the Disciples of this hazard Matth. 26.2 he doth upon that occasion resume things that had been done before to clear how he was betrayed Namely that the Priests consulting upon some expedients how they might catch Christ Matth. â—6 3 4 5. Judas who had been disappointed of gain by that ointment pouered on Christ went and offered his service to them ver 6. 14 15. Doctrine 1. Albeit men are bound by all lawful means to preserve themselves from the unjust violence of persecutors Yet when Gods time and calling cometh and when men see it is the will of God they should suffer they ought to set their faces to it chearfully for whereas before Christ withdrew Chap. 11.54 Now when the Passeover the time of his suffering draweth nigh he comes to view again and draws toward Jerusalem See Mark 10.32 33. Luk 9 51. 2. He came so long before the time to Bethany where Lazarus and others were Not only that he might stay there and give an occasion to Judas to go his way to the Rulers or to attend till he people hearing he was there might meet him in a solemne manner and he might be conveighed in state to the place of his sufferings of which afterward But his end more especially in this was to refresh and confirme his friends there with his company before he should be taken from them and to refresh himselfe also before he went to his trials And so it teacheth 1. Where Christ hath love and an interest he will not stay long away for here after his retirement he returns to Bethany 2. When stormes are arising Christ will not forget his own to give them a visite sooner or later to fortifie them against them for six dayes before the Passeover at which he was to suffer he comes to Bethany to refresh and confirme his friends by his company and by warning them of his suffering as it is ver 7 3. It is a very refreshful cordial under sufferings to have the company and society of godly friends with whom we may converse at any time for Christ also subjected himselfe to make use of this And as he seeks it in the Garden Matth. 26.38 40. so here he seeks it in Bethany See how Paul esteemes of a visite in his bonds 2 Tim 1.16 17 18. Doctrine 1. Where Christ converseth with his people he will make a place famous by eminent proofes of his power and love for them for now the former description of Bethany Chap. 11.1 is laid aside and it is most famous that Lazarus was there which had been dead whom he raised from the dead Ver. 2. There they made him a supper and Martha served but Lazarus was one of them that sate at the table with him 3. Then took Mary a pound of oyntment of Spikenard very costly and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her haire and the house was filled with the odour of the oyntment In these verses we have Christs entertainment at Bethany A supper is made for him at which Martha served and Lazarus sate with him but Mary anoints Christ with precious ointments This supper was made for him in the house of one Simon a leper who it seems had been cured by Christ as may be gathered from Matth. 26.6 7. where Maries deed is recorded but her name suppressed and it seems Lazarus and his sisters have been invited also As for this practice of Mary I shall leave what was extraordinary in it till it 's own place ver 7. Only it being the custome in these countries to anoint their guests and wash their feet at feasts Luk. 7.44 46. she out of her great love will do it with great charge and expence And whereas here it is said she anointed his feet and the rest say it was his head Matth 26.7 we are to understand that she did anoint both though she only wiped his feet and breaking the boxe and powring it on his head Mark 14.3 it seems the copiousnesse thereof made it run from his head to his feet Doctrine 1. As temporal things are due unto Christ and his Ministers who sow spiritual things 2 Cor. 9.11 So they who have participate of his bounty will make him very welcome for there they made him a supper 2. Albeit it be the great sin of men to pamper their own bodies and make provision for the flesh Yet it is not unlawful at some times to enjoy the liberal use of the creatures in a sober manner for Christ doth not decline this supper Sometimes he went into the feasts of Pharisees Luk. 7.36 sometime with Publicans Matth 9.10 c. and 11.19 not for their sare but that he might gain them as love is a very gaining way And here he feasts with his friends that they may be refreshed together 3. As for Martha's serving albeit she was reproved for this at another time Luk. 10.38 39 40 41 42. not simply for her serving Christ that way but comparatively and when it crossed better duties Yet now when it interrupts no better duty her care was commendable that she would serve though the house was not her own And it teacheth That when Christ is dear to any they will not disdain to stoop to do meanest service to him or his for his sake as Martha served here 4. As Christs miracles are true and real and not lying wonders So the memory of his wonderful works are not to be forgotten nor ought to wear out with length of time for both these ends it is marked that Lazarus was one of them that sate at table with him both to confirme the truth of his resurrection as Mark. 5.43 Luke 24.41 42 43. Acts 10.41 and to keep us in minde of that wonderful work that he who was once in his grave should now be eating 5. According as men abound in love to Christ they will bring forth evidences thereof in serving of him As here Mary outstrips them all 6. Love to Christ is ingenious to finde out a way to evidence it selfe and when all are busie it will finde some work that is undone to be done to him and for him for when some are preparing the supper Martha is serving and Lazarus entertaining him at Table Mary findes out this to anoint his feet 7. Love is very prodigal so to say and will spare no expences on Christ for she took a pound of very costly Spikenard to do this of the worth whereof see ver 5. 8. True love is still accompanied with humility and reverence to Christ and when it doth most to Christ it keeps a man still humble for when she had done all this she wiped his feet with her haire either to make them clean before the ointment came upon them or to wipe off the ointment after it had suppled his feet 9. As the fruits of love will not hide so they have a fragrant smell for so much may be gathered by allusion from this that the house was filled with the odour
