsel and conclusion taken betwixt the Father and the Sonne for saith he as I hear I judge 4. Christs administrations and sentences are all just and right doing injury and violence to no man nor ought they to be stumbled at by any for my judgment is just saith he 5. The reason of the justice of Christs judgment is because it is agreeable to the will of the Father with whom he is one and whose will is the rule of justice as being supreme and absolute Lord Which will Christ being incarnate and God-man did conforme himself unto in all things for my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will nor have any will contrary to or diverse from his as hath been explained but the will of the Father which hath sent me Verse 31. If bear witnesse of my self my witnesse is not true Followeth to the end of the chapter the second part of Christs Apology wherein having by many instances proven his unity and equality with the Father he proceedeth to produce witnesses testifying concerning him which were so clear as gave him just cause to season them with chalenges for their wilfull unbelief and rejecting of him and to threaten them with being judged and condemned before God And 1.
Waving an ordinary exception which might be moved against his testimony of himself verse 31. be cleareth that the Father had by many witnesses testified concerning him verse 32. Namely By the testimony of John the Baptist verse 33. a witnesse whom though he produced not because he needed it but for their good verse 34. yet one who was truely eminent and whose eminencie might condemne their inconstancie verse 35. By the works he did verse 36. By his immediate testimony from heaven of whom they were ignorant and looked nothing like his manifestations to them verse 37 38. By the testimony of the Scriptures verse 39. 2. Unto these he subjoynes chalenges for several faults Namely for their wilful unbelief in not coming to him verse 40 though he sought them not for any need he had of them verse 41. for want of the love of God verse 42. for not embracing him whereas they would receive a seducer verse 43. and for their pride and vain-glory which causes their unbelief verse 44. 3. Because of these evils he warneth them of being accused and judged before the tribunal of God assuring them that even Moses would be against them verse 45. Seeing they could not beleeve Moses who wrote of him since they beleeved not him verse 46. and it was no wonder they sleighted him since they beleeved not Moses verse 47. In this verse we have a transition wherein Christ obviates an ordinary objection against the former part of this Apology to wit that his testimony of himself could not be authentick of which also John 8.13 Christ by this sentence doth not grant this as true for the contraâ—y is asserted John 8.14 but onely by way of preterition passeth it to make way for the following testimonies confirming his testimony of himself that hee might let them see he had witnesses beside to convince them though he were silent Whence learn 1. In reading of holy Scripture great care is to be had for finding out the true sense thereof and that we be not drawn away by what it seemes to say at first view to take up a sense contrary to truth and other clear Scriptures And particularly words spoken by way of objection or preterition and giving and not granting are to be distinguished from affirmations for so is this to be understood if I beare witnesse of my self my witnesse is not true to expound it otherwise were to contradict truth 2. Albeit that men may lawfully speak that which is true of themselves when they have Gods call unto it Yet ordinarily such is the frailty of any who is a meere man that he is but a bad witnesse in his own cause being but a liar and so subject to erre being readily poisoned with self-love in what concerneth himself and being ready in what is true to seek himself for upon this truth is this objection grounded which had some colour if Christ had been only a man 3. Albeit Christ be of himself the Amen the faithful and true witnesse Rev. 3.14 to all that know him yet for further confirmation of his people and for conviction of wilful opposers he is content to deny himself and produce witnesses to testifie for him So much doth this preterition and proceeding to the testimonies teach us Verse 32. There is another that beareth witnesse of me and I know that the witnesse which he witnesseth of me is true Albeit this verse may be understood of John of whom verse 33. who as he testified of Christ so Christ commends and alloweth of his testimony Yet it seemes rather to be understood of the Father who is the other witnesse with himself John 8.18 And it doth point not so much at any particular testimony of which verse 37. As in general sheweth that all these ensuing testimonies had authority from him Concerning this testimony Christ declareth his perswasion of the truth and certainty thereof Whence learn 1. Albeit that Christ the true and faithful witnesse be oft-times accounted so infamous in the world as not to be beleeved yet as he is above all proofe to his own so he wants not witnesses to testifie for him So much doth his producing them in this Apology teach 2. As Christ came into the world in obedience to the Father and to bear witnesse of him so was he assured to be avowed and owned of him and accordingly found so and as he honoured the Father so did the Father honour and beare witnesse of him for there is another that beareth witnesse of me 3. Christ as he is one in nature and essence with the Father so is he a distinct person from him for he is another that beareth witnesse 4. Gods testimony concerning Christ is undoubtedly true and to be rested on and all other testimonies are therefore true because Gods authority is interposed in them for the witnesse which he witnesseth of me is true and the rest of the testimonies have weight because they are his testimonies 5. It is not enough for our comfort that we have Gods testimony approving us but we should know that it is so and ought to study the certainty and sure ground that is in such a testimony that it may bear us up against all opposition and enable us to avow it and having beleeved to speak as we stand in need Therefore Christ having asserted that the Father beareth witnesse of him doth subjoyne and I know that the witnesse which he witnesseth of me is true as resting upon the truth and reality that is in such a testimony Verse 33. Ye sent unto John and he bare witnesse unto the truth The first particular witnesse produced here whereby the Father testifieth concerning him is John the Baptist who without any partial respect to Christ did simply bear witnesse to the truth concerning him And this testimony he presseth from their own practice who seemed so much to respect him as to send honourable Commissioners to him chap. 1.19 And to be willing to stand to his testimony concerning the Messiah yea and to offer that honour to him if he would have accepted it And therefore they were bound to esteem of his testimony especially when they sound him so self-denied as not to seek his own honour Whence learn 1. It is the duty and commendation of Christs Messengers to be witnesse-bearers for him and with zeale and fidelity to publish his excellency upon any hazard And they ought to assume no more to themselves but to be Heraulds of his praise that sinners may be drawn to him for John bare witnesse unto the truth concerning Christ See chap. 1.7 2. Faithfulnesse is the great ornament and duty of Christs witnesses that without any by respect they publish onely what is truth and that nothing which is truth be it of lesse or more importance want a testimony from them as they are called to it for he bare witnesse unto the truth was his commendation in this testimony and it is a pattern to all others And Christ thus describes his
season They are subject as well as others to the common condition of mortality and oft times they spend themselves speedily with burning and shining to others yea and are hastened out of the world by persecution Beside the Lord by removing of them doth put an end to their toile and call them to enjoy the fruit of their labours doth chastise the ingratitude of the world and exercise his own in it and doth make way for setting forth the riches of his glory in raising up and creating new stars in their place for here it is said of John he was a burning and shining light but now is put out and gone 7. When Christs faithful servants are dead and gone yet their commendation liveth in his estimation Therefore doth he commend John when now he is gone by death or at least is in prison 8. A sound and powerful a cleare and lively Ministry may have strange effects even among unrenewed people The excellency of their doctrine when it shines among a people who have long lien under the darknesse of ignorance and superstitious traditions the countenance of Ministers from great men as John had from Herod the excellency of their gifts together with a common work of the spirit upon hearers may produce strange effects in them who have no true grace nor faith for saith he ye were willing to rejoyce in his light there was none but John in their account and they were much taken up with him 9. Mens affections may be much aloft and they may have great fits of joy and delight through the novelty and excellency of doctrine and through some apprehension of that at a distance which the Word speaks of who yet have no sound grace as never having been humbled for sinne nor laid hold on Christ on whom alone sound joy is founded Phil. 3.3 for these temporaries were willing to rejoyce or delighted to rejoyce See Matth. 13.20 21. Mark 6.20 Heb 6.4 5. 10. It is also an evidence of mens unsoundnesse when they are more taken with men and with their gifts as their own then they are affected with God as the Authour of these gifts or do finde his power accompanying the exercise of them in effects upon their hearts for they rejoyced in his light or in that light as his not seeing nor feeling God in it 11. Temporary motions wrought in men by a lively Ministry are not to be leaned to by themselves nor are Ministers to look much to the respect that comes from such for it will be but momentany Their unsoundnesse will not beare out and when Ministers meet with discountenance from great men and with the crosse and do touch their darling sinnes they will give over for they were willing to rejoyce but for a season or an hour and particularly they rejected him when Herod turned his enemy and when he did testifie concerning Christ whom they liked not 12. Mens temporary sits will be a witnesse against them after they have made apostacy and their respect to a Minister will witnesse against their not receiving his message for their former carriage is now a check to them for their Apostacy and they are declared to be perverse who when they could upon no pretence reprove John but must admire him yet they would not credit his Testimony of Christ Verse 36. But I have greater witnesse then that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same workes that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me The second particular testimony produced by Christ whereby also the Father witnesseth concerning him is that of his works in doing miracles and the work of redemption which he declareth to be a greater witnesse then that of John and that they prove abundantly that he is sent of the Father as the Messiah and Saviour of the world Whence learn 1. Albeit our hearts be naturally jealous and suspitious of divine truth and of what Christ saith of himself yet he hath abundance of witnesses for curing of this disease and putting us beyond all cause of suspition for beside John he hath more and greater witnesses that in their mouths every word may be established 2 Corinth 13.1 2. Christ is willing and ready to give proof of his excellency not onely by his own or others words but by his working really to prove it to their sense and satisfaction for he hath a witnesse of his works 3. Christs workings are not dumb works but are speaking testimonies of his glorie and we never take them up rightly till we see that in them for his works do beare witnesse that the Father hath sent him as his own Sonne to be the saviour of the world and that he is not contrary to the Father in his working as they alleadged 4. Albeit the testimony of the meanest instrument concerning Christ being according to the Word is as true as any other witnesse yet if we respect degrees of convincing evidence the testimony of Christs own works is a clearer confirmation of his Godhead office and doctrine then the best of mens testimonies For not only is this testimony more intrinsccall then the commendation of another but his doing these things that were fore-prophesied of the Messiah is an undeniable proofe and therefore he remits John to it Matth. 11.3 4 5. and his doing of them in his own name proveth that he did them of himselfe from the Father Therefore saith he that his works are a greater witnesse then that of John proving that the Father hath sent him For he could not have done what he did not only by way of confirmation of the doctrine of the Scriptures which seducers by their miracles do not Deut. 13.5 but so agreeable to predictions of Scripture concerning the Messiah if he had not been God and sent of the Father and if he had called himself what he was not And albeit Prophets and Apostles wrought great miracles who were not the Messiah Yet this infringeth not the clearnesse of this Testimony for these miracles did only confirme their calling authority and doctrine and that they were what they called themselves which was not that they were the Messiah and so do Christs miracles confirme his doctrine and what he said of himselfe Next they were but instruments and that not of the miracle but of the Word and signe by which it was done and they expressely declared that it was not in their own name or power any such thing was done Act. 3.12 16 But Christ was principal agent and wrought them in his own name and in this respect he did the works which none other man did Joh. 15.24 5. All the works that Christ did were entrusted him from the Father not only to undertake but to finish and perfect them As God the Father did communicate his nature and operation with him and as Mediatour he had a commission by the common counsell of the blessed Trinity for they were the works which the Father gave
him to finish 6. Christ is faithful in his trust and what is committed to him he doth for saith he the works which the Father hath given me to finish are the same works that I do 7. As Christs works do prove his excellency in himselfe so also do they commend him to his people as being sent out of the Fathers love for their good an alsufficient and omnipotent Mediatour able to effectuate all his purposes and worthy to be rested on by them for saith he they beare witnesse of me that the Father hath sent me Verse 37. And the Father himselfe which hath sent me hath borne witnesse of me Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape 38. And ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath sent him ye beleeve not The third particular testimony is that of the Father which is neither to be understood of that in the Scriptures of which verse 39. nor yet of any internal revelation of Christ as Matth. 16.17 But of his immediate testimony to Christ that as he had described him of old to be such a one as he was found Isa 42.1 2 c. and chap. 53. Zech. 9.9 c. and elsewhere so he had given him an immediate testimony at his Baptisme Matth. 3.17 as afterward in his transfiguration Matth. 17.5 of which 2 Pet. 1.17 That which is subjoyned in the end of verse 37. may be looked on as pointing at the unusualnesse of such a manifestation of God they never having heard a voice from heaven in their time nor seene any visible signe not to represent Gods essence but to assure them of his presence but when God owned Christ by a voice from heaven and when the likenesse of a Dâ—ve was the signe of the spirits coming on him and therefore this testimony was the more to be regarded But the following verse and Christs way of subjoyning reproofs to his testimonies leads us rather to understand it as a reproof of their ignorance of the Father of whom they glorified so much For whereas they were much puffed up and might readily oppose this unto that immediate testimony given unto Christ that they were the people whose fathers had heard the voice of God Exod. 20.18 19 22. Deut. 4.12 and with whose Prophet Moses God had spoken familiarly and given him a very neare manifestation of himself Num. 12.8 not in a bodily way Deut. 4.12 but spiritual and intellectual of his back-parts Exod. 34.6 Christ sheweth them that all this was nothing to them they neither had nor looked like any such manifestations but were deaf and blinde to them verse 37. And whereas they might object that though such manifestations were gone yet they had the Word which was delivered by the Ministry of Moses to their fathers and in them to their successors and children Christ answers that it had not its due place with them since they beleeved not in him verse 38. Doctrine 1. God is so faithful to them whom he employes in his work that they shall not want his testimony and approbation to beare them out against all opposition and contradiction of men Of this his carriage toward his Sonne is a special instance and a pledge to his own of what they may expect in their own measure the Father which hath sent me hath borne witnesse of me 2. The Fathers immediate testimony of Christ is especially to be taken notice of as being a witnesse above all doubt 1 John 5.9 10. and shewing that Christ is famous and excellent in heaven whatever esteeme men have of him on earth Therefore that the Father himself hath borne witnesse of him is superadded as greater then the testimony of his works which yet was a greater witnesse then that of John verse 36. And indeed the presence of the glorious Trinity made that witnesse most solemne and the opening of heaven shewed that through him heaven was propitious to sinners on earth 3. Men may be ready to delude themselves because of great things of God manifested to the Church and Nation whereof they are and to their progenitors who yet themselves come farre short and are nothing like these things for so did the Jewes upon what Moses and their fathers had found when yet saith he ye have neither heard his voice at any time not seen his shape that is not onely had they none of these extraordinary manifestations which are not usual in declining times but they had not knowledge of God like to that which may be attained which is a clear solid and satisfactory knowledge of God as of one whom we know by seeing and hearing This they wanted and so proved that they were not Moses disciples nor looked like that people whose progenitors had seene so much of God 4. The Word of God is sufficiently able to compense and make up the want of any extraordinary manifestation for so is implyed here in that which Christ meets with that they had the Word from their progenitors to make up the want of those manifestations Which Christ doth not refute seeing the Word is the ordinary and sure way for attaining the knowledge of God See 2 Pet. 1.17 18 19. 5. It is not enough to prove men to be in a good estate that they have the Word unlesse by faith it get accesse into the heart and it be fastened and kept there as a treasure and as seed to bring forth fruit And this may be wanting in them who pretend to much estimation of the Word for so saith Christ unto the Jewes ye have not his Word abiding in you it must be an engraffed Word where it doth any good James 1.21 6. Where Christ is not beleeved in and received as sent of the Father there the Word is not rooted nor is there any saving knowledge of it And particularly the Jewes who did not or yet do not receive Christ now exhibited under the New Testament nor are led by the Old Testament to him they have not one word savingly of it for this is the reason of the former chalenge for whom he hath sent him ye believe not Verse 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me The fourth particular witnesse is that of the Scriptures which by occasion of the former chalenge he exhorts them to search into as being high in their estimation and that deservedly and as bearing witnesse unto him Whence learn 1. The Lord in deep wisdome and love hath prevented all occasion of delusion and hath made his peoples way clear and sure by setting down his minde in holy Writ which is his infallible Word and the rule for finding out truth and deciding all controversies in Religion Therefore doth Christ remit them to the Scriptures or written word as to Gods rule in this controversie 2. The way of salvation and all things needful for attaining there of are fully revealed in Scripture and was held forth
getting life in him for to such is the promise againe repeated 4. Men should also study that this offer of life is indefinite and it will be undoubtedly granted to all who shall or will beleeve for it is indefinite he that beleeveth be what he will or be they never so many 5. It is also to be seriously studied that beleevers have eternal life in some respects even here to wit in Christ and by faith in the earnest penny and first fruits for he that beleeveth hath everlasting life Doctrine 4. The confirmation of this doctrine by a double asseveration teacheth 1. Men are by nature so addicted to the covenant of works and so loath to be stripped of their own worth and righteousnesse that they are hardly perswaded that faith in Christ is the way to life and very unwilling to embrace and rest in it for this asseveration imports that there is a controversie in this matter 2. Corrupt reason will never end this controversie but we must take us to Christs word alone to satisfie us Therefore he useth no dispute but asserteth it on his truth and word 3. This truth however controverted is most certain and without all controversie for it is verily verily true 4. It is most needful and profitable that sinners beleeve and close with this truth and make use of it Therefore doth he inculcate and assert it 5. Christ alloweth such as beleeve in him to be very confident and perswaded of his accepting of them and of their eternal happinesse Therefore doth he strongly assert that verily verily they have everlasting life Verse 48. I am the bread of life Next Christ repeats his former doctrine and confirmes the former assertion by shewing that he is the bread of life See ver 35. Doctrine 1. Men by nature are soul-starved pineing away under the want of souls food and not only so but they are so dead that they know or feele it not for that he is the bread of life imports not only this their pineing condition but their being dead under it Otherwise if they truely felt it it were a signe of a good condition to be sensible of their worst estate 2. Christ is unto the needy soul all that it can need He is by way of excellency the food of souls which quickens them when they are dead and refresheth them and preserveth the life which he giveth for saith he I am that bread of life 3. This excellent vertue in Christ to give and preserve life is ground of confidence to a beleever that by closing with him he shall have everlasting life Therefore is this subjoyned as a confirmation of the former assertion in ver 47. Verse 49. Your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead 50. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die Thirdly Christ illustrates this quickening vertue of this bread by comparing it again with Manna which was but weak and could not preserve their fathers from death ver 49. whereas this bread which came down from heaven doth deliver and preserve them from death who eat of it ver 50. This that is said of Manna that the fathers who eat thereof are dead may be understood two wayes and in both respects the opposition will stand firme betwixt it and this bread 1. That though Manna was excellent and pure food yet it could not so much as save their fathers from bodily death but this saves the soul from spiritual death is a remedy against bodily death and a preservative both of soul and body against everlasting death 2. That though their fathers did eat Manna as it was spiritual meat 1 Cor. 10.3 and a Sacrament pointing out Christ yet many of them perished eternally but the partaker of this bread is sure of everlasting life Doctrine 1. A special way to finde out the excellency of Christ is to compare him with what seems to have any excellency in it and then 〈◊〉 how far he out-shines 〈◊〉 for to this end is he again compared with Manna See Phil. 3.7 2. Whatever it be that would came in compeâ—â—â—â— with Christ in the matter of worth is not only infinitely inferiour to him but should be â—losed as a thing of naught Therefore albeit Manna in it selfe was an excellent gift of God yet when they doâ—â—ed so much upon it Christ findes it necessary to vilifie iâ— thus 3. It may lessen our estimation of any outward thing when we consider that it cannot so much as perpetuate it selfe with us or us with it and far more that it cannot prove a remedy against perdition for thus doth he abase Manna your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead 4. Unbeleevers do partake only of the outward part of the Sacraments and that is so far from saving them that their abuse thereof tends to their perdition for thus also did they eat Manna as it was a Sacrament and are dead 5. It doth set forth the excellency of our true spiritual food that it cometh down from heaven far above the clouds whence Manna came and so is divine food proclaiming Gods love and condescendence to lost man for This is the bread which cometh down from heaven 6. Christs coming down from heaven and offering himselfe in the Gospel is a sufficient invitation and ground for hungry sinners to come and feed upon him for it cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof 7. Christ is such spiritual food as will prove a remedy and preservative against death both spiritual and eternal and so swalloweth up any bitternesse that is in bodily death for this bread cometh from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die Verse 51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world In this verse 1. Christ goeth on to shew the excellency of this bread which he had commended above Manna And speaking of himself in the first person whereas verse 50. he had spoken of himself under the name of bread in the third person he declareth that he is that living bread the partaker whereof shall live eternally in blisse with him 2. He brings out yet more of his minde concerning this true food by shewing in what respect he is this food to wit by reason of his incarnation and taking on our flesh or nature and by his giving of this a ransome for sin whence flowes the purchase and application of life to his own of all Nations So that the sense of this is not that his flesh eaten in a carnal way by the mouth of the body is this living bread nor yet that his humanity separate from his Godhead gives life for both these conceits are afterward refuted But the meaning is that Christs Incarnation and taking on our nature as our kinsman is a
