then for the Jews who contemned and rejected the Gospell Preached to them So Matth. 11. 22. Easier for Tyre and Sidon then for Chorazin and Bethsaida c. Matth. 23. 14. The Scribes and Pharisees for devouring Widdows houses under pretense of long Prayers shall receive the greater damnation Luke 12. 47. Some shall be beaten with many stripes some with fewer Though the least measure of torments in Hell shall be unspeakable and intolerable yet the punishment of all and every one of the damned shall not be in the same measure but in different measure Reason Reason The sins of the Reprobate are not all of one measure and degree but some more hainous and grievous then other therefore the Lord also in Justice will proportion their damnation and punishment to their sins So it is said of Babylon Revel 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Use 1 Use 1. Hence also gather by proportion of contraries that there shall be an inequality and different degrees of Glory among the Elect of God in Heaven answerable to the different measures of Grace and Sanctification bestowed on them of God in this life And this is plainly proved by that saying of Paul 2. Cor. 9. 6. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Vide stellam in Luk. 10. 14. Use 2 Use 2. This also serves for the terrour of such profane and dissolute wretches who do not onely live in sin securely but even in the most hainous and foul sins as outragious Swearing Blasphemy brutish Drunkenness Adultery c. such also as give themselves over to all kind of sin with greediness heaping sin upon sin adding Drunkenness to thirst as it is said Deut. 29. 19. What do these but treasure up the more wrath to themselves against the day of wrath Rom. 2. For this is certain the more deeply they here drink of the sweet and pleasant Cup of sin the more deeply shall they drink of the bitter Cup of Gods everlasting wrath in Hell So much sin as they have heaped up against God so much Judgment and Damnation shall he heap upon them in the day of his wrath Oh let such tremble at the thought of this If the least measure of Hellish torments shall be easeless and endless how intolerable shall the greatest measure be Oh that our profane dissolute and wicked livers would so think of this in time that it might strike them with some remorse and work Repentance in them and not onely Repentance but a great and extraordinary measure of Repentance and humiliation for so many and foul sins as they have heaped up lest otherwise the Lord do justly bring upon them a high degree and measure of Damnation in Hell answerable to the greatness and foulness of their sins So much of the measure of the Judgment threatned by our Saviour against contemners of the Gospell Now followeth the Circumstance of time when this Judgment shall be fully executed on them In the day of Judgment That is at the last day of general Judgment which Christ shall come to execute upon all the World Now our Saviour mentioneth that day of general Judgment for two Reasons 1. Becauâ—e then and not before the Reprobate shall receive their full and finall Judgment and punishment in Soul and body 2. To shew also that although the contemners of the Gospell might possibly escape the Judgment of God in this life yet most certainly the Judgment of Hell after this life should seize upon them to the full Doctr. Doctr. Here we are taught that there is a day or time of general Judgment to come in which the Lord shall bring upon wicked Reprobates that full measure of punishment which is due unto their sins Act. 17. 31. God hath appointed a day wherein he will Judg the World in Righteousness c. Rom. 2. 5. This is called the day of Wrath and Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness Indignation and Wrath c. 2 Thess 1. 7. There is a time to come in which the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with mighty Angels In flaming fire rendring vengeance on them that know not God c. So Matth. 25. There shall be a time in which Christ shall say to the Reprobate on his left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire c. Reas Reas The Justice of God requireth this that the wicked should be rewarded with such a measure of punishment as is proportionable to their sins but this is not done in this life for although the Lord do make them feel his wrath even in this life in some degree yet not in such measure as is answerable to the desert of their sins and sometimes in stead of punishing them according to the desert of their sins he doth suffer them to enjoy much outward prosperity in this World Therefore there must needs be a time to come after this life in which they shall receive their full reward of punishment from the Lord which shall be at the last day of Judgment 2 Thess 1. The Apostle himself alledgeth the Justice of God as a reason to prove that there is a time of general Judgment to come wherein the wicked shall be rewarded with full punishment Quest Quest Do not the wicked receive sufficient punishment after death when their Souls are cast into Hell torments Answ Answ No this is not sufficient to satisfy God's Justice which requireth that as in this life they have sinned and dishonoured God both in Soul and body so after this life they should receive deserved punishment in Soul and body together Now this shall not be till the day of Judgment at which their bodies being raised shall again be united to their Souls to the end that in both they may be for ever punished in Hell torments See 2 Cor. 5. 10. Vse 1 Use 1. Let all wicked ones think of this and tremble at the very hearing of the Judgment to come as Foelix did Act. 24. 25. such as live and go on in their sins impenitently they must know that for all their sins God will bring them to Judgment Eccles 11. 9. There is a time comming in which the Lord will call them to a most strait account for them and reward them with such a measure of punishment as is answerable to the desert of their sins and then shall they drink of the Cup of the Lords wrath even to the very dregs Therefore let them not presume or bless themselves in their ungodly wayes though God spare them a while in this life and suffer them for a time to prosper and to escape Judgment yet they shall not alwayes escape unpunished 2 Pet. 2. 3. Their Judgment of long time lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not
A Learned Pious and Practical COMMENTARY Upon the GOSPEL According to St. MARK WHEREIN The Sacred Text is Logically Analysed The meaning of the holy Spirit clearly and soundly opened Doctrines naturally raised strongly confirmed vindicated from Exceptions and excellent Inferences deduced from them All seeming Differences in the History between this and the other Evangelists fairly reconciled Many important Cases of Conscience Judiciously Succinctly and Perspicuously solved By that Laborious and Faithful Servant of Christ Mr. George Petter late Minister of the Gospel at Bread in Sussex Luke 24. 32. Did not our heart burn within us c. while he opened to us the Scriptures 2 Tim. 4. 11. Take Mark and bring him with thee For he is profitable to me for the Ministry Non potuit latere Marcum quid scriberet Nec enim inexpers erat lectionis qui ab infantiâ divinis literis imbutus exercitatus erat in lege maximè cum Apostolos sit secutus Augustin Operum Tom. 4. in part 2. Questionum ex Novo Testamento Col. 738. Edit Basil 1569. Habebat Paulus Titum interpretem Sicut Beatus Petrus Marcum Cujus Evangelium Petro narrante illo scribente compositum est Hieronym Hedibiae quaest 11. part 154. Tom. 3. Edit Lugdun 1530. LONDON Printed by J. Streater and are to be sold by George Saw-bridge at the Bible on Ludgate-Hill MDCLXI THE Preface to the Pious Reader THE Four Evangelists are by some compared to four stately white Horses drawing the Triumphant Chariot of the Gospel wherein the Lord Jesus rides gloriously in his Imperial Seat throughout the World Others refer them as Mystical Jerom in praef ad Comment in Math. Anti-Types to the four Cherubims in Solomon's Temple or the four living Creatures in the Visions of Ezekiel supporting the Throne of the Divine Majesty with their Wings lifted up on high Each of which Cherubims had four Heads or Faces That which had the face of a Lion the Ancients say did represent our holy Evangelist St. Mark Because the first thing that we read of in the beginning of his heavenly Gospel is as it were the roaring Voice of a Lion in the Desarts The Voice of one crying in the Mark 1. 3. Wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths streight This blessed Man is reported to have been born in the Land of Judaea possibly at Jerusalem the Head City if that be true which some conceive that the Disciples were met secretly at the House of his Mother Mary when Act. 12. 12. Peter was let out of Prison by the Angel For the Text tells us expresly that he came to the House of Mary the Mother of John whose Sirname was Mark. He was Nephew to Barnabas if that be the same Person of whom the Apostle Paul writes in his Epistle to the Colossians Some have Col. 4. 10 conceited that he was the Son of Peter the Apostle because he styles him 1 Pet. 5. 13. so in his Epistle to the dispersed Jews But I rather understand it according to Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he was his Son begotten in the Faith as Paul calls Timothy other-where I know Carion takes him to be Peter's Carion p. 589. Sister's Son and so pro more Gentis according to the rate of the Hebrews speaking of their Kindred called his Son Others deem him to be so called because of his Youth and his continual Attendance to and Assistance of Peter in the Ministry of the Gospel For by Irenaeus he is called The Iren. haeres lib. 3. c. 1. Disciple and Interpreter of Peter committing those things to writing which he received from the Dictate of Peter Jerom relates concerning him Ib. supra that he was the first Bishop of the Church of God at Alexandria in Aegypt and acquaints us moreover that it was the Tradition in his time That he did not see the Lord our Saviour in the Flesh yet that what he compiled he received from Peter's own Mouth and hath compendiously recited the History of our Lord exactly according with the Divine Truth though not in all Points in precise Order of time The same learned Father in his Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers translated into Greek by Sophronius observes further That St. Mark wrote this Evangelical Treatise in Italy even at Rome it self at the request of the Brethren Others say at the desire and by the direction and inditing of Peter if so as most probable then I question whether it were written at Rome For it is greatly controverted and more likely on the Negative that Peter never was at Rome whatsoever the old and bold Lyars of the Popish strain do assert But however it appears from Evidences of great Antiquity that it was approved by Peter and by his Apostolick Authority set forth to be read in the Churches of Christ as Clemens cited by Jerom in the sixth Book of his Hypotyposis hath written Papias also the Bishop of Hierapolis in Syria who lived very anciently and was the Auditor and Disciple of St. John the beloved Disciple doth make a notable mention of this Sacred Author And Philo Judaeus seeing the Order of the Church by him erected in Aegypt what time he went Embassadour to the Emperour in the behalf of his Country-men the Jews highly commended the great Charity Community Holiness and Continency of the lives of St. Mark 's Disciples It is reported by Epiphanius truly in general a grave Author but yet it is to be feared in those Collections of Haeresies and other matters that he over-ruled his Pen too much by common fame that our holy Evangelist was one of those Disciples who not understanding the Mystery of eating the Flesh of Christ fell from him and walked no more with him Joh. 6. 66 but afterwards repenting became a Proselyte to the Gospel This Story is taken up by Baronius and other sequacious Pens whereas there be Casaub in Exerc. 15 in Baron many and those of high Repute and Antiquity who assert that our Holy Man never saw our Lord walking in the Vally of his Incarnation Eutychius in his short recital of the Foundation of the Alexandrian Eutych Edit Seldâ—n Church tells us several Stories of this Person upon what a strange occasion he was instrumental by a miraculous Cure of the Finger of one Ananias a Sutor of that City towards the Conversion of him to the Faith and afterwards he did constitute him the first Patriarch of that Seat The main of which Story being crept into the Fabulous Legends I leave to the Childish Affectors of Jacobus de Voragine and such kind of tremendous Lyars and Impostors to be asserted and proved Out of more serious and grave Relators it appears that this Holy Man dyed in the eighth Hieron Euseb l. 2. c. 24. Hist Eccles Dorotheus Year of Nero and the 63d after our Lord's Birth and was buried at Alexandria Some say he was crowned with
the words imply an ordinary conversing with his Apostles 1 Joh. 1. 1. St. John saith that himself and the other Apostles had heard and seen with their eyes and that with their hands they had handled the Word of life that is Christ Jesus according to his humane Nature which shews how familiarly and ordinarily the Apostles conversed with Christ following him up and down wheresoever he went Quest Quest Did all the Apostles thus follow Christ and converse with him ordinarily Answ Answ Not all but onely the twelve which were first called therefore Paul though an Apostle yet being none of the twelve is exempted from the number of those Apostles that followed Christ and conversed with him before his Passion and Ascension Object Object 1 Cor. 15. 8. He saith that Christ was seen of him Answ Answ He saw him onely in Visions and that at three special times 1. In the way to Damascus Act. 22. as may appear by the speech of Ananias to him ver 14. 2. When he was imprisoned at Hierusalem Act. 23. 11. The Lord stood by him and said Be of good cheer Paul c. 3. When he was caught up into the third Heavens where he heards words unspeakable c. 2 Cor. 12. 2. It is most likely that then also he saw Christ in his Glory Paraeus in 1 Cor. 15. 8. Thus Paul saw Christ sundry times in extraordinary Visions after his Ascension but he did not see him or converse with him before his Ascension in such sort as the twelve Apostles did This therefore was the Prerogative of the twelve to see and hear Christ and to converse with him ordinarily upon Earth Vse Hence gather the truth and certainty of the Doctrine of the Gospel contained in the writings of the Apostles For they living and conversing with Christ heard his teaching and knew his mind and that which they learned of him they either wrote themselves or else delivered it to others to write See Luke 1. 1 2. This consideration serveth to strengthen our Faith touching the truth and certainty of those things which are left written in the books of the New Testament Observ 2 Observ 2. I will make you to be Fishers c. Hence learn that the main thing at which all Ministers and Preachers of the Word should aim in their Ministry is to take men like fish in the Draw-net of the Word that is to draw them out of the Sea of this World and out of their natural estate and to bring them unto God In a word to call and convert men and women unto God and so to save their Souls This is that unto which our Saviour Christ did chiefly ordain and appoint his Apostles when he called them to that Office that they should become fishers of men that is that they should labour in nothing so much as in this that by their Preaching they might gain Souls unto God So Luke 5. 10. Christ tells Peter hereafter thou shalt catch men shewing what was the thing he should chiefly labour in for the time to come even to take mens Souls in the Draw-net of the Word This also was Paul's chief aim and drift in all his Ministry even to win men unto God 2 Cor. 12. 14. I seek not yours but you and 1 Cor. 9. 