Jews round about him and said unto him How long dost thou make us to doubt If thou be the Christ tell us plainly 25 Jesus answered them I told you and ye believed not the works that I do in my Fathers name they bear witness of me 26 But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep as I said unto you In these Verses we have Recorded a new and fresh Debate betwixt our Saviour and the Jews and therein we have observable 1. The time of this Debate vâ—r 22. It was at the Feast of Dedication in the Winter Our Saviour taking that opportunity to publish his Doctrine when a concourse of People were gathered together at that Solemnity Observe 2. The place of this Debate in Solomon's-Porch Altho' the Temple and Porch buâ—h by Solomon was destroyed by the Babylonians yet when the Temple was rebuilt there was one like it which retained the Ancient name Observe 3. The Debate it self If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Not that they affected the Knowledge of the Truth but only designed to insnare him for if he had affirmed himself to be the Messias he had brought himself in danger of the Roman Governour because the Jews expected the Messias to be a Temporal Prince that should deliver them from the Roman Power Now if Christ had declared himself such a Messias as the Jews expected it might have cost him his Life Therefore his hour not being yet come he answers with his usual Prudence and wariness to their insnaring question Learn hence That Christ's Enemies are full of subtil policies and can turn themselves into all shapes that if possible they may intrap and ensnare him and accordingly they pretend here great earnestness of desire to be satisfied whether he were indeed the true and promised Messias when in truth they had another design Observe 4. The Wisdom and Caution of our Saviour's Answer he refers them to his Miracles The works that I do in my Father's Name they bare witness of me Our Saviour's miraculous works were sufficient for the Jews to have grounded and bottomed their Faith upon and to have confirm'd them in the belief that he was the promised and expected Messias had not Prejudice Obstinacy and Malice blinded their Eyes that they could neither see nor consider Observe Lastly How Christ points out to these Jews the true cause of their Infidelity which was not the obscurity of his Doctrine but their not being of his Sheep that is not as yet converted they not having the Properties of his Sheep which he sets down in the following Verses Learn hence That Mens final unbelief under the means of Faith is a clear Evidence of their being in a lost and perishing condition Infidelity is the Sin that doth consign a Man over to Damnation and to such as set under the Gospel doth not only procure Damnation but no Damnation like it 27 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me Here observe 1. That all sincere and faithful Christians are Christ's Sheep and he is their great and good Shepherd This Relation implies tender Affection powerful Protection plentiful Provision The tenderness of Christ's Affection towards his Sheep appears by pitying their Infirmities by having a Fellow-feeling with them in their Sufferings by suiting their Temptations to the Degrees of their Graces His Care in providing for them appears in affording to them the Holy Scriptures the Ministry of the Word the Administration of the Sacraments and the Operation of his Holy Spirit to make all efficacious and effectual to them His Protection of them discovers it self by preparing them for Tryals by supporting them under them and by delivering them out of them and by sanctifying all to them causing them to work together in subserviency to his own Glory and his People's Good Observe 2. That Christ's Sheep hear Christ's Voice and answer the Call of their great Shepherd They hear the Voice of Christ speaking to them in the Scriptures in the Ministry of the Word in their own Consciences in Providences and they hear Christ's Voice speaking to them in and by his Holy Spirit and as they hear Christ's Voice so do they answer his Call now the right Answer to the Call of Christ in the Gospel is a present Answer a willing Answer and an abiding Answer Obs 3. That all Christ's Sheep do follow him their Shepherd They follow him 1. In his Doctrine And 2. In his Example In his Contempt of the World in his Freedom in reproving Sin in the Holyness and heavenly-mindedness of his Conversation in his Meekness and Patience in Charity and Universal Goodness and as he was a mighty Pattern of Prayer Observe 4. That Christ the great and good Shepherd knows all his Sheep My Sheep hear my Voice and I know them He knows them so as to distinguish them so as to observe and take Notice of them so as to own and approve them so as to take Care of them and provide for them And as the Lord knoweth who are his so he knoweth who are not his too As he knows his Sheep so he knows the Goats also and their Place will be at his left Hand My Sheep hear my Voice and I know them 28 And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand 29 My Father which gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Observe here 1. The Promise made by Christ unto his Sheep namely the Promise of Eternal Life and of Perseverance in Grace till they come to the full Fruition of it in Glory I give unto them eternal Life and none shall pluck them out of my Hand Obs 2. The Confirmation he gives of this from his own and his Father's power which is employed engaged and concerned for them and for their perseverance and preservation notwithstanding all Opposition to the contrary My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no Man is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hand Learn 1. That eternal Life is the portion of Christ's Sheep 2. That eternal Life is the Gift of Christ 3. That eternal Life is now given to Christ's Sheep they have it now in the purchase in the promise and in the first Fruits 4. That all Christ's Sheep are put by God the Father into Christ's Hand for Security My Father hath given them me 5. The Father doth so intrust Christ with his Sheep as yet to take Care of them himself they are in the Father's Hand as well as in the Sons and their being in the Hands of both doth assure them of the certainty of their Perseverance None shall pluck them out of my Hand None shall be able to pluck them out of my Father's Hand implying that there are many that would pluck them out of their Hands Sin Satan the World c. but They shall be kept by the Almighty
farther Witness we have heard his Blasphemy Abominable Wickedness It is not in the Power of Innocency it self nay not in the Power of the greatest and unspotted Innocency to protect from Slander and false Accusation Observe farther The great Meekness of our Saviour under all these ill Suggestions and false Accusations as a Lamb before the Shearer so is he Dumb and opened not his Mouth Learn thence That to bear the Revilings Contradictions and false Accusations of Men with a Silent and Submissive Spirit is an excellent and Christ-like Temper Though a Tryal for his Innocent Life was now Managed most Maliciously and Illegally against him yet When he was Reviled Reviled not again when he Suffered he Threatned not Oh may the same Meek and Humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus who instead of Reviling his Accusers Prayed for his Murtherers and Offered up his Blood to God on the Behalf of them that shed it Lord Jesus help us to set thy Instructive Example continually before us and to be daily Correcting and Reforming of our Lives by that Blessed Pattern Amen CHAP. XXIII 1 AND the whole Multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate 2 And they began to accuse him saying We found this Fellow perverting the Naâ—ion and forbidding to give Tribute to Cesar saying That he himself is Christ a King 3 And Pilate asked him saying Art thou the King of the Jews And he answered him and said Thou sayest it 4 Then said Pilate to the Chief Priests and to the People I find no fault in this Man 5 And they were the more fierce saying He stirreth up the People Teaching throughout all Jeury beginning from Galilee to this place 6 When Pilate heard of Galilee he asked whether the Man were a Galilean 7 And as soon as he heard that he belonged to Herod's Jurisdiction he sent him to Herod who himself was also at Jerusalem at that time 8 And when Herod saw Jesus he was exceeding glad for he was desirous to see him of a long Season because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to have seen some Miracle done by him 9 Then he questioned with him in many words but he answered him nothing 10 And the Chief Priests and Scribes stood and vehemently accused him 11 And Herod with his Men of War set him at naught and mocked him And arrayed him in a gorgeous Robe and sent him again to Pilate 12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made Friends together for before they were at enmity between themselves In this Chapter we have a Relation of the Black and Saddest Tragedy that ever was Acted upon the Stage of the World Namely the Barbarous and Bloody Murther of the Holy and Innocent Jesus by the Jews his own Country-Men the Best of Kings put to Death by his own Subjects And the first step towards it is his Arraignment before Pilate and Herod they Post him from one to another Pilate sends him to Herod and Herod having made sufficient Sport with him Remands him to Pilate Neither of them find any Fault in him worthy of Death yet neither of them would Release him Here Observe That our Saviour being before Pilate Answers him Readily and Cautiously Art thou the King of the Jews says Pilate Thou sayest it says our Saviour Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed He Replied I am Hence says the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 That Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession Teaching us That though we may and sometimes ought to hold our Peace when our Reputation is Concerned yet must we never be Silent when the Honour of God and his Truth may be effectually promoted by a Free and a Full Confession yet is it farther Observable That our Saviour being before Herod would neither Answer him to any Question nor Work any Miracle before him This was an Instance and Evidence of our Lord 's great Humility in refusing to Work Miracles before Herod who desired it only to gratify his Curiosity Thus do vile Men abuse the Holy Power of God desiring to see it exerted for Admiration and Pastime not to be Convinced or Converted by it And as Admirable was the Patience as the Humility of Christ and his present Silence who neither at Herod's Request nor at the Jews Importunity and false Accusations could be moved to Answer any thing Observe Lastly That though Herod had Murthered Christ's Fore-runner John the Baptist and our Saviour's own Life was in danger by Herod heretofore yet now he had him in his Hands he lets him go only he first abuses him and mocks him and Arrays him in a Gorgeous Robe like a Mock King Thus were all the Marks of Scorn imaginable put upon our Dear Redeemer yet all this Jearing and sportful Shame did our Lord undergo to shew what was due unto us for our Sins and also to give us an Example to bear all the Shame and Reproach imaginable for his sake Who for the Joy that was set before him despised the Shame Hebr. 12.2 13 And Pilate when he had called together the Chief Priests and the Rulers and the People 14 Said unto them Ye have brought this Man unto me as one that perverteth the People And behold I have examined him before you and find no fault in this Man touching those things whereof ye accuse him 15 No nor yet Herod For I sent you to him and lo nothing worthy of Death is done unto him 16 I will therefore chastize him and Release him 17 For of necessity he must Release one unto them at the Feast 18 And they cryed out all at once saying Away with this Man and Release unto us Barabbas 19 Who for a certain Sedition made in the City and for Murder was cast into Prison 20 Pilate therefore willing to Release Jesus spake again to them 21 But they cryed saying Crucify him Crucify him 22 And he said unto them the third time Why What Evil hath he done I have found no Cause of Death in him I will therefore Chastise him and let him go 23 And they were instant with loud Voices Requiring that he might be Crucified And the voices of them and of the Chief Priests prevailed 24 And Pilate gave Sentence that it should be as they Required 25 And he Released unto them him that for Sedition and Murder was cast into Prison whom they had desired But he delivered Jesus to their Will Observe here 1. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death One while he Expostulates with the Chief Priests Saying What Evil hath he done Nay St. Luke here declares that Pilate came forth Three several Times professing that he found no Fault in him Where Note How much more Justice and Equitâ— Christ met with from Pilate an Heathen then from the Chief Priests and People of the Jews professing the true Religion Oh how desperate is the Hatred that grows upon the Root of
Life Observe 2. How the Jews misunderstood our Saviour's words He that keeps my saying shall never see Death as if he meant a freedom from Temporal Death and hereupon they looked upon him as beside himself to promise a Priviledge which neither Abraham nor the Prophets did ever enjoy Whereas it was not Exemption from Temporal Death but freedom from Eternal Destruction which our Saviour promised to them that keep his sayings Hence learn That the misunderstanding of Christ's Doctrine and taking it in a Carnal Sense has given occasion for the many Cavils and Objections made against it Observe 3. How Christ clears himself of all Ambition in this matter and shews that he did not make this promise of delivering his followers from Death vain-gloriously but that God whom they called their Father had honoured him with Power to make good what ever he had promised to them that keep his saying Learn hence That as Christ intirely sought his Father's Glory so the Father conferred all Honour and Glory upon Christ as Mediatour thereby testifying how infinitely pleased he was with the Redemption of Mankind performed by him If I honour my self my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoureth me 56 Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad That is Abraham having Received a Promise that the Messias should come of his Seed he exceedingly Rejoyced to see the day of my coming in the Flesh tho' afar off with the Eye of his Faith and in a Figure in his Sacrificed Son Isaac And this sight of his Faith was so Transporting that he leap'd for Joy Learn hence That a strong Faith giveth such a clear sight of Christ tho' at a distance as produceth an Holy delight and Rejoycing in him 57 Then said the Jews unto him Thou art not yet fifty years old and hast thou seen Abraham 58 Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Before Abraham was I am 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him but Jesus hid himself and went put of the temple going through the midst of them and so passed by Observe here 1. What a false and Ridiculous construction the Jews make of our Saviour's words as if he had affirmed that he had seen Abraham and Abraham him with bodily Eyes whereas Christ only asserted that Abraham had seen his Day that is he foresaw by Faith the Day of his Incarnation and coming in the Flesh Observe 2. Our Saviour's positive asserting of his Divinity or that he had a Being as God from all Eternity for says he Before Abraham was I am Where Note That Christ doth not say Before Abraham was I was but Before Abraham was I am which is the proper name of God whereby is signified the Eternal duration and permanency of his Being The Adversaries of Christ's Divinity say that before Abraham was Christ was that is in God's fore-knowledge or Decree but this may be said of any other person as well as Christ that he was in the fore-knowledge of God before Abraham was Born Whereas undoubtedly it was Christ's design in these words to give himself some preference and advantage above Abraham which this Interpretation doth not in the least do Observe lastly How the Jews looking upon Christ as a Blasphemer for making himself equal with God and for asserting his Eternal Existence they make a Zealous attempt upon his Life by taking up Stones to cast at him as the Jews used to deal with Blasphemers but our Saviour delivers himself miraculously from their fury and escapes untouched Hence learn That when Arguments fail the Enemies of Truth betake themselves to force and violence They took up Stones to cast at him 2. That as Christ disappointed his own Persecutors so he can and will deliver his People in their greatest extremity from the Persecutors Rage and Fury 2. Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptation and to reserve the Vnjust to the Day of Judgment to be punished CHAP. IX 1 ANd as Jesus passed by he saw a man which was blind from his birth The foregoing Chapter acquainted us with a famous Encounter which the Pharisees had with our Blessed Saviour in the Temple at Jerusalem This being ended as he passed from the Temple he saw a Man lying possibly by the High-way who was Born Blind Him Christ pitches upon as an object fit to exercise his Divine Power in the cure and healing of They that are Blind by casualty may possibly be relieved by Art and Industry but to cure one that is Born Blind nothing less is required than an Almighty Power Learn hence That Diseases and Distempers which are incurable by the ordinary course of Nature are not insuperable to Christ's Power nor impossible for him to help but a proper object for him to magnifie his Power upon Therefore is it here Recorded that this poor Man was Blind from his Birth such Blindness being accounted incurable by Natural means 2 And his disciples asked him saying Master who did sin this man or his parents that he was born blind Here Observe Something implied or supposed Namely 1. That all Bodily Afflictions and Calamities do come upon us for Sin Whereas Afflictions tho' they always fall upon a Sinner yet are they not always sent for Sin but by way of Purgation and Prevention of Sin 2. It is here supposed that as some Afflictions come upon Men for personal Sins so others come upon them for Parental Sins and that Children may and oftimes do very justly suffer for their Parents Sins 3. It is here supposed that there is no other Reason of a person's sufferings but only Sin Whereas tho' Sin be much and often the cause of suffering yet we may wrong God and Man yea and Sin too to conclude it is always the cause of suffering 4. It is implied here That there is a Transmigration of Souls from one Body to another the Disciples supposed that this Soul when it was in another Body sinned and was now punished by being put into a Blind Body This Pythagorean Error was crept in among the Pharisees and the Disciples here seem to be tainted and infected with it This may Teach us how far the Holiest and Wisest of Men are from an Infallible Spirit and that the Best Men may be misled by a common Error 3 Jesus answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him Christ's Answer must not be understood Absolutely as if he denied this Man and his Parents to be guilty of Sin for both he and they had Sin enough not only to deserve Temporal Blindness but Eternal darkness The meaning is That in Afflicting this Man the Lord did not so much Respect his or his Parent 's Sin as the manifestation of his own Glory in this miraculous Cure Christ doth not deny but that a Man 's own Sin and the Sin of his Parents may be the procuring
