in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father 22 Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews 23 But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Here we have our Saviour's Answer to the foregoing Question which consists of two Parts 1. Concerning the Place of Worship 2. Concerning the Worship it self As to the Place of Worship our Saviour tells her that though the Jews had heretofore by warrant of God's Word regularly worshipped at Jerusalem and the Samaritans superstitiously worshipped at Mount Gerizim yet the Hour was coming namely at his Death when all difference of Places for God's Worship should be taken away and therefore she need not trouble her self about the Place of God's Worship to know whether of the two Places were holier and the better to serve God in for ere long the Service of God should not be confined more to one Place than another Hence learn That since the death of Christ the Religious Difference of Places is taken away and the Worship of God not confined to any one particular Place or Nation 2. Our blessed Saviour resolves her concerning the Worship it self namely that the Ceremonial Worship which the Jews and Samaritans used should shortly be abolished and instead thereof a more spiritual Form of Worship should be established more suitable to the Spiritual Nature of the great and holy God and containing in it the Truth and Substance of all that which the Jewish Ceremonies prefigured and shadowed forth Learn hence That the True Worship of God under the Gospel doth not consist in the external Pomp of any outward Ceremonies but is Spiritual and Substantial No Worship is acceptable to him that is the Father of Spirits but that which is truly Spiritual 24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth God is a Spirit that is he has no Body nor bodily Parts He is not a bare spiritual Substance but a pure and perfect Spirit and therefore his Worshippers must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Where Spirit is opposed to the Legal Ceremonies and Truth to the Jewish Rites not to Hypocritical Services for the old Patriarchs did worship God in Spirit and in Truth As Truth is taken for Sincerity they served him with a sincere Conscience and with a single Heart But our Saviour's Business is to shew That a Worship without Legal Rites and Jewish Ceremonies is proper to the times of the Gospel In the Words Observe 1. The Nature of God declared God is a Spirit 2. The Duty of Man inferred therefore they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth From the whole Note 1. That God is a pure Spiritual Being When bodily Parts Hands and Eyes c. are ascribed to him it is only in Condescension to our weakness and to signifie those Acts in God which such Members do perform in us Note 2. That the Worship due from the Creature to God is spiritual Worship and ought to be spiritually performed The Jewish Ceremonial Worship was abolished to promote the Spirituality of Divine Worship yet must not this be so understood as if God rejected bodily Worship because he requires spiritual under the Gopsel for Jesus Christ the most spiritual Worshipper worshipped God with his Body Besides God has appointed some Parts of Worship which cannot be performed without the Body as Sacraments In a Word God has created the Body as well as the Soul Christ has redeemed the Body as well as the Soul and he will glorify the Body as well as the Soul therefore it is our Duty to worship and glorify God with our Bodies and with our Spirits which are his 25 The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things 26 Jesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he Observe here 1. What a General Expectation there was in the Minds of all Persons at the time of our Saviour's appearing of one whom the Jews called the Messiah I know that Messiah cometh This Woman though a Samaritan yet knew that the Messiah should come and that he was now expected Observe 2. What the Work and Office of the Messias was apprehended and believed to be namely to reveal the whole Mind and Will of God to a lost World When the Messias is come he will tell us all things Learn thence That the Lord Jesus Christ the promised and true Messias being called and appointed by God to be the great Prophet of his Church hath fully and perfectly revealed all things needful to be known for our Salvation John 15.15 All things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you Observe Lastly How freely and fully Christ reveals himself to this poor Woman he tells her plainly that he was the Messias When the Jews asked him John 10.24 If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Christ did not in plain Terms tell them who he was Nay when John Baptist sent two of his Disciples to ask him whether he were He that should come he gave them no direct Answer Yet behold he makes himself plainly known to this poor Woman he discerning her Humility and great Simplicity that she was willing to be instructed by him and did not come to him as the Jews and Pharisees did captiously with a design to entangle and enspare him Hence learn That the Lord Jesus Christ delights to reveal himself and make known his Mind and Will to such as with an humble Mind and an honest Simplicity of heart do desire to know him and understand their Duty to him 27 ¶ And upon this came his disciples and marvelled that he talked with the woman yet no man said What seekest thou or Why talkest thou with her 28 The woman then left her water-pot and went her way into the city and saith to the men 29 Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ 30 Then they went out of the city and came unto him Observe here 1. How the Providence of God so ordered and disposed of things that the Disciples did not return to Christ till he had finisht his Discourse with this poor Woman An humbled sinner may meet with such Satisfaction and sweet Refreshment in Christ's Company that the presence even of Disciples themselves the best and holiest of Saints may be lookt upon as injurious to it and an interruption of it This poor Woman had so sweet a time with Christ that an end being put to the Conference by the coming of the Disciples might be Matter of Grief and Resentment to her Yet the Providence of God so ordered that the Disciples did not come to break off the Conference till Christ had made himself known as the Messias to this
give it a Civil Salutation but especially a Christian and Spiritual Salute wishing them Mercy Grace and Peace 3. He encourages his Apostles in the want of Success if they hear you not Shake off the Dust of your Feet This Action was Emblematical and signified That Almighty God would in like manner shake off them and esteem them no better than the vilest Dust Note That those who despise the Message which the Ministers of the Gospel bring shall hereafter find the Dust of their Feet and the Ashes of their Grave to give a Judicial Testimony against them in the Day of CHRIST Where-ever the Word is Preached 't is for a Testimony against them for if the Dust of a Minister's Feet bear Witness against the Despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more 16 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves Our Saviour in this and the following Verses arms his Apostles against all the Difficulties Dangers and Discouragements which they might meet with in the Course of their Ministry He tells them he sent them forth as Sheep amongst Wolves intimating thereby unto them that the Enemies of the Gospel have as great an Inclination from their Malicious Nature to devour and destroy the Ministers of Christ as Wolves have from their natural temper to devour Sheep He therefore recommends to them Prudence and Innocence Be wise as Serpents to avoid the World's Injuries and Harmless as Doves in not revenging them The Ministers of Christ must not be altogether Doves lest they fall into Dangers nor altogether as Serpents lest they endanger others For as Piety without Policy is too simple to be safe so Policy without Piety is too subtil to be good Our Saviour in this Text teaches us That Wisdom and Innocency should dwell together 17 But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues 18 And ye shall be brought before governours and kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the gentiles 19 But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak 20 For it is not ye that speak but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Here our Saviour lets his Apostles know that for their Owning Him and Preaching his Gospel they should be brought before all sorts of Magistrates and in all kinds of Courts But he advises them when they are brought before Kings and Princes not to be anxiously thoughtful what they should say for it should be given in that Hour what they should Answer Learn hence That tho' Truth may be opposed yet Truth 's Defenders shall never be ashamed and rather than they shall want a Tongue to plead for it GOD himself will prompt them by his Spirit and suggest such Truths to their Minds as all their Opposers shall not be able to gainsay 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the child and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but he that indureth to the end shall be saved Our Saviour goes on in a farther Discovery of the World's Hatred and Enmity against the Gospel and the Preachers of it and gives all Christians in general and his Ministers in particular to understand That such is the Enmity of the World against Holiness and the Professors of it that it will overcome and extinguish even the Natural Affection of the nearest and dearest Relations towards each other Grace teaches us To lay down our Lives for the Brethren but Corruption teaches Brother to take away the Life of Brother The Brother shall deliver the Brother to Death Yet Observe Our Saviour comforts his Disciples that there will be an end of these Sufferings and assures them That if their Faith and Patience did hold out unto the end they should be saved This is our Comfort that if our Sufferings for Christ end not in our Life-time they will end with our Lives 23 But when they persecute you in this city flee ye into another for verily I say unto you Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come Our Saviour here directs his Apostles to a prudent Care of their own Preservation and allows them to flee in time of Persecution assuring them That before they had gone through all the Cities of the Jews Preaching the Gospel he would certainly come in Judgment against Jerusalem and with Severity destroy his own Murtherers and their Persecutors Learn That Christ allows his Ministers the liberty of Flight in time of Persecution that they may preserve their Lives for future Service Surely 't is no Shame to fly when our Captain commands it and also practises it Matth. 2. Christ by his own Example has Sanctified that State of Life unto us and by his Command made it Lawful for us 24 The disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his lord 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Our Saviour here teaches all Christians but especially Ministers how unreasonable and absurd it is for them to expect kinder Usage from an unkind World than he Himself met with Are we greater holier or wiser than He Why then should we expect better Usage than he Was he hated persecuted reviled murthered for the Holiness of his Doctrine and the Vsefulness of his Life Why then should any of us Think strange of the Fiery Tryal as if some strange thing had befaln us 1 Pet. 4.12 Is it not enough That the Disciple be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord but must he hope to be above him 26 Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known 27 What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye on the house tops Christ here exhorts his Disciples to a free Profession and open Publication of the Doctrine of the Gospel from this Consideration That whatever they say or do shall be brought to light proclaimed and published to the World As Wicked Men have cause to fear because their Evil Deeds shall be made evident so Good Men have cause to rejoice because their Goodness and Good Deeds shall be made manifest Let it be our Care to do Good and it shall be CHRIST's Care to discover the Goodness which we do to vindicate it from Misconstruction and set it in its clearest Light 28 And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul
