that time when he had with an unbelieving Heart and an unthankful Spirit been eating the Passover which was a Type of Christ Now Satan enters into him that is takes fuller possession of him and he gives up himself more freely and fully to the Devil's conduct and suggestions Satan gets possession of wicked Men gradually and by degrees not all at once the only way to be safe is to resist the beginnings of Sin for when Satan once gets footing it is hard to prevent a more full possession Observe 4. The place where Judas now was Namely at Bethany some Miles from Jerusalem and it was now Night yet so intent he was upon the Devil's work that away he trudges to Jerusalem and at that time of the Night repairs to the high Priests and sells his Saviour into their hands Oh what a warmth and zeal was here in the Devil's cause Men given over by God possest by Satan are so restless and unwearied in Sin that neither by day nor by Night can they cease from the contrivance and execution of it 31 ¶ Therefore when he was gone out Jesus said Now is the son of man glorified and God is glorified in him 32 If God be glorified in him God shall also glorifie him in himself and shall straightway glorifie him Observe here 1. Our blessed Lord calls his Death his glory Now is the Son of Man glorified That is now is the time at hand when I am to die and shall by my Death finish the work of Man's Redemption and thereby eminently glorifie God God the Father was eminently glorified in the Obedience and Sufferings of his dear and only Son It is true that the Sufferings of Christ were Ignominious in themselves yet were they the way to his own Glory and his Father 's also for by them he redeemed a lost World trampled upon Satan triumphed over Sin And the Father was exceedingly glorified by the Son 's giving Obedience to his Will and so chearfully Suffering Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him 33 Little children yet a little while I am with you Ye shall seek me and as I said unto the Jews Whither I go ye cannot come so now I say unto you Observe here An indearing compellation a sweet Title given by Christ to his Disciples Little Children intimating that tender Affection which he bare unto them tho' now upon the point of departing from them Learn thence That whatever Christ's dealings are or may be with his People in respect of his removing and withdrawing from them yet he still retains the relation of a Father to them and will in his absence from them exercise such a care over them as Parents have of their young and tender Children so much doth the Title of Little Children imply and import Observe farther The plain intimation which our Saviour gives to his Disciples of his death being very nigh for it was the very next day he tells them he was going to Heaven and whither he went they could not come that is not presently they should follow him their forerunner afterwards but at present he had a great deal of work for them to do tho' his own work was done and till they had finished their work Whither He went they could not come Learn hence That tho' it be Rest which the Saints may lawfully desire an everlasting rest with Christ in glory yet must they not refuse to labour whilest their Lord will have it so Till their work be done whither Christ is gone they cannot come Ye shall seek me but whither I go at present ye cannot come 34 A new commandment I give unto you That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another Our Saviour having mentioned his departure from his Disciples in the former Verse I go away and whither I go ye cannot come In this and the following Verses he gives them a strict charge that in his absence they should love one another This he calls a new Commandment not that it was new in regard of Institution but of Restitution not new in regard of the Substance of it for it was a Branch of the Law of Nature and a known precept of the Jewish Religion But he calls it a new Commandment 1. Because purged from the old corrupt glosses of the Pharisees who had limited this duty of Love and confined it to their own Country-men whereas Christ enlarges the object and obliges his Disciples to love all mankind even their very Enemies 2. Because this Duty of Love was so greatly advanced and heightned by our Saviour as to the measures and degrees of it even to the laying down of our Lives one for another 3. It is called a new Commandment because urged from a new Motive and enforced by a new Example As I have loved you that ye also love one another never was this Duty so effectually taught so mightily encouraged so much urged and insisted upon by any Teacher as our Saviour and never was there such an Example given of it as his own 4. 'T is a new Commandment because with the rest it was never to wax old but to be always fresh in the memory and practice of Christ's Disciples to the end of the World 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another To recommend the foregoing Duty of loving one another with the greater advantage our Saviour tells us here that it will be the best Evidence of our Relation to him as sincere Disciples By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples Where Observe 1. Our Saviour doth not say by this Men shall conjecture and guess that you belong to me as being my Disciples but they shall certainly know it 2. He doth not say by this shall you know your selves to be my Disciples and one another to be so but by this shall all others know it as well as your selves 3. He doth not say by this shall all Men know that you look like my Disciples but that you are indeed what you pretend to be Namely By your loving one another 4. Christ doth not say by this shall the World know that you are my Disciples Namely By your assembling often together in my House of Prayer by your frequent fastings by your reading the Scriptures Daily by your hearing Sermons Weekly by your Receiving Sacraments Monthly all these put together will be no sufficient evidence of your Disciple-ship if you keep up a secret grudg in your Hearts one against another But by this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Learn hence That one of the best Proofs and Evidences we can have of our relation to Christ as his sincere Disciples is an hearty love and good will one towards another 36 ¶ Simon Peter said unto him Lord whither goest thou Jesus answered him Whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt
good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them Observe here 1. A Caution given Beware of False Prophets There were two sorts of Deceivers which our Saviour gave his Disciples a special Warning of namely False Christs and False Prophets False Christs were such as pretended to be the True Messias False Prophets were such who pretended to own Christianity but drew People away from the Simplicity of the Gospel Obs 2. The Ground of this Caution They come in Sheeps-cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves That is they make fair Pretences to Strictness in Religion and to greater Measures and Degrees of Mortification and Self-Denial than others Whence we Learn That such as go about to Seduce others usually pretend to Extraordinary Measures of Sanctity themselves to raise an Admiration amongst those who judge of Saints more by their Looks than by their Lives more by their Expressions than by their Actions What Heavenly Looks and Devout Gestures what Long Prayers and Frequent Fastings had the Hypocritical Pharisees beyond what Christ or his Disciples ever practised Obs 3. The Rule laid down by Christ whereby we are to Judge of False Teachers By their Fruits we shall know them Learn That the best Course we can take to Judge of Teachers pretending to be sent of God is to Examin the Design and Tendency of their Doctrines and the Course and Tenour of their Conversations Good Teachers like good Trees will bring forth the good Fruits of Truth and Holiness but Evil Men and Seducers like corrupt Trees will bring forth Error and Wickedness in their Life and Doctrine 21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven 22 Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out devils and in thy Name done many wonderful works 23 And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Not every one that is Not any one that saith Lord Lord that is that owneth me by way of Profession by way of Prayer and by way of Appeal shall be Saved But he that doth the Will of my Father sincerely and universally Learn hence 1. That Multitudes at the Great Day shall be really disowned by Christ as none of his Servants that did Nominally own him for their Lord and Master Many that have now Prophesied in his Name shall then Perish in his Wrath Many that have cast out Devils now shall be cast out to Devils then Such as have now Done many Wonderful Works shall then Perish for Evil Workers Note 2. That a bare Name and Profession of Christianity without the Practice of it is a very Insufficient Ground to Build our Hopes of Heaven and Salvation upon 3. That Gifts Eminent Gifts yea Extraordinary and Miraculous Gifts are not to be rested in or depended upon as Sufficient Evidences for Heaven and Salvation Gifts are as the Gold which Adorns the Temple but Grace is like the Temple that Sanctifies the Gold 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock 25 And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand 27 And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it Our Saviour here concludes his Excellent Sermon with an Elegant Similitude The Wise Builder is not the frequent Hearer but the faithful Doer of the Word or the Obedient Christian the House is Heaven and the Hope of Eternal Life the Rock is Christ the Building upon the Sand is resting in the bare Performâ—nce of Outward Duties the Rains the Winds and the Floods are all kind of afflicting Evils Sufferings and Persecutions that may befall us Note 1. That the Obedient Believer is the only Wise Man that Builds his Hopes of Heaven upon a sure and abiding Foundation Note 2. That such Professors as rest in the Outward Performance of Holy Duties are Foolish Builders their Foundation is weak and sandy and all their Hopes of Salvation vain and uncertain 28 And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine 29 For he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes Here we have Two Things Observable 1. The Manner of our Lord 's Teaching it was with Authority that is it was Grave and Serious Pious and Ardent Plain and Profitable With what Brevity without Darkness With what Gravity without Affectation With what Eloquence without Meretricious Ornament were our Lord's Discourses The Majesty he shewed in his Sermons made it evidently appear that he was a Teacher sent of GOD and cloathed with his Authority Observe 2. The Success of his Teaching The People were Astonished at his Doctrine Affected with Admiration believing him to be an Extraordinary Prophet Learn That such is the Power of Christ's Doctrine especially when accompanied with the Energy of his Holy Spirit that it makes all his Auditors Admirers it causes Astonishment in their Minds and Reformation in their Manners CHAP. VIII This Chapter is called by St. Ambrose Scriptura Miraculosa the Miraculous Scripture there being several great Miracles recorded in this Chapter As the Cleansing of the Leper the Curing of the Centurion's Servant the Appeasing of the Winds c. Our Saviour having delivered his Doctrine in the former Chapters in this he backs his Doctrine with Miracles for the Establishment and Confirmation of it 1 WHEN he was come down from the mountain great multitudes followed him 2 And behold there came a leper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 3 And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean And immediately his leprosie was cleansed 4 And Jesus saith unto him See thou tell no man but go thy way shew thy self to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony unto them Several Particulars are here Observable as 1. The Petitioner and that is a Leper he came and Worshipped Christ and petitions him to Heal him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Where he discovers a firm Belief of Christ's Power but a Diffidence and Distrust of Christ's Will to Heal him Learn Christ's Divine Power must be fully assented to and firmly believed by all those that expect Benefit by him and Healing from him Obs 2. How readily our Saviour grants his Petition Jesus touched him saying I will be thou clean Our Saviour
are all perishing but for Bread for your Souls to live eternally by even for the Food of my heavenly Doctrine which will make them that feed upon it Immortal and this the Son of Man stands ready to give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed that is by a Special Commission and Authority hath impowered him to dispense all Spiritual Blessings to them that want and crave them Learn hence 1. That all the Things of this Life are perishing and fading The best of outward Comforts and Enjoyments are Meat that perisheth 2. That it is the greatest of Follies to labour intensely and inordinately for and to set our selves with all our might and strength to persue and follow after perishing things 3. That Jesus Christ his Holy Doctrine his heavenly Grace is Food which neither perisheth nor diminisheth how many soever partake of it but makes all that partake thereof to be Partakers of Eternal Life therewith 4. That Jesus Christ is authorized sealed and commissioned by his Father to give eternal Life to such as industriously labour after him and will not be satisfied without him Him hath God the Father sealed That is Jesus Christ was sealed to the Office of a Mediator by God the Father Christ was sealed at his Baptism sealed by his Doctrine sealed by his Miracles sealed by his Resurrection sealed by his Unction or Supereminent and Unparalleled Sanctification Lord where will the Rejecters of Christ then appear at the great Day who have despised the Authority of him whom the Father commissioned to give eternal Life to whom soever he pleaseth 28 Then said they unto him What shall we do that we might work the works of God 29 Jesus answered and said unto them This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent Here the Jews who were strict Observers of the Ceremonial Law of Moses and rested thereupon for Salvation inquire of our Saviour what they should do that they might please God Christ directs them to the great Duty of believing on himself to own and acknowledge him to be the True Messias and as such to rely upon him alone for Salvation This is the work of God that ye believe c. Learn hence That for a penitent humbled Sinner to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ it is a work highly pleasing and acceptable unto God Christ calls Faith the work of God upon a threefold Account it is the Work of his Efficiency and Operation 't is the work of his commanding and 't is the work of his Approbation and Acceptation a work that God is highly pleased with and greatly delighted in This is the work of God 30 They said therefore unto him What sign shewest thou then that we may see and believe thee what dost thou work 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert as it is written He gave them bread from heaven to eat Here the Jews tell our Saviour that before they will believe in him they must see some Sign from him to confirm his Doctrine and prove him to be the Messias They acknowledge Christ had wrought a great Miracle in feeding five thousand Persons with five Barley Loaves but Moses fed their Fathers in the Wilderness who were no less than six hundred thousand Persons with excellent Manna from Heaven and this for forty Years together from whence they would seem to conclude that they had more reason to believe Moses than Christ not considering that Moses was but an Instrument to obtain by Prayer the Manna at the Hands of God but Christ was an Agent and that by a creating Power inherent in himself he multiplied the five Loaves to the feeding of five thousand Note here 1. From the Jews requiring a Sign before they would believe That he who publishes a new Doctrine to the World ought to confirm his Mission by some Miraculous Operation 2. That God honoured Moses his Messenger very much and Christ his Minister much more in that both of them wrought great and special Miracles for the Confirmation of their Mission 3. That the Jews not believing Christ to be the true Messias upon so many Attestations and after his Divine Mission was confirmed by such Miraculous Operations rendered their Infidelity inexcusable and their Obstinacy invincible 32 Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my father giveth you the true bread from heaven 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world Upon the Jews mentioning Manna to our Blessed Saviour he takes occasion to make a Comparison betwixt himself the Bread of Life and Manna the Bread of Moses and that in three Particulars 1. It was not Moses that gave the Israelites that Manna it was God at the Prayer of Moses but it was God that now offered them the Bread of Life were they willing to accept it 2. The Manna was not given from Heaven that is from the Coelestial Heaven but only from the Air and Clouds which frequently in Scripture is called Heaven But Christ the Bread of Life was given and sent by the Father from the highest Heaven even the Heaven of Glory 3. Manna was not true Spiritual Food effectively and of it self but bodily Food only but Christ is Real and Spiritual Bread which gives Life to lost and dead Men which Manna did not could not do And whereas Manna was peculiar to Israel only Christ gives Life to all sorts of Persons Gentiles as well as Jews The Bread of God giveth Life unto the World Learn hence That as Christ is the Truth and Substance of all the Types in the Old Testament so particularly the Manna was an illustrious Type of Christ In many things they agree and in some they differ They agree in their Original Manna came down from Heaven so did Christ Manna was freely given so is Jesus Christ the free Gift of God Manna was not fit to be eaten as it lay in the Field but must be ground in a Mill or beaten in a Mortar and baked in an Oven before it was fit for Food Christ was ground by his Sufferings bruised on the Cross scorched in the fiery Oven of his Father's Wrath that he might become a fit Saviour for us Again as the Manna was gathered by the Israelites daily and equally it was rained down about their Tents and every Man had his Omer Thus is Christ in the Ministry of the Word daily offered to a lost World and all that believe in him shall share alike in the Benefits of Justification Sanctification and Glorification from him But now the Manna and Christ differ in this and the Truth excells the Type thus There is a quickening inlivening Vertue a Life-giving and a Life-upholding Power in Christ the Bread of Life which was never found in Manna the Bread of Israel And wheras Manna only fed the Body the Body of an Israelite and this only for a