22. I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some The words may be understood not onely of his private conversation but also of his Preaching and Ministry that in it he did conform himself so far as he might to the different dispositions of men that so he might gain them unto Christ Shewing what is the main scope which Ministers should shoot at in their Ministry even the gaining of Souls to God or the taking or catching of mens Souls as it were in the Net of the Word preached Use 1 Use 1. This is for the reproof of such Ministers who in the Exercise of their Ministry aim and seek rather after their own gain profit credit or preferment in the World than at the winning of their People to God they fish more for Benefices and Church-livings than for the Souls of men Use 2 Use 2. This must teach the People to shew themselves ready and willing to be caught in the Net of the Word preached and by it to be drawn out of the Sea of the wicked World and out of the deep Waters of their own sins and corruption in which they ly and live by Nature And to this end all sorts must be admonished diligently to repair to the places where the Net of the Word is cast forth and laid by the Lord's Fishermen As ever thou desirest to have thy Soul caught and taken in the Lord's Draw-net which is his Word so be careful to come unto the Net and to the place where it is cast out else thou canst not be taken in it and yet if thou be not taken in it and drawn by it out of the Sea of thy sinful estate thou canst not be saved Be not then slack to come to this Net of the Word that thou mayest be taken in it Happy are all they that are caught in it c. Observ 3 Observ 3. See here the excellency of the Calling of Ministers in that it hath so excellent an Object about which it is conversant namely the gaining of Souls to God by Preaching This is to be Fishers of men Hence is it that they are said to save others as 1 Tim. 4. ult Take heed to thy self and to thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee Now there is no work more excellent than the saving of Souls See Jam. 5. 20. Which shews the excellency of the Minister's Calling in that it is conversant about so excellent and precious a work as the gaining of Souls to God Other Callings are conversant about mens bodies and goods or outward estate but the Office of Ministers is to labour in saving Souls Use 1 Vse 1. To encourage Ministers to do the duties of this excellent Calling with diligence and faithfulness they cannot labour too much in so worthy a Work they should think no pains too great to save one Soul This is more than to save a thousand mens bodies from drowing or burning c. Use 2 Use 2. What cause then have the People to have their Pastors in singular love and esteem for their works sake as Paul warneth 1 Thes 5. 12. We love the Physitian that useth means to save our bodies c. Mark 1. 17 ad 21. And I will make you become Fishers of men c. Nov. 22. 1618. Observ 4 IN that the Ministry of the Apostles is compared to the trade of Fishermen which is a painful trade Luke 5. 5. Observat 4. Hence we may gather that the Calling of a Minister is no easy Profession but laborious and painful The Fisherman hath no need to be idle but to be much imployed either in
Miracles by his help because he did confesse him and seem to honour him so much Hence as some think grew that wicked slander of the Pharisees against our Saviour that he cast out Devils by Belzebub Matth. 12. 24. So much of the sense of the Words Observ Observ There is an Historicall Faith in the very Devils whereby they know and believe in generall that Christ is the Son of God and the Messiah or Saviour of Mankind Therefore they confesse him so to be as here and else where in the Gospels as Mark 3. 11. Thou art the Son of God c. So Acts 19. 15. Jesus I know and Paul I know c. Yea further they know and believe in general the Truth of the Word of God both the Law and Gospel Therefore Jam. 2. 19. it is said The Devils Believe and Tremble Quest. Quest How come they to this Historicall Knowledge and general Faith Answ Answ Not by supernaturall enlightning of God's Spirit where of they are not partakers But 1. By help of that naturall light of understanding which they had by Creation which though it be much obstructed and lessened by their Fall and Apostacy from God yet it is not quite taken away but they still retain since their Fall a great measure of naturall understanding which no doubt helps them to conceive the things set down in the word of God 2. They attain to this generall Knowledge and Faith by experience and observation 1. Of the Ministery of the Word in the Church for when the Word is Preached they perceive what is taught and cannot but yield assent to the Truth of it 2. By seeing the Miracles of Christ living upon Earth 3. They do also perceive what is written both in the Scriptures themselves and in other good Books by which means they come to increase their Knowledge Nevertheless though they have this Historicall Faith yet they come far short of true Faith because they cannot apply those things which they know to themselves for any good or comfort to themselves nor make any use of them Vse 1. This condemneth such as come short of the Devils themselves in this Historicall Faith How many have we that are grosly ignorant in the Word of God both in the Doctrine of the Law and Gospel How many that are meer strangers to the Scriptures How many that are to seek in the plainest and easiest grounds of Christian Religion scarce knowing so much as the meaning of the Commandements or Lord's Prayer or of the Articles of the Creed The Devils go beyond these in the Knowledge of Christ and of his Word and what a shame is this for them Again others though they perhaps know something of the Word yet give not assent of mind to the Truth of it Object Object God forbid but we should belive the Word to be true Answ Answ But thy loose profane life shews the contrary If thou didst indeed believe and rest firmly perswaded that the Soul that sinneth shall dye or that covetous Persons Drunkards Raylers c. shall be shut out of God's Kingdom wouldst thou live in these or the like Sins Perhaps thou believest the promises but not the threatnings of the Word to tremble at them But the Devils believe both though they cannot apply the promises to themselves for Comfort or Salvation Use 2. Rest not in an Historicall Knowledge or Faith if thou do it will not save thee for if it would then it would save the Devils for they have this literal Knowledge and general belief of the Word Dost thou think it enough to know and believe that Christ dyed for Sinners The Devil and his Angels know and believe as much Labour then to out-strip them and to get a better Faith then is in them Labour to apply to thy own Soul the promise of Salvation through Christ and not onely to know the Word but to frame thy Heart and life to it c. The Holy One of God The Devil 〈…〉 the former words professed in generall his Knowledge of Christ now he professeth more particularly what he is The meaning of the Words see before Observ Observ 1. Hence we may learn this truth even from the mouth of the Devil that that Jesus which was born of the Virgin Mary is the true Messiah foretold by the Prophets that is that Speciall and Eminent Person which was Ordained of God to be the Saviour of Mankind Our Saviour professeth as much of himself Joh. 4. 26. And Paul testified to the Jews at Corinth Acts 18. 5. that Jesus was that Christ Reas 1 Reas Whatsoever the Prophets foretold concerning the Person or Office of the Messiah is fulfilled in this Jesus they foretold nothing touching his Conception Birth Sufferings Resurrection c. and touching the Circumstances of them but it is all verified in this Jesus as might be shewed at large But I will not here insist upon it Vse Vse See the fearful Judgment of God resting upon the Jews at this Day in that for the sin of their Ancestors in Rejecting and Crucifying the Son of God they are given over of God to such blindnesse and hardnesse of heart that they stand out in denyall of this that Jesus is the Christ which yet the Devils themselves do here acknowledge See Rom. 11. 25. Blindness or hardness is come to Israel c. and Ver. 22. Behold the severity of God towards them c. It is a wonder That they reading in the Prophets those things which are there spoken of the Messiah and finding them all fulfilled in this Jesus yet deny him to be the true Messiah notwithstanding that themselves are driven to confesse that the time appointed for his coming is expired many hundred years ago Let us be warned by their example to take heed of willful rejecting Christ or his Word lest the Lord justly give us over to blindness and hardness of heart Observ 2 Observ 2. Christ Jesus is a Person most Holy and Sanctified in extraordinary measure Revel 3. 7. Thus saith he that is Holy and True Hebr. 7. 26. Such an High Priest it became us to have who is Holy Harmlesse Vndefiled separate from Sinners Now He is thus Holy both in Himself and in respect of His Church 1. In Himself 1. As He is God so he is essentially Holy yea Holinesse it Self 2. As He is Man and that both in His Conception and Birth as also in his whole Life In His Conception and Birth He was not onely pure from all Sin but also indued with a fulnesse and perfection of Sanctifying Grace so far as his humane Nature was then capable of it Object Object He came of Adam's Posterity which is wholly tainted with sin How then can He be holy in His Conception and Birth Answ Answ He descended not of Adam in such manner as other Men do that is by ordinary Generation but he was extraordinarily conceived in the Virgin Marie's Womb by the special Vertue and Power of the Holy Ghost See
the Lord c. Under the Law there were many thank-Offrings Thus have the Saints and faithfull ever shewed their thankfullness for blessings received especially David in sundry Psalms There are more Psalms spent in Thanksgiving then in any other Argument Hezekiah Esay 38. 9. Reas Reason Equity it self requireth that we receiving all good things from God for our Souls and Bodies should be thankfull unto him for the same we look for as much at the hands of those to whom we have done any good turn Use 1 Use 1. It reproveth such as are unthankfull for mercies received from God Some scarse take notice of the blessings and favours of God which he dayly bestoweth on them though he renew his mercies every Morning yet they think not seriously of them How great a Dishonour is this to God so little to regard his mercies A mortall man takes it ill if we take no notice of his kindnesses and will not God much more Others if they take notice or think of Gods mercies yet have not Hearts or mouthes to yield him true praise for the same They may perhaps use some formall words of Thanksgiving but it is onely a lip-labour their hearts are not affected with feeling of Gods Mercies nor with true desire of glorifying him for them So to give thanks is to take Gods Name in Vain Use 2 Vse 2. Labour to shew true thankfullness to God for all blessings Spirituall and Temporall which we have received and do dayly receive from him Hypocrites will sometimes pray to God for the things which they want but they are not so forward to shew thankfullness for blessings received let us make Conscience of this as well as of the other This thankfulness must be 1. Inward in the heart which must be affected with a true feeling of God's love and goodnesse manifested in his blessings bestowed on us with an earnest desire of glorifying him 2. Outwardly expressed and that two wayes 1. In Word and Tongue praising God sacrificing to him the Calves of our lips Hos 14. 2. and Heb. 13. 15. By him let us offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name Thus David professeth that he would praise God with his tongue and lips 2. Our thankfulnesse must outwardly be shewed in our Life and Conversation and that two wayes 1. By our conscionable obedience yielded to the Will of God and to all this Commandements Psal 50. 23. 2. By using those Blessings which he bestoweth on us to his Glory honouring him with them Prov. 3. 9. Motives to this Duty of thankfulnesse to God 1. It is a Duty very pleasing and acceptable to the Lord He accompts it as a speciall honour done to him Psal 50. the last Ver. He that offereth Praise glorifieth me See 1 Thes 5. 18. 2. Consider our unworthinesse of the least Blessing which we receive Herein Jacob is a pattern to us Gen. 32. 10. 3. Consider the worth and excellency of those Blessings which we enjoy from the hand of God For example think but of one benefit namely The forgivenesse of our Sins how excellent is it That alone makes a man happy Psal 32. 1. and the want of it makes him miserable c. 4. It is all that we can render to God for his benefits Psal 116. 12. Therefore we should be the more carefull of this Duty It followeth For a Testimony unto them To testifie to the whole order of the Priests that thou art Miraculously cleansed by Divine Power that so they seeing this Miracle may either acknowledge me to be the Son of God and true Messiah or else be left unexcusable if they deny it Observ 2 Observ 2. Hence gather That the Miracles of Christ were as so many Witnesses to testifie and prove unto the World the truth of his God-head and that he was the true Messiah But this Point hath bin more then once spoken of before in handling this Chapter Ver. 45. But he went out and began to publish it c. Notwithstanding the straight charge given him to the contrary he reported the Miracle abroad openly and commonly as the words here used do imply Quest Quest Whether did he well in divulging the matter thus Answ Answ It is likely his intention was good that by this means he might set forth Christ's Glory who had wrought this Miracle and that he might also shew his thankfulnesse for the benefit of health received but yet it was a fault in him thus to publish and blaze abroad the Miracle because our Saviour commanded him the contrary and whatsoever is contrary to Christ's Commandement must needs be evil and sinfull Observ 1 Observ 1. See here the great corruption of our Nature causing us to be most apt and forward to do those things which the Lord doth most straightly forbid us The more our Saviour forbad this Leper to publish the Miracle the more apt and forward was he to blaze it abroad Rom. 7. 8. Paul saith That Sin taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in him all manner of concupiscence c. and Ver. 13. Sin by the Commandement becomes exceeding sinfull The corruption of man's 〈◊〉 is in this respect like unto a great Flood of Waters which if it be stopped and 〈◊〉 up striveth the more violently to break out or not unlike a wild or untamed Horse who the more he is curbed and held in with the Bridle the more he rageth and striveth to break loose Lot's Wife straightly forbid to look back to Sodom yet looked back Gen. 19. The Israelites straitly forbidden all Idolatry yet were much given to it Use 1 Vse 1. To humble us in the sight and feeling of this our vile and corrupt Nature which of itself is so apt to rebell and make restance against the Will and Commandement of God Rom. 8. 7. The Wisdom of the Flesh is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be The best of us have a spice of this rebellion in us let us take notice of it and bewail it in our selves we are here like to little Children c. Experience shews us how apt many are to do things most plainly forbidden in the Word of God Use 2 Vse 2. Labour daily in the mortifying of this our corrupt Nature which makes us so prone to rebell against the Will of God and pray unto God to subdue this rebelliousnesse of our nature by the power of his Spirit and to make us pliable and yielding to his Will and Commandement in all things which he injoyneth us to do or to leave undone Observ 2 Observ 2. In that this Leper sinned against the Commandement of Christ in doing that which he forbad him though he did it with a good intention to honour Christ Hence we may learn That it is a sinne against God to do any thing contrary to his revealed Will and Commandement though it be done with ne-never so good