have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not have condemned the guiltless Learn hence That the Law of Mercy is much more excellent than the Law of Ceremonies and where both cannot be observed the less must give place to the greater God never intended that the Ceremonies of his Service in the First Table should hinder Works of Mercy prescribed in the Second Table All GOD's Commands are for Man's Good Where both cannot be obeyed he will have the Moral Duty performed and the Ceremonial Service omitted He will have Mercy and not Sacrifice that is he will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice where both cannot be had 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath-day As if Christ had said I who am Lord of the Sabbath declare to you that I have a Power to dispence with the Observation of it and it is my Will that the Sabbath which was appointed for Man should yield to Man's Safety and Welfare Christ the Son of Man was really the Son of GOD and as such had Power over the Sabbath to dispence with it yea to abrogate and change it at his pleasure 9 And when he was departed thence he went into their synagogue 10 And behold there was a man which had his hand withered and they asked him saying Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath-days that they might accuse him 11 And he said unto them What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath-day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath-days Here we have another Dispute betwixt our Saviour and the Pharisees concerning the Sabbath Whether it be a Breach of that Day mercifully to Heal a Person having a withered Hand Christ confutes them from their own Practice telling the Pharisees that they themselves judg'd it Lawful to help out a Sheep or an Ox if faln into a Pit on that Day How much more ought the Life of a Man to be preferr'd Here we may remark how Inveterate a Malice the Pharisees had against our Saviour when they could find no Crime to charge him with they blame him for working a merciful and miraculous Cure upon the Sabbath-Day When Envy and Malice which are evermore quick-sighted can find no Occasion of Quarrel it will invent one against the Innocent 13 Then saith he to the man Stretch forth thine hand and he stretched it forth and it was restored whole like as the other 14 Then the pharisees went out and held a council against him how they might destroy him 15 But when Jesus knew it he withdrew himself from thence and great multitudes followed him and he healed them all 16 And charged them that they should not make him known Obs 1. The merciful and miraculous Cure wrought by our Saviour's Power upon the Impotent Man He said unto him Stretch out thine Hand and his Hand was restored Obs 2. What a contrary Effect this Cure had upon the Pharisees instead of convincing them they conspire against him Christ's Enemies when Arguments fail fall to Violence Obs 3. The prudent Means which our Saviour uses for his own Preservation He withdrew himself Christ's Example teaches his Ministers their Duty to avoid the Hands of Persecutors and prudently to preserve their Lives unless when their Sufferings are like to do more good than their Lives Obs 4. The great Humility of Christ in concealing his own Praises he had no Ambition that the Fame of his Miracles should be spread abroad for he sought not his own Glory neither would he by the Noise of his Miracles enrage the Pharisees against him to take away his Life knowing that his Time was not yet come and he had much Work to do before his Death 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying 18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased I will put my Spirit upon him and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles 19 He shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man hear his voice in the street 20 A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgment unto victory 21 And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust That is our Blessed Saviour did those Good Acts before spoken of that it might appear that he was the True Messias prophesied of by Isaias the Prophet Chap. 42.1 2. Behold my Servant whom I have set apart for Accomplishing the Work of Salvation for a Lost World he by the Fulness of my Spirit shall Teach the Nations the Way of Truth and Righteousness He shall not subdue Men by Force and Violence but as the Prince of Peace shall deal gently with the Weak and cherish the Least Measures of Grace and Degrees of Goodness Obs here 1. A Description of Christ as Mediator he is God the Father's Servant imployed in the most Noble Service namely that of the Instructing and Saving a Lost World Obs 2. With what Meekness and Gentleness Christ sets up his Spiritual Kingdom in the World he doth not with Noise and Clamour with Force and Violence Subdue and Conquer but with Meekness and Gentleness gains Persons Consent to his Government and Authority Observe 3. The Gentle Carriage of Christ in Treating those of Infirmer Grace he doth and will graciously preserve and tenderly cherish the smallest Beginings the Weakest Measures and the Lowest Degrees of Sincere Grace which he observes in any of his Children â—nd People 22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil blind and dumb and he healed him insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw 23 And all the people were amazed and said Is not this the son of David 24 But when the Pharisees heard it they said This fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils As a farther Instance of Christ's Miraculous Power he Healeth one whom the Devil had cast into a Disease which depriv'd him both of Speech and Sight At this Miracle the Multitude wonder saying Is not this the Son of David That is the promised Messias The Pharisees hearing this with great Bitterness and Contempt said This Fellow casteth out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils Observe from hence How Obstinacy and Malice will make Men misconstrue the Actions of the most Holy and Innocent CHRIST Casteth out Devils say the Pharisees by the help of the Devil There never was any Person so Good nor any Action so Gracious but they have been subject both to Censure and Misconstruction The best Way is to square our Actions by the Right Rule of Justice and Charity and then let the World pass their Censures at their Pleasure When the Holy and Innocent JESUS was thus assaulted what Wonder is it if we his Sinful Servants be Branded on
all sides by Reviling Tongues Why should we expect better Treatment than the Son of GOD 25 And Jesus knew their thought and said unto them Every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against it self shall not stand 26 And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his kingdom stand 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils by whom do your children cast them out therefore they shall be your judges 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house 30 He that is not with me is against me and he rhat gathereth not with me scattereth abroad Our Blessed Saviour to clear his Innocency and to convince the Pharisees of the Unreasonableness of this their Calumny and False Accusations offers several Arguments to their Consideration 1. That it was very unlikely that Satan should lend him this Power to use it against himself As Satan has a Kingdom so he has Wit enough to preserve his Kingdom and will do nothing to weaken his own Interest Now if I have received my Power from Satan for Destroying him and his Kingdom then is Satan divided against himself 2. Our Saviour tells them they might with as much Reason attribute all Miracles to the Devil as those that were wrought by Him There were certain Jews amongst themselves who cast out Devils in the Name of the GOD of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Christ asks the Pharisees By what Power these their Children Cast them out They acknowledged that those did it by the Power of GOD and there was no Cause but their Malice why they should not acknowleledge that what he did was by the same Power If I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the Kingdom of God is come unto you that is the Messias is come because he wrought these Miracles to prove that he was the Messias 3. Another Argument to prove That the Miracles which Christ wrought were by the Power of God and not by the Help of Satan is this The Devil is very strong and powerful and there is no Power but God's only that is stronger than his Now says Christ if I were not assisted by a Divine Power I could never cast out this strong Man who reigns in the World as in his House It must be a stronger than the strong Man that shall bind Satan and who is he but the GOD of Strength 31 Wherefore I say unto you All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Obs 1. How our Saviour makes a Difference betwixt speaking against the Son of Man and speaking against the Holy Ghost By Speaking against the Son of Man is meant all those Reproaches which were cast upon our Saviour's Person as Man without reflecting upon his Divine Power as GOD which he testified by his Miracles Such were their reproaching him with the Meaness of his Birth their censuring him for a Winebibber and a Glutton and the like But by Speaking against the Holy Ghost is meant their Blaspheming and Reproaching that Divine Power whereby he wrought his Miracles which was an immediate Reflection upon the Holy Spirit and a Blaspheming of him Observe 2. The Nature of this Sin of Speaking against the Holy Ghost It consisted in this that the Pharisees seeing our Saviour work Miracles and cast out Devils by the Spirit of God contrary to the Conviction of their own Minds they