manner of our Lord's Funeral it was hasty publick and decent it was hasty by reason of the streights of Time the Sabbath was approaching and all Business is laid aside to prepare for that Teaching us how much it is our Duty to dispatch our Worldly business early in the Evening of the Lord's Day that we may be the better prepared to Sanctifie that Day Again our Lord's Funeral was publick and open all Persons that would might be Spectators to cut off occasion from any to object that there was deceit and fraud used in or about our Lord's Burial yet was he also Interr'd decently his Holy Body being wrapt in fine Linen and perfum'd with Spices according to the Jewish Custom Observe 5. The Reasons why our Lord was thus buried seeing he was to Rise again in as short a time as other Men lie by the Walls doubtless it was to declare the certainty of his Death and the reality of his Resurrection to fulfill the Types and Prophesies which went before of him As Jonas being three Days and three Nights in the Whale's Belly he was also buried to compleat his Humiliation this being the lowest step to which he could descend in his abased State Finally he went into the Grave that he might conquer Death in its own Territories Observe Lastly Of what use our Lord's Burial is to us his followers It shews us the amazing depths of his Humiliation from what and to what his Love brought him even from the Bosom of his Father to the Bosom of the Grave It may also comfort us against the fears of Death the Grave could not long keep Christ it shall not always keep us it was a loathsome Prison before it is a perfum'd Bed now he whose Head is in Heaven need not fear to put his Feet into the Grave Awake and Sing thou that dwellest in the Dust for the Enmity of the Grave is slain by Christ CHAP. XX. This and the following Chapter gives us an Account of our Saviour's Exaltation and Victorious Triumph over all his Enemies by his powerful Resurrection All the four Evangelists do confirm the Truth of it by recording the several steps and degrees of the manifestation of it In this Chapter Christ's Resurrection is confirmed first to Mary Magdalene next to Peter and John then to all the Disciples except Thomas 1 THe first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark unto the sepulchre and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre In this Verse is Recorded how Mary Magdalene came early to the Sepulchre on the first Day of the Week to Anoint the Dead Body of our Lord Jesus Where Note That tho' her Heart did burn with an ardent Zeal and Affection to her Crucified Lord yet the commanded Duties of the Sabbath were not omitted by her she kept close and silently spent that Holy Day in a mixture of Grief and Hope her Example is a good Pattern of Sabbath-Sanctification and worthy of our Christian Imitation Note 2. What magnanimity and courage is found in this weak Woman she followed Christ Couragiously when his Disciples left him Cowardly she accompanied him to his Cross she followed his Hearse to the Grave when his Disciples durst not appear and now very early in the Morning she goes to visit his Sepulchre fearing neither the Darkness of the Night nor the presence of the Watch-men Learn thence That Courage is the special gift of God and if he gives it to the feebler Sex even to timerous and fearful Women it is not in the Power of Man to make them afraid 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 It was a great Honour that God put upon this poor Woman Mary Magdalene that she has the first Notice of our Saviour's Resurrection and is the first that discovers it to the Apostles But why had not the Virgin Mary his Disconsolate Mother this Priviledge conferr'd on her rather than Mary Magdalene who had been a grievous Sinner Doubtless this was for the Comfort of all True Pentitents and Administers great Consolation to them As the Angels in Heaven Rejoyce much more doth Christ Joy in the Recovery of one repenting Sinner than in multitudes of Holy and Just Persons such was the blessed Virgin who need no Repentance 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 outrun Peter and came first to the sepulchre 5 And he stouping down and looking in saw the linen clothes lying yet went he not in 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him and went into the sepulchre and seeth the linen clothes lie 7 And the napkin that was about his head not lying with the linen clothes but wrapped together in a place by it self 8 Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepulchre and he saw and believed 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture that he must rise again from the dead Here observe 1. How Peter and John moved with Mary Magdalens words They have taken away the Lord c. do run to the Sepulchre to satisfie themselves in the Truth of it Such as sincerely Love Christ upon the least intimation that he is missing bestir themselves with great Activity and Diligence that they may see him or hear of him Peter and John run to the Sepulchre to see what was become of their Holy Master Observe 2. That there were such clear Evidences about Christ's Grave as made it apparent that he was indeed Risen from the Dead and not conveighed away either by Friends or Foes It cannot be supposed that any of his Friends could they have come at it would have so handled his Holy Body as to carry it away naked and for his Foes had they Stole away the Body they would never have left the Fine Linnen behind them Observe 3. That when Christ arose from the Grave he left his Grave Cloaths behind him whereas when Lazarus arose he came forth with his Grave Cloaths about him it Teaches us that Christ Rose never to Die more but to Live and Reign for ever therefore he left his Grave Cloaths in the Grave as never to make use of them more But Lazarus was to Die again Death was once more to have Dominion over him he therefore came forth with his Grave Cloaths about him Observe Lastly How ignorant the Apostles were of the Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection and of the Holy Scriptures which declared he was to Rise again from the Dead They knew not the Scriptures That is They did not heed and regard them ponder them in their Hearts and feed upon them by Faith 10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home 11 ¶ But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping and as
but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Obs here the following Particulars 1. An unwarrantable Fear condemned and that is the sinful servile slavish Fear of impotent Man Fear not him that can kill the Body 2. An holy awful and prudential Fear of the Omnipotent God commended Fear him that is able to kill both Body and Soul 3. The Persons that this Duty of Fear is recommended to and bound upon Christ's own Disciples yea his Ministers and Ambassadors they both may and ought to fear him not only for his Greatness and Goodness but upon the account of his Punitive Justice as Being able to cast both Soul and Body into Hell Such a Fear is not only Lawful but Laudable not only commendable but commanded and well becomes the Servants of God themselves 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbred 31 Fear ye not therefore ye are of more value than many sparrows Obs here 1. The Doctrine which our Saviour Preaches to his Disciples and that is the Doctrine of Divine Providence which concerns it self for the meanest Creatures even the Birds of the Air and the Hairs of our Heads do fall within the compass of God's Protecting Care 2. Here is the Use which our Saviour makes of this Doctrine namely to fortifie the Spirits of his Disciples against all distrustful Fears and distracting Cares Learn That the Consideration of the Divine Care and Gracious Providence of GOD over us and ours ought to antidote our Spirits against all distrustful Fears whatsoever If an Hair from the Head falls not to the Ground without a Providence much less shall the Head it self if the very Excrements of the Body such are the Hair be taken Care of by God surely the more noble Parts of the Body and especially the noblest Part of our selves our Souls shall fall under his particular Regard 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven Obs here 1. That not to confess Christ in his Account is to deny him and to deny him is to be ashamed of him 2. That whosoever shall deny disown or be ashamed of Christ either in his Person in his Gospel or in his Members for any Fear or Favour of Man shall with Shame be disowned and eternally rejected by Him at the Dreadful Judgment of the Great Day CHRIST may be Denied three ways Doctrinally by an Erroneous and Heretical Judgment Verbally by Oral Expressions Vitally by a Wicked and Unholy Life But Wo to that Soul that denies CHRIST any of these Ways 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own houshold We must distinguish here betwixt the Intentional Aim of Christ's Coming and the Accidental Event of it His Intentional Aim was to propagate and promote Peace in the World but thro' the Corruption of Man's Nature the Accidental Event of his Coming is War and Division Not that these are the genuine and natural Fruits of the Gospel but Occasional and Accidental only Note That the Preaching of the Gospel and setting up the Kingdom of Christ in the World tho' it be not the Natural Cause yet it is the Accidental Occasion of all that War and Tumult of all that Distraction and Confusion which the World abounds with 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me 38 And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it Our Saviour by these Expressions doth not condemn Natural Love and Affection either to our Relations or our own Lives but only regulates and directs it and shews that our first and chief Love must be bestowed upon Himself We may have tender and relenting Affections towards our dear Relations but then the Consideration of CHRIST's Truth and Religion must take Place of these nay of Life it self nay when these come in Competition we are to regard them no more than if they were the Objects of our Hatred Luk. 14.26 If a Man hate not his Father c. Learn hence That all the Disciples of Christ should be ready and willing whenever God calls them to it to quit all their Temporal Interests and Enjoyments even Life it self and to submit to any Temporal Inconvenience even Death it self And all this willingly chearfully and patiently rather than disown their Relation to Christ and quit the Profession of his Truth and Religion 2. That such as for Secular Interest and the Preservation of Temporal Life do renounce their Profession of Christ and his Religion they do not only greatly hazard their Temporal Life but expose their Eternal Life to the greatest Danger He that findeth his Life shall lose it c. 40 He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Here in the close of the Chapter our Blessed Saviour encourages his Apostles to Faithfulness in their Office by assuring them that he should reckon and esteem all the Kindness shewn to them as done unto himself And to encourage the World to be kind to his Disciples and Ministers he assures them that even a Cup of cold Water should meet with a liberal Reward How cold is their Charity who deny a Cup of cold Water to the Ministers and Disciples of Christ Learn 1. That there is some special and eminent Reward due to the Faithful Prophets of GOD above other Men. 2. That he that shall entertain a Prophet and do any good Office for him under that Name that is for his Office-sake shall be Partaker of that Reward 3. That the least Office of Love and Respect of Kindness and Charity which we shew to any of the Ministers or Members of Jesus Christ for his sake Christ accounts it as done unto himself and it shall be rewarded by himself CHAP. XI 1 AND it came to pass
Christ and in the Profession and Practice of the true Religion is a Note indeed of the true Church But Unity in opposing Christ his Person his Doctrine his People is so far from being a Mark of the true Church that it is the Badge of the Antichristian Synagogue Obs 2. The prudent Means which our Saviour uses to preserve himself from the Rage of the Pharisees he withdrew himself from them Christ's Example teaches his Ministers their Duty in a time of Danger to fly from Persecution and to endeavour to preserve their Lives unless when their Sufferings are like to do more Good than their Lives Obs 3. The great Zeal and Forwardness of the People in flocking after our Saviour's Ministry People come now at first from all Places and Countries from Judea from Idumea from beyond Jordan from Tyre and Sidon to hear his Doctrine and see his Miracles The People came from all parts when our Saviour first began to preach His Ministers find it thus At their first coming amongst a People their Labours are most acceptable and they do most Good our Peoples Affections are then warmest and perhaps our own too Obs 4. What sort of People they were which attended thus zealously upon our Saviour's Ministry they were the common and ordinary People the poor received the Gospel whilst the Pharisees and other Men of most Account the mighty the noble and the wise Men after the Flesh despised our Saviour's Person slighted his Ministry and sought his Life The ordinary and meanest sort of People ever have been more zealous and forward in embracing the Gospel than ever the Great the Rich and the Honourable part of the World have been It is a sad but a certain Truth Heaven is a place where few comparatively of the great Men of the World are like to come their Temptations are many their Lusts are strong and their great Estates thro' their own Abuse become Fuel to their Lusts Obs 5. The Behaviour of the unclean Spirits the Devils towards our Saviour and our Saviour's Carriage towards them They fall down at the very sight of him they cry out and confess him to be the Son of God but he sharply Rebukes them and charges them that they should not make him known Not that our Saviour would have the Knowledge of his Person supprest but because the Devils were no fit Persons to preach Jesus Christ A Truth out of the Mouth of the Father of Lies is enough to render Truth it self suspected Besides the time appointed for the full and clear Manifestation of the Godhead of Christ was not yet come This was not to be done till after his Resurrection the Divine Nature was to lye hid under the Veil of Christ's Flesh during his state of Humiliation and Abasement 13 And he goeth up into a mountain and calleth unto him whom he would and they came unto him 14 And he ordained twelve that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils 16 And Simon he sirnamed Peter 17 And James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James and he sirnamed them Boanerges which is The sons of thunder 18 And Andrew and Philip and Bartholomew and Matthew and Thomas and James the son of Alpheus and Thaddeus and Simon the Canaanite 19 And Judas Iscariot which also betrayed him and they went into an house As the Jewish Church arose from Twelve Patriarchs so the Christian Church became planted by Twelve Apostles the Person commissioning them was Christ None may undertake the Work and Calling of the Ministry but those whom Christ appoints and calls The Persons commissioned were Disciples before they were Apostles to teach us That Christ will have such as preach the Gospel to be Disciples before they are Ministers trained up in the Faith and Doctrine of the Gospel before they undertake a publick Charge Observe farther The Holy Preparative which our Saviour uses in order to this Election of his Apostles he goeth up into a Mountain to pray upon that great Occasion So says St. Luke 6.12 He went up into a Mountain to pray and spent the night in Prayer to God And when it was Day he called his Disciples and of them he chose Twelve In this Prayer no doubt he pleaded with his Father to furnish those that were to be sent forth by him with all Ministerial Gifts and Graces Learn thence That as Prayer is a necessary Preparative to all Duties so more especially before the publick Election and Ordination of the Ministers of the Church solemn Prayer is to be used by such as are to ordain and choose them our Lord's Practice is to be a standing Rule herein to all Church Officers Observe again Tho' Christ called his Apostles now yet he did not send them forth now He ordained Twelve that they should be with him That is that they might converse with him and be Eye-witnesses and Ear-witnesses of his Life Doctrine and Miracles And having been thus with Christ and fitted and prepared by him for their Work afterwards they went forth Thence Learn That such as are to take upon them the Office of the Ministry ought first to be fitted and prepared for it then solemnly called to it before they enterprize and undertake the Execution of it if the Apostles here who were called and qualified extraordinarily were to spend some Time with Christ to receive Direction and Instruction from him before they went forth to preach how much more needful is it for such as are ordinarily called to be well-fitted and furnished for the Ministerial Service before they undertake it Observe next How the several Names of the Apostles are here Registred and Recorded God will honour those that honour him and are the special Instruments of his Glory Of these Apostles Peter is named first and Judas last Peter is named first because probably elder than the rest or because for Order-sake he might speak before the rest From whence may be inferr'd a Primacy but no Supremacy a Priority of Order not a Superiority of Degree As the Foreman of a Grand-Jury has a Precedency but no Preheminency he is first in order before the rest but has no Authority or Power over the rest Judas is named last with a Brand of Infamy upon him that he was the Traditor the Person that betrayed his Lord and Master Whence Learn That tho' the Truth of Grace be absolutely necessary to a Minister's Salvation yet the want of it doth not disannul his Office nor hinder the Lawfulness of his Ministry Judas tho' a Traytor was yet a Lawful Minister Observe lastly That our Saviour sirnamed James and John Boanerges Sons of Thunder St. Jerome thinks this Name was given them because being with Christ in the Mount at his Transfiguration they heard the Father's Voice out of the Cloud like Thunder Others think them so called because they were more vehement and earnest than the