ignorance and naughtinesse even in the elect hindering them from Christ are not easily broken for so much appeareth in this womans answer Whether we understand her to speak by way of derision or rather that Christs spiritual preaching did discover some excellencie in these things to her as it may fall out even in natural mindes yet she took them up but in a natural way and accordingly her desire is but carnal 2. Even nature may have a loathing at these outward infirmities that follow sin and yet will not be affected with spiritual wants without renovation and such may have a desire to be happy and free of these troubles when yet they seek this happinesse under the Sun and oft-times in that which proveth their greatest misery for she desires to be rid of thirst and of pains in seeking water 3. It is the great fault of many that they would be content of as much of Christ as may serve their base ends and no more and particularly it is but a natural and carnal desire after spiritual things when they are sought for supply of natural imperfections and wants and for the accomplishment of natural imagined happinesse for such was her desire Give me this water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw Verse 16. Jesus saith unto her Go call thy husband and come hither 17. The woman answered and said I have no husband Iesus said unto her Thou hast well said I have no husband 18. For thou hast had five husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband in that saidest thou truly At this fourth speech we may begin the second part of the conference wherein Christ having prevailed so little by his offer and commendation of free grace doth now discover her miserie unto her whereby she is at length and by degrees brought to know him Therefore he bids her go call her husband and bring him with her and she denying she had any he commends her ingenuity and lets her see that he knew her lewdnesse Whence learn 1. As grace is little known or esteemed of so long as we know not our misery so where the offer of mercy doth not perswade Christ will discover their miserie to his own to make them either come quickly to him or else resolve on hell for therefore after the former offers had no successe doth he rip up her bosome 2. Christ is very meek and tender even in discovering of misery to men so long as they are not incorrigible and is willing that they should judge and accuse themselves that he may deal tenderly with them therefore doth he so mildly bid her Go call thy husband that he might draw a confession out of her own mouth 3. It is not every sin whereof natural men are guiltie for which they can at first be capable of conviction for every sin will not be odious to every one in every condition but there are some sinnes which only grace and much grace and grace in exercise will see to be sinful therefore though she was guilty of many other sins yet Christ pitcheth only on this sin of grosse filthinesse as that which would be seen best by her 4. It is not every â—ight of sin that will convince the sinner but Christ must put it home upon the conscience and discover sin to be marked by his all-searching eye before it work upon him for she knew her own condition and therefore saith I have no husband as shifting the matter whereof she supposed him to be ignorant but without any sense till he rip up her bosome and let her see he knew her 5. Christ will commend a small good under much drosse and particularly he accounts of a true acknowledgement even of an hainous crime as a commendable duty Therefore doth he make so much of her confession Thou hast well said thou saidest truly 6 Christ hath particular knowledge of what sinnes men are lying in how hid soever and particularly he hath an eye upon secret uncleannesse and how loath soever sinners be to be discovered by Christ yet where he pleaseth and hath a purpose of mercy no shiftings will hide them so much doth this large discovery after her shifting confession teach Thou hast had five husbands and he whom thou hast is not thy husband 7. Such is the pollution of our nature that lust will be insatiable unlesse grace curb it so much appeareth in this woman who after so many marriages doth live in uncleannesse Ver. 19. The woman saith unto him Sir I perceive that thou art a Prophet 20. Our father 's worshipped in this mountain and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship The effect of this discovery is that the woman is brought to acknowledge him for a Prophet and therupon propounds to him the great question concerning the place of publike worship betwixt the Samaritanes and the Jewes the one pretending that Mount Gerizim was the place where Sanballat by permission of Alexander the great had built a Temple for Manasseh his son-in-law who for that marriage with his daughter was put from the Priesthood at Jerusalem and the other pleading for Jerusalem as the place As all Israel were enjoyned to worship in the place which God should choose for them Deut. 12.5 6. So the Jewes had particular and clear warrant that after the rejection of Shiloh Jerusalem was the place 1 King 8.29 and 14.21 2 Kings 21.4 Psal 78.67 68 69. and 132.13 14. But the Samaritanes who rejected all Scripture but Moses writings regarded not this and alledged that the place they worshipped on was the mountain of blessing Deut. 11.29 and that their Progenitors had worshipped there of old Gen. 33.18 20. for it was near to Shechem Doct. 1. Christs discovering of sin and making the sinner to be touched with it breeds more respect and estimation of him for now she thinks more of him then formerly 2. The work of illumination in the elect may have weak beginnings at the first and very apparent high thoughts of Christ may come far short of his worth for in her to perceive him a Prophet was very much yet far beneath what he was and what she knew him after to be for however Christ was indeed a Prophet in a superexcellent manner yet she as yet saw nothing in him above ordinary Prophets 3. The Lord may see it fit to awaken and convert a great sinner very gently at first that so he may shew his abundant tender mercy that they may not be deterred from closing with him and particularly that such as live at a great distance from ordinances and the society of Gods people may not be overcharged with difficulties which they cannot there alone get through so much appeareth in his dealing with this woman of Samaria a stranger 4 The Lord in his holy Providence hath so ordered as there will be controversies about the way of truth and his worship that the godly may be stirred up to studie