Mysteries to the World 2. That Christ was so intent upon laying down his Life for Sinners that he would not have his Death hindred by an untimely Declaration of his being truly and really God After his Death it was that He declared himself to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from â—he Dead 21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day Obs 1. The Wisdom of our Saviour in acquainting his Disciples with the near Approach of his Death and Sufferings This he did for several Reasons 1. To let them understand that he was really God as they had just before confess'd him to be by his foreknowing and foretelling things to come 2. To convince them of their Error in apprehending that his Kingdom was of this World and that he was to Reign here as a Temporal Prince 3. To prevent their being offended at his Sufferings and to prepare them for their own that they might neither shrink at them nor sink under them Obs 2. The Persons foretold by Christ that should be the bloody Actors in the Tragedy of his Death namely the Rulers and Chief Priests It was the Poor that received Christ and embraced the Gospel it was the Great Ones of the World that rejected him and set him at nought and the Rulers both in Church and State condemn'd and crucifi'd him 22 Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee No doubt Peter spake all this out of a sincere intention and with a singular Affection towards our Saviour but Pious Intentions and Good Affections will not justifie unwarrantable Actions From this Counsel of St. Peter to Christ we Learn 1. How ready Flesh and Blood is to oppose all that tends to Suffering Master spare thy self 2. What need we have to be fortified against the Temptations of Friends as well as of Enemies for Satan can make good Men his instruments to do his Work when they little think of it Peter little suspected that Satan set him on work to hinder the Redemption of Mankind by disswading Christ from Dying But observe in the next Verse with what indignation Christ rejects Peter's Advice 23 But he turned and said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of Men. Christ lookt upon Peter with Anger and Displeasure Christ heard Satan speaking in Peter 'T was Peter's Tongue but Satan tuned it therefore Christ calls Peter by Satan's Name They that will do the Devil's Work shall have the Devil's Name too He that would hinder the Redemption of Mankind is Satan an Adversary to Mankind From our Saviour's smart Reproof given to Peter Learn That no Love or Respect to Mens Persons or Piety must draw us to flatter them in their Sins or cause us to speak lightly of their Sins From our Saviour's Resolution not to favour himself notwithstanding Peter's Advice Learn That so intent was the Heart of Christ upon the great Work of Man's Redemption that he could not bear the least word that should obstruct him in it or divert him from it 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples If any Mâ—n will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me Observe here 1. How our Saviour recommends his Religion to every Man's Choice not attempting by force and violence to compel any to the Profession of it If any Man will come after me that is If any Man choose and resolve to be a Christian 2. Our Saviour's Terms propounded 1. Self-denial Let him deny himself By which we are not to understand the Denying and Renouncing of our Senses in matters of Faith nor yet the Renouncing of our Reason in matters of Religion but by Self-denial is meant that we should be willing to part with all our Earthly Comforts and quit all our Temporal Enjoyments for the sake of Christ and his Holy Religion 2. Gospel-Suffering He must take up his Cross An Allusion to a Roman Custom that the Malefactor who was to be Crucified took his Cross upon his Shoulder and carried it to the place of Execution Where Note Not the making of the Cross for our selves but the patient bearing of it when God lays it upon our Shoulder is the Duty injoyned Let him take up his Cross 3. Gospel-Service He must follow me that is Obey my Commands and follow my Example He must set my Life and Doctrine continually before him and must be daily Correcting and Reforming of his Life by that Rule and Pattern 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it Observe here 1. That the Love of this Temporal Life is a great Temptation to Men to deny Christ and to Renounce his Holy Religion 2. That the surest way to attain Eternal Life is Chearfully to lay down a Mortal Life when the Glory of Christ and his Service calleth us thereunto 26 For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Learn 1. That God has intrusted every one of us with a Soul of inestimable worth and preciousness capable of being saved or lost and that to all Eternity 2. That the Gain of the whole World is not comparable with the Loss of one precious Soul The Soul's Loss is an incompensable and irrecoverable Loss 27 For the Son of Man shall come in the gloâ—y of his Father with his angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works There is a twofold Judgment spoken of by this Evangelist St. Matthew namely a particular coming of Christ to execute Vengeance on the Jews at the Destruction of Jerusalem and a general coming at the Day of Judgment If we understand this place of the latter we have then 1. The Judge Described The Son of Man he who was and is both God and Man shall Judge both Angels and Men. 2. The Splendour of that Day declared He shall come in Glory with his Holy Angels The Attendance of Angels shall be requirâ—d by Christ not for Necessity but for Majesty 3. â—he Work and Business of that Day demonstrated and that is To Render to every Man according to his Works Learn That the Judgment of the great Day will be both Glorious and Righteous Christ will be Glorious in his Person and Glorious in his Attendance and the Judgment will be according to Righteousness Without respect of Persons according to what has been done in the Body 28 Verily I say unto you There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom A
unto this last even as unto thee 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own is thine eye evil because I am good 16 So the last shall be first and the first last for many be called but few chosen Here observe 1. That the time of God's full rewarding of his Labourers is the Evening of their Days that is when their Work is done When the Evening was come the Lord of the Vineyard called his Labourers and gave them their Hire not but that they have part of their Reward in Hand but it is chiefly laid up in Hope Obs 2. That tho' God makes no difference in his Servants Wages for the time of their Work yet he will make a difference for the degrees of their Service Undoubtedly they that have done most Work shall receive most Wages He that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully God will reward every Man according to his Works that is not only according to the Nature and Quality but the Measure and Degree of his Works All shall have Equity but all shall not have equal Bounty Obs 3. That all Inequality in the Distribution of Rewards doth not make God an unjust Accepter of Persons he may dispence both Grace and Glory in what Measure and Degree he pleases without the least Shadow of Unrighteousness Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own Obs 4. That when we have done much Service for God by labouring longer than others in his Vineyard it is our Duty to have a low Esteem both of our Services and our selves for the first shall be last and the last first That is they that are first and highest in their own Esteem shall be last and least in God's Account 17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way and said unto them 18 Behold we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes and they shall condemn him to death 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucifie him and the third day he shall rise again This is now the third time that Christ had acquainted his Disciples very lately with his approaching Sufferings and bloody Passion He did it twice before Chap. 16 and Chap. 17. yet now he mentions it again that they might not be dismayed and their Faith might not be shaken to see him dye who called himself the true Messias and the Son of God The first time he told his Disciples of his Death in general the second time he declares the means by Treason now he tells them the manner by crucifying that he should be Scourged Mocked Spit upon and Crucified All this he did to prevent his Disciples Dejection at his Sufferings Learn thence That it is highly necessary that the Doctrine of the Cross be often preach'd to us that so being armed with Expectation of Sufferings before they come we may be the less dismayed and disheartned when they come Our Lord 's frequent forewarning his Disciples of his Death and Sufferings was to forearm them with Expectation of his Sufferings and with Preparation for their own 20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons worshipping him and desiring a certain thing of him 21 And he said unto her What wilt thou she saith unto him Grant that these my two sons may sit the one on thy right hand and the other on the left in thy kingdom Observe here 1. The Persons making this Request to Christ Zebedee's Children that is James and John by the Mouth of their Mother They spake by her Lips and made use of her Tongue to usher in a Request which they were asham'd to make themselves Obs 2. The Request it self Grant that these Two may sit the one on thy Right the other on thy Left Hand Where Note How these Disciples did still dream of Christ's Temporal Kingdom altho' he had so often told them that his Kingdom was not of this World and ambitiously seek to have the Preference and Preheminence in that Kingdom See here how these poor Fishermen had already learnt craftily to fish for Preferment Who can wonder to see some Sparks of Ambition and Worldly Desires in the holiest Ministers of Christ when the Apostles themselves were not free from aspiring Thoughts even when they lay in the Bosom of their Saviour Ambition has all along infected Churchmen and troubled the Church even from the very first Original and Foundation of it Obs 3. Both the Unseasonableness and Unreasonableness of this Request made by the Disciples Christ speaks of his Sufferings to them and they sue for Dignity and great Places from him in optimis non nihil est pessimi The holiest the wisest and best of Men in this their imperfect State are not wholly free from passionate Infirmities Who would have expected that when our Saviour had been preaching the Doctrine of the Cross to his Disciples telling them that he must be Mocked Scourged Spit upon and Crucified for them that they should be seeking and suing to him for Secular Dignity and Honour Preheminence and Power But we plainly see the best of Men are but Men at the best none are in a State of Perfection on this side Heaven 22 But Jesus answered and said Ye know not what ye ask Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with they say unto him We are able Our Saviour in his Answer tells these Disciples 1. That they were greatly ignorant of the Nature and Quality of his Kingdom which was not Secular but Heavenly but the Carnal Notion of a Glorious Earthly Kingdom upon Earth in which they should be delivered from the Roman Power was so deeply imprinted in their Minds that they frequently declared their Expectation of it notwithstanding all the Assurances which Christ had given them of the contrary Obs 2. The Course which our Saviour takes to cool the Ambition of his Disciples he tells them they must expect here not Crowns on their Heads but a Cross on their Backs they must first taste of his Sufferings before they talk of his Glory and patiently suffer for him before they expect to reign with him plainly intimating that the Cross is the way to the Crown Suffering the way to Reigning and that those that suffer most for Christ shall partake of highest Dignity and Glory from him Obs 3. The presumptuous Confidence which the Disciples had of their own Strength and Ability for Sufferings Are ye able says Christ to drink of my Cup They reply We are able Alas poor Disciples when it came to the Tryal they all cowardly forsook him and fled A bold Presumption makes us vaunt of our own Ability holy Jealousie makes us distrustful of our own Strength Those that are least acquainted with the Cross are usually the most confident Undertakers
Light of Nature must give an Account for that One Talent as well as Christians that have Five must account for Five Obs 2. The slothful Servant's Allegation I knew thee to be an hard man and I was afraid Where Note His Prejudice against his Master and the effect of that Prejudice he was afraid and the Fruit of his Fear He hid his Talent in the Earth Learn hence That Sinners entertain in their Minds very hard and unkind Thoughts of God they look upon him as an hard Master rigorous in his Commands and difficult to be pleased Learn 2. That such hard Thoughts of God do naturally occasion slavish Fear which is a great Hinderance to the faithful Discharge of our Duty to God Obs 3. The Master's Reply to the slothful Servant's Allegation which contains an Exprobation or upbraiding of him for his Sloth and Negligence Thou wicked and slothful Servant Where Note 1. That the slothful Servant is a wicked Servant as well as the unfaithful Servant 2. That wicked and slothful Servants to excuse themselves will not stick to charge their Miscarriages upon God himself Thou wert an hard Man 3. That no Excuses whatsoever shall serve either the slothful or unfaithful Servant at the Bar of Christ 28 Take therefore the talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten talents 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth These Words contain the Sentence denounced by Christ upon the slothful Servant his Punishment is first a Punishment of Loss Take the Talent from him Learn thence That not improving the Gifts of God given as Talents to us provokes God to take them from us as well as mis-improving From him that hath not that is from him that improveth not shall be taken from him that which he hath 2. Follows the Punishment of Sense Cast him into utter Darkness where is weeping and gnashing of Teeth Learn thence That Hell is a Place and State of inexpressible Misery and Torment A dismal Place as being deprived of the Sight and Enjoyment of God of Christ of Saints and Angels A doleful Place full of overwhelming Sorrow and despairing Grief The gnashing of their Teeth signifies their being full of Rage and Indignation against God against the Saints and against themselves 31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand but the goats on the left From hence to the end of the Chapter we have a Draught and Scheme of the general Judgment Where Observe the Person judging the Son of Man the Persons judged Good and Bad the one called Sheep for their Innocency and Meekness the other Goats for their Unruliness and Uncleanness Observe also the manner of his coming to Judgment most August and Glorious Glorious in his Person glorious in his Attendants Learn That Christ's Appearance at the great Day to the judging of the World it will be a splendid and a glorious Appearance He will come with Power and in great Glory in regard of the Dignity of his Person and the Quality of his Office and the Greatness of his Work He will appear as a King in the midst of his Nobles to take off the Scandal and Ignominy of the Cross and as a Recompence for his Abasement and Humiliation To strike the Hearts of his Enemies with Dread and Fear and to fill the Souls of his People with Joy and Confidence Let us therefore propound it to our Faith to believe it to our Fear to tremble at the Thoughts of it to our Hope and Love that we may expect and wait look and long for it Observe farther the Work of this Judge first to congregate secondly to segregate He shall first gather all Nations Learn That at the general Judgment all that have lived shall be summoned to the Bar of Christ Persons of all Sexes of all Ages of all Nations of all Conditions having gathered them together he shall next segregate and separate them as a Shepherd his Sheep Thence Learn That tho' there be a Mixture and Confusion of the Godly and the Wicked here yet at the Day of Judgment there will be a Separation made betwixt them and they shall never come together more 34 Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Here follows the Sentence which Christ will pronounce upon the Righteous and the Wicked at the great Day first the Sentence of Absolution upon the Righteous then the Sentence of Condemnation upon the Wicked Learn thence That at the Day of Judgment the Godly shall be absolved before the Wicked are condemned The Reasons are because 't is more delightful to God to reward than to punish to save than to destroy because 't is suitable to Christ's Love to begin with his Saints and to be admired by them Also to put his Saints out of Fear as to their Eternal Condition and to bring them near to himself and to set them upon the Throne with himself as Assessors and Judges of the wicked World 1 Cor. 6.3 Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World Lastly With respect to the Wicked that they may be the more affected with their Loss and have a vexatious and tormenting Sense of that Happiness which they have refused Observe next the joyful Sentence pronounced Come ye Blessed of my Father Where Note 1. The joyful Compellation Ye Blessed Which Term is opposed to these Two Things 1. To the Worlds Judgment of them which accounts them vile and accursed Here is an Absolution from their unjust Censures 2. To the Sentence of the Law which pronounces all its Transgressors accursed Gal. 3.10 but says Christ I that have redeemed you from the Curse of the Law pronounce you Blessed But why Blessed of my Father 1. To point out the Fontal Cause of all our Happiness the Love of the Father This prepared the Kingdom 2. This Expression shews how the Divine Persons glorifie one another As the Spirit glorifies the Son so the Son glorifies the Father and referrs all to him Therefore Christ says not Come my redeemed ones but Come ye blesled ones not Come you that were redeemed by me but Come ye blessed of my Fathee 't is his good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ at his second Coming will adjudge all his People unto a State of glorious and everlasting Happiness which his Father has prepared and
himself has purchased for them Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you 35 For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in 36 Naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Here our Saviour sets forth not the meritorious Cause of his Saint's Happiness but the infallible Signs of such as should inherit that Happiness the Character of the Persons that might expect it Such as fed him clothed and visited him in his Members Where Note 1. That the Godly having their Sins forgiven in this World probably there shall be no mention made of them in the Day of Judgment Christ here only mentions the good Works of his Saints Ye fed me ye clothed not a Word of their Failings Obs 2. That they are not the Duties of the first but of the second Table which here Christ mentions because Works of Charity are more visible to the World than Works of Piety Learn hence 1. That at the great Day every Man's Sentence shall be pronounced according to his Works 2. That Works of Charity done out of Love to Christ shall be particularly observed and bountifully rewarded by Christ at the great Day The Question then will be not how have you Heard Pray'd or Preach'd but whom have you Fed Cloathed and Visited 3. That whatever Good or Evil is done to the poor Members of Christ Christ reckons it as done unto himself I was an hungry and ye gave me Meat 37 Then shall the righteous answer him saying when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink 38 When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and clothed thee 39 Or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Here we have a Dialogue or interchangeable Discourse betwixt Christ and his faithful Servants at the great Day where Observe their Question and his Reply Their Question Lord when did we feed thee cloath or visit thee We have forgot the Time tho' such is thy Goodness to remember it Learn thence That Christ keeps a faithful Record of all our Acts of pious Charity when we have forgotten them If we remember to do Good Christ will be sure to remember the Good we have done Ay and reward it as well as remember it Again this Question of theirs may proceed from Admiration and Wonder and from an humble Sense of their own Nothingness and from the Greatness of Christ's Condescension in taking notice of such mean Services and requiting them with such a Transcendent Reward Learn hence That when Christ comes to reward his Children and People they will wonder and be astonished at the Poverty and Meanness of their own Services and at the Transcendency and Greatness of his Rewards Observe next Our Lord's Reply Inasmuch as ye did it to the least of these of my Brethren ye did it unto me Where Obs 1. The Title put by Jesus Christ upon his poorest and meanest Members My Brethren 2. The Resentment of the Kindness shewed to his Brethren as shewn unto himself Inasmuch as ye did it to them ye have done it to me Learn thence That such is the indearing Intimacy betwixt Christ and his Members that whatever is done to any of them is esteem'd by him as done unto himself 41 Their shall he say also unto them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Here we have the Sentence of Condemnation denounced against the Wicked Where Obs 1. The Posture in which they are found at Christ's Left Hand This doth not so much denote the Ignominy of the Place tho' placing at the Left Hand is less honourable as the Impiety of their Choice they took up with left-hand Mercies the Mercies of the Footstool Wealth and Riches Dignity and Honour As for the good Things which are at God's Right Hand for evermore they never sought after these Verily a Man may know his future State by his present Choice Obs 2. The Title given to wicked Men Ye cursed Not cursed of my Father because cursing is God's strange Work We force him to it he delights not in it Obs 3. The Sentence it self Where Note 1. The Punishment of Loss Depart from me Learn thence That it is the Hell of Hell to the damned that they must everlastingly depart from and lose the comfortable Fruition and Enjoyment of God in Christ 'T is to be deprived of an infinite Good Hell is a deep Dungeon where the Sunshine of God's Presence never cometh 2. The Punishment of Sense Depart into everlasting Fire Where Note Its Severity 't is Fire its Eternity it is everlasting Fire Learn thence That there are everlasting Torments in Hell prepared for the Wicked there is a State of Torment and a Place of Torment provided by God All Princes have not only their Palace but their Prison God has the Palace of Heaven for Enjoyment of himself and his Friends and the Prison of Hell for the punishing his Enemies The Nature of the damned's Misery is set out by Fire and the whole Man Body and Soul shall be tormented in it 1. The Body in all its Members their Eyes with affrighting Spectacles the Devil and his Angels and their old Companions in Sin every time they behold these it revives their Guilt and enrages their Despair Their Ears are filled with Yellings and Howlings and hideous Outcries 2. The Soul shall suffer in Hell by reflecting upon its own Choice by remembring Time sinfully wasted Seasons of Grace sadly sâ—ighted the Mercies of God unworthily abused Lord how will the Remembrance of past Mercies aggravate present Miseries 42 For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave no drink 43 I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not 44 Then shall they also answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred or a thirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee 45 Then shall he answer them saying Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Observe here 1. How Christ lays the Charge of the Wicked's Damnation upon themselves alone You gave me no Meat you took me not in Man and Man alone is the Cause of his own Destruction and Damnation Obs 2. The Kind of Sin charged on the Wicked at the great Day Consider it 1. In its generical Nature 't is a Sin of Omission Whence Learn That Sins of Omission are certainly damning