maliciously ascribe his Miracles to the Power of the Devil charging him to be a Sorcerer and Magician and to have a Familiar Spirit by whose Help he did those Mighty Works when in truth he did them by the Spirit of God Observe 3. That this Sin above all others is called Unpardonable and upon what Account it is so The Case of such Blasphemers of the Holy Spirit is not only dangerous but desperate because they resist their last Remedy and oppose the best Means for their Conviction What can God do more to convince a Man that Jesus Christ is the True Messiah than to work â—â—â—â—cles to that purpose Now if when Men see plain Miracles wrought they will say it is not God that works them but the Devil as if Satan would conspire against himself and seek the Ruin of his own Kingdom There is no way left to convince such Persons but they must and will continue in their Opposition to Truth to their inevitable Condemnation 33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit These Words may either referr to the Pharisees or to Christ himself If to the Pharisees the Sence is You hypocritical Pharisees shew your selves what you are by your Words and Actions even as the Fruit sheweth what the Tree is If they referr to Christ then they are an Appeal to the Pharisees themselves to judge of our Saviour and his Doctrine by the Miracles which he wrought If he wrought by the Devil his Works would be as bad as the Devil 's but if his Works were good they must own them to be wrought by the Power of God The Expression implies That a Man may be known by his Actions as a Tree may be judged by his Fruit yet not by a single Action but by a Series of Actions not by a particular Act but by our general Course 34 O generation of vipers how can ye being evil speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Note here 1. The Fervency and Zeal of our Saviour's Spirit in the Compellation given to the Pharisees he calls them a Generation of Vipers intimating that they were a venemous and dangerous sort of Men. Learn thence That it is not always Railing and Indiscreet Zeal to call Wicked Men by such Names as their Sin deserves Obs farther From our Saviour's Saying that Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh that the Heart is the Fountain both of Words and Actions and according as the Heart is so are the Current of Mens Words and Actions either good or evil 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Obs here A double Treasure discovered in the Heart of Man 1. An Evil Treasure of Sin and Corruption both Natural and Acquired from whence proceeds Evil Things Now this is called a Treasure not for
promulge and publish the Doctrine of Salvation 2. The Quality or Kind of this Voice a crying Voice the Voice of one crying This implies 1. His Earnestness and Vehemency his Zeal and Fervency in Preaching When we lift up our Voice and cry aloud we speak with Earnestness and Fervour When our own Hearts are warmly affected with what we preach we may hope to affect the Hearts of our Hearers Why has God commissioned Men rather than Angels to be the Preachers and Dispensers of his Word But because we can speak to and treat with Sinners more feelingly and more affectionately than the Angels can 2. This crying of the Holy Baptist in his Preaching implies his Liberty and Boldness as well as his Vehemency and Earnestness in delivering of his Message The lifting up of the Voice in speaking argues Boldness and Courage in the Speaker as on the contrary the depressing of the Voice sheweth Timerousness Learn hence That the Ministers of the Word are to use both Zeal and Earnestness and also Courage and Boldness of Spirit in delivering the Word and Message of God Not forbearing to reprove Sin nor concealing any part of God's Truth for fear of Mâ—n's Displeasure Observe 3. The Sum and Substance of what he cried Prepare ye the Way of the Lord make his Paths straight That is Make ready your selves prepare your own Hearts to entertain the Doctrine and glad Tydings of the Gospel It is a Metaphorical Speech taken from the Custom of Loyal and Dutiful Subjects who when â—heir Princâ— is coming to lodge in their â—ity they prepâ—re â—nd make ready the way for his coming by removing every thing that may obstruct or hinder his Progress Learn hence That Man's Heart by Nature is very unfit to embrace and entertain the Lord Jesus Christ We have naturally no Fitness no Disposition no Inclination to believe in him or to submit unto him 2. If ever we desire to entertain Christ in our Hearts we must first prepare and make fit our Hearts for the receiving and embracing of him For tho' the Preparation of the Heart be from the Lord yet he requires the Exercise of our Faculties and the Use of our Endeavours He prepares our Hearts by enabling us to the Preparation of our own Hearts This is done by getting a sight of the Evil of Sin a sense of our Misery without Christ an hungring and thirsting Desire after him a true Faith in him Christ will lodge in no Heart that is not thus made ready to receive him 4 John did baptize in the wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins A twofold Account is here given of St. John's Execution of his Ministry and Office first his Baptizing secondly his Preaching John did Baptize That is admit Persons into the Church by washing them with Water John baptized into the Name of Christ who was to come the Apostles baptized into the Name of Christ already come The second Part of his Office was Preaching where Note That Preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments are to go together and belong only to the Ministers of the Word lawfully called John did Baptize and Preach but where and what did he preach The place where was the Wilderness a place not much frequented tho' not altogether uninhabited a solitary mean and obscure place Thither God had called him and there he contents himself Learn hence That the Ministers of God must be content to execute their Ministry where God calls them be the Place never so mean and obscure and the People never so rude and barbarous John was a Preacher of great Note and Fame Jerusalem the chief City might seem more fit for him but God had called him to Preach in the Wilderness and he would not leave it We must not leave our Place because it is mean and obscure nor desert our People thinking them too base to instruct but where God has called us we must there abide till he that call'd us thither remove us thence Observe farther as the Place where the Baptist preach'd in the Wilderness so the Doctrine which he preach'd namely the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sin That is the Doctrine of Baptism which sealeth Remission of Sins to the Party baptized Learn hence That the Preaching of the Doctrine of Repentance is absolutely necessary and the Indispensible Duty of every Gospel-Minister John Baptist preach'd it our Saviour preach'd it his Apostles preach'd it They went out Preaching every where that Men should repent 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan confessing their sins Here we have an Account of the Success of John's Ministry 1. In the general Concourse and Resort of the People to it All Judea and Jerusalem that is a great many of all Degrees and Ranks of Ages and Sexes John was famed for a Prophet and a Prophet was now a great Rarity Malachy was the last Prophet before John and he lived about Five Hundred Years before John Now the Excellency of his Person the Earnestness of his Preaching the Acceptableness of his Doctrine that the Messias was come and the Austerity of his Life and Conversation all these caused the People to flock unto him Learn hence That it is a great Encouragement to the Ministers of Christ when People shew themselves ready and forward to repair unto the Places where the Word and Sacraments are dispensed to them All Judea and Jerusalem attended upon John's Ministry The second Fruit of John's Ministry was that the People were ready to receive at his Hand the Sacrament of Baptism They were all baptized of him in Jordan Learn hence That the Ministers of Christ ought not only to preach the Word but also to dispense the Sacraments to their People even to all that do desire them and are fit to be Partakers of them A third Fruit of John's Ministry was his Hearers Profession of their true Repentance by the Confession of their Sins As the Profession of Repentance is requisite in all that are Baptized so a free and voluntary ingenious and impartial Confession of Sin is a good Evidence and Testimony of the Truth and Sincerity of our Repentance 6 And John was cloathed with camels hair and with a girdle of a skin about his loins and he did eat locusts and wild honey This Verse acquaints us with the Strictness and Austerity of St. John's Life in the Wilderness which is laid down in two Things in his mean and frugal Apparel and in his sober and temperate Diet. His Apparel was rough and hairy and his Girdle of Leather as Elijah his Forerunner was clad before him 2 Kings 1.8 His Diet was course and ordinary Locusts and wild Honey that is such plain and ordinary Food as the Wilderness afforded His Example teaches us That the Ministers of the Gospel are not to affect either Bravery in Apparel or Delicacy in
rest in preaching and did with greater Zeal and Power sound forth the Doctrine of the Gospel like Thunder 20 And the multitude cometh together again so that they could not so much as eat bread 21 And when his friends heard of it they went out to lay hold on him for they said He is beside himself 22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said He hath Beelzebub and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils 23 And he called them unto him and said unto them in parables How can Satan cast out Satan 24 And if a kingdom be divided against it self that kingdom cannot stand 25 And if a house be divided against it self that house cannot stand 26 And if Satan rise up against himself and be divided he cannot stand but hath an end 27 No man can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he will first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house 28 Verily I say unto you All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost hath never forgiveness but is in danger of eternal damnation 30 Because they said He hath an unclean spirit Observe here 1. How truly our Lord's Word was verified John 4.34 My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me for he and his Apostles going into an House to refresh themselves in their Hunger the People press'd upon him so fast to hear the Word that he regards not the satisfying of his Hunger but applies himself to instruct the People Lord how exemplary was thy Zeal and Diligence in preaching the everlasting Gospel to a lost World As it is instructive to may it be imitated and followed by all thy Ambassadors Obs 2. The rash Censure of our Saviour's Friends that is his Kinsmen concerning this Action in neglecting to eat Bread and suffering the Multitude thus unseasonably to press upon him They conclude he is besides himself Out of his right Mind and accordingly