to live for ever neither of which could be said of Manna as hath already been cleared From verse 59. Learn 1. When the Lord brings a Nation into visible Covenant with himself it is his will that care be had to keep up his worship and to spread the knowledge of his name in all the corners of the Land for to this end did their many Synagogues tend 2. It is the duty of Christs servants to take hold of all occasions within the compasse of their calling to publish truth and work upon souls for therefore did Christ teach in the Synagogue of Capernaum that he might take occasion to speak to many when they conveened there 3. However men disrelish Christs doctrine yet it is truth and so innocent and harmlesse that it needs not seek a corner but may be avowed Therefore he went publickly to the Synagogue with it See Matth. 26.55 John 18.20 4. Christ takes notice of places where he hath preached and what means he sends to such and such places that as hereby he testifieth his respects so their conviction may be greater if they bring not forth answerable fruits therefore is it recorded that this was done in Capernaum where he often taught but with small fruit Matth. 11.23 Ver. 60. Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this said This is an hard saying who can heare it Unto the end of the chap. we have the events and consequents that followed on this Sermon And the first is that they carp at his doctrine and cannot digest it ver 60. and he doth vindicate and clear what he had said ver 61 62 63 64 65. In this ver their hard censure of this doctrine of Christ is recorded They declare it to be intolerable blasphemous and so absurd that none could hear it And this is recorded to be the practice even of many of his disciples whereby we are not to understand the twelve Apostles who yet stay with him ver 67. nor yet is it to be understood of these seventy disciples who were all Teachers Luk. 10.1 But it was such as had given up their names to him to follow him and learn of him And so this Sermon stumbled not only the common multitude at Capernaum or these who followed him over the sea for loaves but even many of his ordinary followers mistook it Doctrine 1. When Christ hath taken most pains to inculcate and clear saving and necessary truths yet ordinarily the most part will never make them welcome fâ—r they were many who stumbled to wit in compassion of thâ—se to whom his doctrine was savoury 2. Professions of visible interest in Christ will not 〈◊〉 â—â—ove found to the end but the most part of such professours will sooner or later when their trial and tentation comes stumble at him his way and truth for many of his disciples did here miscarry 3. Carnal hearts as they do not understand so they cannot digest the spiritual truths of Christ And their corrupt disposition disrelishing the Word is a main stumbling block unto them for this was the cause of their miscarriage here They said this is a hard saying or intolerable It was not so indeed but as they understood and took it carnally and the blame was not in the doctrine but in their corrupt taste which made what was sweet bitter to them 4. Carnal men and such as get no good of hearing are in peril to grow still the longer the worse and at last impatient of hearing at all for they who murmured and strave before come now to this who can hear it 5. Corrupt men do measure all others by themselves and their pride and selfe-love makes them imagine that Christ and his truth can relish no better with any then it doth with them Therefore say they who can hear it thinking none could like it more then they wherein they were far mistaken ver 68. Verse 61. When Jesus knew in himselfe that his disciples murmured at it he said unto them Doth this offend you Followeth Christs answer to their murmuring which seems to have been spoken after they were now come out of the Synagogue In it he reprehends their stumbling ver 61. cleares his doctrine ver 62 63. and points out the true cause of all their mistakes ver 64 65. In this ver it is recorded that Christ perfectly knew and took notice of their murmuring and doth challenge and reprove their unjust and causelesse stumbling Whence learn 1. It is Christs prerogative to know most secret things in himselfe neither needing sight nor information nor yet any divine revelation extrinsecal to his person such as the Prophets had but by vertue of the union of his humane nature to the Godhead his humane nature by revelation from the Godhead is made to know what is needful though it be not made omniscient of it selfe for Jesus knew in himselfe when they had gone aside and discoursed upon this matter apart from him 2. Christ makes use of this his knowledge to take notice what his followers are doing and what fruits follow upon his doctrine and preaching to them as here we see 3. Christ doth take notice of and is offended with the corrupt affections of men and the secret out-breakings thereof how secretly however they be conveighed Therefore doth heâ—â—e prove that which he know in himselfe they were guiâ—ty of 4. Stumbling and being offended at Câ—â—â—sts doctrine and dispensations whether by the wâ—â—kâ—â—â— malicious is a great impediment to the successe of the Gospel and a great fault in men Therefore doth he reprove that they were offended or scandalized and stumbled 5. Murmuring and repining or quareling at that which Christ saith or doth is a sad evidence of stumbling and of hazard of falling Therefore from their murmuring he gathers their being offended 6. When Christs followers and disciples do stumble and take offence the fault is the greater Therefore saith he to his disciples doth this offend you God hath taken most pains on them they have professed the contrary and their stumbling giveâ—h more offence and therefore is the more odious 7. Albeit many stumble at the doctrine of Christ some at the doctrine of the crosse others at the depth of his decrees some at the strict doctrine of holinesse and renouncing our own righteousnesse and some at the simplicity of the doctrine of the Gospel yet there is no just ground of offence in any of these And in particular it is a causelesse and sinful stumbling when men offend at the sweet doctrine of closing with and feeding upon Christ Therefore saith he with indignation doth this offend you to wit my doctrine and in particular this sweet and easie doctrine formerly taught Verse 62. What and if ye shall see the Sonne of man ascend up where he was before In this and the following ver Christ doth cleare his doctrine at which they stumbled so much And first whereas they stumbled that he who appeared so much in outward basenesse should say
holy derision as if Christ had said Ye think ye know me well enough but ye know me not at all as ye should since ye know not the Father who sent me and that I am come from him And this indeed holds true in general That conceit is a great prop unto mistakes and errours and an hinderance unto closing with Christ That mens not closing with Christ by faith doth flow from ignorance of the Father And That conceit of knowledge is very hateful to Christ seeing he doth in an holy manner mock it 2. The words may be taken as declaring them to know Christ and yet to be ignorant of him but in diverse respects They knew him and whence he was as man though even in that they erred if they supposed him to be the Carpenters Sonne Yet they knew not the Father nor him as God proceeding from the Father and sent by him And indeed They have need to be quick sighted who know Christ as he is in truth and they who do know much will perceive when they get opened eyes that they are ignorant of far more of him These interpretations have indeed these truths in them and do aggree well with the temper of the body of the Jewes who were very ignorant But Christ zeal and indignation in this discourse testified by crying with the consideration of these he speaks unto may lead us to look yet more narrowly into the words Therefore 3 when we consider that Christ is not now dealing with the multitude but with the companions of the Rulers who knew all their plots ver 25. with these who even now had been convinced in the matter of Christs healing the man on the Sabbath and had therefore in great rage started this new quarrel and with these who would have taken him though they had no warrant from the Rulers ver 30. When I say we consider these things the words may run very well thus That Christ chargeth upon them that they knew him well enough and yet against their light would not acknowledge him but delighted to câ—vil And this is not strange for it was the great sinne of the Rulers that they sinned against their light in opposing of Christ and so might also their associats See Joh. 3.2 Matth. 22.16 The only difficulty against this interpretation is that it seems not to agree with what is afterward said that they knew not him that sent him But so is also said of the Rulers who sinned against their light that they knew not the Father nor Christ Joh. 18.2 3. because however they knew as much as to make them guiltie of sinning against light yet they knew him not savingly and their carnal conceptions concerning the Messiah made them maliciously reject all the convincing arguments that this was he since they saw no satisfaction to their desires in him Consider 2. As for these proofes of Christs knowing the Father ver 29. the last of them is clear of it selfe that Christ being sent Ambassadour from the Father behooved to know him who sent him and to have ample instructions and knowledge of his minde As for the other proofe I am from him however it may be taken generally that he came from the Father and not only so for one may come from another and yet know little of him or his minde either but came cloathed with a commission and furnished with instructions as his sending imports or it may point out that he did voluntarily come as well as the Father sent him Yet it seemeth clearer to understand it of his eternal generation and being from the Father as God and so it points out an higher proofe of his knowing the Father beside his being an Ambassadour Doctrine 1. Such is the perversitie of men in opposing Christ and the Gospel that it is hard for them who have any zeal of God to get it endured So much did Christ testifie by his vehemency in speaking to these he cried in the Temple as he taught 2. The violent malicious and effronted opposition of men should not blunt nor dash zeal but rather set an edge upon it in all these who would approve themselves to have antipathy against sinne Therefore Christ cries as he taught To be calme so long as our particular is not touched however God be dishonoured is stupidity and not meeknesse and an evidence of the want of the zeal of God 3. Among other trials and exercises that Christ and his followers do meet within the world from the ignorance of men and their infirmities this is one of the chiefe that they will have to do with men who directly against their light do oppose him and his truth for such did Christ meet with here And it may warne men to take heed how they sleight and go over their light in ordinary walking lest in processe of time they maliciously contradict their light And to beware of engaging against truth lest they be lest to themselves to run to hell before they stop 4. Mens opposing of truth and Christ against their light is not only a sad trial to the zealous but an horrid iniquity in it selfe and will be a witnesse for the friends of truth in the bosome of opposers Therefore Christ not only cries against this but beares their knowledge upon them as a witnesse for him and an aggravation of their sinne ye both know me and ye know whence I am 5. Whatever light malicious opposers of Christ have which will aggreage their own guilt yet their opposition proves that they have no saving knowledge of God nor of him Therefore saith Christ to them him that sent me ye know not Whatever light and knowledge of God men have yet they know nothing indeed and savingly but what their heart submits unto and embraces and what the Sonne reveals of him Matth. 11.27 and what tends to eternal life Job 17.3 6. Such as are approven of God ought not to be shaken by the misconstructions and malicious oppositions and cavillations of men Therefore doth Christ set forth his own grounds of comfort and assurance to testifie that he would not be moved by all their opposition nor needed a testimony from them 7. Albeit the gaining and conversion of one soul be of more worth then a whole world Yet it is one good end of a Ministry to convince malicious men and not leave them without a witnesse Therefore also doth Christ assert his calling and commission before these malicious men that they might know there was not only a Prophet but the Messiah among them See Ezek. 2.5 8. It is a sweet encouragement under trial when men know they have a calling from God to what they are opposed in and that they do not undertake it of themselves for when Christ saith I am not come of my selfe c. It not only imports that he was indeed sent by the Father but holds out his ground of encouragement from his calling And if men knew what it were to bear the burthen and
hearing him and now they are made to hear their own officers preach of him in their own defence 5. As Christs doctrine is singular far above the law So also was he singular in his way of it for authority humility grace power and evidence for so do the officers confesse of him Never man spake like this man they never heard a Scribe preach in that manner See Psal 45.2 Luke 4.22 Matth. 7.28 29. 6. Such is the power of Christs doctrine that even such as come unto it with a prejudice and with a purpose to persecute the Messengers thereof may be taken by it themselves and if not converted yet bridled and restrained for this is the reason why they brought him not Never man spake like this man and therefore they were bound up and had no power to meddle with him And albeit there be no great evidence of their conversion for many may like preaching and it have strange effects on them who yet are for from God and belike if they had been indeed converted they would hardly have returne with any account Yet Christ can and hath converted even such And it doth speak his praise that by the means of spiritual preaching he can restrain mens fury when yet they are not really converted nor their heart changed Verse 47. Then answered them the Pharisees Are ye also deceived 48. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleeved on him 49. But this people who knoweth not the Law are cursed The Pharisees who were ill pleased with their returning without their earand are more nettled with their reason and do upbraid them that they should suffer themselves to be deceived who were their own attenders when yet none of the Grandees or learned Rabbi's had closed with Christ only an accursed crew as they esteeme them of ignorant people doated on him Whence learn 1. It is an old but injust imputation to account such as embrace Christ and his truth deluded for so do they reckon here are ye deceived 2. Christ when he pleaseth can adde to the vexation of persecutors by bringing the knowledge of the truth which they persecute in others in among their own confident creatures and making them respect it whom they would least suspect of any for they are now put to it to apprehend that Christ is coming in among their own followers and that they are also deceived 3. When corrupt men are never so much convinced yet all that will but contribute to encrease their rage and their opposition to truth for albeit it might have pleaded much for Christ among them that their very creatures are affected with his doctrine Yet all that followeth thereupon is their greater eagernesse to bear him down 4. Such as expresse any respect to Christ and his truth in evil times may expect much allurement and insinuation from Satan to draw them back and that enraged persecutors will cover their fury with enchantments to see if they can prevaile for these words are ye also deceived although spoken in anger yet do not tend expresly to cry them down who had said somewhat on Christs behalfâ— but to insinuate with them that they should quit that course alledging not only that they were deceived but that however the multitude went wrong yet they expected better things of them who were their ordinary followers 5. Such as will not stoop to Christ nor respect the honour of being his servants are justly left to stoop to their own servants to intreat for their countenance in their wrong course Therefoâ—e these eminent Rulers must thus insinuate and flatter their base officers that they may not want a back in their course 6. It is nothing strange to see eminent men for authoritie and parts so puffed up with their own grandour and with a conceit of their own learning and knowledge that they will not stoop to Christ nor embrace him for they confesse that not any of the Rulers or Governours of the Jewes or of the Pharisees their eminent sect though not all of them Rulers have beleeved on him 7. It is an old engine of Satan to keep men from Christ by reason of the opposition made unto him by eminent and able Church-men for this is the reason whereby they think to disswade them Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleeved on him But this will prove a weak argument to them who have learned to call no man Rabbi 8. To live ignorant of God especially in a visible Church is in effect a cursed condition for this general is of truth the people who knoweth not the Law are cursed though it be ill applied here 9. It is an ordinary device of Satan to deterre men from embracing the truth by branding them with odious and injust imputations who do follow it for this they urge as another strong argument But this people who know not the Law are cursed speaking contemptibly of them as a base ignorant and cursed crew Whereas not only is it high presumption in Church Rulers thus to undervalue Gods heritage in respect of themselves but if all this had been true yet it was unjust for them to lay all the blame upon the people when themselves were they who kept the people in ignorance But it was most injust thus to traduce the followers of Christ who by seeking to the fountain of blessednesse and embracing the promised Messiah did prove their knowledge and blessednesse whereas they themselves were in effect blinde many of them by malicious shutting of their eyes and cursed Ver. 50. Nicodemus saith unto them He that came to Jesus by night being one of them 51. Doth our Law judge any man before it heare him and know what he doth While they are thinking to reclaime their Officers a new confusion ariseth among them and they are refuted in their proud brag concerning the unanimitie of their Rulers by Gods stirring up of Nicodemus who though he do not yet openly avow Christ yet he pleads that he might have fair justice and that they who taxe the people of ignorance of the Law would not manifest their own ignorance in condemning him unheard and before they examined narrowly what he had done Whence learn 1. Christ when he pleaseth can give persecutors more work then they can overtake and raise up so many witnesses for himselfe that they will hardly know how to refute them all for before they have done with the officers Nicodemus gives a new testimony 2. God can turn persecutors loose even where they think they are surest and raise difference of judgement even where they blesse themselves in their unitie for they use it as a strong argument to their followers ver 48. that the Rulers are all against Christ and now they are refuted by Nicodemus a Ruler 3. Such as are but infirme and weak may yet get courage in a time of need to speak for Christ And albeit true faith may lie long lurking when it is beset with the centation of a great
place Yet Christ can draw it out when he needs it for Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night Chap. 3. 1 2. dare now say some-what in Council for him and albeit yet he do not openly avow him but only pleads for that which is due to the greatest malefactour yet it is taken by them as a testimony to Christ and afterward we will finde him appear better Christ will not want witnesses so long as there is a timorous Nicodemus a politick Gamaliel yea or an Ethnick Pilate to employ 4. Albeit the hazard of ill company be but too discernably in many who converse with them and albeit where the Lord gives a calling the overcoming of that one difficulty of departing from respect and accommodations would prevent many tentations that follow on staying Yet it is not the will of God that men abandon a lawful station because of the corruptnesse of these who are employed with them in it Nor yet that they should quit their station in a Church judicaâ—â—ry so long as that Church hath not received a bill of divorce and the judicatory is in it selfe Gods ordinance and the members such officers as are warranted by the word to be there and not of mens devising however they be corrupt Therefore it is marked of Nicodemus without any blemish that he was one of them and now in Council with them For this Council was Gods ancient Ordinance and the Church of the Jewes was yet a true Church and the Rulers how corrupt soever were men in lawful Ecclesiastical office And elsewhere it is not beleeving Rulers fault that they were Rulers but that they wronged Christ by their silence in their station See Joh. 12.42 5. It is the lot of Christ and his followers to meet with much partiality and foule play in the world so that they will not be allowed the faire justice that is not denyed even to malefactours for so doth Nicodemus his Apology import that they would judge him before they hear him and know what he doth which is not only contrary to the Word but to all equity in any procedure which requireth that Judges should hear parties and be clearly satisfied in matter of fact before they proceed to sentence See Exod. 23.1 Lev. 19.15 Deut. 17.4 6. Men may very readily fall in that fault which they will soon discerne in others And they who taxe others of ignorance may give proofe of much ignorance themselves especially when they are blinded with passion for whereas they condemned the people as ignorant ver 49. Nicodemus findeth their practice lesse aggreeable to the law doth our law given to us the Jewes and of the knowledge whereof we the Rulers do glory judge a man before it hear him c Verse 52. They answered and said unto him Art thou also of Galilee Search and look for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet 53. And every man went unto his own house Followeth their reply to Nicodemus with the conclusion of their whole consultation Albeit Nicodemus spake but very little and that which might have been said for any delinquent yet he meeteth with as hard a rub as if he had said more They do upbraid him with Galilee and do assert that they are so sure that Christ who came as they supposed out of Galilee is not so much as a Prophet that if he were also of Galilee they would respect him the lesse And therefore they bid search and look not so much if Nicodemus were a Galilean as if he could produce any record testifying that ever a Prophet had risen out of Galilee Yet it is remarkable that however they were thus more and more enraged yet they scatter without any conclusion against Christ Whence learn 1. Persecutors are so furious that if a man speak but mildly and equitably in Christs cause and do not oppose him as furiously as themselves they will be sure to account him an enemy for so do they deal with Nicodemus who spake nothing but what justice requireth even though the party pleaded for deserved to be condemned 2. It is a token of fury in men and of their rage against Christ that when any plead for him they are not answered in reason but their persons are reflected on for so do they answer Nicodemus his rational exception Art thou also of Galilee 3. It is also the way of persecutors to bear down truth by making false and untrue grounds passe for currant for such are their reasonings here Search and look for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet Where they lay down two false principles one was that Christ came out of Galilee whereas indeed he was born in Bethlehem and the other was that suppose it had been true that no Prophet had hitherto arisen out of Galilee yet it would not follow that none should ever arise out of it 4. It is very great injustice to rub reproaches upon whole provinces of people within the visible Church and particularly to account of them as secluded from the participation of the gifts of Gods grace which are freely bestowed according to his pleasure for herein they saile not only that they reproach the whole province of Galilee a practice like to which did once breed great trouble Judg. 12.4 but that they would seclude all of them from being ever capable of that gift of prophecy 5. There is no council nor understanding against Christ but when he pleaseth he can dissipate all of it for here every man went to his own house without doing any thing And albeit he take not alwayes this mean of making their councils dissolve without conclusion yet we may be certain that if they get permission to conclude yet they shall never get their conclusions put in execution or if they do execute them yet they shall be far from the end which they propose to themselves to attain thereby which is the subversion of Christ his Kingdome and truth 6. When God hath the conspiracies of men against Christ to dissipate he needs not many probable means to effectuate it but can cause the speaking of one word serve the turne to break the snare for upon Nicodemus word this followeth every man went to his own house CHAP. VIII IN this Chapter John continueth the Narration of Christs proceedings and doctrine at Jerusalem after the feast of Tabernacles And in it we have 1. The history concerning the woman taken in adultery Christs proceeding with those that brought her to him and with her selfe to ver 12. 2 Christs preaching and offer to the Jewes ver 12. with his justifying of his own testimony against them who contradicted it ver 13. 20. His threatning of them with his departure and that they shall be forced to see his glory ver 21. 29. His preaching to them who beleeved on him ver 30 31 32. His refuting of the Jewes who boasted of their freedome and parentage ver 33. 47. and railed at his person opposing what he said of himselfe ver 48. 58. And his