And they had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas 17 Therefore when they were gathered together Pilate said unto them Whom will ye that I release unto you Barabbas or Jesus which is called Christ 18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him Now at the Feast that is at the Feast of the Passover which by way of Eminency is called the Feast the Governour used to release a Prisoner possibly by way of Memorial of their Deliverance out of Egypt accordingly Pilate makes a Motion to them that Christ may be the Prisoner set at Liberty in Honour of their Feast for he was sensible that what they did was out of Envy and Malice As Covetousness sold Christ so Envy deliver'd him Envy is a killing and murthering Passion Envy slayeth the silly one Job 5.2 That is it slays the silly Person who harbours this pestilent Lust in his Bosom and is like a Fire in his Bones continually preying upon him causing him to pine away and dye miserably because another lives happily To envy another Man's Prosperity is an Argument of the worst Simplicity Yea farther as Envy slayeth the silly one so it prompts and provokes the Sinner to seek the slaying of simple and innocent ones Envy wishes the envied Person out of the way yea out of the World and if need be will not only wish it but lend a lift towards it too Witness the Chief Priests here whose Envy was so conspicuous that Pilate himself takes notice of it and says He knew that for Envy they had delivered him 19 When he was set down on the judgment-seat his wife sent unto him saying Have thou nothing to do with that just man for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him There are several sorts or kinds of Dreams Natural Moral Diabolical and Divine The Question is what kind of Dream this was Not Natural all agree some think it was Diabolical and that Satan hoped thereby to prevent the Work of Man's Redemption by the Death of Christ But if so why had not Pilate the Dream rather than his Wife Probably this Dream was from God for even our very Dreams are order'd by God our sleeping as well as our waking times are in God's Hand Learn hence How wonderfully the Wisdom and Power of God is seen in this Woman's Testimony which she gave to the Innocency of our Saviour When all his Disciples were fled from him when none of his Friends durst speak a Word for him God raises up a Woman a Stranger a Pagan to give Evidence of his Innocency And it is Observable That at our Saviour's Trial not one Mouth was opened to plead or speak a Word for him in Defence of Innocency it self but only Pilate's and his Wife 's they both pronounce him Righteous tho' they were Gentiles and Pagans whilst his own Kindred and Countrymen the Jews thirst after his Righteous and Innocent Blood 20 But the chief priests and elders perswaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus 21 The governour answered and said unto them Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you They said Barabbas 22 Pilate said unto them What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ They all say unto him Let him be crucified 23 And the governour said Why what evil hath he done but they cried out the more saying Let him be crucified Observe here 1. How exceedingly unwilling and averse Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death one while he bids the Jews take him themselves and judge him according to their Law Another while he offers to save Christ in Honour of their Feast when by Custom he was to release a Prisoner and this Prisoner he desired might be Jesus When this would not satisfie he expostulates with them about our Saviour's Innocency what Evil has he done Nay St. Luke says Ch. 23. That Pilate came forth three times and professed that he found no Fault in him Yet tho' Pilate was satisfied the Jews would not be deny'd Thence Learn That wicked Men and Hypocrites within the visible Church may be guilty of such Tremendous Acts of Wickedness as the Conscience of Infidels and Pagans without the Church may boggle at and protest against Pilate a Pagan absolves Christ whilst hypocritical Jews which had heard his Doctrine and seen his Miracles do condemn him But Obs 2. Who influenced the main Body of the Jews to desire Barabbas and to destroy Jesus It was the chief Priests and Elders they perswaded the Multitude Wo to the People when their Guides and Leaders are corrupt for then they shall be tempted by wicked Counsel And wo unto them much more if they follow their wicked and pernicious Counsels Thus did the Jews follow their Guides the chief Priests till they had preserv'd Barabbas and destroy'd Jesus 24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing but that rather a tumult was made he took water and washed his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this just person see ye to it Two Things are here Observable in Pilate's washing of his Hands 1. By this Action he pronounces our Saviour's Innocency and was willing thereby to testifie his own that he did not consent to our Saviour's Death washing the Hands being an usual Ceremony in Protestation of a Person 's Innocency But 2. It was great Folly and Fondness in Pilate to think that washing of his Hands did or could free him from the Guilt of innocent Blood Oh Pilate thou hadst need rub hard if thou meanest to scoure from thy Soul the Guilt of that Crimson Sin which thou hast committed thy Guilt cleaves so close unto thee that nothing can expiate it but the Blood which thou hast spilt neither was it any Excuse of Pilate's Sin that what he did was to please the People and to gratifie their Importunity It is a fond Apology for Sins when Persons pretend that they were not committed with their own Consent but at others Instigation and Importunity 25 Then answered all the people and said His blood be on us and on our children That is Let the Guilt and Punishment of this Blood rest upon us and our Posterity A most horrid and impious Imprecation the dreadful Effects of it began to come upon them Forty Years after in the Destruction of Jerusalem and has rested and remained upon their Posterity to this Day near Seventeen Hundred Years the Jews being Vagabonds over the Earth abhorred by all Nations wheresoever they come This ought to be a Terror and 〈◊〉 Warning to all Persons that they avoid all cursed Imprecations and wicked Wishes upon themselves or others Wo to such as wish Damnation to themselves Pox and Plague upon others how if God says Amen and ratifie in Heaven thy cursed Imprecations made on Earth as he did this of the wicked Jews His Blood be on us and on our Children Yet what they with a wicked Mind
diseases and cast out many devils and suffered not the devils to speak because they knew him The Evangelist here declares sundry other Miracles wrought by our Saviour before the Door of Peter's House where he now was He healed all the Diseased that were brought unto him and cast out Devils out of them that were possessed with them But how comes it to pass that we read of so many possessed with Devils in our Saviour's time and so few either before or since Answ 1. Probably Satan perceiving that the Messiah was come in the Flesh to destroy his Kingdom did rage the more and discover greater Malice and Enmity against Mankind 2. Perhaps Almighty God permitted Satan at that time to possess so many that Christ might have Occasion to manifest his Divine Power by casting Satan out And accordingly we find our Saviour dispossessing all that were possess'd by Satan It is added That he suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him That is Christ would not be made known to be the Son of God by the preaching of the Devil to whom it belonged not to publish the Gospel lest the World should take from thence an Occasion to think that our Saviour held a Correspondency with those wicked Spirits and that the Miracles he wrought were performed by the Devil's Assistance as being one in Combination with him possibly from the Devil 's owning Christ to be the Holy One of God the Pharisees concluded that there was a Compact and Agreement betwixt them and thereupon their Affirmation was grounded he casteth out Devils by Beelzebub c. 35 And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed Observe here 1. The Duty performed by our Saviour namely Prayer solitary and private Prayer He went by himself alone out of the hearing of his Disciples The Company of our best Friends is not always seasonable nor acceptable there are Times and Cases when a Christian would not be willing that his dearest Relations upon Earth should hear that Intercourse which passes betwixt him and his God Obs 2. Christ chuses the Opportunity of the Morning for Prayer He rises a great while before Day to set about this Work Teaching us that the Morning is a fit Season yea the best Season for private Duties Now our Spirits are freshest and our Minds freest before the Distractions of the Day break in upon us it is better to go from Prayer to Business than from Business to Prayer 36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him 37 And when they had found him they said unto him All men seek for thee 38 And he said unto them Let us go into the next towns that I may preach there also for therefore came I forth 39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee and cast out devils Observe here Two Things First The great End of Christ in his Incarnation and coming into the World namely as a Prophet sent from God to reveal his Will and to publish the Doctrine of the Gospel Therefore came I forth that is to preach and plant the Gospel Secondly It being Christ's Design not only to plant but propagate the Gospel he would not confine his Ministry to any particular Place no not to the great City of Capernaum but resolves to preach the Word in the smallest Towns and Villages Leaving his Ministers herein an instructive Example to be as willing to preach the Gospel in the smallest Villages as in the largest Cities if God calls them thereunto Let the Place be never so obscure and mean and the Congregation never so small and little if God sends us thither the greatest of us must not think it beneath us to go and instruct an handful of People 40 And there came a leper to him beseeching him and kneeling down to him and saying unto him If thou wilt thou canst make me clean 41 And Jesus moved with compassion put forth his hand and touched him and saith unto him I will be thou clean 42 And as soon as he had spoken immediately the leprosie departed from him and he was cleansed 43 And he straightly charged him and forthwith sent him away 44 And saith unto him See thou say nothing to any man but go thy way shew thy self to the Priest and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them 45 But he went out and began to publish it much and to blaze abroad the matter insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city but was without in desert places and they came to him from every quarter The last Miracle of our Saviour's recorded in this Chapter is his healing of a leper he came beseeching Christ to heal him Saying If thou wilt thou canst make me clean Where Obs 1. He doth not question Christ's Power but distrusts Christ's Willingness to heal him Lord if thou wilt thou canst Christ's Divine Power must be fully assented to and firmly believed by all those that expect Benefit by him and healing from him Obs 2. The great Readiness of Christ to help and heal this distressed Person Jesus touched him saying I will be thou clean By the Ceremonial Law the Leper was forbidden to be touch'd therefore Christ's touching this Leper shewed him to be above the Law and that he was the Lord of it and might dispence with it and his healing the Leper by the Word of his Mouth and Touch of his Hand shew'd him to be truly and really God Leprosie amongst the Jews was an incurable Distemper called the Finger of God a Disease of his sending and of his removing Our Saviour therefore as a Proof of his being the true Messiah tells John's Disciples Matth. 11.5 That the Lepers were cleansed and the Dead raised by him which two being joined together do imply that the cleansing of Lepers is as much an Act of Divine Power as the raising of the Dead And accordingly 2 Kin. 5.8 't is said Am I a God that this Man sends to me to cure a Man of his Leprosie Obs 3. The Certainty and Suddenness of the Cure was a Proof of Christ's Divine Power immediately his Leprosie was cleansed Christ not only cured him without Means but without the ordinary Time required for such a Cure Thus Christ shew'd both Power and Will to cure him miraculously who believed his Power but questioned his Willingness Obs 4. The Cause moving our Saviour to cure this Leper his Bowels were moved with tender Pity and Compassion towards him Christ's exercising Acts of Mercy and Compassion with such Condolency and Sympathizing Pity should by way of Example teach us to be inwardly moved with tender Compassion and Mercy towards such as are in Misery We are not only to draw out our Bread but to draw out our Soul to the Hungry Obs 5. A twofold Charge and Command given by Christ to the Leper after his Cure 1. To
Observe how zealous Hypocrites are for the lesser things of the Law whilst they neglect the greater and superstitiously addicted to outward Ceremonies placing all Holiness in the Observation of them neglecting Moral Duties Observe farther 3. How our Saviour defends the Actions of his Disciples in gathering the Ears of Corn in their Necessity by the Practice and Example of David Necessity freed him from Fault and Blame in eating the Consecrated Bread which none but the Priests might lawfully eat For in Cases of Necessity a Ceremonial Precept must give place to a Moral Duty Works of Mercy and Necessity for preserving our Lives and the better fitting us for Sabbath Services are certainly Lawful on the Sabbath-day Obs 4. A double Argument which our Saviour uses to prove that the Sabbath's Observation may be dispensed with in a Case of absolute Necessity 1. Drawn from the end of the Sabbaths Institution The Sabbath was made for Man That is Instituted of God for the Good and Benefit of Mankind both with Respect to their Souls and to their Bodies The outward observing and keeping of the Sabbath is subordinate to the Good of Man and therefore the Good of Man is to be preferr'd before the outward keeping of the Sabbath 2. Argument is drawn from the Authority which Christ the Institutor of the Sabbath has over it The Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath That is He has Authority and Power both as God and as Mediator to institute and appoint a Sabbath to alter and change the Sabbath to dispence with the Breach of it upon a just and great Occasion And consequently Acts of Mercy which tend to fit us for Works of Piety not only may but ought to be done upon the Sabbath-day which was the Proposition which our Saviour undertook to prove CHAP. III. 1 ANd he entered again into the synagogue and there was a man there which had a withered hand 2 And they watched him whether he would heal him on the sabbath-day that they might accuse him 3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand Stand forth 4 And he saith unto them Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath day or to do evil to save life or to kill but they held their peace The former part of this Chapter reports to us a miraculous Cure wrought by Christ upon a Man who had a withered Hand The place where he wrought it was the Synagogue the time when was the sabbath-Sabbath-day the manner how was by speaking of a Word the Persons before whom were the envious and malicious Pharisees These Men were always cavilling at our Saviour's Doctrine and slandering his Miracles yet our Saviour goes on with his Work before their Faces without either Interruption or Discouragement Learn thence That the unjust Censures and malicious Cavils of wicked Men against us for well-doing must not discourage us from doing our Duty either towards God or towards our Neighbour Tho' the Pharisees watched our Saviour and when their Envy and Malice could find no Occasion of Quarrel would invent and make one yet such was our Lord's Courage and Resolution that he bids the Man which had the withered Hand stand forth To shew that he was resolved to heal him notwithstanding their malicious Purpose to accuse him for it as a Breaker of the Sabbath Opposition met with in doing our Duty must not discourage us from doing Good if we will follow the Example of our Blessed Redeemer 5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger being grieved for the hardness of their hearts he saith unto the man Stretch forth thine hand And he stretched it out and his hand was restored whole as the other Obs here 1. The Pharisees sinful and graceless Disposition and that was Hardness of Heart The Heart of Man is naturally hard and full of Obstinacy and Enmity against Christ but there is an acquired Hardness which Continuance in Sin occasions the Pharisees laboured under both Obs 2. A double Affection which this Hardness of Heart found in the Pharisees did stir up in Christ namely Anger and Indignation Grief and Commiseration He was grieved for the Hardness of their Hearts Learn hence 1. That Humane Passions are not sinful and that Christian Religion doth not destroy natural Affections 2. That Anger at Sin either in our selves or others if kept within its due Bounds is not only lawful but commendable 3. That our Anger against Sin ought to be accompanied with Grief and Compassion towards Sinners We should pour out our Tears of Compassion when Men pour forth their Abominations 4. That of all Sins Hardness of Heart and Unbelief are most grievous and offensive most displeasing and provoking to Jesus Christ He looked about with Anger being grieved for the Hardness of their Hearts Obs 3. The sudden and instantaneous Cure which our Saviour wrought upon the Man that had the withered Hand Our Saviour did not touch him but only said to him Stretch forth thy Hand and it was presently cured Learn hence That Christ's having absolute Power over all bodily Diseases and Infirmities to cure them miraculously without Means only by a Word speaking is one Argument that proves him to be truly and really God 6 And the Pharisees went forth and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him how they might destroy him 7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea and a great multitude from Galilee followed him and from Judea 8 And from Jerusalem and from Idumea and from beyond Jordan and they about Tyre and Sidon a great multitude when they had heard what great things he did came unto him 9 And he spake to his disciples that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude lest they should throng him 10 For he hâ—d healed many insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him as many as had plagues 11 And unclean spirits when they saw him fell down before him and cried saying Thou art the Son of God 12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known Obs here 1. What a dismal Effect this famous Miracle of Christ's had upon the Pharisees and Herodians Instead of being convinced by it they conspire against him for it These Herodians and Pharisees were of different Opinions Enemies to one another yet they join together in seeking the Death of Christ The Pharisees were against paying Tribute to Caesar looking upon themselves as a free People and accounting the Roman Emperour an Usurper The Herodians were for it Herod being made by the Roman Emperour King of the Jews was zealous for having the Jews pay Tribute to Caesar and such of the Jews as sided with him particularly his Courtiers and Favourites were stiled Herodians but both Pharisees and Herodians take Counsel against Christ Learn thence That Unity and Consent is of it self alone far from being a Mark and Note of the true Church Unity in the Faith and Doctrine of