went out to lay hold upon him Learn hence 1. That the forward Zeal and Diligence of Christ and his Ministers in preaching the Gospel is accounted Madness and Frenzy by a Blind World But they may say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.13 If we be besides our selves it is unto God But who were the Persons that thus look'd upon our Saviour as besides himself Verily his own Kindred and Relations according to the Flesh Learn thence That oft-times the Servants of God meet with the strongest Temptations from and are most discouraged and molested by such as are their nearest Relations by Blood or Alliance This is a great Trial to find our Relations setting us back instead of helping us forward in the ways of Religion but we must bear it patiently knowing that not only others of God's Children but Jesus Christ his own and only Son did experience this Trial. Observe 3. The malicious and wicked Slander which the Scribes endeavoured to fix upon our Blessed Saviour namely That he was possest of the Devil and by Familiarity with him and Help from him cast forth Devils out of others Good God! how was thine own and only Son the Holy and Innocent Jesus censured slandered and falsly accused of the worst of Crimes of Gluttony of Blasphemy of Sorcery Can any of thy Children expect Freedom from the Persecution of the Tongue when Innocency it self could not protect thy Holy Son from Slander and false Accusation Obs 4. Our Saviour's Answer and just Apology for himself in which are contained 1. A Confutation of their Calumny and Slander 2. A Reprehension of the Scribes for the same 1. To confute this Slander our Saviour by several Arguments shews how absurd and unlikely it is that the Devil should cast out himself and any ways oppose or seek to destroy his own Kingdom As if our Saviour had said Is it likely that Satan would â—end me his Power to use it against himself Surely Satan will do nothing to weaken his own Interest or shake the Pillars of his own Kingdom Now if I have received my Power from Satan for destroying him and his Kingdom Then is Satan like a Family divided within it self and like a Kingdom divided against it self which can never stand but be brought to Desolation Our Saviour having sufficiently shewn that he did not work his Miracles by the Power of the Devil he next informs them from whence he had that Power even from God himself and accordingly he compares Satan to a strong Man well-armed with Weapons to defend his House and he compares himself clothed with Divine Power to one that is stronger than the strong Man So that the Argument runs thus The Devil is very strong and powerful and there is no Power but God's only that is stronger than his If then says Christ I were not assisted with a Divine Power I could never cast out this strong Man who reigns in the Bodies and Souls of Men as in his House for it must be a stronger than the strong Man that shall bind Satan and who is he but the God of Strength Learn hence That Christ's Divine Power is only Superiour to Satan's Strength He only can vanquish and over-rule him at his Pleasure and drive him out of that Possession which he holds either in the Bodies or in the Souls of Men. Obs 5. The Charge which our Saviour brings against the Scribes and Pharisees for Blaspheming his Divine Power in working Miracles He charges them with sinning the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost All Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven but he that shall Blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never Forgiveness As if Christ had said All the Reproaches which you cast upon me as Man are pardonable as when you check me with the Poverty and Meaness of my Birth when you censure me for a Wine-bibber a Glutton a Friend and Companion of Sinners and the like unjust Crimes But when you Blaspheme that Divine Power by which all my Miracles are wrought and contrary to the Convictions of your own enlightned Minds maliciously ascribe all my Miracles to the Power of the Devil which were wrought indeed by the Power of the Holy Ghost this makes your Condition not only dangerous but desperate because you resist the last Remedy and oppose the best Means for your Conviction For what can be done more to convince you that I am the true and promised Messiah than to work so many Miracles before your Eyes to that Purpose Now if when you see these you will say it is not the Spirit of God that works these but the Power of the Devil as if Satan would conspire against himself and seek the Ruin of his own Kingdom there is no Way or Means left to convince you but you will continue in your Obstinacy and malicious Opposition to Truth to your unutterable and inevitable Condemnation 31 There came then his
sit down by him as his Members The only way to this namely to ascend unto and sit down with Christ in Heaven is to live like him and to live unto him here on Earth If any Man love me he will follow me and where I am there shall alsâ— my servant be St. Joh. 12.26 20 And they went forth and preached every where the Lord working with them and confirming the word with Signs following Observe here first the general publication of the Gospel by the Apostles They went forth and preached every where Secondly the reason of the Efficacy and Success of it namely that Divine and miraculous power which accompanied the Preaching of it the Lord wrought with them and câ—nfirmed the word with Signs following 1. Obs The general publication of the Gospel by the Apostles they went forth and Preached every where The industry of the Holy Apostles was incredibly great yet was their success greater then their industry even beyond all humane Expectation which will evidently appear if we consider 1. The vast spreading of the Gospel so far in so short a space of time for in thirty Years time after Christ's death it was spread through the greatest part of the Roman Empire and reached as far as Parthia and India 2. The wonderful power and efficacy which the Gospel had upon the lives and manners of men the generality of those that entertained the Gospel were obedient to it both in word and deed because Christianity being an hated and persecuted profession no man could have any inducement to embrace it that did not resolve to practise it and live up unto it 3. The weakness and meanness of the Instruments that were imployed in propagating the Gospel shews the success of it to be very great and strange a company of plain and illiterate Men most of them destitute of the advantages of Education and unassisted by the countenance of any Authority whatsoever yet did they in a short space draw the World after them 4. The powerful opposition which was raised against the Gospel namely the prejudices of Education the power of indwelling Lusts and also the powers of the World then in being did strongly combine against it yet did Christianity bear up against all this opposition and made its way thorough all the resistance that the Lusts and prejudices of Men armed with the power and authority of the whole world could make against it 5. The great discouragements that Men were then under to embrace the Gospel and the Christian profession all the evils of this World threatned them Mockings and Scourgings Banishment and Imprisonment Reproach and Ruin death in all its fearful shapes was presented to them to deter them from embracing this Religion Observe therefore 2. The reason of this wonderful Success the Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with Signs following the Lord wrought with them this points at the inward operation of the Holy Spirit upon the minds of Men and confirmed the word with Signs that is confirmed their Doctrine with Miracles such as healing Diseases raising the Dead casting out Devils inflicting corporal Diseases on scandalous persons and sometimes Death it self from the whole we gather the Truth and Divinity of the Christian Religion that it was and is certainly of God and therefore never could never can be overthrown The End of St. Mark EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON The Holy Gospel ACCORDING TO S T. LUKE St. LUKE xxiii 45 46 47. Then opened he their Vnderstandings that they might understand the Scriptures And he said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the Third day and that Repentance and Remission of sins should be Preach'd in his name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON The Holy Gospel ACCORDING TO S T. LUKE CHAP. I. 1 FOrasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed amongst us 2 Even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word 3 It seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order most excellent Theophilus 4. That thou mayest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed This Gospel together with the Acts of the Apostles were written by St. Luke the beloved Physician and Companion of St. Paul who wrote as did the rest of the Evangelists by the special Direction and Inspiration of the Holy Ghost where we may profitably Remark the wonderful wisdom of God who in Order to the Confirming of our Faith in the Truth of the Gospel raised up a sufficient number of Witnesses to testify the verity and infallible certainty of all that the Gospel delivers to us Now this Evangelist St. Luke Dedicates this Gospel together with the Acts of the Apostles to Theophilus who was as some think an Honourable Senator or a Renowned and eminent Person in the Church as Others suppose But many take the word Theophilus not for a proper Name but common Name signifying every one that Loveth God to whom St. Luke addresses his Discourse The first four Verses of this Chapter are a Preface to the following History and acquaint us with the Reasons which induced St. Luke to write namely because divers Persons in that Age had imprudently and inconsiderately set upon writing Gospels without direction from the Spirit of God whose Errors and Mistakes were to be corrected by a true Narrative This St. Luke declare he was able to make having had perfect Understanding and Knowledge of the Truth of those things he was about to Relate partly by his familiarity with St. Paul and partly by his Conversation with the other Apostles who constantly attending our Saviour were Eye and Ear-witnesses of those things that are the Subject matter of the â—â—â—hing-History Hence learn 1. That there were some Apocryphal Writings or Writings which were not of Divine Authority Reâ—â—ting to the New Testament as well as to the Old as the Books of Asher Gad and Iddâ— are recited in the Old Testament but were never received into the Canon of the Scripture So were there some Gospels or Historical Relations of our Saviour's Life and Actions wrote by Persons which the Church never received as not having the impress of God's Ordination Note Secondly that the Gospels which St. Luke and the other Evangelists wrote have nothing of fallibility or uncertainty in them they wrote nothing but what they either heard or saw themselves or else received from those that were Eye and Ear-witnesses of matter of Fact It seemed good to me to write having had perfect knowledge of all things from the very first 5 There was in the days of Herod the king of Judea a certain Priest named Zacharias of the course of Abia and his wife was of the daughters of