Hearers resembled by the second sort of ground which is the stony ground and these go beyond the former sort for they onely heard and understood it in their minds but these are also affected in heart with the Doctrine in some degree and measure receiving it with gladness but yet because it doth not throughly and effectually enter into their hearts so as to be truly rooted in them therefore they do not hold out in their good affection to the Word but in time of trouble and Persecution arising for the Word do revolt and fall away from their first Profession And this sort of hearers may be called the inconstant or temporary hearers because though they begin well in shewing some affection to the Word for a time yet they continue not therein And these are fitly compared to stony ground where seed is sowen and that chiefly in two respects 1. As stony ground hath some little earth or mould in which the seed sowen taketh some shallow rooting and therefore springeth up quickly so these Hearers though their hearts be very stony and much hardned in sin yet not so hard but there is some degree of goodness in them and some softness and pliableness to the Word which maketh them to be in some measure affected with hearing it and to give it some shallow entrance and that very soon upon the hearing of it 2. As seed sown in stony ground though it have some shallow rooting and do suddenly spring up and make a good shew a while yet being not rooted deep enough is not able long to endure the heat of the Sun but is at length scorched and withereth So these temporary hearers though they give the Word some shallow entrance into their Hearts at first being affected with it and do for a while make a fair shew of profiting by it and of giving true entertainment to it yet because the Word is not rooted deep enough in their Hearts they are not able to indure the heat of Persecution stirred up for the Word but are offended thereat and fall away from their first Affection But to come unto the words of the Text more nearly In them is contained a Description of these temporary Hearers 1. By the things which are commendable and good in them 1. They hear the Word 2. They receive it 3. They receive it with gladness 4. They immediately receive it with gladness 2. They are described by those things which are discommendable and wherein they fail Vers 17. 1. They have no root in themselves 2. They indure but for a time And this latter is proved by the event or issue which falleth out afterward viz. That when trouble ariseth for the Word's sake immediately they are offended Which are sowen on stony ground That is those hearers of the Word who are resembled by the stony ground where seed is sown Immediately So soon as they have heard it Receive it Not onely into their minds and understandings as the former sort of hearers did but into their hearts and Affections in some degree believing the truth of it loving it and rejoycing in it in some measure and for a time Luk. 8. 13. For a while they believe With gladnesse Rejoycing in the Doctrine delivered when they hear and understand the same So much of the Words Observ Observ Here we see that unprofitable Hearers of the Word may go very far in many properties and duties of the profitable hearer and yet be still unprofitable 1. They may be outward hearers for so are all the three sorts of unprofitable Hearers 2. They may understand and conceive the Doctrine taught as the first sort of hearers do as we have before shewed 3. They may in some degree give it entrance into their Hearts by believing it and giving assent to the truth of it and making some kind of Application of it to themselves Luke 8. 13. they are said to believe for a while So Simon Magus Act. 8. 13. believed the Doctrine oâ— Philip they may also be affected in heart with some kind of Love and desire to the Word and with a kind of delight and joy in it So it is here said that these temporary hearers so soon as they have heard do immediately receive the Word with gladness So Mark 6. 20. Herod heard John Baptist gladly And Joh. 5. 35. The Jews for a season were willing to rejoyce in the light of John's Doctrine Hebr. 6. 5. a Reprobate may taste the good Word of God that is feel some kind of sweetness and delight in it 4. He may do this speedily at the first hearing of the Word c. Object Object Most excellent Promises are made in Scripture to such as are in heart affected with joy and delight in the Word Prov. 2. 10. When Wisedome entreth into thy Heart and Knowledg delighteth thy Soul Discretion shall preserve thee Understanding shall keep thee Psal 1. 2. Blessed are such as delight in the Law of God Psal 112. 1. Blessed is the man that delighteth greatly in Gods Commandments Answ Answ Understand these places not of every kind of joy or delight in the Word of God for Herod rejoyced in the Word and yet was not blessed but of a true sound and sincere joy and delight in it But of the sincerity of this joy in the Word and of other sound affections to it and how they differ from counterfeit I shall speak more in the uses of this point unto which now I come Vse 1 Use 1. This being so that unprofitable hearers may go so far in doing many good things and yet be still unprofitable Hence we may gather further that one may go very far in the Profession of Christianity and outward practice of it be almost a Christian with Agrippa and yet be no sound Christian He may go far in a shew of Religion and yet be without the power of Godliness in heart He may come near unto saving Grace and yet never be partaker of it in a word he may be near the Kingdome of Heaven and yet never enter into it See Hebr. 6. 4. how far Reprobates may go in Christianity They may be enlightned and taste of the Heavenly gift and be partakers of the Holy Ghost that is of many excellent gifts of the Spirit they may also taste the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come and yet for all this be in a damnable estate The truth is men may go so far in a shew of Christianity as not onely to deceive others by perswading them to think them better then indeed they are but also to deceive their own hearts being falsly perswaded that they are good Christians when it is nothing so Let this move every one to take heed of deceiving others and himself by a shew of Religion and by a false perswasion that he is in state of saving Grace when he is not so and let it move all to labour for the power of Religion in their hearts and for sound
or for the just condemnation of the wicked and reprobate All such things though they may be hidden for a time shall at length be made open and manifest in due time that is to say either in this world and before the day of Judgment or else at the day of Judgment 1 Cor. 4. 5. Use 1 Use 1. This is matter of terrour to the wicked and hypocrites who think if they can commit sin closely and secretly so as men take no notice thereof then they are safe and they shall escape shame and punishment Such must know that though men see them not yet God seeth them unto whose eyes all things are naked and open Heb. 4. 13. And though their sins may be kept close for a time yet the time shall come in which they shall be laid open to their everlasting shame and confusion if they repent not of them in time that they may be covered in Christ Let such then repent of their secret sins c. Use 2 Use 2. This admonisheth all to take heed of sinning against God though they may do it never so secretly Remember that Eccles 12. ult God shall bring every work to Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill And remember also what is here said That there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested c. Though thou mayst for a time keep thy sins close and secret yet canst thou not alwayes keep them so If thou repent not truly of them and so get them to be covered in Christ the time shall come in which they shall be laid open to the view of men and Angels and that to thy everlasting shame and confusion God will discover and lay them open either in this life or after thy death or at the day of Judgment yea thy own conscience shall discover them at that day Revel 20. 12. The Books were opened c. that is the Books of every ones conscience either discovering their sins to them and so accusing them before God or else excusing and acquitting them if they be such as are in Christ purged from the guilt of sin Let every one think often and seriously of this time when the secretest sins of men shall thus be laid open and let it make us fear to sin against God though never so secretly Use 3 Use 3. This also is matter of comfort to the godly in this life And that in two respects 1. It may comfort them against false slanders and accusations and against all wrongs and abuses offered unto them without cause God shall in time clear their uprightness and innocency though it be hid for a time yet it shall in due time be laid open to their praise and glory and to the shame of their adversaries This shall be done either in this life or else at the day of Judgment at which time the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have praise of God 1 Cor. 4. 5. 2. It ministers comfort to them against all the afflictions and miseries which they many times suffer in this life by reason of which their estate seemeth unto the world to be wretched and miserable But the truth is it is most happy and blessed notwithstanding all the outward miseries of this life For all these turn to their good and to the furtherance of their salvation and so hinder not their happiness but they are blessed in the midst of them and though this their happiness be yet hid yet it shall one day most clearly appear and shine forth Col. 3. 3. Your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Verse 23. If any man have ears c. This was spoken of before Verse 9. Mark 4. 24 25. And he said unto them Take heed what you hear With what measure ye mete it shall be measured June 25. 1620. to you And unto you that hear shall more be given For he that hath to him shall be given and he that hath not from him shall be taken even that which he hath OF the two first Parables uttered by our Saviour in this Chapter we have spoken namely the Parable of the sower and the Parable of the Candle Now before the Evangelist doth come to the third Parable he first mentioneth a speciall Admonition or Precept given by our Saviour unto his Disciples touching the right way of hearing the Word And this followeth well upon the Conclusion of the former Parable of the Candle ver 23. In which our Saviour having exhorted all that have ears diligently to hearken to his Doctrine now he sheweth his Disciples what they must do if they would hear his Doctrine aright and profitably namely that they must take diligent heed to the matter of that Doctrine what it is which they hear 1. Consider the duty enjoyned Take heed what you hear 2. A reason to inforce it taken from the fruit and benefit which shall follow if they do diligently mark and attend to the Doctrine delivered This fruit is laid down 1. Generally and more obscurely in this Proverbiall speech With what measure ye mete c. 2. More particularly and plainly in these words And unto you that hear shall more be given And this is further confirmed ver 25. by another Proverbiall sentence For he that hath to him shall be given c. Take heed what you hear Attend diligently to the matter of the Doctrine which I deliver unto you and seriously consider what manner of Doctrine it is even such as is most true Divine and Heavenly Doctr. Doctr. Hence we learn that such as would hear the Word of God aright and so as to profit by hearing must diligently attend to the matter and substance of the Doctrine which is delivered seriously weighing the Divine nature and excellency of it Revel 2. 7. Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Let every one hearken diligently to the Doctrine delivered to the Churches and withall seriously consider what Doctrine it is even the Doctrine of God proceeding from his Spirit 2 Tim. 2. 7. Consider what I say c. Reas Reas This attention to the matter and serious consideration of the Divine nature and excellency of the Doctrine is a speciall means to move those that hear it to believe and yield obedience to the Doctrine when they perceive it to be of Divine Authority and of such excellency Vse 1 Vse 1. See by this that such cannot be profitable hearers who take little or no heed to the matter and substance of the Doctrine taught in the publick Ministry yet many such there are who rest onely in the outward sound of the words or in the Eloquence or good voice of the Preacher but never take heed to the matter and substance of the Doctrine nor once seriously consider
being the ordinary and principal means whereby God usually worketh grace in his Elect. 1 Pet. 1. 23. The incorruptible seed of our new birth Rom. 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Gal. 3. 2. Quest Quest Are not the Sacraments a means to work grace in us Answ Answ Touching the Lords Supper that is a Sacrament of confirmation to strengthen and nourish grace in us and not to work grace where it was not before Touching Baptism we grant that it is not onely a seal of grace but also an effectual means by which God doth in the right use of it work grace in such as are partakers of it according to that Tit. 3. 5. We are saved by the washing of the now birth that is by baptism And yet so as we do not tye this effect alwayes to it for in some grace is wrought before Baptism in some at the time of Baptism and in some after Baptism But this makes nothing against that which we have said of the Word preached for in such as are of years of discretion preaching of the Word is the principal means to work grace especially in such as have not grace wrought in them before by means of Baptism Use 1 Use 1. This should stir up Ministers which are as the Lords Husbandmen to be diligent on all occasions to cast this seed of the Word into the ground that is to preach it diligently and frequently to their people in season and out of season Eccles 11. 6. In the morning sowe thy seed and in the evening withhold not thy hand This we must do if we would have the fruit of saving grace to spring and grow up in our people Vse 2 Use 2. To stirr up the people to make high account of this Ordinance of God the publick Ministery of the Word and to be diligent in hearing it If thou wilt have grace to spring and grow in thee thou must desire the seed of the Word to be often cast into thee as into good ground c. So much briefly of the first Point Now followeth the second thing laid down in this Parable namely from whence the Word preached hath vertue and efficacy to work grace not from the Ministers of God which preach it but from God himself This is implyed as I have said Verse 27 28. when it is said That the Husbandman having sowen his seed though he sleep and rise up night and day taking no further thought for it yet it springeth and groweth up by the blessing and providence of God giving vertue both to the seed it self to grow and to the earth to bring it forth Doctr. Doctr. Here then we are taught that the vertue and efficacy of the Word Preached for the working of Grace in the Hearers doth not depend upon the Ministers that Preach it but upon God himself As in the sowing of Seed all that the Husbandman can do is onely to Till the ground and to cast the Seed upon it and then to Harrow it into the ground but he cannot of himself nor by any thing he can do nor by any care that he can further take I say he cannot of himself by any of these means make the seed to spring and grow but he must leave this unto Gods Providence who maketh the Sun to shine on it and the rain to fall on the Earth that the Seed may fructify and grow up even so it is in the Ministry of the Word All that the Minister of God can do is to be diligent in Preaching the Word opening and unfolding the sound Doctrine of it to the People and applying the same unto them by zealous and earnest exhortation admonition reproof c. But he hath not the Hearts of his people in his hands he cannot work upon their Hearts or cause the Word to work upon them to enlighten them to work Faith and Repentance in them c. but it is God alone that must do this by the power of his own Spirit else it will not be done 1 Cor. 3. 6. I have Planted saith Paul Apollo watered but God gave the increase So then neither is he that Planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase And 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the Grace of God which was with me that is the power and efficacy of Gods Spirit making his Ministry effectuall Therefore also the Lord promiseth to joyn his Spirit with the Ministry of his Word in the Church to make it effectuall Esay 59. ult Vse 1 Use 1. See by this that we ought not to contemn or refuse the Doctrine of the Word because of the meanness of the person that doth Preach it Though he be of mean place and condition in the World or of mean parts and gifts yet if he be indued with a sufficiency of gifts and have a lawfull calling to the Ministry we are not to contemn his Doctrine nor to refuse to hear and imbrace it so long as he reacheth the truth of God soundly and in profitable manner In this case remember that the efficacy of the Word is from God and not from the person of the Minister and he may if he please and doth sometimes give as great a blessing to the Ministry of a man of mean gifts dealing sincerely in his Ministry as he doth to the Ministry of another that hath greater gifts He that was powerfull in converting the World by the Ministry of the Apostles being but mean persons and some of them unlearned Fishermen at the time of their first Calling his Arm is not shortned but he can still work mightily and marvellously by the Ministry of mean persons Vse 2 Use 2. This may teach faithfull Ministers not to be discouraged or troubled at it nor too much to vex and grieve their minds at it though they have faithfully laboured in the Ministry and yet see not in their people such good fruits of their pains as are answerable to their desire and expectation Here we must remember that though we be called to Preach the Word yet it is not in us to make it effectuall to work Grace further then the Lord gives a blessing to our pains and accompanyeth the outward Teaching with the inward operation of his Spirit He that Planteth and watereth is nothing but God which onely giveth the increase Faithfull Ministers are but the Lords Husbandmen they are to cast the seed of the Word into the Ground that is to open and apply the Doctrine of it to the Hearers by Preaching but they cannot of themselves make this Seed to spring and grow up in them that is to bring forth the fruit of saving Grace in them This God alone can do by the powerfull work of his Spirit joyned with the outward Ministry Here then a Faithfull Minister is to do as the Husbandman useth to do When he hath sowed his Seed and Harrowed it into the ground he