included in this reproof of the Samaritans and commendation of the Jewes Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship To transgresse this rule and to take in any device of men in Gods worship doth in so farre make the true God an Idol as to imagine him to be such a one as will accept of such false worship 2. Christ as he took on the forme of a servant is content to rank himself with the true Church as a member to teach all to esteeme highly of such a society We saith he know what we worship 3. Not onely is worship devised by men not warrantable but it is not the way to heaven seeing there can be no salvation but in Gods institute way And the case of these who follow devised worship is so much the more dangerous if they want also the doctrine of salvation in matters of faith and manners Both these are included in this reason for salvation is of the Jewes that salvation was to be found in that Church their way of worship being appointed and approven of God and the saving doctrine and oracles of God concerning faith worship and manners being also committed to them and among them 4. It was the special priviledge of the Jewes and a testimony of Gods approving of them as his Church that the Saviour of sinners was to come of them and the doctrine of salvation pointing him out to sound from among them in all the earth so much also doth this reasoning import as hath beene explained Verse 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 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth Christ returneth to enlarge and explain his first assertion and sheweth what is to come in place of the Jewish worship to be abolished to wit that the time was even at hand wherein not onely there should be no distinction of place or Nations in the matter of worship but in place of carnal and typical worship performed by the Jewes in one place all true worshippers in every place should worship in spirit and truth For which he giveth two reasons first that God requireth such worship secondly that this is most agreeable and pleasing to his spiritual nature As for these two properties of worship in spirit and truth they must be taken in opposition to the properties of the former worship and so they come to one in substance that in stead of external ceremonies which are called carnal Heb. 7.16 and 9.10 and shadowes Heb. 10.1 the Lord would have a spiritual worship and the truth of what was represented by these shadowes as Rom. 12.1 Heb. 13.15 16. And this agreeth well with the reasons subjoyned for however the Lord did require and was pleased with these external formes in the infancie of the Church yet he never did accept of them save in so farre as they led to this which is so agreeable to his nature and were not rested on by the worshipper But we may further extend these properties not onely to the matter of worship but to the manner of it also that the Lord who is a Spirit doth require that lawful worship should be performed in spirit as opposite to a formal way of worship and in truth as opposite to hypocrisie Not that God did approve of the want of these before but that by the removal of these external rites wherewith worshippers were much taken up and which the best saw not clearly enough through he was to discover this way more fully and make them more free to attend it and by pouring out of his spirit he was to work it more generally Doctr. 1. The correction and reformation of the worship of God was reserved for the dayes of the Gospel and to be brought about by Christ Therefore saith he the hour cometh and now is when this change shall be He saith Now is either because it was instantly approaching at his death or because he was even now beginning this reformation by his Ministry 2. They who professe themselves worshippers of the true God ought to performe it with humble and affectionate reverence and with subjection and submission to him considering his majesty and their owne vilenesse for so much doth the word rendered worshippers import being a similitude taken from dogs fawning and casting themselves down at their Masters feet 3. Albeit all who professe the true God and are not avowed Atheists will have some sort of worship yet all of them will not be found true and approven worshippers either for matter or manner Therefore are some called true worshippers by way of distinction from others 4. The true worship of God under the Gospel doth not consist in the external pomp of ceremonies and observations but is spiritual simple and substantial for they shall worship the Father in spirit and truth not in carnal shadowes which if being Gods own Ordinance yet did take up worshippers so through their own weaknesse as oft-times to keep them from minding this spiritual worship how much more may it be expected that the more external pomp there be of mens devising there will be the lesse spiritual truth 5. It is not sufficient to make an approven worshipper that they do not multiply rites and ceremonies but their worship must be chiefly inward flowing from grace engaging the heart in Gods service and from the breathing and influence of the spirit not resting on an external forme of lawful worship or any bodily exercise about it So much also are we taught from this that worship must be spirit or spiritual for the manner of performance as well as for its nature in it self 6. God requires also in a worshipper that with avoiding of formality which is but a deceitful hypocritical shew of worship he studies sincerity and streightnesse of heart not dealing negligently or for by-ends in Gods service for worship must be in truth 7 It is the Lords will and appointment alone that can give a being to true worship and to this must all our reasonings about this matter be subject And therefore his enjoyning of spiritual substantial and sincere worship should commend it to his people So much doth the subjoyning of this reason for the Father seeketh such to worship him teach 8. All the true worship that God gets is of his own seeking and procuring and having wrought it he takes pleasure in it So much also may his seeking such import that he sent Christ to make a conquest of spiritual worshippers and seeketh such as being these he delighteth in 9. God in his nature is a most pure and simple substance free of all mixture and composition and infinite in perfections and he is to be conceived of spiritually avoiding all carnal and grosse conceptions for so much are we taught God is a Spirit infinitely above Angels or spirits of men who yer