God heareth not Sinners that is such as love and delight in Sin such as are in a State of Sin and go on in a Course of Sin God will not hear such or answer the Prayers of such Indeed God sometimes hears a Sinners Prayers in Wrath and refuses to hear a Saints Prayers in Mercy But he never denies a Saints Prayers in wrath or hears a Sinners Prayers in mercy The Proposition laid down is an eternal Truth God heareth not Sinners that is so long as they purpose to continue sinners and go on in a Course of Sin and remain bold and presumptuous Sinners Learn hence That none that live in a Course of Sin can reasonably expect that God should hear them and give in an Answer of Prayer to them God heareth not Sinners But if any Man be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth that is If a Man feareth God and worketh Righteousness him the Lord accepteth heareth and answereth Learn thence 1. That such as would be heard of God and accepted with him must be devout Worshippers of him 2. That it is not enough to prove Men Religious and Accepted with God that they are devout Worshippers of him unless they walk in Obedience to him and do his Will If any Man be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth Observe 3. How the blind Man goes on to prove that Christ had a special Authority from God and an extraordinary Presence of God with him in what he did because he had done such a Work as was never done by Moses or by any of the Prophets or by any Person whatsoever since the Creation of the World From whence he wisely and well infers that Christ was a Person authorized by and sent of God Learn hence 1. That Christ having done that which was never done before namely to give Sight to one that was born blind was an Evidence of his Omnipotency 2. That this Act of Omnipotency proved him to be God Whatever Miracles the Prophets wrought they wrought them by Christ's Power but Christ wrought this and all other Miracles by his own Power 34 They answered and said unto him Thou wast altogether born in sins and dost thou teach us And they call him out 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found him he said unto him Dost thou believe on the Son of God 36 He answered and said Who is he Lord that I might believe on hâ—m 37 And Jesus said unto him Thou hast both seen him and it is he that talketh with thee 38 And he said Lord I believe And he worshipped him Observe here 1. A special Instance of Pharisaical Pride they account this poor Man a vile Person whom Heaven had marked by his Native Blindess for some extraordinary Wickedness How prone are we to judge them the greatest Sinners whom we observe to be the greatest Sufferers Obs 2. From reviling they proceed to excommunicating They cast him out that is out of Communion with the Jewish Church Oh happy Man who having lost a Synagogue hast found Heaven Behold this blind Man and admire him for a resolute Confessor stoutly defending the Gracious Author of his Cure against the Cavils of the Pharisees and maintaining the Innocence and Honour of so blessed a Benefactor Obs 3. Our Saviour's Regard to this blind Man whom the Pharisees had set at naught and excommunicated He finds him out reveals himself more fully to him and directs him to believe in him Where observe That the Miracle which Christ had wrought upon the blind Man did not convert him and work Faith in him till Christ revealed himself unto him and enabled him to discern the Truth of what he revealed Learn thence That Miracles confirm Faith but Miracles alone cannot work Faith The blind Man had experienced a Miracle wrought upon him yet remains an Unbeliever till Christ said I am he Obs 4. How readily the Man receives the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith upon the forementioned Revelation of himself unto him He instantly said Lord I believe and in Testimony thereof worships him that is as God incarnate as God manifested in the Flesh Thence learn That true Knowledge of the Son of God will beget Faith in him and true Faith in him will be productive of Homage and Adoration of Obedience and Subjection to him He that knows Christ aright will believe and he that believes will worship and obey He said Lord I believe and he worshipped him 39 ¶ And Jesus said For judgment I am come into this world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind In these words our Saviour declares not the Intentional design but the Accidental event of his coming into the World Namely 1. That those who were Blind might receive Sight 2. That those who presume they see and know more than others for their despising the Gospel and shutting their Eyes against the light of it should be left in darkness and by the just judgment of God be more and more blinded Those who shut their Eyes willfully against the clearest light and say they will not see it is just with God to close their Eyes judicially and say they shall not see 40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words and said unto him Are we blind also 41 Jesus said unto them If ye were blind ye should have no sin but now ye say We see therefore your sin remaineth Observe here 1. How the Pharisees who watched all opportunities to insnare our Saviour look upon these last words as reflecting upon them as if Christ did insinuate that they were blind Are we blind also They that shut their Eyes and will not see the light which Christ offers to them are the worst of blind ones Observe 2. Our Saviour's Reply to the Pharisees Question If ye were Blind that is simply ignorant of your Duty and without the means of Knowledge and Instruction you should have no sin that is comparatively to what you now have you should not have had so much sin and guilt upon you as now you have by shutting your Eyes against the Light But now you say we see that is being puft up with the Knowledge which you have as if you were the only Men that saw this proud conceit of yours renders your condition incurable and your sin remaineth unpardonable Learn hence 1. That it is a far greater sin to contemn the known Laws of God than to be Ignorant of them Pride is a greater hinderance of Knowledge than Ignorance because the proud Man thinks he wants no Knowledge 2. That the most exalted Knowledge is insufficient to Salvation without a suitable and correspondent practice The Pharisees had the Key of Knowledge at their Girdle yet our Saviour tells them of a double Damnation Lord How sad is it so to know Christ in this World as that he will be ashamed to know us in another World CHAP.