insensible Passage of our Time the Person sleeping shall certainly awake either in this World or in the next It will be our Wisdom to prepare for the Bed of the Grave and so to live that when we lye down in it there may be nothing to disturb our Rest Observe next The Words which our Saviour used at the raising of the Damsel Talitha Cumi Syriack Words to shew the Truth of the Miracle not like a Conjurer murtering a Charm in unknown Words to himself and also to shew the Greatness of the Miracle that he was able to raise her by a Word speaking Observe lastly The Charge given by our Saviour not to divulge this Miracle He charged them straitly that none should know it That is not to divulge it imprudently to such of the Scribes and Pharisees as would not be convinced by it but only cavil at it and be the more enraged against him and seek his Death before his time was come Also not to divulge it unseasonably and all at once but gradually and by degrees for it was the Will of God that the Divine Glory of Christ should not be manifested to the World all at once and on the sudden but by little and little during his State of Humiliation for his Resurrection was the Time appointed for the full Manifestation of his Godhead Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the Dead CHAP. VI. 1 AND he went out from thence and came into his own country and his disciples follow him 2 And when the sabbath day was come he began to teach in the synagogue and many hearing him were astonished saying From whence hath this man these things and what wisdom is this which is given unto him that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands 3 Is not this the carpenter the son of Mary the brother of James and Joses and of Juda and Simon and are not his sisters here with us and they were offended at him 4 But Jesus said unto them A prophet is not without honour but in his own country and among his own kin and in his own house 5 And he could there do no mighty work save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief And he went round about the villages teaching Our Blessed Saviour having in the former Chapter wrought two famous Miracles in curing a Woman of her Bloody Issue and raising Jairus his Daughter from Death we find him here in the beginning of this Chapter passing into his own Country that is to the City of Nazareth in Galilee called his own City and Country because he was there conceived there brought up there Joseph and Mary and his Kindred dwelt and Christ with them during his private Life which was till he was Thirty Years of Age. Now our Saviour being come into his own Country Obs 1. What his imployment was he preach'd in their Synagogues and held Communion with the Jewish Church altho' she had many Corruptions in her Teaching us by his Example not to desert and forsake the Communion of such a Church in which there is found neither Heretical Doctrine nor Idolatrous Worship altho' many things be found in her culpable and blame-worthy The Jewish Church was certainly such and yet our Saviour maintained not occasional only but constant Communion with her Obs 2. The Influence and Effect which our Saviour's preaching had upon his own Countrymen the People of Nazareth it did work Admiration in them but not Faith they were astonished but did not believe Men may be mightily moved and affected by the Word and yet may never be converted by it the Men of Nazareth wondered and yet were offended they did not believe in him but were offended at him Obs 3. The Ground and Cause of this their Offence and that was the Meaness of his Extraction and the Poverty of his Condition Is not this the Carpenter From whence the ancient Fathers particularly Justin Martyr concluded that our Saviour did work upon his Father Joseph's Trade during his Father's Life and thence was called the Carpenter's Son and when Joseph was dead which was before Christ was Thirty Years old when he entered upon his Publick Office he was then called the Carpenter The Antients say he spent his time in making Ploughs and Yoaks and that thence it was that he drew so many Similitudes in his Preaching from the Yoak and the Plough This we are sure of that our Lord lived not Thirty Years before his Manifestation idly and unprofitably It is most probable that he followed his Father's Calling and wrought under him it being said that he was subject to him Luke 2.15 as a Child to a Parent and as a Servant to his Master Indeed after he entred upon his Prophetick Office he no longer followed Joseph's Calling but apply'd himself wholly to the Work of the Ministry He made no more Ploughs but one to break up hard Hearts no more Yoaks but one for the Devil's Neck However in regard of our Saviour's low Extraction and mean Education His Countrymen were offended at him Learn hence That the Poverty and Meaness of Christ's Condition was that which Multitudes stumbled at and which kept many yea most from believing on him None but a Spiritual Eye can discern Beauty in an humbled and abased Saviour Learn 2dly That it is the Property and Practice of prophane Men to take occasion from the outward Quality and Condition of God's Ministers both to despise their Persons and to reject their Doctrine Obs 4. The Reason assigned by our Saviour why the Men of Nazareth despised him and set him at nought because he was their Countryman and Acquaintance their Familiarity bred Contempt Teaching us That very often the faithful Ministers of God are most contemned and dishonoured where they are most familiarly known Sometimes the Remembrance of their mean Original and Extraction sometimes the Poverty of their Parent 's Condition sometimes the Indecencies of their Childhood sometimes the Follies of their Youth are ript up all which are Occasions of Contempt and gave Ground for this proverbial Saying That a Prophet is not without Honour save in his own Country Which like other proverbial Speeches holds true in the general that for the most part it is so but it is not universally true in all Persons and Cases However this good use may be made of our Saviour's Observation to teach his Ministers to be wise in conversing with their People not to make themselves cheap and common in every Company nor too familiar with all sorts of Persons nor to be light and vain in any Company for this will certainly breed Contempt both of their Persons and Ministry Our Duty is by Strictness and Gravity of Deportment to maintain our Esteem in the Consciences of our People and to temper Gravity with a Condescending Affability That Minister which prostitutes his Authority frustrates the Ends of
his Ministry and is the Occasion of his own Contempt Obs 5. How this People's Contempt of Christ's Person and Unbelief of this Doctrine did hinder Christ from working Miracles amongst them He could do no mighty Works there Not because he was unable but they were unwilling This Inability proceeded from no Deficiency in Christ's Power but from a Defect in their Faith He could not because he would not and he would not because it was not fit for him so to do Altho' Christ be Omnipotent and has all Power in his Hand yet Unbelief binds his Hands and hinders him in the Execution of that Power Unbelief is such a Sin as keeps Men from being Partakers of the Benefits of Christ Obs 6. How the Incredulity and Unbelief of this People was so great that Christ wondred at it He marvelled because of their Vnbelief Not because he was ignorant of the Cause of it but because he had used such marvellous Means for the curing them of their Unbelief Learn hence That Unbelief is a great Sin at all times but when Marvels are wrought for the cure and healing of it and it remains uncured it is a marvellous Sin and justly causes Admiration and Wonder in Christ himself He marvelled because of their Vnbelief 7 And he calleth unto him the twelve and began to send them forth by two and two and gave them power over unclean spirits 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey save a staff only no scrip no bread no money in their purse 9 But be shod with sandals and not put on two coats 10 And he said unto them In what place soever ye enter into an house there abide till ye depart from that place 11 And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear you when ye depart thence shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment then for that city 12 And they went out and preached that men should repent 13 And they cast out many devils and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them We heard before Chap. 3. of our Saviour's solemn calling his Apostles to their Work and Office now he sends them forth to execute their Office Where Observe 1. The Person that sends them forth Christ. Learn thence That none ought to take upon them the Office of Preaching or any other Ministerial Function in the Church till thereunto lawfully called by Christ himself The Apostles were immediately called and sent forth by Christ himself and received the Doctrine which they taught immediately from Christ's own Mouth His Ministers now are called mediately they receive their Authority from Christ by the Hands of the Governours of his Church Obs 2. The manner of their sending by Two and Two in a Company partly to make their Message of more Authority partly to testifie their mutual Consent in the Doctrine which they taught and partly to comfort and encourage to help and strengthen to assist and support each other in Imitation of this Example the Jesuits send forth their Emissaries by Pairs Learn hence That the Ministers of the Word do stand in great need of the mutual Help and Comfort of the united Assistance and Encouragement of each other in the weighty Duties of their Calling and Function like Labourers in the Harvest-Field they should help one another the strong endeavouring to strengthen the Hands of the Weak But Lord what Tears are sufficient to bewail the Want of Love and Unity yea the Prevalency of that Envy and Malignity which is found too often amongst the Ministers of the Gospel so that instead of going forth Two by Two happy is he that is alone in a Place Well might Melancthon bless God when he lay a dying that he was going to a Place where he should be free from the implacable Hatred of Divines This is and ought to be for a Lamentation Obs 3. The Power given by Christ to work Miracles for confirming the Doctrine of the Gospel which his Apostles preached he gave them Power over unclean Spirits and they cast out Devils and anointed with Oil them that were sick and healed them This Power to work Miracles was necessary for the Apostles partly to procure Reverence to their Persons being poor and unlearned Men but principally to gain Credit and Authority to their Doctrine for the Doctrine of Faith in the Messiah as now come and exhibited in the Flesh being a strange and new Doctrine to the Jews the Truth and Certainty of it was to be extraordinarily ratified by Christ and his Apostles Miracles Some of which were casting out of Devils and by anointing with Oil to heal and recover sick Persons This Gift of healing remained some time in the Church as appears from St. James 5.14 Is any sick anoint him with Oil in the Name of the Lord Where observe that the Apostles did not use Oil as the Instrument and Means of healing for then the Cure had not been miraculous but only as a Symbol of the Cure or as an outward Sign and Testimony of miraculous healing which outward Sign was for the strengthning of the Faith of such as were healed assuring them that as certainly as their Bodies were anointed so certainly should their Health and Strength be restored The Papists upon this ground their Sacrament of Extream Vnction but very vainly for the Apostles anointed those that were sick as a Sign of their Recovery but the Papists anoint those that have the Pangs of Death upon them that their Sins may be blotted out and the Snares of the Devil avoided Obs 4. The Charge given by Christ to his Apostles at the time of their sending out This is threefold First Touching their Preparation for their Journey he bids them not take much Care nor spend much Time in furnishing themselves with Victuals Money Apparel Weapons of Defence and the like only take a Walking-Staff in their Hands because they were to finish their Journey speedily and to return again to Christ This Command of our Saviour to his Apostles not to incumber themselves when going forth to preach the Gospel Teaches his Ministers their Duty to free themselves as much as possibly they can from Worldly Incumbrances which may hinder them in the Performance of their Office and Function 2 Tim. 2.4 No Man that warreth intangleth himself with the Affairs of this Life Secondly Touching their Lodging in their Journey Our Saviour advises them not to change it during their stay in one Place but into whatsoever House they first entred they should there continue till they departed out of that place That so they might avoid all shew of Lightness and Inconstancy and testifie all Gravity and Stayedness in their Behaviour This being a special Means to win Authority to their Persons and Ministry Thirdly Christ gives a Charge to his Apostles touching their Carriage towards such as should refuse to
Pharisees and Sadduces whom he gives first a quick and cutting compellation oh Generation of Vipers then a sharp and severe Reprehension who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come And last of all a seasonable Exhortation bring forth therefore fruits meet for Repentance As if he had said O ye Pharisees and worst of Men I perceive by your coming hither some body has Alarm'd you with the Notices of that dreadful Vengeance that is coming upon this Generation to prevent which you pretend Repentance of your Sins but let me see by your Actions that you are not only demure but sincere Penitents let me see the Fruits of your Repentance in the daily Course of your Conversations Learn here 1. That the Condition of proud Pharisees pretending and false hearted Hypocrites tho' very dangerous yet is not hopeless and desperate and their Salvation tho' the worst of Men must not be despaired of St. John reproves them for their Sin but yet encourages their Repentance 2. That sincere Repentance is not a barren thing but does constantly bring forth Fruits answerable to its Nature as Faith without Works so Repentance without Fruits is dead also The genuine Fruits of Repentance are humility of Heart and holiness of Life Obs Lastly The cautionary Direction which he gives to these Hypocrites not to rest in their external Priviledges Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father glory not in this that you are the only visible Church that God has upon Earth for God can out of the obdurate Gentile World raise up a People to himself take them into Covenant with himself and cast you out Learn hence 1. That men are exceeding apt to boast of and glory in their external Priviledges and to place Religion most in those things wherein God places it least How did the Jews Glory in their fleshly descent from Abraham as if God were ty'd to Abraham's Line and could have no People if he had not them for his People 2. That it is a vain thing to expect exemption from the Judgments of God because of outward Priviledges enjoyed by God If we be not born again of the Spirit it will avail us nothing to be Born of Abraham's Flesh If Abraham's Faith be not found in our Hearts it will be no advantage to us that Abraham's Blood is running in their Veins Think not to say we have Abraham to our Father 9 And now also the Ax is laid unto the root of the trees every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire St. John having preacht the Doctrine of Repentance in the foregoing Verses he backs it with a powerful Argument in this Verse drawn from the certainty and severity of that Judgment which would come upon them if they continued in their sins Now is the Ax laid to the root of the Tree Learn 1. That it is not unsuitable for Gospel-preachers to press Repentance and Holiness of Life upon their Hearers from Arguments of Terrour John does it here and Christ elsewhere 2. That those whose Hearts are not pierced with the Sword of God's Word shall certainly be cut down and destroyed by the Ax of his Judgments Observe further that forasmuch as the sin here specified is a Sin of Omission every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit as well as that which bringeth forth evil Fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire We learn that Sins of Omission are certainly damning as well as Sins of Commission The neglects of Duty are as dangerous and damnable as the Acts of Sin Such Trees as stand in God's Orchard the Church and bring forth no good Fruit are markt out as Fewel for the Devil's Fire 10 And the people asked him saying What shall we do then 11 He answereth and saith unto them he that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none and he that hath meat let him do likewise The Baptist having prest his Hearers to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance here they inquire of him what Fruits they should bring forth he tells them first the fruits of Charity and Mercy he that hath two Coats let him give to him that hath none This is not to be understood strictly as if the Command required us to give the Cloaths off our Back to every one that wanted them But it directs those that have the things of this Life in abundance to distribute and communicate to those that are in want Learn hence that an extensive Liberality and diffusive Charity in distributing such things as we can well spare towards the Relief of others Necessities is an excellent fruit of Repentance and a good proof and evidence of the truth and sincerity of it Let him that hath two Coats impart to him that hath none 12 Then came also Publicans to be baptized and said unto him master What shall we do 13 And he he said unto them exact no more then that which is appointed you The Publicans were Persons imployed by the Romans to gather the Tax or Tribute among the Jews who were now Tributaries to the Romans and paid them a publick Revenue These Publicans were great Oppressers exacting more then was the Emperor's due therefore we find Publicans and Sinners so often joyned together in the Gospel These men inquiring what Fruits of Repentance they should bring forth St. John directs them to acts of Justice â—xact not Where Note 1. That acts of Justice and Righteousness as well as of Charity and Mercy are real Fruits of sincere Repentance Obs 2. John doth not condemn the Office but caution the Officer If Magistrates may impose Taxes they may doubtless appoint Officers to Collect those Taxes Christian Charity then must always teach us to distinguish betwixt Calling and the Crime We must not Censure any Officer either in Church or State for the sake of their Male-Administration who are imploy'd in that Office 14 And the Soldiers also demanded of him saying and what shall we do and he said unto them do violence to no man neither accuse any falsely and be content with your Wages Observe here what a general Resort there was of all sorts of Persons to John's Ministry Pharisees Sadduces Publicans Soldiers these last here inquire of him what they should do to gain Acceptance with God he answers do no violence defraud no man of his own by false Accusation but be content with the Allowance assigned for your Maintenance Where it is 1. strongly supposed that Soldiers are insolent Oppressors making no conscience of injustice false Accusation and violent Oppression yet 2. the Office and Employment of a Soldier is not condemned but regulated he does not bid them cast away their Arms abandon War appear no more as Military Men in the Field but manage their Employment inoffensively Whence we Learn That in some Cases and under some Circumstances for Christians to make War is both lawful and necessary To make a War Lawful