lawfull outward Calling are not good and Holy persons but there are some profane and wicked whom the Lord tolerateth and suffreth in the Church among the good Pastors as he did Judas the Traytor among the Apostles Joh. 6. 70. Have not I chosen you Twelve and one of you is a Devill So that they may be wicked men yea very Devills Incarnate which the Lord may suffer to have place in the Church and to have an outward Calling to bear Office in it Such were the Scribes and Pharisees who sate in Moses Chair in our Saviour's time Matth. 23. 2. and yet they were in their lives most wicked and vicious as our Saviour sheweth in the same Chapter See also Act. 20. 29. Quest Quest Why doth the Lord suffer such wicked men to bear office in the Church Answ Answ 1. To shew that the efficacy of the Ministry doth not depend upon the worthiness of the persons but upon the Ordinance of God and upon the power of his Spirit accompanying the same 2. For the Tryall of the Church for such wicked men are as Wolves not sparing the flock 3. For the just punishment of such as contemn good Pastours Vse 1 Use 1. It must teach us not to marvail or be offended though we sometimes see wicked men fill up the rooms of good Pastors in the Church The Lord suffereth this for just causes And let none from hence take occasion to contemn the Ministery it self because of the vicious and wicked lives of some that live in that Calling The wickedness of some persons sought to be no prejudice to the Calling it self Use 2 Use 2. This also teacheth us That it is not alway safe for the people to follow the example of such as have an outward calling to be Teachers in the Church for so may lend and wicked men have whose life and practise is no way to be imitated but to be abhorred and detested If therefore there be any in the place of Ministers who teach well and profitably and yet are wicked in their lives the precept of our Saviour is to be remembred and practised who bids his Disciples to do as the Scribes and Pharisees taught so far as their teaching was good and sound but not to do after their works because they said and did not Matth. 23. 3. So much of the Persons sent Now followeth the manner of Christ's sending them By two and two That is two in a company Therefore also they are nominated by pairs or couples Matth. 10. Luke 6. So also Luke 10. 1. The 70 Disciples were sent two and two together Quest Quest Why did our Saviour thus send them by couples Answ Answ 1. That they might one be helpfull to another in the duties of their Calling strengthening comforting and encouraging each other therein 2. That they might testifie and shew their mutual consent in the Doctrine which they taught and so this might procure and win credit and authority to their Doctrine Observ 1 Observ 1. Hence gather That Ministers of the Word have need of mutual help comfort and encouragement one from another in the duties of their Calling Therefore Paul often mentioneth his fellow-labourers and helpers in the Ministery as Col. 4. 11. he saith of Aristarchus Marcus and Jesus called Justus that they were his fellow-workers or helpers and a comfort to him And for this cause it is likely the Apostles after Christ's Ascension had companions for the most part in their Travels when they preached in sundry places Thus Peter and John were companions Act. 3. Paul and Barnabas Act. 13. Judas and Silas Act. 15. 32. Paul and Timotheus and Paul and Silas Act. 16. Moses and Aaron joyned together c. Reas 1 Reason 1. The Work of the Ministery is a great and difficult Work and therefore such as are called to labour in it had need to be helpful one to another in it it is a weighty and burdensome Calling Onus ipsis angelis formidandum as Bernard sayes of it therefore they had need help one another in bearing it Reas 2 Reas 2. There are many discouragements and hinderances which Ministers must look to meet with in their Callings and therefore they have great need of comfort and encouragement from one another Use Use To move all Ministers to be ready to help comfort and encourage their fellow Ministers in the duties of their Calling and to be ready also to receive comfort and encouragement from others as occasion is offered As Reapers in a Harvest field encourage one another so should such as labour in the Lord's Harvest Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour sends the Apostles by two and two in a company that so their consent in the Doctrine which they should preach might win credit unto it We may learn That the unity consent and agreement of Ministers of the Church in one and the same substance of Christian doctrine is of great force to procure credit and authority to that Doctrine and to cause it to be the more readily imbraced of the hearers This is the reason why Paul in his Epistles to the Churches doth often joyn other faithful Ministers with him as joynt-Witnesses of the same Truth and Doctrine which he delivereth to the Churches in writing as 1 Thess 1. 1. he joyneth Sylvanus and Timotheus with him and so in other of his Epistles Therefore also it was That the Church of Hierusalem writing to the Church of Antioch about that Question touching the Jewish Ceremonies did joyn all the Apostles and Elders together in the forefront of those Letters Act. 15. 23. See Joh. 8. 17. and 2 Cor. 13. 1. Vse 1 Use 1. This must move all Ministers of the Church to labour much to maintain this unity and consent in true and sound Doctrine between themselves and other Ministers in the Church that so their doctrine may be of the more authority and credit with the people and be the more readily imbraced and obeyed For although the Doctrine and Truth of God be in it self of sufficient authority and so hath no need of mans testimony Joh. 5. 34. yet the consent of the Teachers of it is a forcible motive to move the hearers the sooner to imbrace it Use 2 Use 2. This also shews That it is profitable for the people of God sometimes when opportunity is offered to hear not only their own Pastors but also other Ministers of the Church that so seeing an unity and consent between the Pastors of the Church in the same substance of doctrine they may by this means be more confirmed in the Truth and make the more conscience to imbrace and follow what is taught them Though they may not have itching ears as the Apostle speaketh nor of vain curiosity or for novelty sake get unto themselves a heap of Teachers yet sometimes upon just and good occasion and opportunity it is profitable for them to hear others beside their own Pastors that by the consent of sundry godly leamed Teachers
they may be the more settled in the Truth And this also shews withall how good and profitable it is for Christians to read not onely the Scriptures though principally them but also other holy Treatises made and set forth by Learned and Judicious Divines and Teachers of the Church that in their Writings they may see their consent in Doctrine and so be the more firmly established in the truth of it Observ 3 Observ 3. Further In that our Saviour sent forth the Apostles two and two together that they might be a mutual help and comfort one to another We may observe the great good and benefit that is in humane society and fellowship of Christians together in that it is a means of affording mutuall help comfort and encouragement one to another in good Duties Eccles 4. 9. Two are better then one For if they fall the one will lift up his fellow But woe to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up c. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Love the brotherhood or brotherly fellowship Act. 2. 44. The Christians in the Primitive Church had fellowship together Vse 1 Use 1. This condemneth the practise of Popish Eremites who separate themselves from humane society to live alone under pretence of being more free for heavenly contemplation and for the service of God but by this means they deprive themselves of the help and comfort of humane society and separate themselves from the outward fellowship and communion of the Saints contrary to the Ordinance of God and the practise of good Christians in all Ages of the Church Use 2 Use 2. Let us every one esteem well of humane society and take the benefit of it as occasion is offered especially desire the fellowship of the Saints that by it we may be encouraged in good duties and comforted also in our distresses Heb. 10. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works How can we do this if we refuse to come in company with our Brethren and fellow Christians as occasion is offered So much of the manner of sending forth the Apostles Two and two Now to speak of our Saviour's qualifying or furnishing them with the gift of Miracles for the better discharge of their weighty Embassage He gave them power over unclean spirits That is he gave them the extrordinary gift of working Miracles Casting out Devils being one principal kind of Miracles is here named for all other kinds as healing the sick cleansing Lepers raising the dead Matth. 10. 8. Quest Quest Why did our Saviour confer this power of working Miracles upon the Apostles Answ Answ This was necessary in two respects 1. To procure reverence to their persons being otherwise men of mean outward condition in the world unlearned Fishermen and such like therefore they would have been lyable to contempt if they had not been qualified and indued with this rare gift of Miracles 2. Principally it was necessary for the confirming and sealing of the Divine truth of that Doctrine which they were to preach and to win credit and authority unto it For the Doctrine of faith in the Messiah now come and exhibited in the flesh being as yet new and strange to the people of the Jews they were hardly moved to imbrace it and therefore the truth and certainty of it was needful to be extraordinarily ratified not only by Christ's own Miracle but also by such as he wrought by his Apostles See Joh. 20. 31. So much in way of clearing the words Observ 1 Observ 1. See here an evident proof of the Godhead and Divine Nature of Christ in that he was able being on earth not only to work Miracles in his own Person but also to confer on his Apostles that extraordinary gift and power of working Miracles in casting out Devils curing uncurable Diseases raising the dead c. This is a manifest argument of his Godhead For as it is proper to God alone to work true Miracles so God alone can give the gift of working them unto men This therefore must more and more confirm our faith in the undoubted truth of Christ's Divine Nature That he is the Son of God and consequently a most Powerfull and All-sufficient Saviour to so many as by true faith lay hold on him unto Salvation Observ 2 Observ 2. We further see here one other priviledg of the Apostles above all other Ministers of the Gospel in that they had the gift and power of working Miracles bestowed on them for the sealing and ratifying of the Doctrine they preached which gift other ordinary Ministers of the Church have not Therefore 2 Cor. 12. 12. Paul saith That Miracles are the signs of an Apostle yet not peculiar only to the Apostles but common to some other Believers in those times Mar. 16. 17. Quest Quest Why have not other ordinary Ministers of the Church this power of Miracles given them as the Apostles had Answ Answ Because it is not now needfull as then it was The Doctrine of the Gospel when it first began to be preached had need of such extraordinary confirmation but now the Divine truth and certainty of it being already sufficiently sealed and ratified by those famous Miracles of Christ and his Apostles and also by the constant testimony of the Church in all Ages since the Apostles there is no further use or necessity of the gift of Miracles Further touching this gift of Miracles bestowed on the Apostles we must observe two things 1. That the power given them was not any quality or vertue inherent in their persons but it was the Divine power of Christ himself which wrought Miracles by them as by outward Instruments employed to that end Therefore to speak properly the Apostles did not work Miracles by their own power but Christ by them and upon their faith and prayers made unto him Act. 3. 12. Peter saith Why look ye on us as though by our own power we had made this man to walk Verse 16. His Name that is the Name or Power of Christ through faith in his Name hath made this man strong c. See Stella upon Luke 9. 1. and Tho. Aquin. secunda secundae quaest 178. act 1. 2. We are also to observe and know That this power given to the Apostles was not an absolute power inabling them to work all kind of Miracles whatsoever they would or whensoever they would For Matth. 17. 16. they could not cast out the Devil from him that was Lunatick But they were enabled to work such Miracles only as made for the glory of God and at such times only when the working of them tended to his glory and when they were thereunto moved by special and extraordinary instinct Observ 3 Observ 3. In that our Saviour sending forth his Apostles to preach and to work Miracles for the confirming of their Doctrine doth qualifie them with the gift of Miracles for that end we may observe this That such as are called
