Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A45241
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An exposition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to John by Geo. Hutcheson.
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Hutcheson, George, 1615-1674.
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1657
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Wing H3826; ESTC R11373
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940,105
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442
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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
truth and piety in their station and generation In subserviency whereunto I have presented this piece to your Ladiship as containing a brief hint at many of these precious truths which are necessary to salvation and useful to be inculcate upon these who minde the way to heaven And for Your Honour My Lady Beuccleuch Albeit by reason of your young and tender years many of these truths here presented may transcend your capacity for present yet as your grave prudent and sweet disposition and behaviour your opposition to profanity and respect to the Sabbath-day and your careful observance of such duties of Religion as your tender age is capable of do much refresh those who are concerned in you and converse with you as being things not usual in so tender an age especially in one who wants not sufficient baits of worldly advantages and contentments to divert you and do give good ground of hope that if the Lord continue you ye shall prove an ornament to your dignity and station So it hath engaged me to prefix your name also to this piece as an incitement to you to proceed in that good course and that your Ladiship may have an help ready at hand from whence as ye grow up ye may drink in that sound doctrine which is according to godlinesse Now that the Lord himself may blesse you both in all your relations and concernments may continue you long togther may make you a blessing to each other and may blesse this and the like means unto you for your furtherance in faith and godlinesse till ye come to your eternal rest is the hearty prayer of Your Honours obliged servant in the Gospel GEORGE HVTCHESON To the READER Christian Reader THat I do again appear in Print floweth from no other cause but my desire to do service to the Church of Christ in my generation and to contribute my endeavors for promoving that publike designe of making the holy Scriptures yet more cleare unto the Lords people Some while ago I received such an intimation of my mortality as did excite me to emprove my time the best I could And accordingly I made haste to perfect this Exposition which formerly I had begun to cast in this mould out of some Notes of Sermons I had preached on this Gospel And now through the good hand of God upon me thou hast it here presented compleat unto thee I shall not say much to what is mine in it But this may commend it unto thee that the subject-matter is indeed divine and as full of that marrow of the Christian Religion as any other parcel of Holy writing Here the profoundest mysteries of Religion are opened up by a beloved Disciple Christ is lively pointed out in his Person and Offices and in his heart and affection to his people We are here directed in the way of closing with him by faith and the sure grounds of lost sinners confidence are clearly demonstrate And albeit this Exposition be swelled up to a great bulk upon my hand yet such is the riches of this Treasure that whoso would search into it will finde that I have onely gathered some gleanings and for what I have hinted at I could with much lesse trouble have given it more at large then contracted it in these bounds I need say nothing to the mould of it being the same with that I made use of in the pieces formerly published Onely if any do think that the Summe of each Chapter is given too briefly especially toward the beginning of the Book They will finde for satisfaction that to save my self and them a labour I have in going through the several parts of the Chapter supplyed that defect and given a Summe of every part as I come to it If any shall conceive that upon several places to which they may turne the Notes are not so many nor so full as might be expected They may be pleased to consider that beside my too true Apology of my inability to satisfie the expectation of the judicious and learned for whom this work is not chiefly intended my scope is not in this to proceed after the way of a Sermon on a select place Vpon which occasion many things might be brought in But commenting upon an entire book of Scripture I satisfied my self with the most obvious things upon every particular verse And beside some purposes frequently occurring I resolved to be more brief upon these afterward which I had once and it may be again spoken before And who so will be pleased to read the whole or to compare the Notes on those passages which frequently occurre in all the places where they are observed will I hope finde more satisfaction then if they look onely on some one place If the Reader finde many repetitions not onely of the same Doctrines but it may be also of the same cautions or reasons couched in and subjoyned to the Doctrines He should consider beside other reasons that in a work of such bulk wherein there are so many doctrines it was almost unpossible to get all in my view at once that so I might have corrected needlesse repetitions And as the Doctrines are I hope the genuine Doctrines of every place and are inculcate by Christ in his frequent repetitions of them So I conceived it not fit to omit them Especially seeing I could almost as briefly and I suppose to better purpose repeat them then referre the Reader to the place where they had beene formerly observed I shall adde no further Apology in behalf of this undertaking but what ever my failings have been in it and I believe judicious Readers will finde more escapes then I could my self observe yet I hope thou wilt finde the Exposition sound and the observations pertinent and Orthodox and such as may through the Lords blessing contribute to thy edification in the faith which is in Jesus Christ To his Grace thou art commended by Thy servant in the work of the Gospel GEORGE HVTCHESON AN EXPOSITION Of the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ According to JOHN The ARGUMENT JOHN the son of Zebedee being called from the fisher-trade to be an Apostle Matth. 4.21 22. was in a special way favoured of Christ during the time of his abode in the world being admitted to be one of the witnesses of some of his special miracles Mark 5.37 of his transfiguration Matth. 17.12 and of his agonie in the garden Matth. 26.37 He was likewise entrusted by Christ upon the Crosse with the care of his mother John 19.26 27. and which is above all he was one specially beloved of Christ and very intimate with him John 13.23 and 21.20 24. After Christs ascension and the pouring out of the Spirit he is employed with the rest in proclaiming the glad tidings of salvation and was joynt with Peter in healing of the creple and enduring of the trials which followed thereupon Acts 3. and 4. After that we finde him sent with Peter to Samaria Acts 8.14 c. Afterward as