rather grew worse 27 When she had heard of Jesus came in the press behind and touched his garment 28 For she said If I may touch but his cloaths I shall be whole 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague 30 And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that vertue had gone out of him turned him about in the press and said Who touched my cloaths 31 And his disciples said unto him Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest thou Who touched me 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing 33 But the woman fearing and trembling knowing what was done in her came and fell down before him and told him all the truth 34 And he said unto her Daughter thy faith hath made thee whole go in peace and be whole of thy plague As our Saviour was on his way to Jairus his House a diseased Woman comes behind him touches his Cloaths and is presently healed the Virtue lay not in her Finger but in her Faith or rather in Christ which her Faith instrumentally drew forth Obs here 1. The diseased Person a Woman with a Bloody-Flux Let Women here take notice of the Miseries which the Sin of the first Woman has brought upon all Women amongst which this is one that it has made their Bodies subject to unnatural Issues and Fluxes of Blood Obs 2. The long Continuance of this Disease Twelve Years It pleases God to lay long and tedious Afflictions upon some of his Children in this Life and particularly to keep some of them a very long time under bodily Weakness to manifest his Power in supporting them and to magnifie his Mercy in delivering them Obs 3. This poor Woman was found in the use of Means she sought to Physicians for Help and is not blamed for it tho' she spent all she had upon them The use of Physick is not to be neglected by us in times of Sickness especially in dangerous Diseases of the Body To trust to Means is to neglect God and to neglect the Means is to tempt God The Health of our Bodies ought to be dear and precious to us and all lawful Means ought to be used both to preserve it to recover it and confirm it Obs 4. The workings and acting of this poor Woman's Faith her Disease was unclean by the Ceremonial Law and therefore to be separate from Society accordingly she is ashamed to appear before Christ but comes behind him to touch his Cloaths being firmly perswaded that Christ had a Power communicated by God unto him miraculously to cure incurable Diseases And see how our Saviour encouraged her Faith tho' she did not believe him to he the Eternal Son of God but one to whom God had communicated a Power of healing bodily Diseases yet says Christ This thy Faith hath made thee whole Learn hence That Faith oft-times meets with a better Welcome from Christ than it did or could expect This poor Woman came to Christ trembling but went away triumphing Obs 5. Christ would have this Miracle discovered he therefore says Who toucheth me and I perceive that Vertue is gone out of me First In Reference to himself to manifest his Divine Power that by the Touch of his Cloaths he could cure such an incurable Disease Secondly In Relation to the Woman that she might have Opportunity to give God the Praise and Glory for the Cure And Thirdly With Respect to Jairus that his Faith might be strengthned in the Belief of Christ's Power to raise his Daughter 35 While he yet spake there came from the ruler of the synagogues house certain which said Thy daughter is dead why troublest thou the Master any further 36 Assoon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue Be not afraid only believe 37 And he suffered no man to follow him save Peter and James and John the brother of James 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and seeth the tumult and them that wept and wailed greatly 39 And when he was come in he saith unto them Why make ye this ado and weep the damsel is not dead but sleepeth 40 And they laughed him to scorn but when he had put them all out he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel and them that were with him and entereth in where the damsel was lying 41 And he took the damsel by the hand and said unto her Talitha cumi which is being interpreted Damsel I say unto thee arise 42 And straightway the damsel arose and walked for she was of the age of twelve years and they were astonished with a great astonishment 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it and commanded that something should be given her to eat Obs here 1. The doleful News brought to Jairus his Ears Thy Daughter is dead The Lord doth sometimes suffer the Faith of his Saints to be hard put to it greatly assaulted with Difficulties and Trials Obs 2. Our Saviour's seasonable Word of Comfort Be not afraid only believe Christ is ready to comfort Believers in the Hour of their strongest Temptations and greatest Trials Obs 3. Christ's Application of himself to the raising unto Life Jairus his dead Daughter In order to which 1. He goes into the House only with three of his Disciples which were sufficient to witness the Truth of the Miracle Our Saviour to avoid all shew of Vain-Glory and to evidence that he sought not ambitiously his own Honour and Praise would not work this great Miracle publickly before all the People 2. He rebukes them for the shew they make of immoderate Grief and Sorrow for the dead Damsel they wept and wailedâ— eatly with Ministress and musical Instruments according to the Custom of the Heathens who by a mournful sort of Musick did stir up the Passion of Grief at their Funerals To mourn immoderately for the dead is an Heathenish Practice and Custom 'T is hurtful to the Living and dishonourable to the Dead nor is it an Argument of more Love but an Evidence of less Grace 3. He adds a Reason for this Rebuke and Reproof given them The Damsel is not dead but sleepeth Vobis Mortua mihi Dormit She is Dead to you but asleep to me Not so dead as to be beyond my Power to raise her to Life Souls departed are under the Conduct of Angels to their several Regions of Bliss or Misery It is very probable that the Soul of this Damsel was under the Guard of Angels near her dead Body waiting the Pleasure of God in order to its Disposal either to restore it again to the Body or to translate it to its Eternal Mansion Observe farther The Nature of Death in general and of the Saints in particular described 'T is a Sleep Sleep is a State of Rest Sleep is a sudden Surprizal in Sleep there is an
the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod 16 And they reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have no bread 17 And when Jesus knew it he saith unto them Why reason ye because ye have no bread perceive ye not yet neither understand have ye your hearts yet hardened 18 Having eyes see ye not and having ears hear ye not and do ye not yet remember 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand how many baskets full of fragments took ye up They say unto him Twelve 20 And when the seven amongst four thousand how many baskets full of fragments took ye up And they said Seven 21 And he said unto them How is it that you do not understand Observe here 1. How dull the Disciples of Christ were under Christ's own Teaching and how apt to put a carnal Sense upon his Words They apprehended he had spoke unto them of the Leaven of Bread what he intended of the Leaven of the Pharisees Doctrine Obs 2. The Rebuke our Saviour gives his Disciples for not understanding the Sense and Signification of what he spake Christ is much offended with his own People when he discerns Blindness and Ignorance in them after more than ordinary means of Knowledge enjoyed by them How is it that ye do not yet understand Obs 3. The Metaphor by which Christ sets forth the corrupt Doctrines of the Pharisees and Herodians He compares it to Leaven Partly for its Sowerness and partly for its Diffusiveness Now the Leaven of Herod or the Herodians is supposed to be This That because Herod was a Jew born and made King of the Jews and lived at the time when the Messiah was expected there were those that maintained the Opinion that he was the promised Messiah which Opinion Christ compares to Leaven because as that diffuseth it self into the whole Mass or Lump of Bread with which it is mixed So false Doctrine was not only evil and corrupt in it self but apt to spread its Contagion farther and farther to the infecting of others with it Learn thence That Error is as damnable as Vice and Persons erroneous in Judgment to be avoided as well as those that are wicked in Conversation and he that has a due Care of his Soul's Salvation will be as much afraid of erroneous Principles as he is of debauched Practices Obs 4. Our Saviour does not command his Disciples to separate from Communion with the Pharisees and oblige them not to hear their Doctrine but only to beware of their Errors which they mix with their Doctrine We may and ought to hold Communion with a Church though erroneous in Judgment if not fundamentally erroneous For Separation from a Church is not justifiable upon any other Grounds than that which makes a Separation betwixt God and that Church which is either Apostacy into gross Idolatry or in point of Doctrine into damnable Heresy Obs 5. The Fault observed by our Saviour in his Disciples hardness of Heart Have ye your Hearts yet hardened There may be and oft times is some degree of Hardness of Heart in sincere Christians but this is not a total Hardness but in some degree only and it is lamented and humbled or not indulged and delighted in As Christ is grieved for the Hardness of his Peoples Hearts so are they grieved also it is both bitter and burthensom to them 22 And he cometh to Bethsaida and they bring a blind man to him and besought him to touch him 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town and when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands upon him he asked him if he saw ought 24 And he looked up and said I see men as trees walking 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes and made him look up and he was restored and saw every man clearly 26 And he sent him away to his house saying Neither go into the town nor tell it to any man in the town Here we have recorded a special Miracle wrought by our Saviour at Bethsaida in curing a blind Man brought unto him Where Observe 1. What evident Proof the Pharisees had of Christ's Divine Power and Godhead He had before caused the Deaf to hear the Dumb to speak the Lame to walk now he makes the Blind to see Yet did the Pharisees obstinately resist all Means of their Conviction and continued in their Opposition to Truth to their inevitable and unutterable Condemnation Obs 2. The wonderful Humility the great Condescention of Jesus Christ towards this Blind-Man He took him by the Hand and led him himself A great Evidence of his Condescending Humility and of his Goodness and Mercy shewing how ready and willing he was to help and heal him see here a singular Pattern of Humility and condescending Grace and Mercy in our dear Redeemer in that he vouchsafed with his own hands to take and lead a poor Blind Man through the Streets of Bethsaida in the sight of all the People Let us learn of him who was thus meek and lowly in heart Obs 3. Our Lord leads the Blind Man out of the Town before he heals him not in the Town where all the People might take notice of it Thereby teaching us to avoid all shew of Ambition all Appearance of Vain-Glory in what we do Even as Christ sought not his own Glory but the Glory of him that sent him Obs 4. The manner of the Cure wrought upon this Blind Man it was gradual and by degrees not instantaneous and at once he had first a dark dim and obscure Sight afterwards a clear and a perfect Sight Christ thereby gave Evidence of his Absolute and Omnipotent Power that he was not tyed to any particular Means or Manner or Order of Working but wrought his Miracles variously as he saw to be most fit for the Glory of God and the Benefit of his People Observe Lastly The Charge given by our Saviour not to publish this Miracle in the Town of Bethsaida a Place where Christ had so often preach'd and wrought so many Miracles But the Inhabitants had obstinately and contemptuously undervalued and despised both his Doctrine and Miracles therefore we read Mat. 11.21 that our Saviour denounced a Woe against Bethsaida assuring her that it would be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for her The higher a People rise under the Means the lower they fall if they miscarry Such a People as have been nearest to Conversion being not converted shall have the greatest Condemnation when they are judged 27 And Jesus went out and his disciples into the towns of Cesarea Philippi and by the way he asked his disciples saying unto them Whom do men say that I am 28 And they answered John the Baptist but some say Elias and others One of the prophets 29 And he saith unto them But whom say ye that I am And Peter answereth and saith unto him Thou art the Christ 30 And he charged them that
the whole world and lose his own soul 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Our Saviour had shewn in the former Verses the great Danger of seeking to save our Temporal Life by exposing to hazard our Eternal Life This he confirms in the Words before us by a double Argument the first drawn from the Excellency of Eternal Life or the Life of the Soul The second drawn from the Irrecoverableness of this Loss or the Impossibility of Redeeming the Loss of the Soul by any way or means whatsoever What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul Learn 1. That Almighty God has intrusted every one of us with a Soul of inestimable Worth and Preciousness capable of being saved or lost and that to all Eternity 2. That the Gain of the whole World is not comparable with the Loss of one precious Soul The Soul's Loss is an inconceivable incompensable and irrecoverable Loss 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father with his holy angels That is whosoever shall deny or disown me either in my Person my Gospel or my Members for any Fear or Favour of Man he shall with shame be disowned and eternally rejected by me at the great Day There are Two Passions that make Persons disown Christ and Religion in the Day of Temptation Namely Fear and Shame Many good Men have been overcome by the former as St. Peter and others but we find not any good Man in Scripture guilty of the latter Namely that denied Christ out of Shame This argues a rotten unsound and corrupt Heart If any Man thinks it beneath his Honour and Quality to own the opposed Truths and despised Members of Jesus Christ he will think it much more beneath him his Honour and Dignity to own them at the great Day Learn hence That it is not sufficient that we own Christ by believing in him but we must honour him by an outward professing of him also Secondly That such as are ashamed of Christ's Doctrine or Members are ashamed of Christ himself Thirdly That such as either for Fear dare not or for Shame will not own the Doctrine of Christ or the Members of Christ now shall find Christ ashamed to own and confess them at the Great Day Whosoever is ashamed of me and of my Words in this adulterous and wicked Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with his Holy Angels CHAP. IX 1 AND he said unto them verily I say unto you That there be some of them that stand here which shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with Power There is a three-fold Sense and interpretation given of these Words by Expositors 1. Some refer the Words to the Times of the Gospel after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension when the Gospel was spread and propagated far and near and the Kingdom of God came with Power Learn thence That where the Gospel is powerfully preached and chearfully obeyed there Christ cometh most gloriously in his Kingdom 2. Others understand these Words of Christ's coming and exercising his Kingly Power in the Destruction of Jerusalem which some of the Apostles then standing by lived to see 3. Others as most agreeable to the Context understand the Words as relating to our Saviour's Transfiguration as if he had said Some of you meaning Peter James and John shall shortly see me upon Mount Tabor in such Splendor and Glory as shall be a Praeludium a Shadow and Representation of that Glory which I shall appear in when I come to Judge the World at the Great Day And whereas our Saviour says not there be some standing here which shall not die but which shall not taste of Death This implies Two Things 1. That after they had seen this Transfiguration they must taste of Death as well as others 2. That they should but taste of it and no more From whence Learn 1. That the faithful Servants and Disciples of Christ must at length in God's appointed Time taste and have experience of Death as well as others 2. That although they must taste yet they shall but taste of Death they shall not drink off the Dregs of that bitter Cup though they fall by the hand of Death yet shall they not be overcome by it but in the very Fall get Victory over it 2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter James and John and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves and he was transfigured before them Here we have the History of our Saviour's Transfiguration when he laid as it were the Garments of our frail Humanity aside for a little time assuming to himself the Robes of Majesty and Glory to demonstrate and testify the Truth of his Divinity for this Divine Glory was an Evidence of his Divine Nature and also an Emblem of that Glory which he and his Disciples all his faithful Servants and Followers shall enjoy together in Heaven 3 And his Raiment became shining exceeding white as snow so as no Fuller on Earth can white them 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses and they were talking with Jesus 5 And Peter answered and said unto Jesus Master it is good for us to be here let us make three tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias 6 For he wist not what to say for they were fore afraid 7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud saying This is my Beloved Son hear ye him 8 And suddenly when they had looked round about they saw no man any more save Jesus only with themselves Observe here First That to confirm the Disciples Faith in the Truth of Christ's Divine Nature he was pleased to suffer the Rays of his Divinity to dart forth before their Eyes so far as they were able to bear it His Face shined with a pleasing Brightness and his Raiment with such a glorious Lustre as did at once both delight and dazzle the Eyes of the Disciples Obs 2. The Choice which our Saviour makes of the Witnesses of this his glorious Transfiguration his Three Disciples Peter James and John But why Disciples Why Three Disciples Why these Three 1. Why Disciples Because this Transfiguration was a Type and Shadow of the Glory of Heaven Christ vouchsafes therefore the Earnest and First-Fruits of that Glory only to Saints upon whom he intended to bestow the full Harvest in due time 2. Why Three Disciples Because Three were sufficient to witness the Truth and Reality of this Miracle Judas was unworthy of this Favour yet lest he should murmur or be discontented others are left out as well as he But 3. Why these Three rather than others Probably 1. Because these Three were more eminent