to let them see and feel what a woful course they have been upon for so much also is imported here that when ye have lift up the Sonne of man then shall ye know that I am he c. 9. Christ in his works and doctrine as he was taught them from the Father as man so they are altogether agreeable to the Fathers will for this is a truth whereof he will have very enemies convinced I do nothing of my selfe but as the Father hath taught me I speak these things So that sinners are to come to and seek the Father in him and ought to look on all he doth and saith as agreeable to the Fathers will 10. As the Father is unseparable from his Sonne Christ in respect of the unity of the divine essence so he is alwayes with him as Mediatour being in him as his Ambassadour reconciling the world to himselfe 2 Cor. 5.19 and with him to support and uphold him as his servant doing his work according to the Covenant of redemption Isa 42.1 Therefore saith he He that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone though all the world should forsake me Wherein we may see how well-pleased the Father is with the redemption of lost sinners that he was still upholding the Sonne in it and how richly they are made up who have him with them be against them who will as Christ here reckons 11. Whosoever would have the comfort of Gods presence and company in all conditions they ought to set themselves to please God and observe his will in all things for so did Christ finde it for I do alwayes those things that please him 12. As Christ the Sonne did learn obedience and submit himselfe to the will of the Father So his obedience was full and compleat and in all things he did the Father was well pleased for saith he I do alwayes those things that please him Ver. 30. As he spake those words many beleeved on him 31. Then said Jesus to those Jewes which beleeved on him if ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed 32. And ye shall know the Truth and the truth shall make you free In these verses John records that this his doctrine had successe among many And albeit it was but weak beginnings they had as appears by Christs doctrine to them yet he exhorts them to perseverance and encourages them in that study by promising 1. That so they shall prove themselves to be among the number of his real disciples 2. That they shall encrease in knowledge of the truth and in feeling the power and efficacy thereof 3. That they shall be made partakers of true Christian liberty Whence learn 1. Opposition made to Christ will not hinder the successe of his Gospel but even the contentions and debates occasioned by malicious men may do much good to many for as he spake these words many beleeved on him Even from amongst the crew of opposers he gathers followers 2. As it is preaching which God hath appointed to be the mean of conversion so in particular when men consider either the danger of Christs forsaking and giving up with them or his own true excellency as they are revealed in the word it may be a mean to excite them to lay hold on him for this successe followed upon his speaking these things which may relate either generally to the whole preceding doctrine wherein he leaves them to give an account to God of their despising of him or particularly to the last words wherein he points out his conjunction with and his being approven of the Father 3. Christ is a tender cherisher of weak beginners and will rather take paiâ—s to encourage them then weaken their hands for albeit they were weak yet he calls it beleeving and encourageth them to hold on 4. Such as embrace Christ do stand in great need of confirmation and should be seriously affected with that great undertaking wherein they engage Therefore doth Châ—ist so much excite them and labour to set their joints aright Albeit conversion be a very great work yet confirmation of the converted is no small work and a notable fruit of the Ministry Eph. 4.8 9 12 13. 5. It is not enough that men do embrace Christ for a sit only but if they would reap the benefit of piety they ought to persevere And albeit such as do persevere may be kept a while without sensible feeling of the advantage of their course yet in due time they shall finde it Therefore doth he propound this condition to them if ye continue and upon performance of that makes the promise 6. They who would persevere indeed ought to cleave closly to the doctrine of Christ not only renouncing false doctrine and giving obedience to his truth but as faith is begotten by the Word so it must be cherished and fed by it and they must embrace and cleâ—ve to Christ as he reveals himselfe in the Word though otherwise they do not sensibly finde his presence yea aâ—d their sense and fear and guilt may represent him otherwise then the Word saith of him Therefore saith he unto them Continue in my word 7. It is the great priviledge of lost sinners to be made disciples to Christ taught of him and admitted to follow him and be in his company as a pledge of their being with him for ever Therefore it is held out as their encouragement and reward ye are my disciples 8. As Christ hath some disciples who are so in reality and others who are such but in shew only So whatever external priviledges may follow on mens outward profession and shew Yet there is no true ground of solid comfort but in being real disciples Therefore doth he encourage them with this which only could yeeld true comfort ye are my disciples indeed or truly and in truth 9. Albeit real converts be disciples unto Christ from the first moment of their conversion Yet that is oft times hid from them till they give proofe of their sincerity by perseverance and then their faire advantages are intimaâ—e unto them Therefore saith he If ye continue in my word thou are ye my disciples indeed He saith not then ye shall be my disciples as if the reality of their state depended upon their perseverance but then are ye my disciples that is ye prove and make the truth of it manifest by your perseverance and ye shall since the comfort of it your selves 10. As all natural men and counterfeit disciples are but ignorant of the truth of God especially of the power and life that is in it and accompanieth it So even sound beginners may be for a time weak in these things for so is here supposed that however they had some beginnings yet they were yet to know the truth 11. It is a very great advantage to get found and saving knowledge of the truths of the Gospel that so faith may close with them and men may be established in them and kept
on truths side against all delusions and be made partakers of the sweet refreshments that flow therefrom Therefore it is held out as a rich encouragement ye shall know the truth 12. Proficiency in knowledge and the effects thereof is not only beleevers dutie which they should labour for but it is Gods promiâ—e to work it who should be depended on for that effect for it is his promise to true disciples ye shall know the truth 13. Whatever be the weaknesse ignorance and wants of weak beginners and how little soever refreshment they finde in the truths of the Gospel Yet by perseverance and continuance all this will be helped and they will still know more and more of the truth and the consolations thereof for If ye continue ye shall know the truth 14. Since the â—all of Adam there is no man but â—e is bâ—â—n a spiritual slave without freedome under the dominion and power of sinne and Satan and under the curse of the Law for so is here imported in that they need to be made free 15. Such as do embrace Christ and persevere in obedience to his Word albeit they be not loosed from that due subjection which in their several stations they owe to Superiours 1 Cor 7.20 21 22. yet they are made partakers of true Christian liberty and are delivered not onely from the bondage wherein they were held by nature when they were slaves to sinne and Satan and under the condemning and cursing power of the Law and from the external bondage of an yoke of Ceremonies imposed upon the Jewes and of humane precepts in things indifferent in Gods worship But also from that spirit of bondage which he lets out at first upon his own in order to their future freedome Rom 8.15 Therefore saith Christ the truth shall make you free And albeit beleevers and they who continue in Christs Word do not alwayes enjoy the possession and use of this liberty but may be under bondage terrour and fear Yet that is not their allowance but flows from their own we knesse which apprehends all their bonds to be being on when really they are freed from them And therefore they should complain of themselves to God and strive for the use of what is their right by walking familiarly with God and chearfully and comfortably in his seâ—vice and by making their liberty a Law to binde themselves more strictly to his obedience 16. This making them free is here attribute to the truth whereas Christ onely is the cause of our liberty verse 36. But these are not inconsistent for it is Christ indeed who purchaseth and applyeth this liberty Christ and this his purchase and offer are hâ—ld out in the Word to be laid hâ—ld on there by faith and so the beleever comes to get the right and application of it and he living by faith the Spirit of Adoption comes and seals up this liberty Ephes 1.13 Gal 4.6 So is this to be understood the truth shall make you free Verse 33. They answered him We be Abrahams seed and were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou Ye shall be made free The contentious Jewes do here again interpose And 1. They debate about thâ—ir freedome and parentage and Christ refutes their conceits to verse 48. 2. They fall a railing at his person and contradict what he asserts of himself and he doth vindicate himself and his doctrine verse 48 58. 3. They joyne violence with their railing which he avoids verse 59 I shall take up the method and parts of the first branch of this debate in this order 1. They excepting against the immediately preceeding doctrine and boasting of their own freedome as being Abrahams children verse 33. Christ cleareth what is the great bondage of men and how to be free from it verse 34 35 36. And showeth that their being Abrahams seed after the flesh could not avail since their malicious carriage and contempt of his divine Word did evidence they had another original and Father verse 37 38. 2. They again laying claime to their descent from Abraham he sheweth that in their carriage they were not like him and so behooved to father themselves upon another in that respect verse 39 40 41 And 3. When they perceiving that he spake not of their carnal descent but of their spiriual original do assert that God is their Father verse 41. Christ evinceth the contrary from their want of love to him verse 42. and from their not understanding his preaching verse 43. And asserteth that they are of Satan whom they imitate in lying and murdering verse 44. â— 45. For he being sinlesse and a true teacher ver 26. their not hearkning nor beleeving in him did evince that they were not of God verse 47. In this verse some Jewes not they who beleeved but others do except against his former doctrine alledging that they being Abrahams children and having never been in bondage to any man it was needlesse to feed them with hopes of being made free As for the grounds of their objection it is nothing strange to see them deluded with a conceit of being Abrahams children but it may seem strange they should say they were never in bondage when yet they were bond-men in Egypt and in Babylon and frequently and at this time they were under the power of the Romans But we are to conceive that either they stood not upon an an impudent lie to make good their point or their meaning is that however they were actually in bondage yet by right and according to the promise they were free and expected to be vindicate into outward liberty by the Mâ—ssiah and therefore they would not willingly take with being in a condition of bondage Doctrine 1. Such as would embrace Christ and a course of godlinesse may expect that beside tentations and discouragements from within they will meet with oppositions and shakings without from these who cannot endure that any should be better then themselves for here these Jewes fall a carping at Christs offers that they may discourage these beginners See Matth. 23.13 2. Mâ—n in opposing of Christs offers are very subtil and will be prompted by Satan to manage it so so as may render them most invidious for so it appears in these men who do not at all meddle with what he spake of the truth but onely with the point of liberty as knowing it was most invidious to insinuate to this people who gloried so much in their liberty that they were in bondage 3. The most part of men are so carnal and blinde that they see no farther then their outside and their outward condition and so neglect their inward spiritual estate for this was the occasion of all their caâ—ping that they understand Christ to speak onely of bodily freedome and bondage as knowing no other as appears from the rest of their discourse 4. Albeit spiritual bondage be in it self so sad and heavy that to be free of it might make all other bondage
imaginable look like freedome Yet such is the blindnesse of men that it is but little or not at all known or discerned and they live in their bonds with as much delight as fishes have in their own element for this in particular was the point they were ignorant of as knowing and feeling no such bondage and therefore carped at his doctrine 5. Mens carnal apprehensions of their own condition or of Christs offer or both is a great cause wherefore they undervalue him and his offers as a thing they stand in no deed of for so do these men carp at his offer to stumble these weak beginners alledging that his offer of freedome was no great encouragement since they needed it not 6. Albeit Christs offers be never so undeniably rich yet the way of offering and confering of his favours is ready to be a stumbling-block while men cannot endure to have them by free gift or as bestowed on them who are miserable without them for so much also may be observed here they do not carp simply at his offer of freedome in it self liberty being so desirable but that they should be made free They do not indeed desire to be servants or slaves but free men onely they desire to have their freedome natural and not adventitious they would be free-borne and not made free And this holds generally true in all his offers men can have nothing to except against the riches of Gods favour grace and righteousnesse onely their natural pride cannot endure to have these things by free gift to have them in and by another and not of themselves c. And thus is it however they palliate it that makes self-condemned sinners stand out so long before they close with Christs offers and submit to the righteousnesse of God 7. Mens external priviledges in being born of religious parents and members of the Church do oft-times prove a great stumbling-block to themselves hindering them from seeing their need of Christs offers and from closing with them for they lay this as a ground to all their exceptions and their despising of his offer We be Abrahams seed 8. Such as do oppose Christ and his truth are ordinarily so void of conscience and awe of God that they will make no scruple of impudent lies so they may therby gain their point And maintainets of truth should lay their account for such encounters and opposition for so much doth their second exception and were never in bondage to any man according to the first interpretation teach 9. While men are puft up with carnal dreames of their own priviledges and worth and with carnal expectations of great things to be done for them they will not attain to the right use of any condition they are put under by God for so much farther do these words as they are explained teach They were so much taken up wiâ—h the imagination that they had right to be free men and would be asserted into liberty that albeit the Lord had sent all their captivities to teach them to understand these priviledges spiritually Yet they would never be driven from their own conceits nor would so much as hear of their own bondage And therefore they made no right use of their afflictions but all their care was how to get out of them till the Lord made their attempting thereof prove their ruine at last Verse 34. Jesus answered them Verily verily I say unto you Whosoever committeth sinne is the servant of sinne 35. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Sonne abideth ever 36. If the Sonne therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed Followeth Christs answer to this exception consisting of two branches In the first whereof in these verses he cleareth what is the great bondage of men from which freedome is to be desired and is promised to the true children of Abraham And albeit he might have reprehended them for their impudent lie yet he chooseth rather to informe them meekly And 1. That the sad bondage whereof he spake was spiritual wherein all they are held who give up themselves to a trade of sinne verse 34. 2. That albeit such as were slaves in this respect might enjoy the external priviledges of the Church for a season as a servant abides in his masters house for a time yet they would be cast out at length and separated from him who is the natural Sonne and from all the adopted children for ever And therefore they ought to think seriously of the danger that they may be excited to seek after freedome verse 35. 3. That the onely way to attain to true freedome is by coming to him verse 36. From verse 34. Learn 1. Whatever advantage wicked men think to reap by opposing of the truth yet Christ will disappoint them and will take occasion thereby to make truth shine more clearly for whereas before he had spoken of their freedome but in a word now by reason of these debates he explains that point of bondage and freedome more fully 2. The matter of our spiritual bondage and freedome is a point of very great importance and necessary that we should seriously study and be acquainted with it And a point wherein we must submit to Christs verdict how contrary soever it be to our sense and apprehension of our own condition Therefore doth he prefix his ordinary asseveration Verily verily to this doctrine 3. Whatever be mens imaginations concerning their own condition yet there is a more heavie bondage lying upon them then any outward slavery that can befal them even to be under the slavery and bondage of sin for so doth Christ assert that there are servants of sinne of whom he meant when he promised freedome 4. Albeit all men by nature be borne slaves to sin yet considering that there is freedome offered by Christ and that they who embrace this remedy are not in this life fully freed from sin Therefore Christ will not reckon men slaves by their having of sin in them nor yet by their daily failings and infirmities or by their falling now and then in soul faults through the violence of tentation unlesse they make a constant trade of sinne and be under the dominion thereof without controlement for of these Christ speaks when he saith whosoever commiteth sinne is the servant of sinne See Rom. 6.16 2. Pet. 2.19 And this is the condition of natural men who being free from the yoke of righteousnesse Rom 6.20 do voluntarily and without any opposition unlesse it be some checks of a natural conscience startling at some sinne or some thoughts of fear and shame live in a trade of all sinne and under the slavish tyranny thereof though this dominion appear more evidently in some sinnes then others And some of these who are unrenewed are judiciaâ—ly given up to be more visible under the dominion of sinne then others not only as the just fruit of their voluntary living under that yoke but that they may be beâ—coâ—s