Spouse the Church 2. That this Bridegroom was to be taken away 3. That because of the Bridegroom's Removal the Church did shall and must fast The days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away and then shall they fast Again our Saviour declares that this Discipline of fasting was not at present tolerable for his Disciples for they were at present but raw green and tender unable to bear the Severities and rigours of Religion any more then an old garment can bear a piece of new cloath to be set into it or any more than old Bottles can bear new Wine to be put into them The sense of our Saviour's words seems to be this My Disciples at present are tender and weak newly called and converted they cannot therefore at present undergo the austerities of Religion fastings weepings and watchings but e're long I shall leave them and go to Heaven from whence I will send down my Holy Spirit upon them which shall enable them to all the Duties that the Gospel enjoins The Lesson of Instruction which we may profitably gather from hence is this That it is hurtful and dangerous for young converts for weak Christians to be put upon the severer Exercises of Religion or to be urged to the performance of such Duties as are above their strength but they ought to be treated with that tenderness which becomes the mild and gentle dispensation of the Gospel Our Saviour says one doth here commend prudence to his Ministers in treating their people according to their strength and putting them upon Duties according to their Time and Standing we must consult what Progress our People have made in Christianity and manage accordingly CHAP. VI. 1 AND it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the First that he went thro' the Corn-fields and his Disciples plucked the ears of Corn and did eat rubbing them in their hands 2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath-day 3 And Jesus answering said unto them Have ye not read so much as this what David did when himself was an hungred and they which were with him 4 How he went into the House of God and did take and eat the Shewbread and gave also to them that were with him which is not lawful to eat but for the Priests alone 5 And he said unto them that the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath In the former part of this chapter we find our blessed Saviour defending his Disciples from the clamorous accusations of the Pharisees for breaking the Sabbath-day because they plucked the ears of Corn and rubbed them in their hands in order to the satisfying of their Hunger Where Note 1. The great Poverty the low estate and condition of Christ's own Disciples in the World They wanted Bread and are forced to pluck the ears of Corn to satisfy their hunger God may and sometimes does suffer his dearest children to fall into streights and to taste of want for the Tryal of their Faith and Dependance upon his power and Goodness Note 2. How the hypocritical Pharisees blame this Action of the Disciples namely their plucking of the Ears of Corn yet did they not charge them with Theft for so doing because to take in our great Necessity so much of our Neighbour's Goods as we may reasonably suppose that if he were present and knew our Circumstances he would not deny us is not Theft But it was the servile Labours on the Sabbath in gathering the Ears of Corn which the Pharisees Scruple and Object against Where Note How Hypocrites expend their Zeal in and upon the lesser things of the Law whilst they neglect the greater placing all Holiness in the observation of outward Ceremonies whilst they neglect moral Duties Note 3. The Argument with which our Saviour defends this action of his Disciples it is taken from the example of David Necessity freed him from fault and blame in eating the Consecrated Bread which none but the Priests might lawfully eat For in cases of Necessity a Ceremonial Precept must give place to a moral Duty Works of mercy for the preserving our Lives and the better fitting us for Sabbath-services are certainly lawful on the Sabbath-day Note Lastly The Argument which our Saviour uses to prove the Sabbath's Observation may be dispens'd with in a case of absolute Necessity and that is drawn from that Authority which Christ the Institutor and Lord of the Sabbath had over it The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath that is he has Authority and Power as God and as Mediator to institute and appoint a Sabbath to alter and change it to dispense with the breach of it upon a just and great occasion and consequently acts of Mercy which tend to fit us for works of Piety not only may but ought to be done upon the Sabbath-day This Action of the Disciples being of that Nature is without just cause censured and condemned by the Pharisees a sort of Men who were resolved to cavil at and quarrel with whatever our Saviour or his Disciples either did or said 6 And it came to pass on another Sabbath that he entered into the Synagogue and taught and there was a man whose right hand was withered 7 And the Scribes and Pharisees watched him whether he would heal on the Sabbath-day that they might find an accusation against him 8 But he knew their thoughts and said to the man which had the withered hand rise up and stand forth in the midst and he arose and stood forth 9 Then said Jesus unto them I will ask you one thing Is it lawful on the Sabbath-day to do good or to do evil to save life or to destroy it 10 And looking round about them all he said unto the man stretch forth thy hand and he did so and his hand was restored whole as the other 11 And they were filled with madness and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus Observe here 1. The miraculous cure which our Saviour wrought upon the man which had the withered hand and 2. The effect which this Miracle had upon the wicked Pharisees in the former Note the place where our Saviour wrought this Miracle in the Synagogue the Time when on the sabbath-Sabbath-day the manner how by speaking of a word the persons before whom namely the envious and malicious Pharisees These men were always slandering Christ's Doctrine and cavilling at his Miracles yet does our Holy Lord go on with his Work before their Faces without Discouragement Learn thence That the unjust censures and malicious cavils of wicked men against us for well-doing must not discourage us from doing our Duty either towards God or towards our Neighbour Altho' the Pharisees watcht our Saviour wherever he went and when they could find no occasion of quarrel would invent and make one yet such was our Lord's courage and resolution that he bids the man which had the withered
Into whatsoever house ye enter first say peace be to this house they must wish peace to the Sons of peace yea to the Enemies of peace also and as their peace shall rest upon the one so shall it return from the other Peace be to this house is a fit Salutation for them to use who were the Disciples and Ambassadors of the Prince of Peace and very agreeable to the Gospel they were to Preach which was a Gospel of Peace and it was a Prayer as well as a Salutation the Disciples were to speak it not from the Lip only but from the Heart also Peace is the Musick which both Angels and Men are delighted with and the Christian Religion is the greatest Promoter and Preserver of it That commands us to pray for peace to follow after peace to part with our Coat and Cloak that is with our civil Rights for peace and if it be possible to live peaceably with all men Observe 2. As the injunction given by our Saviour to his Disciples to deliver a message of Peace first say Peace be to this house so the prediction of what should befal them in the Delivery of this their Message their Salutation tho' it be Peace yet will not find a welcome and entertainment with all Persons but only with the Sons of Peace If the Sons of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it Observe 3. An Encouragement not to be afraid of delivering their Message tho' it wanted Success If your peace rest not it shall return to you again Learn 1. That as there was at the first preaching of the Gospel so there is and always will be some that are Sons of Peace and others that are Enemies unto Peace 2. That this Peace will rest on none but those that are fit to receive it 3. That tho' it doth not rest yet it shall not be lost but return again to those that publish it Ministers can but say Peace be to this House they cannot make it rest there we can offer Terms of Peace to a lost World but cannot compel men to accept them and if they finally refuse them We shall be a sweet Savour unto God as well in them that perish as in them that are saved 7 And in the same house remain eating and drinking such things as they give for the Labourer is worthy of his hire Go not from house to house 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you eat such things as are set before you 9 And heal the sick that are therein and say unto them the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you not go your ways out into the streets of the same and say 11 Even the very dust of your city which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you 12 But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city Here our Saviour gives his Disciples sundry directions how to manage themselves in this Expedition for Preaching the Gospel he enjoyns them 1. To observe the Rules of Decency in going from place to place having entered an house to continue there not changing their Lodging and going from house to house thereby avoiding all shew of Lightness and Inconstancy and testifying all gravity and stayedness in their Behaviour this being a special means to win Authority to their Persons and Ministry 2. He gives them a power to work Miracles for the confirming of the Doctrine which they Preach'd Heal the Sick that are therein This was necessary partly to procure Reverence to their Persons being poor and unlearned Men and partly to gain credit and Authority to their Doctrine for the Doctrine of Faith in the Messias as now come and exhibited in the Flesh being a strange and new Doctrine to the Jews the Truth and Certainty of it was to be extraordinarily ratified and confirmed by working Miracles one sort of which was healing of Diseases in an extraordinary manner Obs 3. How Christ encourages his Disciples against the want of Success he bids them denounce the Judgments of God against such contemners of their Doctrine by shaking off the dust of their feet which Action was Emblematical and signified that God in like manner would shake off them and esteem them no better then the vilest Dust Learn hence That those which despise the Message that the Ministers of the Gospel bring shall hereafter find the Dust of their Feet and the Ashes of their Graves to give a judicial Testimony against them in the Day of Christ Where ever the Word is Preach'd it is for a Testimony either a Testimony for or against a People For if the Dust of a Minister's Feet bear Witness against a People their Sermons much more Observe Lastly The dreadful Judgment denounced by our Saviour against the Contemners of his Disciples Doctrine Verily it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment then for that City Where Note 1. That there shall be a Day of Judgment 2. That in the day of Judgment some Sinners shall fare worse then others 3. That of all Sinners the Condition of such shall be saddest at the day of Judgment who living under the Gospel dye after all in their impenitency and infidelity It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah then for that City 13 Wo unto thee Corazin wo unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you they had a great while ago repented sitting in Sack-cloth and ashes 14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of Judgment then for you 15 And thou Capernaum which art exalted to Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell These Cities in Galilee Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum having been the places where Christ preached and wrought his Miracles they have a Wo denounced here against them for their contempt of Christ and the offers of his Grace Wo unto thee Corazin c. The higher a People rise under the Means the lower they fall if they miscarry They that have been nearest to Conversion being not Converted shall have the greatest Condemnation when they are judged Capernaum's Sentence will exceed Sodoms for Severity because she exceeded Sodom in the enjoyment of Means and Mercy Observe here 1. Capernaums Priviledge enjoyned She was lifted up to heaven that is enjoyed Priviledges above all other Places namely the Presence Preaching and Miracles of our Saviour Observe 2. Capernaums doom denounced Thou shalt be thrust down to Hell that is thy condition shall be sadder then those that never heard of a Saviour even Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah those rude and barbarous Nations out of the Pale of the Church shall be in an easier state and condition then those that have enjoyed Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges
him the affections must take complacency and delight in him the measure of Loving God is to Love him without Measure Note 2. that the best Evidence of our sincere Love to God is the unfeigned Love of our Neighbour Love to Man is both a Fruit and Testimony of our Love to God For he that Loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he Love God whom he hath not seen Note 3. That as it is every Mans Duty to Love himself so is he to Love his Neighbour as himself not as he does Love himself but as he ought to Love himself not with the same measure and degree of Love but in the same manner and kind of Love that we Love our selves Do we Love our selves freely and readily sincerely and unfeignedly tenderly and compassionately constantly and perseveringly so should we Love our Neighbour also Tho' we are not required to Love our Neighbour as much as we Love our selves yet are we commanded to Love him like as we Love ourselves Observe Lastly Our Lord's Reply Thou hast anâ—â—â—â— right This do and thou shalt live Where Note That Christ intimates to him that the Law considered in it self could give Life but then a Person must keep it perfectly and exactly without the least Deficiency which is impossible to Man in his Fallen State for the Law is not weak to us but we are weak to that Rom. 8.3 the Law becomes weak through the weakness of our Flesh Such as seek Salvation by the Works of the Law must keep the Law perfectly and exactly which being impossible in our fallen estate Christ has obtained of his Father that for his sake our sincere tho' imperfect Obedience shall find Acceptance with God and be available to our Salvation 29 But he willing to justify himself said unto Jesus And who is my Neighbour 30 And Jesus answering said a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among Thieves which stripped him of his Raiment and wounded him and departed leaving him half dead 31 And by chance there came down a certain Priest that way and when he saw him he passed by on the other side 32 And likewise a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side 33 But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion on him 34 And went to him and bound up his Wounds pouring in Oyl and Wine and set him on his own Beast and brought him to an Inn and took care of him 35 And on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the Host and said unto him Take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee 36 Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour unto him that fell among the Thieves 37 And he said he that shewed mercy on him Then said Jesus unto him Go and do thou likewise The Design of our Saviour in this Parable is to convince the Lawyer who put that question to him Who is my Neighbour v. 29. That every one is and ought to be accounted our Neighbour to whom God affords us opportunity of doing good contrary to the strait Notion of the Pharisees that by the Word Neighbour understood Friends and Kinsfolk Brethren by Blood Neighbours by Habitation and Persons of the same Religion Our Saviour by this Parable taught him that even Strangers and professed Enemies every one that needeth our help and relief is to be accounted our Neighbour to convince him hereof Christ propounds this parable of a Jew that fell among Thieves who was neglected by his own Country-men but relieved by a Samaritan who tho' a professed Enemy upon the score of Religion yet was so exceeding kind and charitable that he became Physician Surgeon and Host and a real Neighbour to the unknown Traveller Wounded by Thieves in his Journey to Jericho From the whole Learn 1. That every Person in Misery is the object of our Mercy our Neighbour and capable of our Charity 2. That no difference in Religion much less in some doubtful Opinions will excuse us from exercising Acts of Charity and Compassion towards such as are really in Want and need our Assistance our Holy and merciful Religion makes all Persons the Objects of our compassion who are indigent and helpless tho' they be Strangers and Foreigners Heathens or Hereticks Friends or Enemies yea be they good or bad holy or wicked as we have opportunity we must do good unto all and imitate the example of our merciful God who is kind to the unthankful and to the Evil. 3. That real Charity is an Active operative thing it consists not in good Words given to the Distressed nor in a compassionate beholding of them nor in a pitiful mourning over them but in positive Acts of kindness towards them The Samaritan here is an example of a real and thorough Charity he turns his Face towards the forlorn Man his Feet hasten to him his hand pours in Wine and Oyl into his Wounds after which he sets him upon his own Beast brings him to the Inn stays with him all Night and the next day because his Recovery would be a Work of Time and Expence he leaves him but first leaves Money with the Host and a special charge to take care of him with a punctual promise that whatever was expended more should be Repaid Behold here an instance and pattern of a compleat Charity managed with as much Discretion as Compassion well might our Lord say to this Person and in him to every one of us Go and do thou likewise 38 Now it came to pass as they went that he entered into a certain Village and a certain Woman named Martha received him into her house Observe here 1. the great Work and Business of our Saviour's Life it was to go about Preaching the Gospel 2. The Nature of the place which Christ at this time preached in it was a poor Village Bethany as some think Christ did not only take care of populous Cities and great Towns but private Villages and obscure places enjoyed also the blessing of his Ministry Our Saviour's Example herein is instructive to his Ministers not to affect great Auditories and to Preach only in populous Cities but to scatter the Seed of the Word in Country Villages where are like precious Souls to be taken care of and provided for as Christ was sent himself so he sends his Ministers to preach the Gospel to the poor Observe 3. The party that entertain'd him in the Village Martha received him into her house Martha is named because she was probably the Owner of the House Tho' Christ had no house of his own yet he had as many as he pleased at his Command for wherever he had an Heart he was sure to have an House Martha received him into her house 39 And she had a Sister called Mary which also