the Truth and desire to obey it the Spirit gives you an Affective Operative and Experimental Knowledge not barely to know these things but to believe them and feel the Power of them in and upon your own Hearts But the Generality of Hearers do satisfie and content themselves with a bare Notional Knowledge of what they hear a Parable therefore is well enough for them Learn 1. That the Doctrines of the Gospel are Mysteries 2. That it is a matchless and unvaluable Priviledge practically and savingly to understand and know Gospel-Mysteries 3. That this Priviledge all are not Sharers in nor Partakers of but only those to whom it is given Vnto you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom but to them it is not given 12 For whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that he hath That is whosoever improves the Measures of Grace received shall obtain farther Measures and Degrees of it But from him that doth not improve what he has already received shall be taken away that which to himself or others he seemeth to have his Common Gifts and Moral Endowments Learn That where there are Beginnings of True Grace and a right and wise Improvement of it God will make rich Additions of more Grace to the present Stock which we have received 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables because they seeing see not and hearing they hear not neither do they understand 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias which saith by hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive 15 For this peoples heart is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them These Words of our Blessed Saviour as I conceive have a peculiar Reference and Relation to the Pharisees who attended upon Christ's Ministry not with an honest simplicity of Mind to be instructed by it but to carp and cavil at it Our Saviour tells them he had formerly spoken things very plainly and clearly to them and also wrought Miracles before them to convince them of the Divinity of his Person and of the Verity of his Doctrine But they would not believe either his Person or his Doctrine to be from God and therefore he would now speak to them in dark Parables that they may be Judicially Blinded they shut their Eyes against the clearest Light and said they would not see and now Christ closes their Eyes and says they shall not see Learn hence To acknowledge the Divine Justice which speaks darkly to them that despise the Light Such who see and yet see not they shall see the Shell but not the Kernel they shall hear the Parable but not understand the Spiritual Sence and Meaning of it When wilful Blindness of Mind is added to Natural Blindness it is a just and righteous thing with God to superadd Judicial Blindness and to give them Obstinacy of Heart His Curse unto them 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear 17 For verily I say unto you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them Here our Saviour pronounces such of his Disciples and Followers Blessed who received the Truths of the Gospel so far as they were already taught them he assures them that they shall receive farther Light and fuller Measures of Spiritual Illumination Blessed are your Eyes for they see Learn That such as have received the least Measures of Spiritual Knowledge and Saving Illumination and do improve it they are in an happy and blessed Condition for as they are capable of farther Measures of Divine Knowledge so shall they be Partakers of them 18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart this is he which received seed by the way-side 20 But he that received the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth it and anon with joy receiveth it 21 Yet hath he not root in himself but dureth for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choak the word and he becometh unfruitful 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it which also beareth fruit and bringeth forth some an hundred fold some sixty some thirty As if our Lord had said You my Disciples who are not satisfied with a Sound of Words I will explain to you the Sence and Signification of this Parable The Scope of which is to shew the different Effects which the Word of God has upon Mens Hearts and the Reason of that Difference The Seed is the Word the Sower is the Preacher the Soil is the Heart and Soul of Man Now our Saviour assures us that the Hearts of some Hearers are like Highway-Ground in which the Seed is not covered with the Harrow of Meditation others are like Stony-Ground in which the Word has no Root no Root in their Understandings Memories Conscience Will or Affections But They are offended either at the Depth and Profoundness of the Word or at the Sanctity and Strictness of it or at the Plainess and Simplicity of it Again some Hearers our Lord compares to Thorny-Ground Thorns are Covetous Desires which choak the good Seed shadow the Blade when sprung up keep off the Influences of the Sun and draw away the Fatness of the Soil from the Seed All these Effects have Thorns in and among the Seed And the like Effects have Worldly Affections and Covetous Desires in the Heart of Man rendring the Word unfruitful and unprofitable But the good Christian hears the Word attentively keeps it retentively believes it stedfastly applies it particularly practises it universally and brings forth Fruit with Patience and Perseverance Fruit that will redound to his Account in the Great Day of Account Learn 1. That no Hearers are in Christ's Account Good Hearers of the Word but such as bring forth the Fruits of an holy humble and peaceable Conversation 2. That a Person may be a good Hearer of the Word if he brings forth the best Fruit he can tho' it be not in so great a Proportion as others do As some Ground brings forth Thirty some Sixty and some an Hundred-fold In like manner do all the sincere Hearers of the Word they all
Bloodshed Accordingly they industriously suborn false-witnesses to take away his Life not sticking at the grossest Perjury so they might destroy him The Chief Priests and Elders and all the Council sought false Witness against Jesus to put him to Death Abominable Wickedness Innocency it self cannot protect from Slander and false Accusation No Man is so innocent or good whom false Witness may not condemn Yet Observe farther Our Lord's Meekness and Patience his submissive Silence under all these wicked Suggestions and false Accusations Jesus held his Peace v. 63. Guilt is clamorous and impatient 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 Judges and false Accusers as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb and not opening his Mouth Altho' a Trial for his Life was managed most maliciously and illegally against him when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Oh let the same humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus 63 And the high priest answered and said unto him I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God 64 Jesus saith unto him Thou hast said nevertheless I say unto you Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven 65 Then the high priest rent his cloaths saying He hath spoken blasphemy what further need have we of witnesses behold now ye