anointing with oyl rather then any other outward sign to be a testimony of miraculous healing Answ Answ Because the use of Oyl was very common in that Countrey as for other purposes so for Medicine to cure and heal the body diseased Luke 10. 34. The Samaritan poured oyl and wine into the wounds of him that fell among theeves See also Eccles 10. 1. Therefore seeing oyl was used as a Medicinal thing this ceremony of anointing with oyl was fit to be used as an outward sign and testimony of the miraculous Cures which the Apostles wrought Quest 4 Quest 4. Whether they did anoint all whom they cured miraculously Answ Answ Not so For we read of some cured only by the shadow of Peter Act. 5. 15. some only by handkerchiefs and aprons which were brought to them from Paul's body Act. 19. 12. It is also likely that some were cured only by touching or laying of hands upon them as may appear Mark 16. 18. They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover In these places we find no mention of Oyl or anointing the sick Therefore no doubt but this was a free Ceremony permitted to the Apostles to use sometimes when they saw it fit and expedient but not used alwayes or to all the sick whom they cured Quest 5 Quest 5. Whether all that were anointed did recover Answ Answ This seemeth doubtfull and uncertain yet it is probable that they did not all recover but onely so many as it pleased God to restore 1. Because then the cure might seem to be tyed to the outward anointing and to be wrought by it as by a natural means 2. Though the Apostles had power to heal the sick and to work other Miracles yet not when they would but when it made for Gods glory Therefore it may be they sometimes anointed the sick and yet no Miraculous cure followed Further we must know that the Papists do alledg this place in defence of their Sacrament of extream Unction as they call it which the Popish Priests do at this day use unto such as are dangerously sick Annointing them with Oyl that by this means they may be freed from the remainders of sin left in them and that they may be comforted inwardly and strengthened against the Temptations of Satan in the Agony of death Bellarmin de extrem Unct. cap. 8. Concil Trid. Sess 14. de extrem Unct. cap. 2. pag. 135. Now they teach that this Anointing used by the Apostles was a preparative unto the Sacrament of extream Unction and that the use of that Sacrament was afterwards more plainly taught and enjoyned by St. James chap. 5. 14. But this cannot be because there is no resemblance between this anointing used by the Apostles and that Popish anointing but great difference and contrariety in these respects 1. This which the Apostles used was a temporary Ceremony to continue but for a time onely so long as the gift of Miraculous healing continued in the Church whereas the Papists teach that their anointing is a perpetual Sacrament to continue in the Church 2. This anointing was used by the Apostles onely as a sign of the Miraculous cure of bodily diseases but the Papists use their anointing as a means to purge the sick from the remainders of sin and to give them Spiritual comfort and strength against Satan Let them if they can shew that this anointing used by the Apostles had any such use or end 3. This by the Apostles was used as a sign of the Miraculous curing of the sick and of restoring of their health But the Papists use it for the most part to such as are at point of death and past hope of recovery neither have they any such gift or power of Miraculous healing as the Apostles had Indeed they pretend and boast of such a power but are not able to shew or prove it So much in way of opening and clearing these words Doct. Doctr. In that the Apostles confirmed and sealed the truth of their Doctrine by so many and powerfull Miracles which the Lord wrought by them Hence observe the Divine truth and certainty of the Doctrine of the Gospell Preached by the Apostles and after left by them in writing unto the Church for that which they wrote is the sum and substance of that they Preached Now this Doctrine which they both Preached and wrote must needs be the Divine Truth and Doctrine of God because it was not onely Preached by them but also confirmed and ratified by such Miracles as none but God himself could work by them So Mark 16. ult They went forth and Preached every where the Lord working with them and confirming the Word with Signes following So also Hebr. 2. 3. The Apostle proveth the certain truth of the Doctrine of the Gospell by this That it was not onely Preached at first by Christ and the Apostles but also confirmed by Miracles God himself bearing witness to it with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles c. And it is a sufficient Argument if there were no other to prove the Doctrine of the Gospel to be of God and from Heaven seeing it was at first not onely Preached by Christ and the Apostles but also sealed as it were from Heaven by such Divine Miracles Use 1 Vse 1. See then also by this the truth and certainty of the Christian Faith and Religion which we profess and hold and by the Profession and practice whereof we hope and trust to be saved This must needs be the true Faith and the Religion of God himself because it is agreeable to the Doctrine of the Gospel and grounded upon it and therefore hath the Seal of God set upon it and the Testimony of God from Heaven going with it to confirm it Be thankfull to God that hath called us to the Knowledg and Profession of this true Religion in which alone Salvation is to be had for there is no name in Heaven or Earth by which we can be saved but onely by Jesus Christ Act. 4. 12. and Christ is the sum of the Gospell and the Gospell is the very foundation on which this Religion which we profess is built and it is such a Doctrine as hath bin confirmed from Heaven by Miracles to be the onely saving truth of God the onely word of life and Salvation Oh then how thankfull should we be unto God for revealing to us the Knowledg of this Doctrine Luther in his last Prayer upon his death-bed gave special thanks to God for revealing the Knowledg of Christ unto him So let us both in life and death shew thankfulness for this unspeakable benefit that God hath revealed to us the knowledg of Christian Religion and of the Gospel and that he hath suffered us to be born and to live where this Religion and Gospell is professed and established How if we had bin born among those Pagans in the West-Indies or among Turks and Jews or amongst the Papists who have corrupted and falsifyed the whole
they have knowledge enough that they see enough though their eyes be but half opened c. Now followeth the Miracle it self in the end of Ver. 25. He was restored c. Observ 1 Observ 1. In this Miracle we have an evidence and proof of Christ's God-head and consequently that he is the true Messiah and Saviour of the World foretold by the Prophets c. This appears in that he was able to cure bodily Diseases and Infirmities without natural and ordinary means yea above and contrary to nature which is proper to God alone to do To strengthen our Faith in the Truth of Christ's God-head and that he was and is our onely true Messiah and Saviour ordained and sent of God to work our Salvation and actually to bestow it upon all his Elect. And therefore to seek Salvation in him onely who being not only Man but God is able perfitly to save all such as come unto God by him Hebr. 7. 25. But of this often before Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour thus miraculously cured the bodily eyes of this blind man hereby he declared himself to be that person who is able and doth enlighten the minds of such as are spiritually blind and ignorant in the matters of God which concern his Glory and their own Salvation For the same divine Power which Christ manifested in the miraculouâ— curing of the bodily eyes of the blind he doth shew also in the spiritual enlightening of such as are blind in spiritual and heavenly matters So that here we learn That as Christ Jesus the Son of God did miraculously cure such as were blind of their bodily eyes while he lived on Earth so it is he alone that can and doth cure and heal us of our spiritual blindness of mind enlightening us by his Spirit to see and know things spirituall and heavenly Isa 35. 5. In the Kingdom of Christ the eyes of the blind shall be opened that is not onely the bodily eyes of the blind but much more the spiritual eyeâ— of their minds c. And who shall open them but Christ himself Therefore Mal. 4. 2. he is Called the Sun of Righteousness who shall arise to all that fear God's Name Joh. 1. 9. He is that true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World that is to say all the Elect which are enlightened with true spirituall and saving knowledge of God Therefore also it is said Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest c. and Christ shall give thee light Luke 24. 45. He opened the understanding of his Disciples c. Act. 16. He opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the Doctrine of Paul and to conceive it aright Rev. 3. 7. He is said to have the Key of David c. Use 1 Use 1. See what we are by nature without the Spirit of Christ enlightening us even blind and ignorant in matters of God Having our Cogitations darkned through the ignorance that is in us Ephes 4. 18. Yea we are darkness it self Ephes 5. 8. We sit in darkness and in the shadow of Death Isa 9. 2. Not able to see or understand the things which concern God's Glory or our eternal Peace But they are hid from our eyes 1 Cor. 2. 24. The naturall man receiveth not the things of God neither can he know them c. How blind was Nicodemus though a Master in Israel before he was instructed of Christ and further enlightned Joh. 3. Labour to see and bewail this thy naturall blindness of mind in things of God without Christ and to be truly humbled for it This is far worse and more to be lamented than any outward bodily blindness c. Use 2 Use 2. Comfort to such as do truly feel and complain of their naturall ignorance blindness and dullness of mind to conceive things spirituall Remember who it is that enlighteneth the minds of such as are ignorant in the matters of God even the same person who miraculously opened the bodily eyes of the blind while he was upon Earth And he is well able to give the light of spirituall knowlegde and understanding to such as are most blind and ignorant and hard to conceive heavenly matters and he will do it if we use the means Use 3 Vse 3. Teacheth us to seek to Christ the true light and Sun of Righteousness to enlighten us more and more by his divine Spirit opening the eyes of our minds to see the things which concern God's Glory and our Salvation being revealed in his Word unless he do it it will never be done Till he enlighten us we sit in Darkness c. Seek to him therefore by prayer for his Spirit to open our blind eyes c. He onely hath that spiritual Eye-salve Rev. 3. 18. therefore seek to him to be anointed therewith that we may see withall be diligent in the use of all other means whereby he hath appointed to enlighten us especially the publick Ministery of the Word ordained to this end Acts 26. 18. So much of the Miracle it self Now followeth the Event or Consequent He forbid him two things 1. To publish the Miracle 2. To go into the Town least it should be an occasion c. Verse 26. And he sent him away to his House c. Note here that our Saviour's purpose was not simply and absolutely to forbid this man to speak of this Miracle for his Miracles being wrought for confirmation of his Doctrine and to prove the truth of his God-head and so that he was the true Messiah It was therefore necessary that they should be known to some and therefore he permitted some that were cured by him to tell it to their Friends privately as Chap. 5. 19. him that was dispossessed of the Legion of Devils but he forbad him to tell it to any in the Town that is to make it publickly or commonly known to those in the Town at this time being unfit and inconvenient Touching the Causes and Reasons why our Saviour did usually forbid this and other his Miracles to be commonly divulged I have had occasion before to speak The principal are these 1. Because one chief end and use of all his Miracles was to declare and manifest the Truth and Glory of his God-head that he was the Son of God Now this glory of his divine Nature was not yet to be fully and clearly manifested because he was yet in the state of his Humiliation in which his God-head was for a time to lye hid after a sort and not fully to shew it self till the time of his Resurrection See Mat. 17. 9. 2. The publishing of his Miracles and making of them commonly known at this time would have been a means to draw the multitude in all places after him and to cause them to come so fast unto him for new miracles that it would have greatly hindered his Ministry and Preaching which was more necessary for the People Cap. 1. ult when the Leper cured by him
Elias Others one of the Prophets To the latter Peter in all their nameâ— answereth That their belief and perswasion was That He was the Christ 4. Consider the Event or Consequent of this Conference He charged them to tell no man of Him in the 30th Verse Of the first Jesus went out viz. from the coasts of Bethsaida in Galilee near unto which he wrought the former Miracle upon the blind man And his Disciples that is His twelve Apostles either all or most of them as is likely for it is not expressed how many of them did now accompany him These he had before called to the Office of Apostles ordaining them to be with him as we heard Chap. 3. 14. that is to be his ordinary companions and followers in all his Travels upon earth when he went to preach and work Miracles that by the frequent and ordinary hearing of his Doctrine and sight of his Miracles they might be throughly grounded in the Knowledge and Faith of his Person and Office as he was the true Messiah and Saviour of the World and so might be fitted and prepared for the execution of their Apostolical Function in the time appointed which was after his Ascension into Heaven By this we see the cause why our Saviour took his Disciples with him at this time as he usually did in his other travels But besides there was also at this time another peculiar cause which was this that he might by the way confer and question with them touching himself as we have heard and shall hear more afterward Into the Towns or Villages Mat. 15. Into the Coasts c. that is into the Region or Country bordering near unto Cesarea Philippi and to the Towns or Villages in those coasts Cesarea Philippi This was a Town or City of Phoenicia standing in the confines or borders of Syria and Judea Some write that it was inhabited partly by the Syrians which were Gentiles and partly by the Jews by reason it stood upon the very borders of Judea Sic Jansen ex Joseph lib. 2. de bello Judaico It was called Cesarea from Caesar the Romane Emperour under whose power and Jurisdiction that whole Country then was And it was called Cesarea Philippi to distinguish it from another Cesarea built by Herod the Great near to the Mediterranean Sea as Josephus writeth whereas this Cesarea here spoken of was built by Philip the Tetrarch of Iturea Brother to Herod Tetrach of Galilee See Luke 3. 1. as the same Josephus witnesseth Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. from which Philip it took the name of Cesarea Philippi Touching the cause moving our Saviour now to go with his Disciples into the Coasts of Cesarea Philippi though it be not expressed yet there is no doubt but it was for these ends and reasons chiefly 1. That he might take occasion there to do good by his Preaching as he had done in other places This may appear because in the 34th Verse of this Chapter there is mention made of his Calling the People together with his Disciples and teaching them which it is most likely he did in these coasts of Cesarea Philippi 2. That he might by the way have opportunity privately to examine and instruct his Disciples in the Knowledge of his own Person and to confirm their Faith in the same Observ 1 Observ 1. See here the great pains and diligence of our Saviour in his Ministerial Office and Function taking all occasions and opportunities of time and place to do good by his Preaching and Miracleâ— travelling with his Disciples from place to place and from one part of the Country of Judea and Galilee to another as occasion was offered and labouring in all places to do good where he had a Calling to preach Act. 10. 38. He went about doing good c. which is a pattern for all Ministers of the Word to teach them to use the like pains and diligence in their ministerial Office labouring to do all the good they can both by publick Teaching and by private Instruction Admonition Consolation of the afflicted c. watching all opportunities of doing good in their places both publickly and privately Not that Ministers should now travel up and down from place to place to preach as our Saviour and the Apostles did for they had an extraordinary Calling so to do but that every Pastor in that place unto which God hath called him ought to be diligent and painful in execution of his Ministry and to watch all occasions of doing good to that People whom he is called to teach Thus did Paul Act. 20. 18. c. and so he chargeth Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 2. to preach the Word in season and out of season c. And Ver. 5. Waâ—ch thou in all things do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministry Use Vse To teach the People of God to be painful and diligent in attending on the Ministry of their Pastors and to watch all opportunities of receiving good by their labours making good use of them So Act. 10. 33. But of this before Chap. 1. 21. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that the Disciples of Christ did now accompany him in his journey to the coasts of Cesarea Philippi as at other times they did usually we are to take notice of one special Prerogative of the twelve Apostles in which they differed from all other Ministers of the Gospel and had pre-eminence above them namely this That they were called to live with Christ here upon Earth and to be with him and converse with him daily accompanying him in all his travels and journeys to preach and to work Miracles being ordinary hearers of his most excellent and heavenly Doctrine and Eye-witnesses of his powerful Miracles being admitted also ordinarily to private Conference and Prayer with him So before Chap. 3. ver 14. He ordained twelve that they should be with him Joh. 15. 27. Ye have been with me from the beginning See this Point before Chap. 1. ver 16 c. Vse Use To strengthen our Faith in the Doctrine of the Gospel contained in the writings of the Apostles assuring us of the truth and certainty thereof for the Apostles living and conversing with Christ upon earth received the substance of this Doctrine from his own mouth and what they learned of him they either wrote themselves or delivered unto others to write as appeareth Luke 1. 2. Observ 3 Observ 3. From the place whither our Saviour now went to preach being the coasts of Cesarea Philippi which bordered near to the Gentiles we may gather that he was ordained and came into the World to be the Saviour of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews For although he did not preach in his own Person among the Gentiles but to the Jews onely for he was the Minister of Circumcision Rom. 15. 8. and was sent to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel Matth. 15. 24. yet nevertheless he did sometimes in his travels come very near