has bestowed upon a People by his Ministers and Ordinances they continue unfruitful there is nothing to be expected but excision and final Destruction cut it down why cumbereth it the Ground 8 And he answering said unto him Lord Let it alone this year also till I shall dig about it and dung it 9 And if it bear fruit well and if not Then after that thou shalt cut it down Obâ—erve here 1. The Vine-dressers Petition and Request Lord let it alone this year also This points out unto us the Oâ—fice and Duty of the Ministers of God who are Labourers in his Vineyard to be Intercessors with God for sparing a Barren and unfruitful People Lord spare them a little longer Let it alone this year also if they cannot absolutely prevent Judgment coming upon an unfruitful People yet they endeavour to respite it and delay its Coming all they can Observe 2. The Condition upon which the Vine-dressers Petition is Grounded Till I shall dig about it and dung it Phrases which intimate to us the nature and quality of the Ministerial Work and Service signifying it to be a very difficult and laborious Service Digging is a painful Work and a spending Work and such is our Ministerial Work if followed as it ought to be We deal in Mysteries in the deep things of God which are not received without much digging Observe 3. A double supposition here made by the Vine-dresser first of future Fruitfulness If it bear fruit well Secondly of further incorrigibleness if not after that thou shalt cut it down 1. Here is a Supposition of future Fruitfulness If it bear fruit well that is it will be well for the Master of the Vineyard herein is he glorified when his Fig-trees bear much Fruit well for the Dresser of the Vineyard it rejoyces the Ministers of God to see their People bring forth Fruit unto God well for the Vineyard and the rest of the Trees that are in it But more especially well for tâ—e Tree it self thereby avoiding the punishment of Barrenness and procuring the Reward of Fruitfulness Thus If it bear fruit well 2. Here is a supposition of future incorrigibleness After that thou shalt cut it down that is after thou hast spared it and I have pruned it after thy patience and my pains after thou hast forborn it and I have manur'd it digged and dung'd it if after all this it bears no fruit then I have not a word more to say Thou shalt cut it down Thou mayest cut it down no Body will go about to hinder thee and thou wilt cut it down there is no Body can hinder thee From hence Learn That a Peoples continued unfruitfulness under the means of Grace doth in time take off the Prayers and Intercessions of the Ministers of God for them and provokes God to bring his Judgments unavoidably and irrevocably upon them After that thou shalt cut it down 10 And he was teaching in one of the Synagogues on the Sabbath-day 11 And behold there was a woman which had a Spirit of Infirmity eighteen years and was bound together and could in no wise lift up her self 12 And when Jesus saw her he called her unto him and said unto her woman thou art loosed from thy infirmity 13 And he laid his hands upon her and immediately she was made streight and glorified God 14 And the Ruler of the Synagogue Answered with indignation because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath-day and said unto the people there are six days in which men ought to work in them therefore come and be healed but not on the Sabbath-day 15 The Lord then answered him and said Thou hypocrite doth not each one of you on the Sabbath-day loose his Ox or his Ass from the Stall and lead him away to watering 16 And ought not this Woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan hath bound lo these eighteen years be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath-day 17 And when he had said these things all his Adversaries were ashamed and all the people rejoyced for all the glorious things that were done by him Observe here 1. The afflicted Person a Woman which had a sore Disease inflicted upon her by the Devil for Eighteen Years which almost bowed her together There is nothing that the Devil more delights in than in the Miseries and Calamities of Mankind Satan is not satisfied barely to infect the Mind and poyson the Souls of Men but he delights to afflict and hurt the Body where and when he can obtain leave Observe 2. Christ's Compassion towards her and his Miraculous healing of her Jesus called her to him and with a word speaking healed her Where Note That the inveterateness of the Disease and the instantaneousness of the Cure made the Miracle evident She that had been bowed down eighteen years and in an instant is made streight and only by a word of Christ's Mouth Such a miraculous Operation was an evident Testimony of his Divine Mission that he was the Son of God Observe 3. How the Heart of the poor Woman is affected with Christ's hand she Glorified God that is she gave thanks to God and attributed the Miracle to him As the chief End of all God's extraordinary Works either of Power or Mercy is the exaltation of his own Glory so the only way that we can set forth his Glory is by celebrating his Praises and expressing our own Thankfulness He that offereth me praise and thanks glorifies me Ps 50. ult Observe 4. The unreasonable anger and unjust indignation which was found with the Ruler of the Synagogue against our Holy Lord for working this miraculous Cure on the Sabbath day There is no Person so Holy no action so Innocent but may fall under unjust Censure especially where malice and ignorance are combined what a severe reflection doth this man make upon our Blessed Lord for performing a work of Mercy on the Sabbath-day Observe 5. Our Lord's Vindication of himself from Calumny and false Accusation 1. He charges his Accuser with Hypocrisy Thou hypocrite doth not each of you loose his Ox or his Ass from the stall on the sabbath-Sabbath-day and water him It is one Note of an Hypocrite to condemn that in another which he doth himself the Jews held it lawful to loose and lead a Beast to watering on the sabbath-Sabbath-day which was a work of Servile Labour and yet would condemn Christ for healing a poor Woman only with a word speaking 2. Christ vindicates his own Action by comparing it with theirs which they judged lawful on the sabbath-Sabbath-day was their loosing and watering the Beast a Work of Necessity much more was his Was theirs a work of Mercy his much more their compassion was to a Bruit Beast his to a rational Creature to a Woman and that not to a stranger an Heathen Woman but one of their own a Jewish Woman a Daughter of Abraham Nay farther Christ's Act was an Act of far greater Necessity and more special Mercy then
forsake their sins and obey his Gospel Adding farther that it would be an Heart-piercing sorrow a Soul-rending grief to them at the Great Day to see not only the Patriarchs and Prophets and other Jews but even the despised Gentiles from all Quarters and Nations whom they thought accursed admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven and themselves eternally shut out For the last shall be first and the first last that is the Gentiles who were afar off shall receive the Gospel when you for rejecting it shall be cast off From the whole Note 1. That there is a determinate time when Souls must if ever accept of the offers of Grace and Salvation which are made unto them now is the door open and Persons invited in 2. That e're long Jesus Christ who now stands at every one of our doors waiting for our complyance with his Gospel-Terms will wait no longer upon us nor strive any farther by the motions of his Spirit with us when once the master of the house is risen up and shut to the door 3. That doleful is the condition of such miserable Souls against whom the door is shut the door of Repentance the door of hope the door of Salvation all shut eternally shut and that by him who shutteth and none can open 4. That all would be saved at last all will cry for mercy when it is too late even such as now sinfully undervalue and scornfully despise it Ye shall stand without and knock at the door saying Lord Lord open to us Note 5. That it is no good plea for admittance into Heaven because we have been Church-members here on Earth no outward priviledges tho' Christ has taught in our Streets no external Acts of Communion tho' we have eaten and drunk in his presence and at his holy Table will justify our hopes of entring into Heaven when we dye if we be workers of iniquity whilst we live Lord we have eaten and drunk in thy presence but he shall say I know you not ye workers of iniquity Note 6. That as Hell will be a second Heaven to the Glorified so Heaven will be a second Hell to the Damn'd Hell will be a second Heaven to the Glorified that is it will add exceedingly to the Happiness of the Saints in Heaven to see and be sensible of that misery which they escaped and the damn'd indure and on the other hand Heaven will be a second Hell to the Damn'd that is it will encrease their Torments and add to the vexation of their Spirits to see some in Heaven whom they little expected to see there some that never saw nor heard nor enjoyed what they have done Strangers yea Heathens taken in when the Children of the Kingdom that is the Members of the visible Church are shut out They shall come from the East from the West from the North and from the South and sit down in the Kingdom of God but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness 31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees saying unto him Get thee out and depart hence for Herod will kill thee 32 And he said unto them Go ye and tell that Fox Behold I cast out Devils and do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected 33 Nevertheless I must walk to day and to morrow and the day following for it cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem It may seem strange that the Pharisees who had no kindness for our Saviour should come here and acquaint him with a danger that he was in from Herod Get thee hence for Herod will kill thee It is probable they had a design to drive him out of the Country because his Reputation was so great among the People who were admirers of his Person hearers of his Doctrine and Witnesses of his Miracles But what intention soever they had in acquainting Christ with this Danger it is very evident that our Saviour slighted it by the Message which he sent to Herod Go and tell that Fox Where we must not suppose that our Lord did fix this Name of Fox upon Herod as an opprobrious Title thereby reflecting the least dishonour upon him as a King but it was to let him know that being about his Fathers Work he feared neither his Power nor his Policy neither his Cruelty nor his Craft and that nothing should take him off from finishing the Work of Man's Redemption Learn hence That when God calls forth any of his Servants to any special service for him all the combined Power and Policy of the Prince of Darkness and his Instruments shall never be able to hinder them till they have finished their Course and done the Service which God designed I must work to day and to morrow and the day following as if Christ had said Let Herod know that my time is not in his Hand and as to this matter I am not under his Command or Power e're long my work will be finished and then I shall be perfected 34 O Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered thy children together as an Hen doth gather her Brood under her wings and ye would not 35 Behold your house is left unto you desolate and verily I say unto you Ye shall not see me until the time come when ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Our Lord concludes this Chapter with a Compassionate Lamentation over Jerusalem the place where he was to suffer his Ingemination or doubling of the Word Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem shews the vehemency of his affection towards them and the sincerity of his desires for their Salvation Observe 1. The Kindness and Compassion of Christ to the Jews in general and Jerusalem in particular set forth by a lively Metaphor and Similitude namely that of a Hen gathering her Chickens under her Wings As the Hen doth tenderly cherish and carefully hide and cover her young from the Eye of the Destroyer so would Christ have shrouded and sheltered this People from all those Birds of Prey and particularly from the Roman Eagle by whose Tallons they were at last destroyed Again as the Hen continueth her Call to her young ones from Morning to Night and holds out her Wings for shelter to them all the day long so did Christ wait for this Peoples Repentance and Conversion for it was more than Forty years after they had killed his Prophets and murthered himself before they met with a final Overthrow Observe 2. The amazing obstinacy and wilfulness of this People in rejecting the Grace and Favour the kindness and condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ I would have gathered you but ye would not Observe 3. The fatal issue of this obstinacy Behold your house is left unto you desolate is left that is certainly and suddenly will be left desolate the present Tense being put for the paulo post futurum
thirty eight Years so Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him Yet observe the Cloak and Pretence they have for their malicious Persecution of our Saviour namely the supposed Violation of the Sabbath-day They sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabbath-day Learn hence That great Cruelty against Christ and his Members has always been and still is masked and disguised with a fair Pretence of Zeal for God and his Commands The Pharisees mortally hated our Saviour therefore to cover their Malice they traduce him as a Prophaner of the Sabbath and seek to take away his Life 17 ¶ But Jesus answered them My Father worketh hitherto and I work From this Verse to the End of the Chapter we have our Saviour's Apology for his working the foregoing Cure on the impotent Man on the Sabbath-Day And the chief Argument he insists upon is drawn from his Unity and Equality in Nature and Operation with his Father As the Father worketh says he so I work Here he speaks of himself not as a Servant or Instrument in his Father's Hand but as a Fellow-Worker with the Father both in the Works of Creation and in the Works of Providence and Preservation also Learn hence 1. That although Almighty God has long since ceased from the Works of Creation yet not from the Work of Preservation My Father worketh hitherto not by creating new Kinds of Creatures but by upholding and preserving what he has already created Learn 2. That Christ the Son of God is joyned with and undivided from the Father in Working As the Father created all things by him not as a Man and as an Instrument in the Father's Hand for then he was not such but as his Fellow-Worker being equal in Nature and Power with the Father in like manner as the Father preserveth sustaineth governeth and upholdeth all things so doth Christ the Father's Actions and his being the same My Father worketh hitherto and I work 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he not only had broken the sabbath but said also that God was his Father making himself equal with God 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them Verily verily I say unto you The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do for what things soever he doeth these also doeth the Son likewise Observe here the Jews instead of being satisfied were the more enraged not only because he had violated the Sabbath as they pretended by healing the Cripple on the sabbath-Sabbath-Day but because Christ had asserted that God was his Father in a peculiar manner and made himself equal with God Our Saviour therefore goes on to assert his Equality and Conjunction with the Father in his Operations and Workings which doth at once justify his Work on the Sabbath-day and prove him to be truly and really God Now our holy Lord to prove himself equal with God the Father produces first many Arguments to v. 31. and then alledges the Testimony of many Witnesses to the end of the Chapter Our Saviour's first Argument to prove himself equal with the Father in Essence and Nature is this That the Father and he are equal in Operation in Will and Consent for Working that the Son doth all that the Father doth and the Father doth nothing without the Son v. 19. The Son can do nothing of himself that is as Man as the Messias and as Mediator he could do nothing of himself His perfect Obedience to and Complyance with the Will of his Father that sent him would not suffer him to do any thing without him But as God he could do all things of himself Learn hence That it is an undeniable Proof that the Father and Son are one in Nature Essence and Being in that they are inseparable and undivided in Operation and Working What things soever the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise and the Son doth nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do Therefore Father and Son being equal in Operation and Working are equal in Nature and Being and consequently both essentially truly and really God Therefore the Arians of old and the Socinians at this Day are wide when they produce this Text The Son can do nothing of himself to prove that Christ is not equal with God the Father They forget or neglect to distinguish betwixt his Divine Nature which could do all things and his Mediatorial Office which could not do but what the Father that sent him had appointed him to do 20 For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doeth and he will shew him greater works then these that ye may marvel The second Argument which our Saviour produces to prove his Unity in Nature and Equality in Operation with the Father is drawn from that special Love which the Father beareth to the Son which inclines him to communicate all things to him by a Divine and Ineffable Communication Learn hence 1. That God the Father loveth Jesus Christ his Son with an Essential Natural and Necessary Love as being the Substantial Image of himself and the Splendor and Brightness of his Glory The Father loveth the Son that is with an Essential Eternal and Ineffable Love 2. That the Father's Love to Christ was Communicative the Father communicated his Essence and Nature his Wisdom and Power for Operation to the Son The Father sheweth the Son all things that himself doth namely by a Divine Inconceivable and Unspeakable Communication 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will A third Argument proving Christ to be God and equal with the Father is here produced namely his raising of the dead He is jointly with the Father in that Work and equal with him As the Father quickneth whom he please so doth the Son quicken whom he will that is not as the Father's Instrument but as a principal Agent by the same Authority and with the like absolute Freedom of Will which the Father uses being a Sovereign and Independent Being as the Father is As the Father raiseth the dead and quickneth them so the Son quickneth whom he will Learn hence 1. That quickning and raising of the dead is an Act of Omnipotency and proper to God only The Father raiseth the dead and quickneth them 2. That Christ's Power to raise the dead as well as his Father is a Proof of his Equality with his Father and an Evidence of his being truly and really God the Son quickneth whom he will 22 For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son 23 That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him A fourth Instance of Christ's God-head and proof of his Equality with the Father is That it is his Work to judge the World The Father says Christ judges