and Watchfulness dropping Heavenly Advice and Counsel upon them while he yet spake Lo Judas came Our Saviour was found in the most Heavenly and Excellent Employment when his Enemies came to Apprehend him Lord How happy is it when our Sufferings finds us in God's way engaged in his Work and engaging his Assistance by fervent Supplication Thus did our Lord's Sufferings meet him may ours in like manner meet us Observe 5. The Endeavours used by the Disciples for their Master's Rescue One of them St. Matthew says it was Peter draws his Sword and cuts off the Ear of Malchus who probably was one of the forwardest to lay hands on Christ But why did not St. Peter draw upon Judas rather than Malchus because though Judas was more Faulty yet Malchus was more forward to arrest and carry off our Saviour How doth a pious Breast swell with Indignation at the sight of any open Affront offered to its Saviour Yet though St. Peter's Heart was sincere his hand was Rash good Intentions are no Warrant for irregular Actions and accordingly Christ who accepted the Affection reproves the Action Put up thy Sword for they that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword Christ will thank no Man to fight for him without a Warrant and Commission from him To resist a Lawful Magistrate in Christ's own Defence is rash Zeal and discountenanced by the Gospel Observe Lastly The effect which our Saviour's Apprehension had upon the Disciples They all forsook him and fled They that said to Christ a little before Though we should dye with thee yet will not we deny thee do all here desert and Cowardly forsake him when it came to the Tryal Learn hence That the best and holiest of men know not their own Hearts when great Temptations and Tryals are before them until such time as they come to grapple with them No Man knows his own strength till Temptation puts it to the proof 51 And there followed him a certain young Man having a Linnen Cloath cast about his naked Body and the young Man laid hold on him 52 And he left the Linnen Cloath and fled from them naked 53 And they led Jesus away to the High Priest and with him were assembled all the Chief Priests and the Elders and the Scribes 54 And Peter followed him afar off even into the Palace of the High Priests and he sat with the Servants and warmed himself at the Fire 55 And the Chief Priests and all the Council sought for Witness against Jesus to put him to death and found none 56 For many bare false Witness against him but their Witness agreed not together 57 And there arose certain and bare false Witness against him saying 58 We heard him say I will destroy this Temple that is made with hands and within three days I will build another made without hands 59 But neither so did their Witness agree together 60 And the High Priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus saying Answerest thou nothing What is it which these Witness against thee 61 But he held his peace and answered nothing Again the High Priest asked him and said unto him Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed 62 And Jesus said I am And ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the Right hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven 63 Then the High Priest rent his Cloaths and said What need we any farther Witnesses 64 Ye have heard the Blasphemy What think ye and they all condemned him to be Guilty of Death 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his Face and to buffer him and to say unto him Prophecy and the Servants did strike him with the Palms of their hands Here we have the History of our Saviour's Examination before the High-priest and Council who sat up all Night to Arraign and Try the Holy and Innocent Jesus for lest his Death should look like a down-right Murther they allow him a Mock-Tryal and abuse the Law by perverting it to Injustice and Blood-shed Accordingly false Witnesses are suborned who Depose that they heard him say he would destroy their Temple and build it again in three days It is not in the power of the greatest Innocency to protect the most Innocent and Holy Person from Slander and false Accusation yea no Person is so innocent and good whom false Witness may not Condemn Observe 2. Our Lord's Meekness and Patience his Silence under all these wicked Suggestions and false Accusations Jesus held his peace and answered nothing v. 61. Guilt is naturally Clamorous and Impatient but Innocency is silent and careless of Mis-Reports Learn hence That to bear the Revilings Contradictions and false Accusations of Men with a silent and submissive Spirit is an Excellent and Christ-like Temper Our Lord stood before his unjust Judge and false Accusers even as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb and not opening his Mouth even then when a Tryal for his Life was managed and most maliciously and illegally against him When he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not May the same humble Mind and forgiving Spirit be in us which was also in Christ Jesus Observe 3. That although our Saviour was silent and made no Reply to the false Witnesses yet now when the question was solemnly put by the High-Priest Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed he answered I am Thence Learn That although we are not obliged to every insnaring Question to make Answer yet are we bound faithfully to own and freely to confess the Truth when solemnly called thereunto when our Silence will be interpreted a Denyal of the Truth a Dishonour to God a Reproach and Scandal to our Brethren it will be a great Sin to hold our Peace and we must not be silent though our Confession of the Truth hazards our Liberty yea our Life Christ knew that his Answer would cost him his Life and yet he durst not but give it Art thou the Son of the Blessed Jesus said I am Observe 4. The Crime which the High-Priest pronounces our Saviour to be Guilty of that of Blasphemy He hath spoken Blasphemy Hereupon the High-Priest rends his Cloaths it being usual with the Jews so to do both to shew their Sorrow for it and great detestation of it and indignation against it Observe 5. The vile Affronts and horrid Abuses which the Enemies of our Saviour put upon him they spit in his Face they blind fold him they smite him with their hands and in Contempt and Mockery bid him prophecy who it was that smote him Verily there is no degree of Contempt no mark of Shame no kind of Suffering which we ought to decline or stick at for Christ's sake who hid not his Face from shame and spitting upon our Account 66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace there cometh one of the maids of the high Priest 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself she looked upon him and
people who being ignorant of his Extraction look upon his Breeding as well as his Calling to be Divine This good use ought to be made of our Saviour's Observation that his Ministers be very wise and discreet in Conversation with their People not making themselves cheap and common in every Company nor light and vain in any Company for such Familiarity will breed contempt both of their Persons and their Doctrine But our Duty is by strictness and gravity of deportment to keep up an awe and esteem in the Consciences of our People always tempering our Gravity with Courtesy and a Condescending Affability that Minister which prostitutes his Authority frustrates the end of his Ministry and is the occasion of his own Contempt 25 But I tell you of a truth many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias when the heavens were shut up three years and six months when great Famine was throughout all the Land 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a city of Sidon unto a woman that was a widow 27 And many Lepers were in Israel in the time of Elizeas the Prophet and none of them was cleansed saving Naaman the Syrian Here our Saviour by a double instance confirms what he had last told his Country-men at Nazareth namely that Prophets are most despised by their own Country men and Acquaintance and that Strangers oft-times have more Advantage by a Prophet than his own People The first instance of this which our Saviour gives them is in the days of Elias tho' there were many Widows then in his own Nation yet none of them were qualified to receive his Miracles but a Stranger a Widow of Sareptha The second instance was in the days of Elisha when tho' there were many Lepers in and about his Neighbourhood yet they being his Country-men despised him and none were qualified for a Cure but Naaman the Syrian a man of another Country Thus the Prophets of God like some Fishermen catch least in their own Pond and do more good by their Ministry among strangers then amongst their own Country-men Kinsfolk and near Relations No Prophet is accepted in his own Country 28 And all they in the Synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath 29 And rose up and thrust him out of the city and led him unto the Brow of the Hill whereon their city was built that they might cast him down headlong 30 But he passing thro' the midst of them went his way Observe here 1. The horrid Impiety of the People of Nazareth in thrusting their Saviour out of their City and their barbarous and bloody Cruelty in bringing him to the Brow of the Hill with full intent to cast him down headlong But Christ was to dye a clean contrary way not by throwing down but by lifting up Oh ungrateful and unhappy Nazareth is this the Return you make that Divine Guest which for Thirty Years had sojourned in your Coasts No wonder that the ablest Preaching and most exemplary Living of the Holiest and best of Christ's Ministers obtain no greater success at this day amongst a people when the presence of Christ at Nazareth for thirty Years together had no better influence upon the Minds and Manners of that People but instead of Receiving his Message they rage at the Messenger Neither let any of the Ministers of Christ think it strange that they are ignominiously despised when our Master before us was in danger of being barbarously Murthered and that for his plain Preaching to his own People the Men of Nazareth But Obs 2. The miraculous escape of our Blessed Lord from the murdering hands of the wicked Nazarites he passing through the midst of them went his way How and after what manner he escaped is not declared and therefore cannot without presumption be determined Altho' the Rhemists to make way for their Doctrine of Transubstantiation positively affirm that contrary to the nature of a Body he penetrated thorough the Breasts of the People But whether he struck them with Blindness that they did not see or smote them with fear that they durst not hold him or whether by a greater strength then theirs which his Godhead could easily supply his Humane Nature with he escaped from them it is neither prudent to inquire nor possible to determine we know it was an easy thing for him who was God as well as Man to quit himself of any Mortal Enemies and at the same time when he rescued himself could have ruin'd them by frowning them into Hell or looking them into nothing 31 And came down to Capernaum a city of Galilee and taught them on the Sabbath-days 32 And they were astonished at his Doctrine for his word was with power 33 And in the Synagogue there was a man which had a Spirit of an unclean Devil and he cryed out with a loud voice 34. Saying let us alone What have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy one of God 35 And Jesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace and come out of him and when the Devil had thrown him in the midst he came out of him and hurt him not 36 And they were all amazed and spake among themselves saying what a word is this for with Authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits and they come out 37 And the same of him went out into every place of the Country round about Our Blessed Saviour being driven out of Nazareth by the fury of his Country-men departs to Capernaum where he enters into their Synagogues and taught Who can declare the pains that our Saviour took and the hazards which he ran in preaching the Everlasting Gospel to lost Sinners But observe the smalness of his Success the People were astonished but not believed his Doctrine produced Admiration but not faith his Auditors were Admirers but not Believers the People were astonished at his Doctrine the reason of which Astonishment is added for his word was with power that is there was Majesty in his Person Spirituality in his Preaching and powerful Miracles accompanying both and confirming Both of which the Evangelist here gives us an account namely the casting out of a Devil in one possessed v. 33. There was a man which had a Spirit of an unclean Devil and he cryed out that is the Devil that unclean Spirit did enter into him and bodily possess him Amongst many other Calamities which sin has brought upon our Bodies this is one to be Bodily possest by Satan The Devil has an inveterate Malice against Mankind seeking to ruine our Souls by his Suggestions and Temptations and to destroy our Bodies by some means or other Oh how much is it our Interest as well as our Duty by Prayer to put our selves morning and evening under the Divine care and Protection that we may be preserved from the power and malice of Evil Spirits Obs 2. The Title here given
into a desart place and the people sought him and came unto him and stayed him that he should not depart from them 43 And he said unto them I must preach the kingdom of God unto other cities also for therefore am I sent 44 And he preached in the Synagogues of Galilee Observe here 1. The great work and business of our Saviour's Life to preach the Gospel I must preach the Kingdom of God for therefore came I forth Preaching was Christ's great work it is undoubtedly his Ministers Christ omitted some Opportunities of working Miracles that he might preach to other Cities This was his great Work Obs 2. It being Christ's great Design to plant and propagate the Gospel he would not confine his Ministry to one particular place no not to the great City of Capernaum but resolves to preach the word in smaller Towns and Villages leaving his Ministers herein an Instructive Example to be as willing to Preach the Gospel in the smallest Villages as in the largest and most populous Cities if God calls us thereunto Let the place be never so obscure and mean and the Congregation never so small and little and if God sends us thither the greatest of us must not think it beneath us to go and instruct an handful of People CHAP. V. 1 AND it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God he stood by the Lake of Genesareth 2 And saw two ships standing by the Lake but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their Nets 3 And he entered into one of the Ships which was Simons and pray'd him that he would thrust out a little from the Land and he sat down and taught the people out of the ship Here Observe 1. That our Saviour used the Sea as well as the Land in his passage from place to place to preach the Gospel and the reasons why he did so might probably be these 1. to shew Natures intent in making of the Sea namely to be Sailed upon as the Land to be walked upon 2. That Christ might take occasion to manifest his Deity in working Miracles upon the Sea namely by calming of the Waves and stilling of the Winds 3. It might be to comfort Sea-faring men in their Distresses and to encourage them to pray to such a Saviour as had an experimental Knowledge of the Dangers of the Sea it were well if Sailers would consider this and instead of inuring themselves to the Language of Hell when they go down into the deeps would direct their Prayer unto Christ and look up to him who now in Heaven has the remembrance of what he himself indured and underwent here on Earth and on the Sea Obs 2. The circumstance of time when Christ used to put forth to Sea it was usually after he had wrought some extraordinary Miracle which set them on admiring and commending of him as after he had fed so many thousands with a few Barley-Loaves and Fishes presently he put forth to Sea shunning thereby all popularity and vain-glorious Applause from the Multitude which he was never ambitious of but industriously avoided Obs 3. That after our Saviour's Resurrection we never find him Sailing any more upon the Seas For such a Fluctuating and Turbulent Condition which necessarily attends Sea-Voyages was utterly inconsistent with the constancy stability and perpetuity of Christ's estate when Risen from the Grave The firm Land better agreeing with his fixed State he keeps upon it till his Ascension into Heaven Obs 4. That Christ scruples not to preach to the People in and out of the Ship he sate down and taught the people out of the Ship Sometimes we find our Holy Lord preaching upon a Mountain sometimes in a Ship sometimes in an House as often as may be in the Synagogue He that laid hold on all Seasons for Preaching the Gospel never scrupled any place which conveniency offered to preach in well knowing that it is the Ordinance that Sanctifies the place and not the Place the Ordinance 4 Now when he had left speaking he said unto Simon launch out into the deep and let down your Nets for a Draught 5 And Simon answering said unto him Master we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the Net 6 And when they had this done they enclosed a great multitude of Fishes and their Net brake 7 And they beckned unto their partners which were in the other ship that they should come and help them and they came and filled both the ships so that they began to sink 8 When Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus feet saying depart from me for I am a sinful Man O Lord. 9 For he was astonished and all that were with him at the draught of the Fishes which they had taken 10 And so was also James and John sons of Zebedee which were partners with Simon And Jesus said unto Simon fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men 11 And when they had brought their ships to land they forsook all and followed him Observe here 1. Our Saviour having delivered his Doctrine to the People confirms his Doctrine with a Miracle and with such a Miracle as did at once instruct and encourage his Apostles the miraculous number of Fish which they caught did presage and prefigure their miraculous Success in preaching planting and propagating of the Gospel Obs 2. our Saviour's Command to Peter and his ready Compliance with Christ's Command Let down your Net for a Draught says Christ We have toiled all night says St. Peter and catcht nothing nevertheless at thy word we will let down the Net This Mystically represents to us 1. That that the Fishers of men may Labour all Night and all day too and catch nothing This is sometimes the Fisher-mens fault but oftner the Fishes 'T is the Fisher's fault that nothing is taken if he doth only play upon the Sands and not launch out into the Deep deliver some Superficial and less necessary Truths without opening to the people the great Mysteries of Godliness If they Fish with brokeh Nets either deliver unsound Doctrine or lead unexemplary Lives if they do not cast the Net on the right side of the Ship that is rightly divide the word as Workmen that need not to be ashamed And if they do not fish at Christ's Command but run a fishing unsent it is then no wonder that they Labour all their days and catch nothing But very often is it the Fishes Fault rather than the Fisher-mans Worldly men are crafty and cunning they will not come near the Net Hypocrites are slippery like Eels the Fisherman cannot long hold them but they dart into their holes priding themselves in their external Performances and satisfying themselves with a round of Duties The great men of the World break thro' the Net the Divine Commands cannot bind them Jer. 5.5 I will go to the great men and speak to them