any visible communion and intercourse betwixt Satan and every unrenewed man but that they do according as he prompts and acts them 2 Tim. 2.26 Eph 2.2 and so do commit these evils wherein he fell before them as is instanced ver 44. 6. It is a sad and humbling sight of natural mens condition to see them acted and led by Satan as effectually and really as ever their bodies were who were corporally possessed by him Therefore doth Christ by this point out the odiousnesse of their case unto them And if this were well considered it might not only discover how little wonder it is there be a great opposition be twixt them and the children of Christ who are led by his Spirit But it might humble them to think that they are under the conduct of such a guide when they think they are only following some pleasant or profitable course And it might let them who dreame of a change of their manners when they please see that it is not so easie a matter but as hard as it was to dispossesse the man that had the Legion of devils in him Verse 39. They answered and said unto him Abraham is our father Jesus saith unto them If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the workes 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 41. Ye do the deeds of your father The Jewes do except nothing against the first branch of Christs doctrine concerning spiritual bondage but finding that in his answer to their objection he had insinuate that they had some father of whom he had little good to say and being either really ignorant or wilfully seeming not to know that Christ spake of their spiritual parentage and pedigree they again lay claim to Abraham as their father of whom Christ durst say no ill and so would render him odious as calumniating holy Abraham Christ in his reply doth more clearly hold out that he is not speaking of their carnal descent according to the flesh but of their original and parentage according to the Spirit And 1. He sheweth in general that if they were Abrahams children according to the Spirit they would imitate him in his works 2. He sheweth in particular wherein their way was contrary to Abrahams in that they persecuted him for telling the truth of God And therefore 3. They behoved to father themselves on another in that respect then Abraham Doctrine 1. Conceit of priviledges is a disease not easily cured nor will men be easily taught or convinced of the evill of it for after Christ hath sufficiently refuted this exception before yet they will not be put from it but repeat it again Abraham is our Father 2. It is an old trick of degenerate Churches and Church-men to cry up the names of pious Ancestours to oppose them against the light of truth for so do they hold up Abraham as their Father that any thing Christ would say of their parentage might be repelled by that and so do many like them cry up these from whom they have farre degenerate But if these Saints departed knew how they were abused by these their degenerate sinnes they would cry let them perish from under these heavens 3. Whatever external priviledges men may enjoy by being born of religious Parents and members of the Church Yet true grace is not an hereditary gift nor doth carnal and outward succession make men partakers of spiritual priviledges Therefore albeit he had granted they were Abrahams seed ver 37. by carnal generation and succession yet he makes a doubt of their being his spiritual seed till they prove it better If ye were Abrahams children c. 4. There is no just ground for any to boast of their religious progenitours unlesse they follow their footsteps for saith he If ye were the children of Abraham and would have that a priviledge unto you indeed ye would do the works of Abraham Such as do boast of religiouâ— Parents and yet will not imitate them are but in effect reading a Narrative to a sad sentence against themselves 5. Albeit Abrahams carnal seed did enjoy many temporal yea and external Church-priviledges by vertue of the Covenant made with him Yet none are his successours as to participation of peculiar spiritual blessings and priviledges but only these who are followers of his faith and fruitfulnesse in piety And they who do so may lay hold on all the spiritual promises made to him and his seed Therefore doth Christ require of these men who were his carnal seed that if they would partake of the promises made to him concerning spiritual freedom they should prove their interest in him by another title doing the works of Abraham and then their claim would be good And this is a fair advanâ—age and encouragement to Gentiles See Rom. 4.11 12 6. As walking in any wicked course so in particular the persecution of Christ and his followers is unbeseeming Saints and proves that the persecutors have no claime to the priviledges of Saints Therefore doth he instance this in particular ye seek to kill me who have told you the truth to shew how unlike they were to Abraham who did not this and therefore could not claim to the priviledges of his spiritual seed 7. Albeit the Lord in great mercy will passe over the many violent fits of corruption in his people which through grace and by fleeing to Christ they get smothered before they break forth Yet the Lord will judge of wicked men by their wicked endeavours and attempts though they succeed not seeing they are only withheld by some obstacle from without Theâ—efore doth he charge it on them as sufficient to prove what they were ye seek to kill me though it had not taken affect See Psal 21.11 and 28.4 8. Christ is a Teacher who will not dissemble nor deceive or slâ—tâ—er his heareâ—s but will faithfully deliver the truth which he receives for saith he I have told you the truth which I have heard of God 9. As a faithful declaration of the truth of God is the best service can be done to men so it is horrid wickednesse and ingratitude in men when they will not only persecute the innocent but even these who are beneficial unto them and do them best offices for so doth Christ aggravate their cruelty ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the truth See Psal 109.4 2 Cor. 12.15 10. Such is the perversity of the world and their hatred to the truth of God pointing them out in their right colours that the servants of Christ need expect no case so long as they are faithful in their trust for such was Christs lot before them ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the truth 11. Wicked men can never attempt any violence against the servants of God because of their fidelity but God will look upon the injury as reflecting on himselfe who
so were none of Gods children It may be also understood particularly as a chalenge that they were so blinded with malice that they could not understand what he had spoken in general termes of their father verse 38.41 and so it is a transition to the following verse wherein he explains his minde We need not stand on this difference seeing this particular may come in well enough under the general chalenge And it teacheth 1. It is a duty incumbent to all to understand what Christ speaks unto them and where it is not so Christ will make a quarrel of it for he puts it home with a sharp question and chalenge Why do ye not understand my speech not onely to put them to consider from whence it flowed of which afterward but to testifie his indignation against them for it 2. Christs wicked enemies are not onely naturally impotent to hear the Word of God aright but are so blinded with malice that they cannot so much as with patience hear what he saith for this doth Christ chiefly understand when he saith ye cannot hear my Word 3. Mens own malice addes to their natural ignorance and doth so blinde them that they cannot understand never so plain truth for ye understand not my speech because ye cannot hear my Word See Matth. 13.9 4. Albeit Gods Children may have much ignorance and may for a time be tainâ—ed with some errour Yet as that is not good so they who maliciously sleight the means of knowledge and do shut their own eyes that they cannot and will not see have nothing to evidence that they are the children of God Therefore doth Christ by this question put them to consider what their practice and condition flowed from VVhy do ye not understand my speech even because ye cannot hear my VVord For if men of one Province and children of one Family do understand the language and dialect as some translate the word speech of the Countrey and Family and are discerned from others by their speaking of it as Judg. 12.6 Matth 26.73 Then certainly they cannot be children of Gods house who do not understand the language of it And much more do they prove that they are not begotten by the seed of the Word who cannot so much as endure to hear it Verse 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 lier and the father of it Secondly in this reply Christ doth clearly and positively shew unto them who is their spiritual father of whom they are even which is the Devil of which see what is said on verse 38. This he proves in general from their earnest following and endeavouring to execute these wicked lusts which reign in him and their writing after his copie and imitating of him being acted by him Then he instanceth this general in two particulars of murther and opposition to and defection from the truth Which as it appeared in Satan from the beginning of the creation in deceiving our first parents and opposing the truth God had delivered to them and in drawing them under the stroak of temporal and eternal death So it was to be seen in them also in seeking to kill him verse 40. and opposing his truth which he had hinted at verse 43. and doth more clearly prosecute in the following verses Lastly he clears God of all these lusts of Satan shewing that they slowed from his own defection and that all his lies are his own invention and so they who followed these practices could not father themselves on God Doctrine 1. It should be counted no absurdity but the sound doctrine of Christ to assert that not onely they who boast much of pripiledges but these who indeed are members of a true Church are nothing in reality and in Gods account but limbs and children of Satan so long as they are unconverted and live in a wicked course for saith Christ of these Jewes ye are of your father the devil 2. Such as will not take with a reproof when it is mildly given by Christ do provoke him to tell it out in sharper termes for they would take no notice of what Christ formerly spake in general of their spiritual parentage and now he speaks it out ye are of your father the devil 3. Mens practices will prove that they are Satans children let them say what they will And these do prove themselves to be eminently his children in whom he works the greatest conformity to himself for Christ proves his own assertion and refutes all they had to say against it with this the lusts of your father ye will do and according as they were eminent imitators of him accordingly did they prove how eminent they were among his children 4. Satan is full of raging wicked lusts wherein his children being acted by him do imitate him for there are the lusts of your father wherein they do resemble him 5. Albeit Satan and his children do very often get many of their lusts fulfilled in the world yet through the restraining power of God and Christs watchful providence over his own many of their hot attempts are frustrated for sometime they prove but lusts vexing chiefly themselves who have them and ye will or desire to do them but can get no further 6. God will not judge of Satans children by their actings and successe onely but by their desires and endeavours And albeit they be oft-times stopped in their course yet he will account them Satans children because of their obstinate and wilful endeavours for Christ proves the point by this as sufficient ye will do or desire to do the lusts of your father for as yet they had gone no further then desires and endeavours in persecuting him 7. As all unrenewed men are Satans children So in particular all liers deceivers double minded and bloody men and especially despisers and opposers of Christs truth and bloody persecutors are Satans chief children for these are the particular lusts whereby he proves them eminent children even murder and lying of both which they were guilty 8. This doctrine delivered by Christ concerning Satans fall and practices doth hold forth several useful Instructions which I shall point out in this order 1. The most excellent and perfect of creatures being left to themselves and the guidance of their best perfections will not be able to stand or keep their integrity for so much appears in this example of Satan who being one of the most excellent creatures yet being left to himself he abode not in the truth or in his original station and holinesse and in his cleaving to God but turned aside to a vain lying course and to be a deceiver of others as is afterward cleared And he was in this defection from the beginning to wit of mans fall So that however he
purpose to punish their sinnes as to manifest his own glory And so he would draw them from their curious questions to prepare themselves to be edified by his cure Doctrine 1. Such as God hath a special purpose of love unto may yet be mistaken by his dear children and get harder measure from them then Christ will give them As here the disciples do to this man upon whom Christ had mercy 2. It is a great fault in Christs disciples being tenderly dealt with themselves when they give out hard sentences against others because of their afflictions and do judge of their guilt according to the greatnesse of their afflictions Not considering that it is not dispensations but the Word whereby mens estate and condition must be tried for herein the disciples sailed who being as yet the children of the bride-chamber little acquaint with sorrowes and griefes and being little affected with the poor mans case only desiring to hold up discourse when they see Christ so diligently observe him they would dive into his guilt and provocation whereas no such thing was intended in the stroak Thus also did Jobs friends deal with him 3. Whatever be the Lords forbearance toward sinners yet all the posterity of Adam do bring as much guilt and sinne into the world with them as deserves the saddest of afflictions for their question imports this truth that this mans sinne did deserve that he should be born blind Original sinne brings death even on Infants Rom. 5.12 14. doth deserve eternal damnation and consequently it needs not be thought strange if the Lord pursue it with temporal afflictions 4. Albeit the Lord do not punish and condemne any eternally for the sinne of any of their progenitours except Adam in whom all sinned unlesse they do actually imitate them Yet he may justly afflict children in their bodies and estates which they have from their parents for the sinnes of their parents and so punish their parents in them for this truth is also imported in their question that for his parents sinne he might be born blind 5. The sense of Christs words is not alwayes to be taken from what his speech at first view would seem to offer but a special respect is to be had to all the occasions and circumstances thereof for finding out the truth for so must we do here in finding out Christs meaning in this speech neither hath this man sinned nor his parents which being nakedly looked on in it selfe would seem to contain an untruth contrary to the tenour of the Scriptures but being compared with the disciples question and what himselfe subjoins the meaning is found to be that God by this affliction is not punishing their sinne 6. Albeit all men be sinners and albeit every sinne deserve both temporal and eternal judgements Yet the Lord doth not alwayes intend the punishing and avenging of sin even when he is correcting such as are sinners but may be intending an higher end for this is the true doctrine and sense of these words Neither hath this man sinned nor yet his parents but that the works of God c. Beside the punishing of sinne and the end after mentioned we finde in Scripture that God doth afflict that he may exercise his Sovereignty and dominion over men and that he may try the saith of his own as was seen in Jobs case And albeit in many cases it will be a great difficulty to attain to this comfort that Christ is not eyeing or pursuing our guilt when we are under sad afflictions Yet we may safely follow this order 1. In all afflictions we should remember that sin is the coal from whence these sparks do flie and so whatever be the Lords end yet we are still to be humbled under the sense of sin as our duty when we are afflicted 2. Albeit the Lord do not pursue any of his own with afflictions as enemies Yet there may be many failings and infirmities which the Lord requires they should be sensible of especially when the rod is on whatever be Gods end in it And in observing this Job came short as Elihu teacheth though he was a reconciled man wronged by his friends Job 36.8 9 10. 3. The Lord may be pointing at sin by afflictions when yet they are pardoned and may send out rods on penitent and pardoned Saints to vindicate his own glory and make them more cautious in time coming So did he deal with David 2 Sam. 12.13 with verse 10 11 14. 4. Albeit the Lord send some afflictions as punishments and corrections for sinne and some for trial of faith and other graces Yet it is not the Lords minde that his children being corrected for sin should cast away their faith but when they take with their guilt they ought to look on their affliction as a double trial of faith having not onely the affliction but guilt also to wrastle with and therefore they ought to take especial heed to faith 5. Whatever a child of God be commanded to look unto under affliction either of guilt or trial yet they ought still to lift up their eyes above that and to expect that somewhat of God is and will be manifested in their afflictions and that this is his chief end in afflicting for so much doth the Text expressely hold out it is that the works of God should be made manifest And the expectation of this should be the chief exercise of Saints Doctrine 7. Albeit the Lord hath created the world yet his alsufficiencie is such as he can receive nothing from it nor be bettered by it onely it is a Stage whereon he doth experimentally manifest and make known what he is for this is his great end in all his works and particularly in this that the works of God should be made manifest in him 8 In Gods dispensations toward men there are to be observed not one but many purposes and proofs of his attributes and workings for the works not the work of God are to be made manifest in him His Sovereignty appeared in afflicting and his mercy and power in curing him Yea by this so much appeared as proved him to be the Messiah according to the Scriptures Isa 35.5 9. Albeit the Lord do gloriously manifest himself daily in the ordinary works of his Sovereignty power and mercie Yet such is the stupidity of men that this is but little observed unlesse he manifest himselfe in some extraordinary works also Therefore must such an extraordinary disease and cure be that the works of God may be made manifest 10. The Lord will not take advantage of the distresses of his people but onely that he may give them a proof of his love And he doth involve them in infirmities and distresses of purpose that he may let out his glory in doing them good for this man was born blind that the works of God should be made manifest in him And as thus he needeth our infirmities for him to work upon so we may glory in them
elsewhere the Old Testament be distinguished into the Law Prophets and Psalmes Luk. â—4 44. Yet here the Psalmes whence this text is cited come under the name of Law And it may be also because the word in the Hebrew language wherein or in Syriake a dialect of Hebrew Christ spake rendred the Law signifies generally a doctrine 5. As it is a peculiar priviledge to have the Wâ—â—d and Oracles of God committed unto men So it adds to mens guilt when they improve not this priviledge but continue ignorant of the truths therein contained Therefore doth he call it your law not by way of contempt but to reprove them who enjoyed this priviledge and boasted of it and yet were ignorant of it and of what in it might refute their unjust aspersions 6. It is an evidence of a malicious disposition in men when they do not put a favourable construction in so far as it is consistent with truth upon the words and actions of their neighbours for so much doth Christs reâ—â—oning in general charge upon them that since the Scripture calleth some men gods they needed not if malice had not blinded them have charged blasphemy upon him though he had been but a meer man 7. Albeit Magistrates be but men like their brethren Yet in respect of their office they have the glorious title of gods conferred upon them as being his vicegerents and as bearing some stamp of his authority and dominion Therefore saith the Scripture I said ye are gods This should both engage them to see to their qualifications and the exercise of their power and others to reverence and honour them 8. Such as would have right to this glorious title and the priviledges contained therein ought to have Gods calling to the office they exerce for he called them gods to whom the Word of God came to call them to their employment 9. Let Magistrates be never so high yee are they subject to God and to the directions and injunctions of his word for so also the word came to them as to servants as appears in that Psalme 10. Things are in reality as the Word of God calls them whatever men imagine to the contrary for if the word came to them and he called them Gods that sentence must stand without empeachment of blasphemy 11. Albeit men who do not reject the Scripture will be very assiduous to wrest and throw it to countenance their opinions and wayes and to bring their light to it rather then seek light in it Yet its verdict doth stand unalterable for the Scripture cannot be broken or loosed that sentence that they are gods cannot be anulled let men cavil or glosse it as they will 12. Christ is so high above all principalities and powers as of necessity he must be true God for so do the force of his argument run that if they were called gods much more might he be called the Sonne of God And therefore all the gods must worship him even Angels as well as Magistrates Psal 97.7 with Heb. 1.6 13. Whosoever shall study Christs glorious sanctification and separation from sinners his glorious endowments and high employment and office must acknowledge that he is the eternal Sonne of God for that the Father hath sanctified and sent him into the world doth inferre that hâ— is the Sonne of God 14. Christs glory and Godhead wants not a witnesse in the bosome of the greatest opposer if Christ lay it at his doore Therefore doth he put them to it say ye thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God Ver. 37. If I do not the works of my Father beleeve me not 38. But if I do though ye beleeve not me beleeve the works that ye may know and beleeve that the Father is in me and I in him The second argument whereby Christ proves that it is no blasphemy to call himselfe God and that he is God in very deed is taken from his works Wherein he grants that if he did not divine works flowing from that power common to him with the Father they had some pretence of excuse for not beleeving him to be God verse 37. But since he did these works they were bound to lay aside any prejudice against his person and to be led by these works to acknowledge and beleeve him to be the true God one with the Father mutually existing the one in the other ver 38. And so iâ— this argument Christ asserts and confirmes the very thing they opposed and what himselfe had said ver 30 Doctrine 1. Christ did so far condescend to cure the unbeliefe of men as to ad glorious works to his Word to declare who he is for he hath the works of the Father pleading for him That is not only works done by the Fathers authority for so his servants did work miracles but works done by that power which is common to him with the Father 2. Albeit it be our duty to acknowledge and to beleeve in Christ yet he requires no implicite and blinde obedience in this point But men should accuratly try the grounds of their faith and then on these grounds close with him Therefore doth he put them to this If I do not the works of my Father beleeve me not and afterward that ye may know and beleeve 3. Christs works were divine even to the convincing of the greatest adversaries and so clear that Christ was content not to be beleeved if after trial their consciences did not finde them to be so Therefore he doth not decline them in this matter but If I do not the works of my Father beleeve me not 4. When Christ hath manifested never so much of himselfe Yet naturally men have prejudices against him and at beleeving in him Therefore he supposeth it as their fault ye beleeve not me 5. Albeit Christ get much wrong by unjust prejudices of men yet he doth not give over to minde and seek their good Therefore albeit they beleeved not him yet he followeth them with other means to draw them to beleeve and warnes them of their own sinne if they did not Though ye beleeve not me beleeve the works c. 6. Albeit it be our duty to rest content with Gods Word as the ground of our faith not seeking any other proofe And albeit it be our great sinne when it is not so Yet when he ads works to confirme his Word he may not only exact beleeving of us but it is our sinne undeniable if then we beleeve not Therefore saith he If I do though ye beleeve not me beleeve the works 7. Christ is never rightly known and beleeved on but when he is taken up as one in essence with the Father And that however the person of the Sonne be distinct from the person of the Father in respect of order of subsistence properties and order of working yet the divine essence is undivided and there is a mutual inexistence of one person in the other for they must know and beleeve that