have heard his blasphemy 66 What think ye They answered and said He is guilty of death 67 Then did they spit in his face and buffetted him and others smote him with the palms of their hands 68 Saying Prophesie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee We observed even now that our Saviour was silent and did make no Reply to the false Witnesses that evidenced against him at his Trial because being so manifestly contradicting they did fall to the Ground of themselves But now when the Question was solemnly put by the High Priest Art thou the Christ He said I am Thence Learn That altho' we are not obliged to answer every cavilling or ensnaring Question yet we are bound faithfully to own and freely to confess the Truth when we are solemnly called thereunto Christ who in the former Verses was silent and as a deaf Man that heard not now witnesses a good Confession Teaching us both by his Example and Command to confess and own both him and his Truth when lawfully required when our Silence will be a denying of the Truth a Dishonour to God and a Scandal to our Brethren 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 Yea farther Observe That as Christ answer'd directly and plainly at his Trial so he did not refuse to answer upon Oath I adjure thee by the living God says the Judge of the Court that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ That is I require thee to answer this Question upon Oath for adjuring a Person or requiring them to answer upon Oath was the manner of swearing among the Jews Now to this Adjuration our Saviour answer'd plainly and directly I am Mark 14.61 Hence Learn That swearing before a Magistrate upon a just and great Occasion is lawful If Christ in the Fifth of St. Matthew forbids all Oaths then here his Practice was contrary to his own Doctrine but it is evident that Christ answered the Magistrate upon Oath and so may we Observe Lastly The Sentence of Condemnation which the Council passed upon him for owning himself to be the Son of God He hath spoken Blasphemy and is worthy to die Hereupon the unruly Rabble affront him with the vilest Abuses and most horrid Indignities They Spit in his Face they Blind-fold him they Smote him with their Fists and Palms of their Hands and in a way of Contempt and Mockery they bid him Divine or Prophesie who it was that smote him Learn hence That 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 69 Now Peter sat without in the palace and a damsel came unto him saying Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee 70 But he denied before them all saying I know not what thou sayest 71 And when he was gone out into the porch another maid saw him and said unto them that were there This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth 72 And again he denied with an oath I do not know the man 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by and said unto Peter surely thou also art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee 74 Then he began to curse and to swear saying I know not the man And immediately the cock crew 75 And Peter remembred the words of Jesus which said unto him Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice And he went out and wept bitterly This last Paragraph of the Chapter gives us an Account of the Fall and Rising of Peter of his Sin in denying Christ and of his Recovery by a speedy and severe Repentance Both must be consider'd distinctly First As touching his Sin and Fall there are Four Particulars Observable namely the Sin it self the Occasion of that Sin the Reiteration and Repetition of it and the aggravating Circumstances attending it Obs 1. The Sin it self the Denial of Christ I know not the Man a manifest Untruth Next he adds an Oath to confirm that Untruth he swore that he knew not the Man And last of all he wish'd an horrid Curse and Imprecation upon himself That is he wish'd himself excommunicated and cast out of the Church Say some he wish'd himself eternally separated from the Presence of God Say others he wish'd in effect that the Devil might take him if he were acquainted with Jesus The inordinate Love of Life and slavish Fear of Sufferings and Death may draw the best Men to commit the worst of Sins Obs 2. The Occasions of this Sin and they were Three his following Christ afar off his being in bad Company amongst Christ's Enemies and his presumptuous Confidence of his own Strength and Standing 1. His following of Christ afar off To follow Christ is the Work of Faith and Fruit of Love but to follow him afar off was the Effect of Fear and Frailty Wo unto us when a Temptation comes if we be far off from Christ's Presence and Assistance 2. His being in wicked Company amongst Christ's Enemies Oh Peter thou hadst better have been a cold by thy self alone than sitting by a Fire compassed in with the Blasphemies
whole Kingdom 2. Respect to his Reputation not only for his Oath 's sake but for them that sat with him They heard him promise and will be Witnesses of his Inconstancy if he do not perform Insisting upon Punctilio's of Honour has hazarded the Loss of Millions of Souls 3. His great Unwillingness to discontent Herodias and her Daughter Oh vain and foolish Hypocrite who dreaded the displeasing of a wanton Mistress more than the offending of God and Conscience Obs 7. These bloody Women do not only require the Baptist to be beheaded but that his Head be brought in a Charger to them What a Dish was here to be served up at a Prince's Table on his Birth-Day A dead Man's Head swimming in Blood How prodigiously insatiable is Cruelty and Revenge Herodias did not think her self safe till John was dead she would not think him dead till his Head was off and would not believe his Head off till the had it in her Hand Revenge never thinks it has made sure enough Oh how cruel is a wicked Heart that could take Pleasure in a Spectacle of so much Horror Methinks I see how that holy Head was toss'd upon Herod's Table by impure and filthy Hands That true and faithful Tongue those sacred Lips those chaste Eyes those mortified Cheeks are now insultingly handled by a lewd and incestuous Harlot and made a Scorn to Herod's drunken Guests Obs 8. That neither the Holiest of the Prophets nor the Best of Men are more secure from Violence than from natural Death The Holy Baptist who was sanctified in the Womb conceived and born with so much Miracle lived with so much Reverence and Observation is now at Midnight obscurely murthered in a close Prison Obs 9. That it is as true a Martyrdom to suffer for Duty as for Faith He dies as truly a Martyr that dies for doing his Duty as he that dies for professing his Faith and bearing Witness to the Truth Obs 10. How far Men may go in Religion and yet be far enough from saving Grace they may reverence God's Ministers believe them to be holy and just Men hear them with Delight and Pleasure protect and defend them from their Opposers they may reform and do many things and yet be far from the Kingdom of God Herod did all this he knew John to be an holy and just Man reverenced and respected him guarded and kept him safe from Herodias Malice For tho' he was imprison'd before yet Herod suffered none to hurt him but heard him often with Pleasure and Delight