Flesh the Mighty the Noble the great and Honourable these despised our Saviour's Person slighted his Ministry yea sought to take away his Life Thus from the first Plantation of the Gospel to this day the pooâ—â—r and meaner sort of People have entertained the glad Tidings of Salvation it is a sad but a certain Truth that Heaven is a place where few comparatively but very few of the great Men of the World are like to come Their Temptations are many their Corruptions strong and their great Estates thro' their own abuse become fewel to to their Lusts Lord how rare is it to find those that are Eminently Great Exemplary Good Observe 3. The Nature of our Saviour's Miracles Moses's Miracles were as great Judgments as Wonders but Christ's Miracles were as great Mercies as Wonders they were salubrious and healing there went Vertue out of him and he healed them all Christ's Miracles were like the Author of them full of Goodness yet would not the obstinate pharisees be convinced either by the Goodness that was in them or by that omnipotent power which wrought them All our Saviour's Miracles were wonderful but Wonders of Love and Mercy 20 And he lifted up his eyes on his Disciples and said Blessed be ye poor for yours is the kingdom of God As our Saviour's Condition in this World was very poor so was his Disciples condition also therefore to relieve them against their poverty and low estate in the World he thus bespeaks them Blessed be ye poor you that believe in me and follow me are in a happier condition then those that are rich and received their consolation for yours is the kingdom of Heaven Christ was the poor man's preacher and the poor man's comforter yet a bare outward Poverty or an avowed voluntary Poverty will entitle none to the Blessing 'T is not a Poverty of Possession but a poverty of Spirit that makes us members of the Kingdom of Grace and heirs of the Kingdom of Glory 21 Blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled Hunger and Thirst are not Blessings in themselves nor yet are they curses in themselves sanctified hunger is a far greater Blessing then surfeiting Fulness St. Matthew therefore adds Ch. 5. v. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness Learn thence 1. That such as spiritually hunger and thirst after Christ and his Righteousness are certainly in an Happy and Blessed Condition 2. That the Happiness of those who do hunger and thirst after Righteousness consists in being filled 21 Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh As if Christ had said you my Disciples that are now in a sad mournful and afflicted State are Blessed for there will come a time when ye shall be Comforted a time when God shall wipe away all Tears from your Eyes yet must we not think that we have nothing to do but to mourn there is a time to Rejoyce as well as to Mourn nor that bare Mourning and Weeping is in it self and for its own sake acceptable unto God But when we mourn rationally for our own Sins and the sins of others God will comfort us in this World by his Word and Spirit and in the World to come with the sight of himself 22 Blessed are ye when Men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their Company and shall Reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of man's sake 23 Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in Heaven for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets Observe here 1. The Sufferers described the Disciples and their Sufferings foretold ye shall be hated separated and reproached Hatred of Christ's Disciples is the bitter Root from which Persecution grows where there is Hatred in the Heart no wonder that Reviling is in the Lips Those that are Hated are sure to be reproached Excommunicated from the Church of Christ having their names cast out or blotted out of the Rolls of the Church Obs 2. For what cause they suffer all this For the Son of man's sake for their respect to Christ and his Holy Religion for their regard to his Worship and holy Institutions Learn hence That such Disciples as will cordially embrace and stedfastly hold fast the Faith delivered by our Saviour must expect and prepare for hatred and persecution to be separated from civil Society excommunicated from Church-fellowship and all this by them who shall call themselves the Guides and Governours of an Infallible Church 24 But wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your Consolation 25 Wo unto you that are full for ye shall hunger wo unto you that laugh now for you shall mourn and weep 26 Wo unto you when all Men shall speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets Observe here 1. that tho' St. Luke omits divers of the Beatitudes mentioned by St. Matthew ch 5. yet he reciteth the Woes which St. Matthew omitteth If we will understand our Saviour's Doctrine fully we must consult all the Evangelists thoroughly Observe 2. These Woes are not to be understood absolutely but restrainedly the Wo does not belong to Men because they are Rich because they are full because they do laugh but because they place their happiness in these things take up with them for their portion rejoyce in them as their chief Good Valluing themselves by what they have in hand not by what they have in hope He that is Rich and Righteous he that is Great and Gracious he that has his hands full of this World and his heart empty of pride and vain Confidences he that laughs when God smiles he that expresses himself joyfully when God expresses himself Graciously such a man is rich in Grace who is thus gracious in the midst of Riches for to be Rich and Holy argues much Riches of Holiness 26 Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets Our Saviour's design in these Words is not to condemn any of his Disciples or Ministers who have by doing their Duty gain'd a fair Reputation amongst the men of the World but to let us understand how rarely and seldom it is attained for usually the best men are worst spoken of neither the Prophets of the Old Testament nor John Baptist the Prophet of the New Testament nor Christ himself nor his Apostles did ever gain either the good Will or the good Word of the Men of that Generation in which they Lived The Applause of the Multitude that contingent Judge of Good and Evil rather attends the vain then the vertuous None have ever been so much reproached by man as the Faithful Ministers of God who have learnt to take pleasure in Reproaches For tho' Grace does not bid us invite Reproaches yet it teaches us to bid them welcome The World has all along taken effectual care by their cruel
and that which is Almighty can raise all Men. It was not so much for the Child's sake as the Mothers sake that the Son was Raised it was an injury to the Son tho' a kindness to the Mother for he must twice pass thro' the Gates of Death to others once it returned him from Rest to Labour from the peaceful Harbour back again to the Tempestuous Ocean Observe Lastly What effect this Miracle had upon the Multitude seeing the Divine Power thus manifestly exerted they are filled with Astonishment and Amazement they look upon our Saviour with awful and admiring Looks They glorify and praise God for sending a great Prophet amongst them accounting it a great act of Favour that God had in this wonderful manner visited his People yet a Prophet was the highest Name they could find for him whom they saw like themselves in shape but above themselves in power a Great Prophet is risen up amongst us and God has visited his people 18 And the Disciples of John shewed him of all these things 19 And John calling unto him two of his Disciples sent them unto Jesus saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another 20 When the men were come unto him they said John Baptist hath sent us unto thee saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of evil Spirits and unto many that were blind he gave sight 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them Go your way and tell John what things ye have seen and heard how that the Blind see the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed the Deaf hear the Dead are raised to the poor the Gospel is preached 23 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me About the time of our Saviour's appearing in the World there was a general Expectation of a great Prince that should come out of Judea and govern all Nations This Prince the Jews called the Messias or the anointed and waited for his Appearance Accordingly when John the Baptist appeared in the quality of an extraordinary Prophet the Jews sent to know of him whether he was the Messias or not John 1.19 he answered that he was not but only the Harbinger and Fore-runner of the Messias So that it is very evident that it was not for John's own information that he sent two of his Disciples to Christ to know whether he was the Messias or not for John was assured of it himself by a voice from Heaven at our Saviour's Baptism Matth. 3. last but it was for his Disciples Satisfaction that he sent them to Jesus because John's Disciples were unwilling to acknowledge Christ to be the Messias out of a great Zeal for the honour of him their Master they were not willing to own any Person greater then John their Master lest such an Acknowledgment should Eclipse and cloud him from whence we may Note how the Judgments of the Best Men are very apt to be Byassed and Perverted by Faction or Interest no doubt John's Disciples were good Men and no doubt their Master had often told them as he did others that he was not the Messias yet they will not believe their own Master when they apprehend him to speak against their own Interest for they knew that they must Rise and Fall in their Reputation and Esteem as their Master did therefore that John's Disciples might receive full satisfaction from Christ he sends two of his Disciples to him to hear his Doctrine and see his Miracles for John perceiving his Disciples to be ill-affected towards our Saviour and hearing them speak with some Envy of his Miracles he sent them to him that being Eye-witnesses of what he did they might be convinced who he was Observe next the way and means which our Saviour takes to convince and satisfy John's Disciples that he was the true Messias he appeals to the Miracles wrought by himself and submits those Miracles to the Judgment and Examination of their Senses Go and shew John the Miracles which you hear and see the Blind receive their sight the lame walk the deaf hear Christ was all this in a Literal and Spiritual Sense also he was an Eye of Understanding to the Ignorant a Foot of Power to the weak he opened an Ear in Deaf Hearts to receive the word of Life and the poor receive and embrace the Gospel Miracles are the highest Attestation and the greatest external Confirmation and Evidence that can be given to the Truth and Divinity of any Doctrine Now our Saviour's Miracles for their Nature they were Divine and God-like they were healing and beneficial to Mankind freeing Men from the greatest Calamities of Humane Life for their number they were many for their manner of their Operation they were publickly wrought in the Sight and View of Multitudes of people to free them from all suspicion of fraud and Imposture he wrought them before his Enemies as well as in the presence of his Friends and Followers and this not done once or twice or in one place but at several times and in several places wherever he came and this for a long time even for three years and an half so that our Blessed Saviour had all the Attestation that Miracles can give to Evidence himself the true and promised Messias 22 To the poor the Gospel is preached The poor Hear and Receive the Gospel See on Matth. 11.5 Note that all along in our Saviour's time and since the poor of the World have been more disposed to hear and embrace the Gospel then other men and the Reasons of it are these 1. Because the poor have no Worldly Interest to Engage them to reject Christ and his Gospel the High Priests the Scribes and Pharisees had a plain Worldly Interest to engage them to oppose Christ and his Doctrine But the Poor were free from these Incumbrances and Temptations They had nothing to loose therefore our Saviour's Doctrine went down more easily with them because it did not Contradict their Interests as it did the Interest of those who had great Possessions 2. Those that are poor and enjoy little of the good things of this Life are willing to entertain the glad Tidings of Happiness in another Life Such as are in a State of misery here are glad to understand that it shall be well with them hereafter and are willing to listen to the good News of a future Happiness whereas the Rich who have had their Consolation here are not much concerned what will become of them hereafter 23 And Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me No doubt our Saviour uttered these words with particular Respect and Reference to John's Disciples who out of an extraordinary Zeal for the honour of their Master were prejudiced against our Saviour but the general import of the wordS doth shew that there are many to whom Christ is a Rock of Offence the Jews were offended at
of him that is not commonly to Publish and openly to declare him to be the Son of God because being in his State of Humiliation the Glory of his Divinity was to be concealed till his Resurrection He was then declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1.4 Observe Lastly The great Wisdom of our Saviour in acquainting his Disciples with the near approach of his Death and Sufferings The Son of Man must suffer many things c. This our Saviour did 1. To prevent that Scandal and Offence which otherwise they might have taken at his Sufferings 2. The better to fit and prepare them to bear that great Tryal when it did come 3. To correct the Error which they had entertained concerning the Temporal Kingdom of the Messias and that he was to be a great and mighty Prince here upon Earth for these Reasons did Christ frequently acquaint his Disciples with his Sufferings 23 And he said to them all if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me 24 For whosoever will save his Life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his Life for my sake the same shall find it Observe here 1. How our Saviour recommends his Religion to every Persons Election and Choice not compelling any one by force and Violence to embrace or entertain it If any man will be my Disciple that is if any Man chooses and resolves to be a Christian Observe 2. Our Saviour's Terms propounded namely Self-denial Gospel-suffering and Gospel-service 1. Self-denial Let him deny himself by which we are not to understand either the denying of our Senses in matters of Faith or the Renouncing of our Reason in matters of Religion but a willingness to part with all our Earthly Comforts and Temporal Enjoyments for the sake of Christ when called thereunto 2. Gospel-suffering He must take up his Cross daily an allusion to a Roman Custom when a Malefactor was to be Crucified he took his Cross up upon his Shoulder and carried it to the place of Execution Here Note That not the making of the Cross but patient bearing of it when God has made it and laid it upon our Shoulder is the Duty injoin'd Let him take up his Cross 3. Gospel-service Let him follow me says Christ that is obey my Commands and imitate my Example he must set my Life and Doctrine continually before him and be daily Correcting and Reforming of his Life by that Rule and Pattern Observe 3. The Arguments urged by our Saviour to induce Men to a willingness to lay down their Lives for the sake of Christ and his Holy Religion He that will save his Life shall lose it and he that is willing to lose his Life for the sake of the Gospel he shall find it intimating to us 1. That the Love of this Temporal Life is a great Temptation to men to deny Christ and to renounce his Holy Religion 2. That the surest way to attain Eternal Life is cheerfully to lay down our Temporal Life when the Glory of Christ and the Honour of Religion requires it at our hands 25 For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself Here our Saviour goes on to shew the Folly of those that for saving their Temporal Lives will expose their Eternal Life or the Life of their Souls to hazard and danger yea sometimes by refusing to lay down our Temporal Life for Christ we lose that also which renders it the greatest folly in the World to refuse to part with any enjoyment even Life it self at the Call and Command of Christ 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of the Holy Angels That is whosoever shall deny and disown me either in my Person in my Doctrine or my Members for any fear or favour of Man he shall with shame be disowned by me and rejected of me at the Great Day There are two Passions which cause Men to disown Christ in the day of Temptation namely fear and shame Many good Men have been over-come by the former as St. Peter and others but we find not any good Man in Scripture guilty of the latter namely that denied Christ out of shame this argues a rotten unsound and corrupt Heart If any Man thinks it beneath his Honour and Quality to own the opposed Truths and despised Members of Christ Christ will think it beneath him to own such Persons at the Great Day Learn hence 1. That such as are ashamed of Christ's Doctrine or Members are in God's Account ashamed of Christ himself 2. That such as either for fear dare not or for shame will not own the Doctrine and Members of Christ now shall certainly find Christ ashamed to own and confess them at the Great Day 27 But I tell you of a truth there be some standing here which shall not taste of Death till they see the Kingdom of God There is a Threefold sense and interpretation of these Words given by Expositors 1. Some refer the Words to the Times of the Gospel after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension when the Gospel was Propagated far and near and the Kingdom of God came with Power Learn thence That where the Gospel is powerfully preached and chearfully obey'd there Christ cometh most gloriously in his Kingdom 2. Others understand these Words of Christ's Coming and Exercising his Kingly Power in the Destruction of Jerusalem which some of the Apostles then standing by Lived to see 3. Others as most agreeable to the Context understand the words with Reference to our Saviour's Transfiguration as if he had said Some of you meaning Peter James and John shall shortly see me upon Mount Tabor and that in such splendour and Glory as shall be a Preludium a shadow and Representation of that Glory which I shall appear in when I shall come with Power to judge the World at the great Day And whereas our Saviour saith not there are some standing here which shall not dye but which shall not taste of Death till they had seen this glorious sight This implies two things 1. That after they had seen this Transfiguration they must taste of Death as well as others 2. That they should but taste of it and no more From whence Learn 1. That the most Renowned Servants of Christ for Faith Holiness and Service must at length in God's appointed time taste and have experience of Death as well as others 2. That altho' they must taste yet they shall but taste of Death they shall not drink off the Dregs of that bitter cup tho' they fall by the hand of Death yet shall they not be hurt by it but in the very fall be victorious over it 28 And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings he took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to