That the whole Scope of Moses Ceremonial Law was to point out and prefigure Jesus Christ Christ was the Sum of the Law as well as the Substance of the Gospel he was Abraham's promised Seed Moses his great Prophet Jacob's Shiloh Esay's Emanuel Daniel's Holy One Zechary's Branch and Malachi's Angel 2. That such as believed the ancient Prophecies before Christ came did see their Accomplishment in him when he was come CHAP. VI. AFter these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee which is the sea of Tiberias Observe here How busie and industrious our holy Lord was about his Father's Work both on the Sea and on the Land both by Night and by Day His Meat was to do the Will of him that sent him and to finish his Work Some have inquired into the Reasons why Christ travelled by Sea as well as by Land and they seem to be these 1. To shew what his intent was in making the Sea namely to be sailed upon as the Land was made to be walked upon 2. That Christ might take occasion to manifest his Deity in working Miracles upon the Sea as well as upon the Land 3. Might it not be to comfort and encourage sea-faring Men that dwell much upon the Waters in the midst of their Distresses to trust in and pray unto such a Saviour as had himself an experimental Knowledge of the dangers of the Seas Some have farther observed That after our Saviour's Resurrection we never find him sailing upon the Seas more for such a turbulent Condition which necessarily attends Sea Voyages was utterly inconsistent with the stability and perpetuity of Christ's State when he was risen from the dead the firm Land better agreeing with his fix'd Estate than the fluctuating Water 2 And a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased Observe here What an exact Knowledge Christ had not only of all his Followers but of the Motives and Principles which did induce them to follow him it was not the Excellency of his Person nor the heavenliness of his Doctrine that drew the multitude at this time after him but the Novelty of his Miracles They saw the Miracles which he did It is better to feel one Miracle wrought upon the Heart in changing and renewing That than to see a thousand outward Miracles wrought before our Eyes 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain and there he sat with his disciples 4 And the Passover a feast of the Jews was nigh 5 ¶ When Jesus then lift up his eyes and saw a great company come unto him he saith unto Philip Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat 6 And this he said to prove him for he himself knew what he would do 7 Philip answered him Two hundred penny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may take a little 8 One of his disciples Andrew Simon Peters brother saith unto him 9 There is a lad here which hath five barley-loaves and two small fishes but what are they among so many 10 And Jesus said Make the men sit down Now there was much grass in the place So the men sat down in number about five thousand 11 And Jesus took the loaves and when he had given thanks he distributed to the disciples and the disciples to them that were set down and likewise of the fishes as much as they would 12 When they were filled he said unto his disciples Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost 13 Therefore they gathered them together and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which remained over and above unto them that had eaten 14 Then those men when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did said This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world This Miracle of our Saviour's feeding five thousand Persons with five Barly Loaves and two small Fishes is recorded by all the four Evangelists and several Particulars therein are very remarkable Obs 1. What a poor and slender Provision the Lord of the whole Earth has for his Family for himself for his Disciples and the Multitude nothing more than five Barley Loaves and two Fishes Teaching us that these Bodies of ours must be fed not pampered Our Belly must not be our Master much less our God and as the Quality of the Victuals was plain so was the Quantity small only five Loaves and two Fishes Well might the Disciples say What are they among so many The Eye of Sense and Reason sees an utter Impossibility of those Effects which Faith can easily apprehend and a Divine Power more easily produce When Men judge by Sense and Reason and do not look to Christ's Power if Extremities come they are soon at their wits end and know not what to do Obs 2. How the great Master of this miraculous Feast doth marshal his Guests he commands them to sit down None of the People reply Sit down But to what Here 's the Mouths but where 's the Meat we may soon be set but when shall we be served not a word like this but they obey and expect Lord how easie is it to trust thy Providence and rely upon thy Power when there is Corn in the Barn Bread in the Cupboard Money in the Purse but when our Stores are empty when our Stock runs low when we have nothing in Hand then to depend upon an invisible Bounty is a noble Act of Faith indeed Obs 3. The Actions performed by our Blessed Saviour 1. He blest the Loaves Teaching us by his Example never to use or receive the good Creatures of God without Prayer and Praise not to sit down to our Food as a Beast to his Fodder 2. Christ broke the Loaves he could have multiplied them whole why then doth he rather choose to do it in the breaking perhaps to teach us that we may rather expect his Blessing in the Distribution of his Bounty than in the Reservation of it Scattering is the way to encreasing and Liberality the way to Riches Again 3. He gave to his Disciples that they might distribute to the Multitude he did not do it with his own Hands but by theirs doubtless it was to gain Reputation to his Disciples from the People the same Course doth Christ take in Spiritual Distributions He that could feed the Souls of his People immediately by the Hand of his Spirit chooses rather by the Hand of his Ministers to divide the Bread of Life among them Obs 4. The Reality and Greatness of the Miracle They did all eat and were filled they did eat not a Crumb or a Bit but to satiety and fulness All that were hungry did eat and all that did eat were satisfied and yet twelve Baskets of Fragments remain More is left than was at first set on 'T is hard to say which was the greatest Miracle the miraculous eating or miraculous Leaving If we consider what they eat we
Devil the King of Saints in Heaven as well as the whole Host of Saints on Earth hath been frequently smitten and deeply wounded with reproach Christ was reproached for our sake and when we are reproached for his sake he takes our reproach as his own Moses his reproach was the reproach of Christ Heb. 11.26 And he esteemed it a Treasure which did more inrich him with its worth than press him with its weight Esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt Observe 3. The wonderful meekness of Christ in passing over this Reproach and Calumny without one word of Reply Guilt is commonly clamorous and impatient but Innocence is silent and regardless of misreports Our Saviour is not at the pains of a word to vindicate himself from their impotent censure but goes on with his Discourse and justifies his own Action in healing a Man on the sabbath-Sabbath-day from the Jews own practice in circumcising their Children on that day if it hapned to be the Eighth day And the Argument runs thus If Circumcision may be Administred to a Child on the sabbath-Sabbath-day which is a servile kind of Work and Bodily Exercise without blame or censure why must I fall under Censure for healing a Man on the Sabbath-day thoroughly and perfectly only by a word speaking Hence Learn That the Law of doing good and Relieving the miserable at all Times is a more ancient and excellent Law than either that of the Sabbath Rest or of Circumcision upon the Eighth day A Ritual Law must and ought to give place to the Lâ—w of Nature which is written in every Man's heart As if our Lord had said If you may wound a Man by Circumcision on the Sabbath-day may not I heal One if you may heal on that Day one Member of the circumcised may not I make a Man whole every whit if you be at pains to cure such a one with your hand may not I without pains cure a Man with the word of my Mouth 24 Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment From the foregoing Argument Christ draws an Inference or Conclusion that there is no making a judgment according to the first Appearance of Things and that Suddenness or Rashness Prejudice or Partiality in judging overthrows Righteous Judgment This is the general Application of what Christ had said before and the particular Application of it as to himself comes to this Judge not according to Appearance but judge Righteous Judgment As if Christ had said Lay aside your prejudices against my Person and compare these cases attentively and impartially with one another and then see whether you can justly condemn me as a Sabbath Breaker and acquit your selves Such was the perfect Innocency of our Saviour's Actions that he could and did submit them to the Reason and Judgment of his very Enemies 25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem is not this he whom they seek to kill 26 But lo he speaketh boldly and they say nothing unto him do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ 27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is but when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence he is 28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught saying Ye both know me and ye know whence I am and I am not come of my self but he that sent me is true whom ye know not 29 But I know him for I am from him and he hath sent me 30 Then they sought to take him but no man laid hands on him because his hour was not yet come 31 And many of the people believed on him and said when Christ cometh will he do mo miracles then these which this man hath done Our Blessed Saviour having vindicated both his Doctrine and Practice and appeared publickly in the Temple and speaking boldly there the People of Jerusalem knowing the hatred and enmity of the Chief Priests and Rulers against him do wonder that they did not apprehend him Learn Almighty God doth and can preserve his own in the faithful discharge of their Duty in such an admirable manner that even their Enemies themselves may wonder at it and be Astonisht with it Observe 2ly The Argument which the Jews urged against our Saviour's being Christ and the promised Messias Namely That they knew whence he was whereas when the Messias cometh no man will know whence he is now herein they Assert a manifest untruth for tho' Christ in respect of his Godhead was prefigured by Melchisedeck who was without Father or Mother without descent that is without any that the Scripture mentions yet in respect of his humane Nature the Jews might know whence he was for the Scripture plainly pointed out the Tribe the Family the Lineage and the place of his Birth Observe 3. That Christ being grieved at this impudent Cavil doth reply unto it with much boldness and Zeal he cried saying ye both know me and know whence I am but the Father that sent me ye know not That is you know me as Man where I was Born and of what Family I am but you know not my Divine Nature nor the Father from whom I am by Eternal Generation and who hath sent me into the World Observe 4. What causeless Rage appeared in these Men against Christ for declaring the Truth unto them they would have taken him by Violence had not the Power and Providence of God restrained them for the present because his time to Suffer was not yet come Hence Learn That Violence and Persecution against the Faithful Dispensers of the Truths of God have been the Lot and Portion of such in all Ages and Generations Christ experienced it let his Ministers expect it Observe 5. That altho' the Rulers at Jerusalem were Angry and enraged yet the meaner and inferiour sort of People Believed on him being convinced by the wonderful Miracles which he had wrought amongst them that he was the True and promised Messias For say they when ever the Messias come he cannot do greater and more Evident Miracles then this Man hath hath done Learn hence That altho' the Grace of God be not ensured to or entailed upon any sort of People yet ordinarily it is the meaner sort of People with whom it prevails most Many of the common People at Jerusalem were Believing when the Rulers there were Persecuting Men that live in Pleasure and at Ease see no need of dependance upon God have little inclination or desire to farther the Gospel and to encourage either the Dispensers or Professors of it nay it is well if they do not turn Persecutors ¶ 32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him 33 Then said Jesus unto them Yet a little while am I with you and then I go unto him that sent me 34 Ye shall seek me and shall not find me and where I am thither ye cannot come 35 Then said the Jews
with these poor Officers Observe 2. That the Pharisees being more enraged at the Reason which the Officers gave for neglecting their Office than for the neglect it self upbraid them that they should suffer themselves to be so deceived whereas none of the Grandees or Learned Rabbies had owned him only an accursed crew of Ignorant People followed him and doated on him Here Note That when Christ came into the World the great ones of the World not only refused to Believe on him but boasted of their unbelief as an Argument of their Wisdom Have any of the Rulers believed on him Oh no They were too Wise to Believe Faith is left to Fools and accounted Folly by those Wise Men. Nay farther They count the Common People cursed who did Believe on Christ O prodigious stupidity to account them accursed who receive Jesus Christ the cheifest Blessing Great Men have not always the Wisdom of a Man but more seldom have they the Wisdom of a real Christian Great in Honour and Wise in Understanding are a sweet couple but seldom seen together 50 Nicodemus saith unto them he that came to Jesus by night being one of them 51 Doth our law judge any man before it hear him and know what he doth 52 They answered and said unto him Art thou also of Galilee Search and look for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet 53 And every man went unto his own house Here Observe 1. How God stirs up Nicodemus tho' he durst not openly own Christ yet to plead for him that he might not be condemned before heard this was a common Rule of Justice and nothing but what might have been said on behalf of the greatest Malefactor he could not well have said less but God so ordered it that it was enough to divert the Storm from falling upon Christ at this time One word shall be sufficient to blow over a Persecution when God will have it so Obs 2. They answer Nicodemus with a Taunt a Mock and a Scorn that no Prophet ever did rise out of Galilee nor ever should Therefore Christ arising out of Galilee as they thought could be no Prophet Observe Lastly That though they were more and more enraged yet they scatter without concluding any thing against Christ for that time every one went to his own home There is no Wisdom nor Understanding nor Counsel against the Lord. CHAP. VIII 1 JEsus went unto the mount of Olives 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple and all the people came unto him and he sat down and taught them The foregoing Chapter gave us an Account of a most excellent Sermon which our Saviour Preach'd in the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles Now the Feast being ended Jesus did not tarry in the City all Night but went out of it two Miles as he frequently used to do to the Mount of Olives And altho' it was so dangerous for him to be seen any more in Jerusalem yet early the next Morning he returns again to the City enters the Temple and falls upon his work of preaching without fear and with indefatigable diligence Oh what a busie useful Life was this of our Saviour's he spent the Day in preaching in the Temple the Night in privacy and Prayer on the Mount of Olives and the next Morning returns to his work of preaching again Thus was he always holily and painfully imployed to glorifie his Father and to be useful and beneficial to Mankind was his food by Day and his rest by Night Lord How little do we resemble thee if when thy Life was all Pains and Labour ours all be Pastime Pleasure and Recreation 3 And the Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery and when they had set her in the midst 4 They say unto him Master this woman was taken in adultery in the very act 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned but what sayest thou 6 This they said tempting him that they might have to accuse him But Jesus stooped down and with his finger wrote on the ground as though he heard them not 7 So when they continued asking him he lift up himself and said unto them He that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her 8 And again he stooped down and wrote on the ground 9 And they which heard it being convicted by their own conscience went out one by one beginning at the eldest even unto the last and Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst 10 When Jesus had lift up himself and saw none but the woman he said unto her Woman where are those thine accusers hath no man condemned thee 11 She said No man Lord. And Jesus said unto her Neither do I condemn thee go and sin no more Our Saviour early in the Morning entring upon the work of Preaching Observe 1. What a mixt Auditory he had of Scribes and Pharisees and Common People All sorts of persons came to hear him but not all with the same intentions the Common People came to Learn but the Scribes and Pharisees came to Cavil and Carp the latter came to Tempt and insnare him the former to be Taught and Instructed by him it is not our bare attendance upon Ordinances but the purity of our Aim and the sincerity of our Intentions in waiting upon God in them that is an Evidence of our Sincerity Observe 2. How the Hypocrisie of these Pharisees was gilded over with an appearance of Sanctity as if they were great lovers of Chastity and haters of Uncleanness they bring to Christ a Woman taken in a Adultery to be censured by him one that had not known these Pharisees would have concluded them very Holy and Honest very Conscionable and Conscientious Persons but Christ that saw into their Bosoms soon found that all this was done only to Tempt him Thus a smooth Tongue and a false Heart often accompany one another when we see too glittering appearances we have reason to suspect the inside Observe 3. The punishment which the Pharisees seek to have inflicted on this Adulteress it is Death let her be stoned Sometimes the punishment of Adultery was burning sometimes stoning always Death Lord How ought Christians to Blush who have slight thoughts of the Sin of Adultery which both Jews and Pagans held ever deadly Observe 4. Their ensnaring Question Moses commanded such to be stoned but what sayest thou The Pharisees desire no better Advantage against Christ than a Contradiction to Moses their Received Lawgiver It has been an old Stratagem to set Moses and Christ at variance but they are fast Friends they are Subordinate one to another not opposite one against another Moses brings us to Christ and Christ to Glory Fain would these colloguing Adversaries draw Christ to contradict Moses that they might take Advantage of that Contradiction to condemn Christ Observe 5. The Wisdom and Caution of our Lord's Answer he doth not excuse her
cause of Blindness but that neither the one nor the other was the cause in that Man's case but that the Power and Mercy of God might be seen in Restoring this Man to his Sight therefore was he Born Blind Whence Note 1. That tho' Sin be always the deserving yet is it not always the procuring cause of Affliction 2. That we seldom think of or hit upon any other cause of Affliction but only Sin tho' the design of God looks beyond the Sin of Man in Afflictions yet Man seldom looks beyond that or thinks of any other design of God in Afflicting but only punishing for Sin 4 I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work 5 As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world Here our Saviour tells his Disciples that he was sent by God into the World and had a great work assigned him by God during his abode in it Namely To Instruct Reform and Save Mankind and what our Saviour says of himself is Applicable to every one of us in a lower Sense we are sent into the World to work out our own Salvation in the first place and then to promote the Salvation of others as much as in us lies Note 1. That every one has a work to do in the World a great work assigned him by God that sent him into it 2. That the Time allotted for the finishing and dispatching of this great work it is a limited Time it is a short Time our working Season is a short Season While it is Day 3. That after the working Season is past and expired there will succeed a Night of Darkness in which there must be a cessation from work The Night cometh 6 When he had thus spoken he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay 7 And said unto him Go wash in the pool of Siloam which is by interpretation Sent. He went his way therefore and washed and came seeing Two things concurred towards the Cure of this Blind Man Namely An act of Divine Power on Christ's part and an act of Faith and Obedience on the Man's part 1. An act of Divine Power on Christ's part he Tempers Clay and Spittle together and Anoints the Man's Eyes therewith and behold he sees What an improbable remedy and means was this to Humane Reason Much fitter to put out a seeing Man's Eyes than to cure a Blind Man's Had Christ pull'd out his Box and Applied some Medicinal Oyntment to his Eyes then the praise had been ascribed to his Skill not to his Power But now it plainly appeared that all the vertue was in Christ not in the means Lord What great things canst thou do by weak and unlikely means yea by opposite and contrary means But it is the praise of Omnipotency to work by Improbabilities From the Contemptibleness of the means or Instrument always redounds the greater honour to the Agent Observe 2. An act of Faith and Obedience on the Man's part He went his way and washed his Eyes in the Pool of Siloam and returned seeing Where Note 1. How Christ delights to exercise and try the Faith of his People by their subjection and Obedience to difficult commands 2. That true Faith joined with sincere Obedience never faileth the expectation of them that exercise it especially in obeying the most hard and difficult commands Therefore the Evangelist addeth that the Blind Man after washing Returned seeing 8 ¶ The neighbours therefore and they which before had seen him that he was blind said Is not this he that sat and begged 9 Some said This is he others said He is like him but he said I am he 10 Therefore said they unto them How were thine eyes opened 11 He answered and said A man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine eyes and said unto me Go to the pool of Siloam and wash and I went and washed and I received sight 12 Then said they unto him Where is he He said I know not The Blind Man thus miraculously cured returns with much Joy to his Neighbours and Acquaintance who confer with him upon this matter they enquire whether he was the person cured or not who was the person that cured him and where that person was He assures them he was the very person that was Blind but now cured that he that cured him was Jesus that the means used was Clay and Spittle but where this Jesus was or what was become of him he knew not Learn hence 1. That the miraculous cures of God work a sensible alteration in Men not only in their own Apprehension but in the judgment of others This Miracle shined forth among the Neighbours who having seen and observed the Blind Man admire his healing Learn 2. How frankly the Blind Man acknowledges and how freely he confesses that he was the person whom Jesus had healed I am he It is an unthankful silence to smother the works of God in an affected secrecy to make God a loser by his bounty towards us is a shameful injustice Oh God we are not worthy of thy common favours much less of Spiritual Blessings if we do not publish thy mercies on the House Top and praise thee for them in the great Congregation 13 ¶ They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind 14 And it was the sabbath-day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes 15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight He said unto them He put clay upon mine eyes and I washed and do see 16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees This man is not of God becauseth he keepeth not the sabbath-day Others said How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles And there was a division among them Observe here 1. How the Jews who should have been full of silent wonder and inclined to believe in Jesus Christ so omnipotent an Agent are prejudiced against him and bring the late Blind Man before the Pharisees our Saviour's professed Enemies Observe 2. The time which our Saviour chose for working this cure it was on the Sabbath many if not most of Christ's famous Miracles were wrought upon the Sabbath-day Upon that Day he cured the withered Hand Math. 12. Upon that Day he cured the impotent Man at the Pool of Bethesda St. John 5. Upon that Day he cured the Bâ—ind Man here Thus Christ did probably for two Reasons 1. To confirm his Doctrine which he Preach'd on that Day by Miracles therefore his preaching and working Miracles went together 2. To Instruct the Jews had they been willing to Receive instruâ—tion in the true Doctrine and proper Duties of their Sabbath and to let them know that works of Necessity and Mercy are very consistent with the due Sanctification of the Sabbath It his hard to find out any time wherein Charity is unseasonable for