Wicked and unregenerate Men may be so affected with the Word of God as to become Protectors and Defenders of those that dispence it and yet receive no saving Advantage by it The plain and powerful preaching of the Word may win upon and prevail with an unregenerate Man to perform many good Duties and to forsake many known Sins and yet may he after all remain under the Power of Hypocrisie Nay from Herod's Example we may Learn That a wicked Man may take some Pleasure and Delight in hearing the Word preached either the Generality of the Truths asserted or the Novelty of the Notions delivered or the Wit and Fancy The graceful Elocution and Delivery of the Preacher may create a present Delight but it is neither a Spiritual Delight nor an abiding Delight And when his Disciples heard of it they came and took up his Corps and laid it in a Tomb. When his Disciples heard it That is the Disciples of John hearing that their holy Master was thus barbarously murthered they took up his dead Body and decently interr'd it Learn thence That the faithful Servants of God are not ashamed of the Sufferings of the Saints but will testifie their Respects unto them both living dying and dead the Disciples of John give their Master an honourable and respectful Burial Fearing neither Herod's Power nor Herodias's Malice 30 And the Apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus and told him all things both what they had done and what they had taught 31 And he said unto them Come ye your selves apart into a desert place and rest a while For there were many coming and going and they had no leisure so much as to eat 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately 33 And the people saw them departing and many knew him and ran afoot thither out of all cities and outwent them and came together unto him 34 And Jesus when he came out saw much people and was moved with compassion towards them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd and he began to teach them many things Observe here 1. How the Report of John's Death being brought to Christ he presently withdraws and his Disciples with him from that Place into the Desert Christ will not long continue his Presence in those Places where any of his Servants are slain and others of them are in Danger Obs 2. How our Saviour upon the Notice of John's Death flies into the Desert for his own Preservation His Hour was not yet come and therefore he keeps out of Herod's way It is no Cowardice to fly from the Rage of Persecutors Christ himself both practiced it and directs his Disciples to it saying When they persecute you in one City fly to another We must not expose our Lives to Hazard but when the laying down our Lives will do God and Religion more Service than we can do by living Obs 3. With what Condolency and Sympathizing Pity our Blessed Saviour exercised Acts of Mercy and Compassion when the Objects of Compassion were before him Jesus seeing the Multitude was moved with Compassion towards them Christ when here on Earth did bear a tender and compassionate Heart towards poor Creatures in Distress and Misery and to our Comfort he retains the same compassionate Nature and Disposition now in Heaven which he had hereon Earth Obs 4. The Ground or Cause of this Compassion in our Saviour because they were as Sheep having no Shepherd Learn thence That the Case of such a People is very sad and to their Condition be much lamented and pitied who are destitute of able faithful and conscientious Pastors and Teachers to feed them with the Spiritual Food of the Word and Sacraments Where Vision fails the People perish But was the Jewish Church now without Pastors as Sheep without a Shepherd Had they not the Pharisees the Scribes and Doctors to teach and instruct them Yes no doubt but they were no Pastors in Christ's Account because unfaithful Pastors Thence Learn That idle negligent and unfaithful Pastors are no Pastors in the Sight of God and in the Account of Christ Jesus had Compassion on the Multitude because they were as Sheep having no Shepherd 35 And when the day was now far spent his disciples came unto him and said This is a desart place and now the time is far passed 36 Send them away that they may go into the country round about and into the villages
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
hinder the influences of the Sun from cherishing it the like ill effects have Worldly Affections and desires in the Soul of Man rendring the Seed of the Word unfruitful But the good Christian hears the Word attentively keeps it retentively believes it steadfastly applies it particularly practises it universally and brings forth Fruit perseveringly Learn hence 1. That no Hearers are in Christ's Account good Hearers of the Word but such as bring forth Fruit answerably to their Hearing 2. That a Person may be a good hearer of the Word in Christ's Account if he bring forth the best Fruit he can tho' not in so great a Proportion as others do as some Ground brings forth Thirty some sixty some an hundred fold in like manner do all the sincere Hearers of the Word they all bring forth fruit tho' not all alike all in sincerity tho' not all Equally and none to Perfection 16 No man when he hath lighted a Candle covereth it with a Vessel or putteth it under a bed but setteth it on a Candlestick that they which enter in may see the light 17 For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest neither any thing hid that shall not be made known and come abroad 18 Take heed therefore how you hear for whosoever hath to him shall be given and whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have In these words Christ declares his End and Design in Revealing unto his Disciples the foregoing Parable and why he communicated to them the Light of Scripture Knowledge and Gospel Mysteries namely that they may communicate it to others and not keep it close unto themselves even as the Candle in an house diffuses and disperses its light to all that come within the reach of it Such as are enlightned by God in any measure with the Knowledge and Understanding of his Word ought not to conceal and hide this Knowledge within themselves but Communicate it to others and improve it for the good and benefit of others Observe also the Argument which our Saviour makes use of to quicken his Disciples to communicate their Knowledge and improve the Grace they had received for the good and advantage of others To him that hath shall be given that is such as improve their spiritual Gifts shall have them encreased such as improve them not shall have them blasted Learn hence that there is no such way to thrive in Grace and encrease in Gifts as to exercise and improve them he that hides his Talent forfeits it is in danger of loosing it and also of being punished for not improving of it Observe Lastly How our Lord shuts up this Parable of the Sower and the Seed with a cautionary direction to all his Auditors to take heed how they hear the Word Take heed therefore how you hear Such as would profit by hearing the Word must diligently attend to the matter of the Doctrine which they hear and also to the manner how they hear such is the majesty and authority of the person that speaks to us in the Word such is