pray 29 And as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered and his Raiment was white as Snow and glistering 30 And behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias 31 Who appeared in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem 32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake they saw his Glory and the two men that stood with him 33 And it came to pass as they departed from him Peter said unto Jesus Master it is good for us to be here let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias not knowing what he said 34 While he thus spake there came a cloud and over-shadowed them and they feared as they entered into the cloud 35 And there came a Voice out of the cloud saying This is my beloved Son hear him 36 And when the voice was past Jesus was found alone and and they kept it close and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen Here we have Recorded the History of our Holy Saviour's Transfiguration when he laid as it were the Garments of our frail Humanity aside for a little Season and put on the Robes of his Divine Glory to Demonstrate and Testify the Truth of his Divinity for this Divine Glory was an Evidence of his Divine Nature and also an Emblem of that Glory which he and his Disciples and all his Faithful Servants and Followers shall enjoy together in Heaven Observe then 1. The design of our Saviour in this his Transfiguration namely to confirm his Disciples Faith in the Truth of his Divine Nature he was therefore pleased to suffer the Rays of his Divinity to dart forth before their Eyes so far as they were able to bear it his Face shined with a pleasing Brightness and his Raiment with such a Glorious Lustre as did at once both delight and dazzle the Eyes of his Disciples Observe 2. The choice which our Saviour makes of the Witnesses of his Transfiguration his three Disciples Peter James and John But why Disciples why three Disciples and why these three 1. Why Disciples Because this Transfiguration was a Type of Heaven Christ vouchsafes therefore the Earnest and First-fruits of that Glory only to Saints upon Earth on whom he intended to bestow the full Crop in due time 2. Why three Disciples Because three were sufficient to Witness the Truth of this Miracle Judas was unworthy of this Favour yet lest he should murmure or be discontented others are left out as well as he 3. But why these three rather then others probably 1. Because these three were more eminent for great Zeal and Love towards Christ now the most eminent Manifestations of Glory are made to those that are most excelling in Grace 2. Because these three Disciples were to be Witnesses of Christ's Agony and Passion to prepare them for which they are here made Witnesses of his Transfiguration This Glorious Vision upon Mount Tabor fitted them to abide the Terrour of Mount Calvary Observe 3. The Glorious Attendants upon our Saviour at his Transfiguration they were Two those Two Two Men those Two Men Moses and Elias This being but a Glimpse of Heavens Glory and not a full Manifestation of it only Two of the Glorified Saints attended it and these two Attendants are not two Angels but two Men because Men were more nearly concerned then Angels in what was done But why Moses and Elias rather then any other Men 1. Because Moses was the giver of the Law and Elias the chief of the Prophets now both these attending upon Christ did shew the Consent of the Law and the Prophets with Christ and their accomplishment and fulfilling in him 2. Because these two Men were the most Laborious Servants of Christ both adventured their Lives in God's Cause and therefore were highly honoured by him for those that honour him he will honour Observe 4. The Carriage and Behaviour of the Disciples upon this great occasion 1. They supplicate Jesus they do not pray to Moses or Elias but to Christ Master it is good being here Oh what a ravishing Comfort and Satisfaction is the Communion and Fellowship of the Saints but the Presence of Christ amongst them renders their Joys Transporting 2. They proffer their Service to farther the Continuance of what they did enjoy Let us make three Tabernacles Saints will stick at no cost or pains for the Enjoyment of Christ's Presence and his Peoples Company Learn hence That a Glimpse of Heavens Glory is sufficient to wrap a Soul into Extasy and to make it out of Love with Worldly Company 2. That we are apt to desire more of Heaven upon Earth then God will allow us we would have the Heavenly Glory come down to us but are not willing by Death to go up to that Obs 5. How a Cloud was put before the Disciples Eyes when the Divine Glory was manifested to them partly to allay the Lustre and Resplendency of that Glory which they were swallowed up with the Glory of Heaven is insupportable in this imperfect State we cannot bear it unvailed and partly did this Cloud come to hinder their looking and prying farther into this Glory we must be content to behold God thro' a Cloud darkly here e're long we shall see him Face to Face Observe 6. The Testimony given out of the Cloud by God the Father concerning Jesus Christ his Son This is my beloved Son hear him Where Note 1. The Dignity of his Person he is my Son for Nature Co-essential and for Time Co-eternal with his Father 2. The endearedness of his Relation He is my beloved Son because of his Conformity to me and Compliance with me Likeness is the Cause of Love and an Union and Harmony of Wills causes a mutual endearing of Affections 3. The Authority of his Doctrine Hear ye him Not Moses and Elias who were Servants but Christ my Son whom I have authorized and appointed to be the great Prophet and Teacher of my Church therefore Adore him as my Son believe in him as your Saviour and hear him as your Law-giver The Obedient Ear honours Christ more then either the gazing Eye the adoring Knee or the applauding Tongue 37 And it came to pass that on the next day when they were come down from the Hill much people met him 38 And behold a man of the company cryed out saying Master I beseech thee look upon my Son for he is mine only child 39 And lo a Spirit taketh him and he suddenly cryeth out and it teareth him that he foameth again and bruising him hardly departeth from him 40 And I besought thy Disciples to cast him out and they could not 41 And Jesus answering said oh faithless and perverse Generation how long shall I be with you and suffer you Bring thy Son hither 42 And as he was yet a coming the Devil threw him down and tare him
of that Sin the Re-iteration and Repetition of it and the aggravating Circumstances attending it Observe 1. The Sin it self the denyal of Christ Jesus his Lord and Master I know not the Man and this back'd with an Oath he Sware that he knew him not Lord How may the slavish fear of Suffering drive the Holiest and best of Men to commit the foulest and the worst of Sins Observe 2. The Occasions leading to this Sin and they were these First his Following of Christ afar off To follow Christ was the Effect of Peter's Faith but to follow him afar off at this time was the fruit of Fear and the Effect of Frailty Wo unto us when Temptation comes if we be far from Christ's gracious Presence and Assistance 2. His being in bad Company amongst Christ's Enemies Would we escape Temptations to Sin we must then decline such Company as would allure and draw us into Sin Peter had better have been a cold by himself alone then warming himself at a Fire which was Compassed in with the Blasphemies of the Multitude where his Conscience though not seared was yet made hard 3. Another grand occasion of Peter's Falling was a presumptuous Confidence of his own Strength and Standing Though all Men forsake thee yet will not I. Oh Lord to presume upon our selves is the ready way to provoke thee to leave us to our selves if ever we stand in the day of Tryal 't is the fear of Falling must enable us to stand we soon Fall if we believe it impossible to Fall Observe 3. The Re-iteration and Repetition of this Sin he denied Christ again and again he denies him first with a Lye then with an Oath and next with a Curse Lord How dangerous is it not to resist the first Beginnings of Sin If we yield to one Temptation Satan will assault us with more and stronger Peter proceeded from a Denyal to a Lye from a Lye to an Oath from an Oath to an Imprecation and Curse It is our Wisdom vigorously to Resist Sin at the Beginning for theâ— have we most Power and Sin has least Observe 4. The heinous and aggravating Circumstances of St. Peter's Sin and they are these 1. The Character of his Person a Disciple an Apostle a chief Apostle a special Favourite who with James and John had the special Honour to be with Christ at his Transfiguration yet he denies Christ 2. The Person whom he denies his Master his Saviour and Redeemer he that in great Humility had washed Peter's Feet had eat the Passover with Peter had given but just before the Holy Sacrament to Peter yet is this kind and condescending Saviour denied by Peter 3. Consider the Persons before whom he denied Christ the Chief Priests Servants Oh how surprizing and yet very pleasing was it to them to see one Disciple Betray and Sell his Master and another disown and deny him 4. Consider the Time when he denied him it was but a few Hours after he had received the Holy Sacrament from Christ's own hands how unreasonable then is their Objection against coming to the Lord's Table That some who go to it dishonour Christ as soon as they come from it Such Examples ought not to discourage us from Coming to the Ordinance but should excite and encrease our Watchfulness after we have been there that our After-deportment may be suitable to the Solemnity of a Sacramental Table Observe 5. What a small Temptation he lay under thus shamefully to deny his Lord and Master a Damsel only at first spake to him had a Band of Armed Soldiers appeared to him and apprehended him Had he been bound and led away to the Judgment-Hall and there Threatned with the Sentence of an ignominious Death some Excuse might have been made better for him But to disown his Relation to Christ upon a word spoken by a sorry Maid that kept the door the smallness of the Temptation was an high aggravation of the Crime Ah Peter How little didst thou answer thy Name at this time Thou art not now a Rock but a Reed a Pillar blown down by a Womans Breath Oh frail Humanity whose Strength is Weakness and Infirmity Note here That in most of the Saints Falls Recorded in Scriptures the first enticers to Sin or the accidental occasions of it were Women Witness besides the first Fall that of Adam's where the Woman was first in the Transgression the Fall of Lot Samson David Solomon and Peter these are sad instances of the Truth of what I speak A weak Creature may be a strong Tempter nothing is too impotent or useless for the Devil's Service it was a great Aggravation of Peter's Sin that the voice of a poor Maid that kept the door should be of more Force to over-come him then his Faith in Jesus to sustain him But what shall we say small things are sufficient to cast us down if God doth not hold us up we sink under any Burthen if God sustains us not and yield to the least Temptation if he leaves us to our selves a Damsel shall then make a Disciple shrink and a Door-keeper shall be able to drive an Apostle before her This is the Account in short of St. Peter's Fall considered in it self and with the Circumstances relating to it Now follows his Recovery and Rising again by Repentance and here we have Observable the Suddenness of his Repentance the Means of his Repentance and the Manner of his Repentance Observe 1. The Suddenness of St. Peter's Repentance as his Sin was sad so was his Repentance speedy Sins committed by Surprize and through the prevalency of a Temptation that suddenly Assaults us are much sooner Repented of then where the sin is presumptuous and deliberate David's Murther and Adultery were Deliberate Acts of Sin in which he lay almost Twelve Months without any Solemn Repentance for them St. Peter's Denyal was hasty and sudden under a violent pang and passion of Fear and he takes the warning of the Cock's Crowing to go forth speedily and weep for his Transgression Observe 2. The Means of his Repentance which was Two-fold the less Principal-means was the Crowing of the Cock the more principal Means were Christ's looking upon Peter and Peter's Remembring the word of Christ 1. The less principal Means of St. Peter's Rising and Recovery by Repentance was the Crowing of the Cock as the voice of the Maid occasioned him to Sin so the voice of the Cock occasioned him to Reflect That God who always can work without Means can ever when he please work by weak and contemptible Means and open the Mouth of a Bird or a Beast for the Conversion of a Man But why doth our Lord make use of the Crowing of the Cock as a Means of bringing St. Peter to Repentance There is ever some Mystery in Christ's Institutions and Instruments The Cock was a Preacher to call St. Peter to his Duty there being something of Emblem between a Cock and a Preacher The Preacher ought to have
Person that Suffered three Days ago when his Death doth so well agree with the Predictions of the Prophets who fore-told that the Messias should be cut off but not for himself and be smitten for the iniquities of his People Here we may Observe The great Wisdom and Grace of God who makes sometimes the Diffidence of his People an occasion of farther clearing up the choicest Truths unto them Never did these Disciples hear so Excellent an Exposition of Moses and the Prophets concerning the Messiah as now when their sinful distrust had so far prevailed over them 2. Observe The Doctrines which Christ instructs his Disciples in namely in the Necessity of his Death and Passion and of his Glory and Exaltation Ought not Christ to Suffer and to enter into his Glory Learn 1. That with Respect to God's Decree and with Relation to Mans Guilt the Death of Christ was Necessary and Indispensable 2. That his Resurrection and Exaltation was as Necessary as his Passion 3. That there was a Meritorious Connexion between Christ's Sufferings and his Glory his Exaltation was Merited by his Passion He was to drink of the Brook in the way and then he should lift up his head Observe 4. Christ did not only put Light into these his Apostles Heads but Heat also into their Hearts which burned all the while he Communed with them Did not our Hearts burn within us while he opened to us the Scriptures Oh what an efficacious Power is there in the word of Christ when set home upon the Hearts of Men by the Spirit of Christ 33 And they rose up the same Hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the Eleven gathered together and them that were with them 34 Saying The Lord is Risen indeed and hath Appeared to Simon 35 And they told what things were done in the way and how he was known to them in Breaking of Bread 36 And as they thus spake Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them Peace be unto you 37 But they were Terrified and Affrighted and supposed that they had seen a Vision 38 And he said unto them Why are ye troubled and why do Thoughts arise in your Hearts 39 Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self handle me and see For a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as ye see me have 40 And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his Hands and his Feet 41 And while they yet believed not for joy and wondered he said unto them Have ye here any Meat 42 And they gave him a piece of a Broyled Fish and of an Honey-comb 43 And he took it and did eat before them 44 And he said unto them These are the words which I speak unto you whilst I was yet with you That all things must be Fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and of the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me Observe 1. That these Two Disciples at Emmaus being fully satisfied in the Truth of Christ's Resurrection by his Appearing to them in Breaking of Bread they arose presently and went from Emmaus to Jerusâ—lem It must needs be late at Night being after Supper and Seven Miles Distance Yet considering the Sorrow that the Disciples were under these Two leave all their Private Affairs and hasten to Comfort them with the glad Tidings of our Lord's Resurrection Teaching us That all Secular Affairs all private and particular Business must give place to the Glory of God and the Comfort and Salvation of Souls Observe 2. The great Endeavours which our Saviour used to confirm his Disciples Faith in the Doctrine of the Resurrection He comes and stands in the midst of them and says Peace be unto you Next he shews them h s pierced Hands Side and Feet with the Scars and Marks which he yet retained that they might see it was their Crucified Master After all this He eats before them a piece of broiled Fish and Honey-comb Not that he needed it his Body being now become Immortal but to assure them that it was his own Person and that he had still the same Body Yet so slack and backward were they to Believe that Christ was Risen that all the Predictions of the Scripture all the Assurances they had from our Saviour's Mouth and the several Appearings of Christ unto them were little enough to establish and confirm their Faith in the Resurrection of our Saviour Observe 3. The highest and fullest Evidence which our Saviour offers to Evince and Prove the Certainty of his Resurrection Namely by Appealing to their Senses Handle me and see Christ admits the Testimony of our Senses to assure it be his Real Body And if the Church of Rome will not allow us to believe our Senses we shall loose the best External Evidence we can have to prove the Truth of the Christian Religion Namely the Miracles of Christ For how can I know that those Miracles were True but by the Judgment of my Senses Now as our Senses tell us that Christ's Miracles were True so they assure us that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is False 45 Then opened he their Understandings that they might understand the Scriptures 46 And he said unto them Thus it is Written and thus it behoveth Christ to Suffer and to Rise from the Dead the Third Day 47 And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in his Name among all Natitions beginning at Jerusalem 48 And ye are Witnesses of these things Note here That the opening of the Mind and Heart effectually to Receive the Truths of God is the peculiar Prerogative and Office of Jesus Christ Then opened he their Vnderstandings Namely by the Illuminations of his Holy Spirit One of the greatest Miseries under which Lapsed Nature Labours is Spiritual Blindness Christ has the only Eye-salve which can Heal and Cure it Revel 3.18 And there is no worse Cloud to Obscure the Light of the Spirit than a proud Conceit of our own Knowledge Observe 2. The Special Charge given by our Saviour to his Apostles to Preach Repentance and Remission of Sin to Preach it in Christ's Name to Preach it to all Nations beginning first at Jerusalem Where Note The Astonishing Mercy of Jesus Christ Although Jerusalem was the Place where he lost his Life the City that Barbarously Butcher'd and Inhumanely Murthered him yet there he will have the Doctrine of Repentance Preach'd nay first Preached there the Gospel-Combination must first begin That Repentanâ—e and Remission of Sin be Preached beginning at Jerusalem Lord How unwilling art thou that any should Perish when thou not only prayedst for thy Murtherers and offeredst up thy Blood to God in the Behalf of them that shed it but Requiredst thy Ambassadors to make Jerusalem the first Tender of Remission upon Condition of Repentance That Repentance and Remission of Sin should be Preached among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem 49 And behold I send the Promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye
and I must disappear like the morning Star Not that John's Light was diminished but by a greater Light obscured only As all the Stars disappear at the appearance of the Sun Yet observe what matter of Joy it was to John to see himself out-shined by Christ Let him increase tho' I decrease That Minister has true Light in himself that can Rejoyce when he is out-shined by others Who is content to be abased and obscured if he may but see Christ dignified and exalted in the Lives of his People whoever the Person is whom God honours as his Instrument in that Service The fourth Difference wherein Christ excels John and all his Ministers is in the Divine Original of his Person v. 31. He that cometh from above is above all says John Now Christ is from above his Original is from Heaven I am from the Earth tho' I had my Commission from Heaven and accordingly my Words and Actions are Earthly My Master therefore infinitely surpasseth and excels me in the Dignity of his Person and in the Sublimity of his Knowledge From the whole Note How much it is the Desire and Endeavour of every Gospel-Minister to magnifie Jesus Christ to display his glorious Excellencies and Perfections before their People that they may reverence his Person revere his Authority and respect his Laws This was the Care of the Holy Baptist here and it will be the Endeavour of every faithful Minister of Christ that succeeds John to the end of the World 32 And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him Observe 1. Another great Difference which John the Baptist teacheth his Disciples to put betwixt his Testimony and Christ's To the intent that he might remove the Prejudice which was upon his Disciples Mind against the Messiah he shews them that his own Testimony which they so much admired was by Revelation only Christ's by immediate Intuition John testified only what he had received but Christ what he had seen lying in the Bosom of the Father What he hath seen and heard that he testifieth Learn hence That it is Christ's the great Prophet of his Church peculiar Prerogative to have the knowledge of Divine Truths immediately from the Father by special Communication and that all others receive their Knowledge from him by gracious Illumination only Observe 2. How sadly and sorrowfully the holy Baptist resents it that Christ's Testimony was no better received and entertained by the World He testifieth but no Man receiveth his testimony John's Disciples murmured that all Men came unto Christ v. 26. but John mourns that there came no more and complains that none that is very few received his Testimony Thence learn That it ought and will be matter of great Regret and Sorrow to all the Friends of Jesus Christ but especially to his faithful Ministers and Servants that his Doctrine is so ill received and entertained in the World It greatly affects and grievously afflicts them that when they testifie of Christ no Man that is comparatively very few Men receive their Testimony Observe 3. The Eulogy and high Commendation given of all true Believers they receive Christ's Testimony and thereby set to their Seal that God is true that is hath subscribed to and ratified the Truth of God that God in all his Promises of the Messiah under the Old Testament is faithful and true Learn hence The great Honour that God puts upon the Faith of Believers As Unbelief defames God and makes him a Lyer so Faith gives Testimony to the Truth of God and setteth its Seal that God is true He that receiveth his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true Observe 4. The Illustrious Character which the Holy Baptist gives of Christ his Master he is the Person whom God hath sent and unto whom God giveth not his Spirit by measure He whom God has sent that is immediately and extraordinarily from Heaven not as the Prophets and Apostles were sent but in a way peculiar to himself Having Authority for speaking not only from God but as being God himself And accordingly it is added that God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him that is the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit were poured forth upon Christ in a Measure far above and beyond all finite Creatures There being a double difference betwixt Christ's fulness of the Spirit and all other Persons whatsoever 1. In the Measure of it God did not give out the Spirit to Christ sparingly and with limitation as he did to the former Prophets and John the Baptist in proportion to what their Offices required but he was anointed more plentifully and abundantly with the Holy Spirit above and beyond his Fellows 2. In the manner of its working The holy Prophets that were filled with the Spirit according to their Measures yet could not do or declare all Things nor act upon all Occasions but sometimes the Spirit restrained them and sometimes departed from them But Christ had no limits put upon the Vigour of his Spirit but his own Will therefore could work what and when he pleased Learn from hence That Christ had an abundant fitness from God for the discharge of his Office and an abundant fulness for his People God did not measure to him a certain Quantity and Proportion of the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit but pour'd it forth upon him without Measure 35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand The Father loveth the Son from Eternity as he was his Son by eternal Generation and he loved him as Mediator by special Constitution he loves him as the Brightness of his own Glory and the express Image of his Person with an Essential Natural and Necessary Love And he loves him as Mediator for undertaking our Cause and interposing for our Peace Learn hence That God the Father had a special Love and Affection to Christ not only in regard of his Eternal Sonship but with respect to his Office of Mediatorship The Father loveth the Son It follows he hath given all things into his hand that is intrusted him with all things necessary to our Salvation Lord what a Privilege is this that our Happiness is in Christ's Hand not in our own without his Oh wonderful Goodness to put our Concerns into the sure Hands of his Son which were lost by the weak Hands of Adam 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Learn 1. That tho' all Power be given to Christ to dispense Grace here and Glory hereafter yet none must expect to enjoy it but upon Condition of believing in him and obeying of him For the Original Word
Crime but bids her Accusers look at home and examine their own Consciences whether they were not Guilty of the like or as great a Sin He doth not say Let her be stoned this had been against the course of his Mercy he doth not say Let her not be stoned this had been against the Law of Moses but he so Answers that both his Justice and his Mercy are intire she dismissed and they ashamed It is a false Zeal that is Eagle-eyed abroad and blind at home Such as are most wicked themselves are oftimes most ready and skilful to spie out the faults and failings of others We stand too near our selves to discern our own miscarriages The Eye that sees every thing sees not it self Observe 6. Tho' Christ abhorred the Sin yet he does not condemn the Sinner Hath no Man condemned thee Neither do I condemn thee says Christ This Christ said not to excuse the Woman or to connive at her offence but to shew that he declined the Office of a Civil Judge which was to pass Sentence on Criminals He therefore doth not say No Man ought to condemn thee but hath no Man condemned thee Christ doth not execute the Office of a Magistrate in judging her to Death but of a Minister in calling her to Repentance and Reformation How ought every one of us to keep within the bounds of our calling when our Saviour himself will not intrench upon the Office and Functions of others Observe Lastly Our Saviour's cautionary Direction to this Adulteress Go and sin no more Where Note Christ doth not say Go and commit Adultery no more but Go and sin no more It is not a partial Repentance or a turning away from this or that particular Sin that will denominate us true Penitents or intitle us to the pardoning Mercy of God but a leaving off all Sin of what kind soever Therefore says Christ Go and sin no more 12 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life 13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him Thou bearest record of thy self thy record is not true 14 Jesus answered and said unto them Though I bear record of my self yet my record is true for I know whence I came and whither I go but ye cannot tell whence I come and whither I go 15 Ye judge after the flesh I judge no man 16 And yet if I judge my judgment is true for I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me 17 It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true 18 I am one that bear witness of my self and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me 19 Then said they unto him Where is thy Father Jesus answered Ye neither know me nor my Father if ye had known me ye should have known my Father also 20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury as he taught in the temple and no man laid hands on him for his hour was not yet come Our Blessed Saviour having baffled the design which the Pharisees had upon him and shewed a Spirit of Divine Wisdom in delivering himself from that snare which they had laid for him He returns to instruct the People in the Treasury And here Note 1. He instructs them in the nature of his Office which was to inlighten all Men with the Knowledge of Divine Truth so that they should not walk in Darkness either of Sin or Error but be led to Eternal Life Learn hence That the great End and Errand of Christ's coming into the World it was to give Light unto poor Souls that sat in Darkness Observe 2. The Exception which the Pharisees made against our Saviour's Testimony of himself Thou bearest Record of thy self thy Record is not True Indeed such is the Corrupt Nature of Man which is prone to seek it self and hunt after vain Glory that it may render a person's Testimony of himself suspected but Christ being true God that cannot Lye and coming out of the Bosom of his Father as his Ambassador his Testimony of himself is above all Exception and ought to be credited without farther proof Observe 3. How Christ challenges his Enemies the Pharisees for judging carnally of him and according to the meanness of his outward appearance whereas he judged no Man That is First No Man as they judged according to outward shew or 2dly I judge no Man that is at present My proper work is not to Condemn any but to Teach all and my present Office is that of a Prophet not of a Judge My coming now is to Instruct and Save the World my next coming will be to Judge and Condemn it Observe 4. Christ declares that he is not alone in the Testimony given of himself but that the Father did also Testifie and bear Witness of him and that according to their own Law the Testimony of Two was always accounted and esteemed valid Now says Christ If so much weight be to be laid upon the Testimony of Two Men how much more forcibly should the Testimony of the Father and of him whom the Father hath sent satisfie you that what I say of my self is True Learn hence That the Father and the Son tho' one in Essence and Operation yet are distinct persons Secondly That these distinct persons did bear joint witness concerning Christ God the Father testified of him by a Voice from Heaven and Christ as God bare witness of himself as Man and as Mediatour Surely out of the mouth of Two such Witnesses the Truth of Christ's Divine Mission is sufficiently established 21 Then said Jesus again unto them I go my way and ye shall seek me and shall die in your sins whither I go ye cannot come 22 Then said the Jews Will he kill himself because he saith Whither I go ye cannot come 23 And he said unto them Ye are from beneath I am from above ye are of this world I am not of this world 24 I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins Observe here A dreadful Threatning denounced by Christ against the Obstinate and Unbelieving Jews ye shall die in your sins that is in the Guilt of your Sins under the Power and undergoing the punishment of your Sins Lord what a sad word is this ye shall die in your Sins Oh better it is a Thousand times to die in a Ditch for they that die in their Sins shall rise in their Sins and stand before Christ in their Sins such as lie down in Sin in the Grave shall have Sin lie down with them in Hell to all Eternity The Sins of Believers go to the Grave before them Sin dieth while they Live But the Sins of Unbelievers go to the Grave with them While they live they are dead in Sin and by Sin they fall into
Death from which there is no Recovery unto Life Observe Secondly The grand Sin for which this great Punishment is threatned and that is the Sin of Unbelief If ye Believe not that I am he ye shall Die in your Sins Plainly intimating that of all Sins Infidelity or Unbelief is the grand damning Sin under the Gospel The Devil hath as great an advantage upon Men by making them strong in Unbelief as God hath by making his People strong in Faith Unbelief renders a Sinner's case desperate and incurable it doth not only procure Damnation but no Damnation like it 25 Then said they unto him Who art thou And Jesus saith unto them Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning 26 I have many things to say and to judge of you but he that sent me is true and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him 27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father 28 Then said Jesus unto them When ye have lift up the the Son of man then shall ye know that I am he and that I do nothing of my self but as my Father hath taught me I speak these things The Jews hearing our Saviour denouncing such a terrible Threatning against them because they Believed not on him in the foregoing Verses Here they perversely ask him who he was Our Saviour replies That he was the same he was from the Beginning even the very Christ and that they were the very same they were also the mortal Enemies and opposers of the Truth But that the time was hastning when they should be fully convinced who he was Namely When they had lifted him upon his Cross when he was Risen again and ascended into Heaven and brought that destruction upon them which he had so often threatned Learn hence That the Sufferings of Christ were clear and convincing Demonstrations both who he was and what he was the darkning of the Sun the quaking of the Earth the rending of the Rocks the opening of the Graves were such convincing Proofs of his Deity that they could not but say Verily this was the Son of God 29 And he that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I do always those things that please him That is he that sent and Commissioned me for the great work of Redemption he is continually with me both to assist and to accept me I doing every thing that is agreeable to his Holy Will and Pleasure Hence learn 1. That the work of Redemption in the hands of Jesus Christ was a work well pleasing to God the Father the work it self was highly pleasing to him and Christ's way of managing it was well pleasing also 2. That the Reason why it was thus pleasing to God was because he acted in a constant conformity to his Father's Will kept to his Father's Commission and executed his Father's Commands Doing always those things that pleased him Learn 3. That as the Father and Christ were inseparable in respect of the Unity of the Divine Essence So the Father was always with Christ as Mediatour both to support and to uphold him to accept and to reward him The Father hath not left me alone either in the doing of his Will or in the suffering of his Pleasure Learn 4. That those who desire the gracious and special presence of God with them in all Conditions particularly in times of Suffering and Trouble they must make it their care and study to please God and to observe his Will in all things Then God will be with them in his guiding presence in his strengthning presence in his comforting in his quickning in his sanctifying sympathising and accepting presence 30 As he spake these words many believed on him 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed 32 And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free Observe here 1. The Blessed Fruit and Success of our Saviour's foregoing Discourse concerning his Person and Office As he spake these words many Believed on him Not by their own natural Power and Ability but by Christ's omnipotent and efficacious Grace he that spake to the Ear caused his word to reach the Heart Christ himself that planted and watred gave also the Encrease Observe 2. The Love and Care of Christ mentioned to these new Converts he watreth immediately these Plants with wholesome Advice and Counsel If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed Where Note It must be Christ's word the true Doctrine of the Gospel and this abided and continued in which will evidence our Discipleship Observe 3. A special priviledge which shall follow upon abiding in the Doctrine of Christ they shall increase in the Knowledge of it and be made free by it Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free Where Note That Man is naturally in Bondage and Captivity by blindness of Mind by hardness of Heart by rebellion of Will 2. That the means appointed by God for setting him at Liberty from this Captivity and Bondage is the word of Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel The Truth shall make you free 33 ¶ They answered him We be Abrahams seed and were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou Ye shall be made free 34 Jesus answered them Verily verily I say unto you Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Son abideth ever 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed Observe here How these Carnal Jews understand all that our Saviour said to be spoken in and after a Carnal manner when he spake to them before of eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood they understood it grosly of his natural Body When he speaks to them here of a Spiritual freedom from Sin they understand it of a Civil freedom from servile Bondage and Subjection Alledging They were Abraham's Seed and never in Bondage to any Which was a manifest untruth having been in Bondage to their Ancestors to the Egyptians and Babylonians and in their own persons to the Romans But this was not the Bondage that Christ meant but a Spiritual Slavery and Thraldom under the Dominion of Sin and Power of Satan For he that committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin That is whosoever doth habitually wilfully deliberately and constantly allow and tollerate himself in a sinful course he is under the Servitude and Thraldom of Sin Every Sinner is a Bondslave and to live in Sin is to live in Slavery And this every Man doth till the Son makes him free Then and not till then is he free indeed Learn hence That interest in Christ and continuance in his Doctrine sets the Soul at liberty from all that Bondage whereunto it was subject in its natural and sinful State Oh happy exchange from being the