Gentiles Christ is a light to the one and the glory of the other a light to the blind and dark Gentiles and the Glory of the Renowned Church of the Jews The Messias being promised to them born and bred up with them living amongst them preaching his Doctrine to them and working his Miracles before them and thus was Christ the Glory of his people Israel 34 And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against 35 Yea a sword shall pass thro' thine own Soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed Two things are here observed Simeon's Blessing and Simeons Prediction he blessed them that is the Parents and the Child Jesus not Authoritatively but Prophetically declaring how God would bless them his Prediction is Twofold 1. concerning Christ 2. concerning his Mother concerning Christ Simeon declares that he should be for the rise of many in Israel namely all such as should embrace and obey his Doctrine and imitate and follow his example and for the fall of others that is shall bring punishment and ruine upon all obdurate and impenitent Sinners and a Sign to be spoken against that is he shall be as a mark for obstinate Sinners to set themselves against Christ himself when here in the World was a stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to the men of the World enduring the contradiction of Sinners against himself both the virulence of their Tongues and the violence of their hands 2. Concerning the Mother of Christ Simeon declares that the sight of her Son 's bitter Sufferings would like a Sword pierce through heâ— Heart for tho' he might be born yet should he not dyâ— without the pains of his Mother as if the Throws suffered by other Women at the Birth were reserved for her to endure at the death of her Son The Sufferings of the Holy Jesus on the Cross were as a Sword or dagger at the Heart of the Holy Virgin and she Suffered with him both as a tender Mother and as a Sympathizing Member of his Body 36 And there was one Anna a prophetess the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asser she was of a great Age and had lived with an husband seven years from her Virginity 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years which departed not from the Temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day 38 And she coming in at that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Israel Simeon is seconded by Anna a Prophetess she also declares that the child Jesus was the promised and expected Messias and thus Christ was proclaimed in the Temple by two Heralds of different Sexes Concerning this Aged Woman Anna it is said that she departed not from the Temple night nor day not that she lived and lodged there but by her never departing from understand her daily repairing to the Temple that which is often done is said in Scripture to be always done we are said to do a thing continually when we do it seasonably Thus we pray continually when we pray as often as duty requires us to pray Learn hence That such duties as a Christian performs out of Conscience he will perform with Constancy and Perseverance Nature will have her good Moods but Grace is steady The devotions of a pious Soul like Anna's are as constant but more frequent then the returns of day and night 39 And when they had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord they returned into Galilee to their own city Nazareth 40 And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdom and the Grace of God was upon him Here we see the truth and reality of Christ's Humane Nature he grew as we do from Infancy to Childhood from Childhood to Youth and Manhood To his divine Nature no accession or addition could be made for that which is infinite cannot encrease The deity was infinite in Christ so was not the Humanity but capable of additions and accordingly as Christ grâ—w up the Stature of his Body and the faculties of his mind encreased thro' the Grace and Power of God's Spirit upon him 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every Year at the feast of the passover 42 And when he was twelve years old they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast Observe here the persons making this yearly Journey to Jerusalem our Saviour's Parents and himself 1. Joseph who is called Christ's Father not that he was his natural Father for Christ had no Father upon Earth but Joseph was his Reputed and supposed Father his nursing Father who by the appointment of God took a Fatherly care of him and and his Father in Law being Husband to Mary 2. Mary the Mother of Christ went up to Jerusalem with her Husband and her Son God commanded only the Males to go up to Jerusalem the weaker Sex were excused but the Holy Virgin well knowing the spiritual profit of that long Journey would not stay at home Such as will go no farther than they are dragged in Religious Exercises are Strangers to the Virgins Piety and devotion But 3. the child Jesus in his Minority goes up with his Parents to this holy Solemnity thereby no doubt intending our instruction when we are young to give God an early possession of our Souls to consecrate the Virgin Operations of our minds to him and in our Youth to keep close to the Worship and Service of God when we are so importunately courted by the World Obâ—erve farther This holy Family came not to look at the Feast and be gone but they duly stay'd out all the appointed time â—â—seph's Calling and the Virgins Houshold Business could â—either keep them at home nor hasten them home before the publick Duties in the Temple were dispatcht and ended All worldly Business must give place to Divine Offices and we must attend God's service to the end except we will depart unblest 43 And when they had fulfilled the days as they returned the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem and Joseph and his mother knew not of it 44 But supposing him to have been in the company went a days journey and they sought him amongst their kinsfolk and acquaintance 45 And when they found him not they turned back to Jerusalem seeking him The Service of the Temple being ended they return home to Nazareth Religious Duties are not to be attended to the prejudice and neglect of our particular Callings God calls us as well from his House as to his House They are much mistaken who think God is pleased with nothing but Devotion he that says be fervent in Spirit serving the Lord says also be not slothful in business Piety and Industry must keep pace with one another God is as well pleased
to keep in Heavens way for fear of Hell 't is good to bid a Friend fear when that fear tendeth to his good 6 Are not five Sparrows sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgotten before God 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered fear not therefore ye are of more value than many Sparrows Obs here 1. The Doctrine which our Saviour Preaches to his Disciples and that is the Doctrine of the Divine Providence which concerns it self for the meanest Creatures Even the Birds of the Air and the Hairs of our Heads do fall within the Compass of God's protecting Care Observe 2. Tha use which our Saviour makes of this Doctrine namely to fortify his Disciples Spirits against all Distrustful fears and distracting cares Learn hence 1. That the Consideration of the Divine Care and Gracious Providence of God over us and ours ought to Antidote our Spirits against all distrustful fears whatsoever If an hair from the Head falls not to the ground without a Providence much less shall the Head it self If the very excrements of the Body such are the Hair be taken care of by God surely the more Noble parts of the Body but especially the Noblest part of our Selves our Souls shall fall under his particular Regard 8 Also I say unto you whosoever shall confess me before men him shall the Son of man confess before the Angels of God 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the Angels of God Note here 1. That not to confess Christ is in his account to deny him and to be ashamed of him 2. That whosoever shall deny oâ— be ashamed of Christ either in his Person in his Gospel or in his Members for any fear or favour of Man shall with shame be disowned and eternally rejected by him at the dreadful Judgment of the great day Christ may be denied three ways Doctrinally by an erroneous and heretical Judgment verbally by oral expressions vitally by a wiâ—ked and unholy Life but wo to that Soul that denies Christ any of these ways 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but unto him that blasphemâ—th against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven Altho' never Man Preached or Lived as Christ did yet there were those that spake against him the Person of Jesus was contemned and reproached for the meanness of his Birth for the poverty of his Condition for the freedom of his Conversation but this sin did not exclude the hope of pâ—rdon Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son â—f Man it shall be forgiven him all the Reproaches cast upon Christ as Man were pardonable But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be fsrgiven him that is whoever affirms that Divine power by which I do all my Miracles to be the power of the Devil such Blasphemy will be unpardonable because it is to resist the last Remedy and to oppose the best Means for Mens Conviction For what could be done more to convince Men that Christ was the True and Promised Messias then to work so many Miracles before their Eyes to that purpose Now these Miracles tho' evidently wrought by the power of God the Pharisees ascribed to the Power of the Devil which our Saviour calls Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and a Sin unpardonable 11 And when they bring you into the Synagogues and unto Magistrates and Powers take ye no thought how or what ye shall answer or what ye shall say 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say Here our Saviour acquaints his Apostles that for Preaching his Doctrine and professing his Religion they should be brought before all sorts of Magistrates and into all kinds of Courts but advises them when they should be so brought not to be anxiously thoughtful or sollicitously careful what they should say for it should be suggested to them by the Holy Ghost what they should speak in that Hour Thence Note That tho' the Truth of Christ may be opposed yet the Defenders of it shall never be ashamed for rather then they shall want a Tongue to plead for it God himself will prompt them by his Holy Spirit and furnish them with such Arguments to defend the Truth as all their Adversaries shall not be able to gainsay In that hour the Holy Ghost shall teach you what ye ought to say 13 And one of the Company said unto him Master Speak to my brother that he divide the Inheritance with me 14 And he said unto him Man Who made me a judge or a divider over you Whilst