that will direct the passengers in walking by the infallible directions of his Word by the inward direction and illumination of his Spirit accompanying the same and by his gracious providence hedging them in from many debordings In all these considerations it is Christs prerogative that he is the way and the truth So that Saints may trust his guiding and lean on their beloved 8. It is Christs prerogative above all other wayes that not only he is the truth but the life also For other wayes cannot furnish passengers but they may faint and die in them nor can they lead to a blessed rest But He is a way who quickneth the dead when they are brought to it who furnisheth the passengers that walk in him so that they will walk and not be weary and who is the author of eternal life who living by himselfe and having merited life by his death doth conferre eternal life upon walkers at the end of their journey Therefore is it subjoyned I am the life See Chap. 17. 2. 9. The right method of making use of Christ as a way is first to close with him as truth and in his Word of truth and to walk on beleeving upon which life will follow both for present and everlastingly for this way is first the truth and then the life 10. It is mans chiefe misery to be separate from God and his happinesse to have accesse to him and enjoy him for that is the advantage to be had in this way even to come to the Father 11. Christ is so the way to God as there is no other beside unto which a man can lean but it will deceive him No saving knowledge of God can be had but by him our reconciliation vocation accesse to God in prayer and glorification must be through him and by him for No man cometh to the Father but by me 12. Albeit there be no way unto God beside Christ yea albeit all things beside would discourage poor sinners yet such as have fled to Christ may draw near with boldnesse for albeit no man cometh to the Father but by me and all doores beside be shut yet saith he I am the way the truth and the life Verse 7. If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him In this verse the other ground of consolation propounded ver 4. is cleared in answer to the second branch of Thomas his doubt concerning the place whither Christ went or the Father to whom he went in that place Christ sheweth that this might be known by knowing of him he being one in essence with the Father the expresse image of his person Heb. 1.3 Col. 1.15 and he in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily Hence Christ inferreth in answer to Thomas his objection that from hence forth they know and have seen him not only in respect of sufficient means but they having known him Chap. 6. 69. they might henceforth know that they knew the Father in him and had seen him formerly in seeing of him Whence learn 1. The Father is savingly known in the Son and in him only To know or see him with mortal bodily eyes is impossible the knowledge of him in the creation and in external representations and manifestations of his glory is but imperfect nor can it suffice to salvation To know him in the Law or covenant of works doth but work wrath But in Christ he is held out to be known perfectly and to salvation for if ye had known me ye should have known my Father also And this further clears that to know him is life eternal 2. To know Christ rightly is the summe of all saving knowledge both of God and of the way to him and happiness with him Therefore doth he solve all Thomas his doubts by pointing out himselfe as both the way and he in whom the Father may be known 3. Christs followers do need a new gift to discern what they have or know savingly and to have it born upon them by him for their encouragement Therefore albeit the disciples had saving knowledge of the Father in some measure yet they knew not so much till Christ bear it upon them ye know him 4. It is the duty of beleevers to emprove the means of encouragement which Christ affords them and it is their fault not to see what he discovers to them of their enjoyments and condition Therefore saith he from hence-forth ye know him Not that upon the matter they knew him not before in knowing the Son But that now after this information and discovery they were bound no more to doubt but to know that they knew him for their own encouragement 5. It is the duty of these to whom Christ reveals their good condition not only to emprove it for the future but to look back to the times of their mistake and ignorance and make use of that which they then had and observed not both for humiliation for their short coming and for encouragement in him who was better to them then they were aware Therefore doth he not only alleadge ye know him for present but have seen him for the time past that they might observe and emprove that Ver. 8. Philip saith unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us From this to ver 15. this branch of the consolation of knowing the Father in the Sonne is further insisted on by occasion of a new proposition of Philip another disciple And by this means also he clears up that argument of consolation insinuate ver 1. that he was God one and equal with the Father This verse contains Philips proposition Wherein he expresseth a great desire to have the Father shewed unto them promising great satisfaction to himselfe and the rest thereby But he failes in that he is not satisfied with the right way of seeing the Father but declining to be led so far about to know the Father as he conceived the seeing of him in Christ to be he desires for their satisfaction an immediate and clear sight of the Father his glory and majesty Whence learn 1. The doctrine of Christ is not taken off his hand even by disciples except with much difficultie for after Thomas his objection Philip starts a new difficultie when Christ is clearing them most sweetly 2. It is the duty of disciples who are convinced of their ignorance not to rest in such a condition but to labour after knowledge for Philip not knowing the Father as he desired would have him shewed to them and this is commendable in him 3. Such as would have saving knowledge of God and divine mysteries must expect and seek it only from Christ for this is commendable also that he takes this course Lord shew us the Father See Matth. 11.27 4. Such as expect to be taught by Christ must employ him by prayer with much humility and reverence for Lord saith he shew us the Father 5. It is not
obedience must flow not only from the fear of God but from love and sense of our obligation to Christ also and disciples will look on commandments and give them obedience as very sweet for his sake Therefore also doth he presuppose love to him as a principle of obedience and recommends the commandments to be observed as his keep my commandments 7. To be much about duty and service in obedience to Christs commandments is a very present diversion and cure of heart-trouble which is but fed with idle discouragement And it is the way to a more perfect cure which cannot be expected by lazie drowpers for this direction is both a cure in it selfe and fits them for obtaining the following promise as hath been said in opening up of the words Ver. 16. And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 17. Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you In these verses is contained the argument of consolation it selfe and the promise of the Spirit which is subjoyned to the former direction as a fruit following thereupon and as an encouragement against the difficulties they would meet with in doing their duty Not that formerly they were wholly destitute of the Spirit but that now they were to receive him in more ample measure The gift promised is here described 1. From the way of his coming Christ interceeds with the Father and he sends him not secluding the Sonne as God from whom he proceeds and who also sends him from the Father Chap. 15.26 and 16.7 though here he speak only of himself as Mediatour 2. From his titles taken from his office and work in beleevers He is a Comforter and Advocate as the Word also is rendred 1 Joh. 2.1 and another Comforter as being a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne and working comfort in beleevers in a distinct way of applying Christs purchase to them and sealing and bearing witnesse to it in them he is likewise called the Spirit of truth ver 17. not only in his own essence but in his operation in beleevers leading them in all truth Of which afterward ver 26. and Chap. 16.13 3. From his permanency in beleevers that he will abide with them for ever and not depart from them as Christ took away his bodily presence 4. From the singularity of the gift as being peculiar to beleevers For the world cannot receive him because of their ignorance but they having knowledge of him by his begun presence their knowledge and communion shall be continued and augmented By the word here we are not to understand only these who are eminent in it or all without the Church but all who are of the world in the state of nature and addicted to the world and under the power of sin And while it is said the world cannot receive him it holds true of reprobates whom the Lord hath determined to leave in their woful natural condition that they can never receive the Spirit of regeneration nor any comfort flowing therefrom though they be partakers of the common and even extraordinary gifts of the Spirit But if we take the world more generally for men in the state of nature whereof there may be many elect the meaning is that they cannot receive him to wit so long as they continue in that state and till he translate them Far lesse are they capable of such a gift in the increase thereof which is the thing here promised more then a dead man is capable of nourishment Though in this place he seemeth chiefly to point at the reprobate world who are of the world and continue so And albeit the promise be made particularly to the Apostles and they had the accomplishment thereof in a singular way yet the encouragement is to be extended to all beleevers who finde the Spirit a Comforter and Spirit of truth to them though not in so extraordinary a manner From ver 16. Learn 1. None can expect the consolations of Christ by his Spirit unlesse they testifie their love to him by obedience And they who do so have his Word whereupon they may expect needful comfort for upon these tearms mentioned ver 15. I saith he will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter 2. Christs bodily presence was a great comfort to his disciples and during the time of his converse with them he was so tender of them so kinde to them and took such burthen and care of them as did much refresh and ease them for while he promiseth another Comforter in stâ—ad of himself it intimates he had been a Comforter himselfe Hence it was that he would not let them fast nor did put hard burthens on them but let them see his glory preached sweetly unto them and went betwixt them and all difficulties 3. Christ doth not remove one Comforter from his people but he will give another and make up their losse for when he is to remove another Comforter is promised 4. As disciples can have no true comfort but by the Spirit so a large measure thereof is allowed them to supply the want of Christs bodily presence for he is the Comforter during Christs absence namely in a larger measure then they had before 5. Whatever be the operations of the Spirit of Christ in beleevers Yet the scope of all his employments and his exercising of them tend in end to comfort them Therefore gets he this stile of a Comforter in relation to them 6. The Spirit of God in beleevers is not only a Comforter to plead apply and bear in the consolations of God purchased by Christ upon their hearts But is their Advocate also who pleads their cause with God by furnishing them with prayers and groans that cannot be uttered to be put up in the hands of Christ the Mediatour of intercession for the Comforter is the Advocate also as the Word imports See Rom. 8.26 27. 7. The Holy Ghost is a person in the Godhead distinct from and equal with the Father and the Sonne for he is another Comforter distinct from the Son and equal with him in that he is a Comforter also as he is And he is given by the Father and so distinct from him and his giving or sending him is no note of superiority nor being sent of inferiority for equals may send one another but it only points at the order of the persons in their substance and operation And so as the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son so he is given by both in their order of subsistence to beleevers 8. In expecting this great promise of the Comforter beleevers ought not to look to their own merits or the worth of their obedience which can promise no such thing But their eye must be fixed on the free grace of God who doth freely gift his
Spirit to his own for albeit a duty be required of them who expect this mercy ver 15. Yet saith he the Father shall give you another Comforter 9. As it is Christs work in heaven to intercede for his people and to procure their comforts notwithstanding the sinfulnesse and short coming of their prayers and the difficulty of things desired And therefore he should be acknowledged in all the comforts they receive as minding them in heaven So in particular the Spirit who is the great Comforter is conferred upon them through his Mediation which is the channel through which free grace runs out toward sinners For I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter 10. Albeit many yea all the outward comforts of beleevers are moveable yet the holy Spirit is given unto them without reversion and is an abiding consolation and Comforter for all times and all cases for he is given that he may abide and abide a Comforter answerable to his name with you for ever From ver 17. Learn 1. As the Spirit of God is true yea truth it self in his essence and person so is he true in his office of Comforter to beleevers all his consolations being solid and real and free of delusion for the Comforter is the Spirit of truth 2. As the holy Ghost is the revealer of truth So he comforts by the Word of truth and by leading beleevers to relye thereupon for thus is he the Spirit of truth leading men to the Word of truth and making it effectual for their comfort So that without the Word there is no enjoying of the Spirit of Christ 3. As the gift of the Spirit in his special dispensations is very rare So it will adde to the commendation of this encouragement if we study the singularity thereof and what a difference the Lord puts therein betwixt his own and the world Therefore is he commended from this the world cannot receive him but ye know him So also are other mercies commended and to be studied Psal 147.19 20. Deut. 4.7 8. 4. The world and natural men are great strangers to the Spirit of Christ they are not capable of such a gift nor do they desire after it but beleevers live on hid Manna to them for he is the Spirit of truth whom the Word cannot receive 5. As the Spirit of Christ where he is received bringeth light and knowledge along with him So the reason why he is so little desired is because he is so little known and what sweetnesse is to be had in enjoying of him And so it rubs no indignity on him that the world desireth him not for that which is subjoyned because it seeth him not neither knoweth him is both a cause of their not receiving him as 1 Cor. 2.14 and a proofe that they have not received him since they do not know him as on the contrary in the end of the verse disciples know him because he dwells with them Their knowledge is a fruit of inhabitation As for the two words here used of seeing and knowing we need not be curious to put a difference betwixt them as if the first pointed out that as they saw him not with bodily eyes so they took as little notice of his visible operations and the second charged upon them that they did as little understand with their heart as they did see with their eyes Or that the first points out their simple ignorance and not seeing of him and the second that since they have not seen him they do not esteeme of nor desire him since knowledge must draw out affections It sufficeth to know that by these expressions is pointed out their utter ignorance of him and Christ prevents all curious criticismes by comprehending the contrary case of disciples in this one for both ye know him 6. A cause of mens ignorance and not desiring of the Spirit is that they are of the world and so transformed into a conformity with these things they lust after as they become brutish and can neither discern nor desire what is their true excellency and happinesse for they are the world and therefore cannot receive him not see or know him 7. The brutish stupidity of the world will not hinder Gods kindnesse to his own in communicating and revealing his Spirit unto them Nor should it hinder disciples to study to know and desire after him for saith he But ye know him ye both know and desire after him 8. No light will discover the Spirit but himself nor can any know him but they who enjoy him for ye know him for he dwelleth with you 9 The Spirits presence in beleevers is very intimate and familiar for he not only dwelleth with you to be assisting in what they need but shall be in you as in his Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 and 6.19 10. Where the Spirit is given he will not change his dwelling but beleevers enjoyment of him shall be blessed with constant and encreasing enjoyment for as he dwelleth with you so he shall be in you in a more large measure and constant abode Ver. 18. I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come to you Followeth to ver 27 the third particular in this argument of consolation wherein Christ propounds for their encouragement and where need is amplifieth several benefits which they shall reap by enjoying his Spirit They may be reduced to six which I shall name as I go through And some of them may be conceived as the Spirits more proper work as he is a Comforter as most of the first five and the last as more peculiar to him as the Spirit of truth Though we need not so curiously distinguish seeing in every one of them he is both a comforter and Spirit of truth The first benefit in this verse is that he will not leave them in their uncomfortable and Orphan-condition but will come again unto them not only in his bodily presence after his resurrection and at the great day but by his Spirit as an assured pledge of his presence till at last he return to compleat their Redemption Whence learn 1. Such is oft-times the weaknesse of beleevers faith and the abundance and greatnesse of their discouragements that promises must be often repeated before they can admit of them or be comforted in them Therefore after the former promise of another Comforter he must and doth over again tell them I will not leave you comfortlesse 2. Beleevers in Christs absence and without him will stand in need of great comfort being like Orphans exposed to deceits and injuries unable to do for themselves and having none to do for them but desolate and despised and exposed as a prey to every one for so is supposed here that they are comfortlesse or Orphans as the word is 3. Albeit beleevers may be such Orphans in themselves yet they have Christs Word for it that they shall not be left so but taken up and cared for by him for saith he I will not
1. He asserts in this verse that they could not partake of that mercy but upon his removal 2. In the following purpose he propounds the benefits to be expected by the Spirits coming beyond what they enjoyed by his bodily presence that so they might be induced to submit to his departure as making way for the Comforters coming In this verse Christ asserts that however they relished the newes of his departure yet it was expedient and for their behoof that he should remove Which he cleareth by shewing the necessary connexion betwixt his departure and the Spirits coming who is so excellent a gift This he instructs both negatively that if he did not go away the Spirit would not come and positively that upon his removal he would send him unto them which is not to be understood as if they or others could not or had not received the Spirit before his Ascension But that the Spirit was not to be poured out so largely upon the members till after his exaltation and glorification who is their Head as chap. 7 39. Doct. 1. Christs dealing may be very expedient and useful when yet it is very unsatisfactory to sense for what filled their heart with sorrow is neverthelesse expedient for you saith he So that he is to be Judge of what is good for us and not we our selves 2. We are ordinarily so addicted to our corrupt sense that the usefulnesse of an afflicted and humbling condition is hardly beleeved even out of Christs own mouth Therefore must he so strongly assert it I tell you the truth it is expedient 3. As all Christs Word is of infallible verity so we are to look on it as such that it may comfort us under afflictions and uphold us against the testimony and apprehension of our sense Therefore doth he lead them to lean on this as their support under all tentations to the contrary I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away 4. As Christ doth nothing for or to his people but what is useful and profitable for them so he is so tender as not to withhold what is useful because it satisfieth not their sense but is grievous to their flesh as knowing well that what is profitable will be pleasant in end however they look on it for present for it was of his mercy that since it was expedient he went away therefore he did go let them resent it for present never so sadly 5. Christs people and their welfare are so dear to him that in all that he did and that befel him and in all the changes of his condition he was still doing and minding that which was for their profit for as it was because it was expedient for them that he came to earth and stayed in it so he went away again not because he was weary of them and their company nor yet only because he was to be glorified himself but because it is expedient for you that I go away and be exalted into glory 6. The Spirit of God as he is largely communicate under the Gospel is so sweet an Advocate and Comforter that his presence may compense the saddest of losses were it even of the bodily presence of Christ for here it is insinuate that he is such a gift as it is a great favour to want Christs bodily presence to make way for his coming And that because he is that Comforter by way of excellencie above that comfort they had by his bodily presence and who can comfort beleevers in all places at once whereas his bodily presence was confined to one place Therefore saith he If I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I go I will send him 7. As Christs bodily presence is not the most powerful and refreshing way of comfort however it was needful in its time and refreshful in its measure so beleevers are not capable of the full consolations of the Spirit but by the removal of his bodily presence out of the world for not only did he by his death and going out of the world merit it and he must be glorified and enter into his Kingdome before his members participate so largely of his fulnesse but they were so dull while he was with them that they could not be capable of these comforts till they were weaned from a bodily presence and exercised with trouble Therefore saith he If I go not away the Comforter will not come So that they who doat still on a corporal presence of Christ do thereby stop the way of the comforts of a spiritual presence 8. Christ by sending of the Spirit after his Ascension doth not only prove himself true God the second Person of the blessed Trinity from whom as from the Father the Holy Ghost proceedeth and is sent But also That as Mediatour justice is satisfied by his death That he as the Head of beleevers is glorified chap. 7.39 and entred in possession of his dignity Acts 2.33 and That being thus exalted he is still mindful of his brethren So much is imported in this If I depart I will send him unto you 9. Christ being now exalted there is free access to partake of the Spirit by all these who do employ him for that effect for being departed he will send him to them who ask him Verse 8. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of judgement The benefits to be reaped by the Spirits coming which would richly compense his departure are three The first relates to the world whom the Spirit will convince of three great points sin righteousnesse and judgement which being here named only are distinctly insisted upon in the three following verses and the grounds upon which they shall be convinced of every one of them and the evidences thereof produced For clearing of this purpose a little Consider First as for the Act here ascribed to the Spirit of reproving or rather convincing I take it to import not only his offering and affording sufficient meanes which might convince men but also the successe of these means and his effectual and actual convincing of them thereby And that not only by illuminating them with knowledge which may be without conviction nor yet by bearing in challenges and reproofes only for there may be challenges and reproofes without through conviction But further by arguing them out of their principles and grounds to a contrary opinion as the word imports and bearing in of truth so as they are put to silence and cannot in reason gainsay it Secondly as for the object of this work of the Spirit by the world who shall be convinced I understand men in the world and particularly men in the state of nature and yet unconverted whether they be elect or reprobate and that not a few but many of them All which are frequentlie expressed in Scripture by the name of the world Thirdly as for the nature scope and tendencie of this work of conviction