trial and proof of his Elect 1 Cor. 11. 19. There must be Heresies that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 2. The Devil laboureth in all Ages to sow the Seeds of manifold Errours and corrupt Opinions in the minds of men that he may hinder them from believing and embracing the sound truth of God He labours to blind their eyes that they may not see the Truth 2 Cor. 4. 4. Therefore such corrupt Opinions and Heresies are called Doctrines of Devils to shew that the Devil is the Author of them 1 Tim. 4. 2. Use 1 Use 1. To teach us not to think strange or be offended at it though we see it be thus at this day that there are so many different Sects in the Church and so many Heresies and corrupt Opinions holden by men in matters of Religion contrary to the Truth For thus it hath ever been And God hath appointed for just causes to suffer it so to be and so it will be so long as the Devil by God's permission hath Power to blind the eyes of men and to lead them into Errours and Heresies contrary to the true and sound Doctrine or the Word of God Vse 2 Use 2. See the folly and ignorance of such as look that there should be in these times a general unity and consent in Opinion among all sorts in the matter of Religion and because there is not so but there are so many different Sects and Opinions of men opposite one to the other and most of them opposite to the true Christian Religion which we profess therefore some hence take occasion to call into Question the truth and soundness of our Religion and are doubtful what to profess yea some stick not to say they will profess no Religion till there be fewer Sects and Opinions and till they see all agree better In the mean time they think it best to follow their own business and to let matters of Religion alone But let such know that if they expect that all should be of one Opinion in matters of Religion they expect that which never was nor will be while the World standeth And so if they will profess no Religion till all agree in one they will never make any Profession at all and then let them never look to be saved at all For as with the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness so with the mouth Confession must be made unto Salvation Rom. 10. 10. Use 3 Use 3. See what need there is for us to be well and thoroughly grounded in the Knowledge and Belief of the sound truth and Doctrine of God taught in his Word and to have our hearts and minds stablished and settled therein lest otherwise we be seduced and drawn away from the truth and plucked away with some of those manifold Errours which are holden in these times against the truth 2 Pet. 3. 17. Beware lest ye being led away with the Errour of the Wicked fall from your own stedfastness But grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ c. If we be not well grounded and stablished in the present Truth and Religion which we profess How shall we be able to hold and maintain it constantly both in Judgment and Practice amidst so many Errours and corrupt Opinions now a-dayes holden against the Truth We had not need to be as Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men c. as the Apostle speaketh Eph. 4. 4. but we had need to be men of Age and ripe years in Understanding and Judgment able to discern the truth in matters of Religion that are questionable and firmly to hold and maintain the same in the midst of all Errours Heresies and corrupt Opinions of men by which it is opposed Observ 2 Observ 2. That Ignorance of the Scriptures is a main cause of the Errours and absurd Opinions which are holden by men in matters of Religion The ignorance and misunderstanding of that one place of Scripture Mal. 4. touching the coming of John Baptist in the Spirit and Power of Elias was the cause of the Errour which the Jews in our Saviour's time held touching the coming of the Prophet Elias to live again upon Earth in Person as we have before heard And so no doubt but their Ignorance in the Scriptures was the main cause of all those other gross Errours which diverse of them held touching the Person of Christ that He was John Baptist or Elias or one of the other old Prophets So also of that heathenish Errour touching the Souls of men that in death they pass into other bodyes and so come to live again upon Earth The like may be said of all other Errours and absurd Opinions of men which have been or which are at this day holden in matters of Religion Ignorance of the Holy Scriptures is a main cause of them Matth. 22. 29. Ye err not knowing the Scriptures c. Thus Chrysostom in his time complaineth Praefat. in Epist. ad Rom. that hence have come innumerable evils even from the Ignorance of the Scriptures Hence have sprung a multitude of pernicious Heresies c. So in our times whence come so many gross and absurd Errours holden by Papists Anabaptists Brownists c. but from Ignorance of the Scriptures So whence come those many foolish and erroneous Opinions of ignorant People in our own Church but from Ignorance of the Scriptures Use 1 Use 1. To condemn the wicked practice of the Church of Rome in barring the common People from the free Use and Reading of the Scriptures and so nuzzling them up in gross Ignorance of the Word of God whereby they are led into all manner of erroneous and absurd Opinions Yea some of them have not been ashamed to commend this Ignorance in the common People affirming it tâ— be the Mother of Devotion Contra here we learn that it is the Mother of all gross and absurd Errours Heresies and corrupt Opinions of men in matters of Religion Use 2 Vse 2. See how dangerous for Christians to be ignorant in the Scriptures Such do lye open to all manner of Errours Heresies and corrupt Opinions being in danger to be infected with the Poyson of them and to be seduced by them easily plucked away from the Truth ready to imbrace any Errour or Heresy though never so gross absurd or foolish as Popery Anabaptism Brownism c. They are like clean Paper upon which one may write any thing So upon such persons being ignorant in the Scriptures any gross or absurd Errour or Hereticall opinion may be fastened or imprinted like Wax which may be Printed with any Seal c. How many such are there even amongst us who are ignorant in the book of God having little or no sound Knowledg of the Scriptures no not of the main and principal points of Christian Religion there taught and set down The Scriptures are as a sealed Book unto them No
once foretell his Disciples of his Passion and Resurrection but at sundry times repeating the same matter unto them and putting them in mind of it again and again afterwards as may appear Cap. 9. 31. and Cap. 10. 33. Quest Quest 1. Wherefore or to what end did our Saviour foretell unto his Disciples his Passion Answ Answ 1. To prevent that scandall or offence which otherwise they might have taken at his death and sufferings if these things should have suddenly and unexpectedly hapned to him after they had confessed him to be the Son of God and true Messiah therefore He gives them notice and warning before-hand of his Sufferings that they might not think strange to see him that was the Son of the living God to be reproached and put to death by wicked men and that they should not think He suffered these things out of weakness c. therefore he shew that He knew of all before-hand 2. The better also to fit and prepare them to the bearing of that great trial and affliction which was to happen unto them by occasion of his death and suffering See Mat. 26. 31. Joh. 16. 20. 3. To correct an Errour which the Jews and Christ's Disciples had conceived touching an earthly Kingdom of Christ which as they dreamed should be accompanied with outward Glory and prosperity in this World as may appear Mat. 20. 21. and Act. 1. 6. Therefore our Saviour to draw them out of this Errour tells them before-hand that his Kingdom stood not in outward pomp and glory in this World but that it must be accompanyed with ignominy and baseness and with suffering many things Quest Quest 2. Why did our Saviour at this time and not before foretel his Disciples of his Sufferings Answ Answ 1. To shew one reason why he forbad them before to publish that truth which they had confessed touching his Person that he was the Son of God c. because being afterward to be so much abased in his Sufferings and Death it was not fit the Glory of his God-head should be publickly and openly professed till the time of his sufferings and abasement was past that is till his Resurrection which was the due time for the clear manifesting of his Glory as we heard upon the former Verse 2. Because it was necessary that the Disciples Faith should first be throughly confirmed in the truth of his God-head before he did plainly foretell them of his Passion lest otherwise the hearing of his Sufferings and Death should have caused them to doubt and waver in this Point of Faith Therefore they having now newly confessed him to be the Son of God and he having confirmed them in this Faith by approving and commending that their Confession now was the fittest time for him to begin plainly to teach them the Doctrine of his Sufferings Till now they were not fit to hear this Doctrine because not sufficiently confirmed in the Faith of his God-head Observ 1 Obsâ—rv 1. Here is an evidence and proof of Christ's God-head or Divine Nature in that He did of himself foresee and know before hand things which were to come as if they were already present and was able to foretell them namely his own Death and Sufferings with the manner and circumstances of it as that it should be a reproachfull Death that he should be rejected and despised at the time of his Death and by what persons he should be so rejected by the Elders c. Also the very place where he should suffer which was at Hierusalem c. Math. 16. 21. All these things our Saviour did of himself know before hand and was able to prophesie of them certainly and particularly before they were fulfilled And this he did by the divine Power of his God-head for it is proper to God onely to know and foretell things to come of himself and without Revelation from any other all things being present to God whether they be thing past or to come This therefore must strengthen our Faith touching the God-head of Christ Observ 2 Observ 2. That our Saviour Christ suffered and dyed for us willingly and of his own accord not by compulsion or being drawn to it against his Will This may appear hence in that he knew before hand that he was to dye and suffer and the very Place and persons that should be the Instruments of his Death namely the Elders chief Priests c. and was able to foretell these things and yet for all this he did not go about at this or any time afterward to escape these Sufferings or to save himself from Death as he could have done as easily as he did foretell it therefore also though he knew that Hierusalem was the place where he was to Suffer yet did not he refuse to go up thither but rather made haste both to the Place and Time appointed for his Suffering Mark 10. 32. As they went up to Hierusalem Jesus went before them c. to shew his forwardness Luke 22. 15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer Luke 12. 55. Therefore also Joh. 18. 1 2. though he knew that Judas was appointed to betray him and that the same Judas knew the Garden whither he was wont so much to resort yet he did not refrain going thither a little before his Passion but entered in there with his Disciples And being there when Judas and his company came to take him he shewed himself not unwilling but willing to be apprehended For he went out to meet them and when they told him that they sought for Jesus of Nazareth He answered I am He ver 5. See also Joh. 14. 31. To this purpoâ—e also is that which our Saviour speaketh Joh. 10. 18. No man taketh my Life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down c. For this cause also he rebuked Peter so sharply for disswading him from it as we shall hear afterward He could have prayed to his Father for more than twelve Legions of Angels to rescue him yet would not Matth. 26. 53. thereby shewing his willingnesse and readinesse to dye and suffer for us and hereof he gave evident Signs also at the very time of his Death as that he dyed sooner than those that were Crucified used to do for when the Souldiers came to break his Legs as the Custom was he was dead before they could do it whereupon Pilate marvailed that he was so soon dead Also in that it is said Joh. 19. 30. That he bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost which shewed his willingnesse to dye Therefore also he is said to have given himself to Death c. to offer himself c. Tit. 2. 14. Object Object He prayes afterward Chap. 14. Ver. 35. that if it were possible c. Answ Answ 1. It was a Conditionall prayer If it might stand with God's Will 2. He prayes not simply that he might not taste of the Cup but