our Saviour was thus instructing his Disciples and the rest of his Auditors in things appertaining to the Kingdom of Heaven one of the Company being more intent as it seems upon his Temporal then his Eternal Concerns desired him to speak to his Brother to divide the Inheritance with him Christ tells him he would neither be judge nor arbitrator in any civil Affairs or secular Concerns This Work as if Christ had said belongs to the civil Magistrate to divide Inheritances and decide Controversies betwixt Man and Man But my work is of another Nature namely to preach the Gospel to a lost World and to direct Men how to secure an Inheritance in Heaven not to divide Inheritances here on Earth Teaching us That matters of Civil Justice do not belong to those whom Christ sends forth to preach the Gospel that work alone is sufficient for them The proper Work of a Minister is work enough one branch of which is to manage a perswading task betwixt Neighbour and Neighbour to prevent Differences and to compose them but as Christ's Commissioners and Ministers of the Gospel they have no Authority to intermeddle in civil Judgments Who made me a judge over you said our Great Master that is a Judge in Civil Affairs 15 And he said unto them Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a mans Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Our Saviour upon the occasion given him in the fore-going Verses admonishes all his Disciples and Followers to take heed and beware of the Sin of Covetousness assuring them that neither the Comfort nor Continuance of Man's Life doth consist in an Abundance for tho' something of this World's Goods is necessary to the Comfort and Happiness of Life yet abundance is not necessary Here Observe 1. The manner of our Lord's Caution he doubles it not saying take heed alone or beware only but take heed and beware both this argues that there is a strong inclination in our Natures to this Sin the great danger we are in of falling into it and of what fatal Consequence it is to them in whom this Sin Reigns Observe 2. The matter of the Caution or the Sin which our Saviour warns his Hearers against and that is Covetousness Take heed and beware of Covetousness where under
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
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
chearful Obedience a pleasing and an acceptable Obedience A constant and Abiding Obedience All other motives without Love are servile and base and beget in us the drudgery of a Slave but not the Duty of a Son he that fears God only is afraid of smarting but he that Loves God is afraid of offending Learn hence That the best and surest evidence we can have of our Love to the Lord Jesus Christ is an humble chearful universal and persevering Obedience to his commands keep my Commandments that is endeavour it without reserve for tho' we cannot keep the Commandments to a just satisfaction yet we may perform them to a gracious acceptation And the Word My My Commandments is a sweetning and alleviating Word Moses's Law an unsupportable Load but Christ's Law an easie Burthen The Law from Sinai dreadful the Law from Sion Gracious it pardons weakness and accepts sincerity 16 And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 17 Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Christ comforteth his Disciples here with a promise of the Mission of the Holy Spirit to supply the want of his Bodily presence Where Observe The procurer of this Blessing 1. And that is Christ by his prevailing Prayer and powerful Intercession I will pray it runs in the future Tense and so 't is a promise of Christ's continual Intercession As long as Christ is in Heaven a Christian shall not want a supply of Comfort and Consolation here on Earth Observe 2. The Author and Donour of the blessing and that is God himself I will pray the Father and he shall give The Father that is my Father your Father and he that is the Father of Comfort and all Consolation I will pray and he will give 'T is an expression of great assurance Observe 3. The blessing it self the Holy Ghost called here Another Comforter Where note 1. The Divinity of the Holy Ghost he that will supply the Comforts of Christ's presence must be as Christ is the God of all Comfort Note 2. The person of the Holy Ghost he is a Divine person not a Divine quality or operation then we might call him a Comfort but not a Comforter Note 3. The Office and Imployment of the Holy Ghost He is a Comforter that is an Advocate and Intercessour to sue for us an Encourager and one that Administers Consolation to us and as he is an Holy Spirit so are his Comforts Holy Comforts Observe 4. The stability of this Blessing That he may abide with you for ever The best of our outward Comforts are sudden flashes not lasting flames but the Consolations of the Holy Spirit are strong Consolations they are abounding Consolations and everlasting Consolations especially the Holy Spirit will be the Comforter of good Men in the day of Affliction in the day of Temptation and at the hour of Death when all other comforts flag and fail Observe lastly The additional Title given to the Holy Ghost he is called the Spirit of Truth partly in opposition to Satan who is called a Lying Spirit partly because he teacheth and revealeth the Truth leadeth his People into all Truth and sealeth and confirmeth Truth to the Souls of Believers he is the Spirit of Truth both in his Essence and in his Operations Learn hence That as the Holy Spirit is True in his Essence and Nature so is he True in his Office as a Comforter to good Men. All his Consolations being real and solid and free from imposture and delusion 18 I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you Here Observe 1. The Condition which the Disciples were in upon the account of Christ's removal from them and that was sad and Comfortless Fatherless or Orphans as the word signifies Hence learn That Christ's Departure or the loss of his gracious Presence is very sad and Comfortless to a Pious Soul well might the Disciples here lament and mourn upon the occasion of Christ's leaving of them seeing thereby they should be deprived of his Doctrine and Instructions of his Advice and Counsel and of the Benefit of his Holy and Instructive Example Observe 2. The care of Christ for his Disciples in reference to this their sad and disconsolate Condition He would not leave them Comfortless Where Note He doth not say I will not suffer you to be comfortless but I will not leave you so that is he will not desert or disown them in their comfortless Condition he will not leave them either in point of Affection or in point of Activity he will not cease to Love them nor cease to bestir himself for them Learn hence That Christ will not leave his Friends in a sad and Comfortless state and Condition tho' for a time they may be brought into it I will not leave you Comfortless I will come unto you Christ's coming here unto them is to be understood of his coming to them by his Holy Spirit in the Gifts of it in the Graces of it and in the Comforts of it thus he did not long leave them Comfortless but at the Feast of Pentecost came again to them 19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me because I live ye shall live also 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Here our Saviour foretels his approaching Death that within a little time the Men of the World should see him no more for tho' he arose again the World saw him no more after his Death for we Read of no Appearances of him after his Resurrection to any but to his Disciples only indeed the hour is coming when the World shall see him again Namely At the Day of Judgment when every Eye shall behold him with Terror and Amazement Observe farther The Consolation given to his Disciples Ye shall see me and because I live ye shall live also Because I am raised from the Grave I will quicken your Dead Bodies in the Grave and ye shall live also and as I live by my Ascension into Heaven so shall you my Disciples live a Life of Grace here and a Life of Glory with my self hereafter Learn hence That a Believer's Spiritual Life is derived from Christ who by his Spirit Communicates a quickening vertue to all his Members because he lives they shall live also Observe lastly A farther priviledge ensured to Believers after Christ's Ascension and the Spirits Mission they should more perfectly understand the Essential union betwixt Christ and the Father and the Mystical Union betwixt Christ and his Members At that Day ye shall know that I am in my Father c. The knowledge which the Saints now have of the Mysterious and Mystical Union is but dark and imperfect but in Heaven they shall
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
they have but would have had more to say in excuse or for a cover for their Sin than now they can But now they have no Cloak for their Sin That is they are totally inexcusable and have not the least colour or pretence for their obstinate unbelief Learn hence 1. That Sins of Ignorance are as it were no Sins compared with Sins committed against light and Knowledge 2. That Sins committed against Gospel-Light are of an heinous Nature and Aggravated Guilt as being committed against the very Remedy 3. That the Gospel where it is plainly preached doth take away all pretence and excuse from Sinners Now they have no Cloak for their Sin 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did they had not had sin but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father 25 But this cometh to pass that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law they hated me without a cause These words declare the heinous Nature of the Pharisees sin in hating and persecuting Christ who had done before their Eyes such Works as no Man besides him or before him ever did he acting by his own Power Peter healed the lame Man Acts 3. but it was in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth But Christ healed the sick and raised the dead in his own Name and by a special Word of Command I say unto thee Arise Yet did the Pharisees hate him and his Father according to the Prediction Psalm 35.19 They hated me without a cause Which being spoken of David in Type received a more eminent Accomplishment in Christ the Son of David Learn hence 1. That let Men pretend to never so much Holiness or Respect to God yet if they hate Christ and despise his Gospel they are haters of God who is One in Essence and Nature with his Son He that hateth me hateth my Father also Learn 2. That no Miracles wrought by mortal Men were ever comparable with the Miracles wrought by Christ the Son of God his did surpass them all in number kind and manner of doing them by his own Authority in his own Name and not as others who obtained their Power by Prayer from God I have done amongst them the works which none other man did Learn 3. That Christ's having confirmed his Doctrine by such unparallel'd Miracles as the World was never before acquainted with doth aggravate the sin of those that are Haters of his Person Despisers of his Doctrine and Reproachers of his Miracles