little while and ye shall see me 7. Christs suffering for and departing from his people hath neither changed his affection to them nor deprived him of ability to do for them But they are the rather so much the dearer to him as the price of his sufferings and by his exaltation he is able to be powerfully present with them by the pouring out of his Spirit for it is a reason of their seeing him because I go to the Father having laid down the price of their Redemption Verse 17. Then said some of his disciples among themselves What is this that he saith unto us A little while and ye shall not see me and again A little while and ye shall see me And because I go to the Father 18. They said therefore What is this that he saith A little while we cannot tell what he saith In these verses is recorded the occasion of Christs further enlarging and explaining of this encouragement taken from the ignorance and stumbling of some of his disciples who repeating this doctrine and making enquiry among themselves about the meaning thereof do still remain ignorant of his true sense therein not understanding any part of the words and least of all that they should see him because he goeth to the Father seeing thereby it would seem he would rather be removed out of their sight Whence learn 1. It is commendable in disciples that they heare Christs doctrine with such attention as to receive and retain it though they do not understand it for so do they repeat all he said testifying how attentive they were however their understanding was darkned 2. Let doctrine be never so plain and never so frequently repeated and let means be never so many and heaâ—ers most attentive yet they will continue ignorant till Christ enlighten their mindes for albeit this plain doctrine had been inculcate before and almost in the same termes chap 13. 33. yet say they once and again What is thiâ— that he saith unto us c. 3. When Christs followers are ignorant of any truth it concerns them to be inquisitive about the same and to make use one of another for that end for they said among themselves what is this that he saith unto us a little white c 4. Using of means will not avail nor can beleevers help one another to understand truth unlesse Châ—ist shine in with light for after their repeating of the words and an enquiry among themselves once and again he result is we cannot tell what he saith 5. When believers are in trouble and essaying to rid themselves out of difficulties without employing of Christ ordinarily such a condition and exercise are attended with fits of bitterness for they being much grieved this night and labouring among themselves to clear this matter but to no purpose do repeat his words and once and again enquire what is this that he saith and in end resolve we cannot tell what he saith Whereby they not only expresse their own ignorance but some bitternesse also indirectly carping at his expressions and challenging that he should so speak unto them Verse 19. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him and said unto them Do ye enquire among your selves of that I said A little while and ye shall not see me and again A little while and ye shall see me In this verse is contained Christs preface to the explication of this encouragement wherein by making known that he understood their perplexity and their desire to be resolved he testifieth his willingnesse to clear their doubt and makes way for it preventing their enquiry Whence learn 1. Whatever be the perplexities of Saints and their weaknesse under them yet they know Christ to be the only resolver of their difficulties and they cannot be at rest till they get light for their enquiry among themselves not succeding it is subjoyned notwithstanding their indirect carping that they were desirous to ask him that so they might attain to light in the matter 2. Albeit believers stand oft-times in sensible need of Christs help and be desirous thereof yet they are kept back from employing of him partly by their unwillingnesse to bewray their own indigence and partly by reason of their ill-ordered respect to him which keeps them at a needlesse distance with him for albeit they were desirous to ask him yet they proceeded no further then a desire as being unwilling to bewray their ignorance and respecting their Master so as they were afraid to ask him 3. Christ is so infinitely omniscient and hath so vigilant an eye over the condition of his people as he knoweth and taketh notice of their secret doubts and perplexities before they be propounded to him for Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him and by that question do ye enquire among your selves c he le ts them see he knew their secret reasonings and debates 4. Christ will not cast off his dull and weak followers but their necessity hath a mouth of its own to his omniscience and infinite love whereof he will give proof by preventing their enquiry as here however they were ignorant and stood off from asking him yet he prevents them with a resolution of their doubt 5. When disciples are about the use of some means for resolving of their doubts Christ will in due time come and clear them for so much is imported in that he takes notice that they were enquiring among themselves of that he said and while they were about that mean he cometh and resolveth them 6. Albeit Christ do prevent his perplexed people and do approve of their use of any lawful means yet he accounts it still a fault that they should not employ him in doubtful cases for this question do ye enquire among your selves c doth not only import his notice-taking of their exercise and an approbation thereof in so far as they were not resting in ignorance but making use of that mean but also an indirect challenge that they should enquire among themselves and not employ him Verse 20. Verily verily I say unto you That ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce And ye shall be sorrowful but your sorrow shall be turned into joy In this verse is subjoyned Christs exposition of this encouragement wherein explaining the causes by the effects he declareth that however by his absence they should have sad sorrow while the world should be rejoycing yet â—heir sorrow should end in joy Which as it was verified to the disciples in their joy after their sad homes for his suffering and removal so it is also made good to beleevers in all ages who have their joyes and sorrows succeeding each other but still their joy last Doct. 1. Christs doctrine to his followers especially concerning their allowed comfort under and after sorrow is not empty and vain promises but serious and solid truth Therefore is it conformed here and v. 23. with a double asseveration Verily verily I say unto you
people so he is graciously pleased to reward and foster this love with more of his love for the Father whose love prevents his people loveth you because ye have loved me 5. Love to Christ cannot be without faith and where love is it proves faith for ye have loved me and beleeved 6. True faith ought to close with Christ as the great Embassadour of the Father God and man coming out from the Father by his Incarnation and coming into the world to work the work of our Redemption for ye beleeved that I came out from God which includes the Fathers good-will in sending of him and proves his Godhead in that he came from God as well as the truth of his manhood was confirmed by his appearing on earth and his office to be the only Mediatour as coming out from God for that effect 7. Faith in Christ is so acceptable that God will reward it with proofs of his free love for the Father loveth you because ye beleeved that I came out from God Verse 28. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father In the last place Christ to confirme them in what they had beleeved concerning him v. 27. and explain that which they understood not v. 16. doth set forth himself more fully as the object of saving faith both in his state of humiliation in his coming into the world which they had already comprehended and in his state of exaltation in going out of the world which they should after understand more fully Whence learn 1. Christ craves nothing to be believed by his people but what is the real truth for as he commends them for believing that he came out from God v. 27. so this is the very truth I came forth from the Father c. 2. Jesus Christ as he is the Embassadour of the Father so he is true God equal with him for being with the Father before his Incarnation he came forth from the Father and was not sent only 3. It pleased Christ Jesus out of love to his people to leave the Father and come into the world not by being separate from the Father but by obscuring his Deity and glory under the vail of our flesh and sinlesse infirmities and conversing with us for working of our Redemption for so is this to be understood I came forth from the Father and am come into the world 4. Christ having perfected his work on earth did leave the world by ascending up to heaven to perfect the work of our Redemption and salvation where he manifests his glory having put off the vail of our infirmities for again I leave the world and go to the Father And by this he clears the matter of his removal to them and lets them have a sweet sight of it 5. As Christs coming into the world was voluntary and flowed from his love so was his departure also voluntary and he was not compelled thereunto by men for I am come saith he into the world and I leave it and go 6. The way of Christs coming and being into the world may serve to clear contraversies concerning the matter of his removal for the one is here parallell'd with the other And therefore as his coming was sensible and in a bodily way so also is his removal sensible and takes away his bodilie presence And as his humanity and body were not in heaven while he was in the world so it is not here now after that he is gone to the Father Verse 29. His disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee By this we beleeve that thou camest forth from God In these and the two following verses is contained the third part of the chapter wherein Christ doth give a meet entertainment to their faire profession of proficiency and faith concerning him These verses contain their profession wherein 1. Being satisfied with his former way of doctrine they professe that he spake plainly and without proverbs and consequently that they had made proficiencie and understood him 2. They deduce two inferences from this testifying their further proficiencie beside the understanding of what he said 1. That by his preventing their question v. 19. they were perswaded of his omniscience and that none needed to informe him of their case by questions as if he were ignorant thereof 2. That the knowledge and experience of this his omniscience did further confirme them in the faith of his Deity Now concerning this profession as it cannot be denied but there is some good in it and they had sound faith which Christ acknowledgeth v. 27. and they had already professed it chap. 6.69 so when we consider Christs entertainment thereof we will finde some excesse of presumption in it for albeit Christ did indeed speak plainly yet the time was not come wherein he had promised they should ask him nothing v. 23. And therefore they presumed more of their knowledge then they had cause and albeit they believed that truth that he came forth from God and that upon solid ground yet their faith was not full enough since they had not employed their faith about the matter of his removal which he had pressed upon them v. 28. Doct. 1. Whatever divine truth Christ seems to speak more obscurely in one place it will be found fully cleared and explained elsewhere for now say they speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 2. It is a great comfort to Christs followers to understand his Word and it is the propertie of divine truths that when they are apprehended in any measure they do wonderfully affect and refresh the heart for say they by way of admiration lo now speakest thou plainly c. being wonderfully refreshed with the light they received 3. Christ will be found omniscient by all them who know him rightly for we are sure that thou knowest all things c. 4. Preventing means give his people but little to do and are very affecting when they are found for it held in their pains and did very much affect them that he gave proof he needed not any man should ask him 5. Christ doth then become very precious to hearts when he by his Word meets with what is in their hearts for this did ravish them that he needed not be asked but lighted upon what was in their thoughts v. 19. 6. Christ is then rightly taken up in his properties when he is acknowledged to be God and when faith closeth with him as such for it followeth on the former By this we beleeve thou camest forth from God 7. When weak beginners get any measure of knowledge or faith they are in peril to run upon the extremities of rashnesse and presumptuous conceit for with this was their profession here hinted wherein they speak as if they had attained to a full measure and needed not
1 Pet. 1.23 Luke 16.31 8. It is not the naked proposition of the Word that will avail to conversion unlesse the heart be opened and the Word born in with such efficacy as to reveal God in his nature and attributes of justice mercy in his Christ power holinesse c. as the fragrant smell thereof may invite sinners to draw near for I have manifested thy Name saith he in order to their conversion 9. Who ever be the instrument administring the Word yet it is Christ that must reveal the Father in and by it and make it effectual for I have manifested thy Name saith he Not only by his preaching in person but by his powerful operation and illumination which must be his work in all ages though Ministers be his instruments 10. However reprobates do live obstinate under the Word to their own perdition And however the Elect may lye long unconverted Yet the Word being administred to them as a subservient mean of executing the decree of Election will in due time prevail in Christs hand to their conversion for I have manifested thy Name unto the men which thou gavest me who were thine and they have kept thy Word 11. Such as have found the Word effectual to their conversion will be sure to lay it up in their heart as their daily food and to observe it in their practice and to do so because of the Authority of God shining in it for this is an evidence of their conversion they have kept thy Word that so they may be nourished by the same mean by which they are begotten 12. It is also a special evidence of true conversion to know Christ savingly and the mystery of Redemption to know Christs union with the Father his commission and authority from him as Mediator and to see God in Christ for this is another evidence of his successe they looked not on Christ as the malicious Jews did but now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me the office of Mediator and furniture for it are of thee and not usurped by me or of my selfe nor any invention of man but all divine and heavenly Which commendation with what follows v 8. seems to be grounded on their profession Chap. 16.30 13. Whatever may be the weaknesse and ignorance of true converts for a time Yet being in Christs hand and through his blessing on the means they will at last come up to a more full measure for saith he Now they have known c. to wit in respect of degrees of knowledge and fixedness in it 14. Jesus Christ the great Advocate of his people doth cover their defects esteem of their small beginnings considering what he purposeth to make them And however he point out their faults to themselves to humble them yet he will present and commend their weak beginnings to his Father Therefore albeit he chide their presumption in their professing after his commending of them ch 16.27 30 31 32. yet here and in the following verse he doth notably commend them to the Father 15. Albeit it be our duty to embrace Christ offering himselfe and to be converted and it is our great happinesse when it is so Yet it is put on Christ that he should not only give an account of his diligence but of his successe also and that he not only offer salvation to the Elect but present them also converted to his Father As here and in the following verse he doth 16. Such as have embraced Christs offer have sweet ground of confidence to be respected of the Father and heard in prayer Considering both his eternal love and interest and the grace of God in them needing his preservation and upholding Therefore doth Christ present them as these who were the Fathers and are now converted that so he may be accepted in his prayers for them for albeit he intercede and prevail for the conversion of the elect as knowing who are given him yet they can have no comfort of it unlesse they be converted Verse 8. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didst send me In this verse Christ insists to enlarge and amplifie this his account of diligence and successe about them shewing that he delivered them no Word but what the Father had given him and that they had received it and certainly beleeved the truth concerning his person and office that he came out and was sent Embassadour from the Father Whence learn 1. Christ is not a sleighter of his trust nor will he content himself superficially to discharge it but will so go about it as he may abide the strictest inquest concerning his fidelity in it Therefore doth he over again by way of confirmation insist to give his account for I have given c. as not declining to be tried and better tried concerning it 2. Conversion unto God is a business of so great importance as men ought not easily to satisfie themselves about it Therefore also doth he again give an account of the way of their Conversion that we may learn to try and try again if we be converted indeed See 2 Pet. 1.10 3. In the trial of Conversion it is not enough to see what change is wrought but what the Word is that wrought it that it be not a word of errour but the sound Word of truth coming from Christ for saith he I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them 4. Whatever word be held out for the conviction and conversion of sinners yet the divine original and authority thereof must be studied and acknowledged before it be effectual or received and obeyed for in order to their Conversion he saith I have given unto them the words which thou gavest unto me even divine truth which they acknowledged to be of God v. 7. 5. The word of divine truth concerning the conversion and salvation of lost man is delivered by the Father to Christ the great Prophet of his Church that he may communicate the same to his people and see to the preservation thereof in the world for these words are the words which thou saith he gavest me So that the doctrine of the Gospel proceeds from the Father and Christ is entrusted with the preservation thereof in this corrupt world 6. Christ is faithful in his Prophetical office and hath concealed no truth necessary to salvation but delivered all that was entrusted to him by the Father for I have given them the words which thou gavest me 7. As the Elect do all of them in due time welcome and entertain God and Christs Word and all of it whatever it say so they who do receive the Word so as to open their hearts to it as a word of truth admitting the convictions consolations and directions thereof do give true evidence of their conversion thereby for this was
Acts 15.9 In both these respects he prayeth Sanctifie them through or in thy truth both as the rule and touchstone of sanctification and as a mean and instrument of it 6. It is not safe for men to cry up their own or others sanctification to the countenancing of the errours which they maintain but they must prove the truth of their holinesse by the truth which hath been instrumental in it and must reckon that the holiness they have is either counterfeit or else hath been wrought not by their errours but by the power of some real truthes which they have or do still hold and that therefore by embracing errour they do exceedingly wrong their piety by depriving themselves of the mean which doth beget and cherish it for these causes doth Christ so expresly pray not only Sanctifie them by what mean soever but Sanctifie them through thy truth as the only mean of true holinesse 7. Whatever efficacie truth hath in the matter of sanctification it doth all come from God who must be employed by prayer to make the word successeful for that end for so much doth Christ example teach who prayeth to the Father Sanctifie them through thy truth See 2 Thess 3.1 8. Whatever wayes men do dream of for finding the truth of God yet it is only to be found in the Word of God and all other wayes beside will but produce delusion and lies Therefore doth he subjoine to prevent all mistakes Thy Word is truth 9. Whatever may be the hesitations of men concerning the Word of God yet it is his infallible verity and will not deceive them who betake themselves to it for direction and encouragement for Thy Word is truth See Psal 12.6 2 Pet. 1.19 Verse 18. As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world The first Argument pressing this petition is taken from their emploiment and calling to be his Embassadours in the world which presseth the necessity of their sanctification This their calling and Commission is amplified from its similitude and likenesse unto the Fathers sending of him Which as all similitudes have their own dissimilitudes and are not to be strictly pressed in every thing is not to be extended to all the ends of Christs coming into the world for he alone came to die for and redeem his people but only to his Ministerial office of preaching the Gospel In which albeit there was some resemblance betwixt Châ—ist and the Apostles as to the matter of extraordinary calling and assistance immediate direction and great difficulties yet there was also as great difference both in respect of their persons and authority he being the Lord and true God but they were men and servants in respect of the manner of their furniture he being furnished inwardly by the substantial in-dwelling of the Godhead they by extrinsecal revelation and assistance and in respect of the measure of assistance he being furnished without measure and constantly and they only but in part and when it pleased the Spirit to breath Doct. 1. Christ is the great Apostle of our Profession sent to us by the Father so that we need not think shame of a Profession which is owned by such a one as he is for Thou hast sent me into the world See Heb. 3.1 2. Christ hath employed the Apostles and their successours in their own room to be his Embassadours and to supply his place as he was a Preacher of reconciliation so that as they ought to study an imitation of him 1 Cor. 11 1. so they ought to be received in their Ministry as coming in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5.20 Gal 4.14 Therefore saith he As thou hast sent me into the world so have I also sent them as is before explained 3. It doth commend the love of God that he hath employed the Ministry of his Son and servants even in this corrupt world that out of such base materials he may build up an excellent Church and habitation to himself and that he may encourage the most desperate to come to him who out of such gathereth his precious jewels 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Tit. 3.2 3.4 Therefore it is said that both he and they are sent into the world 4. Beside the obligations and necessitie which lie upon Ministers with all Saints to be holy Heb 12.14 their calling doth particularly call for sanctification and separation from the world as necessary by divine precept and for the well-being of the Ministry that so they may stand in their Masters counsel and be kept near him that their face may shine and they may be more successeful in their Ministry for this is a condition calling for the granting that suit that they maâ— be sanctified even that they are sent into the world It is true men may be lawful Ministers yea and successeful also in their Ministry who are not sanctified themselves for even Judas was an Apostle And Christ is here more expresly praying for his eleven Apostles who beside that they were Apostles were given to him also by the Father in opposition to the world and the son of perdition who yet was an Apostle v 9 1â— yet his reasoning in prayer doth lay before all Ministers how needful it is they be sanctified not only in order to their own salvation but even that their labour may be more successeful and this his reasoning doth plead for holinesse to all Ministers who employ him for that end in their own measure however the extraordinary emploiment of the Apostles did plead for an extraordinary measure of this sanctification that they might be kept from errour being sanctified through the truth and made fruitful in their great work 5. When God doth call his servants to any employment his calling may assure them of furniture and what they need for discharge of that calling And particularly Christ will have a special care to furnish Church-officers sent out by himself for this is the face of Christs pleading in prayer which prevails with the Father that since they are sent into the world therefore they may get sanctification Sanctifie them v. 17. for I have sent them into the world See John 20.21 22. Verse 19. And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified thorow the truth As the former reason pressing this petition is taken from their need of sanctification in respect of their calling so this second is taken from the cause and purchase of their sanctification by his sanctifying himself that they may be sanctified For clearing wherefore Consider 1. Christs sanctifying of himself is not to be understood of any personal cleansing now in doing or to be done by him for he was without spot from his first conception nor yet of that purity of his nature only but with relation to some further sanctification But as in the language of the Old Testament things are said to be sanctified when they are set apart fitted and prepared for some special service and