the sublimity and spirituality of the matter and so great is our danger if we miscarry under the Word that it nearly concerns us to take heed both what we hear whom we hear and how we hear 19 Then came to him his mother and his Brethren and could not come at him for the press 20 And it was told him by certain which said thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to see thee 21 And he answered and said unto them My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God and do it Two things are here Observable 1. The Truth and Verity of Christ's Humane Nature He had affinity and consanguinity with men persons near in Blood to him by the Mothers side called here his Kinsmen Observe 2. That Christ's Spiritual Kindred were much dearer to him then his natural Allyance by Faith is more valued by Christ then allyance by Blood to bear Christ in the heart is a greater honour then to carry him in the Womb. Blessed be God this great and gracious Priviledge is not denyed us even now Altho ' we cannot see Christ yet love him we may his bodily Presence cannot be enjoy'd by us but his spiritual Presence is not denied to us Tho' Christ be not ours in House in Arms in Affinity and Consanguinity yet in Heart in Faith in Love and Service he is or may be ours Verily spiritual Regeneration bringeth men into a more honourable Relation to Christ then natural Generation ever did Oh how dear are Obedient Christians to Christ he prefers them in esteem before those of his own Flesh and Blood My brethren are these which hear the word of God and do it 22 Now it came to pass on a certain day that he went into a ship with his Disciples and he said unto them let us go over unto the other side of the Lake and they lanched forth 23 But as they sailed he fell asleep and there came down a storm of wind on the Lake and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy 24 And they came to him and awoke him saying Master Master we perish Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water and they ceased and there was a calm 25 And he said unto them where is your Faith and they being afraid wondered saying one to another what manner of man is this for he commandeth even the winds and waters and they obey him Here Observe 1. Our Saviour and his Disciples no sooner put forth to Sea but difficulty attends them and danger over-takes them a Tempest arose and that Ship was covered with Waves which Christ himself was in with his Disciples Learn thence That the presence of Christ it self doth not exempt his Disciples and Followers from trouble and danger Here is a great Tempest about the Disciples Ears tho' Christ himself was in their Company Observe 2. The Posture our Saviour was in when this Tempest arose being wearied with the Labours of the day he was laid down to sleep thereby shewing himself to be truly and really Man and that he not only took upon him the humane Nature but the infirmities of that Nature also he was subject to pain and weariness to hunger and Thirst Obs 3. The Disciples application made to Christ they awake him with a sad out-cry Master Master we perish here was Faith mixed with Humane frailty They believed that he could save them but being asleep they concluded he must be awaked before he could save them Whereas tho' his Humane nature was asleep yet his Divine Nature neither slumbered nor slept Learn hence That the prevalency of Fear in a time of great and imminent Danger tho' it may evidence weakness of Faith yet is it no Evidence of a total want of Faith in the midst of the Disciples fears they believed Christ's Power and Ability to save them Master
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
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
among themselves Whither will he go that we shall not find him will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles and teach the Gentiles 36 What manner of saying is this that he said Ye shall seek me and shall not find me and where I am thither ye cannot come Observe here 1. How enraged the Pharisees were when they heard that so many of the Common People were brought to Believe in Christ and to cleave unto Christ insomuch that they sent publick Officers Armed with Authority to Apprehend our Blessed Saviour The Pharisees and Chief Priests sent Officers to Take him Learn thence That nothing more enrages the Enemies of Religion and draws on Trouble on the Preachers and Professors of it than the success which the Gospel at any time meets with Observe 2. Our Saviour tells them that as they desired to be Rid of him so ere long they should have their desire he would leave them and go to his Father and in his Absence they would wish for his Bodily presence again but should not have it Learn The Despisers of Christ have little cause to be weary of him and to seek to put him away by Violence and Persecution for their obstinate contempt of him will cause him to depart from them and finally to forsake them Observe 3. How the Jews not understanding our Saviour's words aright Reasoned among themselves whither by Leaving of them he meant to go into some Pagan Country and Teach the Gentiles the Mysteries of the Jewish Religion which above all things they could not endure to hear Learn hence That it is the Ordinary Sin of a People priviledged with the means of Grace not to be sensible of any hazard or danger of Christ's Leaving and forsaking them Till at last he forsakes them finally and casts them off to their inevitable and unutterable Condemnation Thus did our Lord deal with the Jews here I go my way and whither I go ye cannot come 37 In the last day that great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink The feast of Tabernacles which is the seast here meant lasted Eight days the first and last of which were to be kept Holy with Religious Assemblies and Sacrifices and it was a Custom among the Jews upon that Solemn day to offer up a Pot of Water unto God which they drew out of the Fountain of Siloam with Reference to this Custom Christ here cries with a loud Voice inviting the People to fetch and draw from him as from a Living fountain all the Sanctifying Gifts and Saving Graces of the Holy Spirit Learn hence That Jesus Christ is the Original and Fountain of all Saving Grace whom if we Thirst after Repair to and by Faith depend upon as Mediator we shall certainly Receive what influences of Grace so ever we want and stand in need of 38 He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Here again Christ Alludes to a Jewish Custom the Jews were wont at Fountains to Build great Vessels of Stone and in the midst or Belly of them to have Pipes through which the Water passes Now says Christ Thus shall it be with every one that Believeth on me he shall be abundantly filled with the Spirit of God in all the Sanctifying and Saving Graces of it Christ and his Holy Spirit are a Living Fountain whose Waters never fail they are not a Water-brook but a Spring of Waters we shall never miss of the Waters of Life if we seek unto and wait upon Christ for them For if we Believe on him out of our Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Waters sufficient for our selves and wherewith to refresh others 39 But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified These words are the Evangelist St. John's Commentary upon the foregoing promise he tells us That Christ spoke this of the Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit which did Accompany the descent of the Holy Ghost at the Feast of Pentecost For the Holy Ghost was not yet given that is not so plentifully given because that Jesus was not yet Glorified Learn hence That altho' the Spirit was in some measure given by God from the Beginning to good Men yet the more plentiful effusion of it was deferred till the Ascension and Glorification of Jesus Christ 40 ¶ Many of the people therefore when they heard this saying said Of a truth this is the prophet 41 Others said This is the Christ But some said Shall Christ come out of Galilee 42 Hath not the scripture said That Christ cometh of the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem where David was 43 So there was a division among the people because of him 44 And some of them would have taken him but no man laid hands on him In these Verses an Account is given of the various effects which our Lord 's foregoing Sermon had upon his Hearers hearts Some were so affected with it that they Believed him to be the great Prophet promised to Israel Deut. 18.18 Others apprehended him to be the Christ Others contradict both supposing him to be Born not at Bethlehem but in Galilee And upon this Diversity of Opinions there arose a Division amongst them And some had a mind to have apprehended him but by an over-ruling Providence they were restrained from the doing of it at present Learn hence That Diversity of Opinions in matters of Religion even concerning Christ himself have been even from the beginning Some accounted him a Prophet others the Messiah some thought him neither but a grand Impostor and Deceiver Our dear Lord when here on Earth passed through evil Report and good Report let his followers expect and prepare for the same For Innocence it self cannot protect from Slander and false Accusation 45 ¶ Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees and they said unto them Why have ye not brought him 46 The officers answered Never man spake like this man 47 Then answered them the Pharisees Are ye also deceived 48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him 49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed Observe here 1. How God restrained the rage and malice of Christ's Enemies till his hour was come the Officers of the Chief Priests who were sent forth with a Commission to apprehend him return without him but with this Honourable mention of him in their mouths never Man spake like this Man Such is the Power of Christ's Doctrine that even those that come unto it with prejudice and with a persecuting purpose may be surprized by it and tho' not converted yet bridled and restrained the preaching of the Gospel doth sometimes restrain the violence of the Hand when it works no change in or upon the Heart Thus it was
Devil's Slaves to become Christ's Free Men. 37 I know that ye are Abrahams seed but ye seek to kill me because my word hath no place in you 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father and ye do that which ye have seen with your father 39 They answered and said unto him Abraham is our father Jesus saith unto them If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham 40 But now ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham The Jews boasting again that they were Abraham's Seed and bearing themselves much upon it our Saviour tells them he knew they were so his natural Children according to the Flesh but not his genuine Children according to the Spirit This he proves because they did not tread in Abraham's steps and do his works for if either the Temper of their Minds or the Actions of their Lives were agreeable to Abraham they would not seek as they did to destroy and kill him only for bringing the Doctrine of Salvation to them which he had heard and learned of the Father Hence learn 1. How prone we are to glory in our outward Priviledges and to reâ—y upon them Whereas these are Arguments of God's goodness towards us but no evidences of our goodness towards him 2. That it is very dangerous and unsafe to pride our selves in and depend upon any external priviledges and prerogatives whatsoever As our being Born within the pale of the visible Church our descending from Pious Parents and Holy Progenitors for unless we be followers of their Faith admirers of their Piety and imitate their Example we are none of their Children but belong to another Father as our Saviour tells the Jews in the next Verses 41 Ye do the deeds of your father Then said they to him We be not born of fornication we have one Father even God 42 Jesus said unto them If God were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me 43 Why do ye not understand my speech even because ye cannot hear my word 44 Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it In the former Verses the Jews made their Boast that they were the Children of Abraham in these that they are the Children of God We have one father even God This our Saviour disproves Telling them that if God were their Father they would love him as proceeding from him by eternal Generation and in his Office imployed by him as Mediatour Also if God were their Father they would understand him speaking from God whereas now they were so transported with Malice that they could not endure his Doctrine with patience tho' it came from God All which were undeniable proofs that they were not the Children of God Hence learn That none can justly pretend any Interest in God as his Children but they that love Christ as being the Express Image of his Father's Person and do hear and receive his Doctrine as coming from God This the Jews did not do therefore says Christ They are not the Children of God Observe farther Having told them whose Children they are not our Saviour tells them plainly whose Children they were Ye are of your father the Devil This appears by their being Acted by him by their Resembling and Imitating of him their Inclinations Dispositions and Actions being all to fulfil the Lusts of the Devil Now as his Servants we are whom we obey so his Children we are whom we resemble Learn hence That Men's sinful Practices will prove them to be Satan's Children let their Profession be what it will if in the Temper of their Minds and in the Actions of their Lives there be a Conformity to Satan's Disposition and a ready Compliance with his Temptations they are certainly his Children what pretences soever they make of being the Children of God None could pretend higher to the Relation of God's Children than these Jews did yet says Christ Ye are the Children of the Devil for his workâ— ye do 45 And because I tell you the truth ye believe me not 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin And if I say the truth Why do ye not believe me 47 He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God 48 Then answered the Jews and said unto him Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil 49 Jesus answered I have not a devil but I honour my Father and ye do dishonour me 50 And I seek not mine own glory there is one that seeketh and judgeth