of death might pass from him c. Therefore it must needs be very hard for a Christian to overcome this natural fear of death and to be willing for Christ's sake to undergo it Use 1 Use 1. See here again the truth of that we heard before on the former Verse That it is a hard matter to be a good Christian in life and practice For he that will be so indeed must make accompt to lose his own bodily life that is to lay it down and part with it for Christ's sake and the Gospel's if he be thereunto called of God yea before he be called to do it actually he must do it first in heart and affection and that daily He must dy daily for Christ and his Name 's sake as Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 15. 31. Now this is no easy thing to do but very hard and difficult as we have heard To hate our own lives in comparison of Christ and daily to put our life in our hands for his sake c. Oh how hard a thing is to Nature So hard that Nature can never do it of it self neither can it be done without the special gift and grace of God enabling us to it Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given in behalf of Christ to suffer for his sake See therefore how many do deceive themselves in thinking it an easy matter to be a good Christian Vide supra Use 2 Use 2. See what need there is for us daily to fit and prepare our selves for performance of this difficult duty viz. the suffering of bodily death for the Name and Profession of Christ to lay down our lives for his sake if we shall at any time be called to it as we may be and must make accompt to be if God see it good and necessary for his Glory and the furtherance of our own and others Salvation Therefore let us daily fit and prepare our selves unto this great work As we must prepare for other lesser trials and afflictions so especially for this the greatest of all other This is the trial of all trials the cross of all crosses when God calls us to dy for the Name of Christ or to give testimony to his truth This is most properly to take up our cross as Christ did for he took up and did bear the cross on which he was immediately after to dy for us c. So must we daily prepare to take up our dying Cross or the Cross and Affliction of Death for his Name 's sake Hard it is to take up the Cross in our life-time by Sickness Poverty Disgrace Loss of Goods Friends c. but all this is nothing to this taking up our Cross in death and by death for Christ's sake and the Gospel's Therefore if there be great need to prepare daily to bear other trials how much more to endure this Therefore be careful hereof and because of our selves we cannot do it seek to God by Prayer and use all other good helps to enable us But more of this afterward Now to speak more particularly of the words Whosoever will save his life that is Whosoever shall desire or seek to preserve his bodily life from danger and shall refuse to hazard or lay it down for my sake or for the Profession of my Name and Gospel when he shall be called thereunto and will rather deny me c. That this is the meaning may appear by that which followeth Our Saviour doth not simply condemn the care of preserving our bodily life for this care is necessary and it is a sin to neglect it but his purpose is to condemn the inordinate and preposterous care of preserving bodily life when it is preferred before the seeking of Christ's Glory by Obedience to his Will and by Profession of his Name and Gospel He shall lose it that is He shall forfeit and deprive himself of life yet not onely of his bodily life although he shall at length be deprived of that also forasmuch as it is appointed for men once to dy Hebr. 9. 27. but he shall lose and be deprived of that eternal life of Soul and Body which God hath prepared in Heaven for his Elect. Note that this threatning of the loss of eternal life is not to be understood absolutely but with the condition or exception of Repentance as all other like threatnings found in Scripture that is to say unless such a one do afterward repent of this sin of preferring the safety of his own life before the honour of Christ and the Obedience which he oweth to his Will Doct. Doctr. That such as desire or seek to save the temporal life of their bodies with the denial of Christ or of his Word or do refuse to part with their bodily lives when they are called so to do for the Profession of Christ and the Gospel they are in danger to lose and to be deprived of eternal life The manifest Doctrine of this place lying plain in these words Whosoever will save his life shall lose it that is Whosoever seeketh to save or keep his bodily life from danger by the denial of Christ c. shall be deprived of life eternal The same Doctrine is taught else-where by our Saviour as Matth. 10. 39. He that findeth his life shall lose it that is He that seeks to find it or thinks to find or save it by the denial of Christ when he should lose it by confessing him And Ver. 33. Whosoever shall deny me before men though it be for the saving of his life him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven So Joh. 12. 25. He that loveth his life shall lose it viz. He that loveth it too much and inordinately so as he will rather deny Christ or His Word than part with his life c. Reason Reason 1. It is a great Sin against God and dishonour to Christ for any to prefer the safety of their bodily lives before his Glory and the Profession of his Name Now all sin deserves eternal death and consequently the loss of eternal life 2. The Justice of God requires that such as refuse to part with their temporall Life in this World for Christ's sake should be deprived of eternal life in the World to come unlesse they speedily repent for this Errour Vse 1 Use 1. See how fearful and dangerous for any to deny Christ or his Truth or any part of it for the saving of their bodily Lives in time of Persecution or otherwise No small sin but hainous and grievous a damnable sin such as is like to cost them dear who commit it unless they truly and in time repent of it It shall cost them the loss of Heaven and of eternal Life as our Saviour here threatneth This was the sin of Peter which through infirmity he fell into and it had cost him the loss of eternal Life if he had not repented of it with bitter tears The like sin have many other fallen into in
appears in that our Saviour threatens that he will be ashamed of such at his second coming Therefore Paul gives special warning to Timothy to take heed of this Sin of being ashamed of the testimony of the Lord that is of the Profession and Preaching of the Gospel before men 2 Tim. 1. 8. Be not thou ashamed c. This was the sin of Nicodemus that he was ashamed to profess Christ openly before men and therefore he came to him in the night lest he should be seen Joh. 3. 2. It was also the Sin of those Rulers mentioned Joh. 12. 42. who believed on Christ but durst not confess him lest they should be shamed by being put out of the Synagogue For they loved the praise of men c. and this is there noted as a great fault and sin in them Reas 1 Reas 1. To make outward profession of Christ and his Word before men is a especial duty required of all Christians as we have before heard Therefore to be ashamed to do it is a great sin Reas 2 Reas 2. It is a great dishonour to Christ and disgrace to his Word and Doctrine for any to be ashamed of professing Him or his Word before Men and consequently a great sin As for a Souldier to be ashamed of his Captains or a Servant of his Master c. Use 1 Vse 1. To reprove such as are guilty of this sin of being ashamed of professing Christ or his Word before Men Some are afraid they shall be mocked or counted Puritans c. No small or leight sin but hainous Our Saviour threatens to be ashamed of such at the Day of Judgment This sin alone therefore is enough to condemn a man at that Day if it be not repented of Such also are reproved here who are ashamed to give accompt of Faith being required by such as have Authority over them as by Pastors Parents c. Such of younger sort who are ashamed to answer questions of Carechism c. Such also as are ashamed to pray read conferr of the Scriptures before others c. Use 2 Vse 2. For admonition to take heed of this great sin of being ashamed of Christ and his Word before Men. Let not fear of worldly shame hinder us in this Duty of professing Christ and the Gospel of Christ before Men when we are called so to do Be content to suffer any shame or disgrace in the World rather then deny Christ or not confess Him and his Truth c. Remedies against this Sin 1. Consider the dignity and excellency of Christ and of his Word how worthy they are to be professed by us The dignity of Christ in that he is the Son of God and true Messiah our onely Saviour and Redeemer c. The dignity of the Word of Christ in that it is the onely Word of Life and Doctrine of Salvation c. Therefore it is no shame but a great honour to be a professour of Christ and of the Gospel If it be an honour for the Servant of some Noble man or Prince to profess his Master's name much more for a Christian c. Paul Gloryed in the Cross of Christ Gal. 6. 14. that is in the profession of Christ Crucified And he often calls himself a Servant of Jesus Christ 2. Look at the examples of the Saints and Faithful who have not been ashamed of professing Christ and his Word before men when they were called to it Paul Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel c. David Psal 119. 46. not ashamed to speak of God's Testimonies before Kings The Martrys were not ashamed to confesse Christ and his Truth before their Adversaries These we must imitate not being ashamed to profess Christ and his Word yea to suffer for this profession if need be 1 Pet. 4. 16. If any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but Glorifie God in this behalf 3. Consider that Christ our Saviour was not ashamed to dye and suffer the wrath of God and cursed Death of the Crosse for our sins Hebr. 12. 2. He endured the Cross despising the shame c. Therefore we are not to be ashamed to confesse Him and his Truth though with hazzard of Life c. Despise all shame that may be cast on us for the Name of Christ 4. The Wicked are not ashamed to commit sin they are not ashamed to deny and dishonour Christ and his Truth Esay 3. 9. They declare their sins and hide them not c. And shall we be ashamed of professing Christ and his Truth both by Word and Deed c 5. Lastly Consider the danger of being ashamed to confesse Christ or his Truth He will be ashamed of such at his second coming c. But of this afterward Mark 8. 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me c. Febr. 5. 1625. NOW followeth the occasion of this sin of being ashamed of Christ c. The profane and wicked People or Persons amongst which they lived Described by a twofold property or attribute 1. Adulterous Generation 2. Sinfull The meaning In this Adulterous Generation c. Or amongst this Adulterous Generation He seemeth principally to understand the wicked Nation of the Jews as they were at that Time especially the Scribes and Pharisees with such other who were greatest Enemies of Christ and the Gospel The more probable because he had before called them thus Matth. 12. 39. An evil and adulterous Generation seeketh a Sign c. So the words contain a sharp reproof of the Jews indirectly yet this is further to be extended to all other profane and wicked Nations or People amongst which the Disciples of Christ or any other good Christians should live at any Time Generation Put here for a Naturall Stock Progeny or Posterity Adulterous Generation That is a degenerate spurious or bastardly Brood or Progeny such as were not the true and lawfull Posterity of those whose Posterity they professed and boasted themselves to be that is to say of Abraham Israel and the other Patriarchs and Fathers in the old Testament Joh. 8. 39. They boasted That Abraham was their Father Therefore our Saviour here to convince their Hypocrisie calls them an Adulterous Generation that is a bastardly Brood to shew That although they were by natural Birth descended of Abraham and the other holy Fathers yet they were not the true and lawful Posterity of those Ancestors in regard of spirituall Birth because they did not walk in the steps of the Faith of Abraham and the Fathers but were Unbelievers neither did they do the Works of Abraham that is they lived not holily and uprightly as he did but profanely and wickedly therefore he calls them a sinfull Generation So Joh. 8. 39. If ye were Abrahams Children ye would do the Works of Abraham And he does not call them Adulterous Children but an Adulterous and sinfull Generation implying that not onely themselves but their next and immediate Parents and Ancestors were degenerated
of Life that as they have been Instruments of their Natural Birth so they may be also of their Regeneration They must remember That though themselves be religious yet they do not convey Religion or Grace to their Children by Natural Generation but must use other means sanctified of God to this end as hath been said Observ 5 Observ 5. In that he calls them a sinful Generation implying that not only themselves but their next and immediate Parents and Ancestors were wicked and that they followed the wickedness of those Ancestors Hence we may learn That sin and wickedness is apt to be conveyed or propagated from Parents to Children and Posterity by Natural Birth See before ver 12. of this Chapter Mark 8. 38. Of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed c. Febr. 26. 1625. NOW followeth the commination or threatening it self denounced here by our Saviour against such as are ashamed to confess Him and his Word before Men viz. That he will be ashamed of such when he shall come in his Glory c. In these words consider 1. The Person denouncing this threatening who also shall execute the Judgment threatned The Son of Man Christ himself who uttered these words 2. The Judgment threatned by Him That he will be ashamed at his coming of all such as are ashamed of him and his Word in this World 3. A description of his coming by the glorious and excellent manner of it set forth in two things 1. The kind of Glory in which He shall come In the Glory of his Father 2. By the company that shall attend on him The Angels Of the first The Son of Man Of this Title which our Saviour here gives to himself see before ver 31. Hujus Capitis Quest Quest Why did He in this Place so call himself Answ Answ The more to set forth the Glory of his God-head which should be manifested at his second comming by opposing it against that mean and base estate wherein He now lived on Earth as Man and consequently to shew That there was no cause for any to be ashamed of him though he were the Son of Man and lived as yet in so mean a condition Now followeth the Judgment denounced by our Saviour against such as are ashamed of Him and his Word before Men in this World That he will be ashamed of him at his coming Shall be ashamed That is He shall not acknowledge or take him for one of his Elect Saints or Servants but shall utterly refuse reject and cast him off among the Wicked and Reprobate A figurative Speech spoken of Christ after the manner of men for our Capacity Not that Christ shall then be subject to any shame or be affected with it but that he shall so carry himself towards such as have been ashamed of him as men are wont to do towards those of whose company or acquaintance they are ashamed that is to say that he will not acknowledge them as his but utterly refuse and reject them Note that this threatning is to be understood with exception of Repentance When he cometh That is when he shall come praesens pro futuro To shew the certainty of it There is a twofold coming of Christ mentioned in Scripture 1. His first coming in Humility that is in a low base and mean estate when he was incarnate taking our Nature upon him and coming to live here upon Earth for a time in a poor and mean estate Joh. 1. 11. He came to his own c. And ver 14. The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us c. 2. His second coming in Glory and Majesty at the last Day to Judge the Word The manner of this Judgment is set down Matth. 25. 31 c. Hebr. 9. ult To them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation And this second appearance or coming is meant in this place Observ 1 Observ 1. See how fearfull and dangerous a sin it is for any to be ashamed of the outward profession of Christ or of his Word and Doctrine before Men that is for fear of worldly shame or reproach to forbear or refuse to confesse Christ or his Truth before Men when they have a Calling so to do This is a fearfull and dangerous sin in that our Saviour here threatneth to be ashamed of such that is utterly to reject and renounce them at his second coming and that before all Men and Angels in the World Matth. 10. 33. Whosoever shall deny me before Men him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven Now to be ashamed to confess Christ is upon the matter to deny him by one kind of denial See also 2 Tim. 2. 12. If such as have professed Christ in Hypocrisy shall be rejected of him at the last Day as appeareth Matth. 7. 23. then much more such as have made no profession at all of his Name and Truth but have been ashamed to professe it Use 1 Use 1. Terrour to such as are guilty of this sin of being ashamed of professing Christ or his Word in any kind or degree Not a small or leight matter as some accompt it but most fearfull and dangerous This sin alone without Repentance enough to condemn such at the day of Judgment If it be a small matter to be denyed and rejected of Christ Jesus the Son of God at that great and fearfull Day of Judgment then is it a small matter to be ashamed in this World of professing Christ or his Truth Contra if it be a fearful thing to be renounced of Christ at his Glorious coming then c. Think of this all such as are or have been ashamed to make outward profession of Christ and his Word before Men lest they should be mocked or reproached with the Name of Puritans c. Such also of the younger sort who are ashamed to come to Catechising in the Afternoon and to give accompt of their Faith by answering the Questions of Catechism demanded of them But of these I spake something before Let all such as have been guilty of this Sin repent of it and take heed for time to come of being ashamed of professing Christ or his Word before Men whensoever they are called so to do Vse 2 Use 2. See here what need for us to arm our selves against the fear of worldly shame and reproach before Men in the cause of Christ and of the Gospel that we be not dismayed with this fear nor hindred by it from making profession of Christ and his Word lest if we be Christ himself be hereafter ashamed of us at his second coming in Glory We must therefore pray and labour for spirituall courage and zeal for the Glory of Christ that we may freely and boldly make profession of his Name and Truth before Men not fearing any shame or reproach that can be brought upon them for the same Remember 1 Pet. 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the