employment and particularly Priests are said to be sanctified to their office and sacrifices to be offered up so Châ—ists sanctification imports that as the Father did sanctifie or consecrate and send him into the world John 10.36 so he did consecrate himself unto the Lord on the Elects behalf a Priest and sacrifice without spot and did consecrate himself to the whole work of his Mediatory-office and particularly did offer himself a sacrifice for sin that they might be sanctied Consider 2. The effect of his sanctifying of himself is that they may be sanctified through the truth or in truth whereby may be understood as formerly v. 17. that the vertue of his deaâ—h accompanying the Word of truth is that which sanctifieth and further also it may import that by his sanctifying of himself they are sâ—nctified in truth or truly and that not only in opposition to counterfeit sanctification but in opposition also to legal purifications by the use of the ceremonies of the Law which were but a shadow of true holinesse whereas the vertue of Christs death being the truth of these shadows doth truly and in truâ—h sanctifie Doct. 1. Christ in going about the office of Mediatour and offering up himself a sacrifice did wholly consecrate and set himself apart for his peoples behoof that he might be theirs and seek their well and not his own for for their sakes he sanctified or consecrated and set apart himself to that work which may engage them not to be their own but wholly his 2. As the Father did consecrate and sanctifie his Son to the office of Mediatour John 10.36 so he also did consecrate himself as having inherent worth and not needing external consecrations and as being a most willing Agent in this work for I sanctifie my self saith he 3. Albeit the elect be in themselves polluted and have no worth to merit any purification from God yet there is enough in Christ and his consecrating himself a sacrifice to the Father to supply all their worthlesnesse and obtain what they need for for their sake I sanctifie my self that they may be sanctified 4. True sanctification of the elect slows from Christs sanctifying and consecrating himself to the Father for them not only doth the merit of his suffering being imputed make them appear without spot and wrinkle in him but the vertue of his death and sacrifice must be applied to sanctifie them inherently for I sanctifie my self that they may be sanctified 5. Christ did sanctifie and consecrate himself a sacrifice in the Father not for these who die in their pollution but for these only whom he in time sanctifies thereby for I sanctifie my self that they may be sanctified the one followeth upon the other not in the Apostles only but all the Elect. 6. Christ doth approve of no sanctification but that which is truly such and abhorres all counterfeits of it and such as rest on outside sanctification or shadows of true holinesse only for that is his aime that they may be sanctified in truth 7. Whatever effects good inclinations and education moral principles or example or Church-discipline and Ordinances or afflictions on men may produce yet true sanctification slows only from the application of Christs sacrifice and it is that which mâ—â—es the Word of truth effectual for sanctifying of them truly for upon his sanctifying himself it followeth that they are sanctified in truth and through the truth Verse 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which beleeve on me through their word 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me Followeth the third part of the Chapter wherein Christ prayeth for the Apostles and whole Church of beleevers expresly seeking several benefits unto them In these verses 1. He describes these for whom he prayes namely not the Apostles only but all these who to the end of the world should by the Word preached by them either immediately or mediately in the mouth of other messengers be converted and drawn to beleeve on him v. 20. 2. He propounds his first suit for them the same in substance with what he had sought unto the disciples v. 11. Namely that they may be preserved in unity and be one in the Father and him as he and the Father are one and the Father in him and he in the Father This suit he amplifieth and presseth from the final cause thereof namely that by their union the world may be convinced and made to beleeve the truth of Christian Religion and that Christ is an Embassadour sent by the Father into the world v. 21. This unity prayed for doth indeed include and presuppose their unity in relation to Christ and God in him in which they are stated by beleeving and which is the root of the other unity But that which it most expresly holds out is unity in love flowing from the other and which is visible to the conviction of the world From v. 20. Learn 1. Albeit Christ when he departed out of this world left but a few followers and his weak disciples being entrusted with the word of reconciliation were to meet with persecution and opposition yet he knew certainly his Kingdome was to spread as accordingly he hath accomplished in the world for here he supposeth for certain that there will be them who shall beleeve 2. Christs love and heart are enlarged to take in all his people throughout the world and to employ himself in his Mediatory office and intercession for them Therefore after his prayer for himself and for his Apostles he doth now shew how large his affection is Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve 3. Christs love towards his people is a preventing love even before they have a being and before they come to him and whoever do in any age embrace him shall finde that they were in his heart and were as tenderly regarded and minded of him in his suffering and solemn intercession on earth as any of his followers then present with him for here before they are or do beleeve they are remembred and he hath left a blank that all beleevers in all ages may put in their owne name as prayed for by him when he prayeth for his Apostles Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve 4. The character whereby Christs followers and those whom he prayes for are discerned is their faith in him whereby they are driven out of themselves to embrace and relie upon him and to have all their subsistence by him for I pray for them which shall beleeve on me Where albeit he pray for them before they beleeve and that the meanes may be kept to them till they be brought to beleeve yet the thing here prayed for supposeth them in a state of beleeving and him interceding for what is needful to
and followers is ordinarily so violent in persecutors that they will renounce their credit and pack up injuries very grievous to them to get that satisfied for this speech it is not lawful for us to put any man to death is not only an ingenuous acknowledgement that they had no power to deal with Christ as they thought he deserved but points out also how they startle not at this check given them but insinuate with him as acquiescing in their want of power which yet was the thing they most affected that so they might get him on their side to condemne Christ 5. The Lord hath a supreme hand and providence in the least things which concerne Christ and his followers and especially in their sufferings for that they want power and he is left in Pilates hand there was a providence in it That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled c. 6. In this way of Christs dying under a stranger and by crucifying omitting what hath been said on v. 28. and may be further spoken of his being crucified in its proper place These passages of providence come to be observed 1. That Christ is a faithful keeper of his word and will not faile to see that performed which he speaks therein for so appeareth in the first place all these things were that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled and he might be found true in his predictions 2. That Christ is the true Messiah as being sent into the world when now the Scepter was departed from Judah according to the prophecy Gen. 49.10 for he foretold this death and his delivering to the Gentiles to be crucified when the Jewes wanted power as here they confesse that this might contribute to the confirmation of this great truth 3. Christ would be put to a most cursed ignominious and painful death that he might testifie his love to his own and fully satisfie for them and might lead them to inherit a blessing for all these concurred in this death A more easie way of it being long ago pronounced accursed Deut. 21.23 he would choose the most accursed kinde of it which withall was most ignominious and painfull 4. Christ also by his posture in this death being lifted up with his armes stretched out upon the crosse would invite all his people to look and come to him who stands with open armes ready to receive them and make them partakers of his purchase Verse 33. Then Pilate entred into the Judgement-hall again and called Jesus and said unto him Art thou the King of the Jewes 34. Jesus answered him Sayest thou this thing of thy selfe or did others tell it thee of me Followeth to v. 38. the third branch of this parâ— of the Chapter containing Pilates examination of Christ and his answers to his questions Concerning which we are to conceive that Pilate following his own way will have some accusation against him before he proceed And they to satisfie him do accuse Christ of affecting a Kingdome as is recorded Luk. 23.2 Upon which Pilate proceeds to the examination It may be taken up in three discourses betwixt him and Christ In the first whereof in these verses Pilate enquireth if he was the King of the Jewes and would grant that crime whereof they accused him Christ desires in the first place before he answer whence that accusation might flow whither from his own apprehension or from the Jewes Whereby he would put Pilate to it to consider either his own simplicity if he himselfe did suspect him to be a King such a one as he dreamt of when yet he saw nothing in him like such a state or his levity and credulity if he did receive such an improbable report and delation from others or his injustice if to please malicious delators and accusers he intended that process against him Whence learn 1. It is a plague upon the children of men that all of them by nature have still somewhat to make them jealous of Christ and afraid of him and his company for as the Pharisees feared the blasting of their reputation by him and others are afraid that he will not give liberty to their lusts so Pilate hath his own prejudice in that he is accused to be the King of the Jewes Happy are they who are delivered from prejudices at him 2. It is in particular the great prejudice of Rulers and great men against Christ that they apprehend that his Kingdome and power in his Church is prejudicial to their authority and power in the earth for that is the thing Pilate fears when he enquires Art thou the King of the Jewes 3. It is exceeding reproachful either lightly to take up or lightly to receive and hearken unto calumnies and reproaches cast upon men or yet to gratifie these who are known to pursue the innocent maliciously for so much doth Christs questions to Pilate point at 4. Men ought not to be born with in their dallying with conscience and justice especially in matters which concerne God and his truth but should be put to it either altogether to disclaime conscience and equity or else to walk according to the rules thereof for so much also do Christs questions drive Pilate unto that he would not dally in this processe if in his conscience he knew it but frivolous and invented by malice Ver. 35. Pilate answered Am I a Jew thine own nation and the chiefe Priests have delivered thee unto me What hast thou done 36. Jesus answered My Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jewes but now is my Kingdome not from hence In the second discourse Pilate being a little commoved declines being the author of this accusation as being no Jew nor acquaint with their contraversies nor caring for their Religion or the King they expected And fathers this whole business on the Jewes Christs own countrey-men and their Church-Rulers withal desiring to know what he had done which might so incense them against him v. 35. Christ having reasoned with the man doth now come expressely to answer to the accusation concerning his Kingdome and speaks so much of it negatively as might satisfie Pilate that it might well enough consist with the safety of the Roman state Therefore he sheweth that his Kingdome was not a worldly Kingdome and for proofe thereof he instanceth how far he was from aspiring to a Kingdome by force of armes in that he would not so much as permit his servants to fight in his defence as they offered to do when the Jewes came to take him Whence learn 1. Pilates commotion evidenced in his reply Am I a Jew did not only flow from his respect to his credit which he could not suffer that Christ should touch upon how justly soever but also that his natural conscience was touched and that he is not willing Christ should put his conscience to it seeing he could not follow it and yet keep his
be reputed ignorant or to esteem of any truth as excellent wherewith they are not acquainted for this also occasioned Pilates disdainful question to which he will not stay for an answer He could not endure to heare that truth commended the knowledge whereof as he might gather from Christs last words was wanting in him and the Romanes who were reputed so wise a people 3. Christ was cleared even by his enemies and persecutors to be innocent in his own person that beleevers may be confirmed in the faith of his suffering for them and his standing in their room and of his fitnesse for that work being a spotlesse sacrifice Therefore it is recorded that he went out again to the Jewes who would not enter to him v. 29. and saith unto them I finde in him no fault at all 4. Mens passions and particular prejudices and resentments against persons ought not to blind their judgements nor byasse them in cognoscing upon causes for this is commendable in Pilate that though he had been somewhat commoved v. 35. and not much taken with what Christ said of truth yet when he cometh out he saith I finde in him no fault at all 5. The Lord can make use not only of mens natural conscience but even of their Atheistical disposition and contempt of truth and Religion to bring about the good of sufferers when he pleaseth in the vindication of their innocency Whereby he teacheth them to eye him much who can make what use he pleaseth of every thing for it was Pilates contempt of what Christ preached of his Kingdome and truth in the beginning of the verse which concurreth with his natural conscience to make him think nothing of the accusation and absolve him So also was Paul released Acts 18.12.16 Verse 39. But ye have a custome that I should release unto you one at the Passeover will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jewes 40. Then cried they all again saying Not this man but Barabbas Now Barabbas was a robber In the next place Pilate having absolved Christ endeavours also to release him with the Jewes good liking And taking occasion of their custome of having some one prisoner released to them at the feast of the Passeover he propounds as is marked Matth. 27.17 Barabbas a murtherer and Christ to them insinuating his desire that they should choose Christ but they generally both Rulers and the people perswaded by them Matth. 27.20 do refuse him and seek Barabbas to be set at liberty As for this custome of the Jewes it appears not to have been devised by the Roman Governours for gratifying of the Jewes but a custome of their own invented in their declining times to honour their feast of the Passeover and to be some memorial of their redemption from Egypt and of their so much desired liberty And now having no power themselves to release whom they would they have recourse to the Governour who was necessitate to yield to their custome Luke 23. 17. belike to prevent tumults And as for the nature of this custom as it was sinful of themselves to devise any thing relating to their sacred solemnities and to dispense with the Law of God requiring that justice should be execute against malefactours so in this particular they manage it most wickedly in preâ—â—â—ing a 〈◊〉 malefactour to innocent Christ Doâ—t 1. Long inâ—â—terate customes do ordinarily prevail much among people were they never so sinful and abominable 〈◊〉 much the more as they have any spacious pretext As here their continues a wicked custome of releasing one at the Passeover gilded over with a pretext of respect to that feast which yet indeed made it the more abominable before God that such a course should pretend any relation to his Ordinance 2. If we look on Pilates part in this procedure it may teach partly That humane policie and carnal friends and their interposing will readily do Christ and his followers little successeful service in a strait for he doth but deal for Christ in a politick way which did not avail Partly that whatever men have of a conscience of duty yet that doth not avail before God so long as they put not forth themselves to the utmost in their stations to see that done which is right for albeit Pilates endeavors serve indeed to clear Christs innocencie and that Pilate in conscience judged him so yet all that is not enough in him seeing he did not employ his authority and power to rescue and defend the innocent but doth only essay oratory and policie and partly that such as would faithfully follow conscience and light had need to hold a loose gâ—ip of all other enjoyments and interests and particularly to avoid affectation of popularity for this was Pilates snare that though he judged Christ innocent and that he ought to be delivered yet not being willing to lose the people he only useth insinuations and policies will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jewes 3. If we look on the Jewes proceeding in this business it may teach partly That men obdured and hardned by Gods judicial stroak will neither regard civility reason nor common sense light will not convince them nor equity perswade them to what is right for so appeared in these obstinate Jewes albeit Pilates procedure was very effectual in its kinde for he propounds to their choice with Christ a man whom common civility might make them ashamed to own or seek to exempt from punishment and preferre him to Christ He insinuates his own inclination and that it should be a courtesie to him if they would seek Jesus to be released Will ye that I release him unto you Withal he names him the King of the Jewes insinuating that his death would tend to the discredit of their Nation being one bearing such a name which they afterward resent ch 19. 21. and accusing the multitude of levity who not long since had proclaimed him their King and now would have him crucified And yet all this prevailes not with them They cried all again that is in answer to him or again after that former cry that he would observe their custome in releasing some one of which Mat. 15 8. saying not this man but Barabbas Now Barabbas was a robber partly it teacheth That no persons how vile soever are so odious in the eyes of the enemies of God as Christ and his followers and friends for so much did Christ find in his own person Barabbas a robber being preferred to him 4 If we look to the hand of God and Christ in all this without which nothing was done in this businesse Acts 4.27 28 it may teach 1. Christ would have it evidently seen by us that he suffered by the appointment of God and that he loved to do so in that he would not suffer any endeavour for his releasement to succeed 2. He would also not be released but crucified at the Passeover that he might prove himself the true
Passeover sacrificed for us and dying at such a time the smell of his death might spread far and near by reason of the great concourse at this time 3. Christ hath sanctified unto his people disappointments in the matter of deliverance when otherwise it might seem probable hereby also encouraging them to suffer when by these disappointments it is clear they should suffer for he in his own person is not released albeit the Governour endeavoured it 4. While Barabbas a robber is preferred to Christ it may serve to put us in minde that however in himself and as to them who sought his life he was most innocent yet considering him in his Suretiship he had more to suffer for then ever Barabbas committed and therefore is arrested by divine justice while the other is permitted to escape And this should invite every one who claimeth interest in his death to lay to heart his share in these provocations and crimes which were then charged upon Christ 5. Christ hath sanctified unto the godly their being worse esteemed of in the world then the worst of men and their being held unworthy to live on the earth where many wicked men are tolerate See 1 Cor. 4.9 13. Acts 22.22 and that even by corrupt Church-men for they preferred Barabbas a robber to himself CHAP. XIX IN this Chapter John prosecutes the Narration of the rest of Christs sufferings before Pilate and in the place where he was crucified together with his death and burial It may be taken up in three parts In the first part is recorded some further sufferings of Christ and Pilate further dealing with him and about him with the Jewes before he proceed to the sentence of death to v. 13. And namely That Pilate having scourged and otherwise abused Christ v. 1 2 3. doth yet declare him innocent before the Jewes and labors to move them to pity and to cease their further rage by looking upâ—n him in such a case v. 4 5. But this not prevailing with them and Pilate yet asserting his innocency and refusing to hearken to them v. 6. they bring in a new accusation of blasphemy against Christ v. 7. which together with a new conference with Christ upon that subject and the matter of his power over Christ v. 8 9 10 11. makes him yet more desirous to release him till they bring an accusation against himself as do friend to Caesar in this businesse v. 12. In the second part of the Chapter is contained the sentence of death pronounced against Christ with the answerable execution and what occurred till he gave up the ghost to v. 31. wherein these particulars are recorded 1. That Pilate being terrified with their accusation after some formalities in procedure whereby he thought to transferre the guilt upon them passeth sentence that he should be crucified v. 13 14 15 16. â— 2. The execution of this sentence with an account who they were that suffered with him v. 16. 17 18. 3. The title put upon his Crosse with some debates about it v. 19. 20 21 22. 4. His sufferings from the souldiers being now upon the Crosse and that according to the Scriptures v. 23 24. 5. His company who stayed beside the Crosse and his care of his mother being then present v. 25 26 27. 6. His thirst immediately before â—is death and their giving him vinegar to drink according to the Scriptures v. 28 29. 7. His Testament and death v. 30. In the third part of the Chapter some consequents following upon his death are recorded And namely 1. A confirmation of this truth that he was reallie dead wherein is recorded the Jewes desires to Pilate that the death of these who suffered might be hasteled by breaking of their legs that so they might be removed because of their solemnity v. 31. and that the souldiers did execute this upon the other two v. 32. but finding Christ â—lready dead they do not break his legs v 33. but make his death sure by a new wound v. 34. The certainty whereof John confirmes as being an eye-witnesse v. 35. and doth clear these passages by comparing them with the Scriptures v. 36 37. 2 His honourable burial by Joseph who begged his body of Pilate v. 38. and Nicodemus who provided ointment and spices v. 39 and both together do decently bury him in a new grave v. 40 41 42 Verse 1. THen Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him 2. And the souldiers platted a crown of thornes and put it on his head and they put on him a purple robe 3. And said Haile King of the Jewes and they smote him with their hands The first part of this Chapter may be summed up in these four branches The first whereof in these verses containes Pilates cruel usage of Christ by scourging of him v. 1 by causing to crown him with thornes and cloath him with purple v. 2. hereby punishing his affecting of a ridiculous Kingdome as he supposed and affronting him with salutations as a mock-King and by injurious smiting v. 3. If we look on Pilates scope in all this it was mainly to gratifie the Jewes by some lesser punishment and to induce them to pity Christ thus grievously afflicted for their pleasure as will appear in the following purpose Hence it is subjoyned to the preceding purpose with a Therefore v 1. intimating that since Pilates designe succeeded not to get him released in stead of Barabbas he essayed this as another mean thinking to spare his life by scourging of him And albeit some of the other Evangelists mention this scourging after his condemnation yet John doth set it down in its own order which they only recapitulate as a thing done before that But if we look upon this usage in it self it was a part of Christs suffering for us both painful and loading him with contempt and ignominy Whence learn 1. Great men in Gods account are guilty of the faults of their inferiours when they connive at them and do not reprove and represse them much more when they command and enjoine them Therefore it is said Pilate took Jesus and scourged him because the souldiers did it as it is v. 2. and in the rest of the Evangelists at his command and he being present as is implied v. 4. gave way to all their cruelty in it See 2. Sam. 12.9 2. As this scourging and painful crowning of Christ doth not warrant any to think basely of him as if he were without any desireable form or beauty as it is Isa 53.2 but doth rather point him out to his people as white and ruddie white in his innocency and ruddie in his sufferings and therefore he should be accounted the chief among ten thousand Cant. 5.10 and fairer then the children of men Psal 45.2 so in particular his scourging which was a reproachful usage of any ingenuous and free man Acts 16.37 and 22.25 and was no doubt painful and so much the more painful and violent as Pilate thereby intended to move the