Here Observe 1. The free Reproof which Christ gave the Jews for their obstinate Unbelief Because I tell you the Truth ye Believe me not 2. The Challenge which he gives the worst of his Adversaries Which of you convinceth me of Sin So perfectly pure Innocent and Spotless was the Doctrine and Life of Christ That altho' his Enemies loaded him with Slander and false Accusation yet none of them could justly convince him of much less condemn him for the least known Sin Observe 3. The Jews being enraged at this free Reproof fell a railing at his Person charging him with being a Samaritan possessed with an Evil Spirit Our Saviour meekly replies That he did not deal with the Devil but was honouring his Father in what he did and said And therefore his Father would take care of his honour and judge between him and them Here Note That tho' Christ used some sharpness in Reproving the Jews and Representing them to themselves yet he answers with wonderful mildness and meekness when he discovers his Resentments of his own Reproaches How cool was Christ in his own Cause but hot enough in Gods 51 Verily verily I say unto you If a man keep my saying he shall never see death 52 Then said the Jews unto him Now we know that thou hast a devil Abraham is dead and the prophets and thou sayest If a man keep my saying he shall never taste of death 53 Art thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the prophets are dead whom makest thou thy self 54 Jesus answered If I honour my self my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoureth me of whom ye say that he is your God 55 Yet ye have not known him but I know him and if I should say I know him not I shall be a liar like unto you but I know him and keep his saying Observe here 1. The blessed Fruit and effect of observing our Saviour's Doctrine He that keeps my saying shall never see Death that is Shall be secured from Eternal Misery and enjoy Eternal
understand these things clearly 21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Our Blessed Saviour in these words repeats what he had before injoined at Verse 15. Namely to evidence the sincerity of our Love to him by the Universality of our Obedience to his Commands He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Where Note 1. The Necessity of Knowledge in order unto Practice 2. The Necessity of Practice in order unto Happiness we must first have Christ's Commandments before we can keep them we must have them in our Understandings and Judgments in our Wills and Affections not have them only in our Eyes to read in our Ears to hear or in our Mouths to talk of them but to hide them in our Hearts that we may not Sin against Christ in the wilful violation of them Farther we must keep as well as have these Commandments This denotes an universal diligent and persevering Obedience to them Hence Learn That altho' many loose Professors pretend love to Christ because they hear read know and can talk of his Commandments yet in Christ's Account none do truly love him but those who make Conscience of their Obedience to him He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Observe next The gracious Promise of Christ to such as thus express their Love unto him 1. He shall be loved of my Father and of my self And shall he not be loved of the Holy Ghost too Yes no doubt But why is not he named then Because the Son dwelleth in us by the Spirit and sheds his Love abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost 2. I will manifest my self unto him that is such Obedient Christians shall not only injoy the Fruit and Benefit of my Love but they shall injoy the Sense of my Love and experience the sensible manifestations and inward diffusions of my Love in their own Souls Learn hence That the only way to have Christ Love us and to let out his Love upon us and to know that he Loves us is to look diligently to our Obediential walking with him and before him We may as rationally think to nourish our Bodies with Poison as to injoy the manifestations of Christ's Love in a way of Sin 22 Judas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world Some understand these words of a Temporal manifestation and think that Judas the Brother of James who spake them still expected that Christ should be a Temporal Prince and have such a Kingdom as should be Conspicuous to all the World and therefore puts the question how he could possibly shew himself to his Disciples and the World not see him Others understand it of a Spiritual manifestation as if he had said Lord who or what are we thy Disciples that we should enjoy more special manifestations of thy Love to us than to the rest of the World why should we be dignified with such distinguishing favours above others Learn thence 1. That there is a real difference put by Christ betwixt his own Children and the World in the matter of special Manifestations 2. That there being no cause from the Creature why Christ should make this difference his discriminating Grace is matter of just and great Admiration well might the Apostle out of a deep Admiration say Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the World 23 Jesus answered and said unto him If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings and the word which you hear is not mine but the Fathers which sent me Observe here How our Saviour still goes on to direct and encourage his Disciples to evidence the sincerity of their Love to his Person by the universality of their Obedience to his Commands and tells them how great their Advantage would be by so doing For First the Father will love them that is manifest his favour to them in farther dispensations of Grace and Comfort Learn thence That all the Manifestations of Divine Love to the Souls of Believers depend upon their close walking with God in the paths of Holiness and strict Obedience Secondly We will make our abode with him He shall have Father and Son's Company an Allusion to a Parent that has many Children he will be sure to live with them that are most Dutiful to him and most observant of him The expression of making their abode with us denotes that sweet and intimate fellowship which shall be betwixt God and us and the perpetuity and constancy of it at all times till we are taken up by him into Heaven he will make his abode with us by the indwelling presence of his Holy Spirit the Graces and Comforts whereof shall abide with us for ever 25 These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you 26 But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Here we have a repeated Promise of the Mission of the Holy Ghost called the Comforter and his special Office declared Namely To teach and to bring to remembrance what Christ had taught He shall teach you all things As the Spirit of God is the great Comforter so he is the special Teacher of his Children he Teacheth condescendingly stooping to the meanest capacities he Teacheth efficaciously inclining the Heart to receive Instruction as well as opening the Ear to hear it he Teacheth plainly and â—learly unerringly and infallibly he is Truth it self and therefore his teachings are most True And as the Holy Spirit is the Saints Teacher so is he also their Remembrancer He shall bring all things to your Remembrance that is all Truths needful to be known and necessary to Salvation Here Note That the Holy Spirit Teaches nothing but what Christ himself Taught the Spirit Teaches in the word and by the word but never Teaches any thing contrary to the word He shall Teach and bring to Remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you 27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid As if our Lord had said Whatever outward Trouble the World gives you be not afraid of it before it comes nor troubled at it when it is come for I will give you inward Peace in the midst of all your outward Troubles Not as the world giveth give I unto you Where Note That Christ's Peace is vastly different from that Peace which is given or enjoyed