such as are lawfull and our liberty yea our life c. All or any of these must be forsaken if God call us to it Reas 1 Reas 1. We are to love God above all things even with our whole Soul and strength Deut. 6. 5. and Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me c. Therefore we are to part with things most dear to us when God calleth us so to do Reas 2 Reas 2. The Saints of God have done this before us upon the calling of God as Abraham left his Countrey and his kindred when God required him so to do Gen. 12. and went out he knew not whither Hebr. 11. 8. Job was content to part with all he had though never so dear to him in this World not onely with his goods and substance but with his children when God took them away Onely his Wife and some other friends were left unto him who yet were rather crosses than comforts to him in his misery The Apostles being called of Christ to follow him forsook their former friends and goods c. as we heard in the former verse Matth. 4. 22. The sons of Zebedee left not onely their Ship and Nets but their Father in the Ship The blessed Martyrs of ancient and latter times being called of God to suffer for Christs cause and the Gospells were content to part with the things most dear to them in this World as their Goods Friends Parents Children Liberty Lives The same must every Christian do in like case Reas 3 Reas 3. With this condition we possess and enjoy those things which are dear to us in this World viz. to part with them when God doth call us hereunto We are not absolute owners of our Goods Friends c. but Tenants at will c. Therefore we must be content to part with them when God calls us to it Quest Quest. When doth God call us to forsake the things that are most dear to us in this World Answ Answ There are two times in which he calls us to it 1. In our life time 2. At the hour of death Of the first In our life time God calls us to do this in these cases 1. When he takes from us such things as are dear to us as our Goods Friends c. either immediately by his own hand or else by means For example when he takes from us our worldly goods and substance or any part of it either by his own immediate hand or otherwise by means as by Thieves and Robbers or by fire or water c. or other casualties happening to us in our outward estate as he did to Job Then it is our duty willingly to forsake and part with those things which the Lord doth thus take from us as Job did Heb. 11. 34. So when God takes from us our friends by death as Parents Children Wife c. or otherwise doth separate them from us we ought willingly to part with them It is reported of Luther that when a daughter of his was sick c. he should say thus Lord thou knowest that I love this Child yet if thou wilt take her I am ready to give her thee with both arms 2. Whensoever the glory of God or good of our brethren and of the Church of God requireth us to forsake or part with any of those things which are dear to us in this world Then God calls us to part with them and that willingly For example when there is occasion for us to give of our goods to holy uses as to the poor or to the Church and maintainance of Gods worship In this case God calls us to part with so much of our wealth as is necessary for the present occasion and according to our ability and means c. And this is to honour God with our substance as we are commanded Prov. 3. 9. 3. When we cannot with a good Conscience retain and keep the things that are dear to us in the World as our Goods Friends Children c. but we must either part with them or else make ship-wrack of Conscience as it was with the Martyrs being urged to deny the truth or to yield to Idolatry and Superstition c. In this case God calls us to forsake that is most dear to us Of the second The second time in which God calls us to forsake the things that are dear to us in this World is at the time of our death when we are to leave and go out of this World and consequently to forsake all things in it for as we brought nothing into the World so we can carry nothing with us out of it as the Apostle sayes 1 Tim. 6. 7. The Uses of this Doctrine being the same in effect with those of the second Doctrine or Observations gathered from the former verse See them there set down Mark 10. 29. There is no man that hath left House or Brethren c. Dec. 14. 1628. NOw follow the grounds or motives which moved them to forsake their goods friends c. being for Christ's sake and the Gospells Observ 1 Observ 1. That it is not every forsaking of things dear to us in this World which hath the promise of reward from Christ but onely that which is practised upon the right grounds or motives moving us thereunto Now the principal grounds and motives are such as are here either expressed or implyed by our Saviour As 1. The will and command of God and of Christ calling us to forsake our goods friends c. and requiring us so to do This moved the Apostles to forsake their Nets and Ship and their Father c. Matth. 4. 2. The love we bear to Christ and desire of advancing his glory by this means Matth. 10. 39. He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it As the Apostle sayes in another case 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constraineth us c. So here 3. The love we bear to the Gospel of Christ and desire of maintaining the truth and credit thereof Mark 8. 35. Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospells the same shall save it Use 1 Use 1. See what to judg of such as forsake things dear to them in the World as Goods Friends Liberty Life upon other false grounds and motives These are to look for no reward from Christ As 1. Popish Monks who renounce all propriety in worldly goods and vow voluntary Poverty upon Opinion of meriting thereby and of attaining to a state of perfection in this life These have their reward as our Saviour saith of the Pharisees in another case 2. Such as riotously mispend their goods and substance to satisfy their lusts and so bring poverty upon themselves and upon such as depend on them Worse than unbelievers 1 Tim. 5. 8. 3. Such as are content to part with goods friends liberty or life in defence of errors and heretical opinions as Donatists Papists
will not abase themselves that they may honour Christ c. Where is the zeal of such which they should shew in doing honour to Christ Where is their love to Christ How far short do these come of the zeal that was here in the Disciples and in the multitude c. Such as have hitherto been faulty this way are here to take notice of their sin that is of their coldness negligence and slackness in seeking the honour of Christ and in doing honour to him and for time to come labour and pray for true zeal for the honour of Christ Think it not enough to do some good duties in way of honouring him but to be truly zealous earnest and forward in doing the same This zeal doth exceedingly commend all good works and Christian duties and without it they are not praise-worthy nor accepted of God Observ 6 Observ 6. From the persons who did all this honour to Christ viz. the Disciples who were poor and mean men in outward estate and the common people who were of low degree not the Scribes Pharisees or Rulers c. for these were enemies and hinderers of this honour done to Christ as appeareth Matth. 21. 15. Hence we learn that usually and for most part the poorer and meaner sort are more zealous and forward in honouring Christ than the great men of the world Thus it was here and at other times Joh. 7. 48. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him But this people who knoweth not the Law c. Reason Reason It pleaseth God usually to call the meaner sort to the knowledg of Christ and of the Gospel and to give them faith rather than to the great ones of the World Luke 10. 21. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and revealed them to babes c. 1 Cor. 1. 26. Ye see your calling how that not many wise after the flesh not many mighty c. and Jam. 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith c. Use 1 Vse 1. To answer such as object against the true professours of Christ and of the Gospel the outward poverty meanness or baseness of such as make this profession Thus do the Papists and others now adayes as if this were any good argument or any prejudice to the truth of Religion or to the professours of it that many or most of them are men of mean estate and degree in the World On the contrary this maketh rather for the truth and for the zealous professours of it inasmuch as it hath been so usually and for the most part in all Ages and times of the Gospel In our Saviour's time the poor received the Gospel So in the Apostles times c. Vse 2 Use 2. See how unfit it is to tye our selves to the example of great men in matters of Religion yea how dangerous seeing they are usually less zealous and forward to honour Christ than the poorer sort yea they are often the greatest enemies and hinderers of the Honour and Glory of Christ c. Mark 11. 9 10. And they that went before and they that followed cryed saying Hosanna c. Octob. 11. 1629. THe Evangelist having shewed how the common people honoured Christ by their Deeds some in casting their garments in the way and others in cutting down branches of Trees and strawing them Now he shews further how they honoured him in their words viz. by a joyful and triumphant Acclamation or crying out which they used before and after him as he rode on the way They that went before and they that followed cryed saying Hosanna c. Where consider 1. The persons that made this solemn Acclamation Those that went before and those that followed That is to say the common people who now accompanied Christ in the way some of which went before him and some followed after him so as he rode in the midst between them in a kind of Royal or Kingly state 2. The Acclamation or crying it self which the people used 3. The matter of their cry or words uttered c. Hosanna Blessed be he c. Of the first The persons who thus honoured Christ I have spoken of these before Therefore I proceed to the Acclamation it self They cryed With a loud voyce as may be gathered from Luke 19. 37. The multitude of Disciples rejoyced and praised God with a loud voyce Which shews their zeal and earnestness in this duty of honouring Christ The same also appeareth by their repetition of the word Hosanna But of this before Now followeth the words which they uttered in this Acclamation or crying out before and after Christ First to open the meaning Hosanna This is an Hebrew word signifying as much as Save I pray thee or Save I beseech thee It is compounded of two other words viz. Hoshiah which signifies Save and Na or Anna which signifies I pray thee So it includes a prayer or Petition of the people wherein they desire and pray to God to save preserve and keep the person of Christ their King and Messiah for so they did now conceive and acknowledg him to be Further note That this word Hosanna together with the words immediately following is all edged and taken out of Psal 118. 25. where the people upon the day of the installing of David into the Kingdom use this solemn Prayer Save now I beseech thee O Lord c. Where in the Hebrew Text the words are these Anna Jehovah Hoshiah Na. Now because as the Learned do observe this word Hosanna being taken out of that place of the Psalm was a word which was afterward taken up and commonly used by the people of God in their publick and solemn prayers or thanksgivings which they used upon the day of their Feast of Tabernacles when they were by the Law of God to carry branches of Palm-Trees Willows c. Levit. 23. 40. in token of their publick joy therefore the Evangelists do not translate the word into the language wherein they wrote but set it down in Hebrew as it was commonly known and used by the people Hence also it is that the Jews at this day when they keep their Feast of Tabernacles do still use this word Hosanna in their publick and solemn forms of prayer of thanksgiving Buxtorf Synagog Jud. pag. 361. Here note further that this word Hosanna as it was â—ramonly used at this and other times by the Jews is not only a word of Prayer or Petition but also of â—ublick joy and thanksgiving for some great benefit c. So here it seems to be used Luke 19. 30. The multitude of Disciples rejoyced and praised God c. Vide Jansen Harm Blessed is he that cometh c. Or Blessed be he that cometh c. as it is translated out of the Hebrew Psal 118. 26. It seems to be a form of Prayer or Petition as the former word Hosanna in which they pray and desire that Christ their King and
to blindnesse They detained the truth in unrighteousness Use Use Pray unto God not to give us up to our own wilfull blindness and unbelief lest we shut our eyes against the known and manifest truth of God refusing to embrace and yield obedience to it in heart and life which is a fearful and high degree of sin And to the end that God may not give thee up to this wilful blindness and infidelity take heed of contemning the known truth and labour to entertain the true love of it in thy heart See 2 Thess 2. 10. Here followeth our Saviour's Reply to their answer And Jesus answering saith unto them Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things He doth not say I cannot tell you c. as they said to him for then he should have spoken an untruth as they did and so have been like to them as he sayes elsewhere in a like case Joh. 8. 55. which was impossible for him to do being without sin But because he knew that in saying they could not tell whether John's Ministery were from Heaven or from men they lyed against their own knowledg and did wilfully suppress the truth not because they could not but because they would not utter it therefore he thus replyed unto them refusing to give them any further or more plain and direct answer to their question Observ 1 Observ 1. The truth of that before touched Verse 29. viz. That it is not necessary or fit to give any answer to such as move captious questions to us not with a mind to learn but with a purpose to entrap or ensnare us Prov. 26. 4. Answer not a fool according to his folly When we are like to do no good by answering then silence is the best answer to such profane fools To answer such as are not like to reap good by our answer is but to cast pearls before swine c. Matth. 7. 6. Observ 3 Observ 2. Because they denyed and opposed the truth against their own knowledg our Saviour refuseth to give them any further answer to their question or to instruct them further in that which they were yet ignorant of hence Observe the wise Judgment of God upon obstinate enemies of the truth who do wilfully deny or oppose the same against their own knowledg the Lord doth use to leave such in their own ignorance and blindness refusing to instruct and teach them yea to give them up unto further blindnesse This was one cause why our Saviour taught in dark Parables that so he might in just Judgment hide his Doctrine from the obstinate Scribes and Pharisees who wilfully opposed the known truth See before Mark 4. 11. To them that are without all things are done in Parables That seeing they may see and not perceive c. So Esay 6. 9. Go tell this People Hear ye indeed but understand not c. 1 Cor. 14. 38. If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant that is if any man be wilfully ignorant denying or opposing the known or manifest truth of those things which I have written to you c. Vse Use Tak heed of this wilful contempt and opposition of the known Truth lest for it God do justly leave us in ignorance yea give us up to further blindness to be hardened in it as he may justly do On the contrary labour not onely to know the Truth and Doctrine of God out of his Word but especially to entertain the love of it in our hearts that we may imbrace it and yield obedience to it in heart and â—ife Finis Undecimi Capitis