also as hath been cleared in its proper place From v. 35. Learn 1. John is so careful to adde his testimony concerning these things and particularly his death Not only to stop the mouths of cavillers who might be ready to alledge that he was taken away before he was dead But further yet again to teach us that it is a point about which faith ought to be much employed that Christ truely died for our sins 1 Cor. 15.3 that so we may see that divine justice is truely satisfied for sin and may employ faith to get sin truely slain and subdued by the vertue of his death 2. It is also firmly to be beleeved that Christ and his followers are not in the hands of enemies to be disposed of as they please but that God over-ruleth all of them to bring about his purposes by them for this also was a part of Johns remark and testimony not only that Christ died but that the Souldiers did omit or exercise cruelty toward him in not breaking his legs and yet piercing his side according as had been purposed by God and foretold in Scripture as is after cleared 3. The doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christ is a doctrine of faith And it is to be assented to by faith whoever there be to say to the contrary for his scope in publishing of this as of other Gospel truths is that ye might beleeve 4. As faith loveth not to walk on slippery and unsure grounds So the Word affordeth sufficient ground of certainty for faith to fasten upon for John here declareth the certainty of this truth that ye might beleeve 5. It is a great confirmation of the certainty of the doctrine of the Gospel that the Penmen thereof were eye and ear witnesses of what they publish for he that saw bare record c. See 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3 4. 6. Such as are made witnesses of any thing concerning Christ it is their duty and will be their care if they be affected therewith to publish the same in their stations to the edification of others for so did John in his station And he that saw it bare record that ye might beleeve 7. Whatever exceptions unbeleevers have against the doctrine of the Gospel Yet is sufficient to condemne them and to encourage beleevers That the doctrine is true in it selfe That the publishers were assured of the truth thereof both by sight and by faith and That they were so guided by God as they would have been loath to publish any thing for a ground of faith which was not a truth All these are imported here His record is true in it selfe and he knoweth that he saith true not only in respect of his seeing what he saith but by the Spirit of faith comparing what he saw with the Scriptures as after followeth and he knoweth that he saith true and publisheth only such things as he is so perswaded of that ye might beleeve From v. 36. Learn 1. The only best way of reading and being edified by the passages of providences about Christ and his followers is to compare the same with Scripture for so doth John clear these passages for these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled 2. Such is our weaknesse and inadvertency that we need help to take up these Scriptures which point out Christ in the Old Testament and which serve to expound the lots he met with and to confirme our faith concerning him and his sufferings Therefore doth John help the Church in all ages by pointing at the Scripture which should be fulfilled 3. Christ is the truth and substance of that type of the Paschal Lamb and the true passeover sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 in whom and in his sufferings all that is really to be found which is pointed out and typified by that shadow Therefore what was ordained concerning the Paschal lamb is applyed here to him as the substance of that type A bone of him shall not be broken 4. Christ was not crushed by or under his sufferings but did subsist under all of it till he triumphed over it for whatever was the reason of not breaking the bones of the lamb as their great hast in going out of Egypt that they might not stay to break the bones and eat the marrow yet in the substance it pointed at this that he was not broken under his suffering but his bones were keeped whole as being shortly to rise again and triumph over it And to this also may that passage Psal 34.20 be applied which proveth true of beleevers under their trials that they are not quite crushed by them because it was true of him first 5. Christ and his followers are in the hand of God in their sufferings who carveth out the measure weight and every circumstance of their trouble and leaveth it not to the will of adversaries for so much also doth that passage Psal 34. hold out that God so keeps them as not so much as a bone is broken when he will have it otherwise And this is true of Christ first and of others through him 6. Albeit Christ endured so much from men as might put him to death Yet he would have it seen that he died voluntarily and that he was not violently compelled to die for so much further doth the truth and substance of that type point out A bone of him shall not be broken He voluntarily prevented their cruelty by yielding up the Ghost so that they needed not violent him nor hasten his death as they did with the rest From v. 37. Learn 1. Christ is pointed out not in one only but in many of the writings of the Old Testament And they need to study much in all the writings thereof who would understand what is foretold of him and compare the same with the accomplishment for their own edification Therefore doth John make use yet of more Scripture to clear these proceedings And againe another Scripture saith 2. All the Scriptures are divine and of alike infallible verity so that one of them will prove true and be accomplished no lesse then another for in these proceedings as one so another Scripture is fulfilled and gets accomplishment 3. God in his providence hath determined and appointed the least circumstance and manner of the sufferings of his people for so appears particularly in the sufferings of Christ concerning whom it was foreprophesied that he should be pierced as the Souldiers did 4. The Scripture is the true and infallible determiner who are most guilty of persecution in Gods account And according to this Rule it will be found that malicious upstirrers unto cruelty are more guilty then the ignorant executors thereof Therefore doth the Scripture ascribe this act to the Jewes they pierced him by the hand of the Souldiers as either giving a particular command for this deed or being generally guilty of all that followed upon their malicious persecuting of him and by their interposing with Pilate v. 31. occasioning this cruelty
55 56 57. This great truth is here preached unto Mary by the stone taken away from the sepulchre though as yet she saw not so much in it 9. As this great truth of the Resurrection it self so also the way and circumstances thereof are to be studied and pondered for our use Therefore here and elsewhere are these so narrowly marked And in particular we may remark here 1. That he rose without observation and witnesses for albeit several felt that earth-quake and the watch and the women saw that Angel which descended at his Resurrection Mat. 28.2 3 4 5. yet it appears not that any of the watch saw him rise and those women who came first finde the sepulchre empty nor afterward did he appear openly to all whereby he might have prevented that report which was spread abroad Mat. 28.11 12 13 14 15. but only to his disciples and brethren 1 Cor. 15.5 6 7. And did leave this truth to be beleeved from the Word holding out these evidences and apparitions 1 Cor. 15.4 hereby teaching That however Christ did undeniably witnesse the truth of his glory and exaltation yet he will rather have it the object of our faith then of our sense while we are within time 2. That he rose on the third day and that very early having lien only one whole day and night which was their Sabbath and but a part of the first day which was their preparation and now on the third being the first day of the week early when it was yet dark he riseth again Hereby not only did he fulfil the type of Jonah Mat 12.40 but did also prove both that he was really dead and yet that he felt no corruption according to the Scriptures Ps 16.10 with Act. 2.31 and 13.35 36 37. having lien so short while in the grave more particularly he hasted through his sufferings to his glory that he might make way for and give a pledge of our speedy outgates as we need them Hos 6.2 3. That he rose on the first day of the week that he might perfect the work of Redemption and the new Creation on the day when the first Creation began and might sanctifie and set apart that day to be the Christian Sabbath which therefore is called the Lords day Rev. 1.10 and was the day of some of his solemn appearings to his disciples v. 19. and 26. of this Chapter and the day observed by the Church for solemn meetings and worship 1 Cor. 16.1 2. Acts 20.7 4. That the first evidences of his Resurrection were more obscure and such as at first did increase their feares and perplexities or at most but beget astonishment for all that Mary seeth is but the stone taken away and the empty sepulchre which augments her sorrow The disciples do not beleeve the womens report Luke 24.11 and what Peter himself saw did produce only wondering at first Luke 24.12 hereby not only did he prepare their weak spirits for the full comfort of this mercy in his clear apparitions by sending more dark evidences of it befoâ—â—â—â—â—d But we may also learn from it how much perâ—â—â—â—y Saints may have about their real mercies and comforts even while they are amongst their hands so long as they are in the dark and cannot discern them Verse 2. Then she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and saith unto them They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre and we know not where they have laid him Followeth the evidencing of Christs Resurrection by the same proof of the empty grave unto Peter and to John who is here again described as frequently before by his Masters love to him The Narration of this manifestation may be taken up in foure particulars The first whereof in this verse is the occasion of their going to seek this proof Namely that Mary cometh unto them 〈◊〉 a report of what she had found representing the matter in such sad and disadvantageous termes â—s her unbelief and discouragement could invent For creating of this purpose Consider 1. Albeit all the disciples were present when Mary with the rest of the women made their report Luke 24.9 10. yet it is said here only that she â—an to Peter and John because they only made any use of her report For the rest accounted them but idle tales and beleeved not Luke 24.11 and albeit neither Peter nor John beleeved as yet as appeareth from v. 8 9. with Luke 24.12 yet they will go and be further informed Consider 2. The greater difficulty here is How Mary is said to report only that Christ was taken out of the grave and yet it appeareth from Matth. 28.5 6 7. and Luke 24.4 5 6 7 8. that Angels had told them he was risen and it is said expresly Luke 24.9 10. that Mary Magdalene was amongst these who told the Angels tidings This difficulty may be cleared two wayes 1 That Mary coming with the first to see the sepulchre Matth. 28.1 and finding it empty she ran away with the sad newes before the Angels told these tydings to the rest and where it is said she with the rest told these things Luke 24.10 it may be thus expounded that every one of them told their own part Mary told of the empty sepulchre and the rest of the women who came after her and before Peter and John ran to the sepulchre told that they had seen Angels and what they had heard from them 2 It may with as little violence to the text be cleared thus That indeed they told the Angels message Luke 24.22 23. but so as they did not beleeve it and they told also what is here recorded as their own sense of the matter whatever Angels said to the contrary Doct. 1. It is a commendable duty of Saints when they are in any distresse especially concerning Christ to repair unto the society of his disciples and communicate their case with them whatever be the successe for whatever was Maries weaknesse yet it is commendable that she goeth and acquainteth the disciples with her sad case 2. Affection unto Christ will make such as misse him very active in communicating their losses though oft-times such haste joyned with unbelief doth cause them promove but little for therefore is it marked that she runneth and cometh to the disciples out of her affection though her unbelief made it be to little purpose 3. Albeit all who get any tidings concerning Christ are bound to make use thereof and it will be marked as their fault when they do not so yet in some respect these only may be said to be present and spoken to who make use of any such tidings and for others what is spoken may be said to be in vain to them Jer. 8.8 For this cause it is said here only that she cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved because they made some use of her newes as hath been cleared It is said Luke 24.24
God the glory of the truth of the Word when they are ready to seal it with their blood and to stand to the defence thereof unto death The glory of the truth and riches of his promises and of eternal life held out therein when they hazard on the enmity and opposition of all and on death it self in the faith and hope thereof and do look on eternal life as sufficient to compense all their losses and The glory of his excellency and alsufficiency when they count all things but vanity and losse that they may please him and so they proclaim their faith to be richly made up in him therefore saith he that by his death he should glorifie God 11. The consideration that God is glorified by any lot should put a lovely face upon it were it even suffering a violent death to Saints Therefore is this propounded as the lovely sight of his suffering that hereby he should glorifie God See John 12.28 12. Saints ought to give proof of their sincere resolutions for sufferings by their close following of Christ in their present service Therefore doth Christ subjoyne And when he had spoken this he saith unto him Follow me Where it appears from v. 20. that Christ rose from the rest of the company and went away when he gave this command And this he did not so much for any present journey as by calling him to obey this present command to leave all his enjoyments and company and follow him whereever he goeth he takes proof of his sincerity and whether he is resolved indeed to follow Christ in suffering when he shall be called to it and would have him begin to practise that lesson in time that he might be the more fit for it when it came to a push and so we will finde it made use of v. 20. 13. It is the duty of such as would either serve or suffer for Christ to make him their pattern and copy in what is imitable and it is their encouragement and may sweeten their way that he hath gone before them Therefore also bids he him follow me to point out not so much his duty of present going after him as thereby to signifie his duty to imitate Christ in all his actions particularly in his care of his sheep and resolution for suffering and to hold out this encouragement and how it might be sweet to follow him Verse 20. Then Peter turning about seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following which also leaned on his breast at supper and said Lord which is he that betrayeth thee 21. Peter seeing him saith to Jesus Lord and what shall this man do 22. Jesus saith unto him If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee Follow thou me In these verses we have Christs conference with Peter concerning John the beloved disciple wherein is recorded that after Christ and Peter had left the rest of the company John of his own accord did follow on which Peter turning back and observing he enquires at Christ who had foretold of his own sufferings what should become of John For which he is checked by Christ as medling with that which concerned him not and he sheweth him that although it should please him not only to exempt John from suffering death but to continue him alive till his own second coming it ought not at all to retard him in his resolutions and therefore he commands him to follow him and cleave to his duty which by this means he had neglected Whence learn 1. Much love to Christ and much of the sense of his love will make a man an earnest pursuer after Christ and to cleave to him even when Christ seemes to take no notice of him Therefore John followed when Christ had bidden only Peter follow him and when it seems the rest did not stirre and in this he is described to be the disciple whom Jesus loved one who had been very familiar with Christ and leaned on his breast at supper and very inquisitive concerning Christs safety and said Lord Lord which is he that betrayeth thee of all which see chap. 13.23 and therefore he could not stay behinde 2. The children of the Lord are subject to many distractions and interruptions in following their Christian coursse and do often look or turn aside and intermit their earnest eyeing of their mark and prize for when Peter is bidden follow Christ at this time hereby to teach him closely to follow his calling and set his heart and eye upon it and what he was to meet with as the check and repetition of that command in this verse doth teach us he turned about to look to somewhat behind him and that either meerly of his own accord or because he had heard some noise of one following See Luke 9.62 3. Albeit the intermissions of the children of God in their duty may seem very little and small yet oft-times it casts them upon snares and tentations which are ready to catch and detain them more and so draw out reproofs from Christ for Peter but turning about seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following and this occasions his curious question and draweth out a reproof not only for his looking back but for his curiosity 4. Christ abhorreth curiosity in his people and that when they have so much needful exercise among their hands yet they should meddle more with what concerneth them not so much for when Peter propounds this question and what shall this man do or and what this man that is what shall become of him as Christs answer makes it clear he gets this answer what is that to thee follow thou me Not that Christ condemnes sollicitude for our brethren which floweth from charity but that he is ill pleased with his idle curiosity when now he had received a strict command to follow him 5. It is a sin to be anxious or too much careful about what Christ will do with his beloved people for so much also doth Christs reproofe of his enquiry concerning the beloved disciple import that it was weaknesse in Peter to be any way troubled concerning him 6. Christ hath soveraigne authority to dispose of his own and to keep them longer or shorter time in the world and give them ease or trouble as he pleaseth without giving an account of his dealing to any for saith he If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee Wherein there is no hint given that John should not suffer and that he should live long and till Christ should come by his judgements against the Nation of the Jewes though these proved true in the event but it is only an absolute supposition that if Christ pleased to preserve him alive even till his second coming or otherwise disposed of him at his pleasure Neither Peter nor any other had any thing to say to it 7. As Christ will come again so the sweet notion under which Saints should take up the last and dreadful day
an evidence thereof in the Apostles they have received them which includes that knowledge and beleeving after-mentioned And where the Word is not thus received and welcomed there it will pursue and overtake sinners Zech. 5.6 8. The Word of Christ is never savingly received but when Christ is known and embraced as offering himself therein for this was the summe and â—cope of his doctrine and the obedience of their Conversion that they have known that I came out from thee c. See chap. 20.31 9. Christ is to be taken up by lâ—st sinners not as their fancie or fear would point him out but as he hath revealed himself in his saving Word for they have received the words and thereby have known c. 10. Christ is then savingly known when he is known in his person and offices and that the Father is in him and he his Embassadour reconciling the world for they have known that I came out from thee and that thou didst send me of which chap. 16.27 11. Beleeverâ— ought to be well rooted in their knowledge of Christ his person and offices considering the many tentations and assaults they will meet with to shake them in this particular for they have surely or truly known c. 12. For setling of beleevers in the point of knowing Christ they must not expect such evidences as are usual in natural things but must submit and be content with the evidence of faith which how obâ—cure soever it seem is a sure knowledge in its own kinde for they have surely known is expounded they have believed that thou didst send me Verse 9. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine 10. And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them In these verses is contained the second branch of this part of the chapter wherein Christ appropriates his prayer to his Apostles and his elect in them in opposition to the world For which he giveth several reasons As 1. That they are his charge given him by the Father 2. That they are the Fathers also by eternal election unto which he subjoyns an illustration clearing how they are the Fathers being given to him namely that both as God he hath a communion with the Father in all things and as Mediatour also as the Elect were given to him by the Father and all things for their behoof so they continued still the Fathers in respect of election and it was his work to make them the Fathers again by converting and dedicating them to him 3. That he was glorified in them and therefore would intercede for them All which makes it clear that he doth not restrict this intercession to the persons of the Apostles only but to all these who are not of the world but have the same interest in the Father and him for whom also he prayeth expresly v. 20. Doct. 1. Jesus Christ is the great High Priest not only to offer up himself a sacrifice for sin but by his prayer and intercession to compleat his work and apply his purchase for I pray saith he as giving in this action a pattern of his perpetual intercession in heaven 2. It is no small priviledge to have interest in Châ—ists intercession who hath perfect knowledge of all the necessities of his people and of the true remedy and supply thereof who hath fidelity and tendernesse not to sleight those whom he undertakes who is not refused of any suit he puts up for them chap. 11.42 and whose merit and intercession is sufficient to render naughty persons and services acceptable Theâ—efore it is held out as a special priviledge I pray for them c. See Heb. 7.25 3. Christ did not go about the exercise of his Mediatory-office at adventure not knowing whether many or few all or none would reap benefit thereby But he knew distinctly for whom he appeared and for whom not for saith he I pray for them I pray not for the world 4. Christ was so far from laying down his life for all in the world that all in and of the world are secluded from any part in his intercession except only the elect for whatsoever some do say of Christs praying as a man under the Law wherein he looks not so much to the event as his duty and so may pray for them in whose behalf he is not heard to which they referre that prayer Luke 23.34 whatever I say they assert of this kinde wherein I shall not be positive though that petition Luke 23. for his ignorant persecutors got a large answer in the Conversion of so many of them Act. 2. and afterwards yet the world is here secluded from his intercession as Mediatour and only the Elect taken in I pray for them I pray not for the world Which yet doth no way militate against our duty of praying for all manner of men who have not sinned unto death for his praying is grounded upon the distinct knowledge of the Will of God and whom he will save and therefore he prayes distinctly Whereas we wanting this knowledge ought to pray for all men with submission to the Will of God 5. Whatever the elect be in themselves even aâ—ter they are converted yet the charge and trust of them being committed to Christ it doth engage him to intercede for them so that all his wounds bleed and his credit in heaven is employed when they have to do for I pray for them which thou hast given me saith he 6. The Elect are so given to Christ as they are still the Fathers in respect of his eternal election and good will toward them for them which thou hast given me they are thine 7. It is a notable encouragement to employ God on behalfe of the Elect that he hath such an interest in them and being chosen by him they are cast upon him and left upon his help for upon this consideration doth he commend his given ones to the Father in prayer for they are thine and that he commends none to him but those whom he first gave him 8. Christs people have room in his heart and affection not only because of his interest in them and charge of them but because of the interest the Father hath also in them whose beloved Son he is for this is not only a reason why the Father should respect his prayers for them but also why he so heartily undertakes to pray for them for they are thine Which should teach all in their stations heartily to respect and care for those persons or things wherein God hath an interest 9. There is a communion and reciprocal interest in all things betwixt the Father and his Son who is heir of all things Heb. 1.2 and betwixt the Father and Christ as Mediatour in the Elect for All mine are thine and thine are mine 10. This communion and interest tends much to the advantage of Gods people as having interest both in the