himself glorified when the Glory of his Son is advanced This Sickness is for the Glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified thereby 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick he abode two days still in the same place where he was 7. Then after that saith he to his disciples Let us go into Judea again 8 His disciples say unto him Master the Jews of late sought to stone thee and goest thou thither again 9 Jesus answered Are there not twelve hours in the day If any Man walk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world 10 But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him Observe 1. What an happy because an holy and religious Family was here and much honoured by Christ Jesus loved Martha Mary and Lazarus wherever true Piety dwells it draws the Eye and Heart of Christ towards it Christ had frequently and familiarly lodged under their Roof and he rewards them for their Entertainment with his Love Jesus loved Martha and her Sister Where Note That Martha is here named first though elsewhere Mary had the Precedency to shew no doubt that they were both equally dear to Christ Obs 2. That altho' Christ loved Lazarus yet he seems to neglect him he delays going to him for some days But could Christ absent himself from one so long whom he loved so well we find he did Let us take heed then that we do not mis-interpret Christ's Delays He seldom comes at our time but never stays beyond his own Our Saviour had a double End in staying thus long Namely for greatning of the Miracle and confirming of their Faith Had Christ gone before Lazarus was dead they might have attributed his Recovery rather to the strength of Nature than to Christ's miraculous Power or had Christ raised Lazarus as soon as he was Dead they might peradventure have thought it rather some Trance or Extasie than a Death and Dissolution therefore Christ stays so many days that God might be the more glorified and his own omnipotent Power the more magnified We Learn then That when Christ delays to help them whom he dearly loves it is always for wise ends and holy purposes Observe 3. How the Disciples tho' they were dearly affected to Lazarus for they had Learned to love where their Master loved yet they discourage Christ from going to him into Judea for fear of violence offered to him Master the Jews of late sought to stone Thee and goest thou thither again Here the Disciples pleaded for their Master's safety at the same time aiming at their own they were to go with him into Judea and they well knew that their danger was inwrapped in his Therefore they seek to divert him from his intention Oh how has the fear of Suffering made many of the Friends of Christ decline an opportunity of glorifying God and doing good to others But cannot God give safety in the midst of danger if he pleaseth let us not then chuse our way according to our own Apprehensions either of danger or safety but as we see God going before us if our call be clear let us go on with Courage whatever difficulties lye in our way Observe 4. How our Saviour corrects these fears of his Disciples by acquainting them with his call from God to undertake this Journey into Judea Are there not Twelve hours in the day if a Man walk therein he stumbleth not but in the night he stumbleth As if Christ had said As he that walks in the Day is in no danger of stumbling but in the Night he is in danger So as long as I have a call from God and my working time lasts there is a Divine Providence that will watch over me and secure me from all danger now my day is not fully spent and therefore it is not in the Power of my Enemies to precipitate my Passion or to bring the Night of Sufferings upon me before the appointed time but ere long the Night will come on the working time will be over and then shall both I and you stumble upon Death but while the day lasteth we are safe Learn hence 1. Every Man has his Twelve hours that is his working time assigned him by God in this World 2. While these hours are spent and whilest his working time is unexpired he shall not stumble he shall not die he shall not be disabled for working while God has any work for him to do neither the Malice of Men nor the rage of Devils shall take them off till their work be finished 3. Every Man has his Night as well as his Day in which he must expect and prepare to stumble that is to fall by Death for when God has done his work by us and with us he will withdraw his protection from us but not his care over us we stumble upon Death and fall into the Grave but God receives us to himself and at the end of our working Season rewards us for our work 11 These things said he and after that he saith unto them Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of sleep Observe here 1. Our Saviour coming near to Bethany Tells his Disciples that Lazarus sleepeth that is plainly he was Dead This shewed his omnisciency and that he was truly God for he had received no Advice of his Death from any person but as God he knew that he was deceased Observe 2. The sweet Title given both to Death and Lazarus Death is called a sleep Lazarus is stiled a friend yet Christ says not my friend but our friend Lazarus sleepeth intimating that gracious Familiarity and Mutual Friendship which was betwixt himself and all his Members Learn hence 1. That all True Believers are Christ's Friends 2. That the Friends of Christ must die as well as others 3. That their Death is but a Sleep Our friend Lazarus Sleepeth It followeth But I go that I may awake him out of sleep Observe Christ says not we will go and awake him but I will go and I will awake him The Disciples who were Companions in the way must not be Partners in the work Witnesses they may be Actors they cannot be none can awake Lazarus but the maker of Lazarus Who can command the Soul to come down and meet the Body and who can command the Body to Rise up and meet the Soul but that God that created both Soul and Body Lord It is our Comfort against the Dread and Terror of Death that our Resurrection depends upon thy Almighty Power I will go that I may awake him out of sleep 12 Then said his disciples Lord if he sleep he shall do well 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly Lazarus is dead 15 And I am glad for your sakes
me St. Luke If thou wilt worship before me from whence we may gather that if to worship before the Devil be to worship the Devil then to worship before an Image is to worship the Image Obs 2. the Bait which Satan makes use of to allure our Saviour to the sin of Idolatry representing to his eye and view all the glories of the World in a most inviting manner and that in a moment of time that so he might affect him the more and prevail the sooner Learn thence That the Pomp and Grandeur of the World is made use of by Satan as a dangerous Snare to draw Men into a compliance with him in his Temptations unto sin He shewed him all the Kingdoms of the world and the Glory of them Observe 3. What an impudent Lyar and proud Boaster the Devil is he was a Lyar from the beginning All this will I give thee for it was delivered unto me an impudent untruth for the Dominion over the things of the World was never given to the Angels neither has the Devil any power over the Creatures but by permission from God The Devil is a most impudent Lyar he told the first Lye and by long Practice is become a perfect Master in the Art of Lying Observe also the Devil 's Boasting as well as Lying All this will I give thee when he had not one foot of Ground to dispose of Great Boasters are for the most part great Lyars and such Boasters and Lyars are like the Devil Observe 4. How our Saviour declares the true and only Object of Religious Worship namely God himself thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Religious Worship is to be given to none of the Creatures neither to Angels nor Men how excellent soever but to God alone We read but of two Creatures that ever desired in Scripture to be Worshipped with Divine Worship namely the Devil and Antichrist but the command is peremptory Thou shalt worship the Lord and him only 9 And he brought him to Jerusalem and set him upon a pinacle of the temple and said unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down from hence 10 For it is written He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee 11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone 12 And Jesus answering said unto him it is said thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 13 And when the Devil had ended all the temptation he departed from him for a Season Observe here 1. The power which Satan by God's permission had over the Body of our Blessed Saviour He took him up and he carried his Body through the Air from the Wilderness to Jerusalem and there sets him upon one of the Pinacles of the Temple Learn hence 1. That Satan by God's permission may have a power over the Bodies of Men yea over the Bodies of the best of Men. 2. That this exercise of Satans power over the Bodies of Men is no Argument that such Persons do not belong to God Our Saviour himself who was dear to God is yet left for a time in Satans hands But tho' Satan had a power to set him upon the Pinacle of the Temple yet he had no power to cast him down tho' Satan's Malice be infinite his power is limited and bounded he cannot do all the mischief he would and he shall not do all he can Obs 2. The Sin which Satan tempts Christ to the sin of Self-murther Cast thy self down Learn that Self-murther is a sin which Christ himself was and the Best of his Children may be sollicited and tempted to yet tho' Satan sollicited Christ to the sin he could not compel him to comply with the Temptation Thence Note That how much earnestness and importunity soever Satan uses in pressing his Temptation he can only perswade he cannot compel he may entice but cannot enforce Observe 3. The Argument which Satan uses to perswade Christ to the sin of Self-murther it is a Scripture-Argument he quotes a Promise He shall give his Angels charge over thee What a wonder is here to see the Devil with a Bible under his Arm and with a Text of Scripture in his Mouth Christ had alledged Scripture before to Satan here Satan Retorts Scripture back again to Christ It is written says Christ it is written says Satan Learn That Satan knows how to abuse the most excellent and comfortable Scriptures to the most horrid and prodigious Ends and Purposes He that had Prophanely toucht the Sacred Body of Christ with his hand sticks not presumptuously to handle the Holy Scriptures with his Tongue Obs 4. The Text of Scripture which Satan makes use of Psal 91.11 12. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee where the Doctrine is good but the Application bad The Doctrine is true that God is pleased to imploy his Angels for the good of his Servants and particularly for their preservation in times of Danger But see how falsely the Devil perverts misapplies and wrests that Sacred Scripture When God promises that his Angels shall keep us it is in all his ways not in our own crooked paths Learn That altho' the Children of God have the promise of the Guardianship of his Holy Angels yet then only may they expect their Protection when walking in the way of their Duty He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways Observe Lastly The issue of this Combat Satan is vanquished and departs from our Saviour St. Matthew says the Devil left him and Angels came and ministred unto him Satan is Conquered and quâ—â—s the Field Teaching us That nothing like a vigorous resistance of Temptations causes the Tempter to flee from us Satan is both a Cowardly Enemy and a Conquered Enemy resist him and he will run 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee and there went out a fame of him through all the Region round about 15 And he taught in their Synagogues being glorified of all 16 And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day and stood up for to read 17 And there was delivered unto him the Book of the Prophet Esaias and when he had opened the Book he found the place where it was written 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and Recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the Book and gave it again to the Minister and sate down and the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastned upon him 21 And he began to say unto them This day
is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Our Blessed Saviour being thus fitted and prepared by his Baptism and Temptations for the Execution of his Ministerial Office he now enters upon the great work of Preaching the Gospel and St. Luke here declares the first place he preacht at namely Nazareth and the first Text he preacht upon Isa 61.1 Observe 1. The place which our Saviour preacht at he bestowed his first Sermon upon Nazareth the place of his Conception and Education For tho' Christ was Born at Bethlehem yet he was bred and brought up at Nazareth there he had his poor but painful Education working on his Father's Trade that of a Carpenter This prejudiced the Jews against him who lookt for a Scepter not an Ax in the hand of him that was born King of the Jews Our Saviour's short and secret abode at Bethlehem and his long and publick living at Nazareth occasioned him to be called Jesus of Nazareth Yet some conceive it was a Nick-name fastned by the Devil upon our Saviour that he might disguise the place of Christ's Nativity and leave the Jews at the greater loss concerning their Messiah Sure it is that this Name Jesus of Nazareth stuck upon our Saviour all his Life and at his Death was fixed by Pilate on his Cross Yea after his Ascention such as believed on him were called The Sect of the Nazareens or the followers of Jesus of Nazareth Observe 2. The Text which our Saviour preacht upon at Nazareth he takes it out of the Prophet Esaias Ch. 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath Anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor that is God the Father hath poured forth his Holy Spirit without measure upon me in all the Gifts and Graces of it to sit and furnish me for the work of a Mediator and particularly to preach the Gospel to the poor in Spirit and to such as are poor in outward Condition also if meekned and humbled with the sight and sense of their sins To bind up the broken hearted that is to comfort them with the glad tidings of the Gospel To preach Deliverance to the Captives to let such Sinners know who were slaves to sin and Satan that a Deliverer is come if they be willing to be Delivered by him To preach the acceptable year of the Lord or to proclaim a Spiritual Jubilee in which God proffers pardon of Sin and Reconciliation with himself upon the Terms of the Gospel Learn hence 1. That God stirreth up none to take upon them the Office of the Ministry whom he hath not fitted and furnished with Gifts for the Regular discharge of it 2. That Christ himself did not undertake the Office of a Mediator but by the Ordination of God the Holy Spirit The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath sent me to preach the Gospel 3. That no Creature Angel or Man could perform the Office of a Mediator but only Christ who was Consecrated to that Office by an Anointing from the Holy Spirit without measure The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me 4. That the preaching of the Gospel is the great Ordinance which Christ himself made use of and recommended to his Apostles and Ministers for inlightning blind Sinners for comforting broken hearts and for Delivering Captive Souls from the slavery and dominion of sin and Satan He hath sent me to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken-hearted to publish Deliverance to the Captives and Recovering of Sight to the blind What Enemies then are they to the Souls of Men who have low and mean thoughts of this high and honourable Ordinance of God the preaching of the Everlasting Gospel which is the power of God unto Salvation Observe 3. The Behaviour of our Saviour's Auditors the Men of Nazareth under his Preaching their Eyes were fixt and their minds intent upon him and upon what was spoken by him The Eyes of all that were in the Synagâ—gue were fastned upon him not closed with sleep nor gazing about upon others but fixed upon Christ the Preacher fixing of the Eye is a great help to the attention of the ear and the intention of the mind a fastned eye is a means to help us to a fixed heart as a wandring eye is both a sign and a cause of a wandring Heart O that our Hearers would imitate our Saviour's Hearers under the Word They fastned their Eyes upon him as if they meant to hear with their eyes as well as with their Ears And yet we have cause to suspect that Curiosity rather than Piety caused this their Attention seeing as you will find v. 29. That these very Persons who out of Novelty were ready to eat his words soon after out of Cruelty were ready to devour the speaker for they thrust him out of the city led him to the Brow of the Hill and would have cast him down headlong Oh blessed Saviour What wonder is it that the Persons of thy Ministers are despised and their Doctrine neglected when thou thy self the first Preacher of the Gospel and for thy first Sermon at Nazareth wert thus ignominiously treated 22 And all bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth and they said is not this Joseph's son 23 And he said unto them ye will surely say unto me this Proverb Physician heal thy self Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum do also here in thy country 24 And he said verily I say unto you no Prophet is accepted in his own country Observe here 1. The effect of our Saviour's Ministry at Nazareth it created wonder but did not produce Faith they marvelled but not believed they admire the Wisdom of his Discourses but will not own him to be the promised Messias because of the Poverty and Meanness of his Condition Is not this Joseph's Son They expect the son of a Prince not the son of a Carpenter to be their Messiah Thence Note That the Poverty and Meaness of Christ's Condition was that which Multitudes stumbled at and which kept many yea most from Believing on him None but a Spiritual Eye can discern Beauty in an humbled and abased Saviour Obs 2. Our Saviour wonders not that so few of his Country men amongst whom he had been bred and brought up and with whom he had lived most part of his time did despise his Person and reject his Doctrine He tells them No Prophet has honour in his own Country that is very seldom has Teaching us that usually the Ministers of God are most despised where they are most familiarly known sometimes the remembrance of their mean Original and Extraction sometimes the poverty of their Parents sometimes the Indecencies of their Childhood sometimes the follies of their youth sometimes the faults of their Family and Relations are ript up and made occasions of Contempt and therefore that Prophet that comes from afar and has not been much known gains the greatest Reputation amongst a