as it is the Best of Graces so the works of it are fittest for the best of Days 17 They say unto the blind man again VVhat sayest thou of him that he hath opened thine eyes He said He is a prophet 18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received his sight until they called the parents of him that had received his sight 19 And they asked them saying Is this your son who ye say was born blind how then doth he now see 20 His parents answered them and said We know that this is our son and that he was born blind 21 But by what means he now seeth we know not or who hath opened his eyes we know not he is of age ask him he shall speak for himself 22 These words spake his parents because they feared the Jews for the Jews had agreed already that if any man did confess that he was Christ he should be put out of the synagogue 23 Therefore said his parents He is of age ask him Observe here 1. How desirous the Pharisees were to obscure the Glory of this famous Miracle which Christ had wrought In order to which 1. They Re-examine the Man to know what his Thoughts were of the Person who had done this for him They judged him to be an Impostor and a great Sinner the Man declares freely That he believed him to be a Prophet Hence we learn That there may be and sometimes is more True Knowledge of Jesus Christ in one poor Man than in a General Council of Learned Rabbies This blind Man saw Christ to be a Prophet when the Jewish Sanhedrim saw nothing in him but Imposture This Man is not of God says the Council Verily he is a Prophet says the blind Man 2. They next examine his Parents being unwilling to believe the Man himself whether he was their Son or not if so whether he were born blind and if born blind by what means he now sees Lord what obstinate and wilful blindess was found in these Pharisees How do they close their Eyes and say We will not see What Endeavours are here used to smother a Miracle which undeniably proved Christ to be the expected Messias They examine first the Man then his Parents then the Man again hoping that being over awed with fear they would either deny or at least conceal the Truth but the more they strove to darken and obscure the Truth the more conspicuous and evident they made it Great is Truth and will prevail how many soever oppose it and set themselves against it Observe next The Wisdom and Cautiousness of his Parents Answer they expresly own that the blind Man was their Son That he was born blind but for the way of his cure they wave that possibly because they did not see the Cure wrought and fearing the Sentence of Excommunication a Decree being past among the Rulers that whoso confesseth Christ should be put out of the Synagogue Hence Learn 1. That Excommunication or Separation from the Society of the People of God is an Ancient and Honourable Ordinance in the Church of God and as such to be revered and esteemed 2. That this Ordinance of God has been and may be abused by wicked Men and the Edge of it turned against Christ himself and his sincerest Members 3. That the fear of unjust Excommunication must not discourage Persons from confessing the Truth when called to it The Parents of the Blind Man durst not confess Christ for fear that they should be put out of the Synagogue 24 Then again called they the man that was blind and said unto him Give God the praise we know that this man is a sinner 25 He answered and said Whether he be a sinner or no I know not but one thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see 26 Then said they to him again What did he to thee how opened he thine Eyes 27 He answered them I have told you already and ye did not hear wherefore would ye hear it again will ye also be his disciples 28 Then they reviled him and said Thou art his disciple but we are Moses disciples 29 We know that God spake unto Moses as for this fellow we know not from whence he is Here we have an Account of the Pharisees farther practising upon this blind Man to rob Christ of the Glory of this Miracle first they insinuate with him and then they frown upon him First they insinuate with him saying Give God the praise As if they had said Ascribe the Cure to God not to this Man whom they conclude to be a Sinner because he broke as they thought the Sabbath 'T is no new thing to see Men pretend to aim at the Glory of God when at the same time they are maliciously opposing Christ and persecuting his Members Next they attempt to frown this poor Man into a Denial of the Miracle wrought upon him or to perswade the People that it was a Cheat but it is wonderful to observe how the Boldness and Confidence of the poor Man increased God giving him that Wisdom and Courage which all his Adversaries were not able to resist or gainsay Therefore the Pharisees being angry at this Boldness of the Man they revile him for being so silly as to become a Disciple to Christ whose Office and Authority they knew not whereas they were Disciples of Moses whom they knew God spake unto Learn hence That such as are led by Malice and prepossest with Prejudice against Christ will not only think basely of his Person but refuse to see the clearest Evidences of his Authority and Commission As for this Fellow say the Malicious Pharisees we know not whence he is or who gave him his Commission 30 The man answered and said unto them Why herein is a marvellous thing that ye know not from whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes 31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth 32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind 33 If this man were not of God he could do nothing In these Verses the blind Man proceeds to vindicate our blessed Saviour who had cured him of his Blindness from the Exceptions of the Pharisees and endeavours by solid Arguments to convince them that his Cure being born blind was truly miraculous and consequently proved Christ to be of God 1. The Man admires that Christ having wrought such a Miracle upon him they should be ignorant of his Authority This is marvellous that ye know not from whence he is and yet he hath opened mine Eyes 2. He lays down a general Proposition that no Deceiver or false Teacher is heard of God or inabled by him to work such Miracles at these but only such faithful Servants as do his Will are thus extraordinarily Assisted by him We know that
Power of God through Faith unto Salvation for who can be too strong for omnipotent Power 30 I and my Father are one That is one in Essence and Nature one in Authority and Power and not barely one in Will and Affection or one in Concord and Consent That this is the Genuine Signification of the Words appears by a threefold Argument 1. From the Original Words it is not said I and my Father are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Person in the Masculine Gender but in the Neuter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I and my Father are one thing Now if that Thing be not the Divine Being they cannot be one for since the Father is confessed to be God the Son cannot be one thing with the Father if he be not God too 2. It appears from the Context our Saviour in the preceding Verses ascribed the Preservation of his Sheep to the Power of his Father None can pluck them out of my Father's Hand and he ascribes it also to his own Power None shall pluck them out of my Hand plainly intimating that his Sheep were equally safe in his own Hand as well as in his Father's for says he I and my Father are one that is one in Power and if they be one in Power they must be one in Nature unless we make an Almighty Creature which is a Contradiction 3. It appears evidently by what Follows in the next Verse that the Jews understood our Saviour in this Sense why else did they take up Stones to stone him We stone thee say they for Blasphemy because thou being a Man makest thy self God The Jews took up our Saviour's meaning aright and were satisfied that when he said I and my Father are one he asserted himself to be God and deserved to dye and well he had deserved it if he had not been God The Adversaries of our Saviour's Divinity to elude the Force of these Words which make so much against them interpret the Words thus I and my Father are one that is say they we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one in Will and Affection one in Concord and Consent This is a Truth but not the great Truth contained in these Words for thus Believers are one with God and one with another Namely by an Harmony of Wills and Desires so far as they are regenerated God's Will and theirs are Unisons they will and desire the same thing and are of one Heart and of one Mind But God and Christ are one in a much higher Sense than Christ and Believers are one namely one in Essence and Nature one in Authority and Power being Consubstantial with God Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ is for Nature Coessential for Dignity Coequal and for Duration Coeternal with the Father 2. That although Christ be one in Essence with the Father yet are they distinct Persons one from Another I and my Father we are one 3. Learn hence That the Son being one in Essence one in Power one in Consent and Will with the Father they are both equally concerned for the Perseverance of the Saints for preserving them in Grace and for bringing them to Glory None shall pluck them out of mine or my Father's Hand for I and my Father are One. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him 32 Jesus answered them Many good works have I shewed you from my Father for which of those works do ye stone me 33 The Jews answered him saying For a good Work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because that thou being a man makest thy self God Observe here 1. How the Jews understood our Saviour affirming that he and his Father were one that is one in Essence and Nature and himself a Person equal with God This they lookt upon as Blasphemy in him to arrogate to himself what is proper to God only Observe 2. That the Jews lookt upon it as a Piece of Justice in them to stone Christ for this apprehended Blasphemy Then the Jews took up Stones to stone him According to the Law of God the Blasphemer was to be stoned to death but then he was first to be judicially tryed and judged But such was the furious and fiery Zeal of these Jews that in a tumultuous Manner they attempt to stone him to death Lord how far doth the fury of Men in opposing Truth out-strip the True Zeal of thy faithful Servants in defending Truth Obs 3. With what Meekness our Lord receives this horrid Indignity of stoning for it is probable that some Stones were cast at him he saying For which of these Works do you stone me He clears his own Innocency and expostulates with them for rewarding him Evil for Good Many good Works have I shewed you from my Father that is by my Father's Authority and Commission I have been sight to the Blind Feet to the Lame a Tongue to the Dumb and Hearing to the Deaf Do any of these Works deserve such Usage as stoning at your Hands Learn hence That such was the perfect and spotless Innocency of Christ in all his Actions that he durst and did appeal to the Consciences of his most inveterate Adversaries For which of these Works do you stone me 34 Jesus answered them Is it not written in your law I said Ye are gods 35 If he called them gods unto whom the word of God came and the scripture cannot be broken 36 Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God Here our Saviour by a twofold Argument vindicates himself from the Imputation of Blasphemy in asserting himself to be God 1. Because the Old Testament gave to Magistrates and Judges the Title of Gods as Psa 82.6 I have said Ye are Gods Now Christ argues strongly from the less to the greater thus If Judges and Magistrates may be called Gods because they are commissioned by him and derive their Authority from him how much more is that Title due to me who was sanctified separated and ordained for a Mediatour and appointed to the Work of Redemption before I came into the World and consequently was God from all Eternity This Place the Socinians those professed Adversaries of our Saviour's Godhead produce to prove That Christ was not God by Nature but only in respect of his Sanctification and Mission It is a certain Truth That he that was sanctified and sent was the Son of God but he was not therefore the Son of God because sanctified and sent His Sanctification was not the Ground of his Sonship but his Sonship was the Cause of his Sanctification Christ was not therefore God's Son because he was sanctified and sent but he was therefore sanctified and sent because he was his Son He was a Son before he was sent even from Eternity otherwise it must have been said That God sent him to be his Son and not that God sent his Son This supposes him before he was sent to have
by Christ to his Church he being constituted by God the Father to be the great Prophet and Instructer of it All things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you 16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name he may give it you Here our Saviour gives another Instance and Evidence of his Love to his Disciples He tells them that his mercy and free goodness had prevented them in their election to Eternal Salvation and in their vocation unto the Office of Apostleship Ye have not chosen me to be your Master and Lord but I have chosen you to be my Disciples Friends and Servants 2. He acquaints them with the end design and intention of his in chusing of them Namely That they bring forth fruit and persevere therein even in all the Fruits of Holiness and Obedience which are to the Praise and Glory of God by Jesus Christ I have ordained you that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should Remain 3. He directs them that in order to their being fruitful they should have access to the Father through him for whatever they wanted and stood in need of Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Learn hence That all those whom God hath chosen and called to the knowledge and Service of Jesus Christ do and will make it their chief care and endeavours to bring forth Fruit and to persevere therein to their Lives end I have chosen you that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain 17 These things I command you that ye love one another 18 If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you 19 If ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 20 Remember the word that I said unto you The servant is not greater then the lord If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my names sake because they know not him that sent me Observe here 1. With what frequency and importunity our Lord inculcates and presses the Duty of mutual Love upon his Disciples I command you to love one another It denotes the great importance of the Duty and the great aversness and backwardness of our Hearts to the performance of it And if we consider the Disciples as Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel it intimates to us the necessity of mutual Love amongst the dispensers of the Gospel as conducing exceedingly to the welfare and benefit of the Church of God over which he hath set them Observe 2. The Argument which our Saviour makes use of to press his Disciples in general and his Ministers and Ambassadours in particular to love each other and that is because the World would certainly hate them Learn hence That the World's hatred of the Members and Ministers of Christ is and ought to be esteemed by them a strong Argument to excite and persuade them to Love one another for this is subjoined as an Argument to press mutual Love that we are sure to meet with the World's hatred Observe 3. The several Arguments by way of encouragement which Christ propounds to Comfort his Members and Ministers against the World's hatred 1. Argument is taken from his own Lot and usage when here in the World he met with the very same before them The World hated me before it hated you Learn hence That Hatred and Persecution from the World need not seem hard to the Saints if they consider what a shock Christ before them had upon him he is the prime Object of the World's Hatred and they who hate his Members much do hate him more because of their likeness to him and resemblance of him A second Argument of Comfort under the World's Hatred is this That it will evidence they are not of the World but chosen out of the World v. 19. Because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hates you Hence learn 1. That the Children of God though in the World yet they are not of the World they have not the Spirit of the World in them nor is the Conversation of the World led by them 2. That the difference betwixt them that are of the World and those that are chosen out of the World is of God's making I have chosen you out of the World 3. That such Christians as are separated from the World in Judgment Affection and Practice must for that reason expect to be Hated and Persecuted by the World Because ye are not of the World therefore the World hates you The Third Argument for Consolation and Support under the World's hatred is taken from our Relation to Christ as Servants to a Master v. 20. Remember the Servant is not greater than his Lord. As if Christ had said is it equal That you should expect better Treatment than my self either as to your Persons or Ministry or that you should expect that the World should better Receive your Doctrine than it did mine before you Learn hence That neither the Members nor Ministers of Christ can nor ought to expect better Entertainment in and from the World than he their Master found before them The Servant is not above his Master nor greater than his Lord. A Fourth Argument to support them under the Burthen of the World's Hatred is taken from the goodness of the Cause for which they were to Suffer Namely For Christ's Name sake v. 21. All these things will they do unto you for my name sake Hence learn 1. That it is the Duty of all but especially the Ministers of Christ to own the Name of Christ to stand up in defence of his Name and Truth his Glory and Honour what opposition soever they meet with for the same Learn 2. That the great quarrel of the World against the Disciples of Christ is for the Name of Christ whatever may be pretended this is the ground of the quarrel 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloke for their sin These Words are not to be understood Absolutely but Comparatively as if Christ had said had not I come amongst them in my Incarnation and Preached personally to them the Doctrine of Salvation and confirmed that Doctrine by miraculous operations they might have pleaded Ignorance in some measure and they had not had sin that is they had not had the Sin of Unbelief and Gospel-Contempt to Answer for or had not had so great a measure of any kind of Sin to Answer for as now