Pomp but a Spiritual King in and over his Church only to order the Affairs and look after the Government thereof Learn hence That Christ as God hath an Universal Kingdom of Power and Providence even over the highest of Men and as Mediatour hath a Spiritual Kingdom in and over his Church 2. That it is a clear Evidence that Christ's Kingdom is Spiritual in as much as it is not carried on by violence and force of Arms as worldly Kingdoms are but by Spiritual means and methods If my Kingdom were of this World my Servants would fight for me but now is my Kingdom not from hence 37 Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a king then Jesus answered Thou sayest that I am a king To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice Pilate asks him again directly and expresly Art thou a King or not Our Saviour Answers Thou sayest that I am a King and so it is indeed as thou sayest I am a King and the King of the Jews too but not a Temporal King to Rule over them after the manner of Earthly Kings with Temporal Power and Worldly Pomp and Splendour but I am a Spiritual King to Rule and Govern not only the Jews but my whole Church consisting both of Jews and Gentiles after a Spiritual manner Observe here 1. The Dominion and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ he has a Kingdom My Kingdom Observe 2. The Condition and Qualification of this Kingdom Negatively exprest My Kingdom is not of this World Observe 3. The Use and End of this Kingdom that the Truth may have place among the Children of Men for their Salvation To this end was I Born and came into the World to bear witness unto the truth Observe 4. The Subjects of Christ's Kingdom declared Every one that is of the truth heareth my Voice That is Every one who is by Divine Grace disposed to believe and love the Truth will hear and obey Christ's Doctrine 38 Pilate saith unto him What is truth And when he had said this he went out again unto the Jews and saith unto them I find in him no fault at all 39 But ye have a custom that I should release unto you one at the passover will ye therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews 40 Then cried they all again saying Not this man but Barabbas Now Barabbas was a robber Observe here 1. The Question Pilate put to Christ What is Truth a most noble and important Question had it been put forth with an honest Heart with a Mind fairly disposed for Information and Satisfaction but it is evident Pilate's enquiry was not serious nay it is generally thought that Pilate ask'd this Question in Scorn Contempt and Derision for he stays not for our Lord's Answer but as soon as he startled this Query went oft the Bench in haste Learn hence That this Question What is Truth or how may we come to the Knowledg of the Truth is of unspeakable use and importance and a Question whereon the whole frame and Constitution of Religion depends Because Truth is claimed by all Parties of Men by all Professors of Religion Ask the different Parties from the Old Gentleman at Rome to the poorest Quaker and Muggletonian where is Truth and they will all tell you they are in the possession of it every Sect has thus much of Popery with it that the professors of it think themselves Infallible and every one cries out Here is Truth But God has given us a two-fold Light to search for Truth by Namely The Light of Reason and the Light of Scripture and Divine Revelation The former Solomon calls the Candle of the Lord set up in our Breasts by God on purpose to discover Truth unto us God allows us yea injoyns us the free and impartial use of our Understandings and Judgments in order to the finding out of Divine Truth but because Nature's Light or the Light of Natural Reason is not clear and bright enough to give us a prospect of supernatural Truths for Nature and Reason can never dictate those things which depend wholly upon God's free Grace and good Pleasure such are the Doctrine of a Saviour and Redeemer and the method of Man's Salvation by the Sufferings of the Son of God it had been Blasphemy once to have supposed such things had not God revealed them in Scripture Therefore the Second Standard of Divine Truth is the infallible Word of God The Gospel of Christ is the way and the Truth Truth came by Jesus Christ and would Men be ruled and conducted by these unalterable Standards of Truth namely Right Reason and Divine Revelation they would easily agree in their Judgments what is to be believed and all Disputes and Controversies would vanish right Reason and Inspired Scripture are the best Judges of Controversies they being the fixed Standards and Measures of Divine Truth can best Resolve Pilate's Question here and tell us What is Truth Observe 2. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death He came forth three several times and tells the Jews that he finds no fault in him he bids them take him and judg him according to their Law Pilate a Pagan Absolves Christ whilst the Hypocritical Jews that heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles do Condemn him Observe 3. Pilate having absolved Christ I find no fault in him endeavours next to Release him and takes occasion from their Custom of having a Prisoner released to them at their Feast to insinuate his Desire that they should chuse Christ Ye have a custom that I release unto you one at the Passover Observe lastly How the Jews prefer Barabbas a Robber before the Holy and Innocent Jesus They all cried out saying not this Man but Barabbas Learn hence That no Persons how wicked and vile soever are so odious in the Eyes of the Enemies of God as Christ himself was and his Friends and Followers now are Christ did find it thus in his own Person when on Earth Barabbas a Robber was preferr'd before him and now he is in Heaven he suffers in his Members the filth of the World being preferred before them CHAP. XIX 1 THen Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him Observe here 1. That as the Death of the Cross was a Roman Punishment so it was the manner of the Romans to whip their Malefactors before they Crucified them Accordingly Pilate took Jesus and scourged him Observe 2. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death it is very evident that he had a mind to Release him and it is concluded that Pilate was thus forward to Scourge Christ hoping that the Jews would have been satisfied with this lighter Punishment and so have dismist him From this instance we may gather That Hypocrites within the pale of the