It being just with God when Men obstinately shut their Eyes and will not see judicially to close their Eyes and say They shall not see 26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me 27 And ye also shall bear witness because ye have been with me from the beginning Here our Holy Lord Comforts himself that tho' he had lain then under many Aspersions and Scandals from the World yet all these should be done away by the coming of the Holy Spirit who should testifie of him and make his Person and Doctrine to be acknowledged in the World and that they themselves should bear witness of him who had been with him from the beginning that is since he first began to exercise his Prophetick Office Observe here 1. That Father Son and Holy Spirit are Three distinct Persons in the Godhead 2. That the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son Here the Son is said to send him and as to the Father he is said to proceed from him If the Holy Ghost doth not proceed from the Son why is he called the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4.6 Why is he said here to be sent by the Son The Comforter whom I will send unto you from the Father And if the Spirit doth not proceed from the Son what personal Relation can we conceive betwixt the Son and the Spirit Observe 3. That it is the high Dignity and Honour of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ that the Spirit beareth no Testimony unto Christ but with and according to the Testimony given by them for here it is conjoyned He shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness who have been with me from the beginning CHAP. XVI 1 THese things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service 3 And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me 4 But these things have I told you that when the time shall come ye may remember that I told you of them And these things I said unto you at the beginning because I was with you In the close of the foregoing Chapter our blessed Saviour had acquainted his Disciples with the hatred and hard usage which they were like to meet with from the World and here he intimates to them the Reason why he did so much insist upon the Subject namely not to sadden their Hearts and grieve their Spirits before their Sufferings came but that they might not be offended discouraged or scandalized at them when they came but prepared for them and armed against them Hence Learn 1. That all Afflictions but especially Persecutions are so searching and trying that the best of Christians have need to be guarded against them that they may not be offended at them 2. That it was the great Design of Christ to Arm his Disciples against the Scandal of the Cross lest stumbling at that which they expected not they should fall from the Profession of Christianity These things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended Observe 2. How our Saviour instances in two particular sorts and kinds of Sufferings which his Disciples were to expect in the World and from the World namely Excommunication and Martyrdom ver 2. They shall put you out of their Synagogues that is exclude them from all their Assemblies both Civil and Religious and shall not only think it lawful but a very acceptable Service to God to put them to death Whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service Observe 3. How Christ discovers to his dear Disciples the Cause and Ground of the World's Hatred against them and Enmity towards them namely their Ignorance of the Father and himself ver 3. These things will they do because they have not known the Father nor me From whence we may Learn That all the Persecutions of the Saints do speak in Persecutors an Ignorance both of God the Father and of Jesus Christ his Son All Persecution springs from Ignorance as well as from Malice And Men who continue ignorant of God and Christ are in danger of turning Persecutors if they have a temptation to it Observe 4. How
our Lord again forewarns his Disciples of their approaching Sufferings to the intent that they might remember that he had foretold them of them and would not fail to support them under them He had often told them in general of Persecutions and Troubles which they must expect to meet with but did not till now intimate the kinds and degrees of those Sufferings with respect to their Weakness and because whilst he was with them he himself bear the brunt of all the Worlds Rage falling upon him letting them along But after his Ascension when the Malice of Satan and wicked Men could not reach him then did the Storm fall upon them Hence learn 1. That Christ is so tender of his Disciples Weakness that he will not put them upon the hardship of Sufferings till they be trained up and prepared for them 2. That it may encourage the Saints in and under their Sufferings that Christ himself is the great Object of the Persecutors Malice and they only so for his sake for could they reach him they would not concern themselves with them Learn 3. That the Saints of God after long Exemption and Freedom from Sufferings must expect that Storms will arise Clouds gather thick and Trials come on a pace and their being under one Trial will not hide or shelter them from another 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me and none of you asketh me Whither goest thou 6 But because I have said these things unto you sorrow hath filled your heart Observe here How our Saviour again intimates to his Disciples his speedy departure from them and reproves them for being so sadded as it and concerned for it without considering the End and Design of it and the Benefit and Advantage they were to receive by it Here we see how the Disciples Thoughts were wholly taken up about themselves what they should do for want of Christ's bodily Presence without being instant with him to know whither he was going and what Benefit he should reap and they might expect from his departure Learn hence That Christ's Disciples ought not so much to have lamented the loss of his bodily Presence as to have rejoyced in his Glorious Exaltation and in their own Advantages by his Death Resurrection and Ascention None of you ask me Whither goest thou But sorrow hath filled your heart 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you In these words our Saviour urges his Disciples to submit to his Departure as that which would make way for his sending the Comforter to them which he assures them would be of more Advantage to them than his own stay and continuance amongst them Thence learn That the Presence of the Holy Spirit with us is a greater Comfort and Advantage to us than the Presence of Christ in the Flesh amongst us Christ's bodily Presence was comfortable but the Spirit is more intimately a Comforter than Christ in his fleshly Presence Because the Spirit can comfort all Believers at once in all Places but Christ's bodily Presence can comfort but few and that in one Place only at once Christ did converse with his Disciples outwardly but the Spirit possess'd himself of their Hearts inwardly Now for the Spirit to dwell in us is more advantagious than to have Christ dwell in the Flesh amongst us The Benefit of Christ's Conversation was great but the Advantage of the Spirit 's Renovation and holy Inspirations is much greater The one encourages and excites us to be Holy but the other quickens and enables us to be Holy Therefore well might Christ say It is expedient or highly necessary and advantagious for you that I go away He subjoyns a Reason If I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him to you Whence we learn That Christ's Ascension was indispensably necessary in order to the Spirit 's Mission the Spirit could not have descended if Christ had not first ascended the Spirit could not come but by the Gift and Mission of the Mediator Now the sending of the Spirit being a part of Christ's Royalty as Mediator it was not convenient that the Spirit should be sent till Christ was Crowned and sate down on his Throne in his Kingdom then the Spirit was to make Application to us of the Redemption purchased for us 8 And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment 9 Of sin because they believe not on me 10 Of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more 11 Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged In these and the following Verses our Saviour acquaints his Disciples with the Advantages that will redound by the coming of the Comforter First The Advantage to the World Secondly To the Apostles And Thirdly To himself To the World 1. He shall convince them of Sin Righteousness and Judgment Of Sin that is of their sinful State and Nature of the large extent of Sin and particularly of the sin of Unbelief Learn hence 1. That the Spirit of God is the Author of Conviction of Sin and that all Convictions of Sin do either mediately or immediately flow from him 2. That Unbelief is a Sin of the greatest malignity against Christ and of greatest danger to a Christian's Soul He shall convince the World of Sin because they believe not on me Secondly Of Righteousness that is of the insufficiency of all humane Righteousness and of the necessity of the Righteousness of a Mediator by which alone we are to expect acceptance with God Thirdly Of Judgment that is the Spirit shall convince the World that Jesus is both Lord and Christ that he had a Power to judge Satan the Prince of the World and that he did by his Death put down the Kingdom of Darkness Learn hence 1. That Satan is a Prince who by unjust Usurpation and the Sinners voluntary Consent has exercised a Tyrannical Power over the World 2. That Christ by his Death did judge condemn and overcome this mighty Prince and hath made his Conquest evident to the Consciences of Men by the Convictions of his Holy Spirit The Spirit shall convince of Judgment that is that Satan the Prince of this World is judged 12 I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now 13 Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth The second Benefit which our Saviour declares was to be expected by the coming of the Holy Spirit relates to the Apostles themselves He shall guide you into all Truth that is into all Truth necessary for you to know in order to Salvation This is a principal Text which the Papists bring for their Doctrine of Infallibility but groundlesly For this Promise was made to all
the Apostles as well as Peter nay not only to the Apostles but to all their Successors yea not to the Apostles only and their Successors but to all Believer also for they are led by the Spirit of God and that into all Truth too not absolutely but into all necessary Truth And so far as a private Christian follows the Conduct and Guidance of the Divine Spirit he is more infallible than either Pope or Council who follow the Dictates and Direction of their own Spirits only 13 For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come That is he shall not teach you a private Doctrine or that which is contrary to what ye have learned of me but whatsoever he shall hear of me and receive from me that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come This affords an Argument to prove the Holy Spirit to be God He that can shew us things to come he that clearly foreseeth and infallibly foretelleth what shall be before it is is certainly God But this the Holy Spirit doth he will shew you things to come Men and Devils may guess at things to come but none can shew things to come but he that is truly and really God therefore the Spirit is so 14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you 15 All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you Here Christ shews the Advantage which would redound to himself by the coming of the Comforter he declares that the Spirit should glorifie him by his Testimony Gifts and Miracles and shall in all things accord with him and thereby evidence that he hath his Mission from him He shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you And all things that the Father hath are mine Hence learn That although the Union in Essence amongst the Persons in the Trinity is the same yet the Order of their Subsistence and Operation is distinct the Son being from the Father and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son For all things that the Father hath are mine And the Spirit shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you 16 A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me because I go to the Father 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves What is this that he saith unto us A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me and Because I go to the Father 18 They said therefore What is this that he saith A little while we cannot tell what he saith 19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him and said unto them Do ye enquire among your selves of that I said A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me 20 Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowful but your sorrow shall be turned into joy 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come but assoon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you In these Words our Holy Lord proceeds to comfort his Disciples with a Promise That however he was now to be removed from them yet they should shortly see him again namely after his Resurrection it being impossible that he should be held by Death but must arise and go to his Father His Disciples not understanding what he meant but labouring under the Prejudices of their national Errors concerning the Temporal Kingdom of the Messias knew not what to make of those Words A little while and ye shall not see me Our Saviour therefore explains himself to his Disciples telling them that they shall have a time of sad sorrow and grief of Heart during the time of his suffering and absence from them but their Sadness should soon be turned into Joy when they shall see him alive again after his Resurrection This he illustrates by the Similitude of a travailing Woman who soon forgets her Sorrow after she has brought forth a Child Thus will their Hearts revive upon the sight of him risen from the Grave and no Man shall be able to take their Joy away from them because he shall die no more but go to Heaven and there live for ever to make Intercession for them Learn hence 1. From the Apostles not understanding Christ's Words concerning his Departure tho' so often inculcated upon them A little while and ye shall not see me because I go to the Father Hence Note How unreasonable it is to arrogate to Man's understanding a Power to comprehend Spiritual Mysteries yea to understand the plainest Truths till Christ enlightens the Understanding let the Doctrine be delivered never so plainly and repeated never so frequently yet will Men continue ignorant without Divine Illumination How often had this plain Doctrine of Christ's departure to the Father been preached to the Disciples by Christ's own Mouth yet still they say What is this he saith We cannot tell what he saith Learn 2. From the different Effects which Christ's absence should have upon the World and upon his Disciples The World will rejoyce but ye shall weep and lament Note 1. That it is the wretched Disposition of the World to rejoyce in the absence and want of Christ out of the World When I am gone the World will rejoyce 2. That nothing is the cause of so much Sorrow and Sadness to sincere Disciples as Christ's absence and removal from them Such is their Estimation of the worth of him so great is their Apprehension of the want of him that there is no loss comparable to his absence and removal from them ye shall weep and lament at my departure tho' the World will rejoyce Learn 3. That the Believers Sorrow for Christ's absence tho' it be very great yet it shall not be perpetual Ye have now sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you The Joy of the Saints may be interrupted it shall never be totally extinguished it is a permanent Joy of which they shall never be totally deprived till they enter into the Ocean of eternal Joy Your Joy no Man taketh from you 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full At the first reading of the
23d Verse there seems to be a contradiction in the words Christ tells them in the former part of the Verse That they shall ask him nothing in that Day and yet promises that whatever they ask shall be given them in the latter part of the Verse To resolve this know that there is a twofold asking one by way of Question the other by way of Petition The former is asking that we may know or be informed in what we doubt the latter is asking that we may receive and be supplied with what we want now when Christ saith In that day ye shall ask me nothing it is as much as if he had said at present you understand but little of the Mysteries of Religion and therefore ye put Questions about many things But in that Day when the Comforter comes ye shall be so clearly inlightned by him that ye shall not need to ask me any more Questions But when Christ saith Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it The meaning is In that day when I have left the World and ascended to my Father you shall not need to address your Prayers to me but to my Father in my name But what is it to pray in the name of Christ Answer It is more than to name Christ in Prayer it is easie to name Christ in Prayer but no easie thing to pray in the name of Christ To pray in the name of Christ is 1. To look up to Christ as having purchased for us this Priviledge that we may pray for it is by the Blood of Christ that we draw near to God and that a Throne of Grace is open for us 2. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray in the strength of Christ by the assistance of his Grace and the help of his Holy Spirit 3. To pray in the name of Christ is to pray by Faith in the Virtue of Christ's Mediation and Intercession believing that what we ask on Earth he interceeds for and obtains in Heaven To pray thus is no easie matter and unless we do pray thus we do not pray at all 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name That is explicitely and expresly in my name for the Saints of God under the Old Testament and the Apostles themselves under the New had hitherto put up all their Petitions in the name of the Messiah tho' not in the name of Jesus But now he exhorts them to Eye his Mediatory Office in all their Addresses to God and promises them that whatsoever he had purchased of the Father by his Sufferings and Satisfaction they should obtain it for the sake of his prevailing Intercession Learn hence That it is a mighty encouragement to Prayer that now under the Gospel the person of the Mediatour is exhibited in our Flesh has satisfied Divine Justice in in our Nature and in that Nature interceeds as a Mediatour for whatever he purchased as our Surety Hence is the encouragement Whatever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it you 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father Here our Saviour tells his Disciples That although he had spoken many things to them in dark Parables and figurative Expressions yet now the time was approaching Namely The Comforter's coming when he would by the Holy Ghost clearly inlighten their Understandings in the Knowledg of Divine Mysteries and the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and particularly in the Knowledge of God as his Father and their Father in him Hence learn 1. That the clearest Truths will be but Parables Proverbs and dark Mysteries even to Disciples themselves till the Holy Spirit inlightens their Understandings 2. That the clear and full manifestation of Divine Truth was reserved till the coming of the Comforter who did communicate it to the Apostles and by them to the Church or Body of Christians I by him will shew you plainly of the Father 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you 27 For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God At that day shall ye ask in my name that is after I am Ascended into Heaven and have sent down the Holy Ghost upon you ye shall put up all your Prayers and requests to God in my name And I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you That is I need not tell you tho' I shall certainly do it that I will interceed with the Father for you for he of himself is kindly disposed and affected towards you for my sake When Christ says I do not say that I will pray the Father for you the meaning is not that he will lay aside his Office as Intercessour for Believers but that they had not only his Intercession but the Father's Love upon which to ground their hope of Audience Learn hence 1. That the Christians Prayers put up in Christ's name cannot fail of Audience and Acceptance for the sake of the Mediatour's Intercession and the Father's Love 2. That in our Prayers we ought so to eye and look up to Christ's Intercession as not to over-look or forget the Father's Love but ground our hopes of Audience upon both I say not that I will pray the Father for you tho' I shall assuredly do it for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me 28 I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father 29 His disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Here Observe 1. A proof of our Saviour's God-head He came forth from the Father into the World he came out from the Father in his Incarnation and came into the World to accomplish the work of our Redemption Learn thence That Jesus Christ is true God equal with the Father for he was not only sent by him but came forth from him I came out from the Father Observe 2. That it pleased Christ out of Love to his People to leave the Father and come into the World not by being separated from the Deity but by obscuring the Deity with the vail of our Flesh in order to the finishing the great and glorious work of Redemption for us I came forth from the Father and am come into the World Observe 3. That Christ having finished his Suffering work here on Earth Ascended into Heaven and sent down the Holy Spirit to apply unto his Church the Redemption purchased by his Blood Again I leave the World and go to the